ng?'
asked he who had put the question to him. 'Ay did I,' answered
Rinaldo; whereupon quoth the other in himself, knowing well how the
thing was to go, 'May it stand thee in stead![83] For, an no hindrance
betide us, methinketh thou art e'en like to lodge ill.' Then, to
Rinaldo, 'I likewise,' quoth he, 'have travelled much and have never
said this orison, albeit I have heard it greatly commended, nor ever
hath it befallen me to lodge other than well; and this evening maybe
you shall chance to see which will lodge the better, you who have said
it or I who have not. True, I use, instead thereof, the _Dirupisti_ or
the _Intemerata_ or the _De Profundis_, the which, according to that
which a grandmother of mine used to tell me, are of singular virtue.'

[Footnote 81: _i.e._ take things by the first intention, without
seeking to refine upon them, or, in English popular phrase, "I do not
pretend to see farther through a stone wall than my neighbours."]

[Footnote 82: _i.e._ the aforesaid orison.]

[Footnote 83: Or "'Twill have been opportunely done of thee."]

Discoursing thus of various matters and faring on their way, on the
look out the while for time and place apt unto their knavish purpose,
they came, late in the day, to a place a little beyond Castel
Guglielmo, where, at the fording of a river, the three rogues, seeing
the hour advanced and the spot solitary and close shut in, fell upon
Rinaldo and robbed him of money, clothes and horse. Then, leaving him
afoot and in his shirt, they departed, saying, 'Go see if thy St.
Julian will give thee a good lodging this night, even as ours[84] will
assuredly do for us.' And passing the stream, they went their ways.
Rinaldo's servant, seeing him attacked, like a cowardly knave as he
was, did nought to help him, but turning his horse's head, never drew
bridle till he came to Castel Guglielmo and entering the town, took up
his lodging there, without giving himself farther concern.

[Footnote 84: _i.e._ our patron saint.]

Rinaldo, left in his shirt and barefoot, it being very cold and
snowing hard, knew not what to do and seeing the night already at
hand, looked about him, trembling and chattering the while with his
teeth, if there were any shelter to be seen therenigh, where he might
pass the night, so he should not perish of cold; but, seeing none, for
that a little before there had been war in those parts and everything
had been burnt, set off at a run, spurred by the col