man might enter; which being done,
quoth one, 'Who shall go in?' 'Not I,' answered the other. 'Nor I,'
rejoined his fellow; 'let Andreuccio enter.' 'That will I not,' said
the latter; whereupon the two rogues turned upon him and said, 'How!
Thou wilt not? Cock's faith, an thou enter not, we will clout thee
over the costard with one of these iron bars till thou fall dead.'

Andreuccio, affrighted, crept into the tomb, saying in himself the
while, 'These fellows will have me go in here so they may cheat me,
for that, when I shall have given them everything, they will begone
about their business, whilst I am labouring to win out of the tomb,
and I shall abide empty-handed.' Accordingly, he determined to make
sure of his share beforehand; wherefore, as soon as he came to the
bottom, calling to mind the precious ring whereof he had heard them
speak, he drew it from the archbishop's finger and set it on his own.
Then he passed them the crozier and mitre and gloves and stripping the
dead man to his shirt, gave them everything, saying that there was
nothing more. The others declared that the ring must be there and bade
him seek everywhere; but he replied that he found it not and making a
show of seeking it, kept them in play awhile. At last, the two rogues,
who were no less wily than himself, bidding him seek well the while,
took occasion to pull away the prop that held up the lid and made off,
leaving him shut in the tomb.

What became of Andreuccio, when he found himself in this plight, you
may all imagine for yourselves. He strove again and again to heave up
the lid with his head and shoulders, but only wearied himself in vain;
wherefore, overcome with chagrin and despair, he fell down in a swoon
upon the archbishop's dead body; and whoso saw him there had hardly
known which was the deader, the prelate or he. Presently, coming to
himself, he fell into a passion of weeping, seeing he must there
without fail come to one of two ends, to wit, either he must, if none
came thither to open the tomb again, die of hunger and stench, among
the worms of the dead body, or, if any came and found him there, he
would certainly be hanged for a thief.

As he abode in this mind, exceeding woebegone, he heard folk stirring
in the Church and many persons speaking and presently perceived that
they came to do that which he and his comrades had already done;
whereat fear redoubled upon him. But, after the newcomers had forced
open the tomb and