notice of their coming, received them very
courteously and with a cheerful favour, and they seated her between
them, but might not have the pleasure of conversing with her, for that
she understood little or nothing of their language; wherefore each
contented himself with gazing upon her, as upon a marvel, and
especially the duke, who could scarce bring himself to believe that
she was a mortal creature and thinking to satisfy his desire with her
sight, heedless of the amorous poison he drank in at his eyes,
beholding her, he miserably ensnared himself, becoming most ardently
enamoured of her.

After he had departed her presence with the prince and had leisure to
bethink himself, he esteemed his kinsman happy beyond all others in
having so fair a creature at his pleasure, and after many and various
thoughts, his unruly passion weighing more with him than his honour,
he resolved, come thereof what might, to do his utmost endeavour to
despoil the prince of that felicity and bless himself therewith.
Accordingly, being minded to make a quick despatch of the matter and
setting aside all reason and all equity, he turned his every thought
to the devising of means for the attainment of his wishes, and one
day, in accordance with the nefarious ordinance taken by him with a
privy chamberlain of the prince's, by name Ciuriaci, he let make ready
in secret his horses and baggage for a sudden departure.

The night come, he was, with a companion, both armed, stealthily
introduced by the aforesaid Ciuriaci into the prince's chamber and saw
the latter (the lady being asleep) standing, all naked for the great
heat, at a window overlooking the sea-shore, to take a little breeze
that came from that quarter; whereupon, having beforehand informed his
companion of that which he had to do, he went softly up to the window
and striking the prince with a knife, stabbed him, through and through
the small of his back; then, taking him up in haste, he cast him forth
of the window. The palace stood over against the sea and was very
lofty and the window in question looked upon certain houses that had
been undermined by the beating of the waves and where seldom or never
any came; wherefore it happened, as the duke had foreseen, that the
fall of the prince's body was not nor might be heard of any. The
duke's companion, seeing this done, pulled out a halter he had brought
with him to that end and making a show of caressing Ciuriaci, cast it
adroitly abou