t his neck and drew it so that he could make no outcry;
then, the duke coming up, they strangled him and cast him whereas they
had cast the prince.

This done and they being manifestly certified that they had been
unheard of the lady or of any other, the duke took a light in his hand
and carrying it to the bedside, softly uncovered the princess, who
slept fast. He considered her from head to foot and mightily commended
her; for, if she was to his liking, being clothed, she pleased him,
naked, beyond all compare. Wherefore, fired with hotter desire and
unawed by his new-committed crime, he couched himself by her side,
with hands yet bloody, and lay with her, all sleepy-eyed as she was
and thinking him to be the prince. After he had abidden with her
awhile in the utmost pleasure, he arose and summoning certain of his
companions, caused take up the lady on such wise that she could make
no outcry and carry her forth by a privy door, whereat he had entered;
then, setting her on horseback, he took to the road with all his men,
as softliest he might, and returned to his own dominions. However (for
that he had a wife) he carried the lady, who was the most distressful
of women, not to Athens, but to a very goodly place he had by the sea,
a little without the city, and there entertained her in secret,
causing honourably furnish her with all that was needful.

The prince's courtiers on the morrow awaited his rising till none,
when, hearing nothing, they opened the chamber-doors, which were but
closed, and finding no one, concluded that he was gone somewhither
privily, to pass some days there at his ease with his fair lady, and
gave themselves no farther concern. Things being thus, it chanced next
day that an idiot, entering the ruins where lay the bodies of the
prince and Ciuriaci, dragged the latter forth by the halter and went
haling him after him. The body was, with no little wonderment,
recognized by many, who, coaxing the idiot to bring them to the place
whence he had dragged it, there, to the exceeding grief of the whole
city, found the prince's corpse and gave it honourable burial. Then,
enquiring for the authors of so heinous a crime and finding that the
Duke of Athens was no longer there, but had departed by stealth, they
concluded, even as was the case, that it must be he who had done this
and carried off the lady; whereupon they straightway substituted a
brother of the dead man to their prince and incited him with all