ith him store of good things to eat and drink, and
after lay with her till matinsong, when he arose and took himself off,
whilst Fra Puccio returned to bed. Now the place which Fra Puccio had
chosen for his penance adjoined the chamber where the lady lay and was
parted therefrom but by a very slight wall, wherefore, Master Monk
wantoning it one night overfreely with the lady and she with him, it
seemed to Fra Puccio that he felt a shaking of the floor of the house.
Accordingly, having by this said an hundred of his Paternosters, he
made a stop there and without moving, called to his wife to know what
she did. The lady, who was of a waggish turn and was then belike
astride of San Benedetto his beast or that of San Giovanni Gualberto,
answered, 'I' faith, husband mine, I toss as most I may.' 'How?'
quoth Fra Puccio. 'Thou tossest? What meaneth this tossing?' The lady,
laughing, for that she was a frolicsome dame and doubtless had cause
to laugh, answered merrily; 'How? You know not what it meaneth? Why, I
have heard you say a thousand times, "Who suppeth not by night must
toss till morning light."' Fra Puccio doubted not but that the fasting
was the cause of her unableness to sleep and it was for this she
tossed thus about the bed; wherefore, in the simplicity of his heart,
'Wife,' said he, 'I told thee not to fast; but, since thou wouldst
e'en do it, think not of that, but address thyself to rest; thou
givest such vaults about the bed that thou makest all in the place
shake.' 'Have no care for that,' answered the lady; 'I know what I am
about; do you but well, you, and I will do as well as I may.' Fra
Puccio, accordingly, held his peace and betook himself anew to his
Paternosters; and after that night my lord monk and the lady let make
a bed in another part of the house, wherein they abode in the utmost
joyance what while Fra Puccio's penance lasted. At one and the same
hour the monk took himself off and the lady returned to her own bed,
whereto a little after came Fra Puccio from his penance; and on this
wise the latter continued to do penance, whilst his wife did her
delight with the monk, to whom quoth she merrily, now and again, 'Thou
hast put Fra Puccio upon performing a penance, whereby we have gotten
Paradise.' Indeed, the lady, finding herself in good case, took such a
liking to the monk's fare, having been long kept on low diet by her
husband, that, whenas Fra Puccio's penance was accomplished, she still
found me