to his comrade, whom the good
woman of the house had meanwhile borne amicable company, lest he
should get a fright, lying alone.

As for the lady, no sooner had she dined than, taking her
waiting-woman with her, she betook herself to Fra Alberto and gave him
news of the angel Gabriel, telling him that which she had heard from
him of the glories of life eternal and how he was made and adding to
boot, marvellous stories of her own invention. 'Madam,' said he, 'I
know not how you fared with him; I only know that yesternight, whenas
he came to me and I did your message to him, he suddenly transported
my soul amongst such a multitude of roses and other flowers that never
was the like thereof seen here below, and I abode in one of the most
delightsome places that was aye until the morning; but what became of
my body meanwhile I know not.' 'Do I not tell you?' answered the lady.
'Your body lay all night in mine arms with the angel Gabriel. If you
believe me not, look under your left pap, whereas I gave the angel
such a kiss that the marks of it will stay by you for some days to
come.' Quoth the friar, 'Say you so? Then will I do to-day a thing I
have not done this great while; I will strip myself, to see if you
tell truth.' Then, after much prating, the lady returned home and Fra
Alberto paid her many visits in angel-form, without suffering any
hindrance.

However, it chanced one day that Madam Lisetta, being in dispute with
a gossip of hers upon the question of female charms, to set her own
above all others, said, like a woman who had little wit in her noddle,
'An you but knew whom my beauty pleaseth, in truth you would hold your
peace of other women.' The other, longing to hear, said, as one who
knew her well, 'Madam, maybe you say sooth; but knowing not who this
may be, one cannot turn about so lightly.' Thereupon quoth Lisetta,
who was eath enough to draw, 'Gossip, it must go no farther; but he I
mean is the angel Gabriel, who loveth me more than himself, as the
fairest lady (for that which he telleth me) who is in the world or the
Maremma.'[227] The other had a mind to laugh, but contained herself,
so she might make Lisetta speak farther, and said, 'Faith, madam, an
the angel Gabriel be your lover and tell you this, needs must it be
so; but methought not the angels did these things.' 'Gossip,' answered
the lady, 'you are mistaken; zounds, he doth what you wot of better
than my husband and telleth me they do it also up