ad day come, the good man with whom Fra Alberto had taken refuge,
being on the Rialto, heard how the angel Gabriel had gone that night
to lie with Madam Lisetta and being surprised by her kinsmen, had cast
himself for fear into the canal, nor was it known what was come of
him, and concluded forthright that this was he whom he had at home.
Accordingly, he returned thither and recognizing the monk, found means
after much parley, to make him fetch him fifty ducats, an he would not
have him give him up to the lady's kinsmen. Having gotten the money
and Fra Alberto offering to depart thence, the good man said to him,
'There is no way of escape for you, an it be not one that I will tell
you. We hold to-day a festival, wherein one bringeth a man clad
bear-fashion and another one accoutred as a wild man of the woods and
what not else, some one thing and some another, and there is a hunt
held in St. Mark's Place, which finished, the festival is at an end
and after each goeth whither it pleaseth him with him whom he hath
brought. An you will have me lead you thither, after one or other of
these fashions, I can after carry you whither you please, ere it be
spied out that you are here; else I know not how you are to get away,
without being recognized, for the lady's kinsmen, concluding that you
must be somewhere hereabout, have set a watch for you on all sides.'

Hard as it seemed to Fra Alberto to go on such wise, nevertheless, of
the fear he had of the lady's kinsmen, he resigned himself thereto and
told his host whither he would be carried, leaving the manner to him.
Accordingly, the other, having smeared him all over with honey and
covered him with down, clapped a chain about his neck and a mask on
his face; then giving him a great staff in on hand and in the other
two great dogs which he had fetched from the shambles he despatched
one to the Rialto to make public proclamation that whoso would see the
angel Gabriel should repair to St. Mark's Place; and this was Venetian
loyalty! This done, after a while, he brought him forth and setting
him before himself, went holding him by the chain behind, to the no
small clamour of the folk, who said all, 'What be this? What be
this?'[230] till he came to the place, where, what with those who had
followed after them and those who, hearing the proclamation, were come
thither from the Rialto, were folk without end. There he tied his wild
man to a column in a raised and high place, making a s