suffer him couch by her side, so he might warm
himself somewhat, for that he was grown chilled, awaiting her,
promising her that he would neither say aught to her nor touch her and
would get him gone, so soon as he should be a little warmed.
Salvestra, having some little compassion of him, granted him this he
asked, upon the conditions aforesaid, and he accordingly lay down
beside her, without touching her. Then, collecting into one thought
the long love he had borne her and her present cruelty and his lost
hope, he resolved to live no longer; wherefore, straitening in himself
his vital spirits,[252] he clenched his hands and died by her side,
without word or motion.

[Footnote 252: _Ristretti in se gli spiriti._ An obscure passage;
perhaps "holding his breath" is meant; but in this case we should read
"_lo spirito_" instead of "_gli spiriti_."]

After a while the young woman, marvelling at his continence and
fearing lest her husband should awake, began to say, 'Alack, Girolamo,
why dost thou not get thee gone?' Hearing no answer, she concluded
that he had fallen asleep and putting out her hand to awaken him,
found him cold to the touch as ice, whereat she marvelled sore; then,
nudging him more sharply and finding that he stirred not, she felt him
again and knew that he was dead; whereat she was beyond measure
woebegone and abode a great while, unknowing what she should do. At
last she bethought herself to try, in the person of another, what her
husband should say was to do [in such a case]; wherefore, awakening
him, she told him, as having happened to another, that which had
presently betided herself and after asked him what counsel she should
take thereof,[253] if it should happen to herself. The good man
replied that himseemed the dead man should be quietly carried to his
house and there left, without bearing any ill will thereof to the
woman, who, it appeared to him, had nowise done amiss. Then said
Salvestra, 'And so it behoveth us do'; and taking his hand, made him
touch the dead youth; whereupon, all confounded, he arose, without
entering into farther parley with his wife, and kindled a light; then,
clothing the dead body in its own garments, he took it, without any
delay, on his shoulders and carried it, his innocence aiding him, to
the door of Girolamo's house, where he set it down and left it.

[Footnote 253: _i.e._ what course she should take in the matter,
_consiglio_ used as before (see notes, pp. 2 and