this time digested the sleeping draught and exhausted
its effects, awoke and albeit his sleep was broken and his senses in
some measure restored, there abode yet a dizziness in his brain, which
held him stupefied, not that night only, but some days after. Opening
his eyes and seeing nothing, he put out his hands hither and thither
and finding himself in the chest, bethought himself and said, 'What is
this? Where am I? Am I asleep or awake? Algates I mind me that I came
this evening into my mistress's chamber and now meseemeth I am in a
chest. What meaneth this? Can the physician have returned or other
accident befallen, by reason whereof the lady hath hidden me here, I
being asleep? Methinketh it must have been thus; assuredly it was so.'
Accordingly, he addressed himself to abide quiet and hearken if he
could hear aught and after he had abidden thus a great while, being
somewhat ill at ease in the chest, which was small, and the side
whereon he lay irking him, he would have turned over to the other and
wrought so dexterously that, thrusting his loins against one of the
sides of the chest, which had not been set on a level place, he caused
it first to incline to one side and after topple over. In falling, it
made a great noise, whereat the women who slept therenigh awoke and
being affrighted, were silent for fear. Ruggieri was sore alarmed at
the fall of the chest, but, finding that it had opened in the fall,
chose rather, if aught else should betide, to be out of it than to
abide therewithin. Accordingly, he came forth and what with knowing
not where he was and what with one thing and another, he fell to
groping about the house, so haply he should find a stair or a door,
whereby he might get him gone.

The women, hearing this, began to say, 'Who is there?' But Ruggieri,
knowing not the voice, answered not; whereupon they proceeded to call
the two young men, who, for that they had overwatched themselves,
slept fast and heard nothing of all this. Thereupon the women, waxing
more fearful, arose and betaking themselves to the windows, fell
a-crying, 'Thieves! Thieves!' At this sundry of the neighbours ran up
and made their way, some by the roof and some by one part and some by
another, into the house; and the young men also, awaking for the
noise, arose and seized Ruggieri, who finding himself there, was in a
manner beside himself for wonderment and saw no way of escape. Then
they gave him into the hands of the officers of