han for the heat, not only slept not that night, but suffered
not her mother to sleep, still complaining of the great heat.
Accordingly, next morning, the latter repaired to her husband and said
to him, 'Sir, you have little tenderness for yonder girl; what
mattereth it to you if she lie in the gallery? She could get no rest
all night for the heat. Besides, can you wonder at her having a mind
to hear the nightingale sing, seeing she is but a child? Young folk
are curious of things like themselves. Messer Lizio, hearing this,
said, 'Go to, make her a bed there, such as you think fit, and bind it
about with some curtain or other, and there let her lie and hear the
nightingale sing to her heart's content.'

The girl, learning this, straightway let make a bed in the gallery and
meaning to lie there that same night, watched till she saw Ricciardo
and made him a signal appointed between them, by which he understood
what was to be done. Messer Lizio, hearing the girl gone to bed,
locked a door that led from his chamber into the gallery and betook
himself likewise to sleep. As for Ricciardo, as soon as he heard all
quiet on every hand, he mounted a wall, with the aid of a ladder, and
thence, laying hold of certain toothings of another wall, he made his
way, with great toil and danger, if he had fallen, up to the gallery,
where he was quietly received by the girl with the utmost joy. Then,
after many kisses, they went to bed together and took delight and
pleasure one of another well nigh all that night, making the
nightingale sing many a time. The nights being short and the delight
great and it being now, though they thought it not, near day, they
fell asleep without any covering, so overheated were they what with
the weather and what with their sport, Caterina having her right arm
entwined about Ricciardo's neck and holding him with the left hand by
that thing which you ladies think most shame to name among men.

As they slept on this wise, without awaking, the day came on and
Messer Lizio arose and remembering him that his daughter lay in the
gallery, opened the door softly, saying in himself, 'Let us see how
the nightingale hath made Caterina sleep this night.' Then, going in,
he softly lifted up the serge, wherewith the bed was curtained about,
and saw his daughter and Ricciardo lying asleep, naked and uncovered,
embraced as it hath before been set out; whereupon, having recognized
Ricciardo, he went out again and repairing