y,
even so, on the other hand, the women, who all ran to gaze upon the
young man, supremely commended him for handsome and well shapen. But
the wretched lovers, both sore ashamed, stood with bowed heads and
bewailed their sorry fortune, hourly expecting the cruel death by
fire.

Whilst they were thus kept against the appointed hour, the default of
them committed, being bruited about everywhere, came to the ears of
Ruggieri dell' Oria, a man of inestimable worth and then the king's
admiral, whereupon he repaired to the place where they were bound and
considering first the girl, commended her amain for beauty, then,
turning to look upon the young man, knew him without much difficulty
and drawing nearer to him, asked him if he were not Gianni di Procida.
The youth, raising his eyes and recognizing the admiral, answered, 'My
lord, I was indeed he of whom you ask; but I am about to be no more.'
The admiral then asked him what had brought him to that pass, and he
answered, 'Love and the king's anger.' The admiral caused him tell his
story more at large and having heard everything from him as it had
happened, was about to depart, when Gianni called him back and said to
him, 'For God's sake, my lord, an it may be, get me one favour of him
who maketh me to abide thus.' 'What is that?' asked Ruggieri; and
Gianni said, 'I see I must die, and that speedily, and I ask,
therefore, by way of favour,--as I am bound with my back to this
damsel, whom I have loved more than my life, even as she hath loved
me, and she with her back to me,--that we may be turned about with our
faces one to the other, so that, dying, I may look upon her face and
get me gone, comforted.' 'With all my heart,' answered Ruggieri,
laughing; 'I will do on such wise that thou shalt yet see her till
thou grow weary of her sight.'

Then, taking leave of him, he charged those who were appointed to
carry the sentence into execution that they should proceed no farther
therein, without other commandment of the king, and straightway betook
himself to the latter, to whom, albeit he saw him sore incensed, he
spared not to speak his mind, saying, 'King, in what have the two
young folk offended against thee, whom thou hast commanded to be
burned yonder in the public place?' The king told him and Ruggieri
went on, 'The offence committed by them deserveth it indeed, but not
from thee; for, like as defaults merit punishment, even so do good
offices merit recompense, let alone