t
out into the shed and hearing the other still clamouring, for that the
ass had not lifted up his hoof from his fingers, but still trod hard
upon them, said, 'Who is there?' Then, running to the hen-coop, he
raised it and espied the young man, who, beside the pain he suffered
from his fingers that were crushed by the ass's hoof, was all
a-trembling for fear lest Pietro should do him a mischief.

The latter, knowing him for one whom he had long pursued for his lewd
ends, asked him what he did there, whereto he answered him nothing,
but prayed him for the love of God do him no harm. Quoth Pietro,
'Arise and fear not that I will do thee any hurt; but tell me how thou
comest here and for what purpose.' The youth told him all, whereupon
Pietro, no less rejoiced to have found him than his wife was woeful,
taking him by the hand, carried him into the chamber, where the lady
awaited him with the greatest affright in the world, and seating
himself overagainst her, said, 'But now thou cursedst Ercolano's wife
and avouchedst that she should be burnt and that she was the disgrace
of all you women; why didst thou not speak of thyself? Or, an thou
choosedst not to speak of thyself, how could thy conscience suffer
thee to speak thus of her, knowing thyself to have done even as did
she? Certes, none other thing moved thee thereunto save that you women
are all made thus and look to cover your own doings with others'
defaults; would fire might come from heaven to burn you all up,
perverse generation that you are!'

The lady, seeing that, in the first heat of the discovery, he had done
her no harm other than in words and herseeming she saw that he was all
agog with joy for that he held so goodly a stripling by the hand, took
heart and said, 'Of this much, indeed, I am mighty well assured, that
thou wouldst have fire come from heaven to burn us women all up,
being, as thou art, as fain to us as a dog to cudgels; but, by Christ
His cross, thou shalt not get thy wish. However, I would fain have a
little discourse with thee, so I may know of what thou complainest.
Certes, it were a fine thing an thou shouldst seek to even me with
Ercolano's wife, who is a beat-breast, a smell-sin,[289] and hath of
her husband what she will and is of him held dear as a wife should be,
the which is not the case with me. For, grant that I am well clad and
shod of thee, thou knowest but too well how I fare for the rest and
how long it is since thou hast lain w