e might abscond. Roderigo, on his
part, thinking that there was no other remedy, and feeling how deeply
he was bound by the Stygian law, determined at all hazards to make his
escape. So taking horse one morning early, as he luckily lived near
the Prato gate, in that direction he went off. His departure was soon
known; the creditors were all in a bustle; the magistrates were
applied to, and the officers of justice, along with a great part of
the populace, were dispatched in pursuit. Roderigo had hardly
proceeded a mile before he heard this hue and cry, and the pursuers
were soon so close at his heels that the only resource he had left was
to abandon the highroad and take to the open country, with the hope of
concealing himself in the fields. But finding himself unable to make
way over the hedges and ditches, he left his horse and took to his
heels, traversing fields of vines and canes, until he reached
Peretola, where he entered the house of Matteo del Bricca, a labourer
of Giovanna del Bene. Finding him at home, for he was busily providing
fodder for his cattle, our hero earnestly entreated him to save him
from the hands of his adversaries close behind, who would infallibly
starve him to death in a dungeon, engaging that if Matteo would give
him refuge, he would make him one of the richest men alive, and afford
him such proofs of it before he took his leave as would convince him
of the truth of what he said; and if he failed to do this, he was
quite content that Matteo himself should deliver him into the hands of
his enemies.

Now Matteo, although a rustic, was a man of courage, and concluding
that he could not lose anything by the speculation, he gave him his
hand and agreed to save him. He then thrust our hero under a heap of
rubbish, completely enveloping him in weeds; so that when his pursuers
arrived they found themselves quite at a loss, nor could they extract
from Matteo the least information as to his appearance. In this
dilemma there was nothing left for them but to proceed in the pursuit,
which they continued for two days, and then returned, jaded and
disappointed, to Florence. In the meanwhile, Matteo drew our hero from
his hiding-place, and begged him to fulfil his engagement. To this
his friend Roderigo replied: "I confess, brother, that I am under
great obligations to you, and I mean to return them. To leave no doubt
upon your mind, I will inform you who I am;" and he proceeded to
acquaint him with all th