and the moment for action come:—­“Where is Calandrino?” quoth Bruno to Buffalmacco.  Whereto Buffalmacco, who had Calandrino full in view, having first turned about and looked here, there and everywhere, made answer:—­“That wot not I; but not so long ago he was just in front of us.”  “Not so long ago, forsooth,” returned Bruno; “’tis my firm belief that at this very moment he is at breakfast at home, having left to us this wild-goose chase of black stones in the Mugnone.”  “Marry,” quoth Buffalmacco, “he did but serve us right so to trick us and leave, seeing that we were so silly as to believe him.  Why, who could have thought that any but we would have been so foolish as to believe that a stone of such rare virtue was to be found in the Mugnone?” Calandrino, hearing their colloquy, forthwith imagined that he had the stone in his hand, and by its virtue, though present, was invisible to them; and overjoyed by such good fortune, would not say a word to undeceive them, but determined to hie him home, and accordingly faced about, and put himself in motion.  Whereupon:—­“Ay!” quoth Buffalmacco to Bruno, “what are we about that we go not back too?” “Go we then,” said Bruno; “but by God I swear that Calandrino shall never play me another such trick; and as to this, were I nigh him, as I have been all the morning, I would teach him to remember it for a month or so, such a reminder would I give him in the heel with this stone.”  And even as he spoke he threw back his arm, and launched the stone against Calandrino’s heel.  Galled by the blow, Calandrino gave a great hop and a slight gasp, but said nothing, and halted not.  Then, picking out one of the stones that he had collected:—­“Bruno,” quoth Buffalmacco, “see what a goodly stone I have here, would it might but catch Calandrino in the back;” and forthwith he discharged it with main force upon the said back.  And in short, suiting action to word, now in this way, now in that, they stoned him all the way up the Mugnone as far as the Porta a San Gallo.  There they threw away the stones they had picked up, and tarried a while with the customs’ officers, who, being primed by them, had let Calandrino pass unchallenged, while their laughter knew no bounds.

So Calandrino, halting nowhere, betook him to his house, which was hard by the corner of the Macina.  And so well did Fortune prosper the trick, that all the way by the stream and across the city there was never a soul that said a word to Calandrino, and indeed he encountered but few, for most folk were at breakfast.  But no sooner was Calandrino thus gotten home with his stones, than it so happened that his good lady, Monna Tessa, shewed her fair face at the stair’s head, and catching sight of him, and being somewhat annoyed by his long delay, chid him, saying:—­“What the Devil brings thee here so late?  Must breakfast wait thee until all other folk have had it?” Calandrino caught the words, and angered and mortified to find that he was not invisible, broke out with:—­“Alas!