Zeppa saw all that passed, but said nothing and kept close, being minded to see how the game would end, and soon saw his wife and Spinelloccio, still in one another’s arms, hie them to her chamber and lock themselves in:  whereat he was mightily incensed.  But, witting that to make a noise, or do aught else overt, would not lessen but rather increase his dishonour, he cast about how he might be avenged on such wise that, without the affair getting wind, he might content his soul; and having, after long pondering, hit, as he thought, upon the expedient, he budged not from his retreat, until Spinelloccio had parted from the lady.  Whereupon he hied him into the chamber, and there finding the lady with her head-gear, which Spinelloccio in toying with her had disarranged, scarce yet readjusted:—­“Madam, what dost thou?” quoth he.  Whereto:—­“Why, dost not see?” returned the lady.  “Troth do I,” rejoined he, “and somewhat else have I seen that I would I had not.”  And so he questioned her of what had passed, and she, being mightily afraid, did after long parley confess that which she might not plausibly deny, to wit, her intimacy with Spinelloccio, and fell a beseeching him with tears to pardon her.  “Lo, now, wife,” quoth Zeppa, “thou hast done wrong, and, so thou wouldst have me pardon thee, have a care to do exactly as I shall bid thee; to wit, on this wise:  thou must tell Spinelloccio, to find some occasion to part from me to-morrow morning about tierce, and come hither to thee; and while he is here I will come back, and when thou hearest me coming, thou wilt get him into this chest, and lock him in there; which when thou hast done, I will tell thee what else thou hast to do, which thou mayst do without the least misgiving, for I promise thee I will do him no harm.”  The lady, to content him, promised to do as he bade, and she kept her word.

The morrow came, and Zeppa and Spinelloccio being together about tierce, Spinelloccio, having promised the lady to come to see her at that hour, said to Zeppa:—­“I must go breakfast with a friend, whom I had lief not keep in waiting; therefore, adieu!” “Nay, but,” quoth Zeppa, “’tis not yet breakfast-time.”  “No matter,” returned Spinelloccio, “I have business on which I must speak with him; so I must be in good time.”  Whereupon Spinelloccio took his leave of Zeppa, and having reached Zeppa’s house by a slightly circuitous route, and finding his wife there, was taken by her into the chamber, where they had not been long together when Zeppa returned.  Hearing him come, the lady, feigning no small alarm, bundled Spinelloccio into the chest, as her husband had bidden her, and having locked him in, left him there.  As Zeppa came upstairs:—­“Wife,” quoth he, “is it breakfast time?” “Ay, husband, ’tis so,” replied the lady.  Whereupon:—­“Spinelloccio is gone to breakfast with a friend to-day,” quoth Zeppa, “leaving his wife at home:  get thee to the window, and call her, and bid her come and breakfast