not to come, for you would assuredly do yourself a mischief, and us no good at all.”  Quoth then the doctor:—­“You know me not as yet; ’tis perchance because I wear the gloves and the long robe that you misdoubt me.  Ah! did you but know what feats I have done in times past at Bologna, when I used to go after the women with my comrades, you would be lost in amazement.  God’s faith! on one of those nights there was one of them, a poor sickly creature she was too, and stood not a cubit in height, who would not come with us; so first I treated her to many a good cuff, and then I took her up by main force, and carried her well-nigh as far as a cross-bow will send a bolt, and so caused her, willy-nilly, come with us.  And on another occasion I mind me that, having none other with me but my servant, a little after the hour of Ave Maria, I passed beside the cemetery of the Friars Minors, and, though that very day a woman had been there interred, I had no fear at all.  So on this score you may make your minds easy; for indeed I am a man of exceeding great courage and prowess.  And to appear before you with due dignity, I will don my scarlet gown, in which I took my doctor’s degree, and it remains to be seen if the company will not give me a hearty welcome, and make me captain out of hand.  Let me once be there, and you will see how things will go; else how is it that this countess, that has not yet seen me, is already so enamoured of me that she is minded to make me a Knight of the Bath?  And whether I shall find knighthood agreeable, or know how to support the dignity well or ill, leave that to me.”  Whereupon:—­“Well said, excellent well said,” quoth Buffalmacco:  “but look to it you disappoint us not, either by not coming or by not being found, when we send for you; and this I say, because ’tis cold weather, and you medical gentlemen take great care of your health.”  “God forbid,” replied the doctor, “I am none of your chilly folk; I fear not the cold:  ’tis seldom indeed, when I leave my bed a nights, to answer the call of nature, as one must at times, that I do more than throw a pelisse over my doublet; so rest assured that I shall be there.”

So they parted; and towards nightfall the Master found a pretext for leaving his wife, and privily got out his fine gown, which in due time he donned, and so hied him to the tombs, and having perched himself on one of them, huddled himself together, for ’twas mighty cold, to await the coming of the beast.  Meanwhile Buffalmacco, who was a tall man and strong, provided himself with one of those dominos that were wont to be worn in certain revels which are now gone out of fashion; and enveloped in a black pelisse turned inside out, shewed like a bear, save that the domino had the face of a devil, and was furnished with horns:  in which guise, Bruno following close behind to see the sport, he hied him to the piazza of Santa Maria Novella.  And no sooner wist he that the Master was on the tomb, than he fell a careering in a most