Meanwhile Bruno and Buffalmacco had joined Filippo, so that what passed was seen and heard by all three.  And while Calandrino was thus intent to kiss Niccolosa, lo, up came Nello with Monna Tessa.  “By God, I swear they are both there,” ejaculated Nello, as they entered the doorway; but the lady, now fairly furious, laid hold of him and thrust him aside, and rushing in, espied Niccolosa astride of Calandrino.  Niccolosa no sooner caught sight of the lady, than up she jumped, and in a trice was beside Filippo.  Monna Tessa fell upon Calandrino, who was still on the floor, planted her nails in his face, and scratched it all over:  she then seized him by the hair, and hauling him to and fro about the barn:—­“Foul, pestilent cur,” quoth she, “is this the way thou treatest me?  Thou old fool!  A murrain on the love I have borne thee!  Hast thou not enough to do at home, that thou must needs go falling in love with strange women?  And a fine lover thou wouldst make!  Dost not know thyself, knave?  Dost not know thyself, wretch?  Thou, from whose whole body ’twere not possible to wring enough sap for a sauce!  God’s faith, ’twas not Tessa that got thee with child:  God’s curse on her, whoever she was:  verily she must be a poor creature to be enamoured of a jewel of thy rare quality.”  At sight of his wife, Calandrino, suspended, as it were, between life and death, ventured no defence; but, his face torn to shreds, his hair and clothes all disordered, fumbled about for his capuche, which having found, up he got, and humbly besought his wife not to publish the matter, unless she were minded that he should be cut to pieces, for that she that was with him was the wife of the master of the house.  “Then God give her a bad year,” replied the lady.  Whereupon Bruno and Buffalmacco, who by this time had laughed their fill with Filippo and Niccolosa, came up as if attracted by the noise; and after not a little ado pacified the lady, and counselled Calandrino to go back to Florence, and stay there, lest Filippo should get wind of the affair, and do him a mischief.  So Calandrino, crestfallen and woebegone, got him back to Florence with his face torn to shreds; where, daring not to shew himself at Camerata again, he endured day and night the grievous torment of his wife’s vituperation.  Such was the issue, to which, after ministering not a little mirth to his comrades, as also to Niccolosa and Filippo, this ardent lover brought his amour.

NOVEL VI.

—­ Two young men lodge at an inn, of whom the one lies with the host’s daughter, his wife by inadvertence lying with the other.  He that lay with the daughter afterwards gets into her father’s bed and tells him all, taking him to be his comrade.  They bandy words:  whereupon the good woman, apprehending the circumstances, gets her to bed with her daughter, and by divers apt words re-establishes perfect accord. —­

Calandrino as on former occasions, so also on this, moved the company to laughter.  However, when the ladies had done talking of his doings, the queen called for a story from Pamfilo, who thus spoke:—­Worshipful ladies, this Niccolosa, that Calandrino loved, has brought to my mind a story of another Niccolosa; which I am minded to tell you, because ’twill shew you how a good woman by her quick apprehension avoided a great scandal.