he bids him to his house, and there shews him that treasure, be it wife, or mistress, or daughter, or what not, that he holds most dear; assuring him that yet more gladly, were it possible, he would shew him his heart.  Which custom I am minded to observe here in Bologna.  You, of your courtesy, have honoured my feast with your presence, and I propose to do you honour in the Persian fashion, by shewing you that which in all the world I do, and must ever, hold most dear.  But before I do so, tell me, I pray you, how you conceive of a nice question that I shall lay before you.  Suppose that one has in his house a good and most faithful servant, who falls sick of a grievous disorder; and that the master tarries not for the death of the servant, but has him borne out into the open street, and concerns himself no more with him:  that then a stranger comes by, is moved to pity of the sick man, and takes him to his house, and by careful tendance and at no small cost restores him to his wonted health.  Now I would fain know whether the first master has in equity any just cause to complain of or be aggrieved with the second master, if he retain the servant in his employ, and refuse to restore him, when so required.”

The gentlemen discussed the matter after divers fashions, and all agreed in one sentence, which they committed to Niccoluccio Caccianimico, for that he was an eloquent and accomplished speaker, to deliver on the part of them all.  Niccoluccio began by commending the Persian custom:  after which he said that he and the others were all of the same opinion, to wit, that the first master had no longer any right in his servant, since he had not only abandoned but cast him forth; and that by virtue of the second master’s kind usage of him he must be deemed to have become his servant; wherefore, by keeping him, he did the first master no mischief, no violence, no wrong.  Whereupon the rest that were at the table said, one and all, being worthy men, that their judgment jumped with Niccoluccio’s answer.  The knight, well pleased with the answer, and that ’twas Niccoluccio that gave it, affirmed that he was of the same opinion; adding:—­“’Tis now time that I shew you that honour which I promised you.”  He then called two of his servants, and sent them to the lady, whom he had caused to be apparelled and adorned with splendour, charging them to pray her to be pleased to come and gladden the gentlemen with her presence.  So she, bearing in her arms her most lovely little son, came, attended by the two servants, into the saloon, and by the knight’s direction, took a seat beside a worthy gentleman:  whereupon:—­“Gentlemen,” quoth the knight, “this is the treasure that I hold, and mean ever to hold, more dear than aught else.  Behold, and judge whether I have good cause.”