Now towards daybreak the King, who had been greatly charmed with the damsel at first sight, happened to call her to mind, and feeling himself fit, resolved, notwithstanding the hour, to go lie with her a while; and so, attended by a few of his servants, he hied him privily to Cuba.  Having entered the house, he passed (the door being softly opened) into the room in which he knew the damsel slept.  A great blazing torch was borne before him, and so, as he bent his glance on the bed, he espied the damsel and Gianni lying asleep, naked and in one another’s arms.  Whereat he was seized with a sudden and vehement passion of wrath, insomuch that, albeit he said never a word, he could scarce refrain from slaying both of them there and then with a dagger that he had with him.  Then, bethinking him that ’twere the depth of baseness in any man—­not to say a king—­to slay two naked sleepers, he mastered himself, and determined to do them to death in public and by fire.  Wherefore, turning to a single companion that he had with him, he said:—­“What thinkest thou of this base woman, in whom I had placed my hope?” And then he asked whether he knew the gallant, that had presumed to enter his house to do him such outrage and despite.  Whereto the other replied that he minded not ever to have seen him.  Thereupon the King hied him out of the room in a rage, and bade take the two lovers, naked as they were, and bind them, and, as soon as ’twas broad day, bring them to Palermo, and bind them back to back to a stake in the piazza, there to remain until tierce, that all might see them, after which they were to be burned, as they had deserved.  And having so ordered, he went back to Palermo, and shut himself up in his room, very wroth.

No sooner was he gone than there came unto the two lovers folk not a few, who, having awakened them, did forthwith ruthlessly take and bind them:  whereat, how they did grieve and tremble for their lives, and weep and bitterly bewail their fate, may readily be understood.

Pursuant to the King’s commandment they were brought to Palermo, and bound to a stake in the piazza; and before their eyes faggots and fire were made ready to burn them at the hour appointed by the King.  Great was the concourse of the folk of Palermo, both men and women, that came to see the two lovers, the men all agog to feast their eyes on the damsel, whom they lauded for shapeliness and loveliness, and no less did the women commend the gallant, whom in like manner they crowded to see, for the same qualities.  Meanwhile the two hapless lovers, both exceeding shamefast, stood with bent heads bitterly bewailing their evil fortune, and momently expecting their death by the cruel fire.  So they awaited the time appointed by the King; but their offence being bruited abroad, the tidings reached the ears of Ruggieri dell’ Oria, a man of peerless worth, and at that time the King’s admiral, who, being likewise minded to see them, came to the place where they were bound,