of us that are here, that thou quakest thus as thou standest in the fire?’ ‘My friend,’ quoth I, ’I am in mortal fear of the doom that I expect for a great sin that I once committed.’  He then asked what sin it might be. ‘’Twas on this wise,’ replied I:  ’I lay with my gossip, and that so much that I died thereof.’  Whereat, he did but laugh, saying:—­’Go to, fool, make thy mind easy; for here there is no account taken of gossips.’  Which completely revived my drooping spirits.”

’Twas now near daybreak:  wherefore:—­“Adieu!  Meuccio,” quoth his friend:  “for longer tarry with thee I may not;” and so he vanished.  As for Meuccio, having learned that no account was taken of gossips in the other world, he began to laugh at his own folly in that he had already spared divers such; and so, being quit of his ignorance, he in that respect in course of time waxed wise.  Which matters had Fra Rinaldo but known, he would not have needed to go about syllogizing in order to bring his fair gossip to pleasure him.

The sun was westering, and a light breeze blew, when the king, his story ended, and none else being left to speak, arose, and taking off the crown, set it on Lauretta’s head, saying:—­“Madam, I crown you with yourself(1) queen of our company:  ’tis now for you, as our sovereign lady, to make such ordinances as you shall deem meet for our common solace and delectation;” and having so said, he sat him down again.  Queen Lauretta sent for the seneschal, and bade him have a care that the tables should be set in the pleasant vale somewhat earlier than had been their wont, that their return to the palace might be more leisurely; after which she gave him to know what else he had to do during her sovereignty.  Then turning to the company:—­“Yesterday,” quoth she, “Dioneo would have it that to-day we should discourse of the tricks that wives play their husbands; and but that I am minded not to shew as of the breed of yelping curs, that are ever prompt to retaliate, I would ordain that to-morrow we discourse of the tricks that husbands play their wives.  However, in lieu thereof, I will have every one take thought to tell of those tricks that, daily, woman plays man, or man woman, or one man another; wherein, I doubt not, there will be matter of discourse no less agreeable than has been that of to-day.”  So saying, she rose and dismissed the company until supper-time.  So the ladies and the men being risen, some bared their feet and betook them to the clear water, there to disport them, while others took their pleasure upon the green lawn amid the trees that there grew goodly and straight.  For no brief while Dioneo and Fiammetta sang in concert of Arcite and Palamon.  And so, each and all taking their several pastimes, they sped the hours with exceeding great delight until supper-time.  Which being come, they sat them down at table beside the little lake, and there, while a thousand songsters charmed their ears, and a gentle breeze, that blew from the environing