HardbySanPancraziothereusedtolive, asIhaveheardtell, aworthymanandwealthy, PucciodiRinieribyname, whoinlaterlife, underanoverpoweringsenseofreligion, , , andhavingnoneedtooccupyhimselfwithanycraft, hespentnosmallpartofhistimeatchurch; where, beingasimplesoulandslowofwit, hesaidhispaternosters,heardsermons, assistedatthemass, nevermissedlauds (), fastedandmortifiedhisflesh; nay—so 'twaswhispered—, MonnaIsabettabyname,awomanoffromtwenty-eighttothirtysummers,stillyoungforherage, lusty, comelyandplumpasacasolan[1]apple, hadnotunfrequently, byreasonofherhusband'sdevoutness, ifnotalsoofhisage, morethanshecaredfor, ofabstinence; andwhenshewassleepy,or, maybe, riggish, hewouldrepeattoherthelifeofChrist, andthesermonsofFraNastagio, orthelamentoftheMagdalen, , whilesuchwasthetenorofherlife, therereturnedfromParisayoungmonk, bynameDomFelice, oftheconventofSanPancrazio, awell-favouredmanandkeen-witted, andprofoundlylearned, withwhomFraPucciobecameveryintimate; andastherewasnoquestionwhichhecouldputtohimbutDomFelicecouldanswerit,andmoreoverhemadegreatshewofholiness, forwellheknewFraPuccio'sbent, FraPucciotooktobringinghimhomeandentertaininghimatbreakfastandsupper, asoccasionserved; andforloveofherhusbandtheladyalsogrewfamiliarwithDomFelice,,beingaconstantvisitoratFraPuccio'shouse, andseeingtheladysolustyandplump, surmisedthatofwhichshemusthavemostlack, andmadeuphismindtoafford, ifhecould, , nowandagain, hecastanadmiringglanceinherdirectionwithsucheffectthathekindledinherthesamedesirewithwhichheburned, andmarkinghissuccess, ; buthowthismightbe, hewasatalosstodiscover, forshewouldnottrustherselfwithhiminanyplacewhateverexceptherownhouse, andthereitcouldnotbe, becauseFraPuccionevertravelled; , andatlengththoughtofanexpedient, wherebyhemightbewiththeladyinherownhousewithoutincurringsuspicion,, beingwithFraPucciooneday, hesaidtohim:— "ReasonsmanyhaveItoknow, FraPuccio, thatallthydesireistobecomeasaint; butitseemstomethatthoufarestbyacircuitousroute, whereasthereisoneverydirect, whichthePopeandthegreaterprelatesthatareabouthimknowanduse, butwillhaveitremainasecret, becauseotherwisetheclergy, whoforthemostpartlivebyalms, andcouldnotthenexpectalmsoraughtelsefromthelaity, , asthouartmyfriend, andhastshewnmemuchhonour, Iwouldteachtheethatway, ifIwereassuredthatthouwouldstfollowitwithoutlettinganothersoulintheworldhearofit." FraPucciowasnowallagogtohearmoreofthematter, andbeganmostearnestlyentreatingDomFelicetoteachhimtheway, swearingthatwithoutDomFelice'sleavenoneshouldeverhearofitfromhim, andaverringthat, ifhefounditpracticable, hewouldcertainlyfollowit."Iamsatisfiedwiththypromises," saidthemonk, "; , asthouart; buttheeffectwillbethatthesinswhichthouhastcommitteduptotheveryhourofthepenancewillallbepurgedawayandtherebyremittedtothee, andthesinswhichthoushaltcommitthereafterwillnotbewrittenagainsttheetothydamnation, butwillbequitbyholywater, , duringwhichtimeheistotouchnowomanwhomsoever, , thoumusthaveinthyhousesomeplacewhencethoumaystseetheskybynight, whitherthoumustresortatcompline;andtherethoumusthaveabeam, verybroad, andplacedinsuchaway, that, standing, thoucanstrestthynetherpartuponit, andso, notraisingthyfeetfromtheground, thoumustextendthyarms, soastomakeasortofcrucifix, andifthouwouldsthavepegstorestthemonthoumayst; andonthismanner, thygazefixedonthesky, andnevermovingajot, , itwereproperfortheetosaymeanwhilecertainprayersthatIwouldgivethee; butasthouartnotso, thoumustsaythreehundredpaternostersandasmanyavemariasinhonouroftheTrinity; andthuscontemplatingthesky, beevermindfulthatGodwasthecreatoroftheheavenandtheearth, andbeingsetevenasChristwasuponthecross, , whenthematin-bellsounds, thoumayst, ifthouplease, gotobed—butseethatthouundressnot—andsleep; butinthemorningthoumustgotochurch, andhearatleastthreemasses, andsayfiftypaternostersandasmanyavemarias; afterwhichthoumaystwithapureheartdoaughtthatthouhasttodo, andbreakfast; butatvespersthoumustbeagainatchurch, andsaytherecertainprayers, whichIshallgivetheeinwritingandwhichareindispensable, , andI, whohavedoneitbeforethee, havegoodhopethatevenbeforethoushalthavereachedtheendofthepenance, thouwilt, ifthoushaltdoitinadevoutspirit, havealreadyamarvellousforetasteoftheeternalblessedness.""This," saidFraPuccio, "isneitheraveryseverenoraverylongpenance, andcanbeveryeasilymanaged:whereforeinGod'snameIwillbeginonSunday." AndsohetookhisleaveofDomFelice, andwenthome,and, byDomFelice'spermission, informedhiswifeofeveryparticularofhisintendedpenance.
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