ABSTRACT
Giannettosaidtohim,'Sir,youhavedonemethemostimportant servicea'nyonecouldperform,soIhopethatyouwilltakethis moneyawaywithyou,forIamsureyouhaveearneditwell.' 'Thankyou,MesserGiannetto,'repliedthejudge,'butIdonot needit.Keepit,sothatyourladymaynotsaythatyouhavesquanderedit.''Indeed,sheissokindandgenerous,'saidGiannetto, 'thatifIspentfourtimesasmuchasthis,shewouldnotmind.She wishedmetobringmuchmorewithmethanthis.''Areyouhappy withher?'addedthejudge.'Iloveherbetterthananythingelsein theworld,'saidGiannetto.'Sheisasbeautifulandwiseasanyone Natureevermade.Ifyouwilldomethefavourtocomeandseeher youwillbeastonishedatthehonourshewilldoyou,andyouwill seeifsheisasIsaysheisornot.''Icannotgowithyou,'saidthe lawyer,'sinceIhaveotherengagements,butsinceyouspeaksowell ofherIdesireyou,whenyouseeher,tosaluteheronmybehalf.' 'Itshallbedone,'saidGiannetto,'butnowIentreatyoutoaccept someofthismoney.'Whilehewassayingthesewords,thelawyer sawaringonhisfingerandsaid,'Iwilltakethatring,andnoother payment.''Verywell,'repliedGiannetto,'butIgiveityouwith reluctancesincemyladygaveitme,andtoldmetowearitalways forloveofher.IfshefailstoseeitonmeshewillbelievethatIhave givenittosomeotherwoman,andquarrelwithme,andbelieve thatIhavefalleninloveelsewhere,thoughIloveherbetterthanI lovemyself.'Thelawyersaid,'Iamsurethatshemustloveyou wellenoughtobelieveyouwhenyoutellherthatyougaveitme.
