midnight
The lady said there was nought in the world she might so ill brook as that Ruggieri should receive any wound ; but with that exception she approved her maid 's proposal , and sent her to see if the chest were still where she had seen it . The maid , returning , reported that there it was , and , being young and strong , got Ruggieri , with the lady 's help , upon her shoulders ; and so the lady , going before to espy if any folk came that way , and the maid following , they came to the chest , and having laid Ruggieri therein , closed it and left him there . Now a few days before , two young men , that were usurers , had taken up their quarters in a house a little further on : they had seen the chest during the day , and being short of furniture , and having a mind to make great gain with little expenditure , they had resolved that , if it were still there at night , they would take it home with them . So at midnight forth they hied them , and finding the chest , were at no pains to examine it closely , but forthwith , though it seemed somewhat heavy , bore it off to their house , and set it down beside a room in which their women slept ; and without being at pains to adjust it too securely they left it there for the time , and went to bed . Towards matins Ruggieri , having had a long sleep and digested the draught and exhausted its efficacy , awoke , but albeit his slumber was broken , and his senses had recovered their powers , yet his brain remained in a sort of torpor which kept him bemused for some days ; and when he opened his eyes and saw nothing , and stretched his hands hither and thither and found himself in the chest , it was with difficulty that he collected his thoughts . `` How is this ? '' he said to himself .