about
midnight
Thou wilt therefore go privily , to Alessandro , and say to him : -- ` Madonna Francesca sends thee word by me that the time is now come when thou mayst win that which thou hast so much desired , to wit , her love and joyance thereof , if thou be so minded , on the following terms . For a reason , which thou shalt learn hereafter , one of her kinsmen is to bring home to her to-night the corpse of Scannadio , who was buried this morning ; and she , standing in mortal dread of this dead man , would fain not see him ; wherefore she prays thee to do her a great service , and be so good as to get thee this evening at the hour of first sleep to the tomb wherein Scannadio is buried , and go in , and having wrapped thyself in his grave-clothes , lie there , as thou wert Scannadio , himself , until one come for thee , when thou must say never a word , but let him carry thee forth , and bear thee to Madonna Francesca 's house , where she will give thee welcome , and let thee stay with her , until thou art minded to depart , and , for the rest , thou wilt leave it to her . ' And if he says that he will gladly do so , well and good ; if not , then thou wilt tell him from me , never more to shew himself where I am , and , as he values his life , to have a care to send me no more ambassages . Which done , thou wilt go to Rinuccio Palermini , and wilt say to him : -- ` Madonna Francesca lets thee know that she is ready in all respects to comply with thy wishes , so thou wilt do her a great service , which is on this wise : to-night , about midnight , thou must go to the tomb wherein was this morning interred Scannadio , and saying never a word , whatever thou mayst hear or otherwise be ware of , bear him gently forth to Madonna Francesca 's house , where thou shalt learn wherefore she requires this of thee , and shalt have thy solace of her ; and if thou art not minded to obey her in this , see that thou never more send her ambassage . ' '' The maid did her mistress 's errand , omitting nothing , to both the men , and received from each the same answer , to wit , that to pleasure the lady , he would adventure a journey to hell , to say nothing of entering a tomb . With which answer the maid returned to the lady , who waited to see if they would be such fools as to make it good . Night came , and at the hour of first sleep Alessandro Chiarmontesi , stripped to his doublet , quitted his house , and bent his steps towards Scannadio 's tomb , with intent there to take the dead man 's place .