Pagina 254 di 1116

[FN#152]The third lady rising from the couch stepped forward with

grace ful swaying gait till she reached the middle of the saloon,

when she said to her sisters, "Why stand ye here? take it down

from this poor man's head!" Then the cateress went and stood

before him, and the portress behind him while the third helped

them, and they lifted the load from the Porter's head; and,

emptying it of all that was therein, set everything in its place.

Lastly they gave him two gold pieces, saying, "Wend thy ways, O

Porter." But he went not, for he stood looking at the ladies and

admiring what uncommon beauty was theirs, and their pleasant

manners and kindly dispositions (never had he seen goodlier); and

he gazed wistfully at that good store of wines and sweet scented

flowers and fruits and other matters.