and steer into it in such fashion that his friends on board the other ships might know naught of what he did.
The lady, when she arose in the morning, looked towards the port, where she saw flying the flag of Giannetto's ship. And, having recognized it at once, she called one of her chambermaids and said to her, “Know you what flag that is?”
And the maid replied that it was the ship of the young man who had come there just a year ago, and who had left with them all his possessions to their great satisfaction.
Then said the lady, “It is true what you say, and certes he must be hugely enamoured of me, seeing that I have never known one of these to come back a second time.”
The maid said, “I indeed never saw a more courteous and gracious gentleman than he.”
Whereupon the lady sent out to Giannetto a troop of grooms and pages, who went joyfully on board the ship. He received them in like spirit, and then went up to the castle and presented himself to thelady.
She, when she met him, embraced him with joy and delight; and he returned her greeting with reverent devotion. All that day they made merry, for the lady had bid come to her court diverse ladies and gentlemen. And these entertained Giannetto joyfully for the love they bore him.
The men grieved over the fate which was in store for him, for they would gladly have hailed him as their lord on account of his charm and courtesy. While thewomenwerealmostallinlovewithhimwhenthey