THE SECOND BOOK OF THE COURTIER site of what Alamanni said.' Alamanni replied: 'But I said no- thing.' 'Then,' said Altoviti at once, 'the opposite of whatever you may say.' " Of this kind also was what your Urbino physician, master Serafino, said to a rustic, who had received a hard blow in the eye so that it was forced quite out, yet decided to seek aid from master Serafino. On seeing him, although aware that it was impossible to cure him, still in order to force money from his hands (just as the blow had forced the eye from his head), the doctor readily promised to cure him, and accordingly demanded money from him every day, affirming that he would begin to recover his sight within five or six days. The poor rustic gave what little he had; then, seeing that the affair was progressing slowly, he began to complain of the physician, and to say that he felt no benefit at all and saw no more with that eye than as if he had it not in his head. At last master Serafino, seeing that he would be able to extort little more from the man, said: ' Brother, you must have patience. You have lost your eye and there is no longer any help for it; and may God grant that you do not lose your other eye as well.' On hearing this, the rustic began to weep and complain loudly, and said: 'Master, you have ruined me and stolen my money. I will complain to my lord Duke;' and he made the greatest outcry in the world. Then, to clear himself, master Serafino said angrily: 'Ah, wretched traitor ! So you would have two eyes, as city-folk and rich men have? To perdition with you!' and accompanied these words with such fury that the poor rustic was frightened into silence and quietly went his way in peace, believing himself to be in the wrong. 78 — "It is also fine to explain or interpret a thing jocosely. As when at the court of Spain there appeared one morning in the palace a cavalier who was very ugly, and his wife who was very beautiful, both dressed in white damask {damasco), — the queen"^ said to Alonso Carillo: 'What think you of these two, Alonso?' 'My Lady,' replied Alonso, 'I think she is the dama (lady), and he is the asco,' which means monster. "Another time Rafaello de' Pazzi^ saw a letter which the Prior of Messina'** had written to a lady of his acquaintance, the 150
