THE SECOND BOOK OF THE COURTIER ing manner; the other is where a net is cast, as it were, and a little bait is offered, so that the victim himself hastens to be tricked. " Of the first kind was the joke that two great ladies, whom I do not wish to name, lately had played upon them by means of a Spaniard called Castillo.'""^ Then my lady Duchess said: " And why do you not wish to name them? " Messer Bernardo replied: " I would not have them take offence," My lady Duchess answered, laughing: " It is not amiss to play jokes now and then even upon great lords. Indeed I have heard of many being played upon Duke Federico, upon King Alfonso of Aragon, upon Queen Isabella of Spain, and upon many other great princes; and they not only did not take offence, but rewarded the perpetrators liber- ally." Messer Bernardo replied: " Not even for the hope of reward will I name those ladies." " As you please," answered my lady Duchess. Then messer Bernardo went on to say: " It is not long since there arrived at the court (of I know whom) a Bergamasque rustic on business for a courtier gentle- man; and this rustic was so well attired and elegantly ap- pointed that, although he had been only used to tend cattle and knew no other trade, anyone who did not hear him speak would have taken him for a gallant cavalier. Now, being told that a Spanish follower of Cardinal Borgia™" had arrived, and that he was called Castillo and was exceedingly clever, a mu- sician, a dancer, a hallatore,^ and the most accomplished Cour- tier in all Spain, — these two ladies were filled with extreme desire to speak with him, and straightway sent for him. And after receiving him with ceremony, they made him sit down and began to speak to him with the greatest distinction before all the company; and there were few of those present who did not know that the fellow was a Bergamasque cow-herd. So when these ladies were seen entertaining him with so much respect and honouring him so signally, the laughter was very hearty, 156
