THE SECOND BOOK OF THE COURTIER awake) and seeing that there was really no fire or glimmer of any kind, and that still his friends were playing and quarrelling, he said: 'And how can you see the cards without light?' One of the two replied : ' You must have lost your sight along with your money; don't you see with these two candles we have here?' The man who was abed lifted himself upon his arms, and said rather angrily: 'Either I am drunk or blind, or you are lying.' The two got up and groped their way to the bed, laugh- ing and pretending to think that he was making sport of them; and still he answered : ' I say I do not see you.' Finally the two began to feign great surprise, and one said to the other: 'Alas, methinks he speaks the truth. Hand me that candle, and let us see if perchance there is something wrong with his sight.' Then the poor fellow took it for certain that he had become blind, and weeping bitterly he said: 'Oh my brothers, I am blind;' and he at once began to call on Our Lady of Loreto, and to implore her to pardon the blasphemies and maledictions that he had heaped upon her for the loss of his money. His two companions kept comforting him, and said : ' It can't be that you do not see us; 'tis some fancy you've got into your head,' 'Alas,' replied the other, ' this is no fancy, for I see no more than as if I had never had any eyes in my head.' ' Yet your sight is clear,' re- plied the two, and one said to the other: ' See how well he opens his eyes! And how bright they are! W^ho could believe that he doesn't see?' The unhappy man wept more loudly all the while, and begged mercy of God. "At last they said to him: ' Make a vow to go in penance to Our Lady of Loreto,'" barefoot and naked, for this is the best remedy that can be found; and meanwhile we will go to Acqua- pendente'" and those other places hard by to see some doctor, nor will we fail to do everything we can for you.' Then the poor fellow quickly knelt by his bed, and with endless tears and bitter penitence for his blasphemy he made a solemn vow to go naked to Our Lady of Loreto, and to offer her a pair of silver eyes, and to eat no flesh on Wednesday or eggs on Friday, and to fast on bread and water every Saturday in honour of Our Lady, if she would grant him the mercy of restoring his sight. His two companions went into another room, struck a light, and 158
