Page 29 - Doralice

the full consent of his mother, made her his
queen, and had by her two fair children.
In the meantime Tebaldo was still mastered by
his wicked and treacherous passion, and, as he
could find no trace of Doralice, search as he
would, he began to believe that she must have
been hid den in the coffer which he had caused
to be sold, and that, having escaped his power,

she might be wandering about from place to
place. Therefore, with his rage still burning
against her, he set himself to try whether
perchance he might not discover her
whereabouts. He attired himself as a
merchant, and, having gathered together a
great store of precious stones and jewels,

marvellously wrought in gold, quitted Salerno
unknown to anyone, and scoured all the
nations and countries round about, finally
meeting by hazard the trader who had
originally purchased the clothes chest. Of him
he demanded whether he had been satisfied
with his bargain, and into whose hands the
chest had fallen, and the trader replied that he
had sold the cassone to the King of England

for double the price he had given for it.
Tebaldo, rejoicing at this news, made his way
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