“Now there was among these monks one who was a great _bestemmiatore_, a man of evil words and wicked ways, who had led a criminal life in the world, and only taken refuge in the disguise of a monk in the convent to escape the hand of justice. Brother Dyonisio knew all this, but said nothing; nay, he even exorcised away a devil whom he saw was always invisibly at the sinner’s elbow, awaiting a chance to catch him by the hair; but the Beato Dyonisio was too much for him, and kept the devil ever far away. “And this was the way he did it: “It happened one evening that this _finto frate_, or mock monk or feigned friar, took it into his head, out of pure mischief, and because it was specially forbidden, to introduce a _donna di mala vita_, or a girl of no holy life, into the convent to grace a festival, and so arranged with divers other scapegraces that the damsel should be drawn up in a basket. “And sure enough there came next morning to the outer gate a fresh and jolly black-eyed _contadina_, who asked the mock monk whether he would give her anything in charity. And the _finto frate_ answering sang: “‘You shall have the best of meat, Anything you like to eat, Cutlets, macaroni, chickens, Every kind of dainty pickings. Pasticcie and fegatelli, Salamé and mortadelle, With good wine, if you are clever, For a very trifling favour!’ “To which the girl replied: “‘Here I am, as here you see! What would’st thou, holy man, with me?’ “The friar answered: “‘When thou hear’st the hoots and howls At midnight of the dogs and owls, And when all men are sunk in sleep, And only witches watch do keep, Come ’neath the window unto me, And there thou wilt a basket see Hung by a rope as from a shelf, And in that basket stow thyself, And I alone will draw thee up, Then with us thou shalt gaily sup.’ “But the girl replied, as if in fear: “‘But if the rope should break away, Oh, then there’d be the devil to pay, Oh, holy father, first for thee— But most especially for me! For if by evil luck I’d cracked your Connecting cord, my limbs I’d fracture!’ “The friar sang: “‘The rope is good, as it is long, The basket’s tough, my arms are strong, Have thou no fear upon that score, T’as hoisted many a maid before; For often such a basket-full Did I into a convent pull, And many more I trust will I Draw safely up before I die.’ “And at midnight the girl was there walking beneath the windows awaiting the hour to rise—_Ascensionem expectans_—truly not to heaven, nor from any great liking for the monks, but for a great fondness for roast-chickens and good wine, having in her mind’s eye such a supper as she had never before enjoyed, and something to carry home with her.