[064]
In such a course, alternately beaten, fed and amused with idle
tales, was Ferondo kept for ten months, while the abbot, to his great
felicity, paid many a visit to the fair lady, and had the jolliest time in
the world with her. But, as misfortunes will happen, the lady
conceived, which fact, as soon as she was aware of it, she imparted to
the abbot; whereupon both agreed that Ferondo must without delay
be brought back from purgatory to earth and her, and be given to
understand that she was with child of him.
[065]
So the very next night
the abbot went to the prison, and in a disguised voice pronounced
Ferondo's name, and said to him: "Ferondo, be of good cheer, for
God is minded that thou return to earth; and on thy return thou
shalt have a son by thy lady, and thou shalt call him Benedetto;
because 'tis in answer to the prayers of thy holy abbot and thy lady,
and for love of St. Benedict, that God accords thee this grace."[066]Whereat Ferondo was overjoyed, and said: "It likes me well.
God give a good year to Master Lord God, and the abbot, and St.
Benedict, and my cheese-powdered, honey-sweet wife."
[067]
Then, in
the wine that he sent him, the abbot administered enough of the
powder to cause him to sleep for four hours; and so, with the aid of
the monk, having first habited him in his proper clothes, he privily
conveyed him back to the tomb in which he had been buried.
[068]
On
the morrow at daybreak Ferondo revived, and perceiving through a
chink in the tomb a glimmer of light, to which he had been a
stranger for full ten months, he knew that he was alive, and began
to bellow: "Let me out, let me out:" then, setting his head to
the lid of the tomb, he heaved amain; whereby the lid, being insecure,
started; and he was already thrusting it aside, when the monks,
matins being now ended, ran to the spot and recognized Ferondo's
voice, and saw him issue from the tomb; by which unwonted event
they were all so affrighted that they took to flight, and hied them to
the abbot:
[069]
who, rising as if from prayer, said: "Sons, be not
afraid; take the cross and the holy water, and follow me, and let us
see what sign of His might God will vouchsafe us."
[070]
And so
he led the way to the tomb; beside which they found Ferondo
standing, deathly pale by reason of his long estrangement from the
light. On sight of the abbot he ran and threw himself at his feet,
saying: "My father, it has been revealed to me that 'tis to your
prayers and those of St. Benedict and my lady that I owe my release
from purgatorial pain, and restoration to life; wherefore 'tis my
prayer that God give you a good year and good calends, to-day and
all days."
[071]
"Laud we the power of God!" said the abbot. "Go
then, son, as God has restored thee to earth, comfort thy wife, who,
since thou didst depart this life, has been ever in tears, and mayst thou
live henceforth in the love and service of God."
[072]
"Sir," answered
Ferondo, "'tis well said; and, for the doing, trust me that, as soon as
I find her, I shall kiss her, such is the love I bear her." So saying,
he went his way;
[073]
and the abbot, left alone with his monks, made
as if he marvelled greatly at the affair, and caused devoutly chant
the Miserere. So Ferondo returned to his hamlet, where all that
saw him fleeing, as folk are wont to flee from spectacles of horror,
he called them back, asseverating that he was risen from the tomb.
His wife at first was no less timorous:
[074]
but, as folk began to take heart
of grace, perceiving that he was alive, they plied him with many
questions, all which he answered as one that had returned with ripe
experience, and gave them tidings of the souls of their kinsfolk, and
told of his own invention the prettiest fables of the purgatorial state,
and in full folkmoot recounted the revelation vouchsafed him by the
mouth of Ragnolo Braghiello before his resuscitation.
