[018]
Now Calandrino, like the simple soul that he was, marking the
composed and grave countenance with which Maso spoke, could not
have believed him more thoroughly, if he had uttered the most patent
truth, and thus taking his words for gospel: "'Tis a trifle too far
for my purse," quoth he; "were it nigher, I warrant thee, I
would go with thee thither one while, just to see the macaroni
come tumbling down, and take my fill thereof. But tell me, so good
luck befall thee, are none of these stones, that have these rare virtues,
to be found in these regions?"
[019]
"Ay," replied Maso, "two sorts of
stone
are found there, both of virtues extraordinary. The one sort
are the sandstones of Settignano and Montisci, which being made
into millstones, by virtue thereof flour is made; wherefore 'tis a
common saying in those countries that blessings come from God and
millstones from Montisci: but, for that these sandstones are in great
plenty, they are held cheap by us, just as by them are emeralds,
whereof they have mountains, bigger than Monte Morello, that shine
at midnight, a God's name! And know this, that whoso should make
a goodly pair of millstones, and connect them with a ring before ever
a hole was drilled in them, and take them to the Soldan, should get
all he would have thereby.
[020]
The other sort of stone is the heliotrope,
as we lapidaries call it, a stone of very great virtue, inasmuch as
whoso carries it on his person is seen, so long as he keep it, by never
another soul, where he is not."
[021]
"These be virtues great indeed,"
quoth Calandrino; "but where is this second stone to be found?"[022]Whereto Maso made answer that there were usually some to be
found in the Mugnone.
[023]
"And what are its size and colour?" quoth
Calandrino.
[024]
"The size varies," replied Maso, "for some are bigger
and some smaller than others; but all are of the same colour, being
nearly black."
[025]
All these matters duly marked and fixed in his memory,
Calandrino made as if he had other things to attend to, and took his
leave of Maso with the intention of going in quest of the stone, but
not until he had let his especial friends, Bruno and Buffalmacco,
know of his project.
[026]
So, that no time might be lost, but, postponing
everything else, they might begin the quest at once, he set about
looking for them, and spent the whole morning in the search.
[027]
At
length, when 'twas already past none, he called to mind that they
would be at work in the Faentine women's convent, and though
'twas excessively hot, he let nothing stand in his way, but at a pace
that was more like a run than a walk, hied him thither; and so soon
as he had made them ware of his presence, thus he spoke:
[028]
"Comrades,
so you are but minded to hearken to me, 'tis in our power to
become the richest men in Florence; for I am informed by one that
may be trusted that there is a kind of stone in the Mugnone which
renders whoso carries it invisible to every other soul in the world.
Wherefore, methinks, we were wise to let none have the start of us,
but go search for this stone without any delay.
[029]
We shall find it
without a doubt, for I know what 'tis like, and when we have found it,
we have but to put it in the purse, and get us to the moneychangers,
whose counters, as you know, are always laden with groats
and florins, and help ourselves to as many as we have a mind to.
No one will see us, and so, hey presto! we shall be rich folk in the
twinkling of an eye, and have no more need to go besmearing the
walls all day long like so many snails."
[030]
Whereat Bruno and Buffalmacco
began only to laugh, and exchanging glances, made as if they
marvelled exceedingly, and expressed approval of Calandrino's project.
Then Buffalmacco asked, what might be the name of the stone.
[031]
Calandrino, like the numskull that he was, had already forgotten the
name: so he made answer: "Why need we concern ourselves
with the name, since we know the stone's virtue? methinks, we
were best to go look for it, and waste no more time."
[032]
"Well, well,"
said Bruno, "but what are the size and shape of the stone?"
[033]
"They
are of all sizes and shapes," said Calandrino, "but they are all pretty
nearly black; wherefore, methinks, we were best to collect all the
black stones that we see until we hit upon it: and so, let us be off,
and lose no more time."
[034]
"Nay, but," said Bruno, "wait a bit."
And turning to Buffalmacco: "Methinks," quoth he, "that Calandrino
says well: but I doubt this is not the time for such work,
seeing that the sun is high, and his rays so flood the Mugnone as to
dry all the stones; insomuch that stones will now shew as white
that in the morning, before the sun had dried them, would shew as
black:
[035]
besides which, to-day being a working-day, there will be for
one cause or another folk not a few about the Mugnone, who, seeing
us, might guess what we were come for, and peradventure do the like
themselves; whereby it might well be that they found the stone, and
we might miss the trot by trying after the amble.
[036]
Wherefore, so
you agree, methinks we were best to go about it in the morning,
when we shall be better able to distinguish the black stones from the
white, and on a holiday, when there will be none to see us."
