224 THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT 



hapjDened, however, that he had a friend who knew 



of the wizard whom they call Mengot, dwelling 



without the Croce Gate of Florence, and having his 



house below the ground, closed by a flat stone of 



the field so as to be secret. Those who would 



inquire of him must pass to the place and cry 



' Mengot ! Master Mengot ! I seek a favour of thee, 



and, if thou tell me true, I shall not stint thy 



reward ; ' whereupon he doth straightway appear. / 



This then was what the friend of the too confident 



husband did, for he summoned Mengot, and, in 



presence of all, said to him : ' Tell me the truth, 



and whether the wife of this gentleman deserves his 



confidence or not.' After some thought, the wizard 



replied, ' Do you wish a true answer, or one made to 



please'? I should be sorry to hurt the husband's 



feelings.' When all desired to have the truth, 



Mengot told them that the lady in question had 



gone to a place in the Via Calzaiuoli where 



disguises were arranged, and that she would be 



found next day dressed as a servant in the course 



of carrying on a vulgar intrigue in the Ghetto. 



Now all this was verified ; for the wizard told them 



even the very house in the Via delle Ceste where she 



would be found with her lover, and it proved to be 



exactly as he had said." When this tale was done, 



all who heard it cried that Mengot should be 



summoned again, to see whether the Princess were 



faithful or not. So they called him, as had been 



done in the other case, but with the same result ; 



for here also the Prince's confidence had been 



misplaced, and that in a high degree. Then said 



the Princess, between rage and shame, " Hast thou 



scotched me this time ; but next time I will scotch 



