Excerpt from Little Masterpieces of Fiction, Vol. 4: The Falcon; The Black Pearl; The Great Carbuncle; The Lifted Veil; The Comet; The Gooseherd This Federigo, as it is no rare matter in young gentlemen, became enamoured of a gentlewoman named Monna Giovanna, who was esteemed in her time to be the fairest lady in all Florence; in which respect, and to reach to the height of his desire, he made many sumptuous feasts and banquets, jousts, tilts, tournaments, and all other noble actions of arms, besides sending her infinitely rich and costly presents, making spare of nothing, but lashing all out in lavish expense. Notwithstanding, she being no less honest than fair, made no reckoning of whatsoever he did for her sake, or the least respect of his own per son; so that Federigo, spending thus daily more than his means and ability could maintain, and no supplies anyway redounding to him, his facul ties, as very easily they might, diminished in such sort that he became so poor as he had nothing left him but a small farm to live upon, the slender revenues whereof were so mean as scarcely allowed him meat and drink. Yet had he a fair hawk, or falcon, hardly anywhere to be followed, so expeditious and sure she was of flight. His low ebb and poverty no way diminishing his love to the lad'y, but rather setting a keener edge thereon, he saw the city could no longer contain him, where he most coveted to abide, and there fore betook himself to his poor country farm, to let his falcon get his dinner and supper, pa tiently supporting his penurious estate without suit or means making to one for help or relief in any such necessity. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.