"My house is the house of joy and delight, because it is the house of
poverty."

And seeing Fra Giovanni wending his way homewards, Satan thought:

"Lo! here is one of those men I am come to tempt";--and drawing his
black cloak over his head, he advanced along the high road, which was
bordered with terebinths, to meet the holy man.

Now Satan had made himself like a widow-woman with a veil, and when he
had joined Fra Giovanni, he put on a honeyed voice and asked an alms of
him, saying:

"Give me an alms for the love of Him who is your friend, and whom I am
not worthy so much as to name."

And Fra Giovanni answered:

"It happens so, I have with me a little silver cup a nobleman of the
countryside gave me, to have it melted down and used for the Altar of
Santa Maria degli Angeli. You may take that, lady; and I will go
to-morrow and ask the nobleman to let me have another of the same weight
for the Blessed Virgin. Thus will his wishes be accomplished, and over
and above, you will have gotten an alms for the love of God."

Satan took the cup and said:

"Good brother, suffer a poor widow-woman to kiss your hand. For verily
the hand that gives gifts is soft and fragrant."