the decameron(十日谈)-第119部分

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as　now　adayes　are　at　Saint　Reparata；　and　divers　more　beside。　He
entring　among　the　Collumbes　of　Porphiry；　and　the　other　Sepulchers
being　there；　because　the　doore　of　the　Church　was　shut：　Signior　Betto
and　his　companie；　came　riding　from　S。　Reparata；　and　espying　Signior
Guldo　among　the　graves　and　tombes；　said。　Come；　let　us　go　make　some
jests　to　anger　him。　So　putting　the　spurs　to　their　horses；　they　rode
apace　towards　him：　and　being　upon　him　before　he　perceived　them；　one　of
them　said。　Guido　thou　refusest　to　be　one　of　our　society；　and　seekest
for　that　which　never　was：　when　thou　hast　found　it；　tell　us；　what
wilt　thou　do　with　it？
　　Guido　seeing　himselfe　round　engirt　with　them；　sodainly　thus　replyed：
Gentlemen；　you　may　use　mee　in　your　owne　house　as　you　please。　And
setting　his　hand　on　one　of　the　Tombes　（which　was　some…what　great）　he
tooke　his　rising；　and　leapt　quite　over　it　on　the　further　side；　as
being　of　an　agile　and　sprightly　body；　and　being　thus　freed　from
them；　he　went　away　to　his　owne　lodging。　They　stoode　all　like　men
amazed；　strangely　looking　one　upon　another；　and　began　afterward　to
murmure　among　themselves：　That　Guido　was　a　man　without　any
understanding；　and　the　answer　which　he　had　made　unto　them；　was　to　no
purpose；　neither　favoured　of　any　discretion；　but　meerely　came　from
an　empty　brain　because　they　had　no　more　to　do　in　the　place　where　now
they　were；　then　any　of　the　other　Citizens；　and　Signior　Guido
（himselfe）　as　little　as　any　of　them；　whereto　Signior　Betto　thus
replyed。
　　Alas　Gentlemen；　it　is　you　your　selves　that　are　void　of
understanding：　for；　if　you　had　but　observed　the　answer　which　he　made
unto　us：　hee　did　honestly；　and　（in　verie　few　words）　not　onely
notably　expresse　his　owne　wisedome；　but　also　deservedly　reprehend
us。　Because；　if　wee　observe　things　as　we　ought　to　doe；　Graves　and
Tombes　are　the　houses　of　the　dead；　ordained　and　prepared　to　be　their
latest　dwellings。　He　tolde　us　moreover；　that　although　we　have　heere
（in　this　life）　other　habitations　and　abidings；　yet　these　（or　the　like）
must　at　last　be　our　houses。　To　let　us　know；　and　all　other　foolish；
indiscreete；　and　unleartied　men；　that　we　are　worse　then　dead　men；　in
comparison　of　him；　and　other　men　equall　to　him　in　skill　and
learning。　And　therefore；　while　wee　are　heere　among　these　Graves　and
Monuments；　it　may　well　be　said；　that　we　are　not　farre　from　our　owne
houses；　or　how　soone　we　shall　be　possessors　of　them；　in　regard　of
the　frailty　attending　on　us。
　　Then　every　one　could　presently　say；　that　Signior　Guido　had　spoken
nothing　but　the　truth；　and　were　much　ashamed　of　their　owne　folly；
and　shallow　estimation　which　they　had　made　of　Guido；　desiring　never
more　after　to　meddle　with　him　so　grossely；　and　thanking　Signior　Betto；
for　so　well　reforming　their　ignorance；　by　his　much　better
apprehension。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SIXT　DAY；　THE　TENTH　NOVELL

　　　　　WHEREIN　MAY　BE　OBSERVED；　WHAT　PALPABLE　ABUSES　DO　MANY　TIMES
　　　　　　　　　　　PASSE；　UNDER　THE　COUNTERFEIT　CLOAKE　OF　RELIGION

　　Fryer　Onyon；　promised　certaine　honest　people　of　the　Countrey；　to
shew　them　a　Feather　of　the　same　Phoenix；　that　was　with　Noah　in　his
Arke。　In　sted　whereof；　he　found　Coales；　which　he　avouched　to　be
those　very　coals；　wherewith　the　same　Phoenix　was　roasted。

　　When　of　them　had　delivered　their　Novels；　Dioneus　knowing；　that　it
remained　in　him　to　relate　the　last　for　this　day：　without　attending　for
any　solemne　command　（after　he　had　imposed　silence　on　them；　that
could　not　sufficiently　commend　the　witty　reprehension　of　Guido）；
thus　he　began。　Wise　and　worthy　Ladies；　although　by　the　priviledge
you　have　granted；　it　is　lawfull　for　me　to　speake　any　thing　best
pleasing　to　my　self：　yet　notwithstanding；　it　is　not　any　part　of　my
meaning；　to　varrie　from　the　matter　and　method；　whereof　you　have　spoken
to　very　good　purpose。　And　therefore；　following　your　footsteppes；　I
entend　to　tell　you；　how　craftily；　and　with　a　Rampiar　sodainly　raised
in　his　owne　defence：　a　Religious　Frier　of　Saint　Anthonies　Order；
shunned　a　shame；　which　two　O　wily　companions　had　prepared　for　him。　Nor
let　it　offend　you；　if　I　run　into　more　large　discourse；　then　this　day
hath　bene　used　by　any；　for　the　apter　compleating　of　my　Novell：
because；　if　you　well　observe　it；　the　Sun　is　as　yet　in　the　middest　of
heaven；　and　therefore　you　may　the　better　forbeare　me。
　　Certaldo；　as　（perhaps）　you　know；　or　have　heard；　is　a　Village　in
the　Vale　of　Elsa；　and　under　the　authority　and　commaund　of　our
Florence；　which　although　it　be　but　small：　yet　（in　former　times）　it
hath　bin　inhabited　with　Gentlemen；　and　people　of　especiall　respect。
A　religious　Friar　of　S。　Anthonies　Order；　named　Friar　Onyon；　had　long
time　used　to　resort　thither；　to　receive　the　benevolent　almes；　which
those　charitably　affected　people　in　simplicity　gave　him；　and　chiefly
at　divers　daies　of　the　year；　when　their　bounty　and　devotion　would
extend　themselves　more　largely　then　at　other　seasons。　And　so　much
the　rather；　because　they　thought　him　to　be　a　good　Pastor　of　holy
life　in　outward　appearance；　and　carried　a　name　of　much　greater　matter；
then　remained　in　the　man　indeed；　beside；　that　part　of　the　country
yeilded　far　more　plentifull　abundance　of　Onyons；　then　all　other　in
Tuscany　elsewhere；　a　kinde　of　foode　greatly　affected　by　those
Friars；　as　men　alwaies　of　hungry　and　good　appetite。　This　Friar　Onyon
was　a　man　of　litle　stature　red　haire；　a　chearfull　countenance；　and　the
world　afforded　not　a　more　crafty　companion；　then　he。　Moreover；
albeit　he　had　very　little　knowledge　or　learning；　yet　he　was　so　prompt；
ready　and　voluble　of　speech；　uttering　often　he　knew　not　what　himselfe：
that　such　as　were　not　wel　acquainted　with　his　qualities；　supposed
him　to　be　a　singular　Rhetoritian；　excelling　Cicero　or　Quintilian
themselves；　and　he　was　a　gossip；　friend；　or　deerely　affected；　by　every
one　dwelling　in　those　parts。　According　to　his　wonted　custome；　one　time
he　went　thither　in　the　month　of　August；　and　on　a　Sunday　morning；
when　all　the　dwellers　thereabout；　were　present　to　heare　Masse；　and
in　the　chiefest　Church　above　all　the　rest：　when　the　Friar　saw　time
convenient　for　his　purpose；　he　advanced　himselfe；　and　began　to
speake　in　this　manner。
　　Gentlemen　and　Gentlewomen；　you　know　you　have　kept　a　commendable
custom；　in　sending　yeerly　to　the　poore　brethren　of　our　Lord　Baron　S。
Anthony；　both　of　your　Corne　and　other　provision；　some　more；　some
lesse；　all　according　to　their　power；　means；　and　devotion；　to　the　end
that　blessed　S。　Anthony　should　be　the　more　carefull　of　your　oxen；
sheep；　asses；　swine；　pigs；　and　other　cattle。　Moreover；　you　have　used
to　pay　（especially　such　as　have　their　names　registred　in　our
Fraternity）　those　duties　which　annually　you　send　unto　us。　For　the
collection　whereof；　I　am　sent　by　my　Superior；　namely　our　L。　Abbot；　and
therfore　（with　Gods　blessing）　you　may　come　after　noone　hither；　when
you　shal　heare　the　Bels　of　the　Church　ring：　then　wil　I　make　a
predication　to　you；　you　shall　kisse　the　Crosse；　and　beside；　because
I　know　you　al　to　be　most　devout　servants　to　our　Lord　Baron　S。　Anthony；
in　especiall　grace　and　favor；　I　wil　shew　you　a　most　holy　and　goodly
Relique；　which　I　my　selfe　（long　since）　brought　from　the　holy　Land
beyond　the　seas。　If　you　desire　to　know　what　it　is；　let　me　tell　you；
that　it　is　one　of　the　Feathers　of　the　same　Phoenix；　which　was　in　the
Arke　with　the　Patriarch　Noah。　And　having　thus　spoken；　he　became
silent；　returning　backe　to　heare　Masse。　While　hee　delivered　these
and　the　like　speeches；　among　the　other　people　then　in　the　church；
there　were　two　shrewde　and　crafty　Companions；　the　one；　named　John　de
Bragoniero；　and　the　other；　Biagio　Pizzino。　These　subtile　Fellowes；
after　they　had　heard　the　report　of　Fryer　Onyons　Relique：　althogh
they　were　his　intimate　friends；　and　came　thither　in　his　company；　yet
they　concluded　betweene　themselves；　to　shew　him　a　tricke　of
Legierdumaine；　and　to　steale　the　Feather　from　him。　When　they　had
intelligence　of　Friar　Onyons　dining　that　day　at　the　Castle；　with　a
worthy　Friend　of　his：　no　sooner　was　he　set　at　the　Table；　but　away　went
they　in　all　haste；　to　the　Inne　where　the　Fryar　frequented；　with　this
determination；　that　Biagio　should　hold　conference　with　the　Friars　boy；
while　his　fellow　ransackt　the　Wallet；　to　finde　the　Feather；　and
carry　it　away　with　him；　for　a　future　observation；　what　the　Friar　would
say　unto　the　people；　when　he　found　the　losse　of　the　Feather；　and　could
not　performe　his　promise　to　them。
　　The　Fryars　Boy；　whom　some　called　Guccio　Balena；　some　Guccio　Imbrata；
and　others　Guccio　Porco；　was　such　a　knavish　Lad；　and　had　so　many　bad
qualities；　as　Lippo　Topo　the　cunning　Painter；　or　the　most　curious
Poeticall　wit；　had　not　any　ability　to　describe　them。　Friar　Onyon
himself　did　often　observe　his　behaviour；　and　would　make　this　report
among　his　Friends。　My　Boy　（quoth　he）　hath　nine　rare　qualities　in
him；　and　such　they　are；　as　if　Salomon；　Aristotle；　or　Seneca　had
onely　but　one　of　them：　it　were　sufficient　to　torment　and　trouble　all
their　vertue；　all　their　senses；　and　all　their　sanctity。　Consider　then；
what　manner　of　man　he　is　like　to　be；　having　nine　such　rarities；　yet
voide　of　all　vertue；　wit；　or　goodnes。　And　when　it　was　demaunded　of
Friar　Onyon；　what　these　nine　rare　condition