the decameron(十日谈)-第139部分

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in　acting　her　just　revenge　upon　the　Hawke；　that　bereft　her　of　her
Husbands　kinde　companie；　then　which　nothing　is　more　precious　to　a
loving　wife；　and　a　hell　it　is　to　live　without　it。　And　Lydia；　being
sodainly　with。　into　her　chamber；　with　much　other　friendly　and　familiar
talke；　they　converted　the　anger　of　Nicostratus　into　mirth　and　smiling。
　　Pyrrhus；　who　had　diligently　observed　the　whole　cariage　of　this
businesse；　saide　to　himselfe。　My　Ladie　hath　begun　well；　and　proceeding
on　with　no　worse　successe；　will　（no　doubt）　bring　her　love　to　an
happy　conclusion。　As　for　the　Lady　her　selfe；　she　having　thus　kild
the　Hawke；　it　was　no　long　while　after；　but　being　in　the　Chamber　with
her　husband；　and　they　conversing　familiarly　together；　she　began　to
jest　with　him；　and　hee　in　the　like　manner　with　her；　tickling　and
toying　each　the　other；　till　at　the　length　she　played　with　his　beard；
and　now　she　found　occasion　aptly　serving；　to　effect　the　second　taske
imposed　by　Pyrrhus。　So；　taking　fast　hold　on　a　small　tuft　of　his　beard；
she　gave　a　sodaine　snatch；　and　plucked　it　away　quite　from　his　chin。
Whereat　Nicostratus　beeing　angerly　moved；　she　（to　appease　his
distaste）　pleasantly　thus　spake。　How　now　my　Lord？　Why　do　you　looke
so　frowningly？　What？　Are　you　angry　for　a　few　loose　haires　of　your
beard？　How　then　should　I　take　it；　when　you　plucke　mee　by　the　haire
of　my　head；　and　yet　I　am　not　a　jot　discontented；　because　I　know　you　do
it　but　in　jesting　manner？　These　friendly　speeches　cut　off　all
further　contention；　and　she　kepte　charily　the　tuft　of　er　Husbands
beard；　which　（the　verie　selfe…same　day）　shee　sent　to　Pyrrhus　her
hearts　chosen　friend。
　　But　now　concerning　the　third　matter　to　be　adventured；　it　drove　her
to　a　much　more　serious　consideration；　then　those　two　which　shee　had
already　so　well　and　exactly　performed。　Notwithstanding；　like　a　Ladie
of　unconquerable　spirit；　and　（in　whom）　Love　enlarged　his　power　more
and　more：　she　sodainly　conceited；　what　course　was　best　to　bee　kept
in　this　case；　forming　her　attempt　in　this　manner。　Upon　Nicostratus
wayted　two　young　Gentlemen；　as　Pages　of　his　Chamber；　whose　Fathers　had
given　them　to　his　service；　to　learne　the　manners　of　honourable
Courtship；　and　those　qualities　necessarily　required　in　Gentlemen。
One　of　them；　when　Nicostratus　sate　downe　to　dinner　or　supper；　stood　in
Office　of　his　Carver；　delivering　him　all　the　meats　whereon　he　fed。　The
other　（as　Taster）　attended　on　his　Cup；　and　he　dranke　no　other
drinke；　but　what　hee　brought　him；　and　they　both　were　highly　pleasing
unto　him。
　　On　a　day；　Lydia　called　these　two　youths　aside；　and；　among　some　other
speeches；　which　served　but　as　an　induction　to　her　intended　policy；　she
perswaded　them；　that　their　mouths　yeelded　an　unsavoury　and
ilpleasing　smell；　whereof　their　Lord　seemed　to　take　dislike。　Wherefore
she　advised　them；　that　at　such　times　as　they　attended　on　him　in
their　severall　places：　they　should　（so　much　as　possibly　they　could）
withdraw　their　heads　aside　from　him；　because　their　breath　might　not　be
noyous　unto　him。　But　withall；　to　have　an　especiall　care；　of　not
disclosing　to　any　one；　what　she　had　told　them；　because　（out　of　meere
love）　she　had　acquainted　them　therewith：　which　very　coistantly　they
beleeved；　and　followed　the　same　direction　as　she　had　advised；　being
loath　to　displease；　where　service　bound　them　to　obey。　Choosing　a
time　fitting　for　her　purpose；　when　Nicostratus　was　in　private
conference　with　her；　thus　she　began。　Sir；　you　observe　not　the
behaviour　of　your　two　Pages；　when　they　wait　on　you　at　the　Table？　Yes
but　I　do　wife　（quoth　he）　how　squemishly　they　turn　their　heads　aside
from　me；　and　it　hath　often　bin　in　my　minde；　to　understand　a　reason　why
they　do　so。
　　Seating　her　selfe　by　him；　as　if　shee　had　some　weighty　matter　to　tell
him；　she　proceeded　in　this　manner。　Alas　my　Lord；　you　shall　not　need　to
question　them；　because　I　can　sufficiently　resolve　you　therein：　which
（neverthelesse）　I　have　long　concealed；　because　I　would　not　be
offensive　to　you。　But　in　regard；　it　is　now　manifestly　apparant；　that
others　have　tasted；　what　（I　immagined）　none　but　my　selfe　did；　I　will
no　longer　hide　it　from　you。　Assuredly　Sir；　there　is　a　most　strange　and
unwonted　ill…savour；　continually　issuing　from　your　mouth；　smelling
most　noysomely；　and　I　wonder　what　should　be　the　occasion。　In　former
times；　I　never　felt　any　such　foule　breathing　to　come　from　you：　and
you；　who　do　dally　converse　with　so　many　worthy　persons；　should　seeke
meanes　to　be　rid　of　so　great　an　annoyance。　You　say　verie　true　wife
（answered　Nicostratus）　and　I　protest　to　you　on　my　Credite；　I　feele
no　such　ill　smell；　neither　know　what　should　cause　it；　except　I　have
som　corrupted　tooth　in　my　mouth。　Perhaps　Sir　（quoth　she）　it　may　be　so；
and　yet　you　feele　not　the　savour　which　others　do；　yea；　very
offensively。
　　So；　walking　with　her　to　a　Window；　he　opened　wide　his　mouth；　the
which　nicely　shee　surveyed　on　either　side；　and；　turning　her　head
from　him；　as　seeming　unable　to　endure　the　savour：　starting；　and
shrieking　out　alowd；　she　said。　Santa　Maria！　What　a　sight　is　this？　Alas
my　good　Lord；　How　could　you　abide　this；　and　for　so　long　a　while？　Heere
is　a　tooth　on　this　side；　which　（so　farre　as　I　can　perceive）　is　not
onely　hollow　and　corrupted：　but　also　wholly　putrified　and　rotten；
and　if　it　continue　still　in　your　head；　beleeve　it　for　a　truth；　that　it
will　infect　and　spoile　all　the　rest　neere　it。　I　would　therefore
counsell　you；　to　let　it　be　pluckt　out；　before　it　breede　your　further
danger。　I　like　your　counsell　well　Lydia；　replyed　Nicostratus；　and
presently　intend　to　follow　it；　Let　therefore　my　Barber　be　sent　for；
and；　without　any　longer　delay；　he　shall　plucke　it　forth　instantly。
　　How　sir？　（quoth　she；）　your　Barber？　Uppon　mine　Honour；　there　shall
come　no　Barber　heere。　Why　Sir；　it　is　such　a　rotten　Tooth；　and　standeth
so　fairely　for　my　hand：　that；　without　helpe　or　advice　of　any　Barber；
let　mee　alone　for　plucking　it　forth　without　putting　you　to　any　paine
at　all。　Moreover；　let　me　tell　you　Sir；　those　Tooth…drawers　are　so　rude
and　cruell；　in　performing　such　Offices；　as　my　heart　cannot　endure；
that　you　should　come　within　compasse　of　their　currish　courtesie；
neither　shall　you　Sir；　if　you　will　be　ruled　by　me。　If　I　should　faile
in　the　manner　of　their　facilitie；　yet　love　and　duty　hath　enstructed
me；　to　forbeare　your　least　paining；　which　no　unmannerly　Barber　will
do。
　　Having　thus　spoken；　and　he　well　contented　with　her　kinde　offer；
the　instruments　were　brought；　which　are　used　in　such　occasions；　all
being　commanded　forth　of　the　Chamber；　but　onely　Lesca；　who　evermore
kept　still　in　her　company。　So；　locking　fast　the　doore；　and　Nicostratus
being　seated；　as　she　thought　fittest　for　her　purpose；　she　put　the
Tanacles　into　his　mouth；　catching　fast　hold　on　one　of　his　soundest
teeth：　which；　notwithstanding　his　loud　crying；　Lesca　held　him　so
strongly；　that　forth　she　pluckt　it；　and　hid　it；　having　another　tooth
readie　made　hot；　and　bloody；　very　much　corrupted　and　rotten；　which　she
helde　in　the　Tanacles；　and　shewed　to　him；　who　was　well…neere　halfe
dead　with　anguish。　See　Sir　（quoth　she）　was　this　Tooth　to　be　suffered
in　your　head；　and　to　yeeld　so　foule　a　smell　as　it　did？　He　verily
beleeving　what　she　said；　albeit　hee　had　endured　extreame　paine；　and
still　complained　on　her　harsh　and　violent　pulling　it　out：　rejoyced
yet；　that　he　was　now　ridde　of　it；　and　she　comforting　him　on　the　one
side；　and　the　anguish　asswaging　him　on　the　other；　he　departed　forth　of
the　Chamber。
　　In　the　mean　while；　by　Lesca　she　sent　the　sound　tooth　to　Pyrrhus；　who
（wondering　not　a　little　at　her　so　many　strange　attempts；　which　hee
urged　so　much　the　rather；　as　thinking　their　performance　impossible；
and　in　meere　loyall　duty　to　his　Lord）　seeing　them　all　three　to　be
notably　effected；　he　made　no　further　doubt　of　her　intire　love　towardes
him；　but　sent　her　assurance　likewise；　of　his　readinesse　and
serviceable　diligence；　whensoever　she　would　command　him。
　　Now；　after　the　passage　of　all　these　adventures；　hardly　to　bee
undertaken　by　any　other　Woman：　yet　she　held　them　insufficient　for
his　security；　in　the　grounded　perswasion　of　her　love　to　him；　except
shee　performed　another　of　her　owne；　and　according　as　shee　had　boldly
promised。　Houres　do　now　seeme　dayes；　and　dayes　multiplicitie　of
yeeres；　till　the　kisse　may　be　given；　and　receyved　in　the　presence　of
Nicostratus；　yet　hee　himselfe　to　avouch　the　contrary。
　　Madam　Lydia　（upon　a　pretended　sicknesse）　keepeth　her　chamber；　and　as
women　can　hardly　be　exceeded　in　dissimulation：　so；　shee　wanted　no　wit；
to　seeme　exquisitely　cunning；　in　all　the　outwarde　apparances　of
sicknesse。　One　day　after　dinner；　shee　being　visited　by　Nicostratus；
and　none　attending　on　him　but　Pyrrhus　onely：　she　earnestly
entreated；　that　as　a　mitigation；　to　some　inward　afflictions　which
she　felt；　they　would　helpe　to　guide　her　into　the　Garden。
　　Most　gladly　was　her　motion　graunted；　and　Nicostratus　gently　taking
her　by　one　arme；　and　Pyrrhus　by　the　other；　so　they　conducted　her
into　the　Garden；　seating　her　in　a　faire　floury　Grasse…plot；　with　her
backe　leaning　to　a　Peare…tree。　Having　sitten　there　an　indifferent
while；　and　Pyrrhus；　being　formerly　enstructed；　in　the　directions　which
she　had　given　him；　thus　sh