the decameron(十日谈)-第158部分

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warme　beames　of　the　Sunne；　will　be　too　hot　and　scorching　for　your　nice
bodie　to　endure：　remember　the　extreame　cold　which　you　caused　mee　to
feele；　and　if　you　can　intermixe　some　part　of　that　cold　with　the
present　heat；　I　dare　assure　you；　the　Sun　（in　his　highest　heate）　will
be　far　more　temperate　for　your　feeling。
　　The　disconsolate　Lady　perceiving；　that　the　Schollers　wordes　savoured
of　no　mercy；　but　rather　as　coveting　her　desperate　ending；　with　the
teares　streaming　downe　her　cheekes；　thus　she　replied。　Wel　Sir；
seeing　there　is　no　matter　of　worth　in　me；　whereby　to　derive　any
compassion　from　you：　yet　for　that　Ladies　sake；　whom　you　have　elected
worthy　to　enjoy　your　love；　and　so　farre　excelleth　mee　in　Wisedome；
vouchsafe　to　pardon　mee；　and　suffer　my　garments　to　be　brought　me；
wherewith　to　cover　my　nakednesse；　and　so　to　descend　downe　from　this
Tower；　if　it　may　stand　with　your　gentle　Nature　to　admit　it。
　　Now　beganne　Reniero　to　laughe　very　heartily；　and　perceiving　how
swiftly　the　day　ran　on　in　his　course；　he　saide　unto　her。　Beleeve　me
Madame　Helena；　you　have　so　conjured　me　by　mine　endeered　Ladie　and
Mistresse；　that　I　am　no　longer　able　to　deny　you；　wherefore；　tell　me
where　your　garments　are；　and　I　will　bring　them　to　you；　that　you　may
come　downe　from　the　Turret。　She　beleeving　his　promise；　tolde　him　where
she　had　hid　them；　and　Reniero　departing　from　the　Tower；　commanded
his　servant；　not　to　stirre　thence：　but　to　abide　still　so　neere　it；
as　none　might　get　entrance　there　till　his　returning。　Which　charge
was　no　sooner　given　to　his　man；　but　hee　went　to　the　house　of　a　neere
neighboring　friend；　where　he　dined　well；　and　afterward　laid　him
downe　to　sleepe。
　　In　the　meane　while；　Madame　Helena　remaining　still　on　the　Tower；
began　to　comfort　her　selfe　with　a　little　vaine　hope；　yet　sighing　and
weeping　incessantly；　seating　her　selfe　so　well　as　shee　could；　where
any　small　shelter　might　yeelde　the　least　shade；　in　expectation　of
the　Schollers　returning：　one　while　weeping；　then　againe　hoping；　but
most　of　all　despairing；　by　his　so　long　tarrying　away　with　her
Garments；　so　that　beeing　over…wearied　with　anguish　and　long
watching；　she　fell　into　a　little　slumbering。　But　the　Sunne　was　so
extreamly　hot；　the　houre　of　noone　being　already　past；　that　it　meerly
parched　her　delicate　body；　and　burnt　her　bare　head　so　violently：　as
not　onely　it　seared　all　the　flesh　it　touched；　but　also　cleft　and
chinkt　it　strangely；　beside　blisters　and　other　painfull　scorchings
in　the　flesh　which　hindred　her　sleeping；　to　help　her　self　（by　all
possible　means）　waking。　And　the　Turret　being　covered　with　Lead；　gave
the　greater　addition　to　her　torment；　for；　as　she　removed　from　one
place　to　another；　it　yeelded　no　mitigation　to　the　burning　heate；　but
parched　and　wrinkled　the　flesh　extraordinarily；　even　as　when　a　piece
of　parchment　is　throwne　into　the　fire；　and　recovered　out　againe；　can
never　be　extended　to　his　former　forme。
　　Moreover；　she　was　so　grievously　payned　with　the　head…ake；　as　it
seemed　to　split　in　a　thousand　pieces；　whereat　there　needed　no　great
the　Lead　of　the　Turret　being　so　exceedingly　hot；　that　it　affoorded　not
the　least　defence　against　it；　or　any　repose　to　qualifie　the　torment：
but　drove　her　still　from　one　place　to　another；　in　hope　of　ease；　but
none　was　there　to　be　found。
　　Nor　was　there　any　winde　at　all　stirring；　whereby　to　asswage　the
Sunnes　violent　scalding；　or　keepe　away　huge　swarmes　of　Waspes；
Hornets；　and　terrible　byting　Flyes；　which　vexed　her　extreamely；
feeding　on　those　parts　of　her　body；　that　were　rifte　and　chinkt；　like
crannies　in　a　mortered　wall；　and　pained　her　like　so　many　points　of
pricking　Needles；　labouring　still　with　her　hands　to　beate　them　away；
but　yet　they　fastned　on　one　place　or　other；　and　afflicted　her　in
grievous　manner；　causing　her　to　curse　her　owne　life；　hir　amorous
friend；　but　（most　of　all）　the　Scholler；　that　promised　to　bring　her
Garments；　and　as　yet　returned　not。　Now　began　she　to　gaze　upon　every
side　about　her；　to　espy　some　labouring　Husbandmen　in　the　fields；　to
whom　she　might　call　or　cry　out　for　helpe；　not　fearing　to　discover
her　desperate　condition：　but　Fortune　therein　also　was　adverse　to
her；　because　the　heats　extreamity；　had　driven　all　the　village　out　of
the　fields；　causing　them　to　feede　their　Cattle　about　theyr　owne
houses；　or　in　remote　and　shadie　Valleyes：　so　that　shee　could　see　no
other　creatures　to　comfort　her；　but　Swannes　swimming　in　the　River　of
Arno；　and　wishing　her　selfe　there　a　thousand　times　with　them；　for　to
coole　the　extreamity　of　her　thirst；　which　so　much　the　more
encreased；　onely　by　the　sight　thereof；　and　utterly　disabled　of
having　any。
　　She　saw　beside　in　many　places　about　her；　goodly　Woods；　fayre　coole
shades；　and　Country　houses　here　and　there　dispersed；　which　added　the
greater　violence　to　hir　affliction；　that　her　desires　（in　all　these）
could　no　way　be　accomplished。　What　shall　I　say　more　concerning　this
disastrous　Lady？　The　parching　beames　of　the　Sunne　above　her；　the
scalding　heat　of　the　Lead　beneath　her；　the　Hornets　and　Flyes　everie
way　stinging　her；　had　made　such　an　alteration　of　her　beautifull　bodie：
that；　as　it　checkt　and　controlled　the　precedent　nights　darkenesse；
it　was　now　so　metamorphosed　with　rednesse；　yea；　and　blood　issuing
forth　in　infinite　places；　as　she　seemed　（almost）　loathsome　to　looke
on；　continuing　still　in　this　agonie　of　torment；　quite　voyde　of　all
hope；　and　rather　expecting　death；　then　any　other　comfort。
　　Reniero；　when　some　three　houres　of　the　afternoone　were　overpast；
awaked　from　sleeping：　and　remembring　Madame　Helena；　he　went　to　see
in　what　estate　she　was；　as　also　to　send　his　servant　unto　dinner；
because　he　had　fasted　all　that　day。　She　perceyving　his　arrivall；　being
altogether　weake；　faint；　and　wonderously　over…wearied；　she　crept　on
her　knees　to　a　corner　of　the　Turret；　and　calling　to　him；　spake　in　this
manner。　Reniero；　thy　revenge　exceedeth　al　manhoode　and　respect：　For；
if　thou　wast　almost　frozen　in　my　Court；　thou　hast　roasted　me　all　day
long　on　this　Tower；　yea；　meerly　broyled　my　poore　naked　bodie；　beside
starving　mee　thorough　want　of　Food　and　drinke。　Be　now　then　so
mercifull　（for　manhoods　sake）　as　to　come　uppe　hither；　and　inflict　that
on　me；　which　mine　owne　hands　are　not　strong　enough　to　do；　I　meane
the　ending　of　my　loathed　and　wearisome　life；　for　I　desire　it　beyond
all　comfort　else；　and　I　shall　honour　thee　in　the　performance　of　it。　If
thou　deny　me　this　gracious　favour；　at　least　send　me　uppe　a　glasse　of
Water；　onely　to　moisten　my　mouth；　which　my　teares　（being　all　meerly
dried　up）　are　not　able　to　doe；　so　extreame　is　the　violence　of　the
Sunnes　burning　heate。
　　Well　perceived　the　Scholler；　by　the　weaknesse　of　her　voyce；　and
scorching　of　her　body　by　the　Suns　parching　beames；　that　shee　was
brought　now　to　great　extremity：　which　sight；　as　also　her　humble
intercession；　began　to　touch　him　with　some　compassion；　nevertheles；
thus　he　replied。　Wicked　woman；　my　hands　shal　be　no　means　of　thy　death；
but　make　use　of　thine　owne；　if　thou　be　so　desirous　to　have　it：　and
as　much　water　shalt　thou　get　of　me　to　asswage　thy　thirst；　as　thou
gavest　me　fire　to　comfort　my　freezing；　when　thou　wast　in　the　luxurious
heat　of　thy　immodest　desires；　and　I　wel…neere　frozen　to　death　with
extremity　of　cold。　Pray　that　the　Evening　may　raine　downe　Rosewater
on　thee；　because　that　in　the　River　of　Arno　is　not　good　enough　for
thee：　for　as　little　pitty　doe　I　take　on　thee　now；　as　thou　didst　extend
compassion　to　me　then。
　　Miserable　Woman　that　I　am；　answered　Helena；　Why　did　the　heavens
bestow　beautie　on　mee；　which　others　have　admired　and　honoured；　and　yet
（by　thee）　is　utterly　despised？　More　cruell　art　thou　then　any　savage
Beast；　thus　to　vexe　and　torment　mee　in　such　mercilesse　manner。　What
greater　extreamity　couldst　thou　inflict　on　me；　if　I　had　bin　the
destruction　of　all　thy　Kindred；　and　lefte　no　one　man　living　of　thy
race？　I　am　verily　perswaded；　that　more　cruelty　cannot　be　used
against　a　Traitor；　who　was　the　subversion　of　an　whole　Cittie；　then
this　tyranny　of　thine；　roasting　me　thus　in　the　beames　of　the　Sun；
and　suffering　my　body　to　be　devoured　with　Flies；　without　so　small　a
mercie；　as　to　give　mee　a　little　coole　water；　which　murtherers　are
permitted　to　have；　being　condemned　by　justice；　and　led　to　execution：
yea　Wine　also；　if　they　request　it。
　　But；　seeing　thou　art　so　constant　in　thy　pernitious　resolve；　as
neither　thine　owne　good　Nature；　nor　this　lamentable　sufferance　in
me；　are　able　to　alter　thee：　I　will　prepare　my　self　for　death
patiently；　to　the　end；　that　Heaven　may　be　mercifull　to　my　soul；　and
reward　thee　justly；　according　to　thy　cruelty。　Which　words　being　ended；
she　withdrew　her　selfe　towards　the　middest　of　the　Tarras；　despairing
of　escaping　（with　life）
　　from　the　heates　violence；　and　not　once　onely；　but　infinite　times
beside　（among　her　other　grievous　extreamities）　she　was　ready　to　dye
with　drought；　bemoaning　incessantly　her　dolorous　condition。
　　By　this　time　the　day　was　well　neere　spent；　and　night　beganne　to
hasten　on　apace：　when　the　Scholler　（immagining　that　he　afflicted　her
sufficiently）　tooke　her　Garments；　and　wrapping　them　up　in　his　mans
Cloake；　went　thence　to　the　Ladies　house；　where　he　found　Ancilla　the
Waiting…woman　sitting　at