the decameron(十日谈)-第171部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　NINTH　DAY；　THE　FIRST　NOVELL

　　　　　　APPROVING；　THAT　CHASTE　AND　HONEST　WOMEN；　OUGHT　RATHER　TO　DENY
　　　　　　　　　IMPORTUNATE　SUITERS；　BY　SUBTILE　AND　INGENIOUS　MEANES；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THEN　FALL　OF　SCANDALL　AND　SLANDER

　　Madame　Francesca；　a　Widdow　of　Pistoya；　being　affected　by　two
Florentine　Gentlemen；　the　one　named　Rinuccio　Palermini；　and　the
other　Alessandro　Chiarmontesi；　and　she　bearing　no　good　will　to
eyther　of　them；　ingeniously　freed　her　selfe　from　both　their
importunate　suites。　One　of　them　she　caused　to　lye　as　dead　in　a
grave；　and　the　other　to　fetch　him　from　thence：　so　neither　of　them
accomplishing　what　they　were　enjoyned；　fayled　of　obtaining　his　hoped
expectation。

　　Madame；　it　can　no　way　discontent　mee　（seeing　it　is　your　most
gracious　pleasure）　that　I　should　have　the　honour；　to　breake　the
first　staffe　of　freedome　in　this　faire　company　（according　to　the
injunction　of　your　Majesty）　for　liberty　of　our　own　best　liking
arguments：　wherein　I　dismay　not　（if　I　can　speake　well　enough）　but　to
please　you　all　as　well；　as　any　other　that　is　to　follow　me。　Nor　am　I　so
oblivious　（worthy　Ladies）　but　full　well　I　remember；　that　many　times
hath　bene　related　in　our　passed　demonstrations；　how　mighty　and
variable　the　powers　of　love　are：　and　yet　I　cannot　be　perswaded；　that
they　have　all　bene　so　sufficiently　spoken　of；　but　something　may　bee
further　added；　and　the　bottome　of　them　never　dived　into；　although　we
should　sit　arguing　a　whole　yeare　together。　And　because　it　hath　beene
alreadie　approved；　that　Lovers　have　bene　led　into　divers　accidents；
not　onely　inevitable　dangers　of　death；　but　also　have　entred　into　the
verie　houses　of　the　dead；　thence　to　convey　their　amorous　friends：　I
purpose　to　acquaint　you　with　a　Novell；　beside　them　which　have　bene
discoursed；　whereby　you　may　not　onely　comprehend　the　power　of　Love；
but　also　the　wisedome　used　by　an　honest　Gentlewoman；　to　rid　her
selfe　of　two　importunate　suiters；　who　loved　her　against　her　owne
liking；　yet　neither　of　them　knowing　the　others　affection。
　　In　the　City　of　Pistoya；　there　dwelt　sometime　a　beautifull
Gentlewoman；　being　a　Widdow；　whom　two　of　our　Florentines　（the　one
named　Rinuccio　Palermini；　and　the　other　Alessandro　Chiarmontesi；
having　withdrawne　themselves　to　Pistoya）　desperately　affected；　the　one
ignorant　of　the　others　intention；　but　each　carrying　his　case
closely；　as　hoping　to　be　possessed　of　her。　This　Gentlewoman；　named
Madame　Francesca　de　Lazzari；　being　often　solicited　by　their
messages；　and　troublesomely　pestered　with　their　importunities：　at　last
（lesse　advisedly　then　she　intended）　shee　granted　admittance　to　heare
either　of　them　speake。　Which　she　repenting；　and　coveting　to　be　rid
of　them　both；　a　matter　not　easie　to　be　done：　she　wittily　devised　the
onely　meanes；　namely；　to　move　such　a　motion　to　them；　as　neither
would　willingly　undertake；　yet　within　the　compasse　of　possibility；　but
they　failing　in　the　performance；　shee　might　have　the　more　honest
occasion；　to　bee　free　from　all　further　mollestation　by　them；　and　her
politike　intention　was　thus　projected。
　　On　the　same　day；　when　she　devised　this　peece　of　service；　a　man　was
buried　in　Pistoya；　and　in　the　Church…yard　belonging　unto　the　gray
Friars；　who　being　descended　of　good　and　worthie　parentage：　yet
himselfe　was　very　infamous；　and　reputed　to　be　the　vilest　man　living；
not　onely　there　in　Pistoya；　but　throughout　the　whole　World　beside。
Moreover；　while　he　lived；　he　had　such　a　strange　mishapen　body；　and　his
face　so　ugly　deformed；　that　such　as　knew　him　not；　would　stand　gastly
affrighted　at　the　first　sight　of　him。　In　regarde　whereof；　shee
considered　with　her　selfe；　that　the　foule　deformitie　of　this　loathed
fellow；　would　greatly　avayle　in　her　determination；　and　consulting　with
her　Chamber…maid；　thus　she　spake。
　　Thou　knowest　（my　most　true　and　faithfull　servant）　what　trouble　and
affliction　of　minde　I　suffer　dayly；　by　the　messages　and　Letters　of　the
two　Florentines；　Rinuccio　and　Alessandro；　how　hatefull　their
importunity　is　to　me；　as　being　utterly　unwilling　to　hear　them
speake；　or　yeeld　to　any　thing　which　they　desire。　Wherefore；　to　free　my
selfe　from　them　both　together；　I　have　devised　（in　regard　of　their
great　and　liberall　offers）　to　make　trial　of　them　in　such　a　matter；
as　I　am　assured　they　will　never　performe。
　　It　is　not　unknowne　to　thee；　that　in　the　Church…yard　of　the　Gray
Friars；　and　this　instant　morning；　Scannadio　（for　so　was　the　ugly
fellow　named）　was　buried；　of　whom；　when　he　was　living；　as　also　now
being　dead；　both　men；　women；　and　children；　doe　yet　stand　in　feare；
so　gastly　and　dreadfull　alwayes　was　his　personall　appearance　to　them。
　　Wherefore；　first　of　all　go　thou　to　Alessandro；　and　say　to　him
thus。　My　Mistris　Francesca　hath　sent　me　to　you；　to　tell　you；　that
now　the　time　is　come；　wherein　you　may　deserve　to　enjoy　her　love；　and
gaine　the　possession　of　her　person；　if　you　will　accomplish　such　a
motion　as　she　maketh　to　you。　For　some　especiall　occasion；　wherewith
hereafter　you　shall　bee　better　acquainted；　a　neere　Kinsman　of　hers；
must　needs　have　the　body　of　Scannadio　（who　was　buried　this　morning）
brought　to　her　house。　And　she；　being　as　much　affraid　of　him　now　he
is　dead；　as　when　he　was　living；　by　no　meanes　would　have　his　body
brought　thither。
　　In　which　respect；　as　a　Token　of　your　unfeigned　love　to　her；　and
the　latest　service　you　shall　ever　do　for　her：　shee　earnestly
entreateth　you；　that　this　night；　in　the　very　deadest　time　thereof；　you
would　go　to　the　grave；　where　Scannadio　lyeth　yet　uncovered　with
earth　untill　to　morrow；　and　attyring　your　selfe　in　his　garments；
even　as　if　you　were　the　man　himselfe；　so　to　remaine　there　untill　her
kinsman　doe　come。
　　Then；　without　speaking　any　one　word；　let　him　take　you　foorth　of
the　grave；　and　bring　you　thence　（insted　of　Scannadio）　to　hir　house：
where　she　will　give　you　gentle　welcome；　and　disappoint　her　Kinsman
in　his　hope；　by　making　you　Lord　of　her；　and　all　that　is　hers；　as
afterward　shall　plainly　appeare。　If　he　say　he　wit　do　it；　it　is　as　much
as　I　desire：　but　if　hee　trifle　and　make　deniall；　then　boldly　tell　him；
that　he　must　refraine　all　places　wheresoever　I　am；　and　forbeare　to
send　me　any　more　Letters；　or　messages。
　　Having　done　so；　then　repaire　to　Rinuccio　Palermini；　and　say。　My
Mistresse　Francesca　is　ready　to　make　acceptance　of　your　love；
provided；　that　you　will　do　one　thing　for　her　sake。　Namely；　this
ensuing　night；　in　the　midst　and　stillest　season　thereof；　to　go　to
the　grave　where　Scannadio　was　this　morning　buried；　and　（without　making
any　noise）　or　speaking　one　word；　whatsoever　you　shall　heare　or　see：　to
take　him　forth　of　the　grave；　and　bring　him　home　to　her　house；　wher　you
shal　know　the　reason　of　this　strange　businesse；　and　enjoy　her　freely
as　your　owne　for　ever。　But　if　he　refuse　to　do　it；　then　I　commaund　him；
never　hereafter　to　see　me；　or　move　further　suite　unto　mee；　by　any
meanes　whatsoever。
　　The　Chamber…maide　went　to　them　both；　and　delivered　the　severall
messages　from　her　Mistresse；　according　as　she　had　given　her　in　charge；
whereunto　each　of　them　answered；　that　they　woulde　（for　her　sake）　not
onely　descend　into　a　Grave；　but　also　into　hell；　if　it　were　her
pleasure。
　　She　returning　with　this　answer　unto　her　Mistresse；　Francesca
remained　in　expectation；　what　the　issue　of　these　fond　attemptes　in
them；　would　sort　unto。　When　night　was　come；　and　the　middle　houre
thereof　already　past；　Alessandro　Chiarmontesi；　having　put　off　all
other　garments　to　his　doublet　and　hose；　departed　secretly　from　his
lodging；　walking　towards　the　Church…yard；　where　Scannadio　lay　in　his
grave：　but　by　the　way　as　he　went；　hee　became　surprized　with　divers
dreadfull　conceites　and　imaginations；　and　questioned　with　himselfe
thus。
　　What　a　beast　am　I？　What　a　businesse　have　I　undertaken？　And　whither
am　I　going？　What　do　I　know；　but　that　the　Kinsman　unto　this　Woman；
perhappes　understanding　mine　affection　to　her；　and　crediting　some　such
matter；　as　is　nothing　so：　hath　laide　this　politicke　traine　for　me；
that　he　may　murther　me　in　the　grave？　Which　（if　it　should　so　happen）　my
life　is　lost；　and　yet　the　occasion　never　knowne　whereby　it　was　done。
Or　what　know　I；　whether　some　secret　enemy　of　mine　（affecting　her　in
like　manner；　as　I　do）　have　devised　this　stratagem　（out　of　malice）
against　mee；　to　draw　my　life　in　danger；　and　further　his　owne　good
Fortune？　Then；　contrary　motions；　overswaying　these　suspitions；　he
questioned　his　thoughts　in　another　nature。
　　Let　me　（quoth　he）　admit　the　case；　that　none　of　these　surmises　are
intended；　but　her　Kinsman　（by　and　in　this　manner　devised）　must　bring
me　into　her　house：　I　am　not　therefore　perswaded；　that　he　or　they　do
covet；　to　have　the　body　of　Scannadio；　either　to　carry　it　thither；　or
present　it　to　her；　but　rather　do　aime　at　some　other　end。　May　not　I
conjecture；　that　my　close　murthering　is　purposed；　and　this　way
acted；　as　on　him　that　（in　his　life　time）　had　offended　them？　The　Maid
hath　straitly　charged　me；　that　whatsoever　is　said　or　done　unto　me；　I
am　not　to　speake　a　word。　What　if　they　pul　out　mine　eies；　teare　out
my　teeth；　cut　off　my　hands；　or　do　me　any　other　mischiefe：　Where　am　I
then？　Shall　all　these　extremities　barre　me　of　speaking？　On　the　other
side；　if　I　speak