the decameron(十日谈)-第29部分

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still　his　kinde　offers　scornefully　refused；　and　he　as　farre　off　from
compassing　his　desires；　as　when　he　first　beganne　to　moove　the
matter：　wherefore；　perceiving　that　all　faire　courses　served　to　no
effect；　hee　resolved　to　compasse　his　purpose　by　craft　and　subtilty；
reserving　rigorous　extremitie　for　his　finall　conclusion。　And　having
once　observed；　that　wine　was　verie　pleasing　to　the　Lady；　she　being
never　used　to　drinke　any　at　all；　because　（by　her　Countries　Law）　it　was
forbidden　her：　and　no　meane　store　having　beene　lately　brought　to
Bajazeth　in　a　Barke　of　Geneway：　hee　resolved　to　surprize　her　by　meanes
thereof；　as　a　cheefe　minister　of　Venus；　to　heate　the　coolest　blood。
And　seeming　now　in　his　outward　behaviour；　as　if　hee　had　given　over　his
amorous　pursuite；　and　which　she　strove　by　all　her　best　endeavours　to
withstand：　one　night；　after　a　very　majesticke　and　solemne　manner；
hee　prepared　a　delicate　and　sumptuous　supper；　whereto　the　Lady　was
invited：　and　hee　had　given　order；　that　hee　who　attended　on　her　Cup；
should　serve　her　with　many　Wines　compounded　and　mingled　together；
which　hee　accordingly　performed；　as　being　cunning　enough　in　such
occasions。
　　Alathiella　mistrusting　no　such　trechery　intended　against　her；　and
liking　the　Wines　pleasing　taste　extraordinarily；　dranke　more　then
stoode　with　her　precedent　modest　resolution；　and　forgetting　all　her
passed　adversities；　became　very　frolicke　and　merry：　so　that　seeing
some　women　dance　after　the　manner　observed　there　in　Majorica；　she　also
fell　to　dauncing　according　to　the　Alexandrian　custome。　Which　when
Bajazeth　beheld；　he　imagined　the　victory　to　be　more　then　halfe
wonne；　and　his　hearts　desire　verie　neere　the　obtaining：　plying　her
still　with　wine　upon　wine；　and　continuing　this　revelling　the　most　part
of　the　night。
　　At　the　length；　the　invited　guests　being　all　gone；　the　Lady　retyred
then　to　her　chamber；　attended　on　by　none　but　Bajazeth　himselfe；　and　as
familiarly　as　if　he　had　bene　one　of　her　women；　shee　no　way
contradicting　his　bold　intrusion；　so　farre　had　wine　over…gone　her
sences；　and　prevailed　against　all　modest　bashfulnesse。　These　wanton
embracings；　strange　to　her　that　had　never　tasted　them　before；　yet
pleasing　beyond　measure；　by　reason　of　his　treacherous　advantage；
afterward　drew　on　many　more　of　the　ike　carowsing　meetings；　without
so　much　as　thought　of　her　passed　miseries；　or　those　more　honourable
and　chaste　respects；　that　ever　ought　to　attend　on　Ladies。
　　Now；　Fortune　envying　thus　their　stollen　pleasures；　and　that　shee；
being　the　purposed　wife　of　a　potent　King；　should　thus　become　the
wanton　friend　of　a　much　mean　man；　whose　onely　glory　was　her　shame；
altered　the　course　of　their　too　common　pastimes；　by　preparing　a
farre　greater　infelicity　for　them。　This　Bajazeth　had　a　Brother；　aged
about　five　and　twenty　yeeres；　of　most　compleate　person；　in　the　very
beauty　of　his　time；　and　fresh　as　the　sweetest　smelling　Rose；　he
being　named　Amurath。　After　he　had　once　seene　this　Ladie　（whose　faire
feature　pleased　him　beyond　all　womens　else）　shee　seemed　in　his　sodaine
apprehension；　both　by　her　outward　behaviour　and　civill　apparancie；
highly　to　deserve　his　verie　best　opinion；　for　she　was　not　meanely
entred　into　his　favour。　Now　hee　found　nothing　to　his　hinderance；　in
obtaining　the　heighth　of　his　hearts　desire；　but　onely　the　strict
custodie　and　guard；　wherein　his　brother　Bajazeth　kept　her：　which
raised　a　cruell　conceite　in　his　minde；　wherein　followed　（not　long
after）　as　cruell　an　effect。
　　It　came　to　passe；　that　at　the　same　time；　in　the　Port　of　the
Cittie；　called　Caffa；　there　lay　then　a　Ship　laden　with　Merchandize；
being　bound　thence　for　Smyrna；　of　which　Ship　two　Geneway　Merchants
（being　brethren）　were　the　Patrons　and　Owners；　who　had　given
direction　for　hoysing　the　sailes　to　depart　thence　when　the　winde
should　serve。　With　these　two　Genewayes　Amurath　had　covenanted；　for
himselfe　to　goe　aboord　the　ship　the　night　ensuing；　and　the　Lady　in　his
company。　When　night　was　come；　having　resolved　with　himselfe　what　was
to　be　done：　in　a　disguised　habite　hee　went　to　the　house　of　Bajazeth；
who　stood　not　any　way　doubtfull　of　him；　and　with　certaine　of　his
most　faithfull　Confederates　（whom　he　had　sworne　to　the　intended
action）　they　hid　themselves　closely　in　the　house。　After　some　part　of
the　night　was　over…past；　he　knowing　the　severall　lodgings　both　of
Bajazeth　and　Alathiella；　slew　his　brother　soundly　sleeping；　and
seizing　on　the　Lady；　whom　he　found　awake　and　weeping；　threatned　to
kill　her　also；　if　she　made　any　noyse。　So；　being　well　furnished　with
the　greater　part　of　worldly　jewels　belonging　to　Bajazeth；　unheard　or
undescried　by　any　body；　they　went　presently　to　the　Port；　and　there
（without　any　further　delay）　Amurath　and　the　Lady　were　received　into
the　Ship；　but　his　companions　returned　backe　againe；　when　the　Mariners；
having　their　sailes　ready　set；　and　the　winde　aptly　fitting　for　them；
lanched　forth　merrily　into　the　maine。
　　You　may　well　imagine；　that　the　Ladie　was　extraordinarily　afflicted
with　greefe　for　her　first　misfortune；　and　now　this　second　chancing
so　sodainely；　must　needs　offend　her　in　greater　manner：　but　Amurath　did
so　kindely　comfort　her　with　milde；　modest；　and　manly　perswasions；　that
all　remembrance　of　Bajazeth　was　quickely　forgotten；　and　shee　became
converted　to　lovely　demeanor；　even　when　Fortune　prepared　a　fresh
miserie　for　her；　as　not　satisfied　with　those　whereof　shee　had　tasted
already。　The　Lady　being　unequalled　for　beauty　（as　I　said　before）　her
behaviour　also　in　such　exquisit　and　commendable　kinde　expressed；　the
two　Brethren　owners　of　the　Ship；　became　so　deeply　enamored　of　her；
that　forgetting　all　their　more　serious　affaires；　they　studied　by　all
possible　meanes；　to　be　pleasing　and　gracious　in　her　eye；　yet　with　such
a　carefull　carriage；　that　Amurath　should　neither　see；　or　suspect　it。
　　When　the　Brethren　had　imparted　their　loves　extreamity　each　to　the
other；　and　plainely　perceyved；　that　though　they　were　equally　in
their　fiery　torments；　yet　their　desires　were　utterly　contrary：　they
began　severally　to　consider；　that　gaine　gotten　by　Mirchandize；
admitted　an　equall　and　honest　division；　but　this　purchase　was　of　a
different　quality；　pleading　the　title　of　a　sole　possession；　without
any　partner　or　intruder。　Fearefull　and　jealous　were　they　both；　least
either　should　ayme　at　the　others　intention；　yet　willing　enough　to
shake　hands；　in　ridding　Amurath　out　of　the　way；　who　onely　was　the
hinderer　of　their　hopes；　Whereupon　they　concluded　together；　that　on
a　day　when　the　Ship　sayled　on　very　swiftly；　and　Amurath　was　sitting
upon　the　Decke；　studiously　observing　how　the　Billowes　combatted　each
with　other；　and　not　suspecting　any　such　treason　in　them　towards　him：
stealing　softly　behinde　him；　sodainely　they　threw　him　into　the　Sea；
the　shippe　floating　on　above　halfe　a　Leagues　distance；　before　any
perceived　his　fall　into　the　Sea。　When　the　Ladie　heard　thereof；　and　saw
no　likely　meanes　of　recovering　him　againe；　she　fell　to　her　wonted
teares　and　lamentations：　but　the　two　Lovers　came　quickely　to　comfort
her；　using　kinde　words　and　pithy　perswasions　（albeit　she　understood
them　not；　or　at　the　most　very　little）　to　appease　the　violence　of　her
passions；　and；　to　speak　uprightly；　she　did　not　so　much　emoane　the
losse　of　Amurath；　as　the　multiplying　of　her　owne　misfortunes；　still
one　succeeding　in　the　necke　of　another。　After　divers　long　and　well
delivered　Orations；　as　also　very　faire　and　courteous　behaviour；　they
had　indifferently　pacified　her　complainings：　they　beganne　to　discourse
and　commune　with　themselves；　which　of　them　had　most　right　and　title　to
Alathiella；　and　consequently　ought　to　enjoy　her。　Now　that　Amurath
was　gone；　each　pleaded　his　priviledge　to　bee　as　good　as　the　others；
both　in　the　Ship；　Goods；　and　all　advantages　else　whatsoever　happening：
which　the　elder　brother　absolutely　denied；　alleadging　first　his
propriety　of　birth；　a　reason　sufficient；　whereby　his　younger　ought
to　give　him　place：　Likewise；　his　right　and　interest　both　in　the　ship
and　goods；　to　be　more　then　the　others；　as　being　heire　to　his　father；
and　therefore　in　justice　to　be　highest　preferred。　Last　of　all；　that
his　strength　onely　threw　Amurath　into　the　Sea；　and　therefore　gave
him　the　full　possession　of　his　prize；　no　right　at　all　remaining　to　his
brother。
　　From　temperate　and　calme　speeches；　they　fell　to　frownes　and　ruder
Language；　which　heated　their　blood　in　such　violent　manner；　that
forgetting　brotherly　affection；　and　all　respect　of　Parents　or　Friends；
they　drew　forth　their　Ponyards；　stabbing　each　other　so　often　and
desperately；　that　before　any　in　the　shippe　had　the　power　or　meanes
to　part　them；　both　of　them　being　very　dangerously　wounded；　the　younger
brother　fell　downe　dead：　the　elder　being　in　little　better　case；　by
receiving　so　many　perilous　hurts；　remained　（neverthelesse）　living。
This　unhappy　accident　displeased　the　Lady　very　highly；　seeing　her
selfe　thus　left　alone；　without　the　help　or　counsell　of　any　bodie；
and　fearing　greatly；　least　the　anger　of　the　two　Brethrens　Parents
and　Friends；　should　now　bee　laide　to　her　charge；　and　thereon　follow
severity　of　punishment。　But　the　earnest　entreaties　of　the　wounded
surviver；　and　their　arrivall　at　Smirna　soone　after；