the decameron(十日谈)-第43部分

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to　relate；　will　likewise　condemne　all　the　like　kind　of　men；　but　more
especially　such　as　thinke　themselves　endued　with　more　strength　then
Nature　meant　to　bestow　on　them；　foolishly　beleeving；　that　they　can
cover　their　owne　defects　by　fabulous　demonstrations；　and　thinking　to
fashion　other　of　their　owne　complexions；　that　are　meerely　strangers　to
such　grosse　follies。
　Know　then；　that　there　lived　in　Pisa　（some　hundred　yeeres　before
Tuscany　and　Liguria　embraced　the　Christian　faith）　a　judge　better
stored　with　wisedome　and　ingenuity；　then　corporall　abilities　of　the
body；　named　Signior　Ricciardo　di　Cinzica。　He　being　more　then　halfe
perswaded；　that　hee　could　content　a　woman　with　such　satisfaction　as
hee　daily　bestowed　on　his　studies；　being　a　widdower；　and　extraordinary
wealthy；　laboured　with　no　meane　paines；　to　enjoy　a　faire　and　youthfull
wife　in　marriage：　both　which　qualities　hee　should　much　rather　have
avoyded；　if　he　could　have　ministred　as　good　counsell　to　himselfe；　as
he　did　to　others；　resorting　to　him　for　advice。　Upon　this　his　amorous
and　diligent　inquisition；　it　came　so　to　passe；　that　a　worthy
Gentlewoman；　called　Bertolomea；　one　of　the　fairest　and　choisest　yong
maids　in　Pisa；　whose　youth　did　hardly　agree　with　his　age；　but　muck　was
the　motive　of　this　mariage；　and　no　expectation　of　mutuall　contentment。
The　Judge　being　married；　and　the　Bride　brought　solemnly　home　to　his
house；　we　need　make　no　question　of　brave　cheare　and　banquetting；
well　furnished　by　their　friends　on　either　side：　other　matters　were　now
hammering　in　the　judges　head；　for　thogh　he　could　please　all　his
Clients　with　counsel；　yet　now　such　a　suit　was　commenced　against
himselfe；　and　in　Beauties　Court　of　continuall　requests；　that　the　Judge
failing　in　plea　for　his　own　defence；　was　often　nonsuited　by　lack　of
answer；　yet　he　wanted　not　good　wines；　drugs；　and　all　sorts　of
restoratives　to　comfort　the　heart；　and　encrease　good　blood：　but　all
availed　not。
　　But　well　fare　a　good　courage；　where　performance　faileth；　hee　could
liberally　commend　his　passed　joviall　daies；　and　make　a　promise　of　as
faire　felicities　yet　to　come；　because　his　youth　would　renew　it　selfe
like　to　the　Eagle；　and　his　vigour　in　as　full　force　as　before。　But
beside　all　these　ydle　allegations；　would　needs　instruct　his　wife　in　an
Almanacke　or　Kalender；　which　he　had　（formerly）　bought　at　Ravenna；
and　wherein　he　plainely　shewed　her；　that　there　was　not　one　day　in
the　yeere；　but　it　was　dedicated　to　some　Saint　or　other。　In　reverence
of　whom；　and　for　their　sakes；　he　approved　by　divers　arguments　and
reasons；　that　a　man　and　his　wife　ought　to　abstaine　from　bedding
together。　Adding　withall；　that　those　Saints　dayes　had　their　Fasts
and　Feasts；　beside　the　foure　seasons　of　the　yeer；　the　vigils　of　the
Apostles；　and　a　thousand　other　holy　dayes；　with　Fridayes；
Saterdayes；　and　Sundayes；　in　honor　of　our　Lords　rest；　and　al　the
holy　time　of　Lent；　as　also　certain　observations　of　the　Moone；　and
infinit　other　exceptions　beside；　thinking　perhaps；　that　it　was　as
convenient　for　men　to　refraine　from　their　wives　conversation；　as　he
did　often　time　from　sitting　in　the　Court。　These　were　his　dayly
documents　to　his　young　wife；　wherewith　（poore　soule）　she　became　so
tyred；　as　nothing　could　be　more　irksom　to　her；　and　very　careful　he
was；　lest　any　other　should　teach　her　what　belonged　to　working　daies；
because　he　would　have　her　know　none　but　holy　daies。　It　came　to
passe；　that　the　season　waxing　extremely　hot；　Signior　Ricciardo　would
go　to　recreate　himselfe　at　his　house　in　the　country；　neere　to　the
blacke　Mountaine；　where　for　his　faire　wives　more　contentment；　he
continued　divers　daies　together。　And　for　her　further　recreation；　he
gave　order　to　have　a　day　of　fishing；　he　going　aboord　a　small　Pinnace
among　the　Fishers；　and　she　in　another；　consorted　with　divers　other
Gentlewomen；　in　whose　company　she　was　very　well　pleased。　Delight
made　them　launch　further　into　the　Sea；　then　either　the　Judge　was
willing　they　should　have　done；　or　agreed　with　their　owne　safety。　For
sodainly　a　Galliot　came　upon　them；　wherein　was　one　Pagamino　a　famous
Pyrate；　who　espying　the　two　Pinnaces；　made　presently　to　them；　and
seized　on　that　wherein　the　women　were。　When　he　beheld　there　so　faire　a
young　Woman；　he　coveted　after　no　other　purchase；　but　mounting　her　into
his　Galliot；　in　the　sight　of　Signior　Ricciardo；　who　by　this　time　was
fearefully　landed；　he　carried　her　away　with　him。　When　Signior　Judge
had　seene　this　theft　（he　being　so　jealous　of　his　wife；　as　scarsely
he　would　let　the　ayre　breathe　on　her）　it　were　needlesse　to　know
whether　he　was　offended；　or　no。　He　made　complaint　at　Pisa；　and　in
other　places　beside；　what　injurie　he　had　sustained　by　those　Pyrates；
in　carrying　away　his　wife　from　him：　but　all　in　vaine；　he　neither　（as
yet）　knew　the　man；　nor　what　was　become　of　him。　Pagamino　perceiving
what　a　beautifull　woman　shee　was；　made　the　more　precious　esteeme　of
his　purchase；　and　being　himselfe　a　Batchelor；　intended　to　keepe　her　as
his　owne；　comforting　her　with　kinde　and　pleasing　speeches；　not　using
any　ill　demeanor　to　her；　because　she　wept　and　lamented　greevously。　But
when　night　came；　her　husbands　Kalender　falling　from　her　girdle；　and
all　the　fasts　and　feasts　quite　out　of　her　remembrance；　she　received
such　curtesies　from　Pagamino；　that　before　they　could　arrive　at　Monaco；
the　Judge　and　his　Law　cases　were　almost　out　of　memory；　such　was　his
affable　behaviour　to　her；　and　she　began　to　converse　with　him　in　more
friendly　manner；　and　he　entreated　her　as　honourably；　as　if　she　had　bin
his　espoused　wife。
　　Within　a　short　while　after；　report　had　acquainted　the　Judge；　where
and　how　his　wife　was　kept　from　him；　whereupon　hee　determined；　not　to
send；　but　rather　to　go　himselfe　in　person；　and　to　redeeme　her　from　the
Pyrate；　with　what　summes　of　money　he　should　demand。　By　sea　he　passed
to　Monaco；　where　he　saw　his　wife；　and　she　him；　as　（soone　after）　shee
made　known　to　Pagamino。　The　next　morning；　Signior　Ricciardo　meeting
with　Pagamino；　made　meanes　to　be　acquainted　with　bim；　and　within　lesse
then　an　houres　space；　they　grew　into　familiar　conference；　Pagamino　yet
pretending　not　to　know　him；　but　expected　what　issue　this　talke　would
sort　to。　When　time　served；　the　Judge　discoursed　the　occasion　of　his
comming　thither；　desiring　him　to　demand　what　ransome　he　pleased；　and
that　he　might　have　his　wife　home　with　him。　Whereto　Pagamino　answered。
　　My　Lord　Judge；　you　are　welcome　hither；　and　to　answer　you　breefely
very　true　it　is；　that　I　have　a　yong　Gentlewoman　in　my　house；　whom　I
neither　know　to　be　your　wife；　or　any　other　mans　else　whatsoever：　for　I
am　ignorant　both　of　you　and　her；　albeit　she　hath　remained　a　while　here
with　me。　If　you　be　her　husband；　as　you　seeme　to　avouch；　I　will　bring
her　to　you；　for　you　appeare　to　be　a　worthy　Gentleman；　and
（questionlesse）　she　cannot　chuse　but　know　you　perfectly。　If　she　do
confirme　that　which　you　have　saide；　and　be　willing　to　depart　hence
with　you：　I　shal　rest　well　satisfied；　and　will　have　no　other
recompence　for　her　ransome　（in　regard　of　your　grave　and　reverend
yeeres）　but　what　your　selfe　shall　please　to　give　me。　But　if　it　fall
out　other　then　you　have　affirmed；　you　shal　offer　me　great　wrong；　in
seeking　to　get　her　from　me；　because　I　am　a　young　man；　and　can　as
well　maintaine　so　faire　a　wife　as　you；　or　any　man　else　that　I　know。
Beleeve　it　certainly；　replyed　the　judge；　that　she　is　my　wife；　and　if
you　please　to　bring　me　where　she　is；　you　shall　soone　perceive　it：
for　she　will　presently　cast　her　armes　about　my　necke；　and　I　durst
adventure　the　utter　losse　of　her；　if　she　deny　to　do　it　in　your
presence。　Come　on　then；　saide　Pagamino；　and　let　us　delay　the　time　no
longer。
　　When　they　were　entred　into　Pagaminos　house；　and　sat　downe　in　the
Hall；　he　caused　her　to　be　called；　and　she　（being　readily　prepared
for　the　purpose）；　came　forth　of　her　Chamber　before　them　both；　where
friendly　they　sate　conversing　together；　never　uttering　any　word　unto
Signieur　Ricciardo；　or　knowing　him　from　any　other　stranger；　that
Pagamino　might　bring　into　the　house　with　him。　Which　when　my　Lord　the
Judge　beheld；　（who　expected　to　finde　a　farre　more　gracious　welcome）　he
stoode　as　a　man　amazed；　saying　to　himselfe。　Perhaps　the
extraordinary　greefe　and　melancholly　suffered　by　me　since　the　time
of　her　losse；　hath　so　altred　my　wonted　complexion；　that　shee　is　not
able　to　take　knowledge　of　me。　Wherefore；　going　neerer　to　her；　he
saide：　Faire　Love；　deerely　have　I　bought　your　going　on　fishing；
because　never　man　felt　the　like　afflictions　as　I　have　done　since　the
day　when　I　lost　you：　but　by　this　your　uncivil　silence；　you　seeme　as　if
you　did　not　know　me。　Why　deerest　love；　seest　thou　not　that　I　am　thy
husband　Ricciardo；　who　am　come　to　pay　what　ransome　this　Gentleman
shall　demaund；　even　in　the　house　where　now　we　are；　so　to　convey　thee
home　againe；　upon　his　kind　promise　of　thy　deliverance；　after　the
payment　of　thy　ransome？
　　Bertolomea　turning　towards　him；　and　seeming　as　if　shee　smiled　to　her
selfe；　thus　answered。　Sir；　speake　you　to　me？　Advise　your　selfe　well；
least　you　mistake　me　for　some　other；　for　mine　owne　part；　I　never　saw
you　till　now。　How　now　quoth　Ricciardo？　Consider　better　what　you　say；
looke　more　circumspectly　on　me；　and　then