the decameron(十日谈)-第53部分

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the　Scholler　being　but　poore；　yet　well　forwarded　in　Learning；　made　use
of　Puccioes　folly；　and　found　benefit　thereby；　to　keepe　him　out　of
wants；　which　is　the　bane　and　overthrow　of　numberlesse　good　wits。　And
Puccio　dying；　before　the　date　of　his　limited　time；　because　he　failed
of　the　Philosophers　Stone；　Isabetta　joyned　in　marriage　with　Felice；　to
make　him　amends　for　instructing　her　father；　by　which　meanes　he　came　to
be　her　husband。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　THIRD　DAY　THE　FIFTH　NOVELL

　　　　WHEREIN　IS　DESCRIBED　THE　FRAILETY　OF　SOME　WOMEN；　AND　FOLLY　OF
　　　　SUCH　HUSBANDS；　AS　LEAVE　THEM　ALONE　TO　THEIR　OWNE　DISPOSITION

　　Ricciardo　surnamed　the　Magnifico；　gave　a　Horse　to　Signior
Francesco　Vergillisi；　on　condition　that　he　might　speake　to　his　wife　in
his　presence；　which　he　did；　and　she　not　returning　him　any　answer；　made
answer　to　himselfe　on　her　behalfe；　and　according　to　his　answer；　so　the
effect　followed。

　　Pamphilus　having　ended　his　novell　of　Puccio　the　Alchimist；　the
Queene　fixing　her　eye　on　Madam　Eliza；　gave　order；　that　shee　should
succeed。　She　looking　somewhat　more　austerely　then　any　of　the　rest
not　in　any　spleen；　but　as　it　was　her　usuall　manner；　thus　began。　The
world　containeth　some　particular　people；　who　beleeve　（because　they
know　something）　that　others　are　ignorant　in　all　things；　who　for　the
most　part；　while　they　intend　to　make　a　scorne　of　other　men；　upon
triall；　finde　themselves　to　carry　away　the　scorne。　Therefore；　I
account　it　no　meane　folly　in　them；　who　（upon　no　occasion）　wil　tempt
the　power　of　another　mans　wit　or　experience。　But　because　all　men　and
women　are　not　of　my　opinion；　I　meane　that　you　shall　perceive　it　more
apparantly；　by　an　accident　happening　to　a　Knight　of　Pistoia；　as　you
shall　heare　by　me　related。
　　In　the　Town　of　Pistoia；　bordering　upon　Florence；　there　lived　not
long　since；　a　Knight　named　Signieur　Francesco；　descended　of　the　linage
or　family　of　the　Vergellisi；　a　man　very　rich；　wise；　and　in　many　things
provident；　but　gripple；　covetous；　and　too　close　handed；　without
respect　to　his　worth　and　reputation。　He　being　called　to　the　Office
of　Podesta　in　the　City　of　Millaine；　furnished　himselfe　with　all　things
（in　honourable　manner）　beseeming　such　a　charge；　onely；　a　comely
horse　for　his　owne　saddle　excepted；　which　he　knew　not　by　any　meanes
how　to　compasse；　so　loath　hee　was　lay　out　money；　albeit　his　credit
much　depended　thereon。
　　At　the　same　time；　there　lived　in　Pistoya　likewise；　a　young　man；
named　Ricciardo；　derived　of　meane　birth；　but　very　wealthy；　quicke
witted；　and　of　commendable　person；　alwayes　going　so　neate；　fine；　and
formall　in　his　apparrell；　that　he　was　generally　tearmed　the　Magnifico；
who　had　long　time　affected；　yea；　and　closely　courted；　（though　any
advantage　or　successe）　the　Lady　and　wife　of　Signior　Francesco；　who　was
very　beautifull；　vertuous；　and　chaste。　It　so　chanced；　that　this
Magnifico　had　the　very　choisest　and　goodliest　ambling　Gelding　in　all
Tuscany；　which　hee　loved　dearely；　for　his　faire　forme；　and　other
good　parts。　Upon　a　flying　rumor　throughout　Pistoia；　that　he　daily　made
love　to　the　foresaid　Ladie；　some　busie…body　put　it　into　the　head　of
Signior　Francesco；　that　if　he　pleased　to　request　the　Gelding；　the
Magnifico　would　frankely　give　it　him；　in　regard　of　the　love　he　bare　to
his　wife。
　　The　base…minded　Knight；　coveting　to　have　the　Horse；　and　yet　not　to
part　with　any　money；　sent　for　the　Magnifico；　desiring　to　buy　his　fayre
Gelding　of　him；　because　he　hoped　to　have　him　of　free　gift。　The
Magnifico　hearing　this　request；　was　very　joyfull；　and　thus　answered；
Sir；　if　you　would　give　me　all　the　wealth　which　you　possesse　in　this
world；　I　wil　not　sell　you　my　horse；　rather　I　wil　bestow　him　on　you
as　a　Gentlemans　gift：　but　yet　upon　this　condition；　that　before　you
have　him　delivered；　I　may　with　your　license；　and　in　your　presence
speake　a　few　words　to　your　vertuous　Ladie；　and　so　farre　off　in
distance　from　you；　as　I　may　not　be　heard　by　any；　but　onely　her
selfe。　Signior　Francesco；　wholly　conducted　by　his　base　avaricious
desire；　and　meaning　to　make　a　scorne　at　the　Magnifico；　made　answer；
that　he　was　well　contented　to　let　him　speak　with　her　when　he　would；
and　leaving　him　in　the　great　Hall　of　the　house；　went　to　his　wives
Chamber；　and　told　her　how　easily　he　might　enjoy　the　horse；
commanding　her　forthwith　to　come　and　heare　what　he　could　say　to　her；
only　she　should　abstaine；　and　not　returne　him　any　answer。　The　Lady
with　a　modest　blush；　much　condemned　this　folly　in　him；　that　his
covetousnes　should　serve　as　a　cloake　to　cover　any　unfitting　speeches
which　her　chaste　eares　could　never　endure　to　heare。　Neverthelesse
being　to　obey　her　husbands　will；　she　promised　to　do　it；　and　followed
him　down　into　the　Hall；　to　heare　what　the　Magnifico　would　say。
Againe　he　there　confirmed　the　bargaine　made　with　her　husband；　and
sitting　downe　by　her　in　a　corner　of　the　Hall；　farre　enough　off　from
any　ones　hearing；　taking　her　curteously　by　the　hand；　thus　he　spake。
　　Worthy　Lady；　it　seemeth　to　me；　that　you　are　so　truly　wise；　as　no
doubt　you　have　long　since　perceived；　what　unfeigned　affection　your
beauty　（far　excelling）　hath　compelled　me　to　beare　you。　Setting　aside
those　commendable　qualities　and　singular　vertues　gloriously　shining　in
you；　and　powerfull　enough　to　make　a　conquest　of　the　stoutest
courage；　I　held　it　utterly　needlesse；　to　let　you　understand　by
words；　how　faithfull　the　love　is　I　bear　you；　were　it　not　much　more
fervent　and　constant；　then　ever　any　other　man　can　expresse　to　a　woman。
In　which　condition　it　shall　still　continue；　without　the　least
blemish　or　impayre；　so　long　as　I　enjoy　life　or　motion；　yea；　and　I　dare
assure　you；　that　if　in　the　future　world；　affection　may　containe　the
same　powerfull　dominion；　as　it　doth　in　this；　I　am　the　man　borne　to
love　you　perpetually。　Whereby　you　may　rest　confidently　perswaded；　that
you　enjoy　not　any　thing；　how　poore　or　precious　soever　it　be；　which　you
can　so　solemnely　account　to　be　your　owne；　and　in　the　truest　title　of
right；　as　you　may　my　selfe；　in　all　that　I　have；　or　for　ever　shall　be
mine。
　　To　confirme　your　opinion　in　this　case　by　any　argument　of　greater
power；　let　me　tell　you；　that　I　should　repute　it　as　my　fairest　and　most
gracious　fortune；　if　you　would　command　me　some　such　service；　as
consisteth　in　mine　ability　to　performe；　and　in　your　courteous　favour
to　accept；　yea；　if　it　were　thorow　the　whole　world；　right　to　traval
am　I；　and　obedient。　In　which　regard　faire　Madam；　if　I　be　so　much；
yours；　as　you　heare　I　am；　I　may　boldly　adventure　（and　not　without　good
reason）　to　acquaint　your　chaste　eares　with　my　earnest　desires；　for
on　you　onely　depends　my　happinesse；　life；　and　absolute　comfort；　and　as
your　most　humble　servant；　I　beseech　you　（my　deerest　good；　and　sole
hope　of　my　soule）　that　rigour　may　dwell　no　longer　in　your　gentle
brest；　but　Lady…like　pitty　and　compassion；　whereby　I　shall　say；　that
as　your　divine　beauty　enflamed　mine　affections；　even　so　it　extended
such　a　merciful　qualification；　is　exceeded　all　my　hope；　but　not　the
halfe　part　of　your　pitty。
　　Admit　（myracle　of　Ladies）　that　I　should　die　in　this　distresse：　Alas；
my　death　would　be　but　your　dishonour；　I　cannot　be　termed　mine　owne
murtherer；　when　the　Dart　came　from　your　eye　that　did　it；　and　must
remaine　a　witnes　of　your　rigor。　You　cannot　then　chuse　but　call　to
minde；　and　say　within　your　own　soule：　Alas；　what　a　sinne　have　I
committed；　in　being　so　unmercifull　to　my　Magnifico。　Repentance　then
serves　to　no　purpose；　but　you　must　answer　for　such　unkinde　cruelty。
Wherefore；　to　prevent　so　blacke　a　scandall　to　your　bright　beauty；
beside　the　ceaselesse　acclamations；　which　will　dog　your　walkes　in
the　day　time；　and　breake　your　quiet　sleepes　in　the　night　season；
with　fearefull　sights　and　gastly　apparitions；　hovering　and　haunting
about　your　bed；　let　all　these　moove　you　to　milde　mercy；　and　spill
not　life；　when　you　may　save　it。
　　So　the　Magnifico　ceasing；　with　teares　streaming　from　his　eyes；　and
sighes　breaking　from　his　heart；　hee　sate　still　in　expectation　of　the
Ladies　answere；　who　made　neither　long　or　short　of　the　matter；
neither　Tilts　nor　Tourneying；　nor　many　lost　mornings　and　evenings；　nor
infinite　other　such　like　Offices；　which　the　Magnifico　（for　her　sake）
from　time　to　time　had　spent　in　vaine；　without　the　least　shew　of
acceptation；　or　any　hope　at　all　to　winne　her　love：　mooved　now　in
this　very　houre；　by　these　solemne　is　protestations；　or　rather　most
prevailing　asseverations；　she　began　to　finde　that　in　her；　which
（before）　she　never　felt；　namely　Love。　And　although　（to　keepe　her
promise　made　to　her　husband）　shee　spake　not　a　word：　yet　her　heart
heaving；　her　soule　throbbing；　sighes　intermixing；　and　complexion
altering；　could　not　hide　her　intended　answer　to　the　Magnifico；　if
promise　had　beene　no　hinderance　to　her　will。　All　this　while　the
Magnifico　sate　as　mute　as　she；　and　seeing　she　would　not　give　him　any
answere　at　all；　he　could　not　choose　but　wonder　thereat；　yet　at
length　perceived；　that　it　was　thus　cunningly　contrived　by　her　husband。
Notwithstanding；　observing　well　her　countenance；　that　it　was　in　a
quite　contrary　temper；　another　kinde　of　fire　sparkling　in　her　eye；
other　humours　flowing；　her　pulses　strongly　beating；　her　stomacke
rising；　a