the decameron(十日谈)-第94部分

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Iphigenia　（who　had　already　heard　the　tydings）　went　and　complained　to
the　Senate；　who　appointed　a　Gentleman　of　Rhodes　named　Lysimachus；
and　being　that　yeere　soveraigne　Magistrate　over　the　Rhodians；　to　go
well　provided　for　the　apprehension　of　Chynon　and　his　company；
committing　them　to　prison；　which　accordingly　was　done。　In　this　manner；
the　poore　unfortunate　lover　Chynon；　lost　his　faire　Iphigenia；　having
won　her　in　so　short　a　while　before；　and　scarsely　requited　with　so　much
as　a　kisse。　But　as　for　Iphigenia；　she　was　royally　welcommed　by　many
Lords　and　Ladies　of　Rhodes；　who　so　kindely　comforted　her；　that　she
soone　forgotte　all　her　greefe　and　trouble　on　the　Sea；　remaining　in
company　of　those　Ladies　and　Gentlewomen；　untill　the　day　determined　for
her　marriage。
　　At　the　earnest　entreaty　of　divers　Rhodian　Gentlemen；　who　were　in　the
Ship　with　Iphigenia；　and　had　their　lives　courteously　saved　by
Chynon：　both　he　and　his　friends　had　their　lives　likewise　spared；
although　Pasimondo　laboured　importunately；　to　have　them　all　put　to
death；　onely　they　were　condemned　to　perpetuall　imprisonment；　which
（you　must　thinke）　was　most　greevous　to　them；　as　being　now　hopelesse　of
any　deliverance。　But　in　the　meane　time；　while　Pasimondo　was　ordering
his　nuptiall　preparation；　Fortune　seeming　to　repent　the　wrongs　she　had
done　to　Chynon；　prepared　a　new　accident；　whereby　to　comfort　him　in
this　deepe　distresse；　and　in　such　manner　as　I　will　relate　unto　you。
　　Pasimondo　had　a　Brother；　yonger　then　he　in　yeeres；　but　not　a　jot
inferiour　to　him　in　vertue；　whose　name　was　Hormisda；　and　long　time　the
case　had　bene　in　question；　for　his　taking　to　wife　a　faire　young
Gentlewoman　of　Rhodes；　called　Cassandra；　whom　Lysimachus　the　Governour
loved　very　dearly；　and　hindred　her　marriage　with　Hormisda；　by　divers
strange　accidents。　Now　Pasimondo　perceiving；　that　his　owne　Nuptials
required　much　cost　and　solemnity；　hee　thought　it　very　convenient；　that
one　day　might　serve　for　both　their　Weddings；　which　else　would　lanch
into　more　lavish　expences；　and　therefore　concluded；　that　his　brother
Hormisda　should　marry　Cassandra；　at　the　same　time　as　he　wedded
Iphigenia。　Hereupon；　he　consulted　with　the　Gentlewomans　parents；　who
liking　the　motion　as　well　as　he；　the　determination　was　set　downe；
and　one　day　to　effect　the　duties　of　both。
　　When　this　came　to　the　hearing　of　Lysimachus；　it　was　very　greatly
displeasing　to　him；　because　now　he　saw　himselfe　utterly　deprived　of　al
hope　to　attaine　the　issue　of　his　desire；　if　Hormisda　received
Cassandra　in　marriage。　Yet　being　a　very　wise　and　worthy　man；　he
dissembled　his　distaste；　and　began　to　consider　on　some　apt　meanes；
whereby　to　disappoint　the　marriage　once　more；　which　he　found
impossible　to　be　done；　except　it　were　by　way　of　rape　or　stealth。　And
that　did　not　appeare　to　him　any　difficult　matter；　in　regard　of　his
Office　and　Authority：　onely　it　would　seeme　dishonest　in　him；　by　giving
such　an　unfitting　example。　Neverthelesse；　after　long　deliberation；
honour　gave　way　to　love；　and　resolutely　he　concluded　to　steale　her
away；　whatsoever　became　of　it。
　　Nothing　wanted　now；　but　a　convenient　company　to　assist　him；　and
the　order　how　to　have　it　done。　Then　he　remembred　Chynon　and　his
friends；　whom　he　detained　as　his　prisoners；　and　perswaded　himselfe；
that　he　could　not　have　a　more　faithfull　friend　in　such　a　busines；　then
Chynon　was。　Hereupon；　the　night　following；　he　sent　for　him　into　his
Chamber；　and　being　alone　by　themselves；　thus　he　began。　Chynon　（quoth
he）　as　the　Gods　are　very　bountifull；　in　bestowing　their　blessings　on
men；　so　do　they　therein　most　wisely　make　proofe　of　their　vertues；
and　such　as　they　finde　firme　and　constant；　in　all　occurrences　which
may　happen；　then　they　make　worthy　（as　valiant　spirits）　of　t　very
best　and　highest　merites。　Now；　they　being　willing　to　have　more　certain
experience　of　thy　vertues；　then　those　which　heretofore　thou　hast
shewne；　within　the　bounds　and　limits　of　thy　fathers　possessions；　which
I　know　to　be　superabounding：　perhaps　do　intend　to　present　thee　other
occasions；　of　more　important　weight　and　consequence。
　　For　first　of　all　（as　I　have　heard）　by　the　piercing　solicitudes　of
love；　of　a　senselesse　creature；　that　made　thee　to　become　a　man
endued　with　reason。　Afterward；　by　adverse　fortune；　and　now　againe　by
wearisome　imprisonment；　it　seemeth　that　they　are　desirous　to　make
tryall；　whether　thy　manly　courage　be　changed；　or　no；　from　that　which
heretofore　it　was；　when　thou　enjoyedst　a　matchlesse　beauty；　and　lost
her　againe　in　so　short　a　while。　Wherefore；　if　thy　vertue　be　such　as　it
hath　bin；　the　Gods　can　never　give　thee　any　blessing　more　worthy
acceptance；　then　she　whom　they　are　now　minded　to　bestow　on　thee：　in
which　respect；　to　the　end　that　thou　mayst　re…assume　thy　wanted
heroicke　spirit；　and　become　more　couragious　than　ever　heretofore；　I
will　acquaint　thee　withall　more　at　large。
　　Understand　then　Noble　Chynon；　that　Pasimondo；　the　onely　glad　man
of　thy　misfortune；　and　diligent　sutor　after　thy　death；　maketh　all　hast
hee　can　possibly　devise　to　do；　to　celebrate　his　marriage　with　thy
faire　Mistresse：　because　he　would　plead　possession　of　the　prey；
which　Fortune　（when　she　smiled）　did　first　bestow；　and　（afterward
frowning）　tooke　from　thee　againe。　Now；　that　it　must　needs　be　very
irkesome　to　thee　（at　least　if　thy　love　bee　such；　as　I　am　perswaded
it　is）　I　partly　can　collect　from　my　selfe；　being　intended　to　be
wronged　by　his　brother　Hormisda；　even　in　the　selfesame　maner；　and　on
his　marriage　day；　by　taking　faire　Cassandra　from　me；　the　onely
Jewell　of　my　love　and　life。　For　the　prevention　of　two　such　notorious
injuries；　I　see　that　Fortune　hath　left　us　no　other　meanes；　but　onely
the　vertue　of　our　courages；　and　the　helpe　of　our　right　hands；　by
preparing　our　selves　to　Armes；　opening　a　way　to　thee；　by　a　second　rape
or　stealth；　and　to　me　the　first；　for　absolute　possession　of　our　divine
Mistresses。　Wherefore；　if　thou　art　desirous　to　recover　thy　losse；　I
will　not　onely　pronounce　liberty　to　thee　（which　I　thinke　thou　dost
little　care　for　without　her）　but　dare　also　assure　thee　to　enjoy
Iphigenia；　so　thou　wilt　assist　me　in　mine　enterprize；　and　follow　me　in
my　fortune；　if　the　Gods　do　let　them　fall　into　our　power。
　　You　may　well　imagine；　that　Chynons　dismayed　soule　was　not　a　little
cheared　at　these　speeches；　and　therefore；　without　craving　any　long
respit　of　time　for　answer；　thus　he　replyed。　Lord　Lysimachus；　in　such　a
busines　as　this　is；　you　cannot　have　a　faster　friend　then　my　selfe；
at　least；　if　such　good　hap　may　betide　me；　as　you　have　more　then
halfe　promised：　and　therefore　do　no　more　but　command　what　you　would
have　to　be　effected　by　mee；　and　make　no　doubt　of　my　courage　in　the
execution：　whereon　Lysimachus　made　this　answer。　Know　then　Chynon
（quoth　he）　that　three　dayes　hence；　these　marriages　are　to　bee
celebrated　in　the　houses　of　Pasimondo　and　Hormisda：　upon　which　day；
thou；　thy　friends；　and　my　selfe　（with　some　others；　in　whom　I　repose
especiall　trust）　by　the　friendly　favour　of　night；　will　enter　into
their　houses；　while　they　are　in　the　middest　of　their　joviall　feasting；
and　（seizing　on　the　two　Brides）　beare　them　thence　to　a　Shippe；　which　I
will　have　lye　in　secret；　waiting　for　our　comming；　and　kill　all　such　as
shall　presume　to　impeach　us。　This　direction　gave　great　contentment
to　Chynon；　who　remained　still　in　prison；　without　revealing　a　word　to
his　owne　friends；　untill　the　limited　time　was　come。
　　Upon　day；　performed　with　great　and　magnificent　Triumph；　there　was
not　a　corner　in　the　Brethrens　houses；　but　it　sung　joy　in　the　highest
key。　Lysimachus；　after　he　had　ordred　all　things　as　they　ought　to　be；
and　the　houre　for　dispat　approached　neere；　hee　made　a　division　in
three　parts；　of　Chynon；　his　followers；　and　his　owne　friends；　being　all
well　armed　under　their　outward　habites。　Having　first　used　some
encouraging　speeches；　for　more　resolute　prosecution　of　the　enterprize；
hee　sent　troope　secretly　to　the　Port；　that　they　might　not　bee
hindred　of　going　aboord　the　ship；　when　the　urgent　necessity　should
require　it。　Passing　with　the　other　two　traines　of　Pasimondo；　he　left
the　one　at　the　doore；　that　such　as　were　in　the　house；　might　not　shut
them　up　fast；　and　so　impeach　their　passage　forth。　Then　with　Chynon；
and　the　third　band　of　Confederates；　he　ascended　the　staires　up　into
the　Hall；　where　he　found　the　Brides　with　store　of　Ladies　and
Gentlewomen；　all　sitting　in　comely　order　at　Supper。　Rushing　in　roughly
among　the　attendants；　downe　they　threw　the　Tables；　and　each　of　them
laying　hold　of　his　Mistris；　delivered　them　into　the　hands　of　their
followers；　commanding　that　they　should　bee　carried　aboord　the　ship；
for　avoiding　of　further　inconveniences。
　　This　hurrie　and　amazement　being　in　the　house；　the　Brides　weeping；
the　Ladies　lamenting；　and　all　the　servants　confusedly　wondering；
Chynon　and　Lysimachus　（with　their　Friends）　having　their　weapons
drawn　in　their　hands；　made　all　opposers　to　give　them　way；　and　so
gayned　the　stair　head　for　their　owne　descending。　There　stood
Pasimonda；　with　an　huge　long　Staffe　in　his　hand；　to　hinder　their
passage　downe　the　stayres；　but　Chynon　saluted　him　so　soundly　on　the
head；　that　it　being　cleft　in　twaine；　he　fell　dead　before　his　feete。
His　Brother　Hor