the decameron(十日谈)-第108章

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daughter。　Now；　let　it　be　thy　part；　during　thy　time　of　remaining　with
her；　to　employ　thy　utmost　diligence　in　pleasing　her；　by　deserving
and　gaining　her　grace；　till　heaven　shall　blesse　thee　with　better
fortune：　and　as　she　promised；　so　she　performed。
　　The　Sarazine　Lady；　being　well　stept　into　yeares；　upon　the
commendable　speeches　delivered　by　Carapresa；　did　the　more　seriously
fasten　her　eye　on　Constance；　and　compassion　provoking　her　to　teares；
she　tooke　her　by　the　hand；　and　（in　loving　manner）　kissed　her
fore…head。　So　she　led　her　further　into　her　house；　where　dwelt　divers
other　women　（but　not　one　man）　all　exercising　themselves　in　severall
labours；　as　working　in　all　sorts　of　silke；　with　Imbroideries　of　Gold
and　Silver；　and　sundry　other　excellent　Arts　beside；　which　in　short
time　were　very　familiar　to　Constance；　and　so　pleasing　grew　her
behaviour　to　the　old　Lady；　and　all　the　rest　beside；　that　they　loved
and　delighted　in　her　wonderfully；　and　（by　little　and　little）　she
attained　to　the　speaking　of　their　language；　although　it　were　very
harsh　and　difficult。
　　Constance　continuing　thus　in　the　old　Ladies　service　at　Susa；　and
thought　to　be　dead　or　lost　in　her　owne　Fathers　house；　it　fortuned；
that　one　reigning　then　as　King　of　Thunis；　who　named　himselfe
Mariabdela：　there　was　a　young　Lord　of　great　birth；　and　very　powerfull；
who　lived　as　then　in　Granada；　and　pleaded　that　the　Kingdome　of
Thunis　belonged　to　him。　In　which　respect；　he　mustred　together　a　mighty
Army；　and　came　to　assault　the　King；　as　hoping　to　expell　him。　These
newes　comming　to　the　eare　of　Martuccio　Gomito；　who　spake　the　Barbarian
Language　perfectly；　and　hearing　it　reported；　that　the　King　of　Thunis
made　no　meane　preparation　for　his　owne　defence：　he　conferred　with
one　of　his　keepers；　who　had　the　custody　of　him；　and　the　rest　taken
with　him；　saying：　If　（quoth　he）　I　could　have　meanes　to　speake　with　the
King；　and　he　were　pleased　to　allow　of　my　counsell；　I　can　enstruct
him　in　such　a　course；　as　shall　assure　him　to　win　the　honor　of　the
field。　The　Guard　reported　these　speeches　to　his　Master；　who
presently　acquainted　the　King　therewith；　and　Martuccio　being　sent　for；
he　was　commanded　to　speake　his　minde：　Whereupon　he　began　in　this
manner。
　　My　gracious　Lord；　during　the　time　that　I　have　frequented　your
countrey；　I　have　heedfully　observed；　that　the　Militarie　Discipline
used　in　your　fights　and　battailes；　dependeth　more　upon　your　Archers；
then　any　other　men　imployed　in　your　war　And　therefore；　if　it　could
be　so　ordered；　that　this　kinde　of　Artillery　may　faile　in　your
enemies　Campe；　and　yours　be　sufficiently　furnished　therewith；　you
neede　make　no　doubt　of　winning　the　battaile：　whereto　the　King　thus
replyed。　Doubtlesse；　if　such　an　act　were　possible　to　be　done；　it　would
give　great　hope　of　successefull　prevalling。　Sir；　said　Martuccio；　if
you　please　it　may　be　done；　and　I　can　quickly　resolve　you　how。　Let
the　strings　of　your　Archers　Bowes　be　made　more　soft　and　gentle；　then
those　which　heretofore　they　have　formerly　used；　and　next；　let　the
nockes　of　the　Arrowes　be　so　provided；　as　not　to　receive　any　other；
then　those　pliant　gentle　strings。　But　this　must　be　done　so　secretly；
that　your　enemies　may　have　no　knowledge　thereof；　least　they　should
provide　themselves　in　the　same　manner。　Now　the　reason　（Gracious
Lord）　why　thus　I　counsell　you；　is　to　this　end。　When　the　Archers　on　the
Enemies　side　have　shot　their　Arrowes　at　your　men；　and　yours　in　the
like　maner　at　them：　it　followeth；　that　（upon　meere　constraint）　they
must　gather　up　your　Arrowes；　to　shoote　them　backe　againe　at　you；　for
so　long　while　as　the　battell　endureth；　as　no　doubt　but　your　men　wil　do
the　like　to　them。　But　your　enemies　finde　themselves　much　deceived；
because　they　can　make　no　use　of　your　peoples　Arrowes；　in　regard　that
the　nockes　are　too　narrow　to　receive　their　boystrous　strings。　Which
will　fall　out　contrary　with　your　followers；　for　the　pliant　strings
belonging　to　your　Bowes；　are　as　apt　for　their　enemies　great　nockt
Arrowes；　as　their　owne；　and　so　they　shall　have　free　use　of　both；
reserving　them　in　plentifull　store；　when　your　adversaries　must　stand
unfurnished　of　any；　but　them　that　they　cannot　any　way　use。
　　This　counsell　pleased　the　King　very　highly；　and　he　being　a　Prince　of
great　understanding；　gave　order　to　have　it　accordingly　followed；　and
thereby　valiantly　vanquished　his　enemies。　Heereupon；　Martuccio　came　to
be　great　in　his　grace；　as　also　consequently　rich；　and　seated　in　no
meane　place　of　authority。　Now　as　worthy　and　commendable　actions　are
soone　spread　abroad；　in　honor　of　the　man　by　whom　they　hapned：　even
so　the　fame　of　this　rare　got　victory；　was　quickly　noysed　throughout
the　Countrey；　and　came　to　the　hearing　of　poore　Constance；　that
Martuccio　Gomito　（whom　she　supposed　so　long　since　to　be　dead）　was
living；　and　in　honourable　condition。　The　love　which　formerly　she
bare　unto　him；　being　not　altogether　extinct　in　her　heart；　of　a　small
sparke；　brake　forth　into　a　sodaine　flame；　and　so　encreased　day　by　day；
that　her　hope　（being　before　almost　quite　dead）　revived　againe　in
chearfull　manner。
　　Having　imparted　all　her　fortunes　to　the　good　old　Lady　with　whom
she　dwelt；　she　told　her　beside；　that　she　had　an　earnest　desire　to
see　Thunis；　to　satisfie　her　eyes　as　well　as　her　eares；　concerning
the　rumor　blazed　abroad。　The　good　old　Lady　commended　her　desire；　and
（even　as　if　she　had　bene　her　Mother）　tooke　her　with　her　aboord　a
Barke；　and　so　sayled　thence　to　Thunis；　where　both　she　and　Constance
found　honourable　welcome；　in　the　house　of　a　kinsman　to　the　Sarazin
Lady。　Carapresa　also　went　along　with　them　thither；　and　her　they　sent
abroad　into　the　City；　to　understand　the　newes　of　Martuccio　Gomito。
After　they　knew　for　a　certainty　that　he　was　living；　and　in　great
authority　about　the　King；　according　as　the　former　report　went　of
him。　Then　the　good　old　Lady；　being　desirous　to　let　Martuccio　know；
that　his　faire　friend　Constance　was　come　thither　to　see　him；　went
her　selfe　to　the　place　of　his　abiding；　and　spake　unto　him　in　this
manner。　Noble　Martuccio；　there　is　a　servant　of　thine　in　my　house；
which　came　from　Liparis；　and　requireth　to　have　a　little　private
conference　with　thee：　but　because　I　durst　not　trust　any　other　with　the
message；　my　selfe　（at　her　entreaty）　am　come　to　acquaint　thee
therewith。　Martuccio　gave　her　kinde　and　hearty　thankes；　and　then
went　along　with　her　to　the　house。
　　No　sooner　did　Constance　behold　him；　but　she　was　ready　to　dye　with
conceite　of　joy；　and　being　unable　to　containe　her　passion：　sodainely
she　threw　her　armes　about　his　necke；　and　in　meere　compassion　of　her
many　misfortunes；　as　also　the　instant　solace　of　her　soule　（not　being
able　to　utter　one　word）　the　teares　trickled　abundantly　downe　her
cheekes。　Martuccio　also　seeing　his　faire　friend；　was　overcome　with
exceeding　admiration；　and　stood　awhile；　as　not　knowing　what　to　say；
till　venting　forth　a　vehement　sighe；　thus　he　spake。　My　deerest　love
Constance！　Art　thou　yet　living？　It　is　a　tedious　long　while　since　I
heard　thou　wast　lost；　and　never　any　tydings　knowne　of　thee　in　thine
owne　Fathers　house。　With　which　words；　the　teares　standing　in　his　eyes；
most　lovingly　he　embraced　her；　Constance　recounted　to　him　all　her
fortunes；　and　what　kindnesse　she　had　receyved　from　the　Sarazine
Lady；　since　her　first　houre　of　comming　to　her。　And　after　much　other
discourse　passing　betweene　them；　Martuccio　departed　from　her；　and
returning　to　the　King　his　master；　tolde　him　all　the　history　of　his
fortunes；　and　those　beside　of　his　Love　Constance；　being　purposely
minded　（with　his　gracious　liking）　to　marry　her　according　to　the
Christian　Law。
　　The　King　was　much　amazed　at　so　many　strange　accidents；　and　sending
for　Constance　to　come　before　him；　from　her　owne　mouth　he　heard　the
whole　relation　of　her　continued　affection　to　Martuccio；　whereupon
hee　saide。　Now　trust　me　faire　Damosell；　thou　hast　dearely　deserved　him
to　be　thy　husband。　Then　sending　for　very　costly　Jewels；　and　rich
presents；　the　one　halfe　of　them　he　gave　to　her；　and　the　other　to
Martuccio；　graunting　them　license　withall；　to　marry　according　to　their
owne　mindes。
　　Martuccio　did　many　honors；　and　gave　great　gifts　to　the　aged　Sarazine
Lady；　with　whom　Constance　had　lived　so