the decameron(十日谈)-第112章

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this　our　enterparlance　now　almost　miraculous。　But　if　you　could
devise　any　convenient　meanes；　to　admit　us　more　familiar　freedome；
without　any　prejudice　to　mine　honour；　or　the　least　distaste　to　my
Parents；　do　but　enstruct　it；　and　I　will　adventure　it。　Ricciardo　having
considered　on　many　wayes　and　meanes；　thought　one　to　be　the　fittest
of　all；　and　therefore　thus　replyed。　Catharina　（quoth　he）　the　onely
place　for　our　more　private　talking　together；　I　conceive　to　be　the
Gallery　over　your　Fathers　Garden。　If　you　can　winne　your　Mother　to
let　you　lodge　there；　I　will　make　meanes　to　climbe　over　the　wall；　and
at　the　goodly　gazing　window；　we　may　discourse　so　long　as　we　please。
Now　trust　me　deare　Love　（answered　Catharina）　no　place　can　be　more
convenient　for　our　purpose；　there　shall　we　heare　the　sweete　Birds
sing；　especially　the　Nightingale　which　I　have　heard　singing　there
all　the　night　long；　I　will　breake　the　matter　to　my　Mother；　and　how　I
speede；　you　shall　heare　further　from　me。　So；　with　divers　parting
kisses；　they　brake　off　conference；　till　their　next　meeting。
　　On　the　day　following；　which　was　towards　the　ending　of　the　moneth
of　May；　Catharina　began　to　complaine　to　her　Mother　that　the　season　was
over…hot　and　tedious；　to　be　still　lodged　in　her　Mothers　Chamber；
because　it　was　an　hinderance　to　her　sleeping；　and　wanting　rest；　it
would　be　an　empairing　of　her　health。　Why　Daughter　（quoth　the　Mother）
the　weather　（as　yet）　is　not　so　hot；　but　（in　my　minde）　you　may　very
well　endure　it。　Alas　Mother；　saide　she；　aged　people；　as　you　and　my
Father　are；　do　not　feele　the　heates　of　youthfull　blood；　by　reason　of
your　farre　colder　complexion；　which　is　not　to　be　measured　by　younger
yeeres。　I　know　that　well　Daughter；　replyed　the　Mother；　but　is　it　in　my
power；　to　make　the　weather　warme　or　coole；　as　thou　perhaps　wouldst
have　it？　Seasons　are　to　be　suffered；　according　to　their　severall
qualities；　and　though　the　last　night　might　seeme　hot；　this　next
ensuing　may　be　cooler；　and　then　thy　rest　will　be　the　better。　No
Mother；　quoth　Catharina；　that　cannot　be；　for　as　Summer　proceedeth
on；　so　the　heate　encreaseth；　and　no　expectation　can　be　of　temperate
weather；　untill　it　groweth　to　Winter　againe。　Why　Daughter；　saide　the
Mother；　what　wouldest　thou　have　me　to　do？　Mother　（quoth　she）　if　it
might　stand　with　my　Fathers　good　liking　and　yours；　I　would　be　spared
from　the　Garden　Gallery；　which　is　a　great　deale　more　coole　lodged。
There　shall　I　heare　the　sweete　Nightingale　sing；　as　every　night　she
useth　to　do；　and　many　other　pretty　Birdes　beside；　which　I　cannot　do
lodging　in　your　Chamber。
　　The　Mother　loving　her　Daughter　dearely；　as　being　somewhat
over…fond　of　her；　and　very　willing　to　give　her　contentment；　promised
to　impart　her　minde　to　her　Father；　not　doubting　but　to　compasse　what
shee　requested。　When　she　had　mooved　the　matter　to　Messer　Lizio　whose
age　made　him　somewhat　froward　and　teasty；　angerly　said　to　his　wife。
Why　how　now　woman？　Cannot　our　Daughter　sleepe；　except　she　heare　the
Nightingale　sing？　Let　there　be　a　bed　made　for　her　in　the　Oven；　and
there　let　the　Crickets　make　her　melody。　When　Catharina　heard　this
answere　from　her　Father；　and　saw　her　desire　to　be　disappointed；　not
onely　could　she　take　any　rest　the　night　following；　but　also　complained
more　of　the　heate　then　before；　not　suffering　her　Mother　to　take　any
rest；　which　made　her　go　angerly　to　her　Husband　in　the　morning；　saying。
Why　Husband；　have　we　but　one　onely　Daughter；　whom　you　pretend　to
love　right　dearly；　and　yet　can　you　be　so　carelesse　of　her；　as　to　denie
her　a　request；　which　is　no　more　then　reason？　What　matter　is　it　to
you　or　me；　to　let　her　lodge　in　the　Garden　Gallery？　Is　her　young
blood　to　be　compared　with　ours？　Can　our　weake　and　crazie　bodies；　feele
the　frolicke　temper　of　hers？　Alas；　she　is　hardly　（as　yet）　out　of　her
childish　yeeres；　and　Children　have　many　desires　farre　differing　from
ours：　the　singing　of　Birdes　is　rare　musicke　to　them；　and　chiefly　the
Nightingale；　whose　sweete　notes　will　provoke　them　to　rest；　when
neither　Art　or　Physicke　can　do　it。
　　Is　it　even　so　Wife？　answered　Messer　Lizio。　Must　your　will　and　mine
be　governed　by　our　Daughter？　Well　be　it　so　then；　let　her　bed　be　made
in　the　Garden　Gallerie；　but　I　will　have　the　keeping　of　the　key；　both
to　locke　her　in　at　night；　and　set　her　at　liberty　every　morning。　Woman；
woman；　yong　wenches　are　wily；　many　wanton　crotchets　are　busie　in　their
braines；　and　to　us　that　are　aged；　they　sing　like　Lapwings；　telling
us　one　thing；　and　intending　another；　talking　of　Nightingales；　when
their　mindes　run　on　Cocke…Sparrowes。　Seeing　Wife；　she　must　needes　have
her　minde；　let　yet　your　care　and　mine　extend　so　farre；　to　keepe　her
chastity　uncorrupted；　and　our　credulity　from　being　abused。　Catharina
having　thus　prevailed　with　her　Mother；　her　bed　made　in　the　Garden
Gallerie；　and　secret　intelligence　given　to　Ricciardo；　for　preparing
his　meanes　of　accesse　to　her　window；　old　provident　Lizio　lockes　the
doore　to　bed…ward；　and　gives　her　liberty　to　come　forth　in　the　morning；
for　his　owne　lodging　was　neere　to　the　same　Gallery。
　　In　the　dead　and　silent　time　of　night；　when　all　（but　Lovers）　take
their　rest；　Ricciardo　having　provided　a　Ladder　of　Ropes；　with　grapling
hookes　to　take　hold　above　and　below；　according　as　he　had　occasion　to
use　it。　By　helpe　thereof；　first　he　mounted　over　the　Garden　wall；　and
then　climbde　up　to　the　Gallery　window；　before　which　（as　is　every　where
in　Italie）　was　a　little　round　engirting　Tarras；　onely　for　a　man　to
stand　upon；　for　making　cleane　the　window；　or　otherwise　repairing　it。
Many　nights　（in　this　manner）　enjoyed　they　their　meetings；
entermixing　their　amorous　conference　with　infinite　kisses　and　kinde
embraces；　as　the　window　gave　leave；　he　sitting　in　the　Tarras；　and
departing　alwayes　before　breake　of　day；　for　feare　of　being
discovered　by　any。
　　But；　as　excesse　of　delight　is　the　Nurse　to　negligence；　and　begetteth
such　an　overpresuming　boldnesse；　as　afterward　proveth　to　be　sauced
with　repentance：　so　came　it　to　passe　with　our　over…fond　Lovers；　in
being　taken　tardy　through　their　owne　folly。　After　they　had　many
times　met　in　this　manner；　the　nights　（according　to　the　season）　growing
shorter　and　shorter；　which　their　stolne　delight　made　them　lesse
respective　of；　then　was　requisite　in　an　adventure　so　dangerous：　it
fortuned；　that　their　amorous　pleasure　had　so　farre　transported　them；
and　dulled　their　senses　in　such　sort；　by　these　their　continuall
nightly　watchings；　that　they　both　fell　fast　asleepe；　he　having　his
hand　closed　in　hers；　and　she　one　arme　folded　about　his　body；　and
thus　they　slept　till　broade　day　light。　Old　Messer　Lizio；　who
continually　was　the　morning　Cocke　to　the　whole　House；　going　foorth
into　his　Garden；　saw　how　his　Daughter　and　Ricciardo　were　seated　at　the
window。　In　he　went　againe；　and　going　to　his　wives　Chamber；　saide　to
her。　Rise　quickly　wife；　and　you　shall　see；　what　made　your　Daughter
so　desirous　to　lodge　in　the　Garden　Gallery。　I　perceive　that　shee　loved
to　heare　the　Nightingale；　for　she　hath　caught　one；　and　holds　him
fast　in　her　hand。　Is　it　possible；　saide　the　Mother；　that　our
Daughter　should　catch　a　live　Nightingale　in　the　darke？　You　shall　see
that　your　selfe；　answered　Messer　Lizio；　if　you　will　make　hast；　and
go　with　me。
　She；　putting　on　her　garments　in　great　haste；　followed　her　Husband；
and　being　come　to　the　Gallery　doore；　he　opened　it　very　softly；　and
going　to　the　window；　shewed　her　how　they　both　sate　fast　asleepe；　and
in　such　manner　as　hath　bene　before　declared：　whereupon；　shee
perceiving　how　Ricciardo　and　Catharina　had　both　deceived　her；　would
have　made　an　outcry；　but　that　Messer　Lizio　spake　thus　to　her。　Wife；　as
you　love　me；　speake　not　a　word；　neither　make　any　noyse：　for；　seeing
shee　hath　loved　Ricciardo　without　our　knowledge；　and　they　have　had
their　private　meetings　in　this　manner；　yet　free　from　any　blamefu
imputation；　he　shall　enjoy　her；　and　she　him。　Ricciardo　is　a　Gentleman；
well　derived；　and　of　rich　possessions；　it　can　be　no　disparagement　to
us；　that　Catharina　match　with　him　in　mariage；　which　he　neither
shall；　or　dare　deny　to　do；　in　regard　of　our　Lawes　severity；　for
climbing　up　to　my　window　with　his　Ladder　of　Ropes；　whereby　his　life　is
forfeited　to　th