the decameron(十日谈)-第116章

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by　what　meanes　his　accesse　might　be　much　neerer　to　her；　and　their
communication　concealed　from　any　discovery；　the　scituation　of　the
place；　and　benefit　of　time　duly　considered。　Night　must　be　the　cloud　to
their　amorous　conclusion；　and　therefore；　so　much　thereof　being
spent；　as　was　thought　convenient；　he　returned　thither　againe；　provided
of　such　grappling…yrons；　as　is　required　when　men　will　clamber；　made
fast　unto　his　hands　and　knees；　by　their　helpe　hee　attained　to　the
top　of　the　wall；　whence　discending　downe　into　the　Garden；　there　he
found　the　maine　yard　of　a　ship；　whereof　before　she　had　given　him
instruction；　and　rearing　it　up　against　her　Chamber　window；　made　that
his　meanes　for　ascending　thereto；　she　having　left　it　open　for　his
easier　entrance。
　　You　cannot　denie　（faire　Ladies）　but　here　was　a　very　hopefull
beginning；　and　likely　to　have　as　happy　an　ending；　were　it　not　true
Loves　fatal　misery；　even　in　the　very　height　of　promised　assurance；
to　be　thwarted　by　unkind　prevention；　and　in　such　manner　as　I　will　tell
you。　This　night；　intended　for　our　Lovers　meeting；　proved　disastrous
and　dreadfull　to　them　both：　for　the　King；　who　at　the　first　sight　of
Restituta；　was　highly　pleased　with　her　excelling　beauty；　gave　order　to
his　Eunuches　and　other　women；　that　a　costly　bathe　should　be　prepared
for　her；　and　therein　to　let　her　weare　away　that　night；　because　the
next　day　he　intended　to　visit　her。　Restituta　being　royally　conducted
from　her　Chamber　to　the　Bathe；　attended　on　with　Torchlight；　as　if
she　had　bene　a　Queene：　none　remained　there　behind；　but　such　women　as
waited　on　her；　and　the　Guards　without；　which　watched　the　Chamber。
　　No　sooner　was　poore　Guion　aloft　at　the　window；　calling　softly　to　his
Mistresse；　as　if　she　had　bene　there；　but　he　was　over…heard　by　the
women　in　the　darke：　and　immediately　apprehended　by　the　Guard；　who
forthwith　brought　him　before　the　Lord　Marshall；　where　being
examined；　and　he　avouching；　that　Restituta　was　his　elected　wife；　and
for　her　he　had　presumed　in　that　manner；　closely　was　he　kept　in
prison　till　the　next　morning。　When　he　came　into　the　Kings　presence；
and　there　boldly　justified　the　goodnesse　of　his　cause：　Restituta
likewise　was　sent　for；　who　no　sooner　saw　her　deare　Love　Guion；　but　she
ran　and　caught　him　fast　about　the　necke；　kissing　him　in　teares；　and
greeving　not　a　little　at　his　hard　fortune。　Heereat　the　King　grew
exceedingly　enraged；　loathing　and　hating　her　now；　much　more　then
formerly　hee　did　affect　her；　and　having　himselfe　seene　by　what　strange
meanes　he　did　climbe　over　the　wall；　and　then　mounted　to　her　Chamber
window；　he　was　extreamely　impatient；　and　could　not　otherwise　bee
perswaded；　but　that　their　meetings　thus　had　bene　very　many。
　　Forthwith　hee　sentenced　them　both　with　death；　commanding；　that
they　should　be　conveyed　thence　to　Palermo；　and　there　（being　stript
starke　naked）　be　bound　to　a　stake　backe　to　backe；　and　so　to　stand
the　full　space　of　nine　houres；　to　see　if　any　could　take　knowledge；
of　whence；　or　what　they　were；　then　afterward；　to　be　consumed　with
fire。　The　sentence　of　death；　did　not　so　much　daunt　or　dismay　the　poore
Lovers；　as　the　uncivill　and　unsightly　manner；　which　（in　feare　of　the
Kings　wrathfull　displeasure）　no　man　durst　presume　to　contradict。
Wherefore；　as　he　had　commanded；　so　were　they　carryed　thence　to
Palermo；　and　bound　naked　to　a　stake　in　the　open　Market　place；　and
（before　their　eyes）　the　fire　of　wood　brought；　which　was　to　consume
them；　according　to　the　houre　as　the　King　had　appointed。　You　neede
not　make　any　question；　what　an　huge　concourse　of　people　were　soone
assembled　together；　to　behold　such　a　sad　and　wofull　spectacle；　even
the　whole　City　of　Palermo；　both　men　and　women。　The　men　were　stricken
with　admiration；　beholding　the　unequalled　beauty　of　faire　Restituta；
and　the　selfe…same　passion　possessed　the　women；　seeing　Guion　to　be
such　a　goodly　and　compleat　young　man：　but　the　poore　infortunate　Lovers
themselves；　they　stood　with　their　lookes　dejected　to　the　ground；　being
much　pittied　of　all；　but　no　way　to　be　holpen　or　rescued　by　any；
awaiting　when　the　happy　houre　would　come；　to　finish　both　their　shame
and　lives　together。
　　During　the　time　of　this　tragicall　expectation；　the　fame　of　this
publike　execution　being　noysed　abroade；　calling　all　people　farre　and
neere　to　behold　it；　it　came　to　the　eare　of　Don　Rogiero　de　Oria；　a
man　of　much　admired　valour；　and　then　Lord　high　Admirall　of　Sicily；　who
came　himselfe　in　person；　to　the　place　appointed　for　their　death。
First；　he　observed　the　Mayden；　confessing　her　（in　his　soule）　to　be　a
beauty　beyond　all　compare。　Then　looking　on　the　young　man；　thus　he
saide　within　himselfe：　If　the　inward　endowments　of　the　mind；　doe
paralell　the　outward　perfections　of　body；　the　World　cannot　yeeld　a
more　compleate　man。　Now；　as　good　natures　are　quickly　incited　to
compassion　（especially　in　cases　almost　commanding　it）　and　compassion
knocking　at　the　doore　of　the　soule；　doth　quicken　the　memory　with
many　passed　recordations：　so　this　noble　Admirall；　advisedly；　beholding
poore　condemned　Guion；　conceived；　that　he　had　somewhat　seene　him
before　this　instant；　and　upon　this　perswasion　（even　as　if　divine
vertue　had　tutored　his　tongue）　he　saide：　Is　not　thy　name　Guion　di
Procida？
　　Marke　now；　how　quickly　misery　can　receive　comfort；　upon　so　poore　and
silly　a　question；　for　Guion　began　to　elevate　his　dejected　countenance；
and　looking　on　the　Admirall；　returned　him　this　answer。　Sir；　heretofore
I　have　bene　the　man　which　you　speake　of；　but　now；　both　that　name　and
man　must　die　with　me。　What　misfortune　（said　the　Admirall）　hath　thus
unkindly　crost　thee？　Love　（answered　Guion）　and　the　Kings
displeasure。　Then　the　Admirall　would　needs　know　the　whole　history　at
large；　which　briefly　was　related　to　him；　and　having　heard　how　all
had　happened；　as　he　was　turning　his　Horse　to　ride　away　thence；　Guion
called　to　him；　saying；　Good　my　Lord；　entreat　one　favour　for　me；　if
possibly　it　may　be。　What　is　that？　replyed　the　Admirall。　You　see　Sir
（quoth　Guior）　that　I　am　very　shortly　to　breathe　my　last；　all　the　grace
which　I　do　most　humbly　entreat；　is；　that　as　I　am　here　with　this　chaste
Virgin；　（whom　I　honour　and　love　beyond　my　life）　and　miserably　bound
backe　to　backe：　our　faces　may　be　turned　each　to　other；　to　the　end；
that　when　the　fire　shall　finish　my　life；　by　looking　on　her；　my　soule
may　take　her　flight　in　full　felicity。　The　Admirall　smiling；　said；　I
will　do　for　thee　what　I　can；　and　（perhaps）　thou　mayest　so　long　looke
on　her；　as　thou　wilt　be　weary；　and　desire　to　looke　off　her。
　　At　his　departure；　he　commanded　them　that　had　the　charge　of　this
execution；　to　proceede　no　further；　untill　they　heard　more　from　the
King；　to　whom　he　gallopped　immediately；　and　although　he　beheld　him
to　bee　very　angerly　moved；　yet　he　spared　not　to　speake　in　this
maner。　Sir；　wherin　have　those　poore　young　couple　offended　you；　that
are　so　shamefully　to　be　burnt　at　Palermo？　The　King　told　him：　whereto
the　Admirall　（pursuing　still　his　purpose）　thus　replyed。　Beleeve　me
Sir；　if　true　love　be　an　offence；　then　theirs　may　be　termed　to　be
one；　and　albeit　it　deserved　death；　yet　farre　be　it　from　thee　to
inflict　it　on　them：　for　as　faults　doe　justly　require　punishment；　so
doe　good　turnes　as　equally　merit　grace　and　requitall。　Knowest　thou
what　and　who　they　are；　whom　thou　hast　so　dishonourably　condemned　to
the　fire？　Not　I；　quoth　the　King。　Why　then　I　will　tell　thee；　answered
the　Admirall；　that　thou　mayest　take　the　better　knowledge　of　them；
and　forbeare　hereafter；　to　be　so　over　violently　transported　with
anger。
　　The　young　Gentleman；　is　the　Sonne　to　Landolfo　di　Procida；　the
onely　Brother　to　Lord　John　di　Procida；　by　whose　meanes　thou　becamest
Lord　and　King　of　this　Countrey。　The　faire　young　Damosell；　is　the
Daughter　to　Marino　Bulgaro；　whose　power　extendeth　so　farre；　as　to
preserve　thy　prerogative　in　Ischia；　which　（but　for　him）　had　long　since
bene　out…rooted　there。　Beside；　these　two　maine　motives；　to　challenge
justly　grace　and　favour　from　thee；　they　are　in　the　floure　and　pride　of
their　youth；　having　long　continued　in　loyall　love　together；　and
compelled　by　fervency　of　endeared　affection；　not　any　will　to　displease
thy　Majesty：　they　have　offended　（if　it　may　be　termed　an