the decameron(十日谈)-第120章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　visite　him　againe　so　often　as　they　pleased。
　　Now；　it　came　to　passe；　that　about　the　beginning　of　May；　it　being
then　a　very　milde　and　serrene　season；　and　he　leading　there　a　much　more
magnificent　life；　then　ever　hee　had　done　before；　inviting　divers　to
dine　with　him　this　day；　and　as　many　to　morrow；　and　not　to　leave　him
till　after　supper：　upon　the　sodaine；　falling　into　remembrance　of　his
cruell　Mistris；　hee　commanded　all　his　servants　to　forbeare　his
company；　and　suffer　him　to　walke　alone　by　himselfe　awhile；　because
he　had　occasion　of　private　meditations；　wherein　he　would　not　（by　any
meanes）　be　troubled。　It　was　then　about　the　ninth　houre　of　the　day；　and
he　walking　on　solitary　all　alone；　having　gone　some　halfe　miles
distance　from　his　Tents；　entred　into　a　Grove　of　Pine…trees；　never
minding　dinner　time；　or　any　thing　else；　but　onely　the　unkind　requitall
of　his　love。
　　Sodainly　he　heard　the　voice　of　a　woman；　seeming　to　make　most
mournfull　complaints；　which　breaking　off　his　silent　considerations；
made　him　to　lift　up　his　head；　to　know　the　reason　of　this　noise。　When
he　saw　himselfe　so　farre　entred　into　the　Grove；　before　he　could
imagine　where　he　was；　hee　looked　amazedly　round　about　him；　and　out
of　a　little　thicket　of　bushes　and　briars　round　engirt　with　spreading
trees；　hee　espyed　a　young　Damosell　come　running　towards　him；　naked
from　the　middle　upward；　her　haire　dishevelled　on　her　shoulders；　and
her　faire　skinne　rent　and　torne　with　the　briars　and　brambles；　so
that　the　blood　ran　trickling　downe　mainely；　she　weeping；　wringing
her　hands；　and　crying　out　for　mercy　so　lowde　as　she　could。　Two
fierce　Bloodhounds　also　followed　swiftly　after；　and　where　their
teeth　tooke　hold；　did　most　cruelly　bite　her。　Last　of　all　（mounted　on　a
lusty　blacke　Courser）　came　gallopping　a　Knight；　with　a　very　sterne　and
angry　countenance；　holding　a　drawne　short　Sword　in　his　hand；　giving
her　very　vile　and　dreadfull　speeches；　and　threatning　every　minute　to
kill　her。
　　This　strange　and　uncouth　sight；　bred　in　him　no　meane　admiration；
as　also　kinde　compassion　to　the　unfortunate　woman；　out　of　which
compassion；　sprung　an　earnest　desire；　to　deliver　her　（if　he　could）
from　a　death　so　full　of　anguish　and　horror：　but　seeing　himselfe　to
be　without　Armes；　he　ran　and　pluckt　up　the　plant　of　a　Tree；　which
handling　as　if　it　had　bene　a　staffe；　he　opposed　himselfe　against　the
Dogges　and　the　Knight；　who　seeing　him　comming；　cryed　out　in　this
manner　to　him。　Anastasio；　put　not　thy　selfe　in　any　opposition；　but
referre　to　my　Hounds　and　me；　to　punish　this　wicked　woman　as　she　hath
justly　deserved。　And　in　speaking　these　words；　the　Hounds　tooke　fast
hold　on　her　body；　so　staying　her；　untill　the　Knight　was　come　neerer　to
her；　and　alighted　from　his　horse：　when　Anastasio　（after　some　other
angry　speeches）　spake　thus　unto　him：　I　cannot　tell　what　or　who　thou
art；　albeit　thou　takest　such　knowledge　of　me；　yet　I　must　say；　that
it　is　meere　cowardize　in　a　Knight；　being　armed　as　thou　art；　to　offer
to　kill　a　naked　woman；　and　make　thy　dogges　thus　to　seize　on　her；　as　if
she　were　a　savage　beast；　therefore　beleeve　me；　I　will　defend　her　so
farre　as　I　am　able。
　　Anastasio；　answered　the　Knight；　I　am　of　the　same　City　as　thou　art；
and　do　well　remember；　that　thou　wast　a　little　Ladde；　when　I　（who　was
then　named　Guido　Anastasio；　and　thine　Unckle）　became　as　intirely　in
love　with　this　woman；　as　now　thou　art　of　Paulo　Traversarioes　daughter。
But　through　her　coy　disdaine　and　cruelty；　such　was　my　heavy　fate；　that
desperately　I　slew　my　selfe　with　this　short　sword　which　thou　beholdest
in　mine　hand：　for　which　rash　sinfull　deede；　I　was；　and　am　condemned　to
eternall　punishment。　This　wicked　woman；　rejoycing　immeasurably　in　mine
unhappy　death；　remained　no　long　time　alive　after　me；　and　for　her
mercilesse　sinne　of　cruelty；　and　taking　pleasure　in　my　oppressing
torments；　dying　unrepentant；　and　in　pride　of　her　scorne；　she　had　the
like　sentence　of　condemnation　pronounced　on　her；　and　sent　to　the
same　place　where　I　was　tormented。
　　There　the　three　impartiall　judges；　imposed　this　further　infliction
on　us　both；　namely；　that　she　should　flye　in　this　manner　before　me；　and
I　（who　loved　her　so　deerely　while　I　lived）　must　pursue　her　as　my
deadly　enemy；　not　like　a　woman　that　had　a　taste　of　love　in　her。　And　so
often　as　I　can　overtake　her；　I　am　to　kill　her　with　this　sword；　the
same　Weapon　wherewith　I　slew　my　selfe。　Then　am　I　enjoyned；　therewith
to　open　her　accursed　body；　and　teare　out　her　hard　and　frozen　heart；
with　her　other　inwards；　as　now　thou　seest　me　doe；　which　I　give　unto　my
Hounds　to　feede　on。　Afterward；　such　is　the　appointment　of　the　supreame
powers；　that　she　re…assumeth　life　againe；　even　as　if　she　had　not
bene　dead　at　all；　and　falling　to　the　same　kinde　of　flight；　I　with　my
Hounds　am　still　to　follow　her；　without　any　respite　or　intermission。
Every　Friday；　and　just　at　this　houre；　our　course　is　this　way；　where
she　suffereth　the　just　punishment　inflicted　on　her。　Nor　do　we　rest　any
of　the　other　dayes；　but　are　appointed　unto　other　places；　where　she
cruelly　executed　her　malice　against　me；　being　now　（of　her　deare
affectionate　friend）　ordained　to　be　her　endlesse　enemy；　and　to
pursue　her　in　this　manner　for　so　many　yeares；　as　she　exercised　moneths
of　cruelty；　towards　me。　Hinder　me　not　then；　in　being　the　executioner
of　divine　justice；　for　all　thy　interposition　is　but　in　vaine；　in
seeking　to　crosse　the　appointment　of　supreame　powers。
　　Anastasio　having　attentively　heard　all　this　discourse；　his　haire
stood　upright　like　Porcupines　quils；　and　his　soule　was　so　shaken
with　the　terror；　that　he　stept　backe　to　suffer　the　Knight　to　do　what
he　was　enjoyned；　looking　yet　with　milde　commisseration　on　the　poore
woman。　Who　kneeling　Most　humbly　before　the　Knight；　and　stearnely
seized　on　by　the　two　blood…hounds；　he　opened　her　brest　with　his
weapon；　drawing　foorth　her　heart　and　bowels；　which　instantly　he
threw　to　the　dogges；　and　they　devoured　them　very　greedily。　Soone
after；　the　Damosell　（as　if　none　of　this　punishment　had　bene
inflicted　on　her）　started　up　sodainly；　running　amaine　towards　the
Sea　shore；　and　the　Hounds　swiftly　following　her；　as　the　Knight　did　the
like；　after　he　had　taken　his　sword；　and　was　mounted　on　horsebacke；
so　that　Anastasio　had　soone　lost　all　sight　of　them；　and　could　not
gesse　what　was　become　of　them。
　　After　he　had　heard　and　observed　all　these　things；　he　stoode　a
while　as　confounded　with　feare　and　pitty；　like　a　simple　silly　man；
hoodwinkt　with　his　owne　passions；　not　knowing　the　subtle　enemies
cunning　illusions　in　offering　false　suggestions　to　the　sight；　to　worke
his　owne　ends　thereby；　and　encrease　the　number　of　his　deceived
servants。　Forthwith　he　perswaded　himselfe；　that　he　might　make　good　use
of　this　womans　tormenting；　so　justly　imposed　on　the　Knight　to
prosecute；　if　thus　it　should　continue　still　every　Friday。　Wherefore；
setting　a　good　note　or　marke　upon　the　place；　he　returned　backe　to
his　owne　people；　and　at　such　time　as　he　thought　convenient；　sent　for
divers　of　his　kindred　and　friends　from　Ravenna；　who　being　present　with
him；　thus　he　spake　to　them。
　　Deare　Kinsmen　and　Friends；　ye　have　a　long　while　importuned　me；　to
discontinue　my　over…doating　love　to　her；　whom　you　all　thinke；　and　I
find　to　be　my　mortall　enemy：　as　also；　to　give　over　my　lavish　expences；
wherein　I　confesse　my　selfe　too　prodigall；　both　which　requests　of
yours；　I　will　condiscend　to；　provided；　that　you　will　performe　one
gracious　favour　for　me；　Namely；　that　on　Friday　next；　Signior　Paulo
Traversario；　his　wife；　daughter；　with　all　other　women　linked　in　linage
to　them；　and　such　beside　onely　as　you　shall　please　to　appoint；　will
vouchsafe　to　accept　a　dinner　heere　with　wi　me；　as　for　the　reason
thereto　mooving　me；　you　shall　then　more　at　large　be　acquainted
withall。　This　appeared　no　difficult　matter　for　them　to　accomplish：
wherefore；　being　returned　to　Ravenna；　and　as　they　found　the　time
answerable　to　their　purpose；　they　invited　such　as　Anastasio　had
appointed　them。　And　although　they　found　it　some…what　an　hard　matter；
to　gaine　her　company　whom　he　so　deerely　affected；　yet　notwithstanding；
the　other　women　won　her　along　with　them。
　　A　most　magnificent　dinner　had　Anastasio　provided；　and　the　ta