the decameron(十日谈)-第123章

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time　she　was　daintily　roasted。　Himselfe　covered　the　Table；　set　bread
and　salt　on　and　laid　the　Napkins；　whereof　he　had　but　a　few　left　him。
Going　then　with　chearfull　lookes　into　the　Garden；　telling　the　Lady
that　dinner　was　ready；　and　nothing　now　wanted；　but　her　presence。　Shee；
and　the　Gentlewoman　went　in；　and　being　sated　at　the　Table；　not　knowing
what　they　fed　on；　the　Faulcon　was　all　their　foode；　and　Frederigo　not　a
little　joyfull；　that　his　credite　was　so　well　saved。　When　they　were
risen　from　the　table；　and　had　spent　some　small　time　in　familiar
conference：　the　Lady　thought　it　fit；　to　acquaint　him　with　the　reason
of　her　comming　thither；　and　therefore　（in　very　kinde　manner）　thus
began。
　　Frederigo；　if　you　do　yet　remember　your　former　carriage　towards
mee；　as　also　my　many　modest　and　chaste　denials；　which　（perhaps）　you
thought　to　savour　of　a　harsh；　cruell；　and　un…womanly　nature；　I　make　no
doubt；　but　you　will　wonder　at　my　present　presumption；　when　you
understand　the　occasion；　which　expressely　mooved　me　to　come　hither。
But　if　you　were　possessed　of　children；　or　ever　had　any；　whereby　you
might　comprehend　what　love　（in　nature）　is　due　unto　them：　then　I
durst　assure　my　selfe；　that　you　would　partly　hold　me　excused。
　　Now；　in　regard　that　you　never　had　any；　and　my　selfe　（for　my　part）
have　but　onely　one；　I　stand　not　exempted　from　those　Lawes；　which　are
in　common　to　other　mothers。　And　being　compelled　to　obey　the　power　of
those　Lawes；　contrary　to　mine　owne　will；　and　those　duties　which　reason
owne　wi　ought　to　maintaine；　I　am　to　request　such　a　gift　of　you；
which　I　am　certaine；　that　you　do　make　most　precious　account　of；　as
in　manly　equity　you　can　do　no　lesse。　For　Fortune　hath　bin　so　extreamly
adverse　to　you；　that　she　hath　robbed　you　of　all　other　pleasures；
allowing　you　no　comfort　or　delight；　but　onely　that　poore　one；　which　is
your　faire　Faulcone。　Of　which　Bird；　my　Sonne　is　become　so　strangely
desirous；　as；　if　I　doe　not　bring　it　to　him　at　my　comming　home；　I　feare
so　much；　the　extreamity　of　his　sicknesse；　as　nothing　can　ensue
thereon；　but　his　losse　of　life。　Wherefore　I　beseech　you；　not　in　regard
of　the　love　you　have　borne　me；　for　therby　you　stand　no　way　obliged：
but　in　your　owne　true　gentle　nature　（the　which　hath　alwayes　declared
it　selfe　ready　in　you；　to　do　more　kinde　offices　generally；　then　any
other　Gentleman　that　I　know）　you　will　be　pleased　to　give　her　me；　or　at
the　least；　let　me　buy　her　of　you。
　　Which　if　you　do；　I　shall　freely　then　confesse；　that　onely　by　your
meanes；　my　Sonnes　life　is　saved；　and　we　both　shall　for　ever　remaine
engaged　to　you。
　　When　Frederigo　had　heard　the　Ladies　request；　which　was　now　quite　out
of　his　power　to　graunt；　because　it　had　bene　her　service　at　dinner：
he　stood　like　a　man　meerely　dulled　in　his　sences；　the　teares　trickling
amaine　downe　his　cheekes；　and　he　not　able　to　utter　one　word。　Which　she
perceiving；　began　to　conjecture　immediately；　that　these　teares　and
passions　proceeded　rather　from　greefe　of　minde；　as　being　loather　to
part　with　his　Faulcon；　then　any　other　kinde　of　manner：　which　made
her　ready　to　say；　that　she　would　not　have　it。　Neverthelesse　she　did
not　speake；　but　rather　tarried　to　attend　his　answer。　Which；　after　some
small　respite　and　pause；　he　returned　in　this　manner。
　　Madame；　since　the　houre；　when　first　mine　affection　became　soly
devoted　to　your　service；　Fortune　hath　bene　crosse　and　contrary　to
me；　in　many　occasions；　as　justly；　and　in　good　reason　I　may　complain　of
her；　yet　all　seemed　light　and　easie　to　be　indured；　in　comparison　of
her　present　malicious　contradiction；　to　my　utter　overthrow；　and
perpetuall　mollestation。　Considering；　that　you　are　come　hither　to　my
poore　house；　which　（while　I　was　rich　and　able）　you　would　not　so　much
as　vouchsafe　to　looke　on。　And　now　you　have　requested　a　small　matter　of
me；　wherein　she　hath　also　most　crookedly　thwarted　me；　because　she　hath
disabled　me；　in　bestowing　so　meane　a　gift；　as　your　selfe　will
confesse；　when　it　shall　be　related　to　you　in　few　words。
　　So　soone　as　I　heard；　that　it　was　your　gracious　pleasure　to　dine　with
me；　having　regard　to　your　excellency；　and　what　（by　merit）　is　justly
due　unto　you：　I　thought　it　a　part　of　my　bounden　duty；　to　entertaine
you　with　such　exquisite　viands；　as　my　poore　power　could　any　way
compasse；　and　farre　beyond　respect　or　welcome；　to　other　common　and
ordinary　persons。　Whereupon；　remembring　my　Faulcon；　which　now　you　aske
for；　and　her　goodnesse；　excelling　all　other　of　her　kinde；　I
supposed；　that　she　would　make　a　dainty　dish　for　your　dyet；　and
having　drest　her；　so　well　as　I　could　devise　to　do：　you　have　fed
heartily　on　her；　and　I　am　proud　that　I　have　so　well　bestowne　her。
But　perceiving　now；　that　you　would　have　her　for　your　sicke　Sonne；　it
is　no　meane　affliction　to　me；　that　I　am　disabled　of　yeelding　you
contentment；　which　all　my　life　time　I　have　desired　to　doe。
　　To　approve　his　words；　the　feathers；　feete；　and　beake　were　brought
in；　which　when　she　saw；　she　greatly　blamed　him　for　killing　so　rare　a
Faulcon；　to　content　the　appetite　of　any　woman　whatsoever。　Yet　she
commended　his　height　of　spirit；　which　poverty　had　no　power　to　abase。
Lastly；　her　hopes　being　frustrate　for　enjoying　the　Faulcon；　and
fearing　besides　the　health　of　her　Sonne；　she　thanked　Frederigo　for　his
honorable　kindnesse；　returning　home　againe　sad　and　melancholly。
Shortly　after；　her　sonne　either　greeving　that　he　could　not　have　the
Faulcon；　or　by　extreamity　of　his　disease；　chanced　to　dye；　leaving
his　mother　a　most　wofull　Lady。
　　After　so　much　time　was　expired；　as　conveniently　might　agree　with
sorrow；　and　mourning；　her　Brethren　made　many　motions　to　her；　to　oyne
her　selfe　in　marriage　againe；　because　she　was　extraordinarily　rich；
and　as　yet　but　yong　in　yeares。　Now　although　she　was　well　contented
never　to　be　married　any　more；　yet　being　continually　importuned　by
them；　and　remembring　the　honorable　honesty　of　Frederigo；　his　last
poore；　yet　magnificent　dinner；　in　killing　his　Faulcon　for　her　sake；
she　saide　to　her　Brethren。　This　kind　of　widdowed　estate　doth　like　me
so　well；　as　willingly　I　would　never　leave　it：　but　seeing　you　are　so
earnest　for　my　second　marriage；　let　me　plainly　tell　you；　that　I　will
never　accept　of　any　other　husband；　but　onely　Frederigo　di　Alberino。
　　Her　Brethren　in　scornefull　manner　reprooved　her；　telling　her；　that
he　was　a　begger；　and　had　nothing　left　to　keepe　him　in　the　world。　I
know　it　well　（quoth　she）　and　am　heartily　sorry　for　it。　But　give　me　a
man　that　hath　neede　of　wealth；　rather　then　wealth　that　hath　neede　of　a
man。　The　Brethren　hearing　how　she　stood　addicted；　and　knowing
Frederigo　to　be　a　worthy　Gentleman；　though　poverty　had　disgraced　him
in　the　World：　consented　thereto；　so　she　bestowed　her　selfe　and　her
riches　on　him。　He　on　the　other　side；　having　so　noble　a　Lady　to　his
Wife；　and　the　same　whom　he　had　so　long　and　deerely　loved；　submitted
all　his　fairest　Fortunes　unto　her；　became　a　better　husband　（for　the
world）　then　before；　and　they　lived；　and　loved　together　in　equall　joy
and　happinesse。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIFT　DAY；　THE　TENTH　NOVELL

　　　　　REPREHENDING　THE　CUNNING　OF　IMMODEST　WOMEN；　WHO　BY　ABUSING
　　　　　　　　THEMSELVES；　DO　THROW　EVILL　ASPERSIONS　ON　ALL　THEIR　SEXE

　　Pedro　di　Vinciolo　went　to　sup　at　a　friends　house　in　the　City。　His
wife　（in　the　meane　while）　had　a　young　man　whom　shee　loved；　at　supper
with　Pedro　returning　home　on　a　sodaine；　the　young　man　was　hidden　under
a　Coope　for　Hens。　Pedro　in　excuse　of　his　so　soone　comming　home；
declareth；　how　in　the　house　of　Herculano　（with　whom　he　should　have
supt）　a　friend　of　his　Wives　was　found；　which　was　the　reason　of　the
Suppers　breaking　off。　Pedroes　Wife　reproving　the　error　of
Herculanoes　wife；　an　Asse　（by　chance）　treads　on　the　yong　mans
fingers　that　lay　hidden　under　the　Hen…coope。　Upon　his　crying　out　Pedro
steppeth　thither；　sees　him；　knowes　him；　and　findeth　the　fallacy　of　his
wife；　with　whom　（nevertbelesse）　he　groweth　to　agreement；　in　regard
of　some　imperfections　in　himselfe。

　　The　Queenes　Novell　being　ended；　and　all　applauding　the　happy　fortune
of　Frederigo；　as　also　the　noble　nature　of　Madam　Giana；　Dioneus
expecting　no　command；　prepared　to　deliver　his　discourse　in　this　maner。
I　know　not　whether　I　shou