the decameron(十日谈)-第124章

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expecting　no　command；　prepared　to　deliver　his　discourse　in　this　maner。
I　know　not　whether　I　should　terme　it　a　vice　accidentall；　and　insuing
thorow　the　badnes　of　complexions　on　us　mortals；　or　an　error　in　Nature；
to　rejoyce　rather　at　lewd　accidents；　then　at　deeds　that　deserve
commendation；　especially　when　they　no　way　concern　our　selves。　Now；
in　regard　that　all　the　paines　I　have　hitherto　taken；　and　am　also　to
undergo　at　this　present　aymeth　at　no　other　end；　but　onely　to　purge
your　minds　of　melancholly；　and　entertain　the　time　with　mirthful
matter：　pardon　me　I　pray　you　（faire　Lacties）　if　my　Tale　trip　in　some
part；　and　savour　a　little　of　immodesty；　yet　in　hearing　it；　you　may
observe　the　same　course；　as　you　doe　in　pleasing　and　delightfull
Gardens；　plucke　a　sweete　Rose；　and　preserve　your　fingers　from
pricking。　Which　very　easily　you　may　doe；　winking　at　the
imperfections　of　a　foolish　man；　and　at　the　amourous　subtilties　of
his　Wife；　compassionating　the　misfortune　of　others；　where　urgent
necessity　doth　require　it。
　　There　dwelt　not　long　since　in　Perugia；　a　wealthy　man　named　Pedro
di　Vinciolo；　who　perhaps　more　to　deceive　some　other；　and　restraine
an　evill　opinion　which　the　Perugians　had　conceived　of　him；　in　matter
no　way　beseeming　a　man；　then　any　beauty　or　good　feature　remaining　in
the　woman　entred　into　the　estate　of　marriage。　And　Fortune　was　so
conforme　to　him　in　his　election；　that　the　woman　whom　he　had　made　his
wife；　had　a　yong；　lusty；　and　well　enabled　bodie；　a　red…haird　Wench；
hot　and　fiery　spirited；　standing　more　in　neede　of　three　Husbands；　then
he；　who　could　not　any　way　well　content　one　Wife；　because　his　minde　ran
more　on　his　mony；　then　those　offices　and　duties　belonging　to
wedlock；　which　time　acquainted　his　Wife　withall；　contrary　to　her
owne　expectation；　and　those　delights　which　the　estate　of　marriage
afforded；　knowing　her　selfe　also　to　be　of　a　sprightly　disposition；　and
not　to　be　easily　tamed　by　houshold　cares　and　attendances；　shee　waxed
weary　of　her　husbands　unkind　courses；　upbraided　him　daily　with　harsh
speeches；　making　his　owne　home　meerly　as　a　hell　to　him。
　　When　she　saw　that　this　domesticke　disquietnesse　returned　her　no
benefit；　but　rather　tended　to　her　own　consumption；　then　any
amendment　in　her　miserable　Husband；　shee　began　thus　to　conferre　with
her　private　thoughts。　This　Husband　of　mine　liveth　with　me；　as　if　he
were　no　Husband；　or　I　his　Wife；　the　marriage　bed；　which　should　be　a
comfort　to　us　both；　seemeth　hatefull　to　him；　and　as　little　pleasing　to
mee；　because　his　minde　is　on　his　money；　his　head　busied　with　worldly
cogitations；　and　early　and　late　in　his　counting…house；　admitting　no
familiar　conversation　with　me。　Why　should　not　I　be　as　respectlesse
of　him；　as　he　declares　him　selfe　to　be　of　me？　I　tooke　him　for　an
Husband；　brought　him　a　good　and　sufficient　Dowry；　thinking　him　to　be
man；　and　affected　a　woman　as　a　man　ought　to　doe；　else　he　had　never
beene　any　Husband　of　mine。　If　he　be　a　Woman　hater；　why　did　he　make
choice　of　me　to　be　his　Wife？　If　I　had　not　intended　to　be　of　the　World；
I　could　have　coopt　my　selfe　up　in　a　Cloyster；　and　shorne　my　selfe　a
Nunne；　but　that　I　was　not　born　to　such　severity　of　life。　My　youth
shall　be　blasted　with　age　before　I　can　truly　understand　what　youth　is；
and　I　shall　be　branded　with　the　disgraceful　word　barrennesse；
knowing　my　selfe　meete　and　able　to　be　a　Mother；　were　my　Husband　but
wort　the　name　of　a　Father；　or　expected　issue　and　posterity；　to　leave
our　memoriall　to　after　times　in　our　race；　as　all　our　predecessours
formerly　have　done；　and　for　which　mariage　was　chiefly　instituted。
Castles　long　besieged；　doe　yeeld　at　the　last；　and　women　wronged　by
their　owne　husbands；　can　hardly　warrant　their　owne　frailety；
especially　living　among　so　many　temptations；　which　flesh　and　bloud　are
not　alwaies　able　to　resist。　Well；　I　meane　to　be　advised　in　this
case；　before　I　will　hazard　my　honest　reputation；　either　to　suspition
or　scandall；　then　which；　no　woman　can　have　two　heavier　enemies；　and
very　few　there　are　that　can　escape　them。
　　Having　thus　a　long　while　consulted　with　her　selfe；　and　（perhaps）
oftner　then　twice　or　thrice；　she　became　secretly　acquainted　with　an
aged　woman；　generally　reputed　to　be　more　then　halfe　a　Saint；　walking
alwayes　very　demurely　in　the　streetes；　counting　（over　and　over）　her
Paters　Nosters；　and　all　the　Cities　holy　pardons　hanging　at　her
girdle　never　talking　of　any　thing；　but　the　lives　of　the　holy
Fathers；　or　the　woundes　of　Saint　Frances；　all　the　World　admiring　her
sanctity　of　life；　even　as　if　shee　were　divinely　inspired：　this　shee
Saint　must　bee　our　distressed　womans　Counsellour；　and　having　found　out
a　convenient　season；　at　large　she　imparted　all　her　minde　to　her；　in
some　such　manner　as　formerly　you　have　heard；　whereto　she　returned　this
answer。
　　Now　trust　me　Daughter；　thy　case　is　to　be　pittied；　and　so　much　the
rather；　because　thou　art　in　the　flowre　and　spring　time　of　thy　youth；
when　not　a　minute　of　time　is　to　bee　left：　for　there　is　no　greater　an
errour　in　this　life；　then　the　losse　of　time；　because　it　cannot　bee
recovered　againe；　and　when　the　fiends　themselves　affright　us；　yet　if
wee　keepe　our　embers　still　covered　with　warme　ashes　on　the　hearth；
they　have　not　any　power　to　hurt　us。　If　any　one　can　truly　speake
thereof；　then　I　am　able　to　deliver　true　testimony；　for　I　know；　but　not
without　much　perturbation　of　minde；　and　piercing　afflictions　in　the
spirit；　how　much　time　I　lost　without　any　profit。　And　yet　I　lost　not
all；　for　I　would　not　have　thee　thinke　me　to　bee　so　foolish；　that　I　did
altogether　neglect　such　an　especiall　benefit；　which　when　I　call　to
mind；　and　consider　now　in　what　condition　I　am；　thou　must　imagine；　it
is　no　small　hearts　griefe　to　mee；　that　age　should　make　me　utterly
despised；　and　no　fire　affoorded　to　light　my　tinder。
　　With　men　it　is　not　so；　they　are　borne　apt　for　a　thousand
occasions；　as　well　for　the　present　purpose　wee　talke　of；　as　infinite
other　beside；　yea；　and　many　of　them　are　more　esteemed　being　aged；　then
when　they　were　young。　But　women　serve　onely　for　mens　contentation；　and
to　bring　Children；　and　therefore　are　they　generally　beloved；　which
if　they　faile　of；　either　it　is　by　unfortunate　marriage；　or　some
imperfection　depending　on　nature；　not　through　want　of　good　will　in
themselves。　Wee　have　nothing　in　this　World　but　what　is　given　us；　in
which　regard；　wee　are　to　make　use　of　our　time；　and　employ　it　the
better　while　wee　have　it。　For；　when　wee　grow　to　bee　old；　our　Husbands；
yea；　our　very　dearest　and　nearest　Friends；　will　scarsely　looke　on
us。　Wee　are　then　fit　for　nothing；　but　to　sit　by　the　fire　in　the
Kitchin；　telling　tales　to　the　Cat；　or　counting　the　Pots　and　Pannes
on　the　shelves。　Nay；　which　is　worse；　Rimes　and　Songs　is　made　of　us；
even　in　meere　contempt　of　our　age；　and　commendation　of　such　as　are
young；　the　daintiest　morsels　are　fittest　for　them；　and　wee　referred　to
feed　on　the　scrappes　from　their　Trenchers；　or　such　reversion　as　they
can　spare　us。　I　tell　thee　Daughter；　thou　couldst　not　make　choyce　of
a　meeter　woman　in　all　the　City；　to　whom　thou　mightest　safely　open
thy　minde；　and　knowes　better　to　advise　thee　then　I　doe。　But　remember
withall；　that　I　am　poore；　and　it　is　your　part　not　to　suffer　poverty　to
bee　unsupplyed。　I　will　make　thee　partaker　of　all　these　blessed
pardons；　at　every　Altar　I　will　say　a　Pater　Noster；　and　an　Ave　Maria；
that　thou　maist　prosper　in　thy　hearts　desires；　and　be　defended　from
foule　sinne　and　shame；　and　so　she　ended　her　Motherly　counsell。
　　Within　a　while　after；　it　came　to　passe；　that　her　Husband　was　invited
foorth　to　supper；　with　one　named　Herculano；　a　kinde　Friend　of　his；　but
his　Wife　refused　to　goe；　because　she　had　appointed　a　Friend　to
Supper　with　her；　to　whom　the　old　woman　was　employed　as　her
messenger；　and　was　well　recompenced　for　her　labour。　This　friend　was
a　gallant　proper　youth；　as　any　all　Perugia　yeelded；　and　scarcely　was
hee　seated　at　the　Table；　but　her　Husband　was　returned　backe；　and
called　to　bee　let　in　at　the　doore。　Which　when　shee　perceived；　she
was　almost　halfe　dead　with　feare；　and　coveting　to　hide　the　young
man；　that　her　Husband　should　not　have　any　sight　of　him；　shee　had　no
other　meanes；　but　in　an　entry；　hard　by　the　Parlour　whe