the decameron(十日谈)-第135章

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so　great　secrecy；　but　he　will　be　sure　to　heare　his　part；　and　when
any　question　is　demanded　of　me；　he　standes　in　such　awe　and　feare　of　my
displeasure：　that　he　will　bee　sure　to　make　the　first　answer；　yea　or
no；　according　as　he　thinketh　it　most　convenient。
　　Now；　to　proceede　where　we　left；　Friar　Onyon　having　left　this
serviceable　youth　at　his　lodging；　to　see　that　no　bodie　should　meddle
with　his　commodities；　especially　his　Wallet；　because　of　the　sacred
things　therein　contained：　Guccio　Imbrata；　who　as　earnestly　affected　to
be　in　the　Kitchin；　as　Birds　to　hop　from　branch　to　branch；
especially；　when　anie　of　the　Chamber…maides　were　there；　espyed　one
of　the　Hostesses　Female　attendants；　a　grosse　fat　Trugge；　low　of
stature；　ill　faced；　and　worse　formed；　with　a　paire　of　brests　like
two　bumbards；　smelling　loathsomely　of　grease　and　sweate；　downe　shee
descended　into　the　Kitchin；　like　a　Kite　upon　a　peece　of　Carion。　This
Boy；　or　Knave；　chuse　whither　you　will　style　him；　having　carelesly　left
Fryar　Onyons　Chamber　doore　open；　and　all　the　holy　things　so　much　to　be
neglected；　although　it　was　then　the　moneth　of　August；　when　heate　is　in
the　highest　predominance；　yet　hee　would　needs　sit　downe　by　the　fire；
and　began　to　conferre　with　this　amiable　creature；　who　was　called　by
the　name　of　Nuta。
　　Being　set　close　by　her；　he　told　her；　that　he　was　a　Gentleman　by
Atturniship；　and　that　he　had　more　millions　of　Crownes；　then　all　his
life　time　would　serve　him　to　spend；　beside　those　which　he　payed　away
dayly；　as　having　no　convenient　im…ployment　for　them。
　　Moreover；　he　knew　how　to　speake；　and　do　such　things；　as　were
beyond　wonder　or　admiration。　And；　never　remembring　his　olde　tatterd
Friars　Cowle；　which　was　so　snottie　and　greazie；　that　good　store　of
kitchin　stuffe　might　have　beene　boiled　out　of　it；　as　also　a　foule
slovenly　Trusse　or　halfe　doublet；　all　baudied　with　bowsing；　fat
greazie　lubberly　sweating；　and　other　drudgeries　in　the　Convent
Kitchin；　where　he　was　an　Officer　in　the　meanest　credite。　So　that　to
describe　this　sweet　youth　in　his　lively　colours；　both　for　naturall
perfections　of　body；　and　artificiall　composure　of　his　Garments；
never　came　the　fowlest　silks　out　of　Tartaria　or　India；　more　ugly　or
unsightly　to　bee　lookt　upon。　And　for　a　further　addition　to　his　neate
knavery；　his　breeches　were　so　rent　betweene　his　legges；　his　shooes　and
stockings　had　bin　at　such　a　mercilesse　massacre：　that　the　gallantest
Commandador　of　Castile　（though　he　had　never　so　lately　bin　releast
out　of　slavery）　could　have　wisht　for　better　garments；　then　he；　or　make
larger　promises；　then　he　did　to　his　Nuta。　Protesting　to　entitle　her　as
his　onely；　to　free　her　from　the　Inne　and　Chamber　thraldomes；　if　she
would　live　with　him；　be　his　Love；　partaker　of　his　present　possessions；
and　so　to　succeed　in　his　future　Fortunes。　All　which　bravadoes；
though　they　were　belcht　foorth　with　admirable　insinuations：　yet　they
converted　into　smoke；　as　all　such　braggadochio　behaviours　do；　and　he
was　as　wise　at　the　ending；　as　when　he　began。
　　Our　former　named　two　craftie　Companions；　seeing　Guccio　Porco　so
seriously　employed　about　Nuta；　was　there…with　not　a　little
contented；　because　their　intended　labour　was　now　more　then　halfe
ended。　And　perceiving　no　contradiction　to　crosse　their　proceeding；
into　Friar　Onyons　chamber　entred　they；　finding　it　ready　open　for　their
purpose：　where　the　first　thing　that　came　into　their　hand　in　search；
was　the　wallet。　When　they　had　opened　it；　they　found　a　small　Cabinet；
wrapped　in　a　great　many　foldings　of　rich　Taffata；　and　having
unfolded　it；　a　fine　formall　Key　was　hanging　thereat：　wherwith　having
unlockt　the　Cabinet；　they　found　a　faire　Feather　of　a　Parrots　taile；
which　they　supposed　to　bee　the　verie　same；　that　he　meant　to　shew　the
people　of　Certaldo。　And　truly　（in　those　dayes）　it　was　no　hard　matter
to　make　them　beleeve　any　thing；　because　the　idle　vanities　of　Aegypt
and　those　remoter　parts；　had　not　（as　yet）　bin　seene　in　Tuscany；　as
since　then　they　have　bin　in　great　abundance；　to　the　utter　ruine
（almost）　of　Italy。
　　And　although　they　might　then　be　knowne　to　very　few；　yet　the
inhabitants　of　the　Country　generally；　understoode　little　or　nothing　at
all　of　them。　For　there；　the　pure　simplicitie　of　their　ancient
predecessors　still　continuing；　they　had　not　seene　any　Parrots；　or　so
much　as　heard　any　speech　of　them。　Wherefore　the　two　crafty　consorts；
not　a　little　joyfull　of　finding　the　Feather；　tooke　it　thence　with
them；　and　beecause　they　would　not　leave　the　Cabinet　empty；　espying
Charcoales　lying　in　a　corner　of　the　Chamber；　they　filled　it　with　them；
wrapping　it　up　againe　in　the　Taffata；　and　in　as　demure　manner　as
they　found　it。　So；　away　came　they　with　the　Feather；　neither　seene　or
suspected　by　any　one；　intending　now　to　heare　what　Friar　Onyon　would
say；　uppon　the　losse　of　his　precious　Relique；　and　finding　the　Coales
there　placed　insted　thereof。
　　The　simple　men　and　women　of　the　country；　who　had　bin　at　morning
Masse　in　the　Church；　and　heard　what　a　wonderful　Feather　they　should
see　in　the　after　noone；　returned　in　all　hast　to　their　houses；　where
one　telling　this　newes　to　another；　and　gossip　with　gossip　consulting
theron；　they　made　the　shorter　dinner；　and　afterward　flocked　in　maine
troopes　to　the　Castle；　contending　who　shold　first　get　entrance；　such
was　their　devotion　to　see　the　holy　feather。　Friar　Onyon　having
dined；　and　reposed　a　litle　after　his　wine；　he　arose　from　the　table
to　the　window；　where　beholding　what　multitudes　came　to　see　the
feather；　he　assured　himselfe　of　good　store　of　mony。　Hereupon；　he
sent　to　his　Boy　Guccio　Imbrata；　that　uppon　the　Bels　ringing；　he　should
come　and　bring　the　wallet　to　him。　Which　（with　much　ado）　he　did；　so
soone　as　his　quarrell　was　ended　in　the　kitchin；　with　the　amiable
Chamber…maid　Nuta；　away　then　he　went　with　his　holy　commodities：
where　he　was　no　sooner　arrived；　but　because　his　belly　was　readie　to
burst　with　drinking　water；　he　sent　him　to　the　Church　to　ring　the　bels；
which　not　onely　would　warme　the　cold　water　in　his　belly；　but
likewise　make　him　run　as　gaunt　as　a　Grey…hound。
　　When　all　the　people　were　assembled　in　the　Church　together；　Friar
Onyon　（never　distrusting　any　injurie　offered　him；　or　that　his　close
commodities　had　bin　medled　withal）　began　his　predication；　uttering　a
thousand　lies　to　fit　his　purpose。　And　when　he　came　to　shew　the　feather
of　the　Phoenix　（having　first　in　great　devotion　finisht　the　confession）
he　caused　two　goodly　torches　to　be　lighted；　and　ducking　downe　his　head
three　severall　times；　before　hee　would　so　much　as　touch　the　Taffata；
he　opened　it　with　much　reverence。　So　soone　as　the　Cabinet　came　to　be
seen；　off　went　his　Hood；　lowly　he　bowed　downe　his　body；　and　uttering
especial　praises　of　the　Phoenix；　and　sacred　properties　of　the
wonderfull　Relique；　the　Cover　of　the　Cabinet　being　lifted　uppe；　he　saw
the　same　to　bee　full　of　Coales。　He　could　not　suspect　his　Villaine
boy　to　do　this　deede；　for　he　knew　him　not　to　be　endued　with　so　much
wit；　onely　hee　curst　him　for　keeping　it　no　better；　and　curst
himselfe　also；　for　reposing　trust　in　such　a　careles　knave；　knowing　him
to　be　slothfull；　disobedient；　negligent；　and　void　of　all　honest
understanding　or　grace。　Sodainly　（without　blushing）　lest　his　losse
should　be　discerned；　he　lifted　his　lookes　and　hands　to　heaven；
speaking　out　so　loude；　as　every　one　might　easily　heare　him；　thus：　O
thou　omnipotent　providence；　for　ever　let　thy　power　be　praised。　Then
making　fast　the　Cabinet　againe；　and　turning　himselfe　to　the　people；
with　lookes　expressing　admiration；　he　proceeded　in　this　manner。
　　Lords；　Ladies；　and　you　the　rest　of　my　worthy　Auditors：　You　are　to
understand；　that　I　（being　then　very　young）　was　sent　by　my　Superiour；
into　those　parts；　where　the　Sun　appeareth　at　his　first　rising。　And　I
had　received　charge　by　expresse　command；　that　I　should　seeke　for　（so
much　as　consisted　in　my　power　to　do）　the　especiall　vertues　and
priviledges　belonging　to　Porcellane；　which　although　the　boyling
thereof　bee　worth　but　little；　yet　it　is　very　profitable　to　any　but　us。
In　regard　whereof；　being　upon　my　journey；　and　departing　from　Venice；
passing　along　the　Borgo　de　Grecia；　I　proceeded　thence　（on　horseback）
through　the　Realme　of　Garbo；　so　to