the decameron(十日谈)-第141章

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occasion；　Lazaro　returned　backe　againe；　quite　contrary　to　his　former
wont；　keeping　foorth　all　day；　and　never　comming　home　till　night。
　　Finding　his　doore　to　be　fast　lockt；　and　he　having　knockt　softlie
once　or　twice；　he　spake　in　this　manner　to　himselfe。　Fortune　I　thanke
thee；　for　albeit　thou　hast　made　mee　poore；　yet　thou　hast　bestowed　a
better　blessing　on　me；　in　matching　me　with　so　good；　honest；　and　loving
a　Wife。　Behold；　though　I　went　early　out　of　my　house；　her　selfe　hath
risen　in　the　cold　to　shut　the　doore；　to　prevent　the　entrance　of
theeves；　or　any　other　that　might　offend　us。　Peronella　having　heard
what　her　husband　sayde；　and　knowing　the　manner　of　his　knocke；　said
fearfully　to　Striguario。　Alas　deare　friend；　what　shall　wee　doe？　I　am
little　lesse　then　a　dead　Woman：　For；　Lazaro　my　Husband　is　come　backe
again；　and　I　know　not　what　to　do　or　say。　He　never　returned　in　this
order　before　now；　doubtlesse；　hee　saw　when　you　entred　the　doore；　and
for　the　safety　of　your　honour　and　mine：　creepe　under　this　brewing　Fat；
till　I　have　opened　the　doore；　to　know　the　reason　of　his　so　soone
returning。
　　Striguario　made　no　delaying　of　the　matter；　but　got　himselfe　closelie
under　the　Fat；　and　Peronella　opening　the　doore　for　her　husbands
enterance；　with　a　frowning　countenance；　spake　thus　unto　him。　What
meaneth　this　so　early　returning　home　againe　this　morning？　It
seemeth；　thou　intendest　to　do　nothing　to　day；　having　brought　backe　thy
tooles　in　thy　hands？　If　such　be　thine　intent；　how　shall　we　live？　Where
shal　we　have　bread　to　fill　our　bellies？　Dooest　thou　thinke；　that　I
will　suffer　thee　to　pawne　my　gowne；　and　other　poore　garments；　as
heeretofore　thou　hast　done？　I　that　card　and　spinne　both　night　and　day；
till　I　have　worne　the　flesh　from　my　fingers；　yet　all　will　hardly　finde
oyle　to　maintaine　our　Lampe。　Husband；　husband；　there　is　not　one
neighbour　dwelling　by　us；　but　makes　a　mockerie　of　me；　and　tels　me
plainly；　that　I　may　be　ashamed　to　drudge　and　moyle　as　I　do；
wondering　not　a　little；　how　I　am　able　to　endure　it；　and　thou　returnest
home　with　thy　hands　in　thy　hose；　as　if　thou　hadst　no　worke　at　all　to
do　this　day。
　　Having　thus　spoken；　she　fell　to　weeping；　and　then　thus　began
again。　Poore　wretched　woman　as　I　am；　in　an　unfortunate　houre　was　I
borne；　and　in　a　much　worse；　when　I　was　made　thy　Wife。　I　could　have　had
a　proper；　handsome　yong　man；　one；　that　would　have　maintained　mee　brave
and　gallantly：　but；　beast　as　I　was；　to　forgoe　my　good；　and　cast　my
selfe　away　on　such　a　beggar　as　thou　art；　and　whom　none　wold　have
had；　but　such　an　Asse　as　I。　Other　women　live　at　hearts　ease；　and　in
jollity；　have　their　amorous　friends　and　loving　Paramours；　yea；　one；
two；　three　at　once；　making　their　husbands　looke　like　a　Moone　cressent；
wheron　they　shine　Sun…like；　with　amiable　lookes；　because　they　know　not
how　to　helpe　it：　when　I　（poore　foole）　live　heere　at　home　a　miserable
life；　not　daring　once　to　dreame　of　such　follies；　an　innocent　soule；
heartlesse　and　harmelesse。
　　Many　times；　sitting　and　sighing　to　my　selfe：　Lord；　thinke　I；　of　what
mettall　am　I　made？　Why　should　not　I　have　a　Friend　in　a　corner；
aswell　as　others　have？　I　am　flesh　and　blood；　as　they　are；　not　made
of　brasse　or　iron；　and　therefore　subject　to　womens　frailty。　would　thou
shouldest　know　it　husband；　and　I　tell　it　thee　in　good　earnest；　That　if
I　would　doe　ill；　I　could　quickely　finde　a　friend　at　a　neede。
Gallants　there　are　good　store；　who　（of　my　knowledge）　love　me
dearely；　and　have　made　me　very　large　and　liberall　promises；　of
Golde；　Silver；　jewels；　and　gay　Garments；　if　I　would　extend　them　the
least　favour。　But　my　heart　will　not　suffer　me；　I　never　was　the
daughter　of　such　a　mother；　as　had　so　much　as　a　thought　of　such
matters：　no；　I　thanke　our　blessed　Ladie；　and　S。　Friswid　for　it：　and
yet　thou　returnest　home　againe；　when　thou　shouldst　be　at　Worke。
　　Lazaro；　who　stoode　all　this　while　like　a　well…beleeving　Logger…head；
demurely　thus　answered。　Alas　good　Wife！　I　pray　you　bee　not　so　angry；　I
never　had　so　much　as　an　ill　thought　of　you；　but　know　wel　enough　what
you　are；　and　have　made　good　proofe　thereof　this　morning。　Understand
therefore　patiently　（sweet　Wife）　that　I　went　forth　to　my　work　as　dayly
I　use　to　do；　little　dreaming　（as　I　thinke　you　doe　not）　that　it　had
bene　Holyday。　Wife；　this　is　the　Feast　day　of　Saint　Galeone；　whereon　we
may　in　no　wise　worke；　and　this　is　the　reason　of　my　so　soone　returning。
Neverthelesse　（dear　Wife）　I　was　not　carelesse　of　our　Houshold
provision：　For；　though　we　worke　not；　yet　we　must　have　foode；　which　I
have　provided　for　more　then　a　moneth。　Wife；　I　remembred　the　brewing
Fat；　whereof　we　have　little　or　no　use　at　all；　but　rather　it　is　a
trouble　to　the　house；　then　otherwise。　I　met　with　an　honest　Friend；　who
stayeth　without　at　the　doore；　to　him　I　have　sold　the　Fat　for　ten
Gigliatoes；　and　he　tarrieth　to　take　it　away　with　him。
　　How　Husband？　replied　Peronella；　Why　now　I　am　worse　offended　then
before。　Thou　that　art　a　man；　walkest　every　where；　and　shouldst　be
experienced　in　worldly　affaires：　wouldst　thou　bee　so　simple；　as　to
sell　such　a　brewing　Fat　for　ten　Gigliatoes？　Why；　I　that　am　a　poore
ignorant　woman；　a　house　Dove；　sildome　going　out　of　my　doore：　have　sold
it　already　for　twelve　Gigliatoes；　to　a　very　honest　man；　who　（even　a
little　before　thy　comming　home）　came　to　me；　we　agreed　on　the　bargaine；
and　he　is　now　underneath　the　Fat；　to　see　whether　it　be　sound　or　no。
When　credulous　Lazaro　heard　this；　he　was　better　contented　then　ever；
and　went　to　him　that　taried　at　the　doore；　saying。　Good　man；　you　may
goe　your　way；　for；　whereas　you　offered　me　but　ten　Gigliatoes　for　the
Fat；　my　loving　wife　hath　sold　it　for　twelve；　and　I　must　maintaine　what
shee　hath　done：　so　the　man　departed；　and　the　variance　ended。
　　Peronella　then　saide　to　her　husband。　Seeing　thou　art　come　home　so
luckily；　helpe　me　to　lift　up　the　Fat；　that　the　man　may　come　foorth；
and　then　you　two　end　the　bargaine　together。　Striguario；　who　thogh　he
was　mewed　up　under　the　tubbe；　had　his　eares　open　enough；　and　hearing
the　witty　excuse　of　Peronella；　tooke　himselfe　free　from　future
feare：　and　being　come　from　under　the　Fat；　pretending　also；　as　if　he
had　herd　nothing；　nor　saw　Lazaro；　looking　round　about　him；　said。　Where
is　this　good　woman？　Lazaro　stepping　forth　boldly　like　a　man；
replyed：　Heere　am　I；　what　would　you　have　Sir？　Thou？　quoth
Striguario；　what　art　thou？　I　ask　for　the　good　wife；　with　whom　I　made
my　match　for　the　Fat。　Honest　Gentleman　（answered　Lazaro）　I　am　that
honest　Womans　Husband；　for　lacke　of　a　better；　and　I　will　maintaine
whatsoever　my　Wife　hath　done。
　　I　crie　you　mercie　Sir；　replyed　Striguario；　I　bargained　with　your
Wife　for　this　brewing　Fat；　which　I　finde　to　be　whole　and　sound：　only
it　is　uncleane　within；　hard　crusted　with　some　dry　soile　upon　it；　which
I　know　not　well　how　to　get　off；　if　you　will　be　the　meanes　of　making　it
cleane；　I　have　the　money　heere　ready　for　it。　For　that　Sir　（quoth
Peronella）　take　you　no　care；　although　no　match　at　all　had　beene
made；　what　serves　my　Husband　for；　but　to　make　it　cleane？　Yes
forsooth　Sir；　answered　sily　Lazaro；　you　shall　have　it　neate　and　cleane
before　you　pay　the　mony。
　　So；　stripping　himselfe　into　his　shirt　lighting　a　Candle；　and
taking　tooles　fit　for　the　purpose；　the　Fat　was　whelmed　over　him；　and
he　being　within　it；　wrought　untill　he　sweated；　with　scraping　and
scrubbing。　So　that　these　poore　Lovers；　what　they　could　not
accomplish　as　they　wold；　necessity　enforced　them　to　performe　as　they
might。　And　Peronella；　looking　in　at　the　vent…hole；　where　the　Liquor
runneth　forth　for　the　meshing；　seemed　to　instruct　her　husband　in　the
businesse；　as　espying　those　parts　where　the　Fat　was　fowlest；　saying：
There；　there　Lazaro；　tickle　it　there；　the　Gentleman　payes　well　for　it；
and　is　worthy　to　have　it：　but　see　thou　do　thy　selfe　no　harme　good
Husband。　I　warrant　thee　Wife；　answered　Lazaro；　hurt　not　your　selfe
with　leaning　your　stomacke　on　the　Fat；　and　leave　the　cleansing　of　it
to　me。　To　be　breefe；　the　Brewing　Fat　was　neatly　cleansed；　Peronella
and　Striguario　both　well　pleased；　the　money　paide；　and　honest
meaning　Lazaro　not　discontented。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SEVENTH　DAY；　THE　THIRD　NOVELL

　　　SERVING　AS　A　FRIENDLY　ADVERTI