the decameron(十日谈)-第142章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SEVENTH　DAY；　THE　THIRD　NOVELL

　　　SERVING　AS　A　FRIENDLY　ADVERTISEMENT　TO　MARRIED　WOMEN；　THAT　MONKS；
　　　　　　　　　FRIARS；　AND　PRIESTS　MAY　BE　NONE　OF　THEIR　GOSSIPS；　IN
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　REGARD　OF　UNAVOYDABLE　PERILLES　ENSUING　THEREBY

　　Friar　Reynard；　falling　in　love　with　a　Gentlewoman；　Wife　to　a　man
of　good　account；　found　the　meanes　to　become　her　Gossip。　Afterward；
he　being　conferring　closely　with　her　in　her　Chamber；　and　her　Husband
coming　sodainly　thither：　she　made　him　beleeve；　that　he　came　thither
for　no　other　end；　but　to　cure　his　God…sonne　by　a　charme；　of　a
dangerous　disease　which　he　had　by　Wormes。

　　Philostratus　told　not　this　Tale　so　covertly；　concerning　Lazaros
simplicity；　and　Peronellaes　witty　policy；　but　the　Ladies　found　a
knot　in　the　rush；　and　laughed　not　a　little；　at　his　queint　manner　of
discoursing　it。　But　upon　the　conclusion；　the　King　looking　upon　Madam
Eliza；　willed　her　to　succeede　next；　which　as　willingly　she　granted；
and　thus　began。　Pleasant　Ladies；　the　charme　or　conjuration　wherwith
Madam　Aemillia　laid　her　night…walking　Spirit；　maketh　me　remember　a
Novell　of　another　enchantment；　which　although　it　carrieth　not
commendation　equall　to　the　other；　yet　I　intend　to　report　it；　because
it　suteth　with　our　present　purpose；　and　I　cannot　sodainly　be
furnisht　with　another；　answerable　thereto　in　nature。
　　You　are　to　understand　then；　that　there　lived　in　Siena；　a　proper　yong
man；　of　good　birth　and　well　friended；　being　named　Reynard。　Earnestly
he　affected　his　neere　dwelling　neighbour；　a　beautifull　Gentlewoman；
and　wife　to　a　man　of　good　esteeme：　of　whom　hee　grew　halfe　perswaded；
that　if　he　could　（without　suspition）　compasse　private　conference
with　her；　he　should　reach　the　height　of　his　amorous　desires。　Yet
seeing　no　likely　meanes　wherewith　to　further　his　hope；　and　shee
being　great　with　childe；　he　resolved　to　become　a　Godfather　to　the
childe；　at　such　time　as　it　should　be　brought　to　Christening。　And　being
inwardly　acquainted　with　her　Husband；　who　was　named　Credulano；　such
familiar　intercourses　passed　betweene　them；　both　of　Reynards　kinde
offer；　and　Credulanoes　as　courteous　acceptance；　that　hee　was　set　downe
for　a　Gossippe。
　　Reynard　being　thus　embraced　for　Madam　Agnesiaes　Gossip；　and　this
proving　the　onely　colourable　meanes；　for　his　safer　permission　of
speech　with　her；　to　let　her　now　understand　by　word　of　mouth；　what　long
before　she　collected　by　his　lookes　and　behaviour：　it　fell　out　no　way
beneficiall　to　him；　albeit　Agnesia　seemed　not　nice　or　scrupulous　in
hearing；　yet　she　had　a　more　precious　care　of　her　honor。　It　came　to
passe；　within　a　while　after　（whether　by　seeing　his　labour　vainly
spent；　or　some　other　urgent　occasion　moving　him　thereto；　I　know　not）
Reynard　would　needs　enter　into　Religion；　and　whatsoever　strictnesse　or
austeritie　hee　found　to　be　in　that　kinde　of　life；　yet　he　determined　to
persevere　therein；　whether　it　were　for　his　good　or　ill。　And　although
within　a　short　space；　after　he　was　thus　become　a　Religious　Monke；
hee　seemed　to　forget　the　former　love　which　he　bare　to　his　gossip
Agnesia；　and　divers　other　enormous　vanities　beside：　yet　let　me　tell
you；　successe　of　time　tutord　him　in　them　again（！；　and；　without　any
respect　to　his　poore　ho　habite；　but　rather　in　contempt　thereof　（as
it　were）　he　tooke　an　especiall　delight；　in　wearing　garments　of　much
richer　esteeme；　yet　favoured　by　the　same　Monasticall　profession；
appearing　（in　all　respects）　like　a　Court…Minion　or　Favourite；　of　a
sprightly　and　Poeticall　disposition；　for　composing　Verses；　Sonnets；
and　Canzons；　singing　them　to　sundry　excellent　instruments；　and　yet　not
greatly　curious　of　his　company；　so　they　were　some　of　the　best；　and
Madame　Agnesia　one；　his　former　Gossip。
　　But　why　doe　I　trouble　my　selfe；　in　talking　thus　of　our　so　lately
converted　Friar；　holy　Father　Reynard；　when　they　of　longer　standing；
and　reputed　meerely　for　Saints　in　life；　are　rather　much　more　vile　then
hee？　Such　is　the　wretched　condition　of　this　world；　that　they　shame　not
（fat；　foggie；　and　nastie　Abbey…lubbers）　to　shew　how　full…fedde　they
live　in　their　Cloysters；　with　cherry　cheekes；　and　smooth　shining
lookes；　gay　and　gaudy　garments；　far　from　the　least　expression　of
humility；　not　walking　in　the　streets　like　Doves：　but　high…crested　like
Cockes；　with　well　cramd　gorges。　Nay；　which　is　worse；　if　you　did　but
see　their　Chambers　furnished　with　Gally…pots　of　Electuaries；
precious　Unguents；　Apothecary　Boxes；　filled　with　various
Confections；　Conserves；　excellent　Perfumes；　and　other　goodly　Glasses
of　artificiall　Oyles　and　Waters：　beside　Rundlets　and　small　Barrels
full　of　Greeke　Wine；　Muscatella；　Lachrime　Christi；　and　other　such　like
most　precious　Wines；　so　that　（to　such　as　see　them）　they　seeme　not　to
bee　Chambers　of　Religious　men；　but　rather　Apothecaries　Shoppes；　or
appertaining　to　Druggists；　Grocers；　or　Perfumers。
　　It　is　no　disgrace　to　them　to　be　Gowty；　because　when　other　men　know
it　not；　they　alledge；　that　strict　fasting；　feeding　on　grosse　Meates
（though　never　so　little；）　continuall　studying；　and　such　like
restraints　from　the　bodies　freer　exercise；　maketh　them　subject　to　many
infirmities。　And　yet；　when　any　one　of　them　chanceth　to　fall　sicke；　the
Physitian　must　minister　no　such　counsell　to　them；　as　Chastity；
Abstinence　from　voluptuous　meats；　Discipline　of　the　body；　or　any　of
those　matters　appertaining　to　a　modest　religious　life。　For；　concerning
the　plaine；　vulgar；　and　Plebeian　people；　these　holy　Fathers　are
perswaded；　that　they　know　nothing　really　belonging　to　a
sanctimonious　life；　as　long　watching；　praying；　discipline　and　fasting；
which　（in　themselves）　are　not　able；　to　make　men　look　leane；
wretched；　and　pale。　Because　Saint　Dominicke；　Saint　Fraunces；　and
divers　other　holy　Saints　beside；　observed　the　selfesame　religious
orders　and　constitutions；　as　now　their　carefull　successors　do。
Moreover；　in　example　of　those　fore…named　Saints；　who　went　wel
cloathed；　though　they　had　not　three　Garments　for　one；　nor　made　of
the　finest　Woollen　excellent　cloath：　but　rather　of　the　very　coarsest
of　all　other；　and　of　the　common　ordinary　colour；　to　expell　cold　onely；
but　not　to　appear　brave　or　gallant；　deceyving　thereby　infinite
simple　credulous　soules；　whose　purses　（neverthelesse）　are　their　best
pay…masters。
　　But　leave　we　this；　and　returne　wee　backe　to　vertuous　Fryar
Reynard；　who　falling　again&　to　his　former　appetites；　became　an　often
visitant　of　his　Gossip　Agnesia；　and　now　hee　had　learned　such　a
blushlesse　kinde　of　boldnesse；　that　he　durst　be　more　instant　with
her　（concerning　his　privie　sute）　then　ever　formerly　he　had　bin；　yea
even　to　solicite　the　enjoying　of　his　immodest　desires。　The　good
Gentlewoman；　seeing　her　selfe　so　importunately　pursued；　and　Friar
Reynard　appearing　now　（perhappes）　of　sweeter　and　more　delicate
complexion；　the　at　his　entrance　into　Religion：　at　a　set　time　of　his
secret　communing　with　her；　she　answered　him　in　as　apt　tearmes；　as　they
use　to　do；　who　are　not　greatly　sqeamish；　in　granting　matters
demanded　of　them。
　　Why　how　now　Friar　Reynard？　quoth　shee；　Doe　Godfathers　use　to　move
such　questions？　Whereto　the　Friar　thus　replyed。　Madam；　when　I　have
laide　off　this　holy　habite　（which　is　a　matter　very　easie　for　mee　to
do）　I　shall　seeme　in　your　eye；　in　all　respects　made　like　another
man；　quite　from　the　course　of　any　Religious　life。　Agnesia；　biting
the　lip　with　a　prety　smile；　said；　O　my　faire　Starres！　You　will　never
bee　so　unfriendly　to　me。　What？　You　being　my　Gossip；　would　you　have
me　consent　unto　such　a　sinne？　Our　blessed　Lady　shield　mee；　for　my
ghostly　Father　hath　often　told　me；　that　it　is　utterly　unpardonable：
but　if　it　were；　I　feare　too　much　confiding　on　mine　owne　strength。
Gossip；　the　Friar；　you　speake　like　a　Foole；　and　feare　（in　this　case）
is　wholly　frivolous；　especially；　when　the　motions　mooved　by　such　an
one　as　my　selfe；　who　（upon　repentance）　can　grant　you　pardon　and
indulgence　presently。　But　I　pray　you　let　mee　aske　you　one　question；
Who　is　the　neerest　Kinsman　to　your　Son；　either　I；　that　stood　at　the
Font　for　his　Baptisme；　or　your　Husband　that　begot　him？　The　Lady　made
answere；　that　it　was　her　Husband。　You　say　very　true　Gossip；　replyed
the　Friar；　and　yet　notwithstanding；　doth　not　your