the decameron(十日谈)-第145章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Tofano　hearing　his　Wife　thus　to　flout　him　out　of　his　Window；　went　back
to　the　doore；　and　finding　it　made　fast　against　him：　he　willed　hir　to
grant　him　entrance。　But　she；　forgetting　all　gentle　Language；　which
formerly　she　had　used　to　him：　in　meere　mockery　and　derision　（yet
intermixed　with　some　sighes　and　teares；　which　women　are　saide　to
have　at　command）　out　aloud　（because　the　Neighbours　should　heare　her）
thus　she　replyed。
　　Beastly　drunken　Knave　as　thou　art；　this　night　thou　shalt　not　come
within　these　doores；　I　am　no　longer　able　to　endure　thy　base　behaviour；
it　is　more　then　high　time；　that　thy　course　of　life　should　bee
publiquely　known；　and　at　what　drunken　houres　thou　returnest　home　to
thy　house。　Tofano；　being　a　man　of　very　impatient　Nature；　was　as　bitter
unto　her　in　words　on　the　other　which　the　Neighbours　about　them　（both
men　and　Women）　hearing；　looked　forth　of　their　Windowes；　and　demaunding
a　reason　for　this　their　disquietnesse；　Cheta　（seeming　as　if　she
wept）　sayde。
　　Alas　my　good　Neighbours；　you　see　at　what　unfitting　houres；　this
bad　man　comes　home　to　his　house；　after　hee　hath　lyen　in　a　Taverne
all　day　drunke；　sleeping　and　snorting　like　a　Swine。　You　are　my
honest　witnesses；　how　long　I　have　suffered　this　beastlinesse　in　him；
yet　neyther　your　good　counsell；　nor　my　too　often　loving
adrionitions；　can　worke　that　good　which　wee　have　expected。
Wherefore；　to　try　if　shame　can　procure　any　amendment；　I　have　shut
him　out　of　doores；　until　his　drunken　fit　be　over…past；　and　so　he　shall
stand　to　coole　his　feet。
　　Tofano　（but　in　very　uncivill　maner）　told　her　being　abroad　that
night；　and　how　she　had　used　him：　But　the　Neighbours　seeing　her　to　be
within　the　house；　and　beleeving　her；　rather　then　him；　in　regard　of　his
too　well　knowne　ill　qualities；　very　sharpely　reproved　him；　gave　him
grosse　speeches；　pittying　that　any　honest　Woman　should　be　so
continually　abused。　Now　my　good　Neighbours　（quoth　she）　you　see　what
manner　of　man　he　is。　What　would　you　thinke　of　me；　if　I　should　walk　the
streets　thus　in　the　night　time；　or　be　so　late　out　of　mine　owne
house；　as　this　dayly　Drunkard　is？　I　was　affraid　least　you　would　have
given　credit　to　his　dissembling　speeches；　when　he　told　you；　that　I　was
at　the　Welles　side；　and　threw　something　into　the　Well：　but　that　I　know
your　better　opinion　of　me；　and　how　sildome　I　am　to　be　seene　out　of
doores；　although　he　would　induce　your　sharper　judgement　of　me；　and　lay
that　shame　upon　me；　wherein　he　hath　sinned　himselfe。
　　The　Neighbours；　both　men　and　Women；　were　all　very　severely
incensed　against　Tofano；　condemning　him　for　his　great　fault　that　night
committed；　and　avouching　his　wife　to　be　vertuous　and　honest。　Within
a　little　while；　the　noise　passing　from　Neighbour　to　Neighbour；　at
the　length　it　came　to　the　eares　of　her　Kindred；　who　forthwith　resorted
thither；　and　hearing　how　sharpely　the　Neighbours　reprehended　Tofano：
they　tooke　him；　soundly　bastanadoed　him；　and　hardly　left　any　bone　of
him　unbruised。　Afterward；　they　went　into　the　house；　tooke　all　such
things　thence　as　belonged　to　hir；　taking　hir　also　with　them　to　their
dwelling；　and　threatning　Tofano　with　further　infliction　of　punishment；
both　for　his　drunkennesse；　and　causlesse　jealousie。
　　Tofano　perceyving　how　curstly　they　had　handled　him；　and　what　crooked
meanes　might　further　be　used　against　him；　in　regard　her　Kindred　and
Friends　were　very　mightie：　thought　it　much　better；　patiently　to　suffer
the　wrong　alreadie　done　him；　then　by　obstinate　contending　to　proceed
further；　and　fare　worse。　He　became　a　suter　to　her　Kindred；　that　al
might　be　forgotten　and　forgiven；　in　recompence　whereof；　he　would　not
onely　refraine　from　drunkennesse；　but　also；　never　more　be　jelous　of
his　wife。　This　being　faithfully　promised；　and　Cheta　reconciled　to
her　Husband；　all　strife　was　ended；　she　enjoyed　her　friends　favour；
as　occasion　served；　but　yet　with　such　discretion；　as　it　was　not　noted。
Thus　the　Coxcombe　foole；　was　faine　to　purchase　his　peace；　after　a
notorious　wrong　sustained；　and　further　injuries　to　bee　offered。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SEVENTH　DAY；　THE　FIFT　NOVELL

　　IN　JUST　SCORNE　AND　MOCKERY　OF　SUCH　JEALOUS　HUSBANDS；　THAT　WILL　BE
　　　SO　IDLE　HEADED　UPON　NO　OCCASION。　YET　WHEN　THEY　HAVE　GOOD　REASON
　　　　　　　　　　　FOR　IT；　DO　LEAST　OF　ALL　SUSPECT　ANY　SUCH　INJURY

　　A　jealous　man；　clouded　with　the　habite　of　a　Priest；　became　the
Confessour　to　his　owne　Wife；　who　made　him　beleeve；　that　she　was
deepely　in　love　with　a　Priest；　which　came　every　night；　and　lay　with
her。　By　meanes　of　which　confession；　while　her　jealous　Husband
watched　the　doore　of　his　house；　to　surprize　the　Priest　when　he　came：
she　that　never　meant　to　do　amisse；　had　the　company　of　a　secret　Friend；
who　came　over　the　toppe　of　the　house　to　visite　her；　while　her
foolish　Husband　kept　the　doore。

　　Madam　Lauretta　having　ended　her　Novell；　and　every　one　commended
the　Woman；　for　fitting　Tofano　in　his　kinde；　and；　as　his　jealousie
and　drunkennesse　justly　deserved：　the　King　（to　prevent　all　losse　of
time）　turned　to　Madame　Fiammetta；　commaunding　her　to　follow　next：
whereuppon；　very　graciously；　shee　beganne　in　this　manner。
　　Noble　Ladies；　the　precedent　Novell　delivered　by　Madame　Lauretta；
maketh　me　willing　to　speake　of　another　jealous　man；　as　being　halfe
perswaded；　that　whatsoever　is　done　to　them　by　their　Wives；　and
especially　upon　no　occasion　given；　they　doe　no　more　then　well
becommeth　them。　And　if　those　grave　heads；　which　were　the　first
instituters　of　lawes；　had　diligently　observed　all　things；　I　am　of
the　minde；　that　they　would　have　ordained　no　other　penalty　for　Women；
then　they　appointed　against　such；　as　（in　their　owne　defence）　do　offend
any　other。　For　jealous　husbands；　are　meere　insidiators　of　their
Wives　lives；　and　most　diligent　pursuers　of　their　deaths；　being　lockt
up　in　their　houses　all　the　Weeke　long；　imployed　in　nothing　but
domesticke　drudging　affayres：　which　makes　them　desirous　of　high
Festivall　dayes；　to　receive　some　litle　comfort　abroad；　by　an　honest
recreation　or　pastime；　as　Husbandmen　in　the　fields；　Artizans　in　our
Citie；　or　Governours　in　our　judiciall　Courtes；　yea；　or　as　our　Lord
himselfe；　who　rested　the　seaventh　day　from　all　his　travailes。　In
like　manner；　it　is　so　willed　and　ordained　by　the　Lawes；　as　well　divine
as　humane；　which　have　regard　to　the　glory　of　God；　and　for　the　common
good　of　every　one；　making　distinction　betweene　those　dayes　appointed
for　labour；　and　the　other　determined　for　rest。　Whereto　jealous　persons
（in　no　case）　will　give　consent；　but　all　those　dayes　（which　for　other
women　are　pleasing　and　delightfull）　unto　such；　over　whom　they　command；
are　most　irksome；　sadde　and　sorrowful；　because　then　they　are　lockt　up；
and　very　strictly　restrained。　And　if　question　wer　urged；　how　many　good
women　do　live　and　consume　away　in　this　torturing　het　of　affliction：
I　can　make　no　other　answere；　but　such　as　feele　it；　are　best　able　to
discover　it。　Wherefore　to　conclude　the　proheme　to　my　present
purpose；　let　none　be　over　rash　in　condemning　women：　for　what　they　do
to　their　husbands；　being　jealous　without　occasion；　but　rather
commend　their　wit　and　providence。
　　Somtime　（faire　Ladies）　there　lived　in　Arimino；　a　Merchant；　very　rich
in　wealth　and　worldly　possessions；　who　having　a　beautifull　Gentlewoman
to　his　wife；　he　became　extreamly　jelous　of　her。　And　he　had　no　other
reason　for　this　foolish　conceit；　but；　like　as　he　loved　hir　dearly；　and
found　her　to　be　very　absolutely　faire：　even　so　he　imagined；　that
althogh　she　devised　by　her　best　meanes　to　give　him　content；　yet　others
would　grow　enamored　of　her；　because　she　appeared　so　amiable　to　al。
In　which　respect；　time　might　tutor　her　to　affect　some　other　beside
himselfe：　the　onely　common　argument　of　every　bad　minded　man；　being
weake　and　shallow　in　his　owne　understanding。　This　jelous　humor
increasing　in　him　more　and　more；　he　kept　her　in　such　narrow　restraint：
that　many　persons　condemned　to　death；　have　enoyed　larger　libertie　in
their　imprisonment。　For；　she　might　not　bee　present　at　Feasts；
Weddings；　nor　goe　to　Church；　or　so　much　as　to　be　seen　at　her　doore：
Nay；　she　durst　not　stand　in　her　Window；　nor　looke　out　of　her　house；
for　any　occasion　whatsoever。　By　means　whereof；　life　seemed　most
tedious　and　of