the decameron(十日谈)-第154章

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I　forgive　him；　even　so　（good　Mother　and　kinde　Brethren；）　let　mee
entreate　you　to　do　the　like。
　　When　the　Mother　had　heard　these　words；　and　confidently　beleeved
her　Daughter：　she　began　to　torment　her　selfe　with　anger；　saying。　By
the　faith　of　my　body　Daughter；　this　unkindnesse　is　not　＇to＇　be
endured；　but　rather　let　the　dogge　be　hanged；　that　his　qualities　may　be
knowne；　he　being　utterly　unworthy；　to　have　so　good　a　woman　to　his
wife；　as　thou　art。　What　could　he　have　done　if　he　had　taken　thee　in　the
open　more；　and　in　company　of　some　wanton　Gallants？　In　an　unfortunate
houre　wast　thou　married　to　him；　base　jealous　Coxecombe　as　he　is；　and
it　is　quite　against　sense；　or　reason；　that　thou　shouldest　be　subject
to　his　fooleries。　What　was　hee；　but　a　Merchant　of　Eale…skinnes　or
Orenges；　bred　in　some　paltry　countrey　village；　taken　from
Hogge…rubbing；　clothed　in　Sheepes…Sattin；　with　Clownish　Startops；
Leather　stockings；　and　Caddies　garters：　His　whole　habite　not　worth
three　shillings：　And　yet　he　must　have　a　faire　Gentlewoman　to　his　Wife；
of　honest　fame；　riches　and　reputation；　when；　comparing　his　pedegree
with　hers；　hee　is　farre　unfit　to　wipe　her　shooes。
　　Oh　my　deare　sonnes；　I　would　you　had　followed　my　counsell；　and
permitted　her　to　mate　in　the　honourable　family　of　Count　Guido；　which
was　much　mooved；　and　seriously　pursued。　But　you　would　needs　bestow　her
on　this　goodly　jewell；　who；　although　shee　is　one　of　the　choysest
beauties　in　Florence；　chaste；　honest　and　truely　vertuous：　Is　not
ashamed　at　midnight；　to　proclaime　her　for　a　common　whore；　as　if　we　had
no　better　knowledge　of　her。　But　by　the　blessed　mother　of　Saint　John；
if　you　would　be　ruled　by　mine　advise；　our　law　should　make　him
dearely　smart　for　it。
　　Alas　my　sonnes；　did　I　not　tell　you　at　home　in　our　owne　house；　that
his　words　were　no　way　likely　to　prove　true？　Have　not　your　eyes
observed　his　unmannerly　behaviour　to　your　Sister？　If　I　were　as　you
are；　hearing　what　he　hath　said；　and　noting　his　drunken　carriage
beside；　I　should　never　give　over；　as　long　as　he　had　any　life　left　in
him。　And　were　I　a　man；　as　I　am　a　woman；　none　other　then　my　selfe
should　revenge　her　wrongs；　making　him　a　publike　spectacle　to　all
drabbing　drunkards。
　　When　the　brethren　had　heard　and　observed　all　these　occurrences；　in
most　bitter　manner　they　railed　on　Arriguccio；　bestowing　some　good
bastinadoes　on　him　beside；　concluding　thus　with　him　in　the　end。
Quoth　one　of　them；　Wee　will　pardon　this　shamefull　abusing　of　our
Sister；　because　thou　art　a　notorious　drunkard：　but　looke　to　it　（on
perill　of　thy　life）　that　we　have　no　more　such　newes　hereafter；　for；
beleeve　it　unfainedly；　if　any　such　impudent　rumours　happen　to　our
eares；　or　so　much　as　a　flying　fame　thereof；　thou　shalt　surely　be　paide
for　both　faults　together。
　　So　home　againe　went　they；　and　Arriguccio　stood　like　one　that　had
neither　life　or　motion；　not　knowing　（whether　what　he　had　done）　was
true；　or　no；　or　if　he　dreamed　all　this　while；　and　so　（without　uttering
any　word）　he　left　his　Wife；　and　went　quietly　to　bed。　Thus　by　her
wisdome；　she　did　not　onely　prevent　an　imminent　perill：　but　also　made　a
free　and　open　passage；　to　further　contentment　with　her　amourous
friend；　yet　dreadlesse　of　any　distaste　or　suspition　in　her　Husband。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SEVENTH　DAY；　THE　NINTH　NOVELL

　　　WHEREIN　IS　DECLARED；　THAT　GREAT　LORDS　MAY　SOMETIME　BE　DECEIVED　BY
　　　　　　　　　　　　　THEIR　WIVES；　AS　WELL　AS　MEN　OF　MEANER　CONDITION

　　Lydia；　a　Lady　of　great　beauty；　birth；　and　honor；　being　Wife　to
Nicostratus；　Governour　of　Argos；　falling　in　love　with　a　Gentleman；
named　Pyrrhus；　was　requested　by　him　（as　a　true　testimony　of　her
unfeigned　affection）　to　performe　three　severall　actions　of　her
selfe。　She　did　accomplish　them　all；　and　imbraced　and　kissed　Pyrrhus　in
the　presence　of　Nicostratus；　by　perswading　him；　that　whatsoever　he
saw；　was　meerely　false。

　　The　Novell　delivered；　by　Madame　Neiphila；　seemed　so　pleasing　to
all　the　Ladies；　as　they　could　not　refraine　from　hearty　laughter；
beside　much　liberality　of　speech。　Albeit　the　King　did　oftentimes
urge　silence；　and　commanded　Pamphilus　to　follow　next。　So；　when
attention　was　admitted；　Pamphilus　began　in　this　order。　I　am　of
opinion；　faire　Ladies；　that　there　is　not　any　matter；　how　uneasie　or
doubtfull　soever　it　may　seeme　to　be；　but　the　man　or　woman　that
affecteth　fervently；　dare　boldly　attempt；　and　effectually
accomplish。　And　this　perswasion　of　mine；　although　it　hath　beene
sufficiently　approved；　by　many　of　our　passed　Novels：　Yet
notwithstanding；　I　shall　make　it　much　apparent　to　you；　by　a　present
discourse　of　mine　owne。　Wherein　I　have　occasion　to　speake　of　a　Lady；
to　whom　Fortune　was　more　favourable；　then　either　reason　or
judgement；　could　give　direction。　In　which　regard；　I　would　not　advise
any　of　you；　to　entertaine　so　high　an　imagination　of　minde；　as　to
tracke　her　footsteps　of　whom　I　am　now　to　speake：　because　Fortune
containeth　not　alwayes　one　and　the　same　disposition；　neither　can　all
mens　eyes　be　blinded　after　one　manner。　And　so　proceed　we　to　our　Tale。
　　In　Argos；　a　most　ancient　Citie　of　Achaya；　much　more　renowned　by
her　precedent　Kings；　then　wealth；　or　any　other　great　matter　of
worth：　there　lived　as　Lieutenant　or　Governour　thereof；　a　Noble　Lord；
named　Nicostratus；　on　whom　（albeit　hee　was　well　stept　into　yeares）
Fortune　bestowed　in　marriage　a　great　Lady；　no　lesse　bold　of　spirit；
then　choisely　beautifull。　Nicostratus；　abounding　in　treasure　and
wealthy　possessions；　kept　a　goodly　traine　of　Servants；　Horses；
Houndes；　Hawkes；　and　what　else　not；　as　having　an　extraordinary
felicity　in　all　kinds　of　game；　as　singular　exercises　to　maintaine
his　health。
　　Among　his　other　Servants　and　Followers；　there　was　a　yong
Gentleman；　gracefull　of　person；　excellent　in　speech；　and　every　way
as　active　as　no　man　could　be　more：　his　name　Pyrrhus；　highly　affected
of　Nicostratus；　and　more　intimately　trusted　then　all　the　rest。　Such
seemed　the　perfections　of　this　Pyrrhus；　that　Lydia　（for　so　was　the
Lady　named）　began　to　affect　him　very　earnestly；　and　in　such　sort；　as
day　or　night　shee　could　take　no　rest；　but　devised　all　meanes　to
compasse　her　harts　desire。　Now；　whether　he　observed　this　inclination
of　her　towards　him；　or　else　would　take　no　notice　thereof；　it　could　not
be　discerned　by　any　outward　apprehension：　which　moved　the　more
impatiency　in　her；　and　drove　her　hopes　to　dispairing　passions。　Wherein
to　finde　some　comfort　and　ease；　she　called　an　ancient　Gentlewoman　of
her　Chamber；　in　whom　shee　reposed　especiall　confidence；　and　thus　she
spake　to　her。
　　Lesca；　The　good　turnes　and　favours　thou　hast　received　from　me；
should　make　thee　faithfull　and　obedient　to　me：　and　therefore　set　a
locke　uppon　thy　lippes；　for　revealing　to　any　one　whatsoever；　such
matters　as　now　I　shall　impart　to　thee；　except　it　be　to　him　that　I
command　thee。　Thou　perceivest　Lesca；　how　youthfull　I　am；　apt　to　all
sprightly　recreations；　rich；　and　abounding　in　all　that　a　woman　can
wish　to　have；　in　regard　of　Fortunes　common　and　ordinary　favours：　yet　I
have　one　especiall　cause　of　complaint：　namely；　the　inequality　of　my
Mariage；　my　Husband　being　over…ancient　for　me；　in　which　regard；　my
youth　finds　it　selfe　too　highly　wronged；　being　defeated　of　those
duties　and　delights；　which　Women　（farre　inferiour　to　me）　are
continuallie　cloyed　withall；　and　I　am　utterly　deprived　of。　I　am
subject　to　the　same　desires　they　are；　and　deserve　to　taste　the　benefit
of　them；　in　as　ample　manner；　as　they　do　or　can。
　　Hitherto　I　have　lived　with　the　losse　of　time；　which　yet　（in　some
measure）　may　be　releeved　and　recompenced：　For；　though　Fortune　were
mine　enemy　in　Mariage；　by　such　a　disproportion　of　our　conditions：
yet　she　may　befriend　in　another　nature；　and　kindely　redeeme　the　injury
done　me。　Wherefore　Lesca；　to　be　as　compleate　in　this　case；　as　I　am
in　all　the　rest　beside；　I　have　resolved　upon　a　private　Friend；　and　one
more　worthy　then　any　other；　Namely；　my　Servant　Pyrrhus；　whose　youth
carieth　some　correspondency　with　mine；　and　so　constantly　have　I　setled
my　love　to　him；　as　I　am　not　well；　but　when　I　thinke　on　him；　or　see
him：　and　（indeede）　shall　dye；　except　the　sooner　I　may　enjoy　him。　And
therefore；　if　my　life　and　well…fare　be　respected　by　thee；　let　him