the decameron(十日谈)-第156章

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　　Within　a　short　while　after；　Nicostratus　made　a　solemne　Feastival
（accorling　as　yearely　he　used　to　doe）　in　honour　of　his　birth　day；
inviting　many　Lords　and　Ladies　thereto。　On　which　rejoycing　day；　so
soone　as　dinner　was　ended；　and　the　Tables　withdrawne：　Lydia　came
into　the　great　Hall；　where　the　Feast　was　solemnly　kept；　very　rich
and　costly　apparrelled；　and　there；　in　presence　of　Pyrrhus；　and　the
whole　assemblie；　going　to　the　Perch　whereon　the　Faulcone　sate；　wherein
her　Husband　tooke　no　little　delight；　and　having　untyed　her；　as　if　shee
meant　to　beare　her　on　her　Fist：　tooke　her　by　the　jesses；　and　beating
her　against　the　wal；　killed　her。　Nicostratus　beholding　this；　called
out　aloud　unto　her；　saying。　Alas　Madame！　What　have　you　done？　She
making　him　no　answere；　but　turning　to　the　Lords　and　Ladies；　which
had　dined　there；　spake　in　this　manner。
　　Ill　should　I　take　revenge　on　a　King；　that　had　offended　me；　if　I
had　not　so　much　heart；　as　to　wreake　my　spleene　on　a　paltry　Hawke。
Understand　then；　worthy　Lords　and　Ladies；　that　this　Faulcone　hath　long
time　robbed　me　of　those　delights；　which　men　（in　meere　equitie）　ought
to　have　with　their　wives：　because　continually；　so　as　breake　of　day
hath　appeared；　my　Husband；　starting　out　of　bed；　makes　him　selfe
readie；　presently　to　Horsse；　and　with　this　Faulcon　on　his　Fist；
rides　abroad　to　his　recreation　in　the　Fields。　And　I；　in　such
forsaken　sort　as　you　see；　am　left　all　alone　in　my　bed；　discontented
and　despised：　often　vowing　to　my　selfe；　to　bee　thus　revenged　as　now
I　am；　being　with…held　from　it　by　no　other　occasion；　but　onely　want
of　a　fit　and　apt　time；　to　do　it　in　the　presence　of　such　persons；　as
might　bee　just　judges　of　my　wrongs；　and　as　I　conceive　you　all　to　be。
　　The　Lords　and　Ladies　hearing　these　words；　and　beleeving　this　deed　of
hers　to　be　done　no　otherwise；　but　out　of　her　entire　affection　to
Nicostratus；　according　as　her　speeches　sounded：　compassionately
turning　towards　him　（who　was　exceedingly　displeased）　and　all
smiling；　said。　Now　in　good　sadnesse　Sir；　Madame　Lydia　hath　done　well
in　acting　her　just　revenge　upon　the　Hawke；　that　bereft　her　of　her
Husbands　kinde　companie；　then　which　nothing　is　more　precious　to　a
loving　wife；　and　a　hell　it　is　to　live　without　it。　And　Lydia；　being
sodainly　with。　into　her　chamber；　with　much　other　friendly　and　familiar
talke；　they　converted　the　anger　of　Nicostratus　into　mirth　and　smiling。
　　Pyrrhus；　who　had　diligently　observed　the　whole　cariage　of　this
businesse；　saide　to　himselfe。　My　Ladie　hath　begun　well；　and　proceeding
on　with　no　worse　successe；　will　（no　doubt）　bring　her　love　to　an
happy　conclusion。　As　for　the　Lady　her　selfe；　she　having　thus　kild
the　Hawke；　it　was　no　long　while　after；　but　being　in　the　Chamber　with
her　husband；　and　they　conversing　familiarly　together；　she　began　to
jest　with　him；　and　hee　in　the　like　manner　with　her；　tickling　and
toying　each　the　other；　till　at　the　length　she　played　with　his　beard；
and　now　she　found　occasion　aptly　serving；　to　effect　the　second　taske
imposed　by　Pyrrhus。　So；　taking　fast　hold　on　a　small　tuft　of　his　beard；
she　gave　a　sodaine　snatch；　and　plucked　it　away　quite　from　his　chin。
Whereat　Nicostratus　beeing　angerly　moved；　she　（to　appease　his
distaste）　pleasantly　thus　spake。　How　now　my　Lord？　Why　do　you　looke
so　frowningly？　What？　Are　you　angry　for　a　few　loose　haires　of　your
beard？　How　then　should　I　take　it；　when　you　plucke　mee　by　the　haire
of　my　head；　and　yet　I　am　not　a　jot　discontented；　because　I　know　you　do
it　but　in　jesting　manner？　These　friendly　speeches　cut　off　all
further　contention；　and　she　kepte　charily　the　tuft　of　er　Husbands
beard；　which　（the　verie　selfe…same　day）　shee　sent　to　Pyrrhus　her
hearts　chosen　friend。
　　But　now　concerning　the　third　matter　to　be　adventured；　it　drove　her
to　a　much　more　serious　consideration；　then　those　two　which　shee　had
already　so　well　and　exactly　performed。　Notwithstanding；　like　a　Ladie
of　unconquerable　spirit；　and　（in　whom）　Love　enlarged　his　power　more
and　more：　she　sodainly　conceited；　what　course　was　best　to　bee　kept
in　this　case；　forming　her　attempt　in　this　manner。　Upon　Nicostratus
wayted　two　young　Gentlemen；　as　Pages　of　his　Chamber；　whose　Fathers　had
given　them　to　his　service；　to　learne　the　manners　of　honourable
Courtship；　and　those　qualities　necessarily　required　in　Gentlemen。
One　of　them；　when　Nicostratus　sate　downe　to　dinner　or　supper；　stood　in
Office　of　his　Carver；　delivering　him　all　the　meats　whereon　he　fed。　The
other　（as　Taster）　attended　on　his　Cup；　and　he　dranke　no　other
drinke；　but　what　hee　brought　him；　and　they　both　were　highly　pleasing
unto　him。
　　On　a　day；　Lydia　called　these　two　youths　aside；　and；　among　some　other
speeches；　which　served　but　as　an　induction　to　her　intended　policy；　she
perswaded　them；　that　their　mouths　yeelded　an　unsavoury　and
ilpleasing　smell；　whereof　their　Lord　seemed　to　take　dislike。　Wherefore
she　advised　them；　that　at　such　times　as　they　attended　on　him　in
their　severall　places：　they　should　（so　much　as　possibly　they　could）
withdraw　their　heads　aside　from　him；　because　their　breath　might　not　be
noyous　unto　him。　But　withall；　to　have　an　especiall　care；　of　not
disclosing　to　any　one；　what　she　had　told　them；　because　（out　of　meere
love）　she　had　acquainted　them　therewith：　which　very　coistantly　they
beleeved；　and　followed　the　same　direction　as　she　had　advised；　being
loath　to　displease；　where　service　bound　them　to　obey。　Choosing　a
time　fitting　for　her　purpose；　when　Nicostratus　was　in　private
conference　with　her；　thus　she　began。　Sir；　you　observe　not　the
behaviour　of　your　two　Pages；　when　they　wait　on　you　at　the　Table？　Yes
but　I　do　wife　（quoth　he）　how　squemishly　they　turn　their　heads　aside
from　me；　and　it　hath　often　bin　in　my　minde；　to　understand　a　reason　why
they　do　so。
　　Seating　her　selfe　by　him；　as　if　shee　had　some　weighty　matter　to　tell
him；　she　proceeded　in　this　manner。　Alas　my　Lord；　you　shall　not　need　to
question　them；　because　I　can　sufficiently　resolve　you　therein：　which
（neverthelesse）　I　have　long　concealed；　because　I　would　not　be
offensive　to　you。　But　in　regard；　it　is　now　manifestly　apparant；　that
others　have　tasted；　what　（I　immagined）　none　but　my　selfe　did；　I　will
no　longer　hide　it　from　you。　Assuredly　Sir；　there　is　a　most　strange　and
unwonted　ill…savour；　continually　issuing　from　your　mouth；　smelling
most　noysomely；　and　I　wonder　what　should　be　the　occasion。　In　former
times；　I　never　felt　any　such　foule　breathing　to　come　from　you：　and
you；　who　do　dally　converse　with　so　many　worthy　persons；　should　seeke
meanes　to　be　rid　of　so　great　an　annoyance。　You　say　verie　true　wife
（answered　Nicostratus）　and　I　protest　to　you　on　my　Credite；　I　feele
no　such　ill　smell；　neither　know　what　should　cause　it；　except　I　have
som　corrupted　tooth　in　my　mouth。　Perhaps　Sir　（quoth　she）　it　may　be　so；
and　yet　you　feele　not　the　savour　which　others　do；　yea；　very
offensively。
　　So；　walking　with　her　to　a　Window；　he　opened　wide　his　mouth；　the
which　nicely　shee　surveyed　on　either　side；　and；　turning　her　head
from　him；　as　seeming　unable　to　endure　the　savour：　starting；　and
shrieking　out　alowd；　she　said。　Santa　Maria！　What　a　sight　is　this？　Alas
my　good　Lord；　How　could　you　abide　this；　and　for　so　long　a　while？　Heere
is　a　tooth　on　this　side；　which　（so　farre　as　I　can　perceive）　is　not
onely　hollow　and　corrupted：　but　also　wholly　putrified　and　rotten；
and　if　it　continue　still　in　your　head；　beleeve　it　for　a　truth；　that　it
will　infect　and　spoile　all　the　rest　neere　it。　I　would　therefore
counsell　you；　to　let　it　be　pluckt　out；　before　it　breede　your　further
danger。　I　like　your　counsell　well　Lydia；　replyed　Nicostratus；　and
presently　intend　to　follow　it；　Let　therefore　my　Barber　be　sent　for；
and；　without　any　longer　delay；　he　shall　plucke　it　forth　instantly。
　　How　sir？　（quoth　she；）　your　Barber？　Uppon　mine　Honour；　there　shall
come　no　Barber　heere。　Why　Sir；　it　is　such　a　rotten　Tooth；　and　standeth
so　fairely　for　my　hand：　that；　without　helpe　or　advice　of　any　Barber；
let　mee　alone　for　plucking　it　forth　without　putting　you　to　any　paine
at　all。　Moreover；　let　me　tell　you　Sir；　those　Tooth…drawers　are　so　rude
and　cruell；　in　performing　such　Offices；　as　my　heart　cannot　endure；
that　you　should　come　within　compasse　of　their　currish　cou