the decameron(十日谈)-第157章

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and　cruell；　in　performing　such　Offices；　as　my　heart　cannot　endure；
that　you　should　come　within　compasse　of　their　currish　courtesie；
neither　shall　you　Sir；　if　you　will　be　ruled　by　me。　If　I　should　faile
in　the　manner　of　their　facilitie；　yet　love　and　duty　hath　enstructed
me；　to　forbeare　your　least　paining；　which　no　unmannerly　Barber　will
do。
　　Having　thus　spoken；　and　he　well　contented　with　her　kinde　offer；
the　instruments　were　brought；　which　are　used　in　such　occasions；　all
being　commanded　forth　of　the　Chamber；　but　onely　Lesca；　who　evermore
kept　still　in　her　company。　So；　locking　fast　the　doore；　and　Nicostratus
being　seated；　as　she　thought　fittest　for　her　purpose；　she　put　the
Tanacles　into　his　mouth；　catching　fast　hold　on　one　of　his　soundest
teeth：　which；　notwithstanding　his　loud　crying；　Lesca　held　him　so
strongly；　that　forth　she　pluckt　it；　and　hid　it；　having　another　tooth
readie　made　hot；　and　bloody；　very　much　corrupted　and　rotten；　which　she
helde　in　the　Tanacles；　and　shewed　to　him；　who　was　well…neere　halfe
dead　with　anguish。　See　Sir　（quoth　she）　was　this　Tooth　to　be　suffered
in　your　head；　and　to　yeeld　so　foule　a　smell　as　it　did？　He　verily
beleeving　what　she　said；　albeit　hee　had　endured　extreame　paine；　and
still　complained　on　her　harsh　and　violent　pulling　it　out：　rejoyced
yet；　that　he　was　now　ridde　of　it；　and　she　comforting　him　on　the　one
side；　and　the　anguish　asswaging　him　on　the　other；　he　departed　forth　of
the　Chamber。
　　In　the　mean　while；　by　Lesca　she　sent　the　sound　tooth　to　Pyrrhus；　who
（wondering　not　a　little　at　her　so　many　strange　attempts；　which　hee
urged　so　much　the　rather；　as　thinking　their　performance　impossible；
and　in　meere　loyall　duty　to　his　Lord）　seeing　them　all　three　to　be
notably　effected；　he　made　no　further　doubt　of　her　intire　love　towardes
him；　but　sent　her　assurance　likewise；　of　his　readinesse　and
serviceable　diligence；　whensoever　she　would　command　him。
　　Now；　after　the　passage　of　all　these　adventures；　hardly　to　bee
undertaken　by　any　other　Woman：　yet　she　held　them　insufficient　for
his　security；　in　the　grounded　perswasion　of　her　love　to　him；　except
shee　performed　another　of　her　owne；　and　according　as　shee　had　boldly
promised。　Houres　do　now　seeme　dayes；　and　dayes　multiplicitie　of
yeeres；　till　the　kisse　may　be　given；　and　receyved　in　the　presence　of
Nicostratus；　yet　hee　himselfe　to　avouch　the　contrary。
　　Madam　Lydia　（upon　a　pretended　sicknesse）　keepeth　her　chamber；　and　as
women　can　hardly　be　exceeded　in　dissimulation：　so；　shee　wanted　no　wit；
to　seeme　exquisitely　cunning；　in　all　the　outwarde　apparances　of
sicknesse。　One　day　after　dinner；　shee　being　visited　by　Nicostratus；
and　none　attending　on　him　but　Pyrrhus　onely：　she　earnestly
entreated；　that　as　a　mitigation；　to　some　inward　afflictions　which
she　felt；　they　would　helpe　to　guide　her　into　the　Garden。
　　Most　gladly　was　her　motion　graunted；　and　Nicostratus　gently　taking
her　by　one　arme；　and　Pyrrhus　by　the　other；　so　they　conducted　her
into　the　Garden；　seating　her　in　a　faire　floury　Grasse…plot；　with　her
backe　leaning　to　a　Peare…tree。　Having　sitten　there　an　indifferent
while；　and　Pyrrhus；　being　formerly　enstructed；　in　the　directions　which
she　had　given　him；　thus　shee　spake；　some…what　faintly。　Pyrrhus；　I　have
a　kinde　of　longing　desire　upon　a　sodaine；　to　taste　of　these　Peares：
Wherefore；　climbe　up　into　the　Tree；　and　cast　me　downe　one　or　two；
which　instantly　hee　did。　Being　aloft　in　the　Tree；　and　throwing　downe
some　of　the　best　and　ripest　Peares；　at　length　（according　to　his
premeditated　Lesson）　looking　downe；　he　said。
　　Forbeare　my　Lord；　Do　you　not　see；　in　how　weake　and　feeble
condition　my　Ladie　is；　being　shaken　with　so　violent　a　sicknesse？　And
you　Madam；　how　kinde　and　loving　soever　you　are　to　my　Lord；　Are　you
so　little　carefull　of　your　health；　being　but　now　come　forth　of　your
sicke　Chamber；　to　be　ruffled　and　tumbled　in　such　rough　manner？
Though　such　dalliances　are　not　amisse　in　you　both；　being　fitter　for
the　private　Chamber；　then　an　open　garden；　and　in　the　presence　of　a
servant：　yet　time　and　place　should　alwaies　bee　respectively
considered；　for　the　avoiding　of　ill　example；　and　better　testimonie
of　your　owne　Wisedomes；　which　ever　should　be　like　your　selves。　But
if　so　soone；　and　even　in　the　heate　of　a　yet　turbulent　sicknesse；
your　equall　love　can　admit　these　kisses　and　embraces：　your　private
Lodginges　were　much　more　convenient；　where　no　Servants　eye　can　see
such　Wantonnesse；　nor　you　be　reproved　of　indiscretion；　for　being　too
publique　in　your　Familiaritie。　Madame　Lydia；　sodainely　starting；　and
turning　unto　her　Husband；　sayde。　What　doth　Pyrrhus　prate？　Is　he　well
in　his　wittes？　Or　is　he　franticke？　No　Madame；　replyed　Pyrrhus；　I　am
not　franticke。　Are　you　so　fond　as　to　thinke　that　I　do　not　see　your
folly？　Nicostratus　wondering　at　his　Words；　presently　answered。　Now
trust　me　Pyrrhus；　I　think　thou　dreamest。　No　my　Lord；　replyed
Pyrrhus；　I　dreame　not　a　jot；　neither　do　you；　or　my　Ladie：　but　if
this　Tree　could　affoord　the　like　kindnesse　to　me；　as　you　do　to　her；
there　would　not　a　Peare　bee　left　uppon　it。　How　now　Pyrrhus？　（quoth
Lydia）　this　language　goeth　beyond　our　understanding；　it　seemeth　thou
knowest　not　what　thou　saist。　Beleeve　me　husband；　if　I　were　as　well
as　ever　I　have　bin；　I　would　climb　this　tree；　to　see　those　idle　wonders
which　hee　talketh　of：　for；　while　he　continueth　thus　above；　it
appeareth；　hee　can　finde　no　other　prattle；　albeit　he　taketh　his
marke　amisse。
　　Heereupon；　he　commanded　Pyrrhus　to　come　downe；　and　being　on　the
ground：　Now　Pyrrhus　（quoth　he）　tell　me　what　thou　saydst。　Pyrrhus；
pretending　an　alteration　into　much　amazement；　straungely　looking　about
him；　saide；　I　know　not　verie　well　（my　Lord）　what　answere　I　should　make
you；　fearing　least　my　sight　hath　bin　abused　by　error：　for　when　I　was
aloft　in　that　Tree；　it　seemed　manifestly　to　me：　that　you　embraced　my
Lady　（though　somewhat　rudely；　in　regard　of　her　perillous　sicknesse；
yet　lovingly）　and　as　youthfully　as　in　your　yonger　dales；　with　infinite
kisses；　and　wanton　dalliances；　such　as　（indeede）　deserved　a　far　more
private　place　in　my　poore　opinion。　But　in　my　descending　downe；　mee
thought　you　gave　over　that　amorous　familiaritie；　and　I　found　you
seated　as　I　left　you。　Now　trust　mee　Pyrrhus；　answered　Nicostratus；　Thy
tongue　and　wit　have　very　strangely　wandred；　both　from　reason　and　all
reall　apprehension：　because　we　never　stirred　from　hence；　since　thou
didst　climbe　up　into　the　Tree；　neither　mooved　otherwise；　then　as　now
thou　seest　us。　Alas　my　Lord　（saide　Pyrrhus）　I　humbly　crave　pardon
for　my　presumption；　in　reprooving　you　for　medling　with　your　owne：
which　shal　make　me　hereafter　better　advised；　in　any　thing　what
soever　I　heare　or　see。
　　Mervaile　and　amazement；　encreased　in　Nicostratus　far　greater　then
before；　hearing　him　to　avouch　still　so　constantly　what　he　had　seene；
no　contradiction　being　able　to　alter　him；　which　made　him　rashly　sweare
and　say。　I　will　see　my　selfe；　whether　this　Peare…tree　bee　enchanted；
or　no：　and　such　wonders　to　be　seene　when　a　man　is　up　in　it；　as　thou
wouldst　have　us　to　beleeve。　And　being　mounted　up　so　hy；　that　they　were
safe　from　his　sodaine　comming　on　them；　Lydia　had　soone　forgotten　her
sicknes；　and　the　promised　kisse　cost　her　above　twenty　more；　beside
verie　kinde　and　hearty　embraces；　as　lovingly　respected　and　entertained
by　Pyrrhus。　Which　Nicostratus　beholding　aloft　in　the　tree；　cryed　out
to　her；　saying。　Wicked　woman；　What　doest　thou　meane？　And　thou
villain　Pyrrhus；　Darst　thou　abuse　thy　Lord；　who　hath　reposed　so　much
trust　in　thee？　So；　descending　in　haste　downe　againe；　yet　crying　so
to　them　still：　Lydia　replyed；　Alas　my　Lord；　Why　do　you　raile　and
rave　in　such　sort？　So；　he（　found　her　seated　as　before；　and　Pyrrhus
waiting　with　dutiful　reverence；　even　as　when　he　climbed　up　the　Tree：
but　yet　he　thought　his　sight　not　deceyved；　for　all　their　demure　and
formall　behaviour；　which　made　him　walke　up　and　downe；　extreamely
fuming　and　fretting　unto　himselfe；　and　which　in　some　milder　manner
to　qualifie；　Pyrrhus　spake　thus　to　him。
　　I　deny　not　（my　good　Lord）　but　freely　confesse；　that　even　as　your
selfe；　so　I；　being　above　in　the　Tree；　had　my　sight　most　falsely
deluded：　which　is　so　apparantly　confirmed　by　you；　and