the decameron(十日谈)-第16章

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very　badly；　redeeming　him　out　of　the　Frying…pan；　and　flinging　him　into
the　fire。　Whereupon；　trudging　about　from　place　to　place；　and　meeting
at　length　with　their　Host；　they　told　him　truly　how　all　had　happened；
whereat　hee　could　not　refraine　from　laughing。　Afterward；　he　went
with　them　to　one　Master　Alexander　Agolante；　who　dwelt　in　Trevers；
and　was　in　great　credite　with　the　Cities　cheefe　Magistrate；　to　whom
hee　related　the　whole　Discourse；　all　three　earnestly　entreating　him；
to　commisserate　the　case　of　poore　Martellino。
　　Master　Alexander；　after　he　had　laughed　heartily　at　this　hotte
peece　of　service；　went　with　him　to　the　Lord　of　Trevers；　prevailing
so　well　with　him；　that　he　sent　to　have　Martellino　brought　before
him。　The　Messengers　that　went　for　him；　found　him　standing　in　his　shirt
before　the　Judge；　very　shrewdly　shaken　with　the　Strappado；　trembling
and　quaking　pitifully。　For　the　Judge　would　not　heare　any　thing　in
his　excuse；　but　hating　him　（perhaps）　because　hee　was　a　Florentine：
flatly　determined　to　have　him　hanged　by　the　necke；　and　would　not
deliver　him　to　the　Lord；　untill　in　meere　despight　he　was　compeld　to　do
it。
　The　Lord　of　Trevers；　when　Martellino　came　before　him；　and　had
acquainted　him　truly　with　every　particular：　Master　Alexander
requested；　that　he　might　be　dispatched　thence　for　Florence；　because　he
thought　the　halter　to　be　about　his　necke；　and　that　there　was　no
other　helpe　but　hanging。　The　Lord；　smiling　（a　long　while）　at　the
accident；　and　causing　Martellino　to　be　handsomely　apparrelled；
delivering　them　also　his　Passe；　they　escaped　out　of　further　danger；
and　tarried　no　where；　till　they　came　unto　Florence。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SECOND　DAY；　THE　SECOND　NOVELL

　　　　　WHEREBY　WEE　MAY　LEARNE；　THAT　SUCH　THINGS　AS　SOMETIME　SEEME
　　　　　　　　HURTFULL　TO　US；　MAY　TURNE　TO　OUR　BENEFIT　AND　COMMODITY

　　Rinaldo　de　Este；　after　hee　was　robbed　by　Theeves；　arrived　at
Chasteau　Guillaume；　where　he　was　friendly　lodged　by　a　faire　Widdow；
and　recompenced　likewise　for　all　his　losses；　returning　afterward
safe　and　well　home　unto　his　owne　house。

　　Much　merriment　was　among　the　Ladies；　hearing　this　Tale　of
Martellinos　misfortunes；　so　familiarly　reported　by　Madam　Neiphila；　and
of　the　men；　it　was　best　respected　by　Philostratus；　who　sitting　neerest
unto　Neiphila；　the　Queene　commanded　his　Tale　to　be　the　next；　when
presently　he　began　to　speake　thus。
　　Gracious　Ladies；　I　am　to　speake　of　universall　occasions；　mingled
with　some　misfortunes　in　part；　and　partly　with　matters　leaning　to
love；　as　many　times　may　happen　to　such　people；　that　trace　the
dangerous　pathes　of　amorous　desires；　or　have　not　learned　perfectly；　to
say　S。　Julians　pater　noster；　having　good　beddes　of　their　owne；　yet
casually　meete　with　worser　Lodging。
　　In　the　time　of　Azzo；　Marquesse　of　Ferrara；　there　was　a　Marchant
named　Rinaldo　de　Este；　who　being　one　day　at　Bologna；　about　some
especiall　businesse　of　his　owne；　his　occasions　there　ended；　and　riding
from　thence　towards　Verona；　he　fell　in　company　with　other　Horsemen；
seeming　to　be　Merchants　like　himselfe；　but　indeede　were　Theeves；　men
of　most　badde　life　and　conversation；　yet　he　having　no　such　mistrust　of
them；　rode　on；　conferring　with　them　very　familiarly。　They　perceiving
him　to　be　a　Merchant；　and　likely　to　have　some　store　of　money　about
him；　concluded　betweene　themselves　to　rob　him；　so　soone　as　they
found　apt　place　and　opportunity。　But　because　he　should　conceive　no
such　suspition；　they　rode　on　like　modest　men；　talking　honestly　and
friendly　with　him；　of　good　parts　and　disposition　appearing　in　him；
offering　him　all　humble　and　gracious　service；　accounting　themselves
happy　by　his　companie；　as　hee　returned　the　same　courtesie　to　them；
because　hee　was　alone；　and　but　one　servant　with　him。
　　Falling　from　one　discourse　to　another；　they　beganne　to　talke　of　such
prayers；　as　men　（in　journey）　use　to　salute　God　withall；　and　one　of　the
Theeves　（they　being　three　in　number）　spake　thus　to　Rinaldo。　Sir；　let
it　be　no　offence　to　you；　that　I　desire　to　know；　what　prayer　you　most
use　when　thus　you　travell　on　the　way？　Whereto　Rinaldo　replyed　in
this　manner。　To　tell　you　true　Sir；　I　am　a　man　grosse　enough　in　such
Divine　matters；　as　medling　more　with　Merchandize；　then　I　do　with
Bookes。　Neverthelesse；　at　all　times　when　I　am　thus　in　journey；　in
the　morning　before　I　depart　my　Chamber；　I　say　a　Pater　noster；　and　an
Ave　Maria　for　the　soules　of　the　father　and　mother　of　Saint　Julian；　and
after　that；　I　pray　God　and　S。　Julian　to　send　me　a　good　lodging　at
night。　And　let　me　tell　you　Sir；　that　very　oftentimes　heeretofore；　I
have　met　with　many　great　dangers　upon　the　way；　from　all　which　I
still　escaped；　and　evermore　（when　night　drew　on）　I　came　to　an
exceeding　good　Lodging。　Which　makes　mee　firmely　beleeve；　that　Saint
Julian　（in　honour　of　whom　I　speake　it）　hath　beggd　of　God　such　great
grace　for　me；　and　mee　thinkes；　that　if　any　day　I　should　faile　of
this　prayer　in　the　morning：　I　cannot　travaile　securely；　nor　come　to
a　good　lodging。　No　doubt　then　Sir　（quoth　the　other）　but　you　have　saide
that　prayer　this　morning？　I　would　be　sory　else；　said　Rinaldo；　such
an　especiall　matter　is　not　to　be　neglected。
　　He　and　the　rest；　who　had　already　determined　how　to　handle　him　before
they　parted；　saide　within　themselves：　Look　thou　hast　said　thy
praier；　for　when　we　have　thy　money；　Saint　Julian　and　thou　shift　for
thy　lodging。　Afterward；　the　same　man　thus　againe　conferd　with　him。
As　you　Sir；　so　I　have　ridden　many　journies；　and　yet　I　never　used　any
such　prayer；　although　I　have　heard　it　very　much　commended；　and　my
lodging　hath　proved　never　the　worser。　Perhaps　this　verie　night　will
therein　resolve　us　both；　whether　of　us　two　shall　be　the　best　lodged；
you　that　have　saide　the　Prayer；　or　I　that　never　used　it　at　all。　But
I　must　not　deny；　that　in　sted　thereof；　I　have　made　use　of　some　verses；
as　Dirupisti；　or　the　Intemerata；　or　De　profundis；　which　are　（as　my
Grandmother　hath　often　told　mee）　of　very　great　vertue　and　efficacy。
　　Continuing　thus　in　talke　of　divers　things；　winning　way；　and
beguiling　the　time；　still　waiting　when　their　purpose　should　sort　to
effect：　it　fortuned；　that　the　Theeves　seeing　they　were　come　neere　to　a
Towne；　called　Chasteau　Guillaume；　by　the　foord　of　a　River；　the　houre
somewhat　late；　the　place　solitarie；　and　thickely　shaded　with　Trees；
they　made　their　assault；　and　having　robd　him；　left　him　there　on　foote；
stript　into　his　shirt；　saying　to　him。　Goe　now　and　see；　whether　thy
Saint　Julian　will　allow　thee　this　night　a　good　lodging；　or　no；　for　our
owne　we　are　sufficiently　provided；　so　passing　the　River；　away　they
rode。　Rinaldoes　servant；　seeing　his　Master　so　sharply　assayled；　like　a
wicked　villaine；　would　not　assist　him　in　any　sort：　but　giving　his
horse　the　spurres；　never　left　gallopping；　untill　hee　came　to
Chasteau　Guillaume；　where　hee　entred　upon　the　point　of　night；
providing　himselfe　of　a　lodging；　but　not　caring　what　became　of　his
Master。
　　Rinaldo　remaining　there　in　his　shirt；　bare…foot　and　bare…legged；
the　weather　extremely　colde；　and　snowing　incessantly；　not　knowing　what
to　doe；　darke　night　drawing　on；　and　looking　round　about　him；　for
some　place　where　to　abide　that　night；　to　the　end　he　might　not　dye　with
colde：　he　found　no　helpe　at　all　there　for　him；　in　regard　that　（no　long
while　before）　the　late　warre　had　burnt　and　wasted　all；　and　not　so　much
as　the　least　Cottage　left。　Compelled　by　the　coldes　violence；　his　teeth
quaking；　and　all　his　body　trembling；　hee　trotted　on　towards
Chausteau　Guillaume；　not　knowing；　whether　his　man　was　gone　thither
or　no；　or　to　what　place　else：　but　perswaded　himselfe；　that　if　he　could
get　entrance；　there　was　no　feare　of　finding　succour。　But　before　he
came　within　halfe　a　mile　of　the　Towne；　the　night　grew　extreamely
darke；　and　arriving　there　so　late；　hee　found　the　gates　fast　lockt；　and
the　Bridges　drawne　up；　so　that　no　entrance　might　be　admitted。
　　Grieving　greatly　heereat；　and　being　much　discomforted；　rufully　hee
went　spying　about　the　walls；　for　some　place　wherein　to　shrowd
himselfe；　at　least；　to　keepe　the　snow　from　falling　upon　him。　By　good
hap；　hee　espied　an　house　upon　the　wall　of　the　Towne；　which　had　a
terrace　jutting　out　as　a　penthouse；　under　which　he　purpo