the decameron(十日谈)-第164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！


neere　him；　where　he　sate　all　alone；　and　making　shew　as　if　they　saw　him
not；　began　to　consult　between　themselves；　concerning　the　rare
properties　of　precious　stones；　whereof　Maso　discoursed　as　exactly；
as　he　had　beene　a　most　skilfull　Lapidarie；　to　which　conference　of
theirs；　Calandrino　lent　an　attentive　eare；　in　regard　it　was　matter
of　singular　rarity。
　　Soone　after；　Calandrino　started　up；　and　perceiving　by　their　loude
speaking；　that　they　talked　of　nothing　which　required　secret
Counsell：　he　went　into　their　company　（the　onely　thing　which　Maso
desired）　and　holding　on　still　the　former　Argument；　Calandrino　would
needs　request　to　know；　in　what　place　these　precious　stones　were　to
be　found；　which　had　such　excellent　vertues　in　them？　Maso　made　answere；
that　the　most　of　them　were　to　be　had　in　Berlinzona；　neere　to　the
City　of　Bascha；　which　was　in　the　Territory　of　a　Countrey；　called
Bengodi；　where　the　Vines　were　bound　about　with　Sawcidges；　a　Goose
was　sold　for　a　penny；　and　the　Goslings　freely　given　in　to　boote。　There
was　also　an　high　mountaine　wholly　made　of　Parmezane；　grated　Cheese；
whereon　dwelt　people；　who　did　nothing　else　but　make　Mocharones　and
Ravivolies；　boyling　them　with　broth　of　Capons；　and　afterward　hurled
them　all　about；　to　whosoever　can　or　will　catch　them。　Neere　to　this
mountaine　runneth　a　faire　River；　the　whole　streame　being　pure　white
Bastard；　none　such　was　ever　sold　for　any　money；　and　without　one　drop
of　water　in　it。
　　Now　trust　me　Sir；　（said　Calandrino）　that　is　an　excellent　Countrey　to
dwell　in：　but　I　pray　you　tell　me　Sir；　what　do　they　with　the　Capons
after　they　have　boyld　them？　The　Baschanes　（quoth　Maso）　eate　them
all。　Have　you　Sir；　said　Calandrino；　at　any　time　beene　in　that
Countrey？　How？　answered　Maso；　doe　you　demaund　if　have　beene　there？　Yes
man；　above　a　thousand　times；　at　the　least。　How　farre　Sir；　I　pray　you
（quoth　Calandrino）　is　that　worthy　Countrey；　from　this　our　City？　In
troth；　replyed　Maso；　the　miles　are　hardly　to　be　numbred；　for　the
most　part　of　them；　we　travell　when　we　are　nightly　in　our　beddes；　and
if　a　man　dreame　right；　he　may　be　there　upon　a　sudden。
　　Surely　Sir；　said　Calandrino；　it　is　further　hence；　then　to　Abruzzi？
Yes　questionlesse；　replyed　Maso；　but；　to　a　willing　minde；　no　travell
seemeth　tedious。
　　Calandrino　well　noting；　that　Maso　delivered　all　these　speeches；　with
a　stedfast　countenance；　no　signe　of　smyling；　or　any　gesture　to　urge
the　least　mislike：　he　gave　such　credit　to　them；　as　to　any　matter　of
apparent　and　manifest　truth；　and　upon　this　assured　confidence；　he
said。
　　Beleeve　me　Sir；　the　journey　is　over…farre　for　mee　to　undertake；
but　if　it　were　neerer；　I　could　affoord　to　goe　in　your　Company；　onely
to　see　how　they　make　these　Macherones；　and　to　fill　my　belly　with　them。
　　But　now　wee　are　in　talke　Sir；　I　pray　you　pardon　mee　to　aske；　whether
any　such　precious　stones；　as　you　spake　off；　are　to　be　found　in　that
Countrey；　or　no？　Yes　indeed；　replyed　Maso；　there　are　two　kinds　of　them
to　be　found　in　those　Territories；　both　being　of　very　great　vertue。　One
kind；　are　gritty　stones；　of　Settignano；　and　of　Montisca；　by　vertue
of　which　places；　when　any　Mill…stones　or　Grind…stones　are　to　bee　made；
they　knede　the　sand　as　they　use　to　doe　meale；　and　so　make　them　of　what
bignesse　they　please。　In　which　respect；　they　have　a　common　saying
there：　that　Nature　maketh　common　stones；　but　Montisca　Mill…stones。
Such　plenty　are　there　of　these　Mill…stones；　so　slenderly　here　esteemed
among　us；　as　Emeralds　are　with　them；　whereof　they　have　whole
mountaines；　farre　greater　then　our　Montemorello；　which　shine　most
gloriously　at　midnight。　And　how　meanly　soever　we　account　of　their
Mill…stones；　yet　there　they　drill　them；　and　enchase　them　in　Rings；
which　afterward　they　send　to　the　great　Soldane；　and　have　whatsoever
they　will　demaund　for　them。
　　The　other　kinde　is　a　most　precious　Stone　indeede；　which　our　best
Lapidaries　call　the　Helitropium；　the　vertue　whereof　is　so　admirable；
as　whosoever　beareth　it　about　him；　so　long　as　he　keepeth　it；　it　is
impossible　for　any　eye　to　discerne　him；　because　he　walketh　meerely
invisible。　O　Lord　Sir　（quoth　Calandrino）　those　stones　are　of　rare
vertue　indeede：　but　where　else　may　a　man　finde　that　Helitropium？
Whereto　Maso　thus　answered：　That　Countrey　onely　doth　not　containe
the　Helitropium；　for　they　be　many　times　found　upon　our　plaine　of
Mugnone。　Of　what　bignesse　Sir　（quoth　Calandrino）　is　the　Stone；　and
what　coulour？　The　Helitropium；　answered　Maso；　is　not　alwayes　of　one
quality；　because　some　are　bigge；　and　others　lesse；　but　all　are　of
one　coulour；　namely　blacke。
　　Calandrino　committing　all　these　things　to　respective　memory；　and
pretending　to　be　called　thence　by　some　other　especiall　affaires；
departed　from　Maso；　concluding　resolvedly　with　himselfe；　to　finde　this
precious　stone；　if　possibly　hee　could：　yet　intending　to　doe　nothing；
untill　hee　had　acquainted　Bruno　and　Buffalmaco　therewith；　whom　he
loved　dearly：　he　went　in　all　hast　to　seeke　them；　because；　（without　any
longer　trifling　the　time）　they　three　might　bee　the　first　men；　that
should　find　out　this　precious　stone；　spending　almost　the　whole　morning
before　they　were　all　three　met　together。　For　they　were　painting　at　the
Monastery　of　the　Sisters　of　Faenza；　where　they　had　very　serious
imployment；　and　followed　their　businesse　diligently：　where　having
found　them；　and　saluting　them　in　such　kinde　manner；　as　continually
he　used　to　doe；　thus　he　began。
　　Loving　friends；　if　you　were　pleased　to　follow　mine　advise；　wee　three
will　quickely　be　the　richest　men　in　Florence；　because；　by
information　from　a　Gentleman　（well　deserving　to　be　credited）　on　the
Plaine　of　Mugnone：　there　is　a　precious　stone　to　be　found；　which
whosoever　carrieth　it　about　him；　walketh　invisible；　and　is　not　to　be
seene　by　any　one。　Let　us　three　be　the　first　men　to　goe　and　finde　it；
before　any　other　heare　thereof；　and　goe　about　it；　and　assure　our
selves　that　we　shall　finde　it；　for　I　know　it　（by　discription）　so　soone
as　I　see　it。　And　when　wee　have　it；　who　can　hinder　us　from　bearing　it
about　us？　Then　will　we　goe　to　the　Tables　of　our　Bankers；　or　money
Changers；　which　we　see　daily　charged　with　plenty　of　gold　and　silver；
where　we　may　take　so　much　as　wee　list；　for　they　（nor　any）　are　able
to　descrie　us。　So；　（in　short　time）　shall　wee　all　be　wealthy；　never
needing　to　drudge　any　more；　or　paint　muddy　walles；　as　hitherto　we　have
done；　and；　as　many　of　our　poore　profession　are　forced　to　doe。
　　Bruno　and　Buffalmaco　hearing　this；　began　to　smile；　and　looking
merily　each　on　other；　they　seemed　to　wonder　thereat；　and　greatly
commended　the　counsell　of　Calandrino。　Buffalmaco　demaunding　how　the
stone　was　named。　Now　it　fortuned；　that　Calandrino　（who　had　but　a
grosse　and　blockish　memory）　had　quite　forgot　the　name　of　the　stone；
and　therefore　said。　What　neede　have　wee　of　the　name；　when　we　know；　and
are　assured　of　the　stones　vertue？　Let　us　make　no　more　adoe；　but
（setting　aside　all　other　businesse）　goe　seeke　where　it　is　to　be　found。
Well　my　friend　（answered　Bruno）　you　say　wee　may　finde　it；　but　how；　and
by　what　meanes？
　　There　are　two　sorts　of　them　（quoth　Calandrino）　some　bigge；　others
smaller；　but　all　carry　a　blacke　colour：　therefore　（in　mine　opinion）
let　us　gather　all　such　stones　as　are　blacke；　so　shall　we　be　sure　to
finde　it　among　them；　without　any　further　losse　of　time。
　　Buffalmaco　and　Bruno；　liked　and　allowed　the　counsell　of
Calandrino；　which　when　they　had　（by　severall　commendations）　given
him　assurance　of；　Bruno　saide。　I　doe　not　thinke　it　a　convenient　time
now；　for　us　to　go　about　so　weighty　a　businesse：　for　the　Sun　is　yet
in　the　highest　degree；　and　striketh　such　a　heate　on　the　plaine　of
Mugnone；　as　all　the　stones　are　extreamly　dryed；　and　the　very
blackest　will　nowe　seeme　whitest。　But　in　the　morning；　after　the　dew　is
falne；　and　before　the　Sunne　shineth　forth；　every　stone　retaineth　his
true　colour。　Moreover；　there　be　many　Labourers　now　working　on　the
plaine；　about　such　businesse　as　they　are　severally　assigned；　who
seeing　us　in　so　serious　a　serch：　may　imagine　what　we　seeke　for；　and
partake　with　us　in　the　same　inquisition；　by　which　meanes　they　may
chance　to　speed　before　us；　and　so　wee　may　lose　both　our　trot　and
amble。　Wherefore；　b