the decameron(十日谈)-第167章

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in　dutie　to　love　you　likewise。　But　if　your　Love　have　any　harshe　or
unsavourie　taste；　which　mine　is　no　way　able　to　endure；　neyther　dare
entertaine　in　anie　kinde　whatsoever：　you　must　and　shall　hold　mee
excused；　because　I　am　made　of　no　such　temper。　You　are　my　ghostly　and
spirituall　Father；　an　Holy　Priest。　Moreover；　yeares　have　made　you
honorably　aged；　all　which　severall　weighty　considerations；　ought　to
confirme　you　in　continency　and　chastity。　Remember　withall　（good　sir）
that　I　am　but　a　child　to　you　in　years；　and　were　I　bent　to　any　wanton
appetites；　you　shold　justly　correct　me　by　fatherly　counsell；　such　as
most　beautifieth　your　sacred　profession。　Beside；　I　am　a　Widdow；　and
you　are　not　ignorant；　how　requisite　a　thing　honestie　is　in　widdowes。
Wherefore；　pardon　mee　（Holy　Father：）　for；　in　such　manner　as　you　make
the　motion：　I　desire　you　not　to　love　mee；　because　I　neither　can　or
will　at　any　time　so　affect　you。
　　The　Provoste　gaining　no　other　grace　at　this　time；　would　not　so
give　over　for　this　first　repulse；　but　pursuing　her　still　with
unbeseeming　importunity；　many　private　meanes　he　used　to　her　by
Letters；　tokens；　and　insinuating　ambassages；　yea；　whensoever　shee　came
to　the　Church；　he　never　ceased　his　wearisome　solicitings。　Whereat
she　growing　greatly　offended；　and　perceyving　no　likelyhood　of　his
desisting；　became　so　tyred　with　his　tedious　suite；　that　she　considered
with　her　selfe；　how　she　might　dispatch　him　as　he　deserved；　because　she
saw　no　other　remedy。　Yet　shee　would　not　attempte　anie　thing　in　this
case；　without　acquainting　her　Bretheren　first　therwith。　And　having
tolde　them；　how　much　shee　was　importuned　by　the　Provost；　and　also　what
course　she　meant　to　take　（wherin　they　both　counselled　and　encouraged
her：）　within　a　few　daies　after；　shee　went　to　Church　as　she　was　wont　to
do；　where　so　soone　as　the　Provost　espyed　her：　forthwith　he　came　to
her；　and　according　to　his　continued　course；　he　fell　into　his　amorous
courting。　She　looking　upon　him　with　a　smiling　countenance；　and　walking
aside　with　him　out　of　any　hearing：　after　he　had　spent　many　impertinent
speeches；　shee　（venting　foorth　manie　a　vehement　sighe）　at　length
returned　him　this　answer。
　　Reverend　Father；　I　have　often　heard　it　saide：　That　there　is　not
any　Fort　or　Castle；　how　strongly　munited　soever　it　bee；　but　by
continuall　assayling；　at　length　（of　necessity）　it　must　and　will　be
surprized。　Which　comparison；　I　may　full　well　allude　to　my　selfe。
For；　you　having　so　long　time　solicited　me；　one　while　with　affable
language；　then　againe　with　tokens　and　entisements；　of　such
prevailing　power：　as　have　broken　the　verie　barricado　of　my　former
deliberation；　and　yeelded　mee　uppe　as　your　prisoner；　to　be　commanded
at　your　pleasure　for　now　I　am　onely　devoted　yours。
　　Well　may　you　（Gentle　Ladies）　imagine；　that　this　answere　was　not　a
little　welcome　to　the　Provost；　who；　shrugging　with　conceyte　of　joy；
presently　thus　replyed。　I　thanke　you　Madame　Piccarda；　and　to　tell
you　true；　I　held　it　almost　as　that　you　could　stand　upon　such　long
resistance；　considering；　it　never　so　fortuned　to　mee　with　anie
other。　And　I　have　many　times　saide　to　my　selfe；　that　if　women　were
made　of　silver；　they　hardly　could　be　worth　a　pennie；　because　there　can
scarsely　one　be　found　of　so　good　allay；　as　to　endure　the　test　and
essay。　But　let　us　breake　off　this　frivolous　conference；　and　resolve
upon　a　conclusion；　How；　when　and　where　we　may　safely　meete　together。
Worthy　Sir；　answered　Piccarda；　your　selfe　may　appoint　the　time
whensoever　you　please；　because　I　have　no　Husband；　to　whom　I　should
render　any　account　of　my　absence；　or　presence：　but　I　am　not　provided
of　any　place。
　　A　pretty　while　the　Provoste　stood　musing；　and　at　last　saide。　A　place
Madame？　where　can　be　more　privacie；　then　in　your　owne　house？　Alas
Sir　（quoth　she）　you　know　that　I　have　two　Gentlemen　my　brethren；　who
continually　are　with　me；　and　other　of　their　friends　beside：　My　house
also　is　not　great；　wherefore　it　is　impossible　to　be　there；　except
you　could　be　like　a　dumbe　man；　without　speaking　one　word；　or　making
the　very　least　noyse；　beside；　to　remaine　in　darkenesse；　as　if　you　were
blinde；　and　who　can　be　able　to　endure　all　these？　And　yet　（without
these）　there　is　no　adventuring；　albeit　they　never　come　into　my
Chamber：　but　their　lodging　is　so　close　to　mine；　as　there　cannot　any
word　be　spoken；　be　it　never　so　low　or　in　whispering　manner；　but　they
heare　it　very　easily。　Madame　said　the　Provoste；　for　one　or　two　nights；
I　can　make　hard　shift。　Why　Sir　（quoth　she）　the　matter　onely
remaineth　in　you；　for　if　you　be　silent　and　suffering；　as　already　you
have　heard；　there　is　no　feare　at　all　of　safty。　Let　me　alone　Madame；
replyed　the　Provoste；　I　will　be　governed　by　your　directions：　but；　in
any　case；　let　us　begin　this　night。　With　all　my　heart；　saide　shee。　So
appointing　him　how；　and　when　hee　should　come；　hee　parted　from　her；　and
shee　returned　home　to　her　house。
　　Heere　I　am　to　tell　you；　that　this　Gentlewoman　had　a　servant；　in
the　nature　of　an　old　maide；　not　indued　with　any　well　featured　face；
but　instead　thereof；　she　had　the　ugliest　and　most　counterfeit
countenance；　as　hardly　could　be　seene　a　worse。　She　had　a　wrie　mouth；
huge　great　lippes；　foule　teeth；　great　and　blacke；　a　monstrous　stinking
breath；　her　eyes　bleared；　and　alwayes　running；　the　complexion　of　her
face　betweene　greene　and　yellow；　as　if　shee　had　not　spent　the　Summer
season　in　the　Citie；　but　in　the　parching　Countrey　under　a　hedge；　and
beside　all　these　excellent　parts；　shee　was　crooke　backt；　poult　footed；
and　went　like　a　lame　Mare　in　Fetters。　Her　name　was　Ciuta；　but　in
regard　of　her　flat　nose；　lying　as　low　as　a　Beagles；　shee　was　called
Ciutazza。　Now；　notwithstanding　all　this　deformity　in　her；　yet　she
had　a　singuler　opinion　of　her　selfe；　as　commonly　all　such　foule
Sluts　have：　in　regard　whereof；　Madame　Piccarda　calling　her　aside；　thus
began。
　　Ciutazza；　if　thou　wilt　doe　for　me　one　nights　service；　I　shall　bestow
on　thee　a　faire　new　Smocke。　When　Ciutazza　heard　her　speake　of　a　new
Smocke；　instantly　she　answered。　Madame；　if　you　please　to　bestow　a
new　Smocke　on　me；　were　it　to　runne　thorow　the　fire　for　you；　or　any
businesse　of　farre　greater　danger；　you　onely　have　the　power　to　command
me；　and　I　will　doe　it。　I　will　not　（said　Piccarda）　urge　thee　to　any
dangerous　action；　but　onely　to　lodge　in　my　bed　this　night　with　a
man；　and　give　him　courteous　entertainement；　who　shall　reward　thee
liberally　for　it。　But　have　an　especiall　care　that　thou　speake　not
one　word；　for　feare　thou　shouldst　be　heard　by　my　Brethren；　who　（as
thou　knowest）　lodge　so　neere　by；　doe　this；　and　then　demaund　thy　Smocke
of　me。　Madame　（quoth　Ciutazza）　if　it　were　to　lye　with　sixe　men；　rather
then　one；　if　you　say　the　word；　it　shall　be　done。
　　When　night　was　come；　the　Provoste　also　came　according　to
appointment；　even　when　two　brethren　were　in　their　lodging；　they　easily
heard　his　entrance；　as　Piccarda　（being　present　with　them）　had　informed
them。　In　went　the　Provoste　without　any　candle；　or　making　the　least
noise　to　be　heard；　and　being　in　Piccardaes　Chamber；　went　to　bed：
Ciutazza　tarrying　not　long　from　him；　but　（as　her　Mistresse　had
instructed　her）　she　went　to　bed　likewise；　not　speaking　any　word　at
all；　and　the　Provoste；　imagining　to　have　her　there；　whom　he　so
highly　affected；　fell　to　imbracing　and　kissing　Ciutazza；　who　was　as
forward　in　the　same　manner　to　him；　and　there　for　a　while　I　intend　to
leave　them。
　　When　Piccarda　had　performed　this　hot　piece　of　businesse；　she
referred　the　effecting　of　the　remainder　to　her　Brethren；　in　such
sort　as　it　was　compacted　betweene　them。　Faire　and　softly　went　the
two　brethren　forth　of　their　Chamber；　and　going　to　the　Market　place；
Fortune　was　more　favourable　to　them　then　they　could　wish；　in
accomplishing　the　issue　of　their　intent。　For　the　heat　being　somwhat
tedious；　the　Lord　Bishop　was　walking　abroad　very　late；　with　purpose　to
visit　the　Brethren　at　the　Widdowes　house；　because　he　tooke　great
delight　in　their　company；　as　being　good　Schollers；　and　endued　with
other　singular　parts　beside。　Meeting　with　them　in　the　open　Market
place；　he　acquainted　them　with　his　determination；　whereof　they　were
not　a　little　joyfull；　it　jumping　so　justly　with　their　intent。
　　Be