the decameron(十日谈)-第173章

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longer　discourse　then　she　expected：　whereby　she　was　constrained　to
invite　him　to　sup　with　her；　and　yet　he　is　not　gone；　but　shortly　I　hope
hee　will；　and　then　expect　her　comming　presently；　till　when；　she
entreateth　your　gentle　sufferance。
　　Poore　Renicro；　our　over…credulous　Scholler；　whose　vehement　affection
to　Madame　Helena；　so　hood…winkt　the　sight　of　his　understanding；　as
he　could　not　be　distrustfull　of　any　guilt；　returned　this　answere　to
Ancilla。　Say　to　your　Lady　that　I　am　bound　in　duty；　to　attend　the
good　houre　of　her　leisure；　without　so　much　as　the　very　least
prejudicate　conceite　in　me：　Neverthelesse；　entreat　her；　to　let　it
bee　so　soone　as　she　possibly　may；　because　here　is　miserable　walking；
and　it　beginneth　againe　to　snow　extreamely。　Ancilla　making　fast　the
Casement；　went　presently　to　bed；　when　Helena　spake　thus　to　her　amorous
friend。　What　saist　thou　now？　Doest　thou　thinke　that　I　loved　him；　as
thou　wast　afraid　of？　If　I　did；　he　should　never　walke　thus　in　the　frost
and　snow。　So；　away　went　they　likewise　from　their　close　gazing
window；　and　spent　wanton　dalliances　together；　laughing；　and　deriding
（with　many　bitter　taunts　and　jests）　the　lamentable　condition　of
poore　Reniero。
　　About　the　Court　walked　hee　numberlesse　times；　finding　such　exercises
as　he　could　best　devise；　to　compasse　warmth　in　any　manner：　no　seate　or
shelter　had　he　any　where；　either　to　ease　himselfe　by　sitting　downe　a
while；　or　keepe　him　from　the　snow；　falling　continually　on　him；　which
made　him　bestow　many　curses　on　the　Ladies　Brother；　for　his　so　long
tarrying　with　her；　as　beleeving　him　verily　to　be　in　the　house；　or　else
she　would　（long　before）　have　admitted　his　entrance；　but　therein　his
hope　was　meerely　deceived。　It　grew　now　to　be　about　the　houre　of
midnight；　and　Helena　had　delighted　her　selfe　with　her　friend
extraordinarily；　til　at　last；　thus　she　spake　to　him。　What　is　thine
opinion　of　my　amourous　Scholler？　Which　dost　thou　imagine　to　be　the
greatest；　either　his　sense　and　judgement；　or　the　affection　I　beare
to　him？　Is　not　this　cold　sufferance　of　his；　able　to　quench　the　violent
heat　of　his　loves　extremitie；　and　having　so　much　snow　broth　to　helpe
it？　Beleeve　me　（sweet　Lady）　quoth　her　friend；　as　hee　is　a　man；　and　a
learned　Scholler；　I　pitty　that　he　should　bee　thus　ungently　dealt
withall：　but　as　he　is　my　rivall　and　loves　enemy；　I　cannot　allow　him
the　least　compassion；　resting　the　more　confidently　assured　of　your
love　to　me；　which　I　will　alwayes　esteeme　most　precious。
　　When　they　had　spent　a　long　while　in　this　or　the　like　conference；
with　infinite　sweet　kisses　and　embraces　intermixed；　then　she　began
againe　in　this　manner。　Deare　love　（quoth　she）　cast　thy　Cloake　about
thee；　as　I　intend　to　doe　with　my　night　mantle；　and　let　us　step　to
the　little　window　once　more；　to　see　whether　the　flaming　fire；　which
burned　in　the　Schollers　brest　（as　daily　avouched　to　me　in　his　love
letters）　be　as　yet　extinct　or　no。　So　going　to　the　window　againe；　and
looking　downe　into　the　Court；　there　they　saw　the　Scholler　dancing　in
the　snow；　to　the　cold　tune　of　his　teeths　quivering　and　chattering；　and
clapping　his　armes　about　his　body；　which　was　no　pleasing　melody　to
him。　How　thinkest　thou　now　sweet　heart　（saide　cannot　I　make　a　man
daunce　without　the　sound　of　a　Taber；　or　of　a　Bagpipe？　yes　beleeve　me
Lady　（quoth　he）　I　plaine　pereive　you　can；　and　would　be　very　lothe；
that　at　should　exercise　your　cunning　on　me。
　　Nay；　said　shee；　we　will　yet　delight　our　selves　a　little　more；　let　us
softly　descend　downe　the　stayres；　even　so　farre　as　to　the　Court　doore：
thou　shalt　not　speake　a　word；　but　I　will　talke　to　him；　and　heare
some　part　of　his　quivering　language；　which　cannot　choose　but　bee
passing　pleasing　for　us　to　heare。
　　Out　of　the　Chamber　went　they；　and　descended　downe　the　stayres　to　the
Court　doore；　where；　without　opening　it；　she　laide　her　mouth　to　a　small
cranny；　and　in　a　low　soft　kinde　of　voyce；　called　him　by　his　name：
which　the　Scholler　hearing；　was　exceeding　joyful；　as　beleeving　verily；
that　the　houre　of　his　deliverance　was　come；　and　entrance　now　should　be
admitted　him。　Upon　the　hearing　of　her　voyce；　hee　stept　close　to　the
doore；　saying。　For　charities　sake；　good　Lady；　let　me　come　in；
because　I　am　almost　dead　with　cold；　whereto　thus　she　answered　in
mocking　manner。　I　make　no　doubt　（my　deare　friend　Reniero）　but　the
night　is　indifferent　colde；　and　yet　somewhat　the　warmer　by　the
Snowes　falling：　and　I　have　heard　that　such　weather　as　this；　is
tenne…times　more　extreame　at　Paris；　then　heere　in　our　warmer　Countrey。
And　trust　me；　I　am　exceeding　sorrowfull；　that　I　may　not　（as　yet）
open　the　doore；　because　mine　unhappy　brother；　who　came　（unexpected）
yester…night　to　suppe　with　mee；　is　not　yet　gone；　as　within　a　short
while　（I　hope）　he　will；　and　then　shall　I　gladly　set　open　the　doore
to　you；　for　I　made　an　excuse　to　steale　a　little　from　him；　onely　to
cheare　you　with　this　small　kind　of　comfort；　that　his　so　long
tarrying　might　be　the　lesse　offensive　to　you。
　　Alas　sweet　Madame；　answered　quaking　and　quivering　Reniero；　bee　then
so　favourable　to　me；　as　to　free　me　from　forth　this　open　Court；　where
there　is　no　shelter　or　helpe　for　me；　the　snow　falling　still　so
exceedingly；　as　a　man　might　easily　be　more　then　halfe　buried　in　it：
let　me　but　within　your　doore；　and　there　I　will　wait　your　own　good
leisure。　Alas　deare　Reniero　（answered　Helena）　I　dare　not　doe　it；
because　the　doore　maketh　such　a　noyse　in　the　opening；　as　it　will　be
too　easily　heard　by　my　Brother：　but　I　will　goe　and　use　such　meanes；　as
shortly　hee　shall　get　him　gone；　and　then　I　dare　boldly　give　you
entrance。　Doe　so　good　Madame；　replyed　Reniero；　and　let　there　be　a
faire　fire　made　ready；　that　when　I　am　within；　I　may　the　sooner　warme
my　selfe；　for　I　am　so　strangely　benummed　with　colde；　as　well…neere　I
am　past　all　sence　of　feeling。
　　Can　it　be　possible　（quoth　Helena）　that　you　should　be　so　benummed
with　colde？　Then　I　plainely　perceive；　that　men　can　lye　in　their　love
letters；　which　I　can　shew　under　your　own　hand；　how　you　fryed　in
flames；　and　all　for　my　love；　and　so　have　you　written　to　me　in　every
letter。　Poore　credulous　women　are　often　thus　deluded；　in　beleeving
what　men　write　and　speake　out　of　passion：　but　I　will　returne　backe
to　my　Brother；　and　make　no　doubt　of　dispatch；　because　I　would　gladly
have　your　Company。
　　The　amourous　Friend　to　Helena；　who　stood　by　all　this　while；　laughing
at　the　Schollers　hard　usage；　returned　up　againe　with　her　to　her
Chamber；　where　they　could　not　take　a　jote　of　rest；　for　flouting　and
scorning　the　betrayed　Scholler；　As　for　him　poore　man；　hee　was　become
like　the　Swanne；　coldly　chattering　his　teeth　together；　in　a　strange
new　kinde　of　harmony　to　him。　And　perceiving　himselfe　to　be　meerely
mocked；　he　attempted　to　get　open　the　doore；　or　how　he　might　passe
forth　at　any　other　place；　but　being　no　way　able　to　compasse　it；　he
walked　up　and　downe　like　an　angry　Lyon；　cursing　the　hard　quality　of
the　time；　the　discourtesie　of　the　Lady；　the　over…tedious　length　of　the
night；　but　（most　of　all）　his　owne　folly　and　simplicity；　in　being　so
basely　abused　and　gulde。　Now　began　the　heat　of　his　former　affection　to
Helena；　altered　into　as　violent　a　detestation　of　her；　Yea；　extremity
of　hatred　in　the　highest　degree；　beating　his　braines；　and　ransacking
every　corner　of　in。　vention；　by　what　meanes　he　might　best　be
revenged　on　her；　which　now　he　more　earnestly　desired　to　effect；　then
to　enjoy　the　benefit　of　her　love；　or　to　be　embraced　betweene　her
armes。
　　After　that　the　sad　and　discomfortable　night　had　spent　it　selfe；
and　the　break　of　day　was　beginning　to　appeare；　Ancilla　the
waiting…woman；　according　as　she　was　instructed　by　her　Lady；　went　downe
and　opened　the　Court　doore；　and　seeming　exceedingly　to　compassionate
the　Schollers　unfortunate　night　of　sufferance；　saide　unto　him。
　　Alas　courteous　Gentleman；　in　an　unblessed　houre　came　my　Ladyes
brother　hither　yesternight；　inflicting　too　much　trouble　upon　us；　and　a
grievous　time　of　affliction　to　you。　But　I　am　not　ignorant；　that　you
being　vertuous；　and　a　judicious　Scholler；　have　an　invincible　spirit　of
pacience；　and　sufficient　understanding　withall；　that　what　this　night
could　not　affoord；　another　may　make　a　sound　amends　for。　This