the decameron(十日谈)-第176章

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throughout　all　Florence；　when　they　shall　know；　that　thou　wast　founde
heere　on　this　Turret；　starke　naked？　Thine　honourable　carriage；　and
honesty　of　life；　heeretofore　free　from　a　thought　of　suspition；　shall
now　be　branded　with　detestation；　and　if　thou　wouldst　cloud　this
mishappe　of　thine；　by　such　lies　and　excuses；　as　are　not　rare　amongst
women：　yet　Reniero　that　wicked　Scholler；　who　knoweth　all　thy　privy
compacting；　will　stand　as　a　thousand　witnesses　against　thee；　and　shame
thee　before　the　whole　City；　so　both　thine　honor　and　loved　friend　are
lost　for　ever。
　　Having　thus　consulted　with　her　selfe；　many　desperate　motions
entred　her　minde；　to　throw　her　selfe　headlong　from　off　the　Tarras；
till　better　thoughts　wone　possession　of　her　soule。　And　the　Sunne　being
risen；　shee　went　to　every　corner　of　the　Tarras；　to　espye　any　Lad
come　abroad　with　his　beasts；　by　whom　she　might　send　for　her
waitingwoman。　About　this　instant；　the　Scholler　who　lay　sleeping　（all
this　while）　under　a　bush；　suddenly　awaking；　saw　her　looke　over　the
wall；　and　she　likewise　espyed　him；　whereupon　hee　said　unto　her。　Good
morrow　Madame　Helena；　What？　are　the　Ladies　come　yet　or　no？　Helena
bearing　his　scorning　question；　and　grieving　that　hee　should　so
delude　her：　in　teares　and　lamentations；　she　intreated　him　to　come
neere　the　Tower；　because　she　desired　to　speake　with　him。　Which
courtesie　he　did　not　deny　her；　and　she　lying　groveling　upon　her
brest　on　the　Tarras；　to　hide　her　body　that　no　part　thereof　might　be
seene；　but　her　head；　weeping；　she　spake　thus　to　him。
　　Reniero；　upon　my　credit；　if　I　gave　thee　an　ill　nights　rest；　thou
hast　well　revenged　that　wrong　on　me；　for；　although　wee　are　now　in
the　moneth　of　july；　I　have　beene　plagued　with　extremity　of　colde　（in
regard　of　my　nakednesse）　even　almost　frozen　to　death：　beside　my
continuall　teares　and　lamenting；　that　folly　perswaded　me　to　beleeve
thy　protestations；　wherein　I　account　it　well…neere　miraculous；　that
mine　eyes　should　be　capable　of　any　sight。　And　therefore　I　pray　thee；
lot　in　respect　of　any　love　which　thou　canst　pretend　to　beare　me；　but
for　regard　of　thine　owne　selfe；　being　a　Gentleman　and　a　Scholler；　that
this　punishment　which　thou　hast　already　inflicted　upon　me；　may　suffice
for　or　my　former　injuries　towards　thee；　and　to　hold　selfe　revenged
fully；　as　also　permit　my　garments　to　be　brought　me；　that　I　may　descend
from　hence；　without　taking　th　it　from　me；　which　afterward　（although
thou　wouldst）　thou　canst　never　restore　me；　I　meane　mine　honour。　And
consider　with　thy　selfe；　that　albeit　thou　didst　not　injoy　my　company
that　unhappy　night；　yet　thou　hast　power　to　command　me　at　any　time
when　soever；　with　making　many　diversities　of　amends；　for　one　nights
offence　only　committed。　Content　thy　selfe　then　good　Reniero；　and　as
thou　art　an　honest　gentleman；　say　thou　art　sufficiently　revenged　on
me；　in　making　me　dearely　confesse　mine　owne　errour。
　　Never　exercise　thy　malice　upon　a　poore　weake　woman；　for　the　Eagle
disdaineth　to　pray　on　the　yeelding　Dove：　and　therefore　in　meere　pitty；
and　for　manhoods　sake；　be　my　release　from　open　shame　and　reproch。
　　The　Scholler；　whose　envious　spleene　was　swolne　very　great；　in
remembring　such　a　malicious　cruelty　exercised　on　him；　beholding　to
weepe　and　make　such　lamentations；　found　a　fierce　conflict　in　his
thoughts；　betweene　content　and　pitty。　It　did　not　a　little　joy　and
content　him；　that　the　revenge　which　he　so　earnestly　desired　to
compasse；　was　now　by　him　so　effectually　inflicted。　And　yet　（in　meere
humanity）　pitty　provoked　him；　to　commisserate　the　Ladies　distressed
condition：　but　clemency　being　over…weake　to　withstand　his　rigor；
thus　he　replied。　Madam　Helena；　if　mine　entreaties　（which；　to　speake
truly；　I　never　knew　how　to　steepe　in　tears；　nor　wrap　up　my　words　in
sugar　Candie；　so　cuningly　as　you　women　know　how　to　do）　could　have
prevailed；　that　miserable　night；　when　I　was　well…neere　frozen　to　death
with　cold；　and　meerly　buried　with　snow　in　your　Court；　not　having
anie　place　of　rescue　or　shelter；　your　complaints　would　now　the　more
easily　over…rule　me。　But　if　your　honor　in　estimation；　bee　now　more
precious　to　you　then　heretofore；　and　it　seemeth　so　offensive　to
stand　there　naked：　convert　your　perswasions　and　prayers　to　him；　in
whose　armes　you　were　that　night　imbraced；　both　of　your　triumphing　in
my　misery；　when　poor　I；　trotted　about　your　Court；　with　the　teeth
quivering　in　my　head；　and　beating　mine　armes　about　my　body；　finding　no
compassion　in　him；　or　you。　Let　him　bring　thee　thy　Garments；　let　him
come　helpe　thee　down　with　the　Ladder；　and　let　him　have　the　care　of
thine　honour；　on　whom　thou　hast　bene　so　prodigall　heretofore　in
bestowing　it；　and　now　hast　unwomanly　throwne　thy　selfe　in　perill；
onely　for　the　maintenance　of　thine　immodest　desires。
　　Why　dost　thou　not　call　on　him　to　come　helpe　thee？　To　whom　doeth　it
more　belong；　then　to　him？　For　thou　art　his　and　he　thine。　Why　then
shold　any　other　but　he　help　thee　in　this　distresse？　Call　him　（foole　as
thou　art）　and　try；　if　the　love　he　beareth　thee；　and　thy　best
understanding　joyned　with　his；　can　deliver　thee　out　of　my　sottish
detaining　thee。　I　have　not　forgot；　that　when　you　both　made　a　pastime
of　my　misery；　thou　didst　demand　of　him；　which　seemed　greatest　in　his
opinion；　either　my　sottish　simplicity；　or　the　love　thou　barest　him。
I　am　not　now　so　liberall　or　courteous；　to　desire　that　of　thee；　which
thou　wouldst　not　grant；　if　I　did　request　it：　No；　no；　reserve　those
night　favours　for　thy　amorous　friend；　if　thou　dost　escape　hence
alive　to　see　him　againe。　As　for　my　selfe；　I　leave　thee　freely　to　his
use　and　service：　because　I　have　sufficiently　payde　for　a　womans
falshood；　and　wisemen　take　such　warning；　that　they　scorne　to　bee　twice
deceived；　and　by　one　woman。　Proceed　on　stil　in　thy　flattering
perswasions；　terming　me　to　be　a　Gentleman　and　a　Scholler；　thereby　to
win　such　favor　from　me；　that　I　should　think　thy　villany　toward　me；
to　be　already　sufficiently　punished。　No；　treacherous　Helena；　thy
blandishments　cannot　now　hoodwink　the　eies　of　my　understanding；　as
when　thou　didst　out…reach　me　with　thy　disloyall　promises　and
protestations。　And　let　me　now　tell　thee　plainely；　that　all　the　while　I
continued　in　the　Universitie　of　Paris；　I　never　attained　unto　so
perfect　an　understanding　of　my　selfe；　as　in　that　one　miserable　night
thou　diddest　enstruct　mee。　But　admit；　that　I　were　enclined　unto　a
mercifull　and　compassionate　minde；　yet　thou　art　none　of　them；　on　whome
milde　and　gracious　mercy　should　any　way　declare　her　effects。　For；
the　end　of　pennance　among　savage　beasts；　such　as　thou　art；　and
likewise　of　due　vengeance；　ought　to　be　death：　whereas　among　men；　it
should　suffice　according　to　thine　owne　saying。　Wherefore；　in　regard
that　I　am　neither　an　Eagle；　nor　thou　a　Dove；　but　rather　a　most
venomous　Serpent：　I　purpose　with　my　utmost　hatred；　and　as　an　ancient
enemy　to　all　such　as　thou　art；　to　make　my　revenge　famous　on　thee。
　　I　am　not　ignorant；　that　whatsoever　I　have　already　done　unto　thee；
cannot　properly　be　termed　revenge；　but　rather　chastisement；　because
revenge　ought　alwayes　to　exceede　the　offence；　which　（as　yet）　I　am
farre　enough　from。　For；　if　I　did　intend　to　revenge　my　wrongs；　and
remembred　thy　monstrous　cruelty　to　me：　thy　life；　if　I　tooke　it　from
thee；　and　an　hundred　more　such　as　thy　selfe；　were　farre
insufficient；　because　in　killing　thee；　I　should　kill　but　a　vile
inhumane　beast；　yea；　one　that　deserved　not　the　name　of　a　Woman。　And；
to　speake　truely；　Art　thou　any　more；　or　better　（setting　aside　thy
borrowed　haire；　and　painted　beauty；　which　in　few　yeares　will　leave
thee　wrinkled　and　deformed）　then　the　basest　beggarly　Chamber…stuffe
that　can　bee？　Yet　thou　soughtest　the　death　of　a　Gentleman　and　Scholler
as　（in　scorne）　not　long　since；　thou　didst　terme　me：　whose　life　may
hereafter　be　more　beneficiall　unto　the　world；　then　millions　of　such　as
thou　art；　to　live　in　the　like　multiplicity　of　ages。　Therefore；　if　this
anguish　be　sensible　to　thee；　learne　what　it　is　to　mocke　men　of
apprehension；　and　（amongst　them　especially）　such　as　are　Schollers：
to　prevent　thy　falling　hereafter　into　the　like　extremity；　if　it　be　thy
good　lucke　to　escape　out　of　this。
　　It　appeareth　to　me；　that　thou　art　verie　desirous