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第177章

the decameron(十日谈)-第177章

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good lucke to escape out of this。
  It appeareth to me; that thou art verie desirous to come downe
hither on the ground; the best counsell that I can give thee; is to
leape downe headlong; that by breaking thy necke (if thy fortune be so
faire) thy life and lothsome qualities ending together; I may sit
and smile at thy deserved destruction。 I have no other comfort to give
thee; but only to boast my happinesse; in teaching thee the way to
ascend that Tower; and in thy descending downe (even by what means thy
wit can best devise) make a mockery of me; and say thou hast learned
more; then all my Schollership could instruct thee。
  All the while as Reniero uttered these speeches; the miserable
Lady sighed and wept very grievously; the time running on; and the
Sunne ascending higher and higher; but when she heard him silent; thus
she answered。 Unkinde and cruell man; if that wretched night was so
greevous to thee; and mine offence appeared so great; as neither my
youth; beautie; teares; and humble intercessions; are able to derive
any mercy from thee; yet let the last consideration moove thee to some
remorse: namely that I reposed new confidence in thee (when I had
little or no reason at all to trust thee) and discovered the
integritie of my soule unto thee; whereby thou didst compasse the
meanes; to punish me thus deservedly for my sinne。 For; if I had not
reposed confidence in thee; thou couldst not (in this maner) have
wrought revenge on me; which although thou didst earnestly covet;
yet my rash credulitie was thy onely helpe。 Asswage then thine
anger; and graciously pardon me; wherein if thou wilt be so
mercifull to me; and free me from this fatall Tower: I do heere
faithfully promise thee; to forsake my most false and disloyall
friend; electing thee as my Lord and constant Love for ever。
  Moreover; although thou condemnest my beauty greatly; esteeming it
as a trifle; momentary; and of slender continuance; yet; such as it is
(being comparable with any other womans whatsoever) I am not so
ignorant; that were there no other reason to induce liking thereof:
yet men in the vigour of their youth (as I am sure you think your
selfe not aged) do hold it for an especiall delight; ordained by
nature for them to admire and honour。 And notwithstanding all thy
cruelty extended to mee; yet I cannot be perswaded; that thou art so
flinty or Ironhearted; as to desire my miserable death; by casting
my selfe headlong downe (like a desperate madde woman) before thy
face; so to destroy that beuty; which (if thy Letters lyed not) was
once so highly pleasing in thine eyes。 Take pitty then on mee for
charities sake; because the Sunne beginneth to heate extreamely: and
as over…much colde (that unhappy night) was mine offence; so let not
over…violent warmth be now my utter ruine and death。
  The Scholler; who (onely to delight himselfe) maintained this long
discoursing with her; returned her this answere。 Madame; you did not
repose such confidence in me; for any good will or afrection in you
towards me; but in hope of recovering him whom you had lost; wherein
you merit not a jot of favour; but rather the more sharpe and severe
infliction。 And whereas you inferre; that your over…rash credulity;
gave the onely meanes to my revenge: Alas! therein you deceive your
selfe; for I have a thousand crochets working continually in my brain;
whereby to entrap a wiser creature then a woman; yet veiled all
under the cunning cloake of love; but sauced with the bitter Wormewood
of hate。 So that; had not this hapned as now it doth; of necessity you
must have falne into another: but; as it hath pleased my happy stars
to favour mee therein; none could proove more to your eternall
scandall and disgrace; then this of your owne devising; which I made
choise of; not in regard of any ease to you; but onely to content my
selfe。
  But if all other devises els had failed; my pen was and is my
prevayling Champion; where…with I would have written such and so
many strange matters; concerning you in your very dearest
reputation; that you should have curst the houre of your conception;
and wisht your birth had bin abortive。 The powers of the pen are too
many and mighty; wherof such weake wits as have made no experience;
are the lesse able to use any relation。 I sweare to you Lady; by my
best hopes; that this revenge which (perhappes) you esteeme great
and dishonourable; is no way compareable to the wounding Lines of a
Penne; which can carracter downe so infinite infamies (yet none but
guilty and true taxations) as will make your owne hands immediate
instruments; to teare the eyes from forth your head; and so bequeath
your after dayes unto perpetuall darkenesse。
  Now; concerning your lost lover; for whose sake you suffer this
unexpected pennance; although your choise hath proved but bad; yet
still continue your affection to him: in regard that I have another
Ladie and Mistresse; of higher and greater desert then you; and to
whome I will continue for ever constant。 And whereas you thinke; the
warme beames of the Sunne; will be too hot and scorching for your nice
bodie to endure: remember the extreame cold which you caused mee to
feele; and if you can intermixe some part of that cold with the
present heat; I dare assure you; the Sun (in his highest heate) will
be far more temperate for your feeling。
  The disconsolate Lady perceiving; that the Schollers wordes savoured
of no mercy; but rather as coveting her desperate ending; with the
teares streaming downe her cheekes; thus she replied。 Wel Sir;
seeing there is no matter of worth in me; whereby to derive any
compassion from you: yet for that Ladies sake; whom you have elected
worthy to enjoy your love; and so farre excelleth mee in Wisedome;
vouchsafe to pardon mee; and suffer my garments to be brought me;
wherewith to cover my nakednesse; and so to descend downe from this
Tower; if it may stand with your gentle Nature to admit it。
  Now beganne Reniero to laughe very heartily; and perceiving how
swiftly the day ran on in his course; he saide unto her。 Beleeve me
Madame Helena; you have so conjured me by mine endeered Ladie and
Mistresse; that I am no longer able to deny you; wherefore; tell me
where your garments are; and I will bring them to you; that you may
come downe from the Turret。 She beleeving his promise; tolde him where
she had hid them; and Reniero departing from the Tower; commanded
his servant; not to stirre thence: but to abide still so neere it;
as none might get entrance there till his returning。 Which charge
was no sooner given to his man; but hee went to the house of a neere
neighboring friend; where he dined well; and afterward laid him
downe to sleepe。
  In the meane while; Madame Helena remaining still on the Tower;
began to comfort her selfe with a little vaine hope; yet sighing and
weeping incessantly; seating her selfe so well as shee could; where
any small shelter might yeelde the least shade; in expectation of
the Schollers returning: one while weeping; then againe hoping; but
most of all despairing; by his so long tarrying away with her
Garments; so that beeing over…wearied with anguish and long
watching; she fell into a little slumbering。 But the Sunne was so
extreamly hot; the houre of noone being already past; that it meerly
parched her delicate body; and burnt her bare head so violently: as
not onely it seared all the flesh it touched; but also cleft and
chinkt it strangely; beside blisters and other painfull scorchings
in the flesh which hindred her sleeping; to help her self (by all
possible means) waking。 And the Turret being covered with Lead; gave
the greater addition to her torment; for; as she removed from one
place to another; it yeelded no mitigation to the burning heate; but
parched and wrinkled the flesh extraordinarily; even as when a piece
of parchment is throwne into the fire; and recovered out againe; can
never be extended to his former forme。
  Moreover; she was so grievously payned with the head…ake; as it
seemed to split in a thousand pieces; whereat there needed no great
the Lead of the Turret being so exceedingly hot; that it affoorded not
the least defence against it;

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