the decameron(十日谈)-第178章

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the　Lead　of　the　Turret　being　so　exceedingly　hot；　that　it　affoorded　not
the　least　defence　against　it；　or　any　repose　to　qualifie　the　torment：
but　drove　her　still　from　one　place　to　another；　in　hope　of　ease；　but
none　was　there　to　be　found。
　　Nor　was　there　any　winde　at　all　stirring；　whereby　to　asswage　the
Sunnes　violent　scalding；　or　keepe　away　huge　swarmes　of　Waspes；
Hornets；　and　terrible　byting　Flyes；　which　vexed　her　extreamely；
feeding　on　those　parts　of　her　body；　that　were　rifte　and　chinkt；　like
crannies　in　a　mortered　wall；　and　pained　her　like　so　many　points　of
pricking　Needles；　labouring　still　with　her　hands　to　beate　them　away；
but　yet　they　fastned　on　one　place　or　other；　and　afflicted　her　in
grievous　manner；　causing　her　to　curse　her　owne　life；　hir　amorous
friend；　but　（most　of　all）　the　Scholler；　that　promised　to　bring　her
Garments；　and　as　yet　returned　not。　Now　began　she　to　gaze　upon　every
side　about　her；　to　espy　some　labouring　Husbandmen　in　the　fields；　to
whom　she　might　call　or　cry　out　for　helpe；　not　fearing　to　discover
her　desperate　condition：　but　Fortune　therein　also　was　adverse　to
her；　because　the　heats　extreamity；　had　driven　all　the　village　out　of
the　fields；　causing　them　to　feede　their　Cattle　about　theyr　owne
houses；　or　in　remote　and　shadie　Valleyes：　so　that　shee　could　see　no
other　creatures　to　comfort　her；　but　Swannes　swimming　in　the　River　of
Arno；　and　wishing　her　selfe　there　a　thousand　times　with　them；　for　to
coole　the　extreamity　of　her　thirst；　which　so　much　the　more
encreased；　onely　by　the　sight　thereof；　and　utterly　disabled　of
having　any。
　　She　saw　beside　in　many　places　about　her；　goodly　Woods；　fayre　coole
shades；　and　Country　houses　here　and　there　dispersed；　which　added　the
greater　violence　to　hir　affliction；　that　her　desires　（in　all　these）
could　no　way　be　accomplished。　What　shall　I　say　more　concerning　this
disastrous　Lady？　The　parching　beames　of　the　Sunne　above　her；　the
scalding　heat　of　the　Lead　beneath　her；　the　Hornets　and　Flyes　everie
way　stinging　her；　had　made　such　an　alteration　of　her　beautifull　bodie：
that；　as　it　checkt　and　controlled　the　precedent　nights　darkenesse；
it　was　now　so　metamorphosed　with　rednesse；　yea；　and　blood　issuing
forth　in　infinite　places；　as　she　seemed　（almost）　loathsome　to　looke
on；　continuing　still　in　this　agonie　of　torment；　quite　voyde　of　all
hope；　and　rather　expecting　death；　then　any　other　comfort。
　　Reniero；　when　some　three　houres　of　the　afternoone　were　overpast；
awaked　from　sleeping：　and　remembring　Madame　Helena；　he　went　to　see
in　what　estate　she　was；　as　also　to　send　his　servant　unto　dinner；
because　he　had　fasted　all　that　day。　She　perceyving　his　arrivall；　being
altogether　weake；　faint；　and　wonderously　over…wearied；　she　crept　on
her　knees　to　a　corner　of　the　Turret；　and　calling　to　him；　spake　in　this
manner。　Reniero；　thy　revenge　exceedeth　al　manhoode　and　respect：　For；
if　thou　wast　almost　frozen　in　my　Court；　thou　hast　roasted　me　all　day
long　on　this　Tower；　yea；　meerly　broyled　my　poore　naked　bodie；　beside
starving　mee　thorough　want　of　Food　and　drinke。　Be　now　then　so
mercifull　（for　manhoods　sake）　as　to　come　uppe　hither；　and　inflict　that
on　me；　which　mine　owne　hands　are　not　strong　enough　to　do；　I　meane
the　ending　of　my　loathed　and　wearisome　life；　for　I　desire　it　beyond
all　comfort　else；　and　I　shall　honour　thee　in　the　performance　of　it。　If
thou　deny　me　this　gracious　favour；　at　least　send　me　uppe　a　glasse　of
Water；　onely　to　moisten　my　mouth；　which　my　teares　（being　all　meerly
dried　up）　are　not　able　to　doe；　so　extreame　is　the　violence　of　the
Sunnes　burning　heate。
　　Well　perceived　the　Scholler；　by　the　weaknesse　of　her　voyce；　and
scorching　of　her　body　by　the　Suns　parching　beames；　that　shee　was
brought　now　to　great　extremity：　which　sight；　as　also　her　humble
intercession；　began　to　touch　him　with　some　compassion；　nevertheles；
thus　he　replied。　Wicked　woman；　my　hands　shal　be　no　means　of　thy　death；
but　make　use　of　thine　owne；　if　thou　be　so　desirous　to　have　it：　and
as　much　water　shalt　thou　get　of　me　to　asswage　thy　thirst；　as　thou
gavest　me　fire　to　comfort　my　freezing；　when　thou　wast　in　the　luxurious
heat　of　thy　immodest　desires；　and　I　wel…neere　frozen　to　death　with
extremity　of　cold。　Pray　that　the　Evening　may　raine　downe　Rosewater
on　thee；　because　that　in　the　River　of　Arno　is　not　good　enough　for
thee：　for　as　little　pitty　doe　I　take　on　thee　now；　as　thou　didst　extend
compassion　to　me　then。
　　Miserable　Woman　that　I　am；　answered　Helena；　Why　did　the　heavens
bestow　beautie　on　mee；　which　others　have　admired　and　honoured；　and　yet
（by　thee）　is　utterly　despised？　More　cruell　art　thou　then　any　savage
Beast；　thus　to　vexe　and　torment　mee　in　such　mercilesse　manner。　What
greater　extreamity　couldst　thou　inflict　on　me；　if　I　had　bin　the
destruction　of　all　thy　Kindred；　and　lefte　no　one　man　living　of　thy
race？　I　am　verily　perswaded；　that　more　cruelty　cannot　be　used
against　a　Traitor；　who　was　the　subversion　of　an　whole　Cittie；　then
this　tyranny　of　thine；　roasting　me　thus　in　the　beames　of　the　Sun；
and　suffering　my　body　to　be　devoured　with　Flies；　without　so　small　a
mercie；　as　to　give　mee　a　little　coole　water；　which　murtherers　are
permitted　to　have；　being　condemned　by　justice；　and　led　to　execution：
yea　Wine　also；　if　they　request　it。
　　But；　seeing　thou　art　so　constant　in　thy　pernitious　resolve；　as
neither　thine　owne　good　Nature；　nor　this　lamentable　sufferance　in
me；　are　able　to　alter　thee：　I　will　prepare　my　self　for　death
patiently；　to　the　end；　that　Heaven　may　be　mercifull　to　my　soul；　and
reward　thee　justly；　according　to　thy　cruelty。　Which　words　being　ended；
she　withdrew　her　selfe　towards　the　middest　of　the　Tarras；　despairing
of　escaping　（with　life）
　　from　the　heates　violence；　and　not　once　onely；　but　infinite　times
beside　（among　her　other　grievous　extreamities）　she　was　ready　to　dye
with　drought；　bemoaning　incessantly　her　dolorous　condition。
　　By　this　time　the　day　was　well　neere　spent；　and　night　beganne　to
hasten　on　apace：　when　the　Scholler　（immagining　that　he　afflicted　her
sufficiently）　tooke　her　Garments；　and　wrapping　them　up　in　his　mans
Cloake；　went　thence　to　the　Ladies　house；　where　he　found　Ancilla　the
Waiting…woman　sitting　at　the　doore；　sad　and　disconsolate　for　her
Ladies　long　absence；　to　whom　thus　he　spake。　How　now　Ancilla？　Where
is　thy　Lady　and　Mistris？　Alas　Sir　（quoth　she）　I　know　not。　I　thought
this　morning　to　have　found　her　in　her　bed；　as　usually　I　was　wont　to
do；　and　where　I　left　her　yesternight　at　our　parting：　but　there　she　was
not；　nor　in　any　place　else　of　my　knowledge；　neyther　can　I　imagine　what
is　become　of　her；　which　is　to　me　no　meane　discomfort。
　　But　can　you　（Sir）　say　any　thing　of　her？　Ancilla；　said　he；　I　would
thou　hadst　bin　in　her　company；　and　at　the　same　place　where　now　she　is；
that　some　punishment　for　thy　fault　might　have　falne　uppon　thee；　as
already　it　hath　done　on　her。　But　beleeve　it　assuredly；　that　thou　shalt
not　freely　escape　from　my　fingers；　till　I　have　justly　paide　thee　for
thy　paines；　to　teach　thee　to　abuse　any　Gentleman；　as　thou　didst　me。
　　Having　thus　spoken；　hee　called　to　his　servant；　saying。　Give　her
the　Garments；　and　bid　her　go　looke　her　Lady；　if　she　will。　The
Servingman　fulfilled　his　Masters　command；　and　Ancilla　having
receyved　her　Ladies　cloaths；　knowing　them　perfectly；　and　remembring
（withall）　what　had　bin　said：　she　waxed　very　doubtfull；　least　they
had　slaine　her；　hardly　refraining　from　exclaiming　on　them；　but　that
greefe　and　heavie　weeping　overcame　her；　so　that　uppon　the　Schollers
departing；　she　ranne　in　all　hast　with　the　garments　towardes　the　Tower。
　　Upon　this　fatall　and　unfortunate　day　to　Madame　Helena；　it　chanced；
that　a　Clowne　or　Countrey　Peazant　belonging　to　her　Farme　or　Dairy
house；　having　two　of　his　young　Heyfers　wandred　astray；　and　he
labouring　in　diligent　search　to　finde　them：　within　a　while　after　the
Schollers　departure；　came　to　seeke　them　in　Woods　about　the　Tower；　and；
notwithstanding　all　his　crying　and　calling　for　his　beasts；　yet　he
heard　the　Ladies　greevous　moanes　and　lamentations。　Wherefore；　he　cryed
out　so　lowd　as　he　could；　saying：　Who　is　it　that　mourneth　so　aloft　on
the　Tower？　Full　well　she　knew　the　voyce　of　her　peazant；　and
therefore　called　unto　him；　and　sayd　in　this