the decameron(十日谈)-第186章

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that　he　cannot　daunt　you；　hee　will　gently　come　neere　you；　which　when
he　hath　done；　you　may　descend　from　off　the　Tombe；　and；　without
naming　or　thinking　on　God；　or　any　of　his　Saintes；　mount　boldly　on
his　backe；　for　he　will　stand　ready　to　receive　you。　Being　so　seated；
crosse　your　armes　over　your　brest；　without　presuming　to　touch　or
handle　the　Beast；　for　he　will　carry　you　thence　softly；　and　so　bring
you　along　to　the　company。　But　if　in　all　this　time　of　your　travaile；
you　call　on　heaven；　any　Saint；　or　bee　possessed　with　the　least　thought
of　feare：　I　must　plainely　tell　you；　that　either　hee　will　cast　you
dangerously；　or　throw　you　into　some　noysom　place。　And　therefore；　if
you　know　your　selfe；　not　to　be　of　a　constant　courage；　and　sprightly
bold；　to　undertake　such　an　adventure　as　this：　never　presume　any
further；　because　you　may　doe　us　a　great　deale　of　injurie；　without
any　gaine　or　benefite　to　your　selfe；　but　rather　such　wrong；　as　we
would　be　very　sorry　should　happen　unto　so　deere　a　Friend。
　　Alas　honest　Buffalmaco；　answered　the　Physitian；　thou　art　not　halfe
acquainted　with　me　as　yet：　because　I　walke　with　gloves　upon　my
hands；　and　in　a　long　Gowne；　thou　perhappes　doest　imagine　mee　a
faint…hearted　fellow。　If　thou　didst　know；　what　I　have　heeretofore　done
at　Bologna　in　the　night　time；　when　I　and　my　Consorts　went　to　visite
pretty　wenches；　thou　wouldst　wonder　at　my　couragious　attempts。　As　I　am
a　Gentleman；　one　night；　we　met　with　a　young　Bona　Roba；　a　paltry
greene…sicknesse　baggage；　scarsely　above　a　Cubite　in　height；　and
because　she　refused　to　go　with　us　willingly；　I　gave　her　a　kicke　on　the
bum；　and　spurnde　her　more　then　a　Crosse…bowe　shoote　in　distance　from
me；　and　made　her　walke　with　us　whether　she　would；　or　no。　Another
time　I　remember；　when　having　no　other　company　but　my　boy；　I　went
thorow　the　Churchyard　of　the　Fryars　Minors；　after　the　sounding　of
Ave　Maria：　a　woman　hadde　beene　buried　there　the　very　same　day；　and　yet
I　was　not　a　jotte　affraid。
　　Wherefore；　never　be　distrustfull　of　mee；　but　resolvedly　builde
upon　my　courage。　And　in　regard　of　my　more　honourable　entertainment；
I　will　then　weare　my　Scarlet　Gowne　and　Hood；　wherein　I　receyved　my
graduation；　and　then　do　both　of　you　observe；　what　a　rejoycing　will
be　among　the　whole　company；　at　the　entertaining　of　such　a　man　as　I　am；
enough　to　create　me　Captaine　immediatly。　You　shall　perceive　also　how
the　case　will　go；　after　I　have　beene　there　but　a　while；　in　regard　that
the　Countesse　（having　as　yet　never　seene　me）　is　so　deepely　enamored　of
mee：　she　cannot　choose　but　bestow　the　Bathe　and　Knighthood　on　me；
which　shee　shall　have　the　more　honour　of；　in　regard　I　am　well　able
to　maintaine　it；　therefore　referre　all　the　rest　to　mee；　and　never
misdoubt　your　injurie　or　mine。
　　Spoken　like　a　Gallant；　replyed　Buffalmaco；　and　I　feare　not　now；
but　we　shall　winne　credite　by　your　company。　But　be　carefull　I　pray
you；　that　you　make　not　a　mockery　of　us；　and　come　not　at　all；　or
fayle　to　be　there；　when　the　Beast　shall　be　sent　for　you；　I　speake　it
the　rather；　because　it　is　cold　weather；　and　you　Gentlemen　Physitians
can　hardly　endure　it。　You　are　carefull　of　mee　（quoth　the　Doctor）　and　I
thanke　you　for　it；　but　I　applaud　my　faire　Starres；　I　am　none　of　your
nice　or　easie…frozen　fellowes；　because　cold　weather　is　very　familiar
to　me。　I　dare　assure　you；　when　I　arise　in　the　night　time　for　that
naturall　office　whereto　all　men　are　subject；　I　weare　no　warmer
defence；　then　my　thin　wastcoat　over　my　shirt；　and　finde　it
sufficient　for　the　coldest　weather　at　any　time。　When　Bruno　and
Buffalmaco　had　taken　their　leave；　the　Physitian；　so　soone　as　night
drew　neere；　used　many　apt　excuses　to　his　wife；　stealing　forth　his
Scarlet　Gowne　and　Hood　unseene　of　any；　wherewith　being　clothed：　at　the
time　appointed；　he　got　upon　one　of　the　Marble　Tombes；　staying　there
（quaking　with　cold）　awaiting　when　the　Beast　should　come。　Buffalmaco；
being　a　lusty　tall　man　of　person；　had　got　an　ugly　masking　suite；
such　as　are　made　use　of　in　Tragedies　and　Playes；　the　out…side　being　of
black　shagged　haire；　wherwith　being　cloathed；　he　seemed　like　a　strange
deformed　Beare；　and　a　Divels　vizard　over　his　face；　with　two　gastly
horrible　hornes；　and　thus　disguised；　Bruno　following　him；　they　went　to
behold　the　issue　of　the　businesse；　so　farre　as　the　new　Market　place；
closely　adjoining　to　Santa　Maria　Novella。
　　Having　espyed　Master　Doctor　uppon　the　Tombe；　Buffalmaco　in　his
mishapen　habite；　began　to　bound；　leape；　and　carriere；　snuffling　and
blowing　in　mad　and　raging　manner：　which　when　the　Physitian　saw；　his
haire　stood　on　end；　he　quaked　and　trembled；　as　being　more　fearfull
then　a　Woman；　wishing　himselfe　at　home　againe　in　his　house；　rather
then　to　behold　a　sight　so　dreadfull。　But　because　he　was　come　forth；
and　had　such　an　earnest　desire；　to　see　the　wonders　related　to　him；
he　made　himselfe　so　coragious　as　possibly　he　could；　and　bare　all　out
in　formall　manner。　After　that　Buiffalmaco　had　（an　indifferent　while）
plaide　his　horsetrickes；　ramping　and　stamping　somewhat　strangely：
seeming　as　become　of　much　milder　temper；　he　went　neere　to　the　Tomb
whereon　the　Physitian　stood；　and　there　appeared　to　stay　contentedly。
　　Master　Doctor；　trembling　and　quaking　still　extreamely；　was　so
farre　dismayed；　as　he　knew　not　what　was　best　to　be　done；　either　to
mount　on　the　beasts　backe；　or　not　to　mount　at　all。　In　the　end；

thinking　no　harme　could　happen　to　him；　if　he　were　once　mounted；　with
the　second　feare；　hee　expelled　the　former；　and　descending　downe　softly
from　the　Tombe；　mounted　on　the　beast；　saying　out　alowde：　God；　Saint
Dominicke；　and　my　good　Angell　helpe　to　defend　mee。　Seating　himselfe　so
well　as　he　could；　but　trembling　still　exceedingly；　he　crossed　his
armes　over　his　stomacke；　according　to　the　Lesson　given　him。
　　Then　did　Buffalmaco　shape　his　course　in　milde　manner；　toward　Santa
Maria　della　Scala；　and　groping　to　finde　his　way　in　the　darke；　went
on　so　farre　as　the　Sisters　of　Ripole；　commonly　called　the　Virgin
Sanctuary。　Not　farre　off　from　thence；　were　divers　trenches　and
ditches；　wherein　such　men　as　are　imployed　in　necessary
nightservices；　used　to　empty　the　Countesse　di　Cimillari；　and　afterward
imployed　it　for　manuring　Husbandmens　grounds。　Buffalmaco；　being　come
neere　one　of　them；　he　stayed　to　breath　himselfe　awhile；　and　then
catching　fast　hold　on　one　of　the　Doctours　feete；　raysed　him　somewhat
higher　on　his　back；　for　the　easier　discharging　of　his　burthen；　and
so　pitched　him　（with　his　head　forwardes）　into　the　Laystall。
　　Then　began　he　to　make　a　dreadful　kinde　of　noise；　stamping　and
trampling　with　his　feete；　passing　backe　againe　to　Santa　Maria　della
Scala；　and　to　Prato　d'Ognissanti；　where　hee　met　with　Bruno；　who　was
constrained　to　forsake　him；　because　he　could　not　refraine　from　lowde
Laughter；　then　both　together　went　backe　once　more；　to　see　how　the
Physitian　would　behave　himselfe；　being　so　sweetely　embrued。
　　Master　Doctor；　seeing　himselfe　to　bee　in　such　an　abhominable
stinking　place；　laboured　with　all　his　utmost　endevour；　to　get
himself　released　thence：　but　the　more　he　contended　and　strove　for
getting　forth；　he　plunged　himselfe　the　further　in；　being　most
pitifully　myred　from　head　to　foot；　sighing　and　sorrowing
extraordinarily；　because　much　of　the　foule　water　entred　in　at　his
mouth。　In　the　end；　being　forced　to　leave　his　hood　behinde　him；
scrambling　both　with　his　hands　and　feet；　he　got　landing　out　of　his
stinking　Labyrinth；　and　having　no　other　means；　home　he　returned　to　his
own　house；　where　knocking　at　the　door　he　was　at　length　admitted
entrance。　The　doore　being　scarse　made　fast　againe　after　his　letting
in；　Buffalmaco　and　Bruno　were　there　arrived；　listning　how　M。　Doctor
should　bee　welcomd　home　by　his　angry　wife：　who　scolding　and　railing　at
him　with　wonderfull　impatience；　gave　him　most　hard　and　bitter
speeches；　terming　him　the　vilest　man　living。
　　Where　have　you　bin　Sir？　quoth　she。　Are　you　becom　a　night…walker
after　other　Women？　And　could　no　worse　garments　serve　your　turne；　but
your　Doctors　gown　of　Scarlet？　Am　I　to　suffer　this　behaviour？　Or　am　not
I　sufficient　to　content　you；　but　you　must　be　longing　after　change？　I
would　thou　hadst　bin　stifled　in　that　foule　filth；　where　thy　fouler
life　did　jus