the decameron(十日谈)-第189章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　place　where　the　Merchants　usually　frequented：　resorting　to　her
（from　time　to　time）　as　occasion　served；　and　paying　not　one　single　peny
for　all　his　wanton　pleasure；　by　which　cunning　baytes　（at　length）　she
caught　him。
　　It　came　to　passe；　that　having　made　sale　of　all　his　Clothes；
whereby　hee　had　great　gaines；　and　the　moneyes　justly　payed　him　at
the　times　appointed：　Biancafiore　got　intelligence　thereof；　yet　not
by　him；　but　from　one　of　the　Brokers。　Salabetto　comming　one　night　to
sup　with　her；　she　embraced　and　kissed　him　as　she　was　wont　to　doe；
and　seemed　so　wonderfully　addicted　in　love　to　him；　even　as　if　shee
would　have　dyed　with　delight　in　his　armes。　Instantly；　shee　would　needs
bestow　two　goodly　gilt　standing　Cuppes　on　him；　which　Salabetto　by　no
meanes　would　receive；　because　she　had　formerly　bin　very　bountifull
to　him；　to　above　the　value　of　an　hundred　Crowns；　and　yet　she　would　not
take　of　him　so　much　as　a　mite。　At　length；　pressing　still　more　tokens
of　her　love　and　bounty　on　him；　which　he　as　courteously　denied；　as
she　kindly　offered：　one　of　her　Women…slaves　（as　shee　had　before
cunningly　appointed）　sodainely　calling　her；　forthwith　she　departed　out
of　her　Chamber。　And　when　she　had　continued　a　pretty　while　absent；
she　returned　againe　weeping；　and　throwing　her　selfe　downe　upon　her
Pallet；　breathed　forth　such　sighes　and　wofull　lamentations；　as　no
Woman　could　possibly　doe　the　like。
　　Salabetto　amazedly　wondering　thereat；　tooke　her　in　his　Armes；　and
weeping　also　with　her；　said。　Alas　my　deare　Love；　what　sodain
accident　hath　befalne　you；　to　urge　this　lamentable　alteration？　If
you　love　me；　hide　it　not　from　me。　After　he　had　of　entreated　her　in
this　manner；　casting　her　armes　about　his　necke；　and　sighing　as　if
her　heart　would　breake；　thus　she　replyed。　Ah　Salabetto；　the　onely
jewell　of　my　joy　on　earth；　I　knowe　not　what　to　do；　or　say；　for　（even
now）　I　received　Letters　from　Messina；　wherein　my　Brother　writes　to　me；
that　although　it　cost　the　sale　of　all　my　goods；　or　whatsoever　else　I
have　beside；　I　must　（within　eight　dayes　space）　not　faile　to　send　him　a
thousand　Florins　of　gold；　or　else　he　must　have　his　head　smitten　off；
and　I　know　not　by　what　meanes　to　procure　them　so　soone。　For；　if　the
limitation　of　fifteene　dayes　might　serve　the　turne；　I　could　borrow
them　in　a　place；　where　I　can　command　a　farre　greater　summe；　or　else
I　would　sell　some　part　of　our　Lands。　But　beeing　no　way　able　to
furnish　him　so　soone；　I　would　I　had　died　before　I　heard　these
dismall　tydings。　And　in　the　uttering　of　these　words；　she　graced　them
with　such　cunning　dissembled　sorrow；　as　if　she　had　meant　truly　indeed。
Salabetto；　in　whom　the　fury　of　his　amorous　flames；　had　consumed　a
great　part　of　his　necessary　understanding；　beleeving　these
counterfetted　tears　and　complaints　of　hers；　to　proceed　from　an
honest　meaning　soule；　rashly　and　foolishly　thus　replied。　Deare
Biancafiore；　I　cannot　furnish　you　with　a　thousand　golden　Florines；　but
am　able　to　lend　you　five　hundred　if　I　were　sure　of　their　repayment
at　fifteene　dayes；　wherein　you　are　highly　beholding　to　Fortune；　that　I
have　made　sale　of　all　my　Cloathes；　which　if　they　had　lyen　still　on
my　hand；　my　power　could　not　stretch　to　lend　you　five　Florines。　Alas
deare　heart　（quoth　she）　would　you　be　in　such　want　of　money；　and　hide
it　from　her　that　loves　you　so　loyally？　Why　did　you　not　make　your
need　knowne　to　me？　Although　I　am　not　furnished　of　a　thousand　Florines；
yet　I　have　alwaies　ready　three　or　foure　hundred　by　me；　to　do　any　kinde
office　for　my　friend。　In　thus　wronging　me；　you　have　robd　me　of　all
boldnes；　to　presume　upon　your　offer　made　me。　Salabetto；　far　faster
inveigled　by　these　words　then　before；　said。　Let　not　my　folly　（bright
Biancafiore）　cause　you　to　refuse　my　friendly　offer；　in　such　a　case
of　extreme　necessity：　I　have　them　ready　pre。　pared　for　you；　and　am
heartily　sory；　that　my　power　cannot　furnish　you　with　the　whole　summe。
　　Then　catching　him　fast　in　her　armes；　thus　she　answered。　Now　I
plainly　perceive；　my　dearest　Salabetto；　that　the　love　thou　bearest
me　is　true　and　perfect；　when；　without　expectation　of　being
requested；　thou　art　readie　to　succour　me　in　such　an　urgent　neede；
and　with　so　faire　a　summe　of　Florines。　Sufficiently　was　I　thine　owne
before；　but　now　am　much　more　ingaged　by　so　high　deserving；　with　this
particular　acknowledgement　for　ever；　that　my　Brothers　head　was
redeemed　by　thy　goodnesse　onely。　Heaven　beareth　me　record；　how
unwilling　I　am　to　be　beholding　in　this　kind；　considring　that　you　are　a
Merchant；　and　Merchants　furnish　al　their　affairs　with　ready　monis：　but
seeing　necessity　constraineth　me；　and　I　make　no　doubt　of　repaiment
at　the　time　appointed：　I　。　p　shall　the　more　boldly　accept　your
kindnes；　with　this　absolute　promise　beside；　that　I　wil　rather　sell　all
the　houses　I　have；　then　breake　my　honest　word　with　you。
　　Counterfeit　teares　still　drayning　downe　her　cheeks；　and　Salabetto
kindly　comforting　her；　he　continued　there　with　hir　all　that　night；
to　expresse　him　selfe　her　most　liberall　servant。　And；　without
expecting　any　more　requesting；　the　next　morning　he　brought　her　the
five　hundred　Florines；　which　she　received　with　a　laughing　heart；　but
outward　dissembled　weeping　eies；　Salabetto　never　demanding　any　other
security；　but　onely　her　single　promise。
　　Biancafiore；　having　thus　received　the　five　hundred　Florines；　the
indiction　of　the　Almanacke　began　to　alter：　and　whereas　（before）
Salabetto　could　come　see　her　whensoever　he　pleased；　many　occasions　now
happened；　whereby　he　came　seven　times　for　once；　and　yet　his　entrance
was　scarsely　admitted；　neither　was　his　entertainment　so　affable；　or
his　cheare　so　bountifull；　as　in　his　former　accesses　thither。　Moreover；
when　the　time　for　repaiment　was　come；　yea　a　moneth　or　two　over…past；
and　he　demanded　to　have　his　money；　hee　could　have　nothing　but　words
for　paiment。　Now　he　began　to　consider　on　the　craft　and　cunning　of　this
wicked　Woman；　as　also　his　owne　shallow　understanding；　knowing　he　could
make　no　proofe　of　his　debt；　but　what　her　selfe　listed　to　say；　having
neither　witnes；　specialty；　bill　or　bond　to　shew：　which　made　his
folly　so　shamefull　to　him；　that　he　durst　not　complaine　to　any
person；　because　he　had　received　some　advertisements　before；　whereto　he
wold　by　no　means　listen；　and　now　should　have　no　other　amends；　but
publike　infamie；　scorne　and　disgrace；　which　made　him　almost　weary　of
his　life；　and　much　to　bemoane　his　owne　unhappinesse。　He　received
also　divers　Letters　from　his　Master；　to　make　returne　of　the　500
Florines　over　by　way　of　banke；　according　as　he　had　used　to　do：　but
nowe　could　performe　no　such　matter。
　　Hereupon；　because　his　error　should　not　be　discovered；　he　departed　in
a　small　vessell　thence；　not　making　for　Pisa；　as　he　should　have　done；
but　directly　for　Naples　hee　shaped　his　course。　At　that　instant
lodged　there；　Don　Pietro　della　Canigiano；　Treasurer　of　the　Empresse　of
Constantinople；　a　man　of　great　wisedome　and　understanding；　as　also
very　ingenious　and　politike；　he　being　an　especiall　Favourer　of
Salabetto　and　all　his　friendes；　which　made　him　presume　the　more　boldly
（being　urged　thereto　by　meere　necessity；　the　best　corrector　of
wandering　wits）　to　acquaint　him　with　his　lamentable　misfortune；　in
every　particular　as　it　had　hapned；　requesting　his　aid　and　advice；
how　he　might　best　weare　out　the　rest　of　his　dayes；　because　hee　never
meant　to　visit　Florence　any　more。
　　Canigiano　being　much　displeased　at　the　repetition　of　his　Follie；
sharply　reproved　him；　saying。　Thou　hast　done　leudly；　in　carying　thy
selfe　so　loosely；　and　spending　thy　Masters　goods　so　carelesly；　which
though　I　cannot　truly　tearme　spent；　but　rather　art　meerely　cousened
and　cheated　of　them；　yet　thou　seest　at　what　a　deere　rate　thou　hast
purchased　pleasure；　which　yet　is　not　utterly　helplesse；　but　may　by　one
meanes　or　other　be　recovered。　And　being　a　man　of　woonderfull
apprehension；　advised　him　instantly　what　was　to　bee　done；　furnishing
him　also　with　a　summe　of　money；　wherewith　to　adventure　a　second　losse；
in　hope　of　recovering　the　first　againe：　he　caused　divers　Packes　to
be　well　bound　up；　with　the　Merchants　markes　orderly　made　on　them；
and　bought　about　twenty　Buttes　or　Barrelles；　all　filled　（as　it　were）
with　Oyle；　a