the decameron(十日谈)-第193章

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that　he　must　refraine　all　places　wheresoever　I　am；　and　forbeare　to
send　me　any　more　Letters；　or　messages。
　　Having　done　so；　then　repaire　to　Rinuccio　Palermini；　and　say。　My
Mistresse　Francesca　is　ready　to　make　acceptance　of　your　love；
provided；　that　you　will　do　one　thing　for　her　sake。　Namely；　this
ensuing　night；　in　the　midst　and　stillest　season　thereof；　to　go　to
the　grave　where　Scannadio　was　this　morning　buried；　and　（without　making
any　noise）　or　speaking　one　word；　whatsoever　you　shall　heare　or　see：　to
take　him　forth　of　the　grave；　and　bring　him　home　to　her　house；　wher　you
shal　know　the　reason　of　this　strange　businesse；　and　enjoy　her　freely
as　your　owne　for　ever。　But　if　he　refuse　to　do　it；　then　I　commaund　him；
never　hereafter　to　see　me；　or　move　further　suite　unto　mee；　by　any
meanes　whatsoever。
　　The　Chamber…maide　went　to　them　both；　and　delivered　the　severall
messages　from　her　Mistresse；　according　as　she　had　given　her　in　charge；
whereunto　each　of　them　answered；　that　they　woulde　（for　her　sake）　not
onely　descend　into　a　Grave；　but　also　into　hell；　if　it　were　her
pleasure。
　　She　returning　with　this　answer　unto　her　Mistresse；　Francesca
remained　in　expectation；　what　the　issue　of　these　fond　attemptes　in
them；　would　sort　unto。　When　night　was　come；　and　the　middle　houre
thereof　already　past；　Alessandro　Chiarmontesi；　having　put　off　all
other　garments　to　his　doublet　and　hose；　departed　secretly　from　his
lodging；　walking　towards　the　Church…yard；　where　Scannadio　lay　in　his
grave：　but　by　the　way　as　he　went；　hee　became　surprized　with　divers
dreadfull　conceites　and　imaginations；　and　questioned　with　himselfe
thus。
　　What　a　beast　am　I？　What　a　businesse　have　I　undertaken？　And　whither
am　I　going？　What　do　I　know；　but　that　the　Kinsman　unto　this　Woman；
perhappes　understanding　mine　affection　to　her；　and　crediting　some　such
matter；　as　is　nothing　so：　hath　laide　this　politicke　traine　for　me；
that　he　may　murther　me　in　the　grave？　Which　（if　it　should　so　happen）　my
life　is　lost；　and　yet　the　occasion　never　knowne　whereby　it　was　done。
Or　what　know　I；　whether　some　secret　enemy　of　mine　（affecting　her　in
like　manner；　as　I　do）　have　devised　this　stratagem　（out　of　malice）
against　mee；　to　draw　my　life　in　danger；　and　further　his　owne　good
Fortune？　Then；　contrary　motions；　overswaying　these　suspitions；　he
questioned　his　thoughts　in　another　nature。
　　Let　me　（quoth　he）　admit　the　case；　that　none　of　these　surmises　are
intended；　but　her　Kinsman　（by　and　in　this　manner　devised）　must　bring
me　into　her　house：　I　am　not　therefore　perswaded；　that　he　or　they　do
covet；　to　have　the　body　of　Scannadio；　either　to　carry　it　thither；　or
present　it　to　her；　but　rather　do　aime　at　some　other　end。　May　not　I
conjecture；　that　my　close　murthering　is　purposed；　and　this　way
acted；　as　on　him　that　（in　his　life　time）　had　offended　them？　The　Maid
hath　straitly　charged　me；　that　whatsoever　is　said　or　done　unto　me；　I
am　not　to　speake　a　word。　What　if　they　pul　out　mine　eies；　teare　out
my　teeth；　cut　off　my　hands；　or　do　me　any　other　mischiefe：　Where　am　I
then？　Shall　all　these　extremities　barre　me　of　speaking？　On　the　other
side；　if　I　speake；　then　I　shall　be　knowne；　and　so　much　the　sooner
（perhaps）　be　abused。　But　admit　that　I　sustaine　no　injurie　at　all；　as
being　guilty　of　no　transgression：　yet　（perchance）　I　shall　not　be
carried　to　her　house；　but　to　some　other　baser　place；　and　afterward　she
shall　reprove　me；　that　I　did　not　accomplish　what　shee　commanded；　and
so　all　my　labour　is　utterly　lost。
　　Perplexed　with　these　various　contradicting　opinions；　he　was
willing　divers　times　to　turne　home　backe　againe：　yet　such　was　the
violence　of　his　love；　and　the　power　thereof　prevailing　against　all
sinister　arguments；　as　he　went　to　the　grave；　and　removing　the
boordes　covering　it；　whereinto　he　entred；　and　having　despoiled
Scannadio　of　his　garments；　cloathed　himselfe　with　them；　and　so　laid
him　down；　having　first　covered　the　grave　againe。　Not　long　had　hee
tarryed　there；　but　he　began　to　bethinke　him；　what　manner　of　man
Scannadio　was；　and　what　strange　reports　had　bene　noised　of　him；　not
onely　for　ransacking　dead　mens　graves　in　the　night　season；　but　many
other　abhominable　Villanies　committed　by　him；　which　so　fearfully
assaulted　him；　that　his　haire　stoode　on　end；　every　member　of　him
quaked；　and　every　minute　he　imagined　Scannadio　rising；　with　intent
to　strangle　him　in　the　grave。　But　his　fervent　affection　overcoming　all
these　idle　feares；　and　lying　stone　still；　as　if　he　had　beene　the
dead　man　indeede；　he　remained　to　see　the　end　of　his　hope。
　　On　the　contrary　side；　after　midnight　was　past；　Rinuccio　Palermini
departed　from　his　lodging；　to　do　what　hee　was　enjoyned　by　his　hearts
Mistresse；　and　as　hee　went　along；　divers　considerations　also　ran　in
his　minde；　concerning　occasions　possible　to　happen。　As；　falling　into
the　hands　of　Justice；　with　the　body　of　Scannadio　upon　his　backe；　and
being　condemned　for　sacriledge；　in　robbing　graves　of　the　dead；
either　to　be　burned；　or　otherwise　so　punished；　as　might　make　him
hatefull　to　his　best　friends；　and　meerely　a　shame　to　himselfe。
　　Many　other　the　like　conceits　mollested　him；　sufficient　to　alter
his　determination：　but　affection　was　much　more　prevayling　in　him；
and　made　him　use　this　consultation。　How　now　Rinuccio？　Wilt　dare　to
deny　the　first　request；　being　mooved　to　thee　by　a　Gentlewoman；　whom
thou　dearly　lovest；　and　is　the　onely　meanes；　whereby　to　gaine
assurance　of　her　gracious　favour？　Undoubtedly；　were　I　sure　to　die　in
the　attempt；　yet　I　will　accomplish　my　promise。　And　so　he　went　on
with　courage　to　the　grave。
　　Alessandro　hearing　his　arrivall；　and　also　the　removall　of　the　bords；
although　he　was　exceedingly　affraid；　yet　he　lay　quietly　stil；　and
stirred　not；　and　Rinuccio　beeing　in　the　grave；　tooke　Alessandro　by　the
feete；　haling　him　forth；　and　（mounting　him　uppon　his　backe）　went　on
thus　loden；　towards　the　house　of　Madam　Francesca。　As　he　passed　along
the　streets；　unseene　or　unmet　by　any；　Alessandro　suffered　many
shrewd　rushings　and　punches；　by　turnings　at　the　streets　corners；　and
jolting　against　bulkes；　poasts；　and　stalles；　which　Rinuccio　could
not　avoyd；　in　regard　the　night　was　so　wonderfully　darke；　as　hee
could　not　see　which　way　he　went。
　　Being　come　somewhat　neere　to　the　Gentlewomans　house；　and　she
standing　readie　in　the　Window　with　her　Maide；　to　see　when　Rinuccio
should　arrive　there　with　Alessandro；　provided　also　of　an　apt　excuse；
to　send　them　thence　like　a　couple　of　Coxcombes；　it　fortuned；　that
the　Watchmen；　attending　there　in　the　same　streete；　for　the
apprehension　of　a　banished　man；　stolne　into　the　City　contrarie　to
order；　hearing　the　trampling　of　Rinuccioes　feete；　directed　their
course　as　they　heard　the　noise；　having　their　Lanthorne　and　light
closely　covered；　to　see　who　it　should　be；　and　what　he　intended；　and
beating　their　weapons　against　the　ground；　demanded；　Who　goes　there？
Rinuccio　knowing　their　voyces；　and　that　now　was　no　time　for　any　long
deliberation：　let　fall　Alessandro；　and　ran　away　as　fast　as　his　legs
could　carry　him。
　　Alessandro　being　risen　againe　（although　he　was　cloathed　in
Scannadioes　Garments；　which　were　long　and　too　bigge　for　him）　fledde
away　also　as　Rinuccio　did。　All　which　Madame　Francesca　easily　discerned
by　helpe　of　the　Watchmens　Lanthorne；　and　how　Rinuccio　carried
Alessandro　on　his　backe；　beeing　attired　in　the　Garments　of
Scannadio：　whereat　she　mervailed　not　a　litle；　as　also　the　great
boldnesse　of　them　both。　But　in　the　midst　of　her　mervailing；　she
laughed　very　heartily；　when　she　saw　the　one　let　the　other　fall；　and
both　to　runne　away　so　manfully。　Which　accident　pleasing　her　beyond　all
comparison；　and　applauding　her　good　Fortune；　to　bee　so　happily
delivered　from　their　daily　mollestation：　she　betooke　her　selfe　to
hir　Chamber　with　the　Maide；　avouching　solemnly　to　her；　that
（questionlesse）　they　both　affected　her　dearely；　having　undertaken　such
a　straunge　imposition；　and　verie　neere　brought　it　to　a　finall
conclusion。
　　Rinuccio；　being　sadly　discontented；　and　curssing　his　hard　fortune；
would　not　yet　returne　home　to　his　Lodging：　but；　when　the　watch　was
gone　forth　of　that　streete；　came　backe　to　the　place　where　he　let
fall　Alessandro；　purposing　to　accomplish　the　rest　of　his　ente