the decameron(十日谈)-第194章

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gone　forth　of　that　streete；　came　backe　to　the　place　where　he　let
fall　Alessandro；　purposing　to　accomplish　the　rest　of　his　enterprize。
But　not　finding　the　body；　and　remaining　fully　perswaded；　that　the
Watchmen　were　possessed　thereof；　hee　went　away；　greeving　extreamly。
And　Alessandro；　not　knowing　now　what　should　become　of　him：
confounded　with　the　like　griefe　and　sorrow；　that　all　his　hope　was　thus
utterly　overthrowne；　retired　thence　unto　his　owne　house；　not　knowing
who　was　the　Porter　which　carried　him。
　　The　next　morning；　the　grave　of　Scannadio　being　found　open；　and　the
body　not　in　it；　because　Alessandro　had　thrown　it　into　a　deep　ditch
neere　adjoyning：　all　the　people　of　Pistoya　were　possessed　with
sundry　opinions；　some　of　the　more　foolish　sort　verily　beleeving；
that　the　divell　had　caried　away　the　dead　body。　Neverthelesse；　each
of　the　Lovers　severally　made　knowne　to　Madam　Francesca；　what　he　had
done；　and　how　disappointed；　either　excusing　himselfe；　that　though
her　command　had　not　bin　fully　accomplished；　yet　to　continue　her　favour
towards　him。　But　she；　like　a　wise　and　discreet　Gentlewoman；　seeming
not　to　credit　either　the　one　or　other：　discharged　her　selfe　honestly
of　them　both；　with　a　cutting　answere；　That　shee　would　never
（afterward）　expect　any　other　service　from　them；　because　they　had
fayled　in　their　first　injunction。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　NINTH　DAY；　THE　SECOND　NOVELL

　　　　　WHEREBY　IS　DECLARED；　THAT　WHOSOEVER　IS　DESIROUS　TO　REPREHEND
　　　　　　SINNE　IN　OTHER　MEN；　SHOULD　FIRST　EXAMINE　HIMSELFE；　THAT　HE
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BE　NOT　GUILTIE　OF　THE　SAME　CRIME

　　Madame　Usimbalda；　Lady　Abbesse　of　a　Monastery　of　Nuns　in
Lombardie；　arising　hastily　in　the　night　time　without　a　Candle；　to　take
one　of　her　Daughter　Nunnes　in　bed　with　a　yong　Gentleman；　whereof　she
was　enviously　accused；　by　certaine　of　her　other　Sisters：　The　Abbesse
her　selfe　（being　at　the　same　time　in　bed　with　a　Priest）　imagining　to
have　put　on　her　head　her　plaited　vayle；　put　on　the　Priests　breeches。
Which　when　the　poore　Nunne　perceyved；　by　causing　the　Abbesse　to　see
her　owne　error；　she　got　her　selfe　to　be　absolved；　and　had　the　freer
liberty　afterward；　to　be　more　familiar　with　her　frend；　then　formerly
she　had　bin。

　　By　this　time；　Madame　Philomena　sate　silent；　and　the　wit　of
Francesca；　in　freeing　her　selfe　from　them　whom　she　could　not　fancie；
was　generally　commended：　as　also　on　the　contrary；　the　bold　presumption
of　the　two　amorous　suiters；　was　reputed　not　to　be　love；　but　meerely
folly。　And　then　the　Queene；　with　a　gracious　admonition；　gave　way　for
Madam　Eliza　to　follow　next；　who　presently　thus　began。
　　Worthy　Ladies；　Madame　Francesca　delivered　her　selfe　discreetly
from　trouble；　as　already　hath　bin　related：　but　a　yong　Nun；　by　the
helpe　and　favour　of　Fortune；　did　also　free　her　selfe　（in　speaking
advisedly）　from　an　inconvenience　sodainly　falling　on　her。　And　as　you
well　know；　there　wants　none　of　them；　who　（like　bold　Bayards）　will　be
very　forward　in　checking　other　mens　misdemeanors；　when　themselves；
as　my　Novell　will　approve；　deserve　more　justly　to　bee　corrected。　As
hapned　to　a　Lady　Abbesse；　under　whose　governement　the　same　young　Nunne
was；　of　whom　I　am　now　to　speake。
　　You　are　then　to　understand　（Gracious　Auditors）　that　in　Lombardie
there　was　a　goodly　Monastery；　very　famous　for　Holinesse　and
Religion；　where；　among　other　sanctified　Sisters；　there　was　a　yong
Gentlewoman；　endued　with　very　singular　beautie；　being　named
Isabella；　who　on　a　day；　when　a　Kinsman　of　hers　came　to　see　her　at
the　grate；　became　enamored　of　a　young　Gentleman；　being　then　in　his
company。
　　He　likewise；　beholding　her　to　be　so　admirably　beautifull；　and
conceyving　by　the　pretty　glances　of　her　eye；　that　they　appeared　to　bee
silent　intelligencers　of　the　hearts　meaning；　grew　also　as
affectionately　inclined　towards　her；　and　this　mutuall　love　continued
thus　concealed　a　long　while；　but　not　without　great　affliction　unto
them　both。　In　the　end；　either　of　them　being　circumspect　and
provident　enough；　the　Gentleman　contrived　a　meanes；　whereby　he　might
secretly　visite　his　Nunne；　wherewith　she　seemed　no　way　discontented：
and　this　visitation　was　not　for　once　or　twice；　but　verie　often；　and
closely　concealed　to　themselves。
　　At　length　it　came　to　passe；　that　either　through　their　owne
indiscreete　carriage；　or　jelous　suspition　in　some　others：　it　was
espied　by　one　of　the　Sisters；　both　the　Gentlemans　comming　and
departing；　yet　unknowne　to　him　or　Isabella。　The　saide　Sister；
disclosing　the　same　to　two　or　three　more：　they　agreed　together；　to
reveale　it　to　the　Lady　Abbesse；　who　was　named　Madame　Usimbalda；　a　holy
and　devout　Lady；　in　common　opinion　of　all　the　Nunnes；　and　whosoever
else　knew　her。
　　They　further　concluded　（because　Isabella　should　not　deny　theyr
accusation）　to　contrive　the　businesse　so　cunningly：　that　the　Ladle
Abbesse　should　come　her　selfe　in　person；　and　take　the　yong　Gentleman
in　bed　with　the　Nun。　And　uppon　this　determination；　they　agreed　to
watch　nightly　by　turnes；　because　by　no　meanes　they　wold　be
prevented：　so　to　surprise　poore　Isabella；　who　beeing　ignorant　of　their
treachery；　suspected　nothing。　Presuming　thus　still　on　this　secret
felicitie；　and　fearing　no　disaster　to　befall　her：　it　chaunced　（on　a
night）　that　the　yong　Gentleman　being　entred　into　the　Nuns　Dorter；
the　Scowts　had　descried　him；　and　intended　to　be　revenged　on　her。
　　After　some　part　of　the　night　was　overpast；　they　divided　themselves
into　two　bands；　one　to　guard　Isabellaes　Dorter　doore；　the　other　to
carry　newes　to　the　Abbesse；　and　knocking　at　her　Closet　doore；　saide。
Rise　quickely　Madame；　and　use　all　the　hast　you　may；　for　we　have
seene　a　man　enter　our　Sister　Isabellaes　Dorter；　and　you　may　take　her
in　bed　with　him。　The　Lady　Abbesse；　who　（the　very　same　night）　had　the
company　of　a　lusty　Priest　in　bed　with　her　selfe；　as　oftentimes
before　she　had；　and　he　being　alwayes　brought　thither　in　a　Chest：
hearing　these　tidings；　and　fearing　also；　lest　the　Nunnes　hastie
knocking　at　her　doore；　might　cause　it　to　fly　open；　and　so　（by　their
entrance）　have　her　owne　shame　discovered：　arose　very　hastily；　and
thinking　she　had　put　on　her　plaited　vaile；　which　alwayes　she　walked
with　in　the　night　season；　and　used　to　tearme　her　Psalter；　she　put
the　Priests　breeches　upon　her　head；　and　so　went　away　in　all　hast
with　them；　supposing　them　verily　to　be　her　Psalter：　but　making　fast
the　Closet　doore　with　her　keye；　because　the　Priest　should　not　be
discovered。
　　Away　shee　went　in　all　haste　with　the　Sisters；　who　were　so　forward　in
the　detection　of　poore　Isabella；　as　they　never　regarded　what　manner　of
vaile　the　Lady　Abbesse　wore　on　her　head。　And　being　come　to　the
Dorter　doore；　quickly　they　lifted　it　off　from　the　hookes；　and　being
entred；　found　the　two　Lovers　sweetly　imbracing：　but　yet　so　amazed　at
this　sudden　surprisall；　as　they　durst　not　stirre；　nor　speake　one　word。
The　young　Nunne　Isabella；　was　raised　forthwith　by　the　other　Sisters；
and　according　as　the　Abbesse　had　comanded；　was　brought　by　them　into
the　Chapter…house：　the　yong　Gentleman　remaining　still　in　the
Chamber；　where　he　put　on　his　garments；　awaiting　to　see　the　issue　of
this　businesse；　and　verily　intending　to　act　severe　revenge　on　his
betrayers；　if　any　harme　were　done　to　Isabella；　and　afterward　to　take
her　thence　away　with　him；　as　meaning　to　make　her　amends　by　marriage。
　　The　Abbesse　being　seated　in　the　Chapter　house；　and　all　the　other
Nunnes　then　called　before　her；　who　minded　nothing　else　but　the　poore
offending　Sister：　she　began　to　give　her　very　harsh　and　vile
speeches；　as　never　any　transgressor　suffered　the　like；　and　as　to　her
who　had　（if　it　should　be　openly　knowne　abroad）　contaminated　by　her
lewde　life　and　actions；　the　sanctity　and　good　renowne　of　the　whole
Monastery；　and　threatned　her　with　very　severe　chastisement。　Poore
Isabella；　confounded　with　feare　and　shame；　as　being　no　way　able　to
excuse　her　fault；　knew　not　what　answer　to　make；　but　standing　silent；
made　her　case　compassionable　to　all　the　rest；　even　those
hard…hearted　Sisters　which　betrayed　her。
　　And　the　Abbesse　still　continuing　her　harsh　speeches；　it　fortuned；
that　Isabella　raising　her　head；　which　before　she　dejected　into　hir
bosome；　espied　the　breeches　on　her　he