the decameron(十日谈)-第2章

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resolution；　and　answered；　that　hee　would　gladly　doe　it。
　　Having　made　their　agreement　together；　and　received　from　Musciatto
his　expresse　procuration；　and　also　the　Kings　gracious　Letters；　after
that　Musciatto　was　gone　on　his　journey；　Master　Chappelet　went　to
Dijon；　where　he　was　unknowne　（well…neere）　of　any。　And　there　（quite
from　his　naturall　disposition）　he　beganne　benignely　and　graciously；　in
recovering　the　debts　due；　which　course　he　tooke　the　rather；　because
they　should　have　a　further　feeling　of　him　in　the　end。　Being　lodged
in　the　house　of　two　Florentine　brethren；　that　living　on　their　monies
usance；　and　（for　Mounsieur　Musciattoes　sake）　using　him　with　honour　and
respect：　it　fortuned　that　he　fell　sicke；　and　the　two　brethren　sent　for
Physitions　to　attend　him；　allowing　their　servants　to　be　diligent　about
him；　making　no　spare　of　any　thing；　which　gave　the　best　likelyhood　of
restoring　his　health。　But　all　their　paines　proved　to　no　purpose；
because　he　（honest　man）　being　now　growne　aged；　and　having　lived　all
his　life　time　very　disorderly；　fell　day　by　day　（according　to　the
Physicions　judgement）　from　bad　to　worse；　as　no　other　way　appeared
but　death；　whereat　the　brethren　greatly　grieved。
　　Upon　a　day；　neere　to　the　Chamber　where　the　sicke　man　lay；　they
entred　into　this　communication。　What　shall　we　doe　（quoth　the　one　to
the　other）　with　this　man？　We　are　much　hindered　by　him：　for　to　send　him
away　（sicke　as　he　is）　we　shall　be　greatly　blamed　thereby；　and　it
will　be　a　manifest　note　of　our　weake　wisedome；　the　people　knowing　that
first　of　all　we　gave　him　entertainement；　and　have　allowed　him　honest
physicall　attendance；　and　he　not　having　any　way　injuried　or　offended
us；　to　let　him　be　suddenly　expulsed　our　house　（sicke　to　death　as　he
is）　it　can　be　no　way　for　our　credit。
　　On　the　other　side；　we　are　to　consider　also；　that　hee　hath　bin　so
badde　a　man；　as　he　will　not　now　make　any　confession　thereof；　neither
receive　the　blessed　Sacrament　of　the　Church；　and　dying　so　without
confession；　there　is　no　Church　that　will　accept　his　body；　but　it
must　be　buried　in　prophane　ground；　like　to　a　Dogge。　And　yet　if　hee
would　confesse　himselfe；　his　sinnes　are　so　many　and　monstrous；　as
the　like　case　also　may　happen；　because　there　is　not　any　Priest　or
Religious　person；　that　can　or　will　absolve　him。　And　being　not
absolved；　he　must　be　cast　into　some　ditch　or　pit；　and　then　the
people　of　the　Towne；　as　well　in　regard　of　the　account　we　carry
heere；　（which　to　them　appeareth　so　little　pleasing；　as　we　are　daily
pursued　with　their　worst　words）　as　also　coveting　our　spoile　and
overthrow；　upon　this　accident　will　cry　out　and　mutiny　against　us；
Behold　these　Lombard　dogs；　which　are　not　to　be　received　into　the
Church；　why　should　we　suffer　them　to　live　heere　among　us？　In　furious
madnesse　will　they　come　upon　us；　and　our　house；　where　（peradventure）
not　contended　with　robbing　us　of　our　goods；　our　lives　will　remaine
in　their　mercy　and　danger；　so　that；　in　what　sort　soever　it　happen；
this　mans　dying　here；　must　needs　be　banefull　to　us。
　　Master　Chappelet；　who　（as　we　have　formerly　saide）　was　lodged　neere
to　the　place　where　they　thus　conferred；　having　a　subtle　attention
（as　oftentimes　we　see　sicke　persons　to　be　possessed　withall）　heard　all
these　speeches　spoken　of　him；　and　causing　them　to　bee　called　unto　him；
thus　hee　spake。
　　I　would　not　have　you　to　be　any　way　doubtfull　of　me；　neither　that　you
should　receive　the　least　damage　by　me：　I　have　heard　what　you　have
said；　and　am　certaine；　that　it　will　happen　according　to　your　words；　if
matters　should　fall　out　as　you　conceite；　but　I　am　minded　to　deale
otherwise。　I　have　committed　so　many　offences　against　our　Lord　God；
in　the　whole　current　of　my　life；　that　now　I　intend　one　action　at　the
houre　of　my　death；　which　I　trust　will　make　amends　for　all。　Procure
therefore；　I　pray　you；　that　the　most　holy　and　religious　man　that　is　to
be　found　（if　there　bee　any　one　at　all）　may　come　unto　me；　and　referre
the　case　then　to　me；　for　I　will　deale　in　such　sort　for　you　and　my
selfe；　that　all　shall　be　well；　and　you　no　way　discontented。
　　The　two　Brethren；　although　they　had　no　great　hope　in　his　speeches；
went　yet　to　a　Monastery　of　Gray…Friars；　and　requested；　that　some　one
holy　and　learned　man；　might　come　to　heare　the　confession　of　a　Lombard；
that　lay　very　weake　and　sicke　in　their　house。　And　one　was　granted　unto
them；　being　an　aged　religious　Frier；　a　great　read　master　in　the　sacred
Scripture；　a　very　venerable　person；　who　being　of　good　and　sanctified
life；　all　the　Citizens　held　him　in　great　respect　and　esteeme；　and　on
hee　went　with　them　to　their　house。　When　he　was　come　up　into　the
Chamber　where　Master　Chappelet　lay；　and　being　there　seated　downe　by
him；　he　beganne　first　to　comfort　him　very　lovingly；　demanding　also
of　him；　how　many　times　he　had　bin　at　confession？　Whereto　Master
Chappelet　（who　never　had　bin　shrived　in　all　his　life　time）　thus
replied。
　　Holy　Father；　I　alwayes　used　（as　a　common　custome）　to　bee　confessed
once　（at　the　least）　every　weeke；　albeit　sometimes　much　more　often；　but
true　it　is；　that　being　falne　into　this　sicknesse；　now　eight　daies
since　I　have　not　beene　confest；　so　violent　hath　bene　the　extremity
of　my　weaknesse。　My　sonne　（answered　the　good　old　man）　thou　hast　done
well；　and　so　keep　thee　still　hereafter　in　that　minde：　but　I　plainly
perceive；　seeing　thou　hast　so　often　confessed　thy　selfe；　that　I
shall　take　the　lesse　labour　in　urging　questions　to　thee。
　　Master　Chappelet　replyed；　Say　not　so　good　Father；　for　albeit　I
have　bene　so　oftentimes　confessed；　yet　am　I　willing　now　to　make　a
generall　confession；　even　of　all　sinnes　comming　to　my　remembrance；
from　the　very　day　of　my　birth；　until　this　instant　houre　of　my
shrift。　And　therefore　I　entreat　you　（holy　Father）　to　make　a　particular
demand　of　everie　thing；　even　as　if　I　had　never　bene　confessed　at
all；　and　to　make　no　respect　of　my　sicknesse：　for　I　had　rather　be
offensive　to　mine　owne　flesh；　then　by　favoring　or　allowing　it　ease；　to
hazard　the　perdition　of　my　soule；　which　my　Redeemer　bought　with　so
precious　a　price。
　　These　words　were　highly　pleasing　to　the　holy　Friar；　and　seemed　to
him　as　an　argument　of　a　good　conscience：　Wherefore；　after　hee　had　much
commended　this　forwardnesse　in　him；　he　began　to　demand　of　him　if　he
had　never　offended　with　any　Woman？　Whereunto　master　Chappelet
（breathing　forth　a　great　sigh）　answered。
　　Holy　Father；　I　am　halfe　ashamed　to　tell　you　the　truth　in　this
case；　as　fearing　least　I　should　sinne　in　vaine…glory。　Whereto　the
Confessor　replyed；　Speake　boldly　sonne；　and　feare　not；　for　in
telling　the　truth；　bee　it　in　confession　or　otherwise；　a　man　can
never　sinne。　Then　sayde　Maister　Chappelet；　Father；　seeing　you　give
me　so　good　an　assurance；　I　will　resolve　you　faithfully　heerein。　I　am
so　true　a　Virgin…man　in　this　matter；　even　as　when　I　issued　forth　of　my
mothers　Wombe。　O　sonne　（quoth　the　Friar）　how　happy　and　blessed　of
God　art　thou？　Well　hast　thou　lived；　and　therein　hast　thou　not　meanly
merited；　having　had　so　much　libertie　to　doe　the　contrary　if　thou
wouldest；　wherein　verie　few　of　us　can　so　answer　for　our　selves。
　　Afterward；　he　demanded　of　him；　how　much　displeasing　to　God　hee　had
beene　in　the　sinne　of　Gluttony？　When　（sighing　againe　greatly）　hee
answered：　Too　much；　and　too　often；　good　Father。　For；　over　and　beside
the　Fasts　of　our　Lent　season；　which　everie　yeare　ought　to　bee　duely
observed　by　devout　people；　I　brought　my　selfe　to　such　a　customarie
use；　that　I　could　fast　three　dayes　in　every　Weeke；　with　Bread　and
Water。　But　indeede　（holy　Father）　I　confesse；　that　I　have　drunke
water　with　such　a　pleasing　appetite　and　delight　（especially　in
praying；　or　walking　on　pilgrimages）　even　as　greedy　drunkards　doe；　in
drinking　good　Wine。　And　many　times　I　have　desired　such　Sallades　of
small　hearbes；　as　Women　do　gather　abroad　in　the　open　fields；　and
feeding　onely　upon　them；　without　coveting　after　any　other　kinde　of
sustenance；　hath　seemed　much　more　pleasing　to　me；　then　I　thought　to
agree　with　the　nature　of　Fasting；　especially；　when　as　it　swerveth
from　devotion；　or　is　not　done　as　it　ought　to　bee。
　Sonne；　Sonne；　replied　the　Confessour；　these　sinnes　are　naturall；
and　very　light；　and　therefore　I　would　not　have　thee