the decameron(十日谈)-第203章

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on　me。　Wherefore；　I　will　well　enough　looke　to　my　selfe；　both　this　day；
and　at　all　times　else：　because　thou　shalt　never　make　thy　selfe
merry；　with　any　such　misfortune　as　thou　wishest　unto　me。
　　Well　Wife；　answered　Talano；　I　knew　well　enough　before；　what　thou
wouldst　say：　An　unsound　head　is　soone　scratcht　with　the　very
gentlest　Combe：　but　beleeve　as　thou　pleasest。　As　for　my　selfe；　I
speake　with　a　true　and　honest　meaning　soule；　and　once　againe　I　do
advise　thee；　to　keepe　within　our　doores　all　this　day：　at　least　wise
beware；　that　thou　walke　not　into　our　wood；　bee　it　but　in　regard　of
my　dreame。　Well　sir　（quoth　she　scoffingly）　once　you　shall　say；　I
followed　your　counsell：　but　within　her　selfe　she　fell　to　this
murmuring。　Now　I　perceive　my　husbands　cunning　colouring；　and　why　I
must　not　walke　this　day　into　our　wood：　he　hath　made　a　compact　with
some　common　Queane；　closely　to　have　her　company　there；　and　is
afraide　least　I　should　take　them　tardy。　Belike　he　would　have　me　feed
among　blinde　folke；　and　I　were　worthy　to　bee　thought　a　starke　foole；
if　I　should　not　prevent　a　manifest　trechery；　being　intended　against
me。　Go　thither　therefore　I　will；　and　tarry　there　all　the　whole　day
long；　but　I　will　meet　with　him　in　his　merchandize；　and　see　the　Pink
wherin　he　adventures。
　　After　this　her　secret　consultation；　her　husband　was　no　sooner　gone
forth　at　one　doore；　but　shee　did　the　like　at　another；　yet　so
secretly　as　possibly　she　could　devise　to　doe；　and　（without　any
delaying）　she　went　to　the　Wood；　wherein　she　hid　her　selfe　very
closely；　among　the　thickest　of　the　bushes；　yet　could　discerne　every
way　about　her；　if　any　body　should　offer　to　passe　by　her。　While　shee
kept　her　selfe　in　this　concealment；　suspecting　other　mysterious
matters；　as　her　idle　imagination　had　tutord　her；　rather　then　the
danger　of　any　Wolfe：　out　of　a　brakie　thicket　by　her；　sodainly　rushed　a
huge　and　dreadfull　Wolfe；　as　having　found　her　by　the　sent；　mounting
uppe；　and　grasping　her　throat　in　his　mouth；　before　she　saw　him；　or
could　call　to　heaven　for　mercy。
　　Being　thus　seised　of　her；　he　carried　her　as　lightly　away；　as　if　shee
had　bin　no　heavier　then　a　Lambe；　she　being　（by　no　meanes）　able　to　cry；
because　he　held　her　so　fast　by　the　throate；　and　hindred　any　helping　of
her　selfe。　As　the　Wolfe　carried　her　thus　from　thence；　he　had　quite
strangled　her；　if　certaine　Shepheards　had　not　met　him；　who　with
their　outcries　and　exclaimes　at　the　Wolfe；　caused　him　to　let　her　fall；
and　hast　away　to　save　his　owne　life。　Notwithstanding　the　harme　done　to
her　throat　and　face；　the　shepheards　knew　her；　and　caried　her　home　to
her　house；　where　she　remained　a　long　while　after；　carefully　attended
by　Physitians　and　Chirurgians。
　　Now；　although　they　were　very　expert　and　cunning　men　all；　yet　could
they　not　so　perfectly　cure　her；　but　both　her　throate；　and　part　of
her　face　were　so　blemished　that　whereas　she　seemed　a　rare　creature
before；　she　was　now　deformed　and　much　unsightly。　In　regard　of　which
strange　alteration；　being　ashamed　to　shew　her　selfe　in　any　place；
where　formerly　she　had　bene　seene　she　spent　her　time　in　sorrow　and
mourning；　repenting　her　insolent　and　scornfull　carriage；　as　also　her
rash　running　forth　into　danger；　upon　a　foolish　and　jealous　surmise；
beleeving　her　husbands　dreames　the　better　for　ever　after。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　NINTH　DAY；　THE　EIGHT　NOVELL

　　　　　WHEREBY　PLAINLY　APPEARETH；　THAT　THEY　WHICH　TAKE　DELIGHT　IN
　　　　　DECEIVING　OTHERS；　DO　WELL　DESERVE　TO　BE　DECEIVED　THEMSELVES

　　Blondello　（in　a　merry　maner）　caused　Guiotto　to　beguile　himselfe　of　a
good　dinner：　for　which　deceit；　Guiotto　became　cunningly　revenged；　by
procurng　Blondello　to　be　unreasonably　beaten　and　misused。

　　It　was　a　generall　opinion　in　the　whole　Joviall　Companie；　that
whatsoever　Talano　saw　in　his　sleepe；　was　not　anie　dreame；　but　rather　a
vision：　considring；　every　part　thereof　fell　out　so　directly；　without
the　lest　failing。　But　when　silence　was　enjoyned；　then　the　Queene
gave　forth　by　evident　demonstration；　that　Madam　Lauretta　was　next　to
succeed；　whereupon　she　thus　began。　As　all　they　（judicious　hearers）
which　have　this　day　spoken　before　me；　derived　the　ground　or　project　of
their　Novels；　from　some　other　argument　spoken　of　before：　even　so；
the　cruell　revendge　of　the　Scholler；　yesterday　discoursed　at　large
by　Madame　Pampinea；　maketh　me　to　remember　another　Tale　of　like　nature；
some…what　greevous　to　the　sufferer；　yet　not　in　such　cruell　measure
inflicted；　as　that　on　Madam　Helena。
　　There　dwelt　sometime　in　Florence；　one　who　was　generally　called　by
the　name　of　Guiotto；　a　man　being　the　greatest　Gourmand；　and　grossest
feeder；　as　ever　was　seene　in　any　Countrey；　all　his　meanes　and
procurements　meerly　unable　to　maintaine　expences　for　filling　his
belly。　But　otherwise　he　was　of　sufficient　and　commendable　carriage；
fairely　demeaned；　and　well…　discoursing　on　any　argument：　yet；　not　as　a
curious　and　spruce　Courtier；　but　rather　a　frequenter　of　rich　mens
Tables；　where　choice　of　good　cheere　is　sildome　wanting；　and　such
should　have　his　company；　albeit　not　invited；　yet　（like　a　bold
intruder）　he　had　the　courage　to　bid　himselfe　welcome。
　　At　the　same　time；　and　in　our　City　of　Florence　also；　there　was
another　man；　named　Blondello；　very　low　of　stature；　yet　comly　formed；
quicke　witted；　more　neat　and　brisk　then　a　Butterflye；　alwaies
wearing　a　wrought　silke　cap　on　his　head；　and　not　a　haire　staring　out
of　order；　but　the　tuft　flourishing　above　the　forehead；　and　he　such
another　trencher…fly　for　the　table；　as　our　forenamed　Guiotto　was。　It
so　fel　out　on　a　morning　in　the　Lent　time；　that　hee　went　into　the
Fishmarket；　where　he　bought　two　goodly　Lampreyes；　for　Messer　Viero
de　Cherchi；　and　was　espied　by　Guiotto；　who　to　Blondello）　said。　What　is
the　meaning　of　this　cost；　and　for　whom　is　it？　Whereto　Blondello　thus
answered。　Yesternight；　three　other　Lampries；　far　fairer　and　fatter
then　these；　and　a　whole　Sturgeon；　were　sent　unto　Messer　Corso
Donati；　and　being　not　sufficient　to　feede　divers　Gentlemen；　whom　hee
hath　invited　this　day　to　dine　with　him；　hee　caused　me　to　buy　these　two
beside：　Doest　not　thou　intend　to　make　one　among　them？　Yes　I　warrant
thee；　replied　Guiotto；　thou　knowst　I　can　invite　my　selfe　thither；
without　any　other　bidding。
　　So　parting；　about　the　houre　of　dinner　time；　Guiotto　went　to　the
house　of　the　saide　Messer　Corso；　whom　he　found　sitting　and　talking
with　certain　of　his　neighbors；　but　dinner　was　not　（as　yet）　ready；
neither　were　they　come　thither　to　dinner。　Messer　Corso　demaunded　of
Guiotto；　what　newes　with　him；　and　whither　he　went？　Why　Sir　（said
Guiotto）　I　come　to　dine　with　you；　and　your　good　company。　Wherto　Messer
Corso　answered；　That　he　was　welcom；　and　his　other　friends　being
gone；　dinner　was　served　in；　none　els　therat　present　but　Messer　Corso
and　Guiotto：　al　the　diet　being　a　poore　dish　of　Pease；　a　litle　piece　of
Tunny；　and　a　few　smal　fishes　fried；　without　any　other　dishes　to　follow
after。　Guiotto　seeing　no　better　fare；　but　being　disapointed　of　his
expectation；　as　longing　to　feed　on　the　Lampries　and　Sturgeon；　and　so
to　have　made　a　ful　dinner　indeed：　was　of　a　quick　apprehension；　and
apparantly　perceived；　that　Blondello　had　meerly　guld　him　in　a　knavery；
which　did　not　a　litle　vex　him；　and　made　him　vow　to　be　revenged　on
Blondello；　as　he　could　compasse　occasion　afterward。
　　Before　many　dales　were　past；　it　was　his　fortune　to　meete　with
Blondello；　who　having　told　this　jest　to　divers　of　his　friends；　and
much　good　merriment　made　thereat：　he　saluted　Guiotto　in　ceremonious
manner；　saying。　How　didst　thou　like　the　fat　Lampreyes　and　Sturgeon；
which　thou　fedst　on　at　the　house　of　Messer　Corso　Donati？　Wel　Sir
（answered　Guiotto）　perhaps　before　eight　dayes　passe　over　my　head；　thou
shalt　meet　with　as　pleasing　a　dinner　as　I　did。　So；　parting　away　from
Blondello；　he　met　with　a　Porter　or　burthen…bearer；　such　as　are　usually
sent　on　errands；　and　hyring　him　to　deliver　a　message　for　him；　gave　him
a　glasse　bottle；　and　bringing　him　neere　to　the　Hal…house　of
Cavicciuli；　shewed　him　there　a　knight；　called　Signior　Phillipo
Argenti；　a　man　of　huge　stature；　stout；　strong；　vain…glorious；　fierce
and　sooner　mooved　to　anger　then　any　other　man。　To　him　（quoth
Guiotto）　thou　must