the decameron(十日谈)-第211章

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mervaile；　for　a　Lord　Abbot　to　performe　any　magnificent　action：　but
their　admiration　ceasing　in　silence；　the　King　commanded　Philostratus
to　follow　next；　who　forthwith　thus　began。
　　Honourable　Ladies；　the　bounty　and　magnificense　of　Alphonso　King　of
Spaine；　was　great　and　that　done　by　the　Lord　great　in　Abbot　of
Clugny；　a　thing　（perhaps）　never　heard　of　in　any　other。　But　it　will
seeme　no　lesse　mervailous　to　you；　when　you　heare；　how　one　man；　in
expression　of　great　liberality　to　another　man；　that　earnestly
desired　to　kill　him；　should　bee　secretly　disposed　to　give　him　his
life；　which　had　bin　lost；　if　the　other　would　have　taken　it；　as　I
purpose　to　acquaint　you　withall；　in　a　short　Novell。
　　Most　certaine　it　is；　at　least；　if　Faith　may　bee　given　to　the
report　of　certaine　Genewayes；　and　other　men　resorting　to　those
remote　parts；　that　in　the　Country　of　Cathaya；　there　lived　somtime　a
Gentleman；　rich　beyond　comparison；　and　named　Nathan。　He　having　his
living　adjoyning　to　a　great　common　rode…way；　whereby　men　travayled
from　the　East　to　the　West　（as　they　did　the　like　from　the　West　unto　the
East；　as　having　no　other　means　of　passage）　and　being　of　a　bountifull
and　chearfull　disposition；　which　he　was　willing　to　make　knowen　by
experience：　he　summoned　together　many　Master　Masons　and　Carpenters；
and　there　erected　（in　a　short　time）　one　of　the　greatest；　goodliest；
and　most　beautifull　houses　（in　manner　of　a　Princes　Pallace）　that
ever　was　seene　in　all　those　quarters。
　　With　movables　and　all　kinde　of　furnishment；　befitting　a　house　of
such　outward　apparance；　hee　caused　it　to　be　plentifully　stored　onely
to　receive；　entertaine；　and　honor　all　Gentlemen　or　other　Travailers
whatsoever；　as　had　occasion　to　passe　that　way；　being　not　unprovided
also　of　such　a　number　of　servants；　as　might　continuallie　give
attendance　on　all　commers　and　goers。　Two　and　fifty　severall　gates；
standing　alway　wide　open；　and　over　each　of　them　in　great　golden
carracters　was　written；　Welcome；　welcome；　and　gave　free　admission　to
all　commers　whatsoever。
　　In　this　honourable　order　（observed　as　his　estated　custom）　he
persevered　so　long　a　while；　as　not　onely　the　East　parts；　but　also
those　in　the　west；　were　every　where　acquainted　with　his　fame　and
renown。　Being　already　well　stept　into　yeares；　but　yet　not　wearie
（therefore）　of　his　great　charge　and　liberality：　it　fortuned；　that
the　rumor　of　his　noble　Hospitality；　came　to　the　eare　of　another
gallant　Gentleman；　named　Mithridanes；　living　in　a　Countrey　not　farre
off　from　the　other。
　　This　Gentleman；　knowing　himselfe　no　lesse　wealthy　then　Nathan；　and
enviously　repining　at　his　vertue　and　liberality；　determined　in　his
mind；　to　dim　and　obscure　the　others　bright　splendor；　by　making
himselfe　farre　more　famous。　And　having　built　a　Palace　answerable　to
that　of　Nathans；　with　like　windings　of　gates；　and　welcom　inscriptions；
he　beganne　to　extend　immeasurable　courtesies；　unto　all　such　as　were
disposed　to　visite　him：　so　that　（in　a　short　while）　hee　grew　very
famous　in　infinite　places。　It　chanced　on　a　day；　as　Mithridanes　sate
all　alone　within　the　goodly　Court　of　his　Pallace：　a　poore　woman　entred
at　one　of　the　gates；　craving　an　almes　of　him；　which　she　had；　and
returned　in　againe　at　a　second　gate；　comming　also　to　him；　and　had　a
second　almes；　continuing　so　still　a　dozen　times；　but　at　the　thirteenth
returning；　Mithridanes　saide　to　her：　Good　Woman；　you　goe　and　come　very
often；　and　still　you　are　served　with　almes。　When　the　old　Woman　heard
these　words；　she　said。　O　the　liberality　of　Nathan！　How　honourable
and　wonderfull　is　that？　I　have　past　through　two　and　thirty　gates　of
his　Palace；　even　such　as　are　here；　and　at　every　one　I　receyved　an
almes；　without　any　knowledgement　taken　of　me；　either　by　him；　or　any　of
his　followers：　and　heere　I　have　past　but　through　thirteene　gates；
and　am　there　both　acknowledged　and　taken。　Farewell　to　this　house；
for　I　never　meane　to　visit　it　any　more；　with　which　words　shee　departed
thence；　and　never　after　came　thither　againe。
　　When　Mithridanes　had　a　while　pondered　on　her　speeches；　hee　waxed
much　discontented；　as　taking　the　words　of　the　olde　woman；　to　extoll
the　renowne　of　Nathan；　and　darken　or　ecclipse　his　glorie；　whereupon　he
said　to　himselfe。　Wretched　man　as　I　am；　when　shall　I　attaine　to　the
height　of　liberality；　and　performe　such　wonders；　as　Nathan　doth？　In
seeking　to　surmount　him；　I　cannot　come　neere　him　in　the　very
meanest。　Undoubtedly；　I　spend　all　my　endeavour　but　in　vaine；　except
I　rid　the　world　of　him；　which　（seeing　his　age　will　not　make　an　end
of　him）　I　must　needs　do　with　my　own　hands。　In　which　furious　and　bloody
determination　（without　revealing　his　intent　to　any　one）　he　mounted
on　horse…backe；　with　few　attendants　in　his　company；　and　after　three
dayes　journey；　arrived　where　Nathan　dwelt。　He　gave　order　to　his　men；
to　make　no　shew　of　beeing　his　servants；　or　any　way　to　acknowledge　him：
but　to　provide　them　selves　of　convenient　lodgings；　untill　they　heard
other　tydings　from　him。
　　About　Evening；　and　（in　this　manner）　alone　by　himselfe；　neere　to
the　Palace　of　Nathan；　he　met　him　solitarily　walking；　not　in　pompous
apparrell；　whereby　to　bee　distinguished　from　a　meaner　man：　and；
because　he　knew　him　not；　neyther　had　heard　any　relation　of　his
description；　he　demanded　of　him；　if　he　knew　where　Nathan　then　was？
Nathan；　with　a　chearfull　countenance；　thus　replyed。　Faire　Syr；　there
is　no　man　in　these　parts；　that　knoweth　better　how　to　shew　you　Nathan
then　I　do；　and　therefore；　if　you　be　so　pleased；　I　will　bring　you　to
him。　Mithridanes　said；　therein　he　should　do　him　a　great　kindnesse：
albeit　（if　it　were　possible）　he　would　bee　neyther　knowne　nor　seene
of　Nathan。　And　that　（quoth　he）　can　I　also　do　sufficiently　for　you；
seeing　it　is　your　will　to　have　it　so；　if　you　will　goe　along　with　me。
　　Dismounting　from　his　horse；　he　walked　on　with　Nathan；　diversly
discoursing；　untill　they　came　to　the　Pallace；　where　one　of　the
servants　taking　Mithridanes　his　horse；　Nathan　rounded　the　fellow　in
the　eare；　that　he　should　give　warning　to　al。　throughout　the　House；　for
revealing　to　the　Gentleman；　that　he　was　Nathan；　as　accordingly　it
was　performed。　No　sooner　were　they　within　the　Pallace；　but　he
conducted　Mithridanes　into　a　goodly　chamber；　wher　none　（as　yet）　had
seene　him；　but　such　as　were　appointed　to　attend　on　him　reverently；
yea；　and　he　did　himselfe　greatly　honor　him；　as　being　loth　to　leave　his
company。
　　While　thus　Mithridanes　conversed　with　him；　he　desired　to　know
（albeit　he　respected　him　much　for　his　yeares）　what　he　was。　Introth
sir；　answered　Nathan；　I　am　one　of　the　meanest　servants　to　Nathan；
and　from　my　child…hood；　have　made　my　selfe　thus　olde　in　his　service：
yet　never　hath　he　bestowed　any　other　advancement　on　mee；　then　as　you
now　see；　in　which　respect；　howsoever　other　men　may　commend　him；　yet
I　have　no　reason　at　all　to　do　it。　These　Words；　gave　some　hope　to
Mithridanes；　that　with　a　little　more　counsell；　he　might　securely　put
in　execution　his　wicked　determination。　Nathan　likewise　demaunded　of
him　（but　in　very　humble　manner）　of　whence；　and　what　he　was；　as　also
the　businesse　inviting　him　thither：　offering　him　his　utmost　aide　and
counsell；　in　what　soever　consisted　in　his　power。
　　Mithridanes　sat　an　indifferent　while　meditating　with　his　thoghts
before　ie　would　returne　any　answer：　but　at　the　last；　concluding　to
repose　confidence　in　him　（in　regard　of　his　pretended　discontentment）
with　many　circumstantial　perswasions；　first　for　fidelity；　next　for
constancie；　and　lastly　for　counsell　and　assistance；　he　declared　to　him
truly　what　he　was；　the　cause　of　his　comming　thither；　and　the　reason
urging　him　thereto。　Nathan　hearing　these　words；　and　the　detestable
deliberation　of　Mithridanes；　became　quite　changed　in　himself：　yet
wisely　making　no　outward　appearance　thereof；　with　a　bold　courage　and
setled　countenance；　thus　he　replyed。
　　Mithridanes；　thy　Father　was　a　Noble　Gentleman；　and　（in　vertuous
qualities）　inferiour　to　none；　from　whom　（as　now　I　see）　thou　desirest
not　to　degenerate；　having　undertaken　so　bold　and　high　an　enterprise；　I
meane；　in　being　liberall　and　bountifull　to　all　men。　I　do　greatly
commend　the　envy　which　thou　bearest　to　the　vertue　of　Nathan：　because
if　there　were　many　more　suc