the decameron(十日谈)-第223章

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conflict　in　him；　what　a　maine　battaile　hee　had　with　his　private
thoughts；　confessing　that　they　got　the　victory；　causing　him　to　die
hourely　for　the　love　of　Sophronia；　and　affirming　withall；　that　in
due　acknowledgement；　how　greatly　hee　had　transgressed　against　the
lawes　of　friendship；　he　thought　no　other　penance　sufficient　for　him；
but　onely　death；　which　he　willingly　expected　every　houre；　and　with　all
his　heart　would　gladly　bid　welcome。
　　Gisippus　hearing　this　discourse；　and　seeing　how　Titus　bitterly　wept；
in　agonies　of　most　moving　afflictions：　sat　an　indifferent　while　sad
and　pensive；　as　being　wounded　with　affection　to　Sophronia；　but　yet
in　a　well…governed　and　temperate　manner　without　any　long　delaying；　hee
concluded　with　himselfe；　that　the　life　of　his　friend　ought　to　be
accounted　much　more　deare；　then　any　love　hee　could　beare　unto
Sophronia：　And　in　this　resolution；　the　teares　of　Titus　forcing　his
eyes　to　flow　forth　like　two　Fountaines；　thus　he　replyed。
　　Titus；　if　thou　hadst　not　neede　of　comfort；　as　plainly　I　see　thou
hast；　I　would　justly　complaine　of　thee　to　my　selfe；　as　of　the　man
who　hath　violated　our　friendship；　in　keeping　thine　extreamitie　so　long
time　concealed　from　mee；　which　hath　beene　overtedious　for　thee　to
endure。　And　although　it　might　seeme　to　thee　a　dishonest　case；　and
therefore　kept　from　the　knowledge　of　thy　friend；　yet　I　plainly　tell
thee；　that　dishonest　courses　（in　the　league　of　amitie）　deserve　no　more
concealment；　then　those　of　the　honestest　nature。　But　leaving　these
impertinent　wandrings；　let　us　come　to　them　of　much　greater　necessitie。
　　If　thou　doest　earnestly　love　faire　Sophronia；　who　is　betroathed
and　afflanced　to　me；　it　is　no　matter　for　me　to　marvaile　at：　but　I
should　rather　be　much　abashed；　if　thou　couldst　not　intyrely　affect
her；　knowing　how　beautifull　she　is；　and　the　nobility　of　her　minde；
being　as　able　to　sustaine　passion；　as　the　thing　pleasing　is　fullest　of
excellence。　And　looke　how　reasonable　thou　fanciest　Sophronia；　as
unjustly　thou　complainest　of　thy　fortune；　in　ordaining　her　to　be　my
wife；　although　thou　doest　not　speake　it　expresly：　as　being　of　opinion；
that　thou　mightst　with　more　honesty　love　her；　if　she　were　any
others；　then　mine。　But　if　thou　art　so　wise；　as　I　have　alwayes　held
thee　to　be；　tell　me　truely　upon　thy　faith；　to　whom　could　Fortune
better　guide　her；　and　for　which　thou　oughtest　to　be　more　thankfull；
then　in　bestowing　her　on　me？　Any　other　that　had　enjoyed　her；
although　thy　love　were　never　so　honest；　yet　he　would　better　affect　her
himselfe；　then　for　thee；　which　thou　canst　not　（in　like　manner）　looke
for　from　me；　if　thou　doest　account　me　for　thy　friend；　and　as
constant　now　as　ever。
　　Reason　is　my　warrant　in　this　case；　because　I　cannot　remember；
since　first　our　entrance　into　friendship；　that　ever　I　enjoyed　any
thing；　but　it　was　as　much　thine；　as　mine。　And　if　our　affaires　had　such
an　equall　course　before；　as　otherwise　they　could　not　subsist；　must
they　not　now　be　kept　in　the　same　manner？　Can　any　thing　more
perticularly　appertaine　to　me；　but　thy　right　therein　is　as　absolute　as
mine？　I　know　not　how　thou　maist　esteeme　of　my　friendship；　if　in　any
thing　concerning　my　selfe；　I　can　plead　my　priviledge　to　be　above
thine。　True　it　is；　that　Sophronia　is　affianced　to　me；　and　I　love　her
dearely；　daily　expecting　when　our　nuptials　shall　be　celebrated。　But
seeing　thou　doest　more　fervently　affect　her；　as　being　better　able　to
Judge　of　the　perfections；　remaining　in　so　excellent　a　creature　as
she　is；　then　I　doe：　assure　thy　selfe；　and　beleeve　it　constantly；
that　she　shall　come　to　my　bed；　not　as　my　wife　but　onely　thine。　And
therefore　leave　these　despairing　thoughts；　shake　off　this　cloudy
disposition；　reassume　thy　former　joviall　spirit；　with　comfort　and　what
else　can　content　thee：　in　expectation　of　the　happy　houre；　and　the　just
requitall　of　thy　long；　loving；　and　worthy　friendship；　which　I　have
alwayes　valued　equall　with　mine　owne　life。
　　Titus　hearing　this　answer　of　Gisippus；　looke　how　much　the　sweet　hope
of　that　which　he　desired　gave　him　pleasure；　as　much　both　duty　and
reason　affronted　him　with　shame；　setting　before　his　eyes　this　du
consideration；　that　the　greater　the　liberality　of　Gisippus　was；
farre　greater　and　unreasonable　it　appeared　to　him　in　disgrace；　if
hee　should　unmannerly　accept　it。　Wherefore；　being　unable　to　refrain
from　teares；　and　with　such　strength　as　his　weaknesse　would　give　leave；
thus　he　replyed。
　　Gisippus；　thy　bounty　and　firme　friendship　suffereth　me　to　see
apparantly；　what　（on　my　part）　is　no　more　then　ought　to　be　done。　All
the　Gods　forbid；　that　I　should　receive　as　mine；　her　whom　they　have
adjudged　to　be　thine；　by　true　respect　of　birth　and　desert。　For　if　they
had　thought　her　a　wife　fit　for　me；　doe　not　thou　or　any　else　imagine；
that　ever　she　should　have　beene　granted　to　thee。　Use　freely
therefore　thine　owne　election；　and　the　gracious　favour　wherewith
they　have　blessed　thee：　leave　me　to　consume　away　in　teares；　a　mourning
garment　by　them　appointed　for　me；　as　being　a　man　unworthy　of　such
happinesse；　for　either　I　shall　conquer　this　disaster；　and　that　wil
be　my　crowne；　or　else　will　vanquish　me；　and　free　me　from　all　paine：
whereto　Gisippus　presently　thus　answered。
　　Worthy　Titus；　if　our　amity　would　give　me　so　much　licence；　as　but
to　contend　with　my　selfe；　in　pleasing　thee　with　such　a　thing　as　I
desire；　and　could　also　induce　thee　therein　to　be　directed：　it　is　the
onely　end　whereat　I　aime；　and　am　resolved　to　pursue　it。　In　which
regard；　let　my　perswasions　prevaile　with　thee；　and　thereto　I　conjure
thee；　by　the　faith　of　a　friend；　suffer　me　to　use　mine　authority；
when　it　extendeth　both　to　mine　owne　honour；　and　thy　good；　for　I　will
have　Sophronia　to　bee　onely　thine。　I　know　sufficiently；　how　farre
the　forces　of　love　doe　extend　in　power；　and　am　not　ignorant　also；
how　not　once　or　twice；　but　very　many　times；　they　have　brought　lovers
to　unfortunate　ends；　as　now　I　see　thee　very　neere　it；　and　so　farre
gone；　as　thou　art　not　able　to　turne　backe　againe；　nor　yet　to　conquer
thine　owne　teares；　but　proceeding　on　further　in　this　extremity；　thou
wilt　be　left　vanquished；　sinking　under　the　burthen　of　loves
tyrannicall　oppression；　and　then　my　turne　is　next　to　follow　thee。
And　therefore；　had　I　no　other　reason　to　love　thee；　yet　because　thy
life　is　deare　to　me；　in　regard　of　mine　owne　depending　thereon；　I　stand
the　neerer　thereto　obliged。　For　this　cause；　Sophronia　must　and　shal　be
thine；　for　thou　canst　not　find　any　other　so　conforme　to　thy　fancy：
albeit　I　who　can　easily　convert　my　liking　to　another　wife；　but　never
to　have　the　like　friend　againe；　shall　hereby　content　both　thee；　and　my
selfe。
　　Yet　perhaps　this　is　not　a　matter　so　easily　done；　or　I　to　expresse
such　liberality　therein；　if　wives　were　to　be　found　with　the　like
difficultie；　as　true　and　faithfull　friends　are：　but；　（being　able　to
recover　another　wife）　though　never　such　a　worthy　friend；　I　rather
chuse　to　change；　I　doe　not　say　loose　her　（for　in　giving　her　to　thee；　I
loose　her　not　my　selfe）　and　by　this　change；　make　that　which　was　good
before；　tenne　times　better；　and　so　preserve　both　thee　and　my　selfe。　To
this　end　therefore；　if　my　prayers　and　perswasions　have　any　power
with　thee；　I　earnestly　entreat　thee；　that；　by　freeing　thy　selfe　out　of
this　affliction；　thou　wilt　（in　one　instant）　make　us　both　truely
comforted；　and　dispose　thy　selfe　（living　in　hope）　to　embrace　that
happinesse；　which　the　fervent　love　thou　bearest　to　Sophronia；　hath
justly　deserved。
　　Now　although　Titus　was　confounded　with　shame；　to　yeeld　consent；　that
Sophronia　should　be　accepted　as　his　wife；　and　used　many　obstinate
resistances：　yet　notwithstanding；　Love　pleading　on　the　one　side
powerfully；　and　Gisippus　as　earnestly　perswading　on　the　other；　thus　he
answered。　Gisippus；　I　know　not　what　to　say；　neither　how　to　behave　my
selfe　in　this　election；　concerning　the　fitting　of　mine　contentment；　or
pleasing　thee　in　thy　importunate　perswasion。　But　seeing　thy　liberality
is　so　great；　as　it　surmounteth　all　reason　or　shame　in　me；　I　will　yeeld
obedience　to　thy　more　then　noble　nature。　Yet　let　this　remaine　for
thine　assurance；　that　I　doe　not　receive　this　grace　of　thine；　as　a
man　not　sufficiently　understanding；　how　I