the decameron(十日谈)-第230章

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exchange　of　their　horses　（over…wearied　with　Travaile）　they　found　three
other　very　richly　furnished；　and　their　men　also　in　like　manner
provided。　Which　when　Saladine　had　perceyved；　he　tooke　his　Baschaes
aside；　and　spake　in　this　manner。
　　By　our　greatest　Gods；　I　never　met　with　any　man；　more　compleat　in　all
noble　perfections；　more　courteous　and　kinde　then　Thorello　is。　If　all
the　Christian　Kings；　in　the　true　and　heroicall　nature　of　Kings；　do
deale　as　honourably　as　I　see　this　Knight　doeth；　the　Soldane　of　Babylon
is　not　able　to　endure　the　comming　of　one　of　them；　much　lesse　so
many；　as　wee　see　preparing　to　make　head　against　us。　But　beholding；
that　both　refusall　and　acceptation；　was　all　one　in　the　minde　of
Thorello：　after　much　kinde　Language　had　bin　intercoursed　betweene
them；　Saladine　（with　his　Attendants）　mounted　on　horsebacke。
　　Signiour　Thorello；　with　a　number　of　his　honourable　Friends　（to　the
number　of　an　hundred　Horsse）　accompanied　them　a　great　distance　from
the　Citie；　and　although　it　greeved　Saladine　exceedingly；　to　leave
the　company　of　Thorello；　so　dearely　he　was　affected　to　him：　but
necessity　（which　controlleth　the　power　of　all　lawes　whatsoever）　must
needs　divide　them：　yet　requesting　his　returne　agayne　that　way；　if
possibly　it　might　be　granted；　which　Saladine　promised　but　did　not
performe。　Well　Gentlemen　（quoth　Thorello　at　parting）　I　know　not　what
you　are；　neither　（against　your　will）　do　I　desire　it：　but　whether　you
be　Marchants　or　no　remember　me　in　your　kindnesse；　and　so　to　the
heavenly　powers　I　commend　you。　Saladine；　having　taken　his　leave　of　all
them　that　were　with　Thorello；　returned　him　this　answer。　Sir；　it　may
one　day　hereafter　so　happen；　as　we　shal　let　you　see　some　of　our
Marchandises；　for　the　better　confirmation　of　your　beleefe；　and　our
profession。
　　Thus　parted　Signior　Thorello　and　his　friends；　from　Saladine　and
his　company；　who　verily　determined　in　the　heighth　of　his　minde；　if
he　should　be　spared　with　life；　and　the　warre　（which　he　expected）
concluded：　to　requite　Thorello　with　no　lesse　courtesie；　then　hee　had
already　declared　to　him；　conferring　a　long　while　after　with　his
Baschaes；　both　of　him　and　his　beauteous　Lady；　not　forgetting　any　of
their　courteous　actions；　but　gracing　them　all　with　deserved
commendation。　But　after　they　had　（with　very　laborious　paines）　surveyed
most　of　the　Westerne　parts；　they　all　tooke　Shipping；　and　returned　into
Alexandria：　sufficiently　informed；　what　preparation　was　to　be　made　for
their　owne　defence。　And　Signior　Thorello　being　come　backe　againe　to
Pavia；　consulted　with　his　privat　thoughts　（many　times　after）　what
these　three　travailers　should　be；　but　came　farre　short　of　knowing
the　truth；　till　（by　experience）　hee　became　better　informed。
　　When　the　time　was　come；　that　the　Christians　were　to　make　their
passage；　and　wonderfull　great　preparations；　in　all　places　performed：
Signiour　Thorello；　notwithstanding　the　teares　and　intreaties　of　his
Wife；　determined　to　be　one　in　so　woorthy　and　honourable　a　voyage：
and　having　made　his　provision　ready；　nothing　wanting　but　mounting　on
Horsebacke；　to　go　where　he　should　take　shipping；　to　his　Wife　（whom
he　most　intirely　affected）　thus　hee　spake。　Madame；　I　goe　as　thou　seest
in　this　famous　Voyage；　as　well　for　mine　Honour；　as　also　the　benefite
of　my　soule；　all　our　goodes　and　possessions；　I　commit　to　thy
vertuous　care。　And　because　I　am　not　certaine　of　my　returning　backe
againe；　in　regard　of　a　thousand　accidents　which　may　happen；　in　such
a　Countrey　as　I　goe　unto：　I　desire　onely　but　one　favour　of　thee；
whatsoever　daunger　shall　befall　mee；　Namely；　when　any　certaine　tydings
shall　be　brought　you　of　my　death；　to　stay　no　longer　before　thy
second　marriage；　but　one　yeare；　one　month；　and　one　day；　to　begin　on
this　day　of　my　departing　from　thee。
　　The　Lady；　who　wept　exceedingly；　thus　answered。　Alas　Sir：　I　know
not　how　to　carry　my　selfe；　in　such　extremity　of　greefe；　as　now　you
leave　me；　but　if　my　life　surmount　the　fortitude　of　sorrow；　and
whatsoever　shall　happen　to　you　for　certainty；　either　life　or　death：
I　will　live　and　dye　the　Wife　of　Signiour　Thorello；　and　make　my
obsequies　in　his　memory　onely。　so　Madame　（replyed　her　Husband）　not　so；
Be　not　overrash　in　promising　any　thing；　albeit　I　am　well　assured；　that
so　much　as　consisteth　in　thy　strength；　I　make　no　question　of　thy
performance。　But　consider　withall　（deare　heart）　thou　art　a　yong　woman；
beautifull；　of　great　parentage；　and　no　way　thereto　inferior　in　the
blessings　of　Fortune。
　　Thy　Vertues　are　many；　and　universally　both　divulged　and　knowen；　in
which　respect；　I　make　no　doubt；　but　divers　and　sundrie　great　Lords　and
Gentlemen　（if　but　the　least　rumor　of　my　death　be　noysed）　will　make
sulte　for　thee　to　thy　parents　and　brethren；　from　whose　violent
solicitings；　wouldst　thou　never　so　resolutely　make　resistance；　yet
thou　canst　not　be　able　to　defend　thy　selfe；　but　whether　thou　wilt　or
no；　thou　must　yeeld　to　please　them；　and　this　is　the　only　reason；　why　I
would　tie　thee　to　this　limited　time；　and　not　one　day　or　minute　longer。
　　Adalietta；　sweetly　hugging　him　in　her　armes；　and　melting　her　selfe
in　kisses；　sighes；　and　teares　on　his　face；　said。　Well　Sir；　I　will　do
so　much　as　I　am　able；　in　this　your　most　kinde　and　loving　imposition：
and　when　I　shall　bee　compelled　to　the　contrary：　yet　rest　thus
constantly　assured；　that　I　will　not　breake　this　your　charge；　so　much
as　in　thought。　Praying　ever　heartily　to　the　heavenly　powers；　that　they
will　direct　your　course　home　againe　to　me；　before　your　prefixed
date；　or　else　I　shall　live　in　continual　languishing。　In　the　knitting
up　of　this　woful　parting；　embracing　and　kissing　either　infinit
times；　the　Lady　tooke　a　Ring　from　off　her　finger；　and　giving　it　to　her
husband；　said。　If　I　chaunce　to　die　before　I　see　you　againe；　remember
me　when　you　looke　on　this。　He　receiving　the　Ring；　and　bidding　all
the　rest　of　his　Friends　farewell；　mounted　on　horsebacke；　and　rode　away
wel　attended。
　　Being　come　unto　Geneway；　he　and　his　company　boorded　a　Galley；　and
（in　few　dayes　after）　arrived　at　Acres；　where　they　joyned　themselves
with　the　Christian　Army；　wherein　there　happened　a　verie　dangerous
mortality：　During　which　time　of　so　sharpe　visitation　（the　cause
unknowne　whence　it　proceeded）　whether　thorough　the　industrie；　or
rather　the　good　Fortune　of　Saladine；　well…neere　all　the　rest　of　the
Christians　（which　escaped　death）　were　surprized　his　prisoner
（without　a　blow　strucken）　and　sundred　and　imprisoned　in　divers
Townes　and　Citties。　Amongest　the　which　number　of　prisoners；　it　was
Signior　Thorelloes　chaunce　to　be　one；　and　walked　in　bonds　to
Alexandria；　where　being　unknowne；　and　fearing　least　he　should　be
discovered：　constrained　thereto　meerly　by　necessity；　hee　shewed
himselfe　in　the　condition　of　a　Faulconer；　wherein　he　was　very
excellently　experienced；　and　by　which　means　his　profession　was　made
knowne　to　Saladine；　hee　delivered　out　of　prison；　and　created　the
Soldans　Faulconer。
　　Thorello　（whom　the　Soldane　called　by　no　other　name；　then　the
Christian；　neyther　of　them　knowing　the　other）　sadly　now　remembred
his　departure　from　Pavia；　devising　and　practising　many　times；　how　he
might　escape　thence；　but　could　not　compasse　it　by　any　possible　meanes。
Wherefore；　certaine　Ambassadours　beeing　sent　by　the　Genewayes；　to
redeeme　divers　Cittizens　of　theirs；　there　detained　as　prisoners；　and
being　ready　to　returne　home　againe：　he　purposed　to　write　to　his
Wife；　that　he　was　living；　and　wold　repaire　to　her　so　soone　as　he
could；　desiring　the　still　continued　rememberance　of　her　limited
time。　By　close　and　cunning　meanes　hee　wrote　the　Letter；　earnestly
intreating　one　of　the　Ambassadors　（who　knew　him　perfectly；　but　made　no
outward　apparance　thereof）　to　deale　in　such　sort　for　him；　that　the
Letter　might　be　delivered　to　the　handes　of　the　Abbot　Di　San　Pietro
in　Ciel　d'Oro；　who　was　（indeede）　his　Unckle。
　　While　Thorello　remayned　in　this　his　Faulconers　condition；　it
fortuned　uppon　a　day；　that　Saladine；　conversing　with　him　about　his
Hawkes：　Thorello　chanced　to　smile；　and　used　such　a　kinde　of　gesture　or
motion　with　his　Lippes；　which　Saladine　（when　he　was　in　his　house　at
Pavia）　had　heedfully　observed；　and　by　this　note；　instantly　he
remembred　Signior　Thorello；　an