the decameron(十日谈)-第25章

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street。　This　is　shamefull　villany　（quoth　one）　and　not　to　be
suffered；　that　honest　women　should　thus　be　molested　in　their　houses；
with　foolish　idle　words；　and　at　such　an　unseasonable　time　of　the
night。　For　Gods　sake　（good　man）　be　gone；　and　let　us　sleepe；　if　thou
have　any　thing　to　say　to　the　Gentlewoman　of　the　house；　come　tomorrow
in　the　daytime；　and　no　doubt　but　she　will　make　thee　sufficient　answer。
　　Andrea；　being　some　what　pacified　with　these　speeches；　a
shagge…hayr'd　swash…buckler；　a　grim　visagde　Ruffian　（as　sildome
bawdy　houses　are　without　such　swaggering　Champions）　not　seene　or　heard
by　Andrea；　all　the　while　of　his　being　in　the　house；　rapping　out　two　or
three　terrible　Oathes；　opening　a　Casement；　and　with　a　stearne
dreadfull　voyce；　demanded；　who　durst　keepe　that　noyse　beneath？
Andrea　fearefully　looking　up；　and　（by　a　little　glimmering　of　the
Moone）　seeing　such　a　rough　fellow；　with　a　blacke　beard；　strowting　like
the　quilles　of　a　Porcupine；　and　patches　on　his　face；　for　hurts
received　in　no　honest　quarrels；　yawning　also　and　stretching；　as
angry　to　have　his　sleepe　disturbed：　trembling　and　quaking；　answered；　I
am　the　Gentlewomans　brother　of　the　house。　The　Ruffian　interrupting
him；　and　speaking　more　fiercely　then　before；　sealing　his　words　with
horrible　Oathes；　said。　Sirra；　Rascall；　I　know　not　of　whence；　or　what
thou　art；　but　if　I　come　downe　to　thee；　I　will　so　bumbast　thy　prating
Coxecombe；　as　thou　wast　never　so　beaten　in　all　thy　life；　like　a
drunken　slave　and　beast　as　thou　art；　that　all　this　night　wilt　not
let　us　sleepe。　And　so　hee　clapt　to　the　window　againe。
　　The　Neighbours　well　acquainted　with　this　Ruffians　rude　conditions；
speaking　in　gentle　manner　to　Andrea；　said。　Shift　for　thy　selfe　（good
man）　in　time；　and　tarrie　not　for　his　comming　downe　to　thee；　except
thou　art　weary　of　thy　life：　Be　gone　therefore；　and　say　thou　hast　a
friendly　warning。　These　words　dismaying　Andrea；　but　much　more　the
sterne　oathes　and　ougly　sight　of　the　Ruffian；　incited　also　by　the
Neighbours　counsell；　whom　he　imagined　to　advise　him　in　charitable
manner：　it　caused　him　to　depart　thence；　taking　the　way　home…ward　to
his　Inne；　in　no　mean　affliction　and　torment　of　minde；　for　the
monstrous　abuse　offered　him；　and　losse　of　his　money。　Well　he　remembred
the　passages；　whereby　the　day　before　the　young　Gyrle　had　guided　him；
but　the　loathsome　smell　about　him；　was　so　extreamely　to　himselfe；　that
desiring　to　wash　him　at　the　Sea　side；　he　strayed　too　farre　wide　on　the
contrary　hand；　wandring　up　the　street　called　Ruga　Gatellana。
　　Proceeding　on　still；　even　to　the　highest　part　of　the　Citie；　hee
espyed　a　Lanthorne　and　light；　as　also　a　man　carrying　it；　and　another
man　with　him　in　company；　both　of　them　comming　towards　him。　Now；
because　he　suspected　them　two　of　the　watch；　or　some　persons　that　would
apprehend　him。；　he　stept　aside　to　shunne　them；　and　entred　into　an　olde
house　hard　by　at　hand。　The　other　mens　intention　was　to　the　very　same
place；　and　going　in；　without　any　knowledge　of　Andreaes　beeing　there；
one　of　them　layde　downe　divers　instruments　of　Iron　which　he　had
brought　thither　on　his　backe；　and　had　much　talke　with　his　fellow
concerning　those　Engines。　At　last　one　of　them　saide；　I　smell　the
most　abhominable　stinke　that　ever　I　felt　in　all　my　life。　So；　lifting
up　the　Lanthorn；　he　espied　poore　pittifull　Andrea；　closely　couched
behinde　the　wall。　Which　sight　somewhat　affrighting　him；　he　yet
boldly　demaunded；　what　and　who　he　was？　Whereto　Andrea　answered
nothing；　but　lay　still　and　held　his　peace。　Neerer　they　drew　towards
him　with　their　light；　demanding　how　hee　came　thither；　and　in　that
filthy　manner。
　　Constraint　having　now　no　other　evasion；　but　that　（of　necessitie）　all
must　out：　hee　related　to　them　the　whole　adventure；　in　the　same　sort　as
it　had　befalne　him。　They　greatly　pittying　his　misfortune；　one　of
them　said　to　the　other：　Questionlesse；　this　villanie　was　done　in　the
house　of　Scarabone　Buttafucco。　And　then　turning　to　Andrea；　proceeded
thus。　In　good　faith　poore　man；　albeit　thou　hast　lost　thy　money；　yet
art　thou　much　beholding　to　Fortune；　for　falling　（though　in　a　foule
place）　yet　in　a　succesfull　manner；　and　entring　no　more　backe　into
the　house。　For　beleeve　mee　friend；　if　thou　haddest　not　falne；　but
quietly　gone　to　sleepe　in　the　house；　that　sleepe　had　beene　thy　last　in
this　world；　and　with　thy　money；　thou　hadst　lost　thy　life　likewise。　But
teares　and　lamentations　are　now　helpelesse；　because　as　easily　mayest
thou　plucke　the　Starres　from　the　Firmament；　as　get　againe　the　least
doyt　of　thy　losse。　And　for　that　shag…haird　Slave　in　the　house；　he　will
be　thy　deathsman；　if　hee　but　understand　that　thou　makest　any
enquirie　after　thy　money。　When　he　had　thus　admonished　him；　he　began
also　in　this　manner　to　comfort　him。　Honest　fellow；…　we　cannot　but
pitty　thy　present　condition：　wherfore　if　thou　wilt　frendly　associate
us；　in　a　businesse　which　we　are　instantly　going　to　effect；　thy　losse
hath　not　bene　so　great；　but　on　our　words　we　will　warrant　thee；　that
thine　immediate　gaine　shall　farre　exceede　it。　What　will　not　a　man
（in　desperate　extremity）　both　well　like　and　allow　of；　especially
when　it　carryeth　apparance　of　present　comfort。　So　fared　it　with
Andrea；　hee　perswaded　himselfe；　worse　then　had　already　happened；　could
not　befall　him；　and　therefore　he　would　gladly　adventure　with　them。
　　The　selfe　same　day　preceding　this　disastrous　night　to　Andrea；　in　the
cheefe　Church　of　the　Cittie；　had　beene　buried　the　Archbishop　of　Naples
named　Signior　Phillippo　Minutulo；　in　his　richest　pontificall　Robes　and
Ornaments；　and　a　Ruby　on　his　finger　valued　to　be　worth　five　hundred
duckets　of　gold：　this　dead　body　they　purposed　to　rob　and　rifle；
acquainting　Andrea　with　their　whole　intent；　whose　necessitie
（coupled　with　a　covetous　desire）　made　him　more　forward　then　well
advised；　to　joyne　with　them　in　this　sacriligious　enterprize。　On　they
went　towards　the　great　Church；　Andreaes　unsavourie　perfume　much
displeasing　them；　whereupon　the　one　said　to　his　fellow：　Can　we
devise　no　ease　for　this　foule　and　noysome　inconveniences？　the　very
smell　of　him　will　be　a　meanes　to　betray　us。　There　is　a　Well…pit　hard
by；　answered　the　other；　with　a　pulley　and　bucket　descending　downe　into
it；　and　there　we　may　wash　him　from　this　filthinesse。　To　the　Well…pit
they　came；　where　they　found　the　rope　and　pulley　hanging　readie；　but
the　bucket　for　safety　was　taken　away；　whereon　they　concluded；　to
fasten　the　rope　about　him；　and　so　let　him　downe　into　the　Well…pit；　and
when　he　had　washed　himselfe；　hee　should　wagge　the　rope；　and　then
they　would　draw　him　up　againe；　which　accordingly　they　forthwith
performed。
　　Now　it　came　to　passe；　that　while　he　was　thus　washing　himselfe　in　the
Well…pit；　the　Watch　of　the　Citie　walking　the　round；　and　finding　it
to　bee　a　very　hote　and　sweltring　night；　they　grew　dry　and　thirsty；　and
therefore　went　to　the　Well　to　drinke。　The　other　two　men；　perceiving
the　Watch　so　neere　upon　them；　left　Andrea　in　the　pit　to　shift　for
himselfe；　running　away　to　shelter　themselves。　Their　flight　was　not
discovered　by　the　Watch；　but　they　comming　to　the　Wellpit；　Andrea
remained　still　in　the　bottome；　and　having　cleansed　himselfe　so　well　as
hee　could；　sate　wagging　the　rope；　expecting　when　hee　should　be　haled
up。　This　dumbe　signe　the　Watch　discerned　not；　but　sitting　downe　by　the
Welles　side；　they　layde　downe　their　Billes　and　other　weapons；
tugging　to　draw　up　the　rope；　thinking　the　Bucket　was　fastened　thereto；
and　full　of　water。　Andrea　being　haled　up　to　the　Pits　brim；　left
holding　the　rope　any　longer；　catching　fast　hold　with　his　hands　for　his
better　safety；　and　the　Watch　at　the　sight　hereof　being　greatly
agrighted；　as　thinking　that　they　had　dragd　up　a　Spirit；　not　daring
to　speake　one　word；　ran　away　with　all　the　hast　they　could　make。
　　Andrea　hereat　was　not　a　little　amazed；　so　that　if　he　had　not　taken
very　good　hold　on　the　brim：　he　might　have　falne　to　the　bottome；　and
doubtlesse　there　his　life　had　perished。　Being　come　forth　of　the
Well；　and　treading　on　Billes　and　Halbards；　which　he　well　knew　that　his
companions　had　not　brought　thither　with　them；　his　mervaile　so　much　the
more　encreased；　ignorance　and　feare　still　seizing　him；　with　silent
bemoaning　his　many