the decameron(十日谈)-第29章

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more　hope　for　any　future　happinesse？　And　how　can　I　get　forth　of　this
prison；　except　it　bee　by　death　onely？　How　now；　replyed　the　Officer
of　the　Guard？　What　doth　this　businesse　of　great　Kings　concerne　thee？
What　affayres　hast　thou　in　Sicily？
　　Once　more　Jehannot　sighed　extreamly；　and　returned　him　this　answer。
Me　thinkes　my　heart　（quoth　hee）　doeth　cleave　in　sunder；　when　I　call　to
minde　the　charge　which　my　Father　had　there；　for　although　I　was　but　a
little　boy　when　I　fled　thence；　yet　I　can　well　remember；　that　I　saw　him
Governor　there；　at　such　time　as　King　Manfred　lived。　The　Guard；
pursuing　on　still　his　purpose；　demanded　of　him；　what　and　who　his
Father　was？　My　Father　（replied　Jehannot？）　I　may　now　securely　speake　of
him；　being　out　of　the　perill　which　neerely　concerned　me　if　I　had　beene
discovered：　he　was　the　named　（and　so　still　if　he　be　living）　henriet
Capece；　and　my　name　is　Geoffrey；　and　not　Jehannot；　and　I　make　no
doubt；　but　if　I　were　freed　from　hence；　and　might　returned　home　to
Sicily；　I　should　（for　his　sake）　be　placed　in　some　authority。
　　The　honest　man　of　the　Guard；　without　seeking　after　any　further
information；　so　soone　as　he　could　compasse　any　leysure；　reported　all
to　Messer　Conrado；　who　having　heard　these　newes　（albeit　he　made　no
shew　thereof　to　the　revealer）　went　to　Madam　Beritola；　graciously
demaunding　of　her；　if　she　had　any　sonne　by　her　husband；　who　was　called
Geoffrey。　The　Lady　replyed　in　teares；　that　if　her　eldest　sonne　were　as
yet　living；　he　was　so　named；　and　now　aged　about　two　and　twenty　yeeres。
Conrado　hearing　this；　imagined　this　same　to　be　the　man；　considering
further　withall；　that　if　it　fell　out　to　prove　so；　hee　might　have　the
better　meanes　of　mercie；　and　closely　concealing　his　daughters　shame；
joyfully　joyne　them　in　marriage　together。
　　Hereupon；　he　secretly　called　Jehannot　before　him；　examining　him
particularly　of　all　his　passed　life；　and　finding　（by　most　manifest
arguments）　that　his　name　was　truly　Geoffrey；　and　the　eldest　son　of
Henriet　Capece；　he　spake　thus　to　him。　Jehannot；　thou　knowest　how　great
the　injuries　are　that　thou　hast　done　me；　and　my　deere　daughter；　gently
intreating　thee　（as　became　an　honest　servant）　that　thou　shouldest
alwayes　have　bene　respective　of　mine　honor；　and　all　that　appertaine
unto　me。　There　are　many　noble　Gentlemen；　who　sustaining　the　wrong
which　thou　hast　offred　me；　they　would　have　procured　thy　shamefull
death；　which　pitty　and　compassion　will　not　suffer　in　me。　Wherefore
seeing　（as　thou　informest　me）　that　thou　art　honourably　derived　both　by
father　and　mother；　I　will　give　end　to　all　thy　anguishes；　even　when　thy
selfe　art　so　pleased；　releasing　thee　from　that　captivity　wherein　I
have　so　long　kept　thee；　and　in　one　instant；　reduce　thine　honor　and
mine　into　compleat　perfection。　As　thou　knowest　my　daughter　Spina；　whom
thou　hast　embraced　as　a　friend　（although　far　unfitting　for　thee；　or
her）　is　a　widdow；　and　her　marriage　is　both　great　and　good；　what　her
manners　and　conditions　are；　thou　indifferently　knowest；　and　art　not
ignorant　of　her　father　and　mother：　concerning　thine　owne　estate；　as
now　I　purpose　not　to　speake　any　thing。　Therefore；　when　thou　wilt；　I　am
determined；　that　whereas　thou　hast　immodestly　affected　her；　she
shall　become　thy　honest　wife；　and　accepting　thee　as　my　sonne；　to
remaine　with　me　so　long　as　you　both　please。
　　Imprisonment　had　somwhat　mishapen　Jehannot　in　his　outward　forme；　but
not　impaired　a　jot　of　his　noble　spirit；　much　lesse　the　true　love　which
he　bare　his　friend。　And　although　most　earnestly　he　desired　that
which　now　Conrado　had　so　frankly　offered　him；　and　was　in　his　power
onely　to　bestow　on　him；　yet　could　he　not　cloud　any　part　of　his
greatnes；　but　with　a　resolved　judgement；　thus　replied。　My　Lord；
affectation　of　rule；　desire　of　welthy　possessions；　or　any　other　matter
whatsoever　could　never　make　me　a　traitor　to　you　or　yours；　but　that　I
have　loved；　do　love；　and　for　ever　shal　love　your　beauteous　daughter：
if　that　be　treason；　I　do　free　confesse　it；　and　will　die　a　thousand
deaths　before　you　or　any　else　shall　enforce　me　to　deny　it；　for　I
hold　her　highly　worthy　of　my　love。　If　I　have　bin　more　unmannerly
with　her　then　became　me；　I　have　committed　but　that　error；　which
evermore　is　so　attendant　uppon　youth；　that　to　deny；　is　to　denie
youth　also。　And　if　reverend　age　would　but　remember；　that　once　he　was
young　and　measure　others　offences　by　his　owne；　they　would　not　be
thoght　so　great；　as　you　（and　many　more）　account　them　to　be；　mine　being
committed　as　a　friend；　and　not　as　an　enemy。　What　you　make　offer　of
so　willingly；　I　have　alwayes　desired；　and　if　I　had　thought　it　would
have　beene　granted；　long　since　I　had　most　humbly　requested　it：　and
so　much　the　more　acceptable　would　it　have　bin　to　me；　by　how　much　the
further　off　it　stood　from　my　hopes。　But　if　you　bee　so　forward　as
your　words　doe　witnesse；　then　feed　me　not　with　any　further
fruitlesse　expectation；　but　rather　send　me　backe　to　prison；　and　lay　as
many　afflictions　on　me　as　you　please。　For　my　endeered　love　to　your
daughter　Spina；　maketh　mee　to　love　you　the　more　for　her　sake；　how
hardly　soever　you　intreat　me；　and　bindeth　me　in　the　greater
reverence　to　you；　as　being　the　Father　of　my　fairest　friend。
　　Messer　Conrado　hearing　these　words；　stood　as　one　confounded　with
admiration；　reputing　him　to　be　a　man　of　loftie　spirit；　and　his
affection　most　fervent　to　his　Daughter；　which　was　not　a　little　to
his　liking。　Wherefore；　embracing　him；　and　kissing　his　cheeke；
without　any　longer　dallying；　hee　sent　in　like　manner　for　his　Daughter。
Her　restraint　in　prison；　had　made　her　lookes　meager；　pale；　and
wanne；　and　very　weake　was　she　also　of　her　person；　faire　differing　from
the　Woman　she　was　wont　to　be；　before　be；　before　her　affection　to
Jehannot。　There　in　presence　of　her　Father；　and　with　free　consent　of
either；　they　were　contracted　as　man　and　wife；　and　the　espousals　agreed
on　according　to　custome。　Some　few　dayes　after；　（without　any　ones
knowledge　of　that　which　was　done）　having　furnished　them　with　all
things　fit　for　the　purpose；　and　time　aptly　serving；　that　the　Mothers
should　be　partakers　in　this　joy；　he　called　his　wife；　and　Madam
Beritola；　to　whom　first　he　spake　in　this　manner。
　　What　will　you　say　Madame；　if　I　cause　you　to　see　your　eldest　Son；　not
long　since　married　to　one　of　my　daughters？　Whereunto　Beritola　thus
replied。　My　Lord；　I　can　say　nothing　else　unto　you；　but　that　I　shal
be　much　more　obliged　to　you；　then　already　I　am；　and　the　rather；
because　you　will　let　me　see　the　thing　which　is　deerer　then　mine　owne
life；　and　rendering　it　unto　me　in　such　manner　as　you　speake　of；　you
will　recall　backe　some　part　of　my　former　lost　hopes：　and　with　these
words；　the　teares　streamed　aboundantly　from　her　eyes。　Then　turning
to　his　wife；　he　said：　And　you　deere　Love；　if　I　shew　you　such　a　Son
in　law；　what　will　you　thinke　of　it？　Sir　（quoth　she）　what　pleaseth　you；
must　and　shall　satisfie　me；　be　he　gentleman　or　beggar。　Well　said
Madam；　answered　Messer　Conrado；　I　hope　shortly；　to　make　you　both
joyfull。　So　when　the　amorous　couple　had　recovered　their　former
feature；　and　honorable　garments　prepared　for　them；　privately　thus　he
said　to　Geoffrey；　Beyond　the　joy　which　already　thou　art　inriched
withall；　how　would　it　please　thee　to　meete　thine　owne　Mother　here？　I
cannot　beleeve　Sir　（replied　Geoffrey）　that　her　greevous　misfortunes
have　suffered　her　to　live　so　long；　and　yet；　if　heaven　hath　bin　so
mercifull　to　her；　my　joyes　were　incomparable；　for　by　her　gracious
counsel；　I　might　well　hope　to　recover　no　meane　happines　in　Sicily。
Soone　after；　both　the　mothers　were　sent　for；　who　were　transported　with
unspeakable　joy；　when　they　beheld　the　so　lately　married　couple：
being　much　amazed　what　inspiration　had　guided　Messer　Conrado　to　this
extraordinary　benignity；　in　joyning　Jehannot　in　marriage　with　Spina。
　Hereupon；　Madam　Beritola　remembring　the　speeches　betweene　her　and
Messer　Conrado；　began　to　observe　him　very　advisedly；　and　by　a　hidden
vertue　which　long　had　silently　slept　in　her；　and　now　with　joy　of
spirit　awaked；　calling　to　mind　the　lineatures　of　her　sonnes　infancy；
without　awaiting　for　any　other　demonstration；　she　folded　him　in　her
armes　with　earnest　affection。　Motherly　joy　and　pity　now　contended