the decameron(十日谈)-第3章

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　Sonne；　Sonne；　replied　the　Confessour；　these　sinnes　are　naturall；
and　very　light；　and　therefore　I　would　not　have　thee　to　charge　thy
conscience　with　them；　more　then　is　needfull。　It　happeneth　to　every　man
（how　holy　soever　he　be）　that　after　he　hath　fasted　overlong；　feeding
will　be　welcome　to　him；　and　drinking　good　drinke　after　his　travaile。　O
Sir；　（said　Maister　Chappelet）　never　tell　me　this　to　comfort　me；　for
well　you　know；　and　I　am　not　ignorant　therein；　that　such　things　as
are　done　for　the　service　of　God；　ought　all　to　be　performed　purely；　and
without　any　blemish　of　the　minde；　what　otherwise　is　done；　savoureth　of
sinne。　The　Friar　being　well　contented　with　his　words；　said：　It　is
not　amisse　that　thou　understandest　it　in　this　manner；　and　thy
conscience　thus　purely　cleared；　is　no　little　comfort　to　me。　But　tell
me　now　concerning　Avarice；　hast　thou　sinned　therein；　by　desiring
more　then　was　reasonable；　or　withholding　from　others；　such　things　as
thou　oughtst　not　to　detaine？　Wherein　Maister　Chappelet　answered。
Good　Father；　I　would　not　have　you　to　imagine；　because　you　see　me
lodged　heere　in　the　house　of　two　Usurers；　that　therefore　I　am　of　any
such　disposition。　No　truely　Sir；　I　came　hither　to　no　other　end；　but
onely　to　chastise　and　admonish　them　in　friendly　manner；　to　clense
their　mindes　from　such　abhominable　profit：　And　assuredly；　I　should
have　prevailed　therein；　had　not　this　violent　sicknesse　hindered　mine
intention。　But　understand　（holy　Father）　that　my　parents　left　me　a　rich
man；　and　immediatly　after　my　Fathers　death；　the　greater　part　of　his
goods　I　gave　away　for　Gods　sake；　and　then；　to　sustaine　mine　owne　life；
and　to　helpe　the　poore　members　of　Jesus　Christ；　I　betooke　my　selfe
to　a　meane　estate　of　Merchandise；　desiring　none　other　then　honest
gaine　thereby；　and　evermore　whatsoever　benefit　came　to　me；　I
imparted　halfe　thereof　to　the　poore；　converting　mine　owne　small
portion　about　my　necessary　affaires；　which　that　other　part　would
scarcely　serve　to　supply：　yet　alwayes　God　gave　thereto　such　a
mercifull　blessing；　that　my　businesse　dayly　thrived　more　and　more；
arising　still　from　good　to　better。
　　Well　hast　thou　done　therein　good　Sonne；　said　the　Confessour：　but　how
oftentimes　hast　thou　beene　angry？　Oh　Sir　（said　Maister　Chappelet）
therein　I　assure　yee；　I　have　often　transgressed。　And　what　man　is
able　to　forbeare　it；　beholding　the　dayly　actions　of　men　to　be　so
dishonest？　No　care　of　keeping　Gods　Commandements；　nor　any　feare　of　his
dreadfull　judgements。　Many　times　in　a　day；　I　have　rather　wished　my
selfe　dead　then　living；　beholding　youth　pursuing　idle　vanities；　to
sweare　and　forsweare　themselves；　tipling　in　Tavernes；　and　never
haunting　Churches；　but　rather　affecting　the　worlds　follies；　then　any
such　duties　as　they　owe　to　God。　Alas　Sonne　（quoth　the　Friar）　this　is　a
good　and　holy　anger；　and　I　can　impose　no　penance　on　thee　for　it。　But
tell　me；　hath　not　rage　or　furie　at　any　time　so　over…ruled　thee；　as
to　commit　murther　or　man…slaughter；　or　to　speake　evill　of　any　man；
or　to　doe　any　other　such　kinde　of　injurie？　Oh　Father　（answered　Maister
Chappelet）　you　that　seeme　to　be　a　man　of　God；　how　dare　you　use　any
such　vile　words？　If　I　had　had　the　very　least　thought；　to　doe　any
such　act　as　you　speake；　doe　you　thinke　that　God　would　have　suffered　me
to　live？　These　are　deeds　of　darknesse；　fit　for　villaines　and　wicked
livers；　of　which　hellish　crew；　when　at　any　time　I　have　happened　to
meet　with　some　one　of　them；　I　have　said；　God；　God　convert　thee。
　　Worthy；　and　charitable　words；　replied　the　Friar：　but　tell　me
Sonne；　Didst　thou　ever　beare　false　witnes　against　any　man；　or　hast
spoken　falsly；　or　taken　ought　from　any　one；　contrary　to　the　will　of
the　owner？　Yes　indeed　Father；　said　Maister　Chappelet；　I　have　spoken
ill　of　another；　because　I　have　sometime　seene　one　of　my　neighbors；　who
with　no　meane　shame　of　the　world；　would　do　nothing　else　but　beat　his
wife：　and　of　him　once　I　complained　to　the　poore　mans　parents；
saying；　that　he　never　did　it　but　when　he　was　overcome　with　drinke。
Those　were　no　ill　words；　quoth　the　Friar；　but　I　remember　you　said；
that　you　were　a　Merchant：　Did　you　ever　deceive　any；　as　some
Merchants　use　to　doe？　Truely　Father；　answered　M。　Chappelet；　I　thinke
not　any；　except　one　man；　who　one　day　brought　me　money　which　he　owed　me
for　a　certaine　peece　of　cloath　I　sold　him；　and　I　put　it　into　a　purse
without　accounting　it。　About　a　moneth　afterward；　I　found　that　there
were　foure　small　pence　more　then　was　due　to　mee：　and　never　happening
to　meete　with　the　man　againe；　after　I　had　kept　them　the　space　of　a
whole　yeare；　I　then　gave　them　away　unto　foure　poore　people；　for　Gods
sake。
　　A　small　matter；　said　the　Friar；　and　truly　payed　backe　againe　to
the　owner；　in　bestowing　them　on　the　poore。　Many　other　questions　he
demanded　of　him；　whereto　still　he　answered　in　the　same　manner。　But
before　he　proceeded　to　absolution；　Master　Chappelet　spake　thus：　I　have
yet　one　sinne　more；　which　I　have　not　revealed　to　you：　when　being　urged
by　the　Friar　to　confesse　it；　he　said。　I　remember；　that　I　should　afford
one　day　in　the　weeke；　to　cleanse　the　house　of　my　soule；　for　better
entertainement　to　my　Lord　and　Saviour；　and　yet　I　have　done　no　such
reverence　to　the　Sunday　or　Sabbath；　as　I　ought　to　have　done。　A　small
fault　Sonne；　replyed　the　Friar。　O　no　（quoth　Master　Chappelet）
doe　not　terme　it　a　small　fault；　because　Sunday　being　a　holy　day；
is　highly　to　be　reverenced：　for　as　on　that　day；　our　blessed　Lord　arose
from　death　to　life。　But　（quoth　the　Confessor）　hast　thou　done　nothing
else　on　that　day？　Yes；　said　he；　being　forgetfull　of　my　selfe；　once　I
did　spet　in　Gods　Church。　The　Friar　smiling；　said：　Alas　Sonne；　that
is　a　matter　of　no　moment；　for　wee　that　are　Religious　persons；　doe
use　to　spet　there　every　day。　The　more　is　your　shame；　answered　Master
Chappelet；　for　no　place　ought　to　bee　kept　more　pure　and　cleane　then
the　sacred　Temple；　wherein　our　daily　sacrifices　are　offered　up　to　God。
　　In　this　manner　he　held　on　an　houre　and　more；　uttering　the　like
transgressions　as　these；　and　at　last　began　to　sigh　very
passionately；　and　to　shed　a　few　teares；　as　one　that　was　skilfull
enough　in　such　dissembling　pranks：　whereat　the　Confessor　being　much
mooved；　saide：　Alas　Sonne；　what　aylest　thou？　Oh　Father　（quoth
Chappelet）　there　remaineth　yet　one　sinne　more　upon　my　conscience；
wherof　I　never　at　any　time　made　confession；　so　shamefull　it
appeareth　to　mee　to　disclose　it；　and　I　am　partly　perswaded；　that　God
will　never　pardon　me　for　that　sinne。　How　now　Sonne？　said　the　Friar；
never　say　so；　for　if　all　the　sinnes　that　ever　were　committed　by　men；
or　shall　be　committed　so　long　as　the　World　endureth；　were　onely　in　one
man；　and　he　repenting　them；　and　being　so　contrite　for　them；　as　I　see
thou　art；　the　grace　and　mercy　of　God　is　so　great；　that　upon　penitent
confession；　he　will　freely　pardon　him；　and　therefore　spare　not　to
speake　it　boldly。　Alas　Father　（said　Chappelet；　still　in　pretended
weeping）　this　sinne　of　mine　is　so　great；　that　I　can　hardly　beleeve　（if
your　earnest　prayers　do　not　assist　me）　that　ever　I　shall　obtaine
remission　for　it。　Speake　it　Sonne；　said　the　Friar；　and　feare　not；　I
promise　that　I　will　pray　to　God　for　thee。
　　Master　Chappelet　still　wept　and　sighed；　and　continued　silent；
notwithstanding　all　the　Confessors　comfortable　perswasions；　but
after　hee　had　helde　him　a　long　while　in　suspence；　breathing　forth　a
sighe；　even　as　if　his　very　heart　would　have　broken；　he　saide；　Holy
Father；　seeing　you　promise　to　pray　to　God　for　me；　I　will　reveale　it　to
you：　Know　then；　that　when　I　was　a　little　boy；　I　did　once　curse　my
Mother；　which　he　had　no　sooner　spoken；　but　he　wrung　his　hands；　and
greeved　extraordinarily。　Oh　good　Son；　saide　the　Friar：　doth　that　seeme
so　great　a　sinne　to　thee？　Why；　men　doe　daily　blaspheme　our　Lord　God；
and　yet　neverthelesse；　upon　their　hearty　repentance；　he　is　alwayes
ready　to　forgive　them；　and　wilt　not　thou　beleeve　to　obtaine　remission；
for　a　sinne　so　ignorantly　committed？　Weepe　no　more　deare　Sonne；　but
comfort　thy　selfe　and　rest　resolved；　that　if　thou　wert　one　of　them；
who　nayled　our　blessed　Saviour　to　his　Crosse；　yet　being　so　truly
repentant；　as　I　see　thou　art；　he　would　freely　forgive　thee。　Say　you　so
Father？