the decameron(十日谈)-第31章

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Wife；　Sonnes；　and　Daughters；　were　joyfully　met　by　Henriet　at
Palermo；　and　with　such　honourable　pompe；　as　a　case　so　important
equally　deserved。　The　Histories　make　further　mention；　that　there
they　lived　（a　long　while　after）　in　much　felicitie；　with　thankfull
hearts　（no　doubt）　in　Heaven；　in　acknowledgement　of　so　many　great
mercies　received。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SECOND　DAY；　THE　SEVENTH　NOVELL

　　　A　LIVELY　DEMONSTRATION；　THAT　THE　BEAUTY　OF　A　WOMAN　（OFTENTIMES）
　　　　　　　　　　　　IS　VERY　HURTFULL　TO　HER　SELFE；　AND　THE　OCCASION
　　　　　　　　　　　　OF　MANY　EVILS；　YEA；　AND　OF　DEATH；　TO　DIVERS　MEN

　　The　Soldan　of　Babylon　sent　one　of　his　Daughters；　to　be　joyned　in
marriage　with　the　King　of　Cholcos；　who　by　divers　accidents　（in　the
space　of　foure　yeeres）　happened　into　the　custodie　of　nine　men；　and
in　sundry　places。　At　length；　being　restored　backe　to　her　Father；　she
went　to　the　saide　King　of　Cholcos；　as　a　Maid；　and　as　at　first　she
was　intended　to　be　his　wife。

　　Peradventure　the　Novell　related　by　Madam　Aemillia；　did　not　extend　it
selfe　so　farre　in　length；　as　it　mooved　compassion　in　the　Ladies
mindes；　the　hard　fortunes　of　Beritol　and　her　Children；　which　had
incited　them　to　weeping：　but　that　it　pleased　the　Queen　（upon　the　Tales
conclusion）　to　command　Pamphilus；　to　follow　next　in　order　with　his
Discourse；　and　he　being　thereto　very　obedient；　began　in　this　manner。
　　It　is　a　matter　of　no　meane　difficulty　（vertuous　Ladies）　for　us　to
take　intire　knowledge　of　every　thing　we　doe；　because　（as　oftentimes
hath　bene　observed）　many　men；　imagining　if　they　were　rich；　they　should
live　securely；　and　without　any　cares。　And　therefore；　not　onely　have
theyr　prayers　and　intercessions　aimed　at　that　end；　but　also　their
studies　and　daily　endevours；　without　refusall　of　any　paines　or
perils　have　not　meanely　expressed　their　hourely　solicitude。　And
although　it　hath　happened　accordingly　to　them；　and　their　covetous
desires　fully　accomplished；　yet　at　length　they　have　mette　with　such
kinde　people；　who　likewise　thirsting　after　their　wealthy
possessions；　have　bereft　them　of　life；　being　their　kinde　and
intimate　friends；　before　they　attained　to　such　riches。　Some　other；
being　of　lowe　and　base　condition；　by　adventuring　in　many　skirmishes
and　foughten　battels；　trampling　in　the　bloud　of　their　brethren　and
friends；　have　bene　mounted　to　the　soveraigne　dignity　of　Kingdomes
（beleeving　that　therein　consisted　the　truest　happinesse）　but　bought
with　the　deerest　price　of　their　lives。　For；　beside　their　infinit　cares
and　feares　wherewith　such　greatnesse　is　continually　attended；　at　the
royall　Tables；　they　have　drunke　poyson　in　a　Golden　pot。　Many　other
in　like　manner　（with　most　earnest　appetite）　have　coveted　beauty　and
bodily　strength；　not　foreseeing　with　any　judgement；　that　these
wishes　were　not　without　perill；　when　being　endued　with　them；　they
either　have　bene　the　occasion　of　their　death；　or　such　a　lingering
lamentable　estate　of　life；　as　death　were　a　thousand　times　more　welcome
to　them。
　　But；　because　I　would　not　speake　particularly　of　all　our　fraile　and
humane　affections；　I　dare　assure　ye；　that　there　is　not　any　one　of
these　desires　to　be　elected　among　us　mortals；　with　entire　forsight
or　providence；　warrantable　against　their　ominous　yssue。　Wherefore；
if　we　would　walke　directly；　wee　should　dispose　our　willes　and
affections；　to　be　guided　onely　by　him；　who　best　knoweth　what　is
needfull　for　us；　and　will　bestow　them　at　his　good　pleasure。　Nor　let　me
lay　this　blamefull　imputation　uppon　men　onely；　for　offending　in　many
through　over　lavish　desires：　because　you　your　selves　（gracious　Ladies）
sinne　highly　in　one；　as　namely；　in　coveting　to　be　beautifull。　So
that　it　is　not　sufficient　for　you；　to　enjoy　those　beauties　bestowne　on
you　by　Nature；　but　you　practice　to　increase　them　by　the　rarities　of
Art。　Wherefore；　let　it　not　offend　you；　that　I　tell　you　the　hard
fortune　of　a　faire　Sarazine；　to　whom　it　hapned　by　straunge　adventures；
that　within　the　compasse　of　foure　yeares；　nine　severall　times　to　be
married。　and　onely　for　her　beauty。
　　It　is　now　a　long　time　since；　that　there　lived　Soldane　in　Babylon；
named　Beminidab；　to　whom　（while　he　lived）　many　things　happened；
answerable　to　his　owne　desires。　Among　divers　other　Children　both
male　and　female；　hee　had　a　daughter　called　Alathiella；　and　shee
（according　to　the　common　voyce　of　every　one　that　saw　her）　was　the
fayrest　Lady　then　living　in　all　the　world。　And　because　the　King　of
Cholcos　had　wonderfully　assisted　him；　in　a　most　valiant　foughten
battell　against　a　mighty　Armie　of　Arabians；　who　on　a　sodaine　had
assailed　him；　he　demanded　his　faire　daughter　in　marriage；　which
likewise　was　kindly　granted　to　him。　Whereupon　a　goodly　and
well…armed　Ship　was　prepared　for　her；　with　full　furnishment　of　all
necessary　provision；　and　accompanied　with　an　honourable　traine　both　of
Lords　and　Ladies；　as　also　most　costly　and　sumptuous　accoustrements；
commending　her　to　the　mercy　of　heaven；　in　this　maner　was　she　sent
away。
　　The　time　being　propitious　for　their　parting　thence；　the　Mariners
hoised　their　sayles；　leaving　the　port　of　Alexandria；　and　sayling
prosperously　many　dayes　together。　When　they　had　past　the　Countrey　of
Sardinia；　and　（as　they　imagined）　were　well　neere　to　their　journeyes
end；　sodainely　arose　boysterous　and　contrary　windes；　which　were　so
impetuous　beyond　all　measure；　and　so　tormented　the　Ship　wherein　the
Lady　was；　that　the　Mariners　seeing　no　signe　of　comfort；　gave　over
all　hope　of　escaping　with　life。　Neverthelesse；　as　men　most　expert　in
implacable　dangers；　they　laboured　to　their　uttermost　power；　and
contended　with　infinite　blustring　tempests；　for　the　space　of　two　dayes
and　nights　together；　hoping　the　third　day　would　prove　more　favourable。
But　therein　they　saw　themselves　deceyved；　for　the　violence　continued
still；　encreasing　in　the　night　time　more　and　more；　being　not　any　way
able　to　comprehend　either　where　they　were；　or　what　course　they
tooke；　neither　by　Marinall　judgement；　or　any　apprehension　else
whatsoever；　the　heavens　were　so　clouded；　and　the　nights　darkenesse
so　extreame。
　Beeing　（unknowne　to　them）　neere　the　Isle　of　Majorica；　they　felt　the
Shippe　to　split　in　the　bottome：　by　meanes　whereof；　perceiving　now　no
hope　of　escaping　（every　one　caring　for　himselfe；　and　not　any　other）
they　threw　foorth　a　Squiffe　on　the　troubled　waves；　reposing　more
confidence　of　safety　that　way；　then　abiding　any　longer　in　the　broken
ship。　Howbeit　such　as　were　first　descended　downe；　made　stout
resistance　against　all　other　followers；　with　their　drawne　weapons：　but
safety　of　life　so　far　prevayled；　that　what　with　the　Tempests　violence；
and　over　lading　of　the　Squiffe；　it　sunke　to　the　bottome；　and　all
perished　that　were　therein。　The　Ship　being　thus　split；　and　more　then
halfe　full　of　water；　tossed　and　tormented　by　the　blustring　windes；
first　one　way；　and　then　another：　was　at　last　driven　into　a　strond　of
the　Isle　Majorica；　no　other　persons　therein　remaining；　but　onely　the
Lady　and　her　women；　all　of　them　（through　the　rude　tempest；　and　their
owne　conceived　feare）　lying　still；　as　if　they　were　more　then　halfe
dead。　And　there；　within　a　stones　cast　of　the　neighboring　shore　the
ship　（by　the　rough　surging　billowes）　was　fixed　fast　in　the　sands；
and　so　continued　all　the　rest　of　the　night；　without　any　further
molestation　of　the　windes。
　　When　day　appeared；　and　the　violent　stormes　were　more　mildly　appeased
the　Ladie；　who　seemed　well…neere　dead；　lifted　up　her　head；　and　began
（weake　as　she　was）　to　call　first　one；　and　then　another：　but　shee
called　in　vaine；　for　such　as　she　named　were　farre　enough　from　her。
Wherefore；　hearing　no　answere；　nor　seeing　any　one；　she　wondred
greatly；　her　feares　encreasing　then　more　and　more。　Raising　her　selfe
so　well　as　shee　could；　she　beheld　the　Ladies　that　were　of　her　company；
and　some　other　of　her　women；　lying　still　without　any　stirring：
whereupon；　first　jogging　one；　and　then　another；　and　calling　them
severally　by　their　names；　shee　found　them　bereft　of　understanding；　and
even　as　if　they　were　dead；　their　hearts　were　so　quayled；　and　their
feare　so　over…ruling；　which　was　no　meane　dismay　to　the　poore　Lady
her　selfe。　Neverthelesse；　necessity　now　being　her　best　counsellor；
seeing　her　self