the decameron(十日谈)-第35章

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Lady　was　so　closely　kept　they　took　their　leave；　and　parted　from　her。
Often　they　had　heard　the　Lady　much　commended；　and　her　incomparable
beauty　highly　extolled；　yea　even　by　the　Duke　himselfe；　which　made　them
the　more　desirous　to　see　her：　wherfore　earnestly　they　solicited　him　to
let　them　have　a　sight　of　her；　and　he　（forgetting　what　happened　to
the　Prince；　by　shewing　her　so　unadvisedly　to　him）　made　them　promise　to
grant　their　request。　Causing　a　very　magnificent　dinner　to　be　prepared；
and　in　a　goodly　garden；　at　the　Castle　where　the　Lady　was　kept：　on
the　morrow；　attended　on　by　a　smal　traine；　away　they　rode　to　dine
with　her。
　　Constantine　being　seated　at　the　Table；　hee　began　（as　one
confounded　with　admiration）　to　observe　her　judiciously；　affirming
secretly　to　his　soule　that　he　had　never　seene　so　compleat　a　woman
before；　and　allowing　it　for　justice；　that　the　Duke　or　any　other
whosoever；　if　（to　enjoy　so　rare　a　beauty）　they　had　committed
treason；　or　any　mischeefe　els　beside；　yet　in　reason　they　ought　to　be
held　excused。　Nor　did　he　bestow　so　many　lookes　upon　her；　but　his
praises　infinitely　surpassed　them；　as　thinking　that　he　could　not
sufficiently　commend　her；　following　the　Duke　step　by　step　in
affection；　for　being　now　growne　amorous　of　her；　and　remembrance　of　the
intended　warre　utterly　abandoned；　no　other　thoughts　could　come
neerer　him　but　how　to　bereave　the　Duke　of　her；　yet　concealing　his
love；　and　not　imparting　it　to　any　one。
　　While　his　fancies　were　thus　amorously　set　on　fire；　the　time　came；
that　they　must　make　head　against　the　Prince；　who　already　was
marching　with　in　the　Dukes　dominions：　wherfore　the　Duke；
Constantine；　and　all　the　rest；　according　to　a　counsel　held　among　them；
went　to　defend　certaine　of　the　Frontiers；　to　the　end　that　the　Prince
might　passe　no　further。　Remaining　there　divers　dayes　together；
Constantine　（who　could　thinke　on　nothing　else　but　the　beautiful
Lady）　considered　with　himself；　that　while　the　Duke　was　now　so　farre
from　her；　it　was　an　easie　matter　to　compasse　his　intent：　Hereupon；　the
better　to　colour　his　present　returne　to　Athens；　he　seemed　to　be
surprized　with　a　sudden　extreame　sicknesse；　in　regard　whereof　（by
the　Dukes　free　license；　and　leaving　all　his　power　to　his　Cosen
Emanuel）　forthwith　he　journyed　backe　to　Athens。　After　some
conference　had　with　his　sister；　about　her　dishonourable　wrongs　endured
at　his　hands　onely；　by　the　Lady；　he　solemnly　protested；　that　if　she
were　so　pleased；　hee　would　aide　her　powerfully　in　the　matter；　by
taking　her　from　the　place　where　shee　was；　and　never　more　afterward；　to
be　seene　in　that　Country　any　more。
　　The　Dutchesse　being　faithfully　perswaded；　that　he　would　do　this
onely　for　her　sake；　and　not　in　any　affection　he　bare　to　the　Lady；
answered；　that　it　highly　pleased　her；　alwayes　provided；　that　it
might　be　performed　in　such　sort；　as　the　Duke　her　husband　should
never　understand；　that　ever　she　gave　any　consent　thereto；　which
Constantine　sware　unto　her　by　many　deepe　oaths；　whereby　she　referred
all　to　his　owne　disposition。　Constantine　heereupon　secretly　prepared
in　a　readinesse　a　subtile　Barke；　sending　it　in　an　evening；　neere　to
the　Garden　where　the　Lady　resorted；　having　first　informed　the　people
which　were　in　it；　fully　what　was　to　be　done。　Afterwards；　accompanied
with　some　other　of　his　attendants；　he　went　to　the　Palace　to　the
Lady；　where　he　was　gladly　entertained；　not　onely　by　such　as　wayted
on　her；　but　also　by　the　Lady　her　selfe。
　　Leading　her　along　by　the　arme　towards　the　Garden；　attended　on　by　two
of　her　servants；　and　two　of　his　owne；　seeming　as　if　he　was　sent　from
the　Duke；　to　conferre　with　her：　they　walked　alone　to　a　Port　opening　on
the　Sea；　which　standing　ready　open；　upon　a　signe　given　by　him　to　one
of　his　complices；　the　Barke　was　brought　close　to　the　shore；　and　the
Ladie　being　sodainly　seized　on；　was　immediately　conveyed　into　it；
and　he　returning　backe　to　her　people；　with　his　sword　drawne；　said：　Let
no　man　stirre；　or　speake　a　word；　except　he　be　willing　to　loose　his
life：　for　I　intend　not　to　rob　the　Duke　of　his　faire　friend；　but　to
expell　the　shame　and　dishonor　that　he　hath　offered　to　my　Sister：　no
one　being　so　hardy　as　to　returne　him　any　answer。　Aboord　went
Constantine　with　his　consorts；　and　sitting　neere　to　the　Lady；　who
wrung　her　hands；　and　wept　bitterly；　he　commaunded　the　Mariners　to
launch　forth；　flying　away　on　the　wings　of　the　winde；　till　about　the
breake　of　day　following；　they　arrived　at　Melasso。　There　they　tooke
landing；　and　reposed　on　shore　for　some　few　dayes；　Constantine
labouring　to　comfort　the　Lady；　even　as　if　she　had　bene　his　owne
Sister；　shee　having　good　cause　to　curse　her　infortunate　beauty。
　　Going　aboord　the　Barke　againe；　within　few　dayes　they　came　to
Setalia；　and　there　fearing　the　reprehension　of　his　father；　and　least
the　Lady　should　be　taken　from　him；　it　pleased　Constantine　to　make
his　stay；　as　in　a　place　of　no　meane　security。　And　（as　before）　after
much　kinde　behaviour　used　towards　the　Lady；　without　any　meanes　in
her　selfe　to　redresse　the　least　of　all　these　great　extremities；　she
became　more　milde　and　affable；　for　discontentment　did　not　a　jot　quaile
her。
　　While　occurrences　passed　on　in　this　manner；　it　fortuned；　that　Osbech
the　King　of　Turky　（who　was　in　continuall　war　with　the　Emperour）　came
by　accident　to　Lajazzo：　and　hearing　there　how　lasciviously　Constantine
spent　his　time　in　Setalia；　with　a　Lady　which　he　had　stolne；　being
but　weake　and　slenderly　guarded；　in　the　night　with　certaine　well
provided　ships；　his　men　and　he　entred　the　town；　and　surprized　many
people　in　their　beds；　before　they　knew　of　their　enimies　comming；
killing　such　as　stood　upon　their　defence　against　them；　（among　whom　was
Constantine）　and　burning　the　whole　Towne；　brought　their　booty　and
prisoners　aboord　their　Shippes；　wherewith　they　returned　backe　to
Lajazzo。　Being　thus　come　to　Lajazzo；　Osbech　who　was　a　brave　and
gallant　young　man；　upon　a　review　of　the　pillage；　found　the　faire　Lady；
whom　he　knew　to　be　the　beloved　of　Constantine；　because　shee　was
found　lying　on　his　bed。　Without　any　further　delay；　he　made　choice　of
her　to　be　his　wife；　causing　his　nuptials　to　be　honourably
solemnized；　and　many　moneths　he　lived　there　in　great　joy　with　her。
　　But　before　occasions　grew　to　this　effect；　the　Emperour　made　a
confederacie　with　Bassano；　King　of　Cappadocia；　that　hee　should　descend
with　his　forces；　one　way　upon　Osbech；　and　he　would　assault　him　with
his　power　on　the　other。　But　he　could　not　so　conveniently　bring　this　to
passe；　because　the　Emperour　would　not　yeeld　to　Bassano；　in　any
unreasonable　matter　he　demanded。　Neverthelesse；　when　hee　understoode
what　had　happened　to　his　Sonne　（for　whom　his　greefe　was　beyond　all
measure）　hee　graunted　the　King　of　Cappadociaes　request；　soliciting　him
with　all　instancy；　to　be　the　more　speedy　in　assayling　Osbech。　It　was
not　long；　before　hee　heard　of　this　conjuration　made　against　him；　and
therefore　hee　speedily　mustered　up　all　his　forces；　ere　he　would　be
encompassed　by　two　such　potent　kings；　and　marched　on　to　meete　the　King
of　Cappadocia；　leaving　his　Ladie　and　Wife　（for　her　safety）　at　Lajazzo；
in　the　custodie　of　a　true　and　loyall　Servant　of　his。
　　Within　a　short　while　after；　he　drew　neere　the　Campe　belonging　to　the
King　of　Cappadocia；　where　boldly　he　gave　him　battell；　chancing　therein
to　be　slaine；　his　Army　broken　and　discomfited；　by　meanes　whereof；
the　King　of　Cappadocia　remaining　Conquerour；　marched　on　towardes
Lajazzo；　every　one　yeelding　him　obeysance　all　the　way　as　he　went。　In
the　meane　space；　the　servant　to　Osbech；　who　was　named　Antiochus；　and
with　whom　the　faire　Ladie　was　left　in　guard；　although　hee　was　aged；
yet　seeing　shee　was　so　extraordinarily　beautifull；　he　fell　in　love
with　her；　forgetting　the　solemne　vowes　he　had　made　to　his　master。
One　happinesse　he　had　in　this　case　to　helpe　him；　namely；　that　he
understood　and　could　speake　her　Language：　a　matter　of　no　meane　comfort
to　her；　who　constrainedly　had　lived　divers　yeeres　together；　in　the
state　of　a　deafe　or　dumbe　Woman；　because　every　where　else　they
understoode　her　not；　nor　shee　them；　but　by　shewes　and　signes。
　　This　benefite　of　familiar　conference；　beganne　to　embolden　his　hopes；
elevate　his　courage；　and　ma