the decameron(十日谈)-第40章

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best　to　change　their　names；　calling　his　Sonne　Perotto；　and　his
Daughter　Gianetta；　for　thus　they　might　best　escape　unknowne。
　　Being　entred　into　the　City；　and　in　the　poore　estate　of　beggars；　they
craved　every　bodies　mercy　and　almes。　It　came　to　passe；　that　standing
one　morning　at　the　Cathedrall　Church　doore；　a　great　Lady　of　England
being　then　wife　to　the　Lord　high　Marshal；　comming　forth　of　the　Church；
espied　the　Count　and　his　children　there　begging。　Of　him　she　demanded
what　Countrey…man　he　was？　and　whether　those　children　were　his　owne；　or
no？　The　Count　replyed；　that　he　was　borne　in　Piccardy；　and　for　an
unhappy　fact　committed　by　his　eldest　Sonne　（a　stripling　of　more
hopefull　expectation；　then　proved）　hee　was　enforced；　with　those　his
two　other　children；　to　forsake　his　country。　The　Lady　being　by　nature
very　pittifull；　looking　advisedly　on　the　young　Girle　beganne　to　grow
in　good　liking　of　her；　because　（indeede）　she　was　amiable；　gentle；
and　beautifull；　whereupon　shee　saide。　Honest　man；　thy　daughter　hath
a　pleasing　countenance；　and　（perhaps）　her　inward　disposition　may
proove　answerable　to　her　outward　good　parts：　if　therefore　thou　canst
bee　content　to　leave　her　with　me；　I　will　give　her　entertainment；　and
upon　her　dutifull　carriage　and　behaviour；　if　she　live　to　such　yeares
as　may　require　it；　I　will　have　her　honestly　bestowne　in　marriage。　This
motion　was　very　pleasing　to　the　Count；　who　readily　declared　his
willing　consent　thereto；　and　with　the　teares　trickling　downe　his
cheekes；　in　thankfull　maner　he　delivered　his　pretty　daughter　to　the
Lady。
　　She　being　thus　happily　bestowne；　he　minded　to　tarry　no　longer　in
London；　but；　in　his　wonted　begging　manner；　travailing　thorough　the
Country　with　his　sonne　Perotto；　at　length　he　came　into　Wales：　but
not　without　much　weary　paine　and　travell；　being　never　used　before；
to　journey　so　far　on　foot。　There　dwelt　another　Lord；　in　office　of
Marshalship　to　the　King　of　England；　whose　power　extended　over　those
parts：　a　man　of　very　great　authority；　keeping　a　most　noble　and
bountifull　house；　which　they　termed　the　President　of　Wales　his
Court；　whereto　the　Count　and　his　Son　oftentimes　resorted；　as　finding
there　good　releefe　and　comfort。　On　a　day；　one　of　the　Presidents
sons；　accompanied　with　divers　other　Gentlemens　children；　were
performing　certaine　youthfull　sports；　and　pastimes；　as　running；
leaping；　and　such　like；　wherein　Perotto　presumed　to　make　one　among
them；　excelling　all　the　rest　in　such　commendable　manner；　as　none　of
them　came　any　thing　nere　him。　Divers　times　the　President　had　taken
notice　thereof；　and　was　so　well　pleased　with　the　Lads　behaviour；
that　he　enquired　of　whence　he　was？　Answere　was　made；　that　he　was　a
poore　mans　Son；　that　every　day　came　for　an　almes　to　his　gate。
　　The　President　being　desirous　to　make　the　boy　his；　the　Count　（whose
dayly　prayers　were　to　the　same　purpose）　frankly　gave　his　Son　to　the
Nobleman：　albeit　naturall　and　fatherly　affection；　urged　some
unwillingnesse　to　part　so　with　him；　yet　necessity　and　discretion；
found　it　best　for　the　benefit　of　them　both。　Being　thus　eased　of　care
for　his　Son　and　Daughter；　and　they　（though　in　different　places）　yet
under　good　and　worthy　government；　the　Count　would　continue　no　longer
in　England：　but；　as　best　hee　could　procure　the　meanes；　passed　over
into　Ireland；　and　being　arrived　at　a　place　called　Stanford；　became
servant　to　an　Earle　of　that　Country；　a　Gentleman　professing　Armes；
on　whom　he　attended　as　a　serving　man；　and　lived　a　long　while　in　that
estate　very　painfully。
　　His　daughter　Violenta；　clouded　under　the　borrowed　name　of
Gianetta；　dwelling　with　the　Lady　at　London；　grew　so　in　yeares；　beauty；
comelinesse　of　person；　and　was　so　gracefull　in　the　favour　of　her
Lord　and　Lady；　yea；　of　every　one　in　the　house　beside；　that　it　was
wonderfull　to　behold。　Such　as　but　observed　her　usuall　carriage；　and
what　modesty　shined　clearely　in　her　eyes；　reputed　her　well　worthy　of
honourable　preferment；　in　regard；　the　Lady　that　had　received　her　of
her　Father；　not　knowing　of　whence；　or　what　shee　was；　but　as　himselfe
had　made　report；　intended　to　match　her　in　honourable　marriage；
according　as　her　vertues　worthily　deserved。　But　God；　the　just　rewarder
of　all　good　endeavours；　knowing　her　to　be　noble　by　birth；　and
（causelesse）　to　suffer　for　the　sinnes　of　another；　disposed　otherwise
of　her：　and　that　so　worthy　a　Virgin　might　be　no　mate　for　a　man　of
ill　conditions；　no　doubt　ordained　what　was　to　be　done；　according　to
his　owne　good　pleasure。
　The　Noble　Lady；　with　whom　poore　Gianetta　dwelt；　had　but　one　onely
Sonne　by　her　Husband；　and　he　most　deerely　affected　of　them　both；　as
well　in　regard　he　was　to　be　their　heire；　as　also　for　his　vertues　and
commendable　qualities；　wherein　he　excelled　many　young　Gentlemen。
Endued　he　was　with　heroycall　valour；　compleate　in　all　perfections　of
person；　and　his　minde　every　way　answerable　to　his　outward　behaviour；
exceeding　Gianetta　about　sixe　yeeres　in　age。　Hee　perceiving　her　to
be　a　faire　and　comely　Maiden；　grew　to　affect　her　so　entirely；　that　all
things　else　he　held　contemptible；　and　nothing　pleasing　in　his　eye
but　shee。　Now；　in　regard　her　parentage　was　reputed　poore；　he　kept
his　love　concealed　from　his　Parents；　not　daring　to　desire　her　in
marriage：　for　loath　he　was　to　loose　their　favour；　by　disclosing　the
vehemency　of　his　afflictions；　which　proved　a　greater　torment　to　him；
then　if　it　had　beene　openly　knowne。
　　It　came　to　passe；　that　love　over…awed　him　in　such　sort；　as　he　fell
into　a　violent　sicknesse；　and　store　of　Physicions　were　sent　for；　to
save　him　from　death；　if　possibly　it　might　be。　Their　judgements

observing　the　course　of　his　sicknesse；　yet　not　reaching　to　the　cause
of　the　disease；　made　a　doubtfull　question　of　his　recovery；　which　was
so　displeasing　to　his　parents；　that　their　griefe　and　sorrow　grew
beyond　measure。　Many　earnest　entreaties　they　moved　to　him；　to　know　the
occasion　of　his　sickenesse；　whereto　he　returned　no　other　answere；
but　heart…breaking　sighes；　and　incessant　teares；　which　drew　him　more
and　more　into　weakenesse　of　body。
　　It　chanced　on　a　day；　a　Physicion　was　brought　unto　him；　being　young
in　yeeres；　but　well　experienced　in　his　practise：　and　as　hee　made
triall　of　his　pulse；　Gianetta　（who　by　his　Mothers　command；　attended　on
him　very　diligently）　upon　some　especiall　occasion　entred　into　the
Chamber；　which　when　the　young　Gentleman　perceived；　and　that　shee
neither　spake　word；　nor　so　much　as　looked　towards　him；　his　heart
grew　great　in　amorous　desire；　and　his　pulse　did　beate　beyond　the
compasse　of　ordinary　custome；　whereof　the　Physicion　made　good
observation；　to　note　how　long　that　fit　would　continue。　No　sooner　was
Gianetta　gone　forth　of　the　Chamber；　but　the　pulse　immediately　gave
over　beating；　which　perswaded　the　Physicion；　that　some　part　of　the
disease　had　now　discovered　it　selfe　apparantly。
　　Within　a　while　after；　pretending　to　have　some　speech　with
Gianetta；　and　holding　the　Gentleman　still　by　the　arme；　the　Physicion
caused　her　to　be　sent　for；　and　immediately　shee　came。　Upon　her　very
entrance　into　the　Chamber；　the　pulse　began　to　beate　againe　extreamely；
and　when　shee　departed；　it　presently　ceased。　Now　was　he　thorowly
perswaded；　that　he　had　found　the　true　effect　of　his　sicknesse；　when
taking　the　Father　and　mother　aside；　thus　he　spake　to　them。　If　you　be
desirous　of　your　Sons　health；　it　consisteth　not　either　in　Physicion　or
physicke；　but　in　the　mercy　of　your　faire　Maide　Gianetta；　for
manifest　signes　have　made　it　knowne　to　me；　and　he　loveth　the
Damosell　very　dearely：　yet　（for　ought　I　can　perceive；　the　Maide　doth
not　know　it：）　now　if　you　have　respect　of　his　life；　you　know　（in　this
case）　what　is　to　be　done。　The　Nobleman　and　his　Wife　hearing　this；
became　somewhat　satisfied；　because　there　remained　a　remedy　to　preserve
his　life：　but　yet　it　was　no　meane　griefe　to　them；　if　it　should　so
succeede；　as　they　feared；　namely；　the　marriage　betweene　this　their
Sonne　and　Gianetta。
　　The　Physicion　being　gone；　and　they　repairing　to　their　sicke　Sonne；
the　Mother　began　with　him　in　this　manner。　Sonne；　I　was　alwayes
perswaded；　that　thou　wouldest　not　conceale　any　secret　from　me；　or
the　least　part　of　thy　desires；　especially；　when　without　enjoying　them；
thou