the decameron(十日谈)-第42章

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of　him；　for；　a　contagious　mortalitie　hapning　in　the　Country；　the
greater　part　of　the　people　perished　thereby；　the　rest　flying　thence
into　other　partes　of　the　Land；　whereby　the　whole　Province　became
dispeopled　and　desolate。
　　In　the　time　of　this　plague　and　dreadful　visitation；　the　Lord
President；　his　Lady；　Sonnes；　Daughters；　Brothers；　Nephewes；　and
Kindred　dyed；　none　remaining　alive；　but　one　onely　Daughter
marriageable；　a　few　of　the　houshold　servants；　beside　Perotto；　whom
（after　the　sickenesse　was　more　mildly　asswaged）　with　counsell　and
consent　of　the　Countrey　people；　the　young　Lady　accepted　to　be　her
husband；　because　hee　was　a　man　so　worthy　and　valiant；　and　of　all　the
inheritance　left　by　her　deceased　Father；　she　made　him　Lord；　and　sole
commander。　Within　no　long　while　after；　the　King　of　England
understanding　that　his　President　of　Wales　was　dead；　and　Fame　liberally
relating　the　vertues；　valour；　and　good　parts　of　Perotto　the　Piccard；
hee　created　him　President　thereof；　and　to　supply　the　place　of　his
deceased　Lord。　These　faire　fortunes；　within　the　compasse　of　so　short　a
time；　fell　to　the　two　innocent　children　of　the　Count　D'Angiers　after
they　were　left　by　him　as　lost　and　forlorne。
　　Eighteene　yeeres　were　now　fully　overpast；　since　the　Count
D'Angiers　fled　from　Paris；　having　suffered　（in　miserable　sort）　many
hard　and　lamentable　adversities；　and　seeing　himselfe　now　to　be
growne　aged；　hee　was　desirous　to　leave　Ireland；　and　to　know　（if　hee
might）　what　was　become　of　both　his　Children。　Heereupon；　perceiving　his
wonted　forme　to　be　so　altered；　that　such　as　formerly　had　conversed
most　with　him；　could　now　not　take　any　knowledge　of　him；　and　feeling
his　body　（through　long　labour　and　exercise　endured　in　service）　more
lustie　then　in　his　idle　youthfull　yeeres；　especially　when　he　left
the　Court　of　France；　hee　purposed　to　proceede　in　his　determination。
Being　verie　poore　and　simple　in　apparrel；　he　departed　from　the　Irish
Earle　his　Master；　with　whom　he　had　continued　long　in　service；　to　no
advantage　or　advancement；　and　crossing　over　into　England；　travayled　to
the　place　in　Wales；　where　he　left　Perotto；　and　where　he　found　him　to
be　Lord　Marshall　and　President　of　the　country；　lusty　and　in　good
health；　a　man　of　goodly　feature；　and　most　honorably　respected　and
reverenced　of　the　people。
　　Well　may　you　imagine；　that　this　was　no　small　comfort　to　the　poore
aged　Countes　heart；　yet　would　he　not　make　himselfe　knowne　to　him；　or
any　other　about　him；　but　referred　his　joy　to　a　further　enlarging　and
diminishing；　by　sight　of　the　other　limbe　of　his　life；　his　deerely
affected　daughter　Gianetta；　denying　rest　to　his　bodie　in　any　place；
until　such　time　as　he　came　to　London。　Making　there　secret　enquiry
concerning　the　Ladie　with　whom　hee　had　left　his　daughter；　hee
understoode；　that　a　young　Gentlewoman；　named　Gianetta；　was　married
to　that　Ladies　onely　Son；　which　made　a　second　addition　of　joy　to　his
soule；　accounting　all　his　passed　adversities　of　no　valew；　both　his
children　being　living；　and　in　so　high　honour。
　　Having　found　her　dwelling；　and　（like　a　kinde　Father）　being　earnestly
desirous　to　see　her；　he　dayly　resorted　nere　to　the　house；　where　Sir
Roger　Mandevile　（for　so　was　Gianettaes　husband　named）　chauncing　to　see
him；　being　moved　to　compassion；　because　he　was　both　poore　and　aged：
commaunded　one　of　his　men；　to　take　him　into　the　house；　and　to　give　him
some　foode　for　Gods　sake；　which　（accordingly）　the　servant　performed。
Gianetta　had　divers　children　by　her　husband；　the　eldest　being　but
eight　yeeres　of　age；　yet　all　of　them　so　faire　and　comely　as　could
be。　As　the　old　Count　sate　eating　his　meate　in　the　Hall；　the　children
came　all　about　him；　embracing；　hugging；　and　making　much　of　him；　even
as　if　Nature　had　truly　instructed　them；　that　this　was　their　aged
（though　poor）　Grandfather；　and　hee　as　lovingly　receiving　these　kilde
relations　from　them；　wisely　and　silently　kept　all　to　himselfe；　with
sighes；　teares；　and　joyes　intermixed　together。　Insomuch　that　the
children　would　not　part　from　him　though　their　Tutor　and　Master
called　them　often；　which　being　tolde　to　their　Mother；　shee　came　foorth
of　the　neere　adjoyning　Parlour；　and　threatned　to　beate　them；　if　they
would　not　doe　what　their　Maister　commanded　them。
　　Then　the　Children　began　to　cry；　saying；　that　they　would　tarrie
stil　by　the　good　olde　man；　because　he　loved　them　better　then　their
Master　did；　whereat　both　the　Lady　and　the　Count　began　to　smile。　The
Count；　a　poore　Begger；　and　not　as　Father　to　so　great　a　Lady；　arose；
and　did　her　humble　reverence；　because　she　was　now　a　Noble　Woman；
conceyving　wonderfull　joy　in　his　soule；　to　see　her　so　faire　and　goodly
a　creature：　yet　could　she　take　no　knowledge　of　him；　Age；　want；　and
misery　had　so　mightily　altered　him；　his　head　all　white；　his　beard
without　any　comly　forme；　his　Garments　so　poore；　and　his　face　so
wrinkled；　leane　and　meager；　that　he　seemed　rather　some　Carter；　then
a　Count。　And　Gianetta　perceiving　that　when　her　Children　were　fetcht
away；　they　returned　againe　to　the　olde　man；　and　would　not　leave　him；
she　desired　their　Maister　to　let　them　alone。
　While　thus　the　Children　continued　making　much　of　the　good　olde　man；
Lord　Andrew　Mandevile；　Father　to　Sir　Roger；　came　into　the　Hall；　as
being　so　willed　to　doe　by　the　Childrens　Schoolemaster。　He　being　a
hastie…minded　man；　and　one　that　ever…despised　Gianetta　before；　but
much　more　since　her　marriage　to　his　sonne；　angerly　said；　Let　them
alone　with　a　mischeefe；　and　so　befall　them；　their　best　company　ought
to　bee　with　beggers；　for　so　they　are　bred　and　borne　by　the　Mothers
side：　and　therefore　it　is　no　mervaile；　if　like　will　to　like；　a　beggers
brats　to　keepe　company　with　beggers。　The　Count　hearing　these
contemptible　wordes；　was　not　a　little　greeved　thereat；　and　although
his　courage　was　greater　then　his　poore　condition　would　permit　him　to
expresse；　yet；　clouding　all　injuries　with　noble　patience；　hanging
downe　his　head；　and　shedding　many　a　salt　teare；　endured　this　reproach；
as　hee　had　done　many；　both　before　and　after。
　　But　honourable　Sir　Roger；　perceiving　what　delight　his　Children　tooke
in　the　poore　mans　company；　albeit　he　was　offended　at　his　Fathers　harsh
words；　by　holding　his　wife　in　such　base　respect：　yet　favoured　the
poore　Count　so　much　the　more；　and　seeing　him　weepe；　did　greatly
compassionate　his　case；　saying　to　the　poore　man；　that　if　he　would
accept　of　his　service；　he　willingly　would　entertaine　him。　Whereto
the　Count　replyed；　that　very　gladly　he　would　embrace　his　kinde
offer：　but　he　was　capeable　of　no　other　service；　save　onely　to　be　an
horsekeeper；　wherein　he　had　imployed　the　most　part　of　his　time。
Heereupon；　more　for　pleasure　and　pitty　then　any　necessity　of　his
service；　he　was　appointed　to　the　keeping　of　an　Horse；　which　was
onely　for　his　Daughters　saddle；　and　daily　after　he　had　done　his
diligence　about　the　Horse；　he　did　nothing　else　but　play　with　the
children。　While　Fortune　pleased　thus　to　dally　with　the　poore　Count
D'Angiers；　and　his　children；　it　came　to　passe；　that　the　King　of　France
（after　divers　leagues　of　truces　passed　betweene　him　and　the　Germaines）
died；　and　next　after　him；　his　Son　the　Dolphin　was　crowned　King；　and　it
was　his　wife　that　wrongfully　caused　the　Counts　banishment。　After
expiration　of　the　last　league　with　the　Germains；　the　warres　began　to
grow　much　more　fierce　and　sharpe；　and　the　King　of　England；　（upon
request　made　to　him　by　his　new　brother　of　France）　sent　him　very
honourable　supplies　of　his　people；　under　the　conduct　of　Perotto；　his
lately　elected　President　of　Wales；　and　Sir　Roger　Mandevile；　Son　to　his
other　Lord　high　Marshall；　with　whom　also　the　poore　Count　went；　and
continued　a　long　while　in　the　Campe　as　a　common　Souldier；　where　yet
like　a　valiant　Gentleman　（as　indeed　he　was　no　lesse）　both　in　advice
and　actions；　he　accomplished　many　more　notable　matters；　then　was
expected　to　come　from　him。
　　It　so　fell　out；　that　in　the　continuance　of　this　warre；　the　Queene　of
France　fell　into　a　grievous　sicknesse；　and　perceiving　her　selfe　to
be　at　the　point　of　death；　shee　became　very　penitently　sorrowfull　for
all　her　sinnes；　earnestly　desiring　that　shee　might　be　confessed　by　the
Archbishop　of　Roane；　who　was　reputed　to　be　an　holy　and　vercuou