the decameron(十日谈)-第48章

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as　a　thought　of　any　evill　towards　him。　And　thus　was　the　Proverbe　truly
verified；　that　shame　succeedeth　after　ugly　sinne；　and　the　deceiver
is　trampled　and　trod；　by　such　as　himselfe　hath　deceived。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SECOND　DAY；　THE　TENTH　NOVELL

　　　　　　WHEREIN　OLDE　MEN　ARE　WITTILY　REPREHENDED；　THAT　WILL　MATCH
　　　　　　THEMSELVES　WITH　YOUNGER　WOMEN　THEN　IS　FIT　FOR　THEIR　YEERES；
　　　　　　AND　INSUFFICIENT；　NEVER　CONSIDERING　WHAT　MAY　HAPPEN　TO　THEM

　　Pagamino　da　Monaco；　a　roving　Pyrate　on　the　Seas；　carried　away　the
fayre　Wife　of　Signior　Ricciardo　de　Chinzica；　who　understanding　where
shee　was；　went　thither；　and　falling　into　friendship　with　Pagamino；
demanded　his　Wife　of　him；　whereto　he　yeelde；　provided；　that　shee
would　willing　goe　away　with　him。　She　denied　to　part　thence　with　her
Husband；　and　Signior　Ricciardo　dying；　she　became　the　wife　of　Pagamino。

　　Every　one　in　this　honest　and　gracious　assembly；　most　highly
commended　the　Novell　re…counted　by　the　Queene：　but　especially　Dioneus；
who　remained　to　finish　that　dayes　pleasure　with　his　owne　Discourse；
and　after　many　praises　of　the　former　tale　were　past；　thus　he　began。
Faire　Ladies；　part　of　the　Queenes　Novell　hath　made　an　alteration　of　my
minde；　from　that　which　I　intended　to　proceede　next　withall；　and
therfore　I　will　report　another。　I　cannot　forget　the　unmanly
indiscretion　of　Bernardo；　but　much　more　the　base　arrogance　of
Ambroginolo；　how　justly　deserved　shame　fell　upon　him；　as　well　it　may
happen　to　all　other；　that　are　so　vile　in　their　owne　opinions；　as　he
apparantly　approved　himselfe　to　be。　For；　as　men　wander　abroad　in　the
world；　according　to　their　occasions　in　diversity　of　Countries　and
observations　of　the　peoples　behaviour；　so　are　their　humours　as
variously　transported。　And　if　they　finde　women　wantonly　disposed
abroade；　the　like　judgement　they　give　of　their　Wives　at　home；　as　if
they　had　never　knowne　their　birth　and　breeding；　or　made　proofe　of
their　loyall　carriage　towards　them。　Wherefore；　the　Tale　that　I　purpose
to　relate；　will　likewise　condemne　all　the　like　kind　of　men；　but　more
especially　such　as　thinke　themselves　endued　with　more　strength　then
Nature　meant　to　bestow　on　them；　foolishly　beleeving；　that　they　can
cover　their　owne　defects　by　fabulous　demonstrations；　and　thinking　to
fashion　other　of　their　owne　complexions；　that　are　meerely　strangers　to
such　grosse　follies。
　Know　then；　that　there　lived　in　Pisa　（some　hundred　yeeres　before
Tuscany　and　Liguria　embraced　the　Christian　faith）　a　judge　better
stored　with　wisedome　and　ingenuity；　then　corporall　abilities　of　the
body；　named　Signior　Ricciardo　di　Cinzica。　He　being　more　then　halfe
perswaded；　that　hee　could　content　a　woman　with　such　satisfaction　as
hee　daily　bestowed　on　his　studies；　being　a　widdower；　and　extraordinary
wealthy；　laboured　with　no　meane　paines；　to　enjoy　a　faire　and　youthfull
wife　in　marriage：　both　which　qualities　hee　should　much　rather　have
avoyded；　if　he　could　have　ministred　as　good　counsell　to　himselfe；　as
he　did　to　others；　resorting　to　him　for　advice。　Upon　this　his　amorous
and　diligent　inquisition；　it　came　so　to　passe；　that　a　worthy
Gentlewoman；　called　Bertolomea；　one　of　the　fairest　and　choisest　yong
maids　in　Pisa；　whose　youth　did　hardly　agree　with　his　age；　but　muck　was
the　motive　of　this　mariage；　and　no　expectation　of　mutuall　contentment。
The　Judge　being　married；　and　the　Bride　brought　solemnly　home　to　his
house；　we　need　make　no　question　of　brave　cheare　and　banquetting；
well　furnished　by　their　friends　on　either　side：　other　matters　were　now
hammering　in　the　judges　head；　for　thogh　he　could　please　all　his
Clients　with　counsel；　yet　now　such　a　suit　was　commenced　against
himselfe；　and　in　Beauties　Court　of　continuall　requests；　that　the　Judge
failing　in　plea　for　his　own　defence；　was　often　nonsuited　by　lack　of
answer；　yet　he　wanted　not　good　wines；　drugs；　and　all　sorts　of
restoratives　to　comfort　the　heart；　and　encrease　good　blood：　but　all
availed　not。
　　But　well　fare　a　good　courage；　where　performance　faileth；　hee　could
liberally　commend　his　passed　joviall　daies；　and　make　a　promise　of　as
faire　felicities　yet　to　come；　because　his　youth　would　renew　it　selfe
like　to　the　Eagle；　and　his　vigour　in　as　full　force　as　before。　But
beside　all　these　ydle　allegations；　would　needs　instruct　his　wife　in　an
Almanacke　or　Kalender；　which　he　had　（formerly）　bought　at　Ravenna；
and　wherein　he　plainely　shewed　her；　that　there　was　not　one　day　in
the　yeere；　but　it　was　dedicated　to　some　Saint　or　other。　In　reverence
of　whom；　and　for　their　sakes；　he　approved　by　divers　arguments　and
reasons；　that　a　man　and　his　wife　ought　to　abstaine　from　bedding
together。　Adding　withall；　that　those　Saints　dayes　had　their　Fasts
and　Feasts；　beside　the　foure　seasons　of　the　yeer；　the　vigils　of　the
Apostles；　and　a　thousand　other　holy　dayes；　with　Fridayes；
Saterdayes；　and　Sundayes；　in　honor　of　our　Lords　rest；　and　al　the
holy　time　of　Lent；　as　also　certain　observations　of　the　Moone；　and
infinit　other　exceptions　beside；　thinking　perhaps；　that　it　was　as
convenient　for　men　to　refraine　from　their　wives　conversation；　as　he
did　often　time　from　sitting　in　the　Court。　These　were　his　dayly
documents　to　his　young　wife；　wherewith　（poore　soule）　she　became　so
tyred；　as　nothing　could　be　more　irksom　to　her；　and　very　careful　he
was；　lest　any　other　should　teach　her　what　belonged　to　working　daies；
because　he　would　have　her　know　none　but　holy　daies。　It　came　to
passe；　that　the　season　waxing　extremely　hot；　Signior　Ricciardo　would
go　to　recreate　himselfe　at　his　house　in　the　country；　neere　to　the
blacke　Mountaine；　where　for　his　faire　wives　more　contentment；　he
continued　divers　daies　together。　And　for　her　further　recreation；　he
gave　order　to　have　a　day　of　fishing；　he　going　aboord　a　small　Pinnace
among　the　Fishers；　and　she　in　another；　consorted　with　divers　other
Gentlewomen；　in　whose　company　she　was　very　well　pleased。　Delight
made　them　launch　further　into　the　Sea；　then　either　the　Judge　was
willing　they　should　have　done；　or　agreed　with　their　owne　safety。　For
sodainly　a　Galliot　came　upon　them；　wherein　was　one　Pagamino　a　famous
Pyrate；　who　espying　the　two　Pinnaces；　made　presently　to　them；　and
seized　on　that　wherein　the　women　were。　When　he　beheld　there　so　faire　a
young　Woman；　he　coveted　after　no　other　purchase；　but　mounting　her　into
his　Galliot；　in　the　sight　of　Signior　Ricciardo；　who　by　this　time　was
fearefully　landed；　he　carried　her　away　with　him。　When　Signior　Judge
had　seene　this　theft　（he　being　so　jealous　of　his　wife；　as　scarsely
he　would　let　the　ayre　breathe　on　her）　it　were　needlesse　to　know
whether　he　was　offended；　or　no。　He　made　complaint　at　Pisa；　and　in
other　places　beside；　what　injurie　he　had　sustained　by　those　Pyrates；
in　carrying　away　his　wife　from　him：　but　all　in　vaine；　he　neither　（as
yet）　knew　the　man；　nor　what　was　become　of　him。　Pagamino　perceiving
what　a　beautifull　woman　shee　was；　made　the　more　precious　esteeme　of
his　purchase；　and　being　himselfe　a　Batchelor；　intended　to　keepe　her　as
his　owne；　comforting　her　with　kinde　and　pleasing　speeches；　not　using
any　ill　demeanor　to　her；　because　she　wept　and　lamented　greevously。　But
when　night　came；　her　husbands　Kalender　falling　from　her　girdle；　and
all　the　fasts　and　feasts　quite　out　of　her　remembrance；　she　received
such　curtesies　from　Pagamino；　that　before　they　could　arrive　at　Monaco；
the　Judge　and　his　Law　cases　were　almost　out　of　memory；　such　was　his
affable　behaviour　to　her；　and　she　began　to　converse　with　him　in　more
friendly　manner；　and　he　entreated　her　as　honourably；　as　if　she　had　bin
his　espoused　wife。
　　Within　a　short　while　after；　report　had　acquainted　the　Judge；　where
and　how　his　wife　was　kept　from　him；　whereupon　hee　determined；　not　to
send；　but　rather　to　go　himselfe　in　person；　and　to　redeeme　her　from　the
Pyrate；　with　what　summes　of　money　he　should　demand。　By　sea　he　passed
to　Monaco；　where　he　saw　his　wife；　and　she　him；　as　（soone　after）　shee
made　known　to　Pagamino。　The　next　morning；　Signior　Ricciardo　meeting
with　Pagamino；　made　meanes　to　be　acquainted　with　bim；　and　within　lesse
then　an　houres　space；　they　grew　into　familiar　conference；　Pagamino　yet
pretending　not　to　know　him；　but　expected　what　issue　this　talke　would
sort　to。　When　time　ser