the decameron(十日谈)-第52章

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bad　him　to　the　two　Asses　therewith；　which　commonly　carried　home　all
the　wood；　and　so　drive　them　to　the　Monasterie　before　him；　which
Massetto　knew　well　enough　how　to　do；　and　performed　it　very
effectually。
　　Many　other　servile　Offices　were　there　to　bee　done；　which　caused
the　Fac…totum　to　make　use　of　his　paines　divers　other　dayes　beside；
in　which　time；　the　Lady　Abbesse　chancing　to　see　him；　demanded　of　the
Factotum　what　he　was？　Madani　（quoth　hee）　a　poore　labouring　man；　who　is
both　deafe　and　dumbe；　hither　he　came　to　crave　an　almes　the　other
day；　the　which　in　charity　I　could　do　no　lesse　but　give　him；　for　which；
hee　hath　done　many　honest　services　about　the　house。　It　seemes
beside；　that　hee　hath　pretty　skill　in　Gardening；　so　that　if　I　can
perswade　him　to　continue　here；　I　make　no　question　of　his　able
services：　for　the　old　silly　man　is　gon；　and　we　have　need　of　such　a
stout　fellow；　to　do　the　busines　belonging　to　the　Monastery；　and　one
fitter　for　the　turne；　comes　sildome　hither。　Moreover；　in　regard　of　his
double　imperfections；　the　Sisters　can　sustaine　no　impeachment　by
him。　Whereto　the　Abbesse　answered；　saying；　By　the　faith　of　my　body；
you　speake　but　the　truth：　understand　then；　if　hee　have　any　knowledge
in　Gardening；　and　whether　hee　will　dwell　heere；　or　no：　which
compasse　so　kindly　as　you　can。　Let　him　have　a　new　paire　of　shoes；　fill
his　belly　daily　full　of　meate；　flatter；　and　make　much　of　him；　for
wee　shall　finde　him　worke　enough　to　do。　All　which；　the　Fac…totum
promised　to　fulfill　sufficiently。
　　Massetto；　who　was　not　far　off　from　them　all　this　while；　but　seemed
seriously　busied　about　sweeping　and　making　cleane　the　Court；　heard　all
these　speeches；　and　being　not　a　little　joyfull　of　them；　said　to
himselfe。　If　once　I　come　to　worke　in　your　Garden；　let　the　proofe　yeeld
praise　of　my　skill　and　knowledge。　When　the　Fac…totum　perceived；　that
he　knew　perfectly　how　to　undergo　his　businesse；　and　had　questioned　him
by　signes；　concerning　his　willingnesse　to　serve　there　still；　and
received　the　like　answere　also；　of　his　dutifull　readinesse　thereto；　he
gave　him　order　to　worke　in　the　Garden；　because　the　season　did　now
require　it；　and　to　leave　all　other　affayres　for　the　Monastery；
attending　now　onely　the　Gardens　preparation。
　　As　Massetto　was　thus　about　his　Garden　emploiment；　the　Nunnes　began
to　resort　thither；　and　thinking　the　man　to　be　dumbe　and　deafe　indeede；
were　the　more　lavish　of　their　language；　mocking　and　flowting　him
very　immodestly；　as　being　perswaded；　that　he　heard　them　not。　And　the
Lady　Abbesse；　thinking　he　might　as　well　be　an　Eunuch；　as　deprived　both
of　hearing　and　speaking；　stood　the　lesse　in　feare　of　the　Sisters
walkes；　but　referred　them　to　their　owne　care　and　providence。　On　a　day；
Massetto　having　laboured　somewhat　extraordinarily；　lay　downe　to　rest
himselfe　awhile　under　the　trees；　and　two　delicate　yong　Nunnes；　walking
there　to　take　the　aire；　drew　neere　to　the　place　where　he　dissembled
sleeping；　and　both　of　them　observing　his　comelinesse　of　person；
began　to　pitty　the　poverty　of　his　condition；　but　much　more　the
misery　of　his　great　defectes。　Then　one　of　them；　who　had　a　little
livelier　spirit　then　the　other；　thinking　Massetto　to　be　fast
asleepe；　began　in　this　manner。
　　Sister　（quoth　she）　if　I　were　faithfully　assured　of　thy　secrecie；　I
would　tell　thee　a　thing　which　I　have　often　thought　on；　and　it　may
（perhaps）　redound　to　thy　profit。　Sister；　replyed　the　other　Nun；　speake
your　minde　boldly；　and　beleeve　it　（on　my　Maidenhead）　that　I　will　never
reveale　it　to　any　creature　living。　Encouraged　by　this　solemne　answere；
the　first　Nun　thus　prosecuted　her　former　purpose；　saying。　I　know　not
Sister；　whether　it　hath　entred　into　thine　understanding　or　no；
strictly　we　are　here　kept　and　attended；　never　any　man　daring　to
adventure　among　us；　except　our　good　and　bonest　Fac…totum；　who　is
very　aged；　and　this　dumbe　fellow；　maimed；　and　made　imperfect　by
nature；　and　therefore　not　worthy　the　title　of　a　man。　Ah　Sister；　it
hath　oftentimes　bin　told　me；　by　Gentlewomen　comming　hither　to　visite
us；　that　all　other　sweetes　in　the　world；　are　mockeries；　to　the
incomparable　pleasures　of　man　and　woman；　of　which　we　are　barred　by　our
unkind　parents；　binding　us　to　perpetuall　chastity；　which　they　were
never　able　to　observe　themselves。
　　A　Sister　of　this　house　once　told　me；　that　before　her　turne　came　to
be　sent　to　the　Soldane；　she　fell　in　frailty　with　a　man　that　was　both
lame　and　blinde；　and　discovering　the　same　to　her　Ghostly　Father　in
confession；　he　absolved　her　of　that　sinne；　affirming；　that　she　had　not
transgressed　with　a　man；　because　he　wanted　his　rationall　and
understanding　parts。　Behold　Sister；　heere　lyes　a　creature；　almost
formed　in　the　self…same　mold；　dumbe　and　deafe；　which　are　two　the
most　rationall　and　understanding　parts　that　do　belong　to　any　man；
and　therefore　no　Man；　wanting　them。　If　folly　and　frailty　would　be
committed　with　him　（as　many　times　since　hee　came　hither　it　hath　run　in
my　minde）　hee　is　by　Nature；　sworne　to　such　secrecie；　that　he　cannot
（if　he　would）　be　a　blabbe　thereof。　Beside；　the　Lawes　and
constitution　of　our　Religion　doth　teach　us；　that　a　sinne　so
assuredly　concealed；　is　more　then　halfe　absolved。
　　Ave　Maria　Sister　（saide　the　other　Nun）　what　kinde　of　words　are　these
you　utter？　Doe　not　you　know；　that　we　have　promised　our　virginity　to
God？　Oh　Sister　（answered　the　other）　how　many　things　are　promised　to
him　every　day；　and　not　one　of　a　thousand　kept　or　performed？　If　wee
have　made　him　such　a　promise；　and　some　of　our　weakerwitted　sisters
do　performe　it　for　us；　no　doubt　but　he　will　accept　it　in　part　of
payment。　Yea　but　Sister；　replied　the　second　Nun　againe；　there　is
another　danger　lying　in　the　way：　If　we　prove　to　be　with　childe；　how
shall　we　doe　then？　Sister　（quoth　our　couragious　wench）　thou　art
affraide　of　harme　before　it　happen：　if　it　come　so　to　passe；　let　us
consider　on　it　then：　thou　art　but　a　Novice　in　matters　of　such
moment；　we　are　provided　of　a　thousand　meanes；　whereby　to　prevent
conception。　Or；　if　they　should　faile；　we　are　so　surely　fitted；　that
the　world　shall　never　know　it。　Let　it　suffice；　our　lives　must　not　be
by　any　so　much　as　suspected；　our　Monastery　questioned；　or　our　Religion
rashly　scandalized。　Thus　shee　schooled　her　younger　Sister　in　wit；
albeit　as　forward　as　shee　in　will；　and　longed　as　desirouslie；　to
know　what　kinde　of　creature　man　was。
　　After　some　other　questions；　how　this　intention　of　theirs　might　bee
safely　brought　to　full　effect：　the　sprightly　Nun　that　had　wit　at　will；
thus　answered。　You　see　Sister　（quoth　she）　it　is　now　the　houre　of
midday；　when　all　the　rest　of　our　sisterhood　are　quiet　in　their
Chambers；　because　we　are　then　allowed　to　sleep；　for　our　earlier　rising
to　morning　Mattins。　Here　are　none　in　the　Garden　now　but　our　selves；
and　while　I　awake　him；　bee　you　the　watch；　and　afterward　follow　mee
in　my　fortune；　for　I　will　valiantly　leade　you　the　way。　Massetto
immitating　a　Dogges　sleepe；　heard　all　this　conspiracie　intended
against　him；　and　longed　as　earnestly　till　shee　came　to　awake　him。
Which　being　done；　he　seeming　very　simple　and　sottish；　and　she　chearing
him　with　flattering　behaviour：　into　the　close　Arbour　they　went；
which　the　Sunnes　bright　eye　could　not　pierce　into；　and　there　I　leave
it　to　the　Nunnes　owne　approbation；　whether　Massetto　was　a　man
rationall；　or　no。　Ill　deeds　require　longer　time　to　contrive；　then　act；
and　both　the　Nuns　having　bene　with　Massetto　at　this　new　forme　of
confession；　were　enjoyned　（by　him）　such　an　easie　and　silent　penance；
as　brought　them　the　oftner　to　shrift；　and　made　him　to　proove　a　very
perfect　Confessour。
　　Desires　obtayned；　but　not　fully　satisfied；　doe　commonly　urge　more
frequent　accesse；　then　wisedome　thinkes　expedient；　or　can　continue
without　discovery。　Our　two　joviall　Nunnes；　not　a　little　proud　of　their
private　stolne　pleasures；　so　long　resorted　to　the　close　Arbour；　till
another　Sister；　who　had　often　observed　their　haunt　thither；　by
meanes　of　a　little　hole　in　her　Window；　that　shee　began　to　suspect　them
with　Massetto；　and　imparted　the　same　to　two　other　Sisters；　all　three
concluding；　to　accuse　them　before　the　Lady　Abbesse。　But　upon　a　further
conference　had　with　the　Offenders；　they　changed　opinion；　tooke