the decameron(十日谈)-第57章

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counterfet　sobbes；　sighes；　and　teares　these　words　were　delivered；
and　drawing　foorth　from　under　her　gowne；　a　very　faire　and　rich
purse；　as　also　a　Girdle　of　great　worth；　she　threw　them　into　the　Friars
lappe。
　　He　verily　beleeving　all　this　false　report；　being　troubled　in　his
minde　thereat　beyond　measure；　tooke　the　Gentlewoman　by　the　hand；
saying：　Daughter；　if　thou　be　offended　at　these　impudent　follies；
assuredly　I　cannot　blame　thee；　nor　will　any　wiseman　reproove　thee
for　it；　and　I　commend　thee　for　following　my　counsell。　But　let　me　alone
for　schooling　of　my　Gentleman；　ill　hath　he　kept　his　promise　made　to
me；　wherefore；　in　regard　of　his　former　offence；　as　also　this　other
so　lately　committed；　I　hope　to　set　him　in　such　heate；　as　shall　make
him　leave　off　from　further　injurying　thee。　Suffer　not　thy　selfe　to
be　conquerd　by　choller；　in　disclosing　this　to　thy　kindred　or
husband；　because　too　much　harme　may　ensue　thereon。　But　feare　not　any
wrong　to　thy　selfe；　for　I　am　a　true　witnesse　of　thine　honesty　and
vertue。
　　Now　began　she　to　seeme　better　comforted；　and　forbearing　to　play　on
this　string　any　longer；　as　well　knowing　the　covetousnes　of　him　and　his
equals；　she　said：　Holy　Father；　some　few　nights　past；　me　thought　in
my　sleepe；　that　divers　spirits　of　my　kindred　appeared　to　me　in　a
vision；　who　me　thought　were　in　very　great　pains；　and　desired　nothing
els　but　Almes；　especially　my　Godmother；　who　seemed　to　be　afflicted
with　such　extrem　poverty；　that　it　was　most　Pittifull　to　behold。　And
I　am　halfe　perswaded；　that　her　torments　are　the　greater；　seeing　me
troubled　with　such　an　enemy　to　goodnesse。　Wherefore　（good　Father）　to
deliver　her　soule　and　the　others　out　of　those　fearfull　flames；　among
your　infinite　other　devout　prayers；　I　would　have　you　to　say　the
forty　Masses　of　S。　Gregory；　as　a　means　for　their　happy　deliverance；
and　so　she　put　ten　ducates　into　his　hand。　Which　the　holy　man　accepted
thankfully；　and　with　good　words；　as　also　many　singular　examples；
confirmed　her　bountifull　devotion：　and　when　he　had　given　her　his
benediction；　home　she　departed。
　　After　that　the　Gentlewoman　was　gone；　hee　sent　for　his　friend　whom
she　so　much　seemed　to　be　troubled　withall；　and　when　he　was　come；　hee
beholding　his　Holy　Father　to　looke　discontentedly；　thought；　that　now
he　should　heare　some　newes　from　his　Mistresse；　and　therefore
expected　what　he　would　say。　The　Friar；　falling　into　the　course　of
his　former　reprehensions；　but　yet　in　more　rough　and　impatient
minner；　sharpely　checkt　him　for　his　immodest　behaviour　towards　the
Gentlewoman；　in　sending　her　the　Purse　and　Girdle。　The　Gentleman；　who
as　yet　could　not　guesse　whereto　his　speeches　tended；　somewhat　coldly
and　temperately；　denied　the　sending　of　such　tokens　to　her；　to　the
end　that　he　would　not　bee　utterly　discredited　with　the　good　man；　if　so
bee　the　Gentlewoman　had　shewne　him　any　such　things。　But　then　the
Frier；　waxing　much　more　angry；　sternly　said。　Bad　man　as　thou　art；
how　canst　thou　deny　a　manifest　truth？　See　sir；　these　are　none　of
your　amorous　tokens？　No；　I　am　sure　you　doe　not　know　them；　nor　ever　saw
them　till　now。
　　The　Gentleman；　seeming　as　if　he　were　much　ashamed；　saide。　Truely
Father　I　do　know　them；　and　confesse　that　I　have　done　ill；　and　very
greatly　offended：　but　now　I　will　sweare　unto　you；　seeing　I
understand　how　firmely　she　is　affected；　that　you　shall　never　heare　any
more　complaint　of　me。　Such　were　his　vowes　and　protestations；　as　in　the
end　the　ghostly　Father　gave　him　both　the　Purse　and　Girdle：　then
after　he　had　preached；　and　severely　conjured　him；　never　more　to　vexe
her　with　any　gifts　at　all；　and　he　binding　himselfe　thereto　by　a
solemne　promise；　he　gave　him　license　to　depart。　Now　grew　the　Gentleman
very　jocond；　being　so　surely　certifyed　of　his　Mistresses　love；　and
by　tokens　of　such　worthy　esteeme；　wherefore　no　sooner　was　he　gone　from
the　Frier；　but　he　went　into　such　a　secret　place；　where　he　could　let
her　behold　at　her　Window；　what　precious　tokens　he　had　received　from
her；　whereof　she　was　extraordinarily　joyfull；　because　her　devices　grew
still　better　and　better；　nothing　now　wanting；　but　her　husbands
absence；　upon　some　journey　from　the　City；　for　the　full　effecting　of
her　desire。
　　Within　a　few　dayes　after；　such　an　occasion　hapned；　as　her　husband　of
necessity　must　journey　to　Geneway；　and　no　sooner　was　he　mounted　on
horsebacke；　taking　leave　of　her　and　all　his　friends：　but　she；　being
sure　he　was　gone；　went　in　all　hast　to　her　Ghostly　Father；　and；　after　a
few　faigned　outward　shewes；　thus　she　spake。　I　must　now　plainely　tell
you；　holy　Father；　that　I　can　no　longer　endure　this　wicked　friend　of
yours；　but　because　I　promised　you　the　other　day；　that　I　would　not　do
any　thing；　before　I　had　your　counsell　therein；　I　am　now　come　to　tell
you；　the　just　reason　of　my　anger；　and　full　purpose　to　avoid　all
further　mollestation。
　　Your　friend　cannot　terme　him；　but　（questionlesse）　a　very　divell　of
hell：　this　morning；　before　the　breake　of　day；　having　heard　（but　how；　I
know　not）　that　my　husband　was　ridden　to　Geneway：　got　over　the　wall
into　my　Garden；　and　climbing　up　a　tree　which　standeth　close　before
my　Chamber　window；　when　I　was　fast　asleepe；　opened　the　Casement；　and
would　have　entred　in　at　the　window。　But；　by　great　good　fortune；　I
awaked；　and　made　shew　of　an　open　outcry：　but　that　he　entreated　me；
both　for　Gods　sake　and　yours；　to　pardon　him　this　error；　and　never
after　he　would　presume　any　more　to　offend　me。　When　he　saw；　that　（for
your　sake）　I　was　silent；　he　closed　fast　the　window　againe；　departed　as
he　came；　and　since　I　never　saw　him；　or　heard　any　tidings　of　him。　Now
Judge　you；　holy　Father；　whether　these　be　honest　courses　or　no；　and
to　be　endured　by　any　civill　Gentlewoman；　neither　would　I　so
patiently　have　suffered　this；　but　onely　in　my　dutifull　reverence　to
you。
　　The　Ghostly　Father　hearing　this；　became　the　sorrowfullest　man　in　the
world；　not　knowing　how　to　make　her　any　answere；　but　only　demanded　of
her　divers　times；　whether　she　knew　him　so　perfectly；　that　she　did
not　mistake　him　for　some　other？　Quoth　she；　I　would　I　did　not　know
him　from　any　other。　Alas　deere　daughter　（replied　the　Frier）　what　can
more　be　sayd　in　this　case；　but　that　it　was　over…much　boldnesse；　and
very　ill　done；　and　thou　shewedst　thy　selfe　a　worthy　wise　woman；　in
sending　him　away　so　mercifully；　as　thou　didst。　Once　more　I　would
entreat　thee　（deere　and　vertuous　daughter）　seeing　grace　hath
hitherto　kept　thee　from　dishonor；　and　twice　already　thou　hast　credited
my　counsell；　let　me　now　advise　thee　this　last　time。　Spare　speech；　or
complaining　to　any　other　of　thy　friends；　and　leave…it　to　me；　to　try　if
I　can　overcome　this　unchained　divell；　whom　I　tooke　to　be　a　much　more
holy　man。　If　I　can　recall　him　from　this　sensuall　appetite；　I　shall
account　my　labour　well　employed；　but　if　I　cannot　do　it；　henceforward
（with　my　blessed　benediction）　I　give　thee　leave　to　do；　even　what　thy
heart　will　best　tutor　thee　to。　You　see　Sir　（said　shee）　what　manner
of　man　he　is；　yet　would　I　not　have　you　troubled　or　disobeyed；　only　I
desire　to　live　without　disturbance；　which　worke　（I　beseech　you）　as
best　you　may：　for　I　promise　you；　good　Father；　never　to　solicite　you
more　uppon　this　occasion：　And　so；　in　a　pretended　rage；　she　returned
backe　from　the　ghostly　Father。
　　Scarsely　was　she　gone　forth　of　the　Church；　but　in　commeth　the　man
that　had　（supposedly）　so　much　transgressed；　and　the　Fryer　taking　him
aside；　gave　him　the　most　injurious　words　that　could　be　used　to　a
man；　calling　him　disloyall；　perjured；　and　a　traitor。　He　who　had
formerly　twice　perceived；　how　high　the　holy　mans　anger　mounted；　did
nothing　but　expect　what　he　would　say；　and；　like　a　man　extreamly
perplexed；　strove　how　to　get　it　from　him；　saying；　Holy　Father；　how
come　you　to　be　so　heinously　offended？　What　have　I　done　to　incense
you　so　strangely？　Heare　me　dishonest　wretch　answered　the　Frier；　listen
what　I　shall　say　unto　thee。　Thou　answerest　me；　as　if　it　were　a　yeare
or　two　past；　since　so　foule　abuses　were　by　thee　committed；　and　they
almost　quite　out　of　thy　remembrance。　But　tell　me　wicked　man；　where
wast　thou　this　morning；　before　breake　of　the　day？　Wheresoever　I　was；
replyed　the　Gentleman；　mee　thinkes　the　tidings　come　very　quickly　to
you。　I