the decameron(十日谈)-第64章

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him；　causing　in　him　extreme　griefe　and　melancholy；　yet　concealling　all
her　unkindnesse　so　wisely　to　himselfe；　as　no　one　could　understand
the　reason　of　his　sadnesse。
　　After　he　had　laboured　by　all　hopefull　courses；　to　obtaine　that
favour　of　her；　which　he　had　formerly　lost；　without　any　offence　in　him；
as　his　innocent　soule　truly　witnessed　with　him；　and　saw　that　all　his
further　endeavours　were　fruitlesse　and　in　vaine；　he　concluded　to
retreate　himselfe　from　the　World；　and　not　to　be　any　longer　irkesome　in
her　eye；　that　was　the　onely　occasion　of　his　unhappinesse。　Hereupon；
storing　himselfe　with　summes　of　money；　as　suddenly　he　could　collect
together；　secretly　he　departed　from　Florence；　without　speaking　any
word　to　his　friends　or　kindred；　except　one　kinde　companion　of
his；　whom　he　acquainted　with　most　of　his　secrets；　and　so　travelled
to　Ancona；　where　he　termed　himselfe　by　the　name　of　Sandoloscio。
Repairing　to　a　wealthy　Merchant　there；　he　placed　himselfe　as　his
servant；　and　went　in　a　Ship　of　his　with　him　to　Cyprus；　his　actions　and
behaviour　proved　so　pleasing　to　the　Merchant；　as　not　onely　he
allowed　him　very　sufficient　wages；　but　also　grew　into　such　association
with　him；　as　he　gave　the　most　of　his　affaires　into　his　hands；　which　he
guided　with　such　honest　and　discreete　care；　that　hee　himselfe　（in
few　yeeres　compasse）　proved　to　be　a　rich　Merchant；　and　of　famous
report。
　　While　matters　went　on　in　this　successefull　manner；　although　he　could
not　chuse；　but　still　he　remembred　his　cruell　Mistresse；　and　was　very
desperately　transported　for　her　love；　as　coveting　（above　all　things
else）　to　see　her　once　more；　yet　was　he　of　such　powerfull　constancy；　as
7　whole　yeeres　together；　he　vanquished　all　those　fierce　conflicts。　But
on　a　day　it　chanced　he　heard　a　song　sung　in　Cyprus；　which　he
himselfe　had　formerly　made；　in　honour　of　the　love　he　bare　to　his
Mistresse；　and　what　delight　he　conceived；　by　being　dayly　in　her
presence；　whereby　he　gathered；　that　it　was　impossible　for　him　to
forget　her；　and　proceeded　on　so　desirously；　as　he　could　not　live；
except　he　had　a　sight　of　her　once　more；　and　therefore　determined　on
his　returne　to　Florence。　Having　set　all　his　affaires　in　due　order；
accompanied　with　a　servant　of　his　onely；　he　passed　to　Ancona；　where
when　he　was　arrived；　he　sent　his　Merchandises　to　Florence；　in　name
of　the　Merchant　of　Ancona；　who　was　his　especiall　friend　and　partner；
travayling　himselfe　alone　with　his　servant；　in　the　habite　of　a
Pilgrime；　as　if　he　had　beene　newly　returned　from　Jerusalem。
　　Being　come　to　Florence；　he　went　to　an　Inne　kept　by　two　brethren；
neere　neighbours　to　the　dwelling　of　his　Mistresse；　and　the　first　thing
he　did；　was　passing　by　her　doore；　to　get　a　sight　of　her　if　he　were
so　happie。　But　he　found　the　windowes；　doores；　and　all　parts　of　the
house　fast　shut　up；　whereby　he　suspected　her　to　be　dead；　or　else　to　be
changed　from　her　dwelling：　wherefore　（much　perplexed　in　minde）　he　went
on　to　the　two　brothers　Inne；　finding　foure　persons　standing　at　the
gate；　attired　in　mourning；　whereat　he　marvelled　not　a　little；
knowing　himselfe　to　be　so　transfigured；　both　in　body　and　babite；　farre
from　the　manner　of　common　use　at　his　parting　thence；　as　it　was　a
difficult　matter　to　know　him：　he　stept　boldly　to　a　Shooe…makers　shop
neere　adjoyning；　and　demanded　the　reason　of　their　wearing　mourning。
The　Shooe…maker　made　answer　thus；　Sir；　those　men　are　clad　in　mourning；
because　a　brother　of　theirs；　being　named　Theobaldo　（who　hath　beene
absent　hence　a　long　while）　about　some　fifteene　dayes　since　was　slaine。
And　they　having　heard；　by　proofe　made　in　the　Court　of　justice；　that
one　Aldobrandino　Palermini　（who　is　kept　close　prisoner）　was　the
murtherer　of　him；　as　he　came　in　a　disguised　habite　to　his　daughter；　of
whom　he　was　most　affectionately　enamoured；　cannot　chuse；　but　let　the
World　know　by　their　outward　habits；　the　inward　affliction　of　their
hearts；　for　a　deede　so　dishonourably　committed。　Theobaldo　wondered
greatly　hereat；　imagining；　that　some　man　belike　resembling　him　in
shape；　might　be　slaine　in　this　manner；　and　by　Aldobrandino；　for
whose　misfortune　he　grieved　marvellously。　As　concerning　his　Mistresse；
he　understood　that　shee　was　living；　and　in　good　health；　and　night
drawing　on　apace；　he　went　to　his　lodging；　with　infinite　molestations
in　his　minde；　where　after　supper；　he　was　lodged　in　a　Corne…loft　with
his　man。　Now　by　reason　of　many　disturbing　imaginations；　which
incessantly　wheeled　about　his　braine；　his　bed　also　being　none　of　the
best；　and　his　supper　（perhaps）　somewhat　of　the　coursest；　a　great
part　of　the　night　was　spent；　yet　could　he　not　close　his　eyes　together。
But　lying　still　broade　awake；　about　the　dead　time　of　night；　he　heard
the　treading　of　divers　persons　over　his　head；　who　discended　downe　a
paire　of　stayres　by　his　Chamber；　into　the　lower　parts　of　the　house；
carrying　a　light　with　them；　which　he　discerned　by　the　chinkes　and
crannies　in　the　wall。　Stepping　softly　out　of　his　bed；　to　see　what
the　meaning　hereof　might　be；　he　espied　a　faire　young　woman；　who
carried　a　light　in　her　hand；　and　three　men　in　her　company；
descending　downe　the　stayres　together；　one　of　them　speaking　thus　to
the　young　woman。　Now　we　may　boldly　warrant　our　saftey；　because　we　have
heard　it　assuredly；　that　the　death　of　Theobaldo　Elisei；　hath　beene
sufficiently　approved　by　the　Brethren；　against　Aldobrandino　Palermini；
and　he　hath　confessed　the　fact；　whereupon　the　sentence　is　already
set　downe　in　writing。　But　yet　it　behooveth　us　notwithstanding；　to
conceale　it　very　secretly；　because　if　ever　hereafter　it　should　be
knowne；　that　we　are　they　who　murthered　him；　we　shall　be　in　the　same
danger；　as　now　Aldobrandino　is。
　　When　Theobaldo　had　heard　these　words；　hee　began　to　consider　with
himselfe；　how　many　and　great　the　dangers　are；　wherewith　mens　minds　may
dayly　be　molested。　First；　he　thought　on　his　owne　brethren　in　their
sorrow；　and　buried　a　stranger　insteed　of　him；　accusing　afterward　（by
false　opinion；　and　upon　the　testimony　of　as　false　witnesses）　a　man
most　innocent；　making　him　ready　for　the　stroke　of　death。　Next；　he　made
a　strict　observation　in　his　soule；　concerning　the　blinded　severity
of　Law；　and　the　Ministers　thereto　belonging；　who　pretending　a　diligent
and　carefull　inquisition　for　truth；　doe　oftentimes　（by　their
tortures　and　torments）　heare　lies　avouched　（onely　for　ease　of　paine）
in　the　place　of　a　true　confession；　yet　thinking　themselves　（by　doing
so）　to　be　the　Ministers　of　God　and　justice；　whereas　indeede　they　are
the　Divels　executioners　of　his　wickednesse。　Lastly；　converting　his
thoughts　to　Aldobrandino；　the　imagined　murtherer　of　a　man　yet
living；　infinite　cares　beleagured　his　soule；　in　devising　what　might
best　be　done　for　his　deliverance。
　　So　soone　as　he　was　risen　in　the　morning；　leaving　his　servant　behinde
him　in　his　lodging；　he　went　（when　he　thought　it　fit　time）　all　alone
toward　the　house　of　his　Mistresse；　where　finding　by　good　fortune　the
gate　open；　he　entred　into　a　small　Parlour　beneath；　and　where　he　saw
his　Mistresse　sitting　on　the　ground；　wringing　hands；　and　wofully
weeping；　which　（in　meere　compassion）　moved　him　to　weepe　likewise；
and　going　somewhat　neere　her；　he　saide。　Madame；　torment　your　selfe
no　more；　for　your　peace　is　not　farre　off　from　you。　The　Gentlewoman
hearing　him　say　so；　lifted　up　her　head；　and　in　teares　spake　thus。　Good
man；　thou　seemest　to　me　to　be　a　Pilgrime　stranger；　what　doest　thou
know；　either　concerning　my　peace；　or　mine　affliction？　Madame
（replied　the　Pilgrime）　I　am　of　Constantinople；　and　（doubtlesse）　am
conducted　hither　by　the　hand　of　Heaven；　to　convert　your　teares　into
rejoycing；　and　to　deliver　your　Father　from　death。　How　is　this？
answered　shee：　If　thou　be　of　Constantinople；　and　art　but　now　arrived
here；　doest　thou　know　who　we　are；　either　I；　or　my　Father？
　　The　Pilgrime　discoursed　to　her；　even　from　the　one　end　to　the
other；　the　history　of　her　husbands　sad　disasters；　telling　her；　how
many　yeeres　since　she　was　espoused　to　him；　and　many　other　important
matters；　which　well　shee　knew；　and　was　greatly　amazed　thereat；
thinking　him　verily　to　be　a　Prophet；　and　kneeling　at　his　feete；
entreated　him　very　earnestly；　that　if　he　were　come　to　deliver　her
Father　Aldo