the decameron(十日谈)-第72章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　GENTLEWOMEN；　THAT　ARE　OF　A　QUICKE　AND　APPREHENSIVE　SPIRIT

　　Juliet　of　Narbona；　cured　the　King　of　France　of　a　daungerous　Fistula；
in　recompence　whereof；　she　requested　to　enjoy　as　her　husband　in
marriage；　Bertrand　Count　of　Roussilion。　Hee　having　married　her　against
his　will；　as　utterly　despising　her；　went　to　Florence；　where　hee　made
love　to　a　young　Gentlewoman。　Juliet；　by　a　queint　and　cunning　policy；
compassed　the　meanes　（insted　of　his　chosen　new　friend）　to　lye　with　her
owne　husband；　by　whom　shee　conceived；　and　had　two　Sonnes；　which
being　afterward　made　knowne　unto　Count　Bertrand；　he　accepted　her
into　his　favour　againe；　and　loved　her　as　his　loyall　and　honourable
wife。

　　Now　there　remained　no　more　（to　preserve　the　priviledge　granted　to
Dioneus　uninfringed）　but　the　Queene　onely；　to　declare　her　Novell。
Wherefore；　when　the　discourse　of　Madam　Lauretta　was　ended；　without
attending　any　motion　to　bee　made　for　her　next　succeeding；　with　a
gracious　and　pleasing　disposition；　thus　she　began　to　speake。　Who　shall
tell　any　Tale　heereafter；　to　carry　any　hope　or　expectation　of　a
liking；　having　heard　the　rare　and　wittie　discourse　of　Madame　Lauretta？
Beleeve　me；　it　was　very　advantageable　to　us　all；　that　she　was　not　this
dayes　first　beginner；　because　few　or　none　would　have　had　any　courage
to　follow　after　her；　and　therefore　the　rest　yet　remaining；　are　the
more　to　be　feared　and　suspected。　Neverthelesse；　to　avoid　the　breach　of
order；　and　to　claime　no　priviledge　by　my　place；　of　not　performing　what
I　ought　to　do：　prove　as　it　may；　a　Tale　you　must　have；　and　thus　I
proceed。
　　There　lived　sometime　in　the　kingdome　of　France；　a　Gentleman　named
Isnarde；　being　the　Count　of　Roussillion：　who　because　hee　was
continually　weake；　crazie；　and　sickly；　kept　a　Physitian　daily　in　his
house；　who　was　called　Master　Gerard　of　Narbona。　Count　Isnarde　had
one　onely　Sonne；　very　young　in　yeares；　yet　of　towardly　hope；　faire；
comely；　and　of　pleasing　person；　named　Bertrand；　with　whom；　many
other　children　of　his　age；　had　their　education：　and　among　them；　a
daughter　of　the　fore…named　Physitian；　called　juliet；　who；　even　in
these　tender　yeares；　fixed　her　affection　upon　young　Bertrand；　with
such　an　earnest　and　intimate　resolution；　as　was　most　admirable　in　so
yong　a　Maiden；　and　more　then　many　times　is　noted　in　yeares　of
greater　discretion。　Old　Count　Isnarde　dying；　young　Bertrand　fell　as
a　Ward　to　the　King；　and　being　sent　to　Paris；　remained　there　under
his　royall　custodie　and　protection；　to　no　little　discomfort　of　young
Juliet；　who　became　greevously　afflicted　in　minde；　because　she　had　lost
the　company　of　Bertrand。
　　　Within　some　few　yeares　after；　the　Physitian　her　Father　also　dyed；
and　then　her　desires　grew　wholly　addicted；　to　visite　Paris　her　selfe
in　person；　onely　because　she　would　see　the　young　Count；　awaiting　but
time　and　opportunitie；　to　fit　her　stolne　journey　thither。　But　her
kindred　and　friends；　to　whose　care　and　trust　she　was　committed；　in
regard　of　her　rich　dowrie；　and　being　left　as　a　fatherlesse　Orphane：
were　so　circumspect　of　her　walks　and　daily　behaviour；　as　she　could　not
compasse　any　meane；　of　escaping。　Her　yeares　made　her　now　almost　fit
for　marriage；　which　so　much　more　encreased　her　love　to　the　Count；
making　refusall　of　many　woorthy　husbands；　and　laboured　by　the
motions　of　her　friends　and　kindred；　yet　all　denyed；　they　not　knowing
any　reason　for　her　refusalles。　By　this　time　the　Count　was　become　a
gallant　goodly　Gentleman；　and　able　to　make　election　of　his　wife；
whereby　her　affections　were　the　more　violently　enflamed；　as　fearing
least　some　other　should　be　preferred　before　her；　and　so　her　hopes　be
utterly　disappointed。
　　　It　was　noysed　abroad　by　common　report；　that　the　King　of　France
was　in　a　very　dangerous　condition；　by　reason　of　a　strange　swelling
on　his　stomacke；　which　failing　of　apt　and　convenient　curing；　became
a　Fistula；　afflicting　him　daily　with　extraordinary　paine　and
anguish；　no　Chirurgeon　or　Physitian　being　found；　that　could　minister
any　hope　of　healing；　but　rather　encreased　the　greefe；　and　drove　it
to　more　vehement　extreamitie；　compelling　the　King；　as　dispairing
utterly　of　all　helpe；　to　give　over　any　further　counsell　or　advice。
Heereof　faire　Juliet　was　wondrously　joyfull；　as　hoping　that　this
accident　would　prove　the　meanes；　not　onely　of　her　journey　to　Paris；
but　if　the　disease　were　no　more　then　she　imagined；　she　could　easily
cure　it；　and　thereby　compasse　Count　Bertrand　to　be　her　husband。
Hereupon；　quickning　up　her　wits；　with　remembrance　of　those　rules　of
Art；　which　（by　long　practise　and　experience）　she　had　learned　of　her
skilfull　Father；　she　compounded　certaine　hearbes　together；　such　as　she
knew　fitting　for　that　kinde　of　infirmity；　and　having　reduced　her
compound　into　powder；　away　she　rode　forthwith　to　Paris。
　　　Being　there　arrived；　all　other　serious　matters　set　aside；　first
shee　must　needs　have　a　sight　of　Count　Bertrand；　as　being　the　onely
Saint　that　caused　her　pilgrimage。　Next　she　made　meanes　for　her　accesse
to　the　King；　humbly　entreating　his　Majesty；　to　vouchsafe　her　the　sight
of　his　Fistula。　When　the　King　saw　her；　her　modest　lookes　did
plainely　deliver；　that　she　was　a　faire；　comely；　and　discreete　young
Gentlewoman；　wherefore；　he　would　no　longer　hide　it；　but　layed　it
open　to　her　view。　When　shee　had　seene　and　felt　it；　presently　she　put
the　King　in　comfort；　affirming；　that　she　knew　her　selfe　able　to　cure
his　Fistula；　saying：　Sir；　if　your　Highnesse　will　referre　the　matter　to
me；　without　any　perill　of　life；　or　any　the　least　paine　to　your　person；
I　hope　（by　the　helpe　of　heaven）　to　make　you　whole　and　sound　within
eight　dayes　space。　The　King　hearing　her　words；　beganne　merrily　to
smile　at　her；　saying：　How　is　it　possible　for　thee；　being　a　yong
Maiden；　to　do　that　which　the　best　Physitians　in　Europe；　are　not　able
to　performe？　I　commend　thy　kindnesse；　and　will　not　remaine
unthankefull　for　thy　forward　willingnesse：　but　I　am　fully
determined；　to　use　no　more　counsell；　or　to　make　any　further　triall
of　Physicke　or　Chirurgery。　Whereto　faire　Juliet　thus　replyed：　Great
King；　let　not　my　skill　and　experience　be　despised；　because　I　am　young；
and　a　Maiden；　for　my　profession　is　not　Physicke；　neither　do　I
undertake　the　ministering　thereof；　as　depending　on　mine　owne
knowledge；　but　by　the　gracious　assistance　of　heaven；　and　some　rules　of
skilfull　observation；　which　I　learned　of　reverend　Gerard　of　Narbona
who　was　my　worthy　Father；　and　a　Physitian　of　no　meane　fame；　all　the
while　he　lived。
　　At　the　hearing　of　these　words；　the　King　began　somewhat　to　admire
at　her　gracious　carriage；　and　saide　within　himselfe。　What　know　I；
whether　this　Virgin　is　sent　to　me　by　the　direction　of　heaven；　or　no？
Why　should　I　disdaine　to　make　proofe　of　her　skill？　Her　promise　is；
to　cure　me　in　a　small　times　compasse；　and　without　any　paine　or
affliction　to　me：　she　shall　not　come　so　farre；　to　returne　againe
with　the　losse　of　he　labour；　I　am　resolved　to　try　her　cunning；　and
thereon　saide。　Faire　Virgin；　if　you　cause　me　to　breake　my　setled
determination；　and　faile　of　curing　me；　what　can　you　expect　to　follow
thereon？　Whatsoever　great　King　（quoth　she）　shall　please　you。　Let　me　be
strongly　guarded；　yet　not　hindered；　when　I　am　to　prosecute　the
businesse：　and　then　if　I　do　not　perfectly　heale　you　within　eight
daies；　let　a　good　fire　be　made；　and　therein　consume　my　body　unto
ashes。　But　if　I　accomplish　the　cure；　and　set　your　Highnesse　free
from　all　further　greevance；　what　recompence　then　shall　remaine　to　me？
　　Much　did　the　King　commend　the　confident　perswasion　which　she　had
of　her　owne　power；　and　presently　replyed。　Faire　beauty　（quoth　he）　in
regard　that　thou　art　a　Maide　and　unmaried；　if　thou　keepe　promise；
and　I　finde　my　selfe　to　be　fully　cured：　I　will　match　thee　with　some
such　Gentleman　in　marriage；　as　shall　be　of　honourable　and　worthy
reputation；　with　a　sufficient　dowry　beside。　My　gracious　Soveraigne
saide　she；　willing　am　I；　and　most　heirtily　thankfull　withall；　that
your　Highnesse　shall　bestow　me　in　marriage：　but　I　desire　then；　to　have
such　a　husband；　as　I　shall　desire　or　demand　by　your　gracious　favour；
without　presuming　to　crave　any　of　your　Sonnes；　Kindred；　or　Alliance；
or　appertaining　unto　your　Royal　blood。　Where