the decameron(十日谈)-第75章

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much　the　more　willingly。　And　the　Countesse　knowing　her　husbands
departure　from　Florence；　as　also　his　safe　arrivall　at　his　owne
dwelling；　remained　still　in　Florence；　untill　the　time　of　her
deliverance；　which　was　of　two　goodly　Sonnes；　lively　resembling　the
lookes　of　their　Father；　and　all　the　perfect　lineaments　of　his　body。
Perswade　your　selves；　she　was　not　a　little　carefull　of　their
nursing；　and　when　she　saw　the　time　answerable　to　her　determination；
she　tooke　her　journey　（unknowne　to　any）　and　arrived　with　them　at
Montpellier；　where　she　rested　her　selfe　for　divers　dayes；　after　so
long　and　wearisome　a　journey。
　　Upon　the　day　of　all　Saints；　the　Count　kept　a　solemne　Feastivall；　for
the　assembly　of　his　Lords；　Knights；　Ladies；　and　Gentlewomen：　upon
which　Joviall　day　of　generall　rejoycing；　the　Countesse　attired　in
her　wonted　Pilgrimes　weed；　repaired　thither；　entring　into　the　great
Hall　where　the　Tables　were　readily　covered　for　dinner。　Preassing
through　the　throng　of　people；　with　her　two　children　in　her　armes；　s
presumed　unto　the　place　where　the　Count　sate；　and　falling　on　her　knees
before　him；　the　teares　trickling　abundantly　downe　her　cheekes；　thus
she　spake。　Worthy　Lord；　I　am　thy　poore；　despised；　and　unfortunate
wife；　who；　that　thou　mightst　returne　home；　and　not　be　an　exile　from
thine　owne　abiding；　have　thus　long　gone　begging　through　the　world。　Yet
now　at　length；　I　hope　thou　wilt　be　so　honourably…minded；　as　to
performe　thine　owne　too　strict　imposed　conditions；　made　to　the　two
Knights　which　I　sent　unto　thee；　and　which　（by　thy　command）　I　was
enjoyned　to　do。　Behold　here　in　mine　armes；　not　onely　one　Sonne　by　thee
begotten；　but　two　Twins；　and　thy　Ring　beside。　High　time　is　it　now；
if　men　of　honour　respect　their　promises；　and　after　so　long　and　tedious
travell；　I　should　at　last　be　welcommed　as　thy　true　wife。
　　The　Count　hearing　this；　stoode　as　confounded　with　admiration；　for
full　well　he　knew　the　Ring：　and　both　the　children　were　so　perfectly
like　him；　as　he　was　confirmed　to　be　their　Father　by　generall
judgement。　Upon　his　urging　by　what　possible　meanes　this　could　be
brought　to　passe：　the　Countesse　in　presence　of　the　whole　assembly；　and
unto　her　eternall　commendation；　related　the　whole　history；　even　in
such　manner　as　you　have　formerly　heard　it。　Moreover；　she　reported
the　private　speeches　in　bed；　uttered　betweene　himselfe　and　her；
being　witnessed　more　apparantly；　by　the　costly　jewels　there　openly
shewne。　All　which　infallible　proofes；　proclaiming　his　shame；　and　her
most　noble　carriage　to　her　husband；　he　confessed；　that　she　had　told
nothing　but　the　truth　in　every　point　which　she　had　reported。
　　Commending　her　admirable　constancy；　exceliency　of　wit；　and　sprightly
courage；　in　making　such　a　bold　adventure；　he　kissed　the　two　sweete
boyes；　and　to　keepe　his　promise；　whereto　he　was　earnestly
importuned；　by　all　his　best　esteemed　friends　there　present；　especially
the　honourable　Ladies；　who　would　have　no　deniall；　but　by　forgetting
his　former　harsh　and　uncivill　carriage　towards　her；　to　accept　her
for　ever　as　his　lawfull　wife；　folding　her　in　his　armes；　and　sweetly
kissing　her　divers　times　together；　he　bad　her　welcome　to　him；　as　his
vertuous；　loyall；　and　most　loving　wife；　and　so　（for　ever　after）　he
would　acknowledge　her。　Well　knew　hee　that　she　had　store　of　better
beseeming　garments　in　the　house；　and　therefore　requested　the　Ladies　to
walke　with　her　to　her　Chamber；　to　uncase　her　of　those　Pilgrimes　weeds；
and　cloath　her　in　her　owne　more　sumptuous　garments；　even　those　which
shee　wore　on　her　wedding　day；　because　that　was　not　the　day　of　his
contentment；　but　onely　this；　for　now　he　confessed　her　to　be　his　wife
indeede；　and　now　he　would　give　the　king　thanks　for　her；　and　now　was
Count　Bertrand　truly　married　to　the　faire　Juliet　of　Narbona。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　THIRD　DAY；　THE　TENTH　NOVELL

　　Alibech　turns　hermit；　and　a　monk；　Rustico；　teaches　her　to　put　the
Devil　in　Hell。　Afterwards　she　is　brought　home；　and　married　to
Neerbale。

　　Dioneus　listened　attentively　to　the　Queen's　discourse；　and　when
she　had　done　and　he　knew　that　only　he　remained　to　complete　the　day's
entertainment；　without　trifling　away　the　time　or　awaiting　a　command
from　the　Queen；　thus　he　began。
　　Gracious　ladies；　it　may　be　you　have　not　heard　how　the　Devil　is　put
in　Hell。　Therefore；　and　since　it　will　not　be　far　off　the　subject　of
this　day's　discourse；　I　will　tell　it　you。　Perhaps；　hearing　it；　you　may
the　better　understand　that　albeit　Love　more　affects　gay　palaces　and
luxurious　bowers　than　the　cabins　of　the　poor；　yet　he　by　no　means
disdains　to　manifest　his　power　even　in　the　depths　of　the　forest；　on
stark　mountains　and　in　the　caves　of　the　desert；　and　thus　we　must
acknowledge　that　all　things　wheresoever　they　be　are　subject　to　him。
　　Coming；　then；　to　my　story；　I　must　tell　you　that　in　Capsa；　a　city
of　Barbary；　there　dwelt　aforetime　a　very　rich　man；　who　had　among
several　children　a　little　daughter；　fair　and　of　a　docile　temper；　whose
name　was　Alibech。
　　This　girl；　a　heathen　in　a　place　where　many　were　Christian；　used
often　to　hear　her　neighbours　extol　the　Christian　faith　and　devotion　to
the　service　of　God；　wherefore　she　asked　one　of　them　how　God　could　best
be　served　and　with　the　least　hindrance。　She　was　told　that　they　best
served　Him　who　removed　themselves　farthest　from　the　things　of　the
world；　as　in　particular　the　hermits　who　had　withdrawn　from　the　city　to
the　wilds　of　Thebais。
　　The　simple　maiden；　aged　perhaps　some　fourteen　years；　moved　rather　by
a　childish　whim　than　any　real　vocation；　set　out　on　the　morrow　alone
and　telling　nobody　to　walk　into　the　desert。　So　firmly　was　she　resolved
that　after　several　days　of　hardship　she　reached　the　wilderness　of
Thebais。　From　afar　she　descried　a　little　hut；　and　coming　up　to　it；
found　there　a　holy　man。　Amazed　to　see　such　a　one　there；　he　asked
what　she　came　to　seek。　Her　answer　was　that；　aspiring　towards　God；
she　came　thither　to　serve　Him；　and　in　the　hope　of　finding　a　teacher　to
that　end。
　　The　pious　hermit；　seeing　her　so　young　and　fair；　was　afraid　lest
the　Devil　might　ensnare　him；　so　he　praised　her　intent；　and　giving
her　roots；　wild　apples　and　dates　to　eat　and　a　draught　of　water；
said：　〃Daughter；　not　far　from　here　there　dwells　a　holy　man　such　as
thou　seekest：　a　fitter　man　than　I。　Go　thou　to　him。〃　And　he　put　her
on　the　way。
　　The　second　hermit　advised　her　as　the　first；　and　faring　farther　she
came　to　the　cell　of　a　young　hermit；　a　very　pious　and　righteous　man；
whose　name　was　Rustico。　To　him　she　repeated　her　mission。　Willing　to
put　his　resolution　to　so　great　a　test；　he　forebore　to　send　her　away；
and　took　her　into　his　cell。　At　nightfall　he　made　her　a　bed　of
palm…leaves；　and　bade　her　lie　down　to　rest。
　　Temptations　did　not　long　delay　an　assault　on　his　constancy；　and
finding　it　much　beyond　his　strength　to　withstand　them；　he　soon　gave　up
the　battle；　and　confessed　himself　worsted。　So　putting　away　all　saintly
thoughts；　prayers　and　mortifications；　he　let　his　mind　dwell　on　the
freshness　and　beauty　of　his　companion。　From　this　he　passed　to　thinking
of　the　best　means　of　bringing　her　to　his　desires　without　giving　her
cause　to　suspect　him　of　lewdness。
　Therefore；　satisfying　himself　by　a　few　questions　that　she　had　never
had　carnal　knowledge　of　a　man；　and　was　indeed　as　innocent　as　she
seemed；　he　thought　of　a　plan　to　enjoy　her　under　colour　of　serving　God。
He　began　expounding　to　her　the　Devil's　enmity　to　the　Almighty；　and
went　on　to　impress　upon　her　that　the　most　acceptable　service　she　could
render　to　God　would　be　to　put　the　Devil　in　Hell；　whereto　the　Lord
had　condemned　him。
　　The　little　maid　asked　him　how　this　might　be　done。　〃Thou　shalt　soon
learn；〃　replied　Rustico；　〃only　do　as　thou　seest　me　do。〃　Thereupon　he
took　off　what　few　clothes　he　wore；　and　stood　stark　naked；　and　as
soon　as　the　girl　had　done　likewise　he　fell　on　his　knees　as　though　to
pray；　and　made　her　kneel　face　to　face　with　him。
　　This　done；　Rustico's　desire　was　more　than　ever　inflamed　at　the　sight
of　her　beauty；　and　the　resurrection　of　the　flesh　came　to　pass。
Seeing　this；　and　not　knowing　what　it　meant；　Alibech　asked：　〃Rustico；
what　is　it　thou　hast　that　thrusts　itself　out　in　front；　and　that　I　have
not？〃　〃My　daughte