the decameron(十日谈)-第79章

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she　having　（unluckily）　appointed　another　meeting　with　Guiscardo；
left　hir　Gentlewomen　in　the　Garden；　and　stealing　softly　into　her
Chamber；　having　made　all　fast　and　sure；　for　being　descried　by　any
person：　opened　the　doore　to　Guiscardo；　who　stood　there　ready　on　the
staire…head；　awaiting　his　entrance；　and　they　sitting　downe　on　the
bed　side　（according　as　they　were　wont　to　do）　began　their　usuall
kinde　of　conference　againe；　with　sighes　and　loving　kisses　mingled
among　them。　It　chanced　that　the　King　awaked；　and　both　hearing　and
seeing　this　familiarity　of　Guiscardo　with　his　Daughter；　he　became
extreamly　confounded　with　greefe　thereat。　Once　he　intended；　to　cry　out
for　have　them　both　there　apprehended；　but　he　helde　it　a　part　of
greater　wisedome；　to　sit　silent　still；　and　（if　he　could）　to　keepe
himselfe　so　closely　concealed：　to　the　end；　that　he　might　the　more
secretly；　and　with　farre　lesse　disgrace　to　himselfe；　performe　what
he　had　rashly　intended　to　do。
　　　The　poore　discovered　Lovers；　having　ended　their　amorous
interparlance；　without　suspition　of　the　Kings　being　so　neere　in
person；　or　any　else；　to　betray　their　overconfident　trust；　Guiscardo
descended　againe　into　the　Cave；　and　she　leaving　the　Chamber；
returned　to　her　women　in　the　Garden；　all　which　Tancrede　too　well
observed；　and　in　a　rapture　of　fury；　departed　（unseene）　into　his　owne
lodging。　The　same　night；　about　the　houre　of　mens　first　sleepe；　and
according　as　he　had　given　order；　Guiscardo　was　apprehended；　even　as　he
was　comming　forth　of　the　loope…hole；　and　in　his　homely　leather　habite。
Very　closely　was　he　brought　before　the　King；　whose　heart　was　swolne　so
great　with　griefe；　as　hardly　was　he　able　to　speake：　notwithstanding；
at　the　last　he　began　thus。　Guiscardo　。　cardo；　the　love　and　respect　I
have　used　towards　thee；　hath　not　deserved　the　shamefull　wrong　which
thou　hast　requited　me　withall；　and　as　I　have　seene　with　mine　owne　eyes
this　day。　Whereto　Guiscardo　could　answer　nothing　else；　but　onely　this：
Alas　my　Lord！　Love　is　able　to　do　much　more；　then　either　you；　or　I。
Whereupon；　Tancrede　commanded；　that　he　should　be　secretly　well
guarded；　in　a　neere　adjoyning　Chamber；　and　on　the　next　day；
Ghismonda　having　（as　yet）　heard　nothing　hereof；　the　Kings　braine　being
infinitely　busied　and　troubled；　after　dinner；　and　as　he　often　had　used
to　do：　he　went　to　his　daughters　Chamber；　where　calling　for　her；　and
shutting　the　doores　closely　to　them；　the　teares　trickling　downe　his
aged　white　beard；　thus　he　spake　to　her。
　　Ghismonda；　I　was　once　grounded　in　a　setled　perswasion；　that　I　truely
knew　thy　vertue；　and　honest　integrity　of　life；　and　this　beleefe
could　never　have　beene　altred　in　mee；　by　any　sinister　reports
whatsoever；　had　not　mine　eyes　seene；　and　mine　eares　heard　the
contrary。　Nor　did　I　so　much　as　conceive　a　thought　either　of　thine
affection；　or　private　conversing　with　any　man；　but　onely　he　that　was
to　be　thy　husband。　But　now；　I　my　selfe　being　able　to　avouch　thy　folly；
imagine　what　an　heart…breake　this　will　be　to　me；　so　long　as　life
remaineth　in　this　poore；　weake；　and　aged　body。　Yet；　if　needes　thou
must　have　yeelded　to　this　wanton　weaknesse；　I　would　thou　hadst　made
choise　of　a　man；　answerable　to　thy　birth　and　Nobility：　whereas　on
the　contrary；　among　so　many　worthy　spirits　as　resort　to　my　Court；　thou
likest　best　to　converse　with　that　silly　young　man　Guiscardo；　one　of
very　meane　and　base　descent；　and　by　me　（even　for　Gods　sake）
　　from　his　very　youngest　yeares；　brought　up　to　this　instant　in　my
Court；　wherein　thou　hast　given　me　much　affliction　of　minde；　and　so
overthrowne　my　senses；　as　I　cannot　well　imagine　how　I　should　deale
with　thee。　For　him；　whom　I　have　this　night　caused　to　be　surprized；
even　as　he　came　forth　of　your　close　contrived　conveyance；　and
detaine　as　my　prisoner；　I　have　resolved　how　to　proceed　with　him：　but
concerning　thy　selfe；　mine　oppressions　are　so　many　and　violent；　as　I
know　not　what　to　say　of　thee。　e。　way；　thou　hast　meerly　murthered　the
unfeigned　affection　I　bare　thee；　as　never　any　father　could　expresse
more　to　his　childe：　and　then　againe；　thou　hast　kindled　a　most　just
indignation　in　me；　by　thine　immodest　and　wilfull　folly；　and　whereas
Nature　pleadeth　pardon　for　the　one；　yet　justice　standeth　up　against
the　other；　and　urgeth　cruell　severity　against　thee：　neverthelesse；
before　I　will　determine　upon　any　resolution；　I　come　purposely　first　to
heare　thee　speake；　and　what　thou　canst　say　for　thy　selfe；　in　a　bad
case；　so　desperate　and　dangerous。
　　Having　thus　spoken；　he　hung　downe　the　head　in　his　bosome；　weeping　as
aboundantly；　as　if　he　had　beene　a　childe　severely　disciplinde。　On
the　other　side；　Ghismonda　hearing　the　speeches　of　her　Father；　and
perceiving　withall；　that　not　onely　her　secret　love　was　discovered；　but
also　Guiscardo　was　in　close　prison；　the　matter　which　most　of　all　did
torment　her；　she　fell　into　a　very　strange　kinde　of　extasie；　scorning
teares；　and　entreating　tearmes；　such　as　feminine　frailety　are
alwayes　aptest　unto：　but　rather；　with　height　of　courage；　controuling
feare　or　servile　basenesse；　and　declaring　invincible　fortitude　in
her　very　lookes；　she　concluded　with　her　selfe；　rather　then　to　urge　any
humble　perswasions；　she　would　lay　her　life　downe　at　the　stake。　For
plainely　she　perceived；　that　Guiscardo　already　was　a　dead　man　in
Law；　and　death　was　likewise　welcome　to　her；　rather　then　the
deprivation　of　her　Love；　and　therefore；　not　like　a　weeping　woman；　or
as　checkt　by　the　offence　committed；　but　carelesse　of　any　harme
happening　to　her：　stoutely　and　couragiously；　not　a　teare　appearing
in　her　eye；　or　her　soule　any　way　to　be　perturbed；　thus　she　spake　to
her　Father。
　　Tancrede；　to　denie　what　I　have　done；　or　to　entreate　any　favour
from　you；　is　now　no　part　of　my　disposition：　for　as　the　one　can
little　availe　me；　so　shall　not　the　other　any　way　advantage　me。
Moreover；　I　covet　not　that　you　should　extend　any　clemency　or　kindnesse
to　me；　but　by　my　voluntary　confession　of　the　truth　do　intend　（first　of
all）　to　defend　mine　honour；　with　reasons　sound；　good；　and
substantiall；　and　then　vertuously　pursue　to　full　effect；　the
greatnesse　of　my　minde　and　constant　resolution。　True　it　is；　that　I
have　loved；　and　still　do；　honourable　Guiscardo；　purposing　the　like
so　long　as　I　shall　live；　which　will　be　but　a　small　while：　but　if　it　be
possible　to　continue　the　same　affection　after　death；　it　is　for　ever
vowed　to　him　onely。　Nor　did　mine　owne　womanish　weaknesse　so　much
thereto　induce　me；　as　the　matchlesse　vertues　shining　clearly　in
Guiscardo；　and　the　little　respect　you　had　of　marrying　me　againe。　Why
royall　Father；　you　cannot　be　ignorant；　that　you　being　composed　of
flesh　and　blood；　have　begotten　a　Daughter　of　the　selfe　same
composition；　and　not　made　of　stone　or　iron。　Moreover；　you　ought　to
remember　（although　now　you　are　farre　stept　in　yeeres）　what　the　Lawes
of　youth　are；　and　with　what　difficulty　they　are　to　be　contradicted。
Considering　withall；　that　albeit　（during　the　vigour　of　your　best　time）
you　evermore　were　exercised　in　Armes；　yet　you　should　likewise
understand；　that　negligence　and　idle　delights；　have　mighty　power；
not　onely　in　young　people；　but　also　in　them　of　greatest　yeares。
　　I　being　then　made　of　flesh　and　blood；　and　so　derived　from　your
selfe；　having　had　also　so　little　benefit　of　life；　that　I　am　yet　in　the
spring；　and　blooming　time　of　my　blood：　by　either　of　these　reasons；　I
must　needs　be　subject　to　naturall　desires；　wherein　such　knowledge　as　I
have　once　already　had；　in　the　estate　of　my　marriage；　perhaps　might
move　a　further　intelligence　of　the　like　delights；　according　to　the
better　ability　of　strength；　which　exceeding　all　capacity　of
resistance；　induced　a　second　motive　to　affection；　answerable　to　my
time　and　youthfull　desires；　and　so　（like　a　yong　woman）　I　became　came
againe；　yet　did　I　strive；　even　with　all　my　utmost　might；　and　best
vertuous　faculties　abiding　in　me；　no　way　to　disgrace　either　you　or
my　selfe；　as　（in　equall　censure）　yet　have　I　not　done。　But　Nature　is
above　all　humane　power；　and　Love　commanded　by　Nature；　hath　prevailed
for　Love；　joyning　with　Fortune：　in　meere　pitty　and　commiseration　of　my
extreame　wrong；　I　found　them　both　most　benigne　and　gracious；
teaching　mee　a　way　secret　enough；　where