the decameron(十日谈)-第80章

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extreame　wrong；　I　found　them　both　most　benigne　and　gracious；
teaching　mee　a　way　secret　enough；　whereby　I　might　reach　the　height
of　my　desires；　howsoever　you　became　instructed；　or　（perhaps）　found
it　out　by　accident；　so　it　was；　and　I　deny　it　not。
　　Nor　did　I　make　election　of　Guiscardo　by　chance；　or　rashly；　as　many
women　doe；　but　by　deliberate　counsell　in　my　soule；　and　most　mature
advise；　I　chose　him　above　all　other；　and　having　his　honest
harmelesse　conversation；　mutually　we　enjoyed　our　hearts　contentment。
Now　it　appeareth；　that　I　have　not　offended　but　by　love；　in　imitation
of　vulgar　opinion；　rather　then　truth：　you　seeke　to　reprove　me
bitterly；　alleaging　no　other　maine　argument　for　your　anger；　but
onely　my　not　choosing　a　Gentleman；　or　one　more　worthy。　Wherein　it　is
most　evident；　that　you　do　not　so　much　checke　my　fault；　as　the
ordination　of　Fortune；　who　many　times　advanceth　men　of　meanest
esteeme；　and　abaseth　them　of　greater　merit。　But　leaving　this
discourse；　let　us　looke　into　the　originall　of　things；　wherein　we　are
first　to　observe；　that　from　one　masse　or　lumpe　of　flesh；　both　we；
and　all　other　received　our　flesh；　and　one　Creator　hath　created　all
things；　yea；　all　creatures；　equally　in　their　forces　and　faculties；　and
equall　likewise　in　their　vertue：　which　vertue　was　the　first　that
made　distinction　of　birth　and　equality；　in　regard；　that　such　as　have
the　most　liberall　portion　thereof；　and　performed　actions　thereto
answerable；　were　thereby　tearmed　noble；　all　the　rest　remaining
unnoble：　now　although　contrary　use　did　afterward　hide　and　conceale
this　Law；　yet　was　it　not　therefore　banished　from　Nature　or　good
manners。　In　which　respect；　whosoever　did　execute　all　his　actions　by
vertue；　declared　himselfe　openly　to　be　noble；　and　he　that　tearmed
him　otherwise；　it　was　an　errour　in　the　miscaller；　and　not　in　the
person　so　wrongfully　called；　as　the　very　same　priviledge　is　yet　in
full　force　among　us　at　this　day。
　　Cast　an　heedfull　eye　then　（good　Father）　upon　all　your　Gentlemen；　and
advisedly　examine　their　vertues；　conditions；　and　manner　of
behaviour。　On　the　other　side；　observe　those　parts　remaining　in
Guiscardo：　and　then　if　you　will　Judge　truly；　and　without　affection；
you　will　confesse　him　to　be　most　Noble；　and　that　all　your　Gentlemen
（in　respect　of　him）　are　but　base　Groomes　and　villaines。　His　vertues
and　excelling　perfections；　I　never　credited　from　the　report　or
judgement　of　any　person；　but　onely　by　your　speeches；　and　mine　owne
eyes　as　true　witnesses。　Who　did　ever　more　commend　Guiscardo；　extolling
all　those　singularities　in　him；　most　requisite　to　be　in　an　honest
vertuous　man；　then　you　your　selfe　have　done？　Nor　neede　you　to　be
sorry；　or　ashamed　of　your　good　opinion　concerning　him：　for　if　mine
eyes　have　not　deceived　my　judgement；　you　never　gave　him　the　least　part
of　praise；　but　I　have　knowne　much　more　in　him；　then　ever　your　words
were　able　to　expresse：　wherefore；　if　I　have　beene　any　way　deceived；
truly　the　deceit　proceeded　onely　from　you。　How　wil　you　then　maintaine；
that　I　have　throwne　my　liking　on　a　man　of　base　condition？　In　troth
（Sir）　you　cannot。　Perhaps　you　will　alledge；　that　he　is　but　meane　and
poore；　I　confesse　it；　and　surely　it　is　to　your　shame；　that　you　have
not　bestowne　place　of　more　preferment；　on　a　man　so　honest　and　well
deserving；　and　having　bene　so　long　a　time　your　servant。
Neverthelesse　poverty　impayreth　not　any　part　of　noble　Nature；　but
wealth　hurries　into　horrible　confusions。　Many　Kings　and　great
Princes　have　heeretofore　beene　poore；　when　divers　of　them　that　have
delved　into　the　earth；　and　kept　Flockes　in　the　field；　have　beene
advanced　to　riches；　and　exceeded　the　other　in　wealth。
　　Now；　as　concerning　your　last　doubt；　which　most　of　all　afflicteth
you；　namely；　how　you　shall　deale　with　me；　boldly　rid　your　braine　of
any　such　disturbance；　for　if　you　have　resolved　now　in　your　extremity
of　yeres；　to　doe　that　which　your　younger　dayes　evermore　despised；　I
meane；　to　become　cruell；　use　your　utmost　cruelty　against　me：　for　I　wil
never　intreat　you　to　the　contrary；　because　I　am　the　sole　occasion　of
this　offence；　if　it　doe　deserve　the　name　of　an　offence。　And　this　I
dare　assure　you；　that　if　you　deale　not　with　me；　as　you　have　done
already；　or　intend　to　Guiscardo；　mine　owne　hands　shall　act　as　much：
and　therfore　give　over　your　teares　to　women；　and　if　you　purpose　to
be　cruel；　let　him　and　me　in　death　drinke　both　of　one　cup；　at　least
if　you　imagine　that　we　have　deserved　it。
　　The　King　knew　well　enough　the　high　spirit　of　his　Daughter；　but　yet
（neverthelesse）　he　did　not　beleeve；　that　her　words　would　prove
actions；　or　she　do　as　she　said。　And　therefore　parting　from　her；　and
without　intent　of　using　any　cruelty　to　her；　concluded；　by　quenching
the　heat　of　another　to　coole　the　fiery　rage　of　her　distemper；
commanding　two　of　his　follow　（who　had　the　custody　of　Guiscardo）　that
without　any　rumour　or　noise　at　all；　they　should　strangle　him　the　night
ensuing；　and　taking　the　heart　forth　of　his　body；　to　bring　it　to　him；
which　they　performed　according　to　their　charge。　On　the　next　day；　the
King　called　for　a　goodly　standing　cup　of　Gold；　wherein　he　put　the
heart　of　Guiscardo；　sending　it　by　one　of　his　most　familiar　servants　to
his　Daughter；　with　command　also　to　use　these　words　to　her。　Thy
Father　hath　sent　thee　this　present；　to　comfort　thee　with　that　thing
which　most　of　all　thou　affectest；　even　as　thou　hast　comforted　him　with
that　which　he　most　hated。
　　Ghismonda；　nothing　altered　from　her　cruell　deliberation；　after　her
Father　was　departed　from　her；　caused　certaine　poisonous　roots　and
hearbes　to　be　brought　her；　which　shee　（by　distillation）　made　a　water
of；　to　drinke　sodainly；　whensoever　any　crosse　accident　should　come
from　her　Father；　whereupon；　when　the　Messenger　from　her　Father　had
delivered　her　the　present；　and　uttered　the　words　as　he　was　commaunded：
shee　tooke　the　Cup；　and　looking　into　it　with　a　setled　countenance；
by　sight　of　the　heart；　and　effect　of　the　message；　she　knew　certainely；
that　was　the　heart　of　Guiscardo；　then　looking　stearnely　on　the
servant；　thus　she　spake　unto　him。　My　honest　friend；　it　is　no　more　then
right　and　justice；　that　so　worthy　a　heart　as　this　is；　should　have
any　worser　grave　then　gold；　wherein　my　Father　hath　dealt　most
wisely。　So；　lifting　the　heart　up　to　her　mouth；　and　sweetly　kissing　it；
she　proceeded　thus。　In　all　things；　even　till　this　instant；　（being
the　utmost　period　of　my　life）　I　have　evermore　found　my　Fathers　love
most　effectuall　to　me；　but　now　it　appeareth　farre　greater；　then　at　any
time　heretofore：　and　therefore　from　my　mouth；　thou　must　deliver　him
the　latest　thankes　that　ever　I　shall　give　him；　for　sending　me　such
an　honourable　present。
　　These　words　being　ended；　holding　the　Cup　fast　in　her　hand；　and
looking　seriously　upon　the　heart；　she　began　againe　in　this　manner。
Thou　sweete　entertainer　of　all　my　dearest　delights；　accursed　be　his
cruelty；　that　causeth　me　thus　to　see　thee　with　my　corporall　eyes；　it
being　sufficient　enough　for　me；　alwayes　to　behold　thee　with　the
sight　of　my　soule。　Thou　hast　runne　thy　race；　and　as　Fortune
ordained；　so　are　thy　dayes　finished：　for　as　all　flesh　hath　an
ending；　so　hast　thou　concluded；　albeit　too　soone；　and　before　thy　due
time。　The　travalles　and　miseries　of　this　World；　have　now　no　more　to
meddle　with　thee；　and　thy　very　heaviest　enemy　hath　bestowed　such　a
grave　on　thee；　as　thy　greatnesse　in　vertue　worthily　deserveth；　now
nothing　else　is　wanting；　wherewith　to　beautifie　thy　Funerall；　but　only
her　sighes　and　teares；　that　was　so　deare　unto　thee　in　thy　life　time。
And　because　thou　mightest　the　more　freely　enjoy　them；　see　how　my
mercilesse　Father　（on　his　owne　meere　motion）　hath　sent　thee　to　me；　and
truly　I　will　bestow　them　frankly　on　thee；　though　once　I　had
resolved；　to　die　with　drie　eyes；　and　not　shedding　one　teare；
dreadlesse　of　their　utmost　malice　towards　me。
　　And　when　I　have　given　thee　the　due　oblation　of　my　teares；　my
soule；　which　sometime　thou　hast　kept　most　carfully；　shall　come　to　make
a　sweet　conjunction　with　thine：　for　in　what　company　else　can　I
travaile　more　contentedly；　and　to　those　unfrequented　silent　shades；
but　onely　in　thine？　As　yet　am　sure　it　is　present　here；　in　this　Cup
sent　me　by　my　Father；　a