the decameron(十日谈)-第83章

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to　vouchsafe　the　Gods　appearance　to　you；　in　my　bodily　shape　and
person；　and　in　the　perfect　forme　of　a　man　as　now　you　behold　me：　so　may
you　safely　give　him　entertainment；　without　any　taxation　of　the
world；　or　ill　apprehension　of　the　most　curious　inquisition。　Beside；
a　greater　happinesse　can　never　befall　me：　for；　while　he　assumeth　the
soule　out　of　my　body；　and　walketh　on　the　earth　in　my　humane　figure：
I　shall　be　wandering　in　the　joyes　of　Lovers　Paradise；　feeling　the
fruition　of　their　felicities；　which　are　such；　as　no　mortality　can　be
capeable　of；　no；　not　so　much　as　in　imagination。
　　　The　wise　Gentlewoman　replied；　that　she　was　well　contented；　in
regard　of　the　severe　punishment　inflicted　on　him　by　God　Cupid；　for　the
reproachfull　speeches　he　had　given　her；　to　allow　him　so　poore　a
kinde　of　consolation；　as　he　had　requested　her　to　grant　him。　Whereuppon
Friar　Albert　saide：　Be　ready　then　Madam　to　give　him　welcome　to
morrow　in　the　evening；　at　the　entering　into　your　house；　for　comming　in
an　humane　body；　he　cannot　but　enter　at　your　doores：　n　e　whereas；　if
（in　powerfull　manner）　he　made　use　of　his　wings；　he　then　would　Eye　in
at　your　window；　and　then　you　could　not　be　able　to　see　him。
　　　Upon　this　conclusion；　Albert　departed；　leaving　Lisetta　in　no
meane　pride　of　imagination；　that　God　Cupid　should　be　enamoured　of
her　beauty；　and　therefore　she　thought　each　houre　a　yeare；　till　she
might　see　him　in　the　mortall　shape　of　Friar　Albert。　And　now　was　his
braine　wonderfully　busied；　to　visite　her　in　more　then　common　or　humane
manner；　and　therefore　he　made　him　a　sute　（close　to　his　body）　of
white　Taffata；　all　poudred　over　with　Starres；　and　spangles　of　Gold；
a　Bow　and　Quiver　of　Arrowes；　with　wings　also　fastened　to　his　backe
behinde　him；　and　all　cunningly　covered　with　his　Friars　habit；　which
must　be　the　sole　meanes　of　his　safe　passage。
　　　Having　obtained　licence　of　his　Superiour；　and　being　accompanied
with　an　holy　Brother　of　the　Convent；　yet　ignorant　of　the　businesse
by　him　intended；　he　went　to　the　house　of　a　friend　of　his；　which　was
his　usuall　receptacle；　whensoever　he　went　about　such　deeds　of　darknes。
There　did　he　put　on　his　dissembled　habit　of　God　Cupid；　with　his
winges；　Bowe；　and　Quiver；　in　formall　fashion；　and　then　（clouded　over
with　his　Monkes　Cowle）　leaves　his　companion　to　awaite　his　returning
backe；　while　he　visited　foolish　Lisetta；　according　to　her　expectation；
readily　attending　for　the　Gods　arrivall。
　　　Albert　being　come　to　the　house；　knocked　at　the　doore；　and　the　Maide
admitting　him　entrance；　according　as　her　Mistresse　had　appointed；
she　conducted　him　to　her　Mistresses　Chamber；　where　laying　aside　his
Friars　habite；　and　she　seeing　him　shine　with　such　glorious
splendour；　adding　action　also　to　his　assumed　dissimulation；　with
majesticke　motion　of　his　body；　wings；　and　bow；　as　if　he　had　bene　God
Cupid　indeede；　converted　into　a　body　much　bigger　of　stature；　then
Painters　commonly　do　describe　him；　her　wisedome　was　overcome　with
feare　and　admiration；　that　she　fell　on　her　knees　before　him；
expressing　all　humble　reverence　unto　him。　And　he　spreading　his　wings
over　her；　as　with　wiers　and　strings　he　had　made　them　pliant；　shewed
how　graciously　he　accepted　her　humiliation；　folding　her　in　his
armes；　and　sweetly　kissing　her　many　times　together；　with　repetition　of
his　entire　love　and　affection　towards　her。　So　delicately　was　he
perfumed　with　odorifferous　savours；　and　so　compleate　of　person　in
his　spangled　garments；　that　she　could　do　nothing　else；　but　wonder　at
his　rare　behaviour；　reputing　her　felicity　beyond　all　Womens　in　the
world；　and　utterly　impossible　to　be　equalled；　such　was　the　pride　of
her　presuming。　For　he　told　her　clivers　tales　and　fables；　of　his
awefull　power　among　the　other　Gods；　and　stolne　pleasures　of　his　upon
the　earth；　yet　gracing　her　praises　above　all　his　other　Loves；　and
vowes　made　now；　to　affect　none　but　her　onely；　as　his　often　visitations
should　more　constantly　assure　her；　that　she　verily　credited　all　his
protestations；　and　thought　his　kisses　and　embraces；　farre　to　exceed
any　mortall　comparison。
　　After　they　had　spent　so　much　time　in　amorous　discoursing；　as　might
best　fit　with　this　their　first　meeting；　and　stand　cleare　from
suspition　on　either　side：　our　Albert　Cupid；　or　Cupid　Albert；　which
of　them　you　best　please　to　terme　him；　closing　his　spangled　winges
together　againe　behinde　his　backe；　fastening　also　on　his　Bow　and
Quiver　of　Arrowes；　overclouds　all　with　his　religious　Monkes　Cowle；　and
then　with　a　parting　kisse　or　two；　returned　to　the　place　where　he　had
left　his　fellow　and　companion；　perhaps　imployed　in　as　devout　an
exercise；　as　he　had　bin　in　his　absence　from　him；　whence　both　repayring
home　to　the　Monastery；　all　this　nightes　wandering　was　allowed　as
tollerable；　by　them　who　made　no　spare　of　doing　the　like。
　On　the　morrow　following；　Madam　Lisetta　immediately　after　dinner；
being　attended　by　her　Chamber…maid；　went　to　see　Friar　Albert；
finding　him　in　his　wonted　forme　and　fashion；　and　telling　him　what
had　hapned　betweene　her　and　God　Cupid；　with　all　the　other　lies　and
tales　which　hee　had　told　her。　Truly　Madam　（answered　Albert）　what
your　successe　with　him　hath　beene；　I　am　no　way　able　to　comprehend；　but
this　I　can　assure　you；　that　so　soone　as　I　had　acquainted　him　with　your
answer；　I　felt　a　sodaine　rapture　made　of　my　soule；　and　visibly　（to
my　apprehension）　saw　it　carried　by　Elves　and　Fairies；　into　the
floury　fields　about　Elisium；　where　Lovers　departed　out　of　this　life；
walke　among　the　beds　of　Lillies　and　Roses；　such　as　are　not　in　this
world　to　be　seene；　neither　to　be　imagined　by　any　humane　capacity。　So
super…abounding　was　the　pleasure　of　this　joy　and　solace；　that；　how
long　I　continued　there；　or　by　what　meanes　I　was　transported　hither
againe　this　morning；　it　is　beyond　all　ability　in　mee　to　expresse；　or
how　I　assumed　my　body　againe　after　that　great　God　had　made　use　thereof
to　your　service。　Well　Fryar　Albert　（quoth　shee）　you　may　see　what　an
happinesse　hath　befalne　you；　by　so　grosse　an　opinion　of　my
perfections；　and　what　a　felicity　you　enjoy；　and　still　are　like　to
do；　by　my　pardoning　your　error；　and　granting　the　God　accesse　to　me
in　your　shape：　which　as　I　envy　not；　so　I　wish　you　heereafter　to　be
wiser；　in　taking　upon　you　to　judge　of　beauty。　Much　other　idle　folly
proceeded　from　her；　which　still　he　soothed　to　her　contentment；　and　（as
occasion　served）　many　meetings　they　had　in　the　former　manner。
　　It　fortuned　within　few　dayes　after　that　Madam　Lisetta　being　in
company　with　one　of　her　Gossips；　and　their　conference　（as　commonly
it　falleth　out　to　be）　concerning　other　women　of　the　City；　their
beauty；　behaviour；　amorous　suters　and　servants；　and　generall　opinion
conceived　of　their　worth；　and　merit；　wherein　Lisetta　was　over…much
conceyted　of　her　selfe；　not　admitting　any　other　to　be　her　equall。
Among　other　speeches；　savouring　of　an　unseasoned　braine：　Gossip　（quoth
she）　if　you　knew　what　account　is　made　of　my　beauty；　and　who　holdes
it　in　no　meane　estimation；　you　would　then　freely　confesse；　that　I
deserve　to　be　preferred　before　any　other。　As　women　are　ambitious　in
their　owne　opinions；　so　commonly　are　they　covetous　of　one　anothers
secrets；　especially　in　matter　of　emulation；　whereupon　the　Gossip
thus　replyed。　Beleeve　me　Madam；　I　make　no　doubt　but　your　speeches
may　be　true；　in　regard　of　your　admired　beauty；　and　many　other
perfections　beside；　yet　let　me　tell　you；　priviledges；　how　great　and
singular　soever　they　be；　without　they　are　knowen　to　others；　beside
such　as　do　particularly　enjoy　them；　they　carry　no　more　account；　then
things　of　ordinary　estimation。　Whereas　on　the　contrary；　when　any
Lady　or　Gentlewoman　hath　some　eminent　and　peculiar　favour；　which　few
or　none　other　can　reach　unto；　and　it　is　made　famous　by　generall
notion；　then　do　all　women　else　admire　and　honor　her；　as　the　glory　of
their　kinde；　and　a　miracle　of　Nature。
　　I　perceive　Gossip　said　Lisetta；　whereat　you　aime；　and　such　is　my
love　to　you；　as　you　should　not　lose　your　longing　in　this　case；　were
I　but　constantly　secured　of　your　secrecy；　which　as　hitherto　I　have
bene　no　way　able　to　taxe；　so　would　I　be　loth　now　to　be　more　suspitious
of　then　needs。　But　yet　this　matter　is　of　such　maine　moment；　that　if
you　will　p