the decameron(十日谈)-第84章

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of　then　needs。　But　yet　this　matter　is　of　such　maine　moment；　that　if
you　will　protest　as　you　are　truly　vertuous；　never　to　reveale　it　to　any
living　body；　I　will　disclose　to　you　almost　a　miracle。　The　vertuous
oath　being　past；　with　many　other　solemne　protestations　beside；　Lisetta
then　pro。　ceeded　in　this　maner。
　　I　know　Gossip；　that　it　is　a　matter　of　common　and　ordinary　custome；
for　Ladies　and　Gentlewomen　to　be　graced　with　favourites；　men　of　fraile
and　mortall　conditions；　whose　natures　are　as　subject　to　inconstancy；
as　their　very　best　endevours　dedicated　to　folly；　as　I　could　name　no
mean　number　of　our　Ladies　heere　in　Venice。　But　when　Soveraigne　deities
shall　feele　the　impression　of　our　humane　desires；　and　behold
subjects　of　such　prevailing　efficacy；　as　to　subdue　their　greatest
power；　yea；　and　make　them　enamored　of　mortall　creatures：　you　may
well　imagine　Gossip；　such　a　beauty　is　superiour　to　any　other。　And　such
is　the　happy　fortune　of　your　friend　Lisetta；　of　whose　perfections；
great　Cupid　the　awefull　commanding　God　of　Love　himselfe；　conceived
such　an　extraordinary　liking：　as　he　hath　abandoned　his　seate　of
supreme　Majesty；　and　appeared　to　in　the　shape　of　a　mortall　man；　with
lively　expression　of　his　amourous　passions；　and　what　extremities　of
anguish　he　hath　endured；　onely　for　my　love。　May　this　be　possible？
replied　the　Gossip。　Can　the　Gods　be　toucht　with　the　apprehension　of
our　fraile　passions？　True　it　is　Gossip；　answered　and　so　certainly
true；　that　his　sacred　kisses；　sweete　embraces；　and　most　pleasing
speeches　with　proffer　of　his　continuall　devotion　towards　me；　hath
given　me　good　cause　to　confirme　what　I　say；　and　to　thinke　my
felicity　farre　beyond　all　other　womens；　being　honoured　with　his
often　nightly　visitations。
　　The　Gossip　inwardly　smiling　at　her　idle　speeches；　which
（nevertheles）　she　avouched　with　very　vehement　asseverations：　fell
instantly　sicke　of　womens　naturall　disease；　thinking　every　minute　a
tedious　month；　till　she　were　in　company　with　some　other　Gossips；　to
breake　the　obligation　of　her　vertuous　promise；　and　that　others　（as
well　as　her　selfe）　might　laugh　at　the　folly　of　this　shallow…witted
woman。　The　next　day　following；　it　was　her　hap　to　be　at　a　wedding；
among　a　great　number　of　other　women；　whom　quickly　she　acquainted
with　this　so　strange　a　wonder；　as　they　did　the　like　to　their　husbands：
and　passing　so　from　hand　to　hand；　in　lesse　space　then　two　dayes；　all
Venice　was　fully　possessed　with　it。　Among　the　rest；　the　brethren　to
this　foolish　woman；　heard　this　admirable　newes　concerning　their
Sister；　and　they　discreetly　concealing　it　to　themselves；　closely
concluded　to　watch　the　walks　of　this　pretended　God：　and　if　he　soared
not　too　lofty　a　flight；　they　would　clip　his　wings；　to　come　the
better　acquainted　with　him。　It　fortuned；　that　the　Friar　hearing　his
Cupidicall　visitations　over…publikely　discovered；　purposed　to　check
and　reprove　Lisetta　for　her　indiscretion。　And　being　habited
according　to　his　former　manner；　his　Friarly　Cowle　covering　all　his
former　bravery；　he　left　his　companion　where　he　used　to　stay；　and
closely　walked　along　unto　the　house。　No　sooner　was　he　entred；　but
the　Brethren　being　ambushed　neere　to　the　doore；　went　in　after　him；　and
ascending　the　staires；　by　such　time　as　he　had　uncased　himselfe；　and
appeared　like　God　Cupid；　with　his　spangled　wings　displayed：　they
rushed　into　the　Chamber；　and　he　having　no　other　refuge；　opened　a　large
Casement；　standing　directly　over　the　great　gulfe　or　River；　and
presently　leapt　into　the　water；　which　being　deepe；　and　he　skilfull
in　swimming；　he　had　no　other　harme　by　his　fall；　albeit　the　sodaine
affright　did　much　perplex　him。
　　Recovering　the　further　side　of　the　River；　he　espied　a　light；　and　the
doore　of　an　house　open；　wherein　dwelt　a　poore　man；　whom　he　earnestly
intreated；　to　save　both　his　life　and　reputation；　telling　him　many　lies
and　tales　by　what　meanes　he　was　thus　disguised；　and　throwne　by
night…walking　Villaines　into　the　water。　The　poore　man；　being　moved
to　compassionate　his　distressed　estate；　laid　him　in　his　owne　bed；
ministring　such　other　comforts　to　him；　as　the　time　and　his　poverty　did
permit；　and　day　drawing　on；　he　went　about　his　businesse；　advising
him　to　take　his　rest；　and　it　should　not　be　long　till　he　returned。
So；　locking　the　doore；　and　leaving　the　counterfet　God　in　bed；　away
goes　the　poore　man　to　his　daily　labor。　The　Brethren　to　Lisetta；
perceiving　God　Cupid　to　be　fied　and　gone；　and　she　in　melancholly
sadnesse　sitting　by　them：　they　tooke　up　the　Reliques　he　had　left
behind　him；　I　meane　the　Friars　hood　and　Cowle；　which　shewing　to
their　sister；　and　sharpely　reproving　her　unwomanly　behaviour：　they
left　her　in　no　meane　discomfort；　returning　home　to　their　owne
houses；　with　their　conquered　spolle　of　the　forlorne　Friar。
　　During　the　times　of　these　occurrences；　broad　day　speeding　on；　and
the　poore　man　returning　homeward　by　the　Rialto；　to　visit　his　guest
so　left　in　bed：　he　beheld　divers　crouds　of　people；　and　a　generall
rumor　noysed　among　them；　that　God　Cupid　had　bene　that　night　with　Madam
Lisetta；　where　being　over…closely　pursued　by　her　Brethren；　for　feare
of　being　surprized；　he　leapt　out　of　her　window　into　the　gulfe；　and
no　one　could　tell　what　was　become　of　him。　Heereupon；　the　poore　man
began　to　imagine；　that　the　guest　entertained　by　him　in　the　night　time；
must　needs　be　the　same　suppose　God　Cupid；　as　by　his　wings　and　other
embellishments　appeared：　wherefore　being　come　home；　and　sitting
downe　on　the　beds　side　by　him；　after　some　few　speeches　passing
betweene　them；　he　knew　him　to　be　Friar　Albert；　who　promised　to　give
him　fifty　ducates；　if　he　would　not　betray　him　to　Lisettaes　Brethren。
Upon　the　acceptation　of　this　offer；　the　money　being　sent　for；　and
paied　downe；　there　wanted　nothing　now；　but　some　apt　and　convenient
meanes；　whereby　Albert　might　safely　be　conveyed　into　the　Monastery；
which　being　wholly　referred　to　the　poore　mans　care　and　trust；　thus
he　spake。　Sir；　I　see　no　likely…hood　of　your　cleare　escaping　home；
except　in　this　manner　as　I　advise　you。　We　observe　this　day　as　a
merry　Festivall；　and　it　is　lawfull　for　any　one；　to　disguise　a　man　in
the　skin　of　a　Beare；　or　in　the　shape　of　a　savage　man；　or　any　other
forme　of　better　advice。　Which　being　so　done；　he　is　brought　upon　S。
Markes　market　place；　where　being　hunted　a　while　with　dogs；　upon　the
huntings　conclusion；　the　Feast　is　ended；　and　then　each　man　leades
his　monster　whether　him　pleaseth。　If　you　can　accept　any　of　these
shapes；　before　you　be　seene　heere　in　my　poore　abiding；　then　can　I
safely　（afterward）　bring　you　where　you　would　be。　Otherwise；　I　see　no
possible　meanes；　how　you　may　escape　hence　unknown；　for　it　is　without
all　question　to　the　contrary；　that　the　Gentlewomans　brethren；
knowing　your　concealment　in　some　one　place　or　other；　wil　set　such
spies　and　watches　for　you　throughout　the　City；　as　you　must　needs　be
taken　by　them。
　　Now；　although　it　seemed　a　most　severe　imposition；　for　Albert　to
passe　in　any　of　these　disguises：　yet　his　exceeding　feare　of
Lisettaes　brethren　and　friends；　made　him　gladly　yeelde；　and　to　undergo
what　shape　the　poore　man　pleased；　which　thus　he　ordered。　Annointing
his　naked　body　with　Hony；　he　then　covered　it　over　with　downy　small
Feathers；　and　fastening　a　chaine　about　his　necke；　and　a　strange　ugly
vizard　on　his　face；　he　gave　him　a　great　staffe　in　the　one　hand；　and
two　huge　Mastive　dogs　chained　together　in　the　other；　which　he　had
borrowed　in　the　Butchery。　Afterward；　he　sent　a　man　to　the　Rialto；
who　there　proclaimed　by　the　sound　of　Trumpet：　That　all　such　as　desired
to　see　God　Cupid；　which　the　last　nights　had　descended　downe　from　the
skies；　and　fell　（by　ill　hap）　into　the　Venetian　gulfe；　let　them　repaire
to　the　publike　Market　place　of　S。　Marke；　and　there　he　would　appeare　in
his　owne　likenesse。
　　This　being　done；　soone　after　he　left　his　house；　and　leading　him　thus
disguised　along　by　the　chaine；　he　was　followed　by　great　crowds　of
people；　every　one　questioning　of　whence；　and　what　he　was。　In　which
manner；　he　brought　him；　to　the　Market　place；　where　an　infinite
number　of　people　were　gathered　together；　as　well　of　the　followers；
as　of　them　that　before　heard　the　proclamation。　There　he　made　choice　of
a　pillar；　whic