the decameron(十日谈)-第94章

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making　him　as　desirous　of　her　loving　acceptance；　as　possibly　she　could
be　of　his：　so　that　the　commanding　power　of　love；　could　not　easily　be
distinguished　in　which　of　them　it　had　the　greater　predominance。　For
every　day　as　he　brought　her　fresh　supply　of　woolles；　and　found　her
seriously　busied　at　her　wheele：　her　soule　would　vent　forth　many
deepe　sighes；　and　those　sighes　fetch　floods　of　teares　from　her　eyes；
thorough　the　singular　good　opinion　she　had　conceyved　of　him；　and
earnest　desire　to　enjoy　him。　Pasquino　on　the　other　side；　as　leysure
gave　him　leave　for　the　least　conversing　with　her：　his　disease　was
every　way　answerable　to　hers；　for　teares　stood　in　his　eyes；　sighes
flew　abroad；　to　ease　the　poore　hearts　afflicting　oppressions；　which
though　he　was　unable　to　conceale；　yet　would　he　seeme　to　clowd　them
cleanly；　by　entreating　her　that　his　Masters　worke　might　be　neatly
performed；　and　with　such　speed　as　time　would　permit　her；　intermixing
infinite　praises　of　her　artificiall　spinning；　and　affirming　withall；
that　the　Quilles　of　Yearne　received　from　her；　were　the　choisest　beauty
of　the　whole　peece；　so　that　when　other　workewomen　played；　Simonida　was
sure　to　want　no　employment。
　　Hereupon；　the　one　soliciting；　and　the　other　taking　delight　in
being　solicited；　it　came　to　passe；　that　often　accesse　bred　the
bolder　courage；　and　over…much　bashfulnesse　became　abandoned；　yet　no
immodesty　passing　betweene　them：　but　affection　grew　the　better
setled　in　them　both；　by　interchangeable　vowes　of　constant
perseverance；　so　that　death　onely；　but　no　disaster　else　had　power　to
divide　them。　Their　mutuall　delight　continuing　on　in　this　manner；
with　more　forcible　encreasing　of　their　Loves　equall　flame：　it
fortuned；　that　Pasquino　sitting　by　Simonida；　told　her　of　a　goodly
Garden；　whereto　he　was　desirous　to　bring　her；　to　the　end；　that　they
might　the　more　safely　converse　together；　without　the　suspition　of
envious　eyes。　Simonida　gave　answer　of　her　wellliking　the　motion；　and
acquainting　her　Father　therewith；　he　gave　her　leave；　on　the　Sunday
following　after　dinner；　to　go　fetch　the　pardon　of　S。　Gallo；　and
afterwards　to　visit　the　Garden。
　　A　modest　yong　maiden　named　Lagina；　following　the　same　profession；
and　being　an　intimate　familiar　friend；　Simonida　tooke　along　in　her
company；　and　came　to　the　Garden　appointed　by　Pasquino；　where　she　found
him　readily　expecting　her　comming；　and　another　friend　also　with　him；
called　Puccino　（albeit　more　usually　tearmed　Strambo）　a　secret
well…willer　to　Lagina；　whose　love　became　the　more　furthered　by　his
friendly　meeting。　Each　Lover　delighting　in　his　hearts　chosen
Mistresse；　caused　them　to　walke　alone　by　themselves；　as　the
spaciousnesse　of　the　Garden　gave　them　ample　liberty：　Puccino　with
his　Lagina　in　one　part；　and　Pasquino　with　his　Simonida　in　another。　The
walke　which　they　had　made　choise　of；　was　by　a　long　and　goodly　bed　of
Sage；　turning　and　returning　by　the　same　bed　their　conference　ministred
occasion；　and　as　they　pleased　to　recreate　themselves；　affecting　rather
to　continue　still　there；　then　in　any　part　of　the　Garden。
　　One　while　they　would　sit　downe　by　the　Sage　bed；　and　afterward　rise
to　walke　againe；　as　ease　and　wearinesse　seemed　to　invite　them。　At
length；　Pasquino　chanced　to　crop　a　leafe　of　the　Sage；　wherewith　he
both　rubbed　his　teeth　and　gummes；　and　champing　it　betweene　them
also；　saying；　that　there　was　no　better　thing　in　the　world　to　cleanse
the　teeth　withall；　after　feeding。　Not　long　had　he　thus　champed　the
Sage　in　his　teeth；　returning　to　his　former　kinde　of　discoursing；　but
his　countenance　began　to　change　very　pale；　his　sight　failed；　and
speech　forsooke　him；　so　that　（in　briefe）　he　fell　downe　dead。　Which
when　Simonida　beheld；　wringing　her　hands；　she　cryed　out　for　helpe　to
Strambo　and　Lagina；　who　immediately　came　running　to　her。　They
finding　Pasquino　not　onely　to　be　dead；　but　his　body　swolne；　and
strangely　over…spred　with　foule　black　spots；　both　on　his　face；
hands；　and　all　parts　else　beside：　Strambo　cried　out；　saying；　Ah　wicked
maide；　what　hast　thou　poisoned　him？
　　These　words　and　their　shrill　out…cries　also　were　heard　by　Neighbours
dwelling　neere　to　the　Garden；　who　comming　in　sodainly　uppon　them；
and　seeing　Pasquino　lying　dead；　and　hugely　swoln；　Strambo　likewise
complaining；　and　accusing　Simonida　to　have　poysoned　him；　she　making　no
answer；　but　standing　in　a　gastly　amazement；　all　her　senses　meerely
confounded；　at　such　a　strange　and　uncouth　accident；　in　loosing　him
whom　she　so　dearely　loved：　knew　not　how　to　excuse…her　selfe；　and
therefore　every　one　verily　beleeved；　that　Strambo　had　not　unjustly
accused　her。　Poore　wofull　maide；　thus　was　she　instantly　apprehended；
and　drowned　in　her　teares；　they　led　her　along　to　the　Potes。　tates
Palace；　where　her　accusation　was　justified　by　Strambo；　Lagina；　and　two
men　more；　the　one　named　Atticciato；　and　the　other　Malagevole；　fellowes
and　companions　with　Pasquino；　who　came　into　the　Garden　also　upon　the
out…cry。
　　The　Judge；　without　any　delay　at　all；　gave　eare　to　the　busines；　and
examined　the　case　very　strictly：　but　could　by　no　meanes　comprehend；
that　any　malice　should　appeare　in　her　towards　him；　nor　that　she　was
guiltie　of　the　mans　death。　Wherefore；　in　the　presence　of　Simonida；
he　desired　to　see　the　dead　body；　and　the　place　where　he　fell　downe
dead；　because　there　he　intended　to　have　her　relate；　how　she　saw　the
accident　to　happen；　that　her　owne　speeches　might　the　sooner　condemne
her；　whereas　the　case　yet　remained　doubtfull；　and　farre　beyond　his
comprehension。　So；　without　any　further　publication；　and　to　avoid　the
following　of　the　turbulent　multitude；　they　departed　from　the　bench
of　Justice；　and　came　to　the　place；　where　Pasquinoes　body　lay　swolne
like　a　Tunne。　Demanding　there　questions；　concerning　his　behaviour；
when　they　walked　there　in　conference　together；　and；　not　a　little
admiring　the　manner　of　his　death；　while　he　stood　advisedly　considering
thereon。
　　She　going　to　the　bed　of　Sage；　reporting　the　whole　precedent　history；
even　from　the　originall　to　the　ending：　the　better　to　make　the　case
understood；　without　the　least　colour　of　ill　carriage　towardes
Pasquino；　according　as　she　had　seene　him　do；　even　so　o　she　plucke
another　leafe　of　the　Sage；　rubbing　her　teeth　therewith；　and　champing
it　as　he　formerly　did。　Strambo；　and　the　other　intimate　friends　of
Pasquino；　having　noted　in　what　manner　she　used　the　Sage；　and　this
appearing　as　her　utmost　refuge；　either　to　acquit　or　condemne　her：　in
presence　of　the　Judge　they　smiled　thereat；　mocking　and　deriding
whatsoever　she　saide；　or　did；　and　desiring　（the　more　earnestly）　the
sentence　of　death　against　her；　that　her　body　might　be　consumed　with
fire；　as　a　just　punishment　for　her　abhominable　transgression。
　　Poore　Simonida；　sighing　and　sorrowing　for　her　deere　loves　losse；　and
（perhappes）　not　meanly　terrified；　with　the　strict　infliction　of
torment　so　severely　urged　and　followed　by　Strambo　and　the　rest
standing　dumb　still；　without　answering　so　much　as　one　word；　by　tasting
of　the　same　Sage；　fell　downe　dead　by　the　bed；　even　by　the　like
accident　Pasquino　formerly　did；　to　the　admirable　astonishment　of　all
there　present。
　　Oh　poore　infortunate　Lovers；　whose　Starres　were　so　inauspicious　to
you；　as　to　finish　both　your　mortall　lives；　and　fervent　love；　in
lesse　limitation　then　a　dayes　space。　How　to　censure　of　your　deaths；
and　happines　to　ensue　thereon；　by　an　accident　so　strange　and
inevitable：　it　is　not　within　the　compasse　of　my　power；　but　to　hope　the
best；　and　so　I　leave　you。　But　yet　concerning　Simonida　her　selfe；　in
the　common　opinion　of　us　that　remaine　living：　her　true　vertue　and
innocency　（though　Fortune　was　otherwise　most　cruell　to　her）　would
not　suffer　her　to　sinke　under　the　testimony　of　Strambo；　Lagina；
Atticciato；　and　Malagevole；　being　but　carders　of　wool；　or　perhaps　of
meaner　condition；　a　happier　course　was　ordained　for　her；　to　passe
clearely　from　their　infamous　imputation；　and　follow　her　Pasquino；　in
the　very　same　manner　of　death；　and　with　such　a　speedy　expedition。
　　The　Judge　standing　amazed；　and　all　there　present　in　his　company；
were　silent　for　a　long　while　together：　but；　uppon　better
recollection　of　his　spirits；　thus　he　spake。　This　inconvenience　which
thus　hath　ha