the decameron(十日谈)-第98章

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him　any　succour；　being　pierced　quite　through　the　body　with　the
Lance；　downe　he　fell　dead　to　the　ground；　and　his　men　（fearing　the　like
misfortune　to　befall　them）　gallopped　mainely　backe　againe　to　their
Lords　Castle；　not　knowing　them　who　had　thus　murthered　their　Master；　by
reason　of　their　armed　disguises；　which　in　those　martiall　times　were
usually　worne。
　　Messer　Guiglielmo　Rossiglione；　alighting　from　his　horse；　and
having　a　keene　knife　ready　drawne　in　his　hand；　opened　therewith　the
brest　of　dead　Guardastagno；　and　taking　foorth　his　heart　with　his
owne　hands；　wrapped　it　in　the　Bandelote　belonging　to　his　Lance；
commanding　one　of　his　men　to　the　charge　thereof；　and　never　to　disclose
the　deed。　So；　mounting　on　horse…backe　againe；　and　darke　night
drawing　on　apace；　he　returned　home　to　his　Castle。　The　Lady；　who　had
heard　before　of　Guardastagnoes　intent；　to　suppe　there　that　night；
and　（perhaps）　being　earnestly　desirous　to　see　him；　marvailing　at　his
so　long　tarrying；　saide　to　her　husband：　Beleeve　me　Sir　（quoth　she）
me　thinkes　it　is　somewhat　strange；　that　Messer　Guiglielmo　Guardastagno
delayes　his　comming　so　long；　he　never　used　to　do　so　till　now。　I
received　tidings　from　him　wife　（saide　he）　that　he　cannot　be　here
till　to　morrow。　Whereat　the　Lady　appearing　to　be　displeased；　concealed
it　to　herselfe；　and　used　no　more　words。
　　Rossiglione　leaving　his　Lady；　went　into　the　Kitchin；　where　calling
for　the　Cooke；　he　delivered　him　the　heart；　saying：　Take　this　heart
of　a　wilde　Boare；　which　it　was　my　good　happe　to　kill　this　day；　and
dresse　it　in　the　daintiest　manner　thou　canst　devise　to　do；　which　being
so　done；　when　I　am　set　at　the　Table；　send　it　to　me　in　a　silver　dish；
with　sauce　beseeming　so　dainty　a　morsell。　The　Cooke　tooke　the　heart；
beleeving　it　to　be　no　otherwise；　then　as　his　Lord　had　saide：　and　using
his　utmost　skill　in　dressing　it；　did　divide　it　into　artificiall
small　slices；　and　made　it　most　pleasing　to　be　tasted。　When　supper　time
was　come；　Rossiglione　sate　downe　at　the　table　with　his　Lady：　but　he
had　little　or　no　appetite　at　all　to　eate；　the　wicked　deed　which　he　had
done　so　perplexed　his　soule；　and　made　him　to　sit　very　strangely
musing。　At　length；　the　Cooke　brought　in　the　dainty　dish；　which　he
himselfe　setting　before　his　wife；　began　to　finde　fault　with　his　owne
lacke　of　stomacke；　yet　provoked　her　with　many　faire　speeches；　to
tast　the　Cooks　cunning　in　so　rare　a　dish。
　　The　Lady　having　a　good　appetite　indeede；　when　she　had　first　tasted
it；　fed　afterward　so　heartily　thereon；　that　she　left　very　little；　or
none　at　all　remaining。　When　he　perceived　that　all　was　eaten；　he　said
unto　her：　Tell　me　Madame；　how　you　do　like　this　delicate　kinde　of
meate？　In　good　faith　Sir　（quoth　she）　in　all　my　life　I　was　never　better
pleased。　Now　trust　mee　Madame；　answered　the　Knight；　I　do　verily
beleeve　you；　nor　do　I　greatly　wonder　thereat；　if　you　like　that　dead；
which　you　loved　so　dearly　being　alive。　When　she　heard　these　words；　a
long　while　she　sate　silert；　but　afterward　saide。　I　pray　you　tell　me
Sir；　what　meate　was　this　which　you　have　made　me　to　eate？　Muse　no
longer　（saide　he）　for　therein　I　will　quickly　resolve　thee。　Thou　hast
eaten　the　heart　of　Messer　Guiglielmo　Guardastagno；　whose　love　was　so
deare　and　precious　to　thee；　thou　false；　perfidious；　and　disloyall
Lady：　I　pluckt　it　out　of　his　vile　body　with　mine　owne　hands；　and
made　my　Cooke　to　dresse　it　for　thy　diet。
　　Poore　Lady；　how　strangely　was　her　soule　afflicted；　hearing　these
harsh　and　unpleasing　speeches？　Teares　flowed　aboundantly　from　her
faire　eies；　and　like　tempestuous　windes　embowelled　in　the　earth；　so
did　vehement　sighes　breake　mainly　from　her　heart；　and　after　a
tedious　time　of　silence；　she　spake　in　this　manner。　My　Lord　and
husband；　you　have　done　a　most　disloyall　and　damnable　deede；
misguided　by　your　owne　wicked　jealous　opinion；　and　not　by　any　just
cause　given　you；　to　murther　so　worthy　and　Noble　a　Gentleman。　I　protest
unto　you　upon　my　soule；　which　I　wish　to　be　confounded　in　eternall
perdition；　if　ever　I　were　unchaste　to　your　bed；　or　allowed　him　any
other　favour；　but　what　might　well　become　so　honourable　a　friend。　And
seeing　my　body　hath　bene　made　the　receptacle　for　so　precious　a　kinde
of　foode；　as　the　heart　of　so　valiant　and　courteous　a　Knight；　such　as
was　the　Noble　Guardastagno；　never　shall　any　other　foode　hereafter；
have　entertainment　there；　or　my　selfe　live　the　Wife　to　so　bloody　a
Husband。
　　So　starting　up　from　the　Table；　and　stepping　unto　a　great　gazing
Window；　the　Casement　whereof　standing　wide　open　behinde　her：　violently
shee　leaped　out　thereat；　which　beeing　an　huge　height　in　distance
from　the　ground；　the　fall　did　not　onely　kill　her；　but　also　shivered
her　body　into　many　peeces。　Which　Rossiglione　perceiving；　hee　stoode
like　a　body　without　a　soule；　confounded　with　the　killing　of　so　deare　a
friend；　losse　of　a　chaste　and　honourable　wife；　and　all　through　his
owne　overcredulous　conceit。
　　Upon　further　conference　with　his　private　thoughts；　and　remorsefull
acknowledgement　of　his　heinous　offence；　which　repentance　（too　late）
gave　him　eyes　now　to　see；　though　rashnesse　before　would　not　permit　him
to　consider；　these　two　extreamities　inlarged　his　dulled　understanding。
First；　he　grew　fearfull　of　the　friends　and　followers　to　murthered
Guardastagno；　as　also　the　whole　Country　of　Provence；　in　regard　of
the　peoples　generall　love　unto　him；　which　being　two　maine　and
important　motives；　both　to　the　detestation　of　so　horrid　an　act；　and
immediate　severe　revenge　to　succeede　thereon：　he　made　such　provision
as　best　he　could；　and　as　so　sodaine　a　warning　would　give　leave；　he　Red
away　secretly　in　the　night　season。
　　These　unpleasing　newes　were　soone　spread　abroad　the　next　morning；
not　only　of　the　unfortunate　accidents；　but　also　of　Rossiglions　flight；
in　regard　whereof；　the　dead　bodyes　being　found；　and　brought
together；　as　well　by　the　people　belonging　to　Guardastagno；　as　them
that　attended　on　the　Lady：　they　were　layed　in　the　Chappell　of
Rossigliones　Castle；　where；　after　so　much　lamentation　for　so　great　a
misfortune　to　befall　them；　they　were　honourably　enterred　in　one
faire　Tombe；　with　excellent　Verses　engraven　thereon；　expressing　both
their　noble　degree；　and　by　what　unhappy　meanes；　they　chanced　to　have
buriall　in　that　very　place。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FOURTH　DAY；　THE　TENTH　NOVELL

　　　　　　WHEREIN　IS　DECLARED；　THAT　SOMETIME　BY　ADVENTUROUS　ACCIDENT；
　　　RATHER　THEN　ANY　REASONABLE　COMPREHENSION；　A　MAN　MAY　ESCAPE　OUT　OF
　　　　　　MANIFOLD　PERILLES；　BUT　ESPECIALLY　IN　OCCURRENCES　OF　LOVE。

　　A　physitians　wife　laide　a　Lover　of　her　Maides　（supposing　him　to　be
dead）　in　a　Chest；　by　reason　that　he　had　drunke　Water；　which　usually
was　given　to　procure　a　sleepy　entrancing。　Two　Lombard　usurers；
stealing　the　Chest；　in　hope　of　a　rich　booty；　carryed　it　into　their
owne　house；　where　afterward　the　man　awaking；　was　apprehended　for　a
Theefe。　The　Chamber…maide　to　the　Physitians　wife；　going　before　the
bench　of　Justice；　accuseth　her　selfe　for　putting　the　imagined　dead
body　into　the　Chest；　by　which　meanes　he　escapeth　hanging。　And　the
theeves　which　stole　away　the　Chest；　were　condemned　to　pay　a　great
summe　of　money。

　　After　that　the　King　had　concluded　his　Novell；　there　remained　none
now　but　Dioneus　to　tell　the　last：　which　himselfe　confessing；　and　the
King　commaunding　him　to　proceede；　hee　beganne　in　this　manner。　So
many　miseries　of　unfortunate　Love；　as　all　of　you　have　already　related；
hath　not　onely　swolne　your　eyes　with　weeping；　but　also　made　sicke
our　hearts　with　sighing：　yea　（Gracious　Ladies）　I　my　selfe　finde　my
spirits　not　meanly　afflicted　thereby。　Wherefore　the　whole　day　hath
bene　very　irkesome　to　me；　and　I　am　not　a　little　glad；　that　it　is　so
neere　ending。　Now；　for　the　better　shutting　it　up　altogether；　I　would
be　very　loath　to　make　an　addition；　of　any　more　such　sad　and
mournfull　matter；　good　for　nothing　but　onely　to　feede　melancholly
humor；　and　from　which　（I　hope）　my　faire　Starres　will　defend　me。
Tragicall　discourse；　thou　art　no　fit　companion　for　me；　I　will
therefore　report　a　Novell　which　may　minister　a　more　joviall　kinde　of
argument；　unto　whose　Tales　that　must　be　told　to　morrow；　and　with　the
expiration　of　our　present　Kings　reigne；　to　rid　us