the decameron(十日谈)-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIRST　DAY；　THE　FIRST　NOVELL

　　　　　WHEREIN　IS　CONTAINED；　HOW　HARD　A　THING　IT　IS；　TO　DISTINGUISH
　　　GOODNESSE　FROM　HYPOCRISIE；　AND　HOW　（UNDER　THE　SHADOW　OF　HOLINESSE）
　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　WICKEDNESSE　OF　ONE　MAN；　MAY　DECEIVE　MANY

　　Messire　Chappelet　du　Prat；　by　making　a　false　confession；　beguyled
an　holy　Religious　man；　and　after　dyed。　And　having　（during　his　life
time）　bene　a　very　bad　man；　at　his　death；　was　reputed　for　a　saint；
and　called　S。　Chappelet。

　　It　is　a　matter　most　convenient　（deare　Ladies）　that　a　man　ought　to
begin　whatsoever　he　doth；　in　the　great　and　glorious　name　of　him；　who
was　the　Creator　of　all　things。　Wherefore；　seeing　that　I　am　the　man
appointed；　to　begin　this　your　invention　of　discoursing　Novelties：　I
intend　to　begin　also　with　one　of　his　wonderfull　workes。　To　the　end；
that　this　being　heard；　our　hope　may　remaine　on　him；　as　the　thing　onely
permanent；　and　his　name　for　ever　to　be　praised　by　us。　Now；　as　there　is
nothing　more　certaine；　but　that　even　as　temporall　things　are　mortall
and　transitory；　so　are　they　both　in　and　out　of　themselves；　full　of
sorrow；　paine；　and　anguish；　and　subjected　to　infinite　dangers：　So　in
the　same　manner；　we　live　mingled　among　them；　seeming　as　part　of
them；　and　cannot　（without　some　error）　continue　or　defend　our　selves；
if　God　by　his　especiall　grace　and　favour；　give　us　not　strength　and
good　understanding。　Which　power　we　may　not　beleeve；　that　either　it
descendeth　to　us；　or　liveth　in　us；　by　any　merites　of　our　owne；　but
of　his　onely　most　gracious　benignity。　Mooved　neverthelesse　and
entreated　by　the　intercessions　of　them；　who　were　（as　we　are）
mortals；　and　having　diligently　observed　his　commandements；　are　now
with　him　in　eternall　blessednes。　To　whom　（as　to　advocates　and
procurators；　informed　by　the　experience　of　our　frailty）　wee　are　not　to
present　our　prayers　in　the　presence　of　so　great　a　Judge；　but　onely
to　himselfe；　for　the　obtaining　of　all　such　things　as　his　wisedome
knoweth　to　be　most　expedient　for　us。　And　well　may　we　credit；　that
his　goodnesse　is　more　fully　enclined　towards　us；　in　his　continuall
bounty　and　liberality；　then　the　subtilty　of　mortall　eye；　can　reach
into　the　secret　of　so　divine　a　thought：　and　sometimes　therefore　we　may
be　beguiled　in　opinion；　by　electing　such　and　such　as　our　intercessors
before　his　high　Majesty；　who　perhaps　are　farre　off　from　him；　or　driven
into　perpetuall　exile；　as　unworthy　to　appeare　in　so　glorious　a
presence。　For　he；　from　whom　nothing　can　be　hidden；　more　regardeth
the　sincerity　of　him　that　prayeth；　then　ignorant　devotion；　committed
to　the　trust　of　a　heedlesse　intercessor；　and　such　prayers　have　alwaies
gracious　acceptation　in　his　sight。　As　manifestly　will　appeare；　by
the　Novell　which　I　intend　to　relate；　manifestly　（I　say）　not　as　in
the　judgement　of　God；　but　according　to　the　apprehension　of　men。
　　There　was　one　named；　Musciatto　Francesi；　who　from　beeing　a　most　rich
and　great　Merchant　in　France；　was　become　a　Knight；　and　preparing　to
goe　into　Tuscany；　with　Mounsieur　Charles　without　Land；　Brother　to
the　King　of　France　（who　was　desired　and　incited　to　come　thither　by
Pope　Boniface）　found　his　affaires　greatly　intricated　heere　and　there
（as　oftentimes　the　matters　of　Merchants　fall　out　to　bee）　and　that　very
hardly　hee　should　sodainly　unintangle　them；　without　referring　the
charge　of　them　to　divers　persons。　And　for　all　he　tooke　indifferent
good　order；　onely　he　remained　doubtfull；　whom　he　might　sufficiently
leave；　to　recover　his　debts　among　many　Burgundians。　And　the　rather　was
his　care　the　more　heerein；　because　he　knew　the　Burgundians　to　be
people　of　badde　nature；　rioters；　brablers；　full　of　calumny；　and
without　any　faithfulnesse：　so　that　he　could　not　bethinke　himselfe　of
any　man　（how　wicked　soever　he　was）　in　whom　he　might　repose　trust　to
meete　with　their　lewdnesse。　Having　a　long　while　examined　his
thoughts　upon　this　point；　at　last　hee　remembred　one　Master　Chappelet
du　Prat；　who　ofttimes　had　resorted　to　his　house　in　Paris。　And
because　he　was　a　man　of　little　stature；　yet　handsome　enough；　the
French　not　knowing　what　this　word　Chappelet　might　meane；　esteeming
he　should　be　called　rather　（in　their　tongue）　Chappell；　imagined；
that　in　regard　of　his　small　stature；　they　termed　him　Chappelet；　and
not　Chappell；　and　so　by　the　name　of　Chappelet　he　was　every　where
known；　and　by　few　or　none　acknowledged　for　Chappell。
　　This　Master　Chappelet；　was　of　so　good　and　commendable　life；　that；
being　a　Notarie；　he　held　it　in　high　disdaine；　that　any　of　his
Contractes　（although　he　made　but　few）　should　be　found　without
falshoode。　And　looke　how　many　soever　hee　dealt　withall；　he　would　be
urged　and　required　thereto；　offering　them　his　paines　and　travaile
for　nothing；　but　to　bee　requited　otherwise　then　by　money；　which
prooved　to　bee　his　much　larger　recompencing；　and　returned　to　him　the
farre　greater　benefit。　Hee　tooke　the　onely　pleasure　of　the　world；　to
beare　false　witnesse；　if　hee　were　thereto　entreated；　and
（oftentimes）　when　hee　was　not　requested　at　all。　Likewise　because　in
those　times；　great　trust　and　beleefe　was　given　to　an　oath；　he　making
no　care　or　conscience　to　be　perjured：　greatly　advantaged　himselfe　by
Law　suites；　in　regard　that　many　matters　relyed　upon　his　oath；　and
delivering　the　truth　according　to　his　knowledge。
　　He　delighted　（beyond　measure）　and　addicted　his　best　studies；　to
cause　enmities　and　scandals　betweene　kindred　and　friends；　or　any　other
persons；　agreeing　well　together；　and　the　more　mischiefe　he　could
procure　in　this　kind；　so　much　the　more　pleasure　and　delight　tooke　he
therein。　If　he　were　called　to　kill　any　one；　or　to　do　any　other
villanous　deede；　he　never　would　make　deniall；　but　go　to　it　very
willingly；　and　divers　times　it　was　well　knowen；　that　many　were　cruelly
beaten；　ye　slaine　by　his　hands。　Hee　was　a　most　horrible　blasphemer
of　God　and　his　Saints；　upon　the　very　least　occasion；　as　being　more
addicted　to　choller；　then　any　other　man　could　be。　Never　would　he
frequent　the　Church；　but　basely　contemned　it；　with　the　Sacraments
and　religious　rites　therein　administred；　accounting　them　for　vile
and　unprofitable　things：　but　very　voluntarily　would　visit　Tavernes；
and　other　places　of　dishonest　accesse；　which　were　continually　pleasing
unto　him；　to　satisfie　his　lust　and　inordinate　lubricitie。　Hee　would
steale　both　in　publike　and　private；　even　with　such　a　conscience；　as　if
it　were　given　to　him　by　nature　so　to　do。　He　was　a　great　glutton　and
a　drunkarde；　even　he　was　not　able　to　take　any　more：　being　also　a
continuall　gamester；　and　carrier　of　false　Dice；　to　cheate　with　them
the　very　best　Friends　he　had。
　　But　why　do　I　waste　time　in　such　extent　of　words？　When　it　may　suffice
to　say；　that　never　was　there　a　worse　man　borne；　whose　wickednesse
was　for　long　time　supported；　by　the　favour；　power；　and　Authoritie　of
Monsieur　Musciatto；　for　whose　sake　many　wrongs　and　injuries　were
patiently　endured；　as　well　by　private　persons　（whom　hee　would　abuse
notoriously）　as　others　of　the　Court；　betweene　whom　he　made　no
difference　at　all　in　his　vile　dealing。　This　Master　Chappelet；　being
thus　remembred　by　Musciatto　（who　very　well　knew　his　life　and
behaviour）　he　perfectly　perswaded　himselfe；　that　this　was　a　man　apt　in
all　respects；　to　meete　with　the　treachery　of　the　Burgundians：
whereupon；　having　sent　for　him；　thus　he　beganne。
　　Chappelet；　thou　knowest　how　I　am　wholly　to　retreate　my　selfe　from
hence；　and　having　some　affaires　among　the　Burgundians；　men　full　of
wickednesse　and　deceite；　I　can　bethinke　my　selfe　of　no　meeter　a　man
then　Chappelet；　to　recover　such　debts　as　are　due　to　mee　among　them。
And　because　it　falleth　out　so　well；　that　thou　art　not　now　hindered
by　any　other　businesse；　if　thou　wilt　undergoe　this　office　for　me；　I
will　procure　thee　favourable　Letters　from　the　Court；　and　give　thee　a
reasonable　portion　in　all　thou　recoverest。　Master　Chappelet；　seeing
himselfe　idle；　and　greedy　after　worldly　goods；　considering　that
Mounsieur　Musciatto　（who　had　beene　alwayes　his　best　buckler）　was　now
to　depart　from　thence；　without　any　dreaming　on　the　matter；　and
constrained　thereto　（as　it　were）　by　necessity；　set　downe　his
resolution；　and　answered；　that　hee　would　gladly　doe　it。
　　Having　made　their　agreement　together；　and　received　from　Musciatto
his　expresse　procuration；　and　also　the　Kings　gracious　Letters；　after
that　Musciatto　was　gone　on　his　journey；　Master　Chappelet　went　to
Dijon；　where　he　was　unknowne　（well…neere）　of　any。　And　there　（quite
from　his　naturall　disposition）　he　beganne　benignely　and　graciously；　in
recovering　the　debts　due；　which　course　he　tooke　the　rather；　because
they　should　have　a　further　feeling　of　him　in　the　end。　Being　lodged
in　the　house　of　two　Florentine　brethren；　that　living　on　their　monies
usance；　and　（for　Mounsieur　Musciattoes　sake）　using　him　with　honour　and
respect：　it　fortuned　that　he　fell　sicke；　and　the　two　brethren　sent　for
Physitions　to　attend　him；　allowing　their　servants　to　be　diligent　about
him；　making　no　spare　of　any　thing；　which　gave　the　best　likelyhood　of
restoring　his　health。　But　all　their　paines　proved　to　no　purpose；
because　he　（honest　man）　being　now　growne　aged；　and　having　lived　all
his　life　time　very　disorderly；　fell　day　by　day　（according　to　the
Physicions　judgement）　from　bad　to　worse；　as　no　other　way　appeared
but　death；　whereat　the　brethren　greatly　grieved。
　　Upon　a　day；　neere　to　the　Chamber　where　the　sicke　man　lay；　they
entred　into　this　communication。　What　shall　we　doe　（quoth　the　one　to
the　other）　with　this　man？　We　are　much　hindered　by　him：　for　to　send　him
away　（sicke　as　he　is）　we　shall　be　greatly　blamed　thereby；　and　it
will　be　a　manifest　note　of　our　weake　wisedome；　the　people　knowing　that
first　of　all　we　gave　him　entertainement；　and　have　allowed　him　honest
physicall　attendance；　and　he　not　having　any　way　injuried　or　offended
us；　to　let　him　be　suddenly　expulsed　our　house　（sicke　to　death　as　he
is）　it　can　be　no　way　for　our　credit。
　　On　the　other　side；　we　are　to　consider　also；　that　hee　hath　bin　so
badde　a　man；　as　he　will　not　now　make　any　confession　thereof；　neither
receive　the　blessed　Sacrament　of　the　Church；　and　dying　so　without
confession；　there　is　no　Church　that　will　accept　his　body；　but　it
must　be　buried　in　prophane　ground；　like　to　a　Dogge。　And　yet　if　hee
would　confesse　himselfe；　his　sinnes　are　so　many　and　monstrous；　as
the　like　case　also　may　happen；　because　there　is　not　any　Priest　or
Religious　person；　that　can　or　will　absolve　him。　And　being　not
absolved；　he　must　be　cast　into　some　ditch　or　pit；　and　then　the
people　of　the　Towne；　as　well　in　regard　of　the　account　we　carry
heere；　（which　to　them　appeareth　so　little　pleasing；　as　we　are　daily
pursued　with　their　worst　words）　as　also　coveting　our　spoile　and
overthrow；　upon　this　accident　will　cry　out　and　mutiny　against　us；
Behold　these　Lombard　dogs；　which　are　not　to　be　received　into　the
Church；　why　should　we　suffer　them　to　live　heere　among　us？　In　furious
madnesse　will　they　come　upon　us；　and　our　house；　where　（peradventure）
not　contended　with　robbing　us　of　our　goods；　our　lives　will　remaine
in　their　mercy　and　danger；　so　that；　in　what　sort　soever　it　happen；
this　mans　dying　here；　must　needs　be　banefull　to　us。
　　Master　Chappelet；　who　（as　we　have　formerly　saide）　was　lodged　neere
to　the　place　where