the decameron(十日谈)-第105章

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fast　the　doore　against　her　Husband；　and　gave　bim　many　reproachfull
speeches。

　　So　soone　as　the　King　perceyved；　that　the　Novell　reported　by　Madame
Eliza　was　finished：　hee　turned　himselfe　to　Madame　Lauretta；　and　told
her　as　his　pleasure；　that　she　should　now　begin　the　next；　whereto　she
yeelded　in　this　manner。　O　Love：　What；　and　how　many　are　thy
prevailing　forces？　How　straunge　are　thy　foresights？　And　how
admirable　thine　attempts？　Where　is；　or　ever　was　the　Philosopher　or
Artist；　that　could　enstruct　the　wiles；　escapes；　preventions；　and
demonstrations；　which　sodainly　thou　teachest　such；　as　are　thy　apt
and　understanding　Schollers　indeede？　Certaine　it　is；　that　the
documents　and　eruditions　of　all　other　whatsoever；　are　weak；　or　of　no
worth；　in　respect　of　thine：　as　hath　notably　appeared；　by　the
remonstrances　already　past；　and　whereto　（worthy　Ladies）　I　wil　adde
another　of　a　simple　woman；　who　taught　her　husband　such　a　lesson；　as
shee　never　learned　of　any；　but　Love　himselfe。
　　There　dwelt　sometime　in　Arezzo　（which　is　a　faire　Village　of　Tuscany）
a　rich　man；　named　Tofano；　who　enjoyed　in　marriage　a　young　beautifull
woman；　called　Cheta：　of　whom　（without　any　occasion　given；　or　reason
knowne　to　himselfe）　he　became　exceeding…　jealous。　Which　his　wife
perceyving；　she　grew　much　offended　thereat；　and　tooke　it　in　great
scorne；　that　she　should　be　servile　to　so　vile　and　slavish　a　condition。
Oftentimes；　she　demanded　of　him；　from　whence　this　jealousie　in　him
received　originall；　he　having　never　seene　or　heard　of　any；　he　could
make　her　no　other　answer；　but　who　his　owne　bad　humour　suggested；　and
drove　him　every　day　（almost）　to　deaths　doore；　by　feare　of　that　which
no　way　needed。　But；　whether　as　a　just　scourge　for　this　his　grosse
folly；　or　a　secret　decree；　ordained　to　him　by　Fortune　and　the　Fates；　I
am　not　able　to　distinguish：　It　came　so　to　passe；　that　a　young
Gallant　made　meanes　to　enjoy　her　favour；　and　she　was　so　discreetly
wise　in　judging　of　his　worthinesse；　that　affection　passed　so　farre
mutually　betweene　them；　as　nothing　wanted；　but　effects　to　answere
words；　suited　with　time　and　place　convenient；　for　which　order　was
taken　as　best　they　might；　yet　to　stand　free　from　all　suspition。
　　Among　many　other　evill　conditions；　very　frequent　and　familiar　in　her
husband　Tofano；　he　tooke　a　great　delight　in　drinking；　which　not　only
he　held　to　be　a　commendable　quality；　but　was　alwaies　so　often
solicited　thereto：　that　Cheta　her　selfe　began　to　like　and　allow　it
in　him；　feeding　his　humor　so　effectually；　with　quaffing　and　carowsing；
that　（at　any　time　when　she　listed）　she　could　make　him　bowsie　beyonde
all　measure：　and　leaving　him　sleeping　in　this　drunkennesse；　would
alwayes　get　her　selfe　to　bed。　By　helpe　heereof；　she　compassed　the
first　familiarity　with　her　friend；　yea；　divers　times　after；　as
occasion　served：　and　so　confidently　did　she　builde　on　her　husbands
drunkennesse；　that　not　onely　shee　adventured　to　bring　her　friend
home　into　her　owne　house；　but　also　would　as　often　go　to　his；　which　was
some…what　neere　at　hand；　and　abide　with　him　there；　the　most　part　of
the　night　season。
　While　Cheta　thus　continued　on　these　amorous　courses；　it　fortuned；
that　her　slye　suspitious　husband；　beganne　to　perceive；　that　though
shee　drunke　very　much　with　him；　yea；　untill　he　was　quite　spent　and
gone：　yet　she　remained　fresh　and　sober　still；　and　therby　imagined
strange　matters；　that　he　being　fast　asleepe；　his　wife　then　tooke
advantage　of　his　drowsinesse；　and　mightand　so　forth。　Beeing　desirous
to　make　experience　of　this　his　distrust；　hee　returned　home　at　night
（not　having　drunke　any　thing　all　the　whole　day）　dissembling　both　by
his　words　and　behaviour；　as　if　he　were　notoriously　drunke　indeede。
Which　his　Wife　constantly　beleeving；　saide　to　her　selfe：　That　hee
had　now　more　neede　of　sleepe；　then　drinke；　getting　him　immediately
into　his　warme　bed；　and　then　going　downe　the　staires　againe；　softly
went　out　of　doores　unto　her　Friends　house；　as　formerly　she　had　used　to
do；　and　there　shee　remained　untill　midnight。
　　Tofano　perceiving　that　his　Wife　came　not　to　bed；　and　imagining　to
have　heard　his　doore　both　open　and　shut：　arose　out　of　his　bed；　and
calling　his　Wife　Cheta　divers　times；　without　any　answere　returned：　hee
went　downe　the　staires；　and　finding　the　doore　but　closed　too；　made
it　fast　and　sure　on　the　inside；　and　then　got　him　up　to　the　window；
to　watch　the　returning　home　of　his　wife；　from　whence　shee　came；　and
then　to　make　her　conditions　apparantly　knowne。　So　long　there　he
stayed；　till　at　the　last　she　returned　indeede；　and　finding　the　doore
so　surely　shut；　shee　was　exceeding　sorrowful；　essaying　how　she　might
get　it　open　by　strength：　which　when　Tofano　had　long　suffered　her　in
vaine　to　approove；　thus　hee　spake　to　her。　Cheta；　all　thy　labour　is
meerely　lost；　because　heere　is　no　entrance　allowed　for　thee；　therefore
return　to　the　place　from　whence　thou　camest；　that　all　thy　friends
may　Judge　of　thy　behaviour；　and　know　what　a　night…walker　thou　art
become。
　　The　woman　hearing　this　unpleasing　language；　began　to　use　all
humble　entreaties；　desiring　him　（for　charities　sake）　to　open　the　doore
and　admit　her　entrance；　because　she　had　not　bin　in　any　such　place；
as　his　jelous　suspition　might　suggest　to　him：　but　onely　to　visit　a
weak　and　sickly　neighbour；　the　nights　being　long；　she　not　（as　yet）
capeable　of　sleepe；　nor　willing　to　sit　alone　in　the　house。　But　all　her
perswasions　served　to　no　purpose；　he　was　so　setled　in　his　owne
opinion；　that　all　the　Town　should　now　see　her　nightly　gading；　which
before　was　not　so　much　as　suspected。　Cheta　seeing；　that　faire　meanes
would　not　prevalle；　shee　entred　into　roughe　speeches　and
threatnings；　saying：　If　thou　wilt　not　open　the　doore　and　let　me　come
in；　I　will　so　shame　thee；　as　never　base　man　was。　As　how　I　pray　thee？
answered　Tofano；　what　canst　thou　do　to　me？
　　The　woman；　whom　love　had　inspired　with　sprightly　counsell；
ingeniously　enstructing　her　what　to　do　in　this　distresse；　stearnly
thus　replyed。　Before　I　will　suffer　any　such　shame　as　thou　intendest
towards　mee；　I　will　drowne　my　selfe　heere　in　this　Well　before　our
doore；　where　being　found　dead；　and　thy　villanous　jealousie　so
apparantly　knowne；　beside　thy　more　then　beastly　drunkennesse：　all
the　neighbours　will　constantly　beleeve；　that　thou　didst　first　strangle
me　in　the　house；　and　afterwardes　threw　me　into　this　Well。　So　either
thou　must　flie　upon　the　supposed　offence；　or　lose　all　thy　goodes　by
banishment；　or　（which　is　much　more　fitting　for　thee）　have　thy　head
smitten　off；　as　a　wilfull　murtherer　of　thy　wife；　for　all　will　Judge　it
to　be　no　otherwise。　All　which　wordes；　mooved　not　Tofano　a　jot　from　his
obstinat　determination：　but　he　still　persisting　therin；　thus　she
spake。　I　neither　can　nor　will　longer　endure　this　base　Villanie　of
thine：　to　the　mercy　of　heaven　I　commit　my　soul；　and　stand　there　my
wheele；　a　witnesse　against　so　hard…hearted　a　murtherer。
　　No　sooner　had　she　thus　spoke；　but　the　night　being　so　extreamly　dark；
as　they　could　not　discerne　one　another；　Cheta　went　to　the　Well；
where　finding　a　verie　great　stone；　which　lay　loose　upon　the　brim　of
the　Well；　even　as　if　it　had　beene　layde　there　on　purpose；　shee　cried
out　aloud；　saying。　Forgive　me　faire　heavens；　and　so　threw　the　stone
downe　into　the　Well。　The　night　being　very　still　and　silent；　the　fal　of
the　great　stone　made　such　a　dreadfull　noise　in　the　Well；　that　he
hearing　it　at　the　Windowe；　thought　verily　she　had　drowned　her　selfe
indeede。　Whereupon；　running　downe　hastily；　and　taking　a　Bucket
fastened　to　a　strong　Cord：　he　left　the　doore　wide　open；　intending
speedily　to　helpe　her。　But　she　standing　close　at　the　doores
entrance；　before　he　could　get　to　the　Wels　side；　she　was　within　the
house；　softly　made　the　doore　fast　on　the　inside；　and　then　went　up　to
the　Window；　where　Tofano　before　had　stood　talking　to　her。
　　While　he　was　thus　dragging　with　his　Bucket　in　the　Well；　crying　and
calling　Cheta；　take　hold　good　Cheta；　and　save　thy　life：　she　stood
laughing　in　the　Window；　saying。　Water　should　bee　put　into　Wine
before　a　man　drinkes　it；　and　not　when　he　hath　drunke　too　much　already。
Tofano　hearing　his　Wife　thus　to　flout　him　out　of　his　Window；　went　back
to　the　doore；　and　finding　it　made　fast　against　him：　he　willed　hir　to
grant　him　entrance。　But　she；　forgetting　all　gentle　Language；　which
formerly　she　had　used　to　him：　in　meere　mockery　and　derision　（yet
intermixed　with　some　sighes　and　teares；　which　women　are　saide　to
have　at　command）　out　aloud　（because　the　Neighbours　should　heare　her）
thus　she　replyed。
　　Beastly　drunken　Knave　as　thou　art；　this　night　thou　shalt　not　come
within　these　doores；　I　am　no　longer　able　to　endure　thy　base　behaviour；
it　is　more　then　high　time；　that　thy　course　of　life　should　bee
publiquely　known；　and　at　what　drunken　houres　thou　returnest　home　to
thy　house。　Tofano；　being　a　man　of　very　impatient　Nature；　was　as　bitter
unto　her　in　words　on　the　other　which　the　Neighbours　about　them　（both
men　and　Women）　hearing；　looked　forth　of　their　Windowes；　and　demaunding
a　reason　for　this　their　disquietnesse；　Cheta　（seeming　as　if　she
wept）　sayde。
　　Alas　my　good　Neighbours；　you　see　at　what　unfitting　houres；　this
bad　man　comes　home　to　his　house；　after　hee　hath　lyen　in　a　Taverne
all　day　drunke；　sleeping　and　snorting　like　a　Swine。　You　are　my
honest　witnesses；　how　long　I　have　suffered　this　beastlinesse　in　him；
yet　neyther　your　good　counsell；　nor　my　too　often　loving
adrionitions；　can　worke　that　good　which　wee　have　expected。
Wherefore；　to　try　if　shame　can　procure　any　amendment；　I　have　shut
him　out　of　doores；　until　his　drunken　fit　be　over…past；　and　so　he　shall
stand　to　coole　his　feet。
　　Tofano　（but　in　very　uncivill　maner）　told　her　being　abroad　that
night；　and　how　she　had　used　him：　But　the　Neighbours　seeing　her　to　be
within　the　house；　and　beleeving　her；　rather　then　him；　in　regard　of　his
too　well　knowne　ill　qualities；　very　sharpely　reproved　him；　gave　him
grosse　speeches；　pittying　that　any　honest　Woman　should　be　so
continually　abused。　Now　my　good　Neighbours　（quoth　she）　you　see　what
manner　of　man　he　is。　What　would　you　thinke　of　me；　if　I　should　walk　the
streets　thus　in　the　night　time；　or　be　so　late　out　of　mine　owne
house；　as　this　dayly　Drunkard　is？　I　was　affraid　least　you　would　have
given　credit　to　his　dissembling　speeches；　when　he　told　you；　that　I　was
at　the　Welles　side；　and　threw　something　into　the　Well：　but　that　I　know
your　better　opinion　of　me；　and　how　sildome　I　am　to　be　seene　out　of
doores；　although　he　would　induce　your　sharper　judgement　of　me；　and　lay
that　shame　upon　me；　wherein　he　hath　sinned　himselfe。
　　The　Neighbours；　both　men　and　Women；　were　all　very　severely
incensed　against　Tofano；　condemning　him　for　his　great　fault　that　night
committed；　and　avouching　his　wife　to　be　vertuous　and　honest。　Within
a　little　while；　the　noise　passing　from　Neighbour　to　Neighbour；　at
the　length　it　came　to　the　eares　of　her　Kindred；　who　forthwith　resorted
thither；　and　hearing　how　sharpely　the　Neighbours　reprehended　Tofano：
they　tooke　him；　soundly　bastanadoed　him；　and　hardly　left　any　bone　of
him　unbruised。　Afterward；　they　went　into　the　house；　tooke　all　such
things　thence　as　belonged　to　hir；　taking　hir　also　with　them　to　their
dwelling；　and　threatning　Tofano　with　further　infliction　of　puni