the decameron(十日谈)-第106章

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things　thence　as　belonged　to　hir；　taking　hir　also　with　them　to　their
dwelling；　and　threatning　Tofano　with　further　infliction　of　punishment；
both　for　his　drunkennesse；　and　causlesse　jealousie。
　　Tofano　perceyving　how　curstly　they　had　handled　him；　and　what　crooked
meanes　might　further　be　used　against　him；　in　regard　her　Kindred　and
Friends　were　very　mightie：　thought　it　much　better；　patiently　to　suffer
the　wrong　alreadie　done　him；　then　by　obstinate　contending　to　proceed
further；　and　fare　worse。　He　became　a　suter　to　her　Kindred；　that　al
might　be　forgotten　and　forgiven；　in　recompence　whereof；　he　would　not
onely　refraine　from　drunkennesse；　but　also；　never　more　be　jelous　of
his　wife。　This　being　faithfully　promised；　and　Cheta　reconciled　to
her　Husband；　all　strife　was　ended；　she　enjoyed　her　friends　favour；
as　occasion　served；　but　yet　with　such　discretion；　as　it　was　not　noted。
Thus　the　Coxcombe　foole；　was　faine　to　purchase　his　peace；　after　a
notorious　wrong　sustained；　and　further　injuries　to　bee　offered。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SEVENTH　DAY；　THE　FIFT　NOVELL

　　IN　JUST　SCORNE　AND　MOCKERY　OF　SUCH　JEALOUS　HUSBANDS；　THAT　WILL　BE
　　　SO　IDLE　HEADED　UPON　NO　OCCASION。　YET　WHEN　THEY　HAVE　GOOD　REASON
　　　　　　　　　　　FOR　IT；　DO　LEAST　OF　ALL　SUSPECT　ANY　SUCH　INJURY

　　A　jealous　man；　clouded　with　the　habite　of　a　Priest；　became　the
Confessour　to　his　owne　Wife；　who　made　him　beleeve；　that　she　was
deepely　in　love　with　a　Priest；　which　came　every　night；　and　lay　with
her。　By　meanes　of　which　confession；　while　her　jealous　Husband
watched　the　doore　of　his　house；　to　surprize　the　Priest　when　he　came：
she　that　never　meant　to　do　amisse；　had　the　company　of　a　secret　Friend；
who　came　over　the　toppe　of　the　house　to　visite　her；　while　her
foolish　Husband　kept　the　doore。

　　Madam　Lauretta　having　ended　her　Novell；　and　every　one　commended
the　Woman；　for　fitting　Tofano　in　his　kinde；　and；　as　his　jealousie
and　drunkennesse　justly　deserved：　the　King　（to　prevent　all　losse　of
time）　turned　to　Madame　Fiammetta；　commaunding　her　to　follow　next：
whereuppon；　very　graciously；　shee　beganne　in　this　manner。
　　Noble　Ladies；　the　precedent　Novell　delivered　by　Madame　Lauretta；
maketh　me　willing　to　speake　of　another　jealous　man；　as　being　halfe
perswaded；　that　whatsoever　is　done　to　them　by　their　Wives；　and
especially　upon　no　occasion　given；　they　doe　no　more　then　well
becommeth　them。　And　if　those　grave　heads；　which　were　the　first
instituters　of　lawes；　had　diligently　observed　all　things；　I　am　of
the　minde；　that　they　would　have　ordained　no　other　penalty　for　Women；
then　they　appointed　against　such；　as　（in　their　owne　defence）　do　offend
any　other。　For　jealous　husbands；　are　meere　insidiators　of　their
Wives　lives；　and　most　diligent　pursuers　of　their　deaths；　being　lockt
up　in　their　houses　all　the　Weeke　long；　imployed　in　nothing　but
domesticke　drudging　affayres：　which　makes　them　desirous　of　high
Festivall　dayes；　to　receive　some　litle　comfort　abroad；　by　an　honest
recreation　or　pastime；　as　Husbandmen　in　the　fields；　Artizans　in　our
Citie；　or　Governours　in　our　judiciall　Courtes；　yea；　or　as　our　Lord
himselfe；　who　rested　the　seaventh　day　from　all　his　travailes。　In
like　manner；　it　is　so　willed　and　ordained　by　the　Lawes；　as　well　divine
as　humane；　which　have　regard　to　the　glory　of　God；　and　for　the　common
good　of　every　one；　making　distinction　betweene　those　dayes　appointed
for　labour；　and　the　other　determined　for　rest。　Whereto　jealous　persons
（in　no　case）　will　give　consent；　but　all　those　dayes　（which　for　other
women　are　pleasing　and　delightfull）　unto　such；　over　whom　they　command；
are　most　irksome；　sadde　and　sorrowful；　because　then　they　are　lockt　up；
and　very　strictly　restrained。　And　if　question　wer　urged；　how　many　good
women　do　live　and　consume　away　in　this　torturing　het　of　affliction：
I　can　make　no　other　answere；　but　such　as　feele　it；　are　best　able　to
discover　it。　Wherefore　to　conclude　the　proheme　to　my　present
purpose；　let　none　be　over　rash　in　condemning　women：　for　what　they　do
to　their　husbands；　being　jealous　without　occasion；　but　rather
commend　their　wit　and　providence。
　　Somtime　（faire　Ladies）　there　lived　in　Arimino；　a　Merchant；　very　rich
in　wealth　and　worldly　possessions；　who　having　a　beautifull　Gentlewoman
to　his　wife；　he　became　extreamly　jelous　of　her。　And　he　had　no　other
reason　for　this　foolish　conceit；　but；　like　as　he　loved　hir　dearly；　and
found　her　to　be　very　absolutely　faire：　even　so　he　imagined；　that
althogh　she　devised　by　her　best　meanes　to　give　him　content；　yet　others
would　grow　enamored　of　her；　because　she　appeared　so　amiable　to　al。
In　which　respect；　time　might　tutor　her　to　affect　some　other　beside
himselfe：　the　onely　common　argument　of　every　bad　minded　man；　being
weake　and　shallow　in　his　owne　understanding。　This　jelous　humor
increasing　in　him　more　and　more；　he　kept　her　in　such　narrow　restraint：
that　many　persons　condemned　to　death；　have　enoyed　larger　libertie　in
their　imprisonment。　For；　she　might　not　bee　present　at　Feasts；
Weddings；　nor　goe　to　Church；　or　so　much　as　to　be　seen　at　her　doore：
Nay；　she　durst　not　stand　in　her　Window；　nor　looke　out　of　her　house；
for　any　occasion　whatsoever。　By　means　whereof；　life　seemed　most
tedious　and　offensive　to　her；　and　she　supported　it　the　more
impatiently；　because　shee　knew　her　selfe　not　any　way　faulty。
　　Seeing　her　husband　still　persist　in　this　shamefull　course　towards
her；　she　studied；　how　she　might　best　comfort　her　selfe　in　this
desolate　case：　by　devising　some　one　meane　or　other　（if　any　at　all　were
to　bee　founde）　wherby　he　might　be　requited　in　his　kind；　and　wear
that　badge　of　shame　whereof　he　was　now　but　onely　affraid。　And
because　she　could　not　gain　so　small　a　permission；　as　to　be　seene　at
any　window；　where　（happily）　she　might　have　observed　some　one　passing
by　in　the　street；　discerning　a　litle　parcell　of　her　love：　she
remembred　at　length；　that；　in　the　next　house　to　her　Husbands　（they
both　joyning　close　together）　there　dwelt　a　comely　yong　proper
Gentleman；　whose　perfections　carried　correspondencie　with　her　desires。
She　also　considered　with　her　selfe；　that　if　there　were　any　partition
wall；　such　a　chinke　or　cranny　might　easily　be　made　therein；　by　which
（at　one　time　or　other）　she　should　gaine　a　sight　of　the　young
Gentleman；　and　finde　an　houre　so　fitting；　as　to　conferre　with　him；　and
bestow　her　lovely　favour　on　him；　if　he　pleased　to　accept　it。　If
successe　（in　this　case）　proved　answerable　to　her　hope；　then　thus　she
resolved　to　outrun　the　rest　of　her　wearisome　dayes；　except　the　frensie
of　jealousie　did　finish　her　husbands　loathed　life　before。
　　Walking　from　one　roome　to　another；　thorough　every　part　of　the　house；
and　no　wall　escaping　without　diligent　surveying；　on　a　day；　when　her
Husband　was　absent　from　home；　she　espyed　in　a　corner　very　secret；　an
indifferent　cleft　in　the　Wall；　which　though　it　yeelded　no　full　view　on
the　other　side；　yet　she　plainly　perceived　it　to　be　an　handsome
Chamber；　and　grew　more　then　halfe　perswaded；　that　either　it　might　be
the　Chamber　of　Philippo　（for　so　was　the　neighbouring　yong　Gentleman
named）　or　else　a　passage　guiding　thereto。　A　Chambermaid　of　hers；　who
compassioned　her　case　very　much；　made　such　observance；　by　her
Mistresses　direction；　that　she　found　it　to　be　Philippoes　bed
Chamber；　and　where　alwayes　he　used　to　lodge　alone。　By　often　visiting
this　rift　or　chinke　in　the　Wall；　especially　when　the　Gentleman　was
there；　and　by　throwing　in　little　stones；　flowers；　and　such　like
things；　which　fell　still　in　his　way　as　he　walked：　so　farre　she
prevailed；　that　he　stepping　to　the　chinke；　to　know　from　whence　they
came；　shee　called　softly　to　him；　who　knowing　her　voyce；　there　they　had
such　private　conference　together；　as　was　not　any　way　displeasing　to
either。　So　that　the　chinke　being　made　a　little　larger；　yet　so；　as　it
could　not　be　easily　discerned：　their　mouthes　might　meete　with　kisses
together；　and　their　hands　folded　each　in　other；　but　nothing　else　to　be
performed；　for　continuall　feare　of　her　jelous　husband。
　　Now　the　Feast　of　Christmasse　drawing　neere；　the　Gentlewoman　said
to　her　Husband；　that；　if　it　stood　with　his　liking：　she　would　do　such
duty　as　fitted　with　so　solemne　a　time；　by　going　earely　in　a　morning
unto　Church；　there　to　be　confessed；　and　receive　her　Saviour；　as
other　Christians　did。　How　now？　replied　the　jealous　Asse；　what　sinnes
have　you　committed；　that　should　neede　confession？　How　Husband？　quoth
she；　what　do　you　thinke　me　to　be　a　Saint？　Who　knoweth　not；　I　pray　you；
that　I　am　as　subject　to　sinne；　as　any　other　Woman　living　in　the　world？
But　my　sins　are　not　to　be　revealed　to　you；　because　you　are　no
Priest。　These　words　enflamed　his　jealousie　more　violently　then　before；
and　needes　must　he　know　what　sinnes　she　had　committed；　and　having
resolved　what　to　do　in　this　case；　made　her　answer：　That　hee　was
contented　with　her　motion；　alwaies　provided；　that　she　went　to　no　other
Church；　then　unto　their　owne　Chappel；　betimes　in　a　morning；　and
their　own　Chaplaine　to　confesse　her；　or　some　other　Priest　by　him
appointed；　but　not　any　other：　and　then　she　to　returne　home　presently
againe。　She　being　a　woman　of　acute　apprehension；　presently　collected
his　whole　intention：　but　seeming　to　take　no　knowledge　thereof；
replyed；　that　she　would　not　swerve　from　his　direction。
　　When　the　appointed　day　was　come；　she　arose　very　earely；　and　being
prepared　answerable　to　her　owne　liking；　to　the　Chappell　shee　went　as
her　Husband　had　appointed；　where　her　jealous　Husband　（being　much
earlier　risen　then　she）　attended　for　her　comming：　having　so　ordred　the
matter　with　his　Chaplaine；　that　he　was　cloathed　in　his　Cowle；　with　a
large　Hood　hanging　over　his　eyes；　that　she　should　not　know　him；　and　so
he　went　and　sate　downe　in　the　Confessors　place。　Shee　being　entred　into
the　Chappell；　and　calling　for　the　Priest　to　heare　her　confession；　he
made　her　answer：　that　he　could　not　intend　it；　but　would　bring　her　to
another　holy　Brother；　who　was　at　better　leysure　then　hee。　So　to　her
Husband　he　brought　her；　that　seemed　（in　all　respects）　like　the
Confessor　himselfe：　save　onely　his　Hood　was　not　so　closely　veyled；　but
shee　knew　his　beard；　and　said　to　her　selfe。　What　a　mad　world　is　this
when　jealousie　can　metamorphose　an　ordinary　man　into　a　Priest？　But；
let　me　alone　with　him；　I　meane　to　fit　him　with　that　which　he　lookes
for。
　　So；　appearing　to　have　no　knowledge　at　all　of　him；　downe　she　fell
at　his　feete；　and　he　had　conveyed　a　few　Cherry　stones　into　his
mouth；　to　trouble　his　speech　from　her　knowledge；　for；　in　all　things
els；　he　thoght　himselfe　to　be　sufficiently　fitted　for　her。　In　the
course　of　her　confession；　she　declared；　that　she　was　married　to　a　most
wicked　jealous　Husband；　and　with　whom　she　lead　a　very　hatefull　life。
Neverthelesse　（quoth　she）　I　am　indifferently　even　with　him；　for　I　am
beloved　of　an　Holie　Fryar；　that　every　night　commeth　and　lyeth　with　me。
When　the　jealous　Husband　heard　this；　it　stabbed　him　like　a　dagger　to
the　heart；　and；　but　for　his　greedy　covetous　desire　to　know　more；　he
would　faine　have　broke　off　confession；　and　got　him　gone。　But；
perceiving　that　it　was　his　wisest　course；　he　questioned　further　with
his　wife；　saying：　Why　good　Woman；　doth　not　your　husband　lodge　with
you？　Yes　Sir；　quoth　she。　How　is　it　possible　then　（replyed　the　Husband）
that　th