the decameron(十日谈)-第129章

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good　lucke　to　escape　out　of　this。
　　It　appeareth　to　me；　that　thou　art　verie　desirous　to　come　downe
hither　on　the　ground；　the　best　counsell　that　I　can　give　thee；　is　to
leape　downe　headlong；　that　by　breaking　thy　necke　（if　thy　fortune　be　so
faire）　thy　life　and　lothsome　qualities　ending　together；　I　may　sit
and　smile　at　thy　deserved　destruction。　I　have　no　other　comfort　to　give
thee；　but　only　to　boast　my　happinesse；　in　teaching　thee　the　way　to
ascend　that　Tower；　and　in　thy　descending　downe　（even　by　what　means　thy
wit　can　best　devise）　make　a　mockery　of　me；　and　say　thou　hast　learned
more；　then　all　my　Schollership　could　instruct　thee。
　　All　the　while　as　Reniero　uttered　these　speeches；　the　miserable
Lady　sighed　and　wept　very　grievously；　the　time　running　on；　and　the
Sunne　ascending　higher　and　higher；　but　when　she　heard　him　silent；　thus
she　answered。　Unkinde　and　cruell　man；　if　that　wretched　night　was　so
greevous　to　thee；　and　mine　offence　appeared　so　great；　as　neither　my
youth；　beautie；　teares；　and　humble　intercessions；　are　able　to　derive
any　mercy　from　thee；　yet　let　the　last　consideration　moove　thee　to　some
remorse：　namely　that　I　reposed　new　confidence　in　thee　（when　I　had
little　or　no　reason　at　all　to　trust　thee）　and　discovered　the
integritie　of　my　soule　unto　thee；　whereby　thou　didst　compasse　the
meanes；　to　punish　me　thus　deservedly　for　my　sinne。　For；　if　I　had　not
reposed　confidence　in　thee；　thou　couldst　not　（in　this　maner）　have
wrought　revenge　on　me；　which　although　thou　didst　earnestly　covet；
yet　my　rash　credulitie　was　thy　onely　helpe。　Asswage　then　thine
anger；　and　graciously　pardon　me；　wherein　if　thou　wilt　be　so
mercifull　to　me；　and　free　me　from　this　fatall　Tower：　I　do　heere
faithfully　promise　thee；　to　forsake　my　most　false　and　disloyall
friend；　electing　thee　as　my　Lord　and　constant　Love　for　ever。
　　Moreover；　although　thou　condemnest　my　beauty　greatly；　esteeming　it
as　a　trifle；　momentary；　and　of　slender　continuance；　yet；　such　as　it　is
（being　comparable　with　any　other　womans　whatsoever）　I　am　not　so
ignorant；　that　were　there　no　other　reason　to　induce　liking　thereof：
yet　men　in　the　vigour　of　their　youth　（as　I　am　sure　you　think　your
selfe　not　aged）　do　hold　it　for　an　especiall　delight；　ordained　by
nature　for　them　to　admire　and　honour。　And　notwithstanding　all　thy
cruelty　extended　to　mee；　yet　I　cannot　be　perswaded；　that　thou　art　so
flinty　or　Ironhearted；　as　to　desire　my　miserable　death；　by　casting
my　selfe　headlong　downe　（like　a　desperate　madde　woman）　before　thy
face；　so　to　destroy　that　beuty；　which　（if　thy　Letters　lyed　not）　was
once　so　highly　pleasing　in　thine　eyes。　Take　pitty　then　on　mee　for
charities　sake；　because　the　Sunne　beginneth　to　heate　extreamely：　and
as　over…much　colde　（that　unhappy　night）　was　mine　offence；　so　let　not
over…violent　warmth　be　now　my　utter　ruine　and　death。
　　The　Scholler；　who　（onely　to　delight　himselfe）　maintained　this　long
discoursing　with　her；　returned　her　this　answere。　Madame；　you　did　not
repose　such　confidence　in　me；　for　any　good　will　or　afrection　in　you
towards　me；　but　in　hope　of　recovering　him　whom　you　had　lost；　wherein
you　merit　not　a　jot　of　favour；　but　rather　the　more　sharpe　and　severe
infliction。　And　whereas　you　inferre；　that　your　over…rash　credulity；
gave　the　onely　meanes　to　my　revenge：　Alas！　therein　you　deceive　your
selfe；　for　I　have　a　thousand　crochets　working　continually　in　my　brain；
whereby　to　entrap　a　wiser　creature　then　a　woman；　yet　veiled　all
under　the　cunning　cloake　of　love；　but　sauced　with　the　bitter　Wormewood
of　hate。　So　that；　had　not　this　hapned　as　now　it　doth；　of　necessity　you
must　have　falne　into　another：　but；　as　it　hath　pleased　my　happy　stars
to　favour　mee　therein；　none　could　proove　more　to　your　eternall
scandall　and　disgrace；　then　this　of　your　owne　devising；　which　I　made
choise　of；　not　in　regard　of　any　ease　to　you；　but　onely　to　content　my
selfe。
　　But　if　all　other　devises　els　had　failed；　my　pen　was　and　is　my
prevayling　Champion；　where…with　I　would　have　written　such　and　so
many　strange　matters；　concerning　you　in　your　very　dearest
reputation；　that　you　should　have　curst　the　houre　of　your　conception；
and　wisht　your　birth　had　bin　abortive。　The　powers　of　the　pen　are　too
many　and　mighty；　wherof　such　weake　wits　as　have　made　no　experience；
are　the　lesse　able　to　use　any　relation。　I　sweare　to　you　Lady；　by　my
best　hopes；　that　this　revenge　which　（perhappes）　you　esteeme　great
and　dishonourable；　is　no　way　compareable　to　the　wounding　Lines　of　a
Penne；　which　can　carracter　downe　so　infinite　infamies　（yet　none　but
guilty　and　true　taxations）　as　will　make　your　owne　hands　immediate
instruments；　to　teare　the　eyes　from　forth　your　head；　and　so　bequeath
your　after　dayes　unto　perpetuall　darkenesse。
　　Now；　concerning　your　lost　lover；　for　whose　sake　you　suffer　this
unexpected　pennance；　although　your　choise　hath　proved　but　bad；　yet
still　continue　your　affection　to　him：　in　regard　that　I　have　another
Ladie　and　Mistresse；　of　higher　and　greater　desert　then　you；　and　to
whome　I　will　continue　for　ever　constant。　And　whereas　you　thinke；　the
warme　beames　of　the　Sunne；　will　be　too　hot　and　scorching　for　your　nice
bodie　to　endure：　remember　the　extreame　cold　which　you　caused　mee　to
feele；　and　if　you　can　intermixe　some　part　of　that　cold　with　the
present　heat；　I　dare　assure　you；　the　Sun　（in　his　highest　heate）　will
be　far　more　temperate　for　your　feeling。
　　The　disconsolate　Lady　perceiving；　that　the　Schollers　wordes　savoured
of　no　mercy；　but　rather　as　coveting　her　desperate　ending；　with　the
teares　streaming　downe　her　cheekes；　thus　she　replied。　Wel　Sir；
seeing　there　is　no　matter　of　worth　in　me；　whereby　to　derive　any
compassion　from　you：　yet　for　that　Ladies　sake；　whom　you　have　elected
worthy　to　enjoy　your　love；　and　so　farre　excelleth　mee　in　Wisedome；
vouchsafe　to　pardon　mee；　and　suffer　my　garments　to　be　brought　me；
wherewith　to　cover　my　nakednesse；　and　so　to　descend　downe　from　this
Tower；　if　it　may　stand　with　your　gentle　Nature　to　admit　it。
　　Now　beganne　Reniero　to　laughe　very　heartily；　and　perceiving　how
swiftly　the　day　ran　on　in　his　course；　he　saide　unto　her。　Beleeve　me
Madame　Helena；　you　have　so　conjured　me　by　mine　endeered　Ladie　and
Mistresse；　that　I　am　no　longer　able　to　deny　you；　wherefore；　tell　me
where　your　garments　are；　and　I　will　bring　them　to　you；　that　you　may
come　downe　from　the　Turret。　She　beleeving　his　promise；　tolde　him　where
she　had　hid　them；　and　Reniero　departing　from　the　Tower；　commanded
his　servant；　not　to　stirre　thence：　but　to　abide　still　so　neere　it；
as　none　might　get　entrance　there　till　his　returning。　Which　charge
was　no　sooner　given　to　his　man；　but　hee　went　to　the　house　of　a　neere
neighboring　friend；　where　he　dined　well；　and　afterward　laid　him
downe　to　sleepe。
　　In　the　meane　while；　Madame　Helena　remaining　still　on　the　Tower；
began　to　comfort　her　selfe　with　a　little　vaine　hope；　yet　sighing　and
weeping　incessantly；　seating　her　selfe　so　well　as　shee　could；　where
any　small　shelter　might　yeelde　the　least　shade；　in　expectation　of
the　Schollers　returning：　one　while　weeping；　then　againe　hoping；　but
most　of　all　despairing；　by　his　so　long　tarrying　away　with　her
Garments；　so　that　beeing　over…wearied　with　anguish　and　long
watching；　she　fell　into　a　little　slumbering。　But　the　Sunne　was　so
extreamly　hot；　the　houre　of　noone　being　already　past；　that　it　meerly
parched　her　delicate　body；　and　burnt　her　bare　head　so　violently：　as
not　onely　it　seared　all　the　flesh　it　touched；　but　also　cleft　and
chinkt　it　strangely；　beside　blisters　and　other　painfull　scorchings
in　the　flesh　which　hindred　her　sleeping；　to　help　her　self　（by　all
possible　means）　waking。　And　the　Turret　being　covered　with　Lead；　gave
the　greater　addition　to　her　torment；　for；　as　she　removed　from　one
place　to　another；　it　yeelded　no　mitigation　to　the　burning　heate；　but
parched　and　wrinkled　the　flesh　extraordinarily；　even　as　when　a　piece
of　parchment　is　throwne　into　the　fire；　and　recovered　out　againe；　can
never　be　extended　to　his　former　forme。
　　Moreover；　she　was　so　grievously　payned　with　the　head…ake；　as　it
seemed　to　split　in　a　thousand　pieces；　whereat　there　needed　no　great
the　Lead　of　the　Turret　being　so　exceedingly　hot；　that　it　affoorded　not
the　least　defence　against　it；　or　any　repose　to　qualifie　the　torment：
but　drove　her　still　from　one　place　to　another；　in　hope　of　ease；　but
none　was　there　to　be　found。
　　Nor　was　there　any　winde　at　all　stirring；　whereby　to　asswage　the
Sunnes　violent　scalding；　or　keepe　away　huge　swarmes　of　Waspes；
Hornets；　and　terrible　byting　Flyes；　which　vexed　her　extreamely；
feeding　on　those　parts　of　her　body；　that　were　rifte　and　chinkt；　like
crannies　in　a　mortered　wall；　and　pained　her　like　so　many　points　of
pricking　Needles；　labouring　still　with　her　hands　to　beate　them　away；
but　yet　they　fastned　on　one　place　or　other；　and　afflicted　her　in
grievous　manner；　causing　her　to　curse　her　owne　life；　hir　amorous
friend；　but　（most　of　all）　the　Scholler；　that　promised　to　bring　her
Garments；　and　as　yet　returned　not。　Now　began　she　to　gaze　upon　every
side　about　her；　to　espy　some　labouring　Husbandmen　in　the　fields；　to
whom　she　might　call　or　cry　out　for　helpe；　not　fearing　to　discover
her　desperate　condition：　but　Fortune　therein　also　was　adverse　to
her；　because　the　heats　extreamity；　had　driven　all　the　village　out　of
the　fields；　causing　them　to　feede　their　Cattle　about　theyr　owne
houses；　or　in　remote　and　shadie　Valleyes：　so　that　shee　could　see　no
other　creatures　to　comfort　her；　but　Swannes　swimming　in　the　River　of
Arno；　and　wishing　her　selfe　there　a　thousand　times　with　them；　for　to
coole　the　extreamity　of　her　thirst；　which　so　much　the　more
encreased；　onely　by　the　sight　thereof；　and　utterly　disabled　of
having　any。
　　She　saw　beside　in　many　places　about　her；　goodly　Woods；　fayre　coole
shades；　and　Country　houses　here　and　there　dispersed；　which　added　the
greater　violence　to　hir　affliction；　that　her　desires　（in　all　these）
could　no　way　be　accomplished。　What　shall　I　say　more　concerning　this
disastrous　Lady？　The　parching　beames　of　the　Sunne　above　her；　the
scalding　heat　of　the　Lead　beneath　her；　the　Hornets　and　Flyes　everie
way　stinging　her；　had　made　such　an　alteration　of　her　beautifull　bodie：
that；　as　it　checkt　and　controlled　the　precedent　nights　darkenesse；
it　was　now　so　metamorphosed　with　rednesse；　yea；　and　blood　issuing
forth　in　infinite　places；　as　she　seemed　（almost）　loathsome　to　looke
on；　continuing　still　in　this　agonie　of　torment；　quite　voyde　of　all
hope；　and　rather　expecting　death；　then　any　other　comfort。
　　Reniero；　when　some　three　houres　of　the　afternoone　were　overpast；
awaked　from　sleeping：　and　remembring　Madame　Helena；　he　went　to　see
in　what　estate　she　was；　as　also　to　send　his　servant　unto　dinner；
because　he　had　fasted　all　that　day。　She　perceyving　his　arrivall；　being
altogether　weake；　faint；　and　wonderously　over…wearied；　she　crept　on
her　knees　to　a　corner　of　the　Turret；　and　calling　to　him；　spake　in　this
manner。　Reniero；　thy　revenge　exceedeth　al　manhoode　and　respect：　For；
if　thou　wast　almost　frozen　in　my　Court；　thou　hast　roasted　me　all　day
long　on　this　Tower；　yea；　meerly　broyled　my　poore　naked　bodie；　beside
starving　mee　thorough　want　of　Food　and　drinke。　Be　now　then　so
mercifull　（for　manhoods　sake）　as　to　come　uppe　hither；　and　inflict　that
o