the decameron(十日谈)-第13章

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the　honest　man　fared。　Madame；　answered　the　Chamber…maide；　now　that　he
is　in　your　deceased　Lords　garments；　he　appeareth　to　be　a　very　goodly
Gentleman；　and　（questionlesse）　is　of　respective　birth　and　breeding；
well　deserving　this　gracious　favour　which　you　have　affoorded　him。
Goe　then　（quoth　the　Lady）　and　conduct　him　hither；　to　sit　by　this　fire；
and　sup　heere　with　mee；　for　I　feare　he　hath　had　but　a　sorrie　supper。
When　Rinaldo　was　entred　into　the　Chamber；　and　beheld　her　to　be　such
a　beautifull　Lady；　accounting　his　fortune　to　exceede　all　comparison；
he　did　her　most　humble　reverence；　expressing　so　much　thankefulnesse　as
possibly　he　could；　for　this　her　extraordinary　grace　and　favour。
　　The　Lady　fixing　a　stedfast　eye　upon　him；　well　liking　his　gentle
language　and　behaviour；　perceiving　also；　how　fitly　her　deceased
husbands　apparell　was　formed　to　his　person；　and　resembling　him　in
all　familiar　respects；　he　appeared　（in　her　judgement）　farre　beyond　the
Chambermaides　commendations　of　him；　so　praying　him　to　sit　downe　by　her
before　the　fire；　she　questioned　with　him；　concerning　this　unhappy
nights　accident　befalne　him；　wherein　he　fully　resolved　her；　and　shee
was　the　more　perswaded；　by　reason　of　his　servants　comming　into　the
Towne　before　night；　assuring　him；　that　he　should　be　found　for　him
early　in　the　morning。
　　Supper　being　served　in　to　the　Table；　and　hee　seated　according　as　the
Lady　commanded；　shee　began　to　observe　him　very　considerately；　for　he
was　a　goodly　man；　compleate　in　all　perfection　of　person；　a　delicate
pleasing　countenance；　a　quicke　alluring　eye；　fixed　and　constant；　not
wantonly　gadding；　in　the　joviall　youthfulnesse　of　his　time；　and　truest
temper　for　amorous　apprehension；　all　these　were　as　battering　engines
against　a　Bulwarke　of　no　strong　resistance；　and　wrought　strangely　upon
her　flexible　affections。　And　though　shee　fed　heartily；　as　occasion
constrained；　yet　her　thoughts　had　entertained　a　new　kinde　of　diet；
digested　onely　by　the　eye；　yet　so　cunningly　concealed；　that　no
motive　to　immodesty　could　be　discerned。　Her　mercy　thus　extended　to　him
in　misery；　drew　on　（by　Table　discourse）　his　birth；　education；　parents；
friends；　and　alies；　his　wealthy　possessions　by　Merchandize；　and　a
sound　stability　in　his　estate；　but　above　all　（and　best　of　all）　the
single　and　sole　condition　of　a　batcheler；　an　apt　and　easie　steele　to
strike　fire；　especially　upon　such　quicke　taking　tinder；　and　in　a
time　favoured　by　Fortune。
　　No　imbarment　remained；　but　remembrance　of　the　Marquesse；　and　that
being　summoned　to　her　more　advised　consideration；　her　youth　and　beauty
stood　up　as　conscious　accusers；　for　blemishing　her　honour　and　faire
repute；　with　lewd　and　luxurious　life；　far　unfit　for　a　Lady　of　her
degree；　and　well　worthy　of　generall　condemnation。　What　should　I
further　say？　upon　a　short　conference　with　her　Chamber…maide；
repentance　for　sinne　past；　and　solemne　promise　of　a　constant
conversion；　thus　shee　delivered　her　minde　to　Rinaldo。
　　Sir；　as　you　have　related　your　Fortunes　to　mee；　by　this　your
casuall　happening　hither；　if　you　can　like　the　motion　so　well　as　shee
that　makes　it；　my　deceased　Lord　and　Husband　living　so　perfectly　in
your　person；　this　house；　and　all　mine　is　yours；　and　of　a　widdow　I　will
become　your　wife；　except　（unmanly）　you　deny　me。　Rinaldo　hearing
these　words；　and　proceeding　from　a　Lady　of　such　absolute
perfections；　presuming　upon　so　proud　an　offer；　and　condemning　himselfe
of　folly　if　he　should　refuse　it；　thus　replied。　Madam；　considering　that
I　stand　bound　for　ever　heereafter；　to　confesse　that　you　are　the
gracious　preserver　of　my　life；　and　I　no　way　able　to　returne　requitall；
if　you　please　so　to　shadow　mine　insufficiencie；　and　to　accept　me　and
my　fairest　fortunes　to　doe　you　service：　let　me　die　before　a　thought　of
deniall；　or　any　way　to　yeeld　you　the　least　discontentment。
　　Heere　wanted　but　a　Priest　to　joyne　their　hands；　as　mutuall　affection
already　had　done　their　hearts；　which　being　sealed　with　infinit　kisses；
the　Chamber…maide　called　up　Friar　Roger　her　Confessor；　and　wedding　and
bedding　were　both　effected　before　the　bright　morning。　In　breefe；　the
Marquesse　having　heard　of　the　marriage；　did　not　mislike　it；　but
confirmed　it　by　great　and　honourable　giftes；　and　having　sent　for　his
dishonest　Servant；　he　dispatched　him　（after　sound　reprehension）　to
Ferrara；　with　Letters　to　Rinaldoes　Father　and　Friends；　of　all　the
accidents　that　had　befalne　him。　Moreover；　the　very　same　morning；　the
three　Theeves　that　had　robbed；　and　so　ill　intreated　Rinaldo；　for
another　facte　by　them　the　same　night　committed；　were　taken；　and
brought　to　the　Towne　of　Chasteau　Guillaume；　where　they　were　hanged　for
their　offences；　and　Rinaldo　with　his　wife　rode　to　Ferrara。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SECOND　DAY；　THE　THIRD　NOVELL

　　　　　　　WHEREIN　IS　DECLARED　THE　DANGERS　OF　PRODIGALITIE；　AND
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MANIFOLD　MUTABILITIES　OF　FORTUNE

　　Three　young　Gentlemen；　being　Brethren；　and　having　spent　all　their
Lands　and　possessions　vainely；　became　poore。　A　Nephew　of　theirs
（falling　almost　into　as　desperate　a　condition）　became　acquainted
with　an　Abbot；　whom　he　afterward　found　to　be　the　King　of　Englands
Daughter；　and　made　him　her　Husband　in　mariage；　recompencing　all　his
Uncles　losses；　and　seating　them　againe　in　good　estate。

　　The　fortunes　of　Rinaldo　de　Este；　being　heard　by　the　Ladies　and
Gentlemen；　they　admired　his　happinesse；　and　commended　his　devotion
to　Saint　Julian；　who　（in　such　extreame　necessity）　sent　him　so　good
succour。　Nor　was　the　Lady　to　be　blamed；　for　leaving　base　liberty；
and　converting　to　the　chaste　embraces　of　the　marriage　bed；　the　dignity
of　Womens　honour；　and　eternall　disgrace　living　otherwise。　While　thus
they　descanted　on　the　happy　night　betweene　her　and　Rinaldo；　Madam
Pampinea　sitting　next　to　Philostratus；　considering；　that　her　Discourse
must　follow　in　order；　and　thinking　on　what　shee　was　to　say；　the　Queene
had　no　sooner　sent　out　her　command；　but　she　being　no　lesse　faire
then　forward；　began　in　this　manner。　Ladies　of　great　respect；　the
more　we　conferre　on　the　accidents　of　Fortune；　so　much　the　more
remaineth　to　consider　on　her　mutabilities；　wherein　there　is　no　need　of
wonder；　if　discreetly　we　observe　that　al　such　things　as　we　fondly
tearme　to　be　our　owne；　are　in　her　power；　and　so　（consequently）
change　from　one　to　another；　without　any　stay　or　arrest　（according　to
her　concealed　judgement）　or　setled　order　（at　least）　that　can　bee
knowne　to　us。　Now；　although　these　things　appeare　thus　dayly　to　us；
even　apparantly　in　all　occasions；　and　as　hath　beene　discerned　by
some　of　our　precedent　Discourses；　yet　notwithstanding；　seeing　it
pleaseth　the　Queene；　that　our　arguments　should　aime　at　these　ends；　I
will　adde　to　the　former　tales　another　of　my　owne；　perhaps　not
unprofitable　for　the　hearers；　nor　unpleasing　in　observation。
　　Sometime　heeretofore；　there　dwelt　in　our　Cittie；　a　Knight　named
Signior　Theobaldo；　who　（according　as　some　report）　issued　from　the
Family　of　Lamberti；　but　others　derive　him　of　the　Agolanti；　guiding
（perhaps）　their　opinion　heerein；　more　from　the　traine　of　Children；
belonging　to　the　saide　Theobaldo　（evermore　equall　to　that　of　the
Agolanti）　then　any　other　matter　else。　But　setting　aside　from　which
of　these　two　houses　he　came；　I　say；　that　in　his　time　he　was　a　very
wealthy　Knight；　and　had　three　sonnes；　the　first　being　named
Lamberto；　the　second　Theobaldo；　and　the　third　Agolanto；　all　goodly　and
gracefull　youths：　howbeit；　the　eldest　had　not　compleated　eighteene
yeares；　when　Signior　Theobaldo　the　Father　deceased；　who　left　them
all　his　goods　and　inheritances。　And　they；　seeing　themselves　rich　in
ready　monies　and　revennewes；　without　any　other　governement　then
their　owne　voluntary　disposition；　kept　no　restraint　upon　their
expences；　but　maintained　many　servants；　and　store　of　unvalewable
Horses；　beside　Hawkes　and　Hounds；　with　open　house　for　all　commers；　and
not　onely　all　delights　else　fit　for　Gentlemen；　but　what　vanities
beside　best　agreed　with　their　wanton　and　youthfull　appetites。
　　Not　long　had　they　run　on　this　race；　but　the　Treasures　lefte　them
by　their　Father；　began　greatly　to　diminish；　and　their　Revennewes
suffised　not；　to　support　such　lavish　expences　as　they　had　begun：　but
they　fell　to　engaging　and　pawning　their　inheritances；　selling　one　to
day；　and　another　to　morrow；　so　that　they　saw　themselves　quickely
come　to　nothing；　and　then　poverty　opened　their　eyes；　which　prodigality
had　before　clozed　up。　Heereupon；　Lamberto　（on　a　day）　calling　his
Brethren　to　him；　shewed　them　what　the　honors　of　their　Father　had
beene；　to　what　height　his　wealth　amounted；　and　now　to　what　an　ebbe
of　poverty　it　was　falne；　only　thorow　their　inordinate　expences。
Wherefore　hee　counselled　them；　（as　best　he　could）　before　further
misery　insulted　over　them；　to　make　sale　of　the　small　remainder　that
was　left；　and　then　to　betake　themselves　unto　some　other　abiding；　where
fairer　Fortune　might　chance　to　shine　uppon　them。
　　This　advice　prevailed　with　them；　and　so；　without　taking　leave　of　any
body；　or　other　solemnity　then　closest　secrecie；　they　departed　from
Florence；　not　tarrying　in　any　place　untill　they　were　arrived　in
England。　Comming　to　the　City　of　London；　and　taking　there　a　small　house
upon　yearely　rent；　living　on　so　little　charge　as　possibly　might　be；
they　began　to　lend　out　money　at　use：　wherein　Fortune　was　so　favourable
to　them；　that　（in　few　yeares）　they　had　gathered　a　great　summe　of　mony：
by　means　whereof　it　came　to　passe；　that　one　while　one　of　them；　and
afterward　another；　returned　backe　againe　to　Florence：　where；　with
those　summes；　a　great　part　of　their　inheritances　were　redeemed；　and
many　other　bought　beside。　Linking　themselves　in　marriage；　and　yet
continuing　their　usances　in　England；　they　sent　a　Nephew　of　theirs
thither；　named　Alessandro；　a　yong　man；　and　of　faire　demeanor；　to
maintaine　their　stocke　in　employment：　while　they　three　remained　stil
in　Florence；　and　growing　forgetful　of　their　former　misery；　fell　againe
into　as　unreasonable　expences　as　ever；　never　respecting　their　houshold
charges；　because　they　had　good　credite　among　the　Merchants；　and　the
monies　still　sent　from　Alessandro；　supporting　their　expences　divers
yeeres。
　　The　dealings　of　Alessandro　in　England　grew　verie　great；　for　hee　lent
out　much　money　to　many　Gentlemen；　Lords；　and　Barons　of　the　Land；
upon　engagement　of　their　Mannors；　Castles；　and　other　revennues：　from
whence　he　derived　immeasurable　benefite。　While　the　three　Brethren　held
on　in　their　lavish　expences；　borrowing　moneys　when　they　wanted
untill　their　supplies　came　from　England；　whereon　（indeede）　was　theyr
onely　dependance：　it　fortuned；　that　（contrary　to　the　opinion　of　all
men）　warre　happened　betweene　the　King　of　England；　and　one　of　his
sonnes；　which　occasioned　much　trouble　in　the　whole　Countrey；　by　taking
part　on　either　side；　some　with　the　sonne；　and　other　with　the　Father。
In　regard　whereof；　those　Castles　and　places　pawned　to　Alessandro；　were
sodainely　seized　from　him；　nothing　then　remaining；　that　turned　him　any
profite。　But　living　in　hope　day　by　day；　that　peace　would　be
concluded　betweene　the　Father　and　the　Sonne；　he　never　doubted；　but　all
things　then　should　be　restored　to　him；　both　the　principall　and
interest；　and　therfore　he　would　not　depart　out　of　the　Co