the decameron(十日谈)-第156章

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Lady　knowing　her　selfe　highly　beholding　to　the　Knight；　and　the　request
he　made　to　be　very　honest：　disposed　her　selfe　to　doe　as　he　desired
（although　she　earnestly　longed；　to　glad　her　parents　and　kindred　with
seeing　her　alive）　and　made　her　promise　him　on　her　faith；　to　effect
it　in　such　manner；　as　he　pleased　to　appoint　and　give　her　direction。
　　Scarcely　were　these　words　concluded；　but　she　felt　the　custome　of
women　to　come　upon　her；　with　the　paines　and　throwes　incident　to
childing：　wherefore；　with　helpe　of　the　aged　Lady；　Mother　to　Signior
Gentile；　it　was　not　long　before　her　deliverance　of　a　goodly　Sonne；
which　greatly　augmented　the　joy　of　her　and　Gentile；　who　tooke　order；
that　all　things　belonging　to　a　woman　in　such　a　case；　were　not　wanting；
but　she　was　as　carefully　respected；　even　as　if　she　had　been　his　owne
Wife。　Secretly　he　repaired　to　Modena；　where　having　given　direction　for
his　place　of　authority；　he　returned　back　againe　to　Bologna；　and
there　made　preparation　for　a　great　and　solemne　feast；　appointing　who
should　be　his　invited　guests；　the　very　chiefest　persons　in　Bologna；
and　（among　them）　Signior　Nicoluccio　Caccianimico　the　especiall　man。
　　After　he　was　dismounted　from　horsebacke；　and　found　so　good　company
attending　for　him　（the　Lady　also；　more　faire　and　healthful　then
ever；　and　the　Infant　lively　disposed）　he　sate　downe　at　the　Table
with　his　guests；　causing　them　to　be　served　in　most　magnificent　manner；
with　plenty　of　all　delicates　that　could　be　devised；　and　never　before
was　there　such　a　joviall　feast。　About　the　ending　of　dinner；　closely　he
made　the　Lady　acquainted　with　his　further　intention；　and　likewise　in
what　order　every　thing　should　be　done；　which　being　effected；　he
returned　to　his　company；　and　used　these　speeches。
　　Honourable　friends；　I　remember　a　discourse　sometime　made　unto　me；
concerning　the　Countrey　of　Persia；　and　a　kind　of　custome　there
observed；　not　to　be　misliked　in　mine　opinion。　When　any　one　intended　to
honour　his　friend　in　effectuall　manner；　he　invited　him　home　to　his
house；　and　there　would　shew　him　the　thing；　which　with　greatest　love　he
did　respect；　were　it　Wife；　Friend；　Sonne；　Daughter；　or　any　thing
else　whatsoever；　wherewithall　hee　spared　not　to　affirme；　that　as　he
shewed　him　those　choyce　delights；　the　like　view　he　should　have　of
his　heart；　if　with　any　possibility　it　could　be　done；　and　the　very　same
custome　I　meane　now　to　observe　here　in　our　City。　You　have　vouchsafed
to　honour　me　with　your　presence；　at　this　poore　homely　dinner　of
mine；　and　I　will　welcome　you　after　the　Persian　manner；　in　shewing
you　the　jewell；　which　（above　all　things　else　in　the　world）　I　ever　have
most　respectively　esteemed。　But　before　I　doe　it；　I　crave　your
favourable　opinions　in　a　doubt；　which　I　will　plainely　declare　unto
you。
　　If　any　man　having　in　his　house　a　good　and　faithfull　servant；　who
falling　into　extremity　of　sickenesse；　shall　be　throwne　forth　into
the　open　street；　without　any　care　or　pitty　taken　on　him：　A　stranger
chanceth　to　passe　by；　and　（moved　with　compassion　of　his　weakenesse）
carryeth　him　home　to　his　owne　house；　where　using　all　charitable　and
not　sparing　any　cost；　he　recovereth　the　sicke　person　to　his　former
health。　I　now　desire　to　know；　if　keeping　the　said　restored　person；　and
imploying　him　about　his　owne　businesse：　the　first　Master　（by
pretending　his　first　right）　may　lawfully　complaine　of　the　second；
and　yeeld　him　backe　againe　to　the　first　master；　albeit　he　doe　make
challenge　of　him？
　　All　the　Gentlemen；　after　many　opinions　passing　among　them；　agreed
altogether　in　one　sentence；　and　gave　charge　to　Signior　Nicoluccio
Caccianimico；　（because　he　was　an　excellent　and　elegant　speaker）　to
give　answere　for　them　all。　First；　he　commended　the　custome　observed　in
Persia；　saying；　he　jumpt　in　opinion　with　all　the　rest；　that　the
first　Master　had　no　right　at　all　to　the　servant；　having　not　onely
（in　such　necessity）　forsaken　him；　but　also　cast　him　forth　into　the
comfortlesse　street。　But　for　the　benefits　and　mercy　extended　to　him；
it　was　more　then　manifest；　that　the　recovered　person；　was　become
justly　servant　to　the　second　Master；　and　in　detayning　him　from　the
first；　hee　did　not　offer　him　any　injury　at　all。　The　whole　Company
sitting　at　the　Table　（being　all　very　wise　and　worthy　men）　gave　their
verdict　likewise　with　the　confession　of　Signior　Nicoluccio
Caccianimico。　Which　answere　did　not　a　little　please　the　Knight；　and　so
much　the　rather；　because　Nicoluccio　had　pronounced　it；　affirming
himselfe　to　be　of　the　same　minde。
　　So；　sitting　in　a　pretended　musing　a　while；　at　length　he　said。　My
honourable　guests；　it　is　now　more　then　high　time；　that　I　should　doe
you　such　honour；　as　you　have　most　justly　deserved；　by　performing　the
promise　made　unto　you。　Then　calling　two　of　his　servants；　he　sent
them　to　Madame　Catharina　（whom　he　had　caused　to　adorne　her　self　in
excellent　manner）　entreating　her；　that　she　would　be　pleased　to　grace
his　guests　with　her　presence。　Catharina；　having　deckt　her　child　in
costly　habiliments；　layed　it　in　her　armes；　and　came　with　the
servants　into　the　dyning　Hall；　and　sate　down　（as　the　Knight　had
appointed）　at　the　upper　end　of　the　Table；　and　then　Signior　Gentile
spake　thus。　Behold；　worthy　Gentlemen；　this　is　the　jewell　which　I
have　most　affected；　and　intend　to　love　none　other　in　the　world；　be　you
my　judges；　whether　I　have　just　occasion　to　doe　so；　or　no？　The
Gentlemen　saluting　her　with　respective　reverence；　said　to　the
Knight；　that　he　had　great　reason　to　affect　her：　And　viewing　her
advisedly；　many　of　them　thought　her　to　be　the　very　same　woman　（as
indeed　she　was）　but　that　they　beleeved　her　to　be　dead。
　　But　above　all　the　rest；　Nicoluccio　Caccianimico　could　never　be
satisfied　with　beholding　her；　and；　enflamed　with　earnest　desire；　to
know　what　she　was；　could　not　refraine　（seeing　the　Knight　was　gone
out　of　the　roome）　but　demaunded　of　her；　whether　she　were　of　Bologna；
or　a　stranger？　when　the　Lady　heard　her　selfe　to　be　thus　questioned；
and　by　her　Husband；　it　seemed　painefull　to　her；　to　containe　from
answering：　Neverthelesse；　to　perfect　the　Knights　intended　purpose；　she
sate　silent。　Others　demaunded　of　her；　whether　the　sweet　Boy　were　hers；
or　no；　and　some　questioned；　if　she　were　Gentiles　Wife；　or　no；　or
else　his　Kinsewoman；　to　all　which　demaunds；　she　returned　not　any
answere。　But　when　the　Knight　came　to　them　againe；　some　of　them　said　to
him。　Sir；　this　woman　is　a　goodly　creature；　but　she　appeareth　to　be
dumbe；　which　were　great　pitty；　if　it　should　be　so。　Gentlemen　（quoth
he）　it　is　no　small　argument　of　her　vertue；　to　sit　still　and　silent
at　this　instant。　Tell　us　then　（said　they）　of　whence；　and　what　she
is。　Therein　（quoth　he）　I　will　quickely　resolve　you；　upon　your
conditionall　promise：　that　none　of　you　do　remove　from　his　place；
whatsoever　shall　be　said　or　done；　untill　I　have　fully　delivered　my
minde。　Every　one　bound　himselfe　by　solemne　promise；　to　perform　what　he
had　appointed；　and　the　Tables　being　voided；　as　also　the　Carpets
laid；　then　the　Knight　（sitting　downe　by　the　Lady）　thus　began。
　　Worthy　Gentlemen；　this　Lady　is　that　true　and　faithfull　servant；
wherof　I　moved　the　question　to　you；　whom　I　tooke　out　of　the　cold
street；　where　her　parents；　kindred　and　friends　（making　no　account　at
all　of　her）　threw　her　forth；　as　a　thing　vile　and　unprofitable。
Neverthelesse；　such　hath　been　my　care　and　cost；　that　I　have　rescued
her　out　of　deaths　griping　power；　and；　in　a　meere　charitable
disposition；　which　honest　affection　caused　me　to　beare　her；　of　a　body；
full　of　terror　and　affrighting　（as　then　she　was）　I　have　caused　her
to　become　thus　lovely　as　you　see。　But　because　you　may　more
apparantly　discerne；　in　what　manner　this　occasion　happened；　I　will　lay
it　open　to　you　in　more　familiar　manner。　Then　he　began　the　whole
history；　from　the　originall　of　his　unbeseeming　affection　to　her　（in
regard　she　was　a　worthy　mans　wife）　and　consequently；　how　all　had
happened　to　the　instant　houre；　to　the　no　meane　admiration　of　all　the
hearers；　adding　withall。　Now　Gentlemen　（quoth　he）　if　you　varry　not
from　your　former　opinion；　and　especially　Signior　Nicoluccio
Caccianimico：　this　Lady　（by　good　right）　is　mine；　and　no　man　els　by　any
just　title；　can　lay　any　claime　to　her。
　　All　sate　silent；　without　answering　one　word；　as　expecting　what　he
intended　further　to　say：　but　in　the　meane　while；　Nicoluccio；　the
parents　and　kindred；　but　chiefely　the　Lady　her　selfe；　appeared　as
halfe　melted　into　teares　with　weeping。　But　Signior　Gentile；　starting
up　from　the　Table；　taking　the　Infant　in　his　arme；　and　leading　the　Lady
by　the　hand；　going　to　Nicoluccio；　thus　spake。　Rise　Sir；　I　will　not
give　thee　thy　wife；　whom　both　her　kindred　and　thine；　threw　forth
into　the　street：　but　I　will　bestow　this　Lady　on　thee；　being　my　Gossip；
and　this　sweet　Boy　my　God…sonne；　who　was　（as　I　am　verily　perswaded）
begotten　by　thee；　I　standing　witnesse　for　him　at　the　Font　of　Baptisme；
and　give　him　mine　owne　name　Gentile。　Let　me　entreat　thee；　that；
although　she　hath　lived　here　in　mine　house；　for　the　space　of　three
monethes；　she　should　not　be　lesse　welcome　to　thee；　then　before：　for
I　sweare　to　thee　upon　my　soule；　that　my　former　affection　to　her　（how
unjust　soever）　was　the　onely　meanes　of　preserving　her　life：　and　more
honestly　she　could　not　live；　with　Father；　Mother；　or　thy　selfe；　then
she　hath　done　here　with　mine　owne　Mother。
　　Having　thus　spoken；　he　turned　to　the　Lady；　saying。　Madame；　I　now
discharge　you　of　all　promises　made　me；　delivering　you　to　your
Husband　franke　and　free：　And　when　he　had　given　him　the　Lady；　and　the
child　in　his　armes；　he　returned　to　his　place；　and　sate　downe　againe。
Nicoluccio；　with　no　meane　joy　and　hearty　contentment　received　both　his
wife　and　childe；　being　before　farre　from　expectation　of　such　an
admirable　comfort；　returning　the　Knight　infinite　thankes　（as　all　the
rest　of　the　Company　pany　the　like）　who　could　not　refraine　from　weeping
for　meere　joy；　for　such　a　strange　and　wonderful　accident：　every　one
highly　commending　Gentile；　and　such　also　as　chanced　to　heare
thereof。　The　Lady　was　welcommed　home　to　her　owne　house；　with　many
moneths　of　joviall　feasting；　and　as　she　passed　through　the　streets；
all　beheld　her　with　admiration；　to　be　so　happily　recovered　from　her
grave　Signior　Gentile　lived　long　after；　a　loyall　friend　to
Nicoluccio　and　his　Lady；　and　all　that　were　well…willers　to　them。
　　What　thinke　you　now　Ladies？　Can　you　imagine；　because　a　King　gave
away　his　Crowne　and　Scepter；　and　an　Abbot　（without　any　cost　to
himselfe）　reconciled　a　Malefactor　to　the　Pope；　and　an　old
idle…headed　man；　yeelding　to　the　mercy　of　his　enemy：　that　all　those
actions　are　comparable　to　this　of　Signior　Gentile？　Youth　and　ardent
affection；　gave　him　a　just　and　lawfull　title；　to　her　who　was　free
（by　imagined　death）　from　Husband；　Parents；　and　all　friends　else；　she
being　so　happily　wonne　into　his　owne　possession。　Yet　honestly　not
onely　overswayed　the　heate　of　desire；　which　in　many　men　is　violent　and
immoderate：　but　with　a　bountifull　and　liberall　soule；　that　which　he
coveted　beyond　all　hopes　else；　and　had　within　his　owne　command；　he
freely　gave　away。　Beleeve　me　（bright　Beauties）　not　any　of　the　other
（in　a　true　and　unpartiall　judgement　）　are　worthy　to　be　equalled　with
this；　or　stiled　by　the　name　of　magnificent