the decameron(十日谈)-第162章

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　　After　they　had　sate　an　indifferent　while　with　her；　they　returned
home　to　their　lodging；　where　Titus　being　alone　in　his　chamber；　began
to　bethink　himselfe　on　her；　whose　perfections　had　so　powerfully
pleased　him：　and　the　more　he　entred　into　this　consideration；　the
fiercer　he　felt　his　desires　enflamed；　which　being　unable　to　quench；　by
any　reasonable　perswasions；　after　hee　had　vented　foorth　infinite
sighes；　thus　he　questioned　with　himselfe。
　Most　unhappie　Titus　as　thou　art；　whether　doost　thou　transport　thine
understanding；　love；　and　hope？　Dooest　thou　not　know　as　well　by　the
honourable　favours；　which　thou　hast　received　of　Chremes　and　his　house；
as　also　the　intire　amity　betweene　thee　and　Gisippus　（unto　whom　faire
Sophronia　is　the　afflanced　friend）　that　thou　shouldst　holde　her　in　the
like　reverent　respect；　as　if　shee　were　thy　true　borne　Sister？　Darest
thou　presume　to　fancie　her？　Whether　shall　beguiling　Love　allure
thee；　and　vaine　immaging　hopes　carrie　thee？　Open　the　eyes　of　thy
better　understanding；　and　acknowledge　thy　selfe　to　bee　a　most
miserable　man。　Give　way　to　reason；　bridle　thine　intemperate　appetites；
reforme　all　irregulare　desires；　and　guide　thy　fancy　to　a　place　of
better　direction。　Resist　thy　wanton　and　lascivious　will　in　the
beginning；　and　be　master　of　thy　selfe；　while　thou　hast　opportunity；
for　that　which　thou　aimest　at；　is　neyther　reasonable　nor　honest。　And
if　thou　wert　assured　to　prevaile　upon　this　pursuite；　yet　thou
oughtst　to　avoide　it；　if　thou　hast　any　regard　of　true　friendship；
and　the　duty　therein　justly　required。　What　wilt　thou　do　then　Titus？
Fly　from　this　inordinate　affection；　if　thou　wilt　be　reputed　to　be　a
man　of　sensible　judgement。
　　After　he　had　thus　discoursed　with　himselfe；　remembring　Sophronia；
and　converting　his　former　allegations；　into　a　quite　contrarie　sense；
in　utter　detestation　of　them；　and　guided　by　his　idle　appetite；　thus　he
began　againe。　The　lawes　of　love　are　of　greater　force；　then　any　other
whatsoever；　they　not　only　breake　the　bands　of　friendship；　but　even
those　also　of　more　divine　consequence。　How　many　times　hath　it　bin
noted；　the　father　to　affect　his　own　daughter；　the　brother　his
sister；　and　the　stepmother　her　son　in　law；　matters　far　more　monstrous；
then　to　see　one　friend　love　the　wife　of　another；　a　case　happening
continually？　Moreover；　I　am　yong；　and　youth　is　wholly　subjected　to　the
passions　of　Love：　is　it　reasonable　then；　that　those　should　be　bard
from　me；　which　are　fitting　and　pleasing　to　Love？　Honest　things；　belong
to　men　of　more　years　and　maturity；　then　I　am　troubled　withall；　and　I
can　covet　none；　but　onely　those　wherein　Love　is　directer。　The　beauty
of　Sophronia　is　worthy　of　generall　love；　and　if　I　that　am　a　yongman　do
love　her；　what　man　living　can　justly　reprove　me　for　it？　Shold　not　I
love　her；　because　she　is　affianced　to　Gisippus？　That　is　no　matter　to
me；　I　ought　to　love　her；　because　she　is　a　woman；　and　women　were
created　for　no　other　occasion；　but　to　bee　Loved。　Fortune　had　sinned　in
this　case；　and　not　I；　in　directing　my　frends　affection　to　her；
rather　then　any　other；　and　if　she　ought　to　be　loved；　as　her
perfections　do　challenge；　Gisippus　understanding　that　I　affect　her；
may　be　the　better　contented　that　it　is　I；　rather　then　any　other。
　　With　these；　and　the　like　crosse　entercourses；　he　often　mockt
himselfe；　falling　into　the　contrary；　and　then　to　this　againe；　and　from
the　contrary；　into　another　kind　of　alteration；　wasting　and　consuming
himselfe；　not　only　this　day　and　the　night　following；　but　many　more
afterward；　til　he　lost　both　his　feeding　and　sleepe；　so　that　through
debility　of　body；　he　was　constrained　to　keepe　his　bed。　Gisippus；　who
had　divers　dayes　noted　his　melancholly　disposition；　and　now　his
falling　into　extreamitie　of　sicknesse；　was　very　sorry　to　behold　it：
and　with　all　meanes　and　inventions　he　could　devise　to　use；　hee　both
questioned　the　cause　of　this　straunge　alteration；　and　essayed　everie
way；　how　hee　might　best　comfort　him；　never　ceassing　to　demaunde　a
reason；　why　he　should　become　thus　sad　and　sickely。　But　Titus　after
infinite　importuning　（which　still　he　answered）　with　idle　and　frivolous
excuses；　farre　from　the　truth　indeede；　and　（to　the　no　meane　affliction
of　his　friend）　when　he　was　able　to　use　no　more　contradictions；　at
length；　in　sighes　and　teares；　thus　he　replyed。
　　Gisippus；　were　the　Gods　so　wel　pleased；　I　could　more　gladly　yeild　to
dye；　then　continue　any　longer　in　this　wretched　life；　considering；　that
Fortune　hath　brought　mee　to　such　an　extremity；　as　proofe　is　now　to
be　made　of　my　constancie　and　vertue；　both　which　I　finde　conquered　in
me；　to　my　eternall　confusion　and　shame。　But　my　best　hope　is；　that　I
shal　shortly　be　requited；　as　I　have　in　justice　deserved；　namely　with
death；　which　will　be　a　thousand　times　more　welcome　to　me；　then　a
loathed　life；　with　remembrance　of　my　base　dejection　in　courage；
which　because　I　can　no　longer　conceale　from　thee；　not　without　blushing
shame；　I　am　well　contented　for　to　let　thee　know　it。
　　Then　began　hee　to　recount；　the　whole　occasion　of　this　straunge
conflict　in　him；　what　a　maine　battaile　hee　had　with　his　private
thoughts；　confessing　that　they　got　the　victory；　causing　him　to　die
hourely　for　the　love　of　Sophronia；　and　affirming　withall；　that　in
due　acknowledgement；　how　greatly　hee　had　transgressed　against　the
lawes　of　friendship；　he　thought　no　other　penance　sufficient　for　him；
but　onely　death；　which　he　willingly　expected　every　houre；　and　with　all
his　heart　would　gladly　bid　welcome。
　　Gisippus　hearing　this　discourse；　and　seeing　how　Titus　bitterly　wept；
in　agonies　of　most　moving　afflictions：　sat　an　indifferent　while　sad
and　pensive；　as　being　wounded　with　affection　to　Sophronia；　but　yet
in　a　well…governed　and　temperate　manner　without　any　long　delaying；　hee
concluded　with　himselfe；　that　the　life　of　his　friend　ought　to　be
accounted　much　more　deare；　then　any　love　hee　could　beare　unto
Sophronia：　And　in　this　resolution；　the　teares　of　Titus　forcing　his
eyes　to　flow　forth　like　two　Fountaines；　thus　he　replyed。
　　Titus；　if　thou　hadst　not　neede　of　comfort；　as　plainly　I　see　thou
hast；　I　would　justly　complaine　of　thee　to　my　selfe；　as　of　the　man
who　hath　violated　our　friendship；　in　keeping　thine　extreamitie　so　long
time　concealed　from　mee；　which　hath　beene　overtedious　for　thee　to
endure。　And　although　it　might　seeme　to　thee　a　dishonest　case；　and
therefore　kept　from　the　knowledge　of　thy　friend；　yet　I　plainly　tell
thee；　that　dishonest　courses　（in　the　league　of　amitie）　deserve　no　more
concealment；　then　those　of　the　honestest　nature。　But　leaving　these
impertinent　wandrings；　let　us　come　to　them　of　much　greater　necessitie。
　　If　thou　doest　earnestly　love　faire　Sophronia；　who　is　betroathed
and　afflanced　to　me；　it　is　no　matter　for　me　to　marvaile　at：　but　I
should　rather　be　much　abashed；　if　thou　couldst　not　intyrely　affect
her；　knowing　how　beautifull　she　is；　and　the　nobility　of　her　minde；
being　as　able　to　sustaine　passion；　as　the　thing　pleasing　is　fullest　of
excellence。　And　looke　how　reasonable　thou　fanciest　Sophronia；　as
unjustly　thou　complainest　of　thy　fortune；　in　ordaining　her　to　be　my
wife；　although　thou　doest　not　speake　it　expresly：　as　being　of　opinion；
that　thou　mightst　with　more　honesty　love　her；　if　she　were　any
others；　then　mine。　But　if　thou　art　so　wise；　as　I　have　alwayes　held
thee　to　be；　tell　me　truely　upon　thy　faith；　to　whom　could　Fortune
better　guide　her；　and　for　which　thou　oughtest　to　be　more　thankfull；
then　in　bestowing　her　on　me？　Any　other　that　had　enjoyed　her；
although　thy　love　were　never　so　honest；　yet　he　would　better　affect　her
himselfe；　then　for　thee；　which　thou　canst　not　（in　like　manner）　looke
for　from　me；　if　thou　doest　account　me　for　thy　friend；　and　as
constant　now　as　ever。
　　Reason　is　my　warrant　in　this　case；　because　I　cannot　remember；
since　first　our　entrance　into　friendship；　that　ever　I　enjoyed　any
thing；　but　it　was　as　much　thine；　as　mine。　And　if　our　affaires　had　such
an　equall　course　before；　as　otherwise　they　could　not　subsist；　must
they　not　now　be　kept　in　the　same　manner？　Can　any　thing　more
perticularly　appertaine　to　me；　but　thy　right　therein　is　as　absolute　as
mine？　I　know　not　how　thou　maist　esteeme　of　my　friendship；　if　in　any
thing　concerning　my　selfe；　I　can　plead　my　priviledge　to　be　above
thine。　True　it　is；　that　Sophronia　is　affianced　to　me；　and　I　love　her
dearely；　daily　expecting　when　our　nuptials　shall　be　celebrated。　But
seeing　thou　doest　more　fervently　affect　her；　as　being　better　able　to
Judge　of　the　perfections；　remaining　in　so　excellent　a　creature　as
she　is；　then　I　doe：　assure　thy　selfe；　and　beleeve　it　constantly；
that　she　shall　come　to　my　bed；　not　as　my　wife　but　onely　thine。　And
therefore　leave　these　despairing　thoughts；　shake　off　this　cloudy
disposition；　reassume　thy　former　joviall　spirit；　with　comfort　and　what
else　can　content　thee：　in　expectation　of　the　happy　houre；　and　the　just
requitall　of　thy　long；　loving；　and　worthy　friendship；　which　I　have
alwayes　valued　equall　with　mine　owne　life。
　　Titus　hearing　this　answer　of　Gisippus；　looke　how　much　the　sweet　hope
of　that　which　he　desired　gave　him　pleasure；　as　much　both　duty　and
reason　affronted　him　with　shame；　setting　before　his　eyes　this　du
consideration；　that　the　greater　the　liberality　of　Gisippus　was；
farre　greater　and　unreasonable　it　appeared　to　him　in　disgrace；　if
hee　should　unmannerly　accept　it。　Wherefore；　being　unable　to　refrain
from　teares；　and　with　such　strength　as　his　weaknesse　would　give　leave；
thus　he　replyed。
　　Gisippus；　thy　bounty　and　firme　friendship　suffereth　me　to　see
apparantly；　what　（on　my　part）　is　no　more　then　ought　to　be　done。　All
the　Gods　forbid；　that　I　should　receive　as　mine；　her　whom　they　have
adjudged　to　be　thine；　by　true　respect　of　birth　and　desert。　For　if　they
had　thought　her　a　wife　fit　for　me；　doe　not　thou　or　any　else　imagine；
that　ever　she　should　have　beene　granted　to　thee。　Use　freely
therefore　thine　owne　election；　and　the　gracious　favour　wherewith
they　have　blessed　thee：　leave　me　to　consume　away　in　teares；　a　mourning
garment　by　them　appointed　for　me；　as　being　a　man　unworthy　of　such
happinesse；　for　either　I　shall　conquer　this　disaster；　and　that　wil
be　my　crowne；　or　else　will　vanquish　me；　and　free　me　from　all　paine：
whereto　Gisippus　presently　thus　answered。
　　Worthy　Titus；　if　our　amity　would　give　me　so　much　licence；　as　but
to　contend　with　my　selfe；　in　pleasing　thee　with　such　a　thing　as　I
desire；　and　could　also　induce　thee　therein　to　be　directed：　it　is　the
onely　end　whereat　I　aime；　and　am　resolved　to　pursue　it。　In　which
regard；　let　my　perswasions　prevaile　with　thee；　and　thereto　I　conjure
thee；　by　the　faith　of　a　friend；　suffer　me　to　use　mine　authority；
when　it　extendeth　both　to　mine　owne　honour；　and　thy　good；　for　I　will
have　Sophronia　to　bee　onely　thine。　I　know　sufficiently；　how　farre
the　forces　of　love　doe　extend　in　power；　and　am　not　ignorant　also；
how　not　once　or　twice；　but　very　many　times；　they　have　brought　lovers
to　unfortunate　ends；　as　now　I　see　thee　very　neere　it；　and　so　farre
gone；　as　thou　art　not　able　to　turne　backe　againe；　nor　yet　to　conquer
thine　owne　teares；　but　proceeding　on　further　in　this　extremity；　thou
wilt　be　left　vanquished；　sinking　under　the　burthen　of　loves
tyrannicall　oppression；　and　then　my　turne　i