the decameron(十日谈)-第19章

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smell　of　him　will　be　a　meanes　to　betray　us。　There　is　a　Well…pit　hard
by；　answered　the　other；　with　a　pulley　and　bucket　descending　downe　into
it；　and　there　we　may　wash　him　from　this　filthinesse。　To　the　Well…pit
they　came；　where　they　found　the　rope　and　pulley　hanging　readie；　but
the　bucket　for　safety　was　taken　away；　whereon　they　concluded；　to
fasten　the　rope　about　him；　and　so　let　him　downe　into　the　Well…pit；　and
when　he　had　washed　himselfe；　hee　should　wagge　the　rope；　and　then
they　would　draw　him　up　againe；　which　accordingly　they　forthwith
performed。
　　Now　it　came　to　passe；　that　while　he　was　thus　washing　himselfe　in　the
Well…pit；　the　Watch　of　the　Citie　walking　the　round；　and　finding　it
to　bee　a　very　hote　and　sweltring　night；　they　grew　dry　and　thirsty；　and
therefore　went　to　the　Well　to　drinke。　The　other　two　men；　perceiving
the　Watch　so　neere　upon　them；　left　Andrea　in　the　pit　to　shift　for
himselfe；　running　away　to　shelter　themselves。　Their　flight　was　not
discovered　by　the　Watch；　but　they　comming　to　the　Wellpit；　Andrea
remained　still　in　the　bottome；　and　having　cleansed　himselfe　so　well　as
hee　could；　sate　wagging　the　rope；　expecting　when　hee　should　be　haled
up。　This　dumbe　signe　the　Watch　discerned　not；　but　sitting　downe　by　the
Welles　side；　they　layde　downe　their　Billes　and　other　weapons；
tugging　to　draw　up　the　rope；　thinking　the　Bucket　was　fastened　thereto；
and　full　of　water。　Andrea　being　haled　up　to　the　Pits　brim；　left
holding　the　rope　any　longer；　catching　fast　hold　with　his　hands　for　his
better　safety；　and　the　Watch　at　the　sight　hereof　being　greatly
agrighted；　as　thinking　that　they　had　dragd　up　a　Spirit；　not　daring
to　speake　one　word；　ran　away　with　all　the　hast　they　could　make。
　　Andrea　hereat　was　not　a　little　amazed；　so　that　if　he　had　not　taken
very　good　hold　on　the　brim：　he　might　have　falne　to　the　bottome；　and
doubtlesse　there　his　life　had　perished。　Being　come　forth　of　the
Well；　and　treading　on　Billes　and　Halbards；　which　he　well　knew　that　his
companions　had　not　brought　thither　with　them；　his　mervaile　so　much　the
more　encreased；　ignorance　and　feare　still　seizing　him；　with　silent
bemoaning　his　many　misfortunes；　away　thence　he　wandred；　but　hee　wist
not　whither。　As　he　went　on；　he　met　his　two　fellowes；　who　purposely
returned　to　drag　him　out　of　the　Well；　and　seeing　their　intent
already　performed；　desired　to　know　who　had　done　it：　wherein　Andrea
could　not　resolve　them；　rehearsing　what　hee　could；　and　what　weapons
hee　found　lying　about　the　Well。　Whereat　they　smiled；　as　knowing；
that　the　Watch　had　haled　him　up；　for　feare　of　whom　they　left　him；
and　so　declared　to　him　the　reason　of　their　returne。
　　Leaving　off　all　further　talke；　because　now　it　was　about　midnight；
they　went　to　the　great　Church；　where　finding　their　enterance　to　be
easie：　they　approached　neere　the　Tombe；　which　was　very　great；　being
tall　of　Marble；　and　the　cover…stone　weighty；　yet　with　crowes　of　yron
and　other　helps；　they　raised　it　so　high；　that　a　man　might　without
perill　passe　into　it。　Now　began　they　to　question　one　another；　which　of
the　three　should　enter　into　the　Tombe。　Not　I；　said　the　first；　so
said　the　second：　No　nor　I；　answered　Andrea。　Which　when　the　other　two
heard；　they　caught　fast　hold　of　him；　saying。　Wilt　not　thou　goe　into
the　Tombe？　Be　advised　what　thou　sayest；　for；　if　thou　wilt　not　goe
in：　we　will　so　beat　thee　with　one　of　these　yron　crowes；　that　thou
shalt　never　goe　out　of　this　Church　alive。
　　Thus　poore　Andrea　is　still　made　a　property；　and　Fortune　（this　fatall
night）　will　have　no　other　foole　but　he；　as　delighting　in　his　hourly
disasters。　Feare　of　their　fury　makes　him　obedient；　into　the　grave　he
goes；　and　being　within；　thus　consults　with　himselfe。　These　cunning
companions　suppose　me　to　be　simple；　and　make　me　enter　the　Tombe；
having　an　absolute　intention　to　deceive　me。　For；　when　I　have　given
them　all　the　riches　that　I　finde　here；　and　am　ready　to　come　forth
for　mine　equall　portion：　away　will　they　runne　for　their　owne　safety；
and　leaving　me　heere；　not　onely　shall　I　loose　my　right　among　them；　but
must　remaine　to　what　danger　may　follow　after。　Having　thus　meditated；
he　resolved　to　make　sure　of　his　owne　share　first；　and　remembring　the
rich　Ring；　whereof　they　had　tolde　him：　forthwith　hee　tooke　it　from　the
Archbishops　finger；　finding　it　indifferently　fitte　for　his　owne。
Afterward；　hee　tooke　the　Crosse；　Miter；　rich　garments；　Gloves　and　all；
leaving　him　nothing　but　his　shirt；　giving　them　all　these　severall
parcels；　protesting　that　there　was　nothing　else。　Still　they　pressed
upon　him；　affirming　that　there　was　a　Ring　beside；　urging　him　to　search
diligently　for　it；　yet　still　he　answered；　that　he　could　not　finde
it；　and　for　their　longer　tarrying　with　him；　seemed　as　if　he　serched
very　carefully；　but　all　appeared　to　no　purpose。
　　The　other　two　fellowes；　as　cunning　in　craft　as　the　third　could　be；
still　willed　him　to　search；　and　watching　their　aptest　opportunity：
tooke　away　the　proppes　that　supported　the　Tombe…stone；　and　running
thence　with　their　got　booty；　left　poore　Andrea　mewed　up　in　the
grave。　Which　when　he　perceived；　and　saw　this　miserie　to　exceede　all
the　rest；　it　is　farre　easier　for　you　to　guesse　at　his　greefe；　then　I
am　any　way；　able　to　expresse　it。　His　head；　shoulders；　yea　all　his
utmost　strength　he　employeth；　to　remove　that　over…heavy　hinderer　of
his　libertie：　but　all　his　labour　beeing　spent　in　vaine；　sorrow　threw
him　in　a　swoond　upon　the　Byshoppes　dead　body；　where　if　both　of　them
might　at　that　instant　have　bin　observed；　the　Arch…byshops　dead
bodie；　and　Andrea　in　greefe　dying；　very　hardly　had　bene　distinguished。
But　his　senses　regaining　their　former　offices；　among　his　silent
complaints；　consideration　presented　him　with　choyse　of　these　two
unavoydable　extremities：　Dye　starving　must　he　in　the　Tombe　with
putrifaction　of　the　dead　bodie；　or　if　any　man　came　to　open　the
Grave；　then　must　he　be　apprehended　as　a　sacrilegious　Theefe；　and　so　be
hanged；　according　to　the　Lawes　in　that　case　provided。
　　As　hee　continued　in　these　strange　afflictions　of　minde；　sodainely
hee　heard　a　noise　in　the　Church　of　divers　men；　who　（as　he　imagined）
came　about　the　like　businesse；　as　hee　and　his　fellowes　had
undertaken　before；　wherein　he　was　not　a　jot　deceived；　albeit　his　feare
the　more　augmented。　Having　opened　the　Tombe；　and　supported　the
stone；　they　varied　also　among　themselves　for　entrance；　and　an
indiffrent　while　contended　about　it。　At　length；　a　Priest　being　one
in　the　company；　boldly　said。　Why　how　now　you　white…liver'd　Rascals？
What　are　you　affraid　of？　Do　you　thinke　he　will　eate　you？　Dead　men
cannot　bite；　and　therefore　I　my　selfe　will　go　in。　Having　thus
spoken；　he　prepared　his　entrance　to　the　tomb　in　such　order；　that　he
thrust　in　his　feete　before；　for　his　easier　descending　downe　into　it。
　　Andrea　sitting　upright　in　the　Tombe；　and　desiring　to　make　use　of
this　happy　opportunity；　caught　the　Priest　fast　by　one　of　his　legges；
making　shew　as　if　he　meant　to　dragge　him　downe。　Which　when　the
Priest　felt；　he　cryed　out　aloud；　getting　out　with　all　the　haste　he
could　make；　and　all　his　companions；　being　well…neere　frighted　out　of
their　wits；　ranne　away　amaine；　as　if　they　had　bene　followed　by　a
thousand　divels。　Andrea　little　dreaming　on　such　fortunate　successe；
made　meanes　to　get　out　of　the　grave；　and　afterward　forth　of　the
Church；　at　the　very　same　place　where　he　entred。
　　Now　began　day…light　to　appeare；　when　he　（having　the　rich　Ring　on　his
finger）　wandred　on　hee　knew　not　whether：　till　comming　to　the　Sea　side；
he　found　the　way　directing　to　his　Inne；　where　al　his　company　were　with
his　Host；　who　had　bene　verie　carefull　for　him。
　　Having　related　his　manifold　mischances；　his　Hoste　friendly　advised
him　with　speede　to　get　him　out　of　Naples。　As　instantly　he　did；
returning　home　to　Perouse；　having　adventured　his　five　hundred
Crownes　on　a　Ring；　wherewith　hee　purposed　to　have　bought　Horses；
according　to　the　intent　of　his　journey　thither。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SECOND　DAY；　THE　SIXT　NOVELL

　　　HEEREIN　ALL　MEN　ARE　ADMONISHED；　NEVER　TO　DISTRUST　THE　POWERFULL
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HAND　OF　HEAVEN；　WHEN　FORTUNE　SEEMETH　TO　BE　MOST
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ADVERSE　AGAINST　THEM

　　Madame　Beritola　Caracalla；　was　found　in　an　Island　with　two　Goates；
having　lost　her　two　Sonnes；　and　thence　travailed　into　Lunigiana：　where
one　of　her　Sonnes　became　servant　to　the　Lord　thereof；　and　was　found
somewhat　overfamiliar　with　his　Masters　daughter；　who　therefore
caused　him　to　be　imprisoned。　Afterward；　when　the　country　of　Sicely
rebelled　against　King　Charles；　the　aforesaid　Sonne　chanced　to　bee
knowne　by　his　Mother；　and　was　married　to　his　Masters　daughter。　And　his
Brother　being　found　likewise；　they　both　returned　to　great　estate　and
credit。

　　The　Ladies　and　Gentlemen　also；　having　smiled　sufficiently　at　the
severall　accidents　which　did　befall　the　poore　Traveller　Andrea；
reported　at　large　by　Madam　Fiammetta；　the　Lady　Aimillia　seeing　her
tale　to　be　fully　concluded；　began　（by　commandement　of　the　Queene）　to
speak　in　this　manner。
　　The　diversitie　of　changes　and　alterations　in　Fortune　as　they　are
great；　so　must　they　needs　be　greevous；　and　as　often　as　we　take
occasion　to　talke　of　them；　so　often　do　they　awake　and　quicken　our
understandings；　avouching；　that　it　is　no　easie　matter　to　depend　upon
her　flatteries。　And　I　am　of　opinion；　that　to　heare　them　recounted；
ought　not　any　way　to　offend　us；　be　it　of　men　wretched；　or　fortunate；
because；　as　they　instruct　the　one　with　good　advice；　so　they　animate
the　other　with　comfort。　And　therefore；　although　great　occasions　have
beene　already　related；　yet　I　purpose　to　tell　a　Tale；　no　lesse　true
then　lamentable；　which　albeit　it　sorted　to　a　successefull　ending；
yet　notwithstanding；　such　and　so　many　were　the　bitter　thwartings；　as
hardly　can　I　beleeve；　that　ever　any　sorrow　was　more　joyfully　sweetned。
　　You　must　understand　then　（most　gracious　Ladies）　that　after　the　death
of　Fredericke　the　second　Emperour；　one　named　Manfred；　was　crowned　King
of　Sicily；　about　whom；　lived　in　great　account　and　authority；　a
Neapolitane　Gentleman；　called　Henriet　Capece；　who　had　to　Wife　a
beautifull　Gentlewoman；　and　a　Neapolitane　also；　named　Madam　Beritola
Caracalla。　This　Henriet　held　the　government　of　the　Kingdome　of　Sicily；
and　understanding　that　King　Charles　the　first；　had　wonne　the　battle　at
Beneventum；　and　slaine　King　Manfred；　the　whole　Kingdome　revolting　also
to　his　devotion；　and　little　trust　to　be　reposed　in　the　Sicillians；
or　he　willing　to　subject　himselfe　to　his　Lordes　enemie；　provided　for
his　secret　flight　from　thence。　But　this　being　discovered　to　the
Sicillians；　he　and　many　more；　who　had　beene　loyall　servants　to　King
Manfred；　were　suddenly　taken　and　imprisoned　by　King　Charles；　and　the
sole　possession　of　the　Iland　confirmed　to　him。
　　Madam　Beritola　not　knowing　（in　so　sudden　and　strange　an　alteration
of　State　affaires）　what　was　become　of　her　Husband；　fearing　also
greatly　before；　those　inconveniences　which　afterward　followed；　being
overcome　with　many　passionate　considerations；　having　left　and　forsaken
all　her　goods；　going　aboord　a　small　Barke　with　a　Sonne　of　hers；　aged
about　some　eight　yeeres；　named　Geoffrey；　and　growne　great　with　child
with　another；　she　fled　thence　to　Lapary；　where　she　was　brought　to
bed　of　a