the decameron(十日谈)-第23章

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possessions；　have　bereft　them　of　life；　being　their　kinde　and
intimate　friends；　before　they　attained　to　such　riches。　Some　other；
being　of　lowe　and　base　condition；　by　adventuring　in　many　skirmishes
and　foughten　battels；　trampling　in　the　bloud　of　their　brethren　and
friends；　have　bene　mounted　to　the　soveraigne　dignity　of　Kingdomes
（beleeving　that　therein　consisted　the　truest　happinesse）　but　bought
with　the　deerest　price　of　their　lives。　For；　beside　their　infinit　cares
and　feares　wherewith　such　greatnesse　is　continually　attended；　at　the
royall　Tables；　they　have　drunke　poyson　in　a　Golden　pot。　Many　other
in　like　manner　（with　most　earnest　appetite）　have　coveted　beauty　and
bodily　strength；　not　foreseeing　with　any　judgement；　that　these
wishes　were　not　without　perill；　when　being　endued　with　them；　they
either　have　bene　the　occasion　of　their　death；　or　such　a　lingering
lamentable　estate　of　life；　as　death　were　a　thousand　times　more　welcome
to　them。
　　But；　because　I　would　not　speake　particularly　of　all　our　fraile　and
humane　affections；　I　dare　assure　ye；　that　there　is　not　any　one　of
these　desires　to　be　elected　among　us　mortals；　with　entire　forsight
or　providence；　warrantable　against　their　ominous　yssue。　Wherefore；
if　we　would　walke　directly；　wee　should　dispose　our　willes　and
affections；　to　be　guided　onely　by　him；　who　best　knoweth　what　is
needfull　for　us；　and　will　bestow　them　at　his　good　pleasure。　Nor　let　me
lay　this　blamefull　imputation　uppon　men　onely；　for　offending　in　many
through　over　lavish　desires：　because　you　your　selves　（gracious　Ladies）
sinne　highly　in　one；　as　namely；　in　coveting　to　be　beautifull。　So
that　it　is　not　sufficient　for　you；　to　enjoy　those　beauties　bestowne　on
you　by　Nature；　but　you　practice　to　increase　them　by　the　rarities　of
Art。　Wherefore；　let　it　not　offend　you；　that　I　tell　you　the　hard
fortune　of　a　faire　Sarazine；　to　whom　it　hapned　by　straunge　adventures；
that　within　the　compasse　of　foure　yeares；　nine　severall　times　to　be
married。　and　onely　for　her　beauty。
　　It　is　now　a　long　time　since；　that　there　lived　Soldane　in　Babylon；
named　Beminidab；　to　whom　（while　he　lived）　many　things　happened；
answerable　to　his　owne　desires。　Among　divers　other　Children　both
male　and　female；　hee　had　a　daughter　called　Alathiella；　and　shee
（according　to　the　common　voyce　of　every　one　that　saw　her）　was　the
fayrest　Lady　then　living　in　all　the　world。　And　because　the　King　of
Cholcos　had　wonderfully　assisted　him；　in　a　most　valiant　foughten
battell　against　a　mighty　Armie　of　Arabians；　who　on　a　sodaine　had
assailed　him；　he　demanded　his　faire　daughter　in　marriage；　which
likewise　was　kindly　granted　to　him。　Whereupon　a　goodly　and
well…armed　Ship　was　prepared　for　her；　with　full　furnishment　of　all
necessary　provision；　and　accompanied　with　an　honourable　traine　both　of
Lords　and　Ladies；　as　also　most　costly　and　sumptuous　accoustrements；
commending　her　to　the　mercy　of　heaven；　in　this　maner　was　she　sent
away。
　　The　time　being　propitious　for　their　parting　thence；　the　Mariners
hoised　their　sayles；　leaving　the　port　of　Alexandria；　and　sayling
prosperously　many　dayes　together。　When　they　had　past　the　Countrey　of
Sardinia；　and　（as　they　imagined）　were　well　neere　to　their　journeyes
end；　sodainely　arose　boysterous　and　contrary　windes；　which　were　so
impetuous　beyond　all　measure；　and　so　tormented　the　Ship　wherein　the
Lady　was；　that　the　Mariners　seeing　no　signe　of　comfort；　gave　over
all　hope　of　escaping　with　life。　Neverthelesse；　as　men　most　expert　in
implacable　dangers；　they　laboured　to　their　uttermost　power；　and
contended　with　infinite　blustring　tempests；　for　the　space　of　two　dayes
and　nights　together；　hoping　the　third　day　would　prove　more　favourable。
But　therein　they　saw　themselves　deceyved；　for　the　violence　continued
still；　encreasing　in　the　night　time　more　and　more；　being　not　any　way
able　to　comprehend　either　where　they　were；　or　what　course　they
tooke；　neither　by　Marinall　judgement；　or　any　apprehension　else
whatsoever；　the　heavens　were　so　clouded；　and　the　nights　darkenesse
so　extreame。
　Beeing　（unknowne　to　them）　neere　the　Isle　of　Majorica；　they　felt　the
Shippe　to　split　in　the　bottome：　by　meanes　whereof；　perceiving　now　no
hope　of　escaping　（every　one　caring　for　himselfe；　and　not　any　other）
they　threw　foorth　a　Squiffe　on　the　troubled　waves；　reposing　more
confidence　of　safety　that　way；　then　abiding　any　longer　in　the　broken
ship。　Howbeit　such　as　were　first　descended　downe；　made　stout
resistance　against　all　other　followers；　with　their　drawne　weapons：　but
safety　of　life　so　far　prevayled；　that　what　with　the　Tempests　violence；
and　over　lading　of　the　Squiffe；　it　sunke　to　the　bottome；　and　all
perished　that　were　therein。　The　Ship　being　thus　split；　and　more　then
halfe　full　of　water；　tossed　and　tormented　by　the　blustring　windes；
first　one　way；　and　then　another：　was　at　last　driven　into　a　strond　of
the　Isle　Majorica；　no　other　persons　therein　remaining；　but　onely　the
Lady　and　her　women；　all　of　them　（through　the　rude　tempest；　and　their
owne　conceived　feare）　lying　still；　as　if　they　were　more　then　halfe
dead。　And　there；　within　a　stones　cast　of　the　neighboring　shore　the
ship　（by　the　rough　surging　billowes）　was　fixed　fast　in　the　sands；
and　so　continued　all　the　rest　of　the　night；　without　any　further
molestation　of　the　windes。
　　When　day　appeared；　and　the　violent　stormes　were　more　mildly　appeased
the　Ladie；　who　seemed　well…neere　dead；　lifted　up　her　head；　and　began
（weake　as　she　was）　to　call　first　one；　and　then　another：　but　shee
called　in　vaine；　for　such　as　she　named　were　farre　enough　from　her。
Wherefore；　hearing　no　answere；　nor　seeing　any　one；　she　wondred
greatly；　her　feares　encreasing　then　more　and　more。　Raising　her　selfe
so　well　as　shee　could；　she　beheld　the　Ladies　that　were　of　her　company；
and　some　other　of　her　women；　lying　still　without　any　stirring：
whereupon；　first　jogging　one；　and　then　another；　and　calling　them
severally　by　their　names；　shee　found　them　bereft　of　understanding；　and
even　as　if　they　were　dead；　their　hearts　were　so　quayled；　and　their
feare　so　over…ruling；　which　was　no　meane　dismay　to　the　poore　Lady
her　selfe。　Neverthelesse；　necessity　now　being　her　best　counsellor；
seeing　her　selfe　thus　all　alone；　and　not　knowing　in　what　place　shee
was；　shee　used　such　meanes　to　them　that　were　living；　that　（at　the
last）　they　came　to　better　knowledge　of　themselves。　And　being　unable　to
guesse；　what　was　become　of　the　men　and　Marriners；　seeing　the　Ship　also
driven　on　the　sands；　and　filled　with　water；　she　began　with　them　to
lament　most　greevously：　and　now　it　was　about　the　houre　of　mid　day；
before　they　could　descry　any　person　on　the　shore；　or　any　els　to　pity
them　in　so　urgent　a　necessity。
　　At　length；　noone　being　past；　a　Gentleman　named　Bajazeth；　attended　by
divers　of　his　followers　on　horsebacke；　and　returning　from　a　Countrie
house　belonging　to　him；　chanced　to　ride　by　on　the　sands。　Uppon　sight
of　the　Ship　lying　in　that　case；　he　imagined　truely　what　had　hapned；
and　commanded　one　of　his　men　to　enter　aboord　it；　which　（with　some
difficultie）　hee　did；　to　resolve　his　Lord　what　remained　therein。　There
hee　found　the　faire　yong　Lady；　with　such　small　store　of　company　as　was
left　her；　fearefully　hidden　under　the　prow　of　the　Ship。　So　soone　as
they　saw　him；　they　held　up　their　hands；　wofully　desiring　mercy　of　him：
but　he　perceiving　their　lamentable　condition；　and　that　hee　understoode
not　what　they　saide　to　him；　their　affliction　grew　the　greater；
labouring　by　signes　and　gestures；　to　give　him　knowledge　of　their
misfortune。
　　The　servant　gathering　what　he　could　by　their　outward　behaviour；
declared　to　his　Lord　what　hee　had　seene　in　the　Ship；　who　caused　the
Women　to　be　brought　on　shore；　and　all　the　precious　things　remaining
with　them；　conducting　them　with　him　to　a　place　not　far　off；　where　with
food　and　warmth　he　gave　them　comfort。　By　the　rich　garments　which　the
Lady　was　cloathed　withall；　he　reputed　her　to　be　a　Gentlewoman　well
derived；　as　the　great　reverence　done　to　her　by　the　rest；　gave　him　good
reason　to　conceive。　And　although　her　lookes　were　pale　and　wan；　as　also
her　person　mightily　altered；　by　the　tempestuous　violence　of　the　Sea：
yet　notwithstanding；　she　appeared　faire　and　lovely　in　the　eye　of
Bajazeth；　whereupon　forthwith　he　determined；　that　if　she　were　not
married；　hee　would　enjoy　her　as　his　owne　in　marriage：　or　if　he　could
not　winne　her　to　bee　his　wife；　yet　（at　the　least）　shee　should　be　his
friend；　because　she　remained　now　in　his　power。
　　Bajazeth　was　a　man　of　stearne　lookes；　rough　and　harsh　both　in　speech
and　behaviour；　yet　causing　the　Lady　to　be　honourably　used　divers　dayes
together；　shee　became　thereby　well　comforted　and　recovered。　And　seeing
her　beautie　to　exceede　all　comparison；　he　was　afflicted　beyond
measure；　that　he　could　not　understand　her；　nor　she　him；　whereby　hee
could　not　know　of　whence　or　what　she　was。　His　amorous　flames
encreasing　more　and　more；　by　kinde；　courteous；　and　affable　actions；　he
laboured　to　compasse　what　he　aymed　at。　But　all　his　endeavour　proved　to
no　purpose；　for　she　refused　all　familiar　privacie　with　him；　which　so
much　the　more　kindled　the　fury　of　his　fire。　This　being　well　observed
by　the　Lady；　having　now　remained　there　a　moneth　and　more；　and
collecting　by　the　customes　of　the　Countrey；　that　she　was　among　Turkes；
and　in　such　a　place；　where　although　she　were　knowne；　yet　it　would
little　advantage　her；　beside；　that　long　protraction　of　time　would
provoke　Bajazeth　by　faire　meanes　or　force　to　obtaine　his　will：　she
propounded　to　her　selfe　（with　magnanimity　of　spirit）　to　tread　all
misfortunes　under　her　feete；　commanding　her　Women　（whereof　shee　had
but　three　now　remaining　alive）　that　they　should　not　disclose　what
she　was；　except　it　were　in　some　such　place；　where　manifest　signes
might　yeeld　hope　of　regaining　their　liberty。　Moreover；　she
admonished　them　stoutly　to　defend　their　honour　and　chastity；
affirming；　that　she　had　absolutely　resolved　with　her　selfe；　that　never
any　other　shou　enjoy　her；　but　her　intended　husband：　wherein　her
women　did　much　commend　her；　promising　to　preserve　their　reputation；
according　as　shee　had　commanded。
　　Day　by　day；　were　the　torments　of　Bajazeth　wonderfully　augmented；　yet
still　his　kinde　offers　scornefully　refused；　and　he　as　farre　off　from
compassing　his　desires；　as　when　he　first　beganne　to　moove　the
matter：　wherefore；　perceiving　that　all　faire　courses　served　to　no
effect；　hee　resolved　to　compasse　his　purpose　by　craft　and　subtilty；
reserving　rigorous　extremitie　for　his　finall　conclusion。　And　having
once　observed；　that　wine　was　verie　pleasing　to　the　Lady；　she　being
never　used　to　drinke　any　at　all；　because　（by　her　Countries　Law）　it　was
forbidden　her：　and　no　meane　store　having　beene　lately　brought　to
Bajazeth　in　a　Barke　of　Geneway：　hee　resolved　to　surprize　her　by　meanes
thereof；　as　a　cheefe　minister　of　Venus；　to　heate　the　coolest　blood。
And　seeming　now　in　his　outward　behaviour；　as　if　hee　had　given　over　his
amorous　pursuite；　and　which　she　strove　by　all　her　best　endeavours　to
withstand：　one　night；　after　a　very　majesticke　and　solemne　manner；
hee　prepared　a　delicate　and　sumptuous　supper；　whereto　the　Lady　was
invited：　and　hee　had　given　order；　that　hee　who　attended　on　her　Cup；
should　serve　her　with　many　Wines　compounded　and　mingled　toget