the decameron(十日谈)-第31章

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advantage　or　advancement；　and　crossing　over　into　England；　travayled　to
the　place　in　Wales；　where　he　left　Perotto；　and　where　he　found　him　to
be　Lord　Marshall　and　President　of　the　country；　lusty　and　in　good
health；　a　man　of　goodly　feature；　and　most　honorably　respected　and
reverenced　of　the　people。
　　Well　may　you　imagine；　that　this　was　no　small　comfort　to　the　poore
aged　Countes　heart；　yet　would　he　not　make　himselfe　knowne　to　him；　or
any　other　about　him；　but　referred　his　joy　to　a　further　enlarging　and
diminishing；　by　sight　of　the　other　limbe　of　his　life；　his　deerely
affected　daughter　Gianetta；　denying　rest　to　his　bodie　in　any　place；
until　such　time　as　he　came　to　London。　Making　there　secret　enquiry
concerning　the　Ladie　with　whom　hee　had　left　his　daughter；　hee
understoode；　that　a　young　Gentlewoman；　named　Gianetta；　was　married
to　that　Ladies　onely　Son；　which　made　a　second　addition　of　joy　to　his
soule；　accounting　all　his　passed　adversities　of　no　valew；　both　his
children　being　living；　and　in　so　high　honour。
　　Having　found　her　dwelling；　and　（like　a　kinde　Father）　being　earnestly
desirous　to　see　her；　he　dayly　resorted　nere　to　the　house；　where　Sir
Roger　Mandevile　（for　so　was　Gianettaes　husband　named）　chauncing　to　see
him；　being　moved　to　compassion；　because　he　was　both　poore　and　aged：
commaunded　one　of　his　men；　to　take　him　into　the　house；　and　to　give　him
some　foode　for　Gods　sake；　which　（accordingly）　the　servant　performed。
Gianetta　had　divers　children　by　her　husband；　the　eldest　being　but
eight　yeeres　of　age；　yet　all　of　them　so　faire　and　comely　as　could
be。　As　the　old　Count　sate　eating　his　meate　in　the　Hall；　the　children
came　all　about　him；　embracing；　hugging；　and　making　much　of　him；　even
as　if　Nature　had　truly　instructed　them；　that　this　was　their　aged
（though　poor）　Grandfather；　and　hee　as　lovingly　receiving　these　kilde
relations　from　them；　wisely　and　silently　kept　all　to　himselfe；　with
sighes；　teares；　and　joyes　intermixed　together。　Insomuch　that　the
children　would　not　part　from　him　though　their　Tutor　and　Master
called　them　often；　which　being　tolde　to　their　Mother；　shee　came　foorth
of　the　neere　adjoyning　Parlour；　and　threatned　to　beate　them；　if　they
would　not　doe　what　their　Maister　commanded　them。
　　Then　the　Children　began　to　cry；　saying；　that　they　would　tarrie
stil　by　the　good　olde　man；　because　he　loved　them　better　then　their
Master　did；　whereat　both　the　Lady　and　the　Count　began　to　smile。　The
Count；　a　poore　Begger；　and　not　as　Father　to　so　great　a　Lady；　arose；
and　did　her　humble　reverence；　because　she　was　now　a　Noble　Woman；
conceyving　wonderfull　joy　in　his　soule；　to　see　her　so　faire　and　goodly
a　creature：　yet　could　she　take　no　knowledge　of　him；　Age；　want；　and
misery　had　so　mightily　altered　him；　his　head　all　white；　his　beard
without　any　comly　forme；　his　Garments　so　poore；　and　his　face　so
wrinkled；　leane　and　meager；　that　he　seemed　rather　some　Carter；　then
a　Count。　And　Gianetta　perceiving　that　when　her　Children　were　fetcht
away；　they　returned　againe　to　the　olde　man；　and　would　not　leave　him；
she　desired　their　Maister　to　let　them　alone。
　While　thus　the　Children　continued　making　much　of　the　good　olde　man；
Lord　Andrew　Mandevile；　Father　to　Sir　Roger；　came　into　the　Hall；　as
being　so　willed　to　doe　by　the　Childrens　Schoolemaster。　He　being　a
hastie…minded　man；　and　one　that　ever…despised　Gianetta　before；　but
much　more　since　her　marriage　to　his　sonne；　angerly　said；　Let　them
alone　with　a　mischeefe；　and　so　befall　them；　their　best　company　ought
to　bee　with　beggers；　for　so　they　are　bred　and　borne　by　the　Mothers
side：　and　therefore　it　is　no　mervaile；　if　like　will　to　like；　a　beggers
brats　to　keepe　company　with　beggers。　The　Count　hearing　these
contemptible　wordes；　was　not　a　little　greeved　thereat；　and　although
his　courage　was　greater　then　his　poore　condition　would　permit　him　to
expresse；　yet；　clouding　all　injuries　with　noble　patience；　hanging
downe　his　head；　and　shedding　many　a　salt　teare；　endured　this　reproach；
as　hee　had　done　many；　both　before　and　after。
　　But　honourable　Sir　Roger；　perceiving　what　delight　his　Children　tooke
in　the　poore　mans　company；　albeit　he　was　offended　at　his　Fathers　harsh
words；　by　holding　his　wife　in　such　base　respect：　yet　favoured　the
poore　Count　so　much　the　more；　and　seeing　him　weepe；　did　greatly
compassionate　his　case；　saying　to　the　poore　man；　that　if　he　would
accept　of　his　service；　he　willingly　would　entertaine　him。　Whereto
the　Count　replyed；　that　very　gladly　he　would　embrace　his　kinde
offer：　but　he　was　capeable　of　no　other　service；　save　onely　to　be　an
horsekeeper；　wherein　he　had　imployed　the　most　part　of　his　time。
Heereupon；　more　for　pleasure　and　pitty　then　any　necessity　of　his
service；　he　was　appointed　to　the　keeping　of　an　Horse；　which　was
onely　for　his　Daughters　saddle；　and　daily　after　he　had　done　his
diligence　about　the　Horse；　he　did　nothing　else　but　play　with　the
children。　While　Fortune　pleased　thus　to　dally　with　the　poore　Count
D'Angiers；　and　his　children；　it　came　to　passe；　that　the　King　of　France
（after　divers　leagues　of　truces　passed　betweene　him　and　the　Germaines）
died；　and　next　after　him；　his　Son　the　Dolphin　was　crowned　King；　and　it
was　his　wife　that　wrongfully　caused　the　Counts　banishment。　After
expiration　of　the　last　league　with　the　Germains；　the　warres　began　to
grow　much　more　fierce　and　sharpe；　and　the　King　of　England；　（upon
request　made　to　him　by　his　new　brother　of　France）　sent　him　very
honourable　supplies　of　his　people；　under　the　conduct　of　Perotto；　his
lately　elected　President　of　Wales；　and　Sir　Roger　Mandevile；　Son　to　his
other　Lord　high　Marshall；　with　whom　also　the　poore　Count　went；　and
continued　a　long　while　in　the　Campe　as　a　common　Souldier；　where　yet
like　a　valiant　Gentleman　（as　indeed　he　was　no　lesse）　both　in　advice
and　actions；　he　accomplished　many　more　notable　matters；　then　was
expected　to　come　from　him。
　　It　so　fell　out；　that　in　the　continuance　of　this　warre；　the　Queene　of
France　fell　into　a　grievous　sicknesse；　and　perceiving　her　selfe　to
be　at　the　point　of　death；　shee　became　very　penitently　sorrowfull　for
all　her　sinnes；　earnestly　desiring　that　shee　might　be　confessed　by　the
Archbishop　of　Roane；　who　was　reputed　to　be　an　holy　and　vercuous　man。
In　the　repetition　of　her　other　offences；　she　revealed　what　great　wrong
she　had　done　to　the　Count　D'Angiers；　resting　not　so　satisfied；　with
disclosing　the　whole　matter　to　him　alone；　but　also　confessed　the
same　before　many　other　worthy　persons；　and　of　great　honour；　entreating
them　to　worke　so　with　the　King；　that　（if　the　Count　were　yet　living；　or
any　of　his　Children）　they　might　be　restored　to　their　former　honour
againe。
　　It　was　not　long　after；　but　the　Queene　left　this　life；　and　was　most
royally　enterred；　when　her　confession　being　disclosed　to　the　King；
after　much　sorrow　for　so　injuriously　wronging　a　man　of　so　great　valour
and　honour：　Proclamation　was　made　throughout　the　Campe；　and　in　many
other　parts　of　France　beside；　that　whosoever　could　produce　the　Count
D'Angiers；　or　any　of　his　Children；　should　richly　be　rewarded　for
each　one　of　them；　in　regard　he　was　innocent　of　the　foule　imputation；
by　the　Queenes　owne　confession；　and　for　his　wrongfull　exile　so　long；
he　should　be　exalted　to　his　former　honour　with　farre　greater
favours；　which　the　King　franckely　would　bestow　upon　him。　When　the
Count　（who　walked　up　and　downe　in　the　habite　of　a　common　servitor）
heard　this　Proclamation；　forth…with　hee　went　to　his　Master　Sir　Roger
Mandevile；　requesting　his　speedy　repaire　to　Lord　Perotto；　that　being
both　assembled　together；　he　would　acquaint　them　with　a　serious　matter；
concerning　the　late　Proclamation　published　by　the　King。　Being　by
themselves　alone　in　the　Tent；　the　Count　spake　in　this　manner　to
Perotto。　Sir；　S。　Roger　Mandevile　here；　your　equall　competitor　in
this　military　service；　is　the　husband　to　your　naturall　sister；
having　as　yet　never　received　any　dowry　with　her；　but　her　inherent
unblemishable　vertue　and　honor。　Now　because　she　may　not　stil　remain
destitute　of　a　competent　Dowry：　I　desire　that　Sir　Roger；　and　none
other；　may　enjoy　the　royall　reward　promised　by　the　King。　You　Lord
Perotto；　whose　true　name　is　Lewes；　manifest　your　selfe　to　be　nobly
borne；　and　Sonne　to　the　wrongfull　banished　Count　D'Angiers：　avouch
moreover；　that　Violenta；　shadowed　under　the　borrowed　name　of　Gianetta；
is　your　owne　Sister；　and　deliver　me　up　as　your　Father；　the　long　exiled
Count　D'Angiers。　Perotto　hearing　this；　beheld　him　more　advisedly；
and　began　to　know　him：　then；　the　tears　flowing　abundantly　from　his
eyes；　he　fell　at　his　feete；　and　often　embracing　him；　saide：　My　deere
and　noble　Father！　a　thousand　times　more　deerely　welcome　to　your
Sonne　Lewes。
　　Sir　Roger　Mandevile；　hearing　first　what　the　Count　had　saide；　and
seeing　what　Perotto　afterward　performed；　became　surprized　with　such
extraordinary　joy　and　admiration；　that　he　knew　not　how　to　carry
himselfe　in　this　case。　Neverthelesse；　giving　credite　to　his　words；　and
being　somewhat　ashamed；　that　he　had　not　used　the　Count　in　more
respective　manner；　and　remembring　beside；　the　unkinde　language　of
his　furious　Father　to　him：　he　kneeled　downe；　humbly　craving　pardon；
both　for　his　Fathers　rudenes　and　his　owne；　which　was　courteously
granted　by　the　Count；　embracing　him　lovingly　in　his　armes。
　　When　they　had　a　while　discoursed　their　severall　fortunes；　sometime
in　teares；　and　then　againe　in　joy；　Perotto　and　Sir　Roger；　would　have
the　Count　to　be　garmented　in　better　manner；　but　in　no　wise　he　would
suffer　it；　for　it　was　his　onely　desire；　that　Sir　Roger　should　bee
assured　of　the　promised　reward；　by　presenting　him　in　the　Kings
presence；　and　in　the　homely　habit　which　he　did　weare；　to　touch　him
with　the　more　sensible　shame；　for　his　rash　beleefe；　and　injurious
proceeding。　Then　Sir　Roger　Mandevile；　guiding　the　Count　by　the　hand；
and　Perotto　following　after；　came　before　the　King；　offering　to　present
the　Count　and　his　children；　if　the　reward　promised　in　the　Proclamation
might　be　performed。　The　King　immediately　commanded；　that　a　reward　of
inestimable　valew　should　be　produced；　desiring　Sir　Roger　upon　the
sight　thereof；　to　make　good　his　offer；　for　forthwith　presenting　the
Count　and　his　children。　Which　hee　made　no　longer　delay　of；　but　turning
himselfe　about；　delivered　the　aged　Count；　by　the　title　of　his　servant；
and　presenting　Perotto　next；　saide。　Sir；　heere　I　deliver　you　the
Father　and　his　Son；　his　Daughter　who　is　my　wife；　cannot　so
conveniently　be　here　now；　but　shortly；　by　the　permission　of　heaven；
your　Majesty　shall　have　a　sight　of　her。
　　When　the　King　heard　this；　stedfastly　he　looked　on　the　Count；　and；
notwithstanding　his　wonderfull　alteration；　both　from　his　wonted
feature　and　forme：　yet；　after　he　had　very　seriously　viewed　him；　he
knew　him　perfectly；　and　the　teares　trickling　downe　his　cheekes
partly　with　remorsefull　shame；　and　joy　also　for　his　so　happy　recovery；
he　tooke　up　the　Count　from　kneeling；　kissing；　and　embracing　him　very
kindely；　welcomming　Perotto　in　the　selfe　same　manner。　Immediately　also
he　gave　commaund；　that　the　Count　should　be　restored　to　his　honors；
apparell；　servants；　horses；　and　furniture；　answerable　to　his　high
estate　and　calling；　which　was　as　speedily　performed。　Moreover；　the　Kin
greatly　honoured　Sir　Roger　Mandevile；　desirin