the decameron(十日谈)-第63章

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Restagnone　had　heard　their　answer；　within　some　few　dayes　following；　he
went　to　confer　with　Ninetta；　which　was　no　easie　matter　for　him　to
compasse。　Neverthelesse；　opportunity　proved　so　favourable　to　him；　that
meeting　with　her　at　a　private　place　appointed；　he　discoursed　at　large；
what　had　passed　betweene　him　and　the　other　two　young　Gentlemen；
maintaining　the　same　with　many　good　reasons；　to　have　her　like　and
allow　of　the　enterprize。　Which　although　（for　a　while）　he　could　very
hardly　doe；　yet；　in　regard　shee　had　more　desire　then　power；　without
suspition　to　be　daily　in　his　company；　she　thus　answered。　My　hearts
chosen　friend；　I　cannot　any　way　mislike　your　advice；　and　will　take
such　order　with　my　Sisters；　that　they　shal　agree　to　our　resolution。
Let　it　therefore　be　your　charge；　that　you　and　the　rest　make　every
thing　ready；　to　depart　from　hence　so　soone；　as　with　best　convenient
meanes　we　may　be　enabled。
　　Restagnone　being　returned　to　Folco　and　Hugnetto；　who　thought
everie　houre　a　yeare；　to　heare　what　would　succeede　upon　the　promise
past　between　them；　he　told　them　in　plain　termes；　that　their　Ladies
were　as　free　in　consent　as　they；　and　nothing　wanted　now；　but
furnishment　for　their　sodaine　departing。　Having　concluded；　that　Candye
should　bee　their　harbour　for　entertainment；　they　made　sale　of　some　few
inheritances　which　lay　the　readiest　for　the　purpose；　as　also　the　goods
in　their　Houses；　and　then；　under　colour　of　venting　Merchandizes
abroad；　they　bought　a　nimble　Pinnace；　fortified　with　good　strength　and
preparation；　and　wayted　but　for　a　convenient　winde。　On　the　other　side；
Ninetta　who　was　sufficiently　acquainted　with　the　forwardnesse　of　her
Sisters　desires；　and　her　owne；　had　so　substantially　prevailed　with
them；　that　a　good　Voyage　now　was　the　sole　expectation。　Whereupon；
the　same　night　when　they　should　set　away；　they　opened　a　stronk
barred　Chest　of　their　Fathers；　whence　they　tooke　great　store　of　Gold
and　costly　jewels；　wherewith　escaping　secretly　out　of　the　house；
they　came　to　the　place　where　their　Lovers　attended　for　them；　and　going
all　aboord　the　Pinnace；　the　windes　were　so　furtherous　to　them；　that
without　touching　any　where；　the　night　following；　they　arrived　at
Geneway。
　There　being　out　of　perill　or　pursuit；　they　all　knit　the　knot　of
holy　wedlocke；　and　then　freely　enjoyed　their　long　wished　desires；　from
whence　setting　saile　againe；　and　being　well　furnished　with　all
things　wanting　passing　on　from　Port　to　Port；　at　the　end　of　eight
dayes；　they　landed　in　Candie；　not　meeting　with　any　impeachment　on
the　way。　Determining　there　to　spend　their　daies；　first　they　provided
themselves　of　goodly　land　in　the　Countrey；　and　then　of　beautifull
dwelling　houses　in　the　City；　with　al　due　furnishments　belonging　to
them；　and　Families　well　beseeming　such　worthy　Gentlemen；　and　all
delights　else　for　their　dally　recreations；　inviting　their。　Neighbours；
and　they　them　againe　in　loving　manner；　so　that　no　lovers　could　wish　to
live　in　more　ample　contentment。
　　Passing　on　their　time　in　this　height　of　felicity；　and　not　crossed　by
any　sinister　accidents；　it　came　to　passe　（as　often　wee　may　obserye
in　the　like　occasions；　that　although　delights　doe　most　especially
please　us；　yet　they　breede　surfet；　when　they　swell　too　over…great　in
abundance）　that　Restagnone；　who　most　deerely　affected　his　faire
Ninetta；　and　had　her　now　in　his　free　possession；　without　any　perill　of
loosing　her：　grew　now　also　to　bee　weary　of　her；　and　consequently；　to
faile　in　those　familiar　performances；　which　formerly　had　passed
betweene　them。　For；　being　one　day　invited　to　a　Banket；　hee　saw　there　a
beautifull　Gentlewoman　of　that　Countrey；　whose　perfections　pleasing
him　beyond　all　comparison：　he　laboured　（by　painfull　pursuite）　to　win
his　purpose；　and　meeting　with　her　in　divers　private　places；　grew
prodigall　in　his　expences　upon　her。　This　could　not　be　so　closely
carried；　but　being　seene　and　observed　by　Ninetta；　she　became　possessed
with　such　extreame　jealousie；　that　hee　could　not　doe　any　thing
whatsoever；　but　immediately　she　had　knowledge　of　it：　which　fire；
growing　to　a　flame　in　her；　her　patience　became　extreamely　provoked；
urging　rough　and　rude　speeches　from　her　to　him；　and　daily　tormenting
him　beyond　power　of　sufferance。
　　As　the　enjoying　of　any　thing　in　too　much　plenty；　makes　it　appeare
irkesome　and　loathing　to　us；　and　the　deniall　of　our　desires；　do　more
and　more　whet　on　the　appetite：　even　so　did　the　angry　spleen　of　Ninetta
proceed　on　in　violence；　against　this　new　commenced　love　of　Restagnone。
For；　in　succession　of　time；　whether　he　enjoyed　the　embracements　of　his
new　Mistresse；　or　no：　yet　Ninetta　（by　sinister　reports；　but　much
more　through　her　owne　jealous　imaginations）　held　it　for　infallible；
and　to　bee　most　certaine。　Heereupon；　she　fell　into　an　extreame
melancholly；　which　melancholly　begat　implacable　fury；　and
（consequently）　such　contemptible　disdaine；　as　converted　her　formerly
kindely　love　to　Restagnone；　into　Most　cruell　and　bloudie　hatred；
yea；　and　so　strangely　was　reason　or　respect　confounded　in　her；　as　no
revenge　else　but　speed　death；　might　satisfie　the　wrongs　shee
imagined　to　receive　by　Restagnone　and　his　Minion。
　　Upon　enquiry；　by　what　meanes　shee　might　best　compasse　her　bloody
intention；　she　grew　acquainted　with　a　Grecian　woman；　and　wonderfully
expert　in　the　compounding　of　poysons；　whom　shee　so　perswaded　by
gifts　and　bounteous　promises；　that　at　the　length　shee　prevayled　with
her。　A　deadly　water　was　distilled　by　her；　which　（without　any　other
counsell　to　the　contrary）　on　a　day　when　Restagnone　had　his　blood
somewhat　over…heated；　and　little　dreamed　on　any　such　Treason　conspired
against　him　by　his　Wife；　shee　caused　him　to　drinke　a　great　draught
thereof；　under　pretence；　that　it　was　a　most　soveraigne　and　cordiall
water；　but　such　was　the　powerfull　operation　thereof；　that　the　very
next　morning；　Restagnone　was　found　to　bee　dead　in　his　bed。　When　his
death　was　understoode　by　Folco；　Hugnetto；　and　their　Wives；　and　not
knowing　how　hee　came　to　bee　thus　empoysoned　（because　their　Sister
seemed　to　bemoane　his　sodaine　death；　with　as　apparant　shewes　of
mourning；　as　they　could　possibly　expresse）　they　buried　him　very
honourably；　and　so　all　suspition　ceased。
　　But　as　Fortune　is　infinite　in　her　fagaries；　never　acting　disaster　so
closely；　but　as　cunningly　discovereth　it　againe：　so　it　came　to
passe；　that　within　a　few　dayes　following；　the　Grecian　Woman　that　had
delivered　the　poyson　to　Ninetta；　for　such　another　deede　of
damnation；　was　apprehended　even　in　the　action。　And　being　put　upon　he
tortures；　among　many　other　horrid　villanies　her　committed；　she
confessed　the　empoysoning　of　Restagnone；　and　every　particle　thereto
appertaining。　Whereupon；　the　Duke　of　Candie；　without　any　noyse　or
publication；　setting　a　strong　guard　（in　the　night　time）　about　the
house　of　Folco；　where　Ninetta　then　was　lodged；　there　sodainly　they
seized　on　her；　and　upon　examination；　in　maintenance　of　desperate
revenge；　voluntarily　confessed　the　fact；　and　what　else　concerned　the
occasion　of　his　death；　by　the　wrongs　which　he　had　offered　her。
　　Folco　and　Hugnetto　understanding　secretly；　both　from　the　Duke；　and
other　intimate　friends；　what　was　the　reason　of　Ninettaes　apprehension；
which　was　not　a　little　displeasing　to　them；　labored　by　all　their
best　paines　and　endeavour；　to　worke　such　meanes　with　the　Duke；　that
her　life　might　not　perish　by　fire；　although　she　had　most　justly
deserved　it；　but　all　theyr　attempts　proved　to　no　effect；　because　the
Duke　had　concluded　to　execute　justice。
　　Heere　you　are　to　observe；　that　Magdalena　（beeing　a　very　beautifull
Woman；　yong；　and　in　the　choisest　flower　of　her　time：）　had　often　before
bene　solicited　by　the　Duke；　to　entertaine　his　love　and　kindnesse：
whereto　by　no　meanes　she　would　listen　or　give　consent。　And　being　now
most　earnestly　importuned　by　her　for　the　safetie　of　her　Sisters
life；　hee　tooke　hold　on　this　her　dayly　suite　to　him；　and　in　private
told　her；　that　if　she　was　so　desirous　of　Ninettaes　life：　it　lay　in　her
power　to　obtain　it；　by　granting　him　the　fruition　of　her　love。　She
apparantly　perceiving　that　Ninetta　was　not　likely　to　live；　but　by
the　prostitution　of　her　chaste　honour；　which　she　preferred　before
the　losse　of　her　owne　life；　or　her　sisters；　concluded　to　let　her　dye；
rather　then　run　into　any　such　disgrace。　But　having　an　excellent
ingenious　wit；　quicke；　and　apprehensive　in　perillous　occasions；　she
intended　now　to　make　a　triall　of　overreaching　the　lascivious　Duke　in
his　wanton　purpose；　and　yet　to　be　assured　of　her　sisters　life；　without
any　blemish　to　her　reputation。
　　Soliciting　him　still　as　shee　was　wont　to　doe；　this　promise　passed
from　her　to　him；　that　when　Ninetta　was　delivered　out　of　prison；　and　in
safetie　at　home　in　her　house：　hee　should　resort　thither　in　some　queint
disguise；　and　enjoy　his　long　expected　desire；　but　untill　then　she
would　not　yeeld。　So　violent　was　the　Duke　in　the　prosecution　of　his
purpose；　that　under　colour　of　altering　the　manner　of　Ninettaes
death；　not　suffering　her　to　bee　consumed　by　fire；　but　to　be　drowned；
according　to　a　custome　observed　there　long　time；　and　at　the
importunity　of　her　Sister　Magdalena；　in　the　still　silence　of　the
night；　Ninetta　was　conveyed　into　a　sacke；　and　sent　in　that　manner　to
the　House　of　Folco；　the　Duke　following　soone　after；　to　challenge　her
promise。
　　Magdalena；　having　acquainted　her　Husband　with　her　vertuous
intention；　for　preserving　her　Sisters　life；　and　disappointing　the　Duke
in　his　wicked　desire；　was　as　contrary　to　her　true　meaning　in　this
case；　as　Ninetta　had　formerly　beene　adverse　to　Restagnone；　onely　being
over…ruled　likewise　by　jealousie；　and　perswaded　in　his　rash　opinion；
that　the　Duke　had　already　dishonoured　Magdalena；　otherwise；　he　would
not　have　delivered　Ninetta　out　of　prison。　Mad　fury　gave　further　fire
to　this　unmanly　perswasion；　and　nothing　will　now　quench　this　but　the
life　of　poore　Magdalena；　suddenly　sacrificed　in　the　rescue　of　her
Sister；　such　a　divell　is　anger；　when　the　understandings　bright　eye
is　thereby　abused。　No　credit　might　bee　given　to　her　womanly
protestations；　or　any　thing　seeme　to　alter　his　bloody　purpose；　but；
having　slaine　Magdalena　with　his　Poniard　（notwithstanding　her　teares
and　humble　entreaties）　he　ranne　in　haste　to　Ninettaes　Chamber；　she　not
dreaming　on　any　such　desperate　accident；　and　to　her　he　used　these
dissembling　speeches。
　　Sister　（quoth　he）　my　wife　hath　advised；　that　I　should　speedily
convey　you　hence；　as　fearing　the　renewing　of　the　Dukes　fury；　and
your　falling　againe　into　the　hands　of　justice：　I　have　a　Barke
readily　prepared　for　you；　and　your　life　being　secured；　it　is　all
that　she　and　I　doe　most　desire。　Ninetta　being　fearefull；　and　no　way
distrusting　what　he　had　saide；　in　thankfull　allowance　of　her　Sisters
care；　and　curteous　tender　of　his　so　ready　service；　departed　thence
presently　with　him；　not　taking　any　farewell　of　her　other　Sister　and
her　Husband。　To　the　Seashore　they　came；　very　weakely　provided　of
monies　to　defray　their　charges；　and　getting　aboard　the　Barke；　directed
their　course　themselves　knew　not　whether。
　　The　amorous　Duke　in　his　disguise；　having　long　daunced　attendance
at　Folcoes　doore；　and　no　admittance　of　his　entrance；　angerly
returned　backe　to　his　Court；　protesting　severe