the decameron(十日谈)-第65章

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expectation　therein　deceived：　for；　within　few　dayes　after；　the　Ship
（not　over…swiftly　winded）　come　sailing　neere　to　the　place　where　they
attended　for　her　arrivall；　whereof　Gerbino　had　no　sooner　gotten　a
sight；　but　to　animate　the　resolutes　which　were　in　his　company；　thus　he
spake。
　　Gentlemen；　if　you　be　those　men　of　valour；　as　heretofore　you　have
bene　reputed；　I　am　perswaded；　that　there　are　some　among　you；　who
either　formerly　have；　or　now　instantly　do　feele；　the　all…commanding
power　of　Love；　without　which　（as　I　thinke）　there　is　not　any　mortall
man；　that　can　have　any　goodnesse…　or　vertue　dwelling　in　him。
Wherefore；　if　ever　you　have　bene　amorously　affected；　or　presently　have
any　apprehension　thereof；　you　shall　the　more　easily　Judge　of　what　I
now　aime　at。　True　it　is；　that　I　do　love；　and　love　hath　guided　me　to　be
comforted；　and　manfully　assisted　by　you；　because　in　yonder　Ship；　which
you　see　commeth　on　so　gently　under　saile　（even　as　if　she　offered　her
selfe　to　be　our　prize）　not　onely　is　the　Jewell　which　I　most　esteeme；
but　also　mighty　and　unvalewable　treasure；　to　be　wonne　without　any
difficult　labour；　or　hazard　of　a　dangerous　fight；　you　being　men　of
such　undauntable　courage。　In　the　honour　of　which　victory；　I　covet
not　any　part　or　parcell；　but　onely　a　Ladie；　for　whose　sake　I　have
undertaken　these　Armes；　and　freely　give　you　all　the　rest　contained
in　the　Ship。　Let　us　set　on　them；　Gentlemen；　and　my　deerest　friends；
couragiously　let　us　assaile　the　ship；　you　see　how　the　wind　favours　us；
and　（questionlesse）　in　so　good　an　action；　Fortune　will　not　faile　us。
　　Gerbino　needed　not　to　have　spoken　so　much；　in　perswading　them　to
seize　so　rich　a　booty；　because　the　men　of　Messina　were　naturally
addicted　to　spoile　and　rapine：　and　before　the　Prince　began　his
Oration；　they　had　concluded　to　make　the　ship　their　purchase。
Wherefore；　giving　a　lowde　shout；　according　to　their　Country　manner；
and　commanding　their　Trumpets　to　sound　chearfully；　they　rowed　on　a
maine　with　their　Oares；　and　（in　meere　despight）　set　upon　the　ship。　But
before　the　Gallies　could　come　neere　her；　they　that　had　the　charge
and　managing　of　her；　perceyving　with　what　speede　they　made　towards
them；　and　no　likely　meanes　of　escaping　from　them；　resolvedly　they
stood　upon　their　best　defence；　for　now　it　was　no　time　to　be　slothfull。
The　Prince　being　come　neere　to　the　Ship；　commanded　that　the　Patrones
should　come　to　him；　except　they　would　adventure　the　fight。　When　the
Sarazines　were　thereof　advertised；　and　understood　also　what　he
demanded；　they　returned　answer：　That　their　motion　and　proceeding　in
this　manner；　was　both　against　Law　and　plighted　faith；　which　was
promised　by　the　King　of　Sicilie；　for　their　safe　passage　through　the
Sea　by　no　meanes　to　be　mollested　or　assailed。　In　testimony　whereof；
they　shewed　his　Glove；　avouching　moreover；　that　neither　by　force　（or
otherwise）　they　would　yeelde；　or　deliver　him　any　thing　which　they
had　aboorde　their　Ship。
　　Gerbino　espying　his　gracious　Mistresse　on　the　Ships　decke；　and　she
appearing　to　be　farre　more　beautifull　then　Fame　had　made　relation　of
her：　being　much　more　enflamed　now；　then　formerly　he　had　bin；　replyed
thus　when　they　shewed　the　Glove。　We　have　（quoth　he）　no　Faulcon　here
now；　to　be　humbled　at　the　sight　of　your　Glove：　and　therefore；　if　you
will　not　deliver　the　Lady；　prepare　your　selves　for　fight；　for　we
must　have　her　whether　you　will　or　no。　Hereupon；　they　began　to　let　flie
（on　both　sides）　their　Darts　and　arrowes；　with　stones　sent　in　violent
sort　from　their　slings；　thus　continuing　the　fight　a　long　while；　to
very　great　harme　on　either　side。　At　the　length；　Gerbino　perceiving；
that　small　benefit　would　redound　to　him；　if　he　did　not　undertake
some　other　kinde　of　course：　he　tooke　a　small　Pinnace；　which
purposely　he　brought　with　him　from　Sardignia；　and　setting　it　on　a
flaming　fire；　conveyed　it　（by　the　Gallies　help）　close　to　the　ship。　The
Sarazines　much　amazed　thereat；　and　evidently　perceiving；　that　either
they　must　yeeld　or　dye；　brought　their　Kings　daughter　to　the　prow　of
the　ship；　most　greevously　weeping　and　wringing　her　hands。　Then　calling
Gerbino；　to　let　him　behold　their　resolution；　there　they　slew　hir
before　his　face；　and　afterward；　throwing　her　body　into　the　Sea；　saide：
Take　her；　there　we　give　her　to　thee；　according　to　our　bounden　duty；
and　as　thy　perjury　hath　justly　deserved。
　　This　sight　was　not　a　little　greevous　to　the　Prince　Gerbino；　who
madded　now　with　this　their　monstrous　cruelty；　and　not　caring　what
became　of　his　owne　life；　having　lost　her　for　whom　he　onely　desired
to　live：　not　dreading　their　Darts；　Arrowes；　slinged　stones；　or　what
violence　els　they　could　use　against　him；　he　leapt　aboord　their　ship；
in　despight　of　all　that　durst　resist　him；　behaving　himselfe　there　like
a　hunger…starved　Lyon；　when　he　enters　among　a　heard　of　beasts；　tearing
their　carkasses　in　pieces　both　with　his　teeth　and　pawes。　Such　was
the　extreme　fury　of　this　poore　Prince；　not　sparing　the　life　of　any
one；　that　durst　appeare　in　his　presence；　so　that　what　with　the
bloody　slaughter；　and　violence　of　the　fires　encreasing　in　the　Ship；
the　Mariners　got　such　wealth　as　possibly　they　could　save；　and
suffering　the　Sea　to　swallow　the　rest；　Gerbino　returned　unto　his
Gallies　againe；　nothing　proud　of　this　so　ill…gotten　victory。
　　Afterward；　having　recovered　the　Princesse　dead　body　out　of　the
Sea；　and　enbalmed　it　with　sighes　and　teares：　he　returned　backe　into
Sicilie；　where　he　caused　it　to　be　most　honourably　buried；　in　a
little　Island；　named　Ustica；　face　to　face　confronting　Trapanum。　The
King　of　Thunis　hearing　these　disastrous　Newes；　sent　his　Ambassadors
（habited　in　sad　mourning）　to　the　aged　King　of　Sicilie；　complaining
of　his　faith　broken　with　him；　and　how　the　accident　had　falne　out。
Age　being　sodainly　incited　to　anger；　and　the　King　extreamly　offended
at　this　injury；　seeing　no　way　whereby　to　deny　him　justice；　it　being
urged　so　instantly　by　the　Ambassadors：　caused　Gerbino　to　be
apprehended；　and　he　himselfe　（in　regard　that　none　of　his　Lords　and
Barons　would　therein　assist　him；　but　laboured　to　divert　him　by　their
earnest　importunity）　pronounced　the　sentence　of　death　on　the　Prince；
and　commanded　to　have　him　beheaded　in　his　presence；　affecting
rather；　to　dye　without　an　heire；　then　to　be　thought　a　King　voyde　of
justice。　So　these　two　unfortunate　Lovers；　never　enjoyed　the　very　least
benefite　of　their　long　wished　desires：　ended　both　their　lives　in
violent　manner。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FOURTH　DAY；　THE　FIFT　NOVELL

　　　　　　WHEREIN　IS　PLAINLY　PROVED；　THAT　LOVE　CANNOT　BE　ROOTED　UPPE；
　　　　　　　　　BY　ANY　HUMANE　POWER　OR　PROVIDENCE；　ASPECIALLY　IN　SUCH
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SOULE；　WHERE　IT　HATH　BENE　REALLY　APPREHENDED

　　The　three　Brethren　to　Isabella；　slew　a　Gentleman　that　secretly　loved
her。　His　ghost　appeared　to　her　in　her　sleepe；　and　shewed　her　in　what
place　they　had　buried　his　body。　She　（in　silent　manner）　brought　away
his　head；　aid　putting　it　into　a　pot　of　earth；　such　as　Flowers；　Basile；
or　other　sweete　hearbes　are　usually　set　in；　she　watered　it　（a　long
while）　with　her　teares。　Wherefore　her　Brethren　having　intelligence；
soone　after　she　dyed；　with　meere　conceite　of　sorrow。

　　The　Novell　of　Madame　Eliza　being　finished；　and　some…what　commended
by　the　King；　in　regard　of　the　Tragicall　conclusion；　Philomena　was
enjoyned　to　proceede　next　with　her　discourse。　She　being　overcome
with　much　compassion；　for　the　hard　Fortunes　of　Noble　Gerbino；　and
his　beautifull　Princesse；　after　an　extreame　and　vehement　sighe；　thus
she　spake。　My　Tale　（worthy　Ladies）　extendeth　not　to　persons　of　so　high
birth　or　quality；　as　they　were　of　whom　Madame　Eliza　gave　you　relation：
yet　（peradventure）　it　may　prove　to　be　no　lesse　pittifull。　And　now　I
remember　my　selfe；　Messina　so　lately　spoken　of；　is　the　place　where
this　accident　also　happened。
　　In　Messina　there　dwelt　three　young　men；　Brethren；　and　Merchants　by
their　common　profession；　who　becomming　very　rich　by　the　death　of　their
Father；　lived　in　very　good　fame　and　repute。　Their　Father　was　of　San
Gemignano；　and　they　had　a　Sister　named　Isabella；　young；　beautifull；
and　well　conditioned；　who　upon　some　occasion；　as　yet　remained
unmarried。　A　proper　youth；　being　a　Gentleman　borne　in　Pisa；　and
named　Lorenzo；　as　a　trusty　factor　or　servant；　had　the　managing　of
the　brethrens　businesse　and　affaires。　This　Lorenzo　being　of　comely
personage；　affable；　and　excellent　in　his　behaviour；　grew　so　gracious
in　the　eyes　of　Isabella；　that　she　affoorded　him　many　very　respective
lookes；　yea；　kindnesses　of　no　common　quality。　Which　Lorenzo　taking
notice　of；　and　observing　by　degrees　from　time　to　time；　gave　over　all
other　beauties　in　the　City；　which　might　allure　any　affection　from　him；
and　onely　fixed　his　heart　on　her；　so　that　their　love　grew　to　a　mutuall
embracing；　both　equally　respecting　one　another；　and　entertaining
kindnesses；　as　occasion　gave　leave。
　　Long　time　continued　this　amorous　league：　of　love；　yet　not　so
cunningly　concealed；　but　at　the　length；　the　secret　meeting　of　Lorenzo；
and　Isabella；　to　ease　their　poore　soul　of　Loves　oppressions；　was
discovered　by　the　eldest　of　the　Brethren；　unknowne　to　them　who　were
thus　betrayed。　He　being　a　man　of　great　discretion；　although　this　sight
was　highly　displeasing　to　him：　yet　notwithstanding；　he　kept　it　to
himselfe　till　the　next　morning；　labouring　his　braine　what　might　best
be　done　in　so　urgent　a　case。　When　day　was　come；　he　resorted　to　his
other　Brethren；　and　told　them　what　he　had　seene　in　the　time　past；
betweene　their　sister　and　Lorenzo。
　　Many　deliberations　passed　on　in　this　case；　but　after　all；　thus
they　concluded　together；　to　let　it　proceede　on　with　patient　that　no
scandall　might　ensue　to　them；　or　their　Sister；　no　evill　acte　being　（as
yet）　committed。　And　seeming；　as　if　they　knew　not　of　their　love；　had
a　wary　eye　still　upon　her　secret　walkes；　awaiting　for　some
convenient　time；　when　without　their　owne　prejudice；　or　Isabellaes
knowledge；　they　might　safely　breake　off　this　their　stolne　love；
which　was　altogether　against　their　liking。　So；　shewing　no　worse
countenance　to　Lorenzo；　then　formerly　they　had　done；　but　imploying　and
conversing　with　him　in　kinde　manner；　it　fortuned；　that　riding　（all
three）　to　recreate　themselves　out　of　the　City；　they　tooke　Lorenzo　in
their　company；　and　when　they　were　come　to　a　solitarie　place；　such　as
best　suited　with　their　vile　purpose：　they　ran　sodainly　upon　Lorenzo；
slew　him；　and　afterward　enterred　his　body；　where　hardly　it　could　be
discovered　by　any　one。　Then　they　returned　backe　to　Messina；　and　gave
it　forth　（as　a　credible　report）　that　they　had　sent　him　abroad　about
their　affaires；　as　formerly　they　were　wont　to　do：　which　every　one
verily　beleeved；　because　they　knew　no　reason　why　they　should
conceite　any　otherwise。
　　Isabella；　living　in　expectation　of　his　returne；　and　perceiving　his
stay　to　her　was　so　offensive　long：　made　many　demands　to　her
Brethren；　into　what　parts　they　had　sent　him；　that　his　tarrying　was
so　quite　from　all　wonted　course。　Such　was　her　importunate　speeches
to　them；　that　they　taking　it　very　discontentedly；　one　of　them　returned
her　this　frowning　answer。　What　is　your　meaning　Sister；　by　so　many
questionings　after　Lorenzo？　What　urgent　affaires　have　you　with　him；
that　makes　you　so　impatient　upon　his　ab