the decameron(十日谈)-第66章

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questionings　after　Lorenzo？　What　urgent　affaires　have　you　with　him；
that　makes　you　so　impatient　upon　his　absence？　If　hereafter　you　make
any　more　demands　for　him；　we　shall　shape　you　such　a　reply；　as　will
be　but　little　to　your　liking。　At　these　harsh　words；　Isabella　fell　into
abundance　of　teares；　where…among　she　mingled　many　sighes　and
groanes；　such　as　were　able　to　overthrow　a　farre　stronger　constitution：
so　that；　being　full　of　feare　and　dismay；　yet　no　way　distrusting　her
brethrens　cruell　deede；　she　durst　not　question　any　more　after　him。
　　In　the　silence　of　darke　night；　as　she　lay　afflicted　in　her　bed；
oftentimes　would　she　call　for　Lorenzo；　entreating　his　speedy　returning
to　her：　And　then　againe；　as　if　he　had　bene　present　with　her；　she
checkt　and　reproved　him　for　his　so　long　absence。　One　night　amongst　the
rest；　she　being　growen　almost　hopelesse；　of　ever　seeing　him　againe；
having　a　long　while　wept　and　greevously　lamented；　her　senses　and
faculties　utterly　spent　and　tired；　that　she　could　not　utter　any　more
complaints；　she　fell　into　a　trance　or　sleepe；　and　dreamed；　that　the
ghost　of　Lorenzo　appeared　unto　her；　in　torne　and　unbefitting　garments；
his　lookes　pale；　meager；　and　staring：　and　（as　she　thought）　thus
spake　to　her。　My　deere　love　Isabella；　thou　dost　nothing　but　torment
thy　selfe；　with　calling　on　me；　accusing　me　for　overlong　tarrying
from　thee：　I　am　come　therefore　to　let　thee　know；　that　thou　canst　not
enjoy　my　company　any　more；　because　the　very　same　day　when　last　thou
sawest　me；　thy　brethren　most　bloodily　murthered　me。　And　acquainting
her　with　the　place　where　they　had　buried　his　mangled　body：　hee
strictly　charged　her；　not　to　call　him　at　any　time　afterward；　and　so
vanished　away。
　　The　young　Damosell　awaking；　and　giving　some　credite　to　her　Vision；
sighed　and　wept　exceedingly；　and　after　she　was　risen　in　the　morning；
not　daring　to　say　any　thing　to　her　brethren；　she　resolutely
determined；　to　go　see　the　place　formerly　appointed　her；　onely　to
make　triall；　if　that　which　she　seemed　to　see　in　her　sleepe；　should
carry　any　likelyhood　of　truth。　Having　obtained　favour　of　her　brethren；
to　ride　a　dayes　journey　ney　the　City；　in　company　of　her　trusty
Nurse；　who　long　time　had　attended　on　her　in　the　house；　and　knew　the
secret　passages　of　her　love：　they　rode　directly　to　the　designed　place；
which　being　covered　with　some　store　of　dried　leaves；　and　more　deeply
sunke　then　any　other　part　of　the　ground　therabout；　they　digged　not
farre；　but　they　found　the　body　of　murthered　Lorenzo；　as　yet　very
little　corrupted　or　impaired；　and　then　perceived　the　truth　of　her
vision。
　　Wisedome　and　government　so　much　prevailed　with　her；　as　to　instruct
her　soule；　that　her　teares　spent　there；　were　meerley　fruitelesse　and
in　vaine；　neither　did　the　time　require　any　long　tarrying　there。　Gladly
would　she　have　carried　the　whole　body　with　her；　secretly　to　bestow
honourable　enterment　on　it；　but　it　exceeded　the　compasse　of　her
ability。　Wherefore；　in　regard　she　could　not　have　all；　yet　she　would
be。　possessed　of　a　part；　and　having　brought　a　keene　razor　with　her；　by
helpe　of　the　Nurse；　she　divided　the　head　from　the　body；　and　wrapped　it
up　in　a　Napkin；　which　the　Nurse　conveyed　into　her　lap；　and　then
laide　the　body　in　the　ground　againe。　Thus　being　undiscovered　by　any；
they　departed　thence；　and　arrived　at　home　in　convenient　time；　where
being　alone　by　themselves　in　the　Chamber：　she　washed　the　head　over　and
over　with　her　teares；　and　bestowed　infinite　kisses　thereon。
　　Not　long　after；　the　Nurse　having　brought　her　a　large　earthen　pot；
such　as　we　use　to　set　Basile；　Marjerom；　Flowers；　or　other　sweet
hearbes　in；　and　shrouding　the　head　in　a　silken　Scarfe；　put　it　into　the
pot；　covering　it　with　earth；　and　planting　divers　rootes　of　excellent
Basile　therein；　which　she　never　watered；　but　either　with　her　teares；
Rose　water；　or　water　distilled　from　the　Flowers　of　Oranges。　This　pot
she　used　continually　to　sitte　by；　either　in　her　chamber；　or　any
where　else：　for　she　carried　it　alwaies　with　her；　sighing　and　breathing
foorth　sad　complaints　thereto；　even　as　if　they　had　beene　uttered　to
her　Lorenzo；　and　day　by　day　this　was　her　continuall　exercise；　to　the
no　meane　admiration　of　her　bretheren；　and　many　other　friends　that
beheld　her。
　　So　long　she　held　on　in　this　mourning　manner；　that；　what　by　the
continuall　watering　of　the　Basile；　and　putrifaction　of　the　head；　so
buried　in　the　pot　of　earth；　it　grew　very　flourishing；　and　most
odorifferous　to　such　as　scented　it；　that　as　no　other　Basile　could
possibly　yeeld　so　sweete　a　savour。　The　neighbours　noting　this
behaviour　in　her；　observing　the　long　continuance　thereof；　how　much　her
bright　beauty　was　defaced；　and　the　eyes　sunke　into　her　head　by
incessant　weeping；　made　many　kinde　and　friendly　motions；　to　understand
the　reason　of　her　so　violent　oppressions；　but　could　not　by　any
meanes　prevaile　with　her；　or　win　any　discovery　by　her　Nurse；　so
faithfull　was　she　in　secrecie　to　her。　Her　brethren　also　waxed　wearie
of　this　carriage　in　her；　and　having　very　often　reproved　her　for　it；
without　any　other　alteration　in　her：　at　length；　they　closely　stole
away　the　potte　of　Basile　from　her；　for　which　she　made　infinite
wofull　lamentations；　earnestly　entreating　to　have　it　restored
againe；　avouching　that　she　could　not　live　without　it。
　　Perceiving　that　she　could　not　have　the　pot　againe；　she　fell　into
an　extreame　sicknesse；　occasioned　onely　by　her　ceaselesse　weeping：　and
never　urged　she　to　have　any　thing；　but　the　restoring　of　her　Basile
pot。　Her　brethren　grew　greatly　amazed　thereat；　because　she　never
called
for　ought　else　beside；　and　thereupon　were　very　desirous　to　ransacke
the　pot　to　the　very　bottome。　Having　emptied　out　all　the　earth；　they
found　the　Scarfe　of　silke；　wherein　the　head　of　Lorenzo　was　wrapped；
which　was　（as　yet）　not　so　much　consumed；　but　by　the　lockes　of　haire；
they　knew　it　to　be　Lorenzoes　head；　whereat　they　became　confounded　with
amazement。
　　Fearing　least　their　offence　might　come　to　open　publication；　they
buried　it　very　secretly；　and；　before　any　could　take　notice　thereof；
they　departed　from　Messina；　and　went　to　dwell　in　Naples；　Isabella
crying　and　calling　still　for　her　pot　of　Basile；　being　unable　to　give
over　mourning；　dyed　within　a　few　dayes　after。　Thus　have　you　heard
the　hard　fate　of　poore　Lorenzo　and　his　Isabella。　Within　no　long
while　after；　when　this　accident　came　to　be　publikely　knowne；　an
excellent　ditty　was　composed　thereof　beginning　thus。

　　　　Cruell　and　unkinde　was　the　Christian；
　　　　That　robd　me　of　my　Basiles　blisse；　etc。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FOURTH　DAY；　THE　SIXTH　NOVELL

　　　　　　　　DESCRIBING　THE　ADMIRABLE　ACCIDENTS　OF　FORTUNE；　AND　THE
　　　　　　　　　　　　　MIGHTY　PREVAILING；　POWER　OF　LOVE　POWER　OF　LOVE

　　A　beautifull　young　Virgine；　named　Andreana；　became　enamoured　of　a
young　Gentleman　called　Gabriello。　In　conference　together；　she　declared
a　dreame　of　hers　to　him；　and　he　another　of　his　to　her；　whereupon
Gabriello　fell　downe　sodainly　dead　in　her　armes。　She；　and　her
Chamber…maide　were　apprehended；　by　the　Officers　belonging　to　the
Seigneury；　as　they　were　carrying　Gabriello；　to　lay　him　before　his　owne
doore。　The　Potestate　offering　violence　to　the　Virgin；　and　she
resisting　him　vertuously：　it　came　to　the　understanding　of　her
Father；　who　approved　the　innocence　of　his　daughter；　and　compassed
her　deliverance。　But　she　afterward；　being　weary　of　all　worldly
felicities；　entred　into　Religion；　and　became　a　Nun。

　　The　Novell　which　Madam　Philomena　had　so　graciously　related；　was
highly　pleasing　unto　the　other　Ladies；　because　they　had　oftentimes
heard　the　Song；　without　knowing　who　made　it　or　upon　what　occasion　it
was　composed。　But　when　the　King　saw　that　the　Tale　was　ended：　he
commanded　Pamphilus；　that　he　should　follow　in　his　due　course：
whereupon　he　spake　thus。
　　The　dreame　already　recounted　in　the　last　Novell；　doth　minister
matter　to　me；　to　make　report　of　another　Tale；　wherein　mention　is
made　of　two　severall　dreames；　which　divined　as　well　what　was　to　ensue；
as　the　other　did　what　had　hapned　before。　And　no　sooner　were　they
finished　in　the　relation；　by　both　the　parties　which　had　formerly
dreampt　them；　but　the　effects　of　both　as　soddainly　followed。
　　Worthy　Ladies；　I　am　sure　it　is　not　unknowne　to　you；　that　it　is；
and　hath　bene　a　generall　passion；　to　all　men　and　women　living；　to
see　divers　and　sundry　things　while　they　are　sleeping。　And　although　（to
the　sleeper）　they　seeme　most　certaine；　so　that　when　he　awaketh；　he
judgeth　the　trueth　of　some；　the　likelyhood　of　others；　and　some
beyond　all　possibility　of　truth：　yet　notwithstanding；　many　dreames
have　bene　observed　to　happen；　and　very　strangely　have　come　to　passe。
And　this　hath　bene　a　grounded　reason　for　some　men；　to　give　as　great
credit　to　such　things　as　they　see　sleeping；　as　they　do　to　others
usually　waking。　So　that；　according　unto　their　dreames；　and　as　they
make　construction　of　them；　that　are　sadly　distasted；　or　merrily
pleased；　even　as　（by　them）　they　either　feare　or　hope。　On　the　contrary；
there　are　some；　who　will　not　credit　any　dreame　whatsoever；　untill　they
be　falne　into　the　very　same　danger　which　formerly　they　saw；　and　most
evidently　in　their　sleepe。
　　I　meane　not　to　commend　either　the　one　or　other；　because　they　do
not　alwayes　fall　out　to　be　true；　neither　are　they　at　all　times
lyars。　Now；　that　they　prove　not　all　to　be　true；　we　can　best　testifie
to　our　selves。　And　that　they　are　not　alwayes　lyars；　hath　already
sufficiently　bene　manifested；　by　the　Discourse　of　Madame　Philomena；
and　as　you　shall　perceive　by　mine　owne；　which　next　commeth　in　order　to
salute　you。　Wherefore；　I　am　of　this　opinion；　that　in　matters　of　good
life；　and　performing　honest　actions；　no　dreame　is　to　be　feared
presaging　the　contrary；　neither　are　good　works　any　way　to　be　hindred
by　them。　Likewise；　in　matters　of　bad　and　wicked　quality；　although
our　dreames　may　appeare　favourable　to　us；　and　our　visions　flatter　us
with　prosperous　successe：　yet　let　us　give　no　credence　unto　the　best；
nor　addict　our　minds　to　them　of　contrary　Nature。　And　now　we　wil。
proceed　to　our　Novell。
　　In　the　Citie　of　Brescia；　there　lived　somtime　a　Gentleman；　named
Messer　Negro　da　Ponte　Cararo；　who　（among　many　other　children）　had　a
daughter　called　Andreana；　yong；　and　beautifull；　but　as　yet
unmarried。　It　fortuned；　that　shee　fell　in　love　with　a　Neighbour；　named
Gabriello；　a　comely　young　Gentleman；　of　affable　complexion；　and
graciously　conditioned。　Which　love　was　（with　like　kindenesse）
welcommed　and　entertained　by　him；　and　by　the　furtherance　of　her
Chamber…maide；　it　was　so　cunningly　carried；　that　in　the　Garden
belonging　to　Andreanaes　Father；　she　had　many　meetings　with　her
Gabriello。　And　solemne　vowes　being　mutually　passed　betweene　them；　that
nothing　but　death　could　alter　their　affection：　by　such　ceremonious
words　as　are　used　in　marriage；　they　maried　themselves　secretly
together；　and　continued　their　stolne　chaste　pleasures　with　equall
contentment　to　them　both。
　　It　came　to　passe；　that　Andreana　sleeping　in　her　bed；　dreamed；　that
shee　met　with　Gabriello　in　the　Garden；　where　they　both　embracing
lovingly　together；　she　seemed　to　see　a　thing　blacke　and　terrible；
which　sodainely　issued　forth　of　his　body；　but　the　shape　therof　she
could　not　comprehend。　It　rudely　seized　upo