the decameron(十日谈)-第73章

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went；　and　finding　Ruggiero　sitting　fast　asleepe；　she　began　to　hunch
and　punche　him；　entreating　him　（softly）　to　awake：　but　all　was　to　no
purpose；　for　he　neither　moved；　or　answered　one　word；　whereat　her
patience　being　somewhat　provoked；　she　punched　him　more　rudely；　and
angerly　saide：　Awake　for　shame　thou　drowsie　dullard；　and　if　thou　be　so
desirous　of　sleeping；　get　thee　home　to　thine　owne　lodging；　because
thou　art　not　allowed　to　sleepe　here。　Ruggiero　being　thus　rudely
punched；　fell　from　off　the　Coffer　flat　on　the　ground；　appearing　no
other　in　all　respects；　then　as　if　he　were　a　dead　body。　Whereat　the
Maide　being　fearfully　amazed；　plucking　him　by　the　nose　and　young
beard；　and　what　else　she　could　devise　to　do；　yet　all　her　labour
proving　still　in　vaine：　she　was　almost　beside　her　wits；　stamping　and
raving　all　about　the　roome；　as　if　sense　and　reason　had　forsaken　her；
so　violent　was　her　extreame　distraction。
　　Upon　the　hearing　of　this　noise；　her　Mistris　came　sodainely　into
the　Chamber；　where　being　affrighted　at　so　strange　an　accident；　and
suspecting　that　Ruggiero　was　dead　indeed：　she　pinched　him　strongly；
and　burnt　his　finger　with　a　candle；　yet　all　was　as　fruitelesse　as
before。　Then　sitting　downe；　she　began　to　consider　advisedly　with　her
selfe；　how　much　her　honour　and　reputation　would　be　endangered
hereby；　both　with　her　Husband；　and　in　vulgar　opinion　when　this
should　come　to　publike　notice。　For　（quoth　she　to　her　Maide）　it　is
not　thy　fond　love　to　this　unruly　fellow　that　can　sway　the　censure　of
the　monster　multitude；　in　beleeving　his　accesse　hither　onely　to
thee：　but　my　good　name；　and　honest　repute；　as　yet　untoucht　with　the
very　least　taxation；　will　be　rackt　on　the　tenter　of　infamous
judgement；　and　（though　never　so　cleare）　branded　with　generall
condemnation。　It　is　wisedome　therefore；　that　we　should　make　no　noise
but　（in　silence）　consider　with　our　selves；　how　to　cleare　the　house
of　this　dead　body；　by　some　such　helpfull　and　witty　device；　as　when
it　shall　be　found　in　the　morning；　his　being　here　may　passe　without
suspition；　and　the　worlds　rash　opinion　no　way　touch　US。
　　Weeping　and　lamenting　is　now　laid　aside；　and　all　hope　in　them　of　his
lives　restoring：　onely　to　rid　his　body　but　of　the　house；　that　now
requires　their　care　and　cunning：　whereupon　the　Maide　thus　began。
Mistresse　（quoth　she）　this　evening；　although　it　was　very　late；　at
our　next　Neighbours　doore　（who　you　know　is　a　joyner　by　his　trade）　I
saw　a　great　Chest　stand；　and；　as　it　seemeth；　for　a　publike　sale；
because　two　or　three　nights　together；　it　hath　not　bene　thence　removed：
and　if　the　owner　have　not　lockt　it；　all　invention　else　cannot
furnish　us　with　the　like　helpe。　For　therein　will　we　lay　his　body；
whereon　I　will　bestow　two　or　three　wounds　with　my　Knife；　and　leaving
him　so；　our　house　can　be　no　more　suspected　concerning　his　being
here；　then　any　other　in　the　streete　beside；　nay　rather　farre　lesse；　in
regard　of　your　husbands　credite　and　authority。　Moreover；　hereof　I　am
certaine；　that　he　being　of　such　bad　and　disordered　qualities：　it
will　the　more　likely　be　imagined；　that　he　was　slaine　by　some　of　his
own　loose　companions；　being　with　them　about　some　pilfering　busines；
and　afterward　hid　his　body　in　the　chest；　it　standing　so　fitly　for
the　purpose；　and　darke　night　also　favouring　the　deed。
　　The　Maids　counsell　past　under　the　seale　of　allowance；　only　her
Mistris　thought　it　not　convenient；　that　（having　affected　hirn　so
deerely）　she　should　mangle　his　body　with　any　wounds；　but　rather　to　let
it　be　gathered　by　more　likely…hood；　that　villaines　had　strangled
him；　and　then　conveyed　his　body　into　the　Chest。　Away　she　sends　the
Maide；　to　see　whether　the　Chest　stood　there　still；　or　no；　as　indeede
it　did；　and　unlockt；　whereof　they　were　not　a　little　joyfull。　By　the
helpe　of　her　Mistresse；　the　Maide　tooke　Ruggiero　upon　her　shoulders；
and　bringing　him　to　the　doore；　with　dilligent　respect　that　no　one
could　discover　them；　in　the　Chest　they　laide　him；　and　so　there　left
him；　closing　downe　the　lidde　according　as　they　found　it。
　　In　the　same　streete；　and　not　farre　from　the　joyner；　dwelt　two　yong
men　who　were　Lombards；　living　upon　the　interest　of　their　moneyes；
coveting　to　get　much；　and　to　spend　little。　They　having　observed
where　the　Chest　stood；　and　wanting　a　necessary　mooveable　to
houshold；　yet　loath　to　lay　out　money　for　buying　it：　complotted
together　this　very　night；　to　steale　it　thence；　and　carry　it　home　to
their　house；　as　accordingly　they　did；　finding　it　somewhat　heavy；　and
therefore　imagining；　that　matter　of　woorth　was　contained　therein。　In
the　Chamber　where　their　wives　lay；　they　left　it；　and　so　without　any
further　search　till　the　next　morning；　they　laid　them　downe　to　rest
likewise。
　　Ruggiero；　who　had　now　slept　a　long　while；　the　drinke　being　digested；
and　the　vertue　thereof　fully　consummated；　began　to　awake　before　day。
And　although　his　naturall　sleepe　was　broken；　and　his　senses　had
recovered　their　former　power；　yet　notwithstanding；　there　remained　such
an　astonishment　in　his　braine；　as　not　onely　did　afflict　him　all　the
day　following；　but　also　divers　dayes　and　nights　afterward。　Having
his　eyes　wide　open；　and　yet　not　discerning　any　thing；　he　stretched
forth　his　armes　every　where　about　him；　and　finding　himselfe　to　be
enclosed　in　the　Chest；　he　grew　more　broad　awake；　and　said　to　himselfe。
What　is　this？　Where　am　I？　Do　I　wake　or　steepe？　Full　well　I　remember；
that　not　long　since　I　was　in　my　sweet…hearts　Chamber；　and　now　（me
thinkes）　I　am　mewed　up　in　a　Chest。　What　should　I　thinke　hereof？　Is
Master　Doctor　returned　home；　or　hath　some　other　inconvenience　happned；
whereby　finding　me　a　sleepe；　she　was　enforced　to　hide　me　thus？
Surely　it　is　so；　and　otherwise　it　cannot　be：　wherefore；　it　is　best　for
me　to　lye　still；　and　listen　when　I　can　heare　any　talking　in　the
Chamber。
　　Continuing　thus　a　longer　while　then　otherwise　he　would　have　done；
because　his　lying　in　the　bare　Chest　was　somewhat　uneasie　and
painfull　to　him；　turning　divers　times　on　the　one　side；　and　then　as
often　againe　on　the　other；　coveting　still　for　ease；　yet　could　not
finde　any：　at　length；　he　thrust　his　backe　so　strongly　against　the
Chests　side；　that　（it　standing　on　an　un…even　ground）　it　began　to
totter；　and　after　fell　downe。　In　which　fall；　it　made　so　loud　a
noise；　as　the　women　（lying　in　the　beds　standing　by）　awaked；　and　were
so　overcome　with　feare；　that　they　had　not　the　power　to　speake　one
word。　Ruggiero　also　being　affrighted　with　the　Chests　fall；　and
perceiving　how　by　that　meanes　it　was　become　open；　he　thought　it
better；　least　some　other　sinister　fortune　should　befall　him；　to　be
at　open　liberty；　then　inclosed　up　so　strictly。　And　because　he　knew　not
where　he　was；　as　also　hoping　to　meete　with　his　Mistresse；　he　went
all　about　groping　in　the　darke；　to　find　either　some　staires　or
doore；　whereby　to　get　forth。
　　When　the　Women　（being　then　awake）　heard　his　trampling；　as　also　his
justling　against　the　doores　and　windowes；　they　demaunded；　Who　was
there？　Ruggiero；　not　knowing　their　voyces；　made　them　no　answer；
wherefore　they　called　to　their　husbands；　who　lay　very　soundly　sleeping
by　them；　by　reason　of　their　so　late　walking　abroad；　and　therefore
heard　not　this　noise　in　the　house。　This　made　the　Women　much　more
timorous；　and　therefore　rising　out　of　their　beddes；　they　opened　the
Casement　towards　the　streete；　crying　out　aloude；　Theeves；　Theeves。　The
neighbours　arose　upon　this　outcry；　running　up　and　downe　from　place
to　place；　some　engirting　the　house；　and　others　entering　into　it：　by
means　of　which　troublesome　noise；　the　two　Lombards　awaked；　and　seizing
there　upon　poore　Ruggiero　（who　was　well…neere　affrighted　out　of　his
wittes；　at　so　strange　an　accident；　and　his　owne　ignorance；　how　he
happened　thither；　and　how　to　escape　from　them）　he　stood　gazing　on　them
without　any　answer。
　　By　this　time；　the　Sergeants　and　other　Officers　of　the　City；
ordinarily　attending　on　the　Magistrate；　being　raised　by　the　tumult
of　this　uproare；　were　come　into　the　house；　and　had　poore　Ruggiero
committed　unto　their　charge：　who　bringing　him　before　the　Governor；　was
forthwith　called　in　question；　and　known　to　be　of　a　most　wicked　life；　a
shame　to　all　his　friends　and　kindred。　He　could　say　little　for
himselfe；　never　denying　his　taking　in　the　house；　and　therefore
desiring　to　finish　all　his　fortunes　together；　desperately　confessed；
that　he　came　with　a　fellonious　intent　to　rob　them；　and　the　Governor
gave　him　sentence　to　be　hanged。
　　Soone　were　the　newes　spread　throughout　Salerne；　that　Ruggiero　was
apprehended；　about　robbing　the　house　of　the　two　usuring　Lombardes：
which　when　Mistresse　Doctor　and　her　Chamber…maide　heard；　they　were
confounded　with　most　strange　admiration；　and　scarsely　credited　what
they　themselves　had　done　the　night　before；　but　rather　imagined　all
matters　past；　to　be　no　more　than　meerely　a　dreame；　concerning
Ruggieroes　dying　in　the　house；　and　their　putting　him　into　the　Chest；
so　that　by　no　likely　or　possible　meanes；　he　could　be　the　man　in　this
perillous　extreamitie。
　　In　a　short　while　after；　Master　Doctor　Mazzeo　was　returned　from
Malfy；　to　proceede　in　his　cure　of　the　poore　mans　legge；　and　calling
for　his　glasse　of　Water；　which　he　left　standing　in　his　owne　Chamber
window；　it　was　found　quite　empty；　and　not　a　drop　in　it：　whereat　he
raged　so　extreamly；　as　never　had　the　like　impatience　bene　noted　in
him。　His　wife；　and　her　Maide；　who　had　another　kinde　of　businesse　in
their　braine；　about　a　dead　man　so　strangely　come　to　life　againe；
knew　not　well　what　to　say；　but　at　the　last；　his　Wife　thus　replyed
somewhat　angerly。　Sir　（quoth　she）　what　a　coyle　is　here　about　a
paltry　glasse　of　Water；　which　perhaps　hath　bene　spilt；　yet　neyther
of　us　faulty　therein？　Is　there　no　more　such　water　to　be　had　in　the
world？　Alas　deere　Wife　（saide　he）　you　might　repute　it　to　be　a　common
kinde　of　Water；　but　indeed　it　was　not　so；　for　I　did　purposely　compound
it；　onely　to　procure　a　dead　seeming　sleepe：　And　so　related　the　whole
matter　at　large；　of　the　Pacients　legge；　and　his　Waters　losse。
　　When　she　had　heard　these　words　of　her　husband；　presently　she
conceived；　that　the　water　was　drunke　off　by　Ruggiero；　which　had　so
sleepily　entranced　his　sences；　as　they　verily　thought　him　to　be
dead；　wherefore　she　saide。　Beleeve　me　Sir；　you　never　acquainted　us
with　any　such　matter；　which　would　have　procured　more　carefull
respect　of　it：　but　seeing　it　is　gone；　your　skill　extendeth　to　make
more；　for　now　there　is　no　other　remedy。　While　thus　Master　Doctor　and
his　Wife　were　conferring　together；　the　Maide　went　speedily　into　the
City；　to　understand　truly；　whither　the　condemned　man　was　Ruggiero；　and
what　would　now　become　of　him。　Being　returned　home　againe；　and　alone
with　her　Mistresse　in　the　Chamber；　thus　she　spake。　Now　trust　me
Mistresse；　not　one　in　the　City　speaketh　well　of　Ruggiero；　who　is　the
man　condemned　to　dye；　and；　for　ought　I　can　perceive；　he　hath　neither
Kinsman　nor　Friend　that　will　doe　any　thing　for　him；　but　he　is　left
with　the　Provost；　and　must　be　executed　to　morrow　morning。　Moreover
Mistresse；　by　such　instructions　as　I　have　received；　I　can　well…neere
informe　you；　by　what　meanes　he　came　to　the　two　Lombards　house；　if
all　be　true　that　I　have　heard。
　　You　know　the　joyner　before　whose　doore　the　Chest　stoode；　wherein