the decameron(十日谈)-第74章

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all　be　true　that　I　have　heard。
　　You　know　the　joyner　before　whose　doore　the　Chest　stoode；　wherein
we　did　put　Ruggiero；　there　is　now　a　contention　betweene　him　and
another　man；　to　whom　（it　seemeth）　the　Chest　doth　belong；　in　regard
whereof；　they　are　ready　to　quarrell　extreamly　each　with　other。　For　the
one　owing　the　Chest；　and　trusting　the　joyner　to　sell　it　for　him；　would
have　him　to　pay　him　for　the　Chest。　The　joyner　denieth　any　sale
thereof；　avouching；　that　the　last　night　it　was　stolne　from　his
doore。　Which　the　other　man　contrarying；　maintaineth　that　he　solde
the　Chest　to　the　two　Lombard　usurers；　as　himselfe　is　able　to
affirme；　because　he　found　it　in　the　house；　when　he　（being　present　at
the　apprehension　of　Ruggiero）　sawe　it　there　in　the　same　house。
Hereupon；　the　joyner　gave　him　the　lye；　because　he　never　sold　it　to　any
man；　but　if　it　were　there；　they　had　robd　him　of　it；　as　he　would　make
it　manifest　to　their　faces。　Then　falling　into　clamerous　speeches
they　went　together　to　the　Lombardes　house；　even　as　I　returned　home。
Wherefore　Mistresse；　as　you　may　easily　perceive；　Ruggiero　was
（questionlesse）　carried　thither　in　the　Chest；　and　so　there　found；
but　how　he　revived　againe；　I　cannot　comprehend。
　　The　Mistresse　understanding　now　apparantly；　the　full　effect　of　the
whole　businesse；　and　in　what　manner　it　had　bene　carried；　revealed　to
the　Maide　her　husbands　speeches；　concerning　the　glasse　of　sleepie
Water；　which　was　the　onely　engine　of　all　this　trouble；　clearly
acquitting　Ruggiero　of　the　robbery；　howsoever　（in　desparate　fury；
and　to　make　an　end　of　a　life　so　contemptible）　he　had　wrongfully
accused　himselfe。　And　notwithstanding　this　his　hard　fortune；　which
hath　made　him　much　more　infamous　then　before；　in　all　the　dissolute
behaviour　of　his　life：　yet　it　could　not　quaile　her　affection　towards
him；　but　being　loath　he　should　dye　for　some　other　mans　offence；　and
hoping　his　future　reformation；　she　fell　on　her　knees　before　her
Mistresse；　and　（drowned　in　her　teares）　most　earnestly　entreated　her；
to　advise　her　with　some　such　happy　course；　as　might　be　the　safety　of
poore　Ruggieroes　life。　Mistresse　Doctor；　affecting　her　Maide
dearely；　and　plainely　perceiving；　that　no　disastrous　fortune
whatsoever；　could　alter　her　love　to　condemned　Ruggiero；　hoping　the
best　hereafter；　as　the　Maide　her　selfe　did；　and　willing　to　save　life
rather　then　suffer　it　to　be　lost　without　just　cause；　she　directed
her　in　such　discreet　manner；　as　you　will　better　conceive　by　the
successe。
　　According　as　she　was　instructed　by　her　Mistresse；　she　fell　at　the
feete　of　Master　Doctor；　desiring　him　to　pardon　a　great　error；
whereby　she　had　over…much　offended　him。　As　how？　said　Master　Doctor。　In
this　manner　（quoth　the　Maide）　and　thus　proceeded。　You　are　not　ignorant
Sir；　what　a　lewde　liver　Ruggiero　de　Jeroly　is；　and　notwithstanding　all
his　imperfections；　how　deerely　I　love　him；　as　he　protesteth　the　like
to　me；　and　thus　hath　our　love　continued　a　yeere；　and　more。　You　being
gone　to　Malfy；　and　your　absence　granting　me　apt　opportunity；　for
conference　with　so　kinde　a　friend；　I　made　the　bolder；　and　gave　him
entrance　into　your　house；　yea　even　into　mine　owne　Chamber；　yet　free
from　any　abuse；　neither　did　he　（bad　though　he　be）　offer　any。　Thirsty
he　was　before　his　comming　thither；　either　by　salt　meat；　or　distempered
diet；　and　I　being　unable　to　fetch　him　wine　or　water；　by　reason　my
Mistresse　sat　in　the　Hall；　seriously　talking　with　her　Sisters；
remembred；　that　I　saw　a　violl　of　Water　standing　in　your　Chamber
Window；　which　he　drinking　quite　off；　I　set　it　empty　in　the　place
againe。　I　have　heard　your　discontentment　for　the　said　Water；　and
confesse　my　fault　to　you　therein：　but　who　liveth　so　justly；　without
offending　at　one　time　or　other？　And　I　am　heartily　sory　for　my
transgression；　yet　not　so　much　for　the　water；　as　the　hard　fortune　that
hath　followed　thereon；　because　thereby　Ruggiero　is　in　danger　to　lose
his　life；　and　all　my　hopes　are　utterly　lost。　Let　me　entreat　you
therefore　（gentle　Master）　first　to　pardon　me；　and　then　to　grant　me
permission；　to　succour　my　poore　condemned　friend；　by　all　the　best
meanes　I　can　devise。
　　When　the　Doctor　had　heard　all　her　discourse；　angry　though　he　were；
yet　thus　he　answered　with　a　smile。　Much　better　had　it　bin；　if　thy
follies　punishment　had　falne　on　thy　selfe；　that　it　might　have　paide
thee　with　deserved　repentance；　upon　thy　Mistresses　finding　thee
sleeping。　But　go　and　get　his　deliverance　if　thou　canst；　with　this
caution；　that　if　ever　hereafter　he　be　seene　in　my　house；　the　perill
thereof　shall　light　on　thy　selfe。　Receiving　this　answer；　for　her　first
entrance　into　the　attempt；　and　as　her　Mistresse　had　advised　her；　in
all　hast　she　went　to　the　prison；　where　she　prevailed　so　well　with
the　Jaylor；　that　hee　granted　her　private　conference　with　Ruggiero。　She
having　instructed　him　what　he　should　say　to　the　Provost；　if　he　had　any
purpose　to　escape　with　life；　went　thither　before　him　to　the　Provost；
who　admitting　her　into　his　presence；　and　knowing　that　shee　was
Master　Doctors　Maid；　a　man　especially　respected　of　all　the　City；　he
was　the　more　willing　to　heare　her　message；　he　imagining　that　shee
was　sent　by　her　Master。
　　Sir　（quoth　shee）　you　have　apprehended　Ruggiero　de　Jeroly；　as　a
theefe；　and　judgement　of　death　is　（as　I　heare）　pronounced　against　him：
but　hee　is　wrongfully　accused；　and　is　clearly　innocent　of　such　a
heinous　detection。　So　entring　into　the　History；　she　declared　every
circumstance；　from　the　originall　to　the　end：　relating　truly；　that
being　her　Lover；　shee　brought　him　into　her　Masters　house；　where　he
dranke　the　compounded　sleepy　water；　and　reputed　for　dead；　she　laide
him　in　the　Chest。　Afterward；　she　rehearsed　the　speeches　betweene　the
Joyner；　and　him　that　laide　claime　to　the　Chest；　giving　him　to
understand　thereby；　how　Ruggiero　was　taken　in　the　Lombards　house。
　　The　Provost　presently　gathering；　that　the　truth　in　this　case　was
easie　to　be　knowne；　sent　first　for　Master　Doctor　Mazzeo；　to　know；
whether　he　compounded　any　such　water；　or　no：　which　he　affirmed　to　be
true；　and　upon　what　occasion　he　prepared　it。　Then　the　Joyner；　the
owner　of　the　Chest；　and　the　two　Lombards；　being　severally　questioned
withall：　it　appeared　evidently；　that　the　Lombards　did　steale　the　Chest
in　the　night　season；　and　carried　it　home　to　their　owne　house。　In　the
end；　Ruggiero　being　brought　from　the　prison；　and　demanded；　where　he
was　lodged　the　night　before；　made　answer；　that　he　knew　not　where。
Onely　he　well　remembred；　that　bearing　affection　to　the　Chamber…maide
of　Master　Doctor　Mazzeo　della　Montagna；　she　brought　him　into　a
Chamber；　where　a　violl　of　water　stoode　in　the　Window；　and　he　being
extreamly　thirsty；　dranke　it　off　all。　But　what　became　of　him　afterward
（till　being　awake；　he　found　himselfe　enclosed　in　a　Chest；　and　in　the
house　of　the　two　Lombards）　he　could　not　say　any　thing。
　　When　the　Provost　had　heard　all　their　answers；　which　he　caused　them
to　repeate　over　divers　times；　in　regard　they　were　very　pleasing　to
him：　he　cleared　Ruggiero　from　the　crime　imposed　on　him；　and
condemned　the　Lombards　in　three　hundred　Ducates；　to　be　given　to
Ruggiero　in　way　of　an　amends；　and　to　enable　his　marriage　with　the
Doctors　Mayde；　whose　constancie　was　much　commended；　and　wrought　such　a
miracle　on　penitent　Ruggiero；　that　after　his　marriage；　which　was
graced　with　great　and　honourable　pompe；　he　regained　the　intimate
love　of　all　his　kindred；　and　lived　in　most　Noble　condition；　even　as　if
he　had　never　bene　any　disordered　man。
　　If　the　former　Novels　had　made　all　the　Ladies　sad　and　sighe；　this
last　of　Dioneus　as　much　delighted　them；　as　restoring　them　to　their
former　jocond　humor；　and　banishing　Tragicall　discourse　for　ever。　The
King　perceiving　that　the　Sun　was　neere　setting；　and　his　government
as　neere　ending；　with　many　kinde　and　courteous　speeches；　excused
himselfe　to　the　Ladies；　for　being　the　motive　of　such　an　argument；　as
expressed　the　infelicity　of　poore　Lovers。　And　having　finished　his
excuse；　up　he　rose；　taking　the　Crown　of　Lawrell　from　off　his　owne
head；　the　Ladies　awaiting　on　whose　head　he　pleased　next　to　set　it；
which　proved　to　be　the　gracious　Lady　Fiammetta；　and　thus　he　spake。
Here　I　place　this　Crowne　on　her　head；　that　knoweth　better　then　any
other；　how　to　comfort　this　faire　assembly　to　morrow；　for　the　sorrow
which　they　have　this　day　endured。
　　Madame　Fiammetta；　whose　lockes　of　haire　were　curled；　long；　and
like　golden　wiers；　hanging　somewhat　downe　over　her　white　and
delicate　shoulders；　her　visage　round；　wherein　the　Damaske　Rose　and
Lilly　contended　for　priority；　the　eyes　in　her　head；　resembling　those
of　the　Faulcon　messenger；　and　a　dainty　mouth；　her　lippes　looking
like　two　little　Rubyes；　with　a　commendable　smile　thus　she　replyed。
　　Philostratus；　gladly　I　do　accept　your　gift；　and　to　the　end　that　ye
may　the　better　remember　your　selfe；　concerning　what　you　have　done
hitherto：　I　will　and　command；　that　generall　preparation　be　made
against　to　morrow；　for　faire　and　happy　fortunes　hapning　to　Lovers；
after　former　cruell　and　unkinde　accidents。　Which　proposition　was
very　pleasing　to　them　all。
　　Then　calling　for　the　Master　of　the　Houshold；　and　taking　order　with
him；　what　was　most　needfull　to　be　done；　she　gave　leave　unto　the
whole　company　（who　were　all　risen）　to　go　recreate　themselves　untill
supper　time。　Some　of　them　walked　about　the　Garden；　the　beauty
whereof　banished　the　least　thought　of　wearinesse。　Others　walked　by　the
River　to　the　Mill；　which　was　not　farre　off；　and　the　rest　fell　to
exercises；　fitting　their　owne　fancies；　untill　they　heard　the　summons
for　Supper。　Hard　by　the　goodly　Fountaine　（according　to　their　wonted
manner）　they　supped　altogether；　and　were　served　to　their　no　meane
contentment：　but　being　risen　from　the　Table；　they　fell　to　their
delight　of　singing　and　dancing。　While　Philomena　led　the　dance；　the
Queene　spake　in　this　manner。
　　Philostratus；　I　intend　not　to　varie　from　those　courses　heretofore
observed　by　my　predecessors；　but　even　as　they　have　already　done；　so　it
is　my　authority；　to　command　a　Song。　And　because　I　am　well　assured；
that　you　are　not　unfurnished　of　Songs　answerable　to　the　quality　of　the
passed　Novels：　my　desire　is；　in　regard　we　would　not　be　troubled
hereafter；　with　any　more　discourses　of　unfortunate　Love；　that　you
shall　sing　a　Song　agreeing　with　your　owne　disposition。　Philostratus
made　answer；　that　hee　was　ready　to　accomplish　her　command；　and　without
all　further　ceremony；　thus　he　began。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SONG

　　　　　　　　Chorus。　My　teares　do　plainly　prove；
　　How　justly　that　poore　heart　hath　cause　to　greeve
　　Which　（under　trust）　findes　Treason　in　his　Love。

　　When　first　I　saw　her；　that　now　makes　me　sigh；
　　Distrust　did　never　enter　in　my　thoughts。
　　So　many　vertues　clearly　shin'd　in　her；
　　That　I　esteem'd　all　martyrdome　was　light
　　Which　Love　could　lay　on　me。　Nor　did　I　greeve；
　　Although　I　found　my　liberty　was　lost。
　　But　now　mine　error　I　do　plainly　see：
　　Not　without　sorrow；　thus　betray'd　to　bee。
　　　　　　　　My　teares　do；　etc。

　　For；　being　left　by　basest　treachery
　　Of　her　in　whom　I　most　reposed　trust：
　　I　then　could　see　apparant　flatterie
　　In　all　the　fairest　shewes　that　she　did　make。
　　But　when　I　strove　to　get　forth　of　the　snare；
　　I　found　my　selfe　the　further　plunge