the decameron(十日谈)-第76章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


then。　Which　the　young　Gentlewoman　well　noting；　she　began　to　wax
fearefull；　least　these　stedfast　lookes　of　his；　should　incite　his
rusticity　to　some　attempt；　which　might　redound　to　her　dishonour：
wherefore　awaking　her　women　and　servants；　and　they　all　being　risen；
she　saide。　Farewell　Chynon；　I　leave　thee　to　thine　owne　good　Fortune；
whereto　hee　presently　replyed；　saying：　I　will　go　with　you。　Now；
although　the　Gentlewoman　refused　his　company；　as　dreading　some　acte　of
incivility　from　him：　yet　could　she　not　devise　any　way　to　be　rid　of
him；　till　he　had　brought　her　to　her　owne　dwelling；　where　taking
leave　mannerly　of　her；　he　went　directly　home　to　his　Fathers　house；
saying：　Nothing　should　compell　him　to　live　any　longer　in　the　muddy
Country。　And　albeit　his　Father　was　much　offended　hereat；　and　all　the
rest　of　his　kindred　and　friends：　（yet　not　knowing　how　to　helpe　it）
they　suffered　him　to　continue　there　still；　expecting　the　cause　of　this
his　so　sodaine　alteration；　from　the　course　of　life；　which　contented
him　so　highly　before。
　　Chynon　being　now　wounded　to　the　heart　（where　never　any　civill
instruction　could　before　get　entrance）　with　loves　piercing　dart；　by
the　bright　beauty　of　Iphigenia；　mooved　much　admiration　（falling　from
one　change　to　another）　in　his　Father；　Kindred；　and　all　else　that
knew　him。　For　first；　he　requested　of　his　Father；　that　he　might　be
habited　and　respected　like　to　his　other　Brethren；　whereto　right　gladly
he　condiscended。　And　frequenting　the　company　of　civill　youths；
observing　also　the　cariage　of　Gentlemen；　especially　such　as　were
amorously　enclined：　he　grew　to　a　beginning　in　short　time　（to　the
wonder　of　every　one）　not　onely　to　understand　the　first　instruction
of　letters；　but　also　became　most　skilfull；　even　amongst　them　that　were
best　exercised　in　Philosophy。　And　afterward；　love　to　Iphigenia　being
the　sole　occasion　of　this　happy　alteration；　not　onely　did　his　harsh
and　clownish　voyce　convert　it　selfe　more　mildely；　but　also　hee
became　a　singular　Musitian；　and　could　perfectly　play　on　any
instrument。　Beside；　he　tooke　delight　in　the　riding　and　managing　of
great　horses；　and　finding　himselfe　of　a　strong　and　able　body；　he
exercised　all　kinds　of　Military　Disciplines；　as　well　by　Sea；　as　on　the
land。　And；　to　be　breefe；　because　I　would　not　seeme　tedious　in　the
repetition　of　all　his　vertues；　scarsly　had　he　attained　to　the　fourth
yeare；　after　he　was　thus　falne　in　love；　but　hee　became　generally
knowne；　to　be　the　most　civil；　wise；　and　worthy　Gentleman；　aswell　for
all　vertues　enriching　the　minde；　as　any　whatsoever　to　beautifie　the
body；　that　very　hardly　he　could　be　equalled　throughout　the　whole
kingdome　of　Cyprus。
　What　shall　we　say　then　（vertuous　Ladies）　concerning　this　Chynon？
Surely　nothing　else；　but　that　those　high　and　divine　vertues；　infused
into　his　gentle　soule；　were　by　envious　Fortune　bound　and　shut　up　in
some　small　angle　of　his　intellect；　which　being　shaken　and　set　at
liberty　by　love；　（as　having　a　farre　more　potent　power　then　Fortune；　in
quickning　and　reviving　the　dull　drowsie　spirits）　declared　his　mighty
and　soveraigne　Authority；　in　setting　free　so　many　faire　and　precious
vertues　unjustly　detayned；　to　let　the　worlds　eye　behold　them　truly；　by
manifest　testimony　from　whence　he　can　deliver　those　spirits
subjected　to　his　power；　and　guid　them　（afterward）　to　the　highest
degrees　of　honour。　And　although　Chynon　by　affecting　Iphigenia；
failed　in　some　particular　things；　yet　notwithstanding；　his　Father
Aristippus　duely　considering；　that　love　had　made　him　a　man；　whereas
（before）　he　was　no　better　then　a　beast：　not　onely　endured　all
patiently；　but　also　advised　him　therein；　to　take　such　courses　as
best　liked　himselfe。　Neverthelesse；　Chynon　（who　refused　to　be　called
Galesus；　which　was　his　naturall　name　indeed）　remembring　that　Iphigenia
tearmed　him　Chynon；　and　coveting　（under　this　title）　to　accomplish
the　issue　of　his　honest　amorous　desire：　made　many　motions　to
Ciphaeus　the　Father　of　Iphigenia；　that　he　would　be　pleased　to　let
him　enjoy　her　in　marriage。　But　Ciphaeus　told　him；　that　he　had
already　passed　his　promise　for　her；　to　a　Gentleman　of　Rhodes；　named
Pasimondo；　which　promise　he　religiously　intended　to　performe。
　　The　time　being　come；　which　was　concluded　on　for　Iphigeniaes
marriage；　in　regard　that　the　affianced　husband　had　sent　for　her：
Chynon　thus　communed　with　his　owne　thoughts。　Now　is　the　time　（quoth
he）　to　let　my　divine　Mistresse　see；　how　truly　and　honourably　I　doe
affect　her；　because　（by　her）　I　am　become　a　man。　But　if　I　could　be
possessed　of　her；　I　should　growe　more　glorious；　then　the　common
condition　of　a　mortall　man；　and　have　her　I　will；　or　loose　my　life　in
the　adventure。　Being　thus　resolved；　he　prevailed　with　divers　young
Gentlemen　his　friends；　making　them　of　his　faction；　and　secretly
prepared　a　Shippe；　furnished　with　all　things　for　a　Naval　fight；
setting　sodainly　forth　to　Sea；　and　hulling　abroad　in　those　parts　by
which　the　vessell　should　passe；　that　must　convey　Iphigenia　to　Rhodes
to　her　husband。　After　many　honours　done　to　them；　who　were　to　transport
her　thence　unto　Rhodes；　being　imbarked；　they　set　saile　upon　their
Bon　viaggio。
　　Chynon；　who　slept　not　in　a　businesse　so　earnestly　importing　him；　set
on　them　（the　day　following）　with　his　Ship；　and　standing　aloft　on　the
decke；　cryed　out　to　them　that　had　the　charge　of　Iphigenia；　saying。
Strike　your　sayles；　or　else　determine　to　be　sunke　in　the　Sea。　The
enemies　to　Chynon；　being　nothing　danted　with　his　words；　prepared　to
stand　upon　their　owne　defence；　which　made　Chynon；　after　the　former
speeches　delivered；　and　no　answer　returned；　to　command　the　grapling
Irons　to　be　cast　forth；　which　tooke　such　fast　hold　on　the　Rhodians
shippe；　that　（whether　they　would　or　no）　both　the　vessels　joyned
close　together。　And　he　shewing　himselfe　fierce　like　a　Lyon；　not
tarrying　to　be　seconded　by　any；　stepped　aboord　the　Rhodians　ship；　as
if　he　made　no　respect　at　all　of　them；　and　having　his　sword　ready
drawne　in　his　hand　（incited　by　the　vertue　of　unfaigned　love）　laied
about　him　on　all　sides　very　manfully。　Which　when　the　men　of　Rhodes
perceived；　casting　downe　their　weapons；　and　all　of　them　（as　it　were）
with　one　voyce；　yeelded　themselves　his　prisoners：　whereupon　he　said。
　　Honest　Friends；　neither　desire　of　booty；　nor　hatred　to　you；　did
occasion　my　departure　from　Cyprus；　thus　to　assaile　you　with　drawne
weapons：　but　that　which　hereto　hath　most　mooved　me；　is　a　matter　highly
importing　to　me；　and　very　easie　for　you　to　grant；　and　so　enjoy　your
present　peace。　I　desire　to　have　faire　Iphigenia　from　you；　whom　I
love　above　all　other　Ladies　living；　because　I　could　not　obtaine　her　of
her　father；　to　make　her　my　lawfull　wife　in　marriage。　Love　is　the
ground　of　my　instant　Conquest；　and　I　must　use　you　as　my　mortall
enemies；　if　you　stand　upon　any　further　tearmes　with　me；　and　do　not
deliver　her　as　mine　owne：　for　your　Pasimondo；　must　not　enjoy　what　is
my　right；　first　by　vertue　of　my　love；　and　now　by　Conquest：　Deliver　her
therefore；　and　depart　hence　at　your　pleasure。
　　The　men　of　Rhodes；　being　rather　constrained　thereto；　then　of　any
free　disposition　in　themselves；　with　teares　in　their　eyes；　delivered
Iphigenia　to　Chynon；　who　beholding　her　in　like　manner　to　weepe；　thus
spake　unto　her。　Noble　Lady；　do　not　any　way　discomfort　your　selfe；
for　I　am　your　Chynon；　who　have　more　right　and　true　title　to　you；　and
much　better　doe　deserve　to　enjoy　you；　by　my　long　continued　affection
to　you；　then　Pasimondo　can　any　way　plead；　because　you　belong　to　him
but　onely　by　promise。　So；　bringing　her　aboord　his　owne　ship；　where　the
Gentlemen　his　companions　gave　her　kinde　welcome；　without　touching
any　thing　else　belonging　to　the　Rhodians；　he　gave　them　free　liberty　to
depart。
　　Chynon　being　more　joyfull；　by　the　obtaining　of　his　hearts　desire；
then　any　other　conquest　else　in　the　world　could　make　him；　after　he　had
spent　some　time　in　comforting　Iphigenia；　who　as　yet　sate　sadly
sighing；　he　consulted　with　his　companions；　who　joyned　with　him　in
opinion；　that　their　safest　course　was；　by　no　meanes　to　returne　to
Cyprus；　and　therefore　all　（with　one　consent）　resolved　to　set　saile　for
Candye；　where　every　one　made　account；　but　especially　Chynon；　in　regard
of　ancient　and　new　combined　Kindred；　as　also　very　intimate　friends；　to
finde　very　worthy　entertainement；　and　so　to　continue　there　safely　with
Iphigenia。　But　Fortune；　who　was　so　favourable　to　Chynon；　in　granting
him　so　pleasing　a　Conquest；　to　shew　her　constancy；　so　sodainly　changed
the　inestimable　joy　of　our　jocond　Lover；　into　as　heavy　sorrow　and
disaster。　For；　foure　houres　were　not　fully　compleated；　since　his
departure　from　the　Rhodians；　but　darke　night　came　upon　them；　and　he
sitting　conversing　with　his　faire　Mistresse；　in　the　sweetest　solace　of
his　soule；　the　winds　began　to　blow　roughly；　the　Seas　swelled
angerly；　and　a　tempest　arose　impetuously；　that　no　man　could　see　what
his　duty　was　to　do；　in　such　a　great　unexpected　distresse；　nor　how　to
warrant　themselves　from　perishing。
　　If　this　accident　were　displeasing　to　poore　Chynon；　I　thinke　the
question　were　in　vaine　demanded：　for　now　it　seemeth　to　him；　that　the
Godds　had　granted　his　cheefe　desire；　to　the　end　he　should　dye　with　the
greater　anguish；　in　losing　both　his　love　and　life　together。　His
friends　likewise；　felte　the　selfesame　affliction；　but　especially
Iphigenia；　who　wept　and　greeved　beyond　all　measure；　to　see　the　ship
beaten　with　such　stormy　billowes；　as　threatned　her　sinking　every
minute。　Impatiently　she　cursed　the　love　of　Chynon；　greatly　blaming　his
desperate　boldnesse；　and　maintaining；　that　so　violent　a　tempest
could　never　happen；　but　onely　by　the　Gods　displeasure；　who　would　not
permit　him　to　have　a　wife　against　their　will；　and　therefore　thus
punished　his　proud　presumption；　not　onely　in　his　unavoidable　death；
but　also　that　her　life　must　perish　for　company。
　　She　continuing　in　these　wofull　lamentations；　and　the　Mariners
labouring　all　in　vaine；　because　the　violence　of　the　tempest
encreased　more　and　more；　so　that　every　moment　they　expected
wracking：　they　were　carried　（contrary　to　their　owne　knowledge）　very
neere　unto　the　Isle　of　Rhodes；　which　they　being　no　way　able　to
avoyd；　and　utterly　ignorant　of　the　Coast；　for　safety　of　their　lives；
they　laboured　to　land　there　if　possibly　they　might。　Wherein　Fortune
was　somewhat　furtherous　to　them；　driving　them　into　a　small　gulfe　of
the　Sea；　whereinto　（but　a　little　while　before）　the　Rhodians；　from　whom
Chynon　had　taken　Iphigenia；　were　newly　entred　with　their　ship。　Nor　had
they　any　knowledge　each　of　other；　till　the　breake　of　day　（which　made
the　heavens　to　looke　more　clearly）　gave　them　discovery　of　being　within
a　flight　shoote　together。　Chynon　looking　forth；　and　espying　the　same
ship　which　he　had　left　the　day　before；　hee　grew　exceeding
sorrowfull；　as　fearing　that　which　after　followed；　and　therefore　hee
willed　the　Mariners；　to　get　away　from　her　by　all　their　best　endeavour；
and　let　fortune　afterward　dispose　of　them　as　she　pleased；　for　into　a
worse　place　they　could　not　come；　nor　fall　into　the　like　danger。
　　The　Mariners　employed　their　very　utmost　paines；　and　all　proved　but
losse　of　time：　for　the　winde　was　so　sterne；　and　the　waves　so
turbulent；　that　still　they　drove　them　the　contrary　way：　so　that
striving　to