the decameron(十日谈)-第85章

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awaiting　when　the　happy　houre　would　come；　to　finish　both　their　shame
and　lives　together。
　　During　the　time　of　this　tragicall　expectation；　the　fame　of　this
publike　execution　being　noysed　abroade；　calling　all　people　farre　and
neere　to　behold　it；　it　came　to　the　eare　of　Don　Rogiero　de　Oria；　a
man　of　much　admired　valour；　and　then　Lord　high　Admirall　of　Sicily；　who
came　himselfe　in　person；　to　the　place　appointed　for　their　death。
First；　he　observed　the　Mayden；　confessing　her　（in　his　soule）　to　be　a
beauty　beyond　all　compare。　Then　looking　on　the　young　man；　thus　he
saide　within　himselfe：　If　the　inward　endowments　of　the　mind；　doe
paralell　the　outward　perfections　of　body；　the　World　cannot　yeeld　a
more　compleate　man。　Now；　as　good　natures　are　quickly　incited　to
compassion　（especially　in　cases　almost　commanding　it）　and　compassion
knocking　at　the　doore　of　the　soule；　doth　quicken　the　memory　with
many　passed　recordations：　so　this　noble　Admirall；　advisedly；　beholding
poore　condemned　Guion；　conceived；　that　he　had　somewhat　seene　him
before　this　instant；　and　upon　this　perswasion　（even　as　if　divine
vertue　had　tutored　his　tongue）　he　saide：　Is　not　thy　name　Guion　di
Procida？
　　Marke　now；　how　quickly　misery　can　receive　comfort；　upon　so　poore　and
silly　a　question；　for　Guion　began　to　elevate　his　dejected　countenance；
and　looking　on　the　Admirall；　returned　him　this　answer。　Sir；　heretofore
I　have　bene　the　man　which　you　speake　of；　but　now；　both　that　name　and
man　must　die　with　me。　What　misfortune　（said　the　Admirall）　hath　thus
unkindly　crost　thee？　Love　（answered　Guion）　and　the　Kings
displeasure。　Then　the　Admirall　would　needs　know　the　whole　history　at
large；　which　briefly　was　related　to　him；　and　having　heard　how　all
had　happened；　as　he　was　turning　his　Horse　to　ride　away　thence；　Guion
called　to　him；　saying；　Good　my　Lord；　entreat　one　favour　for　me；　if
possibly　it　may　be。　What　is　that？　replyed　the　Admirall。　You　see　Sir
（quoth　Guior）　that　I　am　very　shortly　to　breathe　my　last；　all　the　grace
which　I　do　most　humbly　entreat；　is；　that　as　I　am　here　with　this　chaste
Virgin；　（whom　I　honour　and　love　beyond　my　life）　and　miserably　bound
backe　to　backe：　our　faces　may　be　turned　each　to　other；　to　the　end；
that　when　the　fire　shall　finish　my　life；　by　looking　on　her；　my　soule
may　take　her　flight　in　full　felicity。　The　Admirall　smiling；　said；　I
will　do　for　thee　what　I　can；　and　（perhaps）　thou　mayest　so　long　looke
on　her；　as　thou　wilt　be　weary；　and　desire　to　looke　off　her。
　　At　his　departure；　he　commanded　them　that　had　the　charge　of　this
execution；　to　proceede　no　further；　untill　they　heard　more　from　the
King；　to　whom　he　gallopped　immediately；　and　although　he　beheld　him
to　bee　very　angerly　moved；　yet　he　spared　not　to　speake　in　this
maner。　Sir；　wherin　have　those　poore　young　couple　offended　you；　that
are　so　shamefully　to　be　burnt　at　Palermo？　The　King　told　him：　whereto
the　Admirall　（pursuing　still　his　purpose）　thus　replyed。　Beleeve　me
Sir；　if　true　love　be　an　offence；　then　theirs　may　be　termed　to　be
one；　and　albeit　it　deserved　death；　yet　farre　be　it　from　thee　to
inflict　it　on　them：　for　as　faults　doe　justly　require　punishment；　so
doe　good　turnes　as　equally　merit　grace　and　requitall。　Knowest　thou
what　and　who　they　are；　whom　thou　hast　so　dishonourably　condemned　to
the　fire？　Not　I；　quoth　the　King。　Why　then　I　will　tell　thee；　answered
the　Admirall；　that　thou　mayest　take　the　better　knowledge　of　them；
and　forbeare　hereafter；　to　be　so　over　violently　transported　with
anger。
　　The　young　Gentleman；　is　the　Sonne　to　Landolfo　di　Procida；　the
onely　Brother　to　Lord　John　di　Procida；　by　whose　meanes　thou　becamest
Lord　and　King　of　this　Countrey。　The　faire　young　Damosell；　is　the
Daughter　to　Marino　Bulgaro；　whose　power　extendeth　so　farre；　as　to
preserve　thy　prerogative　in　Ischia；　which　（but　for　him）　had　long　since
bene　out…rooted　there。　Beside；　these　two　maine　motives；　to　challenge
justly　grace　and　favour　from　thee；　they　are　in　the　floure　and　pride　of
their　youth；　having　long　continued　in　loyall　love　together；　and
compelled　by　fervency　of　endeared　affection；　not　any　will　to　displease
thy　Majesty：　they　have　offended　（if　it　may　be　termed　an　offence　to
love；　and　in　such　lovely　young　people　as　they　are。）　Canst　thou　then
finde　in　thine　heart　to　let　them　die；　whom　thou　rather　ought　to
honour；　and　recompence　with　no　meane　rewards？
　When　the　King　had　heard　this；　and　beleeved　for　a　certainty；　that
the　Admirall　told　him　nothing　but　truth：　he　appointed　not　onely；
that　they　should　proceede　no　further；　but　also　was　exceeding
sorrowfull　for　what　he　had　done；　sending　presently　to　have　them
released　from　the　Stake；　and　honourably　to　be　brought　before　him。
Being　thus　enstructed　in　their　severall　qualities；　and　standing　in
duty　obliged；　to　recompence　the　wrong　which　he　had　done；　with
respective　honours：　he　caused　them　to　be　cloathed　in　royall
garments；　and　knowing　them　to　bee　knit　in　unity　of　soule；　the　like
he　did　by　marrying　them　solemnly　together；　and　bestowing　many　rich
gifts　and　presents　on　them；　sent　them　honourably　attended　home　to
Ischia；　where　they　were　with　much　joy　and　comfort　received；　and
lived　long　after　in　great　felicity。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIFT　DAY；　THE　SEVENTH　NOVELL

　　WHEREIN　IS　DECLARED；　THE　SUNDRY　TRAVELS　AND　PERILLOUS　ACCIDENTS；
　　　OCCASIONED　BY　THOSE　TWO　POWERFULL　COMMANDERS；　LOVE　AND　FORTUNE；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　INSULTING　TYRANTS　OVER　HUMANE　LIFE。

　　Theodoro　falling　in　love　with　Violenta；　the　Daughter　to　his
Master；　named　Amarigo；　and　she　conceiving　with　child　by　him；　was
condemned　to　be　hanged。　As　they　were　leading　him　to　the　Gallowes；
beating　and　misusing　him　all　the　way：　he　happened　to　be　knowne　of
his　owne　Father；　whereupon　he　was　released；　and　afterward　enjoyed
Violenta　in　marriage。

　　Greatly　were　the　Ladies　minds　perplexed；　when　they　heard；　that　the
two　poore　Lovers　were　in　danger　to　be　burned：　but　hearing　afterward　of
their　happy　deliverance；　for　which　they　were　as　joyfull　againe；　upon
the　concluding　of　the　Novell；　the　Queene　looked　on　Madame　Lauretta；
enjoyning　her　to　tell　the　next　Tale；　which　willingly　she　undertooke　to
do；　and　thus　began。
　　Faire　Ladies；　at　such　time　as　the　good　King　William　reigned　in
Sicily；　there　lived　within　the　same　Dominion；　a　young　Gentleman；　named
Signior　Amarigo；　Abbot　of　Trapani；　who　among　his　other　worldly
blessings；　（commonly　termed　the　goods　of　Fortune）　was　not
unfurnished　of　children；　and　therefore　having　neede　of　servants；　he
made　his　provision　of　them　the　best　he　might。　At　that　time；　certaine
Gallies　of　Geneway　Pyrates　comming　from　the　Easterne　parts；　which
coasting　along　Armenia；　had　taken　divers　children；　he　bought　some　of
them；　thinking　that　they　were　Turkes。　They　all　resembling　clownish
Peazants；　yet　there　was　one　among　them；　who　seemed　to　be　of　more
tractable　and　gentle　nature；　yea；　and　of　a　more　affable　countenance
than　any　of　the　rest；　being　named　Theodoro：　who　growing　on　in
yeeres；　（albeit　he　lived　in　the　condition　of　a　servant）　was　educated
among　Amarigoes　Children；　and　as　enstructed　rather　by　nature；　then
accident；　his　conditions　were　very　much　commended；　as　also　the　feature
of　his　body；　which　proved　so　highly　pleasing　to　his　Master　Amarigo；
that　he　made　him　a　free　man；　and　imagining　him　to　be　a　Turke；　caused
him　to　be　baptized；　and　named　Pedro；　creating　him　superintendent　of
all　his　affaires；　and　reposing　his…chiefest　trust　in　him。
　　As　the　other　Children　of　Signior　Amarigo　grew　in　yeeres　and　stature；
so　did　a　Daughter　of　his；　named　Violenta；　a　very　goodly　and　beautifull
Damosell；　somewhat　over…long　kept　from　marriage　by　her　Fathers
covetousnesse；　and　casting　an　eye　of　good　liking　on　poore　Pedro。
Now；　albeit　shee　loved　him　very　dearly；　and　all　his　behaviour　was　most
pleasing　to　her；　yet　maiden　modesty　forbad　her　to　reveale　it；　till
Love　（too　long　concealed）　must　needes　disclose　it　selfe。　Which　Pedro
at　the　length　tooke　notice　of；　and　grew　so　forward　towards　her　in
equality　of　affection；　as　the　very　sight　of　her　was　his　onely
happinesse。　Yet　very　fearefull　he　was；　least　it　should　be　noted；
either　by　any　of　the　House；　or　the　Mayden　her　selfe：　who　yet　well
observed　it；　and　to　her　no　meane　contentment；　as　it　appeared　no
lesse　（on　the　other　side）　to　honest　Pedro。
　　While　thus　they　loved　together　meerely　in　dumbe　shewes；　not　daring
to　speake　to　each　other；　（though　nothing　more　desired）　to　finde　some
ease　in　this　their　oppressing　passions：　Fortune；　even　as　if　she
pittied　their　so　long　languishing；　enstructed　them　how　to　finde　out
a　way；　whereby　they　might　both　better　releeve　themselves。　Signior
Amarigo；　about　some　two　or　three　miles　distance　from　Trapani；　had　a
Countrey…House　or　Farme；　whereto　his　Wife；　with　her　Daughter　and
some　other　women；　used　oftentimes　to　make　their　resort；　as　it　were
in　sportfull　recreation；　Pedro　alwayes　being　diligent　to　man　them
thither。　One　time　among　the　rest；　it　came　to　passe；　as　often　it
falleth　out　in　the　Summer　season；　that　the　faire　Skie　became
suddenly　over…clouded；　even　as　they　were　returning　home　towards
Trapani；　threatning　a　storme　of　raine　to　overtake　them；　except　they
made　the　speedier　haste。
　　Pedro；　who　was　young；　and　likewise　Violenta；　went　farre　more　lightly
then　her　Mother　and　her　company；　as　much　perhaps　provoked　by　love；
as　feare　of　the　sudden　raine　falling；　and　paced　on　so　fast　before
them；　that　they　were　wholly　out　of　sight。　After　many　flashes　of
lightning；　and　a　few　dreadfull　clappes　of　thunder；　there　fell　such　a
tempestuous　showre　of　hayle；　as　compelled　the　Mother　and　her　traine　to
shelter　themselves　in　a　poore　Countrey…mans　Cottage。　Pedro　and
Violenta；　having　no　other　refuge；　ranne　likewise　into　a　poore
Sheepecoate；　so　over…ruined；　as　it　was　in　danger　to　fall　on　their
heads；　and　no　body　dwelt　in　it；　neither　stood　any　other　house　neere
it；　and　it　was　scarsely　any　shelter　for　them；　howbeit；　necessity
enforceth　to　make　shift　with　the　meanest。　The　storme　encreasing　more
and　more；　and　they　coveting　to　avoyd　it　as　well　as　they　could；
sighes　and　drie　hemmes　were　often　inter…vented；　as　dumbly　（before）
they　were　wont　to　doe；　when　willingly　they　could　affoord　another　kinde
of　speaking。
　　At　last　Pedro　tooke　heart；　and　saide：　I　would　this　showre　would
never　cease；　that　I　might　be　alwayes　where　I　am。　The　like　could　I
wish；　answered　Violenta；　so　we　were　in　a　better　place　of　safety。　These
wishes　drew　on　other　gentle　language；　with　modest　kisses　and　embraces；
the　onely　ease　to　poore　Lovers　soules；　so　that　the　raine　ceased　not；
till　they　had　taken　order　for　their　oftner　conversing；　and　absolute
plighting　of　their　faiths　together。　By　this　time　the　storme　was
fairely　over…blowne；　and　they　attending　on　the　way；　till　the　Mother
and　the　rest　were　come；　with　whom　they　returned　to　Trapani；　where　by
wise　and　provident　meanes；　they　often　conferred　in　private　together；
and　enjoyed　the　benefit　of　their　amorous　desires；　yet　free　from　any
ill　surmise　or　suspition。
　　But；　as　Lovers　felicities　are　sildome　permanent；　without　one
encountring　crosse　or　other：　so　these　stolne　pleasures　of　Pedro　and
Violenta；　met　with　as　sowre　a　sauce　in　the　farewell。　For　shee　proved
to　be　conceived　with　childe；　then　which　could　befall　them　no　heavier
affliction；　and　Pedro　fearing　to　loose　his