the decameron(十日谈)-第86章

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to　be　conceived　with　childe；　then　which　could　befall　them　no　heavier
affliction；　and　Pedro　fearing　to　loose　his　life　therefore；
determined　immediate　Right；　and　revealed　his　purpose　to　Violenta。
Which　when　she　heard；　she　told　him　plainly；　that　if　he　fled；
forth…with　she　would　kill　her　selfe。　Alas　deare　Love　（quoth　Pedro）
with　what　reason　can　you　wish　my　tarrying　here？　This　conception　of
yours；　doth　discover　our　offence；　which　a　Fathers　pity　may　easily
pardon　in　vou：　but　I　being　his　servant　and　vassall；　shall　be
punished　both　for　your　sinne　and　mine；　because　he　will　have　no　mercy
on　me。　Content　thy　selfe　Pedro；　replyed　Violenta；　I　will　take　such
order　for　mine　owne　offence；　by　the　discreete　counsell　of　my　loving
Mother；　that　no　blame　shall　any　way　be　taide　on　thee；　or　so　much　as
a　surmise；　except　thou　wilt　fondly　betray　thy　selfe。　If　you　can　do　so；
answered　Pedro；　and　constantly　maintaine　your　promise；　I　will　not
depart；　but　see　that　you　prove　to　bee　so　good　as　your　word。
　　Violenta；　who　had　concealed　her　amisse　so　long　as　she　could；　and　saw
no　other　remedy；　but　now　at　last　it　must　needes　be　discovered；　went
privately　to　her　Mother；　and　（in　teares）　revealed　her　infirmity；
humbly　craving　her　pardon；　and　furtherance　in　hiding　it　from　her
Father。　The　Mother　being　extraordinarily　displeased；　chiding　her
with　many　sharpe　and　angry　speeches；　would　needes　know　with　whom
shee　had　thus　offended。　The　Daughter　（to　keepe　Pedro　from　any
detection）　forged　a　Tale　of　her　owne　braine；　farre　from　any　truth
indeede；　which　her　Mother　verily　beleeving；　and　willing　to　preserve
her　Daughter　from　shame；　as　also　the　fierce　anger　of　her　Husband；　he
being　a　man　of　very　implacable　nature：　conveyed　her　to　the　Countrey
Farme；　whither　Signior　Amarigo　sildome　or　never　resorted；　intending
（under　the　shadow　of　sicknesse）　to　let　her　lye　in　there；　without　the
least　suspition　of　any　in　Trapani。
　　Sinne　and　shame　can　never　be　so　closely　carryed；　or　clouded　with　the
greatest　cunning；　but　truth　hath　a　loop…light　whereby　to　discover
it；　even　when　it　supposeth　it　selfe　in　the　surest　safety。　For；　on
the　very　day　of　her　detiverance；　at　such　time　as　the　Mother；　and
some　few　friends　（sworne　to　secrecy）　were　about　the　businesse；　Signior
Amarigo；　having　beene　in　company　of　other　Gentlemen；　to　flye　his　Hawke
at　the　River；　upon　a　sudden；　（but　very　unfortunately；　albeit　hee　was
alone　by　himselfe）　stept　into　his　Farm…house；　even　to　the　next　roome
where　the　women　were；　and　heard　the　newborne　Babe　to　cry；　whereat
marvelling　not　a　little；　he　called　for　his　Wife；　to　know　what　young
childe　cryed　in　his　House。　The　Mother；　amazed　at　his　strange　comming
thither；　which　never　before　he　had　used　to　doe；　and　pittying　the
wofull　distresse　of　her　Daughter；　which　now　could　bee　no　longer
covered；　revealed　what　happened　to　Violenta。　But　he；　being　nothing
so　rash　in　beliefe；　as　his　Wife　was；　made　answere；　that　it　was
impossible　for　his　Daughter　to　be　conceived　with　childe；　because　he
never　observed　the　least　signe　of　love　in　her　to　any　man　whatsoever；
and　therefore　he　would　be　satisfied　in　the　truth；　as　shee　expected　any
favour　from　him；　or　else　there　was　no　other　way　but　death。
　　The　Mother　laboured　by　all　meanes　she　could　devise；　to　pacifie　her
Husbands　fury；　which　proved　all　in　vaine；　for　being　thus　impatiently
incensed；　he　drew　foorth　his　Sword；　and　stepping　with　it　drawne　into
the　Chamber　（where　she　had　bene　delivered　of　a　goodly　Sonne）　he　said
unto　her。　Either　tell　me　who　is　the　Father　of　this　Bastard；　or　thou
and　it　shall　perish　both　together。　Poore　Violenta；　lesse　respecting
her　owne　life；　then　she　did　the　childes；　forgot　her　solemne　promise
made　to　Pedro；　and　discovered　all。　Which　when　Amarigo　had　heard；　he
grew　so　desperately　enraged；　that　hardly　he　could　forbeare　from
killing　her。　But　after　hee　had　spoken　what　his　fury　enstructed　him；
hee　mounted　on　Horsebacke　againe；　ryding　backe　to　Trapani；　where　hee
disclosed　the　injury　which　Pedro　had　done　him；　to　a　noble　Gentleman；
named　Signior　Conrado；　who　was　Captaine　for　the　King　over　the　City。
　　Before　poore　Pedro　could　have　any　intelligence；　or　so　much　as
suspected　any　treachery　against　him；　he　was　suddenly　apprehended；
and　being　called　in　question；　stood　not　on　any　deniall；　but
confessed　truly　what　hee　had　done：　whereupon；　within　some　few　dayes
after；　he　was　condemned　by　the　Captaine；　to　be　whipt　to　the　place　of
execution；　and　afterward　to　be　hanged　by　the　necke。　Signior　Amarigo；
because　he　would　cut　off　（at　one　and　the　same　time）　not　onely　the
lives　of　the　two　poore　Lovers；　but　their　childes　also；　as　a
franticke　man；　violently　carried　from　all　sense　of　compassion；　even
when　Pedro　was　led　and　whipt　to　his　death：　he　mingled　strong　poyson　in
a　Cup　of　wine；　delivering　it　to　a　trusty　servant　of　his　owne；　and　a
naked　Rapier　withall；　speaking　to　him　in　this　manner。　Goe　carry
these　two　presents　to　my　late　Daughter　Violenta；　and　tell　her　from　me；
that　in　this　instant　houre；　two　severall　kinds　of　death　are　offered
unto　her；　and　one　of　them　she　must　make　choyce　of；　either　to　drinke
the　poyson；　and　so　dye；　or　to　run　her　body　on　this　Rapiers　point；
which　if　she　denie　to　doe；　she　shall　be　haled　to　the　publike　market
place；　and　presently　be　burned　in　the　sight　of　her　lewd　companion；
according　as　shee　hath　worthily　deserved。　When　thou　hast　delivered　her
this　message；　take　he…　Bastard　brat；　so　lately　since　borne；　and　dash
his　braines　out　against　the　walles；　and　afterward　throw　him　to　my
Dogges　to　feede　on。
　　When　the　Father　had　given　this　cruell　sentence；　both　against　his
owne　Daughter；　and　her　young　Sonne；　the　servant　readier　to　do　evill；
then　any　good；　went　to　the　place　where　his　Daughter　was　kept。　Poore
condemned　Pedro；　（as　you　have　heard）　was　led　whipt　to　the　Gibbet；
and　passing　（as　it　pleased　the　Captaines　Officers　to　guide　him）　by　a
faire　Inne：　at　the　same　time　were　lodged　there　three　chiefe　persons　of
Arminia；　whom　the　King　of　the　Countrey　had　sent　to　Rome；　as
Ambassadours　to　the　Popes　Holinesse；　to　negociate　about　an　important
businesse　neerely　concerning　the　King　and　State。　Reposing　there　for
some　few　dayes；　as　being　much　wearied　with　their　journey。；　and
highly　honoured　by　the　Gentlemen　of　Trapani；　especially　Signior
Amarigo；　these　Ambassadours　standing　in　their　Chamber　window；　heard
the　wofull　lamentations　of　Pedro　in　his　passage　by。
　　Pedro　was　naked　from　the　middle　upward；　and　his　hands　bound　fast
behind　him；　but　being　well　observed　by　one　of　the　Ambassadours；　a
man　aged；　and　of　great　authority；　named　Phinio：　hee　espied　a　great　red
spot　upon　his　breast；　not　painted；　or　procured　by　his　punishment；
but　naturally　imprinted　in　the　flesh；　which　women　（in　these　parts）
terme　the　Rose。　Upon　the　sight　hereof；　he　suddenly　remembred　a　Sonne
of　his　owne；　which　was　stolne　from　him　about　fifteene　yeeres　before；
by　Pyrates　on　the　Sea…coast　of　Laiazzo；　never　hearing　any　tydings　of
him　afterward。　Upon　further　consideration；　and　comparing　his　Sonnes
age　with　the　likelyhood　of　this　poore　wretched　mans；　thus　he　conferred
with　his　owne　thoughts。　If　my　Sonne　（quoth　he）　be　living；　his　age　is
equall　to　this　mans　time；　and　by　the　red　blemish　on　his　breast；　it
plainely　speakes　him　for　to　bee　my　Sonne。
　　Moreover；　thus　he　conceived；　that　if　it　were　he；　he　could　not　but
remember　his　owne　name；　his　Fathers；　and　the　Armenian　Language；
wherefore；　when　he　was　just　opposite　before　the　window；　hee　called
aloud　to　him；　saying：　Theodoro。　Pedro　hearing　the　voyce；　presently
lifted　up　his　head；　and　Phinio　speaking　Armenian；　saide：　Of　whence　art
thou；　and　what　is　thy　Fathers　name？　The　Sergeants　（in　reverence　to　the
Lord　Ambassador）　stayed　awhile；　till　Pedro　had　returned　his　answer；
who　saide。　I　am　an　Armenian　borne；　Sonne　to　one　Phineo；　and　was
brought　hither　I　cannot　tell　by　whom。　Phineo　hearing　this；　knew　then
assuredly；　that　this　was　the　same　Sonne　which　he　had　lost；
wherefore；　the　teares　standing　in　his　eyes　with　conceite　of　joy；　downe
he　descended　from　the　window；　and　the　other　Ambassadors　with　him；
running　in　among　the　Sergeants　to　embrace　his　Sonne；　and　casting　his
owne　rich　Cloake　about　his　whipt　body；　entreating　them　to　forbeare　and
proceed　no　further；　till　they　heard　what　command　he　should　returne
withall　unto　them；　which　very　willingly　they　promised　to　do。
　　Already；　by　the　generall　rumour　dispersed　abroad；　Phineo　had
understood　the　occasion；　why　Pedro　was　thus　punished；　and　sentenced　to
bee　hanged：　wherefore；　accompanied　with　his　fellow　Ambassadors；　and
all　their　attending　traine；　he　went　to　Signior　Conrado；　and　spake　thus
to　him。　My　Lord；　he　whom　you　have　sent　to　death　as　a　slave；　is　a
free　Gentleman　borne；　and　my　Sonne；　able　to　make　her　amends　whom　he
hath　dishonoured；　by　taking　her　in　marriage　as　his　lawfull　Wife。　Let
me　therefore　entreat　you；　to　make　stay　of　the　execution；　ill　it　may　be
knowne；　whether　she　will　accept　him　as　her　Husband；　or　no；　least　（if
she　be　so　pleased）　you　offend　directly　against　your　owne　Law。　When
Signior　Conrado　heard；　that　Pedro　was　Sonne　to　the　Lord　Ambassador；　he
wondred　thereat　not　a　little；　and　being　somewhat　ashamed　of　his
fortunes　errour；　confessed；　that　the　claime　of　Phineo　was
comformable　to　Law；　and　ought　not　to　be　denied　him；　going　presently　to
the　Counsell　Chamber；　sending　for　Signior　Amarigo　immediately　thither；
and　acquainting　him　fully　with　the　case。
　　Amarigo；　who　beleeved　that　his　Daughter　and　her　Child　were　already
dead；　was　the　wofullest　man　in　the　World；　for　his　so　rash
proceeding；　knowing　very　well；　that　if　she　were　not　dead；　the　scandall
would　easily　be　wipt　away　with　credit。　Wherefore　he　sent　in　all
poast　haste；　to　the　place　where　his　Daughter　lay；　that　if　his
command　were　not　already　executed；　by　no　meanes　to　have　it　done　at
all。　He　who　went　on　this　speedy　errand；　found　there　Signior
Amarigoes　servant　standing　before　Violenta；　with　the　Cup　of　poyson
in　the　one　hand；　and　the　drawne　Rapier　in　the　other；　reproaching　her
with　very　foule　and　injurious　speeches；　because　she　had　delayed　the
time　so　long；　and　would　not　accept　the　one　or　other；　striving　（by
violence）　to　make　her　take　the　one。　But　hearing　his　Masters　command　to
the　contrary；　he　left　her；　and　returned　backe　to　him；　certifying　him
how　the　case　stood。
　　Most　highly　pleased　was　Amarigo　with　these　glad　newes；　and　going
to　the　Ambassadour　Phineo；　in　teares　excused　himselfe　（so　well　as　he
could）　for　his　severity；　and　craving　pardon；　assured　him；　that　if
Theodoro　would　accept　his　Daughter　in　marriage；　willingly　he　would
bestow　her　on　him。　Phineo　allowed　his　excuses　to　be　tollerable；　and
saide　beside；　If　my　Son　will　not　marry　your　Daughter；　then　let　the
sentence　of　death　be　executed　on　him。　Amarigo　and　Phineo　being　thus
accorded；　they　went　to　poore　Theodoro；　fearefully　looking　every　minute
when　he　should　dye；　yet　joyfull　that　he　had　found　his　Father；　who
presently　moved　the　question　to　him。　Theodoro　hearing　that　Violenta
should　bee　his　Wife；　if　he　would　so　accept　her：　was　over　come　with
such　exceeding　joy；　as　if　he　had　leapt　out　of　hell　into　Paradise；
confessing；　that　no　greater　felicity　could　befall　him；　if　Violenta　her
selfe　were　so　well　pleased　as　he。
　　The　like　motion　was　made　to　her；　to　understand　her　disposition　in
this