the decameron(十日谈)-第98章

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then　remained　in　the　man　indeed；　beside；　that　part　of　the　country
yeilded　far　more　plentifull　abundance　of　Onyons；　then　all　other　in
Tuscany　elsewhere；　a　kinde　of　foode　greatly　affected　by　those
Friars；　as　men　alwaies　of　hungry　and　good　appetite。　This　Friar　Onyon
was　a　man　of　litle　stature　red　haire；　a　chearfull　countenance；　and　the
world　afforded　not　a　more　crafty　companion；　then　he。　Moreover；
albeit　he　had　very　little　knowledge　or　learning；　yet　he　was　so　prompt；
ready　and　voluble　of　speech；　uttering　often　he　knew　not　what　himselfe：
that　such　as　were　not　wel　acquainted　with　his　qualities；　supposed
him　to　be　a　singular　Rhetoritian；　excelling　Cicero　or　Quintilian
themselves；　and　he　was　a　gossip；　friend；　or　deerely　affected；　by　every
one　dwelling　in　those　parts。　According　to　his　wonted　custome；　one　time
he　went　thither　in　the　month　of　August；　and　on　a　Sunday　morning；
when　all　the　dwellers　thereabout；　were　present　to　heare　Masse；　and
in　the　chiefest　Church　above　all　the　rest：　when　the　Friar　saw　time
convenient　for　his　purpose；　he　advanced　himselfe；　and　began　to
speake　in　this　manner。
　　Gentlemen　and　Gentlewomen；　you　know　you　have　kept　a　commendable
custom；　in　sending　yeerly　to　the　poore　brethren　of　our　Lord　Baron　S。
Anthony；　both　of　your　Corne　and　other　provision；　some　more；　some
lesse；　all　according　to　their　power；　means；　and　devotion；　to　the　end
that　blessed　S。　Anthony　should　be　the　more　carefull　of　your　oxen；
sheep；　asses；　swine；　pigs；　and　other　cattle。　Moreover；　you　have　used
to　pay　（especially　such　as　have　their　names　registred　in　our
Fraternity）　those　duties　which　annually　you　send　unto　us。　For　the
collection　whereof；　I　am　sent　by　my　Superior；　namely　our　L。　Abbot；　and
therfore　（with　Gods　blessing）　you　may　come　after　noone　hither；　when
you　shal　heare　the　Bels　of　the　Church　ring：　then　wil　I　make　a
predication　to　you；　you　shall　kisse　the　Crosse；　and　beside；　because
I　know　you　al　to　be　most　devout　servants　to　our　Lord　Baron　S。　Anthony；
in　especiall　grace　and　favor；　I　wil　shew　you　a　most　holy　and　goodly
Relique；　which　I　my　selfe　（long　since）　brought　from　the　holy　Land
beyond　the　seas。　If　you　desire　to　know　what　it　is；　let　me　tell　you；
that　it　is　one　of　the　Feathers　of　the　same　Phoenix；　which　was　in　the
Arke　with　the　Patriarch　Noah。　And　having　thus　spoken；　he　became
silent；　returning　backe　to　heare　Masse。　While　hee　delivered　these
and　the　like　speeches；　among　the　other　people　then　in　the　church；
there　were　two　shrewde　and　crafty　Companions；　the　one；　named　John　de
Bragoniero；　and　the　other；　Biagio　Pizzino。　These　subtile　Fellowes；
after　they　had　heard　the　report　of　Fryer　Onyons　Relique：　althogh
they　were　his　intimate　friends；　and　came　thither　in　his　company；　yet
they　concluded　betweene　themselves；　to　shew　him　a　tricke　of
Legierdumaine；　and　to　steale　the　Feather　from　him。　When　they　had
intelligence　of　Friar　Onyons　dining　that　day　at　the　Castle；　with　a
worthy　Friend　of　his：　no　sooner　was　he　set　at　the　Table；　but　away　went
they　in　all　haste；　to　the　Inne　where　the　Fryar　frequented；　with　this
determination；　that　Biagio　should　hold　conference　with　the　Friars　boy；
while　his　fellow　ransackt　the　Wallet；　to　finde　the　Feather；　and
carry　it　away　with　him；　for　a　future　observation；　what　the　Friar　would
say　unto　the　people；　when　he　found　the　losse　of　the　Feather；　and　could
not　performe　his　promise　to　them。
　　The　Fryars　Boy；　whom　some　called　Guccio　Balena；　some　Guccio　Imbrata；
and　others　Guccio　Porco；　was　such　a　knavish　Lad；　and　had　so　many　bad
qualities；　as　Lippo　Topo　the　cunning　Painter；　or　the　most　curious
Poeticall　wit；　had　not　any　ability　to　describe　them。　Friar　Onyon
himself　did　often　observe　his　behaviour；　and　would　make　this　report
among　his　Friends。　My　Boy　（quoth　he）　hath　nine　rare　qualities　in
him；　and　such　they　are；　as　if　Salomon；　Aristotle；　or　Seneca　had
onely　but　one　of　them：　it　were　sufficient　to　torment　and　trouble　all
their　vertue；　all　their　senses；　and　all　their　sanctity。　Consider　then；
what　manner　of　man　he　is　like　to　be；　having　nine　such　rarities；　yet
voide　of　all　vertue；　wit；　or　goodnes。　And　when　it　was　demaunded　of
Friar　Onyon；　what　these　nine　rare　conditions　were：　hee　having　them　all
readie　by　heart；　and　in　rime；　thus　answered。

　　　　Boyes　I　have　knowne；　and　seene；
　　　　　　And　heard　of　many：
　　　　　　　　　　But；
　　　　For　Lying；　Loytring；　Lazinesse；
　　　　For　Facing；　Filching；　Filthinesse；
　　　　For　Carelesse；　Gracelesse；　all　Unthriftinesse；
　　　　　　My　Boy　excelleth　any。

　　Now；　over　and　beside　all　these　admirable　qualities；　hee　hath　manie
more　such　singularities；　which　（in　favour　towards　him）　I　am　faine　to
conceale。　But　that　which　I　smile　most　at　in　him；　is；　that　he　would
have　a　Wife　in　every　place　where　he　commeth；　yea；　and　a　good　house
to　boot　too：　for；　in　regard　his　beard　beginneth　to　shew　it　selfe；
rising　thicke　in　haire；　blacke　and　amiable；　he　is　verily　perswaded；
that　all　Women　will　fall　in　love　with　him；　and　if　they　refuse　to
follow　him；　he　will　in　all　hast　run　after　them。　But　truly；　he　is　a
notable　servant　to　mee；　for　I　cannot　speake　with　any　one；　and　in　never
so　great　secrecy；　but　he　will　be　sure　to　heare　his　part；　and　when
any　question　is　demanded　of　me；　he　standes　in　such　awe　and　feare　of　my
displeasure：　that　he　will　bee　sure　to　make　the　first　answer；　yea　or
no；　according　as　he　thinketh　it　most　convenient。
　　Now；　to　proceede　where　we　left；　Friar　Onyon　having　left　this
serviceable　youth　at　his　lodging；　to　see　that　no　bodie　should　meddle
with　his　commodities；　especially　his　Wallet；　because　of　the　sacred
things　therein　contained：　Guccio　Imbrata；　who　as　earnestly　affected　to
be　in　the　Kitchin；　as　Birds　to　hop　from　branch　to　branch；
especially；　when　anie　of　the　Chamber…maides　were　there；　espyed　one
of　the　Hostesses　Female　attendants；　a　grosse　fat　Trugge；　low　of
stature；　ill　faced；　and　worse　formed；　with　a　paire　of　brests　like
two　bumbards；　smelling　loathsomely　of　grease　and　sweate；　downe　shee
descended　into　the　Kitchin；　like　a　Kite　upon　a　peece　of　Carion。　This
Boy；　or　Knave；　chuse　whither　you　will　style　him；　having　carelesly　left
Fryar　Onyons　Chamber　doore　open；　and　all　the　holy　things　so　much　to　be
neglected；　although　it　was　then　the　moneth　of　August；　when　heate　is　in
the　highest　predominance；　yet　hee　would　needs　sit　downe　by　the　fire；
and　began　to　conferre　with　this　amiable　creature；　who　was　called　by
the　name　of　Nuta。
　　Being　set　close　by　her；　he　told　her；　that　he　was　a　Gentleman　by
Atturniship；　and　that　he　had　more　millions　of　Crownes；　then　all　his
life　time　would　serve　him　to　spend；　beside　those　which　he　payed　away
dayly；　as　having　no　convenient　im…ployment　for　them。
　　Moreover；　he　knew　how　to　speake；　and　do　such　things；　as　were
beyond　wonder　or　admiration。　And；　never　remembring　his　olde　tatterd
Friars　Cowle；　which　was　so　snottie　and　greazie；　that　good　store　of
kitchin　stuffe　might　have　beene　boiled　out　of　it；　as　also　a　foule
slovenly　Trusse　or　halfe　doublet；　all　baudied　with　bowsing；　fat
greazie　lubberly　sweating；　and　other　drudgeries　in　the　Convent
Kitchin；　where　he　was　an　Officer　in　the　meanest　credite。　So　that　to
describe　this　sweet　youth　in　his　lively　colours；　both　for　naturall
perfections　of　body；　and　artificiall　composure　of　his　Garments；
never　came　the　fowlest　silks　out　of　Tartaria　or　India；　more　ugly　or
unsightly　to　bee　lookt　upon。　And　for　a　further　addition　to　his　neate
knavery；　his　breeches　were　so　rent　betweene　his　legges；　his　shooes　and
stockings　had　bin　at　such　a　mercilesse　massacre：　that　the　gallantest
Commandador　of　Castile　（though　he　had　never　so　lately　bin　releast
out　of　slavery）　could　have　wisht　for　better　garments；　then　he；　or　make
larger　promises；　then　he　did　to　his　Nuta。　Protesting　to　entitle　her　as
his　onely；　to　free　her　from　the　Inne　and　Chamber　thraldomes；　if　she
would　live　with　him；　be　his　Love；　partaker　of　his　present　possessions；
and　so　to　succeed　in　his　future　Fortunes。　All　which　bravadoes；
though　they　were　belcht　foorth　with　admirable　insinuations：　yet　they
converted　into　smoke；　as　all　such　braggadochio　behaviours　do；　and　he
was　as　wise　at　the　ending；　as　when　he　began。
　　Our　former　named　two　craftie　Companions；　seeing　Guccio　Porco　so
seriously　employed　about　Nuta；　was　there…with　not　a　little
contented；　because　their　intended　labour　was　now　more　then　halfe
ended。　And　perceiving　no　contradiction　to　crosse　their　proceeding；
into　Friar　Onyons　chamber　entred　they；　finding　it　ready　open　for　their
purpose：　where　the　first　thing　that　came　into　their　hand　in　search；
was　the　wallet。　When　they　had　opened　it；　they　found　a　small　Cabinet；
wrapped　in　a　great　many　foldings　of　rich　Taffata；　and　having
unfolded　it；　a　fine　formall　Key　was　hanging　thereat：　wherwith　having
unlockt　the　Cabinet；　they　found　a　faire　Feather　of　a　Parrots　taile；
which　they　supposed　to　bee　the　verie　same；　that　he　meant　to　shew　the
people　of　Certaldo。　And　truly　（in　those　dayes）　it　was　no　hard　matter
to　make　them　beleeve　any　thing；　because　the　idle　vanities　of　Aegypt
and　those　remoter　parts；　had　not　（as　yet）　bin　seene　in　Tuscany；　as
since　then　they　have　bin　in　great　abundance；　to　the　utter　ruine
（almost）　of　Italy。
　　And　although　they　might　then　be　knowne　to　very　few；　yet　the
inhabitants　of　the　Country　generally；　understoode　little　or　nothing　at
all　of　them。　For　there；　the　pure　simplicitie　of　their　ancient
predecessors　still　continuing；　they　had　not　seene　any　Parrots；　or　so
much　as　heard　any　speech　of　them。　Wherefore　the　two　crafty　consorts；
not　a　little　joyfull　of　finding　the　Feather；　tooke　it　thence　with
them；　and　beecause　they　would　not　leave　the　Cabinet　empty；　espying
Charcoales　lying　in　a　corner　of　the　Chamber；　they　filled　it　with　them；
wrapping　it　up　againe　in　the　Taffata；　and　in　as　demure　manner　as
they　found　it。　So；　away　came　they　with　the　Feather；　neither　seene　or
suspected　by　any　one；　intending　now　to　heare　what　Friar　Onyon　would
say；　uppon　the　losse　of　his　precious　Relique；　and　finding　the　Coales
there　placed　insted　thereof。
　　The　simple　men　and　women　of　the　country；　who　had　bin　at　morning
Masse　in　the　Church；　and　heard　what　a　wonderful　Feather　they　should
see　in　the　after　noone；　returned　in　all　hast　to　their　houses；　where
one　telling　this　newes　to　another；　and　gossip　with　gossip　consulting
theron；　they　made　the　shorter　dinner；　and　afterward　flocked　in　maine
troopes　to　the　Castle；　contending　who　shold　first　get　entrance；　such
was　their　devotion　to　see　the　holy　feather。　Friar　Onyon　having
dined；　and　reposed　a　litle　after　his　wine；　he　arose　from　the　table
to　the　window；　where　beholding　what　multitudes　came　to　see　the
feather；　he　assured　himselfe　of　good　store　of　mony。　Hereupon；　he
sent　to　his　Boy　Guccio　Imbrata；　that　uppon　the　Bels　ringing；　he　should
come　and　bring　the　wallet　to　him。　Which　（with　much　ado）　he　did；　so
soone　as　his　quarrell　was　ended　in　the　kitchin；　with　the　amiable
Chamber…maid　Nuta；　away　then　he　went　with　his　holy　commodities：
where　he　was　no　sooner　arrived；　but　because　his　belly　was　readie　to
burst　with　drinking　water；　he　sent　him　to　the　Church　to　ring　the　bels；
which　not　onely　would　warme　the　cold　water　in　his　belly；　but
likewise　make　him　run　as　gaunt　as　a　Grey…hound。
　　When　all　the　people　were　assembled　in　the　Church　together；　Friar
Onyon　（never　distrusting　any　injur