the decameron(十日谈)-第108节

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namely；　to　be　his　Wife　in　honourable　marriage；　The　Maide　knowing
sufficiently；　that　he　could　not　be　more　desirous　of　the　match；　then
her　Mistresse　shewed　her　selfe　to　be；　made　answer　in　her　name；　that
this　motion　would　be　most　welcome　to　her。
　　Heereupon；　the　Gentlewoman　her　selfe；　became　the　solicitour　to　her
Father　and　Mother；　telling　them　plainly；　that　slie　was　willing　to　be
the　Wife　of　Anastasio：　which　newes　did　so　highly　content　them；　that
upon　the　Sunday　next　following；　the　marriage　was　very　worthily
solemnized；　and　they　lived　and　loved　together　very　kindly。　Thus　the
divine　bounty　out　of　the　malignant　enemies　secret　machinations；　can
cause　good　effects　to　arise　and　succeede。　For；　from　this　conceite　of
fearfull　imagination　in　her；　not　onely　happened　this　long　desired
conversion；　of　a　Maide　so　obstinately　scornfull　and　proud；　but
likewise　all　the　women　of　Ravenna　（being　admonished　by　her　example）
grew　afterward　more　kind　and　tractable　to　mens　honest　motions；　then
ever　they　shewed　themselves　before。　And　let　me　make　some　use　hereof
（faire　Ladies）　to　you；　not　to　stand　over…nicely　conceited　of　your
beauty　and　good　parts；　when　men　（growing　enamored　of　you　by　them）
solicite　you　with　their　best　and　humblest　services。　Remember　then　this
disdainfull　Gentlewoman；　but　more　especially　her；　who　being　the
death　of　so　kinde　a　Lover；　was　therefore　condemned　to　perpetuall
punishment；　and　he　made　the　minister　thereof；　whom　she　had　cast　off
with　coy　disdaine；　from　which　I　wish　your　minds　to　be　as　free；　as　mine
is　ready　to　do　you　any　acceptable　service。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIFT　DAY；　THE　NINTH　NOVELL

　　　　　　WHEREIN　IS　FIGURED　TO　THE　LIFE；　THE　NOTABLE　KINDNESSE　AND
　　　　　　　　COURTESIE；　OF　A　TRUE　AND　CONSTANT　LOVER：　AS　ALSO　THE
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MAGNANIMOUS　MINDE　OF　A　FAMOUS　LADY

　　Frederigo；　of　the　Alberighi　Family；　loved　a　Gentlewoman；　and　was　not
requited　with　like　love　againe。　By　bountifull　expences；　and　over
liberall　invitations；　he　wasted　and　consumed　all　his　lands　and
goods；　having　nothing　left　him；　but　a　Hawke　or　Faulcon。　His　unkinde
Mistresse　happeneth　to　come　visite　him；　and　he　not　having　any　other
foode　for　her　dinner；　made　a　dainty　dish　of　his　Faulcone　for　her　to
feede　on。　Being　conquered　by　this　exceeding　kinde　courtesie；　she
changed　her　former　hatred　towardes　him；　accepting　him　as　her　Husband
in　marriage；　and　made　him　a　man　of　wealthy　possessions。

　　Madam　Philomena　having　finished　her　discourse；　the　Queene
perceiving；　that　her　turne　was　the　next；　in　regard　of　the　priviledge
granted　to　Dioneus；　with　a　smiling　countenance　thus　she　spake。　Now
or　never　am　I　to　maintaine　the　order　which　was　instituted　when　wee
began　this　commendable　exercise；　whereto　I　yeeld　with　all　humble
obedience。　And　（worthy　Ladies）　I　am　to　acquaint　you　with　a　Novell；
in　some　sort　answerable　to　the　precedent；　not　onely　to　let　you　know；
how　powerfully　your　kindnesses　do　prevalle；　in　such　as　have　a　free　and
gentle　soule：　but　also　to　dvise　you；　in　being　bountifull；　where　vertue
doth　justly　challenge　it。　And　evermore；　let　your　favours　shine　on
worthy　deservers；　without　the　direction　of　chaunce　or　Fortune；　who
never　bestoweth　any　gift　by　discretion；　but　rashly　without
consideration；　even　to　the　first　she　blindly　meets　withall。
　　You　are　to　understand　then；　that　Coppo　di　Borghese　Domenichi；　who
was　of　our　owne　City；　and　perhaps　（as　yet）　his　name　remaineth　in　great
and　reverend　authority；　now　in　these　dayes　of　ours；　as　well
deserving　eternall　memory；　yet　more　for　his　vertues　and　commendable
qualities；　then　any　boast　of　Nobility　from　his　predecessors。　This　man；
being　well　entred　into　yeares；　and　drawing　towards　the　finishing　of
his　dayes；　it　was　his　only　delight　and　felicity；　in　conversation　among
his　neighbours；　to　talke　of　matters　concerning　antiquity；　and　some
other　things　within　compasse　of　his　owne　knowledge：　which　he　would
deliver　in　such　singular　order　（having　an　absolute　memory）　and　with
the　best　Language；　as　very　few　or　none　could　do　the　like。　Among　the
multiplicity　of　his　queint　discourses；　I　remember　he　told　us；　that
sometime　there　lived　in　Florence　a　yong　Gentleman；　named　Frederigo；
Sonne　to　Signior　Phillippo　Alberigo；　who　was　held　and　reputed；　both
for　Armes；　and　all　other　actions　beseeming　a　Gentleman；　hardly　to　have
his　equall　through　all　Tuscany。
　　This　Frederigo　（as　it　is　no　rare　matter　in　yong　Gentlemen）　became
enamored　of　a　Gentlewoman；　named　Madam　Giana；　who　was　esteemed　（in　her
time）　to　be　the　fairest　and　most　gracious　Lady　in　all　Florence。　In
which　respect；　and　to　reach　the　height　of　his　desire；　he　made　many
sumptuous　Feasts　and　Banquets；　joustes；　Tilties；　Tournaments；　and
all　other　noble　actions　of　Armes；　beside；　sending　her　infinite　rich
and　costly　presents；　making　spare　of　nothing；　but　lashing　all　out　in
lavish　expence。　Notwithstanding；　she　being　no　lesse　honest　then　faire；
made　no　reckoning　of　whatsoever　he　did　for　her　sake；　or　the　least
respect　of　his　owne　person。　So　that　Frederigo；　spending　thus　daily
more；　then　his　meanes　and　ability　could　maintaine；　and　no　supplies　any
way　redounding　to　him；　or　his　faculties　（as　very　easily　they　might）
diminished　in　such　sort；　that　became　so　poore；　as　he　had　nothing
left　him；　but　a　small　poore　Farme　to　live　upon；　the　silly　revenewes
whereof　were　so　meane；　as　scarcely　allowed　him　meat　and　drinke；　yet
had　he　a　faire　Hawke　or　Faulcon；　hardly　any　where　to　be　fellowed；　so
expeditious　and　sure　she　was　of　flight。　His　low　ebbe　and　poverty；　no
way　quailing　his　love　to　the　Lady；　but　rather　setting　a　keener　edge
thereon；　he　saw　the　City　life　could　no　longer　containe　him；　where　most
he　coveted　to　abide：　and　therefore；　betooke　himselfe　to　his　poore
Countrey　Farme；　to　let　his　Faulcon　get　him　his　dinner　and　supper；
patiently　supporting　his　penurious　estate；　without　suite　or　meanes
making　to　one；　for　helpe　or　reliefe　in　any　such　necessity。
　　While　thus　he　continued　in　this　extremity；　it　came　to　passe；　that
the　Husband　to　Madam　Giana　fell　sicke；　and　his　debility　of　body
being　such；　as　little；　or　no　hope　of　life　remained：　he　made　his　last
will　and　testament；　ordaining　thereby；　that　his　Sonne　（already
growne　to　indifferent　stature）　should　be　heire　to　all　his　Lands　and
riches；　wherein　he　abounded　very　greatly。　Next　unto　him；　if　he　chanced
to　die　without　a　lawfull　heire；　he　substituted　his　Wife；　whom　most
dearely　he　affected；　and　so　departed　out　of　this　life。　Madam　Giana
being　thus　left　a　widdow；　as　commonly　it　is　the　custome　of　our　City
Dames；　during　the　Summer　season；　she　went　to　a　house　of　her　owne　in
the　Countrey；　which　was　somewhat　neere　to　poore　Frederigoes　Farme；　and
where　he　lived　in　such　an　honest　kind　of　contented　poverty。
　　Hereupon；　the　young　Gentleman　her　Sonne；　taking　great　delight　in
Hounds　and　Hawkes；　grew　into　familiarity　with　poore　Frederigo；　and
having　seene　many　faire　flights　of　his　Faulcon；　they　pleased　him　so
extraordinarily；　that　he　earnestly　desired　to　enjoy　her　as　his　owne；
yet　durst　not　move　the　motion　for　her；　because　he　saw　how　choycely
Frederigo　esteemed　her。　Within　a　short　while　after；　the　young
Gentleman；　became　very　sicke；　whereat　his　Mother　greeved
exceedingly；　（as　having　no　more　but　he；　and　therefore　loved　him　the
more　entirely）　never　parting　from　him　night　or　day；　comforting　him
so　kindly　as　she　could；　and　demanding；　if　he　had　a　desire　to　any
thing；　willing　him　to　reveale　it；　and　assuring　him　withall；　that　（it
were　within　the　compasse　of　possibility）　he　should　have　it。　The
youth　hearing　how　many　times　she　had　made　him　these　offers；　and　with
such　vehement　protestations　of　performance；　at　last　thus　spake。
　　Mother　（quoth　he）　if　you　can　do　so　much　for　me；　as　that　I　may　have
Frederigoes　Faulcon；　I　am　perswaded；　that　my　sicknesse　soone　will
cease。　The　Lady　hearing　this；　sate　some　short　while　musing　to　her
selfe；　and　began　to　consider；　what　she　might　best　doe　to　compasse
her　Sonnes　desire：　for　well　she　knew；　how　long　a　time　Frederigo　had
most　lovingly　kept　it；　not　suffering　it　ever　to　be　out　of　his　sight。
Moreover；　shee　remembred；　how　earnest　in　affection　he　had　bene　to　her；
never　thinking　himselfe　happy；　but　onely　when　he　was　in　her　company；
wherefore；　shee　entred　into　this　private　consultation　with　her　owne
thoughts。　Shall　I　send；　or　goe　my　selfe　in　person；　to　request　the
Faulcon　of　him；　it　being　the　best　that　ever　flew？　It　is　his　onely
Jewell　of　delight；　and　that　taken　from　him；　no　longer　can　he　wish　to
live　in　this　World。　How　farre　then　voyde　of　understanding　shall　I　shew
my　selfe；　to　rob　a　Gentleman　of　his　sole　felicity；　having　no　other　joy
or　comfort　left　him？　These　and　the　like　considerations；　wheeled
about　her　troubled　braine；　onely　in　tender　care　and　love　to　her　Sonne；
perswading　her　selfe　assuredly；　that　the　Faulcon　were　her　owne；　if　she
would　but　request　it：　yet　not　knowing　whereon　it　were　best　to　resolve；
shee　returned　no　answer　to　her　Sonne；　but　sate　still　in　her　silent
meditations。　At　the　length；　love　to　the　youth；　so　prevailed　with
her；　that　she　concluded　on　his　contentation；　and　（come　of　it　what
could）　shee　would　not　send　for　it；　but　go　her　selfe　in　person　to
request　it；　and　then　returne　home　againe　with　it：　whereupon　thus　she
spake。　Sonne；　comfo