the decameron(十日谈)-第113节

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commanded　that　they　should　be　sent　for；　（their　anger　and　violent
speeches　still　continuing）　and　being　come　into　her　presence；　she
demaunded　the　reason　of　their　discord；　and　Tindaro　offering　to　make
answere；　Lacisca　（being　somewhat　more　ancient　then　he；　and　of　a
fiercer　fiery　spirit；　even　as　if　her　heart　would　have　leapt　out　of　her
mouth）　turned　her　selfe　to　him；　and　with　a　scornefull　frowning
countenance；　said。　See　how　this　bold；　unmannerly　and　beastly　fellow；
dare　presume　to　speake　in　this　place　before　me：　Stand　by　（saucy
impudence）　and　give　your　better　leave　to　answere；　then　turning　to
the　Queene；　thus　shee　proceeded。
　　Madam；　this　idle　fellow　would　maintaine　to　me；　that　Signior
Sicophanto　marrying　with　Madama　della　Grazza；　had　the　victory　of　her
virginity　the　very　first　night；　and　I　avouched　the　contrary；　because
shee　had　been　a　mother　twise　before；　in　very　faire　adventuring　of
her　fortune。　And　he　dared　to　affirme　beside；　that　yong　Maides　are　so
simple；　as　to　loose　the　flourishing　Aprill　of　their　time；　in　meere
feare　of　their　parents；　and　great　prejudice　of　their　friends。
　　And　then　the　Queene；　somewhat　offended　at　the　folly　of　the　former
controversie；　commanded　Madame　Philomena；　that　she　should　give
beginning　to　the　dayes　Novels：　which　（in　dutifull　manner）　shee
undertooke　to　doe；　and　seating　her　selfe　in　formall　fashion；　with
modest　and　very　gracious　gesture；　thus　she　began。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SIXT　DAY；　THE　FIRST　NOVELL

　　　　REPREHENDING　THE　FOLLY　OF　SUCH　MEN；　AS　UNDERTAKE　TO　REPORT
　　　　　DISCOURSES；　WHICH　ARE　BEYOND　THEIR　WIT　AND　CAPACITY；　AND
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GAINE　NOTHING　BUT　BLAME　FOR　THEIR　LABOUR

　　A　Knight　requested　Madam　Oretta；　to　ride　behinde　him　on　horse…backe；
and　promised；　to　tell　her　an　excellent　Tale　by　the　way。　But　the　Lady
perceiving；　that　his　discourse　was　idle；　and　much　worse　delivered：
entreated　him　to　let　her　walke　on　foote　againe。

　　Gracious　Ladies；　like　as　in　our　faire；　cleere；　and　serene　seasons；
the　Starres　are　bright　ornaments　to　the　heavens；　and　the　flowry　fields
（so　long　as　the　spring　time　lasteth）　weare　their　goodliest　Liveries；
the　Trees　likewise　bragging　in　their　best　adornings：　Even　so　at
friendly　meetings；　short；　sweet；　and　sententious　words；　are　the　beauty
and　ornament　of　any　discourse；　savouring　of　wit　and　sound　judgement；
worthily　deserving　to　be　commended。　And　so　much　the　rather；　because　in
few　and　witty　words；　aptly　suting　with　the　time　and　occasion；　more
is　delivered　then　was　expected；　or　sooner　answered；　then　rashly
apprehended：　which；　as　they　become　men　verie　highly；　yet　do　they
shew　more　singular　in　women。
　　True　it　is；　what　the　occasion　may　be；　I　know　not；　either　by　the
badnesse　of　our　wittes；　or　the　especiall　enmitie　betweene　our
complexions　and　the　celestiall　bodies：　there　are　scarsely　any；　or　very
few　Women　to　be　found　among　us；　that　well　knowes　how　to　deliver　a
word；　when　it　should　and　ought　to　be　spoken；　or；　if　a　question　bee
mooved；　understands　to　suite　it　with　an　apt　answere；　such　as
conveniently　is　required；　which　is　no　meane　disgrace　to　us　women。
But　in　regard；　that　Madame　Pampinea　hath　already　spoken　sufficiently
of　this　matter；　I　meane　not　to　presse　it　any　further：　but　at　this　time
it　shall　satisfie　mee；　to　let　you　know；　how　wittily　a　Ladie　made　due
observation　of　opportunitie；　in　answering　of　a　Knight；　whose　talke
seemed　tedious　and　offensive　to　her。
　　No　doubt　there　are　some　among　you；　who　either　do　know；　or　（at　the
least）　have　heard；　that　it　is　no　long　time　since；　when　there　dwelt　a
Gentlewoman　in　our　Citie；　of　excellent　grace　and　good　discourse；
with　all　other　rich　endowments　of　Nature　remaining　in　her；　as　pitty　it
were　to　conceale　her　name：　and　therefore　let　me　tell　ye；　that　shee　was
called　Madame　Oretta；　the　Wife　to　Signior　Geri　Spina。　She　being　upon
some　occasion　（as　now　we　are）　in　the　Countrey；　and　passing　from
place　to　place　（by　way　of　neighbourly　invitations）　to　visite　her
loving　Friends　and　Acquaintance；　accompanied　with　divers　Knights　and
Gentlewomen；　who　on　the　day　before　had　dined　and　supt　at　her　house；　as
now　（belike）　the　selfe…same　courtesie　was　intended　to　her：　walking
along　with　her　company　upon　the　way；　and　the　place　for　her　welcome
beeing　further　off　then　she　expected；　a　Knight　chanced　to　overtake
this　faire　troop；　who　well　knowing　Madam　Oretta；　using　a　kinde　and
courteous　salutation；　spake　thus。
　　Madam；　this　foot　travell　may　bee　offensive　to　you；　and　were　you　so
well　pleased　as　my　selfe；　I　would　ease　your　journey　behinde　mee　on
my　Gelding；　even　so　as　you　shall　command　me：　and　beside；　wil　shorten
your　wearinesse　with　a　Tale　worth　the　hearing。　Courteous　Sir
（replyed　the　Lady）　I　embrace　your　kinde　offer　with　such　acceptation；
that　I　pray　you　to　performe　it；　for　therein　you　shall　doe　me　an
especiall　favour。　The　Knight；　whose　Sword　（perhappes）　was　as
unsuteable　to　his　side；　as　his　wit　out　of　fashion　for　any　readie
discourse；　having　the　Lady　mounted　behinde　him　rode　on　with　a　gentle
pace；　and　（according　to　his　promise）　began　to　tell　a　Tale；　which
indeede　（of　it　selfe）　deserved　attention；　because　it　was　a　knowne
and　commendable　History；　but　yet　delivered　so　abruptly；　with　idle
repetitions　of　some　particulars　three　or　foure　severall　times；
mistaking　one　thing　for　another；　and　wandering　erroneously　from　the
essentiall　subject；　seeming　neere　an　end；　and　then　beginning　againe：
that　a　poore　Tale　could　not　possibly　be　more　mangled；　or　worse
tortured　in　telling；　then　this　was；　for　the　persons　therein　concerned；
were　so　abusively　nicke…named；　their　actions　and　speeches　so
monstrously　mishapen；　that　nothing　could　appeare　to　be　more　ugly。
　　Madame　Oretta；　being　a　Lady　of　unequalled　ingenuitie；　admirable　in
judgement；　and　most　delicate　in　her　speech；　was　afflicted　in　soule；
beyond　all　measure；　overcome　with　many　colde　sweates；　and　passionate
heart…aking　qualmes；　to　see　a　Foole　thus　in　a　Pinne…fold；　and　unable
to　get　out；　albeit　the　doore　stood　wide　open　to　him；　whereby　shee
became　so　sicke；　that；　converting　her　distaste　to　a　kinde　of
pleasing　acceptation；　merrily　thus　she　spake。　Beleeve　me　Sir；　your
horse　trots　so　hard；　and　travels　so　uneasily；　that　I　entreate　you　to
let　me　walke　on　foot　againe。
　　The　Knight；　being　（perchance）　a　better　understander；　then　a
Discourser；　perceived　by　this　witty　taunt；　that　his　Bowle　had　run　a
contrarie　bias；　and　he　as　farre　out　of　Tune；　as　he　was　from　the　Towne。
So；　lingering　the　time；　untill　her　company　was　neerer　arrived：　hee
lefte　her　with　them；　and　rode　on　as　his　Wisedome　could　best　direct
him。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SIXT　DAY；　THE　SECOND　NOVELL

　　　　　　　　APPROVING；　THAT　A　REQUEST　OUGHT　TO　BE　CIVILL；　BEFORE　IT
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHOULD　BE　GRANTED　TO　ANY　ONE　WHATSOEVER

　　Cistio　a　Baker；　by　a　wittie　answer　which　he　gave　unto　Messer　Geri
Spina；　caused　him　to　acknowledge　a　very　indiscreete　motion；　which　he
had　made　to　the　said　Cistio。

　　The　words　of　Madame　Oretta；　were　much　commended　by　the　men　and
women；　and　the　discourse　being　ended；　the　Queene　gave　command　to　Madam
Pampinea；　that　shee　should　follow　next　in　order；　which　made　her　to
begin　in　this　manner。
　　Worthy　Ladies；　it　exceedeth　the　power　of　my　capacitie；　to　censure　in
the　case　whereof　I　am　to　speake；　by　saying；　who　sinned　most；　either
Nature；　in　seating　a　Noble　soule　in　a　vile　body；　or　Fortune；　in
bestowing　on　a　body　（beautified　with　a　noble　soule）　a　base　or　wretched
condition　of　life。　As　we　may　observe　by　Cistio；　a　Citizen　of　our　owne；
and　many　more　beside；　for；　this　Cistio　beeing　endued　with　a　singular
good　spirit；　Fortune　hath　made　him　no　better　then　a　Baker。　And　beleeve
me　Ladies；　I　could　（in　this　case）　lay　as　much　blame　on　Nature；　as　on
Fortune；　if　I　did　not　know　Nature　to　be　most　absolutely　wise；　and　that
Fortune　hath　a　thousand　eyes；　albeit　fooles　have　figured　her　to　bee
blinde。　But；　upon　more　mature　and　deliberate　consideration；　I　finde；
that　they　both　（being　truly　wise　and　judicious）　have　dealt　justly；
in　imitation　of　our　best　advised　mortals；　who　being　uncertaine　of　such
inconveniences；　as　may　happen　unto　them；　do　bury　（for　their　own
benefit）　the　very　best　and　choicest　things　of　esteeme；　in　the　most
vile　and　abject　places　of　their　houses；　as　being　subject　to　least
suspition；　and　where　they　may　be　sure　to　have　them　at　all　times；　for
supply　of　any　necessitie　whatsoever；　because　so　base　a　conveyance　hath
better　kept　them；　then　the　very　best　chamber　in　the　house　could　have
done。　Even　so　these　two　great　commanders　of　the　world；　do　many　times
hide　their　most　precious　Jewels　of　worth；　under　the　clouds　of　Arts
or　professions　of　worst　estimation；　to　the　end；　that　fetching　them
thence　when　neede　requires；　their　splendor　may　appeare　to　be　the
more　glorious。　Nor　was　any　such　matter　noted　in　our　homely　Baker
Cistio；　by　the　best　observation　of　Messer　Geri　Spina；　who　was　spoken
of　in　the　late　repeated　Novell；　as　being　the　husband　to　Madame　Oretta；
whereby　this　accident　came　to　my　remembrance；　and　which　（in　a　short
Tale）　I　will　relate　unto　you。
　　Let　me　then　tell　ye；　that　Pope　Boniface　（with　whom　the　fore…named
Messer　Geri　Spina　was　in　great　regard）　having　sent　divers　Gentlemen　of
his　Court　to　Florence　as　Ambassadors；　about　very　se