the decameron(十日谈)-第140节

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while；　and　Pyrrhus；　being　formerly　enstructed；　in　the　directions　which
she　had　given　him；　thus　shee　spake；　some…what　faintly。　Pyrrhus；　I　have
a　kinde　of　longing　desire　upon　a　sodaine；　to　taste　of　these　Peares：
Wherefore；　climbe　up　into　the　Tree；　and　cast　me　downe　one　or　two；
which　instantly　hee　did。　Being　aloft　in　the　Tree；　and　throwing　downe
some　of　the　best　and　ripest　Peares；　at　length　（according　to　his
premeditated　Lesson）　looking　downe；　he　said。
　　Forbeare　my　Lord；　Do　you　not　see；　in　how　weake　and　feeble
condition　my　Ladie　is；　being　shaken　with　so　violent　a　sicknesse？　And
you　Madam；　how　kinde　and　loving　soever　you　are　to　my　Lord；　Are　you
so　little　carefull　of　your　health；　being　but　now　come　forth　of　your
sicke　Chamber；　to　be　ruffled　and　tumbled　in　such　rough　manner？
Though　such　dalliances　are　not　amisse　in　you　both；　being　fitter　for
the　private　Chamber；　then　an　open　garden；　and　in　the　presence　of　a
servant：　yet　time　and　place　should　alwaies　bee　respectively
considered；　for　the　avoiding　of　ill　example；　and　better　testimonie
of　your　owne　Wisedomes；　which　ever　should　be　like　your　selves。　But
if　so　soone；　and　even　in　the　heate　of　a　yet　turbulent　sicknesse；
your　equall　love　can　admit　these　kisses　and　embraces：　your　private
Lodginges　were　much　more　convenient；　where　no　Servants　eye　can　see
such　Wantonnesse；　nor　you　be　reproved　of　indiscretion；　for　being　too
publique　in　your　Familiaritie。　Madame　Lydia；　sodainely　starting；　and
turning　unto　her　Husband；　sayde。　What　doth　Pyrrhus　prate？　Is　he　well
in　his　wittes？　Or　is　he　franticke？　No　Madame；　replyed　Pyrrhus；　I　am
not　franticke。　Are　you　so　fond　as　to　thinke　that　I　do　not　see　your
folly？　Nicostratus　wondering　at　his　Words；　presently　answered。　Now
trust　me　Pyrrhus；　I　think　thou　dreamest。　No　my　Lord；　replyed
Pyrrhus；　I　dreame　not　a　jot；　neither　do　you；　or　my　Ladie：　but　if
this　Tree　could　affoord　the　like　kindnesse　to　me；　as　you　do　to　her；
there　would　not　a　Peare　bee　left　uppon　it。　How　now　Pyrrhus？　（quoth
Lydia）　this　language　goeth　beyond　our　understanding；　it　seemeth　thou
knowest　not　what　thou　saist。　Beleeve　me　husband；　if　I　were　as　well
as　ever　I　have　bin；　I　would　climb　this　tree；　to　see　those　idle　wonders
which　hee　talketh　of：　for；　while　he　continueth　thus　above；　it
appeareth；　hee　can　finde　no　other　prattle；　albeit　he　taketh　his
marke　amisse。
　　Heereupon；　he　commanded　Pyrrhus　to　come　downe；　and　being　on　the
ground：　Now　Pyrrhus　（quoth　he）　tell　me　what　thou　saydst。　Pyrrhus；
pretending　an　alteration　into　much　amazement；　straungely　looking　about
him；　saide；　I　know　not　verie　well　（my　Lord）　what　answere　I　should　make
you；　fearing　least　my　sight　hath　bin　abused　by　error：　for　when　I　was
aloft　in　that　Tree；　it　seemed　manifestly　to　me：　that　you　embraced　my
Lady　（though　somewhat　rudely；　in　regard　of　her　perillous　sicknesse；
yet　lovingly）　and　as　youthfully　as　in　your　yonger　dales；　with　infinite
kisses；　and　wanton　dalliances；　such　as　（indeede）　deserved　a　far　more
private　place　in　my　poore　opinion。　But　in　my　descending　downe；　mee
thought　you　gave　over　that　amorous　familiaritie；　and　I　found　you
seated　as　I　left　you。　Now　trust　mee　Pyrrhus；　answered　Nicostratus；　Thy
tongue　and　wit　have　very　strangely　wandred；　both　from　reason　and　all
reall　apprehension：　because　we　never　stirred　from　hence；　since　thou
didst　climbe　up　into　the　Tree；　neither　mooved　otherwise；　then　as　now
thou　seest　us。　Alas　my　Lord　（saide　Pyrrhus）　I　humbly　crave　pardon
for　my　presumption；　in　reprooving　you　for　medling　with　your　owne：
which　shal　make　me　hereafter　better　advised；　in　any　thing　what
soever　I　heare　or　see。
　　Mervaile　and　amazement；　encreased　in　Nicostratus　far　greater　then
before；　hearing　him　to　avouch　still　so　constantly　what　he　had　seene；
no　contradiction　being　able　to　alter　him；　which　made　him　rashly　sweare
and　say。　I　will　see　my　selfe；　whether　this　Peare…tree　bee　enchanted；
or　no：　and　such　wonders　to　be　seene　when　a　man　is　up　in　it；　as　thou
wouldst　have　us　to　beleeve。　And　being　mounted　up　so　hy；　that　they　were
safe　from　his　sodaine　comming　on　them；　Lydia　had　soone　forgotten　her
sicknes；　and　the　promised　kisse　cost　her　above　twenty　more；　beside
verie　kinde　and　hearty　embraces；　as　lovingly　respected　and　entertained
by　Pyrrhus。　Which　Nicostratus　beholding　aloft　in　the　tree；　cryed　out
to　her；　saying。　Wicked　woman；　What　doest　thou　meane？　And　thou
villain　Pyrrhus；　Darst　thou　abuse　thy　Lord；　who　hath　reposed　so　much
trust　in　thee？　So；　descending　in　haste　downe　againe；　yet　crying　so
to　them　still：　Lydia　replyed；　Alas　my　Lord；　Why　do　you　raile　and
rave　in　such　sort？　So；　he（　found　her　seated　as　before；　and　Pyrrhus
waiting　with　dutiful　reverence；　even　as　when　he　climbed　up　the　Tree：
but　yet　he　thought　his　sight　not　deceyved；　for　all　their　demure　and
formall　behaviour；　which　made　him　walke　up　and　downe；　extreamely
fuming　and　fretting　unto　himselfe；　and　which　in　some　milder　manner
to　qualifie；　Pyrrhus　spake　thus　to　him。
　　I　deny　not　（my　good　Lord）　but　freely　confesse；　that　even　as　your
selfe；　so　I；　being　above　in　the　Tree；　had　my　sight　most　falsely
deluded：　which　is　so　apparantly　confirmed　by　you；　and　in　the　same
sort；　as　there　needeth　no　doubt　of　both　our　beguiling；　in　one　and
the　same　suspitious　nature。　In　which　case　to　be　the　more　assuredly
resolved；　nothing　can　be　questioned；　but　whether　your　beleefe　do　so
farre　misleade　you；　as　to　thinke；　that　my　Ladie　（who　hath　alwayes　bene
most　wise；　loyall；　and　vertuous；）　would　so　shamefullie　wrong　you：　yea；
and　to　performe　it　before　your　face；　wherein　I　dare　gadge　my　life　to
the　contrary。　Concerning　my　selfe；　it　is　not　fit　for　mee；　to　argue
or　contest　in　mine　owne　commendation：　you　that　have　ever　knowne　the
sincerity　of　my　service；　are　best　able　to　speake　in　my　behalfe：　and
rather　wold　I　be　drawne　in　peeces　with　foure　wilde　horses；　then　bee
such　an　injurious　slave　to　my　Lord　and　Master。
　　Now　then；　it　can　be　no　otherwise；　but　we　must　needs　rest
certainely　perswaded；　that　the　guile　and　offence　of　this　false
appearance；　was　occasioned　by　thee　onely。　For　all　the　world　could
not　make　me　otherwise　beleeve；　but　that　I　saw　you　kisse　and　most
kindely　imbrace　my　Lady：　if　your　owne　eyes　had　not　credited　the　like
behaviour　in　me　to　her；　of　which　sinne；　I　never　conceived　so　much　as　a
thought。　The　Lady　（on　the　other　side）　seeming　to　be　very　angerly
incensed；　starting　faintly　up　on　her　feet；　yet　supporting　her　selfe　by
the　tree；　said。　It　appeareth　Sir；　that　you　have　entertained　a　goodly
opinion　of　me；　as；　if　I　were　so　lewde　and　lasciviously　disposed；　or
addicted　to　the　very　least　desire　of　wantonnesse：　that　I　would　bee
so　forgetfull　of　mine　owne　honour；　as　to　adventure　it　in　your　sight；
and　with　a　servant　of　my　house？　Oh　Sir；　such　women　as　are　so
familiarly　affected；　need　learne　no　wit　of　men　in　amourous　matters；
their　private　Chambers　shall　be　better　trusted；　then　an　open　blabing
and　tell…tale　Garden。
　　Nicostratus；　who　verily　beleeved　what　they　had　both　said；　and　that
neither　of　them　would　adventure　such　familiarity　before　his　face：
would　talke　no　more　of　the　matter；　but　rather　studyed　of　the　rarity　of
such　a　miracle；　not　seene；　but　in　the　height　of　the　tree；　and　changing
againe　up　on　the　descent。　But　Lydia；　containing　still　her
collourable　kinde　of　impatience；　and　angerly　frowning　upon
Nicostratus；　stearnely　saide。　If　I　may　have　my　will；　this　villanous
and　deceiving　tree；　shall　never　more　shame　me；　or　any　other　woman：　and
therefore　Pyrrhus；　runne　for　an　Axe；　and　by　felling　it　to　the
ground；　in　an　instant；　revenge　both　thy　wrong　and　mine。　Doest　not　thou
serve　a　worthy　Lord？　And　have　not　I　a　wise　Husband；　who；　without　any
consideration；　will　suffer　the　eye　of　his　understanding　to　be　so
dazeled；　with　a　foolish　imagination　beyond　all　possibility？　For；
although　his　eyes　did　apprehend　such　a　folly；　and　it　seemed　to　be　a
truth　indeed：　yet；　in　the　depth　of　setled　judgement；　all　the　world
should　not　perswade　him；　that　it　was　so。
　　Pyrrhus　had　quickely　brought　the　Axe；　and　hewing　downe　the　tree；
so　soone　as　the　Lady　saw　it　fall；　turning　her　selfe　to　Nicostratus；
she　said。　Now　that　I　have　seene　mine　honour　and　honesties　enemy　laid
along；　mine　anger　is　past；　and　Husband；　I　freely　pardon　you：
intreating　you　heartily　henceforward；　not　to　presume　or　imagine；
that　my　love　eyther　is；　or　can　bee　altred　from　you。
　　Thus　the　mocked　and　derided　Nicostratus；　returned　in　againe　with　his
Lady　and　Pyrrhus；　where　perhaps　（although　the　Peare…tree　was　cut
downe）　they　could　find　as　cunning　meanes　to　over…reach　him。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SEVENTH　DAY；　THE　TENTH　NOVELL
　　　　　WHEREIN　SUCH　MEN　ARE　COVERTLY　REPREHENDED；　WHO　MAKE　NO　CARE　OR
　　　　　　　　　　CONSCIENCE　AT　ALL　OF　THOSE　THINGS　THAT　SHOULD　PRESERVE
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THEM　FROM　SINNE

　　Two　Citizens　of　Siena；　the　one　named　Tingoccio　Mini；　and　the　other
Meucio　di　Tura；　affected　both　one　woman；　called　Monna　Mita；　to　whom
the　one　of　them　was　a　Gossip。　The　Gossip　dyed；　and　appeared
afterward　to　his　companion；　according　as　he　had　formerly　promised
him　to　doe；　and　tolde　him　what　strange　wonders　he　had　seene　in　the
other　world。

　　Now　there　remained　none　but　the　King　himselfe；　last　of　all　to
recount　his　Novell；　who；　after　hee　heard　the　Ladies　c