the decameron(十日谈)-第169节

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be　well　bound　up；　with　the　Merchants　markes　orderly　made　on　them；
and　bought　about　twenty　Buttes　or　Barrelles；　all　filled　（as　it　were）
with　Oyle；　and　these　pretended　commodities　being　shipt；　Salabetto
returned　with　them　to　Palermo。　Where　having　given　in　his　packets　to
the　Customehouse；　and　entred　them　all　under　his　owne　name；　as　being
both　owner　and　factor：　all　his　Wares　were　lockt　up　in　his　Magizine；
with　open　publication；　that　he　would　not　vent　any　of　them；　before
other　merchandises　（which　he　daily　expected）　were　there　also　arrived。
　　Biancafiore　having　heard　thereof；　and　understanding　withall；　that　he
had　brought　Merchandises　now　with　him；　amounting　to　above　two　thousand
Florins；　staying　also　in　expectation　of　other　commodities；　valewing
better　then　three　thousand　more；　she　beganne　to　consider　with　her
selfe；　that　she　had　not　yet　gotten　money　enough　from　him；　and
therefore　would　cast　a　figure　for　a　farre　bigger　booty。　Which　that　she
might　the　more　fairely　effect；　without　so　much　as　an　imagination　of
the　least　mistrust：　she　would　repay　him　backe　his　five　hundred
Florines；　to　winne　from　him　a　larger　portion　of　two　or　three
thousand　at　the　least；　and　having　thus　setled　her　determination；　she
sent　to　have　him　come　speake　with　her。　Salabetto；　having　bene
soundly　bitten　before；　and　therefore　the　better　warranted　from　the
like　ranckling　teeth；　willingly　went　to　her；　not　shewing　any　signe
of　former　discontent：　and　she；　seeming　as　if　she　knew　nothing　of　the
wealth　he　brought　with　him；　gracing　him　in　as　loving　manner　as　ever
she　had　done；　thus　she　spake。
　　I　am　sure　Salabetto；　you　are　angry　with　mee；　because　I　restored
not　your　Florines　at　my　promised　day。　Salabetto　smiling；　presently
answered。　Beleeve　me　Lady　（quoth　he）　it　did　a　little　distast　me；
even　as　I　could　have　bin　offended　with　him；　that　should　plucke　out
my　heart　to　bestow　it　on　you；　if　it　would　yeelde　you　any
contentment。　But　to　let　you　know　unfainedly；　how　much　I　am　incensed
with　anger　against　you：　such　and　so　great　is　the　affection　I　beare
you；　that　I　have　solde　the　better　part　of　my　whole　estate；
converting　the　same　into　Wealthy　Merchandises；　which　I　have　alreadie
brought　hither　with　mee；　and　valewing　above　two　thousand　Florines；　all
which　are　stored　up　in　my　Magazine。　There　must　they　remaine；　till
another　Ship　come　forth　of　the　Westerne　parts；　wherein　I　have　a　much
greater　adventure；　amounting　unto　more　then　three　thousand　Florines。
And　my　purpose　is；　to　make　my　aboade　heere　in　this　City；　which　hath
won　the　sole　possession　of　my　heart；　onely　in　regard　of　my
Biancafiore；　to　whom　I　am　so　intirely　devoted；　as　both　my　selfe；　and
whatsoever　else　is　mine　（now　or　hereafter）　is　dedicated　onely　to　her
service；　whereto　thus　she　replyed。
　　Now　trust　me　Salabetto；　whatsoever　redoundeth　to　thy　good　and
benefite；　is　the　cheefest　comfort　of　my　soule；　in　regard　I　prize　thy
love　dearer　then　mine　owne　life；　and　am　most　joyfull　of　thy　returne
hither　againe；　but　much　more　of　thy　still　abiding　heere；　because　I
intend　to　live　onely　with　thee；　so　soone　as　I　have　taken　order　for
some　businesse　of　import。　In　the　meane　while；　let　me　entreate　thee
to　hold　me　excused；　because　before　thy　departure　hence；　thou　camest
sometimes　to　see　me；　without　thy　entrance　admitted；　and　other…whiles
againe；　found　not　such　entertainement；　as　formerly　had　bene　affoorded。
But　indeede；　and　above　all　the　rest；　in　not　re…paying　thy　money
according　to　my　promise。　But　consider　good　Salabetto；　in　what　great
trouble　and　affliction　of　minde　I　then　was；　both　in　regard　of　my
Brothers　danger；　and　other　important　occurrences　beside；　which
mollestations　do　much　distract　the　senses；　and　hinder　kinde
courtesies；　which　otherwise　would　bee　extended　liberally。
　　Last　of　all　consider　also；　how　difficult　a　thing　it　is　for　a
woman；　so　sodainly　to　raise　the　summe　of　a　thousand　golden　Florines；
when　one　friend　promiseth；　and　performeth　not；　another　protesteth；　yet
hath　no　such　meaning；　a　third　sweareth；　and　yet　proveth　a　false
Lyar：　so　that　by　being　thus　ungently　used；　a　breach　is　made　betweene
the　best　frends　living。　From　hence　it　proceeded；　and　no　other　defect
else；　that　I　made　not　due　returne　of　your　five　hundred　Florins。　No
sooner　were　you　departed　her　but　I　had　them　readie；　and　as　many
more；　and　could　I　have　knowne　whither　to　send　them；　they　had　bene　with
you　long　time　since；　which　because　I　could　not　（by　any　meanes）
compasse；　I　kept　them　still　for　you　in　continuall　readinesse；　as
hoping　of　your　comming　hither　againe。　So　causing　a　purse　to　be
brought；　wherein　the　same　Florines　were；　which　hee　had　delivered
her；　she　gave　it　into　his　hand；　and　prayed　him　to　count　them　over；
whether　there　were　so　many；　or　no。
　　Never　was　Salabettoes　heart　halfe　so　joyfull　before；　and　having
counted　them；　found　them　to　be　his　owne　five　hundred　Florines：　then；
putting　them　up　into　his　pocket；　he　saide。　Comfort　of　my　life；　Full
well　I　know　that　whatsoever　you　have　saide；　is　most　certaine；　but
let　us　talke　no　more　of　falshood　in　friendship；　or　casuall　accidents
happening　unexpected：　you　have　dealt　with　mee　like　a　most　loyall
Mistresse；　and　heere　I　protest　unfainedly　to　you；　that　as　well　in
respect　of　this　kinde　courtesie；　as　also　the　constancy　of　mine
affection　to　you；　you　cannot　request　hereafter　a　far　greater　summe
of　me；　to　supply　any　necessarie　occasion　of　yours；　but　（if　my　power
can　performe　it）　you　shall　assuredly　finde　it　certaine：　make　proofe
thereof　whensoever　you　please；　after　my　other　goods　are　Landed；　and
I　have　established　my　estate　here　in　your　City。
　　Having　in　this　manner　renewed　his　wonted　amity　with　her；　and　with
words　farre　enough　off　from　all　further　meaning：　Salabetto　began
againe　to　frequent　her　company；　she　expressing　all　former　familiarity；
shewing　her　selfe　as　lavishly　bountifull　to　him；　in　all　respects　as
before　she　had　done；　nay；　many　times　in　more　magnificent　manner。
　　But　he　intending　to　punish　her　notorious　trechery　towards　him；
when　she　left　him　as　an　open　scorne　to　the　World；　wounded　with
disgrace；　and　quite　out　of　credit　with　all　his　friends：　she　having　（on
a　day）　solemnly　invited　him；　to　suppe　and　lodge　in　her　house　all
night；　he　went；　both　with　sad　and　melancholly　lookes；　seeming　as
overcome　with　extreamity　of　sorrow。　Biancafiore　mervayling　at　this
strange　alteration　in　him；　sweetly　kissing　and　embracing　him：　would
needs　know　the　reason　of　his　passionate　affliction；　and　he
permitting　her　to　urge　the　question　oftentimes　together；　without
returning　any　direct　answere；　to　quit　her　in　her　kind；　and　with
coine　of　her　owne　stampe；　after　a　few　dissembled　sighes；　he　began　in
this　manner。
　　Ah　my　dearest　Love；　I　am　utterly　undone；　because　the　Shippe
containing　the　rest　of　mine　expected　Merchandises；　is　taken　by　the
Pyrates　of　Monago；　and　put　to　the　ransome　of　tenne　thousand　Florines
of　Gold；　and　my　part　particularly；　is　to　pay　one　thousand。　At　this
instant　I　am　utterly　destitute　of　money；　because　the　five　hundred
Florines　which　I　received　of　you；　I　sent　hence　the　next　daie　following
to　Naples；　to　buy　more　cloathes；　which　likewise　are　to　be　sent　hither。
And　if　I　should　now　make　sale　of　the　Merchandizes　in　my　Magazine
（the　time　of　generall　utterance　being　not　yet　come）　I　shall　not　make　a
pennyworth　for　a　penny。　And　my　misfortune　is　the　greater；　because　I　am
not　so　well　knowne　heere　in　your　City；　as　to　find　some　succour　in　such
an　important　distresse；　wherfore　I　know　not　what　to　do　or　say。
Moreover；　if　the　money　be　not　speedily　sent；　our　goods　will　be　carried
into　Monago；　and　then　they　are　past　all　redemption　utterly。
　　Biancafiore　appearing　greatly　discontented；　as　one　verily　perswaded；
that　this　pretended　losse　was　rather　hers；　then　his；　because　she　aymed
at　the　mainest　part　of　all　his　wealth：　began　to　consider　with　her
selfe；　which　was　the　likeliest　course　to　bee　taken；　for　saving　the
goods　from　carriage　to　Monago：　wherupon　thus　she　replied。　Heaven
knoweth　（my　dearest　Salabetto）　how　thy　love　maketh　me　sorrowfull　for
this　misfortune；　and　it　greeveth　me　to　see　thee　any　way　distressed：
for　if　I　had　mony　lying　by　mee　（as　many　times　I　have）　thou　shouldst
finde　succour　from　my　selfe　onely；　but　indeede　I　am　not　able　to
helpe　thee。　True　it　is；　there　is　a　friend　of　mine；　who　did　lend　me
five　hundred　Florines　in　my　need；　to　make　uppe　the　other　summe　which　I
borrowed　of　thee：　but　he　demandeth　extreme　interest；　because　he　will
not　abate　any　thing　of　thirty　in　the　hundred；　and　if　you　should　bee
forced　to　use　him；　you　must　give　him　some　good　security。　Now　for　my
part；　the　most　of　my　goods　here　I　will　pawne　for　thee：　but　what　pledge
can　you　deliver　in　to　make　up　the　rest？　Wel　did　Salabetto　conceive　the
occasion　why　she　urged　this　motion；　and　was　so　diligent　in　doing　him
such　a　pleasure：　for　it　appeared　evidently　to　him；　that　her　selfe
was　to　lend　the　mony；　wherof　he　was　not　a　litle　joyful；　seeming　very
thankful　to　hir。　Then　he　told　her；　that　being　driven　to　such
extremity；　how　unreasonable　soever　the　usury　was；　yet　he　would
gladly　pay　for　it。　And　for　her　Friends　further　security；　hee　would
pawne　him　all　the　goods　in　his　Magazine；　entering　them　downe　in　the
name　of　the　party；　who　lent　the　money。　Onely　he　desired　to　keepe　t