the decameron(十日谈)-第196节

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　　That　speake　I　could　not；　nor　durst　be　so　bold；
　　To　make　the　Ayre　acquainted　with　my　woe：
　　Alas！　I　lookt　so　high；　and　doing　so；
　　Justly　deserve　by　death　to　be　controld。
　　Yet　mercies　sight　would　lend　me　life　a　while；
　　Grant　it　（great　love）　mine　anguish　to　beguffe。

　　　　Goe　love；　and　tell　the　torments　I　endure；
　　　　Say　to　my　Soveraigne　Lord；　that　I　must　die：
　　　　Except　he　come；　some　comfort　to　procure；
　　　　For　tell　I　may　not；　what　I　feele；　and　why。

　　The　lines　contained　in　this　Ditty；　Manutio　fitted　with　noates　so
mooving　and　singularly　musicall；　that　every　word　had　the　seisible
motion　of　life　in　it；　where　the　King　being　（as　yet）　not　risen　from　the
Table；　he　commanded　him　to　use　both　his　Lute　and　voyce。
　　This　seemed　a　happy　opportunity　to　Manutio；　to　sing　the　dittie　so
purposely　done　and　devised：　which　hee　delivered　in　such　excellent
manner；　the　voice　and　Instrument　concording　so　extraordinary　pleasing；
that　all　the　persons　then　in　the　Presence；　seemed　rather　Statues；　then
living　men；　so　strangely　they　were　wrapt　with　admiration；　and　the　King
himselfe　farre　beyond　all　the　rest；　transported　with　a　rare　kinde　of
alteration。
　　When　Manutio　had　ended　the　Song；　the　King　demanded　of　him；　whence
this　Song　came；　because　he　had　never　heard　it　before？　My　gracious
Lord；　answered　Manutio；　it　must　needes　seeme　straunge　to　your　Majesty；
because　it　is　not　fully　three　dayes；　since　it　was　invented；　made；
and　set　to　the　note。　Then　the　King　asked；　whom　it　concerned？　Sir
（quoth　Manutio）　I　dare　not　disclose　that　to　any　but　onely　your
selfe。　Which　answer　made　the　King　much　more　desirous；　and　being
risen　from　the　Table；　he　tooke　him　into　his　Bedchamber；　where
Manutio　related　all　at　large　to　him；　according　to　the　trust　reposed　in
him。　Wherwith　the　King　was　wonderfully　well　pleased；　greatly
commending　the　courage　of　the　Maide；　and　said；　that　a　Virgin　of　such　a
valiant　spirit；　did　well　deserve　to　have　her　case　commiserated：　and
commanded　him　also；　to　goe　（as　sent　from　him）　and　comfort　her；　with
promise；　that　the　very　same　day；　in　the　evening；　he　would　not　faile　to
come　and　see　her。
　　Manutio；　more　then　contented；　to　carry　such　glad　tydings　to
Lisana；　without　staying　in　any　place；　and　taking　his　Lute　also　with
him；　went　to　the　Apothecaries　house；　where　speaking　alone　with　the
Maide：　he　told　her　what　he　had　done；　and　afterward　sung　the　song　to
her；　in　as　excellent　manner　as　he　had　done　before；　wherein　Lisana
conceived　such　joy　and　contentment；　as　even　in　the　very　same　moment；
it　was　observed　by　apparant　signes；　that　the　violence　of　her　fits
forsooke　her；　and　health　began　to　get　the　upper　hand　of　them。　SO；
without　suffering　any　one　in　the　house　to　know　it；　or　by　the　least
meanes　to　suspect　it；　she　comforted　her　selfe　till　the　evening；　in
expectation　of　her　Soveraignes　arrivall。
　　Piero　being　a　Prince；　of　most　liberall　and　benigne　nature；　having
afterward　divers　times　considered　on　the　matters　which　Manutio　had
revealed　to　him；　knowing　also　the　yong　Maiden；　to　bee　both
beautifull　and　vertuous：　was　so　much　moved　with　pitty　of　her
extremitie；　as　mounting　on　horsebacke　in　the　evening；　and　seeming　as
if　he　rode　abroad　for　his　private　recreation；　he　went　directly　to
the　Apothecaries　house；　where　desiring　to　see　a　goodly　garden；
appertaining　then　to　the　Apothecarie；　he　dismounted　from　his　horse。
Walking　into　the　garden；　he　began　to　question　with　Bernardo；
demaunding　him　for　his　Daughter；　and　whether　he　had　（as　yet）　marryed
her；　or　no？　My　Gracious　Lord；　answered　Bernardo；　as　yet　shee　is　not
marryed；　neither　likely　to　bee；　in　regard　shee　hath　had　a　long　and
tedious　sickenesse：　but　since　Dinner　time；　she　is　indifferently
eased　of　her　former　violent　paine；　which　we　could　not　discerne　the
like　alteration　in　her；　a　long　while　before。
　　The　King　understood　immediately；　the　reason　of　this　so　sudden
alteration；　and　said。　In　good　faith　Bernardo；　the　world　would　sustaine
a　great　maine　and　imperfection；　by　the　losse　of　thy　faire　daughter；
wherefore；　we　will　goe　our　selfe　in　person　to　visite　her。　So；　with　two
of　his　Lords　onely；　and　the　Father；　he　ascended　to　the　Maides
Chamber　and　being　entred；　he　went　to　the　Beds　side；　where　she　sate；
somewhat　raised；　in　expectation　of　his　comming；　and　taking　her　by
the　hand；　he　said。　Faire　Lisana；　how　commeth　this　to　passe？　You
being　so　faire　a　Virgin；　yong；　and　in　the　delicacy　of　your　daies；
which　should　be　the　chiefest　comfort　to　you；　will　you　suffer　your
selfe　to　be　over…awed　with　sickenesse？　Let　us　intreat　you；　that　（for
our　sake）　you　will　be　of　good　comfort；　and　thereby　recover　your　health
the　sooner；　especially；　when　it　is　requested　by　a　King；　who　is　sorry
to　see　so　bright　a　beauty　sicke；　and　would　helpe　it；　it　consisted　in
his　power。
　　Lisana；　feeling　the　touch　of　his　hand；　whom　she　loved　above　all
things　else　in　the　world；　although　a　bashfull　blush　mounted　up　into
her　cheekes：　yet　her　heart　was　seazed　with　such　a　rapture　of　pleasure；
that　she　thought　her　selfe　translated　into　Paradise；　and；　so　well　as
she　could；　thus　she　replyed。　Great　King；　by　opposing　my　feeble
strength；　against　a　burden　of　over…ponderous　weight；　it　became　the
occasion　of　this　grievous　sickenesse：　but　I　hope　that　the　violence
thereof　is　（almost）　already　kild；　onely　by　this　soveraigne　mercy　in
you；　and　doubtlesse　it　will　cause　my　speedy　deliverance。　The　King
did　best　understand　this　so　well　palliated　answere　of　Lisana；　which　as
he　did　much　commend；　in　regard　of　her　high　adventuring；　so　he　did
againe　as　greatly　condemne　Fortune；　for　not　making　her　more　happy　in
her　birth。
　　So；　after　he　had　stayed　there　a　good　while；　and　given　her　many
comfortable　speeches；　he　returned　backe　to　the　Court。　This　humanity　in
the　King；　was　reputed　a　great　honour　to　the　Apothecary　and　his
daughter；　who　（in　her　owne　mind）　received　as　much　joy　and
contentment　thereby；　as　ever　any　wife　could　have　of　her　owne　Husband。
　　And　being　assisted　by　better　hopes；　within　a　short　while　after；
she　became　recovered；　and　farre　more　beautifull　（in　common　judgment）
then　ever　she　was　before。
　　Lisana　being　now　in　perfect　health；　the　King　consulted　with　his
Queene；　what　meete　recompence　he　should　gratifie　her　withall；　for
loving　and　affecting　him　in　such　fervent　manner。　Upon　a　day
determined；　the　King　mounting　on　horsebacke；　accompanied　with　many
of　his　cheefest　Lords　and　Barons；　he　rode　to　the　Apothecaries　house；
where　walking　in　his　beautifull　Garden；　hee　called　for　Bernardo　and
his　daughter　Lisana。　In　the　meane　space；　the　Queene　also　came　thither；
Royally　attended　on　by　her　Ladies；　and　Lisana　being　admitted　into
their　company；　they　expressed　themselves　very　gracious　to　her。　Soone
after；　the　King　and　the　Queene　cald　Lisana；　and　the　King　spake　in　this
manner　to　her。
　　Faire　Virgin；　the　extraordinary　love　which　you　bare　to　us；　calleth
for　as　great　honour　from　us　to　you；　in　which　respect；　it　is　our　Royall
desire；　by　one　meanes　or　other　to　requite　your　kinde　Love。　In　our
opinion；　the　chief　honour　we　can　extend　to　you。　is；　that　being　of
sufficient　yeares　for　marriage；　you　would　grace　us　so　much；　as　to
accept　him　for　your　Husband；　whom　we　intend　to　bestow　on　you。　Beside
this　further　grant　from　us；　that　（notwithstanding　whatsoever　else）　you
shall　call　us　your　Knight；　without　coveting　any　thing　else　from　you；
for　so　great　favour；　but　only　one　kisse；　and　thinke　not　to　bestow　it
nicely　on　a　King；　but　grant　it　the　rather；　because　he　begges　it。
　　Lisana；　whose　lookes　were　dyed　with　a　vermillian　tincture；　or　rather
converted　into　a　pure　maiden　blush；　reputing　the　Kings　desire　to　be
her　owne；　in　a　low　and　humbled　voyce；　thus　answered。　My　Lord；　most
certaine　am　I；　that　if　it　had　beene　publikely　knowne；　how　none　but
your　highnes；　might　serve　for　me　to　fixe　my　love　on；　I　should　have
been　termed　the　foole　of　all　fooles：　they　perhaps　beleeving；　that　I
was　forgetfull　of　my　selfe；　in　being　ignorant　of　mine　owne
condition；　and　much　lesse　of　yours。　But　the　Gods　are　my　witnesses
（because　they　know　the　secrets　of　all　hearts）　that　even　in　the　very
instant；　when　Loves　fire　tooke　hold　on　my　yeelding　affection：　I　knew
you　to　be　a　King；　and　my　selfe　the　daughter　of　poore　Bernardo　the
Apothecary：　likewise；　how　farre　unfitting　it　was　for　me；　to　be　so
ambitious　in　my　loves　presuming。　But　I　am　sure　your　Majestie　doth　know
（much　better　then　I　am　able　to　expresse）　that　no　one　becommeth
amourous；　according　to　the　duty　of　election；　but　as　the　appetite
shapeth　his　course；　against　whose　lawes　my　strength　made　many
resistances；　which　not　prevailing；　I　presumed　to　love；　did；　and　so　for
ever　shall　doe；　your　Majestie。
　　Now　Royall　Soveraigne；　I　must　needes　confesse；　that　so　soone　as　I
felt　my　selfe　thus　wholly　conquered　by　loving　you；　I　resolved　for　ever
after；　to　make　your　will　mine　owne；　and　therefore；　am　not　onely
willing　to　accept　him　for　my　Husband；　whom　you　shall　please　to
appoint；　befitting　my　honor　and　degree：　but　if　you　will　have　me　to
live　in　a　flaming　fire；　my　obedience　shall　sacrifice　it　selfe　to
your　will；　with　the　absolute　conformity　of　mine　owne。　To　stile　you
by　the　name　of　my　Knight；　whom　I　know　to　be　my　lawfull　King　and
Soveraigne；　you　are　not　ignorant；　how　farre　unfitting　a　word　that　were
f