the decameron(十日谈)-第205节

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I　will　live　and　dye　the　Wife　of　Signiour　Thorello；　and　make　my
obsequies　in　his　memory　onely。　so　Madame　（replyed　her　Husband）　not　so；
Be　not　overrash　in　promising　any　thing；　albeit　I　am　well　assured；　that
so　much　as　consisteth　in　thy　strength；　I　make　no　question　of　thy
performance。　But　consider　withall　（deare　heart）　thou　art　a　yong　woman；
beautifull；　of　great　parentage；　and　no　way　thereto　inferior　in　the
blessings　of　Fortune。
　　Thy　Vertues　are　many；　and　universally　both　divulged　and　knowen；　in
which　respect；　I　make　no　doubt；　but　divers　and　sundrie　great　Lords　and
Gentlemen　（if　but　the　least　rumor　of　my　death　be　noysed）　will　make
sulte　for　thee　to　thy　parents　and　brethren；　from　whose　violent
solicitings；　wouldst　thou　never　so　resolutely　make　resistance；　yet
thou　canst　not　be　able　to　defend　thy　selfe；　but　whether　thou　wilt　or
no；　thou　must　yeeld　to　please　them；　and　this　is　the　only　reason；　why　I
would　tie　thee　to　this　limited　time；　and　not　one　day　or　minute　longer。
　　Adalietta；　sweetly　hugging　him　in　her　armes；　and　melting　her　selfe
in　kisses；　sighes；　and　teares　on　his　face；　said。　Well　Sir；　I　will　do
so　much　as　I　am　able；　in　this　your　most　kinde　and　loving　imposition：
and　when　I　shall　bee　compelled　to　the　contrary：　yet　rest　thus
constantly　assured；　that　I　will　not　breake　this　your　charge；　so　much
as　in　thought。　Praying　ever　heartily　to　the　heavenly　powers；　that　they
will　direct　your　course　home　againe　to　me；　before　your　prefixed
date；　or　else　I　shall　live　in　continual　languishing。　In　the　knitting
up　of　this　woful　parting；　embracing　and　kissing　either　infinit
times；　the　Lady　tooke　a　Ring　from　off　her　finger；　and　giving　it　to　her
husband；　said。　If　I　chaunce　to　die　before　I　see　you　againe；　remember
me　when　you　looke　on　this。　He　receiving　the　Ring；　and　bidding　all
the　rest　of　his　Friends　farewell；　mounted　on　horsebacke；　and　rode　away
wel　attended。
　　Being　come　unto　Geneway；　he　and　his　company　boorded　a　Galley；　and
（in　few　dayes　after）　arrived　at　Acres；　where　they　joyned　themselves
with　the　Christian　Army；　wherein　there　happened　a　verie　dangerous
mortality：　During　which　time　of　so　sharpe　visitation　（the　cause
unknowne　whence　it　proceeded）　whether　thorough　the　industrie；　or
rather　the　good　Fortune　of　Saladine；　well…neere　all　the　rest　of　the
Christians　（which　escaped　death）　were　surprized　his　prisoner
（without　a　blow　strucken）　and　sundred　and　imprisoned　in　divers
Townes　and　Citties。　Amongest　the　which　number　of　prisoners；　it　was
Signior　Thorelloes　chaunce　to　be　one；　and　walked　in　bonds　to
Alexandria；　where　being　unknowne；　and　fearing　least　he　should　be
discovered：　constrained　thereto　meerly　by　necessity；　hee　shewed
himselfe　in　the　condition　of　a　Faulconer；　wherein　he　was　very
excellently　experienced；　and　by　which　means　his　profession　was　made
knowne　to　Saladine；　hee　delivered　out　of　prison；　and　created　the
Soldans　Faulconer。
　　Thorello　（whom　the　Soldane　called　by　no　other　name；　then　the
Christian；　neyther　of　them　knowing　the　other）　sadly　now　remembred
his　departure　from　Pavia；　devising　and　practising　many　times；　how　he
might　escape　thence；　but　could　not　compasse　it　by　any　possible　meanes。
Wherefore；　certaine　Ambassadours　beeing　sent　by　the　Genewayes；　to
redeeme　divers　Cittizens　of　theirs；　there　detained　as　prisoners；　and
being　ready　to　returne　home　againe：　he　purposed　to　write　to　his
Wife；　that　he　was　living；　and　wold　repaire　to　her　so　soone　as　he
could；　desiring　the　still　continued　rememberance　of　her　limited
time。　By　close　and　cunning　meanes　hee　wrote　the　Letter；　earnestly
intreating　one　of　the　Ambassadors　（who　knew　him　perfectly；　but　made　no
outward　apparance　thereof）　to　deale　in　such　sort　for　him；　that　the
Letter　might　be　delivered　to　the　handes　of　the　Abbot　Di　San　Pietro
in　Ciel　d'Oro；　who　was　（indeede）　his　Unckle。
　　While　Thorello　remayned　in　this　his　Faulconers　condition；　it
fortuned　uppon　a　day；　that　Saladine；　conversing　with　him　about　his
Hawkes：　Thorello　chanced　to　smile；　and　used　such　a　kinde　of　gesture　or
motion　with　his　Lippes；　which　Saladine　（when　he　was　in　his　house　at
Pavia）　had　heedfully　observed；　and　by　this　note；　instantly　he
remembred　Signior　Thorello；　and　began　to　eye　him　very　respectively；
perswading　himselfe　that　he　was　the　same　man。　And　therefore　falling
from　their　former　kinde　of　discoursing：　Tell　me：　Christian　（quoth
Saladine）　what　Country…man　art　thou　of　the　West？　Sir；　answered
Signiour　Thorello；　I　am　by　Country　a　Lombard；　borne　in　a　Citty
called　Pavia；　a　poore　man；　and　of　as　poore　condition。
　　So　soone　as　Saladine　had　heard　these　Words；　becomming　assured　in
that　which　（but　now）　he　doubted；　he　saide　within　himselfe。　Now　the
Gods　have　given　me　time；　wherein　I　may　make　knowne　to　this　man；　how
thankefully　I　accepted　his　kinde　courtesie；　and　cannot　easily　forget
it。　Then；　without　saying　any　thing　else；　causing　his　Guard…robe　to
be　set　open；　he　tooke　him　with　him　thither；　and　sayde。　Christian；
observe　well　all　these　Garments；　and　quicken　thy　remembrance；　in
telling　mee　truly；　whether　thou　hast　seene　any　of　them　before　now；
or　no。　Signiour　Thorello　looked　on　them　all　advisedly；　and　espyed
those　two　especiall　Garments；　which　his　Wife　had　given　one　of　the
strange　Merchants；　yet　he　durst　not　credit　it；　or　that　possibly　it
could　be　the　same；　neverthelesse　he　said。　Sir；　I　doe　not　know　any　of
them；　but　true　it　is；　that　these　two　doe　resemble　two　such　Robes；　as　I
was　wont　to　weare　my　selfe；　and　these　（or　the　like）　were　given　to
three　Merchants；　that　happened　to　visite　my　poore　house。
　　Now　could　Saladine　containe　no　longer；　but　embracing　him　joyfully　in
his　armes；　he　said。　You　are　Signior　Thorello　d'Istria；　and　I　am　one　of
those　three　Merchants　to　whom　your　Wife　gave　these　Roabes：　and　now　the
time　is　come　to　give　you　credible　intelligence　of　my　Merchandise；　as　I
promised　at　my　departing　from　you；　for　such　a　time　（I　told　you）
would　come　at　length。　Thorello；　was　both　glad；　and　bashfull
together：　glad；　that　he　had　entertained　such　a　Guest；　and　bashfully
ashamed；　that　his　welcome　had　not　exceeded　in　more　bountifull
manner。　Thorello；　replyed　Saladine；　seeing　the　Gods　have　sent　you　so
happily　to　me：　account　your　selfe　to　be　soly　Lord　here；　for　I　am　now
no　more　then　a　private　man。
　　I　am　not　able　to　expresse　their　counterchanges　of　courtesie；
Saladine　commanding　him　to　be　cloathed　in　Royall　garments；　and
brought　into　the　presence　of　his　very　greatest　Lords；　where　having
spoken　liberally　in　his　due　commendation；　he　commanded　them　to
honour　him　as　himselfe；　if　they　expected　any　grace　or　favour　from　him；
which　every　one　did　immediatly；　but　（above　all　the　rest）　those　two
Baschaes；　which　accompanied　Saladine　at　his　house。　The　greatnesse　of
this　pompe　and　glory；　so　suddenly　throwne　on　Signior　Thorello；　made
him　halfe　forget　all　matters　of　Lomberdie；　and　so　much　the　rather；
because　he　had　no　doubt　at　all；　but　that　his　letters；　were　safely　come
to　the　hands　of　his　Uncle。
　　Here　I　am　to　tell　you；　that　in　the　Campe　or　Army　of　the
Christians；　on　the　day　when　Saladine　made　his　surprizal；　there　was　a
Provinciall　Gentleman　dead　and　buried；　who　was　Signior　Thorello　de
Dignes；　a　man　of　very　honourable　and　great　esteeme；　in　which　respect
（Signior　Thorello　d'Istria；　knowne　throughout　the　Army；　by　his
Nobility　and　valour）　whosoever　heard　that　Signior　Thorello　was　dead：
beleeved　it　to　be　Thorello　d'Istria；　and　not　he　of　Dignes；　so　that
Thorello　d'Istriaes　unknowne　surprizall　and　thraldome；　made　it　also　to
passe　for　an　assured　truth。
　　Beside；　many　Italians　returning　home；　and　carrying　this　report　for
credible；　some　were　so　audaciously　presumptuous；　as　they　avouched　upon
their　oathes；　that　not　onely　they　saw　him　dead；　but　were　present　at
his　buriall　likewise。　Which　rumour　comming　to　the　eare　of　his　Wife；
and　likewise　to　his　kinred　and　hers：　procured　a　great　and　grievous
mourning　among　them；　and　all　that　happened　to　heare　thereof。
　　Over…tedious　time　it　would　require；　to　relate　at　large；　the　publique
griefe　and　sorrow；　with　the　continuall　lamentations　of　his　Wife；　who
（within　some　few　moneths　after）　became　tormented　with　new　marriage
solicitings；　before　she　had　halfe　sighed　for　the　first：　the　very
greatest　persons　of　Lomberdie　making　the　motion；　being　daily
followed　and　furthered　by　her　owne　brothers　and　friends。　Still
（drowned　in　teares）　she　returned　denyall；　till　in　the　end；　when　no
contradiction　could　prevaile；　to　satisfie　her　parents；　and　the
importunate　pursuers：　she　was　constrained　to　reveale；　the　charge
imposed　on　her　by　her　Husband；　which　shee　had　vowed　infallibly　to
keepe；　and　till　that　very　time；　she　would　in　no　wise　consent。
　　While　wooing　for　a　second　wedding　with　Adalietta；　proceeded　in
this　manner　at　Pavia；　it　chanced　on　a　day；　that　Signior　Thorello　had
espied　a　man　in　Alexandria　whom　he　saw　with　the　Geneway
Ambassadours；　when　they　set　thence　towards　Geneway　with　their　Gallies。
And　causing　him　to　be　sent　for；　he　demaunded　of　him；　the　successe　of
the　voyage；　and　when　the　Gallies　arrived　at　Geneway；　whereto　he
returned　him　this　answere。　My　Lord；　our　Gallies　made　a　very　fatall
voyage；　as　it　is　（already）　too　well　knowne　in　Creete；　where　my
dwelling　is。　For　when　we　drew　neere　Sicilie；　there　suddenly　arose　a
very　d