the decameron(十日谈)-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


buried　honourably；　sending　to　acquaint　the　Fathers　of　the　Convent
therewith；　that　they　might　come　to　say　their　Vigilles；　according　to
precedent　custome；　and　then　on　the　morrow　to　fetch　the　body。　The
honest　Friar　that　had　confessed　him；　hearing　he　was　dead；　went　to
the　Prior　of　the　Convent；　and　by　sound　of　the　house　Bell；　caused　all
the　Brethren　to　assemble　together；　giving　them　credibly　to　understand；
that　Master　Chappelet　was　a　very　holy　man；　as　appeared　by　all　the
parts　of　his　confession；　and　made　no　doubt；　but　that　many　miracles
would　be　wrought　by　his　sanctified　body；　perswading　them　to　fetch　it
thither　with　all　devoute　solemnity　and　reverence：　whereto　the　Prior；
and　all　the　credulous　Brethren　presently　condiscended　very　gladly。
　　When　night　was　come；　they　went　all　to　visit　the　dead　body　of
Master　Chappelet；　where　they　used　an　especiall　and　solemne　Vigill；　and
on　the　morrow；　apparelled　in　their　richest　Coapes　and　Vestiments；　with
bookes　in　their　hands；　and　the　Crosse　borne　before　them；　singing　in
the　forme　of　a　very　devoute　procession；　they　brought　the　body
pompeously　into　their　Church；　accompanied　with　all　the　people　of　the
Towne；　both　men　and　women。　The　Father　Confessor；　ascending　up　into　the
Pulpit；　preached　wonderfull　things　of　him；　and　the　rare　holinesse　of
his　life；　his　fastes；　his　virginity；　simplicity；　innocency；　and　true
sanctity；　recounting　also　（among　other　especiall　observations）　what
Chappelet　had　confessed；　as　this　most　great　and　greevous　sinne；　and
how　hardly　he　could　be　perswaded；　that　God　would　grant　him　pardon
for　it。　Whereby　he　tooke　occasion　to　reprove　the　people　then
present；　saying；　And　you　（accursed　of　God）　for　the　verie　least　and
trifling　matter　hapning；　will　not　spare　to　blaspheme　God；　his
blessed　Mother；　and　the　whole　Court　of　heavenly　Paradise：　Oh；　take
example　by　this　singular　man；　this　Saint…like　man；　nay；　a　very　Saint
indeede。
　　Many　additions　more　he　made；　concerning　his　faithfulnesse；　truth；
and　integrity；　so　that；　by　the　vehement　asseveration　of　his　words
（whereto　all　the　people　there　present　gave　credible　beleefe）　he
provoked　them　unto　such　zeale　and　earnest　devotion；　that　the　Sermon
was　no　sooner　ended；　but　（in　mighty　crowds　and　throngs）　they　pressed
about　the　Biere；　kissing　his　hands　and　feete；　and　all　the　garments
about　him　were　torne　in　peeces；　as　precious　Reliques　of　so　holy　a
person；　and　happy　they　thought　themselves；　that　could　get　the　smallest
peece　or　shred　of　any　thing　that　came　neere　to　his　body：　and　thus　they
continued　all　the　day；　the　body　lying　still　open；　to　be　visited　in
this　manner。
　　When　night　was　come；　they　buried　him　in　a　goodly　Marble　tombe；
erected　in　a　faire　Chappell　purposely；　and　for　many　dayes　after
following；　it　was　most　strange　to　see；　how　the　people　of　the　Country
came　thither　on　heapes；　with　holy　Candles　and　other　offerings；　with
Images　of　waxe　fastened　to　the　Tombe；　in　signe　of　Sacred　and　solemne
Vowes；　to　this　new　created　Saint。　And　so　farre　was　spread　the　fame　and
renowne　of　his　sanctity；　devotion；　and　integrity　of　life；　maintained
constantly　by　the　Fathers　of　the　Convent；　that　if　any　one　fell　sicke
in　neede；　distresse；　or　adversity；　they　would　make　their　Vowes　to　no
other　Saint　but　him：　naming　him　（as　yet　to　this　day　they　do）　Saint
Chappelet；　affirming　upon　their　Oathes；　that　infinite　miracles　were
there　daily　performed　by　him；　and　especially　on　such；　as　came　in
devotion　to　visit　his　shrine。
　　In　this　manner　lived　and　died　Master　Chappelet　du　Prat；　who　before
he　became　a　Saint；　was　as　you　have　heard：　and　I　will　not　deny　it　to　be
impossible；　but　that　he　may　bee　at　rest　among　other　blessed　bodies。
For　although　he　lived　lewdly　and　wickedly；　yet　such　might　be　his
contrition　in　the　latest　extreamity；　that　（questionlesse）　he　might
finde　mercie。　But；　because　such　things　remaine　unknowne　to　us；　and
speaking　by　outward　appearance；　vulgar　judgement　will　censure
otherwise　of　him；　and　thinke　him　to　be　rather　in　perdition；　then　in　so
blessed　a　place　as　Paradice。　But　referring　that　to　the　Omnipotents
appointment；　whose　clemencie　hath　alwayes　beene　so　great　to　us；　that
he　regards　not　our　errors；　but　the　integrity　of　our　Faith；　making
（by　meanes　of　our　continuall　Mediator）　of　an　open　enemy；　a　converted
sonne　and　servant。　And　as　I　began　in　his　name；　so　will　I　conclude；
desiring　that　it　may　evermore　be　had　in　due　reverence；　and　referre
we　our　selves　thereto　in　all　our　necessities；　with　this　setled
assurance；　that　he　is　alwayes　ready　to　heare　us。　And　so　he　ceased。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIRST　DAY；　THE　SECOND　NOVELL

　　　　　　　　　　WHEREIN　IS　CONTAINED　AND　EXPRESSED；　THE　LIBERALITY　AND
　　　　　　　　　　　　GOODNESSE　OF　GOD；　EXTENDED　TO　THE　CHRISTIAN　FAITH

　　Abraham　a　Jew；　being　admonished　or　advised　by　a　friend　of　his；
named　Jehannot　de　Chevigny；　travailed　from　Paris　unto　Rome：　And
beholding　there　the　wicked　behaviour　of　men　in　the　Church；　returned
backe　to　Paris　againe；　where　yet　（neverthelesse）　he　became　a
Christian。

　　The　Novell　recited　by　Pamphilus；　was　highly　pleasing　to　the　company；
and　much　commended　by　the　Ladies：　and　after　it　had　beene　diligently
observed　among　them；　the　Queene　commanded　Madam　Neiphila　（who　was
seated　neerest　to　Pamphilus）　that；　in　relating　another　of　hers；　she
should　follow　on　in　the　pastime　thus　begun。　She　being　no　lesse
gracious　in　countenance；　then　merrily　disposed；　made　answere；　that
shee　would　obey　her　charge；　and　began　in　this　manner。
　　Pamphilus　hath　declared　to　us；　by　his　Tale；　how　the　goodnesse　of　God
regardeth　not　our　errors；　when　they　proceede　from　things　which　wee
cannot　discerne。　And　I　intend　to　approove　by　mine；　what　argument　of
infallible　truth；　the　same　benignity　delivereth　of　it　selfe；　by
enduring　patiently　the　faults　of　them；　that　（both　in　word　and　worke）
should　declare　unfaigned　testimony　of　such　gracious　goodnesse；　and　not
to　live　so　dissolutely　as　they　doe。　To　the　end；　that　others
illumined　by　their　light　of　life；　may　beleeve　with　the　stronger
constancy　of　minde。
　　As　I　have　heeretofore　heard　（Gracious　Ladies）　there　lived　a
wealthy　Marchant　in　Paris；　being　a　Mercer；　or　seller　of　Silkes；
named　Jehannot　de　Chevigny；　a　man　of　faithfull；　honest；　and　upright
dealing；　who　held　great　affection　and　friendship　with　a　very　rich　Jew；
named　Abraham；　that　was　a　Merchant　also；　and　a　man　of　very　direct
conversation。　Jehannot　well　noting　the　honesty　and　loyall　dealing　of
this　Jew；　began　to　have　a　Religious　kinde　of　compassion　in　his
soule；　much　pittying　that　a　man　so　good　in　behaviour；　so　wise　and
discreete　in　all　his　actions；　should　be　in　danger　of　perdition
thorow　want　of　Faith。　In　which　regard；　lovingly　he　began　to　intreate
him；　that　he　would　leave　the　errors　of　his　Jewish　beleefe；　and
follow　the　truth　of　Christianity；　which　he　evidently　saw　（as　being
good　and　holy）　daily　to　prosper　and　enlarge　it　selfe；　whereas　on　the
contrary；　his　profession　decreased；　and　grew　to　nothing。
　　The　Jew　made　answer；　that　he　beleeved　nothing　to　be　so　good　and
holy；　as　the　Jewish　Religion；　and　having　beene　borne　therein；　therein
also　he　purposed　to　live　and　dye；　no　matter　whatsoever　being　able　to
remove　him　from　that　resolution。　For　all　this　stiffe　deniall；
Jehannot　would　not　so　give　him　over；　but　pursued　him　still　day　by
day；　reitterating　continually　his　former　speeches　to　him：　delivering
infinite　excellent　and　pregnant　reasons；　that　Merchants　themselves
were　not　ignorant；　how　farre　the　Christian　faith　excelled　the　Jewish
falshoods。　And　albeit　the　Jew　was　a　very　learned　man　in　his　owne
Law；　yet　notwithstanding　the　intire　amity　he　bare　to　Jehannot；　or
（perhaps）　his　words　fortified　by　the　blessed　Spirit；　were　so
prevailant　with　him；　that　the　Jew　felt　a　pleasing　apprehension　in
them；　though　as　yet　his　obstinacie　stoode　farre　off　from　Conversion。
But　as　he　thus　continued　strong　in　opinion；　so　Jehannot　lefte　not
hourely　to　labour　him：　insomuch；　that　the　Jew　being　conquered　by
such　earnest　and　continuall　importunity；　one　day　spake　to　Jehannot；
saying。
　　My　worthy　friend　Jehannot；　thou　art　extremely　desirous；　that　I
should　convert　to　Christianitie；　and　I　am　well　contented　to　doe　it；
onely　upon　this　condition：　That　first　I　wil　journey　to　Rome；　to　see
him　whom　thou　sayest；　is　Gods　general　Vicar　here　on　earth；　and　to
consider　on　the　course　of　his　life　and　manners；　and　likewise　of　his
Colledge　of　Cardinals。　If　he　and　they　doe　appeare　such　men　to　mee；
as　thy　speeches　affirme　them　to　be；　and　thereby　I　may　comprehend
that　thy　Faith　and　Religion　is　better　then　mine；　as　with　no　meane
paines　thou　endevourest　to　perswade　mee；　I　will　become　a　Christian
as　thou　art：　but　if　I　finde　it　otherwise；　I　will　continue　as　I　am；　a
Jew。
　　Jehannot　hearing　these　words；　became　exceeding　sorrowfull；　and　sayd
within　himselfe；　I　have　lost　all　the　paines　which　I　did　thinke　to　be
well　employed；　as　hoping　to　have　this　man　converted　heere。　For；　if
he　go　to　the　Court　of　Rome；　and　behold　there　the　wickednes　of　the
Priests　lives；　farewell　all　hope　in　me；　of　ever　seeing　him　to　become　a
Christian。　But　rather；　were　he　already　a　Christian；　without　all
question　he　would　turne　a　Jew。　And　so　going　neerer　to　Abraham；　he
said。　Alas　my　loving　friend；　why　shouldst　thou　undertake　such