The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
of them, seeking after their father's death, to occupy the inheritance
and the honour and denying it to the others, produced his ring, in
witness of his right, and the three rings being found so like unto one
another that the true might not be known, the question which was the
father's very heir abode pending and yet pendeth. And so say I to you,
my lord, of the three Laws to the three peoples given of God the
Father, whereof you question me; each people deemeth itself to have
his inheritance, His true Law and His commandments; but of which in
very deed hath them, even as of the rings, the question yet pendeth.'
Saladin perceived that the Jew had excellently well contrived to
escape the snare which he had spread before his feet; wherefore he
concluded to discover to him his need and see if he were willing to
serve him; and so accordingly he did, confessing to him that which he
had it in mind to do, had he not answered him on such discreet wise.
The Jew freely furnished him with all that he required, and the Soldan
after satisfied him in full; moreover, he gave him very great gifts
and still had him to friend and maintained him about his own person in
high and honourable estate."
THE FOURTH STORY
[Day the First]
A MONK, HAVING FALLEN INTO A SIN DESERVING OF VERY GRIEVOUS
PUNISHMENT, ADROITLY REPROACHING THE SAME FAULT TO HIS
ABBOT, QUITTETH HIMSELF OF THE PENALTY
Filomena, having despatched her story, was now silent, whereupon
Dioneo, who sat next her, knowing already, by the ordinance begun,
that it fell to his turn to tell, proceeded, without awaiting farther
commandment from the queen, to speak on this wise: "Lovesome ladies,
if I have rightly apprehended the intention of you all, we are here to
divert ourselves with story-telling; wherefore, so but it be not done
contrary to this our purpose, I hold it lawful unto each (even as our
queen told us a while agone) to tell such story as he deemeth may
afford most entertainment. Accordingly having heard how, by the good
counsels of Jehannot de Chevigné, Abraham had his soul saved and how
Melchizedek, by his good sense, defended his riches from Saladin's
ambushes, I purpose, without looking for reprehension from you,
briefly to relate with what address a monk delivered his body from a
very grievous punishment.
There was in Lunigiana, a country not very far hence, a monastery
whilere more abounding in sanctity and monks than it is nowadays, and
therein, among others, was a young monk, whose vigour and lustiness
neither fasts nor vigils availed to mortify. It chanced one day,
towards noontide, when all the other monks slept, that, as he went all
alone round about the convent,[48] which stood in a very solitary
place, he espied a very well-favoured lass, belike some husbandman's
daughter of the country, who went about the fields culling certain
herbs, and no sooner had he set eyes on her than he was violently
assailed by carnal appetite. Wherefore, accosting her, he entered into
parley with her and so led on from one thing to another that he came
to an accord with her and brought her to his cell, unperceived of
any; but whilst, carried away by overmuch ardour, he disported himself
with her less cautiously than was prudent, it chanced that the abbot
arose from sleep and softly passing by the monk's cell, heard the
racket that the twain made together; whereupon he came stealthily up
to the door to listen, that he might the better recognize the voices,
and manifestly perceiving that there was a woman in the cell, was at
first minded to cause open to him, but after bethought himself to hold
another course in the matter and, returning to his chamber, awaited
the monk's coming forth.
[Footnote 48: Lit. his church (_sua chiesa_); but the context seems to
indicate that the monastery itself is meant.]
The latter, all taken up as he was with the wench and his exceeding
pleasure and delight in her company, was none the less on his guard
and himseeming he heard some scuffling of feet in the dormitory, he
set his eye to a crevice and plainly saw the abbot stand hearkening
unto him; whereby he understood but too well that the latter must have
gotten wind of the wench's presence in his cell and knowing that sore
punishment would ensue to him thereof, he was beyond measure
chagrined. However, without discovering aught of his concern to the
girl, he hastily revolved many things in himself, seeking to find some
means of escape, and presently hit upon a rare device, which went
straight to the mark he aimed at. Accordingly, making a show of
thinking he had abidden long enough with the damsel, he said to her,
'I must go cast about for a means how thou mayest win forth hence,
without being seen; wherefore do thou abide quietly until my return.'
Then, going forth and locking the cell door on her, he betook himself
straight to the abbot's chamber and presenting him with the key,
according as each monk did, whenas he went abroad, said to him, with a
good countenance, 'Sir, I was unable to make an end this morning of
bringing off all the faggots I had cut; wherefore with your leave I
will presently go to the wood and fetch them away.' The abbot, deeming
the monk unaware that he had been seen of him, was glad of such an
opportunity to inform himself more fully of the offence committed by
him and accordingly took the key and gave him the leave he sought.
Then, as soon as he saw him gone, he fell to considering which he
should rather do, whether open his cell in the presence of all the
other monks and cause them to see his default, so they might after
have no occasion to murmur against himself, whenas he should punish
the offender, or seek first to learn from the girl herself how the
thing had passed; and bethinking himself that she might perchance be
the wife or daughter of such a man that he would be loath to have done
her the shame of showing her to all the monks, he determined first to
see her and after come to a conclusion; wherefore, betaking himself to
the cell, he opened it and, entering, shut the door after him.
The girl, seeing the abbot enter, was all aghast and fell a-weeping
for fear of shame; but my lord abbot, casting his eyes upon her and
seeing her young and handsome, old as he was, suddenly felt the pricks
of the flesh no less importunate than his young monk had done and fell
a-saying in himself, 'Marry, why should I not take somewhat of
pleasure, whenas I may, more by token that displeasance and annoy are
still at hand, whenever I have a mind to them? This is a handsome
wench and is here unknown of any in the world. If I can bring her to
do my pleasure, I know not why I should not do it. Who will know it?
No one will ever know it and a sin that's hidden is half forgiven.
Maybe this chance will never occur again. I hold it great sense to
avail ourselves of a good, whenas God the Lord sendeth us thereof.'
So saying and having altogether changed purpose from that wherewith he
came, he drew near to the girl and began gently to comfort her,
praying her not to weep, and passing from one word to another, he
ended by discovering to her his desire. The girl, who was neither iron
nor adamant, readily enough lent herself to the pleasure of the abbot,
who, after he had clipped and kissed her again and again, mounted upon
the monk's pallet and having belike regard to the grave burden of his
dignity and the girl's tender age and fearful of irking her for
overmuch heaviness, bestrode not her breast, but set her upon his own
and so a great while disported himself with her.
Meanwhile, the monk, who had only made believe to go to the wood and
had hidden himself in the dormitory, was altogether reassured, whenas
he saw the abbot enter his cell alone, doubting not but his device
should have effect, and when he saw him lock the door from within, he
held it for certain. Accordingly, coming forth of his hiding-place, he
stealthily betook himself to a crevice, through which he both heard
and saw all that the abbot did and said. When it seemed to the latter
that he had tarried long enough with the damsel, he locked her in the
cell and returned to his own chamber, whence, after awhile, he heard
the monk stirring and deeming him returned from the wood, thought to
rebuke him severely and cast him into prison, so himself might alone
possess the prey he had gotten; wherefore, sending for him, he very
grievously rebuked him and with a stern countenance and commanded that
he should be put in prison.
The monk very readily answered, 'Sir, I have not yet pertained long
enough to the order of St. Benedict to have been able to learn every
particular thereof, and you had not yet shown me that monks should
make of women a means of mortification,[49] as of fasts and vigils;
but, now that you have shown it me, I promise you, so you will pardon
me this default, never again to offend therein, but still to do as I
have seen you do.' The abbot, who was a quick-witted man, readily
understood that the monk not only knew more than himself, but had seen
what he did; wherefore, his conscience pricking him for his own
default, he was ashamed to inflict on the monk a punishment which he
himself had merited even as he. Accordingly, pardoning him and
charging him keep silence of that which he had seen, they privily put
the girl out of doors and it is believed that they caused her return
thither more than once thereafterward."
[Footnote 49: Lit. a pressure or oppression (_priemere_, hod.
_premere_, to press or oppress, indicative used as a noun). The monk
of course refers to the posture in which he had seen the abbot have to
do with the girl, pretending to believe that he placed her on his own
breast (instead of mounting on hers) out of a sentiment of humility
and a desire to mortify his flesh _ipsâ in voluptate_.]
THE FIFTH STORY
[Day the First]
THE MARCHIONESS OF MONFERRATO, WITH A DINNER OF HENS AND
CERTAIN SPRIGHTLY WORDS, CURBETH THE EXTRAVAGANT PASSION OF
THE KING OF FRANCE
The story told by Dioneo at first pricked the hearts of the listening
ladies with somewhat of shamefastness, whereof a modest redness
appearing in their faces gave token; but after, looking one at other
and being scarce able to keep their countenance, they listened,
laughing in their sleeves. The end thereof being come, after they had
gently chidden him, giving him to understand that such tales were not
fit to be told among ladies, the queen, turning to Fiammetta, who sat
next him on the grass, bade her follow on the ordinance. Accordingly,
she began with a good grace and a cheerful countenance, "It hath
occurred to my mind, fair my ladies,--at once because it pleaseth me
that we have entered upon showing by stories how great is the efficacy
of prompt and goodly answers and because, like as in men it is great
good sense to seek still to love a lady of higher lineage than
themselves,[50] so in women it is great discretion to know how to keep
themselves from being taken with the love of men of greater condition
than they,--to set forth to you, in the story which it falleth to me
to tell, how both with deeds and words a noble lady guarded herself
against this and diverted another therefrom.
[Footnote 50: An evident allusion to Boccaccio's passion for the
Princess Maria, _i.e._ Fiammetta herself.]
The Marquis of Monferrato, a man of high worth and gonfalonier[51] of
the church, had passed beyond seas on the occasion of a general
crusade undertaken by the Christians, arms in hand, and it being one
day discoursed of his merit at the court of King Phillippe le
Borgne,[52] who was then making ready to depart France upon the same
crusade, it was avouched by a gentleman present that there was not