The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
companions, replied to him, saying, 'Sir, we may yet chance to let you
see somewhat of our merchandise, whereby we may confirm your
belief;[474] meantime, God be with you.' Thereupon he departed with
his followers, firmly resolved, if life should endure to him and the
war he looked for undo him not, to do Messer Torello no less honour
than that which he had done him, and much did he discourse with his
companions of him and of his lady and all his affairs and fashions and
dealings, mightily commending everything. Then, after he had, with no
little fatigue, visited all the West, he took ship with his companions
and returned to Alexandria, where, being now fully informed, he
addressed himself to his defence. As for Messer Torello, he returned
to Pavia and went long in thought who these might be, but never hit
upon the truth, no, nor came near it.
[Footnote 474: Sic (_la vostra credenza raffermeremo_); but the
meaning is, "whereby we may amend your unbelief and give you cause to
credit our assertion that we are merchants."]
The time being now come for the crusade and great preparations made
everywhere, Messer Torello, notwithstanding the tears and entreaties
of his wife, was altogether resolved to go thereon and having made his
every provision and being about to take horse, he said to his lady,
whom he loved over all, 'Wife, as thou seest, I go on this crusade, as
well for the honour of my body as for the health of my soul. I commend
to thee our affairs and our honour, and for that I am certain of the
going, but of the returning, for a thousand chances that may betide, I
have no assurance, I will have thee do me a favour, to wit, that
whatever befall of me, an thou have not certain news of my life, thou
shalt await me a year and a month and a day, ere thou marry again,
beginning from this the day of my departure.' The lady, who wept sore,
answered, 'Messer Torello, I know not how I shall endure the chagrin
wherein you leave me by your departure; but, an my life prove stronger
than my grief and aught befall you, you may live and die assured that
I shall live and die the wife of Messer Torello and of his memory.'
'Wife,' rejoined Messer Torello, 'I am very certain that, inasmuch as
in thee lieth, this that thou promisest me will come to pass; but thou
art a young woman and fair and of high family and thy worth is great
and everywhere known; wherefore I doubt not but many great and noble
gentlemen will, should aught be misdoubted of me,[475] demand thee of
thy brethren and kinsfolk; from whose importunities, how much soever
thou mightest wish, thou wilt not be able to defend thyself and it
will behove thee perforce comply with their wishes; and this is why I
ask of thee this term and not a greater one.' Quoth the lady, 'I will
do what I may of that which I have told you, and should it
nevertheless behove me to do otherwise, I will assuredly obey you in
this that you enjoin me; but I pray God that He bring nor you nor me
to such an extremity in these days.' This said, she embraced him,
weeping, and drawing a ring from her finger, gave it to him, saying,
'And it chance that I die ere I see you again, remember me when you
look upon this ring.'
[Footnote 475: _i.e._ should any rumour get wind of death.]
Torello took the ring and mounted to horse; then, bidding all his
people adieu, he set out on his journey and came presently with his
company to Genoa. There he embarked on board a galleon and coming in a
little while to Acre, joined himself to the other army[476] of the
Christians, wherein, well nigh out of hand, there began a sore
sickness and mortality. During this, whether by Saladin's skill or of
his good fortune, well nigh all the remnant of the Christians who had
escaped alive were taken by him, without blow stricken, and divided
among many cities and imprisoned. Messer Torello was one of those
taken and was carried prisoner to Alexandria, where, being unknown and
fearing to make himself known, he addressed himself, of necessity
constrained, to the training of hawks, of which he was a great master,
and by this he came under the notice of Saladin, who took him out of
prison and entertained him for his falconer. Messer Torello, who was
called by the Soldan by none other name than the Christian, recognized
him not nor did Saladin recognize him; nay, all his thoughts were in
Pavia and he had more than once essayed to flee, but without avail;
wherefore, certain Genoese coming ambassadors to Saladin, to treat for
the ransom of sundry of their townsmen, and being about to depart, he
bethought himself to write to his lady, giving her to know that he was
alive and would return to her as quickliest he might and bidding her
await him. Accordingly, he wrote letters to this effect and instantly
besought one of the ambassadors, whom he knew, to cause them come to
the hands of the Abbot of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, who was his uncle.
[Footnote 476: Sic (_all' altro esercito_). The meaning of this does
not appear, as no mention has yet been made of two Christian armies.
Perhaps we should translate "the rest of the army," _i.e._ such part
of the remnant of the Christian host as fled to Acre and shut
themselves up there after the disastrous day of Hittin (23 June,
1187). Acre fell on the 29th July, 1187.]
Things being at this pass with him, it befell one day that, as Saladin
was devising with him of his hawks, Messer Torello chanced to smile
and made a motion with his mouth, which the former had much noted,
what while he was in his house at Pavia. This brought the gentleman to
his mind and looking steadfastly upon him, himseemed it was himself;
wherefore, leaving the former discourse, 'Harkye, Christian, said he,
'What countryman art thou of the West?' 'My lord,' replied Torello, 'I
am a Lombard of a city called Pavia, a poor man and of mean
condition.' Saladin, hearing this, was in a manner certified of the
truth of his suspicion and said joyfully in himself, 'God hath
vouchsafed me an opportunity of showing this man how grateful his
courtesy was to me.' Accordingly, without saying otherwhat, he let
lay out all his apparel in a chamber and carrying him thither, said to
him, 'Look, Christian, if there be any among these gowns that thou
hast ever seen.' Torello looked and saw those which his lady had given
Saladin; but, natheless, conceiving not that they could possibly be
the same, he answered, 'My lord, I know none of them; albeit, in good
sooth, these twain do favour certain gowns wherewithal I, together
with three merchants who came to my house, was invested aforetime.'
Thereupon Saladin, unable to contain himself farther, embraced him
tenderly, saying, 'You are Messer Torello d'Istria and I am one of the
three merchants to whom your lady gave these gowns; and now is the
time come to certify you what manner merchandise mine is, even as I
told you, at my parting from you, might chance to betide.' Messer
Torello, hearing this, was at once rejoiced and ashamed; rejoiced to
have had such a guest and ashamed for that himseemed he had
entertained him but scurvily. Then said Saladin, 'Messer Torello,
since God hath sent you hither to me, henceforth consider that not I,
but you are master here.' Accordingly, after they had mightily
rejoiced in each other, he clad him in royal apparel and carrying him
into the presence of all his chief barons, commanded, after saying
many things in praise of his worth, that he should of all who held his
favour dear be honoured as himself, which was thenceforward done of
all, but above all of the two gentlemen who had been Saladin's
companions in his house.
The sudden height of glory to which Messer Torello thus found himself
advanced put his Lombardy affairs somedele out of his mind, more by
token that he had good reason to hope that his letters were by this
come to his uncle's hands. Now there had died and been buried in the
camp or rather in the host, of the Christians, the day they were taken
by Saladin, a Provençal gentleman of little account, by name Messer
Torello de Dignes, by reason whereof, Messer Torello d'Istria being
renowned throughout the army for his magnificence, whosoever heard
say, 'Messer Torello is dead,' believed it of Messer Torello d'Istria,
not of him of Dignes. The hazard of the capture that ensued thereupon
suffered not those who had been thus misled to be undeceived;
wherefore many Italians returned with this news, amongst whom were
some who scrupled not to avouch that they had seen him dead and had
been at the burial. This, coming to be known of his wife and kinsfolk,
was the cause of grievous and inexpressible sorrow, not only to them,
but to all who had known him. It were longsome to set forth what and
how great was the grief and sorrow and lamentation of his lady; but,
after having bemoaned herself some months in continual affliction,
coming to sorrow less and being sought in marriage with the chiefest
men in Lombardy, she began to be presently importuned by her brothers
and other her kinsfolk to marry again. After having again and again
refused with many tears, needs must she at the last consent perforce
to do her kinsfolk's will, on condition that she should abide, without
going to a husband, so long as she had promised Messer Torello.
The lady's affairs at Pavia being at this pass and there lacking maybe
eight days of the term appointed for her going to her new husband, it
chanced that Messer Torello espied one day in Alexandria one whom he
had seen embark with the Genoese ambassadors on board the galley that
was to carry them back to Genoa, and calling him, asked him what
manner voyage they had had and when they had reached Genoa; whereto
the other replied, 'Sir, the galleon (as I heard in Crete, where I
remained,) made an ill voyage; for that, as she drew near unto Sicily,
there arose a furious northerly wind, which drove her on to the
Barbary quicksands, nor was any one saved; and amongst the rest two
brothers of mine perished there.' Messer Torello, giving credit to his
words, which were indeed but too true, and remembering him that the
term required by him of his wife ended a few days thence, concluded
that nothing could be known at Pavia of his condition and held it for
certain that the lady must have married again; wherefore he fell into
such a chagrin that he lost [sleep and] appetite and taking to his
bed, determined to die. When Saladin, who loved him above all, heard
of this, he came to him and having, by dint of many and urgent
prayers, learned the cause of his grief and his sickness, upbraided
him sore for that he had not before told it to him and after besought
him to be comforted, assuring him that, if he would but take heart, he
would so contrive that he should be in Pavia at the appointed term and
told him how. Messer Torello, putting faith in Saladin's words and
having many a time heard say that this was possible and had indeed
been often enough done, began to take comfort and pressed Saladin to
despatch. The Soldan accordingly charged a nigromancer of his, of
whose skill he had aforetime made proof, to cast about for a means
whereby Messer Torello should be in one night transported upon a bed
to Pavia, to which the magician replied that it should be done, but
that, for the gentleman's own weal, he must put him to sleep.
This done, Saladin returned to Messer Torello and finding him
altogether resolved to seek at any hazard to be in Pavia at the term
appointed, if it were possible, and in default thereof, to die,
bespoke him thus; 'Messer Torello, God knoweth that I neither will nor
can anywise blame you if you tenderly love your lady and are fearful
of her becoming another's, for that, of all the women I ever saw, she
it is whose manners, whose fashions and whose demeanour, (leaving be