The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
emotion and maternal joy suffer her to say a word; nay, they so locked
up all her senses that she fell into her son's arms, as if dead.
The latter, albeit he was sore amazed, remembering to have many times
before seen her in that same castle and never recognized her,
nevertheless knew incontinent the maternal odour and blaming himself
for his past heedlessness, received her, weeping, in his arms and
kissed her tenderly. After awhile, Madam Beritola, being
affectionately tended by Currado's lady and Spina and plied both with
cold water and other remedies, recalled her strayed senses and
embracing her son anew, full of maternal tenderness, with many tears
and many tender words, kissed him a thousand times, whilst he all
reverently beheld and entreated her. After these joyful and honourable
greetings had been thrice or four times repeated, to the no small
contentment of the bystanders, and they had related unto each other
all that had befallen them, Currado now, to the exceeding satisfaction
of all, signified to his friends the new alliance made by him and gave
ordinance for a goodly and magnificent entertainment.
Then said Giusfredi to him, 'Currado, you have made me glad of many
things and have long honourably entertained my mother; and now, that
no whit may remain undone of that which it is in your power to do, I
pray you gladden my mother and bride-feast and myself with the
presence of my brother, whom Messer Guasparrino d'Oria holdeth in
servitude in his house and whom, as I have already told you, he took
with me in one of his cruises. Moreover, I would have you send into
Sicily one who shall thoroughly inform himself of the state and
condition of the country and study to learn what is come of
Arrighetto, my father, an he be alive or dead, and if he be alive, in
what estate; of all which having fully certified himself, let him
return to us.' Giusfredi's request was pleasing to Currado, and
without any delay he despatched very discreet persons both to Genoa
and to Sicily.
He who went to Genoa there sought out Messer Guasparrino and instantly
besought him, on Currado's part, to send him Scacciato and his nurse,
orderly recounting to him all his lord's dealings with Giusfredi and
his mother. Messer Guasparrino marvelled exceedingly to hear this and
said, 'True is it I would do all I may to pleasure Currado, and I
have, indeed, these fourteen years had in my house the boy thou
seekest and one his mother, both of whom I will gladly send him; but
do thou bid him, on my part, beware of lending overmuch credence to
the fables of Giannotto, who nowadays styleth himself Giusfredi, for
that he is a far greater knave than he deemeth.' So saying, he caused
honourably entertain the gentleman and sending privily for the nurse,
questioned her shrewdly touching the matter. Now she had heard of the
Sicilian revolt and understood Arrighetto to be alive, wherefore,
casting off her former fears, she told him everything in order and
showed him the reasons that had moved her to do as she had done.
Messer Guasparrino, finding her tale to accord perfectly with that of
Currado's messenger, began to give credit to the latter's words and
having by one means and another, like a very astute man as he was,
made enquiry of the matter and happening hourly upon things that gave
him more and more assurance of the fact, took shame to himself of his
mean usage of the lad, in amends whereof, knowing what Arrighetto had
been and was, he gave him to wife a fair young daughter of his, eleven
years of age, with a great dowry. Then, after making a great
bride-feast thereon, he embarked with the boy and girl and Currado's
messenger and the nurse in a well-armed galliot and betook himself to
Lerici, where he was received by Currado and went up, with all his
company, to one of the latter's castles, not far removed thence, where
there was a great banquet toward.
The mother's joy at seeing her son again and that of the two brothers
in each other and of all three in the faithful nurse, the honour done
of all to Messer Guasparrino and his daughter and of him to all and
the rejoicing of all together with Currado and his lady and children
and friends, no words might avail to express; wherefore, ladies, I
leave it to you to imagine. Thereunto,[110] that it might be complete,
it pleased God the Most High, a most abundant giver, whenas He
beginneth, to add the glad news of the life and well-being of
Arrighetto Capece; for that, the feast being at its height and the
guests, both ladies and men, yet at table for the first service, there
came he who had been sent into Sicily and amongst other things,
reported of Arrighetto that he, being kept in captivity by King
Charles, whenas the revolt against the latter broke out in the land,
the folk ran in a fury to the prison and slaying his guards, delivered
himself and as a capital enemy of King Charles, made him their captain
and followed him to expel and slay the French: wherefore he was become
in especial favour with King Pedro,[111] who had reinstated him in all
his honours and possessions, and was now in great good case. The
messenger added that he had received himself with the utmost honour
and had rejoiced with inexpressible joy in the recovery of his wife
and son, of whom he had heard nothing since his capture; moreover, he
had sent a brigantine for them, with divers gentlemen aboard, who came
after him.
[Footnote 110: _i.e._ to which general joy.]
[Footnote 111: Pedro of Arragon, son-in-law of Manfred, who, in
consequence of the Sicilian Vespers, succeeded Charles d'Anjou as King
of Sicily.]
The messenger was received and hearkened with great gladness and
rejoicing, whilst Currado, with certain of his friends, set out
incontinent to meet the gentlemen who came for Madam Beritola and
Giusfredi and welcoming them joyously, introduced them into his
banquet, which was not yet half ended. There both the lady and
Giusfredi, no less than all the others, beheld them with such joyance
that never was heard the like; and the gentlemen, ere they sat down to
meat, saluted Currado and his lady on the part of Arrighetto, thanking
them, as best they knew and might, for the honour done both to his
wife and his son and offering himself to their pleasure,[112] in all
that lay in his power. Then, turning to Messer Guasparrino, whose
kindness was unlooked for, they avouched themselves most certain that,
whenas that which he had done for Scacciato should be known of
Arrighetto, the like thanks and yet greater would be rendered him.
[Footnote 112: Or (in modern phrase) putting himself at their
disposition.]
Thereafter they banqueted right joyously with the new-made bridegrooms
at the bride-feast of the two newly-wedded wives; nor that day alone
did Currado entertain his son-in-law and other his kinsmen and
friends, but many others. As soon as the rejoicings were somewhat
abated, it appearing to Madam Beritola and to Giusfredi and the others
that it was time to depart, they took leave with many tears of Currado
and his lady and Messer Guasparrino and embarked on board the
brigantine, carrying Spina with them; then, setting sail with a fair
wind, they came speedily to Sicily, where all alike, both sons and
daughters-in-law, were received by Arrighetto in Palermo with such
rejoicing as might never be told; and there it is believed that they
all lived happily a great while after, in love and thankfulness to God
the Most High, as mindful of the benefits received."
THE SEVENTH STORY
[Day the Second]
THE SOLDAN OF BABYLON SENDETH A DAUGHTER OF HIS TO BE
MARRIED TO THE KING OF ALGARVE, AND SHE, BY DIVERS CHANCES,
IN THE SPACE OF FOUR YEARS COMETH TO THE HANDS OF NINE MEN
IN VARIOUS PLACES. ULTIMATELY, BEING RESTORED TO HER FATHER
FOR A MAID, SHE GOETH TO THE KING OF ALGARVE TO WIFE, AS
FIRST SHE DID
Had Emilia's story been much longer protracted, it is like the
compassion had by the young ladies on the misfortunes of Madam
Beritola would have brought them to tears; but, an end being now made
thereof, it pleased the queen that Pamfilo should follow on with his
story, and accordingly he, who was very obedient, began thus, "Uneath,
charming ladies, is it for us to know that which is meet for us, for
that, as may oftentimes have been seen, many, imagining that, were
they but rich, they might avail to live without care and secure, have
not only with prayers sought riches of God, but have diligently
studied to acquire them, grudging no toil and no peril in the quest,
and who,--whereas, before they became enriched, they loved their
lives,--once having gotten their desire, have found folk to slay them,
for greed of so ample an inheritance. Others of low estate, having,
through a thousand perilous battles and the blood of their brethren
and their friends, mounted to the summit of kingdoms, thinking in the
royal estate to enjoy supreme felicity, without the innumerable cares
and alarms whereof they see and feel it full, have learned, at the
cost of their lives, that poison is drunken at royal tables in cups of
gold. Many there be who have with most ardent appetite desired bodily
strength and beauty and divers personal adornments and perceived not
that they had desired ill till they found these very gifts a cause to
them of death or dolorous life. In fine, not to speak particularly of
all the objects of human desire, I dare say that there is not one
which can, with entire assurance, be chosen by mortal men as secure
from the vicissitudes of fortune; wherefore, an we would do aright,
needs must we resign ourselves to take and possess that which is
appointed us of Him who alone knoweth that which behoveth unto us and
is able to give it to us. But for that, whereas men sin in desiring
various things, you, gracious ladies, sin, above all, in one, to wit,
in wishing to be fair,--insomuch that, not content with the charms
vouchsafed you by nature, you still with marvellous art study to
augment them,--it pleaseth me to recount to you how ill-fortunedly
fair was a Saracen lady, whom it befell, for her beauty, to be in some
four years' space nine times wedded anew.
It is now a pretty while since there was a certain Soldan of
Babylon,[113] by name Berminedab, to whom in his day many things
happened in accordance with his pleasure.[114] Amongst many other
children, both male and female, he had a daughter called Alatiel, who,
by report of all who saw her, was the fairest woman to be seen in the
world in those days, and having, in a great defeat he had inflicted
upon a vast multitude of Arabs who were come upon him, been
wonder-well seconded by the King of Algarve,[115] had, at his request,
given her to him to wife, of especial favour; wherefore, embarking her
aboard a ship well armed and equipped, with an honourable company of
men and ladies and store of rich and sumptuous gear and furniture, he
despatched her to him, commending her to God.
[Footnote 113: _i.e._ Egypt, Cairo was known in the middle ages by the
name of "Babylon of Egypt." It need hardly be noted that the Babylon
of the Bible was the city of that name on the Euphrates, the ancient
capital of Chaldæa (Irak Babili). The names Beminedab and Alatiel are
purely imaginary.]
[Footnote 114: _i.e._ to his wish, to whom fortune was mostly
favourable in his enterprises.]
[Footnote 115: _Il Garbo_, Arabic El Gherb or Gharb, [Arabic: al
gharb], the West, a name given by the Arabs to several parts of the
Muslim empire, but by which Boccaccio apparently means Algarve, the
southernmost province of Portugal and the last part of that kingdom to
succumb to the wave of Christian reconquest, it having remained in the
hands of the Muslims till the second half of the thirteenth century.