The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
God, had a lady to wife who was belike the most accomplished woman of
all Italy in all those qualities which a lady, nay, even (in great
part) in those which a knight or an esquire, should have; for that she
was fair of favour and yet in her first youth and adroit and robust of
her person; nor was there aught that pertaineth unto a woman, such as
works of broidery in silk and the like, but she did it better than any
other of her sex. Moreover, said he, there was no sewer, or in other
words, no serving-man, alive who served better or more deftly at a
nobleman's table than did she, for that she was very well bred and
exceeding wise and discreet. He after went on to extol her as knowing
better how to ride a horse and fly a hawk, to read and write and cast
a reckoning than if she were a merchant; and thence, after many other
commendations, coming to that whereof it had been discoursed among
them, he avouched with an oath that there could be found no honester
nor chaster woman than she; wherefore he firmly believed that, should
he abide half a score years, or even always, from home, she would
never incline to the least levity with another man. Among the
merchants who discoursed thus was a young man called Ambrogiuolo of
Piacenza, who fell to making the greatest mock in the world of this
last commendation bestowed by Bernabo upon his wife and asked him
scoffingly if the emperor had granted him that privilege over and
above all other men. Bernabo, some little nettled, replied that not
the emperor, but God, who could somewhat more than the emperor, had
vouchsafed him the favour in question. Whereupon quoth Ambrogiuolo,
'Bernabo, I doubt not a whit but that thou thinkest to say sooth; but
meseemeth thou hast paid little regard to the nature of things; for
that, hadst thou taken heed thereunto, I deem thee not so dull of wit
but thou wouldst have noted therein certain matters which had made
thee speak more circumspectly on this subject. And that thou mayst not
think that we, who have spoken much at large of our wives, believe
that we have wives other or otherwise made than thine, but mayst see
that we spoke thus, moved by natural perception, I will e'en reason
with thee a little on this matter. I have always understood man to be
the noblest animal created of God among mortals, and after him, woman;
but man, as is commonly believed and as is seen by works, is the more
perfect and having more perfection, must without fail have more of
firmness and constancy, for that women universally are more
changeable; the reason whereof might be shown by many natural
arguments, which for the present I purpose to leave be. If then man be
of more stability and yet cannot keep himself, let alone from
complying with a woman who soliciteth him, but even from desiring one
who pleaseth him, nay more, from doing what he can, so he may avail to
be with her,--and if this betide him not once a month, but a thousand
times a day,--what canst thou expect a woman, naturally unstable, to
avail against the prayers, the blandishments, the gifts and a thousand
other means which an adroit man, who loveth her, will use? Thinkest
thou she can hold out? Certes, how much soever thou mayst affirm it,
I believe not that thou believest it; and thou thyself sayst that thy
wife is a woman and that she is of flesh and blood, as are other
women. If this be so, those same desires must be hers and the same
powers that are in other women to resist these natural appetites;
wherefore, however honest she be, it is possible she may do that which
other women do; and nothing that is possible she be so peremptorily
denied nor the contrary thereof affirmed with such rigour as thou
dost.' To which Bernabo made answer, saying, 'I am a merchant, and not
a philosopher, and as a merchant I will answer; and I say that I
acknowledge that what thou sayst may happen to foolish women in whom
there is no shame; but those who are discreet are so careful of their
honour that for the guarding thereof they become stronger than men,
who reck not of this; and of those thus fashioned is my wife.'
'Indeed,' rejoined Ambrogiuolo, 'if, for every time they occupy
themselves with toys of this kind, there sprouted from their foreheads
a horn to bear witness of that which they have done, there be few, I
believe, who would incline thereto; but, far from the horn sprouting,
there appeareth neither trace nor token thereof in those who are
discreet, and shame and soil of honour consist not but in things
discovered; wherefore, whenas they may secretly, they do it, or, if
they forebear, it is for stupidity. And have thou this for certain
that she alone is chaste, who hath either never been solicited of any
or who, having herself solicited, hath not been hearkened. And
although I know by natural and true reasons that it is e'en as I say,
yet should I not speak thereof with so full an assurance, had I not
many a time and with many women made essay thereof. And this I tell
thee, that, were I near this most sanctified wife of thine, I warrant
me I would in brief space of time bring her to that which I have
already gotten of other women.' Whereupon quoth Bernabo, 'Disputing
with words might be prolonged without end; thou wouldst say and I
should say, and in the end it would all amount to nothing. But, since
thou wilt have it that all women are so compliant and that thine
address is such, I am content, so I may certify thee of my wife's
honesty, to have my head cut off, and thou canst anywise avail to
bring her to do thy pleasure in aught of the kind; and if thou fail
thereof, I will have thee lose no otherwhat than a thousand gold
florins.' 'Bernabo,' replied Ambrogiuolo, who was now grown heated
over the dispute, 'I know not what I should do with thy blood, if I
won the wager; but, an thou have a mind to see proof of that which I
have advanced, do thou stake five thousand gold florins of thy monies,
which should be less dear to thee than thy head, against a thousand of
mine, and whereas thou settest no limit [of time,] I will e'en bind
myself to go to Genoa and within three months from the day of my
departure hence to have done my will of thy wife and to bring back
with me, in proof thereof, sundry of her most precious things and such
and so many tokens that thou shalt thyself confess it to be truth, so
verily thou wilt pledge me thy faith not to come to Genoa within that
term nor write her aught of the matter.' Bernabo said that it liked
him well and albeit the other merchants endeavoured to hinder the
affair, foreseeing that sore mischief might come thereof, the two
merchants' minds were so inflamed that, in despite of the rest, they
bound themselves one to other by express writings under their hands.
This done, Bernabo abode behind, whilst Ambrogiuolo, as quickliest he
might, betook himself to Genoa. There he abode some days and informing
himself with the utmost precaution of the name of the street where the
lady dwelt and of her manner of life, understood of her that and more
than that which he had heard of her from Bernabo, wherefore himseemed
he was come on a fool's errand. However, he presently clapped up an
acquaintance with a poor woman, who was much about the house and whose
great well-wisher the lady was, and availing not to induce her to
aught else, he debauched her with money and prevailed with her to
bring him, in a chest wroughten after a fashion of his own, not only
into the house, but into the gentlewoman's very bedchamber, where,
according to the ordinance given her of him, the good woman commended
it to her care for some days, as if she had a mind to go somewhither.
The chest, then being left in the chamber and the night come,
Ambrogiuolo, what time he judged the lady to be asleep, opened the
chest with certain engines of his and came softly out into the
chamber, where there was a light burning, with whose aid he proceeded
to observe the ordinance of the place, the paintings and every other
notable thing that was therein and fixed them in his memory. Then,
drawing near the bed and perceiving that the lady and a little girl,
who was with her, were fast asleep, he softly altogether uncovered the
former and found that she was as fair, naked, as clad, but saw no sign
about her that he might carry away, save one, to wit, a mole which she
had under the left pap and about which were sundry little hairs as red
as gold. This noted he covered her softly up again, albeit, seeing her
so fair, he was tempted to adventure his life and lay himself by her
side; however, for that he had heard her to be so obdurate and
uncomplying in matters of this kind, he hazarded not himself, but,
abiding at his leisure in the chamber the most part of the night, took
from one of her coffers a purse and a night-rail, together with sundry
rings and girdles, and laying them all in his chest, returned thither
himself and shut himself up therein as before; and on this wise he did
two nights, without the lady being ware of aught. On the third day the
good woman came back for the chest, according to the given ordinance,
and carried it off whence she had taken it, whereupon Ambrogiuolo came
out and having rewarded her according to promise, returned, as
quickliest he might, with the things aforesaid, to Paris, where he
arrived before the term appointed. There he summoned the merchants who
had been present at the dispute and the laying of the wager and
declared, in Bernabo's presence, that he had won the wager laid
between them, for that he had accomplished that whereof he had vaunted
himself; and to prove this to be true, he first described the fashion
of the chamber and the paintings thereof and after showed the things
he had brought with him thence, avouching that he had them of herself.
Bernabo confessed the chamber to be as he had said and owned,
moreover, that he recognized the things in question as being in truth
his wife's; but said that he might have learned from one of the
servants of the house the fashion of the chamber and have gotten the
things in like manner; wherefore, an he had nought else to say,
himseemed not that this should suffice to prove him to have won.
Whereupon quoth Ambrogiuolo, 'In sooth this should suffice, but, since
thou wilt have me say more, I will say it. I tell thee that Madam
Ginevra thy wife hath under her left pap a pretty big mole, about
which are maybe half a dozen little hairs as red as gold.' When
Bernabo heard this, it was as if he had gotten a knife-thrust in the
heart, such anguish did he feel, and though he had said not a word,
his countenance, being all changed, gave very manifest token that what
Ambrogiuolo said was true. Then, after awhile, 'Gentlemen,' quoth he,
'that which Ambrogiuolo saith is true; wherefore, he having won, let
him come whenassoever it pleaseth him and he shall be paid.'
Accordingly, on the ensuing day Ambrogiuolo was paid in full and
Bernabo, departing Paris, betook himself to Genoa with fell intent
against the lady. When he drew near the city, he would not enter
therein, but lighted down a good score miles away at a country house
of his and despatched one of his servants, in whom he much trusted, to
Genoa with two horses and letters under his hand, advising his wife
that he had returned and bidding her come to him; and he privily
charged the man, whenas he should be with the lady in such place as
should seem best to him, to put her to death without pity and return
to him. The servant accordingly repaired to Genoa and delivering the
letters and doing his errand, was received with great rejoicing by the
lady, who on the morrow took horse with him and set out for their
country house. As they fared on together, discoursing of one thing and
another, they came to a very deep and lonely valley, beset with high