The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
favour of a lady are commonly to be won, yet for all that availing not
to compass aught of his desire, was like to despair; and unknowing or
unable to rid him of his passion, he neither knew how to die nor did
it profit him to live.
Abiding in this mind, it befell that he was one day urgently exhorted
by certain ladies of his kinsfolk to renounce this passion of his,
seeing he did but weary himself in vain, for that Catella had none
other good than Filippello, of whom she lived in such jealousy that
she fancied every bird that flew through the air would take him from
her. Ricciardo, hearing of Catella's jealousy, forthright bethought
himself how he might compass his wishes and accordingly proceeded to
feign himself in despair of her love and to have therefore set his
mind upon another lady, for whose love he began to make a show of
jousting and tourneying and doing all those things which he had been
used to do for Catella; nor did he do this long before well nigh all
the Neapolitans, and among the rest the lady herself, were persuaded
that he no longer loved Catella, but was ardently enamoured of this
second lady; and on this wise he persisted until it was so firmly
believed not only of others, but of Catella herself, that the latter
laid aside a certain reserve with which she was wont to entreat him,
by reason of the love he bore her, and coming and going, saluted him
familiarly, neighbourwise, as she did others.
It presently befell that, the weather being warm, many companies of
ladies and gentlemen went, according to the usance of the Neapolitans,
to divert themselves on the banks of the sea and there to dine and
sup, and Ricciardo, knowing Catella to be gone thither with her
company, betook himself to the same place with his friends and was
received into Catella's party of ladies, after allowing himself to be
much pressed, as if he had no great mind to abide there. The ladies
and Catella fell to rallying him upon his new love, and he, feigning
himself sore inflamed therewith, gave them the more occasion for
discourse. Presently, one lady going hither and thither, as commonly
happeneth in such places, and Catella being left with a few whereas
Ricciardo was, the latter cast at her a hint of a certain amour of
Filippello her husband, whereupon she fell into a sudden passion of
jealousy and began to be inwardly all afire with impatience to know
what he meant. At last, having contained herself awhile and being
unable to hold out longer, she besought Ricciardo, for that lady's
sake whom he most loved, to be pleased to make her clear[175] of that
which he had said of Filippello; whereupon quoth he, 'You conjure me
by such a person that I dare not deny aught you ask me; wherefore I am
ready to tell it you, so but you promise me that you will never say a
word thereof either to him or to any other, save whenas you shall by
experience have seen that which I shall tell you to be true; for that,
when you please, I will teach you how you may see it.'
[Footnote 175: Or, in modern parlance, to enlighten her.]
The lady consented to that which he asked and swore to him never to
repeat that which he should tell her, believing it the more to be
true. Then, withdrawing apart with her, so they might not be overheard
of any, he proceeded to say thus: 'Madam, an I loved you as once I
loved, I should not dare tell you aught which I thought might vex you;
but, since that love is passed away, I shall be less chary of
discovering to you the whole truth. I know not if Filippello have ever
taken umbrage at the love I bore you or have believed that I was ever
loved of you. Be this as it may, he hath never personally shown me
aught thereof; but now, having peradventure awaited a time whenas he
deemed I should be less suspicious, it seemeth he would fain do unto
me that which I misdoubt me he feareth I have done unto him, to wit,
[he seeketh] to have my wife at his pleasure. As I find, he hath for
some little time past secretly solicited her with sundry messages, all
of which I have known from herself, and she hath made answer thereunto
according as I have enjoined her. This very day, however, ere I came
hither, I found in the house, in close conference with my wife, a
woman whom I set down incontinent for that which she was, wherefore I
called my wife and asked her what the woman wanted. Quoth she, "She is
the agent of Filippello, with whom thou hast saddled me, by dint of
making me answer him and give him hopes, and she saith that he will
e'en know once for all what I mean to do and that, an I will, he
would contrive for me to be privily at a bagnio in this city; nay, of
this he prayeth and importuneth me; and hadst thou not, I know not
why, caused me keep this traffic with him, I would have rid myself of
him after such a fashion that he should never more have looked whereas
I might be." Thereupon meseemed this was going too far and that it was
no longer to be borne; and I bethought myself to tell it to you, so
you might know how he requiteth that entire fidelity of yours, whereby
aforetime I was nigh upon death. And so you shall not believe this
that I tell you to be words and fables, but may, whenas you have a
mind thereto, openly both see and touch it, I caused my wife make this
answer to her who awaited it, that she was ready to be at the bagnio
in question to-morrow at none, whenas the folk sleep; with which the
woman took leave of her, very well pleased. Now methinketh not you
believe that I will send my wife thither; but, were I in your place, I
would contrive that he should find me there in the room of her he
thinketh to meet, and whenas I had abidden with him awhile, I would
give him to know with whom he had been and render him such honour
thereof as should beseem him; by which means methinketh you would do
him such a shame that the affront he would fain put upon yourself and
upon me would at one blow be avenged.'
Catella, hearing this, without anywise considering who it was that
said it to her or suspecting his design, forthright, after the wont of
jealous folk, gave credence to his words and fell a-fitting to his
story certain things that had already befallen; then, fired with
sudden anger, she answered that she would certainly do as he
counselled,--it was no such great matter,--and that assuredly, if
Filippello came thither, she would do him such a shame that it should
still recur to his mind, as often as he saw a woman. Ricciardo, well
pleased at this and himseeming his device was a good one and in a fair
way of success, confirmed her in her purpose with many other words and
strengthened her belief in his story, praying her, natheless, never to
say that she had heard it from him, the which she promised him on her
troth.
Next morning, Ricciardo betook himself to a good woman, who kept the
bagnio he had named to Catella, and telling her what he purposed to
do, prayed her to further him therein as most she might. The good
woman, who was much beholden to him, answered that she would well and
agreed with him what she should do and say. Now in the house where the
bagnio was she had a very dark chamber, for that no window gave
thereon by which the light might enter. This chamber she made ready
and spread a bed there, as best she might, wherein Ricciardo, as soon
as he had dined, laid himself and proceeded to await Catella. The
latter, having heard Ricciardo's words and giving more credence
thereto than behoved her, returned in the evening, full of despite, to
her house, whither Filippello also returned and being by chance full
of other thought, maybe did not show her his usual fondness. When she
saw this, her suspicions rose yet higher and she said in herself,
'Forsooth, his mind is occupied with yonder lady with whom he thinketh
to take his pleasure to-morrow; but of a surety this shall not come to
pass.' An in this thought she abode well nigh all that night,
considering how she should bespeak him, whenas she should be with him
[in the bagnio].
What more [need I say?] The hour of none come, she took her
waiting-woman and without anywise changing counsel, repaired to the
bagnio that Ricciardo had named to her, and there finding the good
woman, asked her if Filippello had been there that day, whereupon
quoth the other, who had been duly lessoned by Ricciardo, 'Are you the
lady that should come to speak with him?' 'Ay am I,' answered Catella.
'Then,' said the woman, 'get you in to him.' Catella, who went seeking
that which she would fain not have found, caused herself to be brought
to the chamber where Ricciardo was and entering with covered head,
locked herself in. Ricciardo, seeing her enter, rose joyfully to his
feet and catching her in his arms, said softly, 'Welcome, my soul!'
Whilst she, the better to feign herself other than she was, clipped
him and kissed him and made much of him, without saying a word,
fearing to be known of him if she should speak. The chamber was very
dark, wherewith each of them was well pleased, nor for long abiding
there did the eyes recover more power. Ricciardo carried her to the
bed and there, without speaking, lest their voices should betray them,
they abode a long while, to the greater delight and pleasance of the
one party than the other.
But presently, it seeming to Catella time to vent the resentment she
felt, she began, all afire with rage and despite, to speak thus,
'Alas, how wretched is women's lot and how ill bestowed the love that
many of them bear their husbands! I, unhappy that I am, these eight
years have I loved thee more than my life, and thou, as I have felt,
art all afire and all consumed with love of a strange woman, wicked
and perverse man that thou art! Now with whom thinkest thou to have
been? Thou hast been with her whom thou hast too long beguiled with
thy false blandishments, making a show of love to her and being
enamoured elsewhere. I am Catella, not Ricciardo's wife, disloyal
traitor that thou art! Hearken if thou know my voice; it is indeed I;
and it seemeth to me a thousand years till we be in the light, so I
may shame thee as thou deservest, scurvy discredited cur that thou
art! Alack, woe is me! To whom have I borne so much love these many
years? To this disloyal dog, who, thinking to have a strange woman in
his arms, hath lavished on me more caresses and more fondnesses in
this little while I have been here with him than in all the rest of
the time I have been his. Thou hast been brisk enough to-day, renegade
cur that thou art, that usest at home to show thyself so feeble and
forspent and impotent; but, praised be God, thou hast tilled thine own
field and not, as thou thoughtest, that of another. No wonder thou
camest not anigh me yesternight; thou lookedst to discharge thee of
thy lading elsewhere and wouldst fain come fresh to the battle; but,
thanks to God and my own foresight, the stream hath e'en run in its
due channel. Why answerest thou not, wicked man? Why sayst thou not
somewhat? Art thou grown dumb, hearing me? Cock's faith, I know not
what hindereth me from thrusting my hands into thine eyes and tearing
them out for thee. Thou thoughtest to do this treason very secretly;
but, perdie, one knoweth as much as another; thou hast not availed to
compass thine end; I have had better beagles at thy heels than thou
thoughtest.'
Ricciardo inwardly rejoiced at these words and without making any
reply, clipped her and kissed her and fondled her more than ever;
whereupon quoth she, following on her speech, 'Ay, thou thinkest to
cajole me with thy feigned caresses, fashious dog that thou art, and
to appease and console me; but thou art mistaken; I shall never be
comforted for this till I have put thee to shame therefor in the
presence of all our friends and kinsmen and neighbours. Am I not as