The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
him honour and worship, especially the lady, who knew with whom she
had to do. After awhile, deeming it time to bring his brothers to an
accord with Aldobrandino and knowing that they were not only put to
shame by the latter's acquittance, but went armed for fear [of his
resentment,] he demanded of his host the fulfilment of his promise.
Aldobrandino freely answered that he was ready, whereupon the pilgrim
caused him prepare against the morrow a goodly banquet, whereat he
told him he would have him and his kinsmen and kinswomen entertain the
four brothers and their ladies, adding that he himself would go
incontinent and bid the latter on his part to peace and his banquet.
Aldobrandino consenting to all that liked the pilgrim, the latter
forthright betook himself to the four brothers and plying them with
store of such words as behoved unto the matter, in fine, with
irrepugnable arguments, brought them easily enough to consent to
regain Aldobrandino's friendship by asking pardon; which done, he
invited them and their ladies to dinner with Aldobrandino next
morning, and they, being certified of his good faith, frankly accepted
the invitation.
Accordingly, on the morrow, towards dinner-time, Tedaldo's four
brothers, clad all in black as they were, came, with sundry of their
friends, to the house of Aldobrandino, who stayed for them, and there,
in the presence of all who had been bidden of him to bear them
company, cast down their arms and committed themselves to his mercy,
craving forgiveness of that which they had wrought against him.
Aldobrandino, weeping, received them affectionately, and kissing them
all on the mouth, despatched the matter in a few words, remitting unto
them every injury received. After them came their wives and sisters,
clad all in sad-coloured raiment, and were graciously received by
Madam Ermellina and the other ladies. Then were all, ladies and men
alike, magnificently entertained at the banquet, nor was there aught
in the entertainment other than commendable, except it were the
taciturnity occasioned by the yet fresh sorrow expressed in the sombre
raiment of Tedaldo's kinsfolk. Now on this account the pilgrim's
device of the banquet had been blamed of some and he had observed it;
wherefore, the time being come to do away with the constraint
aforesaid, he rose to his feet, according as he had foreordained in
himself, what while the rest still ate of the fruits, and said,
'Nothing hath lacked to this entertainment that should make it joyful,
save only Tedaldo himself; whom (since having had him continually with
you, you have not known him) I will e'en discover to you.'
So saying, he cast off his palmer's gown and all other his pilgrim's
weeds and abiding in a jerkin of green sendal, was with no little
amazement, long eyed and considered of all, ere any would venture to
believe it was indeed he. Tedaldo, seeing this, recounted many
particulars of the relations and things betided between them, as well
as of his own adventures; whereupon his brethren and the other
gentlemen present ran all to embrace him, with eyes full of joyful
tears, as after did the ladies on like wise, as well strangers as
kinswomen, except only Madam Ermellina. Which Aldobrandino seeing,
'What is this, Ermellina?' quoth he. 'Why dost thou not welcome
Tedaldo, as do the other ladies?' Whereto she answered, in the hearing
of all, 'There is none who had more gladly welcomed and would yet
welcome him than myself, who am more beholden to him than any other
woman, seeing that by his means I have gotten thee again; but the
unseemly words spoken in the days when we mourned him whom we deemed
Tedaldo made me refrain therefrom.' Quoth her husband, 'Go to;
thinkest thou I believe in the howlers?[188] He hath right well shown
their prate to be false by procuring my deliverance; more by token
that I never believed it. Quick, rise and go and embrace him.'
[Footnote 188: Lit. barkers (_abbajatori_), _i.e._ slanderers.]
The lady, who desired nothing better, was not slow to obey her husband
in this and accordingly, arising, embraced Tedaldo, as the other
ladies had done, and gave him joyous welcome. This liberality of
Aldobrandino was mighty pleasing to Tedaldo's brothers and to every
man and woman there, and thereby all suspect[189] that had been
aroused in the minds of some by the words aforesaid was done away.
Then, every one having given Tedaldo joy, he with his own hands rent
the black clothes on his brothers' backs and the sad-coloured on those
of his sisters and kinswomen and would have them send after other
apparel, which whenas they had donned, they gave themselves to singing
and dancing and other diversions galore; wherefore the banquet, which
had had a silent beginning had a loud-resounding ending. Thereafter,
with the utmost mirth, they one and all repaired, even as they were,
to Tedaldo's house, where they supped that night, and on this wise
they continued to feast several days longer.
[Footnote 189: Lit. despite, rancour (_rugginuzza_), but the phrase
appears to refer to the suspicions excited by the whispers that had
been current, as above mentioned, of the connection between Ermellina
and Tedaldo.]
The Florentines awhile regarded Tedaldo with amazement, as a man risen
from the dead; nay, in many an one's mind, and even in that of his
brethren, there abode a certain faint doubt an he were indeed himself
and they did not yet thoroughly believe it, nor belike had they
believed it for a long time to come but for a chance which made them
clear who the murdered man was which was on this wise. There passed
one day before their house certain footmen[190] of Lunigiana, who,
seeing Tedaldo, made towards him and said, 'Give you good day,
Faziuolo.' Whereto Tedaldo in his brothers' presence answered, 'You
mistake me.' The others, hearing him speak, were abashed and cried him
pardon, saying, 'Forsooth you resemble, more than ever we saw one man
favour another, a comrade of ours called Faziuolo of Pontremoli, who
came hither some fortnight or more agone, nor could we ever since
learn what is come of him. Indeed, we marvelled at the dress, for that
he was a soldier, even as we are.' Tedaldo's elder brother, hearing
this, came forward and enquired how this Faziuolo had been clad. They
told him and it was found to have been punctually as they said;
wherefore, what with these and what with other tokens, it was known
for certain that he who had been slain was Faziuolo and not Tedaldo,
and all doubt of the latter[191] accordingly departed [the minds of]
his brothers and of every other. Tedaldo, then, being returned very
rich, persevered in his love and the lady falling out with him no
more, they long, discreetly dealing, had enjoyment of their love. God
grant us to enjoy ours!"
[Footnote 190: _i.e._ foot-soldiers.]
[Footnote 191: _i.e._ of his identity.]
THE EIGHTH STORY
[Day the Third]
FERONDO, HAVING SWALLOWED A CERTAIN POWDER, IS ENTOMBED FOR
DEAD AND BEING TAKEN FORTH OF THE SEPULCHRE BY THE ABBOT,
WHO ENJOYETH HIS WIFE THE WHILE, IS PUT IN PRISON AND GIVEN
TO BELIEVE THAT HE IS IN PURGATORY; AFTER WHICH, BEING
RAISED UP AGAIN, HE REARETH FOR HIS OWN A CHILD BEGOTTEN OF
THE ABBOT ON HIS WIFE
The end being come of Emilia's long story,--which had not withal for
its length been unpleasing to any of the company, nay, but was held of
all the ladies to have been briefly narrated, having regard to the
number and diversity of the incidents therein recounted,--the queen,
having with a mere sign intimated her pleasure to Lauretta, gave her
occasion to begin thus: "Dearest ladies, there occurreth to me to tell
you a true story which hath much more semblance of falsehood than of
that which it indeed is and which hath been recalled to my mind by
hearing one to have been bewept and buried for another. I purpose
then, to tell you how a live man was entombed for dead and how after
he and many other folk believed himself to have come forth of the
sepulchre as one raised from the dead, by reason whereof he[192] was
adored as a saint who should rather have been condemned as a criminal.
[Footnote 192: _i.e._ the abbot who played the trick upon Ferondo. See
post.]
There was, then, and yet is, in Tuscany, an abbey situate, like as we
see many thereof, in a place not overmuch frequented of men, whereof a
monk was made abbot, who was a very holy man in everything, save in
the matter of women, and in this he contrived to do so warily that
well nigh none, not to say knew, but even suspected him thereof, for
that he was holden exceeding godly and just in everything. It chanced
that a very wealthy farmer, by name Ferondo, contracted a great
intimacy with him, a heavy, clodpate fellow and dull-witted beyond
measure, whose commerce pleased the abbot but for that his simplicity
whiles afforded him some diversion, and in the course of their
acquaintance, the latter perceived that Ferondo had a very handsome
woman to wife, of whom he became so passionately enamoured that he
thought of nothing else day or night; but, hearing that, simple and
shallow-witted as Ferondo was in everything else, he was shrewd enough
in the matter of loving and guarding his wife, he well nigh despaired
of her.
However, like a very adroit man as he was, he wrought on such wise
with Ferondo that he came whiles, with his wife, to take his pleasance
in the abbey-garden, and there he very demurely entertained them with
discourse of the beatitude of the life eternal and of the pious works
of many men and women of times past, insomuch that the lady was taken
with a desire to confess herself to him and asked and had Ferondo's
leave thereof. Accordingly, to the abbot's exceeding pleasure, she
came to confess to him and seating herself at his feet, before she
proceeded to say otherwhat, began thus: 'Sir, if God had given me a
right husband or had given me none, it would belike be easy to me,
with the help of your exhortations, to enter upon the road which you
say leadeth folk unto life eternal; but I, having regard to what
Ferondo is and to his witlessness, may style myself a widow, and yet I
am married, inasmuch as, he living, I can have no other husband; and
dolt as he is, he is without any cause, so out of all measure jealous
of me that by reason thereof I cannot live with him otherwise than in
tribulation and misery; wherefore, ere I come to other confession, I
humbly beseech you, as most I may, that it may please you give me some
counsel concerning this, for that, an the occasion of my well-doing
begin not therefrom, confession or other good work will profit me
little.'
This speech gave the abbot great satisfaction and himseemed fortune
had opened him the way to his chief desire; wherefore, 'Daughter,'
quoth he, 'I can well believe that it must be a sore annoy for a fair
and dainty dame such as you are to have a blockhead to husband, but a
much greater meseemeth to have a jealous man; wherefore, you having
both the one and the other, I can lightly credit that which you avouch
of your tribulation. But for this, speaking briefly, I see neither
counsel nor remedy save one, the which is that Ferondo be cured of
this jealousy. The medicine that will cure him I know very well how to
make, provided you have the heart to keep secret that which I shall
tell you.' 'Father mine,' answered the lady, 'have no fear of that,
for I would liefer suffer death than tell any that which you bid me
not repeat; but how may this be done?' Quoth the abbot, 'An we would
have him cured, it behoveth of necessity that he go to purgatory.'
'But how,' asked she, 'can he go thither alive?' 'Needs must he die,'
replied the abbot, 'and so go thither; and whenas he shall have
suffered such penance as shall suffice to purge him of his jealousy,