The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
converse awhile and after go away. Accordingly, one day, after dinner,
he came thither, what time the lady (whose name was Ghismonda) was in
a garden of hers with all her women, and willing not to take her from
her diversion, he entered her chamber, without being seen or heard of
any. Finding the windows closed and the curtains let down over the
bed, he sat down in a corner on a hassock at the bedfoot and leant his
head against the bed; then, drawing the curtain over himself, as if he
had studied to hide himself there, he fell asleep. As he slept thus,
Ghismonda, who, as ill chance would have it, had appointed her lover
to come thither that day, softly entered the chamber, leaving her
women in the garden, and having shut herself in, without perceiving
that there was some one there, opened the secret door to Guiscardo,
who awaited her. They straightway betook themselves to bed, as of
their wont, and what while they sported and solaced themselves
together, it befell that Tancred awoke and heard and saw that which
Guiscardo and his daughter did; whereat beyond measure grieved, at
first he would have cried out at them, but after bethought himself to
keep silence and abide, an he might, hidden, so with more secrecy and
less shame to himself he might avail to do that which had already
occurred to his mind.
The two lovers abode a great while together, according to their
usance, without observing Tancred, and coming down from the bed,
whenas it seemed to them time, Guiscardo returned to the grotto and
she departed the chamber; whereupon Tancred, for all he was an old
man, let himself down into the garden by a window and returned, unseen
of any, to his own chamber, sorrowful unto death. That same night, at
the time of the first sleep, Guiscardo, by his orders, was seized by
two men, as he came forth of the tunnel, and carried secretly, trussed
as he was in his suit of leather, to Tancred, who, whenas he saw him,
said, well nigh weeping, 'Guiscardo, my kindness to thee merited not
the outrage and the shame thou hast done me in mine own flesh and
blood, as I have this day seen with my very eyes.' Whereto Guiscardo
answered nothing but this, 'Love can far more than either you or I.'
Tancred then commanded that he should be kept secretly under guard and
in one of the chambers of the palace, and so was it done.
On the morrow, having meanwhile revolved in himself many and divers
devices, he betook himself, after eating, as of his wont, to his
daughter's chamber and sending for the lady, who as yet knew nothing
of these things, shut himself up with her and proceeded, with tears in
his eyes, to bespeak her thus: 'Ghismonda, meseemed I knew thy virtue
and thine honesty, nor might it ever have occurred to my mind, though
it were told me, had I not seen it with mine own eyes, that thou
wouldst, even so much as in thought, have abandoned thyself to any
man, except he were thy husband; wherefore in this scant remnant of
life that my eld reserveth unto me, I shall still abide sorrowful,
remembering me of this. Would God, an thou must needs stoop to such
wantonness, thou hadst taken a man sortable to thy quality! But,
amongst so many who frequent my court, thou hast chosen Guiscardo, a
youth of the meanest condition, reared in our court, well nigh of
charity, from a little child up to this day; wherefore thou hast put
me in sore travail of mind, for that I know not what course to take
with thee. With Guiscardo, whom I caused take yesternight, as he
issued forth of the tunnel and have in ward, I am already resolved how
to deal; but with thee God knoweth I know not what to do. On one side
love draweth me, which I still borne thee more than father ever bore
daughter, and on the other most just despite, conceived for thine
exceeding folly; the one would have me pardon thee, the other would
have me, against my nature, deal harshly by thee. But ere I come to a
decision, I would fain hear what thou hast to say to this.' So saying,
he bowed his head and wept sore as would a beaten child.
Ghismonda, hearing her father's words and seeing that not only was her
secret love discovered, but Guiscardo taken, felt an inexpressible
chagrin and came many a time near upon showing it with outcry and
tears, as women mostly do; nevertheless, her haughty soul
overmastering that weakness, with marvellous fortitude she composed
her countenance and rather than proffer any prayer for herself,
determined inwardly to abide no more on life, doubting not but her
Guiscardo was already dead. Wherefore, not as a woman rebuked and
woeful for her default, but as one undaunted and valiant, with dry
eyes and face open and nowise troubled, she thus bespoke her father:
'Tancred, I purpose neither to deny nor to entreat, for that the one
would profit me nothing nor would I have the other avail me; more by
token that I am nowise minded to seek to render thy mansuetude and
thine affection favourable to me, but rather, confessing the truth,
first with true arguments to vindicate mine honour and after with
deeds right resolutely to ensue the greatness of my soul. True is it I
have loved and love Guiscardo, and what while I live, which will be
little, I shall love him, nor, if folk live after death, shall I ever
leave loving him; but unto this it was not so much my feminine frailty
that moved me as thy little solicitude to remarry me and his own
worth.
It should have been manifest to thee, Tancred, being as thou art flesh
and blood, that thou hadst begotten a daughter of flesh and blood and
not of iron or stone; and thou shouldst have remembered and should
still remember, for all thou art old, what and what like are the laws
of youth and with what potency they work; nor, albeit thou, being a
man, hast in thy best years exercised thyself in part in arms,
shouldst thou the less know what ease and leisure and luxury can do in
the old, to say nothing of the young. I am, then, as being of thee
begotten, of flesh and blood and have lived so little that I am yet
young and (for the one and the other reason) full of carnal desire,
whereunto the having aforetime, by reason of marriage, known what
pleasure it is to give accomplishment to such desire hath added
marvellous strength. Unable, therefore, to withstand the strength of
my desires, I addressed myself, being young and a woman, to ensue that
whereto they prompted me and became enamoured. And certes in this I
set my every faculty to the endeavouring that, so far as in me lay, no
shame should ensue either to thee or to me through this to which
natural frailty moved me. To this end compassionate Love and favouring
Fortune found and showed me a very occult way, whereby, unknown of
any, I won to my desire, and this, whoever it be discovered it to
thee or howsoever thou knowest it, I nowise deny.
Guiscardo I took not at hazard, as many women do; nay, of deliberate
counsel I chose him before every other and with advisement prepense
drew him to me[220] and by dint of perseverance and discretion on my
part and on his, I have long had enjoyment of my desire. Whereof it
seemeth that thou, ensuing rather vulgar prejudice than truth,
reproachest me with more bitterness than of having sinned by way of
love, saying (as if thou shouldst not have been chagrined, had I
chosen therefor a man of gentle birth,) that I have committed myself
with a man of mean condition. Wherein thou seest not that thou blamest
not my default, but that of fortune, which too often advanceth the
unworthy to high estate, leaving the worthiest alow.
[Footnote 220: Lit. introduced him to me (_a me lo 'ntrodussi_); but
Boccaccio here uses the word _introdurre_ in its rarer literal sense
to lead, to draw, to bring in.]
But now let us leave this and look somewhat to the first principles of
things, whereby thou wilt see that we all get our flesh from one same
stock and that all souls were by one same Creator created with equal
faculties, equal powers and equal virtues. Worth it was that first
distinguished between us, who were all and still are born equal;
wherefore those who had and used the greatest sum thereof were called
noble and the rest abode not noble. And albeit contrary usance hath
since obscured this primary law, yet is it nowise done away nor
blotted out from nature and good manners; wherefore he who doth
worthily manifestly showeth himself a gentleman, and if any call him
otherwise, not he who is called, but he who calleth committeth
default. Look among all thy gentlemen and examine into their worth,
their usances and their manners, and on the other hand consider those
of Guiscardo; if thou wilt consent to judge without animosity, thou
wilt say that he is most noble and that these thy nobles are all
churls. With regard to his worth and virtue, I trusted not to the
judgment of any other, but to that of thy words and of mine own eyes.
Who ever so commended him as thou didst in all those praiseworthy
things wherefor a man of worth should be commended? And certes not
without reason; for, if mine eyes deceived me not, there was no praise
given him of thee which I saw him not justify by deeds, and that more
admirably than thy words availed to express; and even had I suffered
any deceit in this, it is by thyself I should have been deceived. An,
then, thou say that I have committed myself with a man of mean
condition, thou sayst not sooth; but shouldst thou say with a poor
man, it might peradventure be conceded thee, to thy shame who hast so
ill known to put a servant of thine and a man of worth in good case;
yet poverty bereaveth not any of gentilesse; nay, rather, wealth it is
that doth this. Many kings, many great princes were once poor and many
who delve and tend sheep were once very rich.
The last doubt that thou broachest, to wit, what thou shouldst do with
me, drive it away altogether; an thou in thine extreme old age be
disposed to do that which thou usedst not, being young, namely, to
deal cruelly, wreak thy cruelty upon me, who am minded to proffer no
prayer unto thee, as being the prime cause of this sin, if sin it be;
for of this I certify thee, that whatsoever thou hast done or shalt do
with Guiscardo, an thou do not the like with me, mine own hands shall
do it. Now begone; go shed tears with women and waxing cruel, slay him
and me with one same blow, an it seem to thee we have deserved it.'
The prince knew the greatness of his daughter's soul, but
notwithstanding believed her not altogether so firmly resolved as she
said unto that which her words gave out. Wherefore, taking leave of
her and having laid aside all intent of using rigour against her
person, he thought to cool her fervent love with other's suffering and
accordingly bade Guiscardo's two guardians strangle him without noise
that same night and taking out his heart, bring it to him. They did
even as it was commanded them, and on the morrow the prince let bring
a great and goodly bowl of gold and setting therein Guiscardo's heart,
despatched it to his daughter by the hands of a very privy servant of
his, bidding him say, whenas he gave it her, 'Thy father sendeth thee
this, to solace thee of the thing thou most lovest, even as thou hast
solaced him of that which he loved most.'
Now Ghismonda, unmoved from her stern purpose, had, after her father's
departure, let bring poisonous herbs and roots and distilled and
reduced them in water, so she might have it at hand, an that she
feared should come to pass. The serving-man coming to her with the
prince's present and message, she took the cup with a steadfast
countenance and uncovered it. Whenas she saw the heart and
apprehended the words of the message, she was throughly certified that
this was Guiscardo's heart and turning her eyes upon the messenger,
said to him, 'No sepulchre less of worth than one of gold had beseemed