The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
in his own bed and bade him abide there against his return; then,
locking him in, he went about his affairs. Meanwhile, the lady's
brothers-in-law entered her chamber and found that the angel Gabriel
had flown, leaving his wings there; whereupon, seeing themselves
baffled, they gave her all manner hard words and ultimately made off
to their own house with the angel's trappings, leaving her
disconsolate.
Broad day come, the good man with whom Fra Alberto had taken refuge,
being on the Rialto, heard how the angel Gabriel had gone that night
to lie with Madam Lisetta and being surprised by her kinsmen, had cast
himself for fear into the canal, nor was it known what was come of
him, and concluded forthright that this was he whom he had at home.
Accordingly, he returned thither and recognizing the monk, found means
after much parley, to make him fetch him fifty ducats, an he would not
have him give him up to the lady's kinsmen. Having gotten the money
and Fra Alberto offering to depart thence, the good man said to him,
'There is no way of escape for you, an it be not one that I will tell
you. We hold to-day a festival, wherein one bringeth a man clad
bear-fashion and another one accoutred as a wild man of the woods and
what not else, some one thing and some another, and there is a hunt
held in St. Mark's Place, which finished, the festival is at an end
and after each goeth whither it pleaseth him with him whom he hath
brought. An you will have me lead you thither, after one or other of
these fashions, I can after carry you whither you please, ere it be
spied out that you are here; else I know not how you are to get away,
without being recognized, for the lady's kinsmen, concluding that you
must be somewhere hereabout, have set a watch for you on all sides.'
Hard as it seemed to Fra Alberto to go on such wise, nevertheless, of
the fear he had of the lady's kinsmen, he resigned himself thereto and
told his host whither he would be carried, leaving the manner to him.
Accordingly, the other, having smeared him all over with honey and
covered him with down, clapped a chain about his neck and a mask on
his face; then giving him a great staff in on hand and in the other
two great dogs which he had fetched from the shambles he despatched
one to the Rialto to make public proclamation that whoso would see the
angel Gabriel should repair to St. Mark's Place; and this was Venetian
loyalty! This done, after a while, he brought him forth and setting
him before himself, went holding him by the chain behind, to the no
small clamour of the folk, who said all, 'What be this? What be
this?'[230] till he came to the place, where, what with those who had
followed after them and those who, hearing the proclamation, were come
thither from the Rialto, were folk without end. There he tied his wild
man to a column in a raised and high place, making a show of awaiting
the hunt, whilst the flies and gads gave the monk exceeding annoy, for
that he was besmeared with honey. But, when he saw the place well
filled, making as he would unchain his wild man, he pulled off Fra
Alberto's mask and said, 'Gentlemen, since the bear cometh not and
there is no hunt toward, I purpose, so you may not be come in vain,
that you shall see the angel Gabriel, who cometh down from heaven to
earth anights, to comfort the Venetian ladies.'
[Footnote 230: _Che xe quel?_ Venetian for _che c'e quella cosa_, What
is this thing?]
No sooner was the mask off than Fra Alberto was incontinent recognized
of all, who raised a general outcry against him, giving him the
scurviest words and the soundest rating was ever given a canting
knave; moreover, they cast in his face, one this kind of filth and
another that, and so they baited him a great while, till the news came
by chance to his brethren, whereupon half a dozen of them sallied
forth and coming thither, unchained him and threw a gown over him;
then, with a general hue and cry behind them, they carried him off to
the convent, where it is believed he died in prison, after a wretched
life. Thus then did this fellow, held good and doing ill, without it
being believed, dare to feign himself the angel Gabriel, and after
being turned into a wild man of the woods and put to shame, as he
deserved, bewailed, when too late, the sins he had committed. God
grant it happen thus to all other knaves of his fashion!"
THE THIRD STORY
[Day the Fourth]
THREE YOUNG MEN LOVE THREE SISTERS AND FLEE WITH THEM INTO
CRETE, WHERE THE ELDEST SISTER FOR JEALOUSY SLAYETH HER
LOVER. THE SECOND, YIELDING HERSELF TO THE DUKE OF CRETE,
SAVETH HER SISTER FROM DEATH, WHEREUPON HER OWN LOVER
SLAYETH HER AND FLEETH WITH THE ELDEST SISTER. MEANWHILE THE
THIRD LOVER AND THE YOUNGEST SISTER ARE ACCUSED OF THE NEW
MURDER AND BEING TAKEN, CONFESS IT; THEN, FOR FEAR OF DEATH,
THEY CORRUPT THEIR KEEPERS WITH MONEY AND FLEE TO RHODES,
WHERE THEY DIE IN POVERTY
Filostrato, having heard the end of Pampinea's story, bethought
himself awhile and presently, turning to her, said, "There was some
little that was good and that pleased me in the ending of your story;
but there was overmuch before that which gave occasion for laughter
and which I would not have had there." Then, turning to Lauretta,
"Lady," said he, "ensue you with a better, and it may be." Quoth she,
laughing, "You are too cruel towards lovers, an you desire of them
only an ill end;[231] but, to obey you, I will tell a story of three
who all ended equally ill, having had scant enjoyment of their loves."
So saying, she began thus: "Young ladies, as you should manifestly
know, every vice may turn to the grievous hurt of whoso practiseth it,
and often of other folk also; but of all others that which with the
slackest rein carrieth us away to our peril, meseemeth is anger, which
is none otherwhat than a sudden and unconsidered emotion, aroused by
an affront suffered, and which, banishing all reason and overclouding
the eyes of the understanding with darkness, kindleth the soul to the
hottest fury. And although this often cometh to pass in men and more
in one than in another, yet hath it been seen aforetime to work
greater mischiefs in women, for that it is lightlier enkindled in
these latter and burneth in them with a fiercer flame and urgeth them
with less restraint. Nor is this to be marvelled at, for that, an we
choose to consider, we may see that fire, of its nature, catcheth
quicklier to light and delicate things than to those which are denser
and more ponderous; and we women, indeed,--let men not take it
ill,--are more delicately fashioned than they and far more mobile.
Wherefore, seeing that we are naturally inclined thereunto[232] and
considering after how our mansuetude and our loving kindness are of
repose and pleasance to the men with whom we have to do and how big
with harm and peril are anger and fury, I purpose, to the intent that
we may with a more steadfast, mind keep ourselves from these latter,
to show you by my story how the loves of three young men and as many
ladies came, as I said before, to an ill end, becoming through the ire
of one of the latter, from happy most unhappy.
[Footnote 231: _i.e._ _semble_ "an you would wish them nought but an
ill end."]
[Footnote 232: _i.e._ to anger.]
Marseilles is, as you know, a very ancient and noble city, situate in
Provence on the sea-shore, and was once more abounding in rich and
great merchants than it is nowadays. Among the latter was one called
Narnald Cluada, a man of mean extraction, but of renowned good faith
and a loyal merchant, rich beyond measure in lands and monies, who had
by a wife of his several children, whereof the three eldest were
daughters. Two of these latter, born at a birth, were fifteen and the
third fourteen years old, nor was aught awaited by their kinsfolk to
marry them but the return of Narnald, who was gone into Spain with his
merchandise. The names of the two elder were the one Ninetta and the
other Maddalena and the third called Bertella. Of Ninetta a young man
of gentle birth, though poor, called Restagnone, was enamoured as much
as man might be, and she of him, and they had contrived to do on such
wise that, without any knowing it, they had enjoyment of their loves.
They had already a pretty while enjoyed this satisfaction when it
chanced that two young companions, named the one Folco and the other
Ughetto, whose fathers were dead, leaving them very rich, fell in
love, the one with Maddalena and the other with Bertella. Restagnone,
noting this (it having been shown him of Ninetta), bethought himself
that he might make shift to supply his own lack by means of the
newcomers' love. Accordingly, he clapped up an acquaintance with them,
so that now one, now the other of them accompanied him to visit their
mistresses and his; and when himseemed he was grown privy enough with
them and much their friend, he called them one day into his house and
said to them, 'Dearest youths, our commerce should have certified you
how great is the love I bear you and that I would do for you that
which I would do for myself; and for that I love you greatly, I
purpose to discover to you that which hath occurred to my mind, and
you and I together will after take such counsel thereof as shall seem
to you best. You, an your words lie not and for that to boot which
meseemeth I have apprehended by your deeds, both daily and nightly,
burn with an exceeding passion for the two young ladies beloved of
you, as do I for the third their sister; and to this ardour, an you
will consent thereunto,[233] my heart giveth me to find a very sweet
and pleasing remedy, the which is as follows. You are both very rich,
which I am not; now, if you will agree to bring your riches into a
common stock, making me a third sharer with you therein, and determine
in which part of the world we shall go lead a merry life with our
mistresses, my heart warranteth me I can without fail so do that the
three sisters, with a great part of their father's good, will go with,
us whithersoever we shall please, and there, each with his wench, like
three brothers, we may live the happiest lives of any men in the
world. It resteth with you now to determine whether you will go about
to solace yourself in this or leave it be.'
[Footnote 233: _i.e._ to the proposal I have to make.]
The two young men, who were beyond measure inflamed, hearing that they
were to have their lasses, were not long in making up their minds, but
answered that, so this[234] should ensue, they were ready to do as he
said. Restagnone, having gotten this answer from the young men, found
means a few days after to foregather with Ninetta, to whom he could
not come without great unease, and after he had abidden with her
awhile, he told her what he had proposed to the others and with many
arguments studied to commend the emprise to her. This was little
uneath to him, seeing that she was yet more desirous than himself to
be with him without suspect; wherefore she answered him frankly that
it liked her well and that her sisters would do whatever she wished,
especially in this, and bade him make ready everything needful
therefor as quickliest he might. Restagnone accordingly returned to
the two young men, who still importuned him amain to do that whereof
he had bespoken them, and told them that, so far as concerned their
mistresses, the matter was settled. Then, having determined among
themselves to go to Crete, they sold certain lands they had, under
colour of meaning to go a-trading with the price, and having made
money of all their other goods, bought a light brigantine and secretly
equipped it to the utmost advantage.
[Footnote 234: _i.e._ the possession of their mistresses.]