The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
He, hearing this, laughed it to scorn and said that it was great folly
to put any faith in dreams, for that they arose of excess of food or
lack thereof and were daily seen to be all vain, adding, 'Were I
minded to follow after dreams, I had not come hither, not so much on
account of this of thine as of one I myself dreamt last night; which
was that meseemed I was in a fair and delightsome wood, wherein I went
hunting and had taken the fairest and loveliest hind was ever seen;
for methought she was whiter than snow and was in brief space become
so familiar with me that she never left me a moment. Moreover,
meseemed I held her so dear that, so she might not depart from me, I
had put a collar of gold about her neck and held her in hand with a
golden chain. After this medreamed that, once upon a time, what while
this hind lay couched with its head in my bosom,[247] there issued I
know not whence a greyhound bitch as black as coal, anhungred and
passing gruesome of aspect, and made towards me. Methought I offered
it no resistance, wherefore meseemed it thrust its muzzle into my
breast on the left side and gnawed thereat till it won to my heart,
which methought it tore from me, to carry it away. Therewith I felt
such a pain that my sleep was broken and awaking, I straightway
clapped my hand to my side, to see if I had aught there; but, finding
nothing amiss with me, I made mock of myself for having sought. But,
after all, what booteth this dream?[248] I have dreamed many such and
far more frightful, nor hath aught in the world befallen me by reason
thereof; wherefore let it pass and let us think to give ourselves a
good time.'
[Footnote 247: Or "lap" (_seno_).]
[Footnote 248: Lit. what meaneth this? (_che vuol dire questo?_)]
The young lady, already sore adread for her own dream, hearing this,
waxed yet more so, but hid her fear, as most she might, not to be the
occasion of any unease to Gabriotto. Nevertheless, what while she
solaced herself with him, clipping and kissing him again and again and
being of him clipped and kissed, she many a time eyed him in the face
more than of her wont, misdoubting she knew not what, and whiles she
looked about the garden, and she should see aught of black come
anywhence. Presently, as they abode thus, Gabriotto heaved a great
sigh and embracing her said, 'Alas, my soul, help me, for I die!' So
saying, he fell to the ground upon the grass of the lawn. The young
lady, seeing this, drew him up into her lap and said, well nigh
weeping, 'Alack, sweet my lord, what aileth thee?' He answered not,
but, panting sore and sweating all over, no great while after departed
this life.
How grievous, how dolorous was this to the young lady, who loved him
more than her life, each one of you may conceive for herself. She
bewept him sore and many a time called him in vain; but after she had
handled him in every part of his body and found him cold in all,
perceiving that he was altogether dead and knowing not what to do or
to say, she went, all tearful as she was and full of anguish, to call
her maid, who was privy to their loves, and discovered to her misery
and her grief. Then, after they had awhile made woeful lamentation
over Gabriotto's dead face, the young lady said to the maid, 'Since
God hath bereft me of him I love, I purpose to abide no longer on
life; but, ere I go about to slay myself, I would fain take fitting
means to preserve my honour and the secret of the love that hath been
between us twain and that the body, wherefrom the gracious spirit is
departed, may be buried.'
'Daughter mine,' answered the maid, 'talk not of seeking to slay
thyself, for that, if thou have lost him in this world, by slaying
thyself thou wouldst lose him in the world to come also, since thou
wouldst go to hell, whither I am assured his soul hath not gone; for
he was a virtuous youth. It were better far to comfort thyself and
think of succouring his soul with prayers and other good works, so
haply he have need thereof for any sin committed. The means of burying
him are here at hand in this garden and none will ever know of the
matter, for none knoweth that he ever came hither. Or, an thou wilt
not have it so, let us put him forth of the garden and leave him be;
he will be found to-morrow morning and carried to his house, where his
kinsfolk will have him buried.' The young lady, albeit she was full of
bitter sorrow and wept without ceasing, yet gave ear to her maid's
counsels and consenting not to the first part thereof, made answer to
the second, saying, 'God forbid that I should suffer so dear a youth
and one so beloved of me and my husband to be buried after the fashion
of a dog or left to lie in the street! He hath had my tears and
inasmuch as I may, he shall have those of his kinsfolk, and I have
already bethought me of that which we have to do to that end.'
Therewith she despatched her maid for a piece of cloth of silk, which
she had in a coffer of hers, and spreading it on the earth, laid
Gabriotto's body thereon, with his head upon a pillow. Then with many
tears she closed his eyes and mouth and weaving him a chaplet of
roses, covered him with all they had gathered, he and she; after which
she said to the maid, 'It is but a little way hence to his house;
wherefore we will carry him thither, thou and I, even as we have
arrayed him, and lay him before the door. It will not be long ere it
be day and he will be taken up; and although this may be no
consolation to his friends, yet to me, in whose arms he died, it will
be a pleasure.' So saying, once more with most abundant tears she cast
herself upon his face and wept a great while. Then, being urged by her
maid to despatch, for that the day was at hand, she rose to her feet
and drawing from her finger the ring wherewith Gabriotto had espoused
her, she set it on his and said, weeping, 'Dear my lord, if thy soul
now seeth my tears or if any sense or cognizance abide in the body,
after the departure thereof, benignly receive her last gift, whom,
living, thou lovedst so well.' This said, she fell down upon him in a
swoon, but, presently coming to herself and rising, she took up,
together with her maid, the cloth whereon the body lay and going forth
the garden therewith, made for his house.
As they went, they were discovered and taken with the dead body by
the officers of the provostry, who chanced to be abroad at that hour
about some other matter. Andrevuola, more desirous of death than of
life, recognizing the officers, said frankly, 'I know who you are and
that it would avail me nothing to seek to flee; I am ready to go with
you before the Seignory and there declare how the case standeth; but
let none of you dare to touch me, provided I am obedient to you, or to
remove aught from this body, an he would not be accused of me.'
Accordingly, without being touched of any, she repaired, with
Gabriotto's body, to the palace, where the Provost, hearing what was
to do, arose and sending for her into his chamber, proceeded to
enquire of this that had happened. To this end he caused divers
physicians look if the dead man had been done to death with poison or
otherwise, who all affirmed that it was not so, but that some
imposthume had burst near the heart, the which had suffocated him. The
magistrate hearing this and feeling her to be guilty in [but] a small
matter, studied to make a show of giving her that which he could not
sell her and told her that, an she would consent to his pleasures, he
would release her; but, these words availing not, he offered, out of
all seemliness, to use force. However, Andrevuola, fired with disdain
and waxed strong [for indignation], defended herself manfully,
rebutting him with proud and scornful words.
Meanwhile, broad day come and these things being recounted to Messer
Negro, he betook himself, sorrowful unto death, to the palace, in
company with many of his friends, and being there acquainted by the
Provost with the whole matter, demanded resentfully[249] that his
daughter should be restored to him. The Provost, choosing rather to
accuse himself of the violence he would have done her than to be
accused of her, first extolled the damsel and her constancy and in
proof thereof, proceeded to tell that which he had done; by reason
whereof, seeing her of so excellent a firmness, he had vowed her an
exceeding love and would gladly, an it were agreeable to him, who was
her father, and to herself, espouse her for his lady, notwithstanding
she had had a husband of mean condition. Whilst they yet talked,
Andrevuola presented herself and weeping, cast herself before her
father and said, 'Father mine, methinketh there is no need that I
recount to you the story of my boldness and my illhap, for I am
assured that you have heard and know it; wherefore, as most I may, I
humbly ask pardon of you for my default, to wit, the having without
your knowledge taken him who most pleased me to husband. And this boon
I ask of you, not for that my life may be spared me, but to die your
daughter and not your enemy.' So saying, she fell weeping at his feet.
[Footnote 249: Lit. complaining, making complaint (_dolendosi_).]
Messer Negro, who was an old man and kindly and affectionate of his
nature, hearing these words, began to weep and with tears in his eyes
raised his daughter tenderly to her feet and said, 'Daughter mine, it
had better pleased me that thou shouldst have had such a husband as,
according to my thinking, behoved unto thee; and that thou shouldst
have taken such an one as was pleasing unto thee had also been
pleasing to me; but that thou shouldst have concealed him, of thy
little confidence in me, grieveth me, and so much the more as I see
thee to have lost him, ere I knew it. However, since the case is so,
that which had he lived, I had gladly done him, to content thee, to
wit, honour, as to my son-in-law, be it done him, now he is dead.'
Then, turning to his sons and his kinsfolk, he commanded that great
and honourable obsequies should be prepared for Gabriotto.
Meanwhile, the kinsmen and kinswomen of the young man, hearing the
news, had flocked thither, and with them well nigh all the men and
women in the city. Therewith, the body, being laid out amiddleward the
courtyard upon Andrevuola's silken cloth and strewn, with all her
roses, was there not only bewept by her and his kinsfolk, but publicly
mourned by well nigh all the ladies of the city and by many men, and
being brought forth of the courtyard of the Seignory, not as that of a
plebeian, but as that of a nobleman, it was with the utmost honour
borne to the sepulchre upon the shoulders of the most noble citizens.
Some days thereafterward, the Provost ensuing that which he had
demanded, Messer Negro propounded it to his daughter, who would hear
nought thereof, but, her father being willing to comply with her in
this, she and her maid made themselves nuns in a convent very famous
for sanctity and there lived honourably a great while after."
THE SEVENTH STORY
[Day the Fourth]
SIMONA LOVETH PASQUINO AND THEY BEING TOGETHER IN A GARDEN,
THE LATTER RUBBETH A LEAF OF SAGE AGAINST HIS TEETH AND
DIETH. SHE, BEING TAKEN AND THINKING TO SHOW THE JUDGE HOW
HER LOVER DIED, RUBBETH ONE OF THE SAME LEAVES AGAINST HER
TEETH AND DIETH ON LIKE WISE
Pamfilo having delivered himself of his story, the king, showing no
compassion for Andrevuola, looked at Emilia and signed to her that it
was his pleasure she should with a story follow on those who had
already told; whereupon she, without delay, began as follows: "Dear
companions, the story told by Pamfilo putteth me in mind to tell you
one in nothing like unto his save that like as Andrevuola lost her
beloved in a garden, even so did she of whom I have to tell, and being