The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
another, the which are so like one to other, that it hath often
happened to me to take one for the other, and so hath it betided me at
this present, for that, thinking to bring hither the casket wherein
was the feather, I have brought that wherein are the coals. The which
I hold not to have been an error; nay, meseemeth certain that it was
God's will and that He Himself placed the casket with the coals in my
hands, especially now I mind me that the feast of St. Lawrence is but
two days hence; wherefore God, willing that, by showing you the coals
wherewith he was roasted, I should rekindle in your hearts the
devotion it behoveth you have for him, caused me take, not the
feather, as I purposed, but the blessed coals extinguished by the
sweat of that most holy body. So, O my blessed children, put off your
bonnets and draw near devoutly to behold them; but first I would have
you knew that whoso is scored with these coals, in the form of the
sign of the cross, may rest assured, for the whole year to come, that
fire shall not touch him but he shall feel it.'
Having thus spoken, he opened the casket, chanting the while a
canticle in praise of St. Lawrence, and showed the coals, which after
the simple multitude had awhile beheld with reverent admiration, they
all crowded about Fra Cipolla and making him better offerings than
they were used, besought him to touch them withal. Accordingly, taking
the coals in hand, he fell to making the biggest crosses for which he
could find room upon their white smocks and doublets and upon the
veils of the women, avouching that how much soever the coals
diminished in making these crosses, they after grew again in the
casket, as he had many a time proved. On this wise he crossed all the
people of Certaldo, to his no small profit, and thus, by his ready wit
and presence of mind, he baffled those who, by taking the feather from
him, had thought to baffle him and who, being present at his
preachment and hearing the rare shift employed by him and from how far
he had taken it and with what words, had so laughed that they thought
to have cracked their jaws. Then, after the common folk had departed,
they went up to him and with all the mirth in the world discovered to
him that which they had done and after restored him his feather, which
next year stood him in as good stead as the coals had done that day."
* * * * *
This story afforded unto all the company alike the utmost pleasure and
solace, and it was much laughed of all at Fra Cipolla, and
particularly of his pilgrimage and the relics seen and brought back by
him. The queen, seeing the story and likewise her sovantry at an end,
rose to her feet and put off the crown, which she set laughingly on
Dioneo's head, saying, "It is time, Dioneo, that thou prove awhile
what manner charge it is to have ladies to govern and guide; be thou,
then, king and rule on such wise that, in the end, we may have reason
to give ourselves joy of thy governance." Dioneo took the crown and
answered, laughing, "You may often enough have seen much better kings
than I, I mean chess-kings; but, an you obey me as a king should in
truth be obeyed, I will cause you enjoy that without which assuredly
no entertainment is ever complete in its gladness. But let that talk
be; I will rule as best I know."
Then, sending for the seneschal, according to the wonted usance, he
orderly enjoined him of that which he should do during the continuance
of his seignory and after said, "Noble ladies, it hath in divers
manners been devised of human industry[336] and of the various chances
[of fortune,] insomuch that, had not Dame Licisca come hither a while
agone and found me matter with her prate for our morrow's relations, I
misdoubt me I should have been long at pains to find a subject of
discourse. As you heard, she avouched that she had not a single gossip
who had come to her husband a maid and added that she knew right well
how many and what manner tricks married women yet played their
husbands. But, letting be the first part, which is a childish matter,
methinketh the second should be an agreeable subject for discourse;
wherefore I will and ordain it that, since Licisca hath given us
occasion therefor, it be discoursed to-morrow OF THE TRICKS WHICH, OR
FOR LOVE OR FOR THEIR OWN PRESERVATION, WOMEN HAVE HERETOFORE PLAYED
THEIR HUSBANDS, WITH OR WITHOUT THE LATTER'S COGNIZANCE THEREOF."
[Footnote 336: _Industria_ in the old sense of ingenuity, skilful
procurement, etc.]
It seemed to some of the ladies that to discourse of such a matter
would ill beseem them and they prayed him, therefore, to change the
theme proposed; wherefore answered he, "Ladies, I am no less cognizant
than yourselves of that which I have ordained, and that which you
would fain allege to me availed not to deter me from ordaining it,
considering that the times are such that, provided men and women are
careful to eschew unseemly actions, all liberty of discourse is
permitted. Know you not that, for the malignity of the season, the
judges have forsaken the tribunals, that the laws, as well Divine as
human, are silent and full licence is conceded unto every one for the
preservation of his life? Wherefore, if your modesty allow itself some
little freedom in discourse, not with intent to ensue it with aught of
unseemly in deeds, but to afford yourselves and others diversion, I
see not with what plausible reason any can blame you in the future.
Moreover, your company, from the first day of our assembling until
this present, hath been most decorous, nor, for aught that hath been
said here, doth it appear to me that its honour hath anywise been
sullied. Again, who is there knoweth not your virtue? Which, not to
say mirthful discourse, but even fear of death I do not believe could
avail to shake. And to tell you the truth, whosoever should hear that
you shrank from devising bytimes of these toys would be apt to suspect
that you were guilty in the matter and were therefore unwilling to
discourse thereof. To say nothing of the fine honour you would do me
in that, I having been obedient unto all, you now, having made me your
king, seek to lay down the law to me, and not to discourse of the
subject which I propose. Put off, then, this misdoubtance, apter to
mean minds than to yours, and good luck to you, let each of you
bethink herself of some goodly story to tell." When the ladies heard
this, they said it should be as he pleased; whereupon he gave them all
leave to do their several pleasures until supper-time.
The sun was yet high, for that the discoursement[337] had been brief;
wherefor Dioneo having addressed himself to play at tables with the
other young men, Elisa called the other ladies apart and said to them,
"Since we have been here, I have still wished to carry you to a place
very near at hand, whither methinketh none of you hath ever been and
which is called the Ladies' Valley, but have never yet found an
occasion of bringing you thither unto to-day; wherefore, as the sun is
yet high, I doubt not but, an it please you come thither, you will be
exceeding well pleased to have been there." They answered that they
were ready and calling one of their maids, set out upon their way,
without letting the young men know aught thereof; nor had they gone
much more than a mile, when they came to the Ladies' Valley. They
entered therein by a very strait way, on one side whereof ran a very
clear streamlet, and saw it as fair and as delectable, especially at
that season whenas the heat was great, as most might be conceived.
According to that which one of them after told me, the plain that was
in the valley was as round as if it had been traced with the compass,
albeit it seemed the work of nature and not of art, and was in circuit
a little more than half a mile, encompassed about with six little
hills not over-high, on the summit of each of which stood a palace
builded in guise of a goodly castle. The sides of these hills went
sloping gradually downward to the plain on such wise as we see in
amphitheatres, the degrees descend in ordered succession from the
highest to the lowest, still contracting their circuit; and of these
slopes those which looked toward the south were all full of vines and
olives and almonds and cherries and figs and many another kind of
fruit-bearing trees, without a span thereof being wasted; whilst those
which faced the North Star[338] were all covered with thickets of
dwarf oaks and ashes and other trees as green and straight as might
be. The middle plain, which had no other inlet than that whereby the
ladies were come thither, was full of firs and cypresses and laurels
and various sorts of pines, as well arrayed and ordered as if the best
artist in that kind had planted them; and between these little or no
sun, even at its highest, made its way to the ground, which was all
one meadow of very fine grass, thick-sown with flowers purpurine and
others. Moreover, that which afforded no less delight than otherwhat
was a little stream, which ran down from a valley that divided two of
the hills aforesaid and falling over cliffs of live rock, made a
murmur very delectable to hear, what while it showed from afar, as it
broke over the stones, like so much quicksilver jetting out, under
pressure of somewhat, into fine spray. As it came down into the little
plain, it was there received into a fair channel and ran very swiftly
into the middest thereof, where it formed a lakelet, such as the
townsfolk made whiles, by way of fishpond, in their gardens, whenas
they have a commodity thereof. This lakelet was no deeper than a man's
stature, breast high, and its waters being exceeding clear and
altogether untroubled with any admixture, it showed its bottom to be
of a very fine gravel, the grains whereof whoso had nought else to do
might, an he would, have availed to number; nor, looking into the
water, was the bottom alone to be seen, nay, but so many fish fleeting
hither and thither that, over and above the pleasure thereof, it was a
marvel to behold; nor was it enclosed with other banks than the very
soil of the meadow, which was the goodlier thereabout in so much as it
received the more of its moisture. The water that abounded over and
above the capacity of the lake was received into another channel,
whereby, issuing forth of the little valley, it ran off into the lower
parts.
[Footnote 337: _i.e._ the tale-telling.]
[Footnote 338: Lit. the northern chariot (_carro di tramontana_);
_quære_ the Great Bear?]
Hither then came the young ladies and after they had gazed all about
and much commended the place, they took counsel together to bathe, for
that the heat was great and that they saw the lakelet before them and
were in no fear of being seen. Accordingly, bidding their serving
maid abide over against the way whereby one entered there and look if
any should come and give them notice thereof, they stripped themselves
naked, all seven, and entered the lake, which hid their white bodies
no otherwise than as a thin glass would do with a vermeil rose. Then,
they being therein and no troubling of the water ensuing thereof, they
fell, as best they might, to faring hither and thither in pursuit of
the fish, which had uneath where to hide themselves, and seeking to
take them with the naked hand. After they had abidden awhile in such
joyous pastime and had taken some of the fish, they came forth of the
lakelet and clad themselves anew. Then, unable to commend the place
more than they had already done and themseeming time to turn homeward,
they set out, with soft step, upon their way, discoursing much of the
goodliness of the valley.
They reached the palace betimes and there found the young men yet at
play where they had left them; to whom quoth Pampinea, laughing. "We