The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
Then he asked where the young man was, and the lady answered, 'Indeed
sir, I know not where he hath hidden himself.' Then said the husband
'Where art thou? Come forth in safety.' Whereupon Leonetto, who had
heard everything, came forth all trembling for fear, (as indeed he had
had a great fright,) of the place where he had hidden himself, and the
gentleman said to him, 'What hast thou to do with Messer
Lambertuccio?' 'Sir,' answered he, 'I have nothing in the world to do
with him, wherefore methinketh assuredly he is either not in his right
wits or he hath mistaken me for another; for that no sooner did he set
eyes on me in the road not far from this house than he forthright
clapped his hand to his hanger and said, "Traitor, thou art a dead
man!" I stayed not to ask why, but took to my heels as best I might
and made my way hither, where, thanks to God and to this gentlewoman,
I have escaped.' Quoth the husband, 'Go to; have no fears; I will
bring thee to thine own house safe and sound, and thou canst after
seek out what thou hast to do with him.' Accordingly, when they had
supped, he mounted him a-horseback and carrying him back to Florence,
left him in his own house. As for Leonetto, that same evening,
according as he had been lessoned of the lady, he privily bespoke
Messer Lambertuccio and took such order with him, albeit there was
much talk of the matter thereafterward, the husband never for all that
became aware of the cheat that had been put on him by his wife."
THE SEVENTH STORY
[Day the Seventh]
LODOVICO DISCOVERETH TO MADAM BEATRICE THE LOVE HE BEARETH
HER, WHEREUPON SHE SENDETH EGANO HER HUSBAND INTO THE
GARDEN, IN HER OWN FAVOUR, AND LIETH MEANWHILE WITH
LODOVICO, WHO, PRESENTLY ARISING, GOETH AND CUDGELLETH EGANO
IN THE GARDEN
Madam Isabella's presence of mind, as related by Pampinea, was held
admirable by all the company; but, whilst they yet marvelled thereat,
Filomena, whom the king had appointed to follow on, said, "Lovesome
ladies, and I mistake not, methinketh I can tell you no less goodly a
story on the same subject, and that forthright.
You must know, then, that there was once in Paris a Florentine
gentleman, who was for poverty turned merchant and had thriven so well
in commerce that he was grown thereby very rich. He had by his lady
one only son, whom he had named Lodovico, and for that he might
concern himself with his father's nobility and not with trade, he had
willed not to place him in any warehouse, but had sent him to be with
other gentlemen in the service of the King of France, where he learned
store of goodly manners and other fine things. During his sojourn
there, it befell that certain gentlemen, who were returned from
visiting the Holy Sepulchre, coming in upon a conversation between
certain young men, of whom Lodovico was one, and hearing them
discourse among themselves of the fair ladies of France and England
and other parts of the world, one of them began to say that assuredly,
in all the lands he had traversed and for all the ladies he had seen,
he had never beheld the like for beauty of Madam Beatrice, the wife of
Messer Egano de' Gulluzzi of Bologna; to which all his companions, who
had with him seen her at Bologna, agreed.
Lodovico, who had never yet been enamoured of any woman, hearkening to
this, was fired with such longing to see her that he could hold his
thought to nothing else and being altogether resolved to journey to
Bologna for that purpose and there, if she pleased him, to abide
awhile, he feigned to his father that he had a mind to go visit the
Holy Sepulchre, the which with great difficulty he obtained of him.
Accordingly, taking the name of Anichino, he set out for Bologna, and
on the day following [his arrival,] as fortune would have it, he saw
the lady in question at an entertainment, where she seemed to him
fairer far than he had imagined her; wherefore, falling most ardently
enamoured of her, he resolved never to depart Bologna till he should
have gained her love. Then, devising in himself what course he should
take to this end, he bethought himself, leaving be all other means,
that, an he might but avail to become one of her husband's servants,
whereof he entertained many, he might peradventure compass that which
he desired. Accordingly, having sold his horses and disposed as best
might be of his servants, bidding them make a show of knowing him not,
he entered into discourse with his host and told him that he would
fain engage for a servant with some gentleman of condition, could
such an one be found. Quoth the host, 'Thou art the right serving-man
to please a gentleman of this city, by name Egano, who keepeth many
and will have them all well looking, as thou art. I will bespeak him
of the matter.' As he said, so he did, and ere he took leave of Egano,
he had brought Anichino to an accord with him, to the exceeding
satisfaction of the latter, who, abiding with Egano and having
abundant opportunity of seeing his lady often, proceeded to serve him
so well and so much to his liking that he set such store by him that
he could do nothing without him and committed to him the governance,
not of himself alone, but of all his affairs.
It chanced one day that, Egano being gone a-fowling and having left
Anichino at home, Madam Beatrice (who was not yet become aware of his
love for her, albeit, considering him and his fashions, she had
ofttimes much commended him to herself and he pleased her,) fell to
playing chess with him and he, desiring to please her, very adroitly
contrived to let himself be beaten, whereat the lady was marvellously
rejoiced. Presently, all her women having gone away from seeing them
play and left them playing alone, Anichino heaved a great sigh,
whereupon she looked at him and said, 'What aileth thee, Anichino?
Doth it irk thee that I should beat thee?' 'Madam,' answered he, 'a
far greater thing than that was the cause of my sighing.' Quoth the
lady, 'Prithee, as thou wishest me well, tell it me.' When Anichino
heard himself conjured, 'as thou wishest me well,' by her whom he
loved over all else, he heaved a sigh yet heavier than the first;
wherefore the lady besought him anew that it would please him tell her
the cause of his sighing. 'Madam,' replied Anichino, 'I am sore
fearful lest it displease you, if I tell it you, and moreover I
misdoubt me you will tell it again to others.' Whereto rejoined she,
'Certes, it will not displease me, and thou mayst be assured that,
whatsoever thou sayest to me I will never tell to any, save whenas it
shall please thee.' Quoth he, 'Since you promise me this, I will e'en
tell it you.' Then, with tears in his eyes, he told her who he was and
what he had heard of her and when and how he was become enamoured of
her and why he had taken service with her husband and after humbly
besought her that it would please her have compassion on him and
comply with him in that his secret and so fervent desire, and in case
she willed not to do this, that she should suffer him to love her,
leaving him be in that his then present guise.
O singular blandness of the Bolognese blood! How art thou still to be
commended in such circumstance! Never wast thou desirous of tears or
sighs; still wast thou compliant unto prayers and amenable unto
amorous desires! Had I words worthy to commend thee, my voice should
never weary of singing thy praises. The gentle lady, what while
Anichino spoke, kept her eyes fixed on him and giving full credence to
his words, received, by the prevalence of his prayers, the love of him
with such might into her heart that she also fell a-sighing and
presently answered, 'Sweet my Anichino, be of good courage; neither
presents nor promises nor solicitations of nobleman or gentleman or
other (for I have been and am yet courted of many) have ever availed
to move my heart to love any one of them; but thou, in this small
space of time that thy words have lasted, hast made me far more thine
than mine own. Methinketh thou hast right well earned my love,
wherefore I give it thee and promise thee that I will cause thee have
enjoyment thereof ere this next night be altogether spent. And that
this may have effect, look thou come to my chamber about midnight. I
will leave the door open; thou knowest which side the bed I lie; do
thou come thither and if I sleep, touch me so I may awake, and I will
ease thee of this so long desire that thou hast had. And that thou
mayst believe this that I say, I will e'en give thee a kiss by way of
arles.' Accordingly, throwing her arms about his neck, she kissed him
amorously and he on like wise kissed her. These things said, he left
her and went to do certain occasions of his, awaiting with the
greatest gladness in the world the coming of the night.
Presently, Egano returned from fowling and being weary, betook himself
to bed, as soon as he had supper, and after him the lady, who left the
chamber-door open, as she had promised. Thither, at the appointed
hour, came Anichino and softly entering the chamber, shut the door
again from within; then, going up to the bed on the side where the
lady lay, he put his hand to her breast and found her awake. As soon
as she felt him come, she took his hand in both her own and held it
fast; then, turning herself about in the bed, she did on such wise
that Egano, who was asleep, awoke; whereupon quoth she to him, 'I
would not say aught to thee yestereve, for that meseemed thou was
weary; but tell me, Egano, so God save thee, whom holdest thou thy
best and trustiest servant and him who most loveth thee of those whom
thou hast in the house?' 'Wife,' answered Egano, 'what is this whereof
thou askest me? Knowest thou it not? I have not nor had aye any in
whom I so trusted and whom I loved as I love and trust in Anichino.
But why dost thou ask me thereof?'
Anichino, seeing Egano awake and hearing talk of himself, was sore
afraid lest the lady had a mind to cozen him and offered again and
again to draw his hand away, so he might begone; but she held it so
fast that he could not win free. Then said she to Egano, 'I will tell
thee. I also believed till to-day that he was even such as thou sayest
and that he was more loyal to thee than any other, but he hath
undeceived me; for that, what while thou wentest a-fowling to-day, he
abode here, and whenas it seemed to him time, he was not ashamed to
solicit me to yield myself to his pleasures, and I, so I might make
thee touch and see this thing and that it might not behove me certify
thee thereof with too many proofs, replied that I would well and that
this very night, after midnight, I would go into our garden and there
await him at the foot of the pine. Now for my part I mean not to go
thither; but thou, an thou have a mind to know thy servant's fidelity,
thou mayst lightly do it by donning a gown and a veil of mine and
going down yonder to wait and see if he will come thither, as I am
assured he will.' Egano hearing this, answered, 'Certes, needs must I
go see,' and rising, donned one of the lady's gowns, as best he knew
in the dark; then, covering his head with a veil, he betook himself to
the garden and proceeded to await Anichino at the foot of the pine.
As for the lady, as soon as she knew him gone forth of the chamber,
she arose and locked the door from within, whilst Anichino, (who had
had the greatest fright he had ever known and had enforced himself as
most he might to escape from the lady's hands, cursing her and her
love and himself who had trusted in her an hundred thousand times,)
seeing this that she had done in the end, was the joyfullest man that
was aye. Then, she having returned to bed, he, at her bidding, put off
his clothes and coming to bed to her, they took delight and pleasure