the decameron(十日谈)-第84部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


her　thence　unto　Rhodes；　being　imbarked；　they　set　saile　upon　their
Bon　viaggio。
　　Chynon；　who　slept　not　in　a　businesse　so　earnestly　importing　him；　set
on　them　（the　day　following）　with　his　Ship；　and　standing　aloft　on　the
decke；　cryed　out　to　them　that　had　the　charge　of　Iphigenia；　saying。
Strike　your　sayles；　or　else　determine　to　be　sunke　in　the　Sea。　The
enemies　to　Chynon；　being　nothing　danted　with　his　words；　prepared　to
stand　upon　their　owne　defence；　which　made　Chynon；　after　the　former
speeches　delivered；　and　no　answer　returned；　to　command　the　grapling
Irons　to　be　cast　forth；　which　tooke　such　fast　hold　on　the　Rhodians
shippe；　that　（whether　they　would　or　no）　both　the　vessels　joyned
close　together。　And　he　shewing　himselfe　fierce　like　a　Lyon；　not
tarrying　to　be　seconded　by　any；　stepped　aboord　the　Rhodians　ship；　as
if　he　made　no　respect　at　all　of　them；　and　having　his　sword　ready
drawne　in　his　hand　（incited　by　the　vertue　of　unfaigned　love）　laied
about　him　on　all　sides　very　manfully。　Which　when　the　men　of　Rhodes
perceived；　casting　downe　their　weapons；　and　all　of　them　（as　it　were）
with　one　voyce；　yeelded　themselves　his　prisoners：　whereupon　he　said。
　　Honest　Friends；　neither　desire　of　booty；　nor　hatred　to　you；　did
occasion　my　departure　from　Cyprus；　thus　to　assaile　you　with　drawne
weapons：　but　that　which　hereto　hath　most　mooved　me；　is　a　matter　highly
importing　to　me；　and　very　easie　for　you　to　grant；　and　so　enjoy　your
present　peace。　I　desire　to　have　faire　Iphigenia　from　you；　whom　I
love　above　all　other　Ladies　living；　because　I　could　not　obtaine　her　of
her　father；　to　make　her　my　lawfull　wife　in　marriage。　Love　is　the
ground　of　my　instant　Conquest；　and　I　must　use　you　as　my　mortall
enemies；　if　you　stand　upon　any　further　tearmes　with　me；　and　do　not
deliver　her　as　mine　owne：　for　your　Pasimondo；　must　not　enjoy　what　is
my　right；　first　by　vertue　of　my　love；　and　now　by　Conquest：　Deliver　her
therefore；　and　depart　hence　at　your　pleasure。
　　The　men　of　Rhodes；　being　rather　constrained　thereto；　then　of　any
free　disposition　in　themselves；　with　teares　in　their　eyes；　delivered
Iphigenia　to　Chynon；　who　beholding　her　in　like　manner　to　weepe；　thus
spake　unto　her。　Noble　Lady；　do　not　any　way　discomfort　your　selfe；
for　I　am　your　Chynon；　who　have　more　right　and　true　title　to　you；　and
much　better　doe　deserve　to　enjoy　you；　by　my　long　continued　affection
to　you；　then　Pasimondo　can　any　way　plead；　because　you　belong　to　him
but　onely　by　promise。　So；　bringing　her　aboord　his　owne　ship；　where　the
Gentlemen　his　companions　gave　her　kinde　welcome；　without　touching
any　thing　else　belonging　to　the　Rhodians；　he　gave　them　free　liberty　to
depart。
　　Chynon　being　more　joyfull；　by　the　obtaining　of　his　hearts　desire；
then　any　other　conquest　else　in　the　world　could　make　him；　after　he　had
spent　some　time　in　comforting　Iphigenia；　who　as　yet　sate　sadly
sighing；　he　consulted　with　his　companions；　who　joyned　with　him　in
opinion；　that　their　safest　course　was；　by　no　meanes　to　returne　to
Cyprus；　and　therefore　all　（with　one　consent）　resolved　to　set　saile　for
Candye；　where　every　one　made　account；　but　especially　Chynon；　in　regard
of　ancient　and　new　combined　Kindred；　as　also　very　intimate　friends；　to
finde　very　worthy　entertainement；　and　so　to　continue　there　safely　with
Iphigenia。　But　Fortune；　who　was　so　favourable　to　Chynon；　in　granting
him　so　pleasing　a　Conquest；　to　shew　her　constancy；　so　sodainly　changed
the　inestimable　joy　of　our　jocond　Lover；　into　as　heavy　sorrow　and
disaster。　For；　foure　houres　were　not　fully　compleated；　since　his
departure　from　the　Rhodians；　but　darke　night　came　upon　them；　and　he
sitting　conversing　with　his　faire　Mistresse；　in　the　sweetest　solace　of
his　soule；　the　winds　began　to　blow　roughly；　the　Seas　swelled
angerly；　and　a　tempest　arose　impetuously；　that　no　man　could　see　what
his　duty　was　to　do；　in　such　a　great　unexpected　distresse；　nor　how　to
warrant　themselves　from　perishing。
　　If　this　accident　were　displeasing　to　poore　Chynon；　I　thinke　the
question　were　in　vaine　demanded：　for　now　it　seemeth　to　him；　that　the
Godds　had　granted　his　cheefe　desire；　to　the　end　he　should　dye　with　the
greater　anguish；　in　losing　both　his　love　and　life　together。　His
friends　likewise；　felte　the　selfesame　affliction；　but　especially
Iphigenia；　who　wept　and　greeved　beyond　all　measure；　to　see　the　ship
beaten　with　such　stormy　billowes；　as　threatned　her　sinking　every
minute。　Impatiently　she　cursed　the　love　of　Chynon；　greatly　blaming　his
desperate　boldnesse；　and　maintaining；　that　so　violent　a　tempest
could　never　happen；　but　onely　by　the　Gods　displeasure；　who　would　not
permit　him　to　have　a　wife　against　their　will；　and　therefore　thus
punished　his　proud　presumption；　not　onely　in　his　unavoidable　death；
but　also　that　her　life　must　perish　for　company。
　　She　continuing　in　these　wofull　lamentations；　and　the　Mariners
labouring　all　in　vaine；　because　the　violence　of　the　tempest
encreased　more　and　more；　so　that　every　moment　they　expected
wracking：　they　were　carried　（contrary　to　their　owne　knowledge）　very
neere　unto　the　Isle　of　Rhodes；　which　they　being　no　way　able　to
avoyd；　and　utterly　ignorant　of　the　Coast；　for　safety　of　their　lives；
they　laboured　to　land　there　if　possibly　they　might。　Wherein　Fortune
was　somewhat　furtherous　to　them；　driving　them　into　a　small　gulfe　of
the　Sea；　whereinto　（but　a　little　while　before）　the　Rhodians；　from　whom
Chynon　had　taken　Iphigenia；　were　newly　entred　with　their　ship。　Nor　had
they　any　knowledge　each　of　other；　till　the　breake　of　day　（which　made
the　heavens　to　looke　more　clearly）　gave　them　discovery　of　being　within
a　flight　shoote　together。　Chynon　looking　forth；　and　espying　the　same
ship　which　he　had　left　the　day　before；　hee　grew　exceeding
sorrowfull；　as　fearing　that　which　after　followed；　and　therefore　hee
willed　the　Mariners；　to　get　away　from　her　by　all　their　best　endeavour；
and　let　fortune　afterward　dispose　of　them　as　she　pleased；　for　into　a
worse　place　they　could　not　come；　nor　fall　into　the　like　danger。
　　The　Mariners　employed　their　very　utmost　paines；　and　all　proved　but
losse　of　time：　for　the　winde　was　so　sterne；　and　the　waves　so
turbulent；　that　still　they　drove　them　the　contrary　way：　so　that
striving　to　get　forth　of　the　gulfe；　whether　they　would　or　no；　they
were　driven　on　land；　and　instantly　knowne　to　the　Rhodians；　whereof
they　were　not　a　little　joyfull。　The　men　of　Rhodes　being　landed；　ran
presently　to　the　neere…neighbouring　Villages；　where　dwelt　divers
worthy　Gentlemen；　to　whom　they　reported　the　arrivall　of　Chynon；　what
fortune　befell　them　at　Sea；　and　that　Iphigenia　might　now　be
recovered　againe　with　chastisement　to　Chynon　for　his　bold　insolence。
They　being　very　joyfull　of　these　good　newes；　took　so　many　men　as
they　could　of　the　same　Village；　and　ran　immediately　to　the　Sea　side；
where　Chynon　being　newly　Landed　and　his　people；　intending　flight
into　a　neere　adjoyning　Forrest；　for　defence　of　himselfe　and　Iphigenia；
they　were　all　taken；　led　thence　to　the　Village；　and　afterwards　to
the　chiefe　City　of　Rhodes。
　　No　sooner　were　they　arrived；　but　Pasimondo；　the　intended　Husband　for
Iphigenia　（who　had　already　heard　the　tydings）　went　and　complained　to
the　Senate；　who　appointed　a　Gentleman　of　Rhodes　named　Lysimachus；
and　being　that　yeere　soveraigne　Magistrate　over　the　Rhodians；　to　go
well　provided　for　the　apprehension　of　Chynon　and　his　company；
committing　them　to　prison；　which　accordingly　was　done。　In　this　manner；
the　poore　unfortunate　lover　Chynon；　lost　his　faire　Iphigenia；　having
won　her　in　so　short　a　while　before；　and　scarsely　requited　with　so　much
as　a　kisse。　But　as　for　Iphigenia；　she　was　royally　welcommed　by　many
Lords　and　Ladies　of　Rhodes；　who　so　kindely　comforted　her；　that　she
soone　forgotte　all　her　greefe　and　trouble　on　the　Sea；　remaining　in
company　of　those　Ladies　and　Gentlewomen；　untill　the　day　determined　for
her　marriage。
　　At　the　earnest　entreaty　of　divers　Rhodian　Gentlemen；　who　were　in　the
Ship　with　Iphigenia；　and　had　their　lives　courteously　saved　by
Chynon：　both　he　and　his　friends　had　their　lives　likewise　spared；
although　Pasimondo　laboured　importunately；　to　have　them　all　put　to
death；　onely　they　were　condemned　to　perpetuall　imprisonment；　which
（you　must　thinke）　was　most　greevous　to　them；　as　being　now　hopelesse　of
any　deliverance。　But　in　the　meane　time；　while　Pasimondo　was　ordering
his　nuptiall　preparation；　Fortune　seeming　to　repent　the　wrongs　she　had
done　to　Chynon；　prepared　a　new　accident；　whereby　to　comfort　him　in
this　deepe　distresse；　and　in　such　manner　as　I　will　relate　unto　you。
　　Pasimondo　had　a　Brother；　yonger　then　he　in　yeeres；　but　not　a　jot
inferiour　to　him　in　vertue；　whose　name　was　Hormisda；　and　long　time　the
case　had　bene　in　question；　for　his　taking　to　wife　a　faire　young
Gentlewoman　of　Rhodes；　called　Cassandra；　whom　Lysimachus　the　Governour
loved　very　dearly；　and　hindred　her　marriage　with　Hormisda；　by　divers
strange　accidents。　Now　Pasimondo　perceiving；　that　his　owne　Nuptials
required　much　cost　and　solemnity；　hee　thought　it　very　convenient；　that
one　day　might　serve　for　both　their　Weddings；　which　else　would　lanch
into　more　lavish　expences；　and　therefore　concluded；　that　his　brother
Hormisda　should　marry　Cassandra；　at　the　same　time　as　he　wedded
Iphigenia。　Hereupon；　he　consulted　with　the　Gentlewomans　parents；　who
liking　the　motion　as　well　as　he；　the　determination　was　set　downe；
and　one　day　to　effect　the　duties　of　both。
　　When　this　came　to　the　hearing　of　Lysimachus；　it　was　very　greatly
displeasing　to　him；　because　now　he　saw　himselfe　utterly　deprived　of　al
hope　to　attaine　the　issue　of　his　desire；　if　Hormisda　received
Cassandra　in　marriage。　Yet　being　a　very　wise　and　worthy　man；　he
dissembled　his　distaste；　and　began　to　consider　on　some　apt　meanes；
whereby　to　disappoint　the　marriage　once　more；　which　he　found
impossible　to　be　done；　except　it　were　by　way　of　rape　or　stealth。　And
that　did　not　appeare　to　him　any　difficult　matter；　in　regard　of　his
Office　and　Authority：　onely　it　would　seeme　dishonest　in　him；　by　giving
such　an　unfitting　example。　Neverthelesse；　after　long　deliberation；
honour　gave　way　to　love；　and　resolutely　he　concluded　to　steale　her
away；　whatsoever　became　of　it。
　　Nothing　wanted　now；　but　a　convenient　company　to　assist　him；　and
the　ord