the decameron(十日谈)-第94部分

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do；　and　thus　began。
　　Faire　Ladies；　at　such　time　as　the　good　King　William　reigned　in
Sicily；　there　lived　within　the　same　Dominion；　a　young　Gentleman；　named
Signior　Amarigo；　Abbot　of　Trapani；　who　among　his　other　worldly
blessings；　（commonly　termed　the　goods　of　Fortune）　was　not
unfurnished　of　children；　and　therefore　having　neede　of　servants；　he
made　his　provision　of　them　the　best　he　might。　At　that　time；　certaine
Gallies　of　Geneway　Pyrates　comming　from　the　Easterne　parts；　which
coasting　along　Armenia；　had　taken　divers　children；　he　bought　some　of
them；　thinking　that　they　were　Turkes。　They　all　resembling　clownish
Peazants；　yet　there　was　one　among　them；　who　seemed　to　be　of　more
tractable　and　gentle　nature；　yea；　and　of　a　more　affable　countenance
than　any　of　the　rest；　being　named　Theodoro：　who　growing　on　in
yeeres；　（albeit　he　lived　in　the　condition　of　a　servant）　was　educated
among　Amarigoes　Children；　and　as　enstructed　rather　by　nature；　then
accident；　his　conditions　were　very　much　commended；　as　also　the　feature
of　his　body；　which　proved　so　highly　pleasing　to　his　Master　Amarigo；
that　he　made　him　a　free　man；　and　imagining　him　to　be　a　Turke；　caused
him　to　be　baptized；　and　named　Pedro；　creating　him　superintendent　of
all　his　affaires；　and　reposing　his…chiefest　trust　in　him。
　　As　the　other　Children　of　Signior　Amarigo　grew　in　yeeres　and　stature；
so　did　a　Daughter　of　his；　named　Violenta；　a　very　goodly　and　beautifull
Damosell；　somewhat　over…long　kept　from　marriage　by　her　Fathers
covetousnesse；　and　casting　an　eye　of　good　liking　on　poore　Pedro。
Now；　albeit　shee　loved　him　very　dearly；　and　all　his　behaviour　was　most
pleasing　to　her；　yet　maiden　modesty　forbad　her　to　reveale　it；　till
Love　（too　long　concealed）　must　needes　disclose　it　selfe。　Which　Pedro
at　the　length　tooke　notice　of；　and　grew　so　forward　towards　her　in
equality　of　affection；　as　the　very　sight　of　her　was　his　onely
happinesse。　Yet　very　fearefull　he　was；　least　it　should　be　noted；
either　by　any　of　the　House；　or　the　Mayden　her　selfe：　who　yet　well
observed　it；　and　to　her　no　meane　contentment；　as　it　appeared　no
lesse　（on　the　other　side）　to　honest　Pedro。
　　While　thus　they　loved　together　meerely　in　dumbe　shewes；　not　daring
to　speake　to　each　other；　（though　nothing　more　desired）　to　finde　some
ease　in　this　their　oppressing　passions：　Fortune；　even　as　if　she
pittied　their　so　long　languishing；　enstructed　them　how　to　finde　out
a　way；　whereby　they　might　both　better　releeve　themselves。　Signior
Amarigo；　about　some　two　or　three　miles　distance　from　Trapani；　had　a
Countrey…House　or　Farme；　whereto　his　Wife；　with　her　Daughter　and
some　other　women；　used　oftentimes　to　make　their　resort；　as　it　were
in　sportfull　recreation；　Pedro　alwayes　being　diligent　to　man　them
thither。　One　time　among　the　rest；　it　came　to　passe；　as　often　it
falleth　out　in　the　Summer　season；　that　the　faire　Skie　became
suddenly　over…clouded；　even　as　they　were　returning　home　towards
Trapani；　threatning　a　storme　of　raine　to　overtake　them；　except　they
made　the　speedier　haste。
　　Pedro；　who　was　young；　and　likewise　Violenta；　went　farre　more　lightly
then　her　Mother　and　her　company；　as　much　perhaps　provoked　by　love；
as　feare　of　the　sudden　raine　falling；　and　paced　on　so　fast　before
them；　that　they　were　wholly　out　of　sight。　After　many　flashes　of
lightning；　and　a　few　dreadfull　clappes　of　thunder；　there　fell　such　a
tempestuous　showre　of　hayle；　as　compelled　the　Mother　and　her　traine　to
shelter　themselves　in　a　poore　Countrey…mans　Cottage。　Pedro　and
Violenta；　having　no　other　refuge；　ranne　likewise　into　a　poore
Sheepecoate；　so　over…ruined；　as　it　was　in　danger　to　fall　on　their
heads；　and　no　body　dwelt　in　it；　neither　stood　any　other　house　neere
it；　and　it　was　scarsely　any　shelter　for　them；　howbeit；　necessity
enforceth　to　make　shift　with　the　meanest。　The　storme　encreasing　more
and　more；　and　they　coveting　to　avoyd　it　as　well　as　they　could；
sighes　and　drie　hemmes　were　often　inter…vented；　as　dumbly　（before）
they　were　wont　to　doe；　when　willingly　they　could　affoord　another　kinde
of　speaking。
　　At　last　Pedro　tooke　heart；　and　saide：　I　would　this　showre　would
never　cease；　that　I　might　be　alwayes　where　I　am。　The　like　could　I
wish；　answered　Violenta；　so　we　were　in　a　better　place　of　safety。　These
wishes　drew　on　other　gentle　language；　with　modest　kisses　and　embraces；
the　onely　ease　to　poore　Lovers　soules；　so　that　the　raine　ceased　not；
till　they　had　taken　order　for　their　oftner　conversing；　and　absolute
plighting　of　their　faiths　together。　By　this　time　the　storme　was
fairely　over…blowne；　and　they　attending　on　the　way；　till　the　Mother
and　the　rest　were　come；　with　whom　they　returned　to　Trapani；　where　by
wise　and　provident　meanes；　they　often　conferred　in　private　together；
and　enjoyed　the　benefit　of　their　amorous　desires；　yet　free　from　any
ill　surmise　or　suspition。
　　But；　as　Lovers　felicities　are　sildome　permanent；　without　one
encountring　crosse　or　other：　so　these　stolne　pleasures　of　Pedro　and
Violenta；　met　with　as　sowre　a　sauce　in　the　farewell。　For　shee　proved
to　be　conceived　with　childe；　then　which　could　befall　them　no　heavier
affliction；　and　Pedro　fearing　to　loose　his　life　therefore；
determined　immediate　Right；　and　revealed　his　purpose　to　Violenta。
Which　when　she　heard；　she　told　him　plainly；　that　if　he　fled；
forth…with　she　would　kill　her　selfe。　Alas　deare　Love　（quoth　Pedro）
with　what　reason　can　you　wish　my　tarrying　here？　This　conception　of
yours；　doth　discover　our　offence；　which　a　Fathers　pity　may　easily
pardon　in　vou：　but　I　being　his　servant　and　vassall；　shall　be
punished　both　for　your　sinne　and　mine；　because　he　will　have　no　mercy
on　me。　Content　thy　selfe　Pedro；　replyed　Violenta；　I　will　take　such
order　for　mine　owne　offence；　by　the　discreete　counsell　of　my　loving
Mother；　that　no　blame　shall　any　way　be　taide　on　thee；　or　so　much　as
a　surmise；　except　thou　wilt　fondly　betray　thy　selfe。　If　you　can　do　so；
answered　Pedro；　and　constantly　maintaine　your　promise；　I　will　not
depart；　but　see　that　you　prove　to　bee　so　good　as　your　word。
　　Violenta；　who　had　concealed　her　amisse　so　long　as　she　could；　and　saw
no　other　remedy；　but　now　at　last　it　must　needes　be　discovered；　went
privately　to　her　Mother；　and　（in　teares）　revealed　her　infirmity；
humbly　craving　her　pardon；　and　furtherance　in　hiding　it　from　her
Father。　The　Mother　being　extraordinarily　displeased；　chiding　her
with　many　sharpe　and　angry　speeches；　would　needes　know　with　whom
shee　had　thus　offended。　The　Daughter　（to　keepe　Pedro　from　any
detection）　forged　a　Tale　of　her　owne　braine；　farre　from　any　truth
indeede；　which　her　Mother　verily　beleeving；　and　willing　to　preserve
her　Daughter　from　shame；　as　also　the　fierce　anger　of　her　Husband；　he
being　a　man　of　very　implacable　nature：　conveyed　her　to　the　Countrey
Farme；　whither　Signior　Amarigo　sildome　or　never　resorted；　intending
（under　the　shadow　of　sicknesse）　to　let　her　lye　in　there；　without　the
least　suspition　of　any　in　Trapani。
　　Sinne　and　shame　can　never　be　so　closely　carryed；　or　clouded　with　the
greatest　cunning；　but　truth　hath　a　loop…light　whereby　to　discover
it；　even　when　it　supposeth　it　selfe　in　the　surest　safety。　For；　on
the　very　day　of　her　detiverance；　at　such　time　as　the　Mother；　and
some　few　friends　（sworne　to　secrecy）　were　about　the　businesse；　Signior
Amarigo；　having　beene　in　company　of　other　Gentlemen；　to　flye　his　Hawke
at　the　River；　upon　a　sudden；　（but　very　unfortunately；　albeit　hee　was
alone　by　himselfe）　stept　into　his　Farm…house；　even　to　the　next　roome
where　the　women　were；　and　heard　the　newborne　Babe　to　cry；　whereat
marvelling　not　a　little；　he　called　for　his　Wife；　to　know　what　young
childe　cryed　in　his　House。　The　Mother；　amazed　at　his　strange　comming
thither；　which　never　before　he　had　used　to　doe；　and　pittying　the
wofull　distresse　of　her　Daughter；　which　now　could　bee　no　longer
covered；　revealed　what　happened　to　Violenta。　But　he；　being　nothing
so　rash　in　beliefe；　as　his　Wife　was；　made　answere；　that　it　was
impossible　for　his　Daughter　to　be　conceived　with　childe；　because　he
never　observed　the　least　signe　of　love　in　her　to　any　man　whatsoever；
and　therefore　he　would　be　satisfied　in　the　truth；　as　shee　expected　any
favour　from　him；　or　else　there　was　no　other　way　but　death。
　　The　Mother　laboured　by　all　meanes　she　could　devise；　to　pacifie　her
Husbands　fury；　which　proved　all　in　vaine；　for　being　thus　impatiently
incensed；　he　drew　foorth　his　Sword；　and　stepping　with　it　drawne　into
the　Chamber　（where　she　had　bene　delivered　of　a　goodly　Sonne）　he　said
unto　her。　Either　tell　me　who　is　the　Father　of　this　Bastard；　or　thou
and　it　shall　perish　both　together。　Poore　Violenta；　lesse　respecting
her　owne　life；　then　she　did　the　childes；　forgot　her　solemne　promise
made　to　Pedro；　and　discovered　all。　Which　when　Amarigo　had　heard；　he
grew　so　desperately　enraged；　that　hardly　he　could　forbeare　from
killing　her。　But　after　hee　had　spoken　what　his　fury　enstructed　him；
hee　mounted　on　Horsebacke　againe；　ryding　backe　to　Trapani；　where　hee
disclosed　the　injury　which　Pedro　had　done　him；　to　a　noble　Gentleman；
named　Signior　Conrado；　who　was　Captaine　for　the　King　over　the　City。
　　Before　poore　Pedro　could　have　any　intelligence；　or　so　much　as
suspected　any　treachery　against　him；　he　was　suddenly　apprehended；
and　being　called　in　question；　stood　not　on　any　deniall；　but
confessed　truly　what　hee　had　done：　whereupon；　within　some　few　dayes
after；　he　was　condemned　by　the　Captaine；　to　be　whipt　to　the　place　of
execution；　and　afterward　to　be　hanged　by　the　necke。　Signior　Amarigo；
because　he　would　cut　off　（at　one　and　the　same　time）　not　onely　the
lives　of　the　two　poore　Lovers；　but　their　childes　also；　as　a
franticke　man；　violently　carried　from　all　sense　of　compassion；　even
when　Pedro　was　led　and　whipt　to　his　death：　he　mingled　strong　poyson　in
a　Cup　of　wine；　delivering　it　to　a　trusty　servant　of　his　owne；　and　a
naked　Rapier　withall；　speaking　to　him　in　this　manner。　Goe　carry
these　two　presents　to　my　late　Daughter　Violenta；　and　tell　her　from　me；
that　in　this　instant　houre；　two　severall　kinds　of　death　are　offered
unto　her；　and　one　of　them　she　must　make　choyce　of；　either　to　drinke
the　poyson；　and　so　dye；　or　to　run　her　body　on　this　Rapiers　point；
which　if　she　denie　to　doe；　she　shall　be　haled　to　the　publike　market