the decameron(十日谈)-第107部分

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as　also　kinde　compassion　to　the　unfortunate　woman；　out　of　which
compassion；　sprung　an　earnest　desire；　to　deliver　her　（if　he　could）
from　a　death　so　full　of　anguish　and　horror：　but　seeing　himselfe　to
be　without　Armes；　he　ran　and　pluckt　up　the　plant　of　a　Tree；　which
handling　as　if　it　had　bene　a　staffe；　he　opposed　himselfe　against　the
Dogges　and　the　Knight；　who　seeing　him　comming；　cryed　out　in　this
manner　to　him。　Anastasio；　put　not　thy　selfe　in　any　opposition；　but
referre　to　my　Hounds　and　me；　to　punish　this　wicked　woman　as　she　hath
justly　deserved。　And　in　speaking　these　words；　the　Hounds　tooke　fast
hold　on　her　body；　so　staying　her；　untill　the　Knight　was　come　neerer　to
her；　and　alighted　from　his　horse：　when　Anastasio　（after　some　other
angry　speeches）　spake　thus　unto　him：　I　cannot　tell　what　or　who　thou
art；　albeit　thou　takest　such　knowledge　of　me；　yet　I　must　say；　that
it　is　meere　cowardize　in　a　Knight；　being　armed　as　thou　art；　to　offer
to　kill　a　naked　woman；　and　make　thy　dogges　thus　to　seize　on　her；　as　if
she　were　a　savage　beast；　therefore　beleeve　me；　I　will　defend　her　so
farre　as　I　am　able。
　　Anastasio；　answered　the　Knight；　I　am　of　the　same　City　as　thou　art；
and　do　well　remember；　that　thou　wast　a　little　Ladde；　when　I　（who　was
then　named　Guido　Anastasio；　and　thine　Unckle）　became　as　intirely　in
love　with　this　woman；　as　now　thou　art　of　Paulo　Traversarioes　daughter。
But　through　her　coy　disdaine　and　cruelty；　such　was　my　heavy　fate；　that
desperately　I　slew　my　selfe　with　this　short　sword　which　thou　beholdest
in　mine　hand：　for　which　rash　sinfull　deede；　I　was；　and　am　condemned　to
eternall　punishment。　This　wicked　woman；　rejoycing　immeasurably　in　mine
unhappy　death；　remained　no　long　time　alive　after　me；　and　for　her
mercilesse　sinne　of　cruelty；　and　taking　pleasure　in　my　oppressing
torments；　dying　unrepentant；　and　in　pride　of　her　scorne；　she　had　the
like　sentence　of　condemnation　pronounced　on　her；　and　sent　to　the
same　place　where　I　was　tormented。
　　There　the　three　impartiall　judges；　imposed　this　further　infliction
on　us　both；　namely；　that　she　should　flye　in　this　manner　before　me；　and
I　（who　loved　her　so　deerely　while　I　lived）　must　pursue　her　as　my
deadly　enemy；　not　like　a　woman　that　had　a　taste　of　love　in　her。　And　so
often　as　I　can　overtake　her；　I　am　to　kill　her　with　this　sword；　the
same　Weapon　wherewith　I　slew　my　selfe。　Then　am　I　enjoyned；　therewith
to　open　her　accursed　body；　and　teare　out　her　hard　and　frozen　heart；
with　her　other　inwards；　as　now　thou　seest　me　doe；　which　I　give　unto　my
Hounds　to　feede　on。　Afterward；　such　is　the　appointment　of　the　supreame
powers；　that　she　re…assumeth　life　againe；　even　as　if　she　had　not
bene　dead　at　all；　and　falling　to　the　same　kinde　of　flight；　I　with　my
Hounds　am　still　to　follow　her；　without　any　respite　or　intermission。
Every　Friday；　and　just　at　this　houre；　our　course　is　this　way；　where
she　suffereth　the　just　punishment　inflicted　on　her。　Nor　do　we　rest　any
of　the　other　dayes；　but　are　appointed　unto　other　places；　where　she
cruelly　executed　her　malice　against　me；　being　now　（of　her　deare
affectionate　friend）　ordained　to　be　her　endlesse　enemy；　and　to
pursue　her　in　this　manner　for　so　many　yeares；　as　she　exercised　moneths
of　cruelty；　towards　me。　Hinder　me　not　then；　in　being　the　executioner
of　divine　justice；　for　all　thy　interposition　is　but　in　vaine；　in
seeking　to　crosse　the　appointment　of　supreame　powers。
　　Anastasio　having　attentively　heard　all　this　discourse；　his　haire
stood　upright　like　Porcupines　quils；　and　his　soule　was　so　shaken
with　the　terror；　that　he　stept　backe　to　suffer　the　Knight　to　do　what
he　was　enjoyned；　looking　yet　with　milde　commisseration　on　the　poore
woman。　Who　kneeling　Most　humbly　before　the　Knight；　and　stearnely
seized　on　by　the　two　blood…hounds；　he　opened　her　brest　with　his
weapon；　drawing　foorth　her　heart　and　bowels；　which　instantly　he
threw　to　the　dogges；　and　they　devoured　them　very　greedily。　Soone
after；　the　Damosell　（as　if　none　of　this　punishment　had　bene
inflicted　on　her）　started　up　sodainly；　running　amaine　towards　the
Sea　shore；　and　the　Hounds　swiftly　following　her；　as　the　Knight　did　the
like；　after　he　had　taken　his　sword；　and　was　mounted　on　horsebacke；
so　that　Anastasio　had　soone　lost　all　sight　of　them；　and　could　not
gesse　what　was　become　of　them。
　　After　he　had　heard　and　observed　all　these　things；　he　stoode　a
while　as　confounded　with　feare　and　pitty；　like　a　simple　silly　man；
hoodwinkt　with　his　owne　passions；　not　knowing　the　subtle　enemies
cunning　illusions　in　offering　false　suggestions　to　the　sight；　to　worke
his　owne　ends　thereby；　and　encrease　the　number　of　his　deceived
servants。　Forthwith　he　perswaded　himselfe；　that　he　might　make　good　use
of　this　womans　tormenting；　so　justly　imposed　on　the　Knight　to
prosecute；　if　thus　it　should　continue　still　every　Friday。　Wherefore；
setting　a　good　note　or　marke　upon　the　place；　he　returned　backe　to
his　owne　people；　and　at　such　time　as　he　thought　convenient；　sent　for
divers　of　his　kindred　and　friends　from　Ravenna；　who　being　present　with
him；　thus　he　spake　to　them。
　　Deare　Kinsmen　and　Friends；　ye　have　a　long　while　importuned　me；　to
discontinue　my　over…doating　love　to　her；　whom　you　all　thinke；　and　I
find　to　be　my　mortall　enemy：　as　also；　to　give　over　my　lavish　expences；
wherein　I　confesse　my　selfe　too　prodigall；　both　which　requests　of
yours；　I　will　condiscend　to；　provided；　that　you　will　performe　one
gracious　favour　for　me；　Namely；　that　on　Friday　next；　Signior　Paulo
Traversario；　his　wife；　daughter；　with　all　other　women　linked　in　linage
to　them；　and　such　beside　onely　as　you　shall　please　to　appoint；　will
vouchsafe　to　accept　a　dinner　heere　with　wi　me；　as　for　the　reason
thereto　mooving　me；　you　shall　then　more　at　large　be　acquainted
withall。　This　appeared　no　difficult　matter　for　them　to　accomplish：
wherefore；　being　returned　to　Ravenna；　and　as　they　found　the　time
answerable　to　their　purpose；　they　invited　such　as　Anastasio　had
appointed　them。　And　although　they　found　it　some…what　an　hard　matter；
to　gaine　her　company　whom　he　so　deerely　affected；　yet　notwithstanding；
the　other　women　won　her　along　with　them。
　　A　most　magnificent　dinner　had　Anastasio　provided；　and　the　tables
were　covered　under　the　Pine…trees；　where　he　saw　the　cruell　Lady　so
pursued　and　slaine：　directing　the　guests　so　in　their　seating；　that　the
yong　Gentlewoman　his　unkinde　Mistresse；　sate　with　her　face　opposite
unto　the　place；　where　the　dismall　spectacle　was　to　be　seene。　About　the
closing　up　of　dinner；　they　beganne　to　heare　the　noise　of　the　poore
prosecuted　Woman；　which　drove　them　all　to　much　admiration；　desiring　to
know　what　it　was；　and　no　one　resolving　them；　they　arose　from　the
Tables；　and　looking　directly　as　the　noise　came　to　them；　they　espyed
the　wofull　Woman；　the　Dogges　eagerly　pursuing　her；　and　the　armed
Knight　on　horsebacke；　gallopping　fiercely　after　them　with　his　drawne
weapon；　and　came　very　nere　unto　the　company；　who　cryed　out　with　lowd
exclaimes　against　the　dogs　and　the　Knight；　stepping　forth　in
assistance　of　the　injured　woman。
　　The　Knight　spake　unto　them；　as　formerly　he　had　done　to　Anastasio；
（which　made　them　draw　backe；　possessed　with　feare　and　admiration）
acting　the　same　cruelty　as　he　did　the　Friday　before；　not　differing
in　the　least　degree。　Most　of　the　Gentlewomen　there　present；　being
neere　allyed　to　the　unfortunate　Woman；　and　likewise　to　the　Knight；
remembring　well　both　his　love　and　death；　did　shed　teares　as
plentifully；　as　if　it　had　bin　to　the　very　persons　themselves；　in
usuall　performance　of　the　action　indeede。　Which　tragicall　Sceene　being
passed　over；　and　the　Woman　and　Knight　gone　out　of　their　sight：　all
that　had　seene　this　straunge　accident；　fell　into　diversity　of　confused
opinions；　yet　not　daring　to　disclose　them；　as　doubting　some　further
danger　to　ensue　thereon。
　　But　beyond　all　the　rest；　none　could　compare　in　feare　and
astonishment　with　the　cruell　yong　Maide　affected　by　Anastasio；　who
both　saw　and　observed　all　with　a　more　inward　apprehension；　knowing
very　well；　that　the　morall　of　this　dismall　spectacle；　carried　a　much
neerer　application　to　her　then　any　other　in　all　the　company。　For　now
she　could　call　to　mind；　how　unkinde　and　cruell　she　had　shewne　her
selfe　to　Anastasio；　even　as　the　other　Gentlewoman　formerly　did　to
her　Lover；　still　flying　from　him　in　great　contempt　and　scorne：　for
which；　she　thought　the　Blood…hounds　also　pursued　her　at　the　heeles
already；　and　a　sword　of　vengeance　to　mangle　her　body。　This　feare
grew　so　powerfull　in　her；　that　to　prevent　the　like　heavy　doome　from
falling　on　her；　she　studied　（by　all　her　best　and　commendable　meanes；
and　therein　bestowed　all　the　night　season）　how　to　change　her　hatred
into　kinde　love；　which　at　the　length　she　fully　obtained；　and　then
purposed　to　prosecute　in　this　manner。
　　Secretly　she　sent　a　faithfull　Chambermaide　of　her　owne；　to　greete
Anastasio　on　her　behalfe；　humbly　entreating　him　te　come　see　her：
because　now　she　was　absolutely　determined；　to　give　him　satisfaction　in
all　which　（with　honour）　he　could　request　of　her。　Whereto　Anastasio
answered；　that　he　accepted　her　message　thankfully；　and　desired　no
other　favour　at　her　hand；　but　that　which　stood　with　her　owne　offer；
namely；　to　be　his　Wife　in　honourable　marriag