Page 158 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 158

“Lodovico and Beatrice“



              Lodovico is the only child of a Florentine nobleman-turned-                 that she’ll leave the door open and making sure he knew
              merchant. He was sent to the French royal household to be                   which side of the bed was hers. So the next night, he slips

              brought up among other young noblemen. One day, Lodovico                    into bed with her. Egano’s there, too. Then Beatrice does
              was hanging around with the lads, debating the beauty of                    something that makes Anichino’s heart stop: she wakes up
              women from different countries when some knights returned                   her husband. She asks Egano who his most trusted servant
              from crusade told them of the beauty of one Madonna                         is (she knows it’s Anichino). Beatrice tells him that his trust is

              Beatrice. Beatrice was from Bologna and, unfortunately for                  misplaced. Beatrice makes him believe that Anichino is down
              them, was married to Egano de’ Galluzzi. Young Lodovico’s                   in the garden at that very moment, waiting for her. If Egano
              very taken by all this talk about Beatrice and decides to                   wants proof, all he has to do is put on a dress, pretend to
              go to Bologna to catch a glimpse of her. He tells his father                be Beatrice and go into the garden. Of course, Egano goes.

              that he wants to go visit the Holy Sepulcher, takes on the                  Beatrice bolts the door behind him and has Anichino all to
              name Anichino, and makes his way to Bologna. Anichino                       herself. When they’ve finished up with each other, Beatrice
              sees Beatrice and realizes that her description was totally                 tells him to get a big stick and go into the garden. She tells
              accurate and then some. And now he’s seriously determined                   him to say that he was putting Beatrice to the test and then

              to win her affection. He decides the best way to do this is                 to go ahead and beat up her husband pretending the whole
              to be Egano’s servant. So he sells his horses, asks his own                 time that he doesn’t know it isn’t Beatrice. So Anichino does
              servants to pretend not to know him and moves into his                      just this, cursing “Beatrice” out for being a brazen hussy
              new job at Egano and Beatrice’s house. Pretty soon, Egano                   who dared accuse him of betraying his master. When Egano

              completely relies on Anichino. One day, Beatrice invites                    returns to Beatrice, he’s covered in bruises, but he’s kind of
             Anichino to play chess with her. Her husband’s away from                     happy. Anichino really is a good guy and deserves a reward.
              home. He lets her win. After the “defeat,” he reveals himself               And Egano’s convinced that he has the best servant and
              to her. She takes a shine to him immediately and kisses                     most faithful wife. Beatrice and Egano carry on as long as

              him. She invites him to her room the next night, saying                     Anichino works for her husband.

















                                                                                                                               “Lodovico and Beatrice” retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
     DECAMERON      158                                                                                   <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/seventh-day-seventh-story>
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