Page 160 - A Homage to Giovanni Boccaccio by Petru Rusu

Love and Deception: Madonna Isabella

This novella recounts the ingenious and bold actions of Madonna

Isabella as she masterfully navigates a chaotic and compromising
situation. Themes of wit, deception, and romantic escapades frame
the story.

Madonna Isabella enjoys a secret rendezvous with her lover, Leonetto,
when Messer Lambertuccio, another admirer, arrives unannounced
and professes his love for her. Adding to the predicament, her
husband unexpectedly returns home at the same moment.

Thinking quickly, Madonna Isabella orchestrates a clever
scheme. She hides Leonetto in one room and convinces Messer

Lambertuccio to leave the house, brandishing his sword to ensure
he looks the part of a departing defender. This act dissuades her
husband from suspecting anything amiss.

Meanwhile, once her husband is pacified, she arranges for him

to personally escort Leonetto home, under the guise of aiding a
nobleman in need. The husband, oblivious to the true relationship
between Isabella and Leonetto, complies without question.

The tale concludes with Madonna Isabella emerging unscathed,
her cunning and resourcefulness preserving her secrets and her
composure.

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