Page 192 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 192
“The Abbess and the Breeches“
A beautiful gentlewoman named Isabetta is a nun in a notice, either. They’re too excited to catch Isabetta in the
convent in Lombardy. Despite her professional situation, act. So the two lovers are surprised and Isabetta’s dragged
she falls in love with a man who accompanies a kinsman off to be scolded by the Abbess. At first, Isabetta’s utterly
of hers on a visit. They’re both intelligent people, so they mortified and can’t take her eyes off the floor. But as the
quickly find a way to be together inside the convent walls. shaming goes on, she looks up and sees the breeches
But they’re not all that careful in their meetings, so the (with suspenders) on top of the Abbess’ head. Isabetta
other nuns catch wind of what’s going on. The nuns decide knows how they got there and has the Abbess right where
to keep watch on Isabetta’s room so that they can catch she wants her. She asks the Abbess to “tie up her bonnet”
the lovers in flagrante. One night, the young lovers are before continuing with the scolding. The Abbess has to be
meeting and the nuns rush to the Abbess’ room to inform told twice before she sees Isabetta’s point. She knows that
her. But the Abbess is entertaining her own company: a the entire convent of nuns, including Isabetta, now knows
priest who she smuggles into her room in a chest. The what she’s been doing in her own cell. The Abbess changes
Abbess is so worried about getting out into the hall before her tune and tells the girls that such passions are natural
the nuns break down the door and find her “friend” that and must be obeyed. She pretty much makes an open bed
she doesn’t realize that she’s grabbed her lover’s pants and policy from then on, allowing lovers to visit anytime as long
put them on her head instead of her veils. The nuns don’t as they’re discreet about it.
“The Abbess and the Breeche” retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
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