Page 74 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 74

“Gillette of Narbonne and Bertrand of Roussillon“



             We start out in France, where the hypochondriac                              special ring and is carrying his child in her arms. Gillette
             Bertrand Count Roussillon keeps a doctor on retainer.                        isn’t one to back down from a challenge. She dresses like
             The Count has an only son, Bertrand. The doctor’s called                     a poor pilgrim, packs up her jewels and money, and heads

             Gerard of Narbonne and he has a lovely daughter named                        for Florence. She learns that her husband has fallen in
             Gillette. She’s crazy in love with Bertrand. Both young                      love with a poor girl there. Only the girl’s virtuous mother
             people lose their fathers (guess some hypochondriacs                         has been able to keep Bertrand at bay. Gillette reveals

             really are sick).  Bertrand’s sent off to Paris and Gillette                 her identity to the mother of this girl and tells her story.
             has to stay at home. She’s seriously deflated by this.                       Also, she has a plan. She wants to trick her husband into
             Although Gillette’s a pretty eligible bachelorette, she                      sleeping with her by convincing him that he’s actually

             refuses all other suitors. She’s still bonkers for Bertrand.                 making love to the young girl. Gillette promises her
             Then Fortune gives her an opening: the King of France                        mother that no harm will come to the daughter and that

             has a chest tumor. And guess what? He lives in Paris,                        she won’t have to do anything awful. They start by telling
             where a certain special someone also lives. And guess                        Bertrand that the girl has demanded his special ring as
             what again? Gillette has a lot of medical knowledge                          a token of devotion. Of course, he sends it. Then, the

             from watching her dad. She’s ready to bargain with the                       women manage to get him into bed with his proper wife,
             King to get her hands on Bertrand. Gillette promises to                      who’s hoping to get pregnant as quickly as possible.
             cure the King in one week. If not, he can burn her at the                    While this is going on, Bertrand gives Gillette a precious

             stake. Now that’s confidence. The King sees that she isn’t                   jewel every morning before he leaves her. Remember, he
             married, so he promises to make her a good marriage if                       still thinks he’s sleeping with the young girl. Gillette saves
             he succeeds. Gillette adds a proviso: she gets to choose                     them up. After a short time, Gillette gets pregnant with

             the man. Of course, Gillette succeeds. Guess who she                         twin boys. She knows it’s time to get out of town, so she
             chooses? Bertrand’s not pleased. Gillette’s a she-doctor.                    gives the mother over 1,000 pounds as a dowry for the

             He thinks he deserves someone more high class. The                           young daughter. The mother wisely packs up her girl and
             king tells him to quit whining Gillette is beautiful and                     goes to live in the country. Bertrand returns to his estate
             intelligent. Bertrand sulks for a while and then concocts                    in France because his nobles tell him that Gillette is gone.

             a plan of his own. He tells the king he will “consummate”                    Gillette stays in Florence until her twin boys are weaned.
             the marriage at his estate. Instead, he takes side trips                     Then she makes her way to France to take Bertrand up on

             to Tuscany to wage war with the Florentines against                          his promise. She confronts Bertrand in public and charges
             the Siennese. Gillette is left high and dry. She keeps it                    him to honor his promise. She shows the boys (who look
             together and goes to her husband’s estate in France.                         just like Bertrand) and the ring. Bertrand is freaked out.

             Gillette rules wisely and everyone loves her. Gossip starts                  Gillette explains the whole plot. Seeing that she went
             that Bertrand’s a bad Count. Gillette writes to Bertrand                     through so much trouble to get him, Bertrand decides
             to say that she’ll go away if only he’ll return to govern                    that he should take her as his wife. He kisses her and

             his estate himself. Bertrand says “Whatever” and issues                      they live happily ever after, which means that he never
             a challenge: he’ll live with her when she’s wearing his                      tried to disown her again.




                                                                                                                              “Ferondo and the Abbot” Retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
     DECAMERON      74                                                                                      <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/third-day-eighth-story>
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