Page 112 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron Dioneo, being bidden by the king to tell his tale, began with a sigh of relief, draught and exhausted its efficacy. Though his senses had recovered,
"I have been sorely troubled, as I am sure you have been too, my ladies,
his brain remained in a torpor, leaving him bemused. When he opened
his eyes and saw nothing, he stretched his hands and found himself in
by the woeful histories of ill-starred love. I have longed for them to end,
the chest. It took him a while to collect his thoughts. "How is this?" he
and now that they have, thank God, I will not add to such sorrowful tales.
wondered. "Where am I? Do I sleep or wake? I remember coming to my
Instead, I will tell a story of a more cheerful sort, which may even suggest
lady's chamber, and now I am in a chest. What does this mean? Could
tomorrow's argument.
Not long ago, in Salerno, there lived a renowned surgeon named Master
lady to hide me here while I slept? That must be it."
Mazzeo della Montagna. In his old age, he married a fair young woman the leech have returned, or did something else happen that caused the
from the same city, whom he adorned with the finest dresses, jewels, Having come to this conclusion, he listened for any sounds. Feeling
and other finery. However, she was often left cold and unsatisfied, as the uncomfortable in the chest, he turned over, causing the chest to tilt and
doctor convinced her that a man needed many days to recover after lying fall with a loud noise. The women sleeping nearby awoke but kept silent
with a woman. Frustrated, she decided to seek satisfaction elsewhere and out of fear. Disconcerted by the fall, Ruggieri found the chest open and
found a young man named Ruggieri da Jeroli, who was of noble birth but decided he would be better out of it. Not knowing where he was, he
had a reprehensible character. Despite his reputation as a thief and rogue, began to grope around the house, hoping to find a stair or door to escape.
the lady set her heart on him and arranged secret meetings with his help.
Hearing him groping, the alarmed women called out, "Who is there?"
One day, a man with a gangrened bone in his leg was placed under the Ruggieri, not recognizing the voice, made no answer. The women then
care of the leech. The leech prepared a special water to ensure the patient called the two young men, who were fast asleep and heard nothing. This
would sleep during the operation. However, before he could perform the increased the women's fright, and they went to various windows, raising
surgery, he was called away to Amalfi due to a riot. Knowing he would not the cry, "Take thief, take thief!" Neighbors came running from different
return that night, the lady brought Ruggieri into her chamber. Ruggieri, quarters, entering the house by the roof or any way they could. The
feeling thirsty, saw the bottle of water prepared for the patient and drank young men, aroused by the din, also got up. Ruggieri, now almost beside
it, mistaking it for drinking water. He soon fell into a deep sleep. himself with amazement and not knowing where to turn, was captured
and delivered to the officers of the Governor of the city, who had hastened
When the lady found Ruggieri asleep, she tried to wake him but to no to the spot upon hearing the uproar.
avail. She shook him, pinched him, and even singed him with a candle,
but he remained unresponsive. Believing him to be dead, she wept Ruggieri was brought before the Governor, who knew him to be a notorious
silently and summoned her maid for advice. The maid, after confirming evildoer. The Governor put him to the torture, and upon his confession that
Ruggieri's condition, suggested they remove the body from the house. he had entered the house of the usurers with intent to rob, the Governor
They decided to place him in a chest they had seen outside a carpenter's decided to make short work of it and have him hanged by the neck.
shop. With the maid's help, the lady carried Ruggieri to the chest, placed
him inside, and left him there. In the morning, news spread throughout Salerno that Ruggieri had been
caught thieving in the house of the usurers. The lady and her maid were
Unbeknownst to them, two young usurers had planned to take the chest bewildered and almost convinced that the events of the previous night
home that night. Finding it still there, they carried it to their house and set had been a dream. The peril in which Ruggieri stood caused the lady
it down beside a room where their women slept, unaware of its contents. great anxiety, nearly driving her to madness. Shortly after half tierce,
the leech returned from Amalfi, intending to treat his patient. He called
Towards matins, Ruggieri awoke from his long sleep, having digested the for his water and, finding the bottle empty, made a great commotion,
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The Decameron