Page 132 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron publicly if she refused. He also ordered the servant to kill the newborn orders if they had not yet been carried out. The servant, who had laid
boy by smashing his head against a wall and leaving his body for the
the sword and poison before the young woman and was pressuring
her to choose, stopped when he received the new orders and returned
dogs.
to tell Messer Amerigo what had happened.
The servant, eager to carry out the orders, left immediately. Meanwhile,
Relieved, Messer Amerigo went to Fineo, nearly in tears, and
as Pietro was being led to the gallows, he passed by an inn where
three Armenian noblemen, ambassadors to Rome, were staying. They
and offered to give his daughter to Teodoro as a wife if Teodoro was
had received much honor from the nobles of Trapani, especially from
Messer Amerigo. Hearing the commotion, they looked out the window apologized for what had happened. He asked for Fineo's forgiveness
willing. Fineo accepted his apology and replied, "It is my will that my
and saw Pietro being scourged. One of them, an elderly man named son marry your daughter. If he will not, let the sentence passed upon
Fineo, noticed a large scarlet birthmark on Pietro's chest, which him be carried out."
reminded him of his son who had been kidnapped by corsairs fifteen
years earlier. Suspecting that Pietro might be his son, Fineo called With Fineo and Messer Amerigo in agreement, they questioned
out to him in Armenian, "Teodoro!" Pietro raised his head, and Fineo Teodoro, who was still in fear of death but glad to have found his father,
asked, "Where are you from, and whose son are you?" The sergeants about his wishes. When Teodoro heard that he could marry Violante,
paused, and Pietro replied, "I am from Armenia, the son of Fineo, he was overjoyed and said it would be the greatest favor. They sent for
brought here by unknown people when I was a child." Realizing that Violante to learn her wishes. Though she had been expecting death,
Pietro was indeed his lost son, Fineo and his companions wept and she began to believe their words and regained some hope. She replied
embraced him. Fineo asked the captain of the guard to wait until he that nothing would delight her more than to be Teodoro's wife, but
received further orders, and the captain agreed. she would do as her father wished.

Fineo already knew, as it was widely known, why Pietro was being With everyone in agreement, Violante was married with great pomp
led to the gallows. He quickly went with his companions and their and celebration, to the delight of all the citizens. She was comforted
retinue to Messer Currado and said, "Sir, this young man, whom you and cared for her little boy, becoming more beautiful than ever. After
are sending to the gallows like a slave, is freeborn and my son. He is her confinement, she presented herself before Fineo, who was about
ready to marry the woman he is said to have deflowered. Therefore, to leave Rome for home, and showed him the reverence due to a
please delay the execution until it can be determined whether she is father. Fineo, pleased to have such a fair daughter-in-law, celebrated
willing to have him as her husband. If she is, you would be breaking the her wedding grandly and treated her as his daughter.
law by executing him." Messer Currado was astonished to hear that
Pietro was Fineo's son and, though it was not his fault but Fortune's, A few days after the festivities, Fineo took her, his son, and his
he admitted that it was true. He quickly had Pietro taken home and grandson aboard a galley and brought them to Lazistan, where the two
brought Messer Amerigo before him to explain the situation. lovers lived with him in peace and happiness for the rest of their lives.

Messer Amerigo, who believed his daughter and grandson were already
dead, was devastated to think that his actions had caused their deaths.
He realized that if his daughter were still alive, everything could be set
right. He sent a messenger to his daughter's abode to revoke his earlier

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