Page 138 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron The Fifth Day | The Tenth Novell Not long ago, there lived in Perugia a rich man named Pietro di
Vinciolo. He married, not out of any desire to wed, but perhaps
Storyteller: Dioneo
to blind others and mitigate the evil repute in which he was
held by the citizens of Perugia. Fortune provided him with just
Pedro dined out while his wife entertained her lover at home.
such a spouse as he deserved. His wife was a stout, red-haired
Returning unexpectedly, Pedro noticed the hidden lover under a
young woman, so hot-blooded that two husbands would have
chicken coop when an ass stepped on his fingers, revealing him.
Discovering the deception, Pedro reached an understanding with
his wife, recognizing their mutual imperfections. been more to her liking than one.
However, she found herself with a husband who gave her only
a subordinate place in his regard. Realizing this, while knowing
herself to be fair and lusty, and feeling herself to be gamesome
and fit, she grew very angry. She often had high words with her
husband and led a sorry life with him most of the time. Seeing
that this only made her more likely to fret herself than to change
her husband's conduct, she said to herself, "This poor creature
deserts me to go walk in pattens in the dry; therefore, I will
bring another aboard the ship for the wet weather. I married
him, brought him a great and goodly dowry, knowing he was
a man and supposing him to have the desires men have and
ought to have. Had I not deemed him to be a man, I would never
have married him. He knew me to be a woman: why then did
he take me to wife if women were not to his mind? It is not to
be endured. Had I not been minded to live in the world, I would
have become a nun. Being minded to live in the world, if I am
to wait until I have pleasure or solace from him, I may wait
until I am old. Then, too late, I will regret that I have wasted
my youth. As to how I should seek its proper solace, I need no
better teacher and guide than him, who finds his delight where I
should find mine, and finds it to his own condemnation, whereas
in me it would be commendable. It is only the laws that I will
set at nought, whereas he sets both them and Nature herself
at nought."

So the good lady reasoned, perhaps more than once. Then,
casting about how she might privately achieve her end, she
made friends with an old beldam, who appeared as a veritable
1985 HAND COLORED AQUA TINTA / AQUA FORTE Santa Verdiana, foster-mother of vipers. This beldam was ever
29,5X19,5 CM. | 11¾X7½ IN. (IMAGE SIZE).
134
The Decameron