Page 166 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron Know then that at Rimini there lived a merchant, a man of great wealth Towards Christmas, the lady told her husband that she wished to go to
in lands, goods, and money, who had a most beautiful wife. He became
church on Christmas morning to confess and receive communion like
other Christians. "And what sins," he asked, "have you committed that
extremely jealous of her, not because she gave him any reason, but
you need to confess?" "How?" she replied. "Do you take me for a saint?
because he loved her greatly, esteemed her exceedingly fair, and knew
Despite keeping me so close, you must know that I am like all other
she did her utmost to please him. He assumed that every man loved her
mortals. However, I am not minded to confess to you, for you are no
and that she was as eager to please other men as she was to please him.
This made him a poor creature of little sense. Deeply infected with jealousy,
devised a plan to discover her sins. He agreed to let her go to church
he kept such a strict and close watch over her that some prisoners under
sentence of death were less rigorously confined by their warders. The priest." Her husband's suspicions were aroused by her words, and he
but insisted she go only to their own chapel, confess to their chaplain or
lady was not allowed to go to weddings, gatherings, or even church. She another priest assigned by the chaplain, and return home immediately.
could not set foot outside the house or even show herself at a window.
The lady half understood his intentions but agreed to do as he required.
She led a woeful life, made all the harder because she knew herself to be On Christmas morning, she rose at dawn, dressed, and went to the
innocent. Seeing herself treated so poorly by her husband without good appointed church. Her husband also rose and went to the same church,
cause, she sought a way to justify his treatment of her. Since she could arriving before her. Having already arranged matters with the priest,
not show herself at the window, there could be no exchange of amorous he put on one of the priest's robes with a large hood overshadowing
glances with any man passing by. However, she knew that in the next his face and seated himself in the choir, disguised as a priest.
house lived a good and debonair man named Filippo. She thought that if
there were a hole in the wall dividing the two houses, she might watch On entering the church, the lady asked for the priest, who came, and
through it until she saw Filippo, speak to him, and give him her love if learning that she wanted to confess, told her he could not hear her himself
he cared to have it. If possible, they might meet now and then, relieving but would send one of his brethren. In an evil hour for him, he sent her
the burden of her woeful life until her husband's jealousy subsided. husband disguised as a priest. Though he wore an air of great solemnity,
and it was not yet broad daylight, and he had pulled the hood well over
Peering about when her husband was away, she found a remote part his eyes, all did not avail, but that his wife recognized him immediately.
of the house where the wall had a small chink. Peering through it, she She said to herself, "God be praised! Why, the jealous rogue has turned
saw, though with difficulty, that there was a room on the other side. priest. But I'll give him what he's looking for." So she feigned not to
She thought, "If this were Filippo's room, I would be halfway to my know him and seated herself at his feet. (I should tell you that he had
goal." Through her maid, who was grieved to see her languish, she put some pebbles in his mouth so that his speech, being impeded, might
discovered that it was indeed Filippo's room, where he slept alone. not betray him to his wife. In all other respects, he deemed himself so
She frequently went to the aperture, and whenever she knew Filippo thoroughly disguised that there was no way she could recognize him.)
was in the room, she would drop a pebble or some other small object.
Eventually, she brought Filippo to the other side of the aperture to see Now, to come to the confession, the lady, after informing him that she
what was happening. She softly called him, and he, recognizing her was married, told him among other matters that she was in love with a
voice, answered. Having the opportunity she sought, she quickly opened priest who came every night to lie with her. Hearing this was like a knife
her mind to him. Overjoyed, Filippo enlarged the aperture without to her husband's heart, and if he had not been determined to know
anyone noticing, and they often conversed and touched hands, though more, he would have ended the confession and left. However, he kept
they could go no further due to the jealous husband's watchfulness. his place and said, "How? Does not your husband lie with you?" The

162
The Decameron