Page 174 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron The lady replied, "What do you want me to tell you, or what Arriguccio without boozing in taverns and consorting with women of the town. I
may have accused me of, I do not know." Arriguccio could only gaze
must wait for his return until midnight or sometimes until matins, as
at her, as if he had lost his wits, recalling how he had pummeled her
you now find me. I doubt not that, being thoroughly drunk, he went to
bed with one of these wantons, found the pack-thread on her foot, and
face numerous times, scratched it, and mishandled her in all manner of
performed all these brave exploits he speaks of, then came back to her,
ways, yet now saw her with no trace of any of it. To make a long story
beat her, and cut her hair off. Not yet recovered from his debauch, he
short, the lady's brothers told her what Arriguccio had told them about
the pack-thread, the beating, and everything else. The lady turned to
him and said, "My husband, what is this I hear? Why do you give me
at his face, you will see he is still half drunk. Whatever he said about
me, I would have you account it as nothing more than the disordered
the reputation of a wicked woman, which I am not, and yourself the believed, and still believes, that it was I he treated so. If you look closely
reputation of a wicked and cruel man, which you are not? Were you speech of a tipsy man and forgive him as I do."
ever tonight, I say not in my company, but even in the house until
now? Or when did you beat me? For my part, I do not remember it." The lady's mother raised a great outcry, saying, "My daughter, this
may not be! A daughter like you, mated with one so unworthy! The
Arriguccio began, "How say you, wicked woman? Did we not go to bed pestilent, insensate cur should be slain on the spot! A pretty state of
together? Did I not come back after chasing your lover? Did I not give things, indeed! He might have picked you up from the gutter! Now
you bruises and cut your hair?" But the lady interrupted him, saying, foul fall him! But you shall no more be vexed with the tedious drivel
"No, you did not lie here tonight. But leave this, of which my true words of a petty dealer in ass's dung, some blackguard who came from the
are my sole witness, and let us address the beating you say you gave country because he was dismissed from the service of some petty
me and how you cut my hair. I had no beating from you, and I bid all squire, clad in romagnole, with belfry-breeches, and a pen in his arse.
here, including you, look at me and say if I have any trace of a beating
on my person. Nor should you dare lay a hand on me. Nor did you For that he has a few pence, he must have a gentleman's daughter
cut my hair, for anything I saw or felt. However, you may have done and a fine lady to wife, set up a coat of arms, and say, 'I am of such
it in such a way that I was not aware of it. So let me see if it is cut or and such,' and 'my ancestors did thus and thus.' Ah! Had my sons
not." Then, unveiling herself, she showed that her hair was uncut and but followed my advice! Your honor would be safe in the house of the
intact. Her brothers and mother now turned to Arriguccio and said, Counts Guidi, where they might have bestowed you, though you had
"What means this, Arriguccio? This does not accord with what you but a morsel of bread to your dowry. But they must needs give you
told us you had done, nor do we know how you will prove the rest." to this rare treasure, who, though better daughter and more chaste
there is none than you in Florence, has not blushed this very midnight
Arriguccio was lost, as if in a dream, and though he wanted to speak, and in our presence to call you a strumpet, as if we knew you not. If I
seeing that what he thought to prove was otherwise, he made no reply. were hearkened to, he should shrewdly smart for it." Then, turning to
The lady turned to her brothers and said, "I see what he wants: he her sons, she said, "My sons, I told you plainly enough that this ought
will not be satisfied unless I reveal what a pitiful wretch he is, which not to be. Now, have you heard how your worthy brother-in-law treats
I would never have done otherwise. I have no doubt that, as he said, your sister? Petty twopenny trader that he is. Were it for me to act,
it happened, and he did it. How, you shall hear. This worthy man, to as it is for you, after what he has said of her and done to her, nothing
whom you gave me as a wife, a merchant, as he calls himself, and as would satisfy or appease me until I had rid the earth of him? And were
such would like to have credit, who ought to be more temperate than a I a man, who am but a woman, none other but myself should meddle
religious and more continent than a girl, scarcely lets an evening pass with the affair. The woeful, shameless sot!" The young men, incensed

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