Page 217 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

And that too when I am to win her favor? No, even if it costs me my life,
The maid did her mistress's errand, omitting nothing, to both men, and I will keep my word." So he continued and arrived at the tomb, which
received the same answer from each: to please the lady, he would venture he opened easily. He entered, grabbed Alessandro by the feet, dragged
a journey to hell, let alone enter a tomb. With this answer, the maid returned him out, hoisted him onto his shoulders, and headed towards the lady's
to the lady, who waited to see if they would be foolish enough to follow house. As he went, he carelessly swung Alessandro against the angles
through. Night came, and at the hour of first sleep, Alessandro Chiarmontesi, of benches by the wayside, and the night was so dark and murky that he
stripped to his doublet, left his house and headed towards Scannadio's couldn't see where he was going. When he was almost at the lady's house
tomb, intending to take the dead man's place. As he walked, fear gripped (she standing at a window with her maid to see if Rinuccio would bring
him, and he began to think to himself: "Ah! What a fool I am! Where am I Alessandro and already having an excuse to send them both away), the
going? How do I know that her relatives, having discovered my love and patrol of the Signory, who were posted in the street in silence, looking for
suspecting something, haven't put her up to this to kill me in the tomb? In a bandit, heard Rinuccio's footsteps. They showed a light to see what was
that case, I would be the only loser, as nothing would ever be heard of it, happening and, advancing with shields and lances, cried out, "Who goes
and they would escape scot-free. Or how do I know it's not a scheme by there?" Rinuccio, having no time to think, dropped Alessandro and fled as
one of my enemies, whom she might love and is helping? But even if it's fast as he could. Alessandro, encumbered by the long grave-clothes, also
neither, and her relatives are really going to take me to her house, I can't jumped up and ran away. By the patrol's light, the lady saw Rinuccio with
believe they want to embrace Scannadio's corpse themselves or let her do Alessandro on his back, and Alessandro in the grave-clothes. She marveled
so. They must want to do something to it because he once wronged them. at their daring but laughed heartily to see Rinuccio drop Alessandro and
She tells me to say nothing, no matter what I hear or notice. What if they Alessandro run away. Overjoyed at the turn of events and praising God for
pluck out my eyes, or my teeth, or cut off my hands, or do something else ridding her of their harassment, she withdrew from the window and went
to me? How could I stay quiet? And if I speak, they will either recognize to her chamber, telling her maid that they must both be deeply in love with
me and harm me, or if they spare me, I will have gone through all this for her, as they had both done her bidding.
nothing, as they won't leave me with the lady, and she will say I disobeyed
her, and I will never have her favors." Crestfallen and cursing his bad luck, Rinuccio didn't go home but, as soon
as the street was clear of the patrol, returned to the spot where he had
As he thought this, he was about to turn back, but his overpowering dropped Alessandro. He stooped down and began feeling around, hoping
love gave him the strength to continue. He reached the tomb, opened it, to find him and fulfill his duty to the lady. But, finding nothing, he assumed
entered, stripped Scannadio, wrapped himself in the grave-clothes, closed the patrol must have taken Alessandro away, and so he finally went home.
the tomb, and lay down in Scannadio's place. He then thought of the dead Alessandro, not knowing what else to do, also went home, lamenting his
man, his life, and the things he had heard about happening at night in less misfortune.
frightening places than the houses of the dead. His hair stood on end, and
he expected Scannadio to rise and cut his throat. However, the ardor of his The next day, when Scannadio's tomb was found open and empty (for
love fortified him, and he overcame his fears, lying still as if he were dead, Alessandro had thrown the corpse into the vault below), all of Pistoia
waiting for what would happen. debated the matter with much speculation, with some fools believing
that Scannadio had been carried off by devils. Despite this, both lovers
Towards midnight, Rinuccio, also determined to fulfill his lady's request, continued to seek the lady's favor and love, telling her what they had done
left his house, thinking of various possible outcomes, such as being and what had happened, and asking her to excuse them for not perfectly
caught with Scannadio's corpse and condemned as a wizard, or the affair carrying out her instructions. But she, pretending not to believe either of
causing trouble with his relatives. But then he thought, "Shall I deny this them, dismissed each with the same curt answer: since he had not done
lady, whom I have loved so much, the very first thing she asks of me? her bidding, she would never do anything for him.
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