Page 247 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

returned to Modena. His time of office there ended, in anticipation of his pleased with the answer and that Niccoluccio had given it, affirmed that
return to Bologna, Messer Gentile appointed a great and goodly banquet he was of the same opinion and added: "'Tis now time that I show you
at his house for the morning of his arrival in the city. He invited not a few the honor I promised." He then called two of his servants and sent them
of the gentlemen of Bologna, among them Niccoluccio Caccianimico. to the lady, whom he had caused to be splendidly adorned, asking her
When he returned and dismounted, he found them awaiting him, as well to come and gladden the gentlemen with her presence. She, bearing her
as the lady, fairer and more healthful than ever, and her little son doing most lovely little son in her arms, came into the saloon attended by the
well. With gladness beyond compare, he ranged his guests at the table two servants and, by the knight's direction, took a seat beside a worthy
and regaled them with many magnificently served courses. Towards the gentleman. The knight then said: "Gentlemen, this is the treasure that
close of the feast, having informed the lady of his intention and concerted I hold, and mean ever to hold, more dear than anything else. Behold,
with her how she should behave, he spoke thus: "Gentlemen, I remember and judge whether I have good cause." The gentlemen praised her,
to have once heard tell of (as I deem it) a delightful custom they have averring that the knight ought indeed to hold her dear. As they regarded
in Persia. When one would do his friend special honor, he bids him to her more attentively, some would have pronounced her to be the very
his house and shows him that treasure, be it wife, mistress, daughter, woman they believed to be dead. But none scanned her so closely as
or whatnot, that he holds most dear, assuring him that yet more gladly, Niccoluccio, who, the knight having withdrawn a little, could no longer
were it possible, he would show him his heart. This custom I am minded refrain from asking her whether she was from Bologna or elsewhere.
to observe here in Bologna. You, of your courtesy, have honored my The lady, hearing her husband's voice, could scarcely forbear to answer
feast with your presence, and I propose to do you honor in the Persian but kept silent to avoid disconcerting the knight's plan. Another asked
fashion by showing you that which in the entire world I do, and must ever, if that was her little boy, and yet another if she were Messer Gentile's
hold most dear. But before I do so, tell me, I pray you, how you conceive wife or otherwise connected to him. To none of these questions did she
of a nice question that I shall lay before you. Suppose that one has in vouchsafe an answer. Then, Messer Gentile came up. "Sir," quoth one
his house a good and most faithful servant who falls sick of a grievous of the guests, "this treasure of yours is goodly indeed; but she seems to
disorder. The master tarries not for the death of the servant but has him be dumb: is she so?" "Gentlemen," quoth Messer Gentile, "that she has
borne out into the open street and concerns himself no more with him. not yet spoken is no small evidence of her virtue." "Then tell us, you, who
she is," returned the other. "That," quoth the knight, "will I right gladly,
Then a stranger comes by, is moved to pity for the sick man, takes him so you but promise me that, no matter what I may say, none of you will
to his house, and by careful tending and at no small cost restores him to stir from his place until I have ended my story." All gave the required
his wonted health. Now I would fain know whether the first master has promise, and when the tables had been cleared, Messer Gentile, being
in equity any just cause to complain of or be aggrieved with the second seated beside the lady, thus spoke: "Gentlemen, this lady is that loyal
master if he retains the servant in his employ and refuses to restore him and faithful servant, touching whom a brief while ago I propounded to
when so required." The gentlemen discussed the matter in various ways you my question, whom her own people held none too dear, but cast out
and all agreed on one conclusion, which they entrusted to Niccoluccio into the open street as a thing vile and no longer good for aught. I took
Caccianimico, an eloquent and accomplished speaker, to deliver on their her thence and, by my careful tending, wrested her from the clutch of
behalf. Niccoluccio began by commending the Persian custom and then death. God, regardful of my good will, has changed her from the appalling
stated that he and the others were all of the same opinion: the first master aspect of a corpse to the thing of beauty you see before you. For your
had no longer any right to his servant, having abandoned and cast him fuller understanding of this occurrence, I will briefly explain it to you."
forth. By virtue of the second master's kind treatment, the servant must
be deemed to have become his. Therefore, by keeping him, the second He then recounted in detail all that had happened from his first becoming
master did the first no mischief, violence, or wrong. The rest at the enamored of the lady to that very hour, to which they listened with no
table, being worthy men, agreed with Niccoluccio's answer. The knight, small wonder. After which he added: "And so, unless you, and more
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