Page 252 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron still alive, in the frying pan. Afterward, the maidens, as pre-arranged, respectfully asked the King's leave to depart, which he gave with
caught some of the finest fish and cast them onto the table before the
forced cheerfulness, though sorely against his will.
King, Count Guy, and their father. The fish wriggled about the table to
the King's prodigious delight.
Supper ended, the King and his companions remounted their horses,
took leave of Messer Neri, and returned to the royal quarters,
conversing of various matters. The King, still harboring his secret
He courteously returned some of them to the girls, and they continued
this sport until the servant had cooked the fish given to him. By Messer
Fair, for whose sake he also loved her twin sister, was so ensnared
Neri's command, the cooked fish were set before the King as a side
dish rather than as anything very rare or delicious. passion and unable to forget the beauty and sweetness of Ginevra the
by Love that he could scarcely think of anything else. Feigning other
reasons, he consorted familiarly with Messer Neri and frequently visited
When the girls saw that all the fish were cooked and that there was no his garden to see Ginevra. At length, unable to endure his suffering
need to catch any more, they came out of the pond. Their fine white any longer and unable to devise another solution, he revealed both
garments clung closely to their bodies, hiding scarcely any part of their his love and his plan to Count Guy. The Count, being a good and true
delicate forms. They took up the items they had brought and, passing man, made this reply:
modestly before the King, returned to the house. The King, the Count,
and the other gentlemen had regarded the maidens with great attention "Sire, your tale causes me not a little astonishment, especially because
and had all inwardly praised them for being fair, shapely, sweet, and I have known more of your conversation from your childhood to this
charming. However, it was in the King's eyes that they especially found very day than any other man. No such passion did I ever mark in you,
favor. As they came out of the water, the King had scanned each part even in your youth, when Love should more readily have fixed you with
of their bodies so intently that he would not have felt it if someone his fangs. Now, when you are already on the verge of old age, it is so
had pricked him. His thoughts dwelling on them afterward, though he strange and surprising that you should truly love that I deem it little
knew not who they were or how they came to be there, he felt a most short of a miracle. Were it appropriate for me to reprove you, I know
ardent desire to please them. He knew very well that if he did not take well the language I should use, considering that you are yet in arms in
care, he would grow enamored, though he could not decide which of a realm but lately won, among a people as yet unknown to you, wily
the two pleased him more, so alike were they. and treacherous in the extreme. The gravest anxieties and matters
of high policy engross your mind, so that you are not yet able to sit
After brooding for a while, he turned to Messer Neri and asked who the down. Nevertheless, amid all these weighty concerns, you have given
two young women were. "Sire," replied Messer Neri, "they are my twin harbor to false, flattering Love. This is not the wisdom of a great king
daughters, Ginevra the Fair and Isotta the Blonde." The King praised but the folly of a feather-brained boy. Moreover, what is far worse, you
them loudly and urged Messer Neri to arrange their marriages. Messer say you are resolved to despoil this poor knight of his two daughters,
Neri hesitated, saying he no longer had the means. With nothing left whom, entertaining you in his house and honoring you to the best
to serve but the fruit, the two young women returned in fine taffeta of his power, he brought into your presence all but naked, testifying
gowns, bearing two large silver trays full of various fruits of the season. thereby how great his faith in you is and how assured he is that you
They set them on the table before the King, then withdrew a little and are a king and not a devouring wolf. Have you so soon forgotten that
began to sing a song to music. it was Manfred's outrageous treatment of his subjects that opened
the way for you into this realm? What treachery was he ever guilty of
The melody was so sweet and delightful that to the King, his eyes that better merited eternal torment than it would be for you to wrest
and ears alike charmed, it seemed as if all the nine orders of angels from one who honorably treats you both his hope and his consolation?
had descended to sing. When the song ended, they knelt and What would be said of you if you did so? Perhaps you think it would
248
The Decameron