Page 259 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

which it becomes me to act. God forbid that her, whom, as to the more even do it. But of this rest assured, that I do so, witting well that I receive
worthy, He has given to you, I should ever accept of you for mine. Had from you, not only the lady I love, but with her my very life. And, Fate
He seen fit that she should be mine, far be it from you or any other to permitting, may the Gods grant me to make you such honorable and
suppose that He would ever have awarded her to you. Renounce not, goodly requital as may show you how sensible I am of the boon, which
then, that which your choice and wise counsel and His gift have made you, more compassionate of me than I am of myself, confer on me."
yours, and leave me, to whom, as unworthy, He has appointed no such Gisippus replied: "Now, for the giving effect to our purpose, methinks,
happiness, to waste my life in tears. For either I shall conquer my grief, Titus, we should proceed on this wise. You know that Sophronia, by
which will be grateful to you, or it will conquer me, and so I shall be quit treaty at length concluded between my family and hers, is become
of my pain." Gisippus replied: "If our friendship, Titus, is of such a sort my betrothed. Were I now to say that she should not be my wife, great
as may entitle me to enforce you to ensue behests of mine, or as may indeed were the scandal that would come thereof, and I should affront
induce you of your own free will to ensue the same, such is the use to both her family and mine own. Whereof, indeed, I should make no
which, most of all, I am minded to put it. If you lend not considerate account, so it gave me to see her become yours. But I fear that, were
ear unto my prayers, I shall by force, that force which is lawful in the I to give her up at this juncture, her family would forthwith bestow her
interest of a friend, make Sophronia yours. I know the might of Love, how upon another, perhaps, than you, and so we should both be losers.
redoubtable it is, and how, not once only, but oftentimes, it has brought Wherefore methinks that, so you approve, I were best to complete what
ill-starred lovers to a miserable death. You I see so hard bested that I have begun, bring her home as my wife, and celebrate the nuptials.
turn back you might not, nor get the better of your grief, but holding on Thereafter we can arrange that you lie with her, privately, as your wife.
your course, must succumb and perish. Without doubt, I should speedily Then, time and occasion serving, we will disclose the whole affair, and
follow you. Had I no other cause to love you, your life is precious to me if they are satisfied, well and good; if not, it will be done all the same,
in that my own is bound up with it. Sophronia, then, shall be yours. For and as it cannot be undone, they must perforce make the best of it."
you would not lightly find another so much to your mind, and I shall
readily find another to love, and so shall content both you and me. In Which counsel being approved by Titus, Gisippus brought the lady home
which matter, perhaps, I might not be so liberal, were wives so scarce as his wife, Titus being now recovered and quite himself again. When
or hard to find as are friends. Wherefore, as it is so easy a matter for they had made great cheer and night had come, the ladies, having
me to find another wife, I had liefer—I say not lose her, for in giving her bedded the bride, took their departure. Now the chambers of Titus and
to you lose her I shall not, but only transfer her to one that is my alter Gisippus were contiguous, and one might pass from one into the other.
ego, and that to her advantage—I had liefer, I say, transfer her to you Gisippus, therefore, being come into his room, extinguished every ray of
than lose you. And so, if aught my prayers avail with you, I entreat you light, and stole into that of Titus, and bade him go get him to bed with
to extricate yourself from this your woeful plight, and comfort at once his lady. Whereat Titus gave way to shame and would have changed his
yourself and me, and in good hope, address yourself to pluck that boon mind and refused to go in. But Gisippus, no less zealous at heart than
which your fervent love craves of her for whom you yearn." in words to serve his friend, after no small contention, prevailed on him
to go thither. No sooner was Titus abed with the lady than, taking her
Still scrupling, for shame, to consent that Sophronia should become in his arms, he, as if jestingly, asked in a low tone whether she were
his wife, Titus remained yet a while inexorable. But, yielding at last to minded to be his wife. She, taking him to be Gisippus, answered, yes;
the solicitations of Love, reinforced by the exhortations of Gisippus, he whereupon he set a fair and costly ring on her finger, saying: "And I
made answer: "Lo now, Gisippus, I know not how to call it, whether it is am minded to be your husband." Having presently consummated the
more your pleasure than mine, this which I do, seeing that it is as your marriage, he long and amorously disported himself with her, neither she
pleasure that you so earnestly entreat me to do it. But, as your liberality nor any other being ever aware that another than Gisippus lay with her.
is such that my shame, though becoming, may not withstand it, I will
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