Page 264 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron The Tenth Day | The Ninth Novell
Storyteller Panfilo
Saladine, disguised as a merchant, was honorably received by
Signior Thorello d'Istria. Thorello, traveling to the Holy Land,
allowed his wife to remarry if he didn't return on time. Magically
transported to Pavia before his wife's remarriage, Thorello
revealed himself, and they reunited.
1985 HAND COLORED AQUA TINTA / AQUA FORTE
29,5X19,5 CM. | 11¾X7½ IN. (IMAGE SIZE).
260
The Decameron
So ended Filomena her story, and when all alike had commended the
magnificence shown by Titus in his gratitude, the king, reserving the
last place for Dioneo, thus began: "Lovesome my ladies, true beyond all
question is what Filomena reports of friendship, and with justice did she
deplore in her closing words the little account in which it is held today
among mortals. And were we here for the purpose of correcting, or even
of censuring, the vices of the age, I should add a copious sequel to her
discourse; but as we have another end in view, it has occurred to me to
set before you in a narrative, which will be of considerable length, but
entertaining throughout, an instance of Saladin's magnificence, to the end
that, albeit, by reason of our vices, it may not be possible for us to gain to
the full the friendship of any, yet by the matters whereof you shall hear in
my story we may at least be incited to take delight in doing good offices,
in the hope that sooner or later we may come by our reward thereof.
I say, then, that in the time of the Emperor Frederic I., as certain writers
affirm, the Christians made a common emprise for the recovery of the Holy
Land. Whereof that most valiant prince, Saladin, then Sultan of Babylonia,
being in good time apprised, resolved to see for himself the preparations
made by the Christian potentates for the said emprise, that he might put
himself in better trim to meet them. So, having ordered all things to his
mind in Egypt, he made as if he were bound on a pilgrimage, and attended
only by two of his chiefest and wisest lords, and three servants, took the
road in the guise of a merchant. And having surveyed many provinces
of Christendom, as they rode through Lombardy with intent to cross the
Alps, they chanced, between Milan and Pavia, to fall in with a gentleman,
one Messer Torello d'Istria da Pavia, who with his servants and his dogs
and falcons was betaking him to a fine estate that he had on the Ticino,
there to tarry a while. Now Messer Torello no sooner espied Saladin and
his lords than he guessed them to be gentlemen and foreigners; and, being
zealous to do them honor, when Saladin asked one of his servants how
far off Pavia might still be, and if he might win there in time to enter the
town, he suffered not the servant to make answer, but: "No, gentlemen,"
quoth he, "by the time you reach Pavia it will be too late for you to enter."
"So!" replied Saladin, "then might you be pleased to direct us, as we are
strangers, where we may best be lodged?" "That gladly will I," returned
Messer Torello. "I was but now thinking to send one of these my men on
an errand to Pavia; I will send him with you, and he will guide you to a
place where you will find very comfortable quarters." Then, turning to one