Page 270 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

from overseas." Though Torello had grown a long beard and was dressed welcome to her table, sends him the cup from which she herself drinks,
The Decameron reassured, he took Torello by the hand, saying: "Son, welcome home." the bride drinks what is left in it."
in the Saracenic fashion, the abbot eventually recognized him. Now quite
full of wine. When the stranger has drunk his fill, he closes the cup, and
Then he continued: "No cause have you to marvel at our fears, seeing
that there is never a soul in these parts but firmly believes you to be
The page carried the message to the lady, who, being of good
dead. I may tell you that Madonna Adalieta, your wife, overborne by the
understanding and manners, and supposing him to be some very great
entreaties and menaces of her kinsfolk, and against her will, is provided
with another husband, to whom she is this morning to go, and all is made
with wine, and brought to the gentleman. Messer Torello, having secretly
ready for the nuptials and the attendant festivities." man, commanded that a gilt cup on the table before her be rinsed, filled
put her ring into his mouth, let it fall into the cup while he drank, so none
knew of it. Leaving a little wine at the bottom, he closed the cup and
Whereupon Messer Torello, risen from the sumptuous bed, did the abbot returned it to the lady. She, to honor the custom of her guest's country,
and the monks wondrous cheer and besought them, one and all, to tell lifted the lid and set the cup to her mouth. Seeing the ring, she gazed
never a soul of his return until he had completed something he had on at it silently for a while. Recognizing it as the one she had given Messer
hand. After putting the costly jewels in safe keeping, he recounted to the Torello on his departure, she steadfastly regarded the supposed stranger
abbot all the story of his adventures to that very hour. The abbot, rejoicing and then recognized him. Almost distracted, she overturned the table
in his good fortune, joined him in offering thanks to God. Messer Torello in front of her and exclaimed: "It is my lord, it is truly Messer Torello!"
then asked who might be his wife's new husband, and the abbot told him. Rushing to the table at which he sat, giving no thought to her clothes or
Torello said: "Before my return be known, I purpose to see how my wife anything on the table, she flung herself upon it. Reaching forward as far
will comport herself at the nuptials. Though it is not the wont of men of as she could, she threw her arms around him and hugged him. For all
religion to go to such gatherings, I would like you to arrange for us to go that anyone said or did, she could not be induced to release his neck until
together for love of me." The abbot answered that he would gladly do Messer Torello himself asked her to stop for a while, for she would have
so. As soon as it was day, he sent word to the bridegroom that he had time enough to kiss him later.
thoughts of being present at his nuptials, accompanied by a friend. The
gentleman made answer that he was much gratified. The lady then stood up, and for a while, all was disorder. The feast became
even more joyful than before due to the recovery of so honorable a
At the breakfast hour, Messer Torello, dressed as he was, went with the knight. At Messer Torello's request, all were silent while he recounted
abbot to the bridegroom's house. Many who saw them gazed at him his adventures from the day of his departure to that hour. He concluded
with wonder, but none recognized him. The abbot told everyone that by saying that the gentleman who, thinking him dead, had taken his lady
he was a Saracen sent by the Sultan as an ambassador to the King of as his wife, ought not to be offended if he, being alive, reclaimed her.
France. Messer Torello was seated at a table directly opposite his lady, The bridegroom, although somewhat crestfallen, answered in a frank
whom he eyed with great delight, especially because he saw in her face and friendly manner that it was for Messer Torello to do what he liked
signs of sadness at the wedding. She, in turn, occasionally looked at with his own. The lady resigned the ring and crown her new spouse had
him. However, with his long beard, foreign clothes, and her firm belief given her and put on the ring she had taken from the cup and the crown
that he was dead, she did not recognize him. Messer Torello eventually sent by the Sultan. They then, with full wedding pomp, made their way
decided it was time to test whether she would remember him. He took to Messer Torello's house. There, for a long while, they celebrated with
the ring the lady had given him on his departure and, keeping it close in his previously disconsolate friends, relatives, and all the citizens, who
his palm, called a page that waited on her. He said to the page: "Tell the considered his return as little short of a miracle.
bride from me that it is the custom in my country that, when a stranger,
such as I, eats with a bride at her wedding feast, she, as a sign that he is
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