Page 62 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron Bernabo replied, 'I'm a merchant, not a philosopher. I acknowledge that for inflexibility and refrained. He replaced the bedclothes and spent
the rest of the night in her room. Before leaving, he took a purse, a
what you say is true of vain and foolish women, but discreet women
gown, a ring, and a girdle from one of her boxes and returned to the
are so sensitive about their honor that they are better able to preserve
chest, locking himself in.
it than men. My wife is one of these.' Ambrogiuolo observed, 'Few
would indulge in casual affairs if a horn grew on their brow to show it.
But since no such mark appears, they do it secretly. Only those who
After two nights, the woman fetched the chest and took it back.
have never been approached or have been rejected are truly chaste. I
appointed time. In the presence of the merchants who witnessed the
assure you that if I had access to your saintly wife, I would soon have
the same success with her as with others.' Ambrogiuolo paid her and hurried back to Paris, arriving within the
wager, he told Bernabo that he had won. He described the room and
displayed the items he had taken, claiming the lady had given them
Bernabo, angered, said, 'This discussion is pointless. But since you to him. Bernabo acknowledged the accuracy of the description and
claim all women are compliant and you are such an accomplished the items but argued that Ambrogiuolo could have learned about the
seducer, I pledge my wife's honor. If you succeed in seducing her, I will room from a servant and obtained the items similarly. Ambrogiuolo
forfeit my head. If you fail, you will forfeit a thousand gold florins to me.' then described the mole under the lady's left breast, which convinced
Bernabo of his wife's infidelity.
Elated by this unexpected offer, Ambrogiuolo replied, 'I don't know
what I would do with your blood, Bernabo, if I won the wager. But if Bernabo, heartbroken, paid Ambrogiuolo and left Paris, intent on
you want proof, lay five thousand gold florins against a thousand of avenging himself on his wife. He sent a trusted servant ahead with a
mine. I will go to Genoa and within three months, I will have had my letter and instructions to kill the lady. The servant, however, took pity
pleasure with your wife and bring back conclusive evidence. You must on her and let her go, taking her clothes as proof of her death. The lady
not come to Genoa or write to her during this time.' disguised herself as a sailor and found work with a Catalan gentleman,
eventually rising to a position of favor with the Soldan.
Bernabo agreed, and despite the others' attempts to stop them, they
wrote and signed the agreement. Ambrogiuolo left for Genoa and, with While inspecting merchants at a fair in Acre, she recognized a purse
great caution, learned about the lady's habits and character. Realizing and girdle that had once been hers. Ambrogiuolo, who had brought
his task was hopeless, he devised a plan. He bribed a poor woman, who the items, told her how he had obtained them from a Genoese lady,
was close to the lady, to smuggle him into her bedroom in a chest. The revealing the truth about Bernabo's wager. The lady, now known as
woman, following Bernabo's instructions, convinced the lady to take Sicurano, devised a plan to expose Ambrogiuolo and clear her name.
charge of the chest for a few days while she was away.
Ambrogiuolo had not finished speaking before Sicurano realized that
The lady allowed the chest to remain in her room. When the night was he was the cause of her husband's animosity and all her suffering.
far spent, Ambrogiuolo opened the chest with tools he had brought Determined to make him pay, she pretended to be very interested in
and quietly emerged. There was a light in the room, so he took note of his story and befriended him. She gained his confidence and suggested
its layout, the pictures, and everything else of importance, committing that he accompany her to Alexandria, where she provided him with
it all to memory. He approached the bed and saw the lady and a little a shop and invested some of her own money. Finding it profitable,
girl fast asleep. Gently uncovering the lady, he saw that she was just Ambrogiuolo was happy to stay.
as lovely nude as she was dressed. He looked for a mark to serve as
evidence and found a mole under her left breast, fringed with a few Sicurano, eager to prove her innocence to Bernabo, devised a plan
golden hairs. Tempted to lie beside her, he remembered her reputation with the help of some Genoese merchants in Alexandria to bring him
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The Decameron