Page 79 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

When Fiammetta finished her story, the queen, eager to continue, asked
Emilia to resume the narration. Emilia began: Tedaldo was astonished that someone could be mistaken for him and pitied
"I will return to our city and tell you how one of our citizens recovered the Aldobrandino's plight. He was relieved to learn that Monna Ermellina was
lady he had lost. In Florence, there was a young noble named Tedaldo Elisei, alive. That night, unable to sleep, Tedaldo heard noises and saw a light
who was deeply in love with Monna Ermellina, the wife of Aldobrandino through the chinks of his door. Peeking through, he saw a young woman
Palermini. Despite his admirable qualities, Fortune was not on his side. with a light and three men who had descended from the roof. The men
For some reason, Monna Ermellina, who had once been gracious towards greeted the woman and discussed how they had ensured Aldobrandino's
Tedaldo, suddenly changed her demeanor and refused to see him or receive conviction for Tedaldo's murder. They emphasized the need for secrecy
his messages. Tedaldo fell into a deep melancholy, but he concealed his to avoid being implicated themselves.
love so well that no one knew the cause of his distress.
Tedaldo reflected on the errors and injustices of the world, including how
Tedaldo tried various ways to win back her love, but all his efforts were in his brothers had mourned a stranger and falsely accused an innocent
vain. He decided to leave Florence to avoid giving her the satisfaction of man. He pondered the severity of laws and magistrates who, in their
seeing him suffer. He gathered as much money as he could and secretly zeal for truth, often became ruthless and unjust. Determined to save
left for Ancona, telling only a close friend who knew everything. In Ancona, Aldobrandino, Tedaldo devised a plan. The pilgrim recounted the entire
he assumed the name Filippo Santodeccio and entered the service of a rich narrative of Aldobrandino's sufferings, revealing details about the lady's life
merchant. The merchant took him to Cyprus, where Tedaldo's bearing and and marriage that left her in awe. Believing him to be a prophet, she fell to
behavior impressed him so much that he made Tedaldo his companion her knees and begged him to save Aldobrandino without delay. The pilgrim,
and entrusted him with managing a significant part of his affairs. Tedaldo assuming an air of sanctity, told her to rise and listen carefully, revealing
proved himself so capable that he soon established himself as a wealthy that her tribulation was a partial purgation for a sin she had committed and
and reputable merchant. that full reparation was required to avoid a worse fate.
The lady, unsure which sin required reparation, asked the pilgrim to
Seven years passed, during which Tedaldo often thought of his cruel enlighten her. He asked if she had ever had a lover, to which she sighed
mistress and longed to see her again. One day in Cyprus, he heard a song deeply and admitted that she had loved the young man whose death was
he had composed about their mutual love and the delight he had in her. This attributed to her husband. She mourned him sincerely, despite having
reignited his desire to see her, and he decided to return to Florence. He set shown him harshness before his departure, influenced by a friar who had
his affairs in order and traveled to Ancona with a single servant, sending his terrified her with warnings of eternal damnation.
belongings ahead to Florence. Disguised as a pilgrim, he arrived in Florence
and stayed at a small inn near Monna Ermellina's house. The pilgrim explained that it was not the unfortunate young man she
loved, but Tedaldo Elisei. He questioned her harsh treatment of Tedaldo,
Tedaldo hoped to catch a glimpse of her from the street, but finding the emphasizing that she had willingly become intimate with him and had no
house barred and bolted, he feared she might be dead or had moved away. justification for severing ties against his will. He criticized the friar who had
With a heavy heart, he returned to the inn and was surprised to find his four misguided her, explaining that modern friars often lacked the holiness of
brothers dressed in black. Knowing he was unrecognizable in his new guise, their predecessors and were more concerned with wealth and power.
he asked a shoemaker why the men were in mourning. The shoemaker He described how friars of old were holy and worthy men, but those of
explained that their brother, Tedaldo, had been killed fifteen days ago, and today only wore the habit without embodying its true spirit. They sought
Aldobrandino Palermini was under arrest for the murder, as it was believed to entangle people within their influence, using fear and deception to gain
Tedaldo had returned to Florence incognito to see Monna Ermellina. wealth and control. They condemned sins like lust and usury to monopolize
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