The Decameron, Volume II

bone before they had done with him.Whereat Pietro, who felt that in the nag he had lost a companion and acomfort in his travail, was sorely dismayed, and began to think that heshould never get out of the forest. But towards dawn, he, perched therein the oak, almost dead with cold, looking around him as he frequentlydid, espied about a mile off a huge fire. Wherefore, as soon as 'twasbroad day, he got down, not without trepidation, from the oak, and benthis steps towards the fire; and being come to it, he found, gatheredabout it, a company of shepherds, eating and making merry, who took pityon him and made him welcome. And when he had broken his fast and warmedhimself, he told them the mishap that had befallen him, and how it wasthat he was come there alone, and asked them if there was a farm orcastle in those parts, whither he might betake him. The shepherds saidthat about three miles away there was a castle belonging to Liello diCampo di Fiore, where his lady was then tarrying. Pietro, much comforted,requested to be guided thither by some of their company; whereupon two ofthem right gladly escorted him. So Pietro arrived at the castle, where hefound some that knew him; and while he was endeavouring to set on foot asearch for the damsel in the forest, the lady summoned him to herpresence, and he, forthwith obeying, and seeing Agnolella with her, wasthe happiest man that ever was. He yearned till he all but swooned to goand embrace her, but refrained, for bashfulness, in the lady's presence.And overjoyed as he was, the joy of the damsel was no less. The ladyreceived him with great cheer, and though, when she had heard the storyof his adventures from his own lips, she chid him not a little for havingset at nought the wishes of his kinsfolk; yet, seeing that he was stillof the same mind, and that the damsel was also constant, she said toherself:--To what purpose give I myself all this trouble? they love oneanother, they know one another; they love with equal ardour; their loveis honourable, and I doubt not is well pleasing to God, seeing that theone has escaped the gallows and the other the lance, and both the wildbeasts: wherefore be it as they would have it. Then, turning to them, shesaid:--"If 'tis your will to be joined in wedlock as man and wife, minejumps with it: here shall your nuptials be solemnized and at Liello'scharges, and for the rest I will see that your peace is made with yourkinsfolk." So in the castle the pair were wedded, Pietro only less blithethan Agnolella, the lady ordering the nuptials as honourably as might bein her mountain-home, and there they had most sweet joyance of the firstfruits of their love. So some days they tarried there, and thenaccompanied by the lady with a strong escort, they took horse andreturned to Rome, where, very wroth though she found Pietro's kinsfolkfor what he had done, the lady re-established solid peace between him andthem; and so at Rome Pietro and Agnolella lived together to a good oldage in great tranquillity and happiness.

  (1) In reference to the forlorn condition of the city while the seat ofthe papacy was at Avignon, 1308-1377.

  NOVEL IV.

  --Ricciardo Manardi is found by Messer Lizio da Valbona with his daughter,whom he marries, and remains at peace with her father.--

  In silence Elisa received the praise bestowed on her story by her faircompanions; and then the queen called for a story from Filostrato, whowith a laugh began on this wise:--Chidden have I been so often and by somany of you for the sore burden, which I laid upon you, of discourseharsh and meet for tears, that, as some compensation for such annoy, Ideem myself bound to tell you somewhat that may cause you to laugh alittle: wherefore my story, which will be of the briefest, shall be of alove, the course whereof, save for sighs and a brief passage of fearmingled with shame, ran smooth to a happy consummation.

  Know then, noble ladies, that 'tis no long time since there dwelt inRomagna a right worthy and courteous knight, Messer Lizio da Valbona byname, who was already verging upon old age, when, as it happened, therewas born to him of his wife, Madonna Giacomina, a daughter, who, as shegrew up, became the fairest and most debonair of all the girls of thoseparts, and, for that she was the only daughter left to them, was mostdearly loved and cherished by her father and mother, who guarded her withmost jealous care, thinking to arrange some great match for her. Nowthere was frequently in Messer Lizio's house, and much in his company, afine, lusty young man, one Ricciardo de' Manardi da Brettinoro, whomMesser Lizio and his wife would as little have thought of mistrusting asif he had been their own son: who, now and again taking note of thedamsel, that she was very fair and graceful, and in bearing and behaviourmost commendable, and of marriageable age, fell vehemently in love withher, which love he was very careful to conceal. The damsel detected it,however, and in like manner plunged headlong into love with him, toRicciardo's no small satisfaction. Again and again he was on the point ofspeaking to her, but refrained for fear; at length, however, he summonedup his courage, and seizing his opportunity, thus addressedher:--"Caterina, I implore thee, suffer me not to die for love of thee."Whereto the damsel forthwith responded:--"Nay, God grant that it be notrather that I die for love of thee." Greatly exhilarated and encouraged,Ricciardo made answer:--"'Twill never be by default of mine that thoulackest aught that may pleasure thee; but it rests with thee to find themeans to save thy life and mine." Then said the damsel:--"Thou seest,Ricciardo, how closely watched I am, insomuch that I see not how 'twerepossible for thee to come to me; but if thou seest aught that I may dowithout dishonour, speak the word, and I will do it." Ricciardo wassilent a while, pondering many matters: then, of a sudden, hesaid:--"Sweet my Caterina, there is but one way that I can see, to wit,that thou shouldst sleep either on or where thou mightst have access tothe terrace by thy father's garden, where, so I but knew that thouwouldst be there at night, I would without fail contrive to meet thee,albeit 'tis very high." "As for my sleeping there," replied Caterina, "Idoubt not that it may be managed, if thou art sure that thou canst joinme." Ricciardo answered in the affirmative. Whereupon they exchanged afurtive kiss, and parted.

  On the morrow, it being now towards the close of May, the damsel begancomplaining to her mother that by reason of the excessive heat she hadnot been able to get any sleep during the night. "Daughter," said thelady, "what heat was there? Nay, there was no heat at all." "Had yousaid, 'to my thinking,' mother," rejoined Caterina, "you would perhapshave said sooth; but you should bethink you how much more heat girls havein them than ladies that are advanced in years." "True, my daughter,"returned the lady, "but I cannot order that it shall be hot and cold, asthou perchance wouldst like; we must take the weather as we find it, andas the seasons provide it: perchance to-night it will be cooler, and thouwilt sleep better." "God grant it be so," said Caterina, "but 'tis notwonted for the nights to grow cooler as the summer comes on." "Whatthen," said the lady, "wouldst thou have me do?" "With your leave and myfather's," answered Caterina, "I should like to have a little bed made upon the terrace by his room and over his garden, where, hearing thenightingales sing, and being in a much cooler place, I should sleep muchbetter than in your room." Whereupon:--"Daughter, be of good cheer," saidthe mother; "I will speak to thy father, and we will do as he shalldecide." So the lady told Messer Lizio what had passed between her andthe damsel; but he, being old and perhaps for that reason a littlemorose, said:--"What nightingale is this, to whose chant she would fainsleep? I will see to it that the cicalas shall yet lull her to sleep."Which speech, coming to Caterina's ears, gave her such offence, that foranger, rather than by reason of the heat, she not only slept not herselfthat night, but suffered not her mother to sleep, keeping up a perpetualcomplaint of the great heat. Wherefore her mother hied her in the morningto Messer Lizio, and said to him:--"Sir, you hold your daughter none toodear; what difference can it make to you that she lie on the terrace? Shehas tossed about all night long by reason of the heat; and besides, canyou wonder that she, girl that she is, loves to hear the nightingalesing? Young folk naturally affect their likes." Whereto Messer Lizio madeanswer:--"Go, make her a bed there to your liking, and set a curtainround it, and let her sleep there, and hear the nightingale sing to herheart's content." Which the damsel no sooner learned, than she had a bedmade there with intent to sleep there that same night
; wherefore shewatched until she saw Ricciardo, whom by a concerted sign she gave tounderstand what he was to do. Messer Lizio, as soon as he had heard thedamsel go to bed, locked a door that led from his room to the terrace,and went to sleep himself. When all was quiet, Ricciardo with the help ofa ladder got upon a wall, and standing thereon laid hold of certaintoothings of another wall, and not without great exertion and risk, hadhe fallen, clambered up on to the terrace, where the damsel received himquietly with the heartiest of cheer. Many a kiss they exchanged; and thengot them to bed, where well-nigh all night long they had solace andjoyance of one another, and made the