The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio

by Giovanni Boccaccio

  THE FIFTH STORY

  [Day the Third]

  RICCIARDO, SURNAMED IL ZIMA, GIVETH MESSER FRANCESCO VERGELLESI A PALFREY OF HIS AND HATH THEREFOR HIS LEAVE TO SPEAK WITH HIS WIFE. SHE KEEPING SILENCE, HE IN HER PERSON REPLIETH UNTO HIMSELF, AND THE EFFECT AFTER ENSUETH IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS ANSWER

  Pamfilo having made an end, not without laughter on the part of theladies, of the story of Fra Puccio, the queen with a commanding airbade Elisa follow on. She, rather tartly than otherwise, not out ofmalice, but of old habit, began to speak thus, "Many folk, knowingmuch, imagine that others know nothing, and so ofttimes, what whilethey think to overreach others, find, after the event, that theythemselves have been outwitted of them; wherefore I hold his follygreat who setteth himself without occasion to test the strength ofanother's wit. But, for that maybe all are not of my opinion, itpleaseth me, whilst following on the given order of the discourse, torelate to you that which befell a Pistolese gentleman[168] by reasonthereof.

  [Footnote 168: _i.e._ a gentleman of Pistoia.]

  There was in Pistoia a gentleman of the Vergellesi family, by nameMesser Francesco, a man of great wealth and understanding and welladvised in all else, but covetous beyond measure. Being made provostof Milan, he had furnished himself with everything necessary for hishonourable going thither, except only with a palfrey handsome enoughfor him, and finding none to his liking, he abode in concern thereof.Now there was then in the same town a young man called Ricciardo, oflittle family, but very rich, who still went so quaintly clad and sobrave of his person that he was commonly known as Il Zima,[169] and hehad long in vain loved and courted Messer Francesco's wife, who wasexceeding fair and very virtuous. Now he had one of the handsomestpalfreys in all Tuscany and set great store by it for its beauty andit being public to every one that he was enamoured of MesserFrancesco's wife, there were those who told the latter that, should heask it, he might have the horse for the love Il Zima bore his lady.Accordingly, moved by covetise, Messer Francesco let call Il Zima tohim and sought of him his palfrey by way of sale, so he should profferit to him as a gift. The other, hearing this, was well pleased andmade answer to him, saying, "Sir, though you gave me all you have inthe world, you might not avail to have my palfrey by way of sale, butby way of gift you may have it, whenas it pleaseth you, on conditionthat, ere you take it, I may have leave to speak some words with yourlady in your presence, but so far removed from every one that I may beheard of none other than herself.' The gentleman, urged by avarice andlooking to outwit the other, answered that it liked him well and [thathe might speak with her] as much as he would; then, leaving him in thesaloon of his palace, he betook himself to the lady's chamber andtelling her how easily he might acquire the palfrey, bade her comehearken to Il Zima, but charged her take good care to answer neitherlittle or much to aught that he should say. To this the lady muchdemurred, but, it behoving her ensue her husband's pleasure, shepromised to do his bidding and followed him to the saloon, to hearwhat Il Zima should say. The latter, having renewed his covenant withthe gentleman, seated himself with the lady in a part of the saloon ata great distance from every one and began to say thus, 'Noble lady,meseemeth certain that you have too much wit not to have long sinceperceived how great a love I have been brought to bear you by yourbeauty, which far transcendeth that of any woman whom methinketh Iever beheld, to say nothing of the engaging manners and the peerlessvirtues which be in you and which might well avail to take theloftiest spirits of mankind; wherefore it were needless to declare toyou in words that this [my love] is the greatest and most fervent thatever man bore woman; and thus, without fail, will I do[170] so long asmy wretched life shall sustain these limbs, nay, longer; for that, ifin the other world folk love as they do here below, I shall love youto all eternity. Wherefore you may rest assured that you have nothing,be it much or little worth, that you may hold so wholly yours andwhereon you may in every wise so surely reckon as myself, such as Iam, and that likewise which is mine. And that of this you may takeassurance by very certain argument, I tell you that I should countmyself more graced, did you command me somewhat that I might do andthat would pleasure you, than if, I commanding, all the world shouldpromptliest obey me. Since, then, I am yours, even as you have heard,it is not without reason that I dare to offer up my prayers to yournobility, wherefrom alone can all peace, all health and all well-beingderive for me, and no otherwhence; yea, as the humblest of yourservants, I beseech you, dear my good and only hope of my soul, which,midmost the fire of love, feedeth upon its hope in you,--that yourbenignity may be so great and your past rigour shown unto me, who amyours, on such wise be mollified that I, recomforted by your kindness,may say that, like as by your beauty I was stricken with love, even soby your pity have I life, which latter, an your haughty soul inclinenot to my prayers, will without fail come to nought and I shall perishand you may be said to be my murderer. Letting be that my death willdo you no honour, I doubt not eke but that, conscience bytimespricking you therefor, you will regret having wrought it[171] andwhiles, better disposed, will say in yourself, "Alack, how ill I didnot to have compassion upon my poor Zima!" and this repentance, beingof no avail, will cause you the great annoy. Wherefore, so this maynot betide, now that you have it in your power to succour me, bethinkyourself and ere I die, be moved to pity on me, for that with youalone it resteth to make me the happiest or the most miserable manalive. I trust your courtesy will be such that you will not suffer meto receive death in guerdon of such and so great a love, but will witha glad response and full of favour quicken my fainting spirits, whichflutter, all dismayed, in your presence.' Therewith he held his peaceand heaving the deepest of sighs, followed up with sundry tears,proceeded to await the lady's answer. The latter,--whom the long courthe had paid her, the joustings held and the serenades given in herhonour and other like things done of him for the love of her had notavailed to move,--was moved by the passionate speech of this mostardent lover and began to be sensible of that which she had never yetfelt, to wit, what manner of thing love was; and albeit, in ensuanceof the commandment laid upon her by her husband, she kept silence, shecould not withal hinder sundry gentle sighs from discovering thatwhich, in answer to Il Zima, she would gladly have made manifest. IlZima, having waited awhile and seeing that no response ensued, waswondered and presently began to divine the husband's device; but yet,looking her in the face and observing certain flashes of her eyestowards him now and again and noting, moreover, the sighs which shesuffered not to escape her bosom with all her strength, conceivedfresh hope and heartened thereby, took new counsel[172] and proceededto answer himself after the following fashion, she hearkening thewhile: 'Zima mine, this long time, in good sooth, have I perceived thylove for me to be most great and perfect, and now by thy words I knowit yet better and am well pleased therewith, as indeed I should be.Algates, an I have seemed to thee harsh and cruel, I will not havethee believe that I have at heart been that which I have shown myselfin countenance; nay, I have ever loved thee and held thee dear aboveall other men; but thus hath it behoved me do, both for fear of othersand for the preserving of my fair fame. But now is the time at handwhen I may show thee clearly that I love thee and guerdon thee of thelove that thou hast borne and bearest me. Take comfort, therefore, andbe of good hope, for that a few days hence Messer Francesco is to goto Milan for provost, as indeed thou knowest, who hast for the love ofme given him thy goodly palfrey; and whenas he shall be gone, Ipromise thee by my troth and of the true love I bear thee, that,before many days, thou shalt without fail foregather with me and wewill give gladsome and entire accomplishment to our love. And that Imay not have to bespeak thee otherwhiles of the matter, I tell theepresently that, whenas thou shalt see two napkins displayed at thewindow of my chamber, which giveth upon our garden, do thou that sameevening at nightfall make shift to come to me by the garden door,taking good care that thou be not seen. Thou wilt find me awaitingthee and we will all night long have delight and pleasance one ofanother, to our hearts' content.
' Having thus spoken for the lady, hebegan again to speak in his own person and rejoined on this wise,'Dearest lady, my every sense is so transported with excessive joy foryour gracious reply that I can scarce avail to make response, muchless to render you due thanks; nay, could I e'en speak as I desire,there is no term so long that it might suffice me fully to thank youas I would fain do and as it behoveth me; wherefore I leave it to yourdiscreet consideration to imagine that which, for all my will, I amunable to express in words. This much only I tell you that I willwithout fail bethink myself to do as you have charged me, and beingthen, peradventure, better certified of so great a grace as that whichyou have vouchsafed me, I will, as best I may, study to render you theutmost thanks in my power. For the nonce there abideth no more to say;wherefore, dearest lady mine, God give you that gladness and that wealwhich you most desire, and so to Him I commend you.' For all this thelady said not a word; whereupon Il Zima arose and turned towards thehusband, who, seeing him risen, came up to him and said, laughing 'Howdeemest thou? Have I well performed my promise to thee?' 'Nay, sir'answered Il Zima; 'for you promised to let me speak with your lady andyou have caused me speak with a marble statue.' These words weremighty pleasing to the husband, who, for all he had a good opinion ofthe lady, conceived of her a yet better and said, 'Now is thy palfreyfairly mine.' 'Ay is it, sir,' replied Il Zima, 'but, had I thought toreap of this favour received of you such fruit as I have gotten, I hadgiven you the palfrey, without asking it[173] of you; and would God Ihad done it, for that now you have bought the palfrey and I have notsold it.' The other laughed at this and being now provided with apalfrey, set out upon his way a few days after and betook himself toMilan, to enter upon the Provostship. The lady, left free in herhouse, called to mind Il Zima's words and the love he bore her and thepalfrey given for her sake and seeing him pass often by the house,said in herself, 'What do I? Why waste I my youth? Yonder man is goneto Milan and will not return these six months. When will he everrender me them[174] again? When I am old? Moreover, when shall I everfind such a lover as Il Zima? I am alone and have no one to fear. Iknow not why I should not take this good opportunity what while I may;I shall not always have such leisure as I presently have. None willknow the thing, and even were it to be known, it is better to do andrepent, than to abstain and repent.' Having thus taken counsel withherself, she one day set two napkins in the garden window, even as IlZima had said, which when he saw, he was greatly rejoiced and nosooner was the night come than he betook himself, secretly and alone,to the gate of the lady's garden and finding it open, passed on toanother door that opened into the house, where he found his mistressawaiting him. She, seeing him come, started up to meet him andreceived him with the utmost joy, whilst he clipped and kissed her anhundred thousand times and followed her up the stair to her chamber,where, getting them to bed without a moment's delay, they knew theutmost term of amorous delight. Nor was this first time the last, forthat, what while the gentleman abode at Milan and even after hiscoming back, Il Zima returned thither many another time, to theexceeding satisfaction of both parties."

  [Footnote 169: Lit. "The summit," or in modern slang "The tiptop,"_i.e._ the pink of fashion.]

  [Footnote 170: _i.e._ this love shall I bear you. This is a flagrantinstance of the misuse of ellipsis, which so frequently disfiguresBoccaccio's dialogue.]

  [Footnote 171: _i.e._ my death.]

  [Footnote 172: Syn. a rare or strange means (_nuovo consiglio_). Theword _nuovo_ is constantly used by Boccaccio in the latter sense, asis _consiglio_ in its remoter signification of means, remedy, etc.]

  [Footnote 173: _i.e._ the favour.]

  [Footnote 174: _i.e._ the lost six months.]