The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
Page 60
THE SECOND STORY
[Day the Sixth]
CISTI THE BAKER WITH A WORD OF HIS FASHION MAKETH MESSER GERI SPINA SENSIBLE OF AN INDISCREET REQUEST OF HIS
Madam Oretta's saying was greatly commended of all, ladies and men,and the queen bidding Pampinea follow on, she began thus: "Fairladies, I know not of mine own motion to resolve me which is the moreat fault, whether nature in fitting to a noble soul a mean body orfortune in imposing a mean condition upon a body endowed with a noblesoul, as in one our townsman Cisti and in many another we may haveseen it happen; which Cisti being gifted with a very lofty spirit,fortune made him a baker. And for this, certes, I should curse bothnature and fortune like, did I not know the one to be most discreetand the other to have a thousand eyes, albeit fools picture her blind;and I imagine, therefore, that, being exceeding well-advised, they dothat which is oftentimes done of human beings, who, uncertain offuture events, bury their most precious things, against theiroccasions, in the meanest places of their houses, as being the leastsuspect, and thence bring them forth in their greatest needs, the meanplace having the while kept them more surely than would the goodlychamber. And so, meseemeth, do the governors of the world hideoftentimes their most precious things under the shadow of crafts andconditions reputed most mean, to the end that, bringing them forththerefrom in time of need, their lustre may show the brighter. Whichhow Cisti the baker made manifest, though in but a trifling matter,restoring to Messer Geri Spina (whom the story but now told of MadamOretta, who was his wife, hath recalled to my memory) the eyes of theunderstanding, it pleaseth me to show you in a very short story.
I must tell you, then, that Pope Boniface, with whom Messer GeriSpina was in very great favour, having despatched to Florence certainof his gentlemen on an embassy concerning sundry important matters ofhis, they lighted down at the house of Messer Geri and he treating thepope's affairs in company with them, it chanced, whatever might havebeen the occasion thereof, that he and they passed well nigh everymorning afoot before Santa Maria Ughi, where Cisti the baker had hisbakehouse and plied his craft in person. Now, albeit fortune hadappointed Cisti a humble enough condition, she had so far at the leastbeen kind to him therein that he was grown very rich and without everchoosing to abandon it for any other, lived very splendidly, having,amongst his other good things, the best wines, white and red, thatwere to be found in Florence or in the neighbouring country. SeeingMesser Geri and the pope's ambassadors pass every morning before hisdoor and the heat being great, he bethought himself that it were agreat courtesy to give them to drink of his good white wine; but,having regard to his own condition and that of Messer Geri, he deemedit not a seemly thing to presume to invite them, but determined tobear himself on such wise as should lead Messer Geri to invitehimself.
Accordingly, having still on his body a very white doublet and anapron fresh from the wash, which bespoke him rather a miller than abaker, he let set before his door, every morning, towards the timewhen he looked for Messer Geri and the ambassadors to pass, a newtinned pail of fair water and a small pitcher of new Bolognese ware,full of his good white wine, together with two beakers, which seemedof silver, so bright they were, and seated himself there, against theyshould pass, when, after clearing his throat once or twice, he fell todrinking of that his wine with such a relish that he had made a deadman's mouth water for it. Messer Geri, having seen him do thus one andtwo mornings, said on the third, 'How now, Cisti? Is it good?'Whereupon he started to his feet and said, 'Ay is it, Sir; but howgood I cannot give you to understand, except you taste thereof.'Messer Geri, in whom either the nature of the weather or belike therelish with which he saw Cisti drink had begotten a thirst, turned tothe ambassadors and said, smiling, 'Gentlemen, we shall do well totaste this honest man's wine; belike it is such that we shall notrepent thereof.' Accordingly, he made with them towards Cisti, who letbring a goodly settle out of his bakehouse and praying them sit, saidto their serving-men, who pressed forward to rinse the beakers, 'Standback, friends, and leave this office to me, for that I know no lesswell how to skink than to wield the baking-peel; and look you not totaste a drop thereof.' So saying, he with his own hands washed outfour new and goodly beakers and letting bring a little pitcher of hisgood wine, busied himself with giving Messer Geri and his companionsto drink, to whom the wine seemed the best they had drunken that greatwhile; wherefore they commended it greatly, and well nigh everymorning, whilst the ambassadors abode there, Messer Geri went thitherto drink in company with them.
After awhile, their business being despatched and they about todepart, Messer Geri made them a magnificent banquet, whereto he badea number of the most worshipful citizens and amongst the rest, Cisti,who would, however, on no condition go thither; whereupon Messer Geribade one of his serving-men go fetch a flask of the baker's wine andgive each guest a half beaker thereof with the first course. Theservant, despiteful most like for that he had never availed to drinkof the wine, took a great flagon, which when Cisti saw, 'My son,' saidhe, 'Messer Geri sent thee not to me.' The man avouched again andagain that he had, but, getting none other answer, returned to MesserGeri and reported it to him. Quoth he, 'Go back to him and tell himthat I do indeed send thee to him; and if he still make thee the sameanswer, ask him to whom I send thee, [an it be not to him.]'Accordingly, the servant went back to the baker and said to him,'Cisti, for certain Messer Geri sendeth me to thee and none other.''For certain, my son,' answered the baker, 'he doth it not.' 'Then,'said the man, 'to whom doth he send me?' 'To the Arno,' replied Cisti;which answer when the servant reported to Messer Geri, the eyes of hisunderstanding were of a sudden opened and he said to the man, 'Let mesee what flask thou carriedst thither.'
When he saw the great flagon aforesaid, he said, 'Cisti saith sooth,'and giving the man a sharp reproof, made him take a sortable flask,which when Cisti saw, 'Now,' quoth he, 'I know full well that hesendeth thee to me,' and cheerfully filled it unto him. Then, thatsame day, he let fill a little cask with the like wine and causingcarry it softly to Messer Geri's house, went presently thither andfinding him there, said to him, 'Sir. I would not have you think thatthe great flagon of this morning frightened me; nay, but, meseemingthat which I have of these past days shown you with my little pitchershad escaped your mind, to wit, that this is no household wine,[300] Iwished to recall it to you. But, now, for that I purpose no longer tobe your steward thereof, I have sent it all to you; henceforward dowith it as it pleaseth you.' Messer Geri set great store by Cisti'spresent and rendering him such thanks as he deemed sortable, everafter held him for a man of great worth and for friend."
[Footnote 300: Lit. Family wine (_vin da famiglia_), _i.e._ no winefor servants' or general drinking, but a choice vintage, to bereserved for special occasions.]