The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
Page 75
THE SIXTH STORY
[Day the Seventh]
MADAM ISABELLA, BEING IN COMPANY WITH LEONETTO HER LOVER, IS VISITED BY ONE MESSER LAMBERTUCCIO, OF WHOM SHE IS BELOVED; HER HUSBAND RETURNING, [UNEXPECTED,] SHE SENDETH LAMBERTUCCIO FORTH OF THE HOUSE, WHINGER IN HAND, AND THE HUSBAND AFTER ESCORTETH LEONETTO HOME
The company were wonder-well pleased with Fiammetta's story, allaffirming that the lady had done excellently well and as it behovedunto such a brute of a man, and after it was ended, the king badePampinea follow on, who proceeded to say, "There are many who,speaking ignorantly, avouch that love bereaveth folk of their sensesand causeth whoso loveth to become witless. Meseemeth this is afoolish opinion, as hath indeed been well enough shown by the thingsalready related, and I purpose yet again to demonstrate it.
In our city, which aboundeth in all good things, there was once ayoung lady both gently born and very fair, who was the wife of a veryworthy and notable gentleman; and as it happeneth often that folkcannot for ever brook one same food, but desire bytimes to vary theirdiet, this lady, her husband not altogether satisfying her, becameenamoured of a young man called Leonetto and very well bred andagreeable, for all he was of no great extraction. He on like wise fellin love with her, and as you know that seldom doth that which bothparties desire abide without effect, it was no great while beforeaccomplishment was given to their loves. Now it chanced that, shebeing a fair and engaging lady, a gentleman called MesserLambertuccio became sore enamoured of her, whom, for that he seemedto her a disagreeable man and a tiresome, she could not for aught inthe world bring herself to love. However, after soliciting her amainwith messages and it availing him nought, he sent to her threateningher, for that he was a notable man, to dishonour her, an she did nothis pleasure; wherefore she, fearful and knowing his character,submitted herself to do his will.
It chanced one day that the lady, whose name was Madam Isabella, beinggone, as is our custom in summer-time, to abide at a very goodlyestate she had in the country and her husband having riddensomewhither to pass some days abroad, she sent for Leonetto to comeand be with her, whereat he was mightily rejoiced and betook himselfthither incontinent. Meanwhile Messer Lambertuccio, hearing that herhusband was gone abroad, took horse and repairing, all alone, to herhouse, knocked at the door. The lady's waiting-woman, seeing him, camestraight to her mistress, who was closeted with Leonetto, and calledto her, saying, 'Madam, Messer Lambertuccio is below, all alone.' Thelady, hearing this, was the woefullest woman in the world, but, as shestood in great fear of Messer Lambertuccio, she besought Leonetto notto take it ill to hide himself awhile behind the curtains of her bedtill such time as the other should be gone. Accordingly, Leonetto, whofeared him no less than did the lady, hid himself there and she badethe maid go open to Messer Lambertuccio, which being done, he lighteddown in the courtyard and making his palfrey fast to a staple there,went up into the house. The lady put on a cheerful countenance andcoming to the head of the stair, received him with as good a grace asshe might and asked him what brought him thither; whereupon he caughther in his arms and clipped her and kissed her, saying, 'My soul, Iunderstood that your husband was abroad and am come accordingly to bewith you awhile.' After these words, they entered a bedchamber, wherethey locked themselves in, and Messer Lambertuccio fell to takingdelight of her.
As they were thus engaged, it befell, altogether out of the lady'sexpectation, that her husband returned, whom when the maid saw nearthe house, she ran in haste to the lady's chamber and said, 'Madam,here is my lord come back; methinketh he is already below in thecourtyard.' When the lady heard this, bethinking her that she had twomen in the house and knowing that there was no hiding MesserLambertuccio, by reason of his palfrey which was in the courtyard, shegave herself up for lost. Nevertheless, taking a sudden resolution,she sprang hastily down from the bed and said to Messer Lambertuccio,'Sir, an you wish me anywise well and would save me from death, dothat which I shall bid you. Take your hanger naked in your hand and godown the stair with an angry air and all disordered and begone,saying, "I vow to God that I will take him elsewhere." And should myhusband offer to detain you or question you of aught, do you say nootherwhat than that which I have told you, but take horse and look youabide not with him on any account.' The gentleman answered that hewould well, and accordingly, drawing his hanger, he did as she hadenjoined him, with a face all afire what with the swink he hadfurnished and with anger at the husband's return. The latter was bythis dismounted in the courtyard and marvelled to see the palfreythere; then, offering to go up into the house, he saw MesserLambertuccio come down and wondering both at his words and his air,said, 'What is this, sir?' Messer Lambertuccio putting his foot in thestirrup and mounting to horse, said nought but, 'Cock's body, I shallfind him again otherwhere,' and made off.
The gentleman, going up, found his wife at the stairhead, alldisordered and fearful, and said to her, 'What is all this? Whom goethMesser Lambertuccio threatening thus in such a fury?' The lady,withdrawing towards the chamber where Leonetto was, so he might hearher, answered, 'Sir, never had I the like of this fright. There camefleeing hither but now a young man, whom I know not, followed byMesser Lambertuccio, hanger in hand, and finding by chance the door ofthis chamber open, said to me, all trembling, "For God's sake, madam,help me, that I be not slain in your arms." I rose to my feet and wasabout to question him who he was and what ailed him, when, behold, inrushed Messer Lambertuccio, saying, "Where art thou, traitor?" I setmyself before the chamber-door and hindered him from entering; and hewas in so far courteous that, after many words, seeing it pleased menot that he should enter there, he went his way down, as you haveseen.' Quoth the husband, 'Wife, thou didst well, it were too great areproach to us, had a man been slain in our house, and MesserLambertuccio did exceeding unmannerly to follow a person who had takenrefuge here.'
Then he asked where the young man was, and the lady answered, 'Indeedsir, I know not where he hath hidden himself.' Then said the husband'Where art thou? Come forth in safety.' Whereupon Leonetto, who hadheard everything, came forth all trembling for fear, (as indeed he hadhad a great fright,) of the place where he had hidden himself, and thegentleman said to him, 'What hast thou to do with MesserLambertuccio?' 'Sir,' answered he, 'I have nothing in the world to dowith him, wherefore methinketh assuredly he is either not in his rightwits or he hath mistaken me for another; for that no sooner did he seteyes on me in the road not far from this house than he forthrightclapped his hand to his hanger and said, "Traitor, thou art a deadman!" I stayed not to ask why, but took to my heels as best I mightand made my way hither, where, thanks to God and to this gentlewoman,I have escaped.' Quoth the husband, 'Go to; have no fears; I willbring thee to thine own house safe and sound, and thou canst afterseek out what thou hast to do with him.' Accordingly, when they hadsupped, he mounted him a-horseback and carrying him back to Florence,left him in his own house. As for Leonetto, that same evening,according as he had been lessoned of the lady, he privily bespokeMesser Lambertuccio and took such order with him, albeit there wasmuch talk of the matter thereafterward, the husband never for all thatbecame aware of the cheat that had been put on him by his wife."