The Decameron, Volume II

by Giovanni Boccaccio

when the nuptials areended, thou mayst go back to thy cottage." Albeit each of these wordspierced Griselda's heart like a knife, for that, in resigning her goodfortune, she had not been able to renounce the love she bore Gualtieri,nevertheless:--"My lord," she made answer, "I am ready and prompt to doyour pleasure." And so, clad in her sorry garments of coarse romagnole,she entered the house, which, but a little before, she had quitted in hershift, and addressed her to sweep the chambers, and arrange arras andcushions in the halls, and make ready the kitchen, and set her hand toeverything, as if she had been a paltry serving-wench: nor did she restuntil she had brought all into such meet and seemly trim as the occasiondemanded. This done, she invited in Gualtieri's name all the ladies ofthose parts to be present at his nuptials, and awaited the event. The daybeing come, still wearing her sorry weeds, but in heart and soul and mienthe lady, she received the ladies as they came, and gave each a gladsomegreeting.

  Now Gualtieri, as we said, had caused his children to be carefullynurtured and brought up by a kinswoman of his at Bologna, which kinswomanwas married into the family of the Counts of Panago; and, the girl beingnow twelve years old, and the loveliest creature that ever was seen, andthe boy being about six years old, he had sent word to his kinswoman'shusband at Bologna, praying him to be pleased to come with this girl andboy of his to Saluzzo, and to see that he brought a goodly and honourablecompany with him, and to give all to understand that he brought the girlto him to wife, and on no wise to disclose to any, who she really was.The gentleman did as the Marquis bade him, and within a few days of hissetting forth arrived at Saluzzo about breakfast-time with the girl, andher brother, and a noble company, and found all the folk of those parts,and much people besides, gathered there in expectation of Gualtieri's newbride. Who, being received by the ladies, was no sooner come into thehall, where the tables were set, than Griselda advanced to meet her,saying with hearty cheer:--"Welcome, my lady." So the ladies, who hadwith much instance, but in vain, besought Gualtieri, either to letGriselda keep in another room, or at any rate to furnish her with one ofthe robes that had been hers, that she might not present herself in sucha sorry guise before the strangers, sate down to table; and the servicebeing begun, the eyes of all were set on the girl, and every one saidthat Gualtieri had made a good exchange, and Griselda joined with therest in greatly commending her, and also her little brother. And nowGualtieri, sated at last with all that he had seen of his wife'spatience, marking that this new and strange turn made not the leastalteration in her demeanour, and being well assured that 'twas not due toapathy, for he knew her to be of excellent understanding, deemed it timeto relieve her of the suffering which he judged her to dissemble under aresolute front; and so, having called her to him in presence of them all,he said with a smile:--"And what thinkst thou of our bride?" "My lord,"replied Griselda, "I think mighty well of her; and if she be but asdiscreet as she is fair--and so I deem her--I make no doubt but you mayreckon to lead with her a life of incomparable felicity; but with allearnestness I entreat you, that you spare her those tribulations whichyou did once inflict upon another that was yours, for I scarce think shewould be able to bear them, as well because she is younger, as for thatshe has been delicately nurtured, whereas that other had known no respiteof hardship since she was but a little child." Marking that she made nodoubt but that the girl was to be his wife, and yet spoke never a whitthe less sweetly, Gualtieri caused her to sit down beside him,and:--"Griselda," said he, "'tis now time that thou see the reward of thylong patience, and that those, who have deemed me cruel and unjust andinsensate, should know that what I did was done of purpose aforethought,for that I was minded to give both thee and them a lesson, that thoumightst learn to be a wife, and they in like manner might learn how totake and keep a wife, and that I might beget me perpetual peace with theefor the rest of my life; whereof being in great fear, when I came to takea wife, lest I should be disappointed, I therefore, to put the matter tothe proof, did, and how sorely thou knowest, harass and afflict thee. Andsince I never knew thee either by deed or by word to deviate from mywill, I now, deeming myself to have of thee that assurance of happinesswhich I desired, am minded to restore to thee at once all that, step bystep, I took from thee, and by extremity of joy to compensate thetribulations that I inflicted on thee. Receive, then, this girl, whomthou supposest to be my bride, and her brother, with glad heart, as thychildren and mine. These are they, whom by thee and many another it haslong been supposed that I did ruthlessly to death, and I am thy husband,that loves thee more dearly than aught else, deeming that other there isnone that has the like good cause to be well content with his wife."

  Which said, he embraced and kissed her; and then, while she wept for joy,they rose and hied them there where sate the daughter, all astonied tohear the news, whom, as also her brother, they tenderly embraced, andexplained to them, and many others that stood by, the whole mystery.Whereat the ladies, transported with delight, rose from table and betookthem with Griselda to a chamber, and, with better omen, divested her ofher sorry garb, and arrayed her in one of her own robes of state; and so,in guise of a lady (howbeit in her rags she had shewed as no less) theyled her back into the hall. Wondrous was the cheer which there they madewith the children; and, all overjoyed at the event, they revelled andmade merry amain, and prolonged the festivities for several days; andvery discreet they pronounced Gualtieri, albeit they censured asintolerably harsh the probation to which he had subjected Griselda, andmost discreet beyond all compare they accounted Griselda.

  Some days after, the Count of Panago returned to Bologna, and Gualtieritook Giannucolo from his husbandry, and established him in honour as hisfather-in-law, wherein to his great solace he lived for the rest of hisdays. Gualtieri himself, having mated his daughter with a husband of highdegree, lived long and happily thereafter with Griselda, to whom he everpaid all honour.

  Now what shall we say in this case but that even into the cots of thepoor the heavens let fall at times spirits divine, as into the palaces ofkings souls that are fitter to tend hogs than to exercise lordship overmen? Who but Griselda had been able, with a countenance not onlytearless, but cheerful, to endure the hard and unheard-of trials to whichGualtieri subjected her? Who perhaps might have deemed himself to havemade no bad investment, had he chanced upon one, who, having been turnedout of his house in her shift, had found means so to dust the pelisse ofanother as to get herself thereby a fine robe.

  So ended Dioneo's story, whereof the ladies, diversely inclining, one tocensure where another found matter for commendation, had discoursed not alittle, when the king, having glanced at the sky, and marked that the sunwas now low, insomuch that 'twas nigh the vesper hour, still keeping hisseat, thus began:--"Exquisite my ladies, as, methinks, you wot, 'tis notonly in minding them of the past and apprehending the present that thewit of mortals consists; but by one means or the other to be able toforesee the future is by the sages accounted the height of wisdom. Now,to-morrow, as you know, 'twill be fifteen days since, in quest ofrecreation and for the conservation of our health and life, we, shunningthe dismal and dolorous and afflicting spectacles that have ceased not inour city since this season of pestilence began, took our departure fromFlorence. Wherein, to my thinking, we have done nought that was notseemly; for, if I have duly used my powers of observation, albeit somegay stories, and of a kind to stimulate concupiscence, have here beentold, and we have daily known no lack of dainty dishes and good wine, noryet of music and song, things, one and all, apt to incite weak minds tothat which is not seemly, neither on your part, nor on ours, have Imarked deed or word, or aught of any kind, that called for reprehension;but, by what I have seen and heard, seemliness and the sweet intimacy ofbrothers and sisters have ever reigned among us. Which, assuredly, forthe honour and advantage which you and I have had thereof, is mostgrateful to me. Wherefore, lest too long continuance in this way of lifemight beget some occasion of weariness, and that no man may be able tomisconstrue our too long abidance here, and as we have all of us had ourday's s
hare of the honour which still remains in me, I should deem itmeet, so you be of like mind, that we now go back whence we came: andthat the rather that our company, the bruit whereof has already reacheddivers others that are in our neighbourhood, might be so increased thatall our pleasure would be destroyed. And so, if my counsel meet with yourapproval, I will keep the crown I have received of you until ourdeparture, which, I purpose, shall be tomorrow morning. Should you decideotherwise, I have already determined whom to crown for the ensuing day."

  Much debate ensued among the ladies and young men; but in the end theyapproved the king's proposal as expedient and seemly; and resolved to doeven as he had said. The king therefore summoned the seneschal; andhaving conferred with him of the order he was to observe on the morrow,he dismissed the