Novel VIII
Novel VIII
[Voice: fiammetta]
[001] Two men keep with one another: the one lies with the other's wife: the other, being ware thereof, manages with the aid of his wife to have the one locked in a chest, upon which he then lies with the wife of him that is locked therein.
[002] Grievous and distressful was it to the ladies to hear how it fared with Elena; but as they accounted the retribution in a measure righteous, they were satisfied to expend upon her but a moderate degree of compassion, albeit they censured the scholar as severe, intemperately relentless, and indeed ruthless, in his vengeance. However, Pampinea having brought the story to a close, the queen bade Fiammetta follow suit; and prompt to obey, Fiammetta thus spoke:
[003] Debonair my ladies, as, methinks, your feelings must have been somewhat harrowed by the severity of the resentful scholar, I deem it meet to soothe your vexed spirits with something of a more cheerful order. Wherefore I am minded to tell you a little story of a young man who bore an affront in a milder temper, and avenged himself with more moderation. Whereby you may understand that one should be satisfied if the ass and the wall are quits, nor by indulging a vindictive spirit to excess turn the requital of a wrong into an occasion of wrong-doing.
[004]
You are to know, then, that at Siena,
as I have heard tell, there dwelt two young men of good substance,
and, for plebeians, of good family, the one Spinelloccio Tanena, the
other Zeppa di Mino, by name; who, their houses being contiguous
in the Camollia,
[008]
Zeppa saw all that passed, but said nothing and kept close, being
minded to see how the game would end, and soon saw his wife and
Spinelloccio, still in one another's arms, hie them to her chamber and
lock themselves in: whereat he was mightily incensed.
[009]
But, witting
that to make a noise, or do aught else overt, would not lessen but
rather increase his dishonour, he cast about how he might be avenged
on such wise that, without the affair getting wind, he might content
his soul; and having, after long pondering, hit, as he thought, upon
the expedient, he budged not from his retreat, until Spinelloccio had
parted from the lady.
[010]
Whereupon he hied him into the chamber,
and there finding the lady with her head-gear, which Spinelloccio in
toying with her had disarranged, scarce yet readjusted:
Madam,
what dost thou?
quoth he.
[011]
Whereto:
Why, dost not see?
returned the lady.
[012]
Troth do I,
rejoined he,
and somewhat else
have I seen that I would I had not.
And so he questioned her of
what had passed, and she, being mightily afraid, did after long parley
confess that which she might not plausibly deny, to wit, her intimacy
with Spinelloccio, and fell a beseeching him with tears to pardon her.
[013]
Lo, now, wife,
quoth Zeppa,
thou hast done wrong, and, so thou
wouldst have me pardon thee, have a care to do exactly as I shall bid
thee; to wit, on this wise:
[014]
thou must tell Spinelloccio to find some
occasion to part from me to-morrow morning about tierce, and come
hither to thee; and while he is here I will come back, and when
thou hearest me coming, thou wilt get him into this chest, and lock
him in there; which when thou hast done, I will tell thee what else
thou hast to do, which thou mayst do without the least misgiving,
for I promise thee I will do him no harm.
The lady, to content
him, promised to do as he bade, and she kept her word.
[015]
The morrow came, and Zeppa and Spinelloccio being together
about tierce, Spinelloccio, having promised the lady to come to see
her at that hour, said to Zeppa:
I must go breakfast with a
friend, whom I had life not keep in waiting; therefore, adieu!
[016]
Nay, but,
quoth Zeppa,
'tis not yet breakfast-time.
[017]
No
matter,
returned Spinelloccio,
I have business on which I must
speak with him; so I must be in good time.
[018]
Whereupon Spinelloccio
took his leave of Zeppa, and having reached Zeppa's house by
a slightly circuitous route, and finding his wife there, was taken by
her into the chamber, where they had not been long together when
Zeppa returned. Hearing him come, the lady, feigning no small
alarm, bundled Spinelloccio into the chest, as her husband had bidden
her, and having locked him in, left him there.
[019]
As Zeppa came
upstairs:
Wife,
quoth he,
is it breakfast time?
[020]
Ay, husband, 'tis so,
replied the lady.
[021]
Whereupon:
Spinelloccio is
gone to breakfast with a friend to-day,
quoth Zeppa,
leaving his
wife at home: get thee to the window, and call her, and bid her
come and breakfast with us.
[022]
The lady, whose fear for herself made
her mighty obedient, did as her husband bade her; and after much
pressing Spinelloccio's wife came to breakfast with them, though she
was given to understand that her husband would not be of the company.
So, she being come, Zeppa received her most affectionately,
and taking her familiarly by the hand, bade his wife, in an undertone,
get her to the kitchen; he then led Spinelloccio's wife into the
chamber, and locked the door.
[023]
Hearing the key turn in the lock:
Alas!
quoth the lady,
what means this, Zeppa? Is't for this you
have brought me here? Is this the love you bear Spinelloccio? Is
this your loyalty to him as your friend and comrade?
[024]
By the time
she had done speaking, Zeppa, still keeping fast hold of her, was
beside the chest, in which her husband was locked. Wherefore:
Madam,
quoth he,
spare me thy reproaches, until thou hast
heard what I have to say to thee. I have loved, I yet love, Spinelloccio
as a brother; and yesterday, though he knew it not, I discovered
that the trust I reposed in him has for its guerdon that he
lies with my wife, as with thee. Now, for that I love him, I purpose
not to be avenged upon him save in the sort in which he
offended. He has had my wife, and I intend to have thee.
[025]
So thou
wilt not grant me what I crave of thee, be sure I shall not fail to
take it; and having no mind to let this affront pass unavenged, will
make such play with him that neither thou nor he shall ever be
happy again.
[026]
The lady hearkening, and by dint of his repeated
asseverations coming at length to believe him:
Zeppa mine,
quoth she,
as this thy vengeance is to light upon me, well content
am I; so only thou let not this which we are to do embroil me with
thy wife, with whom, notwithstanding the evil turn she has done
me, I am minded to remain at peace.
[027]
Have no fear on that
score,
replied Zeppa;
nay, I will give thee into the bargain a
jewel so rare and fair that thou hast not the like.
Which said,
he took her in his arms and fell a kissing her, and having laid her
on the chest, in which her husband was safe under lock and key,
did there disport himself with her to his heart's content, as she with
him.
[028]
Spinelloccio in the chest heard all that Zeppa had said, and how
he was answered by the lady, and the Trevisan dance that afterwards
went on over his head; whereat his mortification was such that for
a great while he scarce hoped to live through it; and, but for the fear
he had of Zeppa, he would have given his wife a sound rating, close
prisoner though he was.
[029]
But, as he bethought him that 'twas he
that had given the first affront, and that Zeppa had good cause for
acting as he did, and that he had dealt with him considerately and
as a good fellow should, he resolved that if it were agreeable to
Zeppa, they should be faster friends than ever before.
[030]
However,
Zeppa, having had his pleasure with the lady, got down from the
chest, and being reminded by the lady of his promise of the jewel,
opened the door of the chamber and brought his wife in. Quoth
she with a laugh:
Madam, you have given me tit for tat,
and
never a word more.
[031]
Whereupon:
Open the chest,
quoth
Zeppa; and she obeying, he shewed the lady her Spinelloccio lying
therein.
[032]
'Twould be hard to say whether of the twain was the
more shame-stricken, Spinelloccio to be confronted with Zeppa,
knowing that Zeppa wist what he had done, or the lady to meet her
husband's eyes, knowing that he had heard what went on above his
head.
[033]
Lo, here is the jewel I give thee,
quoth Zeppa to her,
pointing to Spinelloccio,
[034]
who, as he came forth of the chest, blurted
out:
Zeppa, we are quits, and so 'twere best, as thou saidst a while
ago to my wife, that we still be friends as we were wont, and as we
had nought separate, save our wives, that henceforth we have them
also in common.
[035]
Content,
quoth Zeppa; and so in perfect
peace and accord they all four breakfasted together. And thenceforth
each of the ladies had two husbands, and each of the husbands two
wives; nor was there ever the least dispute or contention between
them on that score.