the decameron(十日谈)- 第104部分

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SIXT　DAY；　THE　FOURTH　NOVELL

　　　WHEREBY　PLAINLY　APPEARETH；　THAT　A　SODAINE　WITTY　AND　MERRY　ANSWER；
　　　　　　　　　DOTH　OFTENTIMES　APPEASE　THE　FURIOUS　CHOLLER　OF　AN
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ANGRY　MAN

　　Chichibio；　the　Cooke　to　Messer　Currado　Gianfiliazzi；　by　a　sodaine
pleasant　answer　which　he　made　to　his　Master；　converted　his　anger
into　laughter；　and　thereby　escaped　the　punishment；　that　Messer　meant
to　impose　on　him。

　　Madam　Lauretta　sitting　silent；　and　the　answer　of　Lady　Nonna　having
past　with　generall　applause：　the　Queene　commanded　Madame　Neiphila　to
follow　next　in　order；　who　instantly　thus　began。　Although　a　ready　wit
（faire　Ladies）　doth　many　times　affoord　worthy　and　commendable
speeches；　according　to　the　accidents　happening　to　the　speaker：　yet
notwithstanding；　Fortune　（being　a　ready　helper　divers　wayes　to　the
timorous）　doth　often　tippe　the　tongue　with　such　a　present　reply；　as
the　partie　to　speake；　had　not　so　much　leysure　as　to　thinke　on；　nor　yet
to　invent；　as　I　purpose　to　let　you　perceive；　by　a　prety　short　Novell。
　　Messer　Currado　Gianfiliazzi　（as　most　of　you　have　both　seene　and
knowen）　living　alwayes　in　our　Citie；　in　the　estate　of　a　Noble　Citizen；
beeing　a　man　bountifull；　magnificent；　and　within　the　degree　of
Knighthoode：　continually　kept　both　Hawkes　and　Hounds；　taking　no
meane　delight　in　such　pleasures　as　they　yeelded；　neglecting　（for　them）
farre　more　serious　imployments；　wherewith　our　present　subject
presumeth　not　to　meddle。　Upon　a　day；　having　kilde　with　his　Faulcon　a
Crane；　neere　to　a　Village　called　Peretola；　and　finding　her　to　be
both　young　and　fat；　he　sent　it　to　his　Cooke；　a　Venetian　borne；　and
named　Chichibio；　with　command　to　have　it　prepared　for　his　supper。
Chichibio；　who　resembled　no　other；　then　（as　he　was　indeede）　a
plaine；　simple；　honest　mery　fellow；　having　drest　the　Crane　as　it　ought
to　bee；　put　it　on　the　spit；　and　laide　it　to　the　fire。
　　When　it　was　well　neere　fully　roasted；　and　gave　forth　a　very　delicate
pleasing　savour；　it　fortuned　that　a　young　Woman　dwelling　not　far
off；　named　Brunetta；　and　of　whom　Chichibio　was　somewhat　enamored；
entred　into　the　Kitchin；　and　feeling　the　excellent　smell　of　the　Crane；
to　please　her　beyond　all　savours；　that　ever　she　had　felt　before：　she
entreated　Chichibio　verie　earnestly；　that　hee　would　bestow　a　legge
thereof　on　her。　Whereto　Chichibio　（like　a　pleasant　companion；　and
evermore　delighting　in　singing）　sung　her　this　answer。

　　　　　　My　Brunetta；　faire　and　feat　a；
　　　　　　　　Why　should　you　say　so？
　　　　　　The　meate　of　my　Master；
　　　　　　Allowes　you　for　no　Taster；
　　　　　　　　Go　from　the　Kitchin　go。

　　Many　other　speeches　past　betweene　them　in　a　short　while；　but　in
the　end；　Chichibio；　because　hee　would　not　have　his　Mistresse
Brunetta　angrie　with　him；　cut　away　one　of　the　Cranes　legges　from　the
spit；　and　gave　it　to　her　to　eate。　Afterward；　when　the　Fowle　was　served
up　to　the　Table　before　Messer　Currado；　who　had　invited　certain
strangers　his　friends　to　sup　with　him；　wondering　not　a　little；　he
called　for　Chichibio　his　Cook；　demanding　what　was　become　of　the　Cranes
other　legge？　Whereto　the　Venetian　（being　a　lyar　by　Nature）　sodainely
answered：　Sir；　Cranes　have　no　more　but　one　legge　each　Bird。　Messer
Currado；　growing　verie　angry；　replyed。　Wilt　thou　tell　me；　that　a　Crane
hath　no　more　but　one　legge？　Did　I　never　see　a　Crane　before　this？
Chichibio　persisting　resolutely　in　his　deniall；　saide。　Beleeve　me　Sir；
I　have　told　you　nothing　but　the　truth；　and　when　you　please；　I　wil　make
good　my　wordes；　by　such　Fowles　as　are　living。
　　Messer　Currado；　in　kinde　love　to　the　strangers　that　hee　had
invited　to　supper；　gave　over　any　further　contestation；　onely　he
said。　Seeing　thou　assurest　me；　to　let　me　see　thy　affirmation　for
truth；　by　other　of　the　same　Fowles　living　（a　thing　which　as　yet　I
never　saw；　or　heard　of）　I　am　content　to　make　proofe　thereof　to
morrow　morning；　till　then　I　shall　rest　satisfied：　but；　upon　my　word；
if　I　finde　it　otherwise；　expect　such　a　sound　payment；　as　thy　knavery
justly　deserveth；　to　make　thee　remember　it　all　thy　life　time。　The
contention　ceassing　for　the　night　season；　Messer　Currado；　who　though
he　had　slept　well；　remained　still　discontented　in　his　minde：　arose
in　the　morning　by　breake　of　day；　and　puffing　and　blowing　angerly；
called　for　his　horses；　commanding　Chichibio　to　mount　on　one　of　them；
so　riding　on　towards　the　River；　where　（earely　every　morning）　he　had
seene　plenty　of　Cranes；　he　sayde　to　his　man；　We　shall　see　anon
Sirra；　whether　thou　or　I　lyed　yesternight。
　　Chichibio　perceiving；　that　his　Masters　anger　was　not　（as　yet）
asswaged；　and　now　it　stood　him　upon；　to　make　good　his　lye；　not　knowing
how　he　should　do　it；　rode　after　his　Master；　fearfully　trembling　all
the　way。　Gladly　he　would　have　made　an　escape；　but　hee　could　not　by　any
possible　meanes；　and　on　every　side　he　looked　about　him；　now　before；
and　after　behinde；　to　espy　any　Cranes　standing　on　both　their　legges；
which　would　have　bin　an　ominous　sight　to　him。　But　being　come　neere
to　the　River；　he　chanced　to　see　（before　any　of　the　rest）　upon　the
banke　thereof；　about　a　dozen　Cranes　in　number；　each　of　them　standing
but　upon　one　legge；　as　they　use　to　do　when　they　are　sleeping。
Whereupon；　shewing　them　quickly　to　Messer　Currado；　he　said。　Now　Sir
your　selfe　may　see；　whether　I　told　you　true　yesternight；　or　no：　I　am
sure　a　Crane　hath　but　one　thigh；　and　one　leg；　as　all　here　present
are　apparant　witnesses；　and　I　have　bin　as　good　as　my　promise。
　　Messer　Currado　looking　on　the　Cranes；　and　well　understanding　the
knavery　of　his　man；　replyed：　Stay　but　a　little　while　sirra；　and　I　will
shew　thee；　that　a　Crane　hath　two　thighes；　and　two　legges。　Then
riding　somwhat　neerer　to　them；　he　cryed　out　aloud；　Shough；　shough；
which　caused　them　to　set　downe　their　other　legs；　and　all　fled　away；
after　they　had　made　a　few　paces　against　the　winde　for　their
mounting。　So　going　unto　Chichibio；　he　said：　How　now　you　lying　Knave；
hath　a　Crane　two　legs；　or　no？　Chichibio　being　well…neere　at　his　wits
end；　not　knowing　now　what　answer　hee　should　make；　but　even　as　it
came　sodainly　into　his　minde；　said：　Sir；　I　perceive　you　are　in　the
right；　and　if　you　would　have　done　as　much　yesternight；　and　had　cryed
Shough；　as　here　you　did：　questionlesse；　the　Crane　would　then　have
set　down　the　other　legge；　as　these　heere　did：　but　if　（as　they）　she　had
fled　away　too；　by　that　meanes　you　might　have　lost　your　Supper。
　　This　sodaine　and　unexpected　witty　answere；　comming　from　such　a
logger…headed　Lout；　and　so　seasonably　for　his　owne　safety：　was　so
pleasing　to　Messer　Currado；　that　he　fell　into　a　hearty　laughter；　and
forgetting　all　anger；　saide。　Chichibio；　thou　hast　quit　thy　selfe　well；
and　to　my　contentment：　albeit　I　advise　thee；　to　teach　mee　no　more　such
trickes　heereafter。　Thus　Chichibio；　by　his　sodaine　and　merry　answer；
escaped　a　sound　beating；　which　（otherwise）　his　master　had　inflicted　on
him。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SIXT　DAY；　THE　FIFT　NOVELL

　　WHEREBY　MAY　BEE　OBSERVED；　THAT　SUCH　AS　WILL　SPEAKE　CONTEMPTIBLY　OF
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　OTHERS；　OUGHT　（FIRST　OF　ALL）　TO　LOOKE
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RESPECTIVELY　ON　THEIR　OWNE　IMPERFECTIONS

　　Messer　Forese　da　Rabatte；　and　Maister　Giotto；　a　Painter　by　his
profession；　comming　together　from　Mugello；　scornfully　reprehended
one　another　for　their　deformity　of　body。

　　So　soone　as　Madame　Neiphila　sate　silent　（the　Ladies　having　greatly
commended　the　pleasant　answer　of　Chichibio）　Pamphilus；　by　command　from
the　Queene；　spake　in　this　manner。　Woorthy　Ladies；　it　commeth　to
passe　oftentimes；　that　like　as　Fortune　is　observed　divers　wayes；　to
hide　under　vile　and　contemptible　Arts；　the　most　great　and
unvalewable　treasures　of　vertue　（as；　not　long　since；　was　well
discoursed　unto　us　by　Madame　Pampinea：）　so　in　like　manner　hath
appeared；　that　Nature　hath　infused　very　singular　spirits　into　most
mishapen　and　deformed　bodies　of　men。　As　hath　beene　noted　in　two　of　our
owne　Citizens；　of　whom　I　purpose　to　speake　in　fewe　words。　The　one　of
them　was　named　Messer　Forese　de　Rabatta；　a　man　of　little　and　low
person；　but　yet　deformed　in　body；　with　a　flat　face；　like　a　Terrier
or　Beagle；　as　if　no　comparison　（almost）　could　bee　made　more　ugly。
But　notwithstanding　all　this　deformity；　he　was　so　singularly
experienced　in　the　Lawes；　that　all　men　held　him　beyond　any　equall；
or　rather　reputed　him　as　a　Treasury　of　civill　knowledge。
　　The　other　man；　being　named　Giotto；　had　a　spirit　of　so　great
excellency；　as　there　was　not　any　particular　thing　in　Nature；　the
Mother　and　Worke…mistresse　of　all；　by　continuall　motion　of　the
heavens；　but　hee　by　his　pen　and　pensell　could　perfectly　portrait；
shaping　them　all　so　truly　alike　and　resemblable；　that　they　were
taken　for　the　reall　matters　indeede；　and；　whether　they　were　present　or
no；　there　was　hardly　any　possibility　of　their　distinguishing。　So
that　many　times　it　happened；　that　by　the　variable　devises　he　made；　the
visible　sence　of　men　became　deceived；　in　crediting　those　things　to
be　naturall；　which　were　but　meerly　painted。　By　which　meanes；　hee
reduced　that　singular　Art　to　light；　which　long　time　before　had　lyen
buried；　under　the　grosse　error　of　some；　who；　in　the　mysterie　of
painting；　delighted　more　to　content　the　ignorant；　then　to　please　the
judicious　understanding　of　the　wise；　he　justly　deserving　thereby；　to
be　tearmed　one　of　the　Florentines　most　glorious　lights。　And　so　much
the　rather；　because　he　performed　all　his　actions；　in　the　true　and
lowly　spirit　of　humility：　for　while　he　lived；　and　was　a　Master　in
his　Art；　above　all　other　Painters：　yet　he　refused　any　such　title；
which　shined　the　more　majestically…　in　him；　as　appeared　by　such；　who
knew　Much　lesse　then　he；　or　his　Schollers　either：　yet　his　knowledge
was　extreamly　coveted　among　them。
　　Now；　notwithstanding　all　this　admirable　excellency　in　him：　he　was
not　（thereby）　a　jot　the　handsommer　man　（either　in　person　or
countenance）　then　was　our　fore…named　Lawyer　Messer　Forese；　and
therefore　my　Novell　concerneth　them　both。　Understand　then　（faire
Assemblie）　that　the　possessions　and　inheritances　of　Messer　Forese
and　Giotto；　lay　in　Mugello；　wherefore；　when　Holy…dayes　were　celebrated
by　Order　of　Court；　and　in　the　Sommer　time；　upon　the　admittance　of　so
apt　a　vacation；　Fore