The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant NovelsBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
supt with thy Mistresse this night; but if our _Sicilian_ kindred be
so soone forgot, I pray thee give me my cloathes which I left in my
Chamber, and then very gladly will I get mee gone. Hereat the Maide
laughing out aloude, saide; Surely the man is mad, or walketh the
streetes in a dreame; and so clasping fast the window, away shee went
and left him.
Now could _Andrea_ assure himselfe, that his gold and cloathes were
past recovery, which moving him to the more impatience, his former
intercessions became converted into fury, and what hee could not
compasse by faire entreats, he entended to winne by outrage and
violence, so that taking up a great stone in his hand, hee layed
upon the doore very powerfull strokes. The neighbours hearing this
molestation still, admitting them not the least respite of rest,
reputing him for a troublesome fellow, and that he used those
counterfeit words, onely to disturbe the Mistresse of the House, and all
that dwelled neere about her; looking againe out at their windowes,
they altogether began to rate and reprove him, even like so many
bawling Curres, barking at a strange dog passing thorow the streete.
This is shamefull villany (quoth one) and not to be suffered, that
honest women should be thus molested in their houses, with foolish idle
words, and at such an unseasonable time of the night. For Gods sake
(good man) be gone, and let us sleepe; if thou have any thing to say to
the Gentlewoman of the House, come to morrow in the day time, and no
doubt but shee will make thee sufficient answer.
_Andrea_ being somewhat pacified with these speeches, a shag-hairde
swash-buckler, a grim-visagde Ruffian (as sildome bawdy houses are
without such swaggering Champions) not seene or heard by _Andrea_,
all the while of his being in the house rapping out two or three
terrible oathes, opened a casement, and with a stearne dreadfull voyce,
demaunded who durst keepe that noyse beneath? _Andrea_ fearefully
looking up, and (by a little glimmering of the Moone) seeing such a
rough fellow, with a blacke beard, strowting like the quilles of a
Porcupine, and patches on his face, for hurts received in no honest
quarels, yawning also and stretching, as angry to have his sleepe
disturbed: trembling and quaking, answered; I am the Gentlewomans
brother of the house. The Ruffian interrupting him, and speaking more
fiercely then before; sealing his words with horrible oathes, said.
Sirra, Rascall, I know not of whence or what thou art, but if I come
downe to thee, I will so bombast thy prating coxcombe, as thou was
never better beaten in all thy life, like a drunken slave and beast as
thou art, that all this night wilt not let us sleepe; and so hee clapt
to the window againe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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