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
When day appeared, and the violent stormes were more mildly appeased,
the Lady, who seemed well-neere dead, lifted up her head, and began
(weake as she was) to call first one, and then another: but she called
in vaine, for such as she named were farre enough from her. Wherefore,
hearing no answere, nor seeing any one, she wondered greatly, her
feares encreasing then more and more. Raysing her selfe so well as
shee could, she beheld the Ladies that were of her company, and some
other of her women, lying still without any stirring: whereupon,
first jogging one, and then another, and calling them severally by
their names; shee found them bereft of understanding, and even as
if they were dead, their hearts were so quailed, and their feare so
over-ruling, which was no meane dismay to the poore Lady her selfe.
Neverthelesse, necessity now being her best counsallour, seeing her
selfe thus all alone, and not knowing in what place she was, she used
such meanes to them that were living, that (at the last) they came
better to knowledge of themselves. And being unable to guesse, what
was become of the men and Mariners, seeing the Ship also driven on the
sands, and filled with water: she began (with them) to lament most
grievously, and now it was about the houre of mid-day, before they
could descry any person on the shore, or any else to pitty them in so
urgent a necessity.
At length, noone being past, a Gentleman, named _Bajazeth_, attended
by divers of his followers on horseback, and returning from a Country
house belonging to him, chanced to ride by on the sands. Upon sight
of the Ship lying in that case, he imagined truely what had happened,
and commanded one of his men to enter aboord it, which (with some
difficulty) hee did, to resolve his Lord what remayned therein. There
hee found the faire young Lady, with such small store of company as
was left her, fearefully hidden under the prow of the Ship. So soone
as they saw him, they held up their hands, wofully desiring mercy
of him: but he perceiving their lamentable condition, and that hee
understoode not what they said to them; their affliction grew the
greater, labouring by signes and gestures, to give him knowledge of
their misfortune.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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