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
The Soldane, being desirous to give _Sicurano_ all manner of
satisfaction, having followed the course so industriously: bad him
to produce the woman, and hee was well contented. Whereat _Bernardo_
stoode much amazed, because he verily beleeved that she was dead. And
_Ambroginolo_ foreseeing already a preparation for punishment, feared,
that the repayment of the money would not now serve his turne: not
knowing also what he should further hope or suspect, if the woman her
selfe did personally appeare, which hee imagined would be a miracle.
_Sicurano_ having thus obtayned the Soldanes permission, in teares,
humbling her selfe at his feete, in a moment shee lost her manly voyce
and demeanour, as knowing, that she was now no longer to use them, but
must truely witnesse what she was indeede, and therefore thus spake.
Great Soldane, I am the miserable and unfortunate _Genevra_, that, for
the space of sixe whole yeares, have wandered through the world, in
the habite of a man, falsly and most maliciously slaundered, by this
villainous traytour _Ambroginolo_, and by this unkinde cruell husband,
betrayed to his servant to be slaine, and left to be devoured by savage
beasts. Afterward, desiring such garments as better fitted for her, and
shewing her brests; she made it apparant, before the Soldane and his
assistants, that she was the very same woman indeede. Then turning her
selfe to _Ambroginolo_, with more then manly courage, she demaunded of
him, when, and where it was, that he lay with her, as (villainously)
he was not ashamed to make his vaunt. But hee, having alreadie
acknowledged the contrarie, being stricken dumbe with shamefull
disgrace, was not able to utter one word.
The Soldane, who had alwayes reputed _Sicurano_ to be a man, having
heard and seene so admirable an accident: was so amazed in his minde,
that many times he was very doubtfull, whether this was a dreame, or
an absolute relation of trueth. But, after hee had more seriously
considered thereon, and found it to be reall and infallible: with
extraordinary gracious praises, he commended the life, constancie,
conditions and vertues of _Genevra_, whom (till that time) he had
alwayes called _Sicurano_. So committing her to the company of
honourable Ladies, to be changed from her manly habite: he pardoned
_Bernardo_ her husband (according to her request formerly made)
although hee had more justly deserved death; which likewise himselfe
confessed, and falling at the feete of _Genevra_, desired her (in
teares) to forgive his rash transgression, which most lovingly she did,
kissing and embracing him a thousand times.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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