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
Having made their agreement together, and received from _Musciatto_ his
expresse procuration, as also the Kings gracious Letters; after that
_Musciatto_ was gone on his journey, Master _Chappelet_ went to _Dijon_
[Sidenote: To Borgogna saith the Italian.], where he was unknowne
(well neere) of any. And there (quite from his naturall disposition)
he beganne benignely and graciously, in recovering the debts due;
which course he tooke the rather, because they should have a further
feeling of him in the ende. Being lodged in the house of two Florentine
brethren, that lived on their monies usance; and (for _Mounsieur
Musciattoes_ sake) using him with honour and respect: It fortuned that
he fell sicke, and the two brethren sent for Physicions to attend him,
allowing their servants to be diligent about him, making no spare of
any thing, which gave the best likelyhood of restoring his health. But
all their paines proved to no purpose, because he (honest man) being
now growne aged, and having lived all his life time very disordredly,
fell day by day (according to the Physicions judgement) from bad to
worse, as no other way appeared but death, whereat the brethren greatly
greeved.
Upon a day, neere to the Chamber where the sicke man lay, they entred
into this communication. What shall we doe (quoth the one to the other)
with this man? We are much hindered by him, for to send him away
(sicke as he is) we shall be greatly blamed thereby, and it will be a
manifest note of our weake wisedome: the people knowing that first of
all we gave him entertainement, and have allowed him honest physical
attendance, and he not having any way injuried or offended us, to let
him be suddenly expulsed our house (sicke to death as he is) it can be
no way for our credit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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