The Decameron (Day 6 to Day 10): Containing an hundred pleasant NovelsBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron (Day 6 to Day 10): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
So, walking with her to a Window, he opened wide his mouth, the which
nicely shee surveyed on either side, and, turning her head from him,
as seeming unable to endure the savour: starting, and shrieking out
alowd, she said. Santa Maria! What a sight is this? Alas my good Lord,
How could you abide this, and for so long a while? Heere is a tooth on
this side, which (so farre as I can perceive) is not onely hollow and
corrupted: but also wholly putrified and rotten, and if it continue
still in your head, beleeve it for a truth, that it will infect and
spoile all the rest neere it. I would therefore counsell you, to let
it be pluckt out, before it breede your further danger. I like your
counsell well _Lydia_, replyed _Nicostratus_, and presently intend
to follow it; Let therefore my Barber be sent for, and, without any
longer delay, he shall plucke it forth instantly.
How Sir? (quoth she,) your Barber? Uppon mine Honour, there shall come
no Barber heere. Why Sir, it is such a rotten Tooth, and standeth so
fairely for my hand: that, without helpe or advice of any Barber, let
mee alone for plucking it forth, without putting you to any paine at
all. Moreover, let me tell you Sir, those Tooth-drawers are so rude and
cruell, in performing such Offices, as my heart cannot endure, that you
should come within compasse of their currish courtesie, neither shall
you Sir, if you will be ruled by me. If I should faile in the manner of
their facilitie, yet love & duty hath enstructed me, to forbeare your
least paining, which no unmannerly Barber will do.
Having thus spoken, and he well contented with her kinde offer, the
instruments were brought, which are used in such occasions, all being
commanded forth of the Chamber, but onely _Lesca_, who evermore kept
still in her company. So, locking fast the doore, and _Nicostratus_
being seated, as she thought fittest for her purpose, she put the
Tanacles into his mouth, catching fast hold on one of his soundest
teeth: which, notwithstanding his loud crying, _Lesca_ held him so
strongly, that forth she pluckt it, and hid it, having another tooth
readie made hot & bloody, very much corrupted and rotten, which she
helde in the Tanacles, and shewed to him, who was well-neere halfe dead
with anguish. See Sir (quoth she) was this Tooth to be suffered in your
head, and to yeeld so foule a smell as it did? He verily beleeving what
she said, albeit hee had endured extreame paine, and still complained
on her harsh and violent pulling it out: rejoyced yet, that he was now
ridde of it, and she comforting him on the one side, and the anguish
asswaging him on the other, he departed forth of the Chamber.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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