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
When they had spent a long while in this or the like conference, with
infinite sweet kisses and embraces intermixed; then she began againe
in this manner. Deare love (quoth she) cast thy Cloake about thee, as
I intend to doe with my night mantle, and let us step to the little
window once more, to see whether the flaming fire, which burned in the
Schollers brest (as daily avouched to me in his love letters) be as
yet extinct or no. So going to the window againe, and looking downe
into the Court; there they saw the Scholler dancing in the snow, to
the cold tune of his teeths quivering and chattering, and clapping his
armes about his body, which was no pleasing melody to him. How thinkest
thou now sweet heart (saide shee) cannot I make a man daunce without
the sound of a Taber, or of a Bagpipe? Yes beleeve me Lady (quoth he)
I plaine perceive you can, and would be very lothe, that you should
exercise your cunning on me. Nay, said shee, we will yet delight our
selves a little more; let us softly descend downe the stayres, even so
farre as to the Court doore; thou shalt not speake a word, but I will
talke to him, and heare some part of his quivering language, which
cannot choose but bee passing pleasing for us to heare.
Out of the Chamber went they, and descended downe the stayres to the
Court doore; where, without opening it, she laide her mouth to a small
cranny, and in a low soft kinde of voyce, called him by his name:
which the Scholler hearing, was exceeding joyfull, as beleeving verily,
that the houre of his deliverance was come, and entrance now should be
admitted him. Upon the hearing of her voyce, hee stept close to the
doore, saying. For charities sake, good Lady, let me come in, because
I am almost dead with cold; whereto thus she answered in mocking
manner. I make no doubt (my deare friend _Reniero_) but the night is
indifferent colde, and yet somewhat the warmer by the Snowes falling:
and I have heard that such weather as this, is tenne-times more
extreame at _Paris_, then heere in our warmer Countrey. And trust me, I
am exceeding sorrowfull, that I may not (as yet) open the door, because
mine unhappy brother, who came (unexpected) yester-night to suppe with
mee, is not yet gone, as within a short while (I hope) he will, and
then shall I gladly set open the doore to you, for I made an excuse to
steale a little from him, onely to cheare you with this small kind of
comfort, that his so long tarrying might be the lesse offensive to you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account