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
After she had slept her first sleepe (according to the Schollers
direction) departing softly out of her chamber, she went on towards
the ancient Tower, standing hard by the river of _Arno_, looking every
way heedfully about hir, least she should be spied by any person. But
perceiving hir selfe to be so secure as she could desire; putting off
all her garments, she hid them in a small brake of bushes: afterward,
holding the Image in hir hand, seven times she bathd hir body in the
river, and then returned back with it to the Tower. The Scholler, who
at the nights closing up of day, had hid himselfe among the willowes
& other trees, which grew very thick about the Tower, saw both hir
going and returning from the River, and as she passed thus naked by
him, he plainly perceyved, that the nights obscurity could not cloud
the delicate whitenes of hir body, but made the Starres themselves
to gaze amorously on her, even as if they were proud to behold her
bathing, and (like so many twinkling Tapers) shewed hir in emulation of
another _Diana_. Now, what conflicts this sight caused in the mind of
our Scholler, one while, quenching his hatefull spleen towards hir, al
coveting to imbrace a piece of such perfection: another while, thinking
it a purchase fit for one of _Cupids_ soldiers, to seize and surprize
hir uppon so faire an advantage, none being neere to yeild her rescue:
in the fiery triall of such temptations, I am not able to judge, or to
say, what resistance flesh and blood could make, being opposed with
such a sweet enemy.
But he well considering what she was, the greatnes of his injury, as
also how, and for whom: he forgot all wanton allurements of Love,
scorning to entertaine a thought of compassion, continuing constant
in his resolution, to let her suffer, as he himselfe had done. So,
_Helena_ being mounted up on the Turret, and turning her face towards
the North; she repeated those idle frivolous words (composed in
the nature of a charme) which shee had received from the Scholler.
Afterward, by soft and stealing steps, hee went into the old Tower, and
tooke away the Ladder, whereby she ascended to the Tarras, staying and
listening, how shee proceeded in her amorous exorcisme.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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