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
Why dost thou not call on him to come helpe thee? To whom doeth it more
belong, then to him? For thou art his, and he thine, why then shold any
other but he help thee in this distresse? Call him (foole as thou art)
and try, if the love he beareth thee, and thy best understanding joyned
with his, can deliver thee out of my sottish detaining thee. I have
not forgot, that when you both made a pastime of my misery, thou didst
demand of him, which seemed greatest in his opinion, either my sottish
simplicity, or the love thou barest him. I am not now so liberall or
courteous, to desire that of thee, which thou wouldst not grant, if I
did request it: No, no, reserve those night favours for thy amorous
friend, if thou dost escape hence alive to see him againe. As for my
selfe, I leave thee freely to his use and service: because I have
sufficiently payde for a womans falshood, & wise men take such warning,
that they scorne to bee twice deceived, & by one woman. Proceed on
still in thy flattering perswasions, terming me to be a Gentleman and
a Scholler, thereby to win such favor from me, that I should think
thy villany toward me, to be already sufficiently punished. No,
trecherous _Helena_, thy blandishments cannot now hoodwink the eies of
my understanding, as when thou didst out-reach me with thy disloyall
promises and protestations. And let me now tell thee plainely, that all
the while I continued in the Universitie of _Paris_, I never attained
unto so perfect an understanding of my selfe, as in that one miserable
night thou diddest enstruct mee. But admit, that I were enclined unto a
mercifull and compassionate minde, yet thou art none of them, on whome
milde and gracious mercy should any way declare her effects. For, the
end of pennance among savage beasts, such as thou art, and likewise
of due vengeance, ought to be death: whereas among men, it should
suffice according to thine owne saying. Wherefore, in regard that I am
neither an Eagle, nor thou a Dove, but rather a most venomous Serpent:
I purpose with my utmost hatred, and as an ancient enemy to all such as
thou art, to make my revenge famous on thee.
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