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
The disconsolate Lady perceiving, that the Schollers wordes favoured of
no mercy, but rather as coveting her desperate ending; with the teares
streaming downe her cheekes, thus she replied. Wel Sir, seeing there
is no matter of worth in me, whereby to derive any compassion from
you: yet for that Ladies sake, whom you have elected worthy to enjoy
your love, and so farre excelleth mee in Wisedome; vouchsafe to pardon
mee, and suffer my garments to be brought me, wherewith to cover my
nakednesse, and so to descend downe from this Tower, if it may stand
with your gentle Nature to admit it.
Now beganne _Reniero_ to laughe very heartily, and perceiving how
swiftly the day ran on in his course, he saide unto her. Beleeve me
Madame _Helena_, you have so conjured me by mine endeered Ladie and
Mistresse, that I am no longer able to deny you; wherefore, tell me
where your garments are, and I will bring them to you, that you may
come downe from the Turret. She beleeving his promise, tolde him where
she had hid them, and _Reniero_ departing from the Tower, commanded his
servant, not to stirre thence: but to abide still so neere it, as none
might get entrance there till his returning. Which charge was no sooner
given to his man, but hee went to the house of a neere neighbouring
friend, where he dined well, and afterward laid him downe to sleepe.
In the meane while, Madame _Helena_ remaining still on the Tower,
began to comfort her selfe with a little vaine hope, yet sighing and
weeping incessantly, seating her selfe so well as shee could, where
any small shelter might yeelde the least shade, in expectation of the
Schollers returning: one while weeping, then againe hoping, but most
of all despairing, by his so long tarrying away with her Garments; so
that beeing over-wearied with anguish and long watching, she fell into
a little slumbering. But the Sunne was so extreamly hot, the houre of
noone being already past, that it meerly parched her delicate body,
and burnt her bare head so violently: as not onely it seared all the
flesh it touched; but also cleft & chinkt it strangely, beside blisters
and other painfull scorchings in the flesh which hindred her sleeping,
to help her self (by all possible means) waking. And the Turret being
covered with Lead, gave the greater addition to her torment; for, as
she removed from one place to another, it yeelded no mitigation to the
burning heate, but parched and wrinkled the flesh extraordinarily, even
as when a piece of parchment is throwne into the fire, and recovered
out againe, can never be extended to his former forme.
Moreover, she was so grievously payned with the head-ake, as it seemed
to split in a thousand pieces, whereat there needed no great marvaile,
the Lead of the Turret being so exceedingly hot, that it affoorded not
the least defence against it, or any repose to qualifie the torment:
but drove her still from one place to another, in hope of ease, but
none was there to be found.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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