The Decameron of Giovanni BoccaccioBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
The count, in his guise of a horseboy, hearing this and being assured
that it was the truth,[129] betook himself forthright to Jamy Lamiens
and prayed him go with him to Perrot, for that he had a mind to
discover to them that which the king went seeking. All three being
then met together, quoth the count to Perrot, who had it already in
mind to discover himself, 'Perrot, Jamy here hath thy sister to wife
nor ever had any dowry with her; wherefore, that thy sister may not go
undowered, I purpose that he and none other shall, by making thee
known as the son of the Count of Antwerp, have this great reward that
the king promiseth for thee and for Violante, thy sister and his wife,
and myself, who am the Count of Antwerp and your father.' Perrot,
hearing this and looking steadfastly upon him, presently knew him and
cast himself, weeping, at his feet and embraced him, saying, 'Father
mine, you are dearly welcome.' Jamy, hearing first what the count
said and after seeing what Perrot did, was overcome at once with such
wonderment and such gladness that he scarce knew what he should do.
However, after awhile, giving credence to the former's speech and sore
ashamed for the injurious words he had whiles used to the
hostler-count, he let himself fall, weeping, at his feet and humbly
besought him pardon of every past affront, the which the count, having
raised him to his feet, graciously accorded him.
[Footnote 129: _i.e._ that it was not a snare.]
Then, after they had all three discoursed awhile of each one's various
adventures and wept and rejoiced together amain, Perrot and Jamy would
have reclad the count, who would on nowise suffer it, but willed that
Jamy, having first assured himself of the promised guerdon, should,
the more to shame the king, present him to the latter in that his then
plight and in his groom's habit. Accordingly, Jamy, followed by the
count and Perrot, presented himself before the king, and offered,
provided he would guerdon him according to the proclamation made, to
produce to him the count and his children. The king promptly let bring
for all three a guerdon marvellous in Jamy's eyes and commanded that
he should be free to carry it off, whenas he should in very deed
produce the count and his children, as he promised. Jamy, then,
turning himself about and putting forward the count his horseboy and
Perrot, said, 'My lord, here be the father and the son; the daughter,
who is my wife and who is not here, with God's aid you shall soon
see.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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