[Day the Eighth]
TWO MEN CONSORTING TOGETHER, ONE LIETH WITH THE WIFE OF HIS
COMRADE, WHO, BECOMING AWARE THEREOF, DOTH WITH HER ON SUCH
WISE THAT THE OTHER IS SHUT UP IN A CHEST, UPON WHICH HE
LIETH WITH HIS WIFE, HE BEING INSIDE THE WHILE
Elena's troubles had been irksome and grievous to the ladies to hear;
natheless, for that they deemed them in part justly befallen her, they
passed them over with more moderate compassion, albeit they held the
scholar to have been terribly stern and obdurate, nay, cruel. But,
Pampinea being now come to the end of her story, the queen charged
Fiammetta follow on, who, nothing loath to obey, said, "Charming
ladies, for that meseemeth the severity of the offended scholar hath
somedele distressed you, I deem it well to solace your ruffled spirits
with somewhat more diverting; wherefore I purpose to tell you a little
story of a young man who received an injury in a milder spirit and
avenged it after a more moderate fashion, by which you may understand
that, whenas a man goeth about to avenge an injury suffered, it should
suffice him to give as good as he hath gotten, without seeking to do
hurt overpassing the behoof of the feud.
You must know, then, that there were once in Siena, as I have
understood aforetime, two young men in easy enough case and of good
city families, whereof one was named Spinelloccio Tanena and the other
Zeppa di Mino, and they were next-door neighbours in Camollia.[394]
These two young men still companied together and loved each other, to
all appearance, as they had been brothers, or better; and each of them
had a very fair wife. It chanced that Spinelloccio, by dint of much
frequenting Zeppa's house, both when the latter was at home and when
he was abroad, grew so private with his wife that he ended by lying
with her, and on this wise they abode a pretty while, before any
became aware thereof. However, at last, one day, Zeppa being at home,
unknown to his wife, Spinelloccio came to call him and the lady said
that he was abroad; whereupon the other came straightway up into the
house and finding her in the saloon and seeing none else there, he
took her in his arms and fell to kissing her and she him. Zeppa, who
saw this, made no sign, but abode hidden to see in what the game
should result and presently saw his wife and Spinelloccio betake
themselves, thus embraced, to a chamber and there lock themselves in;
whereat he was sore angered. But, knowing that his injury would not
become less for making an outcry nor for otherwhat, nay, that shame
would but wax therefor, he set himself to think what revenge he should
take thereof, so his soul might abide content, without the thing being
known all about, and himseeming, after long consideration, he had
found the means, he abode hidden so long as Spinelloccio remained with
his wife.
[Footnote 394: _Quære_, the street of that name?]
As soon as the other was gone away, he entered the chamber and there
finding the lady, who had not yet made an end of adjusting her
head-veils, which Spinelloccio had plucked down in dallying with her,
said to her, 'Wife, what dost thou?' Quoth she, 'Seest thou not?' And
Zeppa answered, 'Ay, indeed, I have seen more than I could wish.' So
saying, he taxed her with that which had passed and she, in sore
affright, confessed to him, after much parley, that which she could
not aptly deny of her familiarity with Spinelloccio. Then she began to
crave him pardon, weeping, and Zeppa said to her, 'Harkye, wife, thou
hast done ill, and if thou wilt have me pardon it to thee, bethink
thee punctually to do that which I shall enjoin thee, which is this; I
will have thee bid Spinelloccio find an occasion to part company with
me to-morrow morning, towards tierce, and come hither to thee. When he
is here I will come back and so soon as thou hearest me, do thou make
him enter this chest here and lock him therein. Then, when thou shalt
have done this, I will tell thee what else thou shalt do; and have
thou no fear of doing this, for that I promise thee I will do him no
manner of hurt.' The lady, to satisfy him, promised to do his bidding,
and so she did.
The morrow come and Zeppa and Spinelloccio being together towards
tierce, the latter, who had promised the lady to be with her at that
hour, said to the former, 'I am to dine this morning with a friend,
whom I would not keep waiting for me; wherefore God be with thee.'
Quoth Zeppa, 'It is not dinner-time yet awhile'; but Spinelloccio
answered, 'No matter; I am to speak with him also of an affair of
mine, so that needs must I be there betimes.' Accordingly, taking
leave of him, he fetched a compass and making for Zeppa's house,
entered a chamber with the latter's wife. He had not been there long
ere Zeppa returned, whom when the lady heard, feigning to be mightily
affrighted, she made him take refuge in the chest, as her husband had
bidden her, and locking him therein, went forth of the chamber. Zeppa,
coming up, said, 'Wife, is it dinner-time?' 'Ay,' answered she,
'forthright.' Quoth he, 'Spinelloccio is gone to dine this morning
with a friend of his and hath left his wife alone; get thee to the
window and call her and bid her come dine with us.' The lady, fearing
for herself and grown therefor mighty obedient, did as he bade her and
Spinelloccio's wife, being much pressed by her and hearing that her
own husband was to dine abroad, came hither.
Zeppa made much of her and whispering his wife begone into the
kitchen, took her familiarly by the hand and carried her into the
chamber, wherein no sooner were they come than, turning back, he
locked the door within. When the lady saw him do this, she said,
'Alack, Zeppa, what meaneth this? Have you then brought me hither for
this? Is this the love you bear Spinelloccio and the loyal
companionship you practise towards him?' Whereupon quoth Zeppa,
drawing near to the chest wherein was her husband locked up and
holding her fast, 'Madam, ere thou complainest, hearken to that which
I have to say to thee. I have loved and love Spinelloccio as a
brother, and yesterday, albeit he knoweth it not, I found that the
trust I had in him was come to this, that he lieth with my wife even
as with thee. Now, for that I love him, I purpose not to take
vengeance of him, save on such wise as the offence hath been; he hath
had my wife and I mean to have thee. An thou wilt not, needs must I
take him here and for that I mean not to let this affront go
unpunished, I will play him such a turn that neither thou nor he shall
ever again be glad.' The lady, hearing this and believing what Zeppa
said, after many affirmations made her of him, replied, 'Zeppa mine,
since this vengeance is to fall on me, I am content, so but thou wilt
contrive, notwithstanding what we are to do, that I may abide at peace
with thy wife, even as I intend to abide with her, notwithstanding
this that she hath done to me.' 'Assuredly,' rejoined Zeppa, 'I will
do it; and to boot, I will give thee a precious and fine jewel as none
other thou hast.' So saying, he embraced her; then, laying her flat on
the chest, there to his heart's content, he solaced himself with her,
and she with him.
Spinelloccio, hearing from within the chest all that Zeppa said his
wife's answer and feeling the morrisdance[395] that was toward over
his head, was at first so sore despited that himseemed he should die;
and but that he stood in fear of Zeppa, he had rated his wife finely,
shut up as he was. However, bethinking himself that the offence had
begun with him and that Zeppa was in his right to do as he did and had
indeed borne himself towards him humanely and like a comrade, he
presently resolved in himself to be, an he would, more than ever his
friend. Zeppa, having been with the lady so long as it pleased him,
dismounted from the chest, and she asking for the promised jewel, he
opened the chamber-door and called his wife, who said nought else than
'Madam, you have given me a loaf for my bannock'; and this she said
laughing. To her quoth Zeppa, 'Open this chest.' Accordingly she
opened it and therein Zeppa showed the lady her husband, saying, 'Here
is the jewel I promised thee.' It were hard to say which was the more
abashed of the twain, Spinelloccio, seeing Zeppa and knowing that he
knew what he had done, or his wife, seeing her husband and knowing
that he had both heard and felt that which she had done over his head.
But Spinelloccio, coming forth of the chest, said, without more
parley, 'Zeppa, we are quits; wherefore it is well, as thou saidst but
now to my wife, that we be still friends as we were, and that, since
there is nothing unshared between us two but our wives, we have these
also in common.' Zeppa was content and they all four dined together in
the utmost possible harmony; and thenceforward each of the two ladies
had two husbands and each of the latter two wives, without ever having
any strife or grudge anent the matter."
[Footnote 395: _Danza trivigiana_, lit. Trevisan dance, O.E. the
shaking of the sheets.]