=Nerino, the son of Gallese, King of Portugal, becoming enamoured of
Genobbia, wife of Messer Raimondo Brunello, a physician, has his
will of her and carries her with him to Portugal, while Messer
Raimondo dies of grief.=
I must tell you, charming ladies, that there are very many men who,
because they have consumed a great part of their time over the study of
letters, are persuaded that they are mighty wise, whereas in truth they
know little or nothing. And while men of this sort think they are
marking their foreheads with lines of wisdom, they too often only scoop
out their own eyes,[28] which thing happened to a certain physician,
greatly skilled in his calling, for he, while he deemed he was about to
put a cheat upon another, was himself most ignominiously duped, to his
own great injury, all of which you will learn from the fable which I
will presently tell you.
Gallese, King of Portugal, had a son whose name was Nerino, and in the
bringing up of this boy he followed such a course that up to the time
when he reached his eighteenth year Nerino had never once cast eyes upon
a woman except his mother and the nurse who had the care of him.
Wherefore when he had come to full age the king determined to send him
to pursue his studies in the university of Padua, so that he might get a
knowledge of Latin letters and of the tongue and manners of the Italians
as well. And the plan which he had devised he duly carried out. When the
young Nerino had come to Padua, he soon acquired the friendship of many
of the scholars, and every day these would come to pay their respects to
him, one of the above named being a certain Messer Raimondo Brunello, a
physician. It chanced one day, as Nerino and this friend of his were
conversing now about this thing and now about that, they engaged (as is
the manner of sprightly youths) in a discourse anent the beauty of
women, and on this subject the former took one view and the latter
another. But Nerino, though he had never in times past cast eyes upon
any woman save his mother and his nurse, declared with some heat that in
his reckoning there could not be found in all the world any lady who
should be more beautiful, more graceful, and more exquisite than was his
own mother. And when, by way of putting this speech of his to the test,
they brought divers ladies to his notice, he still declared that in
comparison to his mother they were little better than carrion.
Now Messer Raimondo had to wife a lady who was one of the fairest nature
ever created, and when he listened to this chattering he settled his
gorget and said: ‘Signor Nerino, I happen to have seen a certain lady
who is of such great loveliness that when you shall have beheld her I
think it probable you will judge her to be not less but more beautiful
than your mother.’ To this speech Nerino made answer that he could not
believe there could be any woman more lovely than his mother, but at the
same time it would give him great pleasure to look upon this one.
Whereupon Messer Raimondo said: ‘Whenever it shall please you to behold
her I will gladly point her out to you.’ Nerino replied: ‘I am much
pleased at what you propose, and I shall ever be obliged to you.’ Then
Messer Raimondo said at once: ‘Since it will give you pleasure to see
her, take care to be present in the Church of the Duomo to-morrow
morning, for there I promise you that you shall have sight of her.’
When he had returned to his house, Messer Raimondo said to his wife:
‘To-morrow morning see that you rise betimes, and deck carefully your
head, and make yourself seem as fair as you can, and put on the most
sumptuous raiment you possess, for I have a mind that you should go to
the Duomo at the hour of high mass to hear the office.’ Genobbia (for
this was the name of Messer Raimondo’s wife), not being in the habit of
going now hither now thither, but rather to pass all her time at home
over her sewing and broidery work, was much astonished at these words;
but, seeing that her husband’s command fell in well with her own desire,
she did all she was directed to do, and set herself so well in order and
decked herself so featly that she looked more like a goddess than like a
mortal woman. And when Genobbia, following the command which her husband
had laid upon her, had entered into the holy fane, there came thither
likewise Nerino, the son of the king, and when he had looked upon her he
found that she was exceedingly fair. When the lady had gone her way,
Messer Raimondo came upon the scene, and having gone up to Nerino spake
thus: ‘Now how does that lady who is just gone out of the church please
you? Does she seem to you to be one who ought to be compared with any
other? Say, is she not more beautiful than your mother?’ ‘Of a truth,’
replied Nerino, ‘she is fair, and nature could not possibly make aught
that is fairer; but tell me of your courtesy of whom is she the wife,
and where does she dwell?’ But to this query Messer Raimondo did not
answer so as to humour Nerino’s wish, forasmuch as he had no mind to
give him the clue he sought. Then said Nerino, ‘My good Messer Raimondo,
though you may not be willing to tell me who she is and where she
dwells, at least you might do me such good office as to let me see her
once more.’ ‘This I will do willingly,’ answered Messer Raimondo.
‘To-morrow come here again into the church, and I will so bring it to
pass that you shall see her as you have seen her to-day.’
When Messer Raimondo had gone back to his house, he said to his wife,
‘Genobbia, see that you attire yourself to-morrow; for I wish that you
should go to the mass in the Duomo, and if hitherto you have ever made
yourself look beautiful or have arrayed yourself sumptuously, see that
you do the same to-morrow.’ When she heard this, Genobbia (as on the
former occasion) was greatly astonished, but since the command of her
husband pointed to this matter, she did everything even as he had
ordered. When the morrow came, Genobbia, sumptuously clothed and adorned
more richly than was her wont, betook herself to the church, and in a
very short time Nerino came likewise. He, when he saw how very fair she
was, was inflamed by love of her more ardently than ever man had burned
for woman before, and, when Messer Raimondo arrived, begged him to tell
straightway what might be the name of this lady who seemed in his eyes
to be so marvellously beautiful. But Messer Raimondo, making excuse that
he was greatly pressed for time to give to his own affairs, was in no
humour to thus inform Nerino on the spot, and was rather disposed to
leave the galliard to stew for a time in his own fat; so he went his way
in high spirits. Whereupon Nerino, with his temper somewhat ruffled by
the mean account in which Messer Raimondo seemed to hold him, spake thus
to himself: ‘Aha! you are not willing that I should have an inkling as
to who she is and where she lives, but I will know what I want to know
in spite of you.’
After he had left the church, Nerino waited outside until such time as
the fair dame should likewise issue forth, and then, having given her a
modest obeisance with a smiling countenance, he went with her as far as
her home. Now, as soon as Nerino had got to know clearly the house where
she dwelt, he began to cast amorous eyes upon her, and never a day
passed on which he would not pass up and down ten times in front of her
window. Wherefore, having a great desire to hold converse with her, he
set about considering what course he should follow in order to keep
unsullied the honour of the lady, and at the same time to attain his own
end. But, having pondered over the affair, and looked at it on every
side without lighting upon any course which seemed to promise security,
he at last, after a mighty amount of imagining, determined to make the
acquaintance of an old woman who lived in a house opposite to that
occupied by Genobbia. After having sent to her certain presents, and
settled and confirmed the compact between them, he went secretly into
the old woman’s lodging, in which there was a certain window overlooking
the hall of Genobbia’s house, where he might stand and gaze at his good
convenience at the lady as she went up and down about the house; at the
same time, he had no wish to divulge himself, and thereby give her any
pretext for withdrawing herself from his sight. Nerino, having spent one
day after another in these amorous glances, at last found himself no
longer able to resist the burning desire within him which consumed his
very heart; so he made up his mind to write a letter and to throw it
down into her lodging at a certain time when he should judge her husband
to be away from home. And several times he wrote letters as he had
planned and threw them down to her.
But Genobbia, without reading the billet she picked up, cast it into the
fire, and it was burnt. After she had done this several times, on a
certain day it came into her mind to break open one of the notes and see
what might be written therein. When she had broken the seal and marked
that the writer was no other than Nerino, the son of the King of
Portugal, who declared thereby his fervent love of her, she was at first
wellnigh confounded, but after a little, when she had called to mind the
poor cheer she enjoyed in her husband’s house, she plucked up heart and
began to look kindly upon Nerino. At last, having come to an agreement
with him, she found means to bring him into the house, when the youth
laid before her the story of the ardent love he bore her, and of the
torments he endured every day on her account, and in like manner the way
by which his passion for her had been kindled. Wherefore the lady, who
was alike lovely and kindly-hearted and complaisant, felt herself in no
humour to reject his suit. And while the two thus foregathered, happy in
the consciousness of mutual love and indulging in amorous discourse, lo
and behold! Messer Raimondo knocked suddenly at the door. When Genobbia
heard this she bade Nerino go straightway and lie down on the bed, and
to let down the curtains, and to remain there until such time as her
husband should be once more gone out. The husband came in, and having
taken divers trifles of which he had need, went away without giving heed
to aught besides, and a little later Nerino followed him.
On the following day, when it happened that Nerino was walking up and
down the piazza, Messer Raimondo by chance went that way, to whom Nerino
make known by sign that he wanted to have a word with him. Wherefore,
having approached him, he spake thus: ‘Signor, have I not a good bit of
news to tell you?’ ‘And what may it be?’ replied Messer Raimondo. ‘Do I
not know,’ said Nerino, ‘the house where dwells that beautiful lady? and
have I not had some delightful intercourse with her? But because her
husband came home unexpectedly she hid me in the bed, and drew the
curtains for fear that he should see me; however, he soon went out
again.’ ‘Is it possible?’ said Messer Raimondo. ‘Possible!’ answered
Nerino, ‘it is more than possible—it is a fact. Never in all my life
have I seen so delightful, so sweet a lady as she. If by any chance,
signor, you should meet her, I beg you to speak a good word on my
behalf, and to entreat her to keep me in her good graces.’ Messer
Raimondo, having promised to do what the youth asked him, went his way
with ill will in his heart. But before he left Nerino he said, ‘And do
you propose to go in search of your good fortune again?’ To this Nerino
replied, ‘Return! what should one do in such case?’ Then Messer Raimondo
went back to his house, and was careful to let drop no word in his
wife’s presence, but to wait for the time when she and Nerino should
again come together.
When the next day had come Nerino once more stole to a meeting with
Genobbia, and while they were in the midst of their amorous delights and
pleasant converse the husband came back to the house, but the lady
quickly hid Nerino in a chest in front of which she heaped a lot of
clothes from which she had been ripping the wadding to keep them from
destruction by insects. The husband, making believe to search for
certain things, turned the house upside down, and pried even into the
bed, but, finding nothing of the sort he looked for, went about his
business with his mind more at ease.
Very soon Nerino also departed, and afterwards, chancing to meet Messer
Raimondo, he thus addressed him: ‘Signor doctor, what would you say if
you heard I had paid another visit to my charming lady, and that envious
fortune broke in upon our pleasure, seeing that the husband again
arrived and spoilt all our sport?’ ‘And what did you then?’ said Messer
Raimondo. ‘She straightway opened a chest,’ said Nerino, ‘and put me
therein, and in front of the chest she piled up a heap of clothes which
she was working at in order to preserve them from moth, and after he had
turned the bed upside down more than once without finding aught, he went
away.’ What tortures Messer Raimondo must have suffered when he listened
to these words I leave to the judgment of any who may know the humours
of love.
Now Nerino had given to Genobbia a very fine and precious diamond,
within the golden setting of which was engraved his name and his
likeness. The very next day, when Messer Raimondo had gone to see to his
affairs, the lady once more let Nerino into the house, and while they
were taking their pleasure and talking pleasantly together, behold! the
husband again came back to the house. But the crafty Genobbia, as soon
as she remarked his coming, immediately opened a large wardrobe which
stood in her chamber, and hid Nerino therein. Almost immediately Messer
Raimondo entered the chamber, pretending as before that he was in search
of certain things he wanted, and in quest thereof he turned the room
upside down. But, finding nothing either in the bed or in the chest,
like a man out of his wits he took fire and strewed it in the four
corners of the chamber, with the intention of burning the place and all
that it contained.
Now the party walls and the wooden framing of the apartment soon caught
fire, whereupon Genobbia, turning to her husband, said: ‘What is this
you are doing, husband? Surely you must be gone mad. Still, if you wish
to burn up the room, burn it as you will, but by my faith I will not
have you burn this wardrobe, wherein are all the papers relating to my
dowry.’ So, having summoned four strong porters, she bade them carry the
wardrobe out of the house and bear it into the neighbouring house which
belonged to the old woman. Then she opened the wardrobe secretly when no
one was by and returned to her own house. Messer Raimondo, now like one
out of his mind, still kept a sharp watch to see whether anybody who
ought not to have been there might be driven out of hiding by the
conflagration, but he met with nothing save the smoke, which was
becoming insufferable, and the fierce flames which were consuming the
house. And by this time all the neighbours had gathered together to put
out the fire, and so well and heartily did they work that in time it was
extinguished.
On the following day, as Nerino was sallying forth towards the fields in
the valley, he met Messer Raimondo, and after giving him a salute, said
to him: ‘Aha, my gentleman! I have got a piece of news to tell you which
ought to please you mightily.’ ‘And what may this news be?’ said Messer
Raimondo. ‘I have just made my escape,’ said Nerino, ‘from the most
frightful peril that ever man came out of without loss of his life. I
had gone to the house of my lovely mistress, and while I was spending
the time with her in all manner of delightful dallying her husband once
more broke in upon our content, and after he had turned the house upside
down, lighted some fire, and this he scattered about in the four corners
of the room and burnt up all the chattels there were about.’ ‘And you,’
said Messer Raimondo, ‘where were you the while?’ Then answered Nerino,
‘I was hidden in a wardrobe which she caused to be taken out of the
house.’ And when Messer Raimondo heard this, and clearly understood all
which Nerino told him to be the truth, he was like to die of grief and
passion. Nevertheless, he did not dare to let his secret be known,
because he was determined still to catch him in the act. Wherefore he
said to him, ‘And are you bent upon going thither again, Signor Nerino?’
to which Nerino made answer, ‘Seeing that I have come safely out of the
fire, what else is there for me to fear?’ And, letting pass any further
remarks of this sort, Messer Raimondo begged Nerino that he would do him
the honour of dining with him on the morrow; which civility the young
man willingly accepted.
When the next day had come, Messer Raimondo bade assemble at his house
all his own relations and his wife’s as well, and prepared for their
entertainment a rich and magnificent repast—not in the house which had
been half consumed by fire, but in another. He gave directions to his
wife, moreover, that she also should be present, not to sit at table as
a guest, but to keep herself out of sight, and see to the ordering of
aught which might be required for the banquet. As soon as all the
kinsfolk had assembled, and the young Nerino as well, they were bidden
take their places at the board, and as the feast went on Messer Raimondo
tried his best with his charlatan science to make Nerino drunk, in order
to be able to work his will upon him. Having several times handed to the
youth a glass of malvoisie wine, which he never failed to empty, Messer
Raimondo said to him: ‘Now, Signor Nerino, cannot you tell to these
kinsfolk of mine some little jest which may make them laugh?’ The
luckless Nerino, who had no inkling that Genobbia was Messer Raimondo’s
wife, began to tell the story of his adventures, keeping back, however,
the names of all concerned.
It chanced at this moment that one of the servants went into the room
apart where Genobbia was, and said to her: ‘Madonna, if only you were
now hidden in some corner of the feasting-room, you would hear told the
finest story you ever heard in your life. I pray you go in quick.’ And,
having stolen into a corner, she knew that the voice of the story-teller
belonged to Nerino her lover, and that the tale he was giving to the
company concerned himself and her as well. Whereupon this prudent and
sharp-witted dame took the diamond which Nerino had given her, and,
having placed it in a cup filled with a very dainty drink, she said to a
servant, ‘Take this cup and give it to Signor Nerino, and tell him to
drink it off forthwith, that he may tell his story the better.’ The
servant took the cup and placed it on the table, whereupon Nerino gave
sign that he wished to drink therefrom; so the servant said to him,
‘Take this cup, signor, so that you may tell your story the better.’
Nerino took the cup and forthwith drank all the wine therein, when,
seeing and recognizing the diamond which lay at the bottom, he let it
pass into his mouth. Then making pretence of rinsing his teeth, he drew
forth the ring and put it on his finger. As soon as he was well assured
that the fair lady about whom he was telling his story was the wife of
Messer Raimondo, he had no mind to say more, and when Messer Raimondo
and his kinsfolk began to urge him to bring the tale which he had begun
to an end, he replied, ‘And then and there the cock crowed and the day
broke, so I awoke from my sleep and heard nothing more.’ Messer
Raimondo’s kinsmen, having listened to Nerino’s story, and up to this
time believed all he had said about the lady to be the truth, now
imagined that both their host and the young man were drunk.
After several days had passed it happened that Nerino met Messer
Raimondo, and feigning not to know that he was the husband of Genobbia,
told him that within the space of two days he would take his departure,
because his father had written to him to bid him without fail to return
to his own country. Whereupon Messer Raimondo wished him good speed for
his journey. Nerino, having come to a private understanding with
Genobbia, carried her off with him and fled to Portugal, where they long
lived a gay life together; but Messer Raimondo, when he went back to his
house and found that his wife was gone, was stricken with despair, and
died in the course of a few days.
Isabella’s fable pleased the ladies and gentlemen equally well, and they
rejoiced especially that Messer Raimondo himself proved to be the cause
of his own misfortune, and that the thing which he had courted had
really fallen upon him. And when the Signora marked that this discourse
was come to an end, she gave the sign to Isabella to finish her task in
due order, and she, in no wise neglectful of the Signora’s command, gave
the enigma which follows:
In the middle of the night,
Rises one with beard bedight.
Though no astrologer he be,
He marks the hours which pass and flee.
He wears a crown, although no king;
No priest, yet he the hour doth sing.
Though spurred at heel he is no knight;
No wife he calls his own by right,
Yet children many round him dwell.
Sharp wits you need this thing to tell.
Here the cleverly-devised enigma of Isabella came to an end, and
although the various listeners went casting about in various directions,
no one hit upon the exact truth except the somewhat haughty Lodovica,
who, mindful of the slight which had of late been put upon her, rose to
her feet and spake thus: “The enigma which our sister has set us to
guess means nothing else than the cock, which is on the alert to crow
while it is yet night; which wears a beard and has knowledge of the
passage of time, although he is no astrologer. He bears a crest instead
of a crown, and is no king; he sings the hours, yet is no priest.
Besides this, he wears spurs on his heels; he has no wife, and brings up
the children of others, that is to say, the young chickens.”
All the listeners commended this solution of Isabella’s skilful enigma,
especially Capello, who said: “Signora Isabella, Lodovica has given you
back bread for your bannock,[29] seeing that a short time ago you very
cleverly declared the meaning of her enigma and now she has mastered
yours; but for this reason you must not harbour malice one against
another.” Then Lodovica answered promptly, “Signor Bernardo, when the
night time is come, I will pay you back yea for yea.”[30]
But in order to keep the discourse within limits, the Signora imposed
silence upon all, and, turning her face towards Lionora, whose turn it
was to tell the last story of the night, directed her to begin, with due
courtesy, her fable, and the damsel, with the best grace in the world,
thus began.