[113] Masuccio: _The Novellino_: Translated into English by W. G.
Waters: Lawrence and Bullen: London, 1894: vol. 2, Forty-first Novel.
I will tell you, therefore, that in those days when Duke Ranier of
Anjou, envious of the peace and quiet, as well as of the power and the
wisdom of that divine prince, King Don Alfonso, was driven from Naples
and from the Kingdom, it pleased him to tarry for a certain season in
Florence. There were, amongst the other Frenchmen who were involved in
the ruin and shipwreck of his fortunes, two valiant and accomplished
cavaliers, the one named Filippo de Lincurto and the other Ciarlo
d’Amboia.
Now these two, although they were very prudent and endowed with many
virtues, were inclined nevertheless, being young and given over to
love, to leave the burden of disaster, and the cares thereof as well,
to him who was especially concerned with the same, that is, to the duke.
It happened that in their daily rides through Florence Filippo fell
deeply in love with a graceful and very lovely young lady of noble
parentage, and wife to a citizen of repute; and while he strove
incessantly to win her, it chanced that Ciarlo, as he ranged another
part of the city, became enamoured of a sister of Filippo’s lady-love,
who abode unmarried in her father’s house. He, unwitting of this
kinship, made up his mind, albeit he deemed her passing fair, to keep
his passion within sober limits, forasmuch as he was well versed in the
strife of love and aware that young damsels are wont to love lightly
and without constancy. Filippo, finding that his fair lady was discreet
and of good understanding, and being also fully prepared to become her
servant, resolved to give her his love entirely; on which account the
lady, realizing his humour and considering his many and praiseworthy
parts, likewise determined to recompense him with all the love of her
heart, and began to favour him with her kindness in such wise that he
saw she was the only woman in the world who knew how to love.
She, certes, would have let him taste at once the supreme fruit of
love had she not been restrained therefrom by the continual presence
of her husband; so, having given Filippo assurance, both by letter and
by messages, that she was firmly set in this purpose, the two lovers
longed beyond aught else for the time when the husband would take his
departure to Flanders in the galley which was now expected at any hour
to touch at Pisa.
While they thus abode in pleasureable expectation, Duke Ranier was
obliged to return to France, whereat both the cavaliers felt mightily
aggrieved, and especially that one of the two who loved and likewise
was loved in return; nevertheless, being bound by necessity, they took
their departure, snared as they were in amorous toils.
Filippo swore to his lady that no obstacle, however great, should
debar him from returning, and that, come what might, he as a loyal
lover would never forsake her. Having consoled her with other speeches
yet more affectionate, he and his companion set forth; and after his
return it came to pass in the course of time, either through some fresh
fancy or through the cares of business, that Filippo, albeit he still
remembered the lady left behind, let the ardent flames of his passion
grow colder every day. He not only forgot his promise to return, but
beyond this neglected to answer any of the many letters writ to him by
the lady.
On this account she, perceiving how she was well-nigh forsaken by this
lover once so ardent, was stricken with such cruel grief thereanent
that she almost lost her wits; but, calling to mind the stainless
virtue of the cavalier, she could not persuade herself that so noble
a heart could harbour such inhumanity. However, when she remembered
his latest words, both written and sent to her by the mouth of
their trusted messenger, she deliberated how she might by a new and
suggestive plan stimulate the virtue of her lover and thereby make a
final trial on behalf of her passion.
Thus she caused to be made by a skilled master a ring of gold, wrought
very finely, and in this she had set a counterfeit diamond, most
manifestly false, letting engrave round the ring itself the words, ‘La
ma za batani?’[114] This, after she had wrapped it in fine cambric,
she sent to her Filippo by a certain young man of Florence, who knew
how things stood with her, and who was going to France after his own
affairs, charging him that he should himself deliver it to Filippo with
no farther words than these: “She who loves you and you only sends you
this, and implores you to let her have a fitting answer thereto.”
[114] St. Matthew, 27, 46: “Why hast thou forsaken me?”
In due time the envoy with his offering and his message arrived at
Filippo’s house and was joyfully received; but after the cavalier had
marked with amazement what was the quality of the ring, and what the
motto graven thereupon, he went about for several days pondering over
the purport of the same, and finding himself unable to draw from it the
true meaning, he determined to show it to Ciarlo and to divers other
gentlemen of the court; but these, taken singularly and altogether,
what though they used all their wits, were unable to hit the mark.
Finally its meaning was fathomed by Duke John, who was a gentleman of
great discretion, albeit more fortunate in advising others than in
reaping victory in the many enterprises he undertook. What it said was
this:
“False diamond, why hast thou forsaken me?”
When Filippo heard this sentence he saw at once how the lady had most
justly and prudently reproved him for his lover’s unfaith, and began to
consider how he might by a device of the same sort answer so graceful
a proposition and repay so heavy a debt of love. So, being minded to
conclude the matter, he went to his dear friend Ciarlo, beseeching him
by the friendship there was between them, that he would go with him to
Florence for the reason aforesaid.
And albeit Ciarlo found this somewhat hard at first, he ended by
consenting to oblige so dear a friend, deeming besides that he might
peradventure thereby compass some pleasure for himself and for the
damsel he loved. Thereupon they set forth, and having duly come to
Florence, they began at the first chance to walk past the houses of
their ladies in order to signify their presence; and Filippo soon
sent word by his wonted messenger to his lady how he had sufficiently
understood the message which the ring sent by her had borne, and how
he knew no other method of disproving her false opinion of him save by
bearing witness for himself, wherefore it behoved her to grant him an
interview meet for the occasion.
The gracious lady, who with her sister had rejoiced amain over the
return of their lovers, and had deliberated what course should be
taken, as soon as she heard this kindly message, so manifestly
springing from love, was filled with such joy that she felt almost
jealous of herself, and so as to lose no more time over the matter
she sent back a brief answer to Filippo, bidding him wait with his
companion before the door of her house next evening.
Wherefore Filippo, as soon as the hour had come, betook himself merrily
with his friend Ciarlo to the spot which had been named, and there
they caught sight of the lady, who gave them most gladsome reception.
After she had made a trusty maidservant of hers open to them the door
and bring them in, she likewise gave them to understand, by the mouth
of this same woman, that the only way in which the thing she so much
desired could be brought about would be that, while she should be
taking her pleasure with Filippo, Messer Ciarlo should go and strip
naked and lie down in the bed beside her husband, in order that, if
by chance the husband should wake and feel Ciarlo in bed, he might
believe that his wife was still there.
Unless he should consent to do this, they would all run great peril of
their honour and of their lives as well; wherefore she besought them to
put in practice the timely stratagem which she had provided, or else
withdraw from the place forthwith.
As soon as Ciarlo heard this request, what though he would have gone
down to hell to serve his comrade, he was conscious that, even if the
business should come to a fortunate issue, it would be to him a great
loss of good fame were he to be found there stark naked; wherefore he
refused altogether to go on such service in such fashion, declaring,
however, that if he might go clad and carrying his sword in his hand he
would willingly do what they wanted.
Now Filippo had travelled all the way from France to foregather with
his lady-love, and, in considering the difficult parts to which they
had come, he perceived that his friend was speaking and that the
lady was acting with good show of reason; so, after many and divers
arguments, for the reason that the lady remained firmly fixed in her
purpose and that he himself was more than ever fired with amorous
desire, he besought Ciarlo almost with tears that, by the bonds of
friendship, he would consent to oblige them, what though the thing
itself might be unseemly.
Therefore Ciarlo, seeing how great was the passion which possessed his
friend, and to what a pass the affair had come, determined that he
would if need be meet death itself rather than be wanting in service to
Filippo.
Thereupon the waiting-woman taking Ciarlo by the hand led him in the
dark to the lady, and she, having given him kindly welcome, took him
into her own chamber, and there bade him take off all his clothes and
get into the bed, keeping his sword at hand. Then she softly bade him
be of good heart and have patience, for she would soon return and
release him. This done, she went full of joy to her Filippo, and having
led him into another room they reaped the full and delightful fruit of
their desire.
Now when Ciarlo had waited, not two, but four hours, he began to think
that it was full time for the lady, or at least for his trusty comrade,
to come and set him free; so, hearing no one coming, and perceiving
that it was near daybreak, he said to himself:
“If these others, all afire with love, feel no concern at having left
me here to play a fool’s part, it is now full time for me to take
thought of myself and of my honour.”
Having softly got out of bed, himseeming that the lady’s husband was
asleep, he went with the sheet over his shoulders to try to escape, but
was hugely annoyed at finding the chamber door securely locked outside;
and, not knowing where the windows were, nor on what place they looked,
he went back to the bed in a fury.
He heard sounds which told him that the other occupant of the bed
was awake and moving, and, though he was pricked both by fear and
curiosity, he kept aloof and spake not a word. While he was thus
troubled in mind he marked through the fissures of the windows that it
was now broad day, and, fearing amain lest he should be espied by his
bed-partner, he turned his back, and, gathering himself together and
keeping his sword ready for his needs, he resolved to leave whatever
might befall him to Fortune, and kept still, mightily troubled in mind.
Before long he heard sounds of the fires being kindled throughout the
house, and the hasty steps of the servants as they ran to fetch water;
wherefore he determined at the last rather to die as beseemed a good
cavalier than to be found there stark naked and making shift for a
woman; so, having leapt out of bed with his drawn sword, he went to the
door, and, as he was using all his force to open the same, he became
aware how someone was unfastening it from without.
He drew back somewhat, and then saw enter Filippo, laughing heartily
and holding the lady by the hand. The two straightway began to embrace
him in merry wise, albeit they saw he was bursting with rage. But when
the lady perceived that he was all bemused, and unwitting where he was,
she took him by the hand and said to him:
“My good sir, by the sincere love I bear towards you, and also by that
which you have towards certain others, I will assure myself that I may
speak to you concerning a matter which intimacy such as ours will allow
us to discuss. I know not whether Nature may have failed to bestow upon
you French gentlemen that which she always gives to the lower animals.
I mean to say that I know of no male beast, whether wild or tame,
which, when under the sway of love, will not recognise the female by
her odour. And you, forsooth, a wise and discreet gentleman, who have
come hither all the way from France on account of love, can it be that
your frozen nature is so sluggish that, when Fortune lets you spend
the whole of a long night by the side of her for whom you have shown
such great tokens of love, you failed to scent out who she was?”
Then, having led him up to the bedside, she let him see and know
clearly that it was her sister and no one else who had lain beside him
during the night which was just passed.
When he perceived this thing the cavalier was not a little ashamed of
himself, but finally all four laughed and joked so merrily that they
could scarce stand upright on their feet; and because of the pass to
which things had come, it seemed meet to all that, for the setting
right of the fault aforesaid, they should once more divide in pairs.
Whereupon Ciarlo, having got back into bed, plucked the fresh flower
and the earliest fruit of the goodly garden which fell to his lot, and
the two friends remained there, each taking delight with his own lady,
until the husband came back from western parts.