[047]
However, recover he did his health and lustihood, and nursing
his enmity, feigned to be vastly more enamoured of his widow than
ever before.
[048]
And so it was that after a while Fortune furnished him
with an opportunity of satisfying his resentment, for the gallant of
whom the widow was enamoured, utterly regardless of the love she
bore him, grew enamoured of another lady, and was minded no more
to pleasure the widow in aught either by word or by deed; wherefore
she now pined in tears and bitterness of spirit.
[049]
However, her
maid, who commiserated her not a little, and knew not how to dispel
the dumps that the loss of her lover had caused her, espying the
scholar pass along the street, as he had been wont, conceived the
silly idea that the lady's lover might be induced to return to his old
love by some practice of a necromantic order, wherein she doubted
not that the scholar must be a thorough adept; which idea she
imparted to her mistress.
[050]
The lady, being none too well furnished
with sense, never thinking that, if the scholar had been an adept in
necromancy, he would have made use of it in his own behoof, gave
heed to what her maid said, and forthwith bade her learn of the
scholar whether he would place his skill at her service, and assure
him that, if he so did, she, in guerdon thereof, would do his pleasure.
[051]
The maid did her mistress's errand well and faithfully. The scholar
no sooner heard the message, than he said to himself: Praised be
Thy name, O God, that the time is now come, when with Thy
help I may be avenged upon this wicked woman of the wrong she
did me in requital of the great love I bore her.
[052]
Then, turning to
the maid, he said: "Tell my lady to set her mind at ease touching
this matter; for that, were her lover in India, I would forthwith
bring him hither to crave her pardon of that wherein he has offended
her. As to the course she should take in the matter, I tarry but her
pleasure to make it known to her, when and where she may think
fit: tell her so, and bid her from me to be of good cheer." The
maid carried his answer to her mistress, and arranged that they should
meet in the church of Santa Lucia of Prato.
[053]
Thither accordingly
they came, the lady and the scholar, and conversed apart, and the
lady, quite oblivious of the ill-usage by which she had well-nigh done
him to death, opened all her mind to him, and besought him, if he had
any regard to her welfare, to aid her to the attainment of her desire.
[054]
"Madam," replied the scholar, "true it is that among other lore
that I acquired at Paris was this of necromancy, whereof, indeed, I
know all that may be known; but, as 'tis in the last degree displeasing
to God, I had sworn never to practise it either for my own or for any
other's behoof.
[055]
'Tis also true that the love I bear you is such that I
know not how to refuse you aught that you would have me do for
you; and so, were this single essay enough to consign me to hell,
I would adventure it to pleasure you.
[056]
But I mind me that 'tis a
matter scarce so easy of performance as, perchance, you suppose,
most especially when a woman would fain recover the love of a man,
or a man that of a woman, for then it must be done by the postulant
in proper person, and at night, and in lonely places, and unattended,
so that it needs a stout heart; nor know I whether you are disposed
to comply with these conditions."
[057]
The lady, too enamoured to be
discreet, made answer: "So shrewdly does Love goad me, that
there is nought I would not do to bring him back to me who wrongfully
has deserted me; but tell me, prithee, wherein it is that I have
need of this stout heart."[058]"Madam," returned the despiteful scholar,
"'twill be my part to fashion in tin an image of him you would fain
lure back to you: and when I have sent you the image, 'twill be for
you, when the moon is well on the wane, to dip yourself, being stark
naked, and the image, seven times in a flowing stream, and this you
must do quite alone about the hour of first sleep,
[059]
and afterwards, still
naked, you must get you upon some tree or some deserted house, and
facing the North, with the image in your hand, say certain words
that I shall give you in writing seven times; which, when you have
done, there will come to you two damsels, the fairest you ever saw,
who will greet you graciously, and ask of you what you would fain
have;
[060]
to whom you will disclose frankly and fully all that you
crave; and see to it that you make no mistake in the name; and
when you have said all, they will depart, and you may then descend
and return to the spot where you left your clothes, and resume them,
and go home.
[061]
And rest assured, that before the ensuing midnight
your lover will come to you in tears, and crave your pardon and
mercy, and that thenceforth he will never again desert you for any
other woman."
