[005]
Know, then, that there dwelt aforetime in the city of Pistoia a
most beauteous widow lady, of whom it so befell that two of our
citizens, the one Rinuccio Palermini, the other Alessandro Chiarmontesi,
by name, tarrying at Pistoia, for that they were banished
from Florence, became, neither witting how it stood with the other,
in the last degree enamoured.
[006]
Wherefore each used all his arts
to win the love of Madonna Francesca de' Lazzari--such was the
lady's name--and she, being thus continually plied with ambassages
and entreaties on the part of both, and having indiscreetly lent ear
to them from time to time, found it no easy matter discreetly to
extricate herself, when she was minded to be rid of their pestering,
[007]until it occurred to her to adopt the following expedient, to wit,
to require of each a service, such as, though not impracticable,
she deemed none would actually perform, to the end that, they
making default, she might have a decent and colourable pretext
for refusing any longer to receive their ambassages. Which expedient
was on this wise.
[008]
One day there died in Pistoia, and was
buried in a tomb outside the church of the Friars Minors, a man,
who, though his forbears had been gentlefolk, was reputed the very
worst man, not in Pistoia only, but in all the world,
[009]
and therewithal
he was of form and feature so preternaturally hideous that
whoso knew him not could scarce see him for the first time without
a shudder. Now, the lady pondering her design on the day of this
man's death, it occurred to her that he might in a measure subserve
its accomplishment:
[010]
wherefore she said to her maid: "Thou
knowest to what worry and annoyance I am daily put by the
ambassages of these two Florentines, Rinuccio and Alessandro.
Now I am not disposed to gratify either of them with my love, and
therefore, to shake them off, I am minded, as they make such great
protestations, to put them to the proof by requiring of each something
which I am sure he will not perform, and thus to rid myself
of their pestering:
[011]
so list what I mean to do. Thou knowest that
this morning there was interred in the ground of the Friars Minors
this Scannadio (such was the name of the bad man of whom we
spoke but now) whose aspect, while he yet lived, appalled even the
bravest among us.
[012]
Thou wilt therefore go privily to Alessandro,
and say to him: 'Madonna Francesca sends thee word by me that
the time is now come when thou mayst win that which thou hast
so much desired, to wit, her love and joyance thereof, if thou be so
minded, on the following terms.
[013]
For a reason, which thou shalt
learn hereafter, one of her kinsmen is to bring home to her to-night
the corpse of Scannadio, who was buried this morning; and she,
standing in mortal dread of this dead man, would fain not see him;
[014]
wherefore she prays thee to do her a great service, and be so good as
to get thee this evening at the hour of first sleep to the tomb wherein
Scannadio is buried, and go in, and having wrapped thyself in his
grave-clothes, lie there, as thou wert Scannadio himself, until one
come for thee, when thou must say never a word, but let him carry
thee forth, and bear thee to Madonna Francesca's house, where she
will give thee welcome, and let thee stay with her, until thou art
minded to depart, and, for the rest, thou wilt leave it to her.'
[015]
And
if he says that he will gladly do so, well and good; if not, then thou
wilt tell him from me, never more to shew himself where I am,
and, as he values his life, to have a care to send me no more ambassages.
[016]
Which done, thou wilt go to Rinuccio Palermini, and
wilt say to him: 'Madonna Francesca lets thee know that she is
ready in all respects to comply with thy wishes, so thou wilt do her
a great service, which is on this wise: to-night, about midnight,
thou must go to the tomb wherein was this morning interred
Scannadio, and saying never a word, whatever thou mayst hear
or otherwise be ware of, bear him gently forth to Madonna
Francesca's house,
[017]
where thou shalt learn wherefore she requires
this of thee, and shalt have thy solace of her; and if thou art not
minded to obey her in this, see that thou never more send her
ambassage.'"
