The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio Part 17

THE TENTH STORY

[Day the Third]

ALIBECH, TURNING HERMIT, IS TAUGHT BY RUSTICO, A MONK, TO PUT THE DEVIL IN h.e.l.l, AND BEING AFTER BROUGHT AWAY THENCE, BECOMETH NEERBALE HIS WIFE

Dioneo, who had diligently hearkened to the queen's story, seeing that it was ended and that it rested with him alone to tell, without awaiting commandment, smilingly began to speak as follows: "Charming ladies, maybe you have never heard tell how one putteth the devil in h.e.l.l; wherefore, without much departing from the tenor of that whereof you have discoursed all this day, I will e'en tell it you.

Belike, having learned it, you may catch the spirit[202] thereof and come to know that, albeit Love sojourneth liefer in jocund palaces and luxurious chambers than in the hovels of the poor, yet none the less doth he whiles make his power felt midmost thick forests and rugged mountains and in desert caverns; whereby it may be understood that all things are subject to his puissance.

[Footnote 202: _Guadagnare l'anima_, lit. gain the soul (syn. pith, kernel, substance). This pa.s.sage is ambiguous and should perhaps be rendered "catch the knack or trick" or "acquire the wish."]

To come, then, to the fact, I say that in the city of Capsa in Barbary there was aforetime a very rich man, who, among his other children, had a fair and winsome young daughter, by name Alibech. She, not being a Christian and hearing many Christians who abode in the town mightily extol the Christian faith and the service of G.o.d, one day questioned one of them in what manner one might avail to serve G.o.d with the least hindrance. The other answered that they best served G.o.d who most strictly eschewed the things of the world, as those did who had betaken them into the solitudes of the deserts of Thebais. The girl, who was maybe fourteen years old and very simple, moved by no ordered desire, but by some childish fancy, set off next morning by stealth and all alone, to go to the desert of Thebais, without letting any know her intent. After some days, her desire persisting, she won, with no little toil, to the deserts in question and seeing a hut afar off, went thither and found at the door a holy man, who marvelled to see her there and asked her what she sought. She replied that, being inspired of G.o.d, she went seeking to enter into His service and was now in quest of one who should teach her how it behoved to serve Him.

The worthy man, seeing her young and very fair and fearing lest, an he entertained her, the devil should beguile him, commended her pious intent and giving her somewhat to eat of roots of herbs and wild apples and dates and to drink of water, said to her, 'Daughter mine, not far hence is a holy man, who is a much better master than I of that which thou goest seeking; do thou betake thyself to him'; and put her in the way. However, when she reached the man in question, she had of him the same answer and faring farther, came to the cell of a young hermit, a very devout and good man, whose name was Rustico and to whom she made the same request as she had done to the others. He, having a mind to make a trial of his own constancy, sent her not away, as the others had done, but received her into his cell, and the night being come, he made her a little bed of palm-fronds and bade her lie down to rest thereon. This done, temptations tarried not to give battle to his powers of resistance and he, finding himself grossly deceived by these latter, turned tail, without awaiting many a.s.saults, and confessed himself beaten; then, laying aside devout thoughts and orisons and mortifications, he fell to revolving in his memory the youth and beauty of the damsel and bethinking himself what course he should take with her, so as to win to that which he desired of her, without her taking him for a debauched fellow.

Accordingly, having sounded her with sundry questions, he found that she had never known man and was in truth as simple as she seemed; wherefore he bethought him how, under colour of the service of G.o.d, he might bring her to his pleasures. In the first place, he showeth her with many words how great an enemy the devil was of G.o.d the Lord and after gave her to understand that the most acceptable service that could be rendered to G.o.d was to put back the devil into h.e.l.l, whereto he had condemned him. The girl asked him how this might be done; and he, 'Thou shalt soon know that; do thou but as thou shalt see me do.'

So saying, he proceeded to put off the few garments he had and abode stark naked, as likewise did the girl, whereupon he fell on his knees, as he would pray, and caused her abide over against himself.[203]

[Footnote 203: The translators regret that the disuse into which magic has fallen, makes it impossible to render the technicalities of that mysterious art into tolerable English; they have therefore found it necessary to insert several pa.s.sages in the original Italian.]

E cosi stando, essendo Rustico, piu che mai, nel suo disidero acceso, per lo vederla cosi bella, venue la resurrezion della carne; la quale riguardando Alibech, e maravigliatasti, disse: Rustico, quella che cosa e, che io ti veggio, che cosi si pigne in fuori, e non l' ho io?

O figliuola mia, disse Rustico, questo e il diavolo, di che io t'ho parlato, e vedi tu ora: egli mi da grandissima molestia, tanta, che io appena la posso sofferire. Allora disse la giovane. O lodato sia Iddio, che io veggio, che io sto meglio, che non stai tu, che io non ho cotesto diavolo io. Disse Rustico, tu di vero; ma tu hai un' altra cosa, che non l'ho io, et haila in iscambio di questo. Disse Alibech: O che? A cui Rustico disse: Hai l'inferno; e dicoti, che io mi credo, che Dio t'abbia qui mandata per la salute dell' anima mia; perciche, se questo diavolo pur mi dara questa noia, ove tu cogli aver di me tanta pieta, e sofferire, che io in inferno il rimetta; tu mi darai grandissima consolazione, et a Dio farai grandissimo piacere, e servigio; se tu per quello fare in queste parti venuta se; che tu di.

La giovane di buona fede rispose O padre mio, poscia che io ho l'inferno, sia pure quando vi piacera mettervi il diavolo. Disse allora Rustico: Figliuola mia benedetta sia tu: andiamo dunque, e rimettiamlovi si, che egli poscia mi lasci stare. E cosi detto, menate la giovane sopra uno de' loro letticelli, le 'nsegn, come star si dovesse a dover incarcerare quel maladetto da Dio. La giovane, che mai piu non aveva in inferno messo diavolo alcuno, per la prima volta senti un poco di noia; perche ella disse a Rustico.

Per certo, padre mio, mala cosa dee essere questo diavolo, e veramente nimico di Iddio che ancora all'inferno, non che altrui duole quando, egli v'e dentro rimesso. Disse Rustico: Figliuola, egli non averra sempre cosi: e per fare, che questo non avvenisse, da sei volte anziche di su il letticel si movesero, ve 'l rimisero; tantoche per quella volta gli tra.s.ser si la superbia del capo, che egli si stette volentieri in pace. Ma ritornatagli poi nel seguente tempo piu volte, e la giovane ubbidente sempre a trargliela si disponesse, avvenne, che il giuoco le cominci a piacere; e cominci a dire a Rustico. Ben veggio, che il ver dicevano que valenti uomini in Capsa, che il servire a Dio era cosi dolce cosa, e per certo io non mi ricordo, che mai alcuna altra ne facessi, che di tanto diletto, e piacere mi fosse, quanto e il rimettere il diavolo in inferno; e perci giudico ogn'

altra persona, che ad altro che a servire a Dio attende, essere una bestia. Per la qual cosa essa spesse volte andava a Rustico, e gli diceva. Padre mio, io son qui venuta per servire a Dio, e non per istare oziosa; andiamo a rimittere il diavolo in inferno. La qual cosa faccendo, diceva ella alcuna volta. Rustico, io non so perche il diavolo si fugga di ninferno, che s' egli vi stesse cosi volentiere, come l'inferno il riceve, e tiene; agli non sene uscirebbe mai. Cosi adunque invitando spesso la giovane Rustico, et al servigio di Dio confortandolo, se la bambagia del fa.r.s.etto tratta gli avea, che egli a talora sentiva freddo, che un' altro sarebbe sudato; e perci egli incominci a dire alla giovane, che il diavolo non era da gastigare, ne da rimettere in inferno, se non quando egli per superbia leva.s.se il capo; e noi, per la grazia, di Dio, l'abbiamo si sgannato, che egla priega Iddio di starsi in pace: e cosi alquanto impose di silenzio alla giovane. La qual, poiche vide che Rustico non la richiedeva a dovere il diavolo rimittere in inferno, gli disse un giorno. Rustico, se il diavolo tuo e gastigato, e piu non ti da noia me il mio ninferno non lascia stare: perche tu farai bene, che tu col tuo diavolo aiuti ad attutare la rabbia al mio inferno; come io col mio ninferno ho ajutato a trarre la superbia al tuo diavolo.

[Transcriber's Note: The following is a 1903 translation of this pa.s.sage by J.M. Rigg (from Project Gutenberg Etext No.

3726):

Whereupon Rustico, seeing her so fair, felt an accession of desire, and therewith came an insurgence of the flesh, which Alibech marking with surprise, said:--"Rustico, what is this, which I see thee have, that so protrudes, and which I have not?" "Oh! my daughter," said Rustico, "'tis the Devil of whom I have told thee: and, seest thou? he is now tormenting me most grievously, insomuch that I am scarce able to hold out." Then:--"Praise be to G.o.d," said the girl, "I see that I am in better case than thou, for no such Devil have I." "Sooth sayst thou," returned Rustico; "but instead of him thou hast somewhat else that I have not." "Oh!" said Alibech, "what may that be?" "h.e.l.l," answered Rustico: "and I tell thee, that 'tis my belief that G.o.d has sent thee hither for the salvation of my soul; seeing that, if this Devil shall continue to plague me thus, then, so thou wilt have compa.s.sion on me and permit me to put him in h.e.l.l, thou wilt both afford me great and exceeding great solace, and render to G.o.d an exceeding most acceptable service, if, as thou sayst, thou art come into these parts for such a purpose." In good faith the girl made answer:--"As I have h.e.l.l to match your Devil, be it, my father, as and when you will." Whereupon:--"Bless thee, my daughter," said Rustico, "go we then, and put him there, that he leave me henceforth in peace." Which said, he took the girl to one of the beds and taught her the posture in which she must lie in order to incarcerate this spirit accursed of G.o.d. The girl, having never before put any devil in h.e.l.l, felt on this first occasion a twinge of pain: wherefore she said to Rustico:--

"Of a surety, my father, he must be a wicked fellow, this devil, and in very truth a foe to G.o.d; for there is sorrow even in h.e.l.l--not to speak of other places--when he is put there." "Daughter," said Rustico, "'twill not be always so."

And for better a.s.surance thereof they put him there six times before they quitted the bed; whereby they so thoroughly abased his pride that he was fain to be quiet.

However, the proud fit returning upon him from time to time, and the girl addressing herself always obediently to its reduction, it so befell that she began to find the game agreeable, and would say to Rustico:--"Now see I plainly that 'twas true, what the worthy men said at Capsa, of the service of G.o.d being so delightful: indeed I cannot remember that in aught that ever I did I had so much pleasure, so much solace, as in putting the Devil in h.e.l.l; for which cause I deem it insensate folly on the part of any one to have a care to aught else than the service of G.o.d."

Wherefore many a time she would come to Rustico, and say to him:--"My father, 'twas to serve G.o.d that I came hither, and not to pa.s.s my days in idleness: go we then, and put the Devil in h.e.l.l." And while they did so, she would now and again say:--"I know not, Rustico, why the Devil should escape from h.e.l.l; were he but as ready to stay there as h.e.l.l is to receive and retain him, he would never come out of it." So, the girl thus frequently inviting and exhorting Rustico to the service of G.o.d, there came at length a time when she had so thoroughly lightened his doublet that he s.h.i.+vered when another would have sweated; wherefore he began to instruct her that the Devil was not to be corrected and put in h.e.l.l, save when his head was exalted with pride; adding, "and we by G.o.d's grace have brought him to so sober a mind that he prays G.o.d he may be left in peace;" by which means he for a time kept the girl quiet. But when she saw that Rustico had no more occasion for her to put the Devil in h.e.l.l, she said to him one day:--"Rustico, if thy Devil is chastened and gives thee no more trouble, my h.e.l.l, on the other hand, gives me no peace; wherefore, I with my h.e.l.l have holpen thee to abase the pride of thy Devil, so thou wouldst do well to lend me the aid of thy Devil to allay the fervent heat of my h.e.l.l."]

Rustico, who lived on roots and water, could ill avail to answer her calls and told her that it would need overmany devils to appease h.e.l.l, but he would do what he might thereof. Accordingly he satisfied her bytimes, but so seldom it was but casting a bean into the lion's mouth; whereas the girl, herseeming she served not G.o.d as diligently as she would fain have done, murmured somewhat. But, whilst this debate was toward between Rustico his devil and Alibech her h.e.l.l, for overmuch desire on the one part and lack of power on the other, it befell that a fire broke out in Capsa and burnt Alibech's father in his own house, with as many children and other family as he had; by reason whereof she abode heir to all his good. Thereupon, a young man called Neerbale, who had spent all his substance in gallantry, hearing that she was alive, set out in search of her and finding her, before the court[204] had laid hands upon her father's estate, as that of a man dying without heir, to Rustico's great satisfaction, but against her own will, brought her back to Capsa, where he took her to wife and succeeded, in her right, to the ample inheritance of her father.

[Footnote 204: _i.e._ the government (_corte_).]

There, being asked by the women at what she served G.o.d in the desert, she answered (Neerbale having not yet lain with her) that she served Him at putting the devil in h.e.l.l and that Neerbale had done a grievous sin in that he had taken her from such service. The ladies asked, 'How putteth one the devil in h.e.l.l?' And the girl, what with words and what with gestures, expounded it to them; whereat they set up so great a laughing that they laugh yet and said, 'Give yourself no concern, my child; nay, for that is done here also and Neerbale will serve our Lord full well with thee at this.' Thereafter, telling it from one to another throughout the city, they brought it to a common saying there that the most acceptable service one could render to G.o.d was to put the devil in h.e.l.l, which byword, having pa.s.sed the sea hither, is yet current here. Wherefore do all you young ladies, who have need of G.o.d's grace, learn to put the devil in h.e.l.l, for that this is highly acceptable to Him and pleasing to both parties and much good may grow and ensue thereof."

A thousand times or more had Dioneo's story moved the modest ladies to laughter, so quaint and comical did his words appear to them; then, whenas he had made an end thereof, the queen, knowing the term of her sovranty to be come, lifted the laurel from her head and set it merrily on that of Filostrato, saying: "We shall presently see if the wolf will know how to govern the ewes better than the ewes have governed the wolves." Filostrato, hearing this, said, laughing, "An I were hearkened to, the wolves had taught the ewes to put the devil in h.e.l.l, no worse than Rustico taught Alibech; wherefore do ye not style us wolven, since you yourselves have not been ewen. Algates, I will govern the kingdom committed to me to the best of my power." "Harkye, Filostrato," rejoined Neifile, "in seeking to teach us, you might have chanced to learn sense, even as did Masetto of Lamporecchio of the nuns, and find your tongue what time your bones should have learnt to whistle without a master."

Filostrato, finding that he still got a Roland for his Oliver,[205]

gave over pleasantry and addressed himself to the governance of the kingdom committed to him. Wherefore, letting call the seneschal, he was fain to know at what point things stood all and after discreetly ordained that which he judged would be well and would content the company for such time as his seignory should endure. Then, turning to the ladies, "Lovesome ladies," quoth he, "since I knew good from evil, I have, for my ill fortune, been still subject unto Love for the charms of one or other of you; nor hath humility neither obedience, no, nor the a.s.siduous ensuing him in all his usances, in so far as it hath been known of me, availed me but that first I have been abandoned for another and after have still gone from bad to worse; and so I believe I shall fare unto my death; wherefore it pleaseth me that it be discoursed to-morrow of none other matter than that which is most conformable to mine own case, to wit, OF THOSE WHOSE LOVES HAVE HAD UNHAPPY ENDING, for that I in the long run look for a most unhappy [issue to mine own]; nor was the name by which you call me conferred on me for otherwhat by such an one who knew well what it meant."[206]

So saying, he rose to his feet and dismissed every one until supper-time.

[Footnote 205: Lit. that scythes were no less plenty that he had arrows (_che falci si trovavano non meno che egli avesse strali_), a proverbial expression the exact bearing of which I do not know, but whose evident sense I have rendered in the equivalent English idiom.]

[Footnote 206: Syn. what he said (_che si dire_). See ante, p. 11, note.]

The garden was so goodly and so delightsome that there was none who elected to go forth thereof, in the hope of finding more pleasance elsewhere. Nay, the sun, now grown mild, making it nowise irksome to give chase to the fawns and kids and rabbits and other beasts which were thereabout and which, as they sat, had come maybe an hundred times to disturb them by skipping through their midst, some addressed themselves to pursue them. Dioneo and Fiammetta fell to singing of Messer Guglielmo and the Lady of Vergiu,[207] whilst Filomena and Pamfilo sat down to chess; and so, some doing one thing and some another, the time pa.s.sed on such wise that the hour of supper came well nigh unlooked for; whereupon, the tables being set round about the fair fountain, they supped there in the evening with the utmost delight.

[Footnote 207: Apparently the well-known fabliau of the Dame de Vergy, upon which Marguerite d'Angouleme founded the seventieth story of the Heptameron.]

As soon as the tables were taken away, Filostrato, not to depart from the course holden of those who had been queens before him, commanded Lauretta to lead up a dance and sing a song. "My lord," answered she, "I know none of other folk's songs, nor have I in mind any of mine own which should best beseem so joyous a company; but, an you choose one of those which I have, I will willingly sing it." Quote the king, "Nothing of thine can be other than goodly and pleasing; wherefore sing us such as thou hast." Lauretta, then, with a sweet voice enough, but in a somewhat plaintive style, began thus, the other ladies answering:

No maid disconsolate Hath cause as I, alack!

Who sigh for love in vain, to mourn her fate.

He who moves heaven and all the stars in air Made me for His delight Lovesome and sprightly, kind and debonair, E'en here below to give each lofty spright Some inkling of that fair That still in heaven abideth in His sight; But erring men's unright, Ill knowing me, my worth Accepted not, nay, with dispraise did bate.

Erst was there one who held me dear and fain Took me, a youngling maid, Into his arms and thought and heart and brain, Caught fire at my sweet eyes; yea time, unstayed Of aught, that flits amain And lightly, all to wooing me he laid.

I, courteous, nought gainsaid And held[208] him worthy me; But now, woe's me, of him I'm desolate.

Then unto me there did himself present A youngling proud and haught, Renowning him for valorous and gent; He took and holds me and with erring thought[209]

To jealousy is bent; Whence I, alack! nigh to despair am wrought, As knowing myself,--brought Into this world for good Of many an one,--engrossed of one sole mate.

The luckless hour I curse, in very deed, When I, alas! said yea, Vesture to change,--so fair in that dusk wede I was and glad, whereas in this more gay A weary life I lead, Far less than erst held honest, welaway!

Ah, dolorous bridal day, Would G.o.d I had been dead Or e'er I proved thee in such ill estate!

O lover dear, with whom well pleased was I Whilere past all that be,-- Who now before Him sittest in the sky Who fas.h.i.+oned us,--have pity upon me Who cannot, though I die, Forget thee for another; cause me see The flame that kindled thee For me lives yet unquenched And my recall up thither[210] impetrate.

[Footnote 208: Lit. made (_Di me il feci digno_).]

[Footnote 209: _i.e._ false suspicion (_falso pensiero_).]

[Footnote 210: _i.e._ to heaven (_e costa su m'impetra la tornata_).]

Here Lauretta made an end of her song, wherein, albeit attentively followed of all, she was diversely apprehended of divers persons, and there were those who would e'en understand, Milan-fas.h.i.+on, that a good hog was better than a handsome wench;[211] but others were of a loftier and better and truer apprehension, whereof it booteth not to tell at this present. Thereafter the king let kindle store of flambeaux upon the gra.s.s and among the flowers and caused sing divers other songs, until every star began to decline, that was above the horizon, when, deeming it time for sleep, he bade all with a good night betake themselves to their chambers.

[Footnote 211: The pertinence of this allusion, which probably refers to some current Milanese proverbial saying, the word _tosa_, here used by Boccaccio for "wench," belonging to the Lombard dialect, is not very clear. The expression "Milan-fas.h.i.+on" (_alla melanese_) may be supposed to refer to the proverbial materialism of the people of Lombardy.]

HERE ENDETH THE THIRD DAY OF THE DECAMERON

_Day the Fourth_

HERE BEGINNETH THE FOURTH DAY OF THE DECAMERON WHEREIN UNDER THE GOVERNANCE OF FILOSTRATO IS DISCOURSED OF THOSE WHOSE LOVES HAVE HAD UNHAPPY ENDINGS