he called Cuba; and so 'twas done. The purloining of thedamsel caused no small stir in Ischia, more especially because 'twasimpossible to discover by whom she had been carried off. But Gianni, moreconcerned than any other, despairing of finding her in Ischia, and beingapprised of the course the felucca had taken, equipped one himself, andput to sea, and in hot haste scoured the whole coast from Minerva toScalea in Calabria, making everywhere diligent search for the damsel, andin Scalea learned that she had been taken by Sicilian mariners toPalermo. Whither, accordingly, he hied him with all speed; and thereafter long search discovering that she had been given to the King, whokept her at Cuba, he was sore troubled, insomuch that he now scarceventured to hope that he should ever set eyes on her, not to speak ofhaving her for his own, again. But still, holden by Love, and seeing thatnone there knew him, he sent the felucca away, and tarried there, andfrequently passing by Cuba, he chanced one day to catch sight of her at awindow, and was seen of her, to their great mutual satisfaction. AndGianni, taking note that the place was lonely, made up to her, and hadsuch speech of her as he might, and being taught by her after whatfashion he must proceed, if he would have further speech of her, hedeparted, but not till he had made himself thoroughly acquainted with theconfiguration of the place; and having waited until night was come andindeed far spent, he returned thither, and though the ascent was suchthat 'twould scarce have afforded lodgment to a woodpecker, won his wayup and entered the garden, where, finding a pole, he set it against thewindow which the damsel had pointed out as hers, and thereby swarmed upeasily enough.
The damsel had aforetime shewn herself somewhat distant towards him,being careful of her honour, but now deeming it already lost, she hadbethought her that there was none to whom she might more worthily giveherself than to him; and reckoning upon inducing him to carry her off,she had made up her mind to gratify his every desire; and to that end hadleft the window open that his ingress might be unimpeded. So, finding itopen, Gianni softly entered, lay down beside the damsel, who was awake,and before they went further, opened to him all her mind, beseeching himmost earnestly to take her thence, and carry her off. Gianni replied thatthere was nought that would give him so much pleasure, and that withoutfail, upon leaving her, he would make all needful arrangements forbringing her away when he next came. Whereupon with exceeding greatdelight they embraced one another, and plucked that boon than which Lovehas no greater to bestow; and having so done divers times, theyunwittingly fell asleep in one another's arms.
Now towards daybreak the King, who had been greatly charmed with thedamsel at first sight, happened to call her to mind, and feeling himselffit, resolved, notwithstanding the hour, to go lie with her a while; andso, attended by a few of his servants, he hied him privily to Cuba.Having entered the house, he passed (the door being softly opened) intothe room in which he knew the damsel slept. A great blazing torch wasborne before him, and so, as he bent his glance on the bed, he espied thedamsel and Gianni lying asleep, naked and in one another's arms. Whereathe was seized with a sudden and vehement passion of wrath, insomuch that,albeit he said never a word, he could scarce refrain from slaying both ofthem there and then with a dagger that he had with him. Then, bethinkinghim that 'twere the depth of baseness in any man--not to say a king--toslay two naked sleepers, he mastered himself, and determined to do themto death in public and by fire. Wherefore, turning to a single companionthat he had with him, he said:--"What thinkest thou of this base woman,in whom I had placed my hope?" And then he asked whether he knew thegallant, that had presumed to enter his house to do him such outrage anddespite. Whereto the other replied that he minded not ever to have seenhim. Thereupon the King hied him out of the room in a rage, and bade takethe two lovers, naked as they were, and bind them, and, as soon as 'twasbroad day, bring them to Palermo, and bind them back to back to a stakein the piazza, there to remain until tierce, that all might see them,after which they were to be burned, as they had deserved. And having soordered, he went back to Palermo, and shut himself up in his room, verywroth.
No sooner was he gone than there came unto the two lovers folk not a few,who, having awakened them, did forthwith ruthlessly take and bind them:whereat, how they did grieve and tremble for their lives, and weep andbitterly bewail their fate, may readily be understood.
Pursuant to the King's commandment they were brought to Palermo, andbound to a stake in the piazza; and before their eyes faggots and firewere made ready to burn them at the hour appointed by the King. Great wasthe concourse of the folk of Palermo, both men and women, that came tosee the two lovers, the men all agog to feast their eyes on the damsel,whom they lauded for shapeliness and loveliness, and no less did thewomen commend the gallant, whom in like manner they crowded to see, forthe same qualities. Meanwhile the two hapless lovers, both exceedingshamefast, stood with bent heads bitterly bewailing their evil fortune,and momently expecting their death by the cruel fire. So they awaited thetime appointed by the King; but their offence being bruited abroad, thetidings reached the ears of Ruggieri dell' Oria, a man of peerless worth,and at that time the King's admiral, who, being likewise minded to seethem, came to the place where they were bound, and after gazing on thedamsel and finding her very fair, turned to look at the gallant, whomwith little trouble he recognized, and drawing nearer to him, he askedhim if he were Gianni di Procida. Gianni raised his head, and recognizingthe admiral, made answer:--"My lord, he, of whom you speak, I was; but Iam now as good as no more." The admiral then asked him what it was thathad brought him to such a pass. Whereupon:--"Love and the King's wrath,"quoth Gianni. The admiral induced him to be more explicit, and havinglearned from him exactly how it had come about, was turning away, whenGianni called him back, saying:--"Oh! my lord, if so it may be, procureme one favour of him by whose behest I thus stand here." "What favour?"demanded Ruggieri. "I see," returned Gianni, "that die I must, and thatright soon. I crave, then, as a favour, that, whereas this damsel and I,that have loved one another more dearly than life, are here set back toback, we may be set face to face, that I may have the consolation ofgazing on her face as I depart." Ruggieri laughed as he replied:--"Withall my heart. I will so order it that thou shalt see enough of her totire of her." He then left him and charged the executioners to do nothingmore without further order of the King; and being assured of theirobedience, he hied him forthwith to the King, to whom, albeit he foundhim in a wrathful mood, he spared not to speak his mind, saying:--"Sire,wherein have they wronged thee, those two young folk, whom thou hastordered to be burned down there in the piazza?" The King told him.Whereupon Ruggieri continued:--"Their offence does indeed merit suchpunishment, but not at thy hands, and if misdeeds should not gounpunished, services should not go unrewarded; nay, may warrantindulgence and mercy. Knowest thou who they are whom thou wouldst haveburned?" The King signified that he did not. Whereupon Ruggieri:--"ButI," quoth he, "am minded that thou shouldst know them, to the end thatthou mayst know with what discretion thou surrenderest thyself to atransport of rage. The young man is the son of Landolfo di Procida,brother of Messer Gianni di Procida, to whom thou owest it that thou artlord and king of this island. The damsel is a daughter of Marin Bolgaro,whose might alone to-day prevents Ischia from throwing off thy yoke.Moreover, these young folk have long been lovers, and 'tis for that themight of Love constrained them, and not that they would do despite to thylordship, that they have committed this offence, if indeed 'tis meet tocall that an offence which young folk do for Love's sake. Wherefore,then, wouldst thou do them to death, when thou shouldst rather do themall cheer, and honour them with lordly gifts?" The King gave ear toRuggieri's words, and being satisfied that he spoke sooth, repented him,not only of his evil purpose, but of what he had already done, andforthwith gave order to loose the two young folk from the stake, andbring them before him; and so 'twas done. And having fully apprisedhimself of their case, he saw fit to make them amends of the wrong he haddone them with honours and largess. Wherefore he caused them to besplendidly arrayed, and being assured that they were both m
inded to wed,he himself gave Gianni his bride, and loading them with rich presents,sent them well content back to Ischia, where they were welcomed with allfestal cheer, and lived long time thereafter to their mutual solace anddelight.
NOVEL VII.
--Teodoro, being enamoured of Violante, daughter of Messer Amerigo, hislord, gets her with child, and is sentenced to the gallows; but while heis being scourged thither, he is recognized by his father, and being setat large, takes Violante to wife.--
While they doubted whether the two lovers would be burned, the ladieswere all fear and suspense; but when they heard of their deliverance,they all with one accord put on a cheerful countenance, praising God. Thestory ended, the queen ordained that the next should be told by Lauretta,who