_TALE L_.
_Messire John Peter for a long time wooed in vain a neighbour of his by whom he was sorely smitten, and to divert his humour withdrew for a few days from the sight of her; but this brought so deep a melancholy upon him that the doctors ordered him to be bled. The lady, who knew whence his distemper proceeded, then thought to save his life, but did indeed hasten his death, by granting him that which she had always refused. Then, reflecting that she was herself the cause of the loss of so perfect a lover, she dealt herself a sword-thrust that made her a partner in his fate_. (1)
In the town of Cremona not long ago there lived a gentleman calledMessire John Peter, (2) who had long loved a lady that dwelt near to hisown house; but strive as he might he was never able to have of her thereply that he desired, albeit he loved her with his whole heart. Beinggreatly grieved and troubled at this, the poor gentleman withdrew intohis lodging with the resolve that he would no longer vainly pursue thehappiness the quest of which was devouring his life; and accordingly, todivert his humour, he passed a few days without seeing her. This causedhim to fall into deep sadness, so that his countenance was no longer thesame. His kinsfolk summoned the doctors, who, finding that his face wasgrowing yellow, thought that he had some obstruction of the liver andordered a blood-letting.
1 The incidents here narrated probably occurred in or about 1544.--L.
2 "Jehan Pietre" (Pietro) in the MSS.--Ed.
The lady, who had dealt so sternly with him, knew very well that hissickness was caused by her refusal alone, and she sent to him an oldwoman in whom she trusted, to tell him that, since she saw his love tobe genuine and unfeigned, she was now resolved to grant him all thatwhich she had refused him so long. She had therefore devised a means toleave her house and go to a place where he might privately see her.
The gentleman, who that same morning had been bled in the arm,found himself better cured by this message than by any medicine orbloodletting he could have had, and he sent word that he would be at theplace without fail at the hour she had appointed. He added that she hadwrought an evident miracle, since with one word she had cured a man of asickness for which all the doctors were not able to find a remedy.
The longed-for evening being come, the gentleman repaired to theappointed place with such extreme joy as must needs come soon to an end,since increase of it were not possible. He had waited but a short timeafter his arrival, when she whom he loved more dearly than his own soulcame to meet him. He did not occupy himself with making long speeches,for the fire that consumed him prompted him to seek with all speed thatwhich he could scarcely believe to be at last within his power. Butwhilst, intoxicated beyond measure with love and joy, he was in onedirection seeking a cure that would give him life, he brought to passin another the hastening of his death; for, heedless of himself for hissweetheart's sake, he perceived not that his arm became unbound, andthat the newly-opened wound discharged so much blood that he was, poorgentleman, completely bathed in it. Thinking, however, that his weaknesshad been caused by his excess, he bethought himself of returning home.
Then love, which had too closely united them, so dealt with him that, ashe was parting from his sweetheart, his soul parted from his body, and,by reason of his great loss of blood, he fell dead at his lady's feet.
She, on her side, stood there in astonishment, contemplating the loss ofso perfect a lover, of whose death she had herself been the sole cause.Reflecting, on the other hand, on the shame and sorrow that would behers if the dead body were found in her house, she carried it, with aserving-woman whom she trusted, into the street in order that the mattermight not be known. Nevertheless, she felt that she could not leave itthere alone. Taking up the dead man's sword, she was fain to share hisfate, and, indeed, to punish her heart, which had been the cause of allhis woe, she pierced it through and through, so that her dead body fellupon that of her lover.
When her father and mother came out of their house in the morning,they found this pitiful sight, and, after making such mourning as wasnatural, they buried the lovers together.
"Thus, ladies, may it be seen that excessive love brings with it otherwoe."
"This is what I like to see," said Simontault, "a love so equal thatwhen one died the other could not live. Had I, by the grace of God,found such a mistress, I think that none could ever have ioved her moreperfectly than I."
"Yet am I of opinion," said Parlamente, "that you would not have been soblinded by love as not to bind up your arm better than he did. The daysare gone when men were wont to forget their lives for the ladies' sake."
"But those are not gone," said Simontault, "when ladies are apt toforget their lovers' lives for their pleasure's sake."
"I think," said Ennasuite, "that there is no living woman that can takepleasure in the death of a man, no, not even though he were her enemy.Still, if men will indeed kill themselves, the ladies cannot preventthem."
"Nevertheless," said Saffredent, "she that denies the gift of bread to apoor starving man is held to be a murderess."
"If your requests," said Oisille, "were as reasonable as those of a poorman seeking to supply his needs, it would be over cruel of the ladies torefuse you. God be thanked, however, your sickness kills none but suchas must of necessity die within the year."
"I do not understand, madam," said Saffredent, "that there can be anygreater need than that which causes all others to be forgotten. Whenlove is deep, no bread and no meat whatsoever can be thought of save theglance and speech of the woman whom one loves."
"If you were allowed to fast," said Oisille, "with no other meat butthat, you would tell a very different tale."
"I acknowledge," he replied, "that the body might fail, but not so theheart and will."
"Then," said Parlamente, "God has dealt very mercifully with you inleading you to have recourse to a quarter where you find such littlecontentment that you must needs console yourself with eating anddrinking. Methinks in these matters you acquit yourself so well, thatyou should praise God for the tenderness of His cruelty."
"I have been so nurtured in torment," he replied, "that I am beginningto be well pleased with woes of which other men complain."
"Perhaps," said Longarine, "our complaints debar you from company whereyour gladness makes you welcome; for nothing is so vexatious as animportunate lover."
"Say, rather," answered Simontault, "as a cruel lady ------'"
"I clearly see," said Oisille, "now that the matter touches Simontault,that, if we stay until he brings his reasonings to an end, we shall findourselves at complines (3) rather than vespers. Let us, therefore, goand praise God that this day has passed without graver dispute."
3 The last division in the Roman Catholic breviary.--Ed.
She was the first to rise, and all the others followed her, butSimontault and Longarine ceased not to carry on their quarrel, yet sogently that, without drawing of sword, Simontault won the victory, andproved that the strongest passion was the sorest need.
At this point they entered the church, where the monks were waiting forthem.
Having heard vespers, they went to sup as much off words as meat, fortheir converse lasted as long as they were at table, and throughout theevening also, until Oisille told them that they might well retire andgive some rest to their minds. The five days that were past had beenfilled with such brave stories, that she had great fear lest the sixthshould not be equal to them; for, even if they were to invent theirtales, it was not possible to tell any better than those true ones whichhad already been related in the company.
Geburon, however, told her that, so long as the world lasted, thingswould happen worthy of remembrance.
"For," said he, "the wickedness of wicked men is always what it has been,as also is the goodness of the good. So long as wickedness and goodreign upon earth, they will ever fill it with fresh actions, although itbe written that there is nothing new under the sun. (4) But we, who havenot been summoned to the intima
te counsels of God, and who are ignorantof first causes, deem all new things noteworthy in proportion as wewould not or could not ourselves accomplish them. So, be not afraid thatthe days to come will not be in keeping with those that are past, and besure that on your own part you perform well your duty."
4 _Ecclesiastes_ i. 9, 10.--M.
Oisille replied that she commended herself to God, and in His name shebade them good-night.
So all the company withdrew, thus bringing to an end the Fifth Day.
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APPENDIX.