_Day the Sixth_
HERE BEGINNETH THE SIXTH DAY OF THE DECAMERON WHEREIN UNDER THE GOVERNANCE OF ELISA IS DISCOURSED OF WHOSO BEING ASSAILED WITH SOME JIBING SPEECH HATH VINDICATED HIMSELF OR HATH WITH SOME READY REPLY OR ADVISEMENT ESCAPED LOSS, PERIL OR SHAME
The moon, being now in the middest heaven, had lost its radiance andevery part of our world was bright with the new coming light, when,the queen arising and letting call her company, they all with slowstep fared forth and rambled over the dewy grass to a little distancefrom the fair hill, holding various discourse of one thing and anotherand debating of the more or less goodliness of the stories told, whatwhile they renewed their laughter at the various adventures relatedtherein, till such time as the sun mounting high and beginning to waxhot, it seemed well to them all to turn homeward. Wherefore, reversingtheir steps, they returned to the palace and there, by the queen'scommandment, the tables being already laid and everything strewn withsweet-scented herbs and fair flowers, they addressed themselves toeat, ere the heat should grow greater. This being joyouslyaccomplished, ere they did otherwhat, they sang divers goodly andpleasant canzonets, after which some went to sleep, whilst some satdown to play at chess and other some at tables and Dioneo fell tosinging, in concert with Lauretta, of Troilus and Cressida. Then, thehour come for their reassembling after the wonted fashion,[294] theyall, being summoned on the part of the queen, seated themselves, asof their usance, about the fountain; but, as she was about to call forthe first story, there befell a thing that had not yet befallen there,to wit, that a great clamour was heard by her and by all, made by thewenches and serving-men in the kitchen.
[Footnote 294: Lit. for their returning to consistory (_del dovere aconcistoro tornare_).]
The seneschal, being called and questioned who it was that cried thusand what might be the occasion of the turmoil, answered that theclamour was between Licisca and Tindaro, but that he knew not thecause thereof, being but then come thither to make them bide quiet,whenas he had been summoned on her part. The queen bade himincontinent fetch thither the two offenders and they being come,enquired what was the cause of their clamour; whereto Tindaro offeringto reply, Licisca, who was well in years and somewhat overmasterful,being heated with the outcry she had made, turned to him with an angryair and said, "Mark this brute of a man who dareth to speak before me,whereas I am! Let me speak." Then, turning again to the queen,"Madam," quoth she, "this fellow would teach me, forsooth, to knowSicofante's wife and neither more nor less than as if I had not beenfamiliar with her, would fain give me to believe that, the first nighther husband lay with her, Squire Maul[295] made his entry into BlackHill[296] by force and with effusion of blood; and I say that it isnot true; nay, he entered there in peace and to the great contentmentof those within. Marry, this fellow is simple enough to believewenches to be such ninnies that they stand to lose their time, abidingthe commodity of their fathers and brothers, who six times out ofseven tarry three or four years more than they should to marry them.Well would they fare, forsooth, were they to wait so long! By ChristHis faith (and I should know what I say, when I swear thus) I have nota single gossip who went a maid to her husband; and as for the wives,I know full well how many and what tricks they play their husbands;and this blockhead would teach me to know women, as if I had been bornyesterday."
[Footnote 295: _Messer Mazza_, _i.e._ veretrum.]
[Footnote 296: _Monte Nero_, _i.e._ vas muliebre.]
What while Licisca spoke, the ladies kept up such a laughing that youmight have drawn all their teeth; and the queen imposed silence uponher a good half dozen times, but to no purpose; she stinted not tillshe had said her say. When she had at last made an end of her talk,the queen turned to Dioneo and said, laughing, "Dioneo, this is amatter for thy jurisdiction; wherefore, when we shall have made an endof our stories, thou shalt proceed to give final judgment thereon."Whereto he answered promptly, "Madam, the judgment is already given,without hearing more of the matter; and I say that Licisca is in theright and opine that it is even as she saith and that Tindaro is anass." Licisca, hearing this, fell a-laughing and turning to Tindaro,said, "I told thee so; begone and God go with thee; thinkest thou thouknowest better than I, thou whose eyes are not yet dry?[297] Gramercy,I have not lived here below for nothing, no, not I!" And had not thequeen with an angry air imposed silence on her and sent her andTindaro away, bidding her make no more words or clamour, an she wouldnot be flogged, they had had nought to do all that day but attend toher. When they were gone, the queen called on Filomena to make abeginning with the day's stories and she blithely began thus:
[Footnote 297: _i.e._ who are yet a child, in modern parlance, "Thouwhose lips are yet wet with thy mother's milk."]
The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio Page 58
