The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio Read online

  THE FOURTH STORY

  [Day the First]

  A MONK, HAVING FALLEN INTO A SIN DESERVING OF VERY GRIEVOUS PUNISHMENT, ADROITLY REPROACHING THE SAME FAULT TO HIS ABBOT, QUITTETH HIMSELF OF THE PENALTY

  Filomena, having despatched her story, was now silent, whereuponDioneo, who sat next her, knowing already, by the ordinance begun,that it fell to his turn to tell, proceeded, without awaiting farthercommandment from the queen, to speak on this wise: "Lovesome ladies,if I have rightly apprehended the intention of you all, we are here todivert ourselves with story-telling; wherefore, so but it be not donecontrary to this our purpose, I hold it lawful unto each (even as ourqueen told us a while agone) to tell such story as he deemeth mayafford most entertainment. Accordingly having heard how, by the goodcounsels of Jehannot de Chevigne, Abraham had his soul saved and howMelchizedek, by his good sense, defended his riches from Saladin'sambushes, I purpose, without looking for reprehension from you,briefly to relate with what address a monk delivered his body from avery grievous punishment.

  There was in Lunigiana, a country not very far hence, a monasterywhilere more abounding in sanctity and monks than it is nowadays, andtherein, among others, was a young monk, whose vigour and lustinessneither fasts nor vigils availed to mortify. It chanced one day,towards noontide, when all the other monks slept, that, as he went allalone round about the convent,[48] which stood in a very solitaryplace, he espied a very well-favoured lass, belike some husbandman'sdaughter of the country, who went about the fields culling certainherbs, and no sooner had he set eyes on her than he was violentlyassailed by carnal appetite. Wherefore, accosting her, he entered intoparley with her and so led on from one thing to another that he cameto an accord with her and brought her to his cell, unperceived ofany; but whilst, carried away by overmuch ardour, he disported himselfwith her less cautiously than was prudent, it chanced that the abbotarose from sleep and softly passing by the monk's cell, heard theracket that the twain made together; whereupon he came stealthily upto the door to listen, that he might the better recognize the voices,and manifestly perceiving that there was a woman in the cell, was atfirst minded to cause open to him, but after bethought himself to holdanother course in the matter and, returning to his chamber, awaitedthe monk's coming forth.

  [Footnote 48: Lit. his church (_sua chiesa_); but the context seems toindicate that the monastery itself is meant.]

  The latter, all taken up as he was with the wench and his exceedingpleasure and delight in her company, was none the less on his guardand himseeming he heard some scuffling of feet in the dormitory, heset his eye to a crevice and plainly saw the abbot stand hearkeningunto him; whereby he understood but too well that the latter must havegotten wind of the wench's presence in his cell and knowing that sorepunishment would ensue to him thereof, he was beyond measurechagrined. However, without discovering aught of his concern to thegirl, he hastily revolved many things in himself, seeking to find somemeans of escape, and presently hit upon a rare device, which wentstraight to the mark he aimed at. Accordingly, making a show ofthinking he had abidden long enough with the damsel, he said to her,'I must go cast about for a means how thou mayest win forth hence,without being seen; wherefore do thou abide quietly until my return.'

  Then, going forth and locking the cell door on her, he betook himselfstraight to the abbot's chamber and presenting him with the key,according as each monk did, whenas he went abroad, said to him, with agood countenance, 'Sir, I was unable to make an end this morning ofbringing off all the faggots I had cut; wherefore with your leave Iwill presently go to the wood and fetch them away.' The abbot, deemingthe monk unaware that he had been seen of him, was glad of such anopportunity to inform himself more fully of the offence committed byhim and accordingly took the key and gave him the leave he sought.Then, as soon as he saw him gone, he fell to considering which heshould rather do, whether open his cell in the presence of all theother monks and cause them to see his default, so they might afterhave no occasion to murmur against himself, whenas he should punishthe offender, or seek first to learn from the girl herself how thething had passed; and bethinking himself that she might perchance bethe wife or daughter of such a man that he would be loath to have doneher the shame of showing her to all the monks, he determined first tosee her and after come to a conclusion; wherefore, betaking himself tothe cell, he opened it and, entering, shut the door after him.

  The girl, seeing the abbot enter, was all aghast and fell a-weepingfor fear of shame; but my lord abbot, casting his eyes upon her andseeing her young and handsome, old as he was, suddenly felt the pricksof the flesh no less importunate than his young monk had done and fella-saying in himself, 'Marry, why should I not take somewhat ofpleasure, whenas I may, more by token that displeasance and annoy arestill at hand, whenever I have a mind to them? This is a handsomewench and is here unknown of any in the world. If I can bring her todo my pleasure, I know not why I should not do it. Who will know it?No one will ever know it and a sin that's hidden is half forgiven.Maybe this chance will never occur again. I hold it great sense toavail ourselves of a good, whenas God the Lord sendeth us thereof.'

  So saying and having altogether changed purpose from that wherewith hecame, he drew near to the girl and began gently to comfort her,praying her not to weep, and passing from one word to another, heended by discovering to her his desire. The girl, who was neither ironnor adamant, readily enough lent herself to the pleasure of the abbot,who, after he had clipped and kissed her again and again, mounted uponthe monk's pallet and having belike regard to the grave burden of hisdignity and the girl's tender age and fearful of irking her forovermuch heaviness, bestrode not her breast, but set her upon his ownand so a great while disported himself with her.

  Meanwhile, the monk, who had only made believe to go to the wood andhad hidden himself in the dormitory, was altogether reassured, whenashe saw the abbot enter his cell alone, doubting not but his deviceshould have effect, and when he saw him lock the door from within, heheld it for certain. Accordingly, coming forth of his hiding-place, hestealthily betook himself to a crevice, through which he both heardand saw all that the abbot did and said. When it seemed to the latterthat he had tarried long enough with the damsel, he locked her in thecell and returned to his own chamber, whence, after awhile, he heardthe monk stirring and deeming him returned from the wood, thought torebuke him severely and cast him into prison, so himself might alonepossess the prey he had gotten; wherefore, sending for him, he verygrievously rebuked him and with a stern countenance and commanded thathe should be put in prison.

  The monk very readily answered, 'Sir, I have not yet pertained longenough to the order of St. Benedict to have been able to learn everyparticular thereof, and you had not yet shown me that monks shouldmake of women a means of mortification,[49] as of fasts and vigils;but, now that you have shown it me, I promise you, so you will pardonme this default, never again to offend therein, but still to do as Ihave seen you do.' The abbot, who was a quick-witted man, readilyunderstood that the monk not only knew more than himself, but had seenwhat he did; wherefore, his conscience pricking him for his owndefault, he was ashamed to inflict on the monk a punishment which hehimself had merited even as he. Accordingly, pardoning him andcharging him keep silence of that which he had seen, they privily putthe girl out of doors and it is believed that they caused her returnthither more than once thereafterward."

  [Footnote 49: Lit. a pressure or oppression (_priemere_, hod._premere_, to press or oppress, indicative used as a noun). The monkof course refers to the posture in which he had seen the abbot have todo with the girl, pretending to believe that he placed her on his ownbreast (instead of mounting on hers) out of a sentiment of humilityand a desire to mortify his flesh _ipsa in voluptate_.]