5-2, Constantia, Martuccio Gomito

NOVEL II. 

Constantia is in love with Martuccio Gomito; and hearing that he was dead, out of despair goes alone into a boat, which is driven by the wind to Susa: finding him alive at Tunis, she makes herself known; whilst he, being a great favourite of the king's there, marries her, and returns home with her to Lipari, very rich. 

The queen, seeing that Pamfilo's novel was at an end, after praising it highly, ordered Emilia to follow. The latter began thus: - We are all of us justly pleased with such things as we see attended with rewards, according to our wishes; and forasmuch as love is more often deserving of happiness than misery, I shall obey the queen with a great deal more pleasure, by treating on the present subject, than I did the king, in discoursing of that of yesterday. 

You must know, then, ladies, that near to Sicily, is a little island called Lipari, in which, not long since, lived a lady of a worthy family, named Constantia, with whom was in love a young gentleman of the same island, called Martuccio Gomito, one of an excellent character, and very eminent in his way. She also had the same regard for him, so that she was never easy but when she saw him. He, therefore, desirous of marrying her, asked her father's consent, who replied, that as the suitor was in poor circumstances, he would never give it. Martuccio, grieved to see himself rejected on account of his poverty, fitted out a little vessel, with some of his friends and relations, and made a resolution never to return to Lipari till he should be rich. Sailing away, he cruised on the coasts of Barbary, taking everything of less force than himself that came in his way. Fortune was favourable enough to him, could he have set bounds to his desires; but not being satisfied, either he or his friends, with being very rich, and willing still to be more so, it happened that they were taken by some Saracen ships, after making a most obstinate defence, when being plundered of all they had gotten, and the greatest part of them slain, after sinking the ship, he was carried prisoner to Tunis, where he suffered a long and miserable confinement. 

In the meantime news was brought to Lipari, from divers hands, that they were all drowned; which was such an affliction to the lady, that she resolved not to survive it; and not having the heart to make away with herself by any violent means, she chose to lay herself under a necessity of meeting with her death. Accordingly she went privately one night to the haven, where she found by chance a small fishing boat, at liberty from the other ships, and furnished with sails and oars. Getting into this, and having rowed a little way into the sea, she threw away her oars and rudder, and committed herself entirely to the mercy of the winds, supposing of necessity, that as the boat was empty, and nobody to steer it, either it must overset, or else dash against some rock, and so break to pieces; and that, in either case, she could not escape if she would. Wrapping her head then in a mantle, she laid herself down, weeping, at the bottom of the boat. 

But it happened differently from what she imagined; for it being a gentle north wind, and no sea, the boat rode it out all that night, and till the following evening, when it was brought within a hundred miles of Tunis, to a strand near a town called Susa; whilst the poor lady thought nothing either of her being near the land, or upon the wide sea, having never looked up from the time of her laying herself down, nor meaning ever to do so. 

Now it happened, just as the boat struck against the shore, that a poor woman was taking away some nets which had been drying in the sun. Perceiving the boat come full sail against the shore, and supposing the people to be all asleep in it, she stepped into it, and finding only this lady, she called several times to her before she could make her hear, she being fast asleep; and seeing by her dress that she was a Christian, she inquired of her in Latin, how it happened that she had arrived there in the boat all alone. The lady hearing her talk in Latin, was apprehensive that a different wind had driven her back to Lipari; and getting up, and looking all around her, without knowing anything of the country, she inquired where she was! The good woman replied, "Daughter, you are near Susa, in Barbary;" which the lady hearing, sorely lamented that she had not met with the death she had coveted; fearing also, with regard to her modesty, and not knowing what to do, she sat down, and began to weep. The good woman, seeing this, had pity on her, and after much persuasion brought her to her little hut, where she told her at length in what manner she had come thither. The good woman then finding that she was fasting, set coarse bread, with some dressed fish, and water before her, and prevailed upon her to eat a little. 

Constantia now inquired of the good woman who she was, that she talked Latin so well? The hostess told her, that she was of Trapani, that her name was Carapresa, and that she was servant to some Christian fishermen. The lady hearing that name, and full of grief as she was, began to conceive some hope from it, yet could she give no account why, only that she thought she had heard the name before. 

Her desire to die was now much abated; and without telling the woman who she was, or whence she came, she begged of her to have pity on her youth, and give her such counsel as might enable her to avoid any injury that should be offered to her. The good woman left her in the hut, till she had taken care of her nets, when she covered her with her mantle, and conducted her to Susa, saying to her, "Constantia, I will bring you to the house of an old Saracen lady, whom I work for sometimes; she is very charitable, and I dare say, on my recommendation, will receive you, as though you were her own child; you must study then to oblige her as much as possible, till it shall please Heaven to send you better fortune." Accordingly, she did as she had promised. 

The old lady, upon hearing the poor woman's account of Constantia, looked earnestly at her, and began to weep; she afterwards led her into the house, where she and some other women lived together, without having a man amongst them, employing themselves in embroideries, and other kind of needle-work. In a few days she had learned to work in the same way, and behaved herself in such a manner that they were extremely delighted with her company; and at length she made herself mistress of their language. In this manner she continued at Susa, being given over at home for lost. 

In the meantime it happened that one Mariabdela being in possession of the kingdom of Tunis, a young lord of great birth and power in the kingdom of Granada also laid claim to it, and assembled a powerful army to drive him out of the country. This came to the ears of Martuccio Gomito, who was still in prison, and was well acquainted with the Berber language. Understanding, also, that the king had made great preparations for his defence, he said to one of his keepers, "Could I but speak to his majesty, my heart forebodes that I could give him such counsel as should assure him of victory." The keeper reported this to his master, and he immediately informed the king, who then sent for Martuccio, and demanded what counsel it was that he had to give him? 

"My lord," he" replied, "if I am sufficiently acquainted, since I have been in this country, with your manner of fighting, it should seem to me as if you depended principally upon your archers: now if I can contrive a way whereby your enemies would want arrows, at the time that you had plenty of them, I suppose you will think then the battle would be yours." - "Without doubt," replied the king, "if you can do that, I shall make no question of being conqueror." Martuccio then added, "My lord, it may easily be done, if you please, and I will show you which way. You must have much finer cords made for your archers" bows than are commonly used; you must also have the notches of your arrows made to suit these small strings: but this must be done so privately that the enemy hear nothing of it, because they would then provide accordingly. Now the reason is this; after your enemies shall have discharged all their arrows, and likewise after your own bowmen shall have made an end of theirs, you know that they will then gather up your own darts, in order to shoot them back upon you, while your archers will do the same with theirs: but your arrows will be useless to the enemy, because those small notches will not suit their great strings; on the contrary, the slender cords of your archers will very well receive the large notches of their arrows; and thus your people will have plenty of darts, when their adversaries shall be entirely unprovided." The king, who was a most wise lord, was pleased with the advice, and followed it, by which means he got the victory; Martuccio was consequently in high favour, and soon attained to great power and wealth. 

These things were soon noised over the country; till at length Constantia heard that her lover, whom she had thought dead, was yet alive. The flame of her love, which had been so long extinct, now broke out afresh, and with greater vigour, and with it her hopes revived; insomuch, that she related all that had happened to her to the good lady, acquainting her that she desired to go to Tunis, there to satisfy her eyes with beholding what fame had long rung into her ears. The lady commended her design, and, as she had been hitherto a sort of mother to her, embarked with her. 

On arriving at Tunis, they were entertained together at the house of one of the old lady's relations; and Carapresa, whom they had carried with them, being sent to learn what she could about Martuccio, reported that he was alive, and in great repute. The lady then resolving that she would be the person to acquaint him that his Conslantia was there, went one fine day to his house, and said to him, "sir, one of your servants from Lipari is now a captive in my house, and has a desire to speak to you in private; for which purpose, that nobody might be intrusted with the secret, he desired that I would go myself to tell you." Martuccio gave her thanks, and followed her thither. As soon as the young lady saw him, she was perfectly overcome with joy, and being unable to refrain, threw her arms about his neck; whilst calling to mind her long sufferings and present transports, she burst out into a flood of tears. Martuccio stood some time in amazement, till at last he said, with a sigh, "O, my Constantia, are you alive? It is some time since I heard you were lost; nor have there been any tidings of you since." And, having said this, he embraced her with a great deal of tenderness and affection. She then related to him all that had befallen her, as well as the respect with which she had been honoured by the good lady: when, after much discourse together, he went straight to the king, and made him acquainted with the whole story, adding, that, with his consent, he intended to espouse her according to the manner of our laws. 

The king was greatly surprised with the narration, and, sending for her, received the same account from her own mouth. He then said, "Lady, you have well earned your husband;"then ordering many rich presents to be brought, he gave part to her, and part to him, and desired them to do what was most agreeable to themselves. Martuccio was very thankful to the lady who had entertained Constantia, and made her a suitable acknowledgment; and, taking their leave of her, not without many tears, they embarked - having Carapresa along with them - for Lipari, where they were received with inexpressible joy; and, the nuptials being celebrated with the greatest magnificence, they lived long together in the greatest tranquillity and comfort, enjoying the fruits of their mutual loves.