NOVEL V.
Ricciardo, surnamed the Beau, makes a present of a fine horse to Francesco Vergellesi, upon condition that he should have the liberty of speaking to his wile; and she making him no reply, he answers for her, which accordingly has its effect.
The ladies all smiled at Pamfilo's story, when the queen laid her next commands upon Eliza, who began pretty smartly, according to her usual manner, to the following effect: - There are many people who know so much, that they think others know nothing at all; and who, whilst they are designing to overreach others, are themselves outwitted; therefore, I hold that person very unwise, who puts another man's wits to the test, without any occasion: but as all of you may not be of my opinion, I will tell you what happened to a knight of Pistoia. In the town of Pistoia there lived, not long since, a knight named Francesco, of the family of the Vergellesi; a rich and prudent man in all respects, but covetous beyond measure. Being made provost of the city of Milan, and having furnished himself with everything necessary for such a high office, excepting a fine horse, he was at a loss where to meet with one that should please him. In the same town lived also a young gentleman, called Ricciardo, of no great family, but rich enough; a person so neat always and exact in his dress, that he was called the Beau; and who had long admired and followed the lady of Francesco, but hitherto without success. Now he was possessed of one of the most beautiful horses in all Tuscany, which he set a high value upon; but as it was known what a respect he bore towards Francesco's wife, Francesco was given to understand, that, if he would ask it of him, the other would gladly make him a present of the horse upon that account. He, therefore, moved by his avarice, requested the beau to sell him his horse, expecting, at the same time, that he should receive it as a gift. The other was much pleased with this, and said, "sir, all you have in the world could not purchase that horse; but you may have him for nothing, provided I may first have leave to say a word or two to your wife in your presence, at such a distance from every one that I may not be overheard." Francesco, overswayed by his covetous temper, and thinking to make a fool of the other, answered, that he was willing, as soon as he pleased; and leaving him in the hall, he went upstairs to his wife, to tell her how easily he was going to get the horse, and to enjoin her to hear what the beau had to say, but to make him no answer, little or much. She blamed him for it, but, being bound to obey, went with him into the hall, to hear what the other had to offer. The beau, then leading her to a seat at the farthest part of the room, began in this manner: "I make no doubt, most worthy lady, but that you have long perceived how great a slave I am to the force of your beauty, which far exceeds that of all the ladies I ever beheld; not to mention your personal accomplishments, enough to vanquish the most resolute and insensible of men: therefore, it would be needless to tell you by words, that my love is the most fervent that a man can possibly have for a woman; and so it shall continue whilst life shall actuate these frail limbs; and even to eternity, if we love in the next world as we do in this. Be assured, then, that you can call nothing your own, so much as me and mine: and to give you proof of this, I should take it as a singular favour, if you would command me such a service as it is possible for me to perform, seeing there is nothing I should refuse for your sake. To you, therefore, whose I am, and on whom all my peace and happiness depend, I address myself for relief; humbly hoping, as I am wounded to the heart by your beauty, that your merciful goodness will not suffer me to perish. For suppose I should die, you could not help saying to yourself, - Alas! why did I not show some pity to my poor beau? which remorse would be greatly to your disquiet. Think, therefore, before it is too late; for it is in your power to make me either the happiest or most miserable of men. I hope, however, that the love I bear you will not be rewarded with death; but that you will speak one word of comfort to raise my drooping spirits, which are ready to take flight, whilst I am now before you." Here he ended, and with tears streaming from his eyes, and heaving deep sighs, sat expecting the lady's answer; whilst she, who had been hitherto unmoved, notwithstanding all his tilts, balls, serenadings, and such-like gallantries, was now heartily affected with his last most tender expressions; and began to feel that passion to which she had been hitherto a stranger; and though she was silent, out of regard to her husband's commands, yet could she not avoid disclosing, by her sighs, what she had much rather have declared by words.
The beau, having waited some time, and finding she made no answer, at first wondered very much; but he soon began to suspect that it was a trick of her husband's: and looking earnestly at her, and observing the sparkling of her eyes, cast now and then towards him, and some secret sobbings which she strove in vain to stifle; he began to take courage, and immediately hit on a new method, namely, to answer himself in the same manner as if she had spoken; which he did to this effect: - "Dear sir, I have most assuredly been a long witness of the great love you bear towards me, and am now farther convinced of it from your words, with which I am well satisfied, as indeed I ought: and if I appealed displeased or hard-hearted, do not imagine that I was really so; I always loved you far beyond every other person, but that behaviour was necessary, for fear of other people, and to preserve my own character: the time is now come when I have it in my power to repay your love: then be of good cheer; in a few days my husband goes to be provost at Milan, and as you have given him your favourite horse for my sake, I promise you, upon my word, that then you shall have admittance, and (that I may have no occasion to speak to you again upon the subject, till the very time) take notice, that, as soon as you shall perceive two handkerchiefs hanging out of the window, which looks toward the garden, you must be careful nobody sees you, and come to me through the door, into the garden, where I shall be expecting you."
Having said this, as for the lady, he answered in his own person as follows: "Dear madam, I am so transported with your reply, that I scarcely know how to return you due thanks; but, were I able, no time would be sufficient to do it in the manner I could wish, and as I ought: I leave it therefore for you to imagine, as I find it impossible to describe: you may depend, however, on my being punctual to what you have proposed, and I shall always have a due sense of the great favour conferred upon me. Nothing now remains, my dearest love, but till that time to bid you adieu." All this while the lady said not one word. Ricciardo then stood up, and made towards the knight, who, coming to meet him, said with a smile, "Well, what think you, sir, have I performed my promise or not?" - "By no means," replied the beau, "for you promised that I should speak to your lady, and you have given mc a statue to talk to." The knight was much pleased with this, and if he had a good opinion of his lady before, he had now a better. Afterwards he said, "You allow, I suppose, that the horse is mine." The beau replied, "Most certainly I do; but could I have thought no better success would have ensued on the bargain, I would have given him without any consideration, for as it is, you have bought him, and I not sold him." The knight laughed heartily, and being now provided with a horse, he set out, in a few days, for Milan, and entered upon his office. The lady, being then at liberty, began to think a little of the beau's words, and the regard he had for her; and seeing him often pass by her house, she said to herself, "What am I about? Why do I lose all this time? My husband is at Milan, and will not return these six months, and when shall I meet with such another lover? There is none here that I need to be afraid of. I do not see why I should not make use of the opportunity, whilst I have it. Nobody will know it, or if they should, it is better to do it and repent, than to repent and not do it." Having made up her mind, therefore, she put two handkerchiefs out of the window, as the beau had said. This he saw with a great deal of joy, and that very night went privately to the garden-door, which was open, as was also the door into the house, where he found the lady waiting for him: and though this was their first meeting, it was not the last, for, during the husband's stay at Milan, and even after his return, they found means of being frequently together, to their great mutual joy.
[La Fontaine's "Magnifique” and a drama by La Motte, have been taken from this tale. It seems also to have suggested a scene in Ben Johnson's comedy, "The Devil is an Ass,” where Willepol makes a present of a cloak to a husband, for leave to pay his addresses to the wife for a quarter of an hour.]
