NOVEL VIII.
Gulielmo Borsiere, by a few smart words, checks the miserable covetousness of M. Ermino de' Grimaldi.
LAURETTA, who sat next to Filostrato, hearing them commend Bergamino's wit and perseverance, and knowing that it was now her turn, without waiting for any command, began in this manner: - The last story puts me in mind how a witty courtier reproved, to good purpose, the covetousness of a certain rich merchant. The story, although it may resemble the other, will not be the less agreeable, as it tends to as good an end.
There lived, some time ago, at Genoa, a gentleman named Signior Ermino de' Grimaldi, who, as was generally believed surpassed all the people of Italy in estate and wealth; and as no Italian could equal him in riches, so neither was there in the whole world one like him for greediness and sordid avarice. For, so far was he from being a friend to others, that he even denied himself common necessaries; contrary to the custom of the Genoese, who delight to dress and live well. On which account he had lost his true name of Grinaldi, and was now known by no other than that of Ermino
Avarizia. It came to pass, that, whilst by spending nothing, he went on accumulating wealth, there came to Genoa, Gulielmo Borsiere, a well-bred and witty gentleman, one wholly unlike the debauched reprobates of the present day, who would fain be reputed fine gentlemen, but should more properly style themselves asses, their breeding being that of the filth and sink of mankind, rather than of courts. And whereas, in former days, they spent their time in making up differences between gentlemen, or in bringing about alliances by marriage, affinity, or friendship; and would divert themselves, and those about them, with facetious and witty repartees, and at the same time, like kind fathers, reprove and lash such as deserved it, although with little recompense: these upstarts of the present age employ their whole life, in speaking ill of their neighbours, and sowing dissentions among them, in lying and slandering, and what is worse, doing this in the presence of any one; for they allege all sorts of shameful misdeeds of everybody, true or not true, upon the least occasion; and, by their false and deceitful flatteries, they bring gentlemen at last to everything that is vile and wicked. We see, too, that he is most caressed by the untoward nobles of our day, who uses the most wicked expressions and commits the vilest actions, to the eternal shame of the present age, and a manifest proof that virtue is gone out from among us, and has left us wallowing in the sink of debauchery. But to return from this digression into which a just resentment has led me farther than I intended. This Gulielmo, whom I before mentioned, was much respected and gladly welcomed by the better sort of people at Genoa. He once made some stay here, and hearing much talk of Ermino's sordidness, he became desirous of seeing him. Now Ermino had been informed of Gulielmo's worthy character, and having, with all his covetousness, some small sparks of gentility, he received him in a very courteous manner. After some discourse, he took his visitor, and some
Genoese who came along with him, to see a fine house which he had lately built; and when he had showed every part of it, "Pray, sir," he said, " can you, who have heard and seen so much, tell me of something that has never yet been seen, to have painted in my hall?” To this absurd question, Gulielmo replied, "sir, I can tell you of nothing which has never yet been seen, that I know of, unless it be sneezing, or something of that sort; but, if you please, I can tell you of a thing which, I believe, you never saw." "Do, pray," said Ermino (little expecting such an answer as he received), "let me know what that is." Gulielmo immediately replied, "Paint Liberality." When Ermino heard this, such a sudden shame seized him, as wrought a complete change in his disposition. "sir," he said, "I will have her painted in such a manner, that neither you, nor any one else, shall be able to say, hereafter, that I am unacquainted with her." And from that time, such effect had Gulielmo's words upon him, he became a most liberal and courteous gentleman, and was the most respected, both by strangers and his fellow-citizens, of any in Genoa.
