NOVEL III.
Three young men fall in love with three sisters, and fly with them into Crete. The eldest destroys her lover out of jealousy; and the second, by consenting to the Duke of Crete's desires, is the means of saving her sister's life: afterwards her lover kills her, and goes away with the eldest sister. The third couple is charged with her death, which they confess, then bribe their keepers, make their escape, and die at Rhodes at last in great misery.
When Filostrato heard the conclusion of Pampinea's novel, he stood some time in suspense, and at last, turning towards her, said, "There was something good in the end of your story, but the beginning was much too ludicrous." Then, pointing to Lauretta, he added, "Do you go on with a better if you can.” She replied, with a smile, "You are too hard upon poor lovers, to desire that their affairs should end unfortunately. Nevertheless, I shall, in compliance with your orders, give an account of three persons who were equally unhappy that way; and thus I proceed: - Every vice, as you very well know, may turn not only to the disadvantage of such as are subject to it, but of others also: and of all vices anger is that which hurries us along most blindly to our ruin.
Now this passion seems to be a sudden and rash emotion, raised in us by an injury received; which, driving away all sense and reason, and veiling the eyes of our understanding, kindles in our souls a most violent fury. And whereas men are governed by it too often, though some more than others, yet it is of worse consequence in women, as it is more easily kindled in them, and burns also with a more fierce and lasting flame. Nor is this to be wondered at; for fire, in its own nature, is apt to take hold the soonest of such things as are of the lightest consistence; and our texture, we know, is much more delicate than that of men. Seeing, therefore, how prone we are to it naturally; considering, also, that nothing can recommend us more to the good esteem of the men, with whom we are to spend our lives, than mildness and good nature; and, on the contrary, that anger is attended with infinite danger and trouble; I shall, for your greater defence and security in this respect, relate the loves of three young men, and as many ladies, who all became miserable, through the fury of one.
Marseilles, (Marseille) you know, is an ancient and famous city in Provence, situated on the sea-coast, and was better stored formerly with rich citizens and wealthy merchants than it is at present. Amongst these was Narnald Claude, a man of low birth but fair character, and immensely rich, who, besides his other children, had three daughters; the two eldest, who were twins, were about fifteen years of age, and the other fourteen; and there was nothing wanting to the disposing of all three in marriage but the return of their father, who was gone on a trading voyage to Spain. The names of the two elder were Ninetta and Magdalena, and of the younger Bertella. Now there was a worthy young gentleman, but of small fortune, named Restagnone, in love with Ninetta, and she having the same inclination for him, their mutual wishes were soon consummated, and the affair was carried on for some lime between them, without any body's knowing anything of the matter. In the meantime, two other young gentlemen, who were both rich, their fathers being just dead, fell in love with the other two sisters; the one whose name was Folco, having made choice of Magdalena, and the other, called Ughetto, of Bertella. Restagnone being apprized of this by Ninetta, contrived a way to make up his want of wealth by their love. Having cultivated an intimacy with them by accompanying them, sometimes singly, sometimes both together, to see their mistresses and his own, he took occasion one day to invite them to his house, where he spoke to them in this manner: " Gentlemen, our acquaintance for some time past may have convinced you of the great esteem I have for you, so as to have your interests at heart equally with my own; I shall now acquaint you, therefore, with a thought which has just come into my mind, and you may do afterwards as you shall think proper. It plainly appears that you have the utmost regard and value for the two young ladies, and I have the same for the third sister. I think, if you will consent to it, that I have found out an expedient agreeable enough, which is as follows: you are both very rich, and I am otherwise; make then one joint stock, and let me come in a partner with you; resolve on what part of the world we shall go to, to live happily together, and I will undertake that the three sisters shall bear us company, with a good part of their father's wealth; so that every one of us may have his mistress, and we live like brethren together, the happiest men on earth. What say you to this?"
The young gentlemen were so much in love, that they gave themselves very little time to reflect upon what was proposed; but declared, that, happen what would, they were ready to comply. Restagnone accordingly took the first opportunity that offered of being with Ninetta, which was no easy matter to compass, when he made the same proposal to her, enforcing it by divers reasons, which he might have spared, because the scheme was entirely to her liking. She told him, therefore, that she consented for her own part, and would persuade her sisters; and that, in the meantime, he should get everything in readiness for such an expedition. He returned then to his two friends, who were impatient to know the result, and told them that everything was in readiness on the part of the ladies. Proposing to go to Crete, they sold all their estates under pretence of turning merchants, and bought a light frigate, which they armed and victualled with great secrecy against the time appointed. In the meantime, Ninetta, who was no stranger to her sisters' inclinations, had wrought so far upon them by her fine persuasions, that they longed for nothing so much as their departure. The night being come, therefore, when they were to embark, the three ladies opened their father's cabinet, and took out a great quantity of money and jewels, with which they stole away to meet their lovers, who were waiting for them at the place appointed, when they immediately set sail, and made no stop anywhere till they came to Genoa the next night, where they consummated their several nuptials. Thence they sailed from port to port, till in eight days they arrived at Crete, where they purchased estates and fine houses, and lived like noblemen, keeping great numbers of servants, horses, dogs, etc., for their diversion; so that none seemed to enjoy more real pleasure and satisfaction than themselves.
Passing their time away in this manner, it happened (as it happens every day, that things, however coveted by us, nauseate by over great plenty), that Restagnone, who had an ardent affection for Ninetta before she was in his power, began now to be much more cool in this respect; for, being at a feast one day, he met with a lady, with whom he became violently in love, and he began to give treats and entertainments for her sake, till his wife grew so jealous that he could never stir a step but she took notice of it, and expressed the utmost uneasiness both in her words and behaviour to him on that account. But as plenty always cloys, and as to have what we want denied us whets the appetite, so did this vexation of hers increase the flame of his love. Whether it was that he had really accomplished his desires or not, Ninetta, whoever told her so, believed it: and she consequently fell into such a fit of sorrow and fury that her love for her husband was exchanged into the most inveterate hatred; and she resolved to revenge the wrong she had sustained by his death. Meeting, then, with an old Grecian woman, who was skilled in all sorts of poisons, she engaged her, by presents and large promises, to prepare a deadly water, which she gave him without hesitation, one evening when he was very thirsty; and its virulence was such, that he died before morning. Folco and Ughetto, with their wives, knowing nothing of Restagnone's dying of poison, lamented over him very much along with Ninetta, who had him honourably buried. But not many days afterwards the old woman was taken up for some other crime, when she confessed this one among others. Thereupon the Duke of Crete, without saying a word to any person concerning it, had Folco's palace beset one night, and Ninetta brought quietly away a prisoner; and she, without being tortured, confessed the cause of Restagnone's death. The duke privately acquainted Folco and Ughetto with the cause of Ninetta's arrest, and they used all their interest with him to prevent her being burnt, which they understood was likely to be her sentence, but all to no purpose; the duke seemed determined to have justice done. Hereupon Magdalena, a very beautiful lady, and whom the duke had long conceived an affection for, though hitherto to no purpose, supposing now, that by obliging him she might save her sister's life, sent privately to let him know that she would now comply with his entreaties, upon two conditions: the one was, that her sister should be liberated; and the other, that the whole should be kept secret. The duke liked the message, and agreed to what was proposed; wherefore, keeping Folco and Ughetto prisoners, one night by her consent, as if he wanted some further information, he went privately to Magdalena. He had previously given out that he had caused Ninetta to be put into a sack, and thrown into the sea, and now he took her along with him to the sister, to whom he gave her up, according to their agreement, and charged Magdalena to send her out of the way, to prevent all blame and censure, and lest he should be compelled to proceed with rigour against her.
The next morning Folco and Ughetto were told that their sister was put to death, and being released, went home to comfort their wives for the loss of her. Magdalena endeavoured, as much as possible, to keep her concealed, yet Folco had some suspicion that she was in the house, and was at last convinced of it, which occasioned him some jealousy, as he knew the duke's regard for his wife: therefore he asked her, how it happened that Ninetta was there? She then began a long story, to which he gave but little credit, and forced her at last to confess the whole truth. Upon which, being provoked to the last degree, he drew his sword, and stabbed her to the heart, she begging in vain for mercy. Fearing, afterwards, the duke's resentment, he went into the room to Ninetta, and said cheerfully to her, "Let us go away directly, according to your sister's appointment, for fear you should fall into the hands of the duke." She was desirous of getting away, and accordingly, without taking any leave of her sister, went off in great haste along with him. He took only what money was at hand, which was but little; the two went on shipboard together, and it was never known whither they were carried. Magdalena being found dead the next day, some persons, out of ill-will to Ughetto, carried the news instantly to the duke, who came in all haste to the house, as he had an excessive love for her, and seized upon Ughetto and his lady, and put them to the rack, by which means he made them confess what they were entire strangers to; namely that they were equally concerned in her death with their brother, who was fled. After this, finding that there was no other prospect of saving their lives, they bribed their keepers with a large sum of money, which they always had in readiness for any extraordinary occasion, and went immediately on board a ship, without being able to take any of their effects, and fled to Rhodes, where they died some time after in great distress and poverty. To such an end did the foolish love of Restagnone and the ungoverned fury of Ninetta bring both themselves and others.
