登陆注册
19899800000194

第194章

Whereupon, shewing them quickly to Messer Currado, he said.Now Sir your selfe may see, whether I told you true yesternight, or no: I am sure a Crane hath but one thigh, and one leg, as all here present are apparant witnesses, and I have bin as good as my promise.

Messer Currado looking on the Cranes, and well understanding the knavery of his man, replyed: Stay but a little while sirra, and I will shew thee, that a Crane hath two thighes, and two legges.Then riding somwhat neerer to them, he cryed out aloud, Shough, shough, which caused them to set downe their other legs, and all fled away, after they had made a few paces against the winde for their mounting.So going unto Chichibio, he said: How now you lying Knave, hath a Crane two legs, or no? Chichibio being well-neere at his wits end, not knowing now what answer hee should make; but even as it came sodainly into his minde, said: Sir, I perceive you are in the right, and if you would have done as much yesternight, and had cryed Shough, as here you did: questionlesse, the Crane would then have set down the other legge, as these heere did: but if (as they) she had fled away too, by that meanes you might have lost your Supper.

This sodaine and unexpected witty answere, comming from such a logger-headed Lout, and so seasonably for his owne safety: was so pleasing to Messer Currado, that he fell into a hearty laughter, and forgetting all anger, saide.Chichibio, thou hast quit thy selfe well, and to my contentment: albeit I advise thee, to teach mee no more such trickes heereafter.Thus Chichibio, by his sodaine and merry answer, escaped a sound beating, which (otherwise) his master had inflicted on him.

THE SIXT DAY, THE FIFT NOVELL

WHEREBY MAY BEE OBSERVED, THAT SUCH AS WILL SPEAKE CONTEMPTIBLY OFOTHERS, OUGHT (FIRST OF ALL) TO LOOKE

RESPECTIVELY ON THEIR OWNE IMPERFECTIONS

Messer Forese da Rabatte, and Maister Giotto, a Painter by his profession, comming together from Mugello, scornfully reprehended one another for their deformity of body.

So soone as Madame Neiphila sate silent (the Ladies having greatly commended the pleasant answer of Chichibio) Pamphilus, by command from the Queene, spake in this manner.Woorthy Ladies, it commeth to passe oftentimes, that like as Fortune is observed divers wayes, to hide under vile and contemptible Arts, the most great and unvalewable treasures of vertue (as, not long since, was well discoursed unto us by Madame Pampinea:) so in like manner hath appeared; that Nature hath infused very singular spirits into most mishapen and deformed bodies of men.As hath beene noted in two of our owne Citizens, of whom I purpose to speake in fewe words.The one of them was named Messer Forese de Rabatta, a man of little and low person, but yet deformed in body, with a flat face, like a Terrier or Beagle, as if no comparison (almost) could bee made more ugly.

But notwithstanding all this deformity, he was so singularly experienced in the Lawes, that all men held him beyond any equall, or rather reputed him as a Treasury of civill knowledge.

The other man, being named Giotto, had a spirit of so great excellency, as there was not any particular thing in Nature, the Mother and Worke-mistresse of all, by continuall motion of the heavens; but hee by his pen and pensell could perfectly portrait;shaping them all so truly alike and resemblable, that they were taken for the reall matters indeede; and, whether they were present or no, there was hardly any possibility of their distinguishing.So that many times it happened, that by the variable devises he made, the visible sence of men became deceived, in crediting those things to be naturall, which were but meerly painted.By which meanes, hee reduced that singular Art to light, which long time before had lyen buried, under the grosse error of some; who, in the mysterie of painting, delighted more to content the ignorant, then to please the judicious understanding of the wise, he justly deserving thereby, to be tearmed one of the Florentines most glorious lights.And so much the rather, because he performed all his actions, in the true and lowly spirit of humility: for while he lived, and was a Master in his Art, above all other Painters: yet he refused any such title, which shined the more majestically- in him, as appeared by such, who knew Much lesse then he, or his Schollers either: yet his knowledge was extreamly coveted among them.

Now, notwithstanding all this admirable excellency in him: he was not (thereby) a jot the handsommer man (either in person or countenance) then was our fore-named Lawyer Messer Forese, and therefore my Novell concerneth them both.Understand then (faire Assemblie) that the possessions and inheritances of Messer Forese and Giotto, lay in Mugello; wherefore, when Holy-dayes were celebrated by Order of Court, and in the Sommer time, upon the admittance of so apt a vacation; Forese rode thither upon a very unsightly jade, such as a man can sildome meet with worse.The like did Giotto the Painter, as ill fitted every way as the other; and having dispatched their busines there, they both returned backe towards Florence, neither of them being able to boast, which was the best mounted.

Riding on a faire and softly pace, because their Horses could goe no faster: and they being well entred into yeeres, it fortuned (as oftentimes the like befalleth in Sommer) that a sodaine showre of raine overtooke them; for avoyding whereof, they made all possible haste to a poore Countreymans Cottage, familiarly knowne to them both.

Having continued there an indifferent while, and raine unlikely to cease: to prevent allfurther protraction of time, and to arriveat Florence in due season; they borrowed two old cloakes of the poore man, of over-worn and ragged Country gray, as also two hoodes of the like Complexion, (because the poore man had no better) which did more mishape them, then their owne ugly deformity, and made them notoriously flouted and scorned, by all that met or over-tooke them.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • TFBOYS之你是我的光

    TFBOYS之你是我的光

    看正文。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
  • 田园有喜:贤夫养成计划

    田园有喜:贤夫养成计划

    天才少女穿越古代农村,被第四任未婚夫退亲,人言可畏,没成亲就传成了黑寡妇。她不屑理会那些谣言,利用现代学的知识,多赚银钱奔小康,改造渣男成贤夫,照样混得风生水起。
  • 禁法封尽

    禁法封尽

    孤身一人,置身于那无尽的黑暗。渐渐被忘却的记忆残像。虚无的心在这循环往复的世界中追寻着自己,禁法封尽,彼端却是污秽不堪的奇迹。“汝可愿在此寂灭为新纪元之神?过往一切羁绊消逝,汝之名将作为凌驾一切的概念永铸于众生意识之上。背负善与恶,罪与罚之所有过去,现在,未来因果律,神隐永不轮回,再也没有开始,结束!”
  • 邪医夫君五六个

    邪医夫君五六个

    她堂堂七代鬼医谷谷主,居然还得靠别人给自己解毒!好吧,不就是武艺高强的男人嘛,这有啥不好找的!这不一个个的都送上门来了。一颗长生不老药,引来各方霸主窃视。美男强强出手,这谁能抱得美人归?还真是不好说啊!
  • 谁主沉浮:一世情殇

    谁主沉浮:一世情殇

    她,天生异瞳,纯黑深邃的右瞳中又隐匿着怎样不可告人的惊天秘密?为朝堂形式所逼,被迫解除与槃若宫少宫主的婚约另嫁他人。一心一意只想简单而普通的过完余生,可命运却与她相悖而行!她,正被一只巨大而无形的手操纵着命运,一步步走向无底黑洞。檀渊,楚陌深,荣婷与她的前世今生到底有怎样的纠葛?她到底做了什么为何她想要的总是不能如她所愿?!一场惊心动魄的前世今生,一场荡气回肠的几世纠葛,一场缠绵悱恻的缱绻情深。最后又是谁,轻轻牵起她的手,与她笑看沧海桑田,相守一生?“央儿,走,我们回家。”
  • 神佑之院

    神佑之院

    真是没想到啊,短短的四千年,竟是让那么庞大的一个帝国,都覆灭了......不过一切都在变化之中,这帝国的动乱,也注定了它的灭亡凡是在这个世界的人,都逃不出这个轮回,我四千年前不总是这么说么?不过......把帝国改成学校,这倒是在我意料之外不管怎样,法兰,你的主人回来了
  • 伪白莲王妃,别再装

    伪白莲王妃,别再装

    一次憋屈的意外让杀手冷菱月重生到异世,外表白莲内心腹黑无比的冷菱月重操‘旧业’,‘莲花’异世。凤国第一家族上官家的唯一嫡女上官凤舞,那是家喻户晓,据说是上官凤舞长的倾国倾城,据说上官凤舞灵力高强却从不欺凌弱小,而且温婉贤淑!据说上官月舞从小就对琴棋书画样样精通!据说她医术高超!据说上官凤舞可真的是这样吗?(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • RIDGWAY OF MONTANA

    RIDGWAY OF MONTANA

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 霸上黑道拽公主

    霸上黑道拽公主

    她,是全球首富蓝氏的独生女,也是全球第一帮派紫魅的大帮主,更是全球第一公司圣羽的幕后总裁。冷冰冰是她的语言,她本以为她这一生都不可能心动,却没料到自己会爱上他,认识了他后,她的整个人就变了...他本以为他会一直等她回来,却没料到自己会爱上这个转学过来的她,认识了她后,他的整个人生都变了...
  • 心海游戏:逆袭鬼才

    心海游戏:逆袭鬼才

    心海游戏,玩手段?不屑。玩心计?不屑。玩智商?谁来?高智商的运动废材,张扬的运动好手,高傲的漫画少年,复古式的会长,玩智力的校花,孤傲的强大女生,个个都是逆袭鬼才,等着你的逆袭!