him to the full. Nastagio made answer that he
was greatly flattered, but that he was minded with
her consent to have his pleasure of her in an honourable
way, to wit, by marrying her. The damsel, who
knew that none but herself was to blame that she was
not already Nastagio’s wife, made answer that
she consented. Wherefore by her own mouth she
acquainted her father and mother that she agreed to
marry Nastagio; and, they heartily approving her choice,
Nastagio wedded her on the ensuing Sunday, and lived
happily with her many a year. Nor was it in her
instance alone that this terror was productive of
good: on the contrary, it so wrought among the
ladies of Ravenna that they all became, and have ever
since been, much more compliant with men’s desires
than they had been wont to be.
NOVEL IX.
— Federigo degli Alberighi loves and is
not loved in return: he wastes his substance
by lavishness until nought is left but a single falcon,
which, his lady being come to see him at his house,
he gives her to eat: she, knowing his case, changes
her mind, takes him to husband and makes him rich.
—
So ended Filomena; and the queen, being ware that
besides herself only Dioneo (by virtue of his privilege)
was left to speak, said with gladsome mien:—’Tis
now for me to take up my parable; which, dearest ladies,
I will do with a story like in some degree to the
foregoing, and that, not only that you may know how
potent are your charms to sway the gentle heart, but
that you may also learn how upon fitting occasions
to make bestowal of your guerdons of your own accord,
instead of always waiting for the guidance of Fortune,
which most times, not wisely, but without rule or
measure, scatters her gifts.
You are then to know, that Coppo di Borghese Domenichi,
a man that in our day was, and perchance still is,
had in respect and great reverence in our city, being
not only by reason of his noble lineage, but, and yet
more, for manners and merit most illustrious and worthy
of eternal renown, was in his old age not seldom wont
to amuse himself by discoursing of things past with
his neighbours and other folk; wherein he had not
his match for accuracy and compass of memory and concinnity
of speech. Among other good stories, he would
tell, how that there was of yore in Florence a gallant
named Federigo di Messer Filippo Alberighi, who for
feats of arms and courtesy had not his peer in Tuscany;
who, as is the common lot of gentlemen, became enamoured
of a lady named Monna Giovanna, who in her day held
rank among the fairest and most elegant ladies of
Florence; to gain whose love he jousted, tilted, gave
entertainments, scattered largess, and in short set
no bounds to his expenditure. However the lady,
no less virtuous than fair, cared not a jot for what
he did for her sake, nor yet for him.
