The Decameron, Giovanni Boccaccio [top ten books of all time .TXT] 📗
- Author: Giovanni Boccaccio
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Torello took the ring and mounted to horse; then, bidding all his people adieu, he set out on his journey and came presently with his company to Genoa. There he embarked on board a galleon and coming in a little while to Acre, joined himself to the other army478 of the Christians, wherein, well nigh out of hand, there began a sore sickness and mortality. During this, whether by Saladin’s skill or of his good fortune, well nigh all the remnant of the Christians who had escaped alive were taken by him, without blow stricken, and divided among many cities and imprisoned. Messer Torello was one of those taken and was carried prisoner to Alexandria, where, being unknown and fearing to make himself known, he addressed himself, of necessity constrained, to the training of hawks, of which he was a great master, and by this he came under the notice of Saladin, who took him out of prison and entertained him for his falconer. Messer Torello, who was called by the Soldan by none other name than the Christian, recognized him not nor did Saladin recognize him; nay, all his thoughts were in Pavia and he had more than once essayed to flee, but without avail; wherefore, certain Genoese coming ambassadors to Saladin, to treat for the ransom of sundry of their townsmen, and being about to depart, he bethought himself to write to his lady, giving her to know that he was alive and would return to her as quickliest he might and bidding her await him. Accordingly, he wrote letters to this effect and instantly besought one of the ambassadors, whom he knew, to cause them come to the hands of the Abbot of San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro, who was his uncle.
Things being at this pass with him, it befell one day that, as Saladin was devising with him of his hawks, Messer Torello chanced to smile and made a motion with his mouth, which the former had much noted, what while he was in his house at Pavia. This brought the gentleman to his mind and looking steadfastly upon him, himseemed it was himself; wherefore, leaving the former discourse, ‘Harkye, Christian,’ said he, ‘What countryman art thou of the West?’ ‘My lord,’ replied Torello, ‘I am a Lombard of a city called Pavia, a poor man and of mean condition.’ Saladin, hearing this, was in a manner certified of the truth of his suspicion and said joyfully in himself, ‘God hath vouchsafed me an opportunity of showing this man how grateful his courtesy was to me.’ Accordingly, without saying otherwhat, he let lay out all his apparel in a chamber and carrying him thither, said to him, ‘Look, Christian, if there be any among these gowns that thou hast ever seen.’ Torello looked and saw those which his lady had given Saladin; but, natheless, conceiving not that they could possibly be the same, he answered, ‘My lord, I know none of them; albeit, in good sooth, these twain do favour certain gowns wherewithal I, together with three merchants who came to my house, was invested aforetime.’ Thereupon Saladin, unable to contain himself farther, embraced him tenderly, saying, ‘You are Messer Torello d’Istria and I am one of the three merchants to whom your lady gave these gowns; and now is the time come to certify you what manner merchandise mine is, even as I told you, at my parting from you, might chance to betide.’ Messer Torello, hearing this, was at once rejoiced and ashamed; rejoiced to have had such a guest and ashamed for that
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