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十日谈|The Decameron

第一日 故事第八|Day the First:THE EIGHTH STORY

属类: 双语小说 【分类】世界名著 -[作者: 乔万尼·薄伽丘] 阅读:[37585]
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坐在菲洛特拉托下手的是劳丽达,她听到大家都赞美了贝加密诺的机智之后,知道接下来就该她讲一个故事了,就不等吩咐,带着愉快的声气,这样开始道:亲爱的朋友,方才的故事叫我想起了一个聪明的行吟诗人,他同样地讥刺了一个贪婪的大财主,收到一定的效果。虽说这故事的题旨跟方才的一个有些近似,不过好在结局美满,同样会使你们听了高兴的。

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Next Filostrato sat Lauretta, who, after she had heard Bergamino’s address commended, perceiving that it behoved her tell somewhat, began, without awaiting any commandment, blithely to speak thus: "The foregoing story, dear companions,[64] bringeth me in mind to tell how an honest minstrel on like wise and not without fruit rebuked the covetise of a very rich merchant, the which, albeit in effect it resembleth the last story, should not therefore be less agreeable to you, considering that good came thereof in the end.

[64] Fem.
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从前热那亚地方住着一位绅士,叫做厄密诺-德-葛列马第,当时盛传他所拥有的金银田地压倒了意大利最富的富豪。可是,正如他的钱比哪一个意大利人都多,他那贪婪和吝啬的性格,天底下也是没有第二个守财奴能比得上。不仅是视钱如命,谁也别想沾他的光,他就是对自己也十分刻薄。热那亚人很讲究衣着,他却舍不得花钱,连一身象样的衣服都没有;在饮食方面他也同样刻苦。所以无怪后来他竞丧失了姓氏,没有人称他“葛列马第”大爷,只叫他“守财奴厄密诺”了。

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There was, then, in Genoa, a good while agone, a gentleman called Messer Ermino de’ Grimaldi, who (according to general belief) far overpassed in wealth of lands and monies the riches of whatsoever other richest citizen was then known in Italy; and like as he excelled all other Italians in wealth, even so in avarice and sordidness he outwent beyond compare every other miser and curmudgeon in the world; for not only did he keep a strait purse in the matter of hospitality, but, contrary to the general usance of the Genoese, who are wont to dress sumptuously, he suffered the greatest privations in things necessary to his own person, no less than in meat and in drink, rather than be at any expense; by reason whereof the surname de’ Grimaldi had fallen away from him and he was deservedly called of all only Messer Ermino Avarizia.

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他一方面一毛不拔,另方面又拚命积聚财富,这时候热那亚来了一个谈吐不俗、出身很好的行吟诗人,名叫葛利摩-波西厄尔。说到现下一般行吟诗人,尽管他们专干卑鄙肮脏的勾当,却死活要装作绅士、贵族,其实跟宫廷里的行吟诗人比起来,他们只配称做驴子;他却绝不是这样。

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It chanced that, whilst, by dint of spending not, he multiplied his wealth, there came to Genoa a worthy minstrel,[65] both well-bred and well-spoken, by name Guglielmo Borsiere, a man no whit like those[66] of the present day, who (to the no small reproach of the corrupt and blameworthy usances of those[67] who nowadays would fain be called and reputed gentlefolk and seigniors) are rather to be styled asses, reared in all the beastliness and depravity of the basest of mankind, than [minstrels, bred] in the courts [of kings and princes].

[65] Uomo di corte. This word has been another grievous stumbling block to the French and English translators of Boccaccio, who render it literally "courtier." The reader need hardly be reminded that the minstrel of the middle ages was commonly jester, gleeman and story-teller all in one and in these several capacities was allowed the utmost license of speech. He was generally attached to the court of some king or sovereign prince, but, in default of some such permanent appointment, passed his time in visiting the courts and mansions of princes and men of wealth and liberty, where his talents were likely to be appreciated and rewarded; hence the name uomo di corte, "man of court" (not "courtier," which is cortigiano).
[66] i.e. those minstrels.
[67] i.e. the noblemen their patrons.
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在从前,贵族与贵族有冲突的时候,行吟诗人总是把调解纷争、消弭战祸看作自己的责任;他们撮合婚姻,巩固联盟,促进友谊,慰劝烦恼的人,用又机智又伶俐的话来误乐朝廷,而对于犯了错误、刚愎自用的人,则象严父般正色斥责——这些事情虽然报酬微薄,他们也乐于去做。可是如今这班人专爱搬弄是非,散布怨隙,尽谈些伤风败俗的话;更糟的是,他们毫无顾忌地在这个人面前说那个人无耻,在那个面前又说这个人可恶等等;他们用不正当的手段引诱良家子弟去干那荒唐堕落的勾当。可是那谈话最卑鄙、行为最龌龊的人、却最受浅薄无聊的贵族们的欢迎和尊敬,得到最优厚的报酬。这正是我们这个时代的奇耻大辱,也正好表明道德沦亡、我们不幸的人正辗转在罪恶的泥淖中。

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In those times it used to be a minstrel’s office and his wont to expend his pains in negotiating treaties of peace, where feuds or despites had befallen between noblemen, or transacting marriages, alliances and friendships, in solacing the minds of the weary and diverting courts with quaint and pleasant sayings, ay, and with sharp reproofs, father-like, rebuking the misdeeds of the froward,—and this for slight enough reward; but nowadays they study to spend their time in hawking evil reports from one to another, in sowing discord, in speaking naughtiness and obscenity and (what is worse) doing them in all men’s presence, in imputing evil doings, lewdnesses and knaveries, true or false, one to other, and in prompting men of condition with treacherous allurements to base and shameful actions; and he is most cherished and honoured and most munificently entertained and rewarded of the sorry unmannerly noblemen of our time who saith and doth the most abominable words and deeds; a sore and shameful reproach to the present age and a very manifest proof that the virtues have departed this lower world and left us wretched mortals to wallow in the slough of the vices.

[65] Uomo di corte. This word has been another grievous stumbling block to the French and English translators of Boccaccio, who render it literally "courtier." The reader need hardly be reminded that the minstrel of the middle ages was commonly jester, gleeman and story-teller all in one and in these several capacities was allowed the utmost license of speech. He was generally attached to the court of some king or sovereign prince, but, in default of some such permanent appointment, passed his time in visiting the courts and mansions of princes and men of wealth and liberty, where his talents were likely to be appreciated and rewarded; hence the name uomo di corte, "man of court" (not "courtier," which is cortigiano).
[66] i.e. those minstrels.
[67] i.e. the noblemen their patrons.
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现在还是让我们回过头来说故事吧——正义的愤慨己经使我的话说得有些离题了。我说,葛利摩在热那亚很受当地绅士们的欢迎和尊敬,他逗留了几天之后,听得不少关于厄密诺的贪婪和吝啬的故事,便决定要去见一见他。

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But to return to my story, from which a just indignation hath carried me somewhat farther astray than I purposed,—I say that the aforesaid Guglielmo was honoured by all the gentlemen of Genoa and gladly seen of them, and having sojourned some days in the city and hearing many tales of Messer Ermino’s avarice and sordidness, he desired to see him.

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厄密诺也听得了葛利摩的声誉,虽然他贪婪成性,毕竟还有一些教养,还懂得些礼貌,所以和颜悦色地接待了他,跟他有说有笑,谈了很多的话。他又领着他和几个当地的陪客,去参观一幢新造的华丽的公馆。他引他们把房屋各部分一一看过之后,就说道:

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Messer Ermino having already heard how worthy a man was this Guglielmo Borsiere and having yet, all miser as he was, some tincture of gentle breeding, received him with very amicable words and blithe aspect and entered with him into many and various discourses. Devising thus, he carried him, together with other Genoese who were in his company, into a fine new house of his which he had lately built and after having shown it all to him, said,

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“葛利摩先生,你是见多识广的,你能不能告诉我一样人们从未见过的事物,我好把它画在客厅里。”葛利摩听得他这可笑的请求,便答道:“先生,我怕我也一时说不上来有什么事物是人们从未见过的,除非是人们打喷嚏之类。但要是你高兴,我可以说出一种东西,我相信你还没见识过。”

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’Pray, Messer Guglielmo, you who have seen and heard many things, can you tell me of something that was never yet seen, which I may have depictured in the saloon of this my house?’ Guglielmo, hearing this his preposterous question, answered, ’Sir, I doubt me I cannot undertake to tell you of aught that was never yet seen, except it were sneezings or the like; but, an it like you, I will tell you of somewhat which me thinketh you never yet beheld.’

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厄密诺万想不到会自讨没趣,随口说道:“这是什么东西呀,请快告诉我吧。”葛利摩马上回答道:“把‘慷慨’画在府上吧。”

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Quoth Messer Ermino, not looking for such an answer as he got, ’I pray you tell me what it is.’ Whereto Guglielmo promptly replied, ’Cause Liberality to be here depictured.’

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厄密诺一听得这话,惭愧得了不得,连向来的习性都因而改变过来了,说道:“葛利摩先生,我一定要把这‘慷慨’着意描画出来,好叫你和旁人,以后再不能说我从不曾见识过它,或是从不曾认识它了。”

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When Messer Ermino heard this speech, there took him incontinent such a shame that it availed in a manner to change his disposition altogether to the contrary of that which it had been and he said, ’Messer Guglielmo, I will have it here depictured after such a fashion that neither you nor any other shall ever again have cause to tell me that I have never seen nor known it.’

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只因为受了葛利摩这一句话的感动,他从此一反以前的行为,殷勤款待本地和远方的人士,变成热那亚一个最慷慨有礼的绅士。

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And from that time forth (such was the virtue of Guglielmo’s words) he was the most liberal and the most courteous gentleman of his day in Genoa and he who most hospitably entreated both strangers and citizens.”

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