登陆注册
5419200000207

第207章

Alas Husband, dost thou know what this is? In the name of our blessed Ladie, be not affraid, this is but the Spirit which haunts our Countrey houses, whereof I have often told thee, and it hath many times much dismayed me, living heere alone without thy comfort.Nay, such hath bin my feare, that in divers nights past, so soone as Iheard the knockes: I was feigne to hide my selfe in the bedde over-head and eares (as we usually say) never daring to be so bold, as to looke out, untill it was broad open day.Arise good wife (quoth John) and if it be such a Spirit of the Countrey, as thou talkest of, never be affraid; for before we went to bed, I said the Telucis, the Intemerata, with many other good prayers beside.Moreover, Imade the signe of the Crosse at every corner of our bed, in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, so that no doubt at all needs to be made, of any power it can have to hurt or touch us.

Monna Tessa, because (perhaps) Frederigo might receive some other suspition, and so enter into distaste of her by anger or offence:

determined to arise indeede, and to let him covertly understand, that John was there, and therefore saide to her husband.Beleeve me John, thy counsell is good, and every one of thy words hath wisedome in it: but I hold it best for our owne safety, thou being heere;that wee should conjure him quite away, to the end he may never more haunt our house.Conjure him Wife? Quoth John, By what meanes? and how? Bee patient good man (quoth Tessa) and I will enstruct thee, Ihave learned an excellent kinde of conjuration; for, the last weeke, when I went to procure the pardons at Fiesola, one of the holy recluse Nuns, who (indeede John) is my indeered Sister and Friend, and the most sanctimonius in life of them all; perceiving me to be troubled and terrified by Spirits; taught me a wholsome and holy prayer, and protested withall, that shee had often made experiment thereof, before she became a Recluse, and found it (alwayes) a present helpe to her.

Yet never durst I adventure to essay it, living heere by my selfe all alone: but honest John, seeing thou art heere with me, we will go both together, and conjure this Spirit.John replyed, that he was very willing; and being both up, they went fayre and softly to the doore, where Frederigo stoode still without, and was growne somewhat suspitious of his long attendance.

When they were come to the doore, Monna Tessa said to John: Thou must cough and spet, at such time as I shall bid thee.Well (quoth John) I will not faile you.Immediately she beganne her prayer in this manner.

Spirit, that walkst thus in the night, Poore Countrey people to affright:

Thou hast mistane thy marke and ayme, The head stood right, but John home came, And therefore thou must packe away, For I have nothing else to say:

But to my Garden get the gone, Under the Peach-tree stands alone, There shalt thou finde two Capons drest, And Egges laide in mine owne Hennes nest, Bread, and a Bottle of good Wine, All wrapt up in a cloath most fine.

Is not this good Goblins fare?

Packe and say you have your share;

Not doing harme to John or me, Who this night keepes me companie.

No sooner had she ended her devoute conjuring prayer, but she saide to her husband: Now John, cough and spet: which John accordingly did.And Frederigo, being all this while without, hearing her witty conjuration of a Spirit, which he himselfe was supposed to be, being ridde of his former jealous suspition: in the middst of all his melancholy, could very hardly refraine from laughing, the jest appeared so pleasing to him: But when John cought and spet, softly he said to himselfe: When next thou spetst, spet out all thy teeth.

The woman having three severall times conjured the Spirite, in such manner as you have already heard; returned to bed againe with her husband: and Frederigo, who came as perswaded to sup with her, being supperlesse all this while; directed by the words of Monna Tessa in hir praier, went into the Garden.At the foot of the Peach-tree, there he found the linnen cloth, with the two hot Capons, Bread, Egges, and a Bottle of Wine in it, all which he carried away with him, and went to Supper at better leysure.Oftentimes afterward, upon other meetings of Frederigo and she together, they laughed heartily at her enchantment, and the honest beleefe of silly John.

I cannot deny, but that some do affirme, that the Woman had turned the face of the Asses head towards Fiesola, and a Country Travailer passing by the Vine, having a long piked staffe on his necke: the staffe (by chance) touched the head, and made it turne divers times about, and in the end faced Florence, which being the cal for Frederigoes comming, by this meanes he was disappointed.In like manner some say, that Monna Tessaes prayer for conjuring the Spirit, was in this order.

Spirit, Spirit, thy way, And come againe some other day.

It was not I that turnd the head, But some other.In our Bed Are John and I: Go from our dore, And see thou trouble us no more.

So that Frederigo departed thence, both with the losse of his labour and supper.But a neighbour of mine, who is a woman of good yeares, told me, that both the one and other were true, as she her selfe heard, when she was a little Girle.And concerning the latter accident, it was not to John of Lorrayne, but to another, named John de Nello, that dwelt at S.Peters Gate, and of the same profession as John of Lorrayne was.Wherefore (faire Ladies) it remaineth in your owne choice, to entertain which of the two prayers you please, or both together if you will: for they are of extraordinary vertue in such strange occurrences, as you have heeretofore heard, and (upon doubt)may prove by experience.It shall not therefore be amisse for you, to learne them both by hart, for (peradventure) they may stand you in good sted, if ever you chance to have the like occasion.

THE SEVENTH DAY, THE SECOND NOVELL

同类推荐
  • 四明仁岳异说丛书目次

    四明仁岳异说丛书目次

    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。
  • 小室六门

    小室六门

    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。
  • 佛说十八臂陀罗尼经

    佛说十八臂陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 盘古至唐虞传

    盘古至唐虞传

    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。
  • 六十种曲霞笺记

    六十种曲霞笺记

    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。
热门推荐
  • 腹黑殿下请走开

    腹黑殿下请走开

    作为一个见不得光的私生女,苏夏很有私生女的自觉。以一纸“关系断绝书”为交换,苏夏被苏家卖给楚家。继母笑里藏刀,继兄火爆狂躁,她自觉地收敛利爪,管你阴谋阳谋,我自恭敬顺从。被坑到恶意满满的班级,青梅泛酸,竹马添乱,全校公敌的苏夏再怎么自觉也没办法继续低调下去了。质疑她作弊的站出来,高清晰全方位监控摄像打肿你的脸;毁课本锁仓库都是小儿科,放鞋钉下黑手也小菜一碟,敢偷母亲的遗物,你们做好死的觉悟了吗?还有那位腹黑技能满点的王子殿下,别以为你帮了她几个“小”忙,她就会以身相许,肚子黑得发亮的家伙,请你走开,她才不要理你呢!
  • 花雨满天

    花雨满天

    季羡林先生一生对佛教研究倾注了大量的心血,也在此过程中参悟到许多佛家思想的精髓——人一死就是涅槃,不用苦苦追求。那种追求是“可怜无补费工夫”。在亿万斯年地球存在的期间,一个人只能有一次生命。这一次生命是万分难得的。本书主要收录季羡林先生关于佛教研究的经典文章,共分三辑:第一辑,佛教研究;第二辑,佛教与文学;第三辑,佛教人物。
  • 我家老婆超甜的

    我家老婆超甜的

    一场联姻,她和他绑在一起。婚前,他说:“我需要个老婆,你需要个老公,我们各取所需。”世人眼中的他,权势滔天,俊美无涛,狂霸拽,却偏偏宠她入骨。她眼中的他,腹黑,无耻,毒舌。他从未说爱她,却做了许多爱她的事!
  • 瓦洛兰荣光

    瓦洛兰荣光

    当一名胸怀志气、满腔热血,欲在龙蛇混杂、心计密布的社会上拼打出一番事业的有志小青年经过了经年时间的洗礼、人心社会铸炉的熔炼,却还是一个没房没车没女人的穷屌丝时,在历尽了辛酸苦楚,看遍了人心险要,猛然发现人生渺茫、生活困顿、前途堪忧之时,他选择了和众人一样的道路——堕落,任凭心灵、思想染上各种各样色彩,任凭意志消磨,任凭物欲鄙俗冲刷自己的身心。然而在堕落之中他仍能找到内心的那一缕傲气、一抹才华寄存的方式——英雄联盟。——“纳尼?这什么鬼地方???我只不过在游戏时打了个盹、不过是挂了会机而已啊,是哪个龟儿子把我丢到东山上来了?”一个望着周围高大的树木抱着双臂猥琐的佝偻着身子的屌丝青年发着牢骚。
  • 第一婚宠:总裁暖妻太甜蜜

    第一婚宠:总裁暖妻太甜蜜

    人人都道安家大小姐命好,出身豪门,要嫁的男人还是盛京第一家族顾家的贵公子。但爸爸生病期间,她却惨遭妹妹的毒手,未婚夫的背叛!她轻轻巧巧地挽着神秘男人的手臂,淡然自若的出现在渣男和妹妹的婚宴上,一脸轻嗤,“这就是我的新男友,乖,以后叫我婶子,可别乱了辈分。”原来,爱她的男人是顾南桀!他是S市最神秘、最强大的男人,冷酷无情、杀伐果断,却独独对她恩宠入骨。这一生,她是他巧取豪夺来捧在掌心的小娇妻,他宠得她上天入地,人人妒忌!
  • 蛮妻驾到:腹黑医生宠不停

    蛮妻驾到:腹黑医生宠不停

    她三岁玩板砖,五岁耍大刀,十八岁后竟无人敢娶不说,还被赶出家门要求自力更生?哼!她厉害着呢,出门捡了个满头是血的男人,对方一眼就看中她?当保镖,做舞伴那是手到擒来。可……舞会上那个美女和男人亲密接触不说还要对她出手?--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 创新型人才素质教育

    创新型人才素质教育

    当今世界是一个多层次生产力的发展局面。由于生产力发展水平的差异,国家与国家之间、地区与地区之间在经济和文化领域形成了巨大的差距。而这种差距首先是开发创新能力的差距,也就是创新的差距。创新,是一个国家、一个民族屹立于世界之林的最有力的“武器”。历史证明,创新是一个民族进步的灵魂,是一个国家兴旺发达的不竭动力。
  • 嫡女有毒

    嫡女有毒

    寄养在护国侯府的孤女,被护国侯大小姐谋夺爱人,成婚的前一天晚上凄惨死去,重生在护国侯十四岁的嫡女宁雪烟身上,谁料想,额发初覆下,是一张倾城而熟悉的容颜。阴谋毒计,冷血无情,一步步为自己前生复仇,同时也揭开了前生枉死之谜!前未婚夫,桃花世子,嗜血王爷,看这带着血海深仇的少女,如何风华绝代……
  • 神之炼金术士

    神之炼金术士

    光荣的贵族后裔却是整个小镇的噩梦,骄傲术士学徒却偏偏沉迷于不入流的炼金术。当他站在至高无上的巫师之塔上大喊着:“我要成为神迹大陆上最伟大的——炼金术士!”却遭到了嘘声一片。
  • When You Wish upon a Rat

    When You Wish upon a Rat

    With echoes of such classic wish-gone-wrong books as Freaky Friday, Half Magic, and Coraline, this terrific novel has the potential to become a middle-grade wkkk.net-year-old Ruth Craze is pretty sure she's stuck in the wrong life. With an absentminded inventor for a father and a flighty artist for a mother, it's always reliable Ruth who ends up doing the dishes, paying the bills, and finding lost socks. Her brothers are no help (they're too busy teasing her), and her friends have just decided she's not cool enough to be a part of their group anymore. So when Rodney the Rat —a slightly sinister stuffed animal that was a gift from her favorite aunt —suggests a way out, Ruth is ready to risk everything. Three wishes. Three chances to create her perfect life. A million ways to get it wkkk.net for When You Wish Upon a Rat"Winning, original moments." —Kirkus Reviews"An engaging look at friendship and family." —Booklist