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909 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1349
Then after many kisses they went to bed together and took delight and pleasure one of another almost all that night, hearing the nightingale sing many a time.
There he held a lavish and honourable wedding-feast and afterwards went after nightingales with her, in peace and solace and at length, both by night and by day, to his heart's content.
'What you have there is the pit of Hell,' said Rustico, 'and I have to say that I believe God sent you here for the salvation of my soul.
For even if this devil torments me so mercilessly, if you will take pity on me and let me stuff him back into Hell, you'll give me great consolation and you'll really please God and serve Him, if that's what you've come to these parts to do, like you told me.'
The girl answered him in all good faith: 'Oh, my father, seeing that I have this pit of Hell, let it be done whenever you like.'
'Bless you, my daughter!' said Rustico then. 'Let us go then and stuff him back in there right away, so he'll leave me in peace afterwards.'![]()
And with these words, he led the young girl over to one of their little beds, and showed her how one sets about imprisoning that cursed enemy of the Lord.
The young girl, who had never had any devil in her pit of Hell before that moment, felt some pain the first time, and so she said to Rustico, 'There's no doubt, father, that this devil must be a wicked thing altogether, and a real enemy of God, for even the pit of Hell, let alone anything else, is sore when he's stuffed back in there.'
"'Alack!' rejoined the other, 'what is this thou sayest? Knowest thou not that we have promised our virginity to God?'
'Oh, as for that,' answered the first, 'how many things are promised Him all day long, whereof not one is fulfilled unto Him! An we have promised it Him, let Him find Himself another or others to perform it to Him.'"
"Whereupon Rustico, seeing her so fair, felt an accession of desire, and therewith came an insurgence of the flesh, which Alibech marking with surprise, said: 'Rustico, what is this, which I see thee have, that so protrudes, and which I have not?'
'Oh! my daughter,' said Rustico, ''tis the Devil of whom I have told thee: and, seest thou? he is now tormenting me most grievously, insomuch that I am scarce able to hold out.'"
"...nor did she ever water these with other water than that of her tears or rose or orange-flower water."-----------------
"As often, most gracious ladies, as, taking thought in myself, I mind me how very pitiful you are all by nature, so often do I recognize that this present work will, to your thinking, have a grievous and a weariful beginning, inasmuch as the dolorous remembrance of the late pestiferous mortality, which it beareth on its forefront, is universally irksome to all who saw or otherwise knew it."
"There are then, discreet ladies, some who, reading these stories, have said that you please me overmuch and that it is not a seemly thing that I should take so much delight in pleasuring and solacing you; and some have said yet worse of commending you as I do."
… nothing is so indecent that it cannot be said to another person if the proper words are used to convey it…