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LXXXIII（第1页）

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LXXXIII

IMUSTbegyourattentionnow，mostgraciousreader，foraveryterribleeventwhichhappened.

Iusedtheutmostdiligenceandindustrytopletemystatue，andwenttospendmyeveningsintheDukeswardrobe，assistingtherethegoldsmithswhowereworkingforhisExcellency.Indeed，theylabouredmainlyondesignswhichIhadgiventheNoticingthattheDuketookpleasureinseeingmeatworkandtalkingwithme，Itookitintomyheadtogotheresometimesalsobyday.IthappenedupononeofthosedaysthathisExcellencycameasusualtotheroomwhereIwasoccupied，andmoreparticularlybecauseheheardofmyarrival.HisExcellencyenteredatonceintoconversation，raisingseveralinterestingtopics，uponwhichIgavemyviewssomuchtohisentertainmentthatheshowedmorecheerfulnessthanIhadeverseeninhimbefore.Allofasudden，oneofhissecretariesappeared，andwhisperedsomethingofimportanceinhisear;whereupontheDukerose，andretiredwiththeofficialintoanotherchamber.NowtheDuchesshadsenttoseewhathisExcellencywasdoing，andherpagebroughtbackthisanswer:“TheDukeistalkingandlaughingwithBenvenuto，andisinexcellentgood-humour.”WhentheDuchessheardthis，shecameimmediatelytothewardrobe，andnotfindingtheDukethere，tookaseatbesideus.Afterwatchingusatworkawhile，sheturnedtomewiththeutmostgraciousness，andshowedmeanecklaceoflargeandreallyveryfinepearls.OnbeingaskedbyherwhatIthoughtofthem，Isaiditwasintruthaveryhandsomeornament.Thenshespokeasfollows:“IshouldliketheDuketobuythemforme;soIbegyou，mydearBenvenuto，topraisethemtohimashighlyasyoucan.”AtthesewordsIdisclosedmymindtotheDuchesswithalltherespectIcould，andanswered:“Mylady，IthoughtthisnecklaceofpearlsbelongedalreadytoyourmostillustriousExcellency.NowthatIamawareyouhavenotyetacquiredthem，itisright，nay，more，itismydutytoutterwhatImightotherwisehaverefrainedfromsaying，namely，thatmymatureprofessionalexperienceenablesmetodetectverygravefaultsinthepearls，andforthisreasonIcouldneveradviseyourExcellencytopurchasethe”Shereplied:“Themerchantoffersthemforsixthousandcrowns;andwereitnotforsomeofthosetriflingdefectsyouspeakof，theropewouldbeworthovertwelvethousand.”TothisIreplied，that“evenwerethenecklaceofquiteflawlessquality，Icouldnotadviseanyonetobiduptofivethousandcrownsforit;forpearlsarenotgems;pearlsarebutfishesbones，whichinthecourseoftimemustlosetheirfreshness.Diamonds，rubies，emeralds，andsapphires，onthecontrary，nevergrowold;thesefourarepreciousstones，andtheseitisquiterighttopurchase.”WhenIhadthusspoken，theDuchessshowedsomesignsofirritation，andexclaimed:“Ihaveamindtopossessthesepearls;so，prithee，takethemtotheDuke，andpraisethemuptotheskies;evenifyouhavetousesomewordsbeyondtheboundsoftruth，speakthemtodomeservice;itwillbewellforyou!”

Ihavealwaysbeenthegreatestfriendoftruthandfoeoflies:yetpelledbynecessity，unwillingtolosethefavourofsogreataprincess，Itookthoseconfoundedpearlssorelyagainstmyinclination，andwentwiththemovertotheotherroom，whithertheDukehadwithdrawn.Nosoonerdidheseteyesuponmethanhecried:“OBenvenuto!whatareyouabouthere?”Iuncoveredthepearlsandsaid:“Mylord，Iametoshowyouamostsplendidnecklaceofpearls，oftherarestquality，andtrulyworthyofyourExcellency;Idonotbelieveitwouldbepossibletoputtogethereightypearlswhichcouldshowbetterthanthesedoinanecklace.Mycounselthereforeis，thatyoushouldbuythem，fortheyareingoodsoothmiraculous.”Herespondedontheinstant:“Idonotchoosetobuythem;theyarenotpearlsofthequalityandgoodnessyouaffirm;Ihaveseenthenecklace，andtheydonotpleaseme.”ThenIadded:“Pardonme，prince!Thesepearlsexceedinrarityandbeautyanywhichwereeverbroughttogetherforanecklace.”TheDuchesshadrisen，andwasstandingbehindadoorlisteningtoallIsaid.Well，whenIhadpraisedthepearlsathousandfoldmorewarmlythanIhavedescribedabove，theDuketurnedtowardsmewithakindlylook，andsaid.“OmydearBenvenuto，Iknowthatyouhaveanexcellentjudgmentinthesematters.Ifthepearlsareasrareasyoucertify，Ishouldnothesitateabouttheirpurchase，partlytogratifytheDuchess，andpartlytopossessthem，seeingIhavealwaysneedofsuchthings，notsomuchforherGrace，asforthevarioususesofmysonsanddaughters.”WhenIheardhimspeakthus，havingoncebeguntotellfibs，Istucktothemwithevengreaterboldness;IgaveallthecolouroftruthIcouldtomylies，confidinginthepromiseoftheDuchesstohelpmeatthetimeofneed.Morethantwohundredcrownsweretobemymissiononthebargain，andtheDuchesshadintimatedthatIshouldreceivesomuch;butIwasfirmlyresolvednottotouchafarthing，inordertosecuremycredit，andconvincetheDukeIwasnotpromptedbyavarice.OncemorehisExcellencybegantoaddressmewiththegreatestcourtesy:“Iknowthatyouareconsummatejudgeofthesethings;therefore，ifyouarethehonestmanIalwaysthoughtyou，tellmenowthetruth.”ThereatIflusheduptomyeyes，whichatthesametimefilledwithtears，andsaidtohim:“Mylord，ifItellyourmostillustriousExcellencythetruth，IshallmakeamortalfoeoftheDuchess;thiswillobligemetodepartfromFlorence，andmyenemieswillbeginatoncetopourcontemptuponmyPerseus，whichIhaveannouncedasamasterpiecetothemostnobleschoolofyourillustriousExcellency.Suchbeingthecase，IremendmyselftoyourmostillustriousExcellency.”

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