d disorderly appetite, forsake thine
honour and me, who love thee more than my life? For God's sake, dear
my hope, speak no more thus, but consent to come with me; henceforth,
since I know thy desire, I will enforce myself [to content it;]
wherefore, sweet my treasure, change counsel and come away with me,
who have never known weal since thou wast taken from me.' Whereto
answered the lady, 'I have no mind that any, now that it availeth not,
should be more tender of my honour than I myself; would my kinsfolk
had had regard thereto, whenas they gave me to you! But, as they had
then no care for my honour, I am under no present concern to be
careful of theirs; and if I am herein _mortar_[142] sin, I shall abide
though it be in pestle[142] sin. And let me tell you that here
meseemeth I am Paganino's wife, whereas at Pisa meseemed I was your
whore, seeing that there, by season of the moon and quadratures of
geometry, needs must be planets concur to couple betwixt you and me,
whereas here Paganino holdeth me all night in his arms and straineth
me and biteth me, and how he serveth me, let God tell you for me. You
say forsooth you will enforce yourself; to what? To do it in three
casts and cause it stand by dint of cudgelling? I warrant me you are
grown a doughty cavalier since I saw you last! Begone and enforce
yourself to live, for methinketh indeed you do but sojourn here below
upon sufferance, so peaked and scant o' wind you show to me. And yet
more I tell you, that, should he leave me (albeit meseemeth he is
nowise inclined thereto, so I choose to stay,) I purpose not therefor
ever to return to you, of whom squeeze you as I might, there were no
making a porringer of sauce; for that I abode with you once to my
grievous hurt and loss, wherefore in such a case I should seek my
vantage elsewhere. Nay, once again I tell you, here be neither saints'
days nor vigils; wherefore here I mean to abide; so get you gone in
God's name as quickliest you may, or I will cry out that you would
fain force me.' Messer Ricciardo, seeing himself in ill case and now
recognizing his folly in taking a young wife, whenas he was himself
forspent, went forth the chamber tristful and woebegone, and bespoke
Paganino with many words, that skilled not a jot. Ultimately, leaving
the lady, he returned to Pisa, without having accomplished aught, and
there for chagrin fell into such dotage that, as he went about Pisa,
to whoso greeted him or asked him of anywh