The Pentameron is a reworking of the 15th Century work “Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles.” First translated into English in 1899 by Robert Douglas, this collection is now, for the first time, elevated to the level of Boccaccio’s Decameron and the Heptameron of Marguerite de Navarre with a frame story fitting for it.
Day Two’s theme is love brought to misfortune, or love stories with unhappy endings.
Now, it so happened that this man had lately been taken by the charms of a beautiful, gracious, and gentle young woman, and she had found herself just as smitten as he. This love affair, straightforward as it was, greatly pleased the pair, but it so happened that the young woman’s roommate—herself an eligible young woman—caught our man’s eye, and he caught hers, as well. It should be known that these two roommates were the best of friends, and just as the first had qualities in abundance, the other had a reputation second to none on account of her great beauty, elegance, and good manners. Their names—I will give their firsts—were Helen and Elaine.
The man’s budding affair with Elaine, growing as it was beside his blossomed one with Helen, had advanced to the point that each only desired time and place to say and do what would most please both. The couple were many days in considering how to gain for themselves this opportunity—he, of course, being in politics, was married, so his home was as unusable as seemed hers—but at last, she came to the realization of the perfect plan, which would finally secure for them the utmost secrecy along with the same of joy.
“My dear,” Elaine said to him at the next available opportunity, “you know how it is not possible for you to come to my bedroom, being so near that other, and you also know that this other is my friend as well as your lover, whom neither of us wants to lose.”
“I know this all,” the man replied, “and it greatly troubles me.”
“Well, then, hear my plan.”
-from “Day Two, Story Two”
“I tell you,” Pickles said, “there is no man more virile, insatiable, and well-endowed than my old friend Hammer. To him, performing four, five, or six times in one night cost no more effort than taking off his hat. Really, the man was a wonder, and I do not doubt that he remains the same today.”
All those present listened to this account of Hammer’s prowess, and many comments were made before the course of the evening directed conversation elsewhere. It so happened, however, that Pickles’ wife was eavesdropping on the party, and not being herself in the room, she was not sweep along with the change in topic, instead thinking deeply upon this Hammer—it need not be said what she thought of what she heard.
Well, not many days later, Pickle’s wife devised some cunning excuse for why she needed to make a trip to Kingston. To us, it is not important what particular form the woman put her misdirection into, but what we need note is that the husband found himself doubting her, though he could not see why. Thus, he merely smiled at her words, and he was all the more alarmed by the smile that he saw on her face as a result.
-from “Day Two, Story Six”
To return to she of Capitol Hill, who had denied yet another attempt of he who loved her more than anyone else, the woman was surprised when her rejection was not followed by repeated requests, culminating in begging appeals, and she was rather confused by the fact. Indeed, so interested did she become that she condescended to send word to one of the man’s friends—she knew them to be out together—asking through intermediary how the Bainbridge man had received the bad news.
“He took it well,” she was told. “Certainly, at first, he seemed broken up and in despair, but then, he received invitation elsewhere, which he showed us, and he was soon off, as good that moment as bad the prior.”
As might be expected, this news came as a blow to the Capitol Hill woman, and it can be said with certainty—as you will now see—that she did not take it well. Several strategies presented themselves to her mind, but it was not long before she resolved on the most obvious option. Thus, she set about crafting the most enticing message that she had ever sent, in which outright innuendo promised absolutely everything. As soon as it was ready, this temptation was sent on its way.
