droll stories-3-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



was　the　young　lord；　disguised　as　a　girl；　with　the　assistance　of　his

cousin；　who　was　jealous　of　Bertha；　and　annoyed　at　her　virtue。　Imbert

drew　back　a　little　when　he　learned　that　it　was　Sylvia　de　Rohan；　but

was　also　much　affected　at　the　kindness　of　Bertha；　whom　he　thanked　for

her　attempt　to　bring　a　little　wandering　lamb　back　to　the　fold。　He　made

much　of　his　wife；　when　his　last　night　at　home　came；　left　men…at…arms

about　his　castle；　and　then　set　out　with　the　Dauphin　for　Burgundy；

having　a　cruel　enemy　in　his　bosom　without　suspecting　it。　The　face　of

the　young　lad　was　unknown　to　him；　because　he　was　a　young　page　come　to

see　the　king's　court；　and　who　had　been　brought　up　by　the　Cardinal

Dunois；　in　whose　service　he　was　a　knight…bachelor。



The　old　lord；　believing　that　he　was　a　girl；　thought　him　very　modest

and　timid；　because　the　lad；　doubting　the　language　of　his　eyes；　kept

them　always　cast　down；　and　when　Bertha　kissed　him　on　the　mouth；　he

trembled　lest　his　petticoat　might　be　indiscreet；　and　would　walk　away

to　the　window；　so　fearful　was　he　of　being　recognised　as　a　man　by

Bastarnay；　and　killed　before　he　had　made　love　to　the　lady。



Therefore　he　was　as　joyful　as　any　lover　would　have　been　in　his　place；

when　the　portcullis　was　lowered；　and　the　old　lord　galloped　away　across

the　country。　He　had　been　in　such　suspense　that　he　made　a　vow　to　build

a　pillar　at　his　own　expense　in　the　cathedral　at　Tours；　because　he　had

escaped　the　danger　of　his　mad　scheme。　He　gave；　indeed；　fifty　gold

marks　to　pay　God　for　his　delight。　But　by　chance　he　had　to　pay　for　it

over　again　to　the　devil；　as　it　appears　from　the　following　facts　if　the

tale　pleases　you　well　enough　to　induce　you　to　follow　the　narrative；

which　will　be　succinct；　as　all　good　speeches　should　be。





II

HOW　BERTHA　BEHAVED；　KNOWING　THE　BUSINESS　OF　LOVE



This　bachelor　was　the　young　Sire　Jehan　de　Sacchez；　cousin　of　the　Sieur

de　Montmorency；　to　whom；　by　the　death　of　the　said　Jehan；　the　fiefs　of

Sacchez　and　other　places　would　return；　according　to　the　deed　of

tenure。　He　was　twenty　years　of　age　and　glowed　like　a　burning　coal；

therefore　you　may　be　sure　that　he　had　a　hard　job　to　get　through　the

first　day。　While　old　Imbert　was　galloping　across　the　fields；　the　two

cousins　perched　themselves　under　the　lantern　of　the　portcullis；　in

order　to　keep　him　the　longer　in　view；　and　waved　him　signals　of

farewells。　When　the　clouds　of　dust　raised　by　the　heels　of　the　horses

were　no　longer　visible　upon　the　horizon；　they　came　down　and　went　into

the　great　room　of　the　castle。



〃What　shall　we　do；　dear　cousin？〃　said　Bertha　to　the　false　Sylvia。　〃Do

you　like　music？　We　will　play　together。　Let　us　sing　the　lay　of　some

sweet　ancient　bard。　Eh？　What　do　you　say？　Come　to　my　organ；　come　along。

As　you　love　me；　sing！〃



Then　she　took　Jehan　by　the　hand　and　led　him　to　the　keyboard　of　the

organ；　at　which　the　young　fellow　seated　himself　prettily；　after　the

manner　of　women。　〃Ah！　sweet　coz；〃　cried　Bertha；　as　soon　as　the　first

notes　tried；　the　lad　turned　his　head　towards　her；　in　order　that　they

might　sing　together。　〃Ah！　sweet　coz　you　have　a　wonderful　glance　in

your　eye；　you　move　I　know　not　what　in　my　heart。〃



〃Ah！　cousin；〃　replied　the　false　Sylvia；　〃that　it　is　which　has　been　my

ruin。　A　sweet　milord　of　the　land　across　the　sea　told　me　so　often　that

I　had　fine　eyes；　and　kissed　them　so　well；　that　I　yielded；　so　much

pleasure　did　I　feel　in　letting　them　be　kissed。〃



〃Cousin；　does　love　then；　commence　in　the　eyes？〃



〃In　them　is　the　forge　of　Cupid's　bolts；　my　dear　Bertha；〃　said　the

lover；　casting　fire　and　flame　at　her。



〃Let　us　go　on　with　our　singing。〃



They　then　sang；　by　Jehan's　desire；　a　lay　of　Christine　de　Pisan；　every

word　of　which　breathed　love。



〃Ah！　cousin；　what　a　deep　and　powerful　voice　you　have。　It　seems　to

pierce　me。〃



〃Where？〃　said　the　impudent　Sylvia。



〃There；〃　replied　Bertha；　touching　her　little　diaphragm；　where　the

sounds　of　love　are　understood　better　than　by　the　ears；　but　the

diaphragm　lies　nearer　the　heart；　and　that　which　is　undoubtedly　the

first　brain；　the　second　heart；　and　the　third　ear　of　the　ladies。　I　say

this；　with　all　respect　and　with　all　honour；　for　physical　reasons　and

for　no　others。



〃Let　us　leave　off　singing；〃　said　Bertha；　〃it　has　too　great　an　effect

upon　me。　Come　to　the　window；　we　can　do　needlework　until　the　evening。〃



〃Ah！　dear　cousin　of　my　soul；　I　don't　know　how　to　hold　the　needle　in　my

fingers；　having　been　accustomed；　to　my　perdition　to　do　something　else

with　them。〃



〃Eh！　what　did　you　do　then　all　day　long？〃



〃Ah！　I　yielded　to　the　current　of　love；　which　makes　days　seem　Instants；

months　seem　days；　and　years　months；　and　if　it　could　last；　would　gulp

down　eternity　like　a　strawberry；　seeing　that　it　is　all　youth　and

fragrance；　sweetness　and　endless　joy。〃



Then　the　youth　dropped　his　beautiful　eyelids　over　his　eyes；　and

remained　as　melancholy　as　a　poor　lady　who　has　been　abandoned　by　her

lover；　who　weeps　for　him；　wishes　to　kiss　him；　and　would　pardon　his

perfidy；　if　he　would　but　seek　once　again　the　sweet　path　to　his　once…

loved　fold。



〃Cousin；　does　love　blossom　in　the　married　state？〃



〃Oh　no；〃　said　Sylvia；　〃because　in　the　married　state　everything　is

duty；　but　in　love　everything　is　done　in　perfect　freedom　of　heart。　This

difference　communicates　an　indescribable　soft　balm　to　those　caresses

which　are　the　flowers　of　love。〃



〃Cousin；　let　us　change　the　conversation；　it　affects　me　more　than　did

the　music。〃



She　called　hastily　to　a　servant　to　bring　her　boy　to　her；　who　came；　and

when　Sylvia　saw　him；　she　exclaimed



〃Ah！　the　little　dear；　he　is　as　beautiful　as　love。〃



Then　she　kissed　him　heartily　upon　the　forehead。



〃Come；　my　little　one；〃　said　the　mother；　as　the　child　clambered　into

her　lap。　〃Thou　art　thy　mother's　blessing；　her　unclouded　joy；　the

delight　of　her　every　hour；　her　crown；　her　jewel；　her　own　pure　pearl；

her　spotless　soul；　her　treasure；　her　morning　and　evening　star；　her

only　flame；　and　her　heart's　darling。　Give　me　thy　hands；　that　I　may　eat

them；　give　me　thine　ears；　that　I　may　bite　them；　give　me　thy　head；　that

I　may　kiss　thy　curls。　Be　happy　sweet　flower　of　my　body；　that　I　may　be

happy　too。〃



〃Ah！　cousin；〃　said　Sylvia；　〃you　are　speaking　the　language　of　love　to

him。〃



〃Love　is　a　child　then？〃



〃Yes；　cousin；　therefore　the　heathen　always　portrayed　him　as　a　little

boy。〃



And　with　many　other　remarks　fertile　in　the　imagery　of　love；　the　two

pretty　cousins　amused　themselves　until　supper　time；　playing　with　the

child。



〃Would　you　like　to　have　another？〃　whispered　Jehan；　at　an　opportune

moment；　into　his　cousin's　ear；　which　he　touched　with　his　warm　lips。



〃Ah！　Sylvia！　for　that　I　would　ensure　a　hundred　years　of　purgatory；　if

it　would　only　please　God　to　give　me　that　joy。　But　in　spite　of　the

work；　labour；　and　industry　of　my　spouse；　which　causes　me　much　pain；　my

waist　does　not　vary　in　size。　Alas！　It　is　nothing　to　have　but　one

child。　If　I　hear　the　sound　of　a　cry　in　the　castle；　my　heart　beats

ready　to　burst。　I　fear　man　and　beast　alike　for　this　innocent　darling；

I　dread　volts；　passes；　and　manual　exercises；　in　fact；　I　dread

everything。　I　live　not　in　myself；　but　in　him　alone。　And；　alas！　I　like

to　endure　these　miseries；　because　when　I　fidget；　and　tremble；　it　is　a

sign　that　my　offspring　is　safe　and　sound。　To　be　brieffor　I　am　never

weary　of　talking　on　this　subjectI　believe　that　my　breath　is　in　him；

and　not　in　myself。〃



With　these　words　she　hugged　him　to　her　breasts；　as　only　mothers　know

how　to　hug　children；　with　a　spiritual　force　that　is　felt　only　in　their

hearts。　If　you　doubt　this；　watch　a　cat　carrying　her　kittens　in　her

mouth；　not　one　of　them　gives　a　single　mew。　The　youthful　gallant；　who

had　certain　fears　about　watering　this　fair；　unfertile　plain；　was

reassured　by　this　speech。　He　thought　then　that　it　would　only　be

following　the　commandments　of　God　to　win　this　saint　to　love；　and　he

thought　right。　At　night　Bertha　asked　her　cousinaccording　to　the　old

custom；　to　which　the　ladies　of　our　day　objectto　keep　her　company　in

her　big　seigneurial　bed。　To　which　request　Sylvia　repliedin　order　to

keep　up　the　role　of　a　well…born　maidenthat　nothing　would　give　her

greater　pleasure。　The　curfew　rang；　and　found　the　two　cousins　in　a

chamber　richly　ornamented　with　carpeting；　fringes；　and　royal

tapestries；　and　Bertha　began　gracefully　to　disarray　herself；　assisted

by　her　women。　You　can　imagine　that　her　companion　modestly　declined

their　services；　and　told　her　cousin；　with　a　little　blush；　that　she　was

accustomed　to　undress　herself　ever　since　she　had　lost　the　services　of

her　dearly　beloved；　who　had　put　her　out　of　conceit　with　feminine

fingers　by　his　gentle　ways；　that　these　preparations　brought　back　the

pretty　speeches　he　used　to　make；　and　his　merry　pranks　while　playing

the　lady's…maid；　and　that　to　her　injury；　the　memory　of　all　these

things　brought　the　water　into　her　mouth。



This　discourse　considerably　astonished　the　lady　Bertha；　who　let　her

cousin　say　her　prayers；　and　make　other　preparations　for　the　night

beneath　the　curtains　of　the　bed；　into　which　my　lord；　inflamed　with

desire；　soon　tumbled；　happy　at　being　able　to　catch　an　occasional

glimpse　of　the　wondrous　charms　of　the　chatelaine；　which　were　in　no　way

injured。　Bertha；　believing　herself　to　be　with　an　experienced　girl；　did

not　omit　any　of　the　usual　practices；　she　washed　her　feet；　not　minding

whether　she　raised　them　little　or　much；　exposed　her　delicate　little

shoulders；　and　did　as　all　the　ladies　do　when　they　are　retiring　to

rest。　At　last　she　came　to　bed；　and　settled　herself　comfortably　in　it；

kissing　her　cousin　on　the　lips；　which　she　found　remarkably　warm。



〃Are　you　unwell；　Sylvia；　that　you　burn　so？〃　said　she。



〃I　always　burn　like　that　when　I　go　to　bed；〃　replied　her　companion；

〃because　at　that　time　there　comes　back　to　my　memory　the　pretty　little

tricks　that　he　invented　to　please　me；　and　which　make　me　burn　still

more。〃



〃Ah！　cousin；　tell　me　all　about　this　he。　Tell　all　the　sweets　of　love　to

me；　who　live　beneath　the　shadow　of　a　hoary　head；　of　which　the　snows

keep　me　from　such　warm　feelings。　Tell　me　all；　you　are　cured。　It　will

be　a　good　warning　to　me；　and　then　your　misfortunes　will　have　been　a

salutary　lesson　to　two　poor　weak　women。〃



〃I　do　not　know　I　ought　to　obey　you；　sweet　cousin；〃　said　the　youth。



〃Tell　me；　why　not？〃



〃Ah！　deeds　are　better　than　words；〃　said　the　false　maiden；　heaving　a

deep　sigh　as　the　/ut/　of　an　organ。　〃But　I　am　afraid　that　this　milord

has　encumbered　me　with　so　much　joy　that　you　may　get　a　little　of　it；

which　would　be　enough　to　give　you　a　daughter；　since　the　power　of

engendering　is　weakened　in　me。〃



〃But；〃　said　Bertha；　〃between　us；　would　it　be　a　sin？〃



〃It　would　be；　on　the　contrary；　a　joy　both　here　and　in　heaven；　the

angels　would　shed　their　fragrance　around　you；　and　make　sweet　music　in

your　ears。〃



〃Tell　me