droll stories-3-第15章

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bitten）　Jehan　believed　that　she　was　beginning　to　hate　him；　and

straightway　he　cried　too。　In　the　evening　Bertha；　touched　by　his　tears；

which　had　left　their　mark　upon　his　eyes；　although　he　had　well　dried

them；　told　him　the　cause　of　her　sorrow；　mingling　therewith　her

confessions　of　her　terrors　for　the　future；　pointing　out　to　him　how

much　they　were　both　to　blame；　and　discoursing　so　beautifully　to　him；

gave　utterance　to　such　Christian　sentences；　ornamented　with　holy　tears

and　contrite　prayers；　that　Jehan　was　touched　to　the　quick　by　the

sincerity　of　his　mistress。　This　love　innocently　united　to　repentance；

this　nobility　in　sin；　this　mixture　of　weakness　and　strength；　would；　as

the　old　authors　say；　have　changed　the　nature　of　a　tiger；　melting　it　to

pity。　You　will　not　be　astonished　then；　that　Jehan　was　compelled　to

pledge　his　word　as　a　knight…bachelor；　to　obey　her　in　what　ever　she

should　command　him；　to　save　her　in　this　world　and　in　the　next。

Delighted　at　this　confidence　in　her；　and　this　goodness　of　heart；

Bertha　cast　herself　at　Jehan's　feet；　and　kissing　them；　exclaimed



〃Oh！　my　love；　whom　I　am　compelled　to　love；　although　it　is　a　mortal　sin

to　do　so；　thou　who　art　so　good；　so　gentle　to　thy　poor　Bertha；　if　thou

wouldst　have　her　always　think　of　thee　with　pleasure；　and　stop　the

torrent　of　her　tears；　whose　source　is　so　pretty　and　so　pleasant　（here；

to　show　him　that　it　was　so；　she　let　him　steal　a　kiss）Jehan；　if　thou

wouldst　that　the　memory　of　our　celestial　joys；　angel　music；　and　the

fragrance　of　love　should　be　a　consolation　to　me　in　my　loneliness

rather　than　a　torment；　do　that　which　the　Virgin　commanded　me　to　order

thee　in　a　dream；　in　which　I　was　beseeching　her　to　direct　me　in　the

present　case；　for　I　had　asked　her　to　come　to　me；　and　she　had　come。

Then　I　told　her　the　horrible　anguish　I　should　endure；　trembling　for

this　little　one；　whose　movements　I　already　feel；　and　for　the　real

father；　who　would　be　at　the　mercy　of　the　other；　and　might　expiate　his

paternity　by　a　violent　death；　since　it　is　possible　that　La　Fallotte

saw　clearly　into　his　future　life。　Then　the　beautiful　Virgin　told　me；

smiling；　that　the　Church　offered　its　forgiveness　for　our　faults　if　we

followed　her　commandments；　that　it　was　necessary　to　save　one's　self

from　the　pains　of　hell；　by　reforming　before　Heaven　became　angry。　Then

with　her　finger　she　showed　me　a　Jehan　like　thee；　but　dressed　as　thou

shouldst　be；　and　as　thou　wilt　be；　if　thou　does　but　love　thy　Bertha

with　a　love　eternal。〃



Jehan　assured　her　of　his　perfect　obedience；　and　raised　her；　seating

her　on　his　knee；　and　kissing　her。　The　unhappy　Bertha　told　him　then

that　this　garment　was　a　monk's　frock；　and　trembling　besought　him

almost　fearing　a　refusalto　enter　the　Church；　and　retire　to

Marmoustier；　beyond　Tours；　pledging　him　her　word　that　she　would　grant

him　a　last　night；　after　which　she　would　be　neither　for　him　nor　for

anyone　else　in　the　world　again。　And　each　year；　as　a　reward　for　this；

she　would　let　him　come　to　her　one　day；　in　order　that　he　might　see　the

child。　Jehan；　bound　by　his　oath；　promised　to　obey　his　mistress；　saying

that　by　this　means　he　would　be　faithful　to　her；　and　would　experience

no　joys　of　love　but　those　tasted　in　her　divine　embrace；　and　would　live

upon　the　dear　remembrance　of　them。　Hearing　these　sweet　words；　Bertha

declared　to　him　that；　however　great　might　have　been　her　sin；　and

whatever　God　reserved　for　her；　this　happiness　would　enable　her　to

support　it；　since　she　believed　she　had　not　fallen　through　a　man；　but

through　an　angel。



Then　they　returned　to　the　nest　which　contained　their　love　but　only　to

bid　a　final　adieu　to　all　their　lovely　flowers。　There　can　be　but　little

doubt　that　Seigneur　Cupid　had　something　to　do　with　this　festival；　for

no　woman　ever　experienced　such　joy　in　any　part　of　the　world　before；

and　no　man　ever　took　as　much。　The　especial　property　of　true　love　is　a

certain　harmony；　which　brings　it　about　that　the　more　one　gives；　the

more　the　other　receives；　and　vice…versa；　as　in　certain　cases　in

mathematics；　where　things　are　multiplied　by　themselves　without　end。

This　problem　can　only　be　explained　to　unscientific　people；　by　asking

them　to　look　into　their　Venetian　glasses；　in　which　are　to　be　seen

thousands　of　faces　produced　by　one　alone。　Thus；　in　the　heart　of　two

lovers；　the　roses　of　pleasure　multiply　within　them　in　a　manner　which

causes　them　to　be　astonished　that　so　much　joy　can　be　contained；

without　anything　bursting。　Bertha　and　Jehan　would　have　wished　in　this

night　to　have　finished　their　days；　and　thought；　from　the　excessive

languor　which　flowed　in　their　veins；　that　love　had　resolved　to　bear

them　away　on　his　wings　with　the　kiss　of　death；　but　they　held　out　in

spite　of　these　numerous　multiplications。



On　the　morrow；　as　the　return　of　Monsieur　Imbert　de　Bastarnay　was　close

at　hand；　the　lady　Sylvia　was　compelled　to　depart。　The　poor　girl　left

her　cousin；　covering　her　with　tears　and　with　kisses；　it　was　always　her

last；　but　the　last　lasted　till　evening。　Then　he　was　compelled　to　leave

her；　and　he　did　leave　her　although　the　blood　of　his　heart　congealed；

like　the　fallen　wax　of　a　Paschal　candle。　According　to　his　promise；　he

wended　his　way　towards　Marmoustier；　which　he　entered　towards　the

eleventh　hour　of　the　day；　and　was　placed　among　the　novices。

Monseigneur　de　Bastarnay　was　informed　that　Sylvia　had　returned　to　the

Lord　which　is　the　signification　of　le　Seigneur　in　the　English

language；　and　therefore　in　this　Bertha　did　not　lie。



The　joy　of　her　husband；　when　he　saw　Bertha　without　her　waistbandshe

could　not　wear　it；　so　much　had　she　increased　in　sizecommenced　the

martyrdom　of　this　poor　woman；　who　did　not　know　how　to　deceive；　and

who；　at　each　false　word；　went　to　her　Prie…Dieu；　wept　her　blood　away

from　her　eyes　in　tears；　burst　into　prayers；　and　recommended　herself　to

the　graces　of　Messieurs　the　Saints　in　paradise。　It　happened　that　she

cried　so　loudly　to　God　that　He　heard　her；　because　He　hears　everything；

He　hears　the　stones　that　roll　beneath　the　waters；　the　poor　who　groan；

and　the　flies　who　wing　their　way　through　the　air。　It　is　well　that　you

should　know　this；　otherwise　you　would　not　believe　in　what　happened。

God　commanded　the　archangel　Michael　to　make　for　this　penitent　a　hell

upon　earth；　so　that　she　might　enter　without　dispute　into　Paradise。

Then　St。　Michael　descended　from　the　skies　as　far　as　the　gate　of　hell；

and　handed　over　this　triple　soul　to　the　devil；　telling　him　that　he　had

permission　to　torment　it　during　the　rest　of　her　days；　at　the　same　time

indicating　to　him　Bertha；　Jehan　and　the　child。



The　devil；　who　by　the　will　of　God；　is　lord　of　all　evil；　told　the

archangel　that　he　would　obey　the　message。　During　this　heavenly

arrangement　life　went　on　as　usual　here　below。　The　sweet　lady　of

Bastarnay　gave　the　most　beautiful　child　in　the　world　to　the　Sire

Imbert；　a　boy　all　lilies　and　roses；　of　great　intelligence；　like　a

little　Jesus；　merry　and　arch　as　a　pagan　love。　He　became　more　beautiful

day　by　day；　while　the　elder　was　turning　into　an　ape；　like　his　father；

whom　he　painfully　resembled。　The　younger　boy　was　as　bright　as　a　star；

and　resembled　his　father　and　mother；　whose　corporeal　and　spiritual

perfections　had　produced　a　compound　of　illustrious　graces　and

marvellous　intelligence。　Seeing　this　perpetual　miracle　of　body　and

mind　blended　with　the　essential　conditions；　Bastarnay　declared　that

for　his　eternal　salvation　he　would　like　to　make　the　younger　the　elder；

and　that　he　would　do　with　the　king's　protection。　Bertha　did　not　know

what　to　do；　for　she　adored　the　child　of　Jehan；　and　could　only　feel　a

feeble　affection　for　the　other；　whom；　nevertheless　she　protected

against　the　evil　intentions　of　the　old　fellow；　Bastarnay。



Bertha；　satisfied　with　the　way　things　were　going；　quieted　her

conscience　with　falsehood；　and　thought　that　all　danger　was　past；　since

twelve　years　had　elapsed　with　no　other　alloy　than　the　doubt　which　at

times　embittered　her　joy。　Each　year；　according　to　her　pledged　faith；

the　monk　of　Marmoustier；　who　was　unknown　to　everyone　except　the

servant…maid；　came　to　pass　a　whole　day　at　the　chateau　to　see　his

child；　although　Bertha　had　many　times　besought　brother　Jehan　to　yield

his　right。　But　Jehan　pointed　to　the　child；　saying；　〃You　see　him　every

day　of　the　year；　and　I　only　once！〃　And　the　poor　mother　could　find　no

word　to　answer　this　speech　with。



A　few　months　before　the　last　rebellion　of　the　Dauphin　Louis　against

his　father；　the　boy　was　treading　closely　on　the　heels　of　his　twelfth

year；　and　appeared　likely　to　become　a　great　savant；　so　learned　was　he

in　all　the　sciences。　Old　Bastarnay　had　never　been　more　delighted　at

having　been　a　father　in　his　life；　and　resolved　to　take　his　son　with

him　to　the　Court　of　Burgundy；　where　Duke　Charles　promised　to　make　for

this　well…beloved　son　a　position；　which　should　be　the　envy　of　princes；

for　he　was　not　at　all　averse　to　clever　people。　Seeing　matters　thus

arranged；　the　devil　judged　the　time　to　be　ripe　for　his　mischiefs。　He

took　his　tail　and　flapped　it　right　into　the　middle　of　this　happiness；

so　that　he　could　stir　it　up　in　his　own　peculiar　way。





III

HORRIBLE　CHASTISEMENT　OF　BERTHA　AND　EXPIATION　OF　THE　SAME；

WHO　DIED　PARDONED



The　servant　of　the　lady　of　Bastarnay；　who　was　then　about　five…and…

thirty　years　old；　fell　in　love　with　one　of　the　master's　men…at…arms；

and　was　silly　enough　to　let　him　take　loaves　out　of　the　oven；　until

there　resulted　therefrom　a　natural　swelling；　which　certain　wags　in

these　parts　call　a　nine　months'　dropsy。　The　poor　woman　begged　her

mistress　to　intercede　for　her　with　the　master；　so　that　he　might　compel

this　wicked　man　to　finish　at　the　altar　that　which　he　had　commenced

elsewhere。　Madame　de　Bastarnay　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　this

favour　from　him；　and　the　servant　was　quite　satisfied。　But　the　old

warrior；　who　was　always　extremely　rough；　hastened　into　his　pretorium；

and　blew　him　up　sky…high；　ordering　him；　under　the　pain　of　the　gallows；

to　marry　the　girl；　which　the　soldier　preferred　to　do；　thinking　more　of

his　neck　than　of　his　peace　of　mind。



Bastarnay　sent　also　for　the　female；　to　whom　he　imagined；　for　the

honour　of　his　house；　he　ought　to　sing　a　litany；　mixed　with　epithets

and　ornamented　with　extremely　strong　expressions；　and　made　her　think；

by　way　of　punishment；　that　she　was　not　going　to　be　married；　but　flung

into　one　of　the　cells　in　the　jail。　The　girl　fancied　that　Madame　wanted

to　get　rid　of　her；　in　order　to　inter　the　secret　of　the　birth　of　her

beloved　son。　With　this　impression；　when　the　old　ape　said　such

outrageous　things　to　hernamely；　that　he　must　have　been　a　fool　to

keep　a　harlot　in　his　houseshe　replied　that　he　certainly　was　a　very

big　fool；　seeing　that　for　a　long　time　past　his　wife　had　been　played

the　harlot；　and　with　a　monk　too；　which　was　the　worst　thing　that　could

happen　to　a　warrior。



Think　of　the　greatest　storm　you　ever　saw　it　in　your　life；　and　you　will

have　a　weak　sketc