droll stories-3-第21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！



much　astonished　at　the　good　temper　of　the　queen；　whom；　since　the

arrival　of　the　Sire　de　Montsoreau　in　the　island；　he　had　touched　no

more　than　a　Jew　touches　bacon。　Thus　occupied；　the　king　and　queen

abandoned　the　care　of　their　kingdom　to　the　other　friend；　who　conducted

the　affairs　of　government；　ruled　the　establishment；　managed　the

finances；　and　looked　to　the　army；　and　all　exceedingly　well；　knowing

where　money　was　to　be　made；　enriching　the　treasury；　and　preparing　all

the　great　enterprises　above　mentioned。



The　state　of　things　lasted　three　years；　some　say　four；　but　the　monks

of　Saint　Benoist　have　not　wormed　out　the　date；　which　remains　obscure；

like　the　reasons　for　the　quarrel　between　the　two　friends。　Probably　the

Venetian　had　the　high　ambition　to　reign　without　any　control　or

dispute；　and　forgot　the　services　which　the　Frenchman　had　rendered　him。

Thus　do　the　men　who　live　in　Courts　behave；　for；　according　to　the

statements　of　the　Messire　Aristotle　in　his　works；　that　which　ages　the

most　rapidly　in　this　world　is　a　kindness；　although　extinguished　love

is　sometimes　very　rancid。　Now；　relying　on　the　perfect　friendship　of

Leufroid；　who　called　him　his　crony；　and　would　have　done　anything　for

him；　the　Venetian　conceived　the　idea　of　getting　rid　of　his　friend　by

revealing　to　the　king　the　mystery　of　his　cuckoldom；　and　showing　him

the　source　of　the　queen's　happiness；　not　doubting　for　a　moment　but

that　he　would　commence　by　depriving　Monsoreau　of　his　head；　according

to　a　practice　common　in　Sicily　under　similar　circumstances。　By　this

means　Pezare　would　have　all　the　money　that　he　and　Gauttier　had

noiselessly　conveyed　to　the　house　of　a　Lombard　of　Genoa；　which　money

was　their　joint　property　on　account　of　their　fraternity。　This

treasure；　increased　on　one　side　by　the　magnificent　presents　made　to

Montsoreau　by　the　queen；　who　had　vast　estates　in　Spain；　and　other；　by

inheritance　in　Italy；　on　the　other；　by　the　king's　gifts　to　his　prime

minister；　to　whom　he　also　gave　certain　rights　over　the　merchants；　and

other　indulgences。　The　treacherous　friend；　having　determined　to　break

his　vow；　took　care　to　conceal　his　intention　from　Gauttier；　because　the

Touranian　was　an　awkward　man　to　tackle。



One　night　that　Pezare　knew　that　the　queen　was　in　bed　with　her　lover；

who　loved　him　as　though　each　night　were　a　wedding　one；　so　skilful　was

she　at　the　business；　the　traitor　promised　the　king　to　let　him　take

evidence　in　the　case；　through　a　hole　he　had　made　in　the　wardrobe　of

the　Spanish　lady；　who　always　pretended　to　be　at　death's　door。　In　order

to　obtain　a　better　view；　Pezare　waited　until　the　sun　had　risen。　The

Spanish　lady；　who　was　fleet　of　foot；　had　a　quick　eye　and　a　sharp　ear；

heard　footsteps；　peeped　out；　and　perceiving　the　king；　followed　by　the

Venetian；　through　a　crossbar　in　the　closet　in　which　she　slept　the

night　that　the　queen　had　her　lover　between　two　sheets；　which　is

certainly　the　best　way　to　have　a　lover。　She　ran　to　warn　the　couple　of

this　betrayal。　But　the　king's　eye　was　already　at　the　cursed　hole；

Leufroid　sawwhat？



That　beautiful　and　divine　lantern　with　burns　so　much　oil　and　lights

the　worlda　lantern　adorned　with　the　most　lovely　baubles；　flaming；

brilliantly；　which　he　thought　more　lovely　than　all　the　others；　because

he　had　lost　sight　of　it　for　so　long　a　time　that　it　appeared　quite　new

to　him；　but　the　size　of　the　hole　prevented　him　seeing　anything　else

except　the　hand　of　a　man；　which　modestly　covered　the　lantern；　and　he

heard　the　voice　of　Montsoreau　saying



〃How's　the　little　treasure；　this　morning？〃　A　playful　expression；　which

lovers　used　jokingly；　because　this　lantern　is　in　all　countries　the　sun

of　love；　and　for　this　the　prettiest　possible　names　are　bestowed　upon

it；　whilst　comparing　it　to　the　loveliest　things　in　nature；　such　as　my

pomegranate；　my　rose；　my　little　shell；　my　hedgehog；　my　gulf　of　love；

my　treasure；　my　master；　my　little　one；　some　even　dared　most

heretically　to　say；　my　god！　If　you　don't　believe　it；　ask　your　friends。



At　this　moment　the　lady　let　him　understand　by　a　gesture　that　the　king

was　there。



〃Can　he　hear？〃　said　the　queen。



〃Yes。〃



〃Can　he　see？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Who　brought　him？〃



〃Pezare。〃



〃Fetch　the　physician；　and　get　Gauttier　into　his　own　room。〃　said　the

queen。



In　less　time　than　it　takes　a　beggar　to　say　〃God　bless　you；　sir！〃　the

queen　had　swathed　the　lantern　in　linen　and　paint；　so　that　you　would

have　thought　it　a　hideous　wound　in　a　state　of　grievous　inflammation。

When　the　king；　enraged　by　what　he　overheard；　burst　open　the　door；　he

found　the　queen　lying　on　the　bed　exactly　as　he　has　seen　her　through

the　hole；　and　the　physician；　examining　the　lantern　swathed　in

bandages；　and　saying；　〃How　it　is　the　little　treasure；　this　morning？〃

in　exactly　the　same　voice　as　the　king　had　heard。　A　jocular　and

cheerful　expression；　because　physicians　and　surgeons　use　cheerful

words　with　ladies　and　treat　this　sweet　flower　with　flowery　phrases。

This　sight　made　the　king　look　as　foolish　as　a　fox　caught　in　a　trap。

The　queen　sprang　up；　reddening　with　shame；　and　asking　what　man　dared

to　intrude　upon　her　privacy　at　such　a　moment；　but　perceiving　the　king；

she　said　to　him　as　follows：



〃Ah！　my　lord；　you　have　discovered　that　which　I　have　endeavoured　to

conceal　from　you：　that　I　am　so　badly　treated　by　you　that　I　am

afflicted　with　a　burning　ailment；　of　which　my　dignity　would　not　allow

me　to　complain；　but　which　needs　secret　dressing　in　order　to　assuage

the　influence　of　the　vital　forces。　To　save　my　honour　and　your　own；　I

am　compelled　to　come　to　my　good　Lady　Miraflor；　who　consoles　me　in　my

troubles。〃



Then　the　physician　commenced　to　treat　Leufroid　to　an　oration；

interlarded　with　Latin　quotations　and　precious　grains　from

Hippocrates；　Galen；　the　School　of　Salerno；　and　others；　in　which　he

showed　him　how　necessary　to　women　was　the　proper　cultivation　of　the

field　of　Venus；　and　that　there　was　great　danger　of　death　to　queens　of

Spanish　temperament；　whose　blood　was　excessively　amorous。　He　delivered

himself　of　his　arguments　with　great　solemnity　of　feature；　voice；　and

manner；　in　order　to　give　the　Sire　de　Montsoreau　time　to　get　to　bed。

Then　the　queen　took　the　same　text　to　preach　the　king　a　sermon　as　long

as　his　arm；　and　requested　the　loan　of　that　limb；　that　the　king　might

conduct　her　to　her　apartment　instead　of　the　poor　invalid；　who　usually

did　so　in　order　to　avoid　calumny。　When　they　were　in　the　gallery　where

the　Sire　de　Montsoreau　resided；　the　queen　said　jokingly；　〃You　should

play　a　good　trick　on　this　Frenchman；　who　I　would　wager　is　with　some

lady；　and　not　in　his　own　room。　All　the　ladies　of　Court　are　in　love

with　him；　and　there　will　be　mischief　some　day　through　him。　If　you　had

taken　my　advice　he　would　not　be　in　Sicily　now。〃



Leufroid　went　suddenly　into　Gauttier's　room；　whom　he　found　in　a　deep

sleep；　and　snoring　like　a　monk　in　Church。　The　queen　returned　with　the

king；　whom　she　took　to　her　apartments；　and　whispered　to　one　of　the

guards　to　send　to　her　the　lord　whose　place　Pezare　occupied。　Then；

while　she　fondled　the　king；　taking　breakfast　with　him；　she　took　the

lord　directly　he　came；　into　an　adjoining　room。



〃Erect　a　gallows　on　the　bastion；〃　said　she；　〃then　seize　the　knight

Pezare；　and　manage　so　that　he　is　hanged　instantly；　without　giving　time

to　write　or　say　a　single　word　on　any　subject　whatsoever。　Such　is　our

good　pleasure　and　supreme　command。〃



Cataneo　made　no　remark。　While　Pezare　was　thinking　to　himself　that　his

friend　Gauttier　would　soon　be　minus　his　head；　the　Duke　Cataneo　came　to

seize　and　lead　him　on　to　bastion；　from　which　he　could　see　at　the

queen's　window　the　Sire　de　Montsoreau　in　company　with　the　king；　the

queen；　and　the　courtiers；　and　came　to　the　conclusion　that　he　who

looked　after　the　queen　had　a　better　chance　in　everything　than　he　who

looked　after　the　king。



〃My　dear；〃　said　the　queen　to　her　spouse；　leading　him　to　the　window；

〃behold　a　traitor；　who　was　endeavouring　to　deprive　you　of　that　which

you　hold　dearest　in　the　world；　and　I　will　give　you　the　proofs　when　you

have　the　leisure　to　study　them。〃



Montsoreau；　seeing　the　preparations　for　the　final　ceremony；　threw

himself　at　the　king's　feet；　to　obtain　the　pardon　of　him　who　was　his

mortal　enemy；　at　which　the　king　was　much　moved。



〃Sire　de　Monsoreau；〃　said　the　queen；　turning　towards　him　with　an　angry

look；　〃are　you　so　bold　as　to　oppose　our　will　and　pleasure？〃



〃You　are　a　noble　knight；〃　said　the　king；　〃but　you　do　not　know　how

bitter　this　Venetian　was　against　you。〃



Pezare　was　delicately　strangled　between　the　head　and　the　shoulders；

for　the　queen　revealed　his　treacheries　to　the　king；　proving　to　him；　by

the　declaration　of　a　Lombard　of　the　town；　the　enormous　sums　which

Pezare　had　in　the　bank　of　Genoa；　the　whole　of　which　were　given　up　to

Montsoreau。



This　noble　and　lovely　queen　died；　as　related　in　the　history　of　Sicily；

that　is；　in　consequence　of　a　heavy　labour；　during　which　she　gave　birth

to　a　son；　who　was　a　man　as　great　in　himself　as　he　was　unfortunate　in

his　undertakings。　The　king　believed　the　physician's　statement；　that

the　said　termination　to　this　accouchement　was　caused　by　the　too　chaste

life　the　queen　had　led；　and　believing　himself　responsible　for　it；　he

founded　the　Church　of　the　Madonna；　which　is　one　of　the　finest　in　the

town　of　Palermo。　The　Sire　de　Monsoreau；　who　was　a　witness　of　the

king's　remorse；　told　him　that　when　a　king　got　his　wife　from　Spain；　he

ought　to　know　that　this　queen　would　require　more　attention　than　any

other；　because　the　Spanish　ladies　were　so　lively　that　they　equalled

ten　ordinary　women；　and　that　if　he　wished　a　wife　for　show　only；　he

should　get　her　from　the　north　of　Germany；　where　the　women　are　as　cold

as　ice。　The　good　knight　came　back　to　Touraine　laden　with　wealth；　and

lived　there　many　years；　but　never　mentioned　his　adventures　in　Sicily。

He　returned　there　to　aid　the　king's　son　in　his　principal　attempt

against　Naples；　and　left　Italy　when　this　sweet　prince　was　wounded；　as

is　related　in　the　Chronicle。



Besides　the　high　moralities　contained　in　the　title　of　this　tale；　where

it　is　said　that　fortune；　being　female；　is　always　on　the　side　of　the

ladies；　and　that　men　are　quite　right　to　serve　them　well；　it　shows　us

that　silence　is　the　better　part　of　wisdom。　Nevertheless；　the　monkish

author　of　this　narrative　seems　to　draw　this　other　no　less　learned

moral　therefrom；　that　interest　which　makes　so　many　friendships；　breaks

them　also。　But　from　these　three　versions　you　can　choose　the　one　that

best　accords　with　your　judgment　and　your　momentary　requirement。







CONCERNING　A　POOR　MAN　WHO　WAS　CALLED　LE　VIEUX　PAR…CHEMINS



The　old　chronicler　who　furnished　the　hemp　to　weave　the　present　story；

is　said　to　have　lived　at　the　time　when　the　affair　occurred　in　the　City

of　Rouen。



In　the　environs　of　this　fair　town；　where　at　the　time　dwelt　Duke

Richard；　an　old　man　used　to　beg；　whose　name　w