droll stories-3-第22章

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of　Rouen。



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

Richard；　an　old　man　used　to　beg；　whose　name　was　Tryballot；　but　to　whom

was　given　the　nickname　of　Le　Vieux　par…Chemins；　or　the　Old　Man　of　the

Roads；　not　because　he　was　yellow　and　dry　as　vellum；　but　because　he　was

always　in　the　high…ways　and　by…waysup　hill　and　down　daleslept　with

the　sky　for　his　counterpane；　and　went　about　in　rags　and　tatters。

Notwithstanding　this；　he　was　very　popular　in　the　duchy；　where　everyone

had　grown　used　to　him；　so　much　so　that　if　the　month　went　by　without

anyone　seeing　his　cup　held　towards　them；　people　would　say；　〃Where　is

the　old　man？〃　and　the　usual　answer　was；　〃On　the　roads。〃



This　said　man　had　had　for　a　father　a　Tryballot；　who　was　in　his

lifetime　a　skilled　artisan；　so　economical　and　careful；　that　he　left

considerable　wealth　to　his　son。



But　the　young　lad　soon　frittered　it　away；　for　he　was　the　very　opposite

of　the　old　fellow；　who；　returning　from　the　fields　to　his　house；　picked

up；　now　here；　now　there；　many　a　little　stick　of　wood　left　right　and

left；　saying；　conscientiously；　that　one　should　never　come　home　empty

handed。　Thus　he　warmed　himself　in　the　winter　at　the　expense　of　the

careless；　and　he　did　well。　Everyone　recognised　what　a　good　example

this　was　for　the　country；　since　a　year　before　his　death　no　one　left　a

morsel　of　wood　on　the　road；　he　had　compelled　the　most　dissipated　to　be

thrifty　and　orderly。　But　his　son　made　ducks　and　drakes　of　everything；

and　did　not　follow　his　wise　example。　The　father　had　predicted　the

thing。　From　the　boy's　earliest　youth；　when　the　good　Tryballot　set　him

to　watch　the　birds　who　came　to　eat　the　peas；　beans；　and　the　grain；　and

to　drive　the　thieves　away；　above　all；　the　jays；　who　spoiled

everything；　he　would　study　their　habits；　and　took　delight　in　watching

with　what　grace　they　came　and　went；　flew　off　loaded；　and　returned；

watching　with　a　quick　eye　the　snares　and　nets；　and　he　would　laugh

heartily　at　their　cleverness　in　avoiding　them。　Tryballot　senior　went

into　a　passion　when　he　found　his　grain　considerably　less　in　a　measure。

But　although　he　pulled　his　son's　ears　whenever　he　caught　him　idling

and　trifling　under　a　nut　tree；　the　little　rascal　did　not　alter　his

conduct；　but　continued　to　study　the　habits　of　the　blackbirds；

sparrows；　and　other　intelligent　marauders。　One　day　his　father　told　him

that　he　would　be　wise　to　model　himself　after　them；　for　that　if　he

continued　this　kind　of　life；　he　would　be　compelled　in　his　old　age　like

them；　to　pilfer；　and　like　them；　would　be　pursued　by　justice。　This　came

true；　for；　as　has　before　been　stated；　he　dissipated　in　a　few　days　the

crowns　which　his　careful　father　had　acquired　in　a　life…time。　He　dealt

with　men　as　he　did　with　the　sparrows；　letting　everyone　put　a　hand　in

his　pocket；　and　contemplating　the　grace　and　polite　demeanour　of　those

who　assisted　to　empty　it。　The　end　of　his　wealth　was　thus　soon　reached。

When　the　devil　had　the　empty　money　bag　to　himself；　Tryballot　did　not

appear　at　all　cut　up；　saying；　that　he　〃did　not　wish　to　damn　himself

for　this　world's　goods；　and　that　he　had　studied　philosophy　in　the

school　of　the　birds。〃



After　having　thoroughly　enjoyed　himself；　of　all　his　goods；　there　only

remained　to　him　a　goblet　bought　at　Landict；　and　three　dice；　quite

sufficient　furniture　for　drinking　and　gambling；　so　that　he　went　about

without　being　encumbered；　as　are　the　great；　with　chariots；　carpets；

dripping　pans；　and　an　infinite　number　of　varlets。　Tryballot　wished　to

see　his　good　friends；　but　they　no　longer　knew　him；　which　fact　gave　him

leave　no　longer　to　recognise　anyone。　Seeing　this；　he　determined　to

choose　a　profession　in　which　there　was　nothing　to　do　and　plenty　to

gain。　Thinking　this　over；　he　remembered　the　indulgences　of　the

blackbirds　and　the　sparrows。　Then　the　good　Tryballot　selected　for　his

profession　that　of　begging　money　at　people's　houses；　and　pilfering。

From　the　first　day；　charitable　people　gave　him　something；　and

Tryballot　was　content；　finding　the　business　good；　without　advance

money　or　bad　debts；　on　the　contrary；　full　of　accommodation。　He　went

about　it　so　heartily；　that　he　was　liked　everywhere；　and　received　a

thousand　consolations　refused　to　rich　people。　The　good　man　watched　the

peasants　planting；　sowing；　reaping；　and　making　harvest；　and　said　to

himself；　that　they　worked　a　little　for　him　as　well。　He　who　had　a　pig

in　his　larder　owed　him　a　bit　for　it；　without　suspecting　it。　The　man

who　baked　a　loaf　in　his　oven　often　baked　it　for　Tryballot　without

knowing　it。　He　took　nothing　by　force；　on　the　contrary；　people　said　to

him　kindly；　while　making　him　a　present；　〃Here　Vieux　par…Chemins；　cheer

up；　old　fellow。　How　are　you？　Come；　take　this；　the　cat　began　it；　you

can　finish　it。〃



Vieux　par…Chemins　was　at　all　the　weddings；　baptisms；　and　funerals；

because　he　went　everywhere　where　there　was；　openly　or　secretly；

merriment　and　feasting。　He　religiously　kept　the　statutes　and　canons　of

his　ordernamely；　to　do　nothing；　because　if　he　had　been　able　to　do

the　smallest　amount　of　work　no　one　would　ever　give　anything　again。

After　having　refreshed　himself；　this　wise　man　would　lay　full　length　in

a　ditch；　or　against　a　church　wall；　and　think　over　public　affairs；　and

then　he　would　philosophise；　like　his　pretty　tutors；　the　blackbirds；

jays；　and　sparrows；　and　thought　a　great　deal　while　mumping；　for；

because　his　apparel　was　poor；　was　that　a　reason　his　understanding

should　not　be　rich？　His　philosophy　amused　his　clients；　to　whom　he

would　repeat；　by　way　of　thanks；　the　finest　aphorisms　of　his　science。

According　to　him；　suppers　produced　gout　in　the　rich：　he　boasted　that

he　had　nimble　feet；　because　his　shoemaker　gave　him　boots　that　do　not

pinch　his　corns。　There　were　aching　heads　beneath　diadems；　but　his

never　ached；　because　it　was　touched　neither　by　luxury　nor　any　other

chaplet。　And　again；　that　jewelled　rings　hinder　the　circulation　of　the

blood。　Although　he　covered　himself　with　sores；　after　the　manner　of

cadgers；　you　may　be　sure　he　was　as　sound　as　a　child　at　the　baptismal

font。



The　good　man　disported　himself　with　other　rogues；　playing　with　his

three　dice；　which　he　kept　to　remind　him　to　spend　his　coppers；　in　order

that　he　might　always　be　poor。　In　spite　of　his　vow；　he　was；　like　all

the　order　of　mendicants；　so　wealthy　that　one　day　at　the　Paschal　feast；

another　beggar　wishing　to　rent　his　profit　from　him；　Vieux　par…Chemins

refused　ten　crowns　for　it；　in　fact；　the　same　evening　he　spent　fourteen

crowns　in　drinking　the　health　of　the　alms…givers；　because　it　is　the

statutes　of　beggary　that　one　should　show　one's　gratitude　to　donors。

Although　he　carefully　got　rid　of　that　of　which　had　been　a　source　of

anxiety　to　others；　who；　having　too　much　wealth　went　in　search　of

poverty；　he　was　happier　with　nothing　in　the　world　than　when　he　had　his

father's　money。　And　seeing　what　are　the　conditions　of　nobility；　he　was

always　on　the　high　road　to　it；　because　he　did　nothing　except　according

to　his　fancy；　and　lived　nobly　without　labour。　Thirty　crowns　would　not

have　got　him　out　of　a　bed　when　he　was　in　it。　The　morrow　always　dawned

for　him　as　it　did　for　others；　while　leading　this　happy　life；　which；

according　to　the　statements　of　Plato；　whose　authority　has　more　than

once　been　invoked　in　these　narratives；　certain　ancient　sages　had　led

before　him。　At　last；　Vieux　par…Chemins　reached　the　age　of　eighty…two

years；　having　never　been　a　single　day　without　picking　up　money；　and

possessed　the　healthiest　colour　and　complexion　imaginable。　He　believed

that　if　he　had　persevered　in　the　race　for　wealth　he　would　have　been

spoiled　and　buried　years　before。　It　is　possible　he　was　right。



In　his　early　youth　Vieux　par…Chemins　had　the　illustrious　virtue　of

being　very　partial　to　the　ladies；　and　his　abundance　of　love　was；　it　is

said；　the　result　of　his　studies　among　the　sparrows。　Thus　it　was　that

he　was　always　ready　to　give　the　ladies　his　assistance　in　counting　the

joists；　and　this　generosity　finds　its　physical　cause　in　the　fact　that；

having　nothing　to　do；　he　was　always　ready　to　do　something。　His　secret

virtues　brought　about；　it　is　said；　that　popularity　which　he　enjoyed　in

the　provinces。　Certain　people　say　that　the　lady　of　Chaumont　had　him　in

her　castle；　to　learn　the　truth　about　these　qualities；　and　kept　him

there　for　a　week；　to　prevent　him　begging。　But　the　good　man　jumped　over

the　hedges　and　fled　in　great　terror　of　being　rich。　Advancing　in　age；

this　great　quintessencer　found　himself　disdained；　although　his　notable

faculties　of　loving　were　in　no　way　impaired。　This　unjust　turning　away

on　the　part　of　the　female　tribe　caused　the　first　trouble　of　Vieux　par…

Chemins；　and　the　celebrated　trial　of　Rouen；　to　which　it　is　time　I

came。



In　this　eighty…second　year　of　his　age　he　was　compelled　to　remain

continent　for　about　seven　months；　during　which　time　he　met　no　woman

kindly　disposed　towards　him；　and　he　declared　before　the　judge　that

that　had　caused　the　greatest　astonishment　of　his　long　and　honourable

life。　In　this　most　pitiable　state　he　saw　in　the　fields　during　the

merry　month　of　May　a　girl；　who　by　chance　was　a　maiden；　and　minding

cows。　The　heat　was　so　excessive　that　this　cowherdess　had　stretched

herself　beneath　the　shadow　of　a　beech　tree；　her　face　to　the　ground；

after　the　custom　of　people　who　labour　in　the　fields；　in　order　to　get　a

little　nap　while　her　animals　were　grazing。　She　was　awakened　by　the

deed　of　the　old　man；　who　had　stolen　from　her　that　which　a　poor　girl

could　only　lose　once。　Finding　herself　ruined　without　receiving　from

the　process　either　knowledge　or　pleasure；　she　cried　out　so　loudly　that

the　people　working　in　the　fields　ran　to　her；　and　were　called　upon　by

her　as　witnesses；　at　the　time　when　that　destruction　was　visible　in　her

which　is　appropriate　only　to　a　bridal　night。　She　cried　and　groaned；

saying　that　the　old　ape　might　just　as　well　have　played　his　tricks　on

her　mother；　who　would　have　said　nothing。



He　made　answer　to　the　peasants；　who　had　already　raised　their　hoes　to

kill　him；　that　he　had　been　compelled　to　enjoy　himself。　These　people

objected　that　a　man　can　enjoy　himself　very　well　without　enjoying　a

maidena　case　for　the　provost；　which　would　bring　him　straight　to　the

gallows；　and　he　was　taken　with　great　clamour　to　the　jail　of　Rouen。



The　girl；　interrogated　by　the　provost；　declared　that　she　was　sleeping

in　order　to　do　something；　and　that　she　thought　she　was　dreaming　of　her

lover；　with　whom　she　was　then　at　loggerheads；　because　before　marriage

he　wished　to　take　certain　liberties：　and　jokingly；　in　this　dream　she

let　him　reconnoiter　to　a　certain　extent；　in　order　to　avoid　any　dispute

afterwards；　and　that　in　spite　of　her　prohibitions　he　went　further　than

she　had　given　him　leave　to　go；　and　finding　more　pain　than　pleasure　in

the　affair；　she　had　been　awakened　by　Vieux　par…Chemins；　who　had

attacked　her　as　a　gray…friar　would　a　ham　at　the　end　of　lent。



This　trial　caused　so　great　a　commot