droll stories-3-第25章

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success　at　the　Court　of　France；　where　everyone　wished　to　see　it；　but

no　one　was　able　to　until　after　the　king's　death；　since　at　his　desire

it　was　allowed　to　remain　in　his　room　as　long　as　he　lived。



One　day　Madame　Catherine　took　with　her　to　the　king's　room　her　son

Francis　and　little　Margot；　who　began　to　talk　at　random；　as　children

will。　Now　here；　now　there；　these　children　had　heard　this　picture　of

Adam　and　Eve　spoken　about；　and　had　tormented　their　mother　to　take　them

there。　Since　the　two　little　ones　at　times　amused　the　old　king；　Madame

the　Dauphine　consented　to　their　request。



〃You　wished　to　see　Adam　and　Eve；　who　were　our　first　parents；　there

they　are；〃　said　she。



Then　she　left　them　in　great　astonishment　before　Titian's　picture；　and

seated　herself　by　the　bedside　of　the　king；　who　delighted　to　watch　the

children。



〃Which　of　the　two　is　Adam？〃　said　Francis；　nudging　his　sister　Margot's

elbow。



〃You　silly！〃　replied　she；　〃to　know　that；　they　would　have　to　be

dressed！〃



This　reply；　which　delighted　the　poor　king　and　the　mother；　was

mentioned　in　a　letter　written　in　Florence　by　Queen　Catherine。



No　writer　having　brought　it　to　light；　it　will　remain；　like　a　sweet

flower；　in　a　corner　of　these　Tales；　although　it　is　no　way　droll；　and

there　is　no　other　moral　to　be　drawn　from　it　except　that　to　hear　these

pretty　speeches　of　infancy　one　must　beget　the　children。







THE　FAIR　IMPERIA　MARRIED



I

HOW　MADAME　IMPERIA　WAS　CAUGHT　BY　THE　VERY　NET　SHE　WAS

ACCUSTOMED　TO　SPREAD　FOR　HER　LOVE…BIRDS



The　lovely　lady　Imperia；　who　gloriously　opens　these　tales；　because　she

was　the　glory　of　her　time；　was　compelled　to　come　into　the　town　of

Rome；　after　the　holding　of　the　council；　for　the　cardinal　of　Ragusa

loved　her　more　than　his　cardinal's　hat；　and　wished　to　have　her　near

him。　This　rascal　was　so　magnificent；　that　he　presented　her　with　the

beautiful　palace　that　he　had　in　the　Papal　capital。　About　this　time　she

had　the　misfortune　to　find　herself　in　an　interesting　condition　by　this

cardinal。　As　everyone　knows；　this　pregnancy　finished　with　a　fine

little　daughter；　concerning　whom　the　Pope　said　jokingly　that　she

should　be　named　Theodora；　as　if　to　say　The　Gift　Of　God。　The　girl　was

thus　named；　and　was　exquisitely　lovely。　The　cardinal　left　his

inheritance　to　this　Theodora；　whom　the　fair　Imperia　established　in　her

hotel；　for　she　was　flying　from　Rome　as　from　a　pernicious　place；　where

children　were　begotten；　and　where　she　had　nearly　spoiled　her　beautiful

figure；　her　celebrated　perfections；　lines　of　the　body；　curves　of　the

back；　delicious　breasts；　and　Serpentine　charms　which　placed　her　as

much　above　the　other　women　of　Christendom　as　the　Holy　Father　was　above

all　other　Christians。　But　all　her　lovers　knew　that　with　the　assistance

of　eleven　doctors　of　Padua；　seven　master　surgeons　of　Pavia；　and　five

surgeons　come　from　all　parts；　who　assisted　at　her　confinement；　she　was

preserved　from　all　injury。　Some　go　so　far　as　to　say　that　she　gained

therein　superfineness　and　whiteness　of　skin。　A　famous　man；　of　the

school　of　Salerno；　wrote　a　book　on　the　subject；　to　show　the　value　of　a

confinement　for　the　freshness；　health；　preservation；　and　beauty　of

women。　In　this　very　learned　book　it　was　clearly　proved　to　readers　that

that　which　was　beautiful　to　see　in　Imperia；　was　that　which　it　was

permissible　for　lovers　alone　to　behold；　a　rare　case　then；　for　she　did

not　disarrange　her　attire　for　the　petty　German　princes　whom　she　called

her　margraves；　burgraves；　electors；　and　dukes；　just　as　a　captain　ranks

his　soldiers。



Everyone　knows　that　when　she　was　eighteen　years　of　age；　the　lovely

Theodora；　to　atone　for　her　mother's　gay　life；　wished　to　retire　into

the　bosom　of　the　Church。　With　this　idea　she　placed　herself　in　the

hands　of　a　cardinal；　in　order　that　he　might　instruct　her　in　the　duties

of　the　devout。　This　wicked　shepherd　found　the　lamb　so　magnificently

beautiful　that　he　attempted　to　debauch　her。　Theodora　instantly　stabbed

herself　with　a　stiletto；　in　order　not　to　be　contaminated　by　the　evil…

minded　priest。　This　adventure；　which　was　consigned　to　the　history　of

the　period；　made　a　great　commotion　in　Rome；　and　was　deplored　by

everyone；　so　much　was　the　daughter　of　Imperia　beloved。



Then　this　noble　courtesan；　much　afflicted；　returned　to　Rome；　there　to

weep　for　her　poor　daughter。　She　set　out　in　the　thirty…ninth　year　of

her　age；　which　was；　according　to　some　authors；　the　summer　of　her

magnificent　beauty；　because　then　she　had　obtained　the　acme　of

perfection；　like　ripe　fruit。　Sorrow　made　her　haughty　and　hard　with

those　who　spoke　to　her　of　love；　in　order　to　dry　her　tears。　The　pope

himself　visited　her　in　her　palace；　and　gave　her　certain　words　of

admonition。　But　she　refused　to　be　comforted；　saying　that　she　would

henceforth　devote　herself　to　God；　because　she　had　never　yet　been

satisfied　by　any　man；　although　she　had　ardently　desired　it；　and　all　of

them；　even　a　little　priest；　whom　she　had　adored　like　a　saint's　shrine；

had　deceived　her。　God；　she　was　sure；　would　not　do　so。



This　resolution　disconcerted　many；　for　she　was　the　joy　of　a　vast

number　of　lords。　So　that　people　ran　about　the　streets　of　Rome　crying

out；　〃Where　is　Madame　Imperia？　Is　she　going　to　deprive　the　world　of

love？〃　Some　of　the　ambassadors　wrote　to　their　masters　on　the　subject。

The　Emperor　of　the　Romans　was　much　cut　up　about　it；　because　he　had

loved　her　to　distraction　for　eleven　weeks；　had　left　her　only　to　go　to

the　wars；　and　loved　her　still　as　much　as　his　most　precious　member；

which　according　to　his　own　statement；　was　his　eye；　for　that　alone

embraced　the　whole　of　his　dear　Imperia。　In　this　extremity　the　Pope

sent　for　a　Spanish　physician；　and　conducted　him　to　the　beautiful

creature；　to　whom　he　proved；　by　various　arguments；　adorned　with　Latin

and　Greek　quotations；　that　beauty　is　impaired　by　tears　and

tribulation；　and　that　through　sorrow's　door　wrinkles　step　in。　This

proposition；　confirmed　by　the　doctors　of　the　Holy　College　in

controversy；　had　the　effect　of　opening　the　doors　of　the　palace　that

same　evening。　The　young　cardinals；　the　foreign　envoys；　the　wealthy

inhabitants；　and　the　principal　men　of　the　town　of　Rome　came；　crowded

the　rooms；　and　held　a　joyous　festival；　the　common　people　made　grand

illuminations；　and　thus　the　whole　population　celebrated　the　return　of

the　Queen　of　Pleasure　to　her　occupation；　for　she　was　at　that　time　the

presiding　deity　of　Love。　The　experts　in　all　the　arts　loved　her　much；

because　she　spent　considerable　sums　of　money　improving　the　Church　in

Rome；　which　contained　poor　Theodora's　tomb；　which　was　destroyed　during

that　pillage　of　Rome　in　which　perished　the　traitorous　constable　of

Bourbon；　for　this　holy　maiden　was　placed　therein　in　a　massive　coffin

of　gold　and　silver；　which　the　cursed　soldiers　were　anxious　to　obtain。

The　basilic　cost；　it　is　said；　more　than　the　pyramid　erected　by　the

Lady　Rhodepa；　an　Egyptian　courtesan；　eighteen　hundred　years　before　the

coming　of　our　divine　Saviour；　which　proves　the　antiquity　of　this

pleasant　occupation；　the　extravagant　prices　which　the　wise　Egyptians

paid　for　their　pleasures；　and　how　things　deteriorate；　seeing　that　now

for　a　trifle　you　can　have　a　chemise　full　of　female　loveliness　in　the

Rue　du　Petit…Heulen；　at　Paris。　Is　it　not　abomination？



Never　had　Madame　Imperia　appeared　so　lovely　as　at　this　first　gala

after　her　mourning。　All　the　princes；　cardinals；　and　others　declared

that　she　was　worthy　the　homage　of　the　whole　world；　which　was　there

represented　by　a　noble　from　every　known　land；　and　thus　was　it　amply

demonstrated　that　beauty　was　in　every　place　queen　of　everything。



The　envoy　of　the　King　of　France；　who　was　a　cadet　of　the　house　of　l'Ile

Adam；　arrived　late；　although　he　had　never　yet　seen　Imperia；　and　was

most　anxious　to　do　so。　He　was　a　handsome　young　knight；　much　in　favour

with　his　sovereign；　in　whose　court　he　had　a　mistress；　whom　he　loved

with　infinite　tenderness；　and　who　was　the　daughter　of　Monsieur　de

Montmorency；　a　lord　whose　domains　bordered　upon　those　of　the　house　of

l'Ile　Adam。　To　this　penniless　cadet　the　king　had　given　certain

missions　to　the　duchy　of　Milan；　of　which　he　had　acquitted　himself　so

well　that　he　was　sent　to　Rome　to　advance　the　negotiations　concerning

which　historians　have　written　so　much　in　their　books。　Now　if　he　had

nothing　of　his　own；　poor　little　l'Ile　Adam　relied　upon　so　good　a

beginning。　He　was　slightly　built；　but　upright　as　a　column；　dark；　with

black；　glistening　eyes；　and　a　man　not　easily　taken　in；　but　concealing

his　finesse；　he　had　the　air　of　an　innocent　child；　which　made　him

gentle　and　amiable　as　a　laughing　maiden。　Directly　this　gentleman

joined　her　circle；　and　her　eyes　had　rested　upon　him；　Madame　Imperia

felt　herself　bitten　by　a　strong　desire；　which　stretched　the　harp

strings　of　her　nature；　and　produced　therefrom　a　sound　she　had　not

heard　for　many　a　day。　She　was　seized　with　such　a　vertigo　of　true　love

at　the　sight　of　this　freshness　of　youth；　that　but　for　her　imperial

dignity　she　would　have　kissed　the　good　cheeks　which　shone　like　little

apples。



Now　take　note　of　this；　that　so　called　modest　women；　and　ladies　whose

skirts　bear　their　armorial　bearings；　are　thoroughly　ignorant　of　the

nature　of　man；　because　they　keep　to　one　alone；　like　the　Queen　of

France　who　believed　all　men　had　ulcers　in　the　nose　because　the　king

had；　but　a　great　courtesan；　like　Madame　Imperia；　knew　man　to　his　core；

because　she　had　handled　a　great　many。　In　her　retreat；　everyone　came

out　in　his　true　colours；　and　concealed　nothing；　thinking　to　himself

that　he　would　not　be　long　with　her。　Having　often　deplored　this

subjection；　sometimes　she　would　remark　that　she　suffered　from　pleasure

more　than　she　suffered　from　pain。　There　was　the　dark　shadow　of　her

life。　You　may　be　sure　that　a　lover　was　often　compelled　to　part　with　a

nice　little　heap　of　crowns　in　order　to　pass　the　night　with　her；　and

was　reduced　to　desperation　by　a　refusal。　Now　for　her　it　was　a　joyful

thing　to　feel　a　youthful　desire；　like　that　she　had　for　the　little

priest；　whose　story　commences　this　collection；　but　because　she　was

older　than　in　those　merry　days；　love　was　more　fully　established　in

her；　and　she　soon　perceived　that　it　was　of　a　fiery　nature　when　it

began　to　make　itself　felt；　indeed；　she　suffered　in　her　skin　like　a　cat

that　is　being　scorched；　and　so　much　so　that　she　had　an　intense　longing

to　spring　upon　this　gentleman；　and　bear　him　in　triumph　to　her　nest；　as

a　kite　does　its　prey；　but　with　great　difficulty　she　restrained

herself。　When　he　came　and　bowed　to　her；　she　threw　back　her　head；　and

assumed　a　most　dignified　attitude；　as　do　those　who　have　a　love

infatuation　in　their　hearts。　The　gravity　of　her　demeanour　to　the　young

ambassador　caused　many　to　think　that　she　had　work　in　store　for　him；

equivocating　on　the　word；　after　the　custom　of　the　time。



L'Ile　Adam；　knowing　himself　to　be　dearly　loved　by　his　mistress；

troubled　himself　but　little　about