droll stories-3-第28章

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off　and　some　turned　white。



At　last　the　faculty　of　making　children　was　taken　from　her；　which

brought　on　the　vapours　consequent　upon　hypochondria；　and　caused　her

skin　to　turn　yellow。　She　was　then　forty…nine　years　of　age；　and　lived

in　her　castle　of　l'Ile　Adam；　where　she　grew　as　thin　as　a　leper　in　a

lazar…house。　The　poor　creature　was　all　the　more　wretched　because　l'Ile

Adam　was　still　amorous；　and　as　good　as　gold　to　her；　who　failed　in　her

duty；　because　she　had　formerly　been　too　free　with　the　men；　and　was

now；　according　to　her　own　disdainful　remark；　only　a　cauldron　to　cook

chitterlings。



〃Ha！〃　said　she；　one　evening　when　these　thoughts　were　tormenting　her。

〃In　spite　of　the　Church；　in　spite　of　the　king；　in　spite　of　everything；

Madame　de　l'Ile　Adam　is　still　the　wicked　Imperia！〃



She　fell　into　a　violent　passion　when　she　saw　this　handsome　gentleman

have　everything　a　man　can　desire；　great　wealth；　royal　favour；

unequalled　love；　matchless　wife；　pleasure　such　as　none　other　could

produce；　and　yet　fail　in　that　which　is　dearest　to　the　head　of　the

housenamely；　lineage。　With　this　idea　in　her　head；　she　wished　to　die；

thinking　how　good　and　noble　he　had　been　to　her；　and　how　much　she

failed　in　her　duty　in　not　giving　him　children；　and　in　being

henceforward　unable　to　do　so。　She　hid　her　sorrow　in　the　secret

recesses　of　her　heart；　and　conceived　a　devotion　worthy　her　great　love。

To　put　into　practice　this　heroic　design　she　became　still　more　amorous；

took　extreme　care　of　her　charms；　and　made　use　of　learned　precepts　to

maintain　her　bodily　perfection；　which　threw　out　an　incredible　lustre。



About　this　time　the　Sieur　de　Montmorency　conquered　the　repulsion　his

daughter　entertained　for　marriage；　and　her　alliance　with　one　Sieur　de

Chatillon　was　much　talked　about。　Madame　Imperia；　who　lived　only　three

leagues　distant　from　Montmorency；　one　day　sent　her　husband　out　hunting

in　the　forests；　and　set　out　towards　the　castle　where　the　young　lady

lived。　Arrived　in　the　grounds　she　walked　about　there；　telling　a

servant　to　inform　her　mistress　that　a　lady　had　a　most　important

communication　to　make　to　her；　and　that　she　had　come　to　request　an

audience。　Much　interested　by　the　account　which　she　received　by　the

beauty；　courtesy；　and　manners　of　the　unknown　lady；　Mademoiselle　de

Montmorency　went　in　great　haste　into　the　gardens；　and　there　met　her

rival；　whom　she　did　not　know。



〃My　dear；〃　said　the　poor　woman；　weeping　to　find　the　young　maiden　as

beautiful　as　herself；　〃I　know　that　they　are　trying　to　force　you　into　a

marriage　with　Monsieur　de　Chatillon；　although　you　still　love　Monsieur

de　l'Ile　Adam。　Have　confidence　in　the　prophecy　that　I　here　make　you；

that　he　whom　you　have　loved；　and　who　only　was　false　to　you　through　a

snare　into　which　an　angel　might　have　fallen；　will　be　free　from　the

burden　of　his　old　wife　before　the　leaves　fall。　Thus　the　constancy　of

your　love　will　have　its　crown　of　flowers。　Now　have　the　courage　to

refuse　this　marriage　they　are　arranging　for　you；　and　you　may　yet　clasp

your　first　and　only　love。　Pledge　me　your　word　to　love　and　cherish

l'Ile　Adam；　who　is　the　kindest　of　men；　never　to　cause　him　a　moment's

anguish；　and　tell　him　to　reveal　to　you　all　the　secrets　of　love

invented　by　Madame　Imperia；　because；　in　practicing　them；　being　young；

you　will　be　easily　able　to　obliterate　the　remembrance　of　her　from　his

mind。〃



Mademoiselle　de　Montmorency　was　so　astonished　that　she　could　make　no

answer；　and　let　this　queen　of　beauty　depart；　and　believed　her　to　be　a

fairy；　until　a　workman　told　her　that　the　fairy　was　Madame　de　l'Ile

Adam。　Although　the　adventure　was　inexplicable；　she　told　her　father

that　she　would　not　give　her　consent　to　the　proposed　marriage　until

after　the　autumn；　so　much　is　it　in　the　nature　of　Love　to　ally　itself

with　Hope；　in　spite　of　the　bitter　pills　which　this　deceitful　and

gracious；　companion　gives　her　to　swallow　like　bull's　eyes。　During　the

months　when　the　grapes　are　gathered；　Imperia　would　not　let　l'Ile　Adam

leave　her；　and　was　so　amorous　that　one　would　have　imagined　she　wished

to　kill　him；　since　l'Ile　Adam　felt　as　though　he　had　a　fresh　bride　in

his　arms　every　night。　The　next　morning　the　good　woman　requested　him　to

keep　the　remembrance　of　these　joys　in　his　heart。



Then；　to　know　what　her　lover's　real　thoughts　on　the　subject　were　she

said　to　him；　〃Poor　l'Ile　Adam；　we　were　very　silly　to　marrya　lad　like

you；　with　your　twenty…three　years；　and　an　old　woman　close　to　40。〃



He　answered　her；　that　his　happiness　was　such　that　he　was　the　envy　of

every　one；　that　at　her　age　her　equal　did　not　exist　among　the　younger

women；　and　that　if　ever　she　grew　old　he　would　love　her　wrinkles；

believing　that　even　in　the　tomb　she　would　be　lovely；　and　her　skeleton

lovable。



To　these　answers；　which　brought　the　tears　into　her　eyes；　she　one

morning　answered　maliciously；　that　Mademoiselle　de　Montmorency　was

very　lovely　and　very　faithful。　This　speech　forced　l'Ile　Adam　to　tell

her　that　she　pained　him　by　telling　him　of　the　only　wrong　he　had　ever

committed　in　his　lifethe　breaking　of　the　troth　pledged　to　his　first

sweetheart；　all　love　for　whom　he　had　since　effaced　from　his　heart。

This　candid　speech　made　her　seize　him　and　clasp　him　to　her　heart；

affected　at　the　loyalty　of　his　discourse　on　a　subject　from　which　many

would　have　shrunk。



〃My　dear　love；〃　said　she；　〃for　a　long　time　past　I　have　been　suffering

from　a　retraction　of　the　heart；　which　has　always　since　my　youth　been

dangerous　to　my　life；　and　in　this　opinion　the　Arabian　physician

coincides。　If　I　die；　I　wish　you　to　make　the　most　binding　oath　a　knight

can　make；　to　wed　Mademoiselle　Montmorency。　I　am　so　certain　of　dying；

that　I　leave　my　property　to　you　only　on　condition　that　this　marriage

takes　place。〃



Hearing　this；　l'Ile　Adam　turned　pale；　and　felt　faint　at　the　mere

thought　of　an　eternal　separation　from　his　good　wife。



〃Yes；　dear　treasure　of　love；〃　continued　she。　〃I　am　punished　by　God

there　where　my　sins　were　committed；　for　the　great　joys　that　I　feel

dilate　my　heart；　and　have；　according　to　the　Arabian　doctor；　weakened

the　vessels　which　in　a　moment　of　excitement　will　burst；　but　I　have

always　implored　God　to　take　my　life　at　the　age　in　which　I　now　am；

because　I　would　not　see　my　charms　marred　by　the　ravages　of　time。〃



This　great　and　noble　woman　saw　then　how　well　she　was　beloved。　This　is

how　she　obtained　the　greatest　sacrifice　of　love　that　ever　was　made

upon　this　earth。　She　alone　knew　what　a　charm　existed　in　the　embraces；

fondlings；　and　raptures　of　the　conjugal　bed；　which　were　such　that　poor

l'Ile　Adam　would　rather　have　died　than　allow　himself　to　be　deprived　of

the　amorous　delicacies　she　knew　so　well　how　to　prepare。　At　this

confession　made　by　her　that；　in　the　excitement　of　love　her　heart　would

burst；　the　chevalier　cast　himself　at　her　knees；　and　declared　that　to

preserve　her　life　he　would　never　ask　her　for　love；　but　would　live

contented　to　see　her　only　at　his　side；　happy　at　being　able　to　touch

but　the　hem　of　her　garment。



She　replied；　bursting　into　tears；　〃that　she　would　rather　die　than　lose

one　iota　of　his　love；　that　she　would　die　as　she　had　lived；　since

luckily　she　could　make　a　man　embrace　her　when　such　was　her　desire

without　having　to　put　her　request　into　words。〃



Here　it　must　be　stated　that　the　cardinal　of　Ragusa　had　given　her　as　a

present　an　article；　which　this　holy　joker　called　/in　articulo　mortis/。

It　was　a　tiny　glass　bottle；　no　bigger　than　a　bean；　made　at　Venice；　and

containing　a　poison　so　subtle　that　by　breaking　it　between　the　teeth

death　came　instantly　and　painlessly。　He　had　received　it　from　Signora

Tophana；　the　celebrated　maker　of　poisons　of　the　town　of　Rome。



Now　this　tiny　bottle　was　under　the　bezel　of　a　ring；　preserved　from　all

objects　that　could　break　it　by　certain　plates　of　gold。　Poor　Imperia

put　it　into　her　mouth　several　times　without　being　able　to　make　up　her

mind　to　bite　it；　so　much　pleasure　did　she　take　in　the　moment　that　she

believed　to　be　her　last。　Then　she　would　pass　before　her　in　mental

review　all　her　methods　of　enjoyment　before　breaking　the　glass；　and

determined　that　when　she　felt　the　most　perfect　of　all　joys　she　would

bite　the　bottle。



The　poor　creature　departed　this　life　on　the　night　on　the　first　day　of

October。　Then　was　there　heard　a　great　clamour　in　the　forests　and　in

the　clouds；　as　if　the　loves　had　cried　aloud；　〃The　great　Noc　is　dead！〃

in　imitation　of　the　pagan　gods　who；　at　the　coming　of　the　Saviour　of

men；　fled　into　the　skies；　saying；　〃the　great　Pan　is　slain！〃　A　cry

which　was　heard　by　some　persons　navigating　the　Eubean　Sea；　and

preserved　by　a　Father　of　the　Church。



Madame　Imperia　died　without　being　spoiled　in　shape；　so　much　had　God

made　her　the　irreproachable　model　of　a　woman。　She　had；　it　was　said；　a

magnificent　tint　upon　her　flesh；　caused　by　the　proximity　of　the

flaming　wings　of　Pleasure；　who　cried　and　groaned　over　her　corpse。　Her

husband　mourned　for　her　most　bitterly；　never　suspecting　that　she　had

died　to　deliver　him　from　a　childless　wife；　for　the　doctor　who　embalmed

her　said　not　a　word　concerning　the　cause　of　her　death。　This　great

sacrifice　was　discovered　six　years　after　marriage　of　l'Ile　Adam　with

Mademoiselle　de　Montmorency；　because　she　told　him　all　about　the　visit

of　Madame　Imperia。　The　poor　gentleman　immediately　fell　into　a　state　of

great　melancholy　and　finished　by　dying；　being　unable　to　banish　the

remembrance　of　those　joys　of　love　which　it　was　beyond　the　power　of　a

novice　to　restore　to　him；　thereby　did　he　prove　the　truth　of　that　which

was　said　at　that　time；　that　this　woman　would　never　die　in　a　heart

where　she　had　once　reigned。



This　teaches　us　that　virtue　is　well　understood　by　those　who　have

practised　vice；　for　among　the　most　modest　women　few　would　thus　have

sacrificed　life；　in　whatever　high　state　of　religion　you　look　for　them。







EPILOGUE



Oh！　mad　little　one；　thou　whose　business　it　is　to　make　the　house　merry；

again　hast　thou　been　wallowing；　in　spite　of　a　thousand　prohibitions；

in　that　slough　of　melancholy；　whence　thou　hast　already　fished　out

Bertha；　and　come　back　with　thy　tresses　dishevelled；　like　a　girl　who

has　been　ill…treated　by　a　regiment　of　soldiers！　Where　are　thy　golden

aiglets　and　bells；　thy　filigree　flowers　of　fantastic　design？　Where

hast　thou　left　thy　crimson　head…dress；　ornamented　with　precious

gewgaws　that　cost　a　minot　of　pearls？



Why　spoil　with　pernicious　tears　thy　black　eyes；　so　pleasant　when

therein　sparkles　the　wit　of　a　tale；　that　popes　pardon　thee　thy　sayings

for　the　sake　of　thy　merry　laughter；　feel　their　souls　caught　between

the　ivory　of　thy　teeth；　have　their　hearts　drawn　by　the　rose　point　of

thy　sweet　tongue；　and　would　barter　the　holy　slipper　for　a　hundred　of

the　smiles　that　hover　round　thy　vermillion　lips？　Laughing　lassie；　if

thou　wouldst　remain　always　fresh　and　young；　weep　no　more；　think　of

riding　the　brideless　fleas；　of　bridling　with　the　golden　clouds　thy

cham