droll stories-3-第3章

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good　Touranian　would　return　to　his　home；　dreamy　as　a　poet；　wretched　as

a　restless　cuckoo；　and　would　say　to　himself；　〃I　must　take　to　myself　a

wife。　She　would　keep　the　house　tidy；　keep　the　plates　hot　for　me；　fold

the　clothes　for　me；　sew　my　buttons　on；　sing　merrily　about　the　house；

tease　me　to　do　everything　according　to　her　taste；　would　say　to　me　as

they　all　say　to　their　husbands　when　they　want　a　jewel；　'Oh；　my　own

pet；　look　at　this；　is　it　not　pretty？'　And　every　one　in　the　quarter

will　think　of　my　wife　and　then　of　me；　and　say　'There's　a　happy　man。'

Then　the　getting　married；　the　bridal　festivities；　to　fondle　Madame

Silversmith；　to　dress　her　superbly；　give　her　a　fine　gold　chain；　to

worship　her　from　crown　to　toe；　to　give　her　the　whole　management　of　the

house；　except　the　cash；　to　give　her　a　nice　little　room　upstairs；　with

good　windows；　pretty；　and　hung　around　with　tapestry；　with　a　wonderful

chest　in　it　and　a　fine　large　bed；　with　twisted　columns　and　curtains　of

yellow　silk。　He　would　buy　her　beautiful　mirrors；　and　there　would

always　be　a　dozen　or　so　of　children；　his　and　hers；　when　he　came　home

to　greet　him。〃　Then　wife　and　children　would　vanish　into　the　clouds。　He

transferred　his　melancholy　imaginings　to　fantastic　designs；　fashioned

his　amorous　thoughts　into　grotesque　jewels　that　pleased　their　buyers

well；　they　not　knowing　how　many　wives　and　children　were　lost　in　the

productions　of　the　good　man；　who；　the　more　talent　he　threw　into　his

art；　the　more　disordered　he　became。　Now　if　God　had　not　had　pity　upon

him；　he　would　have　quitted　this　world　without　knowing　what　love　was；

but　would　have　known　it　in　the　other　without　that　metamorphosis　of　the

flesh　which　spares　it；　according　to　Monsieur　Plato；　a　man　of　some

authority；　but　who；　not　being　a　Christian；　was　wrong。　But；　there！

these　preparatory　digressions　are　the　idle　digressions　and　fastidious

commentaries　which　certain　unbelievers　compel　a　man　to　wind　about　a

tale；　swaddling　clothes　about　an　infant　when　it　should　run　about　stark

naked。　May　the　great　devil　give　them　a　clyster　with　his　red…hot　three…

pronged　fork。　I　am　going　on　with　my　story　now　without　further

circumlocution。



This　is　what　happened　to　the　silversmith　in　the　one…and…fortieth　year

of　his　age。　One　Sabbath…day　while　walking　on　the　left　bank　of　the

Seine；　led　by　an　idle　fancy；　he　ventured　as　far　as　that　meadow　which

has　since　been　called　the　Pre…aux…Clercs　and　which　at　that　time　was　in

the　domain　of　the　abbey　of　St。　Germain；　and　not　in　that　of　the

University。　There；　still　strolling　on　the　Touranian　found　himself　in

the　open　fields；　and　there　met　a　poor　young　girl　who；　seeing　that　he

was　well…dressed；　curtsied　to　him；　saying　〃Heaven　preserve　you；

monseigneur。〃　In　saying　this　her　voice　had　such　sympathetic　sweetness

that　the　silversmith　felt　his　soul　ravished　by　this　feminine　melody；

and　conceived　an　affection　for　the　girl；　the　more　so　as；　tormented

with　ideas　of　marriage　as　he　was；　everything　was　favourable　thereto。

Nevertheless；　as　he　had　passed　the　wench　by　he　dared　not　go　back；

because　he　was　as　timid　as　a　young　maid　who　would　die　in　her

petticoats　rather　than　raise　them　for　her　pleasure。　But　when　he　was　a

bowshot　off　he　bethought　him　that　he　was　a　man　who　for　ten　years　had

been　a　master　silversmith；　had　become　a　citizen；　and　was　a　man　of

mark；　and　could　look　a　woman　in　the　face　if　his　fancy　so　led　him；　the

more　so　as　his　imagination　had　great　power　over　him。　So　he　turned

suddenly　back；　as　if　he　had　changed　the　direction　of　his　stroll；　and

came　upon　the　girl；　who　held　by　an　old　cord　her　poor　cow；　who　was

munching　grass　that　had　grown　on　the　border　of　a　ditch　at　the　side　of

the　road。



〃Ah；　my　pretty　one；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　not　overburdened　with　the　goods

of　this　world　that　you　thus　work　with　your　hands　upon　the　Lord's　Day。

Are　you　not　afraid　of　being　cast　into　prison？〃



〃Monseigneur；〃　replied　the　maid；　casting　down　her　eyes；　〃I　have

nothing　to　fear；　because　I　belong　to　the　abbey。　The　Lord　Abbot　has

given　me　leave　to　exercise　the　cow　after　vespers。〃



〃You　love　your　cow；　then；　more　than　the　salvation　of　your　soul？〃



〃Ah；　monseigneur；　our　beast　is　almost　the　half　of　our　poor　lives。〃



〃I　am　astonished；　my　girl；　to　see　you　poor　and　in　rags；　clothed　like　a

fagot；　running　barefoot　about　the　fields　on　the　Sabbath；　when　you

carry　about　you　more　treasures　than　you　could　dig　up　in　the　grounds　of

the　abbey。　Do　not　the　townspeople　pursue；　and　torment　you　with　love？〃



〃Oh；　never　monseigneur。　I　belong　to　the　abbey〃；　replied　she；　showing

the　jeweller　a　collar　on　her　left　arm　like　those　that　the　beasts　of

the　field　have；　but　without　the　little　bell；　and　at　the　same　time

casting　such　a　deplorable　glance　at　our　townsman　that　he　was　stricken

quite　sad；　for　by　the　eyes　are　communicated　contagions　of　the　heart

when　they　are　strong。



〃And　what　does　this　mean？〃　he　said；　wishing　to　hear　all　about　it。



And　he　touched　the　collar；　upon　which　was　engraved　the　arms　of　the

abbey　very　distinctly；　but　which　he　did　not　wish　to　see。



〃Monseigneur；　I　am　the　daughter　of　an　homme　de　corps；　thus　whoever

unites　himself　to　me　by　marriage；　will　become　a　bondsman；　even　if　he

were　a　citizen　of　Paris；　and　would　belong　body　and　goods　to　the　abbey。

If　he　loved　me　otherwise；　his　children　would　still　belong　to　the

domain。　For　this　reason　I　am　neglected　by　everyone；　abandoned　like　a

poor　beast　of　the　field。　But　what　makes　me　most　unhappy　is；　that

according　to　the　pleasure　of　monseigneur　the　abbot；　I　shall　be　coupled

at　some　time　with　a　bondsman。　And　if　I　were　less　ugly　than　I　am；　at

the　sight　of　my　collar　the　most　amorous　would　flee　from　me　as　from　the

black　plague。〃



So　saying；　she　pulled　her　cow　by　the　cord　to　make　it　follow　her。



〃And　how　old　are　you？〃　asked　the　silversmith。



〃I　do　not　know；　monseigneur；　but　our　master；　the　abbot；　has　kept

account。〃



This　great　misery　touched　the　heart　of　the　good　man；　who　had　in　his

day　eaten　the　bread　of　sorrow。　He　regulated　his　pace　to　the　girl's；

and　they　went　together　towards　the　water　in　painful　silence。　The　good

man　gazed　at　the　fine　forehead；　the　round　red　arms；　the　queen's　waist；

the　feet　dusty；　but　made　like　those　of　a　Virgin　Mary；　and　the　sweet

physiognomy　of　this　girl；　who　was　the　living　image　of　St。　Genevieve；

the　patroness　of　Paris；　and　the　maidens　who　live　in　the　fields。　And

make　sure　that　this　Joseph　suspected　the　pretty　white　of　this　sweet

girl's　breasts；　which　were　by　a　modest　grace　carefully　covered　with　an

old　rag；　and　looked　at　them　as　a　schoolboy　looks　at　a　rosy　apple　on　a

hot　day。　Also；　may　you　depend　upon　it　that　these　little　hillocks　of

nature　denoted　a　wench　fashioned　with　delicious　perfection；　like

everything　that　the　monks　possess。　Now；　the　more　it　was　forbidden　our

silversmith　to　touch　them；　the　more　his　mouth　watered　for　these　fruits

of　love。　And　his　heart　leaped　almost　into　his　mouth。



〃You　have　a　fine　cow；〃　said　he。



〃Would　you　like　a　little　milk？〃　replied　she。　〃It　is　so　warm　these

early　days　of　May。　You　are　far　from　the　town。〃



In　truth；　the　sky　was　a　cloudless　blue；　and　glared　like　a　forge。

Everything　was　radiant　with　youth；　the　leaves；　the　air；　the　girls；　the

lads；　everything　was　burning；　was　green；　and　smelt　like　balm。　This

naive　offer；　made　without　the　hope　of　recompense；　though　a　byzant

would　not　have　paid　for　the　special　grace　of　this　speech；　and　the

modesty　of　the　gesture　with　which　the　poor　girl　turned　to　him　gained

the　heart　of　the　jeweller；　who　would　have　liked　to　be　able　to　put　this

bondswoman　into　the　skin　of　a　queen；　and　Paris　at　her　feet。



〃Nay；　my　child；　I　thirst　not　for　milk；　but　for　you；　whom　I　would　have

leave　to　liberate。〃



〃That　cannot　be；　and　I　shall　die　the　property　of　the　abbey。　For　years

we　have　lived　so；　from　father　to　son；　from　mother　to　daughter。　Like　my

ancestors；　I　shall　pass　my　days　on　this　land；　as　will　also　my

children；　because　the　abbot　cannot　legally　let　us　go。〃



〃What！〃　said　the　Touranian；　〃has　no　gallant　been　tempted　by　your

bright　eyes　to　buy　your　liberty；　as　I　bought　mine　from　the　king？〃



〃It　would　cost　too　dear；　thus　it　is　those　whom　at　first　sight　I

please；　go　as　they　came。〃



〃And　you　have　never　thought　of　gaining　another　country　in　company　of　a

lover　on　horseback　on　a　fleet　courser？〃



〃Oh　yes。　But；　monseigneur；　if　I　were　caught　I　should　be　hanged　at

least；　and　my　gallant；　even　were　he　a　lord；　would　lose　more　than　one

domain　over　it；　besides　other　things。　I　am　not　worth　so　much；　besides；

the　abbey　has　arms　longer　than　my　feet　are　swift。　So　I　live　on　in

perfect　obedience　to　God；　who　has　placed　me　in　this　plight。〃



〃What　is　your　father？〃



〃He　tends　the　vines　in　the　gardens　of　the　abbey。〃



〃And　your　mother？〃



〃She　is　a　washerwoman。〃



〃And　what　is　your　name？〃



〃I　have　no　name；　dear　sir。　My　father　was　baptised　Etienne；　my　mother

is　Etienne；　and　I　am　Tiennette；　at　your　service。〃



〃Sweetheart；〃　said　the　jeweller；　〃never　has　woman　pleased　me　as　you

please　me；　and　I　believe　that　your　heart　contains　a　wealth　of

goodness。　Now；　since　you　offered　yourself　to　my　eyes　at　the　moment

when　I　was　firmly　deliberating　upon　taking　a　companion；　I　believe　that

I　see　in　you　a　sign　from　heaven！　And　if　I　am　not　displeasing　to　you；　I

beg　you　to　accept　me　as　your　friend。〃



Immediately　the　maid　lowered　her　eyes。　These　words　were　uttered　in

such　a　way；　in　so　grave　a　tone；　so　penetrating　a　manner；　that　the　said

Tiennette　burst　into　tears。



〃No；　monseigneur；　I　should　be　the　cause　of　a　thousand

unpleasantnesses；　and　of　your　misfortune。　For　a　poor　bondsmaid；　the

conversation　has　gone　far　enough。〃



〃Ho！〃　cried　Anseau；　〃you　do　not　know；　my　child；　the　man　you　are

dealing　with。〃



The　Touranian　crossed　himself；　joined　his　hands；　and　said



〃I　make　a　vow　to　Monsieur　the　Saint　Eloi；　under　whose　invocation　are

the　silversmiths；　to　fashion　two　images　of　pure　silver；　with　the　best

workmanship　I　am　able　to　perform。　One　shall　be　a　statue　of　Madame　the

Virgin；　to　this　end；　to　thank　her　for　the　liberty　of　my　dear　wife；　and

the　other　for　my　said　patron；　if　I　am　successful　in　my　undertaking　to

liberate　the　bondswoman　Tiennette　here　present；　and　for　which　I　rely

upon　his　assistance。　Moreover；　I　swear　by　my　eternal　salvation；　to

persevere　with　courage　in　this　affair；　to　spend　therein　all　I　process；

and　only　to　quit　it　with　my　life。　God　has　heard　me；〃　said　he。　〃And

you；　little　one；〃　he　added；　turning　towards　the　maid。



〃Ha！　monseigneur；　look！　My　cow　is　running　about　the　fields；〃　cried

she；　sobbing　at　the　good　man's　knees。　〃I　will　love　you　all　my　life；

but　withdraw　your　vow。〃



〃Let　us　to　look　after　the　cow；〃　said　the　silversmith；　raising　her；

without　daring　yet　to　kiss　her；　although　the　maid　was　well　disposed　to

it。



〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃for　I　shall　be　beaten。〃



And　behold　now　the　silversmith；　scampering　after　the　cursed　cow；