droll stories-3-第12章

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Bastarnay　committed　the　task　to　mould　him　properly；　in　order　that　his

heir　should　have　an　heritage　of　the　virtues；　qualities　and　courage　of

the　house；　as　well　as　the　domains　and　the　name。　Then　did　Bertha　shed

many　tears；　her　happiness　being　gone。　For　the　great　heart　of　this

mother　it　was　nothing　to　have　this　well…beloved　son　after　others；　and

during　only　certain　short　fleeting　hours。　Therefore　she　became　sad　and

melancholy。　Noticing　her　grief；　the　good　man　wished　to　bestow　upon　her

another　child　and　could　not；　and　the　poor　lady　was　displeased　thereat；

because　she　declared　that　the　making　of　a　child　wearied　her　much　and

cost　her　dear。　And　this　is　true；　or　no　doctrine　is　true；　and　you　must

burn　the　Gospels　as　a　pack　of　stories　if　you　have　not　faith　in　this

innocent　remark。



This；　nevertheless；　to　certain　ladies　（I　did　not　mention　men；　since

they　have　a　smattering　of　the　science）；　will　still　seem　an　untruth。

The　writer　has　taken　care　here　to　give　the　mute　reasons　for　this

strange　antipathy；　I　mean　the　distastes　of　Bertha；　because　I　love　the

ladies　above　all　things；　knowing　that　for　want　of　the　pleasure　of

love；　my　face　would　grow　old　and　my　heart　torment　me。　Did　you　ever

meet　a　scribe　so　complacent　and　so　fond　of　the　ladies　as　I　am？　No；　of

course　not。　Therefore；　do　I　love　them　devotedly；　but　not　so　often　as　I

could　wish；　since　I　have　oftener　in　my　hands　my　goose…quill　than　I

have　the　barbs　with　which　one　tickles　their　lips　to　make　them　laugh

and　be　merry　in　all　innocence。　I　understand　them；　and　in　this　way。



The　good　man　Bastarnay　was　not　a　smart　young　fellow　of　an　amorous

nature；　and　acquainted　with　the　pranks　of　the　thing。　He　did　not

trouble　himself　much　about　the　fashion　in　which　he　killed　a　soldier　so

long　as　he　killed　him；　that　he　would　have　killed　him　in　all　ways

without　saying　a　word　in　battle；　is；　of　course；　understood。　The

perfect　heedlessness　in　the　matter　of　death　was　in　accordance　with　the

nonchalance　in　the　matter　of　life；　the　birth　and　manner　of　begetting　a

child；　and　the　ceremonies　thereto　appertaining。　The　good　sire　was

ignorant　of　the　many　litigious；　dilatory；　interlocutory　and

proprietary　exploits　and　the　little　humourings　of　the　little　fagots

placed　in　the　oven　to　heat　it；　of　the　sweet　perfumed　branches　gathered

little　by　little　in　the　forests　of　love；　fondlings；　coddlings；

huggings；　nursing；　the　bites　at　the　cherry；　the　cat…licking；　and　other

little　tricks　and　traffic　of　love　which　ruffians　know；　which　lovers

preserve；　and　which　the　ladies　love　better　than　their　salvation；

because　there　is　more　of　the　cat　than　the　woman　in　them。　This　shines

forth　in　perfect　evidence　in　their　feminine　ways。　If　you　think　it

worth　while　watching　them；　examine　them　attentively　while　they　eat：

not　one　of　them　（I　am　speaking　of　women；　noble　and　well…educated）　puts

her　knife　in　the　eatables　and　thrusts　it　into　her　mouth；　as　do

brutally　the　males；　no；　they　turn　over　their　food；　pick　the　pieces

that　please　them　as　they　would　gray　peas　in　a　dovecote；　they　suck　the

sauces　by　mouthfuls；　play　with　their　knife　and　spoon　as　if　they　are

only　ate　in　consequence　of　a　judge's　order；　so　much　do　they　dislike　to

go　straight　to　the　point；　and　make　free　use　of　variations；　finesse；

and　little　tricks　in　everything；　which　is　the　especial　attribute　of

these　creatures；　and　the　reason　that　the　sons　of　Adam　delight　in　them；

since　they　do　everything　differently　to　themselves；　and　they　do　well。

You　think　so　too。　Good！　I　love　you。



Now　then；　Imbert　de　Bastarnay；　an　old　soldier；　ignorant　of　the　tricks

of　love；　entered　into　the　sweet　garden　of　Venus　as　he　would　into　a

place　taken　by　assault；　without　giving　any　heed　to　the　cries　of　the

poor　inhabitants　in　tears；　and　placed　a　child　as　he　would　an　arrow　in

the　dark。　Although　the　gentle　Bertha　was　not　used　to　such　treatment

（poor　child；　she　was　but　fifteen）；　she　believed　in　her　virgin　faith；

that　the　happiness　of　becoming　a　mother　demanded　this　terrible；

dreadful　bruising　and　nasty　business；　so　during　his　painful　task　she

would　pray　to　God　to　assist　her；　and　recite　/Aves/　to　our　Lady；

esteeming　her　lucky；　in　only　having　the　Holy　Ghost　to　endure。　By　this

means；　never　having　experienced　anything　but　pain　in　marriage；　she

never　troubled　her　husband　to　go　through　the　ceremony　again。　Now

seeing　that　the　old　fellow　was　scarcely　equal　to　itas　has　been

before　statedshe　lived　in　perfect　solitude；　like　a　nun。　She　hated

the　society　of　men；　and　never　suspected　that　the　Author　of　the　world

had　put　so　much　joy　in　that　from　which　she　had　only　received　infinite

misery。　But　she　loved　all　the　more　her　little　one；　who　had　cost　her　so

much　before　he　was　born。　Do　not　be　astonished；　therefore；　that　she

held　aloof　from　that　gallant　tourney　in　which　it　is　the　mare　who

governs　her　cavalier；　guides　him；　fatigues　him；　and　abuses　him；　if　he

stumbles。　This　is　the　true　history　of　certain　unhappy　unions；

according　to　the　statement　of　the　old　men　and　women；　and　the　certain

reason　of　the　follies　committed　by　certain　women；　who　too　late

perceive；　I　know　not　how；　that　they　have　been　deceived；　and　attempt　to

crowd　into　a　day　more　time　than　it　will　hold；　to　have　their　proper

share　of　life。　That　is　philosophical；　my　friends。　Therefore　study　well

this　page；　in　order　that　you　may　wisely　look　to　the　proper　government

of　your　wives；　your　sweethearts；　and　all　females　generally；　and

particularly　those　who　by　chance　may　be　under　your　care；　from　which

God　preserve　you。



Thus　a　virgin　in　deed；　although　a　mother；　Bertha　was　in　her　one…and…

twentieth　year　a　castle　flower；　the　glory　of　her　good　man；　and　the

honour　of　the　province。　The　said　Bastarnay　took　great　pleasure　in

beholding　this　child　come；　go；　and　frisk　about　like　a　willow…switch；

as　lively　as　an　eel；　as　innocent　as　her　little　one；　and　still　most

sensible　and　of　sound　understanding；　so　much　so　that　he　never

undertook　any　project　without　consulting　her　about　it；　seeing　that　if

the　minds　of　these　angels　have　not　been　disturbed　in　their　purity；

they　give　a　sound　answer　to　everything　one　asks　of　them。　At　this　time

Bertha　lived　near　the　town　of　Loches；　in　the　castle　of　her　lord；　and

there　resided；　with　no　desire　to　do　anything　but　look　after　her

household　duties；　after　the　old　custom　of　the　good　housewives；　from

which　the　ladies　of　France　were　led　away　when　Queen　Catherine　and　the

Italians　came　with　their　balls　and　merry…makings。　To　these　practices

Francis　the　First　and　his　successors；　whose　easy　ways　did　as　much　harm

to　the　State　of　France　as　the　goings　on　of　the　Protestants　lent　their

aid。　This；　however；　has　nothing　to　do　with　my　story。



About　this　time　the　lord　and　lady　of　Bastarnay　were　invited　by　the

king　to　come　to　his　town　of　Loches；　where　for　the　present　he　was　with

his　court；　in　which　the　beauty　of　the　lady　of　Bastarnay　had　made　a

great　noise。　Bertha　came　to　Loches；　received　many　kind　praises　from

the　king；　was　the　centre　of　the　homage　of　all　the　young　nobles；　who

feasted　their　eyes　on　this　apple　of　love；　and　of　the　old　ones；　who

warmed　themselves　at　this　sun。　But　you　may　be　sure　that　all　of　them；

old　and　young；　would　have　suffered　death　a　thousand　times　over　to　have

at　their　service　this　instrument　of　joy；　which　dazzled　their　eyes　and

muddled　their　brains。　Bertha　was　more　talked　about　in　Loches　then

either　God　or　the　Gospels；　which　enraged　a　great　many　ladies　who　were

not　so　bountifully　endowed　with　charms；　and　would　have　given　all　that

was　left　of　their　honour　to　have　sent　back　to　her　castle　this　fair

gatherer　of　smiles。



A　young　lady　having　early　perceived　that　one　of　her　lovers　was　smitten

with　Bertha；　took　such　a　hatred　to　her　that　from　it　arose　all　the

misfortunes　of　the　lady　of　Bastarnay；　but　also　from　the　same　source

came　her　happiness；　and　her　discovery　of　the　gentle　land　of　love；　of

which　she　was　ignorant。　This　wicked　lady　had　a　relation　who　had

confessed　to　her；　directly　he　saw　Bertha；　that　to　be　her　lover　he

would　be　willing　to　die　after　a　month's　happiness　with　her。　Bear　in

mind　that　this　cousin　was　as　handsome　as　a　girl　is　beautiful；　had　no

hair　on　his　chin；　would　have　gained　his　enemy's　forgiveness　by　asking

for　it；　so　melodious　was　his　young　voice；　and　was　scarcely　twenty

years　of　age。



〃Dear　cousin；〃　said　she　to　him；　〃leave　the　room；　and　go　to　your　house；

I　will　endeavour　to　give　you　this　joy。　But　do　not　let　yourself　be　seen

by　her；　nor　by　that　old　baboon…face　by　an　error　of　nature　on　a

Christian's　body；　and　to　whom　belongs　this　beauteous　fay。〃



The　young　gentleman　out　of　the　way；　the　lady　came　rubbing　her

treacherous　nose　against　Bertha's；　and　called　her　〃My　friend；　my

treasure；　my　star　of　beauty〃；　trying　every　way　to　be　agreeable　to　her；

to　make　her　vengeance　more　certain　on　the　poor　child　who；　all

unwittingly；　had　caused　her　lover's　heart　to　be　faithless；　which；　for

women　ambitious　in　love；　is　the　worst　of　infidelities。　After　a　little

conversation；　the　plotting　lady　suspected　that　poor　Bertha　was　a

maiden　in　matters　of　love；　when　she　saw　her　eyes　full　of　limpid　water；

no　marks　on　the　temples；　no　little　black　speck　on　the　point　of　her

little　nose；　white　as　snow；　where　usually　the　marks　of　the　amusement

are　visible；　no　wrinkle　on　her　brow；　in　short；　no　habit　of　pleasure

apparent　on　her　faceclear　as　the　face　of　an　innocent　maiden。　Then

this　traitress　put　certain　women's　questions　to　her；　and　was　perfectly

assured　by　the　replies　of　Bertha；　that　if　she　had　had　the　profit　of

being　a　mother；　the　pleasures　of　love　had　been　denied　to　her。　At　this

she　rejoiced　greatly　on　her　cousin's　behalflike　the　good　woman　she

was。



Then　she　told　her；　that　in　the　town　of　Loches　there　lived　a　young　and

noble　lady；　of　the　family　of　a　Rohan；　who　at　that　time　had　need　of　the

assistance　of　a　lady　of　position　to　be　reconciled　with　the　Sire　Louis

de　Rohan；　that　if　she　had　as　much　goodness　as　God　had　given　her

beauty；　she　would　take　her　with　her　to　the　castle；　ascertain　for

herself　the　sanctity　of　her　life；　and　bring　about　a　reconciliation

with　the　Sire　de　Rohan；　who　refused　to　receive　her。　To　this　Bertha

consented　without　hesitation；　because　the　misfortunes　of　this　girl

were　known　to　her；　but　not　the　poor　young　lady　herself；　whose　name　was

Sylvia；　and　whom　she　had　believed　to　be　in　a　foreign　land。



It　is　here　necessary　to　state　why　the　king　had　given　this　invitation

to　the　Sire　de　Bastarnay。　He　had　a　suspicion　of　the　first　flight　of

his　son　the　Dauphin　into　Burgundy；　and　wished　to　deprive　him　of　so

good　a　counsellor　as　was　the　said　Bastarnay。　But　the　veteran；　faithful

to　young　Louis；　had　already；　without　saying　a　word；　made　up　his　mind。

Therefore　he　took　Bertha　back　to　his　castle；　but　before　they　set　out

she　told　him　she　had　taken　a　companion　and　introduced　her　to　him。　It

was　the　young　lord；　disguised　as　a　girl；　with　the　assistance　of　his

cousin；　who　was　jealous　of　Bertha；　and　annoyed　at　her　virtue。　Imbert

drew　back　a