droll stories-3-第16章

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clear　baby　eyes；　in　which　the　blue　sky　was　reflected；　and　listened　to

no　other　music　than　his　cries；　which　sounded　in　her　ears　as　angels'

whispers。　You　may　be　sure　that　she　was　always　fondling　him；　had　a

desire　to　kiss　him　at　dawn　of　day；　kissed　him　in　the　evening；　would

rise　in　the　night　to　eat　him　up　with　kisses；　made　herself　a　child　as

he　was　a　child；　educated　him　in　the　perfect　religion　of　maternity；

finally；　behaved　as　the　best　and　happiest　mother　that　ever　lived；

without　disparagement　to　our　Lady　the　Virgin；　who　could　have　had

little　trouble　in　bringing　up　our　Saviour；　since　he　was　God。



This　employment　and　the　little　taste　which　Bertha　had　for　the　blisses

of　matrimony　much　delighted　the　old　man；　since　he　would　have　been

unable　to　return　the　affection　of　a　too　amorous　wife；　and　desired　to

practice　economy；　to　have　the　wherewithal　for　a　second　child。



After　six　years　had　passed　away；　the　mother　was　compelled　to　give　her

son　into　the　hands　of　the　grooms　and　other　persons　to　whom　Messire　de

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　youn