droll stories-3-第17章

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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　little　when　he　learned　that　it　was　Sylvia　de　Rohan；　but

was　also　much　affected　at　the　kindness　of　Bertha；　whom　he　thanked　for

her　attempt　to　bring　a　little　wandering　lamb　back　to　the　fold。　He　made

much　of　his　wife；　when　his　last　night　at　home　came；　left　men…at…arms

about　his　castle；　and　then　set　out　with　the　Dauphin　for　Burgundy；

having　a　cruel　enemy　in　his　bosom　without　suspecting　it。　The　face　of

the　young　lad　was　unknown　to　him；　because　he　was　a　young　page　come　to

see　the　king's　court；　and　who　had　been　brought　up　by　the　Cardinal

Dunois；　in　whose　service　he　was　a　knight…bachelor。



The　old　lord；　believing　that　he　was　a　girl；　thought　him　very　modest

and　timid；　because　the　lad；　doubting　the　language　of　his　eyes；　kept

them　always　cast　down；　and　when　Bertha　kissed　him　on　the　mouth；　he

trembled　lest　his　petticoat　might　be　indiscreet；　and　would　walk　away

to　the　window；　so　fearful　was　he　of　being　recognised　as　a　man　by

Bastarnay；　and　killed　before　he　had　made　love　to　the　lady。



Therefore　he　was　as　joyful　as　any　lover　would　have　been　in　his　place；

when　the　portcullis　was　lowered；　and　the　old　lord　galloped　away　across

the　country。　He　had　been　in　such　suspense　that　he　made　a　vow　to　build

a　pillar　at　his　own　expense　in　the　cathedral　at　Tours；　because　he　had

escaped　the　danger　of　his　mad　scheme。　He　gave；　indeed；　fifty　gold

marks　to　pay　God　for　his　delight。　But　by　chance　he　had　to　pay　for　it

over　again　to　the　devil；　as　it　appears　from　the　following　facts　if　the

tale　pleases　you　well　enough　to　induce　you　to　follow　the　narrative；

which　will　be　succinct；　as　all　good　speeches　should　be。





II

HOW　BERTHA　BEHAVED；　KNOWING　THE　BUSINESS　OF　LOVE



This　bachelor　was　the　young　Sire　Jehan　de　Sacchez；　cousin　of　the　Sieur

de　Montmorency；　to　whom；　by　the　death　of　the　said　Jehan；　the　fiefs　of

Sacchez　and　other　places　would　return；　according　to　the　deed　of

tenure。　He　was　twenty　years　of　age　and　glowed　like　a　burning　coal；

therefore　you　may　be　sure　that　he　had　a　hard　job　to　get　through　the

first　day。　While　old　Imbert　was　galloping　across　the　fields；　the　two

cousins　perched　themselves　under　the　lantern　of　the　portcullis；　in

order　to　keep　him　the　longer　in　view；　and　waved　him　signals　of

farewells。　When　the　clouds　of　dust　raised　by　the　heels　of　the　horses

were　no　longer　visible　upon　the　horizon；　they　came　down　and　went　into

the　great　room　of　the　castle。



〃What　shall　we　do；　dear　cousin？〃　said　Bertha　to　the　false　Sylvia。　〃Do

you　like　music？　We　will　play　together。　Let　us　sing　the　lay　of　some

sweet　ancient　bard。　Eh？　What　do　you　say？　Come　to　my　organ；　come　along。

As　you　love　me；　sing！〃



Then　she　took　Jehan　by　the　hand　and　led　him　to　the　keyboard　of　the

organ；　at　which　the　young　fellow　seated　himself　prettily；　after　the

manner　of　women。　〃Ah！　sweet　coz；〃　cried　Bertha；　as　soon　as　the　first

notes　tried；　the　lad　turned　his　head　towards　her；　in　order　that　they

might　sing　together。　〃Ah！　sweet　coz　you　have　a　wonderful　glance　in

your　eye；　you　move　I　know　not　what　in　my　heart。〃



〃Ah！　cousin；〃　replied　the　false　Sylvia；　〃that　it　is　which　has　been　my

ruin。　A　sweet　milord　of　the　land　across　the　sea　told　me　so　often　that

I　had　fine　eyes；　and　kissed　them　so　well；　that　I　yielded；　so　much

pleasure　did　I　feel　in　letting　them　be　kissed。〃



〃Cousin；　does　love　then；　commence　in　the　eyes？〃



〃In　them　is　the　forge　of　Cupid's　bolts；　my　dear　Bertha；〃　said　the

lover；　casting　fire　and　flame　at　her。



〃Let　us　go　on　with　our　singing。〃



They　then　sang；　by　Jehan's　desire；　a　lay　of　Christine　de　Pisan；　every

word　of　which　breathed　love。



〃Ah！　cousin；　what　a　deep　and　powerful　voice　you　have。　It　seems　to

pierce　me。〃



〃Where？〃　said　the　impudent　Sylvia。



〃There；〃　replied　Bertha；　touching　her　little　diaphragm；　where　the

sounds　of　love　are　understood　better　than　by　the　ears；　but　the

diaphragm　lies　nearer　the　heart；　a