droll stories-3- 第15部分

following　the　commandments　of　God　to　win　this　saint　to　love；　and　he

thought　right。　At　night　Bertha　asked　her　cousinaccording　to　the　old

custom；　to　which　the　ladies　of　our　day　objectto　keep　her　company　in

her　big　seigneurial　bed。　To　which　request　Sylvia　repliedin　order　to

keep　up　the　role　of　a　well…born　maidenthat　nothing　would　give　her

greater　pleasure。　The　curfew　rang；　and　found　the　two　cousins　in　a

chamber　richly　ornamented　with　carpeting；　fringes；　and　royal

tapestries；　and　Bertha　began　gracefully　to　disarray　herself；　assisted

by　her　women。　You　can　imagine　that　her　companion　modestly　declined

their　services；　and　told　her　cousin；　with　a　little　blush；　that　she　was

accustomed　to　undress　herself　ever　since　she　had　lost　the　services　of

her　dearly　beloved；　who　had　put　her　out　of　conceit　with　feminine

fingers　by　his　gentle　ways；　that　these　preparations　brought　back　the

pretty　speeches　he　used　to　make；　and　his　merry　pranks　while　playing

the　lady's…maid；　and　that　to　her　injury；　the　memory　of　all　these

things　brought　the　water　into　her　mouth。



This　discourse　considerably　astonished　the　lady　Bertha；　who　let　her

cousin　say　her　prayers；　and　make　other　preparations　for　the　night

beneath　the　curtains　of　the　bed；　into　which　my　lord；　inflamed　with

desire；　soon　tumbled；　happy　at　being　able　to　catch　an　occasional

glimpse　of　the　wondrous　charms　of　the　chatelaine；　which　were　in　no　way

injured。　Bertha；　believing　herself　to　be　with　an　experienced　girl；　did

not　omit　any　of　the　usual　practices；　she　washed　her　feet；　not　minding

whether　she　raised　them　little　or　much；　exposed　her　delicate　little

shoulders；　and　did　as　all　the　ladies　do　when　they　are　retiring　to

rest。　At　last　she　came　to　bed；　and　settled　herself　comfortably　in　it；

kissing　her　cousin　on　the　lips；　which　she　found　remarkably　warm。



〃Are　you　unwell；　Sylvia；　that　you　burn　so？〃　said　she。



〃I　always　burn　like　that　when　I　go　to　bed；〃　replied　her　companion；

〃because　at　that　time　there　comes　back　to　my　memory　the　pretty　little

tricks　that　he　invented　to　please　me；　and　which　make　me　burn　still

more。〃



〃Ah！　cousin；　tell　me　all　about　this　he。　Tell　all　the　sweets　of　love　to

me；　who　live　beneath　the　shadow　of　a　hoary　head；　of　which　the　snows

keep　me　from　such　warm　feelings。　Tell　me　all；　you　are　cured。　It　will

be　a　good　warning　to　me；　and　then　your　misfortunes　will　have　been　a

salutary　lesson　to　two　poor　weak　women。〃



〃I　do　not　know　I　ought　to　obey　you；　sweet　cousin；〃　said　the　youth。



〃Tell　me；　why　not？〃



〃Ah！　deeds　are　better　than　words；〃　said　the　false　maiden；　heaving　a

deep　sigh　as　the　/ut/　of　an　organ。　〃But　I　am　afraid　that　this　milord

has　encumbered　me　with　so　much　joy　that　you　may　get　a　little　of　it；

which　would　be　enough　to　give　you　a　daughter；　since　the　power　of

engendering　is　weakened　in　me。〃



〃But；〃　said　Bertha；　〃between　us；　would　it　be　a　sin？〃



〃It　would　be；　on　the　contrary；　a　joy　both　here　and　in　heaven；　the

angels　would　shed　their　fragrance　around　you；　and　make　sweet　music　in

your　ears。〃



〃Tell　me　quickly；　then；〃　said　Bertha。



〃Well；　then；　this　is　how　my　dear　lord　made　my　heart　rejoice。〃



With　these　words　Jehan　took　Bertha　in　his　arms；　and　strained　her

hungering　to　his　heart；　for　in　the　soft　light　of　the　lamp；　and　clothed

with　the　spotless　linen；　she　was　in　this　tempting　bed；　like　the　pretty

petals　of　a　lily　at　the　bottom　of　the　virgin　calyx。



〃When　he　held　me　as　I　hold　thee　he　said　to　me；　with　a　voice　far

sweeter　than　mine；　'Ah；　Bertha；　thou　art　my　eternal　love；　my　priceless

treasure；　my　joy　by　day　and　my　joy　by　night；　thou　art　fairer　than　the

day　is　day；　there　is　naught　so　pretty　as　thou　art。　I　love　thee　more

than　God；　and　would　endure　a　thousand　deaths　for　the　happiness　I　ask

of　thee！'　Then　he　would　kiss　me；　not　after　the　manner　of　husbands；

which　is　rough；　but　in　a　peculiar　dove…like　fashion。〃



To　show　her　there　and　then　how　much　better　was　the　method　of　lovers；

he　sucked　all　the　honey　from　Bertha's　lips；　and　taught　her　how；　with

her　pretty　tongue；　small　and　rosy　as　that　of　a　cat；　she　could　speak　to

the　heart　without　saying　a　single　word；　and　becoming　exhausted　at　this

game；　Jehan　spread　the　fire　of　his　kisses　from　the　mouth　to　the　neck；

from　the　neck　to　the　sweetest　forms　that　ever　a　woman　gave　a　child　to

slake　its　thirst　upon。　And　whoever　had　been　in　his　place　would　have

thought　himself　a　wicked　man　not　to　imitate　him。



〃Ah！〃　said　Bertha；　fast　bound　in　love　without　knowing　it；　〃this　is

better。　I　must　take　care　to　tell　Imbert　about　it。〃



〃Are　you　in　your　proper　senses；　cousin？　Say　nothing　about　it　to　your

old　husband。　How　could　he　make　his　hands　pleasant　like　mine？　They　are

as　hard　as　washerwoman's　beetles；　and　his　piebald　beard　would　hardly

please　this　centre　of　bliss；　that　rose　in　which　lies　our　wealth；　our

substance；　our　loves；　and　our　fortune。　Do　you　know　that　it　is　a　living

flower；　which　should　be　fondled　thus；　and　not　used　like　a　trombone；　or

as　if　it　were　a　catapult　of　war？　Now　this　was　the　gentle　way　of　my

beloved　Englishman。〃



Thus　saying；　the　handsome　youth　comported　himself　so　bravely　in　the

battle　that　victory　crowned　his　efforts；　and　poor　innocent　Bertha

exclaimed



〃Ah！　cousin；　the　angels　are　come！　but　so　beautiful　is　the　music；　that

I　hear　nothing　else；　and　so　flaming　are　their　luminous　rays；　that　my

eyes　are　closing。〃



And；　indeed；　she　fainted　under　the　burden　of　those　joys　of　love　which

burst　forth　in　her　like　the　highest　notes　of　the　organ；　which

glistened　like　the　most　magnificent　aurora；　which　flowed　in　her　veins

like　the　finest　musk；　and　loosened　the　liens　of　her　life　in　giving　her

a　child　of　love；　who　made　a　great　deal　of　confusion　in　taking　up　his

quarters。　Finally；　Bertha　imagined　herself　to　be　in　Paradise；　so　happy

did　she　feel；　and　woke　from　this　beautiful　dream　in　the　arms　of　Jehan；

exclaiming



〃Ah！　who　would　not　have　been　married　in　England！〃



〃My　sweet　mistress；〃　said　Jehan；　whose　ecstasy　was　sooner　over；　〃you

are　married　to　me　in　France；　where　things　are　managed　still　better；

for　I　am　a　man　who　would　give　a　thousand　lives　for　you　if　he　had

them。〃



Poor　Bertha　gave　a　shriek　so　sharp　that　it　pierced　the　walls；　and

leapt　out　of　bed　like　a　mountebank　of　the　plains　of　Egypt　would　have

done。　She　fell　upon　her　knees　before　her　/Prie…Dieu/；　joined　her

hands；　and　wept　more　pearls　than　ever　Mary　Magdalene　wore。



〃Ah！　I　am　dead〃　she　cried；　〃I　am　deceived　by　a　devil　who　has　taken　the

face　of　an　angel。　I　am　lost；　I　am　the　mother　for　certain　of　a

beautiful　child；　without　being　more　guilty　than　you；　Madame　the

Virgin。　Implore　the　pardon　of　God　for　me；　if　I　have　not　that　of　men

upon　earth；　or　let　me　die；　so　that　I　may　not　blush　before　my　lord　and

master。〃



Hearing　that　she　said　nothing　against　him；　Jehan　rose；　quite　aghast　to

see　Bertha　take　this　charming　dance　for　two　so　to　heart。　But　the

moment　she　heard　her　Gabriel　moving　she　sprang　quickly　to　her　feet；

regarded　him　with　a　tearful　face；　and　her　eye　illumined　with　a　holy

anger；　which　made　her　more　lovely　to　look　upon；　exclaimed



〃If　you　advance　a　single　step　towards　me；　I　will　make　one　towards

death！〃



And　she　took　her　stiletto　in　her　hand。



So　heartrending　was　the　tragic　spectacle　of　her　grief　that　Jehan

answered　her



〃It　is　not　for　thee　but　for　me　to　die；　my　dear；　beautiful　mistress；

more　dearly　loved　than　will　ever　woman　be　again　upon　this　earth。〃



〃If　you　had　truly　loved　me　you　would　not　have　killed　me　as　you　have；

for　I　will　die　sooner　than　be　reproached　by　my　husband。〃



〃Will　you　die？〃　said　he。



〃Assuredly；〃　said　she。



〃Now；　if　I　am　here　pierced　with　a　thousand　blows；　you　will　have　your

husband's　pardon；　to　whom　you　will　say　that　if　your　innocence　was

surprised；　you　have　avenged　his　honour　by　killing　the　man　who　had

deceived　you；　and　it　will　be　the　greatest　happiness　that　could　ever

befall　me　to　die　for　you；　the　moment　you　refuse　to　live　for　me。〃



Hearing　this　tender　discourse　spoken　with　tears；　Bertha　dropped　the

dagger；　Jehan　sprang　upon　it；　and　thrust　it　into　his　breast；　saying



〃Such　happiness　can　be　paid　for　but　with　death。〃



And　fell　stiff　and　stark。



Bertha；　terrified；　called　aloud　for　her　maid。　The　servant　came；　and

terribly　alarmed　to　see　a　wounded　man　in　Madame's　chamber；　and　Madame

holding　him　up；　crying　and　saying；　〃What　have　you　done；　my　love？〃

because　she　believed　he　was　dead；　and　remembered　her　vanished　joys；

and　thought　how　beautiful　Jehan　must　be；　since　everyone；　even　Imbert；

believed　him　to　be　a　girl。　In　her　sorrow　she　confessed　all　to　her

maid；　sobbing　and　crying　out；　〃that　it　was　quite　enough　to　have　upon

her　mind　the　life　of　a　child　without　having　the　death　of　a　man　as

well。〃　Hearing　this　the　poor　lover　tried　to　open　his　eyes；　and　only

succeeded　in　showing　a　little　bit　of　the　white　of　them。



〃Ha！　Madame；　don't　cry　out；〃　said　the　servant；　〃let　us　keep　our　senses

together　and　save　this　pretty　knight。　I　will　go　and　seek　La　Fallotte；

in　order　not　to　let　any　physician　or　surgeon　into　the　secret；　and　as

she　is　a　sorceress　she　will；　to　please　Madame；　perform　the　miracle　of

healing　this　wound　so　not　a　trace　of　it　shall　remain。



〃Run！〃　replied　Bertha。　〃I　will　love　you；　and　will　pay　you　well　for

this　assistance。〃



But　before　anything　else　was　done　the　lady　and　her　maid　agreed　to　be

silent　about　this　adventure；　and　hide　Jehan　from　every　eye。　Then　the

servant　went　out　into　the　night　to　seek　La　Fallotte；　and　was

accompanied　by　her　mistress　as　far　as　the　postern；　because　the　guard

could　not　raise　the　portcullis　without　Bertha's　special　order。　Bertha

found　on　going　back　that　her　lover　had　fainted；　for　the　blood　was

flowing　from　the　wound。　At　the　sight　she　drank　a　little　of　his　blood；

thinking　that　Jehan　had　shed　it　for　her。　Affected　by　this　great　love

and　by　the　danger；　she　kissed　this　pretty　varlet　of　pleasure　on　the

face；　bound　up　his　wo