droll stories-3- 第19部分

a　state　of　rebellion；　in　order　to　render　such　service　to　Bastarnay

that　he　would　receive　from　them　more　than　life　itself。



Now　the　heat　of　the　sedition　was；　as　everyone　knows；　in　the

neighbourhood　of　Angouleme；　and　of　Bordeaux　in　Guienne；　and　other

parts　of　the　kingdom；　where　great　battles　and　severe　conflicts　between

the　rebels　and　the　royal　armies　was　likely　to　take　place。　The

principal　one　which　finished　the　war　was　given　between　Ruffec　and

Angouleme；　where　all　the　prisoners　taken　were　tried　and　hanged。　This

battle；　commanded　by　old　Bastarnay；　took　place　in　the　month　of

November；　seven　months　after　the　poisoning　of　Jehan。　Now　the　Baron

knew　that　his　head　had　been　strongly　recommended　as　one　to　be　cut　off；

he　being　the　right　hand　of　Monsiegneur　Louis。　Directly　his　men　began

to　fall　back；　the　old　fellow　found　himself　surrounded　by　six　men

determined　to　seize　him。　Then　he　understood　that　they　wished　to　take

him　alive；　in　order　to　proceed　against　his　house；　ruin　his　name；　and

confiscate　his　property。　The　poor　sire　preferred　rather　to　die　and

save　his　family；　and　present　the　domains　to　his　son。　He　defended

himself　like　the　brave　old　lion　that　he　was。　In　spite　of　their　number；

these　said　soldiers；　seeing　three　of　their　comrades　fall；　were　obliged

to　attack　Bastarnay　at　the　risk　of　killing　him；　and　threw　themselves

together　upon　him；　after　having　laid　low　two　of　his　equerries　and　a

page。



In　this　extreme　danger　an　esquire　wearing　the　arms　of　Rohan；　fell　upon

the　assailants　like　a　thunderbolt；　and　killed　two　of　them；　crying；

〃God　save　the　Bastarnays！〃　The　third　man…at…arms；　who　had　already

seized　old　Bastarnay；　was　so　hard　pressed　by　this　squire；　that　he　was

obliged　to　leave　the　elder　and　turn　against　the　younger；　to　whom　he

gave　a　thrust　with　his　dagger　through　a　flaw　in　his　armour。　Bastarnay

was　too　good　a　comrade　to　fly　without　assisting　the　liberator　of　his

house；　who　was　badly　wounded。　With　a　blow　of　his　mace　he　killed　the

man…at…arms；　seized　the　squire；　lifted　him　on　to　his　horse；　and　gained

the　open；　accompanied　by　a　guide；　who　led　him　to　the　castle　of　Roche…

Foucauld；　which　he　entered　by　night；　and　found　in　the　great　room

Bertha　de　Rohan；　who　had　arranged　this　retreat　for　him。　But　on

removing　the　helmet　of　his　rescuer；　he　recognised　the　son　of　Jehan；

who　expired　upon　the　table；　as　by　a　final　effort　he　kissed　his　mother；

and　saying　in　a　loud　voice　to　her



〃Mother；　we　have　paid　the　debt　we　owed　him！〃



Hearing　these　words；　the　mother　clasped　the　body　of　her　loved　child　to

her　heart；　and　separated　from　him　never　again；　for　she　died　of　grief；

without　hearing　or　heeding　the　pardon　and　repentance　of　Bastarnay。



The　strange　calamity　hastened　the　last　day　of　the　poor　old　man；　who

did　not　live　to　see　the　coronation　of　King　Louis　the　Eleventh。　He

founded　a　daily　mass　in　the　Church　of　Roche…Foucauld；　where　in　the

same　grave　he　placed　mother　and　son；　with　a　large　tombstone；　upon

which　their　lives　are　much　honoured　in　the　Latin　language。



The　morals　which　any　one　can　deduce　from　this　history　are　the　most

profitable　for　the　conduct　of　life；　since　this　shows　how　gentlemen

should　be　courteous　with　the　dearly　beloveds　of　their　wives。　Further；

it　teaches　us　that　all　children　are　blessings　sent　by　God　Himself；　and

over　them　fathers；　whether　true　or　false；　have　no　right　of　murder；　as

was　formerly　the　case　at　Rome；　owing　to　a　heathen　and　abominable　law；

which　ill　became　that　Christianity　which　makes　us　all　sons　of　God。







HOW　THE　PRETTY　MAID　OF　PORTILLON　CONVINCED　HER　JUDGE



The　Maid　of　Portillon；　who　became　as　everyone　knows；　La　Tascherette；

was；　before　she　became　a　dyer；　a　laundress　at　the　said　place　of

Portillon；　from　which　she　took　her　name。　If　any　there　be　who　do　not

know　Tours；　it　may　be　as　well　to　state　that　Portillon　is　down　the

Loire；　on　the　same　side　as　St。　Cyr；　about　as　far　from　the　bridge　which

leads　to　the　cathedral　of　Tours　as　said　bridge　is　distant　from

Marmoustier；　since　the　bridge　is　in　the　centre　of　the　embankment

between　Portillon　and　Marmoustier。　Do　you　thoroughly　understand？



Yes？　Good！　Now　the　maid　had　there　her　washhouse；　from　which　she　ran　to

the　Loire　with　her　washing　in　a　second　and　took　the　ferry…boat　to　get

to　St。　Martin；　which　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　for　she　had

to　deliver　the　greater　part　of　her　work　in　Chateauneuf　and　other

places。



About　Midsummer　day；　seven　years　before　marrying　old　Taschereau；　she

had　just　reached　the　right　age　to　be　loved；　without　making　a　choice

from　any　of　the　lads　who　pursued　her　with　their　intentions。　Although

there　used　to　come　to　the　bench　under　her　window　the　son　of　Rabelais；

who　had　seven　boats　on　the　Loire；　Jehan's　eldest；　Marchandeau　the

tailor；　and　Peccard　the　ecclesiastical　goldsmith；　she　made　fun　of　them

all；　because　she　wished　to　be　taken　to　church　before　burthening

herself　with　a　man；　which　proves　that　she　was　an　honest　woman　until

she　was　wheedled　out　of　her　virtue。　She　was　one　of　those　girls　who

take　great　care　not　to　be　contaminated；　but　who；　if　by　chance　they　get

deceived；　let　things　take　their　course；　thinking　that　for　one　stain　or

for　fifty　a　good　polishing　up　is　necessary。　These　characters　demand

our　indulgence。



A　young　noble　of　the　court　perceived　her　one　day　when　she　was　crossing

the　water　in　the　glare　of　the　noonday　sun；　which　lit　up　her　ample

charms；　and　seeing　her；　asked　who　she　was。　An　old　man；　who　was　working

on　the　banks；　told　him　she　was　called　the　Pretty　Maid　of　Portillon；　a

laundress；　celebrated　for　her　merry　ways　and　her　virtue。　This　young

lord；　besides　ruffles　to　starch；　had　many　precious　draperies　and

things；　he　resolved　to　give　the　custom　of　his　house　to　this　girl；　whom

he　stopped　on　the　road。　He　was　thanked　by　her　and　heartily；　because　he

was　the　Sire　du　Fou；　the　king's　chamberlain。　This　encounter　made　her

so　joyful　that　her　mouth　was　full　of　his　name。　She　talked　about　it　a

great　deal　to　the　people　of　St。　Martin；　and　when　she　got　back　to　the

washhouse　was　still　full　of　it；　and　on　the　morrow　at　her　work　her

tongue　went　nineteen　to　the　dozen；　and　all　on　the　same　subject；　so

that　as　much　was　said　concerning　my　Lord　du　Fou　in　Portillon　as　of　God

in　a　sermon；　that　is；　a　great　deal　too　much。



〃If　she　works　like　that　in　cold　water；　what　will　she　do　in　warm？〃　said

an　old　washerwoman。　〃She　wants　du　Fou；　he'll　give　her　du　Fou！〃



The　first　time　this　giddy　wench；　with　her　head　full　of　Monsieur　du

Fou；　had　to　deliver　the　linen　at　his　hotel；　the　chamberlain　wished　to

see　her；　and　was　very　profuse　in　praises　and　compliments　concerning

her　charms；　and　wound　up　by　telling　her　that　she　was　not　at　all　silly

to　be　beautiful；　and　therefore　he　would　give　her　more　than　she

expected。　The　deed　followed　the　word；　for　the　moment　his　people　were

out　of　the　room；　he　began　to　caress　the　maid；　who　thinking　he　was

about　to　take　out　the　money　from　his　purse；　dared　not　look　at　the

purse；　but　said；　like　a　girl　ashamed　to　take　her　wages



〃It　will　be　for　the　first　time。〃



〃It　will　be　soon；〃　said　he。



Some　people　say　that　he　had　great　difficulty　in　forcing　her　to　accept

what　he　offered　her；　and　hardly　forced　her　at　all；　others　that　he

forced　her　badly；　because　she　came　out　like　an　army　flagging　on　the

route；　crying　and　groaning；　and　came　to　the　judge。　It　happened　that

the　judge　was　out。　La　Portillone　awaited　his　return　in　his　room；

weeping　and　saying　to　the　servant　that　she　had　been　robbed；　because

Monseigneur　du　Fou　had　given　her　nothing　but　his　mischief；　whilst　a

canon　of　the　Chapter　used　to　give　her　large　sums　for　that　which　M。　du

Fou　wanted　for　nothing。　If　she　loved　a　man　she　would　think　it　wise　to

do　things　for　him　for　nothing；　because　it　would　be　a　pleasure　to　her；

but　the　chamberlain　had　treated　her　roughly；　and　not　kindly　and

gently；　as　he　should　have　done；　and　that　therefore　he　owed　her　the

thousand　crowns　of　the　canon。　Then　the　judge　came　in；　saw　the　wench；

and　wished　to　kiss　her；　but　she　put　herself　on　guard；　and　said　she　had

come　to　make　a　complaint。　The　judge　replied　that　certainly　she　could

have　the　offender　hanged　if　she　liked；　because　he　was　most　anxious　to

serve　her。　The　injured　maiden　replied　that　she　did　not　wish　the　death

of　her　man；　but　that　he　should　pay　her　a　thousand　gold　crowns；　because

she　had　been　robbed　against　her　will。



〃Ha！　ha！〃　said　the　judge；　〃what　he　took　was　worth　more　than　that。〃



〃For　the　thousand　crowns　I'll　cry　quits；　because　I　shall　be　able　to

live　without　washing。〃



〃He　who　has　robbed　you；　is　he　well　off？〃



〃Oh　yes。〃



〃Then　he　shall　pay　dearly　for　it。　Who　is　it？〃



〃Monseigneur　du　Fou。〃



〃Oh；　that　alters　the　case；〃　said　the　judge。



〃But　justice？〃　said　she。



〃I　said　the　case；　not　the　justice　of　it；〃　replied　the　judge。　〃I　must

know　how　the　affair　occurred。〃



Then　the　girl　related　naively　how　she　was　arranging　the　young　lord's

ruffles　in　his　wardrobe；　when　he　began　to　play　with　her　skirt；　and　she

turned　round　saying



〃Go　on　with　you！〃



〃You　have　no　case；〃　said　the　judge；　〃for　by　that　speech　he　thought

that　you　gave　him　leave　to　go　on。　Ha！　ha！〃



Then　she　declared　that　she　had　defended　herself；　weeping　and　crying

out；　and　that　that　constitutes　an　assault。



〃A　wench's　antics　to　incite　him；〃　said　the　judge。



Finally；　La　Portillone　declared　that　against　her　will　she　had　been

taken　round　the　waist　and　thrown；　although　she　had　kicked　and　cried

and　struggled；　but　that　seeing　no　help　at　hand；　she　had　lost　courage。



〃Good！　good！〃　said　the　judge。　〃Did　you　take　pleasure　in　the　affair？〃



〃No；〃　said　she。　〃My　anguish　can　only　be　paid　for　with　a　thousand

crowns。〃



〃My　dear；〃　said　the　judge；　〃I　cannot　receive　your　complaint；　because　I

believe　no　girl　could　be　thus　treated　against　her　will。〃



〃Hi！　hi！　hi！　Ask　your　servant；〃　said　the　little　laundress；　sobbing；

〃and　hear　what　she'll　tell　you。〃



The　servan