droll stories-3- 第6部分

of　God。　And　this　manumission　will　cost　you　nothing。〃　Having　thus　said；

he　gave　them　each　a　little　tap　with　his　hand　on　the　cheek。　And　they

fell　about　his　knees　weeping　tears　of　joy　for　such　good　reasons。　The

Touranian　informed　the　people　of　the　neighbourhood；　who　picked　up　in

the　street　the　largesse；　and　received　the　predictions　of　the　good

Abbott　Hugon。



Then　it　was　with　great　honour；　Master　Anseau　held　the　reins　of　his

mule；　so　far　as　the　gate　of　Bussy。　During　the　journey　the　jeweller；

who　had　taken　a　bag　of　silver；　threw　the　pieces　to　the　poor　and

suffering；　crying；　〃Largesse；　largesse　to　God！　God　save　and　guard　the

abbot！　Long　live　the　good　Lord　Hugon！〃　And　returning　to　his　house　he

regaled　his　friends；　and　had　fresh　wedding　festivities；　which　lasted　a

fortnight。　You　can　imagine　that　the　abbot　was　reproached　by　the

Chapter；　for　his　clemency　in　opening　the　door　for　such　good　prey　to

escape；　so　that　when　a　year　after　the　good　man　Hugon　fell　ill；　his

prior　told　him　that　it　was　a　punishment　from　Heaven　because　he　had

neglected　the　sacred　interests　of　the　Chapter　and　of　God。



〃If　I　have　judged　that　man　aright；〃　said　the　abbot；　〃he　will　not

forget　what　he　owes　us。〃



In　fact；　this　day　happening　by　chance　to　be　the　anniversary　of　the

marriage；　a　monk　came　to　announce　that　the　silversmith　supplicated　his

benefactor　to　receive　him。　Soon　he　entered　the　room　where　the　abbot

was；　and　spread　out　before　him　two　marvellous　shrines；　which　since

that　time　no　workman　has　surpassed；　in　any　portion　of　the　Christian

world；　and　which　were　named　〃Vow　of　a　Steadfast　Love。〃　These　two

treasures　are；　as　everyone　knows；　placed　on　the　principal　altar　of　the

church；　and　are　esteemed　as　an　inestimable　work；　for　the　silversmith

had　spent　therein　all　his　wealth。　Nevertheless；　this　wealth；　far　from

emptying　his　purse；　filled　it　full　to　overflowing；　because　so　rapidly

increased　his　fame　and　his　fortune　that　he　was　able　to　buy　a　patent　of

nobility　and　lands；　and　he　founded　the　house　of　Anseau；　which　has

since　been　held　in　great　honour　in　fair　Touraine。



This　teaches　us　to　have　always　recourse　to　God　and　the　saints　in　all

the　undertakings　of　life；　to　be　steadfast　in　all　things；　and；　above

all；　that　a　great　love　triumphs　over　everything；　which　is　an　old

sentence；　but　the　author　has　rewritten　it　because　it　is　a　most

pleasant　one。







CONCERNING　A　PROVOST　WHO　DID　NOT　RECOGNISE　THINGS



In　the　good　town　of　Bourges；　at　the　time　when　that　lord　the　king

disported　himself　there；　who　afterwards　abandoned　his　search　after

pleasure　to　conquer　the　kingdom；　and　did　indeed　conquer　it；　lived

there　a　provost；　entrusted　by　him　with　the　maintenance　of　order；　and

called　the　provost…royal。　From　which　came；　under　the　glorious　son　of

the　said　king；　the　office　of　provost　of　the　hotel；　in　which　behaved

rather　harshly　my　lord　Tristan　of　Mere；　of　whom　these　tales　oft　make

mention；　although　he　was　by　no　means　a　merry　fellow。　I　give　this

information　to　the　friends　who　pilfer　from　old　manuscripts　to

manufacture　new　ones；　and　I　show　thereby　how　learned　these　Tales

really　are；　without　appearing　to　be　so。　Very　well；　then；　this　provost

was　named　Picot　or　Picault；　of　which　some　made　picotin；　picoter；　and

picoree；　by　some　Pitot　or　Pitaut；　from　which　comes　/pitance/；　by

others　in　Languedoc；　Pichot　from　which　comes　nothing　comes　worth

knowing；　by　these　Petiot　or　Petiet；　by　those　Petitot　and　Petinault；　or

Petiniaud；　which　was　the　masonic　appellation；　but　at　Bourges　he　was

called　Petit；　a　name　which　was　eventually　adopted　by　the　family；　which

has　multiplied　exceedingly；　for　everywhere　you　find　〃/des　Petits/；〃

and　so　he　will　be　called　Petit　in　this　narrative。　I　have　given　this

etymology　in　order　to　throw　a　light　on　our　language；　and　show　how　our

citizens　have　finished　by　acquiring　names。　But　enough　of　science。



This　said　provost；　who　had　as　many　names　as　there　were　provinces　into

which　the　court　went；　was　in　reality　a　little　bit　of　a　man；　whose

mother　had　given　him　so　strange　a　hide；　that　when　he　wanted　to　laugh

he　used　to　stretch　his　cheeks　like　a　cow　making　water；　and　this　smile

at　court　was　called　the　provost's　smile。　One　day　the　king；　hearing

this　proverbial　expression　used　by　certain　lords；　said　jokingly



〃You　are　in　error；　gentlemen；　Petit　does　not　laugh；　he's　short　of　skin

below　the　mouth。〃



But　with　his　forced　laugh　Petit　was　all　the　more　suited　to　his

occupation　of　watching　and　catching　evil…doers。　In　fact；　he　was　worth

what　he　cost。　For　all　malice；　he　was　a　bit　of　a　cuckold；　for　all　vice；

he　went　to　vespers；　for　all　wisdom　he　obeyed　God；　when　it　was

convenient；　for　all　joy　he　had　a　wife　in　his　house；　and　for　all　change

in　his　joy　he　looked　for　a　man　to　hang；　and　when　he　was　asked　to　find

one　he　never　failed　to　meet　him；　but　when　he　was　between　the　sheets　he

never　troubled　himself　about　thieves。　Can　you　find　in　all　Christendom

a　more　virtuous　provost？　No！　All　provosts　hang　too　little；　or　too

much；　while　this　one　just　hanged　as　much　as　was　necessary　to　be　a

provost。



This　good　fellow　had　for　his　wife　in　legitimate　marriage；　and　much　to

the　astonishment　of　everyone；　the　prettiest　little　woman　in　Bourges。

So　it　was　that　often；　while　on　his　road　to　the　execution；　he　would　ask

God　the　same　question　as　several　others　in　the　town　didnamely；　why

he；　Petit；　he　the　sheriff；　he　the　provost　royal；　had　to　himself；

Petit；　provost　royal　and　sheriff；　a　wife　so　exquisitely　shapely；　said

dowered　with　charms；　that　a　donkey　seeing　her　pass　by　would　bray　with

delight。　To　this　God　vouchsafed　no　reply；　and　doubtless　had　his

reasons。　But　the　slanderous　tongues　of　the　town　replied　for　him；　that

the　young　lady　was　by　no　means　a　maiden　when　she　became　the　wife　of

Petit。　Others　said　she　did　not　keep　her　affections　solely　for　him。　The

wags　answered；　that　donkeys　often　get　into　fine　stables。　Everyone　had

taunts　ready　which　would　have　made　a　nice　little　collection　had　anyone

gathered　them　together。　From　them；　however；　it　is　necessary　to　take

nearly　four…fourths；　seeing　that　Petit's　wife　was　a　virtuous　woman；

who　had　a　lover　for　pleasure　and　a　husband　for　duty。　How　many　were

there　in　the　town　as　careful　of　their　hearts　and　mouths？　If　you　can

point　out　one　to　me；　I'll　give　you　a　kick　or　a　half…penny；　whichever

you　like。　You　will　find　some　who　have　neither　husband　nor　lover。

Certain　females　have　a　lover　and　no　husband。　Ugly　women　have　a　husband

and　no　lover。　But　to　meet　with　a　woman　who；　having　one　husband　and　one

lover；　keeps　to　the　deuce　without　trying　for　the　trey；　there　is　the

miracle；　you　see；　you　greenhorns；　blockheads；　and　dolts！　Now　then；　put

the　true　character　of　this　virtuous　woman　on　the　tablets　of　your

memory；　go　your　ways；　and　let　me　go　mine。



The　good　Madame　Petit　was　not　one　of　those　ladies　who　are　always　on

the　move；　running　hither　and　thither；　can't　keep　still　a　moment；　but

trot　about；　worrying；　hurrying；　chattering；　and　clattering；　and　had

nothing　in　them　to　keep　them　steady；　but　are　so　light　that　they　run

after　a　gastric　zephyr　as　after　their　quintessence。　No；　on　the

contrary；　she　was　a　good　housewife；　always　sitting　in　her　chair　or

sleeping　in　her　bed；　ready　as　a　candlestick；　waiting　for　her　lover

when　her　husband　went　out；　receiving　the　husband　when　the　lover　had

gone。　This　dear　woman　never　thought　of　dressing　herself　only　to　annoy

and　make　other　wives　jealous。　Pish！　She　had　found　a　better　use　for　the

merry　time　of　youth；　and　put　life　into　her　joints　in　order　to　make　the

best　use　of　it。　Now　you　know　the　provost　and　his　good　wife。



The　provost's　lieutenant　in　duties　matrimonial；　duties　which　are　so

heavy　that　it　takes　two　men　to　execute　them；　was　a　noble　lord；　a

landowner；　who　disliked　the　king　exceedingly。　You　must　bear　this　in

mind；　because　it　is　one　of　the　principal　points　of　the　story。　The

Constable；　who　was　a　thorough　Scotch　gentleman；　had　seen　by　chance

Petit's　wife；　and　wished　to　have　a　little　conversation　with　her

comfortably；　towards　the　morning；　just　the　time　to　tell　his　beads；

which　was　Christianly　honest；　or　honestly　Christian；　in　order　to　argue

with　her　concerning　the　things　of　science　or　the　science　of　things。

Thinking　herself　quite　learned　enough；　Madame　Petit；　who　was；　as　has

been　stated；　a　virtuous；　wise；　and　honest　wife；　refused　to　listen　to

the　said　constable。　After　certain　arguments；　reasonings；　tricks　and

messages；　which　were　of　no　avail；　he　swore　by　his　great　black

/coquedouille/　that　he　would　rip　up　the　gallant　although　he　was　a　man

of　mark。　But　he　swore　nothing　about　the　lady。　This　denotes　a　good

Frenchman；　for　in　such　a　dilemma　there　are　certain　offended　persons

who　would　upset　the　whole　business　of　three　persons　by　killing　four。

The　constable　wagered　his　big　black　/coquedouille/　before　the　king　and

the　lady　of　Sorel；　who　were　playing　cards　before　supper；　and　his

majesty　was　well　pleased；　because　he　would　be　relieved　of　this　noble；

that　displeased　him；　and　that　without　costing　him　a　Thank　You。



〃And　how　will　you　manage　the　affair？〃　said　Madame　de　Sorel　to　him；

with　a　smile。



〃Oh；　oh！〃　replied　the　constable。　〃You　may　be　sure；　madame；　I　do　not

wish　to　lose　my　big　black　coquedouille。〃



〃What　was；　then；　this　great　coquedouille？〃



〃Ha；　ha！　This　point　is　shrouded　in　darkness　to　a　degree　that　would

make　you　ruin　your　eyes　in　ancient　books；　but　it　was　certainly

something　of　great　importance。　Nevertheless；　let　us　put　on　our

spectacles；　and　search　it　out。　/Douille/　signifies　in　Brittany；　a

girl；　and　/coque/　means　a　cook's　frying　pan。　From　this　word　has　come

into　France　that　of　/coquin/a　knave　who　eats；　licks；　laps；　sucks；

and　fritters　his　money　away；　and　gets　into　stews；　is　always　in　hot

water；　and　eats　up　everything；　leads　an　idle　life；　and　doing　this；

becomes　wicked；　becomes　poor；　and　that　incites　him　to　steal　or　beg。

From　this　it　may　be　concluded　by　the　learned　that　the　great

coquedouille　was　a　household