droll stories-3-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



abbey　very　distinctly；　but　which　he　did　not　wish　to　see。



〃Monseigneur；　I　am　the　daughter　of　an　homme　de　corps；　thus　whoever

unites　himself　to　me　by　marriage；　will　become　a　bondsman；　even　if　he

were　a　citizen　of　Paris；　and　would　belong　body　and　goods　to　the　abbey。

If　he　loved　me　otherwise；　his　children　would　still　belong　to　the

domain。　For　this　reason　I　am　neglected　by　everyone；　abandoned　like　a

poor　beast　of　the　field。　But　what　makes　me　most　unhappy　is；　that

according　to　the　pleasure　of　monseigneur　the　abbot；　I　shall　be　coupled

at　some　time　with　a　bondsman。　And　if　I　were　less　ugly　than　I　am；　at

the　sight　of　my　collar　the　most　amorous　would　flee　from　me　as　from　the

black　plague。〃



So　saying；　she　pulled　her　cow　by　the　cord　to　make　it　follow　her。



〃And　how　old　are　you？〃　asked　the　silversmith。



〃I　do　not　know；　monseigneur；　but　our　master；　the　abbot；　has　kept

account。〃



This　great　misery　touched　the　heart　of　the　good　man；　who　had　in　his

day　eaten　the　bread　of　sorrow。　He　regulated　his　pace　to　the　girl's；

and　they　went　together　towards　the　water　in　painful　silence。　The　good

man　gazed　at　the　fine　forehead；　the　round　red　arms；　the　queen's　waist；

the　feet　dusty；　but　made　like　those　of　a　Virgin　Mary；　and　the　sweet

physiognomy　of　this　girl；　who　was　the　living　image　of　St。　Genevieve；

the　patroness　of　Paris；　and　the　maidens　who　live　in　the　fields。　And

make　sure　that　this　Joseph　suspected　the　pretty　white　of　this　sweet

girl's　breasts；　which　were　by　a　modest　grace　carefully　covered　with　an

old　rag；　and　looked　at　them　as　a　schoolboy　looks　at　a　rosy　apple　on　a

hot　day。　Also；　may　you　depend　upon　it　that　these　little　hillocks　of

nature　denoted　a　wench　fashioned　with　delicious　perfection；　like

everything　that　the　monks　possess。　Now；　the　more　it　was　forbidden　our

silversmith　to　touch　them；　the　more　his　mouth　watered　for　these　fruits

of　love。　And　his　heart　leaped　almost　into　his　mouth。



〃You　have　a　fine　cow；〃　said　he。



〃Would　you　like　a　little　milk？〃　replied　she。　〃It　is　so　warm　these

early　days　of　May。　You　are　far　from　the　town。〃



In　truth；　the　sky　was　a　cloudless　blue；　and　glared　like　a　forge。

Everything　was　radiant　with　youth；　the　leaves；　the　air；　the　girls；　the

lads；　everything　was　burning；　was　green；　and　smelt　like　balm。　This

naive　offer；　made　without　the　hope　of　recompense；　though　a　byzant

would　not　have　paid　for　the　special　grace　of　this　speech；　and　the

modesty　of　the　gesture　with　which　the　poor　girl　turned　to　him　gained

the　heart　of　the　jeweller；　who　would　have　liked　to　be　able　to　put　this

bondswoman　into　the　skin　of　a　queen；　and　Paris　at　her　feet。



〃Nay；　my　child；　I　thirst　not　for　milk；　but　for　you；　whom　I　would　have

leave　to　liberate。〃



〃That　cannot　be；　and　I　shall　die　the　property　of　the　abbey。　For　years

we　have　lived　so；　from　father　to　son；　from　mother　to　daughter。　Like　my

ancestors；　I　shall　pass　my　days　on　this　land；　as　will　also　my

children；　because　the　abbot　cannot　legally　let　us　go。〃



〃What！〃　said　the　Touranian；　〃has　no　gallant　been　tempted　by　your

bright　eyes　to　buy　your　liberty；　as　I　bought　mine　from　the　king？〃



〃It　would　cost　too　dear；　thus　it　is　those　whom　at　first　sight　I

please；　go　as　they　came。〃



〃And　you　have　never　thought　of　gaining　another　country　in　company　of　a

lover　on　horseback　on　a　fleet　courser？〃



〃Oh　yes。　But；　monseigneur；　if　I　were　caught　I　should　be　hanged　at

least；　and　my　gallant；　even　were　he　a　lord；　would　lose　more　than　one

domain　over　it；　besides　other　things。　I　am　not　worth　so　much；　besides；

the　abbey　has　arms　longer　than　my　feet　are　swift。　So　I　live　on　in

perfect　obedience　to　God；　who　has　placed　me　in　this　plight。〃



〃What　is　your　father？〃



〃He　tends　the　vines　in　the　gardens　of　the　abbey。〃



〃And　your　mother？〃



〃She　is　a　washerwoman。〃



〃And　what　is　your　name？〃



〃I　have　no　name；　dear　sir。　My　father　was　baptised　Etienne；　my　mother

is　Etienne；　and　I　am　Tiennette；　at　your　service。〃



〃Sweetheart；〃　said　the　jeweller；　〃never　has　woman　pleased　me　as　you

please　me；　and　I　believe　that　your　heart　contains　a　wealth　of

goodness。　Now；　since　you　offered　yourself　to　my　eyes　at　the　moment

when　I　was　firmly　deliberating　upon　taking　a　companion；　I　believe　that

I　see　in　you　a　sign　from　heaven！　And　if　I　am　not　displeasing　to　you；　I

beg　you　to　accept　me　as　your　friend。〃



Immediately　the　maid　lowered　her　eyes。　These　words　were　uttered　in

such　a　way；　in　so　grave　a　tone；　so　penetrating　a　manner；　that　the　said

Tiennette　burst　into　tears。



〃No；　monseigneur；　I　should　be　the　cause　of　a　thousand

unpleasantnesses；　and　of　your　misfortune。　For　a　poor　bondsmaid；　the

conversation　has　gone　far　enough。〃



〃Ho！〃　cried　Anseau；　〃you　do　not　know；　my　child；　the　man　you　are

dealing　with。〃



The　Touranian　crossed　himself；　joined　his　hands；　and　said



〃I　make　a　vow　to　Monsieur　the　Saint　Eloi；　under　whose　invocation　are

the　silversmiths；　to　fashion　two　images　of　pure　silver；　with　the　best

workmanship　I　am　able　to　perform。　One　shall　be　a　statue　of　Madame　the

Virgin；　to　this　end；　to　thank　her　for　the　liberty　of　my　dear　wife；　and

the　other　for　my　said　patron；　if　I　am　successful　in　my　undertaking　to

liberate　the　bondswoman　Tiennette　here　present；　and　for　which　I　rely

upon　his　assistance。　Moreover；　I　swear　by　my　eternal　salvation；　to

persevere　with　courage　in　this　affair；　to　spend　therein　all　I　process；

and　only　to　quit　it　with　my　life。　God　has　heard　me；〃　said　he。　〃And

you；　little　one；〃　he　added；　turning　towards　the　maid。



〃Ha！　monseigneur；　look！　My　cow　is　running　about　the　fields；〃　cried

she；　sobbing　at　the　good　man's　knees。　〃I　will　love　you　all　my　life；

but　withdraw　your　vow。〃



〃Let　us　to　look　after　the　cow；〃　said　the　silversmith；　raising　her；

without　daring　yet　to　kiss　her；　although　the　maid　was　well　disposed　to

it。



〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃for　I　shall　be　beaten。〃



And　behold　now　the　silversmith；　scampering　after　the　cursed　cow；　who

gave　no　heed　to　their　amours；　she　was　taken　by　the　horns；　and　held　in

the　grip　of　the　Touranian；　who　for　a　trifle　would　have　thrown　her　in

the　air；　like　a　straw。



〃Adieu；　my　sweet　one！　If　you　go　into　the　town；　come　to　my　house；　over

against　St　Leu's　Church。　I　am　called　Master　Anseau；　and　am　silversmith

to　the　King　of　France；　at　the　sign　of　St。　Eloi。　Make　me　a　promise　to

be　in　this　field　the　next　Lord's…Day；　fail　not　to　come；　even　should　it

rain　halberds。〃



〃Yes；　dear　Sir。　For　this　I　would　leap　the　walls；　and；　in　gratitude；

would　I　be　yours　without　mischief；　and　cause　you　no　sorrow；　at　the

price　of　my　everlasting　future。　Awaiting　the　happy　moment；　I　will　pray

God　for　you　with　all　my　heart。〃



And　then　she　remained　standing　like　a　stone　saint；　moving　not；　until

she　could　see　the　good　citizen　no　longer；　and　he　went　away　with

lagging　steps；　turning　from　time　to　time　further　to　gaze　upon　her。　And

when　he　was　far　off；　and　out　of　her　sight；　she　stayed　on；　until

nightfall；　lost　in　meditation；　knowing　not　if　she　had　dreamed　that

which　had　happened　to　her。　Then　she　went　back　to　the　house；　where　she

was　beaten　for　staying　out；　but　felt　not　the　blows。　The　good

silversmith　could　neither　eat　nor　drink；　but　closed　his　workshop；

possessed　of　this　girl；　thinking　of　nothing　but　this　girl；　seeing

everywhere　the　girl；　everything　to　him　being　to　possess　this　girl。　Now

when　the　morrow　was　come；　he　went　with　great　apprehension　towards　the

abbey　to　speak　to　the　lord　abbot。　On　the　road；　however；　he　suddenly

thought　of　putting　himself　under　the　protection　of　one　of　the　king's

people；　and　with　this　idea　returned　to　the　court；　which　was　then　held

in　the　town。　Being　esteemed　by　all　for　his　prudence；　and　loved　for　his

little　works　and　kindnesses；　the　king's　chamberlainfor　whom　he　had

once　made；　for　a　present　to　a　lady　of　the　court；　a　golden　casket　set

with　precious　stones　and　unique　of　its　kindpromised　him　assistance；

had　a　horse　saddled　for　himself；　and　a　hack　for　the　silversmith；　with

whom　he　set　out　for　the　abbey；　and　asked　to　see　the　abbot；　who　was

Monseigneur　Hugon　de　Sennecterre；　aged　ninety…three。　Being　come　into

the　room　with　the　silversmith；　waiting　nervously　to　receive　his

sentence；　the　chamberlain　begged　the　abbot　to　sell　him　in　advance　a

thing　which　was　easy　for　him　to　sell；　and　which　would　be　pleasant　to

him。



To　which　the　abbot　replied；　looking　at　the　chamberlain



〃That　the　canons　inhibited　and　forbade　him　thus　to　engage　his　word。〃



〃Behold；　my　dear　father；〃　said　the　chamberlain；　〃the　jeweller　of　the

Court　who　has　conceived　a　great　love　for　a　bondswoman　belonging　to

your　abbey；　and　I　request　you；　in　consideration　of　my　obliging　you　in

any　such　desire　as　you　may　wish　to　see　accomplished；　to　emancipate

this　maid。〃



〃Which　is　she？〃　asked　the　abbot　of　the　citizen。



〃Her　name　is　Tiennette；〃　answered　the　silversmith；　timidly。



〃Ho！　ho！〃　said　the　good　old　Hugon；　smiling。　〃The　angler　has　caught　us

a　good　fish！　This　is　a　grave　busin