droll stories-3-第20节

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Suddenly　the　monk　pulled　off　the　tablecloth　and　flung　everything　into

the　fireplace；　telling　Bertha　his　suspicion。　Bertha　thanked　the　Virgin

that　her　son　had　been　so　taken　up　with　his　sport。　Retaining　his

presence　of　mind；　Jehan；　who　had　not　forgotten　the　lesson　he　had

learned　as　a　page；　leaped　into　the　courtyard；　lifted　his　son　from　the

horse；　sprang　across　it　himself；　and　flew　across　the　country　with　such

speed　that　you　would　have　thought　him　a　shooting…star　if　you　had　seen

him　digging　the　spurs　into　the　horse's　bleeding　flanks；　and　he　was　at

Loches　in　Fallotte's　house　in　the　same　space　of　time　that　only　the

devil　could　have　done　the　journey。　He　stated　the　case　to　her　in　two

words；　for　the　poison　was　already　frying　his　marrow；　and　requested　her

to　give　him　an　antidote。



〃Alas；〃　said　the　sorceress；　〃had　I　known　that　it　was　for　you　I　was

giving　this　poison；　I　would　have　received　in　my　breast　the　dagger's

point；　with　which　I　was　threatened；　and　would　have　sacrificed　my　poor

life　to　save　that　of　a　man　of　God；　and　of　the　sweetest　woman　that　ever

blossomed　on　this　earth；　for　alas！　my　dear　friend；　I　have　only　two

drops　of　the　counter…poison　that　you　see　in　this　phial。〃



〃Is　there　enough　for　her？〃



〃Yes；　but　go　at　once；〃　said　the　old　hag。



The　monk　came　back　more　quickly　that　he　went；　so　that　the　horse　died

under　him　in　the　courtyard。　He　rushed　into　the　room　where　Bertha；

believing　her　last　hour　to　be　come；　was　kissing　her　son；　and　writhing

like　a　lizard　in　the　fire；　uttering　no　cry　for　herself；　but　for　the

child；　left　to　the　wrath　of　Bastarnay；　forgetting　her　own　agony　at　the

thought　of　his　cruel　future。



〃Take　this；〃　said　the　monk；　〃my　life　is　saved！〃



Jehan　had　the　great　courage　to　say　these　words　with　an　unmoved　face；

although　he　felt　the　claws　of　death　seizing　his　heart。　Hardly　had

Bertha　drunk　when　the　prior　fell　dead；　not；　however；　without　kissing

his　son；　and　regarding　his　dear　lady　with　an　eye　that　changed　not　even

after　his　last　sigh。　This　sight　turned　her　as　cold　as　marble；　and

terrified　her　so　much　that　she　remained　rigid　before　this　dead　man；

stretched　at　her　feet；　pressing　the　hand　of　her　child；　who　wept；

although　her　own　eye　was　as　dry　as　the　Red　Sea　when　the　Hebrews

crossed　it　under　the　leadership　of　Baron　Moses；　for　it　seemed　to　her

that　she　had　sharp　sand　rolling　under　her　eyelids。　Pray　for　her；　ye

charitable　souls；　for　never　was　woman　so　agonised；　in　divining　that

her　lover　has　saved　her　life　at　the　expense　of　his　own。　Aided　by　her

son；　she　herself　placed　the　monk　in　the　middle　of　the　bed；　and　stood

by　the　side　of　it；　praying　with　the　boy；　whom　she　then　told　that　the

prior　was　his　true　father。　In　this　state　she　waited　her　evil　hour；　and

her　evil　hour　did　not　take　long　in　coming；　for　towards　the　eleventh

hour　Bastarnay　arrived；　and　was　informed　at　the　portcullis　that　the

monk　was　dead；　and　not　Madame　and　the　child；　and　he　saw　his　beautiful

Spanish　horse　lying　dead。　Thereupon；　seized　with　a　furious　desire　to

slay　Bertha　and　the　monk's　bastard；　he　sprang　up　the　stairs　with　one

bound；　but　at　the　sight　of　the　corpse；　for　whom　his　wife　and　her　son

repeated　incessant　litanies；　having　no　ears　for　his　torrent　of

invective；　having　no　eyes　for　his　writhings　and　threats；　he　had　no

longer　the　courage　to　perpetrate　this　dark　deed。　After　the　first　fury

of　his　rage　had　passed；　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　it；　and　quitted

the　room　like　a　coward　and　a　man　taken　in　crime；　stung　to　the　quick　by

those　prayers　continuously　said　for　the　monk。　The　night　was　passed　in

tears；　groans；　and　prayers。



By　an　express　order　from　Madame；　her　servant　had　been　to　Loches　to

purchase　for　her　the　attire　of　a　young　lady　of　quality；　and　for　her

poor　child　a　horse　and　the　arms　of　an　esquire；　noticing　which　the

Sieur　de　Bastarnay　was　much　astonished。　He　sent　for　Madame　and　the

monk's　son；　but　neither　mother　nor　child　returned　any　answer；　but

quietly　put　on　the　clothes　purchased　by　the　servant。　By　Madame's　order

this　servant　made　up　the　account　of　her　effects；　arranged　her　clothes；

purples；　jewels；　and　diamonds；　as　the　property　of　a　widow　is　arranged

when　she　renounces　her　rights。　Bertha　ordered　even　her　alms…purse　be

included；　in　order　that　the　ceremony　might　be　perfect。　The　report　of

these　preparations　ran　through　the　house；　and　everyone　knew　then　that

the　mistress　was　about　to　leave　it；　a　circumstance　that　filled　every

heart　with　sorrow；　even　that　of　a　little　scullion；　who　had　only　been　a

week　in　the　place；　but　to　whom　Madame　had　already　given　a　kind　word。



Frightened　at　these　preparations；　old　Bastarnay　came　into　her　chamber；

and　found　her　weeping　over　the　body　of　Jehan；　for　the　tears　had　come

at　last；　but　she　dried　them　directly　she　perceived　her　husband。　To　his

numerous　questions　she　replied　briefly　by　the　confession　of　her　fault；

telling　him　how　she　had　been　duped；　how　the　poor　page　had　been

distressed；　showing　him　upon　the　corpse　the　mark　of　the　poniard　wound；

how　long　he　had　been　getting　well；　and　how；　in　obedience　to　her；　and

from　penitence　towards　God；　he　had　entered　the　Church；　abandoning　the

glorious　career　of　a　knight；　putting　an　end　to　his　name；　which　was

certainly　worse　than　death；　how　she；　while　avenging　her　honour；　had

thought　that　even　God　himself　would　not　have　refused　the　monk　one　day

in　the　year　to　see　the　son　for　whom　he　had　sacrificed　everything；　how；

not　wishing　to　live　with　a　murderer；　she　was　about　to　quit　his　house；

leaving　all　her　property　behind　her；　because；　if　the　honour　of　the

Bastarnays　was　stained；　it　was　not　she　who　had　brought　the　shame

about；　because　in　this　calamity　she　had　arranged　matters　as　best　she

could；　finally；　she　added　a　vow　to　go　over　mountain　and　valley；　she

and　her　son；　until　all　was　expiated；　for　she　knew　how　to　expiate　all。



Having　with　noble　mien　and　a　pale　face　uttered　these　beautiful　words；

she　took　her　child　by　the　hand　and　went　out　in　great　mourning；　more

magnificently　beautiful　than　was　Mademoiselle　Hagar　on　her　departure

from　the　residence　of　the　patriarch　Abraham；　and　so　proudly；　that　all

the　servants　and　retainers　fell　on　their　knees　as　she　passed　along；

imploring　her　with　joined　hands；　like　Notre　Dame　de　la　Riche。　It　was

pitiful　to　see　the　Sieur　de　Bastarnay　following　her；　ashamed；　weeping；

confessing　himself　to　blame；　and　downcast　and　despairing；　like　a　man

being　led　to　the　gallows；　there　to　be　turned　off。



And　Bertha　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　everything。　The　desolation　was　so

great　that　she　found　the　drawbridge　lowered；　and　hastened　to　quit　the

castle；　fearing　that　it　might　be　suddenly　raised　again；　but　no　one　had

the　right　or　the　heart　to　do　it。　She　sat　down　on　the　curb　of　the　moat；

in　view　of　the　whole　castle；　who　begged　her；　with　tears；　to　stay。　The

poor　sire　was　standing　with　his　hand　upon　the　chain　of　the　portcullis；

as　silent　as　the　stone　saints　carved　above　the　door。　He　saw　Bertha

order　her　son　to　shake　the　dust　from　his　shoes　at　the　end　of　the

bridge；　in　order　to　have　nothing　belonging　to　Bastarnay　about　him；　and

she　did　likewise。　Then；　indicating　the　sire　to　her　son　with　her

finger；　she　spoke　to　him　as　follows



〃Child；　behold　the　murderer　of　thy　father；　who　was；　as　thou　art　aware；

the　poor　prior；　but　thou　hast　taken　the　name　of　this　man。　Give　it　him

back　here；　even　as　thou　leavest　the　dust　taken　by　the　shoes　from　his

castle。　For　the　food　that　thou　hast　had　in　the　castle；　by　God's　help

we　will　also　settle。〃



Hearing　this；　Bastarnay　would　have　let　his　wife　receive　a　whole

monastery　of　monks　in　order　not　to　be　abandoned　by　her；　and　by　a　young

squire　capable　of　becoming　the　honour　of　his　house；　and　remained　with

his　head　sunk　down　against　the　chains。



The　heart　of　Bertha　was　suddenly　filled　with　holy　solace；　for　the

banner　of　the　great　monastery　turned　the　corner　of　a　road　across　the

fields；　and　appeared　accompanied　by　the　chants　of　the　Church；　which

burst　forth　like　heavenly　music。　The　monks；　informed　of　the　murder

perpetrated　on　their　well…beloved　prior；　came　in　procession；　assisted

by　the　ecclesiastical　justice；　to　claim　his　body。　When　he　saw　this；

the　Sire　de　Bastarnay　had　barely　that　time　to　make　for　the　postern

with　his　men；　and　set　out　towards　Monseigneur　Louis；　leaving

everything　in　confusion。



Poor　Bertha；　en　croup　behind　her　son；　came　to　Montbazon　to　bid　her

father　farewell；　telling　him　that　this　blow　would　be　her　death；　and

was　consoled　by　those　of　her　family　who　endeavoured　to　raise　her

spirits；　but　were　unable　to　do　so。　The　old　Sire　de　Rohan　presented　his

grandson　with　a　splendid　suit　of　armour；　telling　him　to　acquire　glory

and　honour　that　he　might　turn　his　mother's　faults　into　eternal　renown。

But　Madame　de　Bastarnay　had　implanted　in　the　mind　of　her　dear　son　no

other　idea　than　of　atoning　for　the　harm　done；　in　order　to　save　her　and

Jehan　from　eternal　damnation。　Both　then　set　out　for　the　places　then　in

a　state　of　rebellion；　in　order　to　render　such　service