“There! there!” said the lord, “go and find the notary.”
An old wood cutter ran to the scrivener, who came and drew up a contract, to which the lord of Valennes put his cross, not knowing how to write, and when all was signed and sealed—
“Well, old lady,” said he, “now you are no longer answerable to God for the virtue of your child.”
“Ah! my lord, the vicar said until the age of reason, and my child is quite reasonable.” Then turning towards her, she added, “Marie Fiquet, that which is dearest to you is your honour, and there where you are going every one, without counting my lord, will try to rob you of it, but you see well what it is worth; for that reason do not lose it save willingly and in a proper manner. Now in order not to contaminate your virtue before God and before man, except for a legitimate motive, take heed that your chance of marriage be not damaged beforehand, otherwise you will go to the bad.”
“Yes, dear mother,” replied the maid.
And thereupon she left the poor abode of her relation, and came to the chateau of Valennes, there to serve my lady, who found her both pretty and to her taste.
When the people of Valennes, Saché, Villaines, and other places, learned the high price given for the maid of Thilouse, the good housewives recognized the fact that nothing is more profitable than virtue, endeavoured to nourish and bring up their daughters virtuous; but the business was as risky as that of rearing silkworms, which are liable to perish, since innocence is like a medlar, and ripens quickly on the straw. There were, however, some girls noted for it in Touraine, who passed for virgins in the convents of the religious, but I cannot vouch for these, not having proceeded to verify them in the manner laid down by Verville, in order to make sure of the perfect virtue of women. However, Marie Fiquet followed the wise counsel of her mother, and would take no notice of the soft requests, honied words, or apish tricks of her master, unless they were flavoured with a promise of marriage.
When the old lord tried to kiss her, she would put her back up like a cat at the approach of a dog, crying out, “I will tell Madame!” In short, at the end of six months he had not even recovered the price of a single fagot. From her labour La Fiquet became harder and firmer. Sometimes she would reply to the gentle request of her master, “When you have taken it from me will you give it me back again?” Another time she would say, “If I were as full of holes as a sieve not one should be for you, so ugly do I think you.”
The good old man took these village sayings for flowers of innocence, and ceased not to make little signs to her, long harangues and a hundred vows and sermons, for by reason of seeing the fine big breasts of the maid, her plump hips, which at certain movements came into prominent relief, and could be seen through her dress, and by reason of admiring other things capable of inflaming the mind of a saint, this dear man became enamoured of her with an old man’s passion, which augments in geometrical proportions as opposed to the passions of young men, because the old men love with their weakness which grows greater, and the young with their strength which grows less. In order to leave this headstrong girl no loophole for refusal, the old lord took into his confidence the steward, whose age was seventy odd years, and made him understand that he ought to marry in order to keep his body warm, and that Marie Fiquet was the very girl to suit him. The old steward, who had gained three hundred pounds by different services about the house, desired to live quietly without opening the front door again; but his good master begged him to marry to please him, assuring him that he need not trouble about his wife. So the good steward wandered out of sheer good nature into this marriage. The day of the wedding, bereft of all her reasons, and not able to find objections to her pursuer, she made him give her a fat settlement and dowry as the price of her conquest, and then gave the old knave leave to sleep with her as often as he could, promising him as many embraces as he had given grains of wheat to her mother. But at his age a bushel was sufficient.
The festivities over, the lord did not fail, as soon as his wife had retired, to wend his way towards the well-glazed, well-carpeted, and pretty room where he had lodged his lass, his money, his fagots, his house, his wheat, and his steward. To be brief, know that he found the maid of Thilouse the sweetest girl in the world, as pretty as anything, by the soft light of the fire which was gleaming in the chimney, snug between the sheets, with a sweet odour about her, as a young maiden should have, and in fact he had no regret for the great price of this jewel. Not being able to restrain himself from hurrying over the first mouthfuls of this royal morsel, the lord treated her more as a past master than a young beginner. So the happy man by too much gluttony, managed badly, and in fact knew nothing of the sweet business of love. Finding which, the good wench said, after a minute or two, to her old cavalier, “My lord, if you are there, as I think you are, give a little more swing to your bells.”
From this saying, which became spread about, I know not how, Marie Fiquet became famous, and it is still said in our country, “She is a maid of Thilouse,” in mockery of a bride, and to signify a “fricquenelle.”
“Fricquenelle” is said of a girl I do not wish you to find in your arms on your wedding night, unless you have been brought up in the philosophy of Zeno, which puts up with anything, and there are many people obliged to be Stoics in this funny situation, which is often met with, for Nature turns, but changes not, and there are always good maids of Thilouse to be found in Touraine, and elsewhere. Now if you ask me in what consists, or where comes in, the moral of this tale? I am at liberty to reply to the ladies; that the Contes Drolatiques are made more to teach the moral of pleasure than to procure the pleasure of pointing a moral. But if it were a used-up old rascal who asked me, I should say to him, with all the respect due to his yellow or grey locks; that God wished to punish the lord of Valennes, for trying to purchase a jewel made to be given.
THE BROTHER-IN-ARMS
AT the commencement of the reign of King Henry, second of the name, who loved so well the fair Diana, there existed still a ceremony of which the usage has since become much weakened, and which has altogether disappeared, like an infinity of the good things of the olden times. This fine and noble custom was the choice which all knights made of a brother-in-arms. After having recognized each other as two loyal and brave men, each one of this pretty couple was married for life to the other; both became brothers, the one had to defend the other in battling against the enemies who threatend him, and at Court against the friends who slandered him. In the absence of his companion the other was expected to say to one who should have accused his good brother of any disloyalty, wickedness or dark felony, “You have lied by your throat,” and so go into the field instantly, so sure was the one of the honour of the other. There is no need to add, that the one was always the second of the other in all affairs, good or evil, and that they shared all good or evil fortune. They were better than the brothers who are only united by the hazard of nature, since they were fraternized by the bonds of an especial sentiment, involuntary and mutual, and thus the fraternity of arms has produced splendid characters, as brave as those of the ancient Greeks, Romans, or others…. But this is not my subject; the history of these things has been written by the historians of our country, and every one knows them.
Now at this time two young gentlemen of Touraine, of whom one was the Cadet of Maillé, and the other the Sieur de Lavallière, became brothers-in-arms on the day they gained their spurs. They were leaving the house of Monsieur de Montmorency, where they had been nourished with the good doctrines of this great Captain, and had shown how contagious is valour in such good company, for at the battle of Ravenna they merited the praises of the oldest knights. It was in the thick of this fierce fight that Maillé, saved by the said Lavallière, with whom he had had a quarrel or two, perceived that this gentleman had a noble heart. As they had each received slashes in their doublets, they baptized their fraternity with their blood, and were ministered to together in one and the same bed under the tent of Monsieur de Montmorenc
y their master. It is necessary to inform you that, contrary to the custom of his family, which was always to have a pretty face, the Cadet of Maillé was not of a pleasing physiognomy, and had scarcely any beauty but that of the devil. For the rest, he was lithe as a greyhound, broad-shouldered and strongly built as King Pepin, who was a terrible antagonist. On the other hand, the Sieur de Chateau-Lavallière was a dainty fellow, for whom seemed to have been invented rich laces, silken hose, and cancellated shoes. His long dark locks were pretty as a lady’s ringlets, and he was, to be brief, a child with whom all the women would be glad to play. One day the Dauphine, niece of the Pope, said laughingly to the Queen of Navarre, who did not dislike these little jokes, “that this page was a plaster to cure every ache,” which caused the pretty little Tourainian to blush, because, being only sixteen, he took this gallantry as a reproach.
Now on his return from Italy the Cadet of Maillé found the slipper of marriage ready for his foot, the which his mother had obtained for him in the person of Mademoiselle d’Annebaut, who was a graceful maiden of good appearance, and well furnished with everything, having a splendid hotel in the Rue Barbette, with handsome furniture and Italian paintings and many considerable lands to inherit. Some days after the death of King Francis—a circumstance which planted terror in the hearts of every one, because his said Majesty had died in consequence of an attack of the Neapolitan sickness, and that for the future there would be no security even with princesses of the highest birth—the above-named Maillé was compelled to quit the Court in order to go and arrange certain affairs of great importance in Piedmont. You may be sure that he was very loth to leave his good wife, so young, so delicate, so sprightly, in the midst of the dangers, temptations, snares and pitfalls of this gallant assemblage, which comprised so many handsome fellows, bold as eagles, proud of mien, and as fond of women as the people are partial to Paschal hams. In this state of intense jealousy everything made him ill at ease; but by dint of much thinking, it occurred to him to make sure of his wife in the manner about to be related. He invited his good brother-in-arms to come at daybreak on the morning of his departure. Now directly he heard Lavallière’s horse in the courtyard, he leaped out of the bed, leaving his sweet and fair better-half sleeping that gentle, dreamy, dozing sleep so beloved by dainty ladies and lazy people. Lavallière came to him, and the two companions, hidden in the embrasure of the window, greeted each other with a loyal clasp of the hand, and immediately Lavallière said to Maillé—
“I should have been here last night in answer to thy summons, but I had a love suit on with my lady, who had given me an assignation; I could in no way fail to keep it, but I quitted her at dawn. Shall I accompany thee? I have told her of thy departure, she has promised me to remain without any amour; we have made a compact. If she deceives me—well, a friend is worth more than a mistress!”
“Oh! my good brother,” replied Maillé, quite overcome with these words, “I wish to demand of thee a still higher proof of thy brave heart. Wilt thou take charge of my wife, defend her against all, be her guide, keep her in check and answer to me for the integrity of my head? Thou canst stay here during my absence, in the greenroom, and be my wife’s cavalier.”
Lavallière knitted his brow and said—
“It is neither thee nor thy wife that I fear, but evilminded people, who will take advantage of this to entangle us like skeins of silk.”
“Do not be afraid of me,” replied Maillé, clasping Lavallière to his breast. “If it be the divine will of the Almighty that I shall have the misfortune to be a cuckold, I should be less grieved if it were to your advantage. But by my faith, I should die of grief, for my life is bound up in my good, young, virtuous wife.”
Saying which, he turned away his head, in order that Lavallière should not perceive the tears in his eyes; but the fine courtier saw this flow of water, and taking the hand of Maillé——
“Brother,” said he to him, “I swear to thee on my honour as a man, that before any one lays a finger on thy wife, he shall have felt my dagger in the depths of his veins! And, unless I should die, thou shalt find her on thy return, intact in body if not in heart, because thought is beyond the control of gentlemen.”
“It is then decreed above!” exclaimed Maillé, “that I shall always be thy servant and thy debtor!”
Thereupon the comrade departed, in order not to be inundated with the tears, exclamations, and other expressions of grief which ladies make use of when saying “Farewell.” Lavallière having conducted him to the gate of the town, came back to the hotel, waited until Marie d’Annebaut was out of bed, informed her of the departure of her good husband, and offered to place himself at her orders, in such a graceful manner, that the most virtuous woman would have been tickled with a desire to keep such a knight to herself. But there was no need of this fine paternoster to indoctrinate the lady, seeing that she had listened to the discourse of the two friends, and was greatly offended at her husband’s doubt. Alas! God alone is perfect! In all the ideas of men there is always a bad side, and it is therefore a great science in life, but an impossible science, to take hold of everything, even a stick by the right end. The cause of the great difficulty there is in pleasing the ladies is, that there is in them a thing which is more woman than they are, and but for the respect which is due to them, I would use another word. Now we should never awaken the phantasy of this malevolent thing. The perfect government of women is a task to rend a man’s heart, and we are compelled to remain in perfect submission to them; that is, I imagine, the best manner in which to solve the most agonizing enigma of marriage.
Now Marie d’Annebaut was delighted with the bearing and offers of the gallant; but there was something in her smile which indicated a malicious idea, and, to speak plainly, the intention of putting her young guardian between honour and pleasure; to regale him so with love, to surround him with so many little attentions, to pursue him with such warm glances, that he would be faithless to friendship, to the advantage of gallantry.
Everything was in perfect trim for the carrying out of her design, because of the companionship which the Sire de Lavallière would be obliged to have with her during his stay in the hotel, and as there is nothing in the world can turn a woman from her whim, at every turn the artful jade was ready to catch him in a trap.
At times she would make him remain seated near her by the fire, until twelve o’clock at night, singing soft refrains, and at every opportunity showing her fair shoulders, and the white temptations of which her corset was full, and casting upon him a thousand piercing glances, all without showing in her face the thoughts that surged in her brain.
At times she would walk with him in the morning, in the gardens of the hotel, leaning heavily upon his arm, pressing it, sighing, and making him tie the laces of her little shoes, which were always coming undone in that particular place. Then it would be those soft words and things which the ladies understand so well, little attentions paid to a guest, such as coming in to see if he were comfortable, if his bed were well made, the room clean, if the ventilation were good, if he felt any draughts in the night, if the sun came in during the day, and asking him to forego none of his usual fancies and habits, saying—
“Are you accustomed to take anything in the morning in bed, such as honey, milk, or spice? Do the meal times suit you? I will conform mine to yours: tell me. You are afraid to ask me. Come——”
She accompanied these coddling little attentions with a hundred affected speeches; for instance, on coming into the room she would say—
“I am intruding, send me away. You want to be left alone—I will go.” And always was she graciously invited to remain.
And the cunning Madame always came lightly attired, showing samples of her beauty, which would have made a patriarch neigh, even were he as much battered by time as must have been Mr. Methuselah, with his nine hundred and sixty years.
The good knight being as sharp as a needle, let the lady go on with her tricks, much pleased to see her oc
cupy herself with him, since it was so much gained; but like a loyal brother, he always called her absent husband to the lady’s mind.
Now one evening—the day had been very warm—Lavallière suspecting the lady’s games, told her that Maillé loved her dearly, that she had in him a man of honour, a gentleman who doted on her, and was ticklish on the score of his crown.
“Why then, if he is so ticklish in this matter, has he placed you here?”
“Was it not a most prudent thing?” replied he. “Was it not necessary to confide you to some defender of your virtue? not that it needs one save to protect you from wicked men.”
“Then you are my guardian?” said she.
“I am proud of it!” exclaimed Lavallière.
“Ah!” said she, “he has made a very bad choice.”
This remark was accompanied by a little look, so lewdly lascivious that the good brother-in-arms put on, by way of reproach, a severe countenance, and left the fair lady alone, much piqued at this refusal to commence love’s conflict.
She remained in deep meditation, and began to search for the real obstacle that she had encountered, for it was impossible that it should enter the mind of any lady, that a gentleman could despise that bagatelle which is of such great price, and so high value. Now these thoughts knitted and joined together so well, one fitting into the other, that out of little pieces she constructed a perfect whole, and found herself desperately in love; which should teach ladies never to play with a man’s weapons, seeing that like glue, they always stick to the fingers.
By this means Marie d’Annebaut came to a conclusion which she should have known at the commencement—viz., that to keep clear of her snares, the good knight must be smitten with some other lady, and looking around her, to see where her young guest could have found a needle-case to his taste, she thought of the fair Limeuil, one of Queen Catherine’s maids, of Mesdames de Nevers, d’Estrées, and de Giac, all of whom were declared friends of Lavallière’s, and of the lot he must love one to distraction.
Droll Stories Page 14