twelve　years　had　elapsed　with　no　other　alloy　than　the　doubt　which　at
  times　embittered　her　joy。　Each　year；　according　to　her　pledged　faith；
  the　monk　of　Marmoustier；　who　was　unknown　to　everyone　except　the
  servant…maid；　came　to　pass　a　whole　day　at　the　chateau　to　see　his
  child；　although　Bertha　had　many　times　besought　brother　Jehan　to　yield
  his　right。　But　Jehan　pointed　to　the　child；　saying；　〃You　see　him　every
  day　of　the　year；　and　I　only　once！〃　And　the　poor　mother　could　find　no
  word　to　answer　this　speech　with。
  A　few　months　before　the　last　rebellion　of　the　Dauphin　Louis　against
  his　father；　the　boy　was　treading　closely　on　the　heels　of　his　twelfth
  year；　and　appeared　likely　to　become　a　great　savant；　so　learned　was　he
  in　all　the　sciences。　Old　Bastarnay　had　never　been　more　delighted　at
  having　been　a　father　in　his　life；　and　resolved　to　take　his　son　with
  him　to　the　Court　of　Burgundy；　where　Duke　Charles　promised　to　make　for
  this　well…beloved　son　a　position；　which　should　be　the　envy　of　princes；
  for　he　was　not　at　all　averse　to　clever　people。　Seeing　matters　thus
  arranged；　the　devil　judged　the　time　to　be　ripe　for　his　mischiefs。　He
  took　his　tail　and　flapped　it　right　into　the　middle　of　this　happiness；
  so　that　he　could　stir　it　up　in　his　own　peculiar　way。
  III
  HORRIBLE　CHASTISEMENT　OF　BERTHA　AND　EXPIATION　OF　THE　SAME；
  WHO　DIED　PARDONED
  The　servant　of　the　lady　of　Bastarnay；　who　was　then　about　five…and…
  thirty　years　old；　fell　in　love　with　one　of　the　master's　men…at…arms；
  and　was　silly　enough　to　let　him　take　loaves　out　of　the　oven；　until
  there　resulted　therefrom　a　natural　swelling；　which　certain　wags　in
  these　parts　call　a　nine　months'　dropsy。　The　poor　woman　begged　her
  mistress　to　intercede　for　her　with　the　master；　so　that　he　might　compel
  this　wicked　man　to　finish　at　the　altar　that　which　he　had　commenced
  elsewhere。　Madame　de　Bastarnay　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　this
  favour　from　him；　and　the　servant　was　quite　satisfied。　But　the　old
  warrior；　who　was　always　extremely　rough；　hastened　into　his　pretorium；
  and　blew　him　up　sky…high；　ordering　him；　under　the　pain　of　the　gallows；
  to　marry　the　girl；　which　the　soldier　preferred　to　do；　thinking　more　of
  his　neck　than　of　his　peace　of　mind。
  Bastarnay　sent　also　for　the　female；　to　whom　he　imagined；　for　the
  honour　of　his　house；　he　ought　to　sing　a　litany；　mixed　with　epithets
  and　ornamented　with　extremely　strong　expressions；　and　made　her　think；
  by　way　of　punishment；　that　she　was　not　going　to　be　married；　but　flung
  into　one　of　the　cells　in　the　jail。　The　girl　fancied　that　Madame　wanted
  to　get　rid　of　her；　in　order　to　inter　the　secret　of　the　birth　of　her
  beloved　son。　With　this　impression；　when　the　old　ape　said　such
  outrageous　things　to　hernamely；　that　he　must　have　been　a　fool　to
  keep　a　harlot　in　his　houseshe　replied　that　he　certainly　was　a　very
  big　fool；　seeing　that　for　a　long　time　past　his　wife　had　been　played
  the　harlot；　and　with　a　monk　too；　which　was　the　worst　thing　that　could
  happen　to　a　warrior。
  Think　of　the　greatest　storm　you　ever　saw　it　in　your　life；　and　you　will
  have　a　weak　sketch　of　the　furious　rage　into　which　the　old　man　fell；
  when　thus　assailed　in　a　portion　of　his　heart　which　was　a　triple　life。
  He　seized　the　girl　by　the　throat；　and　would　have　killed　her　there　and
  then；　but　she；　to　prove　her　story；　detailed　the　how；　the　why；　and　the
  when；　and　said　that　if　he　had　no　faith　in　her；　he　could　have　the
  evidence　of　his　own　ears　by　hiding　himself　the　day　that　Father　Jehan
  de　Sacchez；　the　prior　of　Marmoustier；　came。　He　would　then　hear　the
  words　of　the　father；　who　solaced　herself　for　his　year's　fast；　and　in
  one　day　kissed　his　son　for　the　rest　of　the　year。
  Imbert　ordered　this　woman　instantly　to　leave　the　castle；　since；　if　her
  accusation　were　true；　he　would　kill　her　just　as　though　she　had
  invented　a　tissue　of　lies。　In　an　instant　he　had　given　her　a　hundred
  crowns；　besides　her　man；　enjoining　them　not　to　sleep　in　Touraine；　and
  for　greater　security；　they　were　conducted　into　Burgundy；　by　de
  Bastarnay's　officers。　He　informed　his　wife　of　their　departure；　saying；
  that　as　her　servant　was　a　damaged　article　he　had　thought　it　best　to
  get　rid　of　her；　but　had　given　her　a　hundred　crowns；　and　found
  employment　for　the　man　at　the　Court　of　Burgundy。　Bertha　was　astonished
  to　learn　that　her　maid　had　left　the　castle　without　receiving　her
  dismissal　from　herself；　her　mistress；　but　she　said　nothing。　Soon
  afterwards　she　had　other　fish　to　fry；　for　she　became　a　prey　to　vague
  apprehensions；　because　her　husband　completely　changed　in　his　manner；
  commenced　to　notice　the　likeness　of　his　first…born　to　himself；　and
  could　find　nothing　resembling　his　nose；　or　his　forehead；　his　this；　or
  his　that；　in　the　youngest　he　loved　so　well。
  〃He　is　my　very　image；〃　replied　Bertha　one　day　that　he　was　throwing　out
  these　hints。　〃Know　you　not　that　in　well　regulated　households；　children
  are　formed　from　the　father　and　mother；　each　in　turn；　or　often　from
  both　together；　because　the　mother　mingles　her　qualities　with　the　vital
  force　of　the　father？　Some　physicians　declare　that　they　have　known　many
  children　born　without　any　resemblance　to　either　father　or　mother；　and
  attribute　these　mysteries　to　the　whim　of　the　Almighty。〃
  〃You　have　become　very　learned；　my　dear；〃　replied　Bastarnay；　〃but　I；
  who　am　an　ignoramus；　I　should　fancy　that　a　child　who　resembles　a
  monk〃
  〃Had　a　monk　for　a　father！〃　said　Bertha；　looking　at　him　with　an
  unflinching　gaze；　although　ice　rather　than　blood　was　coursing　through
  her　veins。
  The　old　fellow　thought　he　was　mistaken；　and　cursed　the　servant；　but　he
  was　none　the　less　determined　to　make　sure　of　the　affair。　As　the　day　of
  Father　Jehan's　visit　was　close　at　hand；　Bertha；　whose　suspicions　were
  aroused　by　this　speech；　wrote　him　that　it　was　her　wish　that　he　should
  not　come　this　year；　without；　however；　telling　him　her　reason；　then　she
  went　in　search　of　La　Fallotte　at　Loches；　who　was　to　give　her　letter　to
  Jehan；　and　believed　everything　was　safe　for　the　present。　She　was　all
  the　more　pleased　at　having　written　to　her　friend　the　prior；　when
  Imbert；　who；　towards　the　time　appointed　for　the　poor　monk's　annual
  treat；　had　always　been　accustomed　to　take　a　journey　into　the　province
  of　Maine；　where　he　had　considerable　property；　remained　this　time　at
  home；　giving　as　his　reason　the　preparations　for　rebellion　which
  monseigneur　Louis　was　then　making　against　his　father；　who　as　everyone
  knows；　was　so　cut　up　at　this　revolt　that　it　caused　his　death。　This
  reason　was　so　good　a　one；　that　poor　Bertha　was　quite　satisfied　with
  it；　and　did　not　trouble　herself。　On　the　regular　day；　however；　the
  prior　arrived　as　usual。　Bertha　seeing　him；　turned　pale；　and　asked　him
  if　he　had　not　received　her　message。
  〃What　message？〃　said　Jehan。
  〃Ah！　we　are　lost　then；　the　child；　thou；　and　I；〃　replied　Bertha。
  〃Why　so？〃　said　the　prior。
  〃I　know　not；〃　said　she；　〃but　our　last　day　has　come。〃
  She　inquired　of　her　dearly　beloved　son　where　Bastarnay　was。　The　young
  man　told　her　that　his　father　had　been　sent　for　by　a　special　messenger
  to　Loches；　and　would　not　be　back　until　evening。　Thereupon　Jehan
  wished；　is　spite　of　his　mistress；　to　remain　with　her　and　his　dear　son；
  asserting　that　no　harm　would　come　of　it；　after　the　lapse　of　twelve
  years；　since　the　birth　of　their　boy。
  The　days　when　that　adventurous　night　you　know　of　was　celebrated；
  Bertha　stayed　in　her　room　with　the　poor　monk　until　supper　time。　But　on
  this　occasion　the　lovershastened　by　the　apprehensions　of　Bertha；
  which　was　shared　by　Jehan　directly　she　had　informed　him　of　themdined
  immediately；　although　the　prior　of　Marmoustier　reassured　Bertha　by
  pointing　out　to　her　the　privileges　of　the　Church；　and　how　Bastarnay；
  already　in　bad　odour　at　court；　would　be　afraid　to　attack　a　dignitary
  of　Marmoustier。　When　they　were　sitting　down　to　table　their　little　one
  happened　to　be　playing；　and　in　spite　of　the　reiterated　prayers　of　his
  mother；　would　not　stop　his　games；　since　he　was　galloping　about　the
  courtyard　on　a　fine　Spanish　barb；　which　Duke　Charles　of　Burgundy　had
  presented　to　Bastarnay。　And　because　young　lads　like　to　show　off；
  varlets　make　themselves　bachelors　at　arms；　and　bachelors　wish　to　play
  the　knight；　this　boy　was　delighted　at　being　able　to　show　the　monk　what
  a　man　he　was　becoming；　he　made　the　horse　jump　like　a　flea　in　the
  bedclothes；　and　sat　as　steady　as　a　trooper　in　the　saddle。
  〃Let　him　have　his　way；　my　darling；〃　said　the　monk　to　Bertha。
  〃Disobedient　children　often　become　great　characters。〃
  Bertha　ate　sparingly；　for　her　heart　was　as　swollen　as　a　sponge　in
  water。　At　the　first　mouthful；　the　monk；　who　was　a　great　scholar；　felt
  in　his　stomach　a　pain；　and　on　his　palette　a　bitter　taste　of　poison
  that　caused　him　to　suspect　that　the　Sire　de　Bastarnay　had　given　them
  all　their　quietus。　Before　he　had　made　this　discovery　Bertha　had　eaten。
  Suddenly　the　monk　pulled　off　the　tablecloth　and　flung　everything　into
  the　fireplace；　telling　Be