第 30 节
作者:
冰点沸点 更新:2021-05-04 17:31 字数:9322
Hope。 The Burgundian saw Madame de La Vaugrenand so troubled that he
nearly died of the consolations he administered to her; in spite of
his former opinions。 This teaches us to hold our tongues in
hostelries。
INNOCENCE
By the double crest of my fowl; and by the rose lining of my
sweetheart's slipper! By all the horns of well…beloved cuckolds; and
by the virtue of their blessed wives! the finest work of man is
neither poetry; nor painted pictures; nor music; nor castles; nor
statues; be they carved never so well; nor rowing; nor sailing
galleys; but children。
Understand me; children up to the age of ten years; for after that
they become men or women; and cutting their wisdom teeth; are not
worth what they cost; the worst are the best。 Watch them playing;
prettily and innocently; with slippers; above all; cancellated ones;
with the household utensils; leaving that which displeases them;
crying after that which pleases them; munching the sweets and
confectionery in the house; nibbling at the stores; and always
laughing as soon as their teeth are cut; and you will agree with me
that they are in every way lovable; besides which they are flower and
fruitthe fruit of love; the flower of life。 Before their minds have
been unsettled by the disturbances of life; there is nothing in this
world more blessed or more pleasant than their sayings; which are
naive beyond description。 This is as true as the double chewing
machine of a cow。 Do not expect a man to be innocent after the manner
of children; because there is an; I know not what; ingredient of
reason in the naivety of a man; while the naivety of children is
candid; immaculate; and has all the finesse of the mother; which is
plainly proved in this tale。
Queen Catherine was at that time Dauphine; and to make herself welcome
to the king; her father…in…law; who at that time was very ill indeed;
presented him; from time to time; with Italian pictures; knowing that
he liked them much; being a friend of the Sieur Raphael d'Urbin and of
the Sieurs Primatice and Leonardo da Vinci; to whom he sent large sums
of money。 She obtained from her familywho had the pick of these
works; because at that time the Duke of the Medicis governed Tuscany
a precious picture; painted by a Venetian named Titian (artist to the
Emperor Charles; and in very high flavour); in which there were
portraits of Adam and Eve at the moment when God left them to wander
about the terrestrial Paradise; and were painted their full height; in
the costume of the period; in which it is difficult to make a mistake;
because they were attired in their ignorance; and caparisoned with the
divine grace which enveloped thema difficult thing to execute on
account of the colour; but one in which the said Sieur Titian
excelled。 The picture was put into the room of the poor king; who was
then ill with the disease of which he eventually died。 It had a great
success at the Court of France; where everyone wished to see it; but
no one was able to until after the king's death; since at his desire
it was allowed to remain in his room as long as he lived。
One day Madame Catherine took with her to the king's room her son
Francis and little Margot; who began to talk at random; as children
will。 Now here; now there; these children had heard this picture of
Adam and Eve spoken about; and had tormented their mother to take them
there。 Since the two little ones at times amused the old king; Madame
the Dauphine consented to their request。
〃You wished to see Adam and Eve; who were our first parents; there
they are;〃 said she。
Then she left them in great astonishment before Titian's picture; and
seated herself by the bedside of the king; who delighted to watch the
children。
〃Which of the two is Adam?〃 said Francis; nudging his sister Margot's
elbow。
〃You silly!〃 replied she; 〃to know that; they would have to be
dressed!〃
This reply; which delighted the poor king and the mother; was
mentioned in a letter written in Florence by Queen Catherine。
No writer having brought it to light; it will remain; like a sweet
flower; in a corner of these Tales; although it is no way droll; and
there is no other moral to be drawn from it except that to hear these
pretty speeches of infancy one must beget the children。
THE FAIR IMPERIA MARRIED
I
HOW MADAME IMPERIA WAS CAUGHT BY THE VERY NET SHE WAS
ACCUSTOMED TO SPREAD FOR HER LOVE…BIRDS
The lovely lady Imperia; who gloriously opens these tales; because she
was the glory of her time; was compelled to come into the town of
Rome; after the holding of the council; for the cardinal of Ragusa
loved her more than his cardinal's hat; and wished to have her near
him。 This rascal was so magnificent; that he presented her with the
beautiful palace that he had in the Papal capital。 About this time she
had the misfortune to find herself in an interesting condition by this
cardinal。 As everyone knows; this pregnancy finished with a fine
little daughter; concerning whom the Pope said jokingly that she
should be named Theodora; as if to say The Gift Of God。 The girl was
thus named; and was exquisitely lovely。 The cardinal left his
inheritance to this Theodora; whom the fair Imperia established in her
hotel; for she was flying from Rome as from a pernicious place; where
children were begotten; and where she had nearly spoiled her beautiful
figure; her celebrated perfections; lines of the body; curves of the
back; delicious breasts; and Serpentine charms which placed her as
much above the other women of Christendom as the Holy Father was above
all other Christians。 But all her lovers knew that with the assistance
of eleven doctors of Padua; seven master surgeons of Pavia; and five
surgeons come from all parts; who assisted at her confinement; she was
preserved from all injury。 Some go so far as to say that she gained
therein superfineness and whiteness of skin。 A famous man; of the
school of Salerno; wrote a book on the subject; to show the value of a
confinement for the freshness; health; preservation; and beauty of
women。 In this very learned book it was clearly proved to readers that
that which was beautiful to see in Imperia; was that which it was
permissible for lovers alone to behold; a rare case then; for she did
not disarrange her attire for the petty German princes whom she called
her margraves; burgraves; electors; and dukes; just as a captain ranks
his soldiers。
Everyone knows that when she was eighteen years of age; the lovely
Theodora; to atone for her mother's gay life; wished to retire into
the bosom of the Church。 With this idea she placed herself in the
hands of a cardinal; in order that he might instruct her in the duties
of the devout。 This wicked shepherd found the lamb so magnificently
beautiful that he attempted to debauch her。 Theodora instantly stabbed
herself with a stiletto; in order not to be contaminated by the evil…
minded priest。 This adventure; which was consigned to the history of
the period; made a great commotion in Rome; and was deplored by
everyone; so much was the daughter of Imperia beloved。
Then this noble courtesan; much afflicted; returned to Rome; there to
weep for her poor daughter。 She set out in the thirty…ninth year of
her age; which was; according to some authors; the summer of her
magnificent beauty; because then she had obtained the acme of
perfection; like ripe fruit。 Sorrow made her haughty and hard with
those who spoke to her of love; in order to dry her tears。 The pope
himself visited her in her palace; and gave her certain words of
admonition。 But she refused to be comforted; saying that she would
henceforth devote herself to God; because she had never yet been
satisfied by any man; although she had ardently desired it; and all of
them; even a little priest; whom she had adored like a saint's shrine;
had deceived her。 God; she was sure; would not do so。
This resolution disconcerted many; for she was the joy of a vast
number of lords。 So that people ran about the streets of Rome crying
out; 〃Where is Madame Imperia? Is she going to deprive the world of
love?〃 Some of the ambassadors wrote to their masters on the subject。
The Emperor of the Romans was much cut up about it; because he had
loved her to distraction for eleven weeks; had left her only to go to
the wars; and loved her still as much as his most precious member;
which according to his own statement; was his eye; for that alone
embraced the whole of his dear Imperia。 In this extremity the Pope
sent for a Spanish physician; and conducted him to the beautiful
creature; to whom he proved; by various arguments; adorned with Latin
and Greek quotations; that beauty is impaired by tears and
tribulation; and that through sorrow's door wrinkles step in。 This
proposition; confirmed by the doctors of the Holy College in
controversy; had the effect of opening t
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