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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