droll stories-3-第14章

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/ite　missa　est/；　and　departed；　leaving　her　so　sanctified　that　the

wrath　of　heaven　would　have　great　difficulty　in　discovering　any　portion

of　the　girl　that　was　not　thoroughly　monasticated。



By　his　orders；　Perrotte　conducted　him　to　Mademoiselle　de　Cande；　the

lord's　sister；　to　whom　he　went　in　order　to　learn　if　it　was　her　desire

to　confess　to　him；　because　monks　came　so　rarely　to　the　castle。　The

lady　was　delighted；　as　would　any　good　Christian　have　been；　at　such　a

chance　of　clearing　out　her　conscience。　Amador　requested　her　to　show

him　her　conscience；　and　she　having　allowed　him　to　see　that　which　he

considered　the　conscience　of　old　maids；　he　found　it　in　a　bad　state；

and　told　her　that　the　sins　of　women　were　accomplished　there；　that　to

be　for　the　future　without　sin　it　was　necessary　to　have　the　conscience

corked　up　by　a　monk's　indulgence。　The　poor　ignorant　lady　having

replied　that　she　did　not　know　where　these　indulgences　were　to　be　had；

the　monk　informed　her　that　he　had　a　relic　with　him　which　enabled　him

to　grant　one；　that　nothing　was　more　indulgent　than　this　relic；　because

without　saying　a　word　it　produced　infinite　pleasures；　which　is　the

true；　eternal　and　primary　character　of　an　indulgence。　The　poor　lady

was　so　pleased　with　this　relic；　the　virtue　of　which　she　tried　in

various　ways；　that　her　brain　became　muddled；　and　she　had　so　much　faith

in　it　that　she　indulged　as　devoutly　in　indulgences　as　the　Lady　of

Cande　had　indulged　in　vengeances。　This　business　of　confession　woke　up

the　younger　Demoiselle　de　Cande；　who　came　to　watch　the　proceedings。

You　may　imagine　that　the　monk　had　hoped　for　this　occurrence；　since　his

mouth　had　watered　at　the　sight　of　this　fair　blossom；　whom　he　also

confessed；　because　the　elder　lady　could　not　hinder　him　from　bestowing

upon　the　younger　one；　who　wished　it；　what　remained　of　the　indulgences。

But；　remember；　this　pleasure　was　due　to　him　for　the　trouble　he　had

taken。　The　morning　having　dawned；　the　pigs　having　eaten　their　tripe；

and　the　cats　having　become　disenchanted　with　love；　and　having　watered

all　the　places　rubbed　with　herbs；　Amador　went　to　rest　himself　in　his

bed；　which　Perrotte　had　put　straight　again。　Every　one　slept；　thanks　to

the　monk；　so　long；　that　no　one　in　the　castle　was　up　before　noon；　which

was　the　dinner　hour。　The　servants　all　believed　the　monk　to　be　a　devil

who　had　carried　off　the　cats；　the　pigs；　and　also　their　masters。　In

spite　of　these　ideas　however；　every　one　was　in　the　room　at　meal　time。



〃Come；　my　father；〃　said　the　chatelaine；　giving　her　arm　to　the　monk；

whom　she　put　at　her　side　in　the　baron's　chair；　to　the　great

astonishment　of　the　attendants；　because　the　Sire　of　Cande　said　not　a

word。　〃Page；　give　some　of　this　to　Father　Amador；〃　said　madame。



〃Father　Amador　has　need　of　so　and　so；〃　said　the　Demoiselle　de　Cande。



〃Fill　up　Father　Amador's　goblet；〃　said　the　sire。



〃Father　Amador　has　no　bread；〃　said　the　little　lady。



〃What　do　you　require；　Father　Amador？〃　said　Perrotte。



It　was　Father　Amador　here；　and　Father　Amador　there。　He　was　regaled

like　a　little　maiden　on　her　wedding　night。



〃Eat；　father；〃　said　madame；　〃you　made　such　a　bad　meal　yesterday。〃



〃Drink；　father；〃　said　the　sire。　〃you　are；　s'blood！　the　finest　monk　I

have　ever　set　eyes　on。〃



〃Father　Amador　is　a　handsome　monk；〃　said　Perrotte。



〃An　indulgent　monk；〃　said　the　demoiselle。



〃A　beneficent　monk；〃　said　the　little　one。



〃A　great　monk；〃　said　the　lady。



〃A　monk　who　well　deserves　his　name；〃　said　the　clerk　of　the　castle。



Amador　munched　and　chewed；　tried　all　the　dishes；　lapped　up　the

hypocras；　licked　his　chops；　sneezed；　blew　himself　out；　strutted　and

stamped　about　like　a　bull　in　a　field。　The　others　regarded　him　with

great　fear；　believing　him　to　be　a　magician。　Dinner　over；　the　Lady　of

Cande；　the　demoiselle；　and　the　little　one；　besought　the　Sire　of　Cande

with　a　thousand　fine　arguments；　to　terminate　the　litigation。　A　great

deal　was　said　to　him　by　madame；　who　pointed　out　to　him　how　useful　a

monk　was　in　a　castle；　by　mademoiselle；　who　wished　for　the　future　to

polish　up　her　conscience　every　day；　by　the　little　one；　who　pulled　her

father's　beard；　and　asked　that　this　monk　might　always　be　at　Cande。　If

ever　the　difference　were　arranged；　it　would　be　by　the　monk：　the　monk

was　of　a　good　understanding；　gentle　and　virtuous　as　a　saint；　it　was　a

misfortune　to　be　at　enmity　with　a　monastery　containing　such　monks。　If

all　the　monks　were　like　him；　the　abbey　would　always　have　everywhere

the　advantage　of　the　castle；　and　would　ruin　it；　because　this　monk　was

very　strong。　Finally；　they　gave　utterance　to　a　thousand　reasons；　which

were　like　a　deluge　of　words；　and　were　so　pluvially　showered　down　that

the　sire　yielded；　saying；　that　there　would　never　be　a　moment's　peace

in　the　house　until　matters　were　settled　to　the　satisfaction　of　the

women。　Then　he　sent　for　the　clerk；　who　wrote　down　for　him；　and　also

for　the　monk。　Then　Amador　surprised　them　exceedingly　by　showing　them

the　charters　and　the　letters　of　credit；　which　would　prevent　the　sire

and　his　clerk　delaying　this　agreement。　When　the　Lady　of　Cande　saw　them

about　to　put　an　end　to　this　old　case；　she　went　to　the　linen　chest　to

get　some　fine　cloth　to　make　a　new　gown　for　her　dear　Amador。　Every　one

in　the　house　had　noticed　how　this　old　gown　was　worn；　and　it　would　have

been　a　great　shame　to　leave　such　a　treasure　in　such　a　worn…out　case。

Everyone　was　eager　to　work　at　the　gown。　Madame　cut　it；　the　servant　put

the　hood　on；　the　demoiselle　sewed　it；　and　the　little　demoiselle　worked

at　the　sleeves。　And　all　set　so　heartily　to　work　to　adorn　the　monk；

that　the　robe　was　ready　by　supper　time；　as　was　also　the　charter　of

agreement　prepared　and　sealed　by　the　Sire　de　Cande。



〃Ah；　my　father！〃　said　the　lady；　〃if　you　love　us；　you　will　refresh

yourself　after　your　merry　labour　by　washing　yourself　in　a　bath　that　I

have　had　heated　by　Perrotte。〃



Amador　was　then　bathed　in　scented　water。　When　he　came　out　he　found　a

new　robe　of　fine　linen　and　lovely　sandals　ready　for　him；　which　made

him　appear　the　most　glorious　monk　in　the　world。



Meanwhile　the　monks　of　Turpenay　fearing　for　Amador；　had　ordered　two　of

their　number　to　spy　about　the　castle。　These　spies　came　round　by　the

moat；　just　as　Perrotte　threw　Amador's　greasy　old　gown；　with　other

rubbish；　into　it。　Seeing　which；　they　thought　that　it　was　all　over　with

the　poor　madman。　They　therefore　returned；　and　announced　that　it　was

certain　Amador　had　suffered　martyrdom　in　the　service　of　the　abbey。

Hearing　which　the　abbot　ordered　them　to　assemble　in　the　chapel　and

pray　to　God；　in　order　to　assist　this　devoted　servant　in　his　torments。

The　monk　having　supped；　put　his　charter　into　his　girdle；　and　wished　to

return　to　Turpenay。　Then　he　found　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　madame's

mare；　bridled　and　saddled；　and　held　ready　for　him　by　a　groom。　The　lord

had　ordered　his　men…at…arms　to　accompany　the　good　monk；　so　that　no

accident　might　befall　him。　Seeing　which；　Amador　pardoned　the　tricks　of

the　night　before；　and　bestowed　his　benediction　upon　every　one　before

taking　his　departure　from　this　converted　place。　Madame　followed　him

with　her　eyes；　and　proclaimed　him　a　splendid　rider。　Perrotte　declared

that　for　a　monk　he　held　himself　more　upright　in　the　saddle　than　any　of

the　men…at…arms。　Mademoiselle　de　Cande　sighed。　The　little　one　wished

to　have　him　for　her　confessor。



〃He　has　sanctified　the　castle；〃　said　they；　when　they　were　in　the　room

again。



When　Amador　and　his　suite　came　to　the　gates　of　the　abbey；　a　scene　of

terror　ensued；　since　the　guardian　thought　that　the　Sire　de　Cande　had

had　his　appetite　for　monks　whetted　by　the　blood　of　poor　Amador；　and

wished　to　sack　the　abbey。　But　Amador　shouted　with　his　fine　bass　voice；

and　was　recognised　and　admitted　into　the　courtyard；　and　when　he

dismounted　from　madame's　mare　there　was　enough　uproar　to　make　the

monks　as　a　wild　as　April　moons。　They　gave　vent　to　shouts　of　joy　in　the

refectory；　and　all　came　to　congratulate