droll stories-3-第39章

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contented　to　see　her　only　at　his　side；　happy　at　being　able　to　touch

but　the　hem　of　her　garment。



She　replied；　bursting　into　tears；　〃that　she　would　rather　die　than　lose

one　iota　of　his　love；　that　she　would　die　as　she　had　lived；　since

luckily　she　could　make　a　man　embrace　her　when　such　was　her　desire

without　having　to　put　her　request　into　words。〃



Here　it　must　be　stated　that　the　cardinal　of　Ragusa　had　given　her　as　a

present　an　article；　which　this　holy　joker　called　/in　articulo　mortis/。

It　was　a　tiny　glass　bottle；　no　bigger　than　a　bean；　made　at　Venice；　and

containing　a　poison　so　subtle　that　by　breaking　it　between　the　teeth

death　came　instantly　and　painlessly。　He　had　received　it　from　Signora

Tophana；　the　celebrated　maker　of　poisons　of　the　town　of　Rome。



Now　this　tiny　bottle　was　under　the　bezel　of　a　ring；　preserved　from　all

objects　that　could　break　it　by　certain　plates　of　gold。　Poor　Imperia

put　it　into　her　mouth　several　times　without　being　able　to　make　up　her

mind　to　bite　it；　so　much　pleasure　did　she　take　in　the　moment　that　she

believed　to　be　her　last。　Then　she　would　pass　before　her　in　mental

review　all　her　methods　of　enjoyment　before　breaking　the　glass；　and

determined　that　when　she　felt　the　most　perfect　of　all　joys　she　would

bite　the　bottle。



The　poor　creature　departed　this　life　on　the　night　on　the　first　day　of

October。　Then　was　there　heard　a　great　clamour　in　the　forests　and　in

the　clouds；　as　if　the　loves　had　cried　aloud；　〃The　great　Noc　is　dead！〃

in　imitation　of　the　pagan　gods　who；　at　the　coming　of　the　Saviour　of

men；　fled　into　the　skies；　saying；　〃the　great　Pan　is　slain！〃　A　cry

which　was　heard　by　some　persons　navigating　the　Eubean　Sea；　and

preserved　by　a　Father　of　the　Church。



Madame　Imperia　died　without　being　spoiled　in　shape；　so　much　had　God

made　her　the　irreproachable　model　of　a　woman。　She　had；　it　was　said；　a

magnificent　tint　upon　her　flesh；　caused　by　the　proximity　of　the

flaming　wings　of　Pleasure；　who　cried　and　groaned　over　her　corpse。　Her

husband　mourned　for　her　most　bitterly；　never　suspecting　that　she　had

died　to　deliver　him　from　a　childless　wife；　for　the　doctor　who　embalmed

her　said　not　a　word　concerning　the　cause　of　her　death。　This　great

sacrifice　was　discovered　six　years　after　marriage　of　l'Ile　Adam　with

Mademoiselle　de　Montmorency；　because　she　told　him　all　about　the　visit

of　Madame　Imperia。　The　poor　gentleman　immediately　fell　into　a　state　of

great　melancholy　and　finished　by　dying；　being　unable　to　banish　the

remembrance　of　those　joys　of　love　which　it　was　beyond　the　power　of　a

novice　to　restore　to　him；　thereby　did　he　prove　the　truth　of　that　which

was　said　at　that　time；　that　this　woman　would　never　die　in　a　heart

where　she　had　once　reigned。



This　teaches　us　that　virtue　is　well　understood　by　those　who　have

practised　vice；　for　among　the　most　modest　women　few　would　thus　have

sacrificed　life；　in　whatever　high　state　of　religion　you　look　for　them。







EPILOGUE



Oh！　mad　little　one；　thou　whose　business　it　is　to　make　the　house　merry；

again　hast　thou　been　wallowing；　in　spite　of　a　thousand　prohibitions；

in　that　slough　of　melancholy；　whence　thou　hast　already　fished　out

Bertha；　and　come　back　with　thy　tresses　dishevelled；　like　a　girl　who

has　been　ill…treated　by　a　regiment　of　soldiers！　Where　are　thy　golden

aiglets　and　bells；　thy　filigree　flowers　of　fantastic　design？　Where

hast　thou　left　thy　crimson　head…dress；　ornamented　with　precious

gewgaws　that　cost　a　minot　of　pearls？



Why　spoil　with　pernicious　tears　thy　black　eyes；　so　pleasant　when

therein　sparkles　the　wit　of　a　tale；　that　popes　pardon　thee　thy　sayings

for　the　sake　of　thy　merry　laughter；　feel　their　souls　caught　between

the　ivory　of　thy　teeth；　have　their　hearts　drawn　by　the　rose　point　of

thy　sweet　tongue；　and　would　barter　the　holy　slipper　for　a　hundred　of

the　smiles　that　hover　round　thy　vermillion　lips？　Laughing　lassie；　if

thou　wouldst　remain　always　fresh　and　young；　weep　no　more；　think　of

riding　the　brideless　fleas；　of　bridling　with　the　golden　clouds　thy

chameleon　chimeras；　of　metamorphosing　the　realities　of　life　into

figures　clothed　with　the　rainbow；　caparisoned　with　roseate　dreams；　and

mantled　with　wings　blue　as　the　eyes　of　the　partridge。　By　the　Body　and

the　Blood；　by　the　Censer　and　the　Seal；　by　the　Book　and　the　Sword；　by

the　Rag　and　the　Gold；　by　the　Sound　and　the　Colour；　if　thou　does　but

return　once　into　that　hovel　of　elegies　where　eunuchs　find　ugly　women

for　imbecile　sultans；　I'll　curse　thee；　I'll　rave　at　thee；　I'll　make

thee　fast　from　roguery　and　love；　I'll



Phist！　Here　she　is　astride　a　sunbeam　with　a　volume　that　is　ready　to

burst　with　merry　meteors！　She　plays　in　their　prisms；　tearing　about　so

madly；　so　wildly；　so　boldly；　so　contrary　to　good　sense；　so　contrary　to

good　manners；　so　contrary　to　everything；　that　one　has　to　touch　her

with　long　feathers；　to　follow　her　siren's　tail　in　the　golden　facets

which　trifle　among　the　artifices　of　these　new　pearls　of　laughter。　Ye

gods！　but　she　is　sporting　herself　in　them　like　a　hundred　schoolboys　in

a　hedge　full　of　blackberries；　after　vespers。　To　the　devil　with　the

magister！　The　volume　is　finished！　Out　upon　work！　What　ho！　my　jovial

friends；　this　way！











End