The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. IV. (of V.)
Page 21
_TALE XLVI. (A)_.
_A Grey Friar named De Vale, being bidden to dinner at the house of the Judge of the Exempts in Angouleme, perceived that the Judge's wife (with whom he was in love) went up into the garret alone; thinking to surprise her, he followed her thither; but she dealt him such a kick in the stomach that he fell from the top of the stairs to the bottom, and fled out of the town to the house of a lady that had such great liking for those of his Order (foolishly believing them possessed of greater virtues than belong to them), that she entrusted him with the correction of her daughter, whom he lay with by force instead of chastising her for the sin of sloth-fulness, as he had promised her mother he would do_. (1)
1 Boaistuau and Gruget omit this tale, and the latter replaces it by that numbered XLVI. (B). Count Charles of Angouleme having died on January i, 1496, the incidents related above must have occurred at an earlier date.--L.
In the town of Angouleme, where Count Charles, father of King Francis,often abode, there dwelt a Grey Friar named De Vale, the same being helda learned man and a great preacher. One Advent this Friar preached inthe town in presence of the Count, whereby he won such renown that thosewho knew him eagerly invited him to dine at their houses. Among othersthat did this was the Judge of the Exempts (2) of the county, who hadwedded a beautiful and virtuous woman. The Friar was dying for love ofher, yet lacked the hardihood to tell her so; nevertheless she perceivedthe truth, and held him in derision.
2 The _Exempt_ was a police officer, and the functions of the _Juge des Exempts_ were akin to those of a police magistrate.--Ed.
After he had given several tokens of his wanton purpose, he one dayespied her going up into the garret alone. Thinking to surprise her, hefollowed, but hearing his footsteps she turned and asked whither he wasgoing. "I am going after you," he replied, "to tell you a secret."
"Nay, good father," said the Judge's wife. "I will have no secretconverse with such as you. If you come up any higher, you will be sorryfor it."
Seeing that she was alone, he gave no heed to her words, but hastenedup after her. She, however, was a woman of spirit, and when she saw theFriar at the top of the staircase, she gave him a kick in the stomach,and with the words, "Down! down! sir," (3) cast him from the top to thebottom. The poor father was so greatly ashamed at this, that, forgettingthe hurt he had received in falling, he fled out of the town as fastas he was able. He felt sure that the lady would not conceal the matterfrom her husband; and indeed she did not, nor yet from the Count andCountess, so that the Friar never again durst come into their presence.
3 The French words here are "_Devaliez, devaliez, monsieur_," whilst MS. No. 1520 gives, "_Monsieur de Vale, devales_." In either case there is evidently a play upon the friar's name, which was possibly pronounced Valles or Valles. Adrien de Valois, it maybe pointed out, rendered his name in Latin as _Valesius_; the county of Valois and that of Valais are one and the same; we continue calling the old French kings Valois, as their name was written, instead of Valais as it was pronounced, as witness, for instance, the nickname given to Henry III. by the lampooners of the League, "_Henri devale_." See also _post_, Tale XLVI. (B), note 2.--M. and Ed.
To complete his wickedness, he repaired to the house of a lady whopreferred the Grey Friars to all other folk, and, after preaching asermon or two before her, he cast his eyes upon her daughter, who wasvery beautiful. And as the maiden did not rise in the morning to hearhis sermon, he often scolded her in presence of her mother, whereuponthe latter would say to him--"Would to God, father, that she had sometaste of the discipline which you monks receive from one another."
The good father vowed that if she continued to be so slothful, he wouldindeed give her some of it, and her mother earnestly begged him to doso.
A day or two afterwards, he entered the lady's apartment, and, notseeing her daughter there, asked her where she was.
"She fears you so little," replied the lady, "that she is still in bed."
"There can be no doubt," said the Grey Friar, "that it is a very evilhabit in young girls to be slothful. Few people think much of the sinof sloth, but for my part, I deem it one of the most dangerous there is,for the body as for the soul. You should therefore chastise her for it,and if you will give me the matter in charge, I will take good care thatshe does not lie abed at an hour when she ought to be praying to God."
The poor lady, believing him to be a virtuous man, begged him to bekind enough to correct her daughter, which he at once agreed to do, and,going up a narrow wooden staircase, he found the girl all alone in bed.She was sleeping very soundly, and while she slept he lay with her byforce. The poor girl, waking up, knew not whether he were man or devil,but began to cry out as loudly as she could, and to call for help to hermother. But the latter, standing at the foot of the staircase, criedout to the Friar--"Have no pity on her, sir. Give it to her again, andchastise the naughty jade."
When the Friar had worked his wicked will, he came down to the lady andsaid to her with a face all afire--"I think, madam, that your daughterwill remember my discipline."
The mother thanked him warmly and then went upstairs, where she foundher daughter making such lamentation as is to be expected from avirtuous woman who has suffered from so foul a crime. On learning thetruth, the mother had search made everywhere for the Friar, but he wasalready far away, nor was he ever afterwards seen in the kingdom ofFrance.
"You see, ladies, with how much security such commissions may be givento those that are unfit for them. The correction of men pertains to menand that of women to women; for women in the correction of men would beas pitiful as men in the correction of women would be cruel."
"Jesus! madam," said Parlamente, "what a base and wicked Friar!"
"Say rather," said Hircan, "what a foolish and witless mother to be ledby hypocrisy into allowing so much familiarity to those who ought neverto be seen except in church."
"In truth," said Parlamente, "I acknowledge that she was the mostfoolish mother imaginable; had she been as wise as the Judge's wife, shewould rather have made him come down the staircase than go up. But whatcan you expect? The devil that is half-angel is the most dangerous ofall, for he is so well able to transform himself into an angel of light,that people shrink from suspecting him to be what he really is; and itseems to me that persons who are not suspicious are worthy of praise."
"At the same time," said Oisille, "people ought to suspect the evil thatis to be avoided, especially those who hold a trust; for it is better tosuspect an evil that does not exist than by foolish trustfulness to fallinto one that does. I have never known a woman deceived through beingslow to believe men's words, but many are there that have been deceivedthrough being over prompt in giving credence to falsehood. Therefore Isay that possible evil cannot be held in too strong suspicion by thosethat have charge of men, women, cities or states; for, however good thewatch that is kept, wickedness and treachery are prevalent enough, andthe shepherd who is not vigilant will always be deceived by the wiles ofthe wolf."
"Still," said Dagoucin, "a suspicious person cannot have a perfectfriend, and many friends have been divided by suspicion."
"If you know any such instance," said Oisille, "I give you my vote thatyou may relate it."
"I know one," said Dagoucin, "which is so strictly true that you willneeds hear it with pleasure. I will tell you, ladies, when it is thata close friendship is most easily severed; 'tis when the security offriendship begins to give place to suspicion. For just as trust in afriend is the greatest honour that can be shown him, so is doubt of hima still greater dishonour. It proves that he is deemed other than wewould have him to be, and so causes many close friendships to be brokenoff, and friends to be turned into foes. This you will see from thestory that I am minded to relate."
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