“I asked leave of the King to go on a journey.”
“So,” they replied, “did we.”
“When I was two leagues from the Court, I left all my following and went
and yielded myself up prisoner.”
“We,” they replied, “did the same.”
“I remained,” said Astillon, “for seven or eight days, and lay in a
closet where I was fed on nothing but restoratives and the choicest
viands that I ever ate. At the end of a week, those who held me
captive suffered me to depart much weaker in body than I had been on my
arrival.”
They all swore that the like had happened to them.
“My imprisonment,” said Astillon, “began on such a day and finished on
such another.”
“Mine,” thereupon said Durassier, “began on the very day that yours
ended, and lasted until such a day.”
Valnebon, who was losing patience, began to swear.
“‘Sblood!” said he, “from what I can see, I, who thought myself the
first and only one, was the third, for I went in on such a day and came
out on such another.”
Three others, who were at the table, swore that they had followed in
like order.
“Well, since that is so,” said Astillon, “I will mention the condition
of our gaoler. She is married, and her husband is a long way off.”
“‘Tis even she,” they all replied.
“Well, to put us out of our pain,” said Astillon, “I, who was first
enrolled, shall also be the first to name her. It was my lady the
Countess, she who was so extremely haughty that in conquering her
affection I felt as though I had conquered Cæsar.”
[Said Valnebon--(6)]
6 It is probable that the angry Valnebon is speaking here,
and that his name has been accidentally omitted from the
MSS. At all events the three subsequent paragraphs show that
these remarks are not made by Astillon, who declines the
other speaker’s advice, and proposes a scheme of his own.--
Ed.
“To the devil with the jade, who gave us so much toil, and made us
believe ourselves so fortunate in winning her! Never was there such
wantonness, for while she kept one in hiding she was practising upon
another, so that she might never be without diversion. I would rather
die than suffer her to go unpunished.”
Each thereupon asked him what he thought ought to be done to her, saying
that they were all ready to do it.
“I think,” said he, “that we ought to tell the King our master, who
prizes her as though she were a goddess.
“By no means,” said Astillon; “we are ourselves able to take vengeance
upon her, without calling in the aid of our master. Let us all be
present to-morrow when she goes to mass, each of us wearing an iron
chain about his neck. Then, when she enters the church, we will greet
her as shall be fitting.”
This counsel was highly approved by the whole company, and each provided
himself with an iron chain. The next morning they all went, dressed in
black and with their iron chains twisted like collars round their necks,
to meet the Countess as she was going to church. And as soon as she saw
them thus attired, she began to laugh and asked them--
“Whither go such doleful folk?”
“Madam,” said Astillon, “we are come to attend you as poor captive
slaves constrained to do your service.”