Though it was yet early when the company entered the hall on the morrow,
they found Madame Oisille there before them. She had been meditating for
more than half-an-hour upon the lesson that she was going to read; and
if she had contented them on the first and second days, she assuredly
did no less on the third; indeed, but that one of the monks came in
search of them they would not have heard high mass, for so intent were
they upon listening to her that they did not even hear the bell.
When they had piously heard mass, and had dined with temperance to
the end that the meats might in no sort hinder the memory of each from
acquitting itself as well as might be when their several turns came,
they withdrew to their apartments, there to consult their note-books
until the wonted hour for repairing to the meadow was come. When it had
arrived they were not slow to make the pleasant excursion, and those who
were prepared to tell of some merry circumstance already showed mirthful
faces that gave promise of much laughter. When they were seated, they
asked Saffredent to whom he would give his vote for the beginning of the
Third Day.
“I think,” said he, “that since my offence yesterday was as you say very
great, and I have knowledge of no story that might atone for it, I ought
to give my vote to Parlamente, who, with her sound understanding, will
be able to praise the ladies sufficiently to make you forget such truth
as you heard from me.”
“I will not undertake,” said Parlamente, “to atone for your offences,
but I will promise not to imitate them. Wherefore, holding to the truth
that we have promised and vowed to utter, I propose to show you that
there are ladies who in their loves have aimed at nought but virtue. And
since she of whom I am going to speak to you came of an honourable line,
I will just change the names in my story but nothing more; and I pray
you, ladies, believe that love has no power to change a chaste and
virtuous heart, as you will see by the tale I will now begin to tell.”
[Illustration: 035a.jpg Rolandine Conversing With Her Husband]
[Rolandine Conversing With Her Husband]
[Illustration: 035.jpg Page Image]
_TALE XXI_.
_Having remained unmarried until she was thirty years of
age, Rolandine, recognising her father’s neglect and her
mistress’s disfavour, fell so deeply in love with a bastard
gentleman that she promised him marriage; and this being
told to her father he treated her with all the harshness
imaginable, in order to make her consent to the dissolving
of the marriage; but she continued steadfast in her love
until she had received certain tidings of the Bastard’s
death, when she was wedded to a gentleman who bore the same
name and arms as did her own family_.
There was in France a Queen (1) who brought up in her household several
maidens belonging to good and noble houses. Among others there was one
called Rolandine, (2) who was near akin to the Queen; but the latter,
being for some reason unfriendly with the maiden’s father, showed her no
great kindness.
Now, although this maiden was not one of the fairest--nor yet indeed was
she of the ugliest--she was nevertheless so discreet and virtuous that
many persons of great consequence sought her in marriage. They had,
however, but a cold reply; for the father (3) was so fond of his money
that he gave no thought to his daughter’s welfare, while her mistress,
as I have said, bore her but little favour, so that she was sought by
none who desired to be advanced in the Queen’s good graces.
1 This is evidently Anne of Brittany, elder daughter of Duke
Francis II. and wife in turn of Charles VIII. and Louis XII.
Brantôme says: “She was the first to form that great Court
of ladies which we have seen since her time until now; she
always had a very great suite of ladies and maids, and never
refused fresh ones; far from it, indeed, for she would
inquire of the noblemen at Court if they had daughters, and
would ask that they might be sent to her.”--Lalanne’s
_OEuvres de Brantôme_, vol. vii. p. 314--L.
2 This by the consent of all the commentators is Anne de
Rohan, elder daughter of John II. Viscount de Rohan, Count
of Porhoët, Léon and La Garnache, by Mary of Brittany,
daughter of Duke Francis I. The date of Anne de Rohan’s
birth is not exactly known, but she is said to have been
about thirty years of age at the time of the tale, though
the incidents related extend over a somewhat lengthy period.
However, we know that Anne was ultimately married to Peter
de Rohan in 1517, when, according to her marriage contract,
she was over thirty-six years old (_Les Preuves de Histoire
ecclésiastique et civile de Bretagne_, 1756, vol. v. col.
940). From this we may assume that she was thirty in or
about 1510. The historical incidents alluded to in the tale
would, however, appear to have occurred (as will be shown by
subsequent notes) between 1507 and 1509, and we are of
opinion that the Queen of Navarre has made her heroine
rather older than she really was, and that the story indeed
begins in or about 1505, when Rolandine can have been little
more than five or six and twenty.--Ed.