“Dost realise that what thou hast shown me hath made me unhappy?”
“And why?”
“Because thy boarder is charming and I am dying to possess her.”
“I grieve for that, since thou canst not go further; moreover, I know
thee, my friend, and e’en though thou couldst satisfy thy passion
without danger to her, I would not yield her to thee; thou wouldst
spoil her.”
“How?”
“Dost think that after enjoying thee she would care to enjoy me? I
should lose too heavily by comparison.”
“Give me thy hand.”
“Nay.”
“Stay--one moment.”
“I do not wish to see aught.”
“Not even a little?”
“Naught at all.”
“Art angered with me, then?”
“Far from it. If thou hast been pleased, I am glad; and if thou hast
filled her with desires, she will love me all the more.”
“What happiness, my angel, could we, all three, be alone together and
at liberty!”
“I feel it, but ‘tis impossible.”
“Art sure that we are sheltered from all curious eyes?”
“I am certain.”
“The height of that wretched grille hath deprived me of the sight of
many charms.”
“Why didst not go to the other parlour? ‘Tis much lower there.”
“Let us go there.”
“Not to-day. I could give no reason for the change.”
“I will return to-morrow, and in the evening I start for Lyons.”
The little boarder came back, and I stood up facing her. I had a number
of beautiful seals and trinkets hanging from my watch-chain, and I had
not had time to put myself in a state of perfect decency again. This
she noticed, and my seals serving as a pretext for her curiosity, she
asked if she might look at them.
“As long as you like, my jewel; look at them and touch them as well.”
M--M--, foreseeing what would happen, left the room, saying that she
would return anon. I hastened to deprive the curious-minded young
boarder of all interest in my seals by placing in her hands a curiosity
of another kind. She did not conceal her transports nor the pleasure
she felt in satisfying her inquisitiveness about an object which was
quite new to her, and which she was able to examine minutely for the
first time in her life. But soon an effusion of the natural moisture
changed her curiosity into surprise, and I did not interrupt her in her
delighted contemplation of it.
Perceiving M--M--returning slowly, I lowered my shirt and sat down.
My watch and chains were still on the ledge of the grating, and
M--M--asked her young friend if the trinkets had pleased her.
“Yea,” replied the little one, in a dreamy and melancholy voice. She
had travelled so far in less than two hours that she had plenty to
think on.
I passed the rest of the day in relating to M--M--the adventures I had
encountered since I quitted her; but as I had not time to finish my
tale, I promised to return on the following day at the same hour.
The young girl, who had been listening to me all the while, although I
seemed to be addressing only her friend, said she was dying to know the
end of my adventure with the mistress of the Duke of Matelone.[102] ...
[102] Referring to a salacious incident shortly before related.
Further details would be out of place in this volume.
... On the following day, after dining, I returned to the convent, and
having sent up my name to M--M--, I entered the room where the grating
was more convenient. Before long M--M--arrived alone, but divining my
desires, she added that her pretty young friend would soon join us.
“Thou hast fired her imagination,” she said. “She hath told me all
about it, playing a thousand wanton tricks and calling me her dear
husband. Thou hast seduced her, and I am very glad thou art going, for
I believe she might lose her reason. Thou wilt see how she hath attired
herself.”
“Art sure of her discretion?”
“Perfectly, but I beg of thee to do naught in my presence. When I see
the moment approaching, I will leave the room.”
“Thou art an angel, beloved, but thou mightest be something better an
thou wouldst----”
“I want naught for myself, because that may not be.”
“Thou couldst----”
“Nay--I will have naught to do with a pastime which would re-kindle
fires hardly yet quenched. I have spoken. I suffer; but let us say no
more on the matter.”
At this moment the young adept entered smiling, her eyes full of fire.
She was attired in a short pelisse, open in front, and an embroidered
muslin skirt which did not go beyond her knees. She looked like a sylph.
We were scarcely seated ere she reminded me of the place where my tale
had stopped. I continued my recital, and when I was relating how Donna
Lucrezia showed me Leonilda naked, M--M--went out, and the sly little
puss asked me how I assured myself that my daughter was a virgin.
Taking hold of her through the wretched grating, against which she
placed her pretty body, I showed her how I assured myself of the fact,
and the little one found such pleasure in the game that, so far from
feeling any suffering, she twice swooned away in ecstacy, all the while
pressing my hand to the spot. Then she gave me her hand that she might
afford me the pleasure I had given her, and when M--M--appeared during
this enjoyable occupation, she said hastily:--
“It doth not matter. I have told her everything. My friend is kind, and
she will not be vexed.”
M--M--, in sooth, affected to see naught of all this, and the
precocious young girl wiped her hand in a kind of voluptuous delight,
which showed how well she was pleased.
I proceeded with my history, but when I came to the episode of the poor
girl who was _tied_,[103] describing all the trouble I had vainly taken
with her, the little boarder grew so curious that she placed herself in
the most seducing attitude so that I might be able to show her what I
did. Seeing this, M--M--made her escape.
[103] Somewhat obscure. This rendering, that of the English
translation, is not in accord with the French text, nor does it
seem to us to represent what happened as described in the English
translation.
“Kneel down on the ledge,” said the little wanton, “and let me do it.”
The reader can guess her intention, and she would have succeeded in her
purpose had not the fire which consumed me distilled itself away at the
orifice.
The charming novice felt herself besprinkled, but after ascertaining
that naught more could be done, she withdrew in some vexation. My
fingers, however, consoled her for the disappointment, and I had the
pleasure of seeing her look happy once more.
I quitted these charming creatures in the evening, promising to visit
them again in a year, but as I walked home I could not but reflect how
often these asylums, supposed to be devoted to chastity and prayer,
do contain in themselves the hidden germs of corruption. How many
a timorous and trustful mother is persuaded that the child of her
affection will escape the dangers of the world by taking refuge in the
cloister. But behind these bolts and bars desires grow to a frenzied
extreme; they crave in vain to be satisfied....
_JOHN and JOAN._[104]
[104] J. S. Farmer: _Merry Songs and Ballads_: _Privately Printed_,
1897: vol. 3: from _Pills to Purge Melancholy_ (1719). A similar
ballad, _John and Jone_, from _Merry Drollerie_ (1661) is given by
Farmer in the second volume of his work.
There was a Maid the other Day,
Which in her Master’s Chamber lay;
As Maidens they must not refuse,
In Yeomens Houses thus they use
In a Truckle-bed to lye,
Or another standing by:
Her Master and her Dame,
Said she shou’d do the same.
This Maid cou’d neither rest nor Sleep,
When that she heard the Bed to crack;
Her Master Captive busie was,
Her Dame cry’d out, you hurt my Back:
Oh Husband you do me wrong,
You’ve lain so hard my Breast upon;
You are such another Man,
You’d have me do more than I can:
Tush Master, then says _Joan_,
Pray let my Dame alone;
What a devilish Squalling you keep,
That I can neither rest nor Sleep.
This was enough to make a Maiden sick
And full of Pain;
She begins to Fling and Kick,
And swore she’d rent her Smock in twain:
But you shall hear anon,
There was a Man his name was _John_,
To whom this Maid she went alone,
And in this manner made her moan;
I prithee _John_ tell me no Lie,
What ails my Dame to Squeak and Cry?
I prithee _John_ tell me the same,
What is’t my Master gives my Dame?
It is a Steel, quoth _John_,
My Master gives my Dame at Night:
Altho’ some fault she find,
I’m sure it is her Heart’s Delight:
And you _Joan_ for your part,
You love one withal your Heart:
Yes, marry then quoth _John_,
Therefore to you I make my moan;
If that I may be so bold,
Where are these things to be sold?
At _London_ then said _John_,
Next Market day I’ll bring thee one.
What will a good one cost,
If I shou’d chance to stand in need?
Twenty Shillings, says _John_,
And for Twenty Shillings you may speed:
Then _Joan_ she ran unto her Chest,
And fetch’d him Twenty Shillings just;
_John_, said she, here is your Coin,
And I pray you have me in your Mind:
And out of my Love therefore,
There is for you two Shillings more;
And I pray thee honest _John Long_,
Buy me one that’s Stiff and Strong.
To Market then he went,
When he had the Money in his Purse;
He domineer’d and vapour’d,
He was as stout as any Horse:
Some he spent in Ale and Beer,
And some he spent upon good Cheer;
The rest he brought home again,
To serve his turn another time:
Welcome home honest _John_,
God a mercy gentle _Joan_;
Prithee _John_ let me feel,
Hast thou brought me home a Steel?
Yes, marry then quoth _John_,
And then he took her by the Hand;
He led her into a Room,
Where they cou’d see neither Sun nor Moon:
Together _John_ the Door did clap,
He laid the Steel into her Lap:
With that _Joan_ began to feel,
Cuts Foot, quoth she, ‘tis a dainty Steel:
I prithee tell me, and do not lye,
What are the two Things hang thereby?
They be the two odd Shillings, quoth _John_,
That you put last into my Hand:
If I had known so much before,
I wou’d have giv’n thee two Shillings more.[105]
[105] _John and Joan_, strictly speaking, is a _variant_ of three
stories quoted earlier on in this volume, (The Instrument, The
Timorous Fiancée and The Enchanted Ring), inasmuch as all contain the
same idea--the possibility of purchasing a _membrum virile_. At the
same time, our ballad has a totally different setting, the maid in
this case obtaining her first knowledge from the actions of others.