How the theologue, Hippothadee, giveth counsel to Panurge in the matter and business of his nuptial1 enterprise.
The dinner on the subsequent Sunday was no sooner made ready than that the afore-named invited guests gave thereto their appearance, all of them, Bridlegoose only excepted, who was the deputy-governor of Fonsbeton. At the ushering2 in of the second service Panurge, making a low reverence3, spake thus: Gentlemen, the question I am to propound4 unto you shall be uttered in very few words — Should I marry or no? If my doubt herein be not resolved by you, I shall hold it altogether insolvable, as are the Insolubilia de Aliaco; for all of you are elected, chosen, and culled5 out from amongst others, everyone in his own condition and quality, like so many picked peas on a carpet.
The Father Hippothadee, in obedience6 to the bidding of Pantagruel, and with much courtesy to the company, answered exceeding modestly after this manner: My friend, you are pleased to ask counsel of us; but first you must consult with yourself. Do you find any trouble or disquiet7 in your body by the importunate8 stings and pricklings of the flesh? That I do, quoth Panurge, in a hugely strong and almost irresistible9 measure. Be not offended, I beseech10 you, good father, at the freedom of my expression. No truly, friend, not I, quoth Hippothadee, there is no reason why I should be displeased11 therewith. But in this carnal strife12 and debate of yours have you obtained from God the gift and special grace of continency? In good faith, not, quoth Panurge. My counsel to you in that case, my friend, is that you marry, quoth Hippothadee; for you should rather choose to marry once than to burn still in fires of concupiscence. Then Panurge, with a jovial13 heart and a loud voice, cried out, That is spoke14 gallantly15, without circumbilivaginating about and about, and never hitting it in its centred point. Gramercy, my good father! In truth I am resolved now to marry, and without fail I shall do it quickly. I invite you to my wedding. By the body of a hen, we shall make good cheer, and be as merry as crickets. You shall wear the bridegroom’s colours, and, if we eat a goose, my wife shall not roast it for me. I will entreat16 you to lead up the first dance of the bridesmaids, if it may please you to do me so much favour and honour. There resteth yet a small difficulty, a little scruple17, yea, even less than nothing, whereof I humbly18 crave19 your resolution. Shall I be a cuckold, father, yea or no? By no means, answered Hippothadee, will you be cuckolded, if it please God. O the Lord help us now, quoth Panurge; whither are we driven to, good folks? To the conditionals20, which, according to the rules and precepts21 of the dialectic faculty22, admit of all contradictions and impossibilities. If my Transalpine mule23 had wings, my Transalpine mule would fly, if it please God, I shall not be a cuckold; but I shall be a cuckold, if it please him. Good God, if this were a condition which I knew how to prevent, my hopes should be as high as ever, nor would I despair. But you here send me to God’s privy24 council, to the closet of his little pleasures. You, my French countrymen, which is the way you take to go thither25?
My honest father, I believe I will be your best not to come to my wedding. The clutter26 and dingle-dangle noise of marriage guests will but disturb you, and break the serious fancies of your brain. You love repose27, with solitude28 and silence; I really believe you will not come. And then you dance but indifferently, and would be out of countenance29 at the first entry. I will send you some good things to your chamber30, together with the bride’s favour, and there you may drink our health, if it may stand with your good liking31. My friend, quoth Hippothadee, take my words in the sense wherein I meant them, and do not misinterpret me. When I tell you,— If it please God,— do I to you any wrong therein? Is it an ill expression? Is it a blaspheming clause or reserve any way scandalous unto the world? Do not we thereby32 honour the Lord God Almighty33, Creator, Protector, and Conserver of all things? Is not that a mean whereby we do acknowledge him to be the sole giver of all whatsoever34 is good? Do not we in that manifest our faith that we believe all things to depend upon his infinite and incomprehensible bounty35, and that without him nothing can be produced, nor after its production be of any value, force, or power, without the concurring36 aid and favour of his assisting grace? Is it not a canonical37 and authentic38 exception, worthy39 to be premised to all our undertakings40? Is it not expedient41 that what we propose unto ourselves be still referred to what shall be disposed of by the sacred will of God, unto which all things must acquiesce42 in the heavens as well as on the earth? Is not that verily a sanctifying of his holy name? My friend, you shall not be a cuckold, if it please God, nor shall we need to despair of the knowledge of his good will and pleasure herein, as if it were such an abstruse43 and mysteriously hidden secret that for the clear understanding thereof it were necessary to consult with those of his celestial45 privy council, or expressly make a voyage unto the empyrean chamber where order is given for the effectuating of his most holy pleasures. The great God hath done us this good, that he hath declared and revealed them to us openly and plainly, and described them in the Holy Bible. There will you find that you shall never be a cuckold, that is to say, your wife shall never be a strumpet, if you make choice of one of a commendable46 extraction, descended47 of honest parents, and instructed in all piety48 and virtue49 — such a one as hath not at any time haunted or frequented the company or conversation of those that are of corrupt50 and depraved manners, one loving and fearing God, who taketh a singular delight in drawing near to him by faith and the cordial observing of his sacred commandments — and finally, one who, standing44 in awe51 of the Divine Majesty52 of the Most High, will be loth to offend him and lose the favourable53 kindness of his grace through any defect of faith or transgression54 against the ordinances55 of his holy law, wherein adultery is most rigorously forbidden and a close adherence56 to her husband alone most strictly57 and severely58 enjoined59; yea, in such sort that she is to cherish, serve, and love him above anything, next to God, that meriteth to be beloved. In the interim60, for the better schooling61 of her in these instructions, and that the wholesome62 doctrine63 of a matrimonial duty may take the deeper root in her mind, you must needs carry yourself so on your part, and your behaviour is to be such, that you are to go before her in a good example, by entertaining her unfeignedly with a conjugal64 amity65, by continually approving yourself in all your words and actions a faithful and discreet66 husband; and by living, not only at home and privately67 with your own household and family, but in the face also of all men and open view of the world, devoutly68, virtuously69, and chastely70, as you would have her on her side to deport71 and to demean herself towards you, as becomes a godly, loyal, and respectful wife, who maketh conscience to keep inviolable the tie of a matrimonial oath. For as that looking-glass is not the best which is most decked with gold and precious stones, but that which representeth to the eye the liveliest shapes of objects set before it, even so that wife should not be most esteemed72 who richest is and of the noblest race, but she who, fearing God, conforms herself nearest unto the humour of her husband.
Consider how the moon doth not borrow her light from Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, or any other of the planets, nor yet from any of those splendid stars which are set in the spangled firmament73, but from her husband only, the bright sun, which she receiveth from him more or less, according to the manner of his aspect and variously bestowed74 eradiations. Just so should you be a pattern to your wife in virtue, goodly zeal75, and true devotion, that by your radiance in darting76 on her the aspect of an exemplary goodness, she, in your imitation, may outshine the luminaries77 of all other women. To this effect you daily must implore78 God’s grace to the protection of you both. You would have me then, quoth Panurge, twisting the whiskers of his beard on either side with the thumb and forefinger79 of his left hand, to espouse80 and take to wife the prudent81 frugal82 woman described by Solomon. Without all doubt she is dead, and truly to my best remembrance I never saw her; the Lord forgive me! Nevertheless, I thank you, father. Eat this slice of marchpane, it will help your digestion83; then shall you be presented with a cup of claret hippocras, which is right healthful and stomachal. Let us proceed.
1 nuptial | |
adj.婚姻的,婚礼的 | |
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2 ushering | |
v.引,领,陪同( usher的现在分词 ) | |
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3 reverence | |
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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4 propound | |
v.提出 | |
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5 culled | |
v.挑选,剔除( cull的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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7 disquiet | |
n.担心,焦虑 | |
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8 importunate | |
adj.强求的;纠缠不休的 | |
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9 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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10 beseech | |
v.祈求,恳求 | |
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11 displeased | |
a.不快的 | |
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12 strife | |
n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争 | |
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13 jovial | |
adj.快乐的,好交际的 | |
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14 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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15 gallantly | |
adv. 漂亮地,勇敢地,献殷勤地 | |
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16 entreat | |
v.恳求,恳请 | |
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17 scruple | |
n./v.顾忌,迟疑 | |
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18 humbly | |
adv. 恭顺地,谦卑地 | |
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19 crave | |
vt.渴望得到,迫切需要,恳求,请求 | |
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20 conditionals | |
n.条件句,从句,条件式( conditional的名词复数 ) | |
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21 precepts | |
n.规诫,戒律,箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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22 faculty | |
n.才能;学院,系;(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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23 mule | |
n.骡子,杂种,执拗的人 | |
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24 privy | |
adj.私用的;隐密的 | |
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25 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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26 clutter | |
n.零乱,杂乱;vt.弄乱,把…弄得杂乱 | |
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27 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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28 solitude | |
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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29 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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30 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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31 liking | |
n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢 | |
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32 thereby | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
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33 almighty | |
adj.全能的,万能的;很大的,很强的 | |
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34 whatsoever | |
adv.(用于否定句中以加强语气)任何;pron.无论什么 | |
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35 bounty | |
n.慷慨的赠予物,奖金;慷慨,大方;施与 | |
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36 concurring | |
同时发生的,并发的 | |
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37 canonical | |
n.权威的;典型的 | |
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38 authentic | |
a.真的,真正的;可靠的,可信的,有根据的 | |
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39 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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40 undertakings | |
企业( undertaking的名词复数 ); 保证; 殡仪业; 任务 | |
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41 expedient | |
adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计 | |
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42 acquiesce | |
vi.默许,顺从,同意 | |
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43 abstruse | |
adj.深奥的,难解的 | |
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44 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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45 celestial | |
adj.天体的;天上的 | |
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46 commendable | |
adj.值得称赞的 | |
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47 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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48 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
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49 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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50 corrupt | |
v.贿赂,收买;adj.腐败的,贪污的 | |
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51 awe | |
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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52 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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53 favourable | |
adj.赞成的,称赞的,有利的,良好的,顺利的 | |
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54 transgression | |
n.违背;犯规;罪过 | |
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55 ordinances | |
n.条例,法令( ordinance的名词复数 ) | |
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56 adherence | |
n.信奉,依附,坚持,固着 | |
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57 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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58 severely | |
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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59 enjoined | |
v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60 interim | |
adj.暂时的,临时的;n.间歇,过渡期间 | |
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61 schooling | |
n.教育;正规学校教育 | |
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62 wholesome | |
adj.适合;卫生的;有益健康的;显示身心健康的 | |
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63 doctrine | |
n.教义;主义;学说 | |
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64 conjugal | |
adj.婚姻的,婚姻性的 | |
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65 amity | |
n.友好关系 | |
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66 discreet | |
adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 | |
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67 privately | |
adv.以私人的身份,悄悄地,私下地 | |
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68 devoutly | |
adv.虔诚地,虔敬地,衷心地 | |
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69 virtuously | |
合乎道德地,善良地 | |
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70 chastely | |
adv.贞洁地,清高地,纯正地 | |
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71 deport | |
vt.驱逐出境 | |
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72 esteemed | |
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为 | |
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73 firmament | |
n.苍穹;最高层 | |
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74 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75 zeal | |
n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
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76 darting | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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77 luminaries | |
n.杰出人物,名人(luminary的复数形式) | |
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78 implore | |
vt.乞求,恳求,哀求 | |
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79 forefinger | |
n.食指 | |
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80 espouse | |
v.支持,赞成,嫁娶 | |
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81 prudent | |
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
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82 frugal | |
adj.节俭的,节约的,少量的,微量的 | |
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83 digestion | |
n.消化,吸收 | |
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