Read "The Merrie Tales of Jacques Tournebroche" by Anatole France online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
MY good master, M. l'Abbe Coignard, had taken me with him to sup with one of his old fellow-students, who lodged in a garret in the Rue Git-le-Cour. Our host, a Premonstratensian Father of much learning and a fine Theologian, had fallen out with the Prior of his House for having writ a little book relating the calamities of Mam'zelle Fanchon. The end of it was he turned tavern-keeper at The Hague. He was now returned to France and living precariously by the sermons he composed, which were full of high argument and eloquence. After supper he had read us these same calamities of Mam'zelle Fanchon, source of his own, and the reading had kept us there till a late hour. At last I found myself without-doors with my good master, under a wondrous fine summer's night, which made me straightway comprehend the verity of the ancient fables regarding the loves of Diana and feel how natural it is to employ in soft dalliance the silent, silvery hours of night.
I said as much to M. l'Abbe Coignard, who retorted that love is to blame for many and great ills.