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know how the affair occurred。〃
Then the girl related naively how she was arranging the young lord's
ruffles in his wardrobe； when he began to play with her skirt； and she
turned round saying
〃Go on with you！〃
〃You have no case；〃 said the judge； 〃for by that speech he thought
that you gave him leave to go on。 Ha！ ha！〃
Then she declared that she had defended herself； weeping and crying
out； and that that constitutes an assault。
〃A wench's antics to incite him；〃 said the judge。
Finally； La Portillone declared that against her will she had been
taken round the waist and thrown； although she had kicked and cried
and struggled； but that seeing no help at hand； she had lost courage。
〃Good！ good！〃 said the judge。 〃Did you take pleasure in the affair？〃
〃No；〃 said she。 〃My anguish can only be paid for with a thousand
crowns。〃
〃My dear；〃 said the judge； 〃I cannot receive your complaint； because I
believe no girl could be thus treated against her will。〃
〃Hi！ hi！ hi！ Ask your servant；〃 said the little laundress； sobbing；
〃and hear what she'll tell you。〃
The servant affirmed that there were pleasant assaults and unpleasant
ones； that if La Portillone had received neither amusement nor money；
either one or the other was due to her。 This wise counsel threw the
judge into a state of great perplexity。
〃Jacqueline；〃 said he； 〃before I sup I'll get to the bottom of this。
Now go and fetch my needle and the red thread that I sew the law paper
bags with。〃
Jacqueline came back with a big needle； pierced with a pretty little
hole； and a big red thread； such as the judges use。 Then she remained
standing to see the question decided； very much disturbed； as was also
the complainant at these mysterious preparations。
〃My dear；〃 said the judge； 〃I am going to hold the bodkin； of which
the eye is sufficiently large； to put this thread into it without
trouble。 If you do put it in； I will take up your case； and will make
Monseigneur offer you a compromise。〃
〃What's that？〃 said she。 〃I will not allow it。〃
〃It is a word used in justice to signify an agreement。〃
〃A compromise is then agreeable with justice？〃 said La Portillone。
〃My dear； this violence has also opened your mind。 Are you ready？〃
〃Yes；〃 said she。
The waggish judge gave the poor nymph fair play； holding the eye
steady for her； but when she wished to slip in the thread that she had
twisted to make straight； he moved a little； and the thread went on
the other side。 She suspected the judge's argument； wetted the thread；
stretched it； and came back again。 The judge moved； twisted about； and
wriggled like a bashful maiden； still this cursed thread would not
enter。 The girl kept trying at the eye； and the judge kept fidgeting。
The marriage of the thread could not be consummated； the bodkin
remained virgin； and the servant began to laugh； saying to La
Portillone that she knew better how to endure than to perform。 Then
the roguish judge laughed too； and the fair Portillone cried for her
golden crowns。
〃If you don't keep still；〃 cried she； losing patience； 〃if you keep
moving about I shall never be able to put the thread in。〃
〃Then； my dear； if you had done the same； Monseigneur would have been
unsuccessful too。 Think； too； how easy is the one affair； and how
difficult the other。〃
The pretty wench； who declared she had been forced； remained
thoughtful； and sought to find a means to convince the judge by
showing how she had been compelled to yield； since the honour of all
poor girls liable to violence was at stake。
〃Monseigneur； in order that the bet made the fair； I must do exactly
as the young lord did。 If I had only had to move I should be moving
still； but he went through other performances。〃
〃Let us hear them；〃 replied the judge。
Then La Portillone straightens the thread； and rubs it in the wax of
the candle； to make it firm and straight； then she looked towards the
eye of the bodkin； held by the judge； slipping always to the right or
to the left。 Then she began making endearing little speeches； such as；
〃Ah； the pretty little bodkin！ What a pretty mark to aim at！ Never did
I see such a little jewel！ What a pretty little eye！ Let me put this
little thread into it！ Ah； you will hurt my poor thread； my nice
little thread！ Keep still！ Come； my love of a judge； judge of my love！
Won't the thread go nicely into this iron gate； which makes good use
of the thread； for it comes out very much out of order？〃 Then she
burst out laughing； for she was better up in this game than the judge；
who laughed too； so saucy and comical and arch was she； pushing the
thread backwards and forwards。 She kept the poor judge with the case
in his hand until seven o'clock； keeping on fidgeting and moving about
like a schoolboy let loose； but as La Portillone kept on trying to put
the thread in； he could not help it。 As； however； his joint was
burning； and his wrist was tired； he was obliged to rest himself for a
minute on the side of the table； then very dexterously the fair maid
of Portillon slipped the thread in； saying
〃That's how the thing occurred。〃
〃But my joint was burning。〃
〃So was mine；〃 said she。
The judge； convinced； told La Portillone that he would speak to
Monseigneur du Fou； and would himself carry the affair through； since
it was certain the young lord had embraced her against her will； but
that for valid reasons he would keep the affair dark。 On the morrow
the judge went to the Court and saw Monseigneur du Fou； to whom he
recounted the young woman's complaint； and how she had set forth her
case。 This complaint lodged in court； tickled the king immensely。
Young du Fou having said that there was some truth in it； the king
asked if he had had much difficulty； and as he replied； innocently；
〃No；〃 the king declared the girl was quite worth a hundred gold
crowns； and the chamberlain gave them to the judge； in order not to be
taxed with stinginess； and said the starch would be a good income to
La Portillone。 The judge came back to La Portillone； and said；
smiling； that he had raised a hundred gold crowns for her。 But if she
desired the balance of the thousand； there were at that moment in the
king's apartments certain lords who； knowing the case； had offered to
make up the sum for her； with her consent。 The little hussy did not
refuse this offer； saying； that in order to do no more washing in the
future she did not mind doing a little hard work now。 She gratefully
acknowledged the trouble the good judge had taken； and gained her
thousand crowns in a month。 From this came the falsehoods and jokes
concerning her； because out of these ten lords jealousy made a
hundred； whilst； differently from young men； La Portillone settled
down to a virtuous life directly she had her thousand crowns。 Even a
Duke； who would have counted out five hundred crowns； would have found
this girl rebellio