The Quid Pro Quo; Or The Mistakes Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Jean De La Fontaine

The Quid Pro Quo; Or The Mistakes Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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DAME FORTUNE often loves a laugh to raise	A
And playing off her tricks and roguish ways	A
Instead of giving us what we desire	B
Mere quid pro quo permits us to acquire	B
I've found her gambols such from first to last	C
And judge the future by experience past	C
Fair Cloris and myself felt mutual flame	D
And when a year had run the sprightly dame	D
Prepared to grant me if I may be plain	E
Some slight concessions that would ease my pain	E
This was her aim but whatsoe'er in view	F
'Tis opportunity we should pursue	F
The lover who's discreet will moments seize	G
And ev'ry effort then will tend to please	G
	-
ONE eve I went this charming fair to see	H
The husband happened luckily for me	H
To be abroad but just as it was night	I
The master came not doubting all was right	I
No Cloris howsoe'er was in the way	J
A servant girl of disposition gay	J
Well known to me with pretty smiling face	K
'Tis said was led to take her lady's place	K
The mistress' loss for once was thus repaid	L
The barter mutual wife against the maid	L
	-
WITH many tales like this the books abound	M
But able hands are necessary found	M
To place the incidents arrange the whole	N
That nothing may be forced nor feel control	N
The urchin blind who sees enough to lay	J
His num'rous snares such tricks will often play	J
The CRADLE in Boccace excels the most	O
As to myself I do not mean to boast	O
But fear a thousand places spite of toil	P
By him made excellent my labours spoil	P
'Tis time howe'er with preface to have done	Q
And show by some new turn or piece of fun	Q
While easy numbers from my pencil flow	R
Of Fortune and of Love the quid pro quo	R
In proof we'll state what happened at Marseilles	S
The story is so true no doubt prevails	T
	-
THERE Clidamant whose proper name my verse	U
Prom high respect refuses to rehearse	U
Lived much at ease not one a wife had got	V
Throughout the realm who was so nice a lot	V
Her virtues temper and seraphick charms	W
Should have secured the husband to her arms	W
But he was not to constancy inclined	X
The devil's crafty snares has often twined	X
Around and round with ev'ry subtle art	Y
When love of novelty he would impart	Y
	-
THE lady had a maid whose form and size	Z
Height easy manners action lips and eyes	Z
Were thought to be so very like her own	A2
That one from t'other scarcely could be known	A2
The mistress was the prettiest of the two	F
But in a mask where much escapes the view	F
'Twas very difficult a choice to make	B2
And feel no doubts which better 'twere to take	B2
	-
THE Marseillesian husband rather gay	J
With mistress Alice was disposed to play	J
For such was called the maid we just have named	C2
To show coquettish airs the latter aimed	C2
And met his wishes with reproof severe	D2
But to his plan the lover would adhere	D2
And promised her at length a pretty sum	E2
A hundred crowns if to his room she'd come	E2
To pay the girl with kindness such as this	F2
In my opinion was not much amiss	F2
At that rate what should be the mistress' price	G2
Perhaps still less she might not be so nice	G2
But I mistake the lady was so coy	H2
No spark whatever art he could employ	H2
How cleverly soe'er he laid the snare	I2
Would have succeeded spite of ev'ry care	I2
Nor presents nor attentions would have swayed	L
Should I have mentioned presents as an aid	L
Alas no longer these are days of old	J2
By Love both nymph and shepherdess are sold	J2
He sets the price of many beauties rare	I2
This was a god now nothing but a mayor	B
	-
O ALTERED times O customs how depraved	K2
At first fair Alice frowardly behaved	K2
But in the sequel 'gan to change her way	J
And said her mistress as the foll'wing day	J
A certain remedy to take designed	X
That in the morning then if so inclined	X
They could at leisure in the cavern meet	L2
The plan was pleasing all appeared discreet	L2
	-
THE servant having to her mistress said	M2
What projects were in view what nets were spread	M2
The females 'tween themselves a plot contrived	N2
Of Quid pro quo against the hour arrived	N2
The husband of the trick was ne'er aware	I2
So much the mistress had her servant's air	I2
But if he had what then no harm of course	O2
She might have lectured him with double force	O2
	-
NEXT day but one gay Clidamant whose joy	H2
Appeared so great 'twas free from all alloy	H2
By hazard met a friend to whom he told	J2
Most indiscreetly what to him was sold	J2
How Cupid favoured what he most required	P2
And freely granted all he had desired	P2
Though large the blessing yet he grudged the cost	Q2
The sum gave pain a hundred crowns were lost	R2
The friend proposed they should at once decide	S2
The charge and pleasure 'tween them to divide	S2
Our husband thought his purse not over strong	T2
That saving fifty crowns would not be wrong	T2
But then on t'other hand to lend the fair	I2
In ev'ry view had got an awkward air	I2
Would she as was proposed consent to two	F
To keep things secret would their lips be true	F
Or was it fair to sacrifice her charms	W
And lay her open thus to dire alarms	W
	-
THE friend this difficulty soon removed	U2
And represented that the cavern proved	U2
So very dark the girl would be deceived	V2
With one more shrewd the trick might be achieved	V2
Sufficient howsoever it would be	H
If they by turns and silent could agree	H
To meet the belle and leave to Love the rest	W2
From whom they hoped assistance if distressed	W2
Such silence to observe no hurt could do	F
And Alice would suppose a prudent view	F
Retained the tongue since walls have often ears	X2
And being mum expressive was of fears	X2
	-
WHEN thus the two gallants their plan had laid	L
And ev'ry promised pleasure fully weighed	L
They to the husband's mansion made their way	J
Where yet the wife between the bed clothes lay	J
The servant girl was near her mistress found	M
Her dress was plain no finery around	M
In short 'twas such that when the moment came	D
To fail the meeting could not be her aim	D
	-
THE friends disputed which the lead should take	B2
And strong pretentions both appeared to make	B2
The husband honours home would not allow	Y2
Such compliments were out of fashion now	Y2
To settle this at length three dice they took	Z2
The friend was highest placed in Fortune's book	Z2
The both together to the cavern flew	F
And for the servant soon impatient grew	F
But Alice never came and in her room	A3
The mistress softly treading 'mid the gloom	A3
The necessary signal gently gave	B3
On which she entered presently the cave	B3
And this so suddenly no time was found	M
To make remarks on change or errors round	M
Or any diff'rence 'tween the friend and spouse	C3
In short before suspicions 'gan to rouse	C3
Or alteration lent the senses aid	L
To LOVE a sacrifice was fully made	L
The lucky wight more pleasure would have felt	D3
If sensible he'd been with whom he dealt	D3
The mistress rather more of beauty had	E3
And QUALITY of course must something add	E3
	-
THIS scene just ended t'other actor came	D
Whose prompt arrival much surprised the dame	D
For as a husband Clidamant had ne'er	I2
Such ardour shown he seemed beyond his sphere	D2
The lady to the girl imputed this	F2
And thought to hint it would not be amiss	F2
	-
THE entertainment o'er away they went	F3
To quit the dark abode they were intent	F3
The partner in amour repaired above	G3
But when the husband saw his wedded love	G3
Ascend the stairs and she the friend perceived	V2
We well may judge how bosoms beat and heaved	V2
	-
THE master of the house conceived it best	W2
To keep the whole a secret in his breast	W2
But to discover ALL his lovely rib	H3
Appeared disposed though wives can often fib	H3
The silliest of the throng or high or low	R
Most perfectly the science seem to know	R
	-
SOME will pretend that Alice in her heart	Y
Was sorry she had acted such a part	Y
And not a better method sought to gain	E
The money which had caused her master's pain	E
Lamented much the case and tried to please	G
By ev'ry means that might his trouble ease	G
But this is merely with design to make	B2
The tale a more impressive feature take	B2
	-
TWO questions may agitate around	M
The one if 'mong the brotherhood renowned	M
The husband who thus felt disgraced	I3
Should with the usual ornaments be placed	I3
But I no grounds for such	J3