maitre cornelius-第11部分

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Louis　XI。　was　fond　of　intervening　in　the　affairs　of　his　subjects；　and

he　was　always　ready　to　mingle　his　royal　majesty　with　the　burgher　life。

This　taste；　severely　blamed　by　some　historians；　was　really　only　a

passion　for　the　〃incognito；〃　one　of　the　greatest　pleasures　of　princes；

a　sort　of　momentary　abdication；　which　enables　them　to　put　a　little

real　life　into　their　existence；　made　insipid　by　the　lack　of

opposition。　Louis　XI。；　however；　played　the　incognito　openly。　On　these

occasions　he　was　always　the　good　fellow；　endeavoring　to　please　the

people　of　the　middle　classes；　whom　he　made　his　allies　against

feudality。　For　some　time　past　he　had　found　no　opportunity　to　〃make

himself　populace〃　and　espouse　the　domestic　interests　of　some　man

〃engarrie〃　（an　old　word　still　used　in　Tours；　meaning　engaged）　in

litigious　affairs；　so　that　he　shouldered　the　anxieties　of　Maitre

Cornelius　eagerly；　and　also　the　secret　sorrows　of　the　Comtesse　de

Saint…Vallier。　Several　times　during　dinner　he　said　to　his　daughter：



〃Who；　think　you；　could　have　robbed　my　silversmith？　The　robberies　now

amount　to　over　twelve　hundred　thousand　crowns　in　eight　years。　Twelve

hundred　thousand　crowns；　messieurs！〃　he　continued；　looking　at　the

seigneurs　who　were　serving　him。　〃Notre　Dame！　with　a　sum　like　that　what

absolutions　could　be　bought　in　Rome！　And　I　might；　Pasques…Dieu！　bank

the　Loire；　or；　better　still；　conquer　Piedmont；　a　fine　fortification

ready…made　for　this　kingdom。〃



When　dinner　was　over；　Louis　XI。　took　his　daughter；　his　doctor；　and　the

grand　provost；　with　an　escort　of　soldiers；　and　rode　to　the　hotel　de

Poitiers　in　Tours；　where　he　found；　as　he　expected；　the　Comte　de　Saint…

Vallier　awaiting　his　wife；　perhaps　to　make　away　with　her　life。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　told　you　to　start　at　once。　Say　farewell

to　your　wife　now；　and　go　to　the　frontier；　you　will　be　accompanied　by

an　escort　of　honor。　As　for　your　instructions　and　credentials；　they

will　be　in　Venice　before　you　get　there。〃



Louis　then　gave　the　ordernot　without　adding　certain　secret

instructionsto　a　lieutenant　of　the　Scottish　guard　to　take　a　squad　of

men　and　accompany　the　ambassador　to　Venice。　Saint…Vallier　departed　in

haste；　after　giving　his　wife　a　cold　kiss　which　he　would　fain　have　made

deadly。　Louis　XI。　then　crossed　over　to　the　Malemaison；　eager　to　begin

the　unravelling　of　the　melancholy　comedy；　lasting　now　for　eight　years；

in　the　house　of　his　silversmith；　flattering　himself　that；　in　his

quality　of　king；　he　had　enough　penetration　to　discover　the　secret　of

the　robberies。　Cornelius　did　not　see　the　arrival　of　the　escort　of　his

royal　master　without　uneasiness。



〃Are　all　those　persons　to　take　part　in　the　inquiry？〃　he　said　to　the

king。



Louis　XI。　could　not　help　smiling　as　he　saw　the　fright　of　the　miser　and

his　sister。



〃No；　my　old　crony；〃　he　said；　〃don't　worry　yourself。　They　will　sup　at

Plessis；　and　you　and　I　alone　will　make　the　investigation。　I　am　so　good

in　detecting　criminals；　that　I　will　wager　you　ten　thousand　crowns　I

shall　do　so　now。〃



〃Find　him；　sire；　and　make　no　wager。〃



They　went　at　once　into　the　strong　room；　where　the　Fleming　kept　his

treasure。　There　Louis；　who　asked　to　see；　in　the　first　place；　the

casket　from　which　the　jewels　of　the　Duke　of　Burgundy　had　been　taken；

then　the　chimney　down　which　the　robber　was　supposed　to　have　descended；

easily　convinced　his　silversmith　of　the　falsity　of　the　latter

supposition；　inasmuch　as　there　was　no　soot　on　the　hearth；where；　in

truth；　a　fire　was　seldom　made；and　no　sign　that　any　one　had　passed

down　the　flue；　and　moreover　that　the　chimney　issued　at　a　part　of　the

roof　which　was　almost　inaccessible。　At　last；　after　two　hours　of　close

investigation；　marked　with　that　sagacity　which　distinguished　the

suspicious　mind　of　Louis　XI。；　it　was　clear　to　him；　beyond　all　doubt；

that　no　one　had　forced　an　entrance　into　the　strong…room　of　his

silversmith。　No　marks　of　violence　were　on　the　locks；　nor　on　the　iron

coffers　which　contained　the　gold；　silver；　and　jewels　deposited　as

securities　by　wealthy　debtors。



〃If　the　robber　opened　this　box；〃　said　the　king；　why　did　he　take

nothing　out　of　it　but　the　jewels　of　the　Duke　of　Bavaria？　What　reason

had　he　for　leaving　that　pearl　necklace　which　lay　beside　them？　A　queer

robber！〃



At　that　remark　the　unhappy　miser　turned　pale：　he　and　the　king　looked

at　each　other　for　a　moment。



〃Then；　sire；　what　did　that　robber　whom　you　have　taken　under　your

protection　come　to　do　here；　and　why　did　he　prowl　about　at　night？〃



〃If　you　have　not　guessed　why；　my　crony；　I　order　you　to　remain　in

ignorance。　That　is　one　of　my　secrets。〃



〃Then　the　devil　is　in　my　house！〃　cried　the　miser；　piteously。



In　any　other　circumstances　the　king　would　have　laughed　at　his

silversmith's　cry；　but　he　had　suddenly　become　thoughtful；　and　was

casting　on　the　Fleming　those　glances　peculiar　to　men　of　talent　and

power　which　seem　to　penetrate　the　brain。　Cornelius　was　frightened；

thinking　he　had　in　some　way　offended　his　dangerous　master。



〃Devil　or　angel；　I　have　him；　the　guilty　man！〃　cried　Louis　XI。

abruptly。　〃If　you　are　robbed　again　to…night；　I　shall　know　to…morrow

who　did　it。　Make　that　old　hag　you　call　your　sister　come　here；〃　he

added。



Cornelius　almost　hesitated　to　leave　the　king　alone　in　the　room　with

his　hoards；　but　the　bitter　smile　on　Louis's　withered　lips　determined

him。　Nevertheless　he　hurried　back；　followed　by　the　old　woman。



〃Have　you　any　flour？〃　demanded　the　king。



〃Oh　yes；　we　have　laid　in　our　stock　for　the　winter；〃　she　answered。



〃Well；　go　and　fetch　some；〃　said　the　king。



〃What　do　you　want　to　do　with　our　flour；　sire？〃　she　cried；　not　the

least　impressed　by　his　royal　majesty。



〃Old　fool！〃　said　Cornelius；　〃go　and　execute　the　orders　of　our　gracious

master。　Shall　the　king　lack　flour？〃



〃Our　good　flour！〃　she　grumbled；　as　she　went　downstairs。　〃Ah！　my

flour！〃



Then　she　returned；　and　said　to　the　king：



〃Sire；　is　it　only　a　royal　notion　to　examine　my　flour？〃



At　last　she　reappeared；　bearing　one　of　those　stout　linen　bags　which；

from　time　immemorial；　have　been　used　in　Touraine　to　carry　or　bring；　to

and　from　market；　nuts；　fruits；　or　wheat。　The　bag　was　half　full　of

flour。　The　housekeeper　opened　it　and　showed　it　to　the　king；　on　whom

she　cast　the　rapid；　savage　look　with　which　old　maids　appear　to　squirt

venom　upon　men。



〃It　costs　six　sous　the　'septeree；'〃　she　said。



〃What　does　that　matter？〃　said　the　king。　〃Spread　it　on　the　floor；　but

be　careful　to　make　an　even　layer　of　itas　if　it　had　fallen　like

snow。〃



The　old　maid　did　not　comprehend。　This　proposal　astonished　her　as

though　the　end　of　the　world　had　come。



〃My　flour；　sire！　on　the　ground！　But〃



Maitre　Cornelius；　who　was　beginning　to　understand；　though　vaguely；　the

intentions　of　the　king；　seized　the　bag　and　gently　poured　its　contents

on　the　floor。　The　old　woman　quivered；　but　she　held　out　her　hand　for

the　empty　bag；　and　when　her　brother　gave　it　back　to　her　she

disappeared　with　a　heavy　sigh。



Cornelius　then　took　a　feather　broom　and　gently　smoothed　the　flour　till

it　looked　like　a　fall　of　snow；　retreating　step　by　step　as　he　did　so；

followed　by　the　king；　who　seemed　much　amused　by　the　operation。　When

they　reached　the　door　Louis　XI。　said　to　his　silversmith；　〃Are　there

two　keys　to　the　lock？〃



〃No；　sire。〃



The　king　then　examined　the　structure　of　the　door；　which　was　braced

with　large　plates　and　bars　of　iron；　all　of　which　converged　to　a　secret

lock；　the　key　of　which　was　kept　by　Cornelius。



After　examining　everything；　the　king　sent　for　Tristan；　and　ordered　him

to　post　several　of　his　men　for　the　night；　and　with　the　greatest

secrecy；　in　the　mulberry　trees　on　the　embankment　and　on　the　roofs　of

the　adjoining　houses；　and　to　assemble　at　once　the　rest　of　his　men　and

escort　him　back　to　Plessis；　so　as　to　give　the　idea　in　the　town　that　he

himself　would　not　sup　with　Cornelius。　Next；　he　told　the　miser　to　close

his　windows　with　the　utmost　care；　that　no　single　ray　of　light　should

escape　from　the　house；　and　then　he　departed　with　much　pomp　for　Plessis

along　the　embankment；　but　there　he　secretly　left　his　escort；　and

returned　by　a　door　in　the　ramparts　to　the　house　of　the　torconnier。　All

these　precautions　were　so　well　taken　that　the　people　of　Tours　really

thought　the　king　had　returned　to　Plessis；　and　would　sup　on　the　morrow

with　Cornelius。



Towards　eight　o'clock　that　evening；　as　the　king　was　supping　with　his

physician；　Cornelius；　and　the　captain　of　his　guard；　and　holding　much

jovial　converse；　forgetting　for　the　time　being　that　he　was　ill　and　in

danger　of　death；　the　deepest　silence　reigned　without；　and　all　passers；

even　the　wariest　robber；　would　have　believed　that　the　Malemaison　was

occupied　as　usual。



〃I　hope；〃　said　the　king；　laughing；　〃that　my　silversmith　shall　be

robbed　to…night；　so　that　my　curiosity　may　be　satisfied。　Therefore；

messieurs；　no　one　is　to　leave　his　chamber　to…morrow　morning　without　my

order；　under　pain　of　grievous　punishment。〃



Thereupon；　all　went　to　bed。　The　next　morning；　Louis　XI。　was　the　first

to　leave　his　apartment；　and　he　went　at　once　to　the　door　of　the　strong…

room。　He　was　not　a　little　astonished　to　see；　as　he　went　along；　the

marks　of　a　large　foot　along　the　stairways　and　corridors　of　the　house。

Carefully　avoiding　those　precious　footprints；　he　followed　them　to　the

door　of　the　treasure…room；　which　he　found　locked　without　a　sign　of

fracture　or　defacement。　Then　he　studied　the　direction　of　the　steps；

but　as　they　grew　gradually　fainter；　they　finally　left　not　the

slightest　trace；　and　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　discover　where　the

robber　had　fled。



〃Ho；　crony！〃　called　out　the　king；　〃you　have　been　finely　robbed　this

time。〃



At　these　words　the　old　Fleming　hurried　out　of　his　chamber；　visibly

terrified。　Louis　XI。　made　him　look　at　the　foot…prints　on　the　stairs

and　corridors；　and　while　examining　them　himself　for　the　sec