maitre cornelius-第6部分

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egg　and　then　at　the　old　woman；　occasionally　contemplating　his　future

master。



Louis　XI。's　silversmith　resembled　that　monarch。　He　had　even　acquired

the　same　gestures；　as　often　happens　where　persons　dwell　together　in　a

sort　of　intimacy。　The　thick　eyebrows　of　the　Fleming　almost　covered　his

eyes；　but　by　raising　them　a　little　he　could　flash　out　a　lucid；

penetrating；　powerful　glance；　the　glance　of　men　habituated　to　silence；

and　to　whom　the　phenomenon　of　the　concentration　of　inward　forces　has

become　familiar。　His　thin　lips；　vertically　wrinkled；　gave　him　an　air

of　indescribable　craftiness。　The　lower　part　of　his　face　bore　a　vague

resemblance　to　the　muzzle　of　a　fox；　but　his　lofty；　projecting

forehead；　with　many　lines；　showed　great　and　splendid　qualities　and　a

nobility　of　soul；　the　springs　of　which　had　been　lowered　by　experience

until　the　cruel　teachings　of　life　had　driven　it　back　into　the　farthest

recesses　of　this　most　singular　human　being。　He　was　certainly　not　an

ordinary　miser；　and　his　passion　covered；　no　doubt；　extreme　enjoyments

and　secret　conceptions。



〃What　is　the　present　rate　of　Venetian　sequins？〃　he　said　abruptly　to

his　future　apprentice。



〃Three…quarters　at　Brussels；　one　in　Ghent。〃



〃What　is　the　freight　on　the　Scheldt？〃



〃Three　sous　parisis。〃



〃Any　news　at　Ghent？〃



〃The　brother　of　Lieven　d'Herde　is　ruined。〃



〃Ah！〃



After　giving　vent　to　that　exclamation；　the　old　man　covered　his　knee

with　the　skirt　of　his　dalmatian；　a　species　of　robe　made　of　black

velvet；　open　in　front；　with　large　sleeves　and　no　collar；　the　sumptuous

material　being　defaced　and　shiny。　These　remains　of　a　magnificent

costume；　formerly　worn　by　him　as　president　of　the　tribunal　of　the

Parchons；　functions　which　had　won　him　the　enmity　of　the　Duke　of

Burgundy；　was　now　a　mere　rag。



Philippe　was　not　cold；　he　perspired　in　his　harness；　dreading　further

questions。　Until　then　the　brief　information　obtained　that　morning　from

a　Jew　whose　life　he　had　formerly　saved；　had　sufficed　him；　thanks　to

his　good　memory　and　the　perfect　knowledge　the　Jew　possessed　of　the

manners　and　habits　of　Maitre　Cornelius。　But　the　young　man　who；　in　the

first　flush　of　his　enterprise；　had　feared　nothing　was　beginning　to

perceive　the　difficulties　it　presented。　The　solemn　gravity　of　the

terrible　Fleming　reacted　upon　him。　He　felt　himself　under　lock　and　key；

and　remembered　how　the　grand　provost　Tristan　and　his　rope　were　at　the

orders　of　Maitre　Cornelius。



〃Have　you　supped？〃　asked　the　silversmith；　in　a　tone　which　signified；

〃You　are　not　to　sup。〃



The　old　maid　trembled　in　spite　of　her　brother's　tone；　she　looked　at

the　new　inmate　as　if　to　gauge　the　capacity　of　the　stomach　she　might

have　to　fill；　and　said　with　a　specious　smile：



〃You　have　not　stolen　your　name；　your　hair　and　moustache　are　as　black

as　the　devil's　tail。〃



〃I　have　supped；〃　he　said。



〃Well　then；〃　replied　the　miser；　〃you　can　come　back　and　see　me　to…

morrow。　I　have　done　without　an　apprentice　for　some　years。　Besides；　I

wish　to　sleep　upon　the　matter。〃



〃Hey！　by　Saint…Bavon；　monsieur；　I　am　a　Fleming；　I　don't　know　a　soul　in

this　place；　the　chains　are　up　in　the　streets；　and　I　shall　be　put　in

prison。　However；〃　he　added；　frightened　at　the　eagerness　he　was　showing

in　his　words；　〃if　it　is　your　good　pleasure；　of　course　I　will　go。〃



The　oath　seemed　to　affect　the　old　man　singularly。



〃Come；　come；　by　Saint…Bavon　indeed；　you　shall　sleep　here。〃



〃But〃　said　his　sister；　alarmed。



〃Silence；〃　replied　Cornelius。　〃In　his　letter　Oosterlinck　tells　me　he

will　answer　for　this　young　man。　You　know；〃　he　whispered　in　his

sister's　ear；　〃we　have　a　hundred　thousand　francs　belonging　to

Oosterlinck？　That's　a　hostage；　hey！〃




〃And　suppose　he　steals　those　Bavarian　jewels？　Tiens；　he　looks　more

like　a　thief　than　a　Fleming。〃



〃Hush！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man；　listening　attentively　to　some　sound。



Both　misers　listened。　A　moment　after　the　〃Hush！〃　uttered　by　Cornelius；

a　noise　produced　by　the　steps　of　several　men　echoed　in　the　distance　on

the　other　side　of　the　moat　of　the　town。



〃It　is　the　Plessis　guard　on　their　rounds；〃　said　the　sister。



〃Give　me　the　key　of　the　apprentice's　room；〃　said　Cornelius。



The　old　woman　made　a　gesture　as　if　to　take　the　lamp。



〃Do　you　mean　to　leave　us　alone；　without　light？〃　cried　Cornelius；　in　a

meaning　tone　of　voice。　〃At　your　age　can't　you　see　in　the　dark？　It

isn't　difficult　to　find　a　key。〃



The　sister　understood　the　meaning　hidden　beneath　these　words　and　left

the　room。　Looking　at　this　singular　creature　as　she　walked　towards　the

door；　Philippe　Goulenoire　was　able　to　hide　from　Cornelius　the　glance

which　he　hastily　cast　about　the　room。　It　was　wainscoted　in　oak　to　the

chair…strip；　and　the　walls　above　were　hung　with　yellow　leather　stamped

with　black　arabesques；　but　what　struck　the　young　man　most　was　a　match…

lock　pistol　with　its　formidable　trigger。　This　new　and　terrible　weapon

lay　close　to　Cornelius。



〃How　do　you　expect　to　earn　your　living　with　me？〃　said　the　latter。



〃I　have　but　little　money；〃　replied　Philippe；　〃but　I　know　good　tricks

in　business。　If　you　will　pay　me　a　sou　on　every　mark　I　earn　for　you；

that　will　satisfy　me。〃



〃A　sou！　a　sou！〃　echoed　the　miser；　〃why；　that's　a　good　deal！〃



At　this　moment　the　old　sibyl　returned　with　the　key。



〃Come；〃　said　Cornelius　to　Philippe。



The　pair　went　out　beneath　the　portico　and　mounted　a　spiral　stone

staircase；　the　round　well　of　which　rose　through　a　high　turret；　beside

the　hall　in　which　they　had　been　sitting。　At　the　first　floor　up　the

young　man　paused。



〃No；　no；〃　said　Cornelius。　〃The　devil！　this　nook　is　the　place　where　the

king　takes　his　ease。〃



The　architect　had　constructed　the　room　given　to　the　apprentice　under

the　pointed　roof　of　the　tower　in　which　the　staircase　wound。　It　was　a

little　room；　all　of　stone；　cold　and　without　ornament　of　any　kind。　The

tower　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　facade　on　the　courtyard；　which；　like

the　courtyards　of　all　provincial　houses；　was　narrow　and　dark。　At　the

farther　end；　through　an　iron　railing；　could　be　seen　a　wretched　garden

in　which　nothing　grew　but　the　mulberries　which　Cornelius　had

introduced。　The　young　nobleman　took　note　of　all　this　through　the

loopholes　on　the　spiral　staircase；　the　moon　casting；　fortunately；　a

brilliant　light。　A　cot；　a　stool；　a　mismatched　pitcher　and　basin　formed

the　entire　furniture　of　the　room。　The　light　could　enter　only　through

square　openings；　placed　at　intervals　in　the　outside　wall　of　the　tower；

according；　no　doubt；　to　the　exterior　ornamentation。



〃Here　is　your　lodging；〃　said　Cornelius；　〃it　is　plain　and　solid　and

contains　all　that　is　needed　for　sleep。　Good　night！　Do　not　leave　this

room　as　THE　OTHERS　did。〃



After　giving　his　apprentice　a　last　look　full　of　many　meanings；

Cornelius　double…locked　the　door；　took　away　the　key　and　descended　the

staircase；　leaving　the　young　nobleman　as　much　befooled　as　a　bell…

founder　when　on　opening　his　mould　he　finds　nothing。　Alone；　without

light；　seated　on　a　stool；　in　a　little　garret　from　which　so　many　of　his

predecessors　had　gone　to　the　scaffold；　the　young　fellow　felt　like　a

wild　beast　caught　in　a　trap。　He　jumped　upon　the　stool　and　raised

himself　to　his　full　height　in　order　to　reach　one　of　the　little

openings　through　which　a　faint　light　shone。　Thence　he　saw　the　Loire；

the　beautiful　slopes　of　Saint…Cyr；　the　gloomy　marvels　of　Plessis；

where　lights　were　gleaming　in　the　deep　recesses　of　a　few　windows。　Far

in　the　distance　lay　the　beautiful　meadows　of　Touraine　and　the　silvery

stream　of　her　river。　Every　point　of　this　lovely　nature　had；　at　that

moment；　a　mysterious　grace；　the　windows；　the　waters；　the　roofs　of　the

houses　shone　like　diamonds　in　the　trembling　light　of　the　moon。　The

soul　of　the　young　seigneur　could　not　repress　a　sad　and　tender　emotion。



〃Suppose　it　is　my　last　farewell！〃　he　said　to　himself。



He　stood　there；　feeling　already　the　terrible　emotions　his　adventure

offered　him；　and　yielding　to　the　fears　of　a　prisoner　who；

nevertheless；　retains　some　glimmer　of　hope。　His　mistress　illumined

each　difficulty。　To　him　she　was　no　longer　a　woman；　but　a　supernatural

being　seen　through　the　incense　of　his　desires。　A　feeble　cry；　which　he

fancied　came　from　the　hotel　de　Poitiers；　restored　him　to　himself　and

to　a　sense　of　his　true　situation。　Throwing　himself　on　his　pallet　to

reflect　on　his　course；　he　heard　a　slight　movement　which　echoed　faintly

from　the　spiral　staircase。　He　listened　attentively；　and　the　whispered

words；　〃He　has　gone　to　bed；〃　said　by　the　old　woman；　reached　his　ear。

By　an　accident　unknown　probably　to　the　architect；　the　slightest　noise

on　the　staircase　sounded　in　the　room　of　the　apprentices；　so　that

Philippe　did　not　lose　a　single　movement　of　the　miser　and　his　sister

who　were　watching　him。　He　undressed；　lay　down；　pretended　to　sleep；　and

employed　the　time　during　which　the　pair　remained　on　the　staircase；　in

seeking　means　to　get　from　his　prison　to　the　hotel　de　Poitiers。



About　ten　o'clock　Cornelius　and　his　sister；　convinced　that　their　new

inmate　was　sleeping；　retired　to　their　rooms。　The　young　man　studied

carefully　the　sounds　they　made　in　doing　so；　and　thought　he　could

recognize　the　position　of　their　apartments；　they　must；　he　believed；

occupy　the　whole　second　floor。　Like　all　the　houses　of　that　period；

this　floor　was　next　below　the　roof；　from　which　its　windows　projected；

adorned　with　spandrel　tops　that　were　richly　sculptured。　The　roof

itself　was　edged　with　a　sort　of　balustrade；　concealing　the　gutters　for

the　rain　water　which　gargoyles　in　the　form　of　crocodile's　heads

discharged　into　the　street。　The　young　seigneur；　after　studying　this

topography　as　carefully　as　a　cat；　believed　he　could　make　his　way　from

the　tower　to　the　roof；　and　thence　to　Madame　de　Vallier's　by　the

gutters　and　the　help　of　a　gargoyle。　But　he　did　not　count　on　the

narrowness　of　the　loopholes　of　the　tower；　it　was　impossible　to　p