from the memoirs of a minister of france-第10部分

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；　they　only　gave　ever　new　point　to　the　jest。

This；　to　be　brief；　was　carried　on　until　I　retired；　and　probably　the　two　strollers　would　have　kept　it　up　longer　if　the　ludicrous　doubt　whether　he　was　himself；　which　they　had　lodged　in　the　Mayor's　mind；　had　not　at　last　spurred　him　to　action。　　An　hour　before　midnight；　feeling　it　rankle　intolerably；　I　suppose；　he　sprang　up　on　a　sudden；　dragged　the　door　open；　darted　out　with　the　air　of　a　madman；　and　in　a　moment　was　lost　in　the　darkness　of　the　moor。

When　I　rose　in　the　morning；　therefore；　I　found　him　gone；　the　strollers　looking　glum；　and　the　good…wife　and　her　girl　between　tears　and　reproaches。　　I　could　not　but　feel；　on　my　part；　that　I　had　somewhat　stooped　in　the　night's　diversion；　but　before　I　had　time　to　reflect　much　on　that　an　unexpected　trait　in　the　strollers'　conduct　reconciled　me　to　this　odd　experience。　　They　proposed　to　leave　when　I　did；　but　a　little　before　the　start　they　came　to　me；　and　set　before　me　very　ingenuously　that　the　woman　of　the　house　might　suffer　through　our　jest；　if　I　would　help　her　therefore；　they　would　subscribe　two　crowns　so　that　she　might　have　a　substantial　sum　to　offer　on　account　of　her　debt。　　As　I　took　this　to　be　the　greater　part　of　their　capital；　and　judged　for　other　reasons　that　the　offer　was　genuine；　I　received　it　in　the　best　part；　and　found　their　good…nature　no　less　pleasant　than　their　foolery。　　I　handed　over　three　crowns　for　our　share；　and　on　that　we　parted；　they　set　out　with　their　bundles　strapped　to　their　backs；　and　I　waited　somewhat　impatiently　for　La　Trape　and　the　Breton　to　bring　round　the　horses。

Before　these　appeared；　however；　La　Font；　who　was　at　the　door；　cried　out　that　the　two　players　were　coming　hack；　and　going　to　the　window　I　saw　with　astonishment　a　whole　troop；　some　mounted　and　some　on　foot；　hurrying　down　the　hill　after　them。　　For　a　moment　I　felt　some　alarm；　supposing　it　to　be　a　scheme　of　Epernon's　to　seize　my　person；　and　I　cursed　the　imprudence　which　had　led　me　to　expose　myself　in　this　solitary　place。　　But　a　second　glance　showing　me　that　the　Mayor　of　Bottitort　was　among　the　foremost；　I　repented　almost　as　seriously　of　the　unlucky　trifling　that　had　landed　me　in　this　foolish　plight。

I　even　debated　whether　I　should　mount　and；　if　it　were　possible；　get　clear　before　they　arrived；　but　the　rueful　faces　of　the　two　players　as　they　appeared　breathless　in　the　doorway；　and　the　liking　I　had　taken　for　the　rascals；　decided　me　to　stand　my　ground　〃What　is　it？〃　　I　said。

〃The　Mayor；　monsieur；〃　Philibert　answered；　while　Pierre　pursed　up　his　lips　with　gloomy　gravity。　　〃I　fear　it　will　not　stop　at　the　stocks　this　time；〃　the　rogue　continued　with　a　grimace。

His　comrade　muttered　something　about　a　rod　and　a　fool's　back；　but　M。　Grabot's　entrance　cut　his　witticism　short。　　The　Mayor；　between　shame　and　rage；　and　the　gratification　of　his　revenge；　was　almost　bursting；　and　the　moment　he　caught　sight　of　us　opened　fire。　〃All；　M。　de　Gol；　we　have　them　all！〃　　he　cried　exultingly。　　〃Now　they　shall　smart　for　it！　　Depend　upon　it；　it　is　some　deep…laid　scheme　of　that　party。　　I　have　said　so。〃

But　the　Mayor　of　Gol；　a　stout；　big；　placid　man；　looked　at　us　doubtfully。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　these　two；　they　are　strolling　mountebanks；　honest　knaves　enough　but　always　in　some　mischief。〃

〃What；　strolling　clowns？〃　　M。　Grabot　rejoined；　his　face　falling。

〃Ay；　and　you　may　depend　upon　it　it　is　some　joke　of　theirs；〃　his　friend　answered；　his　eyes　twinkling。　　〃I　begin　to　think　that　you　would　have　done　better　if　you　had　waited　a　little　before　bringing　M。　le　Comte　into　the　matter。〃

〃Ah；　but　there　are　these　two；〃　M。　Grabot　cried；　as　he　recovered　from　the　momentary　panic　into　which　the　other's　words　had　thrown　him。　　〃Depend　upon　it　they　are　the　chief　movers。　　What　else　but　treason　could　they　mean　by　asserting　that　one　of　them　was　Mayor　of　Bottitort？　　By　denying　my　title？　　By　setting　up　other　officers　than　those　to　whom　his　Gracious　Majesty　has　delegated　his　authority？〃

〃Umph！〃　　his　brother　Mayor　said；　〃I　don't　know　these　gentlemen。〃

〃No！〃　　his　companion　cried　in　triumph。　　〃But　I　intend　to　know　them；　and　to　know　a　good　deal　about　them。　　Guard　the　window　there；〃　he　continued　fussily。　　〃Where　is　my　clerk？　　Is　M。　de　Laval　coming？〃

Two　or　three　cried　obsequiously　that　he　had　crossed　the　hill；　and　would　arrive　immediately。

Hearing　this；　and　thinking　it　more　becoming　not　to　enter　into　an　altercation；　I　kept　my　seat　and　the　scornful　silence　I　had　hitherto　maintained。　　The　two　Mayors　had　brought　with　them　a　posse　of　busybodieshuissiers；　constables；　tip…staves；　and　the　like；　and　these　all　gaped　upon　us　as　if　they　saw　before　them　the　most　notable　traitors　of　the　age。　　The　women　of　the　house　wept　in　a　corner；　and　the　strollers　shrugged　their　shoulders　and　strove　to　appear　at　their　ease。　　But　the　only　person　who　felt　the　indifference　which　they　assumed　was　La　Font；　who；　obnoxious　to　none　of　the　annoyances　which　I　foresaw；　could　hardly　restrain　his　mirth　at　the　DENOUEMENT　which　he　anticipated。

Meanwhile　the　Mayor；　foreseeing　a　very　different　issue；　stood　blowing　out　his　cheeks　and　fixing　us　with　his　little　eyes　with　an　expression　of　dignity　that　would　have　pleased　me　vastly　if　I　had　been　free　to　enjoy　it。　　But　the　reflection　that　Laval's　presence；　which　would　cut　the　knot　of　our　difficulties；　would　also　place　me　at　the　mercy　of　his　wit；　did　not　enable　me　to　contemplate　it　with　entire　indifference。

By…and…by　we　heard　him　dismount；　and　a　moment　later　he　came　in　with　a　gentleman　and　two　or　three　armed　servants。　　He　did　not　at　once　see　me；　but　as　the　crowd　made　way　for　him　he　addressed　himself　sharply　to　M。　Grabot。　　〃Well；　have　you　got　them？〃　　he　said。

〃Certainly；　M。　le　Comte。〃

〃Oh！　　very　well。　　Now　for　the　particulars；　then。　　You　must　state　your　charge　quickly；　for　I　have　to　be　in　Vitre　to…day。〃

〃He　alleged　that　he　had　been　appointed　Mayor　of　Bottitort；〃　Grabot　answered　pompously。

〃Umph！　　I　don't　know？〃　　M。　de　Laval　muttered；　looking　round　with　a　frown　of　discontent。　　〃I　hope　that　you　have　not　brought　me　hither　on　a　fool's　errand。　　Which　one？〃

〃That　one；〃　the　Mayor　said；　pointing　to　the　solemn　man；　whose　gravity　and　depression　were　now　something　preternatural。

〃Oh！〃　　M。　de　Laval　grumbled。　　〃But　that　is　not　all；　I　suppose。　What　of　the　others？〃

M。　Grabot　pointed　to　me。　　〃That　one；〃　he　said

He　got　no　farther；　for　M。　de　Laval；　springing　forward；　seized　my　hand　and　saluted　me　warmly。　　〃Why；　your　excellency；〃　he　cried；　in　a　tone　of　boundless　surprise；　〃what　are　you　doing　in　this　GALERE！　All　last　evening　I　waited　for　you；　at　my　house；　and　now〃

〃Here　I　am；〃　I　answered　jocularly；　〃in　charge　it　seems；　M。　le　Comte！〃

〃MON　DIEU！〃　　he　cried。　　〃I　don't　understand　it！〃

I　shrugged　my　shoulders。　　〃Don't　ask　me；〃　I　said。　　〃Perhaps　your　friend　the　Mayor　call　tell　you。〃

〃But；　Monsieur；　I　do　not　understand；〃　the　Mayor　answered　piteously；　his　mouth　agape　with　horror；　his　fat　cheeks　turning　in　a　moment　all　colours。　　〃This　gentleman；　whom　you　seem　to　know；　Monsieur　le　Comte〃

〃Is　the　Marquis　de　Rosny；　President　of　the　Council；　blockhead！〃　Laval　cried　irately。　　〃You　madman！　　you　idiot！〃　　he　continued；　as　light　broke　in　upon　him；　and　he　saw　that　it　was　indeed　on　a　fool's　errand　that　he　had　been　roused　so　early。　　〃Is　this　your　conspiracy？　　Have　you　dared　to　bring　me　here〃

But　I　thought　that　it　was　time　to　interfere。　　〃The　truth　is；〃　I　said；　〃that　M。　Grabot　here　is　not　so　much　to　blame。　　He　was　the　victim　of　a　trick　which　these　rascals　played　on　him；　and　in　an　idle　moment　I　let　it　go　on。　　That　is　the　whole　secret。　　However；　I　forgive　him　for　his　officiousness　since　it　brings　us　together；　and　I　shall　now　have　the　pleasure　of　your　company　to　Vitre。〃

Laval　assented　heartily　to　this；　and　I　did　not　think　fit　to　tell　him　more；　nor　did　he　inquire；　the　Mayor's　stupidity　passing　current　for　all。　　For　M。　Grabot　himself；　I　think　that　I　never　saw　a　man　more　completely　confounded。　　He　stood　staring　with　his　mouth　open；　and；　as　much　deserted　as　the　statesman　who　has　fallen　from　office；　had　not　the　least　credit　even　with　his　own　sycophants；　who　to　a　man　deserted　him　and　flocked　about　the　Mayor　of　Gol。　　Though　I　had　no　reason　to　pity　him；　and；　indeed；　thought　him　well　punished；　I　took　the　opportunity　of　saying　a　word　to　him　before　I　mounted；　which；　though　it　was　only　a　hint　that　he　should　deal　gently　with　the　woman　of　the　house；　was　received　with　servility　equal　to　the　arrogance　he　had　before　displayed；　and　I　doubt　not　it　had　all　the　effect　I　desired。　　For　the　strollers；　I　did　not　forget　them；　but　bade　them　hasten　to　Vitre；　where　I　would　see　a　performance。　　They　did　so；　and　hitting　the　fancy　of　Zamet；　who　chanced　to　be　still　there；　and　who　thought　that　he　saw　profit　in　them；　they　came　on　his　invitation　to　Paris；　where　they　took　the　Court　by　storm。　　So　that　an　episode　trifling　in　itself；　and　such　as　on　my　part　requires　some　apology；　had　for　them　consequences　of　no　little　importance。



IV。　LA　TOUSSAINT。

Towards　the　autumn　of　1601；　when　the　affair　of　M。　de　Biron；　which　was　so　soon　to　fill　the　mouths　of　the　vulgar；　was　already　much　in　the　minds　of　those　whom　the　King　honoured　with　his　confidence；　I　was　one　day　leaving　the　hall　at　the　Arsenal；　after　giving　audience　to　such　as　wished　to　see　me；　when　Maignan　came　after　me　and　detained　me；　reporting　that　a　gentleman　who　had　attended　early；　but　had　later　gone　into　the　garden；　was　still　in　waiting。　While　Maignan　was　still　speaking　the　stranger　himself　came　up；　with　some　show　of　haste　but　none　of　embarrassment；　and；　in　answer　to　my　salutation　and　inquiry　what　I　could　do　for　him；　handed　me　a　letter。　　He　had　the　air　of　a　man　not　twenty；　his　dress　was　a　trifle　rustic；　but　his　strong　and　handsome　figure　set　off　a　face　that　would　have　been　pleasing　but　for　a　something　fierce　in　the　aspect　of　his　eyes。　　Assured　that　I　did　not　know　him；　I　broke　the　seal　of　his　letter　and　found　that　it　was　from　my　old　flame　Madame　de　Bray；　who；　as　Mademoiselle　de　St。　Mesmin；　had　come　so　near　to　being　my　wife；　as　will　be　remembered　by　those　who　have　read　the　early　part　of　these　memoirs。

The　young　man　proved　to　be　her　brother；　whom　she　commended　to　my　good　offices；　the　impoverishment　of　the　family　being　so　great　that　she　could　compass　no　more　regular　method　of　introducing　hi