from the memoirs of a minister of france-第15部分

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ssuring　her。　　On　my　entrance；　he　broke　off　and　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Here　he　is　at　last；〃　he　said；　barely　looking　at　me。　　〃Now；　if　you　will；　dear　heart　ask　him　your　questions。　　I　have　had　no　communication　with　him；　as　you　know；　for　I　have　been　with　you　since　morning。〃

The　queen；　whose　face　was　flushed　with　fever；　made　a　fretful　movement　but　did　not　answer。

〃Do　you　wish　me　to　ask　him？〃　　Henry　said　with　admirable　patience。

〃If　you　think　it　is　worth　while；〃　she　muttered；　turning　sullenly　and　eyeing　me　from　the　middle　of　her　pillows　with　disdain　and　ill…temper。

〃I　will；　then；〃　he　answered；　and　he　turned　to　me。　　〃M。　de　Rosny；〃　he　said　in　a　formal　tone；　which　even　without　the　unaccustomed　monsieur　cut　me　to　the　heart；　〃be　good　enough　to　tell　the　queen　how　the　key　to　my　secret　cipher；　which　I　entrusted　to　you；　has　come　to　be　in　Madame　de　Verneuil's　possession。〃

I　looked　at　him　in　the　profoundest　astonishment；　and　for　a　moment　remained　silent；　trying　to　collect　my　thoughts　under　this　unexpected　blow。　　The　queen　saw　my　hesitation　and　laughed　spitefully。　　〃I　am　afraid；　sire；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　have　overrated　this　gentleman's　ingenuity；　though　doubtless　it　has　been　much　exercised　in　your　service。〃

Henry's　face　grew　red　with　vexation。　　〃Speak；　man！〃　　he　cried。　〃How　came　she　by　it？〃

〃Madame　de　Verneuil？〃　　I　said。

The　queen　laughed　again。　　〃Had　you　not　better　take　him　out　first；　sir；〃　she　said　scornfully；　〃and　tell　him　what　to　say？〃

〃'Fore　God；　madame；〃　the　King　cried　passionately；　〃you　try　me　too　far！　　Have　I　not　told　you　a　hundred　times；　and　sworn　to　you；　that　I　did　not　give　Madame　de　Verneuil　this　key？〃

〃If　you　did　not　give　her　that；〃　the　queen　muttered　sullenly；　picking　at　the　silken　coverlet　which　lay　on　her　feet；　〃you　have　given　her　all　else。　　You　cannot　deny　it。〃

Henry　let　a　gesture　of　despair　escape　him。　　〃Are　we　to　go　back　to　that？〃　　he　said。　　Then　turning　to　me；　〃Tell　her；〃　he　said　between　his　teeth；　〃and　tell　me。　　VENTRE　SAINT　GRISare　you　dumb；　man？〃

Discerning　nothing　for　it　at　the　moment　save　to　bow　before　this　storm；　which　had　arisen　so　suddenly；　and　from　a　quarter　the　least　expected；　I　hastened　to　comply。　　I　had　not　proceeded　far　with　my　story；　howeverwhich　fell　short；　of　course；　of　explaining　how　the　key　came　to　be　in　Madame　de　Verneuil's　handsbefore　I　saw　that　it　won　no　credence　with　the　queen；　but　rather　confirmed　her　in　her　belief　that　the　King　had　given　to　another　what　he　had　denied　to　her。　　And　more；　I　saw　that　in　proportion　as　the　tale　failed　to　convince　her；　it　excited　the　King's　wrath　and　disappointment。　　He　several　times　cut　me　short　with　expressions　of　the　utmost　impatience；　and　at　last；　when　I　came　to　a　lame　conclusionsince　I　could　explain　nothing　except　that　the　key　was　gonehe　could　restrain　himself　no　longer。　　In　a　tone　in　which　he　had　never　addressed　me　before；　he　asked　me　why　I　had　not；　on　the　instant；　communicated　the　loss　to　him；　and　when　I　would　have　defended　myself　by　adducing　the　reason　I　have　given　above；　overwhelmed　me　with　abuse　and　reproaches；　which；　as　they　were　uttered　in　the　queen's　presence；　and　would　be　repeated；　I　knew；　to　the　Concinis　and　Galigais　of　her　suite；　who　had　no　occasion　to　love　me；　carried　a　double　sting。

Nevertheless；　for　a　time；　and　until　he　had　somewhat　worn　himself　out；　I　let　Henry　proceed。　　Then；　taking　advantage　of　the　first　pause；　I　interposed。　　Reminding　him　that　he　had　never　had　cause　to　accuse　me　of　carelessness　before；　I　recalled　the　twenty…two　years　during　which　I　had　served　him　faithfully；　and　the　enmities　I　had　incurred　for　his　sake；　and　having　by　these　means　placed　the　discussion　on　a　more　equal　footing；　I　descended　again　to　particulars；　and　asked　respectfully　if　I　might　know　on　whose　authority　Madame　de　Verneuil　was　said　to　have　the　cipher。

〃On　her　own！〃　　the　queen　cried　hysterically。　　〃Don't　try　to　deceive　me；for　it　will　be　in　vain。　　I　know　she　has　it；　and　if　the　King　did　not　give　it　to　her；　who　did？〃

〃That　is　the　question；　madam；〃　I　said。

〃It　is　one　easily　answered；〃　she　retorted。　　〃If　you　do　not　know；　ask　her。〃

〃But；　perhaps；　madam；　she　will　not　answer；〃　I　ventured。

〃Then　command　her　to　answer　in　the　King's　name！〃　　the　queen　replied；　her　cheeks　burning　with　fever。　　〃And　if　she　will　not；　then　has　the　King　no　prisonsno　fetters　smooth　enough　for　those　dainty　ankles？〃

This　was　a　home　question；　and　Henry；　who　never　showed　to　less　advantage　than　when　he　stood　between　two　women；　cast　a　sheepish　glance　at　me。　　Unfortunately　the　queen　caught　the　look；　which　was　not　intended　for　her；　and　on　the　instant　it　awoke　all　her　former　suspicions。　　Supposing　that　she　had　discovered　our　collusion；　she　flung　herself　back　with　a　cry　of　rage；　and　bursting　into　a　passion　of　tears；　gave　way　to　frantic　reproaches；　wailing　and　throwing　herself　about　with　a　violence　which　could　not　but　injure　one　in　her　condition。

The　King　stared　at　her　for　a　moment　in　sheer　dismay。　　Then　his　chagrin　turned　to　anger；　which；　as　he　dared　not　vent　it　on　her；　took　my　direction。　　He　pointed　impetuously　to　the　door。　　〃Begone；　sir！〃　　he　said　in　a　passion；　and　with　the　utmost　harshness。　　〃You　have　done　mischief　enough　here。　　God　grant　that　we　see　the　end　of　it！　　Gogo！〃　　he　continued；　quite　beside　himself　with　fury。　〃Send　Galigai　here；　and　do　you　go　to　your　lodging　until　you　hear　from　me！〃

Overwhelmed　and　almost　stupefied　by　the　catastrophe；　I　found　my　way　out　I　hardly　knew　how；　and　sending　in　the　woman；　made　my　escape　from　the　ante…chamber。　　But　hasten　as　I　might；　my　disorder；　patent　to　a　hundred　curious　eyes；　betrayed　me；　and；　if　it　did　not　disclose　as　much　as　I　feared　or　the　inquisitive　desired；　told　more　than　any　had　looked　to　learn。　　Within　an　hour　it　was　known　at　Nemours　that　his　Majesty　had　dismissed　me　with　high　wordssome　said　with　a　blow；　and　half　a　dozen　couriers　were　on　the　road　to　Paris　with　the　news。

In　my　place　some　might　have　given　up　all　for　lost；　but　in　addition　to　a　sense　of　rectitude；　and　the　consciousness　of　desert；　I　had　to　support　me　an　intimate　knowledge　of　the　King's　temper；　which；　though　I　had　never　suffered　from　it　to　this　extent　before；　I　knew　to　be　on　occasion　as　hot　as　his　anger　was　short　lived；　and　his　disposition　generous。　　I　had　hopes；　therefore　although　I　saw　dull　faces　enough　among　my　suite；　and　some　pale　onesthat　the　King's　repentance　would　overtake　his　anger；　and　its　consequences　outstrip　any　that　might　flow　from　his　wrath。　But　though　I　was　not　altogether　at　fault　in　this；　I　failed　to　take　in　to　account　one　thingI　mean　Henry's　anxiety　on　the　queen's　account；　her　condition；　and　his　desire　to　have　an　heir；　which　so　affected　the　issue；　that　instead　of　fulfilling　my　expectations　the　event　left　me　more　despondent　than　before。　　The　King　wrote；　indeed；　and　within　the　hour；　and　his　letter　was　in　form　an　apology。　　But　it　was　so　lacking　in　graciousness；　so　stiff；　though　it　began　〃My　good　friend　Rosny；〃　and　so　insincere；　though　it　referred　to　my　past　services；　that　when　I　had　read　it　I　stood　awhile　gazing　at　it；　afraid　to　turn　lest　De　Vic　and　Varennes；　who　had　brought　it；　should　read　my　disappointment　in　my　face。

For　I　could　not　hide　from　myself　that　the　gist　of　the　letter　lay；　not　in　the　expressions　of　regret　which　opened　it；　but　in　the　complaint　which　closed　it；　wherein　the　King　sullenly　excused　his　outbreak　on　the　ground　of　the　magnitude　of　the　interests　which　my　carelessness　had　endangered　and　the　opening　to　harass　the　queen　which　I　had　heedlessly　given。　　〃This　cipher；〃　he　said；　〃has　long　been　a　whim　with　my　wife；　from　whom；　for　good　reasons　well　known　to　you　and　connected　with　the　Grand　Duke's　Court；　I　have　thought　fit　to　withhold　it。　　Now　nothing　will　persuade　her　that　I　have　not　granted　to　another　what　I　refused　her。　　I　tremble；　my　friend；　lest　you　be　found　to　have　done　more　ill　to　France　in　a　moment　of　carelessness　than　all　your　services　have　done　good。〃

It　was　not　difficult　to　find　a　threat　underlying　these　words；　nor　to　discern　that　if　the　queen's　fancy　remained　unshaken；　and　ill　came　of　it；　the　King　would　hardly　forgive　me。　　Recognising　this；　and　that　I　was　face　to　face　with　a　crisis　from　which　I　could　not　escape　but　by　the　use　of　my　utmost　powers；　I　assumed　a　serious　and　thoughtful　air；　and　without　affecting　to　disguise　the　fact　that　the　King　was　displeased　with　me；　dismissed　the　envoys　with　a　few　civil　speeches；　in　which　I　did　not　fail　to　speak　of　his　Majesty　in　terms　that　even　malevolence　could　not　twist　to　my　disadvantage。

When　they　were　gone；　doubtless　to　tell　Henry　how　I　had　taken　it；　I　sat　down　to　supper　with　La　Font；　Boisrueil；　and　two　or　three　gentlemen　of　my　suite；　and；　without　appearing　too　cheerful；　contrived　to　eat　with　my　usual　appetite。　　Afterwards　I　withdrew　in　the　ordinary　course　to　my　chamber；　and　being　now　at　liberty　to　look　the　situation　in　the　face；　found　it　as　serious　as　I　had　feared。　　The　falling　man　has　few　friends；　he　must　act　quickly　if　he　would　retain　any。　　I　was　not　slow　in　deciding　that　my　sole　chance　of　an　honourable　escape　lay　in　discoveringand　that　within　a　few　hourswho　stole　the　cipher　and　conveyed　it　to　Madame　de　Verneuil；　and　in　placing　before　the　queen　such　evidence　of　this　as　must　convince　her。

By　way　of　beginning；　I　summoned　Maignan　and　put　him　through　a　severe　examination。　　Later；　I　sent　for　the　rest　of　my　household　such；　I　mean；　as　had　accompanied　meand　ranging　them　against　the　walls　of　my　chamber；　took　a　flambeau　in　my　hand　and　went　the　round　of　them；　questioning　each；　and　marking　his　air　and　aspect　as　he　answered。　　But　with　no　result；　so　that　after　following　some　clues　to　no　purpose；　and　suspecting　several　persons　who　cleared　themselves　on　the　spot；　I　became　assured　that　the　chain　must　be　taken　up　at　the　other　end；　and　the　first　link　found　among　Madame　de　Verneuil's　following。

By　this　time　it　was　nearly　midnight；　and　my　people　were　dropping　with　fatigue。　　Nevertheless；　a　sense　of　the　desperate　nature　of　the　case　animating　them；　they　formed　themselves　voluntarily　into　a　kind　of　council；　all　feeling　their　probity　attacked；　in　which　various　modes　of　forcing　the　secret　from　those　who　held　it　were　proposedMaignan's　suggestions　being　especially　violent。　Doubting；　however；　whether　Madame　had　more　than　one　confidante；　I　secretly　made　up　my　mind　to　a　course　which　none　dared　to　suggest；