from the memoirs of a minister of france-第17部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　serious　by　the　fact　that　the　King　was　walking　with　my　two　colleagues；　so　that　I　alone　seemed　to　be　out　of　his　confidence；　as　one　soon　to　be　out　of　his　councils　also。

I　perceived　all　this；　and　was　not　blind　to　the　sneering　smiles　which　were　exchanged　behind　my　back；　but　I　affected　to　see　nothing；　and　to　be　absorbed　in　sudden　thought。　　In　a　minute　or　two　the　King　turned　and　came　back　towards　me；　and　again；　as　if　he　could　not　restrain　his　curiosity；　looked　up　so　that　our　eyes　met。　This　time　I　thought　that　he　would　beckon　me　to　him；　satisfied　with　the　lengths　to　which　he　had　already　carried　his　displeasure。　But　he　turned　again；　with　a　light　laugh。

At　this　a　courtier；　one　of　Sillery's　creatures；　who　had　presumed　on　the　occasion　so　far　as　to　come　to　my　elbow；　thought　that　he　might　safely　amuse　himself　with　me。　　〃I　am　afraid　that　the　King　grows　older；　M。　de　Rosny；〃　he　said；　smirking　at　his　companions。　〃His　sight　seems　to　be　failing。〃

〃It　should　not　be　neglected　then；〃　I　said　grimly。　　〃I　will　tell　him　presently　what　you　say。〃

He　fell　back；　looking　foolish　at　that；　at　the　very　moment　that　Henry；　having　taken　another　turn；　dismissed　Villeroy；　who；　wiser　than　the　puppy　at　my　elbow；　greeted　me　with　particular　civility　as　he　passed。　　Freed　from　him；　Henry　stood　a　moment　hesitating。　He　told　me　afterwards　that　he　had　not　turned　from　me　a　yard　before　his　heart　smote　him；　and　that　but　for　a　mischievous　curiosity　to　see　how　I　should　take　it；　he　would　not　have　carried　the　matter　so　far。　　Be　that　as　it　mayand　I　do　not　doubt　this；　any　more　than　I　ever　doubted　the　reality　of　the　affection　in　which　he　held　meon　a　sudden　he　raised　his　hand　and　beckoned　to　me。

I　went　down　to　him　gravely；　and　not　hurriedly。　　He　looked　at　me　with　some　signs　of　confusion　in　his　face。　　〃You　are　late　this　morning；〃　he　said。

〃I　have　been　on　your　Majesty's　business；〃　I　answered。

〃I　do　not　doubt　that；〃　he　replied　querulously；　his　eyes　wandering。　　〃I　am　notI　am　troubled　this　morning。〃　　And　after　a　fashion　he　had　when　he　was　not　at　his　ease；　he　ground　his　heel　into　the　soil　and　looked　down　at　the　mark。　　〃The　queen　is　not　well。　　Sillery　has　seen　her；　and　will　tell　you　so。〃

M。　de　Sillery；　whose　constant　opposition　to　me　at　the　council…　board　I　have　elsewhere　described；　began　to　affirm　it。　　I　let　him　go　on　for　a　little　time；　and　then　interrupted　him　brusquely。　　〃I　think　it　was　you；〃　I　said；　〃who　nominated　Ferret　to　be　one　of　the　King's　clerks。〃

〃Ferret？〃　　he　exclaimed；　reddening　at　my　tone；　while　the　King；　who　knew　me　well；　pricked　up　his　ears。

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃Ferret。〃

〃And　if　so？〃　　Sillery　asked；　haughtily。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Only　this；〃　I　said。　　〃That　if　his　Majesty　will　summon　him　to　the　queen's　closet；　without　warning　or　delay；　and　ask　him　in　her　presence　how　much　Madame　de　Verneuil　gave　him　for　the　King's　cipher；　her　Majesty；　I　think；　will　learn　something　which　she　wishes　to　know。〃

〃What？〃　　the　King　cried。　　〃You　have　discovered　it？　　But　he　gave　you　a　receipt　for　the　papers　he　took。〃

〃For　the　papers　he　took　with　my　knowledgeyes；　sire。〃

〃The　rogue！〃　　Sillery　exclaimed　viciously。　　〃I　will　go　and　fetch　him。〃

〃Not　sowith　your　Majesty's　leave；〃　I　said；　interposing　quickly。　〃M。　de　Sillery　may　say　too　much　or　too　little。　　Let　a　lackey　take　a　message；　bidding　him　go　to　the　queen's　closet；　and　he　will　suspect　nothing。〃

The　King　assented；　and　bade　me　go　and　give　the　order。　　When　I　returned；　he　asked　me　anxiously　if　I　felt　sure　that　the　man　would　confess。

〃Yes；　if　you　pretend　to　know　all；　sire；〃　I　answered。　　〃He　will　think　that　Madame　has　betrayed　him。〃

〃Very　well；〃　Henry　said。　　〃Then　let　us　go。〃

But　I　declined　to　be　present；　partly　on　the　ground　that　if　I　were　there　the　queen　might　suspect　me　of　inspiring　the　man；　and　partly　because　I　thought　that　the　rogue　would　entertain　a　more　confident　hope　of　pardon；　and　be　more　likely　to　confess；　if　he　saw　the　King　alone。　　I　contrived　to　keep　Sillery　also；　and　Henry　giving　the　word；　as　he　mounted　the　steps；　that　he　should　be　back　presently；　the　whole　Court　remained　in　a　state　of　suspense；　aware　that　something　was　in　progress　but　in　doubt　what；　and　unable　to　decide　whether　I　were　again　in　favour　or　now　on　my　trial。

Sillery　remained　talking　to　me；　principally　on　English　matters；　until　the　dinner　hour；　which　came　and　went；　neglected　by　all。　　At　length；　when　the　curiosity　of　the　mass　of　courtiers；　who　did　not　dare　to　interrupt　us；　had　been　raised　by　delay　to　an　almost　intolerable　pitch；　the　King　returned；　with　signs　of　disorder　in　his　bearing；　and；　crossing　the　terrace　in　half　a　dozen　strides；　drew　me　hastily；　along　with　Sillery；　into　the　grove　of　white　mulberry　trees。　　There　we　were　no　sooner　hidden　in　part；　though　not　completely；　than　he　threw　his　arms　about　me　and　embraced　me　with　the　warmest　expressions。　　〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　he　said；　putting　me　from　him　at　last；　〃what　shall　I　say　to　you？〃

〃The　queen　is　satisfied；　sire？〃

〃Perfectly；　and　desires　to　be　commended　to　you。〃

〃He　confessed；　then？〃

Henry　nodded；　with　a　look　in　his　face　that　I　did　not　understand。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃fully。　　It　was　as　you　thought；　my　friend。　　God　have　mercy　upon　him！〃

I　started。　　〃What？〃　　I　said。　　〃Has　he〃

The　King　nodded；　and　could　not　repress　a　shudder。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃but　not；　thank　Heaven；　until　he　had　left　the　closet。　　He　had　something　about　him。〃

Sillery　began　anxiously　to　clear　himself；　but　the　King；　with　his　usual　good　nature；　stopped　him；　and　bade　us　all　go　and　dine；　saying　that　we　must　be　famished。　　He　ended　by　directing　me　to　be　back　in　an　hour；　since　his　own　appetite　was　spoiled。　　〃And　bring　with　you　all　your　patience；〃　he　added；　〃for　I　have　a　hundred　questions　to　ask　you。　　We　will　walk　towards　Avon；　and　I　will　show　you　the　surprise　which　I　am　preparing　for　the　queen。〃

Alas；　I　would　I　could　say　that　all　ended　there。　　But　the　rancour　of　which　Madame　de　Verneuil　had　given　token　in　her　interview　with　me　was　rather　aggravated　than　lessened　by　the　failure　of　her　plot　and　the　death　of　her　tool。　　It　proved　to　be　impenetrable　by　all　the　kindnesses　which　the　King　lavished　upon　her；　neither　the　legitimation　of　the　child　which　she　soon　afterwards　bore；　nor　the　clemency　which　the　Kingagainst　the　advice　of　his　wisest　ministers　extended　to　her　brother　Auvergne；　availing　to　expel　it　from　her　breast。　　How　far　she　or　that　ill…omened　family　were　privy　to　the　accursed　crime　which；　nine　years　later；　palsied　France　on　the　threshold　of　undreamed…of　glories；　I　will　not　take　on　myself　to　say；　for　suspicion　is　not　proof。　　But　history；　of　which　my　beloved　master　must　ever　form　so　great　a　part；　will　lay　the　blame　where　it　should　rest。



VI。　THE　MAN　OF　MONCEAUX。

In　the　month　of　August　of　this　year　the　King　found　some　alleviation　of　the　growing　uneasiness　which　his　passion　for　Madame　de　Conde　occasioned　him　in　a　visit　to　Monceaux；　where　he　spent　two　weeks　in　such　diversions　as　the　place　afforded。　　He　invited　me　to　accompany　him；　but　on　my　representing　that　I　could　not　thereso　easily　as　in　my　own　closet；　where　I　had　all　the　materials　within　reachprepare　the　report　which　he　had　commanded　me　to　draw　up；　he　directed　me　to　remain　in　Paris　until　it　was　ready；　and　then　to　join　him。

This　report　which　he　was　having　written；　not　only　for　his　own　satisfaction　but　for　the　information　of　his　heir；　took　the　form　of　a　recital　of　all　the　causes　and　events；　spread　over　many　years；　which　had　induced　him　to　take　in　hand　the　Great　Design；　together　with　a　succinct　account　of　the　munitions　and　treasures　which　he　had　prepared　to　carry　it　out。　　As　it　included　many　things　which　were　unknown　beyond　the　council；　and　some　which　he　shared　only　with　meand　as；　in　particular；　it　enumerated　the　various　secret　alliances　and　agreements　which　he　had　made　with　the　princes　of　North　Germany；　whom　a　premature　discovery　must　place　at　the　Emperor's　mercyit　was　necessary　that　I　should　draw　up　the　whole　with　my　own　hand；　and　with　the　utmost　care　and　precaution。　　This　I　did；　and　that　nothing　might　be　wanting　to　a　memorial　which　I　regarded　with　justice　as　the　most　important　of　the　many　State　papers　which　it　had　fallen　to　my　lot；　to　prepare；　I　spent　seven　days　in　incessant　labour　upon　it。　　It　was　not；　therefore；　until　the　third　week　in　August：　　that　I　was　free　to　travel　to　Monceaux。

I　found　my　quarters　assigned　to　me　in　a　pavilion　called　the　Garden　House；　and；　arriving　at　supper　time；　sat　down　with　my　household　with　more　haste　and　less　ceremony　than　was　my　wont。　The　same　state　of　things　prevailed；　I　suppose；　in　the　kitchen；　for　we　had　not　been　seated　half　an　hour　when　a　great　hubbub　arose　in　the　house；　and　the　servants　rushing　in　cried　out　that　a　fire　had　broken　out　below；　and　that　the　house　was　in　danger　of　burning。

In　such　emergencies　I　take　it　to　be　the　duty　of　a　man　of　standing　to　bear　himself　with　as　much　dignity　as　is　consistent　with　vigour；　and　neither　to　allow　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　the　outcry　and　disorder　of　the　crowd；　nor　to　omit　any　direction　that　may　avail。　　On　this　occasion；　however；　my　first　thought　was　given　to　the　memorial　I　had　prepared　for　the　King；　which　I　remembered　had　been　taken　with　other　books　and　papers　to　a　room　over　the　kitchen。　　I　lost　not　a　moment；　therefore；　in　sending　Maignan　for　it；　nor　until　I　held　it　safely　in　my　hand　did　I　feel　myself　at　liberty　to　think　of　the　house。　　When　I　did；　I　found　that　the　alarm　exceeded　the　danger；　a　few　buckets　of　water　extinguished　a　beam　in　the　chimney　which　had　caught　fire；　and　in　a　few　moments　we　were　able　to　resume　the　meal　with　the　added　vivacity　which　such　an　event　gave　to　the　conversation。　　It　has　never　been　my　custom　to　encourage　too　great　freedom　at　my　table；　but　as　the　company　consisted；　with　a　single　exception；　of　my　household；　and　as　this　persona　Monsieur　de　Vilain；　a　young　gentleman；　the　cousin　of　one　of　my　wife's　maids…of…honourshowed　himself　possessed　of　modesty　as　well　as　wit；　I　thought　that　the　time　excused　a　little　relaxation。

This　was　the　cause　of　the　misfortune　which　followed；　and　bade　fair　to　place　me　in　a　position　of　as　great　difficulty　as　I　have　ever　known；　for；　having　in　my　good　humour　dismissed　the　servants；　I　continued　to　talk　for　an　hour　or　more　with　Vilain　and　some　of　my　gentlemen；　the　result　being　that　I　so　far　forgot　myself；　when　I　rose；　as　to　leave