from the memoirs of a minister of france-第19部分

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　at　the　top　of　his　voice：　　〃Back！　　back！　　Go　back！〃

We　looked　about；　somewhat　startled；　and　Boisrueil；　with　presence　of　mind；　ran　into　the　darkness　to　see　if　he　could　detect　the　person　addressed；　but　though　he　thought　that　he　saw　the　skirt　of　a　flying　cloak　disappear　in　the　gloom；　he　was　not　sure；　and　I；　having　no　mind　to　be　mixed　up　with　the　ambassador；　called　him　back。　　I　asked　Vilain　to　whom　he　had　called；　but　the　young　man；　turning　sullen；　would　answer　nothing　except　that　he　knew　naught　of　the　paper。　　I　thought　it　best；　therefore；　to　conduct　him　at　once　to　my　lodgings；　whither　it　will　be　believed　that　I　returned　with　a　lighter　heart　than　I　had　gone　out。　　It　was；　indeed；　a　providential　escape。

How　to　punish　the　traitor　was　another　matter；　for　I　could　scarcely　do　so　adequately　without　betraying　my　negligence。　　I　determined　to　sleep　on　this；　however；　and；　for　the　night；　directed　him　to　be　locked　into　a　chamber　in　the　south…west　turret；　with　a　Swiss　to　guard　the　door；　my　intention　being　to　interrogate　him　farther　on　the　morrow。　　However；　Henry　sent　for　me　so　early　that　I　was　forced　to　postpone　my　examination；　and；　being　detained　by　him　until　evening；　I　thought　it　best　to　tell　him；　before　I　left；　what　had　happened。

He　heard　the　story　with　a　look　of　incredulity；　which；　little　by　little；　gave　way　to　a　broad　smile。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃Grand　Master；　never　chide　me　again！　　I　have　heard　that　Homer　sometimes　nods；　but　if　I　were　to　tell　this　to　Sillery　or　Villeroy；　they　would　not　believe　me。〃

〃They　would　believe　anything　that　your　Majesty　told　them；〃　I　said。　　〃But　you　will　not　tell　them　this？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　kindly；　〃I　will　not；　and　there　is　my　hand　on　it。　For　the　matter　of　that；　if　it　had　happened　to　them；　they　would　not　have　told　me。〃

〃And　perhaps　been　the　wiser　for　that；〃　I　said。

〃Don't　believe　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　now；　what　of　this　young　Vilain？　　You　have　him　safe？〃

〃Yes；　sire。〃

〃The　girl　is　one　degree　worse；　she　betrays　both　sides　to　save　her　skin。〃

〃Still；　I　promised〃

〃Oh；　she　must　go；〃　Henry　said。　　〃I　quite　understand。　　But　for　himwe　had　better　have　no　scandal。　　Keep　him　until　to…morrow；　and　I　will　see　his　father；　and　have　him　sent　out　of　the　country。〃

〃And　he　will　go　scot　free；〃　I　said；　bluntly；　〃when　a　rope　and　the　nearest　tree〃

〃Yes；　my　friend；〃　Henry　answered　with　a　dry　smile；　〃but　that　should　have　been　done　last　night。　　As　it　is；　he　is　your　guest　and　we　must　give　an　account　of　him。　　But　first　drain　him　dry。　Frighten　him；　as　you　please；　and　get　all　out　of　him；　then　I　wish　them　joy　of　him。　　Faugh！　　and　he　a　young　man！　　I　would　not　be　his　father　for　two　such　crowns　as　mine！〃

As　I　returned　to　my　lodgings　I　thought　over　these　words；　and　I　fell　to　wondering　by　what　stages　Vilain　had　sunk　so　low。　Occasionally　admitted　to　my　table；　he　had　always　borne　himself　with　a　modesty　and　discretion　that　had　not　failed　to　prepossess　me；　indeed；　the　longer　I　considered　the　King's　saying；　the　greater　was　the　surprise　I　felt　at　this　DENOUEMENT；　which　left　me　in　doubt　whether　my　dullness　exceeded　my　negligence　or　the　young　man's　parts　surpassed　his　wickedness。

A　few　questions；　I　thought；　might　resolve　this；　but　having　been　detained　by　the　King　until　supper…time；　I　postponed　the　interview　until　I　rose。　　Then　bidding　them　bring　in　the　prisoner；　I　assumed　my　harshest　aspect　and　prepared　to　blast　him　by　discovering　all　his　vileness　to　his　face。

But　when　I　had　waited　a　little；　only　Maignan　came　in；　with　an　air　of　consternation　that　brought　me　to　my　feet。　　〃Why；　man；　what　is　it？〃　　I　cried。

〃The　prisoner；〃　he　faltered。　　〃If　your　excellency　pleases〃

〃I　do　not　please！〃　　I　said　sternly；　believing　that　I　knew　what　had　happened。　　〃Is　he　dead？〃

〃No；　your　excellency；　but；　he　has　escaped。〃

〃Escaped？　　From　that　room？〃

Maignan　nodded。

〃Then；　PAR　DIEU！〃　　I　replied；　〃the　man　who　was　on　guard　shall　suffer　in　his　place！　　Escaped？　　How　could　he　escape　except　by　treachery？　　Where　was　the　guard？〃

〃He　was　there；　excellency。　　And　he　says　that　no　one　passed　him。〃

〃Yet　the　man　is　gone？〃

〃The　room　is　empty。〃

〃But　the　windowthe　window；　fool；　is　fifty　feet　from　the　ground！〃　　I　said。　　〃And　not　so　much　footing　outside　as　would　hold　a　crow！〃

Maignan　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　in　a　rage　I　bade　him　follow　me；　and　went　myself　to　view　the　place；　to　which　a　number　of　my　people　had　already　flocked　with　lights；　so　that　I　found　some　difficulty　in　mounting　the　staircase。　　A　very　brief　inspection；　however；　sufficed　to　confirm　my　first　impression　that　Vilain　could　have　escaped　by　the　door　only；　for　the　window；　though　it　lacked　bars　and　boasted　a　tiny　balcony；　hung　over　fifty　feet　of　sheer　depth；　so　that　evasion　that　way　seemed　in　the　absence　of　ladder　or　rope　purely　impossible。　　This　being　clear；　I　ordered　the　Swiss　to　be　seized；　and　as　he　could　give　no　explanation　of　the　escape；　and　still　persisted　that　he　was　as　much　in　the　dark　as　anyone；　I　declared　that　I　would　make　an　example　of　him；　and　hang　him　unless　the　prisoner　was　recaptured　within　three　days。

I　did　not　really　propose　to　do　this；　but　in　my　irritation　I　spoke　so　roundly　that　my　people　believed　me；　even　Boisrueil；　who　presently　came　to　intercede　for　the　culprit；　who；　it　seemed；　was　a　favourite。　　〃As　for　Vilain；〃　he　continued；　〃you　can　catch　him　whenever　you　please。〃

〃Then　catch　him　before　the　end　of　three　days；〃　I　answered　obstinately；　〃and　the　man　lives。〃

The　truth　was　that　Vilain's　escape　placed　me　in　a　position　of　some　discomfort；　for　though；　on　the　one　hand；　I　had　no　particular　desire　to　get　him　again　into　my　hands；　seeing　that　the　King　could　effect　as　much　by　a　word　to　his　father　as　I　had　proposed　to　do　while　I　held　him　safe；　on　the　other　hand；　the　evasion　placed　me　very　peculiarly　in　regard　to　the　King　himself；　who　was　inclined　to　think　me　ill　or　suddenly　grown　careless。　　Some　of　the　facts；　too；　were　leaking　out；　and　provoking　smiles　among　the　more　knowing；　and　a　hint　here　and　there；　the　result　of　all　being　that；　unable　to　pursue　the　matter　farther　in　Vilain's　case；　I　hardened　my　heart　and　persisted　that　the　Swiss　should　pay　the　penalty。

This　obstinacy　on　my　part　had　an　unforeseen　issue。　　On　the　evening　of　the　second　day；　a　little　before　supper…time；　my　wife　came　to　me；　and　announced　that　a　young　lady　had　waited　on　her　with　a　tale　so　remarkable　that　she　craved　leave　to　bring　her　to　me　that　I　might　hear　it。

〃What　is　it？〃　　I　said　impatiently。

〃It　is　about　M。　Vilain；〃　my　wife　answered；　her　face　still　wearing　all　the　marks　of　lively　astonishment。

〃Ha！〃　　I　exclaimed。　　〃I　will　see　her　then。　　But　it　is　not　that　baggage　who〃

〃No；〃　my　wife　answered。　　〃It　is　another。〃

〃One　of　your　maids？〃

〃No；　a　stranger。〃

〃Well；　bring　her；〃　I　said　shortly。

She　went；　and　quickly　returned　with　a　young　lady；　whose　face　and　modest　bearing　were　known　to　me；　though　I　could　not；　at　the　moment；　recall　her　name。　　This　was　the　less　remarkable　as　I　am　not　prone　to　look　much　in　maids'　faces；　leaving　that　to　younger　men；　and　Mademoiselle　de　Figeac's；　though　beautiful；　was　disfigured　on　this　occasion　by　the　marked　distress　under　which　she　was　labouring。　　Accustomed　as　I　was　to　the　visits　of　persons　of　all　classes　and　characters　who　came　to　me　daily　with　petitions；　I　should　have　been　disposed　to　cut　her　short；　but　for　my　wife's　intimation　that　her　errand　had　to　do　with　the　matter　which　annoyed　me。　　This；　as　well　as　a　trifle　of　curiosityfrom　which　none　are　quite　freeinclined　me　to　be　patient；　and　I　asked　her　what　she　would　have　with　me。

〃Justice；　M。　le　Duc；〃　she　answered　simply。　　〃I　have　heard　that　you　are　seeking　M。　de　Vilain；　and　that　one　of　your　people　is　lying　under　sentence　for　complicity　in　his　escape。〃

〃That　is　true；　mademoiselle；〃　I　said。　　〃If　you　can　tell　me〃

〃I　can　tell　you　how　he　escaped；　and　by　whose　aid；〃　she　answered。

It　is　my　custom　to　betray　no　astonishment；　even　when　I　am　astonished。　　〃Do　so；〃　I　said。

〃He　escaped　through　the　window；〃　she　answered　firmly；　〃by　my　brother's　aid。〃

〃Your　brother's？〃　　I　exclaimed；　amazed　at　her　audacity。　　〃I　do　not　remember　him。〃

〃He　is　only　thirteen　years　old。〃

I　could　hide　my　astonishment　no　longer。　　〃You　must　be　mad；　girl！〃　I　said；　〃mad！　　You　do　not　know　what　you　are　saying！　　The　window　of　the　room　in　which　Vilain　was　confined　is　fifty　feet　from　the　ground；　and　you　say　that　your　brother；　a　boy　of　thirteen；　contrived　his　escape？〃

〃Yes；　M。　de　Sully；〃　she　answered。　　〃And　the　man　who　is　about　to　suffer　is　innocent。〃

〃How　was　it　done；　then？〃　　I　asked；　not　knowing　what　to　think　of　her　persistence。

〃My　brother　was　flying　a　kite　that　day；〃　she　answered。　　〃He　had　been　doing　so　for　a　week　or　more；　and　everyone　was　accustomed　to　seeing　him　here。　　After　sunset；　the　wind　being　favourable；　he　came　under　M。　de　Vilain's　window；　and；　when　it　was　nearly　dark；　and　the　servants　and　household　were　at　supper；　he　guided　the　kite　against　the　balcony　outside　the　window。〃

〃But　a　man　cannot　descend　by　a　kite…string！〃

〃My　brother　had　a　knotted　rope；　which　M。　de　Vilain　drew　up；〃　she　answered　simply；　〃and　afterwards；　when　he　had　descended；　disengaged。〃

I　looked　at　her　in　profound　amazement。

〃Your　brother　acted　on　instructions？〃　　I　said　at　last。

〃On　mine；〃　she　answered。

〃You　avow　that？〃

〃I　am　here　to　do　so；〃　she　replied；　her　face　white　and　red　by　turns；　but　her　eyes　continuing　to　meet　mine。

〃This　is　a　very　serious　matter；〃　I　said。　　〃Are　you　aware；　mademoiselle；　why　M。　Vilain　was　arrested；　and　of　what　he　is　accused？〃

〃Perfectly；〃　she　answered；　〃and　that　he　is　innocent。　　More！〃　　she　continued；　clasping　her　hands；　and　looking　at　me　bravely；　〃I　am　willing　both　to　tell　you　where　he　is；　and　to　bring　him；　if　you　please；　into　your　presence。〃

I　stared　at　her。　　〃You　will　bring　him　here？〃　　I　said。

〃Within　five　minutes；〃　she　answered；　〃if　you　will　first　hear　me。〃

〃What　are　you　to　him？〃　　I　said。

She　blushed　vividly。　　〃I　shall　be　his　wife　or　no　one's；〃　she　said；　and　she　looked　a　moment　at　my　wife。

〃Well；　say　what　you　have　to　say！〃　　I　cried　roughly。

〃This　paper；　which　it　is　alleged　that　he　stoleit　was　not　found　on　him；　but　in　the　hollow　of　a　tree。〃

〃Within　three　paces　of　him！　　And　what　was　he　doing　there？〃

〃He　came　to　meet　me；〃　she　answered；　her　voice　trembling　slightly。　〃He　could