from the memoirs of a minister of france-第2部分

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Through　the　innocence　of　her　eyes　flashed　a　sudden　gleam　of　archness。　　〃Monsieur　flatters　himself；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　that　just　revealed　the　whiteness　of　her　teeth。

It　was　such　an　answer　as　delighted　the　King；　who　loved；　above　all　things；　a　combination　of　wit　and　beauty；　and　never　for　any　long　time　wore　the　chains　of　a　woman　who　did　not　unite　sense　to　more　showy　attractions。　　From　the　effect　which　the　grace　and　freshness　of　the　girl　had　on　me；　I　could　judge　in　a　degree　of　the　impression　made　on　him；　his　next　words　showed　not　only　its　depth；　but　that　he　was　determined　to　enjoy　the　adventure　to　the　full。　He　presented　me　to　her　as　M。　de　Sage；　and　inquiring　affectionately　after　Perrot；　learned　in　a　trice　that　she　was　his　niece；　not　long　from　a　convent　at　Loches；　finally；　begging　to　be　allowed　to　rest　awhile；　he　dropped　a　gallant　hint　that　a　cup　of　wine　from　her　hands　would　be　acceptable。

All　this；　and　her　innocent　doubt　what　she　ought　to　do；　thus　brought　face　to　face　with　two　strange　cavaliers；　threw　the　girl　into　such　a　state　of　blushing　confusion　as　redoubled　her　charms。　It　appeared　that　her　uncle　had　been　summoned　unexpectedly　to　Marly；　and　had　taken　his　son　with　him；　and　that　the　household　had　seized　the　occasion　to　go　to　a　village　FETE　at　Acheres。　　Only　an　old　servant　remained　in　the　house；　who　presently　appeared　and　took　her　orders。　　I　saw　from　the　man's　start　of　consternation　that　he　knew　the　King；　but　a　glance　from　Henry's　eyes　bidding　me　keep　up　the　illusion；　I　followed　the　fellow　and　charged　him　not　to　betray　the　King's　incognito。　　When　I　returned；　I　found　that　Mademoiselle　had　conducted　her　visitor　to　a　grassy　terrace　which　ran　along　the　south　side　of　the　house；　and　was　screened　from　the　forest　by　an　alley　of　apple　trees；　and　from　the　east　wind　by　a　hedge　of　yew。　　Here；　where　the　last　rays　of　the　sun　threw　sinuous　shadows　on　the　turf；　and　Paris　seemed　a　million　miles　away；　they　were　walking　up　and　down；　the　sound　of　their　laughter　breaking　the　woodland　silence。　　Mademoiselle　had　a　fan；　with　which　and　an　air　of　convent　coquetry　she　occasionally　shaded　her　eyes。　　The　King　carried　his　hat　in　his　hand。　　It　was　such　an　adventure　as　he　loved；　with　all　his　heart；　and　I　stood　a　little　way　off；　smiling；　and　thinking　grimly　of　M。　de　Perrot。

On　a　sudden；　hearing　a　step　behind　me；　I　turned；　and　saw　a　young　man　in　a　riding…dress　come　quickly　through　an　opening　in　the　yew　hedge。　　As　I　turned；　he　stopped；　his　jaw　fell；　and　he　stood　rooted　to　the　ground；　gazing　at　the　two　on　the　terrace；　while　his　face；　which　a　moment　before　had　worn　an　air　of　pleased　expectancy；　grew　on　a　sudden　dark　with　passion；　and　put　on　such　a　look　as　made　me　move　towards　him。　　Before　I　reached　him；　However；　M。　de　Perrot　himself　appeared　at　his　side。　　The　young　man　flashed　round　on　him。　　〃MON　DIEU；　sir！〃　　he　cried；　in　a　voice　choked　with　anger；　〃I　see　it　all　now！　　I　understand　why　I　was　carried　away　to　Marly！　　Ibut　it　shall　not　be！　　I　swear　it　shall　not！〃

Between　him　and　mefor；　needless　to　say；　I；　too；　understood　all　M。　de　Perrot　was　awkwardly　placed。　　But　he　showed　the　presence　of　mind　of　the　old　courtier。　　〃Silence；　sir！〃　　He　exclaimed　imperatively。　　〃Do　you　not　see　M。　de　Rosny？　　Go　to　him　at　once　and　pay　your　respects　to　him；　and　request　him　to　honour　you　with　his　protection。　　OrI　see　that　you　are　overcome　by　the　honour　which　the　King　does　us。　　Go；　first；　and　change　your　dress。　　Go；　boy！〃

The　lad　retired　sullenly；　and　M。　de　Perrot；　free　to　deal　with　me　alone；　approached　me；　smiling　assiduously；　and　trying　hard　to　hide　some　consciousness　and　a　little　shame　under　a　mask　of　cordiality。　　〃A　thousand　pardons；　M。　de　Rosny；〃　he　cried　with　effusion；　〃for　an　absence　quite　unpardonable。　　But　I　so　little　expected　to　see　his　Majesty　after　what　you　said；　and〃

〃Are　in　no　hurry　to　interrupt　him　now　you　are　here；〃　I　replied　bluntly；　determined　that；　whoever　he　deceived；　he　should　not　flatter　himself　he　deceived　me。　　〃Pooh；　man！　　I　am　not　a　fool；〃　I　continued。

〃What　is　this？〃　　he　cried；　with　a　desperate　attempt　to　keep　up　the　farce。　　〃I　don't　understand　you！〃

〃No；　the　shoe　is　on　the　other　footI　understand　you；〃　I　replied　drily。　　〃Chut；　man！〃　　I　continued；　〃you　don't　make　a　cats…paw　of　me。　　I　see　the　game。　　You　are　for　sitting　in　Madame　de　Sourdis'　seat；　and　giving　your　son　a　Hat；　and　your　groom　a　Comptrollership；　and　your　niece　a〃

〃Hush；　hush；　M。　de　Rosny；〃　he　muttered；　turning　white　and　red；　and　wiping　his　brow　with　his　kerchief。　　〃MON　DIEU！　　your　words　might〃

〃If　overheard；　make　things　very　unpleasant　for　M。　de　Perrot；〃　I　said。

〃And　M。　de　Rosny？〃

I　shrugged　my　shoulders　contemptuously。　　〃Tush；　man！〃　　I　said。　〃Do　you　think　that　I　sit　in　no　safer　seat　than　that？〃

〃Ah！　　But　when　Madame　de　Beaufort　is　Queen？〃　　he　said　slily。

〃If　she　ever　is；〃　I　replied；　affecting　greater　confidence　than　I　at　that　time　felt。

〃Well；　to　be　sure；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃if　she　ever　is。〃　　And　he　looked　towards　the　King　and　his　companion；　who　were　still　chatting　gaily。　　Then　he　stole　a　crafty　glance　at　me。　　〃Do　you　wish　her　to　be？〃　　he　muttered。

〃Queen？〃　　I　said；　〃God　forbid！〃

〃It　would　be　a　disgrace　to　France？〃　　he　whispered；　and　he　laid　his　hand　on　my　arm；　and　looked　eagerly　into　my　face。

〃Yes；〃　I　said。

〃A　blot　on　his　fame？〃

I　nodded。

〃Aa　slur　on　a　score　of　noble　families？〃

I　could　not　deny　it。

〃Thenis　it　not　worth　while　to　avoid　all　that？〃　　he　murmured；　his　face　pale；　and　his　small　eyes　glued　to　mine。　　〃Is　it　not　worth　a　littlesacrifice；　M。　de　Rosny？〃

〃And　risk？〃　　I　said。　　〃Possibly。〃

While　the　words　were　still　on　my　lips；　something　stirred　close　to　us；　behind　the　yew　hedge　beside　which　we　were　standing。　　Perrot　darted　in　a　moment　to　the　opening；　and　I　after　him。　　We　were　just　in　time　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　a　figure　disappearing　round　the　corner　of　the　house。　　〃Well；〃　I　said　grimly；　〃what　about　being　overheard　now？〃

M。　de　Perrot　wiped　his　face。　　〃Thank　Heaven！〃　　he　said；　〃it　was　only　my　son。　　Now　let　me　explain　to　you〃

But　our　hasty　movement　had　caught　the　King's　eye；　and　he　came　towards　us；　covering　himself　as　he　approached。　　I　had　now　an　opportunity　of　learning　whether　the　girl　was；　in　fact；　as　innocent　as　she　seemed；　and　as　every　particular　of　our　reception　had　declared　her；　and　I　watched　her　closely　when　Perrot's　mode　of　address　betrayed　the　King's　identity。　　Suffice　it　that　the　vivid　blush　which　on　the　instant　suffused　her　face；　and　the　lively　emotion　which　almost　overcame　her；　left　me　in　no　doubt。　　With　a　charming　air　of　bashfulness；　and　just　so　much　timid　awkwardness　as　rendered　her　doubly　bewitching；　she　tried　to　kneel　and　kiss　the　King's　hand。　　He　would　not　permit　this；　however；　but　saluted　her　cheek。

〃It　seems　that　you　were　right；　sire；〃　she　murmured；　curtseying　in　a　pretty　confusion；　〃The　princess　was　not　awake。〃

Henry　laughed　gaily。　　〃Come　now；　tell　me　frankly；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said。　　〃For　whom　did　you　take　me？〃

〃Not　for　the　King；　sire；〃　she　answered；　with　a　gleam　of　roguishness。　　〃You　told　me　that　the　King　was　a　good　man；　whose　benevolent　impulses　were　constantly　checked〃

〃Ah！〃

〃By　M。　de　Rosny；　his　Minister。〃

The　outburst　of　laughter　which　greeted　this　apprised　her　that　she　was　again　at　fault；　and　Henry；　who　liked　nothing　better　than　such　mystifications；　introducing　me　by　my　proper　name；　we　diverted　ourselves　for　some　minutes　with　her　alarm　and　excuses。　　After　that　it　was　time　to　take　leave；　if　we　would　sup　at　home　and　the　King　would　not　be　missed；　and　accordingly；　but　not　without　some　further　badinage；　in　which　Mademoiselle　de　Brut　displayed　wit　equal　to　her　beauty；　and　an　agreeable　refinement　not　always　found　with　either；　we　departed。

It　should　be　clearly　understood　at　this　point；　that；　notwithstanding　all　I　have　set　down；　I　was　fully　determined　（in　accordance　with　a　rule　I　have　constantly　followed；　and　would　enjoin　on　all　who　do　not　desire　to　find　themselves　one　day　saddled　with　an　ugly　name）　to　have　no　part　in　the　affair；　and　this　though　the　advantage　of　altering　the　King's　intentions　towards　Madame　de　Beaufort　was　never　more　vividly　present　to　my　mind。　　As　we　rode；　indeed；　he　put　several　questions　concerning　the　Baron；　and　his　family；　and　connections；　and；　falling　into　a　reverie；　and　smiling　a　good　deal　at　his　thoughts；　left　me　in　no　doubt　as　to　the　impression　made　upon　him。　　But　being　engaged　at　the　time　with　the　Spanish　treaty；　and　resolved；　as　I　have　said；　to　steer　a　course　uninfluenced　by　such　intrigues；　I　did　not　let　my　mind　dwell　upon　the　matter；　nor　gave　it；　indeed；　a　second　thought　until　the　next　afternoon；　when；　sitting　at　an　open　window　of　my　lodging；　I　heard　a　voice　in　the　street　ask　where　the　Duchess　de　Beaufort　had　her　apartment。

The　voice　struck　a　chord　in　my　memory；　and　I　looked　out。　　The　man　who　had　put　the　question；　and　who　was　now　being　directed　on　his　wayby　Maignan；　my　equerry；　as　it　chanced　had　his　back　to　me；　and　I　could　see　only　that　he　was　young；　shabbily　dressed；　and　with　the　air　of　a　workman　carried　a　small　frail　of　tools　on　his　shoulder。　　But　presently；　in　the　act　of　thanking　Maignan；　he　turned　so　that　I　saw　his　face；　and　with　that　it　flashed　upon　me　in　a　moment　who　he　was。

Accustomed　to　follow　a　train　of　thought　quickly；　and　to　act；　on　its　conclusion　with　energy；　I　had　Maignan　called　and　furnished　with　his　instructions　before　the　man　had　gone　twenty　paces；　and　within　the　minute　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　two　return　together。　　As　they　passed　under　the　window　I　heard　my　servant　explaining　with　the　utmost　naturalness　that　he　had　misunderstood　the　stranger；　and　that　this　was　Madame　de　Beaufort's；　after　which　scarce　a　minute　elapsed　before　the　door　of　my　room　opened；　and　he　appeared　ushering　in　young　Perrot！

Or　so　it　seemed　to　me；　and　the　start　of　surprise　and　consternation　which　escaped　the　stranger　when　he　first　saw　me　confirmed　me　in　the　impression。　　But　a　moment　later　I　doubted；　so　natural　was　the　posture　into　which　the　man　fell；　and　so　stupid　the　look　of　inquiry　which　he　turned　first　on　me　and　then　on　Maignan。　　As　he　stood　before　me；　shifting　his　feet　and　staring　about　him　in　vacant　wonder；　I　began　to　think　that　I　had　made　a　mistake；　and；　clearly；　either　I　had　done　so　or　this　young　man　was　possessed　of　talents　and　a　power　of　controlling　his　features