from the memoirs of a minister of france-第21部分

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punished。

I　forgot；　while　I　avowed　these　things；　that　one　weakness　of　Parabere's　character　which　rendered　him　unable　to　believe　evil　of　anyone。　　Even　of　Bareilles；　though　the　two　were　the　merest　acquaintances；　he　could　only　think　indulgently；　because；　forsooth；　he　too　was　a　Protestant。　　He　began　to　defend　him　therefore；　and；　seeing　how　the　ground　lay；　after　a　time　I　let　the　matter　drop。

Still　I　did　not　think　that　he　bad　been　serious　in　his　plea；　and　that　which　happened　on　the　following　morning　took　me　completely　by　surprise。　　We　had　left　Crozant　an　hour；　and　I　was　considering　whether；　the　road　being　bad；　we　should　even　now　reach　Gueret　before　night；　when　Parabere；　who　had　made　some　excuse　to　ride　forward；　returned；　to　me　with　signs　of　embarrassment　in　his　manner。

〃My　friend；〃　he　said；　〃here　is　a　message　from　Bareilles。〃

〃How？〃　　I　exclaimed。　　〃A　message？　　For　whom？〃

〃For　you；〃　he　said；　〃the　man　is　here。〃

〃But　how　did　Bareilles　know　that　I　was　coming？〃　　I　asked。

Parabere's　confusion　furnished　me　with　the　answer　before　he　spoke。　　〃Do　not　be　angry；　my　friend；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wanted　to　do　Bareilles　a　good　turn。　　I　saw　that　you　were　enraged　with　him；　and　I　thought　that　I　could　not　help　him　better　than　by　suggesting　to　him　to　come　and　meet　you　in　a　proper　spirit；　and　make　the　explanations　which　I　am　sure　that　he　has　it　in　his　power　to　make。　Yesterday　morning；　therefore；　I　sent　to　him。〃

〃And　he　is　here？〃　　I　said　drily。

Parabere　admitted　with　a　blush　that　he　was　not。　　His　messenger　had　found　Bareilles　on　the　point　of　starting　against　a　band　of　plunderers　who　had　ravaged　the　country　for　a　twelvemonth。　　He　had　sent　me　the　most；　civil　messages　thereforebut　he　had　not　come。　〃However；　he　will　be　at　Gueret　to…morrow；〃　Parabere　added　cheerfully。

〃Will　he？〃　　I　said。

〃I　will　answer　for　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃In　the　meantime；　he　has　done　what　he　can　for　our　comfort。〃

〃How？〃　　I　said；

〃He　bids　us　not　to　attempt　the　last　three　leagues　to　Gueret　to…　night；　the　road　is　too　bad。　　But　to　stay　at　Saury；　where　there　is　a　good　inn；　and　to…morrow　morning　he　will　meet　us　there。〃

〃If　the　brigands　have　not　proved　too　much　for　him；〃　I　said。

〃Yes；〃　Parabere　answered；　with　a　simplicity　almost　supernatural。　〃To　be　sure。〃

After　this；　it　was　no　use　to　say　anything　to　him；　though　his　officiousness　would　have　justified　the　keenest　reproaches。　　I　swallowed　my　resentment；　therefore；　and　we　went　on　amicably　enough；　though　the　valley　of　the　Creuse；　in　its　upper　and　wilder　part；　through　which　our　road　now　wound；　offered　no　objects　of　a　kind　to　soften　my　anger　against　the　governor。　　I　saw　enough　of　ruins；　of　blocked　defiles；　and　overgrown　roads；　but　of　returning　prosperity　and　growing　crops；　and　the　King's　peace；　I　saw　no　signnot　so　much　as　one　dead　robber。

About　noon　we　alighted　to　eat　a　little　at　a　wretched　tavern　by　one　of　the　innumerable　fords。　　A　solitary　traveller　who　was　here　before　us；　and　for　a　time　kept　aloof；　wearing　a　grand　and　mysterious　manner　with　a　shabby　coat；　presently　moved；　edging　himself　up　to　me　where　I　sat　a　little　apart；　eating　with　Parabere　and　my　gentlemen。

〃Sir；〃　he　said；　on　a　sudden　and　without　preface；　〃I　see　that　you　are　the　leader　of　this　party。〃

As　I　was　more　plainly　dressed　than　Parabere；　and　had　been　giving　no　orders；　I　wondered　how　he　knew；　but　I　answered；　without　any　remark；　〃Well；　sir；　and　what　of　that？〃

〃You　are　in　great　danger；〃　he　replied。

〃I？〃　　I　said。

〃Yes；　sir；　you！〃　　he　answered。

〃You　know　me？〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃Not　I；〃　he　said；　〃but　those　who　speak　by　me。　　Enough　that　you　are　in　danger。〃

〃From　what？〃　　I　asked　sceptically；　while　my　companions　stared；　and　the　troopers　and　servants；　who　were　just　within　hearing；　listened　open…mouthed。

〃A　one…eyed　woman　and　a　one…eyed　house；〃　he　answered　darkly。　Then；　before　I　could　frame　a　question；　he　turned　from　me　as　abruptly　as　he　had　come；　and；　mounting　a　sorry　mare　that　stood　near；　stumbled　away　through　the　ford。

It　required　little　wit　to　see　that　the　man　was　an　astrologer；　and　one　whose　predictions；　if　they　had　not　profited　his　clients　more　than　himself；　had　been　ominous　indeed。　　I　was　inclined；　therefore；　to　make　sport　of　him；　knowing　that　the　pretenders　to　that　art　are　to　the　true　men　as　ten　to　one。　　But　his　words；　and　particularly　the　fact　that　he　had　asked　for　nothing；　had　impressed　my　followers　differently；　so　that　they　talked　of　nothing　else　while　we　ate；　and　could　still　be　heard　discussing　him　in　the　saddle。　　The　wildness　of　the　road　and　the　gloomy　aspect　of　the　valley　had　doubtless　some　effect　on　their　minds；　which　a　thunderstorm　that　shortly　afterwards　overtook　us　and　drenched　us　to　the　skin　did　not　tend　to　lighten。　　I　was　glad　to　see　the　roofs　of　Saury　before　us；　though；　on　a　nearer　approach；　we　found　all　the　houses　except　the　inn　ruined　and　tenantless；　and　even；　that　scorched　and　scarred；　with　the　great　gate　that　had　once　closed　its　courtyard　prostrate　in　the　road　before　it。

However；　in　view　of　the　country　we　had　come　through；　and　the　general　desolation；　we　were　thankful　to　find　things　no　worse。　The　village　stood　at　the　entrance　to　a　gorge；　with　the　Creuse　here　a　fast…rushing　streamrunning　at　the　back　of　the　inn。　　The　latter　was　of　good　size；　stone…built　and　tiled；　and；　at　first；　seemed　to　be　empty；　but　the　servants　presently　unearthed　a　man　and　then　a　boy。　　Fires　were　lit；　and　the　horses　stabled；　and　a　second　room　with　a　chimney　being　found；　Parabere　and　I；　with　Colet　and　my　gentlemen；　took　possession　of　it；　leaving　the　kitchen　to　my　following。

I　had　had　my　boots　removed；　and　was　drying　my　clothes　and　expecting　supper；　when　Boisrueil；　who　was　beside　me；　uttered　an　exclamation　of　amazement。

〃What　is　it？〃　　I　said。

He　did　not　answer；　and　I　followed　his　eyes。　　A　woman　had　just　entered　the　room　with　a　bundle　of　sticks。　　She　had　one　eye！

I　confess　that；　for　an　instant；　this　staggered　me；　but　a　moment's　thought　reminded　me　that　the　astrologer　had　come　from　this　inn　to　us；　and　I　smiled　at　the　credulity　which　would　have　built　on　a　coincidence　that　was　no　coincidence。　　When　the　woman　had　retired　again；　therefore；　I　rallied　Boisrueil　on　his　timidity；　but；　though　he　admitted　the　correctness　of　my　reasoning；　I　saw　that　he　was　not　entirely　convinced。　　He　started　whenever　a　shutter　flapped；　or　the　draughts；　which　searched　the　grim　old　building　through　and　through；　threatened　to　extinguish　our　lights。　　He　hung　cloaks　over　the　windows　to　obviate　the　latter　inconvenience　he　saidand　was　continually　going　out　and　coming　back　with　gloomy　looks。　　Parabere　joined　me　in　rallying　him；　which　we　did　without　mercy；　but　when　I　had　occasion；　after　a　while；　to　pass　through　the　outer　room　I　found　that　he　was　not　alone　in　his　fears。　　The　troopers　sat　moodily　listening；　or　muttered　together；　while　the　cup　passed　round　in　silence。　　When　I　bade　a　man　go　on　an　errand　to　the　stable；　four　went；　and　when　I　dropped　a　word　to　the　woman　who　was　attending　to　her　pot；　a　dozen　heads　were　stretched　out　to　catch　the　answer。

Such　a　feelingto　which；　in　this　instance；　the　murmur　of　the　stream　and　the　steady　downpour　of　rain　doubtless　added　something　is　so　contagious　that　I　was　not　surprised　to　find　Colet　and　La　Font　sinking　under　it。　　Only　Parabere；　in　fact；　rose　quite　superior　to　the　notion；　laughed　at　their　fears；　and　drank　to　their　better　spirits；　and；　making　the　best　of　the　situation；　as　became　an　old　soldier；　presently　engaged　me　in　tales　of　the　war　fought　again　the　siege　of　Laon；　and　buried　men　whose　bodies　bad　lain　for　ten　years　under　the　oaks　at　Fontaine　Francoise。

Talk　of　this　kind；　which　we　still　maintained　after　we　had　despatched　our　supper；　was　sufficiently　engrossing　to　erase　Boisrueil's　fancies　entirely　from　my　mind。　　They　were　recalled　by　his　sudden　entrance；　with　Colet　at　his　elbow；　the　faces　of　both　full　of　importance。　　I　saw　that　they　had　something　to　say；　and　asked　what　it　was。

〃We　have　been　examining　the　back　gate；　M。　le　Marquis；〃　Colet　said。

〃Well；　man？〃

〃It　is　barricaded；　and　cannot　be　opened；〃　he　answered。

〃Well；〃　I　said　again；　〃there　is　nothing　wonderful　in　that。　Anyone　can　see　that　there　has　been　rough　work　here。　　The　front　gate　was　stormed；　I　suppose；　and　the　back　one　left　standing。〃

〃But　if　is　so　barricaded　that　it　is　not　possible　to　open　it；〃　he　objected。　　〃And　the　men　have　an　idea〃

〃Well？〃　　I　said；　seeing　that　he　hesitated。

〃That　this　is　a　one…eyed　house。〃

Parabere　laughed　loudly。　　〃Of　course　it　is！〃　　he　said。　　〃That　strolling　rogue　saw　the　gate　as　well　as　the　woman；　and　made　his　profit　of　them。〃

〃Pardon；　sir！〃　　Boisrueil　answered　bluntly；　〃That　is　just　what　he　did　not　do！〃

〃Well；〃　I　said；　silencing　him　by　a　gesture；　〃is　that　all？〃

〃No；〃　he　replied；　〃I　have　tasted　the　men's　wine。〃

〃And　it　is　drugged？〃

〃No；〃　he　said。　　〃On　the　contrary；　it　is　a　great　deal　too　good　for　the　priceor　the　house。　　And　you　ordered　a　litre　apiece。　　Some　have　had　two；　and　not　asked　twice　for　it！〃

〃Ho；　ho！〃　　I　said；　staring　at　him。　　〃Are　you　sure　of　that？〃

〃Quite！〃　　he　said。

I　was　genuinely　startled　at　last；　but　Parabere　still　made　light　of　it。　　〃What！〃　　he　said。　　〃Are　we　a　pack　of　nervous　women；　or　one　poor　traveller　in　a　solitary　inn；　that　we　see　shadows　and　shake　at　them？〃

〃The　inn　is　solitary　enough；〃　Boisrueil　grumbled。

〃But　we　are　twenty　swords！〃　　Parabere　retorted；　opening　his　eyes　wide。　　〃Why；　I　have　ridden　all　day　in　an　enemy's　country　with　less！〃

〃And　been　beaten　with　more　at　Craon。〃

〃But；　man　alive；　that　was　in　a　battle；　and　by　an　army！〃

〃Well；　and　there　may　be　a　battle　and　an　army　here；〃　Boisrueil　answered　sulkily；

I　was　inclined　to　laugh　at　this　as　extravagance；　but　seeing　that　La　Font　and　Colet　sided　with　Boisrueil；　I　remembered　that　the　latter　was　no　coward　though　a　great　gossip；　and　I　thought　better　of　it。　　Accordingly；　resolving　to　look　into　the　thing　myself；　I　bade　La　Font　fetch　a　couple　of　lanthorns；　and；　when　he　had　done　so；　went　out　with　him　and　Boisrueil　as　if　I　had　a　mind　to　go　round　the　horses　before　I　retired。　　Parabere　declined　to　accompany　me　on　the　ground　that　he　would　not　be　at　the　pains　of　it；　and　Colet　I　left　in　the　kitchen　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　man　and　woman。

There　was　no　moon；　rain　was　still　falling；　and　the　yard；　crowded　with　steaming；　sh