from the memoirs of a minister of france-第23部分

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t　of　twenty　paces。　　Colet；　a　light　man　and　well　mounted；　was　after　him　in　a　trice；　and　we　heard　them　go　ding…dong；　ding…dong；　through　the　darkness　for　a　mile　or　more　as　it　seemed　to　us。　　Then　a　sharp　scream　came　faintly　down　the　wind。

〃Good！〃　　Parabere　said　cheerfully。　　〃Let　us　be　jogging。〃　　He　had　tied　his　prisoner　neck　and　knees　over　the　saddle　before　him。

〃You　heard　what　he　said？〃　　I　muttered；　as　we　moved　on。

〃Perfectly；〃　he　answered　in　the　same　tone。

〃And　you　think？〃

〃I　think；　Grand　Master；〃　he　replied　drily；　〃that　the　sooner　you　are　out　of　La　Marche　and　Bareilles'　government　the　longer　you　are　likely　to　live。〃

I　was　quite　of　that　opinion　myself；　having　drawn　the　same　inferences　from　the　words　the　prisoner　had　uttered。　　But　for　the　moment　I　had　no　alternative　save　to　go　on；　and　put　a　bold　face　on　the　matter；　and　accordingly　I　led　the　way　forward　at　as　fast　a　pace　as　the　darkness　and　the　jaded　state　of　our　horses　permitted。　Colet　presently　joined　us；　and　half　an　hour　later　a　bunch　of　lights　which　appeared　on　the　side　of　a　hill　in　front　proclaimed　that　we　were　nearing　Gueret。　　From　this　point　half　a　league　across　a　rushy　bottom　and　through　a　ford　brought　us　to　the　gate；　which　opened　before　we　summoned　it。　　I　had　taken　care　to　call　to　the　van　one　of　my　men　who　knew　the　town；　and　he　guided　us　quickly；　no　one　challenging　us；　through　a　number　of　foul；　narrow　streets　and　under　dark　archways；　among　which　a　stranger　must　have　gone　astray。　　We　reached　at　last　a　good…sized　square；　on　one　side　of　whichthough　the　rest　of　the　town　lay　buried　in　darknessa　large　building；　which　I　judged　to　be　Bareilles'　residence；　exposed　a　dozen　lighted　windows　to　the　street。　　Two　or　three　figures　lounged　half…seen　on　the　wide　stone　steps　which　led　up　to　the　entrance；　and　the　rattle　of　dice；　with　a　murmur　of　voices；　came　from　the　windows。　　Without　a　moment's　hesitation　I　dismounted　at　the　foot　of　the　steps；　and；　bidding　La　Font　and　Boisrueil　attend　me；　with　three　of　the　servants；　I　directed　Colet　to　withdraw　with　the　rest　and　the　horses　to　the　farther　end　of　the　square。

Dreading　nothing　so　much　as　that　I　might　lose　the　advantage　of　surprise；　I　put　aside　two　of　the　men　on　the　steps　who　would　have　questioned　me；　and　strode　boldly　across　the　stone　landing　at　the　head　of　the　flight。　　Here　I　found　two　doors　facing　me；　and　foresaw　the　possibility　of　error；　but　I　was　relieved　from　the　burden　of　choosing　by　the　sudden　appearance　at　one　of　them　of　Bareilles　himself。　　The　place　was　lit　only　by　an　oil　lamp；　and；　for　a　reason　best　known　to　himself；　he　did　not　look　directly　at　me；　but　stood　with　his　head　half…turned　as　he　said；

〃Well；　Martin；　is　it　done？〃

I　heard　the　dicers　hold　their　hands　to　catch　the　answer；　and　in　the　silence　a　bottle　in　some　unsteady　hand　clinked　against　a　glass。　　Through　the　half…open　door　behind　him　it　was　possible　to　see　a　long　table；　laid　and　glittering　with　steel　and　plate；　and　all　seemed　to　wait。

Parabere　broke　the　spell。　　〃We　are　late！〃　　he　said　in　a　ringing　voice；　which　startled　the　governor　as　if　it　had　been　the　voice　of　doom。　　〃But　we　could　not　have　found　you　better　prepared；　it　seems。　　Do　you　always　sup　as　late　as　this？〃

For　a　moment　the　villain　could　not　speak；　but　leaned　against　the　doorpost；　with　his　cheeks　gone　white　and　his　jaw　fallen；　the　most　pitiable　spectacle　to　be　conceived。　　I　affected　to　see　nothing；　however；　but　went　by　him　easily；　and　into　the　room；　drawing　off　my　gauntlets　as　entered。　　The　dicers；　from　their　seats　beside　a　table　on　the　hearth；　gazed　at　me；　turned　to　stone。　　I　took　up　a　glass；　filled　it；　and　drank　it　off。　　〃Now　I　am　better！〃　　I　said。　〃But　this　is　not　the　warmest　of　welcomes；　M。　de　Bareilles。〃

He　muttered　something；　looking　fearfully　from　one　to　another　of　us；　and；　his　hand　shaking；　filled　a　glass　and　pledged　me。　　The　wine　gave　him　courage　and　impudence：　　he　began　to　speak；　and　though　his　hurried　sentences　and　excited　manner　must　have　betrayed　him　to　the　least　suspicious；　we　pretended　to　see　nothing；　but　rather　to　congratulate　ourselves　on　his　late　hours　and　timely　preparations。　　And　certainly　nothing　could　have　seemed　more　cheerful　in　comparison　with　the　squalid　inn　and　miry　road　from　which　we　came　than　this　smiling　feast；　if　death　had　not　seemed　to　my　eyes　to　lurk　behind　it。

〃I　thought　it　likely　that　you　would　lie　at　Saury；〃　he　said；　with　a　ghastly　smile。

〃And　yet　made　this　preparation　for　us？〃　　I　answered　politely；　yet　letting　a　little　of　my　real　mind　be　seen。　　〃Well；　as　a　fact；　M。　Bareilles；　save　for　one　thing　we　should　have　lain　there。〃

〃And　that　thing？〃　　he　asked；　his　tongue　almost　failing　him　as　he　put　the　question。

〃The　fact　that　you　have　a　villain　in　your　company；〃　I　answered。

〃What？〃　　he　stammered。

〃A　villain；　M。　le　Capitaine　Martin；〃　I　continued　sternly。　　〃You　sent　him　out　this　morning　against　the　Great　Band；　instead；　he　took　it　upon　him　to　lay　a　plot　for　me；　from　which　I　have　only　narrowly　escaped。〃

〃Martin？〃

〃Yes；　M。　de　Bareilles；　Martin！〃　　I　answered　roundly；　fixing　him　with　my　eyes；　while　Parabere　went　quietly　to　the　door；　and　stood　by　it。　　〃If　I　am　not　mistaken；　I　hear　him　at　this　moment　dismounting　below。　　Let　us　understand　one　another　therefore；　I　propose　to　sup　with　you；　but　I　shall　not　sit　down　until　he　hangs。〃

It　would　be　useless　for　me　to　attempt　to　paint　the　mixture　of　horror；　perplexity；　and　shame　which　distorted　Bareilles'　countenance　as　I　spoke　these　words。　　While　Parabere's　attitude　and　my　demeanour　gave　him　clearly　to　understand　that　we　suspected　the　truth；　if　we　did　not　know　it；　our　coolness　and　the　very　nature　of　my　demand　imposed　upon　his　fears　and　led　him　to　believe　that　we　had　a　regiment　at　our　call。　　He　knew；　too；　that　that　which　might　be　done　in　a　ruined　hamlet　might　not　be　done　in　the　square　at　Gueret；　and　his　knees　trembled　under　him。　　He　muttered　that　he　did　not　understand；　that　we　must　be　mistaken。　　What　evidence　had　we？

〃The　best！〃　　I　answered　grimly。　　〃If　you　wish　to　hear　it；　I　will　send　for　it；　but　witnesses　have　sometimes　loose　tongues；　Bareilles；　and　he　may　not　stop　at　the　Capitaine　Martin。〃

He　started　and　glared　at　me。　　From　me　his　eyes　passed　to　Parabere；　then　he　shuddered；　and　looked　down　at　the　table。　　As　he　leaned　against　it；　I　heard　the　glasses　tinkling　softly。　　At　last　he　muttered　that　the　man　must　have　a　trial。

I　shrugged　my　shoulders；　and　would　have　answered　that　that　was　his　business；　but　at　the　moment　a　heavy　step　rang　on　the　stone　steps；　the　door　was　flung　hastily　open；　and　a　dark…complexioned　man　came　in　with　his　hat　on。　　The　stranger　was　splashed　to　the　chin；　and　his　face　wore　an　expression　of　savage　annoyance；　but　this　gave　place　the　instant　he　saw　us　to　one　of　intense　surprise；　while　the　words　he　had　had　on　his　lips　died　away；　and　he　stood　nonplussed。　　I　turned　to　M。　de　Bareilles。

〃Who　is　this？〃　　I　said　harshly。

〃One　of　my　lieutenants；〃　he　answered　in　a　stifled　tone。

〃M。　le　Capitaine　Martin？〃

〃The　same；〃　he　answered。

〃Very　well；〃　I　replied。　　〃You　have　heard　my　terms。〃

He　stood　clutching　the　table；　and　in　the　bright　light　of　the　candles　that　burned　on　it　his　face　was　horrible。　　Still　he　managed　to　speak。　　〃M。　le　Capitaine；　call　four　men；〃　he　muttered。

〃Monsieur？〃　　the　Captain　answered。

〃Call　four　menfour　of　your　men；〃　Bareilles　repeated　with　an　effort。

The　Captain　turned　and　went　downstairs　in　amazement；　returning　immediately　after　with　four　troopers　at　his　heels。

Bareilles'　face　was　ghastly。　　〃Take　M。　le　Capitaine's　sword；〃　he　said　to　them。

The　Captain's　jaw　fell；　and；　stepping　back　a　pace；　he　looked　from　one　to　another。　　But　all　were　silent；　he　found　every　eye　upon　him；　and；　doubtful　and　taken　by　surprise；　he　unbuckled　his　sword　and　flung　it　with　an　oath　upon　the　floor。

〃To　the　garden　with　him！〃　　Bareilles　continued；　hoarsely。　〃Quick！　Take　him！　　I　will　send　you　your　orders。〃

They　laid　hands　on　the　man　mechanically；　and；　unnerved　by　the　suddenness　of　the　affair；　the　silence；　and　the　presence　of　so　many　strangers；ignorant；　too；　what　was　doing　or　what　was　meant；　he　went　unresisting。　　They　marched　him　out　heavily；　the　door　closed　behind　them；　we　stood　waiting。　　The　glittering　table；　the　lights；　the　arrested　dicers；　all　the　trivial　preparations　for　a　carouse　that　at　another　time　must　have　given　a　cheerful　aspect　to　the　room；　produced　instead　the　most　sombre　impression。　　I　waited；　but；　seeing　that　Bareilles　did　not　move；　I　struck　the　table　with　my　gauntlet。　　〃The　order！〃　　I　said；　sharply；　〃the　order！〃

He　slunk　to　a　table　in　a　corner　where　there　was　ink；　and　scrawled　it。　　I　took　it　from　his　hand；　and；　giving　it　to　Boisrueil；　〃Take　it；〃　I　said；　〃and　the　three　men　on　the　landing；　and　see　the　order　carried　out。　　When　it　is　over；　come　and　tell　me。〃

He　took　the　order　and　disappeared；　La　Font　after　him。　　I　remained　in　the　room　with　Parabere；　Bareilles；　and　the　dicers。　　The　minutes　passed　slowly；　no　one　speaking；　Bareilles　standing　with　his　head　sunk　on　his　breast；　and　a　look　of　utter　despair　on　his　countenance。　　At　length　Boisrueil　and　La　Font　returned。　　The　former　nodded。

〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　　〃Then　let　us　sup；　gentlemen。　　Come；　M。　de　Bareilles；　your　place　is　at　the　head　of　the　table。　　Parabere；　sit　here。　　Gentlemen；　I　have　not　the　honour　of　knowing　you；　but　here　are　places。〃

And　we　supped；　but　not　all　with　the　same　appetite。　　Bareilles；　silent；　despairing；　a　prey　to　the　bitterest　remorse；　sat　low　in　his　chair；　and；　if　I　read　his　face　aright；　had　no　thought　but　of　vengeance。　　But；　assured　that　by　forcing　him　to　that　which　must　for　ever　render　him　odiousand　particularly　among　his　inferiors　I　had　sapped　his　authority　at　the　root；　I　took　care　only　that　he　should　not　leave　us。　　I　directed　Colet　to　unsaddle　and　bivouac　in　the　garden；　and　myself　lay　all　night　with　Parabere　and　Bareilles　in　the　room　in　which　we　had　supped；　Boisrueil　and　La　Font　taking　turns　to　keep　the　door。

To　have　betrayed　too　much　haste　to　be　gone　might　have　proved　as　dangerous　as　a　long　delay；　and　our　horses　needed　rest。　　But　an　hour　before　noon　next　day　I　gave　the　order　and　we　mounted　in　the　square；　in　the　presence　of　a　mixed　mob　of　soldiers　and　townsfolk；　whom　it　needed　but　a　spark　to　kindle。　　I　took　care　that　that　spark　should　be　wanting；　however；　and　to　that　end　I　compelled　Bareill