from the memoirs of a minister of france-第25部分

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〃No；　sire；〃　I　said。　　〃He　is　in　yonder　doorway。〃

Before　Henry　could　answer；　the　appearance　of　two　strangers　coming　along　the　roadway　confirmed　my　statement。　　They　paused　opposite　the　boy；　and　he　advanced　to　them。　　Too　far　off　to　hear　precisely　what　passed；　we　were　near　enough　to　be　sure　that　the　dialogue　was　in　the　main　the　same　as　that　in　which　we　had　taken　part。　　The　men　were　cloaked；　too；　as　were　we；　and　presently　they　went　in；　as　we　had　gone　in。　　All；　in　fact；　happened　as　it　had　happened　to　us；　and　after　the　necessary　interval　we　saw　and　heard　the　shutter　closed。

〃Well；〃　the　King　said；　〃what　do　you　make　of　that？〃

〃The　shutter　is　the　catch…word；　sire。〃

〃Ay；　but　what　is　going　on　up　there？〃　　he　asked。　　And　he　rubbed　his　hands。

I　had　no　explanation　to　give；　however；　and　shook　my　head；　and　we　stood　awhile；　watching　silently。　　At　the　end　of　five　minutes　the　two　men　came　out　again　and　walked　off　the　way　they　had　come；　but　more　briskly。　　Henry　moreover；　whose　observation　was　all　his　life　most　acute；　remarked　that　whatever　they　had　been　doing　they　carried　away　lighter　hearts　than　they　had　brought。　　And　I　thought　the　same。

Indeed；　I　was　beginning　to　take　my　full　share　of　interest　in　the　adventure；　and　in　place　of　wondering；　as　before；　at　Henry's　persistence；　found　it　more　natural　to　admire　the　keenness　which　he　had　displayed　in　scenting　a　mystery。　　I　was　not　surprised；　therefore；　when　he　gripped　my　arm　to　gain　my　attention；　and；　a　the　window　fell　slowly　open　again；　drew　me　quickly　into　the　street；　and　hurried　me　across　it　and　through　the　doorway　of　the　house。

〃Up！〃　　he　muttered　in　my　ear。　　〃Quickly　and　quietly；　man！　　If　there　are　to　be　other　visitors；　we　will　play　the　spy。　　But　softly；　softly；　here　is　the　boy！〃

We　stood　aside　against　the　wall；　scarcely　daring　to　breathe；　and　the　child；　guiding　himself　by　the　handrail；　passed　us　in　the　dark　without　suspicion；　and　pattered　on　down　the　staircase。　　We　remained　as　we　were　until　we　heard　him　cross　the　threshold；　and　then　we　crept　up；　not　to　the　uppermost　landing；　where　the　light；　when　the　door　was　opened；　must　betray　us；　but　to　that　immediately　below　it。　　There　we　took　our　stand　in　the　angle　of　the　stairs　and　waited；　the　King；　between　amusement　at　the　absurdity　of　our　position　and　anxiety　lest　we　should　betray　ourselves；　going　off　now　and　again　into　stifled　laughter；　from　which　he　vainly　strove　to　restrain　himself　by　pinching　me。

I　was　not　in　so　gay　a　mood　myself；　however；　the　responsibility　of　his　safety　lying　heavy　upon　me；　while　the　possibility　that　the　adventure　might　prove　no　less　tragical　in　the　sequel　than　it　now　appeared　comical；　did　not　fail　to　present　itself　to　my　eyes　in　the　darkest　colours。　　When　we　had　watched；　therefore；　five　minutes　morewhich　seemed　to　me　an　hourI　began　to　lose　faith；　and　I　was　on　the　point　of　undertaking　to　persuade　Henry　to　withdraw；　when　the　voices　of　men　speaking　at　the　door　below　reached　us；　and　told　me　that　it　was　too　late。　　The　next　moment　their　steps　crossed　the　threshold；　and　they　began　to　ascend；　the　boy　saying　continually；　〃This　way；　messieurs；　this　way！〃　　and　preceding　them　as　he　had　preceded　us。　　We　heard　them　approach；　breathing　heavily；　and　but　for　the　balustrade；　by　which　I　felt　sure　that　they　would　guide　themselves；　and　which　stood　some　feet　from　our　corner；　I　should　have　been　in　a　panic　lest　they　should　blunder　against　us。　　But　they　passed　safely；　and　a　moment　later　the　boy　opened　the　door　of　the　room　above。　　We　heard　them　go　in；　and　without　a　second's　hesitation　we　crept　up　after　them；　following　them　so　closely　that　the　door　was　scarcely　shut　before　we　were　at　it。　　We　heard；　therefore；　what　passed　from　the　first：　the　child's　request　that　they　would　close　the　shutter；　their　hasty　compliance；　and　the　silence；　strange　and　pregnant；　which　followed；　and　which　was　broken　at　last　by　a　solemn　voice。　　〃We　have　closed　one　shutter；〃　it　said；　〃but　the　shutter　of　God's　mercy　Is　never　closed。〃

〃Amen；〃　a　second　person　answered　in　a　tone　so　distant　and　muffled　that　it　needed　no　great　wit　to　guess　whence　it　came；　or　that　the　speaker　was　behind　the　curtains　of　the　alcove。　　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃The　cure　of　St。　Marceau；〃　the　first　speaker　replied。

〃And　whom　do　you　bring　to　me？〃

〃A　sinner。〃

〃What　has　he　done？〃

〃He　will　tell　you。〃

〃I　am　listening。〃

There　was　a　pause　on　this；　a　long　pause；　which　was　broken　at　length　by　a　third　speaker；　in　a　tone　half　sullen；　half　miserable。　〃I　have　robbed　my　master；〃　he　said。

〃Of　how　much？〃

〃Fifty　livres。〃

〃Why？〃

〃I　lost　it　at　play。〃

〃And　you　are　sorry。〃

〃I　must　be　sorry；〃　the　man　panted　with　sudden　fierceness；　〃or　hang！〃　　Hidden　though　he　was　from　us；　there　was　a　tremor　in　his　voice　that　told　a　tale　of　pallid　cheeks　and　shaking　knees；and　a　terror　fast　rising　to　madness。

〃He　makes　up　his　accounts　to…morrow？〃

〃Yes。〃

Someone　in　the　room　groaned；　it　should　have　been　the　culprit；　but　unless　I　was　mistaken　the　sound　came　through　the　curtains。　　A　long　pause　followed。　　Then；　〃And　if　I　help　you；〃　the　muffled　voice　resumed；　〃will　you　swear　to　lead　an　honest　life？〃

But　the　answer　may　be　guessed。　　I　need　not　repeat　the　assurances；　the　protestations　and　vows　of　repentance；　the　cries　and　tears　of　gratitude　which　ensue；　and　to　which　the　poor　wretch；　stripped　of　his　sullen　indifference；　completely　abandoned　himself。　　Suffice　it　that　we　presently　heard　the　clinking　of　coins；　a　word　or　two　of　solemn　advice　from　the　cure；　and　a　man's　painful　sobbing；　then　the　King　touched　my　arm；　and　we　crept　down　the　stairs。　　I　was　for　stopping　on　the　landing　where　we　had　hidden　ourselves　before；　but　Henry　drew　me　on　to　the　foot　of　the　stairs　and　into　the　street。

He　turned　towards　home；　and　for　some　time　did　not　speak。　　At　length　he　asked　me　what　I　thought　of　it。

〃In　what　way；　sire？〃

〃Do　you　not　think；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　of　much　emotion；　〃that　if　we　could　do　what　he　does；　and　save　a　man　instead　of　hanging　him；　it　would　be　better？〃

〃For　the　man；　sire；　doubtless；〃　I　answered　drily；　〃but　for　the　State　it　might　not　be　so　well。　　If　mercy　became　the　rule　and　justice　the　exceptionthere　would　be　fewer　bodies　at　Montfaucon　and　more　in　the　streets　at　daylight。　　I　feel　much　greater　doubt　on　another　point。〃

Shaking　off　the　moodiness　that　had　for　a　moment　overcome　him；　Henry　asked　with　vivacity　what　that　was。

〃Who　he　is；　and　what　is　his　motive？〃

〃Why？〃　　the　King　replied　in　some　surprisehe　was　ever　of　so　kind　a　nature　that　an　appeal　to　his　feelings　displaced　his　judgment。　〃What　should　he　be　but　what　he　seems？〃

〃Benevolence　itself？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　sire；　I　grant　that　he　may　be　M。　de　Joyeuse；　who　has　spent　his　life　in　passing　in　and　out　of　monasteries；　and　has　performed　so　many　tricks　of　the　kind　that　I　could　believe　anything　of　him。　But　if　it　be　not　he〃

〃It　was　not　his　voice；〃　Henry　said；　positively。

〃Then　there　is　something　here；〃　I　answered；　〃still　unexplained。　Consider　the　oddity　of　the　conception；　sire；　the　secrecy　of　the　performance；　the　hour；　the　mode；　all　the　surrounding　circumstances！　　I　can　imagine　a　man　currying　favour　with　the　basest　and　most　dangerous　class　by　such　means。　　I　can　imagine　a　conspiracy　recruited　by　such　means。　　I　can　imagine　this　shibboleth　of　the　shutter　grown　to　a　watchword　as　deadly　as　the　'TUEZ！'　of　'72。　　I　can　imagine　all　that；　but　I　cannot　imagine　a　man　acting　thus　out　of　pure　benevolence。〃

〃No？〃　　Henry　said；　thoughtfully。　　〃Well；　I　think　that　I　agree　with　you。〃　　and　far　from　being　displeased　with　my　warmth　（as　is　the　manner　of　some　sovereigns　when　their　best　friends　differ　from　them）；　he　came　over　to　my　opinion　so　completely　as　to　halt　and　express　his　intention　of　returning　and　probing　the　matter　to　the　bottom。　　Midnight　had　gone；　however；　it　would　take　some　little　time　to　retrace　our　steps；　and　with　some　difficulty　I　succeeded　in　dissuading　him；　promising　instead　to　make　inquiries　on　the　morrow；　and　having　learned　who　lived　in　the　house；　to　turn　the　whole　affair　into　a　report；　which　should　be　submitted　to　him。

This　amused　and　satisfied　him；　and；　expressing　himself　well　content　with　the　evening's　diversionthough　we　had　done　nothing　unworthy　either　of　a　King　or　a　Ministerhe　parted　from　me　at　the　Arsenal；　and　went　home　with　his　suite。

It　did　not　occur　to　me　at　the　time　that　I　had　promised　to　do　anything　difficult；　but　the　news　which　my　agents　brought　me　next　daythat　the　uppermost　floor　of　the　house　in　the　Rue　Pourpointerie　was　emptyput　another　face　upon　the　matter。　　The　landlord　declared　that　he　knew　nothing　of　the　tenant；　who　had　rented　the　rooms；　ready　furnished；　by　the　week；　and　as　I　had　not　seen　the　man's　face；　there　remained　only　two　sources　whence　I　could　get　the　information　I　neededthe　child；　and　the　cure　of　St。　Marceau。

I　did　not　know　where　to　look　for　the　former；　however；　and　I　had　to　depend　on　the　cure。　　But　here　I　carne　to　an　obstacle　I　might　easily　have　foreseen。　　I　found　him；　though　an　honest　man；　obdurate　in　upholding　his　priest's　privileges；　to　all　my　inquiries　he　replied　that　the　matter　touched　the　confessional；　and　was　within　his　vows；　and　that　he　neither　could；　nor　daredto　please　anyone；　or　for　any　cause；　however　plausibledivulge　the　slightest　detail　of　the　affair。　　I　had　him　summoned　to　the　arsenal；　and　questioned　him　myself；　and　closely；　but　of　all　armour　that　of　the　Roman　priesthood　is　the　most　difficult　to　penetrate；　and　I　quickly　gave　up　the　attempt。

Baffled　in　the　only　direction　in　which　I　could　hope　for　success；　I　had　to　confess　my　defeat　to　the　King；　whose　curiosity　was　only　piqued　the　more　by　the　rebuff。　　He　adjured　me　not　to　let　the　matter　drop；　and；　suggesting　a　number　of　persons　among　whom　I　might　possibly　find　the　unknown；　proposed　also　some　theories。　　Of　these；　one　that　the　benevolent　was　a　disguised　lady；　who　contrived　in　this　way　to　give　the　rein　at　once　to　gallantry　and　charity；　pleased　him　most；　while　I　favoured　that　which　had　first　occurred　to　me　on　the　night　of　our　sally；　and　held　the　unknown　to　be　a　clever　rascal；　who；　to　serve　his　ends；　political　or　criminal；　was　corrupting　the　commonalty；　and　drawing　people　into　his　power。

Things　remained　in　this　state　some　weeks；　and；　growing　no　wiser；　I　was　beginning　to　think　less　of　the　affairwhich；　of　itself；　and　apart　from　a　whimsical　interest　which　the　K