from the memoirs of a minister of france-第26部分

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f；　and　apart　from　a　whimsical　interest　which　the　King　took　in　it；　was　unimportantwhen　one　day；　stopping　in　the　Quartier　du　Marais　to　view　the　works　at　the　new　Place　Royale；　I　saw　the　boy。　　He　was　in　charge　of　a　decent…looking　servant；　whose　hand　he　was　holding；　and　the　two　were　gazing　at　a　horse　that；　alarmed　by　the　heaps　of　stone　and　mortar；　was　rearing　and　trying　to　unseat　its　rider。　The　child　did　not　see　me；　and　I　bade　Maignan　follow　him　home；　and　learn　where　he　lived　and　who　he　was。

In　an　hour　my　equerry　returned　with　the　information　I　desired。　The　child　was　the　only　son　of　Fauchet；　one　of　the　Receivers…　General　of　the　Revenue；　a　man　who　kept　great　state　in　the　largest　of　the　old…fashioned　houses　in　the　Rue　de　Bethisy；　where　he；　had　lately　entertained　the　King。　　I　could　not　imagine　anyone　less　likely　to　be　concerned　in　treasonable　practices；　and；　certain　that　I　had　made　no　mistake　in　the　boy；　I　was　driven　for　a　while　to　believe　that　some　servant　had；　perverted　the　child　to　this　use。　　Presently；　however；　second　thoughts；　and　the　position　of　the　father；　taken；　perhaps；　with　suspicions　that　I　had　for　a　long　time　entertained　of　Fauchetin　common　with　most　of　his　kind　suggested　an　explanation；　hitherto　unconsidered。　　It　was　not　an　explanation　very　probable　at　first　sight；　nor　one　that　would　have　commended　itself　to　those　who　divide　all　men　by　hard　and　fast　rules　and　assort　them　like　sheep。　　But　I　had　seen　too　much　of　the　world　to　fall　into　this　mistake；　and　it　satisfied　me。　　I　began　by　weighing　it　carefully；　I　procured　evidence；　I　had　Fauchet　watched；　and；　at　length；　one　evening　in　August；　I　went　to　the　Louvre。

The　King　was　dicing　with　Fernandez；　the　Portuguese　banker；　but　I　ventured　to　interrupt　the　game　and　draw　him　aside。　　He　might　not　have　taken　this　well；　but　that　my　first　word　caught　his　attention。

〃Sire；〃　I　said；　〃the　shutter　is　open。〃

He　understood　in　a　moment。　　〃St。　Gris！〃　　He　exclaimed　with　animation。　　〃Where？　　At　the　same　house？〃

〃No；　sire；　in　the　Rue　Cloitre　Notre　Dame。〃

〃You　have　got　him；　then？〃

〃I　know　who　he　is；　and　why　he　is　doing　this。〃

〃Why？〃　　the　King　cried　eagerly。

〃Well；　I　was　going　to　ask　for　your　Majesty's　company　to　the　place；〃　I　answered　smiling。　　〃I　will　undertake　that　you　shall　be　amused　at　least　as　well　as　here；　and　at　a　cheaper　rate。〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃That　may　very　well　be；〃　he　said　with　a　grimace。　　〃That　rogue　Pimentel　has　stripped　me　of　two　thousand　crowns　since　supper。　　He　is　plucking　Bassompierre　now。

Remembering　that　only　that　morning　I　had　had　to　stop　some　necessary　works　through　lack　of　means；　I　could　scarcely　restrain　my　indignation。　　But　it　was　not　the　time　to　speak；　and　I　contented　myself　with　repeating　my　request。　　Ashamed　of　himself；　he　consented　with　a　good　grace；　and　bidding　me　go　to　his：　closet；　followed　a　few　minutes　later。　　He　found　me　cloaked　to　the　eyes；　and　with　a　soutane　and　priest's　hat；　on　my　arm。　　〃Are　those　for　me？〃　　he　said。

〃Yes；　sire。〃

〃Who　am　I；　then？〃

〃The　cure　of　St。　Germain。〃

He　made　a　wry　face。　　〃Come；　Grand　Master；〃　he　said；　〃he　died　yesterday。　　Is　not　the　jest　rather　grim？〃

〃In　a　good　cause；〃　I　said　equably。

He　flashed　a　roguish　look　at　me。　　〃Ah！〃　　he　said；　〃I　thought　that　that　was　a　wicked　rule　which　only　we　Romanists　avowed。　　But；　there；　don't　be　angry。　　I　am　ready。〃

Coquet；　the　Master　of　the　Household；　let　us　out　by　one　of　the　river　gates；　and　we　went　by　the　new　bridge　and　the　Pont　St。　Michel。　　By　the　way　I　taught　the　King　the　role　I　wished　him　to　play；　but　without　explaining　the　mystery；　the　opportune　appearance　of　one　of　my　agents　who　was　watching　the　end　of　the　street　bringing　Henry's　remonstrances　to　a　close。

〃It　is　still　open？〃　　I　said。

〃Yes；　your　excellency。〃

〃Then　come；　sire；〃　I　said；　〃I　see　the　boy　yonder。　　Let　us　ascend；　and　I　will　undertake　that　before　you　reach　the　street　again　you　shall　be　not　only　a　wiser　but　a　richer　sovereign。〃

〃St。　Gris！〃　　he　answered　with　alacrity。　　Why　did　you　not　say　that　before；　and　I　should　have　asked　no　questions。　　On；　on；　in　God's　name；　and　the　devil　take　Pimentel！〃

I　restrained　the　caustic　jest　that　rose　to　my　lips；　and　we　proceeded　in　silence　down　the　street。　　The　boy；　whom　I　had　espied　loitering　in　a　doorway　a　little　way　ahead；　as　if　the　great　bell　above　us　which　had　just　tolled　eleven　had　drawn　him　out；　peered　at　us　a　moment　askance；　and　then；　coming　forward；　accosted　us。　But　I　need　not　detail　the　particulars　of　a　conversation　which　was　almost　word　for　word　the　same　as　that　which　had　passed　in　the　Rue　de　la　Pourpointerie；　suffice　it　that　he　made　the　same　request　with　the　same　frank　audacity；　and　that；　granting　it；　we　were　in　a　moment　following　hint　up　a　similar　staircase。

〃This　way；　messieurs；　this　way！〃　　he　said；　as　he　had　on　that　other　night；　while　we　groped　our　way　upwards　in　the　dark。　　He　opened　a　door；　and　a　light　shone　out；　and　we　entered　a　room　that　seemed；　with　its　bare　walls　and　rafters；　its　scanty　stool　and　table　and　lamp；　the　very　counterpart　of　that　other　room。　　In　one　wall　appeared　the　dingy　curtains　of　an　alcove；　closely　drawn；　and　the　shutter　stood　open；　until；　at　the　child's　request；　expressed　in　the　same　words；　I　went　to　it　and　closed　it。

We　were　both　so　well　muffled　up　and　disguised；　and　the　light　of　the　lamp　shining　upwards　so　completely　distorted　the　features；　that　I　had　no　fear　of　recognition；　unless　the　King's　voice　betrayed　him。　　But　when　he　spoke；　breaking　the　oppressive　silence　of　the　room；　his　tone　was　as　strange　and　hollow　as　I　could　wish。

〃The　shutter　is　closed；〃　be　said；　〃but　the　shutter　of　God's　mercy　is　never　closed！〃

Still；　knowing　that　this　was　the　crucial　moment；　and　that　we　should　be　detected　now　if　at　all；　I　found　it；　an　age　before　the　voice　behind　the　curtains　answered　〃Amen！〃　　and　yet　another　age　before　the　hidden　speaker　continued　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃The　cure　of　St。　Germain；〃　Henry　responded。

The　man　behind　the　curtains　gasped；　and　they　were　for　a　moment　violently　agitated；　as　if　a　hand　seized　them　and　let　them　go　again。　　But　I　had　reckoned　that　the　unknown；　after　a　pause　of　horror；　would　suppose　that　he　had　heard　amiss　and　continue　his　usual　catechism。　　And　so　it　proved。　　In　a　voice　that　shook　a　little；　he　asked；　〃Whom　do　you　bring　to　me？〃

〃A　sinner；〃　the　King　answered。

〃What　has　he　done？〃

〃He　will　tell　you。〃

〃I　am　listening；〃　the　unknown　said。

The　light　in　the　basin　flared　up　a　little；　casting　dark　shadows　on　the　ceiling；　and　at　the　same　moment　the　shutter；　which　I　had　failed　to　fasten　securely；　fell　open　with　a　grinding　sound。　　One　of　the　curtains　swayed　a　little　in　the　breeze；　〃I　have　robbed　my　master；〃　I　said；　slowly。

〃Of　how　much？〃

〃A　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　crowns。〃

The　bed　shook　until　the　boards　creaked　under　it；　but　this　time　no　hand　grasped　the　curtains。　　Instead；　a　strained　voicethick　and　coarse；　yet　differing　from　that　muffled　tone　which　we　had　heard　beforeasked；　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃Jules　Fauchet。〃

I　waited。　　The　King；　who　understood　nothing　but　had　listened　to　my　answers　with　eager　attention；　and　marked　no　less　closely　the　agitation　which　they　caused　in　the　unknown；　leant　forward　to　listen。　　But　the　bed　creaked　no　more；　the　curtain　hung　still；　even　the　voice；　which　at　last　issued　from　the　curtains；　was　no　more　like　the　ordinary　accents　of　a　man　than　are　those　which　he　utters　in　the　paroxysms　of　epilepsy。　　〃Are　yousorry？〃　　the　unknown　mutteredinvoluntarily；　I　think；　hoping　against　hope；　not　daring　to　depart　from　a　formula　which　had　become　second　nature。　　But　I　could　fancy　him　clawing；　as　he　spoke；　at　his　choking　throat。

France；　however；　had　suffered　too　long　at　the　hands　of　that　race　of　men；　and　I　had　been　too　lately　vilified　by　them　to　feel　much　pity；　and　for　answer　I　lifted　a　voice　that　to　the　quailing　wretch　must　have　been　the　voice　of　doom。　　〃Sorry？〃　　I　said　grimly。　　〃I　must　beor　hang！　　For　to…morrow　the　King　examines　his　books；　and　the　next　day　Ihang！〃

The　King's　hand　was　on　mine；　to　stop　me　before　the　last　word　was　out；　but　his　touch　came　too　late。　　As　it　rang　through　the　room　one　of　the　curtains　before　us　was　twitched　aside；　and　a　face　glared　out；　so　ghastly　and　drawn　and　horror…stricken；　that　few　would　have　known　it　for　that　of　the　wealthy　fermier；　who　had　grown　sleek　and　fat　on　the　King's　revenues。　　I　do　not　know　whether　he　knew　us；　or　whether；　on　the　contrary；　he　found　this　accusation；　so　precise；　so　accurate；　coming　from　an　unknown　source；　still　more　terrible　than　if　he　had　known　us；　but　on　the　instant　he　fell　forward　in　a　swoon。

〃St。　Gris！〃　　Henry　cried；　looking　on　the　body　with　a　shudder；　〃you　have　killed　him；　Grand　Master！　　It　was　true；　was　it？〃

〃Yes；　sire；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　he　is　not　dead；　I　think。〃　　And　going　to　the　window　I　whistled　for　Maignan；　who　in　a　minute　came　to　us。　　He　was　not　very　willing　to　touch　the　man；　but　I　bade　him　lay　him　on　the　bed　and　loosen　his　clothes　and　throw　water　on　his　face；　and　presently　M。　Fauchet　began　to　recover。

I　stepped　a　little　aside　that　he　might　not　see　me；　and　accordingly　the　first　person　on　whom　his　eyes　lighted　was　the　King；　who　had　laid　aside　his　hat　and　cloak；　and　taken　the　terrified　and　weeping　child　on　his　lap。　　M。　Fauchet　stared　at　him　awhile　before　he　recognised　him；　but　at　last　the　trembling　man　knew　him；　and　tottering　to　his　feet；　threw　himself　on　his　knees；　looking　years　older　than　when　I　had　last　seen　him　in　the　street。

〃Sire；〃　he　said　faintly；　〃I　will　make　restitution。〃

Henry　looked　at　him　gravely；　and　nodded。　　〃It　is　well；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　fortunate；　M。　Fauchet；　for　had　this　come　to　my　ears　in　any　other　way　I　could　not　have　spared　you。　　You　will　render　your　accounts　and　papers　to　M。　de　Sully　to…morrow；　and　according　as　you　are　frank　with　him　you　will　be　treated。〃

Fauchet　thanked　him　with　abject　tears；　and　the　King　rose　and　prepared　to　leave。　　But　at　the　door　a　thought　struck　him；　and　he　turned。　　〃How　long　have　you　done　this？〃　　he　said；　indicating　the　room　by　a　gesture；　and　speaking　in　a　gentler　tone。

〃Three　years；　sire；〃　the　wretched　man　answered。

〃And　how　much　have　you　distributed？〃

〃Fifteen　hundred　crowns；　sire。〃

The　King　cast　an　indescribable　look　at　me；　wherein　amusement；　scorn；　and　astonishment　were　all　blended。　　〃St。　Gris！　　man！〃　　he　said；　shrugging　his