from the memoirs of a minister of france-第3部分

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ling　his　features　beyond　the　ordinary。　　He　unslung　his　tools；　and　saluting　me　abjectly　waited　in　silence。　　After　a　moment's　thought；　I　asked　him　peremptorily　what　was　his　errand　with　the　Duchess　de　Beaufort。

〃To　show　her　a　watch；　your　excellency；〃　he　stammered；　his　mouth　open；　his　eyes　staring。　　I　could　detect　no　flaw　in　his　acting。

〃What　are　you；　then？〃　　I　said。

〃A　clockmaker；　my　lord。〃

〃Has　Madame　sent　for　you？〃

〃No；　my　lord；〃　he　stuttered；　trembling。

〃Do　you　want　to　sell　her　the　watch？〃

He　muttered　that　he　did；　and　that　he　meant　no　harm　by　it。

〃Show　it　to　me；　then；〃　I　said　curtly。

He　grew　red　at　that；　and　seemed　for　an　instant　not　to　understand。　But　on　my　repeating　the　order　he　thrust　his　hand　into　his　breast；　and　producing　a　parcel　began　to　unfasten　it。　　This　he　did　so　slowly　that　I　was　soon　for　thinking　that　there　was　no　watch　in　it；　but　in　the　end　he　found　one　and　handed　it　to　me。

〃You　did　not　make　this；〃　I　said；　opening　it。

〃No；　my　lord；〃　he　answered；　〃it　is　German；　and　old。〃

I　saw　that　it　was　of　excellent　workmanship；　and　I　was　about　to　hand　it　back　to　him；　almost　persuaded　that　I　had　made　a　mistake；　when　in　a　second　my　doubts　were　solved。　　Engraved　on　the　thick　end　of　the　egg；　and　partly　erased　by　wear；　was　a　dog's　head；　which　I　knew　to　be　the　crest　of　the　Perrots。

〃So；〃　I　said；　preparing　to　return　it　to　him；　〃you　are　a　clockmaker？〃

〃Yes；　your　excellency；〃　he　muttered。　　And　I　thought　that　I　caught　the　sound　of　a　sigh　of　relief。

I　gave　the　watch　to　Maignan　to　hand　to　him。　　〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　need　of　one。　　The　clock　in　the　next　rooma　gift　from　his　Majestyis　out　of　order；　and　at　a　standstill。　　You　can　go　and　attend　to　it；　and　see　that　you　do　so　skilfully。　　And　do　you；　Maignan；〃　I　continued　with　meaning；　〃go　with　him。　　When　he　has　made　the　clock　go；　let　him　go；　and　not　before；　or　you　answer　for　it。　　You　understand；　sirrah？〃

Maignan　saluted　obsequiously；　and　in　a　moment　hurried　young　Perrot　from　the　room；　leaving　me　to　congratulate　myself　on　the　strange　and　fortuitous　circumstance　that　had　thrown　him　in　my　way；　and　enabled　me　to　guard　against　a　RENCONTRE　that　might　have　had　the　most　embarassing　consequences。

It　required　no　great　sagacity　to　foresee　the；　next　move；　and　I　was　not　surprised　when；　about　an　hour　later；　I　heard　a　clatter　of　hoofs　outside；　and　a　voice　inquiring　hurriedly　for　the　Marquis　de　Rosny。　　One　of　my　people　announced　M。　de　Perrot；　and　I　bade　them　admit　him。　　In　a　twinkling　he　came　up；　pale　with　heat；　and　covered　with　dust；　his　eyes　almost　starting　from　his　head　and　his　cheeks　trembling　with　agitation。　　Almost　before　the　door　was　shut；　he　cried　out　that　we　were　undone。

I　was　willing　to　divert　myself　with　him　for　a　time；　and　I　pretended　to　know　nothing。　　〃What？〃　　I　said；　rising。　　〃Has　the　King　met　with　an　accident？〃

〃Worse！　　worse！〃　　he　cried；　waving　his　hat　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　　〃My　sonyou　saw　my　son　yesterday？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。

〃He　overheard　us！〃

〃Not　us；〃　I　said　drily。　　〃You。　　But　what　then；　M。　de　Perrot？　　You　are　master　in　your　own　house。〃

〃But　he　is　not　in　my　house；〃　he　wailed。　　〃He　has　gone！　　Fled！　Decamped！　　I　had　words　with　him　this　morning；　you　understand。〃

〃About　your　niece？〃

M。　de　Perrot's　face　took　a　delicate　shade　of　red；　and　he　nodded；　he　could　not　speak。　　He　seemed　for　an　instant　in　danger　of　some　kind　of　fit。　　Then　he　found　his　voice　again。　　〃The　fool　prated　of　love！　　Of　love！〃　　he　said　with　such　a　looklike　that　of　a　dying　fowlthat　I　could　have　laughed　aloud。　　〃And　when　I　bade　him　remember　his　duty　he　threatened　me。　　He；　that　unnatural　boy；　threatened　to　betray　me；　to　ruin　me；　to　go　to　Madame　de　Beaufort　and　tell　her　allall；　you　understand。　　And　I　doing　so　much；　and　making　such　sacrifices　for　him！〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃I　see　that。　　And　what　did　you　do？〃

〃I　broke　my　cane　on　his　back；〃　M。　de　Perrot　answered　with　unction；　〃and　locked　him　in　his　room。　　But　what　is　the　use？　　The　boy　has　no　natural　feelings！〃

〃He　got　out　through　the　window？〃

Perrot　nodded；　and　being　at　leisure；　now　that　he　had　explained　his　woes；　to　feel　their　full　depth；　shed　actual　tears　of　rage　and　terror；　now　moaning　that　Madame　would　never　forgive　him；　and　that　if　he　escaped　the　Bastille　he　would　lose　all　his　employments　and　be　the　laughing…stock　of　the　Court；　and　now　striving　to　show　that　his　peril　was　mine；　and　that　it　was　to　my　interest　to　help　him。

I　allowed　him　to　go　on　in　this　strain　for　some　time；　and　then；　having　sufficiently　diverted　myself　with　his　forebodings；　I　bade　him　in　an　altered　voice　to　take　courage。　　〃For　I　think　I　know；〃　I　said；　〃where　your　son　is。〃

〃At　Madame's？〃　　he　groaned。

〃No；　here；〃　I　said。

〃MON　DIEU！　　Where？〃　　he　cried。　　And　he　sprang　up；　startled　out　of　his　lamentations。

〃Here；　in　my　lodging；〃　I　answered。

〃My　son　is　here？〃　　he　said。

〃In　the　next　room；〃　I　replied；　smiling　indulgently　at　his　astonishment；　which　was　only　less　amusing　than　his　terror。　　〃I　have　but　to　touch　this　bell；　and　Maignan　will　bring　him　to　you。〃

Full　of　wonder　and　admiration；　he　implored　me　to　ring　and　have　him　brought　immediately；　since　until　he　had　set　eyes　on　him　he　could　not　feel　safe。　　Accordingly　I　rang　my　hand…bell；　and　Maignan　opened　the　door。　　〃The　clockmaker；〃　I　said　nodding。

He　looked　at　me　stupidly。　　〃The　clock…maker；　your　excellency？〃

〃Yes；　bring　him　in；〃　I　said。

〃Buthe　has　gone！〃　　he　exclaimed。

〃Gone？〃　I　cried；　scarcely　able　to　believe　my　ears。　　〃Gone；　sirrah！　　and　I　told　you　to　detain　him！〃

〃Until　he　had　mended　the　clock；　my　lord；〃　Maignan　stammered；　quite　out　of　countenance。　　〃But　he　set　it　going　half…an…hour　ago；　and　I　let　him　go；　according　to　your　order。〃

It　is　in　the　face　of　such　CONTRETEMPS　as　these　that　the　low…bred　man　betrays　himself。　　Yet　such　was　my　chagrin　on　this　occasion；　and　so　sudden　the　shock；　that　it　was　all　I　could　do　to　maintain　my　SANGFROID；　and；　dismissing　Maignan　with　a　look；　be　content　to　punish　M。　de　Perrot　with　a　sneer。　　〃I　did　not　know　that　your　son　was　a　tradesman；〃　I　said。　　He　wrung　his　hands。　　〃He　has　low　tastes；〃　he　cried。　　〃He　always　had。　　He　has　amused　himself　that　way；　And　now　by　this　time　he　is　with　Madame　de　Beaufort　and　we　are　undone！〃

〃Not　we；〃　I　answered　curtly；　〃speak　for　yourself；　M。　de　Perrot。〃

But　though；　having　no　mind　to　appear　in　his　eyes　dependent　on　Madame's　favour　or　caprice；　I　thus　checked　his　familiarity；　I　am　free　to　confess　that　my　calmness　was　partly　assumed；　and　that；　though　I　knew　my　position　to　be　unassailablebased　as　it　was　on　solid　services　rendered　to　the　King；　my　master；　and　on　the　familiar　affection　with　which　he　honoured　me　through　so　many　yearsI　could　not　view　the　prospect　of　a　fresh　collision　with　Madame　without　some　misgiving。　　Having　gained　the　mastery　in　the　two　quarrels　we　had　had；　I　was　the　less　inclined　to　excite　her　to　fresh　intrigues；　and　as　unwilling　to　give　the　King　reason　to　think　that　we　could　not　live　at　peace。　　Accordingly；　after　a　moment's　consideration；　I　told　Perrot　that；　rather　than　he　should　suffer；　I　would　go　to　Madame　de　Beaufort　myself；　and　give　such　explanations　as　would　place　another　complexion　on　the　matter。

He　overwhelmed　me　with　thanks；　and；　besides；　to　show　his　gratitudefor　he　was　still　on　thorns；　picturing　her　wrath　and　resentment　he　insisted　on　accompanying　me　to　the　Cloitre　de　St。　Germain；　where　Madame　had　her　apartment。　　By　the　way；　he　asked　me　what　I　should　say　to　her。

〃Whatever　will　get　you　out　of　the　scrape；〃　I　answered　curtly。

〃Then　anything！〃　　he　cried　with　fervour。　　〃Anything；　my　dear　friend。　　Oh；　that　unnatural　boy！〃

〃I　suppose　that　the　girl　is　as　big　a　fool？〃　　I　said。

〃Bigger！　　bigger！〃　　he　answered。　　〃I　don't　know　where　she　learned　such　things！〃

〃She　prated　of　love；　too；　then？〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　he　groaned；　〃and　without　a　sou　of　DOT！〃

〃Well；　well；〃　I　said；　〃here　we　are。　　I　will　do　what　I　can。〃

Fortunately　the　King　was　not　there；　and　Madame　would　receive　me。　I　thought；　indeed；　that　her　doors　flew　open　with　suspicious　speed；　and　that　way　was　made　for　me　more　easily　than　usual；　and　I　soon　found　that　I　was　not　wrong　in　the　inference　I　drew　from　these　facts。　　For　when　I　entered　her　chamber　that　remarkable　woman；　who；　whatever　her　enemies　may　say；　combined　with　her　beauty　a　very　uncommon　degree　of　sense　and　discretion；　met　me　with　a　low　courtesy　and　a　smile　of　derision。　　〃So；〃　she　said；　〃M。　de　Rosny；　not　satisfied　with　furnishing　me　with　evidence；　gives　me　proof。〃

〃How；　Madame？〃　　I　said；　though　I　well　understood。

〃By　his　presence　here；〃　she　answered。　　〃An　hour　ago；〃　she　continued；　〃the　King　was　with　me。　　I　had　not　then　the　slightest　ground　to　expect　this　honour；　or　I　am　sure　that　his　Majesty　would　have　stayed　to　share　it。　　But　I　have　since　seen　reason　to　expect　it；　and　you　observe　that　I　am　not　unprepared。〃

She　spoke　with　a　sparkling　eye；　and　an　expression　of　the　most　lively　resentment；　so　that；　had　M。　de　Perrot　been　in　my　place　I　think　that　he　would　have　shed　more　tears。　　I　was　myself　somewhat　dashed；　though　I　knew　the　prudence　that　governed　her　in　her　most　impetuous　sallies；　still；　to　avoid　the　risk　of　hearing　things　which　we　might　both　afterwards　wish　unsaid；　I　came　to　the　point。　〃I　fear　that　I　have　timed　my　visit　ill；　Madame；〃　I　said。　　〃You　have　some　complaint　against　me。〃

〃Only　that　you　are　like　the　others；〃　she　answered　with　a　fine　contempt。　　〃You　profess　one　thing　and　do　another。〃

〃As　for　example？〃

〃For　example！〃　　she　replied；　with　a　scornful　laugh。　　〃How　many　times　have　you　told　me　that　you　left　women；　and　intrigues　in　which　women　had　part；　on　one　side？〃

I　bowed。

〃And　now　I　find　youyou　and　that　Perrot；　that　creature！　intriguing　against　me；　intriguing　with　some　country　chit　to〃

〃Madame！〃　　I　said；　cutting　her　short　with　a　show　of　temper；　〃where　did　you　get　this？〃

〃Do　you　deny　it？〃　　she　cried；　looking　so　beautiful　in　her　anger　that　I　thought　I　had　never　seen　her　to　such　advantage。　　〃Do　you　deny　that　you　took　the　King　there？〃

〃No。　　Certainly　I　took　the　King　there。〃

〃To　Perrot's？　　You　admit　it？〃

〃Certainly；〃　I　said；　〃for　a　purpose。〃

〃A　purpose！〃　　she　cried　with　withering　scorn。　　〃Was　it　not　that　the　King　might　see　that　girl？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied　patiently；　〃it　was。〃

She　stared　at　me。　　〃And　you　can　tell　me　that　to　my　face！〃