from the memoirs of a minister of france-第37部分

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chase　led　us　into　the　Apremont　coverts；　where；　the　trees　growing　thickly；　and　the　rides　cut　through　them　being　intricate；　I　lost　him　for　a　while。　　Again；　however；　I　caught　sight　of　him　flying　down　a　ride　bordered　by　dark…green　box…trees；　against　which　his　white　hunting　coat　showed　vividly；　but　now　he　was　alone；　and　riding　in　a　direction　which　each　moment　carried　him　farther　from　the　line　of　the　chase；　and　entangled　him　more　deeply　in　the　forest。

Supposing　that　he　had　made　a　bad　cast　and　was　in　error；　I　dashed　the　spurs　into　my　horse；　and　galloped　after　him；　then；　finding　that　he　still　held　his　own；　and　that　I　did　not　overtake　him；　but　that；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　riding　at　the　top　of　his　speed；　I　called　to　him。　　〃You　are　in　error；　sire；　I　think！〃　　I　cried。　〃The　hounds　are　the　other　way！〃

He　heard；　for　he　raised　his　hand；　and；　without　turning　his　head；　made　me　a　sign；　but　whether　of　assent　or　denial；　I　could　not　tell。　　And　he　still　held　on　his　course。　　Then；　for　a　moment；　I　fancied　that　his　horse　had　got　the　better　of　him；　and　was　running　away；　but　no　sooner　had　the　thought　occurred　to　me　than　I　saw　that　he　was　spurring　it；　and　exciting　it　to　its　utmost　speed；　so　that　we　reached　the　end　of　that　ride；　and　rushed　through　another　and　still　another；　always　making；　I　did　not　fail　to　note；　for　the　most　retired　part　of　the　forest；

We　had　proceeded　in　this　way　about　a　mile；　and　the　sound　of　the　hunt　had　quite　died　away　behind　us；　and　I　was　beginning　to　chafe；　as　well　as　marvel；　at　conduct　so　singular；　when　at　last　I　saw　that　he　was　slackening　his　pace。　　My　horse；　which　was　on　the　point　of　failing；　began；　in　turn；　to　overhaul　his；　while　I　looked　out　with　sharpened　curiosity　for　the　object　of　pursuit。　　I　could　see　nothing；　however；　and　no　one；　and　had　just　satisfied　myself　that　this　was　one　of　the　droll　freaks　in　which　he　would　sometimes　indulge；　and　that　in　a　second　or　two　he　would　turn　and　laugh　at　my　discomfiture；　when；　on　a　sudden；　with　a　final　pull　at　the　reins；　he　did　turn；　and　showed　me　a　face　flushed　with　passion　and　chagrin。

I　was　so　taken　aback　that　I　cried　out。　　〃MON　DIEU！　　sire；〃　I　said。　〃What　is　it？　　What　is　the　matter？〃

〃Matter　enough！〃　　he　cried；　with　an　oath。　　And　on　that；　halting　his　horse；　he　looked　at　me　as　if　he　would　read　my　heart。　　〃VENTRE　DE　SAINT　GRIS！〃　　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　made　me　tremble；　〃if　I　were　sure　that　there　was　no　mistake；　I　wouldI　would　never　see　your　face　again！〃

I　uttered　an　exclamation。

〃Have　you　not　deceived　me？〃　　quoth　he。

〃Oh；　sire；　I　am　weary　of　these　suspicions！〃　　I　answered；　affecting　an　indifference　I　did　not　feel。　　〃If　your　Majesty　does　not〃

But　he　cut　me　short。　　〃Answer　me！〃　　he　said　harshly；　his　mouth　working　in　his　beard　and　his　eyes　gleaming　with　excitement。　〃Have　you　not　deceived　me？〃

〃No；　sire！〃　　I　said。

〃Yet　you　have　told　me　day　by　day　that　Madame　de　Conde　remained　in　Brussels？〃

〃Certainly！〃

〃And　you　still　say　so？〃

〃Most　certainly！〃　　I　answered　firmly；　beginning　to　think　that　his　passion　had　turned　his　brain。　　〃I　had　despatches　to　that　effect　this　morning。〃

〃Of　what　date？〃

〃Three　days　gone。　　The　courier　travelled　night　and　day。〃

〃They　may　be　true；　and　still　she　may　be　here　to…day？〃　　he　said；　staring　at　me。

〃Impossible；　sire！〃

〃But；　man；　I　have　just　seen　her！〃　　he　cried　impatiently。

〃Madame　de　Conde？〃

〃Yes；　Madame　de　Conde；　or　I　am　a　madman！〃　　Henry　answered；　speaking　a　little　more　moderately。　　〃I　saw　her　gallop　out　of　the　patch　of　rocks　at　the　end　of　the　Dormoirwhere　the　trees　begin。　She　did　not　heed　the　line　of　the　hounds；　but　turned　straight　down　the　boxwood　ride；　and；　after　that；　led　as　I　followed。　　Did　you　not　see　her？〃

〃No；　sire；〃　I　said；　inexpressibly　alarmedI　could　take　it　for　nothing　but　fantasy〃I　saw　no　one。〃

〃And　I　saw　her　as　clearly　as　I　see　you；〃　he　answered。　　〃She　wore　the　yellow　ostrich…feather　she　wore　last　year；　and　rode　her　favourite　chestnut　horse　with　a　white　stocking。　　But　I　could　have　sworn　to　her　by　her　figure　alone；　and　she　waved　her　hand　to　me。〃

〃But；　sire；　out　of　the　many　ladies　riding　to…day〃

〃There　is　no　lady　wearing　a　yellow　feather；〃　he　answered　passionately。　　〃And　the　horse！　　And　I　knew　her；　man！　　Besides；　she　waved　to　me！　　And；　for　the　otherswhy　should　they　turn　from　the　hunt　and　take　to　the　woods？〃

I　could　not　answer　this；　but　I　looked　at　him　in　fear；　for；　as　it　was　impossible　that　the　Princess　de　Conde　could　be　here；　I　saw　no　alternative　but　to　think　him　smitten　with　madness。　　The　extravagance　of　the　passion　which　he　had　entertained　for　her；　and　the　wrath　into　which　the　news　of　her　flight　with　her　young　husband　had　thrown　him；　to　say　nothing　of　the　depression　under　which　he　had　since　suffered；　rendered　the　idea　not　so　unlikely　as　it　now　seems。　　At　any　rate；　I　was　driven　for　a　moment　to　entertain　it；　and　gazed　at　him　in　silence；　a　prey　to　the　most　dreadful　apprehensions。

We　stood　in　a　narrow　ride；　bordered　by　evergreens；　with　which　that　part　of　the　forest　is　planted；　and　but　for　the　songs　of　the　birds　the　stillness　would　have　been　absolute。　　On　a　sudden　the　King　removed　his　eyes　from　me；　and；　walking　his　horse　a　pace　or　two　along　the　ride；　uttered　a　cry　of　joy。

He　pointed　to　the　ground。　　〃We　are　right！〃　　he　said。　　〃There　are　her　tracks！　　Come！　　We　will　overtake　her　yet！〃

I　looked；　and　saw　the　fresh　prints　of　a　horse's　shoes；　and　felt　a　great　weight　roll　off　my　mind；　for　at　least　he　had　seen　someone。　I　no　longer　hesitated　to　fall　in　with　his　humour；　but；　riding　after　him；　kept　at　his　elbow　until　he　reached　the　end　of　the　ride。　　Here；　a　vista　opening　right　and　left；　and　the　ground　being　hard　and　free　from　tracks；　we　stood　at　a　loss；　until　the　King；　whose　eyesight　was　always　of　the　keenest；　uttered　an　exclamation；　and　started　from　me　at　a　gallop。

I　followed　more　slowly；　and　saw　him　dismount　and　pick　up　a　glove；　which；　even　at　that　distance；　he　had　discerned　lying　in　the　middle　of　one　of　the　paths。　　He　cried；　with　a　flushed　face；　that　it　was　Madame　de　Conde's；　and　added：　　〃It　has　her　perfumeher　perfume；　which　no　one　else　uses！〃

I　confess　that　this　so　staggered　me　that　I　knew　not　what　to　think；　but；　between　sorrow　at　seeing　my　master　so　infatuated　and　bewilderment　at　a　riddle　that　grew　each　moment　more　perplexing；　I　sat　gaping　at　Henry　like　a　man　without　counsel。　　However；　at　the　moment；　he　needed　none；　but；　getting　to　his　saddle　as　quickly　as　he　could；　he　began　again　to　follow　the　tracks　of　the　horse's　feet；　which　here　were　visible；　the　path　running　through　a　beech　wood。　　The　branches　were　still　bare；　and　the　shining　trunks　stood　up　like　pillars；　the　ground　about　them　being　soft。　　We　followed　the　prints　through　this　wood　for　a　mile　and　a　half　or　more；　and　then；　with　a　cry；　the　King　darted　from　me；　and；　in　an　instant；　was　racing　through　the　wood　at　break…neck　speed。

I　had　a　glimpse　of　a　woman　flying　far　ahead　of　us；　and　now　hidden　from　us　by　the　trunks　and　now　disclosed；　and　could　even　see　enough　to　determine　that　she　wore　a　yellow　feather　drooping　from　her　hat；　and　was　in　figure　not　unlike　the　Princess。　　But　that　was　all；　for；　once　started；　the　inequalities　of　the　ground　drew　my　eyes　from　the　flying　form；　and；　losing　it；　I　could　not　again　recover　it。　　On　the　contrary；　it　was　all　I　could　do　to　keep　up　with　the　King；　and　of　the　speed　at　which　the　woman　was　riding；　could　best　judge　by　the　fact　that　in　less　than　five　minutes　he；　too；　pulled…up　with　a　gesture　of　despair；　and　waited　for　me　to　come　abreast　of　him。

〃You　saw　her？〃　　he　said；　his　face　grim；　and　with　something　of　suspicion　lurking　in　it。

〃Yes；　sire；〃　I　answered；　〃I　saw　a　woman；　and　a　woman　with　a　yellow　feather；　but　whether　it　was　the　Princess〃

〃It　was！〃　　he　said。　　〃If　not；　why　should　she　flee　from　us？〃

To　that；　again；　I　had　not　a　word　to　say；　and　for　a　moment　we　rode　in　silence。　　Observing；　however；　that　this　last　turn　had　brought　us　far　on　the　way　home；　I　called　the　King's　attention　to　this；　but　he　had　sunk　into　a　fit　of　gloomy　abstraction；　and　rode　along　with　his　eyes　on　the　ground。　　We　proceeded　thus　until　the　slender　path　we　followed　brought　up　into　the　great　road　that　leads　through　the　forest　to　the　kennels　and　the　new　canal。

Here　I　asked　him　if　he　would　not　return　to　the　chase；　as　the　day　was　still　young。

〃Mon　Dieu；　no！〃　　he　answered　passionately。　　〃I　have　other　work　to　do。　　Hark　ye；　M。　le　Duc；　do　you　still　think　that　she　is　in　Brussels？〃

〃I　swear　that　she　was　there　three　days　ago；　sire！〃

〃And　you　are　not　deceiving　me？　　If　it　be　so；　God　forgive　you；　for　I　shall　not！〃

〃It　is　no　trick　of　mine；　sire；〃　I　answered　firmly。

〃Trick？〃　　he　cried；　with　a　flash　of　his　eyes。　　〃A　trick；　you　say？　No；　VENTRE　DE　SAINT　GRIS！　　there　is　no　man　in　France　dare　trick　me　so！〃

I　did　not　contradict　him；　the　rather　as　we　were　now　close　to　the　kennels；　and　I　was　anxious　to　allay　his　excitement；　that　it　might　not　be　detected　by　the　keen　eyes　that　lay　in　wait　for　us；　and　so　add　to　the　gossip　to　which　his　early　return　must　give　rise。　　I　hoped　that　at　that　hour　he　might　enter　unperceived；　by　way　of　the　kennels　and　the　little　staircase；　but　in　this　I　was　disappointed；　the　beauty　of　the　day　having　tempted　a　number　of　ladies；　and　others　who　had　not　hunted；　to　the　terrace　by　the　canal；　whence；　walking　up　and　down；　their　fans　and　petticoats　fluttering　in　the　sunshine；　and　their　laughter　and　chatter　filling　the　air；　they　were　able　to　watch　our　approach　at　their　leisure。

Unfortunately；　Henry　had　no　longer　the　patience　and　self…control　needful　for　such　a　RENCONTRE。　　He　dismounted　with　a　dark　and　peevish　air；　and；　heedless　of　the　staring；　bowing　throng；　strode　up　the　steps。　　Two　or　three；　who　stood　high　in　favour；　put　themselves　forward　to　catch　a　smile　or　a　word；　but　he　vouchsafed　neither。　　He　walked　through　them　with　a　sour　air；　and　entered　the　chateau　with　a　precipitation　that　left　all　tongues　wagging。

To　add　to　the　misfortune；　somethingI　forget　whatdetained　me　a　moment；　and　that　cost　us　dear。　　Before　I　could　cross　the　terrace；　Concini；　the　Italian；　came　up；　and；　saluting　me；　said　that　the　Queen　desired　to　speak　to　me。

〃The　Queen？〃　　I　said；　doubtfully；　foreseeing　trouble。

〃She　is　waiting　at　the　gate　of　the　farther　court；〃　he　answered　politely；　his　keen　black　eyes　reverting；　with　eager　curiosity；　to　the　do