from the memoirs of a minister of france-第5部分

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　him　come　and　play　with　me　that　afternoon。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said　bluntly；　〃I　had　rather　not。　　For　if　I　defeat　your　excellency；　I　may　defeat　also　your　good　intentions。　　And　if　I　permit　you　to　win；　I　shall　seem　to　be　an　impostor。〃

Somewhat　surprised　by　his　forethought；　I　reassured　him　on　this　point；　and　his　game；　which　proved　to　be　one　of　remarkable　strength　and　finesse；　and　fairly　on　an　equality；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　with　that　of　the　best　French　players；　persuaded　me　that　at　any　rate　the　first　part　of　his　tale　was　true。　　Accordingly　I　made　him　a　present；　and；　in　addition；　bade　Maignan　pay　him　a　small　allowance　for　a　while。　　For　this　he　showed　his　gratitude　by　attaching　himself　to　my　household；　and　as　it　was　the　fashion　at　that　time　to　keep　tennis　masters　of　this　class；　I　found　it　occasionally　amusing　to　pit　him　against　other　well…known　players。　In　the　course　of　a　few　weeks　he　gained　me　great　credit；　and　though　I　am　not　so　foolish　as　to　attach　importance　to　such　trifles；　but；　on　the　contrary；　think　an　old　soldier　who　stood　fast　at　Coutras；　or　even　a　clerk　who　has　served　the　King　honestlyif　such　a　prodigy　there　bemore　deserving　than　these　professors；　still　I　do　not　err　on　the　other　side；　but　count　him　a　fool　who；　because　he　has　solid　cause　to　value　himself；　disdains　the　ECLAT　which　the　attachment　of　such　persons　gives　him　in　the　public　eye。

The　man　went　by　the　name　of　Diego　the　Spaniard；　and　his　story；　which　gradually　became　known；　together　with　the　excellence　of　his　play；　made　him　so　much　the　fashion　that　more　than　one　tried　to　detach　him　from　my　service。　　The　King　heard　of　him；　and　would　have　played　with　him；　but　the　sudden　death　of　Madame　de　Beaufort；　which　occurred　soon　afterwards；　threw　the　Court　into　mourning；　and　for　a　while；　in　pursuing　the　negotiations　for　the　King's　divorce；　and　in　conducting　a　correspondence　of　the　most　delicate　character　with　the　Queen；　I　lost　sight　of　my　playerinsomuch；　that　I　scarcely　knew　whether　he　still　formed　part　of　my　suite　or　not。

My　attention　was　presently　recalled　to　him；　however；　in　a　rather　remarkable　manner。　　One　morning　Don　Antonio　d'Evora；　Secretary　to　the　Spanish　Embassy；　and　a　brother　of　that　d'Evora　who　commanded　the　Spanish　Foot　at　Paris　in　'94；　called　on　me　at　the　Arsenal；　to　which　I　had　just　removed；　and　desired　to　see　me。　　I　bade　them　admit　him；　but　as　my　secretaries　were　at　the　time　at　work　with　me；　I　left　them　and　received　him　in　the　gardensupposing　that　he　wished　to　speak　to　me；　about　the　affair　of　Saluces；　and　preferring；　like　the　King　my　master；　to　talk　of　matters　of　State　in　the　open　air。

However；　I　was　mistaken。　　Don　Antonio　said　nothing　about　Savoy；　but　after　the　usual　preliminaries；　which　a　Spaniard　never　omits；　plunged　into　a　long　harangue　upon　the　comity　which；　now　that　peace　reigned；　should　exist　between　the　two　nations。　　For　some　time　I　waited　patiently　to　learn　what　he　would　be　at；　but　he　seemed　to　be　lost　in　his　own　eloquence；　and　at　last　I　took　him　up。

〃All　this　is　very　well；　M。　d'Evora；〃　I　said。　　〃I　quite　agree　with　you　that　the　times　are　changed；　that　amity　is　not　the　same　thing　as　war；　and　that　a　grain　of　sand　in　the　eye　is　unpleasant；〃　for　he　had　said　all　of　these　things。　　〃But　I　fail；　being　a　plain　man　and　no　diplomatist；　to　see　what　you　want　me　to　do。〃

〃It　is　the　smallest　matter；〃　he　said；　waving　his　hand　gracefully。

〃And　yet；〃　I　retorted；　〃you　seem　to　find　a　difficulty　in　coming　at　it。〃

〃As　you　do　at　the　grain　of　sand　in　the　eye；〃　he　answered　wittily。　〃After　all；　however；　in　what　you　say；　M。　de　Rosny；　there　is　some　truth。　　I　feel　that　I　am；　on　delicate　ground；　but　I　am　sure　that　you　will　pardon　me。　　You　have　in　your　suite　a　certain　Diego。〃

〃It　may　be　so；〃　I　said；　masking　my　surprise；　and　affecting　indifference。

〃A　tennis…player。〃

I　shrugged　my　shoulders。　　〃The　man　is　known；〃　I　said。

〃A　Protestant？〃

〃It　is　not　impossible。〃

〃And　a　subject　of　the　King；　my　master。　　A　man；〃　Don　Antonio　continued；　with　increasing　stiffness；　〃in　fine；　M。　de　Rosny；　who；　after　committing　various　offences；　murdered　his　comrade　in　prison；　and；　escaping　in　his　clothes；　took　refuge　in　this　country。〃

I　shrugged　my　shoulders　again。

〃I　have　no　knowledge　of　that；〃　I　said　coldly。

〃No；　or　I　am　sure　that　you　would　not　harbour　the　fellow；〃　the　secretary　answered。　　〃Now　that　you　do　know　it；　however；　I　take　it　for　granted　that　you　will　dismiss　him？　　If　you　held　any　but　the　great　place　you　do　hold；　M。　de　Rosny；　it　would　be　different；　but　all　the　world　see　who　follow　you；　and　this　man's　presence　stains　you；　and　is　an　offence　to　my　master。〃

〃Softly；　softly；　M。　d'Evora；〃　I　said；　with　a　little　warmth。　　〃You　go　too　fast。　　Let　me　tell　you　first；　that；　for　my　honour；　I　take　care　of　it　myself；　and；　secondly；　for　your　master；　I　do　not　allow　even　my　own　to　meddle　with　my　household。〃

〃But；　my　lord；〃　he　said　pompously；　〃the　King　of　Spain〃

〃Is　the　King　of　Spain；〃　I　answered；　cutting　him　short　without　much　ceremony。　　〃But　in　the　Arsenal　of　Paris；　which；　for　the　present；　is　my　house；　I　am　king。　　And　I　brook　no　usurpers；　M。　d'Evora。〃

He　assented　to　that　with　a　constrained　smile。

〃Then　I　can　say　no　more；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　have　warned　you　that　the　man　is　a　rogue。　　If　you　will　still　entertain　him；　I　wash　my　hands　of　it。　　But　I　fear　the　consequences；　M。　de　Rosny；　and；　frankly；　it　lessens　my　opinion　of　your　sagacity。〃

Thereat　I　bowed　in　my　turn；　and　after　the　exchange　of　some　civilities　he　took　his　leave。　　Considering　his　application　after　he　was　gone；　I　confess　that　I　found　nothing　surprising　in　it；　and　had　it　come　from　a　man　whom　I　held　in　greater　respect　I　might　have　complied　with　it　in　an　indirect　fashion。　　But　though　it　might　have　led　me　under　some　circumstances　to　discard　Diego；　naturally；　since　it　confirmed　his　story　in　some　points；　and　proved　besides　that　he　was　not　a　persona　grata　at　the　Spanish　Embassy；　it　did　not　lead　me　to　value　him　less。　　And　as　within　the　week　he　was　so　fortunate　as　to　defeat　La　Varenne's　champion　in　a　great　match　at　the　Louvre；　and　won　also　a　match；　at　M。　de　Montpensier's　which　put　fifty　crowns　into　my　pocket；　I　thought　less　and　less　of　d'Evora's　remonstrance；　until　the　king's　return　put　it　quite　out　of　my　head。　　The　entanglement　with　Mademoiselle　d'Entragues；　which　was　destined　to　be　the　most　fatal　of　all　Henry's　attachments；　was　then　in　the　forming；　and　the　king　plunged　into　every　kind　of　amusement　with　fresh　zest。　　The　very　day　after　his　return　he　matched　his　marker；　a　rogue；　but　an　excellent　player；　against　my　man；　and　laid　me　twenty　crowns　on　the　event；　the　match　to　be　played　on　the　following　Saturday　after　a　dinner　which　M。　de　Lude　was　giving　in　honour　of　the　lady。

On　the　Thursday；　however；　who　should　come　in　to　me；　while　I　was　sitting　alone　after　supper；　but　Maignan：　　who；　closing　the　door　and　dismissing　the　page　who　waited　there；　told　me　with　a　very　long　face　and　an　air　of　vast　importance　that　he　had　discovered　something。

〃Something？〃　　I　said；　being　inclined　at　the　moment　to　be　merry。　〃What？　　A　plot　to　reduce　your　perquisites；　you　rascal？〃

〃No；　my　lord；〃　he　answered　stoutly。　　〃But　to　tap　your　excellency's　secrets。〃

〃Indeed；〃　I　said　pleasantly；　not　believing　a　word　of　it。　　〃And　who　is　to　hang？〃

〃The　Spaniard；〃　he　answered　in　a　low　voice。

That　sobered　me；　by　putting　the　matter　in　a　new　light；　and　I　sat　a　moment　looking　at　him　and　reviewing　Diego's　story；　which　assumed　on　the　instant　an　aspect　so　uncommon　and　almost　incredible　that　I　wondered　how　I　had　ever　allowed　it　to　pass。　But　when　I　proceeded　from　this　to　the　substance　of　Maignan's　charge　I　found　an　IMPASSE　in　this　direction　also；　and　I　smiled。　〃So　it　is　Diego；　is　it？〃　　I　said。　　〃You　think　that　he　is　a　spy？〃

Maignan　nodded。

〃Then；　tell　me；〃　I　asked；　〃what　opportunity　has　he　of　learning　more　than　all　the　world　knows？　　He　has　not　been　in　my　apartments　since　I　engaged　him。　　He　has　seen　none　of　my　papers。　　The　youngest　footboy　could　tell　all　he　has　learned。〃

〃True；　my　lord；〃　Maignan　answered　slowly；　〃but〃

〃Well？〃

〃I　saw　him　this　evening；　talking　with　a　Priest　in　the　Rue　Petits　Pois；　and　he　calls　himself　a　Protestant。〃

〃Ah！　　You　are　sure　that　the　man　was　a　priest？〃

〃I　know　him。〃

〃For　whom？〃

〃One　of　the　chaplains　at　the　Spanish　Embassy。〃

It　was　natural　that　after　this　I　should　take　a　more　serious　view　of　the　matter；　and　I　did　so。　　But　my　former　difficulty　still　remained；　for；　assuming　this　to　be　a　cunning　plot；　and　d'Evora's　application　to　me　a　ruse　to　throw　me　off　my　guard；　I　could　not　see　where　their　advantage　lay；　since　the　Spaniard's　occupation　was　not　of　a　nature　to　give　him　the　entry　to　my　confidence　or　the　chance　of　ransacking　my　papers。　　I　questioned　Maignan　further；　therefore；　but　without　result。　　He　had　seen　the　two　together　in　a　secret　kind　of　way；　viewing　them　himself　from　the　window　of　a　house　where　he　had　an　assignation。　　He　had　not　been　near　enough　to　hear　what　they　said；　but　he　was　sure　that　no　quarrel　took　place　between　them；　and　equally　certain　that　it　was　no　chance　meeting　that　brought　them　together。

Infected　by　his　assurance；　I　could　still　see　no　issue；　and　no　object　in　such　an　intrigue。　　And　in　the　end　I　contented　myself　with　bidding　him　watch　the　Spaniard　closely；　and　report　to　me　the　following　evening；　adding　that　he　might　confide　the　matter　to　La　Trape；　who　was　a　supple　fellow；　and　of　the　two　the　easier　companion。

Accordingly；　next　evening　Maignan　again　appeared；　this　time　with　a　face　even　longer；　so　that　at　first　I　supposed　him　to　have　discovered　a　plot　worse　than　Chastel's；　but　it　turned　out　that　he　had　discovered　nothing。　　The　Spaniard　had　spent　the　morning　in　lounging　and　the　afternoon　in　practice　at　the　Louvre；　and　from　first　to　last　had　conducted　himself　in　the　most　innocent　manner　possible。　　On　this　I　rallied　Maignan　on　his　mare's　nest；　and　was　inclined　to　dismiss　the　matter　as　such；　still；　before　doing　so；　I　thought　I　would　see　La　Trape；　and　dismissing　Maignan　I　sent　for　him。

When　he　was　come；　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃have　you　anything　to　say？〃

〃One　little　thing　only；　your　excellency；〃　he　answered　slyly；　〃and　of　no　importance。〃

〃But　you　did　not　tell　it　to　Maignan？〃

〃No；　my　Lord；〃　he　replied；　his　face　relaxing　in　a　cunning　smile。

〃Well？〃

〃Once　to…day　I　saw　Diego　where　he　should　not　have