from the memoirs of a minister of france-第10节

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r　to　trick　others　as　they　had　just　been　tricked　themselves；　I　was　tempted　to　consent。

After　this；　the　preparations　took　not　a　minute。　　Philibert　covered　his　fool's　clothes　with　a　cloak；　and　their　table　was　drawn　nearer　to　the　fire；　so　as；　with　mine；　to　take　up　the　whole　hearth。　　La　Trape　fell　into　an　attitude　behind　me；　and　the　Breton；　adopting　a　refinement　suggested　at　the　last　moment；　was　sent　out　to　intercept　Grabot　before　he　entered；　and　tell　him　that　the　inn　was　full；　and　that　he　had　better　pass　on。

The　knave　did　his　business　so　well　that　Grabot；　being　just　such　a　man　as　the　stroller　had　described　to　us；　the　altercation　on　the　threshold　was　of　itself　the　most　amusing　thing　in　the　world。　〃Who？〃　　we　heard　a　loud；　coarse　voice　exclaim。　　〃Who　d'ye　say　are　here；　man？〃

〃The　Mayor　of　Bottitort。〃

〃MILLE　DIABLES！〃

〃The　Mayor　of　Bottitort　and　the　Mayors　of　Gol　and　St。　Just；〃　the　servant　repeated　as　if　he　noticed　nothing　amiss。

〃That　is　a　lie！〃　　the　new　comer　replied；　with　a　snort　of　triumph；　〃and　an　impudent　one。　　But　you　have　got　the　wrong　sow　by　the　ear　this　time。〃

〃Why；　man；〃　a　third　voice；　somewhat　nasal　and　rustical；　struck　in；　〃don't　you　know　the　Mayor　of　Bottitort？〃

〃I　should；〃　my　Breton　answered　bluntly；　and　making；　as　we　guessed；　a　stand　before　them。　　〃For　I　am　his　servant；　and　he　is　this　moment　at　his　meat。〃

〃The　Mayor　of　Bottitort？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃M。　Grabot？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　you　are　his　servant？〃

〃I　have　thought　so　for　some　time；〃　the　Breton　answered　contemptuously。

The　Mayor　fairly　roared　in　his　indignation。　　〃Youhis　servant！　The　Mayor　of　Bottitort's？〃　　he　cried　in　a　voice　of　thunder。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　you　are；　you　are　a　liar！a　liar；　man；　that　is　what　you　are！　　Why；　you　fool；　I　am　the　Mayor　of　Bottitort　myself。　Now；　do　you　see　how　you　have　wasted　yourself？　　Out　of　my　way！　　Jehan；　follow　me　in。　　I　shall　look　into　this。　　There　is　some　knavery　here；　but　if　Simon　Grabot　cannot　get　to　the　bottom　of　it　the　Mayor　of　Bottitort　will。　　Follow　me；　I　say。　　My　servant　indeed？　　Come；　come！〃

And；　still　grumbling；　he　flung　open　the　door；　which　the　Breton　had　left　ajar；　and　stalked　in　upon　us；　fuming　and　blowing　out　his　cheeks　for　all　the　world　like　a　bantam　cock　with　its　feathers　erect。　　He　was　a　short；　pursy　man；　with　a　short　nose；　a　wide　face；　and　small　eyes。　　But　had　he　been　Caesar　and　Alexander　rolled　into　one；　he　could　not　have　crossed　the　threshold　with　a　more　tremendous　assumption　of　dignity。　　Once　inside；　he　stood　and　glared　at　us；　somewhat　taken　aback；　I　think；　for　the　moment　by　our　numbers；　but　recovering　himself　almost　immediately；　he　strutted　towards　us；　and；　without　uncovering　or　saluting　us；　he　asked　in　a　deep　voice　who　was　responsible　for　the　man　outside。

〃I　am；　the　graver　mountebank　answered；　looking　at　the　stranger　with　a　sober　air　of　surprise。　　〃He　is　my　servant。〃

〃Ah！〃　　the　Mayor　exclaimed；　with　a　withering　glance。　　〃And　who；　may　I　ask；　are　you？〃

〃You　may　ask；　certainly；〃　the　player　answered　drily。　　〃But　until　you　take　off　your　hat　I　shall　not　answer。〃

The　Mayor　gasped　at　this　rebuff；　and　turned；　if　it　were　possible；　a　shade　redder；　but　he　uncovered。

〃Now　I　do　not　mind　telling　you；〃　Pierre　continued；　with　a　mild　dignity　admirably　assumed；　〃that　I　am　Simon　Grabot；　and　have　the　honour　to　be　Mayor　of　Bottitort。〃

〃You！〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；　I；　though　perhaps　unworthy。〃

I　looked　to　see　an　explosion；　but　the　Mayor　was　too　far　gone。　〃Why；　you　swindling　impostor；〃　he　said；　with　something　that　was　almost　admiration　in　his　tone。　　〃You　are　the　very　prince　of　cheats！　　The　king　of　cozeners！　　But　for　all　that；　let　me　tell　you；　you　have　chosen　the　wrong　ROLE　this　time。　　For　II；　sir；　am　the　Mayor　of　Bottitort；　the　very　man　whose　name　you　have　taken！〃

Pierre　stared　at　him　in　composed　silence；　which　his　comrade　was　the　first　to　break。　　〃Is　he　mad？〃　　he　said　in　a　low　voice。

The　grave　man　shook　his　head。

The　Mayor　heard　and　saw；　and　getting　no　other　answer；　began　to　tremble　between　passion　and　a　natural；　though　ill…defined；　misgiving；　which　the　silent　gaze　of　so　large　a　partyfor　we　all　looked　at　him　compassionatelywas　well　calculated　to　produce。　〃Mad？〃　　he　cried。　　〃No；　but　some　one　is；　Sir；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　La　Font　with　a　gesture　in　which　appeal　and　impatience　were　curiously　blended；　〃Do　you　know　this　man？〃

〃M。　Grabot？　　Certainly；〃　he　answered；　without　blushing。　　〃And　have　these　ten　years。〃

〃And　you　say　that　he　is　M。　Grabot？〃　　the　poor　Mayor　retorted；　his　jaw　falling　ludicrously。

〃Certainly。　　Who　should　he　be？〃

The　Mayor　looked　round　him；　sudden　beads　of　sweat　on　his　brow。　〃MON　DIEU！〃　　be　cried。　　〃You　are　all　in　it。　　Here；　you；　do　you　know　this　person？〃

La　Trape；　to　whom　he　addressed　himself；　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　should；〃　he　said。　　〃The　Mayor　is　pretty　well　known　about　here。〃

〃The　Mayor？〃

〃Ay。〃

〃But　I　am　the　MayorI；〃　Grabot　answered　eagerly；　tapping　himself　on　the　breast　in　the　most　absurd　manner。　　〃Don't　you　know　me；　my　friend？〃

〃I　never　saw　you　before；　to　my　knowledge；〃　the　rascal　answered　contemptuously；　〃and　I　know　this　country　pretty　well。　　I　should　think　that　you　have　been　crossing　St。　Brieuc's　brook；　and　forgotten　to　say　your〃

〃Hush！〃　　the　stout　player　interposed　with　some　sharpness。　　〃　Let　him　alone。　　LE　BON　DIEU　knows　that　such　a　thing　may　happen　to　the　best　of　us。〃

The　Mayor　clapped　his　hand　to　his　head。　　〃Sir；〃　he　said　almost　humbly；　addressing　the　last　speaker；　〃I　seem　to　know　your　voice。　Your　name；　if　you　please？〃

〃Fracasse；〃　he　answered　pleasantly。　　〃I　am　Mayor　of　Gol。〃

〃YouFracasse；　Mayor　of　Gol？〃　　Grabot　exclaimed　between　rage　and　terror。　　〃But　Fracasse　is　a　tall　man。　　I　know　him　as　well　as　I　know　my　brother。〃

The　pseudo…Fracasse　smiled；　but　did　not　contradict　him。

The　Mayor　wiped　the　moisture　from　his　brow。　　He　had　all　the　characteristics　of　an　obstinate　man；　but　if　there　is　one　thing　which　I　have　found　in　a　long　career　more　true　than　another；　it　is　that　no　one　can　resist　the　statements　of　his　fellows。　　So　much；　I　verily　believe；　is　this　the　case；　that　if　ten　men　maintain　black　to　be　white；　the　eleventh　will　presently　be　brought　into　their　opinion。　　Besides；　the　Mayor　had　a　currish　side。　　He　looked　piteously　from　one　to　another　of　us；　his　cheeks　seemed　to　grow　in　a　moment　pale　and　flabby；　and　he　was　on　the　point　of　whimpering；　when　at　the　last　moment　he　bethought　him　of　his　servant；　and　turned　to　him　in　a　spurt　of　sudden　thankfulness。　　〃Why；　Jehan；　man；　I　had　forgotten　you；〃　he　said。　　〃Are　these　men　mad；　or　am　I？〃

But　Jehan；　a　simple　rustic；　was　in　a　state　of　ludicrous　bewilderment。　　〃Dol；　master；　I　don't　know；〃　he　stuttered；　rubbing　his　head。

〃But　I　am　myself；〃　the　Mayor　cried；　in　a　most　ridiculous　tone　of　remonstrance。

〃Dol；　and　I　don't　know；〃　the　man　whimpered。　　〃I　do　believe　that　there　is　a　change　in　you。　　I　never　saw　you　look　the　like　before。　And　I　never　said　any　PATER　either。　　Holy　saints！〃　　the　poor　fool　continued　piteously；　〃I　wish　I　were　at　home。　　And　there；　for　all　I　know；　my　wife　has　got　another　man。〃

He　began　to　blubber　at　this；　which　to　us　was　the　most　ludicrous　thought；　so　that　it　was　all　we　could　do　to　restrain　our　laughter。　But　the　Mayor　saw　things　in　another　light。　　Shaken　by　our　steady　persistence　in　our　story；　and　astounded　by　our　want　of　respect；　the　defection　of　his　follower　utterly　cowed　him。　　After　staring　wildly　about　him　for　a　moment；　he　fairly　turned　tail；　and　sat　down　on　an　old　box　by　the　door；　where　with　his　hands　on　his　knees；　he　looked　out　before　him　with　such　an　expression　of　chap…　fallen　bewilderment　as　nearly　discovered　our　plot　by　throwing　us　into　fits　of　laughter。

Still　he　was　not　persuaded；　for；　from　time　to　time；　he　roused　himself；　and　lifting　his　head　cast　suspicious　glances　at　our　party。　　But　the　two　strollers；　who　were　now　in　their　element；　played　their　parts　with　so　much　craft　and　delicacy；　and　with　such　an　infinity　of　humour　besides；　that　everything　he　overheard　plunged　him　deeper　in　the　slough。　　They　knew　something　of　local　affairs；　and　called　one　another　Mayor　very　naturally；　and　mentioning　their　wives；　let　drop　other　scraps　of　information　that；　catching　his　ear；　made　the　wretched　man　every　now　and　then　sit　up　as　if　a　wasp　had　stung　him。　　One　story　in　particular　which　the　false　Mayor　toldand　which；　it　appeared；　was　to　the　knowledge　of　all　the　country　round　the　real　Mayor's　stock　anecdotehad　an　absurd　effect　upon　him。　　He　straightened　himself；　listened　as　if　his　life　depended　upon　it；　and　when　he　heard　the　well…known　ending；　uttered；　doubtless；　in　something　of　his　old　tone；　he　collapsed　into　himself　like　a　man　who　had　no　longer　faith　in　anything。

Presently；　however；　an　effort　of　common…sense　would　again　disperse　the　fog。　　He　would　raise　his　head；　his　eye　grow　bright；　something　of　his　old　pugnacity　would　come　back　to　him。　　He　would　appearthis　more　than　onceto　be　on　the　point　of　rising　to　challenge　us。　　But　these　occasions　were　as　skilfully　met　as　they　were　easily　detected；　and　as　the　rogues　had　invariably　some　stroke　in　reserve　that　in　a　twinkling　flung　him　back　into　his　old　state　of　dazed　bewilderment；　while　it　well…nigh　killed　us　with　stifled　mirth；　they　only　gave　ever　new　point　to　the　jest。

This；　to　be　brief；　was　carried　on　until　I　retired；　a