from the memoirs of a minister of france-第13节

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〃No！　　He；　Barradas！〃　　Saintonge　answered。

〃No？〃　　I　exclaimed。

〃Yes！〃　　he　said。　　〃I　tell　you；　M。　le　Marquis；　he　is　a　devil　of　a　fellowa　devil　of　a　fellow！　　He　fought；　I　am　told；　just　like　Crillon；　rushed　in　on　that　rascal　and　fairly　beat　down　his　guard；　and　had　him　pinned　to　the　ground　before　he　knew　that　they　had　crossed　swords！〃

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃there　is　one　scoundrel　the　less。　　That　is　all。〃

〃Ah；　but　that　is　not　all！〃　　my　visitor　replied　more　seriously。　〃It　should　be；　but　it　is　not；　and　it　is　for　that　reason　I　am　come　to　you。　　You　know　St。　Germain？〃

〃I　know　that　his　father　and　you　arewell；　that　you　take　opposite　sides；〃　I　said　smiling。

〃That　is　pretty　well　known；〃　he　answered　coldly。　　〃Anyway；　this　lad　is　to　fight　St。　Germain　to…morrow；　and　now　I　hear　that　M。　de　Clan；　St。　Germain's　father；　is　for　shutting　him　up。　　Getting　a　LETTRE　DE　CACHET　or　anything　else　you　please；　and　away　with　him。〃

〃What！　　St。　Germain？〃　　I　said。

〃No！〃　　M。　de　Saintonge　answered；　prolonging　the　sound　to　the　utmost。　　〃St。　Mesmin！〃

〃Oh；〃　I　said；　〃I　see。〃

〃Yes；〃　the　Marquis　retorted　pettishly；　〃but　I　don't。　　I　don't　see。　　And　I　beg　to　remind　you；　M。　de　Rosny；　that　this　lad　is　my　wife's　second　cousin　through　her　step…father；　and　that　I　shall　resent　any　interference　with　him。　　I　have　spent　enough　and　done　enough　in　the　King's　service　to　have　my　wishes　respected　in　a　small　matter　such　as　this；　and　I　shall　regard　any　severity　exercised　towards　my　kinsman　as　a　direct　offence　to　myself。　Whereas　M。　de　Clan；　who　will　doubtless　be　here　in　a　few　minutes；　is〃

〃But　stop；〃　I　said；　interrupting　him；　〃I　heard　you　speaking　of　this　young　fellow　the　other　day。　　You　did　not　tell　me　then　that　he　was　your　kinsman。〃

〃Nevertheless　he　is；　my　wife's　second　cousin；〃　he　answered　with　heat。

〃And　you　wish　him　to〃

〃Be　let　alone！〃　　he　replied　interrupting　me　in　his　turn　more　harshly　than　I　approved。　　〃I　wish　him　to　be　let　alone。　　If　he　will　fight　St。　Germain；　and　kill　or　be　killed；　is　that　the　King's　affair　that　he　need　interfere？　　I　ask　for　no　interference；〃　M。　de　Saintonge　continued　bitterly；　〃only　for　fair　play　and　no　favour。　And　for　M。　de　Clan　who　is　a　Republican　at　heart；　and　a　Bironist；　and　has　never　done　anything　but　thwart　the　King；　for　him　to　come　now；　andfaugh！　　it　makes　me　sick。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said　drily；　〃I　see。〃

〃You　understand　me？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃I　think　so。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　replied　haughtilyhe　had　gradually　wrought　himself　into　a　passion；　〃be　good　enough　to　bear　my　request　in　mind　then；　and　my　services　also。　　I　ask　no　more；　M。　de　Rosny；　than　is　due　to　me　and　to　the　King's　honour。〃

And　with　that；　and　scarcely　an　expression　of　civility；　he　left　me。　　Some　may　wonder；　I　know；　that；　having　in　the　Edict　of　Blois；　which　forbade　duelling　and　made　it　a　capital　offence；　an　answer　to　convince　even　his　arrogance；　I　did　not　use　this　weapon；　but；　as　a　fact；　the　edict　was　not　published　until　the　following　June；　when；　partly　in　consequence　of　this　affair　and　at　my　instance；　the　King　put　it　forth。

Saintonge　could　scarcely　have　cleared　the　gates　before　his　prediction　was　fulfilled。　　His　enemy　arrived　hot　foot；　and　entered　to　me　with　a　mien　so　much　lowered　by　anxiety　and　trouble　that　I　hardly　knew　him　for　the　man　who　had　a　hundred　times　rebuffed　me；　and　whom　the　King's　offers　had　found　consistently　obdurate。　　All　I　had　ever　known　of　M。　de　Clan　heightened　his　present　humility　and　strengthened　his　appeal；　so　that　I　felt　pity　for　him　proportioned　not　only　to　his　age　and　necessity；　but　to　the　depth　of　his　fall。　　Saintonge　had　rightly　anticipated　his　request；　the　first；　he　said；　with　a　trace　of　his　old　pride；　that　he　had　made　to　the　King　in　eleven　years：　　his　son；　his　only　son　and　only　childthe　single　heir　of　his　name！　　He　stopped　there　and　looked　at　me；　his　eyes　bright；　his　lips　trembling　and　moving　without　sound；　his　hands　fumbling　on　his　knees。

〃But；〃　I　said；　〃your　son　wishes　to　fight；　M。　de　Clan？〃

He　nodded。

〃And　you　cannot　hinder　him？〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders　grimly。　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃he　is　a　St。　Germain。〃

〃Well；　that　is　just　my　case；〃　I　answered。　　〃You　see　this　young　fellow　St。　Mesmin　was　commended　to　me；　and　is；　in　a　manner；　of　my　household；　and　that　is　a　fatal　objection。　　I　cannot　possibly　act　against　him　in　the　manner　you　propose。　　You　must　see　that；　and　for　my　wishes；　he　respects　them　less　than　your　son　regards　yours。〃

M。　de　Clan　rose；　trembling　a　little　on　his　legs；　and　glaring　at　me　out　of　his　fierce　old　eyes。　　〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　as　much　as　I　expected。　　Times　are　changedand　faithssince　the　King　of　Navarre　slept　under　the　same　bush　with　Antoine　St。　Germain　on　the　night　before　Cahors！　　I　wish　you　good…day；　M。　le　Marquis。〃

I　need　not　say　that　my　sympathies　were　with　him；　and　that　I　would　have　helped　him　if　I　could；　but　in　accordance　with　the　maxim　which　I　have　elsewhere　explained；　that　he　who　places　any　consideration　before　the　King's　service　is　not　fit　to　conduct　it；　I　did　not　see　my　way　to　thwart　M。　de　Saintonge　in　a　matter　so　small。　　And　the　end　justified　my　inaction；　for　the　duel；　taking　place　that　evening；　resulted　in　nothing　worse　than　a　serious；　but　not　dangerous；　wound　which　St。　Mesmin；　fighting　with　the　same　fury　as　in　the　morning；　contrived　to　inflict　on　his　opponent。

For　some　weeks　after　this　I　saw　little　of　the　young　firebrand；　though　from　time　to　time　he　attended　my　receptions　and　invariably　behaved　to　me　with　a　modesty　which　proved　that　he　placed　some　bounds　to　his　presumption。　　I　heard；　moreover；　that　M。　de　Saintonge；　in　acknowledgment　of　the　triumph　over　the　St。　Germains　which　he　had　afforded　him；　had　taken　him　up；　and　that　the　connection　between　the　families　being　publicly　avowed；　the　two　were　much　together。

Judge　of　my　surprise；　therefore；　when　one　day　a　little　before　Christmas；　M。　de　Saintonge　sought　me　at　the　Arsenal　during　the　preparation　of　the　plays　and　interludeswhich　were　held　there　that　yearand；　drawing　me　aside　into　the　garden；　broke　into　a　furious　tirade　against　the　young　fellow。

〃But；〃　I　said；　in　immense　astonishment；　〃what　is　this？　　I　thought　that　he　was　a　young　man　quite　to　your　mind；　and〃

〃He　is　mad！〃　　he　answered。

〃Mad？〃　　I　said。

〃Yes；　mad！〃　　he　repeated；　striking　the　ground　violently　with　his　cane。　　〃Stark　mad；　M。　de　Rosny。　　He　does　not　know　himself！　　What　do　you　thinkbut　it　is　inconceivable。　　He　proposes　to　marry　my　daughter！　　This　penniless　adventurer　honours　Mademoiselle　de　Saintonge　by　proposing　for　her！〃

〃Pheugh！〃　　I　said。　　〃That　is　serious。〃

〃Hehe！　　I　don't　think　I　shall　ever　get　over　it！〃　　he　answered。

〃He　has；　of　course；　seen　Mademoiselle？〃

M。　de　Saintonge　nodded。

〃At　your　house；　doubtless？〃

〃Of　course！〃　　he　replied；　with　a　snap　of　rage。

〃Then　I　am　afraid　it　is　serious；〃　I　said。

He　stared　at　me；　and　for　an　instant　I　thought　that　he　was　going　to　quarrel　with　me。　　Then　he　asked　me　why。

I　was　not　sorry　to　have　this　opportunity　of　at　once　increasing　his　uneasiness；　and　requiting　his　arrogance。　　〃Because；〃　I　said；　〃this　young　man　appears　to　me　to　be　very　much　out　of　the　common。　Hitherto；　whatever　he　has　said　he　would　do；　he　has　done。　　You　remember　Crillon？　　Well；　I　trace　a　likeness。　　St。　Mesmin　has　much　of　his　headlong　temper　and　savage　determination。　　If　you　will　take　my　advice；　you　will　proceed　with　caution。〃

M。　de　Saintonge；　receiving　an　answer　so　little　to　his　mind；　was　almost　bursting　with　rage。　　〃Proceed　with　caution！〃　　he　cried。　〃You　talk　as　if　the　thing　could　be　entertained；　or　as　if　I　had　cause　to　fear　the　coxcomb！　　On　the　contrary；　I　intend　to　teach　him　a　lesson　a　little　confinement　will　cool　his　temper。　　You　must　give　me　a　letter；　my　friend；　and　we　will　clap　him　in　the　Bastille　for　a　month　or　two。〃

〃Impossible；〃　I　said　firmly。　　〃Quite　impossible；　M。　le　Marquis。〃

M。　de　Saintonge　looked　at　me；　frowning。　　〃How？〃　　he　said　arrogantly。　　〃Have　my　services　earned　no　better　answer　than　that？〃

〃You　forget；〃　I　replied。　　〃Let　me　remind　you　that　less　than　a　month　ago　you　asked　me　not　to　interfere　with　St。　Mesmin；　and　at　your　instance　I　refused　to　accede　to　M。　de　Clan's　request　that　I　would　confine　him。　　You　were　then　all　for　non…interference；　M。　de　Saintonge；　and　I　cannot　blow　hot　and　cold。　　Besides；　to　be　plain　with　you；〃　I　continued；　〃even　if　that　were　not　the　case；　this　young　fellow　is　in　a　manner　under　my　protection；　which　renders　it　impossible　for　me　to　move　against　him。　　If　you　like；　however；　I　will　speak　to　him。〃

〃Speak　to　him！〃　　M。　de　Saintonge　cried。　　He　was　breathless　with　rage。　　He　could　say　no　more。　　It　may　be　imagined　how　unpalatable　my　answer　was　to　him。

But　I　was　not　disposed　to　endure　his　presumption　and　ill…temper　beyond　a　certain　point；　and　feeling　no　sympathy　with　him　in　a　difficulty　which　he　had　brought　upon　himself　by　his　spitefulness；　I　answered　him　roundly。　　〃Yes；〃　I　said；〃　I　will　speak　to　him；　if　you　please。　　But　not　otherwise。　　I　can　assure　you；　I　should　not　do　it　for　everyone。〃

But　M。　de　Saintonge's　chagrin　and　rage　at　finding　himself　thus　rebuffed；　in　a　quarter　where　his　haughty　temper　had　led　him　to　expect　an　easy　compliance；　would　not　allow　him　to　stoop　to　my　offer。　　He　flung　away　with　expressions　of　the　utmost　resentment；　and　even　in　the　hearing　of　my　servants　uttered　so　many　fooli