from the memoirs of a minister of france-第18节

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ain；　rough　man　who　served　our　royal　turn　well　enough　in　rough　times；　but　is　now　growing〃

〃Madame！〃

〃A　trifle　exigeant　and　superfluous。〃

After　that；　I　saw　that　it　was　war　to　the　knife　between　us；　and　I　asked　her　in　very　plain　terms　If　she　were　not　afraid　of　the　queen's　enmity；　that　she　dared　thus　to　flaunt　the　King's　favours　before　her。

〃No　more　than　I　am　afraid　of　yours；〃　she　answered　hardily。

〃But　if　the　King　is　disappointed　in　his　hopes？〃

〃You　may　suffer；　very　probably　will；〃　she　answered；　slowly　and　smiling；　〃not　I。　　Besides；　sirmy　child　was　born　dead。　　He　bore　that　very　well。〃

〃Yet；　believe　me；　madame；　you　run　some　risk。〃

〃In　keeping　what　the　King　has　given　me？〃　　she　answered；　raising　her　eyebrows。

〃No！　　In　keeping　what　the　King　has　not　given　you！〃　　I　answered　sternly。　　〃Whereas；　what　do　you　gain？〃

〃Well；〃　she　replied；　raising　herself　in　the　bed；　while　her　eyes　sparkled　and　her　colour　rose；　〃if　you　like；　I　will　tell　you。　This　pleasure；　for　one　thingthe　pleasure　of　seeing　you　there；　awkward；　booted；　stained；　and　standing；　waiting　my　will。　　That　which　perhaps　you　call　a　petty　thingI　gain　first　of　all。　　Then　I　gain　your　ruin；　M。　de　Rosny；　I　plant　a　sting　in　that　woman's　breast；　and　for　his　Majesty；　he　has　made　his　bed　and　may　lie　on　it。〃

〃Have　a　care；　madame！〃　　I　cried；　bursting　with　indignation　at　a　speech　so　shameless　and　disloyal。　　〃You　are　playing　a　dangerous　game；　I　warn　you！〃

〃And　what　game　have　you　played？〃　　she　replied；　transported　on　a　sudden　with　equal　passion。　　〃Who　was　it　tore　up　the　promise　of　marriage　which　the　King　gave　me？　　Who　was　it　prevented　me　being　Queen　of　France？　　Who　was　it　hurried　on　the　match　with　this　tradeswoman；　so　that　the　King　found　himself　wedded；　before　he　knew　it？　　Who　was　itbut　enough；　enough！〃　　she　cried；　interrupting　herself　with　a　gesture　full　of　rage。　　〃You　have　ruined　me；　you　and　your　queen　between　you；　and　I　will　ruin　you！〃

〃On　the　contrary；　madame；〃　I　answered；　collecting　myself　for　a　last　effort；　and　speaking　with　all　the　severity　which　a　just　indignation　inspired；　〃I　have　not　ruined　you。　　But　if　you　do　not　tell　me　that　which　I　am　here　to　learnI　will！〃

She　laughed　out　loud。　　〃Oh；　you　simpleton！〃　　she　said。　　〃And　you　call　yourself　a　statesman！　　Do　you　not　see　that　if　I　do　not　tell　it；　you　are　disgraced　yourself　and　powerless；　and　can　do　me　no　harm？　　Tell　it　you？　　When　I　have　you　all　on　the　hipyou；　the　King；　the　queen！　　Not　for　a　million　crowns；　M。　de　Rosny！〃

〃And　that　is　your　answer；　madame？〃　　I　said；　choking　with　rage。　It　had　been　long　since　any　had　dared　so　to　beard　me。

〃Yes；〃　she　replied　stoutly；　〃it　is！　　Or；　stay；　you　shall　not　go　empty…handed。〃　　And　thrusting　her　arm　under　the　pillow　she　drew　out；　after　a　moment's　search；　a　small　packet；　which　she　held　out　towards　me。　　〃Take　it！〃　　she　said；　with　a　taunting　laugh。　　〃It　has　served　my　turn。　　What　the　King　gave　me；　I　give　you。〃

Seeing　that　it　was　the　missing　key　to　the　cipher；　I　swallowed　my　rage　and　took　it；　and　being　assured　by　this　time　that　I　could　effect　nothing　by　staying　longer；　but　should　only　expose　myself　to　fresh　insults；　I　turned　on　my　heel；　with　rudeness　equal　to　her　own；　and；　without　taking　leave　of　her；　flung　the　door　open　and　went　out。　　I　heard　her　throw　herself　back　with　a　shrill　laugh　of　triumph。　　But　as；　the　moment　the　door　fell　to　behind　me；　my　thoughts　began　to　cast　about　for　another　way　of　escapethis　failingI　took　little　heed　of　her；　and　less　of　the　derisive　looks　to　which　the　household；　quickly　taking　the　cue；　treated　me　as　I　passed。　　I　flung　myself　into　the　saddle　and　galloped　off；　followed　by　Maignan；　who　presently；　to　my　surprise；　blurted　out　a　clumsy　word　of　congratulation。

I　turned　on　him　in　amazement；　and；　swearing　at　him；　asked　him　what　he　meant。

〃You　have　got　it；〃　he　said　timidly；　pointing　to　the　packet　which　I　mechanically　held　in　my　hand。

〃And　to　what　purpose？〃　　I　cried；　glad　of　this　opportunity　of　unloading　some　of　my　wrath。　　〃I　want；　not　the　paper；　but　the　secret；　fool！　　You　may　have　the　paper　for　yourself　if　you　will　tell　me　how　Madame　got　it。〃

Nevertheless；　his　words　led　me　to　look　at　the　packet。　　I　opened　it；　and；　having　satisfied　myself　that　it　contained　the　original　and　not　a　copy；　was　putting　it　up　again　when　my　eyes　fell　on　a　small　spot　of　blood　which　marked　one　corner　of　the　cover。　　It　was　not　larger　than　a　grain　of　corn；　but　it　awoke；　first；　a　vague　association　and　then　a　memory；　which　as　I　rode　grew　stronger　and　more　definite；　until；　on　a　sudden；　discovery　flashed　upon　meand　the　truth。　　I　remembered　where　I　had　seen　spots　of　blood　before　on　the　papers　I　had　handed　to　Ferret　and　remembered；　too；　where　that　blood　had　come　from。　　I　looked　at　the　cut　now；　and；　finding　it　nearly　healed；　sprang　in　my　saddle。　　Of　a　certainty　this　paper　had　gone　through　my　hands　that　day！　　It　had　been　among　the　others；　therefore　it　must　have　been　passed　to　Ferret　inside　another　when　I　first　opened　the　bag！　　The　rogue；　getting　it　and　seeing　his　opportunity；　and　that　I　did　not　suspect；　had　doubtless　secreted　it；　probably　while　I　was　attending　to　my　hand。

I　had　not　suspected　him　before；　because　I　had　ticked　off　the　earlier　papers　as　I　handed　them　to　him；　and　had　searched　only　among　the　rest　and　in　the　bag　for　the　missing　one。　　Now　I　wondered　that　I　had　not　done　so；　and　seen　the　truth　from　the　beginning；　and　in　my　impatience　I　found　the　leagues　through　the　forest；　though　the　sun　was　not　yet　high　and　the　trees　sheltered　us；　the　longest　I　had　ridden　in　my　life。　　When　the　roofs　of　the　chateau　at　length　appeared　before　us；　I　could　scarcely　keep　my　pace　within　bounds。　　Reflecting　how　Madame　de　Verneuil　had　over…　reached　herself；　and　how；　by　indulging　in　that　last　stroke　of　arrogance；　she　had　placed　the　secret　in　my　hands；　I　had　much　ado　to　refrain　from　going　to　the　King　booted　and　unwashed　as　I　was；　and　though　I　had　not　eaten　since　the　previous　evening。　　However；　the　habit　of　propriety；　which　no　man　may　lightly　neglect；　came　to　my　aid。　　I　made　my　toilet；　and；　having　broken　my　fast　standing；　hastened　to　the　Court。　　On　the　way　I　learned　that　the　King　was　in　the　queen's　garden；　and；　directing　my　steps　thither；　found　him　walking　with　my　colleagues；　Villeroy　and　Sillery；　in　the　little　avenue　which　leads　to　the　garden　of　the　Conciergerie。　　A　number　of　the　courtiers　were　standing　on　the　low　terrace　watching　them；　while　a　second　group　lounged　about　the　queen's　staircase。　　Full　of　the　news　which　I　had　for　the　King；　I　crossed　the　terrace；　taking　no　particular　heed　of　anyone；　but　greeting　such　as　came　in　my　way　in　my　usual　fashion。　　At　the　edge　of　the　terrace　I　paused　a　moment　before　descending　the　three　steps；　and　at　the　same　moment；　as　it　happened；　Henry　looked　up；　and　our　eyes　met。　　On　the　instant　he　averted　his　gaze；　and；　turning　on　his　heel　in　a　marked　way；　retired　slowly　to　the　farther　end　of　the　walk。

The　action　was　so　deliberate　that　I　could　not　doubt　he　meant　to　slight　me；　and　I　paused　where　I　was；　divided　between　grief　and　indignation；　a　mark　for　all　those　glances　and　whispered　gibes　in　which　courtiers　indulge　on　such　occasions。　　The　slight　was　not　rendered　less　serious　by　the　fact　that　the　King　was　walking　with　my　two　colleagues；　so　that　I　alone　seemed　to　be　out　of　his　confidence；　as　one　soon　to　be　out　of　his　councils　also。

I　perceived　all　this；　and　was　not　blind　to　the　sneering　smiles　which　were　exchanged　behind　my　back；　but　I　affected　to　see　nothing；　and　to　be　absorbed　in　sudden　thought。　　In　a　minute　or　two　the　King　turned　and　came　back　towards　me；　and　again；　as　if　he　could　not　restrain　his　curiosity；　looked　up　so　that　our　eyes　met。　This　time　I　thought　that　he　would　beckon　me　to　him；　satisfied　with　the　lengths　to　which　he　had　already　carried　his　displeasure。　But　he　turned　again；　with　a　light　laugh。

At　this　a　courtier；　one　of　Sillery's　creatures；　who　had　presumed　on　the　occasion　so　far　as　to　come　to　my　elbow；　thought　that　he　might　safely　amuse　himself　with　me。　　〃I　am　afraid　that　the　King　grows　older；　M。　de　Rosny；〃　he　said；　smirking　at　his　companions。　〃His　sight　seems　to　be　failing。〃

〃It　should　not　be　neglected　then；〃　I　said　grimly。　　〃I　will　tell　him　presently　what　you　say。〃

He　fell　back；　looking　foolish　at　that；　at　the　very　moment　that　Henry；　having　taken　another　turn；　dismissed　Villeroy；　who；　wiser　than　the　puppy　at　my　elbow；　greeted　me　with　particular　civility　as　he　passed。　　Freed　from　him；　Henry　stood　a　moment　hesitating。　He　told　me　afterwards　that　he　had　not　turned　from　me　a　yard　before　his　heart　smote　him；　and　that　but　for　a　mischievous　curiosity　to　see　how　I　should　take　it；　he　would　not　have　carried　the　matter　so　far。　　Be　that　as　it　mayand　I　do　not　doubt　this；　any　more　than　I　ever　doubted　the　reality　of　the　affection　in　which　he　held　meon　a　sudden　he　raised　his　hand　and　beckoned　to　me。

I　went　down　to　him　gravely；　and　not　hurriedly。　　He　looked　at　me　with　some　signs　of　confusion　in　his　face。　　〃You　are　late　this　morning；〃　he　said。

〃I　have　been　on　your　Majesty's　business；〃　I　answered。

〃I　do　not　doubt　that；〃　he　replied　querulously；　his　eyes　wandering。　　〃I　am　notI　am　troubled　this　morning。〃　　And　after　a　fashion　he　had　when　he　was　not　at　his　ease；　he　ground　his　heel　into　the　soil　and　looked　down　at　the　mark。　　〃The　queen　is　not　well。　　Sillery　has