from the memoirs of a minister of france-第26节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ood　by　it。　　〃If　I　am　not　mistaken；　I　hear　him　at　this　moment　dismounting　below。　　Let　us　understand　one　another　therefore；　I　propose　to　sup　with　you；　but　I　shall　not　sit　down　until　he　hangs。〃

It　would　be　useless　for　me　to　attempt　to　paint　the　mixture　of　horror；　perplexity；　and　shame　which　distorted　Bareilles'　countenance　as　I　spoke　these　words。　　While　Parabere's　attitude　and　my　demeanour　gave　him　clearly　to　understand　that　we　suspected　the　truth；　if　we　did　not　know　it；　our　coolness　and　the　very　nature　of　my　demand　imposed　upon　his　fears　and　led　him　to　believe　that　we　had　a　regiment　at　our　call。　　He　knew；　too；　that　that　which　might　be　done　in　a　ruined　hamlet　might　not　be　done　in　the　square　at　Gueret；　and　his　knees　trembled　under　him。　　He　muttered　that　he　did　not　understand；　that　we　must　be　mistaken。　　What　evidence　had　we？

〃The　best！〃　　I　answered　grimly。　　〃If　you　wish　to　hear　it；　I　will　send　for　it；　but　witnesses　have　sometimes　loose　tongues；　Bareilles；　and　he　may　not　stop　at　the　Capitaine　Martin。〃

He　started　and　glared　at　me。　　From　me　his　eyes　passed　to　Parabere；　then　he　shuddered；　and　looked　down　at　the　table。　　As　he　leaned　against　it；　I　heard　the　glasses　tinkling　softly。　　At　last　he　muttered　that　the　man　must　have　a　trial。

I　shrugged　my　shoulders；　and　would　have　answered　that　that　was　his　business；　but　at　the　moment　a　heavy　step　rang　on　the　stone　steps；　the　door　was　flung　hastily　open；　and　a　dark…complexioned　man　came　in　with　his　hat　on。　　The　stranger　was　splashed　to　the　chin；　and　his　face　wore　an　expression　of　savage　annoyance；　but　this　gave　place　the　instant　he　saw　us　to　one　of　intense　surprise；　while　the　words　he　had　had　on　his　lips　died　away；　and　he　stood　nonplussed。　　I　turned　to　M。　de　Bareilles。

〃Who　is　this？〃　　I　said　harshly。

〃One　of　my　lieutenants；〃　he　answered　in　a　stifled　tone。

〃M。　le　Capitaine　Martin？〃

〃The　same；〃　he　answered。

〃Very　well；〃　I　replied。　　〃You　have　heard　my　terms。〃

He　stood　clutching　the　table；　and　in　the　bright　light　of　the　candles　that　burned　on　it　his　face　was　horrible。　　Still　he　managed　to　speak。　　〃M。　le　Capitaine；　call　four　men；〃　he　muttered。

〃Monsieur？〃　　the　Captain　answered。

〃Call　four　menfour　of　your　men；〃　Bareilles　repeated　with　an　effort。

The　Captain　turned　and　went　downstairs　in　amazement；　returning　immediately　after　with　four　troopers　at　his　heels。

Bareilles'　face　was　ghastly。　　〃Take　M。　le　Capitaine's　sword；〃　he　said　to　them。

The　Captain's　jaw　fell；　and；　stepping　back　a　pace；　he　looked　from　one　to　another。　　But　all　were　silent；　he　found　every　eye　upon　him；　and；　doubtful　and　taken　by　surprise；　he　unbuckled　his　sword　and　flung　it　with　an　oath　upon　the　floor。

〃To　the　garden　with　him！〃　　Bareilles　continued；　hoarsely。　〃Quick！　Take　him！　　I　will　send　you　your　orders。〃

They　laid　hands　on　the　man　mechanically；　and；　unnerved　by　the　suddenness　of　the　affair；　the　silence；　and　the　presence　of　so　many　strangers；ignorant；　too；　what　was　doing　or　what　was　meant；　he　went　unresisting。　　They　marched　him　out　heavily；　the　door　closed　behind　them；　we　stood　waiting。　　The　glittering　table；　the　lights；　the　arrested　dicers；　all　the　trivial　preparations　for　a　carouse　that　at　another　time　must　have　given　a　cheerful　aspect　to　the　room；　produced　instead　the　most　sombre　impression。　　I　waited；　but；　seeing　that　Bareilles　did　not　move；　I　struck　the　table　with　my　gauntlet。　　〃The　order！〃　　I　said；　sharply；　〃the　order！〃

He　slunk　to　a　table　in　a　corner　where　there　was　ink；　and　scrawled　it。　　I　took　it　from　his　hand；　and；　giving　it　to　Boisrueil；　〃Take　it；〃　I　said；　〃and　the　three　men　on　the　landing；　and　see　the　order　carried　out。　　When　it　is　over；　come　and　tell　me。〃

He　took　the　order　and　disappeared；　La　Font　after　him。　　I　remained　in　the　room　with　Parabere；　Bareilles；　and　the　dicers。　　The　minutes　passed　slowly；　no　one　speaking；　Bareilles　standing　with　his　head　sunk　on　his　breast；　and　a　look　of　utter　despair　on　his　countenance。　　At　length　Boisrueil　and　La　Font　returned。　　The　former　nodded。

〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　　〃Then　let　us　sup；　gentlemen。　　Come；　M。　de　Bareilles；　your　place　is　at　the　head　of　the　table。　　Parabere；　sit　here。　　Gentlemen；　I　have　not　the　honour　of　knowing　you；　but　here　are　places。〃

And　we　supped；　but　not　all　with　the　same　appetite。　　Bareilles；　silent；　despairing；　a　prey　to　the　bitterest　remorse；　sat　low　in　his　chair；　and；　if　I　read　his　face　aright；　had　no　thought　but　of　vengeance。　　But；　assured　that　by　forcing　him　to　that　which　must　for　ever　render　him　odiousand　particularly　among　his　inferiors　I　had　sapped　his　authority　at　the　root；　I　took　care　only　that　he　should　not　leave　us。　　I　directed　Colet　to　unsaddle　and　bivouac　in　the　garden；　and　myself　lay　all　night　with　Parabere　and　Bareilles　in　the　room　in　which　we　had　supped；　Boisrueil　and　La　Font　taking　turns　to　keep　the　door。

To　have　betrayed　too　much　haste　to　be　gone　might　have　proved　as　dangerous　as　a　long　delay；　and　our　horses　needed　rest。　　But　an　hour　before　noon　next　day　I　gave　the　order　and　we　mounted　in　the　square；　in　the　presence　of　a　mixed　mob　of　soldiers　and　townsfolk；　whom　it　needed　but　a　spark　to　kindle。　　I　took　care　that　that　spark　should　be　wanting；　however；　and　to　that　end　I　compelled　Bareilles　to　mount　and　ride　with　us　as　far　as　Saury。　　Here；　where　I　found　the　inn　burned　and　the　woman　murdered；　I　should　have　done　no　more　than　justice　had　I　hung　him　as　well；　and　I　think　that　he　half　expected　it。　　But　reflecting　that　he　had　a　score　of　relations　in　Poitou　who　might　give　trouble；　and；　besides　that；　his　position　called　for　some　degree　of　consideration；　I　parted　with　him　gravely；　and　hastened　to　put　as　many　leagues　between　us　as　possible。　　That　night　we　slept　at　Crozant；　and　the　next　at　St。　Gaultier。

It　was　chiefly　in　consequence　of　the　observations　I　made　during　this　journey　that　Henry；　in　the　following　October；　marched　into　the　Limousin　with　a　considerable　force　and　received　the　submission　of　the　governors。　　The　details　of　that　expedition；　in　the　course　of　which　he　put　to　death　ten　or　twelve　of　the　more　disorderly；　will　be　found　in　another　place。　　It　remains　for　me　only　to　add　here　that　Bareilles　was　not　of　them。　　He　escaped　a　fate　he　richly　deserved　by　flying　betimes　with　Bassignac　to　Sedan。　　Of　his　ultimate　fate　I　know　nothing；　but　a　week　after　my　return　to　the　Arsenal；　a　man　called　on　me　who　turned　out　to　be　the　astrologer。　　I　gave　him　fifty　crowns。



VIII。　THE　OPEN　SHUTTER。

Few　are　ignorant　of　that　weakness　of　the　vulgar　which　leads　them　to　admire　in　the　great　not　so　much　the　qualities　which　deserve　admiration　as　those　which；　in　the　eyes　of　the　better…informed；　are　defects；　so　that　the　amours　of　Caesar；　the　clock…making　of　Charles；　and　the　jests　of　Coligny　are　more　in　the　mouths　of　men　than　their　statesmanship　or　valour。　　For　one　thing　commendable；　two　that　are　diverting　are　told；　and　for　one　man　who　in　these　days　recalls　the　thousand　great　and　wise　deeds　of　the　late　King　a　thousand　remember　his　occasional　freaks；　the　duel　he　would　have　fought；　or　his　habit　of　visiting　the　streets　of　Paris　by　night　and　in　disguise。　　That　this　last　has　been　much　exaggerated；　I　can　myself　bear　witness；　for　though　Varenne　or　Coquet；　the　Master　of　the　Household；　were　his　usual　companions　on　these　occasions；　he　seldom　failed　to　confess　to　me　after　the　event；　and　more　than　once　I　accompanied　him。

If　I　remember　rightly；　it　was　in　April　or　May　of　this　year；　1606；　and　consequently　a　few　days　after　his　return　from　Sedan；　that　he　surprised　me　one　night　as　I　sat　at　supper；　and；　requesting　me　to　dismiss　my　servants；　let　me　know　that　he　was　in　a　flighty　mood；　and　that　nothing　would　content　him　but　to　play　the　Caliph　in　my　company。　I　was　not　too　willing；　for　I　did　not　fail　to　recognise　the　risk　to　which　these　expeditions　exposed　his　person；　but；　in　the　end；　I　consented；　making　only　the　condition　that　Maignan　should　follow　us　at　a　distance。　　This　he　conceded；　and　I　sent　for　two　plain　suits；　and　we　dressed　in　my　closet。　　The　King；　delighted　with　the　frolic；　was　in　his　wildest　mood。　　He　uttered　an　infinity　of　jests；　and　cut　a　thousand　absurd　antics；　and；　rallying　me　on　my　gravity；　soon　came　near　to　making　me　repent　of　the　easiness　which　had　led　me　to　fall　in　with　his　humour。

However；　it　was　too　late　to　retreat；　and　in　a　moment　we　were　standing　in　the　street。　　It　would　not　have　surprised　me　if　he　had　celebrated　his　freedom　by　some　noisy　extravagance　there；　but　he　refrained；　and　contented　himselfwhile　Maignan　locked　the　postern　behind　uswith　cocking　his　hat　and　lugging　forward　his　sword；　and　assuming　an　air　of　whimsical　recklessness；　as　if　an　adventure　were　to　be　instantly　expected。

But　the　moon　had　not　yet　risen；　the　night　was　dark；　and　for　some　time　we　met　with　nothing　more　diverting　than　a　stumble　over　a　dead　dog；　a　word　with　a　forward　wench；　or　a　narrow　escape　from　one　of　those　liquid　douches　that　render　the　streets　perilous　for　common　folk　and　do　not　spare　the　greatest。　　Naturally；　I　began　to　tire；　and　wished　myself　with　all　my　heart　back　at　the　Arsenal；　but　Henry；　whose　spirits　a　spice　of　danger　never　failed　to　raise；　found　a　hundred　things　to　be　merry　over；　and　some　of　which　he　made　a　great　tale　of　afterwards。　　He　would　go　on；　and　presently；　in　the　Rue　de　＇a　Pourpointerie；　which　we　entered　as　the　clocks　struck　the　ho