from the memoirs of a minister of france-第27节

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d　go　on；　and　presently；　in　the　Rue　de　＇a　Pourpointerie；　which　we　entered　as　the　clocks　struck　the　hour　before　midnight；　his　persistence　was　rewarded。

By　that　time　the　moon　had　risen；　but；　naturally；　few　were　abroad　so　late；　and　such　as　were　to　be　seen　belonged　to　a　class　among　whom　even　Henry　did　not　care　to　seek　adventures。　　Our　astonishment　was　great　therefore　when；　half…way　down　the　street　a　street　of　tall；　mean　houses　neither　better　nor　much　worse　than　others　in　that　quarterwe　saw；　standing　in　the　moonlight　at　an　open　door；　a　boy　about　seven　years　old。

The　King　saw　him　first；　and；　pressing　my　arm；　stood　still。　　On　the　instant　the　child；　who　had　probably　seen　us　before　we　saw　him；　advanced　into　the　road　to　us。　　〃Messieurs；〃　he　said；　standing　up　boldly　before　us　and　looking　at　us　without　fear；　〃my　father　is　ill；　and　I　cannot　close　the　shutter。〃

The　boy's　manner；　full　of　self…possession；　and　his　tone；　remarkable　at　his　age；　took　us　so　completely　by　surpriseto　say　nothing　of　the　late　hour　and　the　deserted　street；　which　gave　these　things　their　full　effectthat　for　a　moment　neither　of　us　answered。　　Then　the　King　spoke。　　〃Indeed；　M。　l'Empereur；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃and　where　is　the　shutter？〃

The　boy　pointed　to　an　open　shutter　at　the　top　of　the　house　behind　him。

〃Ah！〃　　Henry　said。　　〃And　you　wish　us　to　close　it？〃

〃If　you　please；　messieurs。〃

〃We　do　please；〃　Henry　replied；　saluting　him　with　mock　reverence。　〃You　may　consider　the　shutter　closed。　　Lead　on；　Monsieur；　we　follow。〃

For　the　first　time　the　boy　looked　doubtful；　but　he　turned　without　saying　anything；　and　passing　through　the　doorway；　was　in　an　instant　lost　in　the　pitchy　darkness　of　the　entry。　　I　laid　my　hand　on　the　King's　arm；　and　tried　to　induce　him　not　to　follow；　fearing　much　that　this　might　be　some　new　thieves'　trap；　leading　nowhither　save　to　the　POIRE　D'ANGOISSE　and　the　poniard。　　But　the　attempt　was　hopeless　from　the　first；　he　broke　from　me　and　entered；　and　I　followed　him。

We　groped　for　the　balustrade　and　found　it；　and　began　to　ascend；　guided　by　the　boy's　voice；　who　kept　a　little　before　us；　saying　continually；　〃This　way；　messieurs；　this　way！〃　　His　words　had　so　much　the　sound　of　a　signal；　and　the　staircase　was　so　dark　and　ill…smelling；　that；　expecting　every　moment　to　be　seized　or　to　have　a　knife　in　my　back；　I　found　it　almost　interminable。　　At　last；　however；　a　gleam　of　light　appeared　above　us；　the　boy　opened　a　door；　and　we　found　ourselves　standing　on　a　mean；　narrow　landing；　the　walls　of　which　had　once　been　whitewashed。　　The　child　signed　to　us　to　enter；　and　we　followed　him　into　a　bare　attic；　where　our　heads　nearly　touched　the　ceiling。

〃Messieurs；　the　air　is　keen；〃　he　said　in　a　curiously　formal　tone。　〃Will　you　please　to　close　the　shutter？〃

The　King；　amused　and　full　of　wonder；　looked　round。　　The　room　contained　little　besides　a　table；　a　stool；　and　a　lamp　standing　in　a　basin　on　the　floor；　but　an　alcove；　curtained　with　black；　dingy　hangings；　broke　one　wall。　　〃Your　father　lies　there？〃　　Henry　said；　pointing　to　it。

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃He　feels　the　cold？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。　　Will　you　please　to　close　the　shutter？〃

I　went　to　it；　and；　leaning　out；　managed；　with　a　little　difficulty；　to　comply。　　Meanwhile；　the　King；　gazing　curiously　at　the　curtains；　gradually　approached　the　alcove。　　He　hesitated　long；　he　told　me　afterwards；　before　he　touched　the　hangings；　but　at　length；　feeling　sure　that　there　was　something　more　in　the　business　than　appeared；　he　did　so。　　Drawing　one　gently　aside；　as　I　turned　from　the　window；　he　peered　in；　and　saw　just　what　he　had　been　led　to　expecta　huddled　form　covered　with　dingy　bed…clothes　and　a　grey　head　lying　on　a　ragged；　yellow　pillow。　　The　man's　face　was　turned　to　the　wall；　but；　as　the　light　fell　on　him；　he　sighed　and；　with　a　shiver；　began　to　move。　　The　King　dropped　the　curtain。

The　adventure　had　not　turned　out　as　well　as　he　had　hoped；　and；　with　a　whimsical　look　at　me；　he　laid　a　crown　on　the　table；　said　a　kind　word　to　the　boy；　and　we　went　out。　　In　a　moment　we　were　in　the　street。

It　was　my　turn　now　to　rally　him；　and　I　did　so　without　mercy；　asking　if　he　knew　of　any　other　beauteous　damsel　who　wanted　her　shutter　closed；　and　whether　this　was　the　usual　end　of　his　adventures。　　He　took　the　jest　in　good　part；　laughing　fully　as　loudly　at　himself　as　I　laughed；　and　in　this　way　we　had　gone　a　hundred　paces　or　so　very　merrily；　when；　on　a　sudden；　he　stopped。

〃What　is　it；　sire？〃　　I　asked。

〃Hola！〃　　he　said；　〃The　boy　was　clean。〃

〃Clean？〃

〃Yes；　hands；　face；　clothes。　　All　clean。〃

〃Well；　sire？〃

〃How　could　he　be？　　His　father　in　bed；　no　one　even　to　close　the　shutter。　　How　could　he　be　clean？〃

〃But；　if　he　was；　sire？〃

For　answer　Henry　seized　me　by　the　arm；　turned　me　round　without　a　word；　and　in　a　moment　was　hurrying　me　back　to　the　house。　　I　thought　that　he　was　going　thither　again；　and　followed　reluctantly；　but　twenty　paces　short　of　the　door　he　crossed　the　street；　and　drew　me　into　a　doorway。　　〃Can　you　see　the　shutter？〃　he　said。　　〃Yes？　　Then　watch　it；　my　friend。〃

I　had　no　option　but　to　resign　myself；　and　I　nodded。　　A　moist　and　chilly　wind；　which　blew　through　the　street　and　penetrating　our　cloaks　made　us　shiver；　did　not　tend　to　increase　my　enthusiasm；　but　the　King　was　proof　even　against　this；　as　well　as　against　the　kennel　smells　and　the　tedium　of　waiting；　and　presently　his　persistence　was　rewarded。　　The　shutter　swung　slowly　open；　the　noise　made　by　its　collision　with　the　wall　coming　clearly　to　our　ears。　　A　minute　later　the　boy　appeared　in　the　doorway；　and　stood　looking　up　and　down。

〃Well；〃　the　King　whispered　in　my　ear；　〃what　do　you　make　of　that；　my　friend？〃

I　muttered　that　it　must　be　a　beggar's　trick。

〃They　would　not　earn　a　crown　in　a　month；〃　he　answered。　　There　must　be　something　more　than　that　at　the　bottom　of　it。〃

Beginning　to　share　his　curiosity；　I　was　about　to　propose　that　we　should　sally　out　and　see　if　the　boy　would　repeat　his　overture　to　us；　when　I　caught　the　sound　of　footsteps　coming　along　the　street。　〃Is　it　Maignan？〃　　the　King　whispered；　looking　out　cautiously。

〃No；　sire；〃　I　said。　　〃He　is　in　yonder　doorway。〃

Before　Henry　could　answer；　the　appearance　of　two　strangers　coming　along　the　roadway　confirmed　my　statement。　　They　paused　opposite　the　boy；　and　he　advanced　to　them。　　Too　far　off　to　hear　precisely　what　passed；　we　were　near　enough　to　be　sure　that　the　dialogue　was　in　the　main　the　same　as　that　in　which　we　had　taken　part。　　The　men　were　cloaked；　too；　as　were　we；　and　presently　they　went　in；　as　we　had　gone　in。　　All；　in　fact；　happened　as　it　had　happened　to　us；　and　after　the　necessary　interval　we　saw　and　heard　the　shutter　closed。

〃Well；〃　the　King　said；　〃what　do　you　make　of　that？〃

〃The　shutter　is　the　catch…word；　sire。〃

〃Ay；　but　what　is　going　on　up　there？〃　　he　asked。　　And　he　rubbed　his　hands。

I　had　no　explanation　to　give；　however；　and　shook　my　head；　and　we　stood　awhile；　watching　silently。　　At　the　end　of　five　minutes　the　two　men　came　out　again　and　walked　off　the　way　they　had　come；　but　more　briskly。　　Henry　moreover；　whose　observation　was　all　his　life　most　acute；　remarked　that　whatever　they　had　been　doing　they　carried　away　lighter　hearts　than　they　had　brought。　　And　I　thought　the　same。

Indeed；　I　was　beginning　to　take　my　full　share　of　interest　in　the　adventure；　and　in　place　of　wondering；　as　before；　at　Henry's　persistence；　found　it　more　natural　to　admire　the　keenness　which　he　had　displayed　in　scenting　a　mystery。　　I　was　not　surprised；　therefore；　when　he　gripped　my　arm　to　gain　my　attention；　and；　a　the　window　fell　slowly　open　again；　drew　me　quickly　into　the　street；　and　hurried　me　across　it　and　through　the　doorway　of　the　house。

〃Up！〃　　he　muttered　in　my　ear。　　〃Quickly　and　quietly；　man！　　If　there　are　to　be　other　visitors；　we　will　play　the　spy。　　But　softly；　softly；　here　is　the　boy！〃

We　stood　aside　against　the　wall；　scarcely　daring　to　breathe；　and　the　child；　guiding　himself　by　the　handrail；　passed　us　in　the　dark　without　suspicion；　and　pattered　on　down　the　staircase。　　We　remained　as　we　were　until　we　heard　him　cross　the　threshold；　and　then　we　crept　up；　not　to　the　uppermost　landing；　where　the　light；　when　the　door　was　opened；　must　betray　us；　but　to　that　immediately　below　it。　　There　we　took　our　stand　in　the　angle　of　the　stairs　and　waited；　the　King；　between　amusement　at　the　absurdity　of　our　position　and　anxiety　lest　we　should　betray　ourselves；　going　off　now　and　again　into　stifled　laughter；　from　which　he　vainly　strove　to　restrain　himself　by　pinching　me。

I　was　not　in　so　gay　a　mood　myself；　however；　the　responsibility　of　his　safety　lying　heavy　upon　me；　while　the　possibility　that　the　adventure　might　prove　no　less　tragical　in　the　sequel　than　it　now　appeared　comical；　did　not　fail　to　present　itself　to　my　eyes　in　the　darkest　colours。　　When　we　had　watched；　therefore；　five　minutes　morewhich　seemed　to　me　an　hourI　began　to　lose　faith；　and　I　was　on　the　point　of　undertaking　to　persuade　Henry　to　withdraw；　when　the　voices　of　men　speaking　at　the　door　below　reached　us；　and　told　me　that　it　was　too　late。　　The　next　moment　their　steps　crossed　the　threshold；　and　they　began　to　ascend；　the　boy　saying　continually；　〃This　way；　messieurs；　this　way！〃　　and　preceding　them　as　he　had　preceded　us。　　We　heard　them　approach；　breathing　heavily；　and　but　for　the