from the memoirs of a minister of france-第38节

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〃Yes；　sire；〃　he　whimpered；　breaking　down。　　〃But　II　gave　some　to　a　cat。〃

〃And　the　cat　is　no　worse？〃

〃No；　sire。〃

〃There；　Grand　Master；〃　the　King　said；　turning　to　me；　〃that　is　the　truth；　I　think。　　What　do　you　say　to　it？〃

〃That　the　rest　is　simple；〃　I　answered；　grimly。　　〃He　did　not　drink　it　before；　but　he　will　drink　it　now；　sire。〃

The　King；　sitting　on　the　bed；　laughed　and　looked　at　La　Trape；　as　if　his　good…nature　almost　led　him　to　interpose。　　But　after　a　moment's　hesitation　he　thought　better　of　it；　and　handed　me　the　cup。　　〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃he　is　your　man。　　Have　your　way　with　him。　　After　all；　he　should　have　drunk　it。〃

〃He　shall　drink　it　now；　or　be　broken　on　the　wheel！〃　I　said。　　〃Do　you　hear；　you？〃　　I　continued；　turning　to　him　in　a　white　heat　of　rage　at　the　thought　of　his　negligence；　and　the　price　it　might　have　cost　me。　　〃Take　it；　and　beware　that　you　do　not　drop　or　spill　it。　　For　I　swear　that　that　shall　not　save　you！〃

He　took　the　cup　with　a　pale　face；　and　hands　that　shook　so　much　that　he　needed　both　to　support　the　vessel。　　He　hesitated；　too；　so　long　that；　had　I　not　possessed　the　best　of　reasons　for　believing　in　his　fidelity；　I　should　have　suspected　him　of　more　than　negligence。　　The　shadow　of　his　tall　figure　seemed　to　waver　on　the　tapestry　behind　him；　and　with　a　little　imagination　I　might　have　thought　that　the　lights　in　the　room　had　sunk。　　The　soft　whispering　of　the　pages　outside　could　be　heard；　and　a　stifled　laugh；　but　inside　there　was　not　a　sound。　　He　carried　the　cup　to　his　lips；　then　he　lowered　it　again。

I　took　a　step　forward。

He　recoiled　a　pace；　his　face　ghastly。　　〃Patience；　excellency；〃　he　said；　hoarsely。　　〃I　shall　drink　it。　　But　I　want　to　speak　first。〃

〃Speak！〃　the　King　answered。

〃If　there　is　death　in　it；　I　take　God　to　witness　that　I　know　nothing；　and　knew　nothing！　　There　is　some　witch's　work　here　it　is　not　the　first　time　that　I　have　come　across　this　devil's　milk　to…　day！　　But　I　take　God　to　witness　I　know　nothing！　　Now　it　is　here　I　will　drink　it；　and〃

He　did　not　finish　the　sentence；　but　drawing　a　deep　breath　raised　the　cup　to　his　lips。　　I　saw　the　apple　in　his　throat　rise　and　fall　with　the　effort　he　made　to　swallow；　but　he　drank　so　slowly　that　it　seemed　to　me　that　he　would　never　drain　the　cap。　　Nor　did　he；　for　when　he　had　swallowed；　as　far　as　I　could　judge　from　the　tilting　of　the　cup；　about　half　of　the　milk；　Henry　rose　suddenly　and；　seizing　it；　took　it　from　him　with　his　own　hand。

〃That　will　do；〃　the　King　said。　　〃Do　you　feel　ill？〃

La　Trape　drew　a　trembling　hand　across　his　brow；　on　which　the　sweat　stood　in　beads；　but　instead　of　answering　he　remained　silent；　gazing　fixedly　before　him。　　We　waited　and　watched；　and　at　length；　when　I　should　think　three　minutes　had　elapsed；　he　changed　his　position　for　one　of　greater　ease；　and　I　saw　his　face　relax。　The　unnatural　pallor　faded；　and　the　open　lips　closed。　　A　minute　later　he　spoke。　　〃I　feel　nothing；　sire；〃　he　said。

The　King　looked　at　me　drolly。　　〃Then　take　five　minutes　more；〃　he　said。　　〃Go；　and　stare　at　Judith　there；　cutting　off　the　head　of　Holofernes〃for　that　was　the　story　of　the　tapestry〃and　come　when　I　call　you。〃

La　Trape　went　to　the　other　end　of　the　chamber。　　〃Well；〃　the　King　said；　inviting　me　by　a　sign　to　sit　down　beside　him；　〃is　it　a　comedy　or　a　tragedy；　my　friend？　　Or；　tell　me；　what　was　it　he　meant　when　he　said　that　about　the　other　milk？〃

I　explained；　the　matter　seeming　so　trivial　now　that　I　came　to　tell　itthough　it；　had　doubtless　contributed　much　to　La　Trape's　frightthat　I　had　to　apologize。

〃Still　it　is　odd；〃the　King　said。　　〃These　drinks　were　not　here；　at　that　time；　of　course？〃

〃No；　sire；　they　have　been　brought　up　within　the　hour。〃

〃Well；　your　butler　must　explain　it。〃　　And　with　that　he　raised　his　voice　and　called　La　Trape　back；　who　came；　looking　red　and　sheepish。

〃Not　dead　yet？〃　　the　King　said。

〃No；　sire。〃

〃Nor　ill？〃

〃No；　sire。〃

〃Then　begone。　　Or；　stay！〃　Henry　continued。　　〃Throw　the　rest　of　this　stuff　into　the　fire…place。　　It　may　be　harmless；　but　I　have　no　mind　to　drink　it　by　mistake。〃

La　Trape　emptied　the　cup　among　the　green　boughs　that　filled　the　hearth；　and　hastened　to　withdraw。　　It　seemed　to　be　too　late　to　make　further　inquiries　that　night；　so　after　listening　to　two　or　three　explanations　which　the　King　hazarded；　but　which　had　all　too　fanciful　an　air　in　my　eyes；　I　took　my　leave　and　retired。

Whether；　however；　the　scene　had　raised　too　violent　a　commotion　in　my　mind；　or　I　was　already　sickening　for　the　illness　I　have　mentioned；　I　found　it　impossible　to　sleep；　and　spent　the　greater　part　of　the　night　in　a　fever　of　fears　and　forebodings。　　The　responsibility　which　the　King's　presence　cast　upon　me　lay　so　heavily　upon　my　waking　mind　that　I　could　not　lie；　and　long　before　the　King's　usual　hour　of　rising　I　was　at　his　door　inquiring　how　he　did。　　No　one　knew；　for　the　page　whose　turn　it　was　to　sleep　at　his　feet　had　not　come　out；　but　while　I　stood　questioning；　the　King's　voice　was　heard；　bidding　me　enter。　　I　went　in；　and　found　him　sitting　up　with　a　haggard　face；　which　told　me；　before　he　spoke；　that　he　had　slept　little　better　than　I　had。　　The　shutters　were　thrown　wide　open；　and　the　cold　morning　light　poured　into　the　room　with　an　effect　rather　sombre　than　bright；　the　huge　figures　on　the　tapestry　looming　huger　from　a　drab　and　melancholy　background；　and　the　chamber　presenting　all　those　features　of　disorder　that　in　a　sleeping…room　lie　hid　at　night；　only　to　show　themselves　in　a　more　vivid　shape　in　the　morning。

The　King　sent　his　page　out；　and　bade　me　sit　by　him。　　〃I　have　had　a　bad　night；〃　he　said；　with　a　shudder。　　〃Grand　Master；　I　doubt　that　astrologer　was　right；　and　I　shall　never　see　Germany；　nor　carry　out　my　designs。〃

Seeing　the　state　in　which　he　was；　I　could　think　of　nothing　better　than　to　rally　him；　and　even　laugh　at　him。　　〃You　think　so　now；　sire；〃　I　said。　　〃It　is　the　cold　hour。　　By　and　by；　when　you　have　broken　your　fast；　you　will　think　differently。〃

〃But；　it　may　be；　less　correctly；〃　he　answered；　and　as　he　sat　looking　before　him　with　gloomy　eyes；　he　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　　〃My　friend；〃　he　said；　mournfully；　〃I　want　to　live；　and　I　am　going　to　die。〃

〃Of　what？〃　　I　asked；　gaily。

〃I　do　not　know；　but　I　dreamed　last　night　that　a　house　fell　on　me　in　the　Rue　de　la　Ferronerie；　and　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　I　shall　die　in　that　way。〃

〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　　〃It　is　well　to　know　that。〃

He　asked　me　peevishly　what　I　meant。

〃Only；〃　I　explained；　〃that；　in　that　case；　as　your　Majesty　need　never　pass　through　that　street；　you　have　it　in　your　hands　to　live　for　ever。〃

〃Perhaps　it　may　not　happen　therein　that　very　street；〃　he　answered。

〃And　perhaps　it　may　not　happen　yet；〃　I　rejoined。　　And　then；　more　seriously；　〃Come；　sire；〃　I　continued；　〃why　this　sudden　weakness？　I　have　known　you　face　death　a　hundred　times。〃

〃But　not　after　such　a　dream　as　I　had　last　night；〃　he　said；　with　a　grimaceyet　I　could　see　that　he　was　already　comforted。　　〃I　thought　that　I　was　passing　along　that　street　in　my　coach；　and　on　a　sudden；　between　St。　Innocent's　church　and　the　notary'sthere　is　a　notary's　there？〃

〃Yes；　sire；〃　I　said；　somewhat　surprised。

〃I　heard　a　great　roar；　and　something　struck　me　down；　and　I　found　myself　pinned　to　the　ground；　in　darkness；　with　my　mouth　full　of　dust；　and　an　immense　beam　on　my　chest。　　I　lay　for　a　time　in　agony；　fighting　for　breath；　and　then　my　brain　seemed　to　burst　in　my　head；　and　I　awoke。〃

〃I　have　had　such　a　dream；　sire；〃　I　said；　drily。

〃Last　night？〃

〃No；〃　I　said；　〃not　last　night。〃

He　saw　what　I　meant；　and　laughed；　and　being　by　this　time　quite　himself；　left　that　and　passed　to　discussing　the　strange　affair　of　La　Trape　and　the　milk。　　〃Have　you　found；　as　yet；　who　was　good　enough　to　supply　it？〃　　he　asked。

〃No；　sire；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　I　will　see　La　Trape；　and　as　soon　as　I　have　learned　anything；　your　majesty　shall　know　it。〃

〃I　suppose　he　is　not　far　off　now；〃　he　suggested。　　〃Send　for　him。　Ten　to　one　he　will　have　made　inquiries；　and　it　will　amuse　us。〃

I　went　to　the　door　and；　opening　it　a　trifle；　bade　the　page　who　waited　send　La　Trape。　　He　passed　on　the　message　to　a　crowd　of　sleepy　attendants；　and　quickly；　but　not　before　I　had　gone　back　to　the　King's　bedside；　La　Trape　entered。

Having　my　eyes　turned　the　other　way；　I　did　not　at　once　remark　anything。　　But　the　King　did；　and　his　look　of　astonishment；　no　less　than　the　exclamation　which　accompanied　it；　arrested　my　attention。　　〃St。　Gris；　man！〃　he　cried。　　〃What　is　the　matter？　Speak！〃

La　Trape；　who　had　stopped　just　within　the　door；　made　an　effort　to　do　so；　but　no　sound　passed　his　lips；　while　his　pallor　and　the　fixed　glare　of　his　eyes　filled　me　with　the　worst　apprehensions。　It　was　impossible　to　look　at　him　and　not　share　his　fright；　and　I　stepped　forward　and　cried　out　to　him　to　speak。　　〃Answer　the　King；　man；〃　I　said。　　〃What　is　it？〃

He　made　an　effort；　and　with　a　ghastly　grimace；　〃The　cat　is　dead！〃　he　said。

For　a　moment　we　were　all　silent。　　Then　I　looked　at　the　King；　and　he　at　me；　with　gloomy　meaning　in　our　eyes。　　He　was　the　first　to　speak。　　〃The　cat　to　whom　you　gave　the　milk？〃　　he　said。

〃Yes；　sire；〃　La　Trape　answered；　in　a　voice　that　seemed　to　come　from　his　heart。

〃But　still；　courage！〃　the　King　cried。　　〃Courage；　man！　　A　dose　that　would　kill　a　cat　may　no