from the memoirs of a minister of france-第4节

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n　on　the　matter。

He　overwhelmed　me　with　thanks；　and；　besides；　to　show　his　gratitudefor　he　was　still　on　thorns；　picturing　her　wrath　and　resentment　he　insisted　on　accompanying　me　to　the　Cloitre　de　St。　Germain；　where　Madame　had　her　apartment。　　By　the　way；　he　asked　me　what　I　should　say　to　her。

〃Whatever　will　get　you　out　of　the　scrape；〃　I　answered　curtly。

〃Then　anything！〃　　he　cried　with　fervour。　　〃Anything；　my　dear　friend。　　Oh；　that　unnatural　boy！〃

〃I　suppose　that　the　girl　is　as　big　a　fool？〃　　I　said。

〃Bigger！　　bigger！〃　　he　answered。　　〃I　don't　know　where　she　learned　such　things！〃

〃She　prated　of　love；　too；　then？〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　he　groaned；　〃and　without　a　sou　of　DOT！〃

〃Well；　well；〃　I　said；　〃here　we　are。　　I　will　do　what　I　can。〃

Fortunately　the　King　was　not　there；　and　Madame　would　receive　me。　I　thought；　indeed；　that　her　doors　flew　open　with　suspicious　speed；　and　that　way　was　made　for　me　more　easily　than　usual；　and　I　soon　found　that　I　was　not　wrong　in　the　inference　I　drew　from　these　facts。　　For　when　I　entered　her　chamber　that　remarkable　woman；　who；　whatever　her　enemies　may　say；　combined　with　her　beauty　a　very　uncommon　degree　of　sense　and　discretion；　met　me　with　a　low　courtesy　and　a　smile　of　derision。　　〃So；〃　she　said；　〃M。　de　Rosny；　not　satisfied　with　furnishing　me　with　evidence；　gives　me　proof。〃

〃How；　Madame？〃　　I　said；　though　I　well　understood。

〃By　his　presence　here；〃　she　answered。　　〃An　hour　ago；〃　she　continued；　〃the　King　was　with　me。　　I　had　not　then　the　slightest　ground　to　expect　this　honour；　or　I　am　sure　that　his　Majesty　would　have　stayed　to　share　it。　　But　I　have　since　seen　reason　to　expect　it；　and　you　observe　that　I　am　not　unprepared。〃

She　spoke　with　a　sparkling　eye；　and　an　expression　of　the　most　lively　resentment；　so　that；　had　M。　de　Perrot　been　in　my　place　I　think　that　he　would　have　shed　more　tears。　　I　was　myself　somewhat　dashed；　though　I　knew　the　prudence　that　governed　her　in　her　most　impetuous　sallies；　still；　to　avoid　the　risk　of　hearing　things　which　we　might　both　afterwards　wish　unsaid；　I　came　to　the　point。　〃I　fear　that　I　have　timed　my　visit　ill；　Madame；〃　I　said。　　〃You　have　some　complaint　against　me。〃

〃Only　that　you　are　like　the　others；〃　she　answered　with　a　fine　contempt。　　〃You　profess　one　thing　and　do　another。〃

〃As　for　example？〃

〃For　example！〃　　she　replied；　with　a　scornful　laugh。　　〃How　many　times　have　you　told　me　that　you　left　women；　and　intrigues　in　which　women　had　part；　on　one　side？〃

I　bowed。

〃And　now　I　find　youyou　and　that　Perrot；　that　creature！　intriguing　against　me；　intriguing　with　some　country　chit　to〃

〃Madame！〃　　I　said；　cutting　her　short　with　a　show　of　temper；　〃where　did　you　get　this？〃

〃Do　you　deny　it？〃　　she　cried；　looking　so　beautiful　in　her　anger　that　I　thought　I　had　never　seen　her　to　such　advantage。　　〃Do　you　deny　that　you　took　the　King　there？〃

〃No。　　Certainly　I　took　the　King　there。〃

〃To　Perrot's？　　You　admit　it？〃

〃Certainly；〃　I　said；　〃for　a　purpose。〃

〃A　purpose！〃　　she　cried　with　withering　scorn。　　〃Was　it　not　that　the　King　might　see　that　girl？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied　patiently；　〃it　was。〃

She　stared　at　me。　　〃And　you　can　tell　me　that　to　my　face！〃　　she　said。

〃I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　not；　Madame；〃　I　replied　easily〃I　cannot　conceive　why　you　should　object　to　the　unionand　many　why　you　should　desire　to　see　two　people　happy。　　Otherwise；　if　I　had　had　any　idea；　even　the　slightest；　that　the　matter　was　obnoxious　to　you；　I　would　not　have　engaged　in　it。〃

〃Butwhat　was　your　purpose　then？〃　　she　muttered；　in　a　different　tone。

〃To　obtain　the　King's　good　word　with　M。　de　Perrot　to　permit　the　marriage　of　his　son　with　his　niece；　who　is；　unfortunately；　without　a　portion。〃

Madame　uttered　a　low　exclamation；　and　her　eyes　wandering　from　me；　she　took　upas　if　her　thoughts　strayed　alsoa　small　ornament；　from　the　table　beside　her。　　〃Ah！〃　　she　said；　looking　at　it　closely。　　〃But　Perrot's　son　did　he　know　of　this？〃

〃No；〃　I　answered；　smiling。　　〃But　I　have　heard　that　women　can　love　as　well　as　men；　Madame。　　And　sometimes　ingenuously。〃

I　heard　her　draw　a　sigh　of　relief；　and　I　knew　that　if　I　had　not　persuaded　her　I　had　accomplished　much。　　I　was　not　surprised　when；　laying　down　the　ornament　with　which　she　had　been　toying；　she　turned　on　me　one　of　those　rare　smiles　to　which　the　King　could　refuse　nothing；　and　wherein　wit；　tenderness；　and　gaiety　were　so　happily　blended　that　no　conceivable　beauty　of　feature；　uninspired　by　sensibility；　could　vie　with　them。　　〃Good　friend；　I　have　sinned；〃　she　said。　　〃But　I　am　a　woman；　and　I　love。　　Pardon　me。　As　for　your　PROTEGEE；　from　this　moment　she　is　mine　also。　　I　will　speak　to　the　King　this　evening；　and　if　he　does　not　at　once；〃　Madame　continued；　with　a　gleam　of　archness　that　showed　me　that　she　was　not　yet　free　from　suspicion；　〃issue　his　commands　to　M。　de　Perrot；　I　shall　know　what　to　think；　and　his　Majesty　will　suffer！〃

I　thanked　her　profusely；　and　in　fitting　terms。　　Then；　after　a　word　or　two　about　some　assignments　for　the　expenses　of　her　household；　in　settling　which　there　had　been　delaya　matter　wherein；　also；　I　contrived　to　do　her　pleasure　and　the　King's　service　no　wrongI　very　willingly　took　my　leave；　and；　calling　my　people；　started　homewards　on　foot。　　I　had　not　gone　twenty　paces；　however；　before　M。　de　Perrot；　whose　impatience　had　chained　him　to　the　spot；　crossed　the　street　and　joined　himself　to　me。　　〃My　dear　friend；〃　he　cried；　embracing　me　fervently；　〃is　all　well？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。

〃She　is　appeased？〃

〃Absolutely。〃

He　heaved　a　deep　sigh　of　relief；　and；　almost　crying　in　his　joy；　began　to　thank　me；　with　all　the　extravagance　of　phrase　and　gesture　to　which　men　of　his　mean　spirit　are　prone。　　Through　all　I　heard　him　silently；　and　with　secret　amusement；　knowing　that　the　end　was　not　yet。　　At　length　he　asked　me　what　explanation　I　had　given。

〃The　only　explanation　possible；〃　I　answered　bluntly。　　〃I　had　to　combat　Madame's　jealousy。　　I　did　it　in　the　only　way　in　which　it　could　be　done：　　by　stating　that　your　niece　loved　your　son；　and　by　imploring　her　good　word　on　their　behalf。〃

He　sprang　a　pace　from　me　with　a　cry　of　rage　and　astonishment。　〃You　did　that？〃　　he　screamed。

〃Softly；　softly；　M。　de　Perrot；〃　I　said；　in　a　voice　which　brought　him　somewhat　to　his　senses。　　〃Certainly　I　did。　　You　bade　me　say　whatever　was　necessary；　and　I　did　so。　　No　more。　　If　you　wish；　however；〃　I　added　grimly；　〃to　explain　to　Madame　that〃

But　with　a　wail　of　lamentation　he　rushed　from　me；　and　in　a　moment　was　lost　in　the　darkness；　leaving　me　to　smile　at　this　odd　termination　of　an　intrigue　that；　but　for　a　lad's　adroitness；　might　have　altered　the　fortunes　not　of　M。　de　Perrot　only　but　of　the　King　my　master　and　of　France。



II。　THE　TENNIS　BALLS。

A　few　weeks　before　the　death　of　the　Duchess　of　Beaufort；　on　Easter　Eve；　1599；　made　so　great　a　change　in　the　relations　of　all　at　Court　that　〃Sourdis　mourning〃　came　to　be　a　phrase　for　grief；　genuine　because　interested；　an　affair　that　might　have　had　a　serious　issue　began；　imperceptibly　at　the　time；　in　the　veriest　trifle。

One　day；　while　the　King　was　still　absent　from　Paris；　I　had　a　mind　to　play　tennis；　and　for　that　purpose　summoned　La　Trape；　who　had　the　charge　of　my　balls；　and　sometimes；　in　the　absence　of　better　company；　played　with　me。　　Of　late　the　balls　he　bought　had　given　me　small　satisfaction；　and　I　bade　him　bring　me　the　bag；　that　I　might　choose　the　best。　　He　did　so；　and　I　had　not　handled　half…a…　dozen　before　I　found　one；　and　later　three　others；　so　much　more　neatly　sewn　than　the　rest；　and　in　all　points　so　superior；　that　even　an　untrained　eye　could　not　fail　to　detect　the　difference。

〃Look；　man！〃　　I　said；　holding　out　one　of　these　for　his　inspection。　〃These　are　balls；　the　rest　are　rubbish。　　Cannot　you　see　the　difference？　　Where　did　you　buy　these？　　At　Constant's？〃

He　muttered；　〃No；　my　lord；〃　and　looked　confused。

This　roused　my　curiosity。　　〃Where；　then？〃　　I　said　sharply。

〃Of　a　man　who　was　at　the　gate　yesterday。〃

〃Oh！〃　　I　said。　　〃Selling　tennis　balls？〃

〃Yes；　my　lord。〃

〃Some　rogue　of　a　marker；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃from　whom　you　bought　filched　goods！　　Who　was　it；　man？〃

〃I　don't　know　his　name；〃　La　Trape　answered。　　〃He　was　a　Spaniard。〃

〃Well？〃

〃Who　wanted　to　have　an　audience　of　your　excellency。〃

〃Ho！〃　　I　said　drily。　　〃Now　I　understand。　　Bring　me　your　book。　Or；　tell　me；　what　have　you　charged　me　for　these　balls？〃

〃Two　francs；〃　he　muttered　reluctantly。

〃And　never　gave　a　sou；　I'll　swear！〃　　I　retorted。　　〃You　took　the　poor　devil's　balls；　and　left　him　at　the　gate！　　Ay；　it　is　rogues　like　you　get　me　a　bad　name！〃　　I　continued；　affecting　more　anger　than　I　feltfor；　in　truth；　I　was　rather　pleased　with　my　quickness　in　discovering　the　cheat。　　〃You　steal　and　I　bear　the　blame；　and　pay　to　boot！　　Off　with　you　and　find　the　fellow；　and　bring　him　to　me；　or　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you！〃

Glad　to　escape　so　easily；　La　Trape　ran　to　the　gate；　but　he　failed　to　find　his　friend；　and　two　or　three　days　elapsed　before　I　thought　again　of　the　matter；　such　petty　rogueries　being　ingrained　in　a　great　man's　VALETAILLE；　and　being　no　more　to　be　removed　than　the　hairs　from　a　man's　arm。　　At　the　end　of　that　time　La　Trape　came　to　me；　bringing　the　Spaniard；　who　had　appeared　again　at　the　gate。　　The　stranger　proved　to　be　a　small；　slight　man；　pale　and　yet　b