from the memoirs of a minister of france-第42节

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ber　of　ladies；　and　others　who　had　not　hunted；　to　the　terrace　by　the　canal；　whence；　walking　up　and　down；　their　fans　and　petticoats　fluttering　in　the　sunshine；　and　their　laughter　and　chatter　filling　the　air；　they　were　able　to　watch　our　approach　at　their　leisure。

Unfortunately；　Henry　had　no　longer　the　patience　and　self…control　needful　for　such　a　RENCONTRE。　　He　dismounted　with　a　dark　and　peevish　air；　and；　heedless　of　the　staring；　bowing　throng；　strode　up　the　steps。　　Two　or　three；　who　stood　high　in　favour；　put　themselves　forward　to　catch　a　smile　or　a　word；　but　he　vouchsafed　neither。　　He　walked　through　them　with　a　sour　air；　and　entered　the　chateau　with　a　precipitation　that　left　all　tongues　wagging。

To　add　to　the　misfortune；　somethingI　forget　whatdetained　me　a　moment；　and　that　cost　us　dear。　　Before　I　could　cross　the　terrace；　Concini；　the　Italian；　came　up；　and；　saluting　me；　said　that　the　Queen　desired　to　speak　to　me。

〃The　Queen？〃　　I　said；　doubtfully；　foreseeing　trouble。

〃She　is　waiting　at　the　gate　of　the　farther　court；〃　he　answered　politely；　his　keen　black　eyes　reverting；　with　eager　curiosity；　to　the　door　by　which　the　King　had　disappeared。

I　could　not　refuse；　and　went　to　her。　　〃The　King　has　returned　early；　M。　le　Duc？〃　　she　said。

〃Yes；　madame；〃　I　answered。　　〃He　had　a　fancy　to　discuss　affairs　to…day；　and　we　lost　the　hounds。〃

〃Together？〃

〃I　had　the　honour；　Madame。〃

〃You　do　not　seem　to　have　agreed　very　well？〃　　she　said；　smiling。

〃Madame；〃　I　answered　bluntly；　〃his　Majesty　has　no　more　faithful　servant；　but　we　do　not　always　agree。〃

She　raised　her　hand；　and；　with　a　slight　gesture；　bade　her　ladies　stand　back；　while　her　face　lost　its　expression　of　good…temper；　and　grew　sharp　and　dark。　　〃Was　it　about　the　Conde？〃　　she　said；　in　a　low；　grating　voice。　　〃No；　madame；〃　I　answered；　〃it　was　about　certain　provisions。　　The　King's　ear　had　been　grossly　abused；　and　his　Majesty　led　to　believe〃

〃Faugh！〃　　she　cried；　with　a　wave　of　contempt；　〃that　is　an　old　story！　　I　am　sick　of　it。　　Is　she　still　at　Brussels？〃

〃Still；　madame。〃

〃Then　see　that　she　stops　there！〃　　her　Majesty　retorted；　with　a　meaning　look。

And　with　that　she　dismissed　me；　and　went　into　the　chateau。　　I　proposed　to　rejoin　the　King；　but；　to　my　chagrin；　I　found；　when　I　reached　the　closet；　that　he　had　already　sent　for　Varennes；　and　was　shut　up　with　him。　　I　went　back　to　my　rooms　therefore；　and；　after　changing　my　hunting　suit　and　transacting　some　necessary　business；　sat　down　to　dinner　with　Nicholas；　the　King's　secretary；　a　man　fond　of　the　table；　whom　I　often　entertained。　　He　kept　me　in　talk　until　the　afternoon　was　well　advanced；　and　we　were　still　at　table　when　Maignan　appeared　and　told　me　that　the　King　had　sent　for　me。

〃I　will　go；〃　I　said；　rising。

〃He　is　with　the　Queen；　your　Excellency；〃　he　continued。

This　somewhat　surprised　me；　but　I　thought　no　evil；　and；　finding　one　of　the　Queen's　Italian　pages　at　the　door　waiting　to　conduct　me；　I　followed　him　across　the　court　that　lay　between　my　lodgings　and　her　apartments。　　Two　or　three　of　the　King's　gentlemen　were　in　the　anteroom　when　I　arrived；　and　Varennes；　who　was　standing　by　one　of　the　fire…places　toying　with　a　hound；　made　me　a　face　of　dismay；　he　could　not　speak；　owing　to　the　company。

Still　this；　in　a　degree；　prepared　me　for　the　scene　in　the　chamber；　where　I　found　the　Queen　storming　up　and　down　the　room；　while　the　King；　still　in　his　hunting　dress；　sat　on　a　low　chair　by　the　fire；　apparently　drying　his　boots。　　Mademoiselle　Galigai；　the　Queen's　waiting…woman；　stood　in　the　background；　but　more　than　this　I　had　not　time　to　observe；　for；　before　I　had　reached　the　middle　of　the　floor；　the　Queen　turned　on　me；　and　began　to　abuse　me　with　a　vehemence　which　fairly　shocked　me。

〃And　you！〃　　she　cried；　〃who　speak　so　slow；　and　look　so　solemn；　and　all　the　time　do　his　dirty　work；　like　the　meanest　cook　he　has　ennobled！　　It　is　well　you　are　here！　　ENFIN；　you　are　found　out　you　and　your　provisions！　　Your　provisions；　of　which　you　talked　in　the　wood！〃

〃MON　DIEU！〃　　the　King　groaned；　〃give　me　patience！〃

〃He　has　given　me　patience　these　ten　years；　sire！〃　　she　retorted　passionately。　　〃Patience　to　see　myself　flouted　by　your　favourites；　insulted　and　displaced；　and　set　aside！　　But　this　is　too　much！　　It　was　enough　that　you　made　yourself　the　laughing…　stock　of　France　once　with　this　madame！　　I　will　not　have　it　again　no：　　though　twenty　of　your　counsellors　frown　at　me！〃

〃Your　Majesty　seems　displeased；〃　I　said。　　〃But　as　I　am　quite　in　the　dark〃

〃Liar！〃　　she　cried；　giving　way　to　her　fury。　　〃When　you　were　with　her　this　morning！　　When　you　saw　her！　　When　you　stooped　to〃

〃Madame！〃　　he　King　said　sternly；　〃if　you　forget　yourself；　be　good　enough　to　remember　that　you　are　speaking　to　French　gentlemen；　not　to　traders　of　Florence！〃

She　sneered。　　〃You　think　to　wound　me　by　that！〃　　she　cried；　breathing　quickly。　　〃But　I　have　my　grandfather's　blood　in　me；　sire；　and　no　King　of　France〃

〃One　King　of　France　will　presently　make　your　uncle　of　that　blood　sing　small！〃　　the　King　answered　viciously。　　〃So　much　for　that；　and　for　the　rest；　sweetheart；　softly；　softly！〃

〃Oh！〃　　she　cried；　〃I　will　go：　　I　will　not　stay　to　be　outraged　by　that　woman's　presence！〃

I　had　now　an　inkling　what　was　the　matter；　and　discerning　that　the　quarrel　was　a　more　serious　matter　than　their　every…day　bickerings；　and　threatened　to　go　to　lengths　that　might　end　in　disaster；　I　ignored　the　insult　her　Majesty　had　flung　at　me；　and　entreated　her　to　be　calm。　　〃if　I　understand　aright；　madame；〃　I　said；　〃you　have　some　grievance　against　his　Majesty。　　Of　that　I　know　nothing。　　But　I　also　understand　that　you　allege　something　against　me；　and　it　is　to　speak　to　that；　I　presume；　that　I　am　summoned。　　If　you　will　deign　to　put　the　matter　into　words〃

〃Words！〃　　she　cried。　　〃You　have　words　enough！　　But　get　out　of　this；　Master　Grave…Airs；　if　you　can！　　Did　you；　or　did　you　not；　tell　me　this　morning　that　the　Princess　of　Conde　was　in　Brussels？〃

〃I　did；　madame。〃

〃Although　half　an　hour　before　you　had　seen　her；　you　had　talked　with　her；　you　had　been　with　her　in　the　forest？〃

〃But　I　had　not；　madame！〃

〃What？〃　　she　cried；　staring　at　me；　surprised　doubtless　that　I　manifested　no　confusion。　　〃Do　you　say　that　you　did　not　see　her？〃

〃I　did　not。〃

〃Nor　the　King？〃

〃The　King；　Madame；　cannot　have　seen　her　this　morning；〃　I　said；　〃because　he　is　here　and　she　is　in　Brussels。〃

〃You　persist　in　that？〃

〃Certainly！〃　　I　said。　　〃Besides；　madame；〃　I　continued；　〃I　have　no　doubt　that　the　King　has　given　you　his　word〃

〃His　word　is　good　for　everyone　but　his　wife！〃　　she　answered　bitterly。　　〃And　for　yours；　M。　le　Duc；　I　will　show　you　what　it　is　worth。　　Mademoiselle；　call〃

〃Nay；　madame！〃　　I　said；　interrupting　her　with　spirit；　〃if　you　are　going　to　call　your　household　to　contradict　me〃

〃But　I　am　not！〃　　she　cried　in　a　voice　of　triumph　that；　for　the　moment；　disconcerted　me。　　〃Mademoiselle；　send　to　M。　de　Bassompierre's　lodgings；　and　bid　him　come　to　me！〃

The　King　whistled　softly；　while　I；　who　knew　Bassompierre　to　be　devoted　to　him；　and　to　be；　in　spite　of　the　levity　to　which　his　endless　gallantries　bore　witness；　a　man　of　sense　and　judgment；　prepared　myself　for　a　serious　struggle；　judging　that　we　were　in　the　meshes　of　an　intrigue；　wherein　it　was　impossible　to　say　whether　the　Queen　figured　as　actor　or　dupe。　　The　passion　she　evinced　as　she　walked　to　and　fro　with　clenched　hands；　or　turned　now　and　again　to　dart　a　fiery　glance　at　the　Cordovan　curtain　that　hid　the　door；　was　so　natural　to　her　character　that　I　found　myself　leaning　to　the　latter　supposition。　　Still；　in　grave　doubt　what　part　Bassompierre　was　to　play；　I　looked　for　his　coming　as　anxiously　as　anyone。　　And　probably　the　King　shared　this　feeling；　but　he　affected　indifference；　and　continued　to　sit　over　the　fire　with　an　air　of　mingled　scorn　and　peevishness。

At　length　Bassompierre　entered；　and；　seeing　the　King；　advanced　with　an　open　brow　that　persuaded　me；　at　least；　of　his　innocence。　Attacked　on　the　instant；　however；　by　the　Queen；　and　taken　by　surprise；　as　it　were；　between　two　firesthough　the　King　kept　silence；　and　merely　shrugged　his　shouldershis　countenance　fell。　He　was　at　that　time　one　of　the　handsomest　gallants　about　the　Court；　thirty　years　old；　and　the　darling　of　women；　but　at　this　his　APLOMB　failed　him；　and　with　it　my　heart　sank　also。

〃Answer；　sir！　　answer！〃　　the　Queen　cried。　　〃And　without　subterfuge！　　Who　was　it；　sir；　whom　you　saw　come　from　the　forest　this　morning？〃

〃Madame？〃

〃In　one　word！〃

〃If　your　Majesty　will〃

〃I　will　permit　you　to　answer；〃　the　Queen　exclaimed。

〃I　saw　his　Majesty　return；〃　he　faltered〃and　M。　de　Sully。〃

〃Before　them！　　before　them！〃

〃I　may　have　been　mistaken。〃

〃Pooh；　man！〃　　the　Queen　cried　with　biting　contempt。　　〃You　have　told　it　to　half…a…dozen。　　Discretion　comes　a　little　late。〃

〃Well；　if　you　will；　madame；〃　he　said；　striving　to　assert　himself；　but　cutting　a　poor　figure；　〃I　fancied　that　I　saw　Madame　de　Conde　〃

〃Come　out　of　the　wood　ten　minutes　before　the　King？〃

〃It　may　have　been　twenty；〃　he　muttered。

But　the　Queen　cared　no　more　for　him。　　She　turned；　looking　superb　in　her　wrath；　to　the　King。　　〃Now；　sir！〃　　she　said。　　〃Am　I　to　bear　this？〃

〃Sweet！〃　　the　King　said；　governing　his　temper　in　a　way　that　surprised　me；　〃he