from the memoirs of a minister of france-第43节

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Am　I　to　bear　this？〃

〃Sweet！〃　　the　King　said；　governing　his　temper　in　a　way　that　surprised　me；　〃hear　reason；　and　you　shall　have　it　in　a　word。　　How　near　was　Bassompierre　to　the　lady　he　saw？〃

〃I　was　not　within　fifty　paces　of　her！〃　　the　favourite　cried　eagerly。

〃But　others　saw　her！〃　　the　Queen　rejoined　sharply。　　〃Madame　Paleotti；　who　was　with　the　gentleman；　saw　her　also；　and　knew　her。〃

〃At　a　distance　of　fifty　paces？〃　　the　King　said　drily。　　〃I　don't　attach　much　weight　to　that。〃　　And　then；　rising；　with　a　slight　yawn。　　〃Madame；〃　he　continued；　with　the　air　of　command　which　he　knew　so　well　how　to　assume；　〃for　the　present；　I　am　tired！　　If　Madame　de　Conde　is　here；　it　will　not　be　difficult　to　get　further　evidence　of　her　presence。　　If　she　is　at　Brussels；　that　fact；　too；　you　can　ascertain。　　Do　the　one　or　the　other；　as　you　please；　but；　for　to…day；　I　beg　that　you　will　excuse　me。〃

〃And　that；〃　the　Queen　cried　shrilly〃that　is　to　be〃

〃All；　madame！〃　　the　King　said　sternly。　　〃Moreover；　let　me　have　no　prating　outside　this　room。　　Grand…Master；　I　will　trouble　you。〃

And　with　these　words；　uttered　in　a　voice　and　with　an　air　that　silenced　even　the　angry　woman　before　us；　he　signed　to　me　to　follow　him；　and　went　from　the　room；　the　first　glance　of　his　eye　stilling　the　crowded　ante…chamber；　as　if　the　shadow　of　death　passed　with　him。　　I　followed　him　to　his　closet；　but；　until　he　reached　it；　had　no　inkling　of　what　was　in　his　thoughts。　　Then　he　turned　to　me。

〃Where　is　she？〃　　he　said　sharply。

I　stared　at　him　a　moment。　　〃Pardon；　said。　　〃Do　you　think　that　it　was　Madame　de　Conde？〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃She　is　in　Brussels。〃

〃I　tell　you　I　saw　her　this　morning！〃　　he　answered。　　〃Go；　learn　all　you　can！　　Find　her！　　Find　her！　　If　she　has　returned；　I　will　God　knows　what　I　will　do！〃　　he　cried；　in　a　voice　shamefully　broken。　〃Go；　and　send　Varennes　to　me。　　I　shall　sup　alone：　　let　no　one　wait。〃

I　would　have　remonstrated　with　him；　but　he　was　in　no　mood　to　bear　it；　and；　sad　at　heart；　I　withdrew；　feeling　the　perplexity；　which　the　situation　caused　me；　a　less　heavy　burden　than　the　pain　with　which　I　viewed　the　change　that　had　of　late　come　over　my　master；　converting　him　from　the　gayest　and　most　DEBONAIRE　of　men　into　this　morose　and　solitary　dreamer。　　Here；　had　I　felt　any　temptation　to　moralise　on　the　tyranny　of　passion；　was　the　occasion；　but；　as　the　farther　I　left　the　closet　behind　me　the　more　instant　became　the　crisis；　the　present　soon　reasserted　its　power。　　Reflecting　that　Henry；　in　this　state　of　uncertainty；　was　capable　of　the　wildest　acts；　and　that　not　less　was　to　be　feared　from　his　imprudence　than　from　the　Queen's　resentment；　I　cudgelled　my　brains　to　explain　the　RENCONTRE　of　the　morning；　but　as　the　courier；　whom　I　questioned；　confirmed　the　report　of　my　agents；　and　asseverated　most　confidently　that　he　had　left　Madame　in　Brussels；　I　was　flung　back　on　the　alternative　of　an　accidental　resemblance。　　This；　however；　which　stood　for　a　time　as　the　most　probable　solution；　scarcely　accounted　for　the　woman's　peculiar　conduct；　and　quite　fell　to　the　ground　when　La　Trape；　making　cautious　inquiries；　ascertained　that　no　lady　hunting　that　day　had　worn　a　yellow　feather。　　Again；　therefore；　I　found　myself　at　a　loss；　and　the　dejection　of　the　King　and　the　Queen's　ill…temper　giving　rise　to　the　wildest　surmises；　and　threatening　each　hour　to　supply　the　gossips　of　the　Court　with　a　startling　scandal；　the　issue　of　which　no　one　could　foresee；　I　went　so　far　as　to　take　into　my　confidence　MM。　Epernon　and　Montbazon；　but　with　no　result。

Such　being　my　state　of　mind；　and　such　the　suspense　I　suffered　during　two　days；　it　may　be　imagined　that　M。　Bassompierre　was　not　more　happy。　　Despairing　of　the　King's　favour　unless　he　could　clear　up　the　matter；　and　by　the　event　justify　his　indiscretion；　he　became　for　those　two　days　the　wonder；　and　almost　the　terror；　of　the　Court。　　Ignorant　of　what　he　wanted；　the　courtiers　found　only　insolence　in　his　mysterious　questions；　and　something　prodigious　in　an　activity　which　carried　him　in　one　day　to　Paris　and　back；　and　on　the　following　to　every　place　in　the　vicinity　where　news　of　the　fleeting　beauty　might　by　any　possibility　be　gained；　so　that　he　far　outstripped　my　agents；　who　were　on　the　same　quest。　　But　though　I　had　no　mean　opinion　of　his　abilities；　I　hoped　little　from　these　exertions；　and　was　proportionately　pleased　when；　on　the　third　day；　he　came　to　me　with　a　radiant　face　and　invited　me　to　attend　the　Queen　that　evening。

〃The　King　will　be　there；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　shall　surprise　you。　But　I　will　not　tell　you　more。　　Come！　　and　I　promise　to　satisfy　you。〃

And　that　was　all　he　would　say；　so　that；　finding　my　questions　useless；　and　the　man　almost　frantic　with　joy；　I　had　to　be　content　with　it；　and　at　the　Queen's　hour　that　evening　presented　myself　in　her　gallery；　which　proved　to　be　unusually　full。

Making　my　way　towards　her　in　some　doubt　of　my　reception；　I　found　my　worst　fears　confirmed。　　She　greeted　me　with　a　sneering　face；　and　was　preparing；　I　was　sure；　to　put　some　slight　upon　mea　matter　wherein　she　could　always　count　on　the　applause　of　her　Italian　servantswhen　the　entrance　of　the　King　took　her　by　surprise。　　He　advanced　up　the　gallery　with　a　listless　air；　and；　after　saluting　her；　stood　by　one　of　the　fireplaces　talking　to　Epernon　and　La　Force。　　The　crowd　was　pretty　dense　by　this　time；　and　the　hum　of　talk　filled　the　room　when；　on　a　sudden；　a　voice；　which　I　recognised　as　Bassompierre's；　was　lifted　above　it。

〃Very　well！〃　　be　cried　gaily；　〃then　I　appeal　to　her　Majesty。　　She　shall　decide；　mademoiselle！　　No；　no；　I　am　not　satisfied　with　your　claim！〃

The　King　looked　that　way　with　a　frown；　but　the　Queen　took　the　outburst　in　good　part。　　〃What　is　it；　M。　de　Bassompierre？〃　　she　said。　　〃What　am　I　to　decide？〃

〃To…day；　in　the　forest；　I　found　a　ring；　madame；〃　he　answered；　coming　forward。〃　　I　told　Mademoiselle　de　la　Force　of　my　discovery；　and　she　now　claims　the　ring。〃

〃I　once　had　a　ring　like　it；〃　cried　mademoiselle；　blushing　and　laughing。

〃A　sapphire　ring？〃　　Bassompierre　answered；　holding　his　hand　aloft。

〃Yes。〃

〃With　three　stones？〃

〃Yes；〃

〃Precisely；　mademoiselle！〃　　he　answered；　bowing。　　〃But　the　stones　in　this　ring　are　not　sapphires；　nor　are　there　three　of　them。〃

There　was　a　great　laugh　at　this；　and　the　Queen　said；　very　wittily；　that　as　neither　of　the　claimants　could　prove　a　right　to　the　ring　it　must　revert　to　the　judge。

〃In　one　moment　your　Majesty　shall　at　least　see　it；〃　he　answered。　〃But；　first；　has　anyone　lost　a　ring？　　Oyez！　　Oyez！　　Oyez！　　Lost；　in　the　forest；　within　the　last　three　days；　a　ring！〃

Two　or　three；　falling　in　with　his　humour；　set　up　absurd　claims　to　it；　but　none　could　describe　the　ring；　and　in　the　end　he　handed　it　to　the　Queen。　　As　he　did　so　his　eyes　met　mine　and　challenged　my　attention。　　I　was　prepared；　therefore；　for　the　cry　of　surprise　which　broke　from　the　Queen。

〃Why；　this　is　Caterina's！〃　　she　cried。　　〃Where　is　the　child？〃

Someone　pushed　forward　Mademoiselle　Paleotti；　sister…in…law　to　Madame　Paleotti；　the　Queen's　first　chamberwoman。　　She　was　barely　out　of　her　teens；　and；　ordinarily；　was　a　pretty　girl；　but　the　moment　I　saw　her　dead…white　face；　framed　in　a　circle　of　fluttering　fans　and　pitiless；　sparkling　eyes；　I　discerned　tragedy　in　the　farce；　and　that　M。　de　Bassompierre　was　acting　in　a　drama　to　which　only　he　and　one　other　held　the　key。　　The　contrast　between　the　girl's　blanched　face　and　the　beauty　and　glitter　in　the　midst　of　which　she　stood　struck　others；　so　that；　before　another　word　was　said；　I　caught　the　gasp　of　surprise　that　passed　through　the　room；　nor　was　I　the　only　one　who　drew　nearer。

〃Why；　girl；〃　the　Queen　said；　〃this　is　the　ring　I　gave　you　on　my　birthday！　　When　did　you　lose　it？　　And　why　have　you　made　a　secret　of　it？〃

Mademoiselle　stood　speechless；　but　madame　her　sister…in…law　answered　for　her。　　〃Doubtless　she　was　afraid　that　your　Majesty　would　think　her　careless；〃　she　answered。

〃I　did　not　ask　you！〃　　the　Queen　rejoined。

She　spoke　harshly　and　suspiciously；　looking　from　the　ring　to　the　trembling　girl。　　The　silence　was　such　that　the　chatter　of　the　pages　in　the　anteroom　could　be　heard。　　Still　Mademoiselle　stood　dumb　and　confounded。

〃Well；　what　is　the　mystery？〃　　the　Queen　said；　looking　round　with　a　little　wonder。　　〃What　is　the　matter？　　It　IS　the　ring。　　Why　do　you　not　own　it？〃

〃Perhaps　mademoiselle　is　wondering　where　are　the　other　things　she　left　with　it！〃　　Bassompierre　said　in　a　silky　tone。　　〃The　things　she　left　at　Parlot　the　verderer's；　when　she　dropped　the　ring。　But　she　may　free　her　mind；　I　have　them　here。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　　the　Queen　said。　　〃What　things；　monsieur？　What　has　the　girl　been　doing？〃

〃Only　what　many　have　done　before　her；〃　Bassompierre　answered；　bowing　to　his　unfortunate　victim；　who　seemed　to　be　paralysed　by　terror：　　〃masquerading　in　other　people's　clothes。　　I　propose；　madame；　that；　for　punishment；　you　order　her　to　dress　in　them；　that　we　may　see　what　her　taste　is。〃

〃I　do　not　understand？〃　　the　Queen　said。

〃Your　Majesty　will；　if　Mademoiselle　Paleotti　will　consent　to　humour　us。〃

At　that　the　girl　uttered　a　cry；　and　looked　round　the　circle　as　if　for　a　way　of　escape；　but　a　Court　is　a　cruel　place；　in　which　the　ugly　or　helpless　find　scant　pity。　　A　dozen　voices　begged　the　Queen　to　insist；　an