twenty years after(二十年后)-第88章

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man　gazed　at　him　as　if　he　would　have　read　the　secret　of　his
heart。
〃My　dear　Monsieur　Louvieres；〃　said　the　coadjutor；　〃believe
me；　I　am　truly　concerned　for　the　misfortune　which　has
happened　to　you。〃
〃Is　that　true；　and　do　you　speak　seriously？〃　asked　Louvieres。
〃From　the　depth　of　my　heart；〃　said　Gondy。
〃In　that　case；　my　lord；　the　time　for　words　has　passed　and
the　hour　for　action　is　at　hand；　my　lord；　in　three　days；　if
you　wish　it；　my　father　will　be　out　of　prison　and　in　six
months　you　may　be　cardinal。〃
The　coadjutor　started。
〃Oh！　let　us　speak　frankly；〃　continued　Louvieres；　〃and　act　in
a　straightforward　manner。　Thirty　thousand　crowns　in　alms　is
not　given；　as　you　have　done　for　the　last　six　months；　out　of
pure　Christian　charity；　that　would　be　too　grand。　You　are
ambitious　　it　is　natural；　you　are　a　man　of　genius　and　you
know　your　worth。　As　for　me；　I　hate　the　court　and　have　but
one　desire　at　this　moment　　vengeance。　Give　us　the　clergy
and　the　people；　of　whom　you　can　dispose；　and　I　will　bring
you　the　citizens　and　the　parliament；　with　these　four
elements　Paris　is　ours　in　a　week；　and　believe　me；　monsieur
coadjutor；　the　court　will　give　from　fear　what　it　will　not
give　from　good…will。〃
It　was　now　the　coadjutor's　turn　to　fix　his　piercing　eyes　on
Louvieres。
〃But；　Monsieur　Louvieres；　are　you　aware　that　it　is　simply
civil　war　you　are　proposing　to　me？〃
〃You　have　been　preparing　long　enough；　my　lord；　for　it　to　be
welcome　to　you　now。〃
〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　coadjutor；　〃you　must　be　well　aware
that　this　requires　reflection。〃
〃And　how　many　hours　of　reflection　do　you　ask？〃
〃Twelve　hours；　sir；　is　it　too　long？〃
〃It　is　now　noon；　at　midnight　I　will　be　at　your　house。〃
〃If　I　should　not　be　in；　wait　for　me。〃
〃Good！　at　midnight；　my　lord。〃
〃At　midnight；　my　dear　Monsieur　Louvieres。〃
When　once　more　alone　Gondy　sent　to　summon　all　the　curates
with　whom　he　had　any　connection　to　his　house。　Two　hours
later；　thirty　officiating　ministers　from　the　most　populous；
and　consequently　the　most　disturbed　parishes　of　Paris　had
assembled　there。　Gondy　related　to　them　the　insults　he　had
received　at　the　Palais　Royal　and　retailed　the　jests　of
Beautin；　the　Count　de　Villeroy　and　Marechal　de　la
Meilleraie。　The　curates　asked　him　what　was　to　be　done。
〃Simply　this；〃　said　the　coadjutor。　〃You　are　the　directors　of
all　consciences。　Well；　undermine　in　them　the　miserable
prejudice　of　respect　and　fear　of　kings；　teach　your　flocks
that　the　queen　is　a　tyrant；　and　repeat　often　and　loudly；　so
that　all　may　know　it；　that　the　misfortunes　of　France　are
caused　by　Mazarin；　her　lover　and　her　destroyer；　begin　this
work　to…day；　this　instant　even；　and　in　three　days　I　shall
expect　the　result。　For　the　rest；　if　any　one　of　you　have
further　or　better　counsel　to　expound；　I　will　listen　to　him
with　the　greatest　pleasure。〃
Three　curates　remained　　those　of　St。　Merri；　St。　Sulpice
and　St。　Eustache。　The　others　withdrew。
〃You　think；　then；　that　you　can　help　me　more　efficaciously
than　your　brothers？〃　said　Gondy。
〃We　hope　so；〃　answered　the　curates。
〃Let　us　hear。　Monsieur　de　St。　Merri；　you　begin。〃
〃My　lord；　I　have　in　my　parish　a　man　who　might　be　of　the
greatest　use　to　you。〃
〃Who　and　what　is　this　man？〃
〃A　shopkeeper　in　the　Rue　des　Lombards；　who　has　great
influence　upon　the　commerce　of　his　quarter。〃
〃What　is　his　name？〃
〃He　is　named　Planchet；　who　himself　also　caused　a　rising
about　six　weeks　ago；　but　as　he　was　searched　for　after　this
emeute　he　disappeared。〃
〃And　can　you　find　him？〃
〃I　hope　so。　I　think　he　has　not　been　arrested；　and　as　I　am
his　wife's　confessor；　if　she　knows　where　he　is　I　shall　know
it　too。〃
〃Very　well；　sir；　find　this　man；　and　when　you　have　found　him
bring　him　to　me。〃
〃We　will　be　with　you　at　six　o'clock；　my　lord。〃
〃Go；　my　dear　curate；　and　may　God　assist　you！〃
〃And　you；　sir？〃　continued　Gondy；　turning　to　the　curate　of
St。　Sulpice。
〃I；　my　lord；〃　said　the　latter；　〃I　know　a　man　who　has
rendered　great　services　to　a　very　popular　prince　and　who
would　make　an　excellent　leader　of　revolt。　Him　I　can　place　at
your　disposal；　it　is　Count　de　Rochefort。〃
〃I　know　him　also；　but　unfortunately　he　is　not　in　Paris。〃
〃My　lord；　he　has　been　for　three　days　at　the　Rue　Cassette。〃
〃And　wherefore　has　he　not　been　to　see　me？〃
〃He　was　told　　my　lord　will　pardon　me　　〃
〃Certainly；　speak。〃
〃That　your　lordship　was　about　to　treat　with　the　court。〃
Gondy　bit　his　lips。
〃They　are　mistaken；　bring　him　here　at　eight　o'clock；　sir；
and　may　Heaven　bless　you　as　I　bless　you！〃
〃And　now　'tis　your　turn；〃　said　the　coadjutor；　turning　to　the
last　that　remained；　〃have　you　anything　as　good　to　offer　me
as　the　two　gentlemen　who　have　left　us？〃
〃Better；　my　lord。〃
〃Diable！　think　what　a　solemn　engagement　you　are　making；　one
has　offered　a　wealthy　shopkeeper；　the　other　a　count；　you　are
going；　then；　to　offer　a　prince；　are　you？〃
〃I　offer　you　a　beggar；　my　lord。〃
〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　Gondy；　reflecting；　〃you　are　right；　sir；　some
one　who　could　raise　the　legion　of　paupers　who　choke　up　the
crossings　of　Paris；　some　one　who　would　know　how　to　cry　aloud
to　them；　that　all　France　might　hear　it；　that　it　is　Mazarin
who　has　reduced　them　to　poverty。〃
〃Exactly　your　man。〃
〃Bravo！　and　the　man？〃
〃A　plain　and　simple　beggar；　as　I　have　said；　my　lord；　who
asks　for　alms；　as　he　gives　holy　water；　a　practice　he　has
carried　on　for　six　years　on　the　steps　of　St。　Eustache。〃
〃And　you　say　that　he　has　a　great　influence　over　his
compeers？〃
〃Are　you　aware；　my　lord；　that　mendacity　is　an　organized
body；　a　kind　of　association　of　those　who　have　nothing
against　those　who　have　everything；　an　association　in　which
every　one　takes　his　share；　one　that　elects　a　leader？〃
〃Yes；　I　have　heard　it　said；〃　replied　the　coadjutor。
〃Well；　the　man　whom　I　offer　you　is　a　general　syndic。〃
〃And　what　do　you　know　of　him？〃
〃Nothing；　my　lord；　except　that　he　is　tormented　with
remorse。〃
〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃
〃On　the　twenty…eighth　of　every　month　he　makes　me　say　a　mass
for　the　repose　of　the　soul　of　one　who　died　a　violent　death；
yesterday　I　said　this　mass　again。〃
〃And　his　name？〃
〃Maillard；　but　I　do　not　think　it　is　his　right　one。〃
〃And　think　you　that　we　should　find　him　at　this　hour　at　his
post？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Let　us　go　and　see　your　beggar；　sir；　and　if　he　is　such　as
you　describe　him；　you　are　right　　it　will　be　you　who　have
discovered　the　true　treasure。〃
Gondy　dressed　himself　as　an　officer；　put　on　a　felt　cap　with
a　red　feather；　hung　on　a　long　sword；　buckled　spurs　to　his
boots；　wrapped　himself　in　an　ample　cloak　and　followed　the
curate。
The　coadjutor　and　his　companion　passed　through　all　the
streets　lying　between　the　archbishopric　and　the　St。　Eustache
Church；　watching　carefully　to　ascertain　the　popular　feeling。
The　people　were　in　an　excited　mood；　but；　like　a　swarm　of
frightened　bees；　seemed　not　to　know　at　what　point　to
concentrate；　and　it　was　very　evident　that　if　leaders　of　the
people　were　not　provided　all　this　agitation　would　pass　off
in　idle　buzzing。
On　arriving　at　the　Rue　des　Prouvaires；　the　curate　pointed
toward　the　square　before　the　church。
〃Stop！〃　he　said；　〃there　he　is　at　his　post。〃
Gondy　looked　at　the　spot　indicated　and　perceived　a　beggar
seated　in　a　chair　and　leaning　against　one　of　the　moldings；　a
little　basin　was　near　him　and　he　held　a　holy　water　brush　in
his　hand。
〃Is　it　by　permission　that　he　remains　there？〃　asked　Gondy。
〃No；　my　lord；　these　places　are　bought。　I　believe　this　man
paid　his　predecessor　a　hundred　pistoles　for　his。〃
〃The　rascal　is　rich；　then？〃
〃Some　of　those　men　sometimes　die　worth　twenty　thousand　and
twenty…five　and　thirty　thousand　francs　and　sometimes　more。〃
〃Hum！〃　said　Gondy；　laughing；　〃I　was　not　aware　my　alms　were
so　well　invested。〃
In　the　meantime　they　were　advancing　toward　the　square；　and
the　moment　the　coadjutor　and　the　curate　put　their　feet　on
the　first　church　step　the　mendicant　arose　and　proffered　his
brush。
He　was　a　man　between　sixty…six　and　sixty…eight　years　of　age；
little；　rather　stout；　with　gray　hair　and　light　eyes。　His
countenance　denoted　the　struggle　between　two　opposite
principles　　a　wicked　nature；　subdued　by　determination；
perhaps　by　repentance。
He　started　on　seeing　the　cavalier　with　the　curate。　The
latter　and　the　coadjutor　touched　the　brush　with　the　tips　of
their　fingers