from the memoirs of a minister of france-第13章

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〃That　one；〃　the　Mayor　said；　pointing　to　the　solemn　man；　whose　gravity　and　depression　were　now　something　preternatural。

〃Oh！〃　　M。　de　Laval　grumbled。　　〃But　that　is　not　all；　I　suppose。　What　of　the　others？〃

M。　Grabot　pointed　to　me。　　〃That　one；〃　he　said

He　got　no　farther；　for　M。　de　Laval；　springing　forward；　seized　my　hand　and　saluted　me　warmly。　　〃Why；　your　excellency；〃　he　cried；　in　a　tone　of　boundless　surprise；　〃what　are　you　doing　in　this　GALERE！　All　last　evening　I　waited　for　you；　at　my　house；　and　now〃

〃Here　I　am；〃　I　answered　jocularly；　〃in　charge　it　seems；　M。　le　Comte！〃

〃MON　DIEU！〃　　he　cried。　　〃I　don't　understand　it！〃

I　shrugged　my　shoulders。　　〃Don't　ask　me；〃　I　said。　　〃Perhaps　your　friend　the　Mayor　call　tell　you。〃

〃But；　Monsieur；　I　do　not　understand；〃　the　Mayor　answered　piteously；　his　mouth　agape　with　horror；　his　fat　cheeks　turning　in　a　moment　all　colours。　　〃This　gentleman；　whom　you　seem　to　know；　Monsieur　le　Comte〃

〃Is　the　Marquis　de　Rosny；　President　of　the　Council；　blockhead！〃　Laval　cried　irately。　　〃You　madman！　　you　idiot！〃　　he　continued；　as　light　broke　in　upon　him；　and　he　saw　that　it　was　indeed　on　a　fool's　errand　that　he　had　been　roused　so　early。　　〃Is　this　your　conspiracy？　　Have　you　dared　to　bring　me　here〃

But　I　thought　that　it　was　time　to　interfere。　　〃The　truth　is；〃　I　said；　〃that　M。　Grabot　here　is　not　so　much　to　blame。　　He　was　the　victim　of　a　trick　which　these　rascals　played　on　him；　and　in　an　idle　moment　I　let　it　go　on。　　That　is　the　whole　secret。　　However；　I　forgive　him　for　his　officiousness　since　it　brings　us　together；　and　I　shall　now　have　the　pleasure　of　your　company　to　Vitre。〃

Laval　assented　heartily　to　this；　and　I　did　not　think　fit　to　tell　him　more；　nor　did　he　inquire；　the　Mayor's　stupidity　passing　current　for　all。　　For　M。　Grabot　himself；　I　think　that　I　never　saw　a　man　more　completely　confounded。　　He　stood　staring　with　his　mouth　open；　and；　as　much　deserted　as　the　statesman　who　has　fallen　from　office；　had　not　the　least　credit　even　with　his　own　sycophants；　who　to　a　man　deserted　him　and　flocked　about　the　Mayor　of　Gol。　　Though　I　had　no　reason　to　pity　him；　and；　indeed；　thought　him　well　punished；　I　took　the　opportunity　of　saying　a　word　to　him　before　I　mounted；　which；　though　it　was　only　a　hint　that　he　should　deal　gently　with　the　woman　of　the　house；　was　received　with　servility　equal　to　the　arrogance　he　had　before　displayed；　and　I　doubt　not　it　had　all　the　effect　I　desired。　　For　the　strollers；　I　did　not　forget　them；　but　bade　them　hasten　to　Vitre；　where　I　would　see　a　performance。　　They　did　so；　and　hitting　the　fancy　of　Zamet；　who　chanced　to　be　still　there；　and　who　thought　that　he　saw　profit　in　them；　they　came　on　his　invitation　to　Paris；　where　they　took　the　Court　by　storm。　　So　that　an　episode　trifling　in　itself；　and　such　as　on　my　part　requires　some　apology；　had　for　them　consequences　of　no　little　importance。



IV。　LA　TOUSSAINT。

Towards　the　autumn　of　1601；　when　the　affair　of　M。　de　Biron；　which　was　so　soon　to　fill　the　mouths　of　the　vulgar；　was　already　much　in　the　minds　of　those　whom　the　King　honoured　with　his　confidence；　I　was　one　day　leaving　the　hall　at　the　Arsenal；　after　giving　audience　to　such　as　wished　to　see　me；　when　Maignan　came　after　me　and　detained　me；　reporting　that　a　gentleman　who　had　attended　early；　but　had　later　gone　into　the　garden；　was　still　in　waiting。　While　Maignan　was　still　speaking　the　stranger　himself　came　up；　with　some　show　of　haste　but　none　of　embarrassment；　and；　in　answer　to　my　salutation　and　inquiry　what　I　could　do　for　him；　handed　me　a　letter。　　He　had　the　air　of　a　man　not　twenty；　his　dress　was　a　trifle　rustic；　but　his　strong　and　handsome　figure　set　off　a　face　that　would　have　been　pleasing　but　for　a　something　fierce　in　the　aspect　of　his　eyes。　　Assured　that　I　did　not　know　him；　I　broke　the　seal　of　his　letter　and　found　that　it　was　from　my　old　flame　Madame　de　Bray；　who；　as　Mademoiselle　de　St。　Mesmin；　had　come　so　near　to　being　my　wife；　as　will　be　remembered　by　those　who　have　read　the　early　part　of　these　memoirs。

The　young　man　proved　to　be　her　brother；　whom　she　commended　to　my　good　offices；　the　impoverishment　of　the　family　being　so　great　that　she　could　compass　no　more　regular　method　of　introducing　him　to　the　world；　though　the　house　of　St。　Mesmin　is　truly　respectable　and；　like　my　own；　allied　to　several　of　the　first　consequence。　Madame　de　Bray　recalled　our　old　TENDRESSE　to　my　mind；　and　conjured　me　so　movingly　by　itand　by　the　regard　which　her　family　had　always　entertained　for　methat　I　could　not　dismiss　the　application　with　the　hundred　others　of　like　tenor　that　at　that　time　came　to　me　with　each　year。　　That　I　might　do　nothing　in　the　dark；　however；　I　invited　the　young　fellow　to　walk　with　me　in　the　garden；　and　divined；　even　before　he　spoke；　from　the　absence　of　timidity　in　his　manner；　that　he　was　something　out　of　the　common。　〃So　you　have　come　to　Paris　to　make　your　fortune？〃　　I　said。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　answered。

〃And　what　are　the　tools　with　which　you　propose　to　do　it？〃　　I　continued；　between　jest　and　earnest。

〃That　letter；　sir；〃　he　answered　simply；　〃and；　failing　that；　two　horses；　two　suits　of　clothes；　and　two　hundred　crowns。〃

〃You　think　that　those　will　suffice？〃　　I　said；　laughing。

〃With　this；　sir；〃　he　answered；　touching　his　sword；　〃and　a　good　courage。〃

I　could　not　but　stand　amazed　at　his　coolness；　for　he　spoke　to　me　as　simply　as　to　a　brother；　and　looked　about　him　with　as　much　or　as　little　curiosity　as　Guise　or　Montpensier。　　It　was　evident　that　he　thought　a　St。　Mesmin　equal　to　any　man　under　the　King；　and　that　of　all　the　St。　Mesmins　he　did　not　value　himself　least。

〃Well；〃　I　said；　after　considering　him；　〃I　do　not　think　that　I　can　help　you　much　immediately。　　I　should　be　glad　to　know；　however；　what　plans　you　have　formed　for　yourself。〃

〃Frankly；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　thought　of　this　as　I　travelled；　and　I　decided　that　fortune　can　be　won　by　three　thingsby　gold；　by　steel；　and　by　love。　　The　first　I　have　not；　and　for　the　last　I　have　a　better　use。　　Only　the　second　is　left。　　I　shall　be　Crillon。〃

I　looked　at　him　in　astonishment；　for　the　assurance　of　his　manner　exceeded　that　of　his　words。　　But　I　did　not　betray　the　feeling。　〃Crillon　was　one　in　a　million；〃　I　said　drily。

〃So　am　I；〃　he　answered。

I　confess　that　the　audacity　of　this　reply　silenced　me。　　I　reflected　that　the　young　man　whobrought　up　in　the　depths　of　the　country；　and　without　experience；　training　or　fashioncould　so　speak　in　the　face　of　Paris　was　so　far　out　of　the　common　that　I　hesitated　to　dash　his　hopes　in　the　contemptuous　way　which　seemed　most　natural。　　I　was　content　to　remind　him　that　Crillon　had　lived　in　times　of　continual　war；　whereas　now　we　were　at　peace；　and；　bidding　him　come　to　me　in　a　week；　I　hinted　that　in　Paris　his　crowns　would　find　more　frequent　opportunities　of　leaving　his　pockets　than　his　sword　its　sheath。

He　parted　from　me　with　this；　seeming　perfectly　satisfied　with　his　reception；　and　marched　away　with　the　port　of　a　man　who　expected　adventures　at　every　corner；　and　was　prepared　to　make　the　most　of　them。　　Apparently　he　did　not　take　my　hint　greatly　to　heart；　however；　for　when　I　next　met　him；　within　the　week；　he　was　fashionably　dressed；　his　hair　in　the　mode；　and　his　company　as　noble　as　himself。　　I　made　him　a　sign　to　stop；　and　he　came　to　speak　to　me。

〃How　many　crowns　are　＇eft？〃　　I　said　jocularly。

〃Fifty；〃　he　answered；　with　perfect　readiness。

〃What！〃　　I　said；　pointing　to　his　equipment　with　something　of　the　indignation　I　felt；　〃has　this　cost　the　balance？

〃No；〃　he　answered。　　〃On　the　contrary；　I　have　paid　three　months'　rent　in　advance　and　a　month's　board　at　Zaton's；　I　have　added　two　suits　to　my　wardrobe；　and　I　have　lost　fifty　crowns　on　the　dice。〃

〃You　promise　well！〃　　I　said。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders　quite　in　the　fashionable　manner。　〃Always　courage！〃　　he　said；　and　he　went　on；　smiling。

I　was　walking　at　the　time　with　M。　de　Saintonge；　and　be　muttered；　with　a　sneer；　that　it　was　not　difficult　to　see　the　end；　or　that　within　the　year　the　young　braggart　would　sink　to　be　a　gaming…　house　bully。　　I　said　nothing；　but　I　confess　that　I　thought　otherwise；　the　lad's　disposition　of　his　money　and　his　provision　for　the　future　seeming　to　me　so　remarkable　as　to　set　him　above　ordinary　rules。

From　this　time　I　began　to　watch