from the memoirs of a minister of france-第14章

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le　as　to　set　him　above　ordinary　rules。

From　this　time　I　began　to　watch　his　career　with　interest；　and　I　was　not　surprised　when；　in　less　than　a　month；　something　fell　out　that　led　the　whole　court　to　regard　him　with　a　mixture　of　amusement　and　expectancy。

One　evening；　after　leaving　the　King's　closet；　I　happened　to　pass　through　the　east　gallery　at　the　Louvre；　which　served　at　that　time　as　the　outer　antechamber；　and　was　the　common　resort　as　well　of　all　those　idlers　who；　with　some　pretensions　to　fashion；　lacked　the　ENTREE；　as　of　many　who　with　greater　claims　preferred　to　be　at　their　ease。　　My　passage　for　a　moment　stilled　the　babel　which　prevailed。　　But　I　had　no　sooner　reached　the　farther　door　than　the　noise　broke　out　again；　and　this　with　so　sudden　a　fury；　the　tumult　being　augmented　by　the　crashing　fall　of　a　table；　as　caused　me　at　the　last　moment　to　stand　and　turn。　　A　dozen　voices　crying　simultaneously；　〃Have　a　care！〃　　and　〃Not　here！　　not　here！〃　　and　all　looking　the　same　way；　I　was　able　to　detect　the　three　principals　in　the　FRACAS。　　They　were　no　other　than　M。　de　St。　Mesmin；　Barradasa　low　fellow；　still　remembered；　who　was　already　what　Saintonge　had　prophesied　that　the　former　would　becomeand　young　St。　Germain；　the　eldest　son　of　M。　de　Clan。

I　rather　guessed　than　heard　the　cause　of　the　quarrel；　and　that　St。　Mesmin；　putting　into　words　what　many　had　known　for　years　and　some　made　their　advantage　of；　had　accused　Barradas　of　cheating。　The　latter's　fury　was；　of　course；　proportioned　to　his　guilt；　an　instant　challenge　while　I　looked　was　his　natural　answer。　　This；　as　he　was　a　consummate　swordsman；　and　had　long　earned　his　living　as　much　by　fear　as　by　fraud；　should　have　been　enough　to　stay　the　greediest　stomach；　but　St。　Mesmin　was　not　content。　　Treating　the　knave；　the　word　once　passed；　as　so　much　dirt；　he　transferred　his　attack　to　St。　Germain；　and　called　on　him　to　return　the　money　he　had　won　by　betting　on　Barradas。

St。　Germain；　a　young　spark　as　proud　and　headstrong　as　St。　Mesmin　himself；　and　possessed　of　friends　equal　to　his　expectations；　flung　back　a　haughty　refusal。　　He　had　the　advantage　in　station　and　popularity；　and　by　far　the　larger　number　of　those　present　sided　with　him。　　I　lingered　a　moment　in　curiosity；　looking　to　see　the　accuser　with　all　his　boldness　give　way　before　the　almost　unanimous　expression　of　disapproval。　　But　my　former　judgment　of　him　had　been　correctly　formed；　so　far　from　being　browbeaten　or　depressed　by　his　position；　he　repeated　the　demand　with　a　stubborn　persistence　that　marvellously　reminded　me　of　Crillon；　and　continued　to　reiterate　it　until　all；　except　St。　Germain　himself；　were　silent。　　〃You　must　return　my　money！〃　　he　kept　on　saying　monotonously。　　〃You　must　return　my　money。　　This　man　cheated；　and　you　won　my　money。　　You　must　pay　or　fight。〃

〃With　a　dead　man？〃　　St。　Germain　replied；　gibing　at　him。

〃No；　with　me。〃

〃Barradas　will　spit　you！〃　　The　other　scoffed。　　〃Go　and　order　your　coffin；　and　do　not　trouble　me。〃

〃I　shall　trouble　you。　　If　you　did　not　know　that　he　cheated；　pay；　and　if　you　did　know；　fight。〃

〃I　know？〃　　St。　Germain　retorted　fiercely。　　〃You　madman！　　Do　you　mean　to　say　that　I　knew　that　he　cheated？〃

〃I　mean　what　I　say！〃　　St。　Mesmin　returned　stolidly。　　〃You　have　won　my　money。　　You　must　return　it。　　If　you　will　not　return　it；　you　must　fight。〃

I　should　have　heard　more；　but　at　that　moment　the　main　door　opened；　and　two　or　three　gentlemen　who　had　been　with　the　King　came　out。　　Not　wishing　to　be　seen　watching　the　brawl；　I　moved　away　and　descended　the　stairs；　and　Varenne　overtaking　me　a　moment　later；　and　entering　on　the　Biron　affairof　which　I　had　just　been　discussing　the　latest　developments　with　the　KingI　forgot　St。　Mesmin　for　the　time；　and　only　recalled　him　next　morning　when　Saintonge；　being　announced；　came　into　my　room　in　a　state　of　great　excitement；　and　almost　with　his　first　sentence　brought　out　his　name。

〃Barradas　has　not　killed　him　then？〃　　I　said；　reproaching　myself　in　a　degree　for　my　forgetfulness。

〃No！　　He；　Barradas！〃　　Saintonge　answered。

〃No？〃　　I　exclaimed。

〃Yes！〃　　he　said。　　〃I　tell　you；　M。　le　Marquis；　he　is　a　devil　of　a　fellowa　devil　of　a　fellow！　　He　fought；　I　am　told；　just　like　Crillon；　rushed　in　on　that　rascal　and　fairly　beat　down　his　guard；　and　had　him　pinned　to　the　ground　before　he　knew　that　they　had　crossed　swords！〃

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃there　is　one　scoundrel　the　less。　　That　is　all。〃

〃Ah；　but　that　is　not　all！〃　　my　visitor　replied　more　seriously。　〃It　should　be；　but　it　is　not；　and　it　is　for　that　reason　I　am　come　to　you。　　You　know　St。　Germain？〃

〃I　know　that　his　father　and　you　arewell；　that　you　take　opposite　sides；〃　I　said　smiling。

〃That　is　pretty　well　known；〃　he　answered　coldly。　　〃Anyway；　this　lad　is　to　fight　St。　Germain　to…morrow；　and　now　I　hear　that　M。　de　Clan；　St。　Germain's　father；　is　for　shutting　him　up。　　Getting　a　LETTRE　DE　CACHET　or　anything　else　you　please；　and　away　with　him。〃

〃What！　　St。　Germain？〃　　I　said。

〃No！〃　　M。　de　Saintonge　answered；　prolonging　the　sound　to　the　utmost。　　〃St。　Mesmin！〃

〃Oh；〃　I　said；　〃I　see。〃

〃Yes；〃　the　Marquis　retorted　pettishly；　〃but　I　don't。　　I　don't　see。　　And　I　beg　to　remind　you；　M。　de　Rosny；　that　this　lad　is　my　wife's　second　cousin　through　her　step…father；　and　that　I　shall　resent　any　interference　with　him。　　I　have　spent　enough　and　done　enough　in　the　King's　service　to　have　my　wishes　respected　in　a　small　matter　such　as　this；　and　I　shall　regard　any　severity　exercised　towards　my　kinsman　as　a　direct　offence　to　myself。　Whereas　M。　de　Clan；　who　will　doubtless　be　here　in　a　few　minutes；　is〃

〃But　stop；〃　I　said；　interrupting　him；　〃I　heard　you　speaking　of　this　young　fellow　the　other　day。　　You　did　not　tell　me　then　that　he　was　your　kinsman。〃

〃Nevertheless　he　is；　my　wife's　second　cousin；〃　he　answered　with　heat。

〃And　you　wish　him　to〃

〃Be　let　alone！〃　　he　replied　interrupting　me　in　his　turn　more　harshly　than　I　approved。　　〃I　wish　him　to　be　let　alone。　　If　he　will　fight　St。　Germain；　and　kill　or　be　killed；　is　that　the　King's　affair　that　he　need　interfere？　　I　ask　for　no　interference；〃　M。　de　Saintonge　continued　bitterly；　〃only　for　fair　play　and　no　favour。　And　for　M。　de　Clan　who　is　a　Republican　at　heart；　and　a　Bironist；　and　has　never　done　anything　but　thwart　the　King；　for　him　to　come　now；　andfaugh！　　it　makes　me　sick。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said　drily；　〃I　see。〃

〃You　understand　me？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃I　think　so。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　replied　haughtilyhe　had　gradually　wrought　himself　into　a　passion；　〃be　good　enough　to　bear　my　request　in　mind　then；　and　my　services　also。　　I　ask　no　more；　M。　de　Rosny；　than　is　due　to　me　and　to　the　King's　honour。〃

And　with　that；　and　scarcely　an　expression　of　civility；　he　left　me。　　Some　may　wonder；　I　know；　that；　having　in　the　Edict　of　Blois；　which　forbade　duelling　and　made　it　a　capital　offence；　an　answer　to　convince　even　his　arrogance；　I　did　not　use　this　weapon；　but；　as　a　fact；　the　edict　was　not　published　until　the　following　June；　when；　partly　in　consequence　of　this　affair　and　at　my　instance；　the　King　put　it　forth。

Saintonge　could　scarcely　have　cleared　the　gates　before　his　prediction　was　fulfilled。　　His　enemy　arrived　hot　foot；　and　entered　to　me　with　a　mien　so　much　lowered　by　anxiety　and　trouble　that　I　hardly　knew　him　for　the　man　who　had　a　hundred　times　rebuffed　me；　and　whom　the　King's　offers　had　found　consistently　obdurate。　　All　I　had　ever　known　of　M。　de　Clan　heightened　his　present　humility　and　strengthened　his　appeal；　so　that　I　felt　pity　for　him　proportioned　not　only　to　his　age　and　necessity；　but　to　the　depth　of　his　fall。　　Saintonge　had　rightly　anticipated　his　request；　the　first；　he　said；　with　a　trace　of　his　old　pride；　that　he　had　made　to　the　King　in　eleven　years：　　his　son；　his　only　son　and　only　childthe　single　heir　of　his　name！　　He　stopped　there　and　looked　at　me；　his　eyes　bright；　his　lips　trembling　and　moving　without　sound；　his　hands　fumbling　on　his　knees。

〃But；〃　I　said；　〃your　son　wishes　to　fight；　M。　de　Clan？〃

He　nodded。

〃And　you　cannot　hinder　him？〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders　grimly。　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃he　is　a　St。　Germain。〃

〃Well；　that　is　just　my　case；〃　I　answered。　　〃You　see　this　young　fellow　St。　Mesmin　was　commended　to　me；　and　is；　in　a　manner；　of　my　household；　and　that　is　a　fatal　objection。　　I　cannot　possibly　act　agai