from the memoirs of a minister of france-第15章

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〃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　against　him　in　the　manner　you　propose。　　You　must　see　that；　and　for　my　wishes；　he　respects　them　less　than　your　son　regards　yours。〃

M。　de　Clan　rose；　trembling　a　little　on　his　legs；　and　glaring　at　me　out　of　his　fierce　old　eyes。　　〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　as　much　as　I　expected。　　Times　are　changedand　faithssince　the　King　of　Navarre　slept　under　the　same　bush　with　Antoine　St。　Germain　on　the　night　before　Cahors！　　I　wish　you　good…day；　M。　le　Marquis。〃

I　need　not　say　that　my　sympathies　were　with　him；　and　that　I　would　have　helped　him　if　I　could；　but　in　accordance　with　the　maxim　which　I　have　elsewhere　explained；　that　he　who　places　any　consideration　before　the　King's　service　is　not　fit　to　conduct　it；　I　did　not　see　my　way　to　thwart　M。　de　Saintonge　in　a　matter　so　small。　　And　the　end　justified　my　inaction；　for　the　duel；　taking　place　that　evening；　resulted　in　nothing　worse　than　a　serious；　but　not　dangerous；　wound　which　St。　Mesmin；　fighting　with　the　same　fury　as　in　the　morning；　contrived　to　inflict　on　his　opponent。

For　some　weeks　after　this　I　saw　little　of　the　young　firebrand；　though　from　time　to　time　he　attended　my　receptions　and　invariably　behaved　to　me　with　a　modesty　which　proved　that　he　placed　some　bounds　to　his　presumption。　　I　heard；　moreover；　that　M。　de　Saintonge；　in　acknowledgment　of　the　triumph　over　the　St。　Germains　which　he　had　afforded　him；　had　taken　him　up；　and　that　the　connection　between　the　families　being　publicly　avowed；　the　two　were　much　together。

Judge　of　my　surprise；　therefore；　when　one　day　a　little　before　Christmas；　M。　de　Saintonge　sought　me　at　the　Arsenal　during　the　preparation　of　the　plays　and　interludeswhich　were　held　there　that　yearand；　drawing　me　aside　into　the　garden；　broke　into　a　furious　tirade　against　the　young　fellow。

〃But；〃　I　said；　in　immense　astonishment；　〃what　is　this？　　I　thought　that　he　was　a　young　man　quite　to　your　mind；　and〃

〃He　is　mad！〃　　he　answered。

〃Mad？〃　　I　said。

〃Yes；　mad！〃　　he　repeated；　striking　the　ground　violently　with　his　cane。　　〃Stark　mad；　M。　de　Rosny。　　He　does　not　know　himself！　　What　do　you　thinkbut　it　is　inconceivable。　　He　proposes　to　marry　my　daughter！　　This　penniless　adventurer　honours　Mademoiselle　de　Saintonge　by　proposing　for　her！〃

〃Pheugh！〃　　I　said。　　〃That　is　serious。〃

〃Hehe！　　I　don't　think　I　shall　ever　get　over　it！〃　　he　answered。

〃He　has；　of　course；　seen　Mademoiselle？〃

M。　de　Saintonge　nodded。

〃At　your　house；　doubtless？〃

〃Of　course！〃　　he　replied；　with　a　snap　of　rage。

〃Then　I　am　afraid　it　is　serious；〃　I　said。

He　stared　at　me；　and　for　an　instant　I　thought　that　he　was　going　to　quarrel　with　me。　　Then　he　asked　me　why。

I　was　not　sorry　to　have　this　opportunity　of　at　once　increasing　his　uneasiness；　and　requiting　his　arrogance。　　〃Because；〃　I　said；　〃this　young　man　appears　to　me　to　be　very　much　out　of　the　common。　Hitherto；　whatever　he　has　said　he　would　do；　he　has　done。　　You　remember　Crillon？　　Well；　I　trace　a　likeness。　　St。　Mesmin　has　much　of　his　headlong　temper　and　savage　determination。　　If　you　will　take　my　advice；　you　will　proceed　with　caution。〃

M。　de　Saintonge；　receiving　an　answer　so　little　to　his　mind；　was　almost　bursting　with　rage。　　〃Proceed　with　caution！〃　　he　cried。　〃You　talk　as　if　the　thing　could　be　entertained；　or　as　if　I　had　cause　to　fear　the　coxcomb！　　On　the　contrary；　I　intend　to　teach　him　a　lesson　a　little　confinement　will　cool　his　temper。　　You　must　give　me　a　letter；　my　friend；　and　we　will　clap　him　in　the　Bastille　for　a　month　or　two。〃

〃Impossible；〃　I　said　firmly。　　〃Quite　impossible；　M。　le　Marquis。〃

M。　de　Saintonge　looked　at　me；　frowning。　　〃How？〃　　he　said　arrogantly。　　〃Have　my　services　earned　no　better　answer　than　that？〃

〃You　forget；〃　I　replied。　　〃Let　me　remind　you　that　less　than　a　month　ago　you　asked　me　not　to　interfere　with　St。　Mesmin；　and　at　your　instance　I　refused　to　accede　to　M。　de　Clan's　request　that　I　would　confine　him。　　You　were　then　all　for　non…interference；　M。　de　Saintonge；　and　I　cannot　blow　hot　and　cold。　　Besides；　to　be　plain　with　you；〃　I　continued；　〃even　if　that　were　not　the　case；　this　young　fellow　is　in　a　manner　under　my　protection；　which　renders　it　impossible　for　me　to　move　against　him。　　If　you　like；　however；　I　will　speak　to　him。〃

〃Speak　to　him！〃　　M。　de　Saintonge　cried。　　He　was　breathless　with　rage。　　He　could　say　no　more。　　It　may　be　imagined　how　unpalatable　my　answer　was　to　him。

But　I　was　not　disposed　to　endure　his　presumption　and　ill…temper　beyond　a　certain　point；　and　feeling　no　sympathy　with　him　in　a　difficulty　which　he　had　brought　upon　himself　by　his　spitefulness；　I　answered　him　roundly。　　〃Yes；〃　I　said；〃　I　will　speak　to　him；　if　you　please。　　But　not　otherwise。　　I　can　assure　you；　I　should　not　do　it　for　everyone。〃

But　M。　de　Saintonge's　chagrin　and　rage　at　finding　himself　thus　rebuffed；　in　a　quarter　where　his　haughty　temper　had　led　him　to　expect　an　easy　compliance；　would　not　allow　him　to　stoop　to　my　offer。　　He　flung　away　with　expressions　of　the　utmost　resentment；　and　even　in　the　hearing　of　my　servants　uttered　so　many　foolish　and　violent　things　against　me；　that　had　my　discretion　been　no　greater　than　his　I　must　have　taken　notice　of　them。　　As；　however；　I　had　other　and　more　important　affairs　upon　my　hands；　and　it　has　never　been　my　practice　to　humour　such　hot…heads　by　placing　myself　on　a　level　with　them；　I　was　content　to　leave　his　punishment　to　St。　Mesmin；　assured　that　in　him　M。　Saintonge　would　find　an　opponent　more　courageous　and　not　less　stubborn　than　himself。

The　event　bore　me　out；　for　within　a　week　M。　de　St。　Mesmin's　pretensions　to　the　hand　of　Mademoiselle　de　Saintonge　shared　with　the　Biron　affair　the　attention　of　all　Paris。　　The　young　lady；　whose　reputation　and　the　care　which　had　been　spent　on　her　breeding；　no　less　than　her　gifts　of　person　and　character；　deserved　a　better　fate；　attained　in　a　moment　a　notoriety　far　from　enviable；　rumour's　hundred　tongues　alleging；　and　probably　with　truthfor　what　father　can　vie　with　a　gallant　in　a　maiden's　eyes？that　her　inclinations　were　all　on　the　side　of　the　pretender。　　At　any　rate；　St。　Mesmin　had　credit　for　them；　there　was　talk　of　stolen　meetings　and　a　bribed　waiting…woman；　and　though　such　tales　were　probably　as　false　as　those　who　gave　them　currency　were　fair；　they　obtained　credence　with　the　thoughtless；　and　being　repeated　from　one　to　another；　in　time　reached　her　father's　ears；　and　contributed　with　St。　Mesmin's　persecution　to　render　him　almost　beside　himself。

Doubtless　with　a　man　of　less　dogged　character；　or　one　more　amenable　to　reason；　the　Marquis　would　have　known　how　to　deal；　but　the　success　which　had　hitherto　rewarded　St。　Mesmin's　course　of　action　had　confirmed　the　young　man　in　his　belief　that　everything　was　to　be　won　by　courage；　so　that　the　more　the　Marquis　blustered　and　threatened　the　more　persistent　the　suitor　showed　himself。　Wherever　Mademoiselle's　presence　was　to　be　expected；　St。　Mesmin　appeared；　dressed　in　the　extreme　of　the　fashion　and　wearing　either　a　favour　made　of　her　colours　or　a　glove　which　he　asserted　that　she　had　given　him。　　Throwing　himself　in　her　road　on　every　occasion；　he　expressed　his　passion　by　the　most　extravagant　looks　and　gestures；　and　protected　from　the　shafts　of　ridicule　alike　by　his　self…esteem　and　his　prowess；　did　a　hundred　things　that　rendered　her　conspicuous　and　must　have　covered　another　than　himself　with　inextinguishable　laughter。

In　these　circumstances　M。　de　Saintonge　began　to　find　that　the　darts　which　glanced　off　his　opponent's　armour　were　making　him　their　butt；　and　that　he；　who　had　valued　himself　all　his　life　on　a　stately　dignity　and　a　pride：　　almost　Spanish；　was　rapidly　becoming　the　laughing…stock　of　the　Court。　　His　rage　may　be　better　imagined　than　described；　and　doubtless　his　daughter　did　not　go　unscathed。　But　the　ordinary　contemptuous　refusal　which　would　have　sent　another　suitor　about　his　business　was　of　no　avail　here；　he　had　no　son；　while　St。　Mesmin's　recklessness　rendered　the　boldest　unwilling　to　engage　him。　　Saintonge　found　himself　therefore　at　his　wits'　end；　and　in　this　emergency　bethought　him　again　of　a　LETTRE　DE　CACHET。　　But　the　King　proved　as