from the memoirs of a minister of france-第17章

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〃I　do　not　know　that　he　is　dead；〃　Saintonge　answered。　　〃And；　for　that　matter；　if　he　were　alive　and　here　now　he　should　have　her。　　I　am　tired；　I　have　suffered　enough。〃

〃What！　　Do　you　tell　the　King；〃　the　young　fellow　replied　incredulously；　〃that　if　St。　Mesmin　were　here　you　would　give　him　your　daughter？〃

〃I　doI　do！〃　　the　other　exclaimed　passionately。　　〃To　be　rid　of　him；　and　you；　and　all　your　crew！〃

〃Tut；　tut！〃　　the　King　said。　　〃Whatever　betides；　I　will　answer　for　it；　you　shall　have　protection　and　justice；　M。　de　Saintonge。　　And　do　you；　young　sir；　be　silent。　　Be　silent；　do　you　hear！　　We　have　had　too　much　noise　introduced　into　this　already。〃

He　proceeded　then　to　ask　certain　details；　and　particularly　the　hour　at　which　St。　Mesmin　had　been　last　seen。　　Notwithstanding　that　these　facts　were　in　the　main　matters　of　common　agreement；　some　wrangling　took　place　over　them；　which　was　only　brought　to　an　end　at　last　in　a　manner　sufficiently　startling。　　The　King　with　his　usual　thoughtfulness　had　bidden　St。　Mesmin　be　seated。　　On　a　sudden　the　old　man　rose；　I　heard　him　utter　a　cry　of　amazement；　and　following　the　direction　of　his　eyes　I　looked　towards　the　door。　　There　stood　his　son！

At　an　appearance　so　unexpected　a　dozen　exclamations　filled　the　air；　but　to　describe　the　scene　which　ensued　or　the　various　emotions　that　were　evinced　by　this　or　that　person；　as　surprise　or　interest　or　affection　moved　them；　were　a　task　on　which　I　am　not　inclined　to　enter。　　Suffice　it　that　the　foremost　and　the　loudest　in　these　expressions　of　admiration　was　young　St。　Germain；　and　that　the　King；　after　glancing　from　face　to　face　in　puzzled　perplexity；　began　to　make　a　shrewd　guess　at　the　truth。

〃This　is　a　very　timely　return；　M。　de　St。　Mesmin；〃　he　said　drily。

〃Yes；　sire；〃　the　young　impertinent　answered；　not　a　whit　abashed。

〃Very　timely；　indeed。〃

〃Yes；　sire。　　And　the　more　as　St。　Germain　tells　me　that　M。　de　Saintonge　in　his　clemency　has　reconsidered　my　claims；　and　has　undertaken　to　use　that　influence　with　Mademoiselle　which〃

But　on　that　word　M。　de　Saintonge；　comprehending　the　RUSE　by　which　he　had　been　overcome；　cut　him　short；　crying　out　in　a　rage　that　he　would　see　him　in　perdition　first。　　However；　we　all　immediately　took　the　Marquis　in　hand；　and　made　it　our　business　to　reconcile　him　to　the　notion；　the　King　even　making　a　special　appeal　to　him；　and　promising　that　St。　Mesmin　should　never　want　his　good　offices。　Under　this　pressure；　and　confronted　by　his　solemn　undertaking；　Saintonge　at　last　and　with　reluctance　gave　way。　　At　the　King's　instance；　he　formally　gave　his　consent　to　a　match　which　effectually　secured　St。　Mesmin's　fortunes；　and　was　as　much　above　anything　the　young　fellow　could　reasonably　expect　as　his　audacity　and　coolness　exceeded　the　common　conceit　of　courtiers。

Many　must　still　remember　St。　Mesmin；　though　an　attack　of　the　small…pox；　which　disfigured　him　beyond　the　ordinary；　led　him　to　leave　Paris　soon　after　his　marriage。　　He　was　concerned；　I　believe；　in　the　late　ill…advised　rising　in　the　Vivarais；　and　at　that　time　his　wife　still　lived。　　But　for　some　years　past　I　have　not　heard　his　name；　and　only　now　recall　it　as　that　of　one　whose　adventures；　thrust　on　my　attention；　formed　an　amusing　interlude　in　the　more　serious　cares　which　now　demand　our　notice。



V。　THE　LOST　CIPHER。

I　might　spend　many　hours　in　describing　the　impression　which　this　great　Sovereign　made　upon　my　mind；　but　if　the　part　which　she　took　in　the　conversation　I　have　detailed　does　not　sufficiently　exhibit　those　qualities　of　will　and　intellect　which　made　her　the　worthy　compeer　of　the　King　my　master；　I　should　labour　in　vain。　Moreover；　my　stay　in　her　neighbourhood；　though　Raleigh　and　Griffin　showed　me　every　civility；　was　short。　　An　hour　after　taking　leave　of　her；　on　the　15th　of　August；　1601；　I　sailed　from　Dover；　and　crossing　to　Calais　without　mishap　anticipated　with　pleasure　the　King's　satisfaction　when　he　should　hear　the　result　of　my　mission；　and　learn　from　my　mouth　the　just　and　friendly　sentiments　which　Queen　Elizabeth　entertained　towards　him。

Unfortunately　I　was　not　able　to　impart　these　on　the　instant。　During　my　absence　a　trifling　matter　had　carried　the　King　to　Dieppe；　whence　his　anxiety　on　the　queen's　account；　who　was　shortly　to　be　brought　to　bed；　led　him　to　take　the　road　to　Paris。　He　sent　word　to　me　to　follow　him；　but　necessarily　some　days　elapsed　before　we　met；　an　opportunity　of　which　his　enemies　and　mine　were　quick　to　take　advantage；　and　that　so　insidiously　and　with　so　much　success　as　to　imperil　not　my　reputation　only　but　his　happiness。

The　time　at　their　disposal　was　increased　by　the　fact；　that　when　I　reached　the　Arsenal　I　found　the　Louvre　vacant；　the　queen；　who　lay　at　Fontainebleau；　having　summoned　the　King　thither。　　Ferret；　his　secretary；　however；　awaited　me　with　a　letter；　in　which　Henry；　after　expressing　his　desire　to　see　we；　bade　me　nevertheless　stay　in　Paris　a　day　to　transact　some　business。　　〃Then；〃　he　continued；　〃come　to　me；　my　friend；　and　we　will　discuss　the　matter　of　which　you　know。　　In　the　meantime　send　me　your　papers　by　Ferret；　who　will　give　you　a　receipt　for　them。〃

Suspecting　no　danger　in　a　course　which　was　usual　enough；　I　hastened　to　comply。　　Summoning　Maignan；　who；　whenever　I　travelled；　carried　my　portfolio；　I　unlocked　it；　and　emptying　the　papers　in　a　mass　on　the　table；　handed　them　in　detail　to　Ferret。　Presently；　to　my　astonishment；　I　found　that　one；　and　this　the　most　important；　was　missing。　　I　went　over　the　papers　again；　and　again；　and　yet　again。　　Still　it　was　not　to　be　found。

It　will　be　remembered　that　whenever　I　travelled　on　a　mission　of　importance　I　wrote　my　despatches　in　one　of　three　modes；　according　as　they　were　of　little；　great；　or　the　first　importance；　in　ordinary　characters　that　is；　in　a　cipher　to　which　the　council　possessed　the　key；　or　in　a　cipher　to　which　only　the　King　and　I　held　keys。　　This　last；　as　it　was　seldom　used；　was　rarely　changed；　but　it　was　my　duty；　on　my　return　from　each　mission；　immediately　to　remit　my　key　to　the　King；　who　deposited　it　in　a　safe　place　until　another　occasion　for　its　use　arose。

It　was　this　key　which　was　missing。　　I　had　been　accustomed　to　carry　it　in　the　portfolio　with　the　other　papers；　but　in　a　sealed　envelope　which　I　broke　and　again　sealed　with　my　own　signet　whenever　I　had　occasion　to　use　the　cipher。　　I　had　last　seen　the　envelope　at　Calais；　when　I　handed　the　portfolio　to　Maignan　before　beginning　my　journey　to　Paris；　the　portfolio　had　not　since　been　opened；　yet　the　sealed　packet　was　missing。

More　than　a　little　uneasy；　I　recalled　Maignan；　who　had　withdrawn　after　delivering　up　his　charge；　〃You　rascal！〃　　I　said　with　some　heat。　　〃Has　this　been　out　of　your　custody？〃

〃The　bag？〃　　he　answered；　looking　at　it。　　Then　his　face　changed。　〃You　have　cut　your　finger；　my　lord；〃　he　said。

I　had　cut　it　slightly　in　unbuckling　the　portfolio；　and　a　drop　or　two　of　blood　had　fallen　on　the　papers。　　But　his　reference　to　it　at　this　moment；　when　my　mind　was　full　of　my　loss；　angered　me；　and　even　awoke　my　suspicions。　　〃Silence！〃　　I　said；　〃and　answer　me。　Have　you　let　this　bag　out　of　your　possession？〃　　This　time　he　replied　straightforwardly　that　he　had　not。

〃Nor　unlocked　it？〃

〃I　have　no　key；　your　excellency。〃

That　was　true；　and　as　I　had　at　bottom　the　utmost　confidence　in　his　fidelity；　I　pursued　the　inquiry　no　farther　in　that　direction；　but　made　a　third　search　among　the　papers。　　This　also　failing　to　bring　the　packet　to　light；　and　Ferret　being　in　haste　to　be　gone；　I　was　obliged　for　the　moment　to　put　up　with　the　loss；　and　draw　what　comfort　I　could　from　the　reflection　that；　no　despatch　in　the　missing　cipher　was　extant。　　Whoever　had　stolen　it；　therefore；　another　could　be　substituted　for　it　and　no　one　the　worse。　　Still　I　was　unwilling　that　the　King　should　hear　of　the　mischance　from　a　stranger；　and　be　led　to　think　me　careless；　and　I　bade　Ferret　be　silent　about　it　unless　Henry　missed　the　packet；　which　might　not　happen　before　my　arrival。

When　the　secretary；　who　readily　assented；　had　given　me　his　receipt　and　was　gone；　I　questioned　Maignan　afresh　and　more　closely；　but　with　no　result。　　He　had　not　seen　me　place　the　packet　in　the　portfolio　at　Calais；　and　that　I　had　done　so　I　could　vouch　only　my　own　memory；　which　I　knew　to　be　fallible。　　In　the　mea