from the memoirs of a minister of france-第19章

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〃It　is　one　easily　answered；〃　she　retorted。　　〃If　you　do　not　know；　ask　her。〃

〃But；　perhaps；　madam；　she　will　not　answer；〃　I　ventured。

〃Then　command　her　to　answer　in　the　King's　name！〃　　the　queen　replied；　her　cheeks　burning　with　fever。　　〃And　if　she　will　not；　then　has　the　King　no　prisonsno　fetters　smooth　enough　for　those　dainty　ankles？〃

This　was　a　home　question；　and　Henry；　who　never　showed　to　less　advantage　than　when　he　stood　between　two　women；　cast　a　sheepish　glance　at　me。　　Unfortunately　the　queen　caught　the　look；　which　was　not　intended　for　her；　and　on　the　instant　it　awoke　all　her　former　suspicions。　　Supposing　that　she　had　discovered　our　collusion；　she　flung　herself　back　with　a　cry　of　rage；　and　bursting　into　a　passion　of　tears；　gave　way　to　frantic　reproaches；　wailing　and　throwing　herself　about　with　a　violence　which　could　not　but　injure　one　in　her　condition。

The　King　stared　at　her　for　a　moment　in　sheer　dismay。　　Then　his　chagrin　turned　to　anger；　which；　as　he　dared　not　vent　it　on　her；　took　my　direction。　　He　pointed　impetuously　to　the　door。　　〃Begone；　sir！〃　　he　said　in　a　passion；　and　with　the　utmost　harshness。　　〃You　have　done　mischief　enough　here。　　God　grant　that　we　see　the　end　of　it！　　Gogo！〃　　he　continued；　quite　beside　himself　with　fury。　〃Send　Galigai　here；　and　do　you　go　to　your　lodging　until　you　hear　from　me！〃

Overwhelmed　and　almost　stupefied　by　the　catastrophe；　I　found　my　way　out　I　hardly　knew　how；　and　sending　in　the　woman；　made　my　escape　from　the　ante…chamber。　　But　hasten　as　I　might；　my　disorder；　patent　to　a　hundred　curious　eyes；　betrayed　me；　and；　if　it　did　not　disclose　as　much　as　I　feared　or　the　inquisitive　desired；　told　more　than　any　had　looked　to　learn。　　Within　an　hour　it　was　known　at　Nemours　that　his　Majesty　had　dismissed　me　with　high　wordssome　said　with　a　blow；　and　half　a　dozen　couriers　were　on　the　road　to　Paris　with　the　news。

In　my　place　some　might　have　given　up　all　for　lost；　but　in　addition　to　a　sense　of　rectitude；　and　the　consciousness　of　desert；　I　had　to　support　me　an　intimate　knowledge　of　the　King's　temper；　which；　though　I　had　never　suffered　from　it　to　this　extent　before；　I　knew　to　be　on　occasion　as　hot　as　his　anger　was　short　lived；　and　his　disposition　generous。　　I　had　hopes；　therefore　although　I　saw　dull　faces　enough　among　my　suite；　and　some　pale　onesthat　the　King's　repentance　would　overtake　his　anger；　and　its　consequences　outstrip　any　that　might　flow　from　his　wrath。　But　though　I　was　not　altogether　at　fault　in　this；　I　failed　to　take　in　to　account　one　thingI　mean　Henry's　anxiety　on　the　queen's　account；　her　condition；　and　his　desire　to　have　an　heir；　which　so　affected　the　issue；　that　instead　of　fulfilling　my　expectations　the　event　left　me　more　despondent　than　before。　　The　King　wrote；　indeed；　and　within　the　hour；　and　his　letter　was　in　form　an　apology。　　But　it　was　so　lacking　in　graciousness；　so　stiff；　though　it　began　〃My　good　friend　Rosny；〃　and　so　insincere；　though　it　referred　to　my　past　services；　that　when　I　had　read　it　I　stood　awhile　gazing　at　it；　afraid　to　turn　lest　De　Vic　and　Varennes；　who　had　brought　it；　should　read　my　disappointment　in　my　face。

For　I　could　not　hide　from　myself　that　the　gist　of　the　letter　lay；　not　in　the　expressions　of　regret　which　opened　it；　but　in　the　complaint　which　closed　it；　wherein　the　King　sullenly　excused　his　outbreak　on　the　ground　of　the　magnitude　of　the　interests　which　my　carelessness　had　endangered　and　the　opening　to　harass　the　queen　which　I　had　heedlessly　given。　　〃This　cipher；〃　he　said；　〃has　long　been　a　whim　with　my　wife；　from　whom；　for　good　reasons　well　known　to　you　and　connected　with　the　Grand　Duke's　Court；　I　have　thought　fit　to　withhold　it。　　Now　nothing　will　persuade　her　that　I　have　not　granted　to　another　what　I　refused　her。　　I　tremble；　my　friend；　lest　you　be　found　to　have　done　more　ill　to　France　in　a　moment　of　carelessness　than　all　your　services　have　done　good。〃

It　was　not　difficult　to　find　a　threat　underlying　these　words；　nor　to　discern　that　if　the　queen's　fancy　remained　unshaken；　and　ill　came　of　it；　the　King　would　hardly　forgive　me。　　Recognising　this；　and　that　I　was　face　to　face　with　a　crisis　from　which　I　could　not　escape　but　by　the　use　of　my　utmost　powers；　I　assumed　a　serious　and　thoughtful　air；　and　without　affecting　to　disguise　the　fact　that　the　King　was　displeased　with　me；　dismissed　the　envoys　with　a　few　civil　speeches；　in　which　I　did　not　fail　to　speak　of　his　Majesty　in　terms　that　even　malevolence　could　not　twist　to　my　disadvantage。

When　they　were　gone；　doubtless　to　tell　Henry　how　I　had　taken　it；　I　sat　down　to　supper　with　La　Font；　Boisrueil；　and　two　or　three　gentlemen　of　my　suite；　and；　without　appearing　too　cheerful；　contrived　to　eat　with　my　usual　appetite。　　Afterwards　I　withdrew　in　the　ordinary　course　to　my　chamber；　and　being　now　at　liberty　to　look　the　situation　in　the　face；　found　it　as　serious　as　I　had　feared。　　The　falling　man　has　few　friends；　he　must　act　quickly　if　he　would　retain　any。　　I　was　not　slow　in　deciding　that　my　sole　chance　of　an　honourable　escape　lay　in　discoveringand　that　within　a　few　hourswho　stole　the　cipher　and　conveyed　it　to　Madame　de　Verneuil；　and　in　placing　before　the　queen　such　evidence　of　this　as　must　convince　her。

By　way　of　beginning；　I　summoned　Maignan　and　put　him　through　a　severe　examination。　　Later；　I　sent　for　the　rest　of　my　household　such；　I　mean；　as　had　accompanied　meand　ranging　them　against　the　walls　of　my　chamber；　took　a　flambeau　in　my　hand　and　went　the　round　of　them；　questioning　each；　and　marking　his　air　and　aspect　as　he　answered。　　But　with　no　result；　so　that　after　following　some　clues　to　no　purpose；　and　suspecting　several　persons　who　cleared　themselves　on　the　spot；　I　became　assured　that　the　chain　must　be　taken　up　at　the　other　end；　and　the　first　link　found　among　Madame　de　Verneuil's　following。

By　this　time　it　was　nearly　midnight；　and　my　people　were　dropping　with　fatigue。　　Nevertheless；　a　sense　of　the　desperate　nature　of　the　case　animating　them；　they　formed　themselves　voluntarily　into　a　kind　of　council；　all　feeling　their　probity　attacked；　in　which　various　modes　of　forcing　the　secret　from　those　who　held　it　were　proposedMaignan's　suggestions　being　especially　violent。　Doubting；　however；　whether　Madame　had　more　than　one　confidante；　I　secretly　made　up　my　mind　to　a　course　which　none　dared　to　suggest；　and　then　dismissing　all　to　bed；　kept　only　Maignan　to　lie　in　my　chamber；　that　if　any　points　occurred　to　me　in　the　night　I　might　question　him　on　them。

At　four　o'clock　I　called　him；　and　bade　him　go　out　quietly　and　saddle　two　horses。　　This　done；　I　slipped　out　myself　without　arousing　anyone；　and　mounting　at　the　stables；　took　the　Orleans　road　through　the　forest。　　My　plan　was　to　strike　at　the　head；　and　surprising　Madame　de　Verneuil　while　the　event；　still　hung　uncertain；　to　wrest　the　secret　from　her　by　trick　or　threat。　　The　enterprise　was　desperate；　for　I　knew　the　stubbornness　and　arrogance　of　the　woman；　and　the　inveterate　enmity　which　she　entertained　towards　me；　more　particularly　since　the　King's　marriage。　　But　in　a　dangerous　case　any　remedy　is　welcome。

I　reached　Malesherbes；　where　Madame　was　residing　with　her　parents；　a　little　before　seven　o'clock；　and　riding　without　disguise　to　the　chateau　demanded　to　see　her。　　She　was　not　yet　risen；　and　the　servants；　whom　my　appearance　threw　into　the　utmost　confusion；　objected　this　to　me；　but　I　knew　that　the　excuse　was　no　real　one；　and　answered　roughly　that　I　came　from　the　King；　and　must　see　her。　　This　opened　all　doors；　and　in　a　moment　I　found　myself　in　her　chamber。　　She　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　clothed　in　an　elegant　nightrail；　and　seemed　in　no　wise　surprised　to　see　me。　　On　the　contrary；　she　greeted　me　with　a　smile　and　a　taunting　word；　and　omitted　nothing　that　might　evince　her　disdain　or　hurt　my　dignity。　　She　let　me　advance　without　offering　me　a　chair；　and　when；　after　saluting　her；　I　looked　about　for　one；　I　found　that　all　the　seats　except　one　very　low　stool　had　been　removed　from　the　room。

This　was　so　like　her　that　it　did　not　astonish　me；　and　I　baffled　her　malice　by　leaning　against　the　wall。　　〃This　is　no　ordinary　honourfrom　M。　de　Rosny！〃　　she　said；　flouting　me　with　her　eyes。

〃I　come　on　no　ordinary　mission；　madame；〃　I　said　as　gravely　as　I　could。

〃Mercy！〃　　she　exclaimed　in　a　mocking　tone。　　〃I　should