from the memoirs of a minister of france-第23章

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Then　she　confessed　that　the　cousin　was　also　the　lover；　and　had　before　employed　her　to　disclose　what　went　on　in　my　household；　and　anything　of　value　that　could　be　discovered　there。　　Doubtless　the　girl；　for　whom　my　wife；　in　spite　of　her　occasional　fits　of　reserve　and　temper；　entertained　no　little　liking；　enjoyed　many　opportunities　of　prying；　and　would　have　continued　still　to　serve　him　had　not　this　last　piece　of　villainy；　with　the　stir　which　it　caused　in　the　house　and　the　rigorous　punishment　to　be　expected　in　the　event　of　discovery；　proved　too　much　for　her　nerves。　　Hence　this　burst　of　confession；　which　once　allowed　to　flow；　ran　on　almost　against　her　will。　　Nor　did　I　let　her　pause　to　consider　the　full　meaning　of　what　she　was　saying　until　I　had　learned　that　Vilain　was　to　meet　the　ambassador's　agent　an　hour　after　sunset　at　the　east　end　of　a　clump　of　trees　which　stood　in　the　park；　and　being　situate　between　his；　Vilain's；　residence　and　the　chateau；　formed　a　convenient　place　for　such　a　transaction。

〃He　will　have　it　about　him？〃　　I　said。

She　sobbed　a　moment；　but　presently　confessed。　　〃Yes；　or　it　will　be　in　the　hollow　of　the　most　easterly　tree。　　He　was　to　leave　it　there；　if　the　agent　could　not　keep　the　appointment。〃

〃Good！〃　　I　said；　and　then；　having　assured　myself　by　one　or　two　questions　of　that；　of　which　her　state　of　distress　and　agitation　left　me　in　little　doubtnamely；　that　she　was　telling　the　truth　I　committed　her　to　my　wife's　care；　bidding　the　Duchess　lock　her　up　in　a　safe　place　upstairs；　and　treat　her　to　bread　and　water　until　I　had　taken　the　steps　necessary　to　prove　the　fact；　and　secure　the　paper。

After　thisbut　I　should　be　tedious　were　I　to　describe　the　alternations　of　hope　and　fear　in　which　I　passed　the　period　of　suspense。　　Suffice　it　that　I　informed　no　one；　not　even　Maignan；　of　what　I　had　discovered；　but　allowed　those　in　the　secret　of　the　loss　still　to　pursue　their　efforts；　while　I；　by　again　attending　the　Court；　endeavoured　at　once　to　mitigate　the　King's　impatience　and　persuade　the　world　that　all　was　well。　　A　little　before　the　appointed　time；　however　I　made　a　pretext　to　rise　from　supper；　and　quietly　calling　out　Boisrueil；　bade　him　bring　four　of　the　men；　armed；　and　Maignan　and　La　Trape。　　With　this　small　body　I　made　my　way　out　by　a　private　door；　and　crossed　the　park　to　the　place　Mademoiselle　had；　indicated。

Happily；　night　had　already　begun　to　close　in；　and　the　rendezvous　was　at　the　farther　side　of　the　clump　of　trees。　　Favoured　by　these　circumstances；　we　were　able　to　pass　round　the　thicketsome　on　one　side　and　some　on　the　other…without　noise　or　disturbance；　and　fortunate　enough；　having　arrived　at　the　place；　to　discover　a　man　walking　uneasily　up　and　down　on　the　very　spot　where　we　expected　to　find　him。　　The　evening　was　so　far　advanced　that　it　was　not　possible　to　be　sure　that　the　man　was　Vilain；　but　as　all　depended　on　seizing　him　before　he　had　any　communication　with　the　Spanish　agent；　I　gave　the　signal；　and　two　of　my　men；　springing　on　him　from　either　side；　in　a　moment　bore　him　to　the　ground　and　secured　him。

He　proved　to　be　Vilain；　so　that；　when　he　was　brought　face　to　face　with　me；　I　was　much　less　surprised　than　he　affected　to　be。　　He　played　the　part　of　an　ignorant　so　well；　indeed；　that；　for　a　moment；　I　was　staggered　by　his　show　of　astonishment；　and　by　the　earnestness　with　which　he　denounced　the　outrage；　nor　could　Maignan　find　anything　on　him。　　But；　a　moment　later；　remembering　the　girl's　words；　I　strode　to　the　nearest　tree；　and；　groping　about　it；　in　a　twinkling　unearthed　the　paper　from　a　little　hollow　in　the　trunk　that　seemed　to　have　been　made　to　receive　it。　　I　need　not　say　with　what　relief　I　found　the　seals　unbroken；　nor　with　what　indignation　I　turned　on　the　villain　thus　convicted　of　an　act　of　treachery　towards　the　King　only　less　black　than　the　sin　against　hospitality　of　which　he　had　been　guilty　in　my　house。　　But　the　discovery　I　had　made　seemed　enough　of　itself　to　overwhelm　him；　for；　after　standing　apparently　stunned　while　I　spoke；　he　jerked　himself　suddenly　out　of　his　captors'　hands；　and　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　escape。　　Finding　this　hopeless；　and　being　seized　again　before　he　had　gone　four　paces；　he　shouted；　at　the　top　of　his　voice：　　〃Back！　　back！　　Go　back！〃

We　looked　about；　somewhat　startled；　and　Boisrueil；　with　presence　of　mind；　ran　into　the　darkness　to　see　if　he　could　detect　the　person　addressed；　but　though　he　thought　that　he　saw　the　skirt　of　a　flying　cloak　disappear　in　the　gloom；　he　was　not　sure；　and　I；　having　no　mind　to　be　mixed　up　with　the　ambassador；　called　him　back。　　I　asked　Vilain　to　whom　he　had　called；　but　the　young　man；　turning　sullen；　would　answer　nothing　except　that　he　knew　naught　of　the　paper。　　I　thought　it　best；　therefore；　to　conduct　him　at　once　to　my　lodgings；　whither　it　will　be　believed　that　I　returned　with　a　lighter　heart　than　I　had　gone　out。　　It　was；　indeed；　a　providential　escape。

How　to　punish　the　traitor　was　another　matter；　for　I　could　scarcely　do　so　adequately　without　betraying　my　negligence。　　I　determined　to　sleep　on　this；　however；　and；　for　the　night；　directed　him　to　be　locked　into　a　chamber　in　the　south…west　turret；　with　a　Swiss　to　guard　the　door；　my　intention　being　to　interrogate　him　farther　on　the　morrow。　　However；　Henry　sent　for　me　so　early　that　I　was　forced　to　postpone　my　examination；　and；　being　detained　by　him　until　evening；　I　thought　it　best　to　tell　him；　before　I　left；　what　had　happened。

He　heard　the　story　with　a　look　of　incredulity；　which；　little　by　little；　gave　way　to　a　broad　smile。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃Grand　Master；　never　chide　me　again！　　I　have　heard　that　Homer　sometimes　nods；　but　if　I　were　to　tell　this　to　Sillery　or　Villeroy；　they　would　not　believe　me。〃

〃They　would　believe　anything　that　your　Majesty　told　them；〃　I　said。　　〃But　you　will　not　tell　them　this？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　kindly；　〃I　will　not；　and　there　is　my　hand　on　it。　For　the　matter　of　that；　if　it　had　happened　to　them；　they　would　not　have　told　me。〃

〃And　perhaps　been　the　wiser　for　that；〃　I　said。

〃Don't　believe　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　now；　what　of　this　young　Vilain？　　You　have　him　safe？〃

〃Yes；　sire。〃

〃The　girl　is　one　degree　worse；　she　betrays　both　sides　to　save　her　skin。〃

〃Still；　I　promised〃

〃Oh；　she　must　go；〃　Henry　said。　　〃I　quite　understand。　　But　for　himwe　had　better　have　no　scandal。　　Keep　him　until　to…morrow；　and　I　will　see　his　father；　and　have　him　sent　out　of　the　country。〃

〃And　he　will　go　scot　free；〃　I　said；　bluntly；　〃when　a　rope　and　the　nearest　tree〃

〃Yes；　my　friend；〃　Henry　answered　with　a　dry　smile；　〃but　that　should　have　been　done　last　night。　　As　it　is；　he　is　your　guest　and　we　must　give　an　account　of　him。　　But　first　drain　him　dry。　Frighten　him；　as　you　please；　and　get　all　out　of　him；　then　I　wish　them　joy　of　him。　　Faugh！　　and　he　a　young　man！　　I　would　not　be　his　father　for　two　such　crowns　as　mine！〃

As　I　returned　to　my　lodgings　I　thought　over　these　words；　and　I　fell　to　wondering　by　what　stages　Vilain　had　sunk　so　low。　Occasionally　admitted　to　my　table；　he　had　always　borne　himself　with　a　modesty　and　discretion　that　had　not　failed　to　prepossess　me；　indeed；　the　longer　I　considered　the　King's　saying；　the　greater　was　the　surprise　I　felt　at　this　DENOUEMENT；　which　left　me　in　doubt　whether　my　dullness　exceeded　my　negligence　or　the　young　man's　parts　surpassed　his　wickedness。

A　few　questions；　I　thought；　might　resolve　this；　but　having　been　detained　by　the　King　until　supper…time；　I　postponed　the　interview　until　I　rose。　　Then　bidding　them　bring　in　the　prisoner；　I　assumed　my　harshest　aspect　and　prepared　to　blast　him　by　discovering　all　his　vileness　to　his　face。

But　when　I　had　waited　a　little；　only　Maignan　came　in；　with　an　air　of　consternation　that　brought　me　to　my　feet。　　〃Why；　man；　what　is　it？〃　　I　cried。

〃The　prisoner；〃　he　faltered。　　〃If　your　excellency　pleases〃

〃I　do　not　please！〃　　I　said　sternly；　believing　that　I　knew　what　had　happened。　　〃Is　he　dead？〃

〃No；　your　excellency；　but；　he　has　escaped。〃

〃Escaped？　　From　that　room？〃

Maignan　nodded。

〃Then；　PAR　DIEU！〃　　I　replied；　〃the　man　who　was　on　guard　shall　suffer　in　his　place！　　Escaped？　　How　could　he　escape　except　by　treachery？　　Where　was　the　guard？〃

〃He　was　there；　excellency。　　And　he　says　that　no　one　passed　him。〃

〃Yet　the　man　is　gone？〃

〃The　roo