from the memoirs of a minister of france-第24章

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〃Yet　the　man　is　gone？〃

〃The　room　is　empty。〃

〃But　the　windowthe　window；　fool；　is　fifty　feet　from　the　ground！〃　　I　said。　　〃And　not　so　much　footing　outside　as　would　hold　a　crow！〃

Maignan　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　in　a　rage　I　bade　him　follow　me；　and　went　myself　to　view　the　place；　to　which　a　number　of　my　people　had　already　flocked　with　lights；　so　that　I　found　some　difficulty　in　mounting　the　staircase。　　A　very　brief　inspection；　however；　sufficed　to　confirm　my　first　impression　that　Vilain　could　have　escaped　by　the　door　only；　for　the　window；　though　it　lacked　bars　and　boasted　a　tiny　balcony；　hung　over　fifty　feet　of　sheer　depth；　so　that　evasion　that　way　seemed　in　the　absence　of　ladder　or　rope　purely　impossible。　　This　being　clear；　I　ordered　the　Swiss　to　be　seized；　and　as　he　could　give　no　explanation　of　the　escape；　and　still　persisted　that　he　was　as　much　in　the　dark　as　anyone；　I　declared　that　I　would　make　an　example　of　him；　and　hang　him　unless　the　prisoner　was　recaptured　within　three　days。

I　did　not　really　propose　to　do　this；　but　in　my　irritation　I　spoke　so　roundly　that　my　people　believed　me；　even　Boisrueil；　who　presently　came　to　intercede　for　the　culprit；　who；　it　seemed；　was　a　favourite。　　〃As　for　Vilain；〃　he　continued；　〃you　can　catch　him　whenever　you　please。〃

〃Then　catch　him　before　the　end　of　three　days；〃　I　answered　obstinately；　〃and　the　man　lives。〃

The　truth　was　that　Vilain's　escape　placed　me　in　a　position　of　some　discomfort；　for　though；　on　the　one　hand；　I　had　no　particular　desire　to　get　him　again　into　my　hands；　seeing　that　the　King　could　effect　as　much　by　a　word　to　his　father　as　I　had　proposed　to　do　while　I　held　him　safe；　on　the　other　hand；　the　evasion　placed　me　very　peculiarly　in　regard　to　the　King　himself；　who　was　inclined　to　think　me　ill　or　suddenly　grown　careless。　　Some　of　the　facts；　too；　were　leaking　out；　and　provoking　smiles　among　the　more　knowing；　and　a　hint　here　and　there；　the　result　of　all　being　that；　unable　to　pursue　the　matter　farther　in　Vilain's　case；　I　hardened　my　heart　and　persisted　that　the　Swiss　should　pay　the　penalty。

This　obstinacy　on　my　part　had　an　unforeseen　issue。　　On　the　evening　of　the　second　day；　a　little　before　supper…time；　my　wife　came　to　me；　and　announced　that　a　young　lady　had　waited　on　her　with　a　tale　so　remarkable　that　she　craved　leave　to　bring　her　to　me　that　I　might　hear　it。

〃What　is　it？〃　　I　said　impatiently。

〃It　is　about　M。　Vilain；〃　my　wife　answered；　her　face　still　wearing　all　the　marks　of　lively　astonishment。

〃Ha！〃　　I　exclaimed。　　〃I　will　see　her　then。　　But　it　is　not　that　baggage　who〃

〃No；〃　my　wife　answered。　　〃It　is　another。〃

〃One　of　your　maids？〃

〃No；　a　stranger。〃

〃Well；　bring　her；〃　I　said　shortly。

She　went；　and　quickly　returned　with　a　young　lady；　whose　face　and　modest　bearing　were　known　to　me；　though　I　could　not；　at　the　moment；　recall　her　name。　　This　was　the　less　remarkable　as　I　am　not　prone　to　look　much　in　maids'　faces；　leaving　that　to　younger　men；　and　Mademoiselle　de　Figeac's；　though　beautiful；　was　disfigured　on　this　occasion　by　the　marked　distress　under　which　she　was　labouring。　　Accustomed　as　I　was　to　the　visits　of　persons　of　all　classes　and　characters　who　came　to　me　daily　with　petitions；　I　should　have　been　disposed　to　cut　her　short；　but　for　my　wife's　intimation　that　her　errand　had　to　do　with　the　matter　which　annoyed　me。　　This；　as　well　as　a　trifle　of　curiosityfrom　which　none　are　quite　freeinclined　me　to　be　patient；　and　I　asked　her　what　she　would　have　with　me。

〃Justice；　M。　le　Duc；〃　she　answered　simply。　　〃I　have　heard　that　you　are　seeking　M。　de　Vilain；　and　that　one　of　your　people　is　lying　under　sentence　for　complicity　in　his　escape。〃

〃That　is　true；　mademoiselle；〃　I　said。　　〃If　you　can　tell　me〃

〃I　can　tell　you　how　he　escaped；　and　by　whose　aid；〃　she　answered。

It　is　my　custom　to　betray　no　astonishment；　even　when　I　am　astonished。　　〃Do　so；〃　I　said。

〃He　escaped　through　the　window；〃　she　answered　firmly；　〃by　my　brother's　aid。〃

〃Your　brother's？〃　　I　exclaimed；　amazed　at　her　audacity。　　〃I　do　not　remember　him。〃

〃He　is　only　thirteen　years　old。〃

I　could　hide　my　astonishment　no　longer。　　〃You　must　be　mad；　girl！〃　I　said；　〃mad！　　You　do　not　know　what　you　are　saying！　　The　window　of　the　room　in　which　Vilain　was　confined　is　fifty　feet　from　the　ground；　and　you　say　that　your　brother；　a　boy　of　thirteen；　contrived　his　escape？〃

〃Yes；　M。　de　Sully；〃　she　answered。　　〃And　the　man　who　is　about　to　suffer　is　innocent。〃

〃How　was　it　done；　then？〃　　I　asked；　not　knowing　what　to　think　of　her　persistence。

〃My　brother　was　flying　a　kite　that　day；〃　she　answered。　　〃He　had　been　doing　so　for　a　week　or　more；　and　everyone　was　accustomed　to　seeing　him　here。　　After　sunset；　the　wind　being　favourable；　he　came　under　M。　de　Vilain's　window；　and；　when　it　was　nearly　dark；　and　the　servants　and　household　were　at　supper；　he　guided　the　kite　against　the　balcony　outside　the　window。〃

〃But　a　man　cannot　descend　by　a　kite…string！〃

〃My　brother　had　a　knotted　rope；　which　M。　de　Vilain　drew　up；〃　she　answered　simply；　〃and　afterwards；　when　he　had　descended；　disengaged。〃

I　looked　at　her　in　profound　amazement。

〃Your　brother　acted　on　instructions？〃　　I　said　at　last。

〃On　mine；〃　she　answered。

〃You　avow　that？〃

〃I　am　here　to　do　so；〃　she　replied；　her　face　white　and　red　by　turns；　but　her　eyes　continuing　to　meet　mine。

〃This　is　a　very　serious　matter；〃　I　said。　　〃Are　you　aware；　mademoiselle；　why　M。　Vilain　was　arrested；　and　of　what　he　is　accused？〃

〃Perfectly；〃　she　answered；　〃and　that　he　is　innocent。　　More！〃　　she　continued；　clasping　her　hands；　and　looking　at　me　bravely；　〃I　am　willing　both　to　tell　you　where　he　is；　and　to　bring　him；　if　you　please；　into　your　presence。〃

I　stared　at　her。　　〃You　will　bring　him　here？〃　　I　said。

〃Within　five　minutes；〃　she　answered；　〃if　you　will　first　hear　me。〃

〃What　are　you　to　him？〃　　I　said。

She　blushed　vividly。　　〃I　shall　be　his　wife　or　no　one's；〃　she　said；　and　she　looked　a　moment　at　my　wife。

〃Well；　say　what　you　have　to　say！〃　　I　cried　roughly。

〃This　paper；　which　it　is　alleged　that　he　stoleit　was　not　found　on　him；　but　in　the　hollow　of　a　tree。〃

〃Within　three　paces　of　him！　　And　what　was　he　doing　there？〃

〃He　came　to　meet　me；〃　she　answered；　her　voice　trembling　slightly。　〃He　could　have　told　you　so；　but　he　would　not　shame　me。〃

〃This　is　true？〃　　I　said；　eyeing　her　closely。

〃I　swear　it！〃　　she　answered；　clasping　her　hands。　　And　then；　with　a　sudden　flash　of　rage；　〃Will　the　other　woman　swear　to　her　tale？〃　she　cried。

〃Ha！〃　　I　said；　〃what　other　woman？〃

〃The　woman　who　sent　you　to　that　place；〃　she　answered。　　〃He　would　not　tell　me　her　name；　or　I　would　go　to　her　now　and　wring　the　truth　from　her。　　But　he　confessed　to　me　that　he　had　let　a　woman　into　the　secret　of　our　meeting；　and　this　is　her　work。〃

I　stood　a　moment　pondering；　with　my　eyes　on　the　girl's　excited　face；　and　my　thoughts；　following　this　new　clue　through　the　maze　of　recent　events；　wherein　I　could　not　fail　to　see　that　it　led　to　a　very　different　conclusion　from　that　at　which　I　had　arrived。　　If　Vilain　had　been　foolish　enough　to　wind　up　his　love…passages　with　Mademoiselle　de　Mars　by　confiding　to　her　his　passion　for　the　Figeac；　and　even　the　place　and　time　at　which　the　latter　was　so　imprudent　as　to　meet　him；　I　could　fancy　the　deserted　mistress　laying　this　plot；　and　first　placing　the　packet　where　we　found　it；　and　then　punishing　her　lover　by　laying　the　theft　at　his　door。　True；　he　might　be　guilty；　and　it　might　be　only　confession　and　betrayal　on　which　jealousy　had　thrust　her。　　But　the　longer　I　considered　the　whole　of　the　circumstances；　as　well　as　the　young　man's　character；　and　the　lengths　to　which　I　knew　a　woman's　passion　would　carry　her；　the　more　probable　seemed　the　explanation　I　had　just　received。

Nevertheless；　I　did　not　at　once　express　my　opinion；　but　veiling　the　chagrin　I　naturally　felt　at　the　simple　part　I　had　been　led　to　playin　the　event　I　now　thought　probableI　sharply　ordered　Mademoiselle　de　Figeac　to　retire　into　the　next　room；　and　then　I　requested　my　wife　to　fetch　her　maid。

Mademoiselle　de　Mars　had　been　three　days　in　solitary　confinement；　and　might　be　taken　to　have　repented　of　her　rash　accusation　were　it　baseless。　　I　counted　somewhat　on　this；　and　more　on　the　effect　of　so　sudden　a　summons　to　m