from the memoirs of a minister of france-第30章

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ough　Varenne　or　Coquet；　the　Master　of　the　Household；　were　his　usual　companions　on　these　occasions；　he　seldom　failed　to　confess　to　me　after　the　event；　and　more　than　once　I　accompanied　him。

If　I　remember　rightly；　it　was　in　April　or　May　of　this　year；　1606；　and　consequently　a　few　days　after　his　return　from　Sedan；　that　he　surprised　me　one　night　as　I　sat　at　supper；　and；　requesting　me　to　dismiss　my　servants；　let　me　know　that　he　was　in　a　flighty　mood；　and　that　nothing　would　content　him　but　to　play　the　Caliph　in　my　company。　I　was　not　too　willing；　for　I　did　not　fail　to　recognise　the　risk　to　which　these　expeditions　exposed　his　person；　but；　in　the　end；　I　consented；　making　only　the　condition　that　Maignan　should　follow　us　at　a　distance。　　This　he　conceded；　and　I　sent　for　two　plain　suits；　and　we　dressed　in　my　closet。　　The　King；　delighted　with　the　frolic；　was　in　his　wildest　mood。　　He　uttered　an　infinity　of　jests；　and　cut　a　thousand　absurd　antics；　and；　rallying　me　on　my　gravity；　soon　came　near　to　making　me　repent　of　the　easiness　which　had　led　me　to　fall　in　with　his　humour。

However；　it　was　too　late　to　retreat；　and　in　a　moment　we　were　standing　in　the　street。　　It　would　not　have　surprised　me　if　he　had　celebrated　his　freedom　by　some　noisy　extravagance　there；　but　he　refrained；　and　contented　himselfwhile　Maignan　locked　the　postern　behind　uswith　cocking　his　hat　and　lugging　forward　his　sword；　and　assuming　an　air　of　whimsical　recklessness；　as　if　an　adventure　were　to　be　instantly　expected。

But　the　moon　had　not　yet　risen；　the　night　was　dark；　and　for　some　time　we　met　with　nothing　more　diverting　than　a　stumble　over　a　dead　dog；　a　word　with　a　forward　wench；　or　a　narrow　escape　from　one　of　those　liquid　douches　that　render　the　streets　perilous　for　common　folk　and　do　not　spare　the　greatest。　　Naturally；　I　began　to　tire；　and　wished　myself　with　all　my　heart　back　at　the　Arsenal；　but　Henry；　whose　spirits　a　spice　of　danger　never　failed　to　raise；　found　a　hundred　things　to　be　merry　over；　and　some　of　which　he　made　a　great　tale　of　afterwards。　　He　would　go　on；　and　presently；　in　the　Rue　de　＇a　Pourpointerie；　which　we　entered　as　the　clocks　struck　the　hour　before　midnight；　his　persistence　was　rewarded。

By　that　time　the　moon　had　risen；　but；　naturally；　few　were　abroad　so　late；　and　such　as　were　to　be　seen　belonged　to　a　class　among　whom　even　Henry　did　not　care　to　seek　adventures。　　Our　astonishment　was　great　therefore　when；　half…way　down　the　street　a　street　of　tall；　mean　houses　neither　better　nor　much　worse　than　others　in　that　quarterwe　saw；　standing　in　the　moonlight　at　an　open　door；　a　boy　about　seven　years　old。

The　King　saw　him　first；　and；　pressing　my　arm；　stood　still。　　On　the　instant　the　child；　who　had　probably　seen　us　before　we　saw　him；　advanced　into　the　road　to　us。　　〃Messieurs；〃　he　said；　standing　up　boldly　before　us　and　looking　at　us　without　fear；　〃my　father　is　ill；　and　I　cannot　close　the　shutter。〃

The　boy's　manner；　full　of　self…possession；　and　his　tone；　remarkable　at　his　age；　took　us　so　completely　by　surpriseto　say　nothing　of　the　late　hour　and　the　deserted　street；　which　gave　these　things　their　full　effectthat　for　a　moment　neither　of　us　answered。　　Then　the　King　spoke。　　〃Indeed；　M。　l'Empereur；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃and　where　is　the　shutter？〃

The　boy　pointed　to　an　open　shutter　at　the　top　of　the　house　behind　him。

〃Ah！〃　　Henry　said。　　〃And　you　wish　us　to　close　it？〃

〃If　you　please；　messieurs。〃

〃We　do　please；〃　Henry　replied；　saluting　him　with　mock　reverence。　〃You　may　consider　the　shutter　closed。　　Lead　on；　Monsieur；　we　follow。〃

For　the　first　time　the　boy　looked　doubtful；　but　he　turned　without　saying　anything；　and　passing　through　the　doorway；　was　in　an　instant　lost　in　the　pitchy　darkness　of　the　entry。　　I　laid　my　hand　on　the　King's　arm；　and　tried　to　induce　him　not　to　follow；　fearing　much　that　this　might　be　some　new　thieves'　trap；　leading　nowhither　save　to　the　POIRE　D'ANGOISSE　and　the　poniard。　　But　the　attempt　was　hopeless　from　the　first；　he　broke　from　me　and　entered；　and　I　followed　him。

We　groped　for　the　balustrade　and　found　it；　and　began　to　ascend；　guided　by　the　boy's　voice；　who　kept　a　little　before　us；　saying　continually；　〃This　way；　messieurs；　this　way！〃　　His　words　had　so　much　the　sound　of　a　signal；　and　the　staircase　was　so　dark　and　ill…smelling；　that；　expecting　every　moment　to　be　seized　or　to　have　a　knife　in　my　back；　I　found　it　almost　interminable。　　At　last；　however；　a　gleam　of　light　appeared　above　us；　the　boy　opened　a　door；　and　we　found　ourselves　standing　on　a　mean；　narrow　landing；　the　walls　of　which　had　once　been　whitewashed。　　The　child　signed　to　us　to　enter；　and　we　followed　him　into　a　bare　attic；　where　our　heads　nearly　touched　the　ceiling。

〃Messieurs；　the　air　is　keen；〃　he　said　in　a　curiously　formal　tone。　〃Will　you　please　to　close　the　shutter？〃

The　King；　amused　and　full　of　wonder；　looked　round。　　The　room　contained　little　besides　a　table；　a　stool；　and　a　lamp　standing　in　a　basin　on　the　floor；　but　an　alcove；　curtained　with　black；　dingy　hangings；　broke　one　wall。　　〃Your　father　lies　there？〃　　Henry　said；　pointing　to　it。

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃He　feels　the　cold？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。　　Will　you　please　to　close　the　shutter？〃

I　went　to　it；　and；　leaning　out；　managed；　with　a　little　difficulty；　to　comply。　　Meanwhile；　the　King；　gazing　curiously　at　the　curtains；　gradually　approached　the　alcove。　　He　hesitated　long；　he　told　me　afterwards；　before　he　touched　the　hangings；　but　at　length；　feeling　sure　that　there　was　something　more　in　the　business　than　appeared；　he　did　so。　　Drawing　one　gently　aside；　as　I　turned　from　the　window；　he　peered　in；　and　saw　just　what　he　had　been　led　to　expecta　huddled　form　covered　with　dingy　bed…clothes　and　a　grey　head　lying　on　a　ragged；　yellow　pillow。　　The　man's　face　was　turned　to　the　wall；　but；　as　the　light　fell　on　him；　he　sighed　and；　with　a　shiver；　began　to　move。　　The　King　dropped　the　curtain。

The　adventure　had　not　turned　out　as　well　as　he　had　hoped；　and；　with　a　whimsical　look　at　me；　he　laid　a　crown　on　the　table；　said　a　kind　word　to　the　boy；　and　we　went　out。　　In　a　moment　we　were　in　the　street。

It　was　my　turn　now　to　rally　him；　and　I　did　so　without　mercy；　asking　if　he　knew　of　any　other　beauteous　damsel　who　wanted　her　shutter　closed；　and　whether　this　was　the　usual　end　of　his　adventures。　　He　took　the　jest　in　good　part；　laughing　fully　as　loudly　at　himself　as　I　laughed；　and　in　this　way　we　had　gone　a　hundred　paces　or　so　very　merrily；　when；　on　a　sudden；　he　stopped。

〃What　is　it；　sire？〃　　I　asked。

〃Hola！〃　　he　said；　〃The　boy　was　clean。〃

〃Clean？〃

〃Yes；　hands；　face；　clothes。　　All　clean。〃

〃Well；　sire？〃

〃How　could　he　be？　　His　father　in　bed；　no　one　even　to　close　the　shutter。　　How　could　he　be　clean？〃

〃But；　if　he　was；　sire？〃

For　answer　Henry　seized　me　by　the　arm；　turned　me　round　without　a　word；　and　in　a　moment　was　hurrying　me　back　to　the　house。　　I　thought　that　he　was　going　thither　again；　and　followed　reluctantly；　but　twenty　paces　short　of　the　door　he　crossed　the　street；　and　drew　me　into　a　doorway。　　〃Can　you　see　the　shutter？〃　he　said。　　〃Yes？　　Then　watch　it；　my　friend。〃

I　had　no　option　but　to　resign　myself；　and　I　nodded。　　A　moist　and　chilly　wind；　which　blew　through　the　street　and　penetrating　our　cloaks　made　us　shiver；　did　not　tend　to　increase　my　enthusiasm；　but　the　King　was　proof　even　against　this；　as　well　as　against　the　kennel　smells　and　the　tedium　of　waiting；　and　presently　his　persistence　was　rewarded。　　The　shutter　swung　slowly　open；　the　noise　made　by　its　collision　with　the　wall　coming　clearly　to　our　ears。　　A　minute　later　the　boy　appeared　in　the　doorway；　and　stood　looking　up　and　down。

〃Well；〃　the　King　whispered　in　my　ear；　〃what　do　you　make　of　that；　my　friend？〃

I　muttered　that　it　must　be　a　beggar's　trick。

〃They　would　not　earn　a　crown　in　a　month；〃　he　answered。　　There　must　be　something　more　than　that　at　the　bottom　of　it。〃

Beginning　to　share　his　curiosity；　I　was　about　to　propose　that　we　should　sally　out　and　see　if　the　boy　would　repeat　his　overture　to　us；　when　I　caught　the　sound　of　footsteps　coming　along　the　street。　〃Is　it　Maignan？〃　　the　King　whispered；　looking　out　cautiously。

〃No；　sire；〃　I　said。　　〃He　is　in　yonder　doorway。〃

Before　Henry　could　answer；　the　appearance　of　two　strangers　coming　along　the　roadway　confirmed　my