from the memoirs of a minister of france-第33章

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uppose　that　he　had　heard　amiss　and　continue　his　usual　catechism。　　And　so　it　proved。　　In　a　voice　that　shook　a　little；　he　asked；　〃Whom　do　you　bring　to　me？〃

〃A　sinner；〃　the　King　answered。

〃What　has　he　done？〃

〃He　will　tell　you。〃

〃I　am　listening；〃　the　unknown　said。

The　light　in　the　basin　flared　up　a　little；　casting　dark　shadows　on　the　ceiling；　and　at　the　same　moment　the　shutter；　which　I　had　failed　to　fasten　securely；　fell　open　with　a　grinding　sound。　　One　of　the　curtains　swayed　a　little　in　the　breeze；　〃I　have　robbed　my　master；〃　I　said；　slowly。

〃Of　how　much？〃

〃A　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　crowns。〃

The　bed　shook　until　the　boards　creaked　under　it；　but　this　time　no　hand　grasped　the　curtains。　　Instead；　a　strained　voicethick　and　coarse；　yet　differing　from　that　muffled　tone　which　we　had　heard　beforeasked；　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃Jules　Fauchet。〃

I　waited。　　The　King；　who　understood　nothing　but　had　listened　to　my　answers　with　eager　attention；　and　marked　no　less　closely　the　agitation　which　they　caused　in　the　unknown；　leant　forward　to　listen。　　But　the　bed　creaked　no　more；　the　curtain　hung　still；　even　the　voice；　which　at　last　issued　from　the　curtains；　was　no　more　like　the　ordinary　accents　of　a　man　than　are　those　which　he　utters　in　the　paroxysms　of　epilepsy。　　〃Are　yousorry？〃　　the　unknown　mutteredinvoluntarily；　I　think；　hoping　against　hope；　not　daring　to　depart　from　a　formula　which　had　become　second　nature。　　But　I　could　fancy　him　clawing；　as　he　spoke；　at　his　choking　throat。

France；　however；　had　suffered　too　long　at　the　hands　of　that　race　of　men；　and　I　had　been　too　lately　vilified　by　them　to　feel　much　pity；　and　for　answer　I　lifted　a　voice　that　to　the　quailing　wretch　must　have　been　the　voice　of　doom。　　〃Sorry？〃　　I　said　grimly。　　〃I　must　beor　hang！　　For　to…morrow　the　King　examines　his　books；　and　the　next　day　Ihang！〃

The　King's　hand　was　on　mine；　to　stop　me　before　the　last　word　was　out；　but　his　touch　came　too　late。　　As　it　rang　through　the　room　one　of　the　curtains　before　us　was　twitched　aside；　and　a　face　glared　out；　so　ghastly　and　drawn　and　horror…stricken；　that　few　would　have　known　it　for　that　of　the　wealthy　fermier；　who　had　grown　sleek　and　fat　on　the　King's　revenues。　　I　do　not　know　whether　he　knew　us；　or　whether；　on　the　contrary；　he　found　this　accusation；　so　precise；　so　accurate；　coming　from　an　unknown　source；　still　more　terrible　than　if　he　had　known　us；　but　on　the　instant　he　fell　forward　in　a　swoon。

〃St。　Gris！〃　　Henry　cried；　looking　on　the　body　with　a　shudder；　〃you　have　killed　him；　Grand　Master！　　It　was　true；　was　it？〃

〃Yes；　sire；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　he　is　not　dead；　I　think。〃　　And　going　to　the　window　I　whistled　for　Maignan；　who　in　a　minute　came　to　us。　　He　was　not　very　willing　to　touch　the　man；　but　I　bade　him　lay　him　on　the　bed　and　loosen　his　clothes　and　throw　water　on　his　face；　and　presently　M。　Fauchet　began　to　recover。

I　stepped　a　little　aside　that　he　might　not　see　me；　and　accordingly　the　first　person　on　whom　his　eyes　lighted　was　the　King；　who　had　laid　aside　his　hat　and　cloak；　and　taken　the　terrified　and　weeping　child　on　his　lap。　　M。　Fauchet　stared　at　him　awhile　before　he　recognised　him；　but　at　last　the　trembling　man　knew　him；　and　tottering　to　his　feet；　threw　himself　on　his　knees；　looking　years　older　than　when　I　had　last　seen　him　in　the　street。

〃Sire；〃　he　said　faintly；　〃I　will　make　restitution。〃

Henry　looked　at　him　gravely；　and　nodded。　　〃It　is　well；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　fortunate；　M。　Fauchet；　for　had　this　come　to　my　ears　in　any　other　way　I　could　not　have　spared　you。　　You　will　render　your　accounts　and　papers　to　M。　de　Sully　to…morrow；　and　according　as　you　are　frank　with　him　you　will　be　treated。〃

Fauchet　thanked　him　with　abject　tears；　and　the　King　rose　and　prepared　to　leave。　　But　at　the　door　a　thought　struck　him；　and　he　turned。　　〃How　long　have　you　done　this？〃　　he　said；　indicating　the　room　by　a　gesture；　and　speaking　in　a　gentler　tone。

〃Three　years；　sire；〃　the　wretched　man　answered。

〃And　how　much　have　you　distributed？〃

〃Fifteen　hundred　crowns；　sire。〃

The　King　cast　an　indescribable　look　at　me；　wherein　amusement；　scorn；　and　astonishment　were　all　blended。　　〃St。　Gris！　　man！〃　　he　said；　shrugging　his　shoulders　and　drawing　in　his　breath　sharply；　〃you　think　God　is　as　easily　duped　as　the　King！　　I　wish　I　could　think　so。〃

He　did　not　speak　again　until　we　were　half…way　back　to　the　Louvre；　when　he　opened　his　mouth　to　announce　his　intention　of　rewarding　me　with　a　tithe　of　the　money　recovered。　　It　was　duly　paid　to　me；　and　I　bought　with　it　part　of　the　outlying　lands　of　Villebon　those；　I　mean；　which　extend　towards　Chartres。　　The　rest　of　the　money；　notwithstanding　all　my　efforts；　was　wasted　here　and　there；　Pimentel　winning　thirty　crowns　of　the　King　that　year。　　But　the　discovery　led　to　others　of　a　similar　character；　and　eventually　set　me　on　the　track　of　a　greater　offender；　M。　l'Argentier；　whom　I　brought　to　justice　a　few　months　later。



IX。　THE　MAID　OF　HONOUR。

In　accordance　with　my　custom　I　gave　an　entertainment　on　the　last　day　of　this　year　to　the　King　and　Queen；　who　came　to　the　Arsenal　with　a　numerous　train；　and　found　the　diversions　I　had　provided　so　much　to　their　taste　that　they　did　not　leave　until　I　was　half　dead　with　fatigue；　and　like　to　be　killed　with　complaisance。　　Though　this　was　not　the　most　splendid　entertainment　I　gave　that　year；　it　had　the　good　fortune　to　please；　and　in　a　different　and　less　agreeable　fashion　is　recalled　to　my　memory　by　a　peculiar　chain　of　events；　whereof　the　first　link　came　under　my　eyes　during　its　progress。

I　have　mentioned　in　an　earlier　part　of　these　memoirs；　a　Portuguese　adventurer　who；　about　this　time；　gained　large　sums　from　the　Court　at　play；　and　more　than　once　compelled　the　King　to　have　recourse　to　me。　　I　had　the　worst　opinion　of　this　man；　and　did　not　scruple　to　express　it　on　several　occasions；　and　this　the　more；　as　his　presumption　fell　little　short　of　his　knavery；　while　he　treated　those　whom　he　robbed　with　as　much　arrogance　as　if　to　play　with　him　were　an　honour。　　Holding　this　view　of　him；　I　was　far　from　pleased　when　I　discovered　that　the　King　had　brought　him　to　my　house；　but　the　feeling；　though　sufficiently　strong；　sank　to　nothing　beside　the　indignation　and　disgust　which　I　experienced　when；　the　company　having　fallen　to　cards　after　supper；　I　found　that　the　Queen　had　sat　down　with　him　to　primero。

It　did　not　lessen　my　annoyance；　that　I　had；　after　my　usual　fashion；　furnished　the　Queen　with　a　purse　for　her　sport；　and　in　this　way　found　myself　reduced　to　stand　by　and　see　my　good　money　pass　into　the　clutches　of　this　knave。　　Under　the　circumstances；　and　in　my　own　house；　I　could　do　nothing；　nevertheless；　the　table　at　which　they　sat　possessed　so　strong　a　fascination　for　me　that　I　several　times　caught　myself　staring　at　it　more　closely　than　was　polite；　and　as　to　disgust　at　the　unseemliness　of　such　companionship　was　added　vexation　at　my　own　loss；　I　might　have　gone　farther　towards　betraying　my　feelings　if　a　casual　glance　aside　had　not　disclosed　to　me　the　fact　that　I　did　not　stand　alone　in　my　dissatisfaction；　but　that；　frivolous　as　the　majority　of　the　courtiers　were；　there　was　one　at　least　among　those　present　who　viewed　this　particular　game　with　distaste。

This　person　stood　near　the　door；　and　fancying　himself　secured　from　observation；　either　by　his　position　or　his　insignificance；　was　glowering　on　the　pair　in　a　manner　that　at　another　time　must　have　cost　him　a　rebuke。　　As　it　was；　I　found　something　friendly；　as　well　as　curious；　in　his　fixed　frown；　and　ignorant　of　his　name；　though　I　knew　him　by　sight；　wondered　both　who　he　was　and　what　was　the　cause　of　his　preoccupation。

On　the　one　point　I　had　no　difficulty　in　satisfying　myself。　Boisrueil；　who　presently　passed；　told　me　that　his　name　was　Vallon；　that　he　belonged　to　a　poor　but　old　family　in　the　Cotentin；　and　that　he　had　been　only　three　months　at　court。

〃Making　his　fortune；　I　suppose？〃　　I　said　grimly。　　〃He　games？〃

〃No；　your　excellency。〃

〃Is　in　debt？〃

〃Not　to　my　knowledge。〃

〃To　whom　does　he　pay　his　court；　then？〃

〃To　the　King。〃

〃And　the　Queen？〃

〃Not　particularlyas　far　as　I　know；　at　least。　　But　if　you　wish　to　know　more；　M。　le　Duc；〃　Boisrueil　continued；　〃I　will〃

〃No；　no；〃　I　said　peevishly。　　The　Queen　had　just　handed　her　last