from the memoirs of a minister of france-第34章

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〃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　rouleau　across　the　table；　and　was　still　playing。　　〃Go；　man；　about　your　business；　I　don't　want　to　spend　the　evening　gossiping　with　you。〃

He　went；　and　I　dismissed　the　young　fellow　from　my　mind；　only　to　find　him　five　minutes　later　at　my　elbow。　　To　youth　and　good　looks　he　added　a　modest　bearing　that　did　not　fail　to　enhance　them　and　commend　him　to　me；　the　majority　of　the　young　sparks　of　the　day　being　wiser　than　their　fathers。　　But　I　confess　that　I　was　not　prepared　for　the　stammering　embarrassment　with　which　he　addressed　menor；　indeed；　to　be　addressed　by　him　at　all。

〃M。　de　Sully；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　emotion；　〃I　beg　you　to　pardon　me。　　I　am　in　great　trouble；　and　I　think　that　perhaps；　stranger　as　I　am；　you　may　condescend　to　do　me　a　service。〃

So　many　men　appeal　to　a　minister　with　some　such　formula　on　their　lips；　and　at　times　with　a　calculated　timidity；　that　at　the　first　blush　of　his　request　I　was　inclined　to　bid　him　come　to　me　at　the　proper　time；　and　to　remove　to　another　part　of　the　room。　　But　curiosity；　playing　the　part　of　his　advocate；　found　so　much　that　was　candid　in　his　manner　that　I　hesitated。　　〃What　is　it？〃　　I　said　stiffly。

〃A　very　slight；　if　a　very　unusual；　one；〃　he　muttered。　　〃M。　le　Duc；　I　only　want　you　to〃

〃To？〃　　for　he　stopped　and　seemed　unable　to　go　on。

〃To　supplement　the　present　you　have　given　to　the　Queen　with　this；〃　he　blurted　out；　his　face　pale　with　emotion；　and　he　stealthily　held　out　to　me　a　green　silk　purse；　through　the　meshes　of　which　I　saw　the　glint　of　gold。　　〃M。　de　Sully；〃　he　continued；　observing　my　hasty　movement；　〃do　not　be　offended！　　I　know　that　you　have　done　all　that　hospitality　required。　　But　I　see　that　the　Queen　has　already　lost　your　gift；　and　that〃

She　is　playing　on　credit？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur。〃

He　said　it　simply；　and　as　he　spoke；　he　again　pressed　on　me　the　purse。　　I　took　and　weighed　it；　and　calculated　at　a　guess　that　it　held　fifty　crowns。　　The　sum　astonished　me。　　〃Why；　man；〃　I　said；　〃you　are　not　mad　enough　to　be　in　love　with　her　Majesty？〃

〃No！〃　　he　cried；　vehemently；　yet　with　a　gleam　of　humour　in　his　eye。　　〃I　swear　that　it　is　not　so。　　If　you　will　do　me　this　favour　〃

It　was　a　mad　impulse　that　took　me；　but　I　nodded；　and　resolving　to　make　good　the　money　out　of　my　own　pocket　should　the　case；　when　all　was　clear；　seem　to　demand　it；　I　went　straight　from　him；　and；　crossing　the　floor；　laid　the　purse　near　her　Majesty's　hand；　with　a　polite　word　of　regret　that　fortune　had　used　her　so　ill；　and　a　hope　that　this　might　be　the　means　of　recruiting　her　forces。

It　would　not　have　surprised　me　had　she　shown　some　signs　of　consciousness；　and　perhaps　betrayed　that　she　recognised　the　purse。　　But　she　contented　herself　with　thanking　me　prettily；　and　almost　before　I　had　done　speaking　had　her　slender　fingers　among　the　coins。　　Turning；　I　found　that　Vallon　had　disappeared；　so　that　all　came　to　a　sudden　stop；　and　with　the　one　and　the　other；　I　retired　completely　puzzled；　and　less　able　than　before　to　make　even　a　guess　at　the　secret　of　the　young　man's　generosity。

However；　the　King　summoning　me　to　him；　there；　for　the　time；　was　an　end　of　the　matter：　　and　between　fatigue　and　the　duties　of　my　position；　I　did　not　give　a　second　thought　to　it　that　evening。　Next　morning；　too；　I　was　taken　up　with　the　gifts　which　it　was　my　privilege　as　Master　of　the　Mint　to　present　to　the　King　on　New　Year's　Day；　and　which　consisted　this　year　of　medals　of　gold；　silver；　and　copper；　bearing　inscriptions　of　my　own　composition；　together　with　small　bags　of　new　coins　for　the　King；　the　Queen；　and　their　attendants。

These　I　always　made　it　a　point　to　offer　before　the　King　rose；　nor　was　this　year　an　exception；　for　I　found　his　Majesty　still　in　bed；　the　Queen　occupying　a　couch　in　the　same　chamber。　　But　whereas　it　generally　fell　to　me　to　arouse　them　from　sleep；　and　be　the　first　to　offer　those　compliments　which　befitted　the　day；　I　found　them　on　this　occasion　fully　roused；　the　King　lazily　toying　with　his　watch；　the　Queen　talking　fast　and　angrily；　and　at　the　edge　of　the　carpet　beside　her　bed　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley　in　deep　disgrace。　　The　Queen；　indeed；　was　so　taken　up　with　scolding　her　that　she　had　forgotten　what　day　it　was；　and　even　after　my　entrance；　continued　to　rate　the　poor　girl　so　fiercely　that　I　thought　her　present　violence　little　less　unseemly　than　her　condescension　of　the　night　before。

Perhaps　some　trace　of　this　feeling　appeared　in　my　countenance；　for；　presently；　the　King；　who　seldom　failed　to　read　my　thoughts；　tried　to　check　her　in　a　good…natured　fashion。　　〃Come；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　〃let　that　trembling　mouse　go。　　And　do　you　hear　what　our　good　friend　Sully　has　brought　you？　　I'll　be　bound〃

〃How　your　Majesty　talks！〃　　the　Queen　answered；　pettishly。　　〃As　if　a　few　paltry　coins　could　make　up　for　my　jar！　　I'll　be　bound；　for　my　part；　that　this　idle　wench　was　romping　and　playing　with〃

〃Come；　come；　you　have　made　her　cry　enough！〃　　the　King　interruptedand；　indeed；　the　girl　was　sobbing　so　passionately　that　a　man　could　not　listen　without　pain。　　〃Let　her　go；　I　say；　and　do　you　attend　to　Sully。　　You　have　forgotten　that　it　is　New　Year's　Day〃

〃A　jar　of　majolica；〃　the　Queen　cried；　Utterly　disregarding　him；　〃worth　your　body　and　soul；　you　little　slut！〃

〃Pooh！　　pooh！〃　　the　King　said。

〃Do　you　think　that　I　brought　it　from　Florence；　all　the　way　in　my　own〃

〃Nightcap；〃　the　King　muttered。　　〃There；　there；　sweetheart；〃　he　continued；　aloud；　〃let　the　girl　go！〃

〃Of　course！　　She　is　a　girl；〃　the　Queen　cried；　with　a　sneer。　〃That　is　enough　for　you！〃

〃Well；　madam；　she　is　not　the　only　one　in　the　room；〃　I　ventured。

〃Oh；　of　course？；　you　are　the　King's　echo！〃

〃Run　away；　little　one；〃　Henry　said；　winking　to　me　to　be　silent。

〃And　consider　yourself　lucky；〃　the　Queen　cried；　venomously。　　〃You　ought　to　be　whipped；　and　if　I　had　you　in　my　country；　I　would　have　you　whipped　for　all　your　airs！　　San　Giacomo；　if　you　cross　me；　I　will　see　to　it！〃

This　was　a　parting　thrust；　for　the　girl；　catching　at　the　King's　permission；　had　turned　and　was　hurrying　in　a　passion　of　tears　to　the　door。　　Still；　the　Queen　had　not　done。　　Mademoiselle　had　broken　a　jar；　and　there　were　other　misdemeanours　which　her　Majesty　continued　to　expound。　　But　in　the　end　I　had　my　say；　and　presented　the　medals；　which　were　accepted　by　the　King　with　his　usual　kindness；　and　by　the　Queen；　when　her　feelings　had　found　expression；　with　sufficient　complaisance。　　Both　were　good　enough　to　compliment　me　on　my　entertainment；　but　observing　that　the　Queen　quickly　buried　herself　again　in　her　pillows　and　was　inclined　to　be　peevish；　I　cut　short　my　attendance　on　the　plea　of　fatigue；　and　left　them　at　liberty　to　receive　the　very　numerous　company　who　on　this　day　pay　their　court。

Of　these；　the　greater　number　came　on　afterwards；　to　wait　on　me；　so　that　for　some　hours　the　large　hall　at　the　Arsenal　was　thronged　with　my　friends；　or　those　who　called　themselves　by　that　name。　But　towards　noon　the　stream　began　to　fail；　and　when　I　sat　down　to　dinner　at　that　hour；　I　had　reason　to　suppose　that　I　should　be　left　at　peace。　　I　had　not　more　than　begun　my　meal；　however；　when　I　was　called　from　table　by　a　messenger　from　the　Queen。

〃What　is　it？〃　　I　said；　when　I　had　gone　to　him。　　Had　he　come　from　the　King；　I　could　have　understood　it　more　easily。

〃Her　Majesty　desires　to　know；　your　excellency；　whether　you　have　seen　anything　of　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley。〃

〃I？〃

〃Yes；　M。　le　Duc。〃

〃No；　certainly　not。　　How　should　I？〃　　I　replied。

〃And　she　is　not　here？〃　　the　man　persisted。

〃No！〃　　I　answered；　angrily。　　〃God　bless　the　Queen；　I　know　nothing　of　her。　　I　am　sitting　at　meat；　and〃

The　man　interrupted　me　with　protestations　of　regret；　and；　hastening　to　express　himself　thoroughly　satisfied；　retired　with　a　crestfallen　air。　　I　wondered　what　the　message　meant；　and　what　had　come　over　the　Queen；　and　whither　the　girl　had　gone。　　But　as　I　made　it　a　rule　throughout　my　term　of　office　to　avoid；　as　far　as　possible；　all　participation　in　bed…chamber　intrigues；　I　wasted　little　time　on　the　matter；　but　returning　to　my　dinner；　took　up　the　conversation　where　I　had　left　it。　　Before　I　ro