from the memoirs of a minister of france-第35章

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　　Before　I　rose；　however；　La　Trape　came　to　me　and　again　interrupted　me。　　He　announced　that　a　messenger　from　his　Majesty　was　waiting　in　the　hall。

I　went　out；　thinking　it　very　probable　that　Henry　had　sent　me　a　present；　though　it　was　his　more　usual　custom　on　this　day　to　honour　me　with　a　visit；　and　declare　his　generous　intentions　by　word　of　mouth；　when　we　had　both　retired　to　my　library　and　the　door　was　closed。　　Still；　on　one　or　two　occasions　he　had　sent　me　a　horse　from　his　stables；　a　brace　of　Indian　fowl；　a　melon　or　the　like；　as　a　foretaste；　and　this　I　supposed　to　be　the　errand　on　which　the　man　had　come。

His　first　words　disabused　me。　　〃May　it　please　your　excellency；〃　he　said；　very　civilly；　〃the　King　desires　to　be　remembered　to　you　as　usual；　and　would　＇earn　whether　you　know　anything　of　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley。〃

〃Of　whom？〃　　I　cried；　astonished。

〃Of　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley；　her　Majesty's　maid　of　honour。〃

〃Not　I；　i'faith！〃　　I　said；　drily。　　〃I　am　no　squire　of　dames；　to　say　nothing　of　maids！〃

〃But　his　Majesty〃

〃If　he　has　sent　that　message；〃　I　replied；　〃has　yet　something　to　learnthat　I　do　not　interest　myself　in　maids　of　honour　or　such　frailties。〃

The　man　smiled。　　〃I　do　not　think；〃　he　began；　〃that　it　was　his　Majesty〃

〃Sent　the　message？〃　　I　said。　　〃No；　but　the　Queen；　I　suppose。〃

On　this　he　gave　me　to　understand；　in　the　sly；　secretive　manner　such　men　affect；　that　it　was　so。　　I　asked　him　then　what　all　this　ferment　was　about。　　〃Has　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley　disappeared？〃　　I　said；　peevishly。

〃Yes；　your　excellency。　　She　was　with　the　Queen　at　eight　o'clock。　At　noon　her　Majesty　desired　her　services；　and　she　was　not　to　be　found。〃

〃What？〃　　I　exclaimed。　　〃A　maid　of　honour　is　missing　for　three　hours　in　the　morning；　and　there　is　all　this　travelling！　　Why；　in　my　young　days；　three　nights　might　have〃

But　discerning　that　he　was　little　more　than　a　youth；　and　could　not；　restrain　a　smile；　I　broke　off　discreetly；　and　contented　myself　with　asking　if　there　was　reason　to　suppose　that　there　was　more　than　appeared　in　the　girl's　absence。

〃Her　Majesty　thinks　so；〃　he　answered。

〃Well；　in　any　case；　I　know　nothing　about　it；〃　I　replied。　　〃I　am　not　hiding　her。　　You　may　tell　his　Majesty　that；　with　my　service。　Or　I　will　write　it。〃

He　answered　me；　eagerly；　that　that　was　not　necessary；　and　that　the　King　had　desired　merely　a　word　from　me；　and　with　that　and　many　other　expressions　of　regret；　he　went　away　and　left　me　at　leisure　to　go　to　the　riding…school；　where　at　this　time　of　the　year　it　was　my　wont　to　see　the　young　men　practise　those　manly　arts；　which；　so　far　as　I　can　judge；　are　at　a　lower　ebb　in　these　modern　days　of　quips　and　quodlibets　than　in　the　stirring　times　of　my　youth。　　Then；　thank　God；　it　was　held　more　necessary　for　a　page　to　know　his　seven　points　of　horsemanship　than　how　to　tie　a　ribbon；　or　prank　a　gown；　or　read　a　primer。

But　the　first　day　of　this　year　was　destined　to　be　a　day　of　vexation。　　I　had　scarcely　entered　the　school；　when　M。　de　Varennes　was　announced。　　Instead　of　going　to　meet　him　I　bade　them　bring　him　to　me；　and；　on　seeing　him；　bade　him　welcome　to　the　sports。　〃Though；〃　I　said；　politely　overlooking　his　past　history　and　his　origin；　〃we　did　better　in　our　times；　yet　the　young　fellows　should　be　encouraged。〃

〃Very　true；〃　he　answered；　suavely。　　〃And　I　wish　I　could　stay　with　you。　　But　it　was　not　for　pleasure　I　came。　　The　King　sent　me。　　He　desires　to　know〃

〃What？〃　　I　said。

〃If　you　know　anything　of　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley。　　Between　ourselves；　M。　le　Duc〃

I　looked　at　him　in　amazement。　　〃Why；〃　I　said；　〃what　on　earth　has　the　girl　done　now？〃

〃Disappeared；〃　he　answered。

〃But　she　had　done　that　before。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　King　had　your　message。　But〃

〃But　what？〃　　I　said　sternly。

〃He　thought　that　you　might　wish　to　supplement　it　for　his　private　use。〃

〃To　supplement　it？〃

〃Yes。　　The　truth　is；〃　Varennes　continued；　looking　at　me　doubtfully；　〃the　King　has　information　which　leads　him　to　suppose　that　she　may　be　here。〃

〃She　may　be　anywhere；〃　I　answered　in　a　tone　that　closed　his　mouth；　〃but　she　is　not　here。　　And　you　may　tell　the　King　so　from　me！〃

Though　he　had　begun　life　as　a　cook；　few　could　be　more　arrogant　than　Varennes　on　occasion；　but　he　possessed　the　valuable　knack　of　knowing　with　whom　he　could　presume；　and　never　attempted　to　impose　on　me。　　Apologising　with　the　easy　grace　of　a　man　who　had　risen　in　life　by　pleasing；　he　sat　with　me　awhile；　recalling　old　days　and　feats；　and　then　left；　giving　me　to　understand　that　I　might　depend　on　him　to　disabuse　the　King's　mind。

As　a　fact；　Henry　visited　me　that　evening　without　raising　the　subject；　nor　had　I　any　reason　to　complain　of　his　generosity；　albeit　he　took　care　to　exact　from　the　Superintendent　of　the　Finances　more　than　he　gave　his　servant；　and　for　one　gift　to　Peter　got　two　Pauls　satisfied。　　To　obtain　the　money　he　needed　in　the　most　commodious　manner；　I　spent　the　greater　part　of　two　days　in　accounts；　and　had　not　yet　settled　the　warrants　to　my　liking；　when　La　Trape　coming　in　with　candles　on　the　second　evening　disturbed　my　secretaries。　　The　men　yawned　discreetly；　and　reflecting　that　we　had　had　a　long　day　I　dismissed　them；　and　stayed　myself　only　for　the　purpose　of　securing　one　or　two　papers　of　a　private　nature。　　Then　I　bade　La　Trape　light　me　to　my　closet。

Instead；　he　stood　and　craved　leave　to　speak　to　me。　　〃About　what；　sirrah？〃　　I　said。

〃I　have　received　an　offer；　your　excellency；〃　he　answered　with　a　crafty　look。

〃What！　　To　leave　my　service？〃　　I　exclaimed；　in　surprise。

〃No；　your　excellency；〃　he　answered。　　〃To　do　a　service　for　anotherM。　Pimentel。　　The　Portuguese　gentleman　stopped　me　in　the　street　to…day；　and　offered　me　fifty　crowns。〃

〃To　do　what？〃　　I　asked。

〃To　tell　him　where　the　young　lady　with　Madame　lies；　and　lend　him　the　key　of　the　garden　gate　to…night。〃

I　stared　at　the　fellow。　　〃The　young　lady　with　Madame？〃　　I　said。

He　returned　my　look　with　a　stupidity　which　I　knew　was　assumed。　〃Yes；　your　excellency。　　The　young　lady　who　came　this　morning；〃　he　said。

Then　I　knew　that　I　had　been　betrayed；　and　had　given　my　enemies　such　a　handle　as　they　would　not　be　slow　to　seize；　and　I　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　in　the　utmost　grief　and　consternation。　　At　last；　〃Stay　here；〃　I　said　to　the　man；　as　soon　as　I　could　speak。　〃no　not　move　from　the　spot　where　you　stand　until　I　come　back！〃

It　was　my　almost　invariable　custom　to　be　announced　when　I　visited　my　wife's　closet；　but　I　had　no　mind　now　for　such　formalities；　and　swiftly　passing　two　or　three　scared　servants　on　the　stairs；　I　made　straight　for　her　room；　tapped　and　entered。　　Abrupt　as　were　my　movements；　however；　someone　had　contrived　to　warn　her；　for　though　two　of　her　women　sat　working　on　stools　near　her；　I　heard　a　hasty　foot　flying；　and　caught　the　last　flutter　of　a　skirt　as　it　disappeared　through　a　second　door。　　My　wife　rose　from　her　seat；　and　looked　at　me　guiltily。

〃Madame；〃　I　said；　〃send　these　women　away。　　Now；〃　I　continued　when　they　had　gone；　〃who　was　that　with　you？〃　　She　looked　away　dumbly。

〃You　do　well　not　to　try　to　deceive　me；　Madame；〃　I　continued　severely。　　〃It　was　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley。〃

She　muttered；　not　daring　to　meet　my　eye；　that　it　was。

〃Who　has　absented　herself　from　the　Queen's　service；〃　I　answered　bitterly；　〃and　chosen　to　hide　herself　here　of　all　places！　Madame；〃　I　continued；　with　a　severity　which　the　sense　of　my　false　position　amply　justified；　〃are　you　aware　that　you　have　made　me　dishonour　myself？　　That　you　have　made　me　lie；　not　once；　but　three　times？　　That　you　have　made　me　deceive　my　master？〃

She　cried　out　at　that；　being　frightened；　that　〃she　had　meant　no　harm；　that　the　girl　coming　to　her　in　great　grief　and　trouble〃

〃Because　the　Queen　had　scolded　her　for　breaking　a　china　jar！〃　　I　said；　contemptuously。

〃No；　Monsieur；　her　trouble　was　of　quite　another　kind；〃　my　wife　answered　with　more　spirit　than　I　had　expected。

〃Pshaw！　　〃I　exclaimed。

〃It　is　plain　that　you　do　not　yet　understand　the　case；〃　Madame　persisted；　facing　me　with　trembling　hardihood。　　〃Mademoiselle　D'Oyley　has　been　persecuted　for　some　time　by　the　suit　of　a　man　for　whom　I　know　you；　Monsieur；　have　no　respect：　　a　man　whom　no　Frenchwoman　of　family　should　be　forced　to　marry。〃

〃Who　is　it？〃　　I　said　curtly。

〃M。　Pimentel