from the memoirs of a minister of france-第36章

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no　Frenchwoman　of　family　should　be　forced　to　marry。〃

〃Who　is　it？〃　　I　said　curtly。

〃M。　Pimentel。〃

〃Ah！　　And　the　Queen？〃

〃Has　made　his　suit　her　own。　　Doubtless　her　Majesty；〃　Madame　de　Sully　continued　with　grimness；　〃who　plays　with　him　so　much；　is　under　obligations　to　him；　and　has　her　reasons。　　The　King；　too；　is　on　his　side；　so　that　Mademoiselle〃

〃Who　has　another　lover；　I　suppose？〃　　I　said　harshly。

My　wife　looked　at　me　in　trepidation。　　〃It　may　be　so；　Monsieur；〃　she　said　hesitating

〃It　is　so；　Madame；　and　you　know　it；〃　I　answered　in　the　same　tone。　〃M。　Vallon　is　the　man。〃

〃Oh！〃　　she　exclaimed　with　a　gesture　of　alarm。　　〃You　know！〃

〃I　know；　Madame；〃　I　replied；　with　vigour；　〃that　to　please　this　love…sick　girl　you　have　placed　me　in　a　position　of　the　utmost　difficulty；　that　you　have　jeopardised　the　confidence　which　my　master；　whom　I　have　never　willingly　deceived；　places　in　me；　and　that　out　of　all　this　I　see　only　one　way　of　escape；　and　that　is　by　a　full　and　frank　confession；　which　you　must　make　to　the　Queen。〃

〃Oh；　Monsieur；〃　she　said　faintly。

〃The　girl；　of　course；　must　be　immediately　given　up。〃

My　wife　began　to　sob　at　that；　as　women　will；　but　I　had　too　keen　a　sense　of　the　difficulties　into　which　she　had　plunged　me　by　her　deceit；　to　pity　her　over　much。　　And；　doubtless；　I　should　have　continued　in　the　resolution　I　had　formed；　and　which　appeared　to　hold　out　the　only　hope　of　avoiding　the　malice　of　those　enemies　whom　every　man　in　power　possessesand　none　can　afford　to　despiseif　La　Trape's　words；　when　he　betrayed　the　secret　to　me；　had　not　recurred　to　my　mind　and　suggested　other　reflections。

Doubtless；　Mademoiselle　had　been　watched　into　my　house；　and　my　ill…wishers　would　take　the　earliest　opportunity　of　bringing　the　lie　home　to　me。　　My　wife's　confession；　under　such　circumstances；　would　have　but　a　simple　air；　and　believed　by　some　would　be　ridiculed　by　more。　　It　might；　and　probably　would；　save　my　credit　with　the　King；　but　it　would　not　exalt　me　in　others'　eyes；　or　increase　my　reputation　as　a　manager。　　If　there　were　any　other　wayand　so　reflecting；　I　thought　of　La　Trape　and　his　story。

Still　I　was　half　way　to　the　door　when　I　paused；　and　turned。　　My　wife　was　still　weeping。　　〃It　is　no　good　crying　over　spilled　milk；　Madame；〃　I　said　severely。　　〃If　the　girl　were　not　a　fool；　she　would　have　gone　to　the　Ursulines。　　The　abbess　has　a　stiff　neck；　and　is　as　big　a　simpleton　to　boot　as　you　are。　　It　is　only　a　step；　too；　from　here　to　the　Ursulines；　if　she　had　had　the　sense　to　go　on。〃

My　wife　lifted　her　head；　and　looked　at　me　eagerly；　but　I　avoided　her　gaze　and　went　out　without　more；　and　downstairs　to　my　study；　where　I　found　La　Trape　awaiting　me。　　〃Go　to　Madame　la　Duchesse；〃　I　said　to　him。　　〃When　you　have　done　what　she　needs；　come　to　me　in　my　closet。〃

He　obeyed；　and　after　an　interval　of　about　half　an　hour；　during　which　I　had　time　to　mature　my　plan；　presented　himself　again　before　me。　　〃Pimentel　had　a　notion　that　the　young　lady　was　here　then？〃　　I　said　carelessly。

〃Yes；　your　excellency。〃

〃Some　of　his　people　fancied　that　they　saw　her　enter；　perhaps？〃

〃Yes；　your　excellency。〃

〃They　were　mistaken；　of　course？〃

〃Of　course；〃　he　answered；　dutifully。

〃Or　she　may　have　come　to　the　door　and　gone　again？〃　　I　suggested。

〃Possibly；　your　excellency。〃

〃Gone　on　without　being　seen；　I　mean？〃

〃If　she　went　in　the　direction　of　the　Rue　St。　Marcel；〃　he　answered　stolidly；　〃she　would　not　be　seen。〃

The　convent　of　the　Ursulines　is　in　the　Rue　St。　Marcel。　　I　knew；　therefore；　that　Madame　had　had　the　sense　to　act　on　my　hint；　and　after　reflecting　a　moment　I　continued；　〃So　Pimentel　wished　to　know　where　she　was　lodged？〃

〃That；　and　to　have　the　key；　your　excellency。〃

〃To…night？〃

〃Yes；　your　excellency。〃

〃Well；　you　are　at　liberty　to　accept　the　offer；〃　I　answered　carelessly。　　〃It　will　not　clash　with　my　service。〃　　And　then；　as　he　stood　staring　in　astonishment；　striving　to　read　the　riddle；　I　continued；　〃By　the　way；　are　the　rooms　in　the　little　Garden　Pavilion　aired？　　They　may　be　needed　next　week；　see　that　one　of　the　women　sleeps　there　to…night；　a　woman　you　can　depend　on。〃

〃Ah；　Monsieur！〃

He　said　no　more；　but　I　saw　that　he　understood；　and　bidding　him　be　careful　in　following　my　instructions；　I　dismissed　him。　　The　line　I　had　determined　to　take　was　attended　by　many　uncertainties；　however；　and　more　than　once　I　repented　that　I　had　not　followed　my　first；　instinct；　and　avowed　the　truth。　　A　hundred　things　might　fall　out　to　frustrate　my　scheme　and　place　me　in　a　false　position；　from　whichsince　the　confidence　of　his　sovereign　is　the　breath　of　a　minister；　and　as　easily　destroyed　as　a　woman's　reputation　I　might　find　it　impossible　to　extricate　myself　with　credit。

I　slept；　therefore；　but　ill　that　night；　and　in　conjunctures　apparently　more　serious　have　felt　less　trepidation。　　But　experience　has　long　ago　taught　me　that　trifles；　not　great　events；　unseat　the　statesman；　and　that　of　all　intrigues　those　which　revolve　round　a　woman　are　the　most　dangerous。　　I　rose　early；　therefore；　and　repaired　to　Court　before　my　usual　hour；　it　being　the　essence　of　my　plan　to　attack；　instead　of　waiting　to　be　attacked。　　Doubtless　my　early　appearance　was　taken　to　corroborate　the　rumour　that　I　had　made　a　false　step；　and　was　in　difficulties；　for　scarcely　had　I　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　ante…chamber　before　the　attitude　of　the　courtiers　caught　my　attention。　　Some　who　twenty…four　hours　earlier　would　have　been　only　too　glad　to　meet　my　eye　and　obtain　a　word　of　recognition；　appeared　to　be　absorbed　in　conversation。　　Others；　less　transparent　or　better　inclined　to　me；　greeted　me　with　unnatural　effusion。　　One　who　bore　a　grudge　against　me；　but　had　never　before　dared　to　do　more　than　grin；　now　scowled　openly；　while　a　second；　perhaps　the　most　foolish　of　all；　came　to　me　with　advice；　drew　me　with　insistency　into　a　niche　near　the　door；　and　adjured　me　to　be　cautious。

〃You　are　too　bold；〃　he　said；　〃and　that　way　your　enemies　find　their　opening。　　Do　not　go　to　the　King　now。　　He　is　incensed　against　you。　　But　we　all　know　that　he　loves　you；　wait；　therefore；　my　friend；　until　he　has　had　his　day's　huntinghe　is　just　now　booting　himself　and　see　him　when　he　has　ridden　off　his　annoyance。〃

〃And　when　my　friends；　my　dear　Marquis；　have　had　time　to　poison　his　mind　against　me？　　No；　no；〃　I　answered；　wondering　much　whether　he　were　as　simple　as　he　looked。

〃But　the　Queen　is　with　him　now；〃　he　persisted；　seizing　the　lappel　of　my　coat　to　stay　me；　〃and　she　will　be　sure　to　put　in　a　word　against　you。〃

〃Therefore；〃　I　answered　drily；　〃I　had　better　see　his　Majesty　before　the　one　word　becomes　two。〃

〃Be　persuaded；〃　he　entreated　me。　　〃See　him　now；　and　nothing　but　ill　will　come　of　it。〃

〃Nothing　but　ill　for　some；〃　I　retorted；　looking　so　keenly　at　him　that　his　visage　fell。　　And　with　that　he　let　me　go；　and　with　a　smile　I　passed　through　the　door。　　The　rumour　had　not　yet　gained　such　substance　that　the　crowd　had　lost　all　respect　for　me；　it　rolled　back；　and　I　passed　through　it　towards　the　end　of　the　chamber；　where　the　King　was　stooping　to　draw　on　one　of　his　boots。　The　Queen　stood　not　far　from　him；　gazing　into　the　fire　with　an　air　of　ill…temper　which　the　circle；　serious　and　silent；　seemed　to　reflect；　I　looked　everywhere　for　the　Portuguese；　but　he　was　not　to　be　seen。

For　a　moment　the　King　affected　to　be　unaware　of　my　presence；　and　even　turned　his　shoulder　to　me；　but　I　observed　that　he　reddened；　and　fidgeted　nervously　with　the　boot　which　he　was　drawing　on。　Nothing　daunted；　therefore；　I　waited　until　he　perforce　discovered　me；　and　was　obliged　to　greet　me。　　〃You　are　early　this　morning；〃　he　said；　at　last；　with　a　grudging　air。

〃For　the　best　of　reasons；　sire；〃　I　answered　hardily。　　〃I　am　ill　placed　at　home；　and　come　to　you　for　justice。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　　he　said　churlishly　and　unwillingly。

I　was　about　to　answer；　when　the　Queen　interposed　with　a　sneer。　〃I　think　that　I　can　tell　you；　sire；〃　she　said。　　〃M。　de　Sully　is　old　enough　to　know　the　adage；　'Bite　before　you　are　bitten。'〃

〃Madame；〃　I　said；　respectfully　but　with　firmness。　　〃I　know　this　only；　that　my　house　was　last　night　the　scene　of　a　gross　outrage；　and　by　all　I　can　learn　it　was　perpetrated　by　one　who　is　under　your　Majesty's　protection。〃

〃His　name？〃　　she　sai