from the memoirs of a minister of france-第37章

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can　learn　it　was　perpetrated　by　one　who　is　under　your　Majesty's　protection。〃

〃His　name？〃　　she　said；　with　a　haughty　gesture。

〃M。　Pimentel。〃

The　Queen　began　to　smile。　　〃What　was　this　gross　outrage？〃　　she　asked　drily。

〃In　the　course　of　last　night　he　broke　into　my　house　with　a　gang　of　wretches；　and　bore　off　one　of　the　inmates。〃

The　Queen's　smile　grew　broader；　the　King　began　to　grin。　　Some　of　the　circle；　watching　them　closely；　ventured　to　smile　also。　〃Come；　my　friend；〃　Henry　said；　almost　with　good　humour；　〃this　is　all　very　well。　　But　this　inmate　of　yourswas　a　very　recent　one。〃

〃Was；　in　fact；　I　suppose；　the　rebellious　little　wench　of　whom　you　knew　nothing　yesterday！〃　　the　Queen　cried　harshly；　and　with　an　air　of　open　triumph。　　〃There　can　be　no　stealing　of　stolen　goods；　sir；　and　if　M。　Pimentel；　who　had　at　least　as　much　right　as　you　to　the　girland　more；　for　I　am　her　guardianhas　carried　her　off；　you　have　small　ground　to　complain；〃

〃But；　Madame；〃　I　said；　with　an　air　of　bewilderment；　〃I　really　do　notit　must　be　my　fault；　but　I　do　not　understand。〃

Two　or　three　sniggered；　seeing　me　apparently　checkmated　and　at　the　end　of　my　resources。　　And　the　King　laughed　out　with　kindly　malice。　　〃Come；　Grand　Master；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　that　you　do。　However；　if　Pimentel　has　carried　off　the　damsel；　there；　it　seems　to　me；　is　an　end　of　the　matter。〃

〃But；　sire；〃　I　answered；　looking　sternly　round　the　grinning　circle；　〃am　I　mad；　or　is　there　some　mystery　here？　　I　assured　your　Majesty　yesterday　that　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley　was　not　in　my　house。　I　say　the　same　to…day。　　She　is　not；　your　officers　may　search　every　room　and　closet。　　And　for　the　woman　whom　M。　Pimentel　has　carried　off；　she　is　no　more　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley　than　I　am；　she　is　one　of　my　wife's　waiting…maids。　　If　you　doubt　me；〃　I　continued；　〃you　have　only　to　send　and　ask。　　Ask　the　Portuguese　himself。〃

The　King　stared　at　me。　　〃Nonsense！〃　　he　said；　sharply。　　〃If　Pimentel　has　carried　off　anyone；　it　must　be　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley。〃

〃But　it　is　not；　sire；〃　I　answered　with　persistence。　　〃He　has　broken　into　my　house；　and　abducted　my　servant。　　For　Mademoiselle；　she　is　not　there　to　be　stolen。〃

〃Let　some　one　go　for　Pimentel；〃　the　King　said　curtly。

But　the　Portuguese；　as　it　happened；　was　at　the　door　even　then；　and　being　called；　had　no　alternative　but　to　come　forward。　　His　face　and　mien　as　he　entered　and　reluctantly　showed　himself　were　more　than　enough　to　dissipate　any　doubts　which　the　courtiers　had　hitherto　entertained；　the　former　being　as　gloomy　and　downcast　as　the　latter　was　timid　and　cringing。　　It　is　true　he　made　some　attempt　at　first；　and　for　a　time；　to　face　the　matter　out；　stammering　and　stuttering；　and　looking　piteously　to　the　Queen　for　help。　　But　he　could　not　long　delay　the　crisis；　nor　deny　that　the　person　he　had　so　cunningly　abducted　was　one　of　my　waiting…women；　and　the　moment　that　this　confession　was　made　his　case　was　at　an　end；　the　statement　being　received　with　so　universal　a　peal　of　laughter；　the　King　leading；　as　at　one　and　the　same　time　discomfited　him；　and　must　have　persuaded　any　indifferent　listener　that　all；　from　the　first；　had　been　in　the　secret。

After　that　he　would　have　spent　himself　in　vain；　had　he　contended　that　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley　was　at　my　house；　and　so　clear　was　this　that　he　made　no　second　attempt　to　do　so；　but　at　once　admitting　that　his　people　had　made　a　mistake；　he　proffered　me　a　handsome　apology；　and　desired　the　King　to　speak　to　me　in　his　behalf。

This　I；　on　my　side；　was　pleased　to　take　in　good　part；　and　having　let　him　off　easily　with　a　mild　rebuke；　turned　from　him　to　the　Queen；　and　informed　her　with　much　respect　that　I　had　learned　at　length　where　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley　had　taken　refuge。

〃Where；　sir？〃　　she　asked；　eyeing　me　suspiciously　and　with　no　little　disfavour。

〃At　the　Ursulines；　Madame；〃　I　answered；

She　winced；　for　she　had　already　quarrelled　with　the　abbess　without　advantage。　　And　there　for　the　moment　the　matter　ended。　At　a　later　period　I　took　care　to　confess　all　to　the　King；　and　he　did　not　fail　to　laugh　heartily　at　the　clever　manner　in　which　I　had　outwitted　Pimentel。　　But　this　was　not　until　the　Portuguese　had　left　the　country　and　gone　to　Italy；　the　affair　between　him　and　Mademoiselle　D'Oyley　（which　resolved　itself　into　a　contest　between　the　Queen　and　the　Ursulines）　having　come　to　a　close　under　circumstances　which　it　may　be　my　duty　to　relate　in　another　place。



X。　FARMING　THE　TAXES。

In　the　summer　of　the　year　1608；　determining　to　take　up　my　abode；　when　not　in　Paris；　at　Villebon；　where　I　had　lately　enlarged　my　property；　I　went　thither　from　Rouen　with　my　wife；　to　superintend　the　building　and　mark　out　certain　plantations　which　I　projected。　As　the　heat　that　month　was　great；　and　the　dust　of　the　train　annoying；　I　made　each　stage　in　the　evening　and　on　horseback；　leaving　my　wife　to　proceed　at　her　leisure。　　In　this　way　I　was　able；　by　taking　rough　paths；　to　do　in　two　or　three　hours　a　distance　which　her　coaches　had　scarcely　covered　in　the　day；　but　on　the　third　evening；　intending　to　make　a　short　cut　by　a　ford　on　the　Vaucouleurs；　I　found；　to　my　chagrin；　the　advantage　on　the　other　side；　the　ford；　when　I　reached　it　at　sunset；　proving　impracticable。　　As　there　was　every　prospect；　however；　that　the　water　would　fall　within　a　few　hours；　I　determined　not　to　retrace　my　steps；　but　to　wait　where　I　was　until　morning；　and　complete　my　journey　to　Houdan　in　the　early　hours。

There　was　a　poor　inn　near　the　ford；　a　mere　hovel　of　wood　on　a　brick　foundation；　yet　with　two　storeys。　　I　made　my　way　to　this　with　Maignan　and　La　Trape；　who　formed；　with　two　grooms；　my　only　attendance；　but　on　coming　near　the　house；　and　looking　about　with　a　curious　eye；　I　remarked　something　which　fixed　my　attention；　and；　for　the　moment；　brought　me　to　a　halt。　　This　was　the　spectacle　of　three　horses；　of　fair　quality；　feeding　in　a　field　of　growing　corn；　which　was　the　only　enclosure　near　the　inn。　　They　were　trampling　and　spoiling　more　than　they　ate；　and；　supposing　that　they　had　strayed　into　the　place；　and　the　house　showing　no　signs　of　life；　I　bade　my　grooms　fetch　them　out。　　The　sun　was　about　setting；　and　I　stood　a　moment　watching　the　long　shadows　of　the　men　as　they　plodded　through　the　corn；　and　the　attitudes　of　the　horses　as；　with　heads　raised；　they　looked　doubtfully　at　the　newcomers。

Suddenly　a　man　came　round　the　corner　of　the　house；　and　seeing　us；　and　what　my　men　were　doing；　began　to　gesticulate　violently；　but　without　sound。　　The　grooms　saw　him　too；　and　stood；　and　he　ran　up　to　my　stirrup；　his　face　flushed　and　sullen。

〃Do　you　want　to　see　us　all　ruined？〃　　he　muttered。　　And　he　begged　me　to　call　my　men　out　of　the　corn。

〃You　are　more　likely　to　be　ruined　that　way；〃　I　answered；　looking　down　at　him。　　〃Why；　man；　is　it　the　custom　in　your　country　to　turn　horses　into　the　half…ripe　corn？〃

He　shook　his　fist　stealthily。　　〃God　forbid！〃　　he　said。　　〃But　the　devil　is　within　doors；　and　we　must　do　his　bidding。〃

〃Ah！〃　　I　replied；　my　curiosity　aroused　〃I　should　like　to　see　him。〃

The　boor　shaded　his　eyes；　and　looked　at　me　sulkily　from　under　his　matted　and　tangled　hair。　　〃You　are　not　of　his　company？〃　　he　said　with　suspicion。

〃I　hope　not；〃　I　answered；　smiling　at　his　simplicity。　　〃But　your　corn　is　your　own。　　I　will　call　the　men　out。〃　　On　which　I　made　a　sign　to　them　to　return。　　〃Now；〃　I　said；　as　I　walked　my　horse　slowly　towards　the　house；　while　he　tramped　along　beside　me；　〃who　is　within？〃

〃M。　Gringuet；〃　he　said；　with　another　stealthy　gesture。

〃Ah！〃　　I　said；　〃I　am　afraid　that　I　am　no　wiser。〃

〃The　tax…gatherer。〃

〃Oh！　　And　those　are　his　horses？〃　　He　nodded。

〃Still；　I　do　not　see　why　they　are　in　the　corn？〃

〃I　have　no　hay。〃

〃But　there　is　grass。〃

〃Ay；〃　the　inn…keeper　answered　bitterly。

〃And　he　said　that　I　might　eat　it。　　It　was　not　good　enough　for　his　horses。　　They　must　have　hay　or　corn；　and　if　I　had　none；　so　much　the　worse　for　me。〃

Full　of　indignation；　I　made　in　my　mind　a　note　of　M。　Gringuet's　name；　but　at　the　moment　I　said　no　more；　and　we　proceeded　to　the　house；　the　exterior　of　which；　though　meagre；　and　even　miserable；　gave　me　an　impression　of　neatness。　　From　the　inside；　however；　a　hoarse；　continuous　noise　was　issuing；　which　resolved　itself　as　we　crossed　the　threshold　into　a　man's　voice。　　The