from the memoirs of a minister of france-第39章

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；　I　looked　to　have　to　do　only　with　small　men；　and　saw　no　reason　why　it　should　fail。

Accordingly；　riding　up　to　the　inn　about　sunset；　I　called；　with　an　air；　for　the　landlord。　　There　were　half…a…dozen　loungers　seated　in　a　row　on　a　bench　before　the　door；　and　one　of　these　went　in　to　fetch　him。　　When　the　host　came　out；　with　his　apron　twisted　round　his　waist；　I　asked　him　if　he　had　a　room。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　shading　his　eyes　to　look　at　me；　〃I　have。〃

〃Very　well；〃　I　answered　pompously；　considering　that　I　had　just　such　an　audience　as　I　desiredby　which　I　mean　one　that；　without　being　too　critical；　would　spread　the　news。　　〃I　am　M。　Gringuet's　deputy；　and　I　am　here　with　authority　to　collect　and　remit；　receive　and　give　receipts　for；　his　Majesty's　taxes；　tolls；　and　dues；　now；　or　to　be；　due　and　owing。　　Therefore；　my　friend；　I　will　trouble　you　to　show　me　to　my　room。

I　thought　that　this　announcement　would　impress　him　as　much　as　I　desired；　but；　to　my　surprise；　he　only　stared　at　me。　　〃Eh！〃　　he　exclaimed　at　last；　in　a　faltering　tone；　〃M。　Gringuet's　deputy？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　dismounting　somewhat　impatiently；　〃he　is　ill　with　the　gout　and　cannot　come。〃

〃And　youare　his　deputy？〃

〃I　have　said　so。〃

Still　he　did　not　move　to　do　my　bidding；　but　continued　to　rub　his　bald　head　and　stare　at　me　as　if　I　fascinated　him。　　〃Well；　I　amI　meanI　think　we　are　full；〃　he　stammered　at　last；　with　his　eyes　like　saucers。

I　replied；　with　some　impatience；　that　he　had　just　said　that　he　had　a　room；　adding；　that　if　I　was　not　in　it　and　comfortably　settled　before　five　minutes　were　up　I　would　know　the　reason。　　I　thought　that　this　would　settle　the　matter；　whatever　maggot　had　got　into　the　man's　head；　and；　in　a　way；　it　did　so；　for　he　begged　my　pardon　hastily；　and　made　way　for　me　to　enter；　calling；　at　the　same　time；　to　a　lad　who　was　standing　by；　to　attend　to　the　horses。　But　when　we　were　inside　the　door；　instead　of　showing　me　through　the　kitchen　to　my　room；　he　muttered　something；　and　hurried　away；　leaving　me　to　wonder　what　was　amiss　with　him；　and　why　the　loungers　outside；　who　had　listened　with　all　their　ears　to　our　conversation；　had　come　in　after　us　as　far　as　they　dared；　and　were　regarding　us　with　an　odd　mixture　of　suspicion　and　amusement。

The　landlord　remained　long　away；　and　seemed；　from　sounds　that　came　to　my　ears；　to　be　talking　with　someone　in　a　distant　room。　At　length；　however；　he　returned；　bearing　a　candle　and　followed　by　a　serving…man。　　I　asked　him　roughly　why　he　had　been　so　long；　and　began　to　rate　him；　but　he　took　the　words　out　of　my　mouth　by　his　humility；　and　going　before　me　through　the　kitchenwhere　his　wife　and　two　or　three　maids　who　were　about　the　fire　stopped　to　look　at　us；　with　the　basting　spoons　in　their　handshe　opened　a　door　which　led　again　into　the　outer　air。

〃It　is　across　the　yard；〃　he　said　apologetically；　as　he　went　before；　and　opening　a　second　door；　stood　aside　for　us　to　enter。　〃But　it　is　a　good　room；　and；　if　you　please；　a　fire　shall　be　lighted。　　The　shutters　are　closed；〃　he　continued；　as　we　passed　him；　Maignan　and　〃La　Trape　carrying　my　baggage；　〃but　they　shall　be　opened。　　Hallo！　　Pierre！　　Pierre；　there！　　Open　these　shut〃

On　the　word　his　voice　roseand　broke；　and　in　a　moment　the　door；　through　which　we　had　all　passed　unsuspecting；　fell　to　with　a　crash　behind　us。　　Before　we　could　move　we　heard　the　bars　drop　across　it。　　A　little　before；　La　Trape　had　taken　a　candle　from　someone's　hand　to　light　me　the　better；　and　therefore　we　were　not　in　darkness。　　But　the　light　this　gave　only　served　to　impress　on　us　what　the　falling　bars　and　the　rising　sound　of　voices　outside　had　already　told　usthat　we　were　outwitted！　　We　were　prisoners。

The　room　in　which　we　stood；　looking　foolishly　at　one　another；　was　a　great　barn…like　chamber；　with　small　windows　high　in　the　unplaistered　walls。　　A　long　board　set　on　trestles；　and　two　or　three　stools　placed　round　iton　the　occasion；　perhaps；　of　some　recent　festivityhad　for　a　moment　deceived　us；　and　played　the　landlord's　game。

In　the　first　shock　of　the　discovery；　hearing　the　bars　drop　home；　we　stood　gaping；　and　wondering　what　it　meant。　　Then　Maignan；　with　an　oath；　sprang　to　the　door　and　tried　itfruitlessly。

I　joined　him　more　at　my　leisure；　and　raising　my　voice；　asked　angrily　what　this　folly　meant。　　〃Open　the　door　there！　　Do　you　hear；　landlord？〃　　I　cried。

No　one　moved；　though　Maignan　continued　to　rattle　the　door　furiously。

〃Do　you　hear？〃　　I　repeated；　between　anger　and　amazement　at　the　fix　in　which　we　had　placed　ourselves。　　〃Open！〃

But；　although　the　murmur　of　voices　outside　the　door　grew　louder；　no　one　answered；　and　I　had　time　to　take　in　the　full　absurdity　of　the　position；　to　measure　the　height；　of　the　windows　with　my　eye　and　plumb　the　dark　shadows　under　the　rafters；　where　the　feebler　rays　of　our　candle　lost　themselves；　to　appreciate；　in　a　word；　the　extent　of　our　predicament。　　Maignan　was　furious；　La　Trape　vicious；　while　my　own　equanimity　scarcely　supported　me　against　the　thought　that　we　should　probably　be　where　we　were　until　the　arrival　of　my　people；　whom　I　had　directed　my　wife　to　send　to　Le　Mesnil　at　noon　next　day。　　Their　coming　would　free　us；　indeed；　but　at　the　cost　of　ridicule　and　laughter。　　Never　was　man　worse　placed。

Wincing　at　the　thought；　I　bade　Maignan　be　silent；　and；　drumming　on　the　door　myself；　I　called　for　the　landlord。　　Someone　who　had　been　giving　directions　in　a　tone　of　great；　consequence　ceased　speaking；　and　came　close　to　the　door。　　After　listening　a　moment；　he　struck　it　with　his　hand。

〃Silence；　rogues！〃　　he　cried。　　〃Do　you　hear？　　Silence　there；　unless　you　want　your　ears　nailed　to　the　post。〃

〃Fool！〃　　I　answered。　　〃Open　the　door　instantly！　　Are　you　all　mad　here；　that　you　shut　up　the　King's　servants　in　this　way？〃

〃The　King's　servants！〃　　be　cried；　jeering　at　us。　　〃Where　are　they？〃

〃Here！〃　　I　answered；　swallowing　my　rage　as　well　as　I　might。　　〃I　am　M。　Gringuet's　deputy；　and　if　you　do　not　this　instant〃

〃M。　Gringuet's　deputy！　　Ho！　　ho！〃　　he　said。　　〃Why；　you　fool；　M。　Gringuet's　deputy　arrived　two　hours　before　you。　　You　must　get　up　a　little　earlier　another　time。　　They　are　poor　tricksters　who　are　too　late　for　the　fair。　　And　now　be　silent；　and　it　may　save　you　a　stripe　or　two　to…morrow。〃

There　are　situations　in　which　even　the　greatest　find　it　hard　to　maintain　their　dignity；　and　this　was　one。　　I　looked　at　Maignan　and　La　Trape；　and　they　at　me；　and　by　the　light　of　the　lanthorn　which　the　latter　held　I　saw　that　they　were　smiling；　doubtless　at　the　dilemma　in　which　we　had　innocently　placed　ourselves。　　But　I　found　nothing　to　laugh　at　in　the　position；　since　the　people　outside　might　at　any　moment　leave　us　where　we　were　to　fast　until　morning；　and；　after　a　moment's　reflection；　I　called　out　to　know　who　the　speaker　on　the　other　side　was。

〃I　am　M。　de　Fonvelle；〃　he　answered。

〃Well；　M。　de　Fonvelle；〃　I　replied；　〃I　advise　you　to　have　a　care　what　you　do。　　I　am　M。　Gringuet's　deputy。　　The　other　man　is　an　impostor。〃

He　laughed。

〃He　has　no　papers；〃　I　cried。

〃Oh；　yes；　he　has！〃　　he　answered；　mocking　me。　　〃M。　Curtin　has　seen　them；　my　fine　fellow；　and　he　is　not　one　to　pay　money　without　warrant。〃

At　this　several　laughed；　and　a　quavering　voice　chimed　in　with　〃Oh；　yes；　he　has　papers！　　I　have　seen　them。　　Still；　in　a　case〃

〃There！〃　　M。　Fonvelle　cried；　drowning　the　other's　words。　　〃Now　are　you　satisfiedyou　in　there？〃

But　M。　Curtin　had　not　done。　　〃He　has　papers；〃　he　piped　again　in　his　thin　voice。

〃Still；　M。　de　Fonvelle；　it　is　well　to　be　cautious；　and〃

〃Tut；　tut！　　it　is　all　right。〃

〃He　has　papers；　but　he　has　no　authority！〃　　I　shouted。

〃He　has　seals；〃　Fonvelle　answered。　　〃It　is　all　right。〃

〃It　is　all　wrong！〃　　I　retorted。　　〃Wrong；　I　say！　　Go　to　your　man；　and　you　will　find　him　gonegone　with　your　money；　M。　Curtin。〃

Two　or　three　laughed；　but　I　heard　the　sound　of　feet　hurrying　away；　and　I　guessed　that　Curtin　had　retired　to　satisfy　himself。　Nevertheless；　the　moment　which　followed　was　an　anxious　one；　since；　if　my　random　shot　missed；　I　knew　that　I　should　find　myself　in　a　worse　position　than　before。　　But　judgingfrom　the　fact　that　the　deputy　had　not　confronted　us　himselfthat　he　was　an　impostor；　to　whom　Gringuet's　illness　had　suggested　the　scheme　on　which　I　had　myself　hit；　I　hoped　for　the　best；　and；　to　be　sur