from the memoirs of a minister of france-第4章

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〃He　got　out　through　the　window？〃

Perrot　nodded；　and　being　at　leisure；　now　that　he　had　explained　his　woes；　to　feel　their　full　depth；　shed　actual　tears　of　rage　and　terror；　now　moaning　that　Madame　would　never　forgive　him；　and　that　if　he　escaped　the　Bastille　he　would　lose　all　his　employments　and　be　the　laughing…stock　of　the　Court；　and　now　striving　to　show　that　his　peril　was　mine；　and　that　it　was　to　my　interest　to　help　him。

I　allowed　him　to　go　on　in　this　strain　for　some　time；　and　then；　having　sufficiently　diverted　myself　with　his　forebodings；　I　bade　him　in　an　altered　voice　to　take　courage。　　〃For　I　think　I　know；〃　I　said；　〃where　your　son　is。〃

〃At　Madame's？〃　　he　groaned。

〃No；　here；〃　I　said。

〃MON　DIEU！　　Where？〃　　he　cried。　　And　he　sprang　up；　startled　out　of　his　lamentations。

〃Here；　in　my　lodging；〃　I　answered。

〃My　son　is　here？〃　　he　said。

〃In　the　next　room；〃　I　replied；　smiling　indulgently　at　his　astonishment；　which　was　only　less　amusing　than　his　terror。　　〃I　have　but　to　touch　this　bell；　and　Maignan　will　bring　him　to　you。〃

Full　of　wonder　and　admiration；　he　implored　me　to　ring　and　have　him　brought　immediately；　since　until　he　had　set　eyes　on　him　he　could　not　feel　safe。　　Accordingly　I　rang　my　hand…bell；　and　Maignan　opened　the　door。　　〃The　clockmaker；〃　I　said　nodding。

He　looked　at　me　stupidly。　　〃The　clock…maker；　your　excellency？〃

〃Yes；　bring　him　in；〃　I　said。

〃Buthe　has　gone！〃　　he　exclaimed。

〃Gone？〃　I　cried；　scarcely　able　to　believe　my　ears。　　〃Gone；　sirrah！　　and　I　told　you　to　detain　him！〃

〃Until　he　had　mended　the　clock；　my　lord；〃　Maignan　stammered；　quite　out　of　countenance。　　〃But　he　set　it　going　half…an…hour　ago；　and　I　let　him　go；　according　to　your　order。〃

It　is　in　the　face　of　such　CONTRETEMPS　as　these　that　the　low…bred　man　betrays　himself。　　Yet　such　was　my　chagrin　on　this　occasion；　and　so　sudden　the　shock；　that　it　was　all　I　could　do　to　maintain　my　SANGFROID；　and；　dismissing　Maignan　with　a　look；　be　content　to　punish　M。　de　Perrot　with　a　sneer。　　〃I　did　not　know　that　your　son　was　a　tradesman；〃　I　said。　　He　wrung　his　hands。　　〃He　has　low　tastes；〃　he　cried。　　〃He　always　had。　　He　has　amused　himself　that　way；　And　now　by　this　time　he　is　with　Madame　de　Beaufort　and　we　are　undone！〃

〃Not　we；〃　I　answered　curtly；　〃speak　for　yourself；　M。　de　Perrot。〃

But　though；　having　no　mind　to　appear　in　his　eyes　dependent　on　Madame's　favour　or　caprice；　I　thus　checked　his　familiarity；　I　am　free　to　confess　that　my　calmness　was　partly　assumed；　and　that；　though　I　knew　my　position　to　be　unassailablebased　as　it　was　on　solid　services　rendered　to　the　King；　my　master；　and　on　the　familiar　affection　with　which　he　honoured　me　through　so　many　yearsI　could　not　view　the　prospect　of　a　fresh　collision　with　Madame　without　some　misgiving。　　Having　gained　the　mastery　in　the　two　quarrels　we　had　had；　I　was　the　less　inclined　to　excite　her　to　fresh　intrigues；　and　as　unwilling　to　give　the　King　reason　to　think　that　we　could　not　live　at　peace。　　Accordingly；　after　a　moment's　consideration；　I　told　Perrot　that；　rather　than　he　should　suffer；　I　would　go　to　Madame　de　Beaufort　myself；　and　give　such　explanations　as　would　place　another　complexion　on　the　matter。

He　overwhelmed　me　with　thanks；　and；　besides；　to　show　his　gratitudefor　he　was　still　on　thorns；　picturing　her　wrath　and　resentment　he　insisted　on　accompanying　me　to　the　Cloitre　de　St。　Germain；　where　Madame　had　her　apartment。　　By　the　way；　he　asked　me　what　I　should　say　to　her。

〃Whatever　will　get　you　out　of　the　scrape；〃　I　answered　curtly。

〃Then　anything！〃　　he　cried　with　fervour。　　〃Anything；　my　dear　friend。　　Oh；　that　unnatural　boy！〃

〃I　suppose　that　the　girl　is　as　big　a　fool？〃　　I　said。

〃Bigger！　　bigger！〃　　he　answered。　　〃I　don't　know　where　she　learned　such　things！〃

〃She　prated　of　love；　too；　then？〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　he　groaned；　〃and　without　a　sou　of　DOT！〃

〃Well；　well；〃　I　said；　〃here　we　are。　　I　will　do　what　I　can。〃

Fortunately　the　King　was　not　there；　and　Madame　would　receive　me。　I　thought；　indeed；　that　her　doors　flew　open　with　suspicious　speed；　and　that　way　was　made　for　me　more　easily　than　usual；　and　I　soon　found　that　I　was　not　wrong　in　the　inference　I　drew　from　these　facts。　　For　when　I　entered　her　chamber　that　remarkable　woman；　who；　whatever　her　enemies　may　say；　combined　with　her　beauty　a　very　uncommon　degree　of　sense　and　discretion；　met　me　with　a　low　courtesy　and　a　smile　of　derision。　　〃So；〃　she　said；　〃M。　de　Rosny；　not　satisfied　with　furnishing　me　with　evidence；　gives　me　proof。〃

〃How；　Madame？〃　　I　said；　though　I　well　understood。

〃By　his　presence　here；〃　she　answered。　　〃An　hour　ago；〃　she　continued；　〃the　King　was　with　me。　　I　had　not　then　the　slightest　ground　to　expect　this　honour；　or　I　am　sure　that　his　Majesty　would　have　stayed　to　share　it。　　But　I　have　since　seen　reason　to　expect　it；　and　you　observe　that　I　am　not　unprepared。〃

She　spoke　with　a　sparkling　eye；　and　an　expression　of　the　most　lively　resentment；　so　that；　had　M。　de　Perrot　been　in　my　place　I　think　that　he　would　have　shed　more　tears。　　I　was　myself　somewhat　dashed；　though　I　knew　the　prudence　that　governed　her　in　her　most　impetuous　sallies；　still；　to　avoid　the　risk　of　hearing　things　which　we　might　both　afterwards　wish　unsaid；　I　came　to　the　point。　〃I　fear　that　I　have　timed　my　visit　ill；　Madame；〃　I　said。　　〃You　have　some　complaint　against　me。〃

〃Only　that　you　are　like　the　others；〃　she　answered　with　a　fine　contempt。　　〃You　profess　one　thing　and　do　another。〃

〃As　for　example？〃

〃For　example！〃　　she　replied；　with　a　scornful　laugh。　　〃How　many　times　have　you　told　me　that　you　left　women；　and　intrigues　in　which　women　had　part；　on　one　side？〃

I　bowed。

〃And　now　I　find　youyou　and　that　Perrot；　that　creature！　intriguing　against　me；　intriguing　with　some　country　chit　to〃

〃Madame！〃　　I　said；　cutting　her　short　with　a　show　of　temper；　〃where　did　you　get　this？〃

〃Do　you　deny　it？〃　　she　cried；　looking　so　beautiful　in　her　anger　that　I　thought　I　had　never　seen　her　to　such　advantage。　　〃Do　you　deny　that　you　took　the　King　there？〃

〃No。　　Certainly　I　took　the　King　there。〃

〃To　Perrot's？　　You　admit　it？〃

〃Certainly；〃　I　said；　〃for　a　purpose。〃

〃A　purpose！〃　　she　cried　with　withering　scorn。　　〃Was　it　not　that　the　King　might　see　that　girl？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied　patiently；　〃it　was。〃

She　stared　at　me。　　〃And　you　can　tell　me　that　to　my　face！〃　　she　said。

〃I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　not；　Madame；〃　I　replied　easily〃I　cannot　conceive　why　you　should　object　to　the　unionand　many　why　you　should　desire　to　see　two　people　happy。　　Otherwise；　if　I　had　had　any　idea；　even　the　slightest；　that　the　matter　was　obnoxious　to　you；　I　would　not　have　engaged　in　it。〃

〃Butwhat　was　your　purpose　then？〃　　she　muttered；　in　a　different　tone。

〃To　obtain　the　King's　good　word　with　M。　de　Perrot　to　permit　the　marriage　of　his　son　with　his　niece；　who　is；　unfortunately；　without　a　portion。〃

Madame　uttered　a　low　exclamation；　and　her　eyes　wandering　from　me；　she　took　upas　if　her　thoughts　strayed　alsoa　small　ornament；　from　the　table　beside　her。　　〃Ah！〃　　she　said；　looking　at　it　closely。　　〃But　Perrot's　son　did　he　know　of　this？〃

〃No；〃　I　answered；　smiling。　　〃But　I　have　heard　that　women　can　love　as　well　as　men；　Madame。　　And　sometimes　ingenuously。〃

I　heard　her　draw　a　sigh　of　relief；　and　I　knew　that　if　I　had　not　persuaded　her　I　had　accomplished　much。　　I　was　not　surprised　when；　laying　down　the　ornament　with　which　she　had　been　toying；　she　turned　on　me　one　of　those　rare　smiles　to　which　the　King　could　refuse　nothing；　and　wherein　wit；　tenderness；　and　gaiety　were　so　happily　blended　that　no　conceivable　beauty　of　feature；　uninspired　by　sensibility；　could　vie　with　them。　　〃Good　friend；　I　have　sinned；〃　she　said。　　〃But　I　am　a　woman；　and　I　love。　　Pardon　me。　As　for　your　PROTEGEE；　from　this　moment　she　is　mine　also。　　I　will　speak　to　the　King　this　evening；　and　if　he　does　not　at　once；〃　Madame　continued；　with　a　gleam　of　archness　that　showed　me　that　she　was　not　yet　free　from　suspicion；　〃issue　his　commands　to　M。　de　Perrot；　I　shall　know　what　to　think；　and　his　Majesty　will　suffer！〃

I　thanked　her　profusely；　and　in　fitting　terms。　　Then；　after　a　word　or　two　about　some　assignments　for　the　expenses　of　her　household；　in　settling　which　there　had　been　delaya　matter　wherein；　also；　I　contrived　to　do　her　pleasure　and　the