from the memoirs of a minister of france-第40章

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t's　illness　had　suggested　the　scheme　on　which　I　had　myself　hit；　I　hoped　for　the　best；　and；　to　be　sure；　in　a　moment　an　outcry　arose　in　the　house　and　quickly　spread。　　Of　those　at　the　door；　some　cried　to　their　fellows　to　hearken；　while　others　hastened　off　to　see。　　Yet　still　a　little　time　elapsed；　during　which　I　burned　with　impatience；　and　then　the　crowd　came　trampling　back；　all　wrangling　and　speaking　at　once。

At　the　door　the　chattering　ceased；　and；　a　hand　being　laid　on　the　bar；　in　a　moment　the　door　was　thrown　open；　and　I　walked　out　with　what　dignity　I　might。　　Outside；　the　scene　which　met　my　eyes　might　have　been；　under　other　circumstances；　diverting。　　Before　me　stood　the　landlord　of　the　inn；　bowing　with　a　light　in　each　hand；　as　if　the　more　he　bent　his　backbone　the　more　he　must　propitiate　me；　while　a　fat；　middle…aged　man　at　his　elbow；　whom　I　took　to　be　Fonvelle；　smiled　feebly　at　me　with　a　chapfallen　expression。　　A　little　aside；　Curtin；　a　shrivelled　old　fellow；　was　wringing　his　hands　over　his　loss；　and　behind　and　round　these；　peeping　over　their　shoulders　and　staring　under　their　arms；　clustered　a　curious　crowd　of　busybodies；　who；　between　amusement　at　the　joke　and　awe　of　the　great　men；　had　much　ado　to　control　their　merriment。

The　host　began　to　mutter　apologies；　but　I　cut　him　short。　　〃I　will　talk　to　you　to…morrow！〃　　I　said；　in　a　voice　which　made　him　shake　in　his　shoes。　　〃Now　give　me　supper；　lights；　and　a　roomand　hurry。　　For　you；　M。　Fonvelle；　you　are　an　ass！　　And　for　the　gentleman　there；　who　has　filled　the　rogue's　purse；　he　will　do　well　another　time　to　pay　the　King　his　dues！〃

With　that　I　left　the　twoFonvelle　purple　with　indignation；　and　Curtin　with　eyes　and　mouth　agape　and　tears　stayedand　followed　my　host　to　his　best　room；　Maignan　and　La　Trape　attending　me　with　very　grim　faces。　　Here　the　landlord　would　have　repeated　his　apologies；　but　my　thoughts　beginning　to　revert　to　the　purpose　which　had　brought　me　hither；　I　affected　to　be　offended；　that；　by　keeping　all　at　a　distance；　I　might　the　more　easily　preserve　my　character。

I　succeeded　so　well　that；　though　half　the　town；　through　which　the　news　of　my　adventure　had　spread；　as　fire　spreads　in　tinder；　were　assembled　outside　the　inn　until　a　late　hour；　no　one　was　admitted　to　see　me；　and　when　I　made　my　appearance　next　morning　in　the　market…place　and　took　my　seat；　with　my　two　attendants；　at　a　table　by　the　corn…measures；　this　reserve　had　so　far　impressed　the　people　that　the　smiles　which　greeted　me　scarcely　exceeded　those　which　commonly　welcome　a　tax…collector。　　Some　had　paid；　and；　foreseeing　the　necessity　of　paying　again；　found　little　that　was　diverting　in　the　jest。　　Others　thought　it　no　laughing　matter　to　pay　once；　and　a　few　had　come　as　ill　out　of　the　adventure　as　I　had。　　Under　these　circumstances；　we　quickly　settled　to　work；　no　one　entertaining　the　slightest　suspicion；　and　La　Trape；　who　could　accommodate　himself　to　anything；　playing　the　part　of　clerk；　I　was　presently　receiving　money　and　hearing　excuses；　the　minute　acquaintance　with　the　routine　of　the　finances；　which　I　had　made　it　my　business　to　acquire；　rendering　the　work　easy　to　me。

We　had　not　been　long　engaged；　however；　when　Fonvelle　put　in　an　appearance；　and　elbowing　the　peasants　aside；　begged　to　speak　with　me　apart。　　I　rose　and　stepped　back　with　him　two　or　three　paces；　on　which　he　winked　at　me　in　a　very　knowing　fashion；　〃I　am　M。　de　Fonvelle；〃　he　said。　　And　he　winked　again。

〃Ah！〃　　I　said。

〃My　name　is　not　in　your　list。〃

〃I　find　it　there；〃　I　replied；　raising　a　hand　to　my　ear。

〃Tut；　tut！　　you　do　not　understand；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Has　not　Gringuet　told　you？〃

〃What？〃　　I　said；　pretending　to　be　a　little　deaf。

〃Has　not〃

I　shook　my　head。

〃Has　not　Gringuet　told　you？〃　　he　repeated；　reddening　with　anger；　and　this　time　speaking；　on　compulsion；　so　loudly　that　the　peasants　could　hear　him。

I　answered　him　in　the　same　tone。　　〃Yes；〃　I　said　roundly。　　〃He　has　told　me；　of　course；　that　every　year　you　give　him　two　hundred　livres　to　omit　your　name。〃

He　glanced　behind　him　with　an　oath。　　〃Man；　are　you　mad？〃　　he　gasped；　his　jaw　falling。　　〃They　will　hear　you。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said　loudly；　〃I　mean　them　to　hear　me。〃

I　do　not　know　what　he　thought　of　thisperhaps　that　I　was　mad　but　he　staggered　back　from　me；　and　looked　wildly　round。　　Finding　everyone　laughing；　he　looked　again　at　me；　but　still　failed　to　understand；　on　which；　with　another　oath；　he　turned　on　his　heel；　and　forcing　his　way　through　the　grinning　crowd；　was　out　of　sight　in　a　moment。

I　was　about　to　return　to　my　seat；　when　a　pursy；　pale…faced　man；　with　small　eyes　and　a　heavy　jowl；　whom　I　had　before　noticed；　pushed　his　way　through　the　line；　and　came　to　me。　　Though　his　neighbours　were　all　laughing　he　was　sober；　and　in　a　moment　I　understood　why。

〃I　am　very　deaf；〃　he　said　in　a　whisper。　　〃My　name；　Monsieur；　is　Philippon。　　I　am　a〃

I　made　a　sign　to　him　that　I　could　not　hear。

〃I　am　the　silk　merchant；〃　he　continued　pretty　audibly；　but　with　a　suspicious　glance　behind　him。　　〃Probably　you　have〃

Again　I　signed　to　him　that　I　could　not　hear。

〃You　have　heard　of　me？〃

〃From　M。　Gringuet？〃　　I　said　very　loudly。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered　in　a　similar　tone；　for；　aware　that　deaf　persons　cannot　hear　their　own　voices　and　are　seldom　able　to　judge　how　loudly　they　are　speaking；　I　had　led　him　to　this。　　〃And　I　suppose　that　you　will　do　as　he　did？〃

〃How？〃　　I　asked。　　〃In　what　way？〃

He　touched　his　pocket　with　a　stealthy　gesture；　unseen　by　the　people　behind　him。

Again　I　made　a　sign　as　if　I　could　not　hear。

〃Take　the　usual　little　gift？〃　　he　said；　finding　himself　compelled　to　speak。

〃I　cannot　hear　a　word；〃　I　bellowed。　　By　this　time　the　crowd　were　shaking　with　laughter。

〃Accept　the　usual　gift？〃　　he　said；　his　fat；　pale　face　perspiring；　and　his　little　pig's　eyes　regarding　me　balefully。

〃And　let　you　pay　one　quarter？〃　　I　said。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered。

But　this；　and　the　simplicity　with　which　he　said　it；　drew　so　loud　a　roar　of　laughter　from　the　crowd　as　penetrated　even　to　his　dulled　senses。　　Turning　abruptly；　as　if　a　bee　had　stung　him；　he　found　the　place　convulsed　with　merriment；　and　perceiving；　in　an　instant；　that　I　had　played　upon　him；　though　he　could　not　understand　how　or　why；　he　glared　about　him　a　moment；　muttered　something　which　I　could　not　catch；　and　staggered　away　with　the　gait　of　a　drunken　man。

After　this；　it　was　useless　to　suppose　that　I　could　amuse　myself　with　others。　　The　crowd；　which　had　never　dreamed　of　such　a　tax…　collector；　and　could　scarcely　believe　either　eyes　or　ears；　hesitated　to　come　forward　even　to　pay；　and　I　was　considering　what　I　should　do　next；　when　a　commotion　in　one　corner　of　the　square　drew　my　eyes　to　that　quarter。　　I　looked　and　saw　at　first　only　Curtin。　　Then；　the　crowd　dividing　and　making　way　for　him；　I　perceived　that　he　had　the　real　Gringuet　with　himGringuet；　who　rode　through　the　market　with　an　air　of　grim　majesty；　with　one　foot　in　a　huge　slipper　and　eyes　glaring　with　ill…temper。

Doubtless　Curtin；　going　to　him　on　the　chance　of　hearing　something　of　the　rogue　who　had　cheated　him；　had　apprised　the　tax…collector　of　the　whole　matter；　for　on　seeing　me　in　my　chair　of　state；　he　merely　grinned　in　a　vicious　way；　and　cried　to　the　nearest　not　to　let　me　escape。　　〃We　have　lost　one　rogue；　but　we　will　hang　the　other；〃　he　said。　　And　while　the　townsfolk　stood　dumbfounded　round　us；　he　slipped　with　a　groan　from　his　horse；　and　bade　his　two　servants　seize　me。

〃And　do　you；〃　he　called　to　the　host；　〃see　that　you　help；　my　man！　You　have　harboured　him；　and　you　shall　pay　for　it　if　he　escapes。〃

With　that　he　hopped　a　step　nearer；　and　then；　not　dreaming　of　resistance；　sank　with　another　groanfor　his　foot　was　immensely　swollen　by　the　journeyinto　the　chair　from　which　I　had　risen。

A　glance　showed　me　that；　if　I　would　not　be　drawn　into　an　unseemly　brawl；　I　must　act；　and　meeting　Maignan's　eager　eye　fixed　upon　my　face；　I　nodded。　　In　a　second　he　seized　the　unsuspecting　Gringuet　by　the　neck；　snatched　him　up　from　the　chair；　and　flung　him　half…　a…dozen　paces　away。　　〃Lie　there；〃　he　cried；　〃you　insolent　rascal！　Who　told　you　to　sit　before　your　betters？〃

The　violence　of　the　action；　and　Maignan's　heat；　were　such　that　the　nearest　drew　back　affrighted；　and　even　Gringuet's　servants　recoiled；　while　the