from the memoirs of a minister of france-第41章

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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　market　people　gasped　with　astonishment。　　But　I　knew　that　the　respite　would　last　a　moment　only；　and　I　stood　forward。　　〃Arrest　that　man；〃　I　said；　pointing　to　the　collector；　who　was　grovelling　on　the　ground；　nursing　his　foot　and　shrieking　foul　threats　at　us。

In　a　second　my　two　men　stood　over　him。　　〃In　the　King's　name；〃　La　Trape　cried；　〃let　no　man　interfere。〃

〃Raise　him　up；〃　I　continued；　〃and　set　him　before　me；　and　Curtin　also；　and　Fonvelle；　and　Philippon；　and　Lescaut；　the　corn…dealer；　if　he　is　here。〃

I　spoke　boldly；　but　I　felt　some　misgiving。　　So　mighty；　however；　is　the　habit　of　command；　that　the　crowd；　far　from　resisting；　thrust　forward　the　men　I　named。　　Still；　I　could　not　count　on　this　obedience；　and　it　was　with　pleasure　that　I　saw　at　this　moment；　as　I　looked　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd；　a　body　of　horsemen　entering　the　square。　　They　halted　an　instant；　looking　at　the　unusual　concourse；　while　the　townsfolk；　interrupted　in　the　middle　of　the　drama；　knew　not　which　way　to　stare。　　Then　Boisrueil；　seeing　me；　and　that　I　was　holding　some　sort　of　court；　spurred　his　horse　through　the　press；　and　saluted　me。

〃Let　half…a…dozen　of　your　varlets　dismount　and　guard　these　men；〃　I　said；　〃and　do　you；　you　rogue；〃　I　continued；　addressing　Gringuet；　〃answer　me；　and　tell　me　the　truth。　　How　much　does　each　of　these　knaves　give　you　to　cheat　the　King；　and　your　master？　Curtin　first。　　How　much　does　he　give　you？〃

〃My　lord；〃　he　answered；　pale　and　shaking；　yet　with　a　mutinous　gleam　in　his　eyes；　〃I　have　a　right　to　know　first　before　whom　I　stand。〃

〃Enough；〃　I　thundered；　〃that　it　is　before　one　who　has　the　right　to　question　you！　　answer　me；　villain；　and　be　quick。　　What　is　the　sum　of　Curtin's　bribe？〃

He　stood　white　and　mute。

〃Fonvelle's？〃

Still　he　stood　silent；　glaring　with　the　devil　in　his　eyes；　while　the　other　men　whimpered　and　protested　their　innocence；　and　the　crowd　stared　as　if　they　could　never　see　enough。

〃Philippon's？〃

〃I　take　no　bribes；〃　he　muttered。

〃Lescaut's？〃

〃Not　a　denier。〃

〃Liar！〃　　I　exclaimed。　　〃Liar；　who　devour　widows'　houses　and　poor　men's　corn！　　Who　grind　the　weak　and　say　it　is　the　King；　and　let　the　rich　go　free。　　Answer　me；　and　answer　the　truth。　　How　much　do　these　men　give　you？〃

〃Nothing；〃　he　said　defiantly。

〃Very　well；〃　I　answered；　〃then　I　will　have　the　list。　　It　is　in　your　shoe。〃

〃I　have　no　list；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　tremble。

〃It　is　in　your　shoe；〃　I　repeated；　pointing　to　his　gouty　foot。　〃Maignan；　off　with　his　shoe；　and　look　in　it。〃

Disregarding　his　shrieks　of　pain；　they　tore　it　off　and　looked　in　it。　　There　was　no　list。

〃Off　with　his　stocking；〃　I　said　roundly。

〃It　is　there。〃

He　flung　himself　down　at　that；　cursing　and　protesting　by　turns。　But　I　remembered　the　trampled　corn；　and　the　girl's　bleeding　face；　and　I　was　inexorable。　　The　stocking　was　drawn　off；　not　too　tender＇y；　and　turned　inside　out。　　Still　no　list　was　found。

〃He　has　it；〃　I　persisted。　　〃We　have　tried　the　shoe　and　we　have　tried　the　stocking；　now　we　must　try　the　foot。　　Fetch　a　stirrup…　leather；　and　do　you　hold　him；　and　let　one　of　the　grooms　give　him　a　dozen　on　that　foot。〃

But　at　that　he　gave　way；　he　flung　himself　on　his　knees；　screaming　for　mercy。

〃The　list！〃　　I　said；

〃I　have　no　list！　　I　have　none！〃　　he　wailed。

〃Then　give　it　me　out　of　your　head。　　Curtin；　how　much？〃

He　glanced　at　the　man　I　named；　and　shivered；　and　for　a　moment　was　silent。　　But　one　of　the　grooms　approaching　with　the　stirrup…　leather；　he　found　his　voice。　　〃Forty　crowns；〃　he　muttered。

〃Fonvelle？〃

〃The　same。〃

I　made　him　confess　also　the　sums　which　he　had　received　from　Lescaut　and　Philippon；　and　then　the　names　of　seven　others　who　had　been　in　the　habit　of　bribing　him。　　Satisfied　that　he　had　so　far　told　the　truth；　I　bade　him　put　on　his　stocking　and　shoe。　　〃And　now；〃　I　said　to　Boisrueil；　when　this　was　done；　〃take　him　to　the　whipping…post　there；　and　tie　him　up；　and　see　that　each　man　of　the　eleven　gives　him　a　stripe　for　every　crown　with　which　he　has　bribed　himand　good　ones；　or　I　will　have　them　tied　up　in　his　place。　　Do　you　hear；　you　rascals？〃　　I　continued　to　the　trembling　culprits。　　〃Off；　and　do　your　duty；　or　I　will　have　your　backs　bare。〃

But　the　wretch；　as　cowardly　as　he　had　been　cruel；　flung　himself　down　and　crawled；　sobbing　and　crying；　to　my　feet。　　I　had　no　mercy；　however。　　〃Take　him　away；〃　I　said；　〃It　is　such　men　as　these　give　kings　a　bad　name。　　Take　him　away；　and　see　you　flay　him　well。〃

He　sprang　up　then；　forgetting　his　gout；　and　made　a　frantic　attempt　to　escape。　　But　in　a　moment　he　was　overcome；　hauled　away；　and　tied　up；　and　though　I　did　not　wait　to　see　the　sentence　carried　out；　but　entered　the　inn；　the　shrill　screams　he　uttered　under　the　punishment　reached　me；　even　there；　and　satisfied　me　that　Fonvelle　and　his　fellows　were　not；　holding　their　hands。

It　is　a　sad　reflection；　however；　that　for　one　such　sinner　brought　to　justice　ten；　who　commit　the　same　crimes；　go　free；　and　flourishing　on　iniquity；　bring　the　King's　service；　and　his　officers；　into　evil　repute。



XI。　THE　CAT　AND　THE　KING。

It　was　in　the　spring　of　the　year　1609　that　at　the　King's　instance　I　had　a　suite　of　apartments　fitted　up　for　him　at　the　Arsenal；　that　he　might　visit　me；　whenever　it　pleased　him；　without　putting　my　family　to　inconvenience；　in　another　place　will　be　found　an　account　of　the　six　thousand　crowns　a　year　which　he　was　so　obliging　as　to　allow　me　for　this　purpose。　　He　honoured　me　by　using　these　rooms；　which　consisted　of　a　hall；　a　chamber；　a　wardrobe；　and　a　closet；　two　or　three　times　in　the　course　of　that　year；　availing　himself　of　my　attendants　and　cook；　and　the　free　opportunities　of　consulting　me　on　the　Great　Undertaking；　which　this　plan　afforded；　led　me　to　hope　that　notwithstanding　the　envy　of　my　detractors；　he　would　continue　to　adopt　it。　　That　he　did　not　do　so；　nor　ever　visited　me　after　the　close　of　that　year；　was　due　not　so　much　to　the　lamentable　event；　soon　to　be　related；　which　within　a　few　months　deprived　France　of　her　greatest　sovereign；　as　to　a　strange　matter　that　attended　his　last　stay　with　me。　　I　have　since　had　cause　to　think　that　this　did　not　receive　at　the　time　as　much　attention　as　it　deserved；　and　have　even　imagined　that　had　I　groped　a　little　deeper　into　the　mystery　I　might　have　found　a　clue　to　the　future　as　well　as　the　past；　and　averted　one　more；　and　the　last；　danger　from　my　beloved　master。　　But　Providence　would　not　have　it　so；　a　slight　indisposition　under　which　I　was　suffering　at　the　time　rendered　me　less　able；　both　in　mind　and　body；　the　result　being　that　Henry；　who　was　always　averse　to　the　publication　of　these　ominous　episodes；　and　held　that　being　known　they　bred　the　like　in　mischievous　minds；　had　his　way；　the　case　ending　in　no　more　than　the　punishment　of　a　careless　rascal。

On　the　occasion　of　this　last　visitthe　third；　I　think；　that　he　paid　methe　King；　who　had　been　staying　at　Chantilly；　came　to　me　from　Lusarche；　where　he　lay　the　intervening　night。　　My　coaches　went　to　meet　him　at　the　gates　a　little　before　noon；　but　he　did　not　immediately　arrive；　and　being　at　leisure　and　having　assured　myself　that　the　dinner　of　twelve　covers；　which　he　had　directed　to　be　ready；　was　in　course　of　preparation；　I　went　with　my　wife　to　inspect　his　rooms　and　satisfy　myself　that　everything　was　in　order。

They　were　in　charge　of　La　Trape；　a　man　of　address　and　intelligence；　whom　I　have　had　cause　to　mention　more　than　once　in　the　course　of　these　memoirs。　　He　met　me　at　the　door　and　conducted　us　through　the　rooms　with　an　air　of　satisfaction；　nor　could　I　find　the　slightest　fault；　until　my　wife；　looking　about　her　with　a　woman's　eye　for　minute　things；　paused　by　the　bed　in　the　chamber；　and　directed　my　attention　to　something　on　the　floor。

She　stooped　over　it。　　〃What　is　this？〃　　she　asked。　　〃Has　something　been〃

〃Upset　here？〃　　I　said；　looking　also。　　There　was　a　little　pool　of　white　liquid　on　the　floor　beside　the　bed。

La　Trape　uttered　an　exclamation　of　annoyance；　and　explained　that　he　had　not　seen　it　before；　that　it　had　not　been　there　five　minutes　earlier；　and　that　he　did　not　know　how　it　came　to　be　there　now。

〃What　is　it？〃　　I　sa