from the memoirs of a minister of france-第42章

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　how　it　came　to　be　there　now。

〃What　is　it？〃　　I　said；　looking　about　for　some　pitcher　that　might；　have　overflowed；　but　finding　none。　　〃Is　it　milk？〃

〃I　don't　know；　your　excellency；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　it　shall　be　removed　at　once。〃

〃See　that　it　is；〃　I　said。　　〃Are　the　boughs　in　the　fire…place　fresh？〃　　For　the　weather　was　still　warm　and　we　had　not　lit　a　fire。

〃Yes；　your　excellency；　quite　fresh。〃

〃Well；　see　to　that；　and　remove　it；〃　I　said；　pointing　to　the　mess。　〃It　looks　ill。〃

And　with　that　the　matter　passed　from　my　mind；　the　more　completely　as　I　heard　at　that　moment　the　sound　of　the　King's　approach；　and　went　into　the　court…yard　to　receive　him。　　He　brought　with　him　Roquelaure；　de　Vic；　Erard　the　engineer；　and　some　others；　but　none　whom　he　did　not　know　that　I　should　be　glad　to　receive。　　He　dined　well；　and　after　dinner　amused　himself　with　seeing　the　young　men　ride　at　the　ring；　and　even　rode　a　course　himself　with　his　usual　skill；　that　being；　if　I　remember　rightly；　the　last　occasion　on　which　I　ever　saw　him　take　a　lance。　　Before　supper　he　walked　for　a　time　in　the　hall；　with　Sillery；　for　whom　he　had　sent；　and　after　supper；　pronouncing　himself　tired；　he　dismissed　all；　and　retired　with　me　to　his　chamber。　　Here　we　had　some　talk　on　a　subject　that　I　greatly　dreadedI　mean　his　infatuation　for　Madame　de　Conde；　but　about　eleven　o'clock　he　yawned；　and；　after　thanking　me　for　a　reception　which　he　said　was　quite　to　his　mind；　he　bade　me　go　to　bed。

I　was　half　way　to　the　door　when　he　called　me　back。　　〃Why；　Grand　Master；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　little　table　by　the　head　of　the　bed　on　which　his　night　drinks　stood；　〃you　might　be　going　to　drown　me。　　Do　you　expect　me　to　drink　all　these　in　the　night？〃

〃I　think　that　there　is　only　your　posset；　sire；〃　I　said；　〃and　the　lemon…water　which　you　generally　drink。〃

〃And　two　or　three　other　things？〃

〃Perhaps　they　have　given　your　majesty　some　of　the　Arbois　wine　that　you　were　good　enough　to〃

〃Tut…tut！〃　he　said；　lifting　the　cover　of　one　of　the　cups。　　〃This　is　not　wine。　　It　may　be　a　milk…posset。〃

〃Yes；　sire；　very　likely；〃　I　said　drowsily。

〃But　it　is　not！〃　he　answered；　when　he　had　smelled　it。　　〃It　is　plain　milk！　　Come；　my　friend；〃　he　continued；　looking　drolly　at　me；　〃have　you　turned　leech；　or　I　babe　is　arms　that　you　put　such　strong　liquors　before　me？　　However；　to　show　you　that　I　have　some　childish　tastes　left；　and　am　not　so　depraved　as　you　have　been　trying　to　make　me　out　for　the　last　hourI　will　drink　your　health　in　it。　　It　would　serve　you　right　if　I　made　you　pledge　me　in　the　same　liquor！〃

The　cup　was　at　his　lips　when　I　sprang　forward　and；　heedless　of　ceremony；　caught　his　arm。　　〃Pardon；　sire！〃　I　cried；　in　sudden　agitation。　　〃If　that　is　milk；　I　gave　no　order　that　it　should　be　placed　here；　and　I　know　nothing　of　its　origin。　　I　beg　that　you　will　not　drink　it；　until　I　have　made　some　inquiry。〃

〃They　have　all　been　tasted？〃　　he　asked；　still　holding　the　cup　in　his　hand　with　the　lid　raised；　but　looking　at　it　gravely。

〃They　should　have　been！〃　I　answered。　　〃But　La　Trape；　whom　I　made　answerable　for　that；　is　outside。　　I　will　go　and　question　him。　　If　you　will　wait；　sire；　a　moment〃

〃No；〃　Henry　said。　　〃Have　him　here。〃

I　gave　the　order　to　the　pages　who　were　waiting　outside；　and　in　a　moment　La　Trape　appeared；　looking　startled　and　uncomfortable。　Naturally；　his　first　glance　was　given　to　the　King；　who　had　taken　his　seat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　but　still　held　the　cup　in　his　hand。　　After　asking　the　King's　permission；　I　said；　〃What　drinks　did　you　place　on　the　table；　here；　sirrah？〃

He　looked　more　uncomfortable　at　this；　but　he　answered　boldly　enough　that　he　had　served　a　posset；　some　lemon　water；　and　some　milk。

〃But　orders　were　given　only　for　the　lemon…water　and　the　posset；〃　I　said。

〃True；　your　excellency；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　when　I　went　to　the　pantry　hatch；　to　see　the　under…butler　carry　up　the　tray；　I　found　that　the　milk　was　on　the　tray；　and　I　supposed　that　you　had　given　another　order。〃

〃Possibly　Madame　de　Sully；〃　the　King　said；　looking　at　me；　〃gave　the　order　to　add　it？〃

〃She　would　not　presume　to　do　so；　sire；〃　I　answered；　sternly。　〃Nor　do　I　in　the　least　understand　the　matter。　　But　at　one　thing　we　can　easily　arrive。　　You　tasted　all　of　these；　man？〃

La　Trape　said　he　had。

〃You　drank　a　quantity；　a　substantial　quantity　of　eachaccording　to　the　orders　given　to　you？　　I　persisted。

〃Yes；　your　excellency。〃

But　I　caught　a　guilty　look　in　his　eyes；　and　in　a　gust　of　rage　I　cried　out　that　he　lied。　　〃The　truth！〃　I　thundered；　in　a　terrible　voice。　　〃The　truth；　you　villain；　you　did　not　taste　all？〃

〃I　did；　your　excellency；　as　God　is　above；　I　did！〃　he　answered。　But　he　had　grown　pale；　and　he　looked　at　the　King　in　a　terrified　way。

〃You　did？〃

〃Yes！〃

Yet　I　did　not　believe　him；　and　I　was　about　to　give　him　the　lie　again；　when　the　King　intervened。　　〃Quite　so；〃　he　said　to　La　Trape　with　a　smile。　　〃You　drank；　my　good　fellow；　of　the　posset　and　the　lemon　water；　and　you　tasted　the　milk；　but　you　did　not　drink　of　it。　　Is　not　that　the　whole　truth？〃

〃Yes；　sire；〃　he　whimpered；　breaking　down。　　〃But　II　gave　some　to　a　cat。〃

〃And　the　cat　is　no　worse？〃

〃No；　sire。〃

〃There；　Grand　Master；〃　the　King　said；　turning　to　me；　〃that　is　the　truth；　I　think。　　What　do　you　say　to　it？〃

〃That　the　rest　is　simple；〃　I　answered；　grimly。　　〃He　did　not　drink　it　before；　but　he　will　drink　it　now；　sire。〃

The　King；　sitting　on　the　bed；　laughed　and　looked　at　La　Trape；　as　if　his　good…nature　almost　led　him　to　interpose。　　But　after　a　moment's　hesitation　he　thought　better　of　it；　and　handed　me　the　cup。　　〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃he　is　your　man。　　Have　your　way　with　him。　　After　all；　he　should　have　drunk　it。〃

〃He　shall　drink　it　now；　or　be　broken　on　the　wheel！〃　I　said。　　〃Do　you　hear；　you？〃　　I　continued；　turning　to　him　in　a　white　heat　of　rage　at　the　thought　of　his　negligence；　and　the　price　it　might　have　cost　me。　　〃Take　it；　and　beware　that　you　do　not　drop　or　spill　it。　　For　I　swear　that　that　shall　not　save　you！〃

He　took　the　cup　with　a　pale　face；　and　hands　that　shook　so　much　that　he　needed　both　to　support　the　vessel。　　He　hesitated；　too；　so　long　that；　had　I　not　possessed　the　best　of　reasons　for　believing　in　his　fidelity；　I　should　have　suspected　him　of　more　than　negligence。　　The　shadow　of　his　tall　figure　seemed　to　waver　on　the　tapestry　behind　him；　and　with　a　little　imagination　I　might　have　thought　that　the　lights　in　the　room　had　sunk。　　The　soft　whispering　of　the　pages　outside　could　be　heard；　and　a　stifled　laugh；　but　inside　there　was　not　a　sound。　　He　carried　the　cup　to　his　lips；　then　he　lowered　it　again。

I　took　a　step　forward。

He　recoiled　a　pace；　his　face　ghastly。　　〃Patience；　excellency；〃　he　said；　hoarsely。　　〃I　shall　drink　it。　　But　I　want　to　speak　first。〃

〃Speak！〃　the　King　answered。

〃If　there　is　death　in　it；　I　take　God　to　witness　that　I　know　nothing；　and　knew　nothing！　　There　is　some　witch's　work　here　it　is　not　the　first　time　that　I　have　come　across　this　devil's　milk　to…　day！　　But　I　take　God　to　witness　I　know　nothing！　　Now　it　is　here　I　will　drink　it；　and〃

He　did　not　finish　the　sentence；　but　drawing　a　deep　breath　raised　the　cup　to　his　lips。　　I　saw　the　apple　in　his　throat　rise　and　fall　with　the　effort　he　made　to　swallow；　but　he　drank　so　slowly　that　it　seemed　to　me　that　he　would　never　drain　the　cap。　　Nor　did　he；　for　when　he　had　swallowed；　as　far　as　I　could　judge　from　the　tilting　of　the　cup；　about　half　of　the　milk；　Henry　rose　suddenly　and；　seizing　it；　took　it　from　him　with　his　own　hand。

〃That　will　do；〃　the　King　said。　　〃Do　you　feel　ill？〃

La　Trape　drew　a　trembling　hand　across　his　brow；　on　which　the　sweat　stood　in　beads；　but　instead　of　answering　he　remained　silent；　gazing　fixedly　before　him。　　We　waited　and　watched；　and　at　length；　when　I　should　think　three　minutes　had　elapsed；　he　changed　his　position　for　one　of　greater　ease；　and　I　saw　his　face　relax。　The　unnatural　pallor　faded；　and　the　open　lips　closed。　　A　minute　later　he　spoke。　　〃I　feel　nothing；　sire；〃　he　said。

The　King　looked　at　me　drolly。　　〃Then　take　five　minutes　more；〃　he　said。　　〃Go；　and　stare　at　Judith　there；　cutting　off　the　head　of　Holofernes〃for　that　was　the　story　of　the　tapestry〃and　come　when　I　call　you。〃

La　Trape　went　to　the　other　end　of　the　chamber。　　〃Well；〃　the　Kin