from the memoirs of a minister of france-第43章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


pestry〃and　come　when　I　call　you。〃

La　Trape　went　to　the　other　end　of　the　chamber。　　〃Well；〃　the　King　said；　inviting　me　by　a　sign　to　sit　down　beside　him；　〃is　it　a　comedy　or　a　tragedy；　my　friend？　　Or；　tell　me；　what　was　it　he　meant　when　he　said　that　about　the　other　milk？〃

I　explained；　the　matter　seeming　so　trivial　now　that　I　came　to　tell　itthough　it；　had　doubtless　contributed　much　to　La　Trape's　frightthat　I　had　to　apologize。

〃Still　it　is　odd；〃the　King　said。　　〃These　drinks　were　not　here；　at　that　time；　of　course？〃

〃No；　sire；　they　have　been　brought　up　within　the　hour。〃

〃Well；　your　butler　must　explain　it。〃　　And　with　that　he　raised　his　voice　and　called　La　Trape　back；　who　came；　looking　red　and　sheepish。

〃Not　dead　yet？〃　　the　King　said。

〃No；　sire。〃

〃Nor　ill？〃

〃No；　sire。〃

〃Then　begone。　　Or；　stay！〃　Henry　continued。　　〃Throw　the　rest　of　this　stuff　into　the　fire…place。　　It　may　be　harmless；　but　I　have　no　mind　to　drink　it　by　mistake。〃

La　Trape　emptied　the　cup　among　the　green　boughs　that　filled　the　hearth；　and　hastened　to　withdraw。　　It　seemed　to　be　too　late　to　make　further　inquiries　that　night；　so　after　listening　to　two　or　three　explanations　which　the　King　hazarded；　but　which　had　all　too　fanciful　an　air　in　my　eyes；　I　took　my　leave　and　retired。

Whether；　however；　the　scene　had　raised　too　violent　a　commotion　in　my　mind；　or　I　was　already　sickening　for　the　illness　I　have　mentioned；　I　found　it　impossible　to　sleep；　and　spent　the　greater　part　of　the　night　in　a　fever　of　fears　and　forebodings。　　The　responsibility　which　the　King's　presence　cast　upon　me　lay　so　heavily　upon　my　waking　mind　that　I　could　not　lie；　and　long　before　the　King's　usual　hour　of　rising　I　was　at　his　door　inquiring　how　he　did。　　No　one　knew；　for　the　page　whose　turn　it　was　to　sleep　at　his　feet　had　not　come　out；　but　while　I　stood　questioning；　the　King's　voice　was　heard；　bidding　me　enter。　　I　went　in；　and　found　him　sitting　up　with　a　haggard　face；　which　told　me；　before　he　spoke；　that　he　had　slept　little　better　than　I　had。　　The　shutters　were　thrown　wide　open；　and　the　cold　morning　light　poured　into　the　room　with　an　effect　rather　sombre　than　bright；　the　huge　figures　on　the　tapestry　looming　huger　from　a　drab　and　melancholy　background；　and　the　chamber　presenting　all　those　features　of　disorder　that　in　a　sleeping…room　lie　hid　at　night；　only　to　show　themselves　in　a　more　vivid　shape　in　the　morning。

The　King　sent　his　page　out；　and　bade　me　sit　by　him。　　〃I　have　had　a　bad　night；〃　he　said；　with　a　shudder。　　〃Grand　Master；　I　doubt　that　astrologer　was　right；　and　I　shall　never　see　Germany；　nor　carry　out　my　designs。〃

Seeing　the　state　in　which　he　was；　I　could　think　of　nothing　better　than　to　rally　him；　and　even　laugh　at　him。　　〃You　think　so　now；　sire；〃　I　said。　　〃It　is　the　cold　hour。　　By　and　by；　when　you　have　broken　your　fast；　you　will　think　differently。〃

〃But；　it　may　be；　less　correctly；〃　he　answered；　and　as　he　sat　looking　before　him　with　gloomy　eyes；　he　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　　〃My　friend；〃　he　said；　mournfully；　〃I　want　to　live；　and　I　am　going　to　die。〃

〃Of　what？〃　　I　asked；　gaily。

〃I　do　not　know；　but　I　dreamed　last　night　that　a　house　fell　on　me　in　the　Rue　de　la　Ferronerie；　and　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　I　shall　die　in　that　way。〃

〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　　〃It　is　well　to　know　that。〃

He　asked　me　peevishly　what　I　meant。

〃Only；〃　I　explained；　〃that；　in　that　case；　as　your　Majesty　need　never　pass　through　that　street；　you　have　it　in　your　hands　to　live　for　ever。〃

〃Perhaps　it　may　not　happen　therein　that　very　street；〃　he　answered。

〃And　perhaps　it　may　not　happen　yet；〃　I　rejoined。　　And　then；　more　seriously；　〃Come；　sire；〃　I　continued；　〃why　this　sudden　weakness？　I　have　known　you　face　death　a　hundred　times。〃

〃But　not　after　such　a　dream　as　I　had　last　night；〃　he　said；　with　a　grimaceyet　I　could　see　that　he　was　already　comforted。　　〃I　thought　that　I　was　passing　along　that　street　in　my　coach；　and　on　a　sudden；　between　St。　Innocent's　church　and　the　notary'sthere　is　a　notary's　there？〃

〃Yes；　sire；〃　I　said；　somewhat　surprised。

〃I　heard　a　great　roar；　and　something　struck　me　down；　and　I　found　myself　pinned　to　the　ground；　in　darkness；　with　my　mouth　full　of　dust；　and　an　immense　beam　on　my　chest。　　I　lay　for　a　time　in　agony；　fighting　for　breath；　and　then　my　brain　seemed　to　burst　in　my　head；　and　I　awoke。〃

〃I　have　had　such　a　dream；　sire；〃　I　said；　drily。

〃Last　night？〃

〃No；〃　I　said；　〃not　last　night。〃

He　saw　what　I　meant；　and　laughed；　and　being　by　this　time　quite　himself；　left　that　and　passed　to　discussing　the　strange　affair　of　La　Trape　and　the　milk。　　〃Have　you　found；　as　yet；　who　was　good　enough　to　supply　it？〃　　he　asked。

〃No；　sire；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　I　will　see　La　Trape；　and　as　soon　as　I　have　learned　anything；　your　majesty　shall　know　it。〃

〃I　suppose　he　is　not　far　off　now；〃　he　suggested。　　〃Send　for　him。　Ten　to　one　he　will　have　made　inquiries；　and　it　will　amuse　us。〃

I　went　to　the　door　and；　opening　it　a　trifle；　bade　the　page　who　waited　send　La　Trape。　　He　passed　on　the　message　to　a　crowd　of　sleepy　attendants；　and　quickly；　but　not　before　I　had　gone　back　to　the　King's　bedside；　La　Trape　entered。

Having　my　eyes　turned　the　other　way；　I　did　not　at　once　remark　anything。　　But　the　King　did；　and　his　look　of　astonishment；　no　less　than　the　exclamation　which　accompanied　it；　arrested　my　attention。　　〃St。　Gris；　man！〃　he　cried。　　〃What　is　the　matter？　Speak！〃

La　Trape；　who　had　stopped　just　within　the　door；　made　an　effort　to　do　so；　but　no　sound　passed　his　lips；　while　his　pallor　and　the　fixed　glare　of　his　eyes　filled　me　with　the　worst　apprehensions。　It　was　impossible　to　look　at　him　and　not　share　his　fright；　and　I　stepped　forward　and　cried　out　to　him　to　speak。　　〃Answer　the　King；　man；〃　I　said。　　〃What　is　it？〃

He　made　an　effort；　and　with　a　ghastly　grimace；　〃The　cat　is　dead！〃　he　said。

For　a　moment　we　were　all　silent。　　Then　I　looked　at　the　King；　and　he　at　me；　with　gloomy　meaning　in　our　eyes。　　He　was　the　first　to　speak。　　〃The　cat　to　whom　you　gave　the　milk？〃　　he　said。

〃Yes；　sire；〃　La　Trape　answered；　in　a　voice　that　seemed　to　come　from　his　heart。

〃But　still；　courage！〃　the　King　cried。　　〃Courage；　man！　　A　dose　that　would　kill　a　cat　may　not　kill　a　man。　　Do　you　feel　ill？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　sire；〃　La　Trape　moaned。

〃What　do　you　feel？〃

〃I　have　a　trembling　in　all　my　limbs；　and　ahah；　my　God；　I　am　a　dead　man！　　I　have　a　burning　herea　pain　like　hot　coals　in　my　vitals！〃　And；　leaning　against　the　wall；　the　unfortunate　man　clasped　his　arms　round　his　body　and　bent　himself　up　and　down　in　a　paroxysm　of　suffering。

〃A　doctor！　　a　doctor！〃　Henry　cried；　thrusting　one　leg　out　of　bed。　〃Send　for　Du　Laurens！〃　Then；　as　I　went　to　the　door　to　do　so；　〃Can　you　be　sick；　man？〃　　he　asked。　　〃Try！〃

〃No；　no；　it　is　impossible！〃

〃But　try；　try！　　when　did　this　cat　die？〃

〃It　is　outside；〃　La　Trape　groaned。　　He　could　say　no　more。

I　had　opened　the　door　by　this　time；　and　found　the　attendants；　whom　the　man's　cries　had　alarmed；　in　a　cluster　round　it。　Silencing　them　sternly；　I　bade　one　go　for　M。　Du　Laurens；　the　King's　physician；　while　another　brought　me　the　cat　that　was　dead。

The　page　who　had　spent　the　night　in　the　King's　chamber；　fetched　it。　　I　told　him　to　bring　it　in；　and　ordering　the　others　to　let　the　doctor　pass　when　he　arrived；　I　closed　the　door　upon　their　curiosity；　and　went　back　to　the　King。　　He　had　left　his　bed　and　was　standing　near　La　Trape；　endeavouring　to　hearten　him；　now　telling　him　to　tickle　his　throat　with　a　feather；　and　now　watching　his　sufferings　in　silence；　with　a　face　of　gloom　and　despondency　that　sufficiently　betrayed　his　reflections。　　At　sight　of　the　page；　however；　carrying　the　dead　cat；　he　turned　briskly；　and　we　both　examined　the　beast　which；　already　rigid；　with　staring　eyes　and　uncovered　teeth；　was　not　a　sight　to　cheer　anyone；　much　less　the　stricken　man。　　La　Trape；　however；　seemed　to　be　scarcely　aware　of　its　presence。　　He　had　sunk　upon　a　chest　which　stood　against　the　wall；　and；　with　his　body　strangely　twisted；　was　muttering　prayers；　while　he　rocked　himself　to　and　fro　unceasingly。

〃It's　stiff；〃　the　King　said　in　a　low　voice。　　〃It　has　been　dead　some　hours。〃

〃Since　midnight；〃　I　muttered。

〃Pardon；　sire；〃　the　page；　who　was　holding　the　cat；　said；　〃I　saw　it　after　midnight。　　It　was　alive　then。〃

〃You　sa