from the memoirs of a minister of france-第44章

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〃Since　midnight；〃　I　muttered。

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

〃You　saw　it！〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃How？　　Where？〃

〃Here；　your　excellency；〃　the　boy　answered；　quailing　a　little。

〃What？　　In　this　room？〃

〃Yes；　excellency。　　I　heard　a　noise　aboutI　think　about　two　o'clockand　his　Majesty　breathing　very　heavily；　It　was　a　noise　like　a　cat　spitting。　　It　frightened　me；　and　I　rose　from　my　pallet　and　went　round　the　bed。　　I　was　just　in　time　to　see　the　cat　jump　down。〃

〃From　the　bed？〃

〃Yes；　your　excellency。　　From　his　Majesty's　chest；　I　think。〃

〃And　you　are　sure　that　it　was　this　cat？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　for　as　soon　as　it　was　on　the　floor　it　began　to　writhe　and　roll　and　bite　itself；　with　all　its　fur　on　end；　like　a　mad　cat。　　Then　it　flew　to　the　door　and　tried　to　get　out；　and　again　began　to　spit　furiously。　　I　thought　that　it　would　awaken　the　King；　and　I　let　it　out。〃

〃And　then　the　King　did　awake？〃

〃He　was　just　awaking；　your　excellency。〃

〃Well；　sire；〃　I　said；　smiling；　〃this　accounts；　I　think；　for　your　dream　of　the　house　that　fell；　and　the　beam　that　lay　on　your　chest。〃

It　would　have　been　difficult　to　say　whether　at　this　the　King　looked　more　foolish　or　more　relieved。　　Whichever　the　sentiment　he　entertained；　however；　it　was　quickly　cut　short　by　a　lamentable　cry　that　drove　the　blood　from　our　cheeks。　　La　Trape　was　in　another　paroxysm。　　〃Oh；　the　poor　man！〃　Henry　cried。

〃I　suppose　that　the　cat　came　in　unseen；〃　I　said；　〃with　him　last　night；　and　then　stayed　in　the　room？〃

〃Doubtless。〃

〃And　was　seized　with　a　paroxysm　here？〃

〃Such　as　he　has　now！〃　Henry　answered；　for　La　Trape　had　fallen　to　the　floor。　　〃Such　as　he　has　now！〃　he　repeated；　his　eyes　flaming；　his　face　pale。　　〃Oh；　my　friend；　this　is　too　much。　　Those　who　do　these　things　are　devils；　not　men。　　Where　is　Du　Laurens？　　Where　is　the　doctor？　　He　will　perish　before　our　eyes。〃

〃Patience；　sire；〃　I　said。　　〃He　will　come。〃

〃But　in　the　meantime　the　man　dies。〃

〃No；　no；〃　I　said；　going　to　La　Trape；　and　touching　his　hand。　〃Yet；　he　is　very　cold。〃　　And　turning；　I　sent　the　page　to　hasten　the　doctor。　　Then　I　begged　the　King　to　allow　me　to　have　the　man　conveyed　into　another　room。　　〃His　sufferings　distress　you；　sire；　and　you　do　him　no　good；〃　I　said。

〃No；　he　shall　not　go！〃　he　answered。　　〃Ventre　Saint　Gris！　　man；　he　is　dying　for　me！　　He　is　dying　in　my　place。　　He　shall　die　here。〃

Still　ill　satisfied；　I　was　about　to　press　him　farther；　when　La　Trape　raised　his　voice；　and　feebly　asked　for　me。　　A　page　who　had　taken　the　other's　place　was　supporting　his　head；　and　two　or　three　of　my　gentlemen；　who　had　come　in　unbidden；　were　looking　on　with　scared　faces。　　I　went　to　the　poor　fellow's　side；　and　asked　what　I　could　do　for　him。

〃I　am　dying！〃　he　muttered；　turning　up　his　eyes。　　〃The　doctor！　the　doctor！〃

I　feared　that　he　was　passing；　but　I　bade　him　have　courage。　　〃In　a　moment　he　will　be　here；〃　I　said；　while　the　King　in　distraction　sent　messenger　on　messenger。

〃He　will　come　too　late；〃　the　sinking　man　answered。　　〃Excellency？〃

〃Yes；　my　good　fellow；〃　I　said；　stooping　that　I　might　hear　him　the　better。

〃I　took　ten　pistoles　yesterday　from　a　man　to　get　him　a　scullion's　place；　and　there　is　none　vacant。〃

〃It　is　forgiven；〃　I　said；　to　soothe　him。

〃And　your　excellency's　favourite　hound；　Diane；〃　he　gasped。　　〃She　had　three　puppies；　not　two。　　I　sold　the　other。〃

〃Well；　it　is　forgiven；　my　friend。　　It　is　forgiven。　　Be　easy；〃　I　said　kindly。

〃Ah；　I　have　been　a　villain；〃　he　groaned。　　〃I　have　lived　loosely。　Only　last　night　I　kissed　the　butler's　wench；　and〃

〃Be　easy；　be　easy；〃　I　said。　　〃Here　is　the　doctor。　　He　will　save　you　yet。〃

And　I　made　way　for　M。　Du　Laurens；　who；　having　saluted　the　King；　knelt　down　by　the　sick　man；　and　felt　his　pulse；　while　we　all　stood　round；　looking　down　on　the　two　with　grave　faces。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　the　man's　eyes　were　growing　dim；　and　I　had　little　hope。　　The　King　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence。　　〃You　have　hope？〃　　he　said。　　〃You　can　save　him？〃

〃Pardon；　sire；　a　moment；〃　the　physician　answered；　rising　from　his　knees。　　〃Where　is　the　cat？〃

Someone　brought　it；　and　M。　Du　Laurens；　after　looking　at　it；　said　curtly；　〃It　has　been　poisoned。〃

La　Trape　uttered　a　groan　of　despair。　　〃At　what　hour　did　it　take　the　milk？〃　　the　physician　asked。

〃A　little　before　ten　last　evening；〃　I　said；　seeing　that　La　Trape　was　too　far　gone　for　speech。

〃Ah！　　And　the　man？〃

〃An　hour　later。〃

Du　Laurens　shook　his　head；　and　was　preparing　to　lay　down　the　cat；　which　he　had　taken　in　his　hands；　when　some　appearance　led　him　to　examine　it　again　and　more　closely。　　〃Why　what　is　this？〃　　he　exclaimed；　in　a　tone　of　surprise；　as　he　took　the　body　to　the　window。　　〃There　is　a　large　swelling　under　its　chin。〃

No　one　answered。

〃Give　me　a　pair　of　scissors；〃　he　continued；　and　then；　after　a　minute；　when　they　had　been　handed　to　him　and　he　had　removed　the　fur；　〃Ha！〃　he　said　gravely；　〃this　is　not　so　simple　as　I　thought。　The　cat　has　been　poisoned；　but　by　a　prick　with　some　sharp　instrument。〃

The　King　uttered　an　exclamation　of　incredulity。　　〃But　it　drank　the　milk；〃　he　said。　　〃Some　milk　that〃

〃Pardon；　sire；〃　Du　Laurens　answered　positively。　　〃A　draught　of　milk；　however　drugged；　does　not　produce　an　external　swelling　with　a　small　blue　puncture　in　the　middle。〃

〃What　does？〃　　the　King　asked；　with　something　like　a　sneer。

〃Ah；　that　is　the　question；〃　the　physician　answered。　　〃A　ring；　perhaps；　with　a　poison…chamber　and　hollow　dart。〃

〃But　there　is　no　question　of　that　here；〃　I　said。　　〃Let　us　be　clear。　　Do　you　say　that　the　cat　did　not　die　of　the　milk？〃

〃I　see　no　proof　that　it　did；〃　he　answered。　　〃And　many　things　to　show　that　it　died　of　poison　administered　by　puncture。〃

〃But　then；〃　I　answered；　in　no　little　confusion　of　thought；　〃what　of　La　Trape？〃

He　turned；　and　with　him　all　eyes；　to　the　unfortunate　equerry；　who　still　lay　seemingly　moribund；　with　his　head　propped　on　some　cushions。　　M。　Du　Laurens　advanced　to　him　and　again　felt　his　pulse；　an　operation　which　appeared　to　bring　a　slight　tinge　of　colour　to　the　fading　cheeks。　　〃How　much　milk　did　he　drink？〃　　the　physician　asked　after　a　pause。

〃More　than　half　a　pint；〃　I　answered。

〃And　what　besides？〃

〃A　quantity　of　the　King's　posset；　and　a　little　lemonade。〃

〃And　for　supper？　　What　did　you　have？〃　　the　leech　continued；　addressing　himself　to　his　patient。

〃I　had　some　wine；〃　he　answered　feebly。　　〃And　a　little　Frontignac　with　the　butler；　and　some　honey…mead　that　the　gipsy…wench　gave　me。

〃The　gipsy…wench？〃

〃The　butler's　girl；　of　whom　I　spoke。〃

M。　Du　Laurens　rose　slowly　to　his　feet；　and；　to　my　amazement；　dealt　the　prostrate　man　a　hearty　kick；　bidding　him　at　the　same　time　to　rise。　　〃Get　up；　fool！　　Get　up；〃　he　continued　harshly；　yet　with　a　ring　of　triumph　in　his　voice；　〃all　you　have　got　is　the　colic；　and　it　is　no　more　than　you　deserve。　　Get　up；　I　say；　and　beg　his　Majesty's　pardon！〃

〃But；〃　the　King　remonstrated　in　a　tone　of　anger；　〃the　man　is　dying！〃

〃He　is　no　more　dying　than　you　are；　sire；〃　the　other　answered。　〃Or；　if　he　is；　it　is　of　fright。　　There；　he　can　stand　as　well　as　you　or　I！〃

And　to　be　sure；　as　he　spoke；　La　Trape　scrambled　to　his　feet；　and　with　a　mien　between　shame　and　doubt　stood　staring　at　us；　the　very　picture　of　a　simpleton。　　It　was　no　wonder　that　his　jaw　fell　and　his　impudent　face　burned；　for　the　room　shook　with　such　a　roar　of　laughter；　at　first　low；　and　then　as　the　King　joined　in　it；　swelling　louder　and　louder；　as　few　of　us　had　ever　heard；　Though　I　was　not　a　little　mortified　by　the　way　in　which　we　had　deceived　ourselves；　I　could　not　help　joining　in　the　laugh；　particularly　as　the　more　closely　we　reviewed　the　scene　in　which　we　had　taken　part；　the　more　absurd　seemed　the　jest。　　It　was　long　before　silence　could　be　obtained；　but　at　length　Henry；　quite　exhausted　by　the　violence　of　his　mirth　held　up　his　hand。　　I　seized　the　opportunity。

〃Why；　you　rascal！〃　I　said；　addressing　La　Trape；　who　did　not　know　which　way　to　look；　〃where　are　the　ten　crowns　of　which　you　defrauded　the　scullion？〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　the　King　said；　going　off　into　another　roar。　　〃And　the　third　puppy？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃you　scoundrel；　and　the　third　puppy？〃

〃Ay；　and　the　gipsy　girl？〃　　the