from the memoirs of a minister of france-第49章

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〃Yes。〃

〃With　three　stones？〃

〃Yes；〃

〃Precisely；　mademoiselle！〃　　he　answered；　bowing。　　〃But　the　stones　in　this　ring　are　not　sapphires；　nor　are　there　three　of　them。〃

There　was　a　great　laugh　at　this；　and　the　Queen　said；　very　wittily；　that　as　neither　of　the　claimants　could　prove　a　right　to　the　ring　it　must　revert　to　the　judge。

〃In　one　moment　your　Majesty　shall　at　least　see　it；〃　he　answered。　〃But；　first；　has　anyone　lost　a　ring？　　Oyez！　　Oyez！　　Oyez！　　Lost；　in　the　forest；　within　the　last　three　days；　a　ring！〃

Two　or　three；　falling　in　with　his　humour；　set　up　absurd　claims　to　it；　but　none　could　describe　the　ring；　and　in　the　end　he　handed　it　to　the　Queen。　　As　he　did　so　his　eyes　met　mine　and　challenged　my　attention。　　I　was　prepared；　therefore；　for　the　cry　of　surprise　which　broke　from　the　Queen。

〃Why；　this　is　Caterina's！〃　　she　cried。　　〃Where　is　the　child？〃

Someone　pushed　forward　Mademoiselle　Paleotti；　sister…in…law　to　Madame　Paleotti；　the　Queen's　first　chamberwoman。　　She　was　barely　out　of　her　teens；　and；　ordinarily；　was　a　pretty　girl；　but　the　moment　I　saw　her　dead…white　face；　framed　in　a　circle　of　fluttering　fans　and　pitiless；　sparkling　eyes；　I　discerned　tragedy　in　the　farce；　and　that　M。　de　Bassompierre　was　acting　in　a　drama　to　which　only　he　and　one　other　held　the　key。　　The　contrast　between　the　girl's　blanched　face　and　the　beauty　and　glitter　in　the　midst　of　which　she　stood　struck　others；　so　that；　before　another　word　was　said；　I　caught　the　gasp　of　surprise　that　passed　through　the　room；　nor　was　I　the　only　one　who　drew　nearer。

〃Why；　girl；〃　the　Queen　said；　〃this　is　the　ring　I　gave　you　on　my　birthday！　　When　did　you　lose　it？　　And　why　have　you　made　a　secret　of　it？〃

Mademoiselle　stood　speechless；　but　madame　her　sister…in…law　answered　for　her。　　〃Doubtless　she　was　afraid　that　your　Majesty　would　think　her　careless；〃　she　answered。

〃I　did　not　ask　you！〃　　the　Queen　rejoined。

She　spoke　harshly　and　suspiciously；　looking　from　the　ring　to　the　trembling　girl。　　The　silence　was　such　that　the　chatter　of　the　pages　in　the　anteroom　could　be　heard。　　Still　Mademoiselle　stood　dumb　and　confounded。

〃Well；　what　is　the　mystery？〃　　the　Queen　said；　looking　round　with　a　little　wonder。　　〃What　is　the　matter？　　It　IS　the　ring。　　Why　do　you　not　own　it？〃

〃Perhaps　mademoiselle　is　wondering　where　are　the　other　things　she　left　with　it！〃　　Bassompierre　said　in　a　silky　tone。　　〃The　things　she　left　at　Parlot　the　verderer's；　when　she　dropped　the　ring。　But　she　may　free　her　mind；　I　have　them　here。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　　the　Queen　said。　　〃What　things；　monsieur？　What　has　the　girl　been　doing？〃

〃Only　what　many　have　done　before　her；〃　Bassompierre　answered；　bowing　to　his　unfortunate　victim；　who　seemed　to　be　paralysed　by　terror：　　〃masquerading　in　other　people's　clothes。　　I　propose；　madame；　that；　for　punishment；　you　order　her　to　dress　in　them；　that　we　may　see　what　her　taste　is。〃

〃I　do　not　understand？〃　　the　Queen　said。

〃Your　Majesty　will；　if　Mademoiselle　Paleotti　will　consent　to　humour　us。〃

At　that　the　girl　uttered　a　cry；　and　looked　round　the　circle　as　if　for　a　way　of　escape；　but　a　Court　is　a　cruel　place；　in　which　the　ugly　or　helpless　find　scant　pity。　　A　dozen　voices　begged　the　Queen　to　insist；　and；　amid　laughter　and　loud　jests；　Bassompierre　hastened　to　the　door；　and　returned　with　an　armful　of　women's　gear；　surmounted　by　a　wig　and　a　feathered　hat。

〃If　the　Queen　will　command　mademoiselle　to　retire　and　put　these　on；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　undertake　to　show　her　something　that　will　please　her。〃

〃Go！〃　　said　the　Queen。

But　the　girl　had　flung　herself　on　her　knees　before　her；　and；　clinging　to　her　skirts；　burst；　into　a　flood　of　tears　and　prayers；　while　her　sister…in…law　stepped　forward　as　if　to　second　her；　and　cried　out；　in　great　excitement；　that　her　Majesty　would　not　be　so　cruel　as　to

〃Hoity；　toity！〃　　said　the　Queen；　cutting　her　short；　very　grimly。　〃What　is　all　this？　　I　tell　the　girl　to　put　on　a　masquerade　which　it　seems　that　she　has　been　keeping　at　some　cottageand　you　talk　as　if　I　were　cutting　off　her　head！　　It　seems　to　me　that　she　escapes　very　lightly！　　Go！　　go！　　and　see；　you；　that　you　are　arrayed　in　five　minutes；　or　I　will　deal　with　you！〃

〃Perhaps　Mademoiselle　de　la　Force　will　go　with　her；　and　see　that　nothing　is　omitted；〃　Bassompierre　said　with　malice。

The　laughter　and　applause　with　which　this　proposal　was　received　took　me　by　surprise；　but　later　I　learned　that　the　two　young　women　were　rivals。　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　the　Queen　said。　　〃Go；　mademoiselle；　and　see　that　she　does　not　keep　us　waiting。〃

Knowing　what　I　did；　I　had　by　this　time　a　fair　idea　of　the　discovery　which　Bassompierre　had　made；　but　the　mass　of　courtiers　and　ladies　round　me；　who　had　not　this　advantage；　knew　not　what　to　expectnor；　especially；　what　part　M。　Bassompierre　had　in　the　businessbut　made　most　diverting　suggestions；　the　majority　favouring　the　opinion　that　Mademoiselle　Paleotti　had　repulsed　him；　and　that　this　was　his　way　of　avenging　himself。　　A　few　of　the　ladies　even　taxed　him　with　this；　and　tried；　by　random　reproaches；　to　put　him　at　least　on　his　defence；　but；　merrily　refusing　to　be　inveigled；　he　made　to　all　the　same　answer　that　when　Mademoiselle　Paleotti　returned　they　would　see。　　This　served　only　to　whet　a　curiosity　already　keen；　insomuch　that　the　door　was　watched　by　as　many　eyes　as　if　a　miracle　had　been　promised；　and　even　MM。　Epernon　and　Vendome；　leaving　the　King's　side；　pressed　into　the　crowd　that　they　might　see　the　better。　　I　took　the　opportunity　of　going　to　him；　and；　meeting　his　eyes　as　I　did　so；　read　in　them　a　look　of　pain　and　distress。　　As　I　advanced　he　drew　back　a　pace；　and　signed　to　me　to　stand　before　him。

I　had　scarcely　done　so　when　the　door　opened　and　Mademoiselle　Paleotti；　pale；　and　supported　on　one　side　by　her　rival；　appeared　at　it；　but　so　wondrously　transformed　by　a　wig；　hat；　and　redingote　that　I　scarcely　knew　her。　　At　first；　as　she　stood；　looking　with　shamed　eyes　at　the　staring　crowd；　the　impression　made　was　simply　one　of　bewilderment；　so　complete　was　the　disguise。　　But　Bassompierre　did　not　long　suffer　her　to　stand　so。　　Advancing　to　her　side；　his　hat　under　his　arm；　he　offered　his　hand。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　oblige　me　by　walking　as　far　as　the　end　of　the　gallery　with　me？〃

She　complied　involuntarily；　being　almost　unable　to　stand　alone。　But　the　two　had　not　proceeded　half…way　down　the　gallery　before　a　low　murmur　began　to　be　heard；　that；　growing　quickly　louder；　culminated　in　an　astonished　cry　of　〃Madame　de　Conde！　　Madame　de　Conde！〃

M。　Bassompierre　dropped　her　hand　with　a　low　bow；　and　turned　to　the　Queen。　　〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃this；　I　find；　is　the　lady　whom　I　saw　on　the　Terrace　when　Madame　Paleotti　was　so　good　as　to　invite　me　to　walk　on　the　Bois…le…Roi　road。　　For　the　rest；　your　Majesty　may　draw　your　conclusions。〃

It　was　easy　to　see　that　the　Queen　had　already　drawn　them；　but；　for　the　moment；　the　unfortunate　girl　was　saved　from　her　wrath。　With　a　low　cry；　Mademoiselle　Paleotti　did　that　which　she　would　have　done　a　little　before；　had　she　been　wise；　and　swooned　on　the　floor。

I　turned　to　look　at　the　King；　and　found　him　gone。　　He　had　withdrawn　unseen　in　the　first　confusion　of　the　surprise；　nor　did　I　dare　at　once　to　interrupt　him；　or　intrude　on　the　strange　mixture　of　regret　and　relief；　wrath　and　longing；　that　probably　possessed　him　in　the　silence　of　his　closet。　　It　was　enough　for　me　that　the　Italians'　plot　had　failed；　and　that　the　danger　of　a　rupture　between　the　King　and　Queen；　which　these　miscreants　desired；　and　I　had　felt　to　be　so　great　and　imminent；　was；　for　this　time；　overpast。

The　Paleottis　were　punished；　being　sent　home　in　disgrace；　and　a　penury；　which；　doubtless；　they　felt　more　keenly。　　But；　alas；　the　King　could　not　banish　with　them　all　who　hated　him　and　France；　nor　could　I；　with　every　precaution；　and　by　the　unsparing　use　of　all　the　faculties　that；　during　a　score　of　years；　had　been　at　the　service　of　my　master；　preserve　him　for　his　country　and　the　world。　Before　two　months　had　run　he　perished　by　a　mean　hand；　leaving　the　world　the　poorer　by　the　greatest　and　most　illustrious　sovereign　that　ever　ruled　a　nation。　　And　men　who　loved　neither　France　nor　him　entered　into　his　labours；　whose　end　also　I　have　seen。







End