from the memoirs of a minister of france-第7章

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〃Ah！　　You　are　sure　that　the　man　was　a　priest？〃

〃I　know　him。〃

〃For　whom？〃

〃One　of　the　chaplains　at　the　Spanish　Embassy。〃

It　was　natural　that　after　this　I　should　take　a　more　serious　view　of　the　matter；　and　I　did　so。　　But　my　former　difficulty　still　remained；　for；　assuming　this　to　be　a　cunning　plot；　and　d'Evora's　application　to　me　a　ruse　to　throw　me　off　my　guard；　I　could　not　see　where　their　advantage　lay；　since　the　Spaniard's　occupation　was　not　of　a　nature　to　give　him　the　entry　to　my　confidence　or　the　chance　of　ransacking　my　papers。　　I　questioned　Maignan　further；　therefore；　but　without　result。　　He　had　seen　the　two　together　in　a　secret　kind　of　way；　viewing　them　himself　from　the　window　of　a　house　where　he　had　an　assignation。　　He　had　not　been　near　enough　to　hear　what　they　said；　but　he　was　sure　that　no　quarrel　took　place　between　them；　and　equally　certain　that　it　was　no　chance　meeting　that　brought　them　together。

Infected　by　his　assurance；　I　could　still　see　no　issue；　and　no　object　in　such　an　intrigue。　　And　in　the　end　I　contented　myself　with　bidding　him　watch　the　Spaniard　closely；　and　report　to　me　the　following　evening；　adding　that　he　might　confide　the　matter　to　La　Trape；　who　was　a　supple　fellow；　and　of　the　two　the　easier　companion。

Accordingly；　next　evening　Maignan　again　appeared；　this　time　with　a　face　even　longer；　so　that　at　first　I　supposed　him　to　have　discovered　a　plot　worse　than　Chastel's；　but　it　turned　out　that　he　had　discovered　nothing。　　The　Spaniard　had　spent　the　morning　in　lounging　and　the　afternoon　in　practice　at　the　Louvre；　and　from　first　to　last　had　conducted　himself　in　the　most　innocent　manner　possible。　　On　this　I　rallied　Maignan　on　his　mare's　nest；　and　was　inclined　to　dismiss　the　matter　as　such；　still；　before　doing　so；　I　thought　I　would　see　La　Trape；　and　dismissing　Maignan　I　sent　for　him。

When　he　was　come；　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃have　you　anything　to　say？〃

〃One　little　thing　only；　your　excellency；〃　he　answered　slyly；　〃and　of　no　importance。〃

〃But　you　did　not　tell　it　to　Maignan？〃

〃No；　my　Lord；〃　he　replied；　his　face　relaxing　in　a　cunning　smile。

〃Well？〃

〃Once　to…day　I　saw　Diego　where　he　should　not　have　been。〃

〃Where？〃

〃In　the　King's　dressing…room　at　the　tennis…court。〃

〃You　saw　him　there？〃

〃I　saw　him　coming　out；〃　he　answered。

It　may　be　imagined　how　I　felt　on　hearing　this；　for　although　I　might　have　thought　nothing　of　the　matter　before　my　suspicions　were　arousedsince　any　man　might　visit　such　a　place　out　of　curiositynow；　my　mind　being　disturbed；　I　was　quick　to　conceive　the　worst；　and　saw　with　horror　my　beloved　master　already　destroyed　through　my　carelessness。　　I　questioned　La　Trape　in　a　fury；　but　could　learn　nothing　more。　　He　had　seen　the　man　slip　out；　and　that　was　all。

〃But　did　you　not　go　in　yourself？〃　　I　said；　restraining　my　impatience　with　difficulty。

〃Afterwards？　　Yes；　my　lord。〃

〃And　made　no　discovery？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Was　anything　prepared　for　his　Majesty？〃

〃There　was　sherbet；　and　some　water。〃

〃You　tried　them？〃

La　Trape　grinned。　　〃No；　my　lord；〃　he　said。　　〃But　I　gave　some　to　Maignan。〃

〃Not　explaining？〃

〃No；　my　lord。〃

〃You　sacrilegious　rascal！〃　　I　cried；　amused　in　spite　of　my　anxiety。　　〃And　he　was　none　the　worse？〃

〃No；　my　lord。〃

Not　satisfied　yet；　I　continued　to　press　him；　but　with　so　little　success　that　I　still　found　myself　unable　to　decide　whether　the　Spaniard　had　wandered　in　innocently　or　to　explore　his　ground。　In　the　end；　therefore；　I　made　up　my　mind　to　see　things　for　myself；　and　early　next　morning；　at　an　hour　when　I　was　not　likely　to　be　observed；　I　went　out　by　a　back　door；　and　with　my　face　muffled　and　no　other　attendance　than　Maignan　and　La　Trape；　went　to　the　tennis…court　and　examined　the　dressing…room。

This　was　a　small　closet　on　the　first　floor；　of　a　size　to　hold　two　or　three　persons；　and　with　a　casement　through　which　the　King；　if　he　wished　to　be　private；　might　watch　the　game。　　Its　sole　furniture　consisted　of　a　little　table　with　a　mirror；　a　seat　for　his　Majesty；　and　a　couple　of　stools；　so　that　it　offered　small　scope　for　investigation。　　True；　the　stale　sherbet　and　the　water　were　still　there；　the　carafes　standing　on　the　table　beside　an　empty　comfit　box；　and　a　few　toilet　necessaries；　and　it　will　be　believed　that　I　lost　no　time　in　examining　them。　　But　I　made　no　discovery；　and　when　I　had　passed　my　eye　over　everything　else　that　the　room　contained；　and　noticed　nothing　that　seemed　in　the　slightest　degree　suspicious；　I　found　myself　completely　at　a　loss。　I　went　to　the　window；　and　for　a　moment　looked　idly　into　the　court。

But　neither　did　any　light　come　thence；　and　I　had　turned　again　and　was　about　to　leave；　when　my　eye　alighted　on　a　certain　thing　and　I　stopped。

〃What　is　that？〃　　I　said。　　It　was　a　thin　case；　book…shaped；　of　Genoa　velvet；　somewhat　worn。

〃Plaister；〃　Maignan；　who　was　waiting　at　the　door；　answered。　　〃His　Majesty's　hand　is　not　well　yet；　and　as　your　excellency　knows；　he〃

〃Silence；　fool！〃　　I　cried。　　and　I　stood　rooted　to　the　spot；　overwhelmed　by　the　conviction　that　I　held　the　clue　to　the　mystery；　and　so　shaken　by　the　horror　which　that　conviction　naturally　brought　with　it　that　I　could　not　move　a　finger。　　A　design　so　fiendish　and　monstrous　as　that　which　I　suspected　might　rouse　the　dullest　sensibilities；　in　a　case　where　it　threatened　the　meanest；　but　being　aimed　in　this　at　the　King；　my　master；　from　whom　I　had　received　so　many　benefits；　and　on　whose　life　the　well…　being　of　all　depended；　it　goaded　me　to　the　warmest　resentment。　　I　looked　round　the　tennis…courtwhich；　empty；　shadowy　and　silent；　seemed　a　fit　place　for　such　horrorswith　rage　and　repulsion；　apprehending　in　a　moment　of　sad　presage　all　the　accursed　strokes　of　an　enemy　whom　nothing　could　propitiate；　and　who；　sooner　or　later；　must　set　all　my　care　at　nought；　and　take　from　France　her　greatest　benefactor。

But；　it　will　be　said；　I　had　no　proof；　only　a　conjecture；　and　this　is　true；　but　of　it　hereafter。　　Suffice　it　that；　as　soon　as　I　had　swallowed　my　indignation；　I　took　all　the　precautions　affection　could　suggest　or　duty　enjoin；　omitting　nothing；　and　then；　confiding　the　matter　to　no　one　the　two　men　who　were　with　me　exceptedI　prepared　to　observe　the　issue　with　gloomy　satisfaction。

The　match　was　to　take　place　at　three　in　the　afternoon。　　A　little　after　that　hour；　I　arrived　at　the　tennis…court；　attended　by　La　Font　and　other　gentlemen；　and　M。　l'Huillier；　the　councillor；　who　had　dined　with　me。　　L'Huillier's　business　had　detained　me　somewhat；　and　the　men　had　begun；　but　as　I　had　anticipated　this；　I　had　begged　my　good　friend　De　Vic　to　have　an　eye　to　my　interests。　The　King；　who　was　in　the　gallery；　had　with　him　M。　de　Montpensier；　the　Comte　de　Lude；　Vitry；　Varennes；　and　the　Florentine　Ambassador；　with　Sancy　and　some　others。　　Mademoiselle　d'Entragues　and　two　ladies　had　taken　possession　of　his　closet；　and　from　the　casement　were　pouring　forth　a　perpetual　fire　of　badinage　and　BONS　MOTS。　　The　tennis…court；　in　a　word；　presented　as　different　an　aspect　as　possible　from　that　which　it　had　worn　in　the　morning。　The　sharp　crack　of　the　ball；　as　it　bounded　from　side　to　side；　was　almost　lost　in　the　crisp　laughter　and　babel　of　voices；　which　as　I　entered　rose　into　a　perfect　uproar；　Mademoiselle　having　just　flung　a　whole　lapful　of　roses　across　the　court　in　return　for　some　witticism。　　These　falling　short　of　the　gallery　had　lighted　on　the　head　of　the　astonished　Diego；　causing　a　temporary　cessation　of　play；　during　which　I　took　my　seat。

Madame　de　Lude's　saucy　eye　picked　me　out　in　a　moment。　　〃Oh；　the　grave　man！〃　　she　cried。　　〃Crown　him；　too；　with　roses。〃

〃As　they　crowned　the　skull　at　the　feast；　madame？〃　　I　answered；　saluting　her　gallantly。

〃No；　but　as　the　man　whom　the　King　delighteth　to　honour；〃　she　answered；　making　a　face　at　me。　　〃Ha！　　ha！　　I　am　not　afraid！　　I　am　not　afraid！　　I　am　not　afraid！〃

There　was　a　good　deal　of　laughter　at　this。　　〃What　shall　I　do　to　her；　M。　de　Rosny？〃　　Mademoiselle　cried　out；　coming　to　my　rescue。

〃If　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　kiss　her；　mademoiselle；〃　I　answered；　〃I　will　consider　it　an　advance；　and　as　one　of　the　council　of　the　King's　finances；　my　credit　should　be　good　for　the　re〃

〃Thank　you！〃　　the　King　cried；　nimbly　cutting　me　short。　　〃But　as　my　finances　seem　to　be　the　secur