from the memoirs of a minister of france-第8章

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〃Thank　you！〃　　the　King　cried；　nimbly　cutting　me　short。　　〃But　as　my　finances　seem　to　be　the　security；　faith；　I　will　see　to　the　repayment　myself！　　Let　them　start　again；　but　I　am　afraid　that　my　twenty　crowns　are　yours；　Grand　Master；　your　man　is　in　fine　play。〃

I　looked　into　the　court。　　Diego；　lithe　and　sinewy；　with　his　cropped　black　hair；　high　colour；　and　quick　shallow　eyes；　bounded　here　and　there；　swift　and　active　as　a　panther。　　Seeing　him　thus；　with　his　heart　in　his　returns；　I　could　not　but　doubt；　more；　as　the　game　proceeded；　amid　the　laughter　and　jests　and　witty　sallies　of　the　courtiers；　I　felt　the　doubt　grow；　the　riddle　became　each　minute　more　abstruse；　the　man　more　mysterious。　　But　that　was　of　no　moment　now。

A　little　after　four　o'clock　the　match　ended　in　my　favour；　on　which　the　King；　tired　of　inaction；　sprang　up；　and　declaring　that　he　would　try　Diego's　strength　himself；　entered　the　court。　　I　followed；　with　Vitry　and　others；　and　several　strokes　which　had　been　made　were　tested　and　discussed。　　Presently；　the　King　going　to　talk　with　Mademoiselle　at　her　window；　I　remarked　the　Spaniard　and　Maignan；　with　the　King's　marker；　and　one　or　two　others　waiting　at　the　further　door。　　Almost　at　the　same　moment　I　observed　a　sudden　movement　among　them；　and　voices　raised　higher　than　was　decent；　and　I　called　out　sharply　to　know　what　it　was。

〃An　accident；　my　lord；〃　one　of　the　men　answered　respectfully。

〃It　is　nothing；〃　another　muttered。　　〃Maignan　was　playing　tricks；　your　excellency；　and　cut　Diego's　hand　a　little；　that　is　all。〃

〃Cut　his　hand　now！〃　　I　exclaimed　angrily　〃And　the　King　about　to　play　with　him。　　Let　me　see　it！〃

Diego　sulkily　held　up　his　hand；　and　I　saw　a　cut；　ugly　but　of　no　importance。

〃Pooh！〃　　I　said；　〃it　is　nothing。　　Get　some　plaister。　　Here；　you；〃　I　continued　wrathfully；　turning　to　Maignan；　〃since　you　have　done　the　mischief；　booby；　you　must　repair　it。　　Get　some　plaister；　do　you　hear？　　He　cannot　play　in　that　state。〃

Diego　muttered　something；　and　Maignan　that　he　had　not　got　any；　but　before　I　could　answer　that　he　must　get　some；　La　Trape　thrust　his　may　to　the　front；　and　producing　a　small　piece　from　his　pocket；　proceeded　with　a　droll　air　of　extreme　carefulness　to　treat　the　hand。　　The　other　knaves　fell　into　the　joke；　and　the　Spaniard　had　no　option　but　to　submit；　though　his　scowling　face　showed　that　he　bore　Maignan　no　good…will；　and　that　but　for　my　presence　he　might　not　have　been　so　complaisant。　　La　Trape　was　bringing　his　surgery　to　an　end　by　demanding　a　fee；　in　the　most　comical　manner　possible；　when　the　King　returned　to　our　part　of　the　court。　　〃What　is　it？〃　　he　said。　　〃Is　anything　the　matter？〃

〃No；　sire；〃　I　said。　　〃My　man　has　cut　his　hand　a　little；　but　it　is　nothing。〃

〃Can　he　play？〃　　Henry　asked　with　his　accustomed　good…nature。

〃Oh；　yes；　sire；〃　I　answered。　　〃I　have　bound　it　up　with　a　strip　of　plaister　from　the　case　in　your　Majesty's　closet。〃

〃He　has　not　lost　blood？〃

〃No；　sire。〃

And　he　had　not。　　But　it　was　small　wonder　that　the　King　asked；　small　wonder；　for　the　man's　face　had　changed　in　the　last　ten　seconds　to　a　strange　leaden　colour；　a　terror　like　that　of　a　wild　beast　that　sees　itself　trapped　had　leapt　into　his　eyes。　　He　shot　a　furtive　glance　round　him；　and　I　saw　him　slide　his　hand　behind　him。　　But　I　was　prepared　for　that；　and　as　the　King　moved　off　a　space　I　slipped　to　the　man's　side；　as　if　to　give　him　some　directions　about　his　game。

〃Listen；〃　I　said；　in　a　voice　heard　only　by　him；　〃take　the　dressing　off　your　hand；　and　I　have　you　broken　on　the　wheel。　　You　understand？　　Now　play。〃

Assuring　myself　that　he　did　understand；　and　that　Maignan　and　La　Trape　were　at　hand　if　he　should　attempt　anything；　I　went　back　to　my　place；　and　sitting　down　by　De　Vic　began　to　watch　that　strange　game；　while　Mademoiselle's　laughter　and　Madame　de　Lude's　gibes　floated　across　the　court；　and　mingled　with　the　eager　applause　and　more　dexterous　criticisms　of　the　courtiers。　　The　light　was　beginning　to　sink；　and　for　this　reason；　perhaps；　no　one　perceived　the　Spaniard's　pallor；　but　De　Vic；　after　a　rally　or　two；　remarked　that　he　was　not　playing　his　full　strength。

〃Wise　man！〃　　he　added。

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　　〃Who　plays　well　against　kings　plays　ill。〃

De　Vic　laughed。　　〃How　he　sweats！〃　　he　said；　〃and　he　never　turned　a　hair　when　he　played　Colet。　　I　suppose　he　is　nervous。〃

〃Probably；〃　I　said。

And　so　they　chattered　and　laughedchattered　and　laughed；　seeing　an　ordinary　game　between　the　King　and　a　marker；　while　I；　for　whom　the　court　had　grown　sombre　as　a　dungeon；　saw　a　villain　struggling　in　his　own　toils；　livid　with　the　fear　of　death；　and　tortured　by　horrible　apprehensions。　　Use　and　habit　were　still　so　powerful　with　the　man　that　he　played　on　mechanically　with　his　hands；　but　his　eyes　every　now　and　then　sought　mine　with　the　look　of　the　trapped　beast；　and　on　these　occasions　I　could　see　his　lips　move　in　prayer　or　cursing。　　The　sweat　poured　down　his　face　as　he　moved　to　and　fro；　and　I；　fancied　that　his　features　were　beginning　to　twitch。　　PresentlyI　have　said　that　the　light　was　failing；　so　that　it　was　not　in　my　imagination　only　that　the　court　was　sombre　the　King　held　his　ball。　　〃My　friend；　your　man　is　not　well；〃　he　said；　turning　to　me。

〃It　is　nothing；　sire；　the　honour　you　do　him　makes　him　nervous；〃　I　answered。　　〃Play　up；　sirrah；〃　I　continued；　〃you　make　too　good　a　courtier。〃

Mademoiselle　d'Entragues　clapped　her　hands　and　laughed　at　the　hit；　and　I　saw　Diego　glare　at　her　with　an　indescribable　look；　in　which　hatred　and　despair　and　a　horror　of　reproach　were　so　nicely　mingled　with　something　as　exceptional　as　his　position；　that　the　whole　baffled　words。　　Doubtless　the　gibes　and　laughter　he　heard；　the　trifling　that　went　on　round　him；　the　very　game　in　which　he　was　engaged；　and　from　which　he　dared　not　draw　back；　seemed　in　his　eyes　the　most　appalling　mockery；　but　ignorant　who　were　in　the　secret；　unable　to　guess　how　his　diabolical　plot　had　been　discovered；　uncertain　even　whether　the　whole　were　not　a　concerted　piece；　he　went　on　playing　his　part　mechanically；　with　starting　eyes　and　labouring　chest；　and　lips　that；　twitching　and　working；　lost　colour　each　minute。　　At　length　he　missed　a　stroke；　and　staggering　leaned　against　the　wall；　his…face　livid　and　ghastly。　The　King　took　the　alarm　at　that；　and　cried　out　that　something　was　wrong。　　Those　who　were　sitting　rose。　　I　nodded　to　Maignan　to　go　to　the　man。

〃It　is　a　fit；〃　I　said。　　〃He　is　subject　to　them；　and　doubtless　the　excitementbut　I　am　sorry　that　it　has　spoiled　your　Majesty's　game。

〃It　has　not；〃　Henry　answered　kindly。　　〃The　light　is　gone。　　But　have　him　looked　to；　will　you；　my　friend？　　If　La　Riviere　were　here　he　might　do　something　for　him。〃

While　he　spoke；　the　servants　had　gathered　round　the　man；　but　with　the　timidity　which　characterises　that　class　in　such　emergencies；　they　would　not　touch　him。　　As　I　crossed　the　court；　and　they　made　way　for　me；　the　Spaniard；　who　was　still　standing；　though　in　a　strange　and　distorted　fashion；　turned　his　bloodshot　eyes　on　me。

〃A　priest！〃　　he　muttered；　framing　the　words　with　difficulty；　〃a　priest！〃

I　directed　Maignan　to　fetch　one。　　〃And　do　you；〃　I　continued　to　the　other　servants；　〃take　him　into　a　room　somewhere。〃

They　obeyed；　reluctantly。　　As　they　carried　him　out；　the　King；　content　with　my　statement；　was　giving　his　hand　to　Mademoiselle　to　descend　the　stairs；　and　neither　he　nor　any；　save　the　two　men　in　my　confidence；　had　the　slightest　suspicion　that　aught　was　the　matter　beyond　a　natural　illness。　　But　I　shuddered　when　I　considered　how　narrow　had　been　the　King's　escape；　how　trifling　the　circumstance　which　had　led　to　suspicion；　how　fortuitous　the　inspiration　by　which　I　had　chanced　on　discovery。　　The　delay　of　a　single　day；　the　occurrence　of　the　slightest　mishap；　might　have　been　fatal　not　to　him　only　but　to　the　best　interests　of　France；　which　his　death　at　a　time　when　he　was　still　childless　must　have　plunged　into　the　most　melancholy　of　wars。

Of　the　wretched　Spaniard　I　need　say　little　more。　　Caught　in　his　own　snare；　he　was　no　sooner　withdrawn　from　the　court　than　he　fell　into　violent　convulsions；　which　held　him　until　midnight　when　he　died　with　symptoms　and　under　circumstances　so　nearly　resembling　those　which　had　attended　the　death　of　Madame　de　Beaufort　at　Easter；　that　I　h