from the memoirs of a minister of france-第18部分

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in　and　some　of　my　gentlemen；　the　result　being　that　I　so　far　forgot　myself；　when　I　rose；　as　to　leave　the　report　where　I　had　laid　it　on　the　table。　In　the　passage　I　met　a　man　whom　the　King　had　sent　to　inquire　about　the　fire；　and　thus　reminded　of　the　papers　I　turned　back　to　the　room；　greatly　vexed　with　myself　for　negligence　which　in　a　subordinate　I　should　have　severely　rebuked；　but　never　doubting　that　I　should　find　the　packet　where　I　had　left　it。

To　my　chagrin　the　paper　was　gone。　　Still　I　could　not　believe　that　it　had　been　stolen；　and　supposing　that　Maignan　or　one　of　my　household　had　seen　it　and　taken　it　to　my　closet；　I　repaired　thither　in　haste。　　I　found　Maignan　already　there；　with　M。　Boisrueil；　one　of　my　gentlemen；　who　was　waiting　to　ask　a　favour；　but　they　knew　nothing　of　the　report；　and　though　I　sent　them　down　forthwith；　with　directions　to　make　strict　but　quiet　inquiry；　they　returned　at　the　end　of　half　an　hour　with　long　faces　and　no　news。

Then　I　grew　seriously　alarmed；　and　reflecting　on　the　many　important　secrets　which　the　memorial　contained；　whereof　a　disclosure　must　spoil　plans　so　long　and　sedulously　prepared；　I　found　myself　brought　on　a　sudden　face　to　face　with　disaster。　　I　could　not　imagine　how　the　King；　who　had　again　and　again　urged　on　me　the　utmost　precaution；　would　take　such　a　catastrophe；　nor　how　I　should　make　it　known　to　him。　　For　a　moment；　therefore；　while　I　listened　to　the　tale；　I　felt　the　hair　rise　on　my　head　and　a　shiver　descend　my　back；　nor　was　it　without　an　uncommon　effort　that　I　retained　my　coolness　and　composure。

Plainly　no　steps　in　such　a　position　could　be　too　stringent。　　I　sent　Maignan　with　an　order　to　close　all　the　doors　and　let　no　one　pass　out。　　Then　I　made　sure　that　none　of　the　servants　had　entered　the　room；　between　the　time　of　my　rising　and　return；　and　this　narrowed　the　tale　of　those　who　could　have　taken　the　packet　to　eleven；　that　being　the　number　of　persons　who　had　sat　down　with　me。　　But　having　followed　the　matter　so　far；　I　came　face　to　face　with　this　difficulty：　　that　all　the　eleven　were；　with　one　exception；　in　my　service　and　in　various　ways　pledged　to　my　interests；　so　that　I　could　not　conceive　even　the　possibility　of　a　betrayal　by　them　in　a　matter　so　important。

I　confess；　at　this；　the　perspiration　rose　upon　my　brow；　for　the　paper　was　gone。　　Still；　there　remained　one　stranger；　and　though　it　seemed　scarcely　less　difficult　to　suspect　him；　since　he　could　have　no　knowledge　of　the　importance　of　the　document；　and　could　not　have　anticipated　that　I　should　leave　it　in　his　power；　I　found　in　that　the　only　likely　solution。　　He　was　one　of　the　Vilains　of　Pareil　by　Monceaux；　his　father　living　on　the　edge　of　the　park；　little　more　than　a　thousand　yards　from　the　chateau；　and　I　knew　no　harm　of　him。　　Still；　I　knew　little；　and　for　that　reason　was　forward　to　believe　that　there；　rather　than　in　my　own　household；　lay　the　key　to　the　enigma。

My　suspicions　were　not　lessened　when　I　discovered　that　he　alone　of　the　party　at　table　had　left　the　house　before　the　doors　were　closed；　and　for　a　moment　I　was　inclined　to　have　him　followed　and　seized。　　But　I　could　scarcely　take　a　step　so　decisive　without　provoking　inquiry；　and　I　dared　not　at　this　stage　let　the　King　know　of　my　negligence。　　I　found　myself；　therefore；　brought　up　short；　in　a　state　of　exasperation　and　doubt　difficult　to　describe；　and　the　most　minute　search　within　the　house　and　the　closest　examination　of　all　concerned　failing　to　provide　the　slightest　clue；　I　had　no　alternative　but　to　pass　the　night　in　that　condition。

On　the　morrow　a　third　search　seeming　still　the　only　resource；　and　proving　as　futile　as　the　others；　I　ordered　La　Trape　and　two　or　three　in　whom　I　placed　the　greatest　confidence　to　watch　their　fellows；　and　report　anything　in　their　bearing　or　manner　that　seemed　to　be　out　of　the　ordinary　course；　while　I　myself　went　to　wait；　on　the　King；　and　parry　his　demand　for　the　memorial　as　well　as　I　could。　　This　it　was　necessary　to　do　without　provoking　curiosity；　and　as　the　lapse　of　each　minute　made　the　pursuit　of　the　paper　less　hopeful　and　its　recovery　a　thing　to　pray　for　rather　than　expect；　it　will　be　believed　that　I　soon　found　the　aspect　of　civility　which　I　was　obliged　to　wear　so　great　a　trial　of　my　patience；　that　I　made　an　excuse　and　retired　early　to　my　lodging。

Here　my　wife；　who　shared　my　anxiety；　met　me　with　a　face　full　of　meaning。　　I　cried　out　to　know　if　they　had　found　the　paper。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃but　if　you　will　come　into　your　closet　I　will　tell　you　what　I　have　learned。〃

I　went　in　with　her；　and　she　told　me　briefly　that　the　manner　of　Mademoiselle　de　Mars；　one　of　her　maids；　had　struck　her　as　suspicious。　　The　girl　had　begun　to　cry　while　reading　to　her；　and　when　questioned　had　been　able　to　give　no　explanation　of　her　trouble。

〃She　is　Vilain's　cousin？〃　　I　said。

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Bring　her　to　me；〃　I　said。　　〃Bring　her　to　me　without　the　delay　of　an　instant。〃

My　wife　hastened　to　comply；　and　whatever　had　been　the　girl's　state　earlier；　before　the　fright　of　this　hasty　summons　had　upset　her；　her　agitation　when　thus　confronted　with　me　gave　me；　before　a　word　was　spoken；　the　highest　hopes　that　I　had　here　the　key　to　the　mystery。　　I　judged　that　it　might　be　necessary　to　frighten　her　still　more；　and　I　started　by　taking　a　harsh　tone　with　her；　but　before　I　had　said　many　words　she　obviated　the　necessity　of　this　by　falling　at　my　wife's　feet　and　protesting　that　she　would　tell　all。

〃Then　speak　quickly；　wench！〃　　I　said。　　〃You　know　where　the　paper　is。〃

〃I　know　who　has　it！〃　　she　answered；　in　a　voice　choked　with　sobs。

〃Who？〃

〃My　cousin；　M。　de　Vilain。〃

〃Ha！　　and　has　taken　it　to　his　house？〃

But　she　seemed　for　a　moment　unable　to　answer　this；　her　distress　being　such　that　my　wife　had　to　fetch　a　vial　of　pungent　salts　to　restore　her　before　she　could　say　more。　　At　length　she　found　voice　to　tell　us　that　M。　de　Vilain　had　taken　the　paper；　and　was　this　evening　to　hand　it　to　an　agent　of　the　Spanish　ambassador。

〃But；　girl；〃　I　said　sternly；　〃how　do　you　know　this？〃

Then　she　confessed　that　the　cousin　was　also　the　lover；　and　had　before　employed　her　to　disclose　what　went　on　in　my　household；　and　anything　of　value　that　could　be　discovered　there。　　Doubtless　the　girl；　for　whom　my　wife；　in　spite　of　her　occasional　fits　of　reserve　and　temper；　entertained　no　little　liking；　enjoyed　many　opportunities　of　prying；　and　would　have　continued　still　to　serve　him　had　not　this　last　piece　of　villainy；　with　the　stir　which　it　caused　in　the　house　and　the　rigorous　punishment　to　be　expected　in　the　event　of　discovery；　proved　too　much　for　her　nerves。　　Hence　this　burst　of　confession；　which　once　allowed　to　flow；　ran　on　almost　against　her　will。　　Nor　did　I　let　her　pause　to　consider　the　full　meaning　of　what　she　was　saying　until　I　had　learned　that　Vilain　was　to　meet　the　ambassador's　agent　an　hour　after　sunset　at　the　east　end　of　a　clump　of　trees　which　stood　in　the　park；　and　being　situate　between　his；　Vilain's；　residence　and　the　chateau；　formed　a　convenient　place　for　such　a　transaction。

〃He　will　have　it　about　him？〃　　I　said。

She　sobbed　a　moment；　but　presently　confessed。　　〃Yes；　or　it　will　be　in　the　hollow　of　the　most　easterly　tree。　　He　was　to　leave　it　there；　if　the　agent　could　not　keep　the　appointment。〃

〃Good！〃　　I　said；　and　then；　having　assured　myself　by　one　or　two　questions　of　that；　of　which　her　state　of　distress　and　agitation　left　me　in　little　doubtnamely；　that　she　was　telling　the　truth　I　committed　her　to　my　wife's　care；　bidding　the　Duchess　lock　her　up　in　a　safe　place　upstairs；　and　treat　her　to　bread　and　water　until　I　had　taken　the　steps　necessary　to　prove　the　fact；　and　secure　the　paper。

After　thisbut　I　should　be　tedious　were　I　to　describe　the　alternations　of　hope　and　fear　in　which　I　passed　the　period　of　suspense。　　Suffice　it　that　I　informed　no　one；　not　even　Maignan；　of　what　I　had　discovered；　but　allowed　those　in　the　secret　of　the　loss　still　to　pursue　their　efforts；　while　I；　by　again　attending　the　Court；　endeavoured　at　once　to　mitigate　the　King's　impatience　and　persuade　the　world　that　all　was　well。　　A　little　before　the　appointed　time；　however　I　made　a　pretext　to　rise　from　supper；　and　quietly　calling　out　Boisrueil；　bade　him　bring　four　of　the　men；　armed；　and　Maignan　and　La　Trape。　　With　this　small　body　I　made　my　way　out　by　a　private　door；　and　crossed　the　park　to　the　place　Mademoiselle　had；　indicated。

Happily；　night　had　already　begun　to　close　in；　and　the　rendezvous　was　at　the　farther　side　of　the　clump　of　trees。　　Favoured　by　these　circumstances；　we　were　able　to　pass　round　the　thicketsome　on　one　side　and　some　on　the　other…without　noise　or　disturbance；　and　fortunate　enough；　having　arrived　at　the　place；　to　discover　a　man　walking　uneasily　up　and　down　on　the　very　spot　where　we　expected　to　find　him。　　The　evening　was　so　far　advanced　that　it　was　not　possible　to　be　sure　that　the　man　was　Vilain；　but　as　all　depended　on　seizing　him　before　he　had　any　communication　with　the　Spanish　agent；　I　gave　the　signal；　and　two　of　my　men；　springing　on　him　from　either　side；　in　a　moment　bore　him　to　the　ground　and　secured　him。

He　proved　to　be　Vilain；　so　that；　when　he　was　brought　face　to　face　with　me；　I　was　much　less　surprised　than　he　affected　to　be。　　He　played　the　part　of　an　ignorant　so　well；　indeed；　that；　for　a　moment；　I　was　staggered　by　his　show　of　astonishment；　and　by　the　earnestness　with　which　he　denounced　the　outrage；　nor　could　Maignan　find　anything　on　him。　　But；　a　moment　later；　remembering　the　girl's　words；　I　strode　to　the　nearest　tree；　and；　groping　about　it；　in　a　twinkling　unearthed　the　paper　from　a　little　hollow　in　the　trunk　that　seemed　to　have　been　made　to　receive　it。　　I　need　not　say　with　what　relief　I　found　the　seals　unbroken；　nor　with　what　indignation　I　turned　on　the　villain　thus　convicted　of　an　act　of　treachery　towards　the　King　only　less　black　than　the　sin　against　hospitality　of　which　he　had　been　guilty　in　my　house。　　But　the　discovery　I　had　made　seemed　enough　of　itself　to　overwhelm　him；　for；　after　standing　apparently　stunned　while　I　spoke；　he　jerked　himself　suddenly　out　of　his　captors'　hands；　and　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　escape。　　Finding　this　hopeless；　and　being　seized　again　before　he　had　gone　four　paces；　he　shouted；　at　the　top　of　his　voice：　　〃Back！　　back！　　Go　back！〃

We　looked　about；　somewhat　startled；　and　Boisr