第23章

“No；thankstoSte。Genevieveandyourlordship，whomwecallinthisvillagethepoorman’sfriend，Ihaveafowlinthepot。“ ThisphrasesopleasedmethatIrepeatedittotheking。Ittickledhisfancyalso，andforsomeyearsitwasaverycommonremarkofthatgoodandgreatruler，thathehopedtolivetoseeeverypeasantwithafowlinhispot。 “Butwhy，“IrememberIonceaskedthishonestfellow——itwasonthelastoccasionofthesorrelfallinglamethere——“doyouthankSte。Genevieve？“ “Sheismypatronsaint，“heanswered。 “ThenyouareaParisian？“ “Yourlordshipisalwaysright。“ “Butdoeshersaintshipdoyouanygood？“Iaskedcuriously。 “Certainly，byyourlordship’sleave。Mywifepraystoherandsheloosensthenailsinthesorrel’sshoes。“ “Infactshepaysoffanoldgrudge，“Ianswered，“fortherewasatimewhenParislikedmelittle；butharkye，mastersmith，IamnotsurethatthisisnotanactoftreasontoconspirewithMadameGenevieveagainstthecomfortoftheking’sminister。Whatthinkyou，yourascal；canyoupassthejusticeelmwithoutashiver？“ Thisthrewthesimplefellowintoagreatfear，whichthesightofthelivreofgoldspeedilyconvertedintojoyasstupendous。 LeavinghimstillstaringathisfortuneIrodeaway；butwhenwehadgonesomelittledistance，theaspectofhisface，whenI chargedhimwithtreason，ormyownunassisteddiscriminationsuggestedaclewtothephenomenon。 “LaTrape，“Isaidtomyvalet——thesamewhowaswithmeatCahors—— “whatisthenameoftheinnkeeperatPoissy，atwhosehouseweareaccustomedtodine？“ “Andrew，mayitpleaseyourlordship。“ “Andrew！Ithoughtso！“Iexclaimed，smitingmythigh。“SimonandAndrewhisbrother！Answer，knave，and，ifyouhavepermittedmetoberobbedthesemanytimes，trembleforyourears。IshenotbrothertothesmithatAubergenvillewhohasjustshodmyhorse？“ LaTrapeprofessedtobeignorantonthispoint，butagroomwhohadstayedbehindwithme，havingsoughtmypermissiontospeak，saiditwasso，addingthatMasterAndrewhadrisenintheworldthroughlargedealingsinhay，whichhewaswonttotakedailyintoParisandsell，andthathedidnotnowacknowledgeorseeanythingofhisbrotherthesmith，thoughitwasbelievedthatheretainedasneakinglikingforhim。 Onreceivingthisconfirmationofmysuspicions，myvanityaswellasmysenseofjusticeledmetoactwiththepromptitudewhichI haveexhibitedingreateremergencies。IratedLaTrapeforhiscarelessnessofmyinterestsinpermittingthisdeceptiontobepracticedonme；andthemainbodyofmyattendantsbeingnowinsight，IorderedhimtotaketwoSwissandarrestbothbrotherswithoutdelay。Itwantedyetthreehoursofsunset，andIjudgedthat，byhardriding，theymightreachRosnywiththeirprisonersbeforebedtime。 IspentsometimewhilestillontheroadinconsideringwhatpunishmentIshouldinflictontheculprits；andfinallylaidasidethepurposeIhadatfirstconceivedofputtingthemtodeath——aninflictiontheyhadrichlydeserved——infavorofaplanwhichI thoughtmightoffermesomeamusement。FortheexecutionofthisI dependeduponMaignan，myequerry，whowasamanoflivelyimagination，beingthesamewhohadofhisownmotionarrangedandcarriedoutthetriumphalprocession，inwhichIwasbornetoRosnyafterthebattleofIvry。BeforeIsatdowntosupperIgavehimhisdirections；andasIhadexpected，newswasbroughttomewhileIwasattablethattheprisonershadarrived。 ThereuponIinformedtheduchessandthecompanygenerally，for，aswasusual，anumberofmycountryneighborshadcometocomplimentmeonmyreturn，thattherewassomesportofararekindonfoot； andweadjourned，Maignan，followedbyfourpagesbearinglights，leadingthewaytothatendoftheterracewhichabutsonthelindenavenue。Here，ascoreofgroomsholdingtorchesalofthadbeenarrangedinacirclesothattheimpromptutheaterthusformed，whichMaignanhadorderedwithmuchtaste，wasaslightasintheday。Onaslopingbankatoneendseatshadbeenplacedforthosewhohadsuppedatmytable，whiletherestofthecompanyfoundsuchplacesofvantageastheycould；theirnumber，indeed，amounting，withmyhousehold，totwohundredpersons。Inthecenteroftheopenspaceasmallforgefirehadbeenkindled，theredglowofwhichaddedmuchtothestrangenessofthescene；andontheanvilbesideitwererangedanumberofhorses’anddonkeys’ shoes，withafullcomplementofthetoolsusedbysmiths。AllbeingreadyIgavethewordtobringintheprisoners，andescortedbyLaTrapeandsixofmyguards，theyweremarchedintothearena。 Intheirpaleandterrifiedfaces，andtheshakinglimbswhichcouldscarcesupportthemtotheirappointedstations，Ireadboththeconsciousnessofguiltandtheapprehensionofimmediatedeath； itwasplainthattheyexpectednothingless。Iwasverywillingtoplaywiththeirfears，andforsometimelookedattheminsilence，whileallwonderedwithlivelycuriositywhatwouldensue。 Ithenaddressedthemgravely，tellingtheinnkeeperthatIknewwellhehadloosenedeachyearashoeofmyhorse，inorderthathisbrothermightprofitbythejobofreplacingit；andwentontoreprovethesmithfortheingratitudewhichhadledhimtoreturnmybountybytheconceptionofsoknavishatrick。 Uponthistheyconfessedtheirguilt，andflingingthemselvesupontheirkneeswithmanytearsandprayersbeggedformercy。This，afteradecentinterval，Ipermittedmyselftogrant。“Yourlives，whichareforfeited，shallbespared，“Ipronounced。“Butpunishedyoumustbe。IthereforeordainthatSimon，thesmith，atoncefit，nail，andproperlysecureapairofironshoestoAndrew’sheels，andthatthenAndrew，whobythattimewillhavepickedupsomethingofthesmith’sart，dothesametoSimon。Sowillyoubothlearntoavoidsuchshoeingtricksforthefuture。“ Itmaywellbeimaginedthatajudgmentsowhimsical，andsojustlyadaptedtotheoffense，charmedallsavetheculprits；andinahundredwaysthepleasureofthosepresentwasevinced，tosuchadegree，indeed，thatMaignanhadsomedifficultyinrestoringsilenceandgravitytotheassemblage。Thisdone，however，MasterAndrewwastakeninhandandhiswoodenshoesremoved。Thetoolsofhistradewereplacedbeforethesmith，whocastglancessopiteous，firstathisbrother’sfeetandthenattheshoesontheanvil，asagaingaverisetoaprodigiousamountofmerriment，mypagesinparticularwell-nighforgettingmypresence，androllingaboutinamannerunpardonableatanothertime。However，Irebukedthemsharply，andwasabouttoorderthesentencetobecarriedintoeffect，whentheremembranceofthemanypleasantsimplicitieswhichthesmithhadutteredtome，actinguponanaturaldispositiontomercy，whichthemostcalumniousofmyenemieshaveneverquestioned，inducedmetogivetheprisonersachanceofescape。“Listen，“Isaid，“SimonandAndrew。Yoursentencehasbeenpronounced，andwillcertainlybeexecutedunlessyoucanavailyourselfoftheconditionInowoffer。Youshallhavethreeminutes；ifinthattimeeitherofyoucanmakeagoodjoke，heshallgofree。Ifnot，letamanattendtothebellows，LaTrape！“ Thisaddedafreshsatisfactiontomyneighbors，whowerewellassurednowthatIhadnotpromisedthemanovelentertainmentwithoutgoodgrounds；forthegrimacesofthetwoknavesthusbiddentojestiftheywouldsavetheirskins，weresodivertingtheywouldhavemadeanunlaugh。Theylookedatmewiththeireyesaswideasplates，andforthewholeofthetimeofgraceneverawordcouldtheyuttersavehowlsformercy。“Simon，“I saidgravely，whenthetimewasup，“haveyouajoke？No。Andrew，myfriend，haveyouajoke？No。Then——“ Iwasgoingontoorderthesentencetobecarriedout，whentheinnkeeperflunghimselfagainuponhisknees，andcriedoutloudly—— asmuchtomyastonishmentastotheregretofthebystanders，whowerebentonseeingsostrangeashoeingfeat——“Oneword，mylord； Icangiveyounojoke，butIcandoaservice，aneminentservicetotheking。Icandiscloseaconspiracy！“ Iwassomewhattakenabackbythissuddenandpublicannouncement。 ButIhadbeentoolongintheking’semploymentnottohaveremarkedhowstrangelythingsarebroughttolight。Onhearingtheman’swordstherefore——whichwerefollowedbyastrickensilence——I lookedsharplyatthefacesofsuchofthosepresentasitwaspossibletosuspect，butfailedtoobserveanysignofconfusionordismay，oranythingmoreparticularthansoabruptastatementwascalculatedtoproduce。Doubtingmuchwhetherthemanwasnotplayingwithme，Iaddressedhimsternly，warninghimtobeware，lestinhisanxietytosavehisheelsbyfalselyaccusingothers，heshouldlosehishead。Forthatifhisconspiracyshouldprovetobeaninventionofhisown，Ishouldcertainlyconsideritmydutytohanghimforthwith。 Heheardmeout，butneverthelesspersistedinhisstory，addingdesperately，“Itisaplot，mylord，toassassinateyouandthekingonthesameday。“ Thisstatementstruckmeablow；forIhadgoodreasontoknowthatatthattimethekinghadalienatedmanybyhisinfatuationforMadamedeVerneuil；whileIhadalwaystoreckonfirstlywithallwhohatedhim，andsecondlywithallwhommypursuitofhisinterestsinjured，eitherinrealityorappearance。Ithereforeimmediatelydirectedthattheprisonersshouldbeledinclosecustodytothechamberadjoiningmyprivatecloset，andtakingtheprecautiontocallmyguardsaboutme，sinceIknewnotwhatattemptdespairmightnotbreed，Iwithdrewmyself，makingsuchapologiestothecompanyasthenatureofthecasepermitted。 IorderedSimonthesmithtobefirstbroughttome，andinthepresenceofMaignanonly，Iseverelyexaminedhimastohisknowledgeofanyconspiracy。Hedenied，however，thathehadeverheardofthemattersreferredtobyhisbrother，andpersistedsofirmlyinthedenialthatIwasinclinedtobelievehim。IntheendhewastakenoutandAndrewwasbroughtin。Theinnkeeper’sdemeanorwassuchasIhaveoftenobservedinintriguersbroughtsuddenlytobook。Heaverredtheexistenceoftheconspiracy，andthatitsobjectswerethosewhichhehadstated。Healsoofferedtogiveuphisassociates，butconditionedthatheshoulddothisinhisownway；undertakingtoconductmeandoneotherperson——butnomore，lestthealarmshouldbegiven——toaplaceinParisonthefollowingnight，wherewecouldheartheplottersstatetheirplansanddesigns。Inthiswayonly，heurged，couldproofpositivebeobtained。 Iwasmuchstartledbythisproposal，andinclinedtothinkitatrap；butfurtherconsiderationdispelledmyfears。Theinnkeeperhadheldnoparleywithanyonesavehisguardsandmyselfsincehisarrest，andcouldneitherhavewarnedhisaccomplices，noracquaintedthemwithanydesigntheexecutionofwhichshoulddependonhisconfessiontome。Ithereforeacceptedhisterms—— withaprivatereservationthatIshouldhavehelpathand——andbeforedaybreaknextmorningleftRosny，whichIhadonlyseenbytorchlight，withmyprisonerandaselectbodyofSwiss。WeenteredParisintheafternooninthreeparties，withaslittleparadeaspossible，andwentstraighttotheArsenal，whence，assoonaseveningfell，IhurriedwithonlytwoarmedattendantstotheLouvre。 Areturnsosuddenandunexpectedwasasgreatasurprisetothecourtastotheking，andIwasnotslowtomarkwithaninwardsmilethediscomposurewhichappearedveryclearly，onthefacesofseveral，asthecrowdinthechamberfellbackformetoapproachmymaster。Iwascareful，however，torememberthatthismightarisefromothercausesthanguilt。Thekingreceivedmewithhiswontedaffection；anddiviningatoncethatImusthavesomethingimportanttocommunicate，withdrewwithmetothefartherendofthechamber，wherewewereoutofearshotofthecourt。Ithererelatedthestorytohismajesty，keepingbacknothing。 Heshookhishead，sayingmerely:“Thefishtoescapethefryingpan，grandmaster，willjumpintothefire。Andhumannature，saveinthecaseofyouandme，whocantrustoneanother，isveryfishy。“ Iwastouchedbythisgraciouscompliment，butnotconvinced。“Youhavenotseentheman，sire，“Isaid，“andIhavehadthatadvantage。“ “Andbelievehim？“ “Inpart，“Iansweredwithcaution。“Sofaratleastastobeassuredthathethinkstosavehisskin，whichhewillonlydoifhebetellingthetruth。MayIbegyou，sire，“Iaddedhastily，seeingthedirectionofhisglance，“nottolooksofixedlyattheDukeofEpernon？Hegrowsuneasy。“ “Consciencemakes——youknowtherest。“ “Nay，sire，withsubmission，“Ireplied，“Iwillanswerforhim；ifhebenotdrivenbyfeartodosomethingreckless。“ “Good！Itakeyourwarranty，DukeofSully，“thekingsaid，withtheeasygracewhichcamesonaturaltohim。“Butnowinthismatterwhatwouldyouhavemedo？“