The Snowball
Page 4
his side more foes than his sword ever conquered, the Kingdrew me into my room, where I found De Vic, Vitry, Roquelaure, and therest. They all laughed heartily at my surprise, nor was Maignan, whohad a pretty fancy, and was the author, it will be remembered, of thatwhimsical procession to Rosny after the battle of Ivry, which I haveelsewhere described, far behind them; the rascal knowing well that theking's presence covered all, and that in my gratification at the honordone me I should be certain to overlook his impertinence.
Perceiving that this impromptu visit had no other object than todivert Henry--though he was kind enough to say that he felt uneasywhen he did not see me often--I begged to know if he would honor me bystaying to sup; but this he would not do, though he consented to drinka cup of my Arbois wine, and praised it highly. I thought I saw by andby that he was willing to be alone with me; and as I had every reasonto desire this myself, I made an opportunity. Sending for Arnaud andsome of my gentlemen, I committed my other guests to their care, andled the King into my closet, where, after requesting his leave tospeak on business, I proceeded to unfold to him the adventure of thesnowball, with all the particulars which I have here set down.
He listened very attentively, drumming on the table with his fingers;nor did he move or speak when I had done but still continued in thesame attitude of deep thought. At last: "Grand-master," he said,touching with his hand the mark of the wound which still remained onhis lip, "how long is it since Chalet's attempt--when I got this?"
"Seven years last Christmas, Sire," I answered.
"And Barriere's?"
"That was the year before. Avenious' plot was that year too."
"And the Italian, from Milan, of whom the Capuchin Honorio warned us?"
"That was two years ago, Sire."
"And how many more attempts have there been against my person?" hewent on, much moved. Then falling into a tone of extreme sadness, hecontinued, "Rosny, my friend, they must succeed at last. No man canfight against his fate. The end is sure, notwithstanding all yourfidelity and vigilance, and the love you bear me, for which I love youtoo. But Nicholas? Nicholas? Yet he has been careless and distraughtof late. I have noticed it; and a month back I refused to give him anappointment, of which he wished to have the sale."
I did not dare to speak, and for a time Henry, too, remained silent.At length he rose with an air of resolution.
"We will clear this matter up within the hour!" he said firmly. "Iwill send my people back to the Louvre, and do you, Grand-master,order half-a-dozen Swiss to be ready to conduct us to this woman'shouse. When we have heard her we shall know what to do."
I tried my utmost to dissuade him, pleading that his presence couldnot be necessary, and might prove a hindrance; besides exposing hisperson to a certain amount of risk. But he would not listen. When Isaw, therefore, that his mind was made up to go, and that as hisspirits rose he was inclined to welcome this little expedition as arelief from the _ennui_ which at times troubled him, I reluctantlywithdrew my opposition and gave the necessary orders. The Kingdismissed his suite with a few kind words, and in a very short spacewe were on our way, under cover of darkness, to the secretary's house.
He lived at this time in a court off the Rue St. Jacques, not far fromthe church of that name; and the house being remote from the eyes andobservations of the street, seemed not unfit for secret and desperateuses.
Although we found lights shining behind several of the barred windows,the wintry night, the darkness of the court, and perhaps the errand onwhich we came, imparted so gloomy an aspect to the place that the Kinghitched his sword forward, while I begged him to permit the Swiss whoaccompanied us to go on with us. This, however, he would not allow,and accordingly they were left at the entrance to the court withorders to follow at a given signal.
On the steps, the King, who, to disguise himself the better, hadborrowed one of my cloaks, stumbled and almost fell. This threw himinto a fit of laughter; for no sooner was he engaged in an adventurewhich promised to be dangerous than his spirits invariably rose tosuch a degree as to make him the most charming companion in peril manever had. He was still shaking, and pulling me to and fro in one ofthose boyish frolics which sometimes swayed him, when a sudden outcryinside the house startled us into sobriety, and reminded us all toosoon of the business which brought us thither.
Wondering what it might mean, I was about to rap on the door with myhilt when the King put me aside, and, by a happy instinct, tried thelatch. The door yielded to his hands, and, slowly opening, gave usadmittance.
We found ourselves in a gloomy hall, ill-lit, and hung with patchedarras. In one corner stood a group of servants. Of these some lookedscared and some amused, but all were so much taken up with themovements of a harsh-faced woman, who was pacing the opposite side ofthe hall, that they did not heed our entrance. A momentary glance atthis strange state of things showed me that the woman was MadameNicholas; but I was still at a loss to guess what she was doing orwhat was happening in the house.
I stood a moment, but finding she still took no notice of us, Ibeckoned to one of the servants, and bade him tell his mistress agentleman would speak with her. The man went with the message; but shesent him off with a flea in his ear, and screamed at him so violentlythat for a moment I thought she was mad. Then it appeared that theobject of her attention was a door at the side of the hall; for,stopping suddenly in her walk, she went up to it, and struck itpassionately with her hands.
"Come out!" she cried. "Come out, you villain!"
Restraining the King, I went forward myself, and, saluting herpolitely, begged a word with her apart, thinking she would recognizeme.
Her answer, however, showed that she did not. "No!" she cried, wavingme off, in the utmost excitement. "No; you will not get me away--Iknow you. You are as bad one as the other." Then turning again to thedoor, she continued, "Come out! Do you hear! Come out! I'll have nomore of your intrigues and your Hallots!"
I pricked up my ears at the name "But, Madame," I said, "one moment."
"Begone!" she retorted, turning on me so wrathfully that I fairlyrecoiled before her. "I shall stay here till I drop; but I will havehim out and expose him. There shall be an end of his precious plotsand his Hallots if I have to go to the King!"
Words so curiously _a propos_ could not but recall to my mind theconfusion into which my mention of Du Hallot had thrown the secretaryearlier in the day. And since they seemed also to be consistent withthe warning conveyed to me, and indeed to explain it, they should havecorroborated my worst suspicions. But a sense of something unreal andfantastic, with which I could not grapple, continued to puzzle me inthe presence of this angry woman; and it was with no great assurancethat I said, "Do I understand then, Madame, that M. du Hallot is inthat room?"
"ARE YOU COMING OUT THERE?" _Page 61_.]
"M. du Hallot?" she replied, in a tone that was almost a scream. "No;but he would be if he had taken the hint I sent him! He would be! Iwill have no more secrecy, however, and no more plots. I have sufferedenough already, and now Madame shall suffer if she has not forgottenhow to blush. Are you coming out there?" she continued, once moreapplying herself to the door, her face inflamed with passion. "I shallstay! Oh, I shall stay, I assure you. Until morning if necessary!"
"But, Madame," I said, beginning to see daylight, and finding wordswith difficulty--for I already heard in fancy the King's laughter andcould conjure up the endless quips and cranks with which he wouldpursue me--"your warning did not perhaps reach M. du Hallot!"
"It reached his coach, at any rate," the scold retorted. "Another timeI will have no half-measures. But as for that," she continued, turningon me suddenly with her arms akimbo, and the fiercest of airs, "Iwould like to know what business it is of yours, Monsieur, whether itreached him or not! I know you--you are in league with my husband! Youare here to shelter him, and this Madame du Hallot! But----"
At that moment, however, the door at last opened; and M. Nicholas,wearing an aspect so meek and crestfallen that I hardly knew him, cameout. He
was followed by a young woman plainly dressed, and lookingalmost as much frightened as himself; in whom I had no difficulty inrecognizing Felix's wife.
"Why!" Madame Nicholas cried, her face falling. "This is not--who isthis? Who--" with increased vehemence--"is this baggage, I would liketo know?"
"My dear," the secretary protested earnestly, spreading out hishands--fortunately he had eyes only for his wife, and did not seeus--"this is one of your ridiculous mistakes! It is, I assure you.This is the wife of a clerk whom I dismissed to-day, and she has beenwith me begging me to reinstate her husband. That is all. That is all,my dear. You have made this----"
I heard no more, for, taking advantage of the obscurity of the