maitre cornelius- 第9部分

full　speed。



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　the　provost。



〃Nothing　that　concerns　you；〃　replied　the　officer；　disdainfully。　〃The

king　has　sent　me　to　fetch　the　Comte　and　Comtesse　de　Saint…Vallier；

whom　he　invites　to　dinner。〃



The　grand　provost　had　scarcely　reached　the　embankment　leading　to

Plessis；　when　the　count　and　his　wife；　both　mounted；　she　on　her　white

mule；　he　on　his　horse；　and　followed　by　two　pages；　joined　the　archers；

in　order　to　enter　Plessis…lez…Tours　in　company。　All　were　moving

slowly。　Georges　was　on　foot；　between　two　guards　on　horseback；　one　of

whom　held　him　still　by　the　leathern　thong。　Tristan；　the　count；　and　his

wife　were　naturally　in　advance；　the　criminal　followed　them。　Mingling

with　the　archers；　the　young　page　questioned　them；　speaking　sometimes

to　the　prisoner；　so　that　he　adroitly　managed　to　say　to　him　in　a　low

voice：



〃I　jumped　the　garden　wall　and　took　a　letter　to　Plessis　from　madame　to

the　king。　She　came　near　dying　when　she　heard　of　the　accusation　against

you。　Take　courage。　She　is　going　now　to　speak　to　the　king　about　you。〃



Love　had　already　given　strength　and　wiliness　to　the　countess。　Her

laughter　was　part　of　the　heroism　which　women　display　in　the　great

crises　of　life。



In　spite　of　the　singular　fancy　which　possessed　the　author　of　〃Quentin

Durward〃　to　place　the　royal　castle　of　Plessis…lez…Tours　upon　a　height；

we　must　content　ourselves　by　leaving　it　where　it　really　was；　namely　on

low　land；　protected　on　either　side　by　the　Cher　and　the　Loire；　also　by

the　canal　Sainte…Anne；　so　named　by　Louis　XI。　in　honor　of　his　beloved

daughter；　Madame　de　Beaujeu。　By　uniting　the　two　rivers　between　the

city　of　Tours　and　Plessis　this　canal　not　only　served　as　a　formidable

protection　to　the　castle；　but　it　offered　a　most　precious　road　to

commerce。　On　the　side　towards　Brehemont；　a　vast　and　fertile　plain；　the

park　was　defended　by　a　moat；　the　remains　of　which　still　show　its

enormous　breadth　and　depth。　At　a　period　when　the　power　of　artillery

was　still　in　embryo；　the　position　of　Plessis；　long　since　chosen　by

Louis　XI。　for　his　favorite　retreat；　might　be　considered　impregnable。

The　castle；　built　of　brick　and　stone；　had　nothing　remarkable　about　it；

but　it　was　surrounded　by　noble　trees；　and　from　its　windows　could　be

seen；　through　vistas　cut　in　the　park　（plexitium）；　the　finest　points　of

view　in　the　world。　No　rival　mansion　rose　near　this　solitary　castle；

standing　in　the　very　centre　of　the　little　plain　reserved　for　the　king

and　guarded　by　four　streams　of　water。



If　we　may　believe　tradition；　Louis　XI。　occupied　the　west　wing；　and

from　his　chamber　he　could　see；　at　a　glance　the　course　of　the　Loire；

the　opposite　bank　of　the　river；　the　pretty　valley　which　the　Croisille

waters；　and　part　of　the　slopes　of　Saint…Cyr。　Also；　from　the　windows

that　opened　on　the　courtyard；　he　saw　the　entrance　to　his　fortress　and

the　embankment　by　which　he　had　connected　his　favorite　residence　with

the　city　of　Tours。　If　Louis　XI。　had　bestowed　upon　the　building　of　his

castle　the　luxury　of　architecture　which　Francois　I。　displayed

afterwards　at　Chambord；　the　dwelling　of　the　kings　of　France　would　ever

have　remained　in　Touraine。　It　is　enough　to　see　this　splendid　position

and　its　magical　effects　to　be　convinced　of　its　superiority　over　the

sites　of　all　other　royal　residences。



Louis　XI。；　now　in　the　fifty…seventh　year　of　his　age；　had　scarcely　more

than　three　years　longer　to　live；　already　he　felt　the　coming　on　of

death　in　the　attacks　of　his　mortal　malady。　Delivered　from　his　enemies；

on　the　point　of　increasing　the　territory　of　France　by　the　possessions

of　the　Dukes　of　Burgundy　through　the　marriage　of　the　Dauphin　with

Marguerite；　heiress　of　Burgundy　（brought　about　by　means　of　Desquerdes；

commander　of　his　troops　in　Flanders）；　having　established　his　authority

everywhere；　and　now　meditating　ameliorations　in　his　kingdom　of　all

kinds；　he　saw　time　slipping　past　him　rapidly　with　no　further　troubles

than　those　of　old　age。　Deceived　by　every　one；　even　by　the　minions

about　him；　experience　had　intensified　his　natural　distrust。　The　desire

to　live　became　in　him　the　egotism　of　a　king　who　has　incarnated　himself

in　his　people；　he　wished　to　prolong　his　life　in　order　to　carry　out　his

vast　designs。



All　that　the　common…sense　of　publicists　and　the　genius　of　revolutions

has　since　introduced　of　change　in　the　character　of　monarchy；　Louis　XI。

had　thought　of　and　devised。　Unity　of　taxation；　equality　of　subjects

before　the　law　（the　prince　being　then　the　law）　were　the　objects　of　his

bold　endeavors。　On　All…Saints'　eve　he　had　gathered　together　the

learned　goldsmiths　of　his　kingdom　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　in

France　a　unity　of　weights　and　measures；　as　he　had　already　established

the　unity　of　power。　Thus；　his　vast　spirit　hovered　like　an　eagle　over

his　empire；　joining　in　a　singular　manner　the　prudence　of　a　king　to　the

natural　idiosyncracies　of　a　man　of　lofty　aims。　At　no　period　in　our

history　has　the　great　figure　of　Monarchy　been　finer　or　more　poetic。

Amazing　assemblages　of　contrasts！　a　great　power　in　a　feeble　body；　a

spirit　unbelieving　as　to　all　things　here　below；　devoutly　believing　in

the　practices　of　religion；　a　man　struggling　with　two　powers　greater

than　his　ownthe　present　and　the　future；　the　future　in　which　he

feared　eternal　punishment；　a　fear　which　led　him　to　make　so　many

sacrifices　to　the　Church；　the　present；　namely　his　life　itself；　for　the

saving　of　which　he　blindly　obeyed　Coyctier。　This　king；　who　crushed

down　all　about　him；　was　himself　crushed　down　by　remorse；　and　by

disease　in　the　midst　of　the　great　poem　of　defiant　monarchy　in　which

all　power　was　concentrated。　It　was　once　more　the　gigantic　and　ever

magnificent　combat　of　Man　in　the　highest　manifestation　of　his　forces

tilting　against　Nature。



While　awaiting　his　dinner；　a　repast　which　was　taken　in　those　days

between　eleven　o'clock　and　mid…day；　Louis　XI。；　returning　from　a　short

promenade；　sat　down　in　a　huge　tapestried　chair　near　the　fireplace　in

his　chamber。　Olivier　de　Daim；　and　his　doctor；　Coyctier；　looked　at　each

other　without　a　word；　standing　in　the　recess　of　a　window　and　watching

their　master；　who　presently　seemed　asleep。　The　only　sound　that　was

heard　were　the　steps　of　the　two　chamberlains　on　service；　the　Sire　de

Montresor；　and　Jean　Dufou；　Sire　de　Montbazon；　who　were　walking　up　and

down　the　adjoining　hall。　These　two　Tourainean　seigneurs　looked　at　the

captain　of　the　Scottish　guard；　who　was　sleeping　in　his　chair；

according　to　his　usual　custom。　The　king　himself　appeared　to　be　dozing。

His　head　had　drooped　upon　his　breast；　his　cap；　pulled　forward　on　his

forehead；　hid　his　eyes。　Thus　seated　in　his　high　chair；　surmounted　by

the　royal　crown；　he　seemed　crouched　together　like　a　man　who　had　fallen

asleep　in　the　midst　of　some　deep　meditation。



At　this　moment　Tristan　and　his　cortege　crossed　the　canal　by　the　bridge

of　Sainte…Anne；　about　two　hundred　feet　from　the　entrance　to　Plessis。



〃Who　is　that？〃　said　the　king。



The　two　courtiers　questioned　each　other　with　a　look　of　surprise。



〃He　is　dreaming；〃　said　Coyctier；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Pasques…Dieu！〃　cried　Louis　XI。；　〃do　you　think　me　mad？　People　are

crossing　the　bridge。　It　is　true　I　am　near　the　chimney；　and　I　may　hear

sounds　more　easily　than　you。　That　effect　of　nature　might　be　utilized；〃

he　added　thoughtfully。



〃What　a　man！〃　said　de　Daim。



Louis　XI。　rose　and　went　toward　one　of　the　windows　that　looked　on　the

town。　He　saw　the　grand　provost；　and　exclaimed：



〃Ha；　ha！　here's　my　crony　and　his　thief。　And　here　comes　my　little　Marie

de　Saint…Vallier；　I'd　forgotten　all　about　it。　Olivier；〃　he　said；

addressing　the　barber；　〃go　and　tell　Monsieur　de　Montbazon　to　serve

some　good　Bourgeuil　wine　at　dinner；　and　see　that　the　cook　doesn't

forget　the　lampreys；　Madame　le　comtesse　likes　both　those　things。　Can　I

eat　lampreys？〃　he　added；　after　a　pause；　looking　anxiously　at　Coyctier。



For　all　answer　the　physician　began　to　examine　his　master's　face。　The

two　men　were　a　picture　in　themselves。



History　and　romance…writers　have　consecrated　the　brown　camlet　coat；

and　the　breeches　of　the　same　stuff；　worn　by　Louis　XI。　His　cap；

decorated　with　leaden　medallions；　and　his　collar　of　the　order　of

Saint…Michel；　are　not　less　celebrated；　but　no　writer；　no　painter　has

represented　the　face　of　that　terrible　monarch　in　his　last　years；a

sickly；　hollow；　yellow　and　brown　face；　all　the　features　of　which

expressed　a　sour　craftiness；　a　cold　sarcasm。　In　that　mask　was　the

forehead　of　a　great　man；　a　brow　furrowed　with　wrinkles；　and　weighty

with　high　thoughts；　but　in　his　cheeks　and　on　his　lips　there　was

something　indescribably　vulgar　and　common。　Looking　at　certain　details

of　that　countenance　you　would　have　thought　him　a　debauched　husbandman；

or　a　miserly　pedler；　and　yet；　above　these　vague　resemblances　and　the

decrepitude　of　a　dying　old　man；　the　king；　the　man　of　power；　rose

supreme。　His　eyes；　of　a　light　yellow；　seemed　at　first　sight　extinct；

but　a　spark　of　courage　and　of　anger　lurked　there；　and　at　the　slightest

touch　it　could　burst　into　flames　and　cast　fire　about　him。　The　doctor

was　a　stout　burgher；　with　a　florid　face；　dressed　in　black；　peremptory；

greedy　of　gain；　and　self…important。　These　two　personages　were　framed；

as　it　were；　in　that　panelled　chamber；　hung　with　high…warped　tapestries

of　Flanders；　the　ceiling　of　which；　made　of　carved　beams；　was　blackened

by　smoke。　The　furniture；　the　bed；　all　inlaid　with　arabesques　in

pewter；　would　seem　to…day　more　precious　than　they　were　at　that　period

when　the　arts　were　beginning　to　produce　their　choicest　masterpieces。



〃Lampreys　are　not　good　for　you；〃　replied　the　physician。



That　title；　recently　substituted　for　the　former　term　of　〃myrrh…

master；〃　is　still　applied　to　the　faculty　in　England。　The　name　was　at

this　period　given　to　doctors　everywhere。



〃Then　what　may　I　eat？〃　asked　the　king；　humbly。



〃Salt　mackerel。　Otherwise；　you　have　so　much　bile　in　motion　that　you