第139章 ''TIS AN ILL WIND.'(3)

Here I inquired of the usher for M.de Crillon,and learned with the utmost consternation that he was not present.

This blow,which almost stunned me,opened my eyes to the precarious nature of my position,which only the early hour and small attendance rendered possible for a moment.At any minute Imight be recognised and questioned,or my name be required;while the guarded doors of the chamber shut me off as effectually from the king's face and grace as though I were in Paris,or a hundred leagues away.Endeavouring to the best of my power to conceal the chagrin and alarm which possessed me as this conviction took hold of me,I walked to the window;and to hide my face more completely and at the same time gain a moment to collect my thoughts,affected to be engaged in looking through it.

Nothing which passed in the room,however,escaped me.I marked everything and everyone,though all my thought was how I might get to the king.The barber came out of the chamber with a silver basin,and stood a moment,and went in again with an air of vast importance.The guards yawned,and an officer entered,looked round,and retired.M.la Guesle,who had gone in to the presence,came out again and stood near me talking with the Jacobin,whose pale nervous face and hasty movements reminded me somehow of Simon Fleix.The monk held a letter or petition in his hand,and appeared to be getting it by heart,for his lips moved continually.The light which fell on his face from the,window showed it to be of a peculiar sweaty pallor,and distorted besides.But supposing him to be devoted,like many of his kind,to an unwholesome life,I thought nothing of this;though I liked him little,and would have shifted my place but for the convenience of his neighbourhood.

Presently,while I was cudgelling my brains,a person came out and spoke to La Guesle;who called in his turn to the monk,and started hastily towards the door.The Jacobin followed.The third person who had entered in their company had his attention directed elsewhere at the moment;and though La Guesle called to him,took no heed.On the instant I grasped the situation.

Taking my courage in my hands,I crossed the floor behind the monk;who,hearing me,or feeling his robe come in contact with me,presently started and looked round suspiciously,his face wearing a scowl so black and ugly that I almost recoiled from him,dreaming for a moment that I saw before me the very spirit of Father Antoine.But as the man said nothing,and the next instant averted his gaze,I hardened my heart and pushed on behind him,and passing the usher,found myself as by magic in the presence which had seemed a while ago as unattainable by my wits as it was necessary to my safety.

It was not this success alone,however,which caused my heart to beat more hopefully.The king was speaking as I entered,and the gay tones of his voice seemed to promise a favourable reception.

His Majesty sat half-dressed on a stool at the farther end of the apartment,surrounded by five or six noblemen,while as many attendants,among whom I hastened to mingle,waited near the door.

La Guesle made as if he would advance,and then,seeing the king's attention was not on him,held back.But in a moment the king saw him and called to him.'Ha,Guesle!'he said with good-temper,'is it you?Is your friend with you?'

The Solicitor went forward with the monk at his elbow,and I had leisure to remark the favourable change which had taken place in the king,who spoke more strongly and seemed in better health than of old.His face looked less cadaverous under the paint,his form a trifle less emaciated.That which struck me more than anything,however,was the improvement in his spirits.His eyes sparkled from time to time,and he laughed continually,so that Icould scarcely believe that he was the same man whom I had seen overwhelmed with despair and tortured by his conscience.

Letting his attention slip from La Guesle,he began to bandy words with the nobleman who stood nearest to him;looking up at him with a roguish eye,and making bets on the fall of Paris.

'Morbleu!'I heard him cry gaily,'I would give a thousand pounds to see the 'Montpensier this morning!She may keep her third crown for herself.Or,PESTE!we might put her in a convent.That would be a fine vengeance!'

'The veil for the tonsure,'the nobleman said with a smirk.

'Ay.Why not?She would have made a monk of me,'the king rejoined smartly.'She must be ready to hang herself with her garters this morning,if she is not dead of spite already.Or,stay,I had forgotten her golden scissors.Let her open a vein with them.Well,what does your friend want,La Guesle?'

I did not hear the answer,but it was apparently satisfactory,for in a minute all except the Jacobin fell back,leaving the monk standing before the king;who,stretching out his hand,took from him a letter.The Jacobin,trembling visibly,seemed scarcely able to support the honour done him,and the king,seeing this,said in a voice audible to all,'Stand up,man.You are welcome.I love a cowl as some love a lady's hood.And now,what is this?'

He read a part of the letter and rose.As he did so the monk leaned forward as though to receive the paper back again,and then so swiftly,so suddenly,with so unexpected a movement that no one stirred until all was over,struck the king in the body with a knife!As the blade flashed and was hidden,and His Majesty with a deep sob fell back on the stool,then,and not till then,I knew that I had missed a providential chance of earning pardon and protection.For had I only marked the Jacobin as we passed the door together,and read his evil face aright,a word,one word,had done for me more than the pleading of a score of Crillons!