the hunchback of notre dame-第93部分

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The　king's　good　humor　since　the　revolt　against　the　bailiff　had　been　announced　to　him；　made　itself　apparent　in　every　way。　　This　unwonted　clemency　was　no　small　sign　of　it。　　Tristan　l'Hermite　in　his　corner　wore　the　surly　look　of　a　dog　who　has　had　a　bone　snatched　away　from　him。

Meanwhile；　the　king　thrummed　gayly　with　his　fingers　on　the　arm　of　his　chair；　the　March　of　Pont…Audemer。　　He　was　a　dissembling　prince；　but　one　who　understood　far　better　how　to　hide　his　troubles　than　his　joys。　　These　external　manifestations　of　joy　at　any　good　news　sometimes　proceeded　to　very　great　lengths　thus；　on　the　death；　of　Charles　the　Bold；　to　the　point　of　vowing　silver　balustrades　to　Saint　Martin　of　Tours；　on　his　advent　to　the　throne；　so　far　as　forgetting　to　order　his　father's　obsequies。

〃Hé！　sire！〃　suddenly　exclaimed　Jacques　Coictier；　〃what　has　become　of　the　acute　attack　of　illness　for　which　your　majesty　had　me　summoned？〃

〃Oh！〃　said　the　king；　〃I　really　suffer　greatly；　my　gossip。　There　is　a　hissing　in　my　ear　and　fiery　rakes　rack　my　chest。〃

Coictier　took　the　king's　hand；　and　begun　to　feel　of　his　pulse　with　a　knowing　air。

〃Look；　Coppenole；〃　said　Rym；　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Behold　him　between　Coictier　and　Tristan。　　They　are　his　whole　court。　A　physician　for　himself；　a　headsman　for　others。〃

As　he　felt　the　king's　pulse；　Coictier　assumed　an　air　of　greater　and　greater　alarm。　　Louis　XI。　watched　him　with　some　anxiety。　　Coictier　grew　visibly　more　gloomy。　　The　brave　man　had　no　other　farm　than　the　king's　bad　health。　　He　speculated　on　it　to　the　best　of　his　ability。

〃Oh！　oh！〃　he　murmured　at　length；　〃this　is　serious　indeed。〃

〃Is　it　not？〃　said　the　king；　uneasily。

〃~Pulsus　creber；　anhelans；　crepitans；　irregularis~；〃　continued　the　leech。

〃~Pasque…Dieu~！〃

〃This　may　carry　off　its　man　in　less　than　three　days。〃

〃Our　Lady！〃　exclaimed　the　king。　　〃And　the　remedy；　gossip？〃

〃I　am　meditating　upon　that；　sire。〃

He　made　Louis　XI。　put　out　his　tongue；　shook　his　head；　made　a　grimace；　and　in　the　very　midst　of　these　affectations；

〃Pardieu；　sire；〃　he　suddenly　said；　〃I　must　tell　you　that　there　is　a　receivership　of　the　royal　prerogatives　vacant；　and　that　I　have　a　nephew。〃

〃I　give　the　receivership　to　your　nephew；　Gossip　Jacques；〃　replied　the　king；　〃but　draw　this　fire　from　my　breast。〃

〃Since　your　majesty　is　so　clement；〃　replied　the　leech；　〃you　will　not　refuse　to　aid　me　a　little　in　building　my　house；　Rue　Saint…André…des…Arcs。〃

〃Heugh！〃　said　the　king。

〃I　am　at　the　end　of　my　finances；〃　pursued　the　doctor；　and　it　would　really　be　a　pity　that　the　house　should　not　have　a　roof；　not　on　account　of　the　house；　which　is　simple　and　thoroughly　bourgeois；　but　because　of　the　paintings　of　Jehan　Fourbault；　which　adorn　its　wainscoating。　　There　is　a　Diana　flying　in　the　air；　but　so　excellent；　so　tender；　so　delicate；　of　so　ingenuous　an　action；　her　hair　so　well　coiffed　and　adorned　with　a　crescent；　her　flesh　so　white；　that　she　leads　into　temptation　those　who　regard　her　too　curiously。　　There　is　also　a　Ceres。　She　is　another　very　fair　divinity。　　She　is　seated　on　sheaves　of　wheat　and　crowned　with　a　gallant　garland　of　wheat　ears　interlaced　with　salsify　and　other　flowers。　　Never　were　seen　more　amorous　eyes；　more　rounded　limbs；　a　nobler　air；　or　a　more　gracefully　flowing　skirt。　　She　is　one　of　the　most　innocent　and　most　perfect　beauties　whom　the　brush　has　ever　produced。〃

〃Executioner！〃　grumbled　Louis　XI。；　〃what　are　you　driving　at？〃

〃I　must　have　a　roof　for　these　paintings；　sire；　and；　although　'tis　but　a　small　matter；　I　have　no　more　money。〃

〃How　much　doth　your　roof　cost？〃

〃Why　a　roof　of　copper；　embellished　and　gilt；　two　thousand　livres　at　the　most。〃

〃Ah；　assassin！〃　cried　the　king；　〃He　never　draws　out　one　of　my　teeth　which　is　not　a　diamond。〃

〃Am　I　to　have　my　roof？〃　said　Coictier。

〃Yes；　and　go　to　the　devil；　but　cure　me。〃

Jacques　Coictier　bowed　low　and　said；

〃Sire；　it　is　a　repellent　which　will　save　you。　　We　will　apply　to　your　loins　the　great　defensive　composed　of　cerate；　Armenian　bole；　white　of　egg；　oil；　and　vinegar。　　You　will　continue　your　ptisan　and　we　will　answer　for　your　majesty。〃

A　burning　candle　does　not　attract　one　gnat　alone。　　Master　Olivier；　perceiving　the　king　to　be　in　a　liberal　mood；　and　judging　the　moment　to　be　propitious；　approached　in　his　turn。

〃Sire〃


〃What　is　it　now？〃　said　Louis　XI。

〃Sire；　your　majesty　knoweth　that　Simon　Radin　is　dead？〃

〃Well？〃

〃He　was　councillor　to　the　king　in　the　matter　of　the　courts　of　the　treasury。〃

〃Well？〃

〃Sire；　his　place　is　vacant。〃

As　he　spoke　thus；　Master　Olivier's　haughty　face　quitted　its　arrogant　expression　for　a　lowly　one。　　It　is　the　only　change　which　ever　takes　place　in　a　courtier's　visage。　　The　king　looked　him　well　in　the　face　and　said　in　a　dry　tone；〃I　understand。〃

He　resumed；

〃Master　Olivier；　the　Marshal　de　Boucicaut　was　wont　to　say；　'There's　no　master　save　the　king；　there　are　no　fishes　save　in　the　sea。'　I　see　that　you　agree　with　Monsieur　de　Boucicaut。　Now　listen　to　this；　we　have　a　good　memory。　　In　'68　we　made　you　valet　of　our　chamber：　in　'69；　guardian　of　the　fortress　of　the　bridge　of　Saint…Cloud；　at　a　hundred　livres　of　Tournay　in　wages　（you　wanted　them　of　Paris）。　　In　November；　'73；　by　letters　given　to　Gergeole；　we　instituted　you　keeper　of　the　Wood　of　Vincennes；　in　the　place　of　Gilbert　Acle；　equerry；　in　'75；　gruyer*　of　the　forest　of　Rouvray…lez…　Saint…Cloud；　in　the　place　of　Jacques　le　Maire；　in　'78；　we　graciously　settled　on　you；　by　letters　patent　sealed　doubly　with　green　wax；　an　income　of　ten　livres　parisis；　for　you　and　your　wife；　on　the　Place　of　the　Merchants；　situated　at　the　School　Saint…Germain；　in　'79；　we　made　you　gruyer　of　the　forest　of　Senart；　in　place　of　that　poor　Jehan　Daiz；　then　captain　of　the　Chateau　of　Loches；　then　governor　of　Saint…　Quentin；　then　captain　of　the　bridge　of　Meulan；　of　which　you　cause　yourself　to　be　called　comte。　　Out　of　the　five　sols　fine　paid　by　every　barber　who　shaves　on　a　festival　day；　there　are　three　sols　for　you　and　we　have　the　rest。　　We　have　been　good　enough　to　change　your　name　of　Le　Mauvais　（The　Evil）；　which　resembled　your　face　too　closely。　　In　'76；　we　granted　you；　to　the　great　displeasure　of　our　nobility；　armorial　bearings　of　a　thousand　colors；　which　give　you　the　breast　of　a　peacock。　　~Pasque…Dieu~！　　Are　not　you　surfeited？　　Is　not　the　draught　of　fishes　sufficiently　fine　and　miraculous？　　Are　you　not　afraid　that　one　salmon　more　will　make　your　boat　sink？　Pride　will　be　your　ruin；　gossip。　　Ruin　and　disgrace　always　press　hard　on　the　heels　of　pride。　　Consider　this　and　hold　your　tongue。〃


*　　A　lord　having　a　right　on　the　woods　of　his　vassals。


These　words；　uttered　with　severity；　made　Master　Olivier's　face　revert　to　its　insolence。

〃Good！〃　he　muttered；　almost　aloud；　〃'tis　easy　to　see　that　the　king　is　ill　to…day；　he　giveth　all　to　the　leech。〃

Louis　XI。　far　from　being　irritated　by　this　petulant　insult；　resumed　with　some　gentleness；　〃Stay；　I　was　forgetting　that　I　made　you　my　ambassador　to　Madame　Marie；　at　Ghent。　　Yes；　gentlemen；〃　added　the　king　turning　to　the　Flemings；　〃this　man　hath　been　an　ambassador。　　There；　my　gossip；〃　he　pursued；　addressing　Master　Olivier；　〃let　us　not　get　angry；　we　are　old　friends。　　'Tis　very　late。　　We　have　terminated　our　labors。　　Shave　me。〃

Our　readers　have　not；　without　doubt；　waited　until　the　present　moment　to　recognize　in　Master　Olivier　that　terrible　Figaro　whom　Providence；　the　great　maker　of　dramas；　mingled　so　artistically　in　the　long　and　bloody　comedy　of　the　reign　of　Louis　XI。　　We　will　not　here　undertake　to　develop　that　singular　figure。　　This　barber　of　the　king　had　three　names。　　At　court　he　was　politely　called　Olivier　le　Daim　（the　Deer）；　among　the　people　Olivier　the　Devil。　　His　real　name　was　Olivier　le　Mauvais。

Accordingly；　Olivier　le　Mauvais　remained　motionless；　sulking　at　the　king；　and　glancing　askance　at　Jacques　Coictier。

〃Yes；　yes；　the　physician！〃　he　said　between　his　teeth。

〃Ah；　yes；　the　physician！〃　retorted　Louis　XI。；　with　singular　good　humor；　〃the　physician　has　more　credit　than　you。　'Tis　very　simple；　he　has　taken　hold　upon　us　by　the　whole　body；　and　you　hold　us　only　by　the　chin。　　Come；　my　poor　barber；　all　will　come　right。　　What　would　you　say　and　what　would　become　of　your　office　if　I　were　a　king　like　Chilperic；　whose　gesture　consisted　in　holding　his　beard　in　one　hand？　Come；　gossip　mine；　fulfil　your　office；　shave　me。　　Go　get　what　you　need　therefor。〃

Olivier　perceiving　that　the　king　had　made　up　his　mind　to　laugh；　and　that　there　was　no　way　of　even　annoying　him；　went　off　grumbling　to　execute　his　orders。

The　king　rose；　approached　the　window；　and　suddenly　opening　it　with　extraordinary　agitation；

〃Oh！　yes！〃　he　exclaimed；　clapping　his　hands；　〃yonder　is　a　redness　in　the　sky　over　the　City。　　'Tis　the　bailiff　burning。　It　can　be　nothing　else　but　that。　　Ah！　my　good　people！　here　you　are　aiding　me　at　last　in　tearing　down　the　rights　of　lordship！〃

Then　turning　towards　the　Flemings：　〃Come；　look　at　this；　gentlemen。　　Is　it　not　a　fire　which　gloweth　yonder？〃

The　two　men　of　Ghent　drew　near。

〃A　great　fire；〃　said　Guillaume　Rym。

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Coppenole；　whose　eyes　suddenly　flashed；　〃that　reminds　me　of　the　burning　of　the　house　of　the　Seigneur　d'Hymbercourt。　　There　must　be　a　goodly　revolt　yonder。〃

〃You　think　so；　Master　Coppenole？〃　　And　Louis　XI。's　glance　was　almost　as　joyous　as　that　of　the　hosier。　　〃Will　it　not　be　difficult　to　resist？〃

〃Cross　of　God！　　Sire！　　Your　majesty　will　damage　many　companies　of　men　of　war　thereon。〃

〃Ah！　　I！　'tis　different；〃　returned　the　king。　　〃If　I　willed。〃　The　hosier　replied　hardily；

〃If　this　revolt　be　what　I　suppose；　sire；　you　might　will　in　vain。〃

〃Gossip；〃　said　Louis　XI。；　〃with　the　two　companies　of　my　unattached　troops　and　one　discharge　of　a　serpentine；　short　work　is　made　of　a　populace　of　louts。〃

The　hosier；　in　spite　of　the　signs　made　to　him　by　Guillaume　Rym；　appeared　determined　to　hold　his　own　against　the　king。

〃Sire；　the　Swiss　were　also　louts。　　Monsieur　the　Duke　of　Burgundy　was　a　great　gentleman；　and　he　turned　up　his　nose　at　that　rabble　rout。　　At　the　battle　of　Grandson；　sire；　he　cried：　'Men　of　the　cannon！　　Fire　on　the　villains！'　and　he　swore　by　Saint…George。　　But　Advoyer　Scharnachtal　hurled　himself　on　the　handsome　duke　with　his　battle…club　and　his　people；　and　when　the