第40章

andtherespectyouentertainformadamed’Egmontshouldnot

outweighyourduty，whichimperativelycallsuponyoutocommand

thereleaseofthiswretchedyoungman。“

“But，“arguedtheking，“bysuchastepIshallforeverdisoblige

theducdeRichelieuandhisfamily。“

“Fearitnot，“criedI，“ifyourmajestywilltrusttome，Iwill

undertaketobringthemarechalandhisnephewtoapproveof

yourproceedings；andasfortherestofhisfamily，letthemgo

wheretheywill；fortheempireoftheworldIshouldbesorry

tobearthemcompany。“

Thismannerofspeakingpleasedtheking；and，turningtoM。de

Sartines，“Lieutenantofpolice，“saidhe，“youhaveheardmy

fairchancellor；youwillactinstrictconformitywiththeorders

shewilltransmityoufromme。“

“Thentaketheseordersnow，sir，“saidI:“inthefirstplace，

thisill-treatedyoungMoireaumustimmediatelybesetatliberty，

andmyownpolice(forImusttellyouIhadthem)willgiveme

thefaithfulaccountofallyourproceedingsinthisaffair。“

Thekingcomprehendedmymeaning。

“Youwillkeepacarefulwatch，“

addedhetoM。deSartines，“thatnoharmbefallsthisunfortunate

youth，whom，Ibeg，youwilldiscreetlyrecommendtoquitFrance

erethemaliceofthosewhohavereasontofearhisreappearance

workshimsomeevil。“

“Andwho，sire，“askedI，“shalldareinjureonewhomyour

majestydeignstohonorwithyourprotection？“

“Madame，“repliedM。deSartines，“evenhismajesty’shighpatronage

cannotpreventasecretblowfromsomedaringhand；aquarrel

purposelygotup；abeveragepreviouslydrugged；afallfromany

ofthebridgesintotheriver；or，eventhesuppositionofone

founddead，havingdestroyedhimself。“

“Youmakemeshudder，“saidI，“inthusunveilingtheextentof

humandepravity。

So，then，thisyoungman，whoseonlyfault

appearstohavebeenthatcaptivatingtheeyesofanoblelady，

shouldperishinadungeon，orsavehislifeatthesacrificeof

country，friends，connections；andallthisforhavinglistenedto

thepassionofawoman，aslicentiousinmannersasillustrious

bybirth:thisfrightfulinjusticerousesallmyindignation。

Well，then，sincethepowerofthemonarchofFranceisinsufficient

toprotecthisoppressedsubjectinhisownrealms，lethim

shieldhimfromwantinaforeignland，byallowinghimapension

ofonehundredlouis。

Iwilltakeuponmyselftodefraythe

expensesofhisjourney。“

Thussaying，Iwashasteningtotheadjoiningroom，wherestood

my，totakefromitathousandcrownsIwishedto

giveforthepurpose。

Thekingheldmebackbymyarm，saying

tome，

“YouarethemostexcellentcreatureIknowof，butyouseeIam

alwaysma