登陆注册
3553900000165

第165章 BOOK Ⅹ(20)

'Hè,hè!'chuckled the King,rubbing his hands with that internal laugh which irradiates the countenance.He could not disguise his delight,though he made a momentary effort to compose himself.No one had the least idea what it meant,not even Olivier.He remained silent for a moment,but with a thoughtful and satisfied air.

'Are they in force?'he asked suddenly.

'They are indeed,Sire,'replied Coictier.

'How many?'

'Six thousand at the very least.'

The King could not repress a pleased'Good!—Are they armed?'he went on.

'With scythes,pikes,hackbuts,pickaxes—every description of violent weapon.'

The King seemed in nowise disturbed by this alarming list.Compére Jacques thought it advisable to add:'If your Majesty sends not speedy succour to the provest,he is lost!'

'We will send,'said the King with simulated earnestness.'Good!we will certainly send.Monsieur the Provost is our friend.Six thousand!These are determined rogues!Their boldness is extraordinary,and we are highly incensed thereat.But we have few men about us to-night.It will be time enough to-morrow morning.'

Coictier gave a cry.'This moment,Sire!They would have time to sack the court-house twenty times over,storm the manor,and hang the provost himself.For God's sake,Sire,send before to-morrow morning!'

The King looked him full in the face.'I said to-morrow morning.'It was one of those looks to which there is no reply.

After a pause,Louis again raised his voice.'My good Jacques,you should know that—What did—'he corrected himself—'what does the feudal jurisdiction of the provost comprise?'

'Sire,the Rue de la Calandre as far as the Rue de l'Herberie,the Place Saint-Michel and places commonly called Les Mureaux situated near the Church of Notre-Dame des Champs,'—here the King lifted the brim of his hat—'which mansions are thirteen in number;further the Court of Miracles,further the Lazaretto called the Banlieue,further the whole of the high-road beginning at the Lazaretto and ending at the Porte Saint-Jacques.Of these several places he is reeve of the ways,chief,mean,and inferior justiciary,full and absolute lord.'

'So,ho!'said the King,scratching his left ear with his right hand,'that comprises a good slice of my town!Ah,Monsieur the Provost was king of all this!'

This time he did not correct himself.He continued cogitating and as if talking to himself:'Softly,Monsieur the Provost,you had a very pretty piece of our Paris!'

Suddenly he burst out:'Pasque-Dieu!what are all these people that claim to be highway-reeves,justiciaries,lords and masters along with us!that have their toll-gates at the corner of every field,their gibbet and their executioner at every cross-way among our people,so that,as the Greek thought he had as many gods as he had springs of water,the Persian as many as the stars he saw,the Frenchman reckons as many kings as he sees gibbets.Pardieu!this thing is evil,and the confusion of it incenses me!I would know if it be God's pleasure that there should be in Paris any keepers of the highways but the King,any justiciary but our Parliament,any emperor but ourself in this empire?By my soul,but the day must come when there shall be in France but one king,one lord,one judge,one headsman,just as in paradise there is but one God!'

He lifted his cap again and went on,still deep in his own thoughts,with the look and tone of a huntsman uncoupling and cheering on his pack:

'Good,my people!Well done!Pull down these false lords!Do your work!At them!At them!Pillage,hang,sack them!Ah,you would be kings,my lords!At them!my people,at them!'

He stopped himself abruptly,bit his lips as if to regain possession of his escaping thoughts,bent his piercing eye in turn on each of the five persons around him,and suddenly taking his hat in both hands and regarding it steadfastly,he exclaimed:'Oh,I would burn thee,didst thou know what I have in my head!'

Then casting around him the alert and suspicious glance of a fox stealing back to his hole—'No matter,'he said,'we will send help to Monsieur the Provost.Most unfortunately we have very few troops here at this moment to send against such a mob.We must wait till to-morrow.Order shall then be restored in the city,and all who are taken shall be promptly hanged.'

'That reminds me,Sire,'said Coictier,'I forgot in my first perturbation,the watch have seized two stragglers of the band.If your Majesty pleases to see these men,they are here.'

'If it be my pleasure!'cried the King.'What!Pasque-Dieu!canst thou forget such a thing?Run quick.Olivier,do thou go and bring them here.'

M re Olivier went out and returned immediately with the two prisoners,surrounded by archers of the body-guard.The first of the two had a wild,imbecile face,drunken and wonder-struck.He was clad in rags and walked with one knee bent and dragging his foot.The other presented a pale and smiling countenance,with which the reader is already acquainted.

The King scrutinized them a moment without speaking,then abruptly addressed the first prisoner:

'What is thy name?'

'Gieffroy Pincebourde.'

'Thy trade?'

'Truand.'

'What wast thou doing in that damnable riot?'

The truand gazed at the King,swinging his arms the while with an air of sottish stupidity.His was one of those uncouth heads in which the intellect is about as much at its ease as a light under an extinguisher.

'Were you not going to outrageously attack and plunder your lord the Provost of the Palais?'

'I know they were going to take something from somebody,but that's all.'

A soldier showed the King a pruning-hook which had been found on the truand.

'Dost thou recognise this weapon?'demanded the King.

'Yes,'tis my pruning-hook.I am a vine-dresser.'

'And dost thou know this man for thy companion?'added Louis,pointing to the other prisoner.

'No,I do not know him.'

同类推荐
  • 佛说无希望经

    佛说无希望经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 礼念弥陀道场忏法

    礼念弥陀道场忏法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 续子不语

    续子不语

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Crotchet Castle

    Crotchet Castle

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 五代秘史

    五代秘史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 奶爸的商业王国

    奶爸的商业王国

    新书《这个学霸真硬核》已经发表。为获得西王母传承而来到平行世界,有一位可爱的女儿,还有一位冷艳的超级大明星老婆。看我怎么样成为女儿心中唯一的英雄,征服大明星老婆。前世的畅销书籍带到这个世界成为最牛的作家。前世的电影、电视剧、歌曲和综艺带到这个世界,让这个世界的人在娱乐方面更加的耳目一新。将前世的先进的网络通讯软件、网购、微型博客、在线点外卖、在线购票.......都带来这个世界,创建属于自己的商业王国。读者群:745117041
  • 清先正事略选

    清先正事略选

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 姜爷今天又帅炸了

    姜爷今天又帅炸了

    [1V1,身心干净]某一天放学,身穿蓝白相间校服的少女捧着牛奶咬着吸管。走廊上,操场上,一个个同样穿着校服的同学们脸色严肃认真的道:“宋嫂子好!”姜茶呆愣:“我没有谈恋爱。”在她旁边站着的少年阴邪一笑,慢悠悠的伸出手搭在她肩膀上:“每天喝我送的奶,每天帮你写作业,每天带你去吃好吃的,手机指纹是你的,家里的大门指纹是你的,银行卡密码是你设的,全校都喊你嫂子,你心里没点数?”姜茶瞄一眼手里的牛奶:“我有未婚夫。”#某一天。少年邪笑的拉住某人:“亲爱的未婚妻,喝杯凉茶可好?”病重的少女苦着脸:“我要退……”话未落嘴里被灌满了苦味,苦中带甜。 PS:本书不签约.作者已废(<( ̄3 ̄)>哼!)
  • 第十旅馆

    第十旅馆

    我把这本书作为一个礼物送给那些我认识和不认识的人,希望大家看过之后能找属于自己的选择。十字路口从来都不缺各种灵异故事,本书并不是恐怖小说,只是作者用笨笨的脑袋和笨拙的文字讲述了几个从十字路口走过的人的故事而已……
  • 北京,你是我今夜不及的梦

    北京,你是我今夜不及的梦

    小说讲述了一个关于北京、关于青春、关于爱情、关于梦想的故事。它发生在大学校园、在地下室、在鼓楼、在酒吧,在这看似繁华城市里的每一个角落。在最飞速和迷茫的年代,无数年轻人在逃离与坚守的抉择中走过自己的成长。生活与爱情,美丽与黑暗,热情与疏离,幻想与眼泪……一座城市永远不会老,因为每天都有人奔向灿烂的青春。对于北京,我们是过客亦是归人。
  • 加缪作品系列(3部)

    加缪作品系列(3部)

    阿尔贝·加缪,1957年诺贝尔文学奖得主,存在主义文学、“荒诞哲学”的代表人物,文笔简洁、明快、朴实,其文学作品总是同时蕴含哲学家对人生的严肃思考和艺术家的强烈激情。本套装包含《局外人》、《鼠疫》、《西西弗神话》三部加缪代表作,都曾在欧美产生巨大影响。
  • 绮罗魅世香:四嫁千金

    绮罗魅世香:四嫁千金

    她重生为凤府的病西施,南宫家的退婚,往日承诺重提,让她不得不嫁给傻子王爷……侯爷之子为她中美人局,被父斥逆子,天下人讥笑,他却不改初衷……凤曦在阴谋漩涡中求生,回首灯火阑珊处,谁是真心,谁是假意……
  • 白雪公主历险记

    白雪公主历险记

    夏日的午后,两个头发凌乱的小女孩走出各自的家门,揉着惺忪的眼睛相视一笑。她们刚刚起床,脸上还有竹席的印痕,现在正好凑在一起,办家家酒。“我用沙子做个蛋糕,你去找点树枝煮面条。”“好,我还要喝咖啡。”“这样我们就会变成公主吧。”“对,喝咖啡吃蛋糕,一定会变成公主,我妈说,外国的公主都是这样的。”“我当白雪公主,你当什么呢?”“我……当长发公主。”“好,我们都是公主,将来我们都要嫁给王子,然后我们就是皇后了。”
  • 武绝天下

    武绝天下

    林天本来不过是一代废材,只因不甘心命运弄人,拿命一搏。天道昭然又如何?我从不相信狗屁的主角天命!盛世六合不放手一搏,何来仙道一途?世上从来就没有无敌的神有的只是强大的人……闯仙境,只为博一逆天命,踏仙途,只为神眸大道逆,仙途喋血,唯我神眸长立巅峰不朽,末日纪元,我独身负手而扫八荒合……凡人林天,自从踏入仙道秘境,命运就开始转折,得天宝破永生!为兄弟扫六合迎八荒!为红颜荡仙界破正邪!既然仙不仁魔不善我便杀出天地破碎!
  • 阿唎多罗陀罗尼阿噜力经

    阿唎多罗陀罗尼阿噜力经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。