按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
himself in that manner。 To this Monsieur de Beaufort replied
that since every opportunity of distinguishing himself in
arms was taken from him； he wished to make himself
celebrated in the arts； since he could not be a Bayard； he
would become a Raphael or a Michael Angelo。 Nevertheless；
one day when Monsieur de Beaufort was walking in the meadow
his fire was put out； his charcoal all removed； taken away；
and thus his means of drawing utterly destroyed。
The poor duke swore； fell into a rage； yelled； and declared
that they wished to starve him to death as they had starved
the Marechal Ornano and the Grand Prior of Vendome； but he
refused to promise that he would not make any more drawings
and remained without any fire in the room all the winter。
His next act was to purchase a dog from one of his keepers。
With this animal； which he called Pistache； he was often
shut up for hours alone； superintending； as every one
supposed； its education。 At last； when Pistache was
sufficiently well trained； Monsieur de Beaufort invited the
governor and officers of Vincennes to attend a
representation which he was going to have in his apartment
The party assembled； the room was lighted with waxlights；
and the prisoner； with a bit of plaster he had taken out of
the wall of his room； had traced a long white line；
representing a cord； on the floor。 Pistache； on a signal
from his master； placed himself on this line； raised himself
on his hind paws； and holding in his front paws a wand with
which clothes used to be beaten； he began to dance upon the
line with as many contortions as a rope…dancer。 Having been
several times up and down it； he gave the wand back to his
master and began without hesitation to perform the same
evolutions over again。
The intelligent creature was received with loud applause。
The first part of the entertainment being concluded Pistache
was desired to say what o'clock it was； he was shown
Monsieur de Chavigny's watch； it was then half…past six； the
dog raised and dropped his paw six times； the seventh he let
it remain upraised。 Nothing could be better done； a sun…dial
could not have shown the hour with greater precision。
Then the question was put to him who was the best jailer in
all the prisons in France。
The dog performed three evolutions around the circle and
laid himself； with the deepest respect； at the feet of
Monsieur de Chavigny； who at first seemed inclined to like
the joke and laughed long and loud； but a frown succeeded；
and he bit his lips with vexation。
Then the duke put to Pistache this difficult question； who
was the greatest thief in the world？
Pistache went again around the circle； but stopped at no
one； and at last went to the door and began to scratch and
bark。
〃See； gentlemen；〃 said M。 de Beaufort； 〃this wonderful
animal； not finding here what I ask for； seeks it out of
doors； you shall； however； have his answer。 Pistache； my
friend； come here。 Is not the greatest thief in the world；
Monsieur （the king's secretary） Le Camus； who came to Paris
with twenty francs in his pocket and who now possesses ten
millions？〃
The dog shook his head。
〃Then is it not；〃 resumed the duke； 〃the Superintendent
Emery； who gave his son； when he was married； three hundred
thousand francs and a house； compared to which the Tuileries
are a heap of ruins and the Louvre a paltry building？〃
The dog again shook his head as if to say 〃no。〃
〃Then；〃 said the prisoner； 〃let's think who it can be。 Can
it be； can it possibly be； the ‘Illustrious Coxcomb； Mazarin
de Piscina；' hey？〃
Pistache made violent signs that it was； by raising and
lowering his head eight or ten times successively。
〃Gentlemen； you see；〃 said the duke to those present； who
dared not even smile； 〃that it is the ‘Illustrious Coxcomb'
who is the greatest thief in the world； at least； according
to Pistache。〃
〃Let us go on to another of his exercises。〃
〃Gentlemen！〃 there was a profound silence in the room
when the duke again addressed them 〃do you not remember
that the Duc de Guise taught all the dogs in Paris to jump
for Mademoiselle de Pons； whom he styled ‘the fairest of the
fair？' Pistache is going to show you how superior he is to
all other dogs。 Monsieur de Chavigny； be so good as to lend
me your cane。〃
Monsieur de Chavigny handed his cane to Monsieur de
Beaufort。 Monsieur de Beaufort placed it horizontally at the
height of one foot。
〃Now； Pistache； my good dog； jump the height of this cane
for Madame de Montbazon。〃
〃But；〃 interposed Monsieur de Chavigny； 〃it seems to me that
Pistache is only doing what other dogs have done when they
jumped for Mademoiselle de Pons。〃
〃Stop；〃 said the duke； 〃Pistache； jump for the queen。〃 And
he raised his cane six inches higher。
The dog sprang； and in spite of the height jumped lightly
over it。
〃And now；〃 said the duke； raising it still six inches
higher； 〃jump for the king。〃
The dog obeyed and jumped quickly over the cane。
〃Now； then；〃 said the duke； and as he spoke； lowered the
cane almost level with the ground； 〃Pistache； my friend；
jump for the ‘Illustrious Coxcomb； Mazarin de Piscina。'〃
The dog turned his back to the cane。
〃What；〃 asked the duke； 〃what do you mean？〃 and he gave him
the cane again； first making a semicircle from the head to
the tail of Pistache。 〃Jump then； Monsieur Pistache。〃
But Pistache； as at first； turned round on his legs and
stood with his back to the cane。
Monsieur de Beaufort made the experiment a third time； but
by this time Pistache's patience was exhausted； he threw
himself furiously upon the cane； wrested it from the hands
of the prince and broke it with his teeth。
Monsieur de Beaufort took the pieces out of his mouth and
presented them with great formality to Monsieur de Chavigny；
saying that for that evening the entertainment was ended；
but in three months it should be repeated； when Pistache
would have learned a few new tricks。
Three days afterward Pistache was found dead poisoned。
Then the duke said openly that his dog had been killed by a
drug with which they meant to poison him； and one day after
dinner he went to bed； calling out that he had pains in his
stomach and that Mazarin had poisoned him。
This fresh impertinence reached the ears of the cardinal and
alarmed him greatly。 The donjon of Vincennes was considered
very unhealthy and Madame de Rambouillet had said that the
room in which the Marechal Ornano and the Grand Prior de
Vendome had died was worth its weight in arsenic a bon
mot which had great success。 So it was ordered the prisoner
was henceforth to eat nothing that had not previously been
tasted； and La Ramee was in consequence placed near him as
taster。
Every kind of revenge was practiced upon the duke by the
governor in return for the insults of the innocent Pistache。
De Chavigny； who； according to report； was a son of
Richelieu's； and had been a creature of the late cardinal's；
understood tyranny。 He took from the duke all the steel
knives and silver forks and replaced them with silver knives
and wooden forks； pretending that as he had been informed
that the duke was to pass all his life at Vincennes； he was
afraid of his prisoner attempting suicide。 A f