二十年后-第124部分

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　　〃Go；　sir；　then；〃　said　the　queen；　〃you　have　obtained　what　you　wish　and　we　know　all　we　desire　to　know。〃
　　Scarcely；　however；　had　the　tapestry　closed　behind　Athos　when　she　said　to　Mazarin：
　　〃Cardinal；　desire　them　to　arrest　that　insolent　fellow　before　he　leaves　the　court。〃
　　〃Your　majesty；〃　answered　Mazarin；　〃desires　me　to　do　only　what　I　was　going　to　ask　you　to　let　me　do。　These　bravoes　who　resuscitate　in　our　epoch　the　traditions　of　another　reign　are　troublesome；　since　there　are　two　of　them　already　there；　let　us　add　a　third。〃
　　Athos　was　not　altogether　the　queen's　dupe；　but　he　was　not　a　man　to　run　away　on　suspicion　　above　all；　when　distinctly　told　that　he　should　see　his　friends　again。　He　waited；　then；　in　the　ante…chamber　with　impatience；　till　he　should　be　conducted　to　them。
　　He　walked　to　the　window　and　looked　into　the　court。　He　saw　the　deputation　from　the　Parisians　enter　it；　they　were　ing　to　assign　the　definitive　place　for　the　conference　and　to　make　their　bow　to　the　queen。　A　very　imposing　escort　awaited　them　without　the　gates。
　　Athos　was　looking　on　attentively；　when　some　one　touched　him　softly　on　the　shoulder。
　　〃Ah！　Monsieur　de　minges；〃　he　said。
　　〃Yes；　count；　and　charged　with　a　mission　for　which　I　beg　of　you　to　accept　my　excuses。〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃Be　so　good　as　to　give　me　up　your　sword；　count。〃
　　Athos　smiled　and　opened　the　window。
　　〃Aramis！〃　he　cried。
　　A　gentleman　turned　around。　Athos　fancied　he　had　seen　him　among　the　crowd。　It　was　Aramis。　He　bowed　with　great　friendship　to　the　count。
　　〃Aramis；〃　cried　Athos；　〃I　am　arrested。〃
　　〃Good；〃　replied　Aramis；　calmly。
　　〃Sir；〃　said　Athos；　turning　to　minges　and　giving　him　politely　his　sword　by　the　hilt；　〃here　is　my　sword；　have　the　kindness　to　keep　it　safely　for　me　until　I　quit　my　prison。　I　prize　it　　it　was　given　to　my　ancestor　by　King　Francis　I。　In　his　time　they　armed　gentlemen；　not　disarmed　them。　Now；　whither　do　you　conduct　me？〃
　　〃Into　my　room　first；〃　replied　minges；　〃the　queen　will　ultimately　decide　your　place　of　domicile。〃
　　Athos　followed　minges　without　saying　a　single　word。
　　Cardinal　Mazarin　as　King
　　The　arrest　produced　no　sensation；　indeed　was　almost　unknown；　and　scarcely　interrupted　the　course　of　events。　To　the　deputation　it　was　formally　announced　that　the　queen　would　receive　it。
　　Accordingly；　it　was　admitted　to　the　presence　of　Anne；　who；　silent　and　lofty　as　ever；　listened　to　the　speeches　and　plaints　of　the　deputies；　but　when　they　had　finished　their　harangues　not　one　of　them　could　say；　so　calm　remained　her　face；　whether　or　no　she　had　heard　them。
　　On　the　other　hand；　Mazarin；　present　at　that　audience；　heard　very　well　what　those　deputies　demanded。　It　was　purely　and　simply　his　removal；　in　terms　clear　and　precise。
　　The　discourse　being　finished；　the　queen　remained　silent。
　　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃I　join　with　you　in　supplicating　the　queen　to　put　an　end　to　the　miseries　of　her　subjects。　I　have　done　all　in　my　power　to　ameliorate　them　and　yet　the　belief　of　the　public；　you　say；　is　that　they　proceed　from　me；　an　unhappy　foreigner；　who　has　been　unable　to　please　the　French。　Alas！　I　have　never　been　understood；　and　no　wonder。　I　succeeded　a　man　of　the　most　sublime　genius　that　ever　upheld　the　sceptre　of　France。　The　memory　of　Richelieu　annihilates　me。　In　vain　　were　I　an　ambitious　man　　should　I　struggle　against　such　remembrances　as　he　has　left；　but　that　I　am　not　ambitious　I　am　going　to　prove　to　you。　I　own　myself　conquered。　I　shall　obey　the　wishes　of　the　people。　If　Paris　has　injuries　to　plain　of；　who　has　not　some　wrongs　to　be　redressed？　Paris　has　been　sufficiently　punished；　enough　blood　has　flowed；　enough　misery　has　humbled　a　town　deprived　of　its　king　and　of　justice。　'Tis　not　for　me；　a　private　individual；　to　disunite　a　queen　from　her　kingdom。　Since　you　demand　my　resignation；　I　retire。〃
　　〃Then；〃　said　Aramis；　in　his　neighbor's　ear；　〃the　conferences　are　over。　There　is　nothing　to　do　but　to　send　Monsieur　Mazarin　to　the　most　distant　frontier　and　to　take　care　that　he　does　not　return　even　by　that；　nor　any　other　entrance　into　France。〃
　　〃One　instant；　sir；〃　said　the　man　in　a　gown；　whom　he　addressed；　〃a　plague　on't！　how　fast　you　go！　one　may　soon　see　that　you're　a　soldier。　There's　the　article　of　remunerations　and　indemnifications　to　be　discussed　and　set　to　rights。〃
　　〃Chancellor；〃　said　the　queen；　turning　to　Seguier；　our　old　acquaintance；　〃you　will　open　the　conferences。　They　can　take　place　at　Rueil。　The　cardinal　has　said　several　things　which　have　agitated　me；　therefore　I　will　not　speak　more　fully　now。　As　to　his　going　or　staying；　I　feel　too　much　gratitude　to　the　cardinal　not　to　leave　him　free　in　all　his　actions；　he　shall　do　what　he　wishes　to　do。〃
　　A　transient　pallor　overspread　the　speaking　countenance　of　the　prime　minister；　he　looked　at　the　queen　with　anxiety。　Her　face　was　so　passionless；　that　he；　as　every　one　else　present；　was　incapable　of　reading　her　thoughts。
　　〃But；〃　added　the　queen；　〃in　awaiting　the　cardinal's　decision　let　there　be；　if　you　please；　a　reference　to　the　king　only。〃
　　The　deputies　bowed　and　left　the　room。
　　〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　when　the　last　of　them　had　quitted　the　apartment；　〃you　would　yield　to　these　limbs　of　the　law　　these　advocates？〃
　　〃To　promote　your　majesty's　welfare；　madame；〃　replied　Mazarin；　fixing　his　penetrating　eyes　on　the　queen；　〃there　is　no　sacrifice　that　I　would　not　make。〃
　　Anne　dropped　her　head　and　fell　into　one　of　those　reveries　so　habitual　with　her。　A　recollection　of　Athos　came　into　her　mind。　His　fearless　deportment；　his　words；　so　firm；　yet　dignified；　the　shades　which　by　one　word　he　had　evoked；　recalled　to　her　the　past　in　all　its　intoxication　of　poetry　and　romance；　youth；　beauty；　the　eclat　of　love　at　twenty　years　of　age；　the　bloody　death　of　Buckingham；　the　only　man　whom　she　had　ever　really　loved；　and　the　heroism　of　those　obscure　champions　who　had　saved　her　from　the　double　hatred　of　Richelieu　and　the　king。
　　Mazarin　looked　at　her；　and　whilst　she　deemed　herself　alone　and　freed　from　the　world　of　enemies　who　sought　to　spy　into　her　secret　thoughts；　he　read　her　thoughts　in　her　countenance；　as　one　sees　in　a　transparent　lake　clouds　pass　　reflections；　like　thoughts；　of　the　heavens。
　　〃Must　we；　then；〃　asked　Anne　of　Austria；　〃yield　to　the　storm；　buy　peace；　and　patiently　and　piously　await　better　times？〃
　　Mazarin　smiled　sarcastically　at　this　speech；　which　showed　that　she　had　taken　the　minister's　proposal　seriously。
　　Anne's　head　was　bent　down　　she　had　not　seen　the　Italian's　smile；　but　finding　that　her　question　elicited　no　reply　she　looked　up。
　　〃Well；　you　do　not　answer；　cardinal；　what　do　you　think　about　it？〃
　　〃I　am　thinking；　madame；　of　the　allusion　made　by　that　insolent　gentleman；　whom　you　have　caused　to　be　arrested；　to　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　　to　him　whom　you　allowed　to　be　assassinated　　to　the　Duchess　de　Chevreuse；　whom　you　suffered　to　be　exiled　　to　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　whom　you　imprisoned；　but　if　he　made　allusion　to　me　it　was　because　he　is　ignorant　of　the　relation　in　which　I　stand　to　you。〃
　　Anne　drew　up；　as　she　always　did；　when　anything　touched　her　pride。　She　blushed；　and　that　she　might　not　answer；　clasped　her　beautiful　hands　till　her　sharp　nails　almost　pierced　them。
　　〃That　man　has　sagacity；　honor　and　wit；　not　to　mention　likewise　that　he　is　a　man　of　undoubted　resolution。　You　know　something　about　him；　do　you　not；　madame？　I　shall　tell　him；　therefore；　and　in　doing　so　I　shall　confer　a　personal　favor　on　him；　how　he　is　mistaken　in　regard　to　me。　What　is　proposed　to　me　would　be；　in　fact；　almost　an　abdication；　and　an　abdication　requires　reflection。〃
　　〃An　abdication？〃　repeated　Anne；　〃I　thought；　sir；　that　it　was　kings　alone　who　abdicated！〃
　　〃Well；〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃and　am　I　not　almost　a　king　　king；　indeed；　of　France？　Thrown　over　the　foot　of　the　royal　bed；　my　simar；　madame；　looks　not　unlike　the　mantle　worn　by　kings。〃
　　This　was　one　of　the　humiliations　which　Mazarin　made　Anne　undergo　more　frequently　than　any　other；　and　one　that　bowed　her　head　with　shame。　Queen　Elizabeth　and　Catherine　II。　of　Russia　are　the　only　two　monarchs　of　their　set　on　record　who　were　at　once　sovereigns　and　lovers。　Anne　of　Austria　looked　with　a　sort　of　terror　at　the　threatening　aspect　of　the　cardinal　　his　physiognomy　in　such　moments　was　not　destitute　of　a　certain　grandeur。
　　〃Sir；〃　she　replied；　〃did　I　not　say；　and　did　you　not　hear　me　say　to　those　people；　that　you　should　do　as　you　pleased？〃
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃I　think　it　must　please　me　best　to　remain；　not　only　on　account　of　my　own　interest；　but　for　your　safety。〃
　　〃Remain；　then；　sir；　nothing　can　be　more　agreeable　to　me；　only　do　not　allow　me　to　be　insulted。〃
　　〃You　are　referring　to　the　demands　of　the　rebels　and　to　the　tone　in　which　they　stated　them？　Patience！　They　have　selected　a　field　of　battle　on　which　I　am　an　abler　general　than　they　　that　of　a　conference。　No；　we　shall　beat　them　by　merely　temporizing。　They　want　food　already。　They　will　be　ten　times　worse　off　in　a　week。〃
　　〃Ah；　yes！　Good　heavens！　I　know　it　will　end　in　that　way；　but　it　is　not　they　who　taunt　me　with　the　most　wounding　reproaches；　but　　〃
　　〃I　understand；　you　mean　to　allude　to　the　recollections　perpetually　revived　by　these　three　gentlemen。　However；　we　have　them　safe　in　prison；　and　they　are　just　sufficiently　culpable　for　us　to　keep　them　in　prison　as　long　as　we　find　it　convenient。　One　only　is　still　not　in　our　power　and　braves　us。　But；　devil　take　him！　we　shall　soon　succeed　in　sending　him　to　join　his　boon　panions。　We　have　acplished　more　difficult　things　than　that。　In　the　first　place　I　have　as　a　precaution　shut　up　at　Rueil；　near　me；　under　my　own　eyes；　within　reach　of　my　hand；　the　two　most　intractable　ones。　To…day　the　third　will　be　there　also。〃
　　〃As　long　as　they　are　in　prison　all　will　be　well；〃　said　Anne；　〃but　one　of　these　days　they　will　get　out。〃
　　〃Yes；　if　your　majesty　releases　them。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Anne；　following　the　train　of　her　own　thoughts　on　such　occasions；　〃one　regrets　Paris！〃
　　〃Why　so？〃
　　〃On　account　of　the　Bastile；　sir；　which　is　so　strong　and　so　secure。〃
　　〃Madame；　these　conferences　will　bring　us　peace；　when　we　have　peace　we　shall　regain　Paris；　with　Paris；　the　Bastile；　and　our　four　bullies　shall　rot　therein。〃
　　Anne