二十年后-第134部分

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　　〃We　have　not　thought　about　it　yet；　madame；〃　answered　D'Artagnan；　with　that　Gascon　effrontery　which　had　in　him　the　appearance　of　naivete；　but　if　we　four　had　resolved　upon　it　we　should　do　it　most　certainly。〃
　　〃I　ought；〃　muttered　Anne　to　herself；　〃by　this　time　to　remember　that　these　men　are　giants。〃
　　〃Alas；　madame！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　〃this　proves　to　me　that　not　till　to…day　has　your　majesty　had　a　just　idea　of　us。〃
　　〃Perhaps；〃　said　Anne；　〃but　that　idea；　if　at　last　I　have　it　　〃
　　〃Your　majesty　will　do　us　justice。　In　doing　us　justice　you　will　no　longer　treat　us　as　men　of　vulgar　stamp。　You　will　see　in　me　an　ambassador　worthy　of　the　high　interests　he　is　authorized　to　discuss　with　his　sovereign。〃
　　〃Where　is　the　treaty？〃
　　〃Here　it　is。〃
　　Anne　of　Austria　cast　her　eyes　upon　the　treaty　that　D'Artagnan　presented　to　her。
　　〃I　do　not　see　here；〃　she　said；　〃anything　but　general　conditions；　the　interests　of　the　Prince　de　Conti　or　of　the　Ducs　de　Beaufort；　de　Bouillon　and　d'Elbeuf　and　of　the　coadjutor；　are　herein　consulted；　but　with　regard　to　yours？〃
　　〃We　do　ourselves　justice；　madame；　even　in　assuming　the　high　position　that　we　have。　We　do　not　think　ourselves　worthy　to　stand　near　such　great　names。〃
　　〃But　you；　I　presume；　have　decided　to　assert　your　pretensions　viva　voce？〃
　　〃I　believe　you；　madame；　to　be　a　great　and　powerful　queen；　and　that　it　will　be　unworthy　of　your　power　and　greatness　if　you　do　not　repense　the　arms　which　will　bring　back　his　eminence　to　Saint　Germain。〃
　　〃It　is　my　intention　so　to　do；　e；　let　us　hear　you。　Speak。〃
　　〃He　who　has　negotiated　these　matters　（forgive　me　if　I　begin　by　speaking　of　myself；　but　I　must　claim　that　importance　which　has　been　given　to　me；　not　assumed　by　me）　he　who　has　arranged　matters　for　the　return　of　the　cardinal；　ought；　it　appears　to　me；　in　order　that　his　reward　may　not　be　unworthy　of　your　majesty；　to　be　made　mandant　of　the　guards　　an　appointment　something　like　that　of　captain　of　the　musketeers。〃
　　〃'Tis　the　appointment　Monsieur　de　Treville　held；　you　ask　of　me。〃
　　〃The　place；　madame；　is　vacant；　and　although　'tis　a　year　since　Monsieur　de　Treville　has　left　it；　it　has　not　been　filled。〃
　　〃But　it　is　one　of　the　principal　military　appointments　in　the　king's　household。〃
　　〃Monsieur　de　Treville　was　but　a　younger　son　of　a　simple　Gascon　family；　like　me；　madame；　he　occupied　that　post　for　twenty　years。〃
　　〃You　have　an　answer　ready　for　everything；〃　replied　the　queen；　and　she　took　from　her　bureau　a　document；　which　she　filled　up　and　signed。
　　〃Undoubtedly；　madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　taking　the　document　and　bowing；　〃this　is　a　noble　reward；　but　everything　in　the　world　is　unstable；　and　the　man　who　happened　to　fall　into　disgrace　with　your　majesty　might　lose　this　office　to…morrow。〃
　　〃What　more　do　you　want？〃　asked　the　queen；　coloring；　as　she　found　that　she　had　to　deal　with　a　mind　as　subtle　as　her　own。
　　〃A　hundred　thousand　francs　for　this　poor　captain　of　musketeers；　to　be　paid　whenever　his　services　shall　no　longer　be　acceptable　to　your　majesty。〃
　　Anne　hesitated。
　　〃To　think　of　the　Parisians；〃　soliloquized　D'Artagnan；　〃offering　only　the　other　day；　by　an　edict　of　the　parliament；　six　hundred　thousand　francs　to　any　man　soever　who　would　deliver　up　the　cardinal　to　them；　dead　or　alive　　if　alive；　in　order　to　hang　him；　if　dead；　to　deny　him　the　rites　of　Christian　burial！〃
　　〃e；〃　said　Anne；　〃'tis　reasonable；　since　you　only　ask　from　a　queen　the　sixth　of　what　the　parliament　has　proposed；〃　and　she　signed　an　order　for　a　hundred　thousand　francs。
　　〃Now；　then；〃　she　said；　〃what　next？〃
　　〃Madame；　my　friend　Du　Vallon　is　rich　and　has　therefore　nothing　in　the　way　of　fortune　to　desire；　but　I　think　I　remember　that　there　was　a　question　between　him　and　Monsieur　Mazarin　as　to　making　his　estate　a　barony。　Nay；　it　must　have　been　a　promise。〃
　　〃A　country　clown；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria；　〃people　will　laugh。〃
　　〃Let　them；〃　answered　D'Artagnan。　〃But　I　am　sure　of　one　thing　　that　those　who　laugh　at　him　in　his　presence　will　never　laugh　a　second　time。〃
　　〃Here　goes　the　barony。〃　said　the　queen；　she　signed　a　patent。
　　〃Now　there　remains　the　chevalier；　or　the　Abbe　d'Herblay；　as　your　majesty　pleases。〃
　　〃Does　he　wish　to　be　a　bishop？〃
　　〃No；　madame；　something　easier　to　grant。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃It　is　that　the　king　should　deign　to　stand　godfather　to　the　son　of　Madame　de　Longueville。〃
　　The　queen　smiled。
　　〃Monsieur　de　Longueville　is　of　royal　blood；　madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　queen；　〃but　his　son？〃
　　〃His　son；　madame；　must　be；　since　the　husband　of　the　son's　mother　is。〃
　　〃And　your　friend　has　nothing　more　to　ask　for　Madame　de　Longueville？〃
　　〃No；　madame；　for　I　presume　that　the　king；　standing　godfather　to　him；　could　do　no　less　than　present　him　with　five　hundred　thousand　francs；　giving　his　father；　also；　the　government　of　Normandy。〃
　　〃As　to　the　government　of　Normandy；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃I　think　I　can　promise；　but　with　regard　to　the　present；　the　cardinal　is　always　telling　me　there　is　no　more　money　in　the　royal　coffers。〃
　　〃We　shall　search　for　some；　madame；　and　I　think　we　can　find　a　little；　and　if　your　majesty　approves；　we　will　seek　for　some　together。〃
　　〃What　next？〃
　　〃What　next；　madame？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃That　is　all。〃
　　〃Haven't　you；　then；　a　fourth　panion？〃
　　〃Yes；　madame；　the　te　de　la　Fere。〃
　　〃What　does　he　ask？〃
　　〃Nothing。〃
　　〃There　is　in　the　world；　then；　one　man　who；　having　the　power　to　ask；　asks　　nothing！〃
　　〃There　is　the　te　de　la　Fere；　madame。　The　te　de　la　Fere　is　not　a　man。〃
　　〃What　is　he；　then？〃
　　〃The　te　de　la　Fere　is　a　demi…god。〃
　　〃Has　he　not　a　son；　a　young　man；　a　relative；　a　nephew；　of　whom　minges　spoke　to　me　as　being　a　brave　boy；　and　who；　with　Monsieur　de　Chatillon；　brought　the　standards　from　Lens？〃
　　〃He　has；　as　your　majesty　has　said；　a　ward；　who　is　called　the　Vite　de　Bragelonne。〃
　　〃If　that　young　man　should　be　appointed　to　a　regiment　what　would　his　guardian　say？〃
　　〃Perhaps　he　would　accept。〃
　　〃Perhaps？〃
　　〃Yes；　if　your　majesty　herself　should　beg　him　to　accept。〃
　　〃He　must　be　indeed　a　strange　man。　Well；　we　will　reflect　and　perhaps　we　will　beg　him。　Are　you　satisfied；　sir？〃
　　〃There　is　one　thing　the　queen　has　not　signed　　her　assent　to　the　treaty。〃
　　〃Of　what　use　to…day？　I　will　sign　it　to…morrow。〃
　　〃I　can　assure　her　majesty　that　if　she　does　not　sign　to…day　she　will　not　have　time　to　sign　to…morrow。　Consent；　then；　I　beg　you；　madame；　to　write　at　the　bottom　of　this　schedule；　which　has　been　drawn　up　by　Mazarin；　as　you　see：
　　〃‘I　consent　to　ratify　the　treaty　proposed　by　the　Parisians。'〃
　　Anne　was　caught；　she　could　not　draw　back　　she　signed；　but　scarcely　had　she　done　so　when　pride　burst　forth　and　she　began　to　weep。
　　D'Artagnan　started　on　seeing　these　tears。　Since　that　period　of　history　queens　have　shed　tears；　like　other　women。
　　The　Gascon　shook　his　head；　these　tears　from　royalty　melted　his　heart。
　　〃Madame；〃　he　said；　kneeling；　〃look　upon　the　unhappy　man　at　your　feet。　He　begs　you　to　believe　that　at　a　gesture　of　your　majesty　everything　will　be　possible　to　him。　He　has　faith　in　himself；　he　has　faith　in　his　friends；　he　wishes　also　to　have　faith　in　his　queen。　And　in　proof　that　he　fears　nothing；　that　he　counts　on　nothing；　he　will　restore　Monsieur　de　Mazarin　to　your　majesty　without　conditions。　Behold；　madame！　here　are　the　august　signatures　of　your　majesty's　hand；　if　you　think　you　are　right　in　giving　them　to　me；　you　shall　do　so；　but　from　this　very　moment　you　are　free　from　any　obligation　to　keep　them。〃
　　And　D'Artagnan；　full　of　splendid　pride　and　manly　intrepidity；　placed　in　Anne's　hands；　in　a　bundle；　the　papers　that　he　had　one　by　one　won　from　her　with　so　much　difficulty。
　　There　are　moments　　for　if　everything　is　not　good；　everything　in　this　world　is　not　bad　　in　which　the　most　rigid　and　the　coldest　soul　is　softened　by　the　tears　of　strong　emotion；　heart…arraigning　sentiment：　one　of　these　momentary　impulses　actuated　Anne。　D'Artagnan；　when　he　gave　way　to　his　own　feelings　　which　were　in　accordance　with　those　of　the　queen　　had　acplished　more　than　the　most　astute　diplomacy　could　have　attempted。　He　was　therefore　instantly　repensed；　either　for　his　address　or　for　his　sensibility；　whichever　it　might　be　termed。
　　〃You　were　right；　sir；〃　said　Anne。　〃I　misunderstood　you。　There　are　the　acts　signed；　I　deliver　them　to　you　without　pulsion。　Go　and　bring　me　back　the　cardinal　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　faltered　D'Artagnan；　〃'tis　twenty　years　ago　　I　have　a　good　memory　　since　I　had　the　honor　behind　a　piece　of　tapestry　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　of　kissing　one　of　those　lovely　hands。〃
　　〃There　is　the　other；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃and　that　the　left　hand　should　not　be　less　liberal　than　the　right；〃　she　drew　from　her　finger　a　diamond　similar　to　the　one　formerly　given　to　him；　〃take　and　keep　this　ring　in　remembrance　of　me。
　　〃Madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　rising；　〃I　have　only　one　thing　more　to　wish；　which　is；　that　the　next　thing　you　ask　from　me；　shall　be　　my　life。〃
　　And　with　this　conclusion　　a　way　peculiar　to　himself　　he　rose　and　left　the　room。
　　〃I　never　rightly　understood　those　men；〃　said　the　queen；　as　she　watched　him　retiring　from　her　presence；　〃and　it　is　now　too　late；　for　in　a　year　the　king　will　be　of　age。〃
　　In　twenty…four　hours　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　conducted　Mazarin　to　the　queen；　and　the　one　received　his　mission；　the　other　his　patent　of　nobility。
　　On　the　same　day　the　Treaty　of　Paris　was　signed；　and　it　was　everywhere　announced　that　the　cardinal　had　shut　himself　up　for　three　days　in　order　to　draw　it　up　with　the　greatest　care。
　　Here　is　what　each　of　the　parties　concerned　gained　by　that　treaty：
　　Monsieur　de　Conti　received　Damvilliers；　and　having　made　his　proofs　as　general；　he　succeeded　in　remaining　a　soldier；　instead　of　being　made　cardinal。　Moreover；　something　had　been　said　of　a　marriage　with　Mazarin's　niece。　The　idea　was　weled　by　the　prince；　to　whom　it　was　of　little　importance　whom　he　married；　so　long　as　he　married　some　one。
　　The　Duc　de　Beaufort　made　his　entrance　at　court；　receiving　ample　reparation　for　the　wrongs　he　had　suffered；　and　all　the　honor　due　to　his　rank。　Full　pardon　was　accorded　to　those　who　had　aided　in　his　escape。　He　received　also　the　office　of　adm