二十年后-第59部分

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　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　　Mordaunt　reflected　a　moment　and；　after　some　hesitation；　was　about　to　speak；　when　Bernouin　entered　hastily　and　bending　down　to　the　ear　of　the　cardinal；　whispered：
　　〃My　lord；　the　Queen　Henrietta　Maria；　acpanied　by　an　English　noble；　is　entering　the　Palais　Royal　at　this　moment。〃
　　Mazarin　made　a　bound　from　his　chair；　which　did　not　escape　the　attention　of　the　young　man　and　suppressed　the　confidence　he　was　about　to　make。
　　〃Sir；〃　said　the　cardinal；　〃you　have　heard　me？　I　fix　on　Boulogne　because　I　presume　that　every　town　in　France　is　indifferent　to　you；　if　you　prefer　another；　name　it；　but　you　can　easily　conceive　that；　surrounded　as　I　am　by　influences　I　can　only　muzzle　by　discretion；　I　desire　your　presence　in　Paris　to　be　unknown。〃
　　〃I　go；　sir；〃　said　Mordaunt；　advancing　a　few　steps　to　the　door　by　which　he　had　entered。
　　〃No；　not　that　way；　I　beg；　sir；〃　quickly　exclaimed　the　cardinal；　〃be　so　good　as　to　pass　by　yonder　gallery；　by　which　you　can　regain　the　hall。　I　do　not　wish　you　to　be　seen　leaving；　our　interview　must　be　kept　secret。〃
　　Mordaunt　followed　Bernouin；　who　led　him　through　the　adjacent　chamber　and　left　him　with　a　doorkeeper；　showing　him　the　way　out。
　　Henrietta　Maria　and　Mazarin
　　The　cardinal　rose；　and　advanced　in　haste　to　receive　the　queen　of　England。　He　showed　the　more　respect　to　this　queen；　deprived　of　every　mark　of　pomp　and　stripped　of　followers；　as　he　felt　some　self…reproach　for　his　own　want　of　heart　and　his　avarice。　But　supplicants　for　favor　know　how　to　acmodate　the　expression　of　their　features；　and　the　daughter　of　Henry　IV。　smiled　as　she　advanced　to　meet　a　man　she　hated　and　despised。
　　〃Ah！〃　said　Mazarin　to　himself；　〃what　a　sweet　face；　does　she　e　to　borrow　money　of　me？〃
　　And　he　threw　an　uneasy　glance　at　his　strong　box；　he　even　turned　inside　the　bevel　of　the　magnificent　diamond　ring；　the　brilliancy　of　which　drew　every　eye　upon　his　hand；　which　indeed　was　white　and　handsome。
　　〃Your　eminence；〃　said　the　august　visitor；　〃it　was　my　first　intention　to　speak　of　the　matters　that　have　brought　me　here　to　the　queen；　my　sister；　but　I　have　reflected　that　political　affairs　are　more　especially　the　concern　of　men。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃your　majesty　overwhelms　me　with　flattering　distinction。〃
　　〃He　is　very　gracious；〃　thought　the　queen；　〃can　he　have　guessed　my　errand？〃
　　〃Give；〃　continued　the　cardinal；　〃your　mands　to　the　most　respectful　of　your　servants。〃
　　〃Alas；　sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃I　have　lost　the　habit　of　manding　and　have　adopted　instead　that　of　making　petitions。　I　am　here　to　petition　you；　too　happy　should　my　prayer　be　favorably　heard。〃
　　〃I　am　listening；　madame；　with　the　greatest　interest；〃　said　Mazarin。
　　〃Your　eminence；　it　concerns　the　war　which　the　king；　my　husband；　is　now　sustaining　against　his　rebellious　subjects。　You　are　perhaps　ignorant　that　they　are　fighting　in　England；〃　added　she；　with　a　melancholy　smile；　〃and　that　in　a　short　time　they　will　fight　in　a　much　more　decided　fashion　than　they　have　done　hitherto。〃
　　〃I　am　pletely　ignorant　of　it；　madame；〃　said　the　cardinal；　acpanying　his　words　with　a　slight　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　〃alas；　our　own　wars　quite　absorb　the　time　and　the　mind　of　a　poor；　incapable；　infirm　old　minister　like　me。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　your　eminence；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　must　inform　you　that　Charles　I。；　my　husband；　is　on　the　eve　of　a　decisive　engagement。　In　case　of　a　check〃　（Mazarin　made　a　slight　movement）；　〃one　must　foresee　everything；　in　the　case　of　a　check；　he　desires　to　retire　into　France　and　to　live　here　as　a　private　individual。　What　do　you　say　to　this　project？〃
　　The　cardinal　had　listened　without　permitting　a　single　fibre　of　his　face　to　betray　what　he　felt；　and　his　smile　remained　as　it　ever　was　　false　and　flattering；　and　when　the　queen　finished　speaking；　he　said：
　　〃Do　you　think；　madame；　that　France；　agitated　and　disturbed　as　it　is；　would　be　a　safe　retreat　for　a　dethroned　king？　How　will　the　crown；　which　is　scarce　firmly　set　on　the　head　of　Louis　XIV。；　support　a　double　weight？〃
　　〃The　weight　was　not　so　heavy　when　I　was　in　peril；〃　interrupted　the　queen；　with　a　sad　smile；　〃and　I　ask　no　more　for　my　husband　than　has　been　done　for　me；　you　see　that　we　are　very　humble　monarchs；　sir。〃
　　〃Oh；　you；　madame；〃　the　cardinal　hastened　to　say；　in　order　to　cut　short　the　explanation　he　foresaw　was　ing；　〃with　regard　to　you；　that　is　another　thing。　A　daughter　of　Henry　IV。；　of　that　great；　that　sublime　sovereign　　〃
　　〃All　which　does　not　prevent　you　refusing　hospitality　to　his　son…in…law；　sir！　Nevertheless；　you　ought　to　remember　that　that　great；　that　sublime　monarch；　when　proscribed　at　one　time；　as　my　husband　may　be；　demanded　aid　from　England　and　England　accorded　it　to　him；　and　it　is　but　just　to　say　that　Queen　Elizabeth　was　not　his　niece。〃
　　〃Peccato！〃　said　Mazarin；　writhing　beneath　this　simple　eloquence；　〃your　majesty　does　not　understand　me；　you　judge　my　intentions　wrongly；　and　that　is　partly　because；　doubtless；　I　explain　myself　in　French。〃
　　〃Speak　Italian；　sir。　Ere　the　cardinal；　your　predecessor；　sent　our　mother；　Marie　de　Medicis；　to　die　in　exile；　she　taught　us　that　language。　If　anything　yet　remains　of　that　great；　that　sublime　king；　Henry；　of　whom　you　have　just　spoken；　he　would　be　much　surprised　at　so　little　pity　for　his　family　being　united　to　such　a　profound　admiration　of　himself。〃
　　The　perspiration　stood　in　large　drops　on　Mazarin's　brow。
　　〃That　admiration　is；　on　the　contrary；　so　great；　so　real；　madame；〃　returned　Mazarin；　without　noticing　the　change　of　language　offered　to　him　by　the　queen；　〃that　if　the　king；　Charles　I。　　whom　Heaven　protect　from　evil！　　came　into　France；　I　would　offer　him　my　house　　my　own　house；　but；　alas！　it　would　be　but　an　unsafe　retreat。　Some　day　the　people　will　burn　that　house；　as　they　burned　that　of　the　Marechal　d'Ancre。　Poor　Concino　Concini！　And　yet　he　but　desired　the　good　of　the　people。〃
　　〃Yes；　my　lord；　like　yourself！〃　said　the　queen；　ironically。
　　Mazarin　pretended　not　to　understand　the　double　meaning　of　his　own　sentence；　but　continued　to　passionate　the　fate　of　Concino　Concini。
　　〃Well　then；　your　eminence；〃　said　the　queen；　being　impatient；　〃what　is　your　answer？〃
　　〃Madame；〃　cried　Mazarin；　more　and　more　moved；　〃will　your　majesty　permit　me　to　give　you　counsel？〃
　　〃Speak；　sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃the　counsels　of　so　prudent　a　man　as　yourself　ought　certainly　to　be　available。〃
　　〃Madame；　believe　me；　the　king　ought　to　defend　himself　to　the　last。〃
　　〃He　has　done　so；　sir；　and　this　last　battle；　which　he　encounters　with　resources　much　inferior　to　those　of　the　enemy；　proves　that　he　will　not　yield　without　a　struggle；　but　in　case　he　is　beaten？〃
　　〃Well；　madame；　in　that　case；　my　advice　　I　know　that　I　am　very　bold　to　offer　advice　to　your　majesty　　my　advice　is　that　the　king　should　not　leave　his　kingdom。　Absent　kings　are　very　soon　forgotten；　if　he　passes　over　into　France　his　cause　is　lost。〃
　　〃But；〃　persisted　the　queen；　〃if　such　be　your　advice　and　you　have　his　interest　at　heart；　send　him　help　of　men　and　money；　for　I　can　do　nothing　for　him；　I　have　sold　even　to　my　last　diamond　to　aid　him。　If　I　had　had　a　single　ornament　left；　I　should　have　bought　wood　this　winter　to　make　a　fire　for　my　daughter　and　myself。〃
　　〃Oh；　madame；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃your　majesty　knows　not　what　you　ask。　On　the　day　when　foreign　succor　follows　in　the　train　of　a　king　to　replace　him　on　his　throne；　it　is　an　avowal　that　he　no　longer　possesses　the　help　and　love　of　his　own　subjects。〃
　　〃To　the　point；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　〃to　the　point；　and　answer　me；　yes　or　no；　if　the　king　persists　in　remaining　in　England　will　you　send　him　succor？　If　he　es　to　France　will　you　accord　him　hospitality？　What　do　you　intend　to　do？　Speak。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　said　the　cardinal；　affecting　an　effusive　frankness　of　speech；　〃I　shall　convince　your　majesty；　I　trust；　of　my　devotion　to　you　and　my　desire　to　terminate　an　affair　which　you　have　so　much　at　heart。　After　which　your　majesty　will；　I　think；　no　longer　doubt　my　zeal　in　your　behalf。〃
　　The　queen　bit　her　lips　and　moved　impatiently　on　her　chair。
　　〃Well；　what　do　you　propose　to　do？〃　she；　said　at　length；　〃e；　speak。〃
　　〃I　will　go　this　instant　and　consult　the　queen；　and　we　will　refer　the　affair　at　once　to　parliament。〃
　　〃With　which　you　are　at　war　　is　it　not　so？　You　will　charge　Broussel　to　report　it。　Enough；　sir；　enough。　I　understand　you　or　rather；　I　am　wrong。　Go　to　the　parliament；　for　it　was　from　this　parliament；　the　enemy　of　monarchs；　that　the　daughter　of　the　great；　the　sublime　Henry　IV。；　whom　you　so　much　admire；　received　the　only　relief　this　winter　which　prevented　her　from　dying　of　hunger　and　cold！〃
　　And　with　these　words　Henrietta　rose　in　majestic　indignation；　whilst　the　cardinal；　raising　his　hands　clasped　toward　her；　exclaimed；　〃Ah；　madame；　madame；　how　little　you　know　me；　mon　Dieu！〃
　　But　Queen　Henrietta；　without　even　turning　toward　him　who　made　these　hypocritical　pretensions；　crossed　the　cabinet；　opened　the　door　for　herself　and　passing　through　the　midst　of　the　cardinal's　numerous　guards；　courtiers　eager　to　pay　homage；　the　luxurious　show　of　a　peting　royalty；　she　went　and　took　the　hand　of　De　Winter；　who　stood　apart　in　isolation。　Poor　queen；　already　fallen！　Though　all　bowed　before　her；　as　etiquette　required；　she　had　now　but　a　single　arm　on　which　she　could　lean。
　　〃It　signifies　little；〃　said　Mazarin；　when　he　was　alone。　〃It　gave　me　pain　and　it　was　an　ungracious　part　to　play；　but　I　have　said　nothing　either　to　the　one　or　to　the　other。　Bernouin！〃
　　Bernouin　entered。
　　〃See　if　the　young　man　with　the　black　doublet　and　the　short　hair；　who　was　with　me　just　now；　is　still　in　the　palace。〃
　　Bernouin　went　out　and　soon　returned　with　minges；　who　was　on　guard。
　　〃Your　eminence；〃　said　minges；　〃as　I　was　re…conducting　the　young　man　for　whom　you　have　asked；　he　approached　the　glass　door　of　the　gallery；　and　gazed　intently　upon　some　object；　doubtless　the　picture　by　Raphael；　which　is　opposite　the　door。　He　reflected　for　a　second　and　then　descended　the　stairs。　I　believe　I　saw　him　mount　a　gray　horse　and　leave　the　palace　court。　But　is　not　your　eminence　going　to　the　queen？〃
　　〃For　what　purpose？〃
　　〃Monsieur　de　Guitant；　my　uncle；　has　just　told　me　that　her　majesty　had　received　news　of　the　army。〃
　　〃It　is