二十年后-第75部分

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　　He　stopped　at　the　end　of　the　corridor　and　said：
　　〃I　can　count　upon　you；　gentlemen；　can　I　not？〃
　　〃We　do　not　give　ourselves　twice　over；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　have　given　ourselves　to　you；　mand；　we　shall　obey。〃
　　〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃enter　this　cabinet　and　wait　till　I　e　back。〃
　　And　turning　off　he　entered　the　drawing…room　by　another　door。
　　The　Riot　bees　a　Revolution
　　The　closet　into　which　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　had　been　ushered　was　separated　from　the　drawing…room　where　the　queen　was　by　tapestried　curtains　only；　and　this　thin　partition　enabled　them　to　hear　all　that　passed　in　the　adjoining　room；　whilst　the　aperture　between　the　two　hangings；　small　as　it　was；　permitted　them　to　see。
　　The　queen　was　standing　in　the　room；　pale　with　anger；　her　self…control；　however；　was　so　great　that　it　might　have　been　imagined　that　she　was　calm。　minges；　Villequier　and　Guitant　were　behind　her　and　the　women　again　were　behind　the　men。　The　Chancellor　Sequier；　who　twenty　years　previously　had　persecuted　her　so　ruthlessly；　stood　before　her；　relating　how　his　carriage　had　been　smashed；　how　he　had　been　pursued　and　had　rushed　into　the　Hotel　d'O　　；　that　the　hotel　was　immediately　invaded；　pillaged　and　devastated；　happily　he　had　time　to　reach　a　closet　hidden　behind　tapestry；　in　which　he　was　secreted　by　an　old　woman；　together　with　his　brother；　the　Bishop　of　Meaux。　Then　the　danger　was　so　imminent；　the　rioters　came　so　near；　uttering　such　threats；　that　the　chancellor　thought　his　last　hour　had　e　and　confessed　himself　to　his　brother　priest；　so　as　to　be　all　ready　to　die　in　case　he　was　discovered。　Fortunately；　however；　he　had　not　been　taken；　the　people；　believing　that　he　had　escaped　by　some　back　entrance；　retired　and　left　him　at　liberty　to　retreat。　Then；　disguised　in　he　clothes　of　the　Marquis　d'O　　；　he　had　left　the　hotel；　stumbling　over　the　bodies　of　an　officer　and　two　guards　who　had　been　killed　whilst　defending　the　street　door。
　　During　the　recital　Mazarin　entered　and　glided　noiselessly　up　to　the　queen　to　listen。
　　〃Well；〃　said　the　queen；　when　the　chancellor　had　finished　speaking；　〃what　do　you　think　of　it　all？〃
　　〃I　think　that　matters　look　very　gloomy；　madame。〃
　　〃But　what　step　would　you　propose　to　me？〃
　　〃I　could　propose　one　to　your　majesty；　but　I　dare　not。〃
　　〃You　may；　you　may；　sir；〃　said　the　queen　with　a　bitter　smile；　〃you　were　not　so　timid　once。〃
　　The　chancellor　reddened　and　stammered　some　words。
　　〃It　is　not　a　question　of　the　past；　but　of　the　present；〃　said　the　queen；　〃you　said　you　could　give　me　advice　　what　is　it？〃
　　〃Madame；〃　said　the　chancellor；　hesitating；　〃it　would　be　to　release　Broussel。〃
　　The　queen；　although　already　pale；　became　visibly　paler　and　her　face　was　contracted。
　　〃Release　Broussel！〃　she　cried；　〃never！〃
　　At　this　moment　steps　were　heard　in　the　ante…room　and　without　any　announcement　the　Marechal　de　la　Meilleraie　appeared　at　the　door。
　　〃Ah；　there　you　are；　marechal；〃　cried　Anne　of　Austria　joyfully。　〃I　trust　you　have　brought　this　rabble　to　reason。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　replied　the　marechal；　〃I　have　left　three　men　on　the　Pont　Neuf；　four　at　the　Halle；　six　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue　de　l'Arbre…Sec　and　two　at　the　door　of　your　palace　　fifteen　in　all。　I　have　brought　away　ten　or　twelve　wounded。　I　know　not　where　I　have　left　my　hat；　and　in　all　probability　I　should　have　been　left　with　my　hat；　had　the　coadjutor　not　arrived　in　time　to　rescue　me。〃
　　〃Ah；　indeed；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　would　have　much　astonished　me　if　that　low　cur；　with　his　distorted　legs；　had　not　been　mixed　up　with　all　this。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　said　La　Meilleraie；　〃do　not　say　too　much　against　him　before　me；　for　the　service　he　rendered　me　is　still　fresh。〃
　　〃Very　good；〃　said　the　queen；　〃be　as　grateful　as　you　like；　it　does　not　implicate　me；　you　are　here　safe　and　sound；　that　is　all　I　wished　for；　you　are　not　only　wele；　but　wele　back。〃
　　〃Yes；　madame；　but　I　only　came　back　on　one　condition　　that　I　would　transmit　to　your　majesty　the　will　of　the　people。〃
　　〃The　will！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　frowning。　〃Oh！　oh！　monsieur　marechal；　you　must　indeed　have　found　yourself　in　wondrous　peril　to　have　undertaken　so　strange　a　mission！〃
　　The　irony　with　which　these　words　were　uttered　did　not　escape　the　marechal。
　　〃Pardon；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not　a　lawyer；　I　am　a　mere　soldier；　and　probably；　therefore；　I　do　not　quite　prehend　the　value　of　certain　words；　I　ought　to　have　said　the　wishes；　and　not　the　will；　of　the　people。　As　for　what　you　do　me　the　honor　to　say；　I　presume　you　mean　I　was　afraid？〃
　　The　queen　smiled。
　　〃Well；　then；　madame；　yes；　I　did　feel　fear；　and　though　I　have　been　through　twelve　pitched　battles　and　I　cannot　count　how　many　charges　and　skirmishes；　I　own　for　the　third　time　in　my　life　I　was　afraid。　Yes；　and　I　would　rather　face　your　majesty；　however　threatening　your　smile；　than　face　those　demons　who　acpanied　me　hither　and　who　sprung　from　I　know　not　whence；　unless　from　deepest　hell。〃
　　（〃　Bravo；〃　said　D'Artagnan　in　a　whisper　to　Porthos；　〃well　answered。〃）
　　〃Well；〃　said　the　queen；　biting　her　lips；　whilst　her　courtiers　looked　at　each　other　with　surprise；　〃what　is　the　desire　of　my　people？〃
　　〃That　Broussel　shall　be　given　up　to　them；　madame。〃
　　〃Never！〃　said　the　queen；　〃never！〃
　　〃Your　majesty　is　mistress；〃　said　La　Meilleraie；　retreating　a　few　steps。
　　〃Where　are　you　going；　marechal？〃　asked　the　queen。
　　〃To　give　your　majesty's　reply　to　those　who　await　it。〃
　　〃Stay；　marechal；　I　will　not　appear　to　parley　with　rebels。〃
　　〃Madame；　I　have　pledged　my　word；　and　unless　you　order　me　to　be　arrested　I　shall　be　forced　to　return。〃
　　Anne　of　Austria's　eyes　shot　glances　of　fire。
　　〃Oh！　that　is　no　impediment；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　had　greater　men　than　you　arrested　　Guitant！〃
　　Mazarin　sprang　forward。
　　〃Madame；　〃said　he；　〃if　I　dared　in　my　turn　advise　　〃
　　〃Would　it　be　to　give　up　Broussel；　sir？　If　so；　you　can　spare　yourself　the　trouble。〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃although；　perhaps；　that　counsel　is　as　good　as　any　other。〃
　　〃Then　what　may　it　be？〃
　　〃To　call　for　monsieur　le　coadjuteur。〃
　　〃The　coadjutor！〃　cried　the　queen；　〃that　dreadful　mischief　maker！　It　is　he　who　has　raised　all　this　revolt。〃
　　〃The　more　reason；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃if　he　has　raised　it　he　can　put　it　down。〃
　　〃And　hold；　madame；〃　suggested　minges；　who　was　near　a　window；　out　of　which　he　could　see；　〃hold；　the　moment　is　a　happy　one；　for　there　he　is　now；　giving　his　blessing　in　the　square　of　the　Palais　Royal。〃
　　The　queen　sprang　to　the　window。
　　〃It　is　true；〃　she　said；　〃the　arch　hypocrite　　see！〃
　　〃I　see；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃that　everybody　kneels　before　him；　although　he　be　but　coadjutor；　whilst　I；　were　I　in　his　place；　though　I　am　cardinal；　should　be　torn　to　pieces。　I　persist；　then；　madame；　in　my　wish〃　（he　laid　an　emphasis　on　the　word）；　〃that　your　majesty　should　receive　the　coadjutor。〃
　　〃And　wherefore　do　you　not　say；　like　the　rest；　your　will？〃　replied　the　queen；　in　a　low　voice。
　　Mazarin　bowed。
　　〃Monsieur　le　marechal；〃　said　the　queen；　after　a　moment's　reflection；　〃go　and　find　the　coadjutor　and　bring　him　to　me。〃
　　〃And　what　shall　I　say　to　the　people？〃
　　〃That　they　must　have　patience；〃　said　Anne；　〃as　I　have。〃
　　The　fiery　Spanish　woman　spoke　in　a　tone　so　imperative　that　the　marechal　made　no　reply；　he　bowed　and　went　out。
　　（D'Artagnan　turned　to　Porthos。　〃How　will　this　end？〃　he　said。
　　〃We　shall　soon　see；〃　said　Porthos；　in　his　tranquil　way。）
　　In　the　meantime　Anne　of　Austria　approached　minges　and　conversed　with　him　in　a　subdued　tone；　whilst　Mazarin　glanced　uneasily　at　the　corner　occupied　by　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。　Ere　long　the　door　opened　and　the　marechal　entered；　followed　by　the　coadjutor。
　　〃There；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃is　Monsieur　Gondy；　who　hastens　to　obey　your　majesty's　summons。〃
　　The　queen　advanced　a　few　steps　to　meet　him；　and　then　stopped；　cold；　severe；　unmoved；　with　her　lower　lip　scornfully　protruded。
　　Gondy　bowed　respectfully。
　　〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　〃what　is　your　opinion　of　this　riot？〃
　　〃That　it　is　no　longer　a　riot；　madame；〃　he　replied；　〃but　a　revolt。〃
　　〃The　revolt　is　at　the　door　of　those　who　think　my　people　can　rebel；〃　cried　Anne；　unable　to　dissimulate　before　the　coadjutor；　whom　she　looked　upon；　and　probably　with　reason；　as　the　promoter　of　the　tumult。　〃Revolt！　thus　it　is　called　by　those　who　have　wished　for　this　demonstration　and　who　are；　perhaps；　the　cause　of　it；　but；　wait；　wait！　the　king's　authority　will　put　all　this　to　rights。〃
　　〃Was　it　to　tell　me　that；　madame；〃　coldly　replied　Gondy；　〃that　your　majesty　admitted　me　to　the　honor　of　entering　your　presence？〃
　　〃No；　my　dear　coadjutor；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃it　was　to　ask　your　advice　in　the　unhappy　dilemma　in　which　we　find　ourselves。〃
　　〃Is　it　true；〃　asked　Gondy；　feigning　astonishment；　〃that　her　majesty　summoned　me　to　ask　for　my　opinion？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　is　requested。〃
　　The　coadjutor　bowed。
　　〃Your　majesty　wishes；　then　　〃
　　〃You　to　say　what　you　would　do　in　her　place；〃　Mazarin　hastened　to　reply。
　　The　coadjutor　looked　at　the　queen；　who　replied　by　a　sign　in　the　affirmative。
　　〃Were　I　in　her　majesty's　place；〃　said　Gondy；　coldly；　〃I　should　not　hesitate；　I　should　release　Broussel。〃
　　〃And　if　I　do　not　give　him　up；　what　think　you　will　be　the　result？〃　exclaimed　the　queen。
　　〃I　believe　that　not　a　stone　in　Paris　will　remain　unturned；〃　put　in　the　marechal。
　　〃It　was　not　your　opinion　that　I　asked；〃　said　the　queen；　sharply；　without　even　turning　around。
　　〃If　it　is　I　whom　your　majesty　interrogates；〃　replied　the　coadjutor　in　the　same　calm　manner；　〃I　reply　that　I　hold　monsieur　le　marechal's　opinion　in　every　respect。〃
　　The　color　mounted　to　the　queen's　face；　her　fine　blue　eyes　seemed　to　start　out　of　her　head　and　her　carmine　lips；　pared　by　all　the　poets　of　the　day　to　a　pomegranate　in　flower；　were　trembling　with　anger。　Mazarin　himself；　who　was　well　accustomed　to　the　domestic　outbreaks　of　this　disturbed　household；　was　alarmed。
　　〃Give　up　Broussel！〃　she　cried；　〃fine　counsel；　indeed。　Upon　my　word！　one　can　easily　see　it　es　from　a　priest。
　　Gondy　remained　firm；　and　the　abuse　of　the　day　seemed　to　glide　over　his　head　as　the　sarcasms　of　the　evening　before　had　done；　but　hatred　and　revenge　were　accumulating　in　his　he