twenty years after(二十年后)-第64节

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〃A　French　nurse；　who　sent　me　away　when　I　was　five　years　old
because　no　one　paid　her　for　me；　telling　me　the　name　of　a
relation　of　whom　she　had　heard　my　mother　often　speak。〃
〃What　became　of　you？〃
〃As　I　was　weeping　and　begging　on　the　high　road；　a　minister
from　Kingston　took　me　in；　instructed　me　in　the　Calvinistic
faith；　taught　me　all　he　knew　himself　and　aided　me　in　my
researches　after　my　family。〃
〃And　these　researches？〃
〃Were　fruitless；　chance　did　everything。〃
〃You　discovered　what　had　become　of　your　mother？〃
〃I　learned　that　she　had　been　assassinated　by　my　relation；
aided　by　four　friends；　but　I　was　already　aware　that　I　had
been　robbed　of　my　wealth　and　degraded　from　my　nobility　by
King　Charles　I。〃
〃Oh！　I　now　understand　why　you　are　in　the　service　of
Cromwell；　you　hate　the　king。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；　I　hate　him！〃　said　the　young　man。
Mazarin　marked　with　surprise　the　diabolical　expression　with
which　the　young　man　uttered　these　words。　Just　as；
ordinarily；　faces　are　colored　by　blood；　his　face　seemed　dyed
by　hatred　and　became　livid。
〃Your　history　is　a　terrible　one；　Mr。　Mordaunt；　and　touches
me　keenly；　but　happily　for　you；　you　serve　an　all…powerful
master；　he　ought　to　aid　you　in　your　search；　we　have　so　many
means　of　gaining　information。〃
〃My　lord；　to　a　well…bred　dog　it　is　only　necessary　to　show
one　end　of　a　track；　he　is　certain　to　reach　the　other。〃
〃But　this　relation　you　mentioned　　do　you　wish　me　to　speak
to　him？〃　said　Mazarin；　who　was　anxious　to　make　a　friend
about　Cromwell's　person。
〃Thanks；　my　lord；　I　will　speak　to　him　myself。　He　will　treat
me　better　the　next　time　I　see　him。〃
〃You　have　the　means；　then；　of　touching　him？〃
〃I　have　the　means　of　making　myself　feared。〃
Mazarin　looked　at　the　young　man；　but　at　the　fire　which　shot
from　his　glance　he　bent　his　head；　then；　embarrassed　how　to
continue　such　a　conversation；　he　opened　Cromwell's　letter。
The　young　man's　eyes　gradually　resumed　their　dull　and　glassy
appearance　and　he　fell　into　a　profound　reverie。　After
reading　the　first　lines　of　the　letter　Mazarin　gave　a　side
glance　at　him　to　see　if　he　was　watching　the　expression　of
his　face　as　he　read。　Observing　his　indifference；　he　shrugged
his　shoulders；　saying：
〃Send　on　your　business　those　who　do　theirs　at　the　same　time！
Let　us　see　what　this　letter　contains。〃
We　here　present　the　letter　verbatim：

〃To　his　Eminence；　Monseigneur　le　Cardinal　Mazarini：
〃I　have　wished；　monseigneur；　to　learn　your　intentions
relating　to　the　existing　state　of　affairs　in　England。　The
two　kingdoms　are　so　near　that　France　must　be　interested　in
our　situation；　as　we　are　interested　in　that　of　France。　The
English　are　almost　of　one　mind　in　contending　against　the
tyranny　of　Charles　and　his　adherents。　Placed　by　popular
confidence　at　the　head　of　that　movement；　I　can　appreciate
better　than　any　other　its　significance　and　its　probable
results。　I　am　at　present　in　the　midst　of　war；　and　am　about
to　deliver　a　decisive　battle　against　King　Charles。　I　shall
gain　it；　for　the　hope　of　the　nation　and　the　Spirit　of　the
Lord　are　with　me。　This　battle　won　by　me；　the　king　will　have
no　further　resources　in　England　or　in　Scotland；　and　if　he　is
not　captured　or　killed；　he　will　endeavor　to　pass　over　into
France　to　recruit　soldiers　and　to　refurnish　himself　with
arms　and　money。　France　has　already　received　Queen　Henrietta；
and；　unintentionally；　doubtless；　has　maintained　a　centre　of
inextinguishable　civil　war　in　my　country。　But　Madame
Henrietta　is　a　daughter　of　France　and　was　entitled　to　the
hospitality　of　France。　As　to　King　Charles；　the　question　must
be　viewed　differently；　in　receiving　and　aiding　him；　France
will　censure　the　acts　of　the　English　nation；　and　thus　so
essentially　harm　England；　and　especially　the　well…being　of
the　government；　that　such　a　proceeding　will　be　equivalent　to
pronounced　hostilities。〃

At　this　moment　Mazarin　became　very　uneasy　at　the　turn　which
the　letter　was　taking　and　paused　to　glance　under　his　eyes　at
the　young　man。　The　latter　continued　in　thought。　Mazarin
resumed　his　reading：

〃It　is　important；　therefore；　monseigneur；　that　I　should　be
informed　as　to　the　intentions　of　France。　The　interests　of
that　kingdom　and　those　of　England；　though　taking　now　diverse
directions；　are　very　nearly　the　same。　England　needs
tranquillity　at　home；　in　order　to　consummate　the　expulsion
of　her　king；　France　needs　tranquillity　to　establish　on　solid
foundations　the　throne　of　her　young　monarch。　You　need；　as
much　as　we　do；　that　interior　condition　of　repose　which；
thanks　to　the　energy　of　our　government；　we　are　about　to
attain。
〃Your　quarrels　with　the　parliament；　your　noisy　dissensions
with　the　princes；　who　fight　for　you　to…day　and　to…morrow
will　fight　against　you；　the　popular　following　directed　by
the　coadjutor；　President　Blancmesnil；　and　Councillor
Broussel　　all　that　disorder；　in　short；　which　pervades　the
several　departments　of　the　state；　must　lead　you　to　view　with
uneasiness　the　possibility　of　a　foreign　war；　for　in　that
event　England；　exalted　by　the　enthusiasm　of　new　ideas；　will
ally　herself　with　Spain；　already　seeking　that　alliance。　I
have　therefore　believed；　monseigneur；　knowing　your　prudence
and　your　personal　relation　to　the　events　of　the　present
time；　that　you　will　choose　to　hold　your　forces　concentrated
in　the　interior　of　the　French　kingdom　and　leave　to　her　own
the　new　government　of　England。　That　neutrality　consists
simply　in　excluding　King　Charles　from　the　territory　of
France　and　in　refraining　from　helping　him　　a　stranger　to
your　country　　with　arms；　with　money　or　with　troops。
〃My　letter　is　private　and　confidential；　and　for　that　reason
I　send　it　to　you　by　a　man　who　shares　my　most　intimate
counsels。　It　anticipates；　through　a　sentiment　which　your
eminence　will　appreciate；　measures　to　be　taken　after　the
events。　Oliver　Cromwell　considered　it　more　expedient　to
declare　himself　to　a　mind　as　intelligent　as　Mazarin's　than
to　a　queen　admirable　for　firmness；　without　doubt；　but　too
much　guided　by　vain　prejudices　of　birth　and　of　divine　right。
〃Farewell；　monseigneur；　should　I　not　receive　a　reply　in　the
space　of　fifteen　days；　I　shall　presume　my　letter　will　have
miscarried。
〃Oliver　Cromwell。〃

〃Mr。　Mordaunt；〃　said　the　cardinal；　raising　his　voice；　as　if
to　arouse　the　dreamer；　〃my　reply　to　this　letter　will　be　more
satisfactory　to　General　Cromwell　if　I　am　convinced　that　all
are　ignorant　of　my　having　given　one；　go；　therefore；　and
await　it　at　Boulogne…sur…Mer；　and　promise　me　to　set　out
to…morrow　morning。〃
〃I　promise；　my　lord；〃　replied　Mordaunt；　〃but　how　many　days
does　your　eminence　expect　me　to　await　your　reply？〃
〃If　you　do　not　receive　it　in　ten　days　you　can　leave。〃
Mordaunt　bowed。
〃That　is　not　all；　sir；〃　continued　Mazarin；　〃your　private
adventures　have　touched　me　to　the　quick；　besides；　the　letter
from　Mr。　Cromwell　makes　you　an　important　person　as
ambassador；　come；　tell　me；　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；　accompanied　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。

38
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　accommodate
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
come　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　cardi