twenty years after(二十年后)-第84节

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subjects？　Have　I　friends？　Have　I　guards？　Ah！　by　Notre　Dame！
as　Queen　Catherine　used　to　say；〃　continued　she；　excited　by
her　own　words；　〃rather　than　give　up　this　infamous　Broussel
to　them　I　will　strangle　him　with　my　own　hands！〃
And　she　sprang　toward　Gondy；　whom　assuredly　at　that　moment
she　hated　more　than　Broussel；　with　outstretched　arms。　The
coadjutor　remained　immovable　and　not　a　muscle　of　his　face
was　discomposed；　only　his　glance　flashed　like　a　sword　in
returning　the　furious　looks　of　the　queen。
（〃He　were　a　dead　man）〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃if　there　were　still
a　Vitry　at　the　court　and　if　Vitry　entered　at　this　moment；
but　for　my　part；　before　he　could　reach　the　good　prelate　I
would　kill　Vitry　at　once；　the　cardinal　would　be　infinitely
pleased　with　me。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　Porthos；　〃listen。〃）
〃Madame；〃　cried　the　cardinal；　seizing　hold　of　Anne　and
drawing　her　back；　〃Madame；　what　are　you　about？〃
Then　he　added　in　Spanish；　〃Anne；　are　you　mad？　You；　a　queen
to　quarrel　like　a　washerwoman！　And　do　you　not　perceive　that
in　the　person　of　this　priest　is　represented　the　whole　people
of　Paris　and　that　it　is　dangerous　to　insult　him　at　this
moment；　and　if　this　priest　wished　it；　in　an　hour　you　would
be　without　a　crown？　Come；　then；　on　another　occasion　you　can
be　firm　and　strong；　but　to…day　is　not　the　proper　time；
to…day；　flatter　and　caress；　or　you　are　only　a　common　woman。〃
（At　the　first　words　of　this　address　D'Artagnan　had　seized
Porthos's　arm；　which　he　pressed　with　gradually　increasing
force。　When　Mazarin　ceased　speaking　he　said　to　Porthos　in　a
low　tone：
〃Never　tell　Mazarin　that　I　understand　Spanish；　or　I　am　a
lost　man　and　you　are　also。〃
〃All　right；〃　said　Porthos。）
This　rough　appeal；　marked　by　the　eloquence　which
characterized　Mazarin　when　he　spoke　in　Italian　or　Spanish
and　which　he　lost　entirely　in　speaking　French；　was　uttered
with　such　impenetrable　expression　that　Gondy；　clever
physiognomist　as　he　was；　had　no　suspicion　of　its　being　more
than　a　simple　warning　to　be　more　subdued。
The　queen；　on　her　part；　thus　chided；　softened　immediately
and　sat　down；　and　in　an　almost　weeping　voice；　letting　her
arms　fall　by　her　side；　said：
〃Pardon　me；　sir；　and　attribute　this　violence　to　what　I
suffer。　A　woman；　and　consequently　subject　to　the　weaknesses
of　my　sex；　I　am　alarmed　at　the　idea　of　civil　war；　a　queen；
accustomed　to　be　obeyed；　I　am　excited　at　the　first
opposition。〃
〃Madame；〃　replied　Gondy；　bowing；　〃your　majesty　is　mistaken
in　qualifying　my　sincere　advice　as　opposition。　Your　majesty
has　none　but　submissive　and　respectful　subjects。　It　is　not
the　queen　with　whom　the　people　are　displeased；　they　ask　for
Broussel　and　are　only　too　happy；　if　you　release　him　to　them；
to　live　under　your　government。〃
Mazarin；　who　at　the　words；　〃It　is　not　the　queen　with　whom
the　people　are　displeased；〃　had　pricked　up　his　ears；
thinking　that　the　coadjutor　was　about　to　speak　of　the　cries；
〃Down　with　Mazarin；〃　and　pleased　with　Gondy's　suppression　of
this　fact；　he　said　with　his　sweetest　voice　and　his　most
gracious　expression：
〃Madame；　credit　the　coadjutor；　who　is　one　of　the　most　able
politicians　we　have；　the　first　available　cardinal's　hat
seems　to　belong　already　to　his　noble　brow。〃
〃Ah！　how　much　you　have　need　of　me；　cunning　rogue！〃　thought
Gondy。
（〃And　what　will　he　promise　us？〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Peste；　if
he　is　giving　away　hats　like　that；　Porthos；　let　us　look　out
and　both　demand　a　regiment　to…morrow。　Corbleu！　let　the　civil
war　last　but　one　year　and　I　will　have　a　constable's　sword
gilt　for　me。〃
〃And　for　me？〃　put　in　Porthos。
〃For　you？　I　will　give　you　the　baton　of　the　Marechal　de　la
Meilleraie；　who　does　not　seem　to　be　much　in　favor　just
now。〃）
〃And　so；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　〃you　are　seriously　afraid　of
a　public　tumult。〃
〃Seriously；〃　said　Gondy；　astonished　at　not　having　further
advanced；　〃I　fear　that　when　the　torrent　has　broken　its
embankment　it　will　cause　fearful　destruction。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　the　queen；　〃think　that　in　such　a　case　other
embankments　should　be　raised　to　oppose　it。　Go；　I　will
reflect。〃
Gondy　looked　at　Mazarin；　astonished；　and　Mazarin　approached
the　queen　to　speak　to　her；　but　at　this　moment　a　frightful
tumult　arose　from　the　square　of　the　Palais　Royal。
Gondy　smiled；　the　queen's　color　rose　and　Mazarin　grew　even
paler。
〃What　is　that　again？〃　he　asked。
At　this　moment　Comminges　rushed　into　the　room。
〃Pardon；　your　majesty；〃　he　cried；　〃but　the　people　have
dashed　the　sentinels　against　the　gates　and　they　are　now
forcing　the　doors；　what　are　your　commands？〃
〃Listen；　madame；〃　said　Gondy。
The　moaning　of　waves；　the　noise　of　thunder；　the　roaring　of　a
volcano；　cannot　be　compared　with　the　tempest　of　cries　heard
at　that　moment。
〃What　are　my　commands？〃　said　the　queen。
〃Yes；　for　time　presses。〃
〃How　many　men　have　you　about　the　Palais　Royal？〃
〃Six　hundred。〃
〃Place　a　hundred　around　the　king　and　with　the　remainder
sweep　away　this　mob　for　me。〃
〃Madame；〃　cried　Mazarin；　〃what　are　you　about？〃
〃Go！〃　said　the　queen。
Comminges　went　out　with　a　soldier's　passive　obedience。
At　this　moment　a　monstrous　battering　was　heard。　One　of　the
gates　began　to　yield。
〃Oh！　madame；〃　cried　Mazarin；　〃you　have　ruined　us　all　　the
king；　yourself　and　me。〃
At　this　cry　from　the　soul　of　the　frightened　cardinal；　Anne
became　alarmed　in　her　turn　and　would　have　recalled
Comminges。
〃It　is　too　late；〃　said　Mazarin；　tearing　his　hair；　〃too
late！〃
The　gale　had　given　way。　Hoarse　shouts　were　heard　from　the
excited　mob。　D'Artagnan　put　his　hand　to　his　sword；　motioning
to　Porthos　to　follow　his　example。
〃Save　the　queen！〃　cried　Mazarin　to　the　coadjutor。
Gondy　sprang　to　the　window　and　threw　it　open；　he　recognized
Louvieres　at　the　head　of　a　troop　of　about　three　or　four
thousand　men。
〃Not　a　step　further；〃　he　shouted；　〃the　queen　is　signing！〃
〃What　are　you　saying？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃The　truth；　madame；〃　said　Mazarin；　placing　a　pen　and　a　paper
before　her；　〃you　must；〃　then　he　added：　〃Sign；　Anne；　I
implore　you　　I　command　you。〃
The　queen　fell　into　a　chair；　took　the　pen　and　signed。
The　people；　kept　back　by　Louvieres；　had　not　made　another
step　forward；　but　the　awful　murmuring；　which　indicates　an
angry　people；　continued。
The　queen　had　written；　〃The　keeper　of　the　prison　at　Saint
Germain　will　set　Councillor　Broussel　at　liberty；〃　and　she
had　signed　it。
The　coadjutor；　whose　eyes　devoured　her　slightest　movements；
seized　the　paper　immediately　the　signature　had　been　affixed
to　it；　returned　to　the　window　and　waved　it　in　his　hand。
〃This　is　the　order；〃　he　said。
All　Paris　seemed　to　shout　with　joy；　and　then　the　air
resounded　with　the　cries　of　〃Long　live　Broussel！〃　〃Long　live
the　coadjutor！〃
〃Long　live　the　queen！〃　cried　De　Gondy；　but　the　cries　which
replied　to　his　were　poor　and　few；　and　perhaps　he　had　but
uttered　it　to　make　Anne　of　Austria　sensible　of　her　weakness。
〃And　now　that　you　have　obtained　what　you　want；　go；〃　said
she；　〃Monsieur　de　Gondy。〃
〃Whenever　her　majesty　has　need　of　me；〃　replied　the
coadjutor；　bowing；　〃her　majesty　knows　I　am　at　her　command。〃
〃Ah；　cursed　priest！〃　cried　Anne；　when　he　had　retired；
stretching　out　her　arm　to　the　scarcely　closed　door；　〃one　day
I　will　make　you　drink　the　dregs　of　the　atrocious　gall　you
have　poured　out　on　me　to…day。〃
Mazarin　wished　to　approach　her。　〃Leave　me！〃　she　exclaimed；
〃you　are　not　a　man！〃　and　she　went　out　of　the　room。
〃It　is　you　who　are　not　a　woman；〃　muttered　Mazarin。
Then；　after　a　moment　of　reverie；　he　remembered　where　he　had
left　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　and　that　they　must　have
overheard　everything。　He　knit　his　brows　and　went　direct　to
the　tapestry；　which　he　pushed　aside。　The　closet　was　empty。
At　the　queen's　last　word；　D'Artagnan　had　dragged　Porthos
into　the　gallery。　Thither　Mazarin　went　in　his　turn　and　found
the　two　friends　walking　up　and　down。
〃Why　did　you　leave　the　closet；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan？〃　asked
the　cardinal。
〃Because；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃the　queen　desired　every　one
to　leave　and　I　thought　that　this　command　was　intended　for　us
as　well　as　for　the　rest。〃
〃And　you　have　been　here　since　　〃
〃About　a　quarter　of　an　hour；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　motioning　to
Porthos　not　to　contradict　him。
Mazarin　saw　the　sign　and　remained　convinced　that　D'Artagnan
had　seen　and　heard　everything；　but　he　was　pleased　with　his
falsehood。
〃Decidedly；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　you　are　the　man　I　have　been
seeking。　You　may　reckon　upon　me　and　so　may　your　friend。〃
Then　bowing　to　the　two　musketeers　with　his　most　gracious
smile；　he　re…entered　his　closet　more　calmly；　for　on　the
departure　of　De　Gondy　the　uproar　had　ceased　as　though　by
enchantment。

49
Misfortune　refreshes　the　Memory。

Anne　of　Austria　returned　to　her　oratory；　furious。
〃What！〃　she　cried；　wringing　her　beautiful　hands；　〃What！　the
people　have　seen　Monsieur　de　Conde；　a　prince　of　the　blood
royal；　arrested　by　my　mother…in…law；　Maria　de　Medicis；　they
saw　my　mother…in…law；　their　former　regent；　expelled　by　the
cardinal；　they　saw　Monsieur　de　Vendome；　that　is　to　say；　the
son　of　Henry　IV。；　a　prisoner　at　Vincennes；　and　whilst　these
great　personages　were　imprisoned；　insulted　and　threatened；
they　said　nothing；　and　now　for　a　Broussel　　good　God！　what；
then；　is　to　become　of　royalty？〃
The　queen　unconsciously　touched　here　upon　the　exciting
question。　The　people　had　made　no