twenty years after(二十年后)-第85节

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The　queen　unconsciously　touched　here　upon　the　exciting
question。　The　people　had　made　no　demonstration　for　the
princes；　but　they　had　risen　for　Broussel；　they　were　taking
the　part　of　a　plebeian　and　in　defending　Broussel　they
instinctively　felt　they　were　defending　themselves。
During　this　time　Mazarin　walked　up　and　down　the　study；
glancing　from　time　to　time　at　his　beautiful　Venetian　mirror；
starred　in　every　direction。　〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃it　is　sad；　I
know　well；　to　be　forced　to　yield　thus；　but；　pshaw！　we　shall
have　our　revenge。　What　matters　it　about　Broussel　　it　is　a
name；　not　a　thing。〃
Mazarin；　clever　politician　as　he　was；　was　for　once　mistaken；
Broussel　was　a　thing；　not　a　name。
The　next　morning；　therefore；　when　Broussel　made　his　entrance
into　Paris　in　a　large　carriage；　having　his　son　Louvieres　at
his　side　and　Friquet　behind　the　vehicle；　the　people　threw
themselves　in　his　way　and　cries　of　〃Long　live　Broussel！〃
〃Long　live　our　father！〃　resounded　from　all　parts　and　was
death　to　Mazarin's　ears；　and　the　cardinal's　spies　brought
bad　news　from　every　direction；　which　greatly　agitated　the
minister；　but　was　calmly　received　by　the　queen。　The　latter
seemed　to　be　maturing　in　her　mind　some　great　stroke；　a　fact
which　increased　the　uneasiness　of　the　cardinal；　who　knew　the
proud　princess　and　dreaded　much　the　determination　of　Anne　of
Austria。
The　coadjutor　returned　to　parliament　more　a　monarch　than
king；　queen；　and　cardinal；　all　three　together。　By　his　advice
a　decree　from　parliament　summoned　the　citizens　to　lay　down
their　arms　and　demolish　the　barricades。　They　now　knew　that
it　required　but　one　hour　to　take　up　arms　again　and　one　night
to　reconstruct　the　barricades。
Rochefort　had　returned　to　the　Chevalier　d'Humieres　his　fifty
horsemen；　less　two；　missing　at　roll　call。　But　the　chevalier
was　himself　at　heart　a　Frondist　and　would　hear　nothing　said
of　compensation。
The　mendicant　had　gone　to　his　old　place　on　the　steps　of
Saint　Eustache　and　was　again　distributing　holy　water　with
one　hand　and　asking　alms　with　the　other。　No　one　could
suspect　that　those　two　hands　had　been　engaged　with　others　in
drawing　out　from　the　social　edifice　the　keystone　of　royalty。
Louvieres　was　proud　and　satisfied；　he　had　taken　revenge　on
Mazarin　and　had　aided　in　his　father's　deliverance　from
prison。　His　name　had　been　mentioned　as　a　name　of　terror　at
the　Palais　Royal。　Laughingly　he　said　to　the　councillor；
restored　to　his　family：
〃Do　you　think；　father；　that　if　now　I　should　ask　for　a
company　the　queen　would　give　it　to　me？〃
D'Artagnan　profited　by　this　interval　of　calm　to　send　away
Raoul；　whom　he　had　great　difficulty　in　keeping　shut　up
during　the　riot；　and　who　wished　positively　to　strike　a　blow
for　one　party　or　the　other。　Raoul　had　offered　some
opposition　at　first；　but　D'Artagnan　made　use　of　the　Comte　de
la　Fere's　name；　and　after　paying　a　visit　to　Madame　de
Chevreuse；　Raoul　started　to　rejoin　the　army。
Rochefort　alone　was　dissatisfied　with　the　termination　of
affairs。　He　had　written　to　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　to　come　and
the　duke　was　about　to　arrive；　and　he　world　find　Paris
tranquil。　He　went　to　the　coadjutor　to　consult　with　him
whether　it　would　not　be　better　to　send　word　to　the　duke　to
stop　on　the　road；　but　Gondy　reflected　for　a　moment；　and　then
said：
〃Let　him　continue　his　journey。〃
〃All　is　not　then　over？〃　asked　Rochefort。
〃My　dear　count；　we　have　only　just　begun。〃
〃What　induces　you　to　think　so？〃
〃The　knowledge　that　I　have　of　the　queen's　heart；　she　will
not　rest　contented　beaten。〃
〃Is　she；　then；　preparing　for　a　stroke？〃
〃I　hope　so。〃
〃Come；　let　us　see　what　you　know。〃
〃I　know　that　she　has　written　to　the　prince　to　return　in
haste　from　the　army。〃
〃Ah！　ha！〃　said　Rochefort；　〃you　are　right。　We　must　let
Monsieur　de　Beaufort　come。〃
In　fact；　the　evening　after　this　conversation　the　report　was
circulated　that　the　Prince　de　Conde　had　arrived。　It　was　a
very　simple；　natural　circumstance　and　yet　it　created　a
profound　sensation。　It　was　said　that　Madame　de　Longueville；
for　whom　the　prince　had　more　than　a　brother's　affection　and
in　whom　he　had　confided；　had　been　indiscreet。　His　confidence
had　unveiled　the　sinister　project　of　the　queen。
Even　on　the　night　of　the　prince's　return；　some　citizens；
bolder　than　the　rest；　such　as　the　sheriffs；　captains　and　the
quartermaster；　went　from　house　to　house　among　their　friends；
saying：
〃Why　do　we　not　take　the　king　and　place　him　in　the　Hotel　de
Ville？　It　is　a　shame　to　leave　him　to　be　educated　by　our
enemies；　who　will　give　him　evil　counsel；　whereas；　brought　up
by　the　coadjutor；　for　instance；　he　would　imbibe　national
principles　and　love　his　people。〃
That　night　the　question　was　secretly　agitated　and　on　the
morrow　the　gray　and　black　cloaks；　the　patrols　of　armed
shop…people；　and　the　bands　of　mendicants　reappeared。
The　queen　had　passed　the　night　in　lonely　conference　with　the
prince；　who　had　entered　the　oratory　at　midnight　and　did　not
leave　till　five　o'clock　in　the　morning。
At　five　o'clock　Anne　went　to　the　cardinal's　room。　If　she　had
not　yet　taken　any　repose；　he　at　least　was　already　up。　Six
days　had　already　passed　out　of　the　ten　he　had　asked　from
Mordaunt；　he　was　therefore　occupied　in　revising　his　reply　to
Cromwell；　when　some　one　knocked　gently　at　the　door　of
communication　with　the　queen's　apartments。　Anne　of　Austria
alone　was　permitted　to　enter　by　that　door。　The　cardinal
therefore　rose　to　open　it。
The　queen　was　in　a　morning　gown；　but　it　became　her　still；
for；　like　Diana　of　Poictiers　and　Ninon；　Anne　of　Austria
enjoyed　the　privilege　of　remaining　ever　beautiful；
nevertheless；　this　morning　she　looked　handsomer　than　usual；
for　her　eyes　had　all　the　sparkle　inward　satisfaction　adds　to
expression。
〃What　is　the　matter；　madame？〃　said　Mazarin；　uneasily。　〃You
seem　secretly　elated。〃
〃Yes；　Giulio；〃　she　said；　〃proud　and　happy；　for　I　have　found
the　means　of　strangling　this　hydra。〃
〃You　are　a　great　politician；　my　queen；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃let
us　hear　the　means。〃　And　he　hid　what　he　had　written　by
sliding　the　letter　under　a　folio　of　blank　paper。
〃You　know；〃　said　the　queen；　〃that　they　want　to　take　the　king
away　from　me？〃
〃Alas！　yes；　and　to　hang　me。〃
〃They　shall　not　have　the　king。〃
〃Nor　hang　me。〃
〃Listen。　I　want　to　carry　off　my　son　from　them；　with
yourself。　I　wish　that　this　event；　which　on　the　day　it　is
known　will　completely　change　the　aspect　of　affairs；　should
be　accomplished　without　the　knowledge　of　any　others　but
yourself；　myself；　and　a　third　person。〃
〃And　who　is　this　third　person？〃
〃Monsieur　le　Prince。〃
〃He　has　come；　then；　as　they　told　me？〃
〃Last　evening。〃
〃And　you　have　seen　him？〃
〃He　has　just　left　me。〃
〃And　will　he　aid　this　project？〃
〃The　plan　is　his　own。〃
〃And　Paris？〃
〃He　will　starve　it　out　and　force　it　to　surrender　at
discretion。〃
〃The　plan　is　not　wanting　in　grandeur；　I　see　but　one
impediment。〃
〃What　is　it？〃
〃Impossibility。〃
〃A　senseless　word。　Nothing　is　impossible。〃
〃On　paper。〃
〃In　execution。　We　have　money？〃
〃A　little；〃　said　Mazarin；　trembling；　lest　Anne　should　ask　to
draw　upon　his　purse。
〃Troops？〃
〃Five　or　six　thousand　men。〃
〃Courage？〃
〃Plenty。〃
〃Then　the　thing　is　easy。　Oh！　do　think　of　it；　Giulio！　Paris；
this　odious　Paris；　waking　up　one　morning　without　queen　or
king；　surrounded；　besieged；　famished　　having　for　its　sole
resource　its　stupid　parliament　and　their　coadjutor　with
crooked　limbs！〃
〃Charming！　charming！〃　said　Mazarin。　〃I　can　imagine　the
effect；　I　do　not　see　the　means。〃
〃I　will　find　the　means　myself。〃
〃You　are　aware　it　will　be　war；　civil　war；　furious；
devouring；　implacable？〃
〃Oh！　yes；　yes；　war；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria。　〃Yes；　I　will
reduce　this　rebellious　city　to　ashes。　I　will　extinguish　the
fire　with　blood！　I　will　perpetuate　the　crime　and　punishment
by　making　a　frightful　example。　Paris！；　I　　I　detest；　I
loathe　it！〃
〃Very　fine；　Anne。　You　are　now　sanguinary；　but　take　care。　We
are　not　in　the　time　of　Malatesta　and　Castruccio　Castracani。
You　will　get　yourself　decapitated；　my　beautiful　queen；　and
that　would　be　a　pity。〃
〃You　laugh。〃
〃Faintly。　It　is　dangerous　to　go　to　war　with　a　nation。　Look
at　your　brother　monarch；　Charles　I。　He　is　badly　off；　very
badly。〃
〃We　are　in　France；　and　I　am　Spanish。〃
〃So　much　the　worse；　I　had　much　rather　you　were　French　and
myself　also；　they　would　hate　us　both　less。〃
〃Nevertheless；　you　consent？〃
〃Yes；　if　the　thing　be　possible。〃
〃It　is；　it　is　I　who　tell　you　so；　make　preparations　for
departure。〃
〃I！　I　am　always　prepared　to　go；　only；　as　you　know；　I　never
do　go；　and　perhaps　shall　go　this　time　as　little　as　before。〃
〃In　short；　if　I　go；　will　you　go　too？〃
〃I　will　try。〃
〃You　torment　me；　Giulio；　with　your　fears；　and　what　are　you
afraid　of；　then？〃
〃Of　many　things。〃
〃What　are　they？〃
Mazarin's　face；　smiling　as　it　was；　became　clouded。
〃Anne；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　but　a　woman　and　as　a　woman　you　may
insult　men　at　your　ease；　knowing　that　you　can　do　it　with
impunity。　You　accuse　me　of　fear；　I　have　not　so　much　as　you
have；　since　I　do　not　fly　as　you　do。　Against　whom　do　they　cry
out？　is　it　against　you　or　against　myself？　Whom　would　they
hang；　yourself　or　me？　Well；　I　can　weather　the　storm　　I；
whom；　notwithstanding；　you　tax　with　fear　　not　with
bravado；　that　is　not　my　way；　but　I　am　firm。　Imitate　me。　Make
less　hubbub　and　think　more　de