twenty years after(二十年后)-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


it　will　be　some　one　else。　Monsieur　le　Prince　is　led　by　the
coadjutor；　who　is　led　by　Madame　de　Guemenee。〃
〃Therefore；　madame；　I　ask　you　to　look；　not　among　your
friends　of　to…day；　but　among　those　of　other　times。〃
〃Among　my　friends　of　other　times？〃　said　the　queen。
〃Yes；　among　your　friends　of　other　times；　among　those　who
aided　you　to　contend　against　the　Duc　de　Richelieu　and　even
to　conquer　him。〃
〃What　is　he　aiming　at？〃　murmured　the　queen；　looking　uneasily
at　the　cardinal。
〃Yes；〃　continued　his　eminence；　〃under　certain　circumstances；
with　that　strong　and　shrewd　mind　your　majesty　possesses；
aided　by　your　friends；　you　were　able　to　repel　the　attacks　of
that　adversary。〃
〃I！〃　said　the　queen。　〃I　suffered；　that　is　all。〃
〃Yes。〃　said　Mazarin；　〃as　women　suffer　in　avenging
themselves。　Come；　let　us　come　to　the　point。　Do　you　know
Monsieur　de　Rochefort？〃
〃One　of　my　bitterest　enemies　　the　faithful　friend　of
Cardinal　Richelieu。〃
〃I　know　that；　and　we　sent　him　to　the　Bastile；〃　said　Mazarin。
〃Is　be　at　liberty？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃No；　still　there；　but　I　only　speak　of　him　in　order　that　I
may　introduce　the　name　of　another　man。　Do　you　know　Monsieur
d'Artagnan？〃　he　added；　looking　steadfastly　at　the　queen。
Anne　of　Austria　received　the　blow　with　a　beating　heart。
〃Has　the　Gascon　been　indiscreet？〃　she　murmured　to　herself；
then　said　aloud：
〃D'Artagnan！　stop　an　instant；　the　name　seems　certainly
familiar。　D'Artagnan！　there　was　a　musketeer　who　was　in　love
with　one　of　my　women。　Poor　young　creature！　she　was　poisoned
on　my　account。〃
〃That's　all　you　know　of　him？〃　asked　Mazarin。
The　queen　looked　at　him；　surprised。
〃You　seem；　sir；〃　she　remarked；　〃to　be　making　me　undergo　a
course　of　cross…examination。〃
〃Which　you　answer　according　to　your　fancy；〃　replied　Mazarin。
〃Tell　me　your　wishes　and　I　will　comply　with　them。〃
The　queen　spoke　with　some　impatience。
〃Well；　madame；〃　said　Mazarin；　bowing；　〃I　desire　that　you
give　me　a　share　in　your　friends；　as　I　have　shared　with　you
the　little　industry　and　talent　that　Heaven　has　given　me。　The
circumstances　are　grave　and　it　will　be　necessary　to　act
promptly。〃
〃Still！〃　said　the　queen。　〃I　thought　that　we　were　finally
quit　of　Monsieur　de　Beaufort。〃
〃Yes；　you　saw　only　the　torrent　that　threatened　to　overturn
everything　and　you　gave　no　attention　to　the　still　water。
There　is；　however；　a　proverb　current　in　France　relating　to
water　which　is　quiet。〃
〃Continue；〃　said　the　queen。
〃Well；　then；　madame；　not　a　day　passes　in　which　I　do　not
suffer　affronts　from　your　princes　and　your　lordly　servants；
all　of　them　automata　who　do　not　perceive　that　I　wind　up　the
spring　that　makes　them　move；　nor　do　they　see　that　beneath　my
quiet　demeanor　lies　the　still　scorn　of　an　injured；　irritated
man；　who　has　sworn　to　himself　to　master　them　one　of　these
days。　We　have　arrested　Monsieur　de　Beaufort；　but　he　is　the
least　dangerous　among　them。　There　is　the　Prince　de　Conde
　〃
〃The　hero　of　Rocroy。　Do　you　think　of　him？〃
〃Yes；　madame；　often　and　often；　but　pazienza；　as　we　say　in
Italy；　next；　after　Monsieur　de　Conde；　comes　the　Duke　of
Orleans。〃
〃What　are　you　saying？　The　first　prince　of　the　blood；　the
king's　uncle！〃
〃No！　not　the　first　prince　of　the　blood；　not　the　king's
uncle；　but　the　base　conspirator；　the　soul　of　every　cabal；
who　pretends　to　lead　the　brave　people　who　are　weak　enough　to
believe　in　the　honor　of　a　prince　of　the　blood　　not　the
prince　nearest　to　the　throne；　not　the　king's　uncle；　I
repeat；　but　the　murderer　of　Chalais；　of　Montmorency　and　of
Cinq…Mars；　who　is　playing　now　the　same　game　he　played　long
ago　and　who　thinks　that　he　will　win　the　game　because　he　has
a　new　adversary　　instead　of　a　man　who　threatened；　a　man
who　smiles。　But　he　is　mistaken；　I　shall　not　leave　so　near
the　queen　that　source　of　discord　with　which　the　deceased
cardinal　so　often　caused　the　anger　of　the　king　to　rage　above
the　boiling　point。〃
Anne　blushed　and　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。
〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　she　said；　bowed　down　beneath　the　voice　of
her　tyrant。
〃Endeavor　to　remember　the　names　of　those　faithful　servants
who　crossed　the　Channel；　in　spite　of　Monsieur　de　Richelieu；
tracking　the　roads　along　which　they　passed　by　their　blood；
to　bring　back　to　your　majesty　certain　jewels　given　by　you　to
Buckingham。〃
Anne　arose；　full　of　majesty；　and　as　if　touched　by　a　spring；
and　looking　at　the　cardinal　with　the　haughty　dignity　which
in　the　days　of　her　youth　had　made　her　so　powerful：　〃You　are
insulting　me！〃　she　said。
〃I　wish；〃　continued　Mazarin；　finishing；　as　it　were；　the
speech　this　sudden　movement　of　the　queen　had　cut；　〃I　wish；
in　fact；　that　you　should　now　do　for　your　husband　what　you
formerly　did　for　your　lover。〃
〃Again　that　accusation！〃　cried　the　queen。　〃I　thought　that
calumny　was　stifled　or　extinct；　you　have　spared　me　till　now；
but　since　you　speak　of　it；　once　for　all；　I　tell　you　　〃
〃Madame；　I　do　not　ask　you　to　tell　me；〃　said　Mazarin；
astounded　by　this　returning　courage。
〃I　will　tell　you　all；〃　replied　Anne。　〃Listen：　there　were　in
truth；　at　that　epoch；　four　devoted　hearts；　four　loyal
spirits；　four　faithful　swords；　who　saved　more　than　my　life
　my　honor　　〃
〃Ah！　you　confess　it！〃　exclaimed　Mazarin。
〃Is　it　only　the　guilty　whose　honor　is　at　the　sport　of
others；　sir？　and　cannot　women　be　dishonored　by　appearances？
Yes；　appearances　were　against　me　and　I　was　about　to　suffer
dishonor。　However；　I　swear　I　was　not　guilty；　I　swear　it　by
　〃
The　queen　looked　around　her　for　some　sacred　object　by　which
she　could　swear；　and　taking　out　of　a　cupboard　hidden　in　the
tapestry；　a　small　coffer　of　rosewood　set　in　silver；　and
laying　it　on　the　altar：
〃I　swear；〃　she　said；　〃by　these　sacred　relics　that　Buckingham
was　not　my　lover。〃
〃What　relics　are　those　by　which　you　swear？〃　asked　Mazarin；
smiling。　〃I　am　incredulous。〃
The　queen　untied　from　around　her　throat　a　small　golden　key
which　hung　there；　and　presented　it　to　the　cardinal。
〃Open；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃and　look　for　yourself。〃
Mazarin　opened　the　coffer；　a　knife；　covered　with　rust；　and
two　letters；　one　of　which　was　stained　with　blood；　alone　met
his　gaze。
〃What　are　these　things？〃　he　asked。
〃What　are　these　things？〃　replied　Anne；　with　queen…like
dignity；　extending　toward　the　open　coffer　an　arm；　despite
the　lapse　of　years；　still　beautiful。　〃These　two　letters　are
the　only　ones　I　ever　wrote　to　him。　This　knife　is　the　knife
with　which　Felton　stabbed　him。　Read　the　letters　and　see　if　I
have　lied　or　spoken　the　truth。〃
But　Mazarin；　notwithstanding　this　permission；　instead　of
reading　the　letters；　took　the　knife　which　the　dying
Buckingham　had　snatched　out　of　the　wound　and　sent　by　Laporte
to　the　queen。　The　blade　was　red；　for　the　blood　had　become
rust；　after　a　momentary　examination　during　which　the　queen
became　as　white　as　the　cloth　which　covered　the　altar　on
which　she　was　leaning；　he　put　it　back　into　the　coffer　with
an　involuntary　shudder。
〃It　is　well；　madame；　I　believe　your　oath。〃
〃No；　no；　read；〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　indignantly；　〃read；　I
command　you；　for　I　am　resolved　that　everything　shall　be
finished　to…night　and　never　will　I　recur　to　this　subject
again。　Do　you　think；〃　she　said；　with　a　ghastly　smile；　〃that
I　shall　be　inclined　to　reopen　this　coffer　to　answer　any
future　accusations？〃
Mazarin；　overcome　by　this　determination；　read　the　two
letters。　In　one　the　queen　asked　for　the　ornaments　back
again。　This　letter　had　been　conveyed　by　D'Artagnan　and　had
arrived　in　time。　The　other　was　that　which　Laporte　had　placed
in　the　hands　of　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　warning　him　that　he
was　about　to　be　assassinated；　that　communication　had　arrived
too　late。
〃It　is　well；　madame；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃nothing　can　gainsay
such　testimony。〃
〃Sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　closing　the　coffer　and　leaning　her
hand　upon　it；　〃if　there　is　anything　to　be　said；　it　is　that　I
have　always　been　ungrateful　to　the　brave　men　who　saved　me　
that　I　have　given　nothing　to　that　gallant　officer；
D'Artagnan；　you　were　speaking　of　just　now；　but　my　hand　to
kiss　and　this　diamond。〃
As　she　spoke　she　extended　her　beautiful　hand　to　the　cardinal
and　showed　him　a　superb　diamond　which　sparkled　on　her
finger。
〃It　appears；〃　she　resumed；　〃that　he　sold　it　…he　sold　it　in
order　to　save　me　another　time　　to　be　able　to　send　a
messenger　to　the　duke　to　warn　him　of　his　danger　　he　sold
it　to　Monsieur　des　Essarts；　on　whose　finger　I　remarked　it。　I
bought　it　from　him；　but　it　belongs　to　D'Artagnan。　Give　it
back　to　him；　sir；　and　since　you　have　such　a　man　in　your
service；　make　him　useful。〃
〃Thank　you；　madame；〃　said　Mazarin。　〃I　will　profit　by　the
advice。〃
〃And　now；〃　added　the　queen；　her　voice　broken　by　her　emotion；
〃have　you　any　other　question　to　ask　me？〃
〃Nothing；〃　　the　cardinal　spoke　in　his　most　conciliatory
manner　　〃except　to　beg　of　you　to　forgive　my　unworthy
suspicions。　I　love　you　so　tenderly　that　I　cannot　help　being
jealous；　even　of　the　past。〃
A　smile；　which　was　indefinable；　passed　over　the　lips　of　the
queen。
〃Since　you　have　no　further　interrogations　to　make；　leave　me；
I　beseech　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　wish；　after　such　a　scene；　to　be
alone。〃
Mazarin　bent　low　before　her。
〃I　will　retire；　madame。　Do　you　permit　me　to　return？〃
〃Yes；　to…morrow。〃
The　cardinal　took　the　queen's　hand　and　pressed　it　with　an
air　of　gallantry　to　his　lips。
Scarcely　had　he