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！
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 welcome； but welcome
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 commission！〃
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 comprehend
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 accompanied 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 Comminges； 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 Comminges 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；
compared 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 c