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！
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 demonstration for the
princes