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！
rather dryly：
〃All this appears to me to be ill conceived； disjointed；
gentlemen； for if I satisfy some I shall displease others。
If I stay in Paris I cannot go to Rome； if I became pope I
could not continue to be prime minister； and it is only by
continuing prime minister that I can make Monsieur
d'Artagnan a captain and Monsieur du Vallon a baron。〃
〃True〃〃 said Aramis； 〃so； as I am in a minority； I withdraw
my proposition； so far as it relates to the voyage to Rome
and monseigneur's resignation。〃
〃I am to remain minister； then？〃 said Mazarin。
〃You remain minister； that is understood；〃 said D'Artagnan；
〃France needs you。〃
〃And I desist from my pretensions；〃 said Aramis。 〃His
eminence will continue to be prime minister and her
majesty's favorite； if he will grant to me and my friends
what we demand for France and for ourselves。〃
〃Occupy yourselves with your own affairs； gentlemen； and let
France settle matters as she will with me；〃 resumed Mazarin。
〃Ho！ ho！〃 replied Aramis。 〃The Frondeurs will have a treaty
and your eminence must sign it before us； promising at the
same time to obtain the queen's consent to it。〃
〃I can answer only for myself；〃 said Mazarin。 〃I cannot
answer for the queen。 Suppose her majesty refuses？〃
〃Oh！〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃monseigneur knows very well that her
majesty refuses him nothing。〃
〃Here； monseigneur；〃 said Aramis； 〃is the treaty proposed by
the deputation of Frondeurs。 Will your eminence please read
and examine？〃
〃I am acquainted with it。〃
〃Sign it； then。〃
〃Reflect； gentlemen； that a signature given under
circumstances like the present might be regarded as extorted
by violence。〃
〃Monseigneur will be at hand to testify that it was freely
given。〃
〃Suppose I refuse？〃
〃Then；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃your eminence must expect the
consequences of a refusal。〃
〃Would you dare to touch a cardinal？〃
〃You have dared； my lord； to imprison her majesty's
musketeers。〃
〃The queen will revenge me； gentlemen。〃
〃I do not think so； although inclination might lead her to
do so； but we shall take your eminence to Paris； and the
Parisians will defend us。〃
〃How uneasy they must be at this moment at Rueil and Saint
Germain；〃 said Aramis。 〃How they must be asking； ‘Where is
the cardinal？' ‘What has become of the minister？' ‘Where has
the favorite gone？' How they must be looking for monseigneur
in all corners！ What comments must be made； and if the
Fronde knows that monseigneur has disappeared； how the
Fronde must triumph！〃
〃It is frightful；〃 murmured Mazarin。
〃Sign the treaty； then； monseigneur；〃 said Aramis。
〃Suppose the queen should refuse to ratify it？〃
〃Ah！ nonsense！〃 cried D'Artagnan； 〃I can manage so that her
majesty will receive me well； I know an excellent method。〃
〃What？〃
〃I shall take her majesty the letter in which you tell her
that the finances are exhausted。〃
〃And then？〃 asked Mazarin； turning pale。
〃When I see her majesty embarrassed； I shall conduct her to
Rueil； make her enter the orangery and show her a certain
spring which turns a box。〃
〃Enough； sir；〃 muttered the cardinal； 〃you have said enough；
where is the treaty？〃
〃Here it is；〃 replied Aramis。 〃Sign； my lord；〃 and he gave
him a pen。
Mazarin arose； walked some moments； thoughtful； but not
dejected。
〃And when I have signed；〃 he said； 〃what is to be my
guarantee？〃
〃My word of honor； sir；〃 said Athos。
Mazarin started； turned toward the Comte de la Fere； and
looking for an instant at that grand and honest countenance；
took the pen。
〃It is sufficient； count；〃 he said； and signed the treaty。
〃And now； Monsieur d'Artagnan；〃 he said； 〃prepare to set off
for Saint Germain and take a letter from me to the queen。〃
88
Shows how with Threat and Pen more is effected than by the
Sword。
D'Artagnan knew his part well； he was aware that opportunity
has a forelock only for him who will take it and he was not
a man to let it go by him without seizing it。 He soon
arranged a prompt and certain manner of traveling； by
sending relays of horses to Chantilly； so that he might be
in Paris in five or six hours。 But before setting out he
reflected that for a lad of intelligence and experience he
was in a singular predicament； since he was proceeding
toward uncertainty and leaving certainty behind him。
〃In fact；〃 he said； as he was about to mount and start on
his dangerous mission； 〃Athos； for generosity； is a hero of
romance； Porthos has an excellent disposition； but is easily
influenced； Aramis has a hieroglyphic countenance； always
illegible。 What will come out of those three elements when I
am no longer present to combine them？ The deliverance of the
cardinal； perhaps。 Now； the deliverance of the cardinal
would be the ruin of our hopes； and our hopes are thus far
the only recompense we have for labors in comparison with
which those of Hercules were pygmean。〃
He went to find Aramis。
〃You； my dear Chevalier d'Herblay；〃 he said； 〃are the Fronde
incarnate。 Mistrust Athos； therefore； who will not prosecute
the affairs of any one； even his own。 Mistrust Porthos；
especially； who； to please the count whom he regards as God
on earth； will assist him in contriving Mazarin's escape； if
Mazarin has the wit to weep or play the chivalric。〃
Aramis smiled； his smile was at once cunning and resolute。
〃Fear nothing；〃 he said； 〃I have my conditions to impose。 My
private ambition tends only to the profit of him who has
justice on his side。〃
〃Good！〃 thought D'Artagnan： 〃in this direction I am
satisfied。〃 He pressed Aramis's hand and went in search of
Porthos。
〃Friend；〃 he said； 〃you have worked so hard with me toward
building up our fortune； that； at the moment when we are
about to reap the fruits of our labours； it would be a
ridiculous piece of silliness in you to allow yourself to be
controlled by Aramis； whose cunning you know a cunning
which； we may say between ourselves； is not always without
egotism； or by Athos； a noble and disinterested man； but
blase； who； desiring nothing further for himself； doesn't
sympathize with the desires of others。 What should you say
if either of these two friends proposed to you to let
Mazarin go？〃
〃Why； I should say that we had too much trouble in taking
him to let him off so easily。〃
〃Bravo； Porthos！ and you would be right； my friend； for in
losing him you would lose your barony； which you have in
your grasp； to say nothing of the fact that； were he once
out of this； Mazarin would have you hanged。〃
〃Do you think so？〃
〃I am sure of it。〃
〃Then I would kill him rather than let him go。〃
〃And you would act rightly。 There is no question； you
understand； provided we secure our own interests； of
securing those of the Frondeurs； who； besides； don't
understand political matters as we old soldiers do。〃
〃Never fear； dear friend；〃 said Porthos。 〃I shall see you
through the window as you mount your horse； I shall follow
you with my eyes as long as you are in sight； then I shall
place myself at the cardinal's door a door with glass
windows。 I shall see everything； and at the least suspicious
sign I shall begin to exterminate。〃
〃Bravo！〃 thought D'Artagnan； 〃on this side I think the
cardinal will be well guarded。〃 He pressed the hand of th