twenty years after(二十年后)-第1章

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Twenty　Years　After
by　Alexandre　Dumas　＇Pere＇


1
The　Shade　of　Cardinal　Richelieu。

In　a　splendid　chamber　of　the　Palais　Royal；　formerly　styled
the　Palais　Cardinal；　a　man　was　sitting　in　deep　reverie；　his
head　supported　on　his　hands；　leaning　over　a　gilt　and　inlaid
table　which　was　covered　with　letters　and　papers。　Behind　this
figure　glowed　a　vast　fireplace　alive　with　leaping　flames；
great　logs　of　oak　blazed　and　crackled　on　the　polished　brass
andirons　whose　flicker　shone　upon　the　superb　habiliments　of
the　lonely　tenant　of　the　room；　which　was　illumined　grandly
by　twin　candelabra　rich　with　wax…lights。
Any　one　who　happened　at　that　moment　to　contemplate　that　red
simar　　the　gorgeous　robe　of　office　　and　the　rich　lace；
or　who　gazed　on　that　pale　brow；　bent　in　anxious　meditation；
might；　in　the　solitude　of　that　apartment；　combined　with　the
silence　of　the　ante…chambers　and　the　measured　paces　of　the
guards　upon　the　landing…place；　have　fancied　that　the　shade
of　Cardinal　Richelieu　lingered　still　in　his　accustomed
haunt。
It　was；　alas！　the　ghost　of　former　greatness。　France
enfeebled；　the　authority　of　her　sovereign　contemned；　her
nobles　returning　to　their　former　turbulence　and　insolence；
her　enemies　within　her　frontiers　　all　proved　the　great
Richelieu　no　longer　in　existence。
In　truth；　that　the　red　simar　which　occupied　the　wonted　place
was　his　no　longer；　was　still　more　strikingly　obvious　from
the　isolation　which　seemed；　as　we　have　observed；　more
appropriate　to　a　phantom　than　a　living　creature　　from　the
corridors　deserted　by　courtiers；　and　courts　crowded　with
guards　　from　that　spirit　of　bitter　ridicule；　which；
arising　from　the　streets　below；　penetrated　through　the　very
casements　of　the　room；　which　resounded　with　the　murmurs　of　a
whole　city　leagued　against　the　minister；　as　well　as　from　the
distant　and　incessant　sounds　of　guns　firing　　let　off；
happily；　without　other　end　or　aim；　except　to　show　to　the
guards；　the　Swiss　troops　and　the　military　who　surrounded　the
Palais　Royal；　that　the　people　were　possessed　of　arms。
The　shade　of　Richelieu　was　Mazarin。　Now　Mazarin　was　alone
and　defenceless；　as　he　well　knew。
〃Foreigner！〃　he　ejaculated；　〃Italian！　that　is　their　mean　yet
mighty　byword　of　reproach　　the　watchword　with　which　they
assassinated；　hanged；　and　made　away　with　Concini；　and　if　I
gave　them　their　way　they　would　assassinate；　hang；　and　make
away　with　me　in　the　same　manner；　although　they　have　nothing
to　complain　of　except　a　tax　or　two　now　and　then。　Idiots！
ignorant　of　their　real　enemies；　they　do　not　perceive　that　it
is　not　the　Italian　who　speaks　French　badly；　but　those　who
can　say　fine　things　to　them　in　the　purest　Parisian　accent；
who　are　their　real　foes。
〃Yes；　yes；〃　Mazarin　continued；　whilst　his　wonted　smile；　full
of　subtlety；　lent　a　strange　expression　to　his　pale　lips；
〃yes；　these　noises　prove　to　me；　indeed；　that　the　destiny　of
favorites　is　precarious；　but　ye　shall　know　I　am　no　ordinary
favorite。　No！　The　Earl　of　Essex；　'tis　true；　wore　a　splendid
ring；　set　with　diamonds；　given　him　by　his　royal　mistress；
whilst　I　　I　have　nothing　but　a　simple　circlet　of　gold；
with　a　cipher　on　it　and　a　date；　but　that　ring　has　been
blessed　in　the　chapel　of　the　Palais　Royal；*　so　they　will
never　ruin　me；　as　they　long　to　do；　and　whilst　they　shout；
‘Down　with　Mazarin！'　I；　unknown；　and　unperceived　by　them；
incite　them　to　cry　out；　‘Long　live　the　Duke　de　Beaufort'　one
day；　another；　‘Long　live　the　Prince　de　Conde；'　and　again；
‘Long　live　the　parliament！'〃　And　at　this　word　the　smile　on
the　cardinal's　lips　assumed　an　expression　of　hatred；　of
which　his　mild　countenance　seemed　incapable。　〃The
parliament！　We　shall　soon　see　how　to　dispose；〃　he　continued；
〃of　the　parliament！　Both　Orleans　and　Montargis　are　ours。　It
will　be　a　work　of　time；　but　those　who　have　begun　by　crying
out：　Down　with　Mazarin！　will　finish　by　shouting　out；　Down
with　all　the　people　I　have　mentioned；　each　in　his　turn。

*　It　is　said　that　Mazarin；　who；　though　a　cardinal；　had　not
taken　such　vows　as　to　prevent　it；　was　secretly　married　to
Anne　of　Austria。　　La　Porte's　Memoirs。

〃Richelieu；　whom　they　hated　during　his　lifetime　and　whom
they　now　praise　after　his　death；　was　even　less　popular　than
I　am。　Often　he　was　driven　away；　oftener　still　had　he　a　dread
of　being　sent　away。　The　queen　will　never　banish　me；　and　even
were　I　obliged　to　yield　to　the　populace　she　would　yield　with
me；　if　I　fly；　she　will　fly；　and　then　we　shall　see　how　the
rebels　will　get　on　without　either　king　or　queen。
〃Oh；　were　I　not　a　foreigner！　were　I　but　a　Frenchman！　were　I
but　of　gentle　birth！〃
The　position　of　the　cardinal　was　indeed　critical；　and　recent
events　had　added　to　his　difficulties。　Discontent　had　long
pervaded　the　lower　ranks　of　society　in　France。　Crushed　and
impoverished　by　taxation　　imposed　by　Mazarin；　whose
avarice　impelled　him　to　grind　them　down　to　the　very　dust　
the　people；　as　the　Advocate…General　Talon　described　it；　had
nothing　left　to　them　except　their　souls；　and　as　those　could
not　be　sold　by　auction；　they　began　to　murmur。　Patience　had
in　vain　been　recommended　to　them　by　reports　of　brilliant
victories　gained　by　France；　laurels；　however；　were　not　meat
and　drink；　and　the　people　had　for　some　time　been　in　a　state
of　discontent。
Had　this　been　all；　it　might　not；　perhaps；　have　greatly
signified；　for　when　the　lower　classes　alone　complained；　the
court　of　France；　separated　as　it　was　from　the　poor　by　the
intervening　classes　of　the　gentry　and　the　bourgeoisie；
seldom　listened　to　their　voice；　but　unluckily；　Mazarin　had
had　the　imprudence　to　attack　the　magistrates　and　had　sold　no
less　than　twelve　appointments　in　the　Court　of　Requests；　at　a
high　price；　and　as　the　officers　of　that　court　paid　very
dearly　for　their　places；　and　as　the　addition　of　twelve　new
colleagues　would　necessarily　lower　the　value　of　each　place；
the　old　functionaries　formed　a　union　amongst　themselves；
and；　enraged；　swore　on　the　Bible　not　to　allow　of　this
addition　to　their　number；　but　to　resist　all　the　persecutions
which　might　ensue；　and　should　any　one　of　them　chance　to
forfeit　his　post　by　this　resistance；　to　combine　to　indemnify
him　for　his　loss。
Now　the　following　occurrences　had　taken　place　between　the
two　contending　parties
On　the　seventh　of　January　between　seven　and　eight　hundred
tradesmen　had　assembled　in　Paris　to　discuss　a　new　tax　which
was　to　be　levied　on　house　property。　They　deputed　ten　of
their　number　to　wait　upon　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　who；
according　to　his　custom；　affected　popularity。　The　duke
received　them　and　they　informed　him　that　they　were　resolved
not　to　pay　this　tax；　even　if　they　were　obliged　to　defend
themselves　against　its　collectors　by　force　of　arms。　They
were　listened　to　with　great　politeness　by　the　duke；　who　held
out　hopes　of　easier　measures；　promised　to　speak　in　their
behalf　to　the　queen；　and　dismissed　them　with　the　ordinary
expression　of　royalty；　〃We　will　see　what　we　can　do。〃
Two　days　afterward　these　same　magistrates　appeared　before
the　cardinal　and　their　spokesman　addressed　Mazarin　with　so
much　fearlessness　and　determination　that　the　minister　was
astounded　and　sent　the　deputation　away　with　the　same　answer
as　it　had　received　from　the　Duke　of　Orleans　　that　he　would
see　what　could　be　done；　and　in　accordance　with　that
intention　a　council　of　state　was　assembled　and　the
superintendent　of　finance　was　summoned。
This　man；　named　Emery；　was　the　object　of　popular
detestation；　in　the　first　place　because　he　was
superintendent　of　finance；　and　every　superintendent　of
finance　deserved　to　be　hated；　in　the　second　place；　because
he　rather　deserved　the　odium　which　he　had　incurred。
He　was　the　son　of　a　banker　at　Lyons　named　Particelli；　who；
after　becoming　a　bankrupt；　chose　to　change　his　name　to
Emery；　and　Cardinal　Richelieu　having　discovered　in　him　great
financial　aptitude；　had　introduced　him　with　a　strong
recommendation　to　Louis　XIII。　under　his　assumed　name；　in
order　that　he　might　be　appointed　to　the　post　he　subsequently
held。
〃You　surprise　me！〃　exclaimed　the　monarch。　〃I　am　rejoiced　to
hear　you　speak　of　Monsieur　d'Emery　as　calculated　for　a　post
which　requires　a　man　of　probity。　I　was　really　afraid　that
you　were　going　to　force　that　villain　Particelli　upon　me。〃
〃