twenty years after(二十年后)-第166章

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〃‘I　consent　to　ratify　the　treaty　proposed　by　the
Parisians。'〃
Anne　was　caught；　she　could　not　draw　back　　she　signed；　but
scarcely　had　she　done　so　when　pride　burst　forth　and　she
began　to　weep。
D'Artagnan　started　on　seeing　these　tears。　Since　that　period
of　history　queens　have　shed　tears；　like　other　women。
The　Gascon　shook　his　head；　these　tears　from　royalty　melted
his　heart。
〃Madame；〃　he　said；　kneeling；　〃look　upon　the　unhappy　man　at
your　feet。　He　begs　you　to　believe　that　at　a　gesture　of　your
majesty　everything　will　be　possible　to　him。　He　has　faith　in
himself；　he　has　faith　in　his　friends；　he　wishes　also　to　have
faith　in　his　queen。　And　in　proof　that　he　fears　nothing；　that
he　counts　on　nothing；　he　will　restore　Monsieur　de　Mazarin　to
your　majesty　without　conditions。　Behold；　madame！　here　are
the　august　signatures　of　your　majesty's　hand；　if　you　think
you　are　right　in　giving　them　to　me；　you　shall　do　so；　but
from　this　very　moment　you　are　free　from　any　obligation　to
keep　them。〃
And　D'Artagnan；　full　of　splendid　pride　and　manly
intrepidity；　placed　in　Anne's　hands；　in　a　bundle；　the　papers
that　he　had　one　by　one　won　from　her　with　so　much　difficulty。
There　are　moments　　for　if　everything　is　not　good；
everything　in　this　world　is　not　bad　　in　which　the　most
rigid　and　the　coldest　soul　is　softened　by　the　tears　of
strong　emotion；　heart…arraigning　sentiment：　one　of　these
momentary　impulses　actuated　Anne。　D'Artagnan；　when　he　gave
way　to　his　own　feelings　　which　were　in　accordance　with
those　of　the　queen　　had　accomplished　more　than　the　most
astute　diplomacy　could　have　attempted。　He　was　therefore
instantly　recompensed；　either　for　his　address　or　for　his
sensibility；　whichever　it　might　be　termed。
〃You　were　right；　sir；〃　said　Anne。　〃I　misunderstood　you。
There　are　the　acts　signed；　I　deliver　them　to　you　without
compulsion。　Go　and　bring　me　back　the　cardinal　as　soon　as
possible。〃
〃Madame；〃　faltered　D'Artagnan；　〃'tis　twenty　years　ago　　I
have　a　good　memory　　since　I　had　the　honor　behind　a　piece
of　tapestry　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　of　kissing　one　of　those
lovely　hands。〃
〃There　is　the　other；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃and　that　the　left
hand　should　not　be　less　liberal　than　the　right；〃　she　drew
from　her　finger　a　diamond　similar　to　the　one　formerly　given
to　him；　〃take　and　keep　this　ring　in　remembrance　of　me。
〃Madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　rising；　〃I　have　only　one　thing
more　to　wish；　which　is；　that　the　next　thing　you　ask　from　me；
shall　be　　my　life。〃
And　with　this　conclusion　　a　way　peculiar　to　himself　　he
rose　and　left　the　room。
〃I　never　rightly　understood　those　men；〃　said　the　queen；　as
she　watched　him　retiring　from　her　presence；　〃and　it　is　now
too　late；　for　in　a　year　the　king　will　be　of　age。〃
In　twenty…four　hours　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　conducted
Mazarin　to　the　queen；　and　the　one　received　his　commission；
the　other　his　patent　of　nobility。
On　the　same　day　the　Treaty　of　Paris　was　signed；　and　it　was
everywhere　announced　that　the　cardinal　had　shut　himself　up
for　three　days　in　order　to　draw　it　up　with　the　greatest
care。
Here　is　what　each　of　the　parties　concerned　gained　by　that
treaty：
Monsieur　de　Conti　received　Damvilliers；　and　having　made　his
proofs　as　general；　he　succeeded　in　remaining　a　soldier；
instead　of　being　made　cardinal。　Moreover；　something　had　been
said　of　a　marriage　with　Mazarin's　niece。　The　idea　was
welcomed　by　the　prince；　to　whom　it　was　of　little　importance
whom　he　married；　so　long　as　he　married　some　one。
The　Duc　de　Beaufort　made　his　entrance　at　court；　receiving
ample　reparation　for　the　wrongs　he　had　suffered；　and　all　the
honor　due　to　his　rank。　Full　pardon　was　accorded　to　those　who
had　aided　in　his　escape。　He　received　also　the　office　of
admiral；　which　had　been　held　by　his　father；　the　Duc　de
Vendome　and　an　indemnity　for　his　houses　and　castles；
demolished　by　the　Parliament　of　Bretagne。
The　Duc　de　Bouillon　received　domains　of　a　value　equal　to
that　of　his　principality　of　Sedan；　and　the　title　of　prince；
granted　to　him　and　to　those　belonging　to　his　house。
The　Duc　de　Longueville　gained　the　government　of
Pont…de…l'Arche；　five　hundred　thousand　francs　for　his　wife
and　the　honor　of　seeing　her　son　held　at　the　baptismal　font
by　the　young　king　and　Henrietta　of　England。
Aramis　stipulated　that　Bazin　should　officiate　at　that
ceremony　and　that　Planchet　should　furnish　the　christening
sugar　plums。
The　Duc　d'Elbeuf　obtained　payment　of　certain　sums　due　to　his
wife；　one　hundred　thousand　francs　for　his　eldest　son　and
twenty…five　thousand　for　each　of　the　three　others。
The　coadjutor　alone　obtained　nothing。　They　promised；　indeed；
to　negotiate　with　the　pope　for　a　cardinal's　hat　for　him；　but
he　knew　how　little　reliance　should　be　placed　on　such
promises；　made　by　the　queen　and　Mazarin。　Quite　contrary　to
the　lot　of　Monsieur　de　Conti；　unable　to　be　cardinal；　he　was
obliged　to　remain　a　soldier。
And　therefore；　when　all　Paris　was　rejoicing　in　the　expected
return　of　the　king；　appointed　for　the　next　day；　Gondy　alone；
in　the　midst　of　the　general　happiness；　was　dissatisfied；　he
sent　for　the　two　men　whom　he　was　wont　to　summon　when　in
especially　bad　humor。　Those　two　men　were　the　Count　de
Rochefort　and　the　mendicant　of　Saint　Eustache。　They　came
with　their　usual　promptness；　and　the　coadjutor　spent　with
them　a　part　of　the　night。


89
In　which　it　is　shown　that　it　is　sometimes　more　difficult　for
Kings　to　return　to　the　Capitals　of　their　Kingdoms；　than　to
make　an　Exit。

Whilst　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　were　engaged　in　conducting　the
cardinal　to　Saint　Germain；　Athos　and　Aramis　returned　to
Paris。
Each　had　his　own　particular　visit　to　make。
Aramis　rushed　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　where　Madame　de
Longueville　was　sojourning。　The　duchess　loudly　lamented　the
announcement　of　peace。　War　had　made　her　a　queen；　peace
brought　her　abdication。　She　declared　that　she　would　never
assent　to　the　treaty　and　that　she　wished　eternal　war。
But　when　Aramis　had　presented　that　peace　to　her　in　a　true
light　　that　is　to　say；　with　all　its　advantages；　when　he
had　pointed　out　to　her；　in　exchange　for　the　precarious　and
contested　royalty　of　Paris；　the　viceroyalty　of
Font…de…l'Arche；　in　other　words；　of　all　Normandy；　when　he
had　rung　in　her　ears　the　five　hundred　thousand　francs
promised　by　the　cardinal；　when　he　had　dazzled　her　eyes　with
the　honor　bestowed　on　her　by　the　king　in　holding　her　child
at　the　baptismal　font；　Madame　de　Longueville　contended　no
longer；　except　as　is　the　custom　with　pretty　women　to
contend；　and　defended　herself　only　to　surrender　at　last。
Aramis　made　a　presence　of　believing　in　the　reality　of　her
opposition　and　was　unwilling　to　deprive　himself　in　his　own
view　of　the　credit　of　her　conversion。
〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　wished　to　conquer　the　prince
your　brother　　that　is　to　say；　the　greatest　captain　of　the
age；　and　when　women　of　genius　wish　anything　they　always
succeed　in　attaining　it。　You　have　succeeded；　the　prince　is
beaten；　since　he　can　no　longer　fight。　Now　attach　him　to　our
party。　Withdraw　him　gently　from　the　queen；　whom　he　does　not
like；　from　Mazarin；　whom　he　despises。　The　Fronde　is　a
comedy；　of　which　the　first　act　only　is　played。　Let　us　wait
for　a　denouement　　for　the　day　when　the　prince；　thanks　to
you；　shall　have　turned　against　the　court。〃
Madame　de　Longueville　was　persuaded。　This　Frondist　duchess
trusted　so　confidently　to　the　power　of　her　fine　eyes；　that
she　could　not　doubt　their　influence　even　over　Monsieur　de
Conde；　and　the　chronicles　of　the　time　aver　that　her
confidence　was　justified。
Athos；　on　quitting　Aramis；　went　to　Madame　de　Chevreuse。　Here
was　another　frondeuse　to　persuade；　and　she　was　even　less
open　to　conviction　than　her　younger　rival。　There　had　been　no
stipulation　in　her　favor。　Monsieur　de　Chevreuse　had　not　been
appointed　governor　of　a　province；　and　if　the　queen　should
consent　to　be　godmother　it　could　be　only　of　her　grandson　or
granddaughter。　At　the　first　announcement　of　peace　Madame　de
Chevreuse　frowned；　and　in　spite　of　all　the　logic　of　Athos　to
show　her　that　a　prolonged　war　would　have　been　impracticable；
contended　in　favor　of　hostilities。
〃My　fair　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃allow　me　to　tell　you　that
everybody　is　tired　of　war。　You　will　get　yourself　exiled；　as
you　did　in　the　time　of　Louis　XII