twenty years after(二十年后)-第2章

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！


you　were　going　to　force　that　villain　Particelli　upon　me。〃
〃Sire；〃　replied　Richelieu；　〃rest　assured　that　Particelli；
the　man　to　whom　your　majesty　refers；　has　been　hanged。〃
〃Ah；　so　much　the　better！〃　exclaimed　the　king。　〃It　is　not　for
nothing　that　I　am　styled　Louis　the　Just。〃　and　he　signed
Emery's　appointment。
This　was　the　same　Emery　who　became　eventually　superintendent
of　finance。
He　was　sent　for　by　the　ministers　and　he　came　before　them
pale　and　trembling；　declaring　that　his　son　had　very　nearly
been　assassinated　the　day　before；　near　the　palace。　The　mob
had　insulted　him　on　account　of　the　ostentatious　luxury　of
his　wife；　whose　house　was　hung　with　red　velvet　edged　with
gold　fringe。　This　lady　was　the　daughter　of　Nicholas　de
Camus；　who　arrived　in　Paris　with　twenty　francs　in　his
pocket；　became　secretary　of　state；　and　accumulated　wealth
enough　to　divide　nine　millions　of　francs　among　his　children
and　to　keep　an　income　of　forty　thousand　for　himself。
The　fact　was　that　Emery's　son　had　run　a　great　chance　of
being　suffocated；　one　of　the　rioters　having　proposed　to
squeeze　him　until　he　gave　up　all　the　gold　he　had　swallowed。
Nothing；　therefore；　was　settled　that　day；　as　Emery's　head
was　not　steady　enough　for　business　after　such　an　occurrence。
On　the　next　day　Mathieu　Mole；　the　chief　president；　whose
courage　at　this　crisis；　says　the　Cardinal　de　Retz；　was　equal
to　that　of　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　and　the　Prince　de　Conde　　in
other　words；　of　the　two　men　who　were　considered　the　bravest
in　France　　had　been　attacked　in　his　turn。　The　people
threatened　to　hold　him　responsible　for　the　evils　that　hung
over　them。　But　the　chief　president　had　replied　with　his
habitual　coolness；　without　betraying　either　disturbance　or
surprise；　that　should　the　agitators　refuse　obedience　to　the
king's　wishes　he　would　have　gallows　erected　in　the　public
squares　and　proceed　at　once　to　hang　the　most　active　among
them。　To　which　the　others　had　responded　that　they　would　be
glad　to　see　the　gallows　erected；　they　would　serve　for　the
hanging　of　those　detestable　judges　who　purchased　favor　at
court　at　the　price　of　the　people's　misery。
Nor　was　this　all。　On　the　eleventh　the　queen　in　going　to　mass
at　Notre　Dame；　as　she　always　did　on　Saturdays；　was　followed
by　more　than　two　hundred　women　demanding　justice。　These　poor
creatures　had　no　bad　intentions。　They　wished　only　to　be
allowed　to　fall　on　their　knees　before　their　sovereign；　and
that　they　might　move　her　to　compassion；　but　they　were
prevented　by　the　royal　guard　and　the　queen　proceeded　on　her
way；　haughtily　disdainful　of　their　entreaties。
At　length　parliament　was　convoked；　the　authority　of　the　king
was　to　be　maintained。
One　day　　it　was　the　morning　of　the　day　my　story　begins　
the　king；　Louis　XIV。；　then　ten　years　of　age；　went　in　state；
under　pretext　of　returning　thanks　for　his　recovery　from　the
small…pox；　to　Notre　Dame。　He　took　the　opportunity　of　calling
out　his　guard；　the　Swiss　troops　and　the　musketeers；　and　he
had　planted　them　round　the　Palais　Royal；　on　the　quays；　and
on　the　Pont　Neuf。　After　mass　the　young　monarch　drove　to　the
Parliament　House；　where；　upon　the　throne；　he　hastily
confirmed　not　only　such　edicts　as　he　had　already　passed；　but
issued　new　ones；　each　one；　according　to　Cardinal　de　Retz；
more　ruinous　than　the　others　　a　proceeding　which　drew
forth　a　strong　remonstrance　from　the　chief　president；　Mole
　whilst　President　Blancmesnil　and　Councillor　Broussel
raised　their　voices　in　indignation　against　fresh　taxes。
The　king　returned　amidst　the　silence　of　a　vast　multitude　to
the　Palais　Royal。　All　minds　were　uneasy；　most　were
foreboding；　many　of　the　people　used　threatening　language。
At　first；　indeed；　they　were　doubtful　whether　the　king's
visit　to　the　parliament　had　been　in　order　to　lighten　or
increase　their　burdens；　but　scarcely　was　it　known　that　the
taxes　were　to　be　still　further　increased；　when　cries　of
〃Down　with　Mazarin！〃　〃Long　live　Broussel！〃　〃Long　live
Blancmesnil！〃　resounded　through　the　city。　For　the　people　had
learned　that　Broussel　and　Blancmesnil　had　made　speeches　in
their　behalf；　and；　although　the　eloquence　of　these　deputies
had　been　without　avail；　it　had　none　the　less　won　for　them
the　people's　good…will。　All　attempts　to　disperse　the　groups
collected　in　the　streets；　or　silence　their　exclamations；
were　in　vain。　Orders　had　just　been　given　to　the　royal　guards
and　the　Swiss　guards；　not　only　to　stand　firm；　but　to　send
out　patrols　to　the　streets　of　Saint　Denis　and　Saint　Martin；
where　the　people　thronged　and　where　they　were　the　most
vociferous；　when　the　mayor　of　Paris　was　announced　at　the
Palais　Royal。
He　was　shown　in　directly；　he　came　to　say　that　if　these
offensive　precautions　were　not　discontinued；　in　two　hours
Paris　would　be　under　arms。
Deliberations　were　being　held　when　a　lieutenant　in　the
guards；　named　Comminges；　made　his　appearance；　with　his
clothes　all　torn；　his　face　streaming　with　blood。　The　queen
on　seeing　him　uttered　a　cry　of　surprise　and　asked　him　what
was　going　on。
As　the　mayor　had　foreseen；　the　sight　of　the　guards　had
exasperated　the　mob。　The　tocsin　was　sounded。　Comminges　had
arrested　one　of　the　ringleaders　and　had　ordered　him　to　be
hanged　near　the　cross　of　Du　Trahoir；　but　in　attempting　to
execute　this　command　the　soldiery　were　attacked　in　the
market…place　with　stones　and　halberds；　the　delinquent　had
escaped　to　the　Rue　des　Lombards　and　rushed　into　a　house。
They　broke　open　the　doors　and　searched　the　dwelling；　but　in
vain。　Comminges；　wounded　by　a　stone　which　had　struck　him　on
the　forehead；　had　left　a　picket　in　the　street　and　returned
to　the　Palais　Royal；　followed　by　a　menacing　crowd；　to　tell
his　story。
This　account　confirmed　that　of　the　mayor。　The　authorities
were　not　in　a　condition　to　cope　with　serious　revolt。　Mazarin
endeavored　to　circulate　among　the　people　a　report　that
troops　had　only　been　stationed　on　the　quays　and　on　the　Pont
Neuf；　on　account　of　the　ceremonial　of　the　day；　and　that　they
would　soon　withdraw。　In　fact；　about　four　o'clock　they　were
all　concentrated　about　the　Palais　Royal；　the　courts　and
ground　floors　of　which　were　filled　with　musketeers　and　Swiss
guards；　and　there　awaited　the　outcome　of　all　this
disturbance。
Such　was　the　state　of　affairs　at　the　very　moment　we
introduced　our　readers　to　the　study　of　Cardinal　Mazarin　
once　that　of　Cardinal　Richelieu。　We　have　seen　in　what　state
of　mind　he　listened　to　the　murmurs　from　below；　which　even
reached　him　in　his　seclusion；　and　to　the　guns；　the　firing　of
which　resounded　through　that　room。　All　at　once　he　raised　his
head；　his　brow　slightly　contracted　like　that　of　a　man　who
has　formed　a　resolution；　he　fixed　his　eyes　upon　an　enormous
clock　that　was　about　to　strike　ten；　and　taking　up　a　whistle
of　silver　gilt　that　stood　upon　the　table　near　him；　he
shrilled　it　twice。
A　door　hidden　in　the　tapestry　opened　noiselessly　and　a　man
in　black　silently　advanced　and　stood　behind　the　chair　on
which　Mazarin　sat。
〃Bernouin；〃　said　the　cardinal；　not　turning　round；　for　having
whistled；　he　knew　that　it　was　his　valet…de…chambre　who　was
behind　him；　〃what　musketeers　are　now　within　the　palace？〃
〃The　Black　Musketeers；　my　lord。〃
〃What　company？〃
〃Treville's　company。〃
〃Is　there　any　officer　belonging　to　this　company　in　the
ante…chamber？〃
〃Lieutenant　d'Artagnan。〃
〃A　man　on　whom　we　can　depend；　I　hope。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord。〃
〃Give　me　a　uniform　of　one　of　these　musketeers　and　help　me　to
put　it　on。〃
The　valet　went　out　as　silently　as　he　had　entered　and
appeared　in　a　few　minutes　bringing　the　dress　demanded。
The　cardinal；　in　deep　thought　and　in　silence；　began　to　take
off　the　robes　of　state　he　had　assumed　in　order　to　be　present
at　the　sitting　of　parliament；　and　to　attire　himself　in　the
military　coat；　which　he　wore　with　a　certain　degree　of　easy
grace；　owing　to　his　former　campaigns　in　Italy。　When　he　was
completely　dressed　he　said：
〃Send　hither　Monsieur　d'Artagnan。〃
The　valet　went　out　of　the　room；　this　time　by　the　centre
door；　but　still　as　silently　as　before；　one　might　have
fancied　him　an　apparition。
When　he　was　left　alone　the　cardinal　looked　at　himself　in　the
glass　with　a　feeling　of　self…satisfaction。　Still　young　
for　he　was　scarcely　forty…six　years　of　age　　he　possessed
great　elegance　of　form　a