twenty years after(二十年后)-第73章

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〃He　is　very　gracious；〃　thought　the　queen；　〃can　he　have
guessed　my　errand？〃
〃Give；〃　continued　the　cardinal；　〃your　commands　to　the　most
respectful　of　your　servants。〃
〃Alas；　sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃I　have　lost　the　habit　of
commanding　and　have　adopted　instead　that　of　making
petitions。　I　am　here　to　petition　you；　too　happy　should　my
prayer　be　favorably　heard。〃
〃I　am　listening；　madame；　with　the　greatest　interest；〃　said
Mazarin。
〃Your　eminence；　it　concerns　the　war　which　the　king；　my
husband；　is　now　sustaining　against　his　rebellious　subjects。
You　are　perhaps　ignorant　that　they　are　fighting　in　England；〃
added　she；　with　a　melancholy　smile；　〃and　that　in　a　short
time　they　will　fight　in　a　much　more　decided　fashion　than
they　have　done　hitherto。〃
〃I　am　completely　ignorant　of　it；　madame；〃　said　the　cardinal；
accompanying　his　words　with　a　slight　shrug　of　the　shoulders；
〃alas；　our　own　wars　quite　absorb　the　time　and　the　mind　of　a
poor；　incapable；　infirm　old　minister　like　me。〃
〃Well；　then；　your　eminence；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　must　inform
you　that　Charles　I。；　my　husband；　is　on　the　eve　of　a　decisive
engagement。　In　case　of　a　check〃　（Mazarin　made　a　slight
movement）；　〃one　must　foresee　everything；　in　the　case　of　a
check；　he　desires　to　retire　into　France　and　to　live　here　as
a　private　individual。　What　do　you　say　to　this　project？〃
The　cardinal　had　listened　without　permitting　a　single　fibre
of　his　face　to　betray　what　he　felt；　and　his　smile　remained
as　it　ever　was　　false　and　flattering；　and　when　the　queen
finished　speaking；　he　said：
〃Do　you　think；　madame；　that　France；　agitated　and　disturbed
as　it　is；　would　be　a　safe　retreat　for　a　dethroned　king？　How
will　the　crown；　which　is　scarce　firmly　set　on　the　head　of
Louis　XIV。；　support　a　double　weight？〃
〃The　weight　was　not　so　heavy　when　I　was　in　peril；〃
interrupted　the　queen；　with　a　sad　smile；　〃and　I　ask　no　more
for　my　husband　than　has　been　done　for　me；　you　see　that　we
are　very　humble　monarchs；　sir。〃
〃Oh；　you；　madame；〃　the　cardinal　hastened　to　say；　in　order　to
cut　short　the　explanation　he　foresaw　was　coming；　〃with
regard　to　you；　that　is　another　thing。　A　daughter　of　Henry
IV。；　of　that　great；　that　sublime　sovereign　　〃
〃All　which　does　not　prevent　you　refusing　hospitality　to　his
son…in…law；　sir！　Nevertheless；　you　ought　to　remember　that
that　great；　that　sublime　monarch；　when　proscribed　at　one
time；　as　my　husband　may　be；　demanded　aid　from　England　and
England　accorded　it　to　him；　and　it　is　but　just　to　say　that
Queen　Elizabeth　was　not　his　niece。〃
〃Peccato！〃　said　Mazarin；　writhing　beneath　this　simple
eloquence；　〃your　majesty　does　not　understand　me；　you　judge
my　intentions　wrongly；　and　that　is　partly　because；
doubtless；　I　explain　myself　in　French。〃
〃Speak　Italian；　sir。　Ere　the　cardinal；　your　predecessor；
sent　our　mother；　Marie　de　Medicis；　to　die　in　exile；　she
taught　us　that　language。　If　anything　yet　remains　of　that
great；　that　sublime　king；　Henry；　of　whom　you　have　just
spoken；　he　would　be　much　surprised　at　so　little　pity　for　his
family　being　united　to　such　a　profound　admiration　of
himself。〃
The　perspiration　stood　in　large　drops　on　Mazarin's　brow。
〃That　admiration　is；　on　the　contrary；　so　great；　so　real；
madame；〃　returned　Mazarin；　without　noticing　the　change　of
language　offered　to　him　by　the　queen；　〃that　if　the　king；
Charles　I。　　whom　Heaven　protect　from　evil！　　came　into
France；　I　would　offer　him　my　house　　my　own　house；　but；
alas！　it　would　be　but　an　unsafe　retreat。　Some　day　the　people
will　burn　that　house；　as　they　burned　that　of　the　Marechal
d'Ancre。　Poor　Concino　Concini！　And　yet　he　but　desired　the
good　of　the　people。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；　like　yourself！〃　said　the　queen；　ironically。
Mazarin　pretended　not　to　understand　the　double　meaning　of
his　own　sentence；　but　continued　to　compassionate　the　fate　of
Concino　Concini。
〃Well　then；　your　eminence；〃　said　the　queen；　becoming
impatient；　〃what　is　your　answer？〃
〃Madame；〃　cried　Mazarin；　more　and　more　moved；　〃will　your
majesty　permit　me　to　give　you　counsel？〃
〃Speak；　sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃the　counsels　of　so　prudent
a　man　as　yourself　ought　certainly　to　be　available。〃
〃Madame；　believe　me；　the　king　ought　to　defend　himself　to　the
last。〃
〃He　has　done　so；　sir；　and　this　last　battle；　which　he
encounters　with　resources　much　inferior　to　those　of　the
enemy；　proves　that　he　will　not　yield　without　a　struggle；　but
in　case　he　is　beaten？〃
〃Well；　madame；　in　that　case；　my　advice　　I　know　that　I　am
very　bold　to　offer　advice　to　your　majesty　　my　advice　is
that　the　king　should　not　leave　his　kingdom。　Absent　kings　are
very　soon　forgotten；　if　he　passes　over　into　France　his　cause
is　lost。〃
〃But；〃　persisted　the　queen；　〃if　such　be　your　advice　and　you
have　his　interest　at　heart；　send　him　help　of　men　and　money；
for　I　can　do　nothing　for　him；　I　have　sold　even　to　my　last
diamond　to　aid　him。　If　I　had　had　a　single　ornament　left；　I
should　have　bought　wood　this　winter　to　make　a　fire　for　my
daughter　and　myself。〃
〃Oh；　madame；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃your　majesty　knows　not　what　you
ask。　On　the　day　when　foreign　succor　follows　in　the　train　of
a　king　to　replace　him　on　his　throne；　it　is　an　avowal　that　he
no　longer　possesses　the　help　and　love　of　his　own　subjects。〃
〃To　the　point；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　〃to　the　point；　and
answer　me；　yes　or　no；　if　the　king　persists　in　remaining　in
England　will　you　send　him　succor？　If　he　comes　to　France　will
you　accord　him　hospitality？　What　do　you　intend　to　do？
Speak。〃
〃Madame；〃　said　the　cardinal；　affecting　an　effusive　frankness
of　speech；　〃I　shall　convince　your　majesty；　I　trust；　of　my
devotion　to　you　and　my　desire　to　terminate　an　affair　which
you　have　so　much　at　heart。　After　which　your　majesty　will；　I
think；　no　longer　doubt　my　zeal　in　your　behalf。〃
The　queen　bit　her　lips　and　moved　impatiently　on　her　chair。
〃Well；　what　do　you　propose　to　do？〃　she；　said　at　length；
〃come；　speak。〃
〃I　will　go　this　instant　and　consult　the　queen；　and　we　will
refer　the　affair　at　once　to　parliament。〃
〃With　which　you　are　at　war　　is　it　not　so？　You　will　charge
Broussel　to　report　it。　Enough；　sir；　enough。　I　understand　you
or　rather；　I　am　wrong。　Go　to　the　parliament；　for　it　was　from
this　parliament；　the　enemy　of　monarchs；　that　the　daughter　of
the　great；　the　sublime　Henry　IV。；　whom　you　so　much　admire；
received　the　only　relief　this　winter　which　prevented　her
from　dying　of　hunger　and　cold！〃
And　with　these　words　Henrietta　rose　in　majestic　indignation；
whilst　the　cardinal；　raising　his　hands　clasped　toward　her；
exclaimed；　〃Ah；　madame；　madame；　how　little　you　know　me；　mon
Dieu！〃
But　Queen　Henrietta；　without　even　turning　toward　him　who
made　these　hypocritical　pretensions；　crossed　the　cabinet；
opened　the　door　for　herself　and　passing　through　the　midst　of
the　cardinal's　numerous　guards；　courtiers　eager　to　pay
homage；　the　luxurious　show　of　a　competing　royalty；　she　went
and　took　the　hand　of　De　Winter；　who　stood　apart　in
isolation。　Poor　queen；　already　fallen！　Though　all　bowed
before　her；　as　etiquette　required；　she　had　now　but　a　single
arm　on　which　she　could　lean。
〃It　signifies　little；〃　said　Mazarin；　when　he　was　alone。　〃It
gave　me　pain　and　it　was　an　ungracious　part　to　play；　but　I
have　said　nothing　either　to　the　one　or　to　the　other。
Bernouin！〃
Bernouin　entered。
〃See　if　the　young　man　with　the　black　doublet　and　the　short
hair；　who　was　with　me　just　now；　is　still　in　the　palace。〃
Bernouin　went　out　and　soon　returned　with　Comminges；　who　was
on　guard。
〃Your　eminence；〃　said　Comminges；　〃as　I　was　re…conducting　the
young　man　for　whom　you　have　asked；　he　approached　the　glass
door　of　the　gallery；　and　gazed　intently　upon　some　object；
doubtless　the　picture　by　Raphael；　which　is　opposite　the
door。　He　reflected　for　a　second　and　then　descended　the
stairs。　I　believe　I　saw　him　mount　a　gray　horse　and　leave　the
palace　court。　But　is　not　your　eminence　going　to　the　queen？〃
〃For　what　purpose？〃
〃Monsieur　de　Guitant；　my　uncle；　has　just　told　me　that　her
majesty　had　received　news　of　the　army。〃
〃It　is　well；　I　will　go。〃
Comminges　had　seen　rightly；　and　Mordaunt　had　really　acted　as
he　had　related。　In　crossing　the　gallery　parallel　to　the
large　glass　gallery；　he　perceived　De　Winter；　who　was　waiting
until　the　queen　had　finished　her　negotiation。
At　this　sight　the