twenty years after(二十年后)-第87章

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him；　and　consequently　to　make　the　cardinal　acquainted　with
the　eminent　services　which　he；　D'Artagnan；　and　his　friend
had　rendered　to　the　queen's　party　in　the　morning。
They　were　indeed　admirably　received　by　Mazarin；　who　paid
them　numerous　compliments；　and　announced　that　they　were　more
than　half　on　their　way　to　obtain　what　they　desired；　namely；
D'Artagnan　his　captaincy；　Porthos　his　barony。
D'Artagnan　would　have　preferred　money　in　hand　to　all　that
fine　talk；　for　he　knew　well　that　to　Mazarin　it　was　easy　to
promise　and　hard　to　perform。　But；　though　he　held　the
cardinal's　promises　as　of　little　worth；　he　affected　to　be
completely　satisfied；　for　he　was　unwilling　to　discourage
Porthos。
Whilst　the　two　friends　were　with　the　cardinal；　the　queen
sent　for　him。　Mazarin；　thinking　that　it　would　be　the　means
of　increasing　the　zeal　of　his　two　defenders　if　he　procured
them　personal　thanks　from　the　queen；　motioned　them　to　follow
him。　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　pointed　to　their　dusty　and　torn
dresses；　but　the　cardinal　shook　his　head。
〃Those　costumes；〃　he　said；　〃are　of　more　worth　than　most　of
those　which　you　will　see　on　the　backs　of　the　queen's
courtiers；　they　are　costumes　of　battle。〃
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　obeyed。　The　court　of　Anne　of　Austria
was　full　of　gayety　and　animation；　for；　after　having　gained　a
victory　over　the　Spaniard；　it　had　just　gained　another　over
the　people。　Broussel　had　been　conducted　out　of　Paris　without
further　resistance；　and　was　at　this　time　in　the　prison　of
Saint　Germain；　while　Blancmesnil；　who　was　arrested　at　the
same　time；　but　whose　arrest　had　been　made　without　difficulty
or　noise；　was　safe　in　the　Castle　of　Vincennes。
Comminges　was　near　the　queen；　who　was　questioning　him　upon
the　details　of　his　expedition；　and　every　one　was　listening
to　his　account；　when　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　were　perceived
at　the　door；　behind　the　cardinal。
〃Ah；　madame；〃　said　Comminges；　hastening　to　D'Artagnan；　〃here
is　one　who　can　tell　you　better　than　myself；　for　he　was　my
protector。　Without　him　I　should　probably　at　this　moment　be　a
dead　fish　in　the　nets　at　Saint　Cloud；　for　it　was　a　question
of　nothing　less　than　throwing　me　into　the　river。　Speak；
D'Artagnan；　speak。〃
D'Artagnan　had　been　a　hundred　times　in　the　same　room　with
the　queen　since　he　had　become　lieutenant　of　the　musketeers；
but　her　majesty　had　never　once　spoken　to　him。
〃Well；　sir；〃　at　last　said　Anne　of　Austria；　〃you　are　silent；
after　rendering　such　a　service？〃
〃Madame；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃I　have　nought　to　say；　save
that　my　life　is　ever　at　your　majesty's　service；　and　that　I
shall　only　be　happy　the　day　I　lose　it　for　you。
〃I　know　that；　sir；　I　have　known　that；〃　said　the　queen；　〃a
long　time；　therefore　I　am　delighted　to　be　able　thus　publicly
to　mark　my　gratitude　and　my　esteem。〃
〃Permit　me；　madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃to　reserve　a　portion
for　my　friend；　like　myself〃　（he　laid　an　emphasis　on　these
words）　〃an　ancient　musketeer　of　the　company　of　Treville；　he
has　done　wonders。〃
〃His　name？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃In　the　regiment；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃he　is　called　Porthos〃
（the　queen　started）；　〃but　his　true　name　is　the　Chevalier　du
Vallon。〃
〃De　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds；〃　added　Porthos。
〃These　names　are　too　numerous　for　me　to　remember　them　all；
and　I　will　content　myself　with　the　first；〃　said　the　queen；
graciously。　Porthos　bowed。　At　this　moment　the　coadjutor　was
announced；　a　cry　of　surprise　ran　through　the　royal
assemblage。　Although　the　coadjutor　had　preached　that　same
morning　it　was　well　known　that　he　leaned　much　to　the　side　of
the　Fronde；　and　Mazarin；　in　requesting　the　archbishop　of
Paris　to　make　his　nephew　preach；　had　evidently　had　the
intention　of　administering　to　Monsieur　de　Retz　one　of　those
Italian　kicks　he　so　much　enjoyed　giving。
The　fact　was；　in　leaving　Notre　Dame　the　coadjutor　had
learned　the　event　of　the　day。　Although　almost　engaged　to　the
leaders　of　the　Fronde　he　had　not　gone　so　far　but　that
retreat　was　possible　should　the　court　offer　him　the
advantages　for　which　he　was　ambitious　and　to　which　the
coadjutorship　was　but　a　stepping…stone。　Monsieur　de　Retz
wished　to　become　archbishop　in　his　uncle's　place；　and
cardinal；　like　Mazarin；　and　the　popular　party　could　with
difficulty　accord　him　favors　so　entirely　royal。　He　therefore
hastened　to　the　palace　to　congratulate　the　queen　on　the
battle　of　Lens；　determined　beforehand　to　act　with　or　against
the　court；　as　his　congratulations　were　well　or　ill　received。
The　coadjutor　possessed；　perhaps；　as　much　wit　as　all　those
put　together　who　were　assembled　at　the　court　to　laugh　at
him。　His　speech；　therefore；　was　so　well　turned；　that　in
spite　of　the　great　wish　felt　by　the　courtiers　to　laugh；　they
could　find　no　point　on　which　to　vent　their　ridicule。　He
concluded　by　saying　that　he　placed　his　feeble　influence　at
her　majesty's　command。
During　the　whole　time　he　was　speaking；　the　queen　appeared　to
be　well　pleased　with　the　coadjutor's　harangue；　but
terminating　as　it　did　with　such　a　phrase；　the　only　one　which
could　be　caught　at　by　the　jokers；　Anne　turned　around　and
directed　a　glance　toward　her　favorites；　which　announced　that
she　delivered　up　the　coadjutor　to　their　tender　mercies。
Immediately　the　wits　of　the　court　plunged　into　satire。
Nogent…Beautin；　the　fool　of　the　court；　exclaimed　that　〃the
queen　was　very　happy　to　have　the　succor　of　religion　at　such
a　moment。〃　This　caused　a　universal　burst　of　laughter。　The
Count　de　Villeroy　said　that　〃he　did　not　know　how　any　fear
could　be　entertained　for　a　moment；　when　the　court　had；　to
defend　itself　against　the　parliament　and　the　citizens　of
Paris；　his　holiness　the　coadjutor；　who　by　a　signal　could
raise　an　army　of　curates；　church　porters　and　vergers。〃
The　Marechal　de　la　Meilleraie　added　that　in　case　the
coadjutor　should　appear　on　the　field　of　battle　it　would　be　a
pity　that　he　should　not　be　distinguished　in　the　melee　by
wearing　a　red　hat；　as　Henry　IV。　had　been　distinguished　by
his　white　plume　at　the　battle　of　Ivry。
During　this　storm；　Gondy；　who　had　it　in　his　power　to　make　it
most　unpleasant　for　the　jesters；　remained　calm　and　stern。
The　queen　at　last　asked　him　if　he　had　anything　to　add　to　the
fine　discourse　he　had　just　made　to　her。
〃Yes；　madame；〃　replied　the　coadjutor；　〃I　have　to　beg　you　to
reflect　twice　ere　you　cause　a　civil　war　in　the　kingdom。〃
The　queen　turned　her　back　and　the　laughing　recommenced。
The　coadjutor　bowed　and　left　the　palace；　casting　upon　the
cardinal　such　a　glance　as　is　best　understood　by　mortal　foes。
That　glance　was　so　sharp　that　it　penetrated　the　heart　of
Mazarin；　who；　reading　in　it　a　declaration　of　war；　seized
D'Artagnan　by　the　arm　and　said：
〃If　occasion　requires；　monsieur；　you　will　remember　that　man
who　has　just　gone　out；　will　you　not？〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；〃　he　replied。　Then；　turning　toward　Porthos；
〃The　devil！〃　said　he；　〃this　has　a　bad　look。　I　dislike　these
quarrels　among　men　of　the　church。〃
Gondy　withdrew；　distributing　benedictions　on　his　way；　and
finding　a　malicious　satisfaction　in　causing　the　adherents　of
his　foes　to　prostrate　themselves　at　his　feet。
〃Oh！〃　he　murmured；　as　he　left　the　threshold　of　the　palace：
〃ungrateful　court！　faithless　court！　cowardly　court！　I　will
teach　you　how　to　laugh　to…morrow　　but　in　another　manner。〃
But　whilst　they　were　indulging　in　extravagant　joy　at　the
Palais　Royal；　to　increase　the　hilarity　of　the　queen；
Mazarin；　a　man　of　sense；　and　whose　fear；　moreover；　gave　him
foresight；　lost　no　time　in　making　idle　and　dangerous　jokes；
he　went　out　after　the　coadjutor；　settled　his　account；　locked
up　his　gold；　and　had　confidential　workmen　to　contrive　hiding
places　in　his　walls。
On　his　return　home　the　coadjutor　was　informed　that　a　young
man　hail　come　in　after　his　departure　and　was　waiting　for
him；　he　started　with　delight　when；　on　demanding　the　name　of
this　young　man；　he　learned　that　it　was　Louvieres。　He
hastened　to　his　cabinet。　Broussel's　son　was　there；　still
furious；　and　still　bearing　bloody　marks　of　his　struggle　with
the　king's　officers。　The　only　precaution　he　had　taken　in
coming　to　the　archbishopric　was　to　leave　his　arquebuse　in
the　hands　of　a　friend。
The　coadjutor　went　to　him　and　held　out　his　hand。　The　young
man　gazed　at　him　as　if　he　would　have　read　the　secret　of　his
heart。
〃My　dear　Monsieu