twenty years after(二十年后)-第9章

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lost　in　thought。　He　had　gained　much　information；　but　not
enough。　Mazarin　was　a　cheat　at　the　card…table。　This　is　a
detail　preserved　to　us　by　Brienne。　He　called　it　using　his
advantages。　He　now　determined　not　to　begin　the　game　with
D'Artagnan　till　he　knew　completely　all　his　adversary's
cards。
〃My　lord；　have　you　any　commands？〃　asked　Bernouin。
〃Yes；　yes；〃　replied　Mazarin。　〃Light　me；　I　am　going　to　the
queen。〃
Bernouin　took　up　a　candlestick　and　led　the　way。
There　was　a　secret　communication　between　the　cardinal's
apartments　and　those　of　the　queen；　and　through　this
corridor*　Mazarin　passed　whenever　he　wished　to　visit　Anne　of
Austria。

*This　secret　passage　is　still　to　be　seen　in　the　Palais
Royal。

In　the　bedroom　in　which　this　passage　ended；　Bernouin
encountered　Madame　de　Beauvais；　like　himself　intrusted　with
the　secret　of　these　subterranean　love　affairs；　and　Madame　de
Beauvais　undertook　to　prepare　Anne　of　Austria；　who　was　in
her　oratory　with　the　young　king；　Louis　XIV。；　to　receive　the
cardinal。
Anne；　reclining　in　a　large　easy…chair；　her　head　supported　by
her　hand；　her　elbow　resting　on　a　table；　was　looking　at　her
son；　who　was　turning　over　the　leaves　of　a　large　book　filled
with　pictures。　This　celebrated　woman　fully　understood　the
art　of　being　dull　with　dignity。　It　was　her　practice　to　pass
hours　either　in　her　oratory　or　in　her　room；　without　either
reading　or　praying。
When　Madame　de　Beauvais　appeared　at　the　door　and　announced
the　cardinal；　the　child；　who　had　been　absorbed　in　the　pages
of　Quintus　Curtius；　enlivened　as　they　were　by　engravings　of
Alexander's　feats　of　arms；　frowned　and　looked　at　his　mother。
〃Why；〃　he　said；　〃does　he　enter　without　first　asking　for　an
audience？〃
Anne　colored　slightly。
〃The　prime　minister；〃　she　said；　〃is　obliged　in　these
unsettled　days　to　inform　the　queen　of　all　that　is　happening
from　time　to　time；　without　exciting　the　curiosity　or　remarks
of　the　court。〃
〃But　Richelieu　never　came　in　this　manner；〃　said　the
pertinacious　boy。
〃How　can　you　remember　what　Monsieur　de　Richelieu　did？　You
were　too　young　to　know　about　such　things。〃
〃I　do　not　remember　what　he　did；　but　I　have　inquired　and　I
have　been　told　all　about　it。〃
〃And　who　told　you　about　it？〃　asked　Anne　of　Austria；　with　a
movement　of　impatience。
〃I　know　that　I　ought　never　to　name　the　persons　who　answer　my
questions；〃　answered　the　child；　〃for　if　I　do　I　shall　learn
nothing　further。〃
At　this　very　moment　Mazarin　entered。　The　king　rose
immediately；　took　his　book；　closed　it　and　went　to　lay　it
down　on　the　table；　near　which　he　continued　standing；　in
order　that　Mazarin　might　be　obliged　to　stand　also。
Mazarin　contemplated　these　proceedings　with　a　thoughtful
glance。　They　explained　what　had　occurred　that　evening。
He　bowed　respectfully　to　the　king；　who　gave　him　a　somewhat
cavalier　reception；　but　a　look　from　his　mother　reproved　him
for　the　hatred　which；　from　his　infancy；　Louis　XIV。　had
entertained　toward　Mazarin；　and　he　endeavored　to　receive　the
minister's　homage　with　civility。
Anne　of　Austria　sought　to　read　in　Mazarin's　face　the
occasion　of　this　unexpected　visit；　since　the　cardinal
usually　came　to　her　apartment　only　after　every　one　had
retired。
The　minister　made　a　slight　sign　with　his　head；　whereupon　the
queen　said　to　Madame　Beauvais：
〃It　is　time　for　the　king　to　go　to　bed；　call　Laporte。〃
The　queen　had　several　times　already　told　her　son　that　he
ought　to　go　to　bed；　and　several　times　Louis　had　coaxingly
insisted　on　staying　where　he　was；　but　now　he　made　no　reply；
but　turned　pale　and　bit　his　lips　with　anger。
In　a　few　minutes　Laporte　came　into　the　room。　The　child　went
directly　to　him　without　kissing　his　mother。
〃Well；　Louis；〃　said　Anne；　〃why　do　you　not　kiss　me？〃
〃I　thought　you　were　angry　with　me；　madame；　you　sent　me
away。〃
〃I　do　not　send　you　away；　but　you　have　had　the　small…pox　and
I　am　afraid　that　sitting　up　late　may　tire　you。〃
〃You　had　no　fears　of　my　being　tired　when　you　ordered　me　to
go　to　the　palace　to…day　to　pass　the　odious　decrees　which
have　raised　the　people　to　rebellion。〃
〃Sire！〃　interposed　Laporte；　in　order　to　turn　the　subject；
〃to　whom　does　your　majesty　wish　me　to　give　the　candle？〃
〃To　any　one；　Laporte；〃　the　child　said；　and　then　added　in　a
loud　voice；　〃to　any　one　except　Mancini。〃
Now　Mancini　was　a　nephew　of　Mazarin's　and　was　as　much　hated
by　Louis　as　the　cardinal　himself；　although　placed　near　his
person　by　the　minister。
And　the　king　went　out　of　the　room　without　either　embracing
his　mother　or　even　bowing　to　the　cardinal。
〃Good；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　his　majesty　has
been　brought　up　with　a　hatred　of　dissimulation。〃
〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃　asked　the　queen；　almost　timidly。
〃Why；　it　seems　to　me　that　the　way　in　which　he　left　us　needs
no　explanation。　Besides；　his　majesty　takes　no　pains　to
conceal　how　little　affection　he　has　for　me。　That；　however；
does　not　hinder　me　from　being　entirely　devoted　to　his
service；　as　I　am　to　that　of　your　majesty。〃
〃I　ask　your　pardon　for　him；　cardinal；〃　said　the　queen；　〃he
is　a　child；　not　yet　able　to　understand　his　obligations　to
you。〃
The　cardinal　smiled。
〃But；〃　continued　the　queen；　〃you　have　doubtless　come　for
some　important　purpose。　What　is　it；　then？〃
Mazarin　sank　into　a　chair　with　the　deepest　melancholy
painted　on　his　countenance。
〃It　is　likely；〃　he　replied；　〃that　we　shall　soon　be　obliged
to　separate；　unless　you　love　me　well　enough　to　follow　me　to
Italy。〃
〃Why；〃　cried　the　queen；　〃how　is　that？〃
〃Because；　as　they　say　in　the　opera　of　‘Thisbe；'　‘The　whole
world　conspires　to　break　our　bonds。'〃
〃You　jest；　sir！〃　answered　the　queen；　endeavoring　to　assume
something　of　her　former　dignity。
〃Alas！　I　do　not；　madame；〃　rejoined　Mazarin。　〃Mark　well　what
I　say。　The　whole　world　conspires　to　break　our　bonds。　Now　as
you　are　one　of　the　whole　world；　I　mean　to　say　that　you　also
are　deserting　me。〃
〃Cardinal！〃
〃Heavens！　did　I　not　see　you　the　other　day　smile　on　the　Duke
of　Orleans？　or　rather　at　what　he　said？〃
〃And　what　was　he　saying？〃
〃He　said　this；　madame：　‘Mazarin　is　a　stumbling…block。　Send
him　away　and　all　will　then　be　well。'〃
〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do？〃
〃Oh；　madame！　you　are　the　queen！〃
〃Queen；　forsooth！　when　I　am　at　the　mercy　of　every　scribbler
in　the　Palais　Royal　who　covers　waste　paper　with　nonsense；　or
of　every　country　squire　in　the　kingdom。〃
〃Nevertheless；　you　have　still　the　power　of　banishing　from
your　presence　those　whom　you　do　not　like！〃
〃That　is　to　say；　whom　you　do　not　like；〃　returned　the　queen。
〃I！　persons　whom　I　do　not　like！〃
〃Yes；　indeed。　Who　sent　away　Madame　de　Chevreuse　after　she
had　been　persecuted　twelve　years　under　the　last　reign？〃
〃A　woman　of　intrigue；　who　wanted　to　keep　up　against　me　the
spirit　of　cabal　she　had　raised　against　M。　de　Richelieu。〃
〃Who　dismissed　Madame　de　Hautefort；　that　friend　so　loyal
that　she　refused　the　favor　of　the　king　that　she　might　remain
in　mine？〃
〃A　prude；　who　told　you　every　night；　as　she　undressed　you；
that　it　was　a　sin　to　love　a　priest；　just　as　if　one　were　a
priest　because　one　happens　to　be　a　cardinal。〃
〃Who　ordered　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　to　be　arrested？〃
〃An　incendiary　the　burden　of　whose　song　was　his　intention　to
assassinate　me。〃
〃You　see；　cardinal；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃that　your　enemies
are　mine。〃
〃That　is　not　enough　madame；　it　is　necessary　that　your
friends　should　be　also　mine。〃
〃My　friends；　monsieur？〃　The　queen　shook　her　head。　〃Alas；　I
have　them　no　longer！〃
〃How　is　it　that　you　have　no　friends　in　your　prosperity　when
you　had　many　in　adversity？〃
〃It　is　because　in　my　prosperity　I　forgot　those　old　friends；
monsieur；　because　I　have　acted　like　Queen　Marie　de　Medicis；
who；　returning　from　her　first　exile；　treated　with　contempt
all　those　who　had　suffered　for　her　and；　being　proscribed　a
second　time；　died　at　Cologne　abandoned　by　every　one；　even　by
her　own　son。〃
〃Well；　let　us　see；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃isn't　there　still　time　to
repair　the　evil？　Search　among　your　friends；　your　oldest
friends。〃
〃What　do　you　mean；　monsieur？〃
〃Nothing　else　than　I　say　　search。〃
〃Alas；　I　look　around　me　in　vain！　I　have　no　influence　with
any　one。　Monsieur　is；　as　usual；　led　by　his　favorite；
yesterday　it　was　Choisy；　to…day　it　is　La　Riviere；　to…morrow
it　will　be　some　one　else。　Monsieur　le　Prince　is　led　b