twenty years after(二十年后)-第93章

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fresh。〃
〃Very　good；〃　said　the　queen；　〃be　as　grateful　as　you　like；　it
does　not　implicate　me；　you　are　here　safe　and　sound；　that　is
all　I　wished　for；　you　are　not　only　welcome；　but　welcome
back。〃
〃Yes；　madame；　but　I　only　came　back　on　one　condition　　that
I　would　transmit　to　your　majesty　the　will　of　the　people。〃
〃The　will！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　frowning。　〃Oh！　oh！　monsieur
marechal；　you　must　indeed　have　found　yourself　in　wondrous
peril　to　have　undertaken　so　strange　a　commission！〃
The　irony　with　which　these　words　were　uttered　did　not　escape
the　marechal。
〃Pardon；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not　a　lawyer；　I　am　a　mere
soldier；　and　probably；　therefore；　I　do　not　quite　comprehend
the　value　of　certain　words；　I　ought　to　have　said　the　wishes；
and　not　the　will；　of　the　people。　As　for　what　you　do　me　the
honor　to　say；　I　presume　you　mean　I　was　afraid？〃
The　queen　smiled。
〃Well；　then；　madame；　yes；　I　did　feel　fear；　and　though　I　have
been　through　twelve　pitched　battles　and　I　cannot　count　how
many　charges　and　skirmishes；　I　own　for　the　third　time　in　my
life　I　was　afraid。　Yes；　and　I　would　rather　face　your
majesty；　however　threatening　your　smile；　than　face　those
demons　who　accompanied　me　hither　and　who　sprung　from　I　know
not　whence；　unless　from　deepest　hell。〃
（〃　Bravo；〃　said　D'Artagnan　in　a　whisper　to　Porthos；　〃well
answered。〃）
〃Well；〃　said　the　queen；　biting　her　lips；　whilst　her
courtiers　looked　at　each　other　with　surprise；　〃what　is　the
desire　of　my　people？〃
〃That　Broussel　shall　be　given　up　to　them；　madame。〃
〃Never！〃　said　the　queen；　〃never！〃
〃Your　majesty　is　mistress；〃　said　La　Meilleraie；　retreating　a
few　steps。
〃Where　are　you　going；　marechal？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃To　give　your　majesty's　reply　to　those　who　await　it。〃
〃Stay；　marechal；　I　will　not　appear　to　parley　with　rebels。〃
〃Madame；　I　have　pledged　my　word；　and　unless　you　order　me　to
be　arrested　I　shall　be　forced　to　return。〃
Anne　of　Austria's　eyes　shot　glances　of　fire。
〃Oh！　that　is　no　impediment；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　had
greater　men　than　you　arrested　　Guitant！〃
Mazarin　sprang　forward。
〃Madame；　〃said　he；　〃if　I　dared　in　my　turn　advise　　〃
〃Would　it　be　to　give　up　Broussel；　sir？　If　so；　you　can　spare
yourself　the　trouble。〃
〃No；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃although；　perhaps；　that　counsel　is　as
good　as　any　other。〃
〃Then　what　may　it　be？〃
〃To　call　for　monsieur　le　coadjuteur。〃
〃The　coadjutor！〃　cried　the　queen；　〃that　dreadful　mischief
maker！　It　is　he　who　has　raised　all　this　revolt。〃
〃The　more　reason；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃if　he　has　raised　it　he　can
put　it　down。〃
〃And　hold；　madame；〃　suggested　Comminges；　who　was　near　a
window；　out　of　which　he　could　see；　〃hold；　the　moment　is　a
happy　one；　for　there　he　is　now；　giving　his　blessing　in　the
square　of　the　Palais　Royal。〃
The　queen　sprang　to　the　window。
〃It　is　true；〃　she　said；　〃the　arch　hypocrite　　see！〃
〃I　see；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃that　everybody　kneels　before　him；
although　he　be　but　coadjutor；　whilst　I；　were　I　in　his　place；
though　I　am　cardinal；　should　be　torn　to　pieces。　I　persist；
then；　madame；　in　my　wish〃　（he　laid　an　emphasis　on　the　word）；
〃that　your　majesty　should　receive　the　coadjutor。〃
〃And　wherefore　do　you　not　say；　like　the　rest；　your　will？〃
replied　the　queen；　in　a　low　voice。
Mazarin　bowed。
〃Monsieur　le　marechal；〃　said　the　queen；　after　a　moment's
reflection；　〃go　and　find　the　coadjutor　and　bring　him　to　me。〃
〃And　what　shall　I　say　to　the　people？〃
〃That　they　must　have　patience；〃　said　Anne；　〃as　I　have。〃
The　fiery　Spanish　woman　spoke　in　a　tone　so　imperative　that
the　marechal　made　no　reply；　he　bowed　and　went　out。
（D'Artagnan　turned　to　Porthos。　〃How　will　this　end？〃　he　said。
〃We　shall　soon　see；〃　said　Porthos；　in　his　tranquil　way。）
In　the　meantime　Anne　of　Austria　approached　Comminges　and
conversed　with　him　in　a　subdued　tone；　whilst　Mazarin　glanced
uneasily　at　the　corner　occupied　by　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。
Ere　long　the　door　opened　and　the　marechal　entered；　followed
by　the　coadjutor。
〃There；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃is　Monsieur　Gondy；　who　hastens　to
obey　your　majesty's　summons。〃
The　queen　advanced　a　few　steps　to　meet　him；　and　then
stopped；　cold；　severe；　unmoved；　with　her　lower　lip
scornfully　protruded。
Gondy　bowed　respectfully。
〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　〃what　is　your　opinion　of　this
riot？〃
〃That　it　is　no　longer　a　riot；　madame；〃　he　replied；　〃but　a
revolt。〃
〃The　revolt　is　at　the　door　of　those　who　think　my　people　can
rebel；〃　cried　Anne；　unable　to　dissimulate　before　the
coadjutor；　whom　she　looked　upon；　and　probably　with　reason；
as　the　promoter　of　the　tumult。　〃Revolt！　thus　it　is　called　by
those　who　have　wished　for　this　demonstration　and　who　are；
perhaps；　the　cause　of　it；　but；　wait；　wait！　the　king's
authority　will　put　all　this　to　rights。〃
〃Was　it　to　tell　me　that；　madame；〃　coldly　replied　Gondy；
〃that　your　majesty　admitted　me　to　the　honor　of　entering　your
presence？〃
〃No；　my　dear　coadjutor；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃it　was　to　ask　your
advice　in　the　unhappy　dilemma　in　which　we　find　ourselves。〃
〃Is　it　true；〃　asked　Gondy；　feigning　astonishment；　〃that　her
majesty　summoned　me　to　ask　for　my　opinion？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　is　requested。〃
The　coadjutor　bowed。
〃Your　majesty　wishes；　then　　〃
〃You　to　say　what　you　would　do　in　her　place；〃　Mazarin
hastened　to　reply。
The　coadjutor　looked　at　the　queen；　who　replied　by　a　sign　in
the　affirmative。
〃Were　I　in　her　majesty's　place；〃　said　Gondy；　coldly；　〃I
should　not　hesitate；　I　should　release　Broussel。〃
〃And　if　I　do　not　give　him　up；　what　think　you　will　be　the
result？〃　exclaimed　the　queen。
〃I　believe　that　not　a　stone　in　Paris　will　remain　unturned；〃
put　in　the　marechal。
〃It　was　not　your　opinion　that　I　asked；〃　said　the　queen；
sharply；　without　even　turning　around。
〃If　it　is　I　whom　your　majesty　interrogates；〃　replied　the
coadjutor　in　the　same　calm　manner；　〃I　reply　that　I　hold
monsieur　le　marechal's　opinion　in　every　respect。〃
The　color　mounted　to　the　queen's　face；　her　fine　blue　eyes
seemed　to　start　out　of　her　head　and　her　carmine　lips；
compared　by　all　the　poets　of　the　day　to　a　pomegranate　in
flower；　were　trembling　with　anger。　Mazarin　himself；　who　was
well　accustomed　to　the　domestic　outbreaks　of　this　disturbed
household；　was　alarmed。
〃Give　up　Broussel！〃　she　cried；　〃fine　counsel；　indeed。　Upon
my　word！　one　can　easily　see　it　comes　from　a　priest。
Gondy　remained　firm；　and　the　abuse　of　the　day　seemed　to
glide　over　his　head　as　the　sarcasms　of　the　evening　before
had　done；　but　hatred　and　revenge　were　accumulating　in　his
heart　silently　and　drop　by　drop。　He　looked　coldly　at　the
queen；　who　nudged　Mazarin　to　make　him　say　something　in　his
turn。
Mazarin；　according　to　his　custom；　was　thinking　much　and
saying　little。
〃Ho！　ho！〃　said　he；　〃good　advice；　advice　of　a　friend。　I；　too；
would　give　up　that　good　Monsieur　Broussel；　dead　or　alive；
and　all　would　be　at　an　end。〃
〃If　you　yield　him　dead；　all　will　indeed　be　at　an　end；　my
lord；　but　quite　otherwise　than　you　mean。〃
〃Did　I　say　‘dead　or　alive？'〃　replied　Mazarin。　〃It　was　only　a
way　of　speaking。　You　know　I　am　not　familiar　with　the　French
language；　which　you；　monsieur　le　coadjuteur；　both　speak　and
write　so　well。〃
（〃This　is　a　council　of　state；〃　D'Artagnan　remarked　to
Porthos；　〃but　we　held　better　ones　at　La　Rochelle；　with　Athos
and　Aramis。〃
〃At　the　Saint　Gervais　bastion；〃　said　Porthos。
〃There　and　elsewhere。〃）
The　coadjutor　let　the　storm　pass　over　his　head　and　resumed；
still　with　the　same　tranquillity：
〃Madame；　if　the　opinion　I　have　submitted　to　you　does　not
please　you　it　is　doubtless　because　you　have　better　counsels
to　follow。　I　know　too　well　the　wisdom　of　the　queen　and　that
of　her　advisers　to　suppose　that　they　will　leave　the　capital
long　in　trouble　that　may　lead　to　a　revolution。〃
〃Thus；　then；　it　is　your　opinion；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria；　with
a　sneer　and　biting　her　lips　with　rage；　〃that　yesterday's
riot；　which　to…day　is　already　a　rebellion；　to…morrow　may
become　a　revolution？〃
〃Yes；　madame；〃　replied　the　coadjutor；　gravely。
〃But　if　I　am　to　believe　you；　sir；　the　people　seem　to　have
thrown　off　all　restraint。〃
〃It　is　a　bad　year　for　kings；〃　said　Gondy；　shaking　his　head；
〃look　at　England；　madame。〃
〃Yes；　but　fortunately　we　have　no　Oliver　Cromwell　in　France；〃
replied　the　queen。
〃Who　knows？〃　said　Gondy；　〃such　men　are　like　thunderbolts　
o