twenty years after(二十年后)-第58部分

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Lord　are　with　me。　This　battle　won　by　me；　the　king　will　have
no　further　resources　in　England　or　in　Scotland；　and　if　he　is
not　captured　or　killed；　he　will　endeavor　to　pass　over　into
France　to　recruit　soldiers　and　to　refurnish　himself　with
arms　and　money。　France　has　already　received　Queen　Henrietta；
and；　unintentionally；　doubtless；　has　maintained　a　centre　of
inextinguishable　civil　war　in　my　country。　But　Madame
Henrietta　is　a　daughter　of　France　and　was　entitled　to　the
hospitality　of　France。　As　to　King　Charles；　the　question　must
be　viewed　differently；　in　receiving　and　aiding　him；　France
will　censure　the　acts　of　the　English　nation；　and　thus　so
essentially　harm　England；　and　especially　the　well…being　of
the　government；　that　such　a　proceeding　will　be　equivalent　to
pronounced　hostilities。〃

At　this　moment　Mazarin　became　very　uneasy　at　the　turn　which
the　letter　was　taking　and　paused　to　glance　under　his　eyes　at
the　young　man。　The　latter　continued　in　thought。　Mazarin
resumed　his　reading：

〃It　is　important；　therefore；　monseigneur；　that　I　should　be
informed　as　to　the　intentions　of　France。　The　interests　of
that　kingdom　and　those　of　England；　though　taking　now　diverse
directions；　are　very　nearly　the　same。　England　needs
tranquillity　at　home；　in　order　to　consummate　the　expulsion
of　her　king；　France　needs　tranquillity　to　establish　on　solid
foundations　the　throne　of　her　young　monarch。　You　need；　as
much　as　we　do；　that　interior　condition　of　repose　which；
thanks　to　the　energy　of　our　government；　we　are　about　to
attain。
〃Your　quarrels　with　the　parliament；　your　noisy　dissensions
with　the　princes；　who　fight　for　you　to…day　and　to…morrow
will　fight　against　you；　the　popular　following　directed　by
the　coadjutor；　President　Blancmesnil；　and　Councillor
Broussel　　all　that　disorder；　in　short；　which　pervades　the
several　departments　of　the　state；　must　lead　you　to　view　with
uneasiness　the　possibility　of　a　foreign　war；　for　in　that
event　England；　exalted　by　the　enthusiasm　of　new　ideas；　will
ally　herself　with　Spain；　already　seeking　that　alliance。　I
have　therefore　believed；　monseigneur；　knowing　your　prudence
and　your　personal　relation　to　the　events　of　the　present
time；　that　you　will　choose　to　hold　your　forces　concentrated
in　the　interior　of　the　French　kingdom　and　leave　to　her　own
the　new　government　of　England。　That　neutrality　consists
simply　in　excluding　King　Charles　from　the　territory　of
France　and　in　refraining　from　helping　him　　a　stranger　to
your　country　　with　arms；　with　money　or　with　troops。
〃My　letter　is　private　and　confidential；　and　for　that　reason
I　send　it　to　you　by　a　man　who　shares　my　most　intimate
counsels。　It　anticipates；　through　a　sentiment　which　your
eminence　will　appreciate；　measures　to　be　taken　after　the
events。　Oliver　Cromwell　considered　it　more　expedient　to
declare　himself　to　a　mind　as　intelligent　as　Mazarin's　than
to　a　queen　admirable　for　firmness；　without　doubt；　but　too
much　guided　by　vain　prejudices　of　birth　and　of　divine　right。
〃Farewell；　monseigneur；　should　I　not　receive　a　reply　in　the
space　of　fifteen　days；　I　shall　presume　my　letter　will　have
miscarried。
〃Oliver　Cromwell。〃

〃Mr。　Mordaunt；〃　said　the　cardinal；　raising　his　voice；　as　if
to　arouse　the　dreamer；　〃my　reply　to　this　letter　will　be　more
satisfactory　to　General　Cromwell　if　I　am　convinced　that　all
are　ignorant　of　my　having　given　one；　go；　therefore；　and
await　it　at　Boulogne…sur…Mer；　and　promise　me　to　set　out
to…morrow　morning。〃
〃I　promise；　my　lord；〃　replied　Mordaunt；　〃but　how　many　days
does　your　eminence　expect　me　to　await　your　reply？〃
〃If　you　do　not　receive　it　in　ten　days　you　can　leave。〃
Mordaunt　bowed。
〃That　is　not　all；　sir；〃　continued　Mazarin；　〃your　private
adventures　have　touched　me　to　the　quick；　besides；　the　letter
from　Mr。　Cromwell　makes　you　an　important　person　as
ambassador；　come；　tell　me；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃
Mordaunt　reflected　a　moment　and；　after　some　hesitation；　was
about　to　speak；　when　Bernouin　entered　hastily　and　bending
down　to　the　ear　of　the　cardinal；　whispered：
〃My　lord；　the　Queen　Henrietta　Maria；　accompanied　by　an
English　noble；　is　entering　the　Palais　Royal　at　this　moment。〃
Mazarin　made　a　bound　from　his　chair；　which　did　not　escape
the　attention　of　the　young　man　and　suppressed　the　confidence
he　was　about　to　make。
〃Sir；〃　said　the　cardinal；　〃you　have　heard　me？　I　fix　on
Boulogne　because　I　presume　that　every　town　in　France　is
indifferent　to　you；　if　you　prefer　another；　name　it；　but　you
can　easily　conceive　that；　surrounded　as　I　am　by　influences　I
can　only　muzzle　by　discretion；　I　desire　your　presence　in
Paris　to　be　unknown。〃
〃I　go；　sir；〃　said　Mordaunt；　advancing　a　few　steps　to　the
door　by　which　he　had　entered。
〃No；　not　that　way；　I　beg；　sir；〃　quickly　exclaimed　the
cardinal；　〃be　so　good　as　to　pass　by　yonder　gallery；　by　which
you　can　regain　the　hall。　I　do　not　wish　you　to　be　seen
leaving；　our　interview　must　be　kept　secret。〃
Mordaunt　followed　Bernouin；　who　led　him　through　the　adjacent
chamber　and　left　him　with　a　doorkeeper；　showing　him　the　way
out。

38
Henrietta　Maria　and　Mazarin。

The　cardinal　rose；　and　advanced　in　haste　to　receive　the
queen　of　England。　He　showed　the　more　respect　to　this　queen；
deprived　of　every　mark　of　pomp　and　stripped　of　followers；　as
he　felt　some　self…reproach　for　his　own　want　of　heart　and　his
avarice。　But　supplicants　for　favor　know　how　to　accommodate
the　expression　of　their　features；　and　the　daughter　of　Henry
IV。　smiled　as　she　advanced　to　meet　a　man　she　hated　and
despised。
〃Ah！〃　said　Mazarin　to　himself；　〃what　a　sweet　face；　does　she
come　to　borrow　money　of　me？〃
And　he　threw　an　uneasy　glance　at　his　strong　box；　he　even
turned　inside　the　bevel　of　the　magnificent　diamond　ring；　the
brilliancy　of　which　drew　every　eye　upon　his　hand；　which
indeed　was　white　and　handsome。
〃Your　eminence；〃　said　the　august　visitor；　〃it　was　my　first
intention　to　speak　of　the　matters　that　have　brought　me　here
to　the　queen；　my　sister；　but　I　have　reflected　that　political
affairs　are　more　especially　the　concern　of　men。〃
〃Madame；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃your　majesty　overwhelms　me　with
flattering　distinction。〃
〃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