twenty years after(二十年后)-第59部分

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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　young　man　stopped　short；　not　in　admiration
of　Raphael's　picture；　but　as　if　fascinated　at　the　sight　of
some　terrible　object。　His　eyes　dilated　and　a　shudder　ran
through　his　body。　One　would　have　said　that　he　longed　to
break　through　the　wall　of　glass　which　separated　him　from　his
enemy；　for　if　Comminges　had　seen　with　what　an　expression　of
hatred　the　eyes　of　this　young　man　were　fixed　upon　De　Winter；
he　would　not　have　doubted　for　an　instant　that　the　Englishman
was　his　eternal　foe。
But　he　stopped；　doubtless　to　reflect；　for　instead　of
allowing　his　first　impulse；　which　had　been　to　go　straight　to
Lord　de　Winter；　to　carry　him　away；　he　leisurely　descended
the　staircase；　left　the　palace　with　his　head　down；　mounted
his　horse；　which　he　reined　in　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue
Richelieu；　and　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　gate；　waited　until
the　queen's　carriage　had　left　the　court。
He　had　not　long　to　wait；　for　the　queen　scarcely　remained　a
quarter　of　an　hour　with　Mazarin；　but　this　quarter　of　an　hour
of　expectation　appeared　a　century　to　him。　At　last　the　heavy
machine；　which　was　called　a　chariot　in　those　days；　came　out；
rumbling　against　the　gates；　and　De　Winter；　still　on
horseback；　bent　again　to　the　door　to　converse　with　her
majesty。
The　horses　started　on　a　trot　and　took　the　road　to　the
Louvre；　which　they　entered。　Before　leaving　the　convent　of
the　Carmelites；　Henrietta　had　desired　her　daughter　to　attend
her　at　the　palace；　which　she　had　inhabited　for　a　long　time
and　which　she　had　only　left　because　their　poverty　seemed　to
them　more　difficult　to　bear　in　gilded　chambers。
Mordaunt　followed　the　carriage；　and　when　he　had　watched　it
drive　beneath　the　sombre　arches　he　went　and　stationed
himself　under　a　wall　over　which　the　shadow　was　extended；　and
remained　motionless；　amidst　the　moldings　of　Jean　Goujon；
like　a　bas…relievo；　representing　an　equestrian　statue。


39
How；　sometimes；　the　Unhappy　mistake　Chance　for　Providence。

〃Well；　madame；〃　said　De　Winter；　when　the　queen　had　dismissed
her　attendants。
〃Well；　my　lord；　what　I　foresaw　has　come　to　pass。〃
〃What？　does　the　cardinal　refuse　to　receive　the　king？　France
refuse　hospitality　to　an　unfortunate　prince？　Ay；　but　it　is
for　the　first　time；　madame！〃
〃I　did　not　say　France；　my　lord；　I　said　the　cardinal；　and　the
cardinal　is　not　even　a　Frenchman。〃
〃But　did　you　see　the　queen？〃
〃It　is　useless；〃　replied　Henrietta；　〃the　queen　will　not　say
yes　when　the　cardinal　says　no。　Are　you　not　aware　that　this
Italian　directs　everything；　both　indoors　and　out？　And
moreover；　I　should　not　be　surprised　had　we　been　forestalled
by　Cromwell。　He　was　embarrassed　whilst　speaking　to　me　and
yet　quite　firm　in　his　determination　to　refuse。　Then　did　you
not　observe　the　agitation　in　the　Palais　Royal；　the　passing
to　and　fro　of　busy　people？　Can　they　have　received　any　news；
my　lord？〃
〃Not　from　England；　madame。　I　made　such　haste　that　I　am
certain　of　not　having　been　forestalled。　I　set　out　three　days
ago；　passing　miraculously　through　the　Puritan　army；　and　I
took　post　horses　with　my　servant　Tony；　the　horses　upon　which
we　were　mounted　were　bought　in　Paris。　Besides；　the　king；　I
am　certain；　awaits　your　majesty's　reply　before　risking
anything。〃
〃You　will　tell　him；　my　lord；〃　resumed　the　queen；
despairingly；　〃that　I　can　do　nothing；　that　I　have　suffered
as　much　as　himself　　more　than　he　has　　obliged　as　I　am　to
eat　the　bread　of　exile　and　to　ask　hospitality　from　false
friends　who　smile　at　my　tears；　and　as　regards　his　royal
person；　he　must　sacrifice　it　generously　and　die　like　a　king。
I　shall　go　and　die　by　his　side。〃
〃Madame；　madame；〃　exclaimed　De　Winter；　〃your　majesty
abandons　yourself　to　despair；　and　yet；　perhaps；　there　still
remains　some　hope。〃
〃No　friends　left；　my　lord；　no　other　friends　left　in　the　wide
world　but　yourself！　Oh；　God！〃　exclaimed　the　poor　queen；
raising　her　eyes　to　Heaven；　〃have　You　indeed　taken　back　all
the　generous　hearts　that　once　existed　in　the　world？〃
〃I　hope　not；　madame；〃　replied　De　Winter；　thoughtfully；　〃I
once　spoke　to　you　of　four　men。〃
〃What　can　be　done　with　four？〃
〃Four　devoted；　resolute　men　can　do　much？　assure　yourself；
madame；　and　those　of　whom　I　speak　performed　great　things　at
one　time。〃
〃And　where　are　these　four　men？〃
〃Ah；　that　is　what　I　do　not　know。　It　is　twenty　years　since　I
saw　them；　and　yet　whenever　I　have　seen　the　king　in　danger　I
have　thought　of　them。〃
〃And　these　men　were　your　friends？〃
〃One　of　them　held　my　life　in　his　hands　and　gave　it　to　me。　I
know　not　whether　he　is　still　my　friend；　but　since　that　time
I　have　remained　his。〃
〃And　these　men　are　in　France；　my　lord？〃
〃I　believe　so。〃
〃Tell　me　their　names；　perhaps　I　may　have　heard　them
mentioned　and　might　be　able　to　aid　you　in　finding　them。〃
〃One　of　them　was　called　the　Chevalier　d'Artagnan。〃
〃Ah；　my　lord；　if　I　mistake　not；　the　Chevalier　d'Artagnan　is
lieutenant　of　royal　guards；　but　take　care；　for　I　fear　that
this　man　is　entirely　devoted　to　the　cardinal。〃
〃That　would　be　a　misfortune；〃　said　De　Winter；　〃and　I　shall
begin　to　think　that　we　are　really　doomed。〃
〃But　the　others；〃　said　the　queen；　who　clung　to　this　last
hope　as　a　shipwrecked　man　clings　to　the　hull　of　his　vessel。
〃The　others；　my　lord！〃
〃The　second　　I　heard　his　name　by　chance；　for　before
fighting　us；　these　four　gentlemen　told　us　their　names；　the
second　was　called　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。　As　for　the　two
others；　I　had　so　much　the　habit　of　calling　them　by　nicknames
that　I　have　forgotten　their　real　ones。〃
〃Oh；　mon　Dieu；　it　is　a　matter　of　the　greatest　urgency　to
find　them　out；〃　said　the　queen；　〃since　you　think　these
worthy　gentlemen　might　be　so　useful　to　the　king。〃
〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　De　Winter；　〃for　they　are　the　same　men。
Listen；　madame；　and　recall　your　remembrances。　Have　you　never
heard　that　Queen　Anne　of　Austria　was　once　saved　from　the
greatest　danger　ever　incurred　by　a　queen？〃
〃Yes；　at　the　time　of　her　relations　with　Monsieur　de
Buckingham；　it　had　to　do　in　some　way　with　certain　studs　and
diamonds。〃
〃Well；　it　was　that　affair；　madame；　these　men　are　the　ones
who　saved　her；　and　I　smile　with　pity　when　I　reflect　that　if
the　names　of　those　ge