twenty years after(二十年后)-第74部分

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〃I'faith；　no；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　was　not　in　voice；
Monsieur　du　Vallon　has　a　cold　and　did　not　cry　either。　Then；
my　lord　　〃
〃Then　what？〃　asked　Mazarin。
〃Look　at　my　hat　and　cloak。〃
And　D'Artagnan　displayed　four　gunshot　holes　in　his　cloak　and
two　in　his　beaver。　As　for　Porthos's　coat；　a　blow　from　a
halberd　had　cut　it　open　on　the　flank　and　a　pistol　shot　had
cut　his　feather　in　two。
〃Diavolo！〃　said　the　cardinal；　pensively　gazing　at　the　two
friends　with　lively　admiration；　〃I　should　have　cried；　I
should。〃
At　this　moment　the　tumult　was　heard　nearer。
Mazarin　wiped　his　forehead　and　looked　around　him。　He　had　a
great　desire　to　go　to　the　window；　but　he　dared　not。
〃See　what　is　going　on；　Monsieur　D'Artagnan；〃　said　he。
D'Artagnan　went　to　the　window　with　his　habitual　composure。
〃Oho！〃　said　he；　〃what　is　this？　Marechal　de　la　Meilleraie
returning　without　a　hat　　Fontrailles　with　his　arm　in　a
sling　　wounded　guards　　horses　bleeding；　eh；　then；　what
are　the　sentinels　about？　They　are　aiming　　they　are　going
to　fire！〃
〃They　have　received　orders　to　fire　on　the　people　if　the
people　approach　the　Palais　Royal！〃　exclaimed　Mazarin。
〃But　if　they　fire；　all　is　lost！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
〃We　have　the　gates。〃
〃The　gates！　to　hold　for　five　minutes　　the　gates；　they　will
be　torn　down；　twisted　into　iron　wire；　ground　to　powder！
God's　death；　don't　fire！〃　screamed　D'Artagnan；　throwing　open
the　window。
In　spite　of　this　recommendation；　which；　owing　to　the　noise；
could　scarcely　have　been　heard；　two　or　three　musket　shots
resounded；　succeeded　by　a　terrible　discharge。　The　balls
might　be　heard　peppering　the　facade　of　the　Palais　Royal；　and
one　of　them；　passing　under　D'Artagnan's　arm；　entered　and
broke　a　mirror；　in　which　Porthos　was　complacently　admiring
himself。
〃Alack！　alack！〃　cried　the　cardinal；　〃a　Venetian　glass！〃
〃Oh；　my　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　quietly　shutting　the　window；
〃it　is　not　worth　while　weeping　yet；　for　probably　an　hour
hence　there　will　not　be　one　of　your　mirrors　remaining　in　the
Palais　Royal；　whether　they　be　Venetian　or　Parisian。〃
〃But　what　do　you　advise；　then？〃　asked　Mazarin；　trembling。
〃Eh；　egad；　to　give　up　Broussel　as　they　demand！　What　the
devil　do　you　want　with　a　member　of　the　parliament？　He　is　of
no　earthly　use　to　anybody。〃
〃And　you；　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　is　that　your　advice？　What
would　you　do？〃
〃I　should　give　up　Broussel；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Come；　come　with　me；　gentlemen！〃　exclaimed　Mazarin。　〃I　will
go　and　discuss　the　matter　with　the　queen。〃
He　stopped　at　the　end　of　the　corridor　and　said：
〃I　can　count　upon　you；　gentlemen；　can　I　not？〃
〃We　do　not　give　ourselves　twice　over；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we
have　given　ourselves　to　you；　command；　we　shall　obey。〃
〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃enter　this　cabinet　and
wait　till　I　come　back。〃
And　turning　off　he　entered　the　drawing…room　by　another　door。

48
The　Riot　becomes　a　Revolution。

The　closet　into　which　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　had　been
ushered　was　separated　from　the　drawing…room　where　the　queen
was　by　tapestried　curtains　only；　and　this　thin　partition
enabled　them　to　hear　all　that　passed　in　the　adjoining　room；
whilst　the　aperture　between　the　two　hangings；　small　as　it
was；　permitted　them　to　see。
The　queen　was　standing　in　the　room；　pale　with　anger；　her
self…control；　however；　was　so　great　that　it　might　have　been
imagined　that　she　was　calm。　Comminges；　Villequier　and
Guitant　were　behind　her　and　the　women　again　were　behind　the
men。　The　Chancellor　Sequier；　who　twenty　years　previously　had
persecuted　her　so　ruthlessly；　stood　before　her；　relating　how
his　carriage　had　been　smashed；　how　he　had　been　pursued　and
had　rushed　into　the　Hotel　d'O　　；　that　the　hotel　was
immediately　invaded；　pillaged　and　devastated；　happily　he　had
time　to　reach　a　closet　hidden　behind　tapestry；　in　which　he
was　secreted　by　an　old　woman；　together　with　his　brother；　the
Bishop　of　Meaux。　Then　the　danger　was　so　imminent；　the
rioters　came　so　near；　uttering　such　threats；　that　the
chancellor　thought　his　last　hour　had　come　and　confessed
himself　to　his　brother　priest；　so　as　to　be　all　ready　to　die
in　case　he　was　discovered。　Fortunately；　however；　he　had　not
been　taken；　the　people；　believing　that　he　had　escaped　by
some　back　entrance；　retired　and　left　him　at　liberty　to
retreat。　Then；　disguised　in　he　clothes　of　the　Marquis　d'O
　；　he　had　left　the　hotel；　stumbling　over　the　bodies　of
an　officer　and　two　guards　who　had　been　killed　whilst
defending　the　street　door。
During　the　recital　Mazarin　entered　and　glided　noiselessly　up
to　the　queen　to　listen。
〃Well；〃　said　the　queen；　when　the　chancellor　had　finished
speaking；　〃what　do　you　think　of　it　all？〃
〃I　think　that　matters　look　very　gloomy；　madame。〃
〃But　what　step　would　you　propose　to　me？〃
〃I　could　propose　one　to　your　majesty；　but　I　dare　not。〃
〃You　may；　you　may；　sir；〃　said　the　queen　with　a　bitter　smile；
〃you　were　not　so　timid　once。〃
The　chancellor　reddened　and　stammered　some　words。
〃It　is　not　a　question　of　the　past；　but　of　the　present；〃　said
the　queen；　〃you　said　you　could　give　me　advice　　what　is
it？〃
〃Madame；〃　said　the　chancellor；　hesitating；　〃it　would　be　to
release　Broussel。〃
The　queen；　although　already　pale；　became　visibly　paler　and
her　face　was　contracted。
〃Release　Broussel！〃　she　cried；　〃never！〃
At　this　moment　steps　were　heard　in　the　ante…room　and　without
any　announcement　the　Marechal　de　la　Meilleraie　appeared　at
the　door。
〃Ah；　there　you　are；　marechal；〃　cried　Anne　of　Austria
joyfully。　〃I　trust　you　have　brought　this　rabble　to　reason。〃
〃Madame；〃　replied　the　marechal；　〃I　have　left　three　men　on
the　Pont　Neuf；　four　at　the　Halle；　six　at　the　corner　of　the
Rue　de　l'Arbre…Sec　and　two　at　the　door　of　your　palace　
fifteen　in　all。　I　have　brought　away　ten　or　twelve　wounded。　I
know　not　where　I　have　left　my　hat；　and　in　all　probability　I
should　have　been　left　with　my　hat；　had　the　coadjutor　not
arrived　in　time　to　rescue　me。〃
〃Ah；　indeed；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　would　have　much　astonished
me　if　that　low　cur；　with　his　distorted　legs；　had　not　been
mixed　up　with　all　this。〃
〃Madame；〃　said　La　Meilleraie；　〃do　not　say　too　much　against
him　before　me；　for　the　service　he　rendered　me　is　still
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