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diff --git a/3950.txt b/3950.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fcc70e4 --- /dev/null +++ b/3950.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2337 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Cinq Mars, by Alfred de Vigny, v4 +#37 in our series The French Immortals Crowned by the French Academy +#4 in our series by Octave Feuillet + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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D.W.] + + + + + +CINQ MARS + +By ALFRED DE VIGNY + + + +BOOK 4. + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE RIOT + + "Thus with imagin'd wing our swift scene flies, + In motion of no less celerity + Than that of thought," + +exclaims the immortal Shakespeare in the chorus of one of his tragedies. + + "Suppose that you have seen + The well-appointed king + Embark his royalty; and his brave fleet + With silken streamers the young Phoebus fanning. + . . . . . . + . . . behold, + And follow." + +With this poetic movement he traverses time and space, and transports at +will the attentive assembly to the theatre of his sublime scenes. + +We shall avail ourselves of the same privilege, though without the same +genius. No more than he shall we seat ourselves upon the tripod of the +unities, but merely casting our eyes upon Paris and the old dark palace +of the Louvre, we will at once pass over the space of two hundred leagues +and the period of two years. + +Two years! what changes may they not have upon men, upon their families, +and, above all, in that great and so troublous family of nations, whose +long alliances a single day suffices to destroy, whose wars are ended by +a birth, whose peace is broken by a death! We ourselves have beheld +kings returning to their dwelling on a spring day; that same day a vessel +sailed for a voyage of two years. The navigator returned. The kings +were seated upon their thrones; nothing seemed to have taken place in his +absence, and yet God had deprived those kings of a hundred days of their +reign. + +But nothing was changed for France in 1642, the epoch to which we turn, +except her fears and her hopes. The future alone had changed its aspect. +Before again beholding our personages, we must contemplate at large the +state of the kingdom. + +The powerful unity of the monarchy was rendered still more imposing by +the misfortunes of the neighboring States. The revolutions in England, +and those in Spain and Portugal, rendered the peace which France enjoyed +still more admired. Strafford and Olivares, overthrown or defeated, +aggrandized the immovable Richelieu. + +Six formidable armies, reposing upon their triumphant weapons, served as +a rampart to the kingdom. Those of the north, in league with Sweden, had +put the Imperialists to flight, still pursued by the spirit of Gustavus +Adolphus, those on the frontiers of Italy had in Piedmont received the +keys of the towns which had been defended by Prince Thomas; and those +which strengthened the chain of the Pyrenees held in check revolted +Catalonia, and chafed before Perpignan, which they were not allowed to +take. The interior was not happy, but tranquil. An invisible genius +seemed to have maintained this calm, for the King, mortally sick, +languished at St. Germain with a young favorite; and the Cardinal was, +they said, dying at Narbonne. Some deaths, however, betrayed that he yet +lived; and at intervals, men falling as if struck by a poisonous blast +recalled to mind the invisible power. + +St.-Preuil, one of Richelieu's enemies, had just laid his "iron head" +upon the scaffold without shame or fear, as he himself said on mounting +it. + +Meantime, France seemed to govern herself, for the prince and the +minister had been separated a long time; and of these two sick men, who +hated each other, one never had held the reins of State, the other no +longer showed his power--he was no longer named in the public acts; he +appeared no longer in the government, and seemed effaced everywhere; he +slept, like the spider surrounded by his webs. + +If some events and some revolutions had taken place during these two +years, it must have been in hearts; it must have been some of those +occult changes from which, in monarchies without firm foundation, +terrible overthrows and long and bloody dissensions arise. + +To enlighten ourselves, let us glance at the old black building of the +unfinished Louvre, and listen to the conversation of those who inhabited +it and those who surrounded it. + +It was the month of December; a rigorous winter had afflicted Paris, +where the misery and inquietude of the people were extreme. However, +curiosity was still alive, and they were eager for the spectacles given +by the court. Their poverty weighed less heavily upon them while they +contemplated the agitations of the rich. Their tears were less bitter on +beholding the struggles of power; and the blood of the nobles which +reddened their streets, and seemed the only blood worthy of being shed, +made them bless their own obscurity. Already had tumultuous scenes and +conspicuous assassinations proved the monarch's weakness, the absence and +approaching end of the minister, and, as a kind of prologue to the bloody +comedy of the Fronde, sharpened the malice and even fired the passions of +the Parisians. This confusion was not displeasing to them. Indifferent +to the causes of the quarrels which were abstruse for them, they were not +so with regard to individuals, and already began to regard the party +chiefs with affection or hatred, not on account of the interest which +they supposed them to take in the welfare of their class, but simply +because as actors they pleased or displeased. + +One night, especially, pistol and gun-shots had been heard frequently in +the city; the numerous patrols of the Swiss and the body-guards had even +been attacked, and had met with some barricades in the tortuous streets +of the Ile Notre-Dame; carts chained to the posts, and laden with +barrels, prevented the cavaliers from advancing, and some musket-shots +had wounded several men and horses. However, the town still slept, +except the quarter which surrounded the Louvre, which was at this time +inhabited by the Queen and M. le Duc d'Orleans. There everything +announced a nocturnal expedition of a very serious nature. + +It was two o'clock in the morning. It was freezing, and the darkness was +intense, when a numerous assemblage stopped upon the quay, which was then +hardly paved, and slowly and by degrees occupied the sandy ground that +sloped down to the Seine. This troop was composed of about two hundred +men; they were wrapped in large cloaks, raised by the long Spanish swords +which they wore. Walking to and fro without preserving any order, they +seemed to wait for events rather than to seek them. Many seated +themselves, with their arms folded, upon the loose stones of the newly +begun parapet; they preserved perfect silence. However, after a few +minutes passed in this manner, a man, who appeared to come out of one of +the vaulted doors of the Louvre, approached slowly, holding a dark- +lantern, the light from which he turned upon the features of each +individual, and which he blew out after finding the man he sought among +them. He spoke to him in a whisper, taking him by the hand: + +"Well, Olivier, what did Monsieur le Grand say to you? + + [The master of the horse, Cinq-Mars, was thus named by abbreviation. + This name will often occur in the course of the recital.] + +Does all go well?" + +"Yes, I saw him yesterday at Saint-Germain. The old cat is very ill at +Narbonne; he is going 'ad patres'. But we must manage our affairs +shrewdly, for it is not the first time that he has played the torpid. +Have you people enough for this evening, my dear Fontrailles?" + +"Be easy; Montresor is coming with a hundred of Monsieur's gentlemen. +You will recognize him; he will be disguised as a master-mason, with a +rule in his hand. But, above all, do not forget the passwords. Do you +know them all well, you and your friends?" + +"Yes, all except the Abbe de Gondi, who has not yet arrived; but 'Dieu me +pardonne', I think he is there himself! Who the devil would have known +him?" + +And here a little man without a cassock, dressed as a soldier of the +French guards, and wearing a very black false moustache, slipped between +them. He danced about with a joyous air, and rubbed his hands. + +"Vive Dieu! all goes on well, my friend. Fiesco could not do better;" +and rising upon his toes to tap Olivier upon the shoulder, he continued: + +"Do you know that for a man who has just quitted the rank of pages, you +don't manage badly, Sire Olivier d'Entraigues? and you will be among our +illustrious men if we find a Plutarch. All is well organized; you arrive +at the very moment, neither too soon nor too late, like a true party +chief. Fontrailles, this young man will get on, I prophesy. But we must +make haste; in two hours we shall have some of the archbishops of Paris, +my, uncle's parishioners. I have instructed them well; and they will +cry, 'Long live Monsieur! Long live the Regency! No more of the +Cardinal!' like madmen. They are good devotees, thanks to me, who have +stirred them up. The King is very ill. Oh, all goes well, very well! +I come from Saint-Germain. I have seen our friend Cinq-Mars; he is good, +very good, still firm as a rock. Ah, that is what I call a man! How he +has played with them with his careless and melancholy air! He is master +of the court at present. The King, they say, is going to make him duke +and peer. It is much talked of; but he still hesitates. We must decide +that by our movement this evening. The will of the people! He must do +the will of the people; we will make him hear it. It will be the death +of Richelieu, you'll see. It is, above all, hatred of him which is to +predominate in the cries, for that is the essential thing. That will at +last decide our Gaston, who is still uncertain, is he not?" + +"And how can he be anything else?" said Fontrailles. "If he were to +take a resolution to-day in our favor it would be unfortunate." + +"Why so?" + +"Because we should be sure that to-morrow morning he would be against +us." + +"Never mind," replied the Abbe; "the Queen is firm." + +"And she has heart also," said Olivier; "that gives me some hope for +Cinq-Mars, who, it seems to me, has sometimes dared to frown when he +looked at her." + +"Child that you are, how little do you yet know of the court! Nothing +can sustain him but the hand of the King, who loves him as a son; and as +for the Queen, if her heart beats, it is for the past and not for the +future. But these trifles are not to the purpose. Tell me, dear friend, +are you sure of your young Advocate whom I see roaming about there? Is +he all right?" + +"Perfectly; he is an excellent Royalist. He would throw the Cardinal +into the river in an instant. Besides, it is Fournier of Loudun; that is +saying everything." + +"Well, well, this is the kind of men we like. But take care of +yourselves, Messieurs; some one comes from the Rue Saint-Honore." + +"Who goes there?" cried the foremost of the troop to some men who were +advancing. "Royalists or Cardinalists?" + +"Gaston and Le Grand," replied the newcomers, in low tones. + +"It is Montresor and Monsieur's people," said Fontrailles. "We may soon +begin." + +"Yes, 'par la corbleu'!" said the newcomer, "for the Cardinalists will +pass at three o'clock. Some one told us so just now." + +"Where are they going?" said Fontrailles. + +"There are more than two hundred of them to escort Monsieur de Chavigny, +who is going to see the old cat at Narbonne, they say. They thought it +safer to pass by the Louvre." + +"Well, we will give him a velvet paw!" said the Abbe. + +As he finished saying this, a noise of carriages and horses was heard. +Several men in cloaks rolled an enormous stone into the middle of the +street. The foremost cavaliers passed rapidly through the crowd, pistols +in hand, suspecting that something unusual was going on; but the +postilion, who drove the horses of the first carriage, ran upon the stone +and fell. + +"Whose carriage is this which thus crushes foot-passengers?" cried the +cloakmen, all at once. "It is tyrannical. It can be no other than a +friend of the Cardinal de la Rochelle." + + [During the long siege of La Rochelle, this name was given to + Cardinal Richelieu, to ridicule his obstinacy in commanding as + General-in-Chief, and claiming for himself the merit of taking that + town.] + +"It is one who fears not the friends of the little Le Grand," exclaimed a +voice from the open door, from which a man threw himself upon a horse. + +"Drive these Cardinalists into the river!" cried a shrill, piercing +voice. + +This was a signal for the pistol-shots which were furiously exchanged on +every side, and which lighted up this tumultuous and sombre scene. The +clashing of swords and trampling of horses did not prevent the cries from +being heard on one side: "Down with the minister! Long live the King! +Long live Monsieur and Monsieur le Grand! Down with the red-stockings!" +On the other: "Long live his Eminence! Long live the great Cardinal! +Death to the factious! Long live the King!" For the name of the King +presided over every hatred, as over every affection, at this strange +time. + +The men on foot had succeeded, however, in placing the two carriages +across the quay so as to make a rampart against Chavigny's horses, and +from this, between the wheels, through the doors and springs, overwhelmed +them with pistol-shots, and dismounted many. The tumult was frightful, +but suddenly the gates of the Louvre were thrown open, and two squadrons +of the body-guard came out at a trot. Most of them carried torches in +their hands to light themselves and those they were about to attack. The +scene changed. As the guards reached each of the men on foot, the latter +was seen to stop, remove his hat, make himself known, and name himself; +and the guards withdrew, sometimes saluting him, and sometimes shaking +him by the hand. This succor to Chavigny's carriages was then almost +useless, and only served to augment the confusion. The body-guards, as +if to satisfy their consciences, rushed through the throng of duellists, +saying: + +"Gentlemen, gentlemen, be moderate!" + +But when two gentlemen had decidedly crossed swords, and were in active +conflict, the guard who beheld them stopped to judge the fight, and +sometimes even to favor the one who he thought was of his opinion, for +this body, like all France, had their Royalists and their Cardinalists. + +The windows of the Louvre were lighted one after another, and many +women's heads were seen behind the little lozenge-shaped panes, +attentively watching the combat. + +Numerous Swiss patrols came out with flambeaux. + +These soldiers were easily distinguished by an odd uniform. The right +sleeve was striped blue and red, and the silk stocking of the right leg +was red; the left side was striped with blue, red, and white, and the +stocking was white and red. It had, no doubt, been hoped in the royal +chateau that this foreign troop would disperse the crowd, but they were +mistaken. These impassible soldiers coldly and exactly executed, without +going beyond, the orders they had received, circulating symmetrically +among the armed groups, which they divided for a moment, returning before +the gate with perfect precision, and resuming their ranks as on parade, +without informing themselves whether the enemies among whom they had +passed had rejoined or not. + +But the noise, for a moment appeased, became general by reason of +personal disputes. In every direction challenges, insults, and +imprecations were heard. It seemed as if nothing but the destruction of +one of the two parties could put an end to the combat, when loud cries, +or rather frightful howls, raised the tumult to its highest pitch. The +Abbe de Gondi, dragging a cavalier by his cloak to pull him down, +exclaimed: + +"Here are my people! Fontrailles, now you will see something worth while! +Look! look already who they run! It is really charming." + +And he abandoned his hold, and mounted upon a stone to contemplate the +manoeuvres of his troops, crossing his arms with the importance of a +General of an army. Day was beginning to break, and from the end of the +Ile St.-Louis a crowd of men, women, and children of the lowest dregs of +the people was seen rapidly advancing, casting toward heaven and the +Louvre strange vociferations. Girls carried long swords; children +dragged great halberds and pikes of the time of the League; old women in +rags pulled by cords old carts full of rusty and broken arms; workmen of +every trade, the greater number drunk, followed, armed with clubs, forks, +lances, shovels, torches, stakes, crooks, levers, sabres, and spits. +They sang and howled alternately, counterfeiting with atrocious yells the +cries of a cat, and carrying as a flag one of these animals suspended +from a pole and wrapped in a red rag, thus representing the Cardinal, +whose taste for cats was generally known. Public criers rushed about, +red and breathless, throwing on the pavement and sticking up on the +parapets, the posts, the walls of the houses, and even on the palace, +long satires in short stanzas upon the personages of the time. Butcher- +boys and scullions, carrying large cutlasses, beat the charge upon +saucepans, and dragged in the mud a newly slaughtered pig, with the red +cap of a chorister on its head. Young and vigorous men, dressed as +women, and painted with a coarse vermilion, were yelling, "We are mothers +of families ruined by Richelieu! Death to the Cardinal!" They carried +in their arms figures of straw that looked like children, which they +threw into the river. + +When this disgusting mob overran the quays with its thousands of imps, it +produced a strange effect upon the combatants, and entirely contrary to +that expected by their patron. The enemies on both sides lowered their +arms and separated. Those of Monsieur and Cinq-Mars were revolted at +seeing themselves succored by such auxiliaries, and, themselves aiding +the Cardinal's gentlemen to remount their horses and to gain their +carriages, and their valets to convey the wounded to them, gave their +adversaries personal rendezvous to terminate their quarrel upon a ground +more secret and more worthy of them. Ashamed of the superiority of +numbers and the ignoble troops which they seemed to command, foreseeing, +perhaps, for the first time the fearful consequences of their political +machinations, and what was the scum they were stirring up, they withdrew, +drawing their large hats over their eyes, throwing their cloaks over +their shoulders, and avoiding the daylight. + +"You have spoiled all, my dear Abbe, with this mob," said Fontrailles, +stamping his foot, to Gondi, who was already sufficiently nonplussed; +"your good uncle has fine parishioners!" + +"It is not my fault," replied Gondi, in a sullen tone; "these idiots came +an hour too late. Had they arrived in the night, they would not have +been seen, which spoils the effect somewhat, to speak the truth (for I +grant that daylight is detrimental to them), and we would only have heard +the voice of the people 'Vox populi, vox Dei'. Nevertheless, no great +harm has been done. They will by their numbers give us the means of +escaping without being known, and, after all, our task is ended; we did +not wish the death of the sinner. Chavigny and his men are worthy +fellows, whom I love; if he is only slightly wounded, so much the better. +Adieu; I am going to see Monsieur de Bouillon, who has arrived from +Italy." + +"Olivier," said Fontrailles, "go at once to Saint-Germain with Fournier +and Ambrosio; I will go and give an account to Monsieur, with Montresor." + +All separated, and disgust accomplished, with these highborn men, what +force could not bring about. + +Thus ended this fray, likely to bring forth great misfortunes. No one +was killed in it. The cavaliers, having gained a few scratches and lost +a few purses, resumed their route by the side of the carriages along the +by-streets; the others escaped, one by one, through the populace they had +attracted. The miserable wretches who composed it, deprived of the chief +of the troops, still remained two hours, yelling and screaming until the +effect of their wine was gone, and the cold had extinguished at once the +fire of their blood and that of their enthusiasm. At the windows of the +houses, on the quay of the city, and along the walls, the thoughtful and +genuine people of Paris watched with a sorrowful air and in mournful +silence these preludes of disorder; while the various bodies of +merchants, dressed in black and preceded by their provosts, walked slowly +and courageously through the populace toward the Palais de justice, where +the parliament was to assemble, to make complaint of these terrible +nocturnal scenes. + +The apartments of Gaston d'Orleans were in great confusion. This Prince +occupied the wing of the Louvre parallel with the Tuileries; and his +windows looked into the court on one side, and on the other over a mass +of little houses and narrow streets which almost entirely covered the +place. He had risen precipitately, awakened suddenly by the report of +the firearms, had thrust his feet into large square-toed slippers with +high heels, and, wrapped in a large silk dressing-gown, covered with +golden ornaments embroidered in relief, walked to and fro in his bedroom, +sending every minute a fresh lackey to see what was going on, and +ordering them immediately to go for the Abbe de la Riviere, his general +counsellor; but he was unfortunately out of Paris. At every pistol-shot +this timid Prince rushed to the windows, without seeing anything but some +flambeaux, which were carried quickly along. It was in vain he was told +that the cries he heard were in his favor; he did not cease to walk up +and down the apartments, in the greatest disorder-his long black hair +dishevelled, and his blue eyes open and enlarged by disquiet and terror. +He was still thus when Montresor and Fontrailles at length arrived and +found him beating his breast, and repeating a thousand times, "Mea culpa, +mea culpa!" + +"You have come at last!" he exclaimed from a distance, running to meet +them. "Come! quick! What is going on? What are they doing there? Who +are these assassins? What are these cries?" + +"They cry, 'Long live Monsieur!'" + +Gaston, without appearing to hear, and holding the door of his chamber +open for an instant, that his voice might reach the galleries in which +were the people of his household, continued to cry with all his strength, +gesticulating violently: + +"I know nothing of all this, and I have authorized nothing. I will not +hear anything! I will not know anything! I will never enter into any +project! These are rioters who make all this noise; do not speak to me +of them, if you wish to be well received here. I am the enemy of no man; +I detest such scenes!" + +Fontrailles, who knew the man with whom he had to deal, said nothing, but +entered with his friend, that Monsieur might have time to discharge his +first fury; and when all was said, and the door carefully shut, he began +to speak: + +"Monseigneur," said he, "we come to ask you a thousand pardons for the +impertinence of these people, who will persist in crying out that they +desire the death of your enemy, and that they would even wish to make you +regent should we have the misfortune to lose his Majesty. Yes, the +people are always frank in their discourse; but they are so numerous that +all our efforts could not restrain them. It was truly a cry from the +heart--an explosion of love, which reason could not restrain, and which +escaped all bounds." + +"But what has happened, then?" interrupted Gaston, somewhat calmed. +"What have they been doing these four hours that I have heard them?" + +"That love," said Montresor, coldly, "as Monsieur de Fontrailles had the +honor of telling you, so escaped all rule and bounds that we ourselves +were carried away by it, and felt seized with that enthusiasm which +always transports us at the mere name of Monsieur, and which leads us on +to things which we had not premeditated." + +"But what, then, have you done?" said the Prince. + +"Those things," replied Fontrailles, "of which Monsieur de Montresor had +the honor to speak to Monsieur are precisely those which I foresaw here +yesterday evening, when I had the honor of conversing with you." + +"That is not the question," interrupted Gaston. "You cannot say that I +have ordered or authorized anything. I meddle with nothing; I know +nothing of government." + +"I admit," continued Fontrailles, "that your Highness ordered nothing, +but you permitted me to tell you that I foresaw that this night would be +a troubled one about two o'clock, and I hoped that your astonishment +would not have been too great." + +The Prince, recovering himself little by little, and seeing that he did +not alarm the two champions, having also upon his conscience and reading +in their eyes the recollection of the consent which he had given them the +evening before, sat down upon the side of his bed, crossed his arms, and, +looking at them with the air of a judge, again said in a commanding tone: + +"But what, then, have you done?" + +"Why, hardly anything, Monseigneur," said Fontrailles. "Chance led us to +meet in the crowd some of our friends who had a quarrel with Monsieur de +Chavigny's coachman, who was driving over them. A few hot words ensued +and rough gestures, and a few scratches, which kept Monsieur de Chavigny +waiting, and that is all." + +"Absolutely all," repeated Montresor. + +"What, all?" exclaimed Gaston, much moved, and tramping about the +chamber. "And is it, then, nothing to stop the carriage of a friend of +the Cardinal-Duke? I do not like such scenes. I have already told you +so. I do not hate the Cardinal; he is certainly a great politician, a +very great politician. You have compromised me horribly; it is known +that Montresor is with me. If he has been recognized, they will say that +I sent him." + +"Chance," said Montresor, "threw in my way this peasant's dress, which +Monsieur may see under my cloak, and which, for that reason, I preferred +to any other." + +Gaston breathed again. + +"You are sure, then, that you have not been recognized. You understand, +my dear friend, how painful it would be to me. You must admit +yourself--" + +"Sure of it!" exclaimed the Prince's gentleman. "I would stake my head +and my share in Paradise that no one has seen my features or called my by +my name." + +"Well," continued Gaston, again seating himself on his bed, and assuming +a calmer air, in which even a slight satisfaction was visible, "tell me, +then, what has happened." + +Fontrailles took upon himself the recital, in which, as we may suppose, +the populace played a great part and Monsieur's people none, and in his +peroration he said: + +"From our windows even, Monseigneur, respectable mothers of families +might have been seen, driven by despair, throwing their children into the +Seine, cursing Richelieu." + +"Ah, it is dreadful!" exclaimed the Prince, indignant, or feigning to be +so, and to believe in these excesses. "Is it, then, true that he is so +generally detested? But we must allow that he deserves it. What! his +ambition and avarice have, then, reduced to this extremity the good +inhabitants of Paris, whom I love so much." + +"Yes, Monseigneur," replied the orator. "And it is not Paris alone, it +is all France, which, with us, entreats you to decide upon delivering her +from this tyrant. All is ready; nothing is wanting but a sign from your +august head to annihilate this pygmy, who has attempted to assault the +royal house itself." + +"Alas! Heaven is my witness that I myself forgive him!" answered +Gaston, raising up his eyes. "But I can no longer bear the cries of the +people. Yes, I will help them; that is to say," continued the Prince, +"so that my dignity is not compromised, and that my name does not appear +in the matter." + +"Well, but it is precisely that which we want," exclaimed Fontrailles, a +little more at his ease. + +"See, Monseigneur, there are already some names to put after yours, who +will not fear to sign. I will tell you them immediately, if you wish +it." + +"But--but," said the Duc d'Orleans, timidly, "do you know that it is a +conspiracy which you propose to me so coolly?" + +"Fie, Monseigneur, men of honor like us! a conspiracy! Oh! not at all; +a league at the utmost, a slight combination to give a direction to the +unanimous wish of the nation and the court--that is all." + +"But that is not so clear, for, after all, this affair will be neither +general nor public; therefore, it is a conspiracy. You will not avow +that you are concerned in it." + +"I, Monseigneur! Excuse me to all the world, since the kingdom is +already in it, and I am of the kingdom. And who would not sign his name +after that of Messieurs de Bouillon and Cinq-Mars?" + +"After, perhaps, not before," said Gaston, fixing his eyes upon +Fontrailles more keenly than he had expected. + +The latter hesitated a moment. + +"Well, then, what would Monseigneur do should I tell him the names after +which he could sign his?" + +"Ha! ha! this is amusing," answered the Prince, laughing; "know you not +that above mine there are not many? I see but one." + +"And if there be one, will Monseigneur promise to sign that of Gaston +beneath it?" + +"Ah, parbleu! with all my heart. I risk nothing there, for I see none +but that of the King, who surely is not of the party." + +"Well, from this moment permit us," said Montresor, "to take you at your +word, and deign at present to consent to two things only: to see Monsieur +de Bouillon in the Queen's apartments, and Monsieur the master of the +horse at the King's palace." + +"Agreed!" said Monsieur, gayly, tapping Montresor on the shoulder. +"I will to-day wait on my sister-in-law at her toilette, and I will +invite my brother to hunt the stag with me at Chambord." + +The two friends asked nothing further, and were themselves surprised at +their work. They never had seen so much resolution in their chief. +Accordingly, fearing to lead him to a topic which might divert him from +the path he had adopted, they hastened to turn the conversation upon +other subjects, and retired in delight, leaving as their last words in +his ear that they relied upon his keeping his promise. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE ALCOVE + +While a prince was thus reassured with difficulty by those who surrounded +him, and allowed them to see a terror which might have proved contagious, +a princess more exposed to accidents, more isolated by the indifference +of her husband, weaker by nature and by the timidity which is the result +of the absence of happiness, on her side set the example of the calmest +courage and the most pious resignation, and tranquillized her terrified +suite; this was the Queen. Having slept hardly an hour, she heard shrill +cries behind the doors and the thick tapestries of her chamber. She +ordered her women to open the door, and the Duchesse de Chevreuse, in her +night attire, and wrapped in a great cloak, fell, nearly fainting, at the +foot of her bed, followed by four of her ladies-in-waiting and three of +the women of the bed-chamber. Her delicate feet were bare, and bleeding +from a wound she had received in running. + +She cried, weeping like a child, that a pistol-shot had broken her +shutters and her window-panes, and had wounded her; she entreated the +Queen to send her into exile, where she would be more tranquil than in a +country where they wished to assassinate her because she was the friend +of her Majesty. + +Her hair was in great disorder, and fell to her feet. It was her chief +beauty; and the young Queen thought that this toilette was less the +result of chance than might have been imagined. + +"Well, my dear, what has happened?" she said to her with sang-froid. +"You look like a Magdalen, but in her youth, and before she repented. +It is probable that if they wish to harm any one here it is I; calm +yourself." + +"No, Madame! save me, protect me! it is Richelieu who pursues me, I am +sure!" + +The sound of pistols, which was then heard more distinctly, convinced the +Queen that the terrors of Madame de Chevreuse were not vain. + +"Come and dress me, Madame de Motteville!" cried she. But that lady had +completely lost her self-possession, and, opening one of those immense +ebony coffers which then answered the purpose of wardrobes, took from it +a casket of the Princess's diamonds to save it, and did not listen to +her. The other women had seen on a window the reflection of torches, +and, imagining that the palace was on fire, threw jewels, laces, golden +vases, and even the china, into sheets which they intended to lower into +the street. At this moment Madame de Guemenee arrived, a little more +dressed than the Duchesse de Chevreuse, but taking events still more +tragically. Her terror inspired the Queen with a slight degree of fear, +because of the ceremonious and placid character she was known to possess. +She entered without curtseying, pale as a spectre, and said with +volubility: + +"Madame, it is time to make our confession. The Louvre is attacked, and +all the populace are arriving from the city, I have been told." + +Terror silenced and rendered motionless all the persons present. + +"We shall die!" exclaimed the Duchesse de Chevreuse, still on her knees. +"Ah, my God! why did I leave England? Yes, let us confess. I confess +aloud. I have loved--I have been loved by--" + +"Well," said the Queen, "I do not undertake to hear your confession to +the end. That would not perhaps be the least of my dangers, of which, +however, you think little." + +The coolness of Anne of Austria, and this last severe observation, +however, restored a little calm to this beautiful personage, who rose in +confusion, and perceiving the disordered state of her toilet, went to +repair it as she best could in a closet near by. + +"Dona Stefania," said the Queen to one of her women, the only Spaniard +whom she had retained, "go seek the captain of the guards. It is time +that I should see men at last, and hear something reasonable." + +She said this in Spanish, and the mystery of this order, spoken in a +tongue which the ladies did not understand, restored those in the chamber +to their senses. + +The waiting-woman was telling her beads, but she rose from the corner of +the alcove in which she had sought refuge, and hastened to obey her +mistress. + +The signs of revolt and the evidences of terror became meantime more +distinct. In the great court of the Louvre was heard the trampling of +the horses of the guards, the orders of the chiefs, the rolling of the +Queen's carriages, which were being prepared, should it be necessary to +fly. The rattling of the iron chains dragged along the pavement to form +barricades in case of an attack, hurried steps in the corridor, the clash +of arms, the confused cries of the people, which rose and fell, went and +came again, like the noise of the waves and the winds. The door once +more opened, and this time it was to admit a very charming person. + +"I expected you, dear Marie," said the Queen, extending her arms to the +Duchesse de Mantua. "You have been more courageous than any of us; you +are attired fit to be seen by all the court." + +"I was not in bed, fortunately," replied the young Princesse de Gonzaga, +casting down her eyes. "I saw all these people from the windows. +O Madame, Madame, fly! I implore you to escape by the secret stairway, +and let us remain in your place. They might take one of us for the +Queen." And she added, with tears, "I have heard cries of death. +Fly, Madame! I have no throne to lose. You are the daughter, the wife, +and the mother of kings. Save yourself, and leave us here!" + +"You have more to lose than I, 'm'amaie', in beauty, youth, and, I hope, +in happiness," said the Queen, with a gracious smile, giving the Duchess +her beautiful hands to kiss. "Remain in my alcove and welcome; but we +will both remain there. The only service I accept from you, my sweet +child, is to bring to my bed that little golden casket which my poor +Motteville has left on the ground, and which contains all that I hold +most precious." + +Then, as she took it, she whispered in Marie's ear: + +"Should any misfortune happen to me, swear that you will throw it into +the Seine." + +"I will obey you, Madame, as my benefactress and my second mother," Marie +answered, weeping. + +The sound of the conflict redoubled on the quays, and the windows +reflected the flash of the firearms, of which they heard the explosion. +The captain of the guards and the captain of the Swiss sent for orders +from the Queen through Dona Stefania. + +"I permit them to enter," said the Queen. "Stand aside, ladies. I am a +man in a moment like this; and I ought to be so." Then, raising the bed- +curtains, she continued, addressing the two officers: + +"Gentlemen, first remember that you answer with your heads for the life +of the princes, my children. You know that, Monsieur de Guitaut?" + +"I sleep across their doorway, Madame; but this disturbance does not +threaten either them or your Majesty." + +"Very well; do not think of me until after them," interrupted the Queen, +"and protect indiscriminately all who are threatened. You also hear me, +Monsieur de Bassompierre; you are a gentleman. Forget that your uncle is +yet in the Bastille, and do your duty by the grandsons of the dead King, +his friend." + +He was a young man, with a frank, open countenance. + +"Your Majesty," said he, with a slight German accent, "may see that I +have forgotten my family, and not yours." And he displayed his left hand +despoiled of two fingers, which had just been cut off. "I have still +another hand," said he, bowing and withdrawing with Guitaut. + +The Queen, much moved, rose immediately, and, despite the prayers of the +Princesse de Guemenee, the tears of Marie de Gonzaga, and the cries of +Madame de Chevreuse, insisted upon placing herself at the window, and +half opened it, leaning upon the shoulder of the Duchesse de Mantua. + +"What do I hear?" she said. "They are crying, 'Long live the King! +Long live the Queen!'" + +The people, imagining they recognized her, redoubled their cries at this +moment, and shouted louder than ever, "Down with the Cardinal! Long live +Monsieur le Grand!" + +Marie shuddered. + +"What is the matter with you?" said the Queen, observing her. But as +she did not answer, and trembled in every limb, this good and gentle +Princess appeared not to perceive it; and, paying the greatest attention +to the cries and movements of the populace, she even exaggerated an +inquietude which she had not felt since the first name had reached her +ear. An hour later, when they came to tell her that the crowd only +awaited a sign from her hand to withdraw, she waved it graciously, and +with an air of satisfaction. But this joy was far from being complete, +for her heart was still troubled by many things, and, above all, by the +presentiment of the regency. The more she leaned forward to show +herself, the more she beheld the revolting scenes which the increasing +light revealed. Terror took possession of her soul as it became +necessary to appear calm and confiding; and her heart was saddened at the +very gayety of her words and countenance. Exposed to all eyes, she felt +herself a mere woman, and shuddered in looking at that people whom she +would soon perhaps be called upon to govern, and who already took upon +themselves to demand the death of ministers, and to call upon their Queen +to appear before them. + +She saluted them. + +A hundred and fifty years later that salute was repeated by another +princess, like herself of Austrian blood, and Queen of France. The +monarchy without foundation, such as Richelieu made it, was born and +died between these two salutes. + +The Princess at last closed her windows, and hastened to dismiss her +timid suite. The thick curtains fell again over the barred windows; and +the room was no longer lighted by a day which was odious to her. Large +white wax flambeaux burned in candelabra, in the form of golden arms, +which stand out from the framed and flowered tapestries with which the +walls were hung. She remained alone with Marie de Mantua; and reentering +with her the enclosure which was formed by the royal balustrade, she fell +upon her bed, fatigued by her courage and her smiles, and burst into +tears, leaning her head upon her pillow. Marie, on her knees upon a +velvet footstool, held one of her hands in both hers, and without daring +to speak first, leaned her head tremblingly upon it; for until that +moment, tears never had been seen in the Queen's eyes. + +They remained thus for some minutes. The Princess, then raising herself +up by a painful effort, spoke: + +"Do not afflict yourself, my child; let me weep. It is such a relief to +one who reigns! If you pray to God for me, ask Him to grant me +sufficient strength not to hate the enemy who pursues me everywhere, +and who will destroy the royal family of France and the monarchy by his +boundless ambition. I recognize him in all that has taken place; I see +him in this tumultuous revolt." + +"What, Madame! is he not at Narbonne?--for it is the Cardinal of whom you +speak, no doubt; and have you not heard that these cries were for you, +and against him?" + +"Yes, 'm'amie', he is three hundred leagues away from us, but his fatal +genius keeps guard at the door. If these cries have been heard, it is +because he has allowed them; if these men were assembled, it is because +they have not yet reached the hour which he has destined for their +destruction. Believe me, I know him; and I have dearly paid for the +knowledge of that dark soul. It has cost me all the power of my rank, +the pleasures of my age, the affection of my family and even the heart +of my husband. He has isolated me from the whole world. He now confines +me within a barrier of honors and respect; and formerly he dared, to the +scandal of all France, to bring an accusation against myself. They +examined my papers, they interrogated me, they made me sign myself +guilty, and ask the King's pardon for a fault of which I was ignorant; +and I owed to the devotion, and the perhaps eternal imprisonment of a +faithful servant, + + [His name was Laporte. Neither the fear of torture nor the hope of + the Cardinal's reward could draw from him one word of the Queen's + secrets.] + +the preservation of this casket which you have saved for me. I read in +your looks that you think me too fearful; but do not deceive yourself, as +all the court now does. Be sure, my dear child, that this man is +everywhere, and that he knows even our thoughts." + +"What, Madame! does he know all that these men have cried under your +windows, and the names of those who sent them?" + +"Yes; no doubt he knows it, or has foreseen it. He permits it; he +authorizes it, to compromise me in the King's eyes, and keep him forever +separated from me. He would complete my humiliation." + +"But the King has not loved him for two years; he loves another." + +The Queen smiled; she gazed some time in silence upon the pure and open +features of the beautiful Marie, and her look, full of candor, which was +languidly raised toward her. She smoothed back the black curls which +shaded her noble forehead, and seemed to rest her eyes and her soul in +looking at the charming innocence displayed upon so lovely a face. She +kissed her cheek, and resumed: + +"You do not suspect, my poor child, a sad truth. It is that the King +loves no one, and that those who appear the most in favor will be the +soonest abandoned by him, and thrown to him who engulfs and devours all." + +"Ah, mon Dieu! what is this you tell me?" + +"Do you know how many he has destroyed?" continued the Queen, in a low +voice, and looking into her eyes as if to read in them all her thoughts, +and to make her own penetrate there. "Do you know the end of his +favorites? Have you been told of the exile of Baradas; of that of Saint- +Simon; of the convent of Mademoiselle de la Fayette, the shame of Madame +d'Hautfort, the death of Chalais? All have fallen before an order from +Richelieu to his master. Without this favor, which you mistake for +friendship, their lives would have been peaceful. But this favor is +mortal; it is a poison. Look at this tapestry, which represents Semele. +The favorites of Louis XIII resemble that woman; his attachment devours +like this fire, which dazzles and consumes her." + +But the young Duchess was no longer in a condition to listen to the +Queen. She continued to fix her large, dark eyes upon her, dimmed by a +veil of tears; her hands trembled in those of Anne of Austria, and her +lips quivered with convulsive agitation. + +"I am very cruel, am I not, Marie?" continued the Queen, in an extremely +sweet voice, and caressing her like a child from whom one would draw an +avowal. "Oh, yes; no doubt I am very wicked! Your heart is full; you +can not bear it, my child. Come, tell me; how do matters stand with you +and Monsieur de Cinq-Mars?" + +At this word grief found a vent, and, still on her knees at the Queen's +feet, Marie in her turn shed upon the bosom of the good Princess a deluge +of tears, with childish sobs and so violent an agitation of her head and +her beautiful shoulders that it seemed as if her heart would break. The +Queen waited a long time for the end of this first emotion, rocking her +in her arms as if to appease her grief, frequently repeating, "My child, +my child, do not afflict yourself thus!" + +"Ah, Madame!" she exclaimed, "I have been guilty toward you; but I did +not reckon upon that heart. I have done wrong, and I shall perhaps be +punished severely for it. But, alas! how shall I venture to confess to +you, Madame? It was not so much to open my heart to you that was +difficult; it was to avow to you that I had need to read there myself." + +The Queen reflected a moment, laying her finger upon her lips. "You are +right," she then replied; "you are quite right. Marie, it is always the +first word which is the most difficult to say; and that difficulty often +destroys us. But it must be so; and without this rule one would be often +wanting in dignity. Ah, how difficult it is to reign! To-day I would +descend into your heart, but I come too late to do you good." + +Marie de Mantua hung her head without making any reply. + +"Must I encourage you to speak?" said the Queen. "Must I remind you +that I have almost adopted you for my eldest daughter? that after +seeking to unite you with the King's brother, I prepared for you the +throne of Poland? Must I do more, Marie? Yes, I must, I will. If +afterward you do not open your whole heart to me, I have misjudged you. +Open this golden casket; here is the key. Open it fearlessly; do not +tremble as I do." + +The Duchesse de Mantua obeyed with hesitation, and beheld in this little +chased coffer a knife of rude form, the handle of which was of iron, and +the blade very rusty. It lay upon some letters carefully folded, upon +which was the name of Buckingham. She would have lifted them; Anne of +Austria stopped her. + +"Seek nothing further," she said; "that is all the treasure of the Queen. +And it is a treasure; for it is the blood of a man who lives no longer, +but who lived for me. He was the most beautiful, the bravest, the most +illustrious of the nobles of Europe. He covered himself with the +diamonds of the English crown to please me. He raised up a fierce war +and armed fleets, which he himself commanded, that he might have the +happiness of once fighting him who was my husband. He traversed the seas +to gather a flower upon which I had trodden, and ran the risk of death to +kiss and bathe with his tears the foot of this bed in the presence of two +of my ladies-in-waiting. Shall I say more? Yes, I will say it to you-- +I loved him! I love him still in the past more than I could love him in +the present. He never knew it, never divined it. This face, these eyes, +were marble toward him, while my heart burned and was breaking with +grief; but I was the Queen of France!" Here Anne of Austria forcibly +grasped Marie's arm. "Dare now to complain," she continued, "if you have +not yet ventured to speak to me of your love, and dare now to be silent +when I have told you these things!" + +"Ah, yes, Madame, I shall dare to confide my grief to you, since you are +to me--" + +"A friend, a woman!" interrupted the Queen. "I was a woman in my +terror, which put you in possession of a secret unknown to the whole +world. I am a woman by a love which survives the man I loved. Speak; +tell me! It is now time." + +"It is too late, on the contrary," replied Marie, with a forced smile. +"Monsieur de Cinq-Mars and I are united forever." + +"Forever!" exclaimed the Queen. "Can you mean it? And your rank, your +name, your future--is all lost? Do you reserve this despair for your +brother, the Duc de Bethel, and all the Gonzagas?" + +"For more than four years I have thought of it. I am resolved; and for +ten days we have been affianced." + +"Affianced!" exclaimed the Queen, clasping her hands. "You have been +deceived, Marie. Who would have dared this without the King's order? +It is an intrigue which I will know. I am sure that you have been misled +and deceived." + +Marie hesitated a moment, and then said: + +"Nothing is more simple, Madame, than our attachment. I inhabited, you +know, the old chateau of Chaumont, with the Marechale d'Effiat, the +mother of Monsieur de Cinq-Mars. I had retired there to mourn the death +of my father; and it soon happened that Monsieur de Cinq-Mars had to +deplore the loss of his. In this numerous afflicted family, I saw his +grief only, which was as profound as mine. All that he said, I had +already thought, and when we spoke of our afflictions we found them +wholly alike. As I had been the first to suffer, I was better acquainted +with sorrow than he; and I endeavored to console him by telling him all +that I had suffered, so that in pitying me he forgot himself. This was +the beginning of our love, which, as you see, had its birth, as it were, +between two tombs." + +"God grant, my sweet, that it may have a happy termination!" said the +Queen. + +"I hope so, Madame, since you pray for me," continued Marie. "Besides, +everything now smiles upon me; but at that time I was very miserable. +The news arrived one day at the chateau that the Cardinal had called +Monsieur de Cinq-Mars to the army. It seemed to me that I was again +deprived of one of my relatives; and yet we were strangers. But Monsieur +de Bassompierre spoke without ceasing of battles and death. I retired +every evening in grief, and I wept during the night. I thought at first +that my tears flowed for the past, but I soon perceived that it was for +the future; and I felt that they could not be the same tears, since I +wished to conceal them. Some time passed in the expectation of his +departure. I saw him every day; and I pitied him for having to depart, +because he repeated to me every instant that he would have wished to live +eternally as he then did, in his own country and with us. He was thus +without ambition until the day of his departure, because he knew not +whether he was--whether he was--I dare not say it to your Majesty--" + +Marie blushed, cast down her humid eyes, and smiled. + +"Well!" said the Queen, "whether he was beloved,--is it not so?" + +"And in the evening, Madame, he left, ambitious." + +"That is evident, certainly. He left," said Anne of Austria, somewhat +relieved; "but he has been back two years, and you have seen him?" + +"Seldom, Madame," said the young Duchess, proudly; "and always in the +presence of the priest, before whom I have promised to be the wife of no +other than Cinq-Mars." + +"Is it really, then, a marriage? Have you dared to do it? I shall +inquire. But, Heaven, what faults! how many faults in the few words I +have heard! Let me reflect upon them." + +And, speaking aloud to herself, the Queen continued, her eyes and head +bent in the attitude of reflection: + +"Reproaches are useless and cruel if the evil is done. The past is no +longer ours; let us think of the future. Cinq-Mars is brave, able, and +even profound in his ideas. I have observed that he has done much in two +years, and I now see that it was for Marie. He comports himself well; +he is worthy of her in my eyes, but not so in the eyes of Europe. He +must rise yet higher. The Princesse de Mantua can not, may not, marry +less than a prince. He must become one. By myself I can do nothing; +I am not the Queen, I am the neglected wife of the King. There is only +the Cardinal, the eternal Cardinal, and he is his enemy; and perhaps this +disturbance--" + +"Alas! it is the beginning of war between them. I saw it at once." + +"He is lost then!" exclaimed the Queen, embracing Marie. "Pardon me, +my child, for thus afflicting you; but in times like these we must see +all and say all. Yes, he is lost if he does not himself overthrow this +wicked man--for the King will not renounce him; force alone--" + +"He will overthrow him, Madame. He will do it, if you will assist him. +You are the divinity of France. Oh, I conjure you, protect the angel +against the demon! It is your cause, that of your royal family, that of +all your nation." + +The Queen smiled. + +"It is, above all, your cause, my child; and it is as such that I will +embrace it to the utmost extent of my power. That is not great, as I +have told you; but such as it is, I lend it to you entirely, provided, +however, that this angel does not stoop to commit mortal sins," added +she, with a meaning look." I heard his name pronounced this night by +voices most unworthy of him." + +"Oh, Madame, I would swear that he knows nothing of it!" + +"Ah, my child, do not speak of State affairs. You are not yet learned +enough in them. Let me sleep, if I can, before the hour of my toilette. +My eyes are burning, and yours also, perhaps." + +Saying these words, the amiable Queen laid her head upon the pillow which +covered the casket, and soon Marie saw her fall asleep through sheer +fatigue. She then rose, and, seating herself in a great, tapestried, +square armchair, clasped her hands upon her knees, and began to reflect +upon her painful situation. Consoled by the aspect of her gentle +protectress, she often raised her eyes to watch her slumber, and sent her +in secret all the blessings which love showers upon those who protect it, +sometimes kissing the curls of her blond hair, as if by this kiss she +could convey to her soul all the ideas favorable to the thought ever +present to her mind. + +The Queen's slumber was prolonged, while Marie thought and wept. +However, she remembered that at ten o'clock she must appear at the royal +toilette before all the court. She resolved to cast aside reflection, +to dry her tears, and she took a thick folio volume placed upon a table +inlaid with enamel and medallions; it was the 'Astree' of M. d'Urfe-- +a work 'de belle galanterie' adored by the fair prudes of the court. +The unsophisticated and straightforward mind of Marie could not enter +into these pastoral loves. She was too simple to understand the +'bergeres du Lignon', too clever to be pleased at their discourse, and +too impassioned to feel their tenderness. However, the great popularity +of the romance so far influenced her that she sought to compel herself to +take an interest in it; and, accusing herself internally every time that +she felt the ennui which exhaled from the pages of the book, she ran +through it with impatience to find something to please and transport her. +An engraving arrested her attention. It represented the shepherdess +Astree with high-heeled shoes, a corset, and an immense farthingale, +standing on tiptoe to watch floating down the river the tender Celadon, +drowning himself in despair at having, been somewhat coldly received in +the morning. Without explaining to herself the reason of the taste and +accumulated fallacies of this picture, she sought, in turning over the +pages, something which could fix her attention; she saw the word "Druid." + +"Ah! here is a great character," said she. "I shall no doubt read of +one of those mysterious sacrificers of whom Britain, I am told, still +preserves the monuments; but I shall see him sacrificing men. That would +be a spectacle of horror; however, let us read it." + +Saying this, Marie read with repugnance, knitting her brows, and nearly +trembling, the following: + + "The Druid Adamas delicately called the shepherds Pimandre, + Ligdamont, and Clidamant, newly arrived from Calais. 'This + adventure can not terminate,' said he, 'but by the extremity of + love. The soul, when it loves, transforms itself into the object + beloved; it is to represent this that my agreeable enchantments will + show you in this fountain the nymph Sylvia, whom you all three love. + The high-priest Amasis is about to come from Montbrison, and will + explain to you the delicacy of this idea. Go, then, gentle + shepherds! If your desires are well regulated, they will not cause + you any torments; and if they are not so, you will be punished by + swoonings similar to those of Celadon, and the shepherdess Galatea, + whom the inconstant Hercules abandoned in the mountains of Auvergne, + and who gave her name to the tender country of the Gauls; or you + will be stoned by the shepherdesses of Lignon, as was the ferocious + Amidor. The great nymph of this cave has made an enchantment.'" + +The enchantment of the great nymph was complete on the Princess, who had +hardly sufficient strength to find out with a trembling hand, toward the +end of the book, that the Druid Adamas was an ingenious allegory, +representing the Lieutenant-General of Montbrison, of the family of the +Papons. Her weary eyes closed, and the great book slipped from her lap +to the cushion of velvet upon which her feet were placed, and where the +beautiful Astree and the gallant Celadon reposed luxuriously, less +immovable than Marie de Mantua, vanquished by them and by profound +slumber. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE CONFUSION + +This same morning, the various events of which we have seen in the +apartments of Gaston d'Orleans and of the Queen, the calm and silence of +study reigned in a modest cabinet of a large house near the Palais de +justice. A bronze lamp, of a gothic shape, struggling with the coming +day, threw its red light upon a mass of papers and books which covered a +large table; it lighted the bust of L'Hopital, that of Montaigne the +essayist, the President de Thou, and of King Louis XIII. + +A fireplace sufficiently large for a man to enter and sit there was +occupied by a large fire burning upon enormous andirons. Upon one of +these was placed the foot of the studious De Thou, who, already risen, +examined with attention the new works of Descartes and Grotius. He was +writing upon his knee his notes upon these books of philosophy and +politics, which were then the general subjects of conversation; but at +this moment the 'Meditations Metaphysiques' absorbed all his attention. +The philosopher of Touraine enchanted the young counsellor. Often, in +his enthusiasm, he struck the book, uttering exclamations of admiration; +sometimes he took a sphere placed near him, and, turning it with his +fingers, abandoned himself to the most profound reveries of science; +then, led by them to a still greater elevation of mind, he would suddenly +throw himself upon his knees before a crucifix, placed upon the chimney- +piece, because at the limits of the human mind he had found God. At +other times he buried himself in his great armchair, so as to be nearly +sitting upon his shoulders, and, placing his two hands upon his eyes, +followed in his head the trace of the reasoning of Rene Descartes, from +this idea of the first meditation: + + "Suppose that we are asleep, and that all these particularities-- + that is, that we open our eyes, move our heads, spread our arms--are + nothing but false illusions." + +to this sublime conclusion of the third: + + "Only one thing remains to be said; it is that like the idea of + myself, that of God is born and produced with me from the time I was + created. And certainly it should not be thought strange that God, + in creating me, should have implanted in me this idea, to be, as it + were, the mark of the workman impressed upon his work." + +These thoughts entirely occupied the mind of the young counsellor, when a +loud noise was heard under the windows. He thought that some house on +fire excited these prolonged cries, and hastened to look toward the wing +of the building occupied by his mother and sisters; but all appeared to +sleep there, and the chimneys did not even send forth any smoke, to +attest that its inhabitants were even awake. He blessed Heaven for it; +and, running to another window, he saw the people, whose exploits we have +witnessed, hastening toward the narrow streets which led to the quay. + +After examining this rabble of women and children, the ridiculous flag +which led them, and the rude disguises of the men: "It is some popular +fete or some carnival comedy," said he; and again returning to the corner +of the fire, he placed a large almanac upon the table, and carefully +sought in it what saint was honored that day. He looked in the column of +the month of December; and, finding at the fourth day of this month the +name of Ste.-Barbe, he remembered that he had seen several small cannons +and barrels pass, and, perfectly satisfied with the explanation which he +had given himself, he hastened to drive away the interruption which had +called off his attention, and resumed his quiet studies, rising only to +take a book from the shelves of his library, and, after reading in it a +phrase, a line, or only a word, he threw it from him upon his table or on +the floor, covered in this way with books or papers which he would not +trouble himself to return to their places, lest he should break the +thread of his reveries. + +Suddenly the door was hastily opened, and a name was announced which he +had distinguished among those at the bar--a man whom his connections with +the magistracy had made personally known to him. + +"And by what chance, at five o'clock in the morning, do I see Monsieur +Fournier?" he cried. "Are there some unfortunates to defend, some +families to be supported by the fruits of his talent, some error to +dissipate in us, some virtue to awaken in our hearts? for these are of +his accustomed works. You come, perhaps, to inform me of some fresh +humiliation of our parliament. Alas! the secret chambers of the Arsenal +are more powerful than the ancient magistracy of Clovis. The parliament +is on its knees; all is lost, unless it is soon filled with men like +yourself." + +"Monsieur, I do not merit your praise," said the Advocate, entering, +accompanied by a grave and aged man, enveloped like himself in a large +cloak. "I deserve, on the contrary, your censure; and I am almost a +penitent, as is Monsieur le Comte du Lude, whom you see here. We come to +ask an asylum for the day." + +"An asylum! and against whom?" said De Thou, making them sit down. + +"Against the lowest people in Paris, who wish to have us for chiefs, and +from whom we fly. It is odious; the sight, the smell, the ear, and the +touch, above all, are too severely wounded by it," said M. du Lude, with +a comical gravity. "It is too much!" + +"Ah! too much, you say?" said De Thou, very much astonished, but not +willing to show it. + +"Yes," answered the Advocate; "really, between ourselves, Monsieur le +Grand goes too far." + +"Yes, he pushes things too fast. He will render all our projects +abortive," added his companion. + +"Ah! and you say he goes too far?" replied M. de Thou, rubbing his chin, +more and more surprised. + +Three months had passed since his friend Cinq-Mars had been to see him; +and he, without feeling much disquieted about it--knowing that he was at +St.-Germain in high favor, and never quitting the King--was far removed +from the news of the court. Absorbed in his grave studies, he never +heard of public events till they were forced upon his attention. He knew +nothing of current life until the last moment, and often amused his +intimate friends by his naive astonishment--the more so that from a +little worldly vanity he desired to have it appear as if he were fully +acquainted with the course of events, and tried to conceal the surprise +he experienced at every fresh intelligence. He was now in this +situation, and to this vanity was added the feeling of friendship; he +would not have it supposed that Cinq-Mars had been negligent toward him, +and, for his friend's honor even, would appear to be aware of his +projects. + +"You know very well how we stand now," continued the Advocate. + +"Yes, of course. Well?" + +"Intimate as you are with him, you can not be ignorant that all has been +organizing for a year past." + +"Certainly, all has been organizing; but proceed." + +"You will admit with us that Monsieur le Grand is wrong?" + +"Ah, that is as it may be; but explain yourself. I shall see." + +"Well, you know upon what we had agreed at the last conference of which +he informed you?" + +"Ah! that is to say--pardon me, I perceive it almost; but set me a +little upon the track." + +"It is useless; you no doubt remember what he himself recommended us to +do at Marion de Lorme's?" + +"To add no one to our list," said M. du Lude. + +"Ah, yes, yes! I understand," said De Thou; "that appears reasonable, +very reasonable, truly." + +"Well," continued Fournier, "he himself has infringed this agreement; for +this morning, besides the ragamuffins whom that ferret the Abbe de Gondi +brought to us, there was some vagabond captain, who during the night +struck with sword and poniard gentlemen of both parties, crying out at +the top of his voice, 'A moi, D'Aubijoux! You gained three thousand +ducats from me; here are three sword-thrusts for you. 'A moi', La +Chapelle! I will have ten drops of your blood in exchange for my ten +pistoles!' and I myself saw him attack these gentlemen and many more of +both sides, loyally enough, it is true--for he struck them only in front +and on their guard--but with great success, and with a most revolting +impartiality." + +"Yes, Monsieur, and I was about to tell him my opinion," interposed De +Lude, "when I saw him escape through the crowd like a squirrel, laughing +greatly with some suspicious looking men with dark, swarthy faces; I do +not doubt, however, that Monsieur de Cinq-Mars sent him, for he gave +orders to that Ambrosio whom you must know--that Spanish prisoner, that +rascal whom he has taken for a servant. In faith, I am disgusted with +all this; and I was not born to mingle with this canaille." + +"This, Monsieur," replied Fournier, "is very different from the affair at +Loudun. There the people only rose, without actually revolting; it was +the sensible and estimable part of the populace, indignant at an +assassination, and not heated by wine and money. It was a cry raised +against an executioner--a cry of which one could honorably be the organ +--and not these howlings of factious hypocrisy, of a mass of unknown +people, the dregs of the mud and sewers of Paris. I confess that I am +very tired of what I see; and I have come to entreat you to speak about +it to Monsieur le Grand." + +De Thou was very much embarrassed during this conversation, and sought in +vain to understand what Cinq-Mars could have to do with the people, who +appeared to him merely merrymaking; on the other hand, he persisted in +not owning his ignorance. It was, however, complete; for the last time +he had seen his friend, he had spoken only of the King's horses and +stables, of hawking, and of the importance of the King's huntsmen in the +affairs of the State, which did not seem to announce vast projects in +which the people could take a part. He at last timidly ventured to say: + +"Messieurs, I promise to do your commission; meanwhile, I offer you my +table and beds as long as you please. But to give my advice in this +matter is very difficult. By the way, it was not the fete of Sainte- +Barbe I saw this morning?" + +"The Sainte-Barbe!" said Fournier. + +"The Sainte-Barbe!" echoed Du Lude. "They burned powder." + +"Oh, yes, yes! that is what Monsieur de Thou means," said Fournier, +laughing; "very good, very good indeed! Yes, I think to-day is Sainte- +Barbe." + +De Thou was now altogether confused and reduced to silence; as for the +others, seeing that they did not understand him, nor he them, they had +recourse to silence. + +They were sitting thus mute, when the door opened to admit the old tutor +of Cinq-Mars, the Abbe Quillet, who entered, limping slightly. He looked +very gloomy, retaining none of his former gayety in his air or language; +but his look was still animated, and his speech energetic. + +"Pardon me, my dear De Thou, that I so early disturb you in your +occupations; it is strange, is it not, in a gouty invalid? Ah, time +advances; two years ago I did not limp. I was, on the contrary, nimble +enough at the time of my journey to Italy; but then fear gives legs as +well as wings." + +Then, retiring into the recess of a window, he signed De Thou to come to +him. + +"I need hardly remind you, my friend, who are in their secrets, that I +affianced them a fortnight ago, as they have told you." + +"Ah, indeed! Whom?" exclaimed poor De Thou, fallen from the Charybdis +into the Scylla of astonishment. + +"Come, come, don't affect surprise; you know very well whom," continued +the Abbe. "But, faith, I fear I have been too complaisant with them, +though these two children are really interesting in their love. I fear +for him more than for her; I doubt not he is acting very foolishly, +judging from the disturbance this morning. We must consult together +about it." + +"But," said De Thou, very gravely, "upon my honor, I do not know what you +mean. Who is acting foolishly?" + +"Now, my dear Monsieur, will you still play the mysterious with me? It +is really insulting," said the worthy man, beginning to be angry. + +"No, indeed, I mean it not; whom have you affianced?" + +"Again! fie, Monsieur!" + +"And what was the disturbance this morning?" + +"You are laughing at me! I take my leave," said the Abbe, rising. + +"I vow that I understand not a word of all that has been told me to-day. +Do you mean Monsieur de Cinq-Mars?" + +"Very well, Monsieur, very well! you treat me as a Cardinalist; very +well, we part," said the Abbe Quillet, now altogether furious. And he +snatched up his crutch and quitted the room hastily, without listening to +De Thou, who followed him to his carriage, seeking to pacify him, but +without effect, because he did not wish to name his friend upon the +stairs in the hearing of his servants, and could not explain the matter +otherwise. He had the annoyance of seeing the old Abbe depart, still in +a passion; he called out to him amicably, "Tomorrow," as the coachman +drove off, but got no answer. + +It was, however, not uselessly that he had descended to the foot of the +stairs, for he saw thence hideous groups of the mob returning from the +Louvre, and was thus better able to judge of the importance of their +movements in the morning; he heard rude voices exclaiming, as in triumph: + +"She showed herself, however, the little Queen!" "Long live the good Duc +de Bouillon, who is coming to us! He has a hundred thousand men with +him, all on rafts on the Seine. The old Cardinal de la Rochelle is dead! +Long live the King! Long live Monsieur le Grand!" + +The cries redoubled at the arrival of a carriage and four, with the royal +livery, which stopped at the counsellor's door, and in which De Thou +recognized the equipage of Cinq-Mars; Ambrosio alighted to open the ample +curtains, which the carriages of that period had for doors. The people +threw themselves between the carriage-steps and the door of the house, so +that Cinq-Mars had an absolute struggle ere he could get out and +disengage himself from the market-women, who sought to embrace him, +crying: + +"Here you are, then, my sweet, my dear! Here you are, my pet! Ah, how +handsome he is, the love, with his big collar! Isn't he worth more than +the other fellow with the white moustache? Come, my son, bring us out +some good wine this morning." + +Henri d'Effiat pressed, blushing deeply the while, his friend's hand,-- +who hastened to have his doors closed. + +"This popular favor is a cup one must drink," said he, as they ascended +the stairs. + +"It appears to me," replied De Thou, gravely, "that you drink it even to +the very dregs." + +"I will explain all this clamorous affair to you," answered Cinq-Mars, +somewhat embarrassed. "At present, if you love me, dress yourself to +accompany me to the Queen's toilette." + +"I promised you blind adherence," said the counsellor; "but truly I can +not keep my eyes shut much longer if--" + +"Once again, I will give you a full explanation as we return from the +Queen. But make haste; it is nearly ten o'clock." + +"Well, I will go with you," replied De Thou, conducting him into his +cabinet, where were the Comte du Lude and Fournier, while he himself +passed into his dressing-room. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +TOILETTE + + +The carriage of the Grand Equerry was rolling rapidly toward the Louvre, +when, closing the curtain, he took his friend's hand, and said to him +with emotion: + +"Dear De Thou, I have kept great secrets in my heart, and, believe me, +they have weighed heavily there; but two fears impelled me to silence-- +that of your danger, and--shall I say it?--that of your counsels." + +"Yet well you know," replied De Thou, "that I despise the first; and I +deemed that you did not despise the second." + +"No, but I feared, and still fear them. I would not be stopped. Do not +speak, my friend; not a word, I conjure you, before you have heard and +seen all that is about to take place. I will return with you to your +house on quitting the Louvre; there I will listen to you, and thence I +shall depart to continue my work, for nothing will shake my resolve, I +warn you. I have just said so to the gentlemen at your house." + +In his accent Cinq-Mars had nothing of the brusqueness which clothed his +words. His voice was conciliatory, his look gentle, amiable, +affectionate, his air as tranquil as it was determined. There was no +indication of the slightest effort at control. De Thou remarked it, and +sighed. + +Alighting from the carriage with him, De Thou followed him up the great +staircase of the Louvre. When they entered the Queen's apartment, +announced by two ushers dressed in black and bearing ebony rods, she was +seated at her toilette. This was a table of black wood, inlaid with +tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, and brass, in an infinity of designs of +very bad taste, but which give to all furniture an air of grandeur which +we still admire in it. A mirror, rounded at the top, which the ladies of +our time would consider small and insignificant, stood in the middle of +the table, whereon were scattered jewels and necklaces. + +Anne of Austria, seated before it in a large armchair of crimson velvet, +with long gold fringe, was as motionless and grave as on her throne, +while Dona Stefania and Madame de Motteville, on either side, lightly +touched her beautiful blond hair with a comb, as if finishing the Queen's +coiffure, which, however, was already perfectly arranged and decorated +with pearls. Her long tresses, though light, were exquisitely glossy, +manifesting that to the touch they must be fine and soft as silk. The +daylight fell without a shade upon her forehead, which had no reason to +dread the test, itself reflecting an almost equal light from its +surpassing fairness, which the Queen was pleased thus to display. Her +blue eyes, blended with green, were large and regular, and her vermilion +mouth had that underlip of the princesses of Austria, somewhat prominent +and slightly cleft, in the form of a cherry, which may still be marked in +all the female portraits of this time, whose painters seemed to have +aimed at imitating the Queen's mouth, in order to please the women of her +suite, whose desire was, no doubt, to resemble her. + +The black dress then adopted by the court, and of which the form was even +fixed by an edict, set off the ivory of her arms, bare to the elbow, and +ornamented with a profusion of lace, which flowed from her loose sleeves. +Large pearls hung in her ears and from her girdle. Such was the +appearance of the Queen at this moment. At her feet, upon two velvet +cushions, a boy of four years old was playing with a little cannon, which +he was assiduously breaking in pieces. This was the Dauphin, afterward +Louis XIV. The Duchesse Marie de Mantua was seated on her right hand +upon a stool. The Princesse de Guemenee, the Duchesse de Chevreuse, and +Mademoiselle de Montbazon, Mesdemoiselles de Guise, de Rohan, and de +Vendome, all beautiful and brilliant with youth, were behind her, +standing. In the recess of a window, Monsieur, his hat under his arm, +was talking in a low voice with a man, stout, with a red face and a +steady and daring eye. This was the Duc de Bouillon. An officer about +twenty-five years of age, well-formed, and of agreeable presence, had +just given several papers to the Prince, which the Duc de Bouillon +appeared to be explaining to him. + +De Thou, after having saluted the Queen, who said a few words to him, +approached the Princesse de Guemenee, and conversed with her in an +undertone, with an air of affectionate intimacy, but all the while intent +upon his friend's interest. Secretly trembling lest he should have +confided his destiny to a being less worthy of him than he wished, he +examined the Princess Marie with the scrupulous attention, the +scrutinizing eye of a mother examining the woman whom her son has +selected for his bride--for he thought that Marie could not be altogether +a stranger to the enterprise of Cinq-Mars. He saw with dissatisfaction +that her dress, which was extremely elegant, appeared to inspire her with +more vanity than became her on such an occasion. She was incessantly +rearranging upon her forehead and her hair the rubies which ornamented +her head, and which scarcely equalled the brilliancy and animated color +of her complexion. She looked frequently at Cinq-Mars; but it was rather +the look of coquetry than that of love, and her eyes often glanced toward +the mirror on the toilette, in which she watched the symmetry of her +beauty. These observations of the counsellor began to persuade him that +he was mistaken in suspecting her to be the aim of Cinq-Mars, especially +when he saw that she seemed to have a pleasure in sitting at the Queen's +side, while the duchesses stood behind her, and that she often looked +haughtily at them. + +"In that heart of nineteen," said he, "love, were there love, would reign +alone and above all to-day. It is not she!" + +The Queen made an almost imperceptible movement of the head to Madame de +Guemenee. After the two friends had spoken a moment with each person +present, and at this sign, all the ladies, except Marie de Mantua, making +profound courtesies, quitted the apartment without speaking, as if by +previous arrangement. The Queen, then herself turning her chair, said to +Monsieur: + +"My brother, I beg you will come and sit down by me. We will consult +upon what I have already told you. The Princesse Marie will not be in +the way. I begged her to remain. We have no interruption to fear." + +The Queen seemed more at ease in her manner and language; and no longer +preserving her severe and ceremonious immobility, she signed to the other +persons present to approach her. + +Gaston d'Orleans, somewhat alarmed at this solemn opening, came +carelessly, sat down on her right hand, and said with a half-smile and a +negligent air, playing with his ruff and the chain of the Saint Esprit +which hung from his neck: + +"I think, Madame, that we shall fatigue the ears of so young a personage +by a long conference. She would rather hear us speak of dances, and of +marriage, of an elector, or of the King of Poland, for example." + +Marie assumed a disdainful air; Cinq-Mars frowned. + +"Pardon me," replied the Queen, looking at her; "I assure you the +politics of the present time interest her much. Do not seek to escape +us, my brother," added she, smiling. "I have you to-day! It is the +least we can do to listen to Monsieur de Bouillon." + +The latter approached, holding by the hand the young officer of whom we +have spoken. + +"I must first," said he, "present to your Majesty the Baron de Beauvau, +who has just arrived from Spain." + +"From Spain?" said the Queen, with emotion. "There is courage in that; +you have seen my family?" + +"He will speak to you of them, and of the Count-Duke of Olivares. As to +courage, it is not the first time he has shown it. He commanded the +cuirassiers of the Comte de Soissons." + +"How? so young, sir! You must be fond of political wars." + +"On the contrary, your Majesty will pardon me," replied he, "for I served +with the princes of the peace." + +Anne of Austria smiled at this jeu-de-mot. The Duc de Bouillon, seizing +the moment to bring forward the grand question he had in view, quitted +Cinq-Mars, to whom he had just given his hand with an air of the most +zealous friendship, and approaching the Queen with him, "It is +miraculous, Madame," said he, "that this period still contains in its +bosom some noble characters, such as these;" and he pointed to the master +of the horse, to young Beauvau, and to De Thou. "It is only in them that +we can place our hope for the future. Such men are indeed very rare now, +for the great leveller has swung a long scythe over France." + +"Is it of Time you speak," said the Queen, "or of a real personage?" + +"Too real, too living, too long living, Madame!" replied the Duke, +becoming more animated; "but his measureless ambition, his colossal +selfishness can no longer be endured. All those who have noble hearts +are indignant at this yoke; and at this moment, more than ever, we see +misfortunes threatening us in the future. It must be said, Madame--yes, +it is no longer time to blind ourselves to the truth, or to conceal it-- +the King's illness is serious. The moment for thinking and resolving has +arrived, for the time to act is not far distant." + +The severe and abrupt tone of M. de Bouillon did not surprise Anne of +Austria; but she had always seen him more calm, and was, therefore, +somewhat alarmed by the disquietude he betrayed. Quitting accordingly +the tone of pleasantry which she had at first adopted, she said: + +"How! what fear you, and what would you do?" + +"I fear nothing for myself, Madame, for the army of Italy or Sedan will +always secure my safety; but I fear for you, and perhaps for the princes, +your sons." + +"For my children, Monsieur le Duc, for the sons of France? Do you hear +him, my brother, and do you not appear astonished?" + +The Queen was deeply agitated. + +"No, Madame," said Gaston d'Orleans, calmly; "you know that I am +accustomed to persecution. I am prepared to expect anything from that +man. He is master; we must be resigned." + +"He master!" exclaimed the Queen. "And from whom does he derive his +powers, if not from the King? And after the King, what hand will sustain +him? Can you tell me? Who will prevent him from again returning to +nothing? Will it be you or I?" + +"It will be himself," interrupted M. de Bouillon, "for he seeks to be +named regent; and I know that at this moment he contemplates taking your +children from you, and requiring the King to confide them to his care." + +"Take them from me!" cried the mother, involuntarily seizing the +Dauphin, and taking him in her arms. + +The child, standing between the Queen's knees, looked at the men who +surrounded him with a gravity very singular for his age, and, seeing his +mother in tears, placed his hand upon the little sword he wore. + +"Ah, Monseigneur," said the Duc de Bouillon, bending half down to address +to him what he intended for the Princess, "it is not against us that you +must draw your sword, but against him who is undermining your throne. +He prepares an empire for you, no doubt. You will have an absolute +sceptre; but he has scattered the fasces which indicated it. Those +fasces were your ancient nobility, whom he has decimated. When you are +king, you will be a great king. I foresee it; but you will have subjects +only, and no friends, for friendship exists only in independence and a +kind of equality which takes its rise in force. Your ancestors had their +peers; you will not have yours. May God aid you then, Monseigneur, for +man may not do it without institutions! Be great; but above all, around +you, a great man, let there be others as strong, so that if the one +stumbles, the whole monarchy may not fall." + +The Duc de Bouillon had a warmth of expression and a confidence of manner +which captivated those who heard him. His valor, his keen perception in +the field, the profundity of his political views, his knowledge of the +affairs of Europe, his reflective and decided character, all rendered him +one of the most capable and imposing men of his time-the only one, +indeed, whom the Cardinal-Duc really feared. The Queen always listened +to him with confidence, and allowed him to acquire a sort of empire over +her. She was now more deeply moved than ever. + +"Ah, would to God," she exclaimed, "that my son's mind was ripe for your +counsels, and his arm strong enough to profit by them! Until that time, +however, I will listen, I will act for him. It is I who should be, and +it is I who shall be, regent. I will not resign this right save with +life. If we must make war, we will make it; for I will do everything but +submit to the shame and terror of yielding up the future Louis XIV to +this crowned subject. Yes," she went on, coloring and closely pressing +the young Dauphin's arm, "yes, my brother, and you gentlemen, counsel me! +Speak! how do we stand? Must I depart? Speak openly. As a woman, as a +wife, I could have wept over so mournful a position; but now see, as a +mother, I do not weep. I am ready to give you orders if it is +necessary." + +Never had Anne of Austria looked so beautiful as at this moment; and the +enthusiasm she manifested electrified all those present, who needed but a +word from her mouth to speak. The Duc de Bouillon cast a glance at +Monsieur, which decided him. + +"Ma foi!" said he, with deliberation, "if you give orders, my sister, I +will be the captain of your guards, on my honor, for I too am weary of +the vexations occasioned me by this knave. He continues to persecute me, +seeks to break off my marriage, and still keeps my friends in the +Bastille, or has them assassinated from time to time; and besides, I am +indignant," said he, recollecting himself and assuming a more solemn air, +"I am indignant at the misery of the people." + +"My brother," returned the Princess, energetically, "I take you at your +word, for with you, one must do so; and I hope that together we shall be +strong enough for the purpose. Do only as Monsieur le Comte de Soissons +did, but survive your victory. Side with me, as you did with Monsieur de +Montmorency, but leap the ditch." + +Gaston felt the point of this. He called to mind the well-known incident +when the unfortunate rebel of Castelnaudary leaped almost alone a large +ditch, and found on the other side seventeen wounds, a prison, and death +in the sight of Monsieur, who remained motionless with his army. In the +rapidity of the Queen's enunciation he had not time to examine whether +she had employed this expression proverbially or with a direct reference; +but at all events, he decided not to notice it, and was indeed prevented +from doing so by the Queen, who continued, looking at Cinq-Mars: + +"But, above all, no panic-terror! Let us know exactly where we are, +Monsieur le Grand. You have just left the King. Is there fear with +you?" + +D'Effiat had not ceased to observe Marie de Mantua, whose expressive +countenance exhibited to him all her ideas far more rapidly and more +surely than words. He read there the desire that he should speak--the +desire that he should confirm the Prince and the Queen. An impatient +movement of her foot conveyed to him her will that the thing should be +accomplished, the conspiracy arranged. His face became pale and more +pensive; he pondered for a moment, realizing that his destiny was +contained in that hour. De Thou looked at him and trembled, for he knew +him well. He would fain have said one word to him, only one word; but +Cinq-Mars had already raised his head. He spoke: + +"I do not think, Madame, that the King is so ill as you suppose. God +will long preserve to us this Prince. I hope so; I am even sure of it. +He suffers, it is true, suffers much; but it is his soul more peculiarly +that is sick, and of an evil which nothing can cure--of an evil which one +would not wish to one's greatest enemy, and which would gain him the pity +of the whole world if it were known. The end of his misery--that is to +say, of his life--will not be granted him for a long time. His languor +is entirely moral. There is in his heart a great revolution going on; +he would accomplish it, and can not. + +"The King has felt for many long years growing within him the seeds of a +just hatred against a man to whom he thinks he owes gratitude, and it is +this internal combat between his natural goodness and his anger that +devours him. Every year that has passed has deposited at his feet, +on one side, the great works of this man, and on the other, his crimes. +It is the last which now weigh down the balance. The King sees them and +is indignant; he would punish, but all at once he stops and weeps. If +you could witness him thus, Madame, you would pity him. I have seen him +seize the pen which was to sign his exile, dip it into the ink with a +bold hand, and use it--for what? --to congratulate him on some recent +success. He at once applauds himself for his goodness as a Christian, +curses himself for his weakness as a sovereign judge, despises himself as +a king. He seeks refuge in prayer, and plunges into meditation upon the +future; then he rises terrified because he has seen in thought the +tortures which this man merits, and how deeply no one knows better than +he. You should hear him in these moments accuse himself of criminal +weakness, and exclaim that he himself should be punished for not having +known how to punish. One would say that there are spirits which order +him to strike, for his arms are raised as he sleeps. In a word, Madame, +the storm murmurs in his heart, but burns none but himself. The +thunderbolts are chained." + +"Well, then, let us loose them!" exclaimed the Duc de Bouillon. + +"He who touches them may die of the contact," said Monsieur. + +"But what a noble devotion!" cried the Queen. + +"How I should admire the hero!" said Marie, in a half-whisper. + +"I will do it," answered Cinq-Mars. + +"We will do it," said M. de Thou, in his ear. + +Young Beauvau had approached the Duc de Bouillon. + +"Monsieur," said he, "do you forget what follows?" + +"No, 'pardieu'! I do not forget it," replied the latter, in a low voice; +then, addressing the Queen, "Madame," said he, "accept the offer of +Monsieur le Grand. He is more in a position to sway the King than either +you or I; but hold yourself prepared, for the Cardinal is too wary to be +caught sleeping. I do not believe in his illness. I have no faith in +the silence and immobility of which he has sought to persuade us these +two years past. I would not believe in his death even, unless I had +myself thrown his head into the sea, like that of the giant in Ariosto. +Hold yourself ready to meet all contingencies, and let us, meanwhile, +hasten our operations. I have shown my plans to Monsieur just now; I +will give you a summary of them. I offer you Sedan, Madame, for +yourself, and for Messeigneurs, your sons. The army of Italy is mine; I +will recall it if necessary. Monsieur le Grand is master of half the +camp of Perpignan. All the old Huguenots of La Rochelle and the South +are ready to come to him at the first nod. All has been organized for a +year past, by my care, to meet events." + +"I should not hesitate," said the Queen, "to place myself in your hands, +to save my children, if any misfortune should happen to the King. But in +this general plan you forget Paris." + +"It is ours on every side; the people by the archbishop, without his +suspecting it, and by Monsieur de Beaufort, who is its king; the troops +by your guards and those of Monsieur, who shall be chief in command, if +he please." + +"I! I! oh, that positively can not be! I have not enough people, and I +must have a retreat stronger than Sedan," said Gaston. + +"It suffices for the Queen," replied M. de Bouillon. + +"Ah, that may be! but my sister does not risk so much as a man who draws +the sword. Do you know that these are bold measures you propose?" + +"What, even if we have the King on our side?" asked Anne of Austria. + +"Yes, Madame, yes; we do not know how long that may last. We must make +ourselves sure; and I do nothing without the treaty with Spain." + +"Do nothing, then," said the Queen, coloring deeply; "for certainly I +will never hear that spoken of." + +"And yet, Madame, it were more prudent, and Monsieur is right," said the +Duc de Bouillon; "for the Count-Duke of San Lucra offers us seventeen +thousand men, tried troops, and five hundred thousand crowns in ready +money." + +"What!" exclaimed the Queen, with astonishment, "have you dared to +proceed so far without my consent? already treaties with foreigners!" + +"Foreigners, my sister! could we imagine that a princess of Spain would +use that word?" said Gaston. + +Anne of Austria rose, taking the Dauphin by the hand; and, leaning upon +Marie: "Yes, sir," she said, "I am a Spaniard; but I am the grand- +daughter of Charles V, and I know that a queen's country is where her +throne is. I leave you, gentlemen; proceed without me. I know nothing +of the matter for the future." + +She advanced some steps, but seeing Marie pale and bathed in tears, she +returned. + +"I will, however, solemnly promise you inviolable secrecy; but nothing +more." + +All were mentally disconcerted, except the Duc de Bouillon, who, not +willing to lose the advantages he had gained, said to the Queen, bowing +respectfully: + +"We are grateful for this promise, Madame, and we ask no more, persuaded +that after the first success you will be entirely with us." + +Not wishing to engage in a war of words, the Queen courtesied somewhat +less coldly, and quitted the apartment with Marie, who cast upon Cinq- +Mars one of those looks which comprehend at once all the emotions of the +soul. He seemed to read in her beautiful eyes the eternal and mournful +devotion of a woman who has given herself up forever; and he felt that if +he had once thought of withdrawing from his enterprise, he should now +have considered himself the basest of men. + +As soon as the two princesses had disappeared, "There, there! I told you +so, Bouillon, you offended the Queen," said Monsieur; "you went too far. +You can not certainly accuse me of having been hesitating this morning. +I have, on the contrary, shown more resolution than I ought to have +done." + +"I am full of joy and gratitude toward her Majesty," said M. de Bouillon, +with a triumphant air; "we are sure of the future. What will you do now, +Monsieur de Cinq-Mars?" + +"I have told you, Monsieur; I draw not back, whatever the consequences. +I will see the King; I will run every risk to obtain his assent." + +"And the treaty with Spain?" + +"Yes, I--" + +De Thou seized Cinq-Mars by the arm, and, advancing suddenly, said, with +a solemn air: + +"We have decided that it shall be only signed after the interview with +the King; for should his Majesty's just severity toward the Cardinal +dispense with it, we have thought it better not to expose ourselves to +the discovery of so dangerous a treaty." + +M. de Bouillon frowned. + +"If I did not know Monsieur de Thou," said he, "I should have regarded +this as a defection; but from him--" + +"Monsieur," replied the counsellor, "I think I may engage myself, on my +honor, to do all that Monsieur le Grand does; we are inseparable." + +Cinq-Mars looked at his friend, and was astonished to see upon his mild +countenance the expression of sombre despair; he was so struck with it +that he had not the courage to gainsay him. + +"He is right, gentlemen," he said with a cold but kindly smile; "the King +will perhaps spare us much trouble. We may do good things with him. For +the rest, Monseigneur, and you, Monsieur le Duc," he added with immovable +firmness, "fear not that I shall ever draw back. I have burned all the +bridges behind me. I must advance; the Cardinal's power shall fall, or +my head." + +"It is strange, very strange!" said Monsieur; "I see that every one here +is farther advanced in the conspiracy than I imagined." + +"Not so, Monsieur," said the Duc de Bouillon; "we prepared only that +which you might please to accept. Observe that there is nothing in +writing. You have but to speak, and nothing exists or ever has existed; +according to your order, the whole thing shall be a dream or a volcano." + +"Well, well, I am content, if it must be so," said Gaston; "let us occupy +ourselves with more agreeable topics. Thank God, we have a little time +before us! I confess I wish that it were all over. I am not fitted for +violent emotions; they affect my health," he added, taking M. de +Beauvau's arm. "Tell us if the Spanish women are still pretty, young +man. It is said you are a great gallant among them. 'Tudieu'! I'm sure +you've got yourself talked of there. They tell me the women wear +enormous petticoats. Well, I am not at all against that; they make the +foot look smaller and prettier. I'm sure the wife of Don Louis de Haro +is not handsomer than Madame de Guemenee, is she? Come, be frank; I'm +told she looks like a nun. Ah! you do not answer; you are embarrassed. +She has then taken your fancy; or you fear to offend our friend Monsieur +de Thou in comparing her with the beautiful Guemenee. Well, let's talk +of the customs; the King has a charming dwarf I'm told, and they put him +in a pie. He is a fortunate man, that King of Spain! I don't know +another equally so. And the Queen, she is still served on bended knee, +is she not? Ah! that is a good custom; we have lost it. It is very +unfortunate--more unfortunate than may be supposed." + +And Gaston d'Orleans had the confidence to speak in this tone nearly half +an hour, with a young man whose serious character was not at all adapted +to such conversation, and who, still occupied with the importance of the +scene he had just witnessed and the great interests which had been +discussed, made no answer to this torrent of idle words. He looked at +the Duc de Bouillon with an astonished air, as if to ask him whether this +was really the man whom they were going to place at the head of the most +audacious enterprise that had ever been launched; while the Prince, +without appearing to perceive that he remained unanswered, replied to +himself, speaking with volubility, as he drew him gradually out of the +room. He feared that one of the gentlemen present might recommence the +terrible conversation about the treaty; but none desired to do so, unless +it were the Duc de Bouillon, who, however, preserved an angry silence. +As for Cinq-Mars, he had been led away by De Thou, under cover of the +chattering of Monsieur, who took care not to appear to notice their +departure. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +A queen's country is where her throne is +All that he said, I had already thought +Always the first word which is the most difficult to say +Dare now to be silent when I have told you these things +Daylight is detrimental to them +Friendship exists only in independence and a kind of equality +I have burned all the bridges behind me +In pitying me he forgot himself +In times like these we must see all and say all +Reproaches are useless and cruel if the evil is done +Should be punished for not having known how to punish +Tears for the future +The great leveller has swung a long scythe over France +The most in favor will be the soonest abandoned by him +This popular favor is a cup one must drink +This was the Dauphin, afterward Louis XIV + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of Cinq Mars, v4 +by Alfred de Vigny + |