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diff --git a/old/3953.txt b/old/3953.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7669e4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/3953.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15234 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Cinq Mars, Complete, by Alfred de Vigny + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cinq Mars, Complete + +Author: Alfred de Vigny + +Last Updated: March 3, 2009 +Release Date: October 5, 2006 [EBook #3953] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CINQ MARS, COMPLETE *** + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +CINQ MARS + +By Alfred De Vigny + + +With a Prefaces by CHARLES DE MAZADE, and GASTON BOISSIER of the French +Academy. + + + + +ALFRED DE VIGNY + +The reputation of Alfred de Vigny has endured extraordinary vicissitudes +in France. First he was lauded as the precursor of French romantic +poetry and stately prose; then he sank in semi-oblivion, became the +curiosity of criticism, died in retirement, and was neglected for a long +time, until the last ten years or so produced a marked revolution +of taste in France. The supremacy of Victor Hugo has been, if not +questioned, at least mitigated; other poets have recovered from their +obscurity. Lamartine shines now like a lamp relighted; and the pure, +brilliant, and profoundly original genius of Alfred de Vigny now takes, +for the first time, its proper place as one of the main illuminating +forces of the nineteenth century. + +It was not until one hundred years after this poet's birth that it +became clearly recognized that he is one of the most important of +all the great writers of France, and he is distinguished not only in +fiction, but also in poetry and the drama. He is a follower of Andre +Chenier, Lamartine, and Victor Hugo, a lyric sun, a philosophic poet, +later, perhaps in consequence of the Revolution of 1830, becoming a +"Symbolist." He has been held to occupy a middle ground between De +Musset and Chenier, but he has also something suggestive of Madame de +Stael, and, artistically, he has much in common with Chateaubriand, +though he is more coldly impersonal and probably much more sincere in +his philosophy. If Sainte-Beuve, however, calls the poet in his Nouveaux +Lundis a "beautiful angel, who has been drinking vinegar," then the +modern reader needs a strong caution against malice and raillery, if not +jealousy and perfidy, although the article on De Vigny abounds otherwise +with excessive critical cleverness. + +At times, indeed, under the cruel deceptions of love, he seemed to lose +faith in his idealism; his pessimism, nevertheless, always remained +noble, restrained, sympathetic, manifesting itself not in appeals for +condolence, but in pitying care for all who were near and dear to him. +Yet his lofty prose and poetry, interpenetrated with the stern despair +of pessimistic idealism, will always be unintelligible to the many. As a +poet, De Vigny appeals to the chosen few alone. In his dramas his genius +is more emancipated from himself, in his novels most of all. It is by +these that he is most widely known, and by these that he exercised the +greatest influence on the literary life of his generation. + + Alfred-Victor, Count de Vigny, was born in Loches, Touraine, March 27, +1797. His father was an army officer, wounded in the Seven Years' War. +Alfred, after having been well educated, also selected a military career +and received a commission in the "Mousquetaires Rouges," in 1814, when +barely seventeen. He served until 1827, "twelve long years of peace," +then resigned. Already in 1822 appeared a volume of 'Poemes' which was +hardly noticed, although containing poetry since become important to +the evolution of French verse: 'La Neige, le Coy, le Deluge, Elva, la +Frigate', etc., again collected in 'Poemes antiques et modernes' (1826). +Other poems were published after his death in 'Les Destinies' (1864). + +Under the influence of Walter Scott, he wrote a historical romance in +1826, 'Cinq-Mars, ou une Conjuration sans Louis XIII'. It met with +the most brilliant and decided success and was crowned by the Academy. +Cinq-Mars will always be remembered as the earliest romantic novel +in France and the greatest and most dramatic picture of Richelieu now +extant. De Vigny was a convinced Anglophile, well acquainted with the +writings of Shakespeare and Milton, Byron, Wordsworth, Shelley, Matthew +Arnold, and Leopardi. He also married an English lady in 1825--Lydia +Bunbury. + +Other prose works are 'Stello' (1832), in the manner of Sterne and +Diderot, and 'Servitude et Grandeur militaire' (1835), the language +of which is as caustic as that of Merimee. As a dramatist, De Vigny +produced a translation of 'Othello--Le More de Venice' (1829); also 'La +Marechale d'Ancre' (1832); both met with moderate success only. But a +decided "hit" was 'Chatterton' (1835), an adaption from his prose-work +'Stello, ou les Diables bleus'; it at once established his reputation +on the stage; the applause was most prodigious, and in the annals of +the French theatre can only be compared with that of 'Le Cid'. It was a +great victory for the Romantic School, and the type of Chatterton, the +slighted poet, "the marvellous boy, the sleepless soul that perished in +his pride," became contagious as erstwhile did the type of Werther. + +For twenty years before his death Alfred de Vigny wrote nothing. He +lived in retirement, almost a recluse, in La Charente, rarely visiting +Paris. Admitted into L'Academie Francaise in 1845, he describes in his +'Journal d'un Poete' his academic visits and the reception held out to +him by the members of L'Institut. This work appeared posthumously in +1867. + +He died in Paris, September 17, 1863. + + CHARLES DE MAZADE + de l'Academie Francaise. + + + + +PREFACE + +Considering Alfred de Vigny first as a writer, it is evident that he +wished the public to regard him as different from the other romanticists +of his day; in fact, in many respects, his method presents a striking +contrast to theirs. To their brilliant facility, their prodigious +abundance, and the dazzling luxury of color in their pictures of life +he opposes a style always simple, pure, clear, with delicacy of touch, +careful drawing of character, correct locution, and absolute chastity. +Yet, even though he had this marked regard for purity in literary style, +no writer had more dislike of mere pedantry. His high ideal in literary +art and his self-respect inspired him with an invincible repugnance +toward the artificialities of style of that period, which the +romanticists--above all, Chateaubriand, their master--had so much +abused. + +Every one knows of the singular declaration made by Chateaubriand to +Joubert, while relating the details of a nocturnal voyage: "The moon +shone upon me in a slender crescent, and that prevented me from writing +an untruth, for I feel sure that had not the moon been there I should +have said in my letter that it was shining, and then you would have +convicted me of an error in my almanac!" + +This habit of sacrificing truth and exactitude of impression, for the +sake of producing a harmonious phrase or a picturesque suggestion, +disgusted Alfred de Vigny. "The worst thing about writers is that they +care very little whether what they write is true, so long as they only +write," we read on one page of his Journal. He adds, "They should seek +words only in their own consciences." On another page he says: "The most +serious lack in literary work is sincerity. Perceiving clearly that the +combination of technical labor and research for effective expression, in +producing literary work, often leads us to a paradox, I have resolved to +sacrifice all to conviction and truth, so that this precious element of +sincerity, complete and profound, shall dominate my books and give to +them the sacred character which the divine presence of truth always +gives." + +Besides sincerity, De Vigny possessed, in a high degree, a gift which +was not less rare in that age--good taste. He had taste in the art of +writing, a fine literary tact, a sense of proportion, a perception of +delicate shades of expression, an instinct that told him what to say and +what to suppress, to insinuate, or to be left to the understanding. Even +in his innovations in form, in his boldness of style, he showed a +rare discretion; never did he do violence to the genius of the French +language, and one may apply to him without reserve the eulogy that +Quintilian pronounced upon Horace: 'Verbis felicissime audax'. + +He cherished also a fixed principle that art implied selection. He was +neither idealist nor realist, in the exclusive and opposing sense in +which we understand these terms; he recommended a scrupulous observance +of nature, and that every writer should draw as close to it as possible, +but only in order to interpret it, to reveal it with a true feeling, +yet without a too intimate analysis, and that no one should attempt to +portray it exactly or servilely copy it. "Of what use is art," he says, +"if it is only a reduplication of existence? We see around us only too +much of the sadness and disenchantment of reality." The three novels +that compose the volume 'Servitude et Grandeur militaire' are, in this +respect, models of romantic composition that never will be surpassed, +bearing witness to the truth of the formula followed by De Vigny in all +his literary work: "Art is the chosen truth." + +If, as a versifier, Alfred de Vigny does not equal the great poets of +his time, if they are his superiors in distinction and brilliancy, in +richness of vocabulary, freedom of movement, and variety of rhythm, the +cause is to be ascribed less to any lack of poetic genius than to the +nature of his inspiration, even to the laws of poesy, and to the secret +and irreducible antinomy that exists between art and thought. When, +for example, Theophile Gautier reproached him with being too little +impressed with the exigencies of rhyme, his criticism was not well +grounded, for richness of rhyme, though indispensable in works of +descriptive imagination, has no 'raison d'etre' in poems dominated by +sentiment and thought. But, having said that, we must recognize in his +poetry an element, serious, strong, and impressive, characteristic +of itself alone, and admire, in the strophes of 'Mozse', in the +imprecations of 'Samson', and in the 'Destinees', the majestic +simplicity of the most beautiful Hebraic verse. + +Moreover, the true originality of De Vigny does not lie in the manner +of composition; it was primarily in the role of precursor that he played +his part on the stage of literature. Let us imagine ourselves at the +period about the beginning of the year 1822. Of the three poets who, +in making their literary debuts, had just published the 'Meditations, +Poemes antiques et modernes, and Odes', only one had, at that time, the +instinct of renewal in the spirit of French poesy, and a sense of +the manner in which this must be accomplished; and that one was not +Lamartine, and certainly it was not Victor Hugo. + +Sainte-Beuve has said, with authority, that in Lamartine there is +something suggestive of Millevoye, of Voltaire (he of the charming +epistles), and of Fontanes; and Victor Hugo wrote with very little +variation from the technical form of his predecessors. "But with Alfred +de Vigny," he says, "we seek in vain for a resemblance to any French +poetry preceding his work. For example, where can we find anything +resembling 'Moise, Eloa, Doloeida'? Where did he find his inspiration +for style and composition in these poems? If the poets of the Pleiades +of the Restoration seem to have found their inspiration within +themselves, showing no trace of connection with the literature of the +past, thus throwing into confusion old habits of taste and of routine, +certain it is that among them Alfred de Vigny should be ranked first." + +Even in the collection that bears the date of 1822, some years before +the future author of Legende des Siecles had taken up romanticism, +Alfred de Vigny had already conceived the idea of setting forth, in a +series of little epics, the migrations of the human soul throughout the +ages. "One feels," said he in his Preface, "a keen intellectual delight +in transporting one's self, by mere force of thought, to a period of +antiquity; it resembles the pleasure an old man feels in recalling first +his early youth, and then the whole course of his life. In the age of +simplicity, poetry was devoted entirely to the beauties of the physical +forms of nature and of man; each step in advance that it has made since +then toward our own day of civilization and of sadness, seems to have +blended it more and more with our arts, and even with the sufferings of +our souls. At present, with all the serious solemnity of Religion and of +Destiny, it lends to them their chief beauty. Never discouraged, Poetry +has followed Man in his long journey through the ages, like a sweet and +beautiful companion. I have attempted, in our language, to show some of +her beauties, in following her progress toward the present day." + +The arrangement of the poems announced in this Preface is tripartite, +like that of the 'Legende des Siecles: Poemes antiques, poemes +judaiques, poemes modernes.--Livre mystique, livre antique, livre +moderne'. But the name of precursor would be a vain title if all that +were necessary to merit it was the fact that one had been the first to +perceive a new path to literary glory, to salute it from a distance, yet +never attempt to make a nearer approach. + +In one direction at least, Alfred de Vigny was a true innovator, in the +broadest and most meritorious sense of the word: he was the creator of +philosophic poetry in France. Until Jocelyn appeared, in 1836, the form +of poetic expression was confined chiefly to the ode, the ballad, and +the elegy; and no poet, with the exception of the author of 'Moise' and +'Eloa', ever dreamed that abstract ideas and themes dealing with the +moralities could be expressed in the melody of verse. + +To this priority, of which he knew the full value, Alfred de Vigny laid +insistent claim. "The only merit," he says in one of his prefaces, "that +any one ever has disputed with me in this sort of composition is the +honor of having promulgated in France all works of the kind in which +philosophic thought is presented in either epic or dramatic form." + +But it was not alone priority in the sense of time that gave him +right of way over his contemporaries; he was the most distinguished +representative of poetic philosophy of his generation. If the phrases of +Lamartine seem richer, if his flight is more majestic, De Vigny's range +is surer and more powerful. While the philosophy of the creator of +'Les Harmonies' is uncertain and inconsistent, that of the poet of 'Les +Destinees' is strong and substantial, for the reason that the former +inspires more sentiment than ideas, while the latter, soaring far +above the narrow sphere of personal emotion, writes of everything that +occupies the intellect of man. + +Thus, by his vigor and breadth of thought, by his profound understanding +of life, by the intensity of his dreams, Alfred de Vigny is superior to +Victor Hugo, whose genius was quite different, in his power to portray +picturesque scenes, in his remarkable fecundity of imagination, and in +his sovereign mastery of technique. + +But nowhere in De Vigny's work is that superiority of poetic thought so +clearly shown as in those productions wherein the point of departure was +farthest from the domain of intellect, and better than any other has he +understood that truth proclaimed by Hegel: "The passions of the soul and +the affections of the heart are matter for poetic expression only in so +far as they are general, solid, and eternal." + +De Vigny was also the only one among our poets that had a lofty ideal +of woman and of love. And in order to convince one's self of this it +is sufficient to reread successively the four great love-poems of that +period: 'Le Lac, La Tristesse d'Olympio, Le Souvenir, and La Colere de +Samson'. + +Lamartine's conception of love was a sort of mild ecstasy, the sacred +rapture in which the senses play no part, and noble emotions that cause +neither trouble nor remorse. He ever regarded love as a kind of sublime +and passionate religion, of which 'Le Lac' was the most beautiful hymn, +but in which the image of woman is so vague that she almost seems to be +absent. + +On the other hand, what is 'La Tristesse d'Olympio' if not an admirable +but common poetic rapture, a magnificent summary of the sufferings of +the heart--a bit of lyric writing equal to the most beautiful canzoni of +the Italian masters, but wherein we find no idea of love, because all +is artificial and studied; no cry from the soul is heard,--no trace of +passion appears. + +After another fashion the same criticism applies to Le Souvenir; it was +written under a stress of emotion resulting from too recent events; +and the imagination of the author, subservient to a memory relentlessly +faithful, as is often the case with those to whom passion is the chief +principle of inspiration, was far from fulfilling the duties of his high +vocation, which is to purify the passions of the poet from individual +and accidental characteristics in order to leave unhampered whatever his +work may contain that is powerful and imperishable. + +Alfred de Vigny alone, of the poets of his day, in his 'Colere de +Samson', has risen to a just appreciation of woman and of love; his +ideal is grand and tragic, it is true, and reminds one of that gloomy +passage in Ecclesiastes which says: "Woman is more bitter than death, +and her arms are like chains." + +It is by this character of universality, of which all his writings show +striking evidence, that Alfred de Vigny is assured of immortality. A +heedless generation neglected him because it preferred to seek subjects +in strong contrast to life of its own time. But that which was not +appreciated by his contemporaries will be welcomed by posterity. And +when, in French literature, there shall remain of true romanticism only +a slight trace and the memory of a few great names, the author of the +'Destinees' will still find an echo in all hearts. + +No writer, no matter how gifted, immortalizes himself unless he has +crystallized into expressive and original phrase the eternal sentiments +and yearnings of the human heart. "A man does not deserve the name of +poet unless he can express personal feeling and emotion, and only that +man is worthy to be called a poet who knows how to assimilate the varied +emotions of mankind." If this fine phrase of Goethe's is true, if true +poetry is only that which implies a mastery of spiritual things as well +as of human emotion, Alfred de Vigny is assuredly one of our greatest +poets, for none so well as he has realized a complete vision of the +universe, no one has brought before the world with more boldness the +problem of the soul and that of humanity. Under the title of poet he +belongs not only to our national literature, but occupies a distinctive +place in the world of intellect, with Lucretius, Dante, and Goethe, +among those inspired beings who transmit throughout succeeding centuries +the light of reason and the traditions of the loftiest poetic thought. + +Alfred de Vigny was elected to a chair in the French Academy in 1846 and +died at Paris, September 17, 1863. + + GASTON BOISSIER + Secretaire Perpetuel de l'Academie Francaise. + + + + +TRUTH IN ART + +The study of social progress is to-day not less needed in literature +than is the analysis of the human heart. We live in an age of universal +investigation, and of exploration of the sources of all movements. +France, for example, loves at the same time history and the drama, +because the one explores the vast destinies of humanity, and the other +the individual lot of man. These embrace the whole of life. But it is +the province of religion, of philosophy, of pure poetry only, to go +beyond life, beyond time, into eternity. + +Of late years (perhaps as a result of our political changes) art has +borrowed from history more than ever. All of us have our eyes fixed on +our chronicles, as though, having reached manhood while going on toward +greater things, we had stopped a moment to cast up the account of our +youth and its errors. We have had to double the interest by adding to it +recollection. + +As France has carried farther than other nations this love of facts, and +as I had chosen a recent and well-remembered epoch, it seemed to me that +I ought not to imitate those foreigners who in their pictures barely +show in the horizon the men who dominate their history. I placed ours in +the foreground of the scene; I made them leading actors in this tragedy, +wherever I endeavored to represent the three kinds of ambition by which +we are influenced, and with them the beauty of self-sacrifice to a noble +ideal. A treatise on the fall of the feudal system; on the position, +at home and abroad, of France in the seventeenth century; on foreign +alliances; on the justice of parliaments or of secret commissions, or +on accusations of sorcery, would not perhaps have been read. But the +romance was read. + +I do not mean to defend this last form of historical composition, being +convinced that the real greatness of a work lies in the substance of +the author's ideas and sentiments, and not in the literary form in which +they are dressed. The choice of a certain epoch necessitates a certain +treatment--to another epoch it would be unsuitable; these are mere +secrets of the workshop of thought which there is no need of disclosing. +What is the use of theorizing as to wherein lies the charm that moves +us? We hear the tones of the harp, but its graceful form conceals from +us its frame of iron. Nevertheless, since I have been convinced +that this book possesses vitality, I can not help throwing out some +reflections on the liberty which the imagination should employ in +weaving into its tapestry all the leading figures of an age, and, to +give more consistency to their acts, in making the reality of fact +give way to the idea which each of them should represent in the eyes of +posterity; in short, on the difference which I find between Truth in art +and the True in fact. + +Just as we descend into our consciences to judge of actions which our +minds can not weigh, can we not also search in ourselves for the feeling +which gives birth to forms of thought, always vague and cloudy? We shall +find in our troubled hearts, where discord reigns, two needs which seem +at variance, but which merge, as I think, in a common source--the love +of the true, and the love of the fabulous. + +On the day when man told the story of his life to man, history was born. +Of what use is the memory of facts, if not to serve as an example +of good or of evil? But the examples which the slow train of events +presents to us are scattered and incomplete. They lack always a tangible +and visible coherence leading straight on to a moral conclusion. The +acts of the human race on the world's stage have doubtless a coherent +unity, but the meaning of the vast tragedy enacted will be visible only +to the eye of God, until the end, which will reveal it perhaps to the +last man. All systems of philosophy have sought in vain to explain it, +ceaselessly rolling up their rock, which, never reaching the top, falls +back upon them--each raising its frail structure on the ruins of the +others, only to see it fall in its turn. + +I think, then, that man, after having satisfied his first longing for +facts, wanted something fuller--some grouping, some adaptation to his +capacity and experience, of the links of this vast chain of events +which his sight could not take in. Thus he hoped to find in the historic +recital examples which might support the moral truths of which he was +conscious. Few single careers could satisfy this longing, being only +incomplete parts of the elusive whole of the history of the world; one +was a quarter, as it were, the other a half of the proof; imagination +did the rest and completed them. From this, without doubt, sprang the +fable. Man created it thus, because it was not given him to see more +than himself and nature, which surrounds him; but he created it true +with a truth all its own. + +This Truth, so beautiful, so intellectual, which I feel, I see, and long +to define, the name of which I here venture to distinguish from that of +the True, that I may the better make myself understood, is the soul of +all the arts. It is the selection of the characteristic token in all the +beauties and the grandeurs of the visible True; but it is not the +thing itself, it is something better: it is an ideal combination of its +principal forms, a luminous tint made up of its brightest colors, an +intoxicating balm of its purest perfumes, a delicious elixir of its +best juices, a perfect harmony of its sweetest sounds--in short, it is +a concentration of all its good qualities. For this Truth, and nothing +else, should strive those works of art which are a moral representation +of life-dramatic works. To attain it, the first step is undoubtedly to +learn all that is true in fact of every period, to become deeply imbued +with its general character and with its details; this involves only a +cheap tribute of attention, of patience, and of memory: But then one +must fix upon some chosen centre, and group everything around it; this +is the work of imagination, and of that sublime common-sense which is +genius itself. + +Of what use were the arts if they were only the reproduction and the +imitation of life? Good heavens! we see only too clearly about us the +sad and disenchanting reality--the insupportable lukewarmness of feeble +characters, of shallow virtues and vices, of irresolute loves, of +tempered hates, of wavering friendships, of unsettled beliefs, of +constancy which has its height and its depth, of opinions which +evaporate. Let us dream that once upon a time have lived men stronger +and greater, who were more determined for good or for evil; that does +us good. If the paleness of your True is to follow us into art, we shall +close at once the theatre and the book, to avoid meeting it a second +time. What is wanted of works which revive the ghosts of human beings +is, I repeat, the philosophical spectacle of man deeply wrought upon +by the passions of his character and of his epoch; it is, in short, the +artistic Truth of that man and that epoch, but both raised to a higher +and ideal power, which concentrates all their forces. You recognize this +Truth in works of the imagination just as you cry out at the resemblance +of a portrait of which you have never seen the original; for true talent +paints life rather than the living. + +To banish finally the scruples on this point of the consciences of some +persons, timorous in literary matters, whom I have seen affected with +a personal sorrow on viewing the rashness with which the imagination +sports with the most weighty characters of history, I will hazard the +assertion that, not throughout this work, I dare not say that, but in +many of these pages, and those perhaps not of the least merit, history +is a romance of which the people are the authors. The human mind, I +believe, cares for the True only in the general character of an epoch. +What it values most of all is the sum total of events and the advance of +civilization, which carries individuals along with it; but, indifferent +to details, it cares less to have them real than noble or, rather, grand +and complete. + +Examine closely the origin of certain deeds, of certain heroic +expressions, which are born one knows not how; you will see them leap +out ready-made from hearsay and the murmurs of the crowd, without having +in themselves more than a shadow of truth, and, nevertheless, they will +remain historical forever. As if by way of pleasantry, and to put a joke +upon posterity, the public voice invents sublime utterances to mark, +during their lives and under their very eyes, men who, confused, avow +themselves as best they may, as not deserving of so much glory and as +not being able to support so high renown. + + [In our time has not a Russian General denied the fire of Moscow, + which we have made heroic, and which will remain so? Has not a + French General denied that utterance on the field of Waterloo which + will immortalize it? And if I were not withheld by my respect for a + sacred event, I might recall that a priest has felt it to be his + duty to disavow in public a sublime speech which will remain the + noblest that has ever been pronounced on a scaffold: "Son of Saint + Louis, rise to heaven!" When I learned not long ago its real + author, I was overcome by the destruction of my illusion, but before + long I was consoled by a thought that does honor to humanity in my + eyes. I feel that France has consecrated this speech, because she + felt the need of reestablishing herself in her own eyes, of blinding + herself to her awful error, and of believing that then and there an + honest man was found who dared to speak aloud.] + +In vain; their disclaimers are not received. Let them cry out, let them +write, let them print, let them sign--they are not listened to. These +utterances are inscribed in bronze; the poor fellows remain historical +and sublime in spite of themselves. And I do not find that all this is +done in the ages of barbarism alone; it is still going on, and it +molds the history of yesterday to the taste of public opinion--a Muse +tyrannical and capricious, which preserves the general purport and +scorns detail. + +Which of you knows not of such transformation? Do you not see with your +own eyes the chrysalis fact assume by degrees the wings of fiction? Half +formed by the necessities of the time, a fact is hidden in the ground +obscure and incomplete, rough, misshapen, like a block of marble not yet +rough-hewn. The first who unearth it, and take it in hand, would wish +it differently shaped, and pass it, already a little rounded, into other +hands; others polish it as they pass it along; in a short time it is +exhibited transformed into an immortal statue. We disclaim it; witnesses +who have seen and heard pile refutations upon explanations; the learned +investigate, pore over books, and write. No one listens to them any more +than to the humble heroes who disown it; the torrent rolls on and bears +with it the whole thing under the form which it has pleased it to +give to these individual actions. What was needed for all this work? A +nothing, a word; sometimes the caprice of a journalist out of work. And +are we the losers by it? No. The adopted fact is always better composed +than the real one, and it is even adopted only because it is better. The +human race feels a need that its destinies should afford it a series of +lessons; more careless than we think of the reality of facts, it strives +to perfect the event in order to give it a great moral significance, +feeling sure that the succession of scenes which it plays upon earth is +not a comedy, and that since it advances, it marches toward an end, of +which the explanation must be sought beyond what is visible. + +For my part, I acknowledge my gratitude to the voice of the people +for this achievement; for often in the finest life are found strange +blemishes and inconsistencies which pain me when I see them. If a man +seems to me a perfect model of a grand and noble character, and if +some one comes and tells me of a mean trait which disfigures him, I am +saddened by it, even though I do not know him, as by a misfortune which +affects me in person; and I could almost wish that he had died before +the change in his character. + +Thus, when the Muse (and I give that name to art as a whole, to +everything which belongs to the domain of imagination, almost in the +same way as the ancients gave the name of Music to all education), when +the Muse has related, in her impassioned manner, the adventures of +a character whom I know to have lived; and when she reshapes his +experiences into conformity with the strongest idea of vice or +virtue which can be conceived of him--filling the gaps, veiling the +incongruities of his life, and giving him that perfect unity of conduct +which we like to see represented even in evil--if, in addition to this, +she preserves the only thing essential to the instruction of the world, +the spirit of the epoch, I know no reason why we should be more exacting +with her than with this voice of the people which every day makes every +fact undergo so great changes. + +The ancients carried this liberty even into history; they wanted to +see in it only the general march, and broad movements of peoples and +nations; and on these great movements, brought to view in courses very +distinct and very clear, they placed a few colossal figures--symbols of +noble character and of lofty purpose. + +One might almost reckon mathematically that, having undergone the double +composition of public opinion and of the author, their history reaches +us at third hand and is thus separated by two stages from the original +fact. + +It is because in their eyes history too was a work of art; and in +consequence of not having realized that such is its real nature, the +whole Christian world still lacks an historical monument like those +which dominate antiquity and consecrate the memory of its destinies--as +its pyramids, its obelisks, its pylons, and its porticos still dominate +the earth which was known to them, and thereby commemorate the grandeur +of antiquity. + +If, then, we find everywhere evidence of this inclination to desert the +positive, to bring the ideal even into historic annals, I believe that +with greater reason we should be completely indifferent to historical +reality in judging the dramatic works, whether poems, romances, or +tragedies, which borrow from history celebrated characters. Art ought +never to be considered except in its relations with its ideal beauty. +Let it be said that what is true in fact is secondary merely; it is only +an illusion the more with which it adorns itself--one of our prejudices +which it respects. It can do without it, for the Truth by which it must +live is the truth of observation of human nature, and not authenticity +of fact. The names of the characters have nothing to do with the matter. +The idea is everything; the proper name is only the example and the +proof of the idea. + +So much the better for the memory of those who are chosen to represent +philosophical or moral ideas; but, once again, that is not the question. +The imagination can produce just as fine things without them; it is +a power wholly creative; the imaginary beings which it animates are +endowed with life as truly as the real beings which it brings to life +again. We believe in Othello as we do in Richard III., whose tomb is +in Westminster; in Lovelace and Clarissa as in Paul and Virginia, whose +tombs are in the Isle of France. It is with the same eye that we must +watch the performance of its characters, and demand of the Muse only her +artistic Truth, more lofty than the True--whether collecting the traits +of a character dispersed among a thousand entire individuals, she +composes from them a type whose name alone is imaginary; or whether she +goes to their tomb to seek and to touch with her galvanic current the +dead whose great deeds are known, forces them to arise again, and drags +them dazzled to the light of day, where, in the circle which this fairy +has traced, they re-assume unwillingly their passions of other days, and +begin again in the sight of their descendants the sad drama of life. + +ALFRED DE VIGNY. + +1827. + + + + +CINQ-MARS + + + + +BOOK 1. + + + + +CHAPTER I. THE ADIEU + + Fare thee well! and if forever, + Still forever fare thee well! + + LORD BYRON. + +Do you know that charming part of our country which has been called the +garden of France--that spot where, amid verdant plains watered by wide +streams, one inhales the purest air of heaven? + +If you have travelled through fair Touraine in summer, you have no doubt +followed with enchantment the peaceful Loire; you have regretted the +impossibility of determining upon which of its banks you would choose to +dwell with your beloved. On its right bank one sees valleys dotted with +white houses surrounded by woods, hills yellow with vines or white +with the blossoms of the cherry-tree, walls covered with honeysuckles, +rose-gardens, from which pointed roofs rise suddenly. Everything reminds +the traveller either of the fertility of the land or of the antiquity +of its monuments; and everything interests him in the work of its busy +inhabitants. + +Nothing has proved useless to them; it seems as if in their love for +so beautiful a country--the only province of France never occupied by +foreigners--they have determined not to lose the least part of its soil, +the smallest grain of its sand. Do you fancy that this ruined tower is +inhabited only by hideous night-birds? No; at the sound of your horse's +hoofs, the smiling face of a young girl peeps out from the ivy, whitened +with the dust from the road. If you climb a hillside covered with vines, +a light column of smoke shows you that there is a chimney at your feet; +for the very rock is inhabited, and families of vine-dressers breathe +in its caverns, sheltered at night by the kindly earth which they +laboriously cultivate during the day. The good people of Touraine are as +simple as their life, gentle as the air they breathe, and strong as the +powerful earth they dig. Their countenances, like their characters, +have something of the frankness of the true people of St. Louis; their +chestnut locks are still long and curve around their ears, as in the +stone statues of our old kings; their language is the purest French, +with neither slowness, haste, nor accent--the cradle of the language is +there, close to the cradle of the monarchy. + +But the left bank of the stream has a more serious aspect; in the +distance you see Chambord, which, with its blue domes and little +cupolas, appears like some great city of the Orient; there is +Chanteloup, raising its graceful pagoda in the air. Near these a simpler +building attracts the eyes of the traveller by its magnificent situation +and imposing size; it is the chateau of Chaumont. Built upon the highest +hill of the shore, it frames the broad summit with its lofty walls and +its enormous towers; high slate steeples increase their loftiness, and +give to the building that conventual air, that religious form of all +our old chateaux, which casts an aspect of gravity over the landscape +of most of our provinces. Black and tufted trees surround this ancient +mansion, resembling from afar the plumes that encircled the hat of King +Henry. At the foot of the hill, connected with the chateau by a narrow +path, lies a pretty village, whose white houses seem to have sprung +from the golden sand; a chapel stands halfway up the hill; the lords +descended and the villagers ascended to its altar-the region of +equality, situated like a neutral spot between poverty and riches, which +have been too often opposed to each other in bitter conflict. + +Here, one morning in the month of June, 1639, the bell of the chateau +having, as usual, rung at midday, the dinner-hour of the family, +occurrences of an unusual kind were passing in this ancient dwelling. +The numerous domestics observed that in repeating the morning prayers +before the assembled household, the Marechale d'Effiat had spoken with a +broken voice and with tears in her eyes, and that she had appeared in a +deeper mourning than was customary. The people of the household and the +Italians of the Duchesse de Mantua, who had at that time retired for a +while to Chaumont, saw with surprise that sudden preparations were being +made for departure. The old domestic of the Marechal d'Effiat (who had +been dead six months) had taken again to his travelling-boots, which he +had sworn to abandon forever. This brave fellow, named Grandchamp, had +followed the chief of the family everywhere in the wars, and in his +financial work; he had been his equerry in the former, and his secretary +in the latter. He had recently returned from Germany, to inform the +mother and the children of the death of the Marechal, whose last sighs +he had heard at Luzzelstein. He was one of those faithful servants who +are become too rare in France; who suffer with the misfortunes of the +family, and rejoice with their joys; who approve of early marriages, +that they may have young masters to educate; who scold the children and +often the fathers; who risk death for them; who serve without wages in +revolutions; who toil for their support; and who in prosperous times +follow them everywhere, or exclaim at their return, "Behold our +vines!" He had a severe and remarkable face, a coppery complexion, and +silver-gray hair, in which, however, some few locks, black as his heavy +eyebrows, made him appear harsh at first; but a gentle countenance +softened this first impression. At present his voice was loud. He busied +himself much that day in hastening the dinner, and ordered about all the +servants, who were in mourning like himself. + +"Come," said he, "make haste to serve the dinner, while Germain, Louis, +and Etienne saddle their horses; Monsieur Henri and I must be far away +by eight o'clock this evening. And you, gentlemen, Italians, have you +warned your young Princess? I wager that she is gone to read with her +ladies at the end of the park, or on the banks of the lake. She always +comes in after the first course, and makes every one rise from the +table." + +"Ah, my good Grandchamp," said in a low voice a young maid servant who +was passing, "do not speak of the Duchess; she is very sorrowful, and I +believe that she will remain in her apartment. Santa Maria! what a shame +to travel to-day! to depart on a Friday, the thirteenth of the month, +and the day of Saint Gervais and of Saint-Protais--the day of two +martyrs! I have been telling my beads all the morning for Monsieur +de Cinq-Mars; and I could not help thinking of these things. And my +mistress thinks of them too, although she is a great lady; so you need +not laugh!" + +With these words the young Italian glided like a bird across the large +dining-room, and disappeared down a corridor, startled at seeing the +great doors of the salon opened. + +Grandchamp had hardly heard what she had said, and seemed to have +been occupied only with the preparations for dinner; he fulfilled the +important duties of major-domo, and cast severe looks at the domestics +to see whether they were all at their posts, placing himself behind the +chair of the eldest son of the house. Then all the inhabitants of the +mansion entered the salon. Eleven persons seated themselves at table. +The Marechale came in last, giving her arm to a handsome old man, +magnificently dressed, whom she placed upon her left hand. She seated +herself in a large gilded arm-chair at the middle of one side of the +table, which was oblong in form. Another seat, rather more ornamented, +was at her right, but it remained empty. The young Marquis d'Effiat, +seated in front of his mother, was to assist her in doing the honors of +the table. He was not more than twenty years old, and his countenance +was insignificant; much gravity and distinguished manners proclaimed, +however, a social nature, but nothing more. His young sister of +fourteen, two gentlemen of the province, three young Italian noblemen of +the suite of Marie de Gonzaga (Duchesse de Mantua), a lady-in-waiting, +the governess of the young daughter of the Marechale, and an abbe of the +neighborhood, old and very deaf, composed the assembly. A seat at the +right of the elder son still remained vacant. + +The Marechale, before seating herself, made the sign of the cross, +and repeated the Benedicite aloud; every one responded by making the +complete sign, or upon the breast alone. This custom was preserved +in many families in France up to the Revolution of 1789; some still +practise it, but more in the provinces than in Paris, and not without +some hesitation and some preliminary words upon the weather, accompanied +by a deprecatory smile when a stranger is present--for it is too true +that virtue also has its blush. + +The Marechale possessed an imposing figure, and her large blue eyes +were remarkably beautiful. She did not appear to have yet attained her +forty-fifth year; but, oppressed with sorrow, she walked slowly and +spoke with difficulty, closing her eyes, and allowing her head to droop +for a moment upon her breast, after she had been obliged to raise her +voice. At such efforts her hand pressed to her bosom showed that she +experienced sharp pain. She saw therefore with satisfaction that the +person who was seated at her left, having at the beginning engrossed +the conversation, without having been requested by any one to talk, +persisted with an imperturbable coolness in engrossing it to the end of +the dinner. This was the old Marechal de Bassompierre; he had preserved +with his white locks an air of youth and vivacity curious to see. His +noble and polished manners showed a certain gallantry, antiquated like +his costume--for he wore a ruff in the fashion of Henri IV, and the +slashed sleeves fashionable in the former reign, an absurdity which was +unpardonable in the eyes of the beaux of the court. This would not have +appeared more singular than anything else at present; but it is admitted +that in every age we laugh at the costume of our fathers, and, except +the Orientals, I know of no people who have not this fault. + +One of the Italian gentlemen had hardly finished asking the Marechal +what he thought of the way in which the Cardinal treated the daughter of +the Duc de Mantua, when he exclaimed, in his familiar language: + +"Heavens, man! what are you talking about? what do I comprehend of this +new system under which France is living? We old companions-in-arms +of his late Majesty can ill understand the language spoken by the new +court, and that in its turn does not comprehend ours. But what do I say? +We speak no language in this sad country, for all the world is silent +before the Cardinal; this haughty little, vassal looks upon us as merely +old family portraits, which occasionally he shortens by the head; but +happily the motto always remains. Is it not true, my dear Puy-Laurens?" + +This guest was about the same age as the Marechal, but, being more grave +and cautious, he answered in vague and few words, and made a sign to his +contemporary in order to induce him to observe the unpleasant emotions +which he had caused the mistress of the house by reminding her of the +recent death of her husband and in speaking thus of the minister, his +friend. But it was in vain, for Bassompierre, pleased with the sign of +half-approval, emptied at one draught a great goblet of wine--a remedy +which he lauds in his Memoirs as infallible against the plague and +against reserve; and leaning back to receive another glass from his +esquire, he settled himself more firmly than ever upon his chair, and in +his favorite ideas. + +"Yes, we are in the way here; I said so the other day to my dear Duc +de Guise, whom they have ruined. They count the minutes that we have to +live, and shake the hour-glass to hasten the descent of its sands. When +Monsieur le Cardinal-Duc observes in a corner three or four of our tall +figures, who never quitted the side of the late King, he feels that he +is unable to move those statues of iron, and that to do it would require +the hand of a great man; he passes quickly by, and dares not meddle with +us, who fear him not. He believes that we are always conspiring; and +they say at this very moment that there is talk of putting me in the +Bastille." + +"Eh! Monsieur le Marechal, why do you delay your departure?" said +the Italian. "I know of no place, except Flanders, where you can find +shelter." + +"Ah, Monsieur! you do not know me. So far from flying, I sought out the +King before his departure, and told him that I did so in order to save +people the trouble of looking for me; and that if I knew when he wished +to send me, I would go myself without being taken. He was as kind as I +expected him to be, and said to me, 'What, my old friend, could you +have thought that I desired to send you there? You know well that I love +you.'" + +"Ah, my dear Marechal, let me compliment you," said Madame d'Effiat, in +a soft voice. "I recognize the benevolence of the King in these words; +he remembers the affection which the King, his father, had toward you. +It appears to me that he always accorded to you all that you desired for +your friends," she added, with animation, in order to put him into the +track of praise, and to beguile him from the discontent which he had so +loudly declared. + +"Assuredly, Madame," answered he; "no one is more willing to recognize +his virtues than Francois de Bassompierre. I shall be faithful to him +to the end, because I gave myself, body and fortune, to his father at +a ball; and I swear that, with my consent at least, none of my family +shall ever fail in their duties toward the King of France. Although the +Besteins are foreigners and Lorrains, a shake of the hand from Henri IV +gained us forever. My greatest grief has been to see my brother die in +the service of Spain; and I have just written to my nephew to say that +I shall disinherit him if he has passed over to the Emperor, as report +says he has." + +One of the gentlemen guests who had as yet been silent, and who was +remarkable for the profusion of knots, ribbons, and tags which covered +his dress, and for the black cordon of the Order of St. Michael which +decorated his neck, bowed, observing that it was thus all faithful +subjects ought to speak. + +"I' faith, Monsieur de Launay, you deceive yourself very much," said +the Marechal, to whom the recollection of his ancestors now occurred; +"persons of our blood are subjects only at our own pleasure, for God has +caused us to be born as much lords of our lands as the King is of his. +When I came to France, I came at my ease, accompanied by my gentlemen +and pages. I perceive, however, that the farther we go, the more we lose +sight of this idea, especially at the court. But here is a young man who +arrives very opportunely to hear me." + +The door indeed opened, and a young man of fine form entered. He was +pale; his hair was brown, his eyes were black, his expression was sad +and reckless. This was Henri d'Effiat, Marquis de Cinq-Mars (a name +taken from an estate of his family). His dress and his short cloak were +black; a collar of lace fell from his neck halfway down his breast; his +stout, small, and very wide-spurred boots made so much noise upon the +flags of the salon that his approach was heard at a distance. He walked +directly toward the Marechale, bowed low, and kissed her hand. + +"Well, Henri," she said, "are your horses ready? At what hour do you +depart?" + +"Immediately after dinner, Madame, if you will allow me," said he to his +mother, with the ceremonious respect of the times; and passing behind +her, he saluted M. de Bassompierre before seating himself at the left of +his eldest brother. + +"Well," said the Marechal, continuing to eat with an excellent appetite, +"you are about to depart, my son; you are going to the court--a slippery +place nowadays. I am sorry for your sake that it is not now what it used +to be. In former times, the court was simply the drawing-room of the +King, in which he received his natural friends: nobles of great family, +his peers, who visited him to show their devotion and their friendship, +lost their money with him, and accompanied him in his pleasure parties, +but never received anything from him, except permission to bring their +vassals with them, to break their heads in his service. The honors a man +of quality received did not enrich him, for he paid for them out of +his purse. I sold an estate for every grade I received; the title of +colonel-general of the Swiss cost me four hundred thousand crowns, and +at the baptism of the present King I had to buy a costume that cost me a +hundred thousand francs." + +"Ah!" said the mistress of the house, smiling, "you must acknowledge +for once that you were not obliged to do that. We have all heard of your +splendid dress of pearls; but I should be much vexed were it still the +custom to wear such." + +"Oh, Madame la Marquise, do not fear, those times of magnificence +never will return. We committed follies, no doubt, but they proved our +independence; it is clear that it would then have been hard to convert +from their allegiance to the King adherents who were attached to him +by love alone, and whose coronets contained as many diamonds as his own +locked-up crown. It is also certain that ambition could not then attack +all classes, since such expenses could come only from rich hands, and +since gold comes only from mines. Those great houses, which are being +so furiously assailed, were not ambitious, and frequently, desiring +no employment from the Government, maintained their places at court by +their own weight, existed upon their own foundation, and might say, as +one of them did say, 'The Prince condescends not; I am Rohan.' It was +the same with every noble family, to which its own nobility sufficed; +the King himself expressed it in writing to one of my friends: 'Money is +not a common thing between gentlemen like you and me.'" + +"But, Monsieur le Marechal," coldly, and with extreme politeness, +interrupted M. de Launay, who perhaps intended to anger him, "this +independence has produced as many civil wars and revolts as those of +Monsieur de Montmorency." + +"Monsieur! I can not consent to hear these things spoken," said the +fiery Marechal, leaping up in his armchair. "Those revolts and wars had +nothing to do with the fundamental laws of the State, and could no more +have overturned the throne than a duel could have done so. Of all +the great party-chiefs, there was not one who would not have laid his +victory at the feet of the King, had he succeeded, knowing well that all +the other lords who were as great as himself would have abandoned the +enemy of the legitimate sovereign. Arms were taken against a faction, +and not against the sovereign authority; and, this destroyed, everything +went on again in the old way. But what have you done in crushing us? +You have crushed the arm of the throne, and have not put anything in +its place. Yes, I no longer doubt that the Cardinal-Duke will wholly +accomplish his design; the great nobility will leave and lose their +lands, and, ceasing to be great proprietors, they will cease to be a +great power. The court is already no more than a palace where people +beg; by and by it will become an antechamber, when it will be composed +only of those who constitute the suite of the King. Great names will +begin by ennobling vile offices; but, by a terrible reaction, those +offices will end by rendering great names vile. Estranged from their +homes, the nobility will be dependent upon the employments which they +shall have received; and if the people, over whom they will no longer +have any influence, choose to revolt--" + +"How gloomy you are to-day, Marechal!" interrupted the Marquise; "I +hope that neither I nor my children will ever see that time. I no longer +perceive your cheerful disposition, now that you talk like a politician. +I expected to hear you give advice to my son. Henri, what troubles you? +You seem very absent." + +Cinq-Mars, with eyes fixed upon the great bay window of the +dining-room, looked sorrowfully upon the magnificent landscape. The sun +shone in full splendor, and colored the sands of the Loire, the trees, +and the lawns with gold and emerald. The sky was azure, the waves were +of a transparent yellow, the islets of a vivid green; behind their +rounded outlines rose the great sails of the merchant-vessels, like a +fleet in ambuscade. + +"O Nature, Nature!" he mused; "beautiful Nature, farewell! Soon will my +heart cease to be of simplicity enough to feel your charm, soon you +wall no longer please my eyes. This heart is already burned by a deep +passion; and the mention of the interests of men stirs it with hitherto +unknown agitation. I must, however, enter this labyrinth; I may, +perchance, lose myself there, but for Marie--" + +At this moment, aroused by the words of his mother, and fearing to +exhibit a childish regret at leaving his beautiful country and his +family, he said: + +"I am thinking, Madame, of the road which I shall take to Perpignan, and +also of that which shall bring me back to you." + +"Do not forget to take that of Poitiers, and to go to Loudun to see your +old tutor, our good Abbe Quillet; he will give you useful advice about +the court. He is on very good terms with the Duc de Bouillon; and +besides, though he may not be very necessary to you, it is a mark of +deference which you owe him." + +"Is it, then, to the siege of Perpignan that you are going, my boy?" +asked the old Marechal, who began to think that he had been silent a +long time. "Ah! it is well for you. Plague upon it! a siege! 'tis an +excellent opening. I would have given much had I been able to assist the +late King at a siege, upon my arrival in his court; it would have been +better to be disembowelled then than at a tourney, as I was. But we were +at peace; and I was compelled to go and shoot the Turks with the Rosworm +of the Hungarians, in order that I might not afflict my family by my +idleness. For the rest, may his Majesty receive you as kindly as his +father received me! It is true that the King is good and brave; but they +have unfortunately taught him that cold Spanish etiquette which arrests +all the impulses of the heart. He restrains himself and others by an +immovable presence and an icy look; as for me, I confess that I am +always waiting for the moment of thaw, but in vain. We were accustomed +to other manners from the witty and simple-hearted Henri; and we were at +least free to tell him that we loved him." + +Cinq-Mars, with eyes fixed upon those of Bassompierre, as if to force +himself to attend to his discourse, asked him what was the manner of the +late king in conversation. + +"Lively and frank," said he. "Some time after my arrival in France, I +played with him and with the Duchesse de Beaufort at Fontainebleau; for +he wished, he said, to win my gold-pieces, my fine Portugal money. He +asked me the reason why I came into this country. 'Truly, Sire,' said I, +frankly, 'I came with no intention of enlisting myself in your service, +but only to pass some time at your court, and afterward at that of +Spain; but you have charmed me so much that, instead of going farther, +if you desire my service, I will devote myself to you till death.' Then +he embraced me, and assured me that I could not find a better master, or +one who would love me more. Alas! I have found it so. And for my part, I +sacrificed everything to him, even my love; and I would have done +more, had it been possible to do more than renounce Mademoiselle de +Montmorency." + +The good Marechal had tears in his eyes; but the young Marquis d'Effiat +and the Italians, looking at one another, could not help smiling to +think that at present the Princesse de Conde was far from young and +pretty. Cinq-Mars noticed this interchange of glances, and smiled also, +but bitterly. + +"Is it true then," he thought, "that the affections meet the same fate +as the fashions, and that the lapse of a few years can throw the same +ridicule upon a costume and upon love? Happy is he who does not outlive +his youth and his illusions, and who carries his treasures with him to +the grave!" + +But--again, with effort breaking the melancholy course of his thoughts, +and wishing that the good Marechal should read nothing unpleasant upon +the countenances of his hosts, he said: + +"People spoke, then, with much freedom to King Henri? Possibly, however, +he found it necessary to assume that tone at the beginning of his reign; +but when he was master did he change it?" + +"Never! no, never, to his last day, did our great King cease to be the +same. He did not blush to be a man, and he spoke to men with force and +sensibility. Ah! I fancy I see him now, embracing the Duc de Guise in +his carriage, on the very day of his death; he had just made one of his +lively pleasantries to me, and the Duke said to him, 'You are, in +my opinion, one of the most agreeable men in the world, and destiny +ordained us for each other. For, had you been but an ordinary man, +I should have taken you into my service at whatever price; but since +heaven ordained that you should be born a great King, it is inevitable +that I belong to you.' Oh, great man!" cried Bassompierre, with tears +in his eyes, and perhaps a little excited by the frequent bumpers he had +drunk, "you said well, 'When you have lost me you will learn my value.'" + +During this interlude, the guests at the table had assumed various +attitudes, according to their position in public affairs. One of the +Italians pretended to chat and laugh in a subdued manner with the young +daughter of the Marechale; the other talked to the deaf old Abbe, who, +with one hand behind his ear that he might hear, was the only one +who appeared attentive. Cinq-Mars had sunk back into his melancholy +abstraction, after throwing a glance at the Marechal, as one looks aside +after throwing a tennis-ball until its return; his elder brother did +the honors of the table with the same calm. Puy-Laurens observed +the mistress of the house with attention; he was devoted to the Duc +d'Orleans, and feared the Cardinal. As for the Marechale, she had an +anxious and afflicted air. Careless words had often recalled the death +of her husband or the departure of her son; and, oftener still, she had +feared lest Bassompierre should compromise himself. She had touched him +many times, glancing at the same time toward M. de Launay, of whom she +knew little, and whom she had reason to believe devoted to the prime +minister; but to a man of his character, such warnings were useless. +He appeared not to notice them; but, on the contrary, crushing that +gentleman with his bold glance and the sound of his voice, he affected +to turn himself toward him, and to direct all his conversation to him. +M. de Launay assumed an air of indifference and of assenting politeness, +which he preserved until the moment when the folding-doors opened, and +"Mademoiselle la Duchesse de Mantua" was announced. + +The conversation which we have transcribed so lengthily passed, in +reality, with rapidity; and the repast was only half over when the +arrival of Marie de Gonzaga caused the company to rise. She was small, +but very well made, and although her eyes and hair were black, her +complexion was as dazzling as the beauty of her skin. The Marechale +arose to acknowledge her rank, and kissed her on the forehead, in +recognition of her goodness and her charming age. + +"We have waited a long time for you to-day, dear Marie," she said, +placing the Duchess beside her; "fortunately, you remain with me to +replace one of my children, who is about to depart." + +The young Duchess blushed, lowered her head and her eyes, in order that +no one might see their redness, and said, timidly: + +"Madame, that may well be, since you have taken toward me the place of +a mother;" and a glance thrown at Cinq-Mars, at the other end of the +table, made him turn pale. + +This arrival changed the conversation; it ceased to be general, and each +guest conversed in a low voice with his neighbor. The Marechal alone +continued to utter a few sentences concerning the magnificence of the +old court, his wars in Turkey, the tournaments, and the avarice of the +new court; but, to his great regret, no one made any reply, and the +company were about to leave the table, when, as the clock struck two, +five horses appeared in the courtyard. Four were mounted by servants, +cloaked and armed; the other horse, black and spirited, was held by old +Grandchamp--it was his master's steed. + +"Ah!" exclaimed Bassompierre; "see, our battlehorses are saddled and +bridled. Come, young man, we must say, with our old Marot: + + 'Adieu la cour, adieu les dames! + Adieu les filles et les femmes! + Adieu vous dy pour quelque temps; + Adieu vos plaisans parse-temps! + Adieu le bal, adieu la dance; + Adieu mesure, adieu cadance, + Tabourins, Hautbois, Violons, + Puisqu'a la guerre nous allons!'" + +These old verses and the air of the Marechal made all the guests laugh, +except three persons. + +"Heavens!" he continued, "it seems to me as if, like him, I were only +seventeen years old; he will return to us covered with embroidery. +Madame, we must keep his chair vacant for him." + +The Marechale suddenly grew pale, and left the table in tears; every one +rose with her; she took only two steps, and sank into another chair. Her +sons and her daughter and the young Duchess gathered anxiously around +her, and heard her say, amid the sighs and tears which she strove to +restrain: + +"Pardon, my friends! it is foolish of me--childish; but I am weak at +present, and am not mistress of myself. We were thirteen at table; and +you, my dear Duchess, were the cause of it. But it is very wrong of me +to show so much weakness before him. Farewell, my child; give me your +forehead to kiss, and may God conduct you! Be worthy of your name and of +your father." + +Then, as Homer says, "smiling under tears," she raised herself, pushed +her son from her, and said: + +"Come, let me see you on horseback, fair sir!" + +The silent traveller kissed the hands of his mother, and made a low bow +to her; he bowed also to the Duchess, without raising his eyes. Then, +embracing his elder brother, pressing the hand of the Marechal, and +kissing the forehead of his young sister almost simultaneously, he went +forth, and was on horseback in an instant. Every one went to the windows +which overlooked the court, except Madame d'Effiat, who was still seated +and suffering. + +"He sets off at full gallop. That is a good sign," said the Marechal, +laughing. + +"Oh, heavens!" cried the young Princess, retiring from the bay-window. + +"What is the matter?" said the mother. + +"Nothing, nothing!" said M. de Launay. "Your son's horse stumbled under +the gateway; but he soon pulled him up. See, he salutes us from the +road." + +"Another ominous presage!" said the Marquise, upon retiring to her +apartments. + +Every one imitated her by being silent or speaking low. + +The day was sad, and in the evening the supper was silent at the chateau +of Chaumont. + +At ten o'clock that evening, the old Marechal, conducted by his valet, +retired to the northern tower near the gateway, and opposite the river. +The heat was extreme; he opened the window, and, enveloping himself +in his great silk robe, placed a heavy candlestick upon the table and +desired to be left alone. His window looked out upon the plain, which +the moon, in her first quarter, indistinctly lighted; the sky was +charged with thick clouds, and all things disposed the mind to +melancholy. Although Bassompierre had nothing of the dreamer in his +character, the tone which the conversation had taken at dinner returned +to his memory, and he reconsidered his life, the sad changes which the +new reign had wrought in it, a reign which seemed to have breathed +upon him a wind of misfortune--the death of a cherished sister; the +irregularities of the heir of his name; the loss of his lands and of +his favor; the recent fate of his friend, the Marechal d'Effiat, +whose chambers he now occupied. All these thoughts drew from him an +involuntary sigh, and he went to the window to breathe. + +At that moment he fancied he heard the tramp of a troop of horse at the +side of the wood; but the wind rising made him think that he had been +mistaken, and, as the noise suddenly ceased, he forgot it. He still +watched for some time all the lights of the chateau, which were +successively extinguished, after winding among the windows of the +staircases and rambling about the courtyards and the stables. Then, +leaning back in his great tapestried armchair, his elbow resting on the +table, he abandoned himself to his reflections. After a while, drawing +from his breast a medallion which hung concealed, suspended by a black +ribbon, he said: + +"Come, my good old master, talk with me as you have so often talked; +come, great King, forget your court for the smile of a true friend; +come, great man, consult me concerning ambitious Austria; come, +inconstant chevalier, speak to me of the lightness of thy love, and of +the fidelity of thine inconstancy; come, heroic soldier, complain to me +again that I obscure you in combat. Ah, had I only done it in Paris! +Had I only received thy wound? With thy blood the world has lost the +benefits of thine interrupted reign--" + +The tears of the Marechal obscured the glass that covered the large +medallion, and he was effacing them with respectful kisses, when, his +door being roughly opened, he quickly drew his sword. + +"Who goes there?" he cried, in his surprise, which was much increased +when he saw M. de Launay, who, hat in hand, advanced toward him, and +said to him, with embarrassment: + +"Monsieur, it is with a heart pierced with grief that I am forced to +tell you that the King has commanded me to arrest you. A carriage awaits +you at the gate, attended by thirty of the Cardinal-Duke's musketeers." + +Bassompierre had not risen: and he still held the medallion in his right +hand, and the sword in the other. He tendered it disdainfully to this +man, saying: + +"Monsieur, I know that I have lived too long, and it is that of which +I was thinking; in the name of the great Henri, I restore this sword +peacefully to his son. Follow me." + +He accompanied these words with a look so firm that De Launay was +depressed, and followed him with drooping head, as if he had himself +been arrested by the noble old man, who, seizing a flambeau, issued +from the court and found all the doors opened by horse-guards, who +had terrified the people of the chateau in the name of the King, +and commanded silence. The carriage was ready, and departed rapidly, +followed by many horses. The Marechal, seated beside M. de Launay, was +about to fall asleep, rocked by the movement of the vehicle, when a +voice cried to the driver, "Stop!" and, as he continued, a pistol-shot +followed. The horses stopped. + +"I declare, Monsieur, that this is done without my participation," said +Bassompierre. Then, putting his head out at the door, he saw that they +were in a little wood, and that the road was too narrow to allow the +horses to pass to either the right or the left of the carriage--a great +advantage for the aggressors, since the musketeers could not advance. +He tried to see what was going on when a cavalier, having in his hand a +long sword, with which he parried the strokes of the guard, approached +the door, crying: + +"Come, come, Monsieur le Marechal!" + +"What! is that you, you madcap, Henri, who are playing these pranks? +Gentlemen, let him alone; he is a mere boy." + +And, as De Launay called to the musketeers to cease, Bassompierre +recognized the cavalier. + +"And how the devil came you here?" cried Bassompierre. "I thought you +were at Tours, or even farther, if you had done your duty; but here you +are returned to make a fool of yourself." + +"Truly, it was not for you I returned, but for a secret affair," said +Cinq-Mars, in a lower tone; "but, as I take it, they are about to +introduce you to the Bastille, and I am sure you will not betray me, for +that delightful edifice is the very Temple of Discretion. Yet had you +thought fit," he continued, aloud, "I should have released you from +these gentlemen in the wood here, which is so dense that their horses +would not have been able to stir. A peasant informed me of the insult +passed upon us, more than upon you, by this violation of my father's +house." + +"It is the King's order, my boy, and we must respect his will; reserve +your ardor for his service, though I thank you with all my heart. Now +farewell, and let me proceed on my agreeable journey." + +De Launay interposed, "I may inform you, Monsieur de Cinq-Mars, that I +have been desired by the King himself to assure Monsieur le Marechal, +that he is deeply afflicted at the step he has found it necessary +to take, and that it is solely from an apprehension that Monsieur le +Marechal may be led into evil that his Majesty requests him to remain +for a few days in the Bastille."--[He remained there twelve years.] + +Bassompierre turned his head toward Cinq-Mars with a hearty laugh. "You +see, my friend, how we young men are placed under guardianship; so take +care of yourself." + +"I will go, then," said Henri; "this is the last time I shall play the +knight-errant for any one against his will;" and, reentering the wood +as the carriage dashed off at full speed, he proceeded by narrow paths +toward the castle, followed at a short distance by Grandchamp and his +small escort. + +On arriving at the foot of the western tower, he reined in his horse. He +did not alight, but, approaching so near the wall that he could rest his +foot upon an abutment, he stood up, and raised the blind of a window +on the ground-floor, made in the form of a portcullis, such as is still +seen on some ancient buildings. + +It was now past midnight, and the moon was hidden behind the clouds. No +one but a member of the family could have found his way through darkness +so profound. The towers and the roof formed one dark mass, which stood +out in indistinct relief against the sky, hardly less dark; no light +shone throughout the chateau, wherein all inmates seemed buried in +slumber. Cinq-Mars, enveloped in a large cloak, his face hidden under +the broad brim of his hat, awaited in suspense a reply to his signal. + +It came; a soft voice was heard from within: + +"Is that you, Monsieur Cinq-Mars?" + +"Alas, who else should it be? Who else would return like a criminal to +his paternal house, without entering it, without bidding one more adieu +to his mother? Who else would return to complain of the present, without +a hope for the future, but I?" + +The gentle voice replied, but its tones were agitated, and evidently +accompanied with tears: "Alas! Henri, of what do you complain? Have I +not already done more, far more than I ought? It is not my fault, but my +misfortune, that my father was a sovereign prince. Can one choose +one's birthplace or one's rank, and say for example, 'I will be a +shepherdess?' How unhappy is the lot of princesses! From the cradle, +the sentiments of the heart are prohibited to them; and when they have +advanced beyond childhood, they are ceded like a town, and must not even +weep. Since I have known you, what have I not done to bring my future +life within the reach of happiness, in removing it far from a throne? +For two years I have struggled in vain, at once against my evil fortune, +that separates me from you, and against you, who estrange me from the +duty I owe to my family. I have sought to spread a belief that I was +dead; I have almost longed for revolutions. I should have blessed a +change which deprived me of my rank, as I thanked Heaven when my father +was dethroned; but the court wonders at my absence; the Queen requires +me to attend her. Our dreams are at an end, Henri; we have already +slumbered too long. Let us awake, be courageous, and think no more of +those dear two years--forget all in the one recollection of our great +resolve. Have but one thought; be ambitious for--be ambitious--for my +sake." + +"Must we, then, indeed, forget all, Marie?" murmured Cinq-Mars. + +She hesitated. + +"Yes, forget all--that I myself have forgotten." Then, after a moment's +pause, she continued with earnestness: "Yes, forget our happy days +together, our long evenings, even our walks by the lake and through +the wood; but keep the future ever in mind. Go, Henri; your father was +Marechal. Be you more; be you Constable, Prince. Go; you are young, +noble, rich, brave, beloved--" + +"Beloved forever?" said Henri. + +"Forever; for life and for eternity." + +Cinq-Mars, tremulously extending his hand to the window, exclaimed: + +"I swear, Marie, by the Virgin, whose name you bear, that you shall be +mine, or my head shall fall on the scaffold!" + +"Oh, Heaven! what is it you say?" she cried, seizing his hand in her +own. "Swear to me that you will share in no guilty deeds; that you will +never forget that the King of France is your master. Love him above +all, next to her who will sacrifice all for you, who will await you amid +suffering and sorrow. Take this little gold cross and wear it upon your +heart; it has often been wet with my tears, and those tears will flow +still more bitterly if ever you are faithless to the King. Give me the +ring I see on your finger. Oh, heavens, my hand and yours are red with +blood!" + +"Oh, only a scratch. Did you hear nothing, an hour ago?" + +"No; but listen. Do you hear anything now?" + +"No, Marie, nothing but some bird of night on the tower." + +"I heard whispering near us, I am sure. But whence comes this blood? +Tell me, and then depart." + +"Yes, I will go, while the clouds are still dark above us. Farewell, +sweet soul; in my hour of danger I will invoke thee as a guardian angel. +Love has infused the burning poison of ambition into my soul, and +for the first time I feel that ambition may be ennobled by its aim. +Farewell! I go to accomplish my destiny." + +"And forget not mine." + +"Can they ever be separated?" + +"Never!" exclaimed Marie, "but by death." + +"I fear absence still more," said Cinq-Mars. + +"Farewell! I tremble; farewell!" repeated the beloved voice, and the +window was slowly drawn down, the clasped hands not parting till the +last moment. + +The black horse had all the while been pawing the earth, tossing his +head with impatience, and whinnying. Cinq-Mars, as agitated and restless +as his steed, gave it the rein; and the whole party was soon near the +city of Tours, which the bells of St. Gatien had announced from afar. +To the disappointment of old Grandchamp, Cinq-Mars would not enter the +town, but proceeded on his way, and five days later he entered, with his +escort, the old city of Loudun in Poitou, after an uneventful journey. + + + + +CHAPTER II. THE STREET + + Je m'avancais d'un pas penible et mal assure vers le but + de ce convoi tragique.--NODIER, 'Smarra'. + +The reign of which we are about to paint a few years--a reign of +feebleness, which was like an eclipse of the crown between the splendors +of Henri IV and those of Louis le Grand--afflicts the eyes which +contemplate it with dark stains of blood, and these were not all the +work of one man, but were caused by great and grave bodies. It is +melancholy to observe that in this age, still full of disorder, the +clergy, like a nation, had its populace, as it had its nobility, its +ignorant and its criminal prelates, as well as those who were learned +and virtuous. Since that time, its remnant of barbarism has been refined +away by the long reign of Louis XIV, and its corruptions have been +washed out in the blood of the martyrs whom it offered up to the +revolution of 1793. + +We felt it necessary to pause for a moment to express this reflection +before entering upon the recital of the facts presented by the history +of this period, and to intimate that, notwithstanding this consolatory +reflection, we have found it incumbent upon us to pass over many details +too odious to occupy a place in our pages, sighing in spirit at those +guilty acts which it was necessary to record, as in relating the life +of a virtuous old man, we should lament over the impetuosities of his +passionate youth, or over the corrupt tendencies of his riper age. + +When the cavalcade entered the narrow streets of Loudun, they heard +strange noises all around them. The streets were filled with agitated +masses; the bells of the church and of the convent were ringing +furiously, as if the town was in flames; and the whole population, +without paying any attention to the travellers, was pressing +tumultuously toward a large edifice that adjoined the church. Here and +there dense crowds were collected, listening in silence to some voice +that seemed raised in exhortation, or engaged in emphatic reading; then, +furious cries, mingled with pious exclamations, arose from the crowd, +which, dispersing, showed the travellers that the orator was some +Capuchin or Franciscan friar, who, holding a wooden crucifix in one +hand, pointed with the other to the large building which was attracting +such universal interest. + +"Jesu Maria!" exclaimed an old woman, "who would ever have thought that +the Evil Spirit would choose our old town for his abode?" + +"Ay, or that the pious Ursulines should be possessed?" said another. + +"They say that the demon who torments the Superior is called Legion," +cried a third: + +"One demon, say you?" interrupted a nun; "there were seven in her poor +body, whereunto, doubtless, she had attached too much importance, by +reason of its great beauty, though now 'tis but the receptacle of evil +spirits. The prior of the Carmelites yesterday expelled the demon Eazas +through her mouth; and the reverend Father Lactantius has driven out in +like manner the demon Beherit. But the other five will not depart, and +when the holy exorcists (whom Heaven support!) summoned them in Latin to +withdraw, they replied insolently that they would not go till they +had proved their power, to the conviction even of the Huguenots and +heretics, who, misbelieving wretches! seem to doubt it. The demon Elimi, +the worst of them all, as you know, has threatened to take off Monsieur +de Laubardemont's skull-cap to-day, and to dangle it in the air at +Miserere." + +"Holy Virgin!" rejoined the first speaker, "I'm all of a tremble! And to +think that many times I have got this magician Urbain to say masses for +me!" + +"For myself," exclaimed a girl, crossing herself; "I too confessed to +him ten months ago! No doubt I should have been possessed myself, but +for the relic of Saint-Genevieve I luckily had about me, and--" + +"Luckily, indeed, Martine," interposed a fat gossip; "for--no +offence!--you, as I remember, were long enough with the handsome +sorcerer." + +"Pshaw!" said a young soldier, who had joined the group, smoking his +pipe, "don't you know that pretty Martine was dispossessed a month ago." + +The girl blushed, and drew the hood of her black cloak over her face. +The elder gossips cast a glance of indignation at the reckless trooper, +and finding themselves now close to the door of the building, and thus +sure of making their way in among the first when it should be thrown +open, sat down upon the stone bench at the side, and, talking of the +latest wonders, raised the expectations of all as to the delight they +were about to have in being spectators of something marvellous--an +apparition, perhaps, but at the very least, an administration of the +torture. + +"Is it true, aunt," asked Martine of the eldest gossip, "that you have +heard the demons speak?" + +"Yes, child, true as I see you; many and many can say the same; and it +was to convince you of it I brought you with me here, that you may see +the power of the Evil One." + +"What kind of voice has he?" continued the girl, glad to encourage +a conversation which diverted from herself the invidious attention +procured her by the soldier's raillery. + +"Oh, he speaks with a voice like that of the Superior herself, to whom +Our Lady be gracious! Poor young woman! I was with her yesterday a long +time; it was sad to see her tearing her breast, turning her arms and her +legs first one way and then another, and then, all of a sudden, +twisting them together behind her back. When the holy Father Lactantius +pronounced the name of Urbain Grandier, foam came out of her mouth, and +she talked Latin for all the world as if she were reading the Bible. Of +course, I did not understand what she said, and all I can remember of it +now is, 'Urbanus Magicus rosas diabolica,' which they tell me means +that the magician Urbain had bewitched her with some roses the Devil had +given him; and so it must have been, for while Father Lactantius spoke, +out of her ears and neck came a quantity of flame-colored roses, all +smelling of sulphur so strongly that the judge-Advocate called out for +every one present to stop their noses and eyes, for that the demons were +about to come out." + +"Ah, look there now!" exclaimed with shrill voices and a triumphant air +the whole bevy of assembled women, turning toward the crowd, and more +particularly toward a group of men attired in black, among whom +was standing the young soldier who had cut his joke just before so +unceremoniously. + +"Listen to the noisy old idiots!" exclaimed the soldier. "They think +they're at the witches' Sabbath, but I don't see their broomsticks." + +"Young man, young man!" said a citizen, with a sad air, "jest not upon +such subjects in the open air, or, in such a time as this, the wind may +become gushing flames and destroy you." + +"Pooh! I laugh at your exorcists!" returned the soldier; "my name is +Grand-Ferre, and I've got here a better exorciser than any of you can +show." + +And significantly grasping the handle of his rapier in one hand, with +the other he twisted up his blond moustache, as he looked fiercely +around; but meeting no glance which returned the defiance of his own, he +slowly withdrew, left foot foremost, and strolled along the dark, narrow +streets with all the reckless nonchalance of a young soldier who has +just donned his uniform, and a profound contempt for all who wear not a +military coat. + +In the meantime eight or ten of the more substantial and rational +inhabitants traversed in a body, slowly and silently, the agitated +throng; they seemed overwhelmed with amazement and distress at the +agitation and excitement they witnessed everywhere, and as each new +instance of the popular frenzy appeared, they exchanged glances of +wonder and apprehension. Their mute depression communicated itself to +the working-people, and to the peasants who had flocked in from the +adjacent country, and who, all sought a guide for their opinions in the +faces of the principal townsmen, also for the most part proprietors of +the surrounding districts. They saw that something calamitous was on +foot, and resorted accordingly to the only remedy open to the ignorant +and the beguiled--apathetic resignation. + +Yet, in the character of the French peasant is a certain scoffing +finesse of which he makes effective use, sometimes with his equals, +and almost invariably with his superiors. He puts questions to power as +embarrassing as are those which infancy puts to mature age. He affects +excessive humility, in order to confuse him whom he addresses with the +very height of his isolated elevation. He exaggerates the awkwardness +of his manner and the rudeness of his speech, as a means of covering his +real thoughts under the appearance of mere uncouthness; yet, despite +all his self-command, there is something in his air, certain fierce +expressions which betray him to the close observer, who discerns in his +sardonic smile, and in the marked emphasis with which he leans on his +long staff, the hopes that secretly nourish his soul, and the aid upon +which he ultimately relies. + +One of the oldest of the peasants whom we have indicated came on +vigorously, followed by ten or twelve young men, his sons and nephews, +all wearing the broad-brimmed hat and the blue frock or blouse of the +ancient Gauls, which the peasants of France still wear over their +other garments, as peculiarly adapted to their humid climate and their +laborious habits. + +When the old man had reached the group of personages of whom we have +just spoken, he took off his hat--an example immediately followed by his +whole family--and showed a face tanned with exposure to the weather, a +forehead bald and wrinkled with age, and long, white hair. His shoulders +were bent with years and labor, but he was still a hale and sturdy man. +He was received with an air of welcome, and even of respect, by one +of the gravest of the grave group he had approached, who, without +uncovering, however, extended to him his hand. + +"What! good Father Guillaume Leroux!" said he, "and have you, too, left +our farm of La Chenaie to visit the town, when it's not market-day? +Why, 'tis as if your oxen were to unharness themselves and go hunting, +leaving their work to see a poor rabbit run down!" + +"Faith, Monsieur le Comte du Lude," replied the farmer, "for that +matter, sometimes the rabbit runs across our path of itself; but, in +truth, I've a notion that some of the people here want to make fools of +us, and so I've come to see about it." + +"Enough of that, my friend," returned the Count; "here is Monsieur +Fournier, the Advocate, who assuredly will not deceive you, for he +resigned his office of Attorney-General last night, that he might +henceforth devote his eloquence to the service of his own noble +thoughts. You will hear him, perhaps, to-day, though truly, I dread +his appearing for his own sake as much as I desire it for that of the +accused." + +"I care not for myself," said Fournier; "truth is with me a passion, and +I would have it taught in all times and all places." + +He that spoke was a young man, whose face, pallid in the extreme, was +full of the noblest expression. His blond hair, his light-blue eyes, +his thinness, the delicacy of his frame, made him at first sight +seem younger than he was; but his thoughtful and earnest countenance +indicated that mental superiority and that precocious maturity of soul +which are developed by deep study in youth, combined with natural energy +of character. He was attired wholly in black, with a short cloak in the +fashion of the day, and carried under his left arm a roll of documents, +which, when speaking, he would take in the right hand and grasp +convulsively, as a warrior in his anger grasps the pommel of his sword. +At one moment it seemed as if he were about to unfurl the scroll, and +from it hurl lightning upon those whom he pursued with looks of fiery +indignation--three Capuchins and a Franciscan, who had just passed. + +"Pere Guillaume," pursued M. du Lude, "how is it you have brought with +you only your sons, and they armed with their staves?" + +"Faith, Monsieur, I have no desire that our girls should learn to dance +of the nuns; and, moreover, just now the lads with their staves may +bestir themselves to better purpose than their sisters would." + +"Take my advice, my old friend," said the Count, "and don't bestir +yourselves at all; rather stand quietly aside to view the procession +which you see approaching, and remember that you are seventy years old." + +"Ah!" murmured the old man, drawing up his twelve sons in double +military rank, "I fought under good King Henriot, and can play at sword +and pistol as well as the worthy 'ligueurs';" and shaking his head he +leaned against a post, his knotty staff between his crossed legs, his +hands clasped on its thick butt-end, and his white, bearded chin +resting on his hands. Then, half closing his eyes, he appeared lost in +recollections of his youth. + +The bystanders observed with interest his dress, slashed in the fashion +of Henri IV, and his resemblance to the Bearnese monarch in the latter +years of his life, though the King's hair had been prevented by the +assassin's blade from acquiring the whiteness which that of the old +peasant had peacefully attained. A furious pealing of the bells, +however, attracted the general attention to the end of the great +street, down which was seen filing a long procession, whose banners and +glittering pikes rose above the heads of the crowd, which successively +and in silence opened a way for the at once absurd and terrible train. + +First, two and two, came a body of archers, with pointed beards and +large plumed hats, armed with long halberds, who, ranging in a single +file on each side of the middle of the street, formed an avenue along +which marched in solemn order a procession of Gray Penitents--men +attired in long, gray robes, the hoods of which entirely covered their +heads; masks of the same stuff terminated below their chins in points, +like beards, each having three holes for the eyes and nose. Even at the +present day we see these costumes at funerals, more especially in the +Pyrenees. The Penitents of Loudun carried enormous wax candles, and +their slow, uniform movement, and their eyes, which seemed to glitter +under their masks, gave them the appearance of phantoms. + +The people expressed their various feelings in an undertone: + +"There's many a rascal hidden under those masks," said a citizen. + +"Ay, and with a face uglier than the mask itself," added a young man. + +"They make me afraid," tremulously exclaimed a girl. + +"I'm only afraid for my purse," said the first speaker. + +"Ah, heaven! there are our holy brethren, the Penitents," cried an old +woman, throwing back her hood, the better to look at them. "See the +banner they bear! Ah, neighbors, 'tis a joyful thing to have it among +us! Beyond a doubt it will save us; see, it shows the devil in flames, +and a monk fastening a chain round his neck, to keep him in hell. Ah, +here come the judges--noble gentlemen! dear gentlemen! Look at their red +robes; how beautiful! Blessed be the Virgin, they've been well chosen!" + +"Every man of them is a personal enemy of the Cure," whispered the Count +du Lude to the advocate Fournier, who took a note of the information. + +"Don't you know them, neighbors?" pursued the shrill, sharp voice of the +old woman, as she elbowed one and pinched another of those near her to +attract their attention to the objects of her admiration; "see, there's +excellent Monsieur Mignon, whispering to Messieurs the Counsellors of +the Court of Poitiers; Heaven bless them all, say I!" + +"Yes, there are Roatin, Richard, and Chevalier--the very men who tried +to have him dismissed a year ago," continued M. du Lude, in undertones, +to the young advocate, who, surrounded and hidden from public +observation by the group of dark-clad citizens, was writing down his +observations in a note-book under his cloak. + +"Here; look, look!" screamed the woman. "Make way! here's Monsieur +Barre, the Cure of Saint-Jacques at Chinon." + +"A saint!" murmured one bystander. + +"A hypocrite!" exclaimed a manly voice. + +"See how thin he is with fasting!" + +"See how pale he is with remorse!" + +"He's the man to drive away devils!" + +"Yes, but not till he's done with them for his own purposes." + +The dialogue was interrupted by the general exclamation, "How beautiful +she is!" + +The Superior of the Ursulines advanced, followed by all her nuns. Her +white veil was raised; in order that the people might see the features +of the possessed ones, it had been ordered that it should be thus with +her and six of the sisterhood. Her attire had no distinguishing feature, +except a large rosary extending from her neck nearly to her feet, from +which hung a gold cross; but the dazzling pallor of her face, rendered +still more conspicuous by the dark hue of her capuchon, at once fixed +the general gaze upon her. Her brilliant, dark eyes, which bore the +impress of some deep and burning passion, were crowned with eyebrows so +perfectly arched that Nature herself seemed to have taken as much pains +to form them as the Circassian women to pencil theirs artistically; but +between them a slight fold revealed the powerful agitation within. In +her movements, however, and throughout her whole bearing, she affected +perfect calm; her steps were slow and measured, and her beautiful hands +were crossed on her bosom, as white and motionless as those of the +marble statues joined in eternal prayer. + +"See, aunt," ejaculated Martine, "see how Sister Agnes and Sister Claire +are weeping, next to the Superior!" + +"Ay, niece, they weep because they are the prey of the demon." + +"Or rather," interposed the same manly voice that spoke before, "because +they repent of having mocked Heaven." + +A deep silence now pervaded the multitude; not a word was heard, not +a movement, hardly a breath. Every one seemed paralyzed by some sudden +enchantment, when, following the nuns, among four Penitents who held him +in chains, appeared the Cure of the Church of Ste. Croix, attired in his +pastor's robe. His was a noble, fine face, with grandeur in its whole +expression, and gentleness in every feature. Affecting no scornful +indifference to his position, he looked calmly and kindly around, as if +he sought on his dark path the affectionate glances of those who loved +him. Nor did he seek in vain; here and there he encountered those +glances, and joyfully returned them. He even heard sobs, and he saw +hands extended toward him, many of which grasped weapons. But no gesture +of his encouraged these mute offers of aid; he lowered his eyes and went +on, careful not to compromise those who so trusted in him, or to involve +them in his own misfortunes. This was Urbain Grandier. + +Suddenly the procession stopped, at a sign from the man who walked +apart, and who seemed to command its progress. He was tall, thin, +sallow; he wore a long black robe, with a cap of the same material +and color; he had the face of a Don Basilio, with the eye of Nero. +He motioned the guards to surround him more closely, when he saw with +affright the dark group we have mentioned, and the strong-limbed and +resolute peasants who seemed in attendance upon them. Then, advancing +somewhat before the Canons and Capuchins who were with him, he +pronounced, in a shrill voice, this singular decree: + + "We, Sieur de Laubardemont, referendary, being delegated and + invested with discretionary power in the matter of the trial of the + magician Urbain Grandier, upon the various articles of accusation + brought against him, assisted by the reverend Fathers Mignon, canon, + Barre, cure of St. Jacques at Chinon, Father Lactantius, and all the + other judges appointed to try the said magician, have decreed as + follows: + + "Primo: the factitious assembly of proprietors, noble citizens of + this town and its environs, is dissolved, as tending to popular + sedition; its proceedings are declared null, and its letter to the + King, against us, the judges, which has been intercepted, shall be + publicly burned in the marketplace as calumniating the good + Ursulines and the reverend fathers and judges. + + "Secundo: it is forbidden to say, publicly or in private, that the + said nuns are not possessed by the Evil Spirit, or to doubt of the + power of the exorcists, under pain of a fine of twenty thousand + livres, and corporal punishment. + + "Let the bailiffs and sheriffs obey this. Given the eighteenth of + June, in the year of grace 1639." + +Before he had well finished reading the decree, the discordant blare of +trumpets, bursting forth at a prearranged signal, drowned, to a +certain extent, the murmurs that followed its proclamation, amid which +Laubardemont urged forward the procession, which entered the great +building already referred to--an ancient convent, whose interior had +crumbled away, its walls now forming one vast hall, well adapted for the +purpose to which it was about to be applied. Laubardemont did not deem +himself safe until he was within the building and had heard the heavy, +double doors creak on their hinges as, closing, they excluded the +furious crowd without. + + + + +CHAPTER III. THE GOOD PRIEST + + L'homme de paix me parla ainsi.--VICAIRE SAVOYARD. + +Now that the diabolical procession is in the arena destined for its +spectacle, and is arranging its sanguinary representation, let us see +what Cinq-Mars had been doing amid the agitated throng. He was naturally +endowed with great tact, and he felt that it would be no easy matter +for him to attain his object of seeing the Abbe Quillet, at a time when +public excitement was at its height. He therefore remained on horseback +with his four servants in a small, dark street that led into the main +thoroughfare, whence he could see all that passed. No one at first paid +any attention to him; but when public curiosity had no other aliment, he +became an object of general interest. Weary of so many strange scenes, +the inhabitants looked upon him with some exasperation, and whispered to +one another, asking whether this was another exorcist come among them. +Feeling that it was time to take a decided course, he advanced with +his attendants, hat in hand, toward the group in black of whom we +have spoken, and addressing him who appeared its chief member, said, +"Monsieur, where can I find Monsieur l'Abbe Quillet?" + +At this name, all regarded him with an air of terror, as if he had +pronounced that of Lucifer. Yet no anger was shown; on the contrary, it +seemed that the question had favorably changed for him the minds of all +who heard him. Moreover, chance had served him well in his choice; the +Comte du Lude came up to his horse, and saluting him, said, "Dismount, +Monsieur, and I will give you some useful information concerning him." + +After speaking a while in whispers, the two gentlemen separated with +all the ceremonious courtesy of the time. Cinq-Mars remounted his black +horse, and passing through numerous narrow streets, was soon out of the +crowd with his retinue. + +"How happy I am!" he soliloquized, as he went his way; "I shall, at all +events, for a moment see the good and kind clergyman who brought me +up; even now I recall his features, his calm air, his voice so full of +gentleness." + +As these tender thoughts filled his mind, he found himself in the small, +dark street which had been indicated to him; it was so narrow that the +knee-pieces of his boots touched the wall on each side. At the end of +the street he came to a one-storied wooden house, and in his eagerness +knocked at the door with repeated strokes. + +"Who is there?" cried a furious voice within; and at the same moment, +the door opening revealed a little short, fat man, with a very red +face, dressed in black, with a large white ruff, and riding-boots which +engulfed his short legs in their vast depths. In his hands were a pair +of horse-pistols. + +"I will sell my life dearly!" he cried; "and--" + +"Softly, Abbe, softly," said his pupil, taking his arm; "we are +friends." + +"Ah, my son, is it you?" said the good man, letting fall his pistols, +which were picked up by a domestic, also armed to the teeth. "What do +you here? The abomination has entered the town, and I only await the +night to depart. Make haste within, my dear boy, with your people. I +took you for the archers of Laubardemont, and, faith, I intended to +take a part somewhat out of my line. You see the horses in the courtyard +there; they will convey me to Italy, where I shall rejoin our friend, +the Duc de Bouillon. Jean! Jean! hasten and close the great gate after +Monsieur's domestics, and recommend them not to make too much noise, +although for that matter we have no habitation near us." + +Grandchamp obeyed the intrepid little Abbe, who then embraced Cinq-Mars +four consecutive times, raising himself on the points of his boots, so +as to attain the middle of his pupil's breast. He then hurried him into +a small room, which looked like a deserted granary; and seating him +beside himself upon a black leather trunk, he said, warmly: + +"Well, my son, whither go you? How came Madame la Marechale to allow you +to come here? Do you not see what they are doing against an unhappy man, +whose death alone will content them? Alas, merciful Heaven! is this +the first spectacle my dear pupil is to see? And you at that delightful +period of life when friendship, love, confidence, should alone encompass +you; when all around you should give you a favorable opinion of your +species, at your very entry into the great world! How unfortunate! alas, +why did you come?" + +When the good Abbe had followed up this lamentation by pressing +affectionately both hands of the young traveller in his own, so red and +wrinkled, the latter answered: + +"Can you not guess, my dear Abbe, that I came to Loudun because you +are here? As to the spectacle you speak of, it appears to me simply +ridiculous; and I swear that I do not a whit the less on its account +love that human race of which your virtues and your good lessons have +given me an excellent idea. As to the five or six mad women who--" + +"Let us not lose time; I will explain to you all that matter; but answer +me, whither go you, and for what?" + +"I am going to Perpignan, where the Cardinal-Duke is to present me to +the King." + +At this the worthy but hasty Abbe rose from his box, and walked, or +rather ran, to and fro, stamping. "The Cardinal! the Cardinal!" he +repeated, almost choking, his face becoming scarlet, and the tears +rising to his eyes; "My poor child! they will destroy him! Ah, mon Dieu! +what part would they have him play there? What would they do with +him? Ah, who will protect thee, my son, in that dangerous place?" he +continued, reseating himself, and again taking his pupil's hands in his +own with a paternal solicitude, as he endeavored to read his thoughts in +his countenance. + +"Why, I do not exactly know," said Cinq-Mars, looking up at the ceiling; +"but I suppose it will be the Cardinal de Richelieu, who was the friend +of my father." + +"Ah, my dear Henri, you make me tremble; he will ruin you unless you +become his docile instrument. Alas, why can not I go with you? Why must +I act the young man of twenty in this unfortunate affair? Alas, I should +be perilous to you; I must, on the contrary, conceal myself. But you +will have Monsieur de Thou near you, my son, will you not?" said he, +trying to reassure himself; "he was your friend in childhood, though +somewhat older than yourself. Heed his counsels, my child, he is a wise +young man of mature reflection and solid ideas." + +"Oh, yes, my dear Abbe, you may depend upon my tender attachment for +him; I never have ceased to love him." + +"But you have ceased to write to him, have you not?" asked the good +Abbe, half smilingly. + +"I beg your pardon, my dear Abbe, I wrote to him once, and again +yesterday, to inform him that the Cardinal has invited me to court." + +"How! has he himself desired your presence?" + +Cinq-Mars hereupon showed the letter of the Cardinal-Duke to his mother, +and his old preceptor grew gradually calmer. + +"Ah, well!" said he to himself, "this is not so bad, perhaps, after +all. It looks promising; a captain of the guards at twenty--that sounds +well!" and the worthy Abbe's face became all smiles. + +The young man, delighted to see these smiles, which so harmonized with +his own thoughts, fell upon the neck of the Abbe and embraced him, as if +the good man had thus assured to him a futurity of pleasure, glory, and +love. + +But the good Abbe, with difficulty disengaging himself from this warm +embrace, resumed his walk, his reflections, and his gravity. He coughed +often and shook his head; and Cinq-Mars, not venturing to pursue the +conversation, watched him, and became sad as he saw him become serious. + +The old man at last sat down, and in a mournful tone addressed his +pupil: + +"My friend, my son, I have for a moment yielded like a father to your +hopes; but I must tell you, and it is not to afflict you, that they +appear to me excessive and unnatural. If the Cardinal's sole aim were +to show attachment and gratitude toward your family, he would not have +carried his favors so far; no, the extreme probability is that he has +designs upon you. From what has been told him, he thinks you adapted to +play some part, as yet impossible for us to divine, but which he himself +has traced out in the deepest recesses of his mind. He wishes to educate +you for this; he wishes to drill you into it. Allow me the expression in +consideration of its accuracy, and think seriously of it when the time +shall come. But I am inclined to believe that, as matters are, you would +do well to follow up this vein in the great mine of State; in this way +high fortunes have begun. You must only take heed not to be blinded +and led at will. Let not favors dazzle you, my poor child, and let not +elevation turn your head. Be not so indignant at the suggestion; the +thing has happened to older men than yourself. Write to me often, as +well as to your mother; see Monsieur de Thou, and together we will try +to keep you in good counsel. Now, my son, be kind enough to close that +window through which the wind comes upon my head, and I will tell you +what has been going on here." + +Henri, trusting that the moral part of the discourse was over, and +anticipating nothing in the second part but a narrative more or less +interesting, closed the old casement, festooned with cobwebs, and +resumed his seat without speaking. + +"Now that I reflect further," continued the Abbe, "I think it will +not perhaps be unprofitable for you to have passed through this place, +although it be a sad experience you shall have acquired; but it will +supply what I may not have formerly told you of the wickedness of men. +I hope, moreover, that the result will not be fatal, and that the letter +we have written to the King will arrive in time." + +"I heard that it had been intercepted," interposed Cinq-Mars. + +"Then all is over," said the Abbe Quillet; "the Cure is lost. But +listen. God forbid, my son, that I, your old tutor, should seek to +assail my own work, and attempt to weaken your faith! Preserve ever and +everywhere that simple creed of which your noble family has given you +the example, which our fathers possessed in a still higher degree than +we, and of which the greatest captains of our time are not ashamed. +Always, while you wear a sword, remember that you hold it for the +service of God. But at the same time, when you are among men, avoid +being deceived by the hypocrite. He will encompass you, my son; he will +assail you on the vulnerable side of your ingenuous heart, in addressing +your religion; and seeing the extravagance of his affected zeal, you +will fancy yourself lukewarm as compared with him. You will think that +your conscience cries out against you; but it will not be the voice of +conscience that you hear. And what cries would not that conscience send +forth, how fiercely would it not rise upon you, did you contribute +to the destruction of innocence by invoking Heaven itself as a false +witness against it?" + +"Oh, my father! can such things be possible?" exclaimed Henri d'Effiat, +clasping his hands. + +"It is but too true," continued the Abbe; "you saw a partial execution +of it this morning. God grant you may not witness still greater horrors! +But listen! whatever you may see, whatever crime they dare to commit, I +conjure you, in the name of your mother and of all that you hold +dear, say not a word; make not a gesture that may indicate any opinion +whatever. I know the impetuous character that you derive from +the Marechal, your father; curb it, or you are lost. These little +ebullitions of passion give but slight satisfaction, and bring about +great misfortunes. I have observed you give way to them too much. Oh, +did you but know the advantage that a calm temper gives one over men! +The ancients stamped it on the forehead of the divinity as his finest +attribute, since it shows that he is superior to our fears and to our +hopes, to our pleasures and to our pains. Therefore, my dear child, +remain passive in the scenes you are about to witness; but see them +you must. Be present at this sad trial; for me, I must suffer the +consequences of my schoolboy folly. I will relate it to you; it will +prove to you that with a bald head one may be as much a child as with +your fine chestnut curls." + +And the excellent old Abbe, taking his pupil's head affectionately +between his hands, continued: + +"Like other people, my dear son, I was curious to see the devils of the +Ursulines; and knowing that they professed to speak all languages, I was +so imprudent as to cease speaking Latin and to question them in Greek. +The Superior is very pretty, but she does not know Greek! Duncan, the +physician, observed aloud that it was surprising that the demon, who +knew everything, should commit barbarisms and solecisms in Latin, and +not be able to answer in Greek. The young Superior, who was then upon +her bed, turned toward the wall to weep, and said in an undertone to +Father Barre, 'I can not go on with this, father.' I repeated her words +aloud, and infuriated all the exorcists; they cried out that I ought to +know that there are demons more ignorant than peasants, and said that as +to their power and physical strength, it could not be doubted, since the +spirits named Gresil des Trones, Aman des Puissance, and Asmodeus, had +promised to carry off the calotte of Monsieur de Laubardemont. They were +preparing for this, when the physician Duncan, a learned and upright +man, but somewhat of a scoffer, took it into his head to pull a cord he +discovered fastened to a column like a bell-rope, and which hung down +just close to the referendary's head; whereupon they called him a +Huguenot, and I am satisfied that if Marechal de Breze were not his +protector, it would have gone ill with him. The Comte du Lude then came +forward with his customary 'sang-froid', and begged the exorcists to +perform before him. Father Lactantius, the Capuchin with the dark visage +and hard look, proceeded with Sister Agnes and Sister Claire; he raised +both his hands, looking at them as a serpent would look at two dogs, and +cried in a terrible voice, 'Quis to misit, Diabole?' and the two sisters +answered, as with one voice, 'Urbanus.' He was about to continue, when +Monsieur du Lude, taking out of his pocket, with an air of veneration, +a small gold box, said that he had in it a relic left by his ancestors, +and that though not doubting the fact of the possession, he wished to +test it. Father Lactantius seized the box with delight, and hardly had +he touched the foreheads of the two sisters with it when they made great +leaps and twisted about their hands and feet. Lactantius shouted forth +his exorcisms; Barre threw himself upon his knees with all the old +women; and Mignon and the judges applauded. The impassible Laubardemont +made the sign of the cross, without being struck dead for it! When +Monsieur du Lude took back his box the nuns became still. 'I think,' +said Lactantius, insolently, 'that--you will not question your relics +now.' 'No more than I do the possession,' answered Monsieur du Lude, +opening his box and showing that it was empty. 'Monsieur, you mock us,' +said Lactantius. I was indignant at these mummeries, and said to him, +'Yes, Monsieur, as you mock God and men.' And this, my dear friend, is +the reason why you see me in my seven-league boots, so heavy that they +hurt my legs, and with pistols; for our friend Laubardemont has ordered +my person to be seized, and I don't choose it to be seized, old as it +is." + +"What, is he so powerful, then?" cried Cinq-Mars. + +"More so than is supposed--more so than could be believed. I know that +the possessed Abbess is his niece, and that he is provided with an order +in council directing him to judge, without being deterred by any appeals +lodged in Parliament, the Cardinal having prohibited the latter from +taking cognizance of the matter of Urbain Grandier." + +"And what are his offences?" asked the young man, already deeply +interested. + +"Those of a strong mind and of a great genius, an inflexible will which +has irritated power against him, and a profound passion which has driven +his heart and him to commit the only mortal sin with which I believe +he can be reproached; and it was only by violating the sanctity of his +private papers, which they tore from Jeanne d'Estievre, his mother, an +old woman of eighty, that they discovered his love for the beautiful +Madeleine de Brou. This girl had refused to marry, and wished to take +the veil. May that veil have concealed from her the spectacle of this +day! The eloquence of Grandier and his angelic beauty drove the women +half mad; they came miles and miles to hear him. I have seen them swoon +during his sermons; they declared him an angel, and touched his garment +and kissed his hands when he descended from the pulpit. It is certain +that, unless it be his beauty, nothing could equal the sublimity of +his discourses, ever full of inspiration. The pure honey of the gospel +combined on his lips with the flashing flame of the prophecies; and one +recognized in the sound of his voice a heart overflowing with holy pity +for the evils to which mankind are subject, and filled with tears, ready +to flow for us." + +The good priest paused, for his own voice and eyes were filled with +tears; his round and naturally Joyous face was more touching than a +graver one under the same circumstances, for it seemed as if it bade +defiance to sadness. Cinq-Mars, even more moved, pressed his hand +without speaking, fearful of interrupting him. The Abbe took out a red +handkerchief, wiped his eyes, and continued: + +"This is the second attack upon Urbain by his combined enemies. He +had already been accused of bewitching the nuns; but, examined by holy +prelates, by enlightened magistrates, and learned physicians, he was +immediately acquitted, and the judges indignantly imposed silence upon +these devils in human form. The good and pious Archbishop of Bordeaux, +who had himself chosen the examiners of these pretended exorcists, +drove the prophets away and shut up their hell. But, humiliated by the +publicity of the result, annoyed at seeing Grandier kindly received by +our good King when he threw himself at his feet at Paris, they saw that +if he triumphed they were lost, and would be universally regarded as +impostors. Already the convent of the Ursulines was looked upon only as +a theatre for disgraceful comedies, and the nuns themselves as shameless +actresses. More than a hundred persons, furious against the Cure, +had compromised themselves in the hope of destroying him. Their plot, +instead of being abandoned, has gained strength by its first check; and +here are the means that have been set to work by his implacable enemies. + +"Do you know a man called 'L'Eminence Grise', that formidable Capuchin +whom the Cardinal employs in all things, consults upon some, and +always despises? It was to him that the Capuchins of Loudun addressed +themselves. A woman of this place, of low birth, named Hamon, having +been so fortunate as to please the Queen when she passed through Loudun, +was taken into her service. You know the hatred that separates her court +from that of the Cardinal; you know that Anne of Austria and Monsieur de +Richelieu have for some time disputed for the King's favor, and that, +of her two suns, France never knew in the evening which would rise next +morning. During a temporary eclipse of the Cardinal, a satire appeared, +issuing from the planetary system of the Queen; it was called, 'La +cordonniere de la seine-mere'. Its tone and language were vulgar; but it +contained things so insulting about the birth and person of the Cardinal +that the enemies of the minister took it up and gave it a publicity +which irritated him. It revealed, it is said, many intrigues and +mysteries which he had deemed impenetrable. He read this anonymous +work, and desired to know its author. It was just at this time that +the Capuchins of this town wrote to Father Joseph that a constant +correspondence between Grandier and La Hamon left no doubt in their +minds as to his being the author of this diatribe. It was in vain that +he had previously published religious books, prayers, and meditations, +the style of which alone ought to have absolved him from having put +his hand to a libel written in the language of the marketplace; the +Cardinal, long since prejudiced against Urbain, was determined to fix +upon him as the culprit. He remembered that when he was only prior of +Coussay, Grandier disputed precedence with him and gained it; I fear +this achievement of precedence in life will make poor Grandier precede +the Cardinal in death also." + +A melancholy smile played upon the lips of the good Abbe as he uttered +this involuntary pun. + +"What! do you think this matter will go so far as death?" + +"Ay, my son, even to death; they have already taken away all the +documents connected with his former absolution that might have served +for his defence, despite the opposition of his poor mother, who +preserved them as her son's license to live. Even now they affect to +regard a work against the celibacy of priests, found among his papers, +as destined to propagate schism. It is a culpable production, doubtless, +and the love which dictated it, however pure it may be, is an enormous +sin in a man consecrated to God alone; but this poor priest was far from +wishing to encourage heresy, and it was simply, they say, to appease +the remorse of Mademoiselle de Brou that he composed the work. It was so +evident that his real faults would not suffice to condemn him to death +that they have revived the accusation of sorcery, long since disposed +of; but, feigning to believe this, the Cardinal has established a new +tribunal in this town, and has placed Laubardemont at its head, a sure +sign of death. Heaven grant that you never become acquainted with what +the corruption of governments call coups-d'etat!" + +At this moment a terrible shriek sounded from beyond the wall of the +courtyard; the Abbe arose in terror, as did Cinq-Mars. + +"It is the cry of a woman," said the old man. + +"'Tis heartrending!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars. "What is it?" he asked his +people, who had all rushed out into the courtyard. + +They answered that they heard nothing further. + +"Well, well," said the Abbe, "make no noise." He then shut the window, +and put his hands before his eyes. + +"Ah, what a cry was that, my son!" he said, with his face of an ashy +paleness--"what a cry! It pierced my very soul; some calamity has +happened. Ah, holy Virgin! it has so agitated me that I can talk with +you no more. Why did I hear it, just as I was speaking to you of your +future career? My dear child, may God bless you! Kneel!" + +Cinq-Mars did as he was desired, and knew by a kiss upon his head that +he had been blessed by the old man, who then raised him, saying: + +"Go, my son, the time is advancing; they might find you with me. Go, +leave your people and horses here; wrap yourself in a cloak, and go; I +have much to write ere the hour when darkness shall allow me to depart +for Italy." + +They embraced once more, promising to write to each other, and Henri +quitted the house. The Abby, still following him with his eyes from the +window, cried: + +"Be prudent, whatever may happen," and sent him with his hands one more +paternal blessing, saying, "Poor child! poor child!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV. THE TRIAL + + Oh, vendetta di Dio, quanto to dei + Esser temuta da ciascun che legge + Cio, che fu manifesto agli occhi miei.--DANTE. + +Notwithstanding the custom of having secret trials, freely countenanced +by Richelieu, the judges of the Cure of Loudun had resolved that the +court should be open to the public; but they soon repented this measure. +They were all interested in the destruction of Urbain Grandier; but +they desired that the indignation of the country should in some degree +sanction the sentence of death they had received orders to pass and to +carry into effect. + +Laubardemont was a kind of bird of prey, whom the Cardinal always let +loose when he required a prompt and sure agent for his vengeance; and on +this occasion he fully justified the choice that had been made of him. +He committed but one error--that of allowing a public trial, contrary +to the usual custom; his object had been to intimidate and to dismay. He +dismayed, indeed, but he created also a feeling of indignant horror. + +The throng without the gates had waited there two hours, during which +time the sound of hammers indicated that within the great hall they were +hastily completing their mysterious preparations. At length the archers +laboriously turned upon their hinges the heavy gates opening into the +street, and the crowd eagerly rushed in. The young Cinq-Mars was carried +along with the second enormous wave, and, placed behind a thick column, +stood there, so as to be able to see without being seen. He observed +with vexation that the group of dark-clad citizens was near him; but the +great gates, closing, left the part of the court where the people stood +in such darkness that there was no likelihood of his being recognized. +Although it was only midday, the hall was lighted with torches; but they +were nearly all placed at the farther end, where rose the judges' bench +behind a long table. The chairs, tables, and steps were all covered with +black cloth, and cast a livid hue over the faces of those near them. +A seat reserved for the prisoner was placed upon the left, and on the +crape robe which covered him flames were represented in gold embroidery +to indicate the nature of the offence. Here sat the accused, surrounded +by archers, with his hands still bound in chains, held by two monks, +who, with simulated terror, affected to start from him at his slightest +motion, as if they held a tiger or enraged wolf, or as if the flames +depicted on his robe could communicate themselves to their clothing. +They also carefully kept his face from being seen in the least degree by +the people. + +The impassible countenance of M. de Laubardemont was there to dominate +the judges of his choice; almost a head taller than any of them, he +sat upon a seat higher than theirs, and each of his glassy and uneasy +glances seemed to convey a command. He wore a long, full scarlet robe, +and a black cap covered his head; he seemed occupied in arranging +papers, which he then passed to the judges. The accusers, all +ecclesiastics, sat upon the right hand of the judges; they wore their +albs and stoles. Father Lactantius was distinguishable among them by +his simple Capuchin habit, his tonsure, and the extreme hardness of +his features. In a side gallery sat the Bishop of Poitiers, hidden from +view; other galleries were filled with veiled women. Below the bench of +judges a group of men and women, the dregs of the populace, stood behind +six young Ursuline nuns, who seemed full of disgust at their proximity; +these were the witnesses. + +The rest of the hall was filled with an enormous crowd, gloomy and +silent, clinging to the arches, the gates, and the beams, and full of +a terror which communicated itself to the judges, for it arose from an +interest in the accused. Numerous archers, armed with long pikes, formed +an appropriate frame for this lugubrious picture. + +At a sign from the President, the witnesses withdrew through a narrow +door opened for them by an usher. As the Superior of the Ursulines +passed M. de Laubardemont she was heard to say to him, "You have +deceived me, Monsieur." He remained immovable, and she went on. A +profound silence reigned throughout the whole assembly. + +Rising with all the gravity he could assume, but still with visible +agitation, one of the judges, named Houmain, judge-Advocate of Orleans, +read a sort of indictment in a voice so low and hoarse that it was +impossible to follow it. He made himself heard only when what he had to +say was intended to impose upon the minds of the people. He divided +the evidence into two classes: one, the depositions of seventy-two +witnesses; the other, more convincing, that resulting from "the +exorcisms of the reverend fathers here present," said he, crossing +himself. + +Fathers Lactantius, Barre, and Mignon bowed low, repeating the sacred +sign. + +"Yes, my lords," said Houmain, addressing the judges, "this bouquet of +white roses and this manuscript, signed with the blood of the magician, +a counterpart of the contract he has made with Lucifer, and which he +was obliged to carry about him in order to preserve his power, have +been recognized and brought before you. We read with horror these words +written at the bottom of the parchment: 'The original is in hell, in +Lucifer's private cabinet.'" + +A roar of laughter, which seemed to come from stentorian lungs, was +heard in the throng. The president reddened, and made a sign to +the archers, who in vain endeavored to discover the disturber. The +judge-Advocate continued: + +"The demons have been forced to declare their names by the mouths of +their victims. Their names and deeds are deposited upon this table. They +are called Astaroth, of the order of Seraphim; Eazas, Celsus, Acaos, +Cedron, Asmodeus, of the order of Thrones; Alex, Zebulon, Cham, Uriel, +and Achas, of the order of Principalities, and so on, for their number +is infinite. For their actions, who among us has not been a witness of +them?" + +A prolonged murmur arose from the gathering, but, upon some halberdiers +advancing, all became silent. + +"We have seen, with grief, the young and respectable Superior of the +Ursulines tear her bosom with her own hands and grovel in the dust; +we have seen the sisters, Agnes, Claire, and others, deviate from the +modesty of their sex by impassioned gestures and unseemly laughter. When +impious men have inclined to doubt the presence of the demons, and we +ourselves felt our convictions shaken, because they refused to answer +to unknown questions in Greek or Arabic, the reverend fathers have, to +establish our belief, deigned to explain to us that the malignity of +evil spirits being extreme, it was not surprising that they should feign +this ignorance in order that they might be less pressed with questions; +and that in their answers they had committed various solecisms and other +grammatical faults in order to bring contempt upon themselves, so that +out of this disdain the holy doctors might leave them in quiet. Their +hatred is so inveterate that just before performing one of their +miraculous feats, they suspended a rope from a beam in order to involve +the reverend personages in a suspicion of fraud, whereas it has been +deposed on oath by credible people that there never had been a cord in +that place. + +"But, my lords, while Heaven was thus miraculously explaining itself by +the mouths of its holy interpreters, another light has just been +thrown upon us. At the very time the judges were absorbed in profound +meditation, a loud cry was heard near the hall of council; and upon +going to the spot, we found the body of a young lady of high birth. She +had just exhaled her last breath in the public street, in the arms of +the reverend Father Mignon, Canon; and we learned from the said father +here present, and from several other grave personages, that, suspecting +the young lady to be possessed, by reason of the current rumor for some +time past of the admiration Urbain Grandier had for her, an idea of +testing it happily occurred to the Canon, who suddenly said, approaching +her, 'Grandier has just been put to death,' whereat she uttered one loud +scream and fell dead, deprived by the demon of the time necessary for +giving her the assistance of our holy Mother, the Catholic Church." + +A murmur of indignation arose from the crowd, among whom the word +"Assassin" was loudly reechoed; the halberdiers commanded silence with +a loud voice, but it was obtained rather by the judge resuming his +address, the general curiosity triumphing. + +"Oh, infamy!" he continued, seeking to fortify himself by exclamations; +"upon her person was found this work, written by the hand of Urbain +Grandier," and he took from among his papers a book bound in parchment. + +"Heavens!" cried Urbain from his seat. + +"Look to your prisoner!" cried the judge to the archers who surrounded +him. + +"No doubt the demon is about to manifest himself," said Father +Lactantius, in a sombre voice; "tighten his bonds." He was obeyed. + +The judge-Advocate continued, "Her name was Madeleine de Brou, aged +nineteen." + +"O God! this is too much!" cried the accused, as he fell fainting on the +ground. + +The assembly was deeply agitated; for a moment there was an absolute +tumult. + +"Poor fellow! he loved her," said some. + +"So good a lady!" cried the women. + +Pity began to predominate. Cold water was thrown upon Grandier, without +his being taken from the court, and he was tied to his seat. The +Judge-Advocate went on: + +"We are directed to read the beginning of this book to the court," and +he read as follows: + + "'It is for thee, dear and gentle Madeleine, in order to set at rest + thy troubled conscience, that I have described in this book one + thought of my soul. All those thoughts tend to thee, celestial + creature, because in thee they return to the aim and object of my + whole existence; but the thought I send thee, as 'twere a flower, + comes from thee, exists only in thee, and returns to thee alone. + + "'Be not sad because thou lovest me; be not afflicted because I + adore thee. The angels of heaven, what is it that they do? The + souls of the blessed, what is it that is promised them? Are we less + pure than the angels? Are our souls less separated from the earth + than they will be after death? Oh, Madeleine, what is there in us + wherewith the Lord can be displeased? Can it be that we pray + together, that with faces prostrate in the dust before His altars, + we ask for early death to take us while yet youth and love are ours? + Or that, musing together beneath the funereal trees of the + churchyard, we yearned for one grave, smiling at the idea of death, + and weeping at life? Or that, when thou kneelest before me at the + tribunal of penitence, and, speaking in the presence of God, canst + find naught of evil to reveal to me, so wholly have I kept thy soul + in the pure regions of heaven? What, then, could offend our + Creator? Perhaps--yes! perhaps some spirit of heaven may have + envied me my happiness when on Easter morn I saw thee kneeling + before me, purified by long austerities from the slight stain which + original sin had left in thee! Beautiful, indeed, wert thou! Thy + glance sought thy God in heaven, and my trembling hand held His + image to thy pure lips, which human lip had never dared to breathe + upon. Angelic being! I alone participated in the secret of the + Lord, in the one secret of the entire purity of thy soul; I it was + that united thee to thy Creator, who at that moment descended also + into my bosom. Ineffable espousals, of which the Eternal himself + was the priest, you alone were permitted between the virgin and her + pastor! the sole joy of each was to see eternal happiness beginning + for the other, to inhale together the perfumes of heaven, to drink + in already the harmony of the spheres, and to feel assured that our + souls, unveiled to God and to ourselves alone, were worthy together + to adore Him. + + "'What scruple still weighs upon thy soul, O my sister? Dost thou + think I have offered too high a worship to thy virtue? Fearest thou + so pure an admiration should deter me from that of the Lord?'" + +Houmain had reached this point when the door through which the witnesses +had withdrawn suddenly opened. The judges anxiously whispered together. +Laubardemont, uncertain as to the meaning of this, signed to the fathers +to let him know whether this was some scene executed by their orders; +but, seated at some distance from him, and themselves taken by surprise, +they could not make him understand that they had not prepared this +interruption. Besides, ere they could exchange looks, to the amazement +of the assembly, three women, 'en chemise', with naked feet, each with +a cord round her neck and a wax taper in her hand, came through the door +and advanced to the middle of the platform. It was the Superior of the +Ursulines, followed by Sisters Agnes and Claire. Both the latter were +weeping; the Superior was very pale, but her bearing was firm, and her +eyes were fixed and tearless. She knelt; her companions followed +her example. Everything was in such confusion that no one thought of +checking them; and in a clear, firm voice she pronounced these words, +which resounded in every corner of the hall: + +"In the name of the Holy Trinity, I, Jeanne de Belfiel, daughter of the +Baron de Cose, I, the unworthy Superior of the Convent of the Ursulines +of Loudun, ask pardon of God and man for the crime I have committed in +accusing the innocent Urbain Grandier. My possession was feigned, my +words were dictated; remorse overwhelms me." + +"Bravo!" cried the spectators, clapping their hands. The judges arose; +the archers, in doubt, looked at the president; he shook in every limb, +but did not change countenance. + +"Let all be silent," he said, in a sharp voice; "archers, do your duty." + +This man felt himself supported by so strong a hand that nothing could +affright him--for no thought of Heaven ever visited him. + +"What think you, my fathers?" said he, making a sign to the monks. + +"That the demon seeks to save his friend. Obmutesce, Satanas!" cried +Father Lactantius, in a terrible voice, affecting to exorcise the +Superior. + +Never did fire applied to gunpowder produce an effect more instantaneous +than did these two words. Jeanne de Belfiel started up in all the beauty +of twenty, which her awful nudity served to augment; she seemed a soul +escaped from hell appearing to, her seducer. With her dark eyes she cast +fierce glances upon the monks; Lactantius lowered his beneath that look. +She took two steps toward him with her bare feet, beneath which the +scaffolding rung, so energetic was her movement; the taper seemed, in +her hand, the sword of the avenging angel. + +"Silence, impostor!" she cried, with warmth; "the demon who possessed me +was yourself. You deceived me; you said he was not to be tried. To-day, +for the first time, I know that he is to be tried; to-day, for the first +time, I know that he is to be murdered. And I will speak!" + +"Woman, the demon bewilders thee." + +"Say, rather, that repentance enlightens me. Daughters, miserable as +myself, arise; is he not innocent?" + +"We swear he is," said the two young lay sisters, still kneeling and +weeping, for they were not animated with so strong a resolution as that +of the Superior. + +Agnes, indeed, had hardly uttered these words when turning toward the +people, she cried, "Help me! they will punish me; they will kill me!" +And hurrying away her companion, she drew her into the crowd, who +affectionately received them. A thousand voices swore to protect them. +Imprecations arose; the men struck their staves against the floor; the +officials dared not prevent the people from passing the sisters on from +one to another into the street. + +During this strange scene the amazed and panic-struck judges whispered; +M. Laubardemont looked at the archers, indicating to them the points +they were especially to watch, among which, more particularly, was that +occupied by the group in black. The accusers looked toward the gallery +of the Bishop of Poitiers, but discovered no expression in his dull +countenance. He was one of those old men of whom death appears to take +possession ten years before all motion entirely ceases in them. His eyes +seemed veiled by a half sleep; his gaping mouth mumbled a few vague +and habitual words of prayer without meaning or application; the entire +amount of intelligence he retained was the ability to distinguish the +man who had most power, and him he obeyed, regardless at what price. He +had accordingly signed the sentence of the doctors of the Sorbonne +which declared the nuns possessed, without even deducing thence the +consequence of the death of Urbain; the rest seemed to him one of those +more or less lengthy ceremonies, to which he paid not the slightest +attention--accustomed as he was to see and live among them, himself an +indispensable part and parcel of them. He therefore gave no sign of life +on this occasion, merely preserving an air at once perfectly noble and +expressionless. + +Meanwhile, Father Lactantius, having had a moment to recover from the +sudden attack made upon him, turned toward the president and said: + +"Here is a clear proof, sent us by Heaven, of the possession, for the +Superior never before has forgotten the modesty and severity of her +order." + +"Would that all the world were here to see me!" said Jeanne de Belfiel, +firm as ever. "I can not be sufficiently humiliated upon earth, and +Heaven will reject me, for I have been your accomplice." + +Perspiration appeared upon the forehead of Laubardemont, but he tried +to recover his composure. "What absurd tale is this, Sister; what has +influenced you herein?" + +The voice of the girl became sepulchral; she collected all her strength, +pressed her hand upon her heart as if she desired to stay its throbbing, +and, looking at Urbain Grandier, answered, "Love." + +A shudder ran through the assembly. Urbain, who since he had fainted had +remained with his head hanging down as if dead, slowly raised his +eyes toward her, and returned entirely to life only to undergo a fresh +sorrow. The young penitent continued: + +"Yes, the love which he rejected, which he never fully knew, which +I have breathed in his discourses, which my eyes drew in from his +celestial countenance, which his very counsels against it have +increased. + +"Yes, Urbain is pure as an angel, but good as a man who has loved. I +knew not that he had loved! It is you," she said more energetically, +pointing to Lactantius, Barre, and Mignon, and changing her passionate +accents for those of indignation--"it is you who told me that he loved; +you, who this morning have too cruelly avenged me by killing my rival +with a word. Alas, I only sought to separate them! It was a crime; but, +by my mother, I am an Italian! I burned with love, with jealousy; you +allowed me to see Urbain, to have him as a friend, to see him daily." +She was silent for a moment, then exclaimed, "People, he is innocent! +Martyr, pardon me, I embrace thy feet!" + +She prostrated herself before Urbain and burst into a torrent of tears. + +Urbain raised his closely bound hands, and giving her his benediction, +said, gently: + +"Go, Sister; I pardon thee in the name of Him whom I shall soon see. I +have before said to you, and you now see, that the passions work much +evil, unless we seek to turn them toward heaven." + +The blood rose a second time to Laubardemont's forehead. "Miscreant!" he +exclaimed, "darest thou pronounce the words of the Church?" + +"I have not quitted her bosom," said Urbain. + +"Remove the girl," said the President. + +When the archers went to obey, they found that she had tightened the +cord round her neck with such force that she was of a livid hue and +almost lifeless. Fear had driven all the women from the assembly; many +had been carried out fainting, but the hall was no less crowded. The +ranks thickened, for the men out of the streets poured in. + +The judges arose in terror, and the president attempted to have the +hall cleared; but the people, putting on their hats, stood in alarming +immobility. The archers were not numerous enough to repel them. It +became necessary to yield; and accordingly Laubardemont in an agitated +voice announced that the council would retire for half an hour. He broke +up the sitting; the people remained gloomily, each man fixed firmly to +his place. + + + + +BOOK 2. + + + + +CHAPTER V. THE MARTYRDOM + + 'La torture interroge, et la douleur repond.' + RAYNOURARD, Les Templiers. + +The continuous interest of this half-trial, its preparations, its +interruptions, all had held the minds of the people in such attention +that no private conversations had taken place. Some irrepressible cries +had been uttered, but simultaneously, so that no man could accuse his +neighbor. But when the people were left to themselves, there was an +explosion of clamorous sentences. + +There was at this period enough of primitive simplicity among the +lower classes for them to be persuaded by the mysterious tales of the +political agents who were deluding them; so that a large portion of the +throng in the hall of trial, not venturing to change their judgment, +though upon the manifest evidence just given them, awaited in painful +suspense the return of the judges, interchanging with an air of mystery +and inane importance the usual remarks prompted by imbecility on such +occasions. + +"One does not know what to think, Monsieur?" + +"Truly, Madame, most extraordinary things have happened." + +"We live in strange times!" + +"I suspected this; but, i' faith, it is not wise to say what one +thinks." + +"We shall see what we shall see," and so on--the unmeaning chatter of +the crowd, which merely serves to show that it is at the command of the +first who chooses to sway it. Stronger words were heard from the group +in black. + +"What! shall we let them do as they please, in this manner? What! dare +to burn our letter to the King!" + +"If the King knew it!" + +"The barbarian impostors! how skilfully is their plot contrived! What! +shall murder be committed under our very eyes? Shall we be afraid of +these archers?" + +"No, no, no!" rang out in trumpet-like tones. + +Attention was turned toward the young advocate, who, standing on a +branch, began tearing to pieces a roll of paper; then he cried: + +"Yes, I tear and scatter to the winds the defence I had prepared for the +accused. They have suppressed discussion; I am not allowed to speak for +him. I can only speak to you, people; I rejoice that I can do so. You +heard these infamous judges. Which of them can hear the truth? Which of +them is worthy to listen to an honest man? Which of them will dare to +meet his gaze? But what do I say? They all know the truth. They carry +it in their guilty breasts; it stings their hearts like a serpent. They +tremble in their lair, where doubtless they are devouring their victim; +they tremble because they have heard the cries of three deluded women. +What was I about to do? I was about to speak in behalf of Urbain +Grandier! But what eloquence could equal that of those unfortunates? +What words could better have shown you his innocence? Heaven has taken +up arms for him in bringing them to repentance and to devotion; Heaven +will finish its work--" + +"Vade retro, Satanas," was heard through a high window in the hall. + +Fournier stopped for a moment, then said: + +"You hear these voices parodying the divine language? If I mistake not, +these instruments of an infernal power are, by this song, preparing some +new spell." + +"But," cried those who surrounded him, "what shall we do? What have they +done with him?" + +"Remain here; be immovable, be silent," replied the young advocate. "The +inertia of a people is all-powerful; that is its true wisdom, that its +strength. Observe them closely, and in silence; and you will make them +tremble." + +"They surely will not dare to appear here again," said the Comte du +Lude. + +"I should like to look once more at the tall scoundrel in red," said +Grand-Ferre, who had lost nothing of what had occurred. + +"And that good gentleman, the Cure," murmured old Father Guillaume +Leroux, looking at all his indignant parishioners, who were talking +together in a low tone, measuring and counting the archers, ridiculing +their dress, and beginning to point them out to the observation of the +other spectators. + +Cinq-Mars, still leaning against the pillar behind which he had first +placed himself, still wrapped in his black cloak, eagerly watched all +that passed, lost not a word of what was said, and filled his heart with +hate and bitterness. Violent desires for slaughter and revenge, a vague +desire to strike, took possession of him, despite himself; this is the +first impression which evil produces on the soul of a young man. Later, +sadness takes the place of fury, then indifference and scorn, later +still, a calculating admiration for great villains who have been +successful; but this is only when, of the two elements which constitute +man, earth triumphs over spirit. + +Meanwhile, on the right of the hall near the judges' platform, a group +of women were watching attentively a child about eight years old, who +had taken it into his head to climb up to a cornice by the aid of his +sister Martine, whom we have seen the subject of jest with the young +soldier, Grand-Ferre. The child, having nothing to look at after the +court had left the hall, had climbed to a small window which admitted a +faint light, and which he imagined to contain a swallow's nest or some +other treasure for a boy; but after he was well established on the +cornice, his hands grasping the bars of an old shrine of Jerome, he +wished himself anywhere else, and cried out: + +"Oh, sister, sister, lend me your hand to get down!" + +"What do you see there?" asked Martine. + +"Oh, I dare not tell; but I want to get down," and he began to cry. + +"Stay there, my child; stay there!" said all the women. "Don't be +afraid; tell us all that you see." + +"Well, then, they've put the Cure between two great boards that squeeze +his legs, and there are cords round the boards." + +"Ah! that is the rack," said one of the townsmen. "Look again, my little +friend, what do you see now?" + +The child, more confident, looked again through the window, and then, +withdrawing his head, said: + +"I can not see the Cure now, because all the judges stand round him, and +are looking at him, and their great robes prevent me from seeing. There +are also some Capuchins, stooping down to whisper to him." + +Curiosity attracted more people to the boy's perch; every one was +silent, waiting anxiously to catch his words, as if their lives depended +on them. + +"I see," he went on, "the executioner driving four little pieces of +wood between the cords, after the Capuchins have blessed the hammer and +nails. Ah, heavens! Sister, how enraged they seem with him, because he +will not speak. Mother! mother! give me your hand, I want to come down!" + +Instead of his mother, the child, upon turning round, saw only men's +faces, looking up at him with a mournful eagerness, and signing him +to go on. He dared not descend, and looked again through the window, +trembling. + +"Oh! I see Father Lactantius and Father Barre themselves forcing in more +pieces of wood, which squeeze his legs. Oh, how pale he is! he seems +praying. There, his head falls back, as if he were dying! Oh, take me +away!" + +And he fell into the arms of the young Advocate, of M. du Lude, and of +Cinq-Mars, who had come to support him. + +"Deus stetit in synagoga deorum: in medio autem Deus dijudicat--" +chanted strong, nasal voices, issuing from the small window, which +continued in full chorus one of the psalms, interrupted by blows of the +hammer--an infernal deed beating time to celestial songs. One might have +supposed himself near a smithy, except that the blows were dull, and +manifested to the ear that the anvil was a man's body. + +"Silence!" said Fournier, "He speaks. The chanting and the blows stop." + +A weak voice within said, with difficulty, "Oh, my fathers, mitigate the +rigor of your torments, for you will reduce my soul to despair, and I +might seek to destroy myself!" + +At this the fury of the people burst forth like an explosion, echoing +along the vaulted roofs; the men sprang fiercely upon the platform, +thrust aside the surprised and hesitating archers; the unarmed crowd +drove them back, pressed them, almost suffocated them against the walls, +and held them fast, then dashed against the doors which led to the +torture chamber, and, making them shake beneath their blows, threatened +to drive them in; imprecations resounded from a thousand menacing voices +and terrified the judges within. + +"They are gone; they have taken him away!" cried a man who had climbed +to the little window. + +The multitude at once stopped short, and changing the direction of their +steps, fled from this detestable place and spread rapidly through the +streets, where an extraordinary confusion prevailed. + +Night had come on during the long sitting, and the rain was pouring in +torrents. The darkness was terrifying. The cries of women slipping on +the pavement or driven back by the horses of the guards; the shouts +of the furious men; the ceaseless tolling of the bells which had been +keeping time with the strokes of the question; the roll of distant +thunder--all combined to increase the disorder. + + [Torture ('Question') was regulated in scrupulous detail by Holy + Mother The Church: The ordinary question was regulated for minor + infractions and used for interrogating women and children. For more + serious crimes the suspect (and sometimes the witnesses) were put to + the extraordinary question by the officiating priests. D.W.] + +If the ear was astonished, the eyes were no less so. A few dismal +torches lighted up the corners of the streets; their flickering gleams +showed soldiers, armed and mounted, dashing along, regardless of the +crowd, to assemble in the Place de St. Pierre; tiles were sometimes +thrown at them on their way, but, missing the distant culprit, fell upon +some unoffending neighbor. The confusion was bewildering, and became +still more so, when, hurrying through all the streets toward the Place +de St. Pierre, the people found it barricaded on all sides, and filled +with mounted guards and archers. Carts, fastened to the posts at each +corner, closed each entrance, and sentinels, armed with arquebuses, were +stationed close to the carts. In the centre of the Place rose a pile +composed of enormous beams placed crosswise upon one another, so as +to form a perfect square; these were covered with a whiter and lighter +wood; an enormous stake arose from the centre of the scaffold. A man +clothed in red and holding a lowered torch stood near this sort of mast, +which was visible from a long distance. A huge chafing-dish, covered on +account of the rain, was at his feet. + +At this spectacle, terror inspired everywhere a profound silence; for +an instant nothing was heard but the sound of the rain, which fell in +floods, and of the thunder, which came nearer and nearer. + +Meanwhile, Cinq-Mars, accompanied by MM. du Lude and Fournier and all +the more important personages of the town, had sought refuge from the +storm under the peristyle of the church of Ste.-Croix, raised upon +twenty stone steps. The pile was in front, and from this height they +could see the whole of the square. The centre was entirely clear, large +streams of water alone traversed it; but all the windows of the houses +were gradually lighted up, and showed the heads of the men and women who +thronged them. + +The young D'Effiat sorrowfully contemplated this menacing preparation. +Brought up in sentiments of honor, and far removed from the black +thoughts which hatred and ambition arouse in the heart of man, he could +not conceive that such wrong could be done without some powerful and +secret motive. The audacity of such a condemnation seemed to him so +enormous that its very cruelty began to justify it in his eyes; a secret +horror crept into his soul, the same that silenced the people. He almost +forgot the interest with which the unhappy Urbain had inspired him, in +thinking whether it were not possible that some secret correspondence +with the infernal powers had justly provoked such excessive severity; +and the public revelations of the nuns, and the statement of his +respected tutor, faded from his memory, so powerful is success, even +in the eyes of superior men! so strongly does force impose upon men, +despite the voice of conscience! + +The young traveller was asking himself whether it were not probable that +the torture had forced some monstrous confession from the accused, when +the obscurity which surrounded the church suddenly ceased. Its two +great doors were thrown open; and by the light of an infinite number +of flambeaux, appeared all the judges and ecclesiastics, surrounded by +guards. Among them was Urbain, supported, or rather carried, by six men +clothed as Black Penitents--for his limbs, bound with bandages saturated +with blood, seemed broken and incapable of supporting him. It was at +most two hours since Cinq-Mars had seen him, and yet he could hardly +recognize the face he had so closely observed at the trial. All color, +all roundness of form had disappeared from it; a livid pallor covered +a skin yellow and shining like ivory; the blood seemed to have left his +veins; all the life that remained within him shone from his dark eyes, +which appeared to have grown twice as large as before, as he looked +languidly around him; his long, chestnut hair hung loosely down his neck +and over a white shirt, which entirely covered him--or rather a sort +of robe with large sleeves, and of a yellowish tint, with an odor of +sulphur about it; a long, thick cord encircled his neck and fell upon +his breast. He looked like an apparition; but it was the apparition of a +martyr. + +Urbain stopped, or, rather, was set down upon the peristyle of the +church; the Capuchin Lactantius placed a lighted torch in his right +hand, and held it there, as he said to him, with his hard inflexibility: + +"Do penance, and ask pardon of God for thy crime of magic." + +The unhappy man raised his voice with great difficulty, and with his +eyes to heaven said: + +"In the name of the living God, I cite thee, Laubardemont, false judge, +to appear before Him in three years. They have taken away my confessor, +and I have been fain to pour out my sins into the bosom of God Himself, +for my enemies surround me. I call that God of mercy to witness I never +have dealt in magic. I have known no mysteries but those of the Catholic +religion, apostolic and Roman, in which I die; I have sinned much +against myself, but never against God and our Lord--" + +"Cease!" cried the Capuchin, affecting to close his mouth ere he could +pronounce the name of the Saviour. "Obdurate wretch, return to the demon +who sent thee!" + +He signed to four priests, who, approaching with sprinklers in their +hands, exorcised with holy water the air the magician breathed, the +earth he touched, the wood that was to burn him. During this ceremony, +the judge-Advocate hastily read the decree, dated the 18th of August, +1639, declaring Urbain Grandier duly attainted and convicted of the +crime of sorcery, witchcraft, and possession, in the persons of sundry +Ursuline nuns of Loudun, and others, laymen, etc. + +The reader, dazzled by a flash of lightning, stopped for an instant, +and, turning to M. de Laubardemont, asked whether, considering the awful +weather, the execution could not be deferred till the next day. + +"The decree," coldly answered Laubardemont, "commands execution within +twenty-four hours. Fear not the incredulous people; they will soon be +convinced." + +All the most important persons of the town and many strangers were under +the peristyle, and now advanced, Cinq-Mars among them. + +"The magician never has been able to pronounce the name of the Saviour, +and repels his image." + +Lactantius at this moment issued from the midst of the Penitents, with +an enormous iron crucifix in his hand, which he seemed to hold with +precaution and respect; he extended it to the lips of the sufferer, +who indeed threw back his head, and collecting all his strength, made +a gesture with his arm, which threw the cross from the hands of the +Capuchin. + +"You see," cried the latter, "he has thrown down the cross!" + +A murmur arose, the meaning of which was doubtful. + +"Profanation!" cried the priests. + +The procession moved toward the pile. + +Meanwhile, Cinq-Mars, gliding behind a pillar, had eagerly watched all +that passed; he saw with astonishment that the cross, in falling upon +the steps, which were more exposed to the rain than the platform, smoked +and made a noise like molten lead when thrown into water. While the +public attention was elsewhere engaged, he advanced and touched it +lightly with his bare hand, which was immediately scorched. Seized with +indignation, with all the fury of a true heart, he took up the cross +with the folds of his cloak, stepped up to Laubardemont, and, striking +him with it on the forehead, cried: + +"Villain, I brand thee with the mark of this red-hot iron!" + +The crowd heard these words and rushed forward. + +"Arrest this madman!" cried the unworthy magistrate. + +He was himself seized by the hands of men who cried, "Justice! justice, +in the name of the King!" + +"We are lost!" said Lactantius; "to the pile, to the pile!" + +The Penitents dragged Urbain toward the Place, while the judges and +archers reentered the church, struggling with the furious citizens; the +executioner, having no time to tie up the victim, hastened to lay him +on the wood, and to set fire to it. But the rain still fell in torrents, +and each piece of wood had no sooner caught the flame than it became +extinguished. In vain did Lactantius and the other canons themselves +seek to stir up the fire; nothing could overcome the water which fell +from heaven. + +Meanwhile, the tumult which had begun in the peristyle of the church +extended throughout the square. The cry of "Justice!" was repeated +and circulated, with the information of what had been discovered; two +barricades were forced, and despite three volleys of musketry, the +archers were gradually driven back toward the centre of the square. In +vain they spurred their horses against the crowd; it overwhelmed them +with its swelling waves. Half an hour passed in this struggle, the +guards still receding toward the pile, which they concealed as they +pressed closer upon it. + +"On! on!" cried a man; "we will deliver him; do not strike the soldiers, +but let them fall back. See, Heaven will not permit him to die! The +fire is out; now, friend, one effort more! That is well! Throw down that +horse! Forward! On!" + +The guard was broken and dispersed on all sides. The crowd rushed to +the pile, but no more light was there: all had disappeared, even the +executioner. They tore up and threw aside the beams; one of them +was still burning, and its light showed under a mass of ashes and +ensanguined mire a blackened hand, preserved from the fire by a large +iron bracelet and chain. A woman had the courage to open it; the fingers +clasped a small ivory cross and an image of St. Magdalen. + +"These are his remains," she said, weeping. + +"Say, the relics of a martyr!" exclaimed a citizen, baring his head. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. THE DREAM + +Meanwhile, Cinq-Mars, amid the excitement which his outbreak had +provoked, felt his left arm seized by a hand as hard as iron, which, +drawing him from the crowd to the foot of the steps, pushed him behind +the wall of the church, and he then saw the dark face of old Grandchamp, +who said to him in a sharp voice: + +"Sir, your attack upon thirty musketeers in a wood at Chaumont was +nothing, because we were near you, though you knew it not, and, +moreover, you had to do with men of honor; but here 'tis different. Your +horses and people are at the end of the street; I request you to mount +and leave the town, or to send me back to Madame la Marechale, for I am +responsible for your limbs, which you expose so freely." + +Cinq-Mars was somewhat astonished at this rough mode of having a service +done him, was not sorry to extricate himself thus from the affair, +having had time to reflect how very awkward it might be for him to be +recognized, after striking the head of the judicial authority, the agent +of the very Cardinal who was to present him to the King. He observed +also that around him was assembled a crowd of the lowest class of +people, among whom he blushed to find himself. He therefore followed +his old domestic without argument, and found the other three servants +waiting for him. Despite the rain and wind he mounted, and was soon upon +the highroad with his escort, having put his horse to a gallop to avoid +pursuit. + +He had, however, hardly left Loudun when the sandy road, furrowed by +deep ruts completely filled with water, obliged him to slacken his pace. +The rain continued to fall heavily, and his cloak was almost saturated. +He felt a thicker one thrown over his shoulders; it was his old valet, +who had approached him, and thus exhibited toward him a maternal +solicitude. + +"Well, Grandchamp," said Cinq-Mars, "now that we are clear of the riot, +tell me how you came to be there when I had ordered you to remain at the +Abbe's." + +"Parbleu, Monsieur!" answered the old servant, in a grumbling tone, +"do you suppose that I should obey you any more than I did Monsieur le +Marechal? When my late master, after telling me to remain in his tent, +found me behind him in the cannon's smoke, he made no complaint, because +he had a fresh horse ready when his own was killed, and he only scolded +me for a moment in his thoughts; but, truly, during the forty years I +served him, I never saw him act as you have in the fortnight I have been +with you. Ah!" he added with a sigh, "things are going strangely; and if +we continue thus, there's no knowing what will be the end of it." + +"But knowest thou, Grandchamp, that these scoundrels had made the +crucifix red hot?--a thing at which no honest man would have been less +enraged than I." + +"Except Monsieur le Marechal, your father, who would not have done at +all what you have done, Monsieur." + +"What, then, would he have done?" + +"He would very quietly have let this cure be burned by the other cures, +and would have said to me, 'Grandchamp, see that my horses have oats, +and let no one steal them'; or, 'Grandchamp, take care that the rain +does not rust my sword or wet the priming of my pistols'; for Monsieur +le Marechal thought of everything, and never interfered in what did not +concern him. That was his great principle; and as he was, thank Heaven, +alike good soldier and good general, he was always as careful of his +arms as a recruit, and would not have stood up against thirty young +gallants with a dress rapier." + +Cinq-Mars felt the force of the worthy servitor's epigrammatic scolding, +and feared that he had followed him beyond the wood of Chaumont; but +he would not ask, lest he should have to give explanations or to tell +a falsehood or to command silence, which would at once have been taking +him into confidence on the subject. As the only alternative, he spurred +his horse and rode ahead of his old domestic; but the latter had not yet +had his say, and instead of keeping behind his master, he rode up to his +left and continued the conversation. + +"Do you suppose, Monsieur, that I should allow you to go where you +please? No, Monsieur, I am too deeply impressed with the respect I +owe to Madame la Marquise, to give her an opportunity of saying to me: +'Grandchamp, my son has been killed with a shot or with a sword; why +were you not before him?' Or, 'He has received a stab from the stiletto +of an Italian, because he went at night beneath the window of a great +princess; why did you not seize the assassin?' This would be very +disagreeable to me, Monsieur, for I never have been reproached with +anything of the kind. Once Monsieur le Marechal lent me to his nephew, +Monsieur le Comte, to make a campaign in the Netherlands, because I know +Spanish. I fulfilled the duty with honor, as I always do. When Monsieur +le Comte received a bullet in his heart, I myself brought back his +horses, his mules, his tent, and all his equipment, without so much as +a pocket-handkerchief being missed; and I can assure you that the horses +were as well dressed and harnessed when we reentered Chaumont as if +Monsieur le Comte had been about to go a-hunting. And, accordingly, I +received nothing but compliments and agreeable things from the whole +family, just in the way I like." + +"Well, well, my friend," said Henri d'Effiat, "I may some day, perhaps, +have these horses to take back; but in the mean time take this great +purse of gold, which I have well-nigh lost two or three times, and thou +shalt pay for me everywhere. The money wearies me." + +"Monsieur le Marechal did not so, Monsieur. He had been superintendent +of finances, and he counted every farthing he paid out of his own hand. +I do not think your estates would have been in such good condition, or +that you would have had so much money to count yourself, had he done +otherwise; have the goodness, therefore, to keep your purse, whose +contents, I dare swear, you do not know." + +"Faith, not I." + +Grandchamp sent forth a profound sigh at his master's disdainful +exclamation. + +"Ah, Monsieur le Marquis! Monsieur le Marquis! When I think that the +great King Henri, before my eyes, put his chamois gloves into his pocket +to keep the rain from spoiling them; when I think that Monsieur de Rosni +refused him money when he had spent too much; when I think--" + +"When thou dost think, thou art egregiously tedious, my old friend," +interrupted his master; "and thou wilt do better in telling me what that +black figure is that I think I see walking in the mire behind us." + +"It looks like some poor peasant woman who, perhaps, wants alms of us. +She can easily follow us, for we do not go at much of a pace in this +sand, wherein our horses sink up to the hams. We shall go to the Landes +perhaps some day, Monsieur, and you will see a country all the same as +this sandy road, and great, black firs all the way along. It looks +like a churchyard; this is an exact specimen of it. Look, the rain has +ceased, and we can see a little ahead; there is nothing but furze-bushes +on this great plain, without a village or a house. I don't know where we +can pass the night; but if you will take my advice, you will let us cut +some boughs and bivouac where we are. You shall see how, with a little +earth, I can make a hut as warm as a bed." + +"I would rather go on to the light I see in the horizon," said +Cinq-Mars; "for I fancy I feel rather feverish, and I am thirsty. But +fall back, I would ride alone; rejoin the others and follow." + +Grandchamp obeyed; he consoled himself by giving Germain, Louis, and +Etienne lessons in the art of reconnoitring a country by night. + +Meanwhile, his young master was overcome with fatigue. The violent +emotions of the day had profoundly affected his mind; and the +long journey on horseback, the last two days passed almost without +nourishment, owing to the hurried pressure of events, the heat of the +sun by day, the icy coldness of the night, all contributed to increase +his indisposition and to weary his delicate frame. For three hours he +rode in silence before his people, yet the light he had seen in the +horizon seemed no nearer; at last he ceased to follow it with his eyes, +and his head, feeling heavier and heavier, sank upon his breast. He +gave the reins to his tired horse, which of its own accord followed the +high-road, and, crossing his arms, allowed himself to be rocked by the +monotonous motion of his fellow-traveller, which frequently stumbled +against the large stones that strewed the road. The rain had ceased, as +had the voices of his domestics, whose horses followed in the track of +their master's. The young man abandoned himself to the bitterness of his +thoughts; he asked himself whether the bright object of his hopes would +not flee from him day by day, as that phosphoric light fled from him +in the horizon, step by step. Was it probable that the young Princess, +almost forcibly recalled to the gallant court of Anne of Austria, would +always refuse the hands, perhaps royal ones, that would be offered to +her? What chance that she would resign herself to renounce a present +throne, in order to wait till some caprice of fortune should realize +romantic hopes, or take a youth almost in the lowest rank of the army +and lift him to the elevation she spoke of, till the age of love should +be passed? How could he be certain that even the vows of Marie de +Gonzaga were sincere? + +"Alas!" he said, "perhaps she has blinded herself as to her own +sentiments; the solitude of the country had prepared her soul to receive +deep impressions. I came; she thought I was he of whom she had dreamed. +Our age and my love did the rest. But when at court, she, the companion +of the Queen, has learned to contemplate from an exalted position the +greatness to which I aspire, and which I as yet see only from a +very humble distance; when she shall suddenly find herself in actual +possession of the future she aims at, and measures with a more correct +eye the long road I have to travel; when she shall hear around her vows +like mine, pronounced by lips which could undo me with a word, with a +word destroy him whom she awaits as her husband, her lord--oh, madman +that I have been!--she will see all her folly, and will be incensed at +mine." + +Thus did doubt, the greatest misery of love, begin to torture his +unhappy heart; he felt his hot blood rush to his head and oppress it. +Ever and anon he fell forward upon the neck of his horse, and a half +sleep weighed down his eyes; the dark firs that bordered the road seemed +to him gigantic corpses travelling beside him. He saw, or thought +he saw, the same woman clothed in black, whom he had pointed out to +Grandchamp, approach so near as to touch his horse's mane, pull his +cloak, and then run off with a jeering laugh; the sand of the road +seemed to him a river running beneath him, with opposing current, back +toward its source. This strange sight dazzled his worn eyes; he closed +them and fell asleep on his horse. + +Presently, he felt himself stopped, but he was numbed with cold and +could not move. He saw peasants, lights, a house, a great room into +which they carried him, a wide bed, whose heavy curtains were closed by +Grandchamp; and he fell asleep again, stunned by the fever that whirred +in his ears. + +Dreams that followed one another more rapidly than grains of sand before +the wind rushed through his brain; he could not catch them, and moved +restlessly on his bed. Urbain Grandier on the rack, his mother in tears, +his tutor armed, Bassompierre loaded with chains, passed before him, +making signs of farewell; at last, as he slept, he instinctively put his +hand to his head to stay the passing dream, which then seemed to unfold +itself before his eyes like pictures in shifting sands. + +He saw a public square crowded with a foreign people, a northern people, +who uttered cries of joy, but they were savage cries; there was a line +of guards, ferocious soldiers--these were Frenchmen. "Come with me," +said the soft voice of Marie de Gonzaga, who took his hand. "See, I wear +a diadem; here is thy throne, come with me." And she hurried him on, the +people still shouting. He went on, a long way. "Why are you sad, if you +are a queen?" he said, trembling. But she was pale, and smiled and spoke +not. She ascended, step after step, up to a throne, and seated herself. +"Mount!" said she, forcibly pulling his hand. But, at every movement, +the massive stairs crumbled beneath his feet, so that he could not +ascend. "Give thanks to love," she continued; and her hand, now more +powerful, raised him to the throne. The people still shouted. He bowed +low to kiss that helping hand, that adored hand; it was the hand of the +executioner! + +"Oh, heavens!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars, as, heaving a deep sigh, he opened +his eyes. A flickering lamp lighted the ruinous chamber of the inn; he +again closed his eyes, for he had seen, seated on his bed, a woman, +a nun, young and beautiful! He thought he was still dreaming, but she +grasped his hand firmly. He opened his burning eyes, and fixed them upon +her. + +"Is it you, Jeannede Belfiel? The rain has drenched your veil and your +black hair! Why are you here, unhappy woman?" + +"Hark! awake not my Urbain; he sleeps there in the next room. Ay, my +hair is indeed wet, and my feet--see, my feet that were once so white, +see how the mud has soiled them. But I have made a vow--I will not wash +them till I have seen the King, and until he has granted me Urbain's +pardon. I am going to the army to find him; I will speak to him as +Grandier taught me to speak, and he will pardon him. And listen, I +will also ask thy pardon, for I read it in thy face that thou, too, art +condemned to death. Poor youth! thou art too young to die, thy curling +hair is beautiful; but yet thou art condemned, for thou hast on thy brow +a line that never deceives. The man thou hast struck will kill thee. +Thou hast made too much use of the cross; it is that which will bring +evil upon thee. Thou hast struck with it, and thou wearest it round +thy neck by a hair chain. Nay, hide not thy face; have I said aught +to afflict thee, or is it that thou lovest, young man? Ah, reassure +thyself, I will not tell all this to thy love. I am mad, but I am +gentle, very gentle; and three days ago I was beautiful. Is she also +beautiful? Ah! she will weep some day! Yet, if she can weep, she will be +happy!" + +And then suddenly Jeanne began to recite the service for the dead in a +monotonous voice, but with incredible rapidity, still seated on the bed, +and turning the beads of a long rosary. + +Suddenly the door opened; she looked up, and fled through another door +in the partition. + +"What the devil's that-an imp or an angel, saying the funeral service +over you, and you under the clothes, as if you were in a shroud?" + +This abrupt exclamation came from the rough voice of Grandchamp, who was +so astonished at what he had seen that he dropped the glass of lemonade +he was bringing in. Finding that his master did not answer, he became +still more alarmed, and raised the bedclothes. Cinq-Mars's face was +crimson, and he seemed asleep, but his old domestic saw that the blood +rushing to his head had almost suffocated him; and, seizing a jug full +of cold water, he dashed the whole of it in his face. This military +remedy rarely fails to effect its purpose, and Cinq-Mars returned to +himself with a start. + +"Ah! it is thou, Grandchamp; what frightful dreams I have had!" + +"Peste! Monsieur le Marquis, your dreams, on the contrary, are very +pretty ones. I saw the tail of the last as I came in; your choice is not +bad." + +"What dost mean, blockhead?" + +"Nay, not a blockhead, Monsieur; I have good eyes, and I have seen what +I have seen. But, really ill as you are, Monsieur le Marechal would +never--" + +"Thou art utterly doting, my friend; give me some drink, I am parched +with thirst. Oh, heavens! what a night! I still see all those women." + +"All those women, Monsieur? Why, how many are here?" + +"I am speaking to thee of a dream, blockhead. Why standest there like a +post, instead of giving me some drink?" + +"Enough, Monsieur; I will get more lemonade." And going to the door, he +called over the staircase, "Germain! Etienne! Louis!" + +The innkeeper answered from below: "Coming, Monsieur, coming; they have +been helping me to catch the madwoman." + +"What mad-woman?" said Cinq-Mars, rising in bed. + +The host entered, and, taking off his cotton cap, said, respectfully: +"Oh, nothing, Monsieur le Marquis, only a madwoman that came here last +night on foot, and whom we put in the next room; but she has escaped, +and we have not been able to catch her." + +"Ah!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars, returning to himself and putting his hand to +his eyes, "it was not a dream, then. And my mother, where is she? and +the Marechal, and--Ah! and yet it is but a fearful dream! Leave me." + +As he said this, he turned toward the wall, and again pulled the clothes +over his head. + +The innkeeper, in amazement, touched his forehead three times with his +finger, looking at Grandchamp as if to ask him whether his master were +also mad. + +Grandchamp motioned him away in silence, and in order to watch the +rest of the night by the side of Cinq-Mars, who was in a deep sleep, he +seated himself in a large armchair, covered with tapestry, and began to +squeeze lemons into a glass of water with an air as grave and severe as +Archimedes calculating the condensing power of his mirrors. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. THE CABINET + + Men have rarely the courage to be wholly good or wholly bad. + MACHIAVELLI. + +Let us leave our young traveller sleeping; he will soon pursue a long +and beautiful route. Since we are at liberty to turn to all points of +the map, we will fix our eyes upon the city of Narbonne. + +Behold the Mediterranean, not far distant, washing with its blue waters +the sandy shores. Penetrate into that city resembling Athens; and to +find him who reigns there, follow that dark and irregular street, mount +the steps of the old archiepiscopal palace, and enter the first and +largest of its apartments. + +This was a very long salon, lighted by a series of high lancet windows, +of which the upper part only retained the blue, yellow, and red panes +that shed a mysterious light through the apartment. A large round table +occupied its entire breadth, near the great fireplace; around this +table, covered with a colored cloth and scattered with papers and +portfolios, were seated, bending over their pens, eight secretaries +copying letters which were handed to them from a smaller table. Other +men quietly arranged the completed papers in the shelves of a bookcase, +partly filled with books bound in black. + +Notwithstanding the number of persons assembled in the room, one might +have heard the movements of the wings of a fly. The only interruption +to the silence was the sound of pens rapidly gliding over paper, and a +shrill voice dictating, stopping every now and then to cough. This +voice proceeded from a great armchair placed beside the fire, which was +blazing, notwithstanding the heat of the season and of the country. It +was one of those armchairs that you still see in old castles, and which +seem made to read one's self to sleep in, so easy is every part of it. +The sitter sinks into a circular cushion of down; if the head leans +back, the cheeks rest upon pillows covered with silk, and the seat +juts out so far beyond the elbows that one may believe the provident +upholsterers of our forefathers sought to provide that the book should +make no noise in falling so as to awaken the sleeper. + +But we will quit this digression, and speak of the man who occupied +the chair, and who was very far from sleeping. He had a broad forehead, +bordered with thin white hair, large, mild eyes, a wan face, to which +a small, pointed, white beard gave that air of subtlety and finesse +noticeable in all the portraits of the period of Louis XIII. His mouth +was almost without lips, which Lavater deems an indubitable sign of an +evil mind, and it was framed in a pair of slight gray moustaches and a +'royale'--an ornament then in fashion, which somewhat resembled a comma +in form. The old man wore a close red cap, a large 'robe-dechambre', and +purple silk stockings; he was no less a personage than Armand Duplessis, +Cardinal de Richelieu. + +Near him, around the small table, sat four youths from fifteen to twenty +years of age; these were pages, or domestics, according to the term then +in use, which signified familiars, friends of the house. This custom +was a relic of feudal patronage, which still existed in our manners. The +younger members of high families received wages from the great lords, +and were devoted to their service in all things, challenging the first +comer at the wish of their patron. The pages wrote letters from the +outline previously given them by the Cardinal, and after their master +had glanced at them, passed them to the secretaries, who made fair +copies. The Duke, for his part, wrote on his knee private notes upon +small slips of paper, inserting them in almost all the packets before +sealing them, which he did with his own hand. + +He had been writing a short time, when, in a mirror before him, he saw +the youngest of his pages writing something on a sheet of paper much +smaller than the official sheet. He hastily wrote a few words, and +then slipped the paper under the large sheet which, much against his +inclination, he had to fill; but, seated behind the Cardinal, he hoped +that the difficulty with which the latter turned would prevent him +from seeing the little manoeuvre he had tried to exercise with much +dexterity. Suddenly Richelieu said to him, dryly, "Come here, Monsieur +Olivier." + +These words came like a thunder-clap on the poor boy, who seemed about +sixteen. He rose at once, however, and stood before the minister, his +arms hanging at his side and his head lowered. + +The other pages and the secretaries stirred no more than soldiers when +a comrade is struck down by a ball, so accustomed were they to this kind +of summons. The present one, however, was more energetic than usual. + +"What were you writing?" + +"My lord, what your Eminence dictated." + +"What!" + +"My lord, the letter to Don Juan de Braganza." + +"No evasions, Monsieur; you were writing something else." + +"My lord," said the page, with tears in his eyes, "it was a letter to +one of my cousins." + +"Let me see it." + +The page trembled in every limb and was obliged to lean against the +chimney-piece, as he said, in a hardly audible tone, "It is impossible." + +"Monsieur le Vicomte Olivier d'Entraigues," said the minister, without +showing the least emotion, "you are no longer in my service." The page +withdrew. He knew that there was no reply; so, slipping his letter into +his pocket, and opening the folding-doors just wide enough to allow his +exit, he glided out like a bird escaped from the cage. + +The minister went on writing the note upon his knee. + +The secretaries redoubled their silent zeal, when suddenly the two wings +of the door were thrown back and showed, standing in the opening, a +Capuchin, who, bowing, with his arms crossed over his breast, seemed +waiting for alms or for an order to retire. He had a dark complexion, +and was deeply pitted with smallpox; his eyes, mild, but somewhat +squinting, were almost hidden by his thick eyebrows, which met in the +middle of his forehead; on his mouth played a crafty, mischievous, and +sinister smile; his beard was straight and red, and his costume was that +of the order of St. Francis in all its repulsiveness, with sandals on +his bare feet, that looked altogether unfit to tread upon carpet. + +Such as he was, however, this personage appeared to create a great +sensation throughout the room; for, without finishing the phrase, the +line, or even the word begun, every person rose and went out by the door +where he was still standing--some saluting him as they passed, others +turning away their heads, and the young pages holding their fingers to +their noses, but not till they were behind him, for they seemed to have +a secret fear of him. When they had all passed out, he entered, making a +profound reverence, because the door was still open; but, as soon as +it was shut, unceremoniously advancing, he seated himself near the +Cardinal, who, having recognized him by the general movement he created, +saluted him with a dry and silent inclination of the head, regarding +him fixedly, as if awaiting some news and unable to avoid knitting his +brows, as at the aspect of a spider or some other disagreeable creature. + +The Cardinal could not resist this movement of displeasure, because +he felt himself obliged, by the presence of his agent, to resume those +profound and painful conversations from which he had for some days +been free, in a country whose pure air, favorable to him, had somewhat +soothed the pain of his malady; that malady had changed to a slow fever, +but its intervals were long enough to enable him to forget during its +absence that it must return. Giving, therefore, a little rest to his +hitherto indefatigable mind, he had been awaiting, for the first time in +his life perhaps, without impatience, the return of the couriers he had +sent in all directions, like the rays of a sun which alone gave life and +movement to France. He had not expected the visit he now received, +and the sight of one of those men, whom, to use his own expression, he +"steeped in crime," rendered all the habitual disquietudes of his +life more present to him, without entirely dissipating the cloud of +melancholy which at that time obscured his thoughts. + +The beginning of his conversation was tinged with the gloomy hue of his +late reveries; but he soon became more animated and vigorous than ever, +when his powerful mind had reentered the real world. + +His confidant, seeing that he was expected to break the silence, did so +in this abrupt fashion: + +"Well, my lord, of what are you thinking?" + +"Alas, Joseph, of what should we all think, but of our future happiness +in a better life? For many days I have been reflecting that human +interests have too much diverted me from this great thought; and I +repent me of having spent some moments of my leisure in profane works, +such as my tragedies, 'Europe' and 'Mirame,' despite the glory they have +already gained me among our brightest minds--a glory which will extend +unto futurity." + +Father Joseph, full of what he had to say, was at first surprised at +this opening; but he knew his master too well to betray his feelings, +and, well skilled in changing the course of his ideas, replied: + +"Yes, their merit is very great, and France will regret that these +immortal works are not followed by similar productions." + +"Yes, my dear Joseph; but it is in vain that such men as Boisrobert, +Claveret, Colletet, Corneille, and, above all, the celebrated Mairet, +have proclaimed these tragedies the finest that the present or any past +age has produced. I reproach myself for them, I swear to you, as for a +mortal sin, and I now, in my hours of repose, occupy myself only with my +'Methode des Controverses', and my book on the 'Perfection du Chretien.' +I remember that I am fifty-six years old, and that I have an incurable +malady." + +"These are calculations which your enemies make as precisely as +your Eminence," said the priest, who began to be annoyed with this +conversation, and was eager to talk of other matters. + +The blood mounted to the Cardinal's face. + +"I know it! I know it well!" he said; "I know all their black villainy, +and I am prepared for it. But what news is there?" + +"According to our arrangement, my lord, we have removed Mademoiselle +d'Hautefort, as we removed Mademoiselle de la Fayette before her. So far +it is well; but her place is not filled, and the King--" + +"Well!" + +"The King has ideas which he never had before." + +"Ha! and which come not from me? 'Tis well, truly," said the minister, +with an ironic sneer. + +"What, my lord, leave the place of the favorite vacant for six whole +days? It is not prudent; pardon me for saying so." + +"He has ideas--ideas!" repeated Richelieu, with a kind of terror; "and +what are they?" + +"He talks of recalling the Queen-mother," said the Capuchin, in a low +voice; "of recalling her from Cologne." + +"Marie de Medicis!" cried the Cardinal, striking the arms of his chair +with his hands. "No, by Heaven, she shall not again set her foot upon +the soil of France, whence I drove her, step by step! England has not +dared to receive her, exiled by me; Holland fears to be crushed by +her; and my kingdom to receive her! No, no, such an idea could not have +originated with himself! To recall my enemy! to recall his mother! What +perfidy! He would not have dared to think of it." + +Then, having mused for a moment, he added, fixing a penetrating look +still full of burning anger upon Father Joseph: + +"But in what terms did he express this desire? Tell me his precise +words." + +"He said publicly; and in the presence of Monsieur: 'I feel that one of +the first duties of a Christian is to be a good son, and I will resist +no longer the murmurs of my conscience.'" + +"Christian! conscience! these are not his expressions. It is Father +Caussin--it is his confessor who is betraying me," cried the Cardinal. +"Perfidious Jesuit! I pardoned thee thy intrigue with La Fayette; but +I will not pass over thy secret counsels. I will have this confessor +dismissed, Joseph; he is an enemy to the State, I see it clearly. But +I myself have acted with negligence for some days past; I have not +sufficiently hastened the arrival of the young d'Effiat, who will +doubtless succeed. He is handsome and intellectual, they say. What a +blunder! I myself merit disgrace. To leave that fox of a Jesuit with +the King, without having given him my secret instructions, without a +hostage, a pledge, or his fidelity to my orders! What neglect! Joseph, +take a pen, and write what I shall dictate for the other confessor, whom +we will choose better. I think of Father Sirmond." + +Father Joseph sat down at the large table, ready to write, and the +Cardinal dictated to him those duties, of a new kind, which shortly +afterward he dared to have given to the King, who received them, +respected them, and learned them by heart as the commandments of the +Church. They have come down to us, a terrible monument of the empire +that a man may seize upon by means of circumstances, intrigues, and +audacity: + + "I. A prince should have a prime minister, and that minister three + qualities: (1) He should have no passion but for his prince; (2) He + should be able and faithful; (3) He should be an ecclesiastic. + + "II. A prince ought perfectly to love his prime minister. + + "III. Ought never to change his prime minister. + + "IV. Ought to tell him all things. + + "V. To give him free access to his person. + + "VI. To give him sovereign authority over his people. + + "VII. Great honors and large possessions. + + "VIII. A prince has no treasure more precious than his prime + minister. + + "IX. A prince should not put faith in what people say against his + prime minister, nor listen to any such slanders. + + "X. A prince should reveal to his prime minister all that is said + against him, even though he has been bound to keep it secret. + + "XI. A prince should prefer not only the well-being of the State, + but also his prime minister, to all his relations." + +Such were the commandments of the god of France, less astonishing in +themselves than the terrible naivete which made him bequeath them to +posterity, as if posterity also must believe in him. + +While he dictated his instructions, reading them from a small piece of +paper, written with his own hand, a deep melancholy seemed to possess +him more and more at each word; and when he had ended, he fell back in +his chair, his arms crossed, and his head sunk on his breast. + +Father Joseph, dropping his pen, arose and was inquiring whether he were +ill, when he heard issue from the depths of his chest these mournful and +memorable words: + +"What utter weariness! what endless trouble! If the ambitious man +could see me, he would flee to a desert. What is my power? A miserable +reflection of the royal power; and what labors to fix upon my star +that incessantly wavering ray! For twenty years I have been in vain +attempting it. I can not comprehend that man. He dare not flee me; but +they take him from me--he glides through my fingers. What things could +I not have done with his hereditary rights, had I possessed them? But, +employing such infinite calculation in merely keeping one's balance, +what of genius remains for high enterprises? I hold Europe in my hand, +yet I myself am suspended by a trembling hair. What is it to me that +I can cast my eyes confidently over the map of Europe, when all my +interests are concentrated in his narrow cabinet, and its few feet of +space give me more trouble to govern than the whole country besides? +See, then, what it is to be a prime minister! Envy me, my guards, if you +can." + +His features were so distorted as to give reason to fear some accident; +and at the same moment he was seized with a long and violent fit of +coughing, which ended in a slight hemorrhage. He saw that Father Joseph, +alarmed, was about to seize a gold bell that stood on the table, and, +suddenly rising with all the vivacity of a young man, he stopped him, +saying: + +"'Tis nothing, Joseph; I sometimes yield to these fits of depression; +but they do not last long, and I leave them stronger than before. As for +my health, I know my condition perfectly; but that is not the business +in hand. What have you done at Paris? I am glad to know the King has +arrived in Bearn, as I wished; we shall be able to keep a closer watch +upon him. How did you induce him to come away?" + +"A battle at Perpignan." + +"That is not bad. Well, we can arrange it for him; that occupation will +do as well as another just now. But the young Queen, what says she?" + +"She is still furious against you; her correspondence discovered, the +questioning to which you had subjected her--" + +"Bah! a madrigal and a momentary submission on my part will make her +forget that I have separated her from her house of Austria and from the +country of her Buckingham. But how does she occupy herself?" + +"In machinations with Monsieur. But as we have his entire confidence, +here are the daily accounts of their interviews." + +"I shall not trouble myself to read them; while the Duc de Bouillon +remains in Italy I have nothing to fear in that quarter. She may have +as many petty plots with Gaston in the chimney-corner as she pleases; he +never got beyond his excellent intentions, forsooth! He carries nothing +into effect but his withdrawal from the kingdom. He has had his third +dismissal; I will manage a fourth for him whenever he pleases; he is not +worth the pistol-shot you had the Comte de Soissons settled with, and +yet the poor Comte had scarce more energy than he." + +And the Cardinal, reseating himself in his chair, began to laugh gayly +enough for a statesman. + +"I always laugh when I think of their expedition to Amiens. They had me +between them, Each had fully five hundred gentlemen with him, armed to +the teeth, and all going to despatch me, like Concini; but the great +Vitry was not there. They very quietly let me talk for an hour with them +about the hunt and the Fete Dieu, and neither of them dared make a sign +to their cut-throats. I have since learned from Chavigny that for two +long months they had been waiting that happy moment. For myself, +indeed, I observed nothing, except that little villain, the Abbe de +Gondi,--[Afterward Cardinal de Retz.]--who prowled near me, and seemed +to have something hidden under his sleeve; it was he that made me get +into the coach." + +"Apropos of the Abbe, my lord, the Queen insists upon making him +coadjutor." + +"She is mad! he will ruin her if she connects herself with him; he's a +musketeer in canonicals, the devil in a cassock. Read his 'Histoire de +Fiesque'; you may see himself in it. He will be nothing while I live." + +"How is it that with a judgment like yours you bring another ambitious +man of his age to court?" + +"That is an entirely different matter. This young Cinq-Mars, my friend, +will be a mere puppet. He will think of nothing but his ruff and his +shoulder-knots; his handsome figure assures me of this. I know that he +is gentle and weak; it was for this reason I preferred him to his elder +brother. He will do whatever we wish." + +"Ah, my lord," said the monk, with an expression of doubt, "I never +place much reliance on people whose exterior is so calm; the hidden +flame is often all the more dangerous. Recollect the Marechal d'Effiat, +his father." + +"But I tell you he is a boy, and I shall bring him up; while Gondi is +already an accomplished conspirator, an ambitious knave who sticks at +nothing. He has dared to dispute Madame de la Meilleraie with me. Can +you conceive it? He dispute with me! A petty priestling, who has +no other merit than a little lively small-talk and a cavalier air. +Fortunately, the husband himself took care to get rid of him." + +Father Joseph, who listened with equal impatience to his master when +he spoke of his 'bonnes fortunes' or of his verses, made, however, a +grimace which he meant to be very sly and insinuating, but which was +simply ugly and awkward; he fancied that the expression of his mouth, +twisted about like a monkey's, conveyed, "Ah! who can resist your +Eminence?" But his Eminence only read there, "I am a clown who knows +nothing of the great world"; and, without changing his voice, he +suddenly said, taking up a despatch from the table: + +"The Duc de Rohan is dead, that is good news; the Huguenots are ruined. +He is a lucky man. I had him condemned by the Parliament of Toulouse +to be torn in pieces by four horses, and here he dies quietly on the +battlefield of Rheinfeld. But what matters? The result is the same. +Another great head is laid low! How they have fallen since that of +Montmorency! I now see hardly any that do not bow before me. We have +already punished almost all our dupes of Versailles; assuredly they have +nothing with which to reproach me. I simply exercise against them the +law of retaliation, treating them as they would have treated me in the +council of the Queen-mother. The old dotard Bassompierre shall be doomed +for perpetual imprisonment, and so shall the assassin Marechal de +Vitry, for that was the punishment they voted me. As for Marillac, who +counselled death, I reserve death for him at the first false step he +makes, and I beg thee, Joseph, to remind me of him; we must be just to +all. The Duc de Bouillon still keeps up his head proudly on account +of his Sedan, but I shall make him yield. Their blindness is truly +marvellous! They think themselves all free to conspire, not perceiving +that they are merely fluttering at the ends of the threads that I hold +in my hand, and which I lengthen now and then to give them air and +space. Did the Huguenots cry out as one man at the death of their dear +duke?" + +"Less so than at the affair of Loudun, which is happily concluded." + +"What! Happily? I hope that Grandier is dead?" + +"Yes; that is what I meant. Your Eminence may be fully satisfied. All +was settled in twenty-four hours. He is no longer thought of. Only +Laubardemont committed a slight blunder in making the trial public. This +caused a little tumult; but we have a description of the rioters, and +measures have been taken to seek them out." + +"This is well, very well. Urbain was too superior a man to be left +there; he was turning Protestant. I would wager that he would have ended +by abjuring. His work against the celibacy of priests made me conjecture +this; and in cases of doubt, remember, Joseph, it is always best to cut +the tree before the fruit is gathered. These Huguenots, you see, form +a regular republic in the State. If once they had a majority in France, +the monarchy would be lost, and they would establish some popular +government which might be durable." + +"And what deep pain do they daily cause our holy Father the Pope!" said +Joseph. + +"Ah," interrupted the Cardinal, "I see; thou wouldst remind me of his +obstinacy in not giving thee the hat. Be tranquil; I will speak to-day +on the subject to the new ambassador we are sending, the Marechal +d'Estrees, and he will, on his arrival, doubtless obtain that which +has been in train these two years--thy nomination to the cardinalate. +I myself begin to think that the purple would become thee well, for it +does not show blood-stains." + +And both burst into laughter--the one as a master, overwhelming the +assassin whom he pays with his utter scorn; the other as a slave, +resigned to all the humiliation by which he rises. + +The laughter which the ferocious pleasantry of the old minister had +excited had hardly subsided, when the door opened, and a page announced +several couriers who had arrived simultaneously from different points. +Father Joseph arose, and, leaning against the wall like an Egyptian +mummy, allowed nothing to appear upon his face but an expression of +stolid contemplation. Twelve messengers entered successively, attired in +various disguises; one appeared to be a Swiss soldier, another a sutler, +a third a master-mason. They had been introduced into the palace by a +secret stairway and corridor, and left the cabinet by a door opposite +that at which they had entered, without any opportunity of meeting one +another or communicating the contents of their despatches. Each laid a +rolled or folded packet of papers on the large table, spoke for a moment +with the Cardinal in the embrasure of a window and withdrew. Richelieu +had risen on the entrance of the first messenger, and, careful to do all +himself, had received them all, listened to all, and with his own hand +had closed the door upon all. When the last was gone, he signed to +Father Joseph, and, without speaking, both proceeded to unfold, or, +rather, to tear open, the packets of despatches, and in a few words +communicated to each other the substance of the letters. + +"The Due de Weimar pursues his advantage; the Duc Charles is defeated. +Our General is in good spirits; here are some of his lively remarks at +table. Good!" + +"Monseigneur le Vicomte de Turenne has retaken the towns of Lorraine; +and here are his private conversations--" + +"Oh! pass over them; they can not be dangerous. He is ever a good and +honest man, in no way mixing himself up with politics; so that some one +gives him a little army to play at chess with, no matter against whom, +he is content. We shall always be good friends." + +"The Long Parliament still endures in England. The Commons pursue +their project; there are massacres in Ireland. The Earl of Strafford is +condemned to death." + +"To death! Horrible!" + +"I will read: 'His Majesty Charles I has not had the courage to sign the +sentence, but he has appointed four commissioners.'" + +"Weak king, I abandon thee! Thou shalt have no more of our money. Fall, +since thou art ungrateful! Unhappy Wentworth!" + +A tear rose in the eyes of Richelieu as he said this; the man who had +but now played with the lives of so many others wept for a minister +abandoned by his prince. The similarity between that position and his +own affected him, and it was his own case he deplored in the person of +the foreign minister. He ceased to read aloud the despatches that +he opened, and his confidant followed his example. He examined with +scrupulous attention the detailed accounts of the most minute and +secret actions of each person of any importance-accounts which he always +required to be added to the official despatches made by his able spies. +All the despatches to the King passed through his hands, and were +carefully revised so as to reach the King amended to the state in which +he wished him to read them. The private notes were all carefully burned +by the monk after the Cardinal had ascertained their contents. The +latter, however, seemed by no means satisfied, and he was walking +quickly to and fro with gestures expressive of anxiety, when the door +opened, and a thirteenth courier entered. This one seemed a boy hardly +fourteen years old; he held under his arm a packet sealed with black +for the King, and gave to the Cardinal only a small letter, of which +a stolen glance from Joseph could collect but four words. The Cardinal +started, tore the billet into a thousand pieces, and, bending down to +the ear of the boy, spoke to him for a long time; all that Joseph heard +was, as the messenger went out: + +"Take good heed to this; not until twelve hours from this time." + +During this aside of the Cardinal, Joseph was occupied in concealing an +infinite number of libels from Flanders and Germany, which the minister +always insisted upon seeing, however bitter they might be to him. In +this respect, he affected a philosophy which he was far from possessing, +and to deceive those around him he would sometimes pretend that his +enemies were not wholly wrong, and would outwardly laugh at their +pleasantries; but those who knew his character better detected bitter +rage lurking under this apparent moderation, and knew that he was never +satisfied until he had got the hostile book condemned by the parliament +to be burned in the Place de Greve, as "injurious to the King, in the +person of his minister, the most illustrious Cardinal," as we read in +the decrees of the time, and that his only regret was that the author +was not in the place of his book--a satisfaction he gave himself +whenever he could, as in the case of Urbain Grandier. + +It was his colossal pride which he thus avenged, without avowing it even +to himself--nay, laboring for a length of time, sometimes for a whole +twelvemonth together, to persuade himself that the interest of the State +was concerned in the matter. Ingenious in connecting his private affairs +with the affairs of France, he had convinced himself that she bled +from the wounds which he received. Joseph, careful not to irritate +his ill-temper at this moment, put aside and concealed a book entitled +'Mystres Politiques du Cardinal de la Rochelle'; also another, +attributed to a monk of Munich, entitled 'Questions quolibetiques, +ajustees au temps present, et Impiete Sanglante du dieu Mars'. The +worthy advocate Aubery, who has given us one of the most faithful +histories of the most eminent Cardinal, is transported with rage at the +mere title of the first of these books, and exclaims that "the great +minister had good reason to glorify himself that his enemies, inspired +against their will with the same enthusiasm which conferred the gift of +rendering oracles upon the ass of Balaam, upon Caiaphas and others, +who seemed most unworthy of the gift of prophecy, called him with good +reason Cardinal de la Rochelle, since three years after their writing +he reduced that town; thus Scipio was called Africanus for having +subjugated that PROVINCE!" Very little was wanting to make Father +Joseph, who had necessarily the same feelings, express his indignation +in the same terms; for he remembered with bitterness the ridiculous part +he had played in the siege of Rochelle, which, though not a province +like Africa, had ventured to resist the most eminent Cardinal, and into +which Father Joseph, piquing himself on his military skill, had proposed +to introduce the troops through a sewer. However, he restrained himself, +and had time to conceal the libel in the pocket of his brown robe ere +the minister had dismissed his young courier and returned to the table. + +"And now to depart, Joseph," he said. "Open the doors to all that +court which besieges me, and let us go to the King, who awaits me at +Perpignan; this time I have him for good." + +The Capuchin drew back, and immediately the pages, throwing open the +gilded doors, announced in succession the greatest lords of the period, +who had obtained permission from the King to come and salute the +minister. Some, even, under the pretext of illness or business, had +departed secretly, in order not to be among the last at Richelieu's +reception; and the unhappy monarch found himself almost as alone as +other kings find themselves on their deathbeds. But with him, the throne +seemed, in the eyes of the court, his dying couch, his reign a continual +last agony, and his minister a threatening successor. + +Two pages, of the first families of France, stood at the door, where the +ushers announced each of the persons whom Father Joseph had found in the +ante room. The Cardinal, still seated in his great arm chair, remained +motionless as the common couriers entered, inclined his head to the more +distinguished, and to princes alone put his hands on the elbows of his +chair and slightly rose; each person, having profoundly saluted him, +stood before him near the fireplace, waited till he had spoken to him, +and then, at a wave of his hand, completed the circuit of the room, and +went out by the same door at which he had entered, paused for a moment +to salute Father Joseph, who aped his master, and who for that reason +had been named "his Gray Eminence," and at last quitted the palace, +unless, indeed, he remained standing behind the chair, if the minister +had signified that he should, which was considered a token of very great +favor. + +He allowed to pass several insignificant persons, and many whose merits +were useless to him; the first whom he stopped in the procession was the +Marechal d'Estrees, who, about to set out on an embassy to Rome, came +to make his adieux; those behind him stopped short. This circumstance +warned the courtiers in the anteroom that a longer conversation than +usual was on foot, and Father Joseph, advancing to the threshold, +exchanged with the Cardinal a glance which seemed to say, on the one +side, "Remember the promise you have just made me," on the other, "Set +your mind at rest." At the same time, the expert Capuchin let his master +see that he held upon his arm one of his victims, whom he was forming +into a docile instrument; this was a young gentleman who wore a very +short green cloak, a pourpoint of the same color, close-fitting red +breeches, with glittering gold garters below the knee-the costume of the +pages of Monsieur. Father Joseph, indeed, spoke to him secretly, but not +in the way the Cardinal imagined; for he contemplated being his equal, +and was preparing other connections, in case of defection on the part of +the prime minister. + +"Tell Monsieur not to trust in appearances, and that he has no servant +more faithful than I. The Cardinal is on the decline, and my conscience +tells me to warn against his faults him who may inherit the royal power +during the minority. To give your great Prince a proof of my faith, tell +him that it is intended to arrest his friend, Puy-Laurens, and that he +had better be kept out of the way, or the Cardinal will put him in the +Bastille." + +While the servant was thus betraying his master, the master, not to +be behindhand with him, betrayed his servant. His self-love, and some +remnant of respect to the Church, made him shudder at the idea of seeing +a contemptible agent invested with the same hat which he himself wore +as a crown, and seated as high as himself, except as to the precarious +position of minister. Speaking, therefore, in an undertone to the +Marechal d'Estrees, he said: + +"It is not necessary to importune Urbain VIII any further in favor of +the Capuchin you see yonder; it is enough that his Majesty has deigned +to name him for the cardinalate. One can readily conceive the repugnance +of his Holiness to clothe this mendicant in the Roman purple." + +Then, passing on to general matters, he continued: + +"Truly, I know not what can have cooled the Holy Father toward us; what +have we done that was not for the glory of our Holy Mother, the Catholic +Church?" + +"I myself said the first mass at Rochelle, and you see for yourself, +Monsieur le Marechal, that our habit is everywhere; and even in your +armies, the Cardinal de la Vallette has commanded gloriously in the +palatinate." + +"And has just made a very fine retreat," said the Marechal, laying a +slight emphasis upon the word. + +The minister continued, without noticing this little outburst of +professional jealousy, and raising his voice, said: + +"God has shown that He did not scorn to send the spirit of victory upon +his Levites, for the Duc de Weimar did not more powerfully aid in the +conquest of Lorraine than did this pious Cardinal, and never was a naval +army better commanded than by our Archbishop of Bordeaux at Rochelle." + +It was well known that at this very time the minister was incensed +against this prelate, whose haughtiness was so overbearing, and whose +impertinent ebullitions were so frequent as to have involved him in +two very disagreeable affairs at Bordeaux. Four years before, the Duc +d'Epernon, then governor of Guyenne, followed by all his train and by +his troops, meeting him among his clergy in a procession, had called +him an insolent fellow, and given him two smart blows with his cane; +whereupon the Archbishop had excommunicated him. And again, recently, +despite this lesson, he had quarrelled with the Marechal de Vitry, +from whom he had received "twenty blows with a cane or stick, which you +please," wrote the Cardinal Duke to the Cardinal de la Vallette, "and +I think he would like to excommunicate all France." In fact, he did +excommunicate the Marechal's baton, remembering that in the former case +the Pope had obliged the Duc d'Epernon to ask his pardon; but M. Vitry, +who had caused the Marechal d'Ancre to be assassinated, stood too high +at court for that, and the Archbishop, in addition to his beating, got +well scolded by the minister. + +M. d'Estrees thought, therefore, sagely that there might be some irony +in the Cardinal's manner of referring to the warlike talents of the +Archbishop, and he answered, with perfect sang-froid: + +"It is true, my lord, no one can say that it was upon the sea he was +beaten." + +His Eminence could not restrain a smile at this; but seeing that the +electrical effect of that smile had created others in the hall, as well +as whisperings and conjectures, he immediately resumed his gravity, and +familiarly taking the Marechal's arm, said: + +"Come, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur, you are ready at repartee. With you I +should not fear Cardinal Albornos, or all the Borgias in the world--no, +nor all the efforts of their Spain with the Holy Father." + +Then, raising his voice, and looking around, as if addressing himself to +the silent, and, so to speak, captive assembly, he continued: + +"I hope that we shall no more be reproached, as formerly, for having +formed an alliance with one of the greatest men of our day; but as +Gustavus Adolphus is dead, the Catholic King will no longer have any +pretext for soliciting the excommunication of the most Christian King. +How say you, my dear lord?" addressing himself to the Cardinal de la +Vallette, who now approached, fortunately without having heard the late +allusion to himself. "Monsieur d'Estrees, remain near our chair; we have +still many things to say to you, and you are not one too many in our +conversations, for we have no secrets. Our policy is frank and open to +all men; the interest of his Majesty and of the State--nothing more." + +The Marechal made a profound bow, fell back behind the chair of +the minister, and gave place to the Cardinal de la Vallette, who, +incessantly bowing and flattering and swearing devotion and entire +obedience to the Cardinal, as if to expiate the obduracy of his father, +the Duc d'Epernon, received in return a few vague words, to no meaning +or purpose, the Cardinal all the while looking toward the door, to +see who should follow. He had even the mortification to find himself +abruptly interrupted by the minister, who cried at the most flattering +period of his honeyed discourse: + +"Ah! is that you at last, my dear Fabert? How I have longed to see you, +to talk of the siege!" + +The General, with a brusque and awkward manner, saluted the +Cardinal-Generalissimo, and presented to him the officers who had come +from the camp with him. He talked some time of the operations of the +siege, and the Cardinal seemed to be paying him court now, in order +to prepare him afterward for receiving his orders even on the field of +battle; he spoke to the officers who accompanied him, calling them by +their names, and questioning them about the camp. + +They all stood aside to make way for the Duc d'Angouleme--that Valois, +who, having struggled against Henri IV, now prostrated himself before +Richelieu. He solicited a command, having been only third in rank at +the siege of Rochelle. After him came young Mazarin, ever supple and +insinuating, but already confident in his fortune. + +The Duc d'Halluin came after them; the Cardinal broke off the +compliments he was addressing to the others, to utter, in a loud voice: + +"Monsieur le Duc, I inform you with pleasure that the King has made you +a marshal of France; you will sign yourself Schomberg, will you not, at +Leucate, delivered, as we hope, by you? But pardon me, here is Monsieur +de Montauron, who has doubtless something important to communicate." + +"Oh, no, my lord, I would only say that the poor young man whom you +deigned to consider in your service is dying of hunger." + +"Pshaw! at such a moment to speak of things like this! Your little +Corneille will not write anything good; we have only seen 'Le Cid' and +'Les Horaces' as yet. Let him work, let him work! it is known that he +is in my service, and that is disagreeable. However, since you interest +yourself in the matter, I give him a pension of five hundred crowns on +my privy purse." + +The Chancellor of the Exchequer retired, charmed with the liberality +of the minister, and went home to receive with great affability the +dedication of Cinna, wherein the great Corneille compares his soul +to that of Augustus, and thanks him for having given alms 'a quelques +Muses'. + +The Cardinal, annoyed by this importunity, rose, observing that the day +was advancing, and that it was time to set out to visit the King. + +At this moment, and as the greatest noblemen present were offering their +arms to aid him in walking, a man in the robe of a referendary advanced +toward him, saluting him with a complacent and confident smile which +astonished all the people there, accustomed to the great world, seeming +to say: "We have secret affairs together; you shall see how agreeable he +makes himself to me. I am at home in his cabinet." His heavy and awkward +manner, however, betrayed a very inferior being; it was Laubardemont. + +Richelieu knit his brows when he saw him, and cast a glance at Joseph; +then, turning toward those who surrounded him, he said, with bitter +scorn: + +"Is there some criminal about us to be apprehended?" + +Then, turning his back upon the discomfited Laubardemont, the Cardinal +left him redder than his robe, and, preceded by the crowd of personages +who were to escort him in carriages or on horseback, he descended the +great staircase of the palace. + +All the people and the authorities of Narbonne viewed this royal +departure with amazement. + +The Cardinal entered alone a spacious square litter, in which he was +to travel to Perpignan, his infirmities not permitting him to go in +a coach, or to perform the journey on horseback. This kind of moving +chamber contained a bed, a table, and a small chair for the page who +wrote or read for him. This machine, covered with purple damask, was +carried by eighteen men, who were relieved at intervals of a league; +they were selected among his guards, and always performed this service +of honor with uncovered heads, however hot or wet the weather might be. +The Duc d'Angouleme, the Marechals de Schomberg and d'Estrees, Fabert, +and other dignitaries were on horseback beside the litter; after them, +among the most prominent were the Cardinal de la Vallette and Mazarin, +with Chavigny, and the Marechal de Vitry, anxious to avoid the Bastille, +with which it was said he was threatened. + +Two coaches followed for the Cardinal's secretaries, physicians, and +confessor; then eight others, each with four horses, for his gentlemen, +and twenty-four mules for his luggage. Two hundred musketeers on foot +marched close behind him, and his company of men-at-arms of the guard +and his light-horse, all gentlemen, rode before and behind him on +splendid horses. + +Such was the equipage in which the prime minister proceeded to +Perpignan; the size of the litter often made it necessary to enlarge the +roads, and knock down the walls of some of the towns and villages on the +way, into which it could not otherwise enter, "so that," say the authors +and manuscripts of the time, full of a sincere admiration for all this +luxury--"so that he seemed a conqueror entering by the breach." We have +sought in vain with great care in these documents, for any account of +proprietors or inhabitants of these dwellings so making room for his +passage who shared in this admiration; but we have been unable to find +any mention of such. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. THE INTERVIEW + +The pompous cortege of the Cardinal halted at the beginning of the camp. +All the armed troops were drawn up in the finest order; and amid the +sound of cannon and the music of each regiment the litter traversed a +long line of cavalry and infantry, formed from the outermost tent to +that of the minister, pitched at some distance from the royal quarters, +and which its purple covering distinguished at a distance. Each general +of division obtained a nod or a word from the Cardinal, who at length +reaching his tent and, dismissing his train, shut himself in, waiting +for the time to present himself to the King. But, before him, every +person of his escort had repaired thither individually, and, without +entering the royal abode, had remained in the long galleries covered +with striped stuff, and arranged as became avenues leading to the +Prince. The courtiers walking in groups, saluted one another and shook +hands, regarding each other haughtily, according to their connections or +the lords to whom they belonged. Others whispered together, and showed +signs of astonishment, pleasure, or anger, which showed that something +extraordinary had taken place. Among a thousand others, one singular +dialogue occurred in a corner of the principal gallery. + +"May I ask, Monsieur l'Abbe, why you look at me so fixedly?" + +"Parbleu! Monsieur de Launay, it is because I'm curious to see what you +will do. All the world abandons your Cardinal-Duke since your journey +into Touraine; if you do not believe it, go and ask the people of +Monsieur or of the Queen. You are behind-hand ten minutes by the +watch with the Cardinal de la Vallette, who has just shaken hands with +Rochefort and the gentlemen of the late Comte de Soissons, whom I shall +regret as long as I live." + +"Monsieur de Gondi, I understand you; is it a challenge with which you +honor me?" + +"Yes, Monsieur le Comte," answered the young Abbe, saluting him with all +the gravity of the time; "I sought an occasion to challenge you in the +name of Monsieur d'Attichi, my friend, with whom you had something to do +at Paris." + +"Monsieur l'Abbe, I am at your command. I will seek my seconds; do you +the same." + +"On horseback, with sword and pistol, I suppose?" added Gondi, with the +air of a man arranging a party of pleasure, lightly brushing the sleeve +of his cassock. + +"If you please," replied the other. And they separated for a time, +saluting one another with the greatest politeness, and with profound +bows. + +A brilliant crowd of gentlemen circulated around them in the gallery. +They mingled with it to procure friends for the occasion. All the +elegance of the costumes of the day was displayed by the court that +morning-small cloaks of every color, in velvet or in satin, embroidered +with gold or silver; crosses of St. Michael and of the Holy Ghost; the +ruffs, the sweeping hat-plumes, the gold shoulder-knots, the chains +by which the long swords hung: all glittered and sparkled, yet not so +brilliantly as did the fiery glances of those warlike youths, or +their sprightly conversation, or their intellectual laughter. Amid the +assembly grave personages and great lords passed on, followed by their +numerous gentlemen. + +The little Abbe de Gondi, who was very shortsighted, made his way +through the crowd, knitting his brows and half shutting his eyes, that +he might see the better, and twisting his moustache, for ecclesiastics +wore them in those days. He looked closely at every one in order to +recognize his friends, and at last stopped before a young man, very tall +and dressed in black from head to foot; his sword, even, was of quite +dark, bronzed steel. He was talking with a captain of the guards, when +the Abbe de Gondi took him aside. + +"Monsieur de Thou," said he, "I need you as my second in an hour, on +horseback, with sword and pistol, if you will do me that honor." + +"Monsieur, you know I am entirely at your service on all occasions. +Where shall we meet?" + +"In front of the Spanish bastion, if you please." + +"Pardon me for returning to a conversation that greatly interests me. I +will be punctual at the rendezvous." + +And De Thou quitted him to rejoin the Captain. He had said all this in +the gentlest of voices with unalterable coolness, and even with somewhat +of an abstracted manner. + +The little Abbe squeezed his hand with warm satisfaction, and continued +his search. + +He did not so easily effect an agreement with the young lords to whom he +addressed himself; for they knew him better than did De Thou, and when +they saw him coming they tried to avoid him, or laughed at him openly, +and would not promise to serve him. + +"Ah, Abbe! there you are hunting again; I'll swear it's a second you +want," said the Duc de Beaufort. + +"And I wager," added M. de la Rochefoucauld, "that it's against one of +the Cardinal-Duke's people." + +"You are both right, gentlemen; but since when have you laughed at +affairs of honor?" + +"The saints forbid I should," said M. de Beaufort. "Men of the sword +like us ever reverence tierce, quarte, and octave; but as for the folds +of the cassock, I know nothing of them." + +"Pardieu! Monsieur, you know well enough that it does not embarrass +my wrist, as I will prove to him who chooses; as to the gown itself, I +should like to throw it into the gutter." + +"Is it to tear it that you fight so often?" asked La Rochefoucauld. "But +remember, my dear Abbe, that you yourself are within it." + +Gondi turned to look at the clock, wishing to lose no more time in such +sorry jests; but he had no better success elsewhere. Having stopped +two gentlemen in the service of the young Queen, whom he thought +ill-affected toward the Cardinal, and consequently glad to measure +weapons with his creatures, one of them said to him very gravely: + +"Monsieur de Gondi, you know what has just happened; the King has said +aloud, 'Whether our imperious Cardinal wishes it or not, the widow of +Henri le Grand shall no longer remain in exile.' Imperious! the King +never before said anything so strong as that, Monsieur l'Abbe, mark +that. Imperious! it is open disgrace. Certainly no one will dare to +speak to him; no doubt he will quit the court this very day." + +"I have heard this, Monsieur, but I have an affair--" + +"It is lucky for you he stopped short in the middle of your career." + +"An affair of honor--" + +"Whereas Mazarin is quite a friend of yours." + +"But will you, or will you not, listen to me?" + +"Yes, a friend indeed! your adventures are always uppermost in his +thoughts. Your fine duel with Monsieur de Coutenan about the pretty +little pin-maker,--he even spoke of it to the King. Adieu, my dear Abbe, +we are in great haste; adieu, adieu!" And, taking his friend's arm, the +young mocker, without listening to another word, walked rapidly down the +gallery and disappeared in the throng. + +The poor Abbe was much mortified at being able to get only one second, +and was watching sadly the passing of the hour and of the crowd, when +he perceived a young gentleman whom he did not know, seated at a +table, leaning on his elbow with a pensive air; he wore mourning which +indicated no connection with any great house or party, and appeared to +await, without any impatience, the time for attending the King, looking +with a heedless air at those who surrounded him, and seeming not to +notice or to know any of them. + +Gondi looked at him a moment, and accosted him without hesitation: + +"Monsieur, I have not the honor of your acquaintance, but a +fencing-party can never be unpleasant to a man of honor; and if you will +be my second, in a quarter of an hour we shall be on the ground. I am +Paul de Gondi; and I have challenged Monsieur de Launay, one of the +Cardinal's clique, but in other respects a very gallant fellow." + +The unknown, apparently not at all surprised at this address, replied, +without changing his attitude: "And who are his seconds?" + +"Faith, I don't know; but what matters it who serves him? We stand no +worse with our friends for having exchanged a thrust with them." + +The stranger smiled nonchalantly, paused for an instant to pass his hand +through his long chestnut hair, and then said, looking idly at a large, +round watch which hung at his waist: + +"Well, Monsieur, as I have nothing better to do, and as I have no +friends here, I am with you; it will pass the time as well as anything +else." + +And, taking his large, black-plumed hat from the table, he followed the +warlike Abbe, who went quickly before him, often running back to hasten +him on, like a child running before his father, or a puppy that goes +backward and forward twenty times before it gets to the end of a street. + +Meanwhile, two ushers, attired in the royal livery, opened the great +curtains which separated the gallery from the King's tent, and silence +reigned. The courtiers began to enter slowly, and in succession, the +temporary dwelling of the Prince. He received them all gracefully, and +was the first to meet the view of each person introduced. + +Before a very small table surrounded with gilt armchairs stood Louis +XIII, encircled by the great officers of the crown. His dress was very +elegant: a kind of fawn-colored vest, with open sleeves, ornamented with +shoulder-knots and blue ribbons, covered him down to the waist. Wide +breeches reached to the knee, and the yellow-and-red striped stuff +of which they were made was ornamented below with blue ribbons. His +riding-boots, reaching hardly more than three inches above the ankle, +were turned over, showing so lavish a lining of lace that they seemed to +hold it as a vase holds flowers. A small mantle of blue velvet, on which +was embroidered the cross of the Holy Ghost, covered the King's left +arm, which rested on the hilt of his sword. + +His head was uncovered, and his pale and noble face was distinctly +visible, lighted by the sun, which penetrated through the top of the +tent. The small, pointed beard then worn augmented the appearance of +thinness in his face, while it added to its melancholy expression. By +his lofty brow, his classic profile, his aquiline nose, he was at once +recognized as a prince of the great race of Bourbon. He had all the +characteristic traits of his ancestors except their penetrating +glance; his eyes seemed red from weeping, and veiled with a perpetual +drowsiness; and the weakness of his vision gave him a somewhat vacant +look. + +He called around him, and was attentive to, the greatest enemies of the +Cardinal, whom he expected every moment; and, balancing himself with +one foot over the other, an hereditary habit of his family, he spoke +quickly, but pausing from time to time to make a gracious inclination of +the head, or a gesture of the hand, to those who passed before him with +low reverences. + +The court had been thus paying its respects to the King for two hours +before the Cardinal appeared; the whole court stood in close ranks +behind the Prince, and in the long galleries which extended from +his tent. Already longer intervals elapsed between the names of the +courtiers who were announced. + +"Shall we not see our cousin the Cardinal?" said the King, turning, and +looking at Montresor, one of Monsieur's gentlemen, as if to encourage +him to answer. + +"He is said to be very ill just now, Sire," was the answer. + +"And yet I do not see how any but your Majesty can cure him," said the +Duc de Beaufort. + +"We cure nothing but the king's evil," replied Louis; "and the +complaints of the Cardinal are always so mysterious that we own we can +not understand them." + +The Prince thus essayed to brave his minister, gaining strength in +jests, the better to break his yoke, insupportable, but so difficult to +remove. He almost thought he had succeeded in this, and, sustained +by the joyous air surrounding him, he already privately congratulated +himself on having been able to assume the supreme empire, and for the +moment enjoyed all the power of which he fancied himself possessed. An +involuntary agitation in the depth of his heart had warned him indeed +that, the hour passed, all the burden of the State would fall upon +himself alone; but he talked in order to divert the troublesome thought, +and, concealing from himself the doubt he had of his own inability +to reign, he set his imagination to work upon the result of his +enterprises, thus forcing himself to forget the tedious roads which had +led to them. Rapid phrases succeeded one another on his lips. + +"We shall soon take Perpignan," he said to Fabert, who stood at some +distance. + +"Well, Cardinal, Lorraine is ours," he added to La Vallette. Then, +touching Mazarin's arm: + +"It is not so difficult to manage a State as is supposed, eh?" + +The Italian, who was not so sure of the Cardinal's disgrace as most of +the courtiers, answered, without compromising himself: + +"Ah, Sire, the late successes of your Majesty at home and abroad prove +your sagacity in choosing your instruments and in directing them, and--" + +But the Duc de Beaufort, interrupting him with that self-confidence, +that loud voice and overbearing air, which subsequently procured him the +surname of Important, cried out, vehemently: + +"Pardieu! Sire, it needs only to will. A nation is driven like a horse, +with spur and bridle; and as we are all good horsemen, your Majesty has +only to choose among us." + +This fine sally had not time to take effect, for two ushers cried, +simultaneously, "His Eminence!" + +The King's face flushed involuntarily, as if he had been surprised en +flagrant delit. But immediately gaining confidence, he assumed an air of +resolute haughtiness, which was not lost upon the minister. + +The latter, attired in all the pomp of a cardinal, leaning upon two +young pages, and followed by his captain of the guards and more than +five hundred gentlemen attached to his house, advanced toward the King +slowly and pausing at each step, as if forced to it by his sufferings, +but in reality to observe the faces before him. A glance sufficed. + +His suite remained at the entrance of the royal tent; of all those +within it, not one was bold enough to salute him, or to look toward +him. Even La Vallette feigned to be occupied in a conversation with +Montresor; and the King, who desired to give him an unfavorable +reception, greeted him lightly and continued a private conversation in a +low voice with the Duc de Beaufort. + +The Cardinal was therefore forced, after the first salute, to stop and +pass to the side of the crowd of courtiers, as if he wished to mingle +with them, but in reality to test them more closely; they all recoiled +as at the sight of a leper. Fabert alone advanced toward him with the +frank, brusque air habitual with him, and, making use of the terms +belonging to his profession, said: + +"Well, my lord, you make a breach in the midst of them like a +cannon-ball; I ask pardon in their name." + +"And you stand firm before me as before the enemy," said the Cardinal; +"you will have no cause to regret it in the end, my dear Fabert." + +Mazarin also approached the Cardinal, but with caution, and, giving to +his mobile features an expression of profound sadness, made him five +or six very low bows, turning his back to the group gathered around the +King, so that in the latter quarter they might be taken for those cold +and hasty salutations which are made to a person one desires to be rid +of, and, on the part of the Duke, for tokens of respect, blended with a +discreet and silent sorrow. + +The minister, ever calm, smiled disdainfully; and, assuming that firm +look and that air of grandeur which he always wore in the hour of +danger, he again leaned upon his pages, and, without waiting for a word +or a glance from his sovereign, he suddenly resolved upon his line of +conduct, and walked directly toward him, traversing the whole length +of the tent. No one had lost sight of him, although all affected not to +observe him. Every one now became silent, even those who were conversing +with the King. All the courtiers bent forward to see and to hear. + +Louis XIII turned toward him in astonishment, and, all presence of +mind totally failing him, remained motionless and waited with an icy +glance-his sole force, but a force very effectual in a prince. + +The Cardinal, on coming close to the monarch, did not bow; and, without +changing his attitude, with his eyes lowered and his hands placed on the +shoulders of the two boys half bending, he said: + +"Sire, I come to implore your Majesty at length to grant me the +retirement for which I have long sighed. My health is failing; I feel +that my life will soon be ended. Eternity approaches me, and before +rendering an account to the eternal King, I would render one to my +earthly sovereign. It is eighteen years, Sire, since you placed in +my hands a weak and divided kingdom; I return it to you united and +powerful. Your enemies are overthrown and humiliated. My work is +accomplished. I ask your Majesty's permission to retire to Citeaux, of +which I am abbot, and where I may end my days in prayer and meditation." + +The King, irritated by some haughty expressions in this address, showed +none of the signs of weakness which the Cardinal had expected, and +which he had always seen in him when he had threatened to resign the +management of affairs. On the contrary, feeling that he had the eyes of +the whole court upon him, Louis looked upon him with the air of a king, +and coldly replied: + +"We thank you, then, for your services, Monsieur le Cardinal, and wish +you the repose you desire." + +Richelieu was deeply moved, but no indication of his anger appeared upon +his countenance. "Such was the coldness with which you left Montmorency +to die," he said to himself; "but you shall not escape me thus." He then +continued aloud, bowing at the same time: + +"The only recompense I ask for my services is that your Majesty will +deign to accept from me, as a gift, the Palais-Cardinal I have erected +at my own expense in Paris." + +The King, astonished, bowed his assent. A murmur of surprise for a +moment agitated the attentive court. + +"I also throw myself at your Majesty's feet, to beg that you will grant +me the revocation of an act of rigor, which I solicited (I publicly +confess it), and which I perhaps regarded too hastily beneficial to the +repose of the State. Yes, when I was of this world, I was too forgetful +of my early sentiments of personal respect and attachment, in my +eagerness for the public welfare; but now that I already enjoy the +enlightenment of solitude, I see that I have done wrong, and I repent." + +The attention of the spectators was redoubled, and the uneasiness of the +King became visible. + +"Yes, there is one person, Sire, whom I have always loved, despite her +wrong toward you, and the banishment which the affairs of the kingdom +forced me to bring about for her; a person to whom I have owed much, +and who should be very dear to you, notwithstanding her armed attempts +against you; a person, in a word, whom I implore you to recall from +exile--the Queen Marie de Medicis, your mother!" + +The King uttered an involuntary exclamation, so little did he expect to +hear that name. A repressed agitation suddenly appeared upon every face. +All waited in silence the King's reply. Louis XIII looked for a long +time at his old minister without speaking, and this look decided the +fate of France; in that instant he called to mind all the indefatigable +services of Richelieu, his unbounded devotion, his wonderful capacity, +and was surprised at himself for having wished to part with him. He felt +deeply affected at this request, which had probed for the exact cause of +his anger at the bottom of his heart, and uprooted it, thus taking from +his hands the only weapon he had against his old servant. Filial love +brought words of pardon to his lips and tears into his eyes. Rejoicing +to grant what he desired most of all things in the world, he extended +his hands to the Duke with all the nobleness and kindliness of a +Bourbon. The Cardinal bowed and respectfully kissed it; and his heart, +which should have burst with remorse, only swelled in the joy of a +haughty triumph. + +The King, deeply touched, abandoning his hand to him, turned gracefully +toward his court and said, with a trembling voice: + +"We often deceive ourselves, gentlemen, and especially in our knowledge +of so great a politician as this." + +"I hope he will never leave us, since his heart is as good as his head." + +Cardinal de la Vallette instantly seized the sleeve of the King's +mantle, and kissed it with all the ardor of a lover, and the young +Mazarin did much the same with Richelieu himself, assuming, with +admirable Italian suppleness, an expression radiant with joy and +tenderness. Two streams of flatterers hastened, one toward the King, the +other toward the minister; the former group, not less adroit than the +second, although less direct, addressed to the Prince thanks which could +be heard by the minister, and burned at the feet of the one incense +which was intended for the other. As for Richelieu, bowing and smiling +to right and left, he stepped forward and stood at the right hand of +the King as his natural place. A stranger entering would rather have +thought, indeed, that it was the King who was on the Cardinal's left +hand. The Marechal d'Estrees, all the ambassadors, the Duc d'Angouleme, +the Due d'Halluin (Schomberg), the Marechal de Chatillon, and all the +great officers of the crown surrounded him, each waiting impatiently for +the compliments of the others to be finished, in order to pay his own, +fearing lest some one else should anticipate him with the flattering +epigram he had just improvised, or the phrase of adulation he was +inventing. + +As for Fabert, he had retired to a corner of the tent, and seemed to +have paid no particular attention to the scene. He was chatting with +Montresor and the gentlemen of Monsieur, all sworn enemies of the +Cardinal, because, out of the throng he avoided, he had found none but +these to speak to. This conduct would have seemed extremely tactless in +one less known; but although he lived in the midst of the court, he was +ever ignorant of its intrigues. It was said of him that he returned from +a battle he had gained, like the King's hunting-horse, leaving the dogs +to caress their master and divide the quarry, without seeking even to +remember the part he had had in the triumph. + +The storm, then, seemed entirely appeased, and to the violent agitations +of the morning succeeded a gentle calm. A respectful murmur, varied +with pleasant laughter and protestations of attachment, was all that was +heard in the tent. The voice of the Cardinal arose from time to time: +"The poor Queen! We shall, then, soon again see her! I never had dared +to hope for such happiness while I lived!" The King listened to him with +full confidence, and made no attempt to conceal his satisfaction. "It +was assuredly an idea sent to him from on high," he said; "this good +Cardinal, against whom they had so incensed me, was thinking only of +the union of my family. Since the birth of the Dauphin I have not tasted +greater joy than at this moment. The protection of the Holy Virgin is +manifested over our kingdom." + +At this moment, a captain of the guards came up and whispered in the +King's ear. + +"A courier from Cologne?" said the King; "let him wait in my cabinet." + +Then, unable to restrain his impatience, "I will go! I will go!" he +said, and entered alone a small, square tent attached to the larger one. +In it he saw a young courier holding a black portfolio, and the curtains +closed upon the King. + +The Cardinal, left sole master of the court, concentrated all its +homage; but it was observed that he no longer received it with his +former presence of mind. He inquired frequently what time it was, and +exhibited an anxiety which was not assumed; his hard, unquiet glances +turned toward the smaller tent. It suddenly opened; the King appeared +alone, and stopped on the threshold. He was paler than usual, and +trembled in every limb; he held in his hand a large letter with five +black seals. + +"Gentlemen," said he, in a loud but broken voice, "the Queen has just +died at Cologne; and I perhaps am not the first to hear of it," he +added, casting a severe look toward the impassible Cardinal, "but God +knows all! To horse in an hour, and attack the lines! Marechals, follow +me." And he turned his back abruptly, and reentered his cabinet with +them. + +The court retired after the minister, who, without giving any sign of +sorrow or annoyance, went forth as gravely as he had entered, but now a +victor. + + + + +BOOK 3. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. THE SIEGE + +There are moments in our life when we long ardently for strong +excitement to drown our petty griefs--times when the soul, like the lion +in the fable, wearied with the continual attacks of the gnat, earnestly +desires a mightier enemy and real danger. Cinq-Mars found himself in +this condition of mind, which always results from a morbid sensibility +in the organic constitution and a perpetual agitation of the heart. +Weary of continually turning over in his mind a combination of the +events which he desired, and of those which he dreaded; weary of +calculating his chances to the best of his power; of summoning to his +assistance all that his education had taught him concerning the lives +of illustrious men, in order to compare it with his present situation; +oppressed by his regrets, his dreams, predictions, fancies, and all that +imaginary world in which he had lived during his solitary journey-he +breathed freely upon finding himself thrown into a real world almost +as full of agitation; and the realizing of two actual dangers restored +circulation to his blood, and youth to his whole being. + +Since the nocturnal scene at the inn near Loudun, he had not been +able to resume sufficient empire over his mind to occupy himself with +anything save his cherished though sad reflections; and consumption +was already threatening him, when happily he arrived at the camp +of Perpignan, and happily also had the opportunity of accepting the +proposition of the Abbe de Gondi--for the reader has no doubt recognized +Cinq-Mars in the person of that young stranger in mourning, so careless +and so melancholy, whom the duellist in the cassock invited to be his +second. + +He had ordered his tent to be pitched as a volunteer in the street of +the camp assigned to the young noblemen who were to be presented to +the King and were to serve as aides-de-camp to the Generals; he +soon repaired thither, and was quickly armed, horsed, and cuirassed, +according to the custom of the time, and set out alone for the Spanish +bastion, the place of rendezvous. He was the first arrival, and found +that a small plot of turf, hidden among the works of the besieged place, +had been well chosen by the little Abbe for his homicidal purposes; for +besides the probability that no one would have suspected officers +of engaging in a duel immediately beneath the town which they were +attacking, the body of the bastion separated them from the French camp, +and would conceal them like an immense screen. It was wise to take these +precautions, for at that time it cost a man his head to give himself the +satisfaction of risking his body. + +While waiting for his friends and his adversaries, Cinq-Mars had time +to examine the southern side of Perpignan, before which he stood. He had +heard that these works were not those which were to be attacked, and +he tried in vain to account for the besieger's projects. Between this +southern face of the town, the mountains of Albere, and the Col du +Perthus, there might have been advantageous lines of attack, and +redoubts against the accessible point; but not a single soldier was +stationed there. All the forces seemed directed upon the north of +Perpignan, upon the most difficult side, against a brick fort called the +Castillet, which surmounted the gate of Notre-Dame. He discovered that a +piece of ground, apparently marshy, but in reality very solid, led up +to the very foot of the Spanish bastion; that this post was guarded with +true Castilian negligence, although its sole strength lay entirely in +its defenders; for its battlements, almost in ruin, were furnished with +four pieces of cannon of enormous calibre, embedded in the turf, and +thus rendered immovable, and impossible to be directed against a troop +advancing rapidly to the foot of the wall. + +It was easy to see that these enormous pieces had discouraged the +besiegers from attacking this point, and had kept the besieged from any +idea of addition to its means of defence. Thus, on the one side, the +vedettes and advanced posts were at a distance, and on the other, the +sentinels were few and ill supported. A young Spaniard, carrying a long +gun, with its rest suspended at his side and the burning match in his +right hand, who was walking with nonchalance upon the rampart, stopped +to look at Cinq-Mars, who was riding about the ditches and moats. + +"Senor caballero," he cried, "are you going to take the bastion by +yourself on horseback, like Don Quixote--Quixada de la Mancha?" + +At the same time he detached from his side the iron rest, planted it in +the ground, and supported upon it the barrel of his gun in order to take +aim, when a grave and older Spaniard, enveloped in a dirty brown cloak, +said to him in his own tongue: + +"'Ambrosio de demonio', do you not know that it is forbidden to throw +away powder uselessly, before sallies or attacks are made, merely to +have the pleasure of killing a boy not worth your match? It was in this +very place that Charles the Fifth threw the sleeping sentinel into the +ditch and drowned him. Do your duty, or I shall follow his example." + +Ambrosio replaced the gun upon his shoulder, the rest at his side, and +continued his walk upon the rampart. + +Cinq-Mars had been little alarmed at this menacing gesture, contenting +himself with tightening the reins of his horse and bringing the spurs +close to his sides, knowing that with a single leap of the nimble animal +he should be carried behind the wall of a hut which stood near by, and +should thus be sheltered from the Spanish fusil before the operation +of the fork and match could be completed. He knew, too, that a tacit +convention between the two armies prohibited marksmen from firing upon +the sentinels; each party would have regarded it as assassination. +The soldier who had thus prepared to attack Cinq-Mars must have been +ignorant of this understanding. Young D'Effiat, therefore, made no +visible movement; and when the sentinel had resumed his walk upon +the rampart, he again betook himself to his ride upon the turf, and +presently saw five cavaliers directing their course toward him. The +first two, who came on at full gallop, did not salute him, but, stopping +close to him, leaped to the ground, and he found himself in the arms of +the Counsellor de Thou, who embraced him tenderly, while the little Abbe +de Gondi, laughing heartily, cried: + +"Behold another Orestes recovering his Pylades, and at the moment of +immolating a rascal who is not of the family of the King of kings, I +assure you." + +"What! is it you, my dear Cinq-Mars?" cried De Thou; "and I knew not +of your arrival in the camp! Yes, it is indeed you; I recognize you, +although you are very pale. Have you been ill, my dear friend? I have +often written to you; for my boyish friendship has always remained in my +heart." + +"And I," answered Henri d'Effiat, "I have been very culpable toward you; +but I will relate to you all the causes of my neglect. I can speak +of them, but I was ashamed to write them. But how good you are! Your +friendship has never relaxed." + +"I knew you too well," replied De Thou; "I knew that there could be no +real coldness between us, and that my soul had its echo in yours." + +With these words they embraced once more, their eyes moist with those +sweet tears which so seldom flow in one's life, but with which it seems, +nevertheless, the heart is always charged, so much relief do they give +in flowing. + +This moment was short; and during these few words, Gondi had been +pulling them by their cloaks, saying: + +"To horse! to horse, gentlemen! Pardieu! you will have time enough to +embrace, if you are so affectionate; but do not delay. Let our first +thought be to have done with our good friends who will soon arrive. We +are in a fine position, with those three villains there before us, the +archers close by, and the Spaniards up yonder! We shall be under three +fires." + +He was still speaking, when De Launay, finding himself at about sixty +paces from his opponents, with his seconds, who were chosen from his own +friends rather than from among the partisans of the Cardinal, put his +horse to a canter, advanced gracefully toward his young adversaries, and +gravely saluted them. + +"Gentlemen, I think that we shall do well to select our men, and to take +the field; for there is talk of attacking the lines, and I must be at my +post." + +"We are ready, Monsieur," said Cinq-Mars; "and as for selecting +opponents, I shall be very glad to become yours, for I have not +forgotten the Marechal de Bassompierre and the wood of Chaumont. You +know my opinion concerning your insolent visit to my mother." + +"You are very young, Monsieur. In regard to Madame, your mother, I +fulfilled the duties of a man of the world; toward the Marechal, those +of a captain of the guard; here, those of a gentleman toward Monsieur +l'Abbe, who has challenged me; afterward I shall have that honor with +you." + +"If I permit you," said the Abbe, who was already on horseback. + +They took sixty paces of ground--all that was afforded them by the +extent of the meadow that enclosed them. The Abbe de Gondi was stationed +between De Thou and his friend, who sat nearest the ramparts, upon which +two Spanish officers and a score of soldiers stood, as in a balcony, +to witness this duel of six persons--a spectacle common enough to them. +They showed the same signs of joy as at their bullfights, and laughed +with that savage and bitter laugh which their temperament derives from +their admixture of Arab blood. + +At a sign from Gondi, the six horses set off at full gallop, and met, +without coming in contact, in the middle of the arena; at that instant, +six pistol-shots were heard almost together, and the smoke covered the +combatants. + +When it dispersed, of the six cavaliers and six horses but three men and +three animals were on their legs. Cinq-Mars was on horseback, giving +his hand to his adversary, as calm as himself; at the other end of the +field, De Thou stood by his opponent, whose horse he had killed, and +whom he was helping to rise. As for Gondi and De Launay, neither was +to be seen. Cinq-Mars, looking about for them anxiously, perceived the +Abbe's horse, which, caracoling and curvetting, was dragging after him +the future cardinal, whose foot was caught in the stirrup, and who was +swearing as if he had never studied anything but the language of the +camp. His nose and hands were stained and bloody with his fall and with +his efforts to seize the grass; and he was regarding with considerable +dissatisfaction his horse, which in spite of himself he irritated +with his spurs, making its way to the trench, filled with water, which +surrounded the bastion, when, happily, Cinq-Mars, passing between the +edge of the swamp and the animal, seized its bridle and stopped its +career. + +"Well, my dear Abbe, I see that no great harm has come to you, for you +speak with decided energy." + +"Corbleu!" cried Gondi, wiping the dust out of his eyes, "to fire a +pistol in the face of that giant I had to lean forward and rise in my +stirrups, and thus I lost my balance; but I fancy that he is down, too." + +"You are right, sir," said De Thou, coming up; "there is his horse +swimming in the ditch with its master, whose brains are blown out. We +must think now of escaping." + +"Escaping! That, gentlemen, will be rather difficult," said the +adversary of Cinq-Mars, approaching. "Hark! there is the cannon-shot, +the signal for the attack. I did not expect it would have been given so +soon. If we return we shall meet the Swiss and the foot-soldiers, who +are marching in this direction." + +"Monsieur de Fontrailles says well," said De Thou; "but if we do not +return, here are these Spaniards, who are running to arms, and whose +balls we shall presently have whistling about our heads." + +"Well, let us hold a council," said Gondi; "summon Monsieur de +Montresor, who is uselessly occupied in searching for the body of poor +De Launay. You have not wounded him, Monsieur De Thou?" + +"No, Monsieur l'Abbe; not every one has so good an aim as you," said +Montresor, bitterly, limping from his fall. "We shall not have time to +continue with the sword." + +"As to continuing, I will not consent to it, gentlemen," said +Fontrailles; "Monsieur de Cinq-Mars has behaved too nobly toward me. +My pistol went off too soon, and his was at my very cheek--I feel the +coldness of it now--but he had the generosity to withdraw it and fire in +the air. I shall not forget it; and I am his in life and in death." + +"We must think of other things now," interrupted Cinq-Mars; "a ball has +just whistled past my ear. The attack has begun on all sides; and we are +surrounded by friends and by enemies." + +In fact, the cannonading was general; the citadel, the town, and +the army were covered with smoke. The bastion before them as yet was +unassailed, and its guards seemed less eager to defend it than to +observe the fate of the other fortifications. + +"I believe that the enemy has made a sally," said Montresor, "for the +smoke has cleared from the plain, and I see masses of cavalry charging +under the protection of the battery." + +"Gentlemen," said Cinq-Mars, who had not ceased to observe the walls, +"there is a very decided part which we could take, an important share in +this--we might enter this ill-guarded bastion." + +"An excellent idea, Monsieur," said Fontrailles; "but we are but five +against at least thirty, and are in plain sight and easily counted." + +"Faith, the idea is not bad," said Gondi; "it is better to be shot up +there than hanged down here, as we shall be if we are found, for De +Launay must be already missed by his company, and all the court knows of +our quarrel." + +"Parbleu! gentlemen," said Montresor, "help is coming to us." + +A numerous troop of horse, in great disorder, advanced toward them at +full gallop; their red uniform made them visible from afar. It seemed +to be their intention to halt on the very ground on which were our +embarrassed duellists, for hardly had the first cavalier reached it when +cries of "Halt!" were repeated and prolonged by the voices of the chiefs +who were mingled with their cavaliers. + +"Let us go to them; these are the men-at-arms of the King's guard," said +Fontrailles. "I recognize them by their black cockades. I see also many +of the light-horse with them; let us mingle in the disorder, for I fancy +they are 'ramenes'." + +This is a polite phrase signifying in military language "put to rout." +All five advanced toward the noisy and animated troops, and found that +this conjecture was right. But instead of the consternation which one +might expect in such a case, they found nothing but a youthful and +rattling gayety, and heard only bursts of laughter from the two +companies. + +"Ah, pardieu! Cahuzac," said one, "your horse runs better than mine; I +suppose you have exercised it in the King's hunts!" + +"Ah, I see, 'twas that we might be the sooner rallied that you arrived +here first," answered the other. + +"I think the Marquis de Coislin must be mad, to make four hundred of us +charge eight Spanish regiments." + +"Ha! ha! Locmaria, your plume is a fine ornament; it looks like a +weeping willow. If we follow that, it will be to our burial." + +"Gentlemen, I said to you before," angrily replied the young officer, +"that I was sure that Capuchin Joseph, who meddles in everything, was +mistaken in telling us to charge, upon the part of the Cardinal. But +would you have been satisfied if those who have the honor of commanding +you had refused to charge?" + +"No, no, no!" answered all the young men, at the same time forming +themselves quickly into ranks. + +"I said," interposed the old Marquis de Coislin, who, despite his white +head, had all the fire of youth in his eyes, "that if you were commanded +to mount to the assault on horseback, you would do it." + +"Bravo! bravo!" cried all the men-at-arms, clapping their hands. + +"Well, Monsieur le Marquis," said Cinq-Mars, approaching, "here is an +opportunity to execute what you have promised. I am only a volunteer; +but an instant ago these gentlemen and I examined this bastion, and I +believe that it is possible to take it." + +"Monsieur, we must first examine the ditch to see--" + +At this moment a ball from the rampart of which they were speaking +struck in the head the horse of the old captain, laying it low. + +"Locmaria, De Mouy, take the command, and to the assault!" cried the two +noble companies, believing their leader dead. + +"Stop a moment, gentlemen," said old Coislin, rising, "I will lead you, +if you please. Guide us, Monsieur volunteer, for the Spaniards invite us +to this ball, and we must reply politely." + +Hardly had the old man mounted another horse, which one of his men +brought him, and drawn his sword, when, without awaiting his order, all +these ardent youths, preceded by Cinq-Mars and his friends, whose horses +were urged on by the squadrons behind, had thrown themselves into +the morass, wherein, to their great astonishment and to that of the +Spaniards, who had counted too much upon its depth, the horses were +in the water only up to their hams; and in spite of a discharge of +grape-shot from the two largest pieces, all reached pell-mell a strip of +land at the foot of the half-ruined ramparts. In the ardor of the rush, +Cinq-Mars and Fontrailles, with the young Locmaria, forced their horses +upon the rampart itself; but a brisk fusillade killed the three animals, +which rolled over their masters. + +"Dismount all, gentlemen!" cried old Coislin; "forward with pistol and +sword! Abandon your horses!" + +All obeyed instantly, and threw themselves in a mass upon the breach. + +Meantime, De Thou, whose coolness never quitted him any more than his +friendship, had not lost sight of the young Henri, and had received him +in his arms when his horse fell. He helped him to rise, restored to +him his sword, which he had dropped, and said to him, with the greatest +calmness, notwithstanding the balls which rained on all sides: + +"My friend, do I not appear very ridiculous amid all this skirmish, in +my costume of Counsellor in Parliament?" + +"Parbleu!" said Montresor, advancing, "here's the Abbe, who quite +justifies you." + +And, in fact, little Gondi, pushing on among the light horsemen, was +shouting, at the top of his voice: "Three duels and an assault. I hope +to get rid of my cassock at last!" + +Saying this, he cut and thrust at a tall Spaniard. + +The defence was not long. The Castilian soldiers were no match for the +French officers, and not one of them had time or courage to recharge his +carbine. + +"Gentlemen, we will relate this to our mistresses in Paris," said +Locmaria, throwing his hat into the air; and Cinq-Mars, De Thou, +Coislin, De Mouy, Londigny, officers of the red companies, and all the +young noblemen, with swords in their right hands and pistols in their +left, dashing, pushing, and doing each other by their eagerness as much +harm as they did the enemy, finally rushed upon the platform of the +bastion, as water poured from a vase, of which the opening is too small, +leaps out in interrupted gushes. + +Disdaining to occupy themselves with the vanquished soldiers, who cast +themselves at their feet, they left them to look about the fort, +without even disarming them, and began to examine their conquest, like +schoolboys in vacation, laughing with all their hearts, as if they were +at a pleasure-party. + +A Spanish officer, enveloped in his brown cloak, watched them with a +sombre air. + +"What demons are these, Ambrosio?" said he to a soldier. "I never have +met with any such before in France. If Louis XIII has an entire army +thus composed, it is very good of him not to conquer all Europe." + +"Oh, I do not believe they are very numerous; they must be some poor +adventurers, who have nothing to lose and all to gain by pillage." + +"You are right," said the officer; "I will try to persuade one of them +to let me escape." + +And slowly approaching, he accosted a young light-horseman, of about +eighteen, who was sitting apart from his comrades upon the parapet. He +had the pink-and-white complexion of a young girl; his delicate hand +held an embroidered handkerchief, with which he wiped his forehead and +his golden locks He was consulting a large, round watch set with rubies, +suspended from his girdle by a knot of ribbons. + +The astonished Spaniard paused. Had he not seen this youth overthrow +his soldiers, he would not have believed him capable of anything +beyond singing a romance, reclined upon a couch. But, filled with the +suggestion of Ambrosio, he thought that he might have stolen these +objects of luxury in the pillage of the apartments of a woman; so, going +abruptly up to him, he said: + +"Hombre! I am an officer; will you restore me to liberty, that I may +once more see my country?" + +The young Frenchman looked at him with the gentle expression of his age, +and, thinking of his own family, he said: + +"Monsieur, I will present you to the Marquis de Coislin, who will, I +doubt not, grant your request; is your family of Castile or of Aragon?" + +"Your Coislin will ask the permission of somebody else, and will make +me wait a year. I will give you four thousand ducats if you will let me +escape." + +That gentle face, those girlish features, became infused with the purple +of fury; those blue eyes shot forth lightning; and, exclaiming, "Money +to me! away, fool!" the young man gave the Spaniard a ringing box on +the ear. The latter, without hesitating, drew a long poniard from his +breast, and, seizing the arm of the Frenchman, thought to plunge it +easily into his heart; but, nimble and vigorous, the youth caught him by +the right arm, and, lifting it with force above his head, sent it back +with the weapon it held upon the head of the Spaniard, who was furious +with rage. + +"Eh! eh! Softly, Olivier!" cried his comrades, running from all +directions; "there are Spaniards enough on the ground already." + +And they disarmed the hostile officer. + +"What shall we do with this lunatic?" said one. + +"I should not like to have him for my valet-dechambre," returned +another. + +"He deserves to be hanged," said a third; "but, faith, gentlemen, we +don't know how to hang. Let us send him to that battalion of Swiss which +is now passing across the plain." + +And the calm and sombre Spaniard, enveloping himself anew in his cloak, +began the march of his own accord, followed by Ambrosio, to join the +battalion, pushed by the shoulders and urged on by five or six of these +young madcaps. + +Meantime, the first troop of the besiegers, astonished at their success, +had followed it out to the end; Cinq-Mars, so advised by the aged +Coislin, had made with him the circuit of the bastion, and found to +their vexation that it was completely separated from the city, and that +they could not follow up their advantage. They, therefore, returned +slowly to the platform, talking by the way, to rejoin De Thou and the +Abbe de Gondi, whom they found laughing with the young light-horsemen. + +"We have Religion and justice with us, gentlemen; we could not fail to +triumph." + +"No doubt, for they fought as hard as we." + +There was silence at the approach of Cinq-Mars, and they remained for +an instant whispering and asking his name; then all surrounded him, and +took his hand with delight. + +"Gentlemen, you are right," said their old captain; "he is, as our +fathers used to say, the best doer of the day. He is a volunteer, who is +to be presented today to the King by the Cardinal." + +"By the Cardinal! We will present him ourselves. Ah, do not let him be a +Cardinalist; he is too good a fellow for that!" exclaimed all the young +men, with vivacity. + +"Monsieur, I will undertake to disgust you with him," said Olivier +d'Entraigues, approaching Cinq-Mars, "for I have been his page. Rather +serve in the red companies; come, you will have good comrades there." + +The old Marquis saved Cinq-Mars the embarrassment of replying, by +ordering the trumpets to sound and rally his brilliant companies. The +cannon was no longer heard, and a soldier announced that the King and +the Cardinal were traversing the lines to examine the results of the +day. He made all the horses pass through the breach, which was tolerably +wide, and ranged the two companies of cavalry in battle array, upon a +spot where it seemed impossible that any but infantry could penetrate. + + + + +CHAPTER X. THE RECOMPENSE + +Cardinal Richelieu had said to himself, "To soften the first paroxysm of +the royal grief, to open a source of emotions which shall turn from its +sorrow this wavering soul, let this city be besieged; I consent. Let +Louis go; I will allow him to strike a few poor soldiers with the blows +which he wishes, but dares not, to inflict upon me. Let his anger drown +itself in this obscure blood; I agree. But this caprice of glory shall +not derange my fixed designs; this city shall not fall yet. It shall not +become French forever until two years have past; it shall come into my +nets only on the day upon which I have fixed in my own mind. Thunder, +bombs, and cannons; meditate upon your operations, skilful captains; +hasten, young warriors. I shall silence your noise, I shall dissipate +your projects, and make your efforts abortive; all shall end in vain +smoke, for I shall conduct in order to mislead you." + +This is the substance of what passed in the bald head of the Cardinal +before the attack of which we have witnessed a part. He was stationed on +horseback, upon one of the mountains of Salces, north of the city; from +this point he could see the plain of Roussillon before him, sloping to +the Mediterranean. Perpignan, with its ramparts of brick, its bastions, +its citadel, and its spire, formed upon this plain an oval and sombre +mass on its broad and verdant meadows; the vast mountains surrounded it, +and the valley, like an enormous bow curved from north to south, while, +stretching its white line in the east, the sea looked like its silver +cord. On his right rose that immense mountain called the Canigou, +whose sides send forth two rivers into the plain below. The French line +extended to the foot of this western barrier. A crowd of generals and of +great lords were on horseback behind the minister, but at twenty paces' +distance and profoundly silent. + +Cardinal Richelieu had at first followed slowly the line of operations, +but had later returned and stationed himself upon this height, whence +his eye and his thought hovered over the destinies of besiegers and +besieged. The whole army had its eyes upon him, and could see him from +every point. All looked upon him as their immediate chief, and awaited +his gesture before they acted. France had bent beneath his yoke a long +time; and admiration of him shielded all his actions to which another +would have been often subjected. At this moment, for instance, no one +thought of smiling, or even of feeling surprised, that the cuirass +should clothe the priest; and the severity of his character and +aspect suppressed every thought of ironical comparisons or injurious +conjectures. This day the Cardinal appeared in a costume entirely +martial: he wore a reddish-brown coat, embroidered with gold, a +water-colored cuirass, a sword at his side, pistols at his saddle-bow, +and he had a plumed hat; but this he seldom put on his head, which was +still covered with the red cap. Two pages were behind him; one carried +his gauntlets, the other his casque, and the captain of his guards was +at his side. + +As the King had recently named him generalissimo of his troops, it was +to him that the generals sent for their orders; but he, knowing only too +well the secret motives of his master's present anger, affected to refer +to that Prince all who sought a decision from his own mouth. It happened +as he had foreseen; for he regulated and calculated the movements of +that heart as those of a watch, and could have told with precision +through what sensations it had passed. Louis XIII came and placed +himself at his side; but he came as a pupil, forced to acknowledge that +his master is in the right. His air was haughty and dissatisfied, his +language brusque and dry. The Cardinal remained impassible. It was +remarked that the King, in consulting him, employed the words of +command, thus reconciling his weakness and his power of place, his +irresolution and his pride, his ignorance and his pretensions, while his +minister dictated laws to him in a tone of the most profound obedience. + +"I will have them attack immediately, Cardinal," said the Prince on +coming up; "that is to say," he added, with a careless air, "when all +your preparations are made, and you have fixed upon the hour with our +generals." + +"Sire, if I might venture to express my judgment, I should be glad did +your Majesty think proper to begin the attack in a quarter of an hour, +for that will give time enough to advance the third line." + +"Yes, yes; you are right, Monsieur le Cardinal! I think so, too. I will +go and give my orders myself; I wish to do everything myself. Schomberg, +Schomberg! in a quarter of an hour I wish to hear the signal-gun; I +command it." + +And Schomberg, taking the command of the right wing, gave the order, and +the signal was made. + +The batteries, arranged long since by the Marechal de la Meilleraie, +began to batter a breach, but slowly, because the artillerymen felt that +they had been directed to attack two impregnable points; and because, +with their experience, and above all with the common sense and quick +perception of French soldiers, any one of them could at once have +indicated the point against which the attack should have been directed. +The King was surprised at the slowness of the firing. + +"La Meilleraie," said he, impatiently, "these batteries do not play +well; your cannoneers are asleep." + +The principal artillery officers were present as well as the Marechal; +but no one answered a syllable. They had looked toward the Cardinal, +who remained as immovable as an equestrian statue, and they imitated +his example. The answer must have been that the fault was not with the +soldiers, but with him who had ordered this false disposition of the +batteries; and this was Richelieu himself, who, pretending to believe +them more useful in that position, had stopped the remarks of the +chiefs. + +The King, astonished at this silence, and, fearing that he had committed +some gross military blunder by his question, blushed slightly, and, +approaching the group of princes who had accompanied him, said, in order +to reassure himself: + +"D'Angouleme, Beaufort, this is very tiresome, is it not? We stand here +like mummies." + +Charles de Valois drew near and said: + +"It seems to me, Sire, that they are not employing here the machines of +the engineer Pompee-Targon." + +"Parbleu!" said the Duc de Beaufort, regarding Richelieu fixedly, "that +is because we were more eager to take Rochelle than Perpignan at the +time that Italian came. Here we have not an engine ready, not a mine, +not a petard beneath these walls; and the Marechal de la Meilleraie told +me this morning that he had proposed to bring some with which to open +the breach. It was neither the Castillet, nor the six great bastions +which surround it, nor the half-moon, we should have attacked. If we go +on in this way, the great stone arm of the citadel will show us its fist +a long time yet." + +The Cardinal, still motionless, said not a single word; he only made a +sign to Fabert, who left the group in attendance, and ranged his horse +behind that of Richelieu, close to the captain of his guards. + +The Duc de la Rochefoucauld, drawing near the King, said: + +"I believe, Sire, that our inactivity makes the enemy insolent, for +look! here is a numerous sally, directing itself straight toward +your Majesty; and the regiments of Biron and De Ponts fall back after +firing." + +"Well!" said the King, drawing his sword, "let us charge and force those +villains back again. Bring on the cavalry with me, D'Angouleme. Where is +it, Cardinal?" + +"Behind that hill, Sire, there are in column six regiments of dragoons, +and the carabineers of La Roque; below you are my men-at-arms and my +light horse, whom I pray your Majesty to employ, for those of your +Majesty's guard are ill guided by the Marquis de Coislin, who is ever +too zealous. Joseph, go tell him to return." + +He whispered to the Capuchin, who had accompanied him, huddled up in +military attire, which he wore awkwardly, and who immediately advanced +into the plain. + +In the mean time, the compact columns of the old Spanish infantry issued +from the gate of Notre-Dame like a dark and moving forest, while from +another gate proceeded the heavy cavalry, which drew up on the plain. +The French army, in battle array at the foot of the hill where the King +stood, behind fortifications of earth, behind redoubts and fascines of +turf, perceived with alarm the men-at-arms and the light horse pressed +between these two forces, ten times their superior in numbers. + +"Sound the charge!" cried Louis XIII; "or my old Coislin is lost." + +And he descended the hill, with all his suite as ardent as himself; but +before he reached the plain and was at the head of his musketeers, the +two companies had taken their course, dashing off with the rapidity +of lightning, and to the cry of "Vive le Roi!" They fell upon the long +column of the enemy's cavalry like two vultures upon a serpent; and, +making a large and bloody gap, they passed beyond, and rallied behind +the Spanish bastion, leaving the enemy's cavalry so astonished that they +thought only of re-forming their own ranks, and not of pursuing. + +The French army uttered a burst of applause; the King paused in +amazement. He looked around him, and saw a burning desire for attack in +all eyes; the valor of his race shone in his own. He paused yet another +instant in suspense, listening, intoxicated, to the roar of the cannon, +inhaling the odor of the powder; he seemed to receive another life, and +to become once more a Bourbon. All-who looked on him felt as if they +were commanded by another man, when, raising his sword and his eyes +toward the sun, he cried: + +"Follow me, brave friends! here I am King of France!" + +His cavalry, deploying, dashed off with an ardor which devoured space, +and, raising billows of dust from the ground, which trembled beneath +them, they were in an instant mingled with the Spanish cavalry, and both +were swallowed up in an immense and fluctuating cloud. + +"Now! now!" cried the Cardinal, in a voice of thunder, from his +elevation, "now remove the guns from their useless position! Fabert, +give your orders; let them be all directed upon the infantry which +slowly approaches to surround the King. Haste! save the King!" + +Immediately the Cardinal's suite, until then sitting erect as so +many statues, were in motion. The generals gave their orders; the +aides-de-camp galloped off into the plain, where, leaping over the +ditches, barriers, and palisades, they arrived at their destination +as soon as the thought that directed them and the glance that followed +them. + +Suddenly the few and interrupted flashes which had shone from the +discouraged batteries became a continual and immense flame, leaving no +room for the smoke, which rose to the sky in an infinite number of light +and floating wreaths; the volleys of cannon, which had seemed like far +and feeble echoes, changed into a formidable thunder whose roll was as +rapid as that of drums beating the charge; while from three opposite +points large red flashes from fiery mouths fell upon the dark columns +which issued from the besieged city. + +Meantime, without changing his position, but with ardent eyes and +imperative gestures, Richelieu ceased not to multiply his orders, +casting upon those who received them a look which implied a sentence of +death if he was not instantly obeyed. + +"The King has overthrown the cavalry; but the foot still resist. Our +batteries have only killed, they have not conquered. Forward with +three regiments of infantry instantly, Gassion, La Meilleraie, and +Lesdiguieres! Take the enemy's columns in flank. Order the rest of the +army to cease from the attack, and to remain motionless throughout the +whole line. Bring paper! I will write myself to Schomberg." + +A page alighted and advanced, holding a pencil and paper. The minister, +supported by four men of his suite, also alighted, but with difficulty, +uttering a cry, wrested from him by pain; but he conquered it by an +effort, and seated himself upon the carriage of a cannon. The page +presented his shoulder as a desk; and the Cardinal hastily penned that +order which contemporary manuscripts have transmitted to us, and which +might well be imitated by the diplomatists of our day, who are, it +seems, more desirous to maintain themselves in perfect balance between +two ideas than to seek those combinations which decide the destinies of +the world, regarding the clear and obvious dictates of true genius as +beneath their profound subtlety. + + "M. le Marechal, do not risk anything, and reflect before you + attack. When you are thus told that the King desires you not to + risk anything, you are not to understand that his Majesty forbids + you to fight at all; but his intention is that you do not engage in + a general battle unless it be with a notable hope of gain from the + advantage which a favorable situation may present, the + responsibility of the battle naturally falling upon you." + +These orders given, the old minister, still seated upon the +gun-carriage, his arms resting upon the touch-hole, and his chin upon +his arms, in the attitude of one who adjusts and points a cannon, +continued in silence to watch the battle, like an old wolf, which, sated +with victims and torpid with age, contemplates in the plain the ravages +of a lion among a herd of cattle, which he himself dares not attack. +From time to time his eye brightens; the smell of blood rejoices him, +and he laps his burning tongue over his toothless jaw. + +On that day, it was remarked by his servants--or, in other words, by all +surrounding him--that from the time of his rising until night he took no +nourishment, and so fixed all the application of his soul on the events +which he had to conduct that he triumphed over his physical pains, +seeming, by forgetting, to have destroyed them. It was this power of +attention, this continual presence of mind, that raised him almost +to genius. He would have attained it quite, had he not lacked native +elevation of soul and generous sensibility of heart. + +Everything happened upon the field of battle as he had wished, fortune +attending him there as well as in the cabinet. Louis XIII claimed with +eager hand the victory which his minister had procured for him; he +had contributed himself, however, only that grandeur which consists in +personal valor. + +The cannon had ceased to roar when the broken columns of infantry fell +back into Perpignan; the remainder had met the same fate, was already +within the walls, and on the plain no living man was to be seen, save +the glittering squadrons of the King, who followed him, forming ranks as +they went. + +He returned at a slow walk, and contemplated with satisfaction the +battlefield swept clear of enemies; he passed haughtily under the very +fire of the Spanish guns, which, whether from lack of skill, or by a +secret agreement with the Prime Minister, or from very shame to kill a +king of France, only sent after him a few balls, which, passing two +feet above his head, fell in front of the lines, and merely served to +increase the royal reputation for courage. + +At every step, however, that he took toward the spot where Richelieu +awaited him, the King's countenance changed and visibly fell; he lost +all the flush of combat; the noble sweat of triumph dried upon his brow. +As he approached, his usual pallor returned to his face, as if having +the right to sit alone on a royal head; his look lost its fleeting fire, +and at last, when he joined the Cardinal, a profound melancholy entirely +possessed him. He found the minister as he had left him, on horseback; +the latter, still coldly respectful, bowed, and after a few words of +compliment, placed himself near Louis to traverse the lines and examine +the results of the day, while the princes and great lords, riding at +some distance before and behind, formed a crowd around them. + +The wily minister was careful not to say a word or to make a gesture +that could suggest the idea that he had had the slightest share in the +events of the day; and it was remarkable that of all those who came to +hand in their reports, there was not one who did not seem to divine his +thoughts, and exercise care not to compromise his occult power by +open obedience. All reports were made to the King. The Cardinal then +traversed, by the side of the Prince, the right of the camp, which had +not been under his view from the height where he had remained; and +he saw with satisfaction that Schomberg, who knew him well, had acted +precisely as his master had directed, bringing into action only a few +of the light troops, and fighting just enough not to incur reproach for +inaction, and not enough to obtain any distinct result. This line of +conduct charmed the minister, and did not displease the King, whose +vanity cherished the idea of having been the sole conqueror that day. He +even wished to persuade himself, and to have it supposed, that all the +efforts of Schomberg had been fruitless, saying to him that he was not +angry with him, that he had himself just had proof that the enemy before +him was less despicable than had been supposed. + +"To show you that you have lost nothing in our estimation," he added, +"we name you a knight of our order, and we give you public and private +access to our person." + +The Cardinal affectionately pressed his hand as he passed him, and the +Marechal, astonished at this deluge of favors, followed the Prince with +his bent head, like a culprit, recalling, to console himself, all +the brilliant actions of his career which had remained unnoticed, and +mentally attributing to them these unmerited rewards to reconcile them +to his conscience. + +The King was about to retrace his steps, when the Due de Beaufort, with +an astonished air, exclaimed: + +"But, Sire, have I still the powder in my eyes, or have I been +sun-struck? It appears to me that I see upon yonder bastion several +cavaliers in red uniforms who greatly resemble your light horse whom we +thought to be killed." + +The Cardinal knitted his brows. + +"Impossible, Monsieur," he said; "the imprudence of Monsieur de Coislin +has destroyed his Majesty's men-at-arms and those cavaliers. It is for +that reason I ventured just now to say to the King that if the useless +corps were suppressed, it might be very advantageous from a military +point of view." + +"Pardieu! your Eminence will pardon me," answered the Duc de Beaufort; +"but I do not deceive myself, and there are seven or eight of them +driving prisoners before them." + +"Well! let us go to the point," said the King; "if I find my old Coislin +there I shall be very glad." + +With great caution, the horses of the King and his suite passed across +the marsh, and with infinite astonishment their riders saw on the +ramparts the two red companies in battle array as on parade. + +"Vive Dieu!" cried Louis; "I think that not one of them is missing! +Well, Marquis, you keep your word--you take walls on horseback." + +"In my opinion, this point was ill chosen," said Richelieu, with +disdain; "it in no way advances the taking of Perpignan, and must have +cost many lives." + +"Faith, you are right," said the King, for the first time since the +intelligence of the Queen's death addressing the Cardinal without +dryness; "I regret the blood which must have been spilled here." + +"Only two of own young men have been wounded in the attack, Sire," +said old Coislin; "and we have gained new companions-in-arms, in the +volunteers who guided us." + +"Who are they?" said the Prince. + +"Three of them have modestly retired, Sire; but the youngest, whom you +see, was the first who proposed the assault, and the first to venture +his person in making it. The two companies claim the honor of presenting +him to your Majesty." + +Cinq-Mars, who was on horseback behind the old captain, took off his hat +and showed his pale face, his large, dark eyes, and his long, chestnut +hair. + +"Those features remind me of some one," said the King; "what say you, +Cardinal?" + +The latter, who had already cast a penetrating glance at the newcomer, +replied: + +"Unless I am mistaken, this young man is--" + +"Henri d'Effiat," said the volunteer, bowing. + +"Sire, it is the same whom I had announced to your Majesty, and who was +to have been presented to you by me; the second son of the Marechal." + +"Ah!" said Louis, warmly, "I am glad to see the son of my old friend +presented by this bastion. It is a suitable introduction, my boy, for +one bearing your name. You will follow us to the camp, where we have +much to say to you. But what! you here, Monsieur de Thou? Whom have you +come to judge?" + +"Sire," answered Coislin, "he has condemned to death, without judging, +sundry Spaniards, for he was the second to enter the place." + +"I struck no one, Monsieur," interrupted De Thou reddening; "it is not +my business. Herein I have no merit; I merely accompanied my friend, +Monsieur de Cinq-Mars." + +"We approve your modesty as well as your bravery, and we shall not +forget this. Cardinal, is there not some presidency vacant?" + +Richelieu did not like De Thou. And as the sources of his dislike +were always mysterious, it was difficult to guess the cause of this +animosity; it revealed itself in a cruel word that escaped him. The +motive was a passage in the history of the President De Thou--the father +of the young man now in question--wherein he stigmatized, in the eyes of +posterity, a granduncle of the Cardinal, an apostate monk, sullied with +every human vice. + +Richelieu, bending to Joseph's ear, whispered: + +"You see that man; his father put my name into his history. Well, I +will put his into mine." And, truly enough, he subsequently wrote it in +blood. At this moment, to avoid answering the King, he feigned not +to have heard his question, and to be wholly intent upon the merit of +Cinq-Mars and the desire to see him well placed at court. + +"I promised you beforehand to make him a captain in my guards," said the +Prince; "let him be nominated to-morrow. I would know more of him, and +raise him to a higher fortune, if he pleases me. Let us now retire; the +sun has set, and we are far from our army. Tell my two good companies to +follow us." + +The minister, after repeating the order, omitting the implied praise, +placed himself on the King's right hand, and the whole court quitted +the bastion, now confided to the care of the Swiss, and returned to the +camp. + +The two red companies defiled slowly through the breach which they +had effected with such promptitude; their countenances were grave and +silent. + +Cinq-Mars went up to his friend. + +"These are heroes but ill recompensed," said he; "not a favor, not a +compliment." + +"I, on the other hand," said the simple De Thou "I, who came here +against my will--receive one. Such are courts, such is life; but above +us is the true judge, whom men can not blind." + +"This will not prevent us from meeting death tomorrow, if necessary," +said the young Olivier, laughing. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. THE BLUNDERS + +In order to appear before the King, Cinq-Mars had been compelled to +mount the charger of one of the light horse, wounded in the affair, +having lost his own at the foot of the rampart. As the two companies +were marching out, he felt some one touch his shoulder, and, turning +round, saw old Grandchamp leading a very beautiful gray horse. + +"Will Monsieur le Marquis mount a horse of his own?" said he. "I have +put on the saddle and housings of velvet embroidered in gold that +remained in the trench. Alas, when I think that a Spaniard might have +taken it, or even a Frenchman! For just now there are so many people who +take all they find, as if it were their own; and then, as the proverb +says, 'What falls in the ditch is for the soldier.' They might also have +taken the four hundred gold crowns that Monsieur le Marquis, be it said +without reproach, forgot to take out of the holsters. And the pistols! +Oh, what pistols! I bought them in Germany; and here they are as good as +ever, and with their locks perfect. It was quite enough to kill the poor +little black horse, that was born in England as sure as I was at Tours +in Touraine, without also exposing these valuables to pass into the +hands of the enemy." + +While making this lamentation, the worthy man finished saddling the gray +horse. The column was long enough filing out to give him time to pay +scrupulous attention to the length of the stirrups and of the bands, all +the while continuing his harangue. + +"I beg your pardon, Monsieur, for being somewhat slow about this; but I +sprained my arm slightly in lifting Monsieur de Thou, who himself raised +Monsieur le Marquis during the grand scuffle." + +"How camest thou there at all, stupid?" said Cinq-Mars. "That is not thy +business. I told thee to remain in the camp." + +"Oh, as to remaining in the camp, that is out of the question. I can't +stay there; when I hear a musket-shot, I should be ill did I not see the +flash. As for my business, that is to take care of your horses, and you +are on them. Monsieur, think you I should not have saved, had I been +able, the life of the poor black horse down there in the trench? Ah, how +I loved him!--a horse that gained three races in his time--a time too +short for those who loved him as I loved him! He never would take his +corn but from his dear Grandchamp; and then he would caress me with +his head. The end of my left ear that he carried away one day--poor +fellow!--proves it, for it was not out of ill-will he bit it off; quite +the contrary. You should have heard how he neighed with rage when any +one else came near him; that was the reason why he broke Jean's leg. +Good creature, I loved him so! + +"When he fell I held him on one side with one hand and M. de Locmaria +with the other. I thought at first that both he and that gentleman would +recover; but unhappily only one of them returned to life, and that was +he whom I least knew. You seem to be laughing at what I say about your +horse, Monsieur; you forget that in times of war the horse is the +soul of the cavalier. Yes, Monsieur, his soul; for what is it that +intimidates the infantry? It is the horse! It certainly is not the man, +who, once seated, is little more than a bundle of hay. Who is it that +performs the fine deeds that men admire? The horse. There are times when +his master, who a moment before would rather have been far away, finds +himself victorious and rewarded for his horse's valor, while the poor +beast gets nothing but blows. Who is it gains the prize in the race? The +horse, that sups hardly better than usual, while the master pockets the +gold, and is envied by his friends and admired by all the lords as if he +had run himself. Who is it that hunts the roebuck, yet puts but a morsel +in his own mouth? Again, the horse; sometimes the horse is even +eaten himself, poor animal! I remember in a campaign with Monsieur le +Marechal, it happened that--But what is the matter, Monsieur, you grow +pale?" + +"Bind up my leg with something--a handkerchief, a strap, or what you +will. I feel a burning pain there; I know not what." + +"Your boot is cut, Monsieur. It may be some ball; however, lead is the +friend of man." + +"It is no friend of mine, at all events." + +"Ah, who loves, chastens! Lead must not be ill spoken of! What is +that--" + +While occupied in binding his master's leg below the knee, the worthy +Grandchamp was about to hold forth in praise of lead as absurdly as he +had in praise of the horse, when he was forced, as well as Cinq-Mars, +to hear a warm and clamorous dispute among some Swiss soldiers who +had remained behind the other troops. They were talking with much +gesticulation, and seemed busied with two men among a group of about +thirty soldiers. + +D'Effiat, still holding out his leg to his servant, and leaning on the +saddle of his horse, tried, by listening attentively, to understand the +subject of the colloquy; but he knew nothing of German, and could not +comprehend the dispute. Grandchamp, who, still holding the boot, had +also been listening very seriously, suddenly burst into loud laughter, +holding his sides in a manner not usual with him. + +"Ha, ha, ha! Monsieur, here are two sergeants disputing which they ought +to hang of the two Spaniards there; for your red comrades did not take +the trouble to tell them. One of the Swiss says that it's the officer, +the other that it's the soldier; a third has just made a proposition for +meeting the difficulty." + +"And what does he say?" + +"He suggests that they hang them both." + +"Stop! stop!" cried Cinq-Mars to the soldiers, attempting to walk; but +his leg would not support him. + +"Put me on my horse, Grandchamp." + +"Monsieur, you forget your wound." + +"Do as I command, and then mount thyself." + +The old servant grumblingly obeyed, and then galloped off, in fulfilment +of another imperative order, to stop the Swiss, who were just about to +hang their two prisoners to a tree, or to let them hang themselves; for +the officer, with the sang-froid of his nation, had himself passed the +running noose of a rope around his own neck, and, without being told, +had ascended a small ladder placed against the tree, in order to tie the +other end of the rope to one of its branches. The soldier, with the same +calm indifference, was looking on at the Swiss disputing around him, +while holding the ladder. + +Cinq-Mars arrived in time to save them, gave his name to the Swiss +sergeant, and, employing Grandchamp as interpreter, said that the two +prisoners were his, and that he would take them to his tent; that he was +a captain in the guards, and would be responsible for them. The German, +ever exact in discipline, made no reply; the only resistance was on +the part of the prisoner. The officer, still on the top of the ladder, +turned round, and speaking thence as from a pulpit, said, with a +sardonic laugh: + +"I should much like to know what you do here? Who told you I wished to +live?" + +"I do not ask to know anything about that," said Cinq-Mars; "it matters +not to me what becomes of you afterward. All I propose now is to +prevent an act which seems to me unjust and cruel. You may kill yourself +afterward, if you like." + +"Well said," returned the ferocious Spaniard; "you please me. I thought +at first you meant to affect the generous in order to oblige me to be +grateful, which is a thing I detest. Well, I consent to come down; but I +shall hate you as much as ever, for you are a Frenchman. Nor do I thank +you, for you only discharge a debt you owe me, since it was I who this +morning kept you from being shot by this young soldier while he was +taking aim at you; and he is a man who never missed a chamois in the +mountains of Leon." + +"Be it as you will," said Cinq-Mars; "come down." + +It was his character ever to assume with others the mien they wore +toward him; and the rudeness of the Spaniard made him as hard as iron +toward him. + +"A proud rascal that, Monsieur," said Grandchamp; "in your place +Monsieur le Marechal would certainly have left him on his ladder. +Come, Louis, Etienne, Germain, escort Monsieur's prisoners--a fine +acquisition, truly! If they bring you any luck, I shall be very much +surprised." + +Cinq-Mars, suffering from the motion of his horse, rode only at the pace +of his prisoners on foot, and was accordingly at a distance behind the +red companies, who followed close upon the King. He meditated on his way +what it could be that the Prince desired to say to him. A ray of hope +presented to his mind the figure of Marie de Mantua in the distance; and +for a moment his thoughts were calmed. But all his future lay in that +brief sentence--"to please the King"; and he began to reflect upon all +the bitterness in which his task might involve him. + +At that moment he saw approaching his friend, De Thou, who, anxious at +his remaining behind, had sought him in the plain, eager to aid him if +necessary. + +"It is late, my friend; night approaches. You have delayed long; I +feared for you. Whom have you here? What has detained you? The King will +soon be asking for you." + +Such were the rapid inquiries of the young counsellor, whose anxiety, +more than the battle itself, had made him lose his accustomed serenity. + +"I was slightly wounded; I bring a prisoner, and I was thinking of the +King. What can he want me for, my friend? What must I do if he +proposes to place me about his person? I must please him; and at this +thought--shall I own it?--I am tempted to fly. But I trust that I shall +not have that fatal honor. 'To please,' how humiliating the word! +'to obey' quite the opposite! A soldier runs the chance of death, +and there's an end. But in what base compliances, what sacrifices of +himself, what compositions with his conscience, what degradation of his +own thought, may not a courtier be involved! Ah, De Thou, my dear De +Thou! I am not made for the court; I feel it, though I have seen it but +for a moment. There is in my temperament a certain savageness, which +education has polished only on the surface. At a distance, I thought +myself adapted to live in this all-powerful world; I even desired it, +led by a cherished hope of my heart. But I shuddered at the first step; +I shuddered at the mere sight of the Cardinal. The recollection of the +last of his crimes, at which I was present, kept me from addressing him. +He horrifies me; I never can endure to be near him. The King's favor, +too, has that about it which dismays me, as if I knew it would be fatal +to me." + +"I am glad to perceive this apprehension in you; it may be most +salutary," said De Thou, as they rode on. "You are about to enter into +contact with power. Before, you did not even conceive it; now you will +touch it with your very hand. You will see what it is, and what hand +hurls the lightning. Heaven grant that that lightning may never strike +you! You will probably be present in those councils which regulate the +destiny of nations; you will see, you will perchance originate, those +caprices whence are born sanguinary wars, conquests, and treaties; +you will hold in your hand the drop of water which swells into mighty +torrents. It is only from high places that men can judge of human +affairs; you must look from the mountaintop ere you can appreciate the +littleness of those things which from below appear to us great." + +"Ah, were I on those heights, I should at least learn the lesson +you speak of; but this Cardinal, this man to whom I must be under +obligation, this man whom I know too well by his works--what will he be +to me?" + +"A friend, a protector, no doubt," answered De Thou. + +"Death were a thousand times preferable to his friendship! I hate his +whole being, even his very name; he spills the blood of men with the +cross of the Redeemer!" + +"What horrors are you saying, my friend? You will ruin yourself if you +reveal your sentiments respecting the Cardinal to the King." + +"Never mind; in the midst of these tortuous ways, I desire to take a new +one, the right line. My whole opinion, the opinion of a just man, shall +be unveiled to the King himself, if he interrogate me, even should it +cost me my head. I have at last seen this King, who has been described +to me as so weak; I have seen him, and his aspect has touched me to the +heart in spite of myself. Certainly, he is very unfortunate, but he can +not be cruel; he will listen to the truth." + +"Yes; but he will not dare to make it triumph," answered the sage De +Thou. "Beware of this warmth of heart, which often draws you by sudden +and dangerous movements. Do not attack a colossus like Richelieu without +having measured him." + +"That is just like my tutor, the Abbe Quillet. My dear and prudent +friend, neither the one nor the other of you know me; you do not know +how weary I am of myself, and whither I have cast my gaze. I must mount +or die." + +"What! already ambitious?" exclaimed De Thou, with extreme surprise. + +His friend inclined his head upon his hands, abandoning the reins of his +horse, and did not answer. + +"What! has this selfish passion of a riper age obtained possession of +you at twenty, Henri? Ambition is the saddest of all hopes." + +"And yet it possesses me entirely at present, for I see only by means of +it, and by it my whole heart is penetrated." + +"Ah, Cinq-Mars, I no longer recognize you! how different you were +formerly! I do not conceal from you that you appear to me to have +degenerated. In those walks of our childhood, when the life, and, above +all, the death of Socrates, caused tears of admiration and envy to +flow from our eyes; when, raising ourselves to the ideal of the +highest virtue, we wished that those illustrious sorrows, those sublime +misfortunes, which create great men, might in the future come upon us; +when we constructed for ourselves imaginary occasions of sacrifices +and devotion--if the voice of a man had pronounced, between us two, the +single world, 'ambition,' we should have believed that we were touching +a serpent." + +De Thou spoke with the heat of enthusiasm and of reproach. Cinq-Mars +went on without answering, and still with his face in his hands. After +an instant of silence he removed them, and allowed his eyes to be seen, +full of generous tears. He pressed the hand of his friend warmly, and +said to him, with a penetrating accent: + +"Monsieur de Thou, you have recalled to me the most beautiful thoughts +of my earliest youth. Do not believe that I have fallen; I am consumed +by a secret hope which I can not confide even to you. I despise, as much +as you, the ambition which will seem to possess me. All the world will +believe in it; but what do I care for the world? As for you, noble +friend, promise me that you will not cease to esteem me, whatever you +may see me do. I swear that my thoughts are as pure as heaven itself!" + +"Well," said De Thou, "I swear by heaven that I believe you blindly; you +give me back my life!" + +They shook hands again with effusion of heart, and then perceived that +they had arrived almost before the tent of the King. + +Day was nearly over; but one might have believed that a softer day +was rising, for the moon issued from the sea in all her splendor. The +transparent sky of the south showed not a single cloud, and it seemed +like a veil of pale blue sown with silver spangles; the air, still hot, +was agitated only by the rare passage of breezes from the Mediterranean; +and all sounds had ceased upon the earth. The fatigued army reposed +beneath their tents, the line of which was marked by the fires, and the +besieged city seemed oppressed by the same slumber; upon its ramparts +nothing was to be seen but the arms of the sentinels, which shone in the +rays of the moon, or the wandering fire of the night-rounds. Nothing was +to be heard but the gloomy and prolonged cries of its guards, who warned +one another not to sleep. + +It was only around the King that all things waked, but at a great +distance from him. This Prince had dismissed all his suite; he walked +alone before his tent, and, pausing sometimes to contemplate the beauty +of the heavens, he appeared plunged in melancholy meditation. No one +dared to interrupt him; and those of the nobility who had remained in +the royal quarters had gathered about the Cardinal, who, at twenty paces +from the King, was seated upon a little hillock of turf, fashioned into +a seat by the soldiers. There he wiped his pale forehead, fatigued +with the cares of the day and with the unaccustomed weight of a suit of +armor; he bade adieu, in a few hurried but always attentive and polite +words, to those who came to salute him as they retired. No one was near +him now except Joseph, who was talking with Laubardemont. The Cardinal +was looking at the King, to see whether, before reentering, this Prince +would not speak to him, when the sound of the horses of Cinq-Mars was +heard. The Cardinal's guards questioned him, and allowed him to advance +without followers, and only with De Thou. + +"You are come too late, young man, to speak with the King," said the +Cardinal-Duke with a sharp voice. "One can not make his Majesty wait." + +The two friends were about to retire, when the voice of Louis XIII +himself made itself heard. This Prince was at that moment in one of +those false positions which constituted the misfortune of his whole +life. Profoundly irritated against his minister, but not concealing from +himself that he owed the success of the day to him, desiring, moreover, +to announce to him his intention to quit the army and to raise the siege +of Perpignan, he was torn between the desire of speaking to the Cardinal +and the fear lest his anger might be weakened. The minister, upon +his part, dared not be the first to speak, being uncertain as to the +thoughts which occupied his master, and fearing to choose his time +ill, but yet not able to decide upon retiring. Both found themselves +precisely in the position of two lovers who have quarrelled and desire +to have an explanation, when the King, seized with joy the first +opportunity of extricating himself. The chance was fatal to the +minister. See upon what trifles depend those destinies which are called +great. + +"Is it not Monsieur de Cinq-Mars?" said the King, in a loud voice. "Let +him approach; I am waiting for him." + +Young D'Effiat approached on horseback, and at some paces from the King +desired to set foot to earth; but hardly had his leg touched the ground +when he dropped upon his knees. + +"Pardon, Sire!" said he, "I believe that I am wounded;" and the blood +issued violently from his boot. + +De Thou had seen him fall, and had approached to sustain him. Richelieu +seized this opportunity of advancing also, with dissembled eagerness. + +"Remove this spectacle from the eyes of the King," said he. "You see +very well that this young man is dying." + +"Not at all," said Louis, himself supporting him; "a king of France +knows how to see a man die, and has no fear of the blood which flows for +him. This young man interests me. Let him be carried into my tent, and +let my doctors attend him. If his wound is not serious, he shall come +with me to Paris, for the siege is suspended, Monsieur le Cardinal. Such +is my desire; other affairs call me to the centre of the kingdom. I will +leave you here to command in my absence. This is what I desired to say +to you." + +With these words the King went abruptly into his tent, preceded by his +pages and his officers, carrying flambeaux. + +The royal pavilion was closed, and Cinq-Mars was borne in by De Thou and +his people, while the Duc de Richelieu, motionless and stupefied, +still regarded the spot where this scene had passed. He appeared +thunder-struck, and incapable of seeing or hearing those who observed +him. + +Laubardemont, still intimidated by his ill reception of the preceding +day, dared not speak a word to him, and Joseph hardly recognized in him +his former master. For an instant he regretted having given himself to +him, and fancied that his star was waning; but, reflecting that he was +hated by all men and had no resource save in Richelieu, he seized him +by the arm, and, shaking him roughly, said to him in a low voice, but +harshly: + +"Come, come, Monseigneur, you are chickenhearted; come with us." + +And, appearing to sustain him by the elbow, but in fact drawing him in +spite of himself, with the aid of Laubardemont, he made him enter his +tent, as a schoolmaster forces a schoolboy to rest, fearing the effects +of the evening mist upon him. + +The prematurely aged man slowly obeyed the wishes of his two parasites, +and the purple of the pavilion dropped upon him. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. THE NIGHT-WATCH + + O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me! + The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight, + Cold, fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh. + What do I fear? Myself? + I love myself! + SHAKESPEARE. + +Hardly was the Cardinal in his tent before he dropped, armed and +cuirassed, into a great armchair; and there, holding his handkerchief to +his mouth with a fixed gaze, he remained in this attitude, letting +his two dark confidants wonder whether contemplation or annihilation +maintained him in it. He was deadly pale, and a cold sweat streamed upon +his brow. In wiping it with a sudden movement, he threw behind him his +red cap, the only ecclesiastical sign which remained upon him, and again +rested with his mouth upon his hands. The Capuchin on one side, and the +sombre magistrate on the other, considered him in silence, and seemed, +with their brown and black costumes like the priest and the notary of a +dying man. + +The friar, drawing from the depth of his chest a voice that seemed +better suited to repeat the service of the dead than to administer +consolation, spoke first: + +"If Monseigneur will recall my counsels given at Narbonne, he will +confess that I had a just presentiment of the troubles which this young +man would one day cause him." + +The magistrate continued: + +"I have learned from the old deaf abbe who dined at the house of +the Marechale d'Effiat, and who heard all, that this young Cinq-Mars +exhibited more energy than one would have imagined, and that he +attempted to rescue the Marechal de Bassompierre. I have still by me +the detailed report of the deaf man, who played his part very well. His +Eminence the Cardinal must be sufficiently convinced by it." + +"I have told Monseigneur," resumed Joseph--for these two ferocious Seyds +alternated their discourse like the shepherds of Virgil--"I have told +him that it would be well to get rid of this young D'Effiat, and that I +would charge myself with the business, if such were his good pleasure. +It would be easy to destroy him in the opinion of the King." + +"It would be safer to make him die of his wound," answered Laubardemont; +"if his Eminence would have the goodness to command me, I know +intimately the assistant-physician, who cured me of a blow on the +forehead, and is now attending to him. He is a prudent man, entirely +devoted to Monseigneur the Cardinal-Duke, and whose affairs have been +somewhat embarrassed by gambling." + +"I believe," replied Joseph, with an air of modesty, mingled with a +touch of bitterness, "that if his Excellency proposed to employ any one +in this useful project, it should be his accustomed negotiator, who has +had some success in the past." + +"I fancy that I could enumerate some signal instances," answered +Laubardemont, "and very recent ones, of which the difficulty was great." + +"Ah, no doubt," said the father, with a bow and an air of consideration +and politeness, "your most bold and skilfully executed commission +was the trial of Urbain Grandier, the magician. But, with Heaven's +assistance, one may be enabled to do things quite as worthy and bold. It +is not without merit, for instance," added he, dropping his eyes like a +young girl, "to have extirpated vigorously a royal Bourbon branch." + +"It was not very difficult," answered the magistrate, with bitterness, +"to select a soldier from the guards to kill the Comte de Soissons; but +to preside, to judge--" + +"And to execute one's self," interrupted the heated Capuchin, "is +certainly less difficult than to educate a man from infancy in the +thought of accomplishing great things with discretion, and to bear all +tortures, if necessary, for the love of heaven, rather than reveal +the name of those who have armed him with their justice, or to die +courageously upon the body of him that he has struck, as did one who +was commissioned by me. He uttered no cry at the blow of the sword of +Riquemont, the equerry of the Prince. He died like a saint; he was my +pupil." + +"To give orders is somewhat different from running risk one's self." + +"And did I risk nothing at the siege of Rochelle?" + +"Of being drowned in a sewer, no doubt," said Laubardemont. + +"And you," said Joseph, "has your danger been that of catching your +fingers in instruments of torture? And all this because the Abbess of +the Ursulines is your niece." + +"It was a good thing for your brothers of Saint Francis, who held the +hammers; but I--I was struck in the forehead by this same Cinq-Mars, who +was leading an enraged multitude." + +"Are you quite sure of that?" cried Joseph, delighted. "Did he dare to +act thus against the commands of the King?" The joy which this discovery +gave him made him forget his anger. + +"Fools!" exclaimed the Cardinal, suddenly breaking his long silence, +and taking from his lips his handkerchief stained with blood. "I would +punish your angry dispute had it not taught me many secrets of infamy +on your part. You have exceeded my orders; I commanded no torture, +Laubardemont. That is your second fault. You cause me to be hated for +nothing; that was useless. But you, Joseph, do not neglect the details +of this disturbance in which Cinq-Mars was engaged; it may be of use in +the end." + +"I have all the names and descriptions," said the secret judge, eagerly, +bending his tall form and thin, olive-colored visage, wrinkled with a +servile smile, down to the armchair. + +"It is well! it is well!" said the minister, pushing him back; "but +that is not the question yet. You, Joseph, be in Paris before this young +upstart, who will become a favorite, I am certain. Become his friend; +make him of my party or destroy him. Let him serve me or fall. But, +above all, send me every day safe persons to give me verbal accounts. I +will have no more writing for the future. I am much displeased with +you, Joseph. What a miserable courier you chose to send from Cologne! He +could not understand me. He saw the King too soon, and here we are still +in disgrace in consequence. You have just missed ruining me entirely. Go +and observe what is about to be done in Paris. A conspiracy will soon be +hatched against me; but it will be the last. I remain here in order +to let them all act more freely. Go, both of you, and send me my valet +after the lapse of two hours; I wish now to be alone." + +The steps of the two men were still to be heard as Richelieu, with eyes +fixed upon the entrance to the tent, pursued them with his irritated +glance. + +"Wretches!" he exclaimed, when he was alone, "go and accomplish some +more secret work, and afterward I will crush you, in pure instruments +of my power. The King will soon succumb beneath the slow malady which +consumes him. I shall then be regent; I shall be King of France myself; +I shall no longer have to dread the caprices of his weakness. I will +destroy the haughty races of this country. I will be alone above them +all. Europe shall tremble." + +Here the blood, which again filled his mouth, obliged him to apply his +handkerchief to it once more. + +"Ah, what do I say? Unhappy victim that I am! Here am I, death-stricken! +My dissolution is near; my blood flows, and my spirit desires to labor +still. Why? For whom? Is it for glory? That is an empty word. Is it for +men? I despise them. For whom, then, since I shall die, perhaps, in two +or three years? Is it for God? What a name! I have not walked with Him! +He has seen all--" + +Here he let his head fall upon his breast, and his eyes met the great +cross of gold which was suspended from his neck. He could not help +throwing himself back in his chair; but it followed him. He took it; and +considering it with fixed and devouring looks, he said in a low voice: + +"Terrible sign! thou followest me! Shall I find thee elsewhere--divinity +and suffering? What am I? What have I done?" + +For the first time a singular and unknown terror penetrated him. He +trembled, at once frozen and scorched by an invincible shudder. He dared +not lift his eyes, fearing to meet some terrible vision. He dared not +call, fearing to hear the sound of his own voice. He remained profoundly +plunged in meditations on eternity, so terrible for him, and he murmured +the following kind of prayer: + +"Great God, if Thou hearest me, judge me then, but do not isolate me +in judging me! Look upon me, surrounded by the men of my generation; +consider the immense work I had undertaken! Was not an enormous lever +wanted to bestir those masses; and if this lever in falling crushes some +useless wretches, am I very culpable? I seem wicked to men; but Thou, +Supreme judge, dost thou regard me thus? + +"No; Thou knowest it is boundless power which makes creature culpable +against creature. It is not Armand de Richelieu who destroys; it is the +Prime-Minister. It is not for his personal injuries; it is to carry out +a system. But a system--what is this word? Is it permitted me to play +thus with men, to regard them as numbers for working out a thought, +which perhaps is false? I overturn the framework of the throne. What if, +without knowing it, I sap its foundations and hasten its fall! Yes, my +borrowed power has seduced me. O labyrinth! O weakness of human thought! +Simple faith, why did I quit thy path? Why am I not a simple priest? If +I dared to break with man and give myself to God, the ladder of Jacob +would again descend in my dreams." + +At this moment his ear was struck by a great noise outside--laughter of +soldiers, ferocious shouts and oaths, mingled with words which were a +long time sustained by a weak yet clear voice; one would have said it +was the voice of an angel interrupted by the laughter of demons. He +rose and opened a sort of linen window, worked in the side of his square +tent. A singular spectacle presented itself to his view; he remained +some instants contemplating it, attentive to the conversation which was +going on. + +"Listen, listen, La Valeur!" said one soldier to another. "See, she +begins again to speak and to sing!" + +"Put her in the middle of the circle, between us and the fire." + +"You do not know her! You do not know her!" said another. "But here is +Grand-Ferre, who says that he knows her." + +"Yes, I tell you I know her; and, by Saint Peter of Loudun, I will swear +that I have seen her in my village, when I had leave of absence; and it +was upon an occasion at which one shuddered, but concerning which one +dares not talk, especially to a Cardinalist like you." + +"Eh! and pray why dare not one speak of it, you great simpleton?" said +an old soldier, twisting up his moustache. + +"It is not spoken of because it burns the tongue. Do you understand +that?" + +"No, I don't understand it." + +"Well, nor I neither; but certain citizens told it to me." + +Here a general laugh interrupted him. + +"Ha, ha, ha! is he a fool?" said one. "He listens to what the townsfolk +tell him." + +"Ah, well! if you listen to their gabble, you have time to lose," said +another. + +"You do not know, then, what my mother said, greenhorn?" said the +eldest, gravely dropping his eyes with a solemn air, to compel +attention. + +"Eh! how can you think that I know it, La Pipe? Your mother must have +died of old age before my grandfather came into the world." + +"Well, greenhorn, I will tell you! You shall know, first of all, that my +mother was a respectable Bohemian, as much attached to the regiment of +carabineers of La Roque as my dog Canon there. She carried brandy round +her neck in a barrel, and drank better than the best of us. She had +fourteen husbands, all soldiers, who died upon the field of battle." + +"Ha! that was a woman!" interrupted the soldiers, full of respect. + +"And never once in her life did she speak to a townsman, unless it was +to say to him on coming to her lodging, 'Light my candle and warm my +soup.'" + +"Well, and what was it that your mother said to you?" + +"If you are in such a hurry, you shall not know, greenhorn. She said +habitually in her talk, 'A soldier is better than a dog; but a dog is +better than a bourgeois.'" + +"Bravo! bravo! that was well said!" cried the soldier, filled with +enthusiasm at these fine words. + +"That," said Grand-Ferre, "does not prove that the citizens who made the +remark to me that it burned the tongue were in the right; besides, they +were not altogether citizens, for they had swords, and they were grieved +at a cure being burned, and so was I." + +"Eh! what was it to you that they burned your cure, great simpleton?" +said a sergeant, leaning upon the fork of his arquebus; "after him +another would come. You might have taken one of our generals in his +stead, who are all cures at present; for me, I am a Royalist, and I say +it frankly." + +"Hold your tongue!" cried La Pipe; "let the girl speak. It is these dogs +of Royalists who always disturb us in our amusements." + +"What say you?" answered Grand-Ferre. "Do you even know what it is to be +a Royalist?" + +"Yes," said La Pipe; "I know you all very well. Go, you are for the old +self-called princes of the peace, together with the wranglers against +the Cardinal and the gabelle. Am I right or not?" + +"No, old red-stocking. A Royalist is one who is for the King; that's +what it is. And as my father was the King's valet, I am for the King, +you see; and I have no liking for the red-stockings, I can tell you." + +"Ah, you call me red-stocking, eh?" answered the old soldier. "You +shall give me satisfaction to-morrow morning. If you had made war in +the Valteline, you would not talk like that; and if you had seen his +Eminence marching upon the dike at Rochelle, with the old Marquis de +Spinola, while volleys of cannonshot were sent after him, you would have +nothing to say about red-stockings." + +"Come, let us amuse ourselves, instead of quarrelling," said the other +soldiers. + +The men who conversed thus were standing round a great fire, which +illuminated them more than the moon, beautiful as it was; and in the +centre of the group was the object of their gathering and their cries. +The Cardinal perceived a young woman arrayed in black and covered with +a long, white veil. Her feet were bare; a thick cord clasped her elegant +figure; a long rosary fell from her neck almost to her feet, and her +hands, delicate and white as ivory, turned its beads and made them pass +rapidly beneath her fingers. The soldiers, with a barbarous joy, amused +themselves with laying little brands in her way to burn her naked feet. +The oldest took the smoking match of his arquebus, and, approaching it +to the edge of her robe, said in a hoarse voice: + +"Come, madcap, tell me your history, or I will fill you with powder and +blow you up like a mine; take care, for I have already played that trick +to others besides you, in the old wars of the Huguenots. Come, sing." + +The young woman, looking at him gravely, made no reply, but lowered her +veil. + +"You don't manage her well," said Grand-Ferre, with a drunken laugh; +"you will make her cry. You don't know the fine language of the court; +let me speak to her." And, touching her on the chin, "My little heart," +he said, "if you will please, my sweet, to resume the little story you +told just now to these gentlemen, I will pray you to travel with me upon +the river Du Tendre, as the great ladies of Paris say, and to take a +glass of brandy with your faithful chevalier, who met you formerly at +Loudun, when you played a comedy in order to burn a poor devil." + +The young woman crossed her arms, and, looking around her with an +imperious air, cried: + +"Withdraw, in the name of the God of armies; withdraw, impious men! +There is nothing in common between us. I do not understand your tongue, +nor you mine. Go, sell your blood to the princes of the earth at so many +oboles a day, and leave me to accomplish my mission! Conduct me to the +Cardinal." + +A coarse laugh interrupted her. + +"Do you think," said a carabineer of Maurevert, "that his Eminence the +Generalissimo will receive you with your feet naked? Go and wash them." + +"The Lord has said, 'Jerusalem, lift thy robe, and pass the rivers of +water,'" she answered, her arms still crossed. "Let me be conducted to +the Cardinal." + +Richelieu cried in a loud voice, "Bring the woman to me, and let her +alone!" + +All were silent; they conducted her to the minister. + +"Why," said she, beholding him--"why bring me before an armed man?" + +They left her alone with him without answering. + +The Cardinal looked at her with a suspicious air. "Madame," said he, +"what are you doing in the camp at this hour? And if your mind is not +disordered, why these naked feet?" + +"It is a vow; it is a vow," answered the young woman, with an air of +impatience, seating herself beside him abruptly. "I have also made a vow +not to eat until I have found the man I seek." + +"My sister," said the Cardinal, astonished and softened, looking +closely at her, "God does not exact such rigors from a weak body, and +particularly from one of your age, for you seem very young." + +"Young! oh, yes, I was very young a few days ago; but I have since +passed two existences at least, so much have I thought and suffered. +Look on my countenance." + +And she discovered a face of perfect beauty. Black and very regular +eyes gave life to it; but in their absence one might have thought her +features were those of a phantom, she was so pale. Her lips were blue +and quivering; and a strong shudder made her teeth chatter. + +"You are ill, my sister," said the minister, touched, taking her hand, +which he felt to be burning hot. A sort of habit of inquiring concerning +his own health, and that of others, made him touch the pulse of her +emaciated arm; he felt that the arteries were swollen by the beatings of +a terrible fever. + +"Alas!" he continued, with more of interest, "you have killed yourself +with rigors beyond human strength! I have always blamed them, and +especially at a tender age. What, then, has induced you to do this? Is +it to confide it to me that you are come? Speak calmly, and be sure of +succor." + +"Confide in men!" answered the young woman; "oh, no, never! All have +deceived me. I will confide myself to no one, not even to Monsieur +Cinq-Mars, although he must soon die." + +"What!" said Richelieu, contracting his brows, but with a bitter +laugh,--"what! do you know this young man? Has he been the cause of your +misfortune?" + +"Oh, no! He is very good, and hates wickedness; that is what will ruin +him. Besides," said she, suddenly assuming a harsh and savage air, "men +are weak, and there are things which women must accomplish. When there +were no more valiant men in Israel, Deborah arose." + +"Ah! how came you with all this fine learning?" continued the Cardinal, +still holding her hand. + +"Oh, I can't explain that!" answered she, with a touching air of naivete +and a very gentle voice; "you would not understand me. It is the Devil +who has taught me all, and who has destroyed me." + +"Ah, my child! it is always he who destroys us; but he instructs +us ill," said Richelieu, with an air of paternal protection and an +increasing pity. "What have been your faults? Tell them to me; I am very +powerful." + +"Ah," said she, with a look of doubt, "you have much influence over +warriors, brave men and generals! Beneath your cuirass must beat a noble +heart; you are an old General who knows nothing of the tricks of crime." + +Richelieu smiled; this mistake flattered him. + +"I heard you ask for the Cardinal; do you desire to see him? Did you +come here to seek him?" + +The girl drew back and placed a finger upon her forehead. + +"I had forgotten it," said she; "you have talked to me too much. I had +overlooked this idea, and yet it is an important one; it is for that +that I have condemned myself to the hunger which is killing me. I must +accomplish it, or I shall die first. Ah," said she, putting her hand +beneath her robe in her bosom, whence she appeared to take something, +"behold it! this idea--" + +She suddenly blushed, and her eyes widened extraordinarily. She +continued, bending to the ear of the Cardinal: + +"I will tell you; listen! Urbain Grandier, my lover Urbain, told me this +night that it was Richelieu who had been the cause of his death. I took +a knife from an inn, and I come here to kill him; tell me where he is." + +The Cardinal, surprised and terrified, recoiled with horror. He +dared not call his guards, fearing the cries of this woman and her +accusations; nevertheless, a transport of this madness might be fatal to +him. + +"This frightful history will pursue me everywhere!" cried he, looking +fixedly at her, and thinking within himself of the course he should +take. + +They remained in silence, face to face, in the same attitude, like +two wrestlers who contemplate before attacking each other, or like the +pointer and his victim petrified by the power of a look. + +In the mean time, Laubardemont and Joseph had gone forth together; and +ere separating they talked for a moment before the tent of the Cardinal, +because they were eager mutually to deceive each other. Their hatred +had acquired new force by their recent quarrel; and each had resolved +to ruin his rival in the mind of his master. The judge then began the +dialogue, which each of them had prepared, taking the arm of the other +as by one and the same movement. + +"Ah, reverend father! how you have afflicted me by seeming to take in +ill part the trifling pleasantries which I said to you just now." + +"Heavens, no! my dear Monsieur, I am far from that. Charity, where would +be charity? I have sometimes a holy warmth in conversation, for the good +of the State and of Monseigneur, to whom I am entirely devoted." + +"Ah, who knows it better than I, reverend father? But render me justice; +you also know how completely I am attached to his Eminence the Cardinal, +to whom I owe all. Alas! I have employed too much zeal in serving him, +since he reproaches me with it." + +"Reassure yourself," said Joseph; "he bears no ill-will toward you. I +know him well; he can appreciate one's actions in favor of one's family. +He, too, is a very good relative." + +"Yes, there it is," answered Laubardemont; "consider my condition. +My niece would have been totally ruined at her convent had Urbain +triumphed; you feel that as well as I do, particularly as she did not +quite comprehend us, and acted the child when she was compelled to +appear." + +"Is it possible? In full audience! What you tell me indeed makes me feel +for you. How painful it must have been!" + +"More so than you can imagine. She forgot, in her madness, all that she +had been told, committed a thousand blunders in Latin, which we patched +up as well as we could; and she even caused an unpleasant scene on the +day of the trial, very unpleasant for me and the judges--there were +swoons and shrieks. Ah, I swear that I would have scolded her well had I +not been forced to quit precipitately that, little town of Loudun. +But, you see, it is natural enough that I am attached to her. She is my +nearest relative; for my son has turned out ill, and no one knows what +has become of him during the last four years. Poor little Jeanne de +Belfiel! I made her a nun, and then abbess, in order to preserve all for +that scamp. Had I foreseen his conduct, I should have retained her for +the world." + +"She is said to have great beauty," answered Joseph; "that is a precious +gift for a family. She might have been presented at court, and the +King--Ah! ah! Mademoiselle de la Fayette--eh! eh!--Mademoiselle +d'Hautefort--you understand; it may be even possible to think of it +yet." + +"Ah, that is like you, Monseigneur! for we know that you have been +nominated to the cardinalate; how good you are to remember the most +devoted of your friends!" + +Laubardemont was yet talking to Joseph when they found themselves at the +end of the line of the camp, which led to the quarter of the volunteers. + +"May God and his Holy Mother protect you during my absence!" said +Joseph, stopping. "To-morrow I depart for Paris; and as I shall have +frequent business with this young Cinq-Mars, I shall first go to see +him, and learn news of his wound." + +"Had I been listened to," said Laubardemont, "you would not now have had +this trouble." + +"Alas, you are right!" answered Joseph, with a profound sigh, and +raising his eyes to heaven; "but the Cardinal is no longer the same man. +He will not take advantage of good ideas; he will ruin us if he goes on +thus." + +And, making a low bow to the judge, the Capuchin took the road which he +had indicated to him. + +Laubardemont followed him for some time with his eyes, and, when he was +quite sure of the route which he had taken, he returned, or, rather, ran +back to the tent of the minister. "The Cardinal dismisses him, he tells +me; that shows that he is tired of him. I know secrets which will ruin +him. I will add that he is gone to pay court to the future favorite. +I will replace this monk in the favor of the minister. The moment is +propitious. It is midnight; he will be alone for an hour and a half yet. +Let me run." + +He arrived at the tent of the guards, which was before the pavilion. + +"Monseigneur gives audience to some one," said the captain, hesitating; +"you can not enter." + +"Never mind; you saw me leave an hour ago, and things are passing of +which I must give an account." + +"Come in, Laubardemont," cried the minister; "come in quickly, and +alone." + +He entered. The Cardinal, still seated, held the two hands of the nun +in one of his, and with the other he imposed silence upon his stupefied +agent, who remained motionless, not yet seeing the face of this woman. +She spoke volubly, and the strange things she said contrasted horribly +with the sweetness of her voice. Richelieu seemed moved. + +"Yes, I will stab him with a knife. It is the knife which the demon +Behirith gave me at the inn; but it is the nail of Sisera. It has +a handle of ivory, you see; and I have wept much over it. Is it not +singular, my good General? I will turn it in the throat of him who +killed my friend, as he himself told me to do; and afterward I will burn +the body. There is like for like, the punishment which God permitted +to Adam. You have an astonished air, my brave general; but you would be +much more so, were I to repeat to you his song--the song which he +sang to me again last night, at the hour of the funeral-pyre--you +understand?--the hour when it rains, the hour when my hand burns as now. +He said to me: 'They are much deceived, the magistrates, the red judges. +I have eleven demons at my command; and I shall come to see you when the +clock strikes, under a canopy of purple velvet, with torches--torches of +resin to give us light--' Ah, that is beautiful! Listen, listen to what +he sings!" + +And she sang to the air of De Profundis. + +"Is it not singular, my good General?" said she, when she had finished; +"and I--I answer him every evening." + +"Then he speaks as spirits and prophets speak. He says: 'Woe, woe to him +who has shed blood! Are the judges of the earth gods? No, they are men +who grow old and suffer, and yet they dare to say aloud, Let that man +die! The penalty of death, the pain of death--who has given to man +the right of imposing it on man? Is the number two? One would be an +assassin, look you! But count well, one, two, three. Behold, they are +wise and just, these grave and salaried criminals! O crime, the horror +of Heaven! If you looked upon them from above as I look upon them, you +would be yet paler than I am. Flesh destroys flesh! That which lives +by blood sheds blood coldly and without anger, like a God with power to +create!'" + +The cries which the unhappy girl uttered, as she rapidly spoke these +words, terrified Richelieu and Laubardemont so much that they still +remained motionless. The delirium and the fever continued to transport +her. + +"'Did the judges tremble?' said Urbain Grandier to me. 'Did they tremble +at deceiving themselves?' They work the work of the just. The question! +They bind his limbs with ropes to make him speak. His skin cracks, tears +away, and rolls up like a parchment; his nerves are naked, red, and +glittering; his bones crack; the marrow spurts out. But the judges +sleep! they dream of flowers and spring. 'How hot the grand chamber is!' +says one, awaking; 'this man has not chosen to speak! Is the torture +finished?' And pitiful at last, he dooms him to death--death, the sole +fear of the living! death, the unknown world! He sends before him a +furious soul which will wait for him. Oh! has he never seen the vision +of vengeance? Has he never seen before falling asleep the flayed +prevaricator?" + +Already weakened by fever, fatigue, and grief, the Cardinal, seized with +horror and pity, exclaimed: + +"Ah, for the love of God, let this terrible scene have an end! Take away +this woman; she is mad!" + +The frantic creature turned, and suddenly uttering loud cries, "Ah, the +judge! the judge! the judge!" she said, recognizing Laubardemont. + +The latter, clasping his hands and trembling before the Cardinal, said +with terror: + +"Alas, Monseigneur, pardon me! she is my niece, who has lost her reason. +I was not aware of this misfortune, or she would have been shut up long +ago. Jeanne! Jeanne! come, Madame, to your knees! ask forgiveness of +Monseigneur the Cardinal-duc." + +"It is Richelieu!" she cried; and astonishment seemed wholly to paralyze +this young and unhappy beauty. The flush which had animated her at first +gave place to a deadly pallor, her cries to a motionless silence, +her wandering looks to a frightful fixedness of her large eyes, which +constantly followed the agitated minister. + +"Take away this unfortunate child quickly," said he; "she is dying, and +so am I. So many horrors pursue me since that sentence that I believe +all hell is loosed upon me." + +He rose as he spoke; Jeanne de Belfiel, still silent and stupefied, with +haggard eyes, open mouth, and head bent forward, yet remained beneath +the shock of her double surprise, which seemed to have extinguished the +rest of her reason and her strength. At the movement of the Cardinal, +she shuddered to find herself between him and Laubardemont, looked by +turns at one and the other, let the knife which she held fall from +her hand, and retired slowly toward the opening of the tent, covering +herself completely with her veil, and looking wildly and with terror +behind her upon her uncle who followed, like an affrighted lamb, which +already feels at its back the burning breath of the wolf about to seize +it. + +Thus they both went forth; and hardly had they reached the open air, +when the furious judge caught the hands of his victim, tied them with +a handkerchief, and easily led her, for she uttered no cry, not even a +sigh, but followed him with her head still drooping upon her bosom, and +as if plunged in profound somnambulism. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. THE SPANIARD + +Meantime, a scene of different nature was passing in the tent of +Cinq-Mars; the words of the King, the first balm to his wounds, had been +followed by the anxious care of the surgeons of the court. A spent +ball, easily extracted, had been the only cause of his accident. He +was allowed to travel and all was ready. The invalid had received up to +midnight friendly or interested visits; among the first were those +of little Gondi and of Fontrailles, who were also preparing to quit +Perpignan for Paris. The ex-page, Olivier d'Entraigues, joined with them +in complimenting the fortunate volunteer, whom the King seemed to +have distinguished. The habitual coldness of the Prince toward all who +surrounded him having caused those who knew of them to regard the +few words he had spoken as assured signs of high favor, all came to +congratulate him. + +At length, released from visitors, he lay upon his camp-bed. De Thou +sat by his side, holding his hand, and Grandchamp at his feet, still +grumbling at the numerous interruptions that had fatigued his wounded +master. Cinq-Mars himself tasted one of those moments of calm and hope, +which so refresh the soul as well as the body. His free hand secretly +pressed the gold cross that hung next to his heart, the beloved donor of +which he was so soon to behold. Outwardly, he listened with kindly looks +to the counsels of the young magistrate; but his inward thoughts were +all turned toward the object of his journey--the object, also, of his +life. The grave De Thou went on in a calm, gentle voice: + +"I shall soon follow you to Paris. I am happier than you at seeing the +King take you there with him. You are right in looking upon it as +the beginning of a friendship which must be turned to profit. I have +reflected deeply on the secret causes of your ambition, and I think I +have divined your heart. Yes; that feeling of love for France, which +made it beat in your earliest youth, must have gained greater strength. +You would be near the King in order to serve your country, in order to +put in action those golden dreams of your early years. The thought is a +vast one, and worthy of you! I admire you; I bow before you. To approach +the monarch with the chivalrous devotion of our fathers, with a +heart full of candor, and prepared for any sacrifice; to receive the +confidences of his soul; to pour into his those of his subjects; to +soften the sorrows of the King by telling him the confidence his people +have in him; to cure the wounds of the people by laying them open to its +master, and by the intervention of your favor thus to reestablish +that intercourse of love between the father and his children which for +eighteen years has been interrupted by a man whose heart is marble; +for this noble enterprise, to expose yourself to all the horrors of his +vengeance and, what is even worse, to brave all the perfidious calumnies +which pursue the favorite to the very steps of the throne--this dream +was worthy of you. + +"Pursue it, my friend," De Thou continued. "Never become discouraged. +Speak loudly to the King of the merit and misfortunes of his most +illustrious friends who are trampled on. Tell him fearlessly that his +old nobility have never conspired against him; and that from the young +Montmorency to the amiable Comte de Soissons, all have opposed the +minister, and never the monarch. Tell him that the old families of +France were born with his race; that in striking them he affects the +whole nation; and that, should he destroy them, his own race will +suffer, that it will stand alone exposed to the blast of time and +events, as an old oak trembling and exposed to the wind of the plain, +when the forest which surrounded and supported it has been destroyed. +Yes!" cried De Thou, growing animated, "this aim is a fine and noble +one. Go on in your course with a resolute step; expel even that secret +shame, that shyness, which a noble soul experiences before it can +resolve upon flattering--upon paying what the world calls its court. +Alas, kings are accustomed to these continual expressions of false +admiration for them! Look upon them as a new language which must be +learned--a language hitherto foreign to your lips, but which, believe +me, may be nobly spoken, and which may express high and generous +thoughts." + +During this warm discourse of his friend, Cinq-Mars could not refrain +from a sudden blush; and he turned his head on his pillow toward the +tent, so that his face might not be seen. De Thou stopped: + +"What is the matter, Henri? You do not answer. Am I deceived?" + +Cinq-Mars gave a deep sigh and remained silent. + +"Is not your heart affected by these ideas which I thought would have +transported it?" + +The wounded man looked more calmly at his friend and said: + +"I thought, my dear De Thou, that you would not interrogate me further, +and that you were willing to repose a blind confidence in me. What evil +genius has moved you thus to sound my soul? I am not a stranger to these +ideas which possess you. Who told you that I had not conceived them? Who +told you that I had not formed the firm resolution of prosecuting them +infinitely farther in action than you have put them in words? Love for +France, virtuous hatred of the ambition which oppresses and shatters her +ancient institutions with the axe of the executioner, the firm belief +that virtue may be as skilful as crime,--these are my gods as much as +yours. But when you see a man kneeling in a church, do you ask him what +saint or what angel protects him and receives his prayer? What matters +it to you, provided that he pray at the foot of the altars that you +adore--provided that, if called upon, he fall a martyr at the foot of +those 'altars? When our forefathers journeyed with naked feet toward the +Holy Sepulchre, with pilgrims' staves in their hands, did men inquire +the secret vow which led them to the Holy Land? They struck, they died; +and men, perhaps God himself, asked no more. The pious captain who +led them never stripped their bodies to see whether the red cross +and haircloth concealed any other mysterious symbol; and in heaven, +doubtless, they were not judged with any greater rigor for having aided +the strength of their resolutions upon earth by some hope permitted to +a Christian--some second and secret thought, more human, and nearer the +mortal heart." + +De Thou smiled and slightly blushed, lowering his eyes. + +"My friend," he answered, gravely; "this excitement may be injurious to +you. Let us not continue this subject; let us not mingle God and heaven +in our discourse. It is not well; and draw the coverings over your +shoulder, for the night is cold. I promise you," he added, covering his +young invalid with a maternal care--"I promise not to offend you again +with my counsels." + +"And I," cried Cinq-Mars, despite the interdiction to speak, "swear to +you by this gold cross you see, and by the Holy Mary, to die rather than +renounce the plan that you first traced out! You may one day, perhaps, +be forced to pray me to stop; but then it will be too late." + +"Very well!" repeated the counsellor, "now sleep; if you do not stop, I +will go on with you, wherever you lead me." + +And, taking a prayer-book from his pocket, he began to read attentively; +in a short time he looked at Cinq-Mars, who was still awake. He made a +sign to Grandchamp to put the lamp out of sight of the invalid; but +this new care succeeded no better. The latter, with his eyes still open, +tossed restlessly on his narrow bed. + +"Come, you are not calm," said De Thou, smiling; "I will read to you +some pious passage which will put your mind in repose. Ah, my friend, it +is here that true repose is to be found; it is in this consolatory book, +for, open it where you will, you will always see, on the one hand, +man in the only condition that suits his weakness--prayer, and the +uncertainty as to his destiny--and, on the other, God himself speaking +to him of his infirmities! What a glorious and heavenly spectacle! What +a sublime bond between heaven and earth! Life, death, and eternity are +there; open it at random." + +"Yes!" said Cinq-Mars, rising with a vivacity which had something boyish +in it; "you shall read to me, but let me open the book. You know the old +superstition of our country--when the mass-book is opened with a sword, +the first page on the left contains the destiny of him who reads, and +the first person who enters after he has read is powerfully to influence +the reader's future fate." + +"What childishness! But be it as you will. Here is your sword; insert +the point. Let us see." + +"Let me read myself," said Cinq-Mars, taking one side of the book. Old +Grandchamp gravely advanced his tawny face and his gray hair to the foot +of the bed to listen. His master read, stopped at the first phrase, but +with a smile, perhaps slightly forced, he went on to the end. + +"I. Now it was in the city of Milan that they appeared. + +"II. The high-priest said to them, 'Bow down and adore the gods.' + +"III. And the people were silent, looking at their faces, which appeared +as the faces of angels. + +"IV. But Gervais, taking the hand of Protais, cried, looking to heaven, +and filled with the Holy Ghost: + +"V. Oh, my brother! I see the Son of man smiling upon us; let me die +first. + +"VI. For if I see thy blood, I fear I shall shed tears unworthy of the +Lord our God. + +"VII. Then Protais answered him in these words: + +"VIII. My brother, it is just that I should perish after thee, for I am +older, and have more strength to see thee suffer. + +"IX. But the senators and people ground their teeth at them. + +"X. And the soldiers having struck them, their heads fell together on +the same stone. + +"XI. Now it was in this same place that the blessed Saint Ambroise found +the ashes of the two martyrs which gave sight to the blind." + +"Well," said Cinq-Mars, looking at his friend when he had finished, +"what do you say to that?" + +"God's will be done! but we should not scrutinize it." + +"Nor put off our designs for a child's play," said D'Effiat impatiently, +and wrapping himself in a cloak which was thrown over him. "Remember +the lines we formerly so frequently quoted, 'Justum et tenacem Propositi +viruna'; these iron words are stamped upon my brain. Yes; let the +universe crumble around me, its wreck shall carry me away still +resolute." + +"Let us not compare the thoughts of man with those of Heaven; and let us +be submissive," said De Thou, gravely. + +"Amen!" said old Grandchamp, whose eyes had filled with tears, which he +hastily brushed away. + +"What hast thou to do with it, old soldier? Thou weepest," said his +master. + +"Amen!" said a voice, in a nasal tone, at the entrance of the tent. + +"Parbleu, Monsieur! rather put that question to his Gray Eminence, who +comes to visit you," answered the faithful servant, pointing to Joseph, +who advanced with his arms crossed, making a salutation with a frowning +air. + +"Ah, it will be he, then!" murmured Cinq-Mars. + +"Perhaps I come inopportunely," said Joseph, soothingly. + +"Perhaps very opportunely," said Henri d'Effiat, smiling, with a glance +at De Thou. "What can bring you here, Father, at one o'clock in the +morning? It should be some good work." + +Joseph saw he was ill-received; and as he had always sundry reproaches +to make himself with reference to all persons whom he addressed, and as +many resources in his mind for getting out of the difficulty, he fancied +that they had discovered the object of his visit, and felt that he +should not select a moment of ill humor for preparing the way to +friendship. Therefore, seating himself near the bed, he said, coldly: + +"I come, Monsieur, to speak to you on the part of the +Cardinal-Generalissimo, of the two Spanish prisoners you have made; he +desires to have information concerning them as soon as possible. I am +to see and question them. But I did not suppose you were still awake; I +merely wished to receive them from your people." + +After a forced interchange of politeness, they ordered into the tent the +two prisoners, whom Cinq-Mars had almost forgotten. + +They appeared--the one, young and displaying an animated and rather wild +countenance, was the soldier; the other, concealing his form under a +brown cloak, and his gloomy features, which had something ambiguous in +their expression, under his broad-brimmed hat, which he did not remove, +was the officer. He spoke first: + +"Why do you make me leave my straw and my sleep? Is it to deliver me or +hang me?" + +"Neither," said Joseph. + +"What have I to do with thee, man with the long beard? I did not see +thee at the breach." + +It took some time after this amiable exordium to make the stranger +understand the right a Capuchin had to interrogate him. + +"Well," he said, "what dost thou want?" + +"I would know your name and your country." + +"I shall not tell my name; and as for my country, I have the air of a +Spaniard, but perhaps am not one, for a Spaniard never acknowledges his +country." + +Father Joseph, turning toward the two friends, said: "Unless I deceive +myself, I have heard his voice somewhere. This man speaks French without +an accent; but it seems he wishes to give us enigmas, as in the East." + +"The East? that is it," said the prisoner. "A Spaniard is a man from the +East; he is a Catholic Turk; his blood either flags or boils; he is lazy +or indefatigable; indolence makes him a slave, ardor a tyrant; immovable +in his ignorance, ingenious in his superstition, he needs only a +religious book and a tyrannical master; he obeys the law of the pyre; +he commands by that of the poniard. At night he falls asleep in his +bloodthirsty misery, nurses fanaticism, and awakes to crime. Who is this +gentleman? Is it the Spaniard or the Turk? Guess! Ah! you seem to think +that I have wit, because I light upon analogy." + +"Truly, gentlemen, you do me honor; and yet the idea may be carried much +further, if desired. If I pass to the physical order, for example, may +I not say to you, This man has long and serious features, a black and +almond-shaped eye, rugged brows, a sad and mobile mouth, tawny, meagre, +and wrinkled cheeks; his head is shaved, and he covers it with a black +handkerchief in the form of a turban; he passes the whole day lying or +standing under a burning sun, without motion, without utterance, smoking +a pipe that intoxicates him. Is this a Turk or a Spaniard? Are you +satisfied, gentlemen? Truly, it would seem so; you laugh, and at what do +you laugh? I, who have presented this idea to you--I have not laughed; +see, my countenance is sad. Ah! perhaps it is because the gloomy +prisoner has suddenly become a gossip, and talks rapidly. That is +nothing! I might tell you other things, and render you some service, my +worthy friends. + +"If I should relate anecdotes, for example; if I told you I knew a +priest who ordered the death of some heretics before saying mass, +and who, furious at being interrupted at the altar during the holy +sacrifice, cried to those who asked for his orders, 'Kill them all! kill +them all!'--should you all laugh, gentlemen? No, not all! This gentleman +here, for instance, would bite his lips and his beard. Oh! it is true he +might answer that he did wisely, and that they were wrong to interrupt +his unsullied prayer. But if I added that he concealed himself for an +hour behind the curtain of your tent, Monsieur de Cinq-Mars, to listen +while you talked, and that he came to betray you, and not to get me, +what would he say? Now, gentlemen, are you satisfied? May I retire after +this display?" + +The prisoner had uttered this with the rapidity of a quack vending his +wares, and in so loud a voice that Joseph was quite confounded. He arose +indignantly at last, and, addressing himself to Cinq-Mars, said: + +"How can you suffer a prisoner who should have been hanged to speak to +you thus, Monsieur?" + +The Spaniard, without deigning to notice him any further, leaned toward +D'Effiat, and whispered in his ear: + +"I can be of no further use to you; give me my liberty. I might ere this +have taken it; but I would not do so without your consent. Give it me, +or have me killed." + +"Go, if you will!" said Cinq-Mars to him. "I assure you I shall be very +glad;" and he told his people to retire with the soldier, whom he wished +to keep in his service. + +This was the affair of a moment. No one remained any longer in the tent +with the two friends, except the abashed Joseph and the Spaniard. The +latter, taking off his hat, showed a French but savage countenance. He +laughed, and seemed to respire more air into his broad chest. + +"Yes, I am a Frenchman," he said to Joseph. "But I hate France, because +she gave birth to my father, who is a monster, and to me, who have +become one, and who once struck him. I hate her inhabitants, because +they have robbed me of my whole fortune at play, and because I have +robbed them and killed them. I have been two years in Spain in order to +kill more Frenchmen; but now I hate Spain still more. No one will know +the reason why. Adieu! I must live henceforth without a nation; all men +are my enemies. Go on, Joseph, and you will soon be as good as I. Yes, +you have seen me once before," he continued, violently striking him in +the breast and throwing him down. "I am Jacques de Laubardemont, the son +of your worthy friend." + +With these words, quickly leaving the tent, he disappeared like an +apparition. De Thou and the servants, who ran to the entrance, saw him, +with two bounds, spring over a surprised and disarmed soldier, and +run toward the mountains with the swiftness of a deer, despite various +musket-shots. Joseph took advantage of the disorder to slip away, +stammering a few words of politeness, and left the two friends laughing +at his adventure and his disappointment, as two schoolboys laugh at +seeing the spectacles of their pedagogue fall off. At last they prepared +to seek a rest of which they both stood in need, and which they soon +found-=the wounded man in his bed, and the young counsellor in his +chair. + +As for the Capuchin, he walked toward his tent, meditating how he should +turn all this so as to take the greatest possible revenge, when he +met Laubardemont dragging the young mad-woman by her two hands. They +recounted to each other their mutual and horrible adventures. + +Joseph had no small pleasure in turning the poniard in the wound of his +friend's heart, by telling him of the fate of his son. + +"You are not exactly happy in your domestic relations," he added. "I +advise you to shut up your niece and hang your son, if you are fortunate +enough to find him." + +Laubardemont replied with a hideous laugh: + +"As for this idiot here, I am going to give her to an ex-secret judge, +at present a smuggler in the Pyrenees at Oleron. He can do what he +pleases with her--make her a servant in his posada, for instance. I care +not, so that my lord never hears of her." + +Jeanne de Belfiel, her head hanging down, gave no sign of sensibility. +Every glimmer of reason was extinguished in her; one word alone remained +upon her lips, and this she continually pronounced. + +"The judge! the judge! the judge!" she murmured, and was silent. + +Her uncle and Joseph threw her, almost like a sack of corn, on one +of the horses which were led up by two servants. Laubardemont mounted +another, and prepared to leave the camp, wishing to get into the +mountains before day. + +"A good journey to you!" he said to Joseph. "Execute your business well +in Paris. I commend to you Orestes and Pylades." + +"A good journey to you!" answered the other. "I commend to you Cassandra +and OEdipus." + +"Oh! he has neither killed his father nor married his mother." + +"But he is on the high-road to those little pleasantries." + +"Adieu, my reverend Father!" + +"Adieu, my venerable friend!" + +Then each added aloud, but in suppressed tones: + +"Adieu, assassin of the gray robe! During thy absence I shall have the +ear of the Cardinal." + +"Adieu, villain in the red robe! Go thyself and destroy thy cursed +family. Finish shedding that portion of thy blood that is in others' +veins. That share which remains in thee, I will take charge of. Ha! a +well-employed night!" + + + + +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, 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." + + [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.] + +"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. + + + + +BOOK 5. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. THE SECRET + +De Thou had reached home with his friend; his doors were carefully shut, +and orders given to admit no one, and to excuse him to the refugees for +allowing them to depart without seeing them again; and as yet the two +friends had not spoken to each other. + +The counsellor had thrown himself into his armchair in deep meditation. +Cinq-Mars, leaning against the lofty chimneypiece, awaited with a +serious and sorrowful air the termination of this silence. At length De +Thou, looking fixedly at him and crossing his arms, said in a hollow and +melancholy voice: + +"This, then, is the goal you have reached! These, the consequences of +your ambition! You are are about to banish, perhaps slay, a man, and +to bring then, a foreign army into France; I am, then, to see you an +assassin and a traitor to your country! By what tortuous paths have you +arrived thus far? By what stages have you descended so low?" + +"Any other than yourself would not speak thus to me twice," said +Cinq-Mars, coldly; "but I know you, and I like this explanation. I +desired it, and sought it. You shall see my entire soul. I had at first +another thought, a better one perhaps, more worthy of our friendship, +more worthy of friendship--friendship, the second thing upon earth." + +He raised his eyes to heaven as he spoke, as if he there sought the +divinity. + +"Yes, it would have been better. I intended to have said nothing to you +on the subject. It was a painful task to keep silence; but hitherto I +have succeeded. I wished to have conducted the whole enterprise without +you; to show you only the finished work. I wished to keep you beyond the +circle of my danger; but shall I confess my weakness? I feared to die, +if I have to die, misjudged by you. I can well sustain the idea of the +world's malediction, but not of yours; but this has decided me upon +avowing all to you." + +"What! and but for this thought, you would have had the courage to +conceal yourself forever from me? Ah, dear Henri, what have I done that +you should take this care of my life? By what fault have I deserved to +survive you, if you die? You have had the strength of mind to hoodwink +me for two whole years; you have never shown me aught of your life +but its flowers; you have never entered my solitude but with a joyous +countenance, and each time with a fresh favor. Ah, you must be very +guilty or very virtuous!" + +"Do not seek in my soul more than therein lies. Yes, I have deceived +you; and that fact was the only peace and joy I had in the world. +Forgive me for having stolen these moments from my destiny, so +brilliant, alas! I was happy in the happiness you supposed me to enjoy; +I made you happy in that dream, and I am only guilty in that I am now +about to destroy it, and to show myself as I was and am. Listen: I shall +not detain you long; the story of an impassioned heart is ever simple. +Once before, I remember, in my tent when I was wounded, my secret nearly +escaped me; it would have been happy, perhaps, had it done so. Yet what +would counsel have availed me? I should not have followed it. In a word, +'tis Marie de Mantua whom I love." + +"How! she who is to be Queen of Poland?" + +"If she is ever queen, it can only be after my death. But listen: for +her I became a courtier; for her I have almost reigned in France; for +her I am about to fall--perhaps to die." + +"Die! fall! when I have been reproaching your triumph! when I have wept +over the sadness of your victory!" + +"Ah! you know me but ill, if you suppose that I shall be the dupe of +Fortune, when she smiles upon me; if you suppose that I have not +pierced to the bottom of my destiny! I struggle against it, but 'tis the +stronger I feel it. I have undertaken a task beyond human power; and I +shall fail in it." + +"Why, then, not stop? What is the use of intellect in the business of +the world?" + +"None; unless, indeed, it be to tell us the cause of our fall, and +to enable us to foresee the day on which we shall fall. I can not now +recede. When a man is confronted with such an enemy as Richelieu, he +must overcome him or be crushed by him. Tomorrow I shall strike the last +blow; did I not just now, in your presence, engage to do so?" + +"And it is that very engagement that I would oppose. What confidence +have you in those to whom you thus abandon your life? Have you not read +their secret thoughts?" + +"I know them all; I have read their hopes through their feigned rage; +I know that they tremble while they threaten. I know that even now they +are ready to make their peace by giving me up; but it is my part to +sustain them and to decide the King. I must do it, for Marie is my +betrothed, and my death is written at Narbonne. It is voluntarily, it is +with full knowledge of my fate, that I have thus placed myself between +the block and supreme happiness. That happiness I must tear from the +hands of Fortune, or die on that scaffold. At this instant I experience +the joy of having broken down all doubt. What! blush you not at having +thought me ambitious from a base egoism, like this Cardinal--ambitious +from a puerile desire for a power which is never satisfied? I am +ambitious, but it is because I love. Yes, I love; in that word all is +comprised. But I accuse you unjustly. You have embellished my secret +intentions; you have imparted to me noble designs (I remember them), +high political conceptions. They are brilliant, they are grand, +doubtless; but--shall I say it to you?--such vague projects for the +perfecting of corrupt societies seem to me to crawl far below the +devotion of love. When the whole soul vibrates with that one thought, it +has no room for the nice calculation of general interests; the topmost +heights of earth are far beneath heaven." + +De Thou shook his head. + +"What can I answer?" he said. "I do not understand you; your reasoning +unreasons you. You hunt a shadow." + +"Nay," continued Cinq-Mars; "far from destroying my strength, this +inward fire has developed it. I have calculated everything. Slow steps +have led me to the end which I am about to attain. Marie drew me by the +hand; could I retreat? I would not have done it though a world faced me. +Hitherto, all has gone well; but an invisible barrier arrests me. This +barrier must be broken; it is Richelieu. But now in your presence I +undertook to do this; but perhaps I was too hasty. I now think I was so. +Let him rejoice; he expected me. Doubtless he foresaw that it would +be the youngest whose patience would first fail. If he played on this +calculation, he played well. Yet but for the love that has urged me on, +I should have been stronger than he, and by just means." + +Then a sudden change came over the face of Cinq-Mars. He turned pale and +red twice; and the veins of his forehead rose like blue lines drawn by +an invisible hand. + +"Yes," he added, rising, and clasping together his hands with a force +which indicated the violent despair concentred in his heart, "all the +torments with which love can tear its victims I have felt in my breast. +This timid girl, for whom I would shake empires, for whom I have +suffered all, even the favor of a prince, who perhaps has not felt all I +have done for her, can not yet be mine. She is mine before God, yet I am +estranged from her; nay, I must hear daily discussed before me which of +the thrones of Europe will best suit her, in conversations wherein I may +not even raise my voice to give an opinion, and in which they scorn as +mate for her princes of the blood royal, who yet have precedence far +before me. I must conceal myself like a culprit to hear through a +grating the voice of her who is my wife; in public I must bow before +her--her husband, yet her servant! 'Tis too much; I can not live thus. I +must take the last step, whether it elevate me or hurl me down." + +"And for your personal happiness you would overthrow a State?" + +"The happiness of the State is one with mine. I secure that undoubtedly +in destroying the tyrant of the King. The horror with which this man +inspires me has passed into my very blood. When I was first on my way to +him, I encountered in my journey his greatest crime. He is the genius of +evil for the unhappy King! I will exorcise him. I might have become the +genius of good for Louis XIII. It was one of the thoughts of Marie, her +most cherished thought. But I do not think I shall triumph in the uneasy +soul of the Prince." + +"Upon what do you rely, then?" said De Thou. + +"Upon the cast of a die. If his will can but once last for a few hours, +I have gained. 'Tis a last calculation on which my destiny hangs." + +"And that of your Marie!" + +"Could you suppose it?" said Cinq-Mars, impetuously. "No, no! If he +abandons me, I sign the treaty with Spain, and then-war!" + +"Ah, horror!" exclaimed the counsellor. "What, a war! a civil war, and a +foreign alliance!" + +"Ay, 'tis a crime," said Cinq-Mars, coldly; "but have I asked you to +participate in it?" + +"Cruel, ungrateful man!" replied his friend; "can you speak to me thus? +Know you not, have I not proved to you, that friendship holds the +place of every passion in my heart? Can I survive the least of your +misfortunes, far less your death. Still, let me influence you not to +strike France. Oh, my friend! my only friend! I implore you on my knees, +let us not thus be parricides; let us not assassinate our country! I say +us, because I will never separate myself from your actions. Preserve to +me my self-esteem, for which I have labored so long; sully not my life +and my death, which are both yours." + +De Thou had fallen at the feet of his friend, who, unable to preserve +his affected coldness, threw himself into his arms, as he raised him, +and, pressing him to his heart, said in a stifled voice: + +"Why love me thus? What have you done, friend? Why love me? You who +are wise, pure, and virtuous; you who are not led away by an insensate +passion and the desire for vengeance; you whose soul is nourished only +by religion and science--why love me? What has my friendship given you +but anxiety and pain? Must it now heap dangers on you? Separate yourself +from me; we are no longer of the same nature. You see courts have +corrupted me. I have no longer openness, no longer goodness. I meditate +the ruin of a man; I can deceive a friend. Forget me, scorn me. I am not +worthy of one of your thoughts; how should I be worthy of your perils?" + +"By swearing to me not to betray the King and France," answered De Thou. +"Know you that the preservation of your country is at stake; that if +you yield to Spain our fortifications, she will never return them to us; +that your name will be a byword with posterity; that French mothers will +curse it when they shall be forced to teach their children a foreign +language--know you all this? Come." + +And he drew him toward the bust of Louis XIII. + +"Swear before him (he is your friend also), swear never to sign this +infamous treaty." + +Cinq-Mars lowered his eyes, but with dogged tenacity answered, although +blushing as he did so: + +"I have said it; if they force me to it, I will sign." + +De Thou turned pale, and let fall his hand. He took two turns in his +room, his arms crossed, in inexpressible anguish. At last he advanced +solemnly toward the bust of his father, and opened a large book standing +at its foot; he turned to a page already marked, and read aloud: + +"I think, therefore, that M. de Ligneboeuf was justly condemned to death +by the Parliament of Rouen, for not having revealed the conspiracy of +Catteville against the State." + +Then keeping the book respectfully opened in his hand, and contemplating +the image of the President de Thou, whose Memoirs he held, he continued: + +"Yes, my father, you thought well.... I shall be a criminal, I shall +merit death; but can I do otherwise? I will not denounce this traitor, +because that also would be treason; and he is my friend, and he is +unhappy." + +Then, advancing toward Cinq-Mars, and again taking his hand, he said: + +"I do much for you in acting thus; but expect nothing further from me, +Monsieur, if you sign this treaty." + +Cinq-Mars was moved to the heart's core by this scene, for he felt all +that his friend must suffer in casting him off. Checking, however, the +tears which were rising to his smarting lids, and embracing De Thou +tenderly, he exclaimed: + +"Ah, De Thou, I find you still perfect. Yes, you do me a service in +alienating yourself from me, for if your lot had been linked to mine, I +should not have dared to dispose of my life. I should have hesitated +to sacrifice it in case of need; but now I shall assuredly do so. And I +repeat to you, if they force me, I shall sign the treaty with Spain." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. THE HUNTING PARTY + +Meanwhile the illness of Louis XIII threw France into the apprehension +which unsettled States ever feel on the approach of the death of +princes. Although Richelieu was the hub of the monarchy, he reigned only +in the name of Louis, though enveloped with the splendor of the name +which he had assumed. Absolute as he was over his master, Richelieu +still feared him; and this fear reassured the nation against his +ambitious desires, to which the King himself was the fixed barrier. But +this prince dead, what would the imperious minister do? Where would a +man stop who had already dared so much? Accustomed to wield the sceptre, +who would prevent him from still holding it, and from subscribing his +name alone to laws which he alone would dictate? These fears agitated +all minds. The people in vain looked throughout the kingdom for those +pillars of the nobility, at the feet of whom they had been wont to +find shelter in political storms. They now only saw their recent tombs. +Parliament was dumb; and men felt that nothing could be opposed to the +monstrous growth of the Cardinal's usurping power. No one was entirely +deceived by the affected sufferings of the minister. None was touched +with that feigned agony which had too often deceived the public hope; +and distance nowhere prevented the weight of the dreaded 'parvenu' from +being felt. + +The love of the people soon revived toward the son of Henri IV. They +hastened to the churches; they prayed, and even wept. Unfortunate +princes are always loved. The melancholy of Louis, and his mysterious +sorrow interested all France; still living, they already regretted +him, as if each man desired to be the depositary of his troubles ere +he carried away with him the grand mystery of what is suffered by men +placed so high that they can see nothing before them but their tomb. + +The King, wishing to reassure the whole nation, announced the temporary +reestablishment of his health, and ordered the court to prepare for a +grand hunting party to be given at Chambord--a royal domain, whither his +brother, the Duc d'Orleans, prayed him to return. + +This beautiful abode was the favorite retreat of Louis, doubtless +because, in harmony with his feelings, it combined grandeur with +sadness. He often passed whole months there, without seeing any one +whatsoever, incessantly reading and re-reading mysterious papers, +writing unknown documents, which he locked up in an iron coffer, of +which he alone had the key. He sometimes delighted in being served by +a single domestic, and thus so to forget himself by the absence of his +suite as to live for many days together like a poor man or an exiled +citizen, loving to figure to himself misery or persecution, in order the +better to enjoy royalty afterward. Another time he would be in a more +entire solitude; and having forbidden any human creature to approach +him, clothed in the habit of a monk, he would shut himself up in the +vaulted chapel. There, reading the life of Charles V, he would imagine +himself at St. Just, and chant over himself that mass for the dead which +brought death upon the head of the Spanish monarch. + +But in the midst of these very chants and meditations his feeble mind +was pursued and distracted by contrary images. Never did life and the +world appear to him more fair than in such times of solitude among the +tombs. Between his eyes and the page which he endeavored to read passed +brilliant processions, victorious armies, or nations transported with +love. He saw himself powerful, combating, triumphant, adored; and if a +ray of the sun through the large windows fell upon him, suddenly rising +from the foot of the altar, he felt himself carried away by a thirst for +daylight and the open air, which led him from his gloomy retreat. But +returned to real life, he found there once more disgust and ennui, for +the first men he met recalled his power to his recollection by their +homage. + +It was then that he believed in friendship, and summoned it to his +side; but scarcely was he certain of its possession than unconquerable +scruples suddenly seized upon his soul-scruples concerning a too +powerful attachment to the creature, turning him from the Creator, and +frequently inward reproaches for removing himself too much from the +affairs of the State. The object of his momentary affection then seemed +to him a despotic being, whose power drew him from his duties; but, +unfortunately for his favorites, he had not the strength of mind +outwardly to manifest toward them the resentment he felt, and thus to +warn them of their danger, but, continuing to caress them, he added by +this constraint fuel to the secret fire of his heart, and was impelled +to an absolute hatred of them. There were moments when he was capable of +taking any measures against them. + +Cinq-Mars knew perfectly the weakness of that mind, which could not +keep firmly in any path, and the weakness of a heart which could neither +wholly love nor wholly hate. Thus, the position of favorite, the envy +of all France, the object of jealousy even on the part of the great +minister, was so precarious and so painful that, but for his love, he +would have burst his golden chains with greater joy than a galley-slave +feels when he sees the last ring that for two long years he has been +filing with a steel spring concealed in his mouth, fall to the earth. +This impatience to meet the fate he saw so near hastened the explosion +of that patiently prepared mine, as he had declared to his friend; but +his situation was that of a man who, placed by the side of the book +of life, should see hovering over it the hand which is to indite his +damnation or his salvation. He set out with Louis to Chambord, resolved +to take the first opportunity favorable to his design. It soon presented +itself. + +The very morning of the day appointed for the chase, the King sent word +to him that he was waiting for him on the Escalier du Lys. It may not, +perhaps, be out of place to speak of this astonishing construction. + +Four leagues from Blois, and one league from the Loire, in a small and +deep valley, between marshy swamps and a forest of large holm-oaks, far +from any highroad, the traveller suddenly comes upon a royal, nay, a +magic castle. It might be said that, compelled by some wonderful lamp, a +genie of the East had carried it off during one of the "thousand and one +nights," and had brought it from the country of the sun to hide it +in the land of fogs and mist, for the dwelling of the mistress of a +handsome prince. + +Hidden like a treasure; with its blue domes, its elegant minarets rising +from thick walls or shooting into the air, its long terraces overlooking +the wood, its light spires bending with the wind, its terraces +everywhere rising over its colonnades, one might there imagine one's +self in the kingdom of Bagdad or of Cashmir, did not the blackened +walls, with their covering of moss and ivy, and the pallid and +melancholy hue of the sky, denote a rainy climate. It was indeed a +genius who raised this building; but he came from Italy, and his name +was Primaticcio. It was indeed a handsome prince whose amours were +concealed in it; but he was a king, and he bore the name of Francois I. +His salamander still spouts fire everywhere about it. It sparkles in +a thousand places on the arched roofs, and multiplies the flames there +like the stars of heaven; it supports the capitals with burning crowns; +it colors the windows with its fires; it meanders up and down the secret +staircases, and everywhere seems to devour with its flaming glances the +triple crescent of a mysterious Diane--that Diane de Poitiers, twice a +goddess and twice adored in these voluptuous woods. + +The base of this strange monument is like the monument itself, full of +elegance and mystery; there is a double staircase, which rises in two +interwoven spirals from the most remote foundations of the edifice up to +the highest points, and ends in a lantern or small lattice-work cabinet, +surmounted by a colossal fleur-de-lys, visible from a great distance. +Two men may ascend it at the same moment, without seeing each other. + +This staircase alone seems like a little isolated temple. Like our +churches, it is sustained and protected by the arcades of its thin, +light, transparent, openwork wings. One would think the docile stone +had given itself to the finger of the architect; it seems, so to speak, +kneaded according to the slightest caprice of his imagination. One can +hardly conceive how the plans were traced, in what terms the orders were +explained to the workmen. The whole thing appears a transient thought, +a brilliant revery that at once assumed a durable form---the realization +of a dream. + +Cinq-Mars was slowly ascending the broad stairs which led him to the +King's presence, and stopping longer at each step, in proportion as he +approached him, either from disgust at the idea of seeing the Prince +whose daily complaints he had to hear, or thinking of what he was about +to do, when the sound of a guitar struck his ear. He recognized the +beloved instrument of Louis and his sad, feeble, and trembling voice +faintly reechoing from the vaulted ceiling. Louis seemed trying one of +those romances which he was wont to compose, and several times repeated +an incomplete strain with a trembling hand. The words could scarcely +be distinguished; all that Cinq-Mars heard were a few such as 'Abandon, +ennui de monde, et belle flamme. + +The young favorite shrugged his shoulders as he listened. + +"What new chagrin moves thee?" he said. "Come, let me again attempt to +read that chilled heart which thinks it needs something." + +He entered the narrow cabinet. + +Clothed in black, half reclining on a couch, his elbows resting upon +pillows, the Prince was languidly touching the chords of his guitar; he +ceased this when he saw the grand ecuyer enter, and, raising his large +eyes to him with an air of reproach, swayed his head to and fro for a +long time without speaking. Then in a plaintive but emphatic tone, he +said: + +"What do I hear, Cinq-Mars? What do I hear of your conduct? How much +you do pain me by forgetting all my counsels! You have formed a guilty +intrigue; was it from you I was to expect such things--you whom I so +loved for your piety and virtue?" + +Full of his political projects, Cinq-Mars thought himself discovered, +and could not help a momentary anxiety; but, perfectly master of +himself, he answered without hesitation: + +"Yes, Sire; and I was about to declare it to you, for I am accustomed to +open my soul to you." + +"Declare it to me!" exclaimed the King, turning red and white, as under +the shivering of a fever; "and you dare to contaminate my ears with +these horrible avowals, Monsieur, and to speak so calmly of your +disorder! Go! you deserve to be condemned to the galley, like Rondin; +it is a crime of high treason you have committed in your want of faith +toward me. I had rather you were a coiner, like the Marquis de Coucy, +or at the head of the Croquants, than do as you have done; you dishonor +your family, and the memory of the marechal your father." + +Cinq-Mars, deeming himself wholly lost, put the best face he could upon +the matter, and said with an air of resignation: + +"Well, then, Sire, send me to be judged and put to death; but spare me +your reproaches." + +"Do you insult me, you petty country-squire?" answered Louis. "I know +very well that you have not incurred the penalty of death in the eyes +of men; but it is at the tribunal of God, Monsieur, that you will be +judged." + +"Heavens, Sire!" replied the impetuous young man, whom the insulting +phrase of the King had offended, "why do you not allow me to return +to the province you so much despise, as I have sought to do a hundred +times? I will go there. I can not support the life I lead with you; an +angel could not bear it. Once more, let me be judged if I am guilty, +or allow me to return to Touraine. It is you who have ruined me in +attaching me to your person. If you have caused me to conceive lofty +hopes, which you afterward overthrew, is that my fault? Wherefore have +you made me grand ecuyer, if I was not to rise higher? In a word, am I +your friend or not? and, if I am, why may I not be duke, peer, or even +constable, as well as Monsieur de Luynes, whom you loved so much because +he trained falcons for you? Why am I not admitted to the council? I +could speak as well as any of the old ruffs there; I have new ideas, +and a better arm to serve you. It is your Cardinal who has prevented you +from summoning me there. And it is because he keeps you from me that I +detest him," continued Cinq-Mars, clinching his fist, as if Richelieu +stood before him; "yes, I would kill him with my own hand, if need +were." + +D'Effiat's eyes were inflamed with anger; he stamped his foot as he +spoke, and turned his back to the King, like a sulky child, leaning +against one of the columns of the cupola. + +Louis, who recoiled before all resolution, and who was always terrified +by the irreparable, took his hand. + +O weakness of power! O caprices of the human heart! it was by this +childish impetuosity, these very defects of his age, that this young man +governed the King of France as effectually as did the first politician +of the time. This Prince believed, and with some show of reason, that +a character so hasty must be sincere; and even his fiery rage did not +anger him. It did not apply to the real subject of his reproaches, and +he could well pardon him for hating the Cardinal. The very idea of his +favorite's jealousy of the minister pleased him, because it indicated +attachment; and all he dreaded was his indifference. Cinq-Mars knew +this, and had desired to make it a means of escape, preparing the King +to regard all that he had done as child's play, as the consequence of +his friendship for him; but the danger was not so great, and he breathed +freely when the Prince said to him: + +"The Cardinal is not in question here. I love him no more than you do; +but it is with your scandalous conduct I reproach you, and which I shall +have much difficulty to pardon in you. What, Monsieur! I learn that +instead of devoting yourself to the pious exercises to which I have +accustomed you, when I fancy you are at your Salut or your Angelus--you +are off from Saint Germain, and go to pass a portion of the night--with +whom? Dare I speak of it without sin? With a woman lost in reputation, +who can have no relations with you but such as are pernicious to the +safety of your soul, and who receives free-thinkers at her house--in a +word, Marion de Lorme. What have you to say? Speak." + +Leaving his hand in that of the King, but still leaning against the +column, Cinq-Mars answered: + +"Is it then so culpable to leave grave occupations for others more +serious still? If I go to the house of Marion de Lorme, it is to hear +the conversation of the learned men who assemble there. Nothing is more +harmless than these meetings. Readings are given there which, it is +true, sometimes extend far into the night, but which commonly tend +to exalt the soul, so far from corrupting it. Besides, you have never +commanded me to account to you for all that I do; I should have informed +you of this long ago if you had desired it." + +"Ah, Cinq-Mars, Cinq-Mars! where is your confidence? Do you feel no need +of it? It is the first condition of a perfect friendship, such as ours +ought to be, such as my heart requires." + +The voice of Louis became more affectionate, and the favorite, looking +at him over his shoulder, assumed an air less angry, but still simply +ennuye, and resigned to listening to him. + +"How often have you deceived me!" continued the King; "can I trust +myself to you? Are they not fops and gallants whom you meet at the house +of this woman? Do not courtesans go there?" + +"Heavens! no, Sire; I often go there with one of my friends--a gentleman +of Touraine, named Rene Descartes." + +"Descartes! I know that name! Yes, he is an officer who distinguished +himself at the siege of Rochelle, and who dabbles in writing; he has a +good reputation for piety, but he is connected with Desbarreaux, who is +a free-thinker. I am sure that you must mix with many persons who are +not fit company for you, many young men without family, without birth. +Come, tell me whom saw you last there?" + +"Truly, I can scarcely remember their names," said Cinq-Mars, looking at +the ceiling; "sometimes I do not even ask them. There was, in the first +place, a certain Monsieur--Monsieur Groot, or Grotius, a Hollander." + +"I know him, a friend of Barnevelt; I pay him a pension. I liked him +well enough; but the Card--but I was told that he was a high Calvinist." + +"I also saw an Englishman, named John Milton; he is a young man just +come from Italy, and is returning to London. He scarcely speaks at all." + +"I don't know him--not at all; but I'm sure he's some other Calvinist. +And the Frenchmen, who were they?" + +"The young man who wrote Cinna, and who has been thrice rejected at the +Academie Francaise; he was angry that Du Royer occupied his place there. +He is called Corneille." + +"Well," said the King, folding his arms, and looking at him with an air +of triumph and reproach, "I ask you who are these people? Is it in such +a circle that you ought to be seen?" + +Cinq-Mars was confounded at this observation, which hurt his self-pride, +and, approaching the King, he said: + +"You are right, Sire; but there can be no harm in passing an hour or +two in listening to good conversation. Besides, many courtiers go there, +such as the Duc de Bouillon, Monsieur d'Aubijoux, the Comte de Brion, +the Cardinal de la Vallette, Messieurs de Montresor, Fontrailles; men +illustrious in the sciences, as Mairet, Colletet, Desmarets, author +of Araine; Faret, Doujat, Charpentier, who wrote the Cyropedie; Giry, +Besons, and Baro, the continuer of Astree--all academicians." + +"Ah! now, indeed, here are men of real merit," said Louis; "there +is nothing to be said against them. One can not but gain from their +society. Theirs are settled reputations; they're men of weight. Come, +let us make up; shake hands, child. I permit you to go there sometimes, +but do not deceive me any more; you see I know all. Look at this." + +So saying, the King took from a great iron chest set against the wall +enormous packets of paper scribbled over with very fine writing. Upon +one was written, Baradas, upon another, D'Hautefort, upon a third, +La Fayette, and finally, Cinq-Mars. He stopped at the latter, and +continued: + +"See how many times you have deceived me! These are the continual faults +of which I have myself kept a register during the two years I have known +you; I have written out our conversations day by day. Sit down." + +Cinq-Mars obeyed with a sigh, and had the patience for two long hours +to listen to a summary of what his master had had the patience to write +during the course of two years. He yawned many times during the reading, +as no doubt we should all do, were it needful to report this dialogue, +which was found in perfect order, with his will, at the death of the +King. We shall only say that he finished thus: + +"In fine, hear what you did on the seventh of December, three days ago. +I was speaking to you of the flight of the hawk, and of the knowledge of +hunting, in which you are deficient. I said to you, on the authority of +La Chasse Royale, a work of King Charles IX, that after the hunter has +accustomed his dog to follow a beast, he must consider him as of himself +desirous of returning to the wood, and the dog must not be rebuked or +struck in order to make him follow the track well; and that in order to +teach a dog to set well, creatures that are not game must not be allowed +to pass or run, nor must any scents be missed, without putting his nose +to them. + +"Hear what you replied to me (and in a tone of ill-humor--mind that!) +'Ma foi! Sire, give me rather regiments to conduct than birds and dogs. +I am sure that people would laugh at you and me if they knew how we +occupy ourselves.' And on the eighth--wait, yes, on the eighth--while +we were singing vespers together in my chambers, you threw your book +angrily into the fire, which was an impiety; and afterward you told +me that you had let it drop--a sin, a mortal sin. See, I have written +below, lie, underlined. People never deceive me, I assure you." + +"But, Sire--" + +"Wait a moment! wait a moment! In the evening you told me the Cardinal +had burned a man unjustly, and out of personal hatred." + +"And I repeat it, and maintain it, and will prove it, Sire. It is the +greatest crime of all of that man whom you hesitate to disgrace, and +who renders you unhappy. I myself saw all, heard, all, at Loudun. Urbain +Grandier was assassinated, rather than tried. Hold, Sire, since you have +there all those memoranda in your own hand, merely reperuse the proofs +which I then gave you of it." + +Louis, seeking the page indicated, and going back to the journey from +Perpignan to Paris, read the whole narrative with attention, exclaiming: + +"What horrors! How is it that I have forgotten all this? This man +fascinates me; that's certain. You are my true friend, Cinq-Mars. +What horrors! My reign will be stained by them. What! he prevented the +letters of all the nobility and notables of the district from reaching +me! Burn, burn alive! without proofs! for revenge! A man, a people have +invoked my name in vain; a family curses me! Oh, how unhappy are kings!" + +And the Prince, as he concluded, threw aside his papers and wept. + +"Ah, Sire, those are blessed tears that you weep!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars, +with sincere admiration. "Would that all France were here with me! She +would be astonished at this spectacle, and would scarcely believe it." + +"Astonished! France, then, does not know me?" + +"No, Sire," said D'Effiat, frankly; "no one knows you. And I myself, +with the rest of the world, at times accuse you of coldness and +indifference." + +"Of coldness, when I am dying with sorrow! Of coldness, when I +have immolated myself to their interests! Ungrateful nation! I have +sacrificed all to it, even pride, even the happiness of guiding it +myself, because I feared on its account for my fluctuating life. I have +given my sceptre to be borne by a man I hate, because I believed his +hand to be stronger than my own. I have endured the ill he has done to +myself, thinking that he did good to my people. I have hidden my own +tears to dry theirs; and I see that my sacrifice has been even greater +than I thought it, for they have not perceived it. They have believed me +incapable because I was kind, and without power because I mistrusted my +own. But, no matter! God sees and knows me!" + +"Ah, Sire, show yourself to France such as you are; reassume your +usurped power. France will do for your love what she would never do from +fear. Return to life, and reascend the throne." + +"No, no; my life is well-nigh finished, my dear friend. I am no longer +capable of the labor of supreme command.'" + +"Ah, Sire, this persuasion alone destroys your vigor. It is time that +men should cease to confound power with crime, and call this union +genius. Let your voice be heard proclaiming to the world that the reign +of virtue is about to begin with your own; and hence forth those enemies +whom vice has so much difficulty in suppressing will fall before a word +uttered from your heart. No one has as yet calculated all that the good +faith of a king of France may do for his people--that people who are +drawn so instantaneously to ward all that is good and beautiful, by +their imagination and warmth of soul, and who are always ready with +every kind of devotion. The King, your father, led us with a smile. What +would not one of your tears do?" + +During this address the King, very much surprised, frequently reddened, +hemmed, and gave signs of great embarrassment, as always happened +when any attempt was made to bring him to a decision. He also felt the +approach of a conversation of too high an order, which the timidity of +his soul forbade him to venture upon; and repeatedly putting his hand +to his chest, knitting his brows as if suffering violent pain, he +endeavored to relieve himself by the apparent attack of illness from +the embarrassment of answering. But, either from passion, or from a +resolution to strike the crowning blow, Cinq-Mars went on calmly +and with a solemnity that awed Louis, who, forced into his last +intrenchments, at length said: + +"But, Cinq-Mars, how can I rid myself of a minister who for eighteen +years past has surrounded me with his creatures?" + +"He is not so very powerful," replied the grand ecuyer; "and his friends +will be his most sure enemies if you but make a sign of your head. The +ancient league of the princes of peace still exists, Sire, and it is +only the respect due to the choice of your Majesty that prevents it from +manifesting itself." + +"Ah, mon Dieu! thou mayst tell them not to stop on my account. I would +not restrain them; they surely do not accuse me of being a Cardinalist. +If my brother will give me the means of replacing Richelieu, I will +adopt them with all my heart." + +"I believe, Sire, that he will to-day speak to you of Monsieur le Duc de +Bouillon. All the Royalists demand him." + +"I don't dislike him," said the King, arranging his pillows; "I don't +dislike him at all, although he is somewhat factious. We are relatives. +Knowest thou, chez ami"--and he placed on this favorite expression more +emphasis than usual--"knowest thou that he is descended in direct +line from Saint Louis, by Charlotte de Bourbon, daughter of the Duc de +Montpensier? Knowest thou that seven princes of the blood royal have +been united to his house; and eight daughters of his family, one of +whom was a queen, have been married to princes of the blood royal? Oh, I +don't at all dislike him! I have never said so, never!" + +"Well, Sire," said Cinq-Mars, with confidence, "Monsieur and he will +explain to you during the hunt how all is prepared, who are the men that +may be put in the place of his creatures, who the field-marshals and the +colonels who may be depended upon against Fabert and the Cardinalists of +Perpignan. You will see that the minister has very few for him. + +"The Queen, Monsieur, the nobility, and the parliaments are on our side; +and the thing is done from the moment that your Majesty is not opposed +to it. It has been proposed to get rid of the Cardinal as the Marechal +d'Ancre was got rid of, who deserved it less than he." + +"As Concini?" said the King. "Oh, no, it must not be. I positively +can not consent to it. He is a priest and a cardinal. We shall be +excommunicated. But if there be any other means, I am very willing. Thou +mayest speak of it to thy friends; and I on my side will think of the +matter." + +The word once spoken, the King gave himself up to his resentment, as if +he had satisfied it, as if the blow were already struck. Cinq-Mars was +vexed to see this, for he feared that his anger thus vented might not +be of long duration. However, he put faith in his last words, especially +when, after numberless complaints, Louis added: + +"And would you believe that though now for two years I have mourned my +mother, ever since that day when he so cruelly mocked me before my whole +court by asking for her recall when he knew she was dead--ever since +that day I have been trying in vain to get them to bury her in France +with my fathers? He has exiled even her ashes." + +At this moment Cinq-Mars thought he heard a sound on the staircase; the +King reddened. + +"Go," he said; "go! Make haste and prepare for the hunt! Thou wilt ride +next to my carriage. Go quickly! I desire it; go!" + +And he himself pushed Cinq-Mars toward the entrance by which he had +come. + +The favorite went out; but his master's anxiety had not escaped him. + +He slowly descended, and tried to divine the cause of it in his +mind, when he thought he heard the sound of feet ascending the other +staircase. He stopped; they stopped. He re-ascended; they seemed to him +to descend. He knew that nothing could be seen between the interstices +of the architecture; and he quitted the place, impatient and very +uneasy, and determined to remain at the door of the entrance to see who +should come out. But he had scarcely raised the tapestry which veiled +the entrance to the guardroom than he was surrounded by a crowd of +courtiers who had been awaiting him, and was fain to proceed to the work +of issuing the orders connected with his post, or to receive respects, +communications, solicitations, presentations, recommendations, +embraces--to observe that infinitude of relations which surround a +favorite, and which require constant and sustained attention, for any +absence of mind might cause great misfortunes. He thus almost forgot the +trifling circumstance which had made him uneasy, and which he thought +might after all have only been a freak of the imagination. Giving +himself up to the sweets of a kind of continual apotheosis, he +mounted his horse in the great courtyard, attended by noble pages, and +surrounded by brilliant gentlemen. + +Monsieur soon arrived, followed by his people; and in an hour the King +appeared, pale, languishing, and supported by four men. Cinq-Mars, +dismounting, assisted him into a kind of small and very low carriage, +called a brouette, and the horses of which, very docile and quiet ones, +the King himself drove. The prickers on foot at the doors held the dogs +in leash; and at the sound of the horn scores of young nobles mounted, +and all set out to the place of meeting. + +It was a farm called L'Ormage that the King had fixed upon; and the +court, accustomed to his ways, followed the many roads of the park, +while the King slowly followed an isolated path, having at his side the +grand ecuyer and four persons whom he had signed to approach him. + +The aspect of this pleasure party was sinister. The approach of winter +had stripped well-nigh all the leaves from the great oaks in the park, +whose dark branches now stood up against a gray sky, like branches of +funereal candelabra. A light fog seemed to indicate rain; through the +melancholy boughs of the thinned wood the heavy carriages of the court +were seen slowly passing on, filled with women, uniformly dressed in +black, and obliged to await the result of a chase which they did not +witness. The distant hounds gave tongue, and the horn was sometimes +faintly heard like a sigh. A cold, cutting wind compelled every man to +don cloaks, and some of the women, putting over their faces a veil or +mask of black velvet to keep themselves from the air which the curtains +of their carriages did not intercept (for there were no glasses at that +time), seemed to wear what is called a domino. All was languishing and +sad. The only relief was that ever and anon groups of young men in the +excitement of the chase flew down the avenue like the wind, cheering on +the dogs or sounding their horns. Then all again became silent, as after +the discharge of fireworks the sky appears darker than before. + +In a path, parallel with that followed by the King, were several +courtiers enveloped in their cloaks. Appearing little intent upon the +stag, they rode step for step with the King's brouette, and never lost +sight of him. They conversed in low tones. + +"Excellent! Fontrailles, excellent! victory! The King takes his arm +every moment. See how he smiles upon him! See! Monsieur le Grand +dismounts and gets into the brouette by his side. Come, come, the old +fox is done at last!" + +"Ah, that's nothing! Did you not see how the King shook hands with +Monsieur? He's made a sign to you, Montresor. Look, Gondi!" + +"Look, indeed! That's very easy to say; but I don't see with my own +eyes. I have only those of faith, and yours. Well, what are they doing +now? I wish to Heaven I were not so near-sighted! Tell me, what are they +doing?" + +Montresor answered, "The King bends his ear toward the Duc de Bouillon, +who is speaking to him; he speaks again! he gesticulates! he does not +cease! Oh, he'll be minister!" + +"He will be minister!" said Fontrailles. + +"He will be minister!" echoed the Comte du Lude. + +"Oh, no doubt of it!" said Montresor. + +"I hope he'll give me a regiment, and I'll marry my cousin," cried +Olivier d'Entraigues, with boyish vivacity. + +The Abbe de Gondi sneered, and, looking up at the sky, began to sing to +a hunting tune. + + "Les etourneaux ont le vent bon, + Ton ton, ton ton, ton taine, ton ton--" + +"I think, gentlemen, you are more short-sighted than I, or else miracles +will come to pass in the year of grace 1642; for Monsieur de Bouillon is +no nearer being Prime-Minister, though the King do embrace him, than I. +He has good qualities, but he will not do; his qualities are not various +enough. However, I have much respect for his great and singularly +foolish town of Sedan, which is a fine shelter in case of need." + +Montresor and the rest were too attentive to every gesture of the Prince +to answer him; and they continued: + +"See, Monsieur le Grand takes the reins, and is driving." + +The Abbe replied with the same air: + + "Si vous conduisez ma brouette, + Ne versez pas, beau postillon, + Ton ton, ton ton, ton taine, ton ton." + +"Ah, Abbe, your songs will drive me mad!" said Fontrailles. "You've got +airs ready for every event in life." + +"I will also find you events which shall go to all the airs," answered +Gondi. + +"Faith, the air of these pleases me!" said Fontrailles, in an under +voice. "I shall not be obliged by Monsieur to carry his confounded +treaty to Madrid, and I am not sorry for it; it is a somewhat touchy +commission. The Pyrenees are not so easily passed as may be supposed; +the Cardinal is on the road." + +"Ha! Ha!" cried Montresor. + +"Ha! Ha!" said Olivier. + +"Well, what is the matter with you? ah, ah!" asked Gondi. "What have you +discovered that is so great?" + +"Why, the King has again shaken hands with Monsieur. Thank Heaven, +gentlemen, we're rid of the Cardinal! The old boar is hunted down. Who +will stick the knife into him? He must be thrown into the sea." + +"That's too good for him," said Olivier; "he must be tried." + +"Certainly," said the Abbe; "and we sha'n't want for charges against +an insolent fellow who has dared to discharge a page, shall we?" Then, +curbing his horse, and letting Olivier and Montresor pass on, he leaned +toward M. du Lude, who was talking with two other serious personages, +and said: + +"In truth, I am tempted to let my valet-de-chambre into the secret; +never was a conspiracy treated so lightly. Great enterprises require +mystery. This would be an admirable one if some trouble were taken with +it. 'Tis in itself a finer one than I have ever read of in history. +There is stuff enough in it to upset three kingdoms, if necessary, and +the blockheads will spoil all. It is really a pity. I should be very +sorry. I've a taste for affairs of this kind; and in this one in +particular I feel a special interest. There is grandeur about it, as can +not be denied. Do you not think so, D'Aubijoux, Montmort?" + +While he was speaking, several large and heavy carriages, with six and +four horses, followed the same path at two hundred paces behind these +gentlemen; the curtains were open on the left side through which to see +the King. In the first was the Queen; she was alone at the back, clothed +in black and veiled. On the box was the Marechale d'Effiat; and at +the feet of the Queen was the Princesse Marie. Seated on one side on +a stool, her robe and her feet hung out of the carriage, and were +supported by a gilt step--for, as we have already observed, there were +then no doors to the coaches. She also tried to see through the trees +the movements of the King, and often leaned back, annoyed by the passing +of the Prince-Palatine and his suite. + +This northern Prince was sent by the King of Poland, apparently on a +political negotiation, but in reality, to induce the Duchesse de Mantua +to espouse the old King Uladislas VI; and he displayed at the court of +France all the luxury of his own, then called at Paris "barbarian and +Scythian," and so far justified these names by strange eastern costumes. +The Palatine of Posnania was very handsome, and wore, in common with the +people of his suite, a long, thick beard. His head, shaved like that +of a Turk, was covered with a furred cap. He had a short vest, enriched +with diamonds and rubies; his horse was painted red, and amply plumed. +He was attended by a company of Polish guards in red and yellow +uniforms, wearing large cloaks with long sleeves, which hung negligently +from the shoulder. The Polish lords who escorted him were dressed in +gold and silver brocade; and behind their shaved heads floated a single +lock of hair, which gave them an Asiatic and Tartar aspect, as unknown +at the court of Louis XIII as that of the Moscovites. The women thought +all this rather savage and alarming. + +Marie de Mantua was importuned with the profound salutations and +Oriental elegancies of this foreigner and his suite. Whenever he passed +before her, he thought himself called upon to address a compliment to +her in broken French, awkwardly made up of a few words about hope +and royalty. She found no other means to rid herself of him than by +repeatedly putting her handkerchief to her nose, and saying aloud to the +Queen: + +"In truth, Madame, these gentlemen have an odor about them that makes +one quite ill." + +"It will be desirable to strengthen your nerves and accustom yourself to +it," answered Anne of Austria, somewhat dryly. + +Then, fearing she had hurt her feelings, she continued gayly: + +"You will become used to them, as we have done; and you know that in +respect to odors I am rather fastidious. Monsieur Mazarin told me, the +other day, that my punishment in purgatory will consist in breathing ill +scents and sleeping in Russian cloth." + +Yet the Queen was very grave, and soon subsided into silence. Burying +herself in her carriage, enveloped in her mantle, and apparently taking +no interest in what was passing around her, she yielded to the motion of +the carriage. Marie, still occupied with the King, talked in a low voice +with the Marechale d'Effiat; each sought to give the other hopes which +neither felt, and sought to deceive each other out of love. + +"Madame, I congratulate you; Monsieur le Grand is seated with the King. +Never has he been so highly distinguished," said Marie. + +Then she was silent for a long time, and the carriage rolled mournfully +over the dead, dry leaves. + +"Yes, I see it with joy; the King is so good!" answered the Marechale. + +And she sighed deeply. + +A long and sad silence again followed; each looked at the other and +mutually found their eyes full of tears. They dared not speak again; +and Marie, drooping her head, saw nothing but the brown, damp earth +scattered by the wheels. A melancholy revery occupied her mind; and +although she had before her the spectacle of the first court of Europe +at the feet of him she loved, everything inspired her with fear, and +dark presentiments involuntarily agitated her. + +Suddenly a horse passed by her like the wind; she raised her eyes, and +had just time to see the features of Cinq-Mars. He did not look at her; +he was pale as a corpse, and his eyes were hidden under his knitted +brows and the shadows of his lowered hat. She followed him with +trembling eyes; she saw him stop in the midst of the group of cavaliers +who preceded the carriages, and who received him with their hats off. + +A moment after he went into the wood with one of them, looking at her +from the distance, and following her with his eyes until the carriage +had passed; then he seemed to give the man a roll of papers, and +disappeared. The mist which was falling prevented her from seeing him +any more. It was, indeed, one of those fogs so frequent on the banks of +the Loire. + +The sun looked at first like a small blood-red moon, enveloped in a +tattered shroud, and within half an hour was concealed under so thick a +cloud that Marie could scarcely distinguish the foremost horses of the +carriage, while the men who passed at the distance of a few paces looked +like grizzly shadows. This icy vapor turned to a penetrating rain and +at the same time a cloud of fetid odor. The Queen made the beautiful +Princess sit beside her; and they turned toward Chambord quickly and in +silence. They soon heard the horns recalling the scattered hounds; the +huntsmen passed rapidly by the carriage, seeking their way through the +fog, and calling to each other. Marie saw only now and then the head of +a horse, or a dark body half issuing from the gloomy vapor of the woods, +and tried in vain to distinguish any words. At length her heart beat; +there was a call for M. de Cinq-Mars. + +"The King asks for Monsieur le Grand," was repeated about; "where can +Monsieur le Grand Ecuyer be gone to?" + +A voice, passing near, said, "He has just lost himself." + +These simple words made her shudder, for her afflicted spirit gave +them the most sinister meaning. The terrible thought pursued her to the +chateau and into her apartments, wherein she hastened to shut herself. +She soon heard the noise of the entry of the King and of Monsieur, then, +in the forest, some shots whose flash was unseen. She in vain looked +at the narrow windows; they seemed covered on the outside with a white +cloth that shut out the light. + +Meanwhile, at the extremity of the forest, toward Montfrault, there +had lost themselves two cavaliers, wearied with seeking the way to the +chateau in the monotonous similarity of the trees and paths; they were +about to stop near a pond, when eight or nine men, springing from the +thickets, rushed upon them, and before they had time to draw, hung to +their legs and arms and to the bridles of their horses in such a manner +as to hold them fixed. At the same time a hoarse voice cried in the fog: + +"Are you Royalists or Cardinalists? Cry, 'Vive le Grand!' or you are +dead men!" + +"Scoundrels," answered the first cavalier, trying to open the holsters +of his pistols, "I will have you hanged for abusing my name." + +"Dios es el Senor!" cried the same voice. + +All the men immediately released their hold, and ran into the wood; a +burst of savage laughter was heard, and a man approached Cinq-Mars. + +"Amigo, do you not recognize me? 'Tis but a joke of Jacques, the Spanish +captain." + +Fontrailles approached, and said in a low voice to the grand ecuyer: + +"Monsieur, this is an enterprising fellow; I would advise you to employ +him. We must neglect no chance." + +"Listen to me," said Jacques de Laubardemont, "and answer at once. I am +not a phrase-maker, like my father. I bear in mind that you have done me +some good offices; and lately again, you have been useful to me, as you +always are, without knowing it, for I have somewhat repaired my fortune +in your little insurrections. If you will, I can render you an important +service; I command a few brave men." + +"What service?" asked Cinq-Mars. "We will see." + +"I commence by a piece of information. This morning while you descended +the King's staircase on one side, Father Joseph ascended the other." + +"Ha! this, then, is the secret of his sudden and inexplicable change! +Can it be? A king of France! and to allow us to confide all our secrets +to him." + +"Well! is that all? Do you say nothing? You know I have an old account +to settle with the Capuchin." + +"What's that to me?" and he hung down his head, absorbed in a profound +revery. + +"It matters a great deal to you, since you have only to speak the word, +and I will rid you of him before thirty-six hours from this time, though +he is now very near Paris. We might even add the Cardinal, if you wish." + +"Leave me; I will use no poniards," said Cinq-Mars. + +"Ah! I understand you," replied Jacques. "You are right; you would +prefer our despatching him with the sword. This is just. He is worth +it; 'tis a distinction due to him. It were undoubtedly more suitable for +great lords to take charge of the Cardinal; and that he who despatches +his Eminence should be in a fair way to be a marechal. For myself, I +am not proud; one must not be proud, whatever one's merit in one's +profession. I must not touch the Cardinal; he's a morsel for a king!" + +"Nor any others," said the grand ecuyer. + +"Oh, let us have the Capuchin!" said Captain Jacques, urgently. + +"You are wrong if you refuse this office," said Fontrailles; "such +things occur every day. Vitry began with Concini; and he was made a +marechal. You see men extremely well at court who have killed their +enemies with their own hands in the streets of Paris, and you hesitate +to rid yourself of a villain! Richelieu has his agents; you must have +yours. I can not understand your scruples." + +"Do not torment him," said Jacques, abruptly; "I understand it. I +thought as he does when I was a boy, before reason came. I would not +have killed even a monk; but let me speak to him." Then, turning toward +Cinq-Mars, "Listen: when men conspire, they seek the death or at least +the downfall of some one, eh?" + +And he paused. + +"Now in that case, we are out with God, and in with the Devil, eh?" + +"Secundo, as they say at the Sorbonne; it's no worse when one is damned, +to be so for much than for little, eh?" + +"Ergo, it is indifferent whether a thousand or one be killed. I defy you +to answer that." + +"Nothing could be better argued, Doctor-dagger," said Fontrailles, +half-laughing, "I see you will be a good travelling-companion. You shall +go with me to Spain if you like." + +"I know you are going to take the treaty there," answered Jacques; "and +I will guide you through the Pyrenees by roads unknown to man. But I +shall be horribly vexed to go away without having wrung the neck of that +old he-goat, whom we leave behind, like a knight in the midst of a +game of chess. Once more Monsieur," he continued with an air of pious +earnestness, "if you have any religion in you, refuse no longer; +recollect the words of our theological fathers, Hurtado de Mendoza and +Sanchez, who have proved that a man may secretly kill his enemies, since +by this means he avoids two sins--that of exposing his life, and that +of fighting a duel. It is in accordance with this grand consolatory +principle that I have always acted." + +"Go, go!" said Cinq-Mars, in a voice thick with rage; "I have other +things to think of." + +"Of what more important?" said Fontrailles; "this might be a great +weight in the balance of our destinies." + +"I am thinking how much the heart of a king weighs in it," said +Cinq-Mars. + +"You terrify me," replied the gentleman; "we can not go so far as that!" + +"Nor do I think what you suppose, Monsieur," continued D'Effiat, in a +severe tone. "I was merely reflecting how kings complain when a subject +betrays them. Well, war! war! civil war, foreign war, let your fires be +kindled! since I hold the match, I will apply it to the mine. Perish +the State! perish twenty kingdoms, if necessary! No ordinary calamities +suffice when the King betrays the subject. Listen to me." + +And he took Fontrailles a few steps aside. + +"I only charged you to prepare our retreat and succors, in case of +abandonment on the part of the King. Just now I foresaw this abandonment +in his forced manifestation of friendship; and I decided upon your +setting out when he finished his conversation by announcing his +departure for Perpignan. I feared Narbonne; I now see that he is going +there to deliver himself up a prisoner to the Cardinal. Go at once. I +add to the letters I have given you the treaty here; it is in fictitious +names, but here is the counterpart, signed by Monsieur, by the Duc de +Bouillon, and by me. The Count-Duke of Olivares desires nothing further. +There are blanks for the Duc d'Orleans, which you will fill up as you +please. Go; in a month I shall expect you at Perpignan. I will have +Sedan opened to the seventeen thousand Spaniards from Flanders." + +Then, advancing toward the adventurer, who awaited him, he said: + +"For you, brave fellow, since you desire to aid me, I charge you with +escorting this gentleman to Madrid; you will be largely recompensed." + +Jacques, twisting his moustache, replied: + +"Ah, you do not then scorn to employ me! you exhibit your judgment and +taste. Do you know that the great Queen Christina of Sweden has asked +for me, and wished to have me with her as her confidential man. She +was brought up to the sound of the cannon by the 'Lion of the North,' +Gustavus Adolphus, her father. She loves the smell of powder and brave +men; but I would not serve her, because she is a Huguenot, and I have +fixed principles, from which I never swerve. 'Par exemple', I swear +to you by Saint Jacques to guide Monsieur through the passes of the +Pyrenees to Oleron as surely as through these woods, and to defend him +against the Devil, if need be, as well as your papers, which we will +bring you back without blot or tear. As for recompense, I want none. I +always find it in the action itself. Besides, I do not receive money, +for I am a gentleman. The Laubardemonts are a very ancient and very good +family." + +"Adieu, then, noble Monsieur," said Cinq-Mars; "go!" + +After having pressed the hand of Fontrailles, he sighed and disappeared +in the wood, on his return to the chateau of Chambord. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. THE READING + +Shortly after the events just narrated, at the corner of the +Palais-Royal, at a small and pretty house, numerous carriages were seen +to draw up, and a door, reached by three steps, frequently to open. The +neighbors often came to their windows to complain of the noise made +at so late an hour of the night, despite the fear of robbers; and the +patrol often stopped in surprise, and passed on only when they saw at +each carriage ten or twelve footmen, armed with staves and carrying +torches. A young gentleman, followed by three lackeys, entered and asked +for Mademoiselle de Lorme. He wore a long rapier, ornamented with pink +ribbon. Enormous bows of the same color on his high-heeled shoes almost +entirely concealed his feet, which after the fashion of the day he +turned very much out. He frequently twisted a small curling moustache, +and before entering combed his small pointed beard. There was but one +exclamation when he was announced. + +"Here he is at last!" cried a young and rich voice. "He has made us +wait long enough for him, the dear Desbarreaux. Come, take a seat! place +yourself at this table and read." + +The speaker was a woman of about four-and-twenty, tall and handsome, +notwithstanding her somewhat woolly black hair and her dark olive +complexion. There was something masculine in her manner, which she +seemed to derive from her circle, composed entirely of men. She took +their arm unceremoniously, as she spoke to them, with a freedom which +she communicated to them. Her conversation was animated rather than +joyous. It often excited laughter around her; but it was by dint of +intellect that she created gayety (if we may so express it), for her +countenance, impassioned as it was, seemed incapable of bending into a +smile, and her large blue eyes, under her jet-black hair, gave her at +first rather a strange appearance. + +Desbarreaux kissed her hand with a gallant and chivalrous air. He then, +talking to her all the time, walked round the large room, where were +assembled nearly thirty persons-some seated in the large arm chairs, +others standing in the vast chimney-place, others conversing in the +embrasures of the windows under the heavy curtains. Some of them were +obscure men, now illustrious; others illustrious men, now obscure for +posterity. Thus, among the latter, he profoundly saluted MM. d'Aubijoux, +de Brion, de Montmort, and other very brilliant gentlemen, who were +there as judges; tenderly, and with an air of esteem, pressed the hands +of MM. Monteruel, de Sirmond, de Malleville, Baro, Gombauld, and other +learned men, almost all called great men in the annals of the Academy of +which they were the founders--itself called sometimes the Academic des +Beaux Esprits, but really the Academic Francaise. But M. Desbarreaux +gave but a mere patronizing nod to young Corneille, who was talking in +a corner with a foreigner, and with a young man whom he presented to +the mistress of the house by the name of M. Poquelin, son of the +'valet-de-chambre tapissier du roi'. The foreigner was Milton; the young +man was Moliere. + +Before the reading expected from the young Sybarite, a great contest +arose between him and other poets and prose writers of the time. They +spoke to each other with great volubility and animation a language +incomprehensible to any one who should suddenly have come among them +without being initiated, eagerly pressing each other's hands with +affectionate compliments and infinite allusions to their works. + +"Ah, here you are, illustrious Baro!" cried the newcomer. "I have read +your last sixain. Ah, what a sixain! how full of the gallant and the +tendre?" + +"What is that you say of the tendre?" interrupted Marion de Lorme; "have +you ever seen that country? You stopped at the village of Grand-Esprit, +and at that of Jolis-Vers, but you have been no farther. If Monsieur +le Gouverneur de Notre Dame de la Garde will please to show us his new +chart, I will tell you where you are." + +Scudery arose with a vainglorious and pedantic air; and, unrolling +upon the table a sort of geographical chart tied with blue ribbons, he +himself showed the lines of red ink which he had traced upon it. + +"This is the finest piece of Clelie," he said. "This chart is generally +found very gallant; but 'tis merely a slight ebullition of playful wit, +to please our little literary cabale. However, as there are strange +people in the world, it is possible that all who see it may not have +minds sufficiently well turned to understand it. This is the road which +must be followed to go from Nouvelle-Amitie to Tendre; and +observe, gentlemen, that as we say Cumae-on-the-Ionian-Sea, +Cumae-on-the-Tyrrhean-Sea, we shall say Tendre-sur-Inclination, +Tendre-sur-Estime, and Tendre-sur-Reconnaissance. We must begin by +inhabiting the village of Grand-Coeur, Generosity, Exactitude, and +Petits-Soins." + +"Ah! how very pretty!" interposed Desbarreaux. "See the villages marked +out; here is Petits-Soins, Billet-Galant, then Billet-Doux!" + +"Oh! 'tis ingenious in the highest degree!" cried Vaugelas, Colletet, +and the rest. + +"And observe," continued the author, inflated with this success, "that +it is necessary to pass through Complaisance and Sensibility; and +that if we do not take this road, we run the risk of losing our way to +Tiedeur, Oubli, and of falling into the Lake of Indifference." + +"Delicious! delicious! 'gallant au supreme!'" cried the auditors; "never +was greater genius!" + +"Well, Madame," resumed Scudery, "I now declare it in your house: +this work, printed under my name, is by my sister--she who translated +'Sappho' so agreeably." And without being asked, he recited in a +declamatory tone verses ending thus: + + L'Amour est un mal agreable + Don't mon coeur ne saurait guerir; + Mais quand il serait guerissable, + Il est bien plus doux d'en mourir. + +"How! had that Greek so much wit? I can not believe it," exclaimed +Marion de Lorme; "how superior Mademoiselle de Scudery is to her! That +idea is wholly hers; she must unquestionably put these charming verses +into 'Clelie'. They will figure well in that Roman history." + +"Admirable, perfect!" cried all the savans; "Horatius, Aruns, and the +amiable Porsenna are such gallant lovers." + +They were all bending over the "carte de Tendre," and their fingers +crossed in following the windings of the amorous rivers. The young +Poquelin ventured to raise a timid voice and his melancholy but acute +glance, and said: + +"What purpose does this serve? Is it to give happiness or pleasure? +Monsieur seems to me not singularly happy, and I do not feel very gay." + +The only reply he got was a general look of contempt; he consoled +himself by meditating, 'Les Precieuses Ridicules'. + +Desbarreaux prepared to read a pious sonnet, which he was penitent for +having composed in an illness; he seemed to be ashamed of having thought +for a moment upon God at the sight of his lightning, and blushed at the +weakness. The mistress of the house stopped him. + +"It is not yet time to read your beautiful verses; you would be +interrupted. We expect Monsieur le Grand Ecuyer and other gentlemen; it +would be actual murder to allow a great mind to speak during this noise +and confusion. But here is a young Englishman who has just come from +Italy, and is on his return to London. They tell me he has composed a +poem--I don't know what; but he'll repeat some verses of it. Many of you +gentlemen of the Academy know English; and for the rest he has had the +passages he is going to read translated by an ex-secretary of the Duke +of Buckingham, and here are copies in French on this table." + +So saying, she took them and distributed them among her erudite +visitors. The company seated themselves, and were silent. It took some +time to persuade the young foreigner to speak or to quit the recess of +the window, where he seemed to have come to a very good understanding +with Corneille. He at last advanced to an armchair placed near the +table; he seemed of feeble health, and fell into, rather than seated +himself in, the chair. He rested his elbow on the table, and with his +hand covered his large and beautiful eyes, which were half closed, and +reddened with nightwatches or tears. He repeated his fragments from +memory. His doubting auditors looked at him haughtily, or at least +patronizingly; others carelessly glanced over the translation of his +verses. + +His voice, at first suppressed, grew clearer by the very flow of his +harmonious recital; the breath of poetic inspiration soon elevated him +to himself; and his look, raised to heaven, became sublime as that of +the young evangelist, conceived by Raffaello, for the light still shone +on it. He narrated in his verses the first disobedience of man, and +invoked the Holy Spirit, who prefers before all other temples a pure and +simple heart, who knows all, and who was present at the birth of time. + +This opening was received with a profound silence; and a slight murmur +arose after the enunciation of the last idea. He heard not; he saw only +through a cloud; he was in the world of his own creation. He continued. + +He spoke of the infernal spirit, bound in avenging fire by adamantine +chains, lying vanquished nine times the space that measures night and +day to mortal men; of the darkness visible of the eternal prisons and +the burning ocean where the fallen angels float. Then, his voice, now +powerful, began the address of the fallen angel. "Art thou," he +said, "he who in the happy realms of light, clothed with transcendent +brightness, didst outshine myriads? From what height fallen? What though +the field be lost, all is not lost! Unconquerable will and study of +revenge, immortal hate and courage never to submit nor yield-what is +else not to be overcome." + +Here a lackey in a loud voice announced MM. de Montresor and +d'Entraigues. They saluted, exchanged a few words, deranged the +chairs, and then settled down. The auditors availed themselves of +the interruption to institute a dozen private conversations; scarcely +anything was heard but expressions of censure, and imputations of bad +taste. Even some men of merit, dulled by a particular habit of thinking, +cried out that they did not understand it; that it was above their +comprehension (not thinking how truly they spoke); and from this feigned +humility gained themselves a compliment, and for the poet an impertinent +remark--a double advantage. Some voices even pronounced the word +"profanation." + +The poet, interrupted, put his head between his hands and his elbows on +the table, that he might not hear the noise either of praise or censure. +Three men only approached him, an officer, Poquelin, and Corneille; the +latter whispered to Milton: + +"I would advise you to change the picture; your hearers are not on a +level with this." + +The officer pressed the hand of the English poet and said to him: + +"I admire you with all my soul." + +The astonished Englishman looked at him, and saw an intellectual, +impassioned, and sickly countenance. + +He bowed, and collected himself, in order to proceed. His voice took a +gentle tone and a soft accent; he spoke of the chaste happiness of the +two first of human beings. He described their majestic nakedness, the +ingenuous command of their looks, their walk among lions and tigers, +which gambolled at their feet; he spoke of the purity of their morning +prayer, of their enchanting smile, the playful tenderness of their +youth, and their enamored conversation, so painful to the Prince of +Darkness. + +Gentle tears quite involuntarily made humid the eyes of the beautiful +Marion de Lorme. Nature had taken possession of her heart, despite her +head; poetry filled it with grave and religious thoughts, from which +the intoxication of pleasure had ever diverted her. The idea of virtuous +love appeared to her for the first time in all its beauty; and she +seemed as if struck with a magic wand, and changed into a pale and +beautiful statue. + +Corneille, his young friend, and the officer, were full of a silent +admiration which they dared not express, for raised voices drowned that +of the surprised poet. + +"I can't stand this!" cried Desbarreaux. "It is of an insipidity to make +one sick." + +"And what absence of grace, gallantry, and the belle flamme!" said +Scudery, coldly. + +"Ah, how different from our immortal D'Urfe!" said Baro, the +continuator. + +"Where is the 'Ariane,' where the 'Astrea?'" cried, with a groan, +Godeau, the annotator. + +The whole assembly well-nigh made these obliging remarks, though uttered +so as only to be heard by the poet as a murmur of uncertain import. +He understood, however, that he produced no enthusiasm, and collected +himself to touch another chord of his lyre. + +At this moment the Counsellor de Thou was announced, who, modestly +saluting the company, glided silently behind the author near Corneille, +Poquelin, and the young officer. Milton resumed his strain. + +He recounted the arrival of a celestial guest in the garden of Eden, +like a second Aurora in mid-day, shaking the plumes of his divine wings, +that filled the air with heavenly fragrance, who recounted to man +the history of heaven, the revolt of Lucifer, clothed in an armor of +diamonds, raised on a car brilliant as the sun, guarded by glittering +cherubim, and marching against the Eternal. But Emmanuel appears on the +living chariot of the Lord; and his two thousand thunderbolts hurled +down to hell, with awful noise, the accursed army confounded. + +At this the company arose; and all was interrupted, for religious +scruples became leagued with false taste. Nothing was heard but +exclamations which obliged the mistress of the house to rise also, and +endeavor to conceal them from the author. This was not difficult, for +he was entirely absorbed in the elevation of his thoughts. His genius at +this moment had nothing in common with the earth; and when he once +more opened his eyes on those who surrounded him, he saw near him four +admirers, whose voices were better heard than those of the assembly. + +Corneille said to him: + +"Listen. If you aim at present glory, do not expect it from so fine a +work. Pure poetry is appreciated by but few souls. For the common run of +men, it must be closely allied with the almost physical interest of the +drama. I had been tempted to make a poem of 'Polyeuctes'; but I shall +cut down this subject, abridge it of the heavens, and it shall be only a +tragedy." + +"What matters to me the glory of the moment?" answered Milton. "I +think not of success. I sing because I feel myself a poet. I go whither +inspiration leads me. Its path is ever the right one. If these verses +were not to be read till a century after my death, I should write them +just the same." + +"I admire them before they are written," said the young officer. "I see +in them the God whose innate image I have found in my heart." + +"Who is it speaks thus kindly to me?" asked the poet. + +"I am Rene Descartes," replied the soldier, gently. + +"How, sir!" cried De Thou. "Are you so happy as to be related to the +author of the Princeps?" + +"I am the author of that work," replied Rene. + +"You, sir!--but--still--pardon me--but--are you not a military man?" +stammered out the counsellor, in amazement. + +"Well, what has the habit of the body to do with the thought? Yes, I +wear the sword. I was at the siege of Rochelle. I love the profession +of arms because it keeps the soul in a region of noble ideas by the +continual feeling of the sacrifice of life; yet it does not occupy the +whole man. He can not always apply his thoughts to it. Peace lulls them. +Moreover, one has also to fear seeing them suddenly interrupted by an +obscure blow or an absurd and untimely accident. And if a man be killed +in the execution of his plan, posterity preserves an idea of the plan +which he himself had not, and which may be wholly preposterous; and this +is the evil side of the profession for a man of letters." + +De Thou smiled with pleasure at the simple language of this superior +man--this man whom he so admired, and in his admiration loved. He +pressed the hand of the young sage of Touraine, and drew him into an +adjoining cabinet with Corneille, Milton, and Moliere, and with them +enjoyed one of those conversations which make us regard as lost the time +which precedes them and the time which is to follow them. + +For two hours they had enchanted one another with their discourse, when +the sound of music, of guitars and flutes playing minuets, sarabands, +allemandes, and the Spanish dances which the young Queen had brought +into fashion, the continual passing of groups of young ladies and their +joyous laughter, all announced that the ball had commenced. A very young +and beautiful person, holding a large fan as it were a sceptre, and +surrounded by ten young men, entered their retired chamber with her +brilliant court, which she ruled like a queen, and entirely put to the +rout the studious conversers. + +"Adieu, gentlemen!" said De Thou. "I make way for Mademoiselle de +l'Enclos and her musketeers." + +"Really, gentlemen," said the youthful Ninon, "we seem to frighten you. +Have I disturbed you? You have all the air of conspirators." + +"We are perhaps more so than these gentlemen, although we dance," said +Olivier d'Entraigues, who led her. + +"Ah! your conspiracy is against me, Monsieur le Page!" said Ninon, +looking the while at another light-horseman, and abandoning her +remaining arm to a third, the other gallants seeking to place themselves +in the way of her flying ceillades, for she distributed her glances +brilliant as the rays of the sun dancing over the moving waters. + +De Thou stole away without any one thinking of stopping him, and was +descending the great staircase, when he met the little Abbe de Gondi, +red, hot, and out of breath, who stopped him with an animated and joyous +air. + +"How now! whither go you? Let the foreigners and savans go. You are one +of us. I am somewhat late; but our beautiful Aspasia will pardon me. Why +are you going? Is it all over?" + +"Why, it seems so. When the dancing begins, the reading is done." + +"The reading, yes; but the oaths?" said the Abbe, in a low voice. + +"What oaths?" asked De Thou. + +"Is not Monsieur le Grand come?" + +"I expected to see him; but I suppose he has not come, or else he has +gone." + +"No, no! come with me," said the bare-brained Abbe. "You are one of us. +Parbleu! it is impossible to do without you; come!" + +De Thou, unwilling to refuse, and thus appear to disown his friends, +even for parties of pleasure which annoyed him, followed De Gondi, who +passed through two cabinets, and descended a small private staircase. At +each step he took, he heard more distinctly the voices of an assemblage +of men. Gondi opened the door. An unexpected spectacle met his view. + +The chamber he was entering, lighted by a mysterious glimmer, seemed the +asylum of the most voluptuous rendezvous. On one side was a gilt bed, +with a canopy of tapestry ornamented with feathers, and covered with +lace and ornaments. The furniture, shining with gold, was of grayish +silk, richly embroidered. Velvet cushions were at the foot of each +armchair, upon a thick carpet. Small mirrors, connected with one another +by ornaments of silver, seemed an entire glass, itself a perfection then +unknown, and everywhere multiplied their glittering faces. No sound +from without could penetrate this throne of delight; but the persons +assembled there seemed far remote from the thoughts which it was +calculated to give rise to. A number of men, whom he recognized as +courtiers, or soldiers of rank, crowded the entrance of this chamber and +an adjoining apartment of larger dimensions. All were intent upon that +which was passing in the centre of the first room. Here, ten young men, +standing, and holding in their hands their drawn swords, the points of +which were lowered toward the ground, were ranged round a table. Their +faces, turned to Cinq-Mars, announced that they had just taken an oath +to him. The grand ecuyer stood by himself before the fireplace, his +arms folded with an air of all-absorbing reflection. Standing near him, +Marion de Lorme, grave and collected, seemed to have presented these +gentlemen to him. + +When Cinq-Mars perceived his friend, he rushed toward the door, casting +a terrible glance at Gondi, and seizing De Thou by both arms, stopped +him on the last step. + +"What do you here?" he said, in a stifled voice. + +"Who brought you here? What would you with me? You are lost if you +enter." + +"What do you yourself here? What do I see in this house?" + +"The consequences of that you wot of. Go; this air is poisoned for all +who are here." + +"It is too late; they have seen me. What would they say if I were to +withdraw? I should discourage them; you would be lost." + +This dialogue had passed in low and hurried tones; at the last word, De +Thou, pushing aside his friend, entered, and with a firm step crossed +the apartment to the fireplace. + +Cinq-Mars, trembling with rage, resumed his place, hung his head, +collected himself, and soon raising a more calm countenance, continued a +discourse which the entrance of his friend had interrupted: + +"Be then with us, gentlemen; there is no longer any need for so much +mystery. Remember that when a strong mind embraces an idea, it must +follow it to all its consequences. Your courage will have a wider field +than that of a court intrigue. Thank me; instead of a conspiracy, I give +you a war. Monsieur de Bouillon has departed to place himself at the +head of his army of Italy; in two days, and before the king, I quit +Paris for Perpignan. Come all of you thither; the Royalists of the army +await us." + +Here he threw around him calm and confident looks; he saw gleams of joy +and enthusiasm in the eyes of all who surrounded him. Before allowing +his own heart to be possessed by the contagious emotion which precedes +great enterprises, he desired still more firmly to assure himself of +them, and said with a grave air: + +"Yes, war, gentlemen; think of it, open war. Rochelle and Navarre are +arousing their Protestants; the army of Italy will enter on one side; +the king's brother will join us on the other. The man we combat will be +surrounded, vanquished, crushed. The parliaments will march in our rear, +bearing their petitions to the King, a weapon as powerful as our swords; +and after the victory we will throw ourselves at the feet of Louis XIII, +our master, that he may pardon us for having delivered him from a cruel +and ambitious man, and hastened his own resolution." + +Here, again glancing around him, he saw increasing confidence in the +looks and attitudes of his accomplices. + +"How!" he continued, crossing his arms, and yet restraining with an +effort his own emotion; "you do not recoil before this resolution, which +would appear a revolt to any other men! Do you not think that I have +abused the powers you have vested in me? I have carried matters very +far; but there are times when kings would be served, as it were in spite +of themselves. All is arranged, as you know. Sedan will open its gates +to us; and we are sure of Spain. Twelve thousand veteran troops +will enter Paris with us. No place, however, will be given up to the +foreigner; they will all have a French garrison, and be taken in the +name of the King." + +"Long live the King! long live the Union! the new Union, the Holy +League!" cried the assembly. + +"It has come, then!" cried Cinq-Mars, with enthusiasm; "it has come--the +most glorious day of my life. Oh, youth, youth, from century to century +called frivolous and improvident! of what will men now accuse thee, when +they behold conceived, ripened, and ready for execution, under a chief +of twenty-two, the most vast, the most just, the most beneficial of +enterprises? My friends, what is a great life but a thought of youth +executed by mature age? Youth looks fixedly into the future with its +eagle glance, traces there a broad plan, lays the foundation stone; and +all that our entire existence afterward can do is to approximate to that +first design. Oh, when can great projects arise, if not when the heart +beats vigorously in the breast? The mind is not sufficient; it is but an +instrument." + +A fresh outburst of joy had followed these words, when an old man with a +white beard stood forward from the throng. + +"Bah!" said Gondi, in a low voice, "here's the old Chevalier de Guise +going to dote, and damp us." + +And truly enough, the old man, pressing the hand of Cinq-Mars, said +slowly and with difficulty, having placed himself near him: + +"Yes, my son, and you, my children, I see with joy that my old friend +Bassompierre is about to be delivered by you, and that you are about +to avenge the Comte de Soissons and the young Montmorency. But it is +expedient for youth, all ardent as it is, to listen to those who have +seen much. I have witnessed the League, my children, and I tell you that +you can not now, as then, take the title of the Holy League, the Holy +Union, the Protectors of Saint Peter, or Pillars of the Church, because +I see that you reckon on the support of the Huguenots; nor can you put +upon your great seal of green wax an empty throne, since it is occupied +by a king." + +"You may say by two," interrupted Gondi, laughing. + +"It is, however, of great importance," continued old Guise, amid the +tumultuous young men, "to take a name to which the people may attach +themselves; that of War for the Public Welfare has been made use of; +Princes of Peace only lately. It is necessary to find one." + +"Well, the War of the King," said Cinq-Mars. + +"Ay, the War of the King!" cried Gondi and all the young men. + +"Moreover," continued the old seigneur, "it is essential to gain the +approval of the theological faculty of the Sorbonne, which heretofore +sanctioned even the 'hautgourdiers' and the 'sorgueurs',--[Names of +the leaguers.]--and to put in force its second proposition--that it is +permitted to the people to disobey the magistrates, and to hang them." + +"Eh, Chevalier!" exclaimed Gondi; "this is not the question. Let +Monsieur le Grand speak; we are thinking no more of the Sorbonne at +present than of your Saint Jacques Clement." + +There was a laugh, and Cinq-Mars went on: + +"I wished, gentlemen, to conceal nothing from you as to the projects of +Monsieur, those of the Duke de Bouillon, or my own, for it is just that +a man who stakes his life should know at what game; but I have placed +before you the least fortunate chances, and I have not detailed our +strength, for there is not one of you but knows the secret of it. Is +it to you, Messieurs de Montresor and de Saint-Thibal, I need tell the +treasures that Monsieur places at our disposal? Is it to you, Monsieur +d'Aignou, Monsieur de Mouy, that I need tell how many gentlemen are +eager to join your companies of men-at-arms and light-horse, to fight +the Cardinalists; how many in Touraine and in Auvergne, where lay the +lands of the House of D'Effiat, and whence will march two thousand +seigneurs, with their vassals? + +"Baron de Beauvau, shall I recall the zeal and valor of the cuirassiers +whom you brought to the unhappy Comte de Soissons, whose cause was ours, +and whom you saw assassinated in the midst of his triumph by him whom +with you he had defeated? Shall I tell these gentlemen of the joy of the +Count-Duke of Olivares at the news of our intentions, and the letters of +the Cardinal-Infanta to the Duke de Bouillon? Shall I speak of Paris to +the Abbe de Gondi, to D'Entraigues, and to you, gentlemen, who are daily +witnesses of her misery, of her indignation, and her desire to break +forth? While all foreign nations demand peace, which the Cardinal +de Richelieu still destroys by his want of faith (as he has done in +violating the treaty of Ratisbon), all orders of the State groan under +his violence, and dread that colossal ambition which aspires to no less +than the temporal and even spiritual throne of France." + +A murmur of approbation interrupted Cinq-Mars. There was then silence +for a moment; and they heard the sound of wind instruments, and the +measured tread of the dancers. + +This noise caused a momentary diversion and a smile in the younger +portion of the assembly. + +Cinq-Mars profited by this; and raising his eyes, "Pleasures of youth," +he cried--"love, music, joyous dances--why do you not alone occupy our +leisure hours? Why are not you our sole ambition? What resentment may +we not justly feel that we have to make our cries of indignation heard +above our bursts of joy, our formidable secrets in the asylum of love, +and our oaths of war and death amid the intoxication of and of life!" + +"Curses on him who saddens the youth of a people! When wrinkles furrow +the brow of the young men, we may confidently say that the finger of +a tyrant has hollowed them out. The other troubles of youth give it +despair and not consternation. Watch those sad and mournful students +pass day after day with pale foreheads, slow steps, and half-suppressed +voices. One would think they fear to live or to advance a step toward +the future. What is there then in France? A man too many." + +"Yes," he continued; "for two years I have watched the insidious and +profound progress of his ambition. His strange practices, his secret +commissions, his judicial assassinations are known to you. Princes, +peers, marechals--all have been crushed by him. There is not a family in +France but can show some sad trace of his passage. If he regards us all +as enemies to his authority, it is because he would have in France none +but his own house, which twenty years ago held only one of the smallest +fiefs of Poitou. + +"The humiliated parliament has no longer any voice. The presidents of +Nismes, Novion, and Bellievre have revealed to you their courageous +but fruitless resistance to the condemnation to death of the Duke de la +Vallette. + +"The presidents and councils of sovereign courts have been imprisoned, +banished, suspended--a thing before unheard of--because they have raised +their voices for the king or for the public. + +"The highest offices of justice, who fill them? Infamous and corrupt +men, who suck the blood and gold of the country. Paris and the maritime +towns taxed; the rural districts ruined and laid waste by the soldiers +and other agents of the Cardinal; the peasants reduced to feed on +animals killed by the plague or famine, or saving themselves by +self-banishment--such is the work of this new justice. His worthy agents +have even coined money with the effigy of the Cardinal-Duke. Here are +some of his royal pieces." + +The grand ecuyey threw upon the table a score of gold doubloons whereon +Richelieu was represented. A fresh murmur of hatred toward the Cardinal +arose in the apartment. + +"And think you the clergy are less trampled on and less discontented? +No. Bishops have been tried against the laws of the State and in +contempt of the respect due to their sacred persons. We have seen, in +consequence, Algerine corsairs commanded by an archbishop. Men of the +lowest condition have been elevated to the cardinalate. The minister +himself, devouring the most sacred things, has had himself elected +general of the orders of Citeaux, Cluny, and Premontre, throwing into +prison the monks who refused him their votes. Jesuits, Carmelites, +Cordeliers, Augustins, Dominicans, have been forced to elect general +vicars in France, in order no longer to communicate at Rome with their +true superiors, because he would be patriarch in France, and head of the +Gallican Church." + +"He's a schismatic! a monster!" cried several voices. + +"His progress, then, is apparent, gentlemen. He is ready to seize both +temporal and spiritual power. He has little by little fortified himself +against the King in the strongest towns of France--seized the mouths of +the principal rivers, the best ports of the ocean, the salt-pits, and +all the securities of the kingdom. It is the King, then, whom we must +deliver from this oppression. 'Le roi et la paix!' shall be our cry. The +rest must be left to Providence." + +Cinq-Mars greatly astonished the assembly, and De Thou himself, by this +address. No one had ever before heard him speak so long together, not +even in fireside conversation; and he had never by a single word shown +the least aptitude for understanding public affairs. He had, on the +contrary, affected the greatest indifference on the subject, even in the +eyes of those whom he was molding to his projects, merely manifesting a +virtuous indignation at the violence of the minister, but affecting not +to put forward any of his own ideas, in order not to suggest personal +ambition as the aim of his labors. The confidence given to him rested +on his favor with the king and his personal bravery. The surprise of all +present was therefore such as to cause a momentary silence. It was soon +broken by all the transports of Frenchmen, young or old, when fighting +of whatever kind is held out to them. + +Among those who came forward to press the hand of the young party +leader, the Abbe de Gondi jumped about like a kid. + +"I have already enrolled my regiment!" he cried. "I have some superb +fellows!" Then, addressing Marion de Lorme, "Parbleu! Mademoiselle, +I will wear your colors--your gray ribbon, and your order of the +Allumette. The device is charming-- + + 'Nous ne brullons que pour bruller les autres.' + +And I wish you could see all the fine things we shall do if we are +fortunate enough to come to blows." + +The fair Marion, who did not like him, began to talk over his head to M. +de Thou--a mortification which always exasperated the little Abbe, who +abruptly left her, walking as tall as he could, and scornfully twisting +his moustache. + +All at once a sudden silence took possession of the assembly. A rolled +paper had struck the ceiling and fallen at the feet of Cinq-Mars. He +picked it up and unrolled it, after having looked eagerly around him. He +sought in vain to divine whence it came; all those who advanced had only +astonishment and intense curiosity depicted in their faces. + +"Here is my name wrongly written," he said coldly. + + "A CINQ MARCS, + + CENTURIE DE NOSTRADAMUS. + + Quand bonnet rouge passera par la fenetre, + A quarante onces on coupera tete, + Et tout finira." + + [This punning prediction was made public three months before the, + conspiracy.] + +"There is a traitor among us, gentlemen," he said, throwing away the +paper. "But no matter. We are not men to be frightened by his sanguinary +jests." + +"We must find the traitor out, and throw him through the window," said +the young men. + +Still, a disagreeable sensation had come over the assembly. They now +only spoke in whispers, and each regarded his neighbor with distrust. +Some withdrew; the meeting grew thinner. Marion de Lorme repeated +to every one that she would dismiss her servants, who alone could +be suspected. Despite her efforts a coldness reigned throughout the +apartment. The first sentences of Cinq-Mars' address, too, had left some +uncertainty as to the intentions of the King; and this untimely candor +had somewhat shaken a few of the less determined conspirators. + +Gondi pointed this out to Cinq-Mars. + +"Hark ye!" he said in a low voice. "Believe me, I have carefully studied +conspiracies and assemblages; there are certain purely mechanical means +which it is necessary to adopt. Follow my advice here; I know a good +deal of this sort of thing. They want something more. Give them a little +contradiction; that always succeeds in France. You will quite make them +alive again. Seem not to wish to retain them against their will, and +they will remain." + +The grand ecuyer approved of the suggestion, and advancing toward those +whom he knew to be most deeply compromised, said: + +"For the rest, gentlemen, I do not wish to force any one to follow me. +Plenty of brave men await us at Perpignan, and all France is with us. If +any one desires to secure himself a retreat, let him speak. We will give +him the means of placing himself in safety at once." + +Not one would hear of this proposition; and the movement it occasioned +produced a renewal of the oaths of hatred against the minister. + +Cinq-Mars, however, proceeded to put the question individually to some +of the persons present, in the election of whom he showed much judgment; +for he ended with Montresor, who cried that he would pass his sword +through his body if he had for a moment entertained such an idea, and +with Gondi, who, rising fiercely on his heels, exclaimed: + +"Monsieur le Grand Ecuyer, my retreat is the archbishopric of Paris and +L'Ile Notre-Dame. I'll make it a place strong enough to keep me from +being taken." + +"And yours?" he said to De Thou. + +"At your side," murmured De Thou, lowering his eyes, unwilling to give +importance to his resolution by the directness of his look. + +"You will have it so? Well, I accept," said Cinq-Mars; "and my sacrifice +herein, dear friend, is greater than yours." Then turning toward the +assembly: + +"Gentlemen, I see in you the last men of France, for after the +Montmorencys and the Soissons, you alone dare lift a head free and +worthy of our old liberty. If Richelieu triumph, the ancient bases of +the monarchy will crumble with us. The court will reign alone, in the +place of the parliaments, the old barriers, and at the same time the +powerful supports of the royal authority. Let us be conquerors, and +France will owe to us the preservation of her ancient manners and her +time-honored guarantees. And now, gentlemen, it were a pity to spoil the +ball on this account. You hear the music. The ladies await you. Let us +go and dance." + +"The Cardinal shall pay the fiddlers," added Gondi. + +The young men applauded with a laugh; and all reascended to the ballroom +as lightly as they would have gone to the battlefield. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. THE CONFESSIONAL + +It was on the day following the assembly that had taken place in the +house of Marion de Lorme. A thick snow covered the roofs of Paris and +settled in its large gutters and streets, where it arose in gray heaps, +furrowed by the wheels of carriages. + +It was eight o'clock, and the night was dark. The tumult of the city was +silent on account of the thick carpet the winter had spread for it, and +which deadened the sound of the wheels over the stones, and of the feet +of men and horses. In a narrow street that winds round the old church of +St. Eustache, a man, enveloped in his cloak, slowly walked up and down, +constantly watching for the appearance of some one. He often seated +himself upon one of the posts of the church, sheltering himself from the +falling snow under one of the statues of saints which jutted out from +the roof of the building, stretching over the narrow path like birds of +prey, which, about to make a stoop, have folded their wings. Often, too, +the old man, opening his cloak, beat his arms against his breast to warm +himself, or blew upon his fingers, ill protected from the cold by a pair +of buff gloves reaching nearly to the elbow. At last he saw a slight +shadow gliding along the wall. + +"Ah, Santa Maria! what villainous countries are these of the North!" +said a woman's voice, trembling. "Ah, the duchy of Mantua! would I were +back there again, Grandchamp!" + +"Pshaw! don't speak so loud," said the old domestic, abruptly. "The +walls of Paris have Cardinalist ears, and more especially the walls of +the churches. Has your mistress entered? My master awaits her at the +door." + +"Yes, yes; she has gone in." + +"Be silent," said Grandchamp. "The sound of the clock is cracked. That's +a bad sign." + +"That clock has sounded the hour of a rendezvous." + +"For me, it sounds like a passing-bell. But be silent, Laure; here are +three cloaks passing." + +They allowed three men to pass. Grandchamp followed them, made sure of +the road they took, and returned to his seat, sighing deeply. + +"The snow is cold, Laure, and I am old. Monsieur le Grand might have +chosen another of his men to keep watch for him while he's making +love. It's all very well for you to carry love-letters and ribbons and +portraits and such trash, but for me, I ought to be treated with +more consideration. Monsieur le Marechal would not have done so. Old +domestics give respectability to a house, and should be themselves +respected." + +"Has your master arrived long, 'caro amico'?" + +"Eh, cara, cayo! leave me in peace. We had both been freezing for an +hour when you came. I should have had time to smoke three Turkish pipes. +Attend to your business, and go and look to the other doors of the +church, and see that no suspicious person is prowling about. Since there +are but two vedettes, they must beat about well." + +"Ah, what a thing it is to have no one to whom to say a friendly word +when it is so cold! and my poor mistress! to come on foot all the way +from the Hotel de Nevers. Ah, amore! qui regna amore!" + +"Come, Italian, wheel about, I tell thee. Let me hear no more of thy +musical tongue." + +"Ah, Santa Maria! What a harsh voice, dear Grandchamp! You were much +more amiable at Chaumont, in Turena, when you talked to me of 'miei +occhi neri." + +"Hold thy tongue, prattler! Once more, thy Italian is only good for +buffoons and rope-dancers, or to accompany the learned dogs." + +"Ah, Italia mia! Grandchamp, listen to me, and you shall hear the +language of the gods. If you were a gallant man, like him who wrote this +for a Laure like me!" + +And she began to hum: + + Lieti fiori a felici, e ben nate erbe + Che Madonna pensando premer sole; + Piaggia ch'ascolti su dolci parole + E del bel piede alcun vestigio serbe. + +The old soldier was but little used to the voice of a young girl; and +in general when a woman spoke to him, the tone he assumed in answering +always fluctuated between an awkward compliment and an ebullition of +temper. But on this occasion he appeared moved by the Italian song, and +twisted his moustache, which was always with him a sign of embarrassment +and distress. He even omitted a rough sound something like a laugh, and +said: + +"Pretty enough, 'mordieu!' that recalls to my mind the siege of Casal; +but be silent, little one. I have not yet heard the Abbe Quillet come. +This troubles me. He ought to have been here before our two young +people; and for some time past--" + +Laure, who was afraid of being sent alone to the Place St. Eustache, +answered that she was quite sure he had gone in, and continued: + + "Ombrose selve, ove'percote il sole + Che vi fa co'suoi raggi alte a superbe." + +"Hum!" said the worthy old soldier, grumbling. "I have my feet in the +snow, and a gutter runs down on my head, and there's death at my heart; +and you sing to me of violets, of the sun, and of grass, and of love. Be +silent!" + +And, retiring farther in the recess of the church, he leaned his gray +head upon his hands, pensive and motionless. Laure dared not again speak +to him. + +While her waiting-woman had gone to find Grandchamp, the young and +trembling Marie with a timid hand had pushed open the folding-door of +the church. + +She there found Cinq-Mars standing, disguised, and anxiously awaiting +her. As soon as she recognized him, she advanced with rapid steps into +the church, holding her velvet mask over her face, and hastened to take +refuge in a confessional, while Henri carefully closed the door of +the church by which she had entered. He made sure that it could not be +opened on the outside, and then followed his betrothed to kneel within +the place of penitence. Arrived an hour before her, with his old valet, +he had found this open--a certain and understood sign that the Abbe +Quillet, his tutor, awaited him at the accustomed place. His care to +prevent any surprise had made him remain himself to guard the entrance +until the arrival of Marie. Delighted as he was at the punctuality of +the good Abbe, he would still scarcely leave his post to thank him. He +was a second father to him in all but authority; and he acted toward the +good priest without much ceremony. + +The old parish church of St. Eustache was dark. Besides the perpetual +lamp, there were only four flambeaux of yellow wax, which, attached +above the fonts against the principal pillars, cast a red glimmer +upon the blue and black marble of the empty church. The light scarcely +penetrated the deep niches of the aisles of the sacred building. In one +of the chapels--the darkest of them--was the confessional, of which we +have before spoken, whose high iron grating and thick double planks left +visible only the small dome and the wooden cross. Here, on either side, +knelt Cinq-Mars and Marie de Mantua. They could scarcely see each other, +but found that the Abbe Quillet, seated between them, was there awaiting +them. They could see through the little grating the shadow of his hood. +Henri d'Effiat approached slowly; he was regulating, as it were, the +remainder of his destiny. It was not before his king that he was about +to appear, but before a more powerful sovereign, before her for whom he +had undertaken his immense work. He was about to test her faith; and he +trembled. + +He trembled still more when his young betrothed knelt opposite to +him; he trembled, because at the sight of this angel he could not help +feeling all the happiness he might lose. He dared not speak first, and +remained for an instant contemplating her head in the shade, that young +head upon which rested all his hopes. Despite his love, whenever he +looked upon her he could not refrain from a kind of dread at having +undertaken so much for a girl, whose passion was but a feeble reflection +of his own, and who perhaps would not appreciate all the sacrifices +he had made for her--bending the firm character of his mind to the +compliances of a courtier, condemning it to the intrigues and sufferings +of ambition, abandoning it to profound combinations, to criminal +meditations, to the gloomy labors of a conspirator. + +Hitherto, in their secret interviews, she had always received each fresh +intelligence of his progress with the transports of pleasure of a child, +but without appreciating the labors of each of these so arduous steps +that lead to honors, and always asking him with naivete when he would be +Constable, and when they should marry, as if she were asking him when he +would come to the Caroussel, or whether the weather was fine. Hitherto, +he had smiled at these questions and this ignorance, pardonable at +eighteen, in a girl born to a throne and accustomed to a grandeur +natural to her, which she found around her on her entrance into life; +but now he made more serious reflections upon this character. And when, +but just quitting the imposing assembly of conspirators, representatives +of all the orders of the kingdom, his ear, wherein still resounded the +masculine voices that had sworn to undertake a vast war, was struck with +the first words of her for whom that war was commenced, he feared for +the first time lest this naivete should be in reality simple levity, not +coming from the heart. He resolved to sound it. + +"Oh, heavens! how I tremble, Henri!" she said as she entered the +confessional; "you make me come without guards, without a coach. I +always tremble lest I should be seen by my people coming out of the +Hotel de Nevers. How much longer must I yet conceal myself like a +criminal? The Queen was very angry when I avowed the matter to her; and +whenever she speaks to me of it, 'tis with her severe air that you know, +and which always makes me weep. Oh, I am terribly afraid!" + +She was silent; Cinq-Mars replied only with a deep sigh. + +"How! you do not speak to me!" she said. + +"Are these, then, all your terrors?" asked Cinq-Mars, bitterly. + +"Can I have greater? Oh, 'mon ami', in what a tone, with what a voice, +do you address me! Are you angry because I came too late?" + +"Too soon, Madame, much too soon, for the things you are to hear--for I +see you are far from prepared for them." + +Marie, affected at the gloomy and bitter tone of his voice, began to +weep. + +"Alas, what have I done," she said, "that you should call me Madame, and +treat me thus harshly?" + +"Be tranquil," replied Cinq-Mars, but with irony in his tone. "'Tis +not, indeed, you who are guilty; but I--I alone; not toward you, but for +you." + +"Have you done wrong, then? Have you ordered the death of any one? Oh, +no, I am sure you have not, you are so good!" + +"What!" said Cinq-Mars, "are you as nothing in my designs? Did I +misconstrue your thoughts when you looked at me in the Queen's boudoir? +Can I no longer read in your eyes? Was the fire which animated them that +of a love for Richelieu? That admiration which you promised to him who +should dare to say all to the King, where is it? Is it all a falsehood?" + +Marie burst into tears. + +"You still speak to me with bitterness," she said; "I have not deserved +it. Do you suppose, because I speak not of this fearful conspiracy, that +I have forgotten it? Do you not see me miserable at the thought? Must +you see my tears? Behold them; I shed enough in secret. Henri, believe +that if I have avoided this terrible subject in our last interviews, +it is from the fear of learning too much. Have I any other thought that +that of your dangers? Do I not know that it is for me you incur them? +Alas! if you fight for me, have I not also to sustain attacks no less +cruel? Happier than I, you have only to combat hatred, while I struggle +against friendship. The Cardinal will oppose to you men and weapons; +but the Queen, the gentle Anne of Austria, employs only tender advice, +caresses, sometimes tears." + +"Touching and invincible constraint to make you accept a throne," said +Cinq-Mars, bitterly. "I well conceive you must need some efforts to +resist such seductions; but first, Madame, I must release you from your +vows." + +"Alas, great Heaven! what is there, then, against us?" + +"There is God above us, and against us," replied Henri, in a severe +tone; "the King has deceived me." + +There was an agitated movement on the part of the Abbe. + +Marie exclaimed, "I foresaw it; this is the misfortune I dreamed and +dreamed of! It is I who caused it?" + +"He deceived me, as he pressed my hand," continued Cinq-Mars; "he +betrayed me by the villain Joseph, whom an offer has been made to me to +poniard." + +The Abbe gave a start of horror which half opened the door of the +confessional. + +"O father, fear nothing," said Henri d'Effiat; "your pupil will never +strike such blows. Those I prepare will be heard from afar, and the +broad day will light them up; but there remains a duty--a sacred +duty--for me to fulfil. Behold your son sacrifice himself before you! +Alas! I have not lived long in the sight of happiness, and I am about, +perhaps, to destroy it by your hand, that consecrated it." + +As he spoke, he opened the light grating which separated him from his +old tutor; the latter, still observing an extraordinary silence, passed +his hood over his forehead. + +"Restore this nuptial ring to the Duchesse de Mantua," said Cinq-Mars, +in a tone less firm; "I can not keep it unless she give it me a second +time, for I am not the same whom she promised to espouse." + +The priest hastily seized the ring, and passed it through the opposite +grating; this mark of indifference astonished Cinq-Mars. + +"What! Father," he said, "are you also changed?" + +Marie wept no longer; but, raising her angelic voice, which awakened a +faint echo along the aisles of the church, as the softest sigh of the +organ, she said, returning the ring to Cinq-Mars: + +"O dearest, be not angry! I comprehend you not. Can we break asunder +what God has just united, and can I leave you, when I know you are +unhappy? If the King no longer loves you, at least you may be assured he +will not harm you, since he has not harmed the Cardinal, whom he never +loved. Do you think yourself undone, because he is perhaps unwilling +to separate from his old servant? Well, let us await the return of his +friendship; forget these conspirators, who affright me. If they give up +hope, I shall thank Heaven, for then I shall no longer tremble for you. +Why needlessly afflict ourselves? The Queen loves us, and we are both +very young; let us wait. The future is beautiful, since we are united +and sure of ourselves. Tell me what the King said to you at Chambord. I +followed you long with my eyes. Heavens! how sad to me was that hunting +party!" + +"He has betrayed me, I tell you," answered Cinq-Mars. "Yet who could +have believed it, that saw him press our hands, turning from his brother +to me, and to the Duc de Bouillon, making himself acquainted with the +minutest details of the conspiracy, of the very day on which Richelieu +was to be arrested at Lyons, fixing himself the place of his exile (our +party desired his death, but the recollection of my father made me ask +his life). The King said that he himself would direct the whole affair +at Perpignan; yet just before, Joseph, that foul spy, had issued from +out of the cabinet du Lys. O Marie! shall I own it? at the moment I +heard this, my very soul was tossed. I doubted everything; it seemed to +me that the centre of the world was unhinged when I found truth quit +the heart of the King. I saw our whole edifice crumble to the ground; +another hour, and the conspiracy would vanish away, and I should lose +you forever. One means remained; I employed it." + +"What means?" said Marie. + +"The treaty with Spain was in my hand; I signed it." + +"Ah, heavens! destroy it." + +"It is gone." + +"Who bears it?" + +"Fontrailles." + +"Recall him." + +"He will, ere this, have passed the defiles of Oleron," said Cinq-Mars, +rising up. "All is ready at Madrid, all at Sedan. Armies await me, +Marie--armies! Richelieu is in the midst of them. He totters; it needs +but one blow to overthrow him, and you are mine forever--forever the +wife of the triumphant Cinq-Mars." + +"Of Cinq-Mars the rebel," she said, sighing. + +"Well, have it so, the rebel; but no longer the favorite. Rebel, +criminal, worthy of the scaffold, I know it," cried the impassioned +youth, falling on his knees; "but a rebel for love, a rebel for you, +whom my sword will at last achieve for me." + +"Alas, a sword imbrued in the blood of your country! Is it not a +poniard?" + +"Pause! for pity, pause, Marie! Let kings abandon me, let warriors +forsake me, I shall only be the more firm; but a word from you will +vanquish me, and once again the time for reflection will be passed from +me. Yes, I am a criminal; and that is why I still hesitate to think +myself worthy of you. Abandon me, Marie; take back the ring." + +"I can not," she said; "for I am your wife, whatever you be." + +"You hear her, father!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars, transported with happiness; +"bless this second union, the work of devotion, even more beautiful than +that of love. Let her be mine while I live." + +Without answering, the Abbe opened the door of the confessional and had +quitted the church ere Cinq-Mars had time to rise and follow him. + +"Where are you going? What is the matter?" he cried. + +But no one answered. + +"Do not call out, in the name of Heaven!" said Marie, "or I am lost; he +has doubtless heard some one in the church." + +But D'Effiat, agitated, and without answering her, rushed forth, and +sought his late tutor through the church, but in vain. Drawing his +sword, he proceeded to the entrance which Grandchamp had to guard; he +called him and listened. + +"Now let him go," said a voice at the corner of the street; and at the +same moment was heard the galloping of horses. + +"Grandchamp, wilt thou answer?" cried Cinq-Mars. + +"Help, Henri, my dear boy!" exclaimed the voice of the Abbe Quillet. + +"Whence come you? You endanger me," said the grand ecuyer, approaching +him. + +But he saw that his poor tutor, without a hat in the falling snow, was +in a most deplorable condition. + +"They stopped me, and they robbed me," he cried. "The villains, the +assassins! they prevented me from calling out; they stopped my mouth +with a handkerchief." + +At this noise, Grandchamp at length came, rubbing his eyes, like one +just awakened. Laure, terrified, ran into the church to her mistress; +all hastily followed her to reassure Marie, and then surrounded the old +Abbe. + +"The villains! they bound my hands, as you see. There were more than +twenty of them; they took from me the key of the side door of the +church." + +"How! just now?" said Cinq-Mars; "and why did you quit us?" + +"Quit you! why, they have kept me there two hours." + +"Two hours!" cried Henri, terrified. + +"Ah, miserable old man that I am!" said Grandchamp; "I have slept while +my master was in danger. It is the first time." + +"You were not with us, then, in the confessional?" continued Cinq-Mars, +anxiously, while Marie tremblingly pressed against his arm. + +"What!" said the Abbe, "did you not see the rascal to whom they gave my +key?" + +"No! whom?" cried all at once. + +"Father Joseph," answered the good priest. + +"Fly! you are lost!" cried Marie. + + + + +BOOK 6 + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. THE STORM + + 'Blow, blow, thou winter wind; + Thou art not so unkind + As man's ingratitude. + Thy tooth is not so keen, + Because thou art not seen, + Although thy breath be rude. + Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly. + Most friendship is feigning; most loving mere folly.' + + SHAKESPEARE. + +Amid that long and superb chain of the Pyrenees which forms the +embattled isthmus of the peninsula, in the centre of those blue +pyramids, covered in gradation with snow, forests, and downs, there +opens a narrow defile, a path cut in the dried-up bed of a perpendicular +torrent; it circulates among rocks, glides under bridges of frozen snow, +twines along the edges of inundated precipices to scale the adjacent +mountains of Urdoz and Oleron, and at last rising over their unequal +ridges, turns their nebulous peak into a new country which has also its +mountains and its depths, and, quitting France, descends into Spain. +Never has the hoof of the mule left its trace in these windings; man +himself can with difficulty stand upright there, even with the hempen +boots which can not slip, and the hook of the pikestaff to force into +the crevices of the rocks. + +In the fine summer months the 'pastour', in his brown cape, and his +black long-bearded ram lead hither flocks, whose flowing wool sweeps the +turf. Nothing is heard in these rugged places but the sound of the +large bells which the sheep carry, and whose irregular tinklings produce +unexpected harmonies, casual gamuts, which astonish the traveller and +delight the savage and silent shepherd. But when the long month of +September comes, a shroud of snow spreads itself from the peak of the +mountains down to their base, respecting only this deeply excavated +path, a few gorges open by torrents, and some rocks of granite, which +stretch out their fantastical forms, like the bones of a buried world. + +It is then that light troops of chamois make their appearance, with +their twisted horns extending over their backs, spring from rock to +rock as if driven before the wind, and take possession of their aerial +desert. Flights of ravens and crows incessantly wheel round and round +in the gulfs and natural wells which they transform into dark dovecots, +while the brown bear, followed by her shaggy family, who sport and +tumble around her in the snow, slowly descends from their retreat +invaded by the frost. But these are neither the most savage nor the most +cruel inhabitants that winter brings into these mountains; the daring +smuggler raises for himself a dwelling of wood on the very boundary of +nature and of politics. There unknown treaties, secret exchanges, are +made between the two Navarres, amid fogs and winds. + +It was in this narrow path on the frontiers of France that, about two +months after the scenes we have witnessed in Paris, two travellers, +coming from Spain, stopped at midnight, fatigued and dismayed. They +heard musket-shots in the mountain. + +"The scoundrels! how they have pursued us!" said one of them. "I can go +no farther; but for you I should have been taken." + +"And you will be taken still, as well as that infernal paper, if you +lose your time in words; there is another volley on the rock of Saint +Pierre-de-L'Aigle. Up there, they suppose we have gone in the direction +of the Limacon; but, below, they will see the contrary. Descend; it is +doubtless a patrol hunting smugglers. Descend." + +"But how? I can not see." + +"Never mind, descend. Take my arm." + +"Hold me; my boots slip," said the first traveller, stamping on the edge +of the rock to make sure of the solidity of the ground before trusting +himself upon it. + +"Go on; go on!" said the other, pushing him. "There's one of the rascals +passing over our heads." + +And, in fact, the shadow of a man, armed with a long gun, was reflected +on the snow. The two adventurers stood motionless. The man passed on. +They continued their descent. + +"They will take us," said the one who was supporting the other. "They +have turned us. Give me your confounded parchment. I wear the dress of +a smuggler, and I can pass for one seeking an asylum among them; but you +would have no resource with your laced dress." + +"You are right," said his companion; and, resting his foot against the +edge of the rock, and reclining on the slope, he gave him a roll of +hollow wood. + +A gun was fired, and a ball buried itself, hissing, in the snow at their +feet. + +"Marked!" said the first. "Roll down. If you are not dead when you get +to the bottom, take the road you see before you. On the left of the +hollow is Santa Maria. But turn to the right; cross Oleron; and you are +on the road to Pau and are saved. Go; roll down." + +As he spoke, he pushed his comrade, and without condescending to look +after him, and himself neither ascending nor descending, followed the +flank of the mountain horizontally, hanging on by rocks, branches, and +even by plants, with the strength and energy of a wild-cat, and soon +found himself on firm ground before a small wooden hut, through which a +light was visible. The adventurer went all around it, like a hungry +wolf round a sheepfold, and, applying his eye to one of the openings, +apparently saw what determined him, for without further hesitation he +pushed the tottering door, which was not even fastened by a latch. The +whole but shook with the blow he had given it. He then saw that it was +divided into two cabins by a partition. A large flambeau of yellow wax +lighted the first. There, a young girl, pale and fearfully thin, was +crouched in a corner on the damp floor, just where the melted snow ran +under the planks of the cottage. Very long black hair, entangled and +covered with dust, fell in disorder over her coarse brown dress; the red +hood of the Pyrenees covered her head and shoulders. Her eyes were cast +down; and she was spinning with a small distaff attached to her waist. +The entry of a man did not appear to move her in the least. + +"Ha! La moza,--[girl]--get up and give me something to drink. I am tired +and thirsty." + +The young girl did not answer, and, without raising her eyes, continued +to spin assiduously. + +"Dost hear?" said the stranger, thrusting her with his foot. "Go and +tell thy master that a friend wishes to see him; but first give me some +drink. I shall sleep here." + +She answered, in a hoarse voice, still spinning: + +"I drink the snow that melts on the rock, or the green scum that floats +on the water of the swamp. But when I have spun well, they give me water +from the iron spring. When I sleep, the cold lizards crawl over my face; +but when I have well cleaned a mule, they throw me hay. The hay is warm; +the hay is good and warm. I put it under my marble feet." + +"What tale art thou telling me?" said Jacques. "I spoke not of thee." + +She continued: + +"They make me hold a man while they kill him. Oh, what blood I have had +on my hands! God forgive them!--if that be possible. They make me hold +his head, and the bucket filled with crimson water. O Heaven!--I, who +was the bride of God! They throw their bodies into the abyss of snow; +but the vulture finds them; he lines his nest with their hair. I now see +thee full of life; I shall see thee bloody, pale, and dead." + +The adventurer, shrugging his shoulders, began to whistle as he passed +the second door. Within he found the man he had seen through the chinks +of the cabin. He wore the blue berret cap of the Basques on one side, +and, enveloped in an ample cloak, seated on the pack-saddle of a mule, +and bending over a large brazier, smoked a cigar, and from time to time +drank from a leather bottle at his side. The light of the brazier showed +his full yellow face, as well as the chamber, in which mule-saddles were +ranged round the byasero as seats. He raised his head without altering +his position. + +"Oh, oh! is it thou, Jacques?" he said. "Is it thou? Although 'tis four +years since I saw thee, I recognize thee. Thou art not changed, brigand! +There 'tis still, thy great knave's face. Sit down there, and take a +drink." + +"Yes, here I am. But how the devil camest thou here? I thought thou wert +a judge, Houmain!" + +"And I thought thou wert a Spanish captain, Jacques!" + +"Ah! I was so for a time, and then a prisoner. But I got out of the +thing very snugly, and have taken again to the old trade, the free life, +the good smuggling work." + +"Viva! viva! Jaleo!"--[A common Spanish oath.]--cried Houmain. "We +brave fellows can turn our hands to everything. Thou camest by the other +passes, I suppose, for I have not seen thee since I returned to the +trade." + +"Yes, yes; I have passed where thou wilt never pass," said Jacques. + +"And what hast got?" + +"A new merchandise. My mules will come tomorrow." + +"Silk sashes, cigars, or linen?" + +"Thou wilt know in time, amigo," said the ruffian. "Give me the skin. +I'm thirsty." + +"Here, drink. It's true Valdepenas! We're so jolly here, we bandoleros! +Ay! jaleo! jaleo! come, drink; our friends are coming." + +"What friends?" said Jacques, dropping the horn. + +"Don't be uneasy, but drink. I'll tell thee all about it presently, and +then we'll sing the Andalusian Tirana."--[A kind of ballad.] + +The adventurer took the horn, and assumed an appearance of ease. + +"And who's that great she-devil I saw out there?" he said. "She seems +half dead." + +"Oh, no! she's only mad. Drink; I'll tell thee all about her." + +And taking from his red sash a long poniard denticulated on each side +like a saw, Houmain used it to stir up the fire, and said with vast +gravity: + +"Thou must know first, if thou dost not know it already, that down below +there [he pointed toward France] the old wolf Richelieu carries all +before him." + +"Ah, ah!" said Jacques. + +"Yes; they call him the king of the King. Thou knowest? There is, +however, a young man almost as strong as he, and whom they call Monsieur +le Grand. This young fellow commands almost the whole army of Perpignan +at this moment. He arrived there a month ago; but the old fox is still +at Narbonne--a very cunning fox, indeed. As to the King, he is sometimes +this, sometimes that [as he spoke, Houmain turned his hand outward and +inward], between zist and zest; but while he is determining, I am for +zist--that is to say, I'm a Cardinalist. I've been regularly doing +business for my lord since the first job he gave me, three years ago. +I'll tell thee about it. He wanted some men of firmness and spirit for a +little expedition, and sent for me to be judge-Advocate." + +"Ah! a very pretty post, I've heard." + +"Yes, 'tis a trade like ours, where they sell cord instead of thread; +but it is less honest, for they kill men oftener. But 'tis also more +profitable; everything has its price." + +"Very properly so," said Jacques. + +"Behold me, then, in a red robe. I helped to give a yellow one and +brimstone to a fine fellow, who was cure at Loudun, and who had got into +a convent of nuns, like a wolf in a fold; and a fine thing he made of +it." + +"Ha, ha, ha! That's very droll!" laughed Jacques. "Drink," said Houmain. +"Yes, Jago, I saw him after the affair, reduced to a little black heap +like this charcoal. See, this charcoal at the end of my poniard. What +things we are! That's just what we shall all come to when we go to the +Devil." + +"Oh, none of these pleasantries!" said the other, very gravely. "You +know that I am religious." + +"Well, I don't say no; it may be so," said Houmain, in the same tone. +"There's Richelieu, a Cardinal! But, no matter. Thou must know, then, as +I was Advocate-General, I advocated--" + +"Ah, thou art quite a wit!" + +"Yes, a little. But, as I was saying, I advocated into my own pocket +five hundred piastres, for Armand Duplessis pays his people well, and +there's nothing to be said against that, except that the money's not his +own; but that's the way with us all. I determined to invest this money +in our old trade; and I returned here. Business goes on well. There is +sentence of death out against us; and our goods, of course, sell for +half as much again as before." + +"What's that?" exclaimed Jacques; "lightning at this time of year?" + +"Yes, the storms are beginning; we've had two already. We are in the +clouds. Dost hear the roll of the thunder? But this is nothing; come, +drink. 'Tis almost one in the morning; we'll finish the skin and the +night together. As I was telling thee, I made acquaintance with our +president--a great scoundrel called Laubardemont. Dost know him?" + +"Yes, a little," said Jacques; "he's a regular miser. But never mind +that; go on." + +"Well, as we had nothing to conceal from one another, I told him of my +little commercial plans, and asked him, when any good jobs presented +themselves, to think of his judicial comrade; and I've had no cause to +complain of him." + +"Ah!" said Jacques, "and what has he done?" + +"Why, first, two years ago, he himself brought, me, on horseback behind +him, his niece that thou'st seen out there." + +"His niece!" cried Jacques, rising; "and thou treat'st her like a slave! +Demonio!" + +"Drink," said Houmain, quietly stirring the brazier with his poniard; +"he himself desired it should be so. Sit down." + +Jacques did so. + +"I don't think," continued the smuggler, "that he'd even be sorry to +know that she was--dost understand?--to hear she was under the snow +rather than above it; but he would not put her there himself, because +he's a good relative, as he himself said." + +"And as I know," said Jacques; "but go on." + +"Thou mayst suppose that a man like him, who lives at court, does not +like to have a mad niece in his house. The thing is self-evident; if I'd +continued to play my part of the man of the robe, I should have done the +same in a similar case. But here, as you perceive, we don't care much +for appearances; and I've taken her for a servant. She has shown more +good sense than I expected, although she has rarely ever spoken more +than a single word, and at first came the delicate over us. Now she rubs +down a mule like a groom. She has had a slight fever for the last few +days; but 'twill pass off one way or the other. But, I say, don't tell +Laubardemont that she still lives; he'd think 'twas for the sake of +economy I've kept her for a servant." + +"How! is he here?" cried Jacques. + +"Drink!" replied the phlegmatic Houmain, who himself set the example +most assiduously, and began to half shut his eyes with a languishing +air. "'Tis the second transaction I've had with this Laubardemont--or +demon, or whatever the name is; but 'tis a good devil of a demon, at all +events. I love him as I do my eyes; and I will drink his health out of +this bottle of Jurangon here. 'Tis the wine of a jolly fellow, the late +King Henry. How happy we are here!--Spain on the right hand, France +on the left; the wine-skin on one side, the bottle on the other! The +bottle! I've left all for the bottle!" + +As he spoke, he knocked off the neck of a bottle of white wine. After +taking a long draught, he continued, while the stranger closely watched +him: + +"Yes, he's here; and his feet must be rather cold, for he's been waiting +about the mountains ever since sunset, with his guards and our comrades. +Thou knowest our bandoleros, the true contrabandistas?" + +"Ah! and what do they hunt?" said Jacques. + +"Ah, that's the joke!" answered the drunkard. "'Tis to arrest two +rascals, who want to bring here sixty thousand Spanish soldiers in paper +in their pocket. You don't, perhaps, quite understand me, 'croquant'. +Well, 'tis as I tell thee--in their own pockets." + +"Ay, ay! I understand," said Jacques, loosening his poniard in his sash, +and looking at the door. + +"Very well, devil's-skin, let's sing the Tirana. Take the bottle, throw +away the cigar, and sing." + +With these words the drunken host began to sing in Spanish, interrupting +his song with bumpers, which he threw down his throat, leaning back for +the greater ease, while Jacques, still seated, looked at him gloomily by +the light of the brazier, and meditated what he should do. + +A flash of lightning entered the small window, and filled the room with +a sulphurous odor. A fearful clap immediately followed; the cabin shook; +and a beam fell outside. + +"Hallo, the house!" cried the drunken man; "the Devil's among us; and +our friends are not come!" + +"Sing!" said Jacques, drawing the pack upon which he was close to that +of Houmain. + +The latter drank to encourage himself, and then continued to sing. + +As he ended, he felt his seat totter, and fell backward; Jacques, thus +freed from him, sprang toward the door, when it opened, and his head +struck against the cold, pale face of the mad-woman. He recoiled. + +"The judge!" she said, as she entered; and she fell prostrate on the +cold ground. + +Jacques had already passed one foot over her; but another face appeared, +livid and surprised-that of a very tall man, enveloped in a cloak +covered with snow. He again recoiled, and laughed a laugh of terror and +rage. It was Laubardemont, followed by armed men; they looked at one +another. + +"Ah, com-r-a-d-e, yo-a ra-a-scal!" hiccuped Houmain, rising with +difficulty; "thou'rt a Royalist." + +But when he saw these two men, who seemed petrified by each other, he +became silent, as conscious of his intoxication; and he reeled forward +to raise up the madwoman, who was still lying between the judge and the +Captain. The former spoke first. + +"Are you not he we have been pursuing?" + +"It is he!" said the armed men, with one voice; "the other has escaped." + +Jacques receded to the split planks that formed the tottering wall of +the hut; enveloping himself in his cloak, like a bear forced against +a tree by the hounds, and, wishing to gain a moment's respite for +reflection, he said, firmly: + +"The first who passes that brazier and the body of that girl is a dead +man." + +And he drew a long poniard from his cloak. At this moment Houmain, +kneeling, turned the head of the girl. Her eyes were closed; he drew her +toward the brazier, which lighted up her face. + +"Ah, heavens!" cried Laubardemont, forgetting himself in his fright; +"Jeanne again!" + +"Be calm, my lo-lord," said Houmain, trying to open the eyelids, which +closed again, and to raise her head, which fell back again like wet +linen; "be, be--calm! Do-n't ex-cite yourself; she's dead, decidedly." + +Jacques put his foot on the body as on a barrier, and, looking with a +ferocious laugh in the face of Laubardemont, said to him in a low voice: + +"Let me pass, and I will not compromise thee, courtier; I will not tell +that she was thy niece, and that I am thy son." + +Laubardemont collected himself, looked at his men, who pressed around +him with advanced carabines; and, signing them to retire a few steps, he +answered in a very low voice: + +"Give me the treaty, and thou shalt pass." + +"Here it is, in my girdle; touch it, and I will call you my father +aloud. What will thy master say?" + +"Give it me, and I will spare thy life." + +"Let me pass, and I will pardon thy having given me that life." + +"Still the same, brigand?" + +"Ay, assassin." + +"What matters to thee that boy conspirator?" asked the judge. + +"What matters to thee that old man who reigns?" answered the other. + +"Give me that paper; I've sworn to have it." + +"Leave it with me; I've sworn to carry it back." + +"What can be thy oath and thy God?" demanded Laubardemont. + +"And thine?" replied Jacques. "Is't the crucifix of red-hot iron?" + +Here Houmain, rising between them, laughing and staggering, said to the +judge, slapping him on the shoulder. + +"You are a long time coming to an understanding, friend; do-on't you +know him of old? He's a very good fellow." + +"I? no!" cried Laubardemont, aloud; "I never saw him before." + +At this moment, Jacques, who was protected by the drunkard and the +smallness of the crowded chamber, sprang violently against the weak +planks that formed the wall, and by a blow of his heel knocked two of +them out, and passed through the space thus created. The whole side of +the cabin was broken; it tottered, and the wind rushed in. + +"Hallo! Demonio! Santo Demonio! where art going?" cried the smuggler; +"thou art breaking my house down, and on the side of the ravine, too." + +All cautiously approached, tore away the planks that remained, and +leaned over the abyss. They contemplated a strange spectacle. The storm +raged in all its fury; and it was a storm of the Pyrenees. Enormous +flashes of lightning came all at once from all parts of the horizon, +and their fires succeeded so quickly that there seemed no interval; they +appeared to be a continuous flash. It was but rarely the flaming vault +would suddenly become obscure; and it then instantly resumed its +glare. It was not the light that seemed strange on this night, but the +darkness. + +The tall thin peaks and whitened rocks stood out from the red background +like blocks of marble on a cupola of burning brass, and resembled, amid +the snows, the wonders of a volcano; the waters gushed from them like +flames; the snow poured down like dazzling lava. + +In this moving mass a man was seen struggling, whose efforts only +involved him deeper and deeper in the whirling and liquid gulf; his +knees were already buried. In vain he clasped his arms round an enormous +pyramidal and transparent icicle, which reflected the lightning like a +rock of crystal; the icicle itself was melting at its base, and slowly +bending over the declivity of the rock. Under the covering of snow, +masses of granite were heard striking against each other, as they +descended into the vast depths below. Yet they could still save him; a +space of scarcely four feet separated him from Laubardemont. + +"I sink!" he cried; "hold out to me something, and thou shalt have the +treaty." + +"Give it me, and I will reach thee this musket," said the judge. + +"There it is," replied the ruffian, "since the Devil is for Richelieu!" +and taking one hand from the hold of his slippery support, he threw a +roll of wood into the cabin. Laubardemont rushed back upon the treaty +like a wolf on his prey. Jacques in vain held out his arm; he slowly +glided away with the enormous thawing block turned upon him, and was +silently buried in the snow. + +"Ah, villain," were his last words, "thou hast deceived me! but thou +didst not take the treaty from me. I gave it thee, Father!" and he +disappeared wholly under the thick white bed of snow. Nothing was seen +in his place but the glittering flakes which the lightning had ploughed +up, as it became extinguished in them; nothing was--heard but the +rolling of the thunder and the dash of the water against the rocks, for +the men in the half-ruined cabin, grouped round a corpse and a villain, +were silent, tongue-tied with horror, and fearing lest God himself +should send a thunderbolt upon them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. ABSENCE + + L'absence est le plus grand des maux, + Non pas pour vous, cruelle! + + LA FONTAINE. + +Who has not found a charm in watching the clouds of heaven as they float +along? Who has not envied them the freedom of their journeyings through +the air, whether rolled in great masses by the wind, and colored by the +sun, they advance peacefully, like fleets of dark ships with gilt prows, +or sprinkled in light groups, they glide quickly on, airy and elongated, +like birds of passage, transparent as vast opals detached from the +treasury of the heavens, or glittering with whiteness, like snows from +the mountains carried on the wings of the winds? Man is a slow traveller +who envies those rapid journeyers; less rapid than his imagination, they +have yet seen in a single day all the places he loves, in remembrance +or in hope,--those that have witnessed his happiness or his misery, +and those so beautiful countries unknown to us, where we expect to find +everything at once. Doubtless there is not a spot on the whole earth, a +wild rock, an arid plain, over which we pass with indifference, that has +not been consecrated in the life of some man, and is not painted in +his remembrance; for, like battered vessels, before meeting inevitable +wreck, we leave some fragment of ourselves on every rock. + +Whither go the dark-blue clouds of that storm of the Pyrenees? It is +the wind of Africa which drives them before it with a fiery breath. +They fly; they roll over one another, growlingly throwing out lightning +before them, as their torches, and leaving suspended behind them a long +train of rain, like a vaporous robe. Freed by an effort from the rocky +defiles that for a moment had arrested their course, they irrigate, in +Bearn, the picturesque patrimony of Henri IV; in Guienne, the conquests +of Charles VII; in Saintogne, Poitou, and Touraine, those of Charles V +and of Philip Augustus; and at last, slackening their pace above the old +domain of Hugh Capet, halt murmuring on the towers of St. Germain. + +"O Madame!" exclaimed Marie de Mantua to the Queen, "do you see this +storm coming up from the south?" + +"You often look in that direction, 'ma chere'," answered Anne of +Austria, leaning on the balcony. + +"It is the direction of the sun, Madame." + +"And of tempests, you see," said the Queen. "Trust in my friendship, my +child; these clouds can bring no happiness to you. I would rather +see you turn your eyes toward Poland. See the fine people you might +command." + +At this moment, to avoid the rain, which began to fall, the +Prince-Palatine passed rapidly under the windows of the Queen, with a +numerous suite of young Poles on horseback. Their Turkish vests, with +buttons of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies; their green and gray cloaks; +the lofty plumes of their horses, and their adventurous air-gave them +a singular eclat to which the court had easily become accustomed. They +paused for a moment, and the Prince made two salutes, while the light +animal he rode passed gracefully sideways, keeping his front toward +the princesses; prancing and snorting, he shook his mane, and seemed to +salute by putting his head between his legs. The whole suite repeated +the evolution as they passed. The Princesse Marie had at first shrunk +back, lest they should see her tears; but the brilliant and flattering +spectacle made her return to the balcony, and she could not help +exclaiming: + +"How gracefully the Palatine rides that beautiful horse! he seems scarce +conscious of it." + +The Queen smiled, and said: + +"He is conscious about her who might be his queen tomorrow, if she would +but make a sign of the head, and let but one glance from her great black +almond-shaped eyes be turned on that throne, instead of always receiving +these poor foreigners with poutings, as now." + +And Anne of Austria kissed the cheek of Marie, who could not refrain +from smiling also; but she instantly sunk her head, reproaching herself, +and resumed her sadness, which seemed gliding from her. She even needed +once more to contemplate the great clouds that hung over the chateau. + +"Poor child," continued the Queen, "thou dost all thou canst to be very +faithful, and to keep thyself in the melancholy of thy romance. Thou art +making thyself ill with weeping when thou shouldst be asleep, and with +not eating. Thou passest the night in revery and in writing; but I warn +thee, thou wilt get nothing by it, except making thyself thin and less +beautiful, and the not being a queen. Thy Cinq-Mars is an ambitious +youth, who has lost himself." + +Seeing Marie conceal her head in her handkerchief to weep, Anne of +Austria for a moment reentered her chamber, leaving Marie in the +balcony, and feigned to be looking for some jewels at her toilet-table; +she soon returned, slowly and gravely, to the window. Marie was more +calm, and was gazing sorrowfully at the landscape before her, the hills +in the distance, and the storm gradually spreading itself. + +The Queen resumed in a more serious tone: + +"God has been more merciful to you than your imprudence perhaps +deserved, Marie. He has saved you from great danger. You were willing to +make great sacrifices, but fortunately they have not been accomplished +as you expected. Innocence has saved you from love. You are as one who, +thinking she has swallowed a deadly poison, has in reality drunk only +pure and harmless water." + +"Ah, Madame, what mean you? Am I not unhappy enough already?" + +"Do not interrupt me," said the Queen; "you will, ere long, see +your present position with different eyes. I will not accuse you of +ingratitude toward the Cardinal; I have too many reasons for not liking +him. I myself witnessed the rise of the conspiracy. Still, you should +remember, 'ma chere', that he was the only person in France who, against +the opinion of the Queen-mother and of the court, insisted upon war with +the duchy of Mantua, which he recovered from the empire and from Spain, +and returned to the Duc de Nevers, your father. Here, in this very +chateau of Saint-Germain, was signed the treaty which deposed the Duke +of Guastalla.--[The 19th of May, 1632.]--You were then very young; they +must, however, have told you of it. Yet here, through love alone (I +am willing to believe, with yourself, that it is so), a young man of +two-and-twenty is ready to get him assassinated." + +"O Madame, he is incapable of such a deed. I swear to you that he has +refused to adopt it." + +"I have begged you, Marie, to let me speak. I know that he is generous +and loyal. I am willing to believe that, contrary to the custom of +our times, he would not go so far as to kill an old man, as did the +Chevalier de Guise. But can he prevent his assassination, if his troops +make him prisoner? This we can not say, any more than he. God alone +knows the future. It is, at all events, certain that it is for you +he attacks him, and, to overthrow him, is preparing civil war, which +perhaps is bursting forth at the very moment that we speak--a war +without success. Whichever way it turns, it can only effect evil, for +Monsieur is going to abandon the conspiracy." + +"How, Madame?" + +"Listen to me. I tell you I am certain of it; I need not explain +myself further. What will the grand ecuyer do? The King, as he rightly +anticipated, has gone to consult the Cardinal. To consult him is to +yield to him; but the treaty of Spain is signed. If it be discovered, +what can Monsieur de Cinq-Mars do? Do not tremble thus. We will save +him; we will save his life, I promise you. There is yet time, I hope." + +"Ah, Madame, you hope! I am lost!" cried Marie, half fainting. + +"Let us sit down," said the Queen; and, placing herself near Marie, at +the entrance to the chamber, she continued: + +"Doubtless Monsieur will treat for all the conspirators in treating +for himself; but exile will be the least punishment, perpetual exile. +Behold, then, the Duchesse de Nevers and Mantua, the Princesse Marie +de Gonzaga, the wife of Monsieur Henri d'Effiat, Marquis de Cinq-Mars, +exiled!" + +"Well, Madame, I will follow him into exile. It is my duty; I am +his wife!" exclaimed Marie, sobbing. "I would I knew he were already +banished and in safety." + +"Dreams of eighteen!" said the Queen, supporting Marie. "Awake, child, +awake! you must. I deny not the good qualities of Monsieur de Cinq-Mars. +He has a lofty character, a vast mind, and great courage; but he may no +longer be aught for you, and, fortunately, you are not his wife, or even +his betrothed." + +"I am his, Madame-his alone." + +"But without the benediction," replied Anne of Austria; "in a word, +without marriage. No priest would have dared--not even your own; he told +me so. Be silent!" she added, putting her two beautiful hands on Marie's +lips. "Be silent! You would say that God heard your vow; that you can +not live without him; that your destinies are inseparable from his; that +death alone can break your union? The phrases of your age, delicious +chimeras of a moment, at which one day you will smile, happy at not +having to lament them all your life. Of the many and brilliant women +you see around me at court, there is not one but at your age had some +beautiful dream of love, like this of yours, who did not form those +ties, which they believed indissoluble, and who did not in secret take +eternal oaths. Well, these dreams are vanished, these knots broken, +these oaths forgotten; and yet you see them happy women and mothers. +Surrounded by the honors of their rank, they laugh and dance every +night. I again divine what you would say--they loved not as you love, +eh? You deceive yourself, my dear child; they loved as much, and wept no +less. + +"And here I must make you acquainted with that great mystery which +constitutes your despair, since you are ignorant of the malady that +devours you. We have a twofold existence, 'm'amie': our internal life, +that of our feelings powerfully works within us, while the external +life dominates despite ourselves. We are never independent of men, +more especially in an elevated condition. Alone, we think ourselves +mistresses of our destiny; but the entrance of two or three people +fastens on all our chains, by recalling our rank and our retinue. +Nay; shut yourself up and abandon yourself to all the daring and +extraordinary resolutions that the passions may raise up in you, to +the marvellous sacrifices they may suggest to you. A lackey coming and +asking your orders will at once break the charm and bring you back +to your real life. It is this contest between your projects and your +position which destroys you. You are invariably angry with yourself; you +bitterly reproach yourself." + +Marie turned away her head. + +"Yes, you believe yourself criminal. Pardon yourself, Marie; all men +are beings so relative and so dependent one upon another that I know not +whether the great retreats of the world that we sometimes see are not +made for the world itself. Despair has its pursuits, and solitude its +coquetry. It is said that the gloomiest hermits can not refrain +from inquiring what men say of them. This need of public opinion is +beneficial, in that it combats, almost always victoriously, that which +is irregular in our imagination, and comes to the aid of duties which +we too easily forget. One experiences (you will feel it, I hope) in +returning to one's proper lot, after the sacrifice of that which had +diverted the reason, the satisfaction of an exile returning to his +family, of a sick person at sight of the sun after a night afflicted +with frightful dreams. + +"It is this feeling of a being returned, as it were, to its natural +state that creates the calm which you see in many eyes that have also +had their tears-for there are few women who have not known tears such as +yours. You would think yourself perjured if you renounced Cinq-Mars! But +nothing binds you; you have more than acquitted yourself toward him by +refusing for more than two years past the royal hands offered you. And, +after all, what has he done, this impassioned lover? He has elevated +himself to reach you; but may not the ambition which here seems to you +to have aided love have made use of that love? This young man seems to +me too profound, too calm in his political stratagems, too independent +in his vast resolutions, in his colossal enterprises, for me to believe +him solely occupied by his tenderness. If you have been but a means +instead of an end, what would you say?" + +"I would still love him," answered Marie. "While he lives, I am his." + +"And while I live," said the Queen, with firmness, "I will oppose the +alliance." + +At these last words the rain and hail fell violently on the balcony. The +Queen took advantage of the circumstance abruptly to leave the room +and pass into that where the Duchesse de Chevreuse, Mazarin, Madame +de Guemenee, and the Prince-Palatine had been awaiting her for a short +time. The Queen walked up to them. Marie placed herself in the shade of +a curtain in order to conceal the redness of her eyes. She was at first +unwilling to take part in the sprightly conversation; but some words of +it attracted her attention. The Queen was showing to the Princesse de +Guemenee diamonds she had just received from Paris. + +"As for this crown, it does not belong to me. The King had it prepared +for the future Queen of Poland. Who that is to be, we know not." Then +turning toward the Prince-Palatine, "We saw you pass, Prince. Whom were +you going to visit?" + +"Mademoiselle la Duchesse de Rohan," answered the Pole. + +The insinuating Mazarin, who availed himself of every opportunity to +worm out secrets, and to make himself necessary by forced confidences, +said, approaching the Queen: + +"That comes very apropos, just as we were speaking of the crown of +Poland." + +Marie, who was listening, could not hear this, and said to Madame de +Guemenee, who was at her side: + +"Is Monsieur de Chabot, then, King of Poland?" + +The Queen heard that, and was delighted at this touch of pride. In +order to develop its germ, she affected an approving attention to the +conversation that ensued. + +The Princesse de Guemenee exclaimed: + +"Can you conceive such a marriage? We really can't get it out of our +heads. This same Mademoiselle de Rohan, whom we have seen so haughty, +after having refused the Comte de Soissons, the Duc de Weimar, and the +Duc de Nemours, to marry Monsieur de Chabot, a simple gentleman! 'Tis +really a sad pity! What are we coming to? 'Tis impossible to say what it +will all end in." + +"What! can it be true? Love at court! a real love affair! Can it be +believed?" + +All this time the Queen continued opening and shutting and playing with +the new crown. + +"Diamonds suit only black hair," she said. "Let us see. Let me put it on +you, Marie. Why, it suits her to admiration!" + +"One would suppose it had been made for Madame la Princesse," said the +Cardinal. + +"I would give the last drop of my blood for it to remain on that brow," +said the Prince-Palatine. + +Marie, through the tears that were still on her cheek, gave an infantine +and involuntary smile, like a ray of sunshine through rain. Then, +suddenly blushing deeply, she hastily took refuge in her apartments. + +All present laughed. The Queen followed her with her eyes, smiled, +presented her hand for the Polish ambassador to kiss, and retired to +write a letter. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. THE WORK + +One night, before Perpignan, a very unusual event took place. It was ten +o'clock; and all were asleep. The slow and almost suspended operations +of the siege had rendered the camp and the town inactive. The Spaniards +troubled themselves little about the French, all communication toward +Catalonia being open as in time of peace; and in the French army men's +minds were agitated with that secret anxiety which precedes great +events. + +Yet all was calm; no sound was heard but that of the measured tread of +the sentries. Nothing was seen in the dark night but the red light of +the matches of their guns, always smoking, when suddenly the trumpets +of the musketeers, of the light-horse, and of the men-at-arms sounded +almost simultaneously, "boot and saddle," and "to horse." All the +sentinels cried to arms; and the sergeants, with flambeaux, went from +tent to tent, along pike in their hands, to waken the soldiers, range +them in lines, and count them. Some files marched in gloomy silence +along the streets of the camp, and took their position in battle array. +The sound of the mounted squadrons announced that the heavy cavalry were +making the same dispositions. After half an hour of movement the noise +ceased, the torches were extinguished, and all again became calm, but +the army was on foot. + +One of the last tents of the camp shone within as a star with flambeaux. +On approaching this little white and transparent pyramid, we might have +distinguished the shadows of two men reflected on the canvas as they +walked to and fro within. Outside several men on horseback were in +attendance; inside were De Thou and Cinq-Mars. + +To see the pious and wise De Thou thus up and armed at this hour, you +might have taken him for one of the chiefs of the revolt. But a +closer examination of his serious countenance and mournful expression +immediately showed that he blamed it, and allowed himself to be led into +it and endangered by it from an extraordinary resolution which aided +him to surmount the horror he had of the enterprise itself. From the day +when Henri d'Effiat had opened his heart and confided to him its whole +secret, he had seen clearly that all remonstrance was vain with a young +man so powerfully resolved. + +De Thou had even understood what M. de Cinq-Mars had not told him, and +had seen in the secret union of his friend with the Princesse Marie, one +of those ties of love whose mysterious and frequent faults, voluptuous +and involuntary derelictions, could not be too soon purified by public +benediction. He had comprehended that punishment, impossible to be +supported long by a lover, the adored master of that young girl, and +who was condemned daily to appear before her as a stranger, to receive +political disclosures of marriages they were preparing for her. The day +when he received his entire confession, he had done all in his power to +prevent Cinq-Mars going so far in his projects as the foreign alliance. +He had evoked the gravest recollections and the best feelings, without +any other result than rendering the invincible resolution of his friend +more rude toward him. Cinq-Mars, it will be recollected, had said to him +harshly, "Well, did I ask you to take part in this conspiracy?" And he +had desired only to promise not to denounce it; and he had collected all +his power against friendship to say, "Expect nothing further from me if +you sign this treaty." Yet Cinq-Mars had signed the treaty; and De Thou +was still there with him. + +The habit of familiarly discussing the projects of his friend had +perhaps rendered them less odious to him. His contempt for the vices of +the Prime-Minister; his indignation at the servitude of the parliaments +to which his family belonged, and at the corruption of justice; the +powerful names, and more especially the noble characters of the men who +directed the enterprise--all had contributed to soften down his first +painful impression. Having once promised secrecy to M. de Cinq-Mars, +he considered himself as in a position to accept in detail all the +secondary disclosures; and since the fortuitous event which had +compromised him with the conspirators at the house of Marion de Lorme, +he considered himself united to them by honor, and engaged to an +inviolable secrecy. Since that time he had seen Monsieur, the Duc de +Bouillon, and Fontrailles; they had become accustomed to speak before +him without constraint, and he to hear them. + +The dangers which threatened his friend now drew him into their vortex +like an invincible magnet. His conscience accused him; but he followed +Cinq-Mars wherever he went without even, from excess of delicacy, +hazarding a single expression which might resemble a personal fear. He +had tacitly given up his life, and would have deemed it unworthy of both +to manifest a desire to regain it. + +The master of the horse was in his cuirass; he was armed, and wore large +boots. An enormous pistol, with a lighted match, was placed upon his +table between two flambeaux. A heavy watch in a brass case lay near the +pistol. De Thou, wrapped in a black cloak, sat motionless with folded +arms. Cinq-Mars paced backward and forward, his arms crossed behind his +back, from time to time looking at the hand of the watch, too sluggish +in his eyes. He opened the tent, looked up to the heavens, and returned. + +"I do not see my star there," said he; "but no matter. She is here in my +heart." + +"The night is dark," said De Thou. + +"Say rather that the time draws nigh. It advances, my friend; it +advances. Twenty minutes more, and all will be accomplished. The army +only waits the report of this pistol to begin." + +De Thou held in his hand an ivory crucifix, and looking first at the +cross, and then toward heaven, "Now," said he, "is the hour to complete +the sacrifice. I repent not; but oh, how bitter is the cup of sin to my +lips! I had vowed my days to innocence and to the works of the soul, and +here I am about to commit a crime, and to draw the sword." + +But forcibly seizing the hand of Cinq-Mars, "It is for you, for you!" he +added with the enthusiasm of a blindly devoted heart. "I rejoice in my +errors if they turn to your glory. I see but your happiness in my fault. +Forgive me if I have returned for a moment to the habitual thought of my +whole life." + +Cinq-Mars looked steadfastly at him; and a tear stole slowly down his +cheek. + +"Virtuous friend," said he, "may your fault fall only on my head! But +let us hope that God, who pardons those who love, will be for us; for we +are criminal--I through love, you through friendship." + +Then suddenly looking at the watch, he took the long pistol in his hand, +and gazed at the smoking match with a fierce air. His long hair fell +over his face like the mane of a young lion. + +"Do not consume," said he; "burn slowly. Thou art about to light a flame +which the waves of ocean can not extinguish. The flame will soon light +half Europe; it may perhaps reach the wood of thrones. Burn slowly, +precious flame! The winds which fan thee are violent and fearful; they +are love and hatred. Reserve thyself! Thy explosion will be heard afar, +and will find echoes in the peasant's but and the king's palace. + +"Burn, burn, poor flame! Thou art to me a sceptre and a thunderbolt!" + +De Thou, still holding his ivory crucifix in his hand, said in a low +voice: + +"Lord, pardon us the blood that will be shed! We combat the wicked and +the impious." Then, raising his voice, "My friend, the cause of virtue +will triumph," he said; "it alone will triumph. God has ordained that +the guilty treaty should not reach us; that which constituted the +crime is no doubt destroyed. We shall fight without the foreigners, +and perhaps we shall not fight at all. God will change the heart of the +king." + +"'Tis the hour! 'tis the hour!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars, his eyes fixed +upon the watch with a kind of savage joy; "four minutes more, and the +Cardinalists in the camp will be crushed! We shall march upon Narbonne! +He is there! Give me the pistol!" + +At these words he hastily opened the tent, and took up the match. + +"A courier from Paris! an express from court!" cried a voice outside, as +a man, heated with hard riding and overcome with fatigue, threw himself +from his horse, entered, and presented a letter to Cinq-Mars. + +"From the Queen, Monseigneur," he said. Cinq-Mars turned pale, and read +as follows: + + M. DE CINQ-MARS: I write this letter to entreat and conjure you to + restore to her duties our well-beloved adopted daughter and friend, + the Princesse Marie de Gonzaga, whom your affection alone turns from + the throne of Poland, which has been offered to her. I have sounded + her heart. She is very young, and I have good reason to believe + that she would accept the crown with less effort and less grief than + you may perhaps imagine. + + It is for her you have undertaken a war which will put to fire and + sword my beautiful and beloved France. I supplicate and implore you + to act as a gentleman, and nobly to release the Duchesse de Mantua + from the promises she may have made you. Thus restore repose to her + soul, and peace to our beloved country. + + The Queen, who will throw herself at your feet if need be, + + ANNE. + +Cinq-Mars calmly replaced the pistol upon the table; his first impulse +had been to turn its muzzle upon himself. However, he laid it down, and +snatching a pencil, wrote on the back of the letter; + + MADAME: Marie de Gonzaga, being my wife, can not be Queen of Poland + until after my death. I die. + + CINQ-MARS. + +Then, as if he would not allow himself time for a moment's reflection, +he forced the letter into the hands of the courier. + +"To horse! to horse!" cried he, in a furious tone. "If you remain +another instant, you are a dead man!" + +He saw him gallop off, and reentered the tent. Alone with his friend, he +remained an instant standing, but pale, his eyes fixed, and looking on +the ground like a madman. He felt himself totter. + +"De Thou!" he cried. + +"What would you, my friend, my dear friend? I am with you. You have +acted grandly, most grandly, sublimely!" + +"De Thou!" he cried again, in a hollow voice, and fell with his face to +the ground, like an uprooted tree. + +Violent tempests assume different aspects, according to the climates in +which they take place. Those which have spread over a terrible space +in northern countries assemble into one single cloud under the torrid +zone--the more formidable, that they leave the horizon in all its +purity, and that the furious waves still reflect the azure of heaven +while tinged with the blood of man. It is the same with great passions. +They assume strange aspects according to our characters; but how +terrible are they in vigorous hearts, which have preserved their force +under the veil of social forms? When youth and despair embrace, we know +not to what fury they may rise, or what may be their sudden resignation; +we know not whether the volcano will burst the mountain or become +suddenly extinguished within its entrails. + +De Thou, in alarm, raised his friend. The blood gushed from his nostrils +and ears; he would have thought him dead, but for the torrents of tears +which flowed from his eyes. They were the only sign of life. Suddenly +he opened his lids, looked around him, and by an extraordinary energy +resumed his senses and the power of his will. + +"I am in the presence of men," said he; "I must finish with them. My +friend, it is half-past eleven; the hour for the signal has passed. +Give, in my name, the order to return to quarters. It was a false alarm, +which I will myself explain this evening." + +De Thou had already perceived the importance of this order; he went out +and returned immediately. + +He found Cinq-Mars seated, calm, and endeavoring to cleanse the blood +from his face. + +"De Thou," said he, looking fixedly at him, "retire; you disturb me." + +"I leave you not," answered the latter. + +"Fly, I tell you! the Pyrenees are not far distant. I can not speak much +longer, even to you; but if you remain with me, you will die. I give you +warning." + +"I remain," repeated De Thou. + +"May God preserve you, then!" answered Cinq-Mars, "for I can do nothing +more; the moment has passed. I leave you here. Call Fontrailles and all +the confederates: distribute these passports among them. Let them fly +immediately; tell them all has failed, but that I thank them. For you, +once again I say, fly with them, I entreat you; but whatever you do, +follow me not--follow me not, for your life! I swear to you not to do +violence to myself!" + +With these words, shaking his friend's hand without looking at him, he +rushed from the tent. + +Meantime, some leagues thence another conversation was taking place. +At Narbonne, in the same cabinet in which we formerly beheld Richelieu +regulating with Joseph the interests of the State, were still seated the +same men, nearly as we have described them. The minister, however, had +grown much older in three years of suffering; and the Capuchin was as +much terrified with the result of his expedition as his master appeared +tranquil. + +The Cardinal, seated in his armchair, his legs bound and encased +with furs and warm clothing, had upon his knees three kittens, which +gambolled upon his scarlet robe. Every now and then he took one of them +and placed it upon the others, to continue their sport. He smiled as +he watched them. On his feet lay their mother, looking like an enormous +animated muff. + +Joseph, seated near him, was going over the account of all he had heard +in the confessional. Pale even now, at the danger he had run of being +discovered, or of being murdered by Jacques, he concluded thus: + +"In short, your Eminence, I can not help feeling agitated to my heart's +core when I reflect upon the dangers which have, and still do, threaten +you. Assassins offer themselves to poniard you. I beheld in France +the whole court against you, one half of the army, and two provinces. +Abroad, Spain and Portugal are ready to furnish troops. Everywhere there +are snares or battles, poniards or cannon." + +The Cardinal yawned three times, without discontinuing his amusement, +and then said: + +"A cat is a very fine animal. It is a drawing-room tiger. What +suppleness, what extraordinary finesse! Here is this little yellow one +pretending to sleep, in order that the tortoise-shell one may not notice +it, but fall upon its brother; and this one, how it tears the other! See +how it sticks its claws into its side! It would kill and eat it, I +fully believe, if it were the stronger. It is very amusing. What pretty +animals!" + +He coughed and sneezed for some time; then he continued: + +"Messire Joseph, I sent word to you not to speak to me of business until +after my supper... I have an appetite now, and it is not yet my hour. +Chicot, my doctor, recommends regularity, and I feel my usual pain in my +side. This is how I shall spend the evening," he added, looking at the +clock. "At nine, we will settle the affairs of Monsieur le Grand. At +ten, I shall be carried round the garden to take the air by moonlight. +Then I shall sleep for an hour or two. At midnight the King will be +here; and at four o'clock you may return to receive the various orders +for arrests, condemnations, or any others I may have to give you, for +the provinces, Paris, or the armies of his Majesty." + +Richelieu said all this in the same tone of voice, with a uniform +enunciation, affected only by the weakness of his chest and the loss of +several teeth. + +It was seven in the evening. The Capuchin withdrew. The Cardinal supped +with the greatest tranquillity; and when the clock struck half-past +eight, he sent for Joseph, and said to him, when he was seated: + +"This, then, is all they have been able to do against me during more +than two years. They are poor creatures, truly! The Duc de Bouillon, +whom I thought possessed some ability, has forfeited all claim to my +opinion. I have watched him closely; and I ask you, has he taken one +step worthy of a true statesman? The King, Monsieur, and the rest, +have only shown their teeth against me, and without depriving me of one +single man. The young Cinq-Mars is the only man among them who has +any consecutiveness of ideas. All that he has done has been done +surprisingly well. I must do him justice; he had good qualities. +I should have made him my pupil, had it not been for his obstinate +character. But he has here charged me 'a l'outrance, and must take the +consequences. I am sorry for him. I have left them to float about in +open water for the last two years. I shall now draw the net." + +"It is time, Monseigneur," said Joseph, who often trembled involuntarily +as he spoke. "Do you bear in mind that from Perpignan to Narbonne the +way is short? Do you know that if your army here is powerful, your own +troops are weak and uncertain; that the young nobles are furious; and +that the King is not sure?" + +The Cardinal looked at the clock. + +"It is only half-past eight, Joseph. I have already told you that I +will not talk about this affair until nine. Meantime, as justice must be +done, you will write what I shall dictate, for my memory serves me well. +There are still some objectionable persons left, I see by my notes--four +of the judges of Urbain Grandier. He was a rare genius, that Urbain +Grandier," he added, with a malicious expression. Joseph bit his lips. +"All the other judges have died miserably. As to Houmain, he shall be +hanged as a smuggler by and by. We may leave him alone for the present. +But there is that horrible Lactantius, who lives peacefully, Barre, and +Mignon. Take a pen, and write to the Bishop of Poitiers, + + "MONSEIGNEUR: It is his Majesty's pleasure that Fathers Mignon and + Barre be superseded in their cures, and sent with the shortest + possible delay to the town of Lyons, with Father Lactantius, + Capuchin, to be tried before a special tribunal, charged with + criminal intentions against the State." + +Joseph wrote as coolly as a Turk strikes off a head at a sign from his +master. The Cardinal said to him, while signing the letter: + +"I will let you know how I wish them to disappear, for it is important +to efface all traces of that affair. Providence has served me well. +In removing these men, I complete its work. That is all that posterity +shall know of the affair." + +And he read to the Capuchin that page of his memoirs in which he +recounts the possession and sorceries of the magician.--[Collect. des +Memoires xxviii. 189.]--During this slow process, Joseph could not help +looking at the clock. + +"You are anxious to come to Monsieur le Grand," said the Cardinal at +last. "Well, then, to please you, let us begin." + +"Do you think I have not my reasons for being tranquil? You think that +I have allowed these poor conspirators to go too far. No, no! Here are +some little papers that would reassure you, did you know their contents. +First, in this hollow stick is the treaty with Spain, seized at Oleron. +I am well satisfied with Laubardemont; he is an able man." + +The fire of ferocious jealousy sparkled under the thick eyebrows of the +monk. + +"Ah, Monseigneur," said he, "you know not from whom he seized it. He +certainly suffered him to die, and in that respect we can not complain, +for he was the agent of the conspiracy; but it was his son." + +"Say you the truth?" cried the Cardinal, in a severe tone. "Yes, for you +dare not lie to me. How knew you this?" + +"From his attendants, Monsiegneur. Here are their reports. They will +testify to them." + +The Cardinal having examined these papers, said: + +"We will employ him once more to try our conspirators, and then you +shall do as you like with him. I give him to you." + +Joseph joyfully pocketed his precious denunciations, and continued: + +"Your Eminence speaks of trying men who are still armed and on +horseback." + +"They are not all so. Read this letter from Monsieur to Chavigny. He +asks for pardon. He dared not address me the first day, and his prayers +rose no higher than the knees of one of my servants. + + To M. de Chavigny: + + M. DE CHAVIGNY: Although I believe that you are little satisfied + with me (and in truth you have reason to be dissatisfied), I do not + the less entreat you to endeavor my reconciliation with his + Eminence, and rely for this upon the true love you bear me, and + which, I believe, is greater than your anger. You know how much I + require to be relieved from the danger I am in. You have already + twice stood my friend with his Eminence. I swear to you this shall + be the last time I give you such an employment. + GASTON D'ORLEANS. + +"But the next day he took courage, and sent this to myself, + + To his Excellency the Cardinal-Duc: + + MY COUSIN: This ungrateful M. le Grand is the most guilty man in the + world to have displeased you. The favors he received from his + Majesty have always made me doubtful of him and his artifices. For + you, my cousin, I retain my whole esteem. I am truly repentant at + having again been wanting in the fidelity I owe to my Lord the King, + and I call God to witness the sincerity with which I shall be for + the rest of my life your most faithful friend, with the same + devotion that I am, my cousin, your affectionate cousin, + GASTON. + +and the third to the King. His project choked him; he could not keep +it down. But I am not so easily satisfied. I must have a free and full +confession, or I will expel him from the kingdom. I have written to him +this morning. + + [MONSIEUR: Since God wills that men should have recourse to a frank + and entire confession to be absolved of their faults in this world, + I indicate to you the steps you must take to be delivered from this + danger. Your Highness has commenced well; you must continue. This + is all I can say to you.] + +"As to the magnificent and powerful Due de Bouillon, sovereign lord +of Sedan and general-in-chief of the armies in Italy, he has just been +arrested by his officers in the midst of his soldiers, concealed in a +truss of straw. There remain, therefore, only our two young neighbors. +They imagine they have the camp wholly at their orders, while they +really have only the red troops. All the rest, being Monsieur's men, +will not act, and my troops will arrest them. However, I have permitted +them to appear to obey. If they give the signal at half-past eleven, +they will be arrested at the first step. If not, the King will give them +up to me this evening. Do not open your eyes so wide. He will give them +up to me, I repeat, this night, between midnight and one o'clock. You +see that all has been done without you, Joseph. We can dispense with you +very well; and truly, all this time, I do not see that we have received +any great service from you. You grow negligent." + +"Ah, Monseigneur! did you but know the trouble I have had to discover +the route of the bearers of the treaty! I only learned it by risking my +life between these young people." + +The Cardinal laughed contemptuously, leaning back in his chair. + +"Thou must have been very ridiculous and very fearful in that box, +Joseph; I dare say it was the first time in thy life thou ever heardst +love spoken of. Dost thou like the language, Father Joseph? Tell me, +dost thou clearly understand it? I doubt whether thou hast formed a very +refined idea of it." + +Richelieu, his arms crossed, looked at his discomfited Capuchin with +infinite delight, and continued in the scornfully familiar tone of +a grand seigneur, which he sometimes assumed, pleasing himself with +putting forth the noblest expressions through the most impure lips: + +"Come, now, Joseph, give me a definition of love according to thy idea. +What can it be--for thou seest it exists out of romances. This worthy +youngster undertook these little conspiracies through love. Thou heardst +it thyself with throe unworthy ears. Come, what is love? For my part, I +know nothing about it." + +The monk was astounded, and looked upon the ground with the stupid eye +of some base animal. After long consideration, he replied in a drawling +and nasal voice: + +"It must be a kind of malignant fever which leads the brain astray; but +in truth, Monseigneur, I have never reflected on it until this moment. I +have always been embarrassed in speaking to a woman. I wish women could +be omitted from society altogether; for I do not see what use they are, +unless it be to disclose secrets, like the little Duchess or Marion +de Lorme, whom I can not too strongly recommend to your Eminence. She +thought of everything, and herself threw our little prophecy among the +conspirators with great address. We have not been without the marvellous +this time. As in the siege of Hesdin, all we have to do is to find a +window through which you may pass on the day of the execution." + + [In 1638, Prince Thomas having raised the siege of Hesdin, the + Cardinal was much vexed at it. A nun of the convent of Mount + Calvary had said that the victory would be to the King and Father + Joseph, thus wishing it to be believed that Heaven protected the + minister.--Memoires pour l'histoire du Cardinal de Richelieu.] + +"This is another of your absurdities, sir," said the Cardinal; "you will +make me as ridiculous as yourself, if you go on so; I am too powerful +to need the assistance of Heaven. Do not let that happen again. Occupy +yourself only with the people I consign to you. I traced your part +before. When the master of the horse is taken, you will see him tried +and executed at Lyons. I will not be known in this. This affair is +beneath me; it is a stone under my feet, upon which I ought not to have +bestowed so much attention." + +Joseph was silent; he could not understand this man, who, surrounded on +every side by armed enemies, spoke of the future as of a present over +which he had the entire control, and of the present as a past which he +no longer feared. He knew not whether to look upon him as a madman or a +prophet, above or below the standard of human nature. + +His astonishment was redoubled when Chavigny hastily entered, and nearly +falling, in his heavy boots, over the Cardinal's footstool, exclaimed in +great agitation: + +"Sir, one of your servants has just arrived from Perpignan; and he has +beheld the camp in an uproar, and your enemies in the saddle." + +"They will soon dismount, sir," replied Richelieu, replacing his +footstool. "You appear to have lost your equanimity." + +"But--but, Monseigneur, must we not warn Monsieur de Fabert?" + +"Let him sleep, and go to bed yourself; and you also, Joseph." + +"Monseigneur, another strange event has occurred--the King has arrived." + +"Indeed, that is extraordinary," said the minister, looking at his +watch. "I did not expect him these two hours. Retire, both of you." + +A heavy trampling and the clattering of arms announced the arrival +of the Prince; the folding-doors were thrown open; the guards in the +Cardinal's service struck the ground thrice with their pikes; and the +King appeared. + +He entered, supporting himself with a cane on one side, and on the +other leaning upon the shoulder of his confessor, Father Sirmond, +who withdrew, and left him with the Cardinal; the latter rose with +difficulty, but could not advance a step to meet the King, because his +legs were bandaged and enveloped. He made a sign that they should assist +the King to a seat near the fire, facing himself. Louis XIII fell into +an armchair furnished with pillows, asked for and drank a glass of +cordial, prepared to strengthen him against the frequent fainting-fits +caused by his malady of languor, signed to all to leave the room, and, +alone with Richelieu, he said in a languid voice: + +"I am departing, my dear Cardinal; I feel that I shall soon return +to God. I become weaker from day to day; neither the summer nor the +southern air has restored my strength." + +"I shall precede your Majesty," replied the minister. "You see that +death has already conquered my limbs; but while I have a head to think +and a hand to write, I shall be at the service of your Majesty." + +"And I am sure it was your intention to add, 'a heart to love me.'" + +"Can your Majesty doubt it?" answered the Cardinal, frowning, and biting +his lips impatiently at this speech. + +"Sometimes I doubt it," replied the King. "Listen: I wish to speak +openly to you, and to complain of you to yourself. There are two things +which have been upon my conscience these three years. I have never +mentioned them to you; but I reproached you secretly; and could anything +have induced me to consent to any proposals contrary to your interest, +it would be this recollection." + +There was in this speech that frankness natural to weak minds, who seek +by thus making their ruler uneasy, to compensate for the harm they dare +not do him, and revenge their subjection by a childish controversy. + +Richelieu perceived by these words that he had run a great risk; but he +saw at the same time the necessity of venting all his spleen, and, to +facilitate the explosion of these important avowals, he accumulated all +the professions he thought most calculated to provoke the King. + +"No, no!" his Majesty at length exclaimed, "I shall believe nothing +until you have explained those two things, which are always in my +thoughts, which were lately mentioned to me, and which I can justify by +no reasoning. I mean the trial of Urbain Grandier, of which I was never +well informed, and the reason for the hatred you bore to my unfortunate +mother, even to her very ashes." + +"Is this all, Sire?" said Richelieu. "Are these my only faults? They +are easily explained. The first it was necessary to conceal from your +Majesty because of its horrible and disgusting details of scandal. There +was certainly an art employed, which can not be looked upon as guilty, +in concealing, under the title of 'magic,' crimes the very names of +which are revolting to modesty, the recital of which would have revealed +dangerous mysteries to the innocent; this was a holy deceit practised to +hide these impurities from the eyes of the people." + +"Enough, enough, Cardinal," said Louis XIII, turning away his head, and +looking downward, while a blush covered his face; "I can not hear more. +I understand you; these explanations would disgust me. I approve your +motives; 'tis well. I had not been told that; they had concealed these +dreadful vices from me. Are you assured of the proofs of these crimes?" + +"I have them all in my possession, Sire; and as to the glorious Queen, +Marie de Medicis, I am surprised that your Majesty can forget how much I +was attached to her. Yes, I do not fear to acknowledge it; it is to her +I owe my elevation. She was the first who deigned to notice the Bishop +of Luton, then only twenty-two years of age, to place me near her. +What have I not suffered when she compelled me to oppose her in your +Majesty's interest! But this sacrifice was made for you. I never had, +and never shall have, to regret it." + +"'Tis well for you, but for me!" said the King, bitterly. + +"Ah, Sire," exclaimed the Cardinal, "did not the Son of God himself set +you an example? It is by the model of every perfection that we regulate +our counsels; and if the monument due to the precious remains of your +mother is not yet raised, Heaven is my witness that the works were +retarded through the fear of afflicting your heart by bringing back the +recollection of her death. But blessed be the day in which I have been +permitted to speak to you on the subject! I myself shall say the +first mass at Saint-Denis, when we shall see her deposited there, if +Providence allows me the strength." + +The countenance of the King assumed a more affable yet still cold +expression; and the Cardinal, thinking that he could go no farther that +evening in persuasion, suddenly resolved to make a more powerful move, +and to attack the enemy in front. Still keeping his eyes firmly fixed +upon the King, he said, coldly: + +"And was it for this you consented to my death?" + +"Me!" said the King. "You have been deceived; I have indeed heard of a +conspiracy, and I wished to speak to you about it; but I have commanded +nothing against you." + +"'The conspirators do not say so, Sire; but I am bound to believe your +Majesty, and I am glad for your sake that men were deceived. But what +advice were you about to condescend to give me?" + +"I--I wished to tell you frankly, and between ourselves, that you will +do well to beware of Monsieur--" + +"Ah, Sire, I can not now heed it; for here is a letter which he has +just sent to me for you. He seems to have been guilty even toward your +Majesty." + +The King read in astonishment: + + MONSEIGNEUR: I am much grieved at having once more failed in the + fidelity which I owe to your Majesty. I humbly entreat you to allow + me to ask a thousand pardons, with the assurances of my submission + and repentance. + Your very humble servant, + GASTON. + +"What does this mean?" cried Louis; "dare they arm against me also?" + +"Also!" muttered the Cardinal, biting his lips; "yes, Sire, also; +and this makes me believe, to a certain degree, this little packet of +papers." + +While speaking, he drew a roll of parchment from a piece of hollowed +elder, and opened it before the eyes of the King. + +"This is simply a treaty with Spain, which I think does not bear the +signature of your Majesty. You may see the twenty articles all in due +form. Everything is here arranged--the place of safety, the number of +troops, the supplies of men and money." + +"The traitors!" cried the King, in great agitation; "they must be +seized. My brother renounces them and repents; but do not fail to arrest +the Duc de Bouillon." + +"It shall be done, Sire." + +"That will be difficult, in the middle of the army in Italy." + +"I will answer with my head for his arrest, Sire; but is there not +another name to be added?" + +"Who--what--Cinq-Mars?" inquired the King, hesitating. + +"Exactly so, Sire," answered the Cardinal. + +"I see--but--I think--we might--" + +"Hear me!" exclaimed Richelieu, in a voice of thunder; "all must be +settled to-day. Your favorite is mounted at the head of his party; +choose between him and me. Yield up the boy to the man, or the man to +the boy; there is no alternative." + +"And what will you do if I consent?" said the King. + +"I will have his head and that of his friend." + +"Never! it is impossible!" replied the King, with horror, as he relapsed +into the same state of irresolution he evinced when with Cinq-Mars +against Richelieu. "He is my friend as well as you; my heart bleeds at +the idea of his death. Why can you not both agree? Why this division? +It is that which has led him to this. You have between you brought me to +the brink of despair; you have made me the most miserable of men." + +Louis hid his head in his hands while speaking, and perhaps he shed +tears; but the inflexible minister kept his eyes upon him as if +watching his prey, and without remorse, without giving the King time +for reflection--on the contrary, profiting by this emotion to speak yet +longer. + +"And is it thus," he continued, in a harsh and cold voice, "that you +remember the commandments of God communicated to you by the mouth of +your confessor? You told me one day that the Church expressly commanded +you to reveal to your prime minister all that you might hear against +him; yet I have never heard from you of my intended death! It was +necessary that more faithful friends should apprise me of this +conspiracy; that the guilty themselves through the mercy of Providence +should themselves make the avowal of their fault. One only, the most +guilty, yet the least of all, still resists, and it is he who has +conducted the whole; it is he who would deliver France into the power of +the foreigner, who would overthrow in one single day my labors of twenty +years. He would call up the Huguenots of the south, invite to arms all +orders of the State, revive crushed pretensions, and, in fact, renew +the League which was put down by your father. It is that--do not deceive +yourself--it is that which raises so many heads against you. Are you +prepared for the combat? If so, where are your arms?" + +The King, quite overwhelmed, made no reply; he still covered his +face with his hands. The stony-hearted Cardinal crossed his arms and +continued: + +"I fear that you imagine it is for myself I speak. Do you really think +that I do not know my own powers, and that I fear such an adversary? +Really, I know not what prevents me from letting you act for +yourself--from transferring the immense burden of State affairs to the +shoulders of this youth. You may imagine that during the twenty years +I have been acquainted with your court, I have not forgotten to assure +myself a retreat where, in spite of you, I could now go to live the +six months which perhaps remain to me of life. It would be a curious +employment for me to watch the progress of such a reign. What answer +would you return, for instance, when all the inferior potentates, +regaining their station, no longer kept in subjection by me, shall come +in your brother's name to say to you, as they dared to say to Henri +IV on his throne: 'Divide with us all the hereditary governments +and sovereignties, and we shall be content.'--[Memoires de Sully, +1595.]--You will doubtless accede to their request; and it is the least +you can do for those who will have delivered you from Richelieu. It +will, perhaps, be fortunate, for to govern the Ile-de-France, which they +will no doubt allow you as the original domain, your new minister will +not require many secretaries." + +While speaking thus, he furiously pushed the huge table, which nearly +filled the room, and was laden with papers and numerous portfolios. + +Louis was aroused from his apathetic meditation by the excessive +audacity of this discourse. He raised his head, and seemed to have +instantly formed one resolution for fear he should adopt another. + +"Well, sir," said he, "my answer is that I will reign alone." + +"Be it so!" replied Richelieu. "But I ought to give you notice that +affairs are at present somewhat complicated. This is the hour when I +generally commence my ordinary avocations." + +"I will act in your place," said Louis. "I will open the portfolios and +issue my commands." + +"Try, then," said Richelieu. "I shall retire; and if anything causes you +to hesitate, you can send for me." + +He rang a bell. In the same instant, and as if they had awaited the +signal, four vigorous footmen entered, and carried him and his chair +into another apartment, for we have before remarked that he was unable +to walk. While passing through the chambers where the secretaries were +at work, he called out in a loud voice: + +"You will receive his Majesty's commands." + +The King remained alone, strong in his new resolution, and, proud in +having once resisted, he became anxious immediately to plunge into +political business. He walked around the immense table, and beheld as +many portfolios as they then counted empires, kingdoms, and States in +Europe. He opened one and found it divided into sections equalling in +number the subdivisions of the country to which it related. All was in +order, but in alarming order for him, because each note only referred to +the very essence of the business it alluded to, and related only to +the exact point of its then relations with France. These laconic notes +proved as enigmatic to Louis, as did the letters in cipher which +covered the table. Here all was confusion. An edict of banishment and +expropriation of the Huguenots of La Rochelle was mingled with treaties +with Gustavus Adolphus and the Huguenots of the north against the +empire. Notes on General Bannier and Wallenstein, the Duc de Weimar, +and Jean de Witt were mingled with extracts from letters taken from +the casket of the Queen, the list of the necklaces and jewels they +contained, and the double interpretation which might be put upon +every phrase of her notes. Upon the margin of one of these letters was +written: "For four lines in a man's handwriting he might be criminally +tried." Farther on were scattered denunciations against the Huguenots; +the republican plans they had drawn up; the division of France into +departments under the annual dictatorship of a chief. The seal of this +projected State was affixed to it, representing an angel leaning upon a +cross, and holding in his hand a Bible, which he raised to his forehead. +By the side was a document which contained a list of those cardinals +the pope had selected the same day as the Bishop of Lurgon (Richelieu). +Among them was to be found the Marquis de Bedemar, ambassador and +conspirator at Venice. + +Louis XIII exhausted his powers in vain over the details of another +period, seeking unsuccessfully for any documents which might allude to +the present conspiracy, to enable him to perceive its true meaning, and +all that had been attempted against him, when a diminutive man, of an +olive complexion, who stooped much, entered the cabinet with a measured +step. This was a Secretary of State named Desnoyers. He advanced, +bowing. + +"May I be permitted to address your Majesty on the affairs of Portugal?" +said he. + +"And consequently of Spain?" said Louis. "Portugal is a province of +Spain." + +"Of Portugal," reiterated Desnoyers. "Here is the manifesto we have this +moment received." And he read, "Don John, by the grace of God, King of +Portugal and of Algarves, kingdoms on this side of Africa, lord over +Guinea, by conquest, navigation, and trade with Arabia, Persia, and the +Indies--" + +"What is all that?" said the King. "Who talks in this manner?" + +"The Duke of Braganza, King of Portugal, crowned already some time by +a man whom they call Pinto. Scarcely has he ascended the throne than he +offers assistance to the revolted Catalonians." + +"Has Catalonia also revolted? The King, Philip IV, no longer has the +Count-Duke for his Prime-Minister?" + +"Just the contrary, Sire. It is on this very account. Here is the +declaration of the States-General of Catalonia to his Catholic Majesty, +signifying that the whole country will take up arms against his +sacrilegious and excommunicated troops. The King of Portugal--" + +"Say the Duke of Braganza!" replied Louis. "I recognize no rebels." + +"The Duke of Braganza, then," coldly repeated the Secretary of State, +"sends his nephew, Don Ignacio de Mascarenas, to the principality of +Catalonia, to seize the protection (and it may be the sovereignty) of +that country, which he would add to that he has just reconquered. Your +Majesty's troops are before Perpignan--" + +"Well, and what of that?" said Louis. + +"The Catalonians are more disposed toward France than toward Portugal, +and there is still time to deprive the King of-the Duke of Portugal, I +should say--of this protectorship." + +"What! I assist rebels! You dare--" + +"Such was the intention of his Eminence," continued the Secretary of +State. "Spain and France are nearly at open war, and Monsieur d'Olivares +has not hesitated to offer the assistance of his Catholic Majesty to the +Huguenots." + +"Very good. I will consider it," said the King. "Leave me." + +"Sire, the States-General of Catalonia are in a dilemma. The troops from +Aragon march against them." + +"We shall see. I will come to a decision in a quarter of an hour," +answered Louis XIII. + +The little Secretary of State left the apartment discontented and +discouraged. In his place Chavigny immediately appeared, holding a +portfolio, on which were emblazoned the arms of England. "Sire," said +he, "I have to request your Majesty's commands upon the affairs of +England. The Parliamentarians, commanded by the Earl of Essex, have +raised the siege of Gloucester. Prince Rupert has at Newbury fought a +disastrous battle, and of little profit to his Britannic Majesty. The +Parliament is prolonged. All the principal cities take part with it, +together with all the seaports and the Presbyterian population. King +Charles I implores assistance, which the Queen can no longer obtain from +Holland." + +"Troops must be sent to my brother of England," said Louis; but he +wanted to look over the preceding papers, and casting his eyes over the +notes of the Cardinal, he found that under a former request of the King +of England he had written with his own hand: + +"We must consider some time and wait. The Commons are strong. King +Charles reckons upon the Scots; they will sell him. + +"We must be cautious. A warlike man has been over to see Vincennes, +and he has said that 'princes ought never to be struck, except on the +head.'" + +The Cardinal had added "remarkable," but he had erased this word and +substituted "formidable." Again, beneath: + +"This man rules Fairfax. He plays an inspired part. He will be a great +man--assistance refused--money lost." + +The King then said, "No, no! do nothing hastily. I shall wait." + +"But, Sire," said Chavigny, "events pass rapidly. If the courier be +delayed, the King's destruction may happen a year sooner." + +"Have they advanced so far?" asked Louis. + +"In the camp of the Independents they preach up the republic with +the Bible in their hands. In that of the Royalists, they dispute for +precedency, and amuse themselves." + +"But one turn of good fortune may save everything?" + +"The Stuarts are not fortunate, Sire," answered Chavigny, respectfully, +but in a tone which left ample room for consideration. + +"Leave me," said the King, with some displeasure. + +The State-Secretary slowly retired. + +It was then that Louis XIII beheld himself as he really was, and was +terrified at the nothingness he found in himself. He at first stared at +the mass of papers which surrounded him, passing from one to the other, +finding dangers on every side, and finding them still greater with the +remedies he invented. He rose; and changing his place, he bent over, or +rather threw himself upon, a geographical map of Europe. There he found +all his fears concentrated. In the north, the south, the very centre +of the kingdom, revolutions appeared to him like so many Eumenides. +In every country he thought he saw a volcano ready to burst forth. He +imagined he heard cries of distress from kings, who appealed to him for +help, and the furious shouts of the populace. He fancied he felt the +territory of France trembling and crumbling beneath his feet. His feeble +and fatigued sight failed him. His weak head was attacked by vertigo, +which threw all his blood back upon his heart. + +"Richelieu!" he cried, in a stifled voice, while he rang a bell; "summon +the Cardinal immediately." + +And he swooned in an armchair. + +When the King opened his eyes, revived by salts and potent essences +which had been applied to his lips and temples, he for one instant +beheld himself surrounded by pages, who withdrew as soon as he opened +his eyes, and he was once more left alone with the Cardinal. The +impassible minister had had his chair placed by that of the King, as a +physician would seat himself by the bedside of his patient, and fixed +his sparkling and scrutinizing eyes upon the pale countenance of Louis. +As soon as his victim could hear him, he renewed his fearful discourse +in a hollow voice: + +"You have recalled me. What would you with me?" + +Louis, who was reclining on the pillow, half opened his eyes, fixed them +upon Richelieu, and hastily closed them again. That bony head, armed +with two flaming eyes, and terminating in a pointed and grizzly beard, +the cap and vestments of the color of blood and flames,--all appeared to +him like an infernal spirit. + +"You must reign," he said, in a languid voice. + +"But will you give me up Cinq-Mars and De Thou?" again urged the +implacable minister, bending forward to read in the dull eyes of the +Prince, as an avaricious heir follows up, even to the tomb, the last +glimpses of the will of a dying relative. + +"You must reign," repeated the King, turning away his head. + +"Sign then," said Richelieu; "the contents of this are, 'This is my +command--to take them, dead or alive.'" + +Louis, whose head still reclined on the raised back of the chair, +suffered his hand to fall upon the fatal paper, and signed it. "For +pity's sake, leave me; I am dying!" he said. + +"That is not yet all," continued he whom men call the great politician. +"I place no reliance on you; I must first have some guarantee and +assurance. Sign this paper, and I will leave you: + + "When the King shall go to visit the Cardinal, the guards of the + latter shall remain under arms; and when the Cardinal shall visit + the King, the guards of the Cardinal shall share the same post with + those of his Majesty. + +"Again: + + "His Majesty undertakes to place the two princes, his sons, in the + Cardinal's hands, as hostages of the good faith of his attachment." + +"My children!" exclaimed Louis, raising his head, "dare you?" + +"Would you rather that I should retire?" said Richelieu. + +The King again signed. + +"Is all finished now?" he inquired, with a deep sigh. + +All was not finished; one other grief was still in reserve for him. The +door was suddenly opened, and Cinq-Mars entered. It was the Cardinal who +trembled now. + +"What would you here, sir?" said he, seizing the bell to ring for +assistance. + +The master of the horse was as pale as the King, and without +condescending to answer Richelieu, he advanced steadily toward Louis +XIII, who looked at him with the air of a man who has just received a +sentence of death. + +"You would, Sire, find it difficult to have me arrested, for I have +twenty thousand men under my command," said Henri d'Effiat, in a sweet +and subdued voice. + +"Alas, Cinq-Mars!" replied the King, sadly; "is it thou who hast been +guilty of these crimes?" + +"Yes, Sire; and I also bring you my sword, for no doubt you came here to +surrender me," said he, unbuckling his sword, and laying it at the feet +of the King, who fixed his eyes upon the floor without making any reply. + +Cinq-Mars smiled sadly, but not bitterly, for he no longer belonged +to this earth. Then, looking contemptuously at Richelieu, "I surrender +because I wish to die, but I am not conquered." + +The Cardinal clenched his fist with passion; but he restrained his fury. +"Who are your accomplices?" he demanded. Cinq-Mars looked steadfastly at +Louis, and half opened his lips to speak. The King bent down his head, +and felt at that moment a torture unknown to all other men. + +"I have none," said Cinq-Mars, pitying the King; and he slowly left the +apartment. He stopped in the first gallery. Fabert and all the gentlemen +rose on seeing him. He walked up to the commander, and said: + +"Sir, order these gentlemen to arrest me!" + +They looked at each other, without daring to approach him. + +"Yes, sir, I am your prisoner; yes, gentlemen, I am without my sword, +and I repeat to you that I am the King's prisoner." + +"I do not understand what I see," said the General; "there are two of +you who surrender, and I have no instruction to arrest any one." + +"Two!" said Cinq-Mars; "the other is doubtless De Thou. Alas! I +recognize him by this devotion." + +"And had I not also guessed your intention?" exclaimed the latter, +coming forward, and throwing himself into his arms. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. THE PRISONERS + +Amoung those old chateaux of which France is every year deprived +regretfully, as of flowers from her, crown, there was one of a grim and +savage appearance upon the left bank of the Saline. It looked like a +formidable sentinel placed at one of the gates of Lyons, and derived its +name from an enormous rock, known as Pierre-Encise, which terminates in +a peak--a sort of natural pyramid, the summit of which overhanging the +river in former times, they say, joined the rocks which may still be +seen on the opposite bank, forming the natural arch of a bridge; but +time, the waters, and the hand of man have left nothing standing but the +ancient mass of granite which formed the pedestal of the now destroyed +fortress. + +The archbishops of Lyons, as the temporal lords of the city, had built +and formerly resided in this castle. It afterward became a fortress, and +during the reign of Louis XIII a State prison. One colossal tower, +where the daylight could only penetrate through three long loopholes, +commanded the edifice, and some irregular buildings surrounded it with +their massive walls, whose lines and angles followed the form of the +immense and perpendicular rock. + +It was here that the Cardinal, jealous of his prey, determined to +imprison his young enemies, and to conduct them himself. + +Allowing Louis to precede him to Paris, he removed his captives from +Narbonne, dragging them in his train to ornament his last triumph, and +embarking on the Rhone at Tarascon, nearly, at the mouth of the river, +as if to prolong the pleasure of revenge which men have dared to call +that of the gods, displayed to the eyes of the spectators on both sides +of the river the luxury of his hatred; he slowly proceeded on his course +up the river in barges with gilded oars and emblazoned with his armorial +bearings, reclining in the first and followed by his two victims in the +second, which was fastened to his own by a long chain. + +Often in the evening, when the heat of the day was passed, the awnings +of the two boats were removed, and in the one Richelieu might be seen, +pale, and seated in the stern; in that which followed, the two young +prisoners, calm and collected, supported each other, watching the +passage of the rapid stream. Formerly the soldiers of Caesar, who +encamped on the same shores, would have thought they beheld the +inflexible boatman of the infernal regions conducting the friendly +shades of Castor and Pollux. Christians dared not even reflect, or see +a priest leading his two enemies to the scaffold; it was the first +minister who passed. + +Thus he went on his way until he left his victims under guard at the +identical city in which the late conspirators had doomed him to perish. +Thus he loved to defy Fate herself, and to plant a trophy on the very +spot which had been selected for his tomb. + + "He was borne," says an ancient manuscript journal of this year, + "along the river Rhone in a boat in which a wooden chamber had been + constructed, lined with crimson fluted velvet, the flooring of which + was of gold. The same boat contained an antechamber decorated in + the same manner. The prow and stern of the boat were occupied by + soldiers and guards, wearing scarlet coats embroidered with gold, + silver, and silk; and many lords of note. His Eminence occupied a + bed hung with purple taffetas. Monseigneur the Cardinal Bigni, and + Messeigneurs the Bishops of Nantes and Chartres, were there, with + many abbes and gentlemen in other boats. Preceding his vessel, a + boat sounded the passages, and another boat followed, filled with + arquebusiers and officers to command them. When they approached any + isle, they sent soldiers to inspect it, to discover whether it was + occupied by any suspicious persons; and, not meeting any, they + guarded the shore until two boats which followed had passed. They + were filled with the nobility and well-armed soldiers. + + "Afterward came the boat of his Eminence, to the stern of which was + attached a little boat, which conveyed MM. de Thou and Cinq-Mars, + guarded by an officer of the King's guard and twelve guards from the + regiment of his Eminence. Three vessels, containing the clothes and + plate of his Eminence, with several gentlemen and soldiers, followed + the boats. + + "Two companies of light-horsemen followed the banks of the Rhone in + Dauphin, and as many on the Languedoc and Vivarais side, and a noble + regiment of foot, who preceded his Eminence in the towns which he + was to enter, or in which he was to sleep. It was pleasant to + listen to the trumpets, which, played in Dauphine, were answered by + those in Vivarais, and repeated by the echoes of our rocks. It + seemed as if all were trying which could play best."--[See Notes.] + +In the middle of a night of the month of September, while everything +appeared to slumber in the impregnable tower which contained the +prisoners, the door of their outer chamber turned noiselessly on its +hinges, and a man appeared on the threshold, clad in a brown robe +confined round his waist by a cord. His feet were encased in sandals, +and his hand grasped a large bunch of keys; it was Joseph. He looked +cautiously round without advancing, and contemplated in silence the +apartment occupied by the master of the horse. Thick carpets covered +the floor, and large and splendid hangings concealed the walls of the +prison; a bed hung with red damask was prepared, but it was unoccupied. +Seated near a high chimney in a large armchair, attired in a long gray +robe, similar in form to that of a priest, his head bent down, and his +eyes fixed upon a little cross of gold by the flickering light of a +lamp, he was absorbed in so deep a meditation that the Capuchin had +leisure to approach him closely, and confront the prisoner before +he perceived him. Suddenly, however, Cinq-Mars raised his head and +exclaimed, "Wretch, what do you here?" + +"Young man, you are violent," answered the mysterious intruder, in a low +voice. "Two months' imprisonment ought to have been enough to calm you. +I come to tell you things of great importance. Listen to me! I have +thought much of you; and I do not hate you so much as you imagine. The +moments are precious. I will tell you all in a few words: in two hours +you will be interrogated, tried, and condemned to death with your +friend. It can not be otherwise, for all will be finished the same day." + +"I know it," answered Cinq-Mars; "and I am prepared." + +"Well, then, I can still release you from this affair. I have reflected +deeply, as I told you; and I am here to make a proposal which can but +give you satisfaction. The Cardinal has but six months to live. Let us +not be mysterious; we must speak openly. You see where I have brought +you to serve him; and you can judge by that the point to which I would +conduct him to serve you. If you wish it, we can cut short the six +months of his life which still remain. The King loves you, and will +recall you with joy when he finds you still live. You may long live, and +be powerful and happy, if you will protect me, and make me cardinal." + +Astonishment deprived the young prisoner of speech. He could not +understand such language, and seemed to be unable to descend to it from +his higher meditations. All that he could say was: + +"Your benefactor, Richelieu?" + +The Capuchin smiled, and, drawing nearer, continued in an undertone: + +"Policy admits of no benefits; it contains nothing but interest. A man +employed by a minister is no more bound to be grateful than a horse +whose rider prefers him to others. My pace has been convenient to him; +so much the better. Now it is my interest to throw him from the saddle. +Yes, this man loves none but himself. I now see that he has deceived +me by continually retarding my elevation; but once again, I possess +the sure means for your escape in silence. I am the master here. I will +remove the men in whom he trusts, and replace them by others whom he +has condemned to die, and who are near at hand confined in the northern +tower--the Tour des Oubliettes, which overhangs the river. His creatures +will occupy their places. I will recommend a physician--an empyric who +is devoted to me--to the illustrious Cardinal, who has been given over +by the most scientific in Paris. If you will unite with me, he shall +convey to him a universal and eternal remedy." + +"Away!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars. "Leave me, thou infernal monk! No, thou +art like no other man! Thou glidest with a noiseless and furtive step +through the darkness; thou traversest the walls to preside at secret +crimes; thou placest thyself between the hearts of lovers to separate +them eternally. Who art thou? Thou resemblest a tormented spirit of the +damned!" + +"Romantic boy!" answered Joseph; "you would have possessed high +attainments had it not been for your false notions. There is perhaps +neither damnation nor soul. If the dead returned to complain of their +fate, I should have a thousand around me; and I have never seen any, +even in my dreams." + +"Monster!" muttered Cinq-Mars. + +"Words again!" said Joseph; "there is neither monster nor virtuous man. +You and De Thou, who pride yourselves on what you call virtue--you have +failed in causing the death of perhaps a hundred thousand men--at once +and in the broad daylight--for no end, while Richelieu and I have caused +the death of far fewer, one by one, and by night, to found a great +power. Would you remain pure and virtuous, you must not interfere with +other men; or, rather, it is more reasonable to see that which is, and +to say with me, it is possible that there is no such thing as a soul. +We are the sons of chance; but relative to other men, we have passions +which we must satisfy." + +"I breathe again!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars; "he believes not in God!" + +Joseph continued: + +"Richelieu, you, and I were born ambitious; it followed, then, that +everything must be sacrificed to this idea." + +"Wretched man, do not compare me to thyself!" + +"It is the plain truth, nevertheless," replied the Capuchin'; "only you +now see that our system was better than yours." + +"Miserable wretch, it was for love--" + +"No, no! it was not that; here are mere words again. You have perhaps +imagined it was so; but it was for your own advancement. I have heard +you speak to the young girl. You thought but of yourselves; you do not +love each other. She thought but of her rank, and you of your ambition. +One loves in order to hear one's self called perfect, and to be adored; +it is still the same egoism." + +"Cruel serpent!" cried Cinq-Mars; "is it not enough that thou hast +caused our deaths? Why dost thou come here to cast thy venom upon the +life thou hast taken from us? What demon has suggested to thee thy +horrible analysis of hearts?" + +"Hatred of everything which is superior to myself," replied Joseph, with +a low and hollow laugh, "and the desire to crush those I hate under my +feet, have made me ambitious and ingenious in finding the weakness of +your dreams." + +"Just Heaven, dost thou hear him?" exclaimed Cinq-Mars, rising and +extending his arms upward. + +The solitude of his prison; the pious conversations of his friend; and, +above all, the presence of death, which, like the light of an unknown +star, paints in other colors the objects we are accustomed to see; +meditations on eternity; and (shall we say it?) the great efforts he +had made to change his heartrending regrets into immortal hopes, and +to direct to God all that power of love which had led him astray upon +earth-all this combined had worked a strange revolution in him; and like +those ears of corn which ripen suddenly on receiving one ray from the +sun, his soul had acquired light, exalted by the mysterious influence of +death. + +"Just Heaven!" he repeated, "if this wretch and his master are human, +can I also be a man? Behold, O God, behold two distinct ambitions--the +one egoistical and bloody, the other devoted and unstained; theirs +roused by hatred, and ours inspired by love. Look down, O Lord, judge, +and pardon! Pardon, for we have greatly erred in walking but for a +single day in the same paths which, on earth, possess but one name to +whatever end it may tend!" + +Joseph interrupted him harshly, stamping his foot on the ground: + +"When you have finished your prayer," said he, "you will perhaps inform +me whether you will assist me; and I will instantly--" + +"Never, impure wretch, never!" said Henri d'Effiat. "I will never unite +with you in an assassination. I refused to do so when powerful, and upon +yourself." + +"You were wrong; you would have been master now." + +"And what happiness should I find in my power when shared as it must be +by a woman who does not understand me; who loved me feebly, and prefers +a crown?" + +"Inconceivable folly!" said the Capuchin, laughing. + +"All with her; nothing without her--that was my desire." + +"It is from obstinacy and vanity that you persist; it is impossible," +replied Joseph. "It is not in nature." + +"Thou who wouldst deny the spirit of self-sacrifice," answered +Cinq-Mars; "dost thou understand that of my friend?" + +"It does not exist; he follows you because--" + +Here the Capuchin, slightly embarrassed, reflected an instant. + +"Because--because--he has formed you; you are his work; he is attached +to you by the self-love of an author. He was accustomed to lecture you; +and he felt that he should not find another pupil so docile to listen +to and applaud him. Constant habit has persuaded him that his life was +bound to yours; it is something of that kind. He will accompany you +mechanically. Besides, all is not yet finished; we shall see the end +and the examination. He will certainly deny all knowledge of the +conspiracy." + +"He will not deny it!" exclaimed Cinq-Mars, impetuously. + +"He knew it, then? You confess it," said Joseph, triumphantly; "you have +not said as much before." + +"O Heaven, what have I done!" gasped Cinq-Mars, hiding his face. + +"Calm yourself; he is saved, notwithstanding this avowal, if you accept +my offer." + +D'Effiat remained silent for a short time. + +The Capuchin continued: + +"Save your friend. The King's favor awaits you, and perhaps the love +which has erred for a moment." + +"Man, or whatever else thou art, if thou hast in thee anything +resembling a heart," answered the prisoner, "save him! He is the purest +of created beings; but convey him far away while yet he sleeps, for +should he awake, thy endeavors would be vain." + +"What good will that do me?" said the Capuchin, laughing. "It is you and +your favor that I want." + +The impetuous Cinq-Mars rose, and, seizing Joseph by the arm, eying him +with a terrible look, said: + +"I degraded him in interceding with thee for him." He continued, raising +the tapestry which separated his apartment from that of his friend, +"Come, and doubt, if thou canst, devotion and the immortality of the +soul. Compare the uneasiness and misery of thy triumph with the calmness +of our defeat, the meanness of thy reign with the grandeur of our +captivity, thy sanguinary vigils to the slumbers of the just." + +A solitary lamp threw its light on De Thou. The young man was kneeling +on a cushion, surmounted by a large ebony crucifix. He seemed to have +fallen asleep while praying. His head, inclining backward, was still +raised toward the cross. His pale lips wore a calm and divine smile. + +"Holy Father, how he sleeps!" exclaimed the astonished Capuchin, +thoughtlessly uniting to his frightful discourse the sacred name he +every day pronounced. He suddenly retired some paces, as if dazzled by a +heavenly vision. + +"Nonsense, nonsense!" he said, shaking his head, and passing his hand +rapidly over his face. "All this is childishness. It would overcome me +if I reflected on it. These ideas may serve as opium to produce a calm. +But that is not the question; say yes or no." + +"No," said Cinq-Mars, pushing him to the door by the shoulder. "I will +not accept life; and I do not regret having compromised De Thou, for +he would not have bought his life at the price of an assassination. And +when he yielded at Narbonne, it was not that he might escape at Lyons." + +"Then wake him, for here come the judges," said the furious Capuchin, in +a sharp, piercing voice. + +Lighted by flambeaux, and preceded by a detachment of the Scotch guards, +fourteen judges entered, wrapped in long robes, and whose features were +not easily distinguished. They seated themselves in silence on the right +and left of the huge chamber. They were the judges delegated by the +Cardinal to judge this sad and solemn affair--all true men to the +Cardinal Richelieu, and in his confidence, who from Tarascon had chosen +and instructed them. He had the Chancellor Seguier brought to Lyons, to +avoid, as he stated in the instructions he sent by Chavigny to the King +Louis XIII--"to avoid all the delays which would take place if he were +not present. M. de Mayillac," he adds, "was at Nantes for the trial of +Chulais, M. de Chateau-Neuf at Toulouse, superintending the death of M. +de Montmorency, and M. de Bellievre at Paris, conducting the trial of M. +de Biron. The authority and intelligence of these gentlemen in forms of +justice are indispensable." + +The Chancellor arrived with all speed. But at this moment he was +informed that he was not to appear, for fear that he might be influenced +by the memory of his ancient friendship for the prisoner, whom he +only saw tete-a-tete. The commissioners and himself had previously +and rapidly received the cowardly depositions of the Duc d'Orleans, at +Villefranche, in Beaujolais, and then at Vivey,--[House which belonged +to an Abbe d'Esnay, brother of M. de Villeroy, called Montresor.] two +miles from Lyons, where this wretched prince had received orders to +go, begging forgiveness, and trembling, although surrounded by his +followers, whom from very pity he had been allowed to retain, carefully +watched, however, by the French and Swiss guards. The Cardinal had +dictated to him his part and answers word for word; and in consideration +of this docility, they had exempted him in form from the painful task +of confronting MM. de Cinq-Mars and De Thou. The chancellor and +commissioners had also prepared M. de Bouillon, and, strong with their +preliminary work, they visited in all their strength the two young +criminals whom they had determined not to save. + +History has only handed down to us the names of the State counsellors +who accompanied Pierre Seguier, but not those of the other +commissioners, of whom it is only mentioned that there were six from the +parliament of Grenoble, and two presidents. The counsellor, or reporter +of the State, Laubardemont, who had directed them in all, was at their +head. Joseph often whispered to them with the most studied politeness, +glancing at Laubardemont with a ferocious sneer. + +It was arranged that an armchair should serve as a bar; and all were +silent in expectation of the prisoner's answer. + +He spoke in a soft and clear voice: + +"Say to Monsieur le Chancelier that I have the right of appeal to the +parliament of Paris, and to object to my judges, because two of them are +my declared enemies, and at their head one of my friends, Monsieur de +Seguier himself, whom I maintained in his charge. + +"But I will spare you much trouble, gentlemen, by pleading guilty to the +whole charge of conspiracy, arranged and conducted by myself alone. It +is my wish to die. I have nothing to add for myself; but if you would be +just, you will not harm the life of him whom the King has pronounced to +be the most honest man in France, and who dies for my sake alone." + +"Summon him," said Laubardemont. + +Two guards entered the apartment of De Thou, and led him forth. He +advanced, and bowed gravely, while an angelical smile played upon his +lips. Embracing Cinq-Mars, "Here at last is our day of glory," said he. +"We are about to gain heaven and eternal happiness." + +"We understand," said Laubardemont, "we have been given to understand +by Monsieur de Cinq-Mars himself, that you were acquainted with this +conspiracy?" + +De Thou answered instantly, and without hesitation. A half-smile was +still on his lips, and his eyes cast down. + +"Gentlemen, I have passed my life in studying human laws, and I know +that the testimony of one accused person can not condemn another. I can +also repeat what I said before, that I should not have been believed had +I denounced the King's brother without proof. You perceive, then, that +my life and death entirely rest with myself. I have, however, well +weighed the one and the other. I have clearly foreseen that whatever +life I may hereafter lead, it could not but be most unhappy after the +loss of Monsieur de Cinq-Mars. I therefore acknowledge and confess that +I was aware of his conspiracy. I did my utmost to prevent it, to deter +him from it. He believed me to be his only and faithful friend, and I +would not betray him. Therefore, I condemn myself by the very laws which +were set forth by my father, who, I hope, forgives me." + +At these words, the two friends precipitated themselves into each +other's arms. + +Cinq-Mars exclaimed: + +"My friend, my friend, how bitterly I regret that I have caused your +death! Twice I have betrayed you; but you shall know in what manner." + +But De Thou, embracing and consoling his friend, answered, raising his +eyes from the ground: + +"Ah, happy are we to end our days in this manner! Humanly speaking, I +might complain of you; but God knows how much I love you. What have +we done to merit the grace of martyrdom, and the happiness of dying +together?" + +The judges were not prepared for this mildness, and looked at each other +with surprise. + +"If they would only give me a good partisan," muttered a hoarse voice +(it was Grandchamp, who had crept into the room, and whose eyes were +red with fury), "I would soon rid Monseigneur of all these black-looking +fellows." Two men with halberds immediately placed themselves silently +at his side. He said no more, and to compose himself retired to a window +which overlooked the river, whose tranquil waters the sun had not yet +lighted with its beams, and appeared to pay no attention to what was +passing in the room. + +However, Laubardemont, fearing that the judges might be touched with +compassion, said in a loud voice: + +"In pursuance of the order of Monseigneur the Cardinal, these two +men will be put to the rack; that is to say, to the ordinary and +extraordinary question." + +Indignation forced Cinq-Mars again to assume his natural character; +crossing his arms, he made two steps toward Laubardemont and Joseph, +which alarmed them. The former involuntarily placed his hand to his +forehead. + +"Are we at Loudun?" exclaimed the prisoner; but De Thou, advancing, took +his hand and held it. Cinq-Mars was silent, then continued in a calm +voice, looking steadfastly at the judges: + +"Messieurs, this measure appears to me rather harsh; a man of my age and +rank ought not to be subjected to these formalities. I have confessed +all, and I will confess it all again. I willingly and gladly accept +death; it is not from souls like ours that secrets can be wrung by +bodily suffering. We are prisoners by our own free will, and at the time +chosen by us. We have confessed enough for you to condemn us to death; +you shall know nothing more. We have obtained what we wanted." + +"What are you doing, my friend?" interrupted De Thou. "He is mistaken, +gentlemen, we do not refuse this martyrdom which God offers us; we +demand it." + +"But," said Cinq-Mars, "do you need such infamous tortures to obtain +salvation--you who are already a martyr, a voluntary martyr to +friendship? Gentlemen, it is I alone who possess important secrets; it +is the chief of a conspiracy who knows all. Put me alone to the torture +if we must be treated like the worst of malefactors." + +"For the sake of charity," added De Thou, "deprive me not of equal +suffering with my friend; I have not followed him so far, to abandon him +at this dreadful moment, and not to use every effort to accompany him to +heaven." + +During this debate, another was going forward between Laubardemont and +Joseph. The latter, fearing that torments would induce him to disclose +the secret of his recent proposition, advised that they should not +be resorted to; the other, not thinking his triumph complete by death +alone, absolutely insisted on their being applied. The judges surrounded +and listened to these secret agents of the Prime-Minister; however, many +circumstances having caused them to suspect that the influence of the +Capuchin was more powerful than that of the judge, they took part with +him, and decided for mercy, when he finished by these words uttered in a +low voice: + +"I know their secrets. There is no necessity to force them from their +lips, because they are useless, and relate to too high circumstances. +Monsieur le Grand has no one to denounce but the King, and the other the +Queen. It is better that we should remain ignorant. Besides, they will +not confess. I know them; they will be silent--the one from pride, the +other through piety. Let them alone. The torture will wound them; +they will be disfigured and unable to walk. That will spoil the whole +ceremony; they must be kept to appear." + +This last observation prevailed. The judges retired to deliberate with +the chancellor. While departing, Joseph whispered to Laubardemont: + +"I have provided you with enough pleasure here; you will still have that +of deliberating, and then you shall go and examine three men who are +confined in the northern tower." + +These were the three judges who had condemned Urbain Grandier. + +As he spoke, he laughed heartily, and was the last to leave the room, +pushing the astonished master of requests before him. + +The sombre tribunal had scarcely disappeared when Grandchamp, relieved +from his two guards, hastened toward his master, and, seizing his hand, +said: + +"In the name of Heaven, come to the terrace, Monseigneur! I have +something to show you; in the name of your mother, come!" + +But at that moment the chamber door was opened, and the old Abbe Quillet +appeared. + +"My children! my dear children!" exclaimed the old man, weeping +bitterly. "Alas! why was I only permitted to enter to-day? Dear Henri, +your mother, your brother, your sister, are concealed here." + +"Be quiet, Monsieur l'Abbe!" said Grandchamp; "do come to the terrace, +Monseigneur." + +But the old priest still detained and embraced his pupil. + +"We hope," said he; "we hope for mercy." + +"I shall refuse it," said Cinq-Mars. + +"We hope for nothing but the mercy of God," added De Thou. + +"Silence!" said Grandchamp, "the judges are returning." + +And the door opened again to admit the dismal procession, from which +Joseph and Laubardemont were missing. + +"Gentlemen," exclaimed the good Abbe, addressing the commissioners, "I +am happy to tell you that I have just arrived from Paris, and that no +one doubts but that all the conspirators will be pardoned. I have had an +interview at her Majesty's apartments with Monsieur himself; and as to +the Duc de Bouillon, his examination is not unfav--" + +"Silence!" cried M. de Seyton, the lieutenant of the Scotch guards; +and the commissioners entered and again arranged themselves in the +apartment. + +M. de Thou, hearing them summon the criminal recorder of the presidial +of Lyons to pronounce the sentence, involuntarily launched out in one of +those transports of religious joy which are never displayed but by the +martyrs and saints at the approach of death; and, advancing toward this +man, he exclaimed: + +"Quam speciosi pedes evangelizantium pacem, evangelizantium bona!" + +Then, taking the hand of Cinq-Mars, he knelt down bareheaded to receive +the sentence, as was the custom. D'Effiat remained standing; and they +dared not compel him to kneel. The sentence was pronounced in these +words: + + "The Attorney-General, prosecutor on the part of the State, on a + charge of high treason; and Messire Henri d'Effiat de Cinq-Mars, + master of the horse, aged twenty-two, and Francois Auguste de Thou, + aged thirty-five, of the King's privy council, prisoners in the + chateau of Pierre-Encise, at Lyons, accused and defendants on the + other part: + + "Considered, the special trial commenced by the aforesaid attorney- + general against the said D'Efiiat and De Thou; informations, + interrogations, confessions, denegations, and confrontations, and + authenticated copies of the treaty with Spain, it is considered in + the delegated chamber: + + "That he who conspires against the person of the ministers of + princes is considered by the ancient laws and constitutions of the + emperors to be guilty of high treason; (2) that the third ordinance + of the King Louis XI renders any one liable to the punishment of + death who does not reveal a conspiracy against the State. + + "The commissioners deputed by his Majesty have declared the said + D'Effiat and De Thou guilty and convicted of the crime of high + treason: + + "The said D'Effiat, for the conspiracies and enterprises, league, + and treaties, formed by him with the foreigner against the State; + + "And the said De Thou, for having a thorough knowledge of this + conspiracy. + + "In reparation of which crimes they have deprived them of all honors + and dignities, and condemned them to be deprived of their heads on a + scaffold, which is for this purpose erected in the Place des + Terreaux, in this city. + + "It is further declared that all and each of their possessions, real + and personal, be confiscated to the King, and that those which they + hold from the crown do pass immediately to it again of the aforesaid + goods, sixty thousand livres being devoted to pious uses." + +After the sentence was pronounced, M. de Thou exclaimed in a loud voice: + +"God be blessed! God be praised!" + +"I have never feared death," said Cinq-Mars, coldly. + +Then, according to the forms prescribed, M. Seyton, the lieutenant of +the Scotch guards, an old man upward of sixty years of age, declared +with emotion that he placed the prisoners in the hands of the Sieur +Thome, provost of the merchants of Lyons; he then took leave of them, +followed by the whole of the body-guard, silently, and in tears. + +"Weep not," said Cinq-Mars; "tears are useless. Rather pray for us; and +be assured that I do not fear death." + +He shook them by the hand, and De Thou embraced them; after which they +left the apartment, their eyes filled with tears, and hiding their faces +in their cloaks. + +"Barbarians!" exclaimed the Abbe Quillet; "to find arms against them, +one must search the whole arsenal of tyrants. Why did they admit me at +this moment?" + +"As a confessor, Monsieur," whispered one of the commissioners; "for no +stranger has entered this place these two months." + +As soon as the huge gates of the prison were closed, and the outside +gratings lowered, "To the terrace, in the name of Heaven!" again +exclaimed Grandchamp. And he drew his master and De Thou thither. + +The old preceptor followed them, weeping. + +"What do you want with us in a moment like this?" said Cinq-Mars, with +indulgent gravity. + +"Look at the chains of the town," said the faithful servant. + +The rising sun had hardly tinged the sky. In the horizon a line of vivid +yellow was visible, upon which the mountain's rough blue outlines were +boldly traced; the waves of the Saline, and the chains of the town +hanging from one bank to the other, were still veiled by a light vapor, +which also rose from Lyons and concealed the roofs of the houses from +the eye of the spectator. The first tints of the morning light had as +yet colored only the most elevated points of the magnificent landscape. +In the city the steeples of the Hotel de Ville and St. Nizier, and on +the surrounding hills the monasteries of the Carmelites and Ste.-Marie, +and the entire fortress of Pierre-Encise were gilded with the fires +of the coming day. The joyful peals from the churches were heard, the +peaceful matins from the convent and village bells. The walls of the +prison were alone silent. + +"Well," said Cinq-Mars, "what are we to see the beauty of the plains, +the richness of the city, or the calm peacefulness of these villages? +Ah, my friend, in every place there are to be found passions and griefs, +like those which have brought us here." + +The old Abbe and Grandchamp leaned over the parapet, watching the bank +of the river. + +"The fog is so thick, we can see nothing yet," said the Abbe. + +"How slowly our last sun appears!" said De Thou. + +"Do you not see low down there, at the foot of the rocks, on the +opposite bank, a small white house, between the Halincourt gate and the +Boulevard Saint Jean?" asked the Abbe. + +"I see nothing," answered Cinq-Mars, "but a mass of dreary wall." + +"Hark!" said the Abbe; "some one speaks near us!" + +In fact, a confused, low, and inexplicable murmur was heard in a little +turret, the back of which rested upon the platform of the terrace. As it +was scarcely larger than a pigeon-house, the prisoners had not until now +observed it. + +"Are they already coming to fetch us?" said Cinq-Mars. + +"Bah! bah!" answered Grandchamp, "do not make yourself uneasy; it is the +Tour des Oubliettes. I have prowled round the fort for two months, and +I have seen men fall from there into the water at least once a week. Let +us think of our affair. I see a light down there." + +An invincible curiosity, however, led the two prisoners to look at the +turret, in spite of the horror of their own situation. It advanced to +the extremity of the rock, over a gulf of foaming green water of great +depth. A wheel of a mill long deserted was seen turning with great +rapidity. Three distinct sounds were now heard, like those of a +drawbridge suddenly lowered and raised to its former position by a +recoil or spring striking against the stone walls; and three times a +black substance was seen to fall into the water with a splash. + +"Mercy! can these be men?" exclaimed the Abbe, crossing himself. + +"I thought I saw brown robes turning in the air," said Grandchamp; "they +are the Cardinal's friends." + +A horrible cry was heard from the tower, accompanied by an impious oath. +The heavy trap groaned for the fourth time. The green water received +with a loud noise a burden which cracked the enormous wheel of the mill; +one of its large spokes was torn away, and a man entangled in its beams +appeared above the foam, which he colored with his blood. He rose twice, +and sank beneath the waters, shrieking violently; it was Laubardemont. + +Cinq-Mars drew back in horror. + +"There is a Providence," said Grandchamp; "Urbain Grandier summoned +him in three years. But come, come! the time is precious! Do not remain +motionless. Be it he, I am not surprised, for those wretches devour each +other. But let us endeavor to deprive them of their choicest morsel. +Vive Dieu! I see the signal! We are saved! All is ready; run to this +side, Monsieur l'Abbe! See the white handkerchief at the window! our +friends are prepared." + +The Abbe seized the hands of both his friends, and drew them to that +side of the terrace toward which they had at first looked. "Listen to +me, both of you," said he. "You must know that none of the conspirators +has profited by the retreat you secured for them. They have all +hastened to Lyons, disguised, and in great number; they have distributed +sufficient gold in the city to secure them from being betrayed; they are +resolved to make an attempt to deliver you. The time chosen is that when +they are conducting you to the scaffold; the signal is your hat, which +you will place on your head when they are to commence." + +The worthy Abbe, half weeping, half smiling hopefully, related that +upon the arrest of his pupil he had hastened to Paris; that such secrecy +enveloped all the Cardinal's actions that none there knew the place +in which the master of the horse was detained. Many said that he was +banished; and when the reconciliation between Monsieur and the Duc de +Bouillon and the King was known, men no longer doubted that the life of +the other was assured, and ceased to speak of this affair, which, not +having been executed, compromised few persons. They had even in some +measure rejoiced in Paris to see the town of Sedan and its territory +added to the kingdom in exchange for the letters of abolition granted +to the Duke, acknowledged innocent in common with Monsieur; so that +the result of all the arrangements had been to excite admiration of the +Cardinal's ability, and of his clemency toward the conspirators, who, it +was said, had contemplated his death. They even spread the report +that he had facilitated the escape of Cinq-Mars and De Thou, occupying +himself generously with their retreat to a foreign land, after +having bravely caused them to be arrested in the midst of the camp of +Perpignan. + +At this part of the narrative, Cinq-Mars could not avoid forgetting his +resignation, and clasping his friend's hand, "Arrested!" he exclaimed. +"Must we renounce even the honor of having voluntarily surrendered +ourselves? Must we sacrifice all, even the opinion of posterity?" + +"There is vanity again," replied De Thou, placing his fingers on his +lips. "But hush! let us hear the Abbe to the end." + +The tutor, not doubting that the calmness which these two young men +exhibited arose from the joy they felt in finding their escape assured, +and seeing that the sun had hardly yet dispersed the morning mists, +yielded himself without restraint to the involuntary pleasure which old +men always feel in recounting new events, even though they afflict the +hearers. He related all his fruitless endeavors to discover his pupil's +retreat, unknown to the court and the town, where none, indeed, dared to +pronounce the name of Cinq-Mars in the most secret asylums. He had only +heard of the imprisonment at Pierre-Encise from the Queen herself, who +had deigned to send for him, and charge him to inform the Marechale +d'Effiat and all the conspirators that they might make a desperate +effort to deliver their young chief. Anne of Austria had even ventured +to send many of the gentlemen of Auvergne and Touraine to Lyons to +assist in their last attempt. + +"The good Queen!" said he; "she wept greatly when I saw her, and said +that she would give all she possessed to save you. She reproached +herself deeply for some letter, I know not what. She spoke of the +welfare of France, but did not explain herself. She said that she +admired you, and conjured you to save yourself, if it were only through +pity for her, whom you would otherwise consign to everlasting remorse." + +"Said she nothing else?" interrupted De Thou, supporting Cinq-Mars, who +grew visibly paler. + +"Nothing more," said the old man. + +"And no one else spoke of me?" inquired the master of the horse. + +"No one," said the Abbe. + +"If she had but written to me!" murmured Henri. + +"Remember, my father, that you were sent here as a confessor," said De +Thou. + +Here old Grandchamp, who had been kneeling before Cinq-Mars, and +dragging him by his clothes to the other side of the terrace, exclaimed +in a broken voice: + +"Monseigneur--my master--my good master--do you see them? Look +there--'tis they! 'tis they--all of them!" + +"Who, my old friend?" asked his master. + +"Who? Great Heaven! look at that window! Do you not recognize them? Your +mother, your sisters, and your brother." + +And the day, now fairly broken, showed him in the distance several women +waving their handkerchiefs; and there, dressed all in black, stretching +out her arms toward the prison, sustained by those about her, Cinq-Mars +recognized his mother, with his family, and his strength failed him for +a moment. He leaned his head upon his friend's breast and wept. + +"How many times must I, then, die?" he murmured; then, with a gesture, +returning from the top of the tower the salutations of his family, "Let +us descend quickly, my father!" he said to the old Abbe. "You will tell +me at the tribunal of penitence, and before God, whether the remainder +of my life is worth my shedding more blood to preserve it." + +It was there that Cinq-Mars confessed to God what he alone and Marie +de Mantua knew of their secret and unfortunate love. "He gave to his +confessor," says Father Daniel, "a portrait of a noble lady, set in +diamonds, which were to be sold, and the money employed in pious works." + +M. de Thou, after having confessed, wrote a letter;--[See the copy of +this letter to Madame la Princesse de Guemenee, in the notes at the +end of the volume.]--after which (according to the account given by his +confessor) he said, "This is the last thought I will bestow upon this +world; let us depart for heaven!" and walking up and down the room with +long strides, he recited aloud the psalm, 'Miserere mei, Deus', with an +incredible ardor of spirit, his whole frame trembling so violently it +seemed as if he did not touch the earth, and that the soul was about +to make its exit from his body. The guards were mute at this spectacle, +which made them all shudder with respect and horror. + +Meanwhile, all was calm in the city of Lyons, when to the great +astonishment of its inhabitants, they beheld the entrance through +all its gates of troops of infantry and cavalry, which they knew were +encamped at a great distance. The French and the Swiss guards, +the regiment of Pompadours, the men-at-arms of Maurevert, and the +carabineers of La Roque, all defiled in silence. The cavalry, with their +muskets on the pommel of the saddle, silently drew up round the chateau +of Pierre-Encise; the infantry formed a line upon the banks of the Saone +from the gate of the fortress to the Place des Terreaux. It was the +usual spot for execution. + + "Four companies of the bourgeois of Lyons, called 'pennonage', of + which about eleven or twelve hundred men, were ranged [says the + journal of Montresor] in the midst of the Place des Terreaux, so as + to enclose a space of about eighty paces each way, into which they + admitted no one but those who were absolutely necessary. + + "In the centre of this space was raised a scaffold about seven feet + high and nine feet square, in the midst of which, somewhat forward, + was placed a stake three feet in height, in front of which was a + block half a foot high, so that the principal face of the scaffold + looked toward the shambles of the Terreaux, by the side of the + Saone. Against the scaffold was placed a short ladder of eight + rounds, in the direction of the Dames de St. Pierre." + +Nothing had transpired in the town as to the name of the prisoners. The +inaccessible walls of the fortress let none enter or leave but at night, +and the deep dungeons had sometimes confined father and son for years +together, four feet apart from each other, without their even being +aware of the vicinity. The surprise was extreme at these striking +preparations, and the crowd collected, not knowing whether for a fete or +for an execution. + +This same secrecy which the agents of the minister had strictly +preserved was also carefully adhered to by the conspirators, for their +heads depended on it. + +Montresor, Fontrailles, the Baron de Beauvau, Olivier d'Entraigues, +Gondi, the Comte du Lude, and the Advocate Fournier, disguised as +soldiers, workmen, and morris-dancers, armed with poniards under their +clothes, had dispersed amid the crowd more than five hundred gentlemen +and domestics, disguised like themselves. Horses were ready on the road +to Italy, and boats upon the Rhone had been previously engaged. The +young Marquis d'Effiat, elder brother of Cinq-Mars, dressed as a +Carthusian, traversed the crowd, without ceasing, between the Place +des Terreaux and the little house in which his mother and sister were +concealed with the Presidente de Pontac, the sister of the unfortunate +De Thou. He reassured them, gave them from time to time a ray of hope, +and returned to the conspirators to satisfy himself that each was +prepared for action. + +Each soldier forming the line had at his side a man ready to poniard +him. + +The vast crowd, heaped together behind the line of guards, pushed them +forward, passed their lines, and made them lose ground. Ambrosio, +the Spanish servant whom Cinq-Mars had saved, had taken charge of the +captain of the pikemen, and, disguised as a Catalonian musician, had +commenced a dispute with him, pretending to be determined not to cease +playing the hurdy-gurdy. + +Every one was at his post. + +The Abbe de Gondi, Olivier d'Entraigues, and the Marquis d'Effiat were +in the midst of a group of fish-women and oyster-wenches, who were +disputing and bawling, abusing one of their number younger and more +timid than her masculine companions. The brother of Cinq-Mars approached +to listen to their quarrel. + +"And why," said she to the others, "would you have Jean le Roux, who +is an honest man, cut off the heads of two Christians, because he is +a butcher by trade? So long as I am his wife, I'll not allow it. I'd +rather--" + +"Well, you are wrong!" replied her companions. "What is't to thee +whether the meat he cuts is eaten or not eaten? Why, thou'lt have a +hundred crowns to dress thy three children all in new clothes. Thou'rt +lucky to be the wife of a butcher. Profit, then, 'ma mignonne', by what +God sends thee by the favor of his Eminence." + +"Let me alone!" answered the first speaker. "I'll not accept it. I've +seen these fine young gentlemen at the windows. They look as mild as +lambs." + +"Well! and are not thy lambs and calves killed?" said Femme le Bon. +"What fortune falls to this little woman! What a pity! especially when +it is from the reverend Capuchin!" + +"How horrible is the gayety of the people!" said Olivier d'Entraigues, +unguardedly. All the women heard him, and began to murmur against him. + +"Of the people!" said they; "and whence comes this little bricklayer +with his plastered clothes?" + +"Ah!" interrupted another, "dost not see that 'tis some gentleman in +disguise? Look at his white hands! He never worked a square; 'tis some +little dandy conspirator. I've a great mind to go and fetch the captain +of the watch to arrest him." + +The Abbe de Gondi felt all the danger of this situation, and throwing +himself with an air of anger upon Olivier, and assuming the manners of +a joiner, whose costume and apron he had adopted, he exclaimed, seizing +him by the collar: + +"You're just right. 'Tis a little rascal that never works! These two +years that my father's apprenticed him, he has done nothing but comb his +hair to please the girls. Come, get home with you!" + +And, striking him with his rule, he drove him through the crowd, and +returned to place himself on another part of the line. After having well +reprimanded the thoughtless page, he asked him for the letter which +he said he had to give to M. de Cinq-Mars when he should have escaped. +Olivier had carried it in his pocket for two months. He gave it him. "It +is from one prisoner to another," said he, "for the Chevalier de jars, +on leaving the Bastille, sent it me from one of his companions in +captivity." + +"Ma foi!" said Gondi, "there may be some important secret in it for our +friends. I'll open it. You ought to have thought of it before. Ah, bah! +it is from old Bassompierre. Let us read it. + + MY DEAR CHILD: I learn from the depths of the Bastille, where I + still remain, that you are conspiring against the tyrant Richelieu, + who does not cease to humiliate our good old nobility and the + parliaments, and to sap the foundations of the edifice upon which + the State reposes. I hear that the nobles are taxed and condemned + by petty judges, contrary to the privileges of their condition, + forced to the arriere-ban, despite the ancient customs." + +"Ah! the old dotard!" interrupted the page, laughing immoderately. + +"Not so foolish as you imagine, only he is a little behindhand for our +affair." + + "I can not but approve this generous project, and I pray you give me + to wot all your proceedings--" + +"Ah! the old language of the last reign!" said Olivier. "He can't say +'Make me acquainted with your proceedings,' as we now say." + +"Let me read, for Heaven's sake!" said the Abbe; "a hundred years hence +they'll laugh at our phrases." He continued: + + "I can counsel you, notwithstanding my great age, in relating to you + what happened to me in 1560." + +"Ah, faith! I've not time to waste in reading it all. Let us see the +end. + + "When I remember my dining at the house of Madame la Marechale + d'Effiat, your mother, and ask myself what has become of all the + guests, I am really afflicted. My poor Puy-Laurens has died at + Vincennes, of grief at being forgotten by Monsieur in his prison; + De Launay killed in a duel, and I am grieved at it, for although I + was little satisfied with my arrest, he did it with courtesy, and I + have always thought him a gentleman. As for me, I am under lock and + key until the death of M. le Cardinal. Ah, my child! we were + thirteen at table. We must not laugh at old superstitions. Thank + God that you are the only one to whom evil has not arrived!" + +"There again!" said Olivier, laughing heartily; and this time the Abbe +de Gondi could not maintain his gravity, despite all his efforts. + +They tore the useless letter to pieces, that it might not prolong the +detention of the old marechal, should it be found, and drew near the +Place des Terreaux and the line of guards, whom they were to attack when +the signal of the hat should be given by the young prisoner. + +They beheld with satisfaction all their friends at their posts, and +ready "to play with their knives," to use their own expression. The +people, pressing around them, favored them without being aware of it. +There came near the Abbe a troop of young ladies dressed in white and +veiled. They were going to church to communicate; and the nuns who +conducted them, thinking, like most of the people, that the preparations +were intended to do honor to some great personage, allowed them to mount +upon some large hewn stones, collected behind the soldiers. There they +grouped themselves with the grace natural to their age, like twenty +beautiful statues upon a single pedestal. One would have taken them +for those vestals whom antiquity invited to the sanguinary shows of the +gladiators. They whispered to each other, looking around them, laughing +and blushing together like children. + +The Abbe de Gondi saw with impatience that Olivier was again forgetting +his character of conspirator and his costume of a bricklayer in ogling +these girls, and assuming a mien too elegant, an attitude too refined, +for the position in life he was supposed to occupy. He already began to +approach them, turning his hair with his fingers, when Fontrailles and +Montresor fortunately arrived in the dress of Swiss soldiers. A group of +gentlemen, disguised as sailors, followed them with iron-shod staves +in their hands. There was a paleness on their faces which announced no +good. + +"Stop here!" said one of them to his suite; "this is the place." + +The sombre air and the silence of these spectators contrasted with the +gay and anxious looks of the girls, and their childish exclamations. + +"Ah, the fine procession!" they cried; "there are at least five hundred +men with cuirasses and red uniforms, upon fine horses. They've got +yellow feathers in their large hats." + +"They are strangers--Catalonians," said a French guard. + +"Whom are they conducting here? Ah, here is a fine gilt coach! but +there's no one in it." + +"Ah! I see three men on foot; where are they going?" + +"To death!" said Fontrailles, in a deep, stern voice which silenced +all around. Nothing was heard but the slow tramp of the horses, +which suddenly stopped, from one of those delays that happen in all +processions. They then beheld a painful and singular spectacle. An old +man with a tonsured head walked with difficulty, sobbing violently, +supported by two young men of interesting and engaging appearance, who +held one of each other's hands behind his bent shoulders, while with +the other each held one of his arms. The one on the left was dressed +in black; he was grave, and his eyes were cast down. The other, much +younger, was attired in a striking dress. A pourpoint of Holland cloth, +adorned with broad gold lace, and with large embroidered sleeves, +covered him from the neck to the waist, somewhat in the fashion of +a woman's corset; the rest of his vestments were in black velvet, +embroidered with silver palms. Gray boots with red heels, to which were +attached golden spurs; a scarlet cloak with gold buttons--all set off to +advantage his elegant and graceful figure. He bowed right and left with +a melancholy smile. + +An old servant, with white moustache, and beard, followed with his head +bent down, leading two chargers, richly comparisoned. The young ladies +were silent; but they could not restrain their sobs. + +"It is, then, that poor old man whom they are leading to the scaffold," +they exclaimed; "and his children are supporting him." + +"Upon your knees, ladies," said a man, "and pray for him!" + +"On your knees," cried Gondi, "and let us pray that God will deliver +him!" + +All the conspirators repeated, "On your knees! on your knees!" and set +the example to the people, who imitated them in silence. + +"We can see his movements better now," said Gondi, in a whisper to +Montresor. "Stand up; what is he doing?" + +"He has stopped, and is speaking on our side, saluting us; I think he +has recognized us." + +Every house, window, wall, roof, and raised platform that looked upon +the place was filled with persons of every age and condition. + +The most profound silence prevailed throughout the immense multitude. +One might have heard the wings of a gnat, the breath of the slightest +wind, the passage of the grains of dust which it raised; yet the air was +calm, the sun brilliant, the sky blue. The people listened attentively. +They were close to the Place des Terreaux; they heard the blows of the +hammer upon the planks, then the voice of Cinq-Mars. + +A young Carthusian thrust his pale face between two guards. All the +conspirators rose above the kneeling people. Every one put his hand to +his belt or in his bosom, approaching close to the soldier whom he was +to poniard. + +"What is he doing?" asked the Carthusian. "Has he his hat upon his +head?" + +"He throws his hat upon the ground far from him," calmly answered the +arquebusier. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. THE FETE + + "Mon Dieu! quest-ce que ce monde!" + + Dernieres paroles de M. Cinq-Mars + +The same day that the melancholy procession took place at Lyons, and +during the scenes we have just witnessed, a magnificent fete was given +at Paris with all the luxury and bad taste of the time. The powerful +Cardinal had determined to fill the first two towns in France with his +pomp. The Cardinal's return was the occasion on which this fete was +announced, as given to the King and all his court. + +Master of the French empire by force, the Cardinal desired to be master +of French opinion by seduction; and, weary of dominating, hoped +to please. The tragedy of "Mirame" was to be represented in a hall +constructed expressly for this great day, which raised the expenses of +this entertainment, says Pelisson, to three hundred thousand crowns. + +The entire guard of the Prime-Minister were under arms; his four +companies of musketeers and gens d'armes were ranged in a line upon +the vast staircases and at the entrance of the long galleries of the +Palais-Cardinal. This brilliant pandemonium, where the mortal sins have +a temple on each floor, belonged that day to pride alone, which occupied +it from top to bottom. Upon each step was placed one of the arquebusiers +of the Cardinal's guard, holding a torch in one hand and a long carbine +in the other. The crowd of his gentlemen circulated between these +living candelabra, while in the large garden, surrounded by huge +chestnut-trees, now replaced by a range of archers, two companies of +mounted light-horse, their muskets in their hands, were ready to obey +the first order or the first fear of their master. + +The Cardinal, carried and followed by his thirty-eight pages, took his +seat in his box hung with purple, facing that in which the King was half +reclining behind the green curtains which preserved him from the glare +of the flambeaux. The whole court filled the boxes, and rose when the +King appeared. The orchestra commenced a brilliant overture, and the pit +was thrown open to all the men of the town and the army who presented +themselves. Three impetuous waves of spectators rushed in and filled it +in an instant. They were standing, and so thickly pressed together that +the movement of a single arm sufficed to cause in the crowd a movement +similar to the waving of a field of corn. There was one man whose head +thus described a large circle, as that of a compass, without his feet +quitting the spot to which they were fixed; and some young men were +carried out fainting. + +The minister, contrary to custom, advanced his skeleton head out of +his box, and saluted the assembly with an air which was meant to be +gracious. This grimace obtained an acknowledgment only from the boxes; +the pit was silent. Richelieu had wished to show that he did not fear +the public judgment upon his work, and had given orders to admit without +distinction all who should present themselves. He began to repent +of this, but too late. The impartial assembly was as cold at the +tragedie-pastorale itself. In vain did the theatrical bergeres, covered +with jewels, raised upon red heels, with crooks ornamented with ribbons +and garlands of flowers upon their robes, which were stuck out with +farthingale's, die of love in tirades of two hundred verses; in vain +did the 'amants parfaits' starve themselves in solitary caves, deploring +their death in emphatic tones, and fastening to their hair ribbons of +the favorite color of their mistress; in vain did the ladies of the +court exhibit signs of perfect ecstasy, leaning over the edges of their +boxes, and even attempt a few fainting-fits--the silent pit gave no +other sign of life than the perpetual shaking of black heads with long +hair. + +The Cardinal bit his lips and played the abstracted during the first +and second acts; the silence in which the third and fourth passed off +so wounded his paternal heart that he had himself raised half out of the +balcony, and in this uncomfortable and ridiculous position signed to +the court to remark the finest passages, and himself gave the signal for +applause. It was acted upon from some of the boxes, but the impassible +pit was more silent than ever; leaving the affair entirely between +the stage and the upper regions, they obstinately remained neuter. The +master of Europe and France then cast a furious look at this handful of +men who dared not to admire his work, feeling in his heart the wish of +Nero, and thought for a moment how happy he should be if all those men +had but one head. + +Suddenly this black and before silent mass became animated, and endless +rounds of applause burst forth, to the great astonishment of the boxes, +and above all, of the minister. He bent forward and bowed gratefully, +but drew back on perceiving that the clapping of hands interrupted the +actors every time they wished to proceed. The King had the curtains +of his box, until then closed, opened, to see what excited so much +enthusiasm. The whole court leaned forward from their boxes, and +perceived among the spectators on the stage a young man, humbly dressed, +who had just seated himself there with difficulty. Every look was fixed +upon him. He appeared utterly embarrassed by this, and sought to cover +himself with his little black cloak-far too short for the purpose. "Le +Cid! le Cid!" cried the pit, incessantly applauding. + +"Terrified, Corneille escaped behind the scenes, and all was again +silent. The Cardinal, beside himself with fury, had his curtain closed, +and was carried into his galleries, where was performed another +scene, prepared long before by the care of Joseph, who had tutored +the attendants upon the point before quitting Paris. Cardinal Mazarin +exclaimed that it would be quicker to pass his Eminence through a long +glazed window, which was only two feet from the ground, and led from his +box to the apartments; and it opened and the page passed his +armchair through it. Hereupon a hundred voices rose to proclaim the +accomplishment of the grand prophecy of Nostradamus. They said: + +"The bonnet rouge!-that's Monseigneur; 'quarante onces!'--that's +Cinq-Mars; 'tout finira!'--that's De Thou. What a providential incident! +His Eminence reigns over the future as over the present." + +He advanced thus upon his ambulatory throne through the long and +splendid galleries, listening to this delicious murmur of a new +flattery; but insensible to the hum of voices which deified his genius, +he would have given all their praises for one word, one single gesture +of that immovable and inflexible public, even had that word been a +cry of hatred; for clamor can be stifled, but how avenge one's self on +silence? The people can be prevented from striking, but who can prevent +their waiting? Pursued by the troublesome phantom of public opinion, +the gloomy minister only thought himself in safety when he reached the +interior of his palace amid his flattering courtiers, whose adorations +soon made him forget that a miserable pit had dared not to admire him. +He had himself placed like a king in the midst of his vast apartments, +and, looking around him, attentively counted the powerful and submissive +men who surrounded him. + +Counting them, he admired himself. The chiefs of the great families, +the princes of the Church, the presidents of all the parliaments, the +governors of the provinces, the marshals and generals-in-chief of the +armies, the nuncio, the ambassadors of all the kingdoms, the deputies +and senators of the republics, were motionless, submissive, and ranged +around him, as if awaiting his orders. There was no longer a look to +brave his look, no longer a word to raise itself against his will, not a +project that men dared to form in the most secret recesses of the heart, +not a thought which did not proceed from his. Mute Europe listened to +him by its representatives. From time to time he raise an imperious +voice, and threw a self-satisfied word to this pompous circle, as a +man who throws a copper coin among a crowd of beggars. Then might be +distinguished, by the pride which lit up his looks and the joy visible +in his countenance, the prince who had received such a favor. + +Transformed into another man, he seemed to have made a step in the +hierarchy of power, so surrounded with unlooked-for adorations and +sudden caresses was the fortunate courtier, whose obscure happiness +the Cardinal did not even perceive. The King's brother and the Duc +de Bouillon stood in the crowd, whence the minister did not deign to +withdraw them. Only he ostentatiously said that it would be well +to dismantle a few fortresses, spoke at length of the necessity of +pavements and quays at Paris, and said in two words to Turenne that +he might perhaps be sent to the army in Italy, to seek his baton as +marechal from Prince Thomas. + +While Richelieu thus played with the great and small things of Europe, +amid his noisy fete, the Queen was informed at the Louvre that the time +was come for her to proceed to the Cardinal's palace, where the King +awaited her after the tragedy. The serious Anne of Austria did not +witness any play; but she could not refuse her presence at the fete of +the Prime-Minister. She was in her oratory, ready to depart, and covered +with pearls, her favorite ornament; standing opposite a large glass with +Marie de Mantua, she was arranging more to her satisfaction one or two +details of the young Duchess's toilette, who, dressed in a long pink +robe, was herself contemplating with attention, though with somewhat of +ennui and a little sullenness, the ensemble of her appearance. + +She saw her own work in Marie, and, more troubled, thought with deep +apprehension of the moment when this transient calm would cease, despite +the profound knowledge she had of the feeling but frivolous character of +Marie. Since the conversation at St.-Germain (the fatal letter), she had +not quitted the young Princess, and had bestowed all her care to lead +her mind to the path which she had traced out for her, for the most +decided feature in the character of Anne of Austria was an invincible +obstinacy in her calculations, to which she would fain have subjected +all events and all passions with a geometrical exactitude. There is no +doubt that to this positive and immovable mind we must attribute all the +misfortunes of her regency. The sombre reply of Cinq-Mars; his arrest; +his trial--all had been concealed from the Princesse Marie, whose first +fault, it is true, had been a movement of self-love and a momentary +forgetfulness. + +However, the Queen by nature was good-hearted, and had bitterly repented +her precipitation in writing words so decisive, and whose consequences +had been so serious; and all her endeavors had been applied to mitigate +the results. In reflecting upon her conduct in reference to the +happiness of France, she applauded herself for having thus, at one +stroke, stifled the germ of a civil war which would have shaken the +State to its very foundations. But when she approached her young friend +and gazed on that charming being whose happiness she was thus destroying +in its bloom, and reflected that an old man upon a throne, even, would +not recompense her for the eternal loss she was about to sustain; when +she thought of the entire devotion, the total abnegation of himself, she +had witnessed in a young man of twenty-two, of so lofty a character, +and almost master of the kingdom--she pitied Marie, and admired from her +very soul the man whom she had judged so ill. + +She would at least have desired to explain his worth to her whom he had +loved so deeply, and who as yet knew him not; but she still hoped that +the conspirators assembled at Lyons would be able to save him, and +once knowing him to be in a foreign land she could tell all to her dear +Marie. + +As to the latter, she had at first feared war. But surrounded by the +Queen's people, who had let nothing reach her ear but news dictated by +this Princess, she knew, or thought she knew, that the conspiracy had +not taken place; that the King and the Cardinal had returned to Paris +nearly at the same time; that Monsieur, relapsed for a while, had +reappeared at court; that the Duc de Bouillon, on ceding Sedan, had +also been restored to favor; and that if the 'grand ecuyer' had not +yet appeared, the reason was the more decided animosity of the Cardinal +toward him, and the greater part he had taken in the conspiracy. But +common sense and natural justice clearly said that having acted under +the order of the King's brother, his pardon ought to follow that of this +Prince. + +All then, had calmed the first uneasiness of her heart, while nothing +had softened the kind of proud resentment she felt against Cinq-Mars, so +indifferent as not to inform her of the place of his retreat, known +to the Queen and the whole court, while, she said to herself, she had +thought but of him. Besides, for two months the balls and fetes had +so rapidly succeeded each other, and so many mysterious duties had +commanded her presence, that she had for reflection and regret scarce +more than the time of her toilette, at which she was generally almost +alone. Every evening she regularly commenced the general reflection upon +the ingratitude and inconstancy of men--a profound and novel thought, +which never fails to occupy the head of a young person in the time of +first love--but sleep never permitted her to finish the reflection; and +the fatigue of dancing closed her large black eyes ere her ideas had +found time to classify themselves in her memory, or to present her with +any distinct images of the past. + +In the morning she was always surrounded by the young princesses of the +court, and ere she well had time to dress had to present herself in +the Queen's apartment, where awaited her the eternal, but now less +disagreeable homage of the Prince-Palatine. The Poles had had time to +learn at the court of France that mysterious reserve, that eloquent +silence which so pleases the women, because it enhances the importance +of things always secret, and elevates those whom they respect, so as to +preclude the idea of exhibiting suffering in their presence. Marie was +regarded as promised to King Uladislas; and she herself--we must confess +it--had so well accustomed herself to this idea that the throne of +Poland occupied by another queen would have appeared to her a monstrous +thing. She did not look forward with pleasure to the period of ascending +it, but had, however, taken possession of the homage which was rendered +her beforehand. Thus, without avowing it even to herself, she greatly +exaggerated the supposed offences of Cinq-Mars, which the Queen had +expounded to her at St. Germain. + +"You are as fresh as the roses in this bouquet," said the Queen. "Come, +'ma chere', are you ready? What means this pouting air? Come, let me +fasten this earring. Do you not like these toys, eh? Will you have +another set of ornaments?" + +"Oh, no, Madame. I think that I ought not to decorate myself at all, for +no one knows better than yourself how unhappy I am. Men are very cruel +toward us! + +"I have reflected on what you said, and all is now clear to me. Yes, it +is quite true that he did not love me, for had he loved me he would have +renounced an enterprise that gave me so much uneasiness. I told him, I +remember, indeed, which was very decided," she added, with an important +and even solemn air, "that he would be a rebel--yes, Madame, a rebel. I +told him so at Saint-Eustache. But I see that your Majesty was right. +I am very unfortunate! He had more ambition than love." Here a tear of +pique escaped from her eyes, and rolled quickly down her cheek, as a +pearl upon a rose. + +"Yes, it is certain," she continued, fastening her bracelets; "and +the greatest proof is that in the two months he has renounced his +enterprise--you told me that you had saved him--he has not let me know +the place of his retreat, while I during that time have been weeping, +have been imploring all your power in his favor; have sought but a word +that might inform me of his proceedings. I have thought but of him; +and even now I refuse every day the throne of Poland, because I wish to +prove to the end that I am constant, that you yourself can not make me +disloyal to my attachment, far more serious than his, and that we are of +higher worth than the men. But, however, I think I may attend this fete, +since it is not a ball." + +"Yes, yes, my dear child! come, come!" said the Queen, desirous of +putting an end to this childish talk, which afflicted her all the more +that it was herself who had encouraged it. "Come, you will see the union +that prevails between the princes and the Cardinal, and we shall perhaps +hear some good news." They departed. + +When the two princesses entered the long galleries of the +Palais-Cardinal, they were received and coldly saluted by the King and +the minister, who, closely surrounded by silent courtiers, were playing +at chess upon a small low table. All the ladies who entered with the +Queen or followed her, spread through the apartments; and soon soft +music sounded in one of the saloons--a gentle accompaniment to the +thousand private conversations carried on round the play tables. + +Near the Queen passed, saluting her, a young newly married couple--the +happy Chabot and the beautiful Duchesse de Rohan. They seemed to +shun the crowd, and to seek apart a moment to speak to each other of +themselves. Every one received them with a smile and looked after them +with envy. Their happiness was expressed as strongly in the countenances +of others as in their own. + +Marie followed them with her eyes. "Still they are happy," she whispered +to the Queen, remembering the censure which in her hearing had been +thrown upon the match. + +But without answering, Anne of Austria, fearful that in the crowd some +inconsiderate expression might inform her young friend of the mournful +event so interesting to her, placed herself with Marie behind the King. +Monsieur, the Prince-Palatine, and the Duc de Bouillon came to speak to +her with a gay and lively air. The second, however, casting upon Marie a +severe and scrutinizing glance, said to her: + +"Madame la Princesse, you are most surprisingly beautiful and gay this +evening." + +She was confused at these words, and at seeing the speaker walk away +with a sombre air. She addressed herself to the Duc d'Orleans, who did +not answer, and seemed not to hear her. Marie looked at the Queen, and +thought she remarked paleness and disquiet on her features. Meantime, no +one ventured to approach the minister, who was deliberately meditating +his moves. Mazarin alone, leaning over his chair, followed all the +strokes with a servile attention, giving gestures of admiration every +time that the Cardinal played. Application to the game seemed to have +dissipated for a moment the cloud that usually shaded the minister's +brow. He had just advanced a tower, which placed Louis's king in that +false position which is called "stalemate,"--a situation in which the +ebony king, without being personally attacked, can neither advance nor +retire in any direction. The Cardinal, raising his eyes, looked at his +adversary and smiled with one corner of his mouth, not being able +to avoid a secret analogy. Then, observing the dim eyes and dying +countenance of the Prince, he whispered to Mazarin: + +"Faith, I think he'll go before me. He is greatly changed." + +At the same time he himself was seized with a long and violent cough, +accompanied internally with the sharp, deep pain he so often felt in the +side. At the sinister warning he put a handkerchief to his mouth, which +he withdrew covered with blood. To hide it, he threw it under the table, +and looked around him with a stern smile, as if to forbid observation. +Louis XIII, perfectly insensible, did not make the least movement, +beyond arranging his men for another game with a skeleton and trembling +hand. There two dying men seemed to be throwing lots which should depart +first. + +At this moment a clock struck the hour of midnight. The King raised his +head. + +"Ah, ah!" he said; "this morning at twelve Monsieur le Grand had a +disagreeable time of it." + +A piercing shriek was uttered behind him. He shuddered, and threw +himself forward, upsetting the table. Marie de Mantua lay senseless in +the arms of the Queen, who, weeping bitterly, said in the King's ear: + +"Ah, Sire, your axe has a double edge." + +She then bestowed all her cares and maternal kisses upon the young +Princess, who, surrounded by all the ladies of the court, only came +to herself to burst into a torrent of tears. As soon as she opened her +eyes, "Alas! yes, my child," said Anne of Austria. "My poor girl, you +are Queen of Poland." + +It has often happened that the same event which causes tears to flow in +the palace of kings has spread joy without, for the people ever suppose +that happiness reigns at festivals. There were five days' rejoicings for +the return of the minister, and every evening under the windows of the +Palais-Cardinal and those of the Louvre pressed the people of Paris. +The late disturbances had given them a taste for public movements. They +rushed from one street to another with a curiosity at times insulting +and hostile, sometimes walking in silent procession, sometimes sending +forth loud peals of laughter or prolonged yells, of which no one +understood the meaning. Bands of young men fought in the streets and +danced in rounds in the squares, as if manifesting some secret hope of +pleasure and some insensate joy, grievous to the upright heart. + +It was remarkable that profound silence prevailed exactly in those +places where the minister had ordered rejoicings, and that the people +passed disdainfully before the illuminated facade of his palace. If some +voices were raised, it was to read aloud in a sneering tone the legends +and inscriptions with which the idiot flattery of some obscure writers +had surrounded the portraits of the minister. One of these pictures was +guarded by arquebusiers, who, however, could not preserve it from the +stones which were thrown at it from a distance by unseen hands. It +represented the Cardinal-Generalissimo wearing a casque surrounded by +laurels. Above it was inscribed: + + "Grand Duc: c'est justement que la France t'honore; + Ainsi que le dieu Mars dans Paris on t'adore." + +These fine phrases did not persuade the people that they were happy. +They no more adored the Cardinal than they did the god Mars, but they +accepted his fetes because they served as a covering for disorder. All +Paris was in an uproar. Men with long beards, carrying torches, measures +of wine, and two drinking-cups, which they knocked together with a great +noise, went along, arm in arm, shouting in chorus with rude voices an +old round of the League: + + "Reprenons la danse; + Allons, c'est assez. + Le printemps commence; + Les rois sont passes. + + "Prenons quelque treve; + Nous sommes lasses. + Les rois de la feve + Nous ont harasses. + + "Allons, Jean du Mayne, + Les rois sont passes. + + "Les rois de la feve + Nous ont harasses. + Allons, Jean du Mayne, + Les rois sont passes." + +The frightful bands who howled forth these words traversed the Quais and +the Pont-Neuf, squeezing against the high houses, which then covered the +latter, the peaceful citizens who were led there by simple curiosity. +Two young men, wrapped in cloaks, thus thrown one against the other, +recognized each other by the light of a torch placed at the foot of the +statue of Henri IV, which had been lately raised. + +"What! still at Paris?" said Corneille to Milton. "I thought you were in +London." + +"Hear you the people, Monsieur? Do you hear them? What is this ominous +chorus, + + 'Les rois sont passes'?" + +"That is nothing, Monsieur. Listen to their conversation." + +"The parliament is dead," said one of the men; "the nobles are dead. +Let us dance; we are the masters. The old Cardinal is dying. There is no +longer any but the King and ourselves." + +"Do you hear that drunken wretch, Monsieur?" asked Corneille. "All our +epoch is in those words of his." + +"What! is this the work of the minister who is called great among you, +and even by other nations? I do not understand him." + +"I will explain the matter to you presently," answered Corneille. "But +first listen to the concluding part of this letter, which I received +to-day. Draw near this light under the statue of the late King. We are +alone. The crowd has passed. Listen! + + "It was by one of those unforeseen circumstances which prevent the + accomplishment of the noblest enterprises that we were not able to + save MM. de Cinq-Mars and De Thou. We might have foreseen that, + prepared for death by long meditation, they would themselves refuse + our aid; but this idea did not occur to any of us. In the + precipitation of our measures, we also committed the fault of + dispersing ourselves too much in the crowd, so that we could not + take a sudden resolution. I was unfortunately stationed near the + scaffold; and I saw our unfortunate friends advance to the foot of + it, supporting the poor Abbe Quillet, who was destined to behold the + death of the pupil whose birth he had witnessed. He sobbed aloud, + and had strength enough only to kiss the hands of the two friends. + We all advanced, ready to throw ourselves upon the guards at the + announced signal; but I saw with grief M. de Cinq-Mars cast his hat + from him with an air of disdain. Our movement had been observed, + and the Catalonian guard was doubled round the scaffold. I could + see no more; but I heard much weeping around me. After the three + usual blasts of the trumpet, the recorder of Lyons, on horseback at + a little distance from the scaffold, read the sentence of death, to + which neither of the prisoners listened. M. de Thou said to M. de + Cinq-Mars: + + "'Well, dear friend, which shall die first? Do you remember Saint- + Gervais and Saint-Protais?' + + "'Which you think best,' answered Cinq-Mars. + + "The second confessor, addressing M. de Thou, said, 'You are the + elder.' + + "'True,' said M. de Thou; and, turning to M. le Grand, 'You are the + most generous; you will show me the way to the glory of heaven.' + + "'Alas!' said Cinq-Mars; 'I have opened to you that of the + precipice; but let us meet death nobly, and we shall revel in the + glory and happiness of heaven!' + + "Hereupon he embraced him, and ascended the scaffold with surprising + address and agility. He walked round the scaffold, and contemplated + the whole of the great assembly with a calm countenance, which + betrayed no sign of fear, and a serious and graceful manner. He + then went round once more, saluting the people on every side, + without appearing to recognize any of us, with a majestic and + charming expression of face; he then knelt down, raising his eyes to + heaven, adoring God, and recommending himself to Him. As he + embraced the crucifix, the father confessor called to the people to + pray for him; and M. le Grand, opening his arms, still holding his + crucifix, made the same request to the people. Then he readily + knelt before the block, holding the stake, placed his neck upon it, + and asked the confessor, 'Father, is this right?' Then, while they + were cutting off his hair, he raised his eyes to heaven, and said, + sighing: + + "'My God, what is this world? My God, I offer thee my death as a + satisfaction for my sins!' + + "'What are you waiting for? What are you doing there?' he said to + the executioner, who had not yet taken his axe from an old bag he + had brought with him. His confessor, approaching, gave him a + medallion; and he, with an incredible tranquillity of mind, begged + the father to hold the crucifix before his eyes, which he would not + allow to be bound. I saw the two trembling hands of the Abbe + Quillet, who raised the crucifix. At this moment a voice, as clear + and pure as that of an angel, commenced the 'Ave, maris stella'. + In the universal silence I recognized the voice of M. de Thou, who + was at the foot of the scaffold; the people repeated the sacred + strain. M. de Cinq-Mars clung more tightly to the stake; and I saw + a raised axe, made like the English axes. A terrible cry of the + people from the Place, the windows, and the towers told me that it + had fallen, and that the head had rolled to the ground. I had + happily strength enough left to think of his soul, and to commence a + prayer for him. + + "I mingled it with that which I heard pronounced aloud by our + unfortunate and pious friend De Thou. I rose and saw him spring + upon the scaffold with such promptitude that he might almost have + been said to fly. The father and he recited a psalm; he uttered it + with the ardor of a seraphim, as if his soul had borne his body to + heaven. Then, kneeling down, he kissed the blood of Cinq-Mars as + that of a martyr, and became himself a greater martyr. I do not + know whether God was pleased to grant him this last favor; but I saw + with horror that the executioner, terrified no doubt at the first + blow he had given, struck him upon the top of his head, whither the + unfortunate young man raised his hand; the people sent forth a long + groan, and advanced against the executioner. The poor wretch, + terrified still more, struck him another blow, which only cut the + skin and threw him upon the scaffold, where the executioner rolled + upon him to despatch him. A strange event terrified the people as + much as the horrible spectacle. M. de Cinq-Mars' old servant held + his horse as at a military funeral; he had stopped at the foot of + the scaffold, and like a man paralyzed, watched his master to the + end, then suddenly, as if struck by the same axe, fell dead under + the blow which had taken off his master's head. + + "I write these sad details in haste, on board a Genoese galley, into + which Fontrailles, Gondi, Entraigues, Beauvau, Du Lude, myself, and + others of the chief conspirators have retired. We are going to + England to await until time shall deliver France from the tyrant + whom we could not destroy. I abandon forever the service of the + base Prince who betrayed us. + + "MONTRESOR" + +"Such," continued Corneille, "has been the fate of these two young men +whom you lately saw so powerful. Their last sigh was that of the ancient +monarchy. Nothing more than a court can reign here henceforth; the +nobles and the senates are destroyed." + +"And this is your pretended great man!" said Milton. "What has he +sought to do? He would, then, create republics for future ages, since he +destroys the basis of your monarchy?" + +"Look not so far," answered Corneille; "he only seeks to reign until the +end of his life. He has worked for the present and not for the future; +he has continued the work of Louis XI; and neither one nor the other +knew what they were doing." + +The Englishman smiled. + +"I thought," he said, "that true genius followed another path. This man +has shaken all that he ought to have supported, and they admire him! I +pity your nation." + +"Pity it not!" exclaimed Corneille, warmly; "a man passes away, but a +people is renewed. This people, Monsieur, is gifted with an immortal +energy, which nothing can destroy; its imagination often leads it +astray, but superior reason will ever ultimately master its disorders." + +The two young and already great men walked, as they conversed, upon the +space which separates the statue of Henri IV from the Place Dauphine; +they stopped a moment in the centre of this Place. + +"Yes, Monsieur," continued Corneille, "I see every evening with what +rapidity a noble thought finds its echo in French hearts; and every +evening I retire happy at the sight. Gratitude prostrates the poor +people before this statue of a good king! Who knows what other monument +another passion may raise near this? Who can say how far the love of +glory will lead our people? Who knows that in the place where we now +are, there may not be raised a pyramid taken from the East?" + +"These are the secrets of the future," said Milton. "I, like yourself, +admire your impassioned nation; but I fear them for themselves. I do +not well understand them; and I do not recognize their wisdom when I see +them lavishing their admiration upon men such as he who now rules you. +The love of power is very puerile; and this man is devoured by it, +without having force enough to seize it wholly. By an utter absurdity, +he is a tyrant under a master. Thus has this colossus, never firmly +balanced, been all but overthrown by the finger of a boy. Does that +indicate genius? No, no! when genius condescends to quit the lofty +regions of its true home for a human passion, at least, it should grasp +that passion in its entirety. Since Richelieu only aimed at power, why +did he not, if he was a genius, make himself absolute master of power? +I am going to see a man who is not yet known, and whom I see swayed by +this miserable ambition; but I think that he will go farther. His name +is Cromwell!" + + + ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + + A cat is a very fine animal. It is a drawing-room tiger + A queen's country is where her throne is + Adopted fact is always better composed than the real one + Advantage that a calm temper gives one over men + All that he said, I had already thought + Always the first word which is the most difficult to say + Ambition is the saddest of all hopes + Art is the chosen truth + Artificialities of style of that period + Artistic Truth, more lofty than the True + As Homer says, "smiling under tears" + Assume with others the mien they wore toward him + But how avenge one's self on silence? + Dare now to be silent when I have told you these things + Daylight is detrimental to them + Deny the spirit of self-sacrifice + Difference which I find between Truth in art and the True in fac + Doubt, the greatest misery of love + Friendship exists only in independence and a kind of equality + Happy is he who does not outlive his youth + Hatred of everything which is superior to myself + He did not blush to be a man, and he spoke to men with force + Hermits can not refrain from inquiring what men say of them + History too was a work of art + I have burned all the bridges behind me + In pitying me he forgot himself + In every age we laugh at the costume of our fathers + In times like these we must see all and say all + It is not now what it used to be + It is too true that virtue also has its blush + Lofty ideal of woman and of love + Men are weak, and there are things which women must accomplish + Money is not a common thing between gentlemen like you and me + Monsieur, I know that I have lived too long + Neither idealist nor realist + Never interfered in what did not concern him + No writer had more dislike of mere pedantry + Offices will end by rendering great names vile + Princes ought never to be struck, except on the head + Princesses ceded like a town, and must not even weep + Principle that art implied selection + Recommended a scrupulous observance of nature + Remedy infallible against the plague and against reserve + Reproaches are useless and cruel if the evil is done + Should be punished for not having known how to punish + So strongly does force impose upon men + 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 + The usual remarks prompted by imbecility on such occasions + These ideas may serve as opium to produce a calm + They tremble while they threaten + They have believed me incapable because I was kind + They loved not as you love, eh? + This popular favor is a cup one must drink + This was the Dauphin, afterward Louis XIV + True talent paints life rather than the living + Truth, I here venture to distinguish from that of the True + Urbain Grandier + What use is the memory of facts, if not to serve as an example + Woman is more bitter than death, and her arms are like chains + Yes, we are in the way here + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Cinq Mars, Complete, by Alfred de Vigny + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CINQ MARS, COMPLETE *** + +***** This file should be named 3953.txt or 3953.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/5/3953/ + +Produced by David Widger + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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