twenty years after(二十年后)-第94章

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〃Yes；　but　fortunately　we　have　no　Oliver　Cromwell　in　France；〃
replied　the　queen。
〃Who　knows？〃　said　Gondy；　〃such　men　are　like　thunderbolts　
one　recognizes　them　only　when　they　have　struck。〃
Every　one　shuddered　and　there　was　a　moment　of　silence；
during　which　the　queen　pressed　her　hand　to　her　side；
evidently　to　still　the　beatings　of　her　heart。
（〃Porthos；〃　murmured　D'Artagnan；　〃look　well　at　that　priest。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　see　him。　What　then？〃
〃Well；　he　is　a　man。〃
Porthos　looked　at　D'Artagnan　in　astonishment。　Evidently　he
did　not　understand　his　meaning。）
〃Your　majesty；〃　continued　the　coadjutor；　pitilessly；　〃is
about　to　take　such　measures　as　seem　good　to　you；　but　I
foresee　that　they　will　be　violent　and　such　as　will　still
further　exasperate　the　rioters。〃
〃In　that　case；　you；　monsieur　le　coadjuteur；　who　have　such
power　over　them　and　are　at　the　same　time　friendly　to　us；〃
said　the　queen；　ironically；　〃will　quiet　them　by　bestowing
your　blessing　upon　them。〃
〃Perhaps　it　will　be　too　late；〃　said　Gondy；　still　unmoved；
〃perhaps　I　shall　have　lost　all　influence；　while　by　giving　up
Broussel　your　majesty　will　strike　at　the　root　of　the
sedition　and　will　gain　the　right　to　punish　severely　any
revival　of　the　revolt。〃
〃Have　I　not；　then；　that　right？〃　cried　the　queen。
〃If　you　have　it；　use　it；〃　replied　Gondy。
（〃Peste！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　Porthos。　〃There　is　a　man　after
my　own　heart。　Oh！　if　he　were　minister　and　I　were　his
D'Artagnan；　instead　of　belonging　to　that　beast　of　a　Mazarin；
mordieu！　what　fine　things　we　would　do　together！〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos。）
The　queen　made　a　sign　for　every　one；　except　Mazarin；　to　quit
the　room；　and　Gondy　bowed；　as　if　to　leave　with　the　rest。
〃Stay；　sir；〃　said　Anne　to　him。
〃Good；〃　thought　Gondy；　〃she　is　going　to　yield。〃
（〃She　is　going　to　have　him　killed；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to
Porthos；　〃but　at　all　events　it　shall　not　be　by　me。　I　swear
to　Heaven；　on　the　contrary；　that　if　they　fall　upon　him　I
will　fall　upon　them。〃
〃And　I；　too；〃　said　Porthos。）
〃Good；〃　muttered　Mazarin；　sitting　down；　〃we　shall　soon　see
something　startling。〃
The　queen's　eyes　followed　the　retreating　figures　and　when
the　last　had　closed　the　door　she　turned　away。　It　was　evident
that　she　was　making　unnatural　efforts　to　subdue　her　anger；
she　fanned　herself；　smelled　at　her　vinaigrette　and　walked　up
and　down。　Gondy；　who　began　to　feel　uneasy；　examined　the
tapestry　with　his　eyes；　touched　the　coat　of　mail　which　he
wore　under　his　long　gown　and　felt　from　time　to　time　to　see
if　the　handle　of　a　good　Spanish　dagger；　which　was　hidden
under　his　cloak；　was　well　within　reach。
〃And　now；〃　at　last　said　the　queen；　〃now　that　we　are　alone；
repeat　your　counsel；　monsieur　le　coadjuteur。〃
〃It　is　this；　madame：　that　you　should　appear　to　have
reflected；　and　publicly　acknowledge　an　error；　which
constitutes　the　extra　strength　of　a　strong　government；
release　Broussel　from　prison　and　give　him　back　to　the
people。〃
〃Oh！〃　cried　Anne；　〃to　humble　myself　thus！　Am　I；　or　am　I　not；
the　queen？　This　screaming　mob；　are　they；　or　are　they　not；　my
subjects？　Have　I　friends？　Have　I　guards？　Ah！　by　Notre　Dame！
as　Queen　Catherine　used　to　say；〃　continued　she；　excited　by
her　own　words；　〃rather　than　give　up　this　infamous　Broussel
to　them　I　will　strangle　him　with　my　own　hands！〃
And　she　sprang　toward　Gondy；　whom　assuredly　at　that　moment
she　hated　more　than　Broussel；　with　outstretched　arms。　The
coadjutor　remained　immovable　and　not　a　muscle　of　his　face
was　discomposed；　only　his　glance　flashed　like　a　sword　in
returning　the　furious　looks　of　the　queen。
（〃He　were　a　dead　man）〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃if　there　were　still
a　Vitry　at　the　court　and　if　Vitry　entered　at　this　moment；
but　for　my　part；　before　he　could　reach　the　good　prelate　I
would　kill　Vitry　at　once；　the　cardinal　would　be　infinitely
pleased　with　me。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　Porthos；　〃listen。〃）
〃Madame；〃　cried　the　cardinal；　seizing　hold　of　Anne　and
drawing　her　back；　〃Madame；　what　are　you　about？〃
Then　he　added　in　Spanish；　〃Anne；　are　you　mad？　You；　a　queen
to　quarrel　like　a　washerwoman！　And　do　you　not　perceive　that
in　the　person　of　this　priest　is　represented　the　whole　people
of　Paris　and　that　it　is　dangerous　to　insult　him　at　this
moment；　and　if　this　priest　wished　it；　in　an　hour　you　would
be　without　a　crown？　Come；　then；　on　another　occasion　you　can
be　firm　and　strong；　but　to…day　is　not　the　proper　time；
to…day；　flatter　and　caress；　or　you　are　only　a　common　woman。〃
（At　the　first　words　of　this　address　D'Artagnan　had　seized
Porthos's　arm；　which　he　pressed　with　gradually　increasing
force。　When　Mazarin　ceased　speaking　he　said　to　Porthos　in　a
low　tone：
〃Never　tell　Mazarin　that　I　understand　Spanish；　or　I　am　a
lost　man　and　you　are　also。〃
〃All　right；〃　said　Porthos。）
This　rough　appeal；　marked　by　the　eloquence　which
characterized　Mazarin　when　he　spoke　in　Italian　or　Spanish
and　which　he　lost　entirely　in　speaking　French；　was　uttered
with　such　impenetrable　expression　that　Gondy；　clever
physiognomist　as　he　was；　had　no　suspicion　of　its　being　more
than　a　simple　warning　to　be　more　subdued。
The　queen；　on　her　part；　thus　chided；　softened　immediately
and　sat　down；　and　in　an　almost　weeping　voice；　letting　her
arms　fall　by　her　side；　said：
〃Pardon　me；　sir；　and　attribute　this　violence　to　what　I
suffer。　A　woman；　and　consequently　subject　to　the　weaknesses
of　my　sex；　I　am　alarmed　at　the　idea　of　civil　war；　a　queen；
accustomed　to　be　obeyed；　I　am　excited　at　the　first
opposition。〃
〃Madame；〃　replied　Gondy；　bowing；　〃your　majesty　is　mistaken
in　qualifying　my　sincere　advice　as　opposition。　Your　majesty
has　none　but　submissive　and　respectful　subjects。　It　is　not
the　queen　with　whom　the　people　are　displeased；　they　ask　for
Broussel　and　are　only　too　happy；　if　you　release　him　to　them；
to　live　under　your　government。〃
Mazarin；　who　at　the　words；　〃It　is　not　the　queen　with　whom
the　people　are　displeased；〃　had　pricked　up　his　ears；
thinking　that　the　coadjutor　was　about　to　speak　of　the　cries；
〃Down　with　Mazarin；〃　and　pleased　with　Gondy's　suppression　of
this　fact；　he　said　with　his　sweetest　voice　and　his　most
gracious　expression：
〃Madame；　credit　the　coadjutor；　who　is　one　of　the　most　able
politicians　we　have；　the　first　available　cardinal's　hat
seems　to　belong　already　to　his　noble　brow。〃
〃Ah！　how　much　you　have　need　of　me；　cunning　rogue！〃　thought
Gondy。
（〃And　what　will　he　promise　us？〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Peste；　if
he　is　giving　away　hats　like　that；　Porthos；　let　us　look　out
and　both　demand　a　regiment　to…morrow。　Corbleu！　let　the　civil
war　last　but　one　year　and　I　will　have　a　constable's　sword
gilt　for　me。〃
〃And　for　me？〃　put　in　Porthos。
〃For　you？　I　will　give　you　the　baton　of　the　Marechal　de　la
Meilleraie；　who　does　not　seem　to　be　much　in　favor　just
now。〃）
〃And　so；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　〃you　are　seriously　afraid　of
a　public　tumult。〃
〃Seriously；〃　said　Gondy；　astonished　at　not　having　further
advanced；　〃I　fear　that　when　the　torrent　has　broken　its
embankment　it　will　cause　fearful　destruction。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　the　queen；　〃think　that　in　such　a　case　other
embankments　should　be　raised　to　oppose　it。　Go；　I　will
reflect。〃
Gondy　looked　at　Mazarin；　astonished；　and　Mazarin　approached
the　queen　to　speak　to　her；　but　at　this　moment　a　frightful
tumult　arose　from　the　square　of　the　Palais　Royal。
Gondy　smiled；　the　queen's　color　rose　and　Mazarin　grew　even
paler。
〃What　is　that　again？〃　he　asked。
At　this　moment　Comminges　rushed　into　the　room。
〃Pardon；　your　majesty；〃　he　cried；　〃but　the　people　have
dashed　the　sentinels　against　the　gates　and　they　are　now
forcing　the　doors；　what　are　your　commands？〃
〃Listen；　madame；〃　said　Gondy。
The　moaning　of　waves；　the　noise　of　thunder；　the　roaring　of　a
volcano；　cannot　be　compared　with　the　tempest　of　cries　heard
at　that　moment。
〃What　are　my　commands？〃　said　the　queen。
〃Yes；　for　time　presses。〃
〃How　many　men　have　you　about　the　Palais　Royal？〃
〃Six　hundred。〃
〃Place　a　hundred　around　the　king　and　with　the　remainder
sweep　away　this　mob　for　me。〃
〃Madame；〃　cried　Mazarin；　〃what　are　you　about？〃
〃Go！〃　said　the　queen。
Comminges　went　out　with　a　soldier's　passive　obedience。
At　this　moment　a　monstrous　battering　was　heard。　One　of　the
gates　began　to　yield。
〃Oh！　madame；〃　cried　Mazarin；　〃you　have　ruined　us　all　　the
king；　yourself