Part 52 (1/2)
Mazarin wiped his forehead and looked around hio to the , but he dared not
”See what is going on, Monsieur D'Artagnan,” said he
D'Artagnan went to the ith his habitual composure ”Oho!” said he, ”what is this? Marechal de la Meilleraie returning without a hat--Fontrailles with his ar; eh, then, what are the sentinels about? They are ai to fire!”
”They have received orders to fire on the people if the people approach the Palais Royal!” exclaimed Mazarin
”But if they fire, all is lost!” cried D'Artagnan
”We have the gates”
”The gates! to hold for five ates, they will be torn doisted into iron wire, ground to powder! God's death, don't fire!” screa open the
In spite of this reco to the noise, could scarcely have been heard, two or three e The ballsthe facade of the Palais Royal, and one of thenan's arm, entered and broke ahilass!”
”Oh,the , ”it is not worth while weeping yet, for probably an hour hence there will not be one of yourin the Palais Royal, whether they be Venetian or Parisian”
”But what do you advise, then?” asked Mazarin, treive up Broussel as they demand! What the devil do you ith a member of the parliament? He is of no earthly use to anybody”
”And you, Monsieur du Vallon, is that your advice? What would you do?”
”I should give up Broussel,” said Porthos
”Coo and discuss the matter with the queen”
He stopped at the end of the corridor and said: ”I can count upon you, gentleive ourselves twice over,” said D'Artagnan; ”we have given ourselves to you; command, we shall obey”
”Very well, then,” said Mazarin; ”enter this cabinet and wait till I co-room by another door
48 The Riot beconan and Porthos had been ushered was separated fro-room where the queen was by tapestried curtains only, and this thin partition enabled the roos, small as it was, per in the rooreat that it es, Villequier and Guitant were behind her and the woain were behind the men The Chancellor Sequier, enty years previously had persecuted her so ruthlessly, stood before her, relating how his carriage had been smashed, how he had been pursued and had rushed into the Hotel d'O----, that the hotel was ied and devastated; happily he had time to reach a closet hidden behind tapestry, in which he was secreted by an old woether with his brother, the Bishop of Meaux Then the danger was so i such threats, that the chancellor thought his last hour had come and confessed himself to his brother priest, so as to be all ready to die in case he was discovered Fortunately, however, he had not been taken; the people, believing that he had escaped by some back entrance, retired and left hiuised in he clothes of the Marquis d'O----, he had left the hotel, stuuards who had been killed whilst defending the street door
During the recital Mazarin entered and glided noiselessly up to the queen to listen
”Well,” said the queen, when the chancellor had finished speaking; ”what do you think of it all?”
”I think that loomy, madame”
”But what step would you propose to me?”
”I could propose one to your majesty, but I dare not”
”You may, you may, sir,” said the queen with a bitter smile; ”you were not so timid once”
The chancellor reddened and stammered some words
”It is not a question of the past, but of the present,” said the queen; ”you said you could give me advice--what is it?”
”Mada, ”it would be to release Broussel”
The queen, although already pale, became visibly paler and her face was contracted
”Release Broussel!” she cried, ”never!”
At this moment steps were heard in the ante-room and without any announcement the Marechal de la Meilleraie appeared at the door
”Ah, there you are, marechal,” cried Anne of Austria joyfully ”I trust you have brought this rabble to reason”
”Madame,” replied the marechal, ”I have left three men on the Pont Neuf, four at the Halle, six at the corner of the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec and two at the door of your palace--fifteen in all I have brought away ten or twelve wounded I know not where I have left my hat, and in all probability I should have been left with my hat, had the coadjutor not arrived in time to rescue me”
”Ah, indeed,” said the queen, ”it would have s, had not been mixed up with all this”
”Madaainst him before me, for the service he rendered ood,” said the queen, ”be as grateful as you like, it does not implicate me; you are here safe and sound, that is all I wished for; you are not only welcome, but welcome back”
”Yes, madame; but I only came back on one condition--that I would transmit to your majesty the will of the people”
”The will!” exclai ”Oh! oh! monsieur marechal, you must indeed have found yourself in wondrous peril to have undertaken so strange a commission!”
The irony hich these words were uttered did not escape the marechal
”Pardon, madame,” he said, ”I am not a lawyer, I am a mere soldier, and probably, therefore, I do not quite coht to have said the wishes, and not the will, of the people As for what you do me the honor to say, I presume you mean I was afraid?”
The queen smiled
”Well, then, h twelve pitched battles and I cannot count how es and skirmishes, I own for the third time in my life I was afraid Yes, and I would rather face youryour smile, than face those de from I know not whence, unless fronan in a whisper to Porthos; ”well answered”) ”Well,” said the queen, biting her lips, whilst her courtiers looked at each other with surprise, ”what is the desire of iven up to them, madame”
”Never!” said the queen, ”never!”
”Youra few steps
”Where are you going, ive your majesty's reply to those ait it”
”Stay, marechal; I will not appear to parley with rebels”