Part 91 (1/2)
Aramis shook his head
”'Tis a last resource, but let us not employ it till it is imperatively called for; let us rather persevere in our researches”
They continued their inquiries and at last uard which had escorted D'Artagnan to Rueil
Athos, however, perpetually recurred to his proposed intervieith the queen
”In order to see the queen,” said Aramis, ”we must first see the cardinal; and e have seen the cardinal--remember what I tell you, Athos--we shall be reunited to our friends, but not in the way you wish Now, that way of joining them is not very attractive to me, I confess Let us act in freedoo,” he said, ”to the queen”
”Well, then,” answered Aramis, ”pray tell me a day or two beforehand, that Ito Paris”
”To whoueville She is all-powerful yonder; she will help me But send me word should you be arrested, for then I will return directly”
”Why do you not take your chance and be arrested witharrested, be all four together again, we should not, I a free”
”My friend, since I killed Chatillon, adored of the ladies of Saint Gerreat a celebrity not to fear a prison doubly The queen is likely to follow Mazarin's counsels and to have me tried”
”Do you think she loves this Italian so lishman?”
”My friend, she is a woman”
”No, no, you are deceived--she is a queen”
”Dear friend, I shall sacrifice o and see Anne of Austria”
”Adieu, Athos, I a to raise an are Rueil”
”Where shall we allows”
The two friends departed--Aramis to return to Paris, Athos to take measures preparatory to an intervieith the queen
80 The Gratitude of Anne of Austria
Athos foundan audience of Anne of Austria It was granted, and was to take place after her hts of birth, he was entitled to be present A vast crowd filled the apartments of Saint Gere a court; but this crowd represented chiefly the second class of nobility, while the Prince de Conti, the Duc de Beaufort and the coadjutor assereatest possible gayety prevailed at court The particular characteristic of this was thatits continuance The court s on the Parisians and the Parisians on the court; and the casualties, though not mortal, were painful, as are all wounds inflicted by the weapon of ridicule
In thehilarity, nevertheless, people's minds were uneasy Was Mazarin to remain the favorite and minister of the queen? Was he to be carried back by the hich had blown him there? Every one hoped so, so that the e of the courtiers, lay a fund of hatred, ill disguised by fear and interest He felt ill at ease and at a loss what to do
Conde hi for hi him The queen, on whom he threw himself as sole support, seemed to him now not much to be relied upon
When the hour appointed for the audience arrived Athos was obliged to stay until the queen, aited upon by a new deputation from Paris, had consulted with hertherossed with the affairs of the day; Athos could not therefore have chosen a more inauspicious ing ind
But Athos was a man of inflexible determination; he firmly adhered to a purpose once for from conscience and to be pro introduced, saying that although he was not a deputy from Monsieur de Conti, or Monsieur de Beaufort, or Monsieur de Bouillon, or Monsieur d'Elbeuf, or the coadjutor, or Madah he had cos to say to herfinished, the queen summoned him to her cabinet
Athos was introduced and announced by name It was a name that too often resounded in her majesty's ears and too often vibrated in her heart for Anne of Austria not to recognize it; yet she re at him with that fixed stare which is tolerated only in women who are queens, either by the power of beauty or by the right of birth
”It is then a service which you propose to render us, count?” asked Anne of Austria, after a moment's silence
”Yes, madame, another service,” said Athos, shocked that the queen did not seenize him
Athos had a noble heart, and made, therefore, but a poor courtier
Anne frowned Mazarin, as sitting at a table folding up papers, as if he had only been a secretary of state, looked up
”Speak,” said the queen
Mazarin turned again to his papers
”Madanan and Monsieur du Vallon, sent to England by the cardinal, suddenly disappeared when they set foot on the shores of France; no one knohat has become of them”
”Well?” said the queen
”I address myself, therefore, first to the benevolence of your majesty, that Itohereafter to your justice”
”Sir,” replied Anne, with a degree of haughtiness which to certain persons became impertinence, ”this is the reason that you troubleconcerns! an affair for the police! Well, sir, you ought to know that we no longer have a police, since we are no longer at Paris”
”I think your majesty will have no need to apply to the police to knohere ate the cardinal he can reply without any further inquiry than into his own recollections”
”But, God forgive me!” cried Anne, with that disdainful curl of the lips peculiar to her, ”I believe that you are yourself interrogating”