〃What！〃 exclaimed the queen； when the last of them had
quitted the apartment； 〃you would yield to these limbs of
the law these advocates？〃
〃To promote your majesty's welfare； madame；〃 replied
Mazarin； fixing his penetrating eyes on the queen； 〃there is
no sacrifice that I would not make。〃
Anne dropped her head and fell into one of those reveries so
habitual with her。 A recollection of Athos came into her
mind。 His fearless deportment； his words； so firm； yet
dignified； the shades which by one word he had evoked；
recalled to her the past in all its intoxication of poetry
and romance； youth； beauty； the eclat of love at twenty
years of age； the bloody death of Buckingham； the only man
whom she had ever really loved； and the heroism of those
obscure champions who had saved her from the double hatred
of Richelieu and the king。
Mazarin looked at her； and whilst she deemed herself alone
and freed from the world of enemies who sought to spy into
her secret thoughts； he read her thoughts in her
countenance； as one sees in a transparent lake clouds pass
reflections； like thoughts； of the heavens。
〃Must we； then；〃 asked Anne of Austria； 〃yield to the storm；
buy peace； and patiently and piously await better times？〃
Mazarin smiled sarcastically at this speech； which showed
that she had taken the minister's proposal seriously。
Anne's head was bent down she had not seen the Italian's
smile； but finding that her question elicited no reply she
looked up。
〃Well； you do not answer； cardinal； what do you think about
it？〃
〃I am thinking； madame； of the allusion made by that
insolent gentleman； whom you have caused to be arrested； to
the Duke of Buckingham to him whom you allowed to be
assassinated to the Duchess de Chevreuse； whom you
suffered to be exiled to the Duc de Beaufort； whom you
imprisoned； but if he made allusion to me it was because he
is ignorant of the relation in which I stand to you。〃
Anne drew up； as she always did； when anything touched her
pride。 She blushed； and that she might not answer； clasped
her beautiful hands till her sharp nails almost pierced
them。
〃That man has sagacity； honor and wit； not to mention
likewise that he is a man of undoubted resolution。 You know
something about him； do you not； madame？ I shall tell him；
therefore； and in doing so I shall confer a personal favor
on him； how he is mistaken in regard to me。 What is proposed
to me would be； in fact； almost an abdication； and an
abdication requires reflection。〃
〃An abdication？〃 repeated Anne； 〃I thought； sir； that it was
kings alone who abdicated！〃
〃Well；〃 replied Mazarin； 〃and am I not almost a king
king； indeed； of France？ Thrown over the foot of the royal
bed； my simar； madame； looks not unlike the mantle worn by
kings。〃
This was one of the humiliations which Mazarin made Anne
undergo more frequently than any other； and one that bowed
her head with shame。 Queen Elizabeth and Catherine II。 of
Russia are the only two monarchs of their set on record who
were at once sovereigns and lovers。 Anne of Austria looked
with a sort of terror at the threatening aspect of the
cardinal his physiognomy in such moments was not
destitute of a certain grandeur。
〃Sir；〃 she replied； 〃did I not say； and did you not hear me
say to those people； that you should do as you pleased？〃
〃In that case；〃 said Mazarin； 〃I think it must please me
best to remain； not only on account of my own interest； but
for your safety。〃
〃Remain； then； sir； nothing can be more agreeable to me；
only do not allow me to be insulted。〃
〃You are referring to the demands of the rebels and to the
tone in which they stated them？ Patience！ They have selected
a field of battle on which I am an abler general than they
that of a conference。 No； we shall beat them by merely
temporizing。 They want food already。 They will be ten times
worse off in a week。〃
〃Ah； yes！ Good heavens！ I know it will end in that way； but
it is not they who taunt me with the most wounding
reproaches； but 〃
〃I understand； you mean to allude to the recollections
perpetually revived by these three gentlemen。 However； we
have them safe in prison； and they are just sufficiently
culpable for us to keep them in prison as long as we find it
convenient。 One only is still not in our power and braves
us。 But； devil take him！ we shall soon succeed in sending
him to join his boon companions。 We have accomplished more
difficult things than that。 In the first place I have as a
precaution shut up at Rueil； near me； under my own eyes；
within reach of my hand； the two most intractable ones。
To…day the third will be there also。〃
〃As long as they are in prison all will be well；〃 said Anne；
〃but one of these days they will get out。〃
〃Yes； if your majesty releases them。〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Anne； following the train of her own
thoughts on such occasions； 〃one regrets Paris！〃
〃Why so？〃
〃On account of the Bastile； sir； which is so strong and so
secure。〃
〃Madame； these conferences will bring us peace； when we have
peace we shall regain Paris； with Paris； the Bastile； and
our four bullies shall rot therein。〃
Anne frowned slightly when Mazarin； in taking leave； kissed
her hand。
Mazarin； after this half humble； half gallant attention；
went away。 Anne followed him with her eyes； and as he
withdrew； at every step he took； a disdainful smile was seen
playing； then gradually burst upon her lips。
〃I once；〃 she said； 〃despised the love of a cardinal who
never said ‘I shall do；' but； ‘I have done so and so。' That
man knew of retreats more secure than Rueil； darker and more
silent even than the Bastile。 Degenerate world！〃
82
Precaution's。
After quitting Anne； Mazarin took the road to Rueil； where
he usually resided； in those times of disturbance he went
about with numerous followers and often disguised himself。
In military dress he was； indeed； as we have stated； a very
handsome man。
In the court of the old Chateau of Saint Germain he entered
his coach； and reached the Seine at Chatou。 The prince had
supplied him with fifty light horse； not so much by way of
guard as to show the deputies how readily the queen's
generals dispersed their troops and to prove that they might
be safely scattered at pleasure。 Athos； on horseback；
without his sword and kept in sight by Comminges； followed
the cardinal in silence。 Grimaud； finding that his master
had been arrested； fell back into the ranks near Aramis；
without saying a word and as if nothing had happened。
Grimaud had； indeed； during twenty…two years of service；
seen his master extricate himself from so many difficulties
that nothing less than Athos's imminent death was likely to
make him uneasy。
At the branching off of the road toward Paris； Aramis； who
had followed in the cardinal's suite； turned back。 Mazarin
went to the right hand and Aramis could see the prisoner
disappear at the turning of the avenue。 Athos； at the same
moment； moved by a similar impulse； looked back also。 The
two friends exchanged a simple inclination of the head and
Aramis put his finger to his hat； as if to bow； Athos alone
comprehending by that signal that he had some project in his
head。
Ten minutes afterward Mazarin entered the court of that
chateau which his predecessor had built for him at Rueil； as
he alighted； Comminges approached him。
〃My lord；〃 he asked； 〃where does your eminence wish Monsieur
Comte de la Fere to be lodged？〃
〃In the pavilion of the orangery； of course； in front of the
pavilion where the guard is。 I wish every respect to be
shown the count； although he is the prisoner of her majesty
the queen。〃
〃My lord；〃 answered Comminges； 〃he begs to be taken to the
place where Monsieur d'Artagnan is confined that is； in
the hunting lodge； opposite the orangery。
Mazarin thought for an instant。
Comminges saw that he was undecided。
〃'Tis a very strong post；〃 he resumed； 〃and we have forty
good men； tried soldiers； having no connection with
Frondeurs nor any interest in the Fronde。〃
〃If we put these three men together； Monsieur Comminges；〃
said Mazarin； 〃we must double the guard； and we are not rich
enough in fighting men to commit such acts of prodigality。〃
Comminges smiled； Mazarin read and construed that smile。
〃You do not know these men； Monsieur Comminges； but I know
them； first personally； also by hearsay。 I sent them to
carry aid to King Charles and they performed prodigies to
save him； had it not been for an adverse destiny； that
beloved monarch would this day have been among us。〃
〃But since they served your eminence so well； why are they；
my lord cardinal； in prison？〃
〃In prison？〃 said Mazarin； 〃and when has Rueil been a
prison？〃
〃Ever since there were prisoners in it；〃 answered Comminges。
〃These gentlemen； Comminges； are not prisoners；〃 returned
Mazarin； with his ironical smile； 〃only guests； but guests
so precious that I have put a grating before each of their
windows and bolts to their doors； that they may not refuse
to continue my visitors。 So much do I esteem them that I am
going to make the Comte de la Fere a visit； that I may
converse with him tete…a…tete； and that we may not be
disturbed at our interview you must conduct him； as I said
before； to the pavilion of the orangery； that； you know； is
my daily promenade。 Well； while taking my walk I will call
on him and we will talk。 Although he professes to be my
enemy I have sympathy for him； and if he is reasonable
perhaps we shall arrange matters。〃
Comminges bowed； and returned to Athos； who was awaiting
with apparent calmness； but with real anxiety； the result of
the interview。
〃Well？〃 he said to the lieutenant。
〃Sir；〃 replied Comminges； 〃it seems that it is impossible。〃
〃Monsieur de Comminges；〃 said Athos； 〃I have been a soldier
all my life and I know the force of orders； but outside your
orders there is a service you can render me。〃
〃I will do it with all my heart；〃 said Comminges； 〃for I
know who you are and what service you once performed for her
majesty； I know； too； how dear to you is the young man who
came so valiantly to my aid when that old rogue of a
Broussel was arrested。 I am entirely at your service； except
only for my orders。〃
〃Thank you； sir； what I am about to ask will not compromi