“It is not to be denied that the crown of France has always
remained firm upon the heads of its kings,” Anne of Austria
hastened to say, “and that it has fallen off of that of the
king of England; and when by chance that crown oscillated a
little, — for there are throne-quakes as well as
earthquakes, — every time, I say, that rebellion threatened
it, a good victory restored tranquillity.”
“With a few gems added to the crown,” said Mazarin.
The Comte de Guiche was silent: the king composed his
countenance, and Mazarin exchanged looks with Anne of
Austria, as if to thank her for her intervention.
“It is of no consequence,” said Philip, smoothing his hair;
“my cousin Charles is not handsome, but he is very brave,
and fought like a landsknecht; and if he continues to fight
thus, no doubt he will finish by gaining a battle, like
Rocroy —- ”
“He has no soldiers,” interrupted the Chevalier de Lorraine.
“The king of Holland, his ally, will give him some. I would
willingly have given him some if I had been king of France.”
Louis XIV. blushed excessively. Mazarin affected to be more
attentive to his game than ever.
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“By this time,” resumed the Comte de Guiche, “the fortune of
this unhappy prince is decided. If he has been deceived by
Monk, he is ruined. Imprisonment, perhaps death, will finish
what exile, battles, and privations have commenced.”
Mazarin’s brow became clouded.
“Is it certain,” said Louis XIV. “that his majesty Charles
II., has quitted the Hague?”
“Quite certain, your majesty,” replied the young man; “my
father has received a letter containing all the details; it
is even known that the king has landed at Dover; some
fishermen saw him entering the port; the rest is still a
mystery.”
“I should like to know the rest,” said Philip, impetuously.
“You know, — you, my brother.”
Louis XIV. colored again. That was the third time within an
hour. “Ask my lord cardinal,” replied he, in a tone which
made Mazarin, Anne of Austria, and everybody else open their
eyes.
“That means, my son,” said Anne of Austria, laughing, “that
the king does not like affairs of state to be talked of out
of the council.”
Philip received the reprimand with good grace, and bowed,
first smiling at his brother, and then his mother. But
Mazarin saw from the corner of his eye that a group was
about to be formed in the corner of the room, and that the
Duc d’Anjou, with the Comte de Guiche, and the Chevalier de
Lorraine, prevented from talking aloud, might say, in a
whisper, what it was not convenient should be said. He was
beginning, then, to dart at them glances full of mistrust
and uneasiness, inviting Anne of Austria to throw
perturbation in the midst of the unlawful assembly, when,
suddenly, Bernouin, entering from behind the tapestry of the
bedroom, whispered in the ear of Mazarin, “Monseigneur, an
envoy from his majesty, the king of England.”
Mazarin could not help exhibiting a slight emotion, which
was perceived by the king. To avoid being indiscreet, rather
than to appear useless, Louis XIV. rose immediately, and
approaching his eminence, wished him good-night. All the
assembly had risen with a great noise of rolling of chairs
and tables being pushed away.
“Let everybody depart by degrees,” said Mazarin in a whisper
to Louis XIV., “and be so good as to excuse me a few
minutes. I am going to dispatch an affair about which I wish
to converse with your majesty this very evening.”
“And the queens?” asked Louis XIV.
“And M. le Duc d’Anjou,” said his eminence.
At the same time he turned round in his ruelle, the curtains
of which, in falling, concealed the bed. The cardinal,
nevertheless, did not lose sight of the conspirators.
“M. le Comte de Guiche,” said he, in a fretful voice, whilst
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putting on, behind the curtain, his dressing-gown, with the
assistance of Bernouin.
“I am here, my lord,” said the young man, as he approached.
“Take my cards, you are lucky. Win a little money for me of