the morning.”
“Oh! you know, then, that his majesty —- ”
“As first minister, it belongs to the duties of our charge
to know everything. And his majesty prays and implores, I
presume.”
“I don’t know, but he sighed frequently whilst he was
writing.”
“‘Yes, yes, yes; we understand all that; people sigh
sometimes from happiness as well as from grief, monsieur.”
“And yet the king did not look very happy when he returned,
monsieur.”
“You did not see clearly. Besides, you only saw his majesty
on his return, for he was only accompanied by the lieutenant
of the guards. But I had his eminence’s telescope, I looked
through it when he was tired, and I am sure they both wept.”
“Well! was it for happiness they wept?”
“No, but for love, and they vowed to each other a thousand
tendernesses, which the king asks no better than to keep.
Now this letter is a beginning of the execution.”
“And what does his eminence think of this love, which is, by
the bye, no secret to anybody?”
Bernouin took the gentleman by the arm, and whilst ascending
the staircase, — “In confidence,” said he, in a low voice,
“his eminence looks for success in the affair. I know very
well we shall have war with Spain; but, bah! war will please
the nobles. My lord cardinal, besides, can endow his niece
royally, nay, more than royally. There will be money,
festivities, and fireworks — everybody will be delighted.”
“Well, for my part,” replied the gentleman, shaking his
head, “it appears to me that this letter is very light to
contain all that.”
“My friend,” replied Bernouin, “I am certain of what I tell
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you. M. d’Artagnan related all that passed to me.”
“Ay, ay! and what did he tell you? Let us hear.”
“I accosted him by asking him, on the part of the cardinal,
if there were any news, without discovering my designs,
observe, for M. d’Artagnan is a cunning hand. `My dear
Monsieur Bernouin,’ he replied, `the king is madly in love
with Mademoiselle de Mancini, that is all I have to tell
you.’ And then I asked him `Do you think, to such a degree
that it will urge him to act contrary to the designs of his
eminence?’ `Ah! don’t ask me,’ said he; `I think the king
capable of anything; he has a will of iron, and what he
wills he wills in earnest. If he takes it into his head to
marry Mademoiselle de Mancini, he will marry her, depend
upon it.’ And thereupon he left me and went straight to the
stables, took a horse, saddled it himself, jumped upon its
back, and set off as if the devil were at his heels.”
“So that you believe, then —- ”
“I believe that monsieur the lieutenant of the guards knew
more than he was willing to say.”
“In your opinion, then, M. d’Artagnan —- ”
“Is gone, according to all probability, after the exiles, to
carry out all that can facilitate the success of the king’s
love.”
Chatting thus, the two confidants arrived at the door of his
eminence’s apartment. His eminence’s gout had left him; he
was walking about his chamber in a state of great anxiety,
listening at doors and looking out of windows. Bernouin
entered, followed by the gentleman, who had orders from the
king to place the letter in the hands of the cardinal
himself. Mazarin took the letter, but before opening it, he
got up a ready smile, a smile of circumstance, able to throw
a veil over emotions of whatever sort they might be. So
prepared, whatever was the impression received from the
letter, no reflection of that impression was allowed to
transpire upon his countenance.
“Well,” said he, when he had read and reread the letter,
“very well, monsieur. Inform the king that I thank him for
his obedience to the wishes of the queen-mother, and that I
will do everything for the accomplishment of his will.”
The gentlemen left the room. The door had scarcely closed
before the cardinal, who had no mask for Bernouin, took off
that which had so recently covered his face, and with a most