returned to his ruelle at the moment the name of M. le
Prince was being announced. The Prince de Conde, the first
prince of the blood, the conqueror of Rocroy, Lens and
Nordlingen, was, in fact, entering the apartment of
Monseigneur de Mazarin, followed by his gentlemen, and had
already saluted the king, when the prime minister raised his
curtain. Athos had time to see Raoul pressing the hand of
the Comte de Guiche, and send him a smile in return for his
respectful bow. He had time, likewise, to see the radiant
countenance of the cardinal, when he perceived before him,
upon the table, an enormous heap of gold, which the Comte de
Guiche had won in a run of luck, after his eminence had
confided his cards to him. So forgetting ambassador, embassy
and prince, his first thought was of the gold. “What!” cried
the old man — “all that — won?”
“Some fifty thousand crowns; yes, monseigneur!” replied the
Comte de Guiche, rising. “Must I give up my place to your
eminence, or shall I continue?”
“Give up! give up! you are mad. You would lose all you have
won. Peste!”
“My lord!” said the Prince de Conde, bowing.
“Good-evening, monsieur le prince,” said the minister, in a
careless tone; “it is very kind of you to visit an old sick
friend.”
“A friend!” murmured the Comte de la Fere, at witnessing
with stupor this monstrous alliance of words; — “friends!
when the parties are Conde and Mazarin!”
Mazarin seemed to divine the thought of the Frondeur, for he
smiled upon him with triumph, and immediately, — “Sire,”
said he to the king, “I have the honor of presenting to your
majesty, Monsieur le Comte de la Fere, ambassador from his
Britannic majesty. An affair of state, gentlemen,” added he,
waving his hand to all who filled the chamber, and who, the
Prince de Conde at their head, all disappeared at the simple
gesture. Raoul, after a last look cast at the comte,
followed M. de Conde. Philip of Anjou and the queen appeared
to be consulting about departing.
“A family affair,” said Mazarin, suddenly, detaining them in
their seats. “This gentleman is the bearer of a letter in
which King Charles II., completely restored to his throne,
demands an alliance between Monsieur, the brother of the
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
king, and Mademoiselle Henrietta, grand-daughter of Henry
IV. Will you remit your letter of credit to the king,
monsieur le comte?”
Athos remained for a minute stupefied. How could the
minister possibly know the contents of the letter which had
never been out of his keeping for a single instant?
Nevertheless, always master of himself, he held out the
dispatch to the young king, Louis XIV., who took it with a
blush. A solemn silence reigned in the cardinal’s chamber.
It was only troubled by the dull sound of the gold, which
Mazarin with his yellow dry hand, piled up in a casket,
whilst the king was reading.
CHAPTER 41
The Recital
The maliciousness of the cardinal did not leave much for the
ambassador to say; nevertheless, the word “restoration” had
struck the king, who, addressing the comte, upon whom his
eyes had been fixed since his entrance, — “Monsieur,” said
he, “will you have the kindness to give us some details
concerning the affairs of England. You come from that
country, you are a Frenchman, and the orders which I see
glittering upon your person announce you to be a man of
merit as well as a man of quality.”
“Monsieur,” said the cardinal, turning towards the
queen-mother, “is an ancient servant of your majesty’s,
Monsieur le Comte de la Fere.”
Anne of Austria was as oblivious as a queen whose life had
been mingled with fine and stormy days. She looked at
Mazarin, whose evil smile promised her something
disagreeable; then she solicited from Athos, by another
look, an explanation.
“Monsieur,” continued the cardinal, “was a Treville
musketeer, in the service of the late king. Monsieur is well
acquainted with England, whither he has made several voyages
at various periods; he is a subject of the highest merit.
These words made allusion to all the memories which Anne of
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