Twenty Years Later by Dumas, Alexandre. Part two

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

Page 550

Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After

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.

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Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After

“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

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