or Villars-Cotterets.”
“The prince will vanquish you, as he has always done.”
“‘Tis possible; my lord; but before an engagement ensues we
shall move your eminence to another castle belonging to our
friend Du Vallon, who has three. We will not expose your
eminence to the chances of war.”
“Come,” answered Mazarin, “I see it will be necessary for me
to capitulate.”
“Before a siege?”
“Yes; the conditions will be better than afterward.”
“Ah, my lord! as to conditions, you would soon see how
moderate and reasonable we are!”
“Come, now, what are your conditions?”
“Rest yourself first, my lord, and we — we will reflect.”
“I do not need rest, gentlemen; I need to know whether I am
among enemies or friends.”
“Friends, my lord! friends!”
“Well, then, tell me at once what you want, that I may see
Page 583
Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After
if any arrangement be possible. Speak, Comte de la Fere!”
“My lord,” replied Athos, “for myself I have nothing to
demand. For France, were I to specify my wishes, I should
have too much. I beg you to excuse me and propose to the
chevalier.”
And Athos, bowing, retired and remained leaning against the
mantelpiece, a spectator of the scene.
“Speak, then, chevalier!” said the cardinal. “What do you
want? Nothing ambiguous, if you please. Be clear, short and
precise.”
“As for me,” replied Aramis, “I have in my pocket the very
programme of the conditions which the deputation — of which
I formed one — went yesterday to Saint Germain to impose on
you. Let us consider first the ancient rights. The demands
in that programme must be granted.”
“We were almost agreed on those,” replied Mazarin; “let us
pass on to private and personal stipulations.”
“You suppose, then, that there are some?” said Aramis,
smiling.
“I do not suppose that you will all be quite so
disinterested as Monsieur de la Fere,” replied the cardinal,
bowing to Athos.
“My lord, you are right, and I am glad to see that you do
justice to the count at last. The count has a mind above
vulgar desires and earthly passions. He is a proud soul —
he is a man by himself! You are right — he is worth us all,
and we avow it to you!”
“Aramis,” said Athos, “are you jesting?”
“No, no, dear friend; I state only what we all know. You are
right; it is not you alone this matter concerns, but my lord
and his unworthy servant, myself.”
“Well, then, what do you require besides the general
conditions before recited?”
“I require, my lord, that Normandy should be given to Madame
de Longueville, with five hundred thousand francs and full
absolution. I require that his majesty should deign to be
godfather to the child she has just borne; and that my lord,
after having been present at the christening, should go to
proffer his homage to our Holy Father the Pope.”
“That is, you wish me to lay aside my ministerial functions,
to quit France and be an exile.”
“I wish his eminence to become pope on the first
opportunity, allowing me then the right of demanding full
indulgences for myself and my friends.”
Mazarin made a grimace which was quite indescribable, and
then turned to D’Artagnan.
“And you, sir?” he said.
Page 584
Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After
“I, my lord,” answered the Gascon, “I differ from Monsieur
d’Herblay entirely as to the last point, though I agree with
him on the first. Far from wishing my lord to quit Paris, I
hope he will stay there and continue to be prime minister,
as he is a great statesman. I shall try also to help him to
down the Fronde, but on one condition — that he sometimes
remembers the king’s faithful servants and gives the first
vacant company of musketeers to a man that I could name. And
you, Monsieur du Vallon —- ”
“Yes, you, sir! Speak, if you please,” said Mazarin.
“As for me,” answered Porthos, “I wish my lord cardinal, in
order to do honor to my house, which gives him an asylum,
would in remembrance of this adventure erect my estate into