suspicions. I love you so tenderly that I cannot help being
jealous, even of the past.”
A smile, which was indefinable, passed over the lips of the
queen.
“Since you have no further interrogations to make, leave me,
I beseech you,” she said. “I wish, after such a scene, to be
alone.”
Mazarin bent low before her.
“I will retire, madame. Do you permit me to return?”
“Yes, to-morrow.”
The cardinal took the queen’s hand and pressed it with an
air of gallantry to his lips.
Scarcely had he left her when the queen went into her son’s
room, and inquired from Laporte if the king was in bed.
Laporte pointed to the child, who was asleep.
Anne ascended the steps side of the bed and softly kissed
the placid forehead of her son; then she retired as silently
as she had come, merely saying to Laporte:
“Try, my dear Laporte, to make the king more courteous to
Monsieur le Cardinal, to whom both he and I are under such
important obligations.”
5
The Gascon and the Italian.
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Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After
Meanwhile the cardinal returned to his own room; and after
asking Bernouin, who stood at the door, whether anything had
occurred during his absence, and being answered in the
negative, he desired that he might be left alone.
When he was alone he opened the door of the corridor and
then that of the ante-chamber. There D’Artagnan was asleep
upon a bench.
The cardinal went up to him and touched his shoulder.
D’Artagnan started, awakened himself, and as he awoke, stood
up exactly like a soldier under arms.
“Here I am,” said he. “Who calls me?”
“I,” said Mazarin, with his most smiling expression.
“I ask pardon of your eminence,” said D’Artagnan, “but I was
so fatigued —- ”
“Don’t ask my pardon, monsieur,” said Mazarin, “for you
fatigued yourself in my service.”
D’Artagnan admired Mazarin’s gracious manner. “Ah,” said he,
between his teeth, “is there truth in the proverb that
fortune comes while one sleeps?”
“Follow me, monsieur,” said Mazarin.
“Come, come,” murmured D’Artagnan, “Rochefort has kept his
promise, but where in the devil is he?” And he searched the
cabinet even to the smallest recesses, but there was no sign
of Rochefort.
“Monsieur d’Artagnan,” said the cardinal, sitting down on a
fauteuil, “you have always seemed to me to be a brave and
honorable man.”
“Possibly,” thought D’Artagnan, “but he has taken a long
time to let me know his thoughts;” nevertheless, he bowed to
the very ground in gratitude for Mazarin’s compliment.
“Well,” continued Mazarin, “the time has come to put to use
your talents and your valor.”
There was a sudden gleam of joy in the officer’s eyes, which
vanished immediately, for he knew nothing of Mazarin’s
purpose.
“Order, my lord,” he said; “I am ready to obey your
eminence.”
“Monsieur d’Artagnan,” continued the cardinal, “you
performed sundry superb exploits in the last reign.”
“Your eminence is too good to remember such trifles in my
favor. It is true I fought with tolerable success.”
“I don’t speak of your warlike exploits, monsieur,” said
Mazarin; “although they gained you much reputation, they
were surpassed by others.”
Page 40
Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After
D’Artagnan pretended astonishment.
“Well, you do not reply?” resumed Mazarin.
“I am waiting, my lord, till you tell me of what exploits
you speak.”
“I speak of the adventure — Eh, you know well what I mean.”
“Alas, no, my lord!” replied D’Artagnan, surprised.
“You are discreet — so much the better. I speak of that
adventure in behalf of the queen, of the ornaments, of the
journey you made with three of your friends.”
“Aha!” thought the Gascon; “is this a snare or not? Let me
be on my guard.”
And he assumed a look of stupidity which Mendori or
Bellerose, two of the first actors of the day, might have
envied.
“Bravo!” cried Mazarin; “they told me that you were the man
I wanted. Come, let us see what you will do for me.”
“Everything that your eminence may please to command me,”
was the reply.
“You will do for me what you have done for the queen?”