Every one shuddered and there was a moment of silence,
during which the queen pressed her hand to her side,
evidently to still the beatings of her heart.
(“Porthos,” murmured D’Artagnan, “look well at that priest.”
“Yes,” said Porthos, “I see him. What then?”
“Well, he is a man.”
Porthos looked at D’Artagnan in astonishment. Evidently he
did not understand his meaning.)
“Your majesty,” continued the coadjutor, pitilessly, “is
about to take such measures as seem good to you, but I
foresee that they will be violent and such as will still
further exasperate the rioters.”
“In that case, you, monsieur le coadjuteur, who have such
power over them and are at the same time friendly to us,”
said the queen, ironically, “will quiet them by bestowing
your blessing upon them.”
“Perhaps it will be too late,” said Gondy, still unmoved;
“perhaps I shall have lost all influence; while by giving up
Broussel your majesty will strike at the root of the
sedition and will gain the right to punish severely any
revival of the revolt.”
“Have I not, then, that right?” cried the queen.
“If you have it, use it,” replied Gondy.
(“Peste!” said D’Artagnan to Porthos. “There is a man after
my own heart. Oh! if he were minister and I were his
D’Artagnan, instead of belonging to that beast of a Mazarin,
mordieu! what fine things we would do together!”
“Yes,” said Porthos.)
The queen made a sign for every one, except Mazarin, to quit
the room; and Gondy bowed, as if to leave with the rest.
“Stay, sir,” said Anne to him.
“Good,” thought Gondy, “she is going to yield.”
(“She is going to have him killed,” said D’Artagnan to
Porthos, “but at all events it shall not be by me. I swear
to Heaven, on the contrary, that if they fall upon him I
will fall upon them.”
“And I, too,” said Porthos.)
“Good,” muttered Mazarin, sitting down, “we shall soon see
something startling.”
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Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After
The queen’s eyes followed the retreating figures and when
the last had closed the door she turned away. It was evident
that she was making unnatural efforts to subdue her anger;
she fanned herself, smelled at her vinaigrette and walked up
and down. Gondy, who began to feel uneasy, examined the
tapestry with his eyes, touched the coat of mail which he
wore under his long gown and felt from time to time to see
if the handle of a good Spanish dagger, which was hidden
under his cloak, was well within reach.
“And now,” at last said the queen, “now that we are alone,
repeat your counsel, monsieur le coadjuteur.”
“It is this, madame: that you should appear to have
reflected, and publicly acknowledge an error, which
constitutes the extra strength of a strong government;
release Broussel from prison and give him back to the
people.”
“Oh!” cried Anne, “to humble myself thus! Am I, or am I not,
the queen? This screaming mob, are they, or are they not, my
subjects? Have I friends? Have I guards? Ah! by Notre Dame!
as Queen Catherine used to say,” continued she, excited by
her own words, “rather than give up this infamous Broussel
to them I will strangle him with my own hands!”
And she sprang toward Gondy, whom assuredly at that moment
she hated more than Broussel, with outstretched arms. The
coadjutor remained immovable and not a muscle of his face
was discomposed; only his glance flashed like a sword in
returning the furious looks of the queen.
(“He were a dead man” said the Gascon, “if there were still
a Vitry at the court and if Vitry entered at this moment;
but for my part, before he could reach the good prelate I
would kill Vitry at once; the cardinal would be infinitely
pleased with me.”
“Hush!” said Porthos; “listen.”)
“Madame,” cried the cardinal, seizing hold of Anne and
drawing her back, “Madame, what are you about?”
Then he added in Spanish, “Anne, are you mad? You, a queen
to quarrel like a washerwoman! And do you not perceive that
in the person of this priest is represented the whole people
of Paris and that it is dangerous to insult him at this