登陆注册
5287000000006

第6章 2(2)

"Ah, captain!" said the officer, "everything is quiet hereabout -- if I did not know that something is going on in yonder house!"

And he pointed to a magnificent hotel situated on the very spot whereon the Vaudeville now stands.

"In that hotel? it is the Hotel Rambouillet," cried Guitant.

"I really don't know what hotel it is; all I do know is that I observed some suspicious looking people go in there ---- "

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Guitant, with a burst of laughter;

"those men must be poets."

"Come, Guitant, speak, if you please, respectfully of these gentlemen," said Mazarin; "don't you know that I was in my youth a poet? I wrote verses in the style of Benserade ----"

"You, my lord?"

"Yes, I; shall I repeat to you some of my verses?"

"Just as you please, my lord. I do not understand Italian."

"Yes, but you understand French," and Mazarin laid his hand upon Guitant's shoulder. "My good, my brave Guitant, whatsoever command I may give you in that language -- in French -- whatever I may order you to do, will you not perform it?"

"Certainly. I have already answered that question in the affirmative; but that command must come from the queen herself."

"Yes! ah yes!" Mazarin bit his lips as he spoke; "I know your devotion to her majesty."

"I have been a captain in the queen's guards for twenty years," was the reply.

"En route, Monsieur d'Artagnan," said the cardinal; "all goes well in this direction."

D'Artagnan, in the meantime, had taken the head of his detachment without a word and with that ready and profound obedience which marks the character of an old soldier.

He led the way toward the hill of Saint Roche. The Rue Richelieu and the Rue Villedot were then, owing to their vicinity to the ramparts, less frequented than any others in that direction, for the town was thinly inhabited thereabout.

"Who is in command here?" asked the cardinal.

"Villequier," said Guitant.

"Diavolo! Speak to him yourself, for ever since you were deputed by me to arrest the Duc de Beaufort, this officer and I have been on bad terms. He laid claim to that honor as captain of the royal guards."

"I am aware of that, and I have told him a hundred times that he was wrong. The king could not give that order, since at that time he was hardly four years old."

"Yes, but I could give him the order -- I, Guitant -- and I preferred to give it to you."

Guitant, without reply, rode forward and desired the sentinel to call Monsieur de Villequier.

"Ah! so you are here!" cried the officer, in the tone of ill-humor habitual to him; "what the devil are you doing here?"

"I wish to know -- can you tell me, pray -- is anything fresh occurring in this part of the town?"

"What do you mean? People cry out, `Long live the king! down with Mazarin!' That's nothing new; no, we've been used to those acclamations for some time."

"And you sing chorus," replied Guitant, laughing.

"Faith, I've half a mind to do it. In my opinion the people are right; and cheerfully would I give up five years of my pay -- which I am never paid, by the way -- to make the king five years older."

"Really! And pray what would come to pass, supposing the king were five years older than he is?"

"As soon as ever the king comes of age he will issue his commands himself, and 'tis far pleasanter to obey the grandson of Henry IV. than the son of Peter Mazarin.

'Sdeath! I would die willingly for the king, but supposing I happened to be killed on account of Mazarin, as your nephew came near being to-day, there could be nothing in Paradise, however well placed I might be there, that could console me for it."

"Well, well, Monsieur de Villequier," Mazarin interposed, "I shall make it my care the king hears of your loyalty. Come, gentlemen," addressing the troop, "let us return."

"Stop," exclaimed Villequier, "so Mazarin was here! so much the better. I have been waiting for a long time to tell him what I think of him. I am obliged to you Guitant, although your intention was perhaps not very favorable to me, for such an opportunity."

He turned away and went off to his post, whistling a tune then popular among the party called the "Fronde," whilst Mazarin returned, in a pensive mood, toward the Palais Royal. All that he had heard from these three different men, Comminges, Guitant and Villequier, confirmed him in his conviction that in case of serious tumults there would be no one on his side except the queen; and then Anne of Austria had so often deserted her friends that her support seemed most precarious. During the whole of this nocturnal ride, during the whole time that he was endeavoring to understand the various characters of Comminges, Guitant and Villequier, Mazarin was, in truth, studying more especially one man.

This man, who had remained immovable as bronze when menaced by the mob -- not a muscle of whose face was stirred, either at Mazarin's witticisms or by the jests of the multitude -- seemed to the cardinal a peculiar being, who, having participated in past events similar to those now occurring, was calculated to cope with those now on the eve of taking place.

The name of D'Artagnan was not altogether new to Mazarin, who, although he did not arrive in France before the year 1634 or 1635, that is to say, about eight or nine years after the events which we have related in a preceding narrative,* fancied he had heard it pronounced as that of one who was said to be a model of courage, address and loyalty.

* "The Three Musketeers."

同类推荐
  • The Angel and the Author

    The Angel and the Author

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上正一阅箓仪

    太上正一阅箓仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 孝道吴许二真君传

    孝道吴许二真君传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 寄范评事

    寄范评事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 澉水志

    澉水志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 绝命手游

    绝命手游

    史上最诡异的手游。没人玩?不要紧。日薪三百起步,包吃包住。新晋高中生奶爸金轲进入游戏的目的很简单,想要靠手游养活他自己和六个月大的女儿。后来他才发现,这款手游比它声称的更加诡异。因为……
  • 种子门

    种子门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 逆战仙魔

    逆战仙魔

    苍穹之上,伪神遮天,仙路何在?苍穹之下,妖蛮当道,鬼怪横行,群魔乱舞,人族的星火,何以燎原?一个神秘的九州,一个浩如星海的世界,问苍茫大地,谁主沉浮?总的来说,这是一个少年逆天改命,成为盖世强者的故事。这是一群天骄,平乱世,抗妖魔,逆行伐仙,举世飞升的结合。.......公布本书两个书友群:逆战V群——地宫,全订阅可申请入群,群号:372890293希望大家多多支持,订阅,收藏,点击
  • 养脾食谱

    养脾食谱

    《家庭健康调养食谱丛书》精选了近一千多种家庭健康调养食谱的做法,让你轻松享用色香味美的菜肴。
  • 陈

    那个我写了千遍姓氏,却不敢写出名字的人。如在你侧,让我做一方青石也好。一季花开,一季花落,一直在这里,等你停歇。
  • 弑宠特工女:杀手皇后龙凤宝宝

    弑宠特工女:杀手皇后龙凤宝宝

    二十一世纪绝世特工,手刃仇敌。一朝穿越,“唰——”当嗜血特工穿越为恶名狼藉的上官家“废材公子”,女扮男装雷厉风行,生杀与否全在她一念之间。然,冷俊腹黑男子用计压上她身后,不见其踪影,肚中却埋下了祸因。代嫁入宫,没想到那男子竟当朝皇帝。经历沉浮,逃出皇宫。几年后,苦寻烟刹的皇上再遇她时,失忆的烟刹却携着龙凤宝宝走向他……
  • 木蓝作妖

    木蓝作妖

    木蓝能做药,木蓝能作妖。话说,木蓝是根草,然某人闲着闲着衔着衔着一不小心就伤了嘴,竟誓要讨些补偿。
  • 卫国英雄:邓世昌(青少版)

    卫国英雄:邓世昌(青少版)

    卫国英雄丛书,将中国历史上在抗击外敌战役中荣立功勋、威名远扬的名将事迹做以介绍,将中国古代名臣名将独有的思想气节,转化为民族共享的文化力量。在当代中国正经历错综复杂的国际局势下,戍边卫疆、保家卫国的爱国主义精神亟需宣扬,卫国英雄的形象更需要深入人民群众,尤其是青少年的心中。本套图书面向青少年读者群,配以手绘插图,装帧精美,作品版本经典,作者均为相关领域研究专家,是值得收藏阅读的人物传记读本。陈明福所著的《卫国英雄:邓世昌(青少版)》以白描笔法,讲述了邓世昌成长经历、抗击外敌的气壮山河故事。?????????????????????????????
  • 徐笙暖冬凉

    徐笙暖冬凉

    双重性格男神学弟x心理疾病面瘫学姐如果你来到了我的城市,能不能不要再离开了。六月微燥的风迎来十月深情的雪。
  • 豪门怨,前夫太薄情

    豪门怨,前夫太薄情

    “说吧,你有什么目的!”他闲适地靠着墙壁。“程总觉得我有什么目的?”她不急不缓地说着。“你担心我要你负责?”一场因“利用”而结合,有有名有“实”的婚姻,他有心中所爱、时刻惦记,她有难忘初恋、桃.花不断。“顾语萱,我说过吧!你乱.来,我不管,但是别让给我知道。”“所以呢?”所以,惩罚她的不乖,他变着方法折腾她整晚……本以为,是一场随时可以喊停的婚姻,可他却在不知不觉中对她上了瘾……她以为,他会是以她的幸福,可是在一次意外溺水,他竟然丢下她不管去救其他女人……