The Riot becomes a Revolution.
The closet into which D'Artagnan and Porthos had been ushered was separated from the drawing-room where the queen was by tapestried curtains only, and this thin partition enabled them to hear all that passed in the adjoining room, whilst the aperture between the two hangings, small as it was, permitted them to see.
The queen was standing in the room, pale with anger; her self-control, however, was so great that it might have been imagined that she was calm. Comminges, Villequier and Guitant were behind her and the women again were behind the men. The Chancellor Sequier, who twenty years previously had persecuted her so ruthlessly, stood before her, relating how his carriage had been smashed, how he had been pursued and had rushed into the Hotel d'O ----, that the hotel was immediately invaded, pillaged and devastated; happily he had time to reach a closet hidden behind tapestry, in which he was secreted by an old woman, together with his brother, the Bishop of Meaux. Then the danger was so imminent, the rioters came so near, uttering such threats, that the chancellor thought his last hour had come and confessed himself to his brother priest, so as to be all ready to die in case he was discovered. Fortunately, however, he had not been taken; the people, believing that he had escaped by some back entrance, retired and left him at liberty to retreat. Then, disguised in he clothes of the Marquis d'O ----, he had left the hotel, stumbling over the bodies of an officer and two guards who had been killed whilst defending the street door.
During the recital Mazarin entered and glided noiselessly up to the queen to listen.
"Well," said the queen, when the chancellor had finished speaking; "what do you think of it all?"
"I think that matters look very gloomy, madame."
"But what step would you propose to me?"
"I could propose one to your majesty, but I dare not."
"You may, you may, sir," said the queen with a bitter smile;
"you were not so timid once."
The chancellor reddened and stammered some words.
"It is not a question of the past, but of the present," said the queen; "you said you could give me advice -- what is it?"
"Madame," said the chancellor, hesitating, "it would be to release Broussel."
The queen, although already pale, became visibly paler and her face was contracted.
"Release Broussel!" she cried, "never!"
At this moment steps were heard in the ante-room and without any announcement the Marechal de la Meilleraie appeared at the door.
"Ah, there you are, marechal," cried Anne of Austria joyfully. "I trust you have brought this rabble to reason."
"Madame," replied the marechal, "I have left three men on the Pont Neuf, four at the Halle, six at the corner of the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec and two at the door of your palace -- fifteen in all. I have brought away ten or twelve wounded. I know not where I have left my hat, and in all probability I should have been left with my hat, had the coadjutor not arrived in time to rescue me."
"Ah, indeed," said the queen, "it would have much astonished me if that low cur, with his distorted legs, had not been mixed up with all this."
"Madame," said La Meilleraie, "do not say too much against him before me, for the service he rendered me is still fresh."
"Very good," said the queen, "be as grateful as you like, it does not implicate me; you are here safe and sound, that is all I wished for; you are not only welcome, but welcome back."
"Yes, madame; but I only came back on one condition -- that I would transmit to your majesty the will of the people."
"The will!" exclaimed the queen, frowning. "Oh! oh! monsieur marechal, you must indeed have found yourself in wondrous peril to have undertaken so strange a commission!"
The irony with which these words were uttered did not escape the marechal.
"Pardon, madame," he said, "I am not a lawyer, I am a mere soldier, and probably, therefore, I do not quite comprehend the value of certain words; I ought to have said the wishes, and not the will, of the people. As for what you do me the honor to say, I presume you mean I was afraid?"
The queen smiled.
"Well, then, madame, yes, I did feel fear; and though I have been through twelve pitched battles and I cannot count how many charges and skirmishes, I own for the third time in my life I was afraid. Yes, and I would rather face your majesty, however threatening your smile, than face those demons who accompanied me hither and who sprung from I know not whence, unless from deepest hell."
(" Bravo," said D'Artagnan in a whisper to Porthos; "well answered.")
"Well," said the queen, biting her lips, whilst her courtiers looked at each other with surprise, "what is the desire of my people?"
"That Broussel shall be given up to them, madame."
"Never!" said the queen, "never!"
"Your majesty is mistress," said La Meilleraie, retreating a few steps.
"Where are you going, marechal?" asked the queen.
"To give your majesty's reply to those who await it."
"Stay, marechal; I will not appear to parley with rebels."
"Madame, I have pledged my word, and unless you order me to be arrested I shall be forced to return."
Anne of Austria's eyes shot glances of fire.
"Oh! that is no impediment, sir," said she; "I have had greater men than you arrested -- Guitant!"
Mazarin sprang forward.
"Madame, "said he, "if I dared in my turn advise ---- "
"Would it be to give up Broussel, sir? If so, you can spare yourself the trouble."
"No," said Mazarin; "although, perhaps, that counsel is as good as any other."
"Then what may it be?"
"To call for monsieur le coadjuteur."
"The coadjutor!" cried the queen, "that dreadful mischief maker! It is he who has raised all this revolt."
"The more reason," said Mazarin; "if he has raised it he can put it down."
"And hold, madame," suggested Comminges, who was near a window, out of which he could see; "hold, the moment is a happy one, for there he is now, giving his blessing in the square of the Palais Royal."
The queen sprang to the window.
"It is true," she said, "the arch hypocrite -- see!"