按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ked at you and your four men with fiery eyes。〃
〃Speak out；〃 answered D'Artagnan。
〃I had only to cry out ‘Help！' for you and for your panions to be cut to pieces； and then I should have been free。〃
〃Why didn't you do it？〃 asked the lieutenant。
〃e； e！〃 cried Rochefort。 〃Did we not swear friendship？ Ah！ had any one but you been there； I don't say 〃
D'Artagnan bowed。 〃Is it possible that Rochefort has bee a better man than I am？〃 he said to himself。 And he caused himself to be announced to the minister。
〃Let M。 de Rochefort enter；〃 said Mazarin； eagerly； on hearing their names pronounced； 〃and beg M。 d'Artagnan to wait； I shall have further need of him。〃
These words gave great joy to D'Artagnan。 As he had said； it had been a long time since any one had needed him； and that demand for his services on the part of Mazarin seemed to him an auspicious sign。
Rochefort； rendered suspicious and cautious by these words； entered the apartment； where he found Mazarin sitting at the table； dressed in his ordinary garb and as one of the prelates of the Church； his costume being similar to that of the abbes in that day； excepting that his scarf and stockings were violet。
As the door was closed Rochefort cast a glance toward Mazarin； which was answered by one； equally furtive； from the minister。
There was little change in the cardinal； still dressed with sedulous care； his hair well arranged and curled； his person perfumed； he looked； owing to his extreme taste in dress； only half his age。 But Rochefort； who had passed five years in prison； had bee old in the lapse of a few years； the dark locks of this estimable friend of the defunct Cardinal Richelieu were now white； the deep bronze of his plexion had been succeeded by a mortal pallor which betokened debility。 As he gazed at him Mazarin shook his head slightly； as much as to say； 〃This is a man who does not appear to me fit for much。〃
After a pause； which appeared an age to Rochefort； Mazarin took from a bundle of papers a letter； and showing it to the count； he said：
〃I find here a letter in which you sue for liberty； Monsieur de Rochefort。 You are in prison； then？〃
Rochefort trembled in every limb at this question。 〃But I thought；〃 he said； 〃that your eminence knew that circumstance better than any one 〃
〃I？ Oh no！ There is a congestion of prisoners in the Bastile； who were cooped up in the time of Monsieur de Richelieu； I don't even know their names。〃
〃Yes； but in regard to myself； my lord； it cannot be so； for I was removed from the Chatelet to the Bastile owing to an order from your eminence。〃
〃You think you were。〃
〃I am certain of it。〃
〃Ah； stay！ I fancy I remember it。 Did you not once refuse to undertake a journey to Brussels for the queen？〃
〃Ah！ ah！〃 exclaimed Rochefort。 〃There is the true reason！ Idiot that I am； though I have been trying to find it out for five years； I never found it out。〃
〃But I do not say it was the cause of your imprisonment。 I merely ask you； did you not refuse to go to Brussels for the queen； whilst you had consented to go there to do some service for the late cardinal？〃
〃That is the very reason I refused to go back to Brussels。 I was there at a fearful moment。 I was sent there to intercept a correspondence between Chalais and the archduke； and even then； when I was discovered I was nearly torn to pieces。 How could I； then； return to Brussels？ I should injure the queen instead of serving her。〃
〃Well； since the best motives are liable to misconstruction； the queen saw in your refusal nothing but a refusal a distinct refusal she had also much to plain of you during the lifetime of the late cardinal； yes； her majesty the queen 〃
Rochefort smiled contemptuously。
〃Since I was a faithful servant； my lord； to Cardinal Richelieu during his life； it stands to reason that now； after his death； I should serve you well； in defiance of the whole world。〃
〃With regard to myself； Monsieur de Rochefort；〃 replied Mazarin； 〃I am not； like Monsieur de Richelieu； all…powerful。 I am but a minister； who wants no servants； being myself nothing but a servant of the queen's。 Now； the queen is of a sensitive nature。 Hearing of your refusal to obey her she looked upon it as a declaration of war； and as she considers you a man of superior talent； and consequently dangerous； she desired me to make sure of you； that is the reason of your being shut up in the Bastile。 But your release can be managed。 You are one of those men who can prehend certain matters and having understood them； can act with energy 〃
〃Such was Cardinal Richelieu's opinion； my lord。〃
〃The cardinal；〃 interrupted Mazarin； 〃was a great politician and therein shone his vast superiority over me。 I am a straightforward； simple man； that's my great disadvantage。 I am of a frankness of character quite French。〃
Rochefort bit his lips in order to prevent a smile。
〃Now to the point。 I want friends； I want faithful servants。 When I say I want； I mean the queen wants them。 I do nothing without her mands pray understand that； not like Monsieur de Richelieu； who went on just as he pleased。 So I shall never be a great man； as he was； but to pensate for that； I shall be a good man； Monsieur de Rochefort； and I hope to prove it to you。〃
Rochefort knew well the tones of that soft voice； in which sounded sometimes a sort of gentle lisp； like the hissing of young vipers。
〃I am disposed to believe your eminence；〃 he replied； 〃though I have had but little evidence of that good…nature of which your eminence speaks。 Do not forget that I have been five years in the Bastile and that no medium of viewing things is so deceptive as the grating of a prison。〃
〃Ah； Monsieur de Rochefort！ have I not told you already that I had nothing to do with that？ The queen cannot you make allowances for the pettishness of a queen and a princess？ But that has passed away as suddenly as it came； and is forgotten。〃
〃I can easily suppose； sir； that her majesty has forgotten it amid the fetes and the courtiers of the Palais Royal； but I who have passed those years in the Bastile 〃
〃Ah！ mon Dieu！ m