Cinq Mars -- Volume 3

ence, how dost

blue. It is no

ops stand on my

I fear

ve m

ESPE

ether contemplation or annihilation maintained him in it. He was deadly pale, and a cold sweat streamed upon his brow. In wiping it with a sudden movement, he threw behind him his red cap, the only ecclesiastical sign which remained upon

e that seemed better suited to repeat the service of

e, he will confess that I had a just presentiment of the

strate c

exhibited more energy than one would have imagined, and that he attempted to rescue the Marechal de Bassompierre. I have still by me

rds of Virgil-"I have told him that it would be well to get rid of this young D'Effiat, and that I would charge my

me, I know intimately the assistant-physician, who cured me of a blow on the forehead, and is now attending to him. He is a p

terness, "that if his Excellency proposed to employ any one in this useful proje

enumerate some signa

recent ones, of which th

as the trial of Urbain Grandier, the magician. But, with Heaven's assistance, one may be enabled to do things quite as worthy and bold. It

ith bitterness, "to select a soldier from the guards to

on, and to bear all tortures, if necessary, for the love of heaven, rather than reveal the name of those who have armed him with their justice, or to die courageously upon the body of

ewhat different from r

nothing at the s

n a sewer, no doubt

atching your fingers in instruments of torture? And all

ho held the hammers; but I-I was struck in the forehead by

he dare to act thus against the commands of the King?" The

had it not taught me many secrets of infamy on your part. You have exceeded my orders; I commanded no torture, Laubardemont. That is your second fault. You cause me t

dge, eagerly, bending his tall form and thin, olive-colored

ry day safe persons to give me verbal accounts. I will have no more writing for the future. I am much displeased with you, Joseph. What a miserable courier you chose to send from Cologne! He could not understand me. He saw the King too soon, and here we are still in disgrace in consequence. You have

s Richelieu, with eyes fixed upon the entrance to

r. The King will soon succumb beneath the slow malady which consumes him. I shall then be regent; I shall be King of France myself; I shall no longer

d his mouth, obliged him to apply

t desires to labor still. Why? For whom? Is it for glory? That is an empty word. Is it for men? I despise them. For whom, then

suspended from his neck. He could not help throwing himself back in his chair; but it follow

l I find thee elsewhere- divinity and s

er. He dared not lift his eyes, fearing to meet some terrible vision. He dared not call, fearing to hear the sound of his own vo

ration; consider the immense work I had undertaken!, Was not an enormous lever wanted to bestir those masses; and if this lever in

s word? Is it permitted me to play thus with men, to regard them as numbers for working out a thought, which perhaps is false? I overturn the framework of the throne. What if, without knowing it, I sap its foundations and hasten its fall! Yes, my b

eak yet clear voice; one would have said it was the voice of an angel interrupted by the laughter of demons. He rose and opened a sort of linen window, worked in the s

one soldier to another. "See, she

e of the circle, betw

ou do not know her!" sa

who says that

her in my village, when I had leave of absence; and it was upon an occasion at which one

of it, you great simpleton?" said an

ause it burns the tongue

n't under

r; but certain citi

al laugh int

said one. "He listens to w

o their gabble, you have t

reenhorn?" said the eldest, gravely dropping h

ipe? Your mother must have died of old age

ttached to the regiment of carabineers of La Roque as my dog Canon there. She carried brandy round her neck in a barr

" interrupted the sold

wnsman, unless it was to say to him on coming to

as it that your m

orn. She said habitually in her talk, 'A soldier is bet

d!" cried the soldier, filled wi

that it burned the tongue were in the right; besides, they were not altogether citiz

pon the fork of his arquebus; "after him another would come. You might have taken one of our gen

e girl speak. It is these dogs of Royalist

nd-Ferre. "Do you even know

the old self-called princes of the peace, together with the wr

what it is. And as my father was the King's valet, I am for the King,

e war in the Valteline, you would not talk like that; and if you had seen his Eminence marching upon the dike at Rochelle, with

ves, instead of quarrellin

in black and covered with a long, white veil. Her feet were bare; a thick cord clasped her elegant figure; a long rosary fell from her neck almost to her feet, and her hands, delicate and white as ivory, turned its beads and made them pass rapidly be

blow you up like a mine; take care, for I have already played that tri

at him gravely, made no r

chin, "My little heart," he said, "if you will please, my sweet, to resume the little story you told just now to these gentlemen, I will pray you to travel with me upon the river Du Ten

rms, and, looking around her

ween us. I do not understand your tongue, nor you mine. Go, sell your blood to the princes of the

augh inter

carabineer of Maurevert

ive you with your feet

pass the rivers of water,'" she answered, her arms

voice, "Bring the woman

they conducted he

ding him-"why bring me

lone with him w

," said he, "what are you doing in the camp at this hour?

air of impatience, seating herself beside him abruptly. "I hav

closely at her, "God does not exact such rigors from a weak body,

I have since passed two existences at least, so much

but in their absence one might have thought her features were those of a phantom, she wa

ot. A sort of habit of inquiring concerning his own health, and that of others, made him touch the p

strength! I have always blamed them, and especially at a tender age. What, then, has induced y

! All have deceived me. I will confide myself to no one, n

with a bitter laugh, -"what! do you know this you

id she, suddenly assuming a harsh and savage air, "men are weak, and there are things wh

fine learning?" continued the

naivete and a very gentle voice; "you would not understand me.

," said Richelieu, with an air of paternal protection and an increasing

riors, brave men and generals! Beneath your cuirass must beat a noble h

d; this mistake

nal; do you desire to see him?

and placed a finger

it is for that that I have condemned myself to the hunger which is killing me. I must accomplish it, or I shall die first.

idened extraordinarily. She continue

night that it was Richelieu who had been the cause of his death. I took

not call his guards, fearing the cries of this woman and her accusat

re!" cried he, looking fixedly at her, and thin

ke two wrestlers who contemplate before attacking each other, or

they were eager mutually to deceive each other. Their hatred had acquired new force by their recent quarrel; and each had resolved to ruin his rival in

me by seeming to take in ill part the triflin

ld be charity? I have sometimes a holy warmth in conversation, for the

now how completely I am attached to his Eminence the Cardinal, to whom I owe all. A

ard you. I know him well; he can appreciate one's actions i

totally ruined at her convent had Urbain triumphed; you feel that as well as I do, particula

at you tell me indeed makes me feel f

e judges-there were swoons and shrieks. Ah, I swear that I would have scolded her well had I not been forced to quit precipitately that, little town of Loudun. But, you see, it is natural enough that I am attached to her. She is my nearest relative; for my son h

She might have been presented at court, and the King -Ah! ah! Mademoiselle de la Fayette-e

you have been nominated to the cardinalate; how good

found themselves at the end of the line of the

ing. "To-morrow I depart for Paris; and as I shall have frequent business with

d Laubardemont, "you would no

g his eyes to heaven; "but the Cardinal is no longer the same man. He wi

dge, the Capuchin took the road

inister. "The Cardinal dismisses him, he tells me; that shows that he is tired of him. I know secrets which will ruin him. I will add that he is gone to pay court to the

of the guards, which

some one," said the captain,

hour ago, and things are passing

cried the minister; "co

d silence upon his stupefied agent, who remained motionless, not yet seeing the face of this woman. She spoke vol

d I will burn the body. There is like for like, the punishment which God permitted to Adam. You have an astonished air, my brave general; but you would be much more so, were I to repeat to you his song-the song which he sang to me again last night, at the hour of the funeral-pyre-you understand?- the hour when it rains, the ho

to the air of

l?" said she, when she had finished

ath, the pain of death-who has given to man the right of imposing it on man? Is the number two? One would be an assassin, look you! But count well, one, two, three. Behold, they are wise and just, these grave and salaried criminals! O c

ords, terrified Richelieu and Laubardemont so much that they still rem

rves are naked, red, and glittering; his bones crack; the marrow spurts out. But the judges sleep! they dream of flowers and spring. 'How hot the grand chamber is!' says one, awaking; 'this man has not chosen to speak! Is the torture finished?' And pitiful at l

e, and grief, the Cardinal, seize

is terrible scene have an end! T

ering loud cries, "Ah, the judge! the judge!

nds and trembling before th

on me! she is my niece,

misfortune, or she wou

ome, Madame, to your k

r the Card

flush which had animated her at first gave place to a deadly pallor, her cries to a motionless silence, her

e is dying, and so am I. So many horrors pursue me since

nd her strength. At the movement of the Cardinal, she shuddered to find herself between him and Laubardemont, looked by turns at one and the other, let the knife which she held fall from her hand, and retired slowly toward the opening

s of his victim, tied them with a handkerchief, and easily led her, for she uttered no cry, not even a sigh