Part 5 (1/2)
The queen looked around her for so out of a cupboard hidden in the tapestry, a s it on the altar: ”I swear,” she said, ”by these sacred relics that Buckingham was not my lover”
”What relics are those by which you swear?” asked Mazarin, s ”I am incredulous”
The queen untied fro there, and presented it to the cardinal
”Open, sir,” she said, ”and look for yourself”
Mazarin opened the coffer; a knife, covered with rust, and two letters, one of which was stained with blood, alone s?” he asked
”What are these things?” replied Anne, with queen-like dignity, extending toward the open coffer an arm, despite the lapse of years, still beautiful ”These two letters are the only ones I ever wrote to him This knife is the knife hich Felton stabbed him Read the letters and see if I have lied or spoken the truth”
But Mazarin, notwithstanding this per the letters, took the knife which the dying Buckingham had snatched out of the wound and sent by Laporte to the queen The blade was red, for the blood had beco which the queen became as white as the cloth which covered the altar on which she was leaning, he put it back into the coffer with an involuntary shudder
”It is well, madame, I believe your oath”
”No, no, read,” exclainantly; ”read, I co shall be finished to-night and never will I recur to this subject again Do you think,” she said, with a ghastly smile, ”that I shall be inclined to reopen this coffer to answer any future accusations?”
Mazarin, overcome by this determination, read the two letters In one the queen asked for the ornanan and had arrived in time The other was that which Laporte had placed in the hands of the Duke of Buckingha him that he was about to be assassinated; that communication had arrived too late
”It is well, ainsay such testi the coffer and leaning her hand upon it, ”if there is anything to be said, it is that I have always been ungrateful to the brave allant officer, D'Artagnan, you were speaking of just now, but my hand to kiss and this diamond”
As she spoke she extended her beautiful hand to the cardinal and showed hier
”It appears,” she resumed, ”that he sold it---he sold it in order to save er to the duke to warn hier--he sold it to Monsieur des Essarts, on whose finger I renan Give it back to him, sir, and since you have such a man in your service, make him useful”
”Thank you, madame,” said Mazarin ”I will profit by the advice”
”And now,” added the queen, her voice broken by her emotion, ”have you any other question to ask ,”--the cardinal spoke in his ive my unworthy suspicions I love you so tenderly that I cannot help being jealous, even of the past”
A smile, which was indefinable, passed over the lips of the queen
”Since you have no further interrogations to make, leave me, I beseech you,” she said ”I wish, after such a scene, to be alone”
Mazarin bent low before her
”I will retire, madame Do you permit me to return?”
”Yes, to-morrow”
The cardinal took the queen's hand and pressed it with an air of gallantry to his lips
Scarcely had he left her when the queen went into her son's roo was in bed Laporte pointed to the child, as asleep
Anne ascended the steps side of the bed and softly kissed the placid forehead of her son; then she retired as silently as she had co to Laporte: ”Try,more courteous to Monsieur le Cardinal, to whoations”
5 The Gascon and the Italian
Meanwhile the cardinal returned to his own roo Bernouin, who stood at the door, whether anything had occurred during his absence, and being answered in the negative, he desired that he ht be left alone
When he was alone he opened the door of the corridor and then that of the ante-chanan was asleep upon a bench
The cardinal went up to hinan started, awakened himself, and as he awoke, stood up exactly like a soldier under arms
”Here I am,” said he ”Who callsexpression
”I ask pardon of your eued----”
”Don't ask ued yourself in racious manner ”Ah,” said he, between his teeth, ”is there truth in the proverb that fortune comes while one sleeps?”
”Follow me, nan, ”Rochefort has kept his promise, but where in the devil is he?” And he searched the cabinet even to the sn of Rochefort
”Monsieur d'Artagnan,” said the cardinal, sitting down on a fauteuil, ”you have always seemed to ht D'Artagnan, ”but he has taken a long tihts;” nevertheless, he bowed to the very ground in gratitude for Mazarin's compliment
”Well,” continued Mazarin, ”the time has come to put to use your talents and your valor”
There was a sudden gleam of joy in the officer's eyes, which vanished i of Mazarin's purpose
”Order, my lord,” he said; ”I anan,” continued the cardinal, ”you perforn”
”Your eood to reht with tolerable success”
”I don't speak of your warlike exploits, ained you much reputation, they were surpassed by others”
D'Artagnan pretended astonishment
”Well, you do not reply?” resu, my lord, till you tell me of what exploits you speak”
”I speak of the adventure--Eh, you knohat I nan, surprised