twenty years after(二十年后)-第74部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

〃To　our　next　meeting；　sirs；　in　England。〃

44
Te　Deum　for　the　Victory　of　Lens。

The　bustle　which　had　been　observed　by　Henrietta　Maria　and
for　which　she　had　vainly　sought　to　discover　a　reason；　was
occasioned　by　the　battle　of　Lens；　announced　by　the　prince's
messenger；　the　Duc　de　Chatillon；　who　had　taken　such　a　noble
part　in　the　engagement；　he　was；　besides；　charged　to　hang
five　and　twenty　flags；　taken　from　the　Lorraine　party；　as
well　as　from　the　Spaniards；　upon　the　arches　of　Notre　Dame。
Such　news　was　decisive；　it　destroyed；　in　favor　of　the　court；
the　struggle　commenced　with　parliament。　The　motive　given　for
all　the　taxes　summarily　imposed　and　to　which　the　parliament
had　made　opposition；　was　the　necessity　of　sustaining　the
honor　of　France　and　the　uncertain　hope　of　beating　the　enemy。
Now；　since　the　affair　of　Nordlingen；　they　had　experienced
nothing　but　reverses；　the　parliament　had　a　plea　for　calling
Mazarin　to　account　for　imaginary　victories；　always　promised；
ever　deferred；　but　this　time　there　really　had　been　fighting；
a　triumph　and　a　complete　one。　And　this　all　knew　so　well　that
it　was　a　double　victory　for　the　court；　a　victory　at　home　and
abroad；　so　that　even　when　the　young　king　learned　the　news　he
exclaimed；　〃Ah；　gentlemen　of　the　parliament；　we　shall　see
what　you　will　say　now！〃　Upon　which　the　queen　had　pressed　the
royal　child　to　her　heart；　whose　haughty　and　unruly
sentiments　were　in　such　harmony　with　her　own。　A　council　was
called　on　the　same　evening；　but　nothing　transpired　of　what
had　been　decided　on。　It　was　only　known　that　on　the　following
Sunday　a　Te　Deum　would　be　sung　at　Notre　Dame　in　honor　of　the
victory　of　Lens。
The　following　Sunday；　then；　the　Parisians　arose　with　joy；　at
that　period　a　Te　Deum　was　a　grand　affair；　this　kind　of
ceremony　had　not　then　been　abused　and　it　produced　a　great
effect。　The　shops　were　deserted；　houses　closed；　every　one
wished　to　see　the　young　king　with　his　mother；　and　the　famous
Cardinal　Mazarin　whom　they　hated　so　much　that　no　one　wished
to　be　deprived　of　his　presence。　Moreover；　great　liberty
prevailed　throughout　the　immense　crowd；　every　opinion　was
openly　expressed　and　chorused；　so　to　speak；　of　coming
insurrection；　as　the　thousand　bells　of　all　the　Paris
churches　rang　out　the　Te　Deum。　The　police　belonging　to　the
city　being　formed　by　the　city　itself；　nothing　threatening
presented　itself　to　disturb　this　concert　of　universal　hatred
or　freeze　the　frequent　scoffs　of　slanderous　lips。
Nevertheless；　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　regiment
of　the　queen's　guards；　commanded　by　Guitant；　under　whom　was
his　nephew　Comminges；　marched　publicly；　preceded　by　drums
and　trumpets；　filing　off　from　the　Palais　Royal　as　far　as
Notre　Dame；　a　manoeuvre　which　the　Parisians　witnessed
tranquilly；　delighted　as　they　were　with　military　music　and
brilliant　uniforms。
Friquet　had　put　on　his　Sunday　clothes；　under　the　pretext　of
having　a　swollen　face　which　he　had　managed　to　simulate　by
introducing　a　handful　of　cherry　kernels　into　one　side　of　his
mouth；　and　had　procured　a　whole　holiday　from　Bazin。　On
leaving　Bazin；　Friquet　started　off　to　the　Palais　Royal；
where　he　arrived　at　the　moment　of　the　turning　out　of　the
regiment　of　guards；　and　as　he　had　only　gone　there　for　the
enjoyment　of　seeing　it　and　hearing　the　music；　he　took　his
place　at　their　head；　beating　the　drum　on　two　pieces　of　slate
and　passing　from　that　exercise　to　that　of　the　trumpet；　which
he　counterfeited　quite　naturally　with　his　mouth　in　a　manner
which　had　more　than　once　called　forth　the　praises　of
amateurs　of　imitative　harmony。
This　amusement　lasted　from　the　Barriere　des　Sergens　to　the
place　of　Notre　Dame；　and　Friquet　found　in　it　very　real
enjoyment；　but　when　at　last　the　regiment　separated；
penetrated　the　heart　of　the　city　and　placed　itself　at　the
extremity　of　the　Rue　Saint　Christophe；　near　the　Rue
Cocatrix；　in　which　Broussel　lived；　then　Friquet　remembered
that　he　had　not　had　breakfast；　and　after　thinking　in　which
direction　he　had　better　turn　his　steps　in　order　to
accomplish　this　important　act　of　the　day；　he　reflected
deeply　and　decided　that　Councillor　Broussel　should　bear　the
cost　of　this　repast。
In　consequence　he　took　to　his　heels；　arrived　breathlessly　at
the　councillor's　door；　and　knocked　violently。
His　mother；　the　councillor's　old　servant；　opened　it。
〃What　doest　thou　here；　good…for…nothing？〃　she　said；　〃and　why
art　thou　not　at　Notre　Dame？〃
〃I　have　been　there；　mother；〃　said　Friquet；　〃but　I　saw　things
happen　of　which　Master　Broussel　ought　to　be　warned；　and　so
with　Monsieur　Bazin's　permission　　you　know；　mother；
Monsieur　Bazin；　the　verger　　I　came　to　speak　to　Monsieur
Broussel。〃
〃And　what　hast　thou　to　say；　boy；　to　Monsieur　Broussel？〃
〃I　wish　to　tell　him；〃　replied　Friquet；　screaming　with　all
his　might；　〃that　there　is　a　whole　regiment　of　guards　coming
this　way。　And　as　I　hear　everywhere　that　at　the　court　they
are　ill…disposed　to　him；　I　wish　to　warn　him；　that　he　may　be
on　his　guard。〃
Broussel　heard　the　scream　of　the　young　oddity；　and；
enchanted　with　this　excess　of　zeal；　came　down　to　the　first
floor；　for　he　was；　in　truth；　working　in　his　room　on　the
second。
〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃friend；　what　matters　the　regiment　of
guards　to　us；　and　art　thou　not　mad　to　make　such　a
disturbance？　Knowest　thou　not　that　it　is　the　custom　of　these
soldiers　to　act　thus　and　that　it　is　usual　for　the　regiment
to　form　themselves　into　two　solid　walls　when　the　king　goes
by？〃
Friquet　counterfeited　surprise；　and　twisting　his　new　cap
around　in　his　fingers；　said：
〃It　is　not　astonishing　for　you　to　know　it；　Monsieur
Broussel；　who　knows　everything；　but　as　for　me；　by　holy
truth；　I　did　not　know　it　and　I　thought　I　would　give　you　good
advice；　you　must　not　be　angry　with　me　for　that；　Monsieur
Broussel。〃
〃On　the　contrary；　my　boy；　on　the　contrary；　I　am　pleased　with
your　zeal。　Dame　Nanette；　look　for　those　apricots　which
Madame　de　Longueville　sent　to　us　yesterday　from　Noisy　and
give　half　a　dozen　of　them　to　your　son；　with　a　crust　of　new
bread。〃
〃Oh；　thank　you；　sir；　thank　you；　Monsieur　Broussel；〃　said
Friquet；　〃I　am　so　fond　of　apricots！〃
Broussel　then　proceeded　to　his　wife's　room　and　asked　for
breakfast；　it　was　nine　o'clock。　The　councillor　placed
himself　at　the　window；　the　street　was　completely　deserted；
but　in　the　distance　was　heard；　like　the　noise　of　the　tide
rushing　in；　the　deep　hum　of　the　populous　waves　increasing
now　around　Notre　Dame。
This　noise　redoubled　when　D'Artagnan；　with　a　company　of
musketeers；　placed　himself　at　the　gates　of　Notre　Dame　to
secure　the　service　of　the　church。　He　had　instructed　Porthos
to　profit　by　this　opportunity　to　see　the　ceremony；　and
Porthos；　in　full　dress；　mounted　his　finest　horse；　taking　the
part　of　supernumerary　musketeer；　as　D'Artagnan　had　so　often
done　formerly。　The　sergeant　of　this　company；　a　veteran　of
the　Spanish　wars；　had　recognized　Porthos；　his　old　companion；
and　very　soon　all　those　who　served　under　him　were　placed　in
possession　of　startling　facts　concerning　the　honor　of　the
ancient　musketeers　of　Treville。　Porthos　had　not　only　been
well　received　by　the　company；　but　he　was　moreover　looked　on
with　great　admiration。
At　ten　o'clock　the　guns　of　the　Louvre　announced　the
departure　of　the　king；　and　then　a　movement；　similar　to　that
of　trees　in　a　stormy　wind　that　bend　and　writhe　with　agitated
tops；　ran　though　the　multitude；　which　was　compressed　behind
the　immovable　muskets　of　the　guard。　At　last　the　king
appeared　with　the　queen　in　a　gilded　chariot。　Ten　other
carriages　followed；　containing　the　ladies　of　honor；　the
officers　of　the　royal　household；　and　the　court。
〃God　save　the　king！〃　was　the　cry　in　every　direction；　the
young　monarch　gravely　put　his　head　out　of　the　window；　looked
sufficiently　grateful　and　even　bowed；　at　which　the　cries　of
the　multitude　were　renewed。
Just　as　the　court　was　settling　down　in　the　cathedral；　a
carriage；　bearing　the　arms　of　Comminges；　quitted　the　line　of
the　court　carriages　and　proceeded　slowly　to　the　end　of　the
Rue　Saint　Christophe；　now　entirely　deserted。　When　it　arrived
there；　four　guards　and　a　police　officer；　who　accompanied　it；
mounted　into　the　heavy　machine　and　closed　the　shutters；　then
through　an　opening　cautiously　made；　the　policeman　began　to
watch　the　length　of　the　Rue　Cocatrix；　as　if　he　was　waiting
for　some　one。
All　the　world　was　occupied　with　the　ceremony；　so　that
neither　the　chariot　nor　the　precautions　taken　by　those　who
were　within　it　had　been　observed。　Friquet；　whose　eye；　ever
on　the　alert；　could　alone　have　discovered　them；　had　gone　to
devour　his　apricots　upon　the　entablature　of　a　house　in　the
square　of　Notre　Dame。　Thence　he　saw　the　king；　the　queen　and
Monsieur　Mazarin；　and　heard　the　mass　as　well　as　if　he　had
been　on　duty。
Toward　the　end　of　the　service；　the　queen；　seeing　Comminges
standing　near　her；　waiting　for　a　confirmation　of　the　order
she　had　given　him　before　quitting　the　Louvre；　said　in　a
whisper：
〃Go；　Comminges；　and　may　God　aid　you！〃
Comminges　immediately　left　the　church　and　entered　the　Rue
Saint　Christophe。　Friquet；　seeing　this　fine　officer　thus
walk　away；　followed　by　two　guards；　amused　himself　by
pursuing　them　and　did　this　so　much　the　more　gladly　as　the
ceremony　ended　at　that　instant　and　the　king　remounted　his