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He was now rejoiced, however, to hear that they would soon arrive, and went in person to the Hotel Gondy to see that everything was prepared in a manner befitting their dignity and comfort. His anxiety had moreover been increased, as already stated, by the alarming reports from Utrecht and by his other private accounts from the Netherlands.
Gondy looked at Mazarin, astonished, and Mazarin approached the queen to speak to her, but at this moment a frightful tumult arose from the square of the Palais Royal. Gondy smiled, the queen's color rose and Mazarin grew even paler. "What is that again?" he asked. At this moment Comminges rushed into the room.
The coadjutor bowed. "Your majesty wishes, then " "You to say what you would do in her place," Mazarin hastened to reply. The coadjutor looked at the queen, who replied by a sign in the affirmative. "Were I in her majesty's place," said Gondy, coldly, "I should not hesitate; I should release Broussel." "And if I do not give him up, what think you will be the result?" exclaimed the queen.
D'Artagnan put his hand to his sword, motioning to Porthos to follow his example. "Save the queen!" cried Mazarin to the coadjutor. Gondy sprang to the window and threw it open; he recognized Louvieres at the head of a troop of about three or four thousand men. "Not a step further," he shouted, "the queen is signing!" "What are you saying?" asked the queen.
"Come in," said a voice which he recognized as that of the mendicant, whom he found lying on a kind of truckle bed. He rose on the entrance of the coadjutor, and at that moment ten o'clock struck. "Well," said Gondy, "have you kept your word with me?" "Not exactly," replied the mendicant. "How is that?" "You asked me for five hundred men, did you not? Well, I have ten thousand for you."
The ceremony of the King's abjuration was followed by a deputation of the Duke of Nevers to Rome, who, together with the Cardinal de Gondy and the Marquis de Pisany, was to offer the Pope the submission usual in such cases.
"Ah! how much you have need of me, cunning rogue!" thought Gondy. "Peste, if he is giving away hats like that, Porthos, let us look out and both demand a regiment to-morrow. Corbleu! let the civil war last but one year and I will have a constable's sword gilt for me." "And for me?" put in Porthos. "For you? "And so, sir," said the queen, "you are seriously afraid of a public tumult."
"Perhaps it will be too late," said Gondy, still unmoved; "perhaps I shall have lost all influence; while by giving up Broussel your majesty will strike at the root of the sedition and will gain the right to punish severely any revival of the revolt." "Have I not, then, that right?" cried the queen. "If you have it, use it," replied Gondy. "There is a man after my own heart.
On each side of the altar a gallery had been erected which was filled with musicians, and beneath that upon the right hand was a tapestried bench for the archbishops, bishops, and members of the Council, while immediately in front of the shrine were placed the seats of the Cardinal de Gondy, who was to perform the baptismal ceremonies, and the almoners and chaplains of his suite.
Gondy, who began to feel uneasy, examined the tapestry with his eyes, touched the coat of mail which he wore under his long gown and felt from time to time to see if the handle of a good Spanish dagger, which was hidden under his cloak, was well within reach. "And now," at last said the queen, "now that we are alone, repeat your counsel, monsieur le coadjuteur."
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