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Updated: June 27, 2025
'My dear Monsieur Bernouin, he replied, 'the king is madly in love with Mademoiselle de Mancini, that is all I have to tell you. And then I asked him: 'Do you think, to such a degree that it will urge him to act contrary to the designs of his eminence? 'Ah! don't ask me, said he; 'I think the king capable of anything; he has a will of iron, and what he wills he wills in earnest.
As he was speaking thus, entirely occupied with his ciphers, and thinking no more of his gout, repelled by a preoccupation which, with the cardinal, was the most powerful of all preoccupations, Bernouin rushed into the chamber, quite in a fright. "Well!" asked the cardinal, "what is the matter now?" "The king, monseigneur, the king!" "How? the king!" said Mazarin, quickly concealing his paper.
I give you to understand plainly to whom this money belongs, Bernouin, seeing that everybody has the stupidity to believe me rich in millions. I repel the silly idea. A minister, besides, has nothing of his own. Come, go on. Rentrees generales, seven millions; properties, nine millions. Have you written that, Bernouin?" "Yes, monseigneur."
"Recently, my lord, Spain, on the occasion of the marriage of his majesty Louis XIV., sent King Charles II. a brevet of the Fleece in blank; Charles II. immediately transmitted it to me, filling up the blank with my name." Mazarin arose, and leaning on the arm of Bernouin, he returned to his ruelle at the moment the name of M. le Prince was being announced.
During the whole evening he had remained in one of the corridors, chatting with Bernouin and Brienne, and commenting, with the ordinary skill of people of court, upon the news which developed like air-bubbles upon the water, on the surface of each event.
With a gesture resigning himself to whatever might befall, he entered the court, careful to observe that the way out was no more intricate than the way in. "Now for the ladder. If that is missing, it's horse and away to Spain, or feel the edge of Monsieur Caboche. Will the lackey be true? False or true, I must trust him. Bernouin would sell Mazarin for twenty louis, and that is what I have paid.
By degrees the chamber was deserted, and Mazarin was left alone, a prey to suffering which he could no longer dissemble. "Bernouin! Bernouin!" cried he in a broken voice. "What does monseigneur want?" "Guenaud let Guenaud be sent for," said his eminence. "I think I'm dying."
During the whole evening he had remained in one of the corridors, chatting with Bernouin and Brienne, and commenting, with the ordinary skill of people of a court, upon the news which developed like air-bubbles upon the water, on the surface of each event.
What did I tell you to do just now, Bernouin?" "Your eminence commanded me to cast up an account." "You did it, did you not?" "Yes, my lord." "To verify the amount of which his majesty, at this moment, stands in need. Did I not tell you so? Be frank, my friend." "Your eminence said so." "Well, what sum did I say I wanted?" "Forty-five millions, I think."
When left alone with Bernouin, Mazarin was for some minutes lost in thought. He had gained much information, but not enough. Mazarin was a cheat at the card-table. This is a detail preserved to us by Brienne. He called it using his advantages. He now determined not to begin the game with D'Artagnan till he knew completely all his adversary's cards.
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