CHAPTER LXXXIV.
CROWN AND TIARA.
Aramis was first to descend from the carriage; he held the door open forthe young man. He saw him place his foot on the mossy ground with atrembling of the whole body, and walk round the carriage with anunsteady and almost tottering step. It seemed as if the poor prisonerwas unaccustomed to walk on God's earth. It was the 15th of August,about eleven o'clock at night; thick clouds, portending a tempest,overspread the heavens, and shrouded all light, and prospect beneaththeir heavy folds. The extremities of the avenues were imperceptiblydetached from the copse, by a lighter shadow of opaque gray, which, uponcloser examination, became visible in the midst of the obscurity. Butthe fragrance which ascended from the grass, fresher and morepenetrating than that which exhaled from the trees around him; the warmand balmy air which enveloped him for the first time for many yearspast; the ineffable enjoyment of liberty in an open country, spoke tothe prince in so seducing a language, that notwithstanding the greatcaution, we would almost say the dissimulation of his character, ofwhich we have tried to give an idea, he could not restrain his emotion,and breathed a sigh of joy. Then, by degrees, he raised his aching headand inhaled the perfumed air, as it was wafted in gentle gusts acrosshis uplifted face. Crossing his arms on his chest as if to control thisnew sensation of delight, he drank in delicious draughts of thatmysterious air which penetrates at night-time through lofty forests. Thesky he was contemplating, the murmuring waters, the moving creatures,was not this reality? Was not Aramis a madman to suppose that he hadaught else to dream of in this world? Those exciting pictures of countrylife, so free from cares, from fears, and troubles, that ocean of happydays which glitters incessantly before all youthful imaginations, arereal allurements wherewith to fascinate a poor, unhappy prisoner, wornout by prison life, and emaciated by the close air of the Bastille.
It was the picture, it will be remembered, drawn by Aramis, when heoffered the thousand pistoles which he had with him in the carriage tothe prince, and the enchanted Eden which the deserts of Bas-Poiton hidfrom the eyes of the world. Such were the reflections of Aramis as hewatched, with an anxiety impossible to describe, the silent progress ofthe emotions of Philippe, whom he perceived gradually becoming more andmore absorbed in his meditations. The young prince was offering up aninward prayer to Heaven, to be divinely guided in this trying moment,upon which his life or death depended. It was an anxious time for thebishop of Vannes, who had never before been so perplexed. His iron will,accustomed to overcome all obstacles, never finding itself inferior orvanquished on any occasion, to be foiled in so vast a project from nothaving foreseen the influence which a view of Nature in all itsluxuriance would have on the human mind! Aramis, overwhelmed by anxiety,contemplated with emotion the painful struggle which was taking place inPhilippe's mind. This suspense lasted the whole ten minutes which theyoung man had requested. During this space of time, which appeared aneternity, Philippe continued gazing with an imploring and sorrowful looktoward the heavens; Aramis did not remove the piercing glance he hadfixed on Philippe. Suddenly the young man bowed his head. His thoughtsreturned to the earth, his looks perceptibly hardened, his browcontracted, his mouth assuming an expression of fierce courage; and thenagain his look became fixed, but this time it wore a worldly expression,hardened by covetousness, pride, and strong desire. Aramis' look thenbecame as soft as it had before been gloomy. Philippe, seizing his handin a quick, agitated manner, exclaimed:
"Let us go where the crown of France is to be found!"
"Is this your decision, monseigneur?" asked Aramis.
"It is."
"Irrevocably so?"
Philippe did not even deign to reply. He gazed earnestly at the bishop,as if to ask him if it were possible for a man to waver after havingonce made up his mind.
"Those looks are flashes of fire which portray character," said Aramis,bowing over Philippe's hand; "you will be great, monseigneur, I willanswer for that."
"Let us resume our conversation. I wished to discuss two points withyou; in the first place, the dangers or the obstacles we may meet with.That point is decided. The other is the conditions you intend imposingon me. It is your turn to speak, M. d'Herblay."
"The conditions, monseigneur?"
"Doubtless. You will not allow so mere a trifle to stop me, and you willnot do me the injustice to suppose that I think you have no interest inthis affair. Therefore, without subterfuge or hesitation, tell me thetruth."
"I will do so, monseigneur. Once a king--"
"When will that be?"
"To-morrow evening--I mean in the night."
"Explain yourself."
"When I have asked your highness a question."
"Do so."
"I sent to your highness a man in my confidence, with instructions todeliver some closely written notes, carefully drawn up, which willthoroughly acquaint your highness with the different persons who composeand will compose your court."
"I perused all the notes."
"Attentively?"
"I know them by heart."
"And understood them? Pardon me, but I may venture to ask that questionof a poor, abandoned captive of the Bastille. It will not be requisitein a week's time to further question a mind like yours, when you willthen be in full possession of liberty and power."
"Interrogate me, then, and I will be a scholar repeating his lesson tohis master."
"We will begin with your family, monseigneur."
"My mother, Anne of Austria! all her sorrows, her painful malady. Oh! Iknow her--I know her."
"Your second brother?" asked Aramis, bowing.
"To these notes," replied the prince, "you have added portraits sofaithfully painted, that I am able to recognize the persons whosecharacters, manners, and history, you have so carefully portrayed.Monsieur, my brother, is a fine, dark young man, with a pale face; hedoes not love his wife, Henrietta, whom I, Louis XIV., loved a little,and still flirt with, even although she made me weep on the day shewished to dismiss Mademoiselle de la Valliere from her service indisgrace."
"You will have to be careful with regard to watchfulness of the latter,"said Aramis; "she is sincerely attached to the actual king. The eyes ofa woman who loves are not easily deceived."
"She is fair, has blue eyes, whose affectionate gaze will reveal heridentity. She halts slightly in her gait; she writes a letter every day,to which I shall have to send an answer by M. de Saint-Aignan.
"Do you know the latter?"
"As if I saw him, and I know the last verses he composed for me, as wellas those I composed in answer to his."
"Very good. Do you know your ministers?"
"Colbert, an ugly, dark-browed man, but intelligent enough; his haircovering his forehead, a large, heavy, full head; the mortal enemy of M.Fouquet."
"As for the latter, we need not disturb ourselves about him."
"No; because necessarily you will require me to exile him, I suppose?"
Aramis, struck with admiration at the remark, said, "You will becomevery great, monseigneur."
"You see," added the prince, "that I know my lesson by heart, and withHeaven's assistance, and yours afterward, I shall seldom go wrong."
"You have still a very awkward pair of eyes to deal with, monseigneur."
"Yes; the captain of the musketeers, M. d'Artagnan, your friend."
"Yes; I can well say, my friend."
"He who escorted La Valliere to Le Chaillot; he who delivered up Monk,fastened in an iron box, to Charles II.; he who so faithfully served mymother; he to whom the crown of France owes so much that it oweseverything. Do you intend to ask me to exile him also?"
"Never, sire. D'Artagnan is a man to whom, at a certain given time, Iwill undertake to reveal everything; but be on your guard with him; forif he discovers our plot before it is revealed to him, you or I willcertainly be killed or taken. He is a bold, enterprising man."
"I will think it over. Now tell me about M. Fouquet; what do you wish tobe done with regard to him?"
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"One moment more. I entreat you, monseigneur; and forgive me, if I seemto fail in respect in questioning you further."
"It is your duty to do so, and, more than that, your right also."
"Before we pass to M. Fouquet, I should very much regret forgettinganother friend of mine."
"M. de Valon, the Hercules of France, you mean; oh! as far as he isconcerned, his fortune is safe."
"No; it is not he whom I intended to refer to."
"The Comte de la Fere, then."
"And his son, the son of all four of us."
"That poor boy who is dying of love for La Valliere, whom my brother sodisloyally deprived him of? Be easy on that score, I shall know how torestore him. Tell me only one thing, Monsieur d'Herblay; do men, whenthey love, forget the treachery that has been shown them? Can a man everforgive the woman who has betrayed him? Is that a French custom, or isit one of the laws of the human heart?"
"A man who loves deeply, as deeply as Raoul loves Mademoiselle de laValliere, finishes by forgetting the fault or crime of the woman heloves; but I do not know if Raoul will be able to forget."
"I will see after that. Have you anything further to say about yourfriend?"
"No; that is all."
"Well, then, now for M. Fouquet. What do you wish me to do for him?"
"To continue him as surintendant, as he has hitherto acted, I entreatyou."
"Be it so; but he is the first minister at present."
"Not quite so."
"A king, ignorant and embarrassed as I shall be, will, as a matter ofcourse, require a first minister of state."
"Your majesty will require a friend."
"I have only one and that is yourself."
"You will have many others by-and-by, but none so devoted, none sozealous for your glory."
"You will be my first minister of state."
"Not immediately, monseigneur; for that would give rise to too muchsuspicion and astonishment."
"M. de Richelieu, the first minister of my grandmother, Marie de Medici,was simply bishop of Lucon, as you are bishop of Vannes."
"I perceive that your royal highness has studied my notes to greatadvantage; your amazing perspicacity overpowers me with delight."
"I am perfectly aware that M. de Richelieu, by means of the queen'sprotection, soon became cardinal."
"It would be better," said Aramis, bowing, "that I should not beappointed first minister until after your royal highness had procured mynomination as cardinal."
"You shall be nominated before two months are past, Monsieur d'Herblay.But that is a matter of very trifling moment; you would not offend me ifyou were to ask more than that, and you would cause me serious regret ifyou were to limit yourself to that."
"In that case I have something still further to hope for, monseigneur."
"Speak! speak!"
"M. Fouquet will not keep long at the head of affairs, he will soon getold. He is fond of pleasure, consistently so with his labors, thanks tothat amount of youthfulness which he still retains; but thisyouthfulness will disappear at the approach of the first seriousannoyance, or at the first illness he may experience. We will spare himthe annoyance, because he is an agreeable and noble-hearted man; but wecannot save him from ill-health. So it is determined. When you shallhave paid all M. Fouquet's debts, and restored the finances to a soundcondition, M. Fouquet will be able to remain the sovereign ruler in hislittle court of poets and painters, but we shall have made him rich.When that has been done, and I shall have become your royal highness'sprime minister, I shall be able to think of my own interests and yours."
The young man looked at his interrogator.
"M. de Richelieu, of whom we were speaking just now, was very blamablein the fixed idea he had of governing France alone, unaided. He allowedtwo kings, the King Louis XIII. and himself, to be seated upon the samethrone, while he might have installed them more conveniently upon twoseparate and distinct thrones."
"Upon two thrones?" said the young man, thoughtfully.
"In fact," pursued Aramis, quietly, "a cardinal, prime minister ofFrance, assisted by the favor and by the countenance of his MostChristian Majesty the the king of France, a cardinal to whom the kinghis master lends the treasures of the state, his arm, his counsel, sucha man would be acting with twofold injustice in applying these mightyresources to France alone. Besides," added Aramis, "you will not be aking such as your father was; delicate in health, slow in judgment, whomall things wearied; you will be a king governing by your brain and byyour sword; you would have in the government of the state no more thanyou could manage unaided; I should only interfere with you. Besides, ourfriendship ought never to be, I do not say impaired, but in any wayaffected, by a secret thought. I shall have given you the throne ofFrance, you will confer on me the throne of St. Peter. Whenever yourloyal, firm, and mailed hand shall have joined in ties of intimateassociation the hand of a pope such as I shall be, neither Charles theFifth, who owned two-thirds of the habitable globe, nor Charlemagne, whopossessed it entirely, will be able to reach to half your stature. Ihave no alliances, I have no predilections; I will not throw you intopersecutions of heretics, nor will I cast you into the troubled watersof family dissension; I will simply say to you: The whole universe isour own: for me the minds of men, for you their bodies. And as I shallbe the first to die, you will have my inheritance. What do you say of myplan, monseigneur?"
"I say that you render me happy and proud, for no other reason than thatof having comprehended you thoroughly. Monsieur d'Herblay, you shall becardinal, and when cardinal, my prime minister; and then you will pointout to me the necessary steps to be taken to secure your election aspope, and I will take them. You can ask what guarantees from me youplease."
"It is useless. I shall never act except in such a manner that you arethe gainer; I shall never ascend the ladder of fortune, fame, orposition, until I shall have first seen you placed upon the round of theladder immediately above me; I shall always hold myself sufficientlyaloof from you to escape incurring your jealousy, sufficiently near tosustain your personal advantage and to watch over your friendship. Allthe contracts in the world are easily violated because the interestincluded in them inclines more to one side than to another. With us,however, it will never be the case; I have no need of any guarantees."
"And so--my brother--will disappear?"
"Simply. We will remove him from his bed by means of a plank whichyields to the pressure of the finger. Having retired to rest as acrowned sovereign, he will awaken in captivity. Alone you will rule fromthat moment, and you will have no interest dearer and better than thatof keeping me near you."
"I believe it. There is my hand on it, Monsieur d'Herblay."
"Allow me to kneel before you, sire, most respectfully. We will embraceeach other on the day we shall both have on our temples, you the crown,and I the tiara."
"Still embrace me this very day also, and be, for and toward me, morethan great, more than skillful, more than sublime in genius; be kind andindulgent--be my father."
Aramis was almost overcome as he listened to his voice; he fancied hedetected in his own heart an emotion hitherto unknown to him; but thisimpression was speedily removed. "His father!" he thought; "yes, hisHoly Father."
And they resumed their places in the carriage, which sped rapidly alongthe road leading to Vaux-le-Vicomte.