The Man in the Iron Mask Read online

  Chapter X. Crown and Tiara.

  Aramis was the first to descend from the carriage; he held the door openfor the young man. He saw him place his foot on the mossy ground witha trembling 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 every light and prospect underneaththeir 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.But the 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, spoketo the prince in so seductive a language, that notwithstanding thepreternatural caution, we would almost say dissimulation of hischaracter, of which we have tried to give an idea, he could not restrainhis emotion, and breathed a sigh of ecstasy. Then, by degrees, he raisedhis aching head and inhaled the softly scented air, as it was wafted ingentle gusts to his uplifted face. Crossing his arms on his chest, as ifto control this new sensation of delight, he drank in delicious draughtsof that mysterious air which interpenetrates at night the loftiestforests. The sky he was contemplating, the murmuring waters, theuniversal freshness--was not all this reality? Was not Aramis a madmanto suppose that he had aught else to dream of in this world? Thoseexciting pictures of country life, so free from fears and troubles,the ocean of happy days that glitters incessantly before all youngimaginations, are real allurements wherewith to fascinate a poor,unhappy prisoner, worn out by prison cares, emaciated by the stiflingair of the Bastile. It was the picture, it will be remembered, drawnby Aramis, when he offered the thousand pistoles he had with him inthe carriage to the prince, and the enchanted Eden which the deserts ofBas-Poitou hid from the eyes of the world. Such were the reflections ofAramis as he watched, with an anxiety impossible to describe, thesilent progress of the emotions of Philippe, whom he perceived graduallybecoming more and more absorbed in his meditations. The young prince wasoffering up an inward prayer to Heaven, to be divinely guided in thistrying moment, upon which his life or death depended. It was an anxioustime for the bishop of Vannes, who had never before been so perplexed.His iron will, accustomed to overcome all obstacles, never findingitself inferior or vanquished on any occasion, to be foiled in so vast aproject from not having foreseen the influence which a view of nature inall its luxuriance would have on the human mind! Aramis, overwhelmed byanxiety, contemplated with emotion the painful struggle that was takingplace in Philippe's mind. This suspense lasted the whole ten minuteswhich the young man had requested. During this space of time, whichappeared an eternity, Philippe continued gazing with an imploring andsorrowful look towards the heavens; Aramis did not remove the piercingglance he had fixed on Philippe. Suddenly the young man bowed his head.His thought returned to the earth, his looks perceptibly hardened, hisbrow contracted, his mouth assuming an expression of undaunted courage;again his looks became fixed, but this time they wore a worldlyexpression, hardened by covetousness, pride, and strong desire. Aramis'slook immediately became as soft as it had before been gloomy. Philippe,seizing his hand in a quick, agitated manner, exclaimed:

  "Lead me to 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.

  "Such looks are flashes of the hidden fire that betrays men'scharacter," said Aramis, bowing over Philippe's hand; "you will begreat, monseigneur, I will answer 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 shall 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 those notes."

  "Attentively?"

  "I know them by heart."

  "And understand them? Pardon me, but I may venture to ask that questionof a poor, abandoned captive of the Bastile? In a week's time it willnot be requisite to further question a mind like yours. You will then bein full possession of liberty and power."

  "Interrogate me, then, and I will be a scholar representing his lessonto his 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 the watchfulness of thelatter," said Aramis; "she is sincerely attached to the actual king. Theeyes of a woman who loves are not easily deceived."

  "She is fair, has blue eyes, whose affectionate gaze reveals heridentity. She halts slightly in her gait; she writes a letter every day,to which I 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 not require me to exile him, Isuppose?"

  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 afterwards, I shall seldom go wrong."

  "You have still an 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,cooped in an iron box, to Charles II.; he who so faithfully servedmy mother; 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 and enterprising man."

  "I will think it over. Now tell me about M. Fouquet; what do you wish tobe done with regard to him?"

  "One mome
nt more, I entreat you, monseigneur; and forgive me, if I seemto fail in respect to questioning you further."

  "It is your duty to do so, nay, more than that, your right."

  "Before we pass to M. Fouquet, I should very much regret forgettinganother friend of mine."

  "M. du Vallon, the Hercules of France, you mean; oh! as far as he isconcerned, his interests are more than 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 brotherso disloyally bereft him of? Be easy on that score. I shall know how torehabilitate his happiness. Tell me only one thing, Monsieur d'Herblay;do men, when they love, forget the treachery that has been shown them?Can a man ever forgive the woman who has betrayed him? Is that a Frenchcustom, or is it 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 yet know whether 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 keep him on as surintendant, in the capacity in which he hashitherto acted, I entreat you."

  "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 shall 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 your royal highness has 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, I mean, with all his labors,thanks to the youthfulness he still retains; but this protracted youthwill disappear at the approach of the first serious annoyance, or atthe first illness he may experience. We will spare him the annoyance,because he is an agreeable and noble-hearted man; but we cannot save himfrom ill-health. So it is determined. When you shall have paid all M.Fouquet's debts, and restored the finances to a sound condition, M.Fouquet will be able to remain the sovereign ruler in his little courtof poets and painters,--we shall have made him rich. When that has beendone, and I have become your royal highness's prime minister, I shall beable 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 much toblame in the fixed idea he had of governing France alone, unaided. Heallowed two kings, King Louis XIII. and himself, to be seated on theself-same throne, whilst he might have installed them more convenientlyupon two separate 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 King of France, a cardinal to whom the king hismaster lends the treasures of the state, his army, 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 will have in the government of the state no more thanyou will be able to manage unaided; I should only interfere with you.Besides, our friendship ought never to be, I do not say impaired, butin any degree affected, by a secret thought. I shall have given youthe throne of France, you will confer on me the throne of St. Peter.Whenever your loyal, firm, and mailed hand should joined in ties ofintimate association the hand of a pope such as I shall be, neitherCharles V., who owned two-thirds of the habitable globe, norCharlemagne, who possessed it entirely, will be able to reach to halfyour stature. I have no alliances, I have no predilections; I will notthrow you into persecutions of heretics, nor will I cast you into thetroubled waters of family dissension; I will simply say to you: Thewhole universe is our own; for me the minds of men, for you theirbodies. And as I shall be the first to die, you will have myinheritance. What do you say of my plan, 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. Never shall I act except in such a manner that you willbe the gainer; I shall never ascend the ladder of fortune, fame, orposition, until I 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 interestsincluded in them incline more to one side than to another. With us,however, this will never be the case; I have no need of any guarantees."

  "And so--my dear 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 a crownedsovereign, he will awake a captive. Alone you will rule from thatmoment, and you will have no interest dearer and better than that ofkeeping 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 have upon our temples, you the crown, Ithe tiara."

  "Still embrace me this very day also, and be, for and towards 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 fanciedhe detected in his own heart an emotion hitherto unknown; 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.