"a.s.suredly, these men are not less guilty than the chevalier; and in authorizing me to arrest one, you authorized me to arrest all."
"And when did the bearer of this order leave?"
Dubois took out his watch.
"Just three hours ago. Thus, it was a poetical license when I said they were all arrested; they will not be till to-morrow morning."
"Bretagne will be aroused, Dubois."
"Bah! I have taken measures."
"The Breton tribunals will not condemn their compatriots."
"That case is foreseen."
"And, if they should be condemned, none will be found to execute them.
It will be a second edition of the affair at Chalais. Remember, it was at Nantes that _that_ took place, Dubois. I tell you, Bretons are unaccommodating."
"This is a point to settle with the commissioners, of whom this is a list. I will send three or four executioners from Paris--men accustomed to n.o.ble deeds--who have preserved the traditions of the Cardinal de Richelieu."
"Good G.o.d!" cried the regent; "bloodshed under my reign--I do not like it. As to Count Horn, he was a thief, and Duchaffour a wretch; but I am tender, Dubois."
"No, monseigneur, you are not tender; you are uncertain and weak; I told you so when you were my scholar--I tell you so again, now that you are my master. When you were christened, your G.o.dmothers, the fairies, gave you every gift of nature--strength, beauty, courage, and mind: only one--whom they did not invite because she was old, and they probably foresaw your aversion to old women--arrived the last, and gave you weakness--that spoiled all."
"And who told you this pretty tale? Perrault or St. Simon?"
"The princess palatine, your mother."
The regent laughed.
"And whom shall we choose for the commission?" asked he.
"Oh, monseigneur, people of mind and resolution, be sure; not provincials; not very sensitive to family scenes; men old in the dust of tribunals, whom the Breton men will not frighten with their fierce eyes, nor the Breton women seduce with their beautiful languid ones."
The regent made no reply.
"After all," continued Dubois, "these people may not be as guilty as we suppose. What they have plotted let us recapitulate. Bah! mere trifles.
To bring back the Spaniards into France, what is that? To call Philip the Fifth king, the renouncer of his country; to break all the laws of the State--these good Bretons."
"Dubois, I know the national law as well as you."
"Then, monseigneur, if you speak truly, you have only to approve the nomination of the commissioners I have chosen."
"How many are there?"
"Twelve."
"Their names?"
Dubois gave in the list.
"Ah, you were right--a happy choice; but who is to preside over this amiable a.s.sembly?"
"Guess, monseigneur."
"Take care; you must have an honest man at the head of these ravagers."
"I have one."
"Who is it?"
"An amba.s.sador."
"Cellamare, perhaps."
"Ma foi! I think if you would let him come out of Blois he would not refuse you even the heads of his accomplices."
"Let him stop at Blois. Who is to preside?"
"Chateau-Neuf."
"The amba.s.sador from Holland, from the great king. Dubois, I do not generally compliment you, but this time you have done wonders."
"You understand, monseigneur: he knows that these people wish to make a republic; and he, who is brought up to know none but sultans, and who has a horror of Holland through the horror of Louis XIV. for republics, has accepted with a good grace. We shall have Argram for prosecutor.
Cayet shall be our secretary. We go to work quickly and well, monseigneur, for time presses."
"But shall we at least have quiet afterward?"
"I believe so. We may sleep all day and all night; that is to say, when we have finished the war in Spain."
"Oh!" cried the regent, "why did I strive for the regency? I should laugh to see M. de Maine freeing himself with his Jesuits and his Spaniards! Madame de Maintenon and her politics, with Villeroy and Villars, would drive away the spleen; and Hubert says it is good to laugh once a day."
"Apropos of Madame de Maintenon," replied Dubois; "you know, monseigneur, that she is very ill, and that she cannot live a fortnight."
"Bah!"
"Since the imprisonment of Madame de Maine and the exile of her husband, she says that decidedly Louis XIV. is dead, and that she goes weeping to rejoin him."
"Which does not trouble you, eh?"
"Oh! I confess that I hate her cordially; it was she who made the king open his eyes so wide when I asked for the red hat at your marriage; and, corbleu! it was not an easy thing to arrange, monseigneur, as you know. If you had not been there to redress my wrongs, she would have spoiled my career. If I could but have crammed her M. de Maine into this Bretagne affair; but it was impossible--the poor man is half dead with fear, so that he says to every one he meets, "Do you know there has been a conspiracy against the government of the king and against the person of the regent? it is a disgrace to France. Ah! if all men were only like me!""
"No one would conspire--that is certain," said the regent.
"He has disowned his wife," added Dubois, laughing.
"And she has disowned her husband," said the regent, laughing also.
"I should not advise you to imprison them together--they would fight."