During this short monologue and the mise-en-scène that had accompanied it, whilst the king, through the long corridors of the old castle, proceeded to the apartment of M. de Mazarin, a scene of another sort was being enacted in those apartments.
Mazarin was in bed, suffering a little from the gout. But as he was a man of order, who utilized even pain, he forced his wakefulness to be the humble servant of his labor. He had consequently ordered Bernouin, his valet de chambre, to bring him a little traveling-desk, so that he might write in bed. But the gout is not an adversary that allows itself to be conquered so easily; therefore, at each movement he made, the pain from dull became sharp.
“Is Brienne there?” asked he of Bernouin.
“No, Monseigneur,” replied the valet de chambre; “M. de Brienne, with your permission, is gone to bed. But if it is the wish of Your Eminence, he can speedily be called.”
“No, it is not worth while. Let us see, however. Cursed ciphers!”
And the cardinal began to think, counting on his fingers the while.
“Oh, ciphers is it?” said Bernouin. “Very well! if Your Eminence attempts calculations, I will promise you a pretty headache tomorrow! And with that please to remember M. Guénaud is not here.”
“You are right, Bernouin. You must take Brienne’s place, my friend. Indeed, I ought to have brought M. Colbert with me. That young man goes on very well, Bernouin, very well; a very orderly youth.”
“I do not know,” said the valet de chambre, “but I don’t like the countenance of your young man who goes on so well.”
“Well, well, Bernouin! We don’t stand in need of your advice. Place yourself there: take the pen and write.”
“I am ready, Monseigneur; what am I to write?”
“There, that’s the place: after the two lines already traced.”
“I am there.”
“Write seven hundred and sixty thousand livres.”
“That is written.”
“Upon Lyons—” The cardinal appeared to hesitate.
“Upon Lyons,” repeated Bernouin.
“Three millions nine hundred thousand livres.”
“Well, Monseigneur?”
“Upon Bordeaux, seven millions.”
“Seven?” repeated Bernouin.
“Yes,” said the cardinal, pettishly, “seven.” Then, recollecting himself, “You understand, Bernouin,” added he, “that all this money is to be spent?”
“Eh! Monseigneur; whether it be spent or put away is of very little consequence to me, since none of these millions are mine.”
“These millions are the king’s; it is the king’s money I am reckoning. Well, what were we saying? You always interrupt me!”
“Seven millions upon Bordeaux.”
“Ah! yes; that’s right. Upon Madrid four millions. 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. Rentrées generales, seven millions; properties, nine millions. Have you written that, Bernouin?”
“Yes, Monseigneur.”
“Bourse, six hundred thousand livres; various property, two millions. Ah! I forgot—the furniture of the different châteaux—”
“Must I put of the crown?” asked Bernouin.
“No, no; it is of no use doing that—that is understood. Have you written that, Bernouin?”
“Yes, Monseigneur.”
“And the ciphers?”
“Stand straight under one another.”
“Cast them up, Bernouin.”
“Thirty-nine millions two hundred and sixty thousand livres, Monseigneur.”
“Ah!” cried the cardinal, in a tone of vexation; “there are not yet forty millions!”
Bernouin recommenced the addition.
“No, Monseigneur; there want seven hundred and forty thousand livres.”
Mazarin asked for the account, and revised it carefully.
“Yes, but,” said Bernouin, “thirty-nine millions two hundred and sixty thousand livres make a good round sum.”
“Ah, Bernouin; I wish the king had it.”
“Your eminence told me that this money was His Majesty’s.”
“Doubtless, as clear, as transparent as possible. These thirty-nine millions are bespoken, and much more.”
Bernouin smiled after his own fashion—that is, like a man who believes no more than he is willing to believe—whilst preparing the cardinal’s night draught, and putting his pillow to rights.
“Oh!” said Mazarin, when the valet had gone out; “not yet forty millions! I must, however, attain that sum, which I had set down for myself. But who knows whether I shall have time? I sink, I am going, I shall never reach it! And yet, who knows that I may not find two or three millions in the pockets of my good friends the Spaniards? They discovered Peru, those people did, and—what the devil! they must have something left.”
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. “The king here! the king at this hour! I thought he was in bed long ago. What is the matter, then?”
The king could hear these last words, and see the terrified gesture of the cardinal rising up in his bed, for he entered the chamber at that moment.
“It is nothing, Monsieur le Cardinal, or at least nothing which can alarm you. It is an important communication which I wish to make to Your Eminence tonight—that is all.”
Mazarin immediately thought of that marked attention which the king had given to his words concerning Mademoiselle de Mancini, and the communication appeared to him probably to refer to this source. He recovered his serenity then instantly, and assumed his most agreeable air, a change of countenance which inspired the king with the greatest joy; and when Louis was seated—
“Sire,” said the cardinal, “I ought certainly to listen to Your Majesty standing, but the violence of my complaint—”
“No ceremony between us, my dear Monsieur le Cardinal,” said Louis kindly: “I am your pupil, and not the king, you know very well, and this evening in particular, as I come to you as a petitioner, as a solicitor, and one very humble, and desirous to be kindly received, too.”
Mazarin, seeing the heightened color of the king, was confirmed in his
