On his arrival at Libourne the king received a deputation from the Bordelais, who came to assure him of their respect and devotion. Under the circumstances this assurance had a strange sound; and so the queen received the ambassadors from the topmost pinnacle5 of her Austrian high-mightiness.
"Messieurs," said she, "we propose to continue our march by way of Vayres, so that we shall soon be able to judge if your respect and devotion are as sincere as you pretend."
At the mention of Vayres, the members of the deputation, who were doubtless in possession of some fact unknown to the queen, looked at one another with some uneasiness. Anne of Austria, whom nothing escaped, did not fail to observe the exchange of glances.
"We shall go at once to Vayres," said she. "Monsieur le Duc d'épernon assures us that it is a strong place, and we will establish the king's headquarters there."
She turned to the captain of her guards.
"Who commands at Vayres?" she asked.
"I am told, madame," Guitaut replied, "that it is a new governor."
"A trustworthy man, I hope?" said the queen, with a frown.
"An adherent6 of Monsieur le Duc d'épernon."
The cloud vanished from the queen's brow.
"If that is so, let us go on at once," she said.
"Madame," said the Duc de La Meilleraie, "your Majesty7 will of course be guided by your own judgment8, but I think that we ought not to go forward more rapidly than the army. A warlike entry at Vayres would work wonders; it is well that the king's subjects should realize the extent of the forces at his Majesty's command; that will encourage the faithful and discourage traitors9."
"I think that Monsieur de La Meilleraie is right," said Cardinal de Mazarin.
"And I say that he is wrong," rejoined the queen. "We have nothing to fear between this and Bordeaux; the king is strong in himself, and not in his troops; his household will suffice."
Monsieur de La Meilleraie bowed his acquiescence10.
"It is for your Majesty to command," said he; "your will is law."
The queen summoned Guitaut and bade him order the guards, the musketeers and the light-horse to fall in. The king mounted his horse and took his place at their head. Mazarin's niece and the maids of honor entered their carriage.
The line of march was at once taken up for Vayres. The army followed on, and as the distance was but ten leagues, was expected to arrive three or four hours after the king, and pitch its camp upon the right bank of the Dordogne.
The king was barely twelve years old, and yet he was already a finished horseman, managing his steed with ease and grace, and exhibiting in his every movement that pride of race which made him in the sequel the most punctilious11 of monarchs12 in matters of etiquette13. Brought up under the queen's eye, but constantly harassed14 by the everlasting15 niggardliness16 of the cardinal, who forced him to go without the most necessary things, he was awaiting with furious impatience17 the hour when he would attain18 his majority,—which hour would strike on the fifth of September following; and sometimes, amid his childish caprices, he indulged by anticipation19 in true kingly explosions which indicated what he would be some day.
This campaign was to him a very agreeable episode; it was in some sort a farewell to his pagehood, an apprenticeship20 in the trade of war, an essay at kingship. He rode proudly along, sometimes at the carriage-door, saluting21 the queen and making eyes at Madame de Fronsac, with whom he was said to be in love, and again at the head of his household, talking with Monsieur de La Meilleraie and old Guitaut of the campaigns of Louis XIII. and of the mighty22 prowess of the late cardinal.
The miles flew by as they talked, and at last the towers and outer galleries of the fort of Vayres came in sight. The weather was magnificent, and the country picturesque23 in the extreme; the sun's rays fell obliquely24 upon the river; for aught there was in the surroundings to indicate the contrary, they might have been riding out for pleasure. The king rode between Monsieur de La Meilleraie and Guitaut, looking through his glass at the fort, where no sign of life could be discovered, although it was more than probable that the sentinels, who could be seen standing25 like statues on the walls, had discovered and reported the approach of this brilliant advance-guard of the king's army.
The queen's carriage was driven rapidly forward to the king's side.
"I am surprised at one thing, Monsieur le Maréchal," said Mazarin.
"What is that, monseigneur?"
"It is my impression that careful governors generally know what is going on in the neighborhood of their fortresses26, and that when the king takes the trouble to come their way, they should at least send him an escort."
"Nonsense!" said the queen, with a harsh, forced laugh; "mere27 ceremony! it's of no consequence; I care more for fidelity28."
Monsieur de La Meilleraie put his handkerchief to his face to hide a grin; or if not that, his longing29 to indulge in one.
"But it's true that no one stirs," said the young king, annoyed at such disregard of the rules of etiquette, upon which his future grandeur30 was to be founded.
"Sire," replied Anne of Austria, "Monsieur de La Meilleraie here, and Guitaut too, will tell you that the first duty of a governor, especially in an enemy's country, is to remain under cover behind his walls, for fear of surprise. Do you not see yon banner, the banner of Henri IV. and Fran?ois I., floating over the citadel31?"
And she pointed32 proudly to that significant emblem33, which seemed to prove that her confidence was most abundantly justified34.
The procession rode forward, and in a few moments came upon an outwork which had evidently been thrown up within a few days.
"Aha!" said the marshal, "the governor seems to be at home in the profession. The position of this outwork is well selected, and the work itself well designed."
The queen put her head out through the window, and the king stood up in his stirrups.
A single sentinel was pacing to and fro upon the half-moon; but except for him the outwork seemed as silent and deserted35 as the fort itself.
"Although I am no soldier," said Mazarin, "and although I do not understand the military duties of a governor, it seems to me that this is very extraordinary treatment of a royal personage."
"Let us go forward all the same," said the marshal; "we shall soon see."
When the little troop was within a hundred yards of the half-moon, the sentinel came to a halt. After scrutinizing36 them for a moment, he cried:—
"Qui vive?"
"The king!" Monsieur de La Meilleraie replied.
At that word Anne of Austria expected to see officers and soldiers come running forth37, drawbridges lowered, gates thrown open, and swords waving in the air.
But she saw nothing of all this.
The sentinel brought his right leg up beside his left, drew a bead38 upon the new-comers, and said in a loud, firm voice, the one word:—
"Halt!"
The king turned pale with rage; Anne of Austria bit her lips until the blood came; Mazarin muttered an Italian oath which was little used in France, but of which he had never succeeded in breaking himself; Monsieur le Maréchal de La Meilleraie did no more than glance at their Majesties39, but it was a most eloquent40 glance.
"I love to have all possible precautionary measures taken in my service," said the queen, striving to deceive herself; for despite the confident expression she forced herself to maintain, she began to be disturbed at the bottom of her heart.
"I love respect for my person," murmured the young king, gazing with sullen41 wrath42 at the impassive sentinel.
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1
cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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2
chastise
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| vt.责骂，严惩 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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espouse
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| v.支持，赞成，嫁娶 | |
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pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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adherent
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| n.信徒，追随者，拥护者 | |
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7
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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8
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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9
traitors
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| 卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人 | |
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10
acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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11
punctilious
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| adj.谨慎的，谨小慎微的 | |
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12
monarchs
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| 君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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13
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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14
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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15
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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16
niggardliness
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17
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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18
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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20
apprenticeship
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| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
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21
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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22
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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obliquely
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| adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大 | |
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25
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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26
fortresses
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| 堡垒，要塞( fortress的名词复数 ) | |
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27
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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28
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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29
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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31
citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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32
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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36
scrutinizing
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 ) | |
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37
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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38
bead
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| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
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39
majesties
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| n.雄伟( majesty的名词复数 )；庄严；陛下；王权 | |
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40
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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41
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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42
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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