MONSIEUR ANDRE.
"You said that the Breton nobility were ready to second the French
nobility: now, what do the French nobility want?"
"They desire, in case of his majesty's death, to place the king of Spain
on the throne of France, as sole heir of Louis XIV."
"Very good, very good," said La Jonquiere, taking snuff with an air of
extreme satisfaction.
"But," said the regent, "the king is not dead, although you speak almost
as if he were."
"The Grand Dauphin, the Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne and their
children, disappeared in a deplorable manner." The regent turned pale
with anger; Dubois coughed.
"Then they reckon on the king's death?"
"Generally, monseigneur."
"Then that explains how the king of Spain hopes, in spite of the
renunciation of his rights, to mount the throne of France. But, among
the people attached to the regency, he may meet with some opposition."
The false Spaniard involuntarily lingered on these words.
"Monseigneur," replied the chevalier, "this case also has been
foreseen."
"Ah!" said Dubois, "this has been foreseen. Did not I tell you,
monseigneur, that the Bretons were valuable to us. Continue, monsieur,
continue."
In spite of this invitation, Gaston was silent.
"Well, monsieur," said the pretended duke, "I am listening."
"This secret is not mine, monseigneur."
"Then," said the duke, "I have not the confidence of your chiefs?"
"On the contrary, you alone have it."
"I understand, monsieur; but the captain is my friend, and I answer for
him as for myself."
"My instructions are, monseigneur, to speak to you alone."
"But, I tell you, I answer for the captain."
"In that case," said Gaston, bowing, "I have said all I have to say."
"You hear, captain," said the regent; "have the kindness to leave us
alone."
"Yes, monseigneur; I have but two words to say to you."
Gaston drew back.
"Monseigneur," whispered Dubois, "press him hard--get out the whole
affair--you will never have such another chance. What do you think of
our Breton?"
"A noble fellow; eyes full of intelligence and a fine head."
"So much the better for cutting it off."
"What do you say?"
"Nothing, monseigneur; I am exactly of your opinion. M. de Chanlay, your
humble servant; some might be angry that you would not speak before
them, but I am not proud, and, provided all things turn out as I expect,
I do not care for the means."
Chanlay bowed.
"Monsieur," said the regent, when Dubois had closed the door, "we are
alone, and I am listening. Speak--you understand my impatience."
"Yes, monseigneur. You are doubtless surprised that you have not yet
received from Spain a certain dispatch which you were to send to
Cardinal Olocroni?"
"True, monsieur," said the regent, dissembling with difficulty.
"I will explain the delay. The messenger who should have brought this
dispatch fell ill, and has not left Madrid. The Baron de Valef, my
friend, who was in Spain, offered himself; and, after three or four
day's hesitation, at length--as he was a man already tried in
Cellamare's conspiracy--they trusted him."
"In fact," said the regent, "the Baron de Valef narrowly escaped
Dubois's emissaries; it needed some courage to renew such a work. I know
that when the regent saw Madame de Maine and Cellamare arrested;
Richelieu, Polignac, Malezieux, and Mademoiselle de Launay in the
Bastille; and that wretched Lagrange-Chancel at the Sainte Marguerite,
he thought all was finished."
"You see he was mistaken, monseigneur."
"But do not these Breton conspirators fear that in thus rising they may
sacrifice the heads of the Paris conspirators whom the regent has in
his power?"
"They hope to save them, or die with them."
"How save them?"
"Let us return to the dispatch, if you please, monseigneur; here it is."
The regent took the paper, but seeing the address to his excellency the
Duc d'Olivares, laid it on the table unopened. Strange inconsistency!
This man opened two hundred letters a day by his spies; it is true that
then he dealt with a Thorey or a Dubois, and not with a Chevalier de
Chanlay.
"Well, monseigneur," said Gaston.
"You know, doubtless, what this dispatch contains, monsieur?"
"Not word for word, perhaps; but I know what was arranged."
"Well, tell me. I shall be glad to know how far you are admitted into
the secrets of the Spanish cabinet."
"When the regent is got rid of," said Gaston, without noticing the
slight start which his interlocutor gave at these words, "the Duc de
Maine will be provisionally recognized in his place. The Duc de Maine
will at once break the treaty of the quadruple alliance signed by that
wretch Dubois."
"I wish La Jonquiere had been here to hear you speak thus; it would have
pleased him. Go on, monsieur."
"The pretender will start with a fleet for the English shore; Prussia,
Sweden, and Russia will then be engaged with Holland; the empire will
profit by this war to retake Naples and Sicily, to which it lays claim
through the house of Suabia; the Grand Duchy of Tuscany will be assured
to the second son of the king of Spain, the Catholic low countries will
be re-united to France, Sardinia given to the Duke of Savoy, Commachio
to the pope. France will be the soul of the great league of the south
against the north, and, if Louis XV. dies, Philip V. will be crowned
king of half the world."
"Yes, I know all that," said the regent, "and this is Cellamare's
conspiracy renewed. But you used a phrase I did not understand."
"Which, monseigneur?"
"You said, when the regent is got rid of. How is he to be got rid of?"
"The old plan was, as you know, to carry him off to the prison of
Saragossa, or the fortress of Toledo."
"Yes; and the plan failed through the duke's watchfulness."
"It was impracticable--a thousand obstacles opposed it. How was it
possible to take such a prisoner across France?"
"It was difficult," said the duke; "I never understood the adoption of
such a plan. I am glad to find it modified."
"Monseigneur, it would be possible to seduce guards, to escape from a
prison or a fortress, to return to France, retake a lost power, and
punish those who had executed this abduction. Philip V. and Alberoni
have nothing to fear; his excellency the Duc d'Olivares regains the
frontier in safety; and, while half the conspirators escape, the other
half pay for all."----"However--"
"Monseigneur, we have the example of the last conspiracy before our
eyes, and you yourself named those who are in the Bastille."
"What you say is most logical," replied the duke.
"While, on the contrary, in getting rid of the regent--" continued the
chevalier.
"Yes; you prevent his return. It is possible to return from a prison,
but not from a tomb--that is what you would say?"
"Yes, monseigneur," replied Gaston, with a somewhat tremulous voice.
"Now I understand your mission. You come to Paris to make away with the
regent?"
"Yes, monseigneur."
"Explain yourself."
"We were five Breton gentlemen, forming a small party or league in the
midst of the general association, and it was agreed that the majority
should decide on our plans."
"I understand, and the majority decided that the regent should be
assassinated."
"Yes, monseigneur, four were for assassination, and one against it."
"And that one?"
"If I lose your excellency's confidence I must own that I was that one."
"But, then, why are you to accomplish a design you disapprove?"
"Chance was to decide the one who should strike the blow."
"And the lot?"
"Fell on me, monseigneur."
"Why did you not refuse?"
"The ballot was without names, no one knew my vote. I should have been
taken for a coward."
"And you came to Paris?"
"For the task imposed on me."
"Reckoning on me?"
"As on an enemy of the regent, for aid in accomplishing an enterprise
which not only concerns the interests of Spain, but which will save our
friends from the Bastille."
"Do they run as much danger as you believe?"
"Death hovers over them; the regent has proofs, and has said of M. de
Richelieu that if he had four heads he has wherewith to condemn them
all."
"He said that in a moment of passion."
"What, monseigneur, you defend the duke--you tremble when a man devotes
himself to save, not only his accomplices, but two kingdoms--you
hesitate to accept that devotion."
"If you fail!"
"Everything has its good and evil side; if the happiness of being the
savior of a country is lost, the honor of being a martyr to its cause is
gained."
"But remember, in facilitating your access to the regent, I become your
accomplice."
"Does that frighten you, monseigneur?"
"Certainly, for you being arrested--"
"Well--I being arrested?"
"They may force from you, by means of tortures, the names of those--"
Gaston's reply was a smile of supreme disdain.
"You are a foreigner and a Spaniard, monseigneur," said he, "and do not
know what a French gentleman is, therefore I pardon you."
"Then I may reckon on your silence?"
"Pontcalec, Du Couedic, Talhouet, and Montlouis, doubted me for an
instant, and have since apologized to me for doing so."
"Well, monsieur, I will think seriously of what you have said, but in
your place--"
"In my place?"
"I would renounce this enterprise."
"I wish I had never entered into it, monseigneur, I own, for since I did
so a great change has taken place in my life, but I am in it, and must
accomplish it."
"Even if I refuse to second you?"
"The Breton committee have provided for that emergency."
"And decided--"
"To do without you."
"Then your resolution--"
"Is irrevocable."
"I have said all I had to say," replied the regent, "since you are
determined to pursue your undertaking."
"Monseigneur," said Gaston, "you seem to wish to retire."
"Have you anything more to say to me?"
"Not to-day; to-morrow, or the day after."
"You have the captain as go-between--when he gives me notice I will
receive you with pleasure."
"Monseigneur," said Gaston firmly, and with a noble air, "let me speak
freely. We should have no go-between; you and I--so evidently separated
by rank and station--are equal before the scaffold which threatens us. I
have even a superiority over you, since I run the greater danger;
however, you are now, monseigneur, a conspirator, like the Chevalier de
Chanlay, with this difference: that you have the right--being the
chief--to see his head fall before yours--let me, then, treat as an
equal with your excellency, and see you when it is necessary."
The regent thought for a moment.
"Very well," said he, "this house is not my residence; you understand I
do not receive many at my house: since the war, my position is
precarious and delicate in France; Cellamare is in prison at Blois; I am
only a sort of consul--good as a hostage--I cannot use too many
precautions."
The regent lied with a painful effort.
"Write, then, poste restante to M. Andre, you must name the time at
which you wish to see me, and I will be there."
"Through the post?" asked Gaston.
"Yes, it is only a delay of three hours; at each post a man will watch
for your letter, and bring it to me when it arrives; three hours after
you can come here."
"Your excellency forgets," said Gaston, laughing, "that I do not know
where I am, in what street, at what number; I came by night. Stay, let
us do better than that; you asked for time to reflect, take till
to-morrow morning, and at eleven o'clock send for me. We must arrange a
plan beforehand, that it may not fail, like those plans where a carriage
or a shower of rain disconcerts everything."
"That is a good idea," said the regent; "to-morrow, then, at eleven
o'clock, you shall be fetched, and we will then have no secrets from
each other."
Gaston bowed and retired. In the antechamber he found the guide who
brought him, but he noticed that in leaving they crossed a garden which
they had not passed through on entering, and went out by a different
door. At this door the carriage waited, and it quickly arrived at the
Rue des Bourdonnais.