Page:Secret History of the French Court under Richelieu and Mazarin.djvu/49

Rh which they proffered him, and choosing rather to die than to accuse the queen of crimes of which he said she was innocent. The Cardinal de Richelieu admiring his fidelity, yet persuaded that he did not speak truly, wished that he might be happy enough to have as faithful a servant as this man. A letter of the queen, written in cypher, was also discovered, and was shown her. She could not but acknowledge it; and, in order to prevent any discrepancy, it was necessary to report to La Porte this avowal of the queen that he might confirm it. It was on this occasion that Madame de Hautefort, who was still in the court, generously resolving to sacrifice herself to save the queen, disguised herself as a waiting maid, and went to the Bastille to convey a letter to La Porte, which she succeeded in doing at much risk and danger to herself, through the adroitness of the Commander de Jars, then a prisoner there. He was an adherent of the queen, and had gained over many of the people of the place, who conveyed the letter to the hands of La Porte. It apprised him of what the queen had confessed, so that being again examined by Laffemas and menaced with the question ordinary and extraordinary, he feigned to be terrified, and said that if they would send him some officer of the queen, who was a trustworthy man, he would confess all that he knew. Laffemas, believing that he had gained him, told him that he might name any one whom he chose, who would, doubtless, be sent to him. La Porte asked for one named Larivière, an officer of the queen, whom he knew to be a friend of Laffemas, and whom he really distrusted; this offer Laffemas accepted with joy. The king and the cardinal immediately sent for Larivière, and commanded him to go to La Porte without seeing the queen, and persuaded by their promises, he agreed to do all that they wished. He was taken to the Bastille, where he commanded La Porte, in the name of the queen, to reveal all that he knew concerning her affairs. La Porte feigned to believe that the queen had sent him, and told him with much hesitation all that