Page:The Vicomte de Bragelonne 2.djvu/294

 The prince reflected for a moment, and his eye shot forth one of its not unfreqnent flashes. "Humph!" said he slowly, as if speaking to himself; "once more our swords are to be hung on the wall — for a long time!" and he sighed.

All which that sigh contained of ambition silently stifled, of illusions extinguished and hopes disappointed, Athos alone divined, for he alone had heard that sigh. Imme- diately after the prince took leave and the king left the apartment. Athos, by a sign made to Bragelonne, renewed the desire he had expressed at the commencement of the scene. By degrees the chamber was deserted, and Mazarin was left alone, a prey to suffering which he could no longer dissemble. "Bernouin! Bernouin!" cried he, in a broken voice.

"What does monseigneur want?"

"Guenaud — let Guenaud be sent for," said his eminence. "I think I am dying."

Bernouin, in great terror, rushed into the cabinet to give the order, and the piquer, who hastened to fetch the physician, passed the king's carriage in the Rue St. Honore.

CHAPTER XLIII.

GUEtfAND.

The order of the cardinal was pressing; Guenaud quickly obeyed it. He found his patient stretched upon his bed, his legs swelled, livid, and his stomach collapsed. Mazarin had just undergone a severe attack of gout. He suffered cruelly, and with the impatience of a man who has not been accustomed to resistance. On the arrival of Guenaud: "Ah!" said he; "now I am saved!"

Guenaud was a very learned and circumspect man, who stood in no need of the critics of Boileau to obtain a repu- tation. When in face of a disease, if it were personified in a king, he treated the patient as a Turk or Moor. He did not therefore reply to Mazarin as the minister expected: "Here is the doctor; good-by, disease!" On the contrary, on examining his patient, with a very serious air:

"Oh! oh!" said he.

"Eh! what, Guenaud? How you look!"

"I look as I ought to do on seeing your complaint, monseigneur; it is a very dangerous one,"

"The gout. Oh! yes, the gout,"