Page:The Vicomte de Bragelonne 2.djvu/296

 patients; remember, 1 obey you blindly, and that consequently "

"I know all that," said Guenaud.

"I shall be cured, then?"

"Monseigneur, there is neither strength of will, nor power, nor genius, nor science, that can resist a disease which God doubtless sends, or which he cast upon the earth at the creation, with full power to destroy and kill man- kind. When the disease is mortal, it kills, and nothing can "

"Is — my — disease — mortal?" asked Mazarin.

"Yes, monseigneur."

His eminence sank down for a moment, like an unfor- tunate wretch who is crushed by a falling column. But the spirit of Mazarin was a strong one, or, rather, his mind was a firm one. "Guenaud," said he, recovering from his first shock, "you will permit me to appeal from your judg- ment. I will call together the most learned men of Europe; I will consult them. I will live, in short, by the virtue of I care not what remedy."

"Monseigneur must not suppose," said Guenaud, "that I have the presumption to pronounce alone upon an exist- ence so valuable as yours. I have already assembled all the good physicians and practitioners of France and Europe. There were twelve of them."

"And they said--"

"They said that your eminence was attacked with a mor- tal disease; I have the consultation signed in my portfolio. If your eminence will please to see it, you will find the names of all the incurable diseases we have met with. There is first "

"No, no!" cried Mazarin, pushing away the paper. "No, no, Guenaud, I yield! I yield!" And a profound silenca. during which the cardinal resumed his senses and recovered his strength, succeeded to the agitation of this scene. "There is another thing," murmured Mazarin; "there are empirics and charlatans. In my country, those whom physicians abandon run the chances of a vender of orvietan, which ten times kills them, but a hundred times saves them."

"Has not your eminence observed that during the last month I have altered my remedies ten times?"

"Yes. Well?"

"Well, I have spent fifty thousand livres in purchasing the secrets of all these fellows; the list is exhausted, and so 18 my purse. You are not cured] and ; but for my art, you would be dead,""