The cardinal, on passing into his cabinet, found the Comtede la Fere, who was waiting for him, engaged in admiring avery fine Raphael placed over a sideboard covered withplate. His eminence came in softly, lightly, and silently asa shadow, and surprised the countenance of the comte, as hewas accustomed to do, pretending to divine by the simpleexpression of the face of his interlocutor what would be theresult of the conversation.

But this time Mazarin was foiled in his expectation: he readnothing upon the face of Athos, not even the respect he wasaccustomed to see on all faces. Athos was dressed in black,with a simple lacing of silver. He wore the Holy Ghost, theGarter, and the Golden Fleece, three orders of suchimportance, that a king alone, or else a player, could wearthem at once.

Mazarin rummaged a long time in his somewhat troubled memoryto recall the name he ought to give to this icy figure, buthe did not succeed. "I am told," said he, at length, "youhave a message from England for me."

And he sat down, dismissing Bernouin, who, in his quality ofsecretary, was getting his pen ready.

"On the part of his majesty, the king of England, yes, youreminence."

"You speak very good French for an Englishman monsieur,"said Mazarin, graciously, looking through his fingers at theHoly Ghost, Garter, and Golden Fleece, but more particularlyat the face of the messenger.

"I am not an Englishman, but a Frenchman, monsieur lecardinal," replied Athos.

"It is remarkable that the king of England should choose aFrenchman for his ambassador; it is an excellent augury.Your name, monsieur, if you please."

"Comte de la Fere," replied Athos, bowing more slightly thanthe ceremonial and pride of the all-powerful ministerrequired.

Mazarin bent his shoulders, as if to say: -

"I do not know that name."

Athos did not alter his carriage.

"And you come, monsieur," continued Mazarin, "to tell me- - "

"I come on the part of his majesty the king of Great Britainto announce to the king of France" - Mazarin frowned - "toannounce to the king of France," continued Athos,imperturbably, "the happy restoration of his majesty CharlesII. to the throne of his ancestors."

This shade did not escape his cunning eminence. Mazarin wastoo much accustomed to mankind, not to see in the cold andalmost haughty politeness of Athos, an index of hostility,which was not of the temperature of that hot-house called acourt.

"You have powers. I suppose?" asked Mazarin, in a short,querulous tone.

"Yes, monseigneur." And the word "monseigneur" came sopainfully from the lips of Athos that it might be said itskinned them.

Athos took from an embroidered velvet bag which he carriedunder his doublet a dispatch. The cardinal held out his handfor it. "Your pardon, monseigneur," said Athos. "My dispatchis for the king."

"Since you are a Frenchman, monsieur, you ought to know theposition of a prime minister at the court of France."

"There was a time," replied Athos, "when I occupied myselfwith the importance of prime ministers, but I have formed,long ago, a resolution to treat no longer with any but theking."

"Then, monsieur," said Mazarin, who began to be irritated,"you will neither see the minister nor the king."

Mazarin rose. Athos replaced his dispatch in its bag, bowedgravely, and made several steps towards the door. Thiscoolness exasperated Mazarin. "What strange diplomaticproceedings are these!" cried he. "Have we returned to thetimes when Cromwell sent us bullies in the guise of chargesd'affaires? You want nothing monsieur, but the steel cap onyour head, and a Bible at your girdle."

"Monsieur," said Athos, dryly, "I have never had, as youhave, the advantage of treating with Cromwell; and I haveonly seen his charges d'affaires sword in hand, I amtherefore ignorant of how he treated with prime ministers.As for the king of England, Charles II., I know that when hewrites to his majesty King Louis XIV., he does not write tohis eminence the Cardinal Mazarin. I see no diplomacy inthat distinction."

"Ah!" cried Mazarin, raising his attenuated hand andstriking his head, "I remember now!" Athos looked at him inastonishment. "Yes, that is it!" said the cardinal,continuing to look at his interlocutor; "yes, that iscertainly it. I know you now, monsieur. Ah! diavolo! I am nolonger astonished."

"In fact, I was astonished that, with your eminence'sexcellent memory," replied Athos, smiling, "you had notrecognized me before."

"Always refractory and grumbling - monsieur - monsieur - What do they call you? Stop - a name of a river - Potamos;no - the name of an island - Naxos; no, per Giove! - thename of a mountain - Athos! now I have it. Delighted to seeyou again, and to be no longer at Rueil, where you and yourdamned companions made me pay ransom. Fronde! still Fronde!accursed Fronde! Oh, what grudges! Why, monsieur, have yourantipathies survived mine? If any one had cause to complain,I think it could not be you, who got out of the affair notonly in a sound skin, but with the cordon of the Holy Ghostaround your neck."

"My lord cardinal," replied Athos, "permit me not to enterinto considerations of that kind. I have a mission tofulfill. Will you facilitate the means of my fulfilling thatmission, or will you not?"

"I am astonished," said Mazarin, - quite delighted athaving recovered his memory, and bristling with malice - "Iam astonished, Monsieur - Athos - that a Frondeur like youshould have accepted a mission for the Mazarin, as used tobe said in the good old times - - " And Mazarin began tolaugh, in spite of a painful cough, which cut short hissentences, converting them into sobs.

"I have only accepted the mission near the king of France,monsieur le cardinal," retorted the comte, though with lessasperity, for he thought he had sufficiently the advantageto show himself moderate.

"And yet, Monsieur le Frondeur," said Mazarin gayly, "theaffair which you have taken in charge must, from the king- - "

"With which I have been given in charge, monseigneur. I donot run after affairs."

"Be it so. I say that this negotiation must pass through myhands. Let us lose no precious time, then. Tell me theconditions."

"I have had the honor of assuring your eminence that onlythe letter of his majesty King Charles II. contains therevelation of his wishes."

"Pooh! you are ridiculous with your obstinacy, MonsieurAthos. It is plain you have kept company with the Puritansyonder. As to your secret, I know it better than you do; andyou have done wrongly, perhaps, in not having shown somerespect for a very old and suffering man, who has laboredmuch during his life, and kept the field for his ideas asbravely as you have for yours. You will not communicate yourletter to me? You will say nothing to me? Very well! Comewith me into my chamber; you shall speak to the king - andbefore the king. - Now, then, one last word: who gave youthe Fleece? I remember you passed for having the Garter; butas to the Fleece, I do not know - - "

"Recently, my lord, Spain, on the occasion of the marriageof his majesty Louis XIV., sent King Charles II. a brevet ofthe Fleece in blank, Charles II. immediately transmitted itto me, filling up the blank with my name."

Mazarin arose, and leaning on the arm of Bernouin, hereturned to his ruelle at the moment the name of M. lePrince was being announced. The Prince de Conde, the firstprince of the blood, the conqueror of Rocroy, Lens andNordlingen, was, in fact, entering the apartment ofMonseigneur de Mazarin, followed by his gentlemen, and hadalready saluted the king, when the prime minister raised hiscurtain. Athos had time to see Raoul pressing the hand ofthe Comte de Guiche, and send him a smile in return for hisrespectful bow. He had time, likewise, to see the radiantcountenance of the cardinal, when he perceived before him,upon the table, an enormous heap of gold, which the Comte deGuiche had won in a run of luck, after his eminence hadconfided his cards to him. So forgetting ambassador, embassyand prince, his first thought was of the gold. "What!" criedthe old man - "all that - won?"

"Some fifty thousand crowns; yes, monseigneur!" replied theComte de Guiche, rising. "Must I give up my place to youreminence, or shall I continue?"

"Give up! give up! you are mad. You would lose all you havewon. Peste!"

"My lord!" said the Prince de Conde, bowing.

"Good-evening, monsieur le prince," said the minister, in acareless tone; "it is very kind of you to visit an old sickfriend."

"A friend!" murmured the Comte de la Fere, at witnessingwith stupor this monstrous alliance of words; - "friends!when the parties are Conde and Mazarin!"

Mazarin seemed to divine the thought of the Frondeur, for hesmiled upon him with triumph, and immediately, - "Sire,"said he to the king, "I have the honor of presenting to yourmajesty, Monsieur le Comte de la Fere, ambassador from hisBritannic majesty. An affair of state, gentlemen," added he,waving his hand to all who filled the chamber, and who, thePrince de Conde at their head, all disappeared at the simplegesture. Raoul, after a last look cast at the comte,followed M. de Conde. Philip of Anjou and the queen appearedto be consulting about departing.

"A family affair," said Mazarin, suddenly, detaining them intheir seats. "This gentleman is the bearer of a letter inwhich King Charles II., completely restored to his throne,demands an alliance between Monsieur, the brother of theking, and Mademoiselle Henrietta, grand-daughter of HenryIV. Will you remit your letter of credit to the king,monsieur le comte?"

Athos remained for a minute stupefied. How could theminister possibly know the contents of the letter which hadnever been out of his keeping for a single instant?Nevertheless, always master of himself, he held out thedispatch to the young king, Louis XIV., who took it with ablush. A solemn silence reigned in the cardinal's chamber.It was only troubled by the dull sound of the gold, whichMazarin with his yellow dry hand, piled up in a casket,whilst the king was reading.