The Queen-Regent smiled in her haughty way, but the Queen
of England laid her hand sadly on my mother's arm and said, 'Alas, my
dear friend, was it not thus that once we laughed?'
Presently in came Marshal de la Meilleraye and the Coadjutor, and
their faces and gestures showed plainly that they were seriously
alarmed; but M. de Beautru, nothing daunted, turned to the Regent,
saying, 'How ill Her Majesty must be, since M. le Coadjutor is come
to bring her extreme unction,' whereupon there was another great
burst of applause and laughter.
The Coadjutor pretended not to hear, and addressing the Queen told
her that he had come to offer his services to her at a moment of
pressing danger. Anne of Austria only vouchsafed a little nod with
her head, by way at once of thanks, and showing how officious and
superfluous she thought him, while Nogent and Beautru continued to
mimic the dismay of poor Broussel, seized in his dressing-gown and
slippers, and the shrieks of his old housekeeper from the window.
'Did no one silence them for being so unmanly?' cried Annora, as she
heard this.
'Child, thou art foolish!' said my mother with dignity. 'Why should
the resistance of canaille like that be observed at all, save to make
sport?'
For my poor mother, since she had been dipped again into the Court
atmosphere, had learned to look on whatever was not noble, as not of
the same nature with herself. However, she said that Marshal de la
Meilleraye, a thorough soldier, broke in by assuring the Queen that
the populace were in arms, howling for Broussel, and the Coadjutor
began to describe the fierce tumult through which he had made his
way, but the Cardinal only gave his dainty provoking Italian smile,
and the Queen-Regent proudly affirmed that there neither was nor
could be a revolt.
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