When the Cardinal saw the moody King arrive, he at once felt that he had triumphed; the brow of Louis was as black as night, and he clutched the hilt of his sword with so tight a grasp that his fingers became bloodless.

“You are ill, Sire; you are suffering,” said the wily churchman, with well-acted anxiety.  “Can my poor services avail to restore you to peace of mind?” “I cannot allow my brother,” was the abrupt reply, “to command my army beyond the Alps.  You must enable me to retract my promise.”

“I know only one method of doing so,” said Richelieu, after appearing to reflect, “and that is that your Majesty should repair thither in person.  But should you adopt this resolution, you must carry it into effect within eight days; there is no time to be lost.”

“Be it so,” exclaimed Louis; “I will leave the capital and place myself at the head of my troops;” and beckoning to Bassompierre, by whom he had been accompanied, and who stood near the door of the Apartment, he added, with something approaching to a smile:  “Here is a man who will willingly bear me company, and who will serve me zealously.”

“Whither does your Majesty purpose to proceed?” inquired the Marechal, as he bowed his acknowledgments.

“To Italy,” said the King, “and that not later than a week hence, in order to raise the siege of Casal.  Make your preparations and follow me without delay.  I shall appoint you my lieutenant-general under my brother, should he consent to share in the campaign; and I shall also take the Marechal de Crequy with me; he knows the country; and I trust that we shall cause ourselves to be talked of throughout Europe.” [112]

Thus in a single hour were all the projects of Marie de Medicis overthrown; and the King had no sooner, on his return to Paris, informed her of his change of purpose than she felt that Richelieu had at length thrown down the gauntlet, and that thenceforward there must be war between them.  Nor was the Duc d’Orleans less mortified and alarmed than the Queen-mother; but neither the one nor the other ventured to expostulate; and, although with less precipitation than the King, Monsieur commenced his preparations.  Louis XIII left Paris on the 4th of January; but it was not until the 29th that his brother took leave of the Court, and reluctantly proceeded to rejoin him.  The Cardinal had already set forth, although the extreme severity of the weather, and the deep fall of snow by which the roads were obstructed, might have sufficed to furnish him with a pretext for delay; but it was no part of Richelieu’s policy to suffer the two brothers to remain together beyond his surveillance; and accordingly, as was his usual habit on such emergencies, he threw off his indisposition, and boldly defied alike wintry weather and fatigue.