“Fools!” exclaimed the Cardinal, suddenly breaking his long silence, and taking from his lips his handkerchief stained with blood.  “I would punish your angry dispute had it not taught me many secrets of infamy on your part.  You have exceeded my orders; I commanded no torture, Laubardemont.  That is your second fault.  You cause me to be hated for nothing; that was useless.  But you, Joseph, do not neglect the details of this disturbance in which Cinq-Mars was engaged; it may be of use in the end.”

“I have all the names and descriptions,” said the secret judge, eagerly, bending his tall form and thin, olive-colored visage, wrinkled with a servile smile, down to the armchair.

“It is well! it is well!” said the minister, pushing him back; “but that is not the question yet.  You, Joseph, be in Paris before this young upstart, who will become a favorite, I am certain.  Become his friend; make him of my party or destroy him.  Let him serve me or fall.  But, above all, send me every day safe persons to give me verbal accounts.  I will have no more writing for the future.  I am much displeased with you, Joseph.  What a miserable courier you chose to send from Cologne!  He could not understand me.  He saw the King too soon, and here we are still in disgrace in consequence.  You have just missed ruining me entirely.  Go and observe what is about to be done in Paris.  A conspiracy will soon be hatched against me; but it will be the last.  I remain here in order to let them all act more freely.  Go, both of you, and send me my valet after the lapse of two hours; I wish now to be alone.”

The steps of the two men were still to be heard as Richelieu, with eyes fixed upon the entrance to the tent, pursued them with his irritated glance.

“Wretches!” he exclaimed, when he was alone, “go and accomplish some more secret work, and afterward I will crush you, in pure instruments of my power.  The King will soon succumb beneath the slow malady which consumes him.  I shall then be regent; I shall be King of France myself; I shall no longer have to dread the caprices of his weakness.  I will destroy the haughty races of this country.  I will be alone above them all.  Europe shall tremble.”

Here the blood, which again filled his mouth, obliged him to apply his handkerchief to it once more.

“Ah, what do I say?  Unhappy victim that I am!  Here am I, death-stricken!  My dissolution is near; my blood flows, and my spirit desires to labor still.  Why?  For whom?  Is it for glory?  That is an empty word.  Is it for men?  I despise them.  For whom, then, since I shall die, perhaps, in two or three years?  Is it for God?  What a name!  I have not walked with Him!  He has seen all—­”

Here he let his head fall upon his breast, and his eyes met the great cross of gold which was suspended from his neck.  He could not help throwing himself back in his chair; but it followed him.  He took it; and considering it with fixed and devouring looks, he said in a low voice: