“He who touches them may die of the contact,” said Monsieur.

“But what a noble devotion!” cried the Queen.

“How I should admire the hero!” said Marie, in a half-whisper.

“I will do it,” answered Cinq-Mars.

“We will do it,” said M. de Thou, in his ear.

Young Beauvau had approached the Duc de Bouillon.

“Monsieur,” said he, “do you forget what follows?”

“No, ‘pardieu’!  I do not forget it,” replied the latter, in a low voice; then, addressing the Queen, “Madame,” said he, “accept the offer of Monsieur le Grand.  He is more in a position to sway the King than either you or I; but hold yourself prepared, for the Cardinal is too wary to be caught sleeping.  I do not believe in his illness.  I have no faith in the silence and immobility of which he has sought to persuade us these two years past.  I would not believe in his death even, unless I had myself thrown his head into the sea, like that of the giant in Ariosto.  Hold yourself ready to meet all contingencies, and let us, meanwhile, hasten our operations.  I have shown my plans to Monsieur just now; I will give you a summary of them.  I offer you Sedan, Madame, for yourself, and for Messeigneurs, your sons.  The army of Italy is mine; I will recall it if necessary.  Monsieur le Grand is master of half the camp of Perpignan.  All the old Huguenots of La Rochelle and the South are ready to come to him at the first nod.  All has been organized for a year past, by my care, to meet events.”

“I should not hesitate,” said the Queen, “to place myself in your hands, to save my children, if any misfortune should happen to the King.  But in this general plan you forget Paris.”

“It is ours on every side; the people by the archbishop, without his suspecting it, and by Monsieur de Beaufort, who is its king; the troops by your guards and those of Monsieur, who shall be chief in command, if he please.”

“I!  I! oh, that positively can not be!  I have not enough people, and I must have a retreat stronger than Sedan,” said Gaston.

“It suffices for the Queen,” replied M. de Bouillon.

“Ah, that may be! but my sister does not risk so much as a man who draws the sword.  Do you know that these are bold measures you propose?”

“What, even if we have the King on our side?” asked Anne of Austria.

“Yes, Madame, yes; we do not know how long that may last.  We must make ourselves sure; and I do nothing without the treaty with Spain.”

“Do nothing, then,” said the Queen, coloring deeply; “for certainly I will never hear that spoken of.”

“And yet, Madame, it were more prudent, and Monsieur is right,” said the Duc de Bouillon; “for the Count-Duke of San Lucra offers us seventeen thousand men, tried troops, and five hundred thousand crowns in ready money.”

“What!” exclaimed the Queen, with astonishment, “have you dared to proceed so far without my consent? already treaties with foreigners!”