Chavigni was about to answer, but the sound of the Cardinal's voice had awakened the attendant, who was now gazing about in no small alarm, on perceiving a stranger standing by the Minister's bedside. Richelieu, however, without showing any anger at his negligence, calmly commanded him to leave them; and as soon as they were alone, Chavigni proceeded. "I have seen Cardinal Mazarin, my Lord, and from him I have learned a piece of news which grieves me most deeply. I cannot believe that illness can have so far depressed the spirits of your Eminence, as to make you entertain the thought of casting from you all those high honours, which you have so long enjoyed, and of leaving France, in a moment of her greatest peril, to be governed by the hands of the weak and the designing."
"It is not illness, Chavigni," replied the Cardinal, with a melancholy shake of the head. "No! but my day is over. The power has passed from my hands, and it only remains for me to yield the name of it, before that too is taken from me by my enemies."
"Pardon me, your Eminence," said Chavigni; "but indeed the power is not gone from you. Under whose orders are our armies fighting? Under whose command is every city and fortress in France? Is it the character of a great man--is it the character of a brave man, to yield all without a struggle?--to cast away the sword he has so long wielded, and to give himself bound into the hands of his adversaries?"
"Mark me, Chavigni," said Richelieu, raising himself upon his elbow, "Louis is now within the distance of a few leagues. He knows that I am ill--perhaps that I am dying; and yet, by no sign of common courtesy does he show that he remembers me. But that was not the beginning. I saw that my power was gone, when he dared, in the face of all the Council, to annul the sentence I had passed on that arrogant, stiff-necked Count de Blenau, who had the hardihood to defy the utmost extent of my power." And the Minister's eyes flashed with the memory of his anger.
"Had your Eminence followed my advice," replied Chavigni, "that business would never have occurred. There is that sort of gallant magnanimity about Claude de Blenau which carries all before it; and I felt assured that neither fear nor interest would ever induce him to disclose any thing intrusted to his honour. Depend upon it, Monseigneur, that it is better not to meddle with such men, when we can avoid it."