eopen this coffer to answer
any future accusations?"

Mazarin, overcome by this determination, read the two letters. In one
the queen asked for the ornaments back again. This letter had been
conveyed by D'Artagnan and had arrived in time. The other was that which
Laporte had placed in the hands of the Duke of Buckingham, warning him
that he was about to be assassinated; that communication had arrived too
late.

"It is well, madame," said Mazarin; "nothing can gainsay such
testimony."

"Sir," replied the queen, closing the coffer and leaning her hand upon
it, "if there is anything to be said, it is that I have always been
ungrateful to the brave men who saved me--that I have given nothing to
that gallant officer, D'Artagnan, you were speaking of just now, but my
hand to kiss and this diamond."

As she spoke she extended her beautiful hand to the cardinal and showed
him a superb diamond which sparkled on her finger.

"It appears," she resumed, "that he sold it---he sold it in order to
save me another time--to be able to send a messenger to the duke to warn
him of his danger--he sold it to Monsieur des Essarts, on whose finger I
remarked it. I bought it from him, but it belongs to D'Artagnan. Give
it back to him, sir, and since you have such a man in your service, make
him useful."

"Thank you, madame," said Mazarin. "I will profit by the advice."

"And now," added the queen, her voice broken by her emotion, "have you
any other question to ask me?"

"Nothing,"--the cardinal spoke in his most conciliatory manner--"except
to beg of you to forgive my unworthy suspicions. I love you so tenderly
that I cannot help being jealous, even of the past."

A smile, which was indefinable, passed over the lips of the queen.

"Since you have no further interrogations to make, leave me, I beseech
you," she said. "I wish, after such a scene, to be alone."

Mazarin bent low before her.

"I will retire, madame. Do you permit me to return?"

"Yes, to-morrow."

The cardinal took the queen's hand and pressed it with an air of
gallantry to his lips.

Scarcely had he left her when the queen went into her son's room, and
inquired from Laporte if the king was in bed. Laporte pointed to the
child, who was asleep.

Anne ascended the steps side of the bed and softly kissed the placid
forehead of her son; then she retired as silently as she had come,
merely saying to Laporte:

"Try, my dear Laporte, to make the king more courteous