-nine years old, monseigneur."

"A hot-headed age. I was then something of a soldier, and I threw myself
at Casal into the arquebusades, to show that I rode on horseback as well
as an officer. It is true, I restored peace between the French and the
Spaniards. That redeems my sin a little."

"I see no sin in being able to ride well on horseback," said the
Theatin; "that is in perfect good taste, and does honor to our gown. As
a Christian, I approve of your having prevented the effusion of blood;
as a monk, I am proud of the bravery a monk has exhibited."

Mazarin bowed his head humbly. "Yes," said he, "but the consequences?"

"What consequences?"

"Eh! that damned sin of pride has roots without end. From the time
that I threw myself in that manner between two armies, that I had smelt
powder and faced lines of soldiers, I have held generals a little in
contempt."

"Ah!" said the father.

"There is the evil; so that I have not found one endurable since that
time."

"The fact is," said the Theatin, "that the generals we have had have not
been remarkable."

"Oh!" cried Mazarin, "there was Monsieur le Prince. I have tormented him
thoroughly!"

"He is not much to be pitied: he has acquired sufficient glory, and
sufficient wealth."

"That may be, for Monsieur le Prince; but M. Beaufort, for example--whom
I held suffering so long in the dungeon of Vincennes?"

"Ah! but he was a rebel, and the safety of the state required that you
should make a sacrifice. Pass on!"

"I believe I have exhausted pride. There is another sin which I am
afraid to qualify."

"I can qualify it myself. Tell it."

"A great sin, reverend father!"

"We shall judge, monseigneur."

"You cannot fail to have heard of certain relations which I have
had--with her majesty the queen-mother;--the malevolent--"

"The malevolent, my lord, are fools. Was it not necessary for the good
of the state and the interests of the young king, that you should live
in good intelligence with the queen? Pass on, pass on!"

"I assure you," said Mazarin, "you remove a terrible weight from my
breast."

"These are all trifles!--look for something serious."

"I have had much ambition, father."

"That is the march of great minds and things, my lord."

"Even the longing for the tiara?"

"To be pope is to be the first of Christians. Why should you not desire
that?"

"It has been printed that, to gain that object, I had sold Cambria to
the Spaniards."

"Y