all those who had suffered for her and, being proscribed a
second time, died at Cologne abandoned by every one, even by
her own son."

"Well, let us see," said Mazarin; "isn't there still time to
repair the evil? Search among your friends, your oldest
friends."

"What do you mean, monsieur?"

"Nothing else than I say -- search."

"Alas, I look around me in vain! I have no influence with
any one. Monsieur is, as usual, led by his favorite;
yesterday it was Choisy, to-day it is La Riviere, to-morrow
it will be some one else. Monsieur le Prince is led by the
coadjutor, who is led by Madame de Guemenee."

"Therefore, madame, I ask you to look, not among your
friends of to-day, but among those of other times."

"Among my friends of other times?" said the queen.

"Yes, among your friends of other times; among those who
aided you to contend against the Duc de Richelieu and even
to conquer him."

"What is he aiming at?" murmured the queen, looking uneasily
at the cardinal.