"Ask my lord cardinal," replied he, in a tone which made Mazarin, Anne of Austria, and everybody else open their eyes.
"That means, my son," said Anne of Austria, laughing, "that the king does not like affairs of state to be talked of out of the council."
He was beginning, then, to dart at them glances full of mistrust and uneasiness, inviting Anne of Austria to throw perturbation in the midst of the unlawful assembly, when, suddenly, Bernouin, entering from behind the tapestry of the bedroom, whispered in the ear of Mazarin, "Monseigneur, an envoy from his majesty, the king of England."
"Madame de Chevreuse was not queen," murmured Anne of Austria, overcome, in spite of herself, by the expression of so profound a passion.
"Oh, my God!" cried Anne of Austria, with an accent of terror which proved how much greater an interest she took in the duke than she ventured to tell.
"Oh, my God, my God!" cried Anne of Austria, "this is more than I can bear.
Anne of Austria re-entered her apartment, and came out again almost immediately, holding a rosewood casket in her hand, with her cipher encrusted with gold.
Anne of Austria stretched forth her hand, closing her eyes, and leaning with the other upon Estafania, for she felt that her strength was about to fail her.
Anne of Austria sought to read in Mazarin's face the occasion of this unexpected visit, since the cardinal usually came to her apartment only after every one had retired.
Anne of Austria received the blow with a beating heart.
History has him variously as a mysterious but evidently important prisoner of war; the king's older twin brother and therefore first in line to the throne; Louis' illegitimate son; simply a political activist or, as the BBC has it, a former lover of Louis' mother,
Anne of Austria, who bore him a son.
Georgie Porgie is believed to be George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, lover to both King James I and
Anne of Austria, the Queen Consort of France who was married to the French King Louis XIII.