It results, therefore, that the young gather the abundant harvest prepared for them by the old." Louis listened with increased attention to the words which Anne of Austria, no doubt, pronounced with a view to console him.

"Madame," said he, looking earnestly at his mother, "one would almost say in truth that you had something else to announce to me." "I have absolutely nothing, my son; only you cannot have failed to remark that his eminence the cardinal is very ill." Louis looked at his mother, expecting some emotion in her voice, some sorrow in her countenance.

The face of Anne of Austria appeared a little changed, but that was from sufferings of quite a personal character.
Perhaps the alteration was caused by the cancer which had begun to consume her breast.

"Yes, madame," said the king; "yes, M.de Mazarin is very ill." "And it would be a great loss to the kingdom if God were to summon his eminence away.

Is not that your opinion as well as mine, my son ?" said the queen.
"Yes, madame; yes, certainly, it would be a great loss for the kingdom," said Louis, coloring; "but the peril does not seem to me to be so great; besides, the cardinal is still young." The king had scarcely ceased speaking when an usher lifted the tapestry, and stood with a paper in his hand, waiting for the king to speak to him.
"What have you there ?" asked the king.
"A message from M.de Mazarin," replied the usher.
"Give it to me," said the king; and he took the paper.