CARDINAL RICHELIEU 169 not by mere negotiations, but by an army. This expedition proved a source of quarrel between him and the queen-mother, Mary de Medici, who hitherto had been his firm and efficient friend. The voice of the conqueror of La Rochelle triumphed in council, and his project in the field. The French were victorious in Italy, and the 'minister equally so over the mind of the monarch. But Mary de Medici could not forgive, and she now openly showed her ha- tred of Richelieu, and exerted herself to the utmost to injure him with the king. Though daily defeating her intrigues, the cardinal dreaded her perse- verance, and resolved to drag the king with him to 'another Italian campaign. Louis obeyed, and the court set out for the south, the queen-mother herself accompanying it. Richelieu, however, did not tarry for the slow motions of the monarch. He flew to the army, took upon him the command, and displayed all the abilities of a great general in out-manceuvring and worsting the gener- als and armies of Savoy. In the meantime Louis fell dangerously ill at Lyons. His mother, an affectionate attendant on his sick-couch, resumed her former empire over him. At one moment his imminent death seemed to threaten the cardinal with ruin. Louis recovered, however, and his first act was to compel a reconciliation, in form at least, between the cardinal and the queen-mother. The king's illness, although not so immediately fatal to Richelieu as his ene- mies had hoped, was still attended with serious consequences to him. The French army met with ill success through the treachery of the general, Marillac, who was secretly attached to the queen's party, and the failure was attributed to Richelieu. Mary de Medici renewed her solicitations to her son, that he would dismiss his minister. Louis, it appears, made a promise to that effect ; a reluctant prom- ise, given to get rid of her importunity. Mary calculated too securely upon his keeping it ; she broke forth in bitter contumely against Richelieu ; deprived him of his superintendence over her household, and treated Madame de Combalet, the cardinal's niece, who had sunk on her knees to entreat her to moderate her anger, almost with insult. The king was present, and seemed to sanction her violence ; so that Richelieu withdrew to make his preparations for exile. Louis, dissatisfied and irresolute, retired to Versailles ; while Mary remained triumphant at the Luxembourg, receiving the congratulations of her party. Richelieu, in the mean- time, ere taking his departure, repaired to Versailles, and, once there, resumed the ascendant over the monarch. The tidings of this was a thunder-stroke to Mary and her party, who became instantly the victims of the cardinal's revenge. Marillac was beheaded, and Mary de Medici, herself at length completely van- quished by her rival, was driven out of France to spend the rest of her days in exile. The trial of Marillac had roused the spirit and indignation even of those nobles who had previously respected, and bowed to, the minister of the royal choice. Richelieu not only threatened their order with the scaffold, but his measures of administration were directed to deprive them of their ancient privi-
