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diff --git a/old/old/1musk10.txt b/old/old/1musk10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c07c945 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/old/1musk10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,33112 @@ +Project Gutenberg Etext of The Three Musketeers, by Dumas [Pere] +#2 in our series by Alexandre Dumas [Pere] + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +The Three Musketeers +Alexandre Dumas + + + + + +Typed By: +John P. Roberts III +Roger Labbe +Scott David Gray +Sue Asscher +Anita Martin + + + + + +The Three Musketeers +Alexandre Dumas + + + + +Contents + + +Author's Preface + +1. THE THREE PRESENTS OF D'ARTAGNAN THE ELDER +2. THE ANTECHAMBER OF M. DE TREVILLE +3. THE AUDIENCE +4. THE SHOULDER OF ATHOS, THE BALDRIC OF PORTHOS AND THE + HANDKERCHIEF OF ARAMIS +5. THE KING'S MUSKETEERS AND THE CARDINAL'S GUARDS +6. HIS MAJESTY KING LOUIS XIII +7. THE INTERIOR OF "THE MUSKETEERS" +8. CONCERNING A COURT INTRIGUE +9. D'ARTAGNAN SHOWS HIMSELF +10. A MOUSETRAP IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY +11. IN WHICH THE PLOT THICKENS +12. GEORGE VILLIERS, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM +13. MONSIEUR BONACIEUX +14. THE MAN OF MEUNG +15. MEN OF THE ROBE AND MEN OF THE SWORD +16. M. SEGUIER, KEEPER OF THE SEALS, LOOKS MORE THAN ONCE FOR THE BELL, + IN ORDER TO RING IT, AS HE DID BEFORE +17. BONACIEUX AT HOME +18. LOVER AND HUSBAND +19. PLAN OF CAMPAIGN +20. THE JOURNEY +21. THE COUNTESS DE WINTER +22. THE BALLET OF LA MERLAISON +23. THE RENDEZVOUS +24. THE PAVILION +25. PORTHOS +26. ARAMIS AND HIS THESIS +27. THE WIFE OF ATHOS +28. THE RETURN +29. HUNTING FOR THE EQUIPMENTS +30. D'ARTAGNAN AND THE ENGLISHMAN +31. ENGLISH AND FRENCH +32. A PROCURATOR'S DINNER +33. SOUBRETTE AND MISTRESS +34. IN WHICH THE EQUIPMENT OF ARAMIS AND PORTHOS IS TREATED OF +35. A GASCON A MATCH FOR CUPID +36. DREAM OF VENGEANCE +37. MILADY'S SECRET +38. HOW, WITHOUT INCOMMODING HIMSELF, ATHOS PROCURED HIS EQUIPMENT +39. A VISION +40. A TERRIBLE VISION +41. THE SEIGE OF LA ROCHELLE +42. THE ANJOU WINE +43. THE SIGN OF THE RED DOVECOT +44. THE UTILITY OF STOVEPIPES +45. A CONJUGAL SCENE +46. THE BASTION SAINT-GERVAIS +47. THE COUNCIL OF THE MUSKETEERS +48. A FAMILY AFFAIR +49. FATALITY +50. CHAT BETWEEN BROTHER AND SISTER +51. OFFICER +52. CAPTIVITY: THE FIRST DAY +53. CAPTIVITY: THE SECOND DAY +54. CAPTIVITY: THE THIRD DAY +55. CAPTIVITY: THE FOURTH DAY +56. CAPTIVITY: THE FIFTH DAY +57. MEANS FOR CLASSICAL TRAGEDY +58. ESCAPE +59. WHAT TOOK PLACE AT PORTSMOUTH +60. IN FRANCE +61. THE CARMELITE CONVENT AT BETHUNE +62. TWO VARIETIES OF DEMONS +63. THE DROP OF WATER +64. THE MAN IN THE RED CLOAK +65. TRIAL +66. EXECUTION +67. CONCLUSION + +EPILOGUE + + + + +The Three Musketeers +Alexandre Dumas + + + + +AUTHOR'S PREFACE + +In which it is proved that, notwithstanding their names' ending +in OS and IS, the heroes of the story which we are about to have +the honor to relate to our readers have nothing mythological +about them. + +A short time ago, while making researches in the Royal Library +for my History of Louis XIV, I stumbled by chance upon the +Memoirs of M. D'Artagnan, printed--as were most of the works of +that period, in which authors could not tell the truth without +the risk of a residence, more or less long, in the Bastille--at +Amsterdam, by Pierre Rouge. The title attracted me; I took them +home with me, with the permission of the guardian, and devoured +them. + +It is not my intention here to enter into an analysis of this +curious work; and I shall satisfy myself with referring such of +my readers as appreciate the pictures of the period to its pages. +They will therein find portraits penciled by the hand of a +master; and although these squibs may be, for the most part, +traced upon the doors of barracks and the walls of cabarets, they +will not find the likenesses of Louis XIII, Anne of Austria, +Richelieu, Mazarin, and the courtiers of the period, less +faithful than in the history of M. Anquetil. + +But, it is well known, what strikes the capricious mind of the +poet is not always what affects the mass of readers. Now, while +admiring, as others doubtless will admire, the details we have to +relate, our main preoccupation concerned a matter to which no one +before ourselves had given a thought. + +D'Artagnan relates that on his first visit to M. de Treville, +captain of the king's Musketeers, he met in the antechamber three +young men, serving in the illustrious corps into which he was +soliciting the honor of being received, bearing the names of +Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. + +We must confess these three strange names struck us; and it +immediately occurred to us that they were but pseudonyms, under +which D'Artagnan had disguised names perhaps illustrious, or else +that the bearers of these borrowed names had themselves chosen +them on the day in which, from caprice, discontent, or want of +fortune, they had donned the simple Musketeer's uniform. + +>From the moment we had no rest till we could find some trace in +contemporary works of these extraordinary names which had so +strongly awakened our curiosity. + +The catalogue alone of the books we read with this object would +fill a whole chapter, which, although it might be very +instructive, would certainly afford our readers but little +amusement. It will suffice, then, to tell them that at the +moment at which, discouraged by so many fruitless investigations, +we were about to abandon our search, we at length found, guided +by the counsels of our illustrious friend Paulin Paris, a +manuscript in folio, endorsed 4772 or 4773, we do not recollect +which, having for title, "Memoirs of the Comte de la Fere, +Touching Some Events Which Passed in France Toward the End of the +Reign of King Louis XIII and the Commencement of the Reign of +King Louis XIV." + +It may be easily imagined how great was our joy when, in turning +over this manuscript, our last hope, we found at the twentieth +page the name of Athos, at the twenty-seventh the name of +Porthos, and at the thirty-first the name of Aramis. + +The discovery of a completely unknown manuscript at a period in +which historical science is carried to such a high degree +appeared almost miraculous. We hastened, therefore, to obtain +permission to print it, with the view of presenting ourselves +someday with the pack of others at the doors of the Academie des +Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, if we should not succeed--a very +probable thing, by the by--in gaining admission to the Academie +Francaise with our own proper pack. This permission, we feel +bound to say, was graciously granted; which compels us here to +give a public contradiction to the slanderers who pretend that we +live under a government but moderately indulgent to men of +letters. + +Now, this is the first part of this precious manuscript which we +offer to our readers, restoring it to the title which belongs to +it, and entering into an engagement that if (of which we have no +doubt) this first part should obtain the success it merits, we +will publish the second immediately. + +In the meanwhile, as the godfather is a second father, we beg the +reader to lay to our account, and not to that of the Comte de la +Fere, the pleasure or the ENNUI he may experience. + +This being understood, let us proceed with our history. + + + +1 THE THREE PRESENTS OF D'ARTAGNAN THE ELDER + +On the first Monday of the month of April, 1625, the market town +of Meung, in which the author of ROMANCE OF THE ROSE was born, +appeared to be in as perfect a state of revolution as if the +Huguenots had just made a second La Rochelle of it. Many +citizens, seeing the women flying toward the High Street, leaving +their children crying at the open doors, hastened to don the +cuirass, and supporting their somewhat uncertain courage with a +musket or a partisan, directed their steps toward the hostelry of +the Jolly Miller, before which was gathered, increasing every +minute, a compact group, vociferous and full of curiosity. + +In those times panics were common, and few days passed without +some city or other registering in its archives an event of this +kind. There were nobles, who made war against each other; there +was the king, who made war against the cardinal; there was Spain, +which made war against the king. Then, in addition to these +concealed or public, secret or open wars, there were robbers, +mendicants, Huguenots, wolves, and scoundrels, who made war upon +everybody. The citizens always took up arms readily against +thieves, wolves or scoundrels, often against nobles or Huguenots, +sometimes against the king, but never against cardinal or Spain. +It resulted, then, from this habit that on the said first Monday +of April, 1625, the citizens, on hearing the clamor, and seeing +neither the red-and-yellow standard nor the livery of the Duc de +Richelieu, rushed toward the hostel of the Jolly Miller. When +arrived there, the cause of the hubbub was apparent to all. + +A young man--we can sketch his portrait at a dash. Imagine to +yourself a Don Quixote of eighteen; a Don Quixote without his +corselet, without his coat of mail, without his cuisses; a Don +Quixote clothed in a wooden doublet, the blue color of which had +faded into a nameless shade between lees of wine and a heavenly +azure; face long and brown; high cheek bones, a sign of sagacity; +the maxillary muscles enormously developed, an infallible sign by +which a Gascon may always be detected, even without his cap--and +our young man wore a cap set off with a sort of feather; the eye +open and intelligent; the nose hooked, but finely chiseled. Too +big for a youth, too small for a grown man, an experienced eye +might have taken him for a farmer's son upon a journey had it not +been for the long sword which, dangling from a leather baldric, +hit against the calves of its owner as he walked, and against the +rough side of his steed when he was on horseback. + +For our young man had a steed which was the observed of all +observers. It was a Bearn pony, from twelve to fourteen years +old, yellow in his hide, without a hair in his tail, but not +without windgalls on his legs, which, though going with his head +lower than his knees, rendering a martingale quite unnecessary, +contrived nevertheless to perform his eight leagues a day. +Unfortunately, the qualities of this horse were so well concealed +under his strange-colored hide and his unaccountable gait, that +at a time when everybody was a connoisseur in horseflesh, the +appearance of the aforesaid pony at Meung--which place he had +entered about a quarter of an hour before, by the gate of +Beaugency--produced an unfavorable feeling, which extended to his +rider. + +And this feeling had been more painfully perceived by young +D'Artagnan--for so was the Don Quixote of this second Rosinante +named--from his not being able to conceal from himself the +ridiculous appearance that such a steed gave him, good horseman +as he was. He had sighed deeply, therefore, when accepting the +gift of the pony from M. D'Artagnan the elder. He was not +ignorant that such a beast was worth at least twenty livres; and +the words which had accompanied the present were above all price. + +"My son," said the old Gascon gentleman, in that pure Bearn +PATOIS of which Henry IV could never rid himself, "this horse was +born in the house of your father about thirteen years ago, and +has remained in it ever since, which ought to make you love it. +Never sell it; allow it to die tranquilly and honorably of old +age, and if you make a campaign with it, take as much care of it +as you would of an old servant. At court, provided you have ever +the honor to go there," continued M. D'Artagnan the elder, "--an +honor to which, remember, your ancient nobility gives you the +right--sustain worthily your name of gentleman, which has been +worthily borne by your ancestors for five hundred years, both for +your own sake and the sake of those who belong to you. By the +latter I mean your relatives and friends. Endure nothing from +anyone except Monsieur the Cardinal and the king. It is by his +courage, please observe, by his courage alone, that a gentleman +can make his way nowadays. Whoever hesitates for a second +perhaps allows the bait to escape which during that exact second +fortune held out to him. You are young. You ought to be brave +for two reasons: the first is that you are a Gascon, and the +second is that you are my son. Never fear quarrels, but seek +adventures. I have taught you how to handle a sword; you have +thews of iron, a wrist of steel. Fight on all occasions. Fight +the more for duels being forbidden, since consequently there is +twice as much courage in fighting. I have nothing to give you, +my son, but fifteen crowns, my horse, and the counsels you have +just heard. Your mother will add to them a recipe for a certain +balsam, which she had from a Bohemian and which has the +miraculous virtue of curing all wounds that do not reach the +heart. Take advantage of all, and live happily and long. I have +but one word to add, and that is to propose an example to you-- +not mine, for I myself have never appeared at court, and have +only taken part in religious wars as a volunteer; I speak of +Monsieur de Treville, who was formerly my neighbor, and who had +the honor to be, as a child, the play-fellow of our king, Louis +XIII, whom God preserve! Sometimes their play degenerated into +battles, and in these battles the king was not always the +stronger. The blows which he received increased greatly his +esteem and friendship for Monsieur de Treville. Afterward, +Monsieur de Treville fought with others: in his first journey to +Paris, five times; from the death of the late king till the young +one came of age, without reckoning wars and sieges, seven times; +and from that date up to the present day, a hundred times, +perhaps! So that in spite of edicts, ordinances, and decrees, +there he is, captain of the Musketeers; that is to say, chief of +a legion of Caesars, whom the king holds in great esteem and whom +the cardinal dreads--he who dreads nothing, as it is said. Still +further, Monsieur de Treville gains ten thousand crowns a year; +he is therefore a great noble. He began as you begin. Go to him +with this letter, and make him your model in order that you may +do as he has done." + +Upon which M. D'Artagnan the elder girded his own sword round his +son, kissed him tenderly on both cheeks, and gave him his +benediction. + +On leaving the paternal chamber, the young man found his mother, +who was waiting for him with the famous recipe of which the +counsels we have just repeated would necessitate frequent +employment. The adieux were on this side longer and more tender +than they had been on the other--not that M. D'Artagnan did not +love his son, who was his only offspring, but M. D'Artagnan was a +man, and he would have considered it unworthy of a man to give +way to his feelings; whereas Mme. D'Artagnan was a woman, and +still more, a mother. She wept abundantly; and--let us speak it +to the praise of M. D'Artagnan the younger--notwithstanding the +efforts he made to remain firm, as a future Musketeer ought, +nature prevailed, and he shed many tears, of which he succeeded +with great difficulty in concealing the half. + +The same day the young man set forward on his journey, furnished +with the three paternal gifts, which consisted, as we have said, +of fifteen crowns, the horse, and the letter for M. de Treville-- +the counsels being thrown into the bargain. + +With such a VADE MECUM D'Artagnan was morally and physically an +exact copy of the hero of Cervantes, to whom we so happily +compared him when our duty of an historian placed us under the +necessity of sketching his portrait. Don Quixote took windmills +for giants, and sheep for armies; D'Artagnan took every smile for +an insult, and every look as a provocation--whence it resulted +that from Tarbes to Meung his fist was constantly doubled, or his +hand on the hilt of his sword; and yet the fist did not descend +upon any jaw, nor did the sword issue from its scabbard. It was +not that the sight of the wretched pony did not excite numerous +smiles on the countenances of passers-by; but as against the side +of this pony rattled a sword of respectable length, and as over +this sword gleamed an eye rather ferocious than haughty, these +passers-by repressed their hilarity, or if hilarity prevailed +over prudence, they endeavored to laugh only on one side, like +the masks of the ancients. D'Artagnan, then, remained majestic +and intact in his susceptibility, till he came to this unlucky +city of Meung. + +But there, as he was alighting from his horse at the gate of the +Jolly Miller, without anyone--host, waiter, or hostler--coming to +hold his stirrup or take his horse, D'Artagnan spied, though an +open window on the ground floor, a gentleman, well-made and of +good carriage, although of rather a stern countenance, talking +with two persons who appeared to listen to him with respect. +D'Artagnan fancied quite naturally, according to his custom, that +he must be the object of their conversation, and listened. This +time D'Artagnan was only in part mistaken; he himself was not in +question, but his horse was. The gentleman appeared to be +enumerating all his qualities to his auditors; and, as I have +said, the auditors seeming to have great deference for the +narrator, they every moment burst into fits of laughter. Now, as +a half-smile was sufficient to awaken the irascibility of the +young man, the effect produced upon him by this vociferous mirth +may be easily imagined. + +Nevertheless, D'Artagnan was desirous of examining the appearance +of this impertinent personage who ridiculed him. He fixed his +haughty eye upon the stranger, and perceived a man of from forty +to forty-five years of age, with black and piercing eyes, pale +complexion, a strongly marked nose, and a black and well-shaped +mustache. He was dressed in a doublet and hose of a violet +color, with aiguillettes of the same color, without any other +ornaments than the customary slashes, through which the shirt +appeared. This doublet and hose, though new, were creased, like +traveling clothes for a long time packed in a portmanteau. +D'Artagnan made all these remarks with the rapidity of a most +minute observer, and doubtless from an instinctive feeling that +this stranger was destined to have a great influence over his +future life. + +Now, as at the moment in which D'Artagnan fixed his eyes upon the +gentleman in the violet doublet, the gentleman made one of his +most knowing and profound remarks respecting the Bearnese pony, +his two auditors laughed even louder than before, and he himself, +though contrary to his custom, allowed a pale smile (if I may +allowed to use such an expression) to stray over his countenance. +This time there could be no doubt; D'Artagnan was really +insulted. Full, then, of this conviction, he pulled his cap down +over his eyes, and endeavoring to copy some of the court airs he +had picked up in Gascony among young traveling nobles, he +advanced with one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other +resting on his hip. Unfortunately, as he advanced, his anger +increased at every step; and instead of the proper and lofty +speech he had prepared as a prelude to his challenge, he found +nothing at the tip of his tongue but a gross personality, which +he accompanied with a furious gesture. + +"I say, sir, you sir, who are hiding yourself behind that +shutter--yes, you, sir, tell me what you are laughing at, and we +will laugh together!" + +The gentleman raised his eyes slowly from the nag to his +cavalier, as if he required some time to ascertain whether it +could be to him that such strange reproaches were addressed; +then, when he could not possibly entertain any doubt of the +matter, his eyebrows slightly bent, and with an accent of irony +and insolence impossible to be described, he replied to +D'Artagnan, "I was not speaking to you, sir." + +"But I am speaking to you!" replied the young man, additionally +exasperated with this mixture of insolence and good manners, of +politeness and scorn. + +The stranger looked at him again with a slight smile, and +retiring from the window, came out of the hostelry with a slow +step, and placed himself before the horse, within two paces of +D'Artagnan. His quiet manner and the ironical expression of his +countenance redoubled the mirth of the persons with whom he had +been talking, and who still remained at the window. + +D'Artagnan, seeing him approach, drew his sword a foot out of the +scabbard. + +"This horse is decidedly, or rather has been in his youth, a +buttercup," resumed the stranger, continuing the remarks he had +begun, and addressing himself to his auditors at the window, +without paying the least attention to the exasperation of +D'Artagnan, who, however placed himself between him and them. +"It is a color very well known in botany, but till the present +time very rare among horses." + +"There are people who laugh at the horse that would not dare to +laugh at the master," cried the young emulator of the furious +Treville. + +"I do not often laugh, sir," replied the stranger, "as you may +perceive by the expression of my countenance; but nevertheless I +retain the privilege of laughing when I please." + +"And I," cried D'Artagnan, "will allow no man to laugh when it +displeases me!" + +"Indeed, sir," continued the stranger, more calm than ever; +"well, that is perfectly right!" and turning on his heel, was +about to re-enter the hostelry by the front gate, beneath which +D'Artagnan on arriving had observed a saddled horse. + +But, D'Artagnan was not of a character to allow a man to escape +him thus who had the insolence to ridicule him. He drew his +sword entirely from the scabbard, and followed him, crying, +"Turn, turn, Master Joker, lest I strike you behind!" + +"Strike me!" said the other, turning on his heels, and surveying +the young man with as much astonishment as contempt. "Why, my +good fellow, you must be mad!" Then, in a suppressed tone, as if +speaking to himself, "This is annoying," continued he. "What a +godsend this would be for his Majesty, who is seeking everywhere +for brave fellows to recruit for his Musketeers!" + +He had scarcely finished, when D'Artagnan made such a furious +lunge at him that if he had not sprung nimbly backward, it is +probable he would have jested for the last time. The stranger, +then perceiving that the matter went beyond raillery, drew his +sword, saluted his adversary, and seriously placed himself on +guard. But at the same moment, his two auditors, accompanied by +the host, fell upon D'Artagnan with sticks, shovels and tongs. +This caused so rapid and complete a diversion from the attack +that D'Artagnan's adversary, while the latter turned round to +face this shower of blows, sheathed his sword with the same +precision, and instead of an actor, which he had nearly been, +became a spectator of the fight--a part in which he acquitted +himself with his usual impassiveness, muttering, nevertheless, "A +plague upon these Gascons! Replace him on his orange horse, and +let him begone!" + +"Not before I have killed you, poltroon!" cried D'Artagnan, +making the best face possible, and never retreating one step +before his three assailants, who continued to shower blows upon +him. + +"Another gasconade!" murmured the gentleman. "By my honor, these +Gascons are incorrigible! Keep up the dance, then, since he will +have it so. When he is tired, he will perhaps tell us that he +has had enough of it." + +But the stranger knew not the headstrong personage he had to do +with; D'Artagnan was not the man ever to cry for quarter. The +fight was therefore prolonged for some seconds; but at length +D'Artagnan dropped his sword, which was broken in two pieces by +the blow of a stick. Another blow full upon his forehead at the +same moment brought him to the ground, covered with blood and +almost fainting. + +It was at this moment that people came flocking to the scene of +action from all sides. The host, fearful of consequences, with +the help of his servants carried the wounded man into the +kitchen, where some trifling attentions were bestowed upon him. + +As to the gentleman, he resumed his place at the window, and +surveyed the crowd with a certain impatience, evidently annoyed +by their remaining undispersed. + +"Well, how is it with this madman?" exclaimed he, turning round +as the noise of the door announced the entrance of the host, who +came in to inquire if he was unhurt. + +"Your excellency is safe and sound?" asked the host. + +"Oh, yes! Perfectly safe and sound, my good host; and I wish to +know what has become of our young man." + +"He is better," said the host, "he fainted quite away." + +"Indeed!" said the gentleman. + +"But before he fainted, he collected all his strength to +challenge you, and to defy you while challenging you." + +"Why, this fellow must be the devil in person!" cried the +stranger. + +"Oh, no, your Excellency, he is not the devil," replied the host, +with a grin of contempt; "for during his fainting we rummaged his +valise and found nothing but a clean shirt and eleven crowns-- +which however, did not prevent his saying, as he was fainting, +that if such a thing had happened in Paris, you should have cause +to repent of it at a later period." + +"Then," said the stranger coolly, "he must be some prince in +disguise." + +"I have told you this, good sir," resumed the host, "in order +that you may be on your guard." + +"Did he name no one in his passion?" + +"Yes; he struck his pocket and said, 'We shall see what Monsieur +de Treville will think of this insult offered to his protege.'" + +"Monsieur de Treville?" said the stranger, becoming attentive, +"he put his hand upon his pocket while pronouncing the name of +Monsieur de Treville? Now, my dear host, while your young man +was insensible, you did not fail, I am quite sure, to ascertain +what that pocket contained. What was there in it?" + +"A letter addressed to Monsieur de Treville, captain of the +Musketeers." + +"Indeed!" + +"Exactly as I have the honor to tell your Excellency." + +The host, who was not endowed with great perspicacity, did not +observe the expression which his words had given to the +physiognomy of the stranger. The latter rose from the front of +the window, upon the sill of which he had leaned with his elbow, +and knitted his brow like a man disquieted. + +"The devil!" murmured he, between his teeth. "Can Treville have +set this Gascon upon me? He is very young; but a sword thrust is +a sword thrust, whatever be the age of him who gives it, and a +youth is less to be suspected than an older man," and the +stranger fell into a reverie which lasted some minutes. "A weak +obstacle is sometimes sufficient to overthrow a great design. + +"Host," said he, "could you not contrive to get rid of this +frantic boy for me? In conscience, I cannot kill him; and yet," +added he, with a coldly menacing expression, "he annoys me. +Where is he?" + +"In my wife's chamber, on the first flight, where they are +dressing his wounds." + +"His things and his bag are with him? Has he taken off his +doublet?" + +"On the contrary, everything is in the kitchen. But if he annoys +you, this young fool--" + +"To be sure he does. He causes a disturbance in your hostelry, +which respectable people cannot put up with. Go; make out my +bill and notify my servant." + +"What, monsieur, will you leave us so soon?" + +"You know that very well, as I gave my order to saddle my horse. +Have they not obeyed me?" + +"It is done; as your Excellency may have observed, your horse is +in the great gateway, ready saddled for your departure." + +"That is well; do as I have directed you, then." + +"What the devil!" said the host to himself. "Can he be afraid of +this boy?" But an imperious glance from the stranger stopped him +short; he bowed humbly and retired. + +"It is not necessary for Milady* to be seen by this fellow," +continued the stranger. "She will soon pass; she is already +late. I had better get on horseback, and go and meet her. I +should like, however, to know what this letter addressed to +Treville contains." + +*We are well aware that this term, milady, is only properly used when followed by a family name. But we find it thus in the manuscript, and we do not choose to take upon ourselves to alter it. + +And the stranger, muttering to himself, directed his steps toward +the kitchen." + +In the meantime, the host, who entertained no doubt that it was +the presence of the young man that drove the stranger from his +hostelry, re-ascended to his wife's chamber, and found D'Artagnan +just recovering his senses. Giving him to understand that the +police would deal with him pretty severely for having sought a +quarrel with a great lord--for the opinion of the host the +stranger could be nothing less than a great lord--he insisted +that notwithstanding his weakness D'Artagnan should get up and +depart as quickly as possible. D'Artagnan, half stupefied, +without his doublet, and with his head bound up in a linen cloth, +arose then, and urged by the host, began to descend the stairs; +but on arriving at the kitchen, the first thing he saw was his +antagonist talking calmly at the step of a heavy carriage, drawn +by two large Norman horses. + +His interlocutor, whose head appeared through the carriage +window, was a woman of from twenty to two-and-twenty years. We +have already observed with what rapidity D'Artagnan seized the +expression of a countenance. He perceived then, at a glance, +that this woman was young and beautiful; and her style of beauty +struck him more forcibly from its being totally different from +that of the southern countries in which D'Artagnan had hitherto +resided. She was pale and fair, with long curls falling in +profusion over her shoulders, had large, blue, languishing eyes, +rosy lips, and hands of alabaster. She was talking with great +animation with the stranger. + +"His Eminence, then, orders me--" said the lady. + +"To return instantly to England, and to inform him as soon as the +duke leaves London." + +"And as to my other instructions?" asked the fair traveler. + +"They are contained in this box, which you will not open until +you are on the other side of the Channel." + +"Very well; and you--what will you do?" + +"I--I return to Paris." + +"What, without chastising this insolent boy?" asked the lady. + +The stranger was about to reply; but at the moment he opened his +mouth, D'Artagnan, who had heard all, precipitated himself over +the threshold of the door. + +"This insolent boy chastises others," cried he; "and I hope that +this time he whom he ought to chastise will not escape him as +before." + +"Will not escape him?" replied the stranger, knitting his brow. + +"No; before a woman you would dare not fly, I presume?" + +"Remember," said Milady, seeing the stranger lay his hand on his +sword, "the least delay may ruin everything." + +"You are right," cried the gentleman; "begone then, on your part, +and I will depart as quickly on mine." And bowing to the lady, +sprang into his saddle, while her coachman applied his whip +vigorously to his horses. The two interlocutors thus separated, +taking opposite directions, at full gallop. + +"Pay him, booby!" cried the stranger to his servant, without +checking the speed of his horse; and the man, after throwing two +or three silver pieces at the foot of mine host, galloped after +his master. + +"Base coward! false gentleman!" cried D'Artagnan, springing +forward, in his turn, after the servant. But his wound had +rendered him too weak to support such an exertion. Scarcely had +he gone ten steps when his ears began to tingle, a faintness +seized him, a cloud of blood passed over his eyes, and he fell in +the middle of the street, crying still, "Coward! coward! coward!" + +"He is a coward, indeed," grumbled the host, drawing near to +D'Artagnan, and endeavoring by this little flattery to make up +matters with the young man, as the heron of the fable did with +the snail he had despised the evening before. + +"Yes, a base coward," murmured D'Artagnan; "but she--she was very +beautiful." + +"What she?" demanded the host. + +"Milady," faltered D'Artagnan, and fainted a second time. + +"Ah, it's all one," said the host; "I have lost two customers, +but this one remains, of whom I am pretty certain for some days +to come. There will be eleven crowns gained." + +It is to be remembered that eleven crowns was just the sum that +remained in D'Artagnan's purse. + +The host had reckoned upon eleven days of confinement at a crown +a day, but he had reckoned without his guest. On the following +morning at five o'clock D'Artagnan arose, and descending to the +kitchen without help, asked, among other ingredients the list of +which has not come down to us, for some oil, some wine, and some +rosemary, and with his mother's recipe in his hand composed a +balsam, with which he anointed his numerous wounds, replacing his +bandages himself, and positively refusing the assistance of any +doctor, D'Artagnan walked about that same evening, and was almost +cured by the morrow. + +But when the time came to pay for his rosemary, this oil, and the +wine, the only expense the master had incurred, as he had +preserved a strict abstinence--while on the contrary, the yellow +horse, by the account of the hostler at least, had eaten three +times as much as a horse of his size could reasonably supposed to +have done--D'Artagnan found nothing in his pocket but his little +old velvet purse with the eleven crowns it contained; for as to +the letter addressed to M. de Treville, it had disappeared. + +The young man commenced his search for the letter with the +greatest patience, turning out his pockets of all kinds over and +over again, rummaging and rerummaging in his valise, and opening +and reopening his purse; but when he found that he had come to +the conviction that the letter was not to be found, he flew, for +the third time, into such a rage as was near costing him a fresh +consumption of wine, oil, and rosemary--for upon seeing this hot- +headed youth become exasperated and threaten to destroy +everything in the establishment if his letter were not found, the +host seized a spit, his wife a broom handle, and the servants the +same sticks they had used the day before. + +"My letter of recommendation!" cried D'Artagnan, "my letter of +recommendation! or, the holy blood, I will spit you all like +ortolans!" + +Unfortunately, there was one circumstance which created a +powerful obstacle to the accomplishment of this threat; which +was, as we have related, that his sword had been in his first +conflict broken in two, and which he had entirely forgotten. +Hence, it resulted when D'Artagnan proceeded to draw his sword in +earnest, he found himself purely and simply armed with a stump of +a sword about eight or ten inches in length, which the host had +carefully placed in the scabbard. As to the rest of the blade, +the master had slyly put that on one side to make himself a +larding pin. + +But this deception would probably not have stopped our fiery +young man if the host had not reflected that the reclamation +which his guest made was perfectly just. + +"But, after all," said he, lowering the point of his spit, "where +is this letter?" + +"Yes, where is this letter?" cried D'Artagnan. "In the first +place, I warn you that that letter is for Monsieur de Treville, +and it must be found, he will not know how to find it." + +His threat completed the intimidation of the host. After the +king and the cardinal, M. de Treville was the man whose name was +perhaps most frequently repeated by the military, and even by +citizens. There was, to be sure, Father Joseph, but his name was +never pronounced but with a subdued voice, such was the terror +inspired by his Gray Eminence, as the cardinal's familiar was +called. + +Throwing down his spit, and ordering his wife to do the same with +her broom handle, and the servants with their sticks, he set the +first example of commencing an earnest search for the lost +letter. + +"Does the letter contain anything valuable?" demanded the host, +after a few minutes of useless investigation. + +"Zounds! I think it does indeed!" cried the Gascon, who reckoned +upon this letter for making his way at court. "It contained my +fortune!" + +"Bills upon Spain?" asked the disturbed host. + +"Bills upon his Majesty's private treasury," answered D'Artagnan, +who, reckoning upon entering into the king's service in +consequence of this recommendation, believed he could make this +somewhat hazardous reply without telling of a falsehood. + +"The devil!" cried the host, at his wit's end. + +"But it's of no importance," continued D'Artagnan, with natural +assurance; "it's of no importance. The money is nothing; that +letter was everything. I would rather have lost a thousand +pistoles than have lost it." He would not have risked more if he +had said twenty thousand; but a certain juvenile modesty +restrained him. + +A ray of light all at once broke upon the mind of the host as he +was giving himself to the devil upon finding nothing. + +"That letter is not lost!" cried he. + +"What!" cried D'Artagnan. + +"No, it has been stolen from you." + +"Stolen? By whom?" + +"By the gentleman who was here yesterday. He came down into the +kitchen, where your doublet was. He remained there some time +alone. I would lay a wager he has stolen it." + +"Do you think so?" answered D'Artagnan, but little convinced, as +he knew better than anyone else how entirely personal the value +of this letter was, and was nothing in it likely to tempt +cupidity. The fact was that none of his servants, none of the +travelers present, could have gained anything by being possessed +of this paper. + +"Do you say," resumed D'Artagnan, "that you suspect that +impertinent gentleman?" + +"I tell you I am sure of it," continued the host. "When I +informed him that your lordship was the protege of Monsieur de +Treville, and that you even had a letter for that illustrious +gentleman, he appeared to be very much disturbed, and asked me +where that letter was, and immediately came down into the +kitchen, where he knew your doublet was." + +"Then that's my thief," replied D'Artagnan. "I will complain to +Monsieur de Treville, and Monsieur de Treville will complain to +the king." He then drew two crowns majestically from his purse +and gave them to the host, who accompanied him, cap in hand, to +the gate, and remounted his yellow horse, which bore him without +any further accident to the gate of St. Antoine at Paris, where +his owner sold him for three crowns, which was a very good price, +considering that D'Artagnan had ridden him hard during the last +stage. Thus the dealer to whom D'Artagnan sold him for the nine +livres did not conceal from the young man that he only gave that +enormous sum for him on the account of the originality of his +color. + +Thus D'Artagnan entered Paris on foot, carrying his little packet +under his arm, and walked about till he found an apartment to be +let on terms suited to the scantiness of his means. This chamber +was a sort of garret, situated in the Rue des Fossoyeurs, near +the Luxembourg. + +As soon as the earnest money was paid, D'Artagnan took possession +of his lodging, and passed the remainder of the day in sewing +onto his doublet and hose some ornamental braiding which his +mother had taken off an almost-new doublet of the elder M. +D'Artagnan, and which she had given her son secretly. Next he +went to the Quai de Feraille to have a new blade put to his +sword, and then returned toward the Louvre, inquiring of the +first Musketeer he met for the situation of the hotel of M. de +Treville, which proved to be in the Rue du Vieux-Colombier; that +is to say, in the immediate vicinity of the chamber hired by +D'Artagnan--a circumstance which appeared to furnish a happy +augury for the success of his journey. + +After this, satisfied with the way in which he had conducted +himself at Meung, without remorse for the past, confident in the +present, and full of hope for the future, he retired to bed and +slept the sleep of the brave. + +This sleep, provincial as it was, brought him to nine o'clock in +the morning; at which hour he rose, in order to repair to the +residence of M. de Treville, the third personage in the kingdom +paternal estimation. + + + +2 THE ANTECHAMBER OF M. DE TREVILLE + +M. de Troisville, as his family was still called in Gascony, or +M. de Treville, as he has ended by styling himself in Paris, had +really commenced life as D'Artagnan now did; that is to say, +without a sou in his pocket, but with a fund of audacity, +shrewdness, and intelligence which makes the poorest Gascon +gentleman often derive more in his hope from the paternal +inheritance than the richest Perigordian or Berrichan gentleman +derives in reality from his. His insolent bravery, his still +more insolent success at a time when blows poured down like hail, +had borne him to the top of that difficult ladder called Court +Favor, which he had climbed four steps at a time. + +He was the friend of the king, who honored highly, as everyone +knows, the memory of his father, Henry IV. The father of M. de +Treville had served him so faithfully in his wars against the +league that in default of money--a thing to which the Bearnais +was accustomed all his life, and who constantly paid his debts +with that of which he never stood in need of borrowing, that is +to say, with ready wit--in default of money, we repeat, he +authorized him, after the reduction of Paris, to assume for his +arms a golden lion passant upon gules, with the motto Fidelis et +fortis. This was a great matter in the way of honor, but very +little in the way of wealth; so that when the illustrious +companion of the great Henry died, the only inheritance he was +able to leave his son was his sword and his motto. Thanks to +this double gift and the spotless name that accompanied it, M. de +Treville was admitted into the household of the young prince +where he made such good use of his sword, and was so faithful to +his motto, that Louis XIII, one of the good blades of his +kingdom, was accustomed to say that if he had a friend who was +about to fight, he would advise him to choose as a second, +himself first, and Treville next--or even, perhaps, before +himself. + +Thus Louis XIII had a real liking for Treville--a royal liking, a +self-interested liking, it is true, but still a liking. At that +unhappy period it was an important consideration to be surrounded +by such men as Treville. Many might take for their device the +epithet STRONG, which formed the second part of his motto, but +very few gentlemen could lay claim to the FAITHFUL, which +constituted the first. Treville was one of these latter. His +was one of those rare organizations, endowed with an obedient +intelligence like that of the dog; with a blind valor, a quick +eye, and a prompt hand; to whom sight appeared only to be given +to see if the king were dissatisfied with anyone, and the hand to +strike this displeasing personage, whether a Besme, a Maurevers, +a Poltiot de Mere, or a Vitry. In short, up to this period +nothing had been wanting to Treville but opportunity; but he was +ever on the watch for it, and he faithfully promised himself that +he would not fail to seize it by its three hairs whenever it came +within reach of his hand. At last Louis XIII made Treville the +captain of his Musketeers, who were to Louis XIII in devotedness, +or rather in fanaticism, what his Ordinaries had been to Henry +III, and his Scotch Guard to Louis XI. + +On his part, the cardinal was not behind the king in this +respect. When he saw the formidable and chosen body with which +Louis XIII had surrounded himself, this second, or rather this +first king of France, became desirous that he, too, should have +his guard. He had his Musketeers therefore, as Louis XIII had +his, and these two powerful rivals vied with each other in +procuring, not only from all the provinces of France, but even +from all foreign states, the most celebrated swordsmen. It was +not uncommon for Richelieu and Louis XIII to dispute over their +evening game of chess upon the merits of their servants. Each +boasted the bearing and the courage of his own people. While +exclaiming loudly against duels and brawls, they excited them +secretly to quarrel, deriving an immoderate satisfaction or +genuine regret from the success or defeat of their own +combatants. We learn this from the memoirs of a man who was +concerned in some few of these defeats and in many of these +victories. + +Treville had grasped the weak side of his master; and it was to +this address that he owed the long and constant favor of a king +who has not left the reputation behind him of being very faithful +in his friendships. He paraded his Musketeers before the +Cardinal Armand Duplessis with an insolent air which made the +gray moustache of his Eminence curl with ire. Treville +understood admirably the war method of that period, in which he +who could not live at the expense of the enemy must live at the +expense of his compatriots. His soldiers formed a legion of +devil-may-care fellows, perfectly undisciplined toward all but +himself. + +Loose, half-drunk, imposing, the king's Musketeers, or rather M. +de Treville's, spread themselves about in the cabarets, in the +public walks, and the public sports, shouting, twisting their +mustaches, clanking their swords, and taking great pleasure in +annoying the Guards of the cardinal whenever they could fall in +with them; then drawing in the open streets, as if it were the +best of all possible sports; sometimes killed, but sure in that +case to be both wept and avenged; often killing others, but then +certain of not rotting in prison, M. de Treville being there to +claim them. Thus M. de Treville was praised to the highest note +by these men, who adored him, and who, ruffians as they were, +trembled before him like scholars before their master, obedient +to his least word, and ready to sacrifice themselves to wash out +the smallest insult. + +M. de Treville employed this powerful weapon for the king, in the +first place, and the friends of the king--and then for himself +and his own friends. For the rest, in the memoirs of this +period, which has left so many memoirs, one does not find this +worthy gentleman blamed even by his enemies; and he had many such +among men of the pen as well as among men of the sword. In no +instance, let us say, was this worthy gentleman accused of +deriving personal advantage from the cooperation of his minions. +Endowed with a rare genius for intrigue which rendered him the +equal of the ablest intriguers, he remained an honest man. Still +further, in spite of sword thrusts which weaken, and painful +exercises which fatigue, he had become one of the most gallant +frequenters of revels, one of the most insinuating lady's men, +one of the softest whisperers of interesting nothings of his +day; the BONNES FORTUNES of De Treville were talked of as those +of M. de Bassompierre had been talked of twenty years before, and +that was not saying a little. The captain of the Musketeers was +therefore admired, feared, and loved; and this constitutes the +zenith of human fortune. + +Louis XIV absorbed all the smaller stars of his court in his own +vast radiance; but his father, a sun PLURIBUS IMPAR, left his +personal splendor to each of his favorites, his individual value +to each of his courtiers. In addition to the leeves of the king +and the cardinal, there might be reckoned in Paris at that time +more than two hundred smaller but still noteworthy leeves. Among +these two hundred leeves, that of Treville was one of the most +sought. + +The court of his hotel, situated in the Rue du Vieux-Colombier, +resembled a camp from by six o'clock in the morning in summer and +eight o'clock in winter. From fifty to sixty Musketeers, who +appeared to replace one another in order always to present an +imposing number, paraded constantly, armed to the teeth and ready +for anything. On one of those immense staircases, upon whose +space modern civilization would build a whole house. Ascended and +descended the office seekers of Paris, who ran after any sort of +favor--gentlemen from the provinces anxious to be enrolled, and +servants in all sorts of liveries, bringing and carrying messages +between their masters and M. de Treville. In the antechamber, +upon long circular benches, reposed the elect; that is to say, +those who were called. In this apartment a continued buzzing +prevailed from morning till night, while M. de Treville, in his +office contiguous to this antechamber, received visits, listened +to complaints, gave his orders, and like the king in his balcony +at the Louvre, had only to place himself at the window to review +both his men and arms. + +The day on which D'Artagnan presented himself the assemblage was +imposing, particularly for a provincial just arriving from his +province. It is true that this provincial was a Gascon; and +that, particularly at this period, the compatriots of D'Artagnan +had the reputation of not being easily intimidated. When he had +once passed the massive door covered with long square-headed +nails, he fell into the midst of a troop of swordsmen, who +crossed one another in their passage, calling out, quarreling, +and playing tricks one with another. In order to make one's way +amid these turbulent and conflicting waves, it was necessary to +be an officer, a great noble, or a pretty woman. + +It was, then, into the midst of this tumult and disorder that our +young man advanced with a beating heat, ranging his long rapier +up his lanky leg, and keeping one hand on the edge of his cap, +with that half-smile of the embarrassed a provincial who wishes +to put on a good face. When he had passed one group he began to +breathe more freely; but he could not help observing that they +turned round to look at him, and for the first time in his life +D'Artagnan, who had till that day entertained a very good opinion +of himself, felt ridiculous. + +Arrived at the staircase, it was still worse. There were four +Musketeers on the bottom steps, amusing themselves with the +following exercise, while ten or twelve of their comrades waited +upon the landing place to take their turn in the sport. + +One of them, stationed upon the top stair, naked sword in hand, +prevented, or at least endeavored to prevent, the three others +from ascending. + +These three others fenced against him with their agile swords. + +D'Artagnan at first took these weapons for foils, and believed +them to be buttoned; but he soon perceived by certain scratches +that every weapon was pointed and sharpened, and that at each of +these scratches not only the spectators, but even the actors +themselves, laughed like so many madmen. + +He who at the moment occupied the upper step kept his adversaries +marvelously in check. A circle was formed around them. The +conditions required that at every hit the man touched should quit +the game, yielding his turn for the benefit of the adversary who +had hit him. In five minutes three were slightly wounded, one on +the hand, another on the ear, by the defender of the stair, who +himself remained intact--a piece of skill which was worth to him, +according to the rules agreed upon, three turns of favor, + +However difficult it might be, or rather as he pretended it was, +to astonish our young traveler, this pastime really astonished +him. He had seen in his province--that land in which heads +become so easily heated--a few of the preliminaries of duels; but +the daring of these four fencers appeared to him the strongest he +had ever heard of even in Gascony. He believed himself +transported into that famous country of giants into which +Gulliver afterward went and was so frightened; and yet he had not +gained the goal, for there were still the landing place and the +antechamber. + +On the landing they were no longer fighting, but amused +themselves with stories about women, and in the antechamber, with +stories about the court. On the landing D'Artagnan blushed; in +the antechamber he trembled. His warm and fickle imagination, +which in Gascony had rendered formidable to young chambermaids, +and even sometimes their mistresses, had never dreamed, even in +moments of delirium, of half the amorous wonders or a quarter of +the feats of gallantry which were here set forth in connection +with names the best known and with details the least concealed. +But if his morals were shocked on the landing, his respect for +the cardinal was scandalized in the antechamber. There, to his +great astonishment, D'Artagnan heard the policy which made all +Europe tremble criticized aloud and openly, as well as the +private life of the cardinal, which so many great nobles had been +punished for trying to pry into. That great man who was so +revered by D'Artagnan the elder served as an object of ridicule +to the Musketeers of Treville, who cracked their jokes upon his +bandy legs and his crooked back. Some sang ballads about Mme. +d'Aguillon, his mistress, and Mme. Cambalet, his niece; while +others formed parties and plans to annoy the pages and guards of +the cardinal duke--all things which appeared to D'Artagnan +monstrous impossibilities. + +Nevertheless, when the name of the king was now and then uttered +unthinkingly amid all these cardinal jests, a sort of gag seemed +to close for a moment on all these jeering mouths. They looked +hesitatingly around them, and appeared to doubt the thickness of +the partition between them and the office of M. de Treville; but +a fresh allusion soon brought back the conversation to his +Eminence, and then the laughter recovered its loudness and the +light was not withheld from any of his actions. + +"Certes, these fellows will all either be imprisoned or hanged," +thought the terrified D'Artagnan, "and I, no doubt, with them; +for from the moment I have either listened to or heard them, I +shall be held as an accomplice. What would my good father say, +who so strongly pointed out to me the respect due to the +cardinal, if he knew I was in the society of such pagans?" + +We have no need, therefore, to say that D'Artagnan dared not join +in the conversation, only he looked with all his eyes and +listened with all his ears, stretching his five senses so as to +lose nothing; and despite his confidence on the paternal +admonitions, he felt himself carried by his tastes and led by his +instincts to praise rather than to blame the unheard-of things +which were taking place. + +Although he was a perfect stranger in the court of M. de +Treville's courtiers, and this his first appearance in that +place, he was at length noticed, and somebody came and asked him +what he wanted. At this demand D'Artagnan gave his name very +modestly, emphasized the title of compatriot, and begged the +servant who had put the question to him to request a moment's +audience of M. de Treville--a request which the other, with an +air of protection, promised to transmit in due season. + +D'Artagnan, a little recovered from his first surprise, had now +leisure to study costumes and physiognomy. + +The center of the most animated group was a Musketeer of great +height and haughty countenance, dressed in a costume so peculiar +as to attract general attention. He did not wear the uniform +cloak--which was not obligatory at that epoch of less liberty but +more independence--but a cerulean-blue doublet, a little faded and +worn, and over this a magnificent baldric, worked in gold, which +shone like water ripples in the sun. A long cloak of crimson +velvet fell in graceful folds from his shoulders, disclosing in +front the splendid baldric, from which was suspended a gigantic +rapier. This Musketeer had just come off guard, complained of +having a cold, and coughed from time to time affectedly. It was +for this reason, as he said to those around him, that he had put +on his cloak; and while he spoke with a lofty air and twisted his +mustache disdainfully, all admired his embroidered baldric, and +D'Artagnan more than anyone. + + +"What would you have?" said the Musketeer. "This fashion is +coming in. It is a folly, I admit, but still it is the fashion. +Besides, one must lay out one's inheritance somehow." + +"Ah, Porthos!" cried one of his companions, "don't try to make us +believe you obtained that baldric by paternal generosity. It was +given to you by that veiled lady I met you with the other Sunday, +near the gate St. Honor‚." + +"No, upon honor and by the faith of a gentleman, I bought it with +the contents of my own purse," answered he whom they designated +by the name Porthos. + +"Yes; about in the same manner," said another Musketeer, "that I +bought this new purse with what my mistress put into the old +one." + +"It's true, though," said Porthos; "and the proof is that I paid +twelve pistoles for it." + +The wonder was increased, though the doubt continued to exist. + +"Is it not true, Aramis?" said Porthos, turning toward another +Musketeer. + +This other Musketeer formed a perfect contrast to his +interrogator, who had just designated him by the name of Aramis. +He was a stout man, of about two- or three-and-twenty, with an +open, ingenuous countenance, a black, mild eye, and cheeks rosy +and downy as an autumn peach. His delicate mustache marked a +perfectly straight line upon his upper lip; he appeared to dread +to lower his hands lest their veins should swell, and he pinched +the tips of his ears from time to time to preserve their delicate +pink transparency. Habitually he spoke little and slowly, bowed +frequently, laughed without noise, showing his teeth, which were +fine and of which, as the rest of his person, he appeared to take +great care. He answered the appeal of his friend by an +affirmative nod of the head. + +This affirmation appeared to dispel all doubts with regard to the +baldric. They continued to admire it, but said no more about it; +and with a rapid change of thought, the conversation passed +suddenly to another subject. + +"What do you think of the story Chalais's esquire relates?" asked +another Musketeer, without addressing anyone in particular, but +on the contrary speaking to everybody. + +"And what does he say?" asked Porthos, in a self-sufficient tone. + +"He relates that he met at Brussels Rochefort, the AME DAMNEE of +the cardinal disguised as a Capuchin, and that this cursed +Rochefort, thanks to his disguise, had tricked Monsieur de +Laigues, like a ninny as he is." + +"A ninny, indeed!" said Porthos; "but is the matter certain?" + +"I had it from Aramis," replied the Musketeer. + +"Indeed?" + +"Why, you knew it, Porthos," said Aramis. "I told you of it +yesterday. Let us say no more about it." + +"Say no more about it? That's YOUR opinion!" replied Porthos. + +"Say no more about it! PESTE! You come to your conclusions +quickly. What! The cardinal sets a spy upon a gentleman, has +his letters stolen from him by means of a traitor, a brigand, a +rascal-has, with the help of this spy and thanks to this +correspondence, Chalais's throat cut, under the stupid pretext +that he wanted to kill the king and marry Monsieur to the queen! +Nobody knew a word of this enigma. You unraveled it yesterday to +the great satisfaction of all; and while we are still gaping with +wonder at the news, you come and tell us today, "Let us say no +more about it.'" + +"Well, then, let us talk about it, since you desire it," replied +Aramis, patiently. + +"This Rochefort," cried Porthos, "if I were the esquire of poor +Chalais, should pass a minute or two very uncomfortably with me." + +"And you--you would pass rather a sad quarter-hour with the Red +Duke," replied Aramis. + +"Oh, the Red Duke! Bravo! Bravo! The Red Duke!" cried Porthos, +clapping his hands and nodding his head. "The Red Duke is +capital. I'll circulate that saying, be assured, my dear fellow. +Who says this Aramis is not a wit? What a misfortune it is you +did not follow your first vocation; what a delicious abbe you +would have made!" + +"Oh, it's only a temporary postponement," replied Aramis; "I +shall be one someday. You very well know, Porthos, that I +continue to study theology for that purpose." + +"He will be one, as he says," cried Porthos; "he will be one, +sooner or later." + +"Sooner." said Aramis. + +"He only waits for one thing to determine him to resume his +cassock, which hangs behind his uniform," said another Musketeer. + +"What is he waiting for?" asked another. + +"Only till the queen has given an heir to the crown of France." + +"No jesting upon that subject, gentlemen," said Porthos; "thank +God the queen is still of an age to give one!" + +"They say that Monsieur de Buckingham is in France," replied +Aramis, with a significant smile which gave to this sentence, +apparently so simple, a tolerably scandalous meaning. + +"Aramis, my good friend, this time you are wrong," interrupted +Porthos. "Your wit is always leading you beyond bounds; if +Monsieur de Treville heard you, you would repent of speaking +thus." + +"Are you going to give me a lesson, Porthos?" cried Aramis, from +whose usually mild eye a flash passed like lightning. + +"My dear fellow, be a Musketeer or an abbe. Be one or the other, +but not both," replied Porthos. "You know what Athos told you +the other day; you eat at everybody's mess. Ah, don't be angry, +I beg of you, that would be useless; you know what is agreed upon +between you, Athos and me. You go to Madame d'Aguillon's, and +you pay your court to her; you go to Madame de Bois-Tracy's, the +cousin of Madame de Chevreuse, and you pass for being far +advanced in the good graces of that lady. Oh, good Lord! Don't +trouble yourself to reveal your good luck; no one asks for your +secret-all the world knows your discretion. But since you possess +that virtue, why the devil don't you make use of it with respect +to her Majesty? Let whoever likes talk of the king and the +cardinal, and how he likes; but the queen is sacred, and if +anyone speaks of her, let it be respectfully." + +"Porthos, you are as vain as Narcissus; I plainly tell you so," +replied Aramis. "You know I hate moralizing, except when it is +done by Athos. As to you, good sir, you wear too magnificent a +baldric to be strong on that head. I will be an abbe if it suits +me. In the meanwhile I am a Musketeer; in that quality I say +what I please, and at this moment it pleases me to say that you +weary me." + +"Aramis!" + +"Porthos!" + +"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!" cried the surrounding group. + +"Monsieur de Treville awaits Monsieur d'Artagnan," cried a +servant, throwing open the door of the cabinet. + +At this announcement, during which the door remained open, +everyone became mute, and amid the general silence the young man +crossed part of the length of the antechamber, and entered the +apartment of the captain of the Musketeers, congratulating +himself with all his heart at having so narrowly escaped the end +of this strange quarrel. + + + +3 THE AUDIENCE + +M. de Treville was at the moment in rather ill-humor, +nevertheless he saluted the young man politely, who bowed to the +very ground; and he smiled on receiving D'Artagnan's response, +the Bearnese accent of which recalled to him at the same time +his youth and his country--a double remembrance which makes a man +smile at all ages; but stepping toward the antechamber and making +a sign to D'Artagnan with his hand, as if to ask his permission +to finish with others before he began with him, he called three +times, with a louder voice at each time, so that he ran through +the intervening tones between the imperative accent and the angry +accent. + +"Athos! Porthos! Aramis!" + +The two Musketeers with whom we have already made acquaintance, +and who answered to the last of these three names, immediately +quitted the group of which they had formed a part, and advanced +toward the cabinet, the door of which closed after them as soon +as they had entered. Their appearance, although it was not quite +at ease, excited by its carelessness, at once full of dignity and +submission, the admiration of D'Artagnan, who beheld in these two +men demigods, and in their leader an Olympian Jupiter, armed with +all his thunders. + +When the two Musketeers had entered; when the door was closed +behind them; when the buzzing murmur of the antechamber, to which +the summons which had been made had doubtless furnished fresh +food, had recommenced; when M. de Treville had three or four +times paced in silence, and with a frowning brow, the whole +length of his cabinet, passing each time before Porthos and +Aramis, who were as upright and silent as if on parade--he +stopped all at once full in front of them, and covering them from +head to foot with an angry look, "Do you know what the king said +to me," cried he, "and that no longer ago then yesterday +evening--do you know, gentlemen?" + +"No," replied the two Musketeers, after a moment's silence, "no, +sir, we do not." + +"But I hope that you will do us the honor to tell us," added +Aramis, in his politest tone and with his most graceful bow. + +"He told me that he should henceforth recruit his Musketeers from +among the Guards of Monsieur the Cardinal." + +"The Guards of the cardinal! And why so?" asked Porthos, warmly. + +"Because he plainly perceives that his piquette* stands in need +of being enlivened by a mixture of good wine." + +*A watered liquor, made from the second pressing of the grape. + +The two Musketeers reddened to the whites of their eyes. +D'Artagnan did not know where he was, and wished himself a +hundred feet underground. + +"Yes, yes," continued M. de Treville, growing warmer as he spoke, +"and his majesty was right; for, upon my honor, it is true that +the Musketeers make but a miserable figure at court. The +cardinal related yesterday while playing with the king, with an +air of condolence very displeasing to me, that the day before +yesterday those DAMNED MUSKETEERS, those DAREDEVILS--he dwelt +upon those words with an ironical tone still more displeasing to +me--those BRAGGARTS, added he, glancing at me with his tiger- +cat's eye, had made a riot in the Rue Ferou in a cabaret, and +that a party of his Guards (I thought he was going to laugh in my +face) had been forced to arrest the rioters! MORBLEU! You must +know something about it. Arrest Musketeers! You were among +them--you were! Don't deny it; you were recognized, and the +cardinal named you. But it's all my fault; yes, it's all my +fault, because it is myself who selects my men. You, Aramis, why +the devil did you ask me for a uniform when you would have been +so much better in a cassock? And you, Porthos, do you only wear +such a fine golden baldric to suspend a sword of straw from it? +And Athos--I don't see Athos. Where is he?" + +"Ill--very ill, say you? And of what malady?" + +"It is feared that it may be the smallpox, sir," replied Porthos, +desirous of taking his turn in the conversation; "and what is +serious is that it will certainly spoil his face." + +"The smallpox! That's a great story to tell me, Porthos! Sick +of the smallpox at his age! No, no; but wounded without doubt, +killed, perhaps. Ah, if I knew! S'blood! Messieurs Musketeers, +I will not have this haunting of bad places, this quarreling in +the streets, this swordplay at the crossways; and above all, I +will not have occasion given for the cardinal's Guards, who are +brave, quiet, skillful men who never put themselves in a +position to be arrested, and who, besides, never allow themselves +to be arrested, to laugh at you! I am sure of it--they would +prefer dying on the spot to being arrested or taking back a step. +To save yourselves, to scamper away, to flee--that is good for +the king's Musketeers!" + +Porthos and Aramis trembled with rage. They could willingly have +strangled M. de Treville, if, at the bottom of all this, they had +not felt it was the great love he bore them which made him speak +thus. They stamped upon the carpet with their feet; they bit +their lips till the blood came, and grasped the hilts of their +swords with all their might. All without had heard, as we have +said, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis called, and had guessed, from M. +de Treville's tone of voice, that he was very angry about +something. Ten curious heads were glued to the tapestry and +became pale with fury; for their ears, closely applied to the +door, did not lose a syllable of what he said, while their mouths +repeated as he went on, the insulting expressions of the captain +to all the people in the antechamber. In an instant, from the +door of the cabinet to the street gate, the whole hotel was +boiling. + +"Ah! The king's Musketeers are arrested by the Guards of the +cardinal, are they?" continued M. de Treville, as furious at +heart as his soldiers, but emphasizing his words and plunging +them, one by one, so to say, like so many blows of a stiletto, +into the bosoms of his auditors. "What! Six of his Eminence's +Guards arrest six of his Majesty's Musketeers! MORBLEU! My part +is taken! I will go straight to the louvre; I will give in my +resignation as captain of the king's Musketeers to take a +lieutenancy in the cardinal's Guards, and if he refuses me, +MORBLEU! I will turn abbe." + +At these words, the murmur without became an explosion; nothing +was to be heard but oaths and blasphemies. The MORBLUES, the +SANG DIEUS, the MORTS TOUTS LES DIABLES, crossed one another in +the air. D'Artagnan looked for some tapestry behind which he +might hide himself, and felt an immense inclination to crawl +under the table. + +"Well, my Captain," said Porthos, quite beside himself, "the +truth is that we were six against six. But we were not captured +by fair means; and before we had time to draw our swords, two of +our party were dead, and Athos, grievously wounded, was very +little better. For you know Athos. Well, Captain, he endeavored +twice to get up, and fell again twice. And we did not +surrender--no! They dragged us away by force. On the way we +escaped. As +for Athos, they believed him to be dead, and left him very quiet +on the field of battle, not thinking it worth the trouble to +carry him away. That's the whole story. What the devil, +Captain, one cannot win all one's battles! The great Pompey lost +that of Pharsalia; and Francis the First, who was, as I have +heard say, as good as other folks, nevertheless lost the Battle +of Pavia." + +"And I have the honor of assuring you that I killed one of them +with his own sword," said Aramis; "for mine was broken at the +first parry. Killed him, or poniarded him, sir, as is most +agreeable to you." + +"I did not know that," replied M. de Treville, in a somewhat +softened tone. "The cardinal exaggerated, as I perceive." + +"But pray, sir," continued Aramis, who, seeing his captain become +appeased, ventured to risk a prayer, "do not say that Athos is +wounded. He would be in despair if that should come to the ears +of the king; and as the wound is very serious, seeing that after +crossing the shoulder it penetrates into the chest, it is to be feared--" + +At this instant the tapestry was raised and a noble and handsome +head, but frightfully pale, appeared under the fringe. + +"Athos!" cried the two Musketeers. + +"Athos!" repeated M. de Treville himself. + +"You have sent for me, sir," said Athos to M. de Treville, in a +feeble yet perfectly calm voice, "you have sent for me, as my +comrades inform me, and I have hastened to receive your orders. +I am here; what do you want with me?" + +And at these words, the Musketeer, in irreproachable costume, +belted as usual, with a tolerably firm step, entered the cabinet. +M. de Treville, moved to the bottom of his heart by this proof of +courage, sprang toward him. + +"I was about to say to these gentlemen," added he, "that I forbid +my Musketeers to expose their lives needlessly; for brave men are +very dear to the king, and the king knows that his Musketeers are +the bravest on the earth. Your hand, Athos!" + +And without waiting for the answer of the newcomer to this proof +of affection, M. de Treville seized his right hand and pressed it +with all his might, without perceiving that Athos, whatever might +be his self-command, allowed a slight murmur of pain to escape +him, and if possible, grew paler than he was before. + +The door had remained open, so strong was the excitement produced +by the arrival of Athos, whose wound, though kept as a secret, +was known to all. A burst of satisfaction hailed the last words +of the captain; and two or three heads, carried away by the +enthusiasm of the moment, appeared through the openings of the +tapestry. M. de Treville was about to reprehend this breach of +the rules of etiquette, when he felt the hand of Athos, who had +rallied all his energies to contend against pain, at length +overcome by it, fell upon the floor as if he were dead. + +"A surgeon!" cried M. de Treville, "mine! The king's! The best! A +surgeon! Or, s'blood, my brave Athos will die!" + +At the cries of M. de Treville, the whole assemblage rushed into +the cabinet, he not thinking to shut the door against anyone, and +all crowded round the wounded man. But all this eager attention +might have been useless if the doctor was so loudly called for +had chanced to be in the hotel. He pushed through the crowd, +approached Athos, still insensible, and as all this noise and +commotion inconvenienced him greatly, he required, as the first +and most urgent thing, that the Musketeer should be carried into +an adjoining chamber. Immediately M. de Treville opened and +pointed the way to Porthos and Aramis, who bore their comrade in +their arms. Behind this group walked the surgeon; and behind the +surgeon the door closed. + +The cabinet of M. de Treville, generally held so sacred, became +in an instant the annex of the antechamber. Everyone spoke, +harangued, and vociferated, swearing, cursing, and consigning the +cardinal and his Guards to all the devils. + +An instant after, Porthos and Aramis re-entered, the surgeon and +M. de Treville alone remaining with the wounded. + +At length, M. de Treville himself returned. The injured man had +recovered his senses. The surgeon declared that the situation of +the Musketeer had nothing in it to render his friends uneasy, his +weakness having been purely and simply caused by loss of blood. + +Then M. de Treville made a sign with his hand, and all retired +except D'Artagnan, who did not forget that he had an audience, +and with the tenacity of a Gascon remained in his place. + +When all had gone out and the door was closed, M. de Treville, on +turning round, found himself alone with the young man. The event +which had occurred had in some degree broken the thread of his +ideas. He inquired what was the will of his persevering visitor. +D'Artagnan then repeated his name, and in an instant recovering +all his remembrances of the present and the past, M. de Treville +grasped the situation. + +"Pardon me," said he, smiling, "pardon me my dear compatriot, but +I had wholly forgotten you. But what help is there for it! A +captain is nothing but a father of a family, charged with even a +greater responsibility than the father of an ordinary family. +Soldiers are big children; but as I maintain that the orders of +the king, and more particularly the orders of the cardinal, +should be executed--" + +D'Artagnan could not restrain a smile. By this smile M. de +Treville judged that he had not to deal with a fool, and changing +the conversation, came straight to the point. + +"I respected your father very much," said he. "What can I do for +the son? Tell me quickly; my time is not my own." + +"Monsieur," said D'Artagnan, "on quitting Tarbes and coming +hither, it was my intention to request of you, in remembrance of +the friendship which you have not forgotten, the uniform of a +Musketeer; but after all that I have seen during the last two +hours, I comprehend that such a favor is enormous, and tremble +lest I should not merit it." + +"It is indeed a favor, young man," replied M. de Treville, "but +it may not be so far beyond your hopes as you believe, or rather +as you appear to believe. But his majesty's decision is always +necessary; and I inform you with regret that no one becomes a +Musketeer without the preliminary ordeal of several campaigns, +certain brilliant actions, or a service of two years in some +other regiment less favored than ours." + +D'Artagnan bowed without replying, feeling his desire to don the +Musketeer's uniform vastly increased by the great difficulties +which preceded the attainment of it. + +"But," continued M. de Treville, fixing upon his compatriot a +look so piercing that it might be said he wished to read the +thoughts of his heart, "on account of my old companion, your +father, as I have said, I will do something for you, young man. +Our recruits from Bearn are not generally very rich, and I have +no reason to think matters have much changed in this respect +since I left the province. I dare say you have not brought too +large a stock of money with you?" + +D'Artagnan drew himself up with a proud air which plainly said, +"I ask alms of no man." + +"Oh, that's very well, young man," continued M. de Treville, +"that's all very well. I know these airs; I myself came to Paris +with four crowns in my purse, and would have fought with anyone +who dared to tell me I was not in a condition to purchase the +Louvre." + +D'Artagnan's bearing became still more imposing. Thanks to the +sale of his horse, he commenced his career with four more crowns +than M. de Treville possessed at the commencement of his. + +"You ought, I say, then, to husband the means you have, however +large the sum may be; but you ought also to endeavor to perfect +yourself in the exercises becoming a gentleman. I will write a +letter today to the Director of the Royal Academy, and tomorrow +he will admit you without any expense to yourself. Do not refuse +this little service. Our best-born and richest gentlemen +sometimes solicit it without being able to obtain it. You will +learn horsemanship, swordsmanship in all its branches, and +dancing. You will make some desirable acquaintances; and from +time to time you can call upon me to tell you how you are getting +on and to say whether I can be of further service to you." + +D'Artagnan, stranger as he was to all the manners of a court, +could not but perceive a little coldness in this reception. + +"Alas, sir," said he, "I cannot but perceive how sadly I miss the +letter of introduction which my father gave me to present to +you." + +"I certainly am surprised," replied M. de Treville, "that you +should undertake so long a journey without that necessary +passport, the sole resource of us poor Bearnese." + +"I had one, sir, and, thank God, such as I could wish," cried +D'Artagnan; "but it was perfidiously stolen from me." + +He then related the adventure of Meung, described the unknown +gentleman with the greatest minuteness, and all with a warmth and +truthfulness that delighted M. de Treville. + +"This is all very strange," said M. de Treville, after meditating +a minute; "you mentioned my name, then, aloud?" + +"Yes, sir, I certainly committed that imprudence; but why should +I have done otherwise? A name like yours must be as a buckler to +me on my way. Judge if I should not put myself under its +protection." + +Flattery was at that period very current, and M. de Treville +loved incense as well as a king, or even a cardinal. He could +not refrain from a smile of visible satisfaction; but this smile +soon disappeared, and returning to the adventure of Meung, "Tell +me," continued he, "had not this gentlemen a slight scar on his +cheek?" + +"Yes, such a one as would be made by the grazing of a ball." + +"Was he not a fine-looking man?" + +"Yes." + +"Of lofty stature." + +"Yes." + +"Of complexion and brown hair?" + +"Yes, yes, that is he; how is it, sir, that you are acquainted +with this man? If I ever find him again--and I will find him, I +swear, were it in hell!" + +"He was waiting for a woman," continued Treville. + +"He departed immediately after having conversed for a minute with +her whom he awaited." + +"You know not the subject of their conversation?" + +"He gave her a box, told her not to open it except in London." + +"Was this woman English?" + +"He called her Milady." + +"It is he; it must be he!" murmured Treville. "I believed him +still at Brussels." + +"Oh, sir, if you know who this man is," cried D'Artagnan, "tell +me who he is, and whence he is. I will then release you from all +your promises--even that of procuring my admission into the +Musketeers; for before everything, I wish to avenge myself." + +"Beware, young man!" cried Treville. "If you see him coming on +one side of the street, pass by on the other. Do not cast +yourself against such a rock; he would break you like glass." + +"That will not prevent me," replied D'Artagnan, "if ever I find +him." + +"In the meantime," said Treville, "seek him not--if I have a +right to advise you." + +All at once the captain stopped, as if struck by a sudden +suspicion. This great hatred which the young traveler manifested +so loudly for this man, who--a rather improbable thing--had +stolen his father's letter from him--was there not some perfidy +concealed under this hatred? Might not this young man be sent by +his Eminence? Might he not have come for the purpose of laying a +snare for him? This pretended D'Artagnan--was he not an emissary +of the cardinal, whom the cardinal sought to introduce into +Treville's house, to place near him, to win his confidence, and +afterward to ruin him as had been done in a thousand other +instances? He fixed his eyes upon D'Artagnan even more earnestly +than before. He was moderately reassured however, by the aspect +of that countenance, full of astute intelligence and affected +humility. "I know he is a Gascon," reflected he, "but he may be +one for the cardinal was well as for me. Let us try him." + +"My friend," said he, slowly, "I wish, as the son of an ancient +friend--for I consider this story of the lost letter perfectly +true--I wish, I say, in order to repair the coldness you may have +remarked in my reception of you, to discover to you the secrets +of our policy. The king and the cardinal are the best of +friends; their apparent bickerings are only feints to deceive +fools. I am not willing that a compatriot, a handsome cavalier, +a brave youth, quite fit to make his way, should become the dupe +of all these artifices and fall into the snare after the example +of so many others who have been ruined by it. Be assured that I +am devoted to both these all-powerful masters, and that my +earnest endeavors have no other aim than the service of the king, +and also the cardinal--one of the most illustrious geniuses that +France has ever produced. + +"Now, young man, regulate your conduct accordingly; and if you +entertain, whether from your family, your relations, or even from +your instincts, any of these enmities which we see constantly +breaking out against the cardinal, bid me adieu and let us +separate. I will aid you in many ways, but without attaching you +to my person. I hope that my frankness at least will make you my +friend; for you are the only young man to whom I have hitherto +spoken as I have done to you." + +Treville said to himself: "If the cardinal has set this young +fox upon me, he will certainly not have failed--he, who knows how +bitterly I execrate him--to tell his spy that the best means of +making his court to me is to rail at him. Therefore, in spite of +all my protestations, if it be as I suspect, my cunning gossip +will assure me that he holds his Eminence in horror." + +It, however, proved otherwise. D'Artagnan answered, with the +greatest simplicity: "I came to Paris with exactly such +intentions. My father advised me to stoop to nobody but the +king, the cardinal, and yourself--whom he considered the first +three personages in France." + +D'Artagnan added M. de Treville to the others, as may be +perceived; but he thought this addition would do no harm. + +"I have the greatest veneration for the cardinal," continued he, +"and the most profound respect for his actions. So much the +better for me, sir, if you speak to me, as you say, with +frankness--for then you will do me the honor to esteem the +resemblance of our opinions; but if you have entertained any +doubt, as naturally you may, I feel that I am ruining myself by +speaking the truth. But I still trust you will not esteem me the +less for it, and that is my object beyond all others." + +M. de Treville was surprised to the greatest degree. So much +penetration, so much frankness, created admiration, but did not +entirely remove his suspicions. The more this young man was +superior to others, the more he was to be dreaded of he meant to +deceive him; "You are an honest youth; but at the present moment +I can only do for you that which I just now offered. My hotel +will be always open to you. Hereafter, being able to ask for me +at all hours, and consequently to take advantage of all +opportunities, you will probably obtain that which you desire." + +"That is to say," replied D'Artagnan, "that you will wait until I +have proved myself worthy of it. Well, be assured," added he, +with the familiarity of a Gascon, "you shall not wait long." And +he bowed in order to retire, and as if he considered the future +in his own hands. + +"But wait a minute," said M. de Treville, stopping him. "I +promised you a letter for the director of the Academy. Are you +too proud to accept it, young gentleman?" + +"No, sir," said D'Artagnan; "and I will guard it so carefully +that I will be sworn it shall arrive at its address, and woe be +to him who shall attempt to take it from me!" + +M. de Treville smiled at this flourish; and leaving his young man +compatriot in the embrasure of the window, where they had talked +together, he seated himself at a table in order to write the +promised letter of recommendation. While he was doing this, +D'Artagnan, having no better employment, amused himself with +beating a march upon the window and with looking at the +Musketeers, who went away, one after another, following them with +his eyes until they disappeared. + +M. de Treville, after having written the letter, sealed it, and +rising, approached the young man in order to give it to him. But +at the very moment when D'Artagnan stretched out his hand to +receive it, M. de Treville was highly astonished to see his +protege make a sudden spring, become crimson with passion, and +rush from the cabinet crying, "S'blood, he shall not escape me +this time!" + +"And who?" asked M. de Treville. + +"He, my thief!" replied D'Artagnan. "Ah, the traitor!" and he +disappeared. + +"The devil take the madman!" murmured M. de Treville, "unless," +added he, "this is a cunning mode of escaping, seeing that he had +failed in his purpose!" + + + +4 THE SHOULDER OF ATHOS, THE BALDRIC OF PORTHOS AND THE +HANDKERCHIEF OF ARAMIS + +D'Artagnan, in a state of fury, crossed the antechamber at three +bounds, and was darting toward the stairs, which he reckoned upon +descending four at a time, when, in his heedless course, he ran +head foremost against a Musketeer who was coming out of one of M. +de Treville's private rooms, and striking his shoulder violently, +made him utter a cry, or rather a howl. + +"Excuse me," said D'Artagnan, endeavoring to resume his course, +"excuse me, but I am in a hurry." + +Scarcely had he descended the first stair, when a hand of iron +seized him by the belt and stopped him. + +"You are in a hurry?" said the Musketeer, as pale as a sheet. +"Under that pretense you run against me! You say. 'Excuse me,' +and you believe that is sufficient? Not at all my young man. Do +you fancy because you have heard Monsieur de Treville speak to us +a little cavalierly today that other people are to treat us as he +speaks to us? Undeceive yourself, comrade, you are not Monsieur +de Treville." + +"My faith!" replied D'Artagnan, recognizing Athos, who, after the +dressing performed by the doctor, was returning to his own +apartment. "I did not do it intentionally, and not doing it +intentionally, I said 'Excuse me.' It appears to me that this is +quite enough. I repeat to you, however, and this time on my word +of honor--I think perhaps too often--that I am in haste, great +haste. Leave your hold, then, I beg of you, and let me go where +my business calls me." + +"Monsieur," said Athos, letting him go, "you are not polite; it +is easy to perceive that you come from a distance." + +D'Artagnan had already strode down three or four stairs, but at +Athos's last remark he stopped short. + +"MORBLEU, monsieur!" said he, "however far I may come, it is not +you who can give me a lesson in good manners, I warn you." + +"Perhaps," said Athos. + +"Ah! If I were not in such haste, and if I were not running +after someone," said D'Artagnan. + +"Monsieur Man-in-a-hurry, you can find me without running--ME, +you understand?" + +"And where, I pray you?" + +"Near the Carmes-Deschaux." + +"At what hour?" + +"About noon." + +"About noon? That will do; I will be there." + +"Endeavor not to make me wait; for at quarter past twelve I will +cut off your ears as you run." + +"Good!" cried D'Artagnan, "I will be there ten minutes before +twelve." And he set off running as if the devil possessed him, +hoping that he might yet find the stranger, whose slow pace could +not have carried him far. + +But at the street gate, Porthos was talking with the soldier on +guard. Between the two talkers there was just enough room for a +man to pass. D'Artagnan thought it would suffice for him, and he +sprang forward like a dart between them. But D'Artagnan had +reckoned without the wind. As he was about to pass, the wind +blew out Porthos's long cloak, and D'Artagnan rushed straight +into the middle of it. Without doubt, Porthos had reasons for +not abandoning this part of his vestments, for instead of +quitting his hold on the flap in his hand, he pulled it toward +him, so that D'Artagnan rolled himself up in the velvet by a +movement of rotation explained by the persistency of Porthos. + +D'Artagnan, hearing the Musketeer swear, wished to escape from +the cloak, which blinded him, and sought to find his way from +under the folds of it. He was particularly anxious to avoid +marring the freshness of the magnificent baldric we are +acquainted with; but on timidly opening his eyes, he found +himself with his nose fixed between the two shoulders of +Porthos--that is to say, exactly upon the baldric. + +Alas, like most things in this world which have nothing in their +favor but appearances, the baldric was glittering with gold in +the front, but was nothing but simple buff behind. Vainglorious +as he was, Porthos could not afford to have a baldric wholly of +gold, but had at least half. One could comprehend the necessity +of the cold and the urgency of the cloak. + +"Bless me!" cried Porthos, making strong efforts to disembarrass +himself of D'Artagnan, who was wriggling about his back; "you +must be mad to run against people in this manner." + +"Excuse me," said D'Artagnan, reappearing under the shoulder of +the giant, "but I am in such haste--I was running after someone +and--" + +"And do you always forget your eyes when you run?" asked Porthos. + +"No," replied D'Artagnan, piqued, "and thanks to my eyes, I can +see what other people cannot see." + +Whether Porthos understood him or did not understand him, giving +way to his anger, "Monsieur," said he, "you stand a chance of +getting chastised if you rub Musketeers in this fashion." + +"Chastised, Monsieur!" said D'Artagnan, "the expression is +strong." + +"It is one that becomes a man accustomed to look his enemies in +the face." + +"Ah, PARDIEU! I know full well that you don't turn your back to +yours." + +And the young man, delighted with his joke, went away laughing +loudly. + +Porthos foamed with rage, and made a movement to rush after +D'Artagnan. + +"Presently, presently," cried the latter, "when you haven't your +cloak on." + +"At one o'clock, then, behind the Luxembourg." + +"Very well, at one o'clock, then," replied D'Artagnan, turning +the angle of the street. + +But neither in the street he had passed through, nor in the one +which his eager glance pervaded, could he see anyone; however +slowly the stranger had walked, he was gone on his way, or +perhaps had entered some house. D'Artagnan inquired of everyone +he met with, went down to the ferry, came up again by the Rue de +Seine, and the Red Cross; but nothing, absolutely nothing! This +chase was, however, advantageous to him in one sense, for in +proportion as the perspiration broke from his forehead, his heart +began to cool. + +He began to reflect upon the events that had passed; they were +numerous and inauspicious. It was scarcely eleven o'clock in the +morning, and yet this morning had already brought him into +disgrace with M. de Treville, who could not fail to think the +manner in which D'Artagnan had left him a little cavalier. + +Besides this, he had drawn upon himself two good duels with two +men, each capable of killing three D'Artagnans-with two +Musketeers, in short, with two of those beings whom he esteemed +so greatly that he placed them in his mind and heart above all +other men. + +The outlook was sad. Sure of being killed by Athos, it may +easily be understood that the young man was not very uneasy about +Porthos. As hope, however, is the last thing extinguished in the +heart of man, he finished by hoping that he might survive, even +though with terrible wounds, in both these duels; and in case of +surviving, he made the following reprehensions upon his own +conduct: + +"What a madcap I was, and what a stupid fellow I am! That brave +and unfortunate Athos was wounded on that very shoulder against +which I must run head foremost, like a ram. The only thing that +astonishes me is that he did not strike me dead at once. He had +good cause to do so; the pain I gave him must have been +atrocious. As to Porthos--oh, as to Porthos, faith, that's a +droll affair!" + +And in spite of himself, the young man began to laugh aloud, +looking round carefully, however, to see that his solitary laugh, +without a cause in the eyes of passers-by, offended no one. + +"As to Porthos, that is certainly droll; but I am not the less a +giddy fool. Are people to be run against without warning? No! +And have I any right to go and peep under their cloaks to see +what is not there? He would have pardoned me, he would certainly +have pardoned me, if I had not said anything to him about that +cursed baldric--in ambiguous words, it is true, but rather drolly +ambiguous. Ah, cursed Gascon that I am, I get from one hobble +into another. Friend D'Artagnan," continued he, speaking to +himself with all the amenity that he thought due himself, "if you +escape, of which there is not much chance, I would advise you to +practice perfect politeness for the future. You must henceforth +be admired and quoted as a model of it. To be obliging and +polite does not necessarily make a man a coward. Look at Aramis, +now; Aramis is mildness and grace personified. Well, did anybody +ever dream of calling Aramis a coward? No, certainly not, and +from this moment I will endeavor to model myself after him. Ah! +That's strange! Here he is!" + +D'Artagnan, walking and soliloquizing, had arrived within a few +steps of the hotel d'Arguillon and in front of that hotel +perceived Aramis, chatting gaily with three gentlemen; but as he +had not forgotten that it was in presence of this young man that +M. de Treville had been so angry in the morning, and as a witness +of the rebuke the Musketeers had received was not likely to be at +all agreeable, he pretended not to see him. D'Artagnan, on the +contrary, quite full of his plans of conciliation and courtesy, +approached the young men with a profound bow, accompanied by a +most gracious smile. All four, besides, immediately broke off +their conversation. + +D'Artagnan was not so dull as not to perceive that he was one too +many; but he was not sufficiently broken into the fashions of the +gay world to know how to extricate himself gallantly from a false +position, like that of a man who begins to mingle with people he +is scarcely acquainted with and in a conversation that does not +concern him. He was seeking in his mind, then, for the least +awkward means of retreat, when he remarked that Aramis had let +his handkerchief fall, and by mistake, no doubt, had placed his +foot upon it. This appeared to be a favorable opportunity to +repair his intrusion. He stooped, and with the most gracious air +he could assume, drew the handkerchief from under the foot of the +Musketeer in spite of the efforts the latter made to detain it, +and holding it out to him, said, "I believe, monsieur, that this +is a handkerchief you would be sorry to lose?" + +The handkerchief was indeed richly embroidered, and had a coronet +and arms at one of its corners. Aramis blushed excessively, and +snatched rather than took the handkerchief from the hand of the +Gascon. + +"Ah, ah!" cried one of the Guards, "will you persist in saying, +most discreet Aramis, that you are not on good terms with Madame +de Bois-Tracy, when that gracious lady has the kindness to lend +you one of her handkerchiefs?" + +Aramis darted at D'Artagnan one of those looks which inform a man +that he has acquired a mortal enemy. Then, resuming his mild +air, "You are deceived, gentlemen," said he, "this handkerchief +is not mine, and I cannot fancy why Monsieur has taken it into +his head to offer it to me rather than to one of you; and as a +proof of what I say, here is mine in my pocket." + +So saying, he pulled out his own handkerchief, likewise a very +elegant handkerchief, and of fine cambric--though cambric was +dear at the period--but a handkerchief without embroidery and +without arms, only ornamented with a single cipher, that of its +proprietor. + +This time D'Artagnan was not hasty. He perceived his mistake; +but the friends of Aramis were not at all convinced by his +denial, and one of them addressed the young Musketeer with +affected seriousness. "If it were as you pretend it is," said +he, "I should be forced, my dear Aramis, to reclaim it myself; +for, as you very well know, Bois-Tracy is an intimate friend of +mine, and I cannot allow the property of his wife to be sported +as a trophy." + +"You make the demand badly," replied Aramis; "and while +acknowledging the justice of your reclamation, I refuse it on +account of the form." + +"The fact is," hazarded D'Artagnan, timidly, "I did not see the +handkerchief fall from the pocket of Monsieur Aramis. He had his +foot upon it, that is all; and I thought from having his foot +upon it the handkerchief was his." + +"And you were deceived, my dear sir," replied Aramis, coldly, +very little sensible to the reparation. Then turning toward that +one of the guards who had declared himself the friend of Bois- +Tracy, "Besides," continued he, "I have reflected, my dear +intimate of Bois-Tracy, that I am not less tenderly his friend +than you can possibly be; so that decidedly this handkerchief is +as likely to have fallen from your pocket as mine." + +"No, upon my honor!" cried his Majesty's Guardsman. + +"You are about to swear upon your honor and I upon my word, and +then it will be pretty evident that one of us will have lied. +Now, here, Montaran, we will do better than that--let each take a +half." + +"Of the handkerchief?" + +"Yes." + +"Perfectly just," cried the other two Guardsmen, "the judgment of +King Solomon! Aramis, you certainly are full of wisdom!" + +The young men burst into a laugh, and as may be supposed, the +affair had no other sequel. In a moment or two the conversation +ceased, and the three Guardsmen and the Musketeer, after having +cordially shaken hands, separated, the Guardsmen going one way +and Aramis another. + +"Now is my time to make peace with this gallant man," said +D'Artagnan to himself, having stood on one side during the whole +of the latter part of the conversation; and with this good +feeling drawing near to Aramis, who was departing without paying +any attention to him, "Monsieur," said he, "you will excuse me, I +hope." + +"Ah, monsieur," interrupted Aramis, "permit me to observe to you +that you have not acted in this affair as a gallant man ought." + +"What, monsieur!" cried D'Artagnan, "and do you suppose--" + +"I suppose, monsieur that you are not a fool, and that you knew +very well, although coming from Gascony, that people do not tread +upon handkerchiefs without a reason. What the devil! Paris is +not paved with cambric!" + +"Monsieur, you act wrongly in endeavoring to mortify me," said +D'Artagnan, in whom the natural quarrelsome spirit began to speak +more loudly than his pacific resolutions. "I am from Gascony, it +is true; and since you know it, there is no occasion to tell you +that Gascons are not very patient, so that when they have begged +to be excused once, were it even for a folly, they are convinced +that they have done already at least as much again as they ought +to have done." + +"Monsieur, what I say to you about the matter," said Aramis, "is +not for the sake of seeking a quarrel. Thank God, I am not a +bravo! And being a Musketeer but for a time, I only fight when I +am forced to do so, and always with great repugnance; but this +time the affair is serious, for here is a lady compromised by +you." + +"By US, you mean!" cried D'Artagnan. + +"Why did you so maladroitly restore me the handkerchief?" + +"Why did you so awkwardly let it fall?" + +"I have said, monsieur, and I repeat, that the handkerchief did +not fall from my pocket." + +"And thereby you have lied twice, monsieur, for I saw it fall." + +"Ah, you take it with that tone, do you, Master Gascon? Well, I +will teach you how to behave yourself." + +"And I will send you back to your Mass book, Master Abbe. Draw, +if you please, and instantly--" + +"Not so, if you please, my good friend--not here, at least. Do +you not perceive that we are opposite the Hotel d'Arguillon, +which is full of the cardinal's creatures? How do I know that +this is not his Eminence who has honored you with the commission +to procure my head? Now, I entertain a ridiculous partiality for +my head, it seems to suit my shoulders so correctly. I wish to +kill you, be at rest as to that, but to kill you quietly in a +snug, remote place, where you will not be able to boast of your +death to anybody." + +"I agree, monsieur; but do not be too confident. Take your +handkerchief; whether it belongs to you or another, you may +perhaps stand in need of it." + +"Monsieur is a Gascon?" asked Aramis. + +"Yes. Monsieur does not postpone an interview through prudence?" + +"Prudence, monsieur, is a virtue sufficiently useless to +Musketeers, I know, but indispensable to churchmen; and as I am +only a Musketeer provisionally, I hold it good to be prudent. At +two o'clock I shall have the honor of expecting you at the hotel +of Monsieur de Treville. There I will indicate to you the best +place and time." + +The two young men bowed and separated, Aramis ascending the +street which led to the Luxembourg, while D'Artagnan, perceiving +the appointed hour was approaching, took the road to the +Carmes-Deschaux, saying to himself, "Decidedly I can't draw back; +but at least, if I am killed, I shall be killed by a Musketeer." + + + +5 THE KING'S MUSKETEERS AND THE CARDINAL'S GUARDS + +D'Artagnan was acquainted with nobody in Paris. He went +therefore to his appointment with Athos without a second, +determined to be satisfied with those his adversary should +choose. Besides, his intention was formed to make the brave +Musketeer all suitable apologies, but without meanness or +weakness, fearing that might result from this duel which +generally results from an affair of this kind, when a young and +vigorous man fights with an adversary who is wounded and +weakened--if conquered, he doubles the triumph of his antagonist; +if a conqueror, he is accused of foul play and want of courage. + +Now, we must have badly painted the character of our adventure +seeker, or our readers must have already perceived that +D'Artagnan was not an ordinary man; therefore, while repeating to +himself that his death was inevitable, he did not make up his +mind to die quietly, as one less courageous and less restrained +might have done in his place. He reflected upon the different +characters of men he had to fight with, and began to view his +situation more clearly. He hoped, by means of loyal excuses, to +make a friend of Athos, whose lordly air and austere bearing +pleased him much. He flattered himself he should be able to +frighten Porthos with the adventure of the baldric, which he +might, if not killed upon the spot, relate to everybody a recital +which, well managed, would cover Porthos with ridicule. As to +the astute Aramis, he did not entertain much dread of him; and +supposing he should be able to get so far, he determined to +dispatch him in good style or at least, by hitting him in the +face, as Caesar recommended his soldiers do to those of Pompey, +to damage forever the beauty of which he was so proud. + +In addition to this, D'Artagnan possessed that invincible stock +of resolution which the counsels of his father had implanted in +his heart: "Endure nothing from anyone but the king, the +cardinal, and Monsieur de Treville." He flew, then, rather than +walked, toward the convent of the Carmes Dechausses, or rather +Deschaux, as it was called at that period, a sort of building +without a window, surrounded by barren fields--an accessory to +the Preaux-Clercs, and which was generally employed as the place +for the duels of men who had no time to lose. + +When D'Artagnan arrived in sight of the bare spot of ground which +extended along the foot of the monastery, Athos had been waiting +about five minutes, and twelve o'clock was striking. He was, +then, as punctual as the Samaritan woman, and the most rigorous +casuist with regard to duels could have nothing to say. + +Athos, who still suffered grievously from his wound, though it +had been dressed anew by M. de Treville's surgeon, was seated on +a post and waiting for his adversary with hat in hand, his +feather even touching the ground. + +"Monsieur," said Athos, "I have engaged two of my friends as +seconds; but these two friends are not yet come, at which I am +astonished, as it is not at all their custom." + +"I have no seconds on my part, monsieur," said D'Artagnan; "for +having only arrived yesterday in Paris, I as yet know no one but +Monsieur de Treville, to whom I was recommended by my father, who +has the honor to be, in some degree, one of his friends." + +Athos reflected for an instant. "You know no one but Monsieur de +Treville?" he asked. + +"Yes, monsieur, I know only him." + +"Well, but then," continued Athos, speaking half to himself, "if +I kill you, I shall have the air of a boy-slayer." + +"Not too much so," replied D'Artagnan, with a bow that was not +deficient in dignity, "since you do me the honor to draw a sword +with me while suffering from a wound which is very inconvenient." + +"Very inconvenient, upon my word; and you hurt me devilishly, I +can tell you. But I will take the left hand--it is my custom in +such circumstances. Do not fancy that I do you a favor; I use +either hand easily. And it will be even a disadvantage to you; a +left-handed man is very troublesome to people who are not +prepared for it. I regret I did not inform you sooner of this +circumstance." + +"You have truly, monsieur," said D'Artagnan, bowing again, "a +courtesy, for which, I assure you, I am very grateful." + +"You confuse me," replied Athos, with his gentlemanly air; "let +us talk of something else, if you please. Ah, s'blood, how you +have hurt me! My shoulder quite burns." + +"If you would permit me--" said D'Artagnan, with timidity. + +"What, monsieur?" + +"I have a miraculous balsam for wounds--a balsam given to me by +my mother and of which I have made a trial upon myself." + +"Well?" + +"Well, I am sure that in less than three days this balsam would +cure you; and at the end of three days, when you would be cured-- +well, sir, it would still do me a great honor to be your man." + +D'Artagnan spoke these words with a simplicity that did honor to +his courtesy, without throwing the least doubt upon his courage. + +"PARDIEU, monsieur!" said Athos, "that's a proposition that +pleases me; not that I can accept it, but a league off it savors +of the gentleman. Thus spoke and acted the gallant knights of +the time of Charlemagne, in whom every cavalier ought to seek his +model. Unfortunately, we do not live in the times of the great +emperor, we live in the times of the cardinal; and three days +hence, however well the secret might be guarded, it would be +known, I say, that we were to fight, and our combat would be +prevented. I think these fellows will never come." + +"If you are in haste, monsieur," said D'Artagnan, with the same +simplicity with which a moment before he had proposed to him to +put off the duel for three days, "and if it be your will to +dispatch me at once, do not inconvenience yourself, I pray you." + +"There is another word which pleases me," cried Athos, with a +gracious nod to D'Artagnan. "That did not come from a man +without a heart. Monsieur, I love men of your kidney; and I +foresee plainly that if we don't kill each other, I shall +hereafter have much pleasure in your conversation. We will wait +for these gentlemen, so please you; I have plenty of time, and it +will be more correct. Ah, here is one of them, I believe." + +In fact, at the end of the Rue Vaugirard the gigantic Porthos +appeared. + +"What!" cried D'Artagnan, "is your first witness Monsieur +Porthos?" + +"Yes, that disturbs you?" + +"By no means." + +"And here is the second." + +D'Artagnan turned in the direction pointed to by Athos, and +perceived Aramis. + +"What!" cried he, in an accent of greater astonishment than +before, "your second witness is Monsieur Aramis?" + +"Doubtless! Are you not aware that we are never seen one without +the others, and that we are called among the Musketeers and the +Guards, at court and in the city, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, or +the Three Inseparables? And yet, as you come from Dax or Pau--" + +"From Tarbes," said D'Artagnan. + +"It is probable you are ignorant of this little fact," said +Athos. + +"My faith!" replied D'Artagnan, "you are well named, gentlemen; +and my adventure, if it should make any noise, will prove at +least that your union is not founded upon contrasts." + +In the meantime, Porthos had come up, waved his hand to Athos, +and then turning toward D'Artagnan, stood quite astonished. + +Let us say in passing that he had changed his baldric and +relinquished his cloak. + +"Ah, ah!" said he, "what does this mean?" + +"This is the gentleman I am going to fight with," said Athos, +pointing to D'Artagnan with his hand and saluting him with the +same gesture. + +"Why, it is with him I am also going to fight," said Porthos. + +"But not before one o'clock," replied D'Artagnan. + +"And I also am to fight with this gentleman," said Aramis, coming +in his turn onto the place. + +"But not until two o'clock," said D'Artagnan, with the same +calmness. + +"But what are you going to fight about, Athos?" asked Aramis. + +"Faith! I don't very well know. He hurt my shoulder. And you, +Porthos?" + +"Faith! I am going to fight--because I am going to fight," +answered Porthos, reddening. + +Athos, whose keen eye lost nothing, perceived a faintly sly smile +pass over the lips of the young Gascon as he replied, "We had a +short discussion upon dress." + +"And you, Aramis?" asked Athos. + +"Oh, ours is a theological quarrel," replied Aramis, making a +sign to D'Artagnan to keep secret the cause of their duel. + +Athos indeed saw a second smile on the lips of D'Artagnan. + +"Indeed?" said Athos. + +"Yes; a passage of St. Augustine, upon which we could not agree," +said the Gascon. + +"Decidedly, this is a clever fellow," murmured Athos. + +"And now you are assembled, gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, "permit +me to offer you my apologies. + +At this word APOLOGIES, a cloud passed over the brow of Athos, a +haughty smile curled the lip of Porthos, and a negative sign was +the reply of Aramis. + +"You do not understand me, gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, throwing +up his head, the sharp and bold lines of which were at the moment +gilded by a bright ray of the sun. "I asked to be excused in +case I should not be able to discharge my debt to all three; for +Monsieur Athos has the right to kill me first, which I must abate +your valor in your own estimation, Monsieur Porthos, and render +yours almost null, Monsieur Aramis. And now, gentlemen, I +repeat, excuse me, but on that account only, and--on guard!" + +At these words, with the most gallant air possible, D'Artagnan +drew his sword. + +The blood had mounted to the head of D'Artagnan, and at that +moment he would have drawn his sword against all the Musketeers +in the kingdom as willingly as he now did against Athos, Porthos, +and Aramis. + +It was a quarter past midday. The sun was in its zenith, and the +spot chosen for the scene of the duel was exposed to its full +ardor. + +"It is very hot," said Athos, drawing his sword in its turn, "and +yet I cannot take off my doublet; for I just now felt my wound +begin to bleed again, and I should not like to annoy Monsieur +with the sight of blood which he has not drawn from me himself." + +"That is true, Monsieur," replied D'Artagnan, "and whether drawn +by myself or another, I assure you I shall always view with +regret the blood of so brave a gentleman. I will therefore fight +in my doublet, like yourself." + +"Come, come, enough of such compliments!" cried Porthos. +"Remember, we are waiting for our turns." + +"Speak for yourself when you are inclined to utter such +incongruities," interrupted Aramis. "For my part, I think what +they say is very well said, and quite worthy of two gentlemen." + +"When you please, monsieur," said Athos, putting himself on +guard. + +"I waited your orders," said D'Artagnan, crossing swords. + +But scarcely had the two rapiers clashed, when a company of the +Guards of his Eminence, commanded by M. de Jussac, turned the +corner of the convent. + +"The cardinal's Guards!" cried Aramis and Porthos at the same +time. "Sheathe your swords, gentlemen, sheathe your swords!" + +But it was too late. The two combatants had been seen in a +position which left no doubt of their intentions. + +"Halloo!" cried Jussac, advancing toward them and making a sign +to his men to do so likewise, "halloo, Musketeers? Fighting +here, are you? And the edicts? What is become of them?" + +"You are very generous, gentlemen of the Guards," said Athos, +full of rancor, for Jussac was one of the aggressors of the +preceding day. "If we were to see you fighting, I can assure you +that we would make no effort to prevent you. Leave us alone, +then, and you will enjoy a little amusement without cost to +yourselves." + +"Gentlemen," said Jussac, "it is with great regret that I +pronounce the thing impossible. Duty before everything. +Sheathe, then, if you please, and follow us." + +"Monsieur," said Aramis, parodying Jussac, "it would afford us +great pleasure to obey your polite invitation if it depended upon +ourselves; but unfortunately the thing is impossible--Monsieur de +Treville has forbidden it. Pass on your way, then; it is the +best thing to do." + +This raillery exasperated Jussac. "We will charge upon you, +then," said he, "if you disobey." + +"There are five of them," said Athos, half aloud, "and we are but +three; we shall be beaten again, and must die on the spot, for, +on my part, I declare I will never appear again before the +captain as a conquered man." + +Athos, Porthos, and Aramis instantly drew near one another, while +Jussac drew up his soldiers. + +This short interval was sufficient to determine D'Artagnan on the +part he was to take. It was one of those events which decide the +life of a man; it was a choice between the king and the +cardinal--the choice made, it must be persisted in. To fight, +that was to disobey the law, that was to risk his head, that was +to make at one blow an enemy of a minister more powerful than the +king himself. All this young man perceived, and yet, to his +praise we speak it, he did not hesitate a second. Turning +towards Athos and his friends, "Gentlemen," said he, "allow me to +correct your words, if you please. You said you were but three, +but it appears to me we are four." + +"But you are not one of us," said Porthos. + +"That's true," replied D'Artagnan; "I have not the uniform, but I +have the spirit. My heart is that of a Musketeer; I feel it, +monsieur, and that impels me on." + +"Withdraw, young man," cried Jussac, who doubtless, by his +gestures and the expression of his countenance, had guessed +D'Artagnan's design. "You may retire; we consent to that. Save +your skin; begone quickly." + +D'Artagnan did not budge. + +"Decidedly, you are a brave fellow," said Athos, pressing the +young man's hand. + +"Come, come, choose your part," replied Jussac. + +"Well," said Porthos to Aramis, "we must do something." + +"Monsieur is full of generosity," said Athos. + +But all three reflected upon the youth of D'Artagnan, and dreaded +his inexperience. + +"We should only be three, one of whom is wounded, with the +addition of a boy," resumed Athos; "and yet it will not be the +less said we were four men." + +"Yes, but to yield!" said Porthos. + +"That IS difficult," replied Athos. + +D'Artagnan comprehended their irresolution. + +"Try me, gentlemen," said he, "and I swear to you by my honor +that I will not go hence if we are conquered." + +"What is your name, my brave fellow?" said Athos. + +"D'Artagnan, monsieur." + +"Well, then, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan, forward!" +cried Athos. + +"Come, gentlemen, have you decided?" cried Jussac for the third +time. + +"It is done, gentlemen," said Athos. + +"And what is your choice?" asked Jussac. + +"We are about to have the honor of charging you," replied Aramis, +lifting his hat with one hand and drawing his sword with the +other. + +"Ah! You resist, do you?" cried Jussac. + +"S'blood; does that astonish you?" + +And the nine combatants rushed upon each other with a fury which +however did not exclude a certain degree of method. + +Athos fixed upon a certain Cahusac, a favorite of the cardinal's. +Porthos had Bicarat, and Aramis found himself opposed to two +adversaries. As to D'Artagnan, he sprang toward Jussac himself. + +The heart of the young Gascon beat as if it would burst through +his side--not from fear, God he thanked, he had not the shade of +it, but with emulation; he fought like a furious tiger, turning +ten times round his adversary, and changing his ground and his +guard twenty times. Jussac was, as was then said, a fine blade, +and had had much practice; nevertheless it required all his skill +to defend himself against an adversary who, active and energetic, +departed every instant from received rules, attacking him on all +sides at once, and yet parrying like a man who had the greatest +respect for his own epidermis. + +This contest at length exhausted Jussac's patience. Furious at +being held in check by one whom he had considered a boy, he +became warm and began to make mistakes. D'Artagnan, who though +wanting in practice had a sound theory, redoubled his agility. +Jussac, anxious to put an end to this, springing forward, aimed a +terrible thrust at his adversary, but the latter parried it; and +while Jussac was recovering himself, glided like a serpent +beneath his blade, and passed his sword through his body. Jussac +fell like a dead mass. + +D'Artagnan then cast an anxious and rapid glance over the field +of battle. + +Aramis had killed one of his adversaries, but the other pressed +him warmly. Nevertheless, Aramis was in a good situation, and +able to defend himself. + +Bicarat and Porthos had just made counterhits. Porthos had +received a thrust through his arm, and Bicarat one through his +thigh. But neither of these two wounds was serious, and they +only fought more earnestly. + +Athos, wounded anew by Cahusac, became evidently paler, but did +not give way a foot. He only changed his sword hand, and fought +with his left hand. + +According to the laws of dueling at that period, D'Artagnan was +at liberty to assist whom he pleased. While he was endeavoring +to find out which of his companions stood in greatest need, he +caught a glance from Athos. The glance was of sublime eloquence. +Athos would have died rather than appeal for help; but he could +look, and with that look ask assistance. D'Artagnan interpreted +it; with a terrible bound he sprang to the side of Cahusac, +crying, "To me, Monsieur Guardsman; I will slay you!" + +Cahusac turned. It was time; for Athos, whose great courage +alone supported him, sank upon his knee. + +"S'blood!" cried he to D'Artagnan, "do not kill him, young man, I +beg of you. I have an old affair to settle with him when I am +cured and sound again. Disarm him only--make sure of his sword. +That's it! Very well done!" + +The exclamation was drawn from Athos by seeing the sword of +Cahusac fly twenty paces from him. D'Artagnan and Cahusac sprang +forward at the same instant, the one to recover, the other to +obtain, the sword; but D'Artagnan, being the more active, reached +it first and placed his foot upon it. + +Cahusac immediately ran to the Guardsman whom Aramis had killed, +seized his rapier, and returned toward D'Artagnan; but on his way +he met Athos, who during his relief which D'Artagnan had procured +him had recovered his breath, and who, for fear that D'Artagnan +would kill his enemy, wished to resume the fight. + +D'Artagnan perceived that it would be disobliging Athos not to +leave him alone; and in a few minutes Cahusac fell, with a sword +thrust through his throat. + +At the same instant Aramis placed his sword point on the breast +of his fallen enemy, and forced him to ask for mercy. + +There only then remained Porthos and Bicarat. Porthos made a +thousand flourishes, asking Bicarat what o'clock it could be, and +offering him his compliments upon his brother's having just +obtained a company in the regiment of Navarre; but, jest as he +might, he gained nothing. Bicarat was one of those iron men who +never fell dead. + +Nevertheless, it was necessary to finish. The watch might come +up and take all the combatants, wounded or not, royalists or +cardinalists. Athos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan surrounded Bicarat, +and required him to surrender. Though alone against all and with +a wound in his thigh, Bicarat wished to hold out; but Jussac, who +had risen upon his elbow, cried out to him to yield. Bicarat was +a Gascon, as D'Artagnan was; he turned a deaf ear, and contented +himself with laughing, and between two parries finding time to +point to a spot of earth with his sword, "Here," cried he, +parodying a verse of the Bible, "here will Bicarat die; for I +only am left, and they seek my life." + +"But there are four against you; leave off, I command you." + +"Ah, if you command me, that's another thing," said Bicarat. "As +you are my commander, it is my duty to obey." And springing +backward, he broke his sword across his knee to avoid the +necessity of surrendering it, threw the pieces over the convent +wall, and crossed him arms, whistling a cardinalist air. + +Bravery is always respected, even in an enemy. The Musketeers +saluted Bicarat with their swords, and returned them to their +sheaths. D'Artagnan did the same. Then, assisted by Bicarat, +the only one left standing, he bore Jussac, Cahusac, and one of +Aramis's adversaries who was only wounded, under the porch of the +convent. The fourth, as we have said, was dead. They then rang +the bell, and carrying away four swords out of five, they took +their road, intoxicated with joy, toward the hotel of M. de +Treville. + +They walked arm in arm, occupying the whole width of the street +and taking in every Musketeer they met, so that in the end it +became a triumphal march. The heart of D'Artagnan swam in +delirium; he marched between Athos and Porthos, pressing them +tenderly. + +"If I am not yet a Musketeer," said he to his new friends, as he +passed through the gateway of M. de Treville's hotel, "at least I +have entered upon my apprenticeship, haven't I?" + + + +6 HIS MAJESTY KING LOUIS XIII + +This affair made a great noise. M. de Treville scolded his +Musketeers in public, and congratulated them in private; but as +no time was to be lost in gaining the king, M. de Treville +hastened to report himself at the Louvre. It was already too +late. The king was closeted with the cardinal, and M. de +Treville was informed that the king was busy and could not +receive him at that moment. In the evening M. de Treville +attended the king's gaming table. The king was winning; and as +he was very avaricious, he was in an excellent humor. Perceiving +M. de Treville at a distance-- + +"Come here, Monsieur Captain," said he, "come here, that I may +growl at you. Do you know that his Eminence has been making +fresh complaints against your Musketeers, and that with so much +emotion, that this evening his Eminence is indisposed? Ah, these +Musketeers of yours are very devils--fellows to be hanged." + +"No, sire," replied Treville, who saw at the first glance how +things would go, "on the contrary, they are good creatures, as +meek as lambs, and have but one desire, I'll be their warranty. +And that is that their swords may never leave their scabbards but +in your majesty's service. But what are they to do? The Guards +of Monsieur the Cardinal are forever seeking quarrels with them, +and for the honor of the corps even, the poor young men are +obliged to defend themselves." + +"Listen to Monsieur de Treville," said the king; "listen to him! +Would not one say he was speaking of a religious community? In +truth, my dear Captain, I have a great mind to take away your +commission and give it to Mademoiselle de Chemerault, to whom I +promised an abbey. But don't fancy that I am going to take you +on your bare word. I am called Louis the Just, Monsieur de +Treville, and by and by, by and by we will see." + +"Ah, sire; it is because I confide in that justice that I shall +wait patiently and quietly the good pleasure of your Majesty." + + +"Wait, then, monsieur, wait," said the king; "I will not detain +you long." + +In fact, fortune changed; and as the king began to lose what he +had won, he was not sorry to find an excuse for playing +Charlemagne--if we may use a gaming phrase of whose origin we +confess our ignorance. The king therefore arose a minute after, +and putting the money which lay before him into his pocket, the +major part of which arose from his winnings, "La Vieuville," said +he, "take my place; I must speak to Monsieur de Treville on an +affair of importance. Ah, I had eighty louis before me; put down +the same sum, so that they who have lost may have nothing to +complain of. Justice before everything." + +Then turning toward M. de Treville and walking with him toward +the embrasure of a window, "Well, monsieur," continued he, "you +say it is his Eminence's Guards who have sought a quarrel with +your Musketeers?" + +"Yes, sire, as they always do." + +"And how did the thing happen? Let us see, for you know, my dear +Captain, a judge must hear both sides." + +"Good Lord! In the most simple and natural manner possible. +Three of my best soldiers, whom your Majesty knows by name, and +whose devotedness you have more than once appreciated, and who +have, I dare affirm to the king, his service much at heart--three +of my best soldiers, I say, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, had made +a party of pleasure with a young fellow from Gascony, whom I had +introduced to them the same morning. The party was to take place +at St. Germain, I believe, and they had appointed to meet at the +Carmes-Deschaux, when they were disturbed by De Jussac, Cahusac, +Bicarat, and two other Guardsmen, who certainly did not go there +in such a numerous company without some ill intention against the +edicts." + +"Ah, ah! You incline me to think so," said the king. "There is +no doubt they went thither to fight themselves." + +"I do not accuse them, sire; but I leave your Majesty to judge +what five armed men could possibly be going to do in such a +deserted place as the neighborhood of the Convent des Carmes." + +"Yes, you are right, Treville, you are right!" + +"Then, upon seeing my Musketeers they changed their minds, and +forgot their private hatred for partisan hatred; for your Majesty +cannot be ignorant that the Musketeers, who belong to the king +and nobody but the king, are the natural enemies of the +Guardsmen, who belong to the cardinal." + +"Yes, Treville, yes," said the king, in a melancholy tone; "and +it is very sad, believe me, to see thus two parties in France, +two heads to royalty. But all this will come to an end, Treville, +will come to an end. You say, then, that the Guardsmen sought a +quarrel with the Musketeers?" + +"I say that it is probable that things have fallen out so, but I +will not swear to it, sire. You know how difficult it is to +discover the truth; and unless a man be endowed with that +admirable instinct which causes Louis XIII to be named the +Just--" + + +"You are right, Treville; but they were not alone, your +Musketeers. They had a youth with them?" + +"Yes, sire, and one wounded man; so that three of the king's +Musketeers--one of whom was wounded--and a youth not only +maintained their ground against five of the most terrible of the +cardinal's Guardsmen, but absolutely brought four of them to +earth." + +"Why, this is a victory!" cried the king, all radiant, "a +complete victory!" + +"Yes, sire; as complete as that of the Bridge of Ce." + +"Four men, one of them wounded, and a youth, say you?" + +"One hardly a young man; but who, however, behaved himself so +admirably on this occasion that I will take the liberty of +recommending him to your Majesty." + +"How does he call himself?" + +"D'Artagnan, sire; he is the son of one of my oldest friends--the +son of a man who served under the king your father, of glorious +memory, in the civil war." + +"And you say this young man behaved himself well? Tell me how, +Treville--you know how I delight in accounts of war and +fighting." + +And Louis XIII twisted his mustache proudly, placing his hand +upon his hip. + +"Sire," resumed Treville, "as I told you, Monsieur d'Artagnan is +little more than a boy; and as he has not the honor of being a +Musketeer, he was dressed as a citizen. The Guards of the +cardinal, perceiving his youth and that he did not belong to the +corps, invited him to retire before they attacked." + +"so you may plainly see, Treville," interrupted the king, "it was +they who attacked?" + +"That is true, sire; there can be no more doubt on that head. +They called upon him then to retire; but he answered that he was +a Musketeer at heart, entirely devoted to your Majesty, and that +therefore he would remain with Messieurs the Musketeers." + +"Brave young man!" murmured the king. + +"Well, he did remain with them; and your Majesty has in him so +firm a champion that it was he who gave Jussac the terrible sword +thrust which has made the cardinal so angry." + +"He who wounded Jussac!" cried the king, "he, a boy! Treville, +that's impossible!" + +"It is as I have the honor to relate it to your Majesty." + +"Jussac, one of the first swordsmen in the kingdom?" + +"Well, sire, for once he found his master." + +"I will see this young, Treville--I will see him; and if anything +can be done--well, we will make it our business." + +"When will your Majesty deign to receive him?" + +"Tomorrow, at midday, Treville." + +"Shall I bring him alone?" + +"No, bring me all four together. I wish to thank them all at +once. Devoted men are so rare, Treville, by the back staircase. +It is useless to let the cardinal know." + +"Yes, sire." + +"You understand, Treville--an edict is still an edict, it is +forbidden to fight, after all." + +"But this encounter, sire, is quite out of the ordinary +conditions of a duel. It is a brawl; and the proof is that there +were five of the cardinal's Guardsmen against my three Musketeers +and Monsieur d'Artagnan." + +"That is true," said the king; "but never mind, Treville, come +still by the back staircase." + +Treville smiled; but as it was indeed something to have prevailed +upon this child to rebel against his master, he saluted the king +respectfully, and with this agreement, took leave of him. + +That evening the three Musketeers were informed of the honor +accorded them. As they had long been acquainted with the king, +they were not much excited; but D'Artagnan, with his Gascon +imagination, saw in it his future fortune, and passed the night +in golden dreams. By eight o'clock in the morning he was at the +apartment of Athos. + +D'Artagnan found the Musketeer dressed and ready to go out. As +the hour to wait upon the king was not till twelve, he had made a +party with Porthos and Aramis to play a game at tennis in a +tennis court situated near the stables of the Luxembourg. Athos +invited D'Artagnan to follow them; and although ignorant of the +game, which he had never played, he accepted, not knowing what to +do with his time from nine o'clock in the morning, as it then +scarcely was, till twelve. + +The two Musketeers were already there, and were playing together. +Athos, who was very expert in all bodily exercises, passed with +D'Artagnan to the opposite side and challenged them; but at the +first effort he made, although he played with his left hand, he +found that his wound was yet too recent to allow of such +exertion. D'Artagnan remained, therefore, alone; and as he +declared he was too ignorant of the game to play it regularly +they only continued giving balls to one another without counting. +But one of these balls, launched by Porthos' herculean hand, +passed so close to D'Artagnan's face that he thought that if, +instead of passing near, it had hit him, his audience would have +been probably lost, as it would have been impossible for him to +present himself before the king. Now, as upon this audience, in +his Gascon imagination, depended his future life, he saluted +Aramis and Porthos politely, declaring that he would not resume +the game until he should be prepared to play with them on more +equal terms, and went and took his place near the cord and in the +gallery. + +Unfortunately for D'Artagnan, among the spectators was one of his +Eminence's Guardsmen, who, still irritated by the defeat of his +companions, which had happened only the day before, had promised +himself to seize the first opportunity of avenging it. He +believed this opportunity was now come and addressed his +neighbor: "It is not astonishing that that young man should be +afraid of a ball, for he is doubtless a Musketeer apprentice." + +D'Artagnan turned round as if a serpent had stung him, and fixed +his eyes intensely upon the Guardsman who had just made this +insolent speech. + +"PARDIEU," resumed the latter, twisting his mustache, "look at me +as long as you like, my little gentleman! I have said what I +have said." + +"And as since that which you have said is too clear to require +any explanation," replied D'Artagnan, in a low voice, "I beg you +to follow me." + +"And when?" asked the Guardsman, with the same jeering air. + +"At once, if you please." + +"And you know who I am, without doubt?" + +"I? I am completely ignorant; nor does it much disquiet me." + +"You're in the wrong there; for if you knew my name, perhaps you +would not be so pressing." + +"What is your name?" + +"Bernajoux, at your service." + +"Well, then, Monsieur Bernajoux," said D'Artagnan, tranquilly, "I +will wait for you at the door." + +"Go, monsieur, I will follow you." + +"Do not hurry yourself, monsieur, lest it be observed that we go +out together. You must be aware that for our undertaking, +company would be in the way." + +"That's true," said the Guardsman, astonished that his name had +not produced more effect upon the young man. + +Indeed, the name of Bernajoux was known to all the world, +D'Artagnan alone excepted, perhaps; for it was one of those which +figured most frequently in the daily brawls which all the edicts +of the cardinal could not repress. + +Porthos and Aramis were so engaged with their game, and Athos was +watching them with so much attention, that they did not even +perceive their young companion go out, who, as he had told the +Guardsman of his Eminence, stopped outside the door. An instant +after, the Guardsman descended in his turn. As D'Artagnan had no +time to lose, on account of the audience of the king, which was +fixed for midday, he cast his eyes around, and seeing that the +street was empty, said to his adversary, "My faith! It is +fortunate for you, although your name is Bernajoux, to have only +to deal with an apprentice Musketeer. Never mind; be content, I +will do my best. On guard!" + +"But," said he whom D'Artagnan thus provoked, "it appears to me +that this place is badly chosen, and that we should be better +behind the Abbey St. Germain or in the Pre-aux-Clercs." + +"What you say is full of sense," replied D'Artagnan; "but +unfortunately I have very little time to spare, having an +appointment at twelve precisely. On guard, then, monsieur, on +guard!" + +Bernajoux was not a man to have such a compliment paid to him +twice. In an instant his sword glittered in his hand, and he +sprang upon his adversary, whom, thanks to his great +youthfulness, he hoped to intimidate. + +But D'Artagnan had on the preceding day served his +apprenticeship. Fresh sharpened by his victory, full of hopes of +future favor, he was resolved not to recoil a step. So the two +swords were crossed close to the hilts, and as D'Artagnan stood +firm, it was his adversary who made the retreating step; but +D'Artagnan seized the moment at which, in this movement, the +sword of Bernajoux deviated from the line. He freed his weapon, +made a lunge, and touched his adversary on the shoulder. +D'Artagnan immediately made a step backward and raised his sword; +but Bernajoux cried out that it was nothing, and rushing blindly +upon him, absolutely spitted himself upon D'Artagnan's sword. +As, however, he did not fall, as he did not declare himself +conquered, but only broke away toward the hotel of M. de la +Tremouille, in whose service he had a relative, D'Artagnan was +ignorant of the seriousness of the last wound his adversary had +received, and pressing him warmly, without doubt would soon have +completed his work with a third blow, when the noise which arose +from the street being heard in the tennis court, two of the +friends of the Guardsman, who had seen him go out after +exchanging some words with D'Artagnan, rushed, sword in hand, +from the court, and fell upon the conqueror. But Athos, Porthos, +and Aramis quickly appeared in their turn, and the moment the two +Guardsmen attacked their young companion, drove them back. +Bernajoux now fell, and as the Guardsmen were only two against +four, they began to cry, "To the rescue! The Hotel de la +Tremouille!" At these cries, all who were in the hotel rushed +out and fell upon the four companions, who on their side cried +aloud, "To the rescue, Musketeers!" + +This cry was generally heeded; for the Musketeers were known to +be enemies of the cardinal, and were beloved on account of the +hatred they bore to his Eminence. Thus the soldiers of other +companies than those which belonged to the Red Duke, as Aramis +had called him, often took part with the king's Musketeers in +these quarrels. Of three Guardsmen of the company of M. +Dessessart who were passing, two came to the assistance of the +four companions, while the other ran toward the hotel of M. de +Treville, crying, "To the rescue, Musketeers! To the rescue!" +As usual, this hotel was full of soldiers of this company, who +hastened to the succor of their comrades. The MELEE became +general, but strength was on the side of the Musketeers. The +cardinal's Guards and M. de la Tremouille's people retreated into +the hotel, the doors of which they closed just in time to prevent +their enemies from entering with them. As to the wounded man, he +had been taken in at once, and, as we have said, in a very bad +state. + +Excitement was at its height among the Musketeers and their +allies, and they even began to deliberate whether they should not +set fire to the hotel to punish the insolence of M. de la +Tremouille's domestics in daring to make a SORTIE upon the king's +Musketeers. The proposition had been made, and received with +enthusiasm, when fortunately eleven o'clock struck. D'Artagnan +and his companions remembered their audience, and as they would +very much have regretted that such an opportunity should be lost, +they succeeded in calming their friends, who contented themselves +with hurling some paving stones against the gates; but the gates +were too strong. They soon tired of the sport. Besides, those +who must be considered the leaders of the enterprise had quit the +group and were making their way toward the hotel of M. de +Treville, who was waiting for them, already informed of this +fresh disturbance. + +"Quick to the Louvre," said he, "to the Louvre without losing an +instant, and let us endeavor to see the king before he is +prejudiced by the cardinal. We will describe the thing to him as +a consequence of the affair of yesterday, and the two will pass +off together." + +M. de Treville, accompanied by the four young fellows, directed +his course toward the Louvre; but to the great astonishment of +the captain of the Musketeers, he was informed that the king had +gone stag hunting in the forest of St. Germain. M. de Treville +required this intelligence to be repeated to him twice, and each +time his companions saw his brow become darker. + +"Had his Majesty," asked he, "any intention of holding this +hunting party yesterday?" + +"No, your Excellency," replied the valet de chambre, "the Master +of the Hounds came this morning to inform him that he had marked +down a stag. At first the king answered that he would not go; +but he could not resist his love of sport, and set out after +dinner." + +"And the king has seen the cardinal?" asked M. de Treville. + +"In all probability he has," replied the valet, "for I saw the +horses harnessed to his Eminence's carriage this morning, and +when I asked where he was going, they told me, "To St. Germain.'" + +"He is beforehand with us," said M. de Treville. "Gentlemen, I +will see the king this evening; but as to you, I do not advise +you to risk doing so." + +This advice was too reasonable, and moreover came from a man who +knew the king too well, to allow the four young men to dispute +it. M. de Treville recommended everyone to return home and wait +for news. + +On entering his hotel, M. de Treville thought it best to be first +in making the complaint. He sent one of his servants to M. de la +Tremouille with a letter in which he begged of him to eject the +cardinal's Guardsmen from his house, and to reprimand his people +for their audacity in making SORTIE against the king's +Musketeers. But M. de la Tremouille--already prejudiced by his +esquire, whose relative, as we already know, Bernajoux was-- +replied that it was neither for M. de Treville nor the Musketeers +to complain, but, on the contrary, for him, whose people the +Musketeers had assaulted and whose hotel they had endeavored to +burn. Now, as the debate between these two nobles might last a +long time, each becoming, naturally, more firm in his own +opinion, M. de Treville thought of an expedient which might +terminate it quietly. This was to go himself to M. de la +Tremouille. + +He repaired, therefore, immediately to his hotel, and caused +himself to be announced. + +The two nobles saluted each other politely, for if no friendship +existed between them, there was at least esteem. Both were men +of courage and honor; and as M. de la Tremouille--a Protestant, +and seeing the king seldom--was of no party, he did not, in +general, carry any bias into his social relations. This time, +however, his address, although polite, was cooler than usual. + +"Monsieur," said M. de Treville, "we fancy that we have each +cause to complain of the other, and I am come to endeavor to +clear up this affair." + +"I have no objection," replied M. de la Tremouille, "but I warn +you that I am well informed, and all the fault is with your +Musketeers." + +"You are too just and reasonable a man, monsieur!" said Treville, +"not to accept the proposal I am about to make to you." + +"Make it, monsieur, I listen." + +"How is Monsieur Bernajoux, your esquire's relative?" + +"Why, monsieur, very ill indeed! In addition to the sword thrust +in his arm, which is not dangerous, he has received another right +through his lungs, of which the doctor says bad things." + +"But has the wounded man retained his senses?" + +"Perfectly." + +"Does he talk?" + +"With difficulty, but he can speak." + +"Well, monsieur, let us go to him. Let us adjure him, in the +name of the God before whom he must perhaps appear, to speak the +truth. I will take him for judge in his own cause, monsieur, and +will believe what he will say." + +M. de la Tremouille reflected for an instant; then as it was +difficult to suggest a more reasonable proposal, he agreed to it. + +Both descended to the chamber in which the wounded man lay. The +latter, on seeing these two noble lords who came to visit him, +endeavored to raise himself up in his bed; but he was too weak, +and exhausted by the effort, he fell back again almost senseless. + +M. de la Tremouille approached him, and made him inhale some +salts, which recalled him to life. Then M. de Treville, +unwilling that it should be thought that he had influenced the +wounded man, requested M. de la Tremouille to interrogate him +himself. + +That happened which M. de Treville had foreseen. Placed between +life and death, as Bernajoux was, he had no idea for a moment of +concealing the truth; and he described to the two nobles the +affair exactly as it had passed. + +This was all that M. de Treville wanted. He wished Bernajoux a +speedy convalescence, took leave of M. de la Tremouille, returned +to his hotel, and immediately sent word to the four friends that +he awaited their company at dinner. + +M. de Treville entertained good company, wholly anticardinalst, +though. It may easily be understood, therefore, that the +conversation during the whole of dinner turned upon the two +checks that his Eminence's Guardsmen had received. Now, as +D'Artagnan had been the hero of these two fights, it was upon him +that all the felicitations fell, which Athos, Porthos, and Aramis +abandoned to him, not only as good comrades, but as men who had +so often had their turn that could very well afford him his. + +Toward six o'clock M. de Treville announced that it was time to +go to the Louvre; but as the hour of audience granted by his +Majesty was past, instead of claiming the ENTREE by the back +stairs, he placed himself with the four young men in the +antechamber. The king had not yet returned from hunting. Our +young men had been waiting about half an hour, amid a crowd of +courtiers, when all the doors were thrown open, and his Majesty +was announced. + +At his announcement D'Artagnan felt himself tremble to the very +marrow of his bones. The coming instant would in all probability +decide the rest of his life. His eyes therefore were fixed in a +sort of agony upon the door through which the king must enter. + +Louis XIII appeared, walking fast. He was in hunting costume +covered with dust, wearing large boots, and holding a whip in his +hand. At the first glance, D'Artagnan judged that the mind of +the king was stormy. + +This disposition, visible as it was in his Majesty, did not +prevent the courtiers from ranging themselves along his pathway. +In royal antechambers it is worth more to be viewed with an angry +eye than not to be seen at all. The three Musketeers therefore +did not hesitate to make a step forward. D'Artagnan on the +contrary remained concealed behind them; but although the king +knew Athos, Porthos, and Aramis personally, he passed before them +without speaking or looking--indeed, as if he had never seen them +before. As for M. de Treville, when the eyes of the king fell +upon him, he sustained the look with so much firmness that it was +the king who dropped his eyes; after which his Majesty, +grumbling, entered his apartment. + +"Matters go but badly," said Athos, smiling; "and we shall not be +made Chevaliers of the Order this time." + +"Wait here ten minutes," said M. de Treville; "and if at the +expiration of ten minutes you do not see me come out, return to +my hotel, for it will be useless for you to wait for me longer." + +The four young men waited ten minutes, a quarter of an hour, +twenty minutes; and seeing that M. de Treville did not return, +went away very uneasy as to what was going to happen. + +M. de Treville entered the king's cabinet boldly, and found his +Majesty in a very ill humor, seated on an armchair, beating his +boot with the handle of his whip. This, however, did not prevent +his asking, with the greatest coolness, after his Majesty's +health. + +"Bad, monsieur, bad!" replied the king; "I am bored." + +This was, in fact, the worst complaint of Louis XIII, who would +sometimes take one of his courtiers to a window and say, +"Monsieur So-and-so, let us weary ourselves together." + +"How! Your Majesty is bored? Have you not enjoyed the pleasures +of the chase today?" + +"A fine pleasure, indeed, monsieur! Upon my soul, everything +degenerates; and I don't know whether it is the game which leaves +no scent, or the dogs that have no noses. We started a stag of +ten branches. We chased him for six hours, and when he was near +being taken--when St.-Simon was already putting his horn to his +mouth to sound the HALALI--crack, all the pack takes the wrong +scent and sets off after a two-year-older. I shall be obliged to +give up hunting, as I have given up hawking. Ah, I am an +unfortunate king, Monsieur de Treville! I had but one gerfalcon, +and he died day before yesterday." + +"Indeed, sire, I wholly comprehend your disappointment. The +misfortune is great; but I think you have still a good number of +falcons, sparrow hawks, and tiercets." + +"And not a man to instruct them. Falconers are declining. I +know no one but myself who is acquainted with the noble art of +venery. After me it will all be over, and people will hunt with +gins, snares, and traps. If I had but the time to train pupils! +But there is the cardinal always at hand, who does not leave me a +moment's repose; who talks to me about Spain, who talks to me +about Austria, who talks to me about England! Ah! A PROPOS of +the cardinal, Monsieur de Treville, I am vexed with you!" + +This was the chance at which M. de Treville waited for the king. +He knew the king of old, and he knew that all these complaints +were but a preface--a sort of excitation to encourage himself-- +and that he had now come to his point at last. + +"And in what have I been so unfortunate as to displease your +Majesty?" asked M. de Treville, feigning the most profound +astonishment. + +"Is it thus you perform your charge, monsieur?" continued the +king, without directly replying to De Treville's question. "Is +it for this I name you captain of my Musketeers, that they should +assassinate a man, disturb a whole quarter, and endeavor to set +fire to Paris, without your saying a word? But yet," continued +the king, "undoubtedly my haste accuses you wrongfully; without +doubt the rioters are in prison, and you come to tell me justice +is done." + +"Sire," replied M. de Treville, calmly, "on the contrary, I come +to demand it of you." + +"And against whom?" cried the king. + +"Against calumniators," said M. de Treville. + +"Ah! This is something new," replied the king. "Will you tell +me that your three damned Musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, +and your youngster from Bearn, have not fallen, like so many +furies, upon poor Bernajoux, and have not maltreated him in such +a fashion that probably by this time he is dead? Will you tell +me that they did not lay siege to the hotel of the Duc de la +Tremouille, and that they did not endeavor to burn it?--which +would not, perhaps, have been a great misfortune in time of war, +seeing that it is nothing but a nest of Huguenots, but which is, +in time of peace, a frightful example. Tell me, now, can you +deny all this?" + +"And who told you this fine story, sire?" asked Treville, +quietly. + +"Who has told me this fine story, monsieur? Who should it be but +he who watches while I sleep, who labors while I amuse myself, + +who conducts everything at home and abroad--in France as in +Europe?" + +"Your Majesty probably refers to God," said M. de Treville; "for +I know no one except God who can be so far above your Majesty." + +"No, monsieur; I speak of the prop of the state, of my only +servant, of my only friend--of the cardinal." + +"His Eminence is not his holiness, sire." + +"What do you mean by that, monsieur?" + +"That it is only the Pope who is infallible, and that this +infallibility does not extend to cardinals." + +"You mean to say that he deceives me; you mean to say that he +betrays me? You accuse him, then? Come, speak; avow freely that +you accuse him!" + +"No, sire, but I say that he deceives himself. I say that he is +ill-informed. I say that he has hastily accused your Majesty's +Musketeers, toward whom he is unjust, and that he has not +obtained his information from good sources." + +"The accusation comes from Monsieur de la Tremouille, from the +duke himself. What do you say to that?" + +"I might answer, sire, that he is too deeply interested in the +question to be a very impartial witness; but so far from that, +sire, I know the duke to be a royal gentleman, and I refer the +matter to him--but upon one condition, sire." + +"What?" + +"It is that your Majesty will make him come here, will +interrogate him yourself, TETE-A-TETE, without witnesses, and +that I shall see your Majesty as soon as you have seen the duke." + +"What, then! You will bind yourself," cried the king, "by what +Monsieur de la Tremouille shall say?" + +"Yes, sire." + +"You will accept his judgment?" + +"Undoubtedly." + +"Any you will submit to the reparation he may require?" + +"Certainly." + +"La Chesnaye," said the king. "La Chesnaye!" + +Louis XIII's confidential valet, who never left the door, entered +in reply to the call. + +"La Chesnaye," said the king, "let someone go instantly and find +Monsieur de la Tremouille; I wish to speak with him this +evening." + +"Your Majesty gives me your word that you will not see anyone +between Monsieur de la Tremouille and myself?" + +"Nobody, by the faith of a gentleman." + +"Tomorrow, then, sire?" + +"Tomorrow, monsieur." + +"At what o'clock, please your Majesty?" + +"At any hour you will." + +"But in coming too early I should be afraid of awakening your +Majesty." + +"Awaken me! Do you think I ever sleep, then? I sleep no longer, +monsieur. I sometimes dream, that's all. Come, then, as early +as you like--at seven o'clock; but beware, if you and your +Musketeers are guilty." + +"If my Musketeers are guilty, sire, the guilty shall be placed in +your Majesty's hands, who will dispose of them at your good +pleasure. Does your Majesty require anything further? Speak, I +am ready to obey." + +"No, monsieur, no; I am not called Louis the Just without reason. +Tomorrow, then, monsieur--tomorrow." + +"Till then, God preserve your Majesty!" + +However ill the king might sleep, M. de Treville slept still +worse. He had ordered his three Musketeers and their companion +to be with him at half past six in the morning. He took them +with him, without encouraging them or promising them anything, +and without concealing from them that their luck, and even his +own, depended upon the cast of the dice. + +Arrived at the foot of the back stairs, he desired them to wait. +If the king was still irritated against them, they would depart +without being seen; if the king consented to see them, they would +only have to be called. + +On arriving at the king's private antechamber, M. de Treville +found La Chesnaye, who informed him that they had not been able +to find M. de la Tremouille on the preceding evening at his +hotel, that he returned too late to present himself at the +Louvre, that he had only that moment arrived and that he was at +that very hour with the king. + +This circumstance pleased M. de Treville much, as he thus became +certain that no foreign suggestion could insinuate itself between +M. de la Tremouille's testimony and himself. + +In fact, ten minutes had scarcely passed away when the door of +the king's closet opened, and M. de Treville saw M. de la +Tremouille come out. The duke came straight up to him, and said: +"Monsieur de Treville, his Majesty has just sent for me in order +to inquire respecting the circumstances which took place +yesterday at my hotel. I have told him the truth; that is to +say, that the fault lay with my people, and that I was ready to +offer you my excuses. Since I have the good fortune to meet you, +I beg you to receive them, and to hold me always as one of your +friends." + +"Monsieur the Duke," said M. de Treville, "I was so confident of +your loyalty that I required no other defender before his Majesty +than yourself. I find that I have not been mistaken, and I thank +you that there is still one man in France of whom may be said, +without disappointment, what I have said of you." + +"That's well said," cried the king, who had heard all these +compliments through the open door; "only tell him, Treville, +since he wishes to be considered your friend, that I also wish to +be one of his, but he neglects me; that it is nearly three years +since I have seen him, and that I never do see him unless I send +for him. Tell him all this for me, for these are things which a +king cannot say for himself." + +"Thanks, sire, thanks," said the duke; "but your Majesty may be +assured that it is not those--I do not speak of Monsieur de +Treville--whom your Majesty sees at all hours of the day that are +most devoted to you." + +"Ah! You have heard what I said? So much the better, Duke, so +much the better," said the king, advancing toward the door. "Ah! +It is you, Treville. Where are your Musketeers? I told you the +day before yesterday to bring them with you; why have you not +done so?" + +"They are below, sire, and with your permission La Chesnaye will +bid them come up." + +"Yes, yes, let them come up immediately. It is nearly eight +o'clock, and at nine I expect a visit. Go, Monsieur Duke, and +return often. Come in, Treville." + +The Duke saluted and retired. At the moment he opened the door, +the three Musketeers and D'Artagnan, conducted by La Chesnaye, +appeared at the top of the staircase. + +"Come in, my braves," said the king, "come in; I am going to +scold you." + +The Musketeers advanced, bowing, D'Artagnan following closely +behind them. + +"What the devil!" continued the king. "Seven of his Eminence's +Guards placed HORS DE COMBAT by you four in two days! That's too +many, gentlemen, too many! If you go on so, his Eminence will be +forced to renew his company in three weeks, and I to put the +edicts in force in all their rigor. One now and then I don't say +much about; but seven in two days, I repeat, it is too many, it +is far too many!" + +"Therefore, sire, your Majesty sees that they are come, quite +contrite and repentant, to offer you their excuses." + +"Quite contrite and repentant! Hem!" said the king. "I place no +confidence in their hypocritical faces. In particular, there is +one yonder of a Gascon look. Come hither, monsieur." + +D'Artagnan, who understood that it was to him this compliment was +addressed, approached, assuming a most deprecating air. + +"Why you told me he was a young man? This is a boy, Treville, a +mere boy! Do you mean to say that it was he who bestowed that +severe thrust at Jussac?" + +"And those two equally fine thrusts at Bernajoux." + +"Truly!" + +"Without reckoning," said Athos, "that if he had not rescued me +from the hands of Cahusac, I should not now have the honor of +making my very humble reverence to your Majesty." + +"Why he is a very devil, this Bearnais! VENTRE-SAINT-GRIS, +Monsieur de Treville, as the king my father would have said. But +at this sort of work, many doublets must be slashed and many +swords broken. Now, Gascons are always poor, are they not?" + +"Sire, I can assert that they have hitherto discovered no gold +mines in their mountains; though the Lord owes them this miracle +in recompense for the manner in which they supported the +pretensions of the king your father." + +"Which is to say that the Gascons made a king of me, myself, +seeing that I am my father's son, is it not, Treville? Well, +happily, I don't say nay to it. La Chesnaye, go and see if by +rummaging all my pockets you can find forty pistoles; and if you +can find them, bring them to me. And now let us see, young man, +with your hand upon your conscience, how did all this come to +pass?" + +D'Artagnan related the adventure of the preceding day in all its +details; how, not having been able to sleep for the joy he felt +in the expectation of seeing his Majesty, he had gone to his +three friends three hours before the hour of audience; how they +had gone together to the tennis court, and how, upon the fear he +had manifested lest he receive a ball in the face, he had been +jeered at by Bernajoux who had nearly paid for his jeer with his +life and M. de la Tremouille, who had nothing to do with the +matter, with the loss of his hotel. + +"This is all very well," murmured the king, "yes, this is just +the account the duke gave me of the affair. Poor cardinal! +Seven men in two days, and those of his very best! But that's +quite enough, gentlemen; please to understand, that's enough. +You have taken your revenge for the Rue Ferou, and even exceeded +it; you ought to be satisfied." + +"If your Majesty is so," said Treville, "we are." + +"Oh, yes; I am," added the king, taking a handful of gold from La +Chesnaye, and putting it into the hand of D'Artagnan. "Here," +said he, "is a proof of my satisfaction." + +At this epoch, the ideas of pride which are in fashion in our +days did not prevail. A gentleman received, from hand to hand, +money from the king, and was not the least in the world +humiliated. D'Artagnan put his forty pistoles into his pocket +without any scruple--on the contrary, thanking his Majesty +greatly. + +"There," said the king, looking at a clock, "there, now, as it is +half past eight, you may retire; for as I told you, I expect +someone at nine. Thanks for your devotedness, gentlemen. I may +continue to rely upon it, may I not?" + +"Oh, sire!" cried the four companions, with one voice, "we would +allow ourselves to be cut to pieces in your Majesty's service." + +"Well, well, but keep whole; that will be better, and you will be +more useful to me. Treville," added the king, in a low voice, as +the others were retiring, "as you have no room in the Musketeers, +and as we have besides decided that a novitiate is necessary +before entering that corps, place this young man in the company +of the Guards of Monsieur Dessessart, your brother-in-law. Ah, +PARDIEU, Treville! I enjoy beforehand the face the cardinal will +make. He will be furious; but I don't care. I am doing what is +right." + +The king waved his hand to Treville, who left him and rejoined +the Musketeers, whom he found sharing the forty pistoles with +D'Artagnan. + +The cardinal, as his Majesty had said, was really furious, so +furious that during eight days he absented himself from the +king's gaming table. This did not prevent the king from being as +complacent to him as possible whenever he met him, or from asking +in the kindest tone, "Well, Monsieur Cardinal, how fares it with +that poor Jussac and that poor Bernajoux of yours?" + + + +7 THE INTERIOR OF "THE MUSKETEERS" + +When D'Artagnan was out of the Louvre, and consulted his friends +upon the use he had best make of his share of the forty pistoles, +Athos advised him to order a good repast at the Pomme-de-Pin, +Porthos to engage a lackey, and Aramis to provide himself with a +suitable mistress. + +The repast was carried into effect that very day, and the lackey +waited at table. The repast had been ordered by Athos, and the +lackey furnished by Porthos. He was a Picard, whom the glorious +Musketeer had picked up on the Bridge Tournelle, making rings and +plashing in the water. + +Porthos pretended that this occupation was proof of a reflective +and contemplative organization, and he had brought him this +gentleman, for whom he believed himself to be engaged, had won +Planchet--that was the name of the Picard. He felt a slight +disappointment, however, when he saw that this place was already +taken by a compeer named Mousqueton, and when Porthos signified +to him that the state of his household, though great, would not +support two servants, and that he must enter into the service of +D'Artagnan. Nevertheless, when he waited at the dinner given my +his master, and saw him take out a handful of gold to pay for it, +he believed his fortune made, and returned thanks to heaven for +having thrown him into the service of such a Croesus. He +preserved this opinion even after the feast, with the remnants of +which he repaired his own long abstinence; but when in the +evening he made his master's bed, the chimeras of Planchet faded +away. The bed was the only one in the apartment, which consisted +of an antechamber and a bedroom. Planchet slept in the +antechamber upon a coverlet taken from the bed of D'Artagnan, and +which D'Artagnan from that time made shift to do without. + +Athos, on his part, had a valet whom he had trained in his +service in a thoroughly peculiar fashion, and who was named +Grimaud. He was very taciturn, this worthy signor. Be it +understood we are speaking of Athos. During the five or six +years that he had lived in the strictest intimacy with his +companions, Porthos and Aramis, they could remember having often +seen him smile, but had never heard him laugh. His words were +brief and expressive, conveying all that was meant, and no more; +no embellishments, no embroidery, no arabesques. His +conversation a matter of fact, without a single romance. + +Although Athos was scarcely thirty years old, and was of great +personal beauty and intelligence of mind, no one knew whether he +had ever had a mistress. He never spoke of women. He certainly +did not prevent others from speaking of them before him, although +it was easy to perceive that this kind of conversation, in which +he only mingled by bitter words and misanthropic remarks, was +very disagreeable to him. His reserve, his roughness, and his +silence made almost an old man of him. He had, then, in order +not to disturb his habits, accustomed Grimaud to obey him upon a +simple gesture or upon a simple movement of his lips. He never +spoke to him, except under the most extraordinary occasions. + +Sometimes, Grimaud, who feared his master as he did fire, while +entertaining a strong attachment to his person and a great +veneration for his talents, believed he perfectly understood what +he wanted, flew to execute the order received, and did precisely +the contrary. Athos then shrugged his shoulders, and, without +putting himself in a passion, thrashed Grimaud. On these days he +spoke a little. + +Porthos, as we have seen, had a character exactly opposite to +that of Athos. He not only talked much, but he talked loudly, +little caring, we must render him that justice, whether anybody +listened to him or not. He talked for the pleasure of talking +and for the pleasure of hearing himself talk. He spoke upon all +subjects except the sciences, alleging in this respect the +inveterate hatred he had borne to scholars from his childhood. +He had not so noble an air as Athos, and the commencement of +their intimacy often rendered him unjust toward that gentleman, +whom he endeavored to eclipse by his splendid dress. But with +his simple Musketeer's uniform and nothing but the manner in +which he threw back his head and advanced his foot, Athos +instantly took the place which was his due and consigned the +ostentatious Porthos to the second rank. Porthos consoled +himself by filling the antechamber of M. de Treville and the +guardroom of the Louvre with the accounts of his love scrapes, +after having passed from professional ladies to military ladies, +from the lawyer's dame to the baroness, there was question of +nothing less with Porthos than a foreign princess, who was +enormously fond of him. + +An old proverb says, "Like master, like man." Let us pass, then, +from the valet of Athos to the valet of Porthos, from Grimaud to +Mousqueton. + +Mousqueton was a Norman, whose pacific name of Boniface his +master had changed into the infinitely more sonorous name of +Mousqueton. He had entered the service of Porthos upon condition +that he should only be clothed and lodged, though in a handsome +manner; but he claimed two hours a day to himself, consecrated to +an employment which would provide for his other wants. Porthos +agreed to the bargain; the thing suited him wonderfully well. He +had doublets cut out of his old clothes and cast-off cloaks for +Mousqueton, and thanks to a very intelligent tailor, who made his +clothes look as good as new by turning them, and whose wife was +suspected of wishing to make Porthos descend from his +aristocratic habits, Mousqueton made a very good figure when +attending on his master. + +As for Aramis, of whom we believe we have sufficiently explained +the character--a character which, like that of his lackey was +called Bazin. Thanks to the hopes which his master entertained +of someday entering into orders, he was always clothed in black, +as became the servant of a churchman. He was a Berrichon, +thirty-five or forty years old, mild, peaceable, sleek, employing +the leisure his master left him in the perusal of pious works, +providing rigorously for two a dinner of few dishes, but +excellent. For the rest, he was dumb, blind, and deaf, and of +unimpeachable fidelity. + +And now that we are acquainted, superficially at least, with the +masters and the valets, let us pass on to the dwellings occupied +by each of them. + +Athos dwelt in the Rue Ferou, within two steps of the Luxembourg. +His apartment consisted of two small chambers, very nicely fitted +up, in a furnished house, the hostess of which, still young and +still really handsome, cast tender glances uselessly at him. +Some fragments of past splendor appeared here and there upon the +walls of this modest lodging; a sword, for example, richly +embossed, which belonged by its make to the times of Francis I, +the hilt of which alone, encrusted with precious stones, might be +worth two hundred pistoles, and which, nevertheless, in his +moments of greatest distress Athos had never pledged or offered +for sale. It had long been an object of ambition for Porthos. +Porthos would have given ten years of his life to possess this +sword. + +One day, when he had an appointment with a duchess, he endeavored +even to borrow it of Athos. Athos, without saying anything, +emptied his pockets, got together all his jewels, purses, +aiguillettes, and gold chains, and offered them all to Porthos; +but as to the sword, he said it was sealed to its place and +should never quit it until its master should himself quit his +lodgings. In addition to the sword, there was a portrait +representing a nobleman of the time of Henry III, dressed with +the greatest elegance, and who wore the Order of the Holy Ghost; +and this portrait had certain resemblances of lines with Athos, +certain family likenesses which indicated that this great noble, +a knight of the Order of the King, was his ancestor. + +Besides these, a casket of magnificent goldwork, with the same +arms as the sword and the portrait, formed a middle ornament to +the mantelpiece, and assorted badly with the rest of the +furniture. Athos always carried the key of this coffer about +him; but he one day opened it before Porthos, and Porthos was +convinced that this coffer contained nothing but letters and +papers--love letters and family papers, no doubt. + +Porthos lived in an apartment, large in size and of very +sumptuous appearance, in the Rue du Vieux-Colombier. Every time +he passed with a friend before his windows, at one of which +Mousqueton was sure to be placed in full livery, Porthos raised +his head and his hand, and said, "That is my abode!" But he was +never to be found at home; he never invited anybody to go up with +him, and no one could form an idea of what his sumptuous +apartment contained in the shape of real riches. + +As to Aramis, he dwelt in a little lodging composed of a boudoir, +an eating room, and a bedroom, which room, situated, as the +others were, on the ground floor, looked out upon a little fresh +green garden, shady and impenetrable to the eyes of his +neighbors. + +With regard to D'Artagnan, we know how he was lodged, and we have +already made acquaintance with his lackey, Master Planchet. + +D'Artagnan, who was by nature very curious--as people generally +are who possess the genius of intrigue--did all he could to make +out who Athos, Porthos, and Aramis really were (for under these +pseudonyms each of these young men concealed his family name)-- +Athos in particular, who, a league away, savored of nobility. He +addressed himself then to Porthos to gain information respecting +Athos and Aramis, and to Aramis in order to learn something of +Porthos. + +Unfortunately Porthos knew nothing of the life of his silent +companion but what revealed itself. It was said Athos had met +with great crosses in love, and that a frightful treachery had +forever poisoned the life of this gallant man. What could this +treachery be? All the world was ignorant of it. + +As to Porthos, except his real name (as was the case with those +of his two comrades), his life was very easily known. Vain and +indiscreet, it was as easy to see through him as through a +crystal. The only thing to mislead the investigator would have +been belief in all the good things he said of himself. + +With respect to Aramis, though having the air of having nothing +secret about him, he was a young fellow made up of mysteries, +answering little to questions put to him about others, and having +learned from him the report which prevailed concerning the +success of the Musketeer with a princess, wished to gain a little +insight into the amorous adventures of his interlocutor. "And +you, my dear companion," said he, "you speak of the baronesses, +countesses, and princesses of others?" + +"PARDIEU! I spoke of them because Porthos talked of them +himself, because he had paraded all these fine things before me. +But be assured, my dear Monsieur D'Artagnan, that if I had +obtained them from any other source, or if they had been confided +to me, there exists no confessor more discreet than myself." + +"Oh, I don't doubt that," replied D'Artagnan; "but it seems to me +that you are tolerably familiar with coats of arms--a certain +embroidered handkerchief, for instance, to which I owe the honor +of your acquaintance?" + +This time Aramis was not angry, but assumed the most modest air +and replied in a friendly tone, "My dear friend, do not forget +that I wish to belong to the Church, and that I avoid all mundane +opportunities. The handkerchief you saw had not been given to +me, but it had been forgotten and left at my house by one of my +friends. I was obliged to pick it up in order not to compromise +him and the lady he loves. As for myself, I neither have, nor +desire to have, a mistress, following in that respect the very +judicious example of Athos, who has none any more than I have." + +"But what the devil! You are not a priest, you are a Musketeer!" + +"A Musketeer for a time, my friend, as the cardinal says, a +Musketeer against my will, but a churchman at heart, believe me. +Athos and Porthos dragged me into this to occupy me. I had, at +the moment of being ordained, a little difficulty with--But that +would not interest you, and I am taking up your valuable time." + +"Not at all; it interests me very much," cried D'Artagnan; "and +at this moment I have absolutely nothing to do." + +"Yes, but I have my breviary to repeat," answered Aramis; "then +some verses to compose, which Madame d'Aiguillon begged of me. +Then I must go to the Rue St. Honore in order to purchase some +rouge for Madame de Chevreuse. So you see, my dear friend, that +if you are not in a hurry, I am very much in a hurry." + +Aramis held out his hand in a cordial manner to his young +companion, and took leave of him. + +Notwithstanding all the pains he took, D'Artagnan was unable to +learn any more concerning his three new-made friends. He formed, +therefore, the resolution of believing for the present all that +was said of their past, hoping for more certain and extended +revelations in the future. In the meanwhile, he looked upon +Athos as an Achilles, Porthos as an Ajax, and Aramis as a Joseph. + +As to the rest, the life of the four young friends was joyous +enough. Athos played, and that as a rule unfortunately. +Nevertheless, he never borrowed a sou of his companions, although +his purse was ever at their service; and when he had played upon +honor, he always awakened his creditor by six o'clock the next +morning to pay the debt of the preceding evening. + +Porthos had his fits. On the days when he won he was insolent +and ostentatious; if he lost, he disappeared completely for +several days, after which he reappeared with a pale face and +thinner person, but with money in his purse. + +As to Aramis, he never played. He was the worst Musketeer and +the most unconvivial companion imaginable. He had always +something or other to do. Sometimes in the midst of dinner, when +everyone, under the attraction of wine and in the warmth of +conversation, believed they had two or three hours longer to +enjoy themselves at table, Aramis looked at his watch, arose with +a bland smile, and took leave of the company, to go, as he said, +to consult a casuist with whom he had an appointment. At other +times he would return home to write a treatise, and requested his +friends not to disturb him. + +At this Athos would smile, with his charming, melancholy smile, +which so became his noble countenance, and Porthos would drink, +swearing that Aramis would never be anything but a village CURE. + +Planchet, D'Artagnan's valet, supported his good fortune nobly. +He received thirty sous per day, and for a month he returned to +his lodgings gay as a chaffinch, and affable toward his master. +When the wind of adversity began to blow upon the housekeeping of +the Rue des Fossoyeurs--that is to say, when the forty pistoles +of King Louis XIII were consumed or nearly so--he commenced +complaints which Athos thought nauseous, Porthos indecent, and +Aramis ridiculous. Athos counseled D'Artagnan to dismiss the +fellow; Porthos was of opinion that he should give him a good +thrashing first; and Aramis contended that a master should never +attend to anything but the civilities paid to him. + +"This is all very easy for you to say," replied D'Artagnan, "for +you, Athos, who live like a dumb man with Grimaud, who forbid him +to speak, and consequently never exchange ill words with him; for +you, Porthos, who carry matters in such a magnificent style, and +are a god to your valet, Mousqueton; and for you, Aramis, who, +always abstracted by your theological studies, inspire your +servant, Bazin, a mild, religious man, with a profound respect; +but for me, who am without any settled means and without +resources--for me, who am neither a Musketeer nor even a +Guardsman, what I am to do to inspire either the affection, the +terror, or the respect in Planchet?" + +"This is serious," answered the three friends; "it is a family +affair. It is with valets as with wives, they must be placed at +once upon the footing in which you wish them to remain. Reflect +upon it." + +D'Artagnan did reflect, and resolved to thrash Planchet +provisionally; which he did with the conscientiousness that +D'Artagnan carried into everything. After having well beaten +him, he forbade him to leave his service without his permission. +"For," added he, "the future cannot fail to mend; I inevitably +look for better times. Your fortune is therefore made if you +remain with me, and I am too good a master to allow you to miss +such a chance by granting you the dismissal you require." + +This manner of acting roused much respect for D'Artagnan's policy +among the Musketeers. Planchet was equally seized with +admiration, and said no more about going away. + +The life of the four young men had become fraternal. D'Artagnan, +who had no settled habits of his own, as he came from his +province into the midst of his world quite new to him, fell +easily into the habits of his friends. + +They rose about eight o'clock in the winter, about six in summer, +and went to take the countersign and see how things went on at M. +de Treville's. D'Artagnan, although he was not a Musketeer, +performed the duty of one with remarkable punctuality. He went +on guard because he always kept company with whoever of his +friends was on duty. He was well known at the Hotel of the +Musketeers, where everyone considered him a good comrade. M. de +Treville, who had appreciated him at the first glance and who +bore him a real affection, never ceased recommending him to the +king. + +On their side, the three Musketeers were much attached to their +young comrade. The friendship which united these four men, and +the want they felt of seeing another three or four times a day, +whether for dueling, business, or pleasure, caused them to be +continually running after one another like shadows; and the +Inseparables were constantly to be met with seeking one another, +from the Luxembourg to the Place St. Sulpice, or from the Rue du +Vieux-Colombier to the Luxembourg. + +In the meanwhile the promises of M. de Treville went on +prosperously. One fine morning the king commanded M. de +Chevalier Dessessart to admit D'Artagnan as a cadet in his +company of Guards. D'Artagnan, with a sigh, donned his uniform, +which he would have exchanged for that of a Musketeer at the +expense of ten years of his existence. But M. de Treville +promised this favor after a novitiate of two years--a novitiate +which might besides be abridged if an opportunity should present +itself for D'Artagnan to render the king any signal service, or +to distinguish himself by some brilliant action. Upon this +promise D'Artagnan withdrew, and the next day he began service. + +Then it became the turn of Athos, Porthos, and Aramis to mount +guard with D'Artagnan when he was on duty. The company of M. le +Chevalier Dessessart thus received four instead of one when it +admitted D'Artagnan. + + + +8 CONCERNING A COURT INTRIGUE + +In the meantime, the forty pistoles of King Louis XIII, like all +other things of this world, after having had a beginning had an +end, and after this end our four companions began to be somewhat +embarrassed. At first, Athos supported the association for a +time with his own means. + +Porthos succeeded him; and thanks to one of those disappearances +to which he was accustomed, he was able to provide for the wants +of all for a fortnight. At last it became Aramis's turn, who +performed it with a good grace and who succeeded--as he said, by +selling some theological books--in procuring a few pistoles. + +Then, as they had been accustomed to do, they had recourse to M. +de Treville, who made some advances on their pay; but these +advances could not go far with three Musketeers who were already +much in arrears and a Guardsman who as yet had no pay at all. + +At length when they found they were likely to be really in want, +they got together, as a last effort, eight or ten pistoles, with +which Porthos went to the gaming table. Unfortunately he was in +a bad vein; he lost all, together with twenty-five pistoles for +which he had given his word. + +Then the inconvenience became distress. The hungry friends, +followed by their lackeys, were seen haunting the quays and Guard +rooms, picking up among their friends abroad all the dinners they +could meet with; for according to the advice of Aramis, it was +prudent to sow repasts right and left in prosperity, in order to +reap a few in time of need. + +Athos was invited four times, and each time took his friends and +their lackeys with him. Porthos had six occasions, and contrived +in the same manner that his friends should partake of them; +Aramis had eight of them. He was a man, as must have been +already perceived, who made but little noise, and yet was much +sought after. + +As to D'Artagnan, who as yet knew nobody in the capital, he only +found one chocolate breakfast at the house of a priest of his own +province, and one dinner at the house of a cornet of the Guards. +He took his army to the priest's, where they devoured as much +provision as would have lasted him for two months, and to the +cornet's, who performed wonders; but as Planchet said, "People do +not eat at once for all time, even when they eat a good deal." + +D'Artagnan thus felt himself humiliated in having only procured +one meal and a half for his companions--as the breakfast at the +priest's could only be counted as half a repast--in return for +the feasts which Athos, Porthos, and Aramis had procured him. He +fancied himself a burden to the society, forgetting in his +perfectly juvenile good faith that he had fed this society for a +month; and he set his mind actively to work. He reflected that +this coalition of four young, brave, enterprising, and active men +ought to have some other object than swaggering walks, fencing +lessons, and practical jokes, more or less witty. + +In fact, four men such as they were--four men devoted to one +another, from their purses to their lives; four men always +supporting one another, never yielding, executing singly or +together the resolutions formed in common; four arms threatening +the four cardinal points, or turning toward a single point--must +inevitably, either subterraneously, in open day, by mining, in +the trench, by cunning, or by force, open themselves a way toward +the object they wished to attain, however well it might be +defended, or however distant it may seem. The only thing that +astonished D'Artagnan was that his friends had never thought of +this. + +He was thinking by himself, and even seriously racking his brain +to find a direction for this single force four times multiplied, +with which he did not doubt, as with the lever for which +Archimedes sought, they should succeed in moving the world, when +someone tapped gently at his door. D'Artagnan awakened Planchet +and ordered him to open it. + +>From this phrase, "D'Artagnan awakened Planchet," the reader must +not suppose it was night, or that day was hardly come. No, it +had just struck four. Planchet, two hours before, had asked his +master for some dinner, and he had answered him with the proverb, +"He who sleeps, dines." And Planchet dined by sleeping. + +A man was introduced of simple mien, who had the appearance of a +tradesman. Planchet, by way of dessert, would have liked to hear +the conversation; but the citizen declared to D'Artagnan that +what he had to say being important and confidential, he desired +to be left alone with him. + +D'Artagnan dismissed Planchet, and requested his visitor to be +seated. There was a moment of silence, during which the two men +looked at each other, as if to make a preliminary acquaintance, +after which D'Artagnan bowed, as a sign that he listened. + +"I have heard Monsieur d'Artagnan spoken of as a very brave young +man," said the citizen; "and this reputation which he justly +enjoys had decided me to confide a secret to him." + +"Speak, monsieur, speak," said D'Artagnan, who instinctively +scented something advantageous. + +The citizen made a fresh pause and continued, "I have a wife who +is seamstress to the queen, monsieur, and who is not deficient in +either virtue or beauty. I was induced to marry her about three +years ago, although she had but very little dowry, because +Monsieur Laporte, the queen's cloak bearer, is her godfather, and +befriends her." + +"Well, monsieur?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"Well!" resumed the citizen, "well, monsieur, my wife was +abducted yesterday morning, as she was coming out of her +workroom." + +"And by whom was your wife abducted?" + +"I know nothing surely, monsieur, but I suspect someone." + +"And who is the person whom you suspect?" + +"A man who has persued her a long time." + +"The devil!" + +"But allow me to tell you, monsieur," continued the citizen, +"that I am convinced that there is less love than politics in all +this." + +"Less love than politics," replied D'Artagnan, with a reflective +air; "and what do you suspect?" + +"I do not know whether I ought to tell you what I suspect." + +"Monsieur, I beg you to observe that I ask you absolutely +nothing. It is you who have come to me. It is you who have told +me that you had a secret to confide in me. Act, then, as you +think proper; there is still time to withdraw." + +"No, monsieur, no; you appear to be an honest young man, and I +will have confidence in you. I believe, then, that it is not on +account of any intrigues of her own that my wife has been +arrested, but because of those of a lady much greater than +herself." + +"Ah, ah! Can it be on account of the amours of Madame de +Bois-Tracy?" said D'Artagnan, wishing to have the air, in the +eyes of the citizen, of being posted as to court affairs." + +"Higher, monsieur, higher." + +"Of Madame d'Aiguillon?" + +"Still higher." + +"Of Madame de Chevreuse?" + +"Of the--" D'Artagnan checked himself. + +"Yes, monsieur," replied the terrified citizen, in a tone so low +that he was scarcely audible. + +"And with whom?" + +"With whom can it be, if not the Duke of--" + +"The Duke of--" + +"Yes, monsieur," replied the citizen, giving a still fainter +intonation to his voice. + +"But how do you know all this?" + +"How do I know it?" + +"Yes, how do you know it? No half-confidence, or--you understand!" + +"I know it from my wife, monsieur--from my wife herself." + +"Who learns it from whom?" + +"From Monsieur Laporte. Did I not tell you that she was the +goddaughter of Monsieur Laporte, the confidential man of the +queen? Well, Monsieur Laporte placed her near her Majesty in +order that our poor queen might at least have someone in whom she +could place confidence, abandoned as she is by the king, watched +as she is by the cardinal, betrayed as she is by everybody." + +"Ah, ah! It begins to develop itself," said D'Artagnan. + +"Now, my wife came home four days ago, monsieur. One of her +conditions was that she should come and see me twice a week; for, +as I had the honor to tell you, my wife loves me dearly--my wife, +then, came and confided to me that the queen at that very moment +entertained great fears." + +"Truly!" + +"Yes. The cardinal, as it appears, pursues he and persecutes her +more than ever. He cannot pardon her the history of the +Saraband. You know the history of the Saraband?" + +"PARDIEU! Know it!" replied D'Artagnan, who knew nothing about +it, but who wished to appear to know everything that was going +on. + +"So that now it is no longer hatred, but vengeance." + +"Indeed!" + +"And the queen believes--" + +"Well, what does the queen believe?" + +"She believes that someone has written to the Duke of Buckingham +in her name." + +"In the queen's name?" + +"Yes, to make him come to Paris; and when once come to Paris, to +draw him into some snare." + +"The devil! But your wife, monsieur, what has she to do with all +this?" + +"Her devotion to the queen is known; and they wish either to +remove her from her mistress, or to intimidate her, in order to +obtain her Majesty's secrets, or to seduce her and make use of +her as a spy." + +"That is likely," said D'Artagnan; "but the man who has abducted +her--do you know him?" + +"I have told you that I believe I know him." + +"His name?" + +"I do not know that; what I do know is that he is a creature of +the cardinal, his evil genius." + +"But you have seen him?" + +"Yes, my wife pointed him out to me one day." + +'Has he anything remarkable about him by which one may recognize +him?" + +"Oh, certainly; he is a noble of very lofty carriage, black hair, +swarthy complexion, piercing eye, white teeth, and has a scar on +his temple." + +"A scar on his temple!" cried D'Artagnan; "and with that, white +teeth, a piercing eye, dark complexion, black hair, and haughty +carriage--why, that's my man of Meung." + +"He is your man, do you say?" + +"Yes, yes; but that has nothing to do with it. No, I am wrong. +On the contrary, that simplifies the matter greatly. If your man +is mine, with one blow I shall obtain two revenges, that's all; +but where to find this man?" + +"I know not." + +"Have you no information as to his abiding place?" + +"None. One day, as I was conveying my wife back to the Louvre, +he was coming out as she was going in, and she showed him to me." + +"The devil! The devil!" murmured D'Artagnan; "all this is vague +enough. From whom have you learned of the abduction of your +wife?" + +"From Monsieur Laporte." + +"Did he give you any details?" + +"He knew none himself." + +"And you have learned nothing from any other quarter?" + +"Yes, I have received--" + +"What?" + +"I fear I am committing a great imprudence." + +"You always come back to that; but I must make you see this time +that it is too late to retreat." + +"I do not retreat, MORDIEU!" cried the citizen, swearing in order +to rouse his courage. "Besides, by the faith of Bonacieux--" + +"You call yourself Bonacieux?" interrupted D'Artagnan. + +"Yes, that is my name." + +"You said, then, by the word of Bonacieux. Pardon me for +interrupting you, but it appears to me that that name is familiar +to me." + +"Possibly, monsieur. I am your landlord." + +"Ah, ah!" said D'Artagnan, half rising and bowing; "you are my +landlord?" + +"Yes, monsieur, yes. And as it is three months since you have +been here, and though, distracted as you must be in your +important occupations, you have forgotten to pay me my rent--as, +I say, I have not tormented you a single instant, I thought you +would appreciate my delicacy." + +"How can it be otherwise, my dear Bonacieux?" replied D'Artagnan; +"trust me, I am fully grateful for such unparalleled conduct, and +if, as I told you, I can be of any service to you--" + +"I believe you, monsieur, I believe you; and as I was about to +say, by the word of Bonacieux, I have confidence in you." + +"Finish, then, what you were about to say." + +The citizen took a paper from his pocket, and presented it to +D'Artagnan. + +"A letter?" said the young man. + +"Which I received this morning." + +D'Artagnan opened it, and as the day was beginning to decline, he +approached the window to read it. The citizen followed him. + +"'Do not seek your wife,'" read D'Artagnan; "'she will be +restored to you when there is no longer occasion for her. If you +make a single step to find her you are lost.' + +"That's pretty positive," continued D'Artagnan; "but after all, +it is but a menace." + +"Yes; but that menace terrifies me. I am not a fighting man at +all, monsieur, and I am afraid of the Bastille." + +"Hum!" said D'Artagnan. "I have no greater regard for the +Bastille than you. If it were nothing but a sword thrust, why +then--" + +"I have counted upon you on this occasion, monsieur." + +"Yes?" + +"Seeing you constantly surrounded by Musketeers of a very superb +appearance, and knowing that these Musketeers belong to Monsieur +de Treville, and were consequently enemies of the cardinal, I +thought that you and your friends, while rendering justice to +your poor queen, would be pleased to play his Eminence an ill +turn." + +"Without doubt." + +"And then I have thought that considering three months' lodging, +about which I have said nothing--" + +"Yes, yes; you have already given me that reason, and I find it +excellent." + +"Reckoning still further, that as long as you do me the honor to +remain in my house I shall never speak to you about rent--" + +"Very kind!" + +"And adding to this, if there be need of it, meaning to offer you +fifty pistoles, if, against all probability, you should be short +at the present moment." + +"Admirable! You are rich then, my dear Monsieur Bonacieux?" + +"I am comfortably off, monsieur, that's all; I have scraped +together some such thing as an income of two or three thousand +crown in the haberdashery business, but more particularly in +venturing some funds in the last voyage of the celebrated +navigator Jean Moquet; so that you understand, monsieur--But" +cried the citizen. + +"What!" demanded D'Artagnan. + +"Whom do I see yonder?" + +"Where?" + +"In the street, facing your window, in the embrasure of that +door--a man wrapped in a cloak." + +"It is he!" cried D'Artagnan and the citizen at the same time, +each having recognized his man. + +"Ah, this time," cried D'Artagnan, springing to his sword, "this +time he will not escape me!" + +Drawing his sword from its scabbard, he rushed out of the +apartment. On the staircase he met Athos and Porthos, who were +coming to see him. They separated, and D'Artagnan rushed between +them like a dart. + +"Pah! Where are you going?" cried the two Musketeers in a breath. + +"The man of Meung!" replied D'Artagnan, and disappeared. + +D'Artagnan had more than once related to his friends his +adventure with the stranger, as well as the apparition of the +beautiful foreigner, to whom this man had confided some important +missive. + +The opinion of Athos was that D'Artagnan had lost his letter in +the skirmish. A gentleman, in his opinion--and according to +D'Artagnan's portrait of him, the stranger must be a gentleman-- +would be incapable of the baseness of stealing a letter. + +Porthos saw nothing in all this but a love meeting, given by a +lady to a cavalier, or by a cavalier to a lady, which had been +disturbed by the presence of D'Artagnan and his yellow horse. + +Aramis said that as these sorts of affairs were mysterious, it +was better not to fathom them. + +They understood, then, from the few words which escaped from +D'Artagnan, what affair was in hand, and as they thought that +overtaking his man, or losing sight of him, D'Artagnan would +return to his rooms, they kept on their way. + +When they entered D'Artagan's chamber, it was empty; the +landlord, dreading the consequences of the encounter which was +doubtless about to take place between the young man and the +stranger, had, consistent with the character he had given +himself, judged it prudent to decamp. + + + +9 D'ARTAGNAN SHOWS HIMSELF + +As Athos and Porthos had foreseen, at the expiration of a half +hour, D'Artagnan returned. He had again missed his man, who had +disappeared as if by enchantment. D'Artagnan had run, sword in +hand, through all the neighboring streets, but had found nobody +resembling the man he sought for. Then he came back to the point +where, perhaps, he ought to have begun, and that was to knock at +the door against which the stranger had leaned; but this proved +useless--for though he knocked ten or twelve times in succession, +no one answered, and some of the neighbors, who put their noses +out of their windows or were brought to their doors by the noise, +had assured him that that house, all the openings of which were +tightly closed, had not been inhabited for six months. + +While D'Artagnan was running through the streets and knocking at +doors, Aramis had joined his companions; so that on returning him +D'Artagnan found the reunion complete. + +"Well!" cried the three Musketeers all together, on seeing +D'Artagnan enter with his brow covered with perspiration and his +countenance upset with anger. + +"Well!" cried he, throwing his sword upon the bed, "this man must +be the devil in person; he has disappeared like a phantom, like a shade, like a specter." + +"Do you believe in apparitions?" asked Athos of Porthos. + +"I never believe in anything I have not seen, and as I never have +seen apparitions, I don't believe in them." + +"The Bible," said Aramis, "make our belief in them a law; the +ghost of Samuel appeared to Saul, and it is an article of faith +that I should be very sorry to see any doubt thrown upon, +Porthos." + +"At all events, man or devil, body or shadow, illusion or +reality, this man is born for my damnation; for his flight has +caused us to miss a glorious affair, gentlemen--an affair by +which there were a hundred pistoles, and perhaps more, to be +gained." + +"How is that?" cried Porthos and Aramis in a breath. + +As to Athos, faithful to his system of reticence, he contented +himself with interrogating D'Artagnan by a look. + +"Planchet," said D'Artagnan to his domestic, who just then +insinuated his head through the half-open door in order to catch +some fragments of the conversation, "go down to my landlord, +Monsieur Bonacieux, and ask him to send me half a dozen bottles +of Beaugency wine; I prefer that." + +"Ah, ah! You have credit with your landlord, then?" asked +Porthos. + +"Yes," replied D'Artagnan, "from this very day; and mind, if the +wine is bad, we will send him to find better." + +"We must use, and not abuse," said Aramis, sententiously. + +"I always said that D'Artagnan had the longest head of the four," +said Athos, who, having uttered his opinion, to which D'Artagnan +replied with a bow, immediately resumed his accustomed silence. + +"But come, what is this about?" asked Porthos. + +"Yes," said Aramis, "impart it to us, my dear friend, unless the +honor of any lady be hazarded by this confidence; in that case +you would do better to keep it to yourself." + +"Be satisfied," replied D'Artagnan; "the honor of no one will +have cause to complain of what I have to tell. + +He then related to his friends, word for word, all that had +passed between him and his host, and how the man who had abducted +the wife of his worthy landlord was the same with whom he had had +the difference at the hostelry of the Jolly Miller. + +"Your affair is not bad," said Athos, after having tasted like a +connoisseur and indicated by a nod of his head that he thought +the wine good; "and one may draw fifty or sixty pistoles from +this good man. Then there only remains to ascertain whether +these fifty or sixty pistoles are worth the risk of four heads." + +"But observe," cried D'Artagnan, "that there is a woman in the +affair--a woman carried off, a woman who is doubtless threatened, +tortured perhaps, and all because she is faithful to her +mistress." + +"Beware, D'Artagnan, beware," said Aramis. "You grow a little +too warm, in my opinion, about the fate of Madame Bonacieux. +Woman was created for our destruction, and it is from her we +inherit all our miseries." + +At this speech of Aramis, the brow of Athos became clouded and he +bit his lips. + +"It is not Madame Bonacieux about whom I am anxious," cried +D'Artagnan, "but the queen, whom the king abandons, whom the +cardinal persecutes, and who sees the heads of all her friends +fall, one after the other." + +"Why does she love what we hate most in the world, the Spaniards +and the English?" + +"Spain is her country," replied D'Artagnan; "and it is very +natural that she should love the Spanish, who are the children of +the same soil as herself. As to the second reproach, I have +heard it said that she does not love the English, but an +Englishman." + +"Well, and by my faith," said Athos, "it must be acknowledged +that this Englishman is worthy of being loved. I never saw a man +with a nobler air than his." + +"Without reckoning that he dresses as nobody else can," said +Porthos. "I was at the Louvre on the day when he scattered his +pearls; and, PARDIEU, I picked up two that I sold for ten +pistoles each. Do you know him, Aramis?" + +"As well as you do, gentlemen; for I was among those who seized +him in the garden at Amiens, into which Monsieur Putange, the +queen's equerry, introduced me. I was at school at the time, and +the adventure appeared to me to be cruel for the king." + +"Which would not prevent me," said D'Artagnan, "if I knew where +the Duke of Buckingham was, from taking him by the hand and +conducting him to the queen, were it only to enrage the cardinal, +and if we could find means to play him a sharp turn, I vow that I +would voluntarily risk my head in doing it." + +"And did the mercer,"* rejoined Athos, "tell you, D'Artagnan, +that the queen thought that Buckingham had been brought over by a +forged letter?" + +*Haberdasher + +"She is afraid so." + +"Wait a minute, then," said Aramis. + +"What for?" demanded Porthos. + +"Go on, while I endeavor to recall circumstances." + +"And now I am convinced," said D'Artagnan, "that this abduction +of the queen's woman is connected with the events of which we are +speaking, and perhaps with the presence of Buckingham in Paris." + +"The Gascon is full of ideas," said Porthos, with admiration. + +"I like to hear him talk," said Athos; "his dialect amuses me." + +"Gentlemen," cried Aramis, "listen to this." + +"Listen to Aramis," said his three friends. + +"Yesterday I was at the house of a doctor of theology, whom I +sometimes consult about my studies." + +Athos smiled. + +"He resides in a quiet quarter," continued Aramis; "his tastes +and his profession require it. Now, at the moment when I left +his house--" + +Here Aramis paused. + +"Well," cried his auditors; "at the moment you left his house?" + +Aramis appeared to make a strong inward effort, like a man who, +in the full relation of a falsehood, finds himself stopped by +some unforeseen obstacle; but the eyes of his three companions +were fixed upon him, their ears were wide open, and there were no +means of retreat. + +"This doctor has a niece," continued Aramis. + +"Ah, he has a niece!" interrupted Porthos. + +"A very respectable lady," said Aramis. + +The three friends burst into laughter. + +"Ah, if you laugh, if you doubt me," replied Aramis, "you shall +know nothing." + +"We believe like Mohammedans, and are as mute as tombstones," +said Athos. + +"I will continue, then," resumed Aramis. "This niece comes +sometimes to see her uncle; and by chance was there yesterday at +the same time that I was, and it was my duty to offer to conduct +her to her carriage." + +"Ah! She has a carriage, then, this niece of the doctor?" +interrupted Porthos, one of whose faults was a great looseness of +tongue. "A nice acquaintance, my friend!" + +"Porthos," replied Aramis, "I have had the occasion to observe to +you more than once that you are very indiscreet; and that is +injurious to you among the women." + +"Gentlemen, gentlemen," cried D'Artagnan, who began to get a +glimpse of the result of the adventure, "the thing is serious. +Let us try not to jest, if we can. Go on Aramis, go on." + +"All at once, a tall, dark gentleman--just like yours, +D'Artagnan." + +"The same, perhaps," said he. + +"Possibly," continued Aramis, "came toward me, accompanied by +five or six men who followed about ten paces behind him; and in +the politest tone, 'Monsieur Duke,' said he to me, 'and you +madame,' continued he, addressing the lady on my arm--" + +"The doctor's niece?" + +"Hold your tongue, Porthos," said Athos; "you are insupportable." + +"'--will you enter this carriage, and that without offering the +least resistance, without making the least noise?'" + +"He took you for Buckingham!" cried D'Artagnan. + +"I believe so," replied Aramis. + +"But the lady?" asked Porthos. + +"He took her for the queen!" said D'Artagnan. + +"Just so," replied Aramis. + +"The Gascon is the devil!" cried Athos; "nothing escapes him." + +"The fact is," said Porthos, "Aramis is of the same height, and +something of the shape of the duke; but it nevertheless appears +to me that the dress of a Musketeer--" + +"I wore an enormous cloak," said Aramis. + +"In the month of July? The devil!" said Porthos. "Is the doctor +afraid that you may be recognized?" + +"I can comprehend that the spy may have been deceived by the +person; but the face--" + +"I had a large hat," said Aramis. + +"Oh, good lord," cried Porthos, "what precautions for the study +of theology!" + +"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, "do not let us lose our +time in jesting. Let us separate, and let us seek the mercer's +wife--that is the key of the intrigue." + +"A woman of such inferior condition! Can you believe so?" said +Porthos, protruding his lips with contempt. + +"She is goddaughter to Laporte, the confidential valet of the +queen. Have I not told you so, gentlemen? Besides, it has +perhaps been her Majesty's calculation to seek on this occasion +for support so lowly. High heads expose themselves from afar, +and the cardinal is longsighted." + +"Well," said Porthos, "in the first place make a bargain with the +mercer, and a good bargain." + +"That's useless," said D'Artagnan; "for I believe if he does not +pay us, we shall be well enough paid by another party." + +At this moment a sudden noise of footsteps was heard upon the +stairs; the door was thrown violently open, and the unfortunate +mercer rushed into the chamber in which the council was held. + +"Save me, gentlemen, for the love of heaven, save me!" cried he. +"There are four men come to arrest me. Save me! Save me!" + +Porthos and Aramis arose. + +"A moment," cried D'Artagnan, making them a sign to replace in +the scabbard their half-drawn swords. "It is not courage that is +needed; it is prudence." + +"And yet," cried Porthos, "we will not leave--" + +"You will leave D'Artagnan to act as he thinks proper," said +Athos. "He has, I repeat, the longest head of the four, and for +my part I declare that I will obey him. Do as you think best, +D'Artagnan." + +At this moment the four Guards appeared at the door of the +antechamber, but seeing four Musketeers standing, and their +swords by their sides, they hesitated about going farther. + +"Come in, gentlemen, come in," called D'Artagnan; "you are here +in my apartment, and we are all faithful servants of the king and +cardinal." + +"Then, gentlemen, you will not oppose our executing the orders we +have received?" asked one who appeared to be the leader of the +party. + +"On the contrary, gentlemen, we would assist you if it were +necessary." + +"What does he say?" grumbled Porthos. + +"You are a simpleton," said Athos. "Silence!" + +"But you promised me--" whispered the poor mercer. + +"We can only save you by being free ourselves," replied +D'Artagnan, in a rapid, low tone; "and if we appear inclined to +defend you, they will arrest us with you." + +"It seems, nevertheless--" + +"Come, gentlemen, come!" said D'Artagnan, aloud; "I have no +motive for defending Monsieur. I saw him today for the first +time, and he can tell you on what occasion; he came to demand the +rent of my lodging. Is that not true, Monsieur Bonacieux? +Answer!" + +"That is the very truth," cried the mercer; "but Monsieur does +not tell you--" + +"Silence, with respect to me, silence, with respect to my +friends; silence about the queen, above all, or you will ruin +everybody without saving yourself! Come, come, gentlemen, remove +the fellow." And D'Artagnan pushed the half-stupefied mercer +among the Guards, saying to him, "You are a shabby old fellow, my +dear. You come to demand money of me--of a Musketeer! To prison +with him! Gentlemen, once more, take him to prison, and keep him +under key as long as possible; that will give me time to pay +him." + +The officers were full of thanks, and took away their prey. As +they were going down D'Artagnan laid his hand on the shoulder of +their leader. + +"May I not drink to your health, and you to mine?" said +D'Artagnan, filling two glasses with the Beaugency wine which he +had obtained from the liberality of M. Bonacieux. + +"That will do me great honor," said the leader of the posse, "and +I accept thankfully." + +"Then to yours, monsieur--what is your name?" + +"Boisrenard." + +"Monsieur Boisrenard." + +"To yours, my gentlemen! What is your name, in your turn, if you +please?" + +"D'Artagnan." + +"To yours, monsieur." + +"And above all others," cried D'Artagnan, as if carried away by +his enthusiasm, "to that of the king and the cardinal." + +The leader of the posse would perhaps have doubted the sincerity +of D'Artagnan if the wine had been bad; but the wine was good, +and he was convinced. + +"What diabolical villainy you have performed here," said Porthos, +when the officer had rejoined his companions and the four friends +found themselves alone. "Shame, shame, for four Musketeers to +allow an unfortunate fellow who cried for help to be arrested is +their midst! And a gentleman to hobnob with a bailiff!" + +"Porthos," said Aramis, "Athos has already told you that you are +a simpleton, and I am quite of his opinion. D'Artagnan, you are +a great man; and when you occupy Monsieur de Treville's place, I +will come and ask your influence to secure me an abbey." + +"Well, I am in a maze," said Porthos; "do YOU approve of what +D'Artagnan has done?" + +"PARBLEU! Indeed I do," said Athos; "I not only approve of what +he has done, but I congratulate him upon it." + +"And now, gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, without stopping to +explain his conduct to Porthos, "All for one, one for all--that +is our motto, is it not?" + +"And yet--" said Porthos. + +"Hold out your hand and swear!" cried Athos and Aramis at once. + +Overcome by example, grumbling to himself, nevertheless, Porthos +stretched out his hand, and the four friends repeated with one +voice the formula dictated by D'Artagnan: + +"All for one, one for all." + +"That's well! Now let us everyone retire to his own home," said +D'Artagnan, as if he had done nothing but command all his life; +"and attention! For from this moment we are at feud with the +cardinal." + + + +10 A MOUSETRAP IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY + +The invention of the mousetrap does not date from our days; as +soon as societies, in forming, had invented any kind of police, +that police invented mousetraps. + +As perhaps our readers are not familiar with the slang of the Rue +de Jerusalem, and as it is fifteen years since we applied this +word for the first time to this thing, allow us to explain to +them what is a mousetrap. + +When in a house, of whatever kind it may be, an individual +suspected of any crime is arrested, the arrest is held secret. +Four or five men are placed in ambuscade in the first room. The +door is opened to all who knock. It is closed after them, and +they are arrested; so that at the end of two or three days they +have in their power almost all the HABITUES of the establishment. +And that is a mousetrap. + +The apartment of M. Bonacieux, then, became a mousetrap; and +whoever appeared there was taken and interrogated by the +cardinal's people. It must be observed that as a separate +passage led to the first floor, in which D'Artagnan lodged, those +who called on him were exempted from this detention. + +Besides, nobody came thither but the three Musketeers; they had +all been engaged in earnest search and inquiries, but had +discovered nothing. Athos had even gone so far as to question M. +de Treville--a thing which, considering the habitual reticence of +the worthy Musketeer, had very much astonished his captain. But +M. de Treville knew nothing, except that the last time he had +seen the cardinal, the king, and the queen, the cardinal looked +very thoughtful, the king uneasy, and the redness of the queen's +eyes donated that she had been sleepless or tearful. But this +last circumstance was not striking, as the queen since her +marriage had slept badly and wept much. + +M. de Treville requested Athos, whatever might happen, to be +observant of his duty to the king, but particularly to the queen, +begging him to convey his desires to his comrades. + +As to D'Artagnan, he did not budge from his apartment. He +converted his chamber into an observatory. From his windows he +saw all the visitors who were caught. Then, having removed a +plank from his floor, and nothing remaining but a simple ceiling +between him and the room beneath, in which the interrogatories +were made, he heard all that passed between the inquisitors and +the accused. + +The interrogatories, preceded by a minute search operated upon +the persons arrested, were almost always framed thus: "Has Madame +Bonacieux sent anything to you for her husband, or any other +person? Has Monsieur Bonacieux sent anything to you for his +wife, or for any other person? Has either of them confided +anything to you by word of mouth?" + +"If they knew anything, they would not question people in this +manner," said D'Artagnan to himself. "Now, what is it they want +to know? Why, they want to know if the Duke of Buckingham is in +Paris, and if he has had, or is likely to have, an interview with +the queen." + +D'Artagnan held onto this idea, which, from what he had heard, +was not wanting in probability. + +In the meantime, the mousetrap continued in operation, and +likewise D'Artagnan's vigilance. + +On the evening of the day after the arrest of poor Bonacieux, as +Athos had just left D'Artagnan to report at M. de Treville's, as +nine o'clock had just struck, and as Planchet, who had not yet +made the bed, was beginning his task, a knocking was heard at the +street door. The door was instantly opened and shut; someone was +taken in the mousetrap. + +D'Artagnan flew to his hole, laid himself down on the floor at +full length, and listened. + +Cries were soon heard, and then moans, which someone appeared to +be endeavoring to stifle. There were no questions. + +"The devil!" said D'Artagnan to himself. "It seems like a woman! +They search her; she resists; they use force--the scoundrels!" + +In spite of his prudence, D'Artagnan restrained himself with +great difficulty from taking a part in the scene that was going +on below. + +"But I tell you that I am the mistress of the house, gentlemen! +I tell you I am Madame Bonacieux; I tell you I belong to the +queen!" cried the unfortunate woman. + +"Madame Bonacieux!" murmured D'Artagnan. "Can I be so lucky as +to find what everybody is seeking for?" + +The voice became more and more indistinct; a tumultuous movement +shook the partition. The victim resisted as much as a woman +could resist four men. + +"Pardon, gentlemen--par--" murmured the voice, which could now +only be heard in inarticulate sounds. + +"They are binding her; they are going to drag her away," cried +D'Artagnan to himself, springing up from the floor. "My sword! +Good, it is by my side! Planchet!" + +"Monsieur." + +"Run and seek Athos, Porthos and Aramis. One of the three will +certainly be at home, perhaps all three. Tell them to take arms, +to come here, and to run! Ah, I remember, Athos is at Monsieur +de Treville's." + +"But where are you going, monsieur, where are you going?" + +"I am going down by the window, in order to be there the sooner," +cried D'Artagnan. "You put back the boards, sweep the floor, go +out at the door, and run as I told you." + +"Oh, monsieur! Monsieur! You will kill yourself," cried +Planchet. + +"Hold your tongue, stupid fellow," said D'Artagnan; and laying +hold of the casement, he let himself gently down from the first +story, which fortunately was not very elevated, without doing +himself the slightest injury. + +He then went straight to the door and knocked, murmuring, "I will +go myself and be caught in the mousetrap, but woe be to the cats +that shall pounce upon such a mouse!" + +The knocker had scarcely sounded under the hand of the young man +before the tumult ceased, steps approached, the door was opened, +and D'Artagnan, sword in hand, rushed into the rooms of M. +Bonacieux, the door of which doubtless acted upon by a spring, +closed after him. + +Then those who dwelt in Bonacieux's unfortunate house, together +with the nearest neighbors, heard loud cries, stamping of feet, +clashing of swords, and breaking of furniture. A moment after, +those who, surprised by this tumult, had gone to their windows to +learn the cause of it, saw the door open, and four men, clothed +in black, not COME out of it, but FLY, like so many frightened +crows, leaving on the ground and on the corners of the furniture, +feathers from their wings; that is to say, patches of their +clothes and fragments of their cloaks. + +D'Artagnan was conqueror--without much effort, it must be + confessed, for only one of the officers was armed, and even he +defended himself for form's sake. It is true that the three +others had endeavored to knock the young man down with chairs, +stools, and crockery; but two or three scratches made by the +Gascon's blade terrified them. Ten minutes sufficed for their +defeat, and D'Artagnan remained master of the field of battle. + +The neighbors who had opened their windows, with the coolness +peculiar to the inhabitants of Paris in these times of perpetual +riots and disturbances, closed them again as soon as they saw the +four men in black flee--their instinct telling them that for the +time was all over. Besides, it began to grow late, and then, as +today, people went to bed early in the quarter of the Luxembourg. + +On being left alone with Mme. Bonacieux, D'Artagnan turned toward +her; the poor woman reclined where she had been left, +half-fainting upon an armchair. D'Artagnan examined her with a +rapid glance. + +She was a charming woman of twenty-five or twenty-six years, with +dark hair, blue eyes, and a nose slightly turned up, admirable +teeth, and a complexion marbled with rose and opal. There, +however, ended the signs which might have confounded her with a +lady of rank. The hands were white, but without delicacy; the +feet did not bespeak the woman of quality. Happily, D'Artagnan +was not yet acquainted with such niceties. + +While D'Artagnan was examining Mme. Bonacieux, and was, as we +have said, close to her, he saw on the ground a fine cambric +handkerchief, which he picked up, as was his habit, and at the +corner of which he recognized the same cipher he had seen on the +handkerchief which had nearly caused him and Aramis to cut each +other's throat. + +>From that time, D'Artagnan had been cautious with respect to +handkerchiefs with arms on them, and he therefore placed in the +pocket of Mme. Bonacieux the one he had just picked up. + +At that moment Mme. Bonacieux recovered her senses. She opened +her eyes, looked around her with terror, saw that the apartment +was empty and that she was alone with her liberator. She +extended her hands to him with a smile. Mme. Bonacieux had the +sweetest smile in the world. + +"Ah, monsieur!" said she, "you have saved me; permit me to thank +you." + +"Madame," said D'Artagnan, "I have only done what every gentleman +would have done in my place; you owe me no thanks." + +"Oh, yes, monsieur, oh, yes; and I hope to prove to you that you +have not served an ingrate. But what could these men, whom I at +first took for robbers, want with me, and why is Monsieur +Bonacieux not here?" + +"Madame, those men were more dangerous than any robbers could +have been, for they are the agents of the cardinal; and as to +your husband, Monsieur Bonacieux, he is not here because he was +yesterday evening conducted to the Bastille." + +"My husband in the Bastille!" cried Mme. Bonacieux. "Oh, my God! +What has he done? Poor dear man, he is innocence itself!" + +And something like a faint smile lighted the still-terrified +features of the young woman. + +"What has he done, madame?" said D'Artagnan. "I believe that his +only crime is to have at the same time the good fortune and the +misfortune to be your husband." + +"But, monsieur, you know then--" + +"I know that you have been abducted, madame." + +"And by whom? Do you know him? Oh, if you know him, tell me!" + +"By a man of from forty to forty-five years, with black hair, a +dark complexion, and a scar on his left temple." + +"That is he, that is he; but his name?" + +"Ah, his name? I do not know that." + +"And did my husband know I had been carried off?" + +"He was informed of it by a letter, written to him by the +abductor himself." + +"And does he suspect," said Mme. Bonacieux, with some +embarrassment, "the cause of this event?" + +"He attributed it, I believe, to a political cause." + +"I doubted from the first; and now I think entirely as he does. +Then my dear Monsieur Bonacieux has not suspected me a single +instant?" + +"So far from it, madame, he was too proud of your prudence, and +above all, of your love." + +A second smile, almost imperceptible, stole over the rosy lips of +the pretty young woman. + +"But," continued D'Artagnan, "how did you escape?" + +"I took advantage of a moment when they left me alone; and as I +had known since morning the reason of my abduction, with the help +of the sheets I let myself down from the window. Then, as I +believed my husband would be at home, I hastened hither." + +"To place yourself under his protection?" + +"Oh, no, poor dear man! I knew very well that he was incapable +of defending me; but as he could serve us in other ways, I wished +to inform him." + +"Of what?" + +"Oh, that is not my secret; I must not, therefore, tell you." + +"Besides," said D'Artagnan, "pardon me, madame, if, guardsman as +I am, I remind you of prudence--besides, I believe we are not +here in a very proper place for imparting confidences. The men I +have put to flight will return reinforced; if they find us here, +we are lost. I have sent for three of my friends, but who knows +whether they were at home?" + +"Yes, yes! You are right," cried the affrighted Mme. Bonacieux; +"let us fly! Let us save ourselves." + +At these words she passed her arm under that of D'Artagnan, and +urged him forward eagerly. + +"But whither shall we fly--whither escape?" + +"Let us first withdraw from this house; afterward we shall see." + +The young woman and the young man, without taking the trouble to +shut the door after them, descended the Rue des Fossoyeurs +rapidly, turned into the Rue des Fosses-Monsieur-le-Prince, and +did not stop till they came to the Place St. Sulpice. + +"And now what are we to do, and where do you wish me to conduct +you?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"I am at quite a loss how to answer you, I admit," said Mme. +Bonacieux. "My intention was to inform Monsieur Laporte, through +my husband, in order that Monsieur Laporte might tell us +precisely what he taken place at the Louvre in the last three +days, and whether there is any danger in presenting myself +there." + +"But I," said D'Artagnan, "can go and inform Monsieur Laporte." + +"No doubt you could, only there is one misfortune, and that is +that Monsieur Bonacieux is known at the Louvre, and would be +allowed to pass; whereas you are not known there, and the gate +would be closed against you." + +"Ah, bah!" said D'Artagnan; "you have at some wicket of the +Louvre a CONCIERGE who is devoted to you, and who, thanks to a +password, would--" + +Mme. Bonacieux looked earnestly at the young man. + +"And if I give you this password," said she, "would you forget it +as soon as you used it?" + +"By my honor, by the faith of a gentleman!" said D'Artagnan, with +an accent so truthful that no one could mistake it. + +"Then I believe you. You appear to be a brave young man; +besides, your fortune may perhaps be the result of your +devotedness." + + +"I will do, without a promise and voluntarily, all that I can do +to serve the king and be agreeable to the queen. Dispose of me, +then, as a friend." + +"But I--where shall I go meanwhile?" + +"Is there nobody from whose house Monsieur Laporte can come and +fetch you?" + +"No, I can trust nobody." + +"Stop," said D'Artagnan; "we are near Athos's door. Yes, here it +is." + +"Who is this Athos?" + +"One of my friends." + +"But if he should be at home and see me?" + +"He is not at home, and I will carry away the key, after having +placed you in his apartment." + +"But if he should return?" + +"Oh, he won't return; and if he should, he will be told that I +have brought a woman with me, and that woman is in his +apartment." + +"But that will compromise me sadly, you know." + +"Of what consequence? Nobody knows you. Besides, we are in a +situation to overlook ceremony." + +"Come, then, let us go to your friend's house. Where does he +live?" + +"Rue Ferou, two steps from here." + +"Let us go!" + +Both resumed their way. As D'Artagnan had foreseen, Athos was +not within. He took the key, which was customarily given him as +one of the family, ascended the stairs, and introduced Mme. +Bonacieux into the little apartment of which we have given a +description. + +"You are at home," said he. "Remain here, fasten the door +inside, and open it to nobody unless you hear three taps like +this;" and he tapped thrice--two taps close together and pretty +hard, the other after an interval, and lighter. + +"That is well," said Mme. Bonacieux. "Now, in my turn, let me +give you my instructions." + +"I am all attention." + +"Present yourself at the wicket of the Louvre, on the side of the +Rue de l'Echelle, and ask for Germain." + +"Well, and then?" + +"He will ask you what you want, and you will answer by these two +words, 'Tours' and 'Bruxelles.' He will at once put himself at +your orders." + +"And what shall I command him?" + +"To go and fetch Monsieur Laporte, the queen's VALET DE CHAMBRE." + +"And when he shall have informed him, and Monsieur Laporte is +come?" + +"You will send him to me." + +"That is well; but where and how shall I see you again?" + +"Do you wish to see me again?" + +"Certainly." + +"Well, let that care be mine, and be at ease." + +"I depend upon your word." + +"You may." + +D'Artagnan bowed to Mme. Bonacieux, darting at her the most +loving glance that he could possibly concentrate upon her +charming little person; and while he descended the stairs, he +heard the door closed and double-locked. In two bounds he was at +the Louvre; as he entered the wicket of L'Echelle, ten o'clock +struck. All the events we have described had taken place within +a half hour. + +Everything fell out as Mme. Bonacieux prophesied. On hearing the +password, Germain bowed. In a few minutes, Laporte was at the +lodge; in two words D'Artagnan informed him where Mme. Bonacieux +was. Laporte assured himself, by having it twice repeated, of +the accurate address, and set off at a run. Hardly, however, had +he taken ten steps before he returned. + +"Young man," said he to D'Artagnan, "a suggestion." + +"What?" + +"You may get into trouble by what has taken place." + +"You believe so?" + +"Yes. Have you any friend whose clock is too slow?" + +"Well?" + +"Go and call upon him, in order that he may give evidence if your + +having been with him at half past nine. In a court of justice +that is called an alibi." + +D'Artagnan found his advice prudent. He took to his heels, and +was soon at M. de Treville's; but instead of going into the +saloon with the rest of the crowd, he asked to be introduced to +M. de Treville's office. As D'Artagnan so constantly frequented +the hotel, no difficulty was made in complying with his request, +and a servant went to inform M. de Treville that his young +compatriot, having something important to communicate, solicited a +private audience. Five minutes after, M. de Treville was asking +D'Artagnan what he could do to serve him, and what caused his +visit at so late an hour. + +"Pardon me, monsieur," said D'Artagnan, who had profited by the +moment he had been left alone to put back M. de Treville's clock +three-quarters of an hour, "but I thought, as it was yet only +twenty-five minutes past nine, it was not too late to wait upon +you." + +"Twenty-five minutes past nine!" cried M. de Treville, looking at +the clock; "why, that's impossible!" + +"Look, rather, monsieur," said D'Artagnan, "the clock shows it." + +"That's true," said M. de Treville; "I believed it later. But +what can I do for you?" + +Then D'Artagnan told M. de Treville a long history about the +queen. He expressed to him the fears he entertained with respect +to her Majesty; he related to him what he had heard of the +projects of the cardinal with regard to Buckingham, and all with +a tranquillity and candor of which M. de Treville was the more +the dupe, from having himself, as we have said, observed +something fresh between the cardinal, the king, and the queen. + +As ten o'clock was striking, D'Artagnan left M. de Treville, who +thanked him for his information, recommended him to have the +service of the king and queen always at heart, and returned to +the saloon; but at the foot of the stairs, D'Artagnan remembered +he had forgotten his cane. He consequently sprang up again, +re-entered the office, with a turn of his finger set the clock +right again, that it might not be perceived the next day that it +had been put wrong, and certain from that time that he had a +witness to prove his alibi, he ran downstairs and soon found +himself in the street. + + + +11 IN WHICH THE PLOT THICKENS + +His visit to M. de Treville being paid, the pensive D'Artagnan took the longest way homeward. + +On what was D'Artagnan thinking, that he strayed thus from his +path, gazing at the stars of heaven, and sometimes sighing, +sometimes smiling? + +He was thinking of Mme. Bonacieux. For an apprentice Musketeer +the young woman was almost an ideal of love. Pretty, mysterious, +initiated in almost all the secrets of the court, which reflected +such a charming gravity over her pleasing features, it might be +surmised that she was not wholly unmoved; and this is an +irresistible charm to novices in love. Moreover, D'Artagnan had +delivered her from the hands of the demons who wished to search +and ill treat her; and this important service had established +between them one of those sentiments of gratitude which so easily +assume a more tender character. + +D'Artagnan already fancied himself, so rapid is the flight of our +dreams upon the wings of imagination, accosted by a messenger +from the young woman, who brought him some billet appointing a +meeting, a gold chain, or a diamond. We have observed that young +cavaliers received presents from their king without shame. Let +us add that in these times of lax morality they had no more +delicacy with respect to the mistresses; and that the latter +almost always left them valuable and durable remembrances, as if +they essayed to conquer the fragility of their sentiments by the +solidity of their gifts. + +Without a blush, men made their way in the world by the means of +women blushing. Such as were only beautiful gave their beauty, +whence, without doubt, comes the proverb, "The most beautiful +girl in the world can only give what she has." Such as were rich +gave in addition a part of their money; and a vast number of +heroes of that gallant period may be cited who would neither have +won their spurs in the first place, nor their battles afterward, +without the purse, more or less furnished, which their mistress +fastened to the saddle bow. + +D'Artagnan owned nothing. Provincial diffidence, that slight +varnish, the ephemeral flower, that down of the peach, had +evaporated to the winds through the little orthodox counsels +which the three Musketeers gave their friend. D'Artagnan, +following the strange custom of the times, considered himself at +Paris as on a campaign, neither more nor less than if he had been +in Flanders--Spain yonder, woman here, In each there was an +enemy to contend with, and contributions to be levied. + +But, we must say, at the present moment D'Artagnan was ruled by +as feeling much more noble and disinterested. The mercer had +said that he was rich; the young man might easily guess that +with so weak a man as M. Bonacieux; and interest was almost +foreign to this commencement of love, which had been the +consequence of it. We say ALMOST, for the idea that a young, +handsome, kind, and witty woman is at the same time rich takes +nothing from the beginning of love, but on the contrary +strengthens it. + +There are in affluence a crowd of aristocratic cares and caprices +which are highly becoming to beauty. A fine and white stocking, +a silken robe, a lace kerchief, a pretty slipper on the foot, a +tasty ribbon on the head do not make an ugly woman pretty, but +they make a pretty woman beautiful, without reckoning the hands, +which gain by all this; the hands, among women particularly, to +be beautiful must be idle. + +Then D'Artagnan, as the reader, from whom we have not concealed +the state of his fortune, very well knows--D'Artagnan was not a +millionaire; he hoped to become one someday, but the time which +in his own mind he fixed upon for this happy change was still far +distant. In the meanwhile, how disheartening to see the woman +one loves long for those thousands of nothings which constitute a +woman's happiness, and be unable to give her those thousands of +nothings. At least, when the woman is rich and the lover is not +that which he cannot offer she offers to herself; and although it +is generally with her husband's money that she procures herself +this indulgence, the gratitude for it seldom reverts to him. + +Then D'Artagnan, disposed to become the most tender of lovers, +was at the same time a very devoted friend, In the midst of his +amorous projects for the mercer's wife, he did not forget his +friends. The pretty Mme. Bonacieux was just the woman to walk +with in the Plain St. Denis or in the fair of St. Germain, in +company with Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, to whom D'Artagnan had +often remarked this. Then one could enjoy charming little +dinners, where one touches on one side the hand of a friend, and +on the other the foot of a mistress. Besides, on pressing +occasions, in extreme difficulties, D'Artagnan would become the +preserver of his friends. + +And M. Bonacieux? whom D'Artagnan had pushed into the hands of +the officers, denying him aloud although he had promised in a +whisper to save him. We are compelled to admit to our readers +that D'Artagnan thought nothing about him in any way; or that if +he did think of him, it was only to say to himself that he was +very well where he was, wherever it might be. Love is the most +selfish of all the passions. + +Let our readers reassure themselves. IF D'Artagnan forgets his +host, or appears to forget him, under the pretense of not knowing +where he has been carried, we will not forget him, and we know +where he is. But for the moment, let us do as did the amorous +Gascon; we will see after the worthy mercer later. + +D'Artagnan, reflecting on his future amours, addressing himself +to the beautiful night, and smiling at the stars, rescinded the +Rue Cherish-Midi, or Chase-Midi, as it was then called. As he +found himself in the quarter in which Aramis lived, he took it +into his head to pay his friend a visit in order to explain the +motives which had led him to send Planchet with a request that he +would come instantly to the mousetrap. Now, if Aramis had been +at home when Planchet came to his abode, he had doubtless +hastened to the Rue des Fossoyeurs, and finding nobody there but +his other two companions perhaps, they would not be able to +conceive what all this meant. This mystery required an +explanation; at least, so D'Artagnan declared to himself. + +He likewise thought this was an opportunity for talking about +pretty little Mme. Bonacieux, of whom his head, if not his heart, +was already full. We must never look for discretion in first +love. First love is accompanied by such excessive joy that +unless the joy be allowed to overflow, it will stifle you. + +Paris for two hours past had been dark, and seemed a desert. +Eleven o'clock sounded from all the clocks of the Faubourg St. +Germain. It was delightful weather. D'Artagnan was passing +along a lane on the spot where the Rue d'Assas is now situated, +breathing the balmy emanations which were borne upon the wind +from the Rue de Vaugirard, and which arose from the gardens +refreshed by the dews of evening and the breeze of night. From a +distance resounded, deadened, however, by good shutters, the +songs of the tipplers, enjoying themselves in the cabarets +scattered along the plain. Arrived at the end of the lane, +D'Artagnan turned to the left. The house in which Aramis dwelt +was situated between the Rue Cassette and the Rue Servandoni. + +D'Artagnan had just passed the Rue Cassette, and already +perceived the door of his friend's house, shaded by a mass of +sycamores and clematis which formed a vast arch opposite the +front of it, when he perceived something like a shadow issuing +from the Rue Servandoni. This something was enveloped in a +cloak, and D'Artagnan at first believed it was a man; but by the +smallness of the form, the hesitation of the walk, and the +indecision of the step, he soon discovered that it was a woman. +Further, this woman, as if not certain of the house she was +seeking, lifted up her eyes to look around her, stopped, went +backward, and then returned again. D'Artagnan was perplexed. + +"Shall I go and offer her my services?" thought he. "By her step +she must be young; perhaps she is pretty. Oh, yes! But a woman +who wanders in the streets at this hour only ventures out to meet +her lover. If I should disturb a rendezvous, that would not be +the best means of commencing an acquaintance." + +Meantime the young woman continued to advance, counting the +houses and windows. This was neither long nor difficult. There +were but three hotels in this part of the street; and only two +windows looking toward the road, one of which was in a pavilion +parallel to that which Aramis occupied, the other belonging to +Aramis himself. + +"PARIDIEU!" said D'Artagnan to himself, to whose mind the niece +of the theologian reverted, "PARDIEU, it would be droll if this +belated dove should be in search of our friend's house. But on +my soul, it looks so. Ah, my dear Aramis, this time I shall find +you out." And D'Artagnan, making himself as small as he could, +concealed himself in the darkest side of the street near a stone +bench placed at the back of a niche. + +The young woman continued to advance; and in addition to the +lightness of her step, which had betrayed her, she emitted a +little cough which denoted a sweet voice. D'Artagnan believed +this cough to be a signal. + +Nevertheless, whether the cough had been answered by a similar +signal which had fixed the irresolution of the nocturnal seeker, +or whether without this aid she saw that she had arrived at the +end of her journey, she resolutely drew near to Aramis's shutter, +and tapped, at three equal intervals, with her bent finger. + +"This is all very fine, dear Aramis," murmured D'Artagnan. + +"Ah, Monsieur Hypocrite, I understand how you study theology." + +The three blows were scarcely struck, when the inside blind was +opened and a light appeared through the panes of the outside +shutter. + +"Ah, ah!" said the listener, "not through doors, but through +windows! Ah, this visit was expected. We shall see the windows +open, and the lady enter by escalade. Very pretty!" + +But to the great astonishment of D'Artagnan, the shutter remained +closed. Still more, the light which had shone for an instant +disappeared, and all was again in obscurity. + +D'Artagnan thought this could not last long, and continued to +look with all his eyes and listen with all his ears. + +He was right; at the end of some seconds two sharp taps were +heard inside. The young woman in the street replied by a single +tap, and the shutter was opened a little way. + +It may be judged whether D'Artagnan looked or listened with +avidity. Unfortunately the light had been removed into another +chamber; but the eyes of the young man were accustomed to the +night. Besides, the eyes of the Gascons have, as it is asserted, +like those of cats, the faculty of seeing in the dark. + +D'Artagnan then saw that the young woman took from her pocket a +white object, which she unfolded quickly, and which took the form +of a handkerchief. She made her interlocutor observe the corner +of this unfolded object. + +This immediately recalled to D'Artagnan's mind the handkerchief +which he had found at the feet of Mme. Bonacieux, which had +reminded him of that which he had dragged from under the feet of +Aramis. + +"What the devil could that handkerchief signify?" + +Placed where he was, D'Artagnan could not perceive the face of +Aramis. We say Aramis, because the young man entertained no +doubt that it was his friend who held this dialogue from the +interior with the lady of the exterior. Curiosity prevailed over +prudence; and profiting by the preoccupation into which the sight +of the handkerchief appeared to have plunged the two personages +now on the scene, he stole from his hiding place, and quick as +lightning, but stepping with utmost caution, he ran and placed +himself close to the angle of the wall, from which his eye could +pierce the interior of Aramis's room. + +Upon gaining this advantage D'Artagnan was near uttering a cry of +surprise; it was not Aramis who was conversing with the nocturnal +visitor, it was a woman! D'Artagnan, however, could only see +enough to recognize the form of her vestments, not enough to +distinguish her features. + +At the same instant the woman inside drew a second handkerchief +from her pocket, and exchanged it for that which had just been +shown to her. Then some words were spoken by the two women. At +length the shutter closed. The woman who was outside the window +turned round, and passed within four steps of D'Artagnan, pulling +down the hood of her mantle; but the precaution was too late, +D'Artagnan had already recognized Mme. Bonacieux. + +Mme. Bonacieux! The suspicion that it was she had crossed the +mind of D'Artagnan when she drew the handkerchief from her +pocket; but what probability was there that Mme. Bonacieux, who +had sent for M. Laporte in order to be reconducted to the Louvre, +should be running about the streets of Paris at half past eleven +at night, at the risk of being abducted a second time? + +This must be, then, an affair of importance; and what is the most +important affair to a woman of twenty-five! Love. + +But was it on her own account, or on account of another, that she +exposed herself to such hazards? This was a question the young +man asked himself, whom the demon of jealousy already gnawed, +being in heart neither more nor less than an accepted lover. + +There was a very simple means of satisfying himself whither Mme. +Bonacieux was going; that was to follow her. This method was so +simple that D'Artagnan employed it quite naturally and +instinctively. + +But at the sight of the young man, who detached himself from the +wall like a statue walking from its niche, and at the noise of +the steps which she heard resound behind her, Mme. Bonacieux +uttered a little cry and fled. + +D'Artagnan ran after her. It was not difficult for him to +overtake a woman embarrassed with her cloak. He came up with her +before she had traversed a third of the street. The unfortunate +woman was exhausted, not by fatigue, but by terror, and when +D'Artagnan placed his hand upon her shoulder, she sank upon one +knee, crying in a choking voice, "Kill me, if you please, you +shall know nothing!" + +D'Artagnan raised her by passing his arm round her waist; but as +he felt by her weight she was on the point of fainting, he made +haste to reassure her by protestations of devotedness. These +protestations were nothing for Mme. Bonacieux, for such +protestations may be made with the worst intentions in the world; +but the voice was all Mme. Bonacieux thought she recognized the +sound of that voice; she reopened her eyes, cast a quick glance +upon the man who had terrified her so, and at once perceiving it +was D'Artagnan, she uttered a cry of joy, "Oh, it is you, it is +you! Thank God, thank God!" + +"Yes, it is I," said D'Artagnan, "it is I, whom God has sent to +watch over you." + +"Was it with that intention you followed me?" asked the young +woman, with a coquettish smile, whose somewhat bantering +character resumed its influence, and with whom all fear had +disappeared from the moment in which she recognized a friend in +one she had taken for an enemy. + +"No," said D'Artagnan; "no, I confess it. It was chance that +threw me in your way; I saw a woman knocking at the window of one +of my friends." + +"One of your friends?" interrupted Mme. Bonacieux. + +"Without doubt; Aramis is one of my best friends." + +"Aramis! Who is he?" + +"Come, come, you won't tell me you don't know Aramis?" + +"This is the first time I ever heard his name pronounced." + +"It is the first time I ever heard his name pronounced." + +"It is the first time, then, that you ever went to that house?" + +"Undoubtedly." + +"And you did not know that it was inhabited by a young man?" + +"No." + +"By a Musketeer?" + +"No, indeed!" + +"It was not he, then, you came to seek?" + +"Not the least in the world. Besides, you must have seen that +the person to whom I spoke was a woman." + +"That is true; but this woman is a friend of Aramis--" + +"I know nothing of that." + +"--since she lodges with him." + +"That does not concern me." + +"But who is she?" + +"Oh, that is not my secret." + +"My dear Madame Bonacieux, you are charming; but at the same time +you are one of the most mysterious women." + +"Do I lose by that?" + +"No; you are, on the contrary, adorable." + +"Give me your arm, then." + +"Most willingly. And now?" + +"Now escort me." + +"Where?" + +"Where I am going." + +"But where are you going?" + +"You will see, because you will leave me at the door." + +"Shall I wait for you?" + +"That will be useless." + +"You will return alone, then?" + +"Perhaps yes, perhaps no." + +"But will the person who shall accompany you afterward be a man +or a woman?" + +"I don't know yet." + +"But I will know it!" + +"How so?" + +"I will wait until you come out." + +"In that case, adieu." + +"Why so?" + +"I do not want you." + +"But you have claimed--" + +"The aid of a gentleman, not the watchfulness of a spy." + +"The word is rather hard." + +"How are they called who follow others in spite of them?" + +"They are indiscreet." + +"The word is too mild." + +"well, madame, I perceive I must do as you wish." + +"Why did you deprive yourself of the merit of doing so at once?" + +"Is there no merit in repentance?" + +"And do you really repent?" + +"I know nothing about it myself. But what I know is that I +promise to do all you wish if you allow me to accompany you where +you are going." + +"And you will leave me then?" + +"Yes." + +"Without waiting for my coming out again?" + +"Yes." + +"Word of honor?" + +"By the faith of a gentleman. Take my arm, and let us go." + +D'Artagnan offered his arm to Mme. Bonacieux, who willingly took +it, half laughing, half trembling, and both gained the top of Rue +de la Harpe. Arriving there, the young woman seemed to hesitate, +as she had before done in the Rue Vaugirard. She seemed, +however, by certain signs, to recognize a door, and approaching +that door, "And now, monsieur," said she, "it is here I have +business; a thousand thanks for your honorable company, which has +saved me from all the dangers to which, alone I was exposed. But +the moment is come to keep your word; I have reached my +destination." + +"And you will have nothing to fear on your return?" + +"I shall have nothing to fear but robbers." + +"And that is nothing?" + +"What could they take from me? I have not a penny about me." + +"You forget that beautiful handkerchief with the coat of arms." + +"Which?" + +"That which I found at your feet, and replaced in your pocket." + +"Hold your tongue, imprudent man! Do you wish to destroy me?" + +"You see very plainly that there is still danger for you, since a +single word makes you tremble; and you confess that if that word +were heard you would be ruined. Come, come, madame!" cried +D'Artagnan, seizing her hands, and surveying her with an ardent +glance, "come, be more generous. Confide in me. Have you not +read in my eyes that there is nothing but devotion and sympathy +in my heart?" + +"Yes," replied Mme. Bonacieux; "therefore, ask my own secrets, +and I will reveal them to you; but those of others--that is quite +another thing." + +"Very well," said D'Artagnan, "I shall discover them; as these +secrets may have an influence over your life, these secrets must +become mine." + +"Beware of what you do!" cried the young woman, in a manner so +serious as to make D'Artagnan start in spite of himself. "Oh, +meddle in nothing which concerns me. Do not seek to assist me in +that which I am accomplishing. This I ask of you in the name of +the interest with which I inspire you, in the name of the service +you have rendered me and which I never shall forget while I have +life. Rather, place faith in what I tell you. Have no more +concern about me; I exist no longer for you, any more than if you +had never seen me." + +"Must Aramis do as much as I, madame?" said D'Artagnan, deeply +piqued. + +"This is the second or third time, monsieur, that you have +repeated that name, and yet I have told you that I do not know +him." + +"You do not know the man at whose shutter you have just knocked? +Indeed, madame, you believe me too credulous!" + +"Confess that it is for the sake of making me talk that you +invent this story and create this personage." + +"I invent nothing, madame; I create nothing. I only speak that +exact truth." + +"And you say that one of your friends lives in that house?" + +"I say so, and I repeat it for the third time; that house is one +inhabited by my friend, and that friend is Aramis." + +"All this will be cleared up at a later period," murmured the +young woman; "no, monsieur, be silent." + +"If you could see my heart," said D'Artagnan, "you would there +read so much curiosity that you would pity me and so much love +that you would instantly satisfy my curiosity. We have nothing +to fear from those who love us." + +"You speak very suddenly of love, monsieur," said the young +woman, shaking her head. + +"That is because love has come suddenly upon me, and for the +first time; and because I am only twenty." + +The young woman looked at him furtively. + +"Listen; I am already upon the scent," resumed D'Artagnan. +"About three months ago I was near having a duel with Aramis +concerning a handkerchief resembling the one you showed to the +woman in his house--for a handkerchief marked in the same manner, +I am sure." + +"Monsieur," said the young woman, "you weary me very much, I +assure you, with your questions." + +"But you, madame, prudent as you are, think, if you were to be +arrested with that handkerchief, and that handkerchief were to be +seized, would you not be compromised?" + +"In what way? The initials are only mine--C. B., Constance +Bonacieux." + +"Or Camille de Bois-Tracy." + +"Silence, monsieur! Once again, silence! Ah, since the dangers +I incur on my own account cannot stop you, think of those you may +yourself run!" + +"Me?" + +"Yes; there is peril of imprisonment, risk of life in knowing +me." + +"Then I will not leave you." + +"Monsieur!" said the young woman, supplicating him and clasping +her hands together, "monsieur, in the name of heaven, by the +honor of a soldier, by the courtesy of a gentleman, depart! +There, there midnight sounds! That is the hour when I am +expected." + +"Madame," said the young man, bowing; "I can refuse nothing asked +of me thus. Be content; I will depart." + +"But you will not follow me; you will not watch me?" + +"I will return home instantly." + +"Ah, I was quite sure you were a good and brave young man," said +Mme. Bonacieux, holding out her hand to him, and placing the +other upon the knocker of a little door almost hidden in the +wall. + +D'Artagnan seized the hand held out to him, and kissed it +ardently. + +"Ah! I wish I had never seen you!" cried D'Artagnan, with that +ingenuous roughness which women often prefer to the affectations +of politeness, because it betrays the depths of the thought and +proves that feeling prevails over reason. + +"Well!" resumed Mme. Bonacieux, in a voice almost caressing, and +pressing the hand of D'Artagnan, who had not relinquished hers, +"well: I will not say as much as you do; what is lost for today +may not be lost forever. Who knows, when I shall be at liberty, +that I may not satisfy your curiosity?" + +"And will you make the same promise to my love?" cried +D'Artagnan, beside himself with joy. + +"Oh, as to that, I do not engage myself. That depends upon the +sentiments with which you may inspire me." + +"Then today, madame--" + +"Oh, today, I am no further than gratitude." + +"Ah! You are too charming," said D'Artagnan, sorrowfully; "and +you abuse my love." + +"No, I use your generosity, that's all. But be of good cheer; +with certain people, everything comes round." + +"Oh, you render me the happiest of men! Do not forget this +evening--do not forget that promise." + +"Be satisfied. In the proper time and place I will remember +everything. Now then, go, go, in the name of heaven! I was +expected at sharp midnight, and I am late." + +"By five minutes." + +"Yes; but in certain circumstances five minutes are five ages." + +"When one loves." + +"Well! And who told you I had no affair with a lover?" + +"It is a man, then, who expects you?" cried D'Artagnan. "A man!" + +"The discussion is going to begin again!" said Mme. Bonacieux, +with a half-smile which was not exempt from a tinge of +impatience. + +"No, no; I go, I depart! I believe in you, and I would have all +the merit of my devotion, even if that devotion were stupidity. +Adieu, madame, adieu!" + +And as if he only felt strength to detach himself by a violent +effort from the hand he held, he sprang away, running, while Mme. +Bonacieux knocked, as at the shutter, three light and regular +taps. When he had gained the angle of the street, he turned. +The door had been opened, and shut again; the mercer's pretty +wife had disappeared. + +D'Artagnan pursued his way. He had given his word not to watch +Mme. Bonacieux, and if his life had depended upon the spot to +which she was going or upon the person who should accompany her, +D'Artagnan would have returned home, since he had so promised. +Five minutes later he was in the Rue des Fossoyeurs. + +"Poor Athos!" said he; "he will never guess what all this means. +He will have fallen asleep waiting for me, or else he will have +returned home, where he will have learned that a woman had been +there. A woman with Athos! After all," continued D'Artagnan, +"there was certainly one with Aramis. All this is very strange; +and I am curious to know how it will end." + +"Badly, monsieur, badly!" replied a voice which the young man +recognized as that of Planchet; for, soliloquizing aloud, as very +preoccupied people do, he had entered the alley, at the end of +which were the stairs which led to his chamber. + +"How badly? What do you mean by that, you idiot?" asked +D'Artagnan. "What has happened?" + +"All sorts of misfortunes." + +"What?" + +"In the first place, Monsieur Athos is arrested." + +"Arrested! Athos arrested! What for?" + +"He was found in your lodging; they took him for you." + +"And by whom was he arrested?" + +"By Guards brought by the men in black whom you put to flight." + +"Why did he not tell them his name? Why did he not tell them he +knew nothing about this affair?" + +"He took care not to do so, monsieur; on the contrary, he came up +to me and said, 'It is your master that needs his liberty at this +moment and not I, since he knows everything and I know nothing. +They will believe he is arrested, and that will give him time; in +three days I will tell them who I am, and they cannot fail to let +me go.'" + +"Bravo, Athos! Noble heart!" murmured D'Artagnan. "I know him +well there! And what did the officers do?" + +"Four conveyed him away, I don't know where--to the Bastille or +Fort l'Eveque. Two remained with the men in black, who rummaged +every place and took all the papers. The last two mounted guard +at the door during this examination; then, when all was over, +they went away, leaving the house empty and exposed." + +"And Porthos and Aramis?" + +"I could not find them; they did not come." + +"But they may come any moment, for you left word that I awaited +them?" + +"Yes, monsieur." + +"Well, don't budge, then; if they come, tell them what has +happened. Let them wait for me at the Pomme-de-Pin. Here it +would be dangerous; the house may be watched. I will run to +Monsieur de Treville to tell them all this, and will meet them +there." + +"Very well, monsieur," said Planchet. + +"But you will remain; you are not afraid?" said D'Artagnan, +coming back to recommend courage to his lackey. + +"Be easy, monsieur," said Planchet; "you do not know me yet. I +am brave when I set about it. It is all in beginning. Besides, +I am a Picard." + +"Then it is understood," said D'Artagnan; "you would rather be +killed than desert your post?" + +"Yes, monsieur; and there is nothing I would not do to prove to +Monsieur that I am attached to him." + +"Good!" said D'Artagnan to himself. "It appears that the method +I have adopted with this boy is decidedly the best. I shall use +it again upon occasion." + +And with all the swiftness of his legs, already a little fatigued +however, with the perambulations of the day, D'Artagnan directed +his course toward M. de Treville's. + +M. de Treville was not at his hotel. His company was on guard at +the Louvre; he was at the Louvre with his company. + +It was necessary to reach M. de Treville; it was important that +he should be informed of what was passing. D'Artagnan resolved +to try and enter the Louvre. His costume of Guardsman in the +company of M. Dessessart ought to be his passport. + +He therefore went down the Rue des Petits Augustins, and came up +to the quay, in order to take the New Bridge. He had at first an +idea of crossing by the ferry; but on gaining the riverside, he +had mechanically put his hand into his pocket, and perceived that +he had not wherewithal to pay his passage. + +As he gained the top of the Rue Guenegaud, he saw two persons +coming out of the Rue Dauphine whose appearance very much struck +him. Of the two persons who composed this group, one was a man +and the other a woman. The woman had the outline of Mme. +Bonacieux; the man resembled Aramis so much as to be mistaken for +him. + +Besides, the woman wore that black mantle which D'Artagnan could +still see outlined on the shutter of the Rue de Vaugirard and on +the door of the Rue de la Harpe; still further, the man wore the +uniform of a Musketeer. + +The woman's hood was pulled down, and the man geld a handkerchief +to his face. Both, as this double precaution indicated, had an +interest in not being recognized. + +They took the bridge. That was D'Artagnan's road, as he was +going to the Louvre. D'Artagnan followed them. + +He had not gone twenty steps before he became convinced that the +woman was really Mme. Bonacieux and that the man was Aramis. + +He felt at that instant all the suspicions of jealousy agitating +his heart. He felt himself doubly betrayed, by his friend and by +her whom he already loved like a mistress. Mme. Bonacieux had +declared to him, by all the gods, that she did not know Aramis; +and a quarter of an hour after having made this assertion, he +found her hanging on the arm of Aramis. + +D'Artagnan did not reflect that he had only known the mercer's +pretty wife for three hours; that she owed him nothing but a +little gratitude for having delivered her from the men in black, +who wished to carry her off, and that she had promised him +nothing. He considered himself an outraged, betrayed, and +ridiculed lover. Blood and anger mounted to his face; he was +resolved to unravel the mystery. + +The young man and young woman perceived they were watched, and +redoubled their speed. D'Artagnan determined upon his course. +He passed them, then returned so as to meet them exactly before +the Samaritaine. Which was illuminated by a lamp which threw its +light over all that part of the bridge. + +D'Artagnan stopped before them, and they stopped before him. + +"What do you want, monsieur?" demanded the Musketeer, recoiling a +step, and with a foreign accent, which proved to D'Artagnan that +he was deceived in one of his conjectures. + +"It is not Aramis!" cried he. + +"No, monsieur, it is not Aramis; and by your exclamation I +perceive you have mistaken me for another, and pardon you." + +"You pardon me?" cried D'Artagnan. + +"Yes," replied the stranger. "Allow me, then, to pass on, since +it is not with me you have anything to do." + +"You are right, monsieur, it is not with you that I have anything +to do; it is with Madame." + +"With Madame! You do not know her," replied the stranger. + +"You are deceived, monsieur; I know her very well." + +"Ah," said Mme. Bonacieux; in a tone of reproach, "ah, monsieur, +I had your promise as a soldier and your word as a gentleman. I +hoped to be able to rely upon that." + +"And I, madame!" said D'Artagnan, embarrassed; "you promised me-- +" + +"Take my arm, madame," said the stranger, "and let us continue +our way." + +D'Artagnan, however, stupefied, cast down, annihilated by all +that happened, stood, with crossed arms, before the Musketeer and +Mme. Bonacieux. + +The Musketeer advanced two steps, and pushed D'Artagnan aside +with his hand. D'Artagnan made a spring backward and drew his +sword. At the same time, and with the rapidity of lightning, the +stranger drew his. + +"In the name of heaven, my Lord!" cried Mme. Bonacieux, throwing +herself between the combatants and seizing the swords with her +hands. + +"My Lord!" cried D'Artagnan, enlightened by a sudden idea, "my +Lord! Pardon me, monsieur, but you are not--" + +"My Lord the Duke of Buckingham," said Mme. Bonacieux, in an +undertone; "and now you may ruin us all." + +"My Lord, Madame, I ask a hundred pardons! But I love her, my +Lord, and was jealous. You know what it is to love, my Lord. +Pardon me, and then tell me how I can risk my life to serve your +Grace?" + +"You are a brave young man," said Buckingham, holding out his +hand to D'Artagnan, who pressed it respectfully. "You offer me +your services; with the same frankness I accept them. Follow us +at a distance of twenty paces, as far as the Louvre, and if +anyone watches us, slay him!" + +D'Artagnan placed his naked sword under his arm, allowed the duke +and Mme. Bonacieux to take twenty steps ahead, and then followed +them, ready to execute the instructions of the noble and elegant +minister of Charles I. + +Fortunately, he had no opportunity to give the duke this proof of +his devotion, and the young woman and the handsome Musketeer +entered the Louvre by the wicket of the Echelle without any +interference. + +As for D'Artagnan, he immediately repaired to the cabaret of the +Pomme-de-Pin, where he found Porthos and Aramis awaiting him. +Without giving them any explanation of the alarm and +inconvenience he had caused them, he told them that he had +terminated the affair alone in which he had for a moment believed +he should need their assistance. + +Meanwhile, carried away as we are by our narrative, we must leave +our three friends to themselves, and follow the Duke of +Buckingham and his guide through the labyrinths of the Louvre. + + + +12 GEORGE VILLIERS, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM + +Mme. Bonacieux and the duke entered the Louvre without +difficulty. Mme. Bonacieux was known to belong to the queen; the +duke wore the uniform of the Musketeers of M. de Treville, who, +as we have said, were that evening on guard. Besides, Germain +was in the interests of the queen; and if anything should happen, +Mme. Bonacieux would be accused of having introduced her lover +into the Louvre, that was all. She took the risk upon herself. +Her reputation would be lost, it is true; but of what value in +the world was the reputation of the little wife of a mercer? + +Once within the interior of the court, the duke and the young +woman followed the wall for the space of about twenty-five steps. +This space passed, Mme. Bonacieux pushed a little servants' door, +open by day but generally closed at night. The door yielded. +Both entered, and found themselves in darkness; but Mme. +Bonacieux was acquainted with all the turnings and windings of +this part of the Louvre, appropriated for the people of the +household. She closed the door after her, took the duke by the +hand, and after a few experimental steps, grasped a balustrade, +put her foot upon the bottom step, and began to ascend the +staircase. The duke counted two stories. She then turned to the +right, followed the course of a long corridor, descended a +flight, went a few steps farther, introduced a key into a lock, +opened a door, and pushed the duke into an apartment lighted only +by a lamp, saying, "Remain here, my Lord Duke; someone will +come." She then went out by the same door, which she locked, so +that the duke found himself literally a prisoner. + +Nevertheless, isolated as he was, we must say that the Duke of +Buckingham did not experience an instant of fear. One of the +salient points of his character was the search for adventures and +a love of romance. Brave, rash, and enterprising, this was not +the first time he had risked his life in such attempts. He had +learned that the pretended message from Anne of Austria, upon the +faith of which he had come to Paris, was a snare; but instead of +regaining England, he had, abusing the position in which he had +been placed, declared to the queen that he would not depart +without seeing her. The queen had at first positively refused; +but at length became afraid that the duke, if exasperated, would +commit some folly. She had already decided upon seeing him and +urging his immediate departure, when, on the very evening of +coming to this decision, Mme. Bonacieux, who was charged with +going to fetch the duke and conducting him to the Louvre, was +abducted. For two days no one knew what had become of her, and +everything remained in suspense; but once free, and placed in +communication with Laporte, matters resumed their course, and she +accomplished the perilous enterprise which, but for her arrest, +would have been executed three days earlier. + +Buckingham, left alone, walked toward a mirror. His Musketeer's +uniform became him marvelously. + +At thirty-five, which was then his age, he passed, with just +title, for the handsomest gentleman and the most elegant cavalier +of France or England. + +The favorite of two kings, immensely rich, all-powerful in a +kingdom which he disordered at his fancy and calmed again at his +caprice, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, had lived one of +those fabulous existences which survive, in the course of +centuries, to astonish posterity. + +Sure of himself, convinced of his own power, certain that the +laws which rule other men could not reach him, he went straight +to the object he aimed at, even were this object were so elevated +and so dazzling that it would have been madness for any other +even to have contemplated it. It was thus he had succeeded in +approaching several times the beautiful and proud Anne of +Austria, and in making himself loved by dazzling her. + +George Villiers placed himself before the glass, as we have said, +restored the undulations to his beautiful hair, which the weight +of his hat had disordered, twisted his mustache, and, his heart +swelling with joy, happy and proud at being near the moment he +had so long sighed for, he smiled upon himself with pride and +hope. + +At this moment a door concealed in the tapestry opened, and a +woman appeared. Buckingham saw this apparition in the glass; he +uttered a cry. It was the queen! + +Anne of Austria was then twenty-six or twenty-seven years of age; +that is to say, she was in the full splendor of her beauty. + +Her carriage was that of a queen or a goddess; her eyes, which +cast the brilliancy of emeralds, were perfectly beautiful, and +yet were at the same time full of sweetness and majesty. + +Her mouth was small and rosy; and although her underlip, like +that of all princes of the House of Austria, protruded slightly +beyond the other, it was eminently lovely in its smile, but as +profoundly disdainful in its contempt. + +Her skin was admired for its velvety softness; her hands and arms +were of surpassing beauty, all the poets of the time singing them +as incomparable. + +Lastly, her hair, which, from being light in her youth, had +become chestnut, and which she wore curled very plainly, and with +much powder, admirably set off her face, in which the most rigid +critic could only have desired a little less rouge, and the most +fastidious sculptor a little more fineness in the nose. + +Buckingham remained for a moment dazzled. Never had Anna of +Austria appeared to him so beautiful, amid balls, fetes, or +carousals, as she appeared to him at this moment, dressed in a +simple robe of white satin, and accompanied by Donna Estafania-- +the only one of her Spanish women who had not been driven from +her by the jealousy of the king or by the persecutions of +Richelieu. + +Anne of Austria took two steps forward. Buckingham threw himself +at her feet, and before the queen could prevent him, kissed the +hem of her robe. + +"Duke, you already know that it is not I who caused you to be +written to." + +"Yes, yes, madame! Yes, your Majesty!" cried the duke. "I know +that I must have been mad, senseless, to believe that snow would +become animated or marble warm; but what then! They who love +believe easily in love. Besides, I have lost nothing by this +journey because I see you." + +"Yes," replied Anne, "but you know why and how I see you; +because, insensible to all my sufferings, you persist in +remaining in a city where, by remaining, you run the risk of your +life, and make me run the risk of my honor. I see you to tell +you that everything separates us--the depths of the sea, the +enmity of kingdoms, the sanctity of vows. It is sacrilege to +struggle against so many things, my Lord. In short, I see you to +tell you that we must never see each other again." + +"Speak on, madame, speak on, Queen," said Buckingham; "the +sweetness of your voice covers the harshness of your words. You +talk of sacrilege! Why, the sacrilege is the separation of two +hearts formed by God for each other." + +"My Lord," cried the queen, "you forget that I have never said +that I love you." + +"But you have never told me that you did not love me; and truly, +to speak such words to me would be, on the part of your Majesty, +too great an ingratitude. For tell me, where can you find a love +like mine--a love which neither time, nor absence, not despair +can extinguish, a love which contents itself with a lost ribbon, +a stray look, or a chance word? It is now three years, madame, +since I saw you for the first time, and during those three years +I have loved you thus. Shall I tell you each ornament of your +toilet? Mark! I see you now. You were seated upon cushions in +the Spanish fashion; you wore a robe of green satin embroidered +with gold and silver, hanging sleeves knotted upon your beautiful +arms--those lovely arms--with large diamonds. You wore a close +ruff, a small cap upon your head of the same color as your robe, +and in that cap a heron's feather. Hold! Hold! I shut my eyes, +and I can see you as you then were; I open them again, and I see +what you are now--a hundred time more beautiful!" + +"What folly," murmured Anne of Austria, who had not the courage +to find fault with the duke for having so well preserved her +portrait in his heart, "what folly to feed a useless passion with +such remembrances!" + +"And upon what then must I live? I have nothing but memory. It +is my happiness, my treasure, my hope. Every time I see you is a +fresh diamond which I enclose in the casket of my heart. This +is the fourth which you have let fall and I have picked up; for +in three years, madame, I have only seen you four times--the +first, which I have described to you; the second, at the mansion +of Madame de Chevreuse; the third, in the gardens of Amiens." + +"Duke," said the queen, blushing, "never speak of that evening." + +"Oh, let us speak of it; on the contrary, let us speak of it! +That is the most happy and brilliant evening of my life! You +remember what a beautiful night it was? How soft and perfumed +was the air; how lovely the blue heavens and star-enameled sky! +Ah, then, madame, I was able for one instant to be alone with +you. Then you were about to tell me all--the isolation of your +life, the griefs of your heart. You leaned upon my arm--upon +this, madame! I felt, in bending my head toward you, your +beautiful hair touch my cheek; and every time that it touched me +I trembled from head to foot. Oh, Queen! Queen! You do not +know what felicity from heaven, what joys from paradise, are +comprised in a moment like that. Take my wealth, my fortune, my +glory, all the days I have to live, for such an instant, for a +night like that. For that night, madame, that night you loved +me, I will swear it." + +"My Lord, yes; it is possible that the influence of the place, +the charm of the beautiful evening, the fascination of your +look--the thousand circumstances, in short, which sometimes unite +to destroy a woman--were grouped around me on that fatal evening; +but, my Lord, you saw the queen come to the aid of the woman who +faltered. At the first word you dared to utter, at the first +freedom to which I had to reply, I called for help." + +"Yes, yes, that is true. And any other love but mine would have +sunk beneath this ordeal; but my love came out from it more +ardent and more eternal. You believed that you would fly from me +by returning to Paris; you believed that I would not dare to quit +the treasure over which my master had charged me to watch. What +to me were all the treasures in the world, or all the kings of +the earth! Eight days after, I was back again, madame. That +time you had nothing to say to me; I had risked my life and favor +to see you but for a second. I did not even touch your hand, and +you pardoned me on seeing me so submissive and so repentant." + +"Yes, but calumny seized upon all those follies in which I took +no part, as you well know, my Lord. The king, excited by the +cardinal, made a terrible clamor. Madame de Vernet was driven +from me, Putange was exiled, Madame de Chevreuse fell into +disgrace, and when you wished to come back as ambassador to +France, the king himself--remember, my lord--the king himself +opposed to it." + +"Yes, and France is about to pay for her king's refusal with a +war. I am not allowed to see you, madame, but you shall every +day hear of me. What object, think you, have this expedition to +Re and this league with the Protestants of La Rochelle which I am +projecting? The pleasure of seeing you. I have no hope of +penetrating, sword in hand, to Paris, I know that well. But this +war may bring round a peace; this peace will require a +negotiator; that negotiator will be me. They will not dare to +refuse me then; and I will return to Paris, and will see you +again, and will be happy for an instant. Thousands of men, it is +true, will have to pay for my happiness with their lives; but +what is that to me, provided I see you again! All this is +perhaps folly--perhaps insanity; but tell me what woman has a +lover more truly in love; what queen a servant more ardent?" + +"My Lord, my Lord, you invoke in your defense things which accuse +you more strongly. All these proofs of love which you would give +me are almost crimes." + +"Because you do not love me, madame! If you loved me, you would +view all this otherwise. If you loved me, oh, if you loved me, +that would be too great happiness, and I should run mad. Ah, +Madame de Chevreuse was less cruel than you. Holland loved her, +and she responded to his love." + +"Madame de Chevreuse was not queen," murmured Anne of Austria, +overcome, in spite of herself, by the expression of so profound a +passion. + +"You would love me, then, if you were not queen! Madame, say +that you would love me then! I can believe that it is the +dignity of your rank alone which makes you cruel to me; I can +believe that you had been Madame de Chevreuse, poor Buckingham +might have hoped. Thanks for those sweet words! Oh, my +beautiful sovereign, a hundred times, thanks!" + +"Oh, my Lord! You have ill understood, wrongly interpreted; I +did not mean to say--" + +"Silence, silence!" cried the duke. "If I am happy in an error, +do not have the cruelty to lift me from it. You have told me +yourself, madame, that I have been drawn into a snare; I, +perhaps, may leave my life in it--for, although it may be +strange, I have for some time had a presentiment that I should +shortly die." And the duke smiled, with a smile at once sad and +charming. + +"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. + +"I do not tell you this, madame, to terrify you; no, it is even +ridiculous for me to name it to you, and, believe me, I take no +heed of such dreams. But the words you have just spoken, the +hope you have almost given me, will have richly paid all--were it +my life." + +"Oh, but I," said Anne, "I also, duke, have had presentiments; I +also have had dreams. I dreamed that I saw you lying bleeding, +wounded." + +"In the left side, was it not, and with a knife?" interrupted +Buckingham. + +"Yes, it was so, my Lord, it was so--in the left side, and with a +knife. Who can possibly have told you I had had that dream? I +have imparted it to no one but my God, and that in my prayers." + +"I ask for no more. You love me, madame; it is enough." + +"I love you, I?" + +"Yes, yes. Would God send the same dreams to you as to me if you +did not love me? Should we have the same presentiments if our +existences did not touch at the heart? You love me, my beautiful +queen, and you will weep for me?" + +"Oh, my God, my God!" cried Anne of Austria, "this is more than I +can bear. In the name of heaven, Duke, leave me, go! I do not +know whether I love you or love you not; but what I know is that +I will not be perjured. Take pity on me, then, and go! Oh, if +you are stuck in France, if you die in France, if I could imagine +that your love for me was the cause of your death, I could not +console myself; I should run mad. Depart then, depart, I implore +you!" + +"Oh, how beautiful you are thus! Oh, how I love you!" said +Buckingham. + +"Go, go, I implore you, and return hereafter! Come back as +ambassador, come back as minister, come back surrounded with +guards who will defend you, with servants who will watch over +you, and then I shall no longer fear for your days, and I shall +be happy in seeing you." + +"Oh, is this true what you say?" + +"Yes." + +"Oh, then, some pledge of your indulgence, some object which came +from you, and may remind me that I have not been dreaming; +something you have worn, and that I may wear in my turn--a ring, +a necklace, a chain." + +"Will you depart--will you depart, if I give you that you +demand?" + +"Yes." + +"This very instant?" + +"Yes." + +"You will leave France, you will return to England?" + +"I will, I swear to you." + +"Wait, then, wait." + +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. + +"Her, my Lord, here," said she, "keep this in memory of me." + +Buckingham took the casket, and fell a second time on his knees. + +"You have promised me to go," said the queen. + +"And I keep my word. Your hand, madame, your hand, and I +depart!" + +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. + +Buckingham pressed his lips passionately to that beautiful hand, +and then rising, said, "Within six months, if I am not dead, I +shall have seen you again, madame--even if I have to overturn the +world." And faithful to the promise he had made, he rushed out +of the apartment. + +In the corridor he met Mme. Bonacieux, who waited for him, and +who, with the same precautions and the same good luck, conducted +him out of the Louvre. + + + +13 MONSIEUR BONACIEUX + +There was in all this, as may have been observed, one personage +concerned, of whom, notwithstanding his precarious position, we +have appeared to take but very little notice. This personage was +M. Bonacieux, the respectable martyr of the political and amorous +intrigues which entangled themselves so nicely together at this +gallant and chivalric period. + +Fortunately, the reader may remember, or may not remember-- +fortunately we have promised not to lose sight of him. + +The officers who arrested him conducted him straight to the +Bastille, where he passed trembling before a party of soldiers +who were loading their muskets. Thence, introduced into a half- +subterranean gallery, he became, on the part of those who had +brought him, the object of the grossest insults and the harshest +treatment. The officers perceived that they had not to deal with +a gentleman, and they treated him like a very peasant. + +At the end of half an hour or thereabouts, a clerk came to put an +end to his tortures, but not to his anxiety, by giving the order +to conduct M. Bonacieux to the Chamber of Examination. +Ordinarily, prisoners were interrogated in their cells; but they +did not do so with M. Bonacieux. + +Two guards attended the mercer who made him traverse a court and +enter a corridor in which were three sentinels, opened a door and +pushed him unceremoniously into a low room, where the only +furniture was a table, a chair, and a commissary. The commissary +was seated in the chair, and was writing at the table. + +The two guards led the prisoner toward the table, and upon a sign +from the commissary drew back so far as to be unable to hear +anything. + +The commissary, who had till this time held his head down over +his papers, looked up to see what sort of person he had to do +with. This commissary was a man of very repulsive mien, with a +pointed nose, with yellow and salient cheek bones, with eyes +small but keen and penetrating, and an expression of countenance +resembling at once the polecat and the fox. His head, supported +by a long and flexible neck, issued from his large black robe, +balancing itself with a motion very much like that of the +tortoise thrusting his head out of his shell. He began by asking +M. Bonacieux his name, age, condition, and abode. + +The accused replied that his name was Jacques Michel Bonacieux, +that he was fifty-one years old, a retired mercer, and lived Rue +des Fossoyeurs, No. 14. + +The commissary then, instead of continuing to interrogate him, +made him a long speech upon the danger there is for an obscure +citizen to meddle with public matters. He complicated this +exordium by an exposition in which he painted the power and the +deeds of the cardinal, that incomparable minister, that conqueror +of past minister, that conqueror of past ministers, that example +for ministers to come--deeds and power which none could thwart +with impunity. + +After this second part of his discourse, fixing his hawk's eye +upon poor Bonacieux, he bade him reflect upon the gravity of his +situation. + +The reflections of the mercer were already made; he cursed the +instant when M. Laporte formed the idea of marrying him to his +goddaughter had been received as Lady of the Linen to her +Majesty. + +At bottom the character of M. Bonacieux was one of profound +selfishness mixed with sordid avarice, the whole seasoned with +extreme cowardice. The love with which his young wife had +inspired him was a secondary sentiment, and was not strong enough +to contend with the primitive feelings we have just enumerated. +Bonacieux indeed reflected on what had just been said to him. + +"But, Monsieur Commissary," said he, calmly, "believe that I know +and appreciate, more than anybody, the merit of the incomparable +eminence by whom we have the honor to be governed." + +"Indeed?" asked the commissary, with an air of doubt. "If that +is really so, how came you in the Bastille?" + +"How I came there, or rather why I am there," replied Bonacieux, +"that is entirely impossible for me to tell you, because I don't +know myself; but to a certainty it is not for having, knowingly +at least, disobliged Monsieur the Cardinal." + +"You must, nevertheless, have committed a crime, since you are +here and are accused of high treason." + +"Of high treason!" cried Bonacieux, terrified; "of high treason! +How is it possible for a poor mercer, who detests Huguenots and +who abhors Spaniards, to be accused of high treason? Consider, +monsieur, the thing is absolutely impossible." + +"Monsieur Bonacieux," said the commissary, looking at the accused +as if his little eyes had the faculty of reading to the very +depths of hearts, "you have a wife?" + +"Yes, monsieur," replied the mercer, in a tremble, feeling that +it was at this point affairs were likely to become perplexing; +"that is to say, I HAD one." + +"What, you 'had one'? What have you done with her, then, if you +have her no longer?" + +"They have abducted her, monsieur." + +"They have abducted her? Ah!" + +Bonacieux inferred from this "Ah" that the affair grew more and +more intricate. + +"They have abducted her," added the commissary; "and do you know +the man who has committed this deed?" + +"I think I know him." + +"Who is he?" + +"Remember that I affirm nothing, Monsieur the Commissary, and +that I only suspect." + +"Whom do you suspect? Come, answer freely." + +M. Bonacieux was in the greatest perplexity possible. Had he +better deny everything or tell everything? By denying all, it +might be suspected that he must know too much to avow; by +confessing all he might prove his good will. He decided, then, +to tell all. + +"I suspect," said he, "a tall, dark man, of lofty carriage, who +has the air of a great lord. He has followed us several times, +as I think, when I have waited for my wife at the wicket of the +Louvre to escort her home." + +The commissary now appeared to experience a little uneasiness. + +"And his name?" said he. + +"Oh, as to his name, I know nothing about it; but if I were ever +to meet him, I should recognize him in an instant, I will answer +for it, were he among a thousand persons." + +The face of the commissary grew still darker. + +"You should recognize him among a thousand, say you?" continued +he. + +"That is to say," cried Bonacieux, who saw he had taken a false +step, "that is to say--" + +"You have answered that you should recognize him," said the +commissary. "That is all very well, and enough for today; before +we proceed further, someone must be informed that you know the +ravisher of your wife." + +"But I have not told you that I know him!" cried Bonacieux, in +despair. "I told you, on the contrary--" + +"Take away the prisoner," said the commissary to the two guards. + +"Where must we place him?" demanded the chief. + +"In a dungeon." + +"Which?" + +"Goof Lord! In the first one handy, provided it is safe," said +the commissary, with an indifference which penetrated poor +Bonacieux with horror. + +"Alas, alas!" said he to himself, "misfortune is over my head; my +wife must have committed some frightful crime. They believe me +her accomplice, and will punish me with her. She must have +spoken; she must have confessed everything--a woman is so weak! +A dungeon! The first he comes to! That's it! A night is soon +passed; and tomorrow to the wheel, to the gallows! Oh, my God, +my God, have pity on me!" + +Without listening the least in the world to the lamentations of +M. Bonacieux--lamentations to which, besides, they must have been +pretty well accustomed--the two guards took the prisoner each by +an arm, and led him away, while the commissary wrote a letter in +haste and dispatched it by an officer in waiting. + +Bonacieux could not close his eyes; not because his dungeon was +so very disagreeable, but because his uneasiness was so great. +He sat all night on his stool, starting at the least noise; and +when the first rays of the sun penetrated into his chamber, the +dawn itself appeared to him to have taken funereal tints. + +All at once he heard his bolts drawn, and made a terrified bound. +He believed they were come to conduct him to the scaffold; so +that when he saw merely and simply, instead of the executioner he +expected, only his commissary of the preceding evening, attended +by his clerk, he was ready to embrace them both. + +"Your affair has become more complicated since yesterday evening, +my good man, and I advise you to tell the whole truth; for your +repentance alone can remove the anger of the cardinal." + +"Why, I am ready to tell everything," cried Bonacieux, "at least, +all that I know. Interrogate me, I entreat you!" + +"Where is your wife, in the first place?" + +"Why, did not I tell you she had been stolen from me?" + +"Yes, but yesterday at five o'clock in the afternoon, thanks to +you, she escaped." + +"My wife escaped!" cried Bonacieux. "Oh, unfortunate creature! +Monsieur, if she has escaped, it is not my fault, I swear." + +"What business had you, then, to go into the chamber of Monsieur +D'Artagnan, your neighbor, with whom you had a long conference +during the day?" + +"Ah, yes, Monsieur Commissary; yes, that is true, and I confess +that I was in the wrong. I did go to Monsieur D'Artagnan's." + +"What was the aim of that visit?" + +"To beg him to assist me in finding my wife. I believed I had a +right to endeavor to find her. I was deceived, as it appears, +and I ask your pardon." + +"And what did Monsieur d'Artagnan reply?" + +"Monsieur d'Artagnan promised me his assistance; but I soon found +out that he was betraying me." + +"You impose upon justice. Monsieur d'Artagnan made a compact +with you; and in virtue of that compact put to flight the police +who had arrested your wife, and has placed her beyond reach." + +"Fortunately, Monsieur d'Artagnan is in our hands, and you shall +be confronted with him." + +"By my faith, I ask no better," cried Bonacieux; "I shall not be +sorry to see the face of an acquaintance." + +"Bring in the Monsieur d'Artagnan," said the commissary to the +guards. The two guards led in Athos. + +"Monsieur d'Artagnan," said the commissary, addressing Athos, +"declare all that passed yesterday between you and Monsieur." + +"But," cried Bonacieux, "this is not Monsieur d'Artagnan whom you +show me." + +"What! Not Monsieur d'Artagnan?" exclaimed the commissary. + +"Not the least in the world," replied Bonacieux. + +"What is this gentleman's name?" asked the commissary. + +"I cannot tell you; I don't know him." + +"How! You don't know him?" + +"No." + +"Did you never see him?" + +"Yes, I have seen him, but I don't know what he calls himself." + +"Your name?" replied the commissary. + +"Athos," replied the Musketeer. + +"But that is not a man's name; that is the name of a mountain," +cried the poor questioner, who began to lose his head. + +"That is my name," said Athos, quietly. + +"But you said that your name was D'Artagnan." + +"Who, I?" + +"Yes, you." + +"Somebody said to me, 'You are Monsieur d'Artagnan?' I answered, +'You think so?' My guards exclaimed that they were sure of it. +I did not wish to contradict them; besides, I might be deceived." + +"Monsieur, you insult the majesty of justice." + +"Not at all," said Athos, calmly. + +"You are Monsieur d'Artagnan." + +"You see, monsieur, that you say it again." + +"But I tell you, Monsieur Commissary," cried Bonacieux, in his +turn, "there is not the least doubt about the matter. Monsieur +d'Artagnan is my tenant, although he does not pay me my rent--and +even better on that account ought I to know him. Monsieur +Dessessart's Guards, and this gentleman is in the company of +Monsieur de Treville's Musketeers. Look at his uniform, Monsieur +Commissary, look at his uniform!" + +"That's true," murmured the commissary; "PARDIEU, that's true." + +At this moment the door was opened quickly, and a messenger, +introduced by one of the gatekeepers of the Bastille, gave a +letter to the commissary. + +"Oh, unhappy woman!" cried the commissary. + +"How? What do you say? Of whom do you speak? It is not of my +wife, I hope!" + +"On the contrary, it is of her. Yours is a pretty business." + +"But," said the agitated mercer, "do me the pleasure, monsieur, +to tell me how my own proper affair can become worse by anything +my wife does while I am in prison?" + +"Because that which she does is part of a plan concerted between +you--of an infernal plan." + +"I swear to you, Monsieur Commissary, that you are in the +profoundest error, that I know nothing in the world about what my +wife had to do, that I am entirely a stranger to what she has +done; and that if she has committed any follies, I renounce her, +I abjure her, I curse her!" + +"Bah!" said Athos to the commissary, "if you have no more need of +me, send me somewhere. Your Monsieur Bonacieux is very +tiresome." + +The commissary designated by the same gesture Athos and +Bonacieux, "Let them be guarded more closely than ever." + +"And yet," said Athos, with his habitual calmness, "if it be +Monsieur d'Artagnan who is concerned in this matter, I do not +perceive how I can take his place." + +"Do as I bade you," cried the commissary, "and preserve absolute +secrecy. You understand!" + +Athos shrugged his shoulders, and followed his guards silently, +while M. Bonacieux uttered lamentations enough to break the heart +of a tiger. + +They locked the mercer in the same dungeon where he had passed +the night, and left him to himself during the day. Bonacieux +wept all day, like a true mercer, not being at all a military +man, as he himself informed us. In the evening, about nine +o'clock, at the moment he had made up his mind to go to bed, he +heard steps in his corridor. These steps drew near to his +dungeon, the door was thrown open, and the guards appeared. + +"Follow me," said an officer, who came up behind the guards. + +"Follow you!" cried Bonacieux, "follow you at this hour! Where, +my God?" + +"Where we have orders to lead you." + +"But that is not an answer." + +"It is, nevertheless, the only one we can give." + +"Ah, my God, my God!" murmured the poor mercer, "now, indeed, I +am lost!" And he followed the guards who came for him, +mechanically and without resistance. + +He passed along the same corridor as before, crossed one court, +then a second side of a building; at length, at the gate of the +entrance court he found a carriage surrounded by four guards on +horseback. They made him enter this carriage, the officer placed +himself by his side, the door was locked, and they were left in a +rolling prison. The carriage was put in motion as slowly as a +funeral car. Through the closely fastened windows the prisoner +could perceive the houses and the pavement, that was all; but, +true Parisian as he was, Bonacieux could recognize every street +by the milestones, the signs, and the lamps. At the moment of +arriving at St. Paul--the spot where such as were condemned at +the Bastille were executed--he was near fainting and crossed +himself twice. He thought the carriage was about to stop there. +The carriage, however, passed on. + +Farther on, a still greater terror seized him on passing by the +cemetery of St. Jean, where state criminals were buried. One +thing, however, reassured him; he remembered that before they +were buried their heads were generally cut off, and he felt that +his head was still on his shoulders. But when he saw the +carriage take the way to La Greve, when he perceived the pointed +roof of the Hotel de Ville, and the carriage passed under the +arcade, he believed it was over with him. He wished to confess +to the officer, and upon his refusal, uttered such pitiable cries +that the officer told him that if he continued to deafen him +thus, he should put a gag in his mouth. + +This measure somewhat reassured Bonacieux. If they meant to +execute him at La Greve, it could scarcely be worth while to gag +him, as they had nearly reached the place of execution. Indeed, +the carriage crossed the fatal spot without stopping. There +remained, then, no other place to fear but the Traitor's Cross; +the carriage was taking the direct road to it. + +This time there was no longer any doubt; it was at the Traitor's +Cross that lesser criminals were executed. Bonacieux had +flattered himself in believing himself worthy of St. Paul or of +the Place de Greve; it was at the Traitor's Cross that his +journey and his destiny were about to end! He could not yet see +that dreadful cross, but he felt somehow as if it were coming to +meet him. When he was within twenty paces of it, he heard a +noise of people and the carriage stopped. This was more than +poor Bonacieux could endure, depressed as he was by the +successive emotions which he had experienced; he uttered a feeble +groan which night have been taken for the last sigh of a dying +man, and fainted. + + + +14 THE MAN OF MEUNG + +The crowd was caused, not by the expectation of a man to be +hanged, but by the contemplation of a man who was hanged. + +The carriage, which had been stopped for a minute, resumed its +way, passed through the crowd, threaded the Rue St. Honore, +turned into the Rue des Bons Enfants, and stopped before a low +door. + +The door opened; two guards received Bonacieux in their arms from +the officer who supported him. They carried him through an +alley, up a flight of stairs, and deposited him in an +antechamber. + +All these movements had been effected mechanically, as far as he +was concerned. He had walked as one walks in a dream; he had a +glimpse of objects as through a fog. His ears had perceived +sounds without comprehending them; he might have been executed at +that moment without his making a single gesture in his own +defense or uttering a cry to implore mercy. + +He remained on the bench, with his back leaning against the wall +and his hands hanging down, exactly on the spot where the guards +placed him. + +On looking around him, however, as he could perceive no +threatening object, as nothing indicated that he ran any real +danger, as the bench was comfortably covered with a well-stuffed +cushion, as the wall was ornamented with a beautiful Cordova +leather, and as large red damask curtains, fastened back by gold +clasps, floated before the window, he perceived by degrees that +his fear was exaggerated, and he began to turn his head to the +right and the left, upward and downward. + +At this movement, which nobody opposed, he resumed a little +courage, and ventured to draw up one leg and then the other. At +length, with the help of his two hands he lifted himself from the +bench, and found himself on his feet. + +At this moment an officer with a pleasant face opened a door, +continued to exchange some words with a person in the next +chamber and then came up to the prisoner. "Is your name +Bonacieux?" said he. + +"Yes, Monsieur Officer," stammered the mercer, more dead than +alive, "at your service." + +"Come in," said the officer. + +And he moved out of the way to let the mercer pass. The latter +obeyed without reply, and entered the chamber, where he appeared +to be expected. + +It was a large cabinet, close and stifling, with the walls +furnished with arms offensive and defensive, and in which there +was already a fire, although it was scarcely the end of the month +of September. A square table, covered with books and papers, +upon which was unrolled an immense plan of the city of La +Rochelle, occupied the center of the room. + +Standing before the chimney was a man of middle height, of a +haughty, proud mien; with piercing eyes, a large brow, and a thin +face, which was made still longer by a ROYAL (or IMPERIAL, as it +is now called), surmounted by a pair of mustaches. Although this +man was scarcely thirty-six or thirty-seven years of age, hair, +mustaches, and royal, all began to be gray. This man, except a +sword, had all the appearance of a soldier; and his buff boots +still slightly covered with dust, indicated that he had been on +horseback in the course of the day. + +This man was Armand Jean Duplessis, Cardinal de Richelieu; not +such as he is now represented--broken down like an old man, +suffering like a martyr, his body bent, his voice failing, buried +in a large armchair as in an anticipated tomb; no longer living +but by the strength of his genius, and no longer maintaining the +struggle with Europe but by the eternal application of his +thoughts--but such as he really was at this period; that is to +say, an active and gallant cavalier, already weak of body, but +sustained by that moral power which made of him one of the most +extraordinary men that ever lived, preparing, after having +supported the Duc de Nevers in his duchy of Mantua, after having +taken Nimes, Castres, and Uzes, to drive the English from the +Isle of Re and lay siege to La Rochelle. + +At first sight, nothing denoted the cardinal; and it was +impossible for those who did not know his face to guess in whose +presence they were. + +The poor mercer remained standing at the door, while the eyes of +the personage we have just described were fixed upon him, and +appeared to wish to penetrate even into the depths of the past. + +"Is this that Bonacieux?" asked he, after a moment of silence. + +"Yes, monseigneur," replied the officer. + +"That's well. Give me those papers, and leave us." + +The officer took from the table the papers pointed out, gave them +to him who asked for them, bowed to the ground, and retired. + +Bonacieux recognized in these papers his interrogatories of the +Bastille. From time to time the man by the chimney raised his +eyes from the writings, and plunged them like poniards into the +heart of the poor mercer. + +At the end of ten minutes of reading and ten seconds of +examination, the cardinal was satisfied. + +"That head has never conspired," murmured he, "but it matters +not; we will see." + +"You are accused of high treason," said the cardinal, slowly. + +"So I have been told already, monseigneur," cried Bonacieux, +giving his interrogator the title he had heard the officer give +him, "but I swear to you that I know nothing about it." + +The cardinal repressed a smile. + +"You have conspired with your wife, with Madame de Chevreuse, and +with my Lord Duke of Buckingham." + +"Indeed, monseigneur," responded the mercer, "I have heard her +pronounce all those names." + +"And on what occasion?" + +"She said that the Cardinal de Richelieu had drawn the Duke of +Buckingham to Paris to ruin him and to ruin the queen." + +"She said that?" cried the cardinal, with violence. + +"Yes, monseigneur, but I told her she was wrong to talk about +such things; and that his Eminence was incapable--" + +"Hold your tongue! You are stupid," replied the cardinal. + +"That's exactly what my wife said, monseigneur." + +"Do you know who carried off your wife?" + +"No, monsigneur." + +"You have suspicions, nevertheless?" + +"Yes, monsigneur; but these suspicions appeared to be +disagreeable to Monsieur the Commissary, and I no longer have +them." + +"Your wife has escaped. Did you know that?" + +"No, monseigneur. I learned it since I have been in prison, and +that from the conversation of Monsieur the Commissary--an amiable +man." + +The cardinal repressed another smile. + +"Then you are ignorant of what has become of your wife since her +flight." + +"Absolutely, monseigneur; but she has most likely returned to the +Louvre." + +"At one o'clock this morning she had not returned." + +"My God! What can have become of her, then?" + +"We shall know, be assured. Nothing is concealed from the +cardinal; the cardinal knows everything." + +"In that case, monseigneur, do you believe the cardinal will be +so kind as to tell me what has become of my wife?" + +"Perhaps he may; but you must, in the first place, reveal to the +cardinal all you know of your wife's relations with Madame de +Chevreuse." + +"But, monseigneur, I know nothing about them; I have never seen +her." + +"When you went to fetch your wife from the Louvre, did you always +return directly home?" + +"Scarcely ever; she had business to transact with linen drapers, +to whose houses I conducted her." + +"And how many were there of these linen drapers?" + +"Two, monseigneur." + +"And where did they live?" + +"One in Rue de Vaugirard, the other Rue de la Harpe." + +"Did you go into these houses with her?" + +"Never, monseigneur; I waited at the door." + +"And what excuse did she give you for entering all alone?" + +"She gave me none; she told me to wait, and I waited." + +"You are a very complacent husband, my dear Monsieur Bonacieux," said the cardinal. + +"He calls me his dear Monsieur," said the mercer to himself. +"PESTE! Matters are going all right." + +"Should you know those doors again?" + +"Yes." + +"Do you know the numbers?" + +"Yes." + +"What are they?" + +"No. 25 in the Rue de Vaugirard; 75 in the Rue de la Harpe." + +"That's well," said the cardinal. + +At these words he took up a silver bell, and rang it; the officer +entered. + +"Go," said he, in a subdued voice, "and find Rochefort. Tell him +to come to me immediately, if he has returned." + +"The count is here," said the officer, "and requests to speak +with your Eminence instantly." + +"Let him come in, then!" said the cardinal, quickly. + +The officer sprang out of the apartment with that alacrity which +all the servants of the cardinal displayed in obeying him. + +"To your Eminence!" murmured Bonacieux, rolling his eyes round in +astonishment. + +Five seconds has scarcely elapsed after the disappearance of the +officer, when the door opened, and a new personage entered. + +"It is he!" cried Bonacieux. + +"He! What he?" asked the cardinal. + +"The man who abducted my wife." + +The cardinal rang a second time. The officer reappeared. + +"Place this man in the care of his guards again, and let him wait +till I send for him." + +"No, monseigneur, no, it is not he!" cried Bonacieux; "no, I was +deceived. This is quite another man, and does not resemble him +at all. Monsieur is, I am sure, an honest man." + +"Take away that fool!" said the cardinal. + +The officer took Bonacieux by the arm, and led him into the +antechamber, where he found his two guards. + +The newly introduced personage followed Bonacieux impatiently +with his eyes till he had gone out; and the moment the door +closed, "They have seen each other;" said he, approaching the +cardinal eagerly. + +"Who?" asked his Eminence. + +"He and she." + +"The queen and the duke?" cried Richelieu. + +"Yes." + +"Where?" + +"At the Louvre." + +"Are you sure of it?" + +"Perfectly sure." + +"Who told you of it?" + +"Madame de Lannoy, who is devoted to your Eminence, as you know." + +"Why did she not let me know sooner?" + +"Whether by chance or mistrust, the queen made Madame de Surgis +sleep in her chamber, and detained her all day." + +"Well, we are beaten! Now let us try to take our revenge." + +"I will assist you with all my heart, monseigneur; be assured of +that." + +"How did it come about?" + +"At half past twelve the queen was with her women--" + +"Where?" + +"In her bedchamber--" + +"Go on." + +"When someone came and brought her a handkerchief from her +laundress." + +"And then?" + +"The queen immediately exhibited strong emotion; and despite the +rouge with which her face was covered evidently turned pale--" + +"And then, and then?" + +"She then arose, and with altered voice, 'Ladies,' said she, +'wait for me ten minutes, I shall soon return.' She then opened +the door of her alcove, and went out." + +"Why did not Madame de Lannoy come and inform you instantly?" + +"Nothing was certain; besides, her Majesty had said, 'Ladies, +wait for me,' and she did not dare to disobey the queen." + +"How long did the queen remain out of the chamber?" + +"Three-quarters of an hour." + +"None of her women accompanied her?" + +"Only Donna Estafania." + +"Did she afterward return?" + +"Yes; but only to take a little rosewood casket, with her cipher +upon it, and went out again immediately." + +"And when she finally returned, did she bring that casket with +her?" + +"No." + +"Does Madame de Lannoy know what was in that casket?" + +"Yes; the diamond studs which his Majesty gave the queen." + +"And she came back without this casket?" + +"Yes." + +"Madame de Lannoy, then, is of opinion that she gave them to +Buckingham?" + +"She is sure of it." + +"How can she be so?" + +"In the course of the day Madame de Lannoy, in her quality of +tire-woman of the queen, looked for this casket, appeared uneasy +at not finding it, and at length asked information of the queen." + +"And then the queen?" + +"The queen became exceedingly red, and replied that having in the +evening broken one of those studs, she had sent it to her +goldsmith to be repaired." + +"He must be called upon, and so ascertain if the thing be true or +not." + +"I have just been with him." + +"And the goldsmith?" + +"The goldsmith has heard nothing of it." + +"Well, well! Rochefort, all is not lost; and perhaps--perhaps +everything is for the best." + +"The fact is that I do not doubt your Eminence's genius--" + +"Will repair the blunders of his agent--is that it?" + +"That is exactly what I was going to say, if your Eminence had +let me finish my sentence." + +"Meanwhile, do you know where the Duchesse de Chevreuse and the +Duke of Buckingham are now concealed?" + +"No, monseigneur; my people could tell me nothing on that head." + +"But I know." + +"You, monseigneur?" + +"Yes; or at least I guess. They were, one in the Rue de +Vaugirard, No. 25; the other in the Rue de la Harpe, No. 75." + +"Does your Eminence command that they both be instantly +arrested?" + +"It will be too late; they will be gone." + +"But still, we can make sure that they are so." + +"Take ten men of my Guardsmen, and search the two houses +thoroughly." + +"Instantly, monseigneur." And Rochefort went hastily out of the +apartment. + +The cardinal being left alone, reflected for an instant and then +rang the bell a third time. The same officer appeared. + +"Bring the prisoner in again," said the cardinal. + +M. Bonacieux was introduced afresh, and upon a sign from the +cardinal, the officer retired. + +"You have deceived me!" said the cardinal, sternly. + +"I," cried Bonacieux, "I deceive your Eminence!" + +"Your wife, in going to Rue de Vaugirard and Rue de la Harpe, did +not go to find linen drapers." + +"Then why did she go, just God?" + +"She went to meet the Duchesse de Chevreuse and the Duke of Buckingham." + +"Yes," cried Bonacieux, recalling all his remembrances of the +circumstances, "yes, that's it. Your Eminence is right. I told +my wife several times that it was surprising that linen drapers +should live in such houses as those, in houses that had no signs; +but she always laughed at me. Ah, monseigneur!" continued +Bonacieux, throwing himself at his Eminence's feet, "ah, how +truly you are the cardinal, the great cardinal, the man of genius +whom all the world reveres!" + +The cardinal, however contemptible might be the triumph gained +over so vulgar a being as Bonacieux, did not the less enjoy it +for an instant; then, almost immediately, as if a fresh thought +has occurred, a smile played upon his lips, and he said, offering +his hand to the mercer, "Rise, my friend, you are a worthy man." + +"The cardinal has touched me with his hand! I have touched the +hand of the great man!" cried Bonacieux. "The great man has +called me his friend!" + +"Yes, my friend, yes," said the cardinal, with that paternal tone +which he sometimes knew how to assume, but which deceived none +who knew him; "and as you have been unjustly suspected, well, you +must be indemnified. Here, take this purse of a hundred +pistoles, and pardon me." + +"I pardon you, monseigneur!" said Bonacieux, hesitating to take +the purse, fearing, doubtless, that this pretended gift was but a +pleasantry. "But you are able to have me arrested, you are able +to have me tortured, you are able to have me hanged; you are the +master, and I could not have the least word to say. Pardon you, +monseigneur! You cannot mean that!" + +"Ah, my dear Monsieur Bonacieux, you are generous in this matter. +I see it and I thank you for it. Thus, then, you will take this +bag, and you will go away without being too malcontent." + +"I go away enchanted." + +"Farewell, then, or rather, AU REVOIR!" + +And the cardinal made him a sign with his hand, to which +Bonacieux replied by bowing to the ground. He then went out +backward, and when he was in the antechamber the cardinal heard +him, in his enthusiasm, crying aloud, "Long life to the +Monseigneur! Long life to his Eminence! Long life to the great +cardinal!" The cardinal listened with a smile to this vociferous +manifestation of the feelings of M. Bonacieux; and then, when +Bonacieux's cries were no longer audible, "Good!" said he, "that +man would henceforward lay down his life for me." And the +cardinal began to examine with the greatest attention the map of +La Rochelle, which, as we have said, lay open on the desk, +tracing with a pencil the line in which the famous dyke was to +pass which, eighteen months later, shut up the port of the +besieged city. As he was in the deepest of his strategic +meditations, the door opened, and Rochefort returned. + +"Well?" said the cardinal, eagerly, rising with a promptitude +which proved the degree of importance he attached to the +commission with which he had charged the count. + +"Well," said the latter, "a young woman of about twenty-six or +twenty-eight years of age, and a man of from thirty-five to +forty, have indeed lodged at the two houses pointed out by your +Eminence; but the woman left last night, and the man this +morning." + +"It was they!" cried the cardinal, looking at the clock; "and now +it is too late to have them persued. The duchess is at Tours, +and the duke at Boulogne. It is in London they must be found." + +"What are your Eminence's orders?" + +"Not a word of what has passed. Let the queen remain in perfect +security; let her be ignorant that we know her secret. Let her +believe that we are in search of some conspiracy or other. Send +me the keeper of the seals, Seguier." + +"And that man, what has your Eminence done with him?" + +"What man?" asked the cardinal. + +"That Bonacieux." + +"I have done with him all that could be done. I have made him a +spy upon his wife." + +The Comte de Rochefort bowed like a man who acknowledges the +superiority of the master as great, and retired. + +Left alone, the cardinal seated himself again and wrote a letter, +which he secured with his special seal. Then he rang. The +officer entered for the fourth time. + +"Tell Vitray to come to me," said he, "and tell him to get ready +for a journey." + +An instant after, the man he asked for was before him, booted and +spurred. + +"Vitray," said he, "you will go with all speed to London. You +must not stop an instant on the way. You will deliver this +letter to Milady. Here is an order for two hundred pistoles; +call upon my treasurer and get the money. You shall have as much +again if you are back within six days, and have executed your +commission well." + +The messenger, without replying a single word, bowed, took the +letter, with the order for the two hundred pistoles, and retired. + +Here is what the letter contained: + +MILADY, Be at the first ball at which the Duke of Buckingham +shall be present. He will wear on his doublet twelve diamond +studs; get as near to him as you can, and cut off two. + +As soon as these studs shall be in your possession, inform me. + + + +15 MEN OF THE ROBE AND MEN OF THE SWORD + +On the day after these events had taken place, Athos not having +reappeared, M. de Treville was informed by D'Artagnan and Porthos +of the circumstance. As to Aramis, he had asked for leave of +absence for five days, and was gone, it was said, to Rouen on +family business. + +M. de Treville was the father of his soldiers. The lowest or the +least known of them, as soon as he assumed the uniform of the +company, was as sure of his aid and support as if he had been his +own brother. + +He repaired, then, instantly to the office of the LIEUTENANT- +CRIMINEL. The officer who commanded the post of the +Red Cross was sent for, and by successive inquiries they learned +that Athos was then lodged in the Fort l'Eveque. + +Athos had passed through all the examinations we have seen +Bonacieux undergo. + +We were present at the scene in which the two captives were +confronted with each other. Athos, who had till that time said +nothing for fear that D'Artagnan, interrupted in his turn, should +not have the time necessary, from this moment declared that his +name was Athos, and not D'Artagnan. He added that he did not +know either M. or Mme. Bonacieux; that he had never spoken to the +one or the other; that he had come, at about ten o'clock in the +evening, to pay a visit to his friend M. d'Artagnan, but that +till that hour he had been at M. de Treville's, where he had +dined. "Twenty witnesses," added he, "could attest the fact"; +and he named several distinguished gentlemen, and among them was +M. le Duc de la Tremouille. + +The second commissary was as much bewildered as the first had +been by the simple and firm declaration of the Musketeer, upon +whom he was anxious to take the revenge which men of the robe +like at all times to gain over men of the sword; but the name of +M. de Treville, and that of M. de la Tremouille, commanded a +little reflection. + +Athos was then sent to the cardinal; but unfortunately the +cardinal was at the Louvre with the king. + +It was precisely at this moment that M. de Treville, on leaving +the residence of the LIEUTENANT-CRIMINEL and the governor of the +Fort l'Eveque without being able to find Athos, arrived at the +palace. + +As captain of the Musketeers, M. de Treville had the right of +entry at all times. + +It is well known how violent the king's prejudices were against +the queen, and how carefully these prejudices were kept up by the +cardinal, who in affairs of intrigue mistrusted women infinitely +more than men. One of the grand causes of this prejudice was the +friendship of Anne of Austria for Mme. de Chevreuse. These two +women gave him more uneasiness than the war with Spain, the +quarrel with England, or the embarrassment of the finances. In +his eyes and to his conviction, Mme. de Chevreuse not only served +the queen in her political intrigues, but, what tormented him +still more, in her amorous intrigues. + +At the first word the cardinal spoke of Mme. de Chevreuse--who, +though exiled to Tours and believed to be in that city, had come +to Paris, remained there five days, and outwitted the police--the +king flew into a furious passion. Capricious and unfaithful, the +king wished to be called Louis the Just and Louis the Chaste. +Posterity will find a difficulty in understanding this character, +which history explains only by facts and never by reason. + +But when the cardinal added that not only Mme. de Chevreuse had +been in Paris, but still further, that the queen had renewed with +her one of those mysterious correspondences which at that time +was named a CABAL; when he affirmed that he, the cardinal, was +about to unravel the most closely twisted thread of this +intrigue; that at the moment of arresting in the very act, with +all the proofs about her, the queen's emissary to the exiled +duchess, a Musketeer had dared to interrupt the course of justice +violently, by falling sword in hand upon the honest men of the +law, charged with investigating impartially the whole affair in +order to place it before the eyes of the king--Louis XIII could +not contain himself, and he made a step toward the queen's +apartment with that pale and mute indignation which, when in +broke out, led this prince to the commission of the most pitiless +cruelty. And yet, in all this, the cardinal had not yet said a +word about the Duke of Buckingham. + +At this instant M. de Treville entered, cool, polite, and in +irreproachable costume. + +Informed of what had passed by the presence of the cardinal and +the alteration in the king's countenance, M. de Treville felt +himself something like Samson before the Philistines. + +Louis XIII had already placed his hand on the knob of the door; +at the noise of M. de Treville's entrance he turned round. "You +arrive in good time, monsieur," said the king, who, when his +passions were raised to a certain point, could not dissemble; "I +have learned some fine things concerning your Musketeers." + +"And I," said Treville, coldly, "I have some pretty things to tell your Majesty concerning these gownsmen." + +"What?" said the king, with hauteur. + +"I have the honor to inform your Majesty," continued M. de +Treville, in the same tone, "that a party of PROCUREURS, +commissaries, and men of the police--very estimable people, but +very inveterate, as it appears, against the uniform--have taken +upon themselves to arrest in a house, to lead away through the +open street, and throw into the Fort l'Eveque, all upon an order +which they have refused to show me, one of my, or rather your +Musketeers, sire, of irreproachable conduct, of an almost +illustrious reputation, and whom your Majesty knows favorably, +Monsieur Athos." + +"Athos," said the king, mechanically; "yes, certainly I know that +name." + +"Let your Majesty remember," said Treville, "that Monsieur Athos +is the Musketeer who, in the annoying duel which you are +acquainted with, had the misfortune to wound Monsieur de Cahusac +so seriously. A PROPOS, monseigneur," continued Treville. +Addressing the cardinal, "Monsieur de Cahusac is quite recovered, +is he not?" + +"Thank you," said the cardinal, biting his lips with anger. + +"Athos, then, went to pay a visit to one of his friends absent at +the time," continued Treville, "to a young Bearnais, a cadet in +his Majesty's Guards, the company of Monsieur Dessessart, but +scarcely had he arrived at his friend's and taken up a book, +while waiting his return, when a mixed crowd of bailiffs and +soldiers came and laid siege to the house, broke open several +doors--" + +The cardinal made the king a sign, which signified, "That was on +account of the affair about which I spoke to you." + +"We all know that," interrupted the king; "for all that was done +for our service." + +"Then," said Treville, "it was also for your Majesty's service +that one of my Musketeers, who was innocent, has been seized, +that he has been placed between two guards like a malefactor, and +that this gallant man, who has ten times shed his blood in your +Majesty's service and is ready to shed it again, has been paraded +through the midst of an insolent populace?" + +"Bah!" said the king, who began to be shaken, "was it so +managed?" + +"Monsieur de Treville," said the cardinal, with the greatest +phlegm, "does not tell your Majesty that this innocent Musketeer, +this gallant man, had only an hour before attacked, sword in +hand, four commissaries of inquiry, who were delegated by myself +to examine into an affair of the highest importance." + +"I defy your Eminence to prove it," cried Treville, with his +Gascon freedom and military frankness; "for one hour before, +Monsieur Athos, who, I will confide it to your Majesty, is really +a man of the highest quality, did me the honor after having dined +with me to be conversing in the saloon of my hotel, with the Duc +de la Tremouille and the Comte de Chalus, who happened to be +there." + +The king looked at the cardinal. + +"A written examination attests it," said the cardinal, replying +aloud to the mute interrogation of his Majesty; "and the ill- +treated people have drawn up the following, which I have the +honor to present to your Majesty." + +"And is the written report of the gownsmen to be placed in +comparison with the word of honor of a swordsman?" replied +Treville haughtily. + +"Come, come, Treville, hold your tongue," said the king. + +"If his Eminence entertains any suspicion against one of my +Musketeers," said Treville, "the justice of Monsieur the Cardinal +is so well known that I demand an inquiry." + +"In the house in which the judicial inquiry was made," continued +the impassive cardinal, "there lodges, I believe, a young +Bearnais, a friend of the Musketeer." + +"Your Eminence means Monsieur d'Artagnan." + +"I mean a young man whom you patronize, Monsieur de Treville." + +"Yes, your Eminence, it is the same." + +"Do you not suspect this young man of having given bad counsel?" + +"To Athos, to a man double his age?" interrupted Treville. "No, +monseigneur. Besides, D'Artagnan passed the evening with me." + +"Well," said the cardinal, "everybody seems to have passed the +evening with you." + +"Does your Eminence doubt my word?" said Treville, with a brow +flushed with anger. + +"No, God forbid," said the cardinal; "only, at what hour was he with you?" + +"Oh, as to that I can speak positively, your Eminence; for as he +came in I remarked that it was but half past nine by the clock, +although I had believed it to be later." + +"At what hour did he leave your hotel?" + +"At half past ten--an hour after the event." + +"Well," replied the cardinal, who could not for an instant +suspect the loyalty of Treville, and who felt that the victory +was escaping him, "well, but Athos WAS taken in the house in the +Rue des Fossoyeurs." + +"Is one friend forbidden to visit another, or a Musketeer of my +company to fraternize with a Guard of Dessessart's company?" + +"Yes, when the house where he fraternizes is suspected." + +"That house is suspected, Treville," said the king; "perhaps you +did not know it?" + +"Indeed, sire, I did not. The house may be suspected; but I deny +that it is so in the part of it inhabited my Monsieur d'Artagnan, +for I can affirm, sire, if I can believe what he says, that there +does not exist a more devoted servant of your Majesty, or a more +profound admirer of Monsieur the Cardinal." + +"Was it not this D'Artagnan who wounded Jussac one day, in that +unfortunate encounter which took place near the Convent of the +Carmes-Dechausses?" asked the king, looking at the cardinal, who +colored with vexation. + +"And the next day, Bernajoux. Yes, sire, yes, it is the same; and +your Majesty has a good memory." + +"Come, how shall we decide?" said the king. + +"That concerns your Majesty more than me," said the cardinal. "I +should affirm the culpability." + +"And I deny it," said Treville. "But his Majesty has judges, and +these judges will decide." + +"That is best," said the king. "Send the case before the judges; +it is their business to judge, and they shall judge." + +"Only," replied Treville, "it is a sad thing that in the +unfortunate times in which we live, the purest life, the most +incontestable virtue, cannot exempt a man from infamy and +persecution. The army, I will answer for it, will be but little +pleased at being exposed to rigorous treatment on account of +police affairs." + +The expression was imprudent; but M. de Treville launched it with +knowledge of his cause. He was desirous of an explosion, because +in that case the mine throws forth fire, and fire enlightens. + +"Police affairs!" cried the king, taking up Treville's words, +"police affairs! And what do you know about them, Monsieur? +Meddle with your Musketeers, and do not annoy me in this way. It +appears, according to your account, that if by mischance a +Musketeer is arrested, France is in danger. What a noise about a +Musketeer! I would arrest ten of them, VENTREBLEU, a hundred, +even, all the company, and I would not allow a whisper." + +"From the moment they are suspected by your Majesty," said +Treville, "the Musketeers are guilty; therefore, you see me +prepared to surrender my sword--for after having accused my +soldiers, there can be no doubt that Monsieur the Cardinal will +end by accusing me. It is best to constitute myself at once a +prisoner with Athos, who is already arrested, and with +D'Artagnan, who most probably will be." + +"Gascon-headed man, will you have done?" said the king. + +"Sire," replied Treville, without lowering his voice in the +least, "either order my Musketeer to be restored to me, or let +him be tried." + +"He shall be tried," said the cardinal. + +"Well, so much the better; for in that case I shall demand of his +Majesty permission to plead for him." + +The king feared an outbreak. + +"If his Eminence," said he, "did not have personal motives--" + +The cardinal saw what the king was about to say and interrupted +him: + +"Pardon me," said he; "but the instant your Majesty considers me +a prejudiced judge, I withdraw." + +"Come," said the king, "will you swear, by my father, that Athos +was at your residence during the event and that he took no part +in it?" + +"By your glorious father, and by yourself, whom I love and +venerate above all the world, I swear it." + +"Be so kind as to reflect, sire," said the cardinal. "If we +release the prisoner thus, we shall never know the truth." + +"Athos may always be found," replied Treville, "ready to answer, +when it shall please the gownsmen to interrogate him. He will +not desert, Monsieur the Cardinal, be assured of that; I will +answer for him." + +"No, he will not desert," said the king; "he can always be found, +as Treville says. Besides," added he, lowering his voice and +looking with a suppliant air at the cardinal, "let us give them +apparent security; that is policy." + +This policy of Louis XIII made Richelieu smile. + +"Order it as you please, sire; you possess the right of pardon." + +"The right of pardoning only applies to the guilty," said +Treville, who was determined to have the last word, "and my +Musketeer is innocent. It is not mercy, then, that you are about +to accord, sire, it is justice." + +"And he is in the Fort l'Eveque?" said the king. + +"Yes, sire, in solitary confinement, in a dungeon, like the +lowest criminal." + +"The devil!" murmured the king; "what must be done?" + +"Sign an order for his release, and all will be said," replied +the cardinal. "I believe with your Majesty that Monsieur de +Treville's guarantee is more than sufficient." + +Treville bowed very respectfully, with a joy that was not unmixed +with fear; he would have preferred an obstinate resistance on the +part of the cardinal to this sudden yielding. + +The king signed the order for release, and Treville carried it +away without delay. As he was about to leave the presence, the +cardinal have him a friendly smile, and said, "A perfect harmony +reigns, sire, between the leaders and the soldiers of your +Musketeers, which must be profitable for the service and +honorable to all." + +"He will play me some dog's trick or other, and that +immediately," said Treville. "One has never the last word with +such a man. But let us be quick--the king may change his mind in +an hour; and at all events it is more difficult to replace a man +in the Fort l'Eveque or the Bastille who has got out, than to +keep a prisoner there who is in." + +M. de Treville made his entrance triumphantly into the Fort +l'Eveque, whence he delivered the Musketeer, whose peaceful +indifference had not for a moment abandoned him. + +The first time he saw D'Artagnan, "You have come off well," said +he to him; "there is your Jussac thrust paid for. There still +remains that of Bernajoux, but you must not be too confident." + +As to the rest, M. de Treville had good reason to mistrust the +cardinal and to think that all was not over, for scarcely had the +captain of the Musketeers closed the door after him, than his +Eminence said to the king, "Now that we are at length by +ourselves, we will, if your Majesty pleases, converse seriously. +Sire, Buckingham has been in Paris five days, and only left this +morning." + + + +16 IN WHICH M. SEGUIER, KEEPER OF THE SEALS, LOOKS MORE THAN +ONCE FOR THE BELL, IN ORDER TO RING IT, AS HE DID BEFORE + +It is impossible to form an idea of the impression these few +words made upon Louis XIII. He grew pale and red alternately; +and the cardinal saw at once that he had recovered by a single +blow all the ground he had lost. + +"Buckingham in Paris!" cried he, "and why does he come?" + +"To conspire, no doubt, with your enemies, the Huguenots and the +Spaniards." + +"No, PARDIEU, no! To conspire against my honor with Madame de +Chevreuse, Madame de Longueville, and the Condes." + +"Oh, sire, what an idea! The queen is too virtuous; and besides, +loves your Majesty too well." + +"Woman is weak, Monsieur Cardinal," said the king; "and as to +loving me much, I have my own opinion as to that love." + +"I not the less maintain," said the cardinal, "that the Duke of +Buckingham came to Paris for a project wholly political." + +"And I am sure that he came for quite another purpose, Monsieur +Cardinal; but if the queen be guilty, let her tremble!" + +"Indeed," said the cardinal, "whatever repugnance I may have to +directing my mind to such a treason, your Majesty compels me to +think of it. Madame de Lannoy, whom, according to your Majesty's +command, I have frequently interrogated, told me this morning +that the night before last her Majesty sat up very late, that +this morning she wept much, and that she was writing all day." + +"That's it!" cried the king; "to him, no doubt. Cardinal, I must +have the queen's papers." + +"But how to take them, sire? It seems to me that it is neither +your Majesty not myself who can charge himself with such a +mission." + +"How did they act with regard to the Marechale d'Ancre?" cried +the king, in the highest state of choler; "first her closets were +thoroughly searched, and then she herself." + +"The Marechale d'Ancre was no more than the Marechale d'Ancre. A +Florentine adventurer, sire, and that was all; while the august +spouse of your Majesty is Anne of Austria, Queen of France--that +is to say, one of the greatest princesses in the world." + +"She is not the less guilty, Monsieur Duke! The more she has +forgotten the high position in which she was placed, the more +degrading is her fall. Besides, I long ago determined to put an +end to all these petty intrigues of policy and love. She has +near her a certain Laporte." + +"Who, I believe, is the mainspring of all this, I confess," said +the cardinal. + +"You think then, as I do, that she deceives me?" said the king. + +"I believe, and I repeat it to your Majesty, that the queen +conspires against the power of the king, but I have not said +against his honor." + +"And I--I tell you against both. I tell you the queen does not +love me; I tell you she loves another; I tell you she loves that +infamous Buckingham! Why did you not have him arrested while in +Paris?" + +"Arrest the Duke! Arrest the prime minister of King Charles I! +Think of it, sire! What a scandal! And if the suspicions of +your Majesty, which I still continue to doubt, should prove to +have any foundation, what a terrible disclosure, what a fearful +scandal!" + +"But as he exposed himself like a vagabond or a thief, he should +have been--" + +Louis XIII stopped, terrified at what he was about to say, while +Richelieu, stretching out his neck, waited uselessly for the word +which had died on the lips of the king. + +"He should have been--?" + +"Nothing," said the king, "nothing. But all the time he was in +Paris, you, of course, did not lose sight of him?" + +"No, sire." + +"Where did he lodge?" + +"Rue de la Harpe. No. 75." + +"Where is that?" + +"By the side of the Luxembourg." + +"And you are certain that the queen and he did not see each +other?" + +"I believe the queen to have too high a sense of her duty, sire." + +"But they have corresponded; it is to him that the queen has been +writing all the day. Monsieur Duke, I must have those letters!" + +"Sire, notwithstanding--" + +"Monsieur Duke, at whatever price it may be, I will have them." + +"I would, however, beg your Majesty to observe--" + +"Do you, then, also join in betraying me, Monsieur Cardinal, by +thus always opposing my will? Are you also in accord with Spain +and England, with Madame de Chevreuse and the queen?" + +"Sire," replied the cardinal, sighing, "I believed myself secure +from such a suspicion." + +"Monsieur Cardinal, you have heard me; I will have those +letters." + +"There is but one way." + +"What is that?" + +"That would be to charge Monsieur de Seguier, the keeper of the +seals, with this mission. The matter enters completely into the +duties of the post." + +"Let him be sent for instantly." + +"He is most likely at my hotel. I requested him to call, and +when I came to the Louvre I left orders if he came, to desire him +to wait." + +"Let him be sent for instantly." + +"Your Majesty's orders shall be executed; but--" + +"But what?" + +"But the queen will perhaps refuse to obey." + +"My orders?" + +"Yes, if she is ignorant that these orders come from the king." + +"Well, that she may have no doubt on that head, I will go and +inform her myself." + +"Your Majesty will not forget that I have done everything in my +power to prevent a rupture." + +"Yes, Duke, yes, I know you are very indulgent toward the queen, +too indulgent, perhaps; we shall have occasion, I warn you, at +some future period to speak of that." + +"Whenever it shall please your Majesty; but I shall be always +happy and proud, sire, to sacrifice myself to the harmony which I +desire to see reign between you and the Queen of France." + +"Very well, Cardinal, very well; but, meantime, send for Monsieur +the Keeper of the Seals. I will go to the queen." + +And Louis XIII, opening the door of communication, passed into +the corridor which led from his apartments to those of Anne of +Austria. + +The queen was in the midst of her women--Mme. de Guitaut, Mme. de +Sable, Mme. de Montbazon, and Mme. de Guemene. In a corner was +the Spanish companion, Donna Estafania, who had followed her from +Madrid. Mme. Guemene was reading aloud, and everybody was +listening to her with attention with the exception of the queen, +who had, on the contrary, desired this reading in order that she +might be able, while feigning to listen, to pursue the thread of +her own thoughts. + +These thoughts, gilded as they were by a last reflection of love, +were not the less sad. Anne of Austria, deprived of the +confidence of her husband, pursued by the hatred of the cardinal, +who could not pardon her for having repulsed a more tender +feeling, having before her eyes the example of the queen-mother +whom that hatred had tormented all her life--though Marie de +Medicis, if the memoirs of the time are to be believed, had begun +by according to the cardinal that sentiment which Anne of Austria +always refused him--Anne of Austria had seen her most devoted +servants fall around her, her most intimate confidants, her +dearest favorites. Like those unfortunate persons endowed with a +fatal gift, she brought misfortune upon everything she touched. +Her friendship was a fatal sign which called down persecution. +Mme. de Chevreuse and Mme. de Bernet were exiled, and Laporte did +not conceal from his mistress that he expected to be arrested +every instant. + +It was at the moment when she was plunged in the deepest and +darkest of these reflections that the door of the chamber opened, +and the king entered. + +The reader hushed herself instantly. All the ladies rose, and +there was a profound silence. As to the king, he made no +demonstration of politeness, only stopping before the queen. +"Madame," said he, "you are about to receive a visit from the +chancellor, who will communicate certain matters to you with +which I have charged him." + +The unfortunate queen, who was constantly threatened with +divorce, exile, and trial even, turned pale under her rouge, and +could not refrain from saying, "But why this visit, sire? What +can the chancellor have to say to me that your Majesty could not +say yourself?" + +The king turned upon his heel without reply, and almost at the +same instant the captain of the Guards, M. de Guitant, announced +the visit of the chancellor. + +When the chancellor appeared, the king had already gone out by +another door. + +The chancellor entered, half smiling, half blushing. As we shall +probably meet with him again in the course of our history, it may +be well for our readers to be made at once acquainted with him. + +This chancellor was a pleasant man. He was Des Roches le Masle, +canon of Notre Dame, who had formerly been valet of a bishop, who +introduced him to his Eminence as a perfectly devout man. The +cardinal trusted him, and therein found his advantage. + +There are many stories related of him, and among them this. +After a wild youth, he had retired into a convent, there to +expiate, at least for some time, the follies of adolescence. On +entering this holy place, the poor penitent was unable to shut +the door so close as to prevent the passions he fled from +entering with him. He was incessantly attacked by them, and the +superior, to whom he had confided this misfortune, wishing as +much as in him lay to free him from them, had advised him, in +order to conjure away the tempting demon, to have recourse to the +bell rope, and ring with all his might. At the denunciating +sound, the monks would be rendered aware that temptation was +besieging a brother, and all the community would go to prayers. + +This advice appeared good to the future chancellor. He conjured +the evil spirit with abundance of prayers offered up by the +monks. But the devil does not suffer himself to be easily +dispossessed from a place in which he has fixed his garrison. In +proportion as they redoubled the exorcisms he redoubled the +temptations; so that day and night the bell was ringing full +swing, announcing the extreme desire for mortification which the +penitent experienced. + +The monks had no longer an instant of repose. By day they did +nothing but ascend and descend the steps which led to the chapel; +at night, in addition to complines and matins, they were further +obliged to leap twenty times out of their beds and prostrate +themselves on the floor of their cells. + +It is not known whether it was the devil who gave way, or the +monks who grew tired; but within three months the penitent +reappeared in the world with the reputation of being the most +terrible POSSESSED that ever existed. + +On leaving the convent he entered into the magistracy, became +president on the place of his uncle, embraced the cardinal's +party, which did not prove want of sagacity, became chancellor, +served his Eminence with zeal in his hatred against the queen- +mother and his vengeance against Anne of Austria, stimulated the +judges in the affair of Calais, encouraged the attempts of M. de +Laffemas, chief gamekeeper of France; then, at length, invested +with the entire confidence of the cardinal--a confidence which he +had so well earned-he received the singular commission for the +execution of which he presented himself in the queen's +apartments. + +The queen was still standing when he entered; but scarcely had +she perceived him then she reseated herself in her armchair, and +made a sign to her women to resume their cushions and stools, and +with an air of supreme hauteur, said, "What do you desire, +monsieur, and with what object do you present yourself here?" + +"To make, madame, in the name of the king, and without prejudice +to the respect which I have the honor to owe to your Majesty a +close examination into all your papers." + +"How, monsieur, an investigation of my papers--mine! Truly, this +is an indignity!" + +"Be kind enough to pardon me, madame; but in this circumstance I +am but the instrument which the king employs. Has not his +Majesty just left you, and has he not himself asked you to +prepare for this visit?" + +"Search, then, monsieur! I am a criminal, as it appears. +Estafania, give up the keys of my drawers and my desks." + +For form's sake the chancellor paid a visit to the pieces of +furniture named; but he well knew that it was not in a piece of +furniture that the queen would place the important letter she had +written that day. + +When the chancellor had opened and shut twenty times the drawers +of the secretaries, it became necessary, whatever hesitation he +might experience--it became necessary, I say, to come to the +conclusion of the affair; that is to say, to search the queen +herself. The chancellor advanced, therefore, toward Anne of +Austria, and said with a very perplexed and embarrassed air, "And +now it remains for me to make the principal examination." + +"What is that?" asked the queen, who did not understand, or +rather was not willing to understand. + +"His majesty is certain that a letter has been written by you +during the day; he knows that it has not yet been sent to its +address. This letter is not in your table nor in your secretary; +and yet this letter must be somewhere." + +"Would you dare to lift your hand to your queen?" said Anne of +Austria, drawing herself up to her full height, and fixing her +eyes upon the chancellor with an expression almost threatening. + +"I am a faithful subject of the king, madame, and all that his +Majesty commands I shall do." + +"Well, it is true!" said Anne of Austria; "and the spies of the +cardinal have served him faithfully. I have written a letter +today; that letter is not yet gone. The letter is here." And +the queen laid her beautiful hand on her bosom. + +"Then give me that letter, madame," said the chancellor. + +"I will give it to none but the king monsieur," said Anne. + +"If the king had desired that the letter should be given to him, +madame, he would have demanded it of you himself. But I repeat +to you, I am charged with reclaiming it; and if you do not give +it up--" + +"Well?" + +"He has, then, charged me to take it from you." + +"How! What do you say?" + +"That my orders go far, madame; and that I am authorized to seek +for the suspected paper, even on the person of your Majesty." + +"What horror!" cried the queen. + +"Be kind enough, then, madame, to act more compliantly." + +"The conduct is infamously violent! Do you know that, monsieur?" + +"The king commands it, madame; excuse me." + +"I will not suffer it! No, no, I would rather die!" cried the +queen, in whom the imperious blood of Spain and Austria began to +rise. + +The chancellor made a profound reverence. Then, with the +intention quite patent of not drawing back a foot from the +accomplishment of the commission with which he was charged, and +as the attendant of an executioner might have done in the chamber +of torture, he approached Anne of Austria, for whose eyes at the +same instant sprang tears of rage. + +The queen was, as we have said, of great beauty. The commission +might well be called delicate; and the king had reached, in his +jealousy of Buckingham, the point of not being jealous of anyone +else. + +Without doubt the chancellor, Seguier looked about at that moment +for the rope of the famous bell; but not finding it he summoned +his resolution, and stretched forth his hands toward the place +where the queen had acknowledged the paper was to be found. + +Anne of Austria took one step backward, became so pale that it +might be said she was dying, and leaning with her left hand upon +a table behind her to keep herself from falling, she with her +right hand drew the paper from her bosom and held it out to the +keeper of the seals. + +"There, monsieur, there is that letter!" cried the queen, with a +broken and trembling voice; "take it, and deliver me from your +odious presence." + +The chancellor, who, on his part, trembled with an emotion easily +to be conceived, took the letter, bowed to the ground, and +retired. The door was scarcely closed upon him, when the queen +sank, half fainting, into the arms of her women. + +The chancellor carried the letter to the king without having read +a single word of it. The king took it with a trembling hand, +looked for the address, which was wanting, became very pale, +opened it slowly, then seeing by the first words that it was +addressed to the King of Spain, he read it rapidly. + +It was nothing but a plan of attack against the cardinal. The +queen pressed her brother and the Emperor of Austria to appear to +be wounded, as they really were, by the policy of Richelieu--the +eternal object of which was the abasement of the house of +Austria--to declare war against France, and as a condition of +peace, to insist upon the dismissal of the cardinal; but as to +love, there was not a single word about it in all the letter. + +The king, quite delighted, inquired if the cardinal was still at +the Louvre; he was told that his Eminence awaited the orders of +his Majesty in the business cabinet. + +The king went straight to him. + +"There, Duke," said he, "you were right and I was wrong. The +whole intrigue is political, and there is not the least question +of love in this letter; but, on the other hand, there is abundant +question of you." + +The cardinal took the letter, and read it with the greatest +attention; then, when he had arrived at the end of it, he read it +a second time. "Well, your Majesty," said he, "you see how far +my enemies go; they menace you with two wars if you do not +dismiss me. In your place, in truth, sire, I should yield to +such powerful instance; and on my part, it would be a real +happiness to withdraw from public affairs." + +"What say you, Duke?" + +"I say, sire, that my health is sinking under these excessive +struggles and these never-ending labors. I say that according to +all probability I shall not be able to undergo the fatigues of +the siege of La Rochelle, and that it would be far better that +you should appoint there either Monsieur de Conde, Monsieur de +Bassopierre, or some valiant gentleman whose business is war, and +not me, who am a churchman, and who am constantly turned aside +for my real vocation to look after matters for which I have no +aptitude. You would be the happier for it at home, sire, and I +do not doubt you would be the greater for it abroad." + +"Monsieur Duke," said the king, "I understand you. Be satisfied, +all who are named in that letter shall be punished as they +deserve, even the queen herself." + +"What do you say, sire? God forbid that the queen should suffer +the least inconvenience or uneasiness on my account! She has +always believed me, sire, to be her enemy; although your Majesty +can bear witness that I have always taken her part warmly, even +against you. Oh, if she betrayed your Majesty on the side of +your honor, it would be quite another thing, and I should be the +first to say, 'No grace, sire--no grace for the guilty!' +Happily, there is nothing of the kind, and your Majesty has just +acquired a new proof of it." + +"That is true, Monsieur Cardinal," said the king, "and you were +right, as you always are; but the queen, not the less, deserves +all my anger." + +"It is you, sire, who have now incurred hers. And even if she +were to be seriously offended, I could well understand it; your +Majesty has treated her with a severity--" + +"It is thus I will always treat my enemies and yours, Duke, +however high they may be placed, and whatever peril I may incur +in acting severely toward them." + +"The queen is my enemy, but is not yours, sire; on the contrary, +she is a devoted, submissive, and irreproachable wife. Allow me, +then, sire, to intercede for her with your Majesty." + +"Let her humble herself, then, and come to me first." + +"On the contrary, sire, set the example. You have committed the +first wrong, since it was you who suspected the queen." + +"What! I make the first advances?" said the king. "Never!" + +"Sire, I entreat you to do so." + +"Besides, in what manner can I make advances first?" + +"By doing a thing which you know will be agreeable to her." + +"What is that?" + +"Give a ball; you know how much the queen loves dancing. I will +answer for it, her resentment will not hold out against such an +attention." + +"Monsieur Cardinal, you know that I do not like worldly +pleasures." + +"The queen will only be the more grateful to you, as she knows +your antipathy for that amusement; besides, it will be an +opportunity for her to wear those beautiful diamonds which you +gave her recently on her birthday and with which she has since +had no occasion to adorn herself." + +"We shall see, Monsieur Cardinal, we shall see," said the king, +who, in his joy at finding the queen guilty of a crime which he +cared little about, and innocent of a fault of which he had great +dread, was ready to make up all differences with her, "we shall +see, but upon my honor, you are too indulgent toward her." + +"Sire," said the cardinal, "leave severity to your ministers. +Clemency is a royal virtue; employ it, and you will find that you +derive advantage therein." + +Thereupon the cardinal, hearing the clock strike eleven, bowed +low, asking permission of the king to retire, and supplicating +him to come to a good understanding with the queen. + +Anne of Austria, who, in consequence of the seizure of her +letter, expected reproaches, was much astonished the next day to +see the king make some attempts at reconciliation with her. Her +first movement was repellent. Her womanly pride and her queenly +dignity had both been so cruelly offended that she could not come +round at the first advance; but, overpersuaded by the advice of +her women, she at last had the appearance of beginning to forget. +The king took advantage of this favorable moment to tell her that +her had the intention of shortly giving a fete. + +A fete was so rare a thing for poor Anne of Austria that at this +announcement, as the cardinal had predicted, the last trace of +her resentment disappeared, if not from her heart at least from +her countenance. She asked upon what day this fete would take +place, but the king replied that he must consult the cardinal +upon that head. + +Indeed, every day the king asked the cardinal when this fete +should take place; and every day the cardinal, under some +pretext, deferred fixing it. Ten days passed away thus. + +On the eighth day after the scene we have described, the cardinal +received a letter with the London stamp which only contained +these lines: "I have them; but I am unable to leave London for +want of money. Send me five hundred pistoles, and four or five +days after I have received them I shall be in Paris." + +On the same day the cardinal received this letter the king put +his customary question to him. + +Richelieu counted on his fingers, and said to himself, "She will +arrive, she says, four or five days after having received the +money. It will require four or five days for the transmission of +the money, four or five days for her to return; that makes ten +days. Now, allowing for contrary winds, accidents, and a woman's +weakness, there are twelve days." + +"Well, Monsieur Duke," said the king, "have you made your +calculations?" + +"Yes, sire. Today is the twentieth of September. The aldermen +of the city give a fete on the third of October. That will fall +in wonderfully well; you will not appear to have gone out of your +way to please the queen." + +Then the cardinal added, "A PROPOS, sire, do not forget to tell +her Majesty the evening before the fete that you should like to +see how her diamond studs become her." + + + +17 BONACIEUX AT HOME + +It was the second time the cardinal had mentioned these diamond +studs to the king. Louis XIII was struck with this insistence, +and began to fancy that this recommendation concealed some +mystery. + +More than once the king had been humiliated by the cardinal, +whose police, without having yet attained the perfection of the +modern police, were excellent, being better informed than +himself, even upon what was going on in his own household. He +hoped, then, in a conversation with Anne of Austria, to obtain +some information from that conversation, and afterward to come +upon his Eminence with some secret which the cardinal either knew +or did not know, but which, in either case, would raise him +infinitely in the eyes of his minister. + +He went then to the queen, and according to custom accosted her +with fresh menaces against those who surrounded her. Anne of +Austria lowered her head, allowed the torrent to flow on without +replying, hoping that it would cease of itself; but this was not +what Louis XIII meant. Louis XIII wanted a discussion from which +some light or other might break, convinced as he was that the +cardinal had some afterthought and was preparing for him one of +those terrible surprises which his Eminence was so skillful in +getting up. He arrived at this end by his persistence in +accusation. + +"But," cried Anne of Austria, tired of these vague attacks, "but, +sire, you do not tell me all that you have in your heart. What +have I done, then? Let me know what crime I have committed. It +is impossible that your Majesty can make all this ado about a +letter written to my brother." + +The king, attacked in a manner so direct, did not know what to +answer; and he thought that this was the moment for expressing +the desire which he was not have made until the evening before +the fete. + +"Madame," said he, with dignity, "there will shortly be a ball at +the Hotel de Ville. I wish, in order to honor our worthy +aldermen, you should appear in ceremonial costume, and above all, +ornamented with the diamond studs which I gave you on your +birthday. That is my answer." + +The answer was terrible. Anne of Austria believed that Louis +XIII knew all, and that the cardinal had persuaded him to employ +this long dissimulation of seven or eight days, which, likewise, +was characteristic. She became excessively pale, leaned her +beautiful hand upon a CONSOLE, which hand appeared then like one +of wax, and looking at the king with terror in her eyes, she was +unable to reply by a single syllable. + +"You hear, madame," said the king, who enjoyed the embarrassment +to its full extent, but without guessing the cause. "You hear, +madame?" + +"Yes, sire, I hear," stammered the queen. + +"You will appear at this ball?" + +"Yes." + +"With those studs?" + +"Yes." + +The queen's paleness, if possible, increased; the king perceived +it, and enjoyed it with that cold cruelty which was one of the +worst sides of his character. + +"Then that is agreed," said the king, "and that is all I had to +say to you." + +"But on what day will this ball take place?" asked Anne of +Austria. + +Louis XIII felt instinctively that he ought not to reply to this +question, the queen having put it in an almost dying voice. + +"Oh, very shortly, madame," said he; "but I do not precisely +recollect the date of the day. I will ask the cardinal." + +"It was the cardinal, then, who informed you of this fete?" + +"Yes, madame," replied the astonished king; "but why do you ask +that?" + +"It was he who told you to invite me to appear with these studs?" + +"That is to say, madame--" + +"It was he, sire, it was he!" + +"Well, and what does it signify whether it was he or I? Is there +any crime in this request?" + +"No, sire." + +"Then you will appear?" + +"Yes, sire." + +"That is well," said the king, retiring, "that is well; I count +upon it." + +The queen made a curtsy, less from etiquette than because her +knees were sinking under her. The king went away enchanted. + +"I am lost," murmured the queen, "lost!--for the cardinal knows +all, and it is he who urges on the king, who as yet knows nothing +but will soon know everything. I am lost! My God, my God, my +God!" + +She knelt upon a cushion and prayed, with her head buried between +her palpitating arms. + +In fact, her position was terrible. Buckingham had returned to +London; Mme. Chevreuse was at Tours. More closely watched than +ever, the queen felt certain, without knowing how to tell which, +that one of her women had betrayed her. Laporte could not leave +the Louvre; she had not a soul in the world in whom she could +confide. Thus, while contemplating the misfortune which +threatened her and the abandonment in which she was left, she +broke out into sobs and tears. + +"Can I be of service to your Majesty?" said all at once a voice +full of sweetness and pity. + +The queen turned sharply round, for there could be no deception +in the expression of that voice; it was a friend who spoke thus. + +In fact, at one of the doors which opened into the queen's +apartment appeared the pretty Mme. Bonacieux. She had been +engaged in arranging the dresses and linen in a closet when the +king entered; she could not get out and had heard all. + +The queen uttered a piercing cry at finding herself surprised-- +for in her trouble she did not at first recognize the young woman +who had been given to her by Laporte. + +"Oh, fear nothing, madame!" said the young woman, clasping her +hands and weeping herself at the queen's sorrows; "I am your +Majesty's, body and soul, and however far I may be from you, +however inferior may be my position, I believe I have discovered +a means of extricating your Majesty from your trouble." + +"You, oh, heaven, you!" cried the queen; "but look me in the +face. I am betrayed on all sides. Can I trust in you?" + +"Oh, madame!" cried the young woman, falling on her knees; "upon +my soul, I am ready to die for your Majesty!" + +This expression sprang from the very bottom of the heart, and, +like the first, there was no mistaking it. + +"Yes," continued Mme. Bonacieux, "yes, there are traitors here; +but by the holy name of the Virgin, I swear that no one is more +devoted to your Majesty than I am. Those studs which the king +speaks of, you gave them to the Duke of Buckingham, did you not? +Those studs were enclosed in a little rosewood box which he held +under his arm? Am I deceived? Is it not so, madame?" + +"Oh, my God, my God!" murmured the queen, whose teeth chattered +with fright. + +"Well, those studs," continued Mme. Bonacieux, "we must have them +back again." + +"Yes, without doubt, it is necessary," cried the queen; "but how +am I to act? How can it be effected?" + +"Someone must be sent to the duke." + +"But who, who? In whom can I trust?" + +"Place confidence in me, madame; do me that honor, my queen, and +I will find a messenger." + +"But I must write." + +"Oh, yes; that is indispensable. Two words from the hand of your +Majesty and your private seal." + +"But these two words would bring about my condemnation, divorce, +exile!" + +"Yes, if they fell into infamous hands. But I will answer for +these two words being delivered to their address." + +"Oh, my God! I must then place my life, my honor, my reputation, +in your hands?" + +"Yes, yes, madame, you must; and I will save them all." + +"But how? Tell me at least the means." + +"My husband had been at liberty these two or three days. I have +not yet had time to see him again. He is a worthy, honest man +who entertains neither love nor hatred for anybody. He will do +anything I wish. He will set out upon receiving an order from +me, without knowing what he carries, and he will carry your +Majesty's letter, without even knowing it is from your Majesty, +to the address which is on it." + +The queen took the two hands of the young woman with a burst of +emotion, gazed at her as if to read her very heart, and seeing +nothing but sincerity in her beautiful eyes, embraced her +tenderly. + +"Do that," cried she, "and you will have saved my life, you will +have saved my honor!" + +"Do not exaggerate the service I have the happiness to render +your Majesty. I have nothing to save for your Majesty; you are +only the victim of perfidious plots." + +"That is true, that is true, my child," said the queen, "you are +right." + +"Give me then, that letter, madame; time presses." + +The queen ran to a little table, on which were ink, paper, and +pens. She wrote two lines, sealed the letter with her private +seal, and gave it to Mme. Bonacieux. + +"And now," said the queen, "we are forgetting one very necessary +thing." + +"What is that, madame?" + +"Money." + +Mme. Bonacieux blushed. + +"Yes, that is true," said she, "and I will confess to your +Majesty that my husband--" + +"Your husband has none. Is that what you would say?" + +"He has some, but he is very avaricious; that is his fault. +Nevertheless, let not your Majesty be uneasy, we will find +means." + +"And I have none, either," said the queen. Those who have read +the MEMOIRS of Mme. de Motteville will not be astonished at this +reply. "But wait a minute." + +Anne of Austria ran to her jewel case. + +"Here," said she, "here is a ring of great value, as I have been +assured. It came from my brother, the King of Spain. It is +mine, and I am at liberty to dispose of it. Take this ring; +raise money with it, and let your husband set out." + +"In an hour you shall be obeyed." + +"You see the address," said the queen, speaking so low that Mme. +Bonacieux could hardly hear what she said, "To my Lord Duke of +Buckingham, London." + +"The letter shall be given to himself." + +"Generous girl!" cried Anne of Austria. + +Mme. Bonacieux kissed the hands of the queen, concealed the paper +in the bosom of her dress, and disappeared with the lightness of +a bird. + +Ten minutes afterward she was at home. As she told the queen, +she had not seen her husband since his liberation; she was +ignorant of the change that had taken place in him with respect +to the cardinal--a change which had since been strengthened by +two or three visits from the Comte de Rochefort, who had become +the best friend of Bonacieux, and had persuaded him, without much +trouble, order in his house, the furniture of which he had found +mostly broken and his closets nearly empty--justice not being one +of the three things which King Solomon names as leaving no traces +of their passage. As to the servant, she had run away at the +moment of her master's arrest. Terror had had such an effect +upon the poor girl that she had never ceased walking from Paris +till she reached Burgundy, her native place. + +The worthy mercer had, immediately upon re-entering his house, +informed his wife of his happy return, and his wife had replied +by congratulating him, and telling him that the first moment she +could steal from her duties should be devoted to paying him a +visit. + +This first moment had been delayed five days, which, under any +other circumstances, might have appeared rather long to M. +Bonacieux; but he had, in the visit he had made to the cardinal +and in the visits Rochefort had made him, ample subjects for +reflection, and as everybody knows, nothing makes time pass more +quickly than reflection. + +This was the more so because Bonacieux's reflections were all +rose-colored. Rochefort called him his friend, his dear +Bonacieux, and never ceased telling him that the cardinal had a +great respect for him. The mercer fancied himself already on the +high road to honors and fortune. + +On her side Mme. Bonacieux had also reflected; but, it must be +admitted, upon something widely different from ambition. In +spite of herself her thoughts constantly reverted to that +handsome young man who was so brave and appeared to be so much in +love. Married at eighteen to Mme. Bonacieux, having always lived +among her husband's friends--people little capable of inspiring +any sentiment whatever in a young woman whose heart was above her +position--Mme. Bonacieux had remained insensible to vulgar +seductions; but at this period the title of gentleman had great +influence with the citizen class, and D'Artagnan was a gentleman. +Besides, he wore the uniform of the Guards, which next to that of +the Musketeers was most admired by the ladies. He was, we +repeat, handsome, young, and bold; he spoke of love like a man +who did love and was anxious to be loved in return. There was +certainly enough in all this to turn a head only twenty-three +years old, and Mme. Bonacieux had just attained that happy period +of life. + +The couple, then, although they had not seen each other for eight +days, and during that time serious events had taken place in +which both were concerned, accosted each other with a degree of +preoccupation. Nevertheless, Bonacieux manifested real joy, and +advanced toward his wife with open arms. Madame Bonacieux +presented her cheek to him. + +"Let us talk a little," said she. + +"How!" said Bonacieux, astonished. + +"Yes, I have something of the highest importance to tell you." + +"True," said he, "and I have some questions sufficiently serious +to put to you. Describe to me your abduction, I pray you." + +"Oh, that's of no consequence just now," said Mme. Bonacieux. + +"And what does it concern, then--my captivity?" + +"I heard of it the day it happened; but as you were not guilty of +any crime, as you were not guilty of any intrigue, as you, in +short, knew nothing that could compromise yourself or anybody +else, I attached no more importance to that event than it +merited." + +"You speak very much at your ease, madame," said Bonacieux, hurt +at the little interest his wife showed in him. "Do you know that +I was plunged during a day and night in a dungeon of the +Bastille?" + +"Oh, a day and night soon pass away. Let us return to the object +that brings me here." + +"What, that which brings you home to me? Is it not the desire of +seeing a husband again from whom you have been separated for a +week?" asked the mercer, piqued to the quick. + +"Yes, that first, and other things afterward." + +"Speak." + +"It is a thing of the highest interest, and upon which our future +fortune perhaps depends." + +"The complexion of our fortune has changed very much since I saw +you, Madam Bonacieux, and I should not be astonished if in the +course of a few months it were to excite the envy of many folks." + +"Yes, particularly if you follow the instructions I am about to +give you." + +"Me?" + +"Yes, you. There is good and holy action to be performed, +monsieur, and much money to be gained at the same time." + +Mme. Bonacieux knew that in talking of money to her husband, she +took him on his weak side. But a man, were he even a mercer, +when he had talked for ten minutes with Cardinal Richelieu, is no +longer the same man. + +"Much money to be gained?" said Bonacieux, protruding his lip. + +"Yes, much." + +"About how much?" + +"A thousand pistoles, perhaps." + +"What you demand of me is serious, then?" + +"It is indeed." + +"What must be done?" + +"You must go away immediately. I will give you a paper which you +must not part with on any account, and which you will deliver +into the proper hands." + +"And whither am I to go?" + +"To London." + +"I go to London? Go to! You jest! I have no business in +London." + +"But others wish that you should go there." + +"But who are those others? I warn you that I will never again +work in the dark, and that I will know not only to what I expose +myself, but for whom I expose myself." + +"An illustrious persons sends you; an illustrious person awaits +you. The recompense will exceed your expectations; that is all I +promise you." + +"More intrigues! Nothing but intrigues! Thank you, madame, I am +aware of them now; Monsieur Cardinal has enlightened me on that +head." + +"The cardinal?" cried Mme. Bonacieux. "Have you seen the +cardinal?" + +"He sent for me," answered the mercer, proudly. + +"And you responded to his bidding, you imprudent man?" + +"Well, I can't say I had much choice of going or not going, for I +was taken to him between two guards. It is true also, that as I +did not then know his Eminence, if I had been able to dispense +with the visit, I should have been enchanted." + +"He ill-treated you, then; he threatened you?" + +"He gave me his hand, and called me his friend. His friend! Do +you hear that, madame? I am the friend of the great cardinal!" + +"Of the great cardinal!" + +"Perhaps you would contest his right to that title, madame?" + +"I would contest nothing; but I tell you that the favor of a +minister is ephemeral, and that a man must be mad to attach +himself to a minister. There are powers above his which do not +depend upon a man or the issue of an event; it is to these powers +we should rally." + +"I am sorry for it, madame, but I acknowledge not her power but +that of the great man whom I have the honor to serve." + +"You serve the cardinal?" + +"Yes, madame; and as his servant, I will not allow you to be +concerned in plots against the safety of the state, or to serve +the intrigues of a woman who in not French and who has a Spanish +heart. Fortunately we have the great cardinal; his vigilant eye +watches over and penetrates to the bottom of the heart." + +Bonacieux was repeating, word for word, a sentence which he had +heard from the Comte de Rochefort; but the poor wife, who had +reckoned on her husband, and who, in that hope, had answered for +him to the queen, did not tremble the less, both at the danger +into which she had nearly cast herself and at the helpless state +to which she was reduced. Nevertheless, knowing the weakness of +her husband, and more particularly his cupidity, she did not +despair of bringing him round to her purpose. + +"Ah, you are a cardinalist, then, monsieur, are you?" cried she; +"and you serve the party of those who maltreat your wife and +insult your queen?" + +"Private interests are as nothing before the interests of all. I +am for those who save the state," said Bonacieux, emphatically. + +"And what do you know about the state you talk of?" said Mme. +Bonacieux, shrugging her shoulders. "Be satisfied with being a +plain, straightforward citizen, and turn to that side which +offers the most advantages." + +"Eh, eh!" said Bonacieux, slapping a plump, round bag, which +returned a sound a money; "what do you think of this, Madame +Preacher?" + +"Whence comes that money?" + +"You do not guess?" + +"From the cardinal?" + +"From him, and from my friend the Comte de Rochefort." + +"The Comte de Rochefort! Why it was he who carried me off!" + +"That may be, madame!" + +"And you receive silver from that man?" + +"Have you not said that that abduction was entirely political?" + +"Yes; but that abduction had for its object the betrayal of my +mistress, to draw from me by torture confessions that might +compromise the honor, and perhaps the life, of my august +mistress." + +"Madame," replied Bonacieux, "your august mistress is a +perfidious Spaniard, and what the cardinal does is well done." + +"Monsieur," said the young woman, "I know you to be cowardly, +avaricious, and foolish, but I never till now believed you +infamous!" + +"Madame," said Bonacieux, who had never seen his wife in a +passion, and who recoiled before this conjugal anger, "madame, +what do you say?" + +"I say you are a miserable creature!" continued Mme. Bonacieux, +who saw she was regaining some little influence over her husband. +"You meddle with politics, do you--and still more, with +cardinalist politics? Why, you sell yourself, body and soul, to +the demon, the devil, for money!" + +"No, to the cardinal." + +"It's the same thing," cried the young woman. "Who calls +Richelieu calls Satan." + +"Hold your tongue, hold your tongue, madame! You may be +overheard." + +"Yes, you are right; I should be ashamed for anyone to know your +baseness." + +"But what do you require of me, then? Let us see." + +"I have told you. You must depart instantly, monsieur. You must +accomplish loyally the commission with which I deign to charge +you, and on that condition I pardon everything, I forget +everything; and what is more," and she geld out her hand to him, +"I restore my love." + +Bonacieux was cowardly and avaricious, but he loved his wife. He +was softened. A man of fifty cannot long bear malice with a wife +of twenty-three. Mme. Bonacieux saw that he hesitated. + +"Come! Have you decided?" said she. + +"But, my dear love, reflect a little upon what you require of me. +London is far from Paris, very far, and perhaps the commission +with which you charge me is not without dangers?" + +"What matters it, if you avoid them?" + +"Hold, Madame Bonacieux," said the mercer, "hold! I positively +refuse; intrigues terrify me. I have seen the Bastille. My! +Whew! That's a frightful place, that Bastille! Only to think of +it makes my flesh crawl. They threatened me with torture. Do +you know what torture is? Wooden points that they stick in +between your legs till your bones stick out! No, positively I +will not go. And, MORBLEU, why do you not go yourself? For in +truth, I think I have hitherto been deceived in you. I really +believe you are a man, and a violent one, too." + +"And you, you are a woman--a miserable woman, stupid and brutal. +You are afraid, are you? Well, if you do not go this very +instant, I will have you arrested by the queen's orders, and I +will have you placed in the Bastille which you dread so much." + +Bonacieux fell into a profound reflection. He weighed the two +angers in his brain--that of the cardinal and that of the queen; +that of the cardinal predominated enormously. + +"Have me arrested on the part of the queen," said he, "and I--I +will appeal to his Eminence. + +At once Mme. Bonacieux saw that she had gone too far, and she was +terrified at having communicated so much. She for a moment +contemplated with fright that stupid countenance, impressed with +the invincible resolution of a fool that is overcome by fear. + +"Well, be it so!" said she. "Perhaps, when all is considered, +you are right. In the long run, a man knows more about politics +than a woman, particularly such as, like you, Monsieur Bonacieux, +have conversed with the cardinal. And yet it is very hard," +added she, "that a man upon whose affection I thought I might +depend, treats me thus unkindly and will not comply with any of +my fancies." + +"That is because your fancies go too far," replied the triumphant +Bonacieux, "and I mistrust them." + +'Well, I will give it up, then," said the young woman, sighing. +"It is well as it is; say no more about it." + +"At least you should tell me what I should have to do in London," +replied Bonacieux, who remembered a little too late that +Rochefort had desired him to endeavor to obtain his wife's +secrets. + +"It is of no use for you to know anything about it," said the +young woman, whom an instinctive mistrust now impelled to draw +back. "It was about one of those purchases that interest women-- +a purchase by which much might have been gained." + +But the more the young woman excused herself, the more important +Bonacieux thought the secret which she declined to confide to +him. He resolved then to hasten immediately to the residence of +the Comte de Rochefort, and tell him that the queen was seeking +for a messenger to send to London. + +"Pardon me for quitting you, my dear Madame Bonacieux," said he; +"but, not knowing you would come to see me, I had made an +engagement with a friend. I shall soon return; and if you will +wait only a few minutes for me, as soon as I have concluded my +business with that friend, as it is growing late, I will come +back and reconduct you to the Louvre." + +"Thank you, monsieur, you are not brave enough to be of any use +to me whatever," replied Mme. Bonacieux. "I shall return very +safely to the Louvre all alone." + +"As you please, Madame Bonacieux," said the ex-mercer. "Shall I +see you again soon?" + +"Next week I hope my duties will afford me a little liberty, and +I will take advantage of it to come and put things in order here, +so they must necessarily be much deranged." + +"Very well; I shall expect you. You are not angry with me?" + +"Not the least in the world." + +"Tell then, then?" + +"Till then." + +Bonacieux kissed his wife's hand, and set off at a quick pace. + +"Well," said Mme. Bonacieux, when her husband had shut the street +door and she found herself alone; "that imbecile lacked but one +thing to become a cardinalist. And I, who have answered for him +to the queen--I, who have promised my poor mistress--ah, my God, +my God! She will take me for one of those wretches with whom the +palace swarms and who are placed about her as spies! Ah, +Monsieur Bonacieux, I never did love you much, but now it is +worse than ever. I hate you, and on my word you shall pay for +this!" + +At the moment she spoke these words a rap on the ceiling made her +raise her head, and a voice which reached her through the ceiling +cried, "Dear Madame Bonacieux, open for me the little door on the +alley, and I will come down to you." + + + +18 LOVER AND HUSBAND + +"Ah, Madame," said D'Artagnan, entering by the door which the +young woman opened for him, "allow me to tell you that you have a +bad sort of a husband." + +"You have, then, overheard our conversation?" asked Mme. +Bonacieux, eagerly, and looking at D'Artagnan with disquiet. + +"The whole?" + +"But how, my God?" + +"By a mode of proceeding known to myself, and by which I likewise +overheard the more animated conversation which had with the +cardinal's police." + +"And what did you understand by what we said?" + +"A thousand things. In the first place, that, unfortunately, +your husband is a simpleton and a fool; in the next place, you +are in trouble, of which I am very glad, as it gives me a +opportunity of placing myself at your service, and God knows I am +ready to throw myself into the fire for you; finally, that the +queen wants a brave, intelligent, devoted man to make a journey +to London for her. I have at least two of the three qualities +you stand in need of, and here I am. + +Mme. Bonacieux made no reply; but her heart beat with joy and +secret hope shone in her eyes. + +"And what guarantee will you give me," asked she, "if I consent +to confide this message to you?" + +"My love for you. Speak! Command! What is to be done?" + +"My God, my God!" murmured the young woman, "ought I to confide +such a secret to you, monsieur? You are almost a boy." + +"I see that you require someone to answer for me?" + +"I admit that would reassure me greatly." + +"Do you know Athos?" + +"No." + +"Porthos?" + +"No." + +"Aramis?" + +"No. Who are these gentleman?" + +"Three of the king's Musketeers. Do you know Monsieur de +Treville, their captain?" + +"Oh, yes, him! I know him; not personally, but from having heard +the queen speak of him more than once as a brave and loyal +gentleman." + +"You do not fear lest he should betray you to the cardinal?" + +"Oh, no, certainly not!" + +"Well, reveal your secret to him, and ask him whether, however +important, however valuable, however terrible it may be, you may +not confide it to me." + +"But this secret is not mine, and I cannot reveal it in this +manner." + +"You were about to confide it to Monsieur Bonacieux," said +D'Artagnan, with chagrin. + +"As one confides a letter to the hollow of a tree, to the wing of +a pigeon, to the collar of a dog." + +"And yet, me--you see plainly that I love you." + +"You say so." + +"I am an honorable man." + +"You say so." + +"I am a gallant fellow." + +"I believe it." + +"I am brave." + +"Oh, I am sure of that!" + +"Then, put me to the proof." + +Mme. Bonacieux looked at the young man, restrained for a minute +by a last hesitation; but there was such an ardor in his eyes, +such persuasion in his voice, that she felt herself constrained +to confide in him. Besides, she found herself in circumstances +where everything must be risked for the sake of everything. The +queen might be as much injured by too much reticence as by too +much confidence; and--let us admit it--the involuntary sentiment +which she felt for her young protector decided her to speak. + +"Listen," said she; "I yield to your protestations, I yield to +your assurances. But I swear to you, before God who hears us, +that if you betray me, and my enemies pardon me, I will kill +myself, while accusing you of my death." + +"And I--I swear to you before God, madame," said D'Artagnan. +"that if I am taken while accomplishing the orders you give me, I +will die sooner than do anything that may compromise anyone." + +Then the young woman confided in him the terrible secret of which +chance had already communicated to him a part in front of the +Samaritaine. This was their mutual declaration of love. + +D'Artagnan was radiant with joy and pride. This secret which he +possessed, this woman whom he loved! Confidence and love mad him +a giant. + +"I go," said he; "I go at once." + +"How, you will go!" said Mme. Bonacieux; "and your regiment, your +captain?" + +"By my soul, you had made me forget all that, dear Constance! +Yes, you are right; a furlough is needful." + +"Still another obstacle," murmured Mme. Bonacieux, sorrowfully. + +"As to that," cried D'Artagnan, after a moment of reflection, "I +shall surmount it, be assured." + +"How so?" + +"I will go this very evening to Treville, whom I will request to +ask this favor for me of his brother-in-law, Monsieur +Dessessart." + +"But another thing." + +"What?" asked D'Artagnan, seeing that Mme. Bonacieux hesitated to +continue. + +"You have, perhaps, no money?" + +"PERHAPS is too much," said D'Artagnan, smiling. + +"Then," replied Mme. Bonacieux, opening a cupboard and taking +from it the very bag which a half hour before her husband had +caressed so affectionately, "take this bag." + +"The cardinal's?" cried D'Artagnan, breaking into a loud laugh, +he having heard, as may be remembered, thanks to the broken +boards, every syllable of the conversation between the mercer and +his wife. + +"The cardinal's," replied Mme. Bonacieux. "You see it makes a +very respectable appearance." + +"PARDIEU," cried D'Artagnan, "it will be a double amusing affair +to save the queen with the cardinal's money!" + +"You are an amiable and charming young man," said Mme. Bonacieux. +"Be assured you will not find her Majesty ungrateful." + +"Oh, I am already grandly recompensed!" cried D'Artagnan. "I +love you; you permit me to tell you that I do--that is already +more happiness than I dared to hope." + +"Silence!" said Mme. Bonacieux, starting. + +"What!" + +"Someone is talking in the street." + +"It is the voice of--" + +"Of my husband! Yes, I recognize it!" + +D'Artagnan ran to the door and pushed the bolt. + +"He shall not come in before I am gone," said he; "and when I am +gone, you can open to him." + +"But I ought to be gone, too. And the disappearance of his +money; how am I to justify it if I am here?" + +"You are right; we must go out." + +"Go out? How? He will see us if we go out." + +"Then you must come up into my room." + +"Ah," said Mme. Bonacieux, "you speak that in a tone that +frightens me!" + +Mme. Bonacieux pronounced these words with tears in her eyes. +D'Artagnan saw those tears, and much disturbed, softened, he +threw himself at her feet. + +"With me you will be as safe as in a temple; I give you my word +of a gentleman." + +"Let us go," said she, "I place full confidence in you, my +friend!" + +D'Artagnan drew back the bolt with precaution, and both, light as +shadows, glided through the interior door into the passage, +ascended the stairs as quietly as possible, and entered +D'Artagnan's chambers. + +Once there, for greater security, the young man barricaded the +door. They both approached the window, and through a slit in the +shutter they saw Bonacieux talking with a man in a cloak. + +At sight of this man, D'Artagnan started, and half drawing his +sword, sprang toward the door. + +It was the man of Meung. + +"What are you going to do?" cried Mme. Bonacieux; "you will ruin +us all!" + +"But I have sworn to kill that man!" said D'Artagnan. + +"Your life is devoted from this moment, and does not belong to +you. In the name of the queen I forbid you to throw yourself +into any peril which is foreign o that of your journey." + +"And do you command nothing in your own name?" + +"In my name," said Mme. Bonacieux, with great emotion, "in my +name I beg you! But listen; they appear to be speaking of me." + +D'Artagnan drew near the window, and lent his ear. + +M. Bonacieux had opened his door, and seeing the apartment, had +returned to the man in the cloak, whom he had left alone for an +instant. + +"She is gone," said he; "she must have returned to the Louvre." + +"You are sure," replied the stranger, "that she did not suspect +the intentions with which you went out?" + +"No," replied Bonacieux, with a self-sufficient air, "she is too +superficial a woman." + +"Is the young Guardsman at home?" + +"I do not think he is; as you see, his shutter is closed, and you +can see no light shine through the chinks of the shutters." + +"All the same, it is well to be certain." + +"How so?" + +"By knocking at his door. Go." + +"I will ask his servant." + +Bonacieux re-entered the house, passed through the same door that +had afforded a passage for the two fugitives, went up to +D'Artagnan's door, and knocked. + +No one answered. Porthos, in order to make a greater display, +had that evening borrowed Planchet. As to D'Artagnan, he took +care not to give the least sign of existence. + +The moment the hand of Bonacieux sounded on the door, the two +young people felt their hearts bound within them. + +"There is nobody within," said Bonacieux. + +"Never mind. Let us return to your apartment. We shall be safer +there than in the doorway." + +"Ah, my God!" whispered Mme. Bonacieux, "we shall hear no more." + +"On the contrary," said D'Artagnan, "we shall hear better." + +D'Artagnan raised the three or four boards which made his chamber +another ear of Dionysius, spread a carpet on the floor, went upon +his knees, and made a sign to Mme. Bonacieux to stoop as he did +toward the opening. + +"You are sure there is nobody there?" said the stranger. + +"I will answer for it," said Bonacieux. + +"And you think that your wife--" + +"Has returned to the Louvre." + +"Without speaking to anyone but yourself?" + +"I am sure of it." + +"That is an important point, do you understand?" + +"Then the news I brought you is of value?" + +"The greatest, my dear Bonacieux; I don't conceal this from you." + +"Then the cardinal will be pleased with me?" + +"I have no doubt of it." + +"The great cardinal!" + +"Are you sure, in her conversation with you, that your wife +mentioned no names?" + +"I think not." + +"She did not name Madame de Chevreuse, the Duke of Buckingham, or +Madame de Vernet?" + +"No; she only told me she wished to send me to London to serve +the interests of an illustrious personage." + +"The traitor!" murmured Mme. Bonacieux. + +"Silence!" said D'Artagnan, taking her hand, which, without +thinking of it, she abandoned to him. + +"Never mind," continued the man in the cloak; "you were a fool +not to have pretended to accept the mission. You would then be +in present possession of the letter. The state, which is now +threatened, would be safe, and you--" + +"And I?" + +"Well you--the cardinal would have given you letters of +nobility." + +"Did he tell you so?" + +"Yes, I know that he meant to afford you that agreeable +surprise." + +"Be satisfied," replied Bonacieux; "my wife adores me, and there +is yet time." + +"The ninny!" murmured Mme. Bonacieux. + +"Silence!" said D'Artagnan, pressing her hand more closely. + +"How is there still time?" asked the man in the cloak. + +"I go to the Louvre; I ask for Mme. Bonacieux; I say that I have +reflected; I renew the affair; I obtain the letter, and I run +directly to the cardinal." + +"Well, go quickly! I will return soon to learn the result of +your trip." + +The stranger went out. + +"Infamous!" said Mme. Bonacieux, addressing this epithet to her +husband. + +"Silence!" said D'Artagnan, pressing her hand still more warmly. + +A terrible howling interrupted these reflections of D'Artagnan +and Mme. Bonacieux. It was her husband, who had discovered the +disappearance of the moneybag, and was crying "Thieves!" + +"Oh, my God!" cried Mme. Bonacieux, "he will rouse the whole +quarter." + +Bonacieux called a long time; but as such cries, on account of +their frequency, brought nobody in the Rue des Fossoyeurs, and as +lately the mercer's house had a bad name, finding that nobody +came, he went out continuing to call, his voice being heard +fainter and fainter as he went in the direction of the Rue du +Bac. + +"Now he is gone, it is your turn to get out," said Mme. +Bonacieux. "Courage, my friend, but above all, prudence, and +think what you owe to the queen." + +"To her and to you!" cried D'Artagnan. "Be satisfied, beautiful +Constance. I shall become worthy of her gratitude; but shall I +likewise return worthy of your love?" + +The young woman only replied by the beautiful glow which mounted +to her cheeks. A few seconds afterward D'Artagnan also went out +enveloped in a large cloak, which ill-concealed the sheath of a +long sword. + +Mme. Bonacieux followed him with her eyes, with that long, fond +look with which he had turned the angle of the street, she fell +on her knees, and clasping her hands, "Oh, my God," cried she, +"protect the queen, protect me!" + + + +19 PLAN OF CAMPAIGN + +D'Artagnan went straight to M. de Treville's. He had reflected +that in a few minutes the cardinal would be warned by this cursed +stranger, who appeared to be his agent, and he judged, with +reason, he had not a moment to lose. + +The heart of the young man overflowed with joy. An opportunity +presented itself to him in which there would be at the same time +glory to be acquired, and money to be gained; and as a far higher +encouragement, it brought him into close intimacy with a woman he +adored. This chance did, then, for him at once more than he +would have dared to ask of Providence. + +M. de Treville was in his saloon with his habitual court of +gentlemen. D'Artagnan, who was known as a familiar of the house, +went straight to his office, and sent word that he wished to see +him on something of importance. + +D'Artagnan had been there scarcely five minutes when M. de +Treville entered. At the first glance, and by the joy which was +painted on his countenance, the worthy captain plainly perceived +that something new was on foot. + +All the way along D'Artagnan had been consulting with himself +whether he should place confidence in M. de Treville, or whether +he should only ask him to give him CARTE BLANCHE for some secret +affair. But M. de Treville had always been so thoroughly his +friend, had always been so devoted to the king and queen, and +hated the cardinal so cordially, that the young man resolved to +tell him everything. + +"Did you ask for me, my good friend?" said M. de Treville. + +'Yes, monsieur," said D'Artagnan, lowering his voice, "than the +honor, perhaps the life of the queen." + +"What did you say?" asked M. de Treville, glancing round to see +if they were surely alone, and then fixing his questioning look +upon D'Artagnan. + +"I say, monsieur, that chance has rendered me master of a +secret--" + +"Which you will guard, I hope, young man, as your life." + +"But which I must impart to you, monsieur, for you alone can +assist me in the mission I have just received from her Majesty." + +"Is this secret your own?" + +"No, monsieur; it is her Majesty's." + +"Are you authorized by her Majesty to communicate it to me?" + +"No, monsieur, for, on the contrary, I am desired to preserve the +profoundest mystery." + +"Why, then, are you about to betray it to me?" + +"Because, as I said, without you I can do nothing; and I am +afraid you will refuse me the favor I come to ask if you do not +know to what end I ask it." + +"Keep your secret, young man, and tell me what you wish." + +"I wish you to obtain for me, from Monsieur Dessessart, leave of +absence for fifteen days." + +"When?" + +"This very night." + +"You leave Paris?" + +"I am going on a mission." + +"May you tell me whither?" + +"To London." + +"Has anyone an interest in preventing your arrival there?" + +"The cardinal, I believe, would give the world to prevent my +success." + +"And you are going alone?" + +"I am going alone." + +"In that case you will not get beyond Bondy. I tell you so, by +the faith of De Treville." + +"How so?" + +"You will be assassinated." + +"And I shall die in the performance of my duty." + +"But your mission will not be accomplished." + +"That is true," replied D'Artagnan. + +"Believe me," continued Treville, "in enterprises of this kind, +in order that one may arrive, four must set out." + +"Ah, you are right, monsieur," said D'Artagnan; "but you know +Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and you know if I can dispose of +them." + +"Without confiding to them the secret which I am not willing to +know?" + +"We are sworn, once for all, to implicit confidence and +devotedness against all proof. Besides, you can tell them that +you have full confidence in me, and they will not be more +incredulous than you." + +"I can send to each of them leave of absence for fifteen days, +that is all--to Athos, whose wound still makes him suffer, to go +to the waters of Forges; to Porthos and Aramis to accompany their +friend, whom they are not willing to abandon in such a painful +condition. Sending their leave of absence will be proof enough +that I authorize their journey." + +"Thanks, monsieur. You are a hundred times too good." + +"Begone, then, find them instantly, and let all be done tonight! +Ha! But first write your request to Dessessart. Perhaps you had +a spy at your heels; and your visit, if it should ever be known +to the cardinal, will thus seem legitimate." + +D'Artagnan drew up his request, and M. de Treville, on receiving +it, assured him that by two o'clock in the morning the four +leaves of absence should be at the respective domiciles of the +travelers. + +"Have the goodness to send mine to Athos's residence. I should +dread some disagreeable encounter if I were to go home." + +"Be easy. Adieu, and a prosperous voyage. A PROPOS," said M. de +Treville, calling him back. + +D'Artagnan returned. + +"Have you any money?" + +D'Artagnan tapped the bag he had in his pocket. + +"Enough?" asked M. de Treville. + +"Three hundred pistoles." + +"Oh, plenty! That would carry you to the end of the world. +Begone, then!" + +D'Artagnan saluted M. de Treville, who held out his hand to him; +D'Artagnan pressed it with a respect mixed with gratitude. Since +his first arrival at Paris, he had had constant occasion to honor +this excellent man, whom he had always found worthy, loyal, and +great. + +His first visit was to Aramis, at whose residence he ha not been +since the famous evening on which he had followed Mme. Bonacieux. +Still further, he had seldom seen the young Musketeer; but every +time he had seen him, he had remarked a deep sadness imprinted on +his countenance. + +This evening, especially, Aramis was melancholy and thoughtful. +D'Artagnan asked some questions about this prolonged melancholy. +Aramis pleaded as his excuse a commentary upon the eighteenth +chapter of St. Augustine, which he was forced to write in Latin +for the following week, and which preoccupied him a good deal. + +After the two friends had been chatting a few moments, a servant +from M. de Treville entered, bringing a sealed packet. + +"What is that?" asked Aramis. + +"The leave of absence Monsieur has asked for," replied the +lackey. + +"For me! I have asked for no leave of absence." + +"Hold your tongue and take it!" said D'Artagnan. "And you, my +friend, there is a demipistole for your trouble; you will tell +Monsieur de Treville that Monsieur Aramis is very much obliged to +him. Go." + +The lackey bowed to the ground and departed. + +"What does all this mean?" asked Aramis. + +"Pack up all you want for a journey of a fortnight, and follow +me." + +"But I cannot leave Paris just now without knowing--" + +Aramis stopped. + +"What is become of her? I suppose you mean--" continued +D'Artagnan. + +"Become of whom?" replied Aramis. + +"The woman who was here--the woman with the embroidered +handkerchief." + +"Who told you there was a woman here?" replied Aramis, becoming +as pale as death. + +"I saw her." + +"And you know who she is?" + +"I believe I can guess, at least." + +"Listen!" said Aramis. "Since you appear to know so many things, +can you tell me what is become of that woman?" + +"I presume that she has returned to Tours." + +"To Tours? Yes, that may be. You evidently know her. But why +did she return to Tours without telling me anything?" + +"Because she was in fear of being arrested." + +"Why has she not written to me, then?" + +"Because she was afraid of compromising you." + +"D'Artagnan, you restore me to life!" cried Aramis. "I fancied +myself despised, betrayed. I was so delighted to see her again! +I could not have believed she would risk her liberty for me, and +yet for what other cause could she have returned to Paris?" + +"for the cause which today takes us to England." + +"And what is this cause?" demanded Aramis. + +"Oh, you'll know it someday, Aramis; but at present I must +imitate the discretion of 'the doctor's niece.'" + +Aramis smiled, as he remembered the tale he had told his friends +on a certain evening. "Well, then, since she has left Paris, and +you are sure of it, D'Artagnan, nothing prevents me, and I am +ready to follow you. You say we are going--" + +"To see Athos now, and if you will come thither, I beg you to +make haste, for we have lost much time already. A PROPOS, inform +Bazin." + +"Will Bazin go with us?" asked Aramis. + +"Perhaps so. At all events, it is best that he should follow us +to Athos's." + +Aramis called Bazin, and, after having ordered him to join them +at Athos's residence, said "Let us go then," at the same time +taking his cloak, sword, and three pistols, opening uselessly two +or three drawers to see if he could not find stray coin. When +well assured this search was superfluous, he followed D'Artagnan, +wondering to himself how this young Guardsman should know so well +who the lady was to whom he had given hospitality, and that he +should know better than himself what had become of her. + +Only as they went out Aramis placed his hand upon the arm of +D'Artagnan, and looking at him earnestly, "You have not spoken of +this lady?" said he. + +"To nobody in the world." + +"Not even to Athos or Porthos?" + +"I have not breathed a syllable to them." + +"Good enough!" + +Tranquil on this important point, Aramis continued his way with +D'Artagnan, and both soon arrived at Athos's dwelling. They +found him holding his leave of absence in one hand, and M. de +Treville's note in the other. + +"Can you explain to me what signify this leave of absence and +this letter, which I have just received?" said the astonished +Athos. + + +My dear Athos, I wish, as your health absolutely requires it, +that you should rest for a fortnight. Go, then, and take the +waters of Forges, or any that may be more agreeable to you, and +recuperate yourself as quickly as possible. + +Yours affectionate + +De Treville + + +"Well, this leave of absence and that letter mean that you must +follow me, Athos." + +"To the waters of Forges?" + +"There or elsewhere." + +"In the king's service?" + +"Either the king's or the queen's. Are we not their Majesties' +servants?" + +At that moment Porthos entered. "PARDIEU!" said he, "here is a +strange thing! Since when, I wonder, in the Musketeers, did they +grant men leave of absence without their asking for it?" + +"Since," said D'Artagnan, "they have friends who ask it for +them." + +"Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears there's something fresh +here." + +"Yes, we are going--" said Aramis. + +"To what country?" demanded Porthos. + +"My faith! I don't much about it," said Athos. "Ask +D'Artagnan." + +"To London, gentlemen," said D'Artagnan. + +"To London!" cried Porthos; "and what the devil are we going to +do in London?" + +"That is what I am not at liberty to tell you, gentlemen; you +must trust to me." + +"But in order to go to London," added Porthos, "money is needed, +and I have none." + +"Nor I," said Aramis. + +"Nor I," said Athos. + +"I have," replied D'Artagnan, pulling out his treasure from his +pocket, and placing it on the table. "There are in this bag +three hundred pistoles. Let each take seventy-five; that is +enough to take us to London and back. Besides, make yourselves +easy; we shall not all arrive at London." + +"Why so?" + +"Because, in all probability, some one of us will be left on the +road." + +"Is this, then, a campaign upon which we are now entering?" + +"One of a most dangerous kind, I give you notice." + +"Ah! But if we do risk being killed," said Porthos, "at least I +should like to know what for." + +"You would be all the wiser," said Athos. + +"And yet," said Aramis, "I am somewhat of Porthos's opinion." + +"Is the king accustomed to give you such reasons? No. He says +to you jauntily, 'Gentlemen, there is fighting going on in +Gascony or in Flanders; go and fight,' and you go there. Why? +You need give yourselves no more uneasiness about this." + +"D'Artagnan is right," said Athos; "here are our three leaves of +absence which came from Monsieur de Treville, and here are three +hundred pistoles which came from I don't know where. So let us +go and get killed where we are told to go. Is life worth the +trouble of so many questions? D'Artagnan, I am ready to follow +you." + +"And I also," said Porthos. + +"And I also," said Aramis. "And, indeed, I am not sorry to quit +Paris; I had need of distraction." + +"Well, you will have distractions enough, gentlemen, be assured," +said D'Artagnan. + +"And, now, when are we to go?" asked Athos. + +"Immediately," replied D'Artagnan; "we have not a minute to +lose." + +"Hello, Grimaud! Planchet! Mousqueton! Bazin!" cried the four +young men, calling their lackeys, "clean my boots, and fetch the +horses from the hotel." + +Each Musketeer was accustomed to leave at the general hotel, as +at a barrack, his own horse and that of his lackey. Planchet, +Grimaud, Mousqueton, and Bazin set off at full speed. + +"Now let us lay down the plan of campaign," said Porthos. "Where +do we go first?" + +"To Calais," said D'Artagnan; "that is the most direct line to +London." + +"Well," said Porthos, "this is my advice--" + +"Speak!" + +"Four men traveling together would be suspected. D'Artagnan will +give each of us his instructions. I will go by the way of +Boulogne to clear the way; Athos will set out two hours after, by +that of Amiens; Aramis will follow us by that of Noyon; as to +D'Artagnan, he will go by what route he thinks is best, in +Planchet's clothes, while Planchet will follow us like +D'Artagnan, in the uniform of the Guards." + +"Gentlemen," said Athos, "my opinion is that it is not proper to +allow lackeys to have anything to do in such an affair. A secret +may, by chance, be betrayed by gentlemen; but it is almost +always sold by lackeys." + +"Porthos's plan appears to me to be impracticable," said +D'Artagnan, "inasmuch as I am myself ignorant of what +instructions I can give you. I am the bearer of a letter, that +is all, I have not, and I cannot make three copies of that +letter, because it is sealed. We must, then, as it appears to +me, travel in company. This letter is here, in this pocket," and +he pointed to the pocket which contained the letter. "If I +should be killed, one of you must take it, and continue the +route; if he be killed, it will be another's turn, and so on-- +provided a single one arrives, that is all that is required." + +"Bravo, D'Artagnan, your opinion is mine," cried Athos, "Besides, +we must be consistent; I am going to take the waters, you will +accompany me. Instead of taking the waters of Forges, I go and +take sea waters; I am free to do so. If anyone wishes to stop +us, I will show Monsieur de Treville's letter, and you will show +your leaves of absence. If we are attacked, we will defend +ourselves; if we are tried, we will stoutly maintain that we were +only anxious to dip ourselves a certain number of times in the +sea. They would have an easy bargain of four isolated men; +whereas four men together make a troop. We will arm our four +lackeys with pistols and musketoons; if they send an army out +against us, we will give battle, and the survivor, as D'Artagnan +says, will carry the letter." + +"Well said," cried Aramis; "you don't often speak, Athos, but +when you do speak, it is like St. John of the Golden Mouth. I +agree to Athos's plan. And you, Porthos?" + +"I agree to it, too," said Porthos, "if D'Artagnan approves of +it. D'Artagnan, being the bearer of the letter, is naturally the +head of the enterprise; let him decide, and we will execute." + +"Well," said D'Artagnan, "I decide that we should adopt Athos's +plan, and that we set off in half an hour." + +"Agreed!" shouted the three Musketeers in chorus. + +Each one, stretching out his hand to the bag, took his seventy- +five pistoles, and make his preparations to set out at the time +appointed. + + + +20 THE JOURNEY + +At two o'clock in the morning, our four adventurers left Paris by +the Barriere St. Denis. As long as it was dark they remained +silent; in spite of themselves they submitted to the influence of +the obscurity, and apprehended ambushes on every side. + +With the first rays of day their tongues were loosened; with the +sun gaiety revived. It was like the eve of a battle; the heart +beat, the eyes laughed, and they felt that the life they were +perhaps going to lose, was, after all, a good thing. + +Besides, the appearance of the caravan was formidable. The black +horses of the Musketeers, their martial carriage, with the +regimental step of these noble companions of the soldier, would +have betrayed the most strict incognito. The lackeys followed, +armed to the teeth. + +All went well till they arrived at Chantilly, which they reached +about eight o'clock in the morning. They needed breakfast, and +alighted at the door of an AUBERGE, recommended by a sign +representing St. Martin giving half his cloak to a poor man. +They ordered the lackeys not to unsaddle the gorses, and to hold +themselves in readiness to set off again immediately. + +They entered the common hall, and placed themselves at table. A +gentleman, who had just arrived by the route of Dammartin, was +seated at the same table, and was breakfasting. He opened the +conversation about rain and fine weather; the travelers replied. +He drank to their good health, and the travelers returned his +politeness. + +But at the moment Mousqueton came to announce that the horses +were ready, and they were arising from table, the stranger +proposed to Porthos to drink the health of the cardinal. Porthos +replied that he asked no better if the stranger, in his turn, +would drink the health of the king. The stranger cried that he +acknowledged no other king but his Eminence. Porthos called him +drunk, and the stranger drew his sword. + +"You have committed a piece of folly," said Athos, "but it can't +be helped; there is no drawing back. Kill the fellow, and rejoin +us as soon as you can." + +All three remounted their horses, and set out at a good pave, +while Porthos was promising his adversary to perforate him with +all the thrusts known in the fencing schools. + +"There goes one!" cried Athos, at the end of five hundred paces. + +"But why did that man attack Porthos rather than any other one of +us?" asked Aramis. + +"Because, as Porthos was talking louder than the rest of us, he +took him for the chief," said D'Artagnan. + +"I always said that this cadet from Gascony was a well of +wisdom," murmured Athos; and the travelers continued their route. + +At Beauvais they stopped two hours, as well to breathe their +horses a little as to wait for Porthos. At the end of two hours, +as Porthos did not come, not any news of him, they resumed their +journey. + +At a league from Beauvais, where the road was confined between +two high banks, they fell in with eight or ten men who, taking +advantage of the road being unpaved in this spot, appeared to be +employed in digging holes and filling up the ruts with mud. + +Aramis, not liking to soil his boots with this artificial mortar, +apostrophized them rather sharply. Athos wished to restrain him, +but it was too late. The laborers began to jeer the travelers +and by their insolence disturbed the equanimity even of the cool +Athos, who urged on his horse against one of them. + +Then each of these men retreated as far as the ditch, from which +each took a concealed musket; the result was that our seven +travelers were outnumbered in weapons. Aramis received a ball +which passed through his shoulder, and Mousqueton another ball +which lodged in the fleshy part which prolongs the lower portion +of the loins. Therefore Mousqueton alone fell from his horse, +not because he was severely wounded, but not being able to see +the wound, he judged it to be more serious than it really was. + +"It was an ambuscade!" shouted D'Artagnan. "Don't waste a +charge! Forward!" + +Aramis, wounded as he was, seized the mane of his horse, which +carried him on with the others. Mousqueton's horse rejoined +them, and galloped by the side of his companions. + +"That will serve us for a relay," said Athos. + +"I would rather have had a hat," said D'Artagnan. "Mine was +carried away by a ball. By my faith, it is very fortunate that +the letter was not in it." + +"They'll kill poor Porthos when he comes up," said Aramis. + +"If Porthos were on his legs, he would have rejoined us by this +time," said Athos. "My opinion is that on the ground the drunken +man was not intoxicated." + +They continued at their best speed for two hours, although the +horses were so fatigued that it was to be feared they would soon +refuse service. + +The travelers had chosen crossroads in the hope that they might +meet with less interruption; but at Crevecoeur, Aramis declared +he could proceed no farther. In fact, it required all the +courage which he concealed beneath his elegant form and polished +manners to bear him so far. He grew more pale every minute, and +they were obliged to support him on his horse. They lifted him +off at the door of a cabaret, left Bazin with him, who, besides, +in a skirmish was more embarrassing than useful, and set forward +again in the hope of sleeping at Amiens. + +"MORBLEU," said Athos, as soon as they were again in motion, +"reduced to two masters and Grimaud and Planchet! MORBLEU! I +won't be their dupe, I will answer for it. I will neither open +my mouth nor draw my sword between this and Calais. I swear +by--" + +"Don't waste time in swearing," said D'Artagnan; "let us gallop, +if our horses will consent." + +And the travelers buried their rowels in their horses' flanks, +who thus vigorously stimulated recovered their energies. They +arrived at Amiens at midnight, and alighted at the AUBERGE of the +Golden Lily. + +The host had the appearance of as honest a man as any on earth. +He received the travelers with his candlestick in one hand and +his cotton nightcap in the other. He wished to ledge the two +travelers each in a charming chamber; but unfortunately these +charming chambers were at the opposite extremities of the hotel. +D'Artagnan and Athos refused them. The host replied that he had +no other worthy of their Excellencies; but the travelers declared +they would sleep in the common chamber, each on a mattress which +might be thrown upon the ground. The host insisted; but the +travelers were firm, and he was obliged to do as they wished. + +They had just prepared their beds and barricaded their door +within, when someone knocked at the yard shutter; they demanded +who was there, and recognizing the voices of their lackeys, +opened the shutter. It was indeed Planchet and Grimaud. + +"Grimaud can take care of the horses," said Planchet. "If you +are willing, gentlemen, I will sleep across your doorway, and you +will then be certain that nobody can reach you." + +"And on what will you sleep?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Here is my bed," replied Planchet, producing a bundle of straw. + +"Come, then," said D'Artagnan, "you are right. Mine host's face +does not please me at all; it is to gracious." + +"Nor me either," said Athos. + +Planchet mounted by the window and installed himself across the +doorway, while Grimaud went and shut himself up in the stable, +undertaking that by five o'clock in the morning he and the four +horses should be ready. + +The night was quiet enough. Toward two o'clock in the morning +somebody endeavored to open the door; but as Planchet awoke in an +instant and cried, "Who goes there?" somebody replied that he was +mistaken, and went away. + +At four o'clock in the morning they heard a terrible riot in the +stables. Grimaud had tried to waken the stable boys, and the +stable boys had beaten him. When they opened the window, they +saw the poor lad lying senseless, with his head split by a blow +with a pitchfork. + +Planchet went down into the yard, and wished to saddle the +horses; but the horses were all used up. Mousqueton's horse +which had traveled for five or six hours without a rider the day +before, might have been able to pursue the journey; but by an +inconceivable error the veterinary surgeon, who had been sent +for, as it appeared, to bleed one of the host's horses, had bled +Mousqueton's. + +This began to be annoying. All these successive accidents were +perhaps the result of chance; but they might be the fruits of a +plot. Athos and D'Artagnan went out, while Planchet was sent to +inquire if there were not three horses for sale in the +neighborhood. At the door stood two horses, fresh, strong, and +fully equipped. These would just have suited them. He asked +where their masters were, and was informed that they had passed +the night in the inn, and were then settling their bill with the +host. + +Athos went down to pay the reckoning, while D'Artagnan and +Planchet stood at the street door. The host was in a lower and +back room, to which Athos was requested to go. + +Athos entered without the least mistrust, and took out two +pistoles to pay the bill. The host was alone, seated before his +desk, one of the drawers of which was partly open. He took the +money which Athos offered to him, and after turning and turning +it over and over in his hands, suddenly cried out that it was +bad, and that he would have him and his companions arrested as +forgers. + +"You blackguard!" cried Athos, going toward him, "I'll cut your +ears off!" + +At the same instant, four men, armed to the teeth, entered by +side doors, and rushed upon Athos. + +"I am taken!" shouted Athos, with all the power of his lungs. +"Go on, D'Artagnan! Spur, spur!" and he fired two pistols. + +D'Artagnan and Planchet did not require twice bidding; they +unfastened the two horses that were waiting at the door, leaped +upon them, buried their spurs in their sides, and set off at full +gallop. + +"Do you know what has become of Athos?" asked D'Artagnan of +Planchet, as they galloped on. + +"Ah, monsieur," said Planchet, "I saw one fall at each of his two +shots, and he appeared to me, through the glass door, to be +fighting with his sword with the others." + +"Brave Athos!" murmured D'Artagnan, "and to think that we are +compelled to leave him; maybe the same fate awaits us two paces +hence. Forward, Planchet, forward! You are a brave fellow." + +"As I told you, monsieur," replied Planchet, "Picards are found +out by being used. Besides, I am here in my own country, and +that excites me." + +And both, with free use of the spur, arrived at St. Omer without +drawing bit. At St. Omer they breathed their horses with the +bridles passed under their arms for fear of accident, and ate a +morsel from their hands on the stones of the street, after they +departed again. + +At a hundred paces from the gates of Calais, D'Artagnan's horse +gave out, and could not by any means be made to get up again, the +blood flowing from his eyes and his nose. There still remained +Planchet's horse; but he stopped short, and could not be made to +move a step. + +Fortunately, as we have said, they were within a hundred paces of +the city; they left their two nags upon the high road, and ran +toward the quay. Planchet called his master's attention to a +gentleman who had just arrived with his lackey, and only preceded +them by about fifty paces. They made all speed to come up to +this gentleman, who appeared to be in great haste. His boots +were covered with dust, and he inquired if he could not instantly +cross over to England. + +"Nothing would be more easy," said the captain of a vessel ready +to set sail, "but this morning came an order to let no one leave +without express permission from the cardinal." + +"I have that permission," said the gentleman, drawing the paper +from his pocket; "here it is." + +"Have it examined by the governor of the port," said the +shipmaster, "and give me the preference." + +"Where shall I find the governor?" + +"At his country house." + +"And that is situated?" + +"At a quarter of a league from the city. Look, you may see it +from here--at the foot of that little hill, that slated roof." + +"Very well," said the gentleman. And, with his lackey, he took +the road to the governor's country house. + +D'Artagnan and Planchet followed the gentleman at a distance of +five hundred paces. Once outside the city, D'Artagnan overtook +the gentleman as he was entering a little wood. + +"Monsieur," you appear to be in great haste?" + +"No one can be more so, monsieur." + +"I am sorry for that," said D'Artagnan; "for as I am in great +haste likewise, I wish to beg you to render me a service." + +"What?" + +"To let me sail first." + +"That's impossible," said the gentleman; "I have traveled sixty +leagues in forty hours, and by tomorrow at midday I must be in +London." + +"I have performed that same distance in forty hours, and by ten +o'clock in the morning I must be in London." + +"Very sorry, monsieur; but I was here first, and will not sail +second." + +"I am sorry, too, monsieur; but I arrived second, and must sail +first." + +"The king's service!" said the gentleman. + +"My own service!" said D'Artagnan. + +"But this is a needless quarrel you seek with me, as it seems to +me." + +"PARBLEU! What do you desire it to be?" + +"What do you want?" + +"Would you like to know?" + +"Certainly." + +"Well, then, I wish that order of which you are bearer, seeing +that I have not one of my own and must have one." + +"You jest, I presume." + +"I never jest." + +"Let me pass!" + +"You shall not pass." + +"My brave young man, I will blow out your brains. HOLA, Lubin, +my pistols!" + +"Planchet," called out D'Artagnan, "take care of the lackey; I +will manage the master." + +Planchet, emboldened by the first exploit, sprang upon Lubin; and +being strong and vigorous, he soon got him on the broad of his +back, and placed his knee upon his breast. + +"Go on with your affair, monsieur," cried Planchet; "I have +finished mine." + +Seeing this, the gentleman drew his sword, and sprang upon +D'Artagnan; but he had too strong an adversary. In three seconds +D'Artagnan had wounded him three times, exclaiming at each +thrust, "One for Athos, one for Porthos; and one for Aramis!" + +At the third hit the gentleman fell like a log. D'Artagnan +believed him to be dead, or at least insensible, and went toward +him for the purpose of taking the order; but the moment he +extended his hand to search for it, the wounded man, who had not +dropped his sword, plunged the point into D'Artagnan's breast, +crying, "One for you!" + +"And one for me--the best for last!" cried D'Artagnan, furious, +nailing him to the earth with a fourth thrust through his body. + +This time the gentleman closed his eyes and fainted. D'Artagnan +searched his pockets, and took from one of them the order for the +passage. It was in the name of Comte de Wardes. + +Then, casting a glance on the handsome young man, who was +scarcely twenty-five years of age, and whom he was leaving in his +gore, deprived of sense and perhaps dead, he gave a sigh for that +unaccountable destiny which leads men to destroy each other for +the interests of people who are strangers to them and who often +do not even know that they exist. But he was soon aroused from +these reflections by Lubin, who uttered loud cries and screamed +for help with all his might. + +Planchet grasped him by the throat, and pressed as hard as he +could. "Monsieur," said he, "as long as I hold him in this +manner, he can't cry, I'll be bound; but as soon as I let go he +will howl again. I know him for a Norman, and Normans are +obstinate." + +In fact, tightly held as he was, Lubin endeavored still to cry +out. + +"Stay!" said D'Artagnan; and taking out his handkerchief, he +gagged him. + +"Now," said Planchet, "let us bind him to a tree." + +This being properly done, they drew the Comte de Wardes close to +his servant; and as night was approaching, and as the wounded man +and the bound man were at some little distance within the wood, +it was evident they were likely to remain there till the next +day. + +"And now," said D'Artagnan, "to the Governor's." + +"But you are wounded, it seems," said Planchet. + +"Oh, that's nothing! Let us attend to what is more pressing +first, and then we will attend to my wound; besides, it does not +seem very dangerous." + +And they both set forward as fast as they could toward the +country house of the worthy functionary. + +The Comte de Wardes was announced, and D'Artagnan was introduced. + +"You have an order signed by the cardinal?" said the governor. + +"Yes, monsieur," replied D'Artagnan; "here it is." + +"Ah, ah! It is quite regular and explicit," said the governor. + +"Most likely," said D'Artagnan; "I am one of his most faithful +servants." + +"It appears that his Eminence is anxious to prevent someone from +crossing to England?" + +"Yes; a certain D'Artagnan, a Bearnese gentleman who left Paris +in company with three of his friends, with the intention of going +to London." + +"Do you know him personally?" asked the governor. + +"Whom?" + +"This D'Artagnan." + +"Perfectly well." + +"Describe him to me, then." + +"Nothing more easy." + +And D'Artagnan have, feature for feature, a description of the +Comte de Wardes. + +"Is he accompanied?" + +"Yes; by a lackey named Lubin." + +"We will keep a sharp lookout for them; and if we lay hands on +them his Eminence may be assured they will be reconducted to +Paris under a good escort." + +"And by doing so, Monsieur the Governor," said D'Artagnan, "you +will deserve well of the cardinal." + +"Shall you see him on your return, Monsieur Count?" + +"Without a doubt." + +"Tell him, I beg you, that I am his humble servant." + +"I will not fail." + +Delighted with this assurance the governor countersigned the +passport and delivered it to D'Artagnan. D'Artagnan lost no time +in useless compliments. He thanked the governor, bowed, and +departed. Once outside, he and Planchet set off as fast as they +could; and by making a long detour avoided the wood and reentered +the city by another gate. + +The vessel was quite ready to sail, and the captain was waiting +on the wharf. "Well?" said he, on perceiving D'Artagnan. + +"Here is my pass countersigned," said the latter. + +"And that other gentleman? + +"He will not go today," said D'Artagnan; "but here, I'll pay you +for us two." + +"In that case let us go," said the shipmaster. + +"Let us go," repeated D'Artagnan. + +He leaped with Planchet into the boat, and five minutes after +they were on board. It was time; for they had scarcely sailed +half a league, when D'Artagnan saw a flash and heard a +detonation. It was the cannon which announced the closing of the +port. + +He had now leisure to look to his wound. Fortunately, as +D'Artagnan had thought, it was not dangerous. The point of the +sword had touched a rib, and glanced along the bone. Still +further, his shirt had stuck to the wound, and he had lost only a few drops of blood. + +D'Artagnan was worn out with fatigue. A mattress was laid upon +the deck for him. He threw himself upon it, and fell asleep. + +On the morrow, at break of day, they were still three or four +leagues from the coast of England. The breeze had been so light +all night, they had made but little progress. At ten o'clock the +vessel cast anchor in the harbor of Dover, and at half past ten +D'Artagnan placed his foot on English land, crying, "Here I am at +last!" + +But that was not all; they must get to London. In England the +post was well served. D'Artagnan and Planchet took each a post +horse, and a postillion rode before them. In a few hours they +were in the capital. + +D'Artagnan did not know London; he did not know a word of +English; but he wrote the name of Buckingham on a piece of paper, +and everyone pointed out to him the way to the duke's hotel. + +The duke was at Windsor hunting with the king. D'Artagnan +inquired for the confidential valet of the duke, who, having +accompanied him in all his voyages, spoke French perfectly well; +he told him that he came from Paris on an affair of life and +death, and that he must speak with his master instantly. + +The confidence with which D'Artagnan spoke convinced Patrick, +which was the name of this minister of the minister. He ordered +two horses to be saddled, and himself went as guide to the young +Guardsman. As for Planchet, he had been lifted from his horse as +stiff as a rush; the poor lad's strength was almost exhausted. +D'Artagnan seemed iron. + +On their arrival at the castle they learned that Buckingham and +the king were hawking in the marshes two or three leagues away. +In twenty minutes they were on the spot named. Patrick soon +caught the sound of his master's voice calling his falcon. + +"Whom must I announce to my Lord Duke?" asked Patrick. + +"The young man who one evening sought a quarrel with him on the +Pont Neuf, opposite the Samaritaine." + +"A singular introduction!" + +"You will find that it is as good as another." + +Patrick galloped off, reached the duke, and announced to him in +the terms directed that a messenger awaited him. + +Buckingham at once remembered the circumstance, and suspecting +that something was going on in France of which it was necessary +he should be informed, he only took the time to inquire where the +messenger was, and recognizing from afar the uniform of the +Guards, he put his horse into a gallop, and rode straight up to +D'Artagnan. Patrick discreetly kept in the background. + +"No misfortune has happened to the queen?" cried Buckingham, the +instant he came up, throwing all his fear and love into the +question. + +"I believe not; nevertheless I believe she runs some great peril +from which your Grace alone can extricate her." + +"I!" cried Buckingham. "What is it? I should be too happy to be +of any service to her. Speak, speak!" + +"Take this letter," said D'Artagnan. + +"This letter! From whom comes this letter?" + +"From her Majesty, as I think." + +"From her Majesty!" said Buckingham, becoming so pale that +D'Artagnan feared he would faint as he broke the seal. + +"What is this rent?" said he, showing D'Artagnan a place where it +had been pierced through. + +"Ah," said D'Artagnan, "I did not see that; it was the sword of +the Comte de Wardes which made that hole, when he gave me a good +thrust in the breast." + +"You are wounded?" asked Buckingham, as he opened the letter. + +"Oh, nothing but a scratch," said D'Artagnan. + +"Just heaven, what have I read?" cried the duke. "Patrick, +remain here, or rather join the king, wherever he may be, and +tell his Majesty that I humbly beg him to excuse me, but an +affair of the greatest importance recalls me to London. Come, +monsieur, come!" and both set off towards the capital at full +gallop. + + + +21 THE COUNTESS DE WINTER + +As they rode along, the duke endeavored to draw from D'Artagnan, +not all that had happened, but what D'Artagnan himself knew. By +adding all that he heard from the mouth of the young man to his +own remembrances, he was enabled to form a pretty exact idea of a +position of the seriousness of which, for the rest, the queen's +letter, short but explicit, gave him the clue. But that which +astonished him most was that the cardinal, so deeply interested +in preventing this young man from setting his foot in England, +had not succeeded in arresting him on the road. It was then, +upon the manifestation of this astonishment, that D'Artagnan +related to him the precaution taken, and how, thanks to the +devotion of his three friends, whom he had left scattered and +bleeding on the road, he had succeeded in coming off with a +single sword thrust, which had pierced the queen's letter and for +which he had repaid M. de Wardes with such terrible coin. While +he was listening to this recital, delivered with the greatest +simplicity, the duke looked from time to time at the young man +with astonishment, as if he could not comprehend how so much +prudence, courage, and devotedness could be allied with a +countenance which indicated not more than twenty years. + +The horses went like the wind, and in a few minutes they were at +the gates of London. D'Artagnan imagined that on arriving in +town the duke would slacken his pace, but it was not so. He kept +on his way at the same rate, heedless about upsetting those whom +he met on the road. In fact, in crossing the city two or three +accidents of this kind happened; but Buckingham did not even turn +his head to see what became of those he had knocked down. +D'Artagnan followed him amid cries which strongly resembled +curses. + +On entering the court of his hotel, Buckingham sprang from his +horse, and without thinking what became of the animal, threw the +bridle on his neck, and sprang toward the vestibule. D'Artagnan +did the same, with a little more concern, however, for the noble +creatures, whose merits he fully appreciated; but he had the +satisfaction of seeing three or four grooms run from the kitchens +and the stables, and busy themselves with the steeds. + +The duke walked so fast that D'Artagnan had some trouble in +keeping up with him. He passed through several apartments, of an +elegance of which even the greatest nobles of France had not even +an idea, and arrived at length in a bedchamber which was at once +a miracle of taste and of richness. In the alcove of this +chamber was a door concealed in the tapestry which the duke +opened with a little gold key which he wore suspended from his +neck by a chain of the same metal. With discretion D'Artagnan +remained behind; but at the moment when Buckingham crossed the +threshold, he turned round, and seeing the hesitation of the +young man, "Come in!" cried he, "and if you have the good fortune +to be admitted to her Majesty's presence, tell her what you have +seen." + +Encouraged by this invitation, D'Artagnan followed the duke, who +closed the door after them. The two found themselves in a small +chapel covered with a tapestry of Persian silk worked with gold, +and brilliantly lighted with a vast number of candles. Over a +species of altar, and beneath a canopy of blue velvet, surmounted +by white and red plumes, was a full-length portrait of Anne of +Austria, so perfect in its resemblance that D'Artagnan uttered a +cry of surprise on beholding it. One might believe the queen was +about to speak. On the altar, and beneath the portrait, was the +casket containing the diamond studs. + +The duke approached the altar, knelt as a priest might have done +before a crucifix, and opened the casket. "There, said he, +drawing from the casket a large bow of blue ribbon all sparkling +with diamonds, "there are the precious studs which I have taken +an oath should be buried with me. The queen have them to me, the +queen requires them again. Her will be done, like that of God, +in all things." + +Then, he began to kiss, one after the other, those dear studs +with which he was about to part. All at once he uttered a +terrible cry. + +"What is the matter?" exclaimed D'Artagnan, anxiously; "what has +happened to you, my Lord?" + +"All is lost!" cried Buckingham, becoming as pale as a corpse; +"two of the studs are wanting, there are only ten." + +"Can you have lost them, my Lord, or do you think they have been +stolen?" + +"They have been stolen," replied the duke, "and it is the +cardinal who has dealt this blow. Hold; see! The ribbons which +held them have been cut with scissors." + +"If my Lord suspects they have been stolen, perhaps the person +who stole them still has them in his hands." + +"Wait, wait!" said the duke. "The only time I have worn these +studs was at a ball given by the king eight days ago at Windsor. +The Comtesse de Winter, with whom I had quarreled, became +reconciled to me at that ball. That reconciliation was nothing +but the vengeance of a jealous woman. I have never seen her from +that day. The woman is an agent of the cardinal." + +"He has agents, then, throughout the world?" cried D'Artagnan. + +"Oh, yes," said Buckingham, grating his teeth with rage. "Yes, +he is a terrible antagonist. But when is this ball to take +place?" + +"Monday next." + +"Monday next! Still five days before us. That's more time than +we want. Patrick!" cried the duke, opening the door of the +chapel, "Patrick!" His confidential valet appeared. + +"My jeweler and my secretary." + +The valet went out with a mute promptitude which showed him +accustomed to obey blindly and without reply. + +But although the jeweler had been mentioned first, it was the +secretary who first made his appearance. This was simply because +he lived in the hotel. He found Buckingham seated at a table in +his bedchamber, writing orders with his own hand. + +"Mr. Jackson," said he, "go instantly to the Lord Chancellor, and +tell him that I charge him with the execution of these orders. I +wish them to be promulgated immediately." + +"But, my Lord, if the Lord Chancellor interrogates me upon the +motives which may have led your Grace to adopt such an +extraordinary measure, what shall I reply?" + +"That such is my pleasure, and that I answer for my will to no +man." + +"Will that be the answer," replied the secretary, smiling, "which +he must transmit to his Majesty if, by chance, his Majesty should +have the curiosity to know why no vessel is to leave any of the +ports of Great Britain?" + +"You are right, Mr. Jackson," replied Buckingham. "He will say, +in that case, to the king that I am determined on war, and that +this measure is my first act of hostility against France." + +The secretary bowed and retired. + +"We are safe on that side," said Buckingham, turning toward +D'Artagnan. "If the studs are not yet gone to Paris, they will +not arrive till after you." + +"How so?" + +"I have just placed an embargo on all vessels at present in his +Majesty's ports, and without particular permission, not one dare +life an anchor." + +D'Artagnan looked with stupefaction at a man who thus employed +the unlimited power with which he was clothed by the confidence +of a king in the prosecution of his intrigues. Buckingham saw by +the expression of the young man's face what was passing in his +mind, and he smiled. + +"Yes," said he, "yes, Anne of Austria is my true queen. Upon a +word from her, I would betray my country, I would betray my king, +I would betray my God. She asked me not to send the Protestants +of La Rochelle the assistance I promised them; I have not done +so. I broke my word, it is true; but what signifies that? I +obeyed my love; and have I not been richly paid for that +obedience? It was to that obedience I owe her portrait." + +D'Artagnan was amazed to note by what fragile and unknown threads +the destinies of nations and the lives of men are suspended. He +was lost in these reflections when the goldsmith entered. He was +an Irishman--one of the most skillful of his craft, and who +himself confessed that he gained a hundred thousand livres a year +by the Duke of Buckingham. + +"Mr. O'Reilly," said the duke, leading him into the chapel, "look +at these diamond studs, and tell me what they are worth apiece." + +The goldsmith cast a glance at the elegant manner in which they +were set, calculated, one with another, what the diamonds were +worth, and without hesitation said, "Fifteen hundred pistoles +each, my Lord." + +"How many days would it require to make two studs exactly like +them? You see there are two wanting." + +"Eight days, my Lord." + +"I will give you three thousand pistoles apiece if I can have +them by the day after tomorrow." + +"My Lord, they shall be yours." + +"You are a jewel of a man, Mr. O'Reilly; but that is not all. +These studs cannot be trusted to anybody; it must be done in the +palace." + +"Impossible, my Lord! There is no one but myself can so execute +them that one cannot tell the new from the old." + +"Therefore, my dear Mr. O'Reilly, you are my prisoner. And if +you wish ever to leave my palace, you cannot; so make the best of +it. Name to me such of your workmen as you need, and point out +the tools they must bring." + +The goldsmith knew the duke. He knew all objection would be +useless, and instantly determined how to act. + +"May I be permitted to inform my wife?" said he. + +"Oh, you may even see her if you like, my dear Mr. O'Reilly. +Your captivity shall be mild, be assured; and as every +inconvenience deserves its indemnification, here is, in addition +to the price of the studs, an order for a thousand pistoles, to +make you forget the annoyance I cause you." + +D'Artagnan could not get over the surprise created in him by this +minister, who thus open-handed, sported with men and millions. + +As to the goldsmith, he wrote to his wife, sending her the order +for the thousand pistoles, and charging her to send him, in +exchange, his most skillful apprentice, an assortment of +diamonds, of which he gave the names and the weight, and the +necessary tools. + +Buckingham conducted the goldsmith to the chamber destined for +him, and which, at the end of half an hour, was transformed into +a workshop. Then he placed a sentinel at each door, with an +order to admit nobody upon any pretense but his VALET DE CHAMBRE, +Patrick. We need not add that the goldsmith, O'Reilly, and his +assistant, were prohibited from going out under any pretext. +This point, settled, the duke turned to D'Artagnan. "Now, my +young friend," said he, "England is all our own. What do you +wish for? What do you desire?" + +"A bed, my Lord," replied D'Artagnan. "At present, I confess, +that is the thing I stand most in need of." + +Buckingham gave D'Artagnan a chamber adjoining his own. He +wished to have the young man at hand--not that he at all +mistrusted him, but for the sake of having someone to whom he +could constantly talk of the queen. + +In one hour after, the ordinance was published in London that no +vessel bound for France should leave port, not even the packet +boat with letters. In the eyes of everybody this was a +declaration of war between the two kingdoms. + +On the day after the morrow, by eleven o'clock, the two diamond +studs were finished, and they were so completely imitated, so +perfectly alike, that Buckingham could not tell the new ones from +the old ones, and experts in such matters would have been +deceived as he was. He immediately called D'Artagnan. "Here," +said he to him, "are the diamond studs that you came to bring; +and be my witness that I have done all that human power could +do." + +"Be satisfied, my Lord, I will tell all that I have seen. But +does your Grace mean to give me the studs without the casket?" + +"The casket would encumber you. Besides, the casket is the more +precious from being all that is left to me. You will say that I +keep it." + +"I will perform your commission, word for word, my Lord." + +"And now," resumed Buckingham, looking earnestly at the young +man, "how shall I ever acquit myself of the debt I owe you?" + +D'Artagnan blushed up to the whites of his eyes. He saw that the +duke was searching for a means of making him accept something and +the idea that the blood of his friends and himself was about to +be paid for with English gold was strangely repugnant to him. + +"Let us understand each other, my Lord," replied D'Artagnan, "and +let us make things clear beforehand in order that there may be no +mistake. I am in the service of the King and Queen of France, +and form part of the company of Monsieur Dessessart, who, as well +as his brother-in-law, Monsieur de Treville, is particularly +attached to their Majesties. What I have done, then, has been +for the queen, and not at all for your Grace. And still further, +it is very probable I should not have done anything of this, if +it had not been to make myself agreeable to someone who is my +lady, as the queen is yours." + +"Yes," said the duke, smiling, "and I even believe that I know +that other person; it is--" + +"My Lord, I have not named her!" interrupted the young man, +warmly. + +"That is true," said the duke; "and it is to this person I am +bound to discharge my debt of gratitude." + +"You have said, my Lord; for truly, at this moment when there is +question of war, I confess to you that I see nothing in your +Grace but an Englishman, and consequently an enemy whom I should +have much greater pleasure in meeting on the field of battle than +in the park at Windsor of the corridors of the Louvre--all which, +however, will not prevent me from executing to the very point my +commission or from laying down my life, if there be need of it, +to accomplish it; but I repeat it to your Grace, without your +having personally on that account more to thank me for in this +second interview than for what I did for you in the first." + +"We say, 'Proud as a Scotsman,'" murmured the Duke of Buckingham. + +"And we say, 'Proud as a Gascon,'" replied D'Artagnan. "The +Gascons are the Scots of France." + +D'Artagnan bowed to the duke, and was retiring. + +"Well, are you going away in that manner? Where, and how?" + +"That's true!" + +"Fore Gad, these Frenchmen have no consideration!" + +"I had forgotten that England was an island, and that you were +the king of it." + +"Go to the riverside, ask for the brig SUND, and give this letter +to the captain; he will convey you to a little port, where +certainly you are not expected, and which is ordinarily only +frequented by fishermen." + +"The name of that port?" + +"St. Valery; but listen. When you have arrived there you will go +to a mean tavern, without a name and without a sign--a mere +fisherman's hut. You cannot be mistaken; there is but one." + +"Afterward?" + +"You will ask for the host, and will repeat to him the word +'Forward!'" + +"Which means?" + +"In French, EN AVANT. It is the password. He will give you a +horse all saddled, and will point out to you the road you ought +to take. You will find, in the same way, four relays on your +route. If you will give at each of these relays your address in +Paris, the four horses will follow you thither. You already know +two of them, and you appeared to appreciate them like a judge. +They were those we rode on; and you may rely upon me for the +others not being inferior to them. These horses are equipped for +the field. However proud you may be, you will not refuse to +accept one of them, and to request your three companions to +accept the others--that is, in order to make war against us. +Besides, the end justified the means, as you Frenchmen say, does +it not?" + +"Yes, my Lord, I accept them," said D'Artagnan; "and if it please +God, we will make a good use of your presents." + +"Well, now, your hand, young man. Perhaps we shall soon meet on +the field of battle; but in the meantime we shall part good +friends, I hope." + +"Yes, my Lord; but with the hope of soon becoming enemies." + +"Be satisfied; I promise you that." + +"I depend upon your word, my Lord." + +D'Artagnan bowed to the duke, and made his way as quickly as +possible to the riverside. Opposite the Tower of London he found +the vessel that had been named to him, delivered his letter to +the captain, who after having it examined by the governor of the +port made immediate preparations to sail. + +Fifty vessels were waiting to set out. Passing alongside one of +them, D'Artagnan fancied he perceived on board it the woman of +Meung--the same whom the unknown gentleman had called Milady, and +whom D'Artagnan had thought so handsome; but thanks to the +current of the stream and a fair wind, his vessel passed so +quickly that he had little more than a glimpse of her. + +The next day about nine o'clock in the morning, he landed at St. +Valery. D'Artagnan went instantly in search of the inn, and +easily discovered it by the riotous noise which resounded from +it. War between England and France was talked of as near and +certain, and the jolly sailors were having a carousal. + +D'Artagnan made his way through the crowd, advanced toward the +host, and pronounced the word "Forward!" The host instantly made +him a sign to follow, went out with him by a door which opened +into a yard, led him to the stable, where a saddled horse awaited +him, and asked him if he stood in need of anything else. + +"I want to know the route I am to follow," said D'Artagnan. + +"Go from hence to Blangy, and from Blangy to Neufchatel. At +Neufchatel, go to the tavern of the Golden Harrow, give the +password to the landlord, and you will find, as you have here, a +horse ready saddled." + +"Have I anything to pay?" demanded D'Artagnan. + +"Everything is paid," replied the host, "and liberally. Begone, +and may God guide you!" + +"Amen!" cried the young man, and set off at full gallop. + +Four hours later he was in Neufchatel. He strictly followed the +instructions he had received. At Neufchatel, as at St. Valery, +he found a horse quite ready and awaiting him. He was about to +remove the pistols from the saddle he had quit to the one he was +about to fill, but he found the holsters furnished with similar +pistols. + +"Your address at Paris?" + +"Hotel of the Guards, company of Dessessart." + +"Enough," replied the questioner. + +"Which route must I take?" demanded D'Artagnan, in his turn. + +"That of Rouen; but you will leave the city on your right. You +must stop at the little village of Eccuis, in which there is but +one tavern--the Shield of France. Don't condemn it from +appearances; you will find a horse in the stables quite as good +as this." + +"The same password?" + +"Exactly." + +"Adieu, master!" + +"A good journey, gentlemen! Do you want anything?" + +D'Artagnan shook his head, and set off at full speed. At Eccuis, +the same scene was repeated. He found as provident a host and a +fresh horse. He left his address as he had done before, and set +off again at the same pace for Pontoise. At Pontoise he changed +his horse for the last time, and at nine o'clock galloped into +the yard of Treville's hotel. He had made nearly sixty leagues +in little more than twelve hours. + +M. de Treville received him as if he had seen him that same +morning; only, when pressing his hand a little more warmly than +usual, he informed him that the company of Dessessart was on duty +at the Louvre, and that he might repair at once to his post. + + + +22 THE BALLET OF LA MERLAISON + +On the morrow, nothing was talked of in Paris but the ball which +the aldermen of the city were to give to the king and queen, and +in which their Majesties were to dance the famous La Merlaison-- +the favorite ballet of the king. + +Eight days had been occupied in preparations at the Hotel de +Ville for this important evening. The city carpenters had +erected scaffolds upon which the invited ladies were to be +placed; the city grocer had ornamented the chambers with two +hundred FLAMBEAUX if white wax, a piece of luxury unheard of at +that period; and twenty violins were ordered, and the price for +them fixed at double the usual rate, upon condition, said the +report, that they should be played all night. + +At ten o'clock in the morning the Sieur de la Coste, ensign in +the king's Guards, followed by two officers and several archers +of that body, came to the city registrar, named Clement, and +demanded of him all the keys of the rooms and offices of the +hotel. These keys were given up to him instantly. Each of them +had ticket attached to it, by which it might be recognized; and +from that moment the Sieur de la Coste was charged with the care +of all the doors and all the avenues. + +At eleven o'clock came in his turn Duhallier, captain of the +Guards, bringing with him fifty archers, who were distributed +immediately through the Hotel de Ville, at the doors assigned +them. + +At three o'clock came two companies of the Guards, one French, +the other Swiss. The company of French guards was composed of +half of M. Duhallier's men and half of M. Dessessart's men. + +At six in the evening the guests began to come. As fast as they +entered, they were placed in the grand saloon, on the platforms +prepared for them. + +At nine o'clock Madame la Premiere Presidente arrived. As next +to the queen, she was the most considerable personage of the +fete, she was received by the city officials, and placed in a box +opposite to that which the queen was to occupy. + +At ten o'clock, the king's collation, consisting of preserves and +other delicacies, was prepared in the little room on the side of +the church of St. Jean, in front of the silver buffet of the +city, which was guarded by four archers. + +At midnight great cries and loud acclamations were heard. It was +the king, who was passing through the streets which led from the +Louvre to the Hotel de Ville, and which were all illuminated with +colored lanterns. + +Immediately the alderman, clothed in their cloth robes and +preceded by six sergeants, each holding a FLAMBEAU in his hand, +went to attend upon the king, whom they met on the steps, where +the provost of the merchants made him the speech of welcome--a +compliment to which his Majesty replied with an apology for +coming so late, laying the blame upon the cardinal, who had +detained him till eleven o'clock, talking of affairs of state. + +His Majesty, in full dress, was accompanied by his royal +Highness, M. le Comte de Soissons, by the Grand Prior, by the Duc +de Longueville, by the Duc d'Euboeuf, by the Comte d'Harcourt, by +the Comte de la Roche-Guyon, by M. de Liancourt, by M. de +Baradas, by the Comte de Cramail, and by the Chevalier de +Souveray. Everybody noticed that the king looked dull and +preoccupied. + +A private room had been prepared for the king and another for +Monsieur. In each of these closets were placed masquerade +dresses. The same had been done for the queen and Madame the +President. The nobles and ladies of their Majesties' suites were +to dress, two by two, in chambers prepared for the purpose. +Before entering his closet the king desired to be informed the +moment the cardinal arrived. + +Half an hour after the entrance of the king, fresh acclamations +were heard; these announced the arrival of the queen. The +aldermen did as they had done before, and preceded by their +sergeants, advanced to receive their illustrious guest. The +queen entered the great hall; and it was remarked that, like the +king, she looked dull and even weary. + +At the moment she entered, the curtain of a small gallery which +to that time had been closed, was drawn, and the pale face of the +cardinal appeared, he being dresses as a Spanish cavalier. His +eyes were fixed upon those of the queen, and a smile of terrible +joy passed over his lips; the queen did not wear her diamond +studs. + +The queen remained for a short time to receive the compliments of +the city dignitaries and to reply to the salutations of the +ladies. All at once the king appeared with the cardinal at one +of the doors of the hall. The cardinal was speaking to him in a +low voice, and the king was very pale. + +The king made his way through the crowd without a mask, and the +ribbons of his doublet scarcely tied. He went straight to the +queen, and in an altered voice said, "Why, madame, have you not +thought proper to wear your diamond studs, when you know it would +give me so much gratification?" + +The queen cast a glance around her, and saw the cardinal behind, +with a diabolical smile on his countenance. + +"Sire," replied the queen, with a faltering voice, "because, in +the midst of such a crowd as this, I feared some accident might +happen to them." + +"And you were wrong, madame. If I made you that present it was +that you might adorn yourself therewith. I tell you that you +were wrong." + +The voice of the king was tremulous with anger. Everybody looked +and listened with astonishment, comprehending nothing of what +passed. + +"Sire," said the queen, "I can send for them to the Louvre, where +they are, and thus your Majesty's wishes will be complied with." + +"Do so, madame, do so, and that at once; for within an hour the +ballet will commence." + +The queen bent in token of submission, and followed the ladies +who were to conduct her to her room. On his part the king +returned to his apartment. + +There was a moment of trouble and confusion in the assembly. +Everybody had remarked that something had passed between the king +and queen; but both of them had spoken so low that everybody, out +of respect, withdrew several steps, so that nobody had heard +anything. The violins began to sound with all their might, but +nobody listened to them. + +The king came out first from his room. He was in a most elegant +hunting costume; and Monsieur and the other nobles were dressed +like him. This was the costume that best became the king. So +dressed, he really appeared the first gentleman of his kingdom. + +The cardinal drew near to the king, and placed in his hand a +small casket. The king opened it, and found in it two diamond +studs. + +"What does this mean?" demanded he of the cardinal. + +"Nothing," replied the latter; "only, if the queen has the studs, +which I very much doubt, count them, sire, and if you only find +ten, ask her Majesty who can have stolen from her the two studs +that are here." + +The king looked at the cardinal as if to interrogate him; but he +had not time to address any question to him--a cry of admiration +burst from every mouth. If the king appeared to be the first +gentleman of his kingdom, the queen was without doubt the most +beautiful woman in France. + +It is true that the habit of a huntress became her admirably. +She wore a beaver had with blue feathers, a surtout of gray-pearl +velvet, fastened with diamond clasps, and a petticoat of blue +satin, embroidered with silver. On her left shoulder sparkled +the diamonds studs, on a bow of the same color as the plumes and +the petticoat. + +The king trembled with joy and the cardinal with vexation; +although, distant as they were from the queen, they could not +count the studs. The queen had them. The only question was, had +she ten or twelve? + +At that moment the violins sounded the signal for the ballet. +The king advanced toward Madame the President, with whom he was +to dance, and his Highness Monsieur with the queen. They took +their places, and the ballet began. + +The king danced facing the queen, and every time he passed by +her, he devoured with his eyes those studs of which he could not +ascertain the number. A cold sweat covered the brow of the +cardinal. + +The ballet lasted an hour, and had sixteen ENTREES. The ballet +ended amid the applause of the whole assemblage, and everyone +reconducted his lady to her place; but the king took advantage of +the privilege he had of leaving his lady, to advance eagerly +toward the queen. + +"I thank you, madame," said he, "for the deference you have shown +to my wishes, but I think you want two of the studs, and I bring +them back to you." + +With these words he held out to the queen the two studs the +cardinal had given him. + +"How, sire?" cried the young queen, affecting surprise, "you are +giving me, then, two more: I shall have fourteen." + +In fact the king counted them, and the twelve studs were all on +her Majesty's shoulder. + +The king called the cardinal. + +"What does this mean, Monsieur Cardinal?" asked the king in a +severe tone. + +"This means, sire," replied the cardinal, "that I was desirous of +presenting her Majesty with these two studs, and that not daring +to offer them myself, I adopted this means of inducing her to +accept them." + +"And I an the more grateful to your Eminence," replied Anne of +Austria, with a smile that proved she was not the dupe of this +ingenious gallantry, "from being certain that these two studs +alone have cost you as much as all the others cost his Majesty." + +Then saluting the king and the cardinal, the queen resumed her +way to the chamber in which she had dressed, and where she was to +take off her costume. + +The attention which we have been obliged to give, during the +commencement of the chapter, to the illustrious personages we +have introduced into it, has diverted us for an instant from him +to whom Anne of Austria owed the extraordinary triumph she had +obtained over the cardinal; and who, confounded, unknown, lost in +the crowd gathered at one of the doors, looked on at this scene, +comprehensible only to four persons--the king, the queen, his +Eminence, and himself. + +The queen had just regained her chamber, and D'Artagnan was about +to retire, when he felt his should lightly touched. He turned +and saw a young woman, who made him a sign to follow her. The +face of this young woman was covered with a black velvet mask; +but notwithstanding this precaution, which was in fact taken +rather against others than against him, he at once recognized his +usual guide, the light and intelligent Mme. Bonacieux. + +On the evening before, they had scarcely seen each other for a +moment at the apartment of the Swiss guard, Germain, whither +D'Artagnan had sent for her. The haste which the young woman was +in to convey to the queen the excellent news of the happy return +of her messenger prevented the two lovers from exchanging more +than a few words. D'Artagnan therefore followed Mme. Bonacieux +moved by a double sentiment--love and curiosity. All the way, +and in proportion as the corridors became more deserted, +D'Artagnan wished to stop the young woman, seize her and gaze +upon her, were it only for a minute; but quick as a bird she +glided between his hands, and when he wished to speak to her, her +finger placed upon her mouth, with a little imperative gesture +full of grace, reminded him that he was under the command of a +power which he must blindly obey, and which forbade him even to +make the slightest complaint. At length, after winding about for +a minute or two, Mme. Bonacieux opened the door of a closet, +which was entirely dark, and led D'Artagnan into it. There she +made a fresh sign of silence, and opened a second door concealed +by tapestry. The opening of this door disclosed a brilliant +light, and she disappeared. + +D'Artagnan remained for a moment motionless, asking himself where +he could be; but soon a ray of light which penetrated through the +chamber, together with the warm and perfumed air which reached +him from the same aperture, the conversation of two of three +ladies in language at once respectful and refined, and the word +"Majesty" several times repeated, indicated clearly that he was +in a closet attached to the queen's apartment. The young man +waited in comparative darkness and listened. + +The queen appeared cheerful and happy, which seemed to astonish +the persons who surrounded her and who were accustomed to see her +almost always sad and full of care. The queen attributed this +joyous feeling to the beauty of the fete, to the pleasure she had +experienced in the ballet; and as it is not permissible to +contradict a queen, whether she smile or weep, everybody +expatiated on the gallantry of the aldermen of the city of Paris. + +Although D'Artagnan did not at all know the queen, he soon +distinguished her voice from the others, at first by a slightly +foreign accent, and next by that tone of domination naturally +impressed upon all royal words. He heard her approach and +withdraw from the partially open door; and twice or three times +he even saw the shadow of a person intercept the light. + +At length a hand and an arm, surpassingly beautiful in their form +and whiteness, glided through the tapestry. D'Artagnan at once +comprehended that this was his recompense. He cast himself on +his knees, seized the hand, and touched it respectfully with his +lips. Then the hand was withdrawn, leaving in his an object +which he perceived to be a ring. The door immediately closed, +and D'Artagnan found himself again in complete obscurity. + +D'Artagnan placed the ring on his finger, and again waited; it +was evident that all was not yet over. After the reward of his +devotion, that of his love was to come. Besides, although the +ballet was danced, the evening had scarcely begun. Supper was to +be served at three, and the clock of St. Jean had struck three +quarters past two. + +The sound of voices diminished by degrees in the adjoining +chamber. The company was then heard departing; then the door of +the closet in which D'Artagnan was, was opened, and Mme. +Bonacieux entered. + +"You at last?" cried D'Artagnan. + +"Silence!" said the young woman, placing her hand upon his lips; +"silence, and go the same way you came!" + +"But where and when shall I see you again?" cried D'Artagnan. + +"A note which you will find at home will tell you. Begone, +begone!" + +At these words she opened the door of the corridor, and pushed +D'Artagnan out of the room. D'Artagnan obeyed like a child, +without the least resistance or objection, which proved that he +was really in love. + + + +23 THE RENDEZVOUS + +D'Artagnan ran home immediately, and although it was three +o'clock in the morning and he had some of the worst quarters of +Paris to traverse, he met with no misadventure. Everyone knows +that drunkards and lovers have a protecting deity. + +He found the door of his passage open, sprang up the stairs and +knocked softly in a manner agreed upon between him and his +lackey. Planchet*, whom he had sent home two hours before from +the Hotel de Ville, telling him to sit up for him, opened the +door for him. + +*The reader may ask, "How came Planchet here?" when he was left +"stiff as a rush" in London. In the intervening time Buckingham +perhaps sent him to Paris, as he did the horses. + +"Has anyone brought a letter for me?" asked D'Artagnan, eagerly. + +"No one has BROUGHT a letter, monsieur," replied Planchet; "but +one has come of itself." + +"What do you mean, blockhead?" + +"I mean to say that when I came in, although I had the key of +your apartment in my pocket, and that key had never quit me, I +found a letter on the green table cover in your bedroom." + +"And where is that letter?" + +"I left it where I found it, monsieur. It is not natural for +letters to enter people's houses in this manner. If the window +had been open or even ajar, I should think nothing of it; but, +no--all was hermetically sealed. Beware, monsieur; there is +certainly some magic underneath." + +Meanwhile, the young man had darted in to his chamber, and opened +the letter. It was from Mme. Bonacieux, and was expressed in +these terms: + +"There are many thanks to be offered to you, and to be +transmitted to you. Be this evening about ten o'clock at St. +Cloud, in front of the pavilion which stands at the corner of the +house of M. d'Estrees.--C.B." + +While reading this letter, D'Artagnan felt his heart dilated and +compressed by that delicious spasm which tortures and caresses +the hearts of lovers. + +It was the first billet he had received; it was the first +rendezvous that had been granted him. His heart, swelled by the +intoxication of joy, felt ready to dissolve away at the very gate +of that terrestrial paradise called Love! + +"Well, monsieur," said Planchet, who had observed his master grow +read and pale successively, "did I not guess truly? Is it not +some bad affair?" + +"You are mistaken, Planchet," replied D'Artagnan; "and as a +proof, there is a crown to drink my health." + +"I am much obliged to Monsieur for the crown he had given me, and +I promise him to follow his instructions exactly; but it is not +the less true that letters which come in this way into shut-up +houses--" + +"Fall from heaven, my friend, fall from heaven." + +"Then Monsieur is satisfied?" asked Planchet. + +"My dear Planchet, I an the happiest of men!" + +"And I may profit by Monsieur's happiness, and go to bed?" + +"Yes, go." + +"May the blessings of heaven fall upon Monsieur! But it is not +the less true that that letter--" + +And Planchet retired, shaking his head with an air of doubt, +which the liberality of D'Artagnan had not entirely effaced. + +Left alone, D'Artagnan read and reread his billet. Then he +kissed and rekissed twenty times the lines traced by the hand of +his beautiful mistress. At length he went to bed, fell asleep, +and had golden dreams. + +At seven o'clock in the morning he arose and called Planchet, who +at the second summons opened the door, his countenance not yet +quite freed from the anxiety of the preceding night. + +"Planchet," said D'Artagnan, "I am going out for all day, +perhaps. You are, therefore, your own master till seven o'clock +in the evening; but at seven o'clock you must hold yourself in +readiness with two horses." + +"There!" said Planchet. "We are going again, it appears, to have +our hides pierced in all sorts of ways." + +"You will take your musketoon and your pistols." + +"There, now! Didn't I say so?" cried Planchet. "I was sure of +it--the cursed letter!" + +"Don't be afraid, you idiot; there is nothing in hand but a party +of pleasure." + +"Ah, like the charming journey the other day, when it rained +bullets and produced a crop of steel traps!" + +"Well, if you are really afraid, Monsieur Planchet," resumed +D'Artagnan, "I will go without you. I prefer traveling alone to +having a companion who entertains the least fear." + +"Monsieur does me wrong," said Planchet; "I thought he had seen +me at work." + +"Yes, but I thought perhaps you had worn out all your courage the +first time." + +"Monsieur shall see that upon occasion I have some left; only I +beg Monsieur not to be too prodigal of it if he wishes it to last +long." + +"Do you believe you have still a certain amount of it to expend +this evening?" + +"I hope so, monsieur." + +"Well, then, I count on you." + +"At the appointed hour I shall be ready; only I believed that +Monsieur had but one horse in the Guard stables." + +"Perhaps there is but one at this moment; but by this evening +there will be four." + +"It appears that our journey was a remounting journey, then?" + +"Exactly so," said D'Artagnan; and nodding to Planchet, he went +out. + +M. Bonacieux was at his door. D'Artagnan's intention was to go +out without speaking to the worthy mercer; but the latter made so +polite and friendly a salutation that his tenant felt obliged, +not only to stop, but to enter into conversation with him. + +Besides, how is it possible to avoid a little condescension +toward a husband whose pretty wife has appointed a meeting with +you that same evening at St. Cloud, opposite D'Estrees's +pavilion? D'Artagnan approached him with the most amiable air he +could assume. + +The conversation naturally fell upon the incarceration of the +poor man. M. Bonacieux, who was ignorant that D'Artagnan had +overheard his conversation with the stranger of Meung, related to +his young tenant the persecutions of that monster, M. de +Laffemas, whom he never ceased to designate, during his account, +by the title of the "cardinal's executioner," and expatiated at +great length upon the Bastille, the bolts, the wickets, the +dungeons, the gratings, the instruments of torture. + +D'Artagnan listened to him with exemplary complaisance, and when +he had finished said, "And Madame Bonacieux, do you know who +carried her off?--For I do not forget that I owe to that +unpleasant circumstance the good fortune of having made your +acquaintance." + +"Ah!" said Bonacieux, "they took good care not to tell me that; +and my wife, on her part, has sworn to me by all that's sacred +that she does not know. But you," continued M. Bonacieux, in a +tine of perfect good fellowship, "what has become of you all +these days? I have not seen you nor your friends, and I don't +think you could gather all that dust that I saw Planchet brush +off your boots yesterday from the pavement of Paris." + +"You are right, my dear Monsieur Bonacieux, my friends and I have +been on a little journey." + +"Far from here?" + +"Oh, Lord, no! About forty leagues only. We went to take +Monsieur Athos to the waters of Forges, where my friends still +remain." + +"And you have returned, have you not?" replied M. Bonacieux, +giving to his countenance a most sly air. "A handsome young +fellow like you does not obtain long leaves of absence from his +mistress; and we were impatiently waited for at Paris, were we +not?" + +"My faith!" said the young man, laughing, "I confess it, and so +much more the readily, my dear Bonacieux, as I see there is no +concealing anything from you. Yes, I was expected, and very +impatiently, I acknowledge." + +A slight shade passed over the brow of Bonacieux, but so slight +that D'Artagnan did not perceive it. + +"And we are going to be recompensed for our diligence?" continued +the mercer, with a trifling alteration in his voice--so trifling, +indeed, that D'Artagnan did not perceive it any more than he had +the momentary shade which, an instant before, had darkened the +countenance of the worthy man. + +"Ah, may you be a true prophet!" said D'Artagnan, laughing. + +"No; what I say," replied Bonacieux, "is only that I may know +whether I am delaying you." + +"Why that question, my dear host?" asked D'Artagnan. "Do you +intend to sit up for me?" + +"No; but since my arrest and the robbery that was committed in my +house, I am alarmed every time I hear a door open, particularly +in the night. What the deuce can you expect? I am no +swordsman." + +"Well, don't be alarmed if I return at one, two or three o'clock +in the morning; indeed, do not be alarmed if I do not come at +all." + +This time Bonacieux became so pale that D'Artagnan could not help +perceiving it, and asked him what was the matter. + +"Nothing," replied Bonacieux, "nothing. Since my misfortunes I +have been subject to faintnesses, which seize me all at once, and +I have just felt a cold shiver. Pay no attention to it; you have +nothing to occupy yourself with but being happy." + +"Then I have full occupation, for I am so." + +"Not yet; wait a little! This evening, you said." + +"Well, this evening will come, thank God! And perhaps you look +for it with as much impatience as I do; perhaps this evening +Madame Bonacieux will visit the conjugal domicile." + +"Madame Bonacieux is not at liberty this evening," replied the +husband, seriously; "she is detained at the Louvre this evening +by her duties." + +"So much the worse for you, my dear host, so much the worse! +When I am happy, I wish all the world to be so; but it appears +that is not possible." + +The young man departed, laughing at the joke, which he thought he +alone could comprehend. + +"Amuse yourself well!" replied Bonacieux, in a sepulchral tone. + +But D'Artagnan was too far off to hear him; and if he had heard +him in the disposition of mind he then enjoyed, he certainly +would not have remarked it. + +He took his way toward the hotel of M. de Treville; his visit of +the day before, it is to be remembered, had been very short and +very little explicative. + +He found Treville in a joyful mood. He had thought the king and +queen charming at the ball. It is true the cardinal had been +particularly ill-tempered. He had retired at one o'clock under +the pretense of being indisposed. As to their Majesties, they +did not return to the Louvre till six o'clock in the morning. + +"Now," said Treville, lowering his voice, and looking into every +corner of the apartment to see if they were alone, "now let us +talk about yourself, my young friend; for it is evident that your +happy return has something to do with the joy of the king, the +triumph of the queen, and the humiliation of his Eminence. You +must look out for yourself." + +"What have I to fear," replied D'Artagnan, "as long as I shall +have the luck to enjoy the favor of their Majesties?" + +"Everything, believe me. The cardinal is not the man to forget a +mystification until he has settled account with the mystifier; +and the mystifier appears to me to have the air of being a +certain young Gascon of my acquaintance." + +"Do you believe that the cardinal is as well posted as yourself, +and knows that I have been to London?" + +"The devil! You have been to London! Was it from London you +brought that beautiful diamond that glitters on your finger? +Beware, my dear D'Artagnan! A present from an enemy is not a +good thing. Are there not some Latin verses upon that subject? +Stop!" + +"Yes, doubtless," replied D'Artagnan, who had never been able to +cram the first rudiments of that language into his head, and who +had by his ignorance driven his master to despair, "yes, +doubtless there is one." + +"There certainly is one," said M. de Treville, who had a tincture +of literature, "and Monsieur de Benserade was quoting it to me +the other day. Stop a minute--ah, this is it: 'Timeo Danaos et +dona ferentes,' which means, 'Beware of the enemy who makes you +presents." + +"This diamond does not come from an enemy, monsieur," replied +D'Artagnan, "it comes from the queen." + +"From the queen! Oh, oh!" said M. de Treville. "Why, it is +indeed a true royal jewel, which is worth a thousand pistoles if +it is worth a denier. By whom did the queen send you this +jewel?" + +"She gave it to me herself." + +"Where?" + +"In the room adjoining the chamber in which she changed her +toilet." + +"How?" + +"Giving me her hand to kiss." + +"You have kissed the queen's hand?" said M. de Treville, looking +earnestly at D'Artagnan. + +"Her Majesty did me the honor to grant me that favor." + +"And that in the presence of witnesses! Imprudent, thrice +imprudent!" + +"No, monsieur, be satisfied; nobody saw her," replied D'Artagnan, +and he related to M. de Treville how the affair came to pass. + +"Oh, the women, the women!" cried the old soldier. "I know them +by their romantic imagination. Everything that savors of mystery +charms them. So you have seen the arm, that was all. You would +meet the queen, and she would not know who you are?" + +"No; but thanks to this diamond," replied the young man. + +"Listen," said M. de Treville; "shall I give you counsel, good +counsel, the counsel of a friend?" + +"You will do me honor, monsieur," said D'Artagnan. + +"Well, then, off to the nearest goldsmith's, and sell that +diamond for the highest price you can get from him. However much +of a Jew he may be, he will give you at least eight hundred +pistoles. Pistoles have no name, young man, and that ring has a +terrible one, which may betray him who wears it." + +"Sell this ring, a ring which comes from my sovereign? Never!" +said D'Artagnan. + +"Then, at least turn the gem inside, you silly fellow; for +everybody must be aware that a cadet from Gascony does not find +such stones in his mother's jewel case." + +"You think, then, I have something to dread?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"I mean to say, young man, that he who sleeps over a mine the +match of which is already lighted, may consider himself in safety +in comparison with you." + +"The devil!" said D'Artagnan, whom the positive tone of M. de +Treville began to disquiet, "the devil! What must I do?" + +"Above all things be always on your guard. The cardinal has a +tenacious memory and a long arm; you may depend upon it, he will +repay you by some ill turn." + +"But of what sort?" + +"Eh! How can I tell? Has he not all the tricks of a demon at +his command? The least that can be expected is that you will be +arrested." + +"What! Will they dare to arrest a man in his Majesty's service?" + +"PARDIEU! They did not scruple much in the case of Athos. At +all events, young man, rely upon one who has been thirty years at +court. Do not lull yourself in security, or you will be lost; +but, on the contrary--and it is I who say it--see enemies in all +directions. If anyone seeks a quarrel with you, shun it, were it +with a child of ten years old. If you are attacked by day or by +night, fight, but retreat, without shame; if you cross a bridge, +feel every plank of it with your foot, lest one should give way +beneath you; if you pass before a house which is being built, +look up, for fear a stone should fall upon your head; if you stay +out late, be always followed by your lackey, and let your lackey +be armed--if, by the by, you can be sure of your lackey. +Mistrust everybody, your friend, your brother, your mistress-- +your mistress above all." + +D'Artagnan blushed. + +"My mistress above all," repeated he, mechanically; "and why her +rather than another?" + +"Because a mistress is one of the cardinal's favorite means; he +has not one that is more expeditious. A woman will sell you for +ten pistoles, witness Delilah. You are acquainted with the +Scriptures?" + +D'Artagnan thought of the appointment Mme. Bonacieux had made +with him for that very evening; but we are bound to say, to the +credit of our hero, that the bad opinion entertained by M. de +Treville of women in general, did not inspire him with the least +suspicion of his pretty hostess. + +"But, A PROPOS," resumed M. de Treville, "what has become of your +three companions?" + +"I was about to ask you if you had heard any news of them?" + +"None, monsieur." + +"Well, I left them on my road--Porthos at Chantilly, with a duel +on his hands; Aramis at Crevecoeur, with a ball in his shoulder; +and Athos at Amiens, detained by an accusation of coining." + +"See there, now!" said M. de Treville; "and how the devil did you +escape?" + +"By a miracle, monsieur, I must acknowledge, with a sword thrust +in my breast, and by nailing the Comte de Wardes on the byroad to +Calais, like a butterfly on a tapestry." + +"There again! De Wardes, one of the cardinal's men, a cousin of +Rochefort! Stop, my friend, I have an idea." + +"Speak, monsieur." + +"In your place, I would do one thing." + +"What?" + +"While his Eminence was seeking for me in Paris, I would take, +without sound of drum or trumpet, the road to Picardy, and would +go and make some inquiries concerning my three companions. What +the devil! They merit richly that piece of attention on your +part." + +"The advice is good, monsieur, and tomorrow I will set out." + +"Tomorrow! Any why not this evening?" + +"This evening, monsieur, I am detained in Paris by indispensable +business." + +"Ah, young man, young man, some flirtation or other. Take care, +I repeat to you, take care. It is woman who has ruined us, still +ruins us, and will ruin us, as long as the world stands. Take my +advice and set out this evening." + +"Impossible, monsieur." + +"You have given your word, then?" + +"Yes, monsieur." + +"Ah, that's quite another thing; but promise me, if you should +not be killed tonight, that you will go tomorrow." + +"I promise it." + +"Do you need money?" + +"I have still fifty pistoles. That, I think, is as much as I +shall want." + +"But your companions?" + +"I don't think they can be in need of any. We left Paris, each +with seventy-five pistoles in his pocket." + +"Shall I see you again before your departure?" + +"I think not, monsieur, unless something new should happen." + +"Well, a pleasant journey." + +"Thanks, monsieur." + +D'Artagnan left M. de Treville, touched more than ever by his +paternal solicitude for his Musketeers. + +He called successively at the abodes of Athos, Porthos, and +Aramis. Neither of them had returned. Their lackeys likewise +were absent, and nothing had been heard of either the one or the +other. He would have inquired after them of their mistresses, +but he was neither acquainted with Porthos's nor Aramis's, and as +to Athos, he had none. + +As he passed the Hotel des Gardes, he took a glance in to the +stables. Three of the four horses had already arrived. +Planchet, all astonishment, was busy grooming them, and had +already finished two. + +"Ah, monsieur," said Planchet, on perceiving D'Artagnan, "how +glad I am to see you." + +"Why so, Planchet?" asked the young man. + +"Do you place confidence in our landlord--Monsieur Bonacieux?" + +"I? Not the least in the world." + +"Oh, you do quite right, monsieur." + +"But why this question?" + +"Because, while you were talking with him, I watched you without +listening to you; and, monsieur, his countenance changed color +two or three times!" + +"Bah!" + +"Preoccupied as Monsieur was with the letter he had received, he +did not observe that; but I, whom the strange fashion in which +that letter came into the house had placed on my guard--I did not +lose a movement of his features." + +"And you found it?" + +"Traitorous, monsieur." + +"Indeed!" + +"Still more; as soon as Monsieur had left and disappeared round +the corner of the street, Monsieur Bonacieux took his hat, shut +his door, and set off at a quick pace in an opposite direction." + +"It seems you are right, Planchet; all this appears to be a +little mysterious; and be assured that we will not pay him our +rent until the matter shall be categorically explained to us." + +"Monsieur jests, but Monsieur will see." + +"What would you have, Planchet? What must come is written." + +"Monsieur does not then renounce his excursion for this evening?" + +"Quite the contrary, Planchet; the more ill will I have toward +Monsieur Bonacieux, the more punctual I shall be in keeping the +appointment made by that letter which makes you so uneasy." + +"Then that is Monsieur's determination?" + +"Undeniably, my friend. At nine o'clock, then, be ready here at +the hotel, I will come and take you." + +Planchet seeing there was no longer any hope of making his master +renounce his project, heaved a profound sigh and set to work to +groom the third horse. + +As to D'Artagnan, being at bottom a prudent youth, instead of +returning him he went and dined with the Gascon priest, who, at +the time of the distress of the four friends, had given them a +breakfast of chocolate. + + + +24 THE PAVILION + +At nine o'clock D'Artagnan was at the Hotel des Gardes; he found +Planchet all ready. The fourth horse had arrived. + +Planchet was armed with his musketoon and a pistol. D'Artagnan +had his sword and placed two pistols in his belt; then both +mounted and departed quietly. It was quite dark, and no one saw +them go out. Planchet took place behind his master, and kept at +a distance of ten paces from him. + +D'Artagnan crossed the quays, went out by the gate of La +Conference and followed the road, much more beautiful then than +it is now, which leads to St. Cloud. + +As long as he was in the city, Planchet kept at the respectful +distance he had imposed upon himself; but as soon as the road +began to be more lonely and dark, he drew softly nearer, so that +when they entered the Bois de Boulogne he found himself riding +quite naturally side by side with his master. In fact, we must +not dissemble that the oscillation of the tall trees and the +reflection of the moon in the dark underwood gave him serious +uneasiness. D'Artagnan could not help perceiving that something +more than usual was passing in the mind of his lackey and said, +"Well, Monsieur Planchet, what is the matter with us now?" + +"Don't you think, monsieur, that woods are like churches?" + +"How so, Planchet?" + +"Because we dare not speak aloud in one or the other." + +"But why did you not dare to speak aloud, Planchet--because you +are afraid?" + +"Afraid of being heard? Yes, monsieur." + +"Afraid of being heard! Why, there is nothing improper in our +conversation, my dear Planchet, and no one could find fault with +it." + +"Ah, monsieur!" replied Planchet, recurring to his besetting +idea, "that Monsieur Bonacieux has something vicious in his +eyebrows, and something very unpleasant in the play of his lips." + +"What the devil makes you think of Bonacieux?" + +"Monsieur, we think of what we can, and not of what we will." + +"Because you are a coward, Planchet." + +"Monsieur, we must not confound prudence with cowardice; prudence +is a virtue." + +"And you are very virtuous, are you not, Planchet?" + +"Monsieur, is not that the barrel of a musket which glitters +yonder? Had we not better lower our heads?" + +"In truth," murmured D'Artagnan, to whom M. de Treville's +recommendation recurred, "this animal will end by making me +afraid." And he put his horse into a trot. + +Planchet followed the movements of his master as if he had been +his shadow, and was soon trotting by his side. + +"Are we going to continue this pace all night?" asked Planchet. + +"No; you are at your journey's end." + +"How, monsieur! And you?" + +"I am going a few steps farther." + +"And Monsieur leaves me here alone?" + +"You are afraid, Planchet?" + +"No; I only beg leave to observe to Monsieur that the night will +be very cold, that chills bring on rheumatism, and that a lackey +who has the rheumatism makes but a poor servant, particularly to +a master as active as Monsieur." + +"Well, if you are cold, Planchet, you can go into one of those +cabarets that you see yonder, and be in waiting for me at the +door by six o'clock in the morning." + +"Monsieur, I have eaten and drunk respectfully the crown you gave +me this morning, so that I have not a sou left in case I should +be cold." + +"Here's half a pistole. Tomorrow morning." + +D'Artagnan sprang from his horse, threw the bridle to Planchet, +and departed at a quick pace, folding his cloak around him. + +"Good Lord, how cold I am!" cried Planchet, as soon as he had +lost sight of his master; and in such haste was he to warm +himself that he went straight to a house set out with all the +attributes of a suburban tavern, and knocked at the door. + +In the meantime D'Artagnan, who had plunged into a bypath, +continued his route and reached St. Cloud; but instead of +following the main street he turned behind the chateau, reached a +sort of retired lane, and found himself soon in front of the +pavilion named. It was situated in a very private spot. A high +wall, at the angle of which was the pavilion, ran along one side +of this lane, and on the other was a little garden connected with +a poor cottage which was protected by a hedge from passers-by. + +He gained the place appointed, and as no signal had been given +him by which to announce his presence, he waited. + +Not the least noise was to be heard; it might be imagined that he +was a hundred miles from the capital. D'Artagnan leaned against +the hedge, after having cast a glance behind it. Beyond that +hedge, that garden, and that cottage, a dark mist enveloped with +its folds that immensity where Paris slept--a vast void from +which glittered a few luminous points, the funeral stars of that +hell! + +But for D'Artagnan all aspects were clothed happily, all ideas +wore a smile, all shades were diaphanous. The appointed hour was +about to strike. In fact, at the end of a few minutes the belfry +of St. Cloud let fall slowly then strokes from its sonorous jaws. +There was something melancholy in this brazen voice pouring out +its lamentations in the middle of the night; but each of those +strokes, which made up the expected hour, vibrated harmoniously +to the heart of the young man. + +His eyes were fixed upon the little pavilion situated at the +angle of the wall, of which all the windows were closed with +shutters, except one on the first story. Through this window +shone a mild light which silvered the foliage of two or three +linden trees which formed a group outside the park. There could +be no doubt that behind this little window, which threw forth +such friendly beams, the pretty Mme. Bonacieux expected him. + +Wrapped in this sweet idea, D'Artagnan waited half an hour +without the least impatience, his eyes fixed upon that charming +little abode of which he could perceive a part of the ceiling +with its gilded moldings, attesting the elegance of the rest of +the apartment. + +The belfry of St. Cloud sounded half past ten. + +This time, without knowing why, D'Artagnan felt a cold shiver run +through his veins. Perhaps the cold began to affect him, and he +took a perfectly physical sensation for a moral impression. + +Then the idea seized him that he had read incorrectly, and that +the appointment was for eleven o'clock. He drew near to the +window, and placing himself so that a ray of light should fall +upon the letter as he held it, he drew it from his pocket and +read it again; but he had not been mistaken, the appointment was +for ten o'clock. He went and resumed his post, beginning to be +rather uneasy at this silence and this solitude. + +Eleven o'clock sounded. + +D'Artagnan began now really to fear that something had happened +to Mme. Bonacieux. He clapped his hands three times--the +ordinary signal of lovers; but nobody replied to him, not even an +echo. + +He then thought, with a touch of vexation, that perhaps the young +woman had fallen asleep while waiting for him. He approached the +wall, and tried to climb it; but the wall had been recently +pointed, and D'Artagnan could get no hold. + +At that moment he thought of the trees, upon whose leaves the +light still shone; and as one of them drooped over the road, he +thought that from its branches he might get a glimpse of the +interior of the pavilion. + +The tree was easy to climb. Besides, D'Artagnan was but twenty +years old, and consequently had not yet forgotten his schoolboy +habits. In an instant he was among the branches, and his keen +eyes plunged through the transparent panes into the interior of +the pavilion. + +It was a strange thing, and one which made D'Artagnan tremble +from the sole of his foot to the roots of his hair, to find that +this soft light, this calm lamp, enlightened a scene of fearful +disorder. One of the windows was broken, the door of the chamber +had been beaten in and hung, split in two, on its hinges. A +table, which had been covered with an elegant supper, was +overturned. The decanters broken in pieces, and the fruits +crushed, strewed the floor. Everything in the apartment gave +evidence of a violent and desperate struggle. D'Artagnan even +fancied he could recognize amid this strange disorder, fragments +of garments, and some bloody spots staining the cloth and the +curtains. He hastened to descend into the street, with a +frightful beating at his heart; he wished to see if he could find +other traces of violence. + +The little soft light shone on in the calmness of the night. +D'Artagnan then perceived a thing that he had not before +remarked--for nothing had led him to the examination--that the +ground, trampled here and hoofmarked there, presented confused +traces of men and horses. Besides, the wheels of a carriage, +which appeared to have come from Paris, had made a deep +impression in the soft earth, which did not extend beyond the +pavilion, but turned again toward Paris. + +At length D'Artagnan, in pursuing his researches, found near the +wall a woman's torn glove. This glove, wherever it had not +touched the muddy ground, was of irreproachable odor. It was one +of those perfumed gloves that lovers like to snatch from a pretty +hand. + +As D'Artagnan pursued his investigations, a more abundant and +more icy sweat rolled in large drops from his forehead; his heart +was oppressed by a horrible anguish; his respiration was broken +and short. And yet he said, to reassure himself, that this +pavilion perhaps had nothing in common with Mme. Bonacieux; that +the young woman had made an appointment with him before the +pavilion, and not in the pavilion; that she might have been +detained in Paris by her duties, or perhaps by the jealousy of +her husband. + +But all these reasons were combated, destroyed, overthrown, by +that feeling of intimate pain which, on certain occasions, takes +possession of our being, and cries to us so as to be understood +unmistakably that some great misfortune is hanging over us. + +Then D'Artagnan became almost wild. He ran along the high road, +took the path he had before taken, and reaching the ferry, +interrogated the boatman. + +About seven o'clock in the evening, the boatman had taken over a +young woman, wrapped in a black mantle, who appeared to be very +anxious not to be recognized; but entirely on account of her +precautions, the boatman had paid more attention to her and +discovered that she was young and pretty. + +There were then, as now, a crowd of young and pretty women who +came to St. Cloud, and who had reasons for not being seen, and +yet D'Artagnan did not for an instant doubt that it was Mme. +Bonacieux whom the boatman had noticed. + +D'Artagnan took advantage of the lamp which burned in the cabin +of the ferryman to read the billet of Mme. Bonacieux once again, +and satisfy himself that he had not been mistaken, that the +appointment was at St. Cloud and not elsewhere, before the +D'Estrees's pavilion and not in another street. Everything +conspired to prove to D'Artagnan that his presentiments had not +deceived him, and that a great misfortune had happened. + +He again ran back to the chateau. It appeared to him that +something might have happened at the pavilion in his absence, and +that fresh information awaited him. The lane was still deserted, +and the same calm soft light shone through the window. + +D'Artagnan then thought of that cottage, silent and obscure, +which had no doubt seen all, and could tell its tale. The gate +of the enclosure was shut; but he leaped over the hedge, and in +spite of the barking of a chained-up dog, went up to the cabin. + +No one answered to his first knocking. A silence of death +reigned in the cabin as in the pavilion; but as the cabin was his +last resource, he knocked again. + +It soon appeared to him that he heard a slight noise within--a +timid noise which seemed to tremble lest it should be heard. + +Then D'Artagnan ceased knocking, and prayed with an accent so +full of anxiety and promises, terror and cajolery, that his voice +was of a nature to reassure the most fearful. At length an old, +worm-eaten shutter was opened, or rather pushed ajar, but closed +again as soon as the light from a miserable lamp which burned in +the corner had shone upon the baldric, sword belt, and pistol +pommels of D'Artagnan. Nevertheless, rapid as the movement had +been, D'Artagnan had had time to get a glimpse of the head of an +old man. + +"In the name of heaven!" cried he, "listen to me; I have been +waiting for someone who has not come. I am dying with anxiety. +Has anything particular happened in the neighborhood? Speak!" + +The window was again opened slowly, and the same face appeared, +only it was now still more pale than before. + +D'Artagnan related his story simply, with the omission of names. +He told how he had a rendezvous with a young woman before that +pavilion, and how, not seeing her come, he had climbed the linden +tree, and by the light of the lamp had seen the disorder of the +chamber. + +The old man listened attentively, making a sign only that it was +all so; and then, when D'Artagnan had ended, he shook his head +with an air that announced nothing good. + +"What do you mean?" cried D'Artagnan. "In the name of heaven, +explain yourself!" + +"Oh! Monsieur," said the old man, "ask me nothing; for if I +dared tell you what I have seen, certainly no good would befall +me." + +"You have, then, seen something?" replied D'Artagnan. "In that +case, in the name of heaven," continued he, throwing him a +pistole, "tell me what you have seen, and I will pledge you the +word of a gentleman that not one of your words shall escape from +my heart." + +The old man read so much truth and so much grief in the face of +the young man that he made him a sign to listen, and repeated in +a low voice: "It was scarcely nine o'clock when I heard a noise +in the street, and was wondering what it could be, when on coming +to my door, I found that somebody was endeavoring to open it. As +I am very poor and am not afraid of being robbed, I went and +opened the gate and saw three men at a few paces from it. In the +shadow was a carriage with two horses, and some saddlehorses. +These horses evidently belonged to the three men, who wee dressed +as cavaliers. 'Ah, my worthy gentlemen,' cried I, 'what do you +want?' 'You must have a ladder?' said he who appeared to be the +leader of the party. 'Yes, monsieur, the one with which I gather +my fruit.' 'Lend it to us, and go into your house again; there +is a crown for the annoyance we have caused you. Only remember +this--if you speak a word of what you may see or what you may +hear (for you will look and you will listen, I am quite sure, +however we may threaten you), you are lost.' At these words he +threw me a crown, which I picked up, and he took the ladder. +After shutting the gate behind them, I pretended to return to the +house, but I immediately went out a back door, and stealing along +in the shade of the hedge, I gained yonder clump of elder, from +which I could hear and see everything. The three men brought the +carriage up quietly, and took out of it a little man, stout, +short, elderly, and commonly dressed in clothes of a dark color, +who ascended the ladder very carefully, looked suspiciously in at +the window of the pavilion, came down as quietly as he had gone +up, and whispered, 'It is she!' Immediately, he who had spoken +to me approached the door of the pavilion, opened it with a key +he had in his hand, closed the door and disappeared, while at the +same time the other two men ascended the ladder. The little old +man remained at the coach door; the coachman took care of his +horses, the lackey held the saddlehorses. All at once great +cried resounded in the pavilion, and a woman came to the window, +and opened it, as if to throw herself out of it; but as soon as +she perceived the other two men, she fell back and they went into +the chamber. Then I saw no more; but I heard the noise of +breaking furniture. The woman screamed, and cried for help; but +her cries were soon stifled. Two of the men appeared, bearing +the woman in their arms, and carried her to the carriage, into +which the little old man got after her. The leader closed the +window, came out an instant after by the door, and satisfied +himself that the woman was in the carriage. His two companions +were already on horseback. He sprang into his saddle; the lackey +took his place by the coachman; the carriage went off at a quick +pace, escorted by the three horsemen, and all was over. From +that moment I have neither seen nor heard anything." + +D'Artagnan, entirely overcome by this terrible story, remained +motionless and mute, while all the demons of anger and jealousy +were howling in his heart. + +"But, my good gentleman," resumed the old man, upon whom this +mute despair certainly produced a greater effect than cries and +tears would have done, "do not take on so; they did not kill her, +and that's a comfort." + +"Can you guess," said D'Artagnan, "who was the man who headed +this infernal expedition?" + +"I don't know him." + +"But as you spoke to him you must have seen him." + +"Oh, it's a description you want?" + +"Exactly so." + +"A tall, dark man, with black mustaches, dark eyes, and the air +of a gentleman." + +"That's the man!" cried D'Artagnan, "again he, forever he! He is +my demon, apparently. And the other?" + +"Which?" + +"The short one." + +"Oh, he was not a gentleman, I'll answer for it; besides, he did +not wear a sword, and the others treated him with small +consideration." + +"Some lackey," murmured D'Artagnan. "Poor woman, poor woman, +what have they done with you?" + +"You have promised to be secret, my good monsieur?" said the old +man. + +"And I renew my promise. Be easy, I am a gentleman. A gentleman +has but his word, and I have given you mine." + +With a heavy heart, D'Artagnan again bent his way toward the +ferry. Sometimes he hoped it could not be Mme. Bonacieux, and +that he should find her next day at the Louvre; sometimes he +feared she had had an intrigue with another, who, in a jealous +fit, had surprised her and carried her off. His mind was torn by +doubt, grief, and despair. + +"Oh, if I had my three friends here," cried he, "I should have, +at least, some hopes of finding her; but who knows what has +become of them?" + +It was past midnight; the next thing was to find Planchet. +D'Artagnan went successively into all the cabarets in which there +was a light, but could not find Planchet in any of them. + +At the sixth he began to reflect that the search was rather +dubious. D'Artagnan had appointed six o'clock in the morning for +his lackey, and wherever he might be, he was right. + +Besides, it came into the young man's mind that by remaining in +the environs of the spot on which this sad event had passed, he +would, perhaps, have some light thrown upon the mysterious +affair. At the sixth cabaret, then, as we said, D'Artagnan +stopped, asked for a bottle of wine of the best quality, and +placing himself in the darkest corner of the room, determined +thus to wait till daylight; but this time again his hopes were +disappointed, and although he listened with all his ears, he +heard nothing, amid the oaths, coarse jokes, and abuse which +passed between the laborers, servants, and carters who comprised +the honorable society of which he formed a part, which could put +him upon the least track of her who had been stolen from him. He +was compelled, them, after having swallowed the contents of his +bottle, to pass the time as well as to evade suspicion, to fall +into the easiest position in his corner and to sleep, whether +well or ill. D'Artagnan, be it remembered, was only twenty years +old, and at that age sleep has its imprescriptible rights which +it imperiously insists upon, even with the saddest hearts. + +Toward six o'clock D'Artagnan awoke with that uncomfortable +feeling which generally accompanies the break of day after a bad +night. He was not long in making his toilet. He examined +himself to see if advantage had been taken of his sleep, and +having found his diamond ring on his finger, his purse in his +pocket, and his pistols in his belt, he rose, paid for his +bottle, and went out to try if he could have any better luck in +his search after his lackey than he had had the night before. +The first thing he perceived through the damp gray mist was +honest Planchet, who, with the two horses in hand, awaited him at +the door of a little blind cabaret, before which D'Artagnan had +passed without even a suspicion of its existence. + + + +25 PORTHOS + +Instead of returning directly home, D'Artagnan alighted at the +door of M. de Treville, and ran quickly up the stairs. This time +he had decided to relate all that had passed. M. de Treville +would doubtless give him good advice as to the whole affair. +Besides, as M. de Treville saw the queen almost daily, he might +be able to draw from her Majesty some intelligence of the poor +young woman, whom they were doubtless making pay very dearly for +her devotedness to her mistress. + +M. de Treville listened to the young man's account with a +seriousness which proved that he saw something else in this +adventure besides a love affair. When D'Artagnan had finished, +he said, "Hum! All this savors of his Eminence, a league off." + +"But what is to be done?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Nothing, absolutely nothing, at present, but quitting at Paris, +as I told you, as soon as possible. I will see the queen; I will +relate to her the details of the disappearance of this poor +woman, of which she is no doubt ignorant. These details will +guide her on her part, and on your return, I shall perhaps have +some good news to tell you. Rely on me." + +D'Artagnan knew that, although a Gascon, M. de Treville was not +in the habit of making promises, and that when by chance he did +promise, he more than kept his word. He bowed to him, then, full +of gratitude for the past and for the future; and the worthy +captain, who on his side felt a lively interest in this young +man, so brave and so resolute, pressed his hand kindly, wishing +him a pleasant journey. + +Determined to put the advice of M. de Treville in practice +instantly, D'Artagnan directed his course toward the Rue des +Fossoyeurs, in order to superintend the packing of his valise. +On approaching the house, he perceived M. Bonacieux in morning +costume, standing at his threshold. All that the prudent +Planchet had said to him the preceding evening about the sinister +character of the old man recurred to the mind of D'Artagnan, who +looked at him with more attention than he had done before. In +fact, in addition to that yellow, sickly paleness which indicates +the insinuation of the bile in the blood, and which might, +besides, be accidental, D'Artagnan remarked something +perfidiously significant in the play of the wrinkled features of +his countenance. A rogue does not laugh in the same way that an +honest man does; a hypocrite does not shed the tears of a man of +good faith. All falsehood is a mask; and however well made the +mask may be, with a little attention we may always succeed in +distinguishing it from the true face. + +It appeared, then, to D'Artagnan that M. Bonacieux wore a mask, +and likewise that that mask was most disagreeable to look upon. +In consequence of this feeling of repugnance, he was about to +pass without speaking to him, but, as he had done the day before, +M. Bonacieux accosted him. + +"Well, young man," said he, "we appear to pass rather gay nights! +Seven o'clock in the morning! PESTE! You seem to reverse +ordinary customs, and come home at the hour when other people are +going out." + +"No one can reproach you for anything of the kind, Monsieur +Bonacieux," said the young man; "you are a model for regular +people. It is true that when a man possesses a young and pretty +wife, he has no need to seek happiness elsewhere. Happiness +comes to meet him, does it not, Monsieur Bonacieux?" + +Bonacieux became as pale as death, and grinned a ghastly smile. + +"Ah, ah!" said Bonacieux, "you are a jocular companion! But +where the devil were you gladding last night, my young master? +It does not appear to be very clean in the crossroads." + +D'Artagnan glanced down at his boots, all covered with mud; but +that same glance fell upon the shoes and stockings of the mercer, +and it might have been said they had been dipped in the same mud +heap. Both were stained with splashes of mud of the same +appearance. + +Then a sudden idea crossed the mind of D'Artagnan. That little +stout man, short and elderly, that sort of lackey, dressed in +dark clothes, treated without ceremony by the men wearing swords +who composed the escort, was Bonacieux himself. The husband had +presided at the abduction of his wife. + +A terrible inclination seized D'Artagnan to grasp the mercer by +the throat and strangle him; but, as we have said, he was a very +prudent youth, and he restrained himself. However, the +revolution which appeared upon his countenance was so visible +that Bonacieux was terrified at it, and he endeavored to draw +back a step or two; but as he was standing before the half of the +door which was shut, the obstacle compelled him to keep his +place. + +"Ah, but you are joking, my worthy man!" said D'Artagnan. It +appears to me that if my boots need a sponge, your stockings and +shoes stand in equal need of a brush. May you not have been +philandering a little also, Monsieur Bonacieux? Oh, the devil! +That's unpardonable in a man of your age, and who besides, has +such a pretty wife as yours." + +"Oh, Lord! no," said Bonacieux, "but yesterday I went to St. +Mande to make some inquiries after a servant, as I cannot +possibly do without one; and the roads were so bad that I brought +back all this mud, which I have not yet had time to remove." + +The place named by Bonacieux as that which had been the object of +his journey was a fresh proof in support of the suspicions +D'Artagnan had conceived. Bonacieux had named Mande because +Mande was in an exactly opposite direction from St. Cloud. This +probability afforded him his first consolation. If Bonacieux +knew where his wife was, one might, by extreme means, force the +mercer to open his teeth and let his secret escape. The +question, then, was how to change this probability into a +certainty. + +"Pardon, my dear Monsieur Bonacieux, if I don't stand upon +ceremony," said D'Artagnan, "but nothing makes one so thirsty as +want of sleep. I am parched with thirst. Allow me to take a +glass of water in your apartment; you know that is never refused +among neighbors." + +Without waiting for the permission of his host, D'Artagnan went +quickly into the house, and cast a rapid glance at the bed. It +had not been used. Bonacieux had not been abed. He had only +been back an hour or two; he had accompanied his wife to the +place of her confinement, or else at least to the first relay. + +"Thanks, Monsieur Bonacieux," said D'Artagnan, emptying his +glass, "that is all I wanted of you. I will now go up into my +apartment. I will make Planchet brush my boots; and when he has +done, I will, if you like, send him to you to brush your shoes." + +He left the mercer quite astonished at his singular farewell, and +asking himself if he had not been a little inconsiderate. + +At the top of the stairs he found Planchet in a great fright. + +"Ah, monsieur!" cried Planchet, as soon as he perceived his +master, "here is more trouble. I thought you would never come +in." + +"What's the matter now, Planchet?" demanded D'Artagnan. + +"Oh! I give you a hundred, I give you a thousand times to guess, +monsieur, the visit I received in your absence." + +"When?" + +"About half an hour ago, while you were at Monsieur de +Treville's." + +"Who has been here? Come, speak." + +"Monsieur de Cavois." + +"Monsieur de Cavois?" + +"In person." + +"The captain of the cardinal's Guards?" + +"Himself." + +"Did he come to arrest me?" + +"I have no doubt that he did, monsieur, for all his wheedling +manner." + +"Was he so sweet, then?" + +"Indeed, he was all honey, monsieur." + +"Indeed!" + +"He came, he said, on the part of his Eminence, who wished you +well, and to beg you to follow him to the Palais-Royal."* + +*It was called the Palais-Cardinal before Richelieu gave it to +the King. + +"What did you answer him?" + +"That the thing was impossible, seeing that you were not at home, +as he could see." + +"Well, what did he say then?" + +"That you must not fail to call upon him in the course of the +day; and then he added in a low voice, 'Tell your master that his +Eminence is very well disposed toward him, and that his fortune +perhaps depends upon this interview.'" + +"The snare is rather MALADROIT for the cardinal," replied the +young man, smiling. + +"Oh, I saw the snare, and I answered you would be quite in +despair on your return. + +"'Where has he gone?' asked Monsieur de Cavois. + +"'To Troyes, in Champagne,' I answered. + +"'And when did he set out?' + +"'Yesterday evening.'" + +"Planchet, my friend," interrupted D'Artagnan, "you are really a +precious fellow." + +"You will understand, monsieur, I thought there would be still +time, if you wish, to see Monsieur de Cavois to contradict me by +saying you were not yet gone. The falsehood would then lie at my +door, and as I am not a gentleman, I may be allowed to lie." + +"Be of good heart, Planchet, you shall preserve your reputation +as a veracious man. In a quarter of an hour we set off." + +"That's the advice I was about to give Monsieur; and where are we +going, may I ask, without being too curious?" + +"PARDIEU! In the opposite direction to that which you said I was +gone. Besides, are you not as anxious to learn news of Grimaud, +Mousqueton, and Bazin as I am to know what has become of Athos, +Porthos, and Aramis?" + +"Yes, monsieur," said Planchet, "and I will go as soon as you +please. Indeed, I think provincial air will suit us much better +just now than the air of Paris. So then--" + +"So then, pack up our luggage, Planchet, and let us be off. On +my part, I will go out with my hands in my pockets, that nothing +may be suspected. You may join me at the Hotel des Gardes. By +the way, Planchet, I think you are right with respect to our +host, and that he is decidedly a frightfully low wretch." + +"Ah, monsieur, you may take my word when I tell you anything. I +am a physiognomist, I assure you." + +D'Artagnan went out first, as had been agreed upon. Then, in +order that he might have nothing to reproach himself with, he +directed his steps, for the last time, toward the residences of +his three friends. No news had been received of them; only a +letter, all perfumed and of an elegant writing in small +characters, had come for Aramis. D'Artagnan took charge of it. +Ten minutes afterward Planchet joined him at the stables of the +Hotel des Gardes. D'Artagnan, in order that there might be no +time lost, had saddled his horse himself. + +"That's well," said he to Planchet, when the latter added the +portmanteau to the equipment. "Now saddle the other three +horses." + +"Do you think, then, monsieur, that we shall travel faster with +two horses apiece?" said Planchet, with his shrewd air. + +"No, Monsieur Jester," replied D'Artagnan; "but with our four +horses we may bring back our three friends, if we should have the +good fortune to find them living." + +"Which is a great chance," replied Planchet, "but we must not +despair of the mercy of God." + +"Amen!" said D'Artagnan, getting into his saddle. + +As they went from the Hotel des Gardes, they separated, leaving +the street at opposite ends, one having to quit Paris by the +Barriere de la Villette and the other by the Barriere Montmartre, +to meet again beyond St. Denis--a strategic maneuver which, +having been executed with equal punctuality, was crowned with the +most fortunate results. D'Artagnan and Planchet entered +Pierrefitte together. + +Planchet was more courageous, it must be admitted, by day than by +night. His natural prudence, however, never forsook him for a +single instant. He had forgotten not one of the incidents of the +first journey, and he looked upon everybody he met on the road as +an enemy. It followed that his hat was forever in his hand, +which procured him some severe reprimands from D'Artagnan, who +feared that his excess of politeness would lead people to think +he was the lackey of a man of no consequence. + +Nevertheless, whether the passengers were really touched by the +urbanity of Planchet or whether this time nobody was posted on +the young man's road, our two travelers arrived at Chantilly +without any accident, and alighted at the tavern of Great St. +Martin, the same at which they had stopped on their first +journey. + +The host, on seeing a young man followed by a lackey with two +extra horses, advanced respectfully to the door. Now, as they +had already traveled eleven leagues, D'Artagnan thought it time +to stop, whether Porthos were or were not in the inn. Perhaps it +would not be prudent to ask at once what had become of the +Musketeer. The result of these reflections was that D'Artagnan, +without asking information of any kind, alighted, commended the +horses to the care of his lackey, entered a small room destined +to receive those who wished to be alone, and desired the host to +bring him a bottle of his best wine and as good a breakfast as +possible--a desire which further corroborated the high opinion +the innkeeper had formed of the traveler at first sight. + +D'Artagnan was therefore served with miraculous celerity. The +regiment of the Guards was recruited among the first gentlemen of +the kingdom; and D'Artagnan, followed by a lackey, and traveling +with four magnificent horses, despite the simplicity of his +uniform, could not fail to make a sensation. The host desired +himself to serve him; which D'Artagnan perceiving, ordered two +glasses to be brought, and commenced the following conversation. + +"My faith, my good host," said D'Artagnan, filling the two +glasses, "I asked for a bottle of your best wine, and if you have +deceived me, you will be punished in what you have sinned; for +seeing that I hate drinking my myself, you shall drink with me. +Take your glass, then, and let us drink. But what shall we drink +to, so as to avoid wounding any susceptibility? Let us drink to +the prosperity of your establishment." + +"Your Lordship does me much honor," said the host, "and I thank +you sincerely for your kind wish." + +"But don't mistake," said D'Artagnan, "there is more selfishness +in my toast than perhaps you may think--for it is only in +prosperous establishments that one is well received. In hotels +that do not flourish, everything is in confusion, and the +traveler is a victim to the embarrassments of his host. Now, I +travel a great deal, particularly on this road, and I wish to see +all innkeepers making a fortune." + +"It seems to me," said the host, "that this is not the first time +I have had the honor of seeing Monsieur." + +"Bah, I have passed perhaps ten times through Chantilly, and out +of the ten times I have stopped three or four times at your house +at least. Why I was here only ten or twelve days ago. I was +conducting some friends, Musketeers, one of whom, by the by, had +a dispute with a stranger--a man who sought a quarrel with him, +for I don't know what." + +"Exactly so," said the host; "I remember it perfectly. It is not +Monsieur Porthos that your Lordship means?" + +"Yes, that is my companion's name. My God, my dear host, tell me +if anything has happened to him?" + +"Your Lordship must have observed that he could not continue his +journey." + +"Why, to be sure, he promised to rejoin us, and we have seen +nothing of him." + +"He has done us the honor to remain here." + +"What, he had done you the honor to remain here?" + +"Yes, monsieur, in this house; and we are even a little uneasy--" + +"On what account?" + +"Of certain expenses he has contracted." + +"Well, but whatever expenses he may have incurred, I am sure he +is in a condition to pay them." + +"Ah, monsieur, you infuse genuine balm into my blood. We have +made considerable advances; and this very morning the surgeon +declared that if Monsieur Porthos did not pay him, he should look +to me, as it was I who had sent for him." + +"Porthos is wounded, then?" + +"I cannot tell you, monsieur." + +"What! You cannot tell me? Surely you ought to be able to tell +me better than any other person." + +"Yes; but in our situation we must not say all we know-- +particularly as we have been warned that our ears should answer +for our tongues." + +"Well, can I see Porthos?" + +"Certainly, monsieur. Take the stairs on your right; go up the +first flight and knock at Number One. Only warn him that it is +you." + +"Why should I do that?" + +"Because, monsieur, some mischief might happen to you." + +"Of what kind, in the name of wonder?" + +"Monsieur Porthos may imagine you belong to the house, and in a +fit of passion might run his sword through you or blow out your +brains." + +"What have you done to him, then?" + +"We have asked him for money." + +"The devil! Ah, I can understand that. It is a demand that +Porthos takes very ill when he is not in funds; but I know he +must be so at present." + +"We thought so, too, monsieur. As our house is carried on very +regularly, and we make out our bills every week, at the end of +eight days we presented our account; but it appeared we had +chosen an unlucky moment, for at the first word on the subject, +he sent us to all the devils. It is true he had been playing the +day before." + +"Playing the day before! And with whom?" + +"Lord, who can say, monsieur? With some gentleman who was +traveling this way, to whom he proposed a game of LANSQUENET." + +"That's it, then, and the foolish fellow lost all he had?" + +"Even to his horse, monsieur; for when the gentleman was about to +set out, we perceived that his lackey was saddling Monsieur +Porthos's horse, as well as his master's. When we observed this +to him, he told us all to trouble ourselves about our own +business, as this horse belonged to him. We also informed +Monsieur Porthos of what was going on; but he told us we were +scoundrels to doubt a gentleman's word, and that as he had said +the horse was his, it must be so." + +"That's Porthos all over," murmured D'Artagnan. + +"Then," continued the host, "I replied that as from the moment we +seemed not likely to come to a good understanding with respect to +payment, I hoped that he would have at least the kindness to +grant the favor of his custom to my brother host of the Golden +Eagle; but Monsieur Porthos replied that, my house being the +best, he should remain where he was. This reply was too +flattering to allow me to insist on his departure. I confined +myself then to begging him to give up his chamber, which is the +handsomest in the hotel, and to be satisfied with a pretty little +room on the third floor; but to this Monsieur Porthos replied +that as he every moment expected his mistress, who was one of the +greatest ladies in the court, I might easily comprehend that the +chamber he did me the honor to occupy in my house was itself very +mean for the visit of such a personage. Nevertheless, while +acknowledging the truth of what he said, I thought proper to +insist; but without even giving himself the trouble to enter into +any discussion with me, he took one of his pistols, laid it on +his table, day and night, and said that at the first word that +should be spoken to him about removing, either within the house +or our of it, he would blow out the brains of the person who +should be so imprudent as to meddle with a matter which only +concerned himself. Since that time, monsieur, nobody enter his +chamber but his servant." + +"What! Mousqueton is here, then?" + +"Oh, yes, monsieur. Five days after your departure, he came +back, and in a very bad condition, too. It appears that he had +met with disagreeables, likewise, on his journey. Unfortunately, +he is more nimble than his master; so that for the sake of his +master, he puts us all under his feet, and as he thinks we might +refuse what he asked for, he takes all he wants without asking at +all." + +"The fact is," said D'Artagnan, "I have always observed a great +degree of intelligence and devotedness in Mousqueton." + +"That is possible, monsieur; but suppose I should happen to be +brought in contact, even four times a year, with such +intelligence and devotedness--why, I should be a ruined man!" + +"No, for Porthos will pay you." + +"Hum!" said the host, in a doubtful tone. + +"The favorite of a great lady will not be allowed to be +inconvenienced for such a paltry sum as he owes you." + +"If I durst say what I believe on that head--" + +"What you believe?" + +"I ought rather to say, what I know." + +"What you know?" + +"And even what I am sure of." + +"And of what are you so sure?" + +"I would say that I know this great lady." + +"You?" + +"Yes; I." + +"And how do you know her?" + +"Oh, monsieur, if I could believe I might trust in your +discretion." + +"Speak! By the word of a gentleman, you shall have no cause to +repent of your confidence." + +"Well, monsieur, you understand that uneasiness makes us do many +things." + +"What have you done?" + +"Oh, nothing which was not right in the character of a creditor." + +"Well?" + +"Monsieur Porthos gave us a note for his duchess, ordering us to +put it in the post. This was before his servant came. As he +could not leave his chamber, it was necessary to charge us with +this commission." + +"And then?" + +"Instead of putting the letter in the post, which is never safe, +I took advantage of the journey of one of my lads to Paris, and +ordered him to convey the letter to this duchess himself. This +was fulfilling the intentions of Monsieur Porthos, who had +desired us to be so careful of this letter, was it not?" + +"Nearly so." + +"Well, monsieur, do you know who this great lady is?" + +"No; I have heard Porthos speak of her, that's all." + +"Do you know who this pretended duchess is? + +"I repeat to you, I don't know her." + +"Why, she is the old wife of a procurator* of the Chatelet, +monsieur, named Madame Coquenard, who, although she is at least +fifty, still gives herself jealous airs. It struck me as very +odd that a princess should live in the Rue aux Ours." + +*Attorney + +"But how do you know all this?" + +"Because she flew into a great passion on receiving the letter, +saying that Monsieur Porthos was a weathercock, and that she was +sure it was for some woman he had received this wound." + +"Has he been wounded, then?" + +"Oh, good Lord! What have I said?" + +"You said that Porthos had received a sword cut." + +"Yes, but he has forbidden me so strictly to say so." + +"And why so." + +"Zounds, monsieur! Because he had boasted that he would +perforate the stranger with whom you left him in dispute; whereas +the stranger, on the contrary, in spite of all his rodomontades +quickly threw him on his back. As Monsieur Porthos is a very +boastful man, he insists that nobody shall know he has received +this wound except the duchess, whom he endeavored to interest by +an account of his adventure." + +"It is a wound that confines him to his bed?" + +"Ah, and a master stroke, too, I assure you. Your friend's soul +must stick tight to his body." + +"Were you there, then?" + +"Monsieur, I followed them from curiosity, so that I saw the +combat without the combatants seeing me." + +"And what took place?" + +"Oh! The affair was not long, I assure you. They placed +themselves on guard; the stranger made a feint and a lunge, and +that so rapidly that when Monsieur Porthos came to the PARADE, he +had already three inches of steel in his breast. He immediately +fell backward. The stranger placed the point of his sword at his +throat; and Monsieur Porthos, finding himself at the mercy of his +adversary, acknowledged himself conquered. Upon which the +stranger asked his name, and learning that it was Porthos, and +not D'Artagnan, he assisted him to rise, brought him back to the +hotel, mounted his horse, and disappeared." + +"So it was with Monsieur D'Artagnan this stranger meant to +quarrel?" + +"It appears so." + +"And do you know what has become of him?" + +"No, I never saw him until that moment, and have not seen him +since." + +"Very well; I know all that I wish to know. Porthos's chamber +is, you say, on the first story, Number One?" + +"Yes, monsieur, the handsomest in the inn--a chamber that I could +have let ten times over." + +"Bah! Be satisfied," said D'Artagnan, laughing, "Porthos will +pay you with the money of the Duchess Coquenard." + +"Oh, monsieur, procurator's wife or duchess, if she will but +loosen her pursestrings, it will be all the same; but she +positively answered that she was tired of the exigencies and +infidelities of Monsieur Porthos, and that she would not send him +a denier." + +"And did you convey this answer to your guest?" + +"We took good care not to do that; he would have found in what +fashion we had executed his commission." + +"So that he still expects his money?" + +"Oh, Lord, yes, monsieur! Yesterday he wrote again; but it was +his servant who this time put the letter in the post." + +"Do you say the procurator's wife is old and ugly?" + +"Fifty at least, monsieur, and not at all handsome, according to +Pathaud's account." + +"In that case, you may be quite at ease; she will soon be +softened. Besides, Porthos cannot owe you much." + +"How, not much! Twenty good pistoles, already, without reckoning +the doctor. He denies himself nothing; it may easily be seen he +has been accustomed to live well." + +"Never mind; if his mistress abandons him, he will find friends, +I will answer for it. So, my dear host, be not uneasy, and +continue to take all the care of him that his situation +requires." + +"Monsieur has promised me not to open his mouth about the +procurator's wife, and not to say a word of the wound?" + +"That's agreed; you have my word." + +"Oh, he would kill me!" + +"Don't be afraid; he is not so much of a devil as he appears." + +Saying these words, D'Artagnan went upstairs, leaving his host a +little better satisfied with respect to two things in which he +appeared to be very much interested--his debt and his life. + +At the top of the stairs, upon the most conspicuous door of the +corridor, was traced in black ink a gigantic number "1." +D'Artagnan knocked, and upon the bidding to come in which came +from inside, he entered the chamber. + +Porthos was in bed, and was playing a game at LANSQUENET with +Mousqueton, to keep his hand in; while a spit loaded with +partridges was turning before the fire, and on each side of a +large chimneypiece, over two chafing dishes, were boiling two +stewpans, from which exhaled a double odor of rabbit and fish +stews, rejoicing to the smell. In addition to this he perceived +that the top of a wardrobe and the marble of a commode were +covered with empty bottles. + +At the sight of his friend, Porthos uttered a loud cry of joy; +and Mousqueton, rising respectfully, yielded his place to him, +and went to give an eye to the two stewpans, of which he appeared +to have the particular inspection. + +"Ah, PARDIEU! Is that you?" said Porthos to D'Artagnan. "You +are right welcome. Excuse my not coming to meet you; but," added +he, looking at D'Artagnan with a certain degree of uneasiness, +"you know what has happened to me?" + +"No." + +"Has the host told you nothing, then?" + +"I asked after you, and came up as soon as I could." + +Porthos seemed to breathe more freely. + +"And what has happened to you, my dear Porthos?" continued +D'Artagnan. + +"Why, on making a thrust at my adversary, whom I had already hit +three times, and whom I meant to finish with the fourth, I put my +foot on a stone, slipped, and strained my knee." + +"Truly?" + +"Honor! Luckily for the rascal, for I should have left him dead +on the spot, I assure you." + +"And what has became of him?" + +"Oh, I don't know; he had enough, and set off without waiting for +the rest. But you, my dear D'Artagnan, what has happened to +you?" + +"So that this strain of the knee," continued D'Artagnan, "my dear +Porthos, keeps you in bed?" + +"My God, that's all. I shall be about again in a few days." + +"Why did you not have yourself conveyed to Paris? You must be +cruelly bored here." + +"That was my intention; but, my dear friend, I have one thing to +confess to you." + +"What's that?" + +"It is that as I was cruelly bored, as you say, and as I had the +seventy-five pistoles in my pocket which you had distributed to +me, in order to amuse myself I invited a gentleman who was +traveling this way to walk up, and proposed a cast of dice. He +accepted my challenge, and, my faith, my seventy-five pistoles +passed from my pocket to his, without reckoning my horse, which +he won into the bargain. But you, my dear D'Artagnan?" + +"What can you expect, my dear Porthos; a man is not privileged in +all ways," said D'Artagnan. "You know the proverb 'Unlucky at +play, lucky in love.' You are too fortunate in your love for +play not to take its revenge. What consequence can the reverses +of fortune be to you? Have you not, happy rogue that you are-- +have you not your duchess, who cannot fail to come to your aid?" + +"Well, you see, my dear D'Artagnan, with what ill luck I play," +replied Porthos, with the most careless air in the world. "I +wrote to her to send me fifty louis or so, of which I stood +absolutely in need on account of my accident." + +"Well?" + +"Well, she must be at her country seat, for she has not answered +me." + +"Truly?" + +"No; so I yesterday addressed another epistle to her, still more +pressing than the first. But you are here, my dear fellow, let +us speak of you. I confess I began to be very uneasy on your +account." + +"But your host behaves very well toward you, as it appears, my +dear Porthos," said D'Artagnan, directing the sick man's +attention to the full stewpans and the empty bottles. + +"So, so," replied Porthos. "Only three or four days ago the +impertinent jackanapes gave me his bill, and I was forced to turn +both him and his bill out of the door; so that I am here +something in the fashion of a conqueror, holding my position, as +it were, my conquest. So you see, being in constant fear of +being forced from that position, I am armed to the teeth." + +"And yet," said D'Artagnan, laughing, "it appears to me that from +time to time you must make SORTIES." And he again pointed to the +bottles and the stewpans. + +"Not I, unfortunately!" said Porthos. "This miserable strain +confines me to my bed; but Mousqueton forages, and brings in +provisions. Friend Mousqueton, you see that we have a +reinforcement, and we must have an increase of supplies." + +"Mousqueton," said D'Artagnan, "you must render me a service." + +"What, monsieur?" + +"You must give your recipe to Planchet. I may be besieged in my +turn, and I shall not be sorry for him to be able to let me enjoy +the same advantages with which you gratify your master." + +"Lord, monsieur! There is nothing more easy," said Mousqueton, +with a modest air. "One only needs to be sharp, that's all. I +was brought up in the country, and my father in his leisure time +was something of a poacher." + +"And what did he do the rest of his time?" + +"Monsieur, he carried on a trade which I have always thought +satisfactory." + +"Which?" + +"As it was a time of war between the Catholics and the Huguenots, +and as he saw the Catholics exterminate the Huguenots and the +Huguenots exterminate the Catholics--all in the name of +religion--he adopted a mixed belief which permitted him to be +sometimes Catholic, sometimes a Huguenot. Now, he was accustomed +to walk with his fowling piece on his shoulder, behind the hedges +which border the roads, and when he saw a Catholic coming alone, +the Protestant religion immediately prevailed in his mind. He +lowered his gun in the direction of the traveler; then, when he +was within ten paces of him, he commenced a conversation which +almost always ended by the traveler's abandoning his purse to +save his life. It goes without saying that when he saw a +Huguenot coming, he felt himself filled with such ardent Catholic +zeal that he could not understand how, a quarter of an hour +before, he had been able to have any doubts upon the superiority +of our holy religion. For my part, monsieur, I am Catholic--my +father, faithful to his principles, having made my elder brother +a Huguenot." + +"And what was the end of this worthy man?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"Oh, of the most unfortunate kind, monsieur. One day he was +surprised in a lonely road between a Huguenot and a Catholic, +with both of whom he had before had business, and who both knew +him again; so they united against him and hanged him on a tree. +Then they came and boasted of their fine exploit in the cabaret +of the next village, where my brother and I were drinking." + +"And what did you do?" said D'Artagnan. + +"We let them tell their story out," replied Mousqueton. "Then, +as in leaving the cabaret they took different directions, my +brother went and hid himself on the road of the Catholic, and I +on that of the Huguenot. Two hours after, all was over; we had +done the business of both, admiring the foresight of our poor +father, who had taken the precaution to bring each of us up in a +different religion." + +"Well, I must allow, as you say, your father was a very +intelligent fellow. And you say in his leisure moments the +worthy man was a poacher?" + +"Yes, monsieur, and it was he who taught me to lay a snare and +ground a line. The consequence is that when I saw our laborers, +which did not at all suit two such delicate stomachs as ours, I +had recourse to a little of my old trade. While walking near the +wood of Monsieur le Prince, I laid a few snare in the runs; and +while reclining on the banks of his Highness's pieces of water, I +slipped a few lines into his fish ponds. So that now, thanks be +to God, we do not want, as Monsieur can testify, for partridges, +rabbits, carp or eels--all light, wholesome food, suitable for +the sick." + +"But the wine," said D'Artagnan, "who furnishes the wine? Your +host?" + +"That is to say, yes and no." + +"How yes and no?" + +"He furnishes it, it is true, but he does not know that he has +that honor." + +"Explain yourself, Mousqueton; your conversation is full of +instructive things." + +"That is it, monsieur. It has so chanced that I met with a +Spaniard in my peregrinations who had seen many countries, and +among them the New World." + +"What connection can the New World have with the bottles which +are on the commode and the wardrobe?" + +"Patience, monsieur, everything will come in its turn." + +"This Spaniard had in his service a lackey who had accompanied +him in his voyage to Mexico. This lackey was my compatriot; and +we became the more intimate from there being many resemblances of +character between us. We loved sporting of all kinds better than +anything; so that he related to me how in the plains of the +Pampas the natives hunt the tiger and the wild bull with simple +running nooses which they throw to a distance of twenty or thirty +paves the end of a cord with such nicety; but in face of the +proof I was obliged to acknowledge the truth of the recital. My +friend placed a bottle at the distance of thirty paces, and at +each cast he caught the neck of the bottle in his running noose. +I practiced this exercise, and as nature has endowed me with some +faculties, at this day I can throw the lasso with any man in the +world. Well, do you understand, monsieur? Our host has a well- +furnished cellar the key of which never leaves him; only this +cellar has a ventilating hole. Now through this ventilating +hole I throw my lasso, and as I now know in which part of the +cellar is the best wine, that's my point for sport. You see, +monsieur, what the New World has to do with the bottles which are +on the commode and the wardrobe. Now, will you taste our wine, +and without prejudice say what you think of it?" + +"Thank you, my friend, thank you; unfortunately, I have just +breakfasted." + +"Well," said Porthos, "arrange the table, Mousequeton, and while +we breakfast, D'Artagnan will relate to us what has happened to +him during the ten days since he left us." + +"Willingly," said D'Artagnan. + +While Porthos and Mousqueton were breakfasting, with the +appetites of convalescents and with that brotherly cordiality +which unites men in misfortune, D'Artagnan related how Aramis, +being wounded, was obliged to stop at Crevecoeur, how he had left +Athos fighting at Amiens with four men who accused him of being a +coiner, and how he, D'Artagnan, had been forced to run the Comtes +de Wardes through the body in order to reach England. + +But there the confidence of D'Artagnan stopped. He only added +that on his return from Great Britain he had brought back four +magnificent horses--one for himself, and one for each of his +companions; then he informed Porthos that the one intended for +him was already installed in the stable of the tavern. + +At this moment Planchet entered, to inform his master that the +horses were sufficiently refreshed and that it would be possible +to sleep at Clermont. + +As D'Artagnan was tolerably reassured with regard to Porthos, and +as he was anxious to obtain news of his two other friends, he +held out his hand to the wounded man, and told him he was about +to resume his route in order to continue his researches. For the +rest, as he reckoned upon returning by the same route in seven or +eight days, if Porthos were still at the Great St. Martin, he +would call for him on his way. + +Porthos replied that in all probability his sprain would not +permit him to depart yet awhile. Besides, it was necessary he +should stay at Chantilly to wait for the answer from his duchess. + +D'Artagnan wished that answer might be prompt and favorable; and +having again recommended Porthos to the care of Mousqueton, and +paid his bill to the host, he resumed his route with Planchet, +already relieved of one of his led horses. + + + +26 ARAMIS AND HIS THESIS + +D'Artagnan had said nothing to Porthos of his wound or of his +procurator's wife. Our Bernais was a prudent lad, however young +he might be. Consequently he had appeared to believe all that +the vainglorious Musketeer had told him, convinced that no +friendship will hold out against a surprised secret. Besides, we +feel always a sort of mental superiority over those whose lives +we know better than they suppose. In his projects of intrigue +for the future, and determined as he was to make his three +friends the instruments of his fortune, D'Artagnan was not sorry +at getting into his grasp beforehand the invisible strings by +which he reckoned upon moving them. + +And yet, as he journeyed along, a profound sadness weighed upon +his heart. He thought of that young and pretty Mme. Bonacieux +who was to have paid him the price of his devotedness; but let us +hasten to say that this sadness possessed the young man less from +the regret of the happiness he had missed, than from the fear he +entertained that some serious misfortune had befallen the poor +woman. For himself, he had no doubt she was a victim of the +cardinal's vengeance; and, and as was well known, the vengeance +of his Eminence was terrible. How he had found grace in the eyes +f the minister, he did not know; but without doubt M. de Cavois +would have revealed this to him if the captain of the Guards had +found him at home. + +Nothing makes time pass more quickly or more shortens a journey +than a thought which absorbs in itself all the faculties of the +organization of him who thinks. External existence then +resembles a sleep of which this thought is the dream. By its +influence, time has no longer measure, space has no longer +distance. We depart from one place, and arrive at another, that +is all. Of the interval passed, nothing remains in the memory +but a vague mist in which a thousand confused images of trees, +mountains, and landscapes are lost. It was as a prey to this +hallucination that D'Artagnan traveled, at whatever pace his +horse pleased, the six or eight leagues that separated Chantilly +from Crevecoeur, without his being able to remember on his +arrival in the village any of the things he had passed or met +with on the road. + +There only his memory returned to him. He shook his head, +perceived the cabaret at which he had left Aramis, and putting +his horse to the trot, he shortly pulled up at the door. + +This time is was not a host but a hostess who received him. +D'Artagnan was a physiognomist. His eye took in at a glance the +plump, cheerful countenance of the mistress of the place, and he +at once perceived there was no occasion for dissembling with her, +or of fearing anything from one blessed with such a joyous +physiognomy. + +"My good dame," asked D'Artagnan, "can you tell me what has +become of one of my friends, whom we were obliged to leave here +about a dozen days ago?" + +"A handsome young man, three- or four-and-twenty years old, mild, +amiable, and well made?" + +"That is he--wounded in the shoulder." + +"Just so. Well, monsieur, he is still here." + +"Ah, PARDIEU! My dear dame," said D'Artagnan, springing from his +horse, and throwing the bridle to Planchet, "you restore me to +life; where is this dear Aramis? Let me embrace him, I am in a +hurry to see him again." + +"Pardon, monsieur, but I doubt whether he can see you at this +moment." + +"Why so? Has he a lady with him?" + +"Jesus! What do you mean by that? Poor lad! No, monsieur, he +has not a lady with him." + +"With whom is he, then?" + +"With the curate of Montdidier and the superior of the Jesuits of +Amiens." + +"Good heavens!" cried D'Artagnan, "is the poor fellow worse, +then?" + +"No, monsieur, quite the contrary; but after his illness grace +touched him, and he determined to take orders." + +"That's it!" said D'Artagnan, "I had forgotten that he was only a +Musketeer for a time." + +"Monsieur still insists upon seeing him?" + +"More than ever." + +"Well, monsieur has only to take the right-hand staircase in the +courtyard, and knock at Number Five on the second floor." + +D'Artagnan walked quickly in the direction indicated, and found +one of those exterior staircases that are still to be seen in the +yards of our old-fashioned taverns. But there was no getting at +the place of sojourn of the future abbe; the defiles of the +chamber of Aramis were as well guarded as the gardens of Armida. +Bazin was stationed in the corridor, and barred his passage with +the more intrepidity that, after many years of trial, Bazin found +himself near a result of which he had ever been ambitious. + +In fact, the dream of poor Bazin had always been to serve a +churchman; and he awaited with impatience the moment, always in +the future, when Aramis would throw aside the uniform and assume +the cassock. The daily-renewed promise of the young man that the +moment would not long be delayed, had alone kept him in the +service of a Musketeer--a service in which, he said, his soul was +in constant jeopardy. + +Bazin was then at the height of joy. In all probability, this +time his master would not retract. The union of physical pain +with moral uneasiness had produced the effect so long desired. +Aramis, suffering at once in body and mind, had at length fixed +his eyes and his thoughts upon religion, and he had considered as +a warning from heaven the double accident which had happened to +him; that is to say, the sudden disappearance of his mistress and +the wound in his shoulder. + +It may be easily understood that in the present disposition of +his master nothing could be more disagreeable to Bazin than the +arrival of D'Artagnan, which might cast his master back again +into that vortex of mundane affairs which had so long carried him +away. He resolved, then, to defend the door bravely; and as, +betrayed by the mistress of the inn, he could not say that Aramis +was absent, he endeavored to prove to the newcomer that it would +be the height of indiscretion to disturb his master in his pious +conference, which had commenced with the morning and would not, +as Bazin said, terminate before night. + +But D'Artagnan took very little heed of the eloquent discourse of +M. Bazin; and as he had no desire to support a polemic discussion +with his friend's valet, he simply moved him out of the way with +one hand, and with the other turned the handle of the door of +Number Five. The door opened, and D'Artagnan went into the +chamber. + +Aramis, in a black gown, his head enveloped in a sort of round +flat cap, not much unlike a CALOTTE, was seated before an oblong +table, covered with rolls of paper and enormous volumes in folio. +At his right hand was placed the superior of the Jesuits, and on +his left the curate of Montdidier. The curtains were half drawn, +and only admitted the mysterious light calculated for beatific +reveries. All the mundane objects that generally strike the eye +on entering the room of a young man, particularly when that young +man is a Musketeer, had disappeared as if by enchantment; and for +fear, no doubt, that the sight of them might bring his master +back to ideas of this world, Bazin had laid his hands upon sword, +pistols, plumed hat, and embroideries and laces of all kinds and +sorts. In their stead D'Artagnan thought he perceived in an +obscure corner a discipline cord suspended from a nail in the +wall. + +At the noise made by D'Artagnan in entering, Aramis lifted up his +head, and beheld his friend; but to the great astonishment of the +young man, the sight of him did not produce much effect upon the +Musketeer, so completely was his mind detached from the things of +this world. + +"Good day, dear D'Artagnan," said Aramis; "believe me, I am glad +to see you." + +"So am I delighted to see you," said D'Artagnan, "although I am +not yet sure that it is Aramis I am speaking to." + +"To himself, my friend, to himself! But what makes you doubt +it?" + +"I was afraid I had made a mistake in the chamber, and that I had +found my way into the apartment of some churchman. Then another +error seized me on seeing you in company with these gentlemen--I +was afraid you were dangerously ill." + +The two men in black, who guessed D'Artagnan's meaning, darted at +him a glance which might have been thought threatening; but +D'Artagnan took no heed of it. + +"I disturb you, perhaps, my dear Aramis," continued D'Artagnan, +"for by what I see, I am led to believe that you are confessing +to these gentlemen." + +Aramis colored imperceptibly. "You disturb me? Oh, quite the +contrary, dear friend, I swear; and as a proof of what I say, +permit me to declare I am rejoiced to see you safe and sound." + +"Ah, he'll come round," thought D'Artagnan; "that's not bad!" + +"This gentleman, who is my friend, has just escaped from a +serious danger," continued Aramis, with unction, pointing to +D'Artagnan with his hand, and addressing the two ecclesiastics. + +"Praise God, monsieur," replied they, bowing together. + +"I have not failed to do so, your Reverences," replied the young +man, returning their salutation. + +"You arrive in good time, dear D'Artagnan," said Aramis, "and by +taking part in our discussion may assist us with your +intelligence. Monsieur the Principal of Amiens, Monsieur the +Curate of Montdidier, and I are arguing certain theological +questions in which we have been much interested; I shall be +delighted to have your opinion." + +"The opinion of a swordsman can have very little weight," replied +D'Artagnan, who began to be uneasy at the turn things were +taking, "and you had better be satisfied, believe me, with the +knowledge of these gentlemen." + +The two men in black bowed in their turn. + +"On the contrary," replied Aramis, "your opinion will be very +valuable. The question is this: Monsieur the Principal thinks +that my thesis ought to be dogmatic and didactic." + +"Your thesis! Are you then making a thesis?" + +"Without doubt," replied the Jesuit. "In the examination which +precedes ordination, a thesis is always a requisite." + +"Ordination!" cried D'Artagnan, who could not believe what the +hostess and Bazin had successively told him; and he gazed, half +stupefied, upon the three persons before him. + +"Now," continued Aramis, taking the same graceful position in his +easy chair that he would have assumed in bed, and complacently +examining his hand, which was as white and plump as that of a +woman, and which he held in the air to cause the blood to +descend, "now, as you have heard, D'Artagnan, Monsieur the +Principal is desirous that my thesis should be dogmatic, while I, +for my part, would rather it should be ideal. This is the reason +why Monsieur the Principal has proposed to me the following +subject, which has not yet been treated upon, and in which I +perceive there is matter for magnificent elaboration-'UTRAQUE +MANUS IN BENEDICENDO CLERICIS INFERIORIBUS NECESSARIA EST.'" + +D'Artagnan, whose erudition we are well acquainted with, evinced +no more interest on hearing this quotation than he had at that of +M. de Treville in allusion to the gifts he pretended that +D'Artagnan had received from the Duke of Buckingham. + +"Which means," resumed Aramis, that he might perfectly +understand, "'The two hands are indispensable for priests of the +inferior orders, when they bestow the benediction.'" + +"An admirable subject!" cried the Jesuit. + +"Admirable and dogmatic!" repeated the curate, who, about as +strong as D'Artagnan with respect to Latin, carefully watched the +Jesuit in order to keep step with him, and repeated his words +like an echo. + +As to D'Artagnan, he remained perfectly insensible to the +enthusiasm of the two men in black. + +"Yes, admirable! PRORSUS ADMIRABILE!" continued Aramis; "but +which requires a profound study of both the Scriptures and the +Fathers. Now, I have confessed to these learned ecclesiastics, +and that in all humility, that the duties of mounting guard and +the service of the king have caused me to neglect study a little. +I should find myself, therefore, more at my ease, FACILUS NATANS, +in a subject of my own choice, which would be to these hard +theological questions what morals are to metaphysics in +philosophy." + +D'Artagnan began to be tired, and so did the curate. + +"See what an exordium!" cried the Jesuit. + +"Exordium," repeated the curate, for the sake of saying +something. "QUEMADMODUM INTER COELORUM IMMENSITATEM." + +Aramis cast a glance upon D'Artagnan to see what effect all this +produced, and found his friend gaping enough to split his jaws. + +"Let us speak French, my father," said he to the Jesuit; +"Monsieur D'Artagnan will enjoy our conversation better." + +"Yes," replied D'Artagnan; "I am fatigued with reading, and all +this Latin confuses me." + +"Certainly," replied the Jesuit, a little put out, while the +curate, greatly delighted, turned upon D'Artagnan a look full of +gratitude. "Well, let us see what is to be derived from this +gloss. Moses, the servant of God-he was but a servant, please to +understand-Moses blessed with the hands; he held out both his +arms while the Hebrews beat their enemies, and then he blessed +them with his two hands. Besides, what does the Gospel say? +IMPONITE MANUS, and not MANUM-place the HANDS, not the HAND." + +"Place the HANDS," repeated the curate, with a gesture. + +"St. Peter, on the contrary, of whom the Popes are the +successors," continued the Jesuit; "PORRIGE DIGITOS-present the +fingers. Are you there, now?" + +"CERTES," replied Aramis, in a pleased tone, "but the thing is +subtle." + +"The FINGERS," resumed the Jesuit, "St. Peter blessed with the +FINGERS. The Pope, therefore blesses with the fingers. And with +how many fingers does he bless? With THREE fingers, to be sure- +one for the Father, one for the Son, and one for the Holy Ghost." + +All crossed themselves. D'Artagnan thought it was proper to +follow this example. + +"The Pope is the successor of St. Peter, and represents the three +divine powers; the rest-ORDINES INFERIORES-of the ecclesiastical +hierarchy bless in the name of the holy archangels and angels. +The most humble clerks such as our deacons and sacristans, bless +with holy water sprinklers, which resemble an infinite number of +blessing fingers. There is the subject simplified. ARGUMENTUM +OMNI DENUDATUM ORNAMENTO. I could make of that subject two +volumes the size of this," continued the Jesuit; and in his +enthusiasm he struck a St. Chrysostom in folio, which made the +table bend beneath its weight. + +D'Artagnan trembled. + +"CERTES," said Aramis, "I do justice to the beauties of this +thesis; but at the same time I perceive it would be overwhelming +for me. I had chosen this text-tell me, dear D'Artagnan, if it +is not to your taste-'NON INUTILE EST DESIDERIUM IN OBLATIONE'; +that is, 'A little regret is not unsuitable in an offering to the +Lord.'" + +"Stop there!" cried the Jesuit, "for that thesis touches closely +upon heresy. There is a proposition almost like it in the +AUGUSTINUS of the heresiarch Jansenius, whose book will sooner or +later be burned by the hands of the executioner. Take care, my +young friend. You are inclining toward false doctrines, my young +friend; you will be lost." + +"You will be lost," said the curate, shaking his head +sorrowfully. + +"You approach that famous point of free will which is a mortal +rock. You face the insinuations of the Pelagians and the demi- +Peligians." + +"But, my Reverend-" replied Aramis, a little amazed by the shower +of arguments that poured upon his head. + +"How will you prove," continued the Jesuit, without allowing him +time to speak, "that we ought to regret the world when we offer +ourselves to God? Listen to this dilemma: God is God, and the +world is the devil. To regret the world is to regret the devil; +that is my conclusion." + +"And that is mine also," said the curate. + +"But, for heaven's sake-" resumed Aramis. + +"DESIDERAS DIABOLUM, unhappy man!" cried the Jesuit. + +"He regrets the devil! Ah, my young friend," added the curate, +groaning, "do not regret the devil, I implore you!" + +D'Artagnan felt himself bewildered. It seemed to him as though +he were in a madhouse, and was becoming as mad as those he saw. +He was, however, forced to hold his tongue from not comprehending +half the language they employed. + +"But listen to me, then," resumed Aramis with politeness mingled +with a little impatience. "I do not say I regret; no, I will +never pronounce that sentence, which would not be orthodox." + +The Jesuit raised his hands toward heaven, and the curate did the +same. + +"No; but pray grant me that it is acting with an ill grace to +offer to the Lord only that with which we are perfectly +disgusted! Don't you think so, D'Artagnan?" + +"I think so, indeed," cried he. + +The Jesuit and the curate quite started from their chairs. + +"This is the point of departure; it is a syllogism. The world is +not wanting in attractions. I quit the world; then I make a +sacrifice. Now, the Scripture says positively, 'Make a sacrifice +unto the Lord.'" + +"That is true," said his antagonists. + +"And then," said Aramis, pinching his ear to make it red, as he +rubbed his hands to make them white, "and then I made a certain +RONDEAU upon it last year, which I showed to Monsieur Voiture, +and that great man paid me a thousand compliments." + +"A RONDEAU!" said the Jesuit, disdainfully. + +"A RONDEAU!" said the curate, mechanically. + +"Repeat it! Repeat it!" cried D'Artagnan; "it will make a little +change." + +"Not so, for it is religious," replied Aramis; "it is theology in +verse." + +"The devil!" said D'Artagnan. + +"Here it is," said Aramis, with a little look of diffidence, +which, however, was not exempt from a shade of hypocrisy: + + +"Vous qui pleurez un passe plein de charmes, +Et qui trainez des jours infortunes, +Tous vos malheurs se verront termines, +Quand a Dieu seul vous offrirez vos larmes, +Vous qui pleurez!" + +"You who weep for pleasures fled, +While dragging on a life of care, +All your woes will melt in air, +If to God your tears are shed, +You who weep!" + + +D'Artagnan and the curate appeared pleased. The Jesuit persisted +in his opinion. "Beware of a profane taste in your theological +style. What says Augustine on this subject: "'SEVERUS SIT +CLERICORUM VERBO.'" + +"Yes, let the sermon be clear," said the curate. + +"Now," hastily interrupted the Jesuit, on seeing that his acolyte +was going astray, "now your thesis would please the ladies; it +would have the success of one of Monsieur Patru's pleadings." + +"Please God!" cried Aramis, transported. + +"There it is," cried the Jesuit; "the world still speaks within +you in a loud voice, ALTISIMMA VOCE. You follow the world, my +young friend, and I tremble lest grace prove not efficacious." + +"Be satisfied, my reverend father, I can answer for myself." + +"Mundane presumption!" + +"I know myself, Father; my resolution is irrevocable." + +"Then you persist in continuing that thesis?" + +"I feel myself called upon to treat that, and no other. I will +see about the continuation of it, and tomorrow I hope you will be +satisfied with the corrections I shall have made in consequence +of your advice." + +"Work slowly," said the curate; "we leave you in an excellent +tone of mind." + +"Yes, the ground is all sown," said the Jesuit, "and we have not +to fear that one portion of the seed may have fallen upon stone, +another upon the highway, or that the birds of heaven have eaten +the rest, AVES COELI COMEDERUNT ILLAM." + +"Plague stifle you and your Latin!" said D'Artagnan, who began to +feel all his patience exhausted. + +"Farewell, my son," said the curate, "till tomorrow." + +"Till tomorrow, rash youth," said the Jesuit. "You promise to +become one of the lights of the Church. Heaven grant that this +light prove not a devouring fire!" + +D'Artagnan, who for an hour past had been gnawing his nails with +impatience, was beginning to attack the quick. + +The two men in black rose, bowed to Aramis and D'Artagnan, and +advanced toward the door. Bazin, who had been standing listening +to all this controversy with a pious jubilation, sprang toward +them, took the breviary of the curate and the missal of the +Jesuit, and walked respectfully before them to clear their way. + +Aramis conducted them to the foot of the stairs, and them +immediately came up again to D'Artagnan, whose senses were still +in a state of confusion. + +When left alone, the two friends at first kept an embarrassed +silence. It however became necessary for one of them to break it +first, and as D'Artagnan appeared determined to leave that honor +to his companion, Aramis said, "you see that I am returned to my +fundamental ideas." + +"Yes, efficacious grace has touched you, as that gentleman said +just now." + +"Oh, these plans of retreat have been formed for a long time. +You have often heard me speak of them, have you not, my friend?" + +"Yes; but I confess I always thought you jested." + +"With such things! Oh, D'Artagnan!" + +"The devil! Why, people jest with death." + +"And people are wrong, D'Artagnan; for death is the door which +leads to perdition or to salvation." + +"Granted; but if you please, let us not theologize, Aramis. You +must have had enough for today. As for me, I have almost +forgotten the little Latin I have ever known. Then I confess to +you that I have eaten nothing since ten o'clock this morning, and +I am devilish hungry." + +"We will dine directly, my friend; only you must please to +remember that this is Friday. Now, on such a day I can neither +eat flesh nor see it eaten. If you can be satisfied with my +dinner-it consists of cooked tetragones and fruits." + +"What do you mean by tetragones?" asked D'Artagnan, uneasily. + +"I mean spinach," replied Aramis; "but on your account I will add +some eggs, and that is a serious infraction of the rule-for eggs +are meat, since they engender chickens." + +"This feast is not very succulent; but never mind, I will put up +with it for the sake of remaining with you." + +"I am grateful to you for the sacrifice," said Aramis; "but if +your body be not greatly benefited by it, be assured your soul +will." + +"And so, Aramis, you are decidedly going into the Church? What +will our two friends say? What will Monsieur de Treville say? +They will treat you as a deserter, I warn you." + +"I do not enter the Church; I re-enter it. I deserted the Church +for the world, for you know that I forced myself when I became a +Musketeer." + +"I? I know nothing about it." + +"You don't know I quit the seminary?" + +"Not at all." + +"This is my story, then. Besides, the Scriptures say, 'Confess +yourselves to one another,' and I confess to you, D'Artagnan." + +"And I give you absolution beforehand. You see I am a good sort +of a man." + +"Do not jest about holy things, my friend." + +"Go on, then, I listen." + +"I had been at the seminary from nine years old; in three days I +should have been twenty. I was about to become an abbe, and all +was arranged. One evening I went, according to custom, to a +house which I frequented with much pleasure: when one is young, +what can be expected?--one is weak. An officer who saw me, with +a jealous eye, reading the LIVES OF THE SAINTS to the mistress of +the house, entered suddenly and without being announced. That +evening I had translated an episode of Judith, and had just +communicated my verses to the lady, who gave me all sorts of +compliments, and leaning on my shoulder, was reading them a +second time with me. Her pose, which I must admit was rather +free, wounded this officer. He said nothing; but when I went out +he followed, and quickly came up with me. 'Monsieur the Abbe,' +said he, 'do you like blows with a cane?' 'I cannot say, +monsieur,' answered I; 'no one has ever dared to give me any.' +'Well, listen to me, then, Monsieur the Abbe! If you venture +again into the house in which I have met you this evening, I will +dare it myself.' I really think I must have been frightened. I +became very pale; I felt my legs fail me; I sought for a reply, +but could find none-I was silent. The officer waited for his +reply, and seeing it so long coming, he burst into a laugh, +turned upon his heel, and re-entered the house. I returned to +the seminary. + +"I am a gentleman born, and my blood is warm, as you may have +remarked, my dear D'Artagnan. The insult was terrible, and +although unknown to the rest of the world, I felt it live and +fester at the bottom of my heart. I informed my superiors that I +did not feel myself sufficiently prepared for ordination, and at +my request the ceremony was postponed for a year. I sought out +the best fencing master in Paris, I made an agreement with him to +take a lesson every day, and every day for a year I took that +lesson. Then, on the anniversary of the day on which I had been +insulted, I hung my cassock on a peg, assumed the costume of a +cavalier, and went to a ball given by a lady friend of mine and +to which I knew my man was invited. It was in the Rue des +France-Bourgeois, close to La Force. As I expected, my officer +was there. I went up to him as he was singing a love ditty and +looking tenderly at a lady, and interrupted him exactly in the +middle of the second couplet. 'Monsieur,' said I, 'does it still +displease you that I should frequent a certain house of La Rue +Payenne? And would you still cane me if I took it into my head +to disobey you? The officer looked at me with astonishment, and +then said, 'What is your business with me, monsieur? I do not +know you.' 'I am,' said I, 'the little abbe who reads LIVES OF +THE SAINTS, and translates Judith into verse.' 'Ah, ah! I +recollect now,' said the officer, in a jeering tone; 'well, what +do you want with me?' 'I want you to spare time to take a walk +with me.' 'Tomorrow morning, if you like, with the greatest +pleasure.' 'No, not tomorrow morning, if you please, but +immediately.' 'If you absolutely insist.' 'I do insist upon +it.' 'Come, then. Ladies,' said the officer, 'do not disturb +yourselves; allow me time just to kill this gentleman, and I will +return and finish the last couplet.' + +"We went out. I took him to the Rue Payenne, to exactly the same +spot where, a year before, at the very same hour, he had paid me +the compliment I have related to you. It was a superb moonlight +night. We immediately drew, and at the first pass I laid him +stark dead." + +"The devil!" cried D'Artagnan. + +"Now," continued Aramis, "as the ladies did not see the singer +come back, and as he was found in the Rue Payenne with a great +sword wound through his body, it was supposed that I had +accommodated him thus; and the matter created some scandal which +obliged me to renounce the cassock for a time. Athos, whose +acquaintance I made about that period, and Porthos, who had in +addition to my lessons taught me some effective tricks of fence, +prevailed upon me to solicit the uniform of a Musketeer. The +king entertained great regard for my father, who had fallen at +the siege Arras, and the uniform was granted. You may understand +that the moment has come for me to re-enter the bosom of the +Church." + +"And why today, rather than yesterday or tomorrow? What has +happened to you today, to raise all these melancholy ideas?" + +"This wound, my dear D'Artagnan, has been a warning to me from +heaven." + +"This wound? Bah, it is now nearly healed, and I am sure it is +not that which gives you the most pain." + +"What, then?" said Aramis, blushing." + +"You have one at heart, Aramis, one deeper and more painful-a +wound made by a woman." + +The eye of Aramis kindled in spite of himself. + +"Ah," said he, dissembling his emotion under a feigned +carelessness, "do not talk of such things, and suffer love pains? +VANITAS VANITATUM! According to your idea, then, my brain is +turned. And for whom-for some GRISETTE, some chambermaid with +whom I have trifled in some garrison? Fie!" + +"Pardon, my dear Aramis, but I thought you carried your eyes +higher." + +"Higher? And who am I, to nourish such ambition? A poor +Musketeer, a beggar, an unknown-who hates slavery, and finds +himself ill-placed in the world." + +"Aramis, Aramis!" cried D'Artagnan, looking at his friend with an +air of doubt. + +"Dust I am, and to dust I return. Life is full of humiliations +and sorrows," continued he, becoming still more melancholy; "all +the ties which attach him to life break in the hand of man, +particularly the golden ties. Oh, my dear D'Artagnan," resumed +Aramis, giving to his voice a slight tone of bitterness, "trust +me! Conceal your wounds when you have any; silence is the last +joy of the unhappy. Beware of giving anyone the clue to your +griefs; the curious suck our tears as flies suck the blood of a +wounded hart." + +"Alas, my dear Aramis," said D'Artagnan, in his turn heaving a +profound sigh, "that is my story you are relating!" + +"How?" + +"Yes; a woman whom I love, whom I adore, has just been torn from +me by force. I do not know where she is or whither they have +conducted her. She is perhaps a prisoner; she is perhaps dead!" + +"Yes, but you have at least this consolation, that you can say to +yourself she has not quit you voluntarily, that if you learn no +news of her, it is because all communication with you in +interdicted; while I-" + +"Well?" + +"Nothing," replied Aramis, "nothing." + +"So you renounce the world, then, forever; that is a settled +thing-a resolution registered!" + +"Forever! You are my friend today; tomorrow you will be no more +to me than a shadow, or rather, even, you will no longer exist. +As for the world, it is a sepulcher and nothing else." + +"The devil! All this is very sad which you tell me." + +"What will you? My vocation commands me; it carries me away." + +D'Artagnan smiled, but made no answer. + +Aramis continued, "And yet, while I do belong to the earth, I +wish to speak of you-of our friends." + +"And on my part," said D'Artagnan, "I wished to speak of you, but +I find you so completely detached from everything! To love you +cry, 'Fie! Friends are shadows! The world is a sepulcher!'" + +"Alas, you will find it so yourself," said Aramis, with a sigh. + +"Well, then, let us say no more about it," said D'Artagnan; "and +let us burn this letter, which, no doubt, announces to you some +fresh infidelity of your GRISETTE or your chambermaid." + +"What letter?" cried Aramis, eagerly. + +"A letter which was sent to your abode in your absence, and which +was given to me for you." + +"But from whom is that letter?" + +"Oh, from some heartbroken waiting woman, some desponding +GRISETTE; from Madame de Chevreuse's chambermaid, perhaps, who +was obliged to return to Tours with her mistress, and who, in +order to appear smart and attractive, stole some perfumed paper, +and sealed her letter with a duchess's coronet." + +"What do you say?" + +"Hold! I must have lost it," said the young man maliciously, +pretending to search for it. "But fortunately the world is a +sepulcher; the men, and consequently the women, are but shadows, +and love is a sentiment to which you cry, 'Fie! Fie!'" + +"D'Artagnan, D'Artagnan," cried Aramis, "you are killing me!" + +"Well, here it is at last!" said D'Artagnan, as he drew the +letter from his pocket. + +Aramis made a bound, seized the letter, read it, or rather +devoured it, his countenance radiant. + +"This same waiting maid seems to have an agreeable style," said +the messenger, carelessly. + +"Thanks, D'Artagnan, thanks!" cried Aramis, almost in a state of +delirium. "She was forced to return to Tours; she is not +faithless; she still loves me! Come, my friend, come, let me +embrace you. Happiness almost stifles me!" + +The two friends began to dance around the venerable St. +Chrysostom, kicking about famously the sheets of the thesis, +which had fallen on the floor. + +At that moment Bazin entered with the spinach and the omelet. + +"Be off, you wretch!" cried Aramis, throwing his skullcap in his +face. "Return whence you came; take back those horrible +vegetables, and that poor kickshaw! Order a larded hare, a fat +capon, mutton leg dressed with garlic, and four bottles of old +Burgundy." + +Bazin, who looked at his master, without comprehending the cause +of this change, in a melancholy manner, allowed the omelet to +slip into the spinach, and the spinach onto the floor. + +"Now this is the moment to consecrate your existence to the King +of kings," said D'Artagnan, "if you persist in offering him a +civility. NON INUTILE DESIDERIUM OBLATIONE." + +"Go to the devil with your Latin. Let us drink, my dear +D'Artagnan, MORBLEU! Let us drink while the wine is fresh! Let +us drink heartily, and while we do so, tell me a little of what +is going on in the world yonder." + + + +27 THE WIFE OF ATHOS + +"We have now to search for Athos," said D'Artagnan to the +vivacious Aramis, when he had informed him of all that had passed +since their departure from the capital, and an excellent dinner +had made one of them forget his thesis and the other his fatigue. + +"Do you think, then, that any harm can have happened to him?" +asked Aramis. "Athos is so cool, so brave, and handles his sword +so skillfully." + +"No doubt. Nobody has a higher opinion of the courage and skill +of Athos than I have; but I like better to hear my sword clang +against lances than against staves. I fear lest Athos should +have been beaten down by serving men. Those fellows strike hard, +and don't leave off in a hurry. This is why I wish to set out +again as soon as possible." + +"I will try to accompany you," said Aramis, "though I scarcely +feel in a condition to mount on horseback. Yesterday I undertook +to employ that cord which you see hanging against the wall, but +pain prevented my continuing the pious exercise." + +"That's the first time I ever heard of anybody trying to cure +gunshot wounds with cat-o'-nine-tails; but you were ill, and +illness renders the head weak, therefore you may be excused." + +"When do you mean to set out?" + +"Tomorrow at daybreak. Sleep as soundly as you can tonight, and +tomorrow, if you can, we will take our departure together." + +"Till tomorrow, then," said Aramis; "for iron-nerved as you are, +you must need repose." + +The next morning, when D'Artagnan entered Aramis's chamber, he +found him at the window. + +"What are you looking at?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"My faith! I am admiring three magnificent horses which the +stable boys are leading about. It would be a pleasure worthy of +a prince to travel upon such horses." + +"Well, my dear Aramis, you may enjoy that pleasure, for one of +those three horses is yours." + +"Ah, bah! Which?" + +"Whichever of the three you like, I have no preference." + +"And the rich caparison, is that mine, too?" + +"Without doubt." + +"You laugh, D'Artagnan." + +"No, I have left off laughing, now that you speak French." + +"What, those rich holsters, that velvet housing, that saddle +studded with silver-are they all for me?" + +"For you and nobody else, as the horse which paws the ground is +mine, and the other horse, which is caracoling, belongs to +Athos." + +"PESTE! They are three superb animals!" + +"I am glad they please you." + +"Why, it must have been the king who made you such a present." + +"Certainly it was not the cardinal; but don't trouble yourself +whence they come, think only that one of the three is your +property." + +"I choose that which the red-headed boy is leading." + +"It is yours!" + +"Good heaven! That is enough to drive away all my pains; I could +mount him with thirty balls in my body. On my soul, handsome +stirrups! HOLA, Bazin, come here this minute." + +Bazin appeared on the threshold, dull and spiritless. + +"That last order is useless," interrupted D'Artagnan; "there are +loaded pistols in your holsters." + +Bazin sighed. + +"Come, Monsieur Bazin, make yourself easy," said D'Artagnan; +"people of all conditions gain the kingdom of heaven." + +"Monsieur was already such a good theologian," said Bazin, almost +weeping; "he might have become a bishop, and perhaps a cardinal." + +"Well, but my poor Bazin, reflect a little. Of what use is it to +be a churchman, pray? You do not avoid going to war by that +means; you see, the cardinal is about to make the next campaign, +helm on head and partisan in hand. And Monsieur de Nogaret de la +Valette, what do you say of him? He is a cardinal likewise. Ask +his lackey how often he has had to prepare lint of him." + +"Alas!" sighed Bazin. "I know it, monsieur; everything is turned +topsy-turvy in the world nowadays." + +While this dialogue was going on, the two young men and the poor +lackey descended. + +"Hold my stirrup, Bazin," cried Aramis; and Aramis sprang into +the saddle with his usual grace and agility, but after a few +vaults and curvets of the noble animal his rider felt his pains +come on so insupportably that he turned pale and became unsteady +in his seat. D'Artagnan, who, foreseeing such an event, had kept +his eye on him, sprang toward him, caught him in his arms, and +assisted him to his chamber. + +"That's all right, my dear Aramis, take care of yourself," said +he; "I will go alone in search of Athos." + +"You are a man of brass," replied Aramis. + +"No, I have good luck, that is all. But how do you mean to pass +your time till I come back? No more theses, no more glosses upon +the fingers or upon benedictions, hey?" + +Aramis smiled. "I will make verses," said he. + +"Yes, I dare say; verses perfumed with the odor of the billet +from the attendant of Madame de Chevreuse. Teach Bazin prosody; +that will console him. As to the horse, ride him a little every +day, and that will accustom you to his maneuvers." + +"Oh, make yourself easy on that head," replied Aramis. "You will +find me ready to follow you." + +They took leave of each other, and in ten minutes, after having +commended his friend to the cares of the hostess and Bazin, +D'Artagnan was trotting along in the direction of Ameins. + +How was he going to find Athos? Should he find him at all? The +position in which he had left him was critical. He probably had +succumbed. This idea, while darkening his brow, drew several +sighs from him, and caused him to formulate to himself a few vows +of vengeance. Of all his friends, Athos was the eldest, and the +least resembling him in appearance, in his tastes and sympathies. + +Yet he entertained a marked preference for this gentleman. The +noble and distinguished air of Athos, those flashes of greatness +which from time to time broke out from the shade in which he +voluntarily kept himself, that unalterable equality of temper +which made him the most pleasant companion in the world, that +forced and cynical gaiety, that bravery which might have been +termed blind if it had not been the result of the rarest +coolness-such qualities attracted more than the esteem, more than +the friendship of D'Artagnan; they attracted his admiration. + +Indeed, when placed beside M. de Treville, the elegant and noble +courtier, Athos in his most cheerful days might advantageously +sustain a comparison. He was of middle height; but his person +was so admirably shaped and so well proportioned that more than +once in his struggles with Porthos he had overcome the giant +whose physical strength was proverbial among the Musketeers. His +head, with piercing eyes, a straight nose, a chim cut like that +of Brutus, had altogether an indefinable character of grandeur +and grace. His hands, of which he took little care, were the +despair of Aramis, who cultivated his with almond paste and +perfumed oil. The sound of his voice was at once penetrating and +melodious; and then, that which was inconceivable in Athos, who +was always retiring, was that delicate knowledge of the world and +of the usages of the most brilliant society-those manners of a +high degree which appeared, as if unconsciously to himself, in +his least actions. + +If a repast were on foot, Athos presided over it better than any +other, placing every guest exactly in the rank which his +ancestors had earned for him or that he had made for himself. If +a question in heraldry were started, Athos knew all the noble +families of the kingdom, their genealogy, their alliances, their +coats of arms, and the origin of them. Etiquette had no minutiae +unknown to him. He knew what were the rights of the great land +owners. He was profoundly versed in hunting and falconry, and +had one day when conversing on this great art astonished even +Louis XIII himself, who took a pride in being considered a past +master therein. + +Like all the great nobles of that period, Athos rode and fenced +to perfection. But still further, his education had been so +little neglected, even with respect to scholastic studies, so +rare at this time among gentlemen, that he smiled at the scraps +of Latin which Aramis sported and which Porthos pretended to +understand. Two or three times, even, to the great astonishment +of his friends, he had, when Aramis allowed some rudimental error +to escape him, replaced a verb in its right tense and a noun in +its case. Besides, his probity was irreproachable, in an age in +which soldiers compromised so easily with their religion and +their consciences, lovers with the rigorous delicacy of our era, +and the poor with God's Seventh Commandment. This Athos, then, +was a very extraordinary man. + +And yet this nature so distinguished, this creature so beautiful, +this essence so fine, was seen to turn insensibly toward material +like, as old men turn toward physical and moral imbecility. +Athos, in his hours of gloom-and these hours were frequent-was +extinguished as to the whole of the luminous portion of him, and +his brilliant side disappeared as into profound darkness. + +Then the demigod vanished; he remained scarcely a man. His head +hanging down, his eye dull, his speech slow and painful, Athos +would look for hours together at his bottle, his glass, or at +Grimaud, who, accustomed to obey him by signs, read in the faint +glance of his master his least desire, and satisfied it +immediately. If the four friends were assembled at one of these +moments, a word, thrown forth occasionally with a violent effort, +was the share Athos furnished to the conversation. In exchange +for his silence Athos drank enough for four, and without +appearing to be otherwise affected by wine than by a more marked +constriction of the brow and by a deeper sadness. + +D'Artagnan, whose inquiring disposition we are acquainted with, +had not-whatever interest he had in satisfying his curiosity on +this subject-been able to assign any cause for these fits of for +the periods of their recurrence. Athos never received any +letters; Athos never had concerns which all his friends did not +know. + +It could not be said that it was wine which produced this +sadness; for in truth he only drank to combat this sadness, which +wine however, as we have said, rendered still darker. This +excess of bilious humor could not be attributed to play; for +unlike Porthos, who accompanied the variations of chance with +songs or oaths, Athos when he won remained as unmoved as when he +lost. He had been known, in the circle of the Musketeers, to win +in one night three thousand pistoles; to lose them even to the +gold-embroidered belt for gala days, win all this again with the +addition of a hundred louis, without his beautiful eyebrow being +heightened or lowered half a line, without his hands losing their +pearly hue, without his conversation, which was cheerful that +evening, ceasing to be calm and agreeable. + +Neither was it, as with our neighbors, the English, an +atmospheric influence which darkened his countenance; for the +sadness generally became more intense toward the fine season of +the year. June and July were the terrible months with Athos. + +For the present he had no anxiety. He shrugged his shoulders +when people spoke of the feature. His secret, then, was in the +past, as had often been vaguely said to D'Artagnan. + +This mysterious shade, spread over his whole person, rendered +still more interesting the man whose eyes or mouth, even in the +most complete intoxication, had never revealed anything, however +skillfully questions had been put to him. + +"Well," thought D'Artagnan, "poor Athos is perhaps at this moment +dead, and dead by my fault-for it was I who dragged him into this +affair, of which he did not know the origin, of which he is +ignorant of the result, and from which he can derive no +advantage." + +"Without reckoning, monsieur," added Planchet to his master's +audibly expressed reflections, "that we perhaps owe our lives to +him. Do you remember how he cried, 'On, D'Artagnan, on, I am +taken'? And when he had discharged his two pistols, what a +terrible noise he made with his sword! One might have said that +twenty men, or rather twenty mad devils, were fighting." + +These words redoubled the eagerness of D'Artagnan, who urged his +horse, though he stood in need of no incitement, and they +proceeded at a rapid pace. About eleven o'clock in the morning +they perceived Ameins, and at half past eleven they were at the +door of the cursed inn. + +D'Artagnan had often meditated against the perfidious host one of +those hearty vengeances which offer consolation while they are +hoped for. He entered the hostelry with his hat pulled over his +eyes, his left hand on the pommel of the sword, and cracking his +whip with his right hand. + +"Do you remember me?" said he to the host, who advanced to greet +him. + +"I have not that honor, monseigneur," replied the latter, his +eyes dazzled by the brilliant style in which D'Artagnan traveled. + +"What, you don't know me?" + +"No, monseigneur." + +"Well, two words will refresh your memory. What have you done +with that gentleman against whom you had the audacity, about +twelve days ago, to make an accusation of passing false money?" + +The host became as pale as death; for D'Artagnan had assumed a +threatening attitude, and Planchet modeled himself after his +master. + +"Ah, monseigneur, do not mention it!" cried the host, in the most +pitiable voice imaginable. "Ah, monseigneur, how dearly have I +paid for that fault, unhappy wretch as I am!" + +"That gentleman, I say, what has become of him?" + +"Deign to listen to me, monseigneur, and be merciful! Sit down, +in mercy!" + +D'Artagnan, mute with anger and anxiety, took a seat in the +threatening attitude of a judge. Planchet glared fiercely over +the back of his armchair. + +"Here is the story, monseigneur," resumed the trembling host; +"for I now recollect you. It was you who rode off at the moment +I had that unfortunate difference with the gentleman you speak +of." + +"Yes, it was I; so you may plainly perceive that you have no +mercy to expect of you do not tell me the whole truth." + +"Condescend to listen to me, and you shall know all." + +"I listen." + +"I had been warned by the authorities that a celebrated coiner of +bad money would arrive at my inn, with several of his companions, +all disguised as Guards or Musketeers. Monseigneur, I was +furnished with a description of your horses, your lackeys, your +countenances-nothing was omitted." + +"Go on, go on!" said D'Artagnan, who quickly understood whence +such an exact description had come. + +"I took then, in conformity with the orders of the authorities, +who sent me a reinforcement of six men, such measures as I +thought necessary to get possession of the persons of the +pretended coiners." + +"Again!" said D'Artagnan, whose ears chafed terribly under the +repetition of this word COINERs. + +"Pardon me, monseigneur, for saying such things, but they form my +excuse. The authorities had terrified me, and you know that an +innkeeper must keep on good terms with the authorities." + +"But once again, that gentleman-where is he? What has become of +him? Is he dead? Is he living?" + +"Patience, monseigneur, we are coming to it. There happened then +that which you know, and of which your precipitate departure," +added the host, with an acuteness that did not escape D'Artagnan, +"appeared to authorize the issue. That gentleman, your friend, +defended himself desperately. His lackey, who, by an unforeseen +piece of ill luck, had quarreled with the officers, disguised as +stable lads-" + +"Miserable scoundrel!" cried D'Artagnan, "you were all in the +plot, then! And I really don't know what prevents me from +exterminating you all." + +"Alas, monseigneur, we were not in the plot, as you will soon +see. Monsieur your friend (pardon for not calling him by the +honorable name which no doubt he bears, but we do not know that +name), Monsieur your friend, having disabled two men with his +pistols, retreated fighting with his sword, with which he disable +one of my men, and stunned me with a blow of the flat side of +it." + +"You villian, will you finish?" cried D'Artagnan, "Athos-what has +become of Athos?" + +"While fighting and retreating, as I have told Monseigneur, he +found the door of the cellar stairs behind him, and as the door +was open, he took out the key, and barricaded himself inside. As +we were sure of finding him there, we left him alone." + +"Yes," said D'Artagnan, "you did not really wish to kill; you +only wished to imprison him." + +"Good God! To imprison him, monseigneur? Why, he imprisoned +himself, I swear to you he did. In the first place he had made +rough work of it; one man was killed on the spot, and two others +were severely wounded. The dead man and the two wounded were +carried off by their comrades, and I have heard nothing of either +of them since. As for myself, as soon as I recovered my senses I +went to Monsieur the Governor, to whom I related all that had +passed, and asked, what I should do with my prisoner. Monsieur +the Governor was all astonishment. He told me he knew nothing +about the matter, that the orders I had received did not come +from him, and that if I had the audacity to mention his name as +being concerned in this disturbance he would have me hanged. It +appears that I had made a mistake, monsieur, that I had arrested +the wrong person, and that he whom I ought to have arrested had +escaped." + +"But Athos!" cried D'Artagnan, whose impatience was increased by +the disregard of the authorities, "Athos, where is he?" + +"As I was anxious to repair the wrongs I had done the prisoner," +resumed the innkeeper, "I took my way straight to the cellar in +order to set him at liberty. Ah, monsieur, he was no longer a +man, he was a devil! To my offer of liberty, he replied that it +was nothing but a snare, and that before he came out he intended +to impose his own conditions. I told him very humbly-for I could +not conceal from myself the scrape I had got into by laying hands +on one of his Majesty's Musketeers-I told him I was quite ready +to submit to his conditions. + +"'In the first place,' said he, 'I wish my lackey placed with me, +fully armed.' We hastened to obey this order; for you will +please to understand, monsieur, we were disposed to do everything +your friend could desire. Monsieur Grimaud (he told us his name, +although he does not talk much)-Monsieur Grimaud, then, went down +to the cellar, wounded as he was; then his master, having +admitted him, barricaded the door afresh, and ordered us to +remain quietly in our own bar." + +"But where is Athos now?" cried D'Artagnan. "Where is Athos?" + +"In the cellar, monsieur." + +"What, you scoundrel! Have you kept him in the cellar all this +time?" + +"Merciful heaven! No, monsieur! We keep him in the cellar! You +do not know what he is about in the cellar. Ah! If you could +but persuade him to come out, monsieur, I should owe you the +gratitude of my whole life; I should adore you as my patron +saint!" + +"Then he is there? I shall find him there?" + +"Without doubt you will, monsieur; he persists in remaining +there. We every day pass through the air hole some bread at the +end of a fork, and some meat when he asks for it; but alas! It +is not of bread and meat of which he makes the greatest +consumption. I once endeavored to go down with two of my +servants; but he flew into terrible rage. I heard the noise he +made in loading his pistols, and his servant in loading his +musketoon. Then, when we asked them what were their intentions, +the master replied that he had forty charges to fire, and that he +and his lackey would fire to the last one before he would allow a +single soul of us to set foot in the cellar. Upon this I went +and complained to the governor, who replied that I only had what +I deserved, and that it would teach me to insult honorable +gentlemen who took up their abode in my house." + +"So that since that time-" replied D'Artagnan, totally unable to +refrain from laughing at the pitiable face of the host. + +"So from that time, monsieur," continued the latter, "we have led +the most miserable life imaginable; for you must know, monsieur, +that all our provisions are in the cellar. There is our wine in +bottles, and our wine in casks; the beer, the oil, and the +spices, the bacon, and sausages. And as we are prevented from +going down there, we are forced to refuse food and drink to the +travelers who come to the house; so that our hostelry is daily +going to ruin. If your friend remains another week in my cellar +I shall be a ruined man." + +"And not more than justice, either, you ass! Could you not +perceive by our appearance that we were people of quality, and +not coiners-say?" + +"Yes, monsieur, you are right," said the host. "But, hark, hark! +There he is!" + +"Somebody has disturbed him, without doubt," said D'Artagnan. + +"But he must be disturbed," cried the host; "Here are two English +gentlemen just arrived." + +"well?" + +"Well, the English like good wine, as you may know, monsieur; +these have asked for the best. My wife has perhaps requested +permission of Monsieur Athos to go into the cellar to satisfy +these gentlemen; and he, as usual, has refused. Ah, good heaven! +There is the hullabaloo louder than ever!" + +D'Artagnan, in fact, heard a great noise on the side next the +cellar. He rose, and preceded by the host wringing his hands, +and followed by Planchet with his musketoon ready for use, he +approached the scene of action. + +The two gentlemen were exasperated; they had had a long ride, and +were dying with hunger and thirst. + +"But this is tyranny!" cried one of them, in very good French, +though with a foreign accent, "that this madman will not allow +these good people access to their own wine! Nonsense, let us +break open the door, and if he is too far gone in his madness, +well, we will kill him!" + +"Softly, gentlemen!" said D'Artagnan, drawing his pistols from +his belt, "you will kill nobody, if you please!" + +"Good, good!" cried the calm voice of Athos, from the other side +of the door, "let them just come in, these devourers of little +children, and we shall see!" + +Brave as they appeared to be, the two English gentlemen looked at +each other hesitatingly. One might have thought there was in +that cellar one of those famished ogres--the gigantic heroes of +popular legends, into whose cavern nobody could force their way +with impunity. + +There was a moment of silence; but at length the two Englishmen +felt ashamed to draw back, and the angrier one descended the five +or six steps which led to the cellar, and gave a kick against the +door enough to split a wall. + +"Planchet," said D'Artagnan, cocking his pistols, "I will take +charge of the one at the top; you look to the one below. Ah, +gentlemen, you want battle; and you shall have it." + +"Good God!" cried the hollow voice of Athos, "I can hear +D'Artagnan, I think." + +"Yes," cried D'Artagnan, raising his voice in turn, "I am here, +my friend." + +"Ah, good, then," replied Athos, "we will teach them, these door +breakers!" + +The gentlemen had drawn their swords, but they found themselves +take between two fires. They still hesitated an instant; but, as +before, pride prevailed, and a second kick split the door from +bottom to top. + +"Stand on one side, D'Artagnan, stand on one side," cried Athos. +"I am going to fire!" + +"Gentlemen," exclaimed D'Artagnan, whom reflection never +abandoned, "gentlemen, think of what you are about. Patience, +Athos! You are running your heads into a very silly affair; you +will be riddled. My lackey and I will have three shots at you, +and you will get as many from the cellar. You will then have out +swords, with which, I can assure you, my friend and I can play +tolerably well. Let me conduct your business and my own. You +shall soon have something to drink; I give you my word." + +"If there is any left," grumbled the jeering voice of Athos. + +The host felt a cold sweat creep down his back. + +"How! 'If there is any left!" murmured he. + +"What the devil! There must be plenty left," replied D'Artagnan. +"Be satisfied of that; these two cannot have drunk all the +cellar. Gentlemen, return your swords to their scabbards." + +"Well, provided you replace your pistols in your belt." + +"Willingly." + +And D'Artagnan set the example. Then, turning toward Planchet, +he made him a sign to uncock his musketoon. + +The Englishmen, convinced of these peaceful proceedings, sheathed +their swords grumblingly. The history of Athos's imprisonment +was then related to them; and as they were really gentlemen, they +pronounced the host in the wrong. + +"Now, gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, "go up to your room again; and +in ten minutes, I will answer for it, you shall have all you +desire." + +The Englishmen bowed and went upstairs. + +"Now I am alone, my dear Athos," said D'Artagnan; "open the door, +I beg of you." + +"Instantly," said Athos. + +Then was heard a great noise of fagots being removed and of the +groaning of posts; these were the counterscarps and bastions of +Athos, which the besieged himself demolished. + +An instant after, the broken door was removed, and the pale face +of Athos appeared, who with a rapid glance took a survey of the +surroundings. + +D'Artagnan threw himself on his neck and embraced him tenderly. +He then tried to draw him from his moist abode, but to his +surprise he perceived that Athos staggered. + +"You are wounded," said he. + +"I! Not at all. I am dead drunk, that's all, and never did a +man more strongly set about getting so. By the Lord, my good +host! I must at least have drunk for my part a hundred and fifty +bottles." + +"Mercy!" cried the host, "if the lackey has drunk only half as +much as the master, I am a ruined man." + +"Grimaud is a well-bred lackey. He would never think of faring +in the same manner as his master; he only drank from the cask. +Hark! I don't think he put the faucet in again. Do you hear it? +It is running now." + +D'Artagnan burst into a laugh which changed the shiver of the +host into a burning fever. + +In the meantime, Grimaud appeared in his turn behind his master, +with the musketoon on his shoulder, and his head shaking. Like +one of those drunken satyrs in the pictures of Rubens. He was +moistened before and behind with a greasy liquid which the host +recognized as his best olive oil. + +The four crossed the public room and proceeded to take possession +of the best apartment in the house, which D'Artagnan occupied +with authority. + +In the meantime the host and his wife hurried down with lamps +into the cellar, which had so long been interdicted to them and +where a frightful spectacle awaited them. + +Beyond the fortifications through which Athos had made a breach +in order to get out, and which were composed of fagots, planks, +and empty casks, heaped up according to all the rules of the +strategic art, they found, swimming in puddles of oil and wine, +the bones and fragments of all the hams they had eaten; while a +heap of broken bottles filled the whole left-hand corner of the +cellar, and a tun, the cock of which was left running, was +yielding, by this means, the last drop of its blood. "The image +of devastation and death," as the ancient poet says, "reigned as +over a field of battle." + +Of fifty large sausages, suspended from the joists, scarcely ten +remained. + +Then the lamentations of the host and hostess pierced the vault +of the cellar. D'Artagnan himself was moved by them. Athos did +not even turn his head. + +To grief succeeded rage. The host armed himself with a spit, and +rushed into the chamber occupied by the two friends. + +"Some wine!" said Athos, on perceiving the host. + +"Some wine!" cried the stupefied host, "some wine? Why you have +drunk more than a hundred pistoles' worth! I am a ruined man, +lost, destroyed!" + +"Bah," said Athos, "we were always dry." + +"If you had been contented with drinking, well and good; but you +have broken all the bottles." + +"You pushed me upon a heap which rolled down. That was your +fault." + +"All my oil is lost!" + +"Oil is a sovereign balm for wounds; and my poor Grimaud here was +obliged to dress those you had inflicted on him." + +"All my sausages are gnawed!" + +"There is an enormous quantity of rats in that cellar." + +"You shall pay me for all this," cried the exasperated host. + +"Triple ass!" said Athos, rising; but he sank down again +immediately. He had tried his strength to the utmost. +D'Artagnan came to his relief with his whip in his hand. + +The host drew back and burst into tears. + +"This will teach you," said D'Artagnan, "to treat the guests God +sends you in a more courteous fashion." + +"God? Say the devil!" + +"My dear friend," said D'Artagnan, "if you annoy us in this +manner we will all four go and shut ourselves up in your cellar, +and we will see if the mischief is as great as you say." + +"Oh, gentlemen," said the host, "I have been wrong. I confess +it, but pardon to every sin! You are gentlemen, and I am a poor +innkeeper. You will have pity on me." + +"Ah, if you speak in that way," said Athos, "you will break my +heart, and the tears will flow from my eyes as the wine flowed +from the cask. We are not such devils as we appear to be. Come +hither, and let us talk." + +The host approached with hesitation. + +"Come hither, I say, and don't be afraid," continued Athos. "At +the very moment when I was about to pay you, I had placed my +purse on the table." + +"Yes, monsieur." + +"That purse contained sixty pistoles; where is it?" + +"Deposited with the justice; they said it was bad money." + +"Very well; get me my purse back and keep the sixty pistoles." + +"But Monseigneur knows very well that justice never lets go that +which it once lays hold of. If it were bad money, there might be +some hopes; but unfortunately, those were all good pieces." + +"Manage the matter as well as you can, my good man; it does not +concern me, the more so as I have not a livre left." + +"Come," said D'Artagnan, "let us inquire further. Athos's horse, +where is that?" + +"In the stable." + +"How much is it worth?" + +"Fifty pistoles at most." + +"It's worth eighty. Take it, and there ends the matter." + +"What," cried Athos, "are you selling my horse--my Bajazet? And +pray upon what shall I make my campaign; upon Grimaud?" + +"I have brought you another," said D'Artagnan. + +"Another?" + +"And a magnificent one!" cried the host. + +"Well, since there is another finer and younger, why, you may +take the old one; and let us drink." + +"What?" asked the host, quite cheerful again. + +"Some of that at the bottom, near the laths. There are twenty- +five bottles of it left; all the rest were broken by my fall. +Bring six of them." + +"Why, this man is a cask!" said the host, aside. "If he only +remains here a fortnight, and pays for what he drinks, I shall +soon re-establish my business." + +"And don't forget," said D'Artagnan, "to bring up four bottles of +the same sort for the two English gentlemen." + +"And now," said Athos, "while they bring the wine, tell me, +D'Artagnan, what has become of the others, come!" + +D'Artagnan related how he had found Porthos in bed with a +strained knee, and Aramis at a table between two theologians. As +he finished, the host entered with the wine ordered and a ham +which, fortunately for him, had been left out of the cellar. + +"That's well!" said Athos, filling his glass and that of his +friend; "here's to Porthos and Aramis! But you, D'Artagnan, what +is the matter with you, and what has happened to you personally? +You have a sad air." + +"Alas," said D'Artagnan, "it is because I am the most +unfortunate? Tell me." + +"Presently," said D'Artagnan. + +"Presently! And why presently? Because you think I am drunk? +D'Artagnan, remember this! My ideas are never so clear as when I +have had plenty of wine. Speak, then, I am all ears." + +D'Artagnan related his adventure with Mme. Bonacieux. Athos +listened to him without a frown; and when he had finished, said, +"Trifles, only trifles!" That was his favorite word. + +"You always say TRIFLES, my dear Athos!" said D'Artagnan, "and +that come very ill from you, who have never loved." + +The drink-deadened eye of Athos flashed out, but only for a +moment; it became as dull and vacant as before. + +"That's true," said he, quietly, "for my part I have never +loved." + +"Acknowledge, then, you stony heart," said D'Artagnan, "that you +are wrong to be so hard upon us tender hearts." + +"Tender hearts! Pierced hearts!" said Athos. + +"What do you say?" + +"I say that love is a lottery in which he who wins, wins death! +You are very fortunate to have lost, believe me, my dear +D'Artagnan. And if I have any counsel to give, it is, always +lose!" + +"She seemed to love me so!" + +"She SEEMED, did she?" + +"Oh, she DID love me!" + +"You child, why, there is not a man who has not believed, as you +do, that his mistress loved him, and there lives not a man who +has not been deceived by his mistress." + +"Except you, Athos, who never had one." + +"That's true," said Athos, after a moment's silence, "that's +true! I never had one! Let us drink!" + +"But then, philosopher that you are," said D'Artagnan, "instruct +me, support me. I stand in need of being taught and consoled." + +"Consoled for what?" + +"For my misfortune." + +"Your misfortune is laughable," said Athos, shrugging his +shoulders; "I should like to know what you would say if I were to +relate to you a real tale of love!" + +"Which has happened to you?" + +"Or one of my friends, what matters?" + +"Tell it, Athos, tell it." + +"Better if I drink." + +"Drink and relate, then." + +"Not a bad idea!" said Athos, emptying and refilling his glass. +"The two things agree marvelously well." + +"I am all attention," said D'Artagnan. + +Athos collected himself, and in proportion as he did so, +D'Artagnan saw that he became pale. He was at that period of +intoxication in which vulgar drinkers fall and sleep. He kept +himself upright and dreamed, without sleeping. This somnambulism +of drunkenness had something frightful in it. + +"You particularly wish it?" asked he. + +"I pray for it," said D'Artagnan. + +"Be it then as you desire. One of my friends--one of my friends, +please to observe, not myself," said Athos, interrupting himself +with a melancholy smile, "one of the counts of my province--that +is to say, of Berry--noble as a Dandolo or a Montmorency, at +twenty-five years of age fell in love with a girl of sixteen, +beautiful as fancy can paint. Through the ingenuousness of her +age beamed an ardent mind, not of the woman, but of the poet. +She did not please; she intoxicated. She lived in a small town +with her brother, who was a curate. Both had recently come into +the country. They came nobody knew whence; but when seeing her +so lovely and her brother so pious, nobody thought of asking +whence they came. They were said, however, to be of good +extraction. My friend, who was seigneur of the country, might +have seduced her, or taken her by force, at his will--for he was +master. Who would have come to the assistance of two strangers, +two unknown persons? Unfortunately he was an honorable man; he +married her. The fool! The ass! The idiot!" + +"How so, if he love her?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"Wait," said Athos. "He took her to his chateau, and made her +the first lady in the province; and in justice it must be allowed +that she supported her rank becomingly." + +"Well?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"Well, one day when she was hunting with her husband," continued +Athos, in a low voice, and speaking very quickly," she fell from +her horse and fainted. The count flew to her to help, and as she +appeared to be oppressed by her clothes, he ripped them open with +his poinard, and in so doing laid bare her shoulder. +D'Artagnan," said Athos, with a maniacal burst of laughter, +"guess what she had on her shoulder." + +"How can I tell?" said D'Artagnan. + +"A FLEUR-DE-LIS," said Athos. "She was branded." + +Athos emptied at a single draught the glass he held in his hand. + +"Horror!" cried D'Artagnan. "What do you tell me?" + +"Truth, my friend. The angel was a demon; the poor young girl +had stolen the sacred vessels from a church." + +"And what did the count do?" + +"The count was of the highest nobility. He had on his estates +the rights of high and low tribunals. He tore the dress of the +countess to pieces; he tied her hands behind her, and hanged her +on a tree." + +"Heavens, Athos, a murder?" cried D'Artagnan. + +"No less," said Athos, as pale as a corpse. "But methinks I need +wine!" and he seized by the neck the last bottle that was left, +put it to his mouth, and emptied it at a single draught, as he +would have emptied an ordinary glass. + +Then he let his head sink upon his two hands, while D'Artagnan +stood before him, stupefied. + +"That has cured me of beautiful, poetical, and loving women," +said Athos, after a considerable pause, raising his head, and +forgetting to continue the fiction of the count. "God grant you +as much! Let us drink." + +"Then she is dead?" stammered D'Artagnan. + +"PARBLEU!" said Athos. "But hold out your glass. Some ham, my +boy, or we can't drink." + +"And her brother?" added D'Artagnan, timidly. + +"Her brother?" replied Athos. + +"Yes, the priest." + +"Oh, I inquired after him for the purpose of hanging him +likewise; but he was beforehand with me, he had quit the curacy +the night before." + +"Was it ever known who this miserable fellow was?" + +"He was doubtless the first lover and accomplice of the fair +lady. A worthy man, who had pretended to be a curate for the +purpose of getting his mistress married, and securing her a +position. He has been hanged and quartered, I hope." + +"My God, my God!" cried D'Artagnan, quite stunned by the relation +of this horrible adventure. + +"Taste some of this ham, D'Artagnan; it is exquisite," said +Athos, cutting a slice, which he placed on the young man's plate. + +"What a pity it is there were only four like this in the cellar. +I could have drunk fifty bottles more." + +D'Artagnan could no longer endure this conversation, which had +made him bewildered. Allowing his head to sink upon his two +hands, he pretended to sleep. + +"These young fellows can none of them drink," said Athos, looking +at him with pity, "and yet this is one of the best!" + + + +28 THE RETURN + +D'Artagnan was astounded by the terrible confidence of Athos; yet +many things appeared very obscure to him in this half revelation. +In the first place it had been made by a man quite drunk to one +who was half drunk; and yet, in spite of the incertainty which +the vapor of three or four bottles of Burgundy carries with it to +the brain, D'Artagnan, when awaking on the following morning, had +all the words of Athos as present to his memory as if they then +fell from his mouth--they had been so impressed upon his mind. +All this doubt only gave rise to a more lively desire of arriving +at a certainty, and he went into his friend's chamber with a +fixed determination of renewing the conversation of the preceding +evening; but he found Athos quite himself again--that is to say, +the most shrewd and impenetrable of men. Besides which, the +Musketeer, after having exchanged a hearty shake of the hand with +him, broached the matter first. + +"I was pretty drunk yesterday, D'Artagnan," said he, "I can tell +that by my tongue, which was swollen and hot this morning, and by +my pulse, which was very tremulous. I wager that I uttered a +thousand extravagances." + +While saying this he looked at his friend with an earnestness +that embarrassed him. + +"No," replied D'Artagnan, "if I recollect well what you said, it +was nothing out of the common way." + +"Ah, you surprise me. I thought I had told you a most lamentable +story." And he looked at the young man as if he would read the +bottom of his heart. + +"My faith," said D'Artagnan, "it appears that I was more drunk +than you, since I remember nothing of the kind." + +Athos did not trust this reply, and he resumed; "you cannot have +failed to remark, my dear friend, that everyone has his +particular kind of drunkenness, sad or gay. My drunkenness is +always sad, and when I am thoroughly drunk my mania is to relate +all the lugubrious stories which my foolish nurse inculcated into +my brain. That is my failing--a capital failing, I admit; but +with that exception, I am a good drinker." + +Athos spoke this in so natural a manner that D'Artagnan was +shaken in his conviction. + +"It is that, then," replied the young man, anxious to find out +the truth, "it is that, then, I remember as we remember a dream. +We were speaking of hanging." + +"Ah, you see how it is," said Athos, becoming still paler, but +yet attempting to laugh; "I was sure it was so--the hanging of +people is my nightmare." + +"Yes, yes," replied D'Artagnan. "I remember now; yes, it was +about--stop a minute--yes, it was about a woman." + +"That's it," replied Athos, becoming almost livid; "that is my +grand story of the fair lady, and when I relate that, I must be +very drunk." + +"Yes, that was it," said D'Artagnan, "the story of a tall, fair +lady, with blue eyes." + +"Yes, who was hanged." + +"By her husband, who was a nobleman of your acquaintance," +continued D'Artagnan, looking intently at Athos. + +"Well, you see how a man may compromise himself when he does not +know what he says," replied Athos, shrugging his shoulders as if +he thought himself an object of pity. "I certainly never will +get drunk again, D'Artagnan; it is too bad a habit." + +D'Artagnan remained silent; and then changing the conversation +all at once, Athos said: + +"By the by, I thank you for the horse you have brought me." + +"Is it to your mind?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"Yes; but it is not a horse for hard work." + +"you are mistaken; I rode him nearly ten leagues in less than an +hour and a half, and he appeared no more distressed than if he +had only made the tour of the Place St. Sulpice." + +"Ah, you begin to awaken my regret." + +"Regret?" + +"Yes; I have parted with him." + +"How?" + +"Why, here is the simple fact. This morning I awoke at six +o'clock. You were still fast asleep, and I did not know what to +do with myself; I was still stupid from our yesterday's debauch. +As I came into the public room, I saw one of our Englishman +bargaining with a dealer for a horse, his own having died +yesterday from bleeding. I drew near, and found he was bidding a +hundred pistoles for a chestnut nag. 'PARDIEU,' said I, 'my good +gentleman, I have a horse to sell, too.' 'Ay, and a very fine +one! I saw him yesterday; your friend's lackey was leading him.' +'Do you think he is worth a hundred pistoles?' 'Yes! Will you +sell him to me for that sum?' 'No; but I will play for him.' +'What?' 'At dice.' No sooner said than done, and I lost the +horse. Ah, ah! But please to observe I won back the equipage,' +cried Athos. + +D'Artagnan looked much disconcerted. + +"This vexes you?" said Athos. + +"Well, I must confess it does," replied D'Artagnan. "That horse +was to have identified us in the day of battle. It was a pledge, +a remembrance. Athos, you have done wrong." + +"But, my dear friend, put yourself in my place," replied the +Musketeer. "I was hipped to death; and still further, upon my +honor, I don't like English horses. If it is only to be +recognized, why the saddle will suffice for that; it is quite +remarkable enough. As to the horse, we can easily find some +excuse for its disappearance. Why the devil! A horse is mortal; +suppose mine had had the glanders or the farcy?" + +D'Artagnan did not smile. + +"It vexes me greatly," continued Athos, "that you attach so much +importance to these animals, for I am not yet at the end of my +story." + +"What else have you done." + +"After having lost my own horse, nine against ten--see how near-- +I formed an idea of staking yours." + +"Yes; but you stopped at the idea, I hope?" + +"No; for I put it in execution that very minute." + +"And the consequence?" said D'Artagnan, in great anxiety. + +"I threw, and I lost." + +"What, my horse?" + +"Your horse, seven against eight; a point short--you know the +proverb." + +"Athos, you are not in your right senses, I swear." + +"My dear lad, that was yesterday, when I was telling you silly +stories, it was proper to tell me that, and not this morning. I +lost him then, with all his appointments and furniture." + +"Really, this is frightful." + +"Stop a minute; you don't know all yet. I should make an +excellent gambler if I were not too hot-headed; but I was hot- +headed, just as if I had been drinking. Well, I was not hot- +headed then--" + +"Well, but what else could you play for? You had nothing left?" + +'Oh, yes, my friend; there was still that diamond left which +sparkles on your finger, and which I had observed yesterday." + +"This diamond!" said D'Artagnan, placing his hand eagerly on his +ring. + +"And as I am a connoisseur in such things, having had a few of my +own once, I estimated it at a thousand pistoles." + +"I hope," said D'Artagnan, half dead with fright, "you made no +mention of my diamond?" + +"On the contrary, my dear friend, this diamond became our only +resource; with it I might regain our horses and their harnesses, +and even money to pay our expenses on the road." + +"Athos, you make me tremble!" cried D'Artagnan. + +"I mentioned your diamond then to my adversary, who had likewise +remarked it. What the devil, my dear, do you think you can wear +a star from heaven on your finger, and nobody observe it? +Impossible!" + +"Go on, go on, my dear fellow!" said D'Artagnan; "for upon my +honor, you will kill me with your indifference." + +"We divided, then, this diamond into ten parts of a hundred +pistoles each." + +"You are laughing at me, and want to try me!" said D'Artagnan, +whom anger began to take by the hair, as Minerva takes Achilles, +in the ILLIAD. + +"No, I do not jest, MORDIEU! I should like to have seen you in +my place! I had been fifteen days without seeing a human face, +and had been left to brutalize myself in the company of bottles." + +"That was no reason for staking my diamond!" replied D'Artagnan, +closing his hand with a nervous spasm. + +"Hear the end. Ten parts of a hundred pistoles each, in ten +throws, without revenge; in thirteen throws I had lost all--in +thirteen throws. The number thirteen was always fatal to me; it +was on the thirteenth of July that--" + +"VENTREBLEU!" cried D'Artagnan, rising from the table, the story +of the present day making him forget that of the preceding one. + +"Patience!" said Athos; "I had a plan. The Englishman was an +original; I had seen him conversing that morning with Grimaud, +and Grimaud had told me that he had made him proposals to enter +into his service. I staked Grimaud, the silent Grimaud, divided +into ten portions." + +"Well, what next?" said D'Artagnan, laughing in spite of himself. + +"Grimaud himself, understand; and with the ten parts of Grimaud, +which are not worth a ducatoon, I regained the diamond. Tell me, +now, if persistence is not a virtue?" + +"My faith! But this is droll," cried D'Artagnan, consoled, and +holding his sides with laughter. + +"You may guess, finding the luck turned, that I again staked the +diamond." + +"The devil!" said D'Artagnan, becoming angry again. + +"I won back your harness, then your horse, then my harness, then +my horse, and then I lost again. In brief, I regained your +harness and then mine. That's where we are. That was a superb +throw, so I left off there." + +D'Artagnan breathed as if the whole hostelry had been removed +from his breast. + +"Then the diamond is safe?" said he, timidly. + +"Intact, my dear friend; besides the harness of your Bucephalus +and mine." + +"But what is the use of harnesses without horses?" + +"I have an idea about them." + +"Athos, you make me shudder." + +"Listen to me. You have not played for a long time, D'Artagnan." + +"And I have no inclination to play." + +"Swear to nothing. You have not played for a long time, I said; +you ought, then, to have a good hand." + +"Well, what then?" + +"Well; the Englishman and his companion are still here. I +remarked that he regretted the horse furniture very much. You +appear to think much of your horse. In your place I would stake +the furniture against the horse." + +"But he will not wish for only one harness." + +"Stake both, PARDIEU! I am not selfish, as you are." + +"You would do so?" said D'Artagnan, undecided, so strongly did +the confidence of Athos begin to prevail, in spite of himself. + +"On my honor, in one single throw." + +"But having lost the horses, I am particularly anxious to +preserve the harnesses." + +"Stake your diamond, then." + +"This? That's another matter. Never, never!" + +"The devil!" said Athos. "I would propose to you to stake +Planchet, but as that has already been done, the Englishman would +not, perhaps, be willing." + +"Decidedly, my dear Athos," said D'Artagnan, "I should like +better not to risk anything." + +"That's a pity," said Athos, cooly. "The Englishman is +overflowing with pistoles. Good Lord, try one throw! One throw +is soon made!" + +"And if I lose?" + +"You will win." + +"But if I lose?" + +"Well, you will surrender the harnesses." + +"Have with you for one throw!" said D'Artagnan. + +Athos went in quest of the Englishman, whom he found in the +stable, examining the harnesses with a greedy eye. The +opportunity was good. He proposed the conditions--the two +harnesses, either against one horse or a hundred pistoles. The +Englishman calculated fast; the two harnesses were worth three +hundred pistoles. He consented. + +D'Artagnan threw the dice with a trembling hand, and turned up +the number three; his paleness terrified Athos, who, however, +consented himself with saying, "That's a sad throw, comrade; you +will have the horses fully equipped, monsieur." + +The Englishman, quite triumphant, did not even give himself the +trouble to shake the dice. He threw them on the table without +looking at them, so sure was he of victory; D'Artagnan turned +aside to conceal his ill humor. + +"Hold, hold, hold!" said Athos, wit his quiet tone; "that throw +of the dice is extraordinary. I have not seen such a one four +times in my life. Two aces!" + +The Englishman looked, and was seized with astonishment. +D'Artagnan looked, and was seized with pleasure. + +"Yes," continued Athos, "four times only; once at the house of +Monsieur Crequy; another time at my own house in the country, in +my chateau at--when I had a chateau; a third time at Monsieur de +Treville's where it surprised us all; and the fourth time at a +cabaret, where it fell to my lot, and where I lost a hundred +louis and a supper on it." + +"Then Monsieur takes his horse back again," said the Englishman. + +"Certainly," said D'Artagnan. + +"Then there is no revenge?" + +"Our conditions said, 'No revenge,' you will please to +recollect." + +"That is true; the horse shall be restored to your lackey, +monsieur." + +"A moment," said Athos; "with your permission, monsieur, I wish +to speak a word with my friend." + +"Say on." + +Athos drew D'Artagnan aside. + +"Well, Tempter, what more do you want with me?" said D'Artagnan. +"You want me to throw again, do you not?" + +"No, I would wish you to reflect." + +"On what?" + +"You mean to take your horse?" + +"Without doubt." + +"You are wrong, then. I would take the hundred pistoles. You +know you have staked the harnesses against the horse or a hundred +pistoles, at your choice." + +"Yes." + +"Well, then, I repeat, you are wrong. What is the use of one +horse for us two? I could not ride behind. We should look like +the two sons of Anmon, who had lost their brother. You cannot +think of humiliating me by prancing along by my side on that +magnificent charger. For my part, I should not hesitate a +moment; I should take the hundred pistoles. We want money for +our return to Paris." + +"I am much attached to that horse, Athos." + +"And there again you are wrong. A horse slips and injures a +joint; a horse stumbles and breaks his knees to the bone; a horse +eats out of a manger in which a glandered horse has eaten. There +is a horse, while on the contrary, the hundred pistoles feed +their master." + +"But how shall we get back?" + +"Upon our lackey's horses, PARDIEU. Anybody may see by our +bearing that we are people of condition." + +"Pretty figures we shall cut on ponies while Aramis and Porthos +caracole on their steeds." + +"Aramis! Porthos!" cried Athos, and laughed aloud. + +"What is it?" asked D'Artagnan, who did not at all comprehend the +hilarity of his friend. + +"Nothing, nothing! Go on!" + +"Your advice, then?" + +"To take the hundred pistoles, D'Artagnan. With the hundred +pistoles we can live well to the end of the month. We have +undergone a great deal of fatigue, remember, and a little rest +will do no harm." + +"I rest? Oh, no, Athos. Once in Paris, I shall prosecute my +search for that unfortunate woman!" + +"Well, you may be assured that your horse will not be half so +serviceable to you for that purpose as good golden louis. Take +the hundred pistoles, my friend; take the hundred pistoles!" + +D'Artagnan only required one reason to be satisfied. This last +reason appeared convincing. Besides, he feared that by resisting +longer he should appear selfish in the eyes of Athos. He +acquiesced, therefore, and chose the hundred pistoles, which the +Englishman paid down on the spot. + +They then determined to depart. Peace with the landlord, in +addition to Athos's old horse, cost six pistoles. D'Artagnan and +Athos took the nags of Planchet and Grimaud, and the two lackeys +started on foot, carrying the saddles on their heads. + +However ill our two friends were mounted, they were soon far in +advance of their servants, and arrived at Creveccoeur. From a +distance they perceived Aramis, seated in a melancholy manner at +his window, looking out, like Sister Anne, at the dust in the +horizon. + +"HOLA, Aramis! What the devil are you doing there?" cried the +two friends. + +"Ah, is that you, D'Artagnan, and you, Athos?" said the young +man. "I was reflecting upon the rapidity with which the +blessings of this world leave us. My English horse, which has +just disappeared amid a cloud of dust, has furnished me with a +living image of the fragility of the things of the earth. Life +itself may be resolved into three words: ERAT, EST, FUIT." + +"Which means--" said D'Artagnan, who began to suspect the truth. + +"Which means that I have just been duped-sixty louis for a horse +which by the manner of his gait can do at least five leagues an +hour." + +D'Artagnan and Athos laughed aloud. + +"My dear D'Artagnan," said Aramis, "don't be too angry with me, I +beg. Necessity has no law; besides, I am the person punished, as +that rascally horsedealer has robbed me of fifty louis, at least. +Ah, you fellows are good managers! You ride on our lackey's +horses, and have your own gallant steeds led along carefully by +hand, at short stages." + +At the same instant a market cart, which some minutes before had +appeared upon the Amiens road, pulled up at the inn, and Planchet +and Grimaud came out of it with the saddles on their heads. The +cart was returning empty to Paris, and the two lackeys had +agreed, for their transport, to slake the wagoner's thirst along +the route. + +"What is this?" said Aramis, on seeing them arrive. "Nothing but +saddles?" + +"Now do you understand?" said Athos. + +"My friends, that's exactly like me! I retained my harness by +instinct. HOLA, Bazin! Bring my new saddle and carry it along +with those of these gentlemen." + +"And what have you done with your ecclesiastics?" asked +D'Artagnan. + +"My dear fellow, I invited them to a dinner the next day," +replied Aramis. "They have some capital wine here-please to +observe that in passing. I did my best to make them drunk. Then +the curate forbade me to quit my uniform, and the Jesuit +entreated me to get him made a Musketeer." + +"Without a thesis?" cried D'Artagnan, "without a thesis? I +demand the suppression of the thesis." + +"Since then," continued Aramis, "I have lived very agreeably. I +have begun a poem in verses of one syllable. That is rather +difficult, but the merit in all things consists in the +difficulty. The matter is gallant. I will read you the first +canto. It has four hundred lines, and lasts a minute." + +"My faith, my dear Aramis," said D'Artagnan, who detested verses +almost as much as he did Latin, "add to the merit of the +difficulty that of the brevity, and you are sure that your poem +will at least have two merits." + +"You will see," continued Aramis, "that it breathes +irreproachable passion. And so, my friends, we return to Paris? +Bravo! I am ready. We are going to rejoin that good fellow, +Porthos. So much the better. You can't think how I have missed +him, the great simpleton. To see him so self-satisfied +reconciles me with myself. He would not sell his horse; not for +a kingdom! I think I can see him now, mounted upon his superb +animal and seated in his handsome saddle. I am sure he will look +like the Great Mogul!" + +They made a halt for an hour to refresh their horses. Aramis +discharged his bill, placed Bazin in the cart with his comrades, +and they set forward to join Porthos. + +They found him up, less pale than when D'Artagnan left him after +his first visit, and seated at a table on which, though he was +alone, was spread enough for four persons. This dinner consisted +of meats nicely dressed, choice wines, and superb fruit. + +"Ah, PARDIEU!" said he, rising, "you come in the nick of time, +gentlemen. I was just beginning the soup, and you will dine with +me." + +"Oh, oh!" said D'Artagnan, "Mousqueton has not caught these +bottles with his lasso. Besides, here is a piquant FRICANDEAU +and a fillet of beef." + +"I am recruiting myself," said Porthos, "I am recruiting myself. +Nothing weakens a man more than these devilish strains. Did you +ever suffer from a strain, Athos?" + +"Never! Though I remember, in our affair of the Rue Ferou, I +received a sword wound which at the end of fifteen or eighteen +days produced the same effect." + +"But this dinner was not intended for you alone, Porthos?" said +Aramis. + +"No," said Porthos, "I expected some gentlemen of the +neighborhood, who have just sent me word they could not come. +You will take their places and I shall not lose by the exchange. +HOLA, Mousqueton, seats, and order double the bottles!" + +"Do you know what we are eating here?" said Athos, at the end of +ten minutes. + +"PARDIEU!" replied D'Artagnan, "for my part, I am eating veal +garnished with shrimps and vegetables." + +"And I some lamb chops," said Porthos. + +"And I a plain chicken," said Aramis. + +"You are all mistaken, gentlemen," answered Athos, gravely; "you +are eating horse." + +"Eating what?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Horse!" said Aramis, with a grimace of disgust. + +Porthos alone made no reply. + +"Yes, horse. Are we not eating a horse, Porthos? And perhaps +his saddle, therewith." + +"No, gentlemen, I have kept the harness," said Porthos. + +"My faith," said Aramis, "we are all alike. One would think we +had tipped the wink." + +"What could I do?" said Porthos. "This horse made my visitors +ashamed of theirs, and I don't like to humiliate people." + +"Then your duchess is still at the waters?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"Still," replied Porthos. "And, my faith, the governor of the +province--one of the gentlemen I expected today--seemed to have +such a wish for him, that I gave him to him." + +"Gave him?" cried D'Artagnan. + +"My God, yes, GAVE, that is the word," said Porthos; "for the +animal was worth at least a hundred and fifty louis, and the +stingy fellow would only give me eighty." + +"Without the saddle?" said Aramis. + +"Yes, without the saddle." + +"You will observe, gentlemen," said Athos, "that Porthos has made +the best bargain of any of us." + +And then commenced a roar of laughter in which they all joined, +to the astonishment of poor Porthos; but when he was informed of +the cause of their hilarity, he shared it vociferously according +to his custom. + +"There is one comfort, we are all in cash," said D'Artagnan. + +"Well, for my part," said Athos, "I found Aramis's Spanish wine +so good that I sent on a hamper of sixty bottles of it in the +wagon with the lackeys. That has weakened my purse." + +"And I," said Aramis, "imagined that I had given almost my last +sou to the church of Montdidier and the Jesuits of Amiens, with +whom I had made engagements which I ought to have kept. I have +ordered Masses for myself, and for you, gentlemen, which will be +said, gentlemen, for which I have not the least doubt you will be +marvelously benefited." + +"And I," said Porthos, "do you think my strain cost me nothing?-- +without reckoning Mousqueton's wound, for which I had to have the +surgeon twice a day, and who charged me double on account of that +foolish Mousqueton having allowed himself a ball in a part which +people generally only show to an apothecary; so I advised him to +try never to get wounded there any more." + +"Ay, ay!" said Athos, exchanging a smile with D'Artagnan and +Aramis, "it is very clear you acted nobly with regard to the poor +lad; that is like a good master." + +"In short," said Porthos, "when all my expenses are paid, I shall +have, at most, thirty crowns left." + +"And I about ten pistoles," said Aramis. + +"Well, then it appears that we are the Croesuses of the society. +How much have you left of your hundred pistoles, D'Artagnan.?" + +"Of my hundred pistoles? Why, in the first place I gave you +fifty." + +"You think so?" + +"PARDIEU!" + +"Ah, that is true. I recollect." + +"Then I paid the host six." + +"What a brute of a host! Why did you give him six pistoles?" + +"You told me to give them to him." + +"It is true; I am too good-natured. In brief, how much remains?" + +"Twenty-five pistoles," said D'Artagnan. + +"And I," said Athos, taking some small change from his pocket, +I--" + +"You? Nothing!" + +"My faith! So little that it is not worth reckoning with the +general stock." + +"Now, then, let us calculate how much we posses in all." + +"Porthos?" + +"Thirty crowns." + +"Aramis?" + +"Ten pistoles." + +"And you, D'Artagnan?" + +"Twenty-five." + +"That makes in all?" said Athos. + +"Four hundred and seventy-five livres," said D'Artagnan, who +reckoned like Archimedes. + +"On our arrival in Paris, we shall still have four hundred, +besides the harnesses," said Porthos. + +"But our troop horses?" said Aramis. + +"Well, of the four horses of our lackeys we will make two for the +masters, for which we will draw lots. With the four hundred +livres we will make the half of one for one of the unmounted, and +then we will give the turnings out of our pockets to D'Artagnan, +who has a steady hand, and will go and play in the first gaming +house we come to. There!" + +"Let us dine, then," said Porthos; "it is getting cold." + +The friends, at ease with regard to the future, did honor to the +repast, the remains of which were abandoned to Mousqueton, Bazin, +Planchet, and Grimaud. + +On arriving in Paris, D'Artagnan found a letter from M. de +Treville, which informed him that, at his request, the king had +promised that he should enter the company of the Musketeers. + +As this was the height of D'Artagnan's worldly ambition--apart, +be it well understood, from his desire of finding Mme. +Bonacieux--he ran, full of joy, to seek his comrades, whom he had +left only half an hour before, but whom he found very sad and +deeply preoccupied. They were assembled in council at the +residence of Athos, which always indicated an event of some +gravity. M. de Treville had intimated to them his Majesty's +fixed intention to open the campaign on the first of May, and +they must immediately prepare their outfits. + + +The four philosophers looked at one another in a state of +bewilderment. M. de Treville never jested in matters relating to +discipline. + +"And what do you reckon your outfit will cost?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Oh, we can scarcely say. We have made our calculations with +Spartan economy, and we each require fifteen hundred livres." + +"Four times fifteen makes sixty--six thousand livres," said +Athos. + +"It seems to me," said D'Artagnan, "with a thousand livres each-- +I do not speak as a Spartan, but as a procurator--" + +This word PROCURATOR roused Porthos. "Stop," said he, "I have an +idea." + +"Well, that's something, for I have not the shadow of one," said +Athos cooly; "but as to D'Artagnan, gentlemen, the idea of +belonging to OURS has driven him out of his senses. A thousand +livres! For my part, I declare I want two thousand." + +"Four times two makes eight," then said Aramis; "it is eight +thousand that we want to complete our outfits, toward which, it +is true, we have already the saddles." + +"Besides," said Athos, waiting till D'Artagnan, who went to thank +Monsieur de Treville, had shut the door, "besides, there is that +beautiful ring which beams from the finger of our friend. What +the devil! D'Artagnan is too good a comrade to leave his +brothers in embarrassment while he wears the ransom of a king on +his finger." + + + +29 HUNTING FOR THE EQUIPMENTS + +The most preoccupied of the four friends was certainly +D'Artagnan, although he, in his quality of Guardsman, would be +much more easily equipped than Messieurs the Musketeers, who were +all of high rank; but our Gascon cadet was, as may have been +observed, of a provident and almost avaricious character, and +with that (explain the contradiction) so vain as almost to rival +Porthos. To this preoccupation of his vanity, D'Artagnan at this +moment joined an uneasiness much less selfish. Notwithstanding +all his inquiries respecting Mme. Bonacieux, he could obtain no +intelligence of her. M. de Treville had spoken of her to the +queen. The queen was ignorant where the mercer's young wife was, +but had promised to have her sought for; but this promise was +very vague and did not at all reassure D'Artagnan. + +Athos did not leave his chamber; he made up his mind not to take +a single step to equip himself. + +"We have still fifteen days before us," said he to his friends. +"well, if at the end of a fortnight I have found nothing, or +rather if nothing has come to find me, as I a, too good a +Catholic to kill myself with a pistol bullet, I will seek a good +quarrel with four of his Eminence's Guards or with eight +Englishmen, and I will fight until one of them has killed me, +which, considering the number, cannot fail to happen. It will +then be said of me that I died for the king; so that I shall have +performed my duty without the expense of an outfit." + +Porthos continued to walk about with his hands behind him, +tossing his head and repeating, "I shall follow up on my idea." + +Aramis, anxious and negligently dressed, said nothing. + +It may be seen by these disastrous details that desolation +reigned in the community. + +The lackeys on their part, like the coursers of Hippolytus, +shared the sadness of their masters. Mousqueton collected a +store of crusts; Bazin, who had always been inclined to devotion, +never quit the churches; Planchet watched the flight of flies; +and Grimaud, whom the general distress could not induce to break +the silence imposed by his master, heaved sighs enough to soften +the stones. + +The three friends--for, as we have said, Athos had sworn not to +stir a foot to equip himself--went out early in the morning, and +returned late at night. They wandered about the streets, looking +at the pavement a if to see whether the passengers had not left a +purse behind them. They might have been supposed to be following +tracks, so observant were they wherever they went. When they met +they looked desolately at one another, as much as to say, "Have +you found anything?" + +However, as Porthos had first found an idea, and had thought of +it earnestly afterward, he was the first to act. He was a man of +execution, this worthy Porthos. D'Artagnan perceived him one day +walking toward the church of St. Leu, and followed him +instinctively. He entered, after having twisted his mustache and +elongated his imperial, which always announced on his part the +most triumphant resolutions. As D'Artagnan took some precautions +to conceal himself, Porthos believed he had not been seen. +D'Artagnan entered behind him. Porthos went and leaned against +the side of a pillar. D'Artagnan, still unperceived, supported +himself against the other side. + +There happened to be a sermon, which made the church very full of +people. Porthos took advantage of this circumstance to ogle the +women. Thanks to the cares of Mousqueton, the exterior was for +from announcing the distress of the interior. His hat was a +little napless, his feather was a little faded, his gold lace was +a little tarnished, his laces were a trifle frayed; but in the +obscurity of the church these things were not seen, and Porthos +was still the handsome Porthos. + +D'Artagnan observed, on the bench nearest to the pillar against +which Porthos leaned, sort of ripe beauty, rather yellow and +rather dry, but erect and haughty under her black hood. The eyes +of Porthos were furtively cast upon this lady, and then roved +about at large over the nave. + +On her side the lady, who from time to time blushed, darted with +the rapidity of lightning a glance toward the inconstant Porthos; +and then immediately the eyes of Porthos wandered anxiously. It +was plain that this mode of proceeding piqued the lady in the +black hood, for she bit her lips till they bled, scratched the +end of her nose, and could not sit still in her seat. + +Porthos, seeing this, retwisted his mustache, elongated his +imperial a second time, and began to make signals to a beautiful +lady who was near the choir, and who not only was a beautiful +lady, but still further, no doubt, a great lady--for she had +behind her a Negro boy who had brought the cushion on which she +knelt, and a female servant who held the emblazoned bag in which +was placed the book from which she read the Mass. + +The lady with the black hood followed through all their +wanderings the looks of Porthos, and perceived that they rested +upon the lady with the velvet cushion, the little Negro, and the +maid-servant. + +During this time Porthos played close. It was almost +imperceptible motions of his eyes, fingers placed upon the lips, +little assassinating smiles, which really did assassinate the +disdained beauty. + +Then she cried, "Ahem!" under cover of the MEA CULPA, striking +her breast so vigorously that everybody, even the lady with the +red cushion, turned round toward her. Porthos paid no attention. +Nevertheless, he understood it all, but was deaf. + +The lady with the red cushion produced a great effect--for she +was very handsome--upon the lady with he black hood, who saw in +her a rival really to be dreaded; a great effect upon Porthos, +who thought her much prettier than the lady with the black hood; +a great effect upon D'Artagnan, who recognized in her the lady of +Meung, of Calais, and of Dover, whom his persecutor, the man with +the scar, had saluted by the name of Milady. + +D'Artagnan, without losing sight of the lady of the red cushion, +continued to watch the proceedings of Porthos, which amused him +greatly. He guessed that the lady of the black hood was the +procurator's wife of the Rue aux Ours, which was the more +probable from the church of St. Leu being not far from that +locality. + +He guessed, likewise, by induction, that Porthos was taking his +revenge for the defeat of Chantilly, when the procurator's wife +had proved so refractory with respect to her purse. + +Amid all this, D'Artagnan remarked also that not one countenance +responded to the gallantries of Porthos. There were only +chimeras and illusions; but for real love, for true jealousy, is +there any reality except illusions and chimeras? + +The sermon over, the procurator's wife advanced toward the holy +font. Porthos went before her, and instead of a finger, dipped +his whole hand in. The procurator's wife smiled, thinking that +it was for her Porthos had put himself to this trouble; but she +was cruelly and promptly undeceived. When she was only about +three steps from him, he turned his head round, fixing his eyes +steadfastly upon the lady with the red cushion, who had risen and +was approaching, followed by her black boy and her woman. + +When the lady of the red cushion came close to Porthos, Porthos +drew his dripping hand from the font. The fair worshipper +touched the great hand of Porthos with her delicate fingers, +smiled, made the sign of the cross, and left the church. + +This was too much for the procurator's wife; she doubted not +there was an intrigue between this lady and Porthos. If she had +been a great lady she would have fainted; but as she was only a +procurator's wife, she contented herself saying to the Musketeer +with concentrated fury, "Eh, Monsieur Porthos, you don't offer me +any holy water?" + +Porthos, at the sound of that voice, started like a man awakened +from a sleep of a hundred years. + +"Ma-madame!" cried he; "is that you? How is your husband, our +dear Monsieur Coquenard? Is he still as stingy as ever? Where +can my eyes have been not to have seen you during the two hours +of the sermon?" + +"I was within two paces of you, monsieur," replied the +procurator's wife; "but you did not perceive me because you had +no eyes but for the pretty lady to whom you just now gave the +holy water." + +Porthos pretended to be confused. "Ah," said he, "you have +remarked--" + +"I must have been blind not to have seen." + +"Yes," said Porthos, "that is a duchess of my acquaintance whim I +have great trouble to meet on account of the jealousy of her +husband, and who sent me word that she should come today to this +poor church, buried in this vile quarter, solely for the sake of +seeing me." + +"Monsieur Porthos," said the procurator's wife, "will you have +the kindness to offer me your arm for five minutes? I have +something to say to you." + +"Certainly, madame," said Porthos, winking to himself, as a +gambler does who laughs at the dupe he is about to pluck. + +At that moment D'Artagnan passed in pursuit of Milady; he cast a +passing glance at Porthos, and beheld this triumphant look. + +"Eh, eh!" said he, reasoning to himself according to the +strangely easy morality of that gallant period, "there is one who +will be equipped in good time!" + +Porthos, yielding to the pressure of the arm of the procurator's +wife, as a bark yields to the rudder, arrived at the cloister St. +Magloire--a little-frequented passage, enclosed with a turnstile +at each end. In the daytime nobody was seen there but mendicants +devouring their crusts, and children at play. + +"Ah, Monsieur Porthos," cried the procurator's wife, when she was +assured that no one who was a stranger to the population of the +locality could either see or hear her, "ah, Monsieur Porthos, you +are a great conqueror, as it appears!" + +"I, madame?" said Porthos, drawing himself up proudly; "how so?" + +"The signs just now, and the holy water! But that must be a +princess, at least--that lady with her Negro boy and her maid!" + +"My God! Madame, you are deceived," said Porthos; "she is simply +a duchess." + +"And that running footman who waited at the door, and that +carriage with a coachman in grand livery who sat waiting on his +seat?" + +Porthos had seen neither the footman nor the carriage, but with +he eye of a jealous woman, Mme. Coquenard had seen everything. + +Porthos regretted that he had not at once made the lady of the +red cushion a princess. + +"Ah, you are quite the pet of the ladies, Monsieur Porthos!" +resumed the procurator's wife, with a sigh. + +"Well," responded Porthos, "you may imagine, with the physique +with which nature has endowed me, I am not in want of good luck." + +"Good Lord, how quickly men forget!" cried the procurator's wife, +raising her eyes toward heaven. + +"Less quickly than the women, it seems to me," replied Porthos; +"for I, madame, I may say I was your victim, when wounded, dying, +I was abandoned by the surgeons. I, the offspring of a noble +family, who placed reliance upon your friendship--I was near +dying of my wounds at first, and of hunger afterward, in a +beggarly inn at Chantilly, without you ever deigning once to +reply to the burning letters I addressed to you." + +"But, Monsieur Porthos," murmured the procurator's wife, who +began to feel that, to judge by the conduct of the great ladies +of the time, she was wrong. + +"I, who had sacrificed for you the Baronne de--" + +"I know it well." + +"The Comtesse de--" + +"Monsieur Porthos, be generous!" + +"You are right, madame, and I will not finish." + +"But it was my husband who would not hear of lending." + +"Madame Coquenard," said Porthos, "remember the first letter you +wrote me, and which I preserve engraved in my memory." + +The procurator's wife uttered a groan. + +"Besides," said she, "the sum you required me to borrow was +rather large." + +"Madame Coquenard, I gave you the preference. I had but to write +to the Duchesse--but I won't repeat her name, for I am incapable +of compromising a woman; but this I know, that I had but to write +to her and she would have sent me fifteen hundred." + +The procurator's wife shed a tear. + +"Monsieur Porthos," said she, "I can assure you that you have +severely punished me; and if in the time to come you should find +yourself in a similar situation, you have but to apply to me." + +"Fie, madame, fie!" said Porthos, as if disgusted. "Let us not +talk about money, if you please; it is humiliating." + +"Then you no longer love me!" said the procurator's wife, slowly +and sadly. + +Porthos maintained a majestic silence. + +"And that is the only reply you make? Alas, I understand." + +"Think of the offense you have committed toward me, madame! It +remains HERE!" said Porthos, placing his hand on his heart, and +pressing it strongly. + +"I will repair it, indeed I will, my dear Porthos." + +"Besides, what did I ask of you?" resumed Porthos, with a +movement of the shoulders full of good fellowship. "A loan, +nothing more! After all, I am not an unreasonable man. I know +you are not rich, Madame Coquenard, and that your husband is +obliged to bleed his poor clients to squeeze a few paltry crowns +from them. Oh! If you were a duchess, a marchioness, or a +countess, it would be quite a different thing; it would be +unpardonable." + +The procurator's wife was piqued. + +"Please to know, Monsieur Porthos," said she, "that my strongbox, +the strongbox of a procurator's wife though if may be, is better +filled than those of your affected minxes." + +"The doubles the offense," said Porthos, disengaging his arm from +that of the procurator's wife; "for if you are rich, Madame +Coquenard, then there is no excuse for your refusal." + +"When I said rich," replied the procurator's wife, who saw that +she had gone too far, "you must not take the word literally. I +am not precisely rich, though I am pretty well off." + +"Hold, madame," said Porthos, "let us say no more upon the +subject, I beg of you. You have misunderstood me, all sympathy +is extinct between us." + +"Ingrate that you are!" + +"Ah! I advise you to complain!" said Porthos. + +"Begone, then, to your beautiful duchess; I will detain you no +longer." + +"And she is not to be despised, in my opinion." + +"Now, Monsieur Porthos, once more, and this is the last! Do you +love me still?" + +"Ah, madame," said Porthos, in the most melancholy tone he could +assume, "when we are about to enter upon a campaign--a campaign, +in which my presentiments tell me I shall be killed--" + +"Oh, don't talk of such things!" cried the procurator's wife, +bursting into tears. + +"Something whispers me so," continued Porthos, becoming more and +more melancholy. + +"Rather say that you have a new love." + +"Not so; I speak frankly to you. No object affects me; and I +even feel here, at the bottom of my heart, something which speaks +for you. But in fifteen days, as you know, or as you do not +know, this fatal campaign is to open. I shall be fearfully +preoccupied with my outfit. Then I must make a journey to see my +family, in the lower part of Brittany, to obtain the sum +necessary for my departure." + +Porthos observed a last struggle between love and avarice. + +"And as," continued he, "the duchess whom you saw at the church +has estates near to those of my family, we mean to make the +journey together. Journeys, you know, appear much shorter when +we travel two in company." + +"Have you no friends in Paris, then, Monsieur Porthos?" said the +procurator's wife. + +"I thought I had," said Porthos, resuming his melancholy air; +"but I have been taught my mistake." + +"You have some!" cried the procurator's wife, in a transport that +surprised even herself. "Come to our house tomorrow. You are +the son of my aunt, consequently my cousin; you come from Noyon, +in Picardy; you have several lawsuits and no attorney. Can you +recollect all that?" + +"Perfectly, madame." + +"Cone at dinnertime." + +"Very well." + +"And be upon your guard before my husband, who is rather shrewd, +notwithstanding his seventy-six years." + +"Seventy-six years! PESTE! That's a fine age!" replied Porthos. + +"A great age, you mean, Monsieur Porthos. Yes, the poor man may +be expected to leave me a widow, any hour," continued she, +throwing a significant glance at Porthos. "Fortunately, by our +marriage contract, the survivor takes everything." + +"All?" + +"Yes, all." + +"You are a woman of precaution, I see, my dear Madame Coquenard," +said Porthos, squeezing the hand of the procurator's wife +tenderly. + +"We are then reconciled, dear Monsieur Porthos?" said she, +simpering. + +"For life," replied Porthos, in the same manner. + +"Till we meet again, then, dear traitor!" + +"Till we meet again, my forgetful charmer!" + +"Tomorrow, my angel!" + +"Tomorrow, flame of my life!" + + + + +30 D'ARTAGNAN AND THE ENGLISHMAN + +D'Artagnan followed Milady without being perceived by her. +He saw her get into her carriage, and heard her order the +coachman to drive to St. Germain. + +It was useless to try to keep pace on foot with a carriage +drawn by two powerful horses. D'Artagnan therefore returned +to the Rue Ferou. + +In the Rue de Seine he met Planchet, who had stopped before +the house of a pastry cook, and was contemplating with +ecstasy a cake of the most appetizing appearance. + +He ordered him to go and saddle two horses in M. de +Treville's stables--one for himself, D'Artagnan, and one for +Planchet--and bring them to Athens's place. Once for all, +Treville had placed his stable at D'Artagnan's service. + +Planchet proceeded toward the Rue du Colombier, and +D'Artagnan toward the Rue Ferou. Athos was at home, +emptying sadly a bottle of the famous Spanish wine he had +brought back with him from his journey into Picardy. He +made a sign for Grimaud to bring a glass for D'Artagnan, and +Grimaud obeyed as usual. + +D'Artagnan related to Athos all that had passed at the +church between Porthos and the procurator's wife, and how +their comrade was probably by that time in a fair way to be +equipped. + +"As for me," replied Athos to this recital, "I am quite at +my ease; it will not be women that will defray the expense +of my outfit." + +"Handsome, well-bred, noble lord as you are, my dear Athos, +neither princesses nor queens would be secure from your +amorous solicitations." + +"How young this D'Artagnan is!" said Athos, shrugging his +shoulders; and he made a sign to Grimaud to bring another +bottle. + +At that moment Planchet put his head modestly in at the +half-open door, and told his master that the horses were +ready. + +"What horses?" asked Athos. + +"Two horses that Monsieur de Treville lends me at my +pleasure, and with which I am now going to take a ride to +St. Germain." + +"Well, and what are you going to do at St. Germain?" then +demanded Athos. + +Then D'Artagnan described the meeting which he had at the +church, and how he had found that lady who, with the +seigneur in the black cloak and with the scar near his +temple, filled his mind constantly. + +"That is to say, you are in love with this lady as you were +with Madame Bonacieux," said Athos, shrugging his shoulders +contemptuously, as if he pitied human weakness. + +"I? not at all!" said D'Artagnan. "I am only curious to +unravel the mystery to which she is attached. I do not know +why, but I imagine that this woman, wholly unknown to me as +she is, and wholly unknown to her as I am, has an influence +over my life." + +"Well, perhaps you are right," said Athos. "I do not know a +woman that is worth the trouble of being sought for when she +is once lost. Madame Bonacieux is lost; so much the worse +for her if she is found." + +"No, Athos, no, you are mistaken," said D'Artagnan; "I love +my poor Constance more than ever, and if I knew the place in +which she is, were it at the end of the world, I would go to +free her from the hands of her enemies; but I am ignorant. +All my researches have been useless. What is to be said? I +must divert my attention!" + +"Amuse yourself with Milady, my dear D'Artagnan; I wish you +may with all my heart, if that will amuse you." + +"Hear me, Athos," said D'Artagnan. "Instead of shutting +yourself up here as if you were under arrest, get on +horseback and come and take a ride with me to St. Germain." + +"My dear fellow," said Athos, "I ride horses when I have +any; when I have none, I go afoot." + +"Well," said D'Artagnan, smiling at the misanthropy of +Athos, which from any other person would have offended him, +"I ride what I can get; I am not so proud as you. So AU +REVOIR, dear Athos." + +"AU REVOIR," said the Musketeer, making a sign to Grimaud to +uncork the bottle he had just brought. + +D'Artagnan and Planchet mounted, and took the road to St. +Germain. + +All along the road, what Athos had said respecting Mme. +Bonacieux recurred to the mind of the young man. Although +D'Artagnan was not of a very sentimental character, the +mercer's pretty wife had made a real impression upon his +heart. As he said, he was ready to go to the end of the +world to seek her; but the world, being round, has many +ends, so that he did not know which way to turn. Meantime, +he was going to try to find out Milady. Milady had spoken +to the man in the black cloak; therefore she knew him. Now, +in the opinion of D'Artagnan, it was certainly the man in +the black cloak who had carried off Mme. Bonacieux the +second time, as he had carried her off the first. +D'Artagnan then only half-lied, which is lying but little, +when he said that by going in search of Milady he at the +same time went in search of Constance. + +Thinking of all this, and from time to time giving a touch +of the spur to his horse, D'Artagnan completed his short +journey, and arrived at St. Germain. He had just passed by +the pavilion in which ten years later Louis XIV was born. +He rode up a very quiet street, looking to the right and the +left to see if he could catch any vestige of his beautiful +Englishwoman, when from the ground floor of a pretty house, +which, according to the fashion of the time, had no window +toward the street, he saw a face peep out with which he +thought he was acquainted. This person walked along the +terrace, which was ornamented with flowers. Planchet +recognized him first. + +"Eh, monsieur!" said he, addressing D'Artagnan, "don't you +remember that face which is blinking yonder?" + +"No," said D'Artagnan, "and yet I am certain it is not the +first time I have seen that visage." + +"PARBLEU, I believe it is not," said Planchet. "Why, it is +poor Lubin, the lackey of the Comte de Wardes--he whom you +took such good care of a month ago at Calais, on the road to +the governor's country house!" + +"So it is!" said D'Artagnan; "I know him now. Do you think +he would recollect you?" + +"My faith, monsieur, he was in such trouble that I doubt if +he can have retained a very clear recollection of me." + +"Well, go and talk with the boy," said D'Artagnan, "and make +out if you can from his conversation whether his master is +dead." + +Planchet dismounted and went straight up to Lubin, who did +not at all remember him, and the two lackeys began to chat +with the best understanding possible; while D'Artagnan +turned the two horses into a lane, went round the house, and +came back to watch the conference from behind a hedge of +filberts. + +At the end of an instant's observation he heard the noise of +a vehicle, and saw Milady's carriage stop opposite to him. +He could not be mistaken; Milady was in it. D'Artagnan +leaned upon the neck of his horse, in order that he might +see without being seen. + +Milady put her charming blond head out at the window, and +gave her orders to her maid. + +The latter--a pretty girl of about twenty or twenty-two +years, active and lively, the true SOUBRETTE of a great +lady--jumped from the step upon which, according to the +custom of the time, she was seated, and took her way toward +the terrace upon which D'Artagnan had perceived Lubin. + +D'Artagnan followed the soubrette with his eyes, and saw her +go toward the terrace; but it happened that someone in the +house called Lubin, so that Planchet remained alone, looking +in all directions for the road where D'Artagnan had disappeared. + +The maid approached Planchet, whom she took for Lubin, and +holding out a little billet to him said, "For your master." + +"For my master?" replied Planchet, astonished. + +"Yes, and important. Take it quickly." + +Thereupon she ran toward the carriage, which had turned +round toward the way it came, jumped upon the step, and the +carriage drove off. + +Planchet turned and returned the billet. Then, accustomed +to passive obedience, he jumped down from the terrace, ran +toward the lane, and at the end of twenty paces met +D'Artagnan, who, having seen all, was coming to him. + +"For you, monsieur," said Planchet, presenting the billet to +the young man. + +"For me?" said D'Artagnan; "are you sure of that?" + +"PARDIEU, monsieur, I can't be more sure. The SOUBRETTE said, +'For your master.' I have no other master but you; so- +a pretty little lass, my faith, is that SOUBRETTE!" + +D'Artagnan opened the letter, and read these words: + + +"A person who takes more interest in you than she is willing +to confess wishes to know on what day it will suit you to +walk in the forest? Tomorrow, at the Hotel Field of the +Cloth of Gold, a lackey in black and red will wait for your +reply." + + +"Oh!" said D'Artagnan, "this is rather warm; it appears that +Milady and I are anxious about the health of the same +person. Well, Planchet, how is the good Monsieur de Wardes? +He is not dead, then?" + +"No, monsieur, he is as well as a man can be with four sword +wounds in his body; for you, without question, inflicted +four upon the dear gentleman, and he is still very weak, +having lost almost all his blood. As I said, monsieur, +Lubin did not know me, and told me our adventure from one +end to the other." + +"Well done, Planchet! you are the king of lackeys. Now jump +onto your horse, and let us overtake the carriage." + +This did not take long. At the end of five minutes they +perceived the carriage drawn up by the roadside; a cavalier, +richly dressed, was close to the door. + +The conversation between Milady and the cavalier was so +animated that D'Artagnan stopped on the other side of the +carriage without anyone but the pretty SOUBRETTE perceiving +his presence. + +The conversation took place in English--a language which +D'Artagnan could not understand; but by the accent the young +man plainly saw that the beautiful Englishwoman was in a +great rage. She terminated it by an action which left no +doubt as to the nature of this conversation; this was a blow +with her fan, applied with such force that the little +feminine weapon flew into a thousand pieces. + +The cavalier laughed aloud, which appeared to exasperate +Milady still more. + +D'Artagnan thought this was the moment to interfere. He +approached the other door, and taking off his hat +respectfully, said, "Madame, will you permit me to offer you +my services? It appears to me that this cavalier has made +you very angry. Speak one word, madame, and I take upon +myself to punish him for his want of courtesy." + +At the first word Milady turned, looking at the young man +with astonishment; and when he had finished, she said in +very good French, "Monsieur, I should with great confidence +place myself under your protection if the person with whom I +quarrel were not my brother." + +"Ah, excuse me, then," said D'Artagnan. "You must be aware +that I was ignorant of that, madame." + +"What is that stupid fellow troubling himself about?" cried +the cavalier whom Milady had designated as her brother, +stooping down to the height of the coach window. "Why does +not he go about his business?" + +"Stupid fellow yourself!" said D'Artagnan, stooping in his +turn on the neck of his horse, and answering on his side +through the carriage window. "I do not go on because it +pleases me to stop here." + +The cavalier addressed some words in English to his sister. + +"I speak to you in French," said D'Artagnan; "be kind +enough, then, to reply to me in the same language. You are +Madame's brother, I learn--be it so; but fortunately you are +not mine." + +It might be thought that Milady, timid as women are in +general, would have interposed in this commencement of +mutual provocations in order to prevent the quarrel from +going too far; but on the contrary, she threw herself back +in her carriage, and called out coolly to the coachman, +"Go on--home!" + +The pretty SOUBRETTE cast an anxious glance at D'Artagnan, +whose good looks seemed to have made an impression on her. + +The carriage went on, and left the two men facing each +other; no material obstacle separated them. + +The cavalier made a movement as if to follow the carriage; +but D'Artagnan, whose anger, already excited, was much +increased by recognizing in him the Englishman of Amiens who +had won his horse and had been very near winning his diamond +of Athos, caught at his bridle and stopped him. + +"Well, monsieur," said he, "you appear to be more stupid +than I am, for you forget there is a little quarrel to +arrange between us two." + +"Ah," said the Englishman, "is it you, my master? It seems +you must always be playing some game or other." + +"Yes; and that reminds me that I have a revenge to take. We +will see, my dear monsieur, if you can handle a sword as +skillfully as you can a dice box." + +"You see plainly that I have no sword," said the Englishman. +"Do you wish to play the braggart with an unarmed man?" + +"I hope you have a sword at home; but at all events, I have +two, and if you like, I will throw with you for one of +them." + +"Needless," said the Englishman; "I am well furnished with +such playthings." + +"Very well, my worthy gentleman," replied D'Artagnan, "pick +out the longest, and come and show it to me this evening." + +"Where, if you please?" + +"Behind the Luxembourg; that's a charming spot for such +amusements as the one I propose to you." + +"That will do; I will be there." + +"Your hour?" + +"Six o'clock." + +"A PROPOS, you have probably one or two friends?" + +"I have three, who would be honored by joining in the sport +with me." + +"Three? Marvelous! That falls out oddly! Three is just my +number!" + +"Now, then, who are you?" asked the Englishman. + +"I am Monsieur D'Artagnan, a Gascon gentleman, serving in +the king's Musketeers. And you?" + +"I am Lord de Winter, Baron Sheffield." + +"Well, then, I am your servant, Monsieur Baron," said +D'Artagnan, "though you have names rather difficult to +recollect." And touching his horse with the spur, he +cantered back to Paris. As he was accustomed to do in all +cases of any consequence, D'Artagnan went straight to the +residence of Athos. + +He found Athos reclining upon a large sofa, where he was +waiting, as he said, for his outfit to come and find him. +He related to Athos all that had passed, except the letter +to M. de Wardes. + +Athos was delighted to find he was going to fight an +Englishman. We might say that was his dream. + +They immediately sent their lackeys for Porthos and Aramis, +and on their arrival made them acquainted with the +situation. + +Porthos drew his sword from the scabbard, and made passes at +the wall, springing back from time to time, and making +contortions like a dancer. + +Aramis, who was constantly at work at his poem, shut himself +up in Athos's closet, and begged not to be disturbed before +the moment of drawing swords. + +Athos, by signs, desired Grimaud to bring another bottle of +wine. + +D'Artagnan employed himself in arranging a little plan, of +which we shall hereafter see the execution, and which +promised him some agreeable adventure, as might be seen by +the smiles which from time to time passed over his +countenance, whose thoughtfulness they animated. + + + + +31 ENGLISH AND FRENCH + +The hour having come, they went with their four lackeys to a +spot behind the Luxembourg given up to the feeding of goats. +Athos threw a piece of money to the goalkeeper to withdraw. +The lackeys were ordered to act as sentinels. + +A silent party soon drew near to the same enclosure, +entered, and joined the Musketeers. Then, according to +foreign custom, the presentations took place. + +The Englishmen were all men of rank; consequently the odd +names of their adversaries were for them not only a matter +of surprise, but of annoyance. + +"But after all," said Lord de Winter, when the three friends +had been named, "we do not know who you are. We cannot +fight with such names; they are names of shepherds." + +"Therefore your lordship may suppose they are only assumed +names," said Athos. + +"Which only gives us a greater desire to know the real +ones," replied the Englishman. + +"You played very willingly with us without knowing our +names," said Athos, "by the same token that you won our +horses." + +"That is true, but we then only risked our pistoles; this +time we risk our blood. One plays with anybody; but one +fights only with equals." + +"And that is but just," said Athos, and he took aside the +one of the four Englishmen with whom he was to fight, and +communicated his name in a low voice. + +Porthos and Aramis did the same. + +"Does that satisfy you?" said Athos to his adversary. "Do +you find me of sufficient rank to do me the honor of +crossing swords with me?" + +"Yes, monsieur," said the Englishman, bowing. + +"Well! now tell I tell you something?" added Athos, coolly. + +"What?" replied the Englishman. + +"Why, that is that you would have acted much more wisely if +you had not required me to make myself known." + +"Why so?" + +"Because I am believed to be dead, and have reasons for +wishing nobody to know I am living; so that I shall be +obliged to kill you to prevent my secret from roaming over +the fields." + +The Englishman looked at Athos, believing that he jested, +but Athos did not jest the least in the world. + +"Gentlemen," said Athos, addressing at the same time his +companions and their adversaries, "are we ready?" + +"Yes!" answered the Englishmen and the Frenchmen, as with +one voice. + +"On guard, then!" cried Athos. + +Immediately eight swords glittered in the rays of the +setting sun, and the combat began with an animosity very +natural between men twice enemies. + +Athos fenced with as much calmness and method as if he had +been practicing in a fencing school. + +Porthos, abated, no doubt, of his too-great confidence by +his adventure of Chantilly, played with skill and prudence. +Aramis, who had the third canto of his poem to finish, +behaved like a man in haste. + +Athos killed his adversary first. He hit him but once, but +as he had foretold, that hit was a mortal one; the sword +pierced his heart. + +Second, Porthos stretched his upon the grass with a wound +through his thigh, As the Englishman, without making any +further resistance, then surrendered his sword, Porthos took +him up in his arms and bore him to his carriage. + +Aramis pushed his so vigorously that after going back fifty +paces, the man ended by fairly taking to his heels, and +disappeared amid the hooting of the lackeys. + +As to D'Artagnan, he fought purely and simply on the +defensive; and when he saw his adversary pretty well +fatigued, with a vigorous side thrust sent his sword flying. +The baron, finding himself disarmed, took two or three steps +back, but in this movement his foot slipped and he fell +backward. + +D'Artagnan was over him at a bound, and said to the +Englishman, pointing his sword to his throat, "I could kill +you, my Lord, you are completely in my hands; but I spare +your life for the sake of your sister." + +D'Artagnan was at the height of joy; he had realized the +plan he had imagined beforehand, whose picturing had +produced the smiles we noted upon his face. + +The Englishman, delighted at having to do with a gentleman +of such a kind disposition, pressed D'Artagnan in his arms, +and paid a thousand compliments to the three Musketeers, and +as Porthos's adversary was already installed in the +carriage, and as Aramis's had taken to his heels, they had +nothing to think about but the dead. + +As Porthos and Aramis were undressing him, in the hope of +finding his wound not mortal, a large purse dropped from his +clothes. D'Artagnan picked it up and offered it to Lord de +Winter. + +"What the devil would you have me do with that?" said the +Englishman. + +"You can restore it to his family," said D'Artagnan. + +"His family will care much about such a trifle as that! His +family will inherit fifteen thousand louis a year from him. +Keep the purse for your lackeys." + +D'Artagnan put the purse into his pocket. + +"And now, my young friend, for you will permit me, I hope, +to give you that name," said Lord de Winter, "on this very +evening, if agreeable to you, I will present you to my +sister, Milady Clarik, for I am desirous that she should +take you into her good graces; and as she is not in bad odor +at court, she may perhaps on some future day speak a word +that will not prove useless to you. + +D'Artagnan blushed with pleasure, and bowed a sign of +assent. + +At this time Athos came up to D'Artagnan. + +"What do you mean to do with that purse?" whispered he. + +"Why, I meant to pass it over to you, my dear Athos." + +"Me! why to me?" + +"Why, you killed him! They are the spoils of victory." + +"I, the heir of an enemy!" said Athos; "for whom, then, do +you take me?" + +"It is the custom in war," said D'Artagnan, "why should it +not be the custom in a duel?" + +"Even on the field of battle, I have never done that." + +Porthos shrugged his shoulders; Aramis by a movement of his +lips endorsed Athos. + +"Then," said D'Artagnan, "let us give the money to the +lackeys, as Lord de Winter desired us to do." + +"Yes," said Athos; "let us give the money to the lackeys--not +to our lackeys, but to the lackeys of the Englishmen." + +Athos took the purse, and threw it into the hand of the +coachman. "For you and your comrades." + +This greatness of spirit in a man who was quite destitute +struck even Porthos; and this French generosity, repeated by +Lord de Winter and his friend, was highly applauded, except +by MM. Grimaud, Bazin, Mousqueton and Planchet. + +Lord de Winter, on quitting D'Artagnan, gave him his +sister's address. She lived in the Place Royale--then the +fashionable quarter--at Number 6, and he undertook to call +and take D'Artagnan with him in order to introduce him. +D'Artagnan appointed eight o'clock at Athos's residence. + +This introduction to Milady Clarik occupied the head of our +Gascon greatly. He remembered in what a strange manner this +woman had hitherto been mixed up in his destiny. According +to his conviction, she was some creature of the cardinal, +and yet he felt himself invincibly drawn toward her by one +of those sentiments for which we cannot account. His only +fear was that Milady would recognize in him the man of Meung +and of Dover. Then she knew that he was one of the friends +of M. de Treville, and consequently, that he belonged body +and soul to the king; which would make him lose a part of +his advantage, since when known to Milady as he knew her, he +played only an equal game with her. As to the commencement +of an intrigue between her and M. de Wardes, our +presumptuous hero gave but little heed to that, although the +marquis was young, handsome, rich, and high in the +cardinal's favor. It is not for nothing we are but twenty years old, above all if we were born at Tarbes. + +D'Artagnan began by making his most splendid toilet, then +returned to Athos's, and according to custom, related +everything to him. Athos listened to his projects, then +shook his head, and recommended prudence to him with a shade +of bitterness. + +"What!" said he, "you have just lost one woman, whom you +call good, charming, perfect; and here you are, running +headlong after another." + +D'Artagnan felt the truth of this reproach. + +"I loved Madame Bonacieux with my heart, while I only love +Milady with my head," said he. "In getting introduced to +her, my principal object is to ascertain what part she plays +at court." + +"The part she plays, PARDIEU! It is not difficult to divine +that, after all you have told me. She is some emissary of +the cardinal; a woman who will draw you into a snare in +which you will leave your head." + +"The devil! my dear Athos, you view things on the dark side, +methinks." + +"My dear fellow, I mistrust women. Can it be otherwise? I +bought my experience dearly--particularly fair women. Milady +is fair, you say?" + +"She has the most beautiful light hair imaginable!" + +"Ah, my poor D'Artagnan!" said Athos. + +"Listen to me! I want to be enlightened on a subject; then, +when I shall have learned what I desire to know, I will +withdraw." + +"Be enlightened!" said Athos, phlegmatically. + +Lord de Winter arrived at the appointed time; but Athos, +being warned of his coming, went into the other chamber. He +therefore found D'Artagnan alone, and as it was nearly eight +o'clock he took the young man with him. + +An elegant carriage waited below, and as it was drawn by two +excellent horses, they were soon at the Place Royale. + +Milady Clarik received D'Artagnan ceremoniously. Her hotel +was remarkably sumptuous, and while the most part of the +English had quit, or were about to quit, France on account +of the war, Milady had just been laying out much money upon +her residence; which proved that the general measure which +drove the English from France did not affect her. + +"You see," said Lord de Winter, presenting D'Artagnan to his +sister, "a young gentleman who has held my life in his +hands, and who has not abused his advantage, although we +have been twice enemies, although it was I who insulted him, +and although I am an Englishman. Thank him, then, madame, +if you have any affection for me." + +Milady frowned slightly; a scarcely visible cloud passed +over her brow, and so peculiar a smile appeared upon her +lips that the young man, who saw and observed this triple +shade, almost shuddered at it. + +The brother did not perceive this; he had turned round to +play with Milady's favorite monkey, which had pulled him by +the doublet. + +"You are welcome, monsieur," said Milady, in a voice whose +singular sweetness contrasted with the symptoms of ill-humor +which D'Artagnan had just remarked; "you have today acquired +eternal rights to my gratitude." + +The Englishman then turned round and described the combat +without omitting a single detail. Milady listened with the +greatest attention, and yet it was easily to be perceived, +whatever effort she made to conceal her impressions, that +this recital was not agreeable to her. The blood rose to +her head, and her little foot worked with impatience beneath +her robe. + +Lord de Winter perceived nothing of this. When he had +finished, he went to a table upon which was a salver with +Spanish wine and glasses. He filled two glasses, and by a +sign invited D'Artagnan to drink. + +D'Artagnan knew it was considered disobliging by an +Englishman to refuse to pledge him. He therefore drew near +to the table and took the second glass. He did not, +however, lose sight of Milady, and in a mirror he perceived +the change that came over her face. Now that she believed +herself to be no longer observed, a sentiment resembling +ferocity animated her countenance. She bit her handkerchief +with her beautiful teeth. + +That pretty little SOUBRETTE whom D'Artagnan had already +observed then came in. She spoke some words to Lord de +Winter in English, who thereupon requested D'Artagnan's +permission to retire, excusing himself on account of the +urgency of the business that had called him away, and +charging his sister to obtain his pardon. + +D'Artagnan exchanged a shake of the hand with Lord de +Winter, and then returned to Milady. Her countenance, with +surprising mobility, had recovered its gracious expression; +but some little red spots on her handkerchief indicated that +she had bitten her lips till the blood came. Those lips +were magnificent; they might be said to be of coral. + +The conversation took a cheerful turn. Milady appeared to +have entirely recovered. She told D'Artagnan that Lord de +Winter was her brother-in-law, and not her brother. She had +married a younger brother of the family, who had left her a +widow with one child. This child was the only heir to Lord +de Winter, if Lord de Winter did not marry. All this showed +D'Artagnan that there was a veil which concealed something; +but he could not yet see under this veil. + +In addition to this, after a half hour's conversation +D'Artagnan was convinced that Milady was his compatriot; she +spoke French with an elegance and a purity that left no +doubt on that head. + +D'Artagnan was profuse in gallant speeches and protestations +of devotion. To all the simple things which escaped our +Gascon, Milady replied with a smile of kindness. The hour +came for him to retire. D'Artagnan took leave of Milady, +and left the saloon the happiest of men. + +On the staircase he met the pretty SOUBRETTE, who brushed +gently against him as she passed, and then, blushing to the +eyes, asked his pardon for having touched him in a voice so +sweet that the pardon was granted instantly. + +D'Artagnan came again on the morrow, and was still better +received than on the evening before. Lord de Winter was not +at home; and it was Milady who this time did all the honors +of the evening. She appeared to take a great interest in +him, asked him whence he came, who were his friends, and +whether he had not sometimes thought of attaching himself to +the cardinal. + +D'Artagnan, who, as we have said, was exceedingly prudent +for a young man of twenty, then remembered his suspicions +regarding Milady. He launched into a eulogy of his +Eminence, and said that he should not have failed to enter +into the Guards of the cardinal instead of the king's Guards +if he had happened to know M. de Cavois instead of M. de +Treville. + +Milady changed the conversation without any appearance of +affectation, and asked D'Artagnan in the most careless +manner possible if he had ever been in England. + +D'Artagnan replied that he had been sent thither by M. de +Treville to treat for a supply of horses, and that he had +brought back four as specimens. + +Milady in the course of the conversation twice or thrice bit +her lips; she had to deal with a Gascon who played close. + +At the same hour as on the preceding evening, D'Artagnan +retired. In the corridor he again met the pretty Kitty; that +was the name of the SOUBRETTE. She looked at him with an +expression of kindness which it was impossible to mistake; +but D'Artagnan was so preoccupied by the mistress that he +noticed absolutely nothing but her. + +D'Artagnan came again on the morrow and the day after that, +and each day Milady gave him a more gracious reception. + +Every evening, either in the antechamber, the corridor, or +on the stairs, he met the pretty SOUBRETTE. But, as we have +said, D'Artagnan paid no attention to this persistence of +poor Kitty. + + + +32 A PROCURATOR'S DINNER + +However brilliant had been the part played by Porthos in the +duel, it had not made him forget the dinner of the +procurator's wife. + +On the morrow he received the last touches of Mousqueton's +brush for an hour, and took his way toward the Rue aux Ours +with the steps of a man who was doubly in favor with +fortune. + +His heart beat, but not like D'Artagnan's with a young and +impatient love. No; a more material interest stirred his +blood. He was about at last to pass that mysterious +threshold, to climb those unknown stairs by which, one by +one, the old crowns of M. Coquenard had ascended. He was +about to see in reality a certain coffer of which he had +twenty times beheld the image in his dreams--a coffer long +and deep, locked, bolted, fastened in the wall; a coffer of +which he had so often heard, and which the hands--a little +wrinkled, it is true, but still not without elegance--of the +procurator's wife were about to open to his admiring looks. + +And then he--a wanderer on the earth, a man without fortune, +a man without family, a soldier accustomed to inns, +cabarets, taverns, and restaurants, a lover of wine forced +to depend upon chance treats--was about to partake of family +meals, to enjoy the pleasures of a comfortable +establishment, and to give himself up to those little +attentions which "the harder one is, the more they please," +as old soldiers say. + +To come in the capacity of a cousin, and seat himself every +day at a good table; to smooth the yellow, wrinkled brow of +the old procurator; to pluck the clerks a little by teaching +them BASSETTE, PASSE-DIX, and LANSQUENET, in their utmost +nicety, and winning from them, by way of fee for the lesson +he would give them in an hour, their savings of a month--all +this was enormously delightful to Porthos. + +The Musketeer could not forget the evil reports which then +prevailed, and which indeed have survived them, of the +procurators of the period--meanness, stinginess, fasts; but +as, after all, excepting some few acts of economy which +Porthos had always found very unseasonable, the procurator's +wife had been tolerably liberal--that is, be it understood, +for a procurator's wife--he hoped to see a household of a +highly comfortable kind. + +And yet, at the very door the Musketeer began to entertain +some doubts. The approach was not such as to prepossess +people--an ill-smelling, dark passage, a staircase half- +lighted by bars through which stole a glimmer from a +neighboring yard; on the first floor a low door studded with +enormous nails, like the principal gate of the Grand +Chatelet. + +Porthos knocked with his hand. A tall, pale clerk, his face +shaded by a forest of virgin hair, opened the door, and +bowed with the air of a man forced at once to respect in +another lofty stature, which indicated strength, the +military dress, which indicated rank, and a ruddy +countenance, which indicated familiarity with good living. + +A shorter clerk came behind the first, a taller clerk behind +the second, a stripling of a dozen years rising behind the +third. In all, three clerks and a half, which, for the +time, argued a very extensive clientage. + +Although the Musketeer was not expected before one o'clock, +the procurator's wife had been on the watch ever since +midday, reckoning that the heart, or perhaps the stomach, of +her lover would bring him before his time. + +Mme. Coquenard therefore entered the office from the house +at the same moment her guest entered from the stairs, and +the appearance of the worthy lady relieved him from an +awkward embarrassment. The clerks surveyed him with great +curiosity, and he, not knowing well what to say to this +ascending and descending scale, remained tongue-tied. + +"It is my cousin!" cried the procurator's wife. "Come in, +come in, Monsieur Porthos!" + +The name of Porthos produced its effect upon the clerks, who +began to laugh; but Porthos turned sharply round, and every +countenance quickly recovered its gravity. + +They reached the office of the procurator after having +passed through the antechamber in which the clerks were, and +the study in which they ought to have been. This last +apartment was a sort of dark room, littered with papers. On +quitting the study they left the kitchen on the right, and +entered the reception room. + +All these rooms, which communicated with one another, did +not inspire Porthos favorably. Words might be heard at a +distance through all these open doors. Then, while passing, +he had cast a rapid, investigating glance into the kitchen; +and he was obliged to confess to himself, to the shame of +the procurator's wife and his own regret, that he did not +see that fire, that animation, that bustle, which when a +good repast is on foot prevails generally in that sanctuary +of good living. + +The procurator had without doubt been warned of his visit, +as he expressed no surprise at the sight of Porthos, who +advanced toward him with a sufficiently easy air, and +saluted him courteously. + +"We are cousins, it appears, Monsieur Porthos?" said the +procurator, rising, yet supporting his weight upon the arms +of his cane chair. + +The old man, wrapped in a large black doublet, in which the +whole of his slender body was concealed, was brisk and dry. +His little gray eyes shone like carbuncles, and appeared, +with his grinning mouth, to be the only part of his face in +which life survived. Unfortunately the legs began to refuse +their service to this bony machine. During the last five or +six months that this weakness had been felt, the worthy +procurator had nearly become the slave of his wife. + +The cousin was received with resignation, that was all. M. +Coquenard, firm upon his legs, would have declined all +relationship with M. Porthos. + +"Yes, monsieur, we are cousins," said Porthos, without being +disconcerted, as he had never reckoned upon being received +enthusiastically by the husband. + +"By the female side, I believe?" said the procurator, +maliciously. + +Porthos did not feel the ridicule of this, and took it for a +piece of simplicity, at which he laughed in his large +mustache. Mme. Coquenard, who knew that a simple-minded +procurator was a very rare variety in the species, smiled a +little, and colored a great deal. + +M. Coquenard had, since the arrival of Porthos, frequently +cast his eyes with great uneasiness upon a large chest +placed in front of his oak desk. Porthos comprehended that +this chest, although it did not correspond in shape with +that which he had seen in his dreams, must be the blessed +coffer, and he congratulated himself that the reality was +several feet higher than the dream. + +M. Coquenard did not carry his genealogical investigations +any further; but withdrawing his anxious look from the chest +and fixing it upon Porthos, he contented himself with saying, +"Monsieur our cousin will do us the favor of dining with us +once before his departure for the campaign, will he not, +Madame Coquenard?" + +This time Porthos received the blow right in his stomach, +and felt it. It appeared likewise that Mme. Coquenard was +not less affected by it on her part, for she added, "My +cousin will not return if he finds that we do not treat him +kindly; but otherwise he has so little time to pass in Paris, +and consequently to spare to us, that we must entreat him to +give us every instant he can call his own previous to his +departure." + +"Oh, my legs, my poor legs! where are you?" murmured +Coquenard, and he tried to smile. + +This succor, which came to Porthos at the moment in which he +was attacked in his gastronomic hopes, inspired much +gratitude in the Musketeer toward the procurator's wife. + +The hour of dinner soon arrived. They passed into the eating +room--a large dark room situated opposite the kitchen. + +The clerks, who, as it appeared, had smelled unusual perfumes +in the house, were of military punctuality, and held their +stools in hand quite ready to sit down. Their jaws moved +preliminarily with fearful threatenings. + +"Indeed!" thought Porthos, casting a glance at the three hungry +clerks-for the errand boy, as might be expected, was not +admitted to the honors of the magisterial table. "in my +cousin's place, I would not keep such gourmands! They look +like shipwrecked sailors who have not eaten for six weeks." + +M. Coquenard entered, pushed along upon his armchair with +casters by Mme. Coquenard, whom Porthos assisted in rolling +her husband up to the table. He had scarcely entered when +he began to agitate his nose and his jaws after the example +of his clerks. + +"Oh, oh!" said he; "here is a soup which is rather +inviting." + +"What the devil can they smell so extraordinary in this +soup?" said Porthos, at the sight of a pale liquid, abundant +but entirely free from meat, on the surface of which a few +crusts swam about as rare as the islands of an archipelago. + +Mme. Coquenard smiled, and upon a sign from her everyone +eagerly took his seat. + +M. Coquenard was served first, then Porthos. Afterward Mme. +Coquenard filled her own plate, and distributed the crusts +without soup to the impatient clerks. At this moment the +door of the dining room unclosed with a creak, and Porthos +perceived through the half-open flap the little clerk who, +not being allowed to take part in the feast, ate his dry +bread in the passage with the double odor of the dining room +and kitchen. + +After the soup the maid brought a boiled fowl--a piece of +magnificence which caused the eyes of the diners to dilate +in such a manner that they seemed ready to burst. + +"One may see that you love your family, Madame Coquenard," +said the procurator, with a smile that was almost tragic. +"You are certainly treating your cousin very handsomely!" + +The poor fowl was thin, and covered with one of those thick, +bristly skins through which the teeth cannot penetrate with +all their efforts. The fowl must have been sought for a +long time on the perch, to which it had retired to die of +old age. + +"The devil!" thought Porthos, "this is poor work. I respect +old age, but I don't much like it boiled or roasted." + +And he looked round to see if anybody partook of his +opinion; but on the contrary, he saw nothing but eager eyes +which were devouring, in anticipation, that sublime fowl +which was the object of his contempt. + +Mme. Coquenard drew the dish toward her, skillfully detached +the two great black feet, which she placed upon her +husband's plate, cut off the neck, which with the head she +put on one side for herself, raised the wing for Porthos, +and then returned the bird otherwise intact to the servant +who had brought it in, who disappeared with it before the +Musketeer had time to examine the variations which +disappointment produces upon faces, according to the +characters and temperaments of those who experience it. + +In the place of the fowl a dish of haricot beans made its +appearance--an enormous dish in which some bones of mutton +that at first sight one might have believed to have some +meat on them pretended to show themselves. + +But the clerks were not the dupes of this deceit, and their +lugubrious looks settled down into resigned countenances. + +Mme. Coquenard distributed this dish to the young men with +the moderation of a good housewife. + +The time for wine came. M. Coquenard poured from a very +small stone bottle the third of a glass for each of the +young men, served himself in about the same proportion, and +passed the bottle to Porthos and Mme. Coquenard. + +The young men filled up their third of a glass with water; +then, when they had drunk half the glass, they filled it up +again, and continued to do so. This brought them, by the +end of the repast, to swallowing a drink which from the +color of the ruby had passed to that of a pale topaz. + +Porthos ate his wing of the fowl timidly, and shuddered when +he felt the knee of the procurator's wife under the table, +as it came in search of his. He also drank half a glass of +this sparingly served wine, and found it to be nothing but +that horrible Montreuil--the terror of all expert palates. + +M. Coquenard saw him swallowing this wine undiluted, and +sighed deeply. + +"Will you eat any of these beans, Cousin Porthos?" said Mme. +Coquenard, in that tone which says, "Take my advice, don't +touch them." + +"Devil take me if I taste one of them!" murmured Porthos to +himself, and then said aloud, "Thank you, my cousin, I am no +longer hungry." + +There was silence. Porthos could hardly keep his +countenance. + +The procurator repeated several times, "Ah, Madame +Coquenard! Accept my compliments; your dinner has been a +real feast. Lord, how I have eaten!" + +M. Coquenard had eaten his soup, the black feet of the fowl, +and the only mutton bone on which there was the least +appearance of meat. + +Porthos fancied they were mystifying him, and began to curl +his mustache and knit his eyebrows; but the knee of Mme. +Coquenard gently advised him to be patient. + +This silence and this interruption in serving, which were +unintelligible to Porthos, had, on the contrary, a terrible +meaning for the clerks. Upon a look from the procurator, +accompanied by a smile from Mme. Coquenard, they arose +slowly from the table, folded their napkins more slowly +still, bowed, and retired. + +"Go, young men! go and promote digestion by working," said +the procurator, gravely. + +The clerks gone, Mme. Coquenard rose and took from a buffet +a piece of cheese, some preserved quinces, and a cake which +she had herself made of almonds and honey. + +M. Coquenard knit his eyebrows because there were too many +good things. Porthos bit his lips because he saw not the +wherewithal to dine. He looked to see if the dish of beans +was still there; the dish of beans had disappeared. + +"A positive feast!" cried M. Coquenard, turning about in his +chair, "a real feast, EPULCE EPULORUM. Lucullus dines with +Lucullus." + +Porthos looked at the bottle, which was Dear him, and hoped +that with wine, bread, and cheese, he might make a dinner; +but wine was wanting, the bottle was empty. M. and Mme. +Coquenard did not seem to observe it. + +"This is fine!" said Porthos to himself; "I am prettily +caught!" + +He passed his tongue over a spoonful of preserves, and stuck +his teeth into the sticky pastry of Mme. Coquenard. + +"Now," said he, "the sacrifice is consummated! Ah! if I had +not the hope of peeping with Madame Coquenard into her +husband's chest!" + +M. Coquenard, after the luxuries of such a repast, which he +called an excess, felt the want of a siesta. Porthos began +to hope that the thing would take place at the present +sitting, and in that same locality; but the procurator would +listen to nothing, he would be taken to his room, and was +not satisfied till he was close to his chest, upon the edge +of which, for still greater precaution, he placed his feet. + +The procurator's wife took Porthos into an adjoining room, +and they began to lay the basis of a reconciliation. + +"You can come and dine three times a week," said Mme. +Coquenard. + +"Thanks, madame!" said Porthos, "but I don't like to abuse +your kindness; besides, I must think of my outfit!" + +"That's true," said the procurator's wife, groaning, "that +unfortunate outfit!" + +"Alas, yes," said Porthos, "it is so." + +"But of what, then, does the equipment of your company +consist, Monsieur Porthos?" + +"Oh, of many things!" said Porthos. "The Musketeers are, as +you know, picked soldiers, and they require many things +useless to the Guardsmen or the Swiss." + +"But yet, detail them to me." + +"Why, they may amount to--", said Porthos, who preferred +discussing the total to taking them one by one. + +The procurator's wife waited tremblingly. + +"To how much?" said she. "I hope it does not exceed--" She +stopped; speech failed her. + +"Oh, no," said Porthos, "it does not exceed two thousand +five hundred livres! I even think that with economy I could +manage it with two thousand livres." + +"Good God!" cried she, "two thousand livres! Why, that is a +fortune!" + +Porthos made a most significant grimace; Mme. Coquenard +understood it. + +"I wished to know the detail," said she, "because, having +many relatives in business, I was almost sure of obtaining +things at a hundred per cent less than you would pay +yourself." + +"Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "that is what you meant to say!" + +"Yes, dear Monsieur Porthos. Thus, for instance, don't you +in the first place want a horse?" + +"Yes, a horse." + +"Well, then! I can just suit you." + +"Ah!" said Porthos, brightening, "that's well as regards my +horse; but I must have the appointments complete, as they +include objects which a Musketeer alone can purchase, and +which will not amount, besides, to more than three hundred +livres." + +"Three hundred livres? Then put down three hundred livres," +said the procurator's wife, with a sigh. + +Porthos smiled. It may be remembered that he had the saddle +which came from Buckingham. These three hundred livres he +reckoned upon putting snugly into his pocket. + +"Then," continued he, "there is a horse for my lackey, and +my valise. As to my arms, it is useless to trouble you +about them; I have them." + +"A horse for your lackey?" resumed the procurator's wife, +hesitatingly; "but that is doing things in lordly style, my +friend." + +"Ah, madame!" said Porthos, haughtily; "do you take me for a +beggar?" + +"No; I only thought that a pretty mule makes sometimes as +good an appearance as a horse, and it seemed to me that by +getting a pretty mule for Mousqueton--" + +"Well, agreed for a pretty mule," said Porthos; "you are +right, I have seen very great Spanish nobles whose whole +suite were mounted on mules. But then you understand, +Madame Coquenard, a mule with feathers and bells." + +"Be satisfied," said the procurator's wife. + +"There remains the valise," added Porthos. + +"Oh, don't let that disturb you," cried Mme. Coquenard. "My +husband has five or six valises; you shall choose the best. +There is one in particular which he prefers in his journeys, +large enough to hold all the world." + +"Your valise is then empty?" asked Porthos, with simplicity. + +"Certainly it is empty," replied the procurator's wife, in +real innocence. + +"Ah, but the valise I want," cried Porthos, "is a well- +filled one, my dear." + +Madame uttered fresh sighs. Moliere had not written his +scene in "L'Avare" then. Mme. Coquenard was in the dilemma +of Harpagan. + +Finally, the rest of the equipment was successively debated +in the same manner; and the result of the sitting was that +the procurator's wife should give eight hundred livres in +money, and should furnish the horse and the mule which +should have the honor of carrying Porthos and Mousqueton to +glory. + +These conditions being agreed to, Porthos took leave of Mme. +Coquenard. The latter wished to detain him by darting +certain tender glances; but Porthos urged the commands of +duty, and the procurator's wife was obliged to give place to +the king. + +The Musketeer returned home hungry and in bad humor. + + + +33 SOUBRETTE AND MISTRESS + +Meantime, as we have said, despite the cries of his +conscience and the wise counsels of Athos, D'Artagnan became +hourly more in love with Milady. Thus he never failed to +pay his diurnal court to her; and the self-satisfied Gascon +was convinced that sooner or later she could not fail to +respond. + +One day, when he arrived with his head in the air, and as +light at heart as a man who awaits a shower of gold, he +found the SOUBRETTE under the gateway of the hotel; but this +time the pretty Kitty was not contented with touching him as +he passed, she took him gently by the hand. + +"Good!" thought D'Artagnan, "She is charged with some +message for me from her mistress; she is about to appoint +some rendezvous of which she had not courage to speak." And +he looked down at the pretty girl with the most triumphant +air imaginable. + +"I wish to say three words to you, Monsieur Chevalier," +stammered the SOUBRETTE. + +"Speak, my child, speak," said D'Artagnan; "I listen." + +"Here? Impossible! That which I have to say is too long, +and above all, too secret." + +"Well, what is to be done?" + +"If Monsieur Chevalier would follow me?" said Kitty, +timidly. + +"Where you please, my dear child." + +"Come, then." + +And Kitty, who had not let go the hand of D'Artagnan, led +him up a little dark, winding staircase, and after ascending +about fifteen steps, opened a door. + +"Come in here, Monsieur Chevalier," said she; "here we shall +be alone, and can talk." + +"And whose room is this, my dear child?" + +"It is mine, Monsieur Chevalier; it communicates with my +mistress's by that door. But you need not fear. She will +not hear what we say; she never goes to bed before +midnight," + +D'Artagnan cast a glance around him. The little apartment +was charming for its taste and neatness; but in spite of +himself, his eyes were directed to that door which Kitty +said led to Milady's chamber. + +Kitty guessed what was passing in the mind of the young man, +and heaved a deep sigh. + +"You love my mistress, then, very dearly, Monsieur +Chevalier?" said she. + +"Oh, more than I can say, Kitty! I am mad for her!" + +Kitty breathed a second sigh. + +"Alas, monsieur," said she, "that is too bad." + +"What the devil do you see so bad in it?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Because, monsieur," replied Kitty, "my mistress loves you +not at all." + +"HEIN!" said D'Artagnan, "can she have charged you to tell +me so?" + +"Oh, no, monsieur; but out of the regard I have for you, I +have taken the resolution to tell you so." + +"Much obliged, my dear Kitty; but for the intention only--for +the information, you must agree, is not likely to be at all +agreeable." + +"That is to say, you don't believe what I have told you; is +it not so?" + +"We have always some difficulty in believing such things, my +pretty dear, were it only from self-love." + +"Then you don't believe me?" + +"I confess that unless you deign to give me some proof of +what you advance--" + +"What do you think of this?" + +Kitty drew a little note from her bosom. + +"For me?" said Derogation, seizing the letter. + +"No; for another." + +"For another?" + +"Yes." + +"His name; his name!" cried D'Artagnan. + +"Read the address." + +"Monsieur El Comte de Wardes." + +The remembrance of the scene at St. Germain presented itself +to the mind of the presumptuous Gascon. As quick as +thought, he tore open the letter, in spite of the cry which +Kitty uttered on seeing what he was going to do, or rather, +what he was doing. + +"Oh, good Lord, Monsieur Chevalier," said she, "what are you +doing?" + +"I?" said D'Artagnan; "nothing," and he read, + + +"You have not answered my first note. Are you indisposed, +or have you forgotten the glances you favored me with at the +ball of Mme. de Guise? You have an opportunity now, Count; +do not allow it to escape." + + +D'Artagnan became very pale; he was wounded in his SELF- +love: he thought that it was in his LOVE. + +"Poor dear Monsieur D'Artagnan," said Kitty, in a voice full +of compassion, and pressing anew the young man's hand. + +"You pity me, little one?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Oh, yes, and with all my heart; for I know what it is to be +in love." + +"You know what it is to be in love?" said D'Artagnan, +looking at her for the first time with much attention. + +"Alas, yes." + +"Well, then, instead of pitying me, you would do much better +to assist me in avenging myself on your mistress." + +"And what sort of revenge would you take?" + +"I would triumph over her, and supplant my rival." + +"I will never help you in that, Monsieur Chevalier," said +Kitty, warmly. + +"And why not?" demanded D'Artagnan. + +"For two reasons." + +"What ones?" + +"The first is that my mistress will never love you." + +"How do you know that?" + +"You have cut her to the heart." + +"I? In what can I have offended her--I who ever since I have +known her have lived at her feet like a slave? Speak, I beg +you!" + +"I will never confess that but to the man--who should read to +the bottom of my soul!" + +D'Artagnan looked at Kitty for the second time. The young +girl had freshness and beauty which many duchesses would +have purchased with their coronets. + +"Kitty," said he, "I will read to the bottom of your soul +when-ever you like; don't let that disturb you." And he gave +her a kiss at which the poor girl became as red as a cherry. + +"Oh, no," said Kitty, "it is not me you love! It is my +mistress you love; you told me so just now." + +"And does that hinder you from letting me know the second +reason?" + +"The second reason, Monsieur the Chevalier," replied Kitty, +emboldened by the kiss in the first place, and still further +by the expression of the eyes of the young man, "is that in +love, everyone for herself!" + +Then only D'Artagnan remembered the languishing glances of +Kitty, her constantly meeting him in the antechamber, the +corridor, or on the stairs, those touches of the hand every +time she met him, and her deep sighs; but absorbed by his +desire to please the great lady, he had disdained the +soubrette. He whose game is the eagle takes no heed of the +sparrow. + +But this time our Gascon saw at a glance all the advantage +to be derived from the love which Kitty had just confessed +so innocently, or so boldly: the interception of letters +addressed to the Comte de Wardes, news on the spot, entrance +at all hours into Kitty's chamber, which was contiguous to +her mistress's. The perfidious deceiver was, as may plainly +be perceived, already sacrificing, in intention, the poor +girl in order to obtain Milady, willy-nilly. + +"Well," said he to the young girl, "are you willing, my dear +Kitty, that I should give you a proof of that love which you +doubt?" + +"What love?" asked the young girl. + +"Of that which I am ready to feel toward you." + +"And what is that proof?" + +"Are you willing that I should this evening pass with you +the time I generally spend with your mistress?" + +"Oh, yes," said Kitty, clapping her hands, "very willing." + +"Well, then, come here, my dear," said D'Artagnan, +establishing himself in an easy chair; "come, and let me +tell you that you are the prettiest SOUBRETTE I ever saw!" + +And he did tell her so much, and so well, that the poor +girl, who asked nothing better than to believe him, did +believe him. Nevertheless, to D'Artagnan's great +astonishment, the pretty Kitty defended herself resolutely. + +Time passes quickly when it is passed in attacks and +defenses. Midnight sounded, and almost at the same time the +bell was rung in Milady's chamber. + +"Good God," cried Kitty, "there is my mistress calling me! +Go; go directly!" + +D'Artagnan rose, took his hat, as if it had been his +intention to obey, then, opening quickly the door of a large +closet instead of that leading to the staircase, he buried +himself amid the robes and dressing gowns of Milady. + +"What are you doing?" cried Kitty. + +D'Artagnan, who had secured the key, shut himself up in the +closet without reply. + +"Well," cried Milady, in a sharp voice. "Are you asleep, +that you don't answer when I ring?" + +And D'Artagnan heard the door of communication opened +violently. + +"Here am I, Milady, here am I!" cried Kitty, springing +forward to meet her mistress. + +Both went into the bedroom, and as the door of communication +remained open, D'Artagnan could hear Milady for some time +scolding her maid. She was at length appeased, and the +conversation turned upon him while Kitty was assisting her +mistress. + +"Well," said Milady, "I have not seen our Gascon this +evening." + +"What, Milady! has he not come?" said Kitty. "Can he be +inconstant before being happy?" + +"Oh, no; he must have been prevented by Monsieur de Treville +or Monsieur Dessessart. I understand my game, Kitty; I have +this one safe." + +"What will you do with him, madame?" + +"What will I do with him? Be easy, Kitty, there is +something between that man and me that he is quite ignorant +of: he nearly made me lose my credit with his Eminence. Oh, +I will be revenged!" + +"I believed that Madame loved him." + +"I love him? I detest him! An idiot, who held the life of +Lord de Winter in his bands and did not kill him, by which I +missed three hundred thousand livres' income." + +"That's true," said Kitty; "your son was the only heir of +his uncle, and until his majority you would have had the +enjoyment of his fortune." + +D'Artagnan shuddered to the marrow at hearing this suave +creature reproach him, with that sharp voice which she took +such pains to conceal in conversation, for not having killed +a man whom he had seen load her with kindnesses. + +"For all this," continued Milady, "I should long ago have +revenged myself on him if, and I don't know why, the +cardinal had not requested me to conciliate him." + +"Oh, yes; but Madame has not conciliated that little woman +he was so fond of." + +"What, the mercer's wife of the Rue des Fossoyeurs? Has he +not already forgotten she ever existed? Fine vengeance +that, on my faith!" + +A cold sweat broke from D'Artagnan's brow. Why, this woman +was a monster! He resumed his listening, but unfortunately +the toilet was finished. + +"That will do," said Milady; "go into your own room, and +tomorrow endeavor again to get me an answer to the letter I +gave you." + +"For Monsieur de Wardes?" said Kitty. + +"To be sure; for Monsieur de Wardes." + +"Now, there is one," said Kitty, "who appears to me quite a +different sort of a man from that poor Monsieur D'Artagnan." + +"Go to bed, mademoiselle," said Milady; "I don't like +comments." + +D'Artagnan heard the door close; then the noise of two bolts +by which Milady fastened herself in. On her side, but as +softly as possible, Kitty turned the key of the lock, and +then D'Artagnan opened the closet door. + +"Oh, good Lord!" said Kitty, in a low voice, "what is the +matter with you? How pale you are!" + +"The abominable creature" murmured D'Artagnan. + +"Silence, silence, begone!" said Kitty. "There is nothing +but a wainscot between my chamber and Milady's; every word +that is uttered in one can be heard in the other." + +"That's exactly the reason I won't go," said D'Artagnan. + +"What!" said Kitty, blushing. + +"Or, at least, I will go--later." + +He drew Kitty to him. She had the less motive to resist, +resistance would make so much noise. Therefore Kitty +surrendered. + +It was a movement of vengeance upon Milady. D'Artagnan +believed it right to say that vengeance is the pleasure of +the gods. With a little more heart, he might have been +contented with this new conquest; but the principal features +of his character were ambition and pride. It must, however, +be confessed in his justification that the first use he made +of his influence over Kitty was to try and find out what had +become of Mme. Bonacieux; but the poor girl swore upon the +crucifix to D'Artagnan that she was entirely ignorant on +that head, her mistress never admitting her into half her +secrets--only she believed she could say she was not dead. + +As to the cause which was near making Milady lose her credit +with the cardinal, Kitty knew nothing about it; but this +time D'Artagnan was better informed than she was. As he had +seen Milady on board a vessel at the moment he was leaving +England, he suspected that it was, almost without a doubt, +on account of the diamond studs. + +But what was clearest in all this was that the true hatred, +the profound hatred, the inveterate hatred of Milady, was +increased by his not having killed her brother-in-law. + +D'Artagnan came the next day to Milady's, and finding her in +a very ill-humor, had no doubt that it was lack of an answer +from M. de Wardes that provoked her thus. Kitty came in, +but Milady was very cross with her. The poor girl ventured +a glance at D'Artagnan which said, "See how I suffer on your +account!" + +Toward the end of the evening, however, the beautiful +lioness became milder; she smilingly listened to the soft +speeches of D'Artagnan, and even gave him her hand to kiss. + +D'Artagnan departed, scarcely knowing what to think, but as +he was a youth who did not easily lose his head, while +continuing to pay his court to Milady, he had framed a +little plan in his mind. + +He found Kitty at the gate, and, as on the preceding +evening, went up to her chamber. Kitty had been accused of +negligence and severely scolded. Milady could not at all +comprehend the silence of the Comte de Wardes, and she +ordered Kitty to come at nine o'clock in the morning to take +a third letter. + +D'Artagnan made Kitty promise to bring him that letter on +the following morning. The poor girl promised all her lover +desired; she was mad. + +Things passed as on the night before. D'Artagnan concealed +himself in his closet; Milady called, undressed, sent away +Kitty, and shut the door. As the night before, D'Artagnan +did not return home till five o'clock in the morning. + +At eleven o'clock Kitty came to him. She held in her hand a +fresh billet from Milady. This time the poor girl did not +even argue with D'Artagnan; she gave it to him at once. She +belonged body and soul to her handsome soldier. + +D'Artagnan opened the letter and read as follows: + + +This is the third time I have written to you to tell you +that I love you. Beware that I do not write to you a fourth +time to tell you that I detest you. + +If you repent of the manner in which you have acted toward +me, the young girl who brings you this will tell you how a +man of spirit may obtain his pardon. + + +D'Artagnan colored and grew pale several times in reading +this billet. + +"Oh, you love her still," said Kitty, who had not taken her +eyes off the young man's countenance for an instant. + +"No, Kitty, you are mistaken. I do not love her, but I will +avenge myself for her contempt." + +"Oh, yes, I know what sort of vengeance! You told me that!" + +"What matters it to you, Kitty? You know it is you alone +whom I love." + +"How can I know that?" + +"By the scorn I will throw upon her." + +D'Artagnan took a pen and wrote: + + +Madame, Until the present moment I could not believe that it +was to me your first two letters were addressed, so unworthy +did I feel myself of such an honor; besides, I was so +seriously indisposed that I could not in any case have +replied to them. + +But now I am forced to believe in the excess of your +kindness, since not only your letter but your servant +assures me that I have the good fortune to be beloved by +you. + +She has no occasion to teach me the way in which a man of +spirit may obtain his pardon. I will come and ask mine at +eleven o'clock this evening. + +To delay it a single day would be in my eyes now to commit a +fresh offense. + +>From him whom you have rendered the happiest of men, +Comte de Wardes + + +This note was in the first place a forgery; it was likewise +an indelicacy. It was even, according to our present +manners, something like an infamous action; but at that +period people did not manage affairs as they do today. +Besides, D'Artagnan from her own admission knew Milady +culpable of treachery in matters more important, and could +entertain no respect for her. And yet, notwithstanding this +want of respect, he felt an uncontrollable passion for this +woman boiling in his veins--passion drunk with contempt; but +passion or thirst, as the reader pleases. + +D'Artagnan's plan was very simple. By Kitty's chamber he +could gain that of her mistress. He would take advantage of +the first moment of surprise, shame, and terror, to triumph +over her. He might fail, but something must be left to +chance. In eight days the campaign would open, and he would +be compelled to leave Paris; D'Artagnan had no time for a +prolonged love siege. + +"There," said the young man, handing Kitty the letter +sealed; "give that to Milady. It is the count's reply." + +Poor Kitty became as pale as death; she suspected what the +letter contained. + +"Listen, my dear girl," said D'Artagnan; "you cannot but +perceive that all this must end, some way or other. Milady +may discover that you gave the first billet to my lackey +instead of to the count's; that it is I who have opened the +others which ought to have been opened by De Wardes. Milady +will then turn you out of doors, and you know she is not the +woman to limit her vengeance. "Alas!" said Kitty, "for whom +have I exposed myself to all that?" + +"For me, I well know, my sweet girl," said D'Artagnan. "But +I am grateful, I swear to you." + +"But what does this note contain?" + +"Milady will tell you." + +"Ah, you do not love me!" cried Kitty, "and I am very +wretched." + +To this reproach there is always one response which deludes +women. D'Artagnan replied in such a manner that Kitty +remained in her great delusion. Although she cried freely +before deciding to transmit the letter to her mistress, she +did at last so decide, which was all D'Artagnan wished. +Finally he promised that he would leave her mistress's +presence at an early hour that evening, and that when he +left the mistress he would ascend with the maid. This +promise completed poor Kitty's consolation. + + + +34 IN WHICH THE EQUIPMENT OF ARAMIS AND PORTHOS IS TREATED +OF + +Since the four friends had been each in search of his +equipments, there had been no fixed meeting between them. +They dined apart from one another, wherever they might +happen to be, or rather where they could. Duty likewise on +its part took a portion of that precious time which was +gliding away so rapidly--only they had agreed to meet once a +week, about one o'clock, at the residence of Athos, seeing +that he, in agreement with the vow he had formed, did not +pass over the threshold of his door. + +This day of reunion was the same day as that on which Kitty +came to find D'Artagnan. Soon as Kitty left him, D'Artagnan +directed his steps toward the Rue Ferou. + +He found Athos and Aramis philosophizing. Aramis had some +slight inclination to resume the cassock. Athos, according +to his system, neither encouraged nor dissuaded him. Athos +believed that everyone should be left to his own free will. +He never gave advice but when it was asked, and even then he +required to be asked twice. + +"People, in general," he said, "only ask advice not to +follow it; or if they do follow it, it is for the sake of +having someone to blame for having given it." + +Porthos arrived a minute after D'Artagnan. The four friends +were reunited. + +The four countenances expressed four different feelings: +that of Porthos, tranquillity; that of D'Artagnan, hope; +that of Aramis, uneasiness; that of Athos, carelessness. + +At the end of a moment's conversation, in which Porthos +hinted that a lady of elevated rank had condescended to +relieve him from his embarrassment, Mousqueton entered. He +came to request his master to return to his lodgings, where +his presence was urgent, as he piteously said. + +"Is it my equipment?" + +"Yes and no," replied Mousqueton. + +"Well, but can't you speak?" + +"Come, monsieur." + +Porthos rose, saluted his friends, and followed Mousqueton. +An instant after, Bazin made his appearance at the door. + +"What do you want with me, my friend?" said Aramis, with +that mildness of language which was observable in him every +time that his ideas were directed toward the Church. + +"A man wishes to see Monsieur at home," replied Bazin. + +"A man! What man?" + +"A mendicant." + +"Give him alms, Bazin, and bid him pray for a poor sinner." + +"This mendicant insists upon speaking to you, and pretends +that you will be very glad to see him." + +"Has he sent no particular message for me?" + +"Yes. If Monsieur Aramis hesitates to come," he said, "tell +him I am from Tours." + +"From Tours!" cried Aramis. "A thousand pardons, gentlemen; +but no doubt this man brings me the news I expected." And +rising also, he went off at a quick pace. There remained +Athos and D'Artagnan. + +"I believe these fellows have managed their business. What +do you think, D'Artagnan?" said Athos. + +"I know that Porthos was in a fair way," replied D'Artagnan; +"and as to Aramis to tell you the truth, I have never been +seriously uneasy on his account. But you, my dear Athos-- +you, who so generously distributed the Englishman's +pistoles, which were our legitimate property--what do you +mean to do?" + +"I am satisfied with having killed that fellow, my boy, +seeing that it is blessed bread to kill an Englishman; but +if I had pocketed his pistoles, they would have weighed me +down like a remorse. + +"Go to, my dear Athos; you have truly inconceivable ideas." + +"Let it pass. What do you think of Monsieur de Treville +telling me, when he did me the honor to call upon me +yesterday, that you associated with the suspected English, +whom the cardinal protects?" + +"That is to say, I visit an Englishwoman--the one I named." + +"Oh, ay! the fair woman on whose account I gave you advice, +which naturally you took care not to adopt." + +"I gave you my reasons." + +"Yes; you look there for your outfit, I think you said." + +"Not at all. I have acquired certain knowledge that that +woman was concerned in the abduction of Madame Bonacieux." + +"Yes, I understand now: to find one woman, you court +another. It is the longest road, but certainly the most +amusing." + +D'Artagnan was on the point of telling Athos all; but one +consideration restrained him. Athos was a gentleman, +punctilious in points of honor; and there were in the plan +which our lover had devised for Milady, he was sure, certain +things that would not obtain the assent of this Puritan. He +was therefore silent; and as Athos was the least inquisitive +of any man on earth, D'Artagnan's confidence stopped there. +We will therefore leave the two friends, who had nothing +important to say to each other, and follow Aramis. + +Upon being informed that the person who wanted to speak to +him came from Tours, we have seen with what rapidity the +young man followed, or rather went before, Bazin; he ran +without stopping from the Rue Ferou to the Rue de Vaugirard. +On entering he found a man of short stature and intelligent +eyes, but covered with rags. + +"You have asked for me?" said the Musketeer. + +"I wish to speak with Monsieur Aramis. Is that your name, +monsieur?" + +"My very own. You have brought me something?" + +"Yes, if you show me a certain embroidered handkerchief." + +"Here it is," said Aramis, taking a small key from his +breast and opening a little ebony box inlaid with mother of +pearl, "here it is. Look." + +"That is right," replied the mendicant; "dismiss your lackey." + +In fact, Bazin, curious to know what the mendicant could +want with his master, kept pace with him as well as he +could, and arrived almost at the same time he did; but his +quickness was not of much use to him. At the hint from the +mendicant his master made him a sign to retire, and he was +obliged to obey. + +Bazin gone, the mendicant cast a rapid glance around him in +order to be sure that nobody could either see or hear him, +and opening his ragged vest, badly held together by a +leather strap, he began to rip the upper part of his +doublet, from which he drew a letter. + +Aramis uttered a cry of joy at the sight of the seal, kissed +the superscription with an almost religious respect, and +opened the epistle, which contained what follows: + + +"My Friend, it is the will of fate that we should be still +for some time separated; but the delightful days of youth +are not lost beyond return. Perform your duty in camp; I +will do mine elsewhere. Accept that which the bearer brings +you; make the campaign like a handsome true gentleman, and +think of me, who kisses tenderly your black eyes. + +"Adieu; or rather, AU REVOIR." + + +The mendicant continued to rip his garments; and drew from +amid his rags a hundred and fifty Spanish double pistoles, +which he laid down on the table; then he opened the door, +bowed, and went out before the young man, stupefied by his +letter, had ventured to address a word to him. + +Aramis then reperused the letter, and perceived a +postscript: + + +P.S. You may behave politely to the bearer, who is a count +and a grandee of Spain! + +"Golden dreams!" cried Aramis. "Oh, beautiful life! Yes, we +are young; yes, we shall yet have happy days! My love, my +blood, my life! all, all, all, are thine, my adored +mistress!" + +And he kissed the letter with passion, without even +vouchsafing a look at the gold which sparkled on the table. + +Bazin scratched at the door, and as Aramis had no longer any +reason to exclude him, he bade him come in. + +Bazin was stupefied at the sight of the gold, and forgot +that he came to announce D'Artagnan, who, curious to know +who the mendicant could be, came to Aramis on leaving Athos. + +Now, as D'Artagnan used no ceremony with Aramis, seeing that +Bazin forgot to announce him, he announced himself. + +"The devil! my dear Aramis," said D'Artagnan, "if these are +the prunes that are sent to you from Tours, I beg you will +make my compliments to the gardener who gathers them." + +"You are mistaken, friend D'Artagnan," said Aramis, always +on his guard; "this is from my publisher, who has just sent +me the price of that poem in one-syllable verse which I +began yonder." + +"Ah, indeed," said D'Artagnan. "Well, your publisher is +very generous, my dear Aramis, that's all I can say." + +"How, monsieur?" cried Bazin, "a poem sell so dear as that! +It is incredible! Oh, monsieur, you can write as much as you +like; you may become equal to Monsieur de Voiture and +Monsieur de Benserade. I like that. A poet is as good as +an abbe. Ah! Monsieur Aramis, become a poet, I beg of you." + +"Bazin, my friend," said Aramis, "I believe you meddle with +my conversation." + +Bazin perceived he was wrong; he bowed and went out. + +"Ah!" said D'Artagnan with a smile, "you sell your +productions at their weight in gold. You are very +fortunate, my friend; but take care or you will lose that +letter which is peeping from your doublet, and which also +comes, no doubt, from your publisher." + +Aramis blushed to the eyes, crammed in the letter, and +re-buttoned his doublet. + +"My dear D'Artagnan," said he, "if you please, we will join +our friends; as I am rich, we will today begin to dine +together again, expecting that you will be rich in your +turn." + +"My faith!" said D'Artagnan, with great pleasure. "It is +long since we have had a good dinner; and I, for my part, +have a somewhat hazardous expedition for this evening, and +shall not be sorry, I confess, to fortify myself with a few +glasses of good old Burgundy." + +"Agreed, as to the old Burgundy; I have no objection to +that," said Aramis, from whom the letter and the gold had +removed, as by magic, his ideas of conversion. + +And having put three or four double pistoles into his pocket +to answer the needs of the moment, he placed the others in +the ebony box, inlaid with mother of pearl, in which was the +famous handkerchief which served him as a talisman. + +The two friends repaired to Athos's, and he, faithful to his +vow of not going out, took upon him to order dinner to be +brought to them. As he was perfectly acquainted with the +details of gastronomy, D'Artagnan and Aramis made no +objection to abandoning this important care to him. + +They went to find Porthos, and at the corner of the Rue Bac +met Mousqueton, who, with a most pitiable air, was driving +before him a mule and a horse. + +D'Artagnan uttered a cry of surprise, which was not quite +free from joy. + +"Ah, my yellow horse," cried he. "Aramis, look at that +horse!" + +"Oh, the frightful brute!" said Aramis. + +"Ah, my dear," replied D'Artagnan, "upon that very horse I +came to Paris." + +"What, does Monsieur know this horse?" said Mousqueton. + +"It is of an original color," said Aramis; "I never saw one +with such a hide in my life." + +"I can well believe it," replied D'Artagnan, "and that was +why I got three crowns for him. It must have been for his +hide, for, CERTESf, the carcass is not worth eighteen livres. +But bow did this horse come into your bands, Mousqueton?" + +"Pray," said the lackey, "say nothing about it, monsieur; it +is a frightful trick of the husband of our duchess!" + +"How is that, Mousqueton?" + +"Why, we are looked upon with a rather favorable eye by a +lady of quality, the Duchesse de--but, your pardon; my master +has commanded me to be discreet. She had forced us to +accept a little souvenir, a magnificent Spanish GENET and an +Andalusian mule, which were beautiful to look upon. The +husband heard of the affair; on their way he confiscated the +two magnificent beasts which were being sent to us, and +substituted these horrible animals." + +"Which you are taking back to him?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Exactly!" replied Mousqueton. "You may well believe that we +will not accept such steeds as these in exchange for those +which had been promised to us." + +"No, PARDIEU; though I should like to have seen Porthos on +my yellow horse. That would give me an idea of how I looked +when I arrived in Paris. But don't let us hinder you, +Mousqueton; go and perform your master's orders. Is he at +home?" + +"Yes, monsieur," said Mousqueton, "but in a very ill humor. +Get up!" + +He continued his way toward the Quai des Grands Augustins, +while the two friends went to ring at the bell of the +unfortunate Porthos. He, having seen them crossing the +yard, took care not to answer, and they rang in vain. + +Meanwhile Mousqueton continued on his way, and crossing the +Pont Neuf, still driving the two sorry animals before him, +he reached the Rue aux Ours. Arrived there, he fastened, +according to the orders of his master, both horse and mule +to the knocker of the procurator's door; then, without +taking any thought for their future, he returned to Porthos, +and told him that his commission was completed. + +In a short time the two unfortunate beasts, who had not +eaten anything since the morning, made such a noise in +raising and letting fall the knocker that the procurator +ordered his errand boy to go and inquire in the neighborhood +to whom this horse and mule belonged. + +Mme. Coquenard recognized her present, and could not at +first comprehend this restitution; but the visit of Porthos +soon enlightened her. The anger which fired the eyes of the +Musketeer, in spite of his efforts to suppress it, terrified +his sensitive inamorata. In fact, Mousqueton had not +concealed from his master that he had met D'Artagnan and +Aramis, and that D'Artagnan in the yellow horse had +recognized the Bearnese pony upon which he had come to +Paris, and which he had sold for three crowns. + +Porthos went away after having appointed a meeting with the +procurator's wife in the cloister of St. Magloire. The +procurator, seeing he was going, invited him to dinner--an +invitation which the Musketeer refused with a majestic air. + +Mme. Coquenard repaired trembling to the cloister of St. +Magloire, for she guessed the reproaches that awaited her +there; but she was fascinated by the lofty airs of Porthos. + +All that which a man wounded in his self-love could let fall +in the shape of imprecations and reproaches upon the head of +a woman Porthos let fall upon the bowed head of the +procurator's wife. + +"Alas," said she, "I did all for the best! One of our +clients is a horsedealer; he owes money to the office, and +is backward in his pay. I took the mule and the horse for +what he owed us; he assured me that they were two noble +steeds." + +"Well, madame," said Porthos, "if he owed you more than five +crowns, your horsedealer is a thief." + +"There is no harm in trying to buy things cheap, Monsieur +Porthos," said the procurator's wife, seeking to excuse +herself. + +"No, madame; but they who so assiduously try to buy things +cheap ought to permit others to seek more generous friends." +And Porthos, turning on his heel, made a step to retire. + +"Monsieur Porthos! Monsieur Porthos!" cried the +procurator's wife. "I have been wrong; I see it. I ought +not to have driven a bargain when it was to equip a cavalier +like you." + +Porthos, without reply, retreated a second step. The +procurator's wife fancied she saw him in a brilliant cloud, +all surrounded by duchesses and marchionesses, who cast bags +of money at his feet. + +"Stop, in the name of heaven, Monsieur Porthos!" cried she. +"Stop, and let us talk." + +"Talking with you brings me misfortune," said Porthos. + +"But, tell me, what do you ask?" + +"Nothing; for that amounts to the same thing as if I asked +you for something." + +The procurator's wife hung upon the arm of Porthos, and in +the violence of her grief she cried out, "Monsieur Porthos, +I am ignorant of all such matters! How should I know what a +horse is? How should I know what horse furniture is?" + +"You should have left it to me, then, madame, who know what +they are; but you wished to be frugal, and consequently to +lend at usury." + +"It was wrong, Monsieur Porthos; but I will repair that +wrong, upon my word of honor." + +"How so?" asked the Musketeer. + +"Listen. This evening M. Coquenard is going to the house of +the Due de Chaulnes, who has sent for him. It is for a +consultation, which will last three hours at least. Come! +We shall be alone, and can make up our accounts." + +"In good time. Now you talk, my dear." + +"You pardon me?" + +"We shall see," said Porthos, majestically; and the two +separated saying, "Till this evening." + +"The devil!" thought Porthos, as he walked away, "it appears +I am getting nearer to Monsieur Coquenard's strongbox at +last." + + + +35 A GASCON A MATCH FOR CUPID + +The evening so impatiently waited for by Porthos and by +D'Artagnan at last arrived. + +As was his custom, D'Artagnan presented himself at Milady's +at about nine o'clock. He found her in a charming humor. +Never had he been so well received. Our Gascon knew, by the +first glance of his eye, that his billet had been delivered, +and that this billet had had its effect. + +Kitty entered to bring some sherbet. Her mistress put on a +charming face, and smiled on her graciously; but alas! the +poor girl was so sad that she did not even notice Milady's +condescension. + +D'Artagnan looked at the two women, one after the other, and +was forced to acknowledge that in his opinion Dame Nature +had made a mistake in their formation. To the great lady +she had given a heart vile and venal; to the SOUBRETTE she +had given the heart of a duchess. + +At ten o'clock Milady began to appear restless. D'Artagnan +knew what she wanted. She looked at the clock, rose, +reseated herself, smiled at D'Artagnan with an air which +said, "You are very amiable, no doubt, but you would be +charming if you would only depart." + +D'Artagnan rose and took his hat; Milady gave him her hand +to kiss. The young man felt her press his hand, and +comprehended that this was a sentiment, not of coquetry, but +of gratitude because of his departure. + +"She loves him devilishly," he murmured. Then he went out. + +This time Kitty was nowhere waiting for him; neither in the +antechamber, nor in the corridor, nor beneath the great +door. It was necessary that D'Artagnan should find alone +the staircase and the little chamber. She heard him enter, +but she did not raise her head. The young man went to her +and took her hands; then she sobbed aloud. + +As D'Artagnan had presumed, on receiving his letter, Milady +in a delirium of joy had told her servant everything; and by +way of recompense for the manner in which she had this time +executed the commission, she had given Kitty a purse. + +Returning to her own room, Kitty had thrown the purse into a +corner, where it lay open, disgorging three or four gold +pieces on the carpet. The poor girl, under the caresses of +D'Artagnan, lifted her head. D'Artagnan himself was +frightened by the change in her countenance. She joined her +hands with a suppliant air, but without venturing to speak a +word. As little sensitive as was the heart of D'Artagnan, +he was touched by this mute sorrow; but he held too +tenaciously to his projects, above all to this one, to +change the program which he had laid out in advance. He did +not therefore allow her any hope that he would flinch; only +he represented his action as one of simple vengeance. + +For the rest this vengeance was very easy; for Milady, +doubtless to conceal her blushes from her lover, had ordered +Kitty to extinguish all the lights in the apartment, and +even in the little chamber itself. Before daybreak M. de +Wardes must take his departure, still in obscurity. + +Presently they heard Milady retire to her room. D'Artagnan +slipped into the wardrobe. Hardly was he concealed when the +little bell sounded. Kitty went to her mistress, and did +not leave the door open; but the partition was so thin that +one could hear nearly all that passed between the two women. + +Milady seemed overcome with joy, and made Kitty repeat the +smallest details of the pretended interview of the soubrette +with De Wardes when he received the letter; how he had +responded; what was the expression of his face; if he seemed +very amorous. And to all these questions poor Kitty, forced +to put on a pleasant face, responded in a stifled voice +whose dolorous accent her mistress did not however remark, +solely because happiness is egotistical. + +Finally, as the hour for her interview with the count +approached, Milady had everything about her darkened, and +ordered Kitty to return to her own chamber, and introduce De +Wardes whenever he presented himself. + +Kitty's detention was not long. Hardly had D'Artagnan seen, + +through a crevice in his closet, that the whole apartment +was in obscurity, than he slipped out of his concealment, at +the very moment when Kitty reclosed the door of +communication. + +"What is that noise?" demanded Milady. + +"It is I," said D'Artagnan in a subdued voice, "I, the Comte +de Wardes." + +"Oh, my God, my God!" murmured Kitty, "he has not even +waited for the hour he himself named!" + +"Well," said Milady, in a trembling voice, "why do you not +enter? Count, Count," added she, "you know that I wait for +you." + +At this appeal D'Artagnan drew Kitty quietly away, and +slipped into the chamber. + +If rage or sorrow ever torture the heart, it is when a lover +receives under a name which is not his own protestations of +love addressed to his happy rival. D'Artagnan was in a +dolorous situation which he had not foreseen. Jealousy +gnawed his heart; and he suffered almost as much as poor +Kitty, who at that very moment was crying in the next +chamber. + +"Yes, Count," said Milady, in her softest voice, and +pressing his hand in her own, "I am happy in the love which +your looks and your words have expressed to me every time we +have met. I also--I love you. Oh, tomorrow, tomorrow, I +must have some pledge from you which will prove that you +think of me; and that you may not forget me, take this!" and +she slipped a ring from her finger onto D'Artagnan's. +D'Artagnan remembered having seen this ring on the finger of +Milady; it was a magnificent sapphire, encircled with +brilliants. + +The first movement of D'Artagnan was to return it, but +Milady added, "No, no! Keep that ring for love of me. +Besides, in accepting it," she added, in a voice full of +emotion, "you render me a much greater service than you +imagine." + +"This woman is full of mysteries," murmured D'Artagnan to +himself. At that instant he felt himself ready to reveal +all. He even opened his mouth to tell Milady who he was, +and with what a revengeful purpose he had come; but she +added, "Poor angel, whom that monster of a Gascon barely +failed to kill." + +The monster was himself. + +"Oh," continued Milady, "do your wounds still make you +suffer?" + +"Yes, much," said D'Artagnan, who did not well know how to +answer. + +"Be tranquil," murmured Milady; "I will avenge you--and +cruelly!" + +"PESTE!" said D'Artagnan to himself, "the moment for +confidences has not yet come." + +It took some time for D'Artagnan to resume this little +dialogue; but then all the ideas of vengeance which he had +brought with him had completely vanished. This woman +exercised over him an unaccountable power; he hated and +adored her at the same time. He would not have believed +that two sentiments so opposite could dwell in the same +heart, and by their union constitute a passion so strange, +and as it were, diabolical. + +Presently it sounded one o'clock. It was necessary to +separate. D'Artagnan at the moment of quitting Milady felt +only the liveliest regret at the parting; and as they +addressed each other in a reciprocally passionate adieu, +another interview was arranged for the following week. + +Poor Kitty hoped to speak a few words to D'Artagnan when he +passed through her chamber; but Milady herself reconducted +him through the darkness, and only quit him at the +staircase. + +The next morning D'Artagnan ran to find Athos. He was +engaged in an adventure so singular that he wished for +counsel. He therefore told him all. + +"Your Milady," said he, "appears to be an infamous creature, +but not the less you have done wrong to deceive her. In one +fashion or another you have a terrible enemy on your hands." + +While thus speaking Athos regarded with attention the +sapphire set with diamonds which had taken, on D'Artagnan's +finger, the place of the queen's ring, carefully kept in a +casket. + +"You notice my ring?" said the Gascon, proud to display so +rich a gift in the eyes of his friends. + +"Yes," said Athos, "it reminds me of a family jewel." + +"It is beautiful, is it not?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Yes," said Athos, "magnificent. I did not think two +sapphires of such a fine water existed. Have you traded it +for your diamond?" + +"No. It is a gift from my beautiful Englishwoman, or rather +Frenchwoman--for I am convinced she was born in France, +though I have not questioned her." + +"That ring comes from Milady?" cried Athos, with a voice in +which it was easy to detect strong emotion. + +"Her very self; she gave it me last night. Here it is," +replied D'Artagnan, taking it from his finger. + +Athos examined it and became very pale. He tried it on his +left hand; it fit his finger as if made for it. + +A shade of anger and vengeance passed across the usually +calm brow of this gentleman. + +"It is impossible it can be she," said be. "How could this +ring come into the hands of Milady Clarik? And yet it is +difficult to suppose such a resemblance should exist between +two jewels." + +"Do you know this ring?" said D'Artagnan. + +"I thought I did," replied Athos; "but no doubt I was +mistaken." And he returned D'Artagnan the ring without, +however, ceasing to look at it. + +"Pray, D'Artagnan," said Athos, after a minute, "either take +off that ring or turn the mounting inside; it recalls such +cruel recollections that I shall have no head to converse +with you. Don't ask me for counsel; don't tell me you are +perplexed what to do. But stop! let me look at that +sapphire again; the one I mentioned to you had one of its +faces scratched by accident." + +D'Artagnan took off the ring, giving it again to Athos. + +Athos started. "Look," said he, "is it not strange?" and he +pointed out to D'Artagnan the scratch he had remembered. + +"But from whom did this ring come to you, Athos?" + +"From my mother, who inherited it from her mother. As I +told you, it is an old family jewel." + +"And you--sold it?" asked D'Artagnan, hesitatingly. + +"No," replied Athos, with a singular smile. "I gave it away +in a night of love, as it has been given to you." + +D'Artagnan became pensive in his turn; it appeared as if +there were abysses in Milady's soul whose depths were dark +and unknown. He took back the ring, but put it in his +pocket and not on his finger. + +"D'Artagnan," said Athos, taking his hand, "you know I love +you; if I had a son I could not love him better. Take my +advice, renounce this woman. I do not know her, but a sort +of intuition tells me she is a lost creature, and that there +is something fatal about her." + +"You are right," said D'Artagnan; "I will have done with +her. I own that this woman terrifies me." + +"Shall you have the courage?" said Athos. + +"I shall," replied D'Artagnan, "and instantly." + +"In truth, my young friend, you will act rightly," said the +gentleman, pressing the Gascon's hand with an affection +almost paternal; "and God grant that this woman, who has +scarcely entered into your life, may not leave a terrible +trace in it!" And Athos bowed to D'Artagnan like a man who +wishes it understood that he would not be sorry to be left +alone with his thoughts. + +On reaching home D'Artagnan found Kitty waiting for him. A +month of fever could not have changed her more than this one +night of sleeplessness and sorrow. + +She was sent by her mistress to the false De Wardes. Her +mistress was mad with love, intoxicated with joy. She +wished to know when her lover would meet her a second night; +and poor Kitty, pale and trembling, awaited D'Artagnan's +reply. The counsels of his friend, joined to the cries of +his own heart, made him determine, now his pride was saved +and his vengeance satisfied, not to see Milady again. As a +reply, he wrote the following letter: + + +Do not depend upon me, madame, for the next meeting. Since +my convalescence I have so many affairs of this kind on my +hands that I am forced to regulate them a little. When your +turn comes, I shall have the honor to inform you of it. I +kiss your hands. + +Comte de Wardes + + +Not a word about the sapphire. Was the Gascon determined to +keep it as a weapon against Milady, or else, let us be +frank, did he not reserve the sapphire as a last resource +for his outfit? It would be wrong to judge the actions of +one period from the point of view of another. That which +would now be considered as disgraceful to a gentleman was at +that time quite a simple and natural affair, and the younger +sons of the best families were frequently supported by their +mistresses. D'Artagnan gave the open letter to Kitty, who +at first was unable to comprehend it, but who became almost +wild with joy on reading it a second time. She could +scarcely believe in her happiness; and D'Artagnan was forced +to renew with the living voice the assurances which he had +written. And whatever might be--considering the violent +character of Milady--the danger which the poor girl incurred +in giving this billet to her mistress, she ran back to the +Place Royale as fast as her legs could carry her. + +The heart of the best woman is pitiless toward the sorrows +of a rival. + +Milady opened the letter with eagerness equal to Kitty's in +bringing it; but at the first words she read she became +livid. She crushed the paper in her band, and turning with +flashing eyes upon Kitty, she cried, "What is this letter?" + +"The answer to Madame's," replied Kitty, all in a tremble. + +"Impossible!" cried Milady. "It is impossible a gentleman +could have written such a letter to a woman." Then all at +once, starting, she cried, "My God! can he have--" and she +stopped. She ground her teeth; she was of the color of +ashes. She tried to go toward the window for air, but she +could only stretch forth her arms; her legs failed her, and +she sank into an armchair. Kitty, fearing she was ill, +hastened toward her and was beginning to open her dress; but +Milady started up, pushing her away. "What do you want with +me?" said she, "and why do you place your hand on me?" + +"I thought that Madame was ill, and I wished to bring her +help," responded the maid, frightened at the terrible +expression which had come over her mistress's face. + +"I faint? I? I? Do you take me for half a woman? When I am +insulted I do not faint; I avenge myself!" + +And she made a sign for Kitty to leave the room. + + + +36 DREAM OF VENGEANCE + +That evening Milady gave orders that when M. D'Artagnan came +as usual, he should be immediately admitted; but he did not +come. + +The next day Kitty went to see the young man again, and +related to him all that had passed on the preceding evening. +D'Artagnan smiled; this jealous anger of Milady was his +revenge. + +That evening Milady was still more impatient than on the +preceding evening. She renewed the order relative to the +Gascon; but as before she expected him in vain. + +The next morning, when Kitty presented herself at +D'Artagnan's, she was no longer joyous and alert as on the +two preceding days; but on the contrary sad as death. + +D'Artagnan asked the poor girl what was the matter with her; +but she, as her only reply, drew a letter from her pocket +and gave it to him. + +This letter was in Milady's handwriting; only this time it +was addressed to M. D'Artagnan, and not to M. de Wardes. + +He opened it and read as follows: + + +Dear M. d'Artagnan, It is wrong thus to neglect your +friends, particularly at the moment you are about to leave +them for so long a time. My brother-in-law and myself +expected you yesterday and the day before, but in vain. +Will it be the same this evening? + +Your very grateful, +Milady Clarik + + +"That's all very simple," said D'Artagnan; "I expected this +letter. My credit rises by the fall of that of the Comte de +Wardes." + +"And will you go?" asked Kitty. + +"Listen to me, my dear girl," said the Gascon, who sought +for an excuse in his own eyes for breaking the promise he +had made Athos; "you must understand it would be impolitic +not to accept such a positive invitation. Milady, not +seeing me come again, would not be able to understand what +could cause the interruption of my visits, and might suspect +something; who could say how far the vengeance of such a +woman would go?" + +"Oh, my God!" said Kitty, "you know how to represent things +in such a way that you are always in the right. You are +going now to pay your court to her again, and if this time +you succeed in pleasing her in your own name and with your +own face, it will be much worse than before." + +Instinct made poor Kitty guess a part of what was to happen. +D'Artagnan reassured her as well as he could, and promised +to remain insensible to the seductions of Milady. + +He desired Kitty to tell her mistress that he could not be +more grateful for her kindnesses than he was, and that he +would be obedient to her orders. He did not dare to write +for fear of not being able--to such experienced eyes as those +of Milady--to disguise his writing sufficiently. + +As nine o'clock sounded, D'Artagnan was at the Place Royale. +It was evident that the servants who waited in the +antechamber were warned, for as soon as D'Artagnan appeared, +before even he had asked if Milady were visible, one of them +ran to announce him. + +"Show him in," said Milady, in a quick tone, but so piercing +that D'Artagnan heard her in the antechamber. + +He was introduced. + +"I am at home to nobody," said Milady; "observe, to nobody." +The servant went out. + +D'Artagnan cast an inquiring glance at Milady. She was +pale, and looked fatigued, either from tears or want of +sleep. The number of lights had been intentionally +diminished, but the young woman could not conceal the traces +of the fever which had devoured her for two days. + +D'Artagnan approached her with his usual gallantry. She +then made an extraordinary effort to receive him, but never +did a more distressed countenance give the lie to a more +amiable smile. + +To the questions which D'Artagnan put concerning her health, +she replied, "Bad, very bad." + +"Then," replied he, "my visit is ill-timed; you, no doubt, +stand in need of repose, and I will withdraw." + +"No. no!" said Milady. "On the contrary, stay, Monsieur +D'Artagnan; your agreeable company will divert me." + +"Oh, oh!" thought D'Artagnan. "She has never been so kind +before. On guard!" + +Milady assumed the most agreeable air possible, and +conversed with more than her usual brilliancy. At the same +time the fever, which for an instant abandoned her, returned +to give luster to her eyes, color to her cheeks, and +vermillion to her lips. D'Artagnan was again in the +presence of the Circe who had before surrounded him with her +enchantments. His love, which he believed to be extinct but +which was only asleep, awoke again in his heart. Milady +smiled, and D'Artagnan felt that he could damn himself for +that smile. There was a moment at which he felt something +like remorse. + +By degrees, Milady became more communicative. She asked +D'Artagnan if he had a mistress. + +"Alas!" said D'Artagnan, with the most sentimental air he +could assume, "can you be cruel enough to put such a +question to me--to me, who, from the moment I saw you, have +only breathed and sighed through you and for you?" + +Milady smiled with a strange smile. + +"Then you love me?" said she. + +"Have I any need to tell you so? Have you not perceived +it?" + +"It may be; but you know the more hearts are worth the +capture, the more difficult they are to be won." + +"Oh, difficulties do not affright me," said D'Artagnan. "I +shrink before nothing but impossibilities." + +"Nothing is impossible," replied Milady, "to true love." + +"Nothing, madame?" + +"Nothing," replied Milady. + +"The devil!" thought D'Artagnan. "The note is changed. Is +she going to fall in love with me, by chance, this fair +inconstant; and will she be disposed to give me myself +another sapphire like that which she gave me for De Wardes?" + +D'Artagnan rapidly drew his seat nearer to Milady's. + +"Well, now," she said, "let us see what you would do to +prove this love of which you speak." + +"All that could be required of me. Order; I am ready." + +"For everything?" + +"For everything," cried D'Artagnan, who knew beforehand that +he had not much to risk in engaging himself thus. + +"Well, now let us talk a little seriously," said Milady, in +her turn drawing her armchair nearer to D'Artagnan's chair. + +"I am all attention, madame," said he. + +Milady remained thoughtful and undecided for a moment; then, +as if appearing to have formed a resolution, she said, "I +have an enemy." + +"You, madame!" said D'Artagnan, affecting surprise; "is +that possible, my God?--good and beautiful as you are!" + +"A mortal enemy." + +"Indeed!" + +"An enemy who has insulted me so cruelly that between him +and me it is war to the death. May I reckon on you as an +auxiliary?" + +D'Artagnan at once perceived the ground which the vindictive +creature wished to reach. + +"You may, madame," said he, with emphasis. "My arm and my +life belong to you, like my love." + +"Then," said Milady, "since you are as generous as you are +loving--" + +She stopped. + +"Well?" demanded D'Artagnan. + +"Well," replied Milady, after a moment of silence, "from the +present time, cease to talk of impossibilities." + +"Do not overwhelm me with happiness," cried D'Artagnan, +throwing himself on his knees, and covering with kisses the +hands abandoned to him. + +"Avenge me of that infamous De Wardes," said Milady, between +her teeth, "and I shall soon know how to get rid of you--you +double idiot, you animated sword blade!" + +"Fall voluntarily into my arms, hypocritical and dangerous +woman," said D'Artagnan, likewise to himself, "after having +abused me with such effrontery, and afterward I will laugh +at you with him whom you wish me to kill." + +D'Artagnan lifted up his head. + +"I am ready," said he. + +"You have understood me, then, dear Monsieur D'Artagnan" +said Milady. + +"I could interpret one of your looks." + +"Then you would employ for me your arm which has already +acquired so much renown?" + +"Instantly!" + +"But on my part," said Milady, "how should I repay such a +service? I know these lovers. They are men who do nothing +for nothing." + +"You know the only reply that I desire," said D'Artagnan, +"the only one worthy of you and of me!" + +And he drew nearer to her. + +She scarcely resisted. + +"Interested man!" cried she, smiling. + +"Ah," cried D'Artagnan, really carried away by the passion +this woman had the power to kindle in his heart, "ah, that +is because my happiness appears so impossible to me; and I +have such fear that it should fly away from me like a dream +that I pant to make a reality of it." + +"Well, merit this pretended happiness, then!" + +"I am at your orders," said D'Artagnan. + +"Quite certain?" said Milady, with a last doubt. + +"Only name to me the base man that has brought tears into +your beautiful eyes!" + +"Who told you that I had been weeping?" said she. + +"It appeared to me--" + +"Such women as I never weep," said Milady. + +"So much the better! Come, tell me his name!" + +"Remember that his name is all my secret." + +"Yet I must know his name." + +"Yes, you must; see what confidence I have in you!" + +"You overwhelm me with joy. What is his name?" + +"You know him." + +"Indeed." + +"Yes. + +"It is surely not one of my friends?" replied D'Artagnan, +affecting hesitation in order to make her believe him +ignorant. + +"If it were one of your friends you would hesitate, then?" +cried Milady; and a threatening glance darted from her eyes. + +"Not if it were my own brother!" cried D'Artagnan, as if +carried away by his enthusiasm. + +Our Gascon promised this without risk, for he knew all that +was meant. + +"I love your devotedness," said Milady. + +"Alas, do you love nothing else in me?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"I love you also, YOU!" said she, taking his hand. + +The warm pressure made D'Artagnan tremble, as if by the +touch that fever which consumed Milady attacked himself. + +"You love me, you!" cried he. "Oh, if that were so, I should lose my reason!" + +And he folded her in his arms, She made no effort to remove +her lips from his kisses; only she did not respond to them. +Her lips were cold; it appeared to D'Artagnan that he had +embraced a statue. + +He was not the less intoxicated with joy, electrified by +love. He almost believed in the tenderness of Milady; he +almost believed in the crime of De Wardes. If De Wardes had +at that moment been under his hand, he would have killed +him. + +Milady seized the occasion, + +"His name is--" said she, in her turn. + +"De Wardes; I know it," cried D'Artagnan. + +"And how do you know it?" asked Milady, seizing both his +hands, and endeavoring to read with her eyes to the bottom +of his heart. + +D'Artagnan felt he had allowed himself to be carried away, +and that he had committed an error. + +"Tell me, tell me, tell me, I say," repeated Milady, "how do +you know it?" + +"How do I know it?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Yes." + +"I know it because yesterday Monsieur de Wardes, in a saloon +where I was, showed a ring which he said he had received +from you." + +"Wretch!" cried Milady. + +The epithet, as may be easily understood, resounded to the +very bottom of D'Artagnan's heart. + +"Well?" continued she. + +"Well, I will avenge you of this wretch," replied +D'Artagnan, giving himself the airs of Don Japhet of +Armenia. + +"Thanks, my brave friend!" cried Milady; "and when shall I +be avenged?" + +"Tomorrow--immediately--when you please!" + +Milady was about to cry out, "Immediately," but she +reflected that such precipitation would not be very gracious +toward D'Artagnan. + +Besides, she had a thousand precautions to take, a thousand +counsels to give to her defender, in order that he might +avoid explanations with the count before witnesses. All +this was answered by an expression of D'Artagnan's. +"Tomorrow," said he, "you will be avenged, or I shall be +dead." + +"No," said she, "you will avenge me; but you will not be +dead. He is a coward." + +"With women, perhaps; but not with men. I know something of +him." + +"But it seems you had not much reason to complain of your +fortune in your contest with him." + +"Fortune is a courtesan; favorable yesterday, she may turn +her back tomorrow." + +"Which means that you now hesitate?" + +"No, I do not hesitate; God forbid! But would it be just to +allow me to go to a possible death without having given me +at least something more than hope?" + +Milady answered by a glance which said, "Is that all?--speak, +then." And then accompanying the glance with explanatory +words, "That is but too just," said she, tenderly. + +"Oh, you are an angel!" exclaimed the young man. + +"Then all is agreed?" said she. + +"Except that which I ask of you, dear love." + +"But when I assure you that you may rely on my tenderness?" + +"I cannot wait till tomorrow." + +"Silence! I hear my brother. It will be useless for him to +find you here." + +She rang the bell and Kitty appeared. + +"Go out this way," said she, opening a small private door, +"and come back at eleven o'clock; we will then terminate +this conversation. Kitty will conduct you to my chamber." + +The poor girl almost fainted at hearing these words. + +"Well, mademoiselle, what are you thinking about, standing +there like a statue? Do as I bid you: show the chevalier +out; and this evening at eleven o'clock--you have heard what +I said." + +"It appears that these appointments are all made for eleven +o'clock," thought D'Artagnan; "that's a settled custom." + +Milady held out her hand to him, which he kissed tenderly. + +367 + +"But," said he, as he retired as quickly as possible from +the reproaches of Kitty, "I must not play the fool. This +woman is certainly a great liar. I must take care." + + + +37 MILADY'S SECRET + +D'Artagnan left the hotel instead of going up at once to +Kitty's chamber, as she endeavored to persuade him to do--and +that for two reasons: the first, because by this means he +should escape reproaches, recriminations, and prayers; the +second, because be was not sorry to have an opportunity of +reading his own thoughts and endeavoring, if possible, to +fathom those of this woman. + +What was most clear in the matter was that D'Artagnan loved +Milady like a madman, and that she did not love him at all. +In an instant D'Artagnan perceived that the best way in +which he could act would be to go home and write Milady a +long letter, in which he would confess to her that he and De +Wardes were, up to the present moment absolutely the same, +and that consequently he could not undertake, without +committing suicide, to kill the Comte de Wardes. But be +also was spurred on by a ferocious desire of vengeance. He +wished to subdue this woman in his own name; and as this +vengeance appeared to him to have a certain sweetness in it, +he could not make up his mind to renounce it. + +He walked six or seven times round the Place Royale, turning +at every ten steps to look at the light in Milady's +apartment, which was to be seen through the blinds. It was +evident that this time the young woman was not in such haste +to retire to her apartment as she had been the first. + +At length the light disappeared. With this light was +extinguished the last irresolution in the heart of +D'Artagnan. He recalled to his mind the details of the +first night, and with a beating heart and a brain on fire he +re-entered the hotel and flew toward Kitty's chamber. + +The poor girl, pale as death and trembling in all her limbs, +wished to delay her lover; but Milady, with her ear on the +watch, had heard the noise D'Artagnan had made, and opening +the door, said, "Come in." + +All this was of such incredible immodesty, of such monstrous +effrontery, that D'Artagnan could scarcely believe what he +saw or what he heard. He imagined himself to be drawn into +one of those fantastic intrigues one meets in dreams. He, +however, darted not the less quickly toward Milady, yielding +to that magnetic attraction which the loadstone exercises +over iron. + +As the door closed after them Kitty rushed toward it. +Jealousy, fury, offended pride, all the passions in short +that dispute the heart of an outraged woman in love, urged +her to make a revelation; but she reflected that she would +be totally lost if she confessed having assisted in such a +machination, and above all, that D'Artagnan would also be +lost to her forever. This last thought of love counseled +her to make this last sacrifice. + +D'Artagnan, on his part, had gained the summit of all his +wishes. It was no longer a rival who was beloved; it was +himself who was apparently beloved. A secret voice +whispered to him, at the bottom of his heart, that he was +but an instrument of vengeance, that he was only caressed +till he had given death; but pride, but self-love, but +madness silenced this voice and stifled its murmurs. And +then our Gascon, with that large quantity of conceit which +we know he possessed, compared himself with De Wardes, and +asked himself why, after all, he should not be beloved for +himself? + +He was absorbed entirely by the sensations of the moment. +Milady was no longer for him that woman of fatal intentions +who had for a moment terrified him; she was an ardent, +passionate mistress, abandoning herself to love which she +also seemed to feel. Two hours thus glided away. When the +transports of the two lovers were calmer, Milady, who had +not the same motives for forgetfulness that D'Artagnan had, +was the first to return to reality, and asked the young man +if the means which were on the morrow to bring on the +encounter between him and De Wardes were already arranged in +his mind. + +But D'Artagnan, whose ideas had taken quite another course, +forgot himself like a fool, and answered gallantly that it +was too late to think about duels and sword thrusts. + +This coldness toward the only interests that occupied her +mind terrified Milady, whose questions became more pressing. + +Then D'Artagnan, who had never seriously thought of this +impossible duel, endeavored to turn the conversation; but he +could not succeed. Milady kept him within the limits she +had traced beforehand with her irresistible spirit and her +iron will. + +D'Artagnan fancied himself very cunning when advising Milady +to renounce, by pardoning De Wardes, the furious projects +she had formed. + +But at the first word the young woman started, and exclaimed +in a sharp, bantering tone. which sounded strangely in the +darkness, "Are you afraid, dear Monsieur D'Artagnan?" + +"You cannot think so, dear love!" replied D'Artagnan; "but +now, suppose this poor Comte de Wardes were less guilty than +you think him?" + +"At all events," said Milady, seriously, "he has deceived +me, and from the moment he deceived me, he merited death." + +"He shall die, then, since you condemn him!" said +D'Artagnan, in so firm a tone that it appeared to Milady an +undoubted proof of devotion. This reassured her. + +We cannot say how long the night seemed to Milady, but +D'Artagnan believed it to be hardly two hours before the +daylight peeped through the window blinds, and invaded the +chamber with its paleness. Seeing D'Artagnan about to leave +her, Milady recalled his promise to avenge her on the Comte +de Wardes. + +"I am quite ready," said D'Artagnan; "but in the first place +I should like to be certain of one thing." + +"And what is that?" asked Milady. + +"That is, whether you really love me?" + +"I have given you proof of that, it seems to me." + +"And I am yours, body and soul!" + +"Thanks, my brave lover; but as you are satisfied of my +love, you must, in your turn, satisfy me of yours. Is it +not so?" + +"Certainly; but if you love me as much as you say," replied +D'Artagnan, "do you not entertain a little fear on my +account?" + +"What have I to fear?" + +"Why, that I may be dangerously wounded--killed even." + +"Impossible!" cried Milady, "you are such a valiant man, and +such an expert swordsman." + +"You would not, then, prefer a method," resumed D'Artagnan, +"which would equally avenge you while rendering the combat +useless?" + +Milady looked at her lover in silence. The pale light of +the first rays of day gave to her clear eyes a strangely +frightful expression. + +"Really," said she, "I believe you now begin to hesitate." + +"No, I do not hesitate; but I really pity this poor Comte de +Wardes, since you have ceased to love him. I think that a +man must be so severely punished by the loss of your love +that he stands in need of no other chastisement." + +"Who told you that I loved him?" asked Milady, sharply. + +"At least, I am now at liberty to believe, without too much +fatuity, that you love another," said the young man, in a +caressing tone, "and I repeat that I am really interested +for the count." + +"You?" asked Milady. + +"Yes, I." + +"And why YOU?" + +"Because I alone know--" + +"What?" + +"That he is far from being, or rather having been, so guilty +toward you as he appears." + +"Indeed!" said Milady, in an anxious tone; "explain +yourself, for I really cannot tell what you mean." + +And she looked at D'Artagnan, who embraced her tenderly, +with eyes which seemed to burn themselves away. + +"Yes; I am a man of honor," said D'Artagnan, determined to +come to an end, "and since your love is mine, and I am +satisfied I possess it--for I do possess it, do I not?" + +"Entirely; go on." + +"Well, I feel as if transformed--a confession weighs on my +mind." + +"A confession!" + +"If I had the least doubt of your love I would not make it, +but you love me, my beautiful mistress, do you not?" + +"Without doubt." + +"Then if through excess of love I have rendered myself +culpable toward you, you will pardon me?" + +"Perhaps." + +D'Artagnan tried with his sweetest smile to touch his lips +to Milady's, but she evaded him. + +"This confession," said she, growing paler, "what is this +confession?" + +"You gave De Wardes a meeting on Thursday last in this very +room, did you not?" + +"No, no! It is not true," said Milady, in a tone of voice so +firm, and with a countenance so unchanged, that if +D'Artagnan had not been in such perfect possession of the +fact, he would have doubted. + +"Do not lie, my angel," said D'Artagnan, smiling; "that +would be useless." + +"What do you mean? Speak! you kill me." + +"Be satisfied; you are not guilty toward me, and I have +already pardoned you." + +"What next? what next?" + +"De Wardes cannot boast of anything." + +"How is that? You told me yourself that that ring--" + +"That ring I have! The Comte de Wardes of Thursday and the +D'Artagnan of today are the same person." + +The imprudent young man expected a surprise, mixed with +shame--a slight storm which would resolve itself into tears; +but he was strangely deceived, and his error was not of long +duration. + +Pale and trembling, Milady repulsed D'Artagnan's attempted +embrace by a violent blow on the chest, as she sprang out of +bed. + +It was almost broad daylight. + +D'Artagnan detained her by her night dress of fine India +linen, to implore her pardon; but she, with a strong +movement, tried to escape. Then the cambric was torn from +her beautiful shoulders; and on one of those lovely +shoulders, round and white, D'Artagnan recognized, with +inexpressible astonishment, the FLEUR-DE-LIS--that indelible +mark which the hand of the infamous executioner had +imprinted. + +"Great God!" cried D'Artagnan, loosing his hold of her +dress, and remaining mute, motionless, and frozen. + +But Milady felt herself denounced even by his terror. He +had doubtless seen all. The young man now knew her secret, +her terrible secret--the secret she concealed even from her +maid with such care, the secret of which all the world was +ignorant, except himself. + +She turned upon him, no longer like a furious woman, but +like a wounded panther. + +"Ah, wretch!" cried she, "you have basely betrayed me, and +still more, you have my secret! You shall die." + +And she flew to a little inlaid casket which stood upon the +dressing table, opened it with a feverish and trembling +band, drew from it a small poniard, with a golden haft and a +sharp thin blade, and then threw herself with a bound upon +D'Artagnan. + +Although the young man was brave, as we know, he was +terrified at that wild countenance, those terribly dilated +pupils, those pale cheeks, and those bleeding lips. He +recoiled to the other side of the room as he would have done +from a serpent which was crawling toward him, and his sword +coming in contact with his nervous hand, he drew it almost +unconsciously from the scabbard. But without taking any +heed of the sword, Milady endeavored to get near enough to +him to stab him, and did not stop till she felt the sharp +point at her throat. + +She then tried to seize the sword with her hands; but +D'Artagnan kept it free from her grasp, and presenting the +point, sometimes at her eyes, sometimes at her breast, +compelled her to glide behind the bedstead, while he aimed +at making his retreat by the door which led to Kitty's +apartment. + +Milady during this time continued to strike at him with +horrible fury, screaming in a formidable way. + +As all this, however, bore some resemblance to a duel, +D'Artagnan began to recover himself little by little. + +"Well, beautiful lady, very well," said be; "but, PARDIEU, +if you don't calm yourself, I will design a second +FLEUR-DE-LIS upon one of those pretty checks!" + +"Scoundrel, infamous scoundrel!" howled Milady. + +But D'Artagnan, still keeping on the defensive, drew near to +Kitty's door. At the noise they made, she in overturning +the furniture in her efforts to get at him, he in screening +himself behind the furniture to keep out of her reach, Kitty +opened the door. D'Artagnan, who had unceasingly maneuvered +to gain this point, was not at more than three paces from +it. With one spring he flew from the chamber of Milady into +that of the maid, and quick as lightning, he slammed to the +door, and placed all his weight against it, while Kitty +pushed the bolts. + +Then Milady attempted to tear down the doorcase, with a +strength apparently above that of a woman; but finding she +could not accomplish this, she in her fury stabbed at the +door with her poniard, the point of which repeatedly +glittered through the wood. Every blow was accompanied with +terrible imprecations. + +"Quick, Kitty, quick!" said D'Artagnan, in a low voice, as +soon as the bolts were fast, "let me get out of the hotel; +for if we leave her time to turn round, she will have me +killed by the servants." + +"But you can't go out so," said Kitty; "you are naked." + +"That's true," said D'Artagnan, then first thinking of the +costume he found himself in, "that's true. But dress me as +well as you are able, only make haste; think, my dear girl, +it's life and death!" + +Kitty was but too well aware of that. In a turn of the hand +she muffled him up in a flowered robe, a large hood, and a +cloak. She gave him some slippers, in which he placed his +naked feet, and then conducted him down the stairs. It was +time. Milady had already rung her bell, and roused the +whole hotel. The porter was drawing the cord at the moment +Milady cried from her window, "Don't open!" + +The young man fled while she was still threatening him with +an impotent gesture. The moment she lost sight of him, +Milady tumbled fainting into her chamber. + + + +38 HOW, WIHTOUT INCOMMODING HIMSELF, ATHOS PROCURES HIA EQUIPMENT + +D'Artagnan was so completely bewildered that without taking +any heed of what might become of Kitty he ran at full speed +across half Paris, and did not stop till he came to Athos's +door. The confusion of his mind, the terror which spurred +him on, the cries of some of the patrol who started in +pursuit of him, and the hooting of the people who, +notwithstanding the early hour, were going to their work, +only made him precipitate his course. + +He crossed the court, ran up the two flights to Athos's +apartment, and knocked at the door enough to break it down. + +Grimaud came, rubbing his half-open eyes, to answer this +noisy summons, and D'Artagnan sprang with such violence into +the room as nearly to overturn the astonished lackey. + +In spite of his habitual silence, the poor lad this time +found his speech. + +"Holloa, there!" cried he; "what do you want, you strumpet? +What's your business here, you hussy?" + +D'Artagnan threw off his hood, and disengaged his hands from +the folds of the cloak. At sight of the mustaches and the +naked sword, the poor devil perceived he had to deal with a +man. He then concluded it must be an assassin. + +"Help! murder! help!" cried he. + +"Hold your tongue, you stupid fellow!" said the young man; "I am +D'Artagnan; don't you know me? Where is your master?" + +"You, Monsieur D'Artagnan!" cried Grimaud, "impossible." + +"Grimaud," said Athos, coming out of his apartment in a +dressing gown, "Grimaud, I thought I heard you permitting +yourself to speak?" + +"Ah, monsieur, it is--" + +"Silence!" + +Grimaud contented himself with pointing D'Artagnan out to +his master with his finger. + +Athos recognized his comrade, and phlegmatic as he was, he +burst into a laugh which was quite excused by the strange +masquerade before his eyes--petticoats falling over his +shoes, sleeves tucked up, and mustaches stiff with +agitation. + +"Don't laugh, my friend!" cried D'Artagnan; "for heaven's +sake, don't laugh, for upon my soul, it's no laughing +matter!" + +And he pronounced these words with such a solemn air and +with such a real appearance of terror, that Athos eagerly +seized his hand, crying, "Are you wounded, my friend? How +pale you are!" + +"No, but I have just met with a terrible adventure! Are you +alone, Athos?" + +"PARBLEU! whom do you expect to find with me at this hour?" + +"Well, well!" and D'Artagnan rushed into Athos's chamber. + +"Come, speak!" said the latter, closing the door and bolting +it, that they might not be disturbed. "Is the king dead? +Have you killed the cardinal? You are quite upset! Come, +come, tell me; I am dying with curiosity and uneasiness!" + +"Athos," said D'Artagnan, getting rid of his female +garments, and appearing in his shirt, "prepare yourself to +hear an incredible, an unheard-of story." + +"Well, but put on this dressing gown first," said the +Musketeer to his friend. + +D'Artagnan donned the robe as quickly as he could, mistaking +one sleeve for the other, so greatly was he still agitated. + +"Well?" said Athos. + +"Well," replied D'Artagnan, bending his mouth to Athos's +ear, and lowering his voice, "Milady is marked with a +FLEUR-DE-LIS upon her shoulder!" + +"Ah!" cried the Musketeer, as if he had received a ball in +his heart. + +"Let us see," said D'Artagnan. "Are you SURE that the OTHER +is dead?" + +"THE OTHER?" said Athos, in so stifled a voice that +D'Artagnan scarcely heard him. + +"Yes, she of whom you told me one day at Amiens." + +Athos uttered a groan, and let his head sink on his hands. + +"This is a woman of twenty-six or twenty-eight years." + +"Fair," said Athos, "is she not?" + +"Very." + +"Blue and clear eyes, of a strange brilliancy, with black +eyelids and eyebrows?" + +"Yes." + +"Tall, well-made? She has lost a tooth, next to the +eyetooth on the left?" + +"Yes." + +"The FLEUR-DE-LIS is small, rosy in color, and looks as if +efforts had been made to efface it by the application of +poultices?" + +"Yes." + +"But you say she is English?" + +"She is called Milady, but she may be French. Lord de +Winter is only her brother-in-law," + +"I will see her, D'Artagnan!" + +"Beware, Athos, beware. You tried to kill her; she is a +woman to return you the like, and not to fail." + +"She will not dare to say anything; that would be to +denounce herself." + +"She is capable of anything or everything. Did you ever see +her furious?" + +"No," said Athos. + +"A tigress, a panther! Ah, my dear Athos, I am greatly +afraid I have drawn a terrible vengeance on both of us!" + +D'Artagnan then related all--the mad passion of Milady and +her menaces of death. + +"You are right; and upon my soul, I would give my life for a +hair," said Athos. "Fortunately, the day after tomorrow we +leave Paris. We are going according to all probability to +La Rochelle, and once gone--" + +"She will follow you to the end of the world, Athos, if she +recognizes you. Let her, then, exhaust her vengeance on me +alone!" + +"My dear friend, of what consequence is it if she kills me?" +said Athos. "Do you, perchance, think I set any great store +by life?" + +"There is something horribly mysterious under all this, +Athos; this woman is one of the cardinal's spies, I am sure +of that." + +"In that case, take care! If the cardinal does not hold you +in high admiration for the affair of London, he entertains a +great hatred for you; but as, considering everything, he +cannot accuse you openly, and as hatred must be satisfied, +particularly when it's a cardinal's hatred, take care of +yourself. If you go out, do not go out alone; when you eat, +use every precaution. Mistrust everything, in short, even +your own shadow." + +"Fortunately," said D'Artagnan, "all this will be only +necessary till after tomorrow evening, for when once with +the army, we shall have, I hope, only men to dread." + +"In the meantime," said Athos, "I renounce my plan of +seclusion, and wherever you go, I will go with you. You +must return to the Rue des Fossoyeurs; I will accompany +you." + +"But however near it may be," replied D'Artagnan, "I cannot +go thither in this quise." + +"That's true," said Athos, and he rang the bell. + +Grimaud entered. + +Athos made him a sign to go to D'Artagnan's residence, and +bring back some clothes. Grimaud replied by another sign +that be understood perfectly, and set off. + +"All this will not advance your outfit," said Athos; "for if +I am not mistaken, you have left the best of your apparel +with Milady, and she will certainly not have the politeness +to return it to you. Fortunately, you have the sapphire." + +"The jewel is yours, my dear Athos! Did you not tell me it +was a family jewel?" + +"Yes, my grandfather gave two thousand crowns for it, as he +once told me. It formed part of the nuptial present he made +his wife, and it is magnificent. My mother gave it to me, +and I, fool as I was, instead of keeping the ring as a holy +relic, gave it to this wretch." + +"Then, my friend, take back this ring, to which I see you +attach much value." + +"I take back the ring, after it has passed through the hands +of that infamous creature Never; that ring is defiled, +D'Artagnan. + +"Sell it, then." + +"Sell a jewel which came from my mother! I vow I should +consider it a profanation." + +"Pledge it, then; you can borrow at least a thousand crowns +on it. With that sum you can extricate yourself from your +present difficulties; and when you are full of money again, +you can redeem it, and take it back cleansed from its +ancient stains, as it will have passed through the hands of +usurers." + +Athos smiled. + +"You are a capital companion, D'Artagnan," said be; "your +never-failing cheerfulness raises poor souls in affliction. +Well, let us pledge the ring, but upon one condition." + +"What?" + +"That there shall be five hundred crowns for you, and five +hundred crowns for me." + +"Don't dream it, Athos. I don't need the quarter of such a +sum--I who am still only in the Guards--and by selling my +saddles, I shall procure it. What do I want? A horse for +Planchet, that's all. Besides, you forget that I have a +ring likewise." + +"To which you attach more value, it seems, than I do to +mine; at least, I have thought so." + +"Yes, for in any extreme circumstance it might not only +extricate us from some great embarrassment, but even a great +danger. It is not only a valuable diamond, but it is an +enchanted talisman." + +"I don't at all understand you, but I believe all you say to +be true. Let us return to my ring, or rather to yours. You +shall take half the sum that will be advanced upon it, or I +will throw it into the Seine; and I doubt, as was the case +with Polycrates, whether any fish will be sufficiently +complaisant to bring it back to us." + +"Well, I will take it, then," said D'Artagnan. + +At this moment Grimaud returned, accompanied by Planchet; +the latter, anxious about his master and curious to know +what had happened to him, had taken advantage of the +opportunity and brought the garments himself. + + +D'Artagnan dressed himself, and Athos did the same. When +the two were ready to go out, the latter made Grimaud the +sign of a man taking aim, and the lackey immediately took +down his musketoon, and prepared to follow his master. + +They arrived without accident at the Rue des Fossoyeurs. +Bonacieux was standing at the door, and looked at D'Artagnan +hatefully. + +"Make haste, dear lodger," said he; "there is a very pretty +girl waiting for you upstairs; and you know women don't like +to be kept waiting." + +"That's Kitty!" said D'Artagnan to himself, and darted into +the passage. + +Sure enough! Upon the landing leading to the chamber, and +crouching against the door, he found the poor girl, all in a +tremble. As soon as she perceived him, she cried, "You have +promised your protection; you have promised to save me from +her anger. Remember, it is you who have ruined me!" + +"Yes, yes, to be sure, Kitty," said D'Artagnan; "be at ease, +my girl. But what happened after my departure?" + +"How can I tell!" said Kitty. "The lackeys were brought by +the cries she made. She was mad with passion. There exist +no imprecations she did not pour out against you. Then I +thought she would remember it was through my chamber you had +penetrated hers, and that then she would suppose I was your +accomplice; so I took what little money I had and the best +of my things, and I got away. + +"Poor dear girl! But what can I do with you? I am going +away the day after tomorrow." + +"Do what you please, Monsieur Chevalier. Help me out of +Paris; help me out of France!" + +"I cannot take you, however, to the siege of La Rochelle," +aid D'Artagnan. + +"No; but you can place me in one of the provinces with some +lady of your acquaintance--in your own country, for +instance." + +"My dear little love! In my country the ladies do without +chambermaids. But stop! I can manage your business for +you. Planchet, go and find Aramis. Request him to come +here directly. We have something very important to say to +him." + +"I understand," said Athos; "but why not Porthos? I should +have thought that his duchess--" + +"Oh, Porthos's duchess is dressed by her husband's clerks," +said D'Artagnan, laughing. "Besides, Kitty would not like +to live in the Rue aux Ours. Isn't it so, Kitty?" + +"I do not care where I live," said Kitty, "provided I am +well concealed, and nobody knows where I am." + +"Meanwhile, Kitty, when we are about to separate, and you +are no longer jealous of me--" + +"Monsieur Chevalier, far off or near," said Kitty, "I shall +always love you." + +"Where the devil will constancy niche itself next?" murmured +Athos. + +"And I, also," said D'Artagnan, "I also. I shall always +love you; be sure of that. But now answer me. I attach +great importance to the question I am about to put to you. +Did you never hear talk of a young woman who was carried off +one night?" + +"There, now! Oh, Monsieur Chevalier, do you love that woman +still?" + +"No, no; it is one of my friends who loves her--Monsieur +Athos, this gentleman here." + +"I?" cried Athos, with an accent like that of a man who +perceives he is about to tread upon an adder. + +"You, to be sure!" said D'Artagnan, pressing Athos's hand. +"You know the interest we both take in this poor little +Madame Bonacieux. Besides, Kitty will tell nothing; will +you, Kitty? You understand, my dear girl," continued +D'Artagnan, "she is the wife of that frightful baboon you +saw at the door as you came in." + +"Oh, my God! You remind me of my fright! If he should have +known me again!" + +"How? know you again? Did you ever see that man before?" + +"He came twice to Milady's." + +"That's it. About what time?" + +"Why, about fifteen or eighteen days ago." + +"Exactly so." + +"And yesterday evening he came again." + +"Yesterday evening?" + +"Yes, just before you came." + +"My dear Athos, we are enveloped in a network of spies. And +do you believe he knew you again, Kitty?" + +"I pulled down my hood as soon as I saw him, but perhaps it +was too +late." + +"Go down, Athos--he mistrusts you less than me--and see if he +be still at his door." + +Athos went down and returned immediately. + +"He has gone," said he, "and the house door is shut." + +"He has gone to make his report, and to say that all the +pigeons are at this moment in the dovecot" + +"Well, then, let us all fly," said Athos, "and leave nobody +here but Planchet to bring us news." + +"A minute. Aramis, whom we have sent for!" + +"That's true," said Athos; "we must wait for Aramis." + +At that moment Aramis entered. + +The matter was all explained to him, and the friends gave +him to understand that among all his high connections he +must find a place for Kitty. + +Aramis reflected for a minute, and then said, coloring, +"Will it be really rendering you a service, D'Artagnan?" + +"I shall be grateful to you all my life." + +"Very well. Madame de Bois-Tracy asked me, for one of her +friends who resides in the provinces, I believe, for a +trustworthy maid. If you can, my dear D'Artagnan, answer +for Mademoiselle-" + +"Oh, monsieur, be assured that I shall be entirely devoted +to the person who will give me the means of quitting Paris." + +"Then," said Aramis, "this falls out very well." + +He placed himself at the table and wrote a little note which +he sealed with a ring, and gave the billet to Kitty. + +"And now, my dear girl," said D'Artagnan, "you know that it +is not good for any of us to be here. Therefore let us +separate. We shall meet again in better days." + +"And whenever we find each other, in whatever place it may +be," said Kitty, "you will find me loving you as I love you +today." + +"Dicers' oaths!" said Athos, while D'Artagnan went to +conduct Kitty downstairs. + +An instant afterward the three young men separated, agreeing +to meet again at four o'clock with Athos, and leaving +Planchet to guard the house. + +Aramis returned home, and Athos and D'Artagnan busied +themselves about pledging the sapphire. + +As the Gascon had foreseen, they easily obtained three +hundred pistoles on the ring. Still further, the Jew told +them that if they would sell it to him, as it would make a +magnificent pendant for earrings, he would give five hundred +pistoles for it. + +Athos and D'Artagnan, with the activity of two soldiers and +the knowledge of two connoisseurs, hardly required three +hours to purchase the entire equipment of the Musketeer. +Besides, Athos was very easy, and a noble to his fingers' +ends. When a thing suited him he paid the price demanded, +without thinking to ask for any abatement. D'Artagnan would +have remonstrated at this; but Athos put his hand upon his +shoulder, with a smile, and D'Artagnan understood that it +was all very well for such a little Gascon gentleman as +himself to drive a bargain, but not for a man who had the +bearing of a prince. The Musketeer met with a superb +Andalusian horse, black as jet, nostrils of fire, legs clean +and elegant, rising six years. He examined him, and found +him sound and without blemish. They asked a thousand livres +for him. + +He might perhaps have been bought for less; but while +D'Artagnan was discussing the price with the dealer, Athos +was counting out the money on the table. + +Grimaud had a stout, short Picard cob, which cost three +hundred livres. + +But when the saddle and arms for Grimaud were purchased, +Athos had not a son left of his hundred and fifty pistoles. +D'Artagnan offered his friend a part of his share which he +should return when convenient. + +But Athos only replied to this proposal by shrugging his +shoulders. + +"How much did the Jew say he would give for the sapphire if +be purchased it?" said Athos. + +"Five hundred pistoles." + +"That is to say, two hundred more--a hundred pistoles for you +and a hundred pistoles for me. Well, now, that would be a +real fortune to us, my friend; let us go back to the Jew's +again." + +"What! "will you--" + +"This ring would certainly only recall very bitter +remembrances; then we shall never be masters of three +hundred pistoles to redeem it, so that we really should lose +two hundred pistoles by the bargain. Go and tell him the +ring is his, D'Artagnan, and bring back the two hundred +pistoles with you." + +"Reflect, Athos!" + +"Ready money is needful for the present time, and we must +learn how to make sacrifices. Go, D'Artagnan, go; Grimaud +will accompany you with his musketoon." + +A half hour afterward, D'Artagnan returned with the two +thousand livres, and without having met with any accident. + +It was thus Athos found at home resources which he did not +expect. + + + +39 A VISION + +At four o'clock the four friends were all assembled with +Athos. Their anxiety about their outfits had all +disappeared, and each countenance only preserved the +expression of its own secret disquiet--for behind all present +happiness is concealed a fear for the future. + +Suddenly Planchet entered, bringing two letters for +D'Artagnan. + +The one was a little billet, genteelly folded, with a pretty +seal in green wax on which was impressed a dove bearing a +green branch. + +The other was a large square epistle, resplendent with the +terrible arms of his Eminence the cardinal duke. + +At the sight of the little letter the heart of D'Artagnan +bounded, for he believed he recognized the handwriting, and +although he had seen that writing but once, the memory of it +remained at the bottom of his heart. + +He therefore seized the little epistle, and opened it +eagerly. + + +"Be," said the letter, "on Thursday next, at from six to +seven o'clock in the evening, on the road to Chaillot, and +look carefully into the carriages that pass; but if you have +any consideration for your own life or that of those who +love you, do not speak a single word, do not make a movement +which may lead anyone to believe you have recognized her who +exposes herself to everything for the sake of seeing you but +for an instant." + +No signature. + + +"That's a snare," said Athos; "don't go, D'Artagnan." + +"And yet," replied D'Artagnan, "I think I recognize the +writing." + +"It may be counterfeit," said Athos. "Between six and seven +o'clock the road of Chaillot is quite deserted; you might as +well go and ride in the forest of Bondy." + +"But suppose we all go," said D'Artagnan; "what the devil! +They won't devour us all four, four lackeys, horses, arms, +and all!" + +"And besides, it will be a chance for displaying our new +equipments," said Porthos. + +"But if it is a woman who writes," said Aramis, "and that +woman desires not to be seen, remember, you compromise her, +D'Artagnan; which is not the part of a gentleman." + +"We will remain in the background," said Porthos, "and he +will advance alone." + +"Yes; but a pistol shot is easily fired from a carriage +which goes at a gallop." + +"Bah!" said D'Artagnan, "they will miss me; if they fire we +will ride after the carriage, and exterminate those who may +be in it. They must be enemies." + +"He is right," said Porthos; "battle. Besides, we must try +our now arms." + +"Bah, let us enjoy that pleasure," said Aramis, with his +mild and careless manner. + +"As you please," said Athos. + +"Gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, "it is half past four, and we +have scarcely time to be on the road of Chaillot by six." + +"Besides, if we go out too late, nobody will see us," said +Porthos, "and that will be a pity. Let us get ready, +gentlemen." + +"But this second letter," said Athos, "you forget that; it +appears to me, however, that the seal denotes that it +deserves to be opened. For my part, I declare, D'Artagnan, +I think it of much more consequence than the little piece of +waste paper you have so cunningly slipped into your bosom." + +D'Artagnan blushed. + +"Well," said he, "let us see, gentlemen, what are his +Eminence's commands," and D'Artagnan unsealed the letter and +read, + + +"M. D'Artagnan, of the king's Guards, company Dessessart, is +expected at the Palais-Cardinal this evening, at eight +o'clock. + +"La Houdiniere, CAPTAIN OF THE GUARDS" + + +"The devil!" said Athos; "here's a rendezvous much more +serious than the other." + +"I will go to the second after attending the first," said +D'Artagnan. "One is for seven o'clock, and the other for +eight; there will be time for both." + +"Hum! I would not go at all," said Aramis. "A gallant +knight cannot decline a rendezvous with a lady; but a +prudent gentleman may excuse himself from not waiting on his +Eminence, particularly when he has reason to believe he is +not invited to make his compliments." + +"I am of Aramis's opinion," said Porthos. + +"Gentlemen," replied D'Artagnan, "I have already received by +Monsieur de Cavois a similar invitation from his Eminence. +I neglected it, and on the morrow a serious misfortune +happened to me--Constance disappeared. Whatever may ensue, I +will go." + +"If you are determined," said Athos, "do so." + +"But the Bastille?" said Aramis. + +"Bah! you will get me out if they put me there," said +D'Artagnan. + +"To be sure we will," replied Aramis and Porthos, with +admirable promptness and decision, as if that were the +simplest thing in the world, "to be sure we will get you +out; but meantime, as we are to set off the day after +tomorrow, you would do much better not to risk this +Bastille." + +"Let us do better than that," said Athos; "do not let us +leave him during the whole evening. Let each of us wait at +a gate of the palace with three Musketeers behind him; if we +see a close carriage, at all suspicious in appearance, come +out, let us fall upon it. It is a long time since we have +had a skirmish with the Guards of Monsieur the Cardinal; +Monsieur de Treville must think us dead." + +"To a certainty, Athos," said Aramis, "you were meant to be +a general of the army! What do you think of the plan, +gentlemen?" + +"Admirable!" replied the young men in chorus. + +"Well," said Porthos, "I will run to the hotel, and engage +our comrades to hold themselves in readiness by eight +o'clock; the rendezvous, the Place du Palais-Cardinal. +Meantime, you see that the lackeys saddle the horses." + +"I have no horse," said D'Artagnan; "but that is of no +consequence, I can take one of Monsieur de Treville's." + +"That is not worth while," said Aramis, "you can have one of +mine." + +"One of yours! how many have you, then?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"Three," replied Aramis, smiling. + +"Certes," cried Athos, "you are the best-mounted poet of +France or Navarre." + +"Well, my dear Aramis, you don't want three horses? I +cannot comprehend what induced you to buy three!" + +"Therefore I only purchased two," said Aramis. + +"The third, then, fell from the clouds, I suppose?" + +"No, the third was brought to me this very morning by a +groom out of livery, who would not tell me in whose service +he was, and who said he had received orders from his +master." + +"Or his mistress," interrupted D'Artagnan. + +"That makes no difference," said Aramis, coloring; "and who +affirmed, as I said, that he had received orders from his +master or mistress to place the horse in my stable, without +informing me whence it came." + +"It is only to poets that such things happen," said Athos, +gravely. + +"Well, in that case, we can manage famously," said +D'Artagnan; "which of the two horses will you ride--that +which you bought or the one that was given to you?" + +"That which was given to me, assuredly. You cannot for a +moment imagine, D'Artagnan, that I would commit such an +offense toward--" + +"The unknown giver," interrupted D'Artagnan. + +"Or the mysterious benefactress," said Athos. + +"The one you bought will then become useless to you?" + +"Nearly so." + +"And you selected it yourself?" + +"With the greatest care. The safety of the horseman, you +know, depends almost always upon the goodness of his horse." + +"Well, transfer it to me at the price it cost you?" + +"I was going to make you the offer, my dear D'Artagnan, +giving you all the time necessary for repaying me such a +trifle." + +"How much did it cost you?" + +"Eight hundred livres." + +"Here are forty double pistoles, my dear friend," said +D'Artagnan, taking the sum from his pocket; "I know that is +the coin in which you were paid for your poems." + +"You are rich, then?" said Aramis. + +"Rich? Richest, my dear fellow!" + +And D'Artagnan chinked the remainder of his pistoles in his +pocket. + +"Send your saddle, then, to the hotel of the Musketeers, and +your horse can be brought back with ours." + +"Very well; but it is already five o'clock, so make haste." + +A quarter of an hour afterward Porthos appeared at the end +of the Rue Ferou on a very handsome genet. Mousqueton +followed him upon an Auvergne horse, small but very +handsome. Porthos was resplendent with joy and pride. + +At the same time, Aramis made his appearance at the other +end of the street upon a superb English charger. Bazin +followed him upon a roan, holding by the halter a vigorous +Mecklenburg horse; this was D'Artagnan mount. + +The two Musketeers met at the gate. Athos and D'Artagnan +watched their approach from the window. + +"The devil!" cried Aramis, "you have a magnificent horse +there, Porthos." + +"Yes," replied Porthos, "it is the one that ought to have +been sent to me at first. A bad joke of the husband's +substituted the other; but the husband has been punished +since, and I have obtained full satisfaction." + +Planchet and Grimaud appeared in their turn, leading their +masters' steeds. D'Artagnan and Athos put themselves into +saddle with their companions, and all four set forward; +Athos upon a horse he owed to a woman, Aramis on a horse he +owed to his mistress, Porthos on a horse he owed to his +procurator's wife, and D'Artagnan on a horse he owed to his +good fortune--the best mistress possible. + +The lackeys followed. + +As Porthos had foreseen, the cavalcade produced a good +effect; and if Mme. Coquenard had met Porthos and seen what +a superb appearance he made upon his handsome Spanish genet, +she would not have regretted the bleeding she had inflicted +upon the strongbox of her husband. + +Near the Louvre the four friends met with M. de Treville, +who was returning from St. Germain; he stopped them to offer +his compliments upon their appointments, which in an instant +drew round them a hundred gapers. + +D'Artagnan profited by the circumstance to speak to M. de +Treville of the letter with the great red seal and the +cardinal's arms. It is well understood that he did not +breathe a word about the other. + +M. de Treville approved of the resolution he had adopted, +and assured him that if on the morrow he did not appear, he +himself would undertake to find him, let him be where he +might. + +At this moment the clock of La Samaritaine struck six; the +four friends pleaded an engagement, and took leave of M. de +Treville. + +A short gallop brought them to the road of Chaillot; the day +began to decline, carriages were passing and repassing. +D'Artagnan, keeping at some distance from his friends, +darted a scrutinizing glance into every carriage that +appeared, but saw no face with which he was acquainted. + +At length, after waiting a quarter of an hour and just as +twilight was beginning to thicken, a carriage appeared, +coming at a quick pace on the road of Sevres. A +presentiment instantly told D'Artagnan that this carriage +contained the person who had appointed the rendezvous; the +young man was himself astonished to find his heart beat so +violently. Almost instantly a female head was put out at +the window, with two fingers placed upon her mouth, either +to enjoin silence or to send him a kiss. D'Artagnan uttered +a slight cry of joy; this woman, or rather this apparition-- +for the carriage passed with the rapidity of a vision--was +Mme. Bonacieux. + +By an involuntary movement and in spite of the injunction +given, D'Artagnan put his horse into a gallop, and in a few +strides overtook the carriage; but the window was +hermetically closed, the vision had disappeared. + +D'Artagnan then remembered the injunction: "If you value +your own life or that of those who love you, remain +motionless, and as if you had seen nothing." + +He stopped, therefore, trembling not for himself but for the +poor woman who had evidently exposed herself to great danger +by appointing this rendezvous. + +The carriage pursued its way, still going at a great pace, +till it dashed into Paris, and disappeared. + +D'Artagnan remained fixed to the spot, astounded and not +knowing what to think. If it was Mme. Bonacieux and if she +was returning to Paris, why this fugitive rendezvous, why +this simple exchange of a glance, why this lost kiss? If, +on the other side, it was not she--which was still quite +possible--for the little light that remained rendered a +mistake easy--might it not be the commencement of some plot +against him through the allurement of this woman, for whom +his love was known? + +His three companions joined him. All had plainly seen a +woman's head appear at the window, but none of them, except +Athos, knew Mme. Bonacieux. The opinion of Athos was that +it was indeed she; but less preoccupied by that pretty face +than D'Artagnan, he had fancied he saw a second head, a +man's head, inside the carriage. + +"If that be the case," said D'Artagnan, "they are doubtless +transporting her from one prison to another. But what can +they intend to do with the poor creature, and how shall I +ever meet her again?" + +"Friend," said Athos, gravely, "remember that it is the dead +alone with whom we are not likely to meet again on this +earth. You know something of that, as well as I do, I +think. Now, if your mistress is not dead, if it is she we +have just seen, you will meet with her again some day or +other. And perhaps, my God!" added he, with that +misanthropic tone which was peculiar to him, "perhaps sooner +than you wish." + +Half past seven had sounded. The carriage had been twenty +minutes behind the time appointed. D'Artagnan's friends +reminded him that he had a visit to pay, but at the same +time bade him observe that there was yet time to retract. + +But D'Artagnan was at the same time impetuous and curious. +He had made up his mind that he would go to the Palais- +Cardinal, and that he would learn what his Eminence had to +say to him. Nothing could turn him from his purpose. + +They reached the Rue St. Honore, and in the Place du Palais- +Cardinal they found the twelve invited Musketeers, walking +about in expectation of their comrades. There only they +explained to them the matter in hand. + +D'Artagnan was well known among the honorable corps of the +king's Musketeers, in which it was known he would one day +take his place; he was considered beforehand as a comrade. +It resulted from these antecedents that everyone entered +heartily into the purpose for which they met; besides, it +would not be unlikely that they would have an opportunity of +playing either the cardinal or his people an ill turn, and +for such expeditions these worthy gentlemen were always +ready. + +Athos divided them into three groups, assumed the command of +one, gave the second to Aramis, and the third to Porthos; +and then each group went and took their watch near an +entrance. + +D'Artagnan, on his part, entered boldly at the principal +gate. + +Although he felt himself ably supported, the young man was +not without a little uneasiness as he ascended the great +staircase, step by step. His conduct toward Milady bore a +strong resemblance to treachery, and he was very suspicious +of the political relations which existed between that woman +and the cardinal. Still further, De Wardes, whom he had +treated so ill, was one of the tools of his Eminence; and +D'Artagnan knew that while his Eminence was terrible to his +enemies, he was strongly attached to his friends. + +"If De Wardes has related all our affair to the cardinal, +which is not to be doubted, and if he has recognized me, as +is probable, I may consider myself almost as a condemned +man," said D'Artagnan, shaking his head. "But why has he +waited till now? That's all plain enough. Milady has laid +her complaints against me with that hypocritical grief which +renders her so interesting, and this last offense has made +the cup overflow." + +"Fortunately," added he, "my good friends are down yonder, +and they will not allow me to be carried away without a +struggle. Nevertheless, Monsieur de Treville's company of +Musketeers alone cannot maintain a war against the cardinal, +who disposes of the forces of all France, and before whom +the queen is without power and the king without will. +D'Artagnan, my friend, you are brave, you are prudent, you +have excellent qualities; but the women will ruin you!" + +He came to this melancholy conclusion as he entered the +antechamber. He placed his letter in the hands of the usher +on duty, who led him into the waiting room and passed on +into the interior of the palace. + +In this waiting room were five or six of the cardinals +Guards, who recognized D'Artagnan, and knowing that it was +he who had wounded Jussac, they looked upon him with a smile +of singular meaning. + +This smile appeared to D'Artagnan to be of bad augury. +Only, as our Gascon was not easily intimidated--or rather, +thanks to a great pride natural to the men of his country, +he did not allow one easily to see what was passing in his +mind when that which was passing at all resembled fear--he +placed himself haughtily in front of Messieurs the Guards, +and waited with his hand on his hip, in an attitude by no +means deficient in majesty. + +The usher returned and made a sign to D'Artagnan to follow +him. It appeared to the young man that the Guards, on +seeing him depart, chuckled among themselves. + +He traversed a corridor, crossed a grand saloon, entered a +library, and found himself in the presence of a man seated +at a desk and writing. + +The usher introduced him, and retired without speaking a +word. D'Artagnan remained standing and examined this man. + +D'Artagnan at first believed that he had to do with some +judge examining his papers; but he perceived that the man at +the desk wrote, or rather corrected, lines of unequal +length, scanning the words on his fingers. He saw then that +he was with a poet. At the end of an instant the poet +closed his manuscript, upon the cover of which was written +"Mirame, a Tragedy in Five Acts," and raised his head. + +D'Artagnan recognized the cardinal. + + + +40 A Terrible Vision + +The cardinal leaned his elbow on his manuscript, his cheek +upon his hand, and looked intently at the young man for a +moment. No one had a more searching eye than the Cardinal +de Richelieu, and D'Artagnan felt this glance run through +his veins like a fever. + +He however kept a good countenance, holding his hat in his +hand and awaiting the good pleasure of his Eminence, without +too much assurance, but also without too much humility. + +"Monsieur," said the cardinal, "are you a D'Artagnan from +Bearn?" + +"Yes, monseigneur," replied the young man. + +"There are several branches of the D'Artagnans at Tarbes and +in its environs," said the cardinal; "to which do you +belong?" + +"I am the son of him who served in the Religious Wars under +the great King Henry, the father of his gracious Majesty." + +"That is well. It is you who set out seven or eight months +ago from your country to seek your fortune in the capital?" + +"Yes, monseigneur." + +"You came through Meung, where something befell you. I +don't very well know what, but still something." + +"Monseigneur," said D'Artagnan, "this was what happened to +me--" + +"Never mind, never mind!" resumed the cardinal, with a smile +which indicated that he knew the story as well as he who +wished to relate it. "You were recommended to Monsieur de +Treville, were you not?" + +"Yes, monseigneur; but in that unfortunate affair at +Meung--" + +"The letter was lost," replied his Eminence; "yes, I know +that. But Monsieur de Treville is a skilled physiognomist, +who knows men at first sight; and he placed you in the +company of his brother-in-law, Monsieur Dessessart, leaving +you to hope that one day or other you should enter the +Musketeers." + +"Monseigneur is correctly informed," said D'Artagnan. + +"Since that time many things have happened to you. You were +walking one day behind the Chartreux, when it would have +been better if you had been elsewhere. Then you took with +your friends a journey to the waters of Forges; they stopped +on the road, but you continued yours. That is all very +simple: you had business in England." + +"Monseigneur," said D'Artagnan, quite confused, "I went--" + +"Hunting at Windsor, or elsewhere--that concerns nobody. I +know, because it is my office to know everything. On your +return you were received by an august personage, and I +perceive with pleasure that you preserve the souvenir she +gave you." + +D'Artagnan placed his hand upon the queen's diamond, which +he wore, and quickly turned the stone inward; but it was too +late. + +"The day after that, you received a visit from Cavois," +resumed the cardinal. "He went to desire you to come to the +palace. You have not returned that visit, and you were +wrong." + +"Monseigneur, I feared I had incurred disgrace with your +Eminence." + +"How could that be, monsieur? Could you incur my +displeasure by having followed the orders of your superiors +with more intelligence and courage than another would have +done? It is the people who do not obey that I punish, and +not those who, like you, obey--but too well. As a proof, +remember the date of the day on which I had you bidden to +come to me, and seek in your memory for what happened to you +that very night." + +That was the very evening when the abduction of Mme. +Bonacieux took place. D'Artagnan trembled; and he likewise +recollected that during the past half hour the poor woman +had passed close to him, without doubt carried away by the +same power that had caused her disappearance. + +"In short," continued the cardinal, "as I have heard nothing +of you for some time past, I wished to know what you were +doing. Besides, you owe me some thanks. You must yourself +have remarked how much you have been considered in all the +circumstances." + +D'Artagnan bowed with respect. + +"That," continued the cardinal, "arose not only from a +feeling of natural equity, but likewise from a plan I have +marked out with respect to you." + +D'Artagnan became more and more astonished. + +"I wished to explain this plan to you on the day you +received my first invitation; but you did not come. +Fortunately, nothing is lost by this delay, and you are now +about to hear it. Sit down there, before me, d'Artagnan; +you are gentleman enough not to listen standing." And the +cardinal pointed with his finger to a chair for the young +man, who was so astonished at what was passing that he +awaited a second sign from his interlocutor before he +obeyed. + +"You are brave, Monsieur d'Artagnan," continued his +Eminence; "you are prudent, which is still better. I like +men of head and heart. Don't be afraid," said he, smiling. +"By men of heart I mean men of courage. But young as you +are, and scarcely entering into the world, you have powerful +enemies; if you do not take great heed, they will destroy +you." + +"Alas, monseigneur!" replied the young man, "very easily, no +doubt, for they are strong and well supported, while I am +alone." + +"Yes, that's true; but alone as you are, you have done much +already, and will do still more, I don't doubt. Yet you +have need, I believe, to be guided in the adventurous career +you have undertaken; for, if I mistake not, you came to +Paris with the ambitious idea of making your fortune." + +"I am at the age of extravagant hopes, monseigneur," said +D'Artagnan. + +"There are no extravagant but for fools, monsieur, and you +are a man of understanding. Now, what would you say to an +ensign's commission in my Guards, and a company after the +campaign?" + +"Ah, monseigneur." + +"You accept it, do you not?" + +"Monseigneur," replied D'Artagnan, with an embarrassed air. + +"How? You refuse?" cried the cardinal, with astonishment. + +"I am in his Majesty's Guards, monseigneur, and I have no +reason to be dissatisfied." + +"But it appears to me that my Guards--mine--are also his +Majesty's Guards; and whoever serves in a French corps +serves the king." + +"Monseigneur, your Eminence has ill understood my words." + +"You want a pretext, do you not? I comprehend. Well, you +have this excuse: advancement, the opening campaign, the +opportunity which I offer you--so much for the world. As +regards yourself, the need of protection; for it is fit you +should know, Monsieur d'Artagnan, that I have received heavy +and serious complaints against you. You do not consecrate +your days and nights wholly to the king's service." + +D'Artagnan colored. + +"In fact," said the cardinal, placing his hand upon a bundle +of papers, "I have here a whole pile which concerns you. I +know you to be a man of resolution; and your services, well +directed, instead of leading you to ill, might be very +advantageous to you. Come; reflect, and decide." + +"Your goodness confounds me, monseigneur," replied +D'Artagnan, "and I am conscious of a greatness of soul in +your Eminence that makes me mean as an earthworm; but since +Monseigneur permits me to speak freely--" + +D'Artagnan paused. + +"Yes; speak." + +"Then, I will presume to say that all my friends are in the +king's Musketeers and Guards, and that by an inconceivable +fatality my enemies are in the service of your Eminence; I +should, therefore, be ill received here and ill regarded +there if I accepted what Monseigneur offers me." + +"Do you happen to entertain the haughty idea that I have not +yet made you an offer equal to your value?" asked the +cardinal, with a smile of disdain. + +"Monseigneur, your Eminence is a hundred times too kind to +me; and on the contrary, I think I have not proved myself +worthy of your goodness. The siege of La Rochelle is about +to be resumed, monseigneur. I shall serve under the eye of +your Eminence, and if I have the good fortune to conduct +myself at the siege in such a manner as merits your +attention, then I shall at least leave behind me some +brilliant action to justify the protection with which you +honor me. Everything is best in its time, monseigneur. +Hereafter, perhaps, I shall have the right of giving myself; +at present I shall appear to sell myself." + +"That is to say, you refuse to serve me, monsieur," said the +cardinal, with a tone of vexation, through which, however, +might be seen a sort of esteem; "remain free, then, and +guard your hatreds and your sympathies." + +"Monseigneur--" + +"Well, well," said the cardinal, "I don't wish you any ill; +but you must be aware that it is quite trouble enough to +defend and recompense our friends. We owe nothing to our +enemies; and let me give you a piece of advice; take care of +yourself, Monsieur d'Artagnan, for from the moment I +withdraw my hand from behind you, I would not give an obolus +for your life." + +"I will try to do so, monseigneur," replied the Gascon, with +a noble confidence. + +"Remember at a later period and at a certain moment, if any +mischance should happen to you," said Richelieu, +significantly, "that it was I who came to seek you, and that +I did all in my power to prevent this misfortune befalling +you." + +"I shall entertain, whatever may happen," said D'Artagnan, +placing his hand upon his breast and bowing, "an eternal +gratitude toward your Eminence for that which you now do for +me." + +"Well, let it be, then, as you have said, Monsieur +d'Artagnan; we shall see each other again after the +campaign. I will have my eye upon you, for I shall be +there," replied the cardinal, pointing with his finger to a +magnificent suit of armor he was to wear, "and on our +return, well--we will settle our account!" + +"Young man," said Richelieu, "if I shall be able to say to +you at another time what I have said to you today, I promise +you to do so." + +This last expression of Richelieu's conveyed a terrible +doubt; it alarmed D'Artagnan more than a menace would have +done, for it was a warning. The cardinal, then, was seeking +to preserve him from some misfortune which threatened him. +He opened his mouth to reply, but with a haughty gesture the +cardinal dismissed him. + +D'Artagnan went out, but at the door his heart almost failed +him, and he felt inclined to return. Then the noble and +severe countenance of Athos crossed his mind; if he made the +compact with the cardinal which he required, Athos would no +more give him his hand--Athos would renounce him. + +It was this fear that restrained him, so powerful is the +influence of a truly great character on all that surrounds +it. + +D'Artagnan descended by the staircase at which he had +entered, and found Athos and the four Musketeers waiting his +appearance, and beginning to grow uneasy. With a word, +D'Artagnan reassured them; and Planchet ran to inform the +other sentinels that it was useless to keep guard longer, as +his master had come out safe from the Palais-Cardinal. + +Returned home with Athos, Aramis and Porthos inquired +eagerly the cause of the strange interview; but D'Artagnan +confined himself to telling them that M. de Richelieu had +sent for him to propose to him to enter into his guards with +the rank of ensign, and that he had refused. + +"And you were right," cried Aramis and Porthos, with one +voice. + +Athos fell into a profound reverie and answered nothing. +But when they were alone he said, "You have done that which +you ought to have done, D'Artagnan; but perhaps you have +been wrong." + +D'Artagnan sighed deeply, for this voice responded to a +secret voice of his soul, which told him that great +misfortunes awaited him. + +The whole of the next day was spent in preparations for +departure. D'Artagnan went to take leave of M. de Treville. +At that time it was believed that the separation of the +Musketeers and the Guards would be but momentary, the king +holding his Parliament that very day and proposing to set +out the day after. M. de Treville contented himself with +asking D'Artagnan if he could do anything for him, but +D'Artagnan answered that he was supplied with all he wanted. + +That night brought together all those comrades of the Guards +of M. Dessessart and the company of Musketeers of M. de +Treville who had been accustomed to associate together. +They were parting to meet again when it pleased God, and if +it pleased God. That night, then, was somewhat riotous, as +may be imagined. In such cases extreme preoccupation is +only to be combated by extreme carelessness. + +At the first sound of the morning trumpet the friends +separated; the Musketeers hastening to the hotel of M. de +Treville, the Guards to that of M. Dessessart. Each of the +captains then led his company to the Louvre, where the king +held his review + +The king was dull and appeared ill, which detracted a little +from his usual lofty bearing. In fact, the evening before, +a fever had seized him in the midst of the Parliament, while +he was holding his Bed of Justice. He had, not the less, +decided upon setting out that same evening; and in spite of +the remonstrances that had been offered to him, he persisted +in having the review, hoping by setting it at defiance to +conquer the disease which began to lay hold upon him. + +The review over, the Guards set forward alone on their +march, the Musketeers waiting for the king, which allowed +Porthos time to go and take a turn in his superb equipment +in the Rue aux Ours. + +The procurator's wife saw him pass in his new uniform and on +his fine horse. She loved Porthos too dearly to allow him +to part thus; she made him a sign to dismount and come to +her. Porthos was magnificent; his spurs jingled, his +cuirass glittered, his sword knocked proudly against his +ample limbs. This time the clerks evinced no inclination to +laugh, such a real ear clipper did Porthos appear. + +The Musketeer was introduced to M. Coquenard, whose little +gray eyes sparkled with anger at seeing his cousin all +blazing new. Nevertheless, one thing afforded him inward +consolation; it was expected by everybody that the campaign +would be a severe one. He whispered a hope to himself that +this beloved relative might be killed in the field. + +Porthos paid his compliments to M. Coquenard and bade him +farewell. M. Coquenard wished him all sorts of +prosperities. As to Mme. Coquenard, she could not restrain +her tears; but no evil impressions were taken from her grief +as she was known to be very much attached to her relatives, +about whom she was constantly having serious disputes with +her husband. + +But the real adieux were made in Mme. Coquenard's chamber; +they were heartrending. + +As long as the procurator's wife could follow him with her +eyes, she waved her handkerchief to him, leaning so far out +of the window as to lead people to believe she wished to +precipitate herself. Porthos received all these attentions +like a man accustomed to such demonstrations, only on +turning the corner of the street he lifted his hat +gracefully, and waved it to her as a sign of adieu. + +On his part Aramis wrote a long letter. To whom? Nobody +knew. Kitty, who was to set out that evening for Tours, was +waiting in the next chamber. + +Athos sipped the last bottle of his Spanish wine. + +In the meantime D'Artagnan was defiling with his company. +Arriving at the Faubourg St. Antoine, he turned round to +look gaily at the Bastille; but as it was the Bastille alone +he looked at, he did not observe Milady, who, mounted upon a +light chestnut horse, designated him with her finger to two +ill-looking men who came close up to the ranks to take +notice of him. To a look of interrogation which they made, +Milady replied by a sign that it was he. Then, certain that +there could be no mistake in the execution of her orders, +she started her horse and disappeared. + +The two men followed the company, and on leaving the +aubourg St. Antoine, mounted two horses properly equipped, +which a servant without livery had waiting for them. + + + +41 THE SEIGE OF LA ROCHELLE + +The Siege of La Rochelle was one of the great political +events of the reign of Louis XIII, and one of the great +military enterprises of the cardinal. It is, then, +interesting and even necessary that we should say a few +words about it, particularly as many details of this siege +are connected in too important a manner with the story we +have undertaken to relate to allow us to pass it over in +silence. + +The political plans of the cardinal when he undertook this +siege were extensive. Let us unfold them first, and then +pass on to the private plans which perhaps had not less +influence upon his Eminence than the others. + +Of the important cities given up by Henry IV to the +Huguenots as places of safety, there only remained La +Rochelle. It became necessary, therefore, to destroy this +last bulwark of Calvinism--a dangerous leaven with which the +ferments of civil revolt and foreign war were constantly +mingling. + +Spaniards, Englishmen, and Italian malcontents, adventurers +of all nations, and soldiers of fortune of every sect, +flocked at the first summons under the standard of the +Protestants, and organized themselves like a vast +association, whose branches diverged freely over all parts +of Europe. + +La Rochelle, which had derived a new importance from the +ruin of the other Calvinist cities, was, then, the focus of +dissensions and ambition. Moreover, its port was the last +in the kingdom of France open to the English, and by closing +it against England, our eternal enemy, the cardinal +completed the work of Joan of Arc and the Duc de Guise. + +Thus Bassompierre, who was at once Protestant and Catholic-- +Protestant by conviction and Catholic as commander of the +order of the Holy Ghost; Bassompierre, who was a German by +birth and a Frenchman at heart--in short, Bassompierre, who +had a distinguished command at the siege of La Rochelle, +said, in charging at the head of several other Protestant +nobles like himself, "You will see, gentlemen, that we shall +be fools enough to take La Rochelle." + +And Bassompierre was right. The cannonade of the Isle of Re +presaged to him the dragonnades of the Cevennes; the taking +of La Rochelle was the preface to the revocation of the +Edict of Nantes. + +We have hinted that by the side of these views of the +leveling and simplifying minister, which belong to history, +the chronicler is forced to recognize the lesser motives of +the amorous man and jealous rival. + +Richelieu, as everyone knows, had loved the queen. Was this +love a simple political affair, or was it naturally one of +those profound passions which Anne of Austria inspired in +those who approached her? That we are not able to say; but +at all events, we have seen, by the anterior developments of +this story, that Buckingham had the advantage over him, and +in two or three circumstances, particularly that of the +diamond studs, had, thanks to the devotedness of the three +Musketeers and the courage and conduct of D'Artagnan, +cruelly mystified him. + +It was, then, Richelieu's object, not only to get rid of an +enemy of France, but to avenge himself on a rival; but this +vengeance must be grand and striking and worthy in every way +of a man who held in his hand, as his weapon for combat, the +forces of a kingdom. + +Richelieu knew that in combating England he combated +Buckingham; that in triumphing over England he triumphed +over Buckingham--in short, that in humiliating England in +the eyes of Europe he humiliated Buckingham in the eyes of +the queen. + +On his side Buckingham, in pretending to maintain the honor +of England, was moved by interests exactly like those of the +cardinal. Buckingham also was pursuing a private vengeance. +Buckingham could not under any pretense be admitted into +France as an ambassador; he wished to enter it as a +conqueror. + +It resulted from this that the real stake in this game, +which two most powerful kingdoms played for the good +pleasure of two amorous men, was simply a kind look from +Anne of Austria. + +The first advantage had been gained by Buckingham. Arriving +unexpectedly in sight of the Isle of Re with ninety vessels +and nearly twenty thousand men, he had surprised the Comte +de Toiras, who commanded for the king in the Isle, and he +had, after a bloody conflict, effected his landing. + +Allow us to observe in passing that in this fight perished +the Baron de Chantal; that the Baron de Chantal left a +little orphan girl eighteen months old, and that this little +girl was afterward Mme. de Sevigne. + +The Comte de Toiras retired into the citadel St. Martin with +his garrison, and threw a hundred men into a little fort +called the fort of La Pree. + +This event had hastened the resolutions of the cardinal; and +till the king and he could take the command of the siege of +La Rochelle, which was determined, he had sent Monsieur to +direct the first operations, and had ordered all the troops +he could dispose of to march toward the theater of war. It +was of this detachment, sent as a vanguard, that our friend +D'Artagnan formed a part. + +The king, as we have said, was to follow as soon as his Bed +of Justice had been held; but on rising from his Bed of +Justice on the twenty-eighth of June, he felt himself +attacked by fever. He was, notwithstanding, anxious to set +out; but his illness becoming more serious, he was forced to +stop at Villeroy. + +Now, whenever the king halted, the Musketeers halted. It +followed that D'Artagnan, who was as yet purely and simply +in the Guards, found himself, for the time at least, +separated from his good friends--Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. +This separation, which was no more than an unpleasant +circumstance, would have certainly become a cause of serious +uneasiness if he had been able to guess by what unknown +dangers he was surrounded. + +He, however, arrived without accident in the camp +established before La Rochelle, of the tenth of the month of +September of the year 1627. + +Everything was in the same state. The Duke of Buckingham +and his English, masters of the Isle of Re, continued to +besiege, but without success, the citadel St. Martin and the +fort of La Pree; and hostilities with La Rochelle had +commenced, two or three days before, about a fort which the +Duc d'Angouleme had caused to be constructed near the city. + +The Guards, under the command of M. Dessessart, took up +their quartered at the Minimes; but, as we know, D'Artagnan, +possessed with ambition to enter the Musketeers, had formed +but few friendships among his comrades, and he felt himself +isolated and given up to his own reflections. + +His reflections were not very cheerful. From the time of +his arrival in Paris, he had been mixed up with public +affairs; but his own private affairs had made no great +progress, either in love or fortune. As to love, the only +woman he could have loved was Mme. Bonacieux; and Mme. +Bonacieux had disappeared, without his being able to +discover what had become of her. As to fortune, he had +made--he, humble as he was--an enemy of the cardinal; that +is to say, of a man before whom trembled the greatest men of +the kingdom, beginning with the king. + +That man had the power to crush him, and yet he had not done +so. For a mind so perspicuous as that of D'Artagnan, this +indulgence was a light by which he caught a glimpse of a +better future. + +Then he had made himself another enemy, less to be feared, +he thought; but nevertheless, he instinctively felt, not to +be despised. This enemy was Milady. + +In exchange for all this, he had acquired the protection and +good will of the queen; but the favor of the queen was at +the present time an additional cause of persecution, and her +protection, as it was known, protected badly--as witness +Chalais and Mme. Bonacieux. + +What he had clearly gained in all this was the diamond, +worth five or six thousand livres, which he wore on his +finger; and even this diamond--supposing that D'Artagnan, in +his projects of ambition, wished to keep it, to make it +someday a pledge for the gratitude of the queen--had not in +the meanwhile, since he could not part with it, more value +than the gravel he trod under his feet. + +We say the gravel he trod under his feet, for D'Artagnan +made these reflections while walking solitarily along a +pretty little road which led from the camp to the village of +Angoutin. Now, these reflections had led him further than +he intended, and the day was beginning to decline when, by +the last ray of the setting sun, he thought he saw the +barrel of a musket glitter from behind a hedge. + +D'Artagnan had a quick eye and a prompt understanding. He +comprehended that the musket had not come there of itself, +and that he who bore it had not concealed himself behind a +hedge with any friendly intentions. He determined, +therefore, to direct his course as clear from it as he could +when, on the opposite side of the road, from behind a rock, +he perceived the extremity of another musket. + +This was evidently an ambuscade. + +The young man cast a glance at the first musket and saw, +with a certain degree of inquietude, that it was leveled in +his direction; but as soon as he perceived that the orifice +of the barrel was motionless, he threw himself upon the +ground. At the same instant the gun was fired, and he heard +the whistling of a ball pass over his head. + +No time was to be lost. D'Artagnan sprang up with a bound, +and at the same instant the ball from the other musket tore +up the gravel on the very spot on the road where he had +thrown himself with his face to the ground. + +D'Artagnan was not one of those foolhardy men who seek a +ridiculous death in order that it may be said of them that +they did not retreat a single step. Besides, courage was +out of the question here; D'Artagnan had fallen into an +ambush. + +"If there is a third shot," said he to himself, "I am a lost +man." + +He immediately, therefore, took to his heels and ran toward +the camp, with the swiftness of the young men of his +country, so renowned for their agility; but whatever might +be his speed, the first who fired, having had time to +reload, fired a second shot, and this time so well aimed +that it struck his hat, and carried it ten paces from him. + +As he, however, had no other hat, he picked up this as he +ran, and arrived at his quarters very pale and quite out of +breath. He sat down without saying a word to anybody, and +began to reflect. + +This event might have three causes: + +The first and the most natural was that it might be an +ambuscade of the Rochellais, who might not be sorry to kill +one of his Majesty's Guards, because it would be an enemy +the less, and this enemy might have a well-furnished purse +in his pocket. + +D'Artagnan took his hat, examined the hole made by the ball, +and shook his head. The ball was not a musket ball--it was +an arquebus ball. The accuracy of the aim had first given +him the idea that a special weapon had been employed. This +could not, then, be a military ambuscade, as the ball was +not of the regular caliber. + +This might be a kind remembrance of Monsieur the Cardinal. +It may be observed that at the very moment when, thanks to +the ray of the sun, he perceived the gun barrel, he was +thinking with astonishment on the forbearance of his +Eminence with respect to him. + +But D'Artagnan again shook his head. For people toward whom +he had but to put forth his hand, his Eminence had rarely +recourse to such means. + +It might be a vengeance of Milady; that was most probable. + +He tried in vain to remember the faces or dress of the +assassins; he had escaped so rapidly that he had not had +leisure to notice anything. + +"Ah, my poor friends!" murmured D'Artagnan; "where are you? +And that you should fail me!" + +D'Artagnan passed a very bad night. Three or four times he +started up, imagining that a man was approaching his bed for +the purpose of stabbing him. Nevertheless, day dawned +without darkness having brought any accident. + +But D'Artagnan well suspected that that which was deferred +was not relinquished. + +D'Artagnan remained all day in his quarters, assigning as a +reason to himself that the weather was bad. + +At nine o'clock the next morning, the drums beat to arms. +The Duc d'Orleans visited the posts. The guards were under +arms, and D'Artagnan took his place in the midst of his +comrades. + +Monsieur passed along the front of the line; then all the +superior officers approached him to pay their compliments, +M. Dessessart, captain of the Guards, as well as the others. + +At the expiration of a minute or two, it appeared to +D'Artagnan that M. Dessessart made him a sign to approach. +He waited for a fresh gesture on the part of his superior, +for fear he might be mistaken; but this gesture being +repeated, he left the ranks, and advanced to receive orders. + +"Monsieur is about to ask for some men of good will for a +dangerous mission, but one which will do honor to those who +shall accomplish it; and I made you a sign in order that you +might hold yourself in readiness." + +"Thanks, my captain!" replied D'Artagnan, who wished for +nothing better than an opportunity to distinguish himself +under the eye of the lieutenant general. + +In fact the Rochellais had made a sortie during the night, +and had retaken a bastion of which the royal army had gained +possession two days before. The matter was to ascertain, by +reconnoitering, how the enemy guarded this bastion. + +At the end of a few minutes Monsieur raised his voice, and +said, "I want for this mission three or four volunteers, led +by a man who can be depended upon." + +"As to the man to be depended upon, I have him under my +hand, monsieur," said M. Dessessart, pointing to D'Artagnan; +"and as to the four or five volunteers, Monsieur has but to +make his intentions known, and the men will not be wanting." + +"Four men of good will who will risk being killed with me!" +said D'Artagnan, raising his sword. + +Two of his comrades of the Guards immediately sprang +forward, and two other soldiers having joined them, the +number was deemed sufficient. D'Artagnan declined all +others, being unwilling to take the first chance from those +who had the priority. + +It was not know whether, after the taking of the bastion, +the Rochellais had evacuated it or left a garrison in it; +the object then was to examine the place near enough to +verify the reports. + +D'Artagnan set out with his four companions, and followed +the trench; the two Guards marched abreast with him, and the +two soldiers followed behind. + +They arrived thus, screened by the lining of the trench, +till they came within a hundred paces of the bastion. +There, on turning round, D'Artagnan perceived that the two +soldiers had disappeared. + +He thought that, beginning to be afraid, they had stayed +behind, and he continued to advance. + +At the turning of the counterscarp they found themselves +within about sixty paces of the bastion. They saw no one, +and the bastion seemed abandoned. + +The three composing our forlorn hope were deliberating +whether they should proceed any further, when all at once a +circle of smoke enveloped the giant of stone, and a dozen +balls came whistling around D'Artagnan and his companions. + +They knew all they wished to know; the bastion was guarded. +A longer stay in this dangerous spot would have been useless +imprudence. D'Artagnan and his two companions turned their +backs, and commenced a retreat which resembled a flight. + +On arriving at the angle of the trench which was to serve +them as a rampart, one of the Guardsmen fell. A ball had +passed through his breast. The other, who was safe and +sound, continued his way toward the camp. + +D'Artagnan was not willing to abandon his companion thus, +and stooped to raise him and assist him in regaining the +lines; but at this moment two shots were fired. One ball +struck the head of the already-wounded guard, and the other +flattened itself against a rock, after having passed within +two inches of D'Artagnan. + +The young man turned quickly round, for this attack could +not have come from the bastion, which was hidden by the +angle of the trench. The idea of the two soldiers who had +abandoned him occurred to his mind, and with them he +remembered the assassins of two evenings before. He +resolved this time to know with whom he had to deal, and +fell upon the body of his comrade as if he were dead. + +He quickly saw two heads appear above an abandoned work +within thirty paces of him; they were the heads of the two +soldiers. D'Artagnan had not been deceived; these two men +had only followed for the purpose of assassinating him, +hoping that the young man's death would be placed to the +account of the enemy. + +As he might be only wounded and might denounce their crime, +they came up to him with the purpose of making sure. +Fortunately, deceived by D'Artagnan's trick, they neglected +to reload their guns. + +When they were within ten paces of him, D'Artagnan, who in +falling had taken care not to let go his sword, sprang up +close to them. + +The assassins comprehended that if they fled toward the camp +without having killed their man, they should be accused by +him; therefore their first idea was to join the enemy. One +of them took his gun by the barrel, and used it as he would +a club. He aimed a terrible blow at D'Artagnan, who avoided +it by springing to one side; but by this movement he left a +passage free to the bandit, who darted off toward the +bastion. As the Rochellais who guarded the bastion were +ignorant of the intentions of the man they saw coming toward +them, they fired upon him, and he fell, struck by a ball +which broke his shoulder. + +Meantime D'Artagnan had thrown himself upon the other +soldier, attacking him with his sword. The conflict was not +long; the wretch had nothing to defend himself with but his +discharged arquebus. The sword of the Guardsman slipped +along the barrel of the now-useless weapon, and passed +through the thigh of the assassin, who fell. + +D'Artagnan immediately placed the point of his sword at his +throat. + +"Oh, do not kill me!" cried the bandit. "Pardon, pardon, my +officer, and I will tell you all." + +"Is your secret of enough importance to me to spare your +life for it?" asked the young man, withholding his arm. + +"Yes; if you think existence worth anything to a man of +twenty, as you are, and who may hope for everything, being +handsome and brave, as you are." + +"Wretch," cried D'Artagnan, "speak quickly! Who employed +you to assassinate me?" + +"A woman whom I don't know, but who is called Milady." + +"But if you don't know this woman, how do you know her +name?" + +"My comrade knows her, and called her so. It was with him +she agreed, and not with me; he even has in his pocket a +letter from that person, who attaches great importance to +you, as I have heard him say." + +"But how did you become concerned in this villainous +affair?" + +"He proposed to me to undertake it with him, and I agreed." + +"And how much did she give you for this fine enterprise?" + +"A hundred louis." + +"Well, come!" said the young man, laughing, "she thinks I am +worth something. A hundred louis? Well, that was a +temptation for two wretches like you. I understand why you +accepted it, and I grant you my pardon; but upon one +condition." + +"What is that?" said the soldier, uneasy at perceiving that +all was not over. + +"That you will go and fetch me the letter your comrade has +in his pocket." + +"But," cried the bandit, "that is only another way of +killing me. How can I go and fetch that letter under the +fire of the bastion?" + +"You must nevertheless make up your mind to go and get it, +or I swear you shall die by my hand." + +"Pardon, monsieur; pity! In the name of that young lady you +love, and whom you perhaps believe dead but who is not!" +cried the bandit, throwing himself upon his knees and +leaning upon his hand--for he began to lose his strength +with his blood. + +"And how do you know there is a young woman whom I love, and +that I believed that woman dead?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"By that letter which my comrade has in his pocket." + +"You see, then," said D'Artagnan, "that I must have that +letter. So no more delay, no more hesitation; or else +whatever may be my repugnance to soiling my sword a second +time with the blood of a wretch like you, I swear by my +faith as an honest man--" and at these words D'Artagnan made +so fierce a gesture that the wounded man sprang up. + +"Stop, stop!" cried he, regaining strength by force of +terror. "I will go--I will go!" + +D'Artagnan took the soldier's arquebus, made him go on +before him, and urged him toward his companion by pricking +him behind with his sword. + +It was a frightful thing to see this wretch, leaving a long +track of blood on the ground he passed over, pale with +approaching death, trying to drag himself along without +being seen to the body of his accomplice, which lay twenty +paces from him. + +Terror was so strongly painted on his face, covered with a +cold sweat, that D'Artagnan took pity on him, and casting +upon him a look of contempt, "Stop," said he, "I will show +you the difference between a man of courage and such a +coward as you. Stay where you are; I will go myself." + +And with a light step, an eye on the watch, observing the +movements of the enemy and taking advantage of the accidents +of the ground, D'Artagnan succeeded in reaching the second +soldier. + +There were two means of gaining his object--to search him on +the spot, or to carry him away, making a buckler of his +body, and search him in the trench. + +D'Artagnan preferred the second means, and lifted the +assassin onto his shoulders at the moment the enemy fired. + +A slight shock, the dull noise of three balls which +penetrated the flesh, a last cry, a convulsion of agony, +proved to D'Artagnan that the would-be assassin had saved +his life. + +D'Artagnan regained the trench, and threw the corpse beside +the wounded man, who was as pale as death. + +Then he began to search. A leather pocketbook, a purse, in +which was evidently a part of the sum which the bandit had +received, with a dice box and dice, completed the +possessions of the dead man. + +He left the box and dice where they fell, threw the purse to +the wounded man, and eagerly opened the pocketbook. + +Among some unimportant papers he found the following letter, +that which he had sought at the risk of his life: + + +"Since you have lost sight of that woman and she is now in +safety in the convent, which you should never have allowed +her to reach, try, at least, not to miss the man. If you +do, you know that my hand stretches far, and that you shall +pay very dearly for the hundred louis you have from me." + + +No signature. Nevertheless it was plain the letter came +from Milady. He consequently kept it as a piece of +evidence, and being in safety behind the angle of the +trench, he began to interrogate the wounded man. He +confessed that he had undertaken with his comrade--the same +who was killed--to carry off a young woman who was to leave +Paris by the Barriere de La Villette; but having stopped to +drink at a cabaret, they had missed the carriage by ten +minutes. + +"But what were you to do with that woman?" asked D'Artagnan, +with anguish. + +"We were to have conveyed her to a hotel in the Place +Royale," said the wounded man. + +"Yes, yes!" murmured D'Artagnan; "that's the place--Milady's +own residence!" + +Then the young man tremblingly comprehended what a terrible +thirst for vengeance urged this woman on to destroy him, as +well as all who loved him, and how well she must be +acquainted with the affairs of the court, since she had +discovered all. There could be no doubt she owed this +information to the cardinal. + +But amid all this he perceived, with a feeling of real joy, +that the queen must have discovered the prison in which poor +Mme. Bonacieux was explaining her devotion, and that she had +freed her from that prison; and the letter he had received +from the young woman, and her passage along the road of +Chaillot like an apparition, were now explained. + +Then also, as Athos had predicted, it became possible to +find Mme. Bonacieux, and a convent was not impregnable. + +This idea completely restored clemency to his heart. He +turned toward the wounded man, who had watched with intense +anxiety all the various expressions of his countenance, and +holding out his arm to him, said, "Come, I will not abandon +you thus. Lean upon me, and let us return to the camp." + +"Yes," said the man, who could scarcely believe in such +magnanimity, "but is it not to have me hanged?" + +"You have my word," said he; "for the second time I give you +your life." + +The wounded man sank upon his knees, to again kiss the feet +of his preserver; but D'Artagnan, who had no longer a motive +for staying so near the enemy, abridged the testimonials of +his gratitude. + +The Guardsman who had returned at the first discharge +announced the death of his four companions. They were +therefore much astonished and delighted in the regiment when +they saw the young man come back safe and sound. + +D'Artagnan explained the sword wound of his companion by a +sortie which he improvised. He described the death of the +other soldier, and the perils they had encountered. This +recital was for him the occasion of veritable triumph. The +whole army talked of this expedition for a day, and Monsieur +paid him his compliments upon it. Besides this, as every +great action bears its recompense with it, the brave exploit +of D'Artagnan resulted in the restoration of the tranquility +he had lost. In fact, D'Artagnan believed that he might be +tranquil, as one of his two enemies was killed and the other +devoted to his interests. + +This tranquillity proved one thing--that D'Artagnan did not +yet know Milady. + + + +42 THE ANJOU WINE + +After the most disheartening news of the king's health, a +report of his convalescence began to prevail in the camp; +and as he was very anxious to be in person at the siege, it +was said that as soon as he could mount a horse he would set +forward. + +Meantime, Monsieur, who knew that from one day to the other +he might expect to be removed from his command by the Duc +d'Angouleme, by Bassompierre, or by Schomberg, who were all +eager for his post, did but little, lost his days in +wavering, and did not dare to attempt any great enterprise +to drive the English from the Isle of Re, where they still +besieged the citadel St. Martin and the fort of La Pree, as +on their side the French were besieging La Rochelle. + +D'Artagnan, as we have said, had become more tranquil, as +always happens after a post danger, particularly when the +danger seems to have vanished. He only felt one uneasiness, +and that was at not hearing any tidings from his friends. + +But one morning at the commencement of the month of November +everything was explained to him by this letter, dated from +Villeroy: + + +M. d'Artagnan, MM. Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, after having +had an entertainment at my house and enjoying themselves +very much, created such a disturbance that the provost of +the castle, a rigid man, has ordered them to be confined for +some days; but I accomplish the order they have given me by +forwarding to you a dozen bottles of my Anjou wine, with +which they are much pleased. They are desirous that you +should drink to their health in their favorite wine. I have +done this, and am, monsieur, with great respect, + +Your very humble and obedient servant, + +Godeau, Purveyor of the Musketeers + + +"That's all well!" cried D'Artagnan. They think of me in +their pleasures, as I thought of them in my troubles. Well, +I will certainly drink to their health with all my heart, +but I will not drink alone." + +And D'Artagnan went among those Guardsmen with whom he had +formed greater intimacy than with the others, to invite them +to enjoy with him this present of delicious Anjou wine which +had been sent him from Villeroy. + +One of the two Guardsmen was engaged that evening, and +another the next, so the meeting was fixed for the day after +that. + +D'Artagnan, on his return, sent the twelve bottles of wine +to the refreshment room of the Guards, with strict orders +that great care should be taken of it; and then, on the day +appointed, as the dinner was fixed for midday D'Artagnan +sent Planchet at nine in the morning to assist in preparing +everything for the entertainment. + +Planchet, very proud of being raised to the dignity of +landlord, thought he would make all ready, like an +intelligent man; and with this view called in the assistance +of the lackey of one of his master's guests, named Fourreau, +and the false soldier who had tried to kill D'Artagnan and +who, belonging to no corps, had entered into the service of +D'Artagnan, or rather of Planchet, after D'Artagnan had +saved his life. + +The hour of the banquet being come, the two guards arrived, +took their places, and the dishes were arranged on the +table. Planchet waited, towel on arm; Fourreau uncorked the +bottles; and Brisemont, which was the name of the +convalescent, poured the wine, which was a little shaken by +its journey, carefully into decanters. Of this wine, the +first bottle being a little thick at the bottom, Brisemont +poured the lees into a glass, and D'Artagnan desired him to +drink it, for the poor devil had not yet recovered his +strength. + +The guests having eaten the soup, were about to lift the +first glass of wine to their lips, when all at once the +cannon sounded from Fort Louis and Fort Neuf. The +Guardsmen, imagining this to be caused by some unexpected +attack, either of the besieged or the English, sprang to +their swords. D'Artagnan, not less forward than they, did +likewise, and all ran out, in order to repair to their +posts. + +But scarcely were they out of the room before they were made +aware of the cause of this noise. Cries of "Live the king! +Live the cardinal!" resounded on every side, and the drums +were beaten in all directions. + +In short, the king, impatient, as has been said, had come by +forced marches, and had that moment arrived with all his +household and a reinforcement of ten thousand troops. His +Musketeers proceeded and followed him. D'Artagnan, placed +in line with his company, saluted with an expressive gesture +his three friends, whose eyes soon discovered him, and M. de +Treville, who detected him at once. + +The ceremony of reception over, the four friends were soon +in one another's arms. + +"Pardieu!" cried D'Artagnan, "you could not have arrived in +better time; the dinner cannot have had time to get cold! +Can it, gentlemen?" added the young man, turning to the two +Guards, whom he introduced to his friends. + +"Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears we are feasting!" + +"I hope," said Aramis, "there are no women at your dinner." + +"Is there any drinkable wine in your tavern?" asked Athos. + +"Well, pardieu! there is yours, my dear friend," replied +D'Artagnan. + +"Our wine!" said Athos, astonished. + +"Yes, that you sent me." + +"We send you wine?" + +"You know very well--the wine from the hills of Anjou." + +"Yes, I know what brand you are talking about." + +"The wine you prefer." + +"Well, in the absence of champagne and chambertin, you must +content yourselves with that." + +"And so, connoisseurs in wine as we are, we have sent you +some Anjou wine?" said Porthos. + +"Not exactly, it is the wine that was sent by your order." + +"On our account?" said the three Musketeers. + +"Did you send this wine, Aramis?" said Athos. + +"No; and you, Porthos?" + +"No; and you, Athos?" + +"No!" + +"If it was not you, it was your purveyor," said D'Artagnan. + +"Our purveyor!" + +"Yes, your purveyor, Godeau--the purveyor of the +Musketeers." + +"My faith! never mind where it comes from," said Porthos, +"let us taste it, and if it is good, let us drink it." + +"No," said Athos; "don't let us drink wine which comes from +an unknown source." + +"You are right, Athos," said D'Artagnan. "Did none of you +charge your purveyor, Godeau, to send me some wine?" + +"No! And yet you say he has sent you some as from us?" + +"Here is his letter," said D'Artagnan, and he presented the +note to his comrades. + +"This is not his writing!" said Athos. "I am acquainted +with it; before we left Villeroy I settled the accounts of +the regiment." + +"A false letter altogether," said Porthos, "we have not been +disciplined." + +"D'Artagnan," said Aramis, in a reproachful tone, "how could +you believe that we had made a disturbance?" + +D'Artagnan grew pale, and a convulsive trembling shook all +his limbs. + +"Thou alarmest me!" said Athos, who never used thee and thou +but upon very particular occasions, "what has happened?" + +"Look you, my friends!" cried D'Artagnan, "a horrible +suspicion crosses my mind! Can this be another vengeance of +that woman?" + +It was now Athos who turned pale. + +D'Artagnan rushed toward the refreshment room, the three +Musketeers and the two Guards following him. + +The first object that met the eyes of D'Artagnan on entering +the room was Brisemont, stretched upon the ground and +rolling in horrible convulsions. + +Planchet and Fourreau, as pale as death, were trying to give +him succor; but it was plain that all assistance was +useless--all the features of the dying man were distorted +with agony. + +"Ah!" cried he, on perceiving D'Artagnan, "ah! this is +frightful! You pretend to pardon me, and you poison me!" + +"I!" cried D'Artagnan. "I, wretch? What do you say?" + +"I say that it was you who gave me the wine; I say that it +was you who desired me to drink it. I say you wished to +avenge yourself on me, and I say that it is horrible!" + +"Do not think so, Brisemont," said D'Artagnan; "do not think +so. I swear to you, I protest--" + +"Oh, but God is above! God will punish you! My God, grant +that he may one day suffer what I suffer!" + +"Upon the Gospel," said D'Artagnan, throwing himself down by +the dying man, "I swear to you that the wine was poisoned +and that I was going to drink of it as you did." + +"I do not believe you," cried the soldier, and he expired +amid horrible tortures. + +"Frightful! frightful!" murmured Athos, while Porthos broke +the bottles and Aramis gave orders, a little too late, that +a confessor should be sent for." + +"Oh, my friends," said D'Artagnan, "you come once more to +save my life, not only mine but that of these gentlemen. +Gentlemen," continued he, addressing the Guardsmen, "I +request you will be silent with regard to this adventure. +Great personages may have had a hand in what you have seen, +and if talked about, the evil would only recoil upon us." + +"Ah, monsieur!" stammered Planchet, more dead than alive, +"ah, monsieur, what an escape I have had!" + +"How, sirrah! you were going to drink my wine?" + +"To the health of the king, monsieur; I was going to drink a +small glass of it if Fourreau had not told me I was called." + +"Alas!" said Fourreau, whose teeth chattered with terror, "I wanted to get him out of the way that I might drink myself." + +"Gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, addressing the Guardsmen, "you +may easily comprehend that such a feast can only be very +dull after what has taken place; so accept my excuses, and +put off the party till another day, I beg of you." + +The two Guardsmen courteously accepted D'Artagnan's excuses, +and perceiving that the four friends desired to be alone, +retired. + +When the young Guardsman and the three Musketeers were +without witnesses, they looked at one another with an air +which plainly expressed that each of them perceived the +gravity of their situation. + +"In the first place," said Athos, "let us leave this +chamber; the dead are not agreeable company, particularly +when they have died a violent death." + +"Planchet," said D'Artagnan, "I commit the corpse of this +poor devil to your care. Let him be interred in holy +ground. He committed a crime, it is true; but he repented +of it." + +And the four friends quit the room, leaving to Planchet and +Fourreau the duty of paying mortuary honors to Brisemont. + +The host gave them another chamber, and served them with +fresh eggs and some water, which Athos went himself to draw +at the fountain. In a few words, Porthos and Aramis were +posted as to the situation. + +"Well," said D'Artagnan to Athos, "you see, my dear friend, +that this is war to the death." + +Athos shook his head. + +"Yes, yes," replied he, "I perceive that plainly; but do you +really believe it is she?" + +"I am sure of it." + +"Nevertheless, I confess I still doubt." + +"But the fleur-de-lis on her shoulder?" + +"She is some Englishwoman who has committed a crime in +France, and has been branded in consequence." + +"Athos, she is your wife, I tell you," repeated D'Artagnan; +"only reflect how much the two descriptions resemble each +other." + +"Yes; but I should think the other must be dead, I hanged +her so effectually." + +It was D'Artagnan who now shook his head in his turn. + +"But in either case, what is to be done?" said the young +man. + +"The fact is, one cannot remain thus, with a sword hanging +eternally over his head," said Athos. "We must extricate +ourselves from this position." + +"But how?" + +"Listen! You must try to see her, and have an explanation +with her. Say to her: 'Peace or war! My word as a +gentleman never to say anything of you, never to do anything +against you; on your side, a solemn oath to remain neutral +with respect to me. If not, I will apply to the chancellor, +I will apply to the king, I will apply to the hangman, I +will move the courts against you, I will denounce you as +branded, I will bring you to trial; and if you are +acquitted, well, by the faith of a gentleman, I will kill +you at the corner of some wall, as I would a mad dog.'" + +"I like the means well enough," said D'Artagnan, "but where +and how to meet with her?" + +"Time, dear friend, time brings round opportunity; +opportunity is the martingale of man. The more we have +ventured the more we gain, when we know how to wait." + +"Yes; but to wait surrounded by assassins and poisoners." + +"Bah!" said Athos. "God has preserved us hitherto, God will +preserve us still." + +"Yes, we. Besides, we are men; and everything considered, +it is our lot to risk our lives; but she," asked he, in an +undertone. + +"What she?" asked Athos. + +"Constance." + +"Madame Bonacieux! Ah, that's true!" said Athos. "My poor +friend, I had forgotten you were in love." + +"Well, but," said Aramis, "have you not learned by the +letter you found on the wretched corpse that she is in a +convent? One may be very comfortable in a convent; and as +soon as the siege of La Rochelle is terminated, I promise +you on my part--" + +"Good," cried Athos, "good! Yes, my dear Aramis, we all +know that your views have a religious tendency." + +"I am only temporarily a Musketeer," said Aramis, humbly. + +"It is some time since we heard from his mistress," said +Athos, in a low voice. "But take no notice; we know all +about that." + +"Well," said Porthos, "it appears to me that the means are +very simple." + +"What?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"You say she is in a convent?" replied Porthos. + +"Yes." + +"Very well. As soon as the siege is over, we'll carry her +off from that convent." + +"But we must first learn what convent she is in." + +"That's true," said Porthos. + +"But I think I have it," said Athos. "Don't you say, dear +D'Artagnan, that it is the queen who has made choice of the +convent for her?" + +"I believe so, at least." + +"In that case Porthos will assist us." + +"And how so, if you please?" + +"Why, by your marchioness, your duchess, your princess. She +must have a long arm." + +"Hush!" said Porthos, placing a finger on his lips. "I +believe her to be a cardinalist; she must know nothing of +the matter." + +"Then," said Aramis, "I take upon myself to obtain +intelligence of her." + +"You, Aramis?" cried the three friends. "You! And how?" + +"By the queen's almoner, to whom I am very intimately +allied," said Aramis, coloring. + +And on this assurance, the four friends, who had finished +their modest repast, separated, with the promise of meeting +again that evening. D'Artagnan returned to less important +affairs, and the three Musketeers repaired to the king's +quarters, where they had to prepare their lodging. + + + +43 The Sign of the Red Dovecot + +Meanwhile the king, who, with more reason than the cardinal, +showed his hatred for Buckingham, although scarcely arrived +was in such a haste to meet the enemy that he commanded +every disposition to be made to drive the English from the +Isle of Re, and afterward to press the siege of La Rochelle; +but notwithstanding his earnest wish, he was delayed by the +dissensions which broke out between MM. Bassompierre and +Schomberg, against the Duc d'Angouleme. + +MM. Bassompierre and Schomberg were marshals of France, and +claimed their right of commanding the army under the orders +of the king; but the cardinal, who feared that Bassompierre, +a Huguenot at heart, might press but feebly the English and +Rochellais, his brothers in religion, supported the Duc +d'Angouleme, whom the king, at his instigation, had named +lieutenant general. The result was that to prevent MM. +Bassompierre and Schomberg from deserting the army, a +separate command had to be given to each. Bassompierre took +up his quarters on the north of the city, between Leu and +Dompierre; the Duc d'angouleme on the east, from Dompierre +to Perigny; and M. de Schomberg on the south, from Perigny +to Angoutin. + +The quarters of Monsieur were at Dompierre; the quarters of +the king were sometimes at Estree, sometimes at Jarrie; the +cardinal's quarters were upon the downs, at the bridge of La +Pierre, in a simple house without any entrenchment. So that +Monsieur watched Bassompierre; the king, the Duc +d'Angouleme; and the cardinal, M. de Schomberg. + +As soon as this organization was established, they set about +driving the English from the Isle. + +The juncture was favorable. The English, who require, above +everything, good living in order to be good soldiers, only +eating salt meat and bad biscuit, had many invalids in their +camp. Still further, the sea, very rough at this period of +the year all along the sea coast, destroyed every day some +little vessel; and the shore, from the point of l'Aiguillon +to the trenches, was at every tide literally covered with +the wrecks of pinnacles, roberges, and feluccas. The result +was that even if the king's troops remained quietly in their +camp, it was evident that some day or other, Buckingham, who +only continued in the Isle from obstinacy, would be obliged +to raise the siege. + +But as M. de Toiras gave information that everything was +preparing in the enemy's camp for a fresh assault, the king +judged that it would be best to put an end to the affair, +and gave the necessary orders for a decisive action. + +As it is not our intention to give a journal of the siege, +but on the contrary only to describe such of the events of +it as are connected with the story we are relating, we will +content ourselves with saying in two words that the +expedition succeeded, to the great astonishment of the king +and the great glory of the cardinal. The English, repulsed +foot by foot, beaten in all encounters, and defeated in the +passage of the Isle of Loie, were obliged to re-embark, +leaving on the field of battle two thousand men, among whom +were five colonels, three lieutenant colonels, two hundred +and fifty captains, twenty gentlemen of rank, four pieces of +cannon, and sixty flags, which were taken to Paris by Claude +de St. Simon, and suspended with great pomp in the arches of +Notre Dame. + +Te Deums were chanted in camp, and afterward throughout +France. + +The cardinal was left free to carry on the siege, without +having, at least at the present, anything to fear on the +part of the English. + +But it must be acknowledged, this response was but +momentary. An envoy of the Duke of Buckingham, named +Montague, was taken, and proof was obtained of a league +between the German Empire, Spain, England, and Lorraine. +This league was directed against France. + +Still further, in Buckingham's lodging, which he had been +forced to abandon more precipitately than he expected, +papers were found which confirmed this alliance and which, +as the cardinal asserts in his memoirs, strongly compromised +Mme. de Chevreuse and consequently the queen. + +It was upon the cardinal that all the responsibility fell, +for one is not a despotic minister without responsibility. +All, therefore, of the vast resources of his genius were at +work night and day, engaged in listening to the least report +heard in any of the great kingdoms of Europe. + +The cardinal was acquainted with the activity, and more +particularly the hatred, of Buckingham. If the league which +threatened France triumphed, all his influence would be +lost. Spanish policy and Austrian policy would have their +representatives in the cabinet of the Louvre, where they had +as yet but partisans; and he, Richelieu--the French +minister, the national minister--would be ruined. The king, +even while obeying him like a child, hated him as a child +hates his master, and would abandon him to the personal +vengeance of Monsieur and the queen. He would then be lost, +and France, perhaps, with him. All this must be prepared +against. + +Courtiers, becoming every instant more numerous, succeeded +one another, day and night, in the little house of the +bridge of La Pierre, in which the cardinal had established +his residence. + +There were monks who wore the frock with such an ill grace +that it was easy to perceive they belonged to the church +militant; women a little inconvenienced by their costume as +pages and whose large trousers could not entirely conceal +their rounded forms; and peasants with blackened hands but +with fine limbs, savoring of the man of quality a league +off. + +There were also less agreeable visits--for two or three +times reports were spread that the cardinal had nearly been +assassinated. + +It is true that the enemies of the cardinal said that it was +he himself who set these bungling assassins to work, in +order to have, if wanted, the right of using reprisals; but +we must not believe everything ministers say, nor everything +their enemies say. + +These attempts did not prevent the cardinal, to whom his +most inveterate detractors have never denied personal +bravery, from making nocturnal excursions, sometimes to +communicate to the Duc d'Angouleme important orders, +sometimes to confer with the king, and sometimes to have an +interview with a messenger whom he did not wish to see at +home. + +On their part the Musketeers, who had not much to do with +the siege, were not under very strict orders and led a +joyous life. The was the more easy for our three companions +in particular; for being friends of M. de Treville, they +obtained from him special permission to be absent after the +closing of the camp. + +Now, one evening when D'Artagnan, who was in the trenches, +was not able to accompany them, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, +mounted on their battle steeds, enveloped in their war +cloaks, with their hands upon their pistol butts, were +returning from a drinking place called the Red Dovecot, +which Athos had discovered two days before upon the route to +Jarrie, following the road which led to the camp and quite +on their guard, as we have stated, for fear of an ambuscade, +when, about a quarter of a league from the village of +Boisnau, they fancied they heard the sound of horses +approaching them. They immediately all three halted, closed +in, and waited, occupying the middle of the road. In an +instant, and as the moon broke from behind a cloud, they saw +at a turning of the road two horsemen who, on perceiving +them, stopped in their turn, appearing to deliberate whether +they should continue their route or go back. The hesitation +created some suspicion in the three friends, and Athos, +advancing a few paces in front of the others, cried in a +firm voice, "Who goes there?" + +"Who goes there, yourselves?" replied one of the horsemen. + +"That is not an answer," replied Athos. "Who goes there? +Answer, or we charge." + +"Beware of what you are about, gentlemen!" said a clear +voice which seemed accustomed to command. + +"It is some superior officer making his night rounds," said +Athos. "What do you wish, gentlemen?" + +"Who are you?" said the same voice, in the same commanding +tone. "Answer in your turn, or you may repent of your +disobedience." + +"King's Musketeers," said Athos, more and more convinced +that he who interrogated them had the right to do so. + +"What company?" + +"Company of Treville." + +"Advance, and give an account of what you are doing here at +this hour." + +The three companions advanced rather humbly--for all were +now convinced that they had to do with someone more powerful +than themselves--leaving Athos the post of speaker. + +One of the two riders, he who had spoken second, was ten +paces in front of his companion. Athos made a sign to +Porthos and Aramis also to remain in the rear, and advanced +alone. + +"Your pardon, my officer," said Athos; "but we were ignorant +with whom we had to do, and you may see that we were good +guard." + +"Your name?" said the officer, who covered a part of his +face with his cloak. + +"But yourself, monsieur," said Athos, who began to be +annoyed by this inquisition, "give me, I beg you, the proof +that you have the right to question me." + +"Your name?" repeated the cavalier a second time, letting +his cloak fall, and leaving his face uncovered. + +"Monsieur the Cardinal!" cried the stupefied Musketeer. + +"Your name?" cried his Eminence, for the third time. + +"Athos," said the Musketeer. + +The cardinal made a sign to his attendant, who drew near. +"These three Musketeers shall follow us," said he, in an +undertone. "I am not willing it should be known I have left +the camp; and if they follow us we shall be certain they +will tell nobody." + +"We are gentlemen, monseigneur," said Athos; "require our +parole, and give yourself no uneasiness. Thank God, we can +keep a secret." + +The cardinal fixed his piercing eyes on this courageous +speaker. + +"You have a quick ear, Monsieur Athos," said the cardinal; +"but now listen to this. It is not from mistrust that I +request you to follow me, but for my security. Your +companions are no doubt Messieurs Porthos and Aramis." + +"Yes, your Eminence," said Athos, while the two Musketeers +who had remained behind advanced hat in hand. + +"I know you, gentlemen," said the cardinal, "I know you. I +know you are not quite my friends, and I am sorry you are +not so; but I know you are brave and loyal gentlemen, and +that confidence may be placed in you. Monsieur Athos, do +me, then, the honor to accompany me; you and your two +friends, and then I shall have an escort to excite envy in +his Majesty, if we should meet him." + +The three Musketeers bowed to the necks of their horses. + +"Well, upon my honor," said Athos, "your Eminence is right +in taking us with you; we have seen several ill-looking +faces on the road, and we have even had a quarrel at the Red +Dovecot with four of those faces." + +"A quarrel, and what for, gentlemen?" said the cardinal; +"you know I don't like quarrelers." + +"And that is the reason why I have the honor to inform your +Eminence of what has happened; for you might learn it from +others, and upon a false account believe us to be in fault." + +"What have been the results of your quarrel?" said the +cardinal, knitting his brow. + +"My friend, Aramis, here, has received a slight sword wound +in the arm, but not enough to prevent him, as your Eminence +may see, from mounting to the assault tomorrow, if your +Eminence orders an escalade." + +"But you are not the men to allow sword wounds to be +inflicted upon you thus," said the cardinal. "Come, be +frank, gentlemen, you have settled accounts with somebody! +Confess; you know I have the right of giving absolution." + +"I, monseigneur?" said Athos. "I did not even draw my +sword, but I took him who offended me round the body, and +threw him out of the window. It appears that in falling," +continued Athos, with some hesitation, "he broke his thigh." + +"Ah, ah!" said the cardinal; "and you, Monsieur Porthos?" + +"I, monseigneur, knowing that dueling is prohibited--I +seized a bench, and gave one of those brigands such a blow +that I believe his shoulder is broken." + +"Very well," said the cardinal; "and you, Monsieur Aramis?" + +"Monseigneur, being of a very mild disposition, and being, +likewise, of which Monseigneur perhaps is not aware, about +to enter into orders, I endeavored to appease my comrades, +when one of these wretches gave me a wound with a sword, +treacherously, across my left arm. Then I admit my patience +failed me; I drew my sword in my turn, and as he came back +to the charge, I fancied I felt that in throwing himself +upon me, he let it pass through his body. I only know for a +certainty that he fell; and it seemed to me that he was +borne away with his two companions." + +"The devil, gentlemen!" said the cardinal, "three men placed +hors de combat in a cabaret squabble! You don't do your +work by halves. And pray what was this quarrel about?" + +"These fellows were drunk," said Athos. "and knowing there +was a lady who had arrived at the cabaret this evening, they +wanted to force her door." + +"Force her door!" said the cardinal, "and for what purpose?" + +"To do her violence, without doubt," said Athos. "I have +had the honor of informing your Eminence that these men were +drunk." + +"And was this lady young and handsome?" asked the cardinal, +with a certain degree of anxiety. + +"We did not see her, monseigneur," said Athos. + +"You did not see her? Ah, very well," replied the cardinal, +quickly. "You did well to defend the honor of a woman; and +as I am going to the Red Dovecot myself, I shall know if you +have told me the truth." + +"Monseigneur," said Athos, haughtily, "we are gentlemen, and +to save our heads we would not be guilty of a falsehood." + +"Therefore I do not doubt what you say, Monsieur Athos, I do +not doubt it for a single instant; but," added he, "to +change the conversation, was this lady alone?" + +"The lady had a cavalier shut up with her," said Athos, "but +as notwithstanding the noise, this cavalier did not show +himself, it is to be presumed that he is a coward." + +"Judge not rashly, says the Gospel," replied the cardinal. + +Athos bowed. + +"And now, gentlemen, that's well," continued the cardinal. +"I know what I wish to know; follow me." + +The three Musketeers passed behind his Eminence, who again +enveloped his face in his cloak, and put his horse in +motion, keeping from eight to ten paces in advance of his +four companions. + +They soon arrived at the silent, solitary inn. No doubt the +host knew what illustrious visitor was expected, and had +consequently sent intruders out of the way. + +Ten paces from the door the cardinal made a sign to his +esquire and the three Musketeers to halt. A saddled horse +was fastened to the window shutter. The cardinal knocked +three times, and in a peculiar manner. + +A man, enveloped in a cloak, came out immediately, and +exchanged some rapid words with the cardinal; after which he +mounted his horse, and set off in the direction of Surgeres, +which was likewise the way to Paris. + +"Advance, gentlemen," said the cardinal. + +"You have told me the truth, my gentlemen," said he, +addressing the Musketeers, "and it will not be my fault if +our encounter this evening be not advantageous to you. In +the meantime, follow me." + +The cardinal alighted; the three Musketeers did likewise. +The cardinal threw the bridle of his horse to his esquire; +the three Musketeers fastened the horses to the shutters. + +The host stood at the door. For him, the cardinal was only +an officer coming to visit a lady. + +"Have you any chamber on the ground floor where these +gentlemen can wait near a good fire?" said the cardinal. + +The host opened the door of a large room, in which an old +stove had just been replaced by a large and excellent +chimney. + +"I have this," said he. + +"That will do," replied the cardinal. "Enter, gentlemen, +and be kind enough to wait for me; I shall not be more than +half an hour." + +And while the three Musketeers entered the ground floor +room, the cardinal, without asking further information, +ascended the staircase like a man who has no need of having +his road pointed out to him. + + + +44 THE UTILITY OF STOVEPIPES + +It was evident that without suspecting it, and actuated +solely by their chivalrous and adventurous character, our +three friends had just rendered a service to someone the +cardinal honored with his special protection. + +Now, who was that someone? That was the question the three +Musketeers put to one another. Then, seeing that none of +their replies could throw any light on the subject, Porthos +called the host and asked for dice. + +Porthos and Aramis placed themselves at the table and began +to play. Athos walked about in a contemplative mood. + +While thinking and walking, Athos passed and repassed before +the pipe of the stove, broken in halves, the other extremity +passing into the chamber above; and every time he passed and +repassed he heard a murmur of words, which at length fixed +his attention. Athos went close to it, and distinguished +some words that appeared to merit so great an interest that +he made a sign to his friends to be silent, remaining +himself bent with his ear directed to the opening of the +lower orifice. + +"Listen, Milady," said the cardinal, "the affair is +important. Sit down, and let us talk it over." + +"Milady!" murmured Athos. + +"I listen to your Eminence with greatest attention," replied +a female voice which made the Musketeer start. + +"A small vessel with an English crew, whose captain is on my +side, awaits you at the mouth of Charente, at fort of the +Point. He will set sail tomorrow morning." + +"I must go thither tonight?" + +"Instantly! That is to say, when you have received my +instructions. Two men, whom you will find at the door on +going out, will serve you as escort. You will allow me to +leave first; then, after half an hour, you can go away in +your turn." + +"Yes, monseigneur. Now let us return to the mission with +which you wish to charge me; and as I desire to continue to +merit the confidence of your Eminence, deign to unfold it to +me in terms clear and precise, that I may not commit an +error." + +There was an instant of profound silence between the two +interlocutors. It was evident that the cardinal was +weighing beforehand the terms in which he was about to +speak, and that Milady was collecting all her intellectual +faculties to comprehend the things he was about to say, and +to engrave them in her memory when they should be spoken. + +Athos took advantage of this moment to tell his two +companions to fasten the door inside, and to make them a +sign to come and listen with him. + +The two Musketeers, who loved their ease, brought a chair +for each of themselves and one for Athos. All three then +sat down with their heads together and their ears on the +alert. + +"You will go to London," continued the cardinal. "Arrived +in London, you will seek Buckingham." + +"I must beg your Eminence to observe," said Milady, "that +since the affair of the diamond studs, about which the duke +always suspected me, his Grace distrusts me." + +"Well, this time," said the cardinal, "it is not necessary +to steal his confidence, but to present yourself frankly and +loyally as a negotiator." + +"Frankly and loyally," repeated Milady, with an unspeakable +expression of duplicity. + +"Yes, frankly and loyally," replied the cardinal, in the +same tone. "All this negotiation must be carried on +openly." + +"I will follow your Eminence's instructions to the letter. +I only wait till you give them." + +"You will go to Buckingham in my behalf, and you will tell +him I am acquainted with all the preparations he has made; +but that they give me no uneasiness, since at the first step +he takes I will ruin the queen." + +"Will he believe that your Eminence is in a position to +accomplish the threat thus made?" + +"Yes; for I have the proofs." + +"I must be able to present these proofs for his +appreciation." + +"Without doubt. And you will tell him I will publish the +report of Bois-Robert and the Marquis de Beautru, upon the +interview which the duke had at the residence of Madame the +Constable with the queen on the evening Madame the Constable +gave a masquerade. You will tell him, in order that he may +not doubt, that he came there in the costume of the Great +Mogul, which the Chevalier de Guise was to have worn, and +that he purchased this exchange for the sum of three +thousand pistoles." + +"Well, monseigneur?" + +"All the details of his coming into and going out of the +palace--on the night when he introduced himself in the +character of an Italian fortune teller--you will tell him, +that he may not doubt the correctness of my information; +that he had under his cloak a large white robe dotted with +black tears, death's heads, and crossbones--for in case of a +surprise, he was to pass for the phantom of the White Lady +who, as all the world knows, appears at the Louvre every +time any great event is impending." + +"Is that all, monseigneur?" + +"Tell him also that I am acquainted with all the details of +the adventure at Amiens; that I will have a little romance +made of it, wittily turned, with a plan of the garden and +portraits of the principal actors in that nocturnal +romance." + +"I will tell him that." + +"Tell him further that I hold Montague in my power; that +Montague is in the Bastille; that no letters were found upon +him, it is true, but that torture may make him tell much of +what he knows, and even what he does not know." + +"Exactly." + +"Then add that his Grace has, in the precipitation with +which he quit the Isle of Re, forgotten and left behind him +in his lodging a certain letter from Madame de Chevreuse +which singularly compromises the queen, inasmuch as it +proves not only that her Majesty can love the enemies of the +king but that she can conspire with the enemies of France. +You recollect perfectly all I have told you, do you not?" + +"Your Eminence will judge: the ball of Madame the Constable; +the night at the Louvre; the evening at Amiens; the arrest +of Montague; the letter of Madame de Chevreuse." + +"That's it," said the cardinal, "that's it. You have an +excellent memory, Milady." + +"But," resumed she to whom the cardinal addressed this +flattering compliment, "if, in spite of all these reasons, +the duke does not give way and continues to menace France?" + +"The duke is in love to madness, or rather to folly," +replied Richelieu, with great bitterness. "Like the ancient +paladins, he has only undertaken this war to obtain a look +from his lady love. If he becomes certain that this war +will cost the honor, and perhaps the liberty, of the lady of +his thoughts, as he says, I will answer for it he will look +twice." + +"And yet," said Milady, with a persistence that proved she +wished to see clearly to the end of the mission with which +she was about to be charged, "if he persists?" + +"If he persists?" said the cardinal. "That is not +probable." + +"It is possible," said Milady. + +"If he persists--" His Eminence made a pause, and resumed: +"If he persists--well, then I shall hope for one of those +events which change the destinies of states." + +"If your Eminence would quote to me some one of these events +in history," said Milady, "perhaps I should partake of your +confidence as to the future." + +"Well, here, for example," said Richelieu: "when, in 1610, +for a cause similar to that which moves the duke, King Henry +IV, of glorious memory, was about, at the same time, to +invade Flanders and Italy, in order to attack Austria on +both sides. Well, did there not happen an event which saved +Austria? Why should not the king of France have the same +chance as the emperor?" + +"Your Eminence means, I presume, the knife stab in the Rue +de la Feronnerie?" + +"Precisely," said the cardinal. + +"Does not your Eminence fear that the punishment inflicted +upon Ravaillac may deter anyone who might entertain the idea +of imitating him?" + +"There will be, in all times and in all countries, +particularly if religious divisions exist in those +countries, fanatics who ask nothing better than to become +martyrs. Ay, and observe--it just occurs to me that the +Puritans are furious against Buckingham, and their preachers +designate him as the Antichrist." + +"Well?" said Milady. + +"Well," continued the cardinal, in an indifferent tone, "the +only thing to be sought for at this moment is some woman, +handsome, young, and clever, who has cause of quarrel with +the duke. The duke has had many affairs of gallantry; and +if he has fostered his amours by promises of eternal +constancy, he must likewise have sown the seeds of hatred by +his eternal infidelities." + +"No doubt," said Milady, coolly, "such a woman may be +found." + +"Well, such a woman, who would place the knife of Jacques +Clement or of Ravaillac in the hands of a fanatic, would +save France." + +"Yes; but she would then be the accomplice of an +assassination." + +"Were the accomplices of Ravaillac or of Jacques Clement +ever known?" + +"No; for perhaps they were too high-placed for anyone to +dare look for them where they were. The Palace of Justice +would not be burned down for everybody, monseigneur." + +"You think, then, that the fire at the Palace of Justice was +not caused by chance?" asked Richelieu, in the tone with +which he would have put a question of no importance. + +"I, monseigneur?" replied Milady. "I think nothing; I quote +a fact, that is all. Only I say that if I were named Madame +de Montpensier, or the Queen Marie de Medicis, I should use +less precautions than I take, being simply called Milady +Clarik." + +"That is just," said Richelieu. "What do you require, +then?" + +"I require an order which would ratify beforehand all that I +should think proper to do for the greatest good of France." + +"But in the first place, this woman I have described must be +found who is desirous of avenging herself upon the duke." + +"She is found," said Milady. + +"Then the miserable fanatic must be found who will serve as +an instrument of God's justice." + +"He will be found." + +"Well," said the cardinal, "then it will be time to claim +the order which you just now required." + +"Your Eminence is right," replied Milady; "and I have been +wrong in seeing in the mission with which you honor me +anything but that which it really is--that is, to announce +to his Grace, on the part of your Eminence, that you are +acquainted with the different disguises by means of which he +succeeded in approaching the queen during the fete given by +Madame the Constable; that you have proofs of the interview +granted at the Louvre by the queen to a certain Italian +astrologer who was no other than the Duke of Buckingham; +that you have ordered a little romance of a satirical nature +to be written upon the adventures of Amiens, with a plan of +the gardens in which those adventures took place, and +portraits of the actors who figured in them; that Montague +is in the Bastille, and that the torture may make him say +things he remembers, and even things he has forgotten; that +you possess a certain letter from Madame de Chevreuse, found +in his Grace's lodging, which singularly compromises not +only her who wrote it, but her in whose name it was written. +Then, if he persists, notwithstanding all this--as that is, +as I have said, the limit of my mission--I shall have +nothing to do but to pray God to work a miracle for the +salvation of France. That is it, is it not, monseigneur, +and I shall have nothing else to do?" + +"That is it," replied the cardinal, dryly. + +"And now," said Milady, without appearing to remark the +change of the duke's tone toward her--"now that I have +received the instructions of your Eminence as concerns your +enemies, Monseigneur will permit me to say a few words to +him of mine?" + +"Have you enemies, then?" asked Richelieu. + +"Yes, monseigneur, enemies against whom you owe me all your +support, for I made them by serving your Eminence." + +"Who are they?" replied the duke. + +"In the first place, there is a little intrigante named +Bonacieux." + +"She is in the prison of Nantes." + +"That is to say, she was there," replied Milady; "but the +queen has obtained an order from the king by means of which +she has been conveyed to a convent." + +"To a convent?" said the duke. + +"Yes, to a convent." + +"And to which?" + +"I don't know; the secret has been well kept." + +"But I will know!" + +"And your Eminence will tell me in what convent that woman +is?" + +"I can see nothing inconvenient in that," said the cardinal. + +"Well, now I have an enemy much more to be dreaded by me +than this little Madame Bonacieux." + +"Who is that?" + +"Her lover." + +"What is his name?" + +"Oh, your Eminence knows him well," cried Milady, carried +away by her anger. "He is the evil genius of both of us. +It is he who in an encounter with your Eminence's Guards +decided the victory in favor of the king's Musketeers; it is +he who gave three desperate wounds to De Wardes, your +emissary, and who caused the affair of the diamond studs to +fail; it is he who, knowing it was I who had Madame +Bonacieux carried off, has sworn my death." + +"Ah, ah!" said the cardinal, "I know of whom you speak." + +"I mean that miserable D'Artagnan." + +"He is a bold fellow," said the cardinal. + +"And it is exactly because he is a bold fellow that he is +the more to be feared." + +"I must have," said the duke, "a proof of his connection +with Buckingham." + +"A proof?" cried Milady; "I will have ten." + +"Well, then, it becomes the simplest thing in the world; get +me that proof, and I will send him to the Bastille." + +"So far good, monseigneur; but afterwards?" + +"When once in the Bastille, there is no afterward!" said the +cardinal, in a low voice. "Ah, pardieu!" continued he, "if +it were as easy for me to get rid of my enemy as it is easy +to get rid of yours, and if it were against such people you +require impunity--" + +"Monseigneur," replied Milady, "a fair exchange. Life for +life, man for man; give me one, I will give you the other." + +"I don't know what you mean, nor do I even desire to know +what you mean," replied the cardinal; "but I wish to please +you, and see nothing out of the way in giving you what you +demand with respect to so infamous a creature--the more so +as you tell me this D'Artagnan is a libertine, a duelist, +and a traitor." + +"An infamous scoundrel, monseigneur, a scoundrel!" + +"Give me paper, a quill, and some ink, then," said the +cardinal. + +"Here they are, monseigneur." + +There was a moment of silence, which proved that the +cardinal was employed in seeking the terms in which he +should write the note, or else in writing it. Athos, who +had not lost a word of the conversation, took his two +companions by the hand, and led them to the other end of the +room. + +"Well," said Porthos, "what do you want, and why do you not +let us listen to the end of the conversation?" + +"Hush!" said Athos, speaking in a low voice. "We have heard +all it was necessary we should hear; besides, I don't +prevent you from listening, but I must be gone." + +"You must be gone!" said Porthos; "and if the cardinal asks +for you, what answer can we make?" + +"You will not wait till he asks; you will speak first, and +tell him that I am gone on the lookout, because certain +expressions of our host have given me reason to think the +road is not safe. I will say two words about it to the +cardinal's esquire likewise. The rest concerns myself; +don't be uneasy about that." + +"Be prudent, Athos," said Aramis. + +"Be easy on that head," replied Athos; "you know I am cool +enough." + +Porthos and Aramis resumed their places by the stovepipe. + +As to Athos, he went out without any mystery, took his +horse, which was tied with those of his friends to the +fastenings of the shutters, in four words convinced the +attendant of the necessity of a vanguard for their return, +carefully examined the priming of his pistols, drew his +sword, and took, like a forlorn hope, the road to the camp. + + + +45 A CONJUGAL SCENE + +As Athos had foreseen, it was not long before the cardinal +came down. He opened the door of the room in which the +Musketeers were, and found Porthos playing an earnest game +of dice with Aramis. He cast a rapid glance around the +room, and perceived that one of his men was missing. + +"What has become of Monseigneur Athos?" asked he. + +"Monseigneur," replied Porthos, "he has gone as a scout, on +account of some words of our host, which made him believe +the road was not safe." + +"And you, what have you done, Monsieur Porthos?" + +"I have won five pistoles of Aramis." + +"Well; now will you return with me?" + +"We are at your Eminence's orders." + +"To horse, then, gentlemen; for it is getting late." + +The attendant was at the door, holding the cardinal's horse +by the bridle. At a short distance a group of two men and +three horses appeared in the shade. These were the two men +who were to conduct Milady to the fort of the Point, and +superintend her embarkation. + +The attendant confirmed to the cardinal what the two +Musketeers had already said with respect to Athos. The +cardinal made an approving gesture, and retraced his route +with the same precautions he had used incoming. + +Let us leave him to follow the road to the camp protected by +his esquire and the two Musketeers, and return to Athos. + +For a hundred paces he maintained the speed at which he +started; but when out of sight he turned his horse to the +right, made a circuit, and came back within twenty paces of +a high hedge to watch the passage of the little troop. +Having recognized the laced hats of his companions and the +golden fringe of the cardinal's cloak, he waited till the +horsemen had turned the angle of the road, and having lost +sight of them, he returned at a gallop to the inn, which was +opened to him without hesitation. + +The host recognized him. + +"My officer," said Athos, "has forgotten to give a piece of +very important information to the lady, and has sent me back +to repair his forgetfulness." + +"Go up," said the host; "she is still in her chamber." + +Athos availed himself of the permission, ascended the stairs +with his lightest step, gained the landing, and through the +open door perceived Milady putting on her hat. + +He entered the chamber and closed the door behind him. At +the noise he made in pushing the bolt, Milady turned round. + +Athos was standing before the door, enveloped in his cloak, +with his hat pulled down over his eyes. On seeing this +figure, mute and immovable as a statue, Milady was +frightened. + +"Who are you, and what do you want?" cried she. + +"Humph," murmured Athos, "it is certainly she!" + +And letting fall his cloak and raising his hat, he advanced +toward Milady. + +"Do you know me, madame?" said he. + +Milady made one step forward, and then drew back as if she +had seen a serpent. + +"So far, well," said Athos, "I perceive you know me." + +"The Comte de la Fere!" murmured Milady, becoming +exceedingly pale, and drawing back till the wall prevented +her from going any farther. + +"Yes, Milady," replied Athos; "the Comte de la Fere in +person, who comes expressly from the other world to have the +pleasure of paying you a visit. Sit down, madame, and let +us talk, as the cardinal said." + +Milady, under the influence of inexpressible terror, sat +down without uttering a word. + +"You certainly are a demon sent upon the earth!" said Athos. +"Your power is great, I know; but you also know that with +the help of God men have often conquered the most terrible +demons. You have once before thrown yourself in my path. I +thought I had crushed you, madame; but either I was deceived +or hell has resuscitated you!" + +Milady at these words, which recalled frightful +remembrances, hung down her head with a suppressed groan. + +"Yes, hell has resuscitated you," continued Athos. "Hell +has made you rich, hell has given you another name, hell has +almost made you another face; but it has neither effaced the +stains from your soul nor the brand from your body." + +Milady arose as if moved by a powerful spring, and her eyes +flashed lightning. Athos remained sitting. + +"You believed me to be dead, did you not, as I believed you +to be? And the name of Athos as well concealed the Comte de +la Fere, as the name Milady Clarik concealed Anne de Breuil. +Was it not so you were called when your honored brother +married us? Our position is truly a strange one," continued +Athos, laughing. "We have only lived up to the present time +because we believed each other dead, and because a +remembrance is less oppressive than a living creature, +though a remembrance is sometimes devouring." + +"But," said Milady, in a hollow, faint voice, "what brings +you back to me, and what do you want with me?" + +"I wish to tell you that though remaining invisible to your +eyes, I have not lost sight of you." + +"You know what I have done?" + +"I can relate to you, day by day, your actions from your +entrance to the service of the cardinal to this evening." + +A smile of incredulity passed over the pale lips of Milady. + +"Listen! It was you who cut off the two diamond studs from +the shoulder of the Duke of Buckingham; it was you had the +Madame Bonacieux carried off; it was you who, in love with +De Wardes and thinking to pass the night with him, opened +the door to Monsieur d'Artagnan; it was you who, believing +that De Wardes had deceived you, wished to have him killed +by his rival; it was you who, when this rival had discovered +your infamous secret, wished to have him killed in his turn +by two assassins, whom you sent in pursuit of him; it was +you who, finding the balls had missed their mark, sent +poisoned wine with a forged letter, to make your victim +believe that the wine came from his friends. In short, it +was you who have but now in this chamber, seated in this +chair I now fill, made an engagement with Cardinal Richelieu +to cause the Duke of Buckingham to be assassinated, in +exchange for the promise he has made you to allow you to +assassinate D'Artagnan." + +Milady was livid. + +"You must be Satan!" cried she. + +"Perhaps," said Athos; "But at all events listen well to +this. Assassinate the Duke of Buckingham, or cause him to +be assassinated--I care very little about that! I don't +know him. Besides, he is an Englishman. But do not touch +with the tip of your finger a single hair of D'Artagnan, who +is a faithful friend whom I love and defend, or I swear to +you by the head of my father the crime which you shall have +endeavored to commit, or shall have committed, shall be the +last." + +"Monsieur d'Artagnan has cruelly insulted me," said Milady, +in a hollow tone; "Monsieur d'Artagnan shall die!" + +"Indeed! Is it possible to insult you, madame?" said Athos, +laughing; "he has insulted you, and he shall die!" + +"He shall die!" replied Milady; "she first, and he +afterward." + +Athos was seized with a kind of vertigo. The sight of this +creature, who had nothing of the woman about her, recalled +awful remembrances. He thought how one day, in a less +dangerous situation than the one in which he was now placed, +he had already endeavored to sacrifice her to his honor. +His desire for blood returned, burning his brain and +pervading his frame like a raging fever; he arose in his +turn, reached his hand to his belt, drew forth a pistol, and +cocked it. + +Milady, pale as a corpse, endeavored to cry out; but her +swollen tongue could utter no more than a hoarse sound which +had nothing human in it and resembled the rattle of a wild +beast. Motionless against the dark tapestry, with her hair +in disorder, she appeared like a horrid image of terror. + +Athos slowly raised his pistol, stretched out his arm so +that the weapon almost touched Milady's forehead, and then, +in a voice the more terrible from having the supreme +calmness of a fixed resolution, "Madame," said he, "you will +this instant deliver to me the paper the cardinal signed; or +upon my soul, I will blow your brains out." + +With another man, Milady might have preserved some doubt; +but she knew Athos. Nevertheless, she remained motionless. + +"You have one second to decide," said he. + +Milady saw by the contraction of his countenance that the +trigger was about to be pulled; she reached her hand quickly +to her bosom, drew out a paper, and held it toward Athos. + +"Take it," said she, "and be accursed!" + +Athos took the paper, returned the pistol to his belt, +approached the lamp to be assured that it was the paper, +unfolded it, and read: + + +Dec. 3, 1627 + +It is by more order and for the good of the state that the +bearer of this has done what he has done. + +Richelieu + + +"And now," said Athos, resuming his cloak and putting on his +hat, "now that I have drawn your teeth, viper, bite if you +can." + +And he left the chamber without once looking behind him. + +At the door he found the two men and the spare horse which +they held. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "Monseigneur's order is, you know, to +conduct that woman, without losing time, to the fort of the +Point, and never to leave her till she is on board." + +As these words agreed wholly with the order they had +received, they bowed their heads in sign of assent. + +With regard to Athos, he leaped lightly into the saddle and +set out at full gallop; only instead of following the road, +he went across the fields, urging his horse to the utmost +and stopping occasionally to listen. + +In one of those halts he heard the steps of several horses +on the road. He had no doubt it was the cardinal and his +escort. He immediately made a new point in advance, rubbed +his horse down with some heath and leaves of trees, and +placed himself across the road, about two hundred paces from +the camp. + +"Who goes there?" cried he, as soon as he perceived the +horsemen. + +"That is our brave Musketeer, I think," said the cardinal. + +"Yes, monseigneur," said Porthos, "it is he." + +"Monsieur Athos," said Richelieu, "receive my thanks for the +good guard you have kept. Gentlemen, we are arrived; take +the gate on the left. The watchword is, 'King and Re.'" + +Saying these words, the cardinal saluted the three friends +with an inclination of his head, and took the right hand, +followed by his attendant--for that night he himself slept +in the camp. + +"Well!" said Porthos and Aramis together, as soon as the +cardinal was out of hearing, "well, he signed the paper she +required!" + +"I know it," said Athos, coolly, "since here it is." + +And the three friends did not exchange another word till +they reached their quarters, except to give the watchword to +the sentinels. Only they sent Mousqueton to tell Planchet +that his master was requested, the instant that he left the +trenches, to come to the quarters of the Musketeers. + +Milady, as Athos had foreseen, on finding the two men that +awaited her, made no difficulty in following them. She had +had for an instant an inclination to be reconducted to the +cardinal, and relate everything to him; but a revelation on +her part would bring about a revelation on the part of +Athos. She might say that Athos had hanged her; but then +Athos would tell that she was branded. She thought it was +best to preserve silence, to discreetly set off to +accomplish her difficult mission with her usual skill; and +then, all things being accomplished to the satisfaction of +the cardinal, to come to him and claim her vengeance. + +In consequence, after having traveled all night, at seven +o'clock she was at the fort of the Point; at eight o'clock +she had embarked; and at nine, the vessel, which with +letters of marque from the cardinal was supposed to be +sailing for Bayonne, raised anchor, and steered its course +toward England. + + + +46 THE BASTION SAINT-GERVAIS + +On arriving at the lodgings of his three friends, D'Artagnan +found them assembled in the same chamber. Athos was +meditating; Porthos was twisting his mustache; Aramis was +saying his prayers in a charming little Book of Hours, bound +in blue velvet. + +"Pardieu, gentlemen," said he. "I hope what you have to +tell me is worth the trouble, or else, I warn you, I will +not pardon you for making me come here instead of getting a +little rest after a night spent in taking and dismantling a +bastion. Ah, why were you not there, gentlemen? It was +warm work." + +"We were in a place where it was not very cold," replied +Porthos, giving his mustache a twist which was peculiar to +him. + +"Hush!" said Athos. + +"Oh, oh!" said D'Artagnan, comprehending the slight frown of +the Musketeer. "It appears there is something fresh +aboard." + +"Aramis," said Athos, "you went to breakfast the day before +yesterday at the inn of the Parpaillot, I believe?" + +"Yes." + +"How did you fare?" + +"For my part, I ate but little. The day before yesterday +was a fish day, and they had nothing but meat." + +"What," said Athos, "no fish at a seaport?" + +"They say," said Aramis, resuming his pious reading, "that +the dyke which the cardinal is making drives them all out +into the open sea." + +"But that is not quite what I mean to ask you, Aramis," +replied Athos. "I want to know if you were left alone, and +nobody interrupted +you." + +"Why, I think there were not many intruders. Yes, Athos, I +know what you mean: we shall do very well at the +Parpaillot." + +"Let us go to the Parpaillot, then, for here the walls are +like sheets of paper." + +D'Artagnan, who was accustomed to his friend's manner of +acting, and who perceived immediately, by a word, a gesture, +or a sign from him, that the circumstances were serious, +took Athos's arm, and went out without saying anything. +Porthos followed, chatting with Aramis. + +On their way they met Grimaud. Athos made him a sign to +come with them. Grimaud, according to custom, obeyed in +silence; the poor lad had nearly come to the pass of +forgetting how to speak. + +They arrived at the drinking room of the Parpaillot. It was +seven o'clock in the morning, and daylight began to appear. +The three friends ordered breakfast, and went into a room in +which the host said they would not be disturbed. + +Unfortunately, the hour was badly chosen for a private +conference. The morning drum had just been beaten; everyone +shook off the drowsiness of night, and to dispel the humid +morning air, came to take a drop at the inn. Dragoons, +Swiss, Guardsmen, Musketeers, light-horsemen, succeeded one +another with a rapidity which might answer the purpose of +the host very well, but agreed badly with the views of the +four friends. Thus they applied very curtly to the +salutations, healths, and jokes of their companions. + +"I see how it will be," said Athos: "we shall get into some +pretty quarrel or other, and we have no need of one just +now. D'Artagnan, tell us what sort of a night you have had, +and we will describe ours afterward." + +"Ah, yes," said a light-horseman, with a glass of brandy in +his hand, which he sipped slowly. "I hear you gentlemen of +the Guards have been in the trenches tonight, and that you +did not get much the best of the Rochellais." + +D'Artagnan looked at Athos to know if he ought to reply to +this intruder who thus mixed unmasked in their conversation. + +"Well," said Athos, "don't you hear Monsieur de Busigny, who +does you the honor to ask you a question? Relate what has +passed during the night, since these gentlemen desire to +know it." + +"Have you not taken a bastion?" said a Swiss, who was +drinking rum out of beer glass. + +"Yes, monsieur," said D'Artagnan, bowing, "we have had that +honor. We even have, as you may have heard, introduced a +barrel of powder under one of the angles, which in blowing +up made a very pretty breach. Without reckoning that as the +bastion was not built yesterday all the rest of the building +was badly shaken." + +"And what bastion is it?" asked a dragoon, with his saber +run through a goose which he was taking to be cooked. + +"The bastion St. Gervais," replied D'Artagnan, "from behind +which the Rochellais annoyed our workmen." + +"Was that affair hot?" + +"Yes, moderately so. We lost five men, and the Rochellais +eight or ten." + +"Balzempleu!" said the Swiss, who, notwithstanding the +admirable collection of oaths possessed by the German +language, had acquired a habit of swearing in French. + +"But it is probable," said the light-horseman, "that they +will send pioneers this morning to repair the bastion." + +"Yes, that's probable," said D'Artagnan. + +"Gentlemen," said Athos, "a wager!" + +"Ah, wooi, a vager!" cried the Swiss. + +"What is it?" said the light-horseman. + +"Stop a bit," said the dragoon, placing his saber like a +spit upon the two large iron dogs which held the firebrands +in the chimney, "stop a bit, I am in it. You cursed host! a +dripping pan immediately, that I may not lose a drop of the +fat of this estimable bird." + +"You was right," said the Swiss; "goose grease is kood with +basdry." + +"There!" said the dragoon. "Now for the wager! We listen, Monsieur Athos." + +"Yes, the wager!" said the light-horseman. + +"Well, Monsieur de Busigny, I will bet you," said Athos, +"that my three companions, Messieurs Porthos, Aramis, and +D'Artagnan, and myself, will go and breakfast in the bastion +St. Gervais, and we will remain there an hour, by the watch, +whatever the enemy may do to dislodge us." + +Porthos and Aramis looked at each other; they began to +comprehend. + +"But," said D'Artagnan, in the ear of Athos, "you are going +to get us all killed without mercy." + +"We are much more likely to be killed," said Athos, "if we +do not go." + +"My faith, gentlemen," said Porthos, turning round upon his +chair and twisting his mustache, "that's a fair bet, I +hope." + +"I take it," said M. de Busigny; "so let us fix the stake." + +"You are four gentlemen," said Athos, "and we are four; an +unlimited dinner for eight. Will that do?" + +"Capitally," replied M. de Busigny. + +"Perfectly," said the dragoon. + +"That shoots me," said the Swiss. + +The fourth auditor, who during all this conversation had +played a mute part, made a sign of the head in proof that he +acquiesced in the proposition. + +"The breakfast for these gentlemen is ready," said the host. + +"Well, bring it," said Athos. + +The host obeyed. Athos called Grimaud, pointed to a large +basket which lay in a corner, and made a sign to him to wrap +the viands up in the napkins. + +Grimaud understood that it was to be a breakfast on the +grass, took the basket, packed up the viands, added the +bottles, and then took the basket on his arm. + +"But where are you going to eat my breakfast?" asked the +host. + +"What matter, if you are paid for it?" said Athos, and he +threw two pistoles majestically on the table. + +"Shall I give you the change, my officer?" said the host. + +"No, only add two bottles of champagne, and the difference +will be for the napkins." + +The host had not quite so good a bargain as he at first +hoped for, but he made amends by slipping in two bottles of +Anjou wine instead of two bottles of champagne. + +"Monsieur de Busigny," said Athos, "will you be so kind as +to set your watch with mine, or permit me to regulate mine +by yours?" + +"Which you please, monsieur!" said the light-horseman, +drawing from his fob a very handsome watch, studded with +diamonds; "half past seven." + +"Thirty-five minutes after seven," said Athos, "by which you +perceive I am five minutes faster than you." + +And bowing to all the astonished persons present, the young +men took the road to the bastion St. Gervais, followed by +Grimaud, who carried the basket, ignorant of where he was +going but in the passive obedience which Athos had taught +him not even thinking of asking. + +As long as they were within the circle of the camp, the four +friends did not exchange one word; besides, they were +followed by the curious, who, hearing of the wager, were +anxious to know how they would come out of it. But when +once they passed the line of circumvallation and found +themselves in the open plain, D'Artagnan, who was completely +ignorant of what was going forward, thought it was time to +demand an explanation. + +"And now, my dear Athos," said he, "do me the kindness to +tell me where we are going?" + +"Why, you see plainly enough we are going to the bastion." + +"But what are we going to do there?" + +"You know well that we go to breakfast there." + +"But why did we not breakfast at the Parpaillot?" + +"Because we have very important matters to communicate to +one another, and it was impossible to talk five minutes in +that inn without being annoyed by all those importunate +fellows, who keep coming in, saluting you, and addressing +you. Here at least," said Athos, pointing to the bastion, +"they will not come and disturb us." + +"It appears to me," said D'Artagnan, with that prudence +which allied itself in him so naturally with excessive +bravery, "that we could have found some retired place on the +downs or the seashore." + +"Where we should have been seen all four conferring +together, so that at the end of a quarter of an hour the +cardinal would have been informed by his spies that we were +holding a council." + +"Yes," said Aramis, "Athos is right: Animadvertuntur in +desertis." + +"A desert would not have been amiss," said Porthos; "but it +behooved us to find it." + +"There is no desert where a bird cannot pass over one's +head, where a fish cannot leap out of the water, where a +rabbit cannot come out of its burrow, and I believe that +bird, fish, and rabbit each becomes a spy of the cardinal. +Better, then, pursue our enterprise; from which, besides, we +cannot retreat without shame. We have made a wager--a wager +which could not have been foreseen, and of which I defy +anyone to divine the true cause. We are going, in order to +win it, to remain an hour in the bastion. Either we shall +be attacked, or not. If we are not, we shall have all the +time to talk, and nobody will hear us--for I guarantee the +walls of the bastion have no ears; if we are, we will talk +of our affairs just the same. Moreover, in defending +ourselves, we shall cover ourselves with glory. You see +that everything is to our advantage." + +"Yes," said D'Artagnan; "but we shall indubitably attract a +ball." + +"Well, my dear," replied Athos, "you know well that the +balls most to be dreaded are not from the enemy." + +"But for such an expedition we surely ought to have brought +our muskets." + +"You are stupid, friend Porthos. Why should we load +ourselves with a useless burden?" + +"I don't find a good musket, twelve cartridges, and a powder +flask very useless in the face of an enemy." + +"Well," replied Athos, "have you not heard what D'Artagnan +said?" + +"What did he say?" demanded Porthos. + +"D'Artagnan said that in the attack of last night eight or +ten Frenchmen were killed, and as many Rochellais." + +"What then?" + +"The bodies were not plundered, were they? It appears the +conquerors had something else to do." + +"Well?" + +"Well, we shall find their muskets, their cartridges, and +their flasks; and instead of four musketoons and twelve +balls, we shall have fifteen guns and a hundred charges to +fire." + +"Oh, Athos!" said Aramis, "truly you are a great man." + +Porthos nodded in sign of agreement. D'Artagnan alone did +not seem convinced. + +Grimaud no doubt shared the misgivings of the young man, for +seeing that they continued to advance toward the +bastion--something he had till then doubted--he pulled his +master by the skirt of his coat. + +"Where are we going?" asked he, by a gesture. + +Athos pointed to the bastion. + +"But," said Grimaud, in the same silent dialect, "we shall +leave our skins there." + +Athos raised his eyes and his finger toward heaven. + +Grimaud put his basket on the ground and sat down with a +shake of the head. + +Athos took a pistol from his belt, looked to see if it was +properly primed, cocked it, and placed the muzzle close to +Grimaud's ear. + +Grimaud was on his legs again as if by a spring. Athos then +made him a sign to take up his basket and to walk on first. +Grimaud obeyed. All that Grimaud gained by this momentary +pantomime was to pass from the rear guard to the vanguard. + +Arrived at the bastion, the four friends turned round. + +More than three hundred soldiers of all kinds were assembled +at the gate of the camp; and in a separate group might be +distinguished M. de Busigny, the dragoon, the Swiss, and the +fourth bettor. + +Athos took off his hat, placed it on the end of his sword, +and waved it in the air. + +All the spectators returned him his salute, accompanying +this courtesy with a loud hurrah which was audible to the +four; after which all four disappeared in the bastion, +whither Grimaud had preceded them. + + + +47 THE COUNCIL OF THE MUSKETEERS + +As Athos had foreseen, the bastion was only occupied by a +dozen corpses, French and Rochellais. + +"Gentlemen," said Athos, who had assumed the command of the +expedition, "while Grimaud spreads the table, let us begin +by collecting the guns and cartridges together. We can talk +while performing that necessary task. These gentlemen," +added he, pointing to the bodies, "cannot hear us." + +"But we could throw them into the ditch," said Porthos, +"after having assured ourselves they have nothing in their +pockets." + +"Yes," said Athos, "that's Grimaud's business." + +"Well, then," cried D'Artagnan, "pray let Grimaud search +them and throw them over the walls." + +"Heaven forfend!" said Athos; "they may serve us." + +"These bodies serve us?" said Porthos. "You are mad, dear +friend." + +"Judge not rashly, say the gospel and the cardinal," replied +Athos. "How many guns, gentlemen?" + +"Twelve," replied Aramis. + +"How many shots?" + +"A hundred." + +"That's quite as many as we shall want. Let us load the +guns." + +The four Musketeers went to work; and as they were loading +the last musket Grimaud announced that the breakfast was +ready. + +Athos replied, always by gestures, that that was well, and +indicated to Grimaud, by pointing to a turret that resembled +a pepper caster, that he was to stand as sentinel. Only, to +alleviate the tediousness of the duty, Athos allowed him to +take a loaf, two cutlets, and a bottle of wine. + +"And now to table," said Athos. + +The four friends seated themselves on the ground with their +legs crossed like Turks, or even tailors. + +"And now," said D'Artagnan, "as there is no longer any fear +of being overheard, I hope you are going to let me into your +secret." + +"I hope at the same time to procure you amusement and glory, +gentlemen," said Athos. "I have induced you to take a +charming promenade; here is a delicious breakfast; and +yonder are five hundred persons, as you may see through the +loopholes, taking us for heroes or madmen--two classes of +imbeciles greatly resembling each other." + +"But the secret!" said D'Artagnan. + +"The secret is," said Athos, "that I saw Milady last night." + +D'Artagnan was lifting a glass to his lips; but at the name +of Milady, his hand trembled so, that he was obliged to put +the glass on the ground again for fear of spilling the +contents." + +"You saw your wi--" + +"Hush!" interrupted Athos. "You forget, my dear, you forget +that these gentlemen are not initiated into my family +affairs like yourself. I have seen Milady." + +"Where?" demanded D'Artagnan. + +"Within two leagues of this place, at the inn of the Red +Dovecot." + +"In that case I am lost," said D'Artagnan. + +"Not so bad yet," replied Athos; "for by this time she must +have quit the shores of France." + +D'Artagnan breathed again. + +"But after all," asked Porthos, "who is Milady?" + +"A charming woman!" said Athos, sipping a glass of sparkling +wine. "Villainous host!" cried he, "he has given us Anjou +wine instead of champagne, and fancies we know no better! +Yes," continued he, "a charming woman, who entertained kind +views toward our friend D'Artagnan, who, on his part, has +given her some offense for which she tried to revenge +herself a month ago by having him killed by two musket +shots, a week ago by trying to poison him, and yesterday by +demanding his head of the cardinal." + +"What! by demanding my head of the cardinal?" cried +D'Artagnan, pale with terror. + +"Yes, that is true as the Gospel," said Porthos; "I heard +her with my own ears." + +"I also," said Aramis. + +"Then," said D'Artagnan, letting his arm fall with +discouragement, "it is useless to struggle longer. I may as +well blow my brains out, and all will be over." + +"That's the last folly to be committed," said Athos, "seeing +it is the only one for which there is no remedy." + +"But I can never escape," said D'Artagnan, "with such +enemies. First, my stranger of Meung; then De Wardes, to +whom I have given three sword wounds; next Milady, whose +secret I have discovered; finally, the cardinal, whose +vengeance I have balked." + +"Well," said Athos, "that only makes four; and we are +four-- one for one. Pardieu! if we may believe the signs +Grimaud is making, we are about to have to do with a very +different number of people. What is it, Grimaud? +Considering the gravity of the occasion, I permit you to +speak, my friend; but be laconic, I beg. What do you see?" + +"A troop." + +"Of how many persons?" + +"Twenty men." + +"What sort of men?" + +"Sixteen pioneers, four soldiers." + +"How far distant?" + +"Five hundred paces." + +"Good! We have just time to finish this fowl and to drink +one glass of wine to your health, D'Artagnan." + +"To your health!" repeated Porthos and Aramis. + +"Well, then, to my health! although I am very much afraid +that your good wishes will not be of great service to me." + +"Bah!" said Athos, "God is great, as say the followers of +Mohammed, and the future is in his hands." + +Then, swallowing the contents of his glass, which he put +down close to him, Athos arose carelessly, took the musket +next to him, and drew near to one of the loopholes. + +Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan followed his example. As to +Grimaud, he received orders to place himself behind the four +friends in order to reload their weapons. + +"Pardieu!" said Athos, "it was hardly worth while to +distribute ourselves for twenty fellows armed with pickaxes, +mattocks, and shovels. Grimaud had only to make them a sign +to go away, and I am convinced they would have left us in +peace." + +"I doubt that," replied D'Artagnan, "for they are advancing +very resolutely. Besides, in addition to the pioneers, +there are four soldiers and a brigadier, armed with +muskets." + +"That's because they don't see us," said Athos. + +"My faith," said Aramis, "I must confess I feel a great +repugnance to fire on these poor devils of civilians." + +"He is a bad priest," said Porthos, "who has pity for +heretics." + +"In truth," said Athos, "Aramis is right. I will warn +them." + +"What the devil are you going to do?" cried D'Artagnan, "you +will be shot." + +But Athos heeded not his advice. Mounting on the breach, +with his musket in one hand and his hat in the other, he +said, bowing courteously and addressing the soldiers and the +pioneers, who, astonished at this apparition, stopped fifty +paces from the bastion: "Gentlemen, a few friends and +myself are about to breakfast in this bastion. Now, you +know nothing is more disagreeable than being disturbed when +one is at breakfast. We request you, then, if you really +have business here, to wait till we have finished or repast, +or to come again a short time hence, unless; unless, which +would be far better, you form the salutary resolution to +quit the side of the rebels, and come and drink with us to +the health of the King of France." + +"Take care, Athos!" cried D'Artagnan; "don't you see they +are aiming?" + +"Yes, yes," said Athos; "but they are only civilians--very +bad marksmen, who will be sure not to hit me." + +In fact, at the same instant four shots were fired, and the +balls were flattened against the wall around Athos, but not +one touched him. + +Four shots replied to them almost instantaneously, but much +better aimed than those of the aggressors; three soldiers +fell dead, and one of the pioneers was wounded. + +"Grimaud," said Athos, still on the breach, "another +musket!" + +Grimaud immediately obeyed. On their part, the three +friends had reloaded their arms; a second discharge followed +the first. The brigadier and two pioneers fell dead; the +rest of the troop took to flight. + +"Now, gentlemen, a sortie!" cried Athos. + +And the four friends rushed out of the fort, gained the +field of battle, picked up the four muskets of the privates +and the half-pike of the brigadier, and convinced that the +fugitives would not stop till they reached the city, turned +again toward the bastion, bearing with them the trophies of +their victory. + +"Reload the muskets, Grimaud," said Athos, "and we, +gentlemen, will go on with our breakfast, and resume our +conversation. Where were we?" + +"I recollect you were saying," said D'Artagnan, "that after +having demanded my head of the cardinal, Milady had quit the +shores of France. Whither goes she?" added he, strongly +interested in the route Milady followed. + +"She goes into England," said Athos. + +"With what view?" + +"With the view of assassinating, or causing to be +assassinated, the Duke of Buckingham." + +D'Artagnan uttered an exclamation of surprise and +indignation. + +"But this is infamous!" cried he. + +"As to that," said Athos, "I beg you to believe that I care +very little about it. Now you have done, Grimaud, take our +brigadier's half-pike, tie a napkin to it, and plant it on +top of our bastion, that these rebels of Rochellais may see +that they have to deal with brave and loyal soldiers of the +king." + +Grimaud obeyed without replying. An instant afterward, the +white flag was floating over the heads of the four friends. +A thunder of applause saluted its appearance; half the camp +was at the barrier. + +"How?" replied D'Artagnan, "you care little if she kills +Buckingham or causes him to be killed? But the duke is our +friend." + +"The duke is English; the duke fights against us. Let her +do what she likes with the duke; I care no more about him +than an empty bottle." And Athos threw fifteen paces from +him an empty bottle from which he had poured the last drop +into his glass. + +"A moment," said D'Artagnan. "I will not abandon Buckingham +thus. He gave us some very fine horses." + +"And moreover, very handsome saddles," said Porthos, who at +the moment wore on his cloak the lace of his own. + +"Besides," said Aramis, "God desires the conversion and not +the death of a sinner." + +"Amen!" said Athos, "and we will return to that subject +later, if such be your pleasure; but what for the moment +engaged my attention most earnestly, and I am sure you will +understand me, D'Artagnan, was the getting from this woman a +kind of carte blanche which she had extorted from the +cardinal, and by means of which she could with impunity get +rid of you and perhaps of us." + +"But this creature must be a demon!" said Porthos, holding +out his plate to Aramis, who was cutting up a fowl. + +"And this carte blanche," said D'Artagnan, "this carte +blanche, does it remain in her hands?" + +"No, it passed into mine; I will not say without trouble, +for if I did I should tell a lie." + +"My dear Athos, I shall no longer count the number of times +I am indebted to you for my life." + +"Then it was to go to her that you left us?" said Aramis. + +"Exactly." + +"And you have that letter of the cardinal?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Here it is," said Athos; and he took the invaluable paper +from the pocket of his uniform. D'Artagnan unfolded it with +one hand, whose trembling he did not even attempt to +conceal, to read: + + +Dec. 3, 1627 + +It is by more order and for the good of the state that the +bearer of this has done what he has done. + +"Richelieu" + + +"In fact," said Aramis, "it is an absolution according to rule." + +"That paper must be torn to pieces," said D'Artagnan, who +fancied he read in it his sentence of death. + +"On the contrary," said Athos, "it must be preserved +carefully. I would not give up this paper if covered with +as many gold pieces." + +"And what will she do now?" asked the young man. + +"Why," replied Athos, carelessly, "she is probably going to +write to the cardinal that a damned Musketeer, named Athos, +has taken her safe-conduct from her by force; she will +advise him in the same letter to get rid of his two friends, +Aramis and Porthos, at the same time. The cardinal will +remember that these are the same men who have often crossed +his path; and then some fine morning he will arrest +D'Artagnan, and for fear he should feel lonely, he will send +us to keep him company in the Bastille." + +"Go to! It appears to me you make dull jokes, my dear," +said Porthos. + +"I do not jest," said Athos. + +"Do you know," said Porthos, "that to twist that damned +Milady's neck would be a smaller sin than to twist those of +these poor devils of Huguenots, who have committed no other +crime than singing in French the psalms we sing in Latin?" + +"What says the abbe?" asked Athos, quietly. + +"I say I am entirely of Porthos's opinion," replied Aramis. + +"And I, too," said D'Artagnan. + +"Fortunately, she is far off," said Porthos, "for I confess +she would worry me if she were here." + +"She worries me in England as well as in France," said +Athos. + +"She worries me everywhere," said D'Artagnan. + +"But when you held her in your power, why did you not drown +her, strangle her, hang her?" said Porthos. "It is only the +dead who do not return." + +"You think so, Porthos?" replied the Musketeer, with a sad +smile which D'Artagnan alone understood. + +"I have an idea," said D'Artagnan. + +"What is it?" said the Musketeers. + +"To arms!" cried Grimaud. + +The young men sprang up, and seized their muskets. + +This time a small troop advanced, consisting of from twenty +to twenty-five men; but they were not pioneers, they were +soldiers of the garrison. + +"Shall we return to the camp?" said Porthos. "I don't think +the sides are equal." + +"Impossible, for three reasons," replied Athos. "The first, +that we have not finished breakfast; the second, that we +still have some very important things to say; and the third, +that it yet wants ten minutes before the lapse of the hour." + +"Well, then," said Aramis, "we must form a plan of battle." + +"That's very simple," replied Athos. "As soon as the enemy +are within musket shot, we must fire upon them. If they +continue to advance, we must fire again. We must fire as +long as we have loaded guns. If those who remain of the +troop persist in coming to the assault, we will allow the +besiegers to get as far as the ditch, and then we will push +down upon their heads that strip of wall which keeps its +perpendicular by a miracle." + +"Bravo!" cried Porthos. "Decidedly, Athos, you were born to +be a general, and the cardinal, who fancies himself a great +soldier, is nothing beside you." + +"Gentlemen," said Athos, "no divided attention, I beg; let +each one pick out his man." + +"I cover mine," said D'Artagnan. + +"And I mine," said Porthos. + +"And I mine," said Aramis. + +"Fire, then," said Athos. + +The four muskets made but one report, but four men fell. + +The drum immediately beat, and the little troop advanced at +charging pace. + +Then the shots were repeated without regularity, but always +aimed with the same accuracy. Nevertheless, as if they had +been aware of the numerical weakness of the friends, the +Rochellais continued to advance in quick time. + +With every three shots at least two men fell; but the march +of those who remained was not slackened. + +Arrived at the foot of the bastion, there were still more +than a dozen of the enemy. A last discharge welcomed them, +but did not stop them; they jumped into the ditch, and +prepared to scale the breach. + +"Now, my friends," said Athos, "finish them at a blow. To +the wall; to the wall!" + +And the four friends, seconded by Grimaud, pushed with the +barrels of their muskets an enormous sheet of the wall, +which bent as if pushed by the wind, and detaching itself +from its base, fell with a horrible crash into the ditch. +Then a fearful crash was heard; a cloud of dust mounted +toward the sky--and all was over! + +"Can we have destroyed them all, from the first to the +last?" said Athos. + +"My faith, it appears so!" said D'Artagnan. + +"No," cried Porthos; "there go three or four, limping away." + +In fact, three or four of these unfortunate men, covered +with dirt and blood, fled along the hollow way, and at +length regained the city. These were all who were left of +the little troop. + +Athos looked at his watch. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "we have been here an hour, and our +wager is won; but we will be fair players. Besides, +D'Artagnan has not told us his idea yet." + +And the Musketeer, with his usual coolness, reseated himself +before the remains of the breakfast. + +"My idea?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Yes; you said you had an idea," said Athos. + +"Oh, I remember," said D'Artagnan. "Well, I will go to +England a second time; I will go and find Buckingham." + +"You shall not do that, D'Artagnan," said Athos, coolly. + +"And why not? Have I not been there once?" + +"Yes; but at that period we were not at war. At that period +Buckingham was an ally, and not an enemy. What you would +now do amounts to treason." + +D'Artagnan perceived the force of this reasoning, and was +silent. + +"But," said Porthos, "I think I have an idea, in my turn." + +"Silence for Monsieur Porthos's idea!" said Aramis. + +"I will ask leave of absence of Monsieur de Treville, on +some pretext or other which you must invent; I am not very +clever at pretexts. Milady does not know me; I will get +access to her without her suspecting me, and when I catch my +beauty, I will strangle her." + +"Well," replied Athos, "I am not far from approving the idea +of Monsieur Porthos." + +"For shame!" said Aramis. "Kill a woman? No, listen to me; +I have the true idea." + +"Let us see your idea, Aramis," said Athos, who felt much +deference for the young Musketeer." + +"We must inform the queen." + +"Ah, my faith, yes!" said Porthos and D'Artagnan, at the +same time; "we are coming nearer to it now." + +"Inform the queen!" said Athos; "and how? Have we relations +with the court? Could we send anyone to Paris without its +being known in the camp? From here to Paris it is a hundred +and forty leagues; before our letter was at Angers we should +be in a dungeon." + +"As to remitting a letter with safety to her Majesty," said +Aramis, coloring, "I will take that upon myself. I know a +clever person at Tours--" + +Aramis stopped on seeing Athos smile. + +"Well, do you not adopt this means, Athos?" said D'Artagnan. + +"I do not reject it altogether," said Athos; "but I wish to +remind Aramis that he cannot quit the camp, and that nobody +but one of ourselves is trustworthy; that two hours after +the messenger has set out, all the Capuchins, all the +police, all the black caps of the cardinal, will know your +letter by heart, and you and your clever person will be +arrested." + +"Without reckoning," objected Porthos, "that the queen would +save Monsieur de Buckingham, but would take no heed of us." + +"Gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, "what Porthos says is full of +sense." + +"Ah, ah! but what's going on in the city yonder?" said +Athos. + +"They are beating the general alarm." + +The four friends listened, and the sound of the drum plainly +reached them. + +"You see, they are going to send a whole regiment against +us," said Athos. + +"You don't think of holding out against a whole regiment, do +you?" said Porthos. + +"Why not?" said Musketeer. "I feel myself quite in a humor +for it; and I would hold out before an army if we had taken +the precaution to bring a dozen more bottles of wine." + +"Upon my word, the drum draws near," said D'Artagnan. + +"Let it come," said Athos. "It is a quarter of an hour's +journey from here to the city, consequently a quarter of an +hour's journey from the city to hither. That is more than +time enough for us to devise a plan. If we go from this +place we shall never find another so suitable. Ah, stop! I +have it, gentlemen; the right idea has just occurred to me." + +"Tell us." + +"Allow me to give Grimaud some indispensable orders." + +Athos made a sign for his lackey to approach. + +"Grimaud," said Athos, pointing to the bodies which lay +under the wall of the bastion, "take those gentlemen, set +them up against the wall, put their hats upon their heads, +and their guns in their hands." + +"Oh, the great man!" cried D'Artagnan. "I comprehend now." + +"You comprehend?" said Porthos. + +"And do you comprehend, Grimaud?" said Aramis. + +Grimaud made a sign in the affirmative. + +"That's all that is necessary," said Athos; "now for my +idea." + +"I should like, however, to comprehend," said Porthos. + +"That is useless." + +"Yes, yes! Athos's idea!" cried Aramis and D'Artagnan, at +the same time. + +"This Milady, this woman, this creature, this demon, has a +brother-in-law, as I think you told me, D'Artagnan?" + +"Yes, I know him very well; and I also believe that he has +not a very warm affection for his sister-in-law." + +"There is no harm in that. If he detested her, it would be +all the better," replied Athos. + +"In that case we are as well off as we wish." + +"And yet," said Porthos, "I would like to know what Grimaud +is about." + +"Silence, Porthos!" said Aramis. + +"What is her brother-in-law's name?" + +"Lord de Winter." + +"Where is he now?" + +"He returned to London at the first sound of war." + +"Well, there's just the man we want," said Athos. "It is he +whom we must warm. We will have him informed that his +sister-in-law is on the point of having someone +assassinated, and beg him not to lose sight of her. There +is in London, I hope, some establishment like that of the +Magdalens, or of the Repentant Daughters. He must place his +sister in one of these, and we shall be in peace." + +"Yes," said D'Artagnan, "till she comes out." + +"Ah, my faith!" said Athos, "you require too much, +D'Artagnan. I have given you all I have, and I beg leave to +tell you that this is the bottom of my sack." + +"But I think it would be still better," said Aramis, "to +inform the queen and Lord de Winter at the same time." + +"Yes; but who is to carry the letter to Tours, and who to +London?" + +"I answer for Bazin," said Aramis. + +"And I for Planchet," said D'Artagnan. + +"Ay," said Porthos, "if we cannot leave the camp, our +lackeys may." + +"To be sure they may; and this very day we will write the +letters," said Aramis. "Give the lackeys money, and they +will start." + +"We will give them money?" replied Athos. "Have you any +money?" + +The four friends looked at one another, and a cloud came +over the brows which but lately had been so cheerful. + +"Look out!" cried D'Artagnan, "I see black points and red +points moving yonder. Why did you talk of a regiment, +Athos? It is a veritable army!" + +"My faith, yes," said Athos; "there they are. See the +sneaks come, without drum or trumpet. Ah, ah! have you +finished, Grimaud?" + +Grimaud made a sign in the affirmative, and pointed to a +dozen bodies which he had set up in the most picturesque +attitudes. Some carried arms, others seemed to be taking +aim, and the remainder appeared merely to be sword in hand. + +"Bravo!" said Athos; "that does honor to your imagination." + +"All very well," said Porthos, "but I should like to +understand." + +"Let us decamp first, and you will understand afterward." + +"A moment, gentlemen, a moment; give Grimaud time to clear +away the breakfast." + +"Ah, ah!" said Aramis, "the black points and the red points +are visibly enlarging. I am of D'Artagnan's opinion; we +have no time to lose in regaining our camp." + +"My faith," said Athos, "I have nothing to say against a +retreat. We bet upon one hour, and we have stayed an hour +and a half. Nothing can be said; let us be off, gentlemen, +let us be off!" + +Grimaud was already ahead, with the basket and the dessert. +The four friends followed, ten paces behind him. + +"What the devil shall we do now, gentlemen?" cried Athos. + +"Have you forgotten anything?" said Aramis. + +"The white flag, morbleu! We must not leave a flag in the +hands of the enemy, even if that flag be but a napkin." + +And Athos ran back to the bastion, mounted the platform, and +bore off the flag; but as the Rochellais had arrived within +musket range, they opened a terrible fire upon this man, who +appeared to expose himself for pleasure's sake. + +But Athos might be said to bear a charmed life. The balls +passed and whistled all around him; not one struck him. + +Athos waved his flag, turning his back on the guards of the +city, and saluting those of the camp. On both sides loud +cries arose--on the one side cries of anger, on the other +cries of enthusiasm. + +A second discharge followed the first, and three balls, by +passing through it, made the napkin really a flag. "Cries +were heard from the camp, "Come down! come down!" + +Athos came down; his friends, who anxiously awaited him, saw +him returned with joy. + +"Come along, Athos, come along!" cried D'Artagnan; "now we +have found everything except money, it would be stupid to be +killed." + +But Athos continued to march majestically, whatever remarks +his companions made; and they, finding their remarks +useless, regulated their pace by his. + +Grimaud and his basket were far in advance, out of the range +of the balls. + +At the end of an instant they heard a furious fusillade. + +"What's that?" asked Porthos, "what are they firing at now? +I hear no balls whistle, and I see nobody!" + +"They are firing at the corpses," replied Athos. + +"But the dead cannot return their fire." + +"Certainly not! They will then fancy it is an ambuscade, +they will deliberate; and by the time they have found out +the pleasantry, we shall be out of the range of their balls. +That renders it useless to get a pleurisy by too much +haste." + +"Oh, I comprehend now," said the astonished Porthos. + +"That's lucky," said Athos, shrugging his shoulders. + +On their part, the French, on seeing the four friends return +at such a step, uttered cries of enthusiasm. + +At length a fresh discharge was heard, and this time the +balls came rattling among the stones around the four +friends, and whistling sharply in their ears. The +Rochellais had at last taken possession of the bastion. + +"These Rochellais are bungling fellows," said Athos; "how +many have we killed of them--a dozen?" + +"Or fifteen." + +"How many did we crush under the wall?" + +"Eight or ten." + +"And in exchange for all that not even a scratch! Ah, but +what is the matter with your hand, D'Artagnan? It bleeds, +seemingly." + +"Oh, it's nothing," said D'Artagnan. + +"A spent ball?" + +"Not even that." + +"What is it, then?" + +We have said that Athos loved D'Artagnan like a child, and +this somber and inflexible personage felt the anxiety of a +parent for the young man. + +"Only grazed a little," replied D'Artagnan; "my fingers were +caught between two stones--that of the wall and that of my +ring--and the skin was broken." + +"That comes of wearing diamonds, my master," said Athos, +disdainfully. + +"Ah, to be sure," cried Porthos, "there is a diamond. Why +the devil, then, do we plague ourselves about money, when +there is a diamond?" + +"Stop a bit!" said Aramis. + +"Well thought of, Porthos; this time you have an idea." + +"Undoubtedly," said Porthos, drawing himself up at Athos's +compliment; "as there is a diamond, let us sell it." + +"But," said D'Artagnan, "it is the queen's diamond." + +"The stronger reason why it should be sold," replied Athos. +The queen saving Monsieur de Buckingham, her lover; nothing +more just. The queen saving us, her friends; nothing more +moral. Let us sell the diamond. What says Monsieur the +Abbe? I don't ask Porthos; his opinion has been given." + +"Why, I think," said Aramis, blushing as usual, "that his +ring not coming from a mistress, and consequently not being +a love token, D'Artagnan may sell it." + +"My dear Aramis, you speak like theology personified. Your +advice, then, is--" + +"To sell the diamond," replied Aramis. + +"Well, then," said D'Artagnan, gaily, "let us sell the +diamond, and say no more about it." + +The fusillade continued; but the four friends were out of +reach, and the Rochellais only fired to appease their +consciences. + +"My faith, it was time that idea came into Porthos's head. +Here we are at the camp; therefore, gentlemen, not a word +more of this affair. We are observed; they are coming to +meet us. We shall be carried in triumph." + +In fact, as we have said, the whole camp was in motion. +More than two thousand persons had assisted, as at a +spectacle, in this fortunate but wild undertaking of the +four friends--and undertaking of which they were far from +suspecting the real motive. Nothing was heard but cried of +"Live the Musketeers! Live the Guards!" M. de Busigny was +the first to come and shake Athos by the hand, and +acknowledge that the wager was lost. The dragoon and the +Swiss followed him, and all their comrades followed the +dragoon and the Swiss. There was nothing but felicitations, +pressures of the hand, and embraces; there was no end to the +inextinguishable laughter at the Rochellais. The tumult at +length became so great that the cardinal fancied there must +be some riot, and sent La Houdiniere, his captain of the +Guards, to inquire what was going on. + +The affair was described to the messenger with all the +effervescence of enthusiasm. + +"Well?" asked the cardinal, on seeing La Houdiniere return. + +"Well, monseigneur," replied the latter, "three Musketeers +and a Guardsman laid a wager with Monsieur de Busigny that +they would go and breakfast in the bastion St. Gervais; and +while breakfasting they held it for two hours against the +enemy, and have killed I don't know how many Rochellais." + +"Did you inquire the names of those three Musketeers?" + +"Yes, monseigneur." + +"What are their names?" + +"Messieurs Athos, Porthos, and Aramis." + +"Still my three brave fellows!" murmured the cardinal. "And +the Guardsman?" + +"D'Artagnan." + +"Still my young scapegrace. Positively, these four men must +be on my side." + +The same evening the cardinal spoke to M. de Treville of the +exploit of the morning, which was the talk of the whole +camp. M. de Treville, who had received the account of the +adventure from the mouths of the heroes of it, related it in +all its details to his Eminence, not forgetting the episode +of the napkin. + +"That's well, Monsieur de Treville," said the cardinal; +"pray let that napkin be sent to me. I will have three +fleur-de-lis embroidered on it in gold, and will give it to +your company as a standard." + +"Monseigneur," said M. de Treville, "that will be unjust to +the Guardsmen. Monsieur d'Artagnan is not with me; he +serves under Monsieur Dessessart." + +"Well, then, take him," said the cardinal; "when four men +are so much attached to one another, it is only fair that +they should serve in the same company." + +That same evening M. de Treville announced this good news to +the three Musketeers and D'Artagnan, inviting all four to +breakfast with him next morning. + +D'Artagnan refused; but thinking the opportunity a good one, +dream of his life had been to become a Musketeer. The three +friends were likewise greatly delighted. + +"My faith," said D'Artagnan to Athos, "you had a triumphant +idea! As you said, we have acquired glory, and were enabled +to carry on a conversation of the highest importance." + +"Which we can resume now without anybody suspecting us, for, +with the help of God, we shall henceforth pass for +cardinalists." + +That evening D'Artagnan went to present his respects to M. +Dessessart, and inform him of his promotion. + +M. Dessessart, who esteemed D'Artagnan, made him offers of +help, as this change would entail expenses for equipment. + +D'Artagnan was beside himself with joy. We know that the he +begged him to have the diamond he put into his hand valued, +as he wished to turn it into money. + +The next day, M. Dessessart's valet came to D'Artagnan's +lodging, and gave him a bag containing seven thousand +livres. + +This was the price of the queen's diamond. + + + +48 A FAMILY AFFAIR + +Athos had invented the phrase, family affair. A family +affair was not subject to the investigation of the cardinal; +a family affair concerned nobody. People might employ +themselves in a family affair before all the world. +Therefore Athos had invented the phrase, family affair. + +Aramis had discovered the idea, the lackeys. + +Porthos had discovered the means, the diamond. + +D'Artagnan alone had discovered nothing--he, ordinarily the +most inventive of the four; but it must be also said that +the very name of Milady paralyzed him. + +Ah! no, we were mistaken; he had discovered a purchaser for +his diamond. + +The breakfast at M. de Treville's was as gay and cheerful as +possible. D'Artagnan already wore his uniform--for being +nearly of the same size as Aramis, and as Aramis was so +liberally paid by the publisher who purchased his poem as to +allow him to buy everything double, he sold his friend a +complete outfit. + +D'Artagnan would have been at the height of his wishes if he +had not constantly seen Milady like a dark cloud hovering in +the horizon. + +After breakfast, it was agreed that they should meet again +in the evening at Athos's lodging, and there finish their +plans. + +D'Artagnan passed the day in exhibiting his Musketeer's +uniform in every street of the camp. + +In the evening, at the appointed hour, the four friends met. +There only remained three things to decide--what they +should write to Milady's brother; what they should write to +the clever person at Tours; and which should be the lackeys +to carry the letters. + +Everyone offered his own. Athos talked of the discretion of +Grimaud, who never spoke a word but when his master unlocked +his mouth. Porthos boasted of the strength of Mousqueton, +who was big enough to thrash four men of ordinary size. +Aramis, confiding in the address of Bazin, made a pompous +eulogium on his candidate. Finally, D'Artagnan had entire +faith in the bravery of Planchet, and reminded them of the +manner in which he had conducted himself in the ticklish +affair of Boulogne. + +These four virtues disputed the prize for a length of time, +and gave birth to magnificent speeches which we do not +repeat here for fear they should be deemed too long. + +"Unfortunately," said Athos, "he whom we send must possess +in himself alone the four qualities united." + +"But where is such a lackey to be found?" + +"Not to be found!" cried Athos. "I know it well, so take +Grimaud." + +"Take Mousqueton." + +"Take Bazin." + +"Take Planchet. Planchet is brave and shrewd; they are two +qualities out of the four." + +"Gentlemen," said Aramis, "the principal question is not to +know which of our four lackeys is the most discreet, the +most strong, the most clever, or the most brave; the +principal thing is to know which loves money the best." + +"What Aramis says is very sensible," replied Athos; "we must +speculate upon the faults of people, and not upon their +virtues. Monsieur Abbe, you are a great moralist." + +"Doubtless," said Aramis, "for we not only require to be +well served in order to succeed, but moreover, not to fail; +for in case of failure, heads are in question, not for our +lackeys--" + +"Speak lower, Aramis," said Athos. + +"That's wise--not for the lackeys," resumed Aramis, "but for +the master--for the masters, we may say. Are our lackeys +sufficiently devoted to us to risk their lives for us? No." + +"My faith," said D'Artagnan. "I would almost answer for +Planchet." + +"Well, my dear friend, add to his natural devotedness a good +sum of money, and then, instead of answering for him once, +answer for him twice." + +"Why, good God! you will be deceived just the same," said +Athos, who was an optimist when things were concerned, and a +pessimist when men were in question. "They will promise +everything for the sake of the money, and on the road fear +will prevent them from acting. Once taken, they will be +pressed; when pressed, they will confess everything. What +the devil! we are not children. To reach England"--Athos +lowered his voice--"all France, covered with spies and +creatures of the cardinal, must be crossed. A passport for +embarkation must be obtained; and the party must be +acquainted with English in order to ask the way to London. +Really, I think the thing very difficult." + +"Not at all," cried D'Artagnan, who was anxious the matter +should be accomplished; "on the contrary, I think it very +easy. It would be, no doubt, parbleu, if we write to Lord +de Winter about affairs of vast importance, of the horrors +of the cardinal--" + +"Speak lower!" said Athos. + +"--of intrigues and secrets of state," continued D'Artagnan, +complying with the recommendation. "there can be no doubt +we would all be broken on the wheel; but for God's sake, do +not forget, as you yourself said, Athos, that we only write +to him concerning a family affair; that we only write to him +to entreat that as soon as Milady arrives in London he will +put it out of her power to injure us. I will write to him, +then, nearly in these terms." + +"Let us see," said Athos, assuming in advance a critical +look. + +"Monsieur and dear friend--" + +"Ah, yes! Dear friend to an Englishman," interrupted Athos; +"well commenced! Bravo, D'Artagnan! Only with that word +you would be quartered instead of being broken on the +wheel." + +"Well, perhaps. I will say, then, Monsieur, quite short." + +"You may even say, My Lord," replied Athos, who stickled for +propriety. + +"My Lord, do you remember the little goat pasture of the +Luxembourg?" + +"Good, the Luxembourg! One might believe this is an +allusion to the queen-mother! That's ingenious," said +Athos. + +"Well, then, we will put simply, My Lord, do you remember a +certain little enclosure where your life was spared?" + +"My dear D'Artagnan, you will never make anything but a very +bad secretary. Where your life was spared! For shame! +that's unworthy. A man of spirit is not to be reminded of +such services. A benefit reproached is an offense +committed." + +"The devil!" said D'Artagnan, "you are insupportable. If +the letter must be written under your censure, my faith, I +renounce the task." + +"And you will do right. Handle the musket and the sword, my +dear fellow. You will come off splendidly at those two +exercises; but pass the pen over to Monsieur Abbe. That's +his province." + +"Ay, ay!" said Porthos; "pass the pen to Aramis, who writes +theses in Latin." + +"Well, so be it," said D'Artagnan. "Draw up this note for +us, Aramis; but by our Holy Father the Pope, cut it short, +for I shall prune you in my turn, I warn you." + +"I ask no better," said Aramis, with that ingenious air of +confidence which every poet has in himself; "but let me be +properly acquainted with the subject. I have heard here and +there that this sister-in-law was a hussy. I have obtained +proof of it by listening to her conversation with the +cardinal." + +"Lower! sacre bleu!" said Athos. + +"But," continued Aramis, "the details escape me." + +"And me also," said Porthos. + +D'Artagnan and Athos looked at each other for some time in +silence. At length Athos, after serious reflection and +becoming more pale than usual, made a sign of assent to +D'Artagnan, who by it understood he was at liberty to speak. + +"Well, this is what you have to say," said D'Artagnan: "My +Lord, your sister-in-law is an infamous woman, who wished to +have you killed that she might inherit your wealth; but she +could not marry your brother, being already married in +France, and having been--" D'Artagnan stopped, as if +seeking for the word, and looked at Athos. + +"Repudiated by her husband," said Athos. + +"Because she had been branded," continued D'Artagnan. + +"Bah!" cried Porthos. "Impossible! What do you say--that +she wanted to have her brother-in-law killed?" + +"Yes." + +"She was married?" asked Aramis. + +"Yes." + +"And her husband found out that she had a fleur-de-lis on +her shoulder?" cried Porthos. + +"Yes." + +These three yeses had been pronounced by Athos, each with a +sadder intonation. + +"And who has seen this fleur-de-lis?" inquired Aramis. + +"D'Artagnan and I. Or rather, to observe the chronological +order, I and D'Artagnan," replied Athos. + +"And does the husband of this frightful creature still +live?" said Aramis. + +"He still lives." + +"Are you quite sure of it?" + +"I am he." + +There was a moment of cold silence, during which everyone +was affected according to his nature. + +"This time," said Athos, first breaking the silence, +"D'Artagnan has given us an excellent program, and the +letter must be written at once." + +"The devil! You are right, Athos," said Aramis; "and it is +a rather difficult matter. The chancellor himself would be +puzzled how to write such a letter, and yet the chancellor +draws up an official report very readily. Never mind! Be +silent, I will write." + +Aramis accordingly took the quill, reflected for a few +moments, wrote eight or ten lines in a charming little +female hand, and then with a voice soft and slow, as if each +word had been scrupulously weighed, he read the following: + + +"My Lord, The person who writes these few lines had the +honor of crossing swords with you in the little enclosure of +the Rue d'Enfer. As you have several times since declared +yourself the friend of that person, he thinks it his duty to +respond to that friendship by sending you important +information. Twice you have nearly been the victim of a near relative, whom you believe to be your heir because you +are ignorant that before she contracted a marriage in +England she was already married in France. But the third +time, which is the present, you may succumb. Your relative +left La Rochelle for England during the night. Watch her +arrival, for she has great and terrible projects. If you +require to know positively what she is capable of, read her +past history on her left shoulder." + + +"Well, now that will do wonderfully well," said Athos. "My +dear Aramis, you have the pen of a secretary of state. Lord +de Winter will now be upon his guard if the letter should +reach him; and even if it should fall into the hands of the +cardinal, we shall not be compromised. But as the lackey +who goes may make us believe he has been to London and may +stop at Chatellerault, let us give him only half the sum +promised him, with the letter, with an agreement that he +shall have the other half in exchange for the reply. Have +you the diamond?" continued Athos. + +"I have what is still better. I have the price"; and +D'Artagnan threw the bag upon the table. At the sound of +the gold Aramis raised his eyes and Porthos started. As to +Athos, he remained unmoved. + +"How much in that little bag?" + +"Seven thousand livres, in louis of twelve francs." + +"Seven thousand livres!" cried Porthos. "That poor little +diamond was worth seven thousand livres?" + +"It appears so," said Athos, "since here they are. I don't +suppose that our friend D'Artagnan has added any of his own +to the amount." + +"But, gentlemen, in all this," said D'Artagnan, "we do not +think of the queen. Let us take some heed of the welfare of +her dear Buckingham. That is the least we owe her." + +"That's true," said Athos; "but that concerns Aramis." + +"Well," replied the latter, blushing, "what must I say?" + +"Oh, that's simple enough!" replied Athos. "Write a second +letter for that clever personage who lives at Tours." + +Aramis resumed his pen, reflected a little, and wrote the +following lines, which he immediately submitted to the +approbation of his friends. + +"My dear cousin." + +"Ah, ah!" said Athos. "This clever person is your relative, +then?" + +"Cousin-german." + +"Go on, to your cousin, then!" + +Aramis continued: + + +"My dear Cousin, His Eminence, the cardinal, whom God +preserve for the happiness of France and the confusion of +the enemies of the kingdom, is on the point of putting an +end to the hectic rebellion of La Rochelle. It is probable +that the succor of the English fleet will never even arrive +in sight of the place. I will even venture to say that I am +certain M. de Buckingham will be prevented from setting out +by some great event. His Eminence is the most illustrious +politician of times past, of times present, and probably of +times to come. He would extinguish the sun if the sun +incommoded him. Give these happy tidings to your sister, my +dear cousin. I have dreamed that the unlucky Englishman was +dead. I cannot recollect whether it was by steel or by +poison; only of this I am sure, I have dreamed he was dead, +and you know my dreams never deceive me. Be assured, then, +of seeing me soon return." + + +"Capital!" cried Athos; "you are the king of poets, my dear +Aramis. You speak like the Apocalypse, and you are as true +as the Gospel. There is nothing now to do but to put the +address to this letter." + +"That is easily done," said Aramis. + +He folded the letter fancifully, and took up his pen and +wrote: + + +"To Mlle. Michon, seamstress, Tours." + + +The three friends looked at one another and laughed; they +were caught. + +"Now," said Aramis, "you will please to understand, +gentlemen, that Bazin alone can carry this letter to Tours. +My cousin knows nobody but Bazin, and places confidence in +nobody but him; any other person would fail. Besides, Bazin +is ambitious and learned; Bazin has read history, gentlemen, +he knows that Sixtus the Fifth became Pope after having kept +pigs. Well, as he means to enter the Church at the same +time as myself, he does not despair of becoming Pope in his +turn, or at least a cardinal. You can understand that a man +who has such views will never allow himself to be taken, or +if taken, will undergo martyrdom rather than speak." + +"Very well," said D'Artagnan, "I consent to Bazin with all +my heart, but grant me Planchet. Milady had him one day +turned out of doors, with sundry blows of a good stick to +accelerate his motions. Now, Planchet has an excellent +memory; and I will be bound that sooner than relinquish any +possible means of vengeance, he will allow himself to be +beaten to death. If your arrangements at Tours are your +arrangements, Aramis, those of London are mine. I request, +then, that Planchet may be chosen, more particularly as he +has already been to London with me, and knows how to speak +correctly: London, sir, if you please, and my master, Lord +d'Artagnan. With that you may be satisfied he can make his +way, both going and returning." + +"In that case," said Athos, "Planchet must receive seven +hundred livres for going, and seven hundred livres for +coming back; and Bazin, three hundred livres for going, and +three hundred livres for returning--that will reduce the sum +to five thousand livres. We will each take a thousand +livres to be employed as seems good, and we will leave a +fund of a thousand livres under the guardianship of Monsieur +Abbe here, for extraordinary occasions or common wants. +Will that do?" + +"My dear Athos," said Aramis, "you speak like Nestor, who +was, as everyone knows, the wisest among the Greeks." + +"Well, then," said Athos, "it is agreed. Planchet and Bazin +shall go. Everything considered, I am not sorry to retain +Grimaud; he is accustomed to my ways, and I am particular. +Yesterday's affair must have shaken him a little; his voyage +would upset him quite." + +Planchet was sent for, and instructions were given him. The +matter had been named to him by D'Artagnan, who in the first +place pointed out the money to him, then the glory, and then +the danger. + +"I will carry the letter in the lining of my coat," said +Planchet; "and if I am taken I will swallow it." + +"Well, but then you will not be able to fulfill your +commission," said D'Artagnan. + +"You will give me a copy this evening, which I shall know by +heart tomorrow." + +D'Artagnan looked at his friends, as if to say, "Well, what +did I tell you?" + +"Now," continued he, addressing Planchet, "you have eight +days to get an interview with Lord de Winter; you have eight +days to return--in all sixteen days. If, on the sixteenth +day after your departure, at eight o'clock in the evening +you are not here, no money--even if it be but five minutes +past eight." + +"Then, monsieur," said Planchet, "you must buy me a watch." + +"Take this," said Athos, with his usual careless generosity, +giving him his own, "and be a good lad. Remember, if you +talk, if you babble, if you get drunk, you risk your +master's head, who has so much confidence in your fidelity, +and who answers for you. But remember, also, that if by +your fault any evil happens to D'Artagnan, I will find you, +wherever you may be, for the purpose of ripping up your +belly." + +"Oh, monsieur!" said Planchet, humiliated by the suspicion, +and moreover, terrified at the calm air of the Musketeer. + +"And I," said Porthos, rolling his large eyes, "remember, I +will skin you alive." + +"Ah, monsieur!" + +"And I," said Aramis, with his soft, melodius voice, +"remember that I will roast you at a slow fire, like a +savage." + +"Ah, monsieur!" + +Planchet began to weep. We will not venture to say whether +it was from terror created by the threats or from tenderness +at seeing four friends so closely united. + +D'Artagnan took his hand. "See, Planchet," said he, "these +gentlemen only say this out of affection for me, but at +bottom they all like you." + +"Ah, monsieur," said Planchet, "I will succeed or I will +consent to be cut in quarters; and if they do cut me in +quarters, be assured that not a morsel of me will speak." + +It was decided that Planchet should set out the next day, at +eight o'clock in the morning, in order, as he had said, that +he might during the night learn the letter by heart. He +gained just twelve hours by this engagement; he was to be +back on the sixteenth day, by eight o'clock in the evening. + +In the morning, as he was mounting his horse, D'Artagnan, +who felt at the bottom of his heart a partiality for the +duke, took Planchet aside. + +"Listen," said he to him. "When you have given the letter +to Lord de Winter and he has read it, you will further say +to him: Watch over his Grace Lord Buckingham, for they wish +to assassinate him. But this, Planchet, is so serious and +important that I have not informed my friends that I would +entrust this secret to you; and for a captain's commission I +would not write it." + +"Be satisfied, monsieur," said Planchet, "you shall see if +confidence can be placed in me." + +Mounted on an excellent horse, which he was to leave at the +end of twenty leagues in order to take the post, Planchet +set off at a gallop, his spirits a little depressed by the +triple promise made him by the Musketeers, but otherwise as +light-hearted as possible. + +Bazin set out the next day for Tours, and was allowed eight +days for performing his commission. + +The four friends, during the period of these two absences, +had, as may well be supposed, the eye on the watch, the nose +to the wind, and the ear on the hark. Their days were +passed in endeavoring to catch all that was said, in +observing the proceeding of the cardinal, and in looking out +for all the couriers who arrived. More than once an +involuntary trembling seized them when called upon for some +unexpected service. They had, besides, to look constantly +to their own proper safety; Milday was a phantom which, when +it had once appeared to people, did not allow them to sleep +very quietly. + +On the morning of the eighth day, Bazin, fresh as ever, and +smiling, according to custom, entered the cabaret of the +Parpaillot as the four friends were sitting down to +breakfast, saying, as had been agreed upon: "Monsieur +Aramis, the answer from your cousin." + +The four friends exchanged a joyful glance; half of the work +was done. It is true, however, that it was the shorter and +easier part. + +Aramis, blushing in spite of himself, took the letter, which +was in a large, coarse hand and not particular for its +orthography. + +"Good God!" cried he, laughing, "I quite despair of my poor +Michon; she will never write like Monsieur de Voiture." + +"What does you mean by boor Michon?" said the Swiss, who was +chatting with the four friends when the letter came. + +"Oh, pardieu, less than nothing," said Aramis; "a charming +little seamstress, whom I love dearly and from whose hand I +requested a few lines as a sort of keepsake." + +"The duvil!" said the Swiss, "if she is as great a lady as +her writing is large, you are a lucky fellow, gomrade!" + +Aramis read the letter, and passed it to Athos. + +"See what she writes to me, Athos," said he. + +Athos cast a glance over the epistle, and to disperse all +the suspicions that might have been created, read aloud: + + +"My cousin, My sister and I are skillful in interpreting +dreams, and even entertain great fear of them; but of yours +it may be said, I hope, every dream is an illusion. Adieu! +Take care of yourself, and act so that we may from time to +time hear you spoken of. + + +"Marie Michon" + + +"And what dream does she mean?" asked the dragoon, who had +approached during the reading. + +"Yez; what's the dream?" said the Swiss. + +"Well, pardieu!" said Aramis, "it was only this: I had a +dream, and I related it to her." + +"Yez, yez," said the Swiss; "it's simple enough to dell a +dream, but I neffer dream." + +"You are very fortunate," said Athos, rising; "I wish I +could say as much!" + +"Neffer," replied the Swiss, enchanted that a man like Athos +could envy him anything. "Neffer, neffer!" + +D'Artagnan, seeing Athos rise, did likewise, took his arm, +and went out. + +Porthos and Aramis remained behind to encounter the jokes of +the dragoon and the Swiss. + +As to Bazin, he went and lay down on a truss of straw; and +as he had more imagination than the Swiss, he dreamed that +Aramis, having become pope, adorned his head with a +cardinal's hat. + +But, as we have said, Bazin had not, by his fortunate +return, removed more than a part of the uneasiness which +weighed upon the four friends. The days of expectation are +long, and D'Artagnan, in particular, would have wagered that +the days were forty-four hours. He forgot the necessary +slowness of navigation; he exaggerated to himself the power +of Milady. He credited this woman, who appeared to him the +equal of a demon, with agents as supernatural as herself; at +the least noise, he imagined himself about to be arrested, +and that Planchet was being brought back to be confronted +with himself and his friends. Still further, his confidence +in the worthy Picard, at one time so great, diminished day +by day. This anxiety became so great that it even extended +to Aramis and Porthos. Athos alone remained unmoved, as if +no danger hovered over him, and as if he breathed his +customary atmosphere. + +On the sixteenth day, in particular, these signs were so +strong in D'Artagnan and his two friends that they could not +remain quiet in one place, and wandered about like ghosts on +the road by which Planchet was expected. + +"Really," said Athos to them, "you are not men but children, +to let a woman terrify you so! And what does it amount to, +after all? To be imprisoned. Well, but we should be taken +out of prison; Madame Bonacieux was released. To be +decapitated? Why, every day in the trenches we go +cheerfully to expose ourselves to worse than that--for a +bullet may break a leg, and I am convinced a surgeon would +give us more pain in cutting off a thigh than an executioner +in cutting off a head. Wait quietly, then; in two hours, in +four, in six hours at latest, Planchet will be here. He +promised to be here, and I have very great faith in +Planchet, who appears to me to be a very good lad." + +"But if he does not come?" said D'Artagnan. + +"Well, if he does not come, it will be because he has been +delayed, that's all. He may have fallen from his horse, he +may have cut a caper from the deck; he may have traveled so +fast against the wind as to have brought on a violent +catarrh. Eh, gentlemen, let us reckon upon accidents! Life +is a chaplet of little miseries which the philosopher counts +with a smile. Be philosophers, as I am, gentlemen; sit down +at the table and let us drink. Nothing makes the future +look so bright as surveying it through a glass of +chambertin." + +"That's all very well," replied D'Artagnan; "but I am tired +of fearing when I open a fresh bottle that the wine may come +from the cellar of Milady." + +"You are very fastidious," said Athos; "such a beautiful +woman!" + +"A woman of mark!" said Porthos, with his loud laugh. + +Athos started, passed his hand over his brow to remove the +drops of perspiration that burst forth, and rose in his turn +with a nervous movement he could not repress. + +The day, however, passed away; and the evening came on +slowly, but finally it came. The bars were filled with +drinkers. Athos, who had pocketed his share of the diamond, +seldom quit the Parpaillot. He had found in M. de Busigny, +who, by the by, had given them a magnificent dinner, a +partner worthy of his company. They were playing together, +as usual, when seven o'clock sounded; the patrol was heard +passing to double the posts. At half past seven the retreat +was sounded. + +"We are lost," said D'Artagnan, in the ear of Athos. + +"You mean to say we have lost," said Athos, quietly, drawing +four pistoles from his pocket and throwing them upon the +table. "Come, gentlemen," said he, "they are beating the +tattoo. Let us to bed!" + +And Athos went out of the Parpaillot, followed by +D'Artagnan. Aramis came behind, giving his arm to Porthos. +Aramis mumbled verses to himself, and Porthos from time to +time pulled a hair or two from his mustache, in sign of +despair. + +But all at once a shadow appeared in the darkness the +outline of which was familiar to D'Artagnan, and a well- +known voice said, "Monsieur, I have brought your cloak; it +is chilly this evening." + +"Planchet!" cried D'Artagnan, beside himself with joy. + +"Planchet!" repeated Aramis and Porthos. + +"Well, yes, Planchet, to be sure," said Athos, "what is +there so astonishing in that? He promised to be back by +eight o'clock, and eight is striking. Bravo, Planchet, you +are a lad of your word, and if ever you leave your master, I +will promise you a place in my service." + +"Oh, no, never," said Planchet, "I will never leave Monsieur +d'Artagnan." + +At the same time D'Artagnan felt that Planchet slipped a +note into his hand. + +D'Artagnan felt a strong inclination to embrace Planchet as +he had embraced him on his departure; but he feared lest +this mark of affection, bestowed upon his lackey in the open +street, might appear extraordinary to passers-by, and he +restrained himself. + +"I have the note," said he to Athos and to his friends. + +"That's well," said Athos, "let us go home and read it." + +The note burned the hand of D'Artagnan. He wished to hasten +their steps; but Athos took his arm and passed it under his +own, and the young man was forced to regulate his pace by +that of his friend. + +At length they reached the tent, lit a lamp, and while +Planchet stood at the entrance that the four friends might +not be surprised, D'Artagnan, with a trembling hand, broke +the seal and opened the so anxiously expected letter. + +It contained half a line, in a hand perfectly British, and +with a conciseness as perfectly Spartan: + + +Thank you; be easy. + + +D'Artagnan translated this for the others. + +Athos took the letter from the hands of D'Artagnan, +approached the lamp, set fire to the paper, and did not let +go till it was reduced to a cinder. + +Then, calling Planchet, he said, "Now, my lad, you may claim +your seven hundred livres, but you did not run much risk +with such a note as that." + +"I am not to blame for having tried every means to compress +it," said Planchet. + +"Well!" cried D'Artagnan, "tell us all about it." + +"Dame, that's a long job, monsieur." + +"You are right, Planchet," said Athos; "besides, the tattoo +has been sounded, and we should be observed if we kept a +light burning much longer than the others." + +"So be it," said D'Artagnan. "Go to bed, Planchet, and +sleep soundly." + +"My faith, monsieur! that will be the first time I have done +so for sixteen days." + +"And me, too!" said D'Artagnan. + +"And me, too!" said Porthos. + +"And me, too!" said Aramis. + +"Well, if you will have the truth, and me, too!" said Athos. + + + +49 FATALITY + +Meantime Milady, drunk with passion, roaring on the deck like a +lioness that has been embarked, had been tempted to throw herself +into the sea that she might regain the coast, for she could not +get rid of the thought that she had been insulted by D'Artagnan, +threatened by Athos, and that she had quit France without being +revenged on them. This idea soon became so insupportable to her +that at the risk of whatever terrible consequences might result +to herself from it, she implored the captain to put her on shore; +but the captain, eager to escape from his false position-placed +between French and English cruisers, like the bat between the +mice and the birds--was in great haste to regain England, and +positively refused to obey what he took for a woman's caprice, +promising his passenger, who had been particularly recommended to +him by the cardinal, to land her, if the sea and the French +permitted him, at one of the ports of Brittany, either at Lorient +or Brest. But the wind was contrary, the sea bad; they tacked +and kept offshore. Nine days after leaving the Charente, pale +with fatigue and vexation, Milady saw only the blue coasts of +Finisterre appear. + +She calculated that to cross this corner of France and return to +the cardinal it would take her at least three days. Add another +day for landing, and that would make four. Add these four to the +nine others, that would be thirteen days lost--thirteen days, +during which so many important events might pass in London. She +reflected likewise that the cardinal would be furious at her +return, and consequently would be more disposed to listen to the +complaints brought against her than to the accusations she +brought against others. + +She allowed the vessel to pass Lorient and Brest without +repeating her request to the captain, who, on his part, took care +not to remind her of it. Milady therefore continued her voyage, +and on the very day that Planchet embarked at Portsmouth for +France, the messenger of his Eminence entered the port in +triumph. + +All the city was agitated by an extraordinary movement. Four +large vessels, recently built, had just been launched. At the +end of the jetty, his clothes richly laced with gold, glittering, +as was customary with him, with diamonds and precious stones, his +hat ornamented with a white feather which drooped upon his +shoulder, Buckingham was seen surrounded by a staff almost as +brilliant as himself. + +It was one of those rare and beautiful days in winter when +England remembers that there is a sun. The star of day, pale but +nevertheless still splendid, was setting in the horizon, +glorifying at once the heavens and the sea with bands of fire, +and casting upon the towers and the old houses of the city a last +ray of gold which made the windows sparkle like the reflection of +a conflagration. Breathing that sea breeze, so much more +invigorating and balsamic as the land is approached, +contemplating all the power of those preparations she was +commissioned to destroy, all the power of that army which she was +to combat alone--she, a woman with a few bags of gold--Milady +compared herself mentally to Judith, the terrible Jewess, when +she penetrated the camp of the Assyrians and beheld the enormous +mass of chariots, horses, men, and arms, which a gesture of her +hand was to dissipate like a cloud of smoke. + +They entered the roadstead; but as they drew near in order to +cast anchor, a little cutter, looking like a coastguard +formidably armed, approached the merchant vessel and dropped into +the sea a boat which directed its course to the ladder. This +boat contained an officer, a mate, and eight rowers. The officer +alone went on board, where he was received with all the deference +inspired by the uniform. + +The officer conversed a few instants with the captain, gave him +several papers, of which he was the bearer, to read, and upon the +order of the merchant captain the whole crew of the vessel, both +passengers and sailors, were called upon deck. + +When this species of summons was made the officer inquired aloud +the point of the brig's departure, its route, its landings; and +to all these questions the captain replied without difficulty and +without hesitation. Then the officer began to pass in review all +the people, one after the other, and stopping when he came to +Milady, surveyed her very closely, but without addressing a +single word to her. + +He then returned to the captain, said a few words to him, and as +if from that moment the vessel was under his command, he ordered +a maneuver which the crew executed immediately. Then the vessel +resumed its course, still escorted by the little cutter, which +sailed side by side with it, menacing it with the mouths of its +six cannon. The boat followed in the wake of the ship, a speck +near the enormous mass. + +During the examination of Milady by the officer, as may well be +imagined, Milady on her part was not less scrutinizing in her +glances. But however great was the power of this woman with eyes +of flame in reading the hearts of those whose secrets she wished +to divine, she met this time with a countenance of such +impassivity that no discovery followed her investigation. The +officer who had stopped in front of her and studied her with so +much care might have been twenty-five or twenty-six years of age. +He was of pale complexion, with clear blue eyes, rather deeply +set; his mouth, fine and well cut, remained motionless in its +correct lines; his chin, strongly marked, denoted that strength +of will which in the ordinary Britannic type denotes mostly +nothing but obstinacy; a brow a little receding, as is proper for +poets, enthusiasts, and soldiers, was scarcely shaded by short +thin hair which, like the beard which covered the lower part of +his face, was of a beautiful deep chestnut color. + +When they entered the port, it was already night. The fog +increased the darkness, and formed round the sternlights and +lanterns of the jetty a circle like that which surrounds the moon +when the weather threatens to become rainy. The air they +breathed was heavy, damp, and cold. + +Milady, that woman so courageous and firm, shivered in spite of +herself. + +The officer desired to have Milady's packages pointed out to him, +and ordered them to be placed in the boat. When this operation +was complete, he invited her to descend by offering her his hand. + +Milady looked at this man, and hesitated. "Who are you, sir," +asked she, "who has the kindness to trouble yourself so +particularly on my account?" + +"You may perceive, madame, by my uniform, that I am an officer in +the English navy," replied the young man. + +"But is it the custom for the officers in the English navy to +place themselves at the service of their female compatriots when +they land in a port of Great Britain, and carry their gallantry +so far as to conduct them ashore?" + +"Yes, madame, it is the custom, not from gallantry but prudence, +that in time of war foreigners should be conducted to particular +hotels, in order that they may remain under the eye of the +government until full information can be obtained about them." + +These words were pronounced with the most exact politeness and +the most perfect calmness. Nevertheless, they had not the power +of convincing Milady. + +"But I am not a foreigner, sir," said she, with an accent as pure +as ever was heard between Portsmouth and Manchester; "my name is +Lady Clarik, and this measure--" + +"This measure is general, madame; and you will seek in vain to +evade it." + +"I will follow you, then, sir." + +Accepting the hand of the officer, she began the descent of the +ladder, at the foot of which the boat waited. The officer +followed her. A large cloak was spread at the stern; the officer +requested her to sit down upon this cloak, and placed himself +beside her. + +"Row!" said he to the sailors. + +The eight oars fell at once into the sea, making but a single +sound, giving but a single stroke, and the boat seemed to fly +over the surface of the water. + +In five minutes they gained the land. + +The officer leaped to the pier, and offered his hand to Milady. +A carriage was in waiting. + +"Is this carriage for us?" asked Milady. + +"Yes, madame," replied the officer. + +"The hotel, then, is far away?" + +"At the other end of the town." + +"Very well," said Milady; and she resolutely entered the +carriage. + +The officer saw that the baggage was fastened carefully behind +the carriage; and this operation ended, he took his place beside +Milady, and shut the door. + +Immediately, without any order being given or his place of +destination indicated, the coachman set off at a rapid pace, and +plunged into the streets of the city. + +So strange a reception naturally gave Milady ample matter for +reflection; so seeing that the young officer did not seem at all +disposed for conversation, she reclined in her corner of the +carriage, and one after the other passed in review all the +surmises which presented themselves to her mind. + +At the end of a quarter of an hour, however, surprised at the +length of the journey, she leaned forward toward the door to see +whither she was being conducted. Houses were no longer to be +seen; trees appeared in the darkness like great black phantoms +chasing one another. Milady shuddered. + +"But we are no longer in the city, sir," said she. + +The young officer preserved silence. + +"I beg you to understand, sir, I will go no farther unless you +tell me whither you are taking me." + +This threat brought no reply. + +"Oh, this is too much," cried Milady. "Help! help!" + +No voice replied to hers; the carriage continued to roll on with +rapidity; the officer seemed a statue. + +Milady looked at the officer with one of those terrible +expressions peculiar to her countenance, and which so rarely +failed of their effect; anger made her eyes flash in the +darkness. + +The young man remained immovable. + +Milady tried to open the door in order to throw herself out. + +"Take care, madame," said the young man, coolly, "you will kill +yourself in jumping." + +Milady reseated herself, foaming. The officer leaned forward, +looked at her in his turn, and appeared surprised to see that +face, just before so beautiful, distorted with passion and almost +hideous. The artful creature at once comprehended that she was +injuring herself by allowing him thus to read her soul; she +collected her features, and in a complaining voice said: "In the +name of heaven, sir, tell me if it is to you, if it is to your +government, if it is to an enemy I am to attribute the violence +that is done me?" + +"No violence will be offered to you, madame, and what happens to +you is the result of a very simple measure which we are obliged +to adopt with all who land in England." + +"Then you don't know me, sir?" + +"It is the first time I have had the honor of seeing you." + +"And on your honor, you have no cause of hatred against me?" + +"None, I swear to you." + +There was so much serenity, coolness, mildness even, in the voice +of the young man, that Milady felt reassured. + +At length after a journey of nearly an hour, the carriage stopped +before an iron gate, which closed an avenue leading to a castle +severe in form, massive, and isolated. Then, as the wheels +rolled over a fine gravel, Milady could hear a vast roaring, +which she at once recognized as the noise of the sea dashing +against some steep cliff. + +The carriage passed under two arched gateways, and at length +stopped in a court large, dark, and square. Almost immediately +the door of the carriage was opened, the young man sprang lightly +out and presented his hand to Milady, who leaned upon it, and in +her turn alighted with tolerable calmness. + +"Still, then, I am a prisoner," said Milady, looking around her, +and bringing back her eyes with a most gracious smile to the +young officer; "but I feel assured it will not be for long," +added she. "My own conscience and your politeness, sir, are the +guarantees of that." + +However flattering this compliment, the officer made no reply; +but drawing from his belt a little silver whistle, such as +boatswains use in ships of war, he whistled three times, with +three different modulations. Immediately several men appeared, +who unharnessed the smoking horses, and put the carriage into a +coach house. + +Then the officer, with the same calm politeness, invited his +prisoner to enter the house. She, with a still-smiling +countenance, took his arm, and passed with him under a low arched +door, which by a vaulted passage, lighted only at the farther +end, led to a stone staircase around an angle of stone. They +then came to a massive door, which after the introduction into +the lock of a key which the young man carried with him, turned +heavily upon its hinges, and disclosed the chamber destined for +Milady. + +With a single glance the prisoner took in the apartment in its +minutest details. It was a chamber whose furniture was at once +appropriate for a prisoner or a free man; and yet bars at the +windows and outside bolts at the door decided the question in +favor of the prison. + +In an instant all the strength of mind of this creature, though +drawn from the most vigorous sources, abandoned her; she sank +into a large easy chair, with her arms crossed, her head lowered, +and expecting every instant to see a judge enter to interrogate +her. + +But no one entered except two or three marines, who brought her +trunks and packages, deposited them in a corner, and retired +without speaking. + +The officer superintended all these details with the same +calmness Milady had constantly seen in him, never pronouncing a +word himself, and making himself obeyed by a gesture of his hand +or a sound of his whistle. + +It might have been said that between this man and his inferiors +spoken language did not exist, or had become useless. + +At length Milady could hold out no longer; she broke the silence. +"In the name of heaven, sir," cried she, "what means all that is +passing? Put an end to my doubts; I have courage enough for any +danger I can foresee, for every misfortune which I understand. +Where am I, and why am I here? If I am free, why these bars and +these doors? If I am a prisoner, what crime have I committed?" + +"You are here in the apartment destined for you, madame. I +received orders to go and take charge of you on the sea, and to +conduct you to this castle. This order I believe I have +accomplished with all the exactness of a soldier, but also with +the courtesy of a gentleman. There terminates, at least to the +present moment, the duty I had to fulfill toward you; the rest +concerns another person." + +"And who is that other person?" asked Milady, warmly. "Can you +not tell me his name?" + +At the moment a great jingling of spurs was heard on the stairs. +Some voices passed and faded away, and the sound of a single +footstep approached the door. + +"That person is here, madame," said the officer, leaving the +entrance open, and drawing himself up in an attitude of respect. + +At the same time the door opened; a man appeared on the +threshold. He was without a hat, carried a sword, and flourished +a handkerchief in his hand. + +Milady thought she recognized this shadow in the gloom; she +supported herself with one hand upon the arm of the chair, and +advanced her head as if to meet a certainty. + +The stranger advanced slowly, and as he advanced, after entering +into the circle of light projected by the lamp, Milady +involuntarily drew back. + +Then when she had no longer any doubt, she cried, in a state of +stupor, "What, my brother, is it you?" + +"Yes, fair lady!" replied Lord de Winter, making a bow, half +courteous, half ironical; "it is I, myself." + +"But this castle, then?" + +"Is mine." + +"This chamber?" + +"Is yours." + +"I am, then, your prisoner?" + +"Nearly so." + +"But this is a frightful abuse of power!" + +"No high-sounding words! Let us sit down and chat quietly, as +brother and sister ought to do." + +Then, turning toward the door, and seeing that the young officer +was waiting for his last orders, he said. "All is well, I thank +you; now leave us alone, Mr. Felton." + + + +50 CHAT BETWEEN BROTHER AND SISTER + +During the time which Lord de Winter took to shut the door, close +a shutter, and draw a chair near to his sister-in-law's fauteuil, +Milady, anxiously thoughtful, plunged her glance into the depths +of possibility, and discovered all the plan, of which she could +not even obtain a glance as long as she was ignorant into whose +hands she had fallen. She knew her brother-in-law to be a worthy +gentleman, a bold hunter, an intrepid player, enterprising with +women, but by no means remarkable for his skill in intrigues. +How had he discovered her arrival, and caused her to be seized? +Why did he detain her? + +Athos had dropped some words which proved that the conversation +she had with the cardinal had fallen into outside ears; but she +could not suppose that he had dug a countermine so promptly and +so boldly. She rather feared that her preceding operations in +England might have been discovered. Buckingham might have +guessed that it was she who had cut off the two studs, and avenge +himself for that little treachery; but Buckingham was incapable +of going to any excess against a woman, particularly if that +woman was supposed to have acted from a feeling of jealousy. + +This supposition appeared to her most reasonable. It seemed to +her that they wanted to revenge the past, and not to anticipate +the future. At all events, she congratulated herself upon having +fallen into the hands of her brother-in-law, with whom she +reckoned she could deal very easily, rather than into the hands +of an acknowledged and intelligent enemy. + +"Yes, let us chat, brother," said she, with a kind of +cheerfulness, decided as she was to draw from the conversation, +in spite of all the dissimulation Lord de Winter could bring, the +revelations of which she stood in need to regulate her future +conduct. + +"You have, then, decided to come to England again," said Lord de +Winter, "in spite of the resolutions you so often expressed in +Paris never to set your feet on British ground?" + +Milady replied to this question by another question. "To begin +with, tell me," said she, "how have you watched me so closely as +to be aware beforehand not only of my arrival, but even of the +day, the hour, and the port at which I should arrive?" + +Lord de Winter adopted the same tactics as Milady, thinking that +as his sister-in-law employed them they must be the best. + +"But tell me, my dear sister," replied he, "what makes you come +to England?" + +"I come to see you," replied Milady, without knowing how much she +aggravated by this reply the suspicions to which D'Artagnan's +letter had given birth in the mind of her brother-in-law, and +only desiring to gain the good will of her auditor by a +falsehood. + +"Ah, to see me?" said De Winter, cunningly. + +"To be sure, to see you. What is there astonishing in that?" + +"And you had no other object in coming to England but to see me?" + +"No." + +"So it was for me alone you have taken the trouble to cross the +Channel?" + +"For you alone." + +"The deuce! What tenderness, my sister!" + +"But am I not your nearest relative?" demanded Milady, with a +tone of the most touching ingenuousness. + +"And my only heir, are you not?" said Lord de Winter in his turn, +fixing his eyes on those of Milady. + +Whatever command she had over herself, Milady could not help +starting; and as in pronouncing the last words Lord de Winter +placed his hand upon the arm of his sister, this start did not +escape him. + +In fact, the blow was direct and severe. The first idea that +occurred to Milady's mind was that she had been betrayed by +Kitty, and that she had recounted to the baron the selfish +aversion toward himself of which she had imprudently allowed some +marks to escape before her servant. She also recollected the +furious and imprudent attack she had made upon D'Artagnan when he +spared the life of her brother. + +"I do not understand, my Lord," said she, in order to gain time +and make her adversary speak out. "What do you mean to say? Is +there any secret meaning concealed beneath your words?" + +"Oh, my God, no!" said Lord de Winter, with apparent good nature. +"You wish to see me, and you come to England. I learn this +desire, or rather I suspect that you feel it; and in order to +spare you all the annoyances of a nocturnal arrival in a port and +all the fatigues of landing, I send one of my officers to meet +you, I place a carriage at his orders, and he brings you hither +to this castle, of which I am governor, whither I come every day, +and where, in order to satisfy our mutual desire of seeing each +other, I have prepared you a chamber. What is there more +astonishing in all that I have said to you than in what you have +told me?" + +"No; what I think astonishing is that you should expect my +coming." + +"And yet that is the most simple thing in the world, my dear +sister. Have you not observed that the captain of your little +vessel, on entering the roadstead, sent forward, in order to +obtain permission to enter the port, a little boat bearing his +logbook and the register of his voyagers? I am commandant of the +port. They brought me that book. I recognized your name in it. +My heart told me what your mouth has just confirmed--that is to +say, with what view you have exposed yourself to the dangers of a +sea so perilous, or at least so troublesome at this moment--and I +sent my cutter to meet you. You know the rest." + +Milady knew that Lord de Winter lied, and she was the more +alarmed. + +"My brother," continued she, "was not that my Lord Buckingham +whom I saw on the jetty this evening as we arrived?" + +"Himself. Ah, I can understand how the sight of him struck you," +replied Lord de Winter. "You came from a country where he must +be very much talked of, and I know that his armaments against +France greatly engage the attention of your friend the cardinal." + +"My friend the cardinal!" cried Milady, seeing that on this point +as on the other Lord de Winter seemed well instructed. + +"Is he not your friend?" replied the baron, negligently. "Ah, +pardon! I thought so; but we will return to my Lord Duke +presently. Let us not depart from the sentimental turn our +conversation had taken. You came, you say, to see me?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, I reply that you shall be served to the height of your +wishes, and that we shall see each other every day." + +"Am I, then, to remain here eternally?" demanded Milady, with a +certain terror. + +"Do you find yourself badly lodged, sister? Demand anything you +want, and I will hasten to have you furnished with it." + +"But I have neither my women nor my servants." + +"You shall have all, madame. Tell me on what footing your +household was established by your first husband, and although I +am only your brother-in-law, I will arrange one similar." + +"My first husband!" cried Milady, looking at Lord de Winter with +eyes almost starting from their sockets. + +"Yes, your French husband. I don't speak of my brother. If you +have forgotten, as he is still living, I can write to him and he +will send me information on the subject." + +A cold sweat burst from the brow of Milady. + +"You jest!" said she, in a hollow voice. + +"Do I look so?" asked the baron, rising and going a step +backward. + +"Or rather you insult me," continued she, pressing with her +stiffened hands the two arms of her easy chair, and raising +herself upon her wrists. + +"I insult you!" said Lord de Winter, with contempt. "In truth, +madame, do you think that can be possible?" + +"Indeed, sir," said Milady, "you must be either drunk or mad. +Leave the room, and send me a woman." + +"Women are very indiscreet, my sister. Cannot I serve you as a +waiting maid? By that means all our secrets will remain in the +family." + +"Insolent!" cried Milady; and as if acted upon by a spring, she +bounded toward the baron, who awaited her attack with his arms +crossed, but nevertheless with one hand on the hilt of his sword. + +"Come!" said he. "I know you are accustomed to assassinate +people; but I warn you I shall defend myself, even against you." + +"You are right," said Milady. "You have all the appearance of +being cowardly enough to lift your hand against a woman." + +"Perhaps so; and I have an excuse, for mine would not be the +first hand of a man that has been placed upon you, I imagine." + +And the baron pointed, with a slow and accusing gesture, to the +left shoulder of Milady, which he almost touched with his finger. + +Milady uttered a deep, inward shriek, and retreated to a corner +of the room like a panther which crouches for a spring. + +"Oh, growl as much as you please," cried Lord de Winter, "but +don't try to bite, for I warn you that it would be to your +disadvantage. There are here no procurators who regulate +successions beforehand. There is no knight-errant to come and +seek a quarrel with me on account of the fair lady I detain a +prisoner; but I have judges quite ready who will quickly dispose +of a woman so shameless as to glide, a bigamist, into the bed of +Lord de Winter, my brother. And these judges, I warn you, will +soon send you to an executioner who will make both your shoulders +alike." + +The eyes of Milady darted such flashes that although he was a man +and armed before an unarmed woman, he felt the chill of fear +glide through his whole frame. However, he continued all the +same, but with increasing warmth: "Yes, I can very well +understand that after having inherited the fortune of my brother +it would be very agreeable to you to be my heir likewise; but +know beforehand, if you kill me or cause me to be killed, my +precautions are taken. Not a penny of what I possess will pass +into your hands. Were you not already rich enough--you who +possess nearly a million? And could you not stop your fatal +career, if you did not do evil for the infinite and supreme joy +of doing it? Oh, be assured, if the memory of my brother were +not sacred to me, you should rot in a state dungeon or satisfy +the curiosity of sailors at Tyburn. I will be silent, but you +must endure your captivity quietly. In fifteen or twenty days I +shall set out for La Rochelle with the army; but on the eve of my +departure a vessel which I shall see depart will take you hence +and convey you to our colonies in the south. And be assured that +you shall be accompanied by one who will blow your brains out at +the first attempt you make to return to England or the +Continent." + +Milady listened with an attention that dilated her inflamed eyes. + +"Yes, at present," continued Lord de Winter, "you will remain in +this castle. The walls are thick, the doors strong, and the bars +solid; besides, your window opens immediately over the sea. The +men of my crew, who are devoted to me for life and death, mount +guard around this apartment, and watch all the passages that lead +to the courtyard. Even if you gained the yard, there would still +be three iron gates for you to pass. The order is positive. A +step, a gesture, a word, on your part, denoting an effort to +escape, and you are to be fired upon. If they kill you, English +justice will be under an obligation to me for having saved it +trouble. Ah! I see your features regain their calmness, your +countenance recovers its assurance. You are saying to yourself: +'Fifteen days, twenty days? Bah! I have an inventive mind; +before that is expired some idea will occur to me. I have an +infernal spirit. I shall meet with a victim. Before fifteen +days are gone by I shall be away from here.' Ah, try it!" + +Milady, finding her thoughts betrayed, dug her nails into her +flesh to subdue every emotion that might give to her face any +expression except agony. + +Lord de Winter continued: "The officer who commands here in my +absence you have already seen, and therefore know him. He knows +how, as you must have observed, to obey an order--for you did +not, I am sure, come from Portsmouth hither without endeavoring +to make him speak. What do you say of him? Could a statue of +marble have been more impassive and more mute? You have already +tried the power of your seductions upon many men, and +unfortunately you have always succeeded; but I give you leave to +try them upon this one. PARDIEU! if you succeed with him, I +pronounce you the demon himself." + +He went toward the door and opened it hastily. + +"Call Mr. Felton," said he. "Wait a minute longer, and I will +introduce him to you." + +There followed between these two personages a strange silence, +during which the sound of a slow and regular step was heard +approaching. Shortly a human form appeared in the shade of the +corridor, and the young lieutenant, with whom we are already +acquainted, stopped at the threshold to receive the orders of the +baron. + +"Come in, my dear John," said Lord de Winter, "come in, and shut +the door." + +The young officer entered. + +"Now," said the baron, "look at this woman. She is young; she is +beautiful; she possesses all earthly seductions. Well, she is a +monster, who, at twenty-five years of age, has been guilty of as +many crimes as you could read of in a year in the archives of our +tribunals. Her voice prejudices her hearers in her favor; her +beauty serves as a bait to her victims; her body even pays what +she promises--I must do her that justice. She will try to seduce +you, perhaps she will try to kill you. I have extricated you +from misery, Felton; I have caused you to be named lieutenant; I +once saved your life, you know on what occasion. I am for you +not only a protector, but a friend; not only a benefactor, but a +father. This woman has come back again into England for the +purpose of conspiring against my life. I hold this serpent in my +hands. Well, I call you, and say to you: Friend Felton, John, +my child, guard me, and more particularly guard yourself, against +this woman. Swear, by your hopes of salvation, to keep her +safely for the chastisement she has merited. John Felton, I +trust your word! John Felton, I put faith in your loyalty!" + +"My Lord," said the young officer, summoning to his mild +countenance all the hatred he could find in his heart, "my Lord, +I swear all shall be done as you desire." + +Milady received this look like a resigned victim; it was +impossible to imagine a more submissive or a more mild expression +than that which prevailed on her beautiful countenance. Lord de +Winter himself could scarcely recognize the tigress who, a minute +before, prepared apparently for a fight. + +"She is not to leave this chamber, understand, John," continued +the baron. "She is to correspond with nobody; she is to speak to +no one but you--if you will do her the honor to address a word to +her." + +"That is sufficient, my Lord! I have sworn." + +"And now, madame, try to make your peace with God, for you are +judged by men!" + +Milady let her head sink, as if crushed by this sentence. Lord +de Winter went out, making a sign to Felton, who followed him, +shutting the door after him. + +One instant after, the heavy step of a marine who served as +sentinel was heard in the corridor--his ax in his girdle and his +musket on his shoulder. + +Milady remained for some minutes in the same position, for she +thought they might perhaps be examining her through the keyhole; +she then slowly raised her head, which had resumed its formidable +expression of menace and defiance, ran to the door to listen, +looked out of her window, and returning to bury herself again in +her large armchair, she reflected. + + + +51 OFFICER + +Meanwhile, the cardinal looked anxiously for news from England; +but no news arrived that was not annoying and threatening. + +Although La Rochelle was invested, however certain success might +appear--thanks to the precautions taken, and above all to the +dyke, which prevented the entrance of any vessel into the +besieged city--the blockade might last a long time yet. This was +a great affront to the king's army, and a great inconvenience to +the cardinal, who had no longer, it is true, to embroil Louis +XIII with Anne of Austria--for that affair was over--but he had +to adjust matters for M. de Bassompierre, who was embroiled with +the Duc d'Angouleme. + +As to Monsieur, who had begun the siege, he left to the cardinal +the task of finishing it. + +The city, notwithstanding the incredible perseverance of its +mayor, had attempted a sort of mutiny for a surrender; the mayor +had hanged the mutineers. This execution quieted the ill- +disposed, who resolved to allow themselves to die of hunger--this +death always appearing to them more slow and less sure than +strangulation. + +On their side, from time to time, the besiegers took the +messengers which the Rochellais sent to Buckingham, or the spies +which Buckingham sent to the Rochellais. In one case or the +other, the trial was soon over. The cardinal pronounced the +single word, "Hanged!" The king was invited to come and see the +hanging. He came languidly, placing himself in a good situation +to see all the details. This amused him sometimes a little, and +made him endure the siege with patience; but it did not prevent +his getting very tired, or from talking at every moment of +returning to Paris--so that if the messengers and the spies had +failed, his Eminence, notwithstanding all his inventiveness, +would have found himself much embarrassed. + +Nevertheless, time passed on, and the Rochellais did not +surrender. The last spy that was taken was the bearer of a +letter. This letter told Buckingham that the city was at an +extremity; but instead of adding, "If your succor does not arrive +within fifteen days, we will surrender," it added, quite simply, +"If your succor comes not within fifteen days, we shall all be +dead with hunger when it comes." + +The Rochellais, then, had no hope but in Buckingham. Buckingham +was their Messiah. It was evident that if they one day learned +positively that they must not count on Buckingham, their courage +would fail with their hope. + +The cardinal looked, then, with great impatience for the news +from England which would announce to him that Buckingham would +not come. + +The question of carrying the city by assault, though often +debated in the council of the king, had been always rejected. In +the first place, La Rochelle appeared impregnable. Then the +cardinal, whatever he said, very well knew that the horror of +bloodshed in this encounter, in which Frenchman would combat +against Frenchman, was a retrograde movement of sixty years +impressed upon his policy; and the cardinal was at that period +what we now call a man of progress. In fact, the sack of La +Rochelle, and the assassination of three of four thousand +Huguenots who allowed themselves to be killed, would resemble too +closely, in 1628, the massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572; and +then, above all this, this extreme measure, which was not at all +repugnant to the king, good Catholic as he was, always fell +before this argument of the besieging generals--La Rochelle is +impregnable except to famine. + +The cardinal could not drive from his mind the fear he +entertained of his terrible emissary--for he comprehended the +strange qualities of this woman, sometimes a serpent, sometimes a +lion. Had she betrayed him? Was she dead? He knew her well +enough in all cases to know that, whether acting for or against +him, as a friend or an enemy, she would not remain motionless +without great impediments; but whence did these impediments +arise? That was what he could not know. + +And yet he reckoned, and with reason, on Milady. He had divined +in the past of this woman terrible things which his red mantle +alone could cover; and he felt, from one cause or another, that +this woman was his own, as she could look to no other but himself +for a support superior to the danger which threatened her. + +He resolved, then, to carry on the war alone, and to look for no +success foreign to himself, but as we look for a fortunate +chance. He continued to press the raising of the famous dyke +which was to starve La Rochelle. Meanwhile, he cast his eyes +over that unfortunate city, which contained so much deep misery +and so many heroic virtues, and recalling the saying of Louis XI, +his political predecessor, as he himself was the predecessor of +Robespierre, he repeated this maxim of Tristan's gossip: "Divide +in order to reign." + +Henry IV, when besieging Paris, had loaves and provisions thrown +over the walls. The cardinal had little notes thrown over in +which he represented to the Rochellais how unjust, selfish, and +barbarous was the conduct of their leaders. These leaders had +corn in abundance, and would not let them partake of it; they +adopted as a maxim--for they, too, had maxims--that it was of +very little consequence that women, children, and old men should +die, so long as the men who were to defend the walls remained +strong and healthy. Up to that time, whether from devotedness or +from want of power to act against it, this maxim, without being +generally adopted, nevertheless passed from theory into practice; +but the notes did it injury. The notes reminded the men that the +children, women, and old men whom they allowed to die were their +sons, their wives, and their fathers, and that it would be more +just for everyone to be reduced to the common misery, in order +that equal conditions should give birth to unanimous resolutions. + +These notes had all the effect that he who wrote them could +expect, in that they induced a great number of the inhabitants to +open private negotiations with the royal army. + +But at the moment when the cardinal saw his means already +fructify, and applauded himself for having put it in action, an +inhabitant of La Rochelle who had contrived to pass the royal +lines--God knows how, such was the watchfulness of Bassompierre, +Schomberg, and the Duc d'Angouleme, themselves watched over by +the cardinal--an inhabitant of La Rochelle, we say, entered the +city, coming from Portsmouth, and saying that he had seen a +magnificent fleet ready to sail within eight days. Still +further, Buckingham announced to the mayor that at length the +great league was about to declare itself against France, and that +the kingdom would be at once invaded by the English, Imperial, +and Spanish armies. This letter was read publicly in all parts +of the city. Copies were put up at the corners of the streets; +and even they who had begun to open negotiations interrupted +them, being resolved to await the succor so pompously announced. + +This unexpected circumstance brought back Richelieu's former +anxiety, and forced him in spite of himself once more to turn his +eyes to the other side of the sea. + +During this time, exempt from the anxiety of its only and true +chief, the royal army led a joyous life, neither provisions nor +money being wanting in the camp. All the corps rivaled one +another in audacity and gaiety. To take spies and hang them, to +make hazardous expeditions upon the dyke or the sea, to imagine +wild plans, and to execute them coolly--such were the pastimes +which made the army find these days short which were not only so +long to the Rochellais, a prey to famine and anxiety, but even to +the cardinal, who blockaded them so closely. + +Sometimes when the cardinal, always on horseback, like the lowest +GENDARME of the army, cast a pensive glance over those works, so +slowly keeping pace with his wishes, which the engineers, brought +from all the corners of France, were executing under his orders, +if he met a Musketeer of the company of Treville, he drew near +and looked at him in a peculiar manner, and not recognizing in +him one of our four companions, he turned his penetrating look +and profound thoughts in another direction. + +One day when oppressed with a mortal weariness of mind, without +hope in the negotiations with the city; without news from +England, the cardinal went out, without any other aim than to be +out of doors, and accompanied only by Cahusac and La Houdiniere, +strolled along the beach. Mingling the immensity of his dreams +with the immensity of the ocean, he came, his horse going at a +foot's pace, to a hill from the top of which he perceived behind +a hedge, reclining on the sand and catching in its passage one of +those rays of the sun so rare at this period of the year, seven +men surrounded by empty bottles. Four of these men were our +Musketeers, preparing to listen to a letter one of them had just +received. This letter was so important that it made them forsake +their cards and their dice on the drumhead. + +The other three were occupied in opening an enormous flagon of +Collicure wine; these were the lackeys of these gentlemen. + +The cardinal was, as we have said, in very low spirits; and +nothing when he was in that state of mind increased his +depression so much as gaiety in others. Besides, he had another +strange fancy, which was always to believe that the causes of his +sadness created the gaiety of others. Making a sign to La +Houdiniere and Cahusac to stop, he alighted from his horse, and +went toward these suspected merry companions, hoping, by means of +the sand which deadened the sound of his steps and of the hedge +which concealed his approach, to catch some words of this +conversation which appeared so interesting. At ten paces from +the hedge he recognized the talkative Gascon; and as he had +already perceived that these men were Musketeers, he did not +doubt that the three others were those called the Inseparables; +that is to say, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. + +It may be supposed that his desire to hear the conversation was +augmented by this discovery. His eyes took a strange expression, +and with the step of a tiger-cat he advanced toward the hedge; +but he had not been able to catch more than a few vague syllables +without any positive sense, when a sonorous and short cry made +him start, and attracted the attention of the Musketeers. + +"Officer!" cried Grimaud. + +"You are speaking, you scoundrel!" said Athos, rising upon his +elbow, and transfixing Grimaud with his flaming look. + +Grimaud therefore added nothing to his speech, but contented +himself with pointing his index finger in the direction of the +hedge, announcing by this gesture the cardinal and his escort. + +With a single bound the Musketeers were on their feet, and +saluted with respect. + +The cardinal seemed furious. + +"It appears that Messieurs the Musketeers keep guard," said he. +"Are the English expected by land, or do the Musketeers consider +themselves superior officers?" + +"Monseigneur," replied Athos, for amid the general fright he +alone had preserved the noble calmness and coolness that never +forsook him, "Monseigneur, the Musketeers, when they are not on +duty, or when their duty is over, drink and play at dice, and +they are certainly superior officers to their lackeys." + +"Lackeys?" grumbled the cardinal. "Lackeys who have the order to +warn their masters when anyone passes are not lackeys, they are +sentinels." + +"Your Eminence may perceive that if we had not taken this +precaution, we should have been exposed to allowing you to pass +without presenting you our respects or offering you our thanks +for the favor you have done us in uniting us. D'Artagnan," +continued Athos, "you, who but lately were so anxious for such an +opportunity for expressing your gratitude to Monseigneur, here it +is; avail yourself of it." + +These words were pronounced with that imperturbable phlegm which +distinguished Athos in the hour of danger, and with that +excessive politeness which made of him at certain moments a king +more majestic than kings by birth. + +D'Artagnan came forward and stammered out a few words of +gratitude which soon expired under the gloomy looks of the +cardinal. + +"It does not signify, gentlemen," continued the cardinal, without +appearing to be in the least swerved from his first intention by +the diversion which Athos had started, "it does not signify, +gentlemen. I do not like to have simple soldiers, because they +have the advantage of serving in a privileged corps, thus to play +the great lords; discipline is the same for them as for everybody +else." + +Athos allowed the cardinal to finish his sentence completely, and +bowed in sign of assent. Then he resumed in his turn: +"Discipline, Monseigneur, has, I hope, in no way been forgotten +by us. We are not on duty, and we believed that not being on +duty we were at liberty to dispose of our time as we pleased. If +we are so fortunate as to have some particular duty to perform +for your Eminence, we are ready to obey you. Your Eminence may +perceive," continued Athos, knitting his brow, for this sort of +investigation began to annoy him, "that we have not come out +without our arms." + +And he showed the cardinal, with his finger, the four muskets +piled near the drum, on which were the cards and dice. + +"Your Eminence may believe," added D'Artagnan, "that we would +have come to meet you, if we could have supposed it was +Monseigneur coming toward us with so few attendants." + +The cardinal bit his mustache, and even his lips a little. + +"Do you know what you look like, all together, as you are armed +and guarded by your lackeys?" said the cardinal. "You look like +four conspirators." + +"Oh, as to that, Monseigneur, it is true," said Athos; "we do +conspire, as your Eminence might have seen the other morning. +Only we conspire against the Rochellais." + +"Ah, you gentlemen of policy!" replied the cardinal, knitting his +brow in his turn, "the secret of many unknown things might +perhaps be found in your brains, if we could read them as you +read that letter which you concealed as soon as you saw me +coming." + +The color mounted to the face of Athos, and he made a step toward +his Eminence. + +"One might think you really suspected us, monseigneur, and we +were undergoing a real interrogatory. If it be so, we trust your +Eminence will deign to explain yourself, and we should then at +least be acquainted with our real position." + +"And if it were an interrogatory!" replied the cardinal. "Others +besides you have undergone such, Monsieur Athos, and have replied +thereto." + +"Thus I have told your Eminence that you had but to question us, +and we are ready to reply." + +"What was that letter you were about to read, Monsieur Aramis, +and which you so promptly concealed?" + +"A woman's letter, monseigneur." + +"Ah, yes, I see," said the cardinal; "we must be discreet with +this sort of letters; but nevertheless, we may show them to a +confessor, and you know I have taken orders." + +"Monseigneur," said Athos, with a calmness the more terrible +because he risked his head in making this reply, "the letter is a +woman's letter, but it is neither signed Marion de Lorme, nor +Madame d'Aiguillon." + +The cardinal became as pale as death; lightning darted from his +eyes. He turned round as if to give an order to Cahusac and +Houdiniere. Athos saw the movement; he made a step toward the +muskets, upon which the other three friends had fixed their eyes, +like men ill-disposed to allow themselves to be taken. The +cardinalists were three; the Musketeers, lackeys included, were +seven. He judged that the match would be so much the less equal, +if Athos and his companions were really plotting; and by one of +those rapid turns which he always had at command, all his anger +faded away into a smile. + +"Well, well!" said he, "you are brave young men, proud in +daylight, faithful in darkness. We can find no fault with you +for watching over yourselves, when you watch so carefully over +others. Gentlemen, I have not forgotten the night in which you +served me as an escort to the Red Dovecot. If there were any +danger to be apprehended on the road I am going, I would request +you to accompany me; but as there is none, remain where you are, +finish your bottles, your game, and your letter. Adieu, +gentlemen!" + +And remounting his horse, which Cahusac led to him, he saluted +them with his hand, and rode away. + +The four young men, standing and motionless, followed him with +their eyes without speaking a single word until he had +disappeared. Then they looked at one another. + +The countenances of all gave evidence of terror, for +notwithstanding the friendly adieu of his Eminence, they plainly +perceived that the cardinal went away with rage in his heart. + +Athos alone smiled, with a self-possessed, disdainful smile. + +When the cardinal was out of hearing and sight, "That Grimaud +kept bad watch!" cried Porthos, who had a great inclination to +vent his ill-humor on somebody. + +Grimaud was about to reply to excuse himself. Athos lifted his +finger, and Grimaud was silent. + +"Would you have given up the letter, Aramis?" said D'Artagnan. + +"I," said Aramis, in his most flutelike tone, "I had made up my +mind. If he had insisted upon the letter being given up to him, +I would have presented the letter to him with one hand, and with +the other I would have run my sword through his body." + +"I expected as much," said Athos; "and that was why I threw +myself between you and him. Indeed, this man is very much to +blame for talking thus to other men; one would say he had never +had to do with any but women and children." + +"My dear Athos, I admire you, but nevertheless we were in the +wrong, after all." + +"How, in the wrong?" said Athos. "Whose, then, is the air we +breathe? Whose is the ocean upon which we look? Whose is the +sand upon which we were reclining? Whose is that letter of your +mistress? Do these belong to the cardinal? Upon my honor, this +man fancies the world belongs to him. There you stood, +stammering, stupefied, annihilated. One might have supposed the +Bastille appeared before you, and that the gigantic Medusa had +converted you into stone. Is being in love conspiring? You are +in love with a woman whom the cardinal has caused to be shut up, +and you wish to get her out of the hands of the cardinal. That's +a match you are playing with his Eminence; this letter is your +game. Why should you expose your game to your adversary? That +is never done. Let him find it out if he can! We can find out +his!" + +"Well, that's all very sensible, Athos," said D'Artagnan. + +"In that case, let there be no more question of what's past, and +let Aramis resume the letter from his cousin where the cardinal +interrupted him." + +Aramis drew the letter from his pocket; the three friends +surrounded him, and the three lackeys grouped themselves again +near the wine jar. + +"You had only read a line or two," said D'Artagnan; "read the +letter again from the commencement." + +"Willingly," said Aramis. + +"My dear Cousin, I think I shall make up my mind to set out for +Bethune, where my sister has placed our little servant in the +convent of the Carmelites; this poor child is quite resigned, as +she knows she cannot live elsewhere without the salvation of her +soul being in danger. Nevertheless, if the affairs of our family +are arranged, as we hope they will be, I believe she will run the +risk of being damned, and will return to those she regrets, +particularly as she knows they are always thinking of her. +Meanwhile, she is not very wretched; what she most desires is a +letter from her intended. I know that such viands pass with +difficulty through convent gratings; but after all, as I have +given you proofs, my dear cousin, I am not unskilled in such +affairs, and I will take charge of the commission. My sister +thanks you for your good and eternal remembrance. She has +experienced much anxiety; but she is now at length a little +reassured, having sent her secretary away in order that nothing +may happen unexpectedly. + +"Adieu, my dear cousin. Tell us news of yourself as often as you +can; that is to say, as often as you can with safety. I embrace +you. + +"Marie Michon." + +"Oh, what do I not owe you, Aramis?" said D'Artagnan. "Dear +Constance! I have at length, then, intelligence of you. She +lives; she is in safety in a convent; she is at Bethune! Where +is Bethune, Athos?" + +"Why, upon the frontiers of Artois and of Flanders. The siege +once over, we shall be able to make a tour in that direction." + +"And that will not be long, it is to be hoped," said Porthos; +"for they have this morning hanged a spy who confessed that the +Rochellais were reduced to the leather of their shoes. Supposing +that after having eaten the leather they eat the soles, I cannot +see much that is left unless they eat one another." + +"Poor fools!" said Athos, emptying a glass of excellent Bordeaux +wine which, without having at that period the reputation it now +enjoys, merited it no less, "poor fools! As if the Catholic +religion was not the most advantageous and the most agreeable of +all religions! All the same," resumed he, after having clicked +his tongue against his palate, "they are brave fellows! But what +the devil are you about, Aramis?" continued Athos. "Why, you are +squeezing that letter into your pocket!" + +"Yes," said D'Artagnan, "Athos is right, it must be burned. And +yet if we burn it, who knows whether Monsieur Cardinal has not a +secret to interrogate ashes?" + +"He must have one," said Athos. + +"What will you do with the letter, then?" asked Porthos. + +"Come here, Grimaud," said Athos. Grimaud rose and obeyed. "As +a punishment for having spoken without permission, my friend, you +will please to eat this piece of paper; then to recompense you +for the service you will have rendered us, you shall afterward +drink this glass of wine. First, here is the letter. Eat +heartily." + +Grimaud smiled; and with his eyes fixed upon the glass which +Athos held in his hand, he ground the paper well between his +teeth and then swallowed it. + +"Bravo, Monsieur Grimaud!" said Athos; "and now take this. +That's well. We dispense with your saying grace." + +Grimaud silently swallowed the glass of Bordeaux wine; but his +eyes, raised toward heaven during this delicious occupation, +spoke a language which, though mute, was not the less expressive. + +"And now," said Athos, "unless Monsieur Cardinal should form the +ingenious idea of ripping up Grimaud, I think we may be pretty +much at our ease respecting the letter." + +Meantime, his Eminence continued his melancholy ride, murmuring +between his mustaches, "These four men must positively be mine." + + + +52 CAPTIVITY: THE FIRST DAY + +Let us return to Milady, whom a glance thrown upon the coast of +France has made us lose sight of for an instant. + +We shall find her still in the despairing attitude in which we +left her, plunged in an abyss of dismal reflection--a dark hell +at the gate of which she has almost left hope behind, because for +the first time she doubts, for the first time she fears. + +On two occasions her fortune has failed her, on two occasions she +has found herself discovered and betrayed; and on these two +occasions it was to one fatal genius, sent doubtlessly by the +Lord to combat her, that she has succumbed. D'Artagnan has +conquered her--her, that invincible power of evil. + +He has deceived her in her love, humbled her in her pride, +thwarted her in her ambition; and now he ruins her fortune, +deprives her of liberty, and even threatens her life. Still +more, he has lifted the corner of her mask--that shield with +which she covered herself and which rendered her so strong. + +D'Artagnan has turned aside from Buckingham, whom she hates as +she hates everyone she has loved, the tempest with which +Richelieu threatened him in the person of the queen. D'Artagnan +had passed himself upon her as De Wardes, for whom she had +conceived one of those tigerlike fancies common to women of her +character. D'Artagnan knows that terrible secret which she has +sworn no one shall know without dying. In short, at the moment +in which she has just obtained from Richelieu a carte blanche by +the means of which she is about to take vengeance on her enemy, +this precious paper is torn from her hands, and it is D'Artagnan +who holds her prisoner and is about to send her to some filthy +Botany Bay, some infamous Tyburn of the Indian Ocean. + +All this she owes to D'Artagnan, without doubt. From whom can +come so many disgraces heaped upon her head, if not from him? He +alone could have transmitted to Lord de Winter all these +frightful secrets which he has discovered, one after another, by +a train of fatalities. He knows her brother-in-law. He must +have written to him. + +What hatred she distills! Motionless, with her burning and fixed +glances, in her solitary apartment, how well the outbursts of +passion which at times escape from the depths of her chest with +her respiration, accompany the sound of the surf which rises, +growls, roars, and breaks itself like an eternal and powerless +despair against the rocks on which is built this dark and lofty +castle! How many magnificent projects of vengeance she conceives +by the light of the flashes which her tempestuous passion casts +over her mind against Mme. Bonacieux, against Buckingham, but +above all against D'Artagnan--projects lost in the distance of +the future. + +Yes; but in order to avenge herself she must be free. And to be +free, a prisoner has to pierce a wall, detach bars, cut through a +floor--all undertakings which a patient and strong man may +accomplish, but before which the feverish irritations of a woman +must give way. Besides, to do all this, time is necessary-- +months, years; and she has ten or twelve days, as Lord de Winter, +her fraternal and terrible jailer, has told her. + +And yet, if she were a man she would attempt all this, and +perhaps might succeed; why, then, did heaven make the mistake of +placing that manlike soul in that frail and delicate body? + +The first moments of her captivity were terrible; a few +convulsions of rage which she could not suppress paid her debt of +feminine weakness to nature. But by degrees she overcame the +outbursts of her mad passion; and nervous tremblings which +agitated her frame disappeared, and she remained folded within +herself like a fatigued serpent in repose. + +"Go to, go to! I must have been mad to allow myself to be +carried away so," says she, gazing into the glass, which reflects +back to her eyes the burning glance by which she appears to +interrogate herself. "No violence; violence is the proof of +weakness. In the first place, I have never succeeded by that +means. Perhaps if I employed my strength against women I might +perchance find them weaker than myself, and consequently conquer +them; but it is with men that I struggle, and I am but a woman to +them. Let me fight like a woman, then; my strength is in my +weakness." + +Then, as if to render an account to herself of the changes she +could place upon her countenance, so mobile and so expressive, +she made it take all expressions from that of passionate anger, +which convulsed her features, to that of the most sweet, most +affectionate, and most seducing smile. Then her hair assumed +successively, under her skillful hands, all the undulations she +thought might assist the charms of her face. At length she +murmured, satisfied with herself, "Come, nothing is lost; I am +still beautiful." + +It was then nearly eight o'clock in the evening. Milady +perceived a bed; she calculated that the repose of a few hours +would not only refresh her head and her ideas, but still further, +her complexion. A better idea, however, came into her mind +before going to bed. She had heard something said about supper. +She had already been an hour in this apartment; they could not +long delay bringing her a repast. The prisoner did not wish to +lose time; and she resolved to make that very evening some +attempts to ascertain the nature of the ground she had to work +upon, by studying the characters of the men to whose guardianship +she was committed. + +A light appeared under the door; this light announced the +reappearance of her jailers. Milady, who had arisen, threw +herself quickly into the armchair, her head thrown back, her +beautiful hair unbound and disheveled, her bosom half bare +beneath her crumpled lace, one hand on her heart, and the other +hanging down. + +The bolts were drawn; the door groaned upon its hinges. Steps +sounded in the chamber, and drew near. + +"Place that table there," said a voice which the prisoner +recognized as that of Felton. + +The order was executed. + +"You will bring lights, and relieve the sentinel," continued +Felton. + +And this double order which the young lieutenant gave to the same +individuals proved to Milady that her servants were the same men +as her guards; that is to say, soldiers. + +Felton's orders were, for the rest, executed with a silent +rapidity that gave a good idea of the way in which he maintained +discipline. + +At length Felton, who had not yet looked at Milady, turned toward +her. + +"Ah, ah!" said he, "she is asleep; that's well. When she wakes +she can sup." And he made some steps toward the door. + +"But, my lieutenant," said a soldier, less stoical than his +chief, and who had approached Milady, "this woman is not asleep." + +"What, not asleep!" said Felton; "what is she doing, then?" + +"She has fainted. Her face is very pale, and I have listened in +vain; I do not hear her breathe." + +"You are right," said Felton, after having looked at Milady from +the spot on which he stood without moving a step toward her. "Go +and tell Lord de Winter that his prisoner has fainted--for this +event not having been foreseen, I don't know what to do." + +The soldier went out to obey the orders of his officer. Felton +sat down upon an armchair which happened to be near the door, and +waited without speaking a word, without making a gesture. Milady +possessed that great art, so much studied by women, of looking +through her long eyelashes without appearing to open the lids. +She perceived Felton, who sat with his back toward her. She +continued to look at him for nearly ten minutes, and in these ten +minutes the immovable guardian never turned round once. + +She then thought that Lord de Winter would come, and by his +presence give fresh strength to her jailer. Her first trial was +lost; she acted like a woman who reckons up her resources. As a +result she raised her head, opened her eyes, and sighed deeply. + +At this sigh Felton turned round. + +"Ah, you are awake, madame," he said; "then I have nothing more +to do here. If you want anything you can ring." + +"Oh, my God, my God! how I have suffered!" said Milady, in that +harmonious voice which, like that of the ancient enchantresses, +charmed all whom she wished to destroy. + +And she assumed, upon sitting up in the armchair, a still more +graceful and abandoned position than when she reclined. + +Felton arose. + +"You will be served, thus, madame, three times a day," said he. +"In the morning at nine o'clock, in the day at one o'clock, and +in the evening at eight. If that does not suit you, you can +point out what other hours you prefer, and in this respect your +wishes will be complied with." + +"But am I to remain always alone in this vast and dismal +chamber?" asked Milady. + +"A woman of the neighbourhood has been sent for, who will be +tomorrow at the castle, and will return as often as you desire +her presence." + +"I thank you, sir," replied the prisoner, humbly. + +Felton made a slight bow, and directed his steps toward the door. +At the moment he was about to go out, Lord de Winter appeared in +the corridor, followed by the soldier who had been sent to inform +him of the swoon of Milady. He held a vial of salts in his hand. + +"Well, what is it--what is going on here?" said he, in a jeering +voice, on seeing the prisoner sitting up and Felton about to go +out. "Is this corpse come to life already? Felton, my lad, did +you not perceive that you were taken for a novice, and that the +first act was being performed of a comedy of which we shall +doubtless have the pleasure of following out all the +developments?" + +"I thought so, my lord," said Felton; "but as the prisoner is a +woman, after all, I wish to pay her the attention that every man +of gentle birth owes to a woman, if not on her account, at least +on my own." + +Milady shuddered through her whole system. These words of +Felton's passed like ice through her veins. + +"So," replied De Winter, laughing, "that beautiful hair so +skillfully disheveled, that white skin, and that languishing +look, have not yet seduced you, you heart of stone?" + +"No, my Lord," replied the impassive young man; "your Lordship +may be assured that it requires more than the tricks and coquetry +of a woman to corrupt me." + +"In that case, my brave lieutenant, let us leave Milady to find +out something else, and go to supper; but be easy! She has a +fruitful imagination, and the second act of the comedy will not +delay its steps after the first." + +And at these words Lord de Winter passed his arm through that of +Felton, and led him out, laughing. + +"Oh, I will be a match for you!" murmured Milady, between her +teeth; "be assured of that, you poor spoiled monk, you poor +converted soldier, who has cut his uniform out of a monk's +frock!" + +"By the way," resumed De Winter, stopping at the threshold of the +door, "you must not, Milady, let this check take away your +appetite. Taste that fowl and those fish. On my honor, they are +not poisoned. I have a very good cook, and he is not to be my +heir; I have full and perfect confidence in him. Do as I do. +Adieu, dear sister, till your next swoon!" + +This was all that Milady could endure. Her hands clutched her +armchair; she ground her teeth inwardly; her eyes followed the +motion of the door as it closed behind Lord de Winter and Felton, +and the moment she was alone a fresh fit of despair seized her. +She cast her eyes upon the table, saw the glittering of a knife, +rushed toward it and clutched it; but her disappointment was +cruel. The blade was round, and of flexible silver. + +A burst of laughter resounded from the other side of the ill- +closed door, and the door reopened. + +"Ha, ha!" cried Lord de Winter; "ha, ha! Don't you see, my brave +Felton; don't you see what I told you? That knife was for you, +my lad; she would have killed you. Observe, this is one of her +peculiarities, to get rid thus, after one fashion or another, of +all the people who bother her. If I had listened to you, the +knife would have been pointed and of steel. Then no more of +Felton; she would have cut your throat, and after that everybody +else's. See, John, see how well she knows how to handle a +knife." + +In fact, Milady still held the harmless weapon in her clenched +hand; but these last words, this supreme insult, relaxed her +hands, her strength, and even her will. The knife fell to the +ground. + +"You were right, my Lord," said Felton, with a tone of profound +disgust which sounded to the very bottom of the heart of Milady, +"you were right, my Lord, and I was wrong." + +And both again left the room. + +But this time Milady lent a more attentive ear than the first, +and she heard their steps die away in the distance of the +corridor. + +"I am lost," murmured she; "I am lost! I am in the power of men +upon whom I can have no more influence than upon statues of +bronze or granite; they know me by heart, and are steeled against +all my weapons. It is, however, impossible that this should end +as they have decreed!" + +In fact, as this last reflection indicated--this instinctive +return to hope--sentiments of weakness or fear did not dwell long +in her ardent spirit. Milady sat down to table, ate from several +dishes, drank a little Spanish wine, and felt all her resolution +return. + +Before she went to bed she had pondered, analyzed, turned on all +sides, examined on all points, the words, the steps, the +gestures, the signs, and even the silence of her interlocutors; +and of this profound, skillful, and anxious study the result was +that Felton, everything considered, appeared the more vulnerable +of her two persecutors. + +One expression above all recurred to the mind of the prisoner: +"If I had listened to you," Lord de Winter had said to Felton. + +Felton, then, had spoken in her favor, since Lord de Winter had +not been willing to listen to him. + +"Weak or strong," repeated Milady, "that man has, then, a spark +of pity in his soul; of that spark I will make a flame that shall +devour him. As to the other, he knows me, he fears me, and knows +what he has to expect of me if ever I escape from his hands. It +is useless, then, to attempt anything with him. But Felton-- +that's another thing. He is a young, ingenious, pure man who +seems virtuous; him there are means of destroying." + +And Milady went to bed and fell asleep with a smile upon her +lips. Anyone who had seen her sleeping might have said she was a +young girl dreaming of the crown of flowers she was to wear on +her brow at the next festival. + + + +53 CAPTIVITY: THE SECOND DAY + +Milady dreamed that she at length had D'Artagnan in her power, +that she was present at his execution; and it was the sight of +his odious blood, flowing beneath the ax of the headsman, which +spread that charming smile upon her lips. + +She slept as a prisoner sleeps, rocked by his first hope. + +In the morning, when they entered her chamber she was still in +bed. Felton remained in the corridor. He brought with him the +woman of whom he had spoken the evening before, and who had just +arrived; this woman entered, and approaching Milady's bed, +offered her services. + +Milady was habitually pale; her complexion might therefore +deceive a person who saw her for the first time. + +"I am in a fever," said she; "I have not slept a single instant +during all this long night. I suffer horribly. Are you likely +to be more humane to me than others were yesterday? All I ask is +permission to remain abed." + +"Would you like to have a physician called?" said the woman. + +Felton listened to this dialogue without speaking a word. + +Milady reflected that the more people she had around her the more +she would have to work upon, and Lord de Winter would redouble +his watch. Besides, the physician might declare the ailment +feigned; and Milady, after having lost the first trick, was not +willing to lose the second. + +"Go and fetch a physician?" said she. "What could be the good of +that? These gentlemen declared yesterday that my illness was a +comedy; it would be just the same today, no doubt--for since +yesterday evening they have had plenty of time to send for a +doctor." + +"Then," said Felton, who became impatient, "say yourself, madame, +what treatment you wish followed." + +"Eh, how can I tell? My God! I know that I suffer, that's all. +Give me anything you like, it is of little consequence." + +"Go and fetch Lord de Winter," said Felton, tired of these +eternal complaints. + +"Oh, no, no!" cried Milady; "no, sir, do not call him, I conjure +you. I am well, I want nothing; do not call him." + +She gave so much vehemence, such magnetic eloquence to this +exclamation, that Felton in spite of himself advanced some steps +into the room. + +"He has come!" thought Milady. + +"Meanwhile, madame, if you really suffer," said Felton, "a +physician shall be sent for; and if you deceive us--well, it will +be the worse for you. But at least we shall not have to reproach +ourselves with anything." + +Milady made no reply, but turning her beautiful head round upon +her pillow, she burst into tears, and uttered heartbreaking sobs. + +Felton surveyed her for an instant with his usual impassiveness; +then, seeing that the crisis threatened to be prolonged, he went +out. The woman followed him, and Lord de Winter did not appear. + +"I fancy I begin to see my way," murmured Milady, with a savage +joy, burying herself under the clothes to conceal from anybody +who might be watching her this burst of inward satisfaction. + +Two hours passed away. + +"Now it is time that the malady should be over," said she; "let +me rise, and obtain some success this very day. I have but ten +days, and this evening two of them will be gone." + +In the morning, when they entered Milady's chamber they had +brought her breakfast. Now, she thought, they could not long +delay coming to clear the table, and that Felton would then +reappear. + +Milady was not deceived. Felton reappeared, and without +observing whether Milady had or had not touched her repast, made +a sign that the table should be carried out of the room, it +having been brought in ready spread. + +Felton remained behind; he held a book in his hand. + +Milady, reclining in an armchair near the chimney, beautiful, +pale, and resigned, looked like a holy virgin awaiting martyrdom. + +Felton approached her, and said, "Lord de Winter, who is a +Catholic, like yourself, madame, thinking that the deprivation of +the rites and ceremonies of your church might be painful to you, +has consented that you should read every day the ordinary of your +Mass; and here is a book which contains the ritual." + +At the manner in which Felton laid the book upon the little table +near which Milady was sitting, at the tone in which he pronounced +the two words, YOUR MASS, at the disdainful smile with which he +accompanied them, Milady raised her head, and looked more +attentively at the officer. + +By that plain arrangement of the hair, by that costume of extreme +simplicity, by the brow polished like marble and as hard and +impenetrable, she recognized one of those gloomy Puritans she had +so often met, not only in the court of King James, but in that of +the King of France, where, in spite of the remembrance of the St. +Bartholomew, they sometimes came to seek refuge. + +She then had one of those sudden inspirations which only people +of genius receive in great crises, in supreme moments which are +to decide their fortunes or their lives. + +Those two words, YOUR MASS, and a simple glance cast upon +Felton, revealed to her all the importance of the reply she was +about to make; but with that rapidity of intelligence which was +peculiar to her, this reply, ready arranged, presented itself to +her lips: + +"I?" said she, with an accent of disdain in unison with that +which she had remarked in the voice of the young officer, "I, +sir? MY MASS? Lord de Winter, the corrupted Catholic, knows +very well that I am not of his religion, and this is a snare he +wishes to lay for me!" + +"And of what religion are you, then, madame?" asked Felton, with +an astonishment which in spite of the empire he held over himself +he could not entirely conceal. + +"I will tell it," cried Milady, with a feigned exultation, "on +the day when I shall have suffered sufficiently for my faith." + +The look of Felton revealed to Milady the full extent of the +space she had opened for herself by this single word. + +The young officer, however, remained mute and motionless; his +look alone had spoken. + +"I am in the hands of my enemies," continued she, with that tone +of enthusiasm which she knew was familiar to the Puritans. +"Well, let my God save me, or let me perish for my God! That is +the reply I beg you to make to Lord de Winter. And as to this +book," added she, pointing to the manual with her finger but +without touching it, as if she must be contaminated by it, "you +may carry it back and make use of it yourself, for doubtless you +are doubly the accomplice of Lord de Winter--the accomplice in +his persecutions, the accomplice in his heresies." + +Felton made no reply, took the book with the same appearance of +repugnance which he had before manifested, and retired pensively. + +Lord de Winter came toward five o'clock in the evening. Milady +had had time, during the whole day, to trace her plan of conduct. +She received him like a woman who had already recovered all her +advantages. + +"It appears," said the baron, seating himself in the armchair +opposite that occupied by Milady, and stretching out his legs +carelessly upon the hearth, "it appears we have made a little +apostasy!" + +"What do you mean, sir!" + +"I mean to say that since we last met you have changed your +religion. You have not by chance married a Protestant for a +third husband, have you?" + +"Explain yourself, my Lord," replied the prisoner, with majesty; +"for though I hear your words, I declare I do not understand +them." + +"Then you have no religion at all; I like that best," replied +Lord de Winter, laughing. + +"Certainly that is most in accord with your own principles," +replied Milady, frigidly. + +"Oh, I confess it is all the same to me." + +"Oh, you need not avow this religious indifference, my Lord; your +debaucheries and crimes would vouch for it." + +"What, you talk of debaucheries, Madame Messalina, Lady Macbeth! +Either I misunderstand you or you are very shameless!" + +"You only speak thus because you are overheard," coolly replied +Milady; "and you wish to interest your jailers and your hangmen +against me." + +"My jailers and my hangmen! Heyday, madame! you are taking a +poetical tone, and the comedy of yesterday turns to a tragedy +this evening. As to the rest, in eight days you will be where +you ought to be, and my task will be completed." + +"Infamous task! impious task!" cried Milady, with the exultation +of a victim who provokes his judge. + +"My word," said De Winter, rising, "I think the hussy is going +mad! Come, come, calm yourself, Madame Puritan, or I'll remove +you to a dungeon. It's my Spanish wine that has got into your +head, is it not? But never mind; that sort of intoxication is +not dangerous, and will have no bad effects." + +And Lord de Winter retired swearing, which at that period was a +very knightly habit. + +Felton was indeed behind the door, and had not lost one word of +this scene. Milady had guessed aright. + +"Yes, go, go,!" said she to her brother; "the effects ARE drawing +near, on the contrary; but you, weak fool, will not see them +until it is too late to shun them." + +Silence was re-established. Two hours passed away. Milady's +supper was brought in, and she was found deeply engaged in saying +her prayers aloud--prayers which she had learned of an old +servant of her second husband, a most austere Puritan. She +appeared to be in ecstasy, and did not pay the least attention to +what was going on around her. Felton made a sign that she should +not be disturbed; and when all was arranged, he went out quietly +with the soldiers. + +Milady knew she might be watched, so she continued her prayers to +the end; and it appeared to her that the soldier who was on duty +at her door did not march with the same step, and seemed to +listen. For the moment she wished nothing better. She arose, +came to the table, ate but little, and drank only water. + +An hour after, her table was cleared; but Milady remarked that +this time Felton did not accompany the soldiers. He feared, +then, to see her too often. + +She turned toward the wall to smile--for there was in this smile +such an expression of triumph that this smile alone would have +betrayed her. + +She allowed, therefore, half an hour to pass away; and as at that +moment all was silence in the old castle, as nothing was heard +but the eternal murmur of the waves--that immense breaking of the +ocean--with her pure, harmonious, and powerful voice, she began +the first couplet of the psalm then in great favor with the +Puritans: + + +"Thou leavest thy servants, Lord, +To see if they be strong; +But soon thou dost afford +Thy hand to lead them on." + + +These verses were not excellent--very far from it; but as it is +well known, the Puritans did not pique themselves upon their +poetry. + +While singing, Milady listened. The soldier on guard at her door +stopped, as if he had been changed into stone. Milady was then +able to judge of the effect she had produced. + +Then she continued her singing with inexpressible fervor and +feeling. It appeared to her that the sounds spread to a distance +beneath the vaulted roofs, and carried with them a magic charm to +soften the hearts of her jailers. It however likewise appeared +that the soldier on duty--a zealous Catholic, no doubt--shook off +the charm, for through the door he called: "Hold your tongue, +madame! Your song is as dismal as a 'De profundis'; and if +besides the pleasure of being in garrison here, we must hear such +things as these, no mortal can hold out." + +"Silence!" then exclaimed another stern voice which Milady +recognized as that of Felton. "What are you meddling with, +stupid? Did anybody order you to prevent that woman from +singing? No. You were told to guard her--to fire at her if she +attempted to fly. Guard her! If she flies, kill her; but don't +exceed your orders." + +An expression of unspeakable joy lightened the countenance of +Milady; but this expression was fleeting as the reflection of +lightning. Without appearing to have heard the dialogue, of +which she had not lost a word, she began again, giving to her +voice all the charm, all the power, all the seduction the demon +had bestowed upon it: + + "For all my tears, my cares, + My exile, and my chains, + I have my youth, my prayers, + And God, who counts my pains." + +Her voice, of immense power and sublime expression, gave to the +rude, unpolished poetry of these psalms a magic and an effect +which the most exalted Puritans rarely found in the songs of +their brethren, and which they were forced to ornament with all +the resources of their imagination. Felton believed he heard the +singing of the angel who consoled the three Hebrews in the +furnace. + +Milady continued: + +"One day our doors will ope, +With God come our desire; +And if betrays that hope, +To death we can aspire." + +This verse, into which the terrible enchantress threw her whole +soul, completed the trouble which had seized the heart of the +young officer. He opened the door quickly; and Milady saw him +appear, pale as usual, but with his eye inflamed and almost wild. + +"Why do you sing thus, and with such a voice?" said he. + +"Your pardon, sir," said Milady, with mildness. "I forgot that +my songs are out of place in this castle. I have perhaps +offended you in your creed; but it was without wishing to do so, +I swear. Pardon me, then, a fault which is perhaps great, but +which certainly was involuntary." + +Milady was so beautiful at this moment, the religious ecstasy in +which she appeared to be plunged gave such an expression to her +countenance, that Felton was so dazzled that he fancied he beheld +the angel whom he had only just before heard. + +"Yes, yes," said he; "you disturb, you agitate the people who +live in the castle." + +The poor, senseless young man was not aware of the incoherence of +his words, while Milady was reading with her lynx's eyes the very +depths of his heart. + +"I will be silent, then," said Milady, casting down her eyes with +all the sweetness she could give to her voice, with all the +resignation she could impress upon her manner. + +"No, no, madame," said Felton, "only do not sing so loud, +particularly at night." + +And at these words Felton, feeling that he could not long +maintain his severity toward his prisoner, rushed out of the +room. + +"You have done right, Lieutenant," said the soldier. "Such songs +disturb the mind; and yet we become accustomed to them, her voice +is so beautiful." + + + +54 CAPTIVITY: THE THIRD DAY + +Felton had fallen; but there was still another step to be taken. +He must be retained, or rather he must be left quite alone; and +Milady but obscurely perceived the means which could lead to this +result. + +Still more must be done. He must be made to speak, in order that +he might be spoken to--for Milady very well knew that her +greatest seduction was in her voice, which so skillfully ran over +the whole gamut of tones from human speech to language celestial. + +Yet in spite of all this seduction Milady might fail--for Felton +was forewarned, and that against the least chance. From that +moment she watched all his actions, all his words, from the +simplest glance of his eyes to his gestures--even to a breath +that could be interpreted as a sigh. In short, she studied +everything, as a skillful comedian does to whom a new part has +been assigned in a line to which he is not accustomed. + +Face to face with Lord de Winter her plan of conduct was more +easy. She had laid that down the preceding evening. To remain +silent and dignified in his presence; from time to time to +irritate him by affected disdain, by a contemptuous word; to +provoke him to threats and violence which would produce a +contrast with her own resignation--such was her plan. Felton +would see all; perhaps he would say nothing, but he would see. + +In the morning, Felton came as usual; but Milady allowed him to +preside over all the preparations for breakfast without +addressing a word to him. At the moment when he was about to +retire, she was cheered with a ray of hope, for she thought he +was about to speak; but his lips moved without any sound leaving +his mouth, and making a powerful effort to control himself, he +sent back to his heart the words that were about to escape from +his lips, and went out. Toward midday, Lord de Winter entered. + +It was a tolerably fine winter's day, and a ray of that pale +English sun which lights but does not warm came through the bars +of her prison. + +Milady was looking out at the window, and pretended not to hear +the door as it opened. + +"Ah, ah!" said Lord de Winter, "after having played comedy, after +having played tragedy, we are now playing melancholy?" + +The prisoner made no reply. + +"Yes, yes," continued Lord de Winter, "I understand. You would +like very well to be a liberty on that beach! You would like +very well to be in a good ship dancing upon the waves of that +emerald-green sea; you would like very well, either on land or on +the ocean, to lay for me one of those nice little ambuscades you +are so skillful in planning. Patience, patience! In four days' +time the shore will be beneath your feet, the sea will be open to +you--more open than will perhaps be agreeable to you, for in four +days England will be relieved of you." + +Milady folded her hands, and raising her fine eyes toward heaven, +"Lord, Lord," said she, with an angelic meekness of gesture and +tone, "pardon this man, as I myself pardon him." + +"Yes, pray, accursed woman!" cried the baron; "your prayer is so +much the more generous from your being, I swear to you, in the +power of a man who will never pardon you!" and he went out. + +At the moment he went out a piercing glance darted through the +opening of the nearly closed door, and she perceived Felton, who +drew quickly to one side to prevent being seen by her. + +Then she threw herself upon her knees, and began to pray. + +"My God, my God!" said she, "thou knowest in what holy cause I +suffer; give me, then, strength to suffer." + +The door opened gently; the beautiful supplicant pretended not to +hear the noise, and in a voice broken by tears, she continued: + +"God of vengeance! God of goodness! wilt thou allow the +frightful projects of this man to be accomplished?" + +Then only she pretended to hear the sound of Felton's steps, and +rising quick as thought, she blushed, as if ashamed of being +surprised on her knees. + +"I do not like to disturb those who pray, madame," said Felton, +seriously; "do not disturb yourself on my account, I beseech +you." + +"How do you know I was praying, sir?" said Milady, in a voice +broken by sobs. "You were deceived, sir; I was not praying." + +"Do you think, then, madame," replied Felton, in the same serious +voice, but with a milder tone, "do you think I assume the right +of preventing a creature from prostrating herself before her +Creator? God forbid! Besides, repentance becomes the guilty; +whatever crimes they may have committed, for me the guilty are +sacred at the feet of God!" + +"Guilty? I?" said Milady, with a smile which might have disarmed +the angel of the last judgment. "Guilty? Oh, my God, thou +knowest whether I am guilty! Say I am condemned, sir, if you +please; but you know that God, who loves martyrs, sometimes +permits the innocent to be condemned." + +"Were you condemned, were you innocent, were you a martyr," +replied Felton, "the greater would be the necessity for prayer; +and I myself would aid you with my prayers." + +"Oh, you are a just man!" cried Milady, throwing herself at his +feet. "I can hold out no longer, for I fear I shall be wanting +in strength at the moment when I shall be forced to undergo the +struggle, and confess my faith. Listen, then, to the +supplication of a despairing woman. You are abused, sir; but +that is not the question. I only ask you one favor; and if you +grant it me, I will bless you in this world and in the next." + +"Speak to the master, madame," said Felton; "happily I am neither +charged with the power of pardoning nor punishing. It is upon +one higher placed than I am that God has laid this +responsibility." + +"To you--no, to you alone! Listen to me, rather than add to my +destruction, rather than add to my ignominy!" + +"If you have merited this shame, madame, if you have incurred +this ignominy, you must submit to it as an offering to God." + +"What do you say? Oh, you do not understand me! When I speak of +ignominy, you think I speak of some chastisement, of imprisonment +or death. Would to heaven! Of what consequence to me is +imprisonment or death?" + +"It is I who no longer understand you, madame," said Felton. + +"Or, rather, who pretend not to understand me, sir!" replied the +prisoner, with a smile of incredulity. + +"No, madame, on the honor of a soldier, on the faith of a +Christian." + +"What, you are ignorant of Lord de Winter's designs upon me?" + +"I am." + +"Impossible; you are his confidant!" + +"I never lie, madame." + +"Oh, he conceals them too little for you not to divine them." + +"I seek to divine nothing, madame; I wait till I am confided in, +and apart from that which Lord de Winter has said to me before +you, he has confided nothing to me." + +"Why, then," cried Milady, with an incredible tone of +truthfulness, "you are not his accomplice; you do not know that +he destines me to a disgrace which all the punishments of the +world cannot equal in horror?" + +"You are deceived, madame," said Felton, blushing; "Lord de +Winter is not capable of such a crime." + +"Good," said Milady to herself; "without thinking what it is, he +calls it a crime!" Then aloud, "The friend of THAT WRETCH is +capable of everything." + +"Whom do you call 'that wretch'?" asked Felton. + +"Are there, then, in England two men to whom such an epithet can +be applied?" + +"You mean George Villiers?" asked Felton, whose looks became +excited. + +"Whom Pagans and unbelieving Gentiles call Duke of Buckingham," +replied Milady. "I could not have thought that there was an +Englishman in all England who would have required so long an +explanation to make him understand of whom I was speaking." + +"The hand of the Lord is stretched over him," said Felton; "he +will not escape the chastisement he deserves." + +Felton only expressed, with regard to the duke, the feeling of +execration which all the English had declared toward him whom the +Catholics themselves called the extortioner, the pillager, the +debauchee, and whom the Puritans styled simply Satan. + +"Oh, my God, my God!" cried Milady; "when I supplicate thee to +pour upon this man the chastisement which is his due, thou +knowest it is not my own vengeance I pursue, but the deliverance +of a whole nation that I implore!" + +"Do you know him, then?" asked Felton. + +"At length he interrogates me!" said Milady to herself, at the +height of joy at having obtained so quickly such a great result. +"Oh, know him? Yes, yes! to my misfortune, to my eternal +misfortune!" and Milady twisted her arms as if in a paroxysm of +grief. + +Felton no doubt felt within himself that his strength was +abandoning him, and he made several steps toward the door; but +the prisoner, whose eye never left him, sprang in pursuit of him +and stopped him. + +"Sir," cried she, "be kind, be clement, listen to my prayer! +That knife, which the fatal prudence of the baron deprived me of, +because he knows the use I would make of it! Oh, hear me to the +end! that knife, give it to me for a minute only, for mercy's, +for pity's sake! I will embrace your knees! You shall shut the +door that you may be certain I contemplate no injury to you! My +God! to you--the only just, good, and compassionate being I have +met with! To you--my preserver, perhaps! One minute that knife, +one minute, a single minute, and I will restore it to you through +the grating of the door. Only one minute, Mr. Felton, and you +will have saved my honor!" + +"To kill yourself?" cried Felton, with terror, forgetting to +withdraw his hands from the hands of the prisoner, "to kill +yourself?" + +"I have told, sir," murmured Milady, lowering her voice, and +allowing herself to sink overpowered to the ground; "I have told +my secret! He knows all! My God, I am lost!" + +Felton remained standing, motionless and undecided. + +"He still doubts," thought Milady; "I have not been earnest +enough." + +Someone was heard in the corridor; Milady recognized the step of +Lord de Winter. + +Felton recognized it also, and made a step toward the door. + +Milady sprang toward him. "Oh, not a word," said she in a +concentrated voice, "not a word of all that I have said to you to +this man, or I am lost, and it would be you--you--" + +Then as the steps drew near, she became silent for fear of being +heard, applying, with a gesture of infinite terror, her beautiful +hand to Felton's mouth. + +Felton gently repulsed Milady, and she sank into a chair. + +Lord de Winter passed before the door without stopping, and they +heard the noise of his footsteps soon die away. + +Felton, as pale as death, remained some instants with his ear +bent and listening; then, when the sound was quite extinct, he +breathed like a man awaking from a dream, and rushed out of the +apartment. + +"Ah!" said Milady, listening in her turn to the noise of Felton's +steps, which withdrew in a direction opposite to those of Lord de +Winter; "at length you are mine!" + +Then her brow darkened. "If he tells the baron," said she, "I am +lost--for the baron, who knows very well that I shall not kill +myself, will place me before him with a knife in my hand, and he +will discover that all this despair is but acted." + +She placed herself before the glass, and regarded herself +attentively; never had she appeared more beautiful. + +"Oh, yes," said she, smiling, "but we won't tell him!" + +In the evening Lord de Winter accompanied the supper. + +"Sir," said Milady, "is your presence an indispensable accessory +of my captivity? Could you not spare me the increase of torture +which your visits cause me?" + +"How, dear sister!" said Lord de Winter. "Did not you +sentimentally inform me with that pretty mouth of yours, so cruel +to me today, that you came to England solely for the pleasure of +seeing me at your ease, an enjoyment of which you told me you so +sensibly felt the deprivation that you had risked everything for +it--seasickness, tempest, captivity? Well, here I am; be +satisfied. Besides, this time, my visit has a motive." + +Milady trembled; she thought Felton had told all. Perhaps never +in her life had this woman, who had experienced so many opposite +and powerful emotions, felt her heart beat so violently. + +She was seated. Lord de Winter took a chair, drew it toward her, +and sat down close beside her. Then taking a paper out of his +pocket, he unfolded it slowly. + +"Here," said he, "I want to show you the kind of passport which I +have drawn up, and which will serve you henceforward as the rule +of order in the life I consent to leave you." + +Then turning his eyes from Milady to the paper, he read: "'Order +to conduct--' The name is blank," interrupted Lord de Winter. +"If you have any preference you can point it out to me; and if it +be not within a thousand leagues of London, attention will be +paid to your wishes. I will begin again, then: + +"'Order to conduct to--the person named Charlotte Backson, +branded by the justice of the kingdom of France, but liberated +after chastisement. She is to dwell in this place without ever +going more than three leagues from it. In case of any attempt to +escape, the penalty of death is to be applied. She will receive +five shillings per day for lodging and food'". + +"That order does not concern me," replied Milady, coldly, "since +it bears another name than mine." + +"A name? Have you a name, then?" + +"I bear that of your brother." + +"Ay, but you are mistaken. My brother is only your second +husband; and your first is still living. Tell me his name, and I +will put it in the place of the name of Charlotte Backson. No? +You will not? You are silent? Well, then you must be registered +as Charlotte Backson." + +Milady remained silent; only this time it was no longer from +affectation, but from terror. She believed the order ready for +execution. She thought that Lord de Winter had hastened her +departure; she thought she was condemned to set off that very +evening. Everything in her mind was lost for an instant; when +all at once she perceived that no signature was attached to the +order. The joy she felt at this discovery was so great she could +not conceal it. + +"Yes, yes," said Lord de Winter, who perceived what was passing +in her mind; "yes, you look for the signature, and you say to +yourself: 'All is not lost, for that order is not signed. It is +only shown to me to terrify me, that's all.' You are mistaken. +Tomorrow this order will be sent to the Duke of Buckingham. The +day after tomorrow it will return signed by his hand and marked +with his seal; and four-and-twenty hours afterward I will answer +for its being carried into execution. Adieu, madame. That is +all I had to say to you." + +"And I reply to you, sir, that this abuse of power, this exile +under a fictitious name, are infamous!" + +"Would you like better to be hanged in your true name, Milady? +You know that the English laws are inexorable on the abuse of +marriage. Speak freely. Although my name, or rather that of my +brother, would be mixed up with the affair, I will risk the +scandal of a public trial to make myself certain of getting rid +of you." + +Milady made no reply, but became as pale as a corpse. + +"Oh, I see you prefer peregrination. That's well madame; and +there is an old proverb that says, 'Traveling trains youth.' My +faith! you are not wrong after all, and life is sweet. That's +the reason why I take such care you shall not deprive me of mine. +There only remains, then, the question of the five shillings to +be settled. You think me rather parsimonious, don't you? That's +because I don't care to leave you the means of corrupting your +jailers. Besides, you will always have your charms left to +seduce them with. Employ them, if your check with regard to +Felton has not disgusted you with attempts of that kind." + +"Felton has not told him," said Milady to herself. "Nothing is +lost, then." + +"And now, madame, till I see you again! Tomorrow I will come and +announce to you the departure of my messenger." + +Lord de Winter rose, saluted her ironically, and went out. + +Milady breathed again. She had still four days before her. Four +days would quite suffice to complete the seduction of Felton. + +A terrible idea, however, rushed into her mind. She thought that +Lord de Winter would perhaps send Felton himself to get the order +signed by the Duke of Buckingham. In that case Felton would +escape her--for in order to secure success, the magic of a +continuous seduction was necessary. Nevertheless, as we have +said, one circumstance reassured her. Felton had not spoken. + +As she would not appear to be agitated by the threats of Lord de +Winter, she placed herself at the table and ate. + +Then, as she had done the evening before, she fell on her knees +and repeated her prayers aloud. As on the evening before, the +soldier stopped his march to listen to her. + +Soon after she heard lighter steps than those of the sentinel, +which came from the end of the corridor and stopped before her +door. + +"It is he," said she. And she began the same religious chant +which had so strongly excited Felton the evening before. + +But although her voice--sweet, full, and sonorous--vibrated as +harmoniously and as affectingly as ever, the door remained shut. +It appeared however to Milady that in one of the furtive glances +she darted from time to time at the grating of the door she +thought she saw the ardent eyes of the young man through the +narrow opening. But whether this was reality or vision, he had +this time sufficient self-command not to enter. + +However, a few instants after she had finished her religious +song, Milady thought she heard a profound sigh. Then the same +steps she had heard approach slowly withdrew, as if with regret. + + + +55 CAPTIVITY: THE FOURTH DAY + +The next day, when Felton entered Milady's apartment he found her +standing, mounted upon a chair, holding in her hands a cord made +by means of torn cambric handkerchiefs, twisted into a kind of +rope one with another, and tied at the ends. At the noise Felton +made in entering, Milady leaped lightly to the ground, and tried +to conceal behind her the improvised cord she held in her hand. + +The young man was more pale than usual, and his eyes, reddened by +want of sleep, denoted that he had passed a feverish night. +Nevertheless, his brow was armed with a severity more austere +than ever. + +He advanced slowly toward Milady, who had seated herself, and +taking an end of the murderous rope which by neglect, or perhaps +by design, she allowed to be seen, "What is this, madame?" he +asked coldly. + +"That? Nothing," said Milady, smiling with that painful +expression which she knew so well how to give to her smile. +"Ennui is the mortal enemy of prisoners; I had ennui, and I +amused myself with twisting that rope." + +Felton turned his eyes toward the part of the wall of the +apartment before which he had found Milady standing in the +armchair in which she was now seated, and over her head he +perceived a gilt-headed screw, fixed in the wall for the purpose +of hanging up clothes or weapons. + +He started, and the prisoner saw that start--for though her eyes +were cast down, nothing escaped her. + +"What were you doing on that armchair?" asked he. + +"Of what consequence?" replied Milady. + +"But," replied Felton, "I wish to know." + +"Do not question me," said the prisoner; "you know that we who +are true Christians are forbidden to lie." + +"Well, then," said Felton, " I will tell you what you were doing, +or rather what you meant to do; you were going to complete the +fatal project you cherish in your mind. Remember, madame, if our +God forbids falsehood, he much more severely condemns suicide." + +"When God sees one of his creatures persecuted unjustly, placed +between suicide and dishonor, believe me, sir," replied Milady, +in a tone of deep conviction, "God pardons suicide, for then +suicide becomes martyrdom." + +"You say either too much or too little; speak, madame. In the +name of heaven, explain yourself." + +"That I may relate my misfortunes for you to treat them as +fables; that I may tell you my projects for you to go and betray +them to my persecutor? No, sir. Besides, of what importance to +you is the life or death of a condemned wretch? You are only +responsible for my body, is it not so? And provided you produce +a carcass that may be recognized as mine, they will require no +more of you; nay, perhaps you will even have a double reward." + +"I, madame, I?" cried Felton. "You suppose that I would ever +accept the price of your life? Oh, you cannot believe what you +say!" + +"Let me act as I please, Felton, let me act as I please," said +Milady, elated. "Every soldier must be ambitious, must he not? +You are a lieutenant? Well, you will follow me to the grave with +the rank of captain." + +"What have I, then, done to you," said Felton, much agitated, +"that you should load me with such a responsibility before God +and before men? In a few days you will be away from this place; +your life, madame, will then no longer be under my care, and," +added he, with a sigh, "then you can do what you will with it." + +"So," cried Milady, as if she could not resist giving utterance +to a holy indignation, "you, a pious man, you who are called a +just man, you ask but one thing--and that is that you may not be +inculpated, annoyed, by my death!" + +"It is my duty to watch over your life, madame, and I will +watch." + +"But do you understand the mission you are fulfilling? Cruel +enough, if I am guilty; but what name can you give it, what name +will the Lord give it, if I am innocent?" + +"I am a soldier, madame, and fulfill the orders I have received." + +"Do you believe, then, that at the day of the Last Judgment God +will separate blind executioners from iniquitous judges? You are +not willing that I should kill my body, and you make yourself the +agent of him who would kill my soul." + +"But I repeat it again to you," replied Felton, in great emotion, +"no danger threatens you; I will answer for Lord de Winter as for +myself." + +"Dunce," cried Milady, "dunce! who dares to answer for another +man, when the wisest, when those most after God's own heart, +hesitate to answer for themselves, and who ranges himself on the +side of the strongest and the most fortunate, to crush the +weakest and the most unfortunate." + +"Impossible, madame, impossible," murmured Felton, who felt to +the bottom of his heart the justness of this argument. "A +prisoner, you will not recover your liberty through me; living, +you will not lose your life through me." + +"Yes," cried Milady, "but I shall lose that which is much dearer +to me than life, I shall lose my honor, Felton; and it is you, +you whom I make responsible, before God and before men, for my +shame and my infamy." + +This time Felton, immovable as he was, or appeared to be, could +not resist the secret influence which had already taken +possession of him. To see this woman, so beautiful, fair as the +brightest vision, to see her by turns overcome with grief and +threatening; to resist at once the ascendancy of grief and +beauty--it was too much for a visionary; it was too much for a +brain weakened by the ardent dreams of an ecstatic faith; it was +too much for a heart furrowed by the love of heaven that burns, +by the hatred of men that devours. + +Milady saw the trouble. She felt by intuition the flame of the +opposing passions which burned with the blood in the veins of the +young fanatic. As a skillful general, seeing the enemy ready to +surrender, marches toward him with a cry of victory, she rose, +beautiful as an antique priestess, inspired like a Christian +virgin, her arms extended, her throat uncovered, her hair +disheveled, holding with one hand her robe modestly drawn over +her breast, her look illumined by that fire which had already +created such disorder in the veins of the young Puritan, and went +toward him, crying out with a vehement air, and in her melodious +voice, to which on this occasion she communicated a terrible +energy: + + +"Let this victim to Baal be sent, +To the lions the martyr be thrown! +Thy God shall teach thee to repent! +>From th' abyss he'll give ear to my moan." + + +Felton stood before this strange apparition like one petrified. + +"Who art thou? Who art thou?" cried he, clasping his hands. +"Art thou a messenger from God; art thou a minister from hell; +art thou an angel or a demon; callest thou thyself Eloa or +Astarte?" + +"Do you not know me, Felton? I am neither an angel nor a demon; +I am a daughter of earth, I am a sister of thy faith, that is +all." + +"Yes, yes!" said Felton, "I doubted, but now I believe." + +"You believe, and still you are an accomplice of that child of +Belial who is called Lord de Winter! You believe, and yet you +leave me in the hands of mine enemies, of the enemy of England, +of the enemy of God! You believe, and yet you deliver me up to +him who fills and defiles the world with his heresies and +debaucheries--to that infamous Sardanapalus whom the blind call +the Duke of Buckingham, and whom believers name Antichrist!" + +"I deliver you up to Buckingham? I? what mean you by that?" + +"They have eyes," cried Milady, "but they see not; ears have +they, but they hear not." + +"Yes, yes!" said Felton, passing his hands over his brow, covered +with sweat, as if to remove his last doubt. "Yes, I recognize +the voice which speaks to me in my dreams; yes, I recognize the +features of the angel who appears to me every night, crying to my +soul, which cannot sleep: 'Strike, save England, save thyself-- +for thou wilt die without having appeased God!' Speak, speak!" +cried Felton, "I can understand you now." + +A flash of terrible joy, but rapid as thought, gleamed from the +eyes of Milady. + +However fugitive this homicide flash, Felton saw it, and started +as if its light had revealed the abysses of this woman's heart. +He recalled, all at once, the warnings of Lord de Winter, the +seductions of Milady, her first attempts after her arrival. He +drew back a step, and hung down his head, without, however, +ceasing to look at her, as if, fascinated by this strange +creature, he could not detach his eyes from her eyes. + +Milady was not a woman to misunderstand the meaning of this +hesitation. Under her apparent emotions her icy coolness never +abandoned her. Before Felton replied, and before she should be +forced to resume this conversation, so difficult to be sustained +in the same exalted tone, she let her hands fall; and as if the +weakness of the woman overpowered the enthusiasm of the inspired +fanatic, she said: "But no, it is not for me to be the Judith to +deliver Bethulia from this Holofernes. The sword of the eternal +is too heavy for my arm. Allow me, then, to avoid dishonor by +death; let me take refuge in martyrdom. I do not ask you for +liberty, as a guilty one would, nor for vengeance, as would a +pagan. Let me die; that is all. I supplicate you, I implore you +on my knees--let me die, and my last sigh shall be a blessing for +my preserver." + +Hearing that voice, so sweet and suppliant, seeing that look, so +timid and downcast, Felton reproached himself. By degrees the +enchantress had clothed herself with that magic adornment which +she assumed and threw aside at will; that is to say, beauty, +meekness, and tears--and above all, the irresistible attraction +of mystical voluptuousness, the most devouring of all +voluptuousness. + +"Alas!" said Felton, "I can do but one thing, which is to pity +you if you prove to me you are a victim! But Lord de Winter +makes cruel accusations against you. You are a Christian; you +are my sister in religion. I feel myself drawn toward you--I, +who have never loved anyone but my benefactor--I who have met +with nothing but traitors and impious men. But you, madame, so +beautiful in reality, you, so pure in appearance, must have +committed great iniquities for Lord de Winter to pursue you +thus." + +"They have eyes," repeated Milady, with an accent of +indescribable grief, "but they see not; ears have they, but they +hear not." + +"But," cried the young officer, "speak, then, speak!" + +"Confide my shame to you," cried Milady, with the blush of +modesty upon her countenance, "for often the crime of one becomes +the shame of another--confide my shame to you, a man, and I a +woman? Oh," continued she, placing her hand modestly over her +beautiful eyes, "never! never!--I could not!" + +"To me, to a brother?" said Felton. + +Milady looked at him for some time with an expression which the +young man took for doubt, but which, however, was nothing but +observation, or rather the wish to fascinate. + +Felton, in his turn a suppliant, clasped his hands. + +"Well, then," said Milady, "I confide in my brother; I will dare +to--" + +At this moment the steps of Lord de Winter were heard; but this +time the terrible brother-in-law of Milady did not content +himself, as on the preceding day, with passing before the door +and going away again. He paused, exchanged two words with the +sentinel; then the door opened, and he appeared. + +During the exchange of these two words Felton drew back quickly, +and when Lord de Winter entered, he was several paces from the +prisoner. + +The baron entered slowly, sending a scrutinizing glance from +Milady to the young officer. + +"You have been here a very long time, John," said he. "Has this +woman been relating her crimes to you? In that case I can +comprehend the length of the conversation." + +Felton started; and Milady felt she was lost if she did not come +to the assistance of the disconcerted Puritan. + +"Ah, you fear your prisoner should escape!" said she. "Well, ask +your worthy jailer what favor I this instant solicited of him." + +"You demanded a favor,?" said the baron, suspiciously. + +"Yes, my Lord," replied the young man, confused. + +"And what favor, pray?" asked Lord de Winter. + +"A knife, which she would return to me through the grating of the +door a minute after she had received it," replied Felton. + +"There is someone, then, concealed here whose throat this amiable +lady is desirous of cutting," said De Winter, in an ironical, +contemptuous tone. + +"There is myself," replied Milady. + +"I have given you the choice between America and Tyburn," replied +Lord de Winter. "Choose Tyburn, madame. Believe me, the cord is +more certain than the knife." + +Felton grew pale, and made a step forward, remembering that at +the moment he entered Milady had a rope in her hand. + +"You are right," said she, "I have often thought of it." Then +she added in a low voice, "And I will think of it again." + +Felton felt a shudder run to the marrow of his bones; probably +Lord de Winter perceived this emotion. + +"Mistrust yourself, John," said he. "I have placed reliance upon +you, my friend. Beware! I have warned you! But be of good +courage, my lad; in three days we shall be delivered from this +creature, and where I shall send her she can harm nobody." + +"You hear him!" cried Milady, with vehemence, so that the baron +might believe she was addressing heaven, and that Felton might +understand she was addressing him. + +Felton lowered his head and reflected. + +The baron took the young officer by the arm, and turned his head +over his shoulder, so as not to lose sight of Milady till he was +gone out. + +"Well," said the prisoner, when the door was shut, "I am not so +far advanced as I believed. De Winter has changed his usual +stupidity into a strange prudence. It is the desire of +vengeance, and how desire molds a man! As to Felton, he +hesitates. Ah, he is not a man like that cursed D'Artagnan. A +Puritan only adores virgins, and he adores them by clasping his +hands. A Musketeer loves women, and he loves them by clasping +his arms round them." + +Milady waited, then, with much impatience, for she feared the day +would pass away without her seeing Felton again. At last, in an +hour after the scene we have just described, she heard someone +speaking in a low voice at the door. Presently the door opened, +and she perceived Felton. + +The young man advanced rapidly into the chamber, leaving the door +open behind him, and making a sign to Milady to be silent; his +face was much agitated. + +"What do you want with me?" said she. + +"Listen," replied Felton, in a low voice. "I have just sent away +the sentinel that I might remain here without anybody knowing it, +in order to speak to you without being overheard. The baron has +just related a frightful story to me." + +Milady assumed her smile of a resigned victim, and shook her +head. + +"Either you are a demon," continued Felton, "or the baron--my +benefactor, my father--is a monster. I have known you four days; +I have loved him four years. I therefore may hesitate between +you. Be not alarmed at what I say; I want to be convinced. +Tonight, after twelve, I will come and see you, and you shall +convince me." + +"No, Felton, no, my brother," said she; "the sacrifice is too +great, and I feel what it must cost you. No, I am lost; do not +be lost with me. My death will be much more eloquent than my +life, and the silence of the corpse will convince you much better +than the words of the prisoner." + +"Be silent, madame," cried Felton, "and do not speak to me thus; +I came to entreat you to promise me upon your honor, to swear to +me by what you hold most sacred, that you will make no attempt +upon your life." + +"I will not promise," said Milady, "for no one has more respect +for a promise or an oath than I have; and if I make a promise I +must keep it." + +"Well," said Felton, "only promise till you have seen me again. +If, when you have seen me again, you still persist--well, then +you shall be free, and I myself will give you the weapon you +desire." + +"Well," said Milady, "for you I will wait." + +"Swear." + +"I swear it, by our God. Are you satisfied?" + +"Well," said Felton, "till tonight." + +And he darted out of the room, shut the door, and waited in the +corridor, the soldier's half-pike in his hand, and as if he had +mounted guard in his place. + +The soldier returned, and Felton gave him back his weapon. + +Then, through the grating to which she had drawn near, Milady saw +the young man make a sign with delirious fervor, and depart in an +apparent transport of joy. + +As for her, she returned to her place with a smile of savage +contempt upon her lips, and repeated, blaspheming, that terrible +name of God, by whom she had just sworn without ever having +learned to know Him. + +"My God," said she, "what a senseless fanatic! My God, it is I-- +I--and this fellow who will help me to avenge myself." + + + +56 CAPTIVITY: THE FIFTH DAY + +Milady had however achieved a half-triumph, and success doubled +her forces. + +It was not difficult to conquer, as she had hitherto done, men +prompt to let themselves be seduced, and whom the gallant +education of a court led quickly into her net. Milady was +handsome enough not to find much resistance on the part of the +flesh, and she was sufficiently skillful to prevail over all the +obstacles of the mind. + +But this time she had to contend with an unpolished nature, +concentrated and insensible by force of austerity. Religion and +its observances had made Felton a man inaccessible to ordinary +seductions. There fermented in that sublimated brain plans so +vast, projects so tumultuous, that there remained no room for any +capricious or material love--that sentiment which is fed by +leisure and grows with corruption. Milady had, then, made a +breach by her false virtue in the opinion of a man horribly +prejudiced against her, and by her beauty in the heart of a man +hitherto hitherto chaste and pure. In short, she had taken the +measure of motives hitherto unknown to herself, through this +experiment, made upon the most rebellious subject that nature and +religion could submit to her study. + +Many a time, nevertheless, during the evening she despaired of +fate and of herself. She did not invoke God, we very well know, +but she had faith in the genius of evil--that immense sovereignty +which reigns in all the details of human life, and by which, as +in the Arabian fable, a single pomegranate seed is sufficient to +reconstruct a ruined world. + +Milady, being well prepared for the reception of Felton, was able +to erect her batteries for the next day. She knew she had only +two days left; that when once the order was signed by Buckingham- +-and Buckingham would sign it the more readily from its bearing a +false name, and he could not, therefore, recognize the woman in +question--once this order was signed, we say, the baron would +make her embark immediately, and she knew very well that women +condemned to exile employ arms much less powerful in their +seductions than the pretendedly virtuous woman whose beauty is +lighted by the sun of the world, whose style the voice of fashion +lauds, and whom a halo of aristocracy gilds with enchanting +splendors. To be a woman condemned to a painful and disgraceful +punishment is no impediment to beauty, but it is an obstacle to +the recovery of power. Like all persons of real genius, Milady +knew what suited her nature and her means. Poverty was repugnant +to her; degradation took away two-thirds of her greatness. +Milady was only a queen while among queens. The pleasure of +satisfied pride was necessary to her domination. To command +inferior beings was rather a humiliation than a pleasure for her. + +She should certainly return from her exile--she did not doubt +that a single instant; but how long might this exile last? For +an active, ambitious nature, like that of Milady, days not spent +in climbing are inauspicious days. What word, then, can be found +to describe the days which they occupy in descending? To lose a +year, two years, three years, is to talk of an eternity; to +return after the death or disgrace of the cardinal, perhaps; to +return when D'Artagnan and his friends, happy and triumphant, +should have received from the queen the reward they had well +acquired by the services they had rendered her--these were +devouring ideas that a woman like Milady could not endure. For +the rest, the storm which raged within her doubled her strength, +and she would have burst the walls of her prison if her body had +been able to take for a single instant the proportions of her +mind. + +Then that which spurred her on additionally in the midst of all +this was the remembrance of the cardinal. What must the +mistrustful, restless, suspicious cardinal think of her silence-- +the cardinal, not merely her only support, her only prop, her +only protector at present, but still further, the principal +instrument of her future fortune and vengeance? She knew him; +she knew that at her return from a fruitless journey it would be +in vain to tell him of her imprisonment, in vain to enlarge upon +the sufferings she had undergone. The cardinal would reply, with +the sarcastic calmness of the skeptic, strong at once by power +and genius, "You should not have allowed yourself to be taken." + +Then Milady collected all her energies, murmuring in the depths +of her soul the name of Felton--the only beam of light that +penetrated to her in the hell into which she had fallen; and like +a serpent which folds and unfolds its rings to ascertain its +strength, she enveloped Felton beforehand in the thousand meshes +of her inventive imagination. + +Time, however, passed away; the hours, one after another, seemed +to awaken the clock as they passed, and every blow of the brass +hammer resounded upon the heart of the prisoner. At nine +o'clock, Lord de Winter made his customary visit, examined the +window and the bars, sounded the floor and the walls, looked to +the chimney and the doors, without, during this long and minute +examination, he or Milady pronouncing a single word. + +Doubtless both of them understood that the situation had become +too serious to lose time in useless words and aimless wrath. + +"Well," said the baron, on leaving her "you will not escape +tonight!" + +At ten o'clock Felton came and placed the sentinel. Milady +recognized his step. She was as well acquainted with it now as a +mistress is with that of the lover of her heart; and yet Milady +at the same time detested and despised this weak fanatic. + +That was not the appointed hour. Felton did not enter. + +Two hours after, as midnight sounded, the sentinel was relieved. +This time it WAS the hour, and from this moment Milady waited +with impatience. The new sentinel commenced his walk in the +corridor. At the expiration of ten minutes Felton came. + +Milady was all attention. + +"Listen," said the young man to the sentinel. "On no pretense +leave the door, for you know that last night my Lord punished a +soldier for having quit his post for an instant, although I, +during his absence, watched in his place." + +"Yes, I know it," said the soldier. + +"I recommend you therefore to keep the strictest watch. For my +part I am going to pay a second visit to this woman, who I fear +entertains sinister intentions upon her own life, and I have +received orders to watch her." + +"Good!" murmured Milady; "the austere Puritan lies." + +As to the soldier, he only smiled. + +"Zounds, Lieutenant!" said he; "you are not unlucky in being +charged with such commissions, particularly if my Lord has +authorized you to look into her bed." + +Felton blushed. Under any other circumstances he would have +reprimanded the soldier for indulging in such pleasantry, but his +conscience murmured too loud for his mouth to dare speak. + +"If I call, come," said he. "If anyone comes, call me." + +"I will, Lieutenant," said the soldier. + +Felton entered Milady's apartment. Milady arose. + +"You are here!" said she. + +"I promised to come," said Felton, "and I have come." + +"You promised me something else." + +"What, my God!" said the young man, who in spite of his self- +command felt his knees tremble and the sweat start from his brow. + +"You promised to bring a knife, and to leave it with me after our +interview." + +"Say no more of that, madame," said Felton. "There is no +situation, however terrible it may be, which can authorize a +creature of God to inflict death upon himself. I have reflected, +and I cannot, must not be guilty of such a sin." + +"Ah, you have reflected!" said the prisoner, sitting down in her +armchair, with a smile of disdain; "and I also have reflected." + +"Upon what?" + +"That I can have nothing to say to a man who does not keep his +word." + +"Oh, my God!" murmured Felton. + +"You may retire," said Milady. "I will not talk." + +"Here is the knife," said Felton, drawing from his pocket the +weapon which he had brought, according to his promise, but which +he hesitated to give to his prisoner. + +"Let me see it," said Milady. + +"For what purpose?" + +"Upon my honor, I will instantly return it to you. You shall +place it on that table, and you may remain between it and me." + +Felton offered the weapon to Milady, who examined the temper of +it attentively, and who tried the point on the tip of her finger. + +"Well," said she, returning the knife to the young officer, "this +is fine and good steel. You are a faithful friend, Felton." + +Felton took back the weapon, and laid it upon the table, as he +had agreed with the prisoner. + +Milady followed him with her eyes, and made a gesture of +satisfaction. + +"Now," said she, "listen to me." + +The request was needless. The young officer stood upright before +her, awaiting her words as if to devour them. + +"Felton," said Milady, with a solemnity full of melancholy, +"imagine that your sister, the daughter of your father, speaks to +you. While yet young, unfortunately handsome, I was dragged into +a snare. I resisted. Ambushes and violences multiplied around +me, but I resisted. The religion I serve, the God I adore, were +blasphemed because I called upon that religion and that God, but +still I resisted. Then outrages were heaped upon me, and as my +soul was not subdued they wished to defile my body forever. +Finally--" + +Milady stopped, and a bitter smile passed over her lips. + +"Finally," said Felton, "finally, what did they do?" + +"At length, one evening my enemy resolved to paralyze the +resistance he could not conquer. One evening he mixed a powerful +narcotic with my water. Scarcely had I finished my repast, when +I felt myself sink by degrees into a strange torpor. Although I +was without mistrust, a vague fear seized me, and I tried to +struggle against sleepiness. I arose. I wished to run to the +window and call for help, but my legs refused their office. It +appeared as if the ceiling sank upon my head and crushed me with +its weight. I stretched out my arms. I tried to speak. I could +only utter inarticulate sounds, and irresistible faintness came +over me. I supported myself by a chair, feeling that I was about +to fall, but this support was soon insufficient on account of my +weak arms. I fell upon one knee, then upon both. I tried to +pray, but my tongue was frozen. God doubtless neither heard nor +saw me, and I sank upon the floor a prey to a slumber which +resembled death. + +"Of all that passed in that sleep, or the time which glided away +while it lasted, I have no remembrance. The only thing I +recollect is that I awoke in bed in a round chamber, the +furniture of which was sumptuous, and into which light only +penetrated by an opening in the ceiling. No door gave entrance +to the room. It might be called a magnificent prison. + +"It was a long time before I was able to make out what place I +was in, or to take account of the details I describe. My mind +appeared to strive in vain to shake off the heavy darkness of the +sleep from which I could not rouse myself. I had vague +perceptions of space traversed, of the rolling of a carriage, of +a horrible dream in which my strength had become exhausted; but +all this was so dark and so indistinct in my mind that these +events seemed to belong to another life than mine, and yet mixed +with mine in fantastic duality. + +"At times the state into which I had fallen appeared so strange +that I believed myself dreaming. I arose trembling. My clothes +were near me on a chair; I neither remembered having undressed +myself nor going to bed. Then by degrees the reality broke upon +me, full of chaste terrors. I was no longer in the house where I +had dwelt. As well as I could judge by the light of the sun, the +day was already two-thirds gone. It was the evening before when +I had fallen asleep; my sleep, then, must have lasted twenty-four +hours! What had taken place during this long sleep? + +"I dressed myself as quickly as possible; my slow and stiff +motions all attested that the effects of the narcotic were not +yet entirely dissipated. The chamber was evidently furnished for +the reception of a woman; and the most finished coquette could +not have formed a wish, but on casting her eyes about the +apartment, she would have found that wish accomplished. + +"Certainly I was not the first captive that had been shut up in +this splendid prison; but you may easily comprehend, Felton, that +the more superb the prison, the greater was my terror. + +"Yes, it was a prison, for I tried in vain to get out of it. I +sounded all the walls, in the hopes of discovering a door, but +everywhere the walls returned a full and flat sound. + +"I made the tour of the room at least twenty times, in search of +an outlet of some kind; but there was none. I sank exhausted +with fatigue and terror into an armchair. + +"Meantime, night came on rapidly, and with night my terrors +increased. I did not know but I had better remain where I was +seated. It appeared that I was surrounded with unknown dangers +into which I was about to fall at every instant. Although I had +eaten nothing since the evening before, my fears prevented my +feeling hunger. + +"No noise from without by which I could measure the time reached +me; I only supposed it must be seven or eight o'clock in the +evening, for it was in the month of October and it was quite +dark. + +"All at once the noise of a door, turning on its hinges, made me +start. A globe of fire appeared above the glazed opening of the +ceiling, casting a strong light into my chamber; and I perceived +with terror that a man was standing within a few paces of me. + +"A table, with two covers, bearing a supper ready prepared, +stood, as if by magic, in the middle of the apartment. + +"That man was he who had pursued me during a whole year, who had +vowed my dishonor, and who, by the first words that issued from +his mouth, gave me to understand he had accomplished it the +preceding night." + +"Scoundrel!" murmured Felton. + +"Oh, yes, scoundrel!" cried Milady, seeing the interest which the +young officer, whose soul seemed to hang on her lips, took in +this strange recital. "Oh, yes, scoundrel! He believed, having +triumphed over me in my sleep, that all was completed. He came, +hoping that I would accept my shame, as my shame was consummated; +he came to offer his fortune in exchange for my love. + +"All that the heart of a woman could contain of haughty contempt +and disdainful words, I poured out upon this man. Doubtless he +was accustomed to such reproaches, for he listened to me calm and +smiling, with his arms crossed over his breast. Then, when he +thought I had said all, he advanced toward me; I sprang toward +the table, I seized a knife, I placed it to my breast. + +"Take one step more," said I, "and in addition to my dishonor, +you shall have my death to reproach yourself with." + +"There was, no doubt, in my look, my voice, my whole person, that +sincerity of gesture, of attitude, of accent, which carries +conviction to the most perverse minds, for he paused. + +"'Your death?' said he; 'oh, no, you are too charming a mistress +to allow me to consent to lose you thus, after I have had the +happiness to possess you only a single time. Adieu, my charmer; +I will wait to pay you my next visit till you are in a better +humor.' + +"At these words he blew a whistle; the globe of fire which +lighted the room reascended and disappeared. I found myself +again in complete darkness. The same noise of a door opening and +shutting was repeated the instant afterward; the flaming globe +descended afresh, and I was completely alone. + +"This moment was frightful; if I had any doubts as to my +misfortune, these doubts had vanished in an overwhelming reality. +I was in the power of a man whom I not only detested, but +despised--of a man capable of anything, and who had already given +me a fatal proof of what he was able to do." + +"But who, then was this man?" asked Felton. + +"I passed the night on a chair, starting at the least noise, for +toward midnight the lamp went out, and I was again in darkness. +But the night passed away without any fresh attempt on the part +of my persecutor. Day came; the table had disappeared, only I +had still the knife in my hand. + +"This knife was my only hope. + +"I was worn out with fatigue. Sleeplessness inflamed my eyes; I +had not dared to sleep a single instant. The light of day +reassured me; I went and threw myself on the bed, without parting +with the emancipating knife, which I concealed under my pillow. + +"When I awoke, a fresh meal was served. + +"This time, in spite of my terrors, in spite of my agony, I began +to feel a devouring hunger. It was forty-eight hours since I had +taken any nourishment. I ate some bread and some fruit; then, +remembering the narcotic mixed with the water I had drunk, I +would not touch that which was placed on the table, but filled my +glass at a marble fountain fixed in the wall over my dressing +table. + +"And yet, notwithstanding these precautions, I remained for some +time in a terrible agitation of mind. But my fears were this +time ill-founded; I passed the day without experiencing anything +of the kind I dreaded. + +"I took the precaution to half empty the carafe, in order that my +suspicions might not be noticed. + +"The evening came on, and with it darkness; but however profound +was this darkness, my eyes began to accustom themselves to it. I +saw, amid the shadows, the table sink through the floor; a +quarter of an hour later it reappeared, bearing my supper. In an +instant, thanks to the lamp, my chamber was once more lighted. + +"I was determined to eat only such things as could not possibly +have anything soporific introduced into them. Two eggs and some +fruit composed my repast; then I drew another glass of water from +my protecting fountain, and drank it. + +"At the first swallow, it appeared to me not to have the same +taste as in the morning. Suspicion instantly seized me. I +paused, but I had already drunk half a glass. + +"I threw the rest away with horror, and waited, with the dew of +fear upon my brow. + +"No doubt some invisible witness had seen me draw the water from +that fountain, and had taken advantage of my confidence in it, +the better to assure my ruin, so coolly resolved upon, so cruelly +pursued. + +"Half an hour had not passed when the same symptoms began to +appear; but as I had only drunk half a glass of the water, I +contended longer, and instead of falling entirely asleep, I sank +into a state of drowsiness which left me a perception of what was +passing around me, while depriving me of the strength either to +defend myself or to fly. + +"I dragged myself toward the bed, to seek the only defense I had +left--my saving knife; but I could not reach the bolster. I sank +on my knees, my hands clasped round one of the bedposts; then I +felt that I was lost." + +Felton became frightfully pale, and a convulsive tremor crept +through his whole body. + +"And what was most frightful," continued Milady, her voice +altered, as if she still experienced the same agony as at that +awful minute, "was that at this time I retained a consciousness +of the danger that threatened me; was that my soul, if I may say +so, waked in my sleeping body; was that I saw, that I heard. It +is true that all was like a dream, but it was not the less +frightful. + +"I saw the lamp ascend, and leave me in darkness; then I heard +the well-known creaking of the door although I had heard that +door open but twice. + +"I felt instinctively that someone approached me; it is said that +the doomed wretch in the deserts of America thus feels the +approach of the serpent. + +"I wished to make an effort; I attempted to cry out. By an +incredible effort of will I even raised myself up, but only to +sink down again immediately, and to fall into the arms of my +persecutor." + +"Tell me who this man was!" cried the young officer. + +Milady saw at a single glance all the painful feelings she +inspired in Felton by dwelling on every detail of her recital; +but she would not spare him a single pang. The more profoundly +she wounded his heart, the more certainly he would avenge her. +She continued, then, as if she had not heard his exclamation, or +as if she thought the moment was not yet come to reply to it. + +"Only this time it was no longer an inert body, without feeling, +that the villain had to deal with. I have told you that without +being able to regain the complete exercise of my faculties, I +retained the sense of my danger. I struggled, then, with all my +strength, and doubtless opposed, weak as I was, a long +resistance, for I heard him cry out, 'These miserable Puritans! +I knew very well that they tired out their executioners, but I +did not believe them so strong against their lovers!' + +"Alas! this desperate resistance could not last long. I felt my +strength fail, and this time it was not my sleep that enabled the +coward to prevail, but my swoon." + +Felton listened without uttering any word or sound, except an +inward expression of agony. The sweat streamed down his marble +forehead, and his hand, under his coat, tore his breast. + +"My first impulse, on coming to myself, was to feel under my +pillow for the knife I had not been able to reach; if it had not +been useful for defense, it might at least serve for expiation. + +"But on taking this knife, Felton, a terrible idea occurred to +me. I have sworn to tell you all, and I will tell you all. I +have promised you the truth; I will tell it, were it to destroy +me." + +"The idea came into your mind to avenge yourself on this man, did +it not?" cried Felton. + +"Yes," said Milady. "The idea was not that of a Christian, I +knew; but without doubt, that eternal enemy of our souls, that +lion roaring constantly around us, breathed it into my mind. In +short, what shall I say to you, Felton?" continued Milady, in the +tone of a woman accusing herself of a crime. "This idea occurred +to me, and did not leave me; it is of this homicidal thought that +I now bear the punishment." + +"Continue, continue!" said Felton; "I am eager to see you attain +your vengeance!" + +"Oh, I resolved that it should take place as soon as possible. I +had no doubt he would return the following night. During the day +I had nothing to fear. + +"When the hour of breakfast came, therefore, I did not hesitate +to eat and drink. I had determined to make believe sup, but to +eat nothing. I was forced, then, to combat the fast of the +evening with the nourishment of the morning. + +"Only I concealed a glass of water, which remained after my +breakfast, thirst having been the chief of my sufferings when I +remained forty-eight hours without eating or drinking. + +"The day passed away without having any other influence on me +than to strengthen the resolution I had formed; only I took care +that my face should not betray the thoughts of my heart, for I +had no doubt I was watched. Several times, even, I felt a smile +on my lips. Felton, I dare not tell you at what idea I smiled; +you would hold me in horror--" + +"Go on! go on!" said Felton; "you see plainly that I listen, and +that I am anxious to know the end." + +"Evening came; the ordinary events took place. During the +darkness, as before, my supper was brought. Then the lamp was +lighted, and I sat down to table. I only ate some fruit. I +pretended to pour out water from the jug, but I only drank that +which I had saved in my glass. The substitution was made so +carefully that my spies, if I had any, could have no suspicion of +it. + +"After supper I exhibited the same marks of languor as on the +preceding evening; but this time, as I yielded to fatigue, or as +if I had become familiarized with danger, I dragged myself toward +my bed, let my robe fall, and lay down. + +"I found my knife where I had placed it, under my pillow, and +while feigning to sleep, my hand grasped the handle of it +convulsively. + +"Two hours passed away without anything fresh happening. Oh, my +God! who could have said so the evening before? I began to fear +that he would not come. + +"At length I saw the lamp rise softly, and disappear in the +depths of the ceiling; my chamber was filled with darkness and +obscurity, but I made a strong effort to penetrate this darkness +and obscurity. + +"Nearly ten minutes passed; I heard no other noise but the +beating of my own heart. I implored heaven that he might come. + +"At length I heard the well-known noise of the door, which opened +and shut; I heard, notwithstanding the thickness of the carpet, a +step which made the floor creak; I saw, notwithstanding the +darkness, a shadow which approached my bed." + +"Haste! haste!" said Felton; "do you not see that each of your +words burns me like molten lead?" + +"Then," continued Milady, "then I collected all my strength; I +recalled to my mind that the moment of vengeance, or rather, of +justice, had struck. I looked upon myself as another Judith; I +gathered myself up, my knife in my hand, and when I saw him near +me, stretching out his arms to find his victim, then, with the +last cry of agony and despair, I struck him in the middle of his +breast. + +"The miserable villain! He had foreseen all. His breast was +covered with a coat-of-mail; the knife was bent against it. + +"'Ah, ah!' cried he, seizing my arm, and wresting from me the +weapon that had so badly served me, 'you want to take my life, do +you, my pretty Puritan? But that's more than dislike, that's +ingratitude! Come, come, calm yourself, my sweet girl! I +thought you had softened. I am not one of those tyrants who +detain women by force. You don't love me. With my usual fatuity +I doubted it; now I am convinced. Tomorrow you shall be free.' + +"I had but one wish; that was that he should kill me. + +"'Beware!' said I, 'for my liberty is your dishonor.' + +"'Explain yourself, my pretty sibyl!' + +"'Yes; for as soon as I leave this place I will tell everything. +I will proclaim the violence you have used toward me. I will +describe my captivity. I will denounce this place of infamy. +You are placed on high, my Lord, but tremble! Above you there is +the king; above the king there is God!' + +"However perfect master he was over himself, my persecutor +allowed a movement of anger to escape him. I could not see the +expression of his countenance, but I felt the arm tremble upon +which my hand was placed. + +"'Then you shall not leave this place,' said he. + +"'Very well,' cried I, 'then the place of my punishment will be +that of my tomb. I will die here, and you will see if a phantom +that accuses is not more terrible than a living being that +threatens!' + +"'You shall have no weapon left in your power.' + +"'There is a weapon which despair has placed within the reach of +every creature who has the courage to use it. I will allow +myself to die with hunger.' + +"'Come,' said the wretch, 'is not peace much better than such a +war as that? I will restore you to liberty this moment; I will +proclaim you a piece of immaculate virtue; I will name you the +Lucretia of England.' + +"'And I will say that you are the Sextus. I will denounce you +before men, as I have denounced you before God; and if it be +necessary that, like Lucretia, I should sign my accusation with +my blood, I will sign it.' + +"'Ah!' said my enemy, in a jeering tone, 'that's quite another +thing. My faith! everything considered, you are very well off +here. You shall want for nothing, and if you let yourself die of +hunger that will be your own fault.' + +"At these words he retired. I heard the door open and shut, and +I remained overwhelmed, less, I confess it, by my grief than by +the mortification of not having avenged myself. + +"He kept his word. All the day, all the next night passed away +without my seeing him again. But I also kept my word with him, +and I neither ate nor drank. I was, as I told him, resolved to +die of hunger. + +"I passed the day and the night in prayer, for I hoped that God +would pardon me my suicide. + +"The second night the door opened; I was lying on the floor, for +my strength began to abandon me. + +"At the noise I raised myself up on one hand. + +"'Well,' said a voice which vibrated in too terrible a manner in +my ear not to be recognized, 'well! Are we softened a little? +Will we not pay for our liberty with a single promise of silence? +Come, I am a good sort of a prince,' added he, 'and although I +like not Puritans I do them justice; and it is the same with +Puritanesses, when they are pretty. Come, take a little oath for +me on the cross; I won't ask anything more of you.' + +"'On the cross,' cried I, rising, for at that abhorred voice I +had recovered all my strength, 'on the cross I swear that no +promise, no menace, no force, no torture, shall close my mouth! +On the cross I swear to denounce you everywhere as a murderer, as +a thief of honor, as a base coward! On the cross I swear, if I +ever leave this place, to call down vengeance upon you from the +whole human race!' + +"'Beware!' said the voice, in a threatening accent that I had +never yet heard. 'I have an extraordinary means which I will not +employ but in the last extremity to close your mouth, or at least +to prevent anyone from believing a word you may utter.' + +"I mustered all my strength to reply to him with a burst of +laughter. + +"He saw that it was a merciless war between us--a war to the +death. + +"'Listen!' said he. 'I give you the rest of tonight and all day +tomorrow. Reflect: promise to be silent, and riches, +consideration, even honor, shall surround you; threaten to speak, +and I will condemn you to infamy.' + +"'You?' cried I. 'You?' + +"'To interminable, ineffaceable infamy!' + +"'You?' repeated I. Oh, I declare to you, Felton, I thought him +mad! + +"'Yes, yes, I!' replied he. + +"'Oh, leave me!' said I. 'Begone, if you do not desire to see me +dash my head against that wall before your eyes!' + +"'Very well, it is your own doing. Till tomorrow evening, then!' + +"'Till tomorrow evening, then!' replied I, allowing myself to +fall, and biting the carpet with rage." + +Felton leaned for support upon a piece of furniture; and Milady +saw, with the joy of a demon, that his strength would fail him +perhaps before the end of her recital. + + + +57 MEANS FOR CLASSICAL TRAGEDY + +After a moment of silence employed by Milady in observing the +young man who listened to her, Milady continued her recital. + +"It was nearly three days since I had eaten or drunk anything. I +suffered frightful torments. At times there passed before me +clouds which pressed my brow, which veiled my eyes; this was +delirium. + +"When the evening came I was so weak that every time I fainted I +thanked God, for I thought I was about to die. + +"In the midst of one of these swoons I heard the door open. +Terror recalled me to myself. + +"He entered the apartment followed by a man in a mask. He was +masked likewise; but I knew his step, I knew his voice, I knew +him by that imposing bearing which hell has bestowed upon his +person for the curse of humanity. + +"'Well,' said he to me, 'have you made your mind up to take the +oath I requested of you?' + +"'You have said Puritans have but one word. Mine you have heard, +and that is to pursue you--on earth to the tribunal of men, in +heaven to the tribunal of God.' + +"'You persist, then?' + +"'I swear it before the God who hears me. I will take the whole +world as a witness of your crime, and that until I have found an +avenger.' + +"'You are a prostitute,' said he, in a voice of thunder, 'and you +shall undergo the punishment of prostitutes! Branded in the eyes +of the world you invoke, try to prove to that world that you are +neither guilty nor mad!' + +"Then, addressing the man who accompanied him, 'Executioner,' +said he, 'do your duty.'" + +"Oh, his name, his name!" cried Felton. "His name, tell it me!" + +"Then in spite of my cries, in spite of my resistance--for I +began to comprehend that there was a question of something worse +than death--the executioner seized me, threw me on the floor, +fastened me with his bonds, and suffocated by sobs, almost +without sense, invoking God, who did not listen to me, I uttered +all at once a frightful cry of pain and shame. A burning fire, a +red-hot iron, the iron of the executioner, was imprinted on my +shoulder." + +Felton uttered a groan. + +"Here," said Milady, rising with the majesty of a queen, "here, +Felton, behold the new martyrdom invented for a pure young girl, +the victim of the brutality of a villain. Learn to know the +heart of men, and henceforth make yourself less easily the +instrument of their unjust vengeance." + +Milady, with a rapid gesture, opened her robe, tore the cambric +that covered her bosom, and red with feigned anger and simulated +shame, showed the young man the ineffaceable impression which +dishonored that beautiful shoulder. + +"But," cried Felton, "that is a FLEUR-DE-LIS which I see there." + +"And therein consisted the infamy," replied Milady. "The brand +of England!--it would be necessary to prove what tribunal had +imposed it on me, and I could have made a public appeal to all +the tribunals of the kingdom; but the brand of France!--oh, by +that, by THAT I was branded indeed!" + +This was too much for Felton. + +Pale, motionless, overwhelmed by this frightful revelation, +dazzled by the superhuman beauty of this woman who unveiled +herself before him with an immodesty which appeared to him +sublime, he ended by falling on his knees before her as the early +Christians did before those pure and holy martyrs whom the +persecution of the emperors gave up in the circus to the +sanguinary sensuality of the populace. The brand disappeared; +the beauty alone remained. + +"Pardon! Pardon!" cried Felton, "oh, pardon!" + +Milady read in his eyes LOVE! LOVE! + +"Pardon for what?" asked she. + +"Pardon me for having joined with your persecutors." + +Milady held out her hand to him. + +"So beautiful! so young!" cried Felton, covering that hand with +his kisses. + +Milady let one of those looks fall upon him which make a slave of +a king. + +Felton was a Puritan; he abandoned the hand of this woman to kiss +her feet. + +He no longer loved her; he adored her. + +When this crisis was past, when Milady appeared to have resumed +her self-possession, which she had never lost; when Felton had +seen her recover with the veil of chastity those treasures of +love which were only concealed from him to make him desire them +the more ardently, he said, "Ah, now! I have only one thing to +ask of you; that is, the name of your true executioner. For to +me there is but one; the other was an instrument, that was all." + +"What, brother!" cried Milady, "must I name him again? Have you +not yet divined who he is?" + +"What?" cried Felton, "he--again he--always he? What--the truly +guilty?" + +"The truly guilty," said Milady, "is the ravager of England, the +persecutor of true believers, the base ravisher of the honor of +so many women--he who, to satisfy a caprice of his corrupt heart, +is about to make England shed so much blood, who protects the +Protestants today and will betray them tomorrow--" + +"Buckingham! It is, then, Buckingham!" cried Felton, in a high +state of excitement. + +Milady concealed her face in her hands, as if she could not +endure the shame which this name recalled to her. + +"Buckingham, the executioner of this angelic creature!" cried +Felton. "And thou hast not hurled thy thunder at him, my God! +And thou hast left him noble, honored, powerful, for the ruin of +us all!" + +"God abandons him who abandons himself," said Milady. + +"But he will draw upon his head the punishment reserved for the +damned!" said Felton, with increasing exultation. "He wills that +human vengeance should precede celestial justice." + +"Men fear him and spare him." + +"I," said Felton, "I do not fear him, nor will I spare him." + +The soul of Milady was bathed in an infernal joy. + +"But how can Lord de Winter, my protector, my father," asked +Felton, "possibly be mixed up with all this?" + +"Listen, Felton," resumed Milady, "for by the side of base and +contemptible men there are often found great and generous +natures. I had an affianced husband, a man whom I loved, and who +loved me--a heart like yours, Felton, a man like you. I went to +him and told him all; he knew me, that man did, and did not doubt +an instant. He was a nobleman, a man equal to Buckingham in +every respect. He said nothing; he only girded on his sword, +wrapped himself in his cloak, and went straight to Buckingham +Palace. + +"Yes, yes," said Felton; "I understand how he would act. But +with such men it is not the sword that should be employed; it is +the poniard." + +"Buckingham had left England the day before, sent as ambassador +to Spain, to demand the hand of the Infanta for King Charles I, +who was then only Prince of Wales. My affianced husband +returned. + +"'Hear me,' said he; 'this man has gone, and for the moment has +consequently escaped my vengeance; but let us be united, as we +were to have been, and then leave it to Lord de Winter to +maintain his own honor and that of his wife.'" + +"Lord de Winter!" cried Felton. + +"Yes," said Milady, "Lord de Winter; and now you can understand +it all, can you not? Buckingham remained nearly a year absent. +A week before his return Lord de Winter died, leaving me his sole +heir. Whence came the blow? God who knows all, knows without +doubt; but as for me, I accuse nobody." + +"Oh, what an abyss; what an abyss!" cried Felton. + +"Lord de Winter died without revealing anything to his brother. +The terrible secret was to be concealed till it burst, like a +clap of thunder, over the head of the guilty. Your protector had +seen with pain this marriage of his elder brother with a +portionless girl. I was sensible that I could look for no +support from a man disappointed in his hopes of an inheritance. +I went to France, with a determination to remain there for the +rest of my life. But all my fortune is in England. +Communication being closed by the war, I was in want of +everything. I was then obliged to come back again. Six days +ago, I landed at Portsmouth." + +"Well?" said Felton. + +"Well; Buckingham heard by some means, no doubt, of my return. +He spoke of me to Lord de Winter, already prejudiced against me, +and told him that his sister-in-law was a prostitute, a branded +woman. The noble and pure voice of my husband was no longer here +to defend me. Lord de Winter believed all that was told him with +so much the more ease that it was his interest to believe it. He +caused me to be arrested, had me conducted hither, and placed me +under your guard. You know the rest. The day after tomorrow he +banishes me, he transports me; the day after tomorrow he exiles +me among the infamous. Oh, the train is well laid; the plot is +clever. My honor will not survive it! You see, then, Felton, I +can do nothing but die. Felton, give me that knife!" + +And at these words, as if all her strength was exhausted, Milady +sank, weak and languishing, into the arms of the young officer, +who, intoxicated with love, anger, and voluptuous sensations +hitherto unknown, received her with transport, pressed her +against his heart, all trembling at the breath from that charming +mouth, bewildered by the contact with that palpitating bosom. + +"No, no," said he. "No, you shall live honored and pure; you +shall live to triumph over your enemies." + +Milady put him from her slowly with her hand, while drawing him +nearer with her look; but Felton, in his turn, embraced her more +closely, imploring her like a divinity. + +"Oh, death, death!" said she, lowering her voice and her eyelids, +"oh, death, rather than shame! Felton, my brother, my friend, I +conjure you!" + +"No," cried Felton, "no; you shall live and you shall be +avenged." + +"Felton, I bring misfortune to all who surround me! Felton, +abandon me! Felton, let me die!" + +"Well, then, we will live and die together!" cried he, pressing +his lips to those of the prisoner. + +Several strokes resounded on the door; this time Milady really +pushed him away from her. + +"Hark," said she, "we have been overheard! Someone is coming! +All is over! We are lost!" + +"No," said Felton; it is only the sentinel warning me that they +are about to change the guard." + +"Then run to the door, and open it yourself." + +Felton obeyed; this woman was now his whole thought, his whole +soul. + +He found himself face to face with a sergeant commanding a watch- +patrol. + +"Well, what is the matter?" asked the young lieutenant. + +"You told me to open the door if I heard anyone cry out," said +the soldier; "but you forgot to leave me the key. I heard you +cry out, without understanding what you said. I tried to open +the door, but it was locked inside; then I called the sergeant." + +"And here I am," said the sergeant. + +Felton, quite bewildered, almost mad, stood speechless. + +Milady plainly perceived that it was now her turn to take part in +the scene. She ran to the table, and seizing the knife which +Felton had laid down, exclaimed, "And by what right will you +prevent me from dying?" + +"Great God!" exclaimed Felton, on seeing the knife glitter in her +hand. + +At that moment a burst of ironical laughter resounded through the +corridor. The baron, attracted by the noise, in his chamber +gown, his sword under his arm, stood in the doorway. + +"Ah," said he, "here we are, at the last act of the tragedy. You +see, Felton, the drama has gone through all the phases I named; +but be easy, no blood will flow." + +Milady perceived that all was lost unless she gave Felton an +immediate and terrible proof of her courage. + +"You are mistaken, my Lord, blood will flow; and may that blood +fall back on those who cause it to flow!" + +Felton uttered a cry, and rushed toward her. He was too late; +Milady had stabbed herself. + +But the knife had fortunately, we ought to say skillfully, come +in contact with the steel busk, which at that period, like a +cuirass, defended the chests of women. It had glided down it, +tearing the robe, and had penetrated slantingly between the flesh +and the ribs. Milady's robe was not the less stained with blood +in a second. + +Milady fell down, and seemed to be in a swoon. + +Felton snatched away the knife. + +"See, my Lord," said he, in a deep, gloomy tone, "here is a woman +who was under my guard, and who has killed herself!" + +"Be at ease, Felton," said Lord de Winter. "She is not dead; +demons do not die so easily. Be tranquil, and go wait for me in +my chamber." + +"But, my Lord--" + +"Go, sir, I command you!" + +At this injunction from his superior, Felton obeyed; but in going +out, he put the knife into his bosom. + +As to Lord de Winter, he contented himself with calling the woman +who waited on Milady, and when she was come, he recommended the +prisoner, who was still fainting, to her care, and left them +alone. + +Meanwhile, all things considered and notwithstanding his +suspicions, as the wound might be serious, he immediately sent +off a mounted man to find a physician. + + + +58 ESCAPE + +As Lord de Winter had thought, Milady's wound was not dangerous. +So soon as she was left alone with the woman whom the baron had +summoned to her assistance she opened her eyes. + +It was, however, necessary to affect weakness and pain--not a +very difficult task for so finished an actress as Milady. Thus +the poor woman was completely the dupe of the prisoner, whom, +notwithstanding her hints, she persisted in watching all night. + +But the presence of this woman did not prevent Milady from +thinking. + +There was no longer a doubt that Felton was convinced; Felton was +hers. If an angel appeared to that young man as an accuser of +Milady, he would take him, in the mental disposition in which he +now found himself, for a messenger sent by the devil. + +Milady smiled at this thought, for Felton was now her only hope-- +her only means of safety. + +But Lord de Winter might suspect him; Felton himself might now be +watched! + +Toward four o'clock in the morning the doctor arrived; but since +the time Milady stabbed herself, however short, the wound had +closed. The doctor could therefore measure neither the direction +nor the depth of it; he only satisfied himself by Milady's pulse +that the case was not serious. + +In the morning Milady, under the pretext that she had not slept +well in the night and wanted rest, sent away the woman who +attended her. + +She had one hope, which was that Felton would appear at the +breakfast hour; but Felton did not come. + +Were her fears realized? Was Felton, suspected by the baron, +about to fail her at the decisive moment? She had only one day +left. Lord de Winter had announced her embarkation for the +twenty-third, and it was now the morning of the twenty-second. + +Nevertheless she still waited patiently till the hour for dinner. + +Although she had eaten nothing in the morning, the dinner was +brought in at its usual time. Milady then perceived, with +terror, that the uniform of the soldiers who guarded her was +changed. + +Then she ventured to ask what had become of Felton. + +She was told that he had left the castle an hour before on +horseback. She inquired if the baron was still at the castle. +The soldier replied that he was, and that he had given orders to +be informed if the prisoner wished to speak to him. + +Milady replied that she was too weak at present, and that her +only desire was to be left alone. + +The soldier went out, leaving the dinner served. + +Felton was sent away. The marines were removed. Felton was then +mistrusted. + +This was the last blow to the prisoner. + +Left alone, she arose. The bed, which she had kept from prudence +and that they might believe her seriously wounded, burned her +like a bed of fire. She cast a glance at the door; the baron had +had a plank nailed over the grating. He no doubt feared that by +this opening she might still by some diabolical means corrupt her +guards. + +Milady smiled with joy. She was free now to give way to her +transports without being observed. She traversed her chamber +with the excitement of a furious maniac or of a tigress shut up +in an iron cage. CERTES, if the knife had been left in her +power, she would now have thought, not of killing herself, but of +killing the baron. + +At six o'clock Lord de Winter came in. He was armed at all +points. This man, in whom Milady till that time had only seen a +very simple gentleman, had become an admirable jailer. He +appeared to foresee all, to divine all, to anticipate all. + +A single look at Milady apprised him of all that was passing in +her mind. + +"Ay,!" said he, "I see; but you shall not kill me today. You +have no longer a weapon; and besides, I am on my guard. You had +begun to pervert my poor Felton. He was yielding to your +infernal influence; but I will save him. He will never see you +again; all is over. Get your clothes together. Tomorrow you +will go. I had fixed the embarkation for the twenty-fourth; but +I have reflected that the more promptly the affair takes place +the more sure it will be. Tomorrow, by twelve o'clock, I shall +have the order for your exile, signed, BUCKINGHAM. If you +speak a single word to anyone before going aboard ship, my +sergeant will blow your brains out. He has orders to do so. If +when on the ship you speak a single word to anyone before the +captain permits you, the captain will have you thrown into the +sea. That is agreed upon. + +"AU REVOIR; then; that is all I have to say today. Tomorrow I +will see you again, to take my leave." With these words the +baron went out. Milady had listened to all this menacing tirade +with a smile of disdain on her lips, but rage in her heart. + +Supper was served. Milady felt that she stood in need of all her +strength. She did not know what might take place during this +night which approached so menacingly--for large masses of cloud +rolled over the face of the sky, and distant lightning announced +a storm. + +The storm broke about ten o'clock. Milady felt a consolation in +seeing nature partake of the disorder of her heart. The thunder +growled in the air like the passion and anger in her thoughts. +It appeared to her that the blast as it swept along disheveled +her brow, as it bowed the branches of the trees and bore away +their leaves. She howled as the hurricane howled; and her voice +was lost in the great voice of nature, which also seemed to groan +with despair. + +All at once she heard a tap at her window, and by the help of a +flash of lightning she saw the face of a man appear behind the +bars. + +She ran to the window and opened it. + +"Felton!" cried she. "I am saved." + +"Yes," said Felton; "but silence, silence! I must have time to +file through these bars. Only take care that I am not seen +through the wicket." + +"Oh, it is a proof that the Lord is on our side, Felton," replied +Milady. "They have closed up the grating with a board." + +"That is well; God has made them senseless," said Felton. + +"But what must I do?" asked Milady. + +"Nothing, nothing, only shut the window. Go to bed, or at least +lie down in your clothes. As soon as I have done I will knock on +one of the panes of glass. But will you be able to follow me?" + +"Oh, yes!" + +"Your wound?" + +"Gives me pain, but will not prevent my walking." + +"Be ready, then, at the first signal." + +Milady shut the window, extinguished the lamp, and went, as +Felton had desired her, to lie down on the bed. Amid the moaning +of the storm she heard the grinding of the file upon the bars, +and by the light of every flash she perceived the shadow of +Felton through the panes. + +She passed an hour without breathing, panting, with a cold sweat +upon her brow, and her heart oppressed by frightful agony at +every movement she heard in the corridor. + +There are hours which last a year. + +At the expiration of an hour, Felton tapped again. + +Milady sprang out of bed and opened the window. Two bars removed +formed an opening for a man to pass through. + +"Are you ready?" asked Felton. + +"Yes. Must I take anything with me?" + +"Money, if you have any." + +"Yes; fortunately they have left me all I had." + +"So much the better, for I have expended all mine in chartering a +vessel." + +"Here!" said Milady, placing a bag full of louis in Felton's +hands. + +Felton took the bag and threw it to the foot of the wall. + +"Now," said he, "will you come?" + +"I am ready." + +Milady mounted upon a chair and passed the upper part of her body +through the window. She saw the young officer suspended over the +abyss by a ladder of ropes. For the first time an emotion of +terror reminded her that she was a woman. + +The dark space frightened her. + +"I expected this," said Felton. + +"It's nothing, it's nothing!" said Milady. "I will descend with +my eyes shut." + +"Have you confidence in me?" said Felton. + +"You ask that?" + +"Put your two hands together. Cross them; that's right!" + +Felton tied her two wrists together with his handkerchief, and +then with a cord over the handkerchief. + +"What are you doing?" asked Milady, with surprise. + +"Pass your arms around my neck, and fear nothing." + +"But I shall make you lose your balance, and we shall both be +dashed to pieces." + +"Don't be afraid. I am a sailor." + +Not a second was to be lost. Milady passed her two arms round +Felton's neck, and let herself slip out of the window. Felton +began to descend the ladder slowly, step by step. Despite the +weight of two bodies, the blast of the hurricane shook them in +the air. + +All at once Felton stopped. + +"What is the matter?" asked Milady. + +"Silence," said Felton, "I hear footsteps." + +"We are discovered!" + +There was a silence of several seconds. + +"No," said Felton, "it is nothing." + +"But what, then, is the noise?" + +"That of the patrol going their rounds." + +"Where is their road?" + +"Just under us." + +"They will discover us!" + +"No, if it does not lighten." + +"But they will run against the bottom of the ladder." + +"Fortunately it is too short by six feet." + +"Here they are! My God!" + +"Silence!" + +Both remained suspended, motionless and breathless, within twenty +paces of the ground, while the patrol passed beneath them +laughing and talking. This was a terrible moment for the +fugitives. + +The patrol passed. The noise of their retreating footsteps and +the murmur of their voices soon died away. + +"Now," said Felton, "we are safe." + +Milady breathed a deep sigh and fainted. + +Felton continued to descend. Near the bottom of the ladder, when +he found no more support for his feet, he clung with his hands; +at length, arrived at the last step, he let himself hang by the +strength of his wrists, and touched the ground. He stooped down, +picked up the bag of money, and placed it between his teeth. +Then he took Milady in his arms, and set off briskly in the +direction opposite to that which the patrol had taken. He soon +left the pathway of the patrol, descended across the rocks, and +when arrived on the edge of the sea, whistled. + +A similar signal replied to him; and five minutes after, a boat +appeared, rowed by four men. + +The boat approached as near as it could to the shore; but there +was not depth enough of water for it to touch land. Felton +walked into the sea up to his middle, being unwilling to trust +his precious burden to anybody. + +Fortunately the storm began to subside, but still the sea was +disturbed. The little boat bounded over the waves like a nut- +shell. + +"To the sloop," said Felton, "and row quickly." + +The four men bent to their oars, but the sea was too high to let +them get much hold of it. + +However, they left the castle behind; that was the principal +thing. The night was extremely dark. It was almost impossible +to see the shore from the boat; they would therefore be less +likely to see the boat from the shore. + +A black point floated on the sea. That was the sloop. While the +boat was advancing with all the speed its four rowers could give +it, Felton untied the cord and then the handkerchief which bound +Milady's hands together. When her hands were loosed he took some +sea water and sprinkled it over her face. + +Milady breathed a sigh, and opened her eyes. + +"Where am I?" said she. + +"Saved!" replied the young officer. + +"Oh, saved, saved!" cried she. "Yes, there is the sky; here is +the sea! The air I breathe is the air of liberty! Ah, thanks, +Felton, thanks!" + +The young man pressed her to his heart. + +"But what is the matter with my hands!" asked Milady; "it seems +as if my wrists had been crushed in a vice." + +Milady held out her arms; her wrists were bruised. + +"Alas!" said Felton, looking at those beautiful hands, and +shaking his head sorrowfully. + +"Oh, it's nothing, nothing!" cried Milady. "I remember now." + +Milady looked around her, as if in search of something. + +"It is there," said Felton, touching the bag of money with his +foot. + +They drew near to the sloop. A sailor on watch hailed the boat; +the boat replied. + +"What vessel is that?" asked Milady. + +"The one I have hired for you." + +"Where will it take me?" + +"Where you please, after you have put me on shore at Portsmouth." + +"What are you going to do at Portsmouth?" asked Milady. + +"Accomplish the orders of Lord de Winter," said Felton, with a +gloomy smile. + +"What orders?" asked Milady. + +"You do not understand?" asked Felton. + +"No; explain yourself, I beg." + +"As he mistrusted me, he determined to guard you himself, and +sent me in his place to get Buckingham to sign the order for your +transportation." + +"But if he mistrusted you, how could he confide such an order to +you?" + +"How could I know what I was the bearer of?" + +"That's true! And you are going to Portsmouth?" + +"I have no time to lose. Tomorrow is the twenty-third, and +Buckingham sets sail tomorrow with his fleet." + +"He sets sail tomorrow! Where for?" + +"For La Rochelle." + +"He need not sail!" cried Milady, forgetting her usual presence +of mind. + +"Be satisfied," replied Felton; "he will not sail." + +Milady started with joy. She could read to the depths of the +heart of this young man; the death of Buckingham was written +there at full length. + +"Felton," cried she, "you are as great as Judas Maccabeus! If +you die, I will die with you; that is all I can say to you." + +"Silence!" cried Felton; "we are here." + +In fact, they touched the sloop. + +Felton mounted the ladder first, and gave his hand to Milady, +while the sailors supported her, for the sea was still much +agitated. + +An instant after they were on the deck. + +"Captain," said Felton, "this is person of whom I spoke to you, +and whom you must convey safe and sound to France." + +"For a thousand pistoles," said the captain. + +"I have paid you five hundred of them." + +"That's correct," said the captain. + +"And here are the other five hundred," replied Milady, placing +her hand upon the bag of gold. + +"No," said the captain, "I make but one bargain; and I have +agreed with this young man that the other five hundred shall not +be due to me till we arrive at Boulogne." + +"And shall we arrive there?" + +"Safe and sound, as true as my name's Jack Butler." + +"Well," said Milady, "if you keep your word, instead of five +hundred, I will give you a thousand pistoles." + +"Hurrah for you, then, my beautiful lady," cried the captain; +"and may God often send me such passengers as your Ladyship!" + +"Meanwhile," said Felton, "convey me to the little bay of--; you +know it was agreed you should put in there." + +The captain replied by ordering the necessary maneuvers, and +toward seven o'clock in the morning the little vessel cast anchor +in the bay that had been named. + +During this passage, Felton related everything to Milady--how, +instead of going to London, he had chartered the little vessel; +how he had returned; how he had scaled the wall by fastening +cramps in the interstices of the stones, as he ascended, to give +him foothold; and how, when he had reached the bars, he fastened +his ladder. Milady knew the rest. + +On her side, Milady tried to encourage Felton in his project; but +at the first words which issued from her mouth, she plainly saw +that the young fanatic stood more in need of being moderated than +urged. + +It was agreed that Milady should wait for Felton till ten +o'clock; if he did not return by ten o'clock she was to sail. + +In that case, and supposing he was at liberty, he was to rejoin +her in France, at the convent of the Carmelites at Bethune. + + + +59 WHAT TOOK PLACE AT PORTSMOUTH AUGUST 23, 1628 + +Felton took leave of Milady as a brother about to go for a mere walk +takes leave of his sister, kissing her hand. + +His whole body appeared in its ordinary state of calmness, only an +unusual fire beamed from his eyes, like the effects of a fever; his brow +was more pale than it generally was; his teeth were clenched, and his +speech had a short dry accent which indicated that something dark was at +work within him. + +As long as he remained in the boat which conveyed him to land, he kept +his face toward Milady, who, standing on the deck, followed him with her +eyes. Both were free from the fear of pursuit; nobody ever came into +Milady's apartment before nine o'clock, and it would require three hours +to go from the castle to London. + +Felton jumped onshore, climbed the little ascent which led to the top of +the cliff, saluted Milady a last time, and took his course toward the +city. + +At the end of a hundred paces, the ground began to decline, and he could +only see the mast of the sloop. + +He immediately ran in the direction of Portsmouth, which he saw at +nearly half a league before him, standing out in the haze of the +morning, with its houses and towers. + +Beyond Portsmouth the sea was covered with vessels whose masts, like a +forest of poplars despoiled by the winter, bent with each breath of the +wind. + +Felton, in his rapid walk, reviewed in his mind all the accusations +against the favorite of James I and Charles I, furnished by two years of +premature meditation and a long sojourn among the Puritans. + +When he compared the public crimes of this minister--startling crimes, +European crimes, if so we may say--with the private and unknown crimes +with which Milady had charged him, Felton found that the more culpable +of the two men which formed the character of Buckingham was the one of +whom the public knew not the life. This was because his love, so +strange, so new, and so ardent, made him view the infamous and imaginary +accusations of Milady de Winter as, through a magnifying glass, one +views as frightful monsters atoms in reality imperceptible by the side +of an ant. + +The rapidity of his walk heated his blood still more; the idea that he +left behind him, exposed to a frightful vengeance, the woman he loved, +or rather whom he adored as a saint, the emotion he had experienced, +present fatigue--all together exalted his mind above human feeling. + +He entered Portsmouth about eight o'clock in the morning. The whole +population was on foot; drums were beating in the streets and in the +port; the troops about to embark were marching toward the sea. + +Felton arrived at the palace of the Admiralty, covered with dust, and +streaming with perspiration. His countenance, usually so pale, was +purple with heat and passion. The sentinel wanted to repulse him; but +Felton called to the officer of the post, and drawing from his pocket +the letter of which he was the bearer, he said, "A pressing message from +Lord de Winter." + +At the name of Lord de Winter, who was known to be one of his Grace's +most intimate friends, the officer of the post gave orders to let Felton +pass, who, besides, wore the uniform of a naval officer. + +Felton darted into the palace. + +At the moment he entered the vestibule, another man was entering +likewise, dusty, out of breath, leaving at the gate a post horse, which, +on reaching the palace, tumbled on his foreknees. + +Felton and he addressed Patrick, the duke's confidential lackey, at the +same moment. Felton named Lord de Winter; the unknown would not name +anybody, and pretended that it was to the duke alone he would make +himself known. Each was anxious to gain admission before the other. + +Patrick, who knew Lord de Winter was in affairs of the service, and in +relations of friendship with the duke, gave the preference to the one +who came in his name. The other was forced to wait, and it was easily +to be seen how he cursed the delay. + +The valet led Felton through a large hall in which waited the deputies +from La Rochelle, headed by the Prince de Soubise, and introduced him +into a closet where Buckingham, just out of the bath, was finishing his +toilet, upon which, as at all times, he bestowed extraordinary +attention. + +"Lieutenant Felton, from Lord de Winter," said Patrick. + +"From Lord de Winter!" repeated Buckingham; "let him come in." + +Felton entered. At that moment Buckingham was throwing upon a couch a +rich toilet robe, worked with gold, in order to put on a blue velvet +doublet embroidered with pearls. + +"Why didn't the baron come himself?" demanded Buckingham. "I expected +him this morning." + +"He desired me to tell your Grace," replied Felton, "that he very much +regretted not having that honor, but that he was prevented by the guard +he is obliged to keep at the castle." + +"Yes, I know that," said Buckingham; "he has a prisoner." + +"It is of that prisoner that I wish to speak to your Grace," replied +Felton. + +"Well, then, speak!" + +"That which I have to say of her can only be heard by yourself, my +Lord!" + +"Leave us, Patrick," said Buckingham; "but remain within sound of the +bell. I shall call you presently." + +Patrick went out. + +"We are alone, sir," said Buckingham; "speak!" + +"My Lord," said Felton, "the Baron de Winter wrote to you the other day +to request you to sign an order of embarkation relative to a young woman +named Charlotte Backson." + +"Yes, sir; and I answered him, to bring or send me that order and I +would sign it." + +"Here it is, my Lord." + +"Give it to me," said the duke. + +And taking it from Felton, he cast a rapid glance over the paper, and +perceiving that it was the one that had been mentioned to him, he placed +it on the table, took a pen, and prepared to sign it. + +"Pardon, my Lord," said Felton, stopping the duke; "but does your Grace +know that the name of Charlotte Backson is not the true name of this +young woman?" + +"Yes, sir, I know it," replied the duke, dipping the quill in the ink. + +"Then your Grace knows her real name?" asked Felton, in a sharp tone. + +"I know it"; and the duke put the quill to the paper. Felton grew pale. + +"And knowing that real name, my Lord," replied Felton, "will you sign it +all the same?" + +"Doubtless," said Buckingham, "and rather twice than once." + +"I cannot believe," continued Felton, in a voice that became more sharp +and rough, "that your Grace knows that it is to Milady de Winter this +relates." + +"I know it perfectly, although I am astonished that you know it." + +"And will your Grace sign that order without remorse?" + +Buckingham looked at the young man haughtily. + +"Do you know, sir, that you are asking me very strange questions, and +that I am very foolish to answer them?" + +"Reply to them, my Lord," said Felton; "the circumstances are more +serious than you perhaps believe." + +Buckingham reflected that the young man, coming from Lord de Winter, +undoubtedly spoke in his name, and softened. + +"Without remorse," said he. "The baron knows, as well as myself, that +Milady de Winter is a very guilty woman, and it is treating her very +favorably to commute her punishment to transportation." +The duke put his pen to the paper. + +"You will not sign that order, my Lord!" said Felton, making a step +toward the duke. + +"I will not sign this order! And why not?" + +"Because you will look into yourself, and you will do justice to the +lady." + +"I should do her justice by sending her to Tyburn," said Buckingham. +"This lady is infamous." + +"My Lord, Milady de Winter is an angel; you know that she is, and I +demand her liberty of you." + +"Bah! Are you mad, to talk to me thus?" said Buckingham. + +"My Lord, excuse me! I speak as I can; I restrain myself. But, my +Lord, think of what you're about to do, and beware of going too far!" + +"What do you say? God pardon me!" cried Buckingham, "I really think he +threatens me!" + +"No, my Lord, I still plead. And I say to you: one drop of water +suffices to make the full vase overflow; one slight fault may draw down +punishment upon the head spared, despite many crimes." + +"Mr. Felton," said Buckingham, "you will withdraw, and place yourself at +once under arrest." + +"You will hear me to the end, my Lord. You have seduced this young +girl; you have outraged, defiled her. Repair your crimes toward her; +let her go free, and I will exact nothing else from you." + +"You will exact!" said Buckingham, looking at Felton with astonishment, +and dwelling upon each syllable of the three words as he pronounced +them. + +"My Lord," continued Felton, becoming more excited as he spoke, "my +Lord, beware! All England is tired of your iniquities; my Lord, you +have abused the royal power, which you have almost usurped; my Lord, you +are held in horror by God and men. God will punish you hereafter, but I +will punish you here!" + +"Ah, this is too much!" cried Buckingham, making a step toward the door. + +Felton barred his passage. + +"I ask it humbly of you, my Lord" said he; "sign the order for the +liberation of Milady de Winter. Remember that she is a woman whom you +have dishonored." + +"Withdraw, sir," said Buckingham, "or I will call my attendant, and have +you placed in irons." + +"You shall not call," said Felton, throwing himself between the duke and +the bell placed on a stand encrusted with silver. "Beware, my Lord, you +are in the hands of God!" + +"In the hands of the devil, you mean!" cried Buckingham, raising his +voice so as to attract the notice of his people, without absolutely +shouting. + +"Sign, my Lord; sign the liberation of Milady de Winter," said Felton, +holding out paper to the duke. + +"By force? You are joking! Holloa, Patrick!" + +"Sign, my Lord!" + +"Never." + +"Never?" + +"Help!" shouted the duke; and at the same time he sprang toward his +sword. + +But Felton did not give him time to draw it. He held the knife with +which Milady had stabbed herself, open in his bosom; at one bound he was +upon the duke. + +At that moment Patrick entered the room, crying, "A letter from France, +my Lord." + +"From France!" cried Buckingham, forgetting everything in thinking from +whom that letter came. + +Felton took advantage of this moment, and plunged the knife into his +side up to the handle. + +"Ah, traitor," cried Buckingham, "you have killed me!" + +"Murder!" screamed Patrick. + +Felton cast his eyes round for means of escape, and seeing the door +free, he rushed into the next chamber, in which, as we have said, the +deputies from La Rochelle were waiting, crossed it as quickly as +possible, and rushed toward the staircase; but upon the first step he +met Lord de Winter, who, seeing him pale, confused, livid, and stained +with blood both on his hands and face, seized him by the throat, crying, +"I knew it! I guessed it! But too late by a minute, unfortunate, +unfortunate that I am!" + +Felton made no resistance. Lord de Winter placed him in the hands of +the guards, who led him, while awaiting further orders, to a little +terrace commanding the sea; and then the baron hastened to the duke's +chamber. + +At the cry uttered by the duke and the scream of Patrick, the man whom +Felton had met in the antechamber rushed into the chamber. + +He found the duke reclining upon a sofa, with his hand pressed upon the +wound. + +"Laporte," said the duke, in a dying voice, "Laporte, do you come from +her?" + +"Yes, monseigneur," replied the faithful cloak bearer of Anne of +Austria, "but too late, perhaps." + +"Silence, Laporte, you may be overheard. Patrick, let no one enter. +Oh, I cannot tell what she says to me! My God, I am dying!" + +And the duke swooned. + +Meanwhile, Lord de Winter, the deputies, the leaders of the expedition, +the officers of Buckingham's household, had all made their way into the +chamber. Cries of despair resounded on all sides. The news, which +filled the palace with tears and groans, soon became known, and spread +itself throughout the city. + +The report of a cannon announced that something new and unexpected had +taken place. + +Lord de Winter tore his hair. + +"Too late by a minute!" cried he, "too late by a minute! Oh, my God, my +God! what a misfortune!" + +He had been informed at seven o'clock in the morning that a rope ladder +floated from one of the windows of the castle; he had hastened to +Milady's chamber, had found it empty, the window open, and the bars +filed, had remembered the verbal caution D'Artagnan had transmitted to +him by his messenger, had trembled for the duke, and running to the +stable without taking time to have a horse saddled, had jumped upon the +first he found, had galloped off like the wind, had alighted below in +the courtyard, had ascended the stairs precipitately, and on the top +step, as we have said, had encountered Felton. + +The duke, however, was not dead. He recovered a little, reopened his +eyes, and hope revived in all hearts. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "leave me along with Patrick and Laporte--ah, is +that you, De Winter? You sent me a strange madman this morning! See +the state in which he has put me." + +"Oh, my Lord!" cried the baron, "I shall never console myself." + +"And you would be quite wrong, my dear De Winter," said Buckingham, +holding out his hand to him. "I do not know the man who deserves being +regretted during the whole life of another man; but leave us, I pray +you." + +The baron went out sobbing. + +There only remained in the closet of the wounded duke Laporte and +Patrick. A physician was sought for, but none was yet found. + +"You will live, my Lord, you will live!" repeated the faithful servant +of Anne of Austria, on his knees before the duke's sofa. + +"What has she written to me?" said Buckingham, feebly, streaming with +blood, and suppressing his agony to speak of her he loved, "what has she +written to me? Read me her letter." + +"Oh, my Lord!" said Laporte. + +"Obey, Laporte, do you not see I have no time to lose?" + +Laporte broke the seal, and placed the paper before the eyes of the +duke; but Buckingham in vain tried to make out the writing. + +"Read!" said he, "read! I cannot see. Read, then! For soon, perhaps, +I shall not hear, and I shall die without knowing what she has written +to me." + +Laporte made no further objection, and read: + + +"My Lord, By that which, since I have known you, have suffered by you +and for you, I conjure you, if you have any care for my repose, to +countermand those great armaments which you are preparing against +France, to put an end to a war of which it is publicly said religion is +the ostensible cause, and of which, it is generally whispered, your love +for me is the concealed cause. This war may not only bring great +catastrophes upon England and France, but misfortune upon you, my Lord, +for which I should never console myself. + +"Be careful of your life, which is menaced, and which will be dear to me +from the moment I am not obliged to see an enemy in you. + +"Your affectionate +"ANNE" + + +Buckingham collected all his remaining strength to listen to the reading +of the letter; then, when it was ended, as if he had met with a bitter +disappointment, he asked, "Have you nothing else to say to me by the +living voice, Laporte?" + +"The queen charged me to tell you to watch over yourself, for she had +advice that your assassination would be attempted." + +"And is that all--is that all?" replied Buckingham, impatiently. + +"She likewise charged me to tell you that she still loved you." + +"Ah," said Buckingham, "God be praised! My death, then, will not be to +her as the death of a stranger!" + +Laporte burst into tears. + +"Patrick," said the due, "bring me the casket in which the diamond studs +were kept." + +Patrick brought the object desired, which Laporte recognized as having +belonged to the queen. + +"Now the scent bag of white satin, on which her cipher is embroidered in +pearls." + +Patrick again obeyed. + +"Here, Laporte," said Buckingham, "these are the only tokens I ever +received from her--this silver casket and these two letters. You will +restore them to her Majesty; and as a last memorial"--he looked round +for some valuable object--"you will add--" + +He still sought; but his eyes, darkened by death, encountered only the +knife which had fallen from the hand of Felton, still smoking with the +blood spread over its blade. + +"And you will add to them this knife," said the duke, pressing the hand +of Laporte. He had just strength enough to place the scent bag at the +bottom of the silver casket, and to let the knife fall into it, making a +sign to Laporte that he was no longer able to speak; than, in a last +convulsion, which this time he had not the power to combat, he slipped +from the sofa to the floor. + +Patrick uttered a loud cry. + +Buckingham tried to smile a last time; but death checked his thought, +which remained engraved on his brow like a last kiss of love. + +At this moment the duke's surgeon arrived, quite terrified; he was +already on board the admiral's ship, where they had been obliged to seek +him. + +He approached the duke, took his hand, held it for an instant in his +own, and letting it fall, "All is useless," said he, "he is dead." + +"Dead, dead!" cried Patrick. + +At this cry all the crowd re-entered the apartment, and throughout the +palace and town there was nothing but consternation and tumult. + +As soon as Lord de Winter saw Buckingham was dead, he ran to Felton, +whom the soldiers still guarded on the terrace of the palace. + +"Wretch!" said he to the young man, who since the death of Buckingham +had regained that coolness and self-possession which never after +abandoned him, "wretch! what have you done?" + +"I have avenged myself!" said he. + +"Avenged yourself," said the baron. "Rather say that you have served as +an instrument to that accursed woman; but I swear to you that this crime +shall be her last." + +"I don't know what you mean," replied Felton, quietly, "and I am +ignorant of whom you are speaking, my Lord. I killed the Duke of +Buckingham because he twice refused you yourself to appoint me captain; +I have punished him for his injustice, that is all." + +De Winter, stupefied, looked on while the soldiers bound Felton, and +could not tell what to think of such insensibility. + +One thing alone, however, threw a shade over the pallid brow of Felton. +At every noise he heard, the simple Puritan fancied he recognized the +step and voice of Milady coming to throw herself into his arms, to +accuse herself, and die with him. + +All at once he started. His eyes became fixed upon a point of the sea, +commanded by the terrace where he was. With the eagle glance of a +sailor he had recognized there, where another would have seen only a +gull hovering over the waves, the sail of a sloop which was directed +toward the cost of France. + +He grew deadly pale, placed his hand upon his heart, which was breaking, +and at once perceived all the treachery. + +"One last favor, my Lord!" said he to the baron. + +"What?" asked his Lordship. + +"What o'clock is it?" + +The baron drew out his watch. "It wants ten minutes to nine," said he. + +Milady had hastened her departure by an hour and a half. As soon as she +heard the cannon which announced the fatal event, she had ordered the +anchor to be weighed. The vessel was making way under a blue sky, at +great distance from the coast. + +"God has so willed it!" said he, with the resignation of a fanatic; but +without, however, being able to take his eyes from that ship, on board +of which he doubtless fancied he could distinguish the white outline of +her to whom he had sacrificed his life. + +De Winter followed his look, observed his feelings, and guessed all. + +"Be punished ALONE, for the first, miserable man!" said Lord de Winter +to Felton, who was being dragged away with his eyes turned toward the +sea; "but I swear to you by the memory of my brother whom I have loved +so much that your accomplice is not saved." + +Felton lowered his head without pronouncing a syllable. + +As to Lord de Winter, he descended the stairs rapidly, and went straight +to the port. + + + +60 IN FRANCE + +The first fear of the King of England, Charles I, on learning of the +death of the duke, was that such terrible news might discourage the +Rochellais; he tried, says Richelieu in his Memoirs, to conceal it from +them as long as possible, closing all the ports of his kingdom, and +carefully keeping watch that no vessel should sail until the army which +Buckingham was getting together had gone, taking upon himself, in +default of Buckingham, to superintend the departure. + +He carried the strictness of this order so far as to detain in England +the ambassadors of Denmark, who had taken their leave, and the regular +ambassador of Holland, who was to take back to the port of Flushing the +Indian merchantmen of which Charles I had made restitution to the United +Provinces. + +But as he did not think of giving this order till five hours after the +event--that is to say, till two o'clock in the afternoon--two vessels +had already left the port, the one bearing, as we know, Milady, who, +already anticipating the event, was further confirmed in that belief by +seeing the black flag flying at the masthead of the admiral's ship. + +As to the second vessel, we will tell hereafter whom it carried, and how +it set sail. + +During this time nothing new occurred in the camp at La Rochelle; only +the king, who was bored, as always, but perhaps a little more so in camp +than elsewhere, resolved to go incognito and spend the festival of St. +Louis at St. Germain, and asked the cardinal to order him an escort of +only twenty Musketeers. The cardinal, who sometimes became weary of the +king, granted this leave of absence with great pleasure to his royal +lieutenant, who promised to return about the fifteenth of September. + +M. de Treville, being informed of this by his Eminence, packed his +portmanteau; and as without knowing the cause he knew the great desire +and even imperative need which his friends had of returning to Paris, it +goes without saying that he fixed upon them to form part of the escort. + +The four young men heard the news a quarter of an hour after M. de +Treville, for they were the first to whom he communicated it. It was +then that D'Artagnan appreciated the favor the cardinal had conferred +upon him in making him at last enter the Musketeers--for without that +circumstance he would have been forced to remain in the camp while his +companions left it. + +It goes without saying that this impatience to return toward Paris had +for a cause the danger which Mme. Bonacieux would run of meeting at the +convent of Bethune with Milady, her mortal enemy. Aramis therefore had +written immediately to Marie Michon, the seamstress at Tours who had +such fine acquaintances, to obtain from the queen authority for Mme. +Bonacieux to leave the convent, and to retire either into Lorraine or +Belgium. They had not long to wait for an answer. Eight or ten days +afterward Aramis received the following letter: + + +My Dear Cousin, Here is the authorization from my sister to withdraw +our little servant from the convent of Bethune, the air of which you +think is bad for her. My sister sends you this authorization with great +pleasure, for she is very partial to the little girl, to whom she +intends to be more serviceable hereafter. + +I salute you, + +MARIE MICHON + + +To this letter was added an order, conceived in these terms: + + +At the Louvre, August 10, 1628 +The superior of the convent of Bethune will place in the hands of the +person who shall present this note to her the novice who entered the +convent upon my recommendation and under my patronage. + +ANNE + + +It may be easily imagined how the relationship between Aramis and a +seamstress who called the queen her sister amuse the young men; but +Aramis, after having blushed two or three times up to the whites of his +eyes at the gross pleasantry of Porthos, begged his friends not to +revert to the subject again, declaring that if a single word more was +said to him about it, he would never again implore his cousins to +interfere in such affairs. + +There was no further question, therefore, about Marie Michon among the +four Musketeers, who besides had what they wanted: that was, the order +to withdraw Mme. Bonacieux from the convent of the Carmelites of +Bethune. It was true that this order would not be of great use to them +while they were in camp at La Rochelle; that is to say, at the other en +of France. Therefore D'Artagnan was going to ask leave of absence of M. +de Treville, confiding to him candidly the importance of his departure, +when the news was transmitted to him as well as to his three friends +that the king was about to set out for Paris with an escort of twenty +Musketeers, and that they formed part of the escort. + +Their joy was great. The lackeys were sent on before with the baggage, +and they set out on the morning of the sixteenth. + +The cardinal accompanied his Majesty from Surgeres to Mauzes; and there +the king and his minister took leave of each other with great +demonstrations of friendship. + +The king, however, who sought distraction, while traveling as fast as +possible--for he was anxious to be in Paris by the twenty-third--stopped +from time to time to fly the magpie, a pastime for which the taste had +been formerly inspired in him by De Luynes, and for which he had always +preserved a great predilection. Out of the twenty Musketeers sixteen, +when this took place, rejoiced greatly at this relaxation; but the other +four cursed it heartily. D'Artagnan, in particular, had a perpetual +buzzing in his ears, which Porthos explained thus: "A very great lady +has told me that this means that somebody is talking of you somewhere." + +At length the escort passed through Paris on the twenty-third, in the +night. The king thanked M. de Treville, and permitted him to distribute +furloughs for four days, on condition that the favored parties should +not appear in any public place, under penalty of the Bastille. + +The first four furloughs granted, as may be imagined, were to our four +friends. Still further, Athos obtained of M. de Treville six days +instead of four, and introduced into these six days two more nights--for +they set out on the twenty-fourth at five o'clock in the evening, and as +a further kindness M. de Treville post-dated the leave to the morning of +the twenty-fifth. + +"Good Lord!" said D'Artagnan, who, as we have often said, never stumbled +at anything. "It appears to me that we are making a great trouble of a +very simple thing. In two days, and by using up two or three horses +(that's nothing; I have plenty of money), I am at Bethune. I present my +letter from the queen to the superior, and I bring back the dear +treasure If go to seek-not into Lorraine, not into Belgium, but to +Paris, where she will be much better concealed, particularly while the +cardinal is at L Rochelle. Well, once returned from the country, half +by the protection of her cousin, half through what we have personally +done for her, we shall obtain from the queen what we desire. Remain, +then, where you are, and do not exhaust yourselves with useless fatigue. +Myself and Planchet are all that such a simple expedition requires." + +To this Athos replied quietly: "We also have money left--for I have not +yet drunk all my share of the diamond, and Porthos and Aramis have not +eaten all theirs. We can therefore use up four horses as well as one. +But consider, D'Artagnan," added he, in a tone so solemn that it made +the young man shudder, "consider that Bethune is a city where the +cardinal has given rendezvous to a woman who, wherever she goes, brings +misery with her. If you had only to deal with four men, D'Artagnan, I +would allow you to go alone. You have to do with that woman! We four +will go; and I hope to God that with our four lackeys we may be in +sufficient number." + +"You terrify me, Athos!" cried D'Artagnan. "My God! what do you +fear?" + +"Everything!" replied Athos. + +D'Artagnan examined the countenances of his companions, which, like that +of Athos, wore an impression of deep anxiety; and they continued their +route as fast as their horses could carry them, but without adding +another word. + +On the evening of the twenty-fifth, as they were entering Arras, and as +D'Artagnan was dismounting at the inn of the Golden Harrow to drink a +glass of wine, a horseman came out of the post yard, where he had just +had a relay, started off at a gallop, and with a fresh horse took the +road to Paris. At the moment he passed through the gateway into the +street, the wind blew open the cloak in which he was wrapped, although +it was in the month of August, and lifted his hat, which the traveler +seized with his hand the moment it had left his head, pulling it eagerly +over his eyes. + +D'Artagnan, who had his eyes fixed upon this man, became very pale, and +let his glass fall. + +"What is the matter, monsieur?" said Planchet. "Oh, come, gentlemen, +my master is ill!" + +The three friends hastened toward D'Artagnan, who, instead of being ill, +ran toward his horse. They stopped him at the door. + +"Well, where the devil are you going now?" cried Athos. + +"It is he!" cried D'Artagnan, pale with anger, an with the sweat on his +brow, "it is he! let me overtake him!" + +"He? What he?" asked Athos. + +"He, that man!" + +"What man?" + +"That cursed man, my evil genius, whom I have always met with when +threatened by some misfortune, he who accompanied that horrible woman +when I met her for the first time, he whom I was seeking when I offended +our Athos, he whom I saw on the very morning Madame Bonacieux was +abducted. I have seen him; that is he! I recognized him when the wind +blew upon his cloak." + +"The devil!" said Athos, musingly. + +"To saddle, gentlemen! to saddle! Let us pursue him, and we shall +overtake him!" + +"My dear friend," said Aramis, "remember that he goes in an opposite +direction from that I which we are going, that he has a fresh horse, and +ours are fatigued, so that we shall disable our own horses without even +a chance of overtaking him. Let the man go, D'Artagnan; let us save the +woman." + +"Monsieur, monsieur!" cried a hostler, running out and looking after +the stranger, "monsieur, here is a paper which dropped out of your hat! +Eh, monsieur, eh!" + +"Friend," said D'Artagnan, "a half-pistole for that paper!" + +"My faith, monsieur, with great pleasure! Here it is!" + +The hostler, enchanted with the good day's work he had done, returned to +the yard. D'Artagnan unfolded the paper. + +"Well?" eagerly demanded all his three friends. + +"Nothing but one word!" said D'Artagnan. + +"Yes," said Aramis, "but that one word is the name of some town or +village." + +"Armentieres," read Porthos; "Armentieres? I don't know such a +place." + +"And that name of a town or village is written in her hand!" cried +Athos. + +"Come on, come on!" said D'Artagnan; "let us keep that paper carefully, +perhaps I have not thrown away my half-pistole. To horse, my friends, +to horse!" + +And the four friends flew at a gallop along the road to Bethune. + + + +61 THE CARMELITE CONCERT AT BETHUNE + +Great criminals bear bout them a kind of predestination which makes them +surmount all obstacles, which makes them escape all dangers, up to the +moment which a wearied Providence has marked as the rock of their +impious fortunes. + +It was thus with Milady. She escaped the cruisers of both nations, and +arrived at Boulogne without accident. + +When landing at Portsmouth, Milady was an Englishwoman whom the +persecutions of the French drove from La Rochelle; when landing at +Boulogne, after a two days' passage, she passed for a Frenchwoman whom +the English persecuted at Portsmouth out of their hatred for France. + +Milady had, likewise, the best of passports-her beauty, her noble +appearance, and the liberality with which she distribute her pistoles. +Freed from the usual formalities by the affable smile and gallant +manners of an old governor of the port, who kissed her hand, she only +remained long enough at Boulogne to put into the post a letter, +conceived in the following terms: + + +"To his Eminence Monseigneur the Cardinal Richelieu, in his camp before +La Rochelle. + +Monseigneur, Let your Eminence be reassured. His Grace the Duke of +Buckingham WILL NOT SET OUT for France. +MILADY DE- + +"BOULOGNE, evening of the twenty-fifth. + +"P.S.-According to the desire of your Eminence, I report to the convent +of the Carmelites at Bethune, where I will await your orders." + + +Accordingly, that same evening Milady commenced her journey. Night +overtook her; she stopped, and slept at an inn. At five o'clock the +next morning she again proceeded, and in three hours after entered +Bethune. She inquired for the convent of the Carmelites, and went +thither immediately. + +The superior met her; Milady showed her the cardinal's order. The +abbess assigned her a chamber, and had breakfast served. + +All the past was effaced from the eyes of this woman; and her looks, +fixed on the future, beheld nothing but the high fortunes reserved for +her by the cardinal, whom she had so successfully served without his +name being in any way mixed up with the sanguinary affair. The ever-new +passions which consumed her gave to her life the appearance of those +clouds which float in the heavens, reflecting sometimes azure, sometimes +fire, sometimes the opaque blackness of the tempest, and which leave no +traces upon the earth behind them but devastation and death. + +After breakfast, the abbess came to pay her a visit. There is very +little amusement in the cloister, and the good superior was eager to +make the acquaintance of her new boarder. + +Milady wished to please the abbess. This was a very easy matter for a +woman so really superior as she was. She tried to be agreeable, and she +was charming, winning the good superior by her varied conversation and +by the graces of her whole personality. + +The abbess, who was the daughter of a noble house, took particular +delight in stories of the court, which so seldom travel to the +extremities of the kingdom, and which, above all, have so much +difficulty in penetrating the walls of convents, at whose threshold the +noise of the world dies away. + +Milady, on the contrary, was quite conversant with all aristocratic +intrigues, amid which she had constantly lived for five or six years. +She made it her business, therefore, to amuse the good abbess with the +worldly practices of the court of France, mixed with the eccentric +pursuits of the king; she made for her the scandalous chronicle of the +lords and ladies of the court, whom the abbess knew perfectly by name, +touched lightly on the amours of the queen and the Duke of Buckingham, +talking a great deal to induce her auditor to talk a little. + +But the abbess contented herself with listening and smiling without +replying a word. Milady, however, saw that this sort of narrative +amused her very much, and kept at it; only she now let her conversation +drift toward the cardinal. + +But she was greatly embarrassed. She did not know whether the abbess +was a royalist or a cardinalist; she therefore confined herself to a +prudent middle course. But the abbess, on her part, maintained a +reserve still more prudent, contenting herself with making a profound +inclination of the head every time the fair traveler pronounced the name +of his Eminence. + +Milady began to think she should soon grow weary of a convent life; she +resolved, then, to risk something in order that she might know how to +act afterward. Desirous of seeing how far the discretion of the good +abbess would go, she began to tell a story, obscure at first, but very +circumstantial afterward, about the cardinal, relating the amours of the +minister with Mme. d'Aiguillon, Marion de Lorme, and several other gay +women. + +The abbess listened more attentively, grew animated by degrees, and +smiled. + +"Good," thought Milady; "she takes a pleasure in my conversation. If +she is a cardinalist, she has no fanaticism, at least. + +She then went on to describe the persecutions exercised by the cardinal +upon his enemies. The abbess only crossed herself, without approving or +disapproving. + +This confirmed Milady in her opinion that the abbess was rather royalist +than cardinalist. Milady therefore continued, coloring her narrations +more and more. + +"I am very ignorant of these matters," said the abbess, at length; "but +however distant from the court we may be, however remote from the +interests of the world we may be placed, we have very sad examples of +what you have related. And one of our boarders has suffered much from +the vengeance and persecution of the cardinal!" + +"One of your boarders?" said Milady; "oh, my God! Poor woman! I pity +her, then." + +"And you have reason, for she is much to be pitied. Imprisonment, +menaces, ill treatment-she has suffered everything. But after all," +resumed the abbess, "Monsieur Cardinal has perhaps plausible motives for +acting thus; and though she has the look of an angel, we must not always +judge people by the appearance." + +"Good!" said Milady to herself; "who knows! I am about, perhaps, to +discover something here; I am in the vein." + +She tried to give her countenance an appearance of perfect candor. + +"Alas," said Milady, "I know it is so. It is said that we must not +trust to the face; but in what, then, shall we place confidence, if not +in the most beautiful work of the Lord? As for me, I shall be deceived +all my life perhaps, but I shall always have faith in a person whose +countenance inspires me with sympathy." + +"You would, then, be tempted to believe," said the abbess, "that this +young person is innocent?" + +"The cardinal pursues not only crimes," said she: "there are certain +virtues which he pursues more severely than certain offenses." + +"Permit me, madame, to express my surprise," said the abbess. + +"At what?" said Milady, with the utmost ingenuousness. + +"At the language you use." + +"What do you find so astonishing in that language?" said Milady, +smiling. + +"You are the friend of the cardinal, for he sends you hither, and yet--" + +"And yet I speak ill of him," replied Milady, finishing the thought of +the superior. + +"At least you don't speak well of him." + +"That is because I am not his friend," said she, sighing, "but his +victim!" + +"But this letter in which he recommends you to me?" + +"Is an order for me to confine myself to a sort of prison, from which he +will release me by one of his satellites." + +"But why have you not fled?" + +"Whither should I go? Do you believe there is a spot on the earth which +the cardinal cannot reach if he takes the trouble to stretch forth his +hand? If I were a man, that would barely be possible; but what can a +woman do? This young boarder of yours, has she tried to fly?" + +"No, that is true; but she--that is another thing; I believe she is +detained in France by some love affair." + +"Ah," said Milady, with a sigh, "if she loves she is not altogether +wretched." + +"Then," said the abbess, looking at Milady with increasing interest, "I +behold another poor victim?" + +"Alas, yes," said Milady. + +The abbess looked at her for an instant with uneasiness, as if a fresh +thought suggested itself to her mind. + +"You are not an enemy of our holy faith?" said she, hesitatingly. + +"Who--I?" cried Milady; "I a Protestant? Oh, no! I call to witness +the God who hears us, that on the contrary I am a fervent Catholic!" + +"Then, madame," said the abbess, smiling, "be reassured; the house in +which you are shall not be a very hard prison, and we will do all in our +power to make you cherish your captivity. You will find here, moreover, +the young woman of whom I spoke, who is persecuted, no doubt, in +consequence of some court intrigue. She is amiable and well-behaved." + +"What is her name?" + +"She was sent to me by someone of high rank, under the name of Kitty. I +have not tried to discover her other name." + +"Kitty!" cried Milady. "What? Are you sure?" + +"That she is called so? Yes, madame. Do you know her?" + +Milady smiled to herself at the idea which had occurred to her that this +might be her old chambermaid. There was connected with the remembrance +of this girl a remembrance of anger; and a desire of vengeance +disordered the features of Milady, which, however, immediately recovered +the calm and benevolent expression which this woman of a hundred faces +had for a moment allowed them to lose. + +"And when can I see this young lady, for whom I already feel so great a +sympathy?" asked Milady. + +"Why, this evening," said the abbess; "today even. But you have been +traveling these four days, as you told me yourself. This morning you +rose at five o'clock; you must stand in need of repose. Go to bed and +sleep; at dinnertime we will rouse you." + +Although Milady would very willingly have gone without sleep, sustained +as she was by all the excitements which a new adventure awakened in her +heart, ever thirsting for intrigues, she nevertheless accepted the offer +of the superior. During the last fifteen days she had experience so +many an such various emotions that if her frame of iron was still +capable of supporting fatigue, her mind required repose. + +She therefore took leave of the abbess, and went to bed, softly rocked +by the ideas of vengeance which the name of Kitty had naturally brought +to her thoughts. She remembered that almost unlimited promise which the +cardinal had given her if she succeeded in her enterprise. She had +succeeded; D'Artagnan was then in her power! + +One thing alone frightened her; that was the remembrance of her husband, +the Comte de la Fere, whom she had believed dead, or at least +expatriated, and whom she found again in Athos-the best friend of +D'Artagnan. + +But alas, if he was the friend of D'Artagnan, he must have lent him his +assistance in all the proceedings by whose aid the queen had defeated +the project of his Eminence; if he was the friend of D'Artagnan, he was +the enemy of the cardinal; and she doubtless would succeed in involving +him in the vengeance by which she hoped to destroy the young Musketeer. + +All these hopes were so many sweet thoughts for Milady; so, rocked by +them, she soon fell asleep. + +She was awakened by a soft voice which sounded at the foot of her bed. +She opened her eyes, and saw the abbess, accompanied by a young woman +with light hair and delicate complexion, who fixed upon her a look full +of benevolent curiosity. + +The face of the young woman was entirely unknown to her. Each examined +the other with great attention, while exchanging the customary +compliments; both were very handsome, but of quite different styles of +beauty. Milady, however, smiled in observing that she excelled the +young woman by far in her high air and aristocratic bearing. It is true +that the habit of a novice, which the young woman wore, was not very +advantageous in a contest of this kind. + +The abbess introduced them to each other. When this formality was +ended, as her duties called her to chapel, she left the two young women +alone. + +The novice, seeing Milady in bed, was about the follow the example of +the superior; but Milady stopped her. + +"How, madame," said she, "I have scarcely seen you, and you already +wish to deprive me of your company, upon which I had counted a little, I +must confess, for the time I have to pass here?" + +"No, madame," replied the novice, "only I thought I had chosen my time +ill; you were asleep, you are fatigued." + +"Well," said Milady, "what can those who sleep wish for--a happy +awakening? This awakening you have given me; allow me, then, to enjoy +it at my ease," and taking her hand, she drew her toward the armchair by +the bedside. + +The novice sat down. + +"How unfortunate I am!" said she; "I have been here six months without +the shadow of recreation. You arrive, and your presence was likely to +afford me delightful company; yet I expect, in all probability, to quit +the convent at any moment." + +"How, you are going soon?" asked Milady. + +"At least I hope so," said the novice, with an expression of joy which +she made no effort to disguise. + +"I think I learned you had suffered persecutions from the cardinal," +continued Milady; "that would have been another motive for sympathy +between us." + +"What I have heard, then, from our good mother is true; you have +likewise been a victim of that wicked priest." + +"Hush!" said Milady; "let us not, even here, speak thus of him. All my +misfortunes arise from my having said nearly what you have said before a +woman whom I thought my friend, and who betrayed me. Are you also the +victim of a treachery?" + +"No," said the novice, "but of my devotion--of a devotion to a woman I +loved, for whom I would have laid down my life, for whom I would give it +still." + +"And who has abandoned you--is that it?" + +"I have been sufficiently unjust to believe so; but during the last two +or three days I have obtained proof to the contrary, for which I thank +God--for it would have cost me very dear to think she had forgotten me. +But you, madame, you appear to be free," continued the novice; "and if +you were inclined to fly it only rests with yourself to do so." + +"Whither would you have me go, without friends, without money, in a part +of France with which I am unacquainted, and where I have never been +before?" + +"Oh," cried the novice," as to friends, you would have them wherever you +want, you appear so good and are so beautiful!" + +"That does not prevent," replied Milady, softening her smile so as to +give it an angelic expression, "my being alone or being persecuted." + +"Hear me," said the novice; "we must trust in heaven. There always +comes a moment when the good you have done pleads your cause before God; +and see, perhaps it is a happiness for you, humble and powerless as I +am, that you have met with me, for if I leave this place, well-I have +powerful friends, who, after having exerted themselves on my account, +may also exert themselves for you." + +"Oh, when I said I was alone," said Milady, hoping to make the novice +talk by talking of herself, "it is not for want of friends in high +places; but these friends themselves tremble before the cardinal. The +queen herself does not dare to oppose the terrible minister. I have +proof that her Majesty, notwithstanding her excellent heart, has more +than once been obliged to abandon to the anger of his Eminence persons +who had served her." + +"Trust me, madame; the queen may appear to have abandoned those persons, +but we must not put faith in appearances. The more they are persecuted, +the more she thinks of them; and often, when they least expect it, they +have proof of a kind remembrance." + +"Alas!" said Milady, "I believe so; the queen is so good!" + +"Oh, you know her, then, that lovely and noble queen, that you speak of +her thus!" cried the novice, with enthusiasm. + +"That is to say," replied Milady, driven into her entrenchment, "that I +have not the honor of knowing her personally; but I know a great number +of her most intimate friends. I am acquainted with Monsieur de Putange; +I met Monsieur Dujart in England; I know Monsieur de Treville." + +"Monsieur de Treville!" exclaimed the novice, "do you know Monsieur de +Treville?" + +"Yes, perfectly well--intimately even." + +"The captain of the king's Musketeers?" + +"The captain of the king's Musketeers." + +"Why, then, only see!" cried the novice; "we shall soon be well +acquainted, almost friends. If you know Monsieur de Treville, you must +have visited him?" + +"Often!" said Milady, who, having entered this track, and perceiving +that falsehood succeeded, was determined to follow it to the end. + +"With him, then, you must have seen some of his Musketeers?" + +"All those he is in the habit of receiving!" replied Milady, for whom +this conversation began to have a real interest. + +"Name a few of those whom you know, and you will see if they are my +friends." + +"Well!" said Milady, embarrassed, " I know Monsieur de Louvigny, +Monsieur de Courtivron, Monsieur de Ferussac." + +The novice let her speak, then seeing that she paused, she said, "Don't +you know a gentleman named Athos?" + +Milady became as pale as the sheets in which she was lying, and mistress +as she was of herself, could not help uttering a cry, seizing the hand +of the novice, and devouring her with looks. + +"What is the matter? Good God!" asked the poor woman, "have I said +anything that has wounded you?" + +"No; but the name struck me, because I also have known that gentleman, +and it appeared strange to me to meet with a person who appears to know +him well." + +"Oh, yes, very well; not only him, but some of his friends, Messieurs +Porthos and Aramis!" + +"Indeed! you know them likewise? I know them," cried Milady, who began +to feel a chill penetrate her heart. + +"Well, if you know them, you know that they are good and free +companions. Why do you not apply to them, if you stand in need of +help?" + +"That is to say," stammered Milady, "I am not really very intimate with +any of them. I know them from having heard one of their friends, +Monsieur d'Artagnan, say a great deal about them." + +"You know Monsieur d'Artagnan!" cried the novice, in her turn seizing +the hands of Milady and devouring her with her eyes. + +Then remarking the strange expression of Milady's countenance, she said, +"Pardon me, madame; you know him by what title?" + +"Why," replied Milady, embarrassed, "why, by the title of friend." + +"You deceive me, madame," said the novice; "you have been his mistress!" + +"It is you who have been his mistress, madame!" cried Milady, in her +turn. + +"I?" said the novice. + +"Yes, you! I know you now. You are Madame Bonacieux!" + +The young woman drew back, filled with surprise and terror. + +"Oh, do not deny it! Answer!" continued Milady. + +"Well, yes, madame," said the novice, "Are we rivals?" + +The countenance of Milady was illumined by so savage a joy that under +any other circumstances Mme. Bonacieux would have fled in terror; but +she was absorbed by jealousy. + +"Speak, madame!" resumed Mme. Bonacieux, with an energy of which she +might not have been believed capable. "Have you been, or are you, his +mistress?" + +"Oh, no!" cried Milady, with an accent that admitted no doubt of her +truth. "Never, never!" + +"I believe you," said Mme. Bonacieux; "but why, then, did you cry out +so?" + +"Do you not understand?" said Milady, who had already overcome her +agitation and recovered all her presence of mind. + +"How can I understand? I know nothing." + +"Can you not understand that Monsieur d'Artagnan, being my friend, might +take me into his confidence?" + +"Truly?" + +"Do you not perceive that I know all--your abduction from the little +house at St. Germain, his despair, that of his friends, and their +useless inquiries up to this moment? How could I help being astonished +when, without having the least expectation of such a thing, I meet you +face to face--you, of whom we have so often spoken together, you whom he +loves with all his soul, you whom he had taught me to love before I had +seen you! Ah, dear Constance, I have found you, then; I see you at +last!" + +And Milady stretched out her arms to Mme. Bonacieux, who, convinced by +what she had just said, saw nothing in this woman whom an instant before +she had believed her rival but a sincere and devoted friend. + +"Oh, pardon me, pardon me!" cried she, sinking upon the shoulders of +Milady. "Pardon me, I love him so much!" + +These two women held each other for an instant in a close embrace. +Certainly, if Milady's strength had been equal to her hatred, Mme. +Bonacieux would never have left that embrace alive. But not being able +to stifle her, she smiled upon her. + +"Oh, you beautiful, good little creature!" said Milady. "How delighted +I am to have found you! Let me look at you!" and while saying these +words, she absolutely devoured her by her looks. "Oh, yes it is you +indeed! From what he has told me, I know you now. I recognize you +perfectly." + +The poor young woman could not possibly suspect what frightful cruelty +was behind the rampart of that pure brow, behind those brilliant eyes in +which she read nothing but interest and compassion. + +"Then you know what I have suffered," said Mme. Bonacieux, "since he +has told you what he has suffered; but to suffer for him is happiness. + +Milady replied mechanically, "Yes, that is happiness." She was thinking +of something else. + +"And then," continued Mme. Bonacieux, "my punishment is drawing to a +close. Tomorrow, this evening, perhaps, I shall see him again; and then +the past will no longer exist." + +"This evening?" asked Milady, roused from her reverie by these words. +"What do you mean? Do you expect news from him?" + +"I expect himself." + +"Himself? D'Artagnan here?" + +"Himself!" + +"But that's impossible! He is at the siege of La Rochelle with the +cardinal. He will not return till after the taking of the city." + +"Ah, you fancy so! But is there anything impossible for my D'Artagnan, +the noble and loyal gentleman?" + +"Oh, I cannot believe you!" + +"Well, read, then!" said the unhappy young woman, in the excess of her +pride and joy, presenting a letter to Milady. + +"The writing of Madame de Chevreuse!" said Milady to herself. "Ah, I +always thought there was some secret understanding in that quarter!" +And she greedily read the following few lines: + + +My Dear Child, Hold yourself ready. OUR FRIEND will see you soon, +and he will only see you to release you from that imprisonment in which +your safety required you should be concealed. Prepare, then, for your +departure, and never despair of us. + +Our charming Gascon has just proved himself as brave and faithful as +ever. Tell him that certain parties are grateful for the warning he has +given. + + +"Yes, yes," said Milady; "the letter is precise. Do you know what that +warning was?" + +"No, I only suspect he has warned the queen against some fresh +machinations of the cardinal." + +"Yes, that's it, no doubt!" said Milady, returning the letter to Mme. +Bonacieux, and letting her head sink pensively upon her bosom. + +At that moment they heard the gallop of a horse. + +"Oh!" cried Mme. Bonacieux, darting to the window, "can it be he?" + +Milady remained still in bed, petrified by surprise; so many unexpected +things happened to her all at once that for the first time she was at a +loss. + +"He, he!" murmured she; "can it be he?" And she remained in bed with +her eyes fixed. + +"Alas, no!" said Mme. Bonacieux; "it is a man I don't know, although he +seems to be coming here. Yes, he checks his pace; he stops at the gate; +he rings." + +Milady sprang out of bed. + +"You are sure it is not he?" said she. + +"Yes, yes, very sure!" + +"Perhaps you did not see well." + +"Oh, if I were to see the plume of his hat, the end of his cloak, I +should know HIM!" + +Milady was dressing herself all the time. + +"Yes, he has entered." + +"It is for you or me!" + +"My God, how agitated you seem!" + +"Yes, I admit it. I have not your confidence; I fear the cardinal." + +"Hush!" said Mme. Bonacieux; "somebody is coming." + +Immediately the door opened, and the superior entered. + +"Did you come from Boulogne?" demanded she of Milady. + +"Yes," replied she, trying to recover her self-possession. "Who wants +me?" + +"A man who will not tell his name, but who comes from the cardinal." + +"And who wishes to speak with me?" + +"Who wishes to speak to a lady recently come from Boulogne." + +"Then let him come in, if you please." + +"Oh, my God, my God!" cried Mme. Bonacieux. "Can it be bad news?" + +"I fear it." + +"I will leave you with this stranger; but as soon as he is gone, if you +will permit me, I will return." + +"PERMIT you? I BESEECH you." + +The superior and Mme. Bonacieux retired. + +Milady remained alone, with her eyes fixed upon the door. An instant +later, the jingling of spurs was heard upon the stairs, steps drew near, +the door opened, and a man appeared. + +Milady uttered a cry of joy; this man was the Comte de Rochefort--the +demoniacal tool of his Eminence. + + + +62 TWO VARIETIES OF DEMONS + +"Ah," cried Milady and Rochefort together, "it is you!" + +"Yes, it is I." + +"And you come?" asked Milady. + +"From La Rochelle; and you?" + +"From England." + +"Buckingham?" + +"Dead or desperately wounded, as I left without having been able to hear +anything of him. A fanatic has just assassinated him." + +"Ah," said Rochefort, with a smile; "this is a fortunate chance--one +that will delight his Eminence! Have you informed him of it?" + +"I wrote to him from Boulogne. But what brings you here?" + +"His Eminence was uneasy, and sent me to find you." + +"I only arrived yesterday." + +"And what have you been doing since yesterday?" + +"I have not lost my time." + +"Oh, I don't doubt that." + +"Do you know whom I have encountered here?" + +"No." + +"Guess." + +"How can I?" + +"That young woman whom the queen took out of prison." + +"The mistress of that fellow D'Artagnan?" + +"Yes; Madame Bonacieux, with whose retreat the cardinal was +unacquainted." + +"Well, well," said Rochefort, "here is a chance which may pair off with +the other! Monsieur Cardinal is indeed a privileged man!" + +"Imagine my astonishment," continued Milady, "when I found myself face +to face with this woman!" + +"Does she know you?" + +"No." + +"Then she looks upon you as a stranger?" + +Milady smiled. "I am her best friend." + +"Upon my honor," said Rochefort, "it takes you, my dear countess, to +perform such miracles!" + +"And it is well I can, Chevalier," said Milady, "for do you know what is +going on here?" + +"No." + +"They will come for her tomorrow or the day after, with an order from +the queen." + +"Indeed! And who?" + +"D'Artagnan and his friends." + +"Indeed, they will go so far that we shall be obliged to send them to +the Bastille." + +"Why is it not done already?" + +"What would you? The cardinal has a weakness for these men which I +cannot comprehend." + +"Indeed!" + +"Yes." + +"Well, then, tell him this, Rochefort. Tell him that our conversation +at the inn of the Red Dovecot was overheard by these four men; tell him +that after his departure one of them came up to me and took from me by +violence the safe-conduct which he had given me; tell him they warned +Lord de Winter of my journey to England; that this time they nearly +foiled my mission as they foiled the affair of the studs; tell him that +among these four men two only are to be feared--D'Artagnan and Athos; +tell him that the third, Aramis, is the lover of Madame de Chevreuse--he +may be left alone, we know his secret, and it may be useful; as to the +fourth, Porthos, he is a fool, a simpleton, a blustering booby, not +worth troubling himself about." + +"But these four men must be now at the siege of La Rochelle?" + +"I thought so, too; but a letter which Madame Bonacieux has received +from Madame the Constable, and which she has had the imprudence to show +me, leads me to believe that these four men, on the contrary, are on the +road hither to take her away." + +"The devil! What's to be done?" + +"What did the cardinal say about me?" + +"I was to take your dispatches, written or verbal, and return by post; +and when he shall know what you have done, he will advise what you have +to do." + +"I must, then, remain here?" + +"Here, or in the neighborhood." + +"You cannot take me with you?" + +"No, the order is imperative. Near the camp you might be recognized; +and your presence, you must be aware, would compromise the cardinal." + +"Then I must wait here, or in the neighborhood?" + +"Only tell me beforehand where you will wait for intelligence from the +cardinal; let me now always where to find you." + +"Observe, it is probable that I may not be able to remain here." + +"Why?" + +"You forget that my enemies may arrive at any minute." + +"That's true; but is this little woman, then, to escape his Eminence?" + +"Bah!" said Milady, with a smile that belonged only to herself; "you +forget that I am her best friend." + +"Ah, that's true! I may then tell the cardinal, with respect to this +little woman--" + +"That he may be at ease." + +"Is that all?" + +"He will now what that means." + +"He will guess, at least. Now, then, what had I better do?" + +"Return instantly. It appears to me that the news you bear is worth the +trouble of a little diligence." + +"My chaise broke down coming into Lilliers." + +"Capital!" + +"What, CAPITAL?" + +"Yes, I want your chaise." + +"And how shall I travel, then?" + +"On horseback." + +"You talk very comfortably,--a hundred and eighty leagues!" + +"What's that?" + +"One can do it! Afterward?" + +"Afterward? Why, in passing through Lilliers you will send me your +chaise, with an order to your servant to place himself at my disposal." + +"Well." + +"You have, no doubt, some order from the cardinal about you?" + +"I have my FULL POWER." + +"Show it to the abbess, and tell her that someone will come and fetch +me, either today or tomorrow, and that I am to follow the person who +presents himself in your name." + +"Very well." + +"Don't forget to treat me harshly in speaking of me to the abbess." + +"To what purpose?" + +"I am a victim of the cardinal. It is necessary to inspire confidence +in that poor little Madame Bonacieux." + +"That's true. Now, will you make me a report of all that has happened?" + +"Why, I have related the events to you. You have a good memory; repeat +what I have told you. A paper may be lost." + +"You are right; only let me know where to find you that I may not run +needlessly about the neighborhood." + +"That's correct; wait!" + +"Do you want a map?" + +"Oh, I know this country marvelously!" + +"You? When were you here?" + +"I was brought up here." + +"Truly?" + +"It is worth something, you see, to have been brought up somewhere." + +"You will wait for me, then?" + +"Let me reflect a little! Ay, that will do--at Armentieres." + +"Where is that Armentieres?" + +"A little town on the Lys; I shall only have to cross the river, and I +shall be in a foreign country." + +"Capital! but it is understood you will only cross the river in case of +danger." + +"That is well understood." + +"And in that case, how shall I know where you are?" + +"You do not want your lackey?" + +"Is he a sure man?" + +"To the proof." + +"Give him to me. Nobody knows him. I will leave him at the place I +quit, and he will conduct you to me." + +"And you say you will wait for me at Armentieres?" + +"At Armentieres." + +"Write that name on a bit of paper, lest I should forget it. There is +nothing compromising in the name of a town. Is it not so?" + +"Eh, who knows? Never mind," said Milady, writing the name on half a +sheet of paper; "I will compromise myself." + +"Well," said Rochefort, taking the paper from Milady, folding it, and +placing it in the lining of his hat, "you may be easy. I will do as +children do, for fear of losing the paper--repeat the name along the +route. Now, is that all?" + +"I believe so." + +"Let us see: Buckingham dead or grievously wounded; your conversation +with the cardinal overheard by the four Musketeers; Lord de Winter +warned of your arrival at Portsmouth; D'Artagnan and Athos to the +Bastille; Aramis the lover of Madame de Chevreuse; Porthos an ass; +Madame Bonacieux found again; to send you the chaise as soon as +possible; to place my lackey at your disposal; to make you out a victim +of the cardinal in order that the abbess may entertain no suspicion; +Armentieres, on the banks of the Lys. Is that all, then?" + +"In truth, my dear Chevalier, you are a miracle of memory. A PROPOS, +add one thing--" + +"What?" + +"I saw some very pretty woods which almost touch the convent garden. +Say that I am permitted to walk in those woods. Who knows? Perhaps I +shall stand in need of a back door for retreat." + +"You think of everything." + +"And you forget one thing." + +"What?" + +"To ask me if I want money." + +"That's true. How much do you want?" + +"All you have in gold." + +"I have five hundred pistoles, or thereabouts." + +"I have as much. With a thousand pistoles one may face everything. +Empty your pockets." + +"There." + +"Right. And you go--" + +"In an hour--time to eat a morsel, during which I shall send for a post +horse." + +"Capital! Adieu, Chevalier." + +"Adieu, Countess." + +"Commend me to the cardinal." + +"Commend me to Satan." + +Milady and Rochefort exchanged a smile and separated. An hour afterward +Rochefort set out at a grand gallop; five hours after that he passed +through Arras. + +Our readers already know how he was recognized by D'Artagnan, and how +that recognition by inspiring fear in the four Musketeers had given +fresh activity to their journey. + + + +63 THE DROP OF WATER + +Rochefort had scarcely departed when Mme. Bonacieux re-entered. She +found Milady with a smiling countenance. + +"Well," said the young woman, "what you dreaded has happened. This +evening, or tomorrow, the cardinal will send someone to take you away." + +"Who told you that, my dear?" asked Milady. + +"I heard it from the mouth of the messenger himself." + +"Come and sit down close to me," said Milady. + +"Here I am." + +"Wait till I assure myself that nobody hears us." + +"Why all these precautions?" + +"You shall know." + +Milady arose, went to the door, opened it, looked in the corridor, and +then returned and seated herself close to Mme. Bonacieux. + +"Then," said she, "he has well played his part." + +"Who has?" + +"He who just now presented himself to the abbess as a messenger from the +cardinal." + +"It was, then, a part he was playing?" + +"Yes, my child." + +"That man, then, was not--" + +"That man," said Milady, lowering her voice, "is my brother." + +"Your brother!" cried Mme. Bonacieux. + +"No one must know this secret, my dear, but yourself. If you reveal it +to anyone in the world, I shall be lost, and perhaps yourself likewise." + +"Oh, my God!" + +"Listen. This is what has happened: My brother, who was coming to my +assistance to take me away by force if it were necessary, met with the +emissary of the cardinal, who was coming in search of me. He followed +him. At a solitary and retired part of the road he drew his sword, and +required the messenger to deliver up to him the papers of which he was +the bearer. The messenger resisted; my brother killed him." + +"Oh!" said Mme. Bonacieux, shuddering. + +"Remember, that was the only means. Then my brother determined to +substitute cunning for force. He took the papers, and presented himself +here as the emissary of the cardinal, and in an hour or two a carriage +will come to take me away by the orders of his Eminence." + +"I understand. It is your brother who sends this carriage." + +"Exactly; but that is not all. That letter you have received, and +which you believe to be from Madame de Chevreuse--" + +"Well?" + +"It is a forgery." + +"How can that be?" + +"Yes, a forgery; it is a snare to prevent your making any resistance +when they come to fetch you." + +"But it is D'Artagnan that will come." + +"Do not deceive yourself. D'Artagnan and his friends are detained at the +siege of La Rochelle." + +"How do you know that?" + +"My brother met some emissaries of the cardinal in the uniform of +Musketeers. You would have been summoned to the gate; you would have +believed yourself about to meet friends; you would have been abducted, +and conducted back to Paris." + +"Oh, my God! My senses fail me amid such a chaos of iniquities. I feel, +if this continues," said Mme. Bonacieux, raising her hands to her +forehead, "I shall go mad!" + +"Stop--" + +"What?" + +"I hear a horse's steps; it is my brother setting off again. I should +like to offer him a last salute. Come!" + +Milady opened the window, and made a sign to Mme. Bonacieux to join her. +The young woman complied. + +Rochefort passed at a gallop. + +"Adieu, brother!" cried Milady. + +The chevalier raised his head, saw the two young women, and without +stopping, waved his hand in a friendly way to Milady. + +"The good George!" said she, closing the window with an expression of +countenance full of affection and melancholy. And she resumed her seat, +as if plunged in reflections entirely personal. + +"Dear lady," said Mme. Bonacieux, "pardon me for interrupting you; but +what do you advise me to do? Good heaven! You have more experience +than I have. Speak; I will listen." + +"In the first place," said Milady, "it is possible I may be deceived, +and that D'Artagnan and his friends may really come to your assistance." + +"Oh, that would be too much!" cried Mme. Bonacieux, "so much happiness +is not in store for me!" + +"Then you comprehend it would be only a question of time, a sort of +race, which should arrive first. If your friends are the more speedy, +you are to be saved; if the satellites of the cardinal, you are lost." + +"Oh, yes, yes; lost beyond redemption! What, then, to do? What to do?" + +"There would be a very simple means, very natural--" + +"Tell me what!" + +"To wait, concealed in the neighborhood, and assure yourself who are the +men who come to ask for you." + +"But where can I wait?" + +"Oh, there is no difficulty in that. I shall stop and conceal myself a +few leagues hence until my brother can rejoin me. Well, I take you with +me; we conceal ourselves, and wait together." + +"But I shall not be allowed to go; I am almost a prisoner." + +"As they believe that I go in consequence of an order from the cardinal, +no one will believe you anxious to follow me." + +"Well?" + +"Well! The carriage is at the door; you bid me adieu; you mount the +step to embrace me a last time; my brother's servant, who comes to fetch +me, is told how to proceed; he makes a sign to the postillion, and we +set off at a gallop." + +"But D'Artagnan! D'Artagnan! if he comes?" + +"Shall we not know it?" + +"How?" + +"Nothing easier. We will send my brother's servant back to Bethune, +whom, as I told you, we can trust. He shall assume a disguise, and +place himself in front of the convent. If the emissaries of the +cardinal arrive, he will take no notice; if it is Monsieur d'Artagnan +and his friends, he will bring them to us." + +"He knows them, then?" + +"Doubtless. Has he not seen Monsieur d'Artagnan at my house?" + +"Oh, yes, yes; you are right. Thus all may go well--all may be for the +best; but we do not go far from this place?" + +"Seven or eight leagues at the most. We will keep on the frontiers, for +instance; and at the first alarm we can leave France." + +"And what can we do there?" + +"Wait." + +"But if they come?" + +"My brother's carriage will be here first." + +"If I should happen to be any distance from you when the carriage comes +for you--at dinner or supper, for instance?" + +"Do one thing." + +"What is that?" + +"Tell your good superior that in order that we may be as much together +as possible, you ask her permission to share my repast." + +"Will she permit it?" + +"What inconvenience can it be?" + +"Oh, delightful! In this way we shall not be separated for an instant." + +"Well, go down to her, then, to make your request. I feel my head a +little confused; I will take a turn in the garden." + +"Go and where shall I find you?" + +"Here, in an hour." + +"Here, in an hour. Oh, you are so kind, and I am so grateful!" + +"How can I avoid interesting myself for one who is so beautiful and so +amiable? Are you not the beloved of one of my best friends?" + +"Dear D'Artagnan! Oh, how he will thank you!" + +"I hope so. Now, then, all is agreed; let us go down." + +"You are going into the garden?" + +"Yes." + +"Go along this corridor, down a little staircase, and you are in it." + +"Excellent; thank you!" + +"And the two women parted, exchanging charming smiles. + +Milady had told the truth--her head was confused, for her ill-arranged +plans clashed one another like chaos. She required to be alone that +she might put her thoughts a little into order. She saw vaguely the +future; but she stood in need of a little silence and quiet to give all +her ideas, as yet confused, a distinct form and a regular plan. + +What was most pressing was to get Mme. Bonacieux away, and convey her to +a place of safety, and there, if matters required, make her a hostage. +Milady began to have doubts of the issue of this terrible duel, in which +her enemies showed as much perseverance as she did animosity. + +Besides, she felt as we feel when a storm is coming on--that this issue +was near, and could not fail to be terrible. + +The principal thing for her, then, was, as we have said, to keep Mme. +Bonacieux in her power. Mme. Bonacieux was the very life of D'Artagnan. +This was more than his life, the life of the woman he loved; this was, +in case of ill fortune, a means of temporizing and obtaining good +conditions. + +Now, this point was settled; Mme. Bonacieux, without any suspicion, +accompanied her. Once concealed with her at Armentieres, it would be +easy to make her believe that D'Artagnan had not come to Bethune. In +fifteen days at most, Rochefort would be back; besides, during that +fifteen days she would have time to think how she could best avenge +herself on the four friends. She would not be weary, thank God! for +she should enjoy the sweetest pastime such events could accord a woman +of her character--perfecting a beautiful vengeance. + +Revolving all this in her mind, she cast her eyes around her, and +arranged the topography of the garden in her head. Milady was like a +good general who contemplates at the same time victory and defeat, and +who is quite prepared, according to the chances of the battle, to march +forward or to beat a retreat. + +At the end of an hour she heard a soft voice calling her; it was Mme. +Bonacieux's. The good abbess had naturally consented to her request; +and as a commencement, they were to sup together. + +On reaching the courtyard, they heard the noise of a carriage which +stopped at the gate. + +Milady listened. + +"Do you hear anything?" said she. + +"Yes, the rolling of a carriage." + +"It is the one my brother sends for us." + +"Oh, my God!" + +"Come, come! courage!" + +The bell of the convent gate was sounded; Milady was not mistaken. + +"Go to your chamber," said she to Mme. Bonacieux; "you have perhaps some +jewels you would like to take." + +"I have his letters," said she. + +"Well, go and fetch them, and come to my apartment. We will snatch some +supper; we shall perhaps travel part of the night, and must keep our +strength up." + +"Great God!" said Mme. Bonacieux, placing her hand upon her bosom, "my +heart beats so I cannot walk." + +"Courage, courage! remember that in a quarter of an hour you will be +safe; and think that what you are about to do is for HIS sake." + +"Yes, yes, everything for him. You have restored my courage by a single +word; go, I will rejoin you." + +Milady ran up to her apartment quickly: she there found Rochefort's +lackey, and gave him his instructions. + +He was to wait at the gate; if by chance the Musketeers should appear, +the carriage was to set off as fast as possible, pass around the +convent, and go and wait for Milady at a little village which was +situated at the other side of the wood. In this case Milady would cross +the garden and gain the village on foot. As we have already said, +Milady was admirably acquainted with this part of France. + +If the Musketeers did not appear, things were to go on as had been +agreed; Mme. Bonacieux was to get into the carriage as if to bid her +adieu, and she was to take away Mme. Bonacieux. + +Mme. Bonacieux came in; and to remove all suspicion, if she had any, +Milady repeated to the lackey, before her, the latter part of her +instructions. + +Milady asked some questions about the carriage. It was a chaise drawn +by three horses, driven by a postillion; Rochefort's lackey would +precede it, as courier. + +Milady was wrong in fearing that Mme. Bonacieux would have any +suspicion. The poor young woman was too pure to suppose that any female +could be guilty of such perfidy; besides, the name of the Comtesse de +Winter, which she had heard the abbess pronounce, was wholly unknown to +her, and she was even ignorant that a woman had had so great and so +fatal a share in the misfortune of her life. + +"You see," said she, when the lackey had gone out, "everything is ready. +The abbess suspects nothing, and believes that I am taken by order of +the cardinal. This man goes to give his last orders; take the least +thing, drink a finger of wine, and let us be gone." + +"Yes," said Mme. Bonacieux, mechanically, "yes, let us be gone." + +Milady made her a sign to sit down opposite, poured her a small glass of +Spanish wine, and helped her to the wing of a chicken. + +"See," said she, "if everything does not second us! Here is night +coming on; by daybreak we shall have reached our retreat, and nobody can +guess where we are. Come, courage! take something." + +Mme. Bonacieux ate a few mouthfuls mechanically, and just touched the +glass with her lips. + +"Come, come!" said Milady, lifting hers to her mouth, "do as I do." + +But at the moment the glass touched her lips, her hand remained +suspended; she heard something on the road which sounded like the +rattling of a distant gallop. Then it grew nearer, and it seemed to +her, almost at the same time, that she heard the neighing of horses. + +This noise acted upon her joy like the storm which awakens the sleeper +in the midst of a happy dream; she grew pale and ran to the window, +while Mme. Bonacieux, rising all in a tremble, supported herself upon +her chair to avoid falling. Nothing was yet to be seen, only they heard +the galloping draw nearer. + +"Oh, my God!" said Mme. Bonacieux, what is that noise?" + +"That of either our friends or our enemies," said Milady, with her +terrible coolness. "Stay where you are, I will tell you." + +Mme. Bonacieux remained standing, mute, motionless, and pale as a +statue. + +The noise became louder; the horses could not be more than a hundred and +fifty paces distant. If they were not yet to be seen, it was because +the road made an elbow. The noise became so distinct that the horses +might be counted by the rattle of their hoofs. + +Milady gazed with all the power of her attention; it was just light +enough for her to see who was coming. + +All at once, at the turning of the road she saw the glitter of laced +hats and the waving of feathers; she counted two, then five, then eight +horsemen. One of them preceded the rest by double the length of his +horse. + +Milady uttered a stifled groan. In the first horseman she recognized +D'Artagnan. + +"Oh, my God, my God," cried Mme. Bonacieux, "what is it?" + +"It is the uniform of the cardinal's Guards. Not an instant to be lost! +Fly, fly!" + +"Yes, yes, let us fly!" repeated Mme. Bonacieux, but without being able +to make a step, glued as she was to the spot by terror. + +They heard the horsemen pass under the windows. + +"Come, then, come, then!" cried Milady, trying to drag the young woman +along by the arm. "Thanks to the garden, we yet can flee; I have the +key, but make haste! in five minutes it will be too late!" + +Mme. Bonacieux tried to walk, made two steps, and sank upon her knees. +Milady tried to raise and carry her, but could not do it. + +At this moment they heard the rolling of the carriage, which at the +approach of the Musketeers set off at a gallop. Then three or four +shots were fired. + +"For the last time, will you come?" cried Milady. + +"Oh, my God, my God! you see my strength fails me; you see plainly I +cannot walk. Flee alone!" + +"Flee alone, and leave you here? No, no, never!" cried Milady. + +All at once she paused, a livid flash darted from her eyes; she ran to +the table, emptied into Mme. Bonacieux's glass the contents of a ring +which she opened with singular quickness. It was a grain of a reddish +color, which dissolved immediately. + +Then, taking the glass with a firm hand, she said, "Drink. This wine +will give you strength, drink!" And she put the glass to the lips of +the young woman, who drank mechanically. + +"This is not the way that I wished to avenge myself," said Milady, +replacing the glass upon the table, with an infernal smile, "but, my +faith! we do what we can!" And she rushed out of the room. + +Mme. Bonacieux saw her go without being able to follow her; she was like +people who dream they are pursued, and who in vain try to walk. + +A few moments passed; a great noise was heard at the gate. Every +instant Mme. Bonacieux expected to see Milady, but she did not return. +Several times, with terror, no doubt, the cold sweat burst from her +burning brow. + +At length she heard the grating of the hinges of the opening gates; the +noise of boots and spurs resounded on the stairs. There was a great +murmur of voices which continued to draw near, amid which she seemed to +hear her own name pronounced. + +All at once she uttered a loud cry of joy, and darted toward the door; she had recognized the voice of D'Artagnan. + +"D'Artagnan! D'Artagnan!" cried she, "is it you? This way! this +way!" + +"Constance? Constance?" replied the young man, "where are you? where +are you? My God!" + +At the same moment the door of the cell yielded to a shock, rather than +opened; several men rushed into the chamber. Mme. Bonacieux had sunk +into an armchair, without the power of moving. + +D'Artagnan threw down a yet-smoking pistol which he held in his hand, +and fell on his knees before his mistress. Athos replaced his in his +belt; Porthos and Aramis, who held their drawn swords in their hands, +returned them to their scabbards. + +"Oh, D'Artagnan, my beloved D'Artagnan! You have come, then, at last! +You have not deceived me! It is indeed thee!" + +"Yes, yes, Constance. Reunited!" + +"Oh, it was in vain she told me you would not come! I hoped in silence. +I was not willing to fly. Oh, I have done well! How happy I am!" + +At this word SHE, Athos, who had seated himself quietly, started up. + +"SHE! What she?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"Why, my companion. She who out of friendship for me wished to take me +from my persecutors. She who, mistaking you for the cardinal's Guards, +has just fled away." + +"Your companion!" cried D'Artagnan, becoming more pale than the white +veil of his mistress. "Of what companion are you speaking, dear +Constance?" + +"Of her whose carriage was at the gate; of a woman who calls herself +your friend; of a woman to whom you have told everything." + +"Her name, her name!" cried D'Artagnan. "My God, can you not remember +her name?" + +"Yes, it was pronounced in my hearing once. Stop--but--it is very +strange--oh, my God, my head swims! I cannot see!" + +"Help, help, my friends! her hands are icy cold," cried D'Artagnan. +"She is ill! Great God, she is losing her senses!" + +While Porthos was calling for help with all the power of his strong +voice, Aramis ran to the table to get a glass of water; but he stopped +at seeing the horrible alteration that had taken place in the +countenance of Athos, who, standing before the table, his hair rising +from his head, his eyes fixed in stupor, was looking at one of the +glasses, and appeared a prey to the most horrible doubt. + +"Oh1' said Athos, "oh, no, it is impossible! God would not permit such +a crime!" + +"Water, water!" cried D'Artagnan. "Water!" + +"Oh, poor woman, poor woman!" murmured Athos, in a broken voice. + +Mme. Bonacieux opened her eyes under the kisses of D'Artagnan. + +"She revives!" cried the young man. "Oh, my God, my God, I thank +thee!" + +"Madame!" said Athos, "madame, in the name of heaven, whose empty glass +is this?" + +"Mine, monsieur," said the young woman, in a dying voice. + +"But who poured the wine for you that was in this glass?" + +"She." + +"But who is SHE?" + +"Oh, I remember!" said Mme. Bonacieux, "the Comtesse de Winter." + +The four friends uttered one and the same cry, but that of Athos +dominated all the rest. + +At that moment the countenance of Mme. Bonacieux became livid; a fearful +agony pervaded her frame, and she sank panting into the arms of Porthos +and Aramis. + +D'Artagnan seized the hands of Athos with an anguish difficult to be +described. + +"And what do you believe?' His voice was stifled by sobs. + +"I believe everything," said Athos biting his lips till the blood sprang +to avoid sighing. + +"D'Artagnan, D'Artagnan!" cried Mme. Bonacieux, "where art thou? Do +not leave me! You see I am dying!" + +D'Artagnan released the hands of Athos which he still held clasped in +both his own, and hastened to her. Her beautiful face was distorted +with agony; her glassy eyes had no longer their sight; a convulsive +shuddering shook her whole body; the sweat rolled from her brow. + +"In the name of heaven, run, call! Aramis! Porthos! Call for help!" + +"Useless!" said Athos, "useless! For the poison which SHE pours there +is no antidote." + + +"Yes, yes! Help, help!" murmured Mme. Bonacieux; "help!" + +Then, collecting all her strength, she took the head of the young man +between her hands, looked at him for an instant as if her whole soul +passed into that look, and with a sobbing cry pressed her lips to his. + +"Constance, Constance!" cried D'Artagnan. + +A sigh escaped from the mouth of Mme. Bonacieux, and dwelt for an +instant on the lips of D'Artagnan. That sigh was the soul, so chaste +and so loving, which reascended to heaven. + +D'Artagnan pressed nothing but a corpse in his arms. The young man +uttered a cry, and fell by the side of his mistress as pale and as icy +as herself. + +Porthos wept; Aramis pointed toward heaven; Athos made the sign of the +cross. + +At that moment a man appeared in the doorway, almost as pale as those in +the chamber. He looked around him and saw Mme. Bonacieux dead, and +D'Artagnan in a swoon. He appeared just at that moment of stupor which +follows great catastrophes. + +"I was not deceived," said he; "here is Monsieur D'Artagnan; and you are +his friends, Messieurs Athos, Porthos, and Aramis." + +The persons whose names were thus pronounced looked at the stranger with +astonishment. It seemed to all three that they knew him. + +"Gentlemen," resumed the newcomer, "you are, as I am, in search of a +woman who," added he, with a terrible smile, "must have passed this way, +for I see a corpse." + +The three friends remained mute-for although the voice as well as the +countenance reminded them of someone they had seen, they could not +remember under what circumstances. + +"Gentlemen," continued the stranger, "since you do not recognize a man +who probably owes his life to you twice, I must name myself. I am Lord +de Winter, brother-in-law of THAT WOMAN." + +The three friends uttered a cry of surprise. + +Athos rose, and offering him his hand, "Be welcome, my Lord," said he, +"you are one of us." + +"I set out five hours after her from Portsmouth," said Lord de Winter. +"I arrived three hours after her at Boulogne. I missed her by twenty +minutes at St. Omer. Finally, at Lilliers I lost all trace of her. I +was going about at random, inquiring of everybody, when I saw you +gallop past. I recognized Monsieur d'Artagnan. I called to you, but +you did not answer me; I wished to follow you, but my horse was too much +fatigued to go at the same pace with yours. And yet it appears, in +spite of all your diligence, you have arrived too late." + +"You see!" said Athos, pointing to Mme. Bonacieux dead, and to +D'Artagnan, whom Porthos and Aramis were trying to recall to life. + +"Are they both dead?" asked Lord de Winter, sternly. + +"No," replied Athos, "fortunately Monsieur d'Artagnan has only fainted." + +"Ah, indeed, so much the better!" said Lord de Winter. + +At that moment D'Artagnan opened his eyes. He tore himself from the +arms of Porthos and Aramis, and threw himself like a madman on the +corpse of his mistress. + +Athos rose, walked toward his friend with a slow and solemn step, +embraced him tenderly, and as he burst into violent sobs, he said to him +with his noble and persuasive voice, "Friend, be a man! Women weep for +the dead; men avenge them!" + +"Oh, yes!" cried D'Artagnan, "yes! If it be to avenge her, I am ready +to follow you." + +Athos profited by this moment of strength which the hope of vengeance +restored to his unfortunate friend to make a sign to Porthos and Aramis +to go and fetch the superior. + +The two friends met her in the corridor, greatly troubled and much upset +by such strange events; she called some of the nuns, who against all +monastic custom found themselves in the presence of five men. + +"Madame," said Athos, passing his arm under that of D'Artagnan, "we +abandon to your pious care the body of that unfortunate woman. She was +an angel on earth before being an angel in heaven. Treat her as one of +your sisters. We will return someday to pray over her grave." + +D'Artagnan concealed his face in the bosom of Athos, and sobbed aloud. + +"Weep," said Athos, "weep, heart full of love, youth, and life! Alas, +would I could weep like you!" + +And he drew away his friend, as affectionate as a father, as consoling +as a priest, noble as a man who has suffered much. + +All five, followed by their lackeys leading their horses, took their way +to the town of Bethune, whose outskirts they perceived, and stopped +before the first inn they came to. + +"But," said D'Artagnan, "shall we not pursue that woman?" + +"Later," said Athos. "I have measures to take." + +"She will escape us," replied the young man; "she will escape us, and it +will be your fault, Athos." + +"I will be accountable for her," said Athos. + +D'Artagnan had so much confidence in the word of his friend that he +lowered his head, and entered the inn without reply. + +Porthos and Aramis regarded each other, not understanding this assurance +of Athos. + +Lord de Winter believed he spoke in this manner to soothe the grief of +D'Artagnan. + +"Now, gentlemen," said Athos, when he had ascertained there were five +chambers free in the hotel, "let everyone retire to his own apartment. +D'Artagnan needs to be alone, to weep and to sleep. I take charge of +everything; be easy." + +"It appears, however," said Lord de Winter, "if there are any measures +to take against the countess, it concerns me; she is my sister-in-law." + +"And me," said Athos,--she is my wife!" + +D'Artagnan smiled--for he understood that Athos was sure of his +vengeance when he revealed such a secret. Porthos and Aramis looked at +each other, and grew pale. Lord de Winter thought Athos was mad. + +"Now, retire to your chambers," said Athos, "and leave me to act. You +must perceive that in my quality of a husband this concerns me. Only, +D'Artagnan, if you have not lost it, give me the paper which fell from +that man's hat, upon which is written the name of the village of--" + +"Ah," said D'Artagnan, "I comprehend! that name written in her hand." + +"You see, then," said Athos, :there is a god in heaven still!" + + + +64 THE MAN IN THE RED CLOAK + +The despair of Athos had given place to a concentrated grief which only +rendered more lucid the brilliant mental faculties of that extraordinary +man. + +Possessed by one single thought--that of the promise he had made, and of +the responsibility he had taken--he retired last to his chamber, begged +the host to procure him a map of the province, bent over it, examined +every line traced upon it, perceived that there were four different +roads from Bethune to Armentieres, and summoned the lackeys. + +Planchet, Grimaud, Bazin, and Mousqueton presented themselves, and +received clear, positive, and serious orders from Athos. + +They must set out the next morning at daybreak, and go to Armentieres-- +each by a different route. Planchet, the most intelligent of the four, +was to follow that by which the carriage had gone upon which the four +friends had fired, and which was accompanied, as may be remembered, by +Rochefort's servant. + +Athos set the lackeys to work first because, since these men had been in +the service of himself and his friends he had discovered in each of them +different and essential qualities. Then, lackeys who ask questions +inspire less mistrust than masters, and meet with more sympathy among +those to whom they address themselves. Besides, Milady knew the +masters, and did not know the lackeys; on the contrary, the lackeys knew +Milady perfectly. + +All four were to meet the next day at eleven o'clock. If they had +discovered Milady's retreat, three were to remain on guard; the fourth +was to return to Bethune in order to inform Athos and serve as a guide +to the four friends. These arrangements made, the lackeys retired. + +Athos then arose from his chair, girded on his sword, enveloped himself +in his cloak, and left the hotel. It was nearly ten o'clock. At ten +o'clock in the evening, it is well known, the streets in provincial +towns are very little frequented. Athos nevertheless was visibly +anxious to find someone of whom he could ask a question. At length he +met a belated passenger, went up to him, and spoke a few words to him. +The man he addressed recoiled with terror, and only answered the few +words of the Musketeer by pointing. Athos offered the man half a +pistole to accompany him, but the man refused. + +Athos then plunged into the street the man had indicated with his +finger; but arriving at four crossroads, he stopped again, visibly +embarrassed. Nevertheless, as the crossroads offered him a better +chance than any other place of meeting somebody, he stood still. In a +few minutes a night watch passed. Athos repeated to him the same +question he had asked the first person he met. The night watch evinced +the same terror, refused, in his turn, to accompany Athos, and only +pointed with his hand to the road he was to take. + +Athos walked in the direction indicated, and reached the suburb situated +at the opposite extremity of the city from that by which he and his +friends had entered it. There he again appeared uneasy and embarrassed, +and stopped for the third time. + +Fortunately, a mendicant passed, who, coming up to Athos to ask charity, +Athos offered him half a crown to accompany him where he was going. The +mendicant hesitated at first, but at the sight of the piece of silver +which shone in the darkness he consented, and walked on before Athos. + +Arrived at the angle of a street, he pointed to a small house, isolated, +solitary, and dismal. Athos went toward the house, while the mendicant, +who had received his reward, left as fast as his legs could carry him. + +Athos went round the house before he could distinguish the door, amid +the red color in which the house was painted. No light appeared through +the chinks of the shutters; no noise gave reason to believe that it was +inhabited. It was dark and silent as the tomb. + +Three times Athos knocked without receiving an answer. At the third +knock, however, steps were heard inside. The door at length was opened, +and a man appeared, of high stature, pale complexion, and black hair and +beard. + +Athos and he exchanged some words in a low voice, then the tall man made +a sign to the Musketeer that he might come in. Athos immediately +profited by the permission, and the door was closed behind him. + +The man whom Athos had come so far to seek, and whom he had found with +so much trouble, introduced him into his laboratory, where he was +engaged in fastening together with iron wire the dry bones of a +skeleton. All the frame was adjusted except the head, which lay on the +table. + +All the rest of the furniture indicated that the dweller in this house +occupied himself with the study of natural science. There were large +bottles filled with serpents, ticketed according to their species; dried +lizards shone like emeralds set in great squares of black wood, and +bunches of wild odoriferous herbs, doubtless possessed of virtues +unknown to common men, were fastened to the ceiling and hung down in the +corners of the apartment. There was no family, no servant; the tall man +alone inhabited this house. + +Athos cast a cold and indifferent glance upon the objects we have +described, and at the invitation of him whom he came to seek sat down +near him. + +Then he explained to him the cause of his visit, and the service he +required of him. But scarcely had he expressed his request when the +unknown, who remained standing before the Musketeer, drew back with +signs of terror, and refused. Then Athos took from his pocket a small +paper, on which two lines were written, accompanied by a signature and +a seal, and presented them to him who had made too prematurely these +signs of repugnance. The tall man had scarcely read these lines, seen +the signature, and recognized the seal, when he bowed to denote that he +had no longer any objection to make, and that he was ready to obey. + +Athos required no more. He arose, bowed, went out, returned by the same +way he came, re-entered the hotel, and went to his apartment. + +At daybreak D'Artagnan entered the chamber, and demanded what was to be +done. + +"To wait," replied Athos. + +Some minutes after, the superior of the convent sent to inform the +Musketeers that the burial would take place at midday. As to the +poisoner, they had heard no tidings of her whatever, only that she must +have made her escape through the garden, on the sand of which her +footsteps could be traced, and the door of which had been found shut. +As to the key, it had disappeared. + +At the hour appointed, Lord de Winter and the four friends repaired to +the convent; the bells tolled, the chapel was open, the grating of the +choir was closed. In the middle of the choir the body of the victim, +clothed in her novitiate dress, was exposed. On each side of the choir +and behind the gratings opening into the convent was assembled the whole +community of the Carmelites, who listened to the divine service, and +mingled their chant with the chant of the priests, without seeing the +profane, or being seen by them. + +At the door of the chapel D'Artagnan felt his courage fall anew, and returned to look for Athos; but Athos had disappeared. + +Faithful to his mission of vengeance, Athos had requested to be +conducted to the garden; and there upon the sand following the light +steps of this woman, who left sharp tracks wherever she went, he +advanced toward the gate which led into the wood, and causing it to be +opened, he went out into the forest. + +Then all his suspicions were confirmed; the road by which the carriage +had disappeared encircled the forest. Athos followed the road for some +time, his eyes fixed upon the ground; slight stains of blood, which came +from the wound inflicted upon the man who accompanied the carriage as a +courier, or from one of the horses, dotted the road. At the end of +three-quarters of a league, within fifty paces of Festubert, a larger +bloodstain appeared; the ground was trampled by horses. Between the +forest and this accursed spot, a little behind the trampled ground, was +the same track of small feet as in the garden; the carriage had stopped +here. At this spot Milady had come out of the wood, and entered the +carriage. + +Satisfied with this discovery which confirmed all his suspicions, Athos +returned to the hotel, and found Planchet impatiently waiting for him. + +Everything was as Athos had foreseen. + +Planchet had followed the road; like Athos, he had discovered the stains +of blood; like Athos, he had noted the spot where the horses had halted. +But he had gone farther than Athos--for at the village of Festubert, +while drinking at an inn, he had learned without needing to ask a +question that the evening before, at half-past eight, a wounded man who +accompanied a lady traveling in a post-chaise had been obliged to stop, +unable to go further. The accident was set down to the account of +robbers, who had stopped the chaise in the wood. The man remained in +the village; the woman had had a relay of horses, and continued her +journey. + +Planchet went in search of the postillion who had driven her, and found +him. He had taken the lady as far as Fromelles; and from Fromelles +she had set out for Armentieres. Planchet took the crossroad, and by +seven o'clock in the morning he was at Armentieres. + +There was but one tavern, the Post. Planchet went and presented himself +as a lackey out of a place, who was in search of a situation. He had +not chatted ten minutes with the people of the tavern before he learned +that a woman had come there alone about eleven o'clock the night before, +had engaged a chamber, had sent for the master of the hotel, and told +him she desired to remain some time in the neighborhood. + +Planchet had no need to learn more. He hastened to the rendezvous, +found the lackeys at their posts, placed them as sentinels at all the +outlets of the hotel, and came to find Athos, who ha just received this +information when his friends returned. + +All their countenances were melancholy and gloomy, even the mild +countenance of Aramis. + +"What is to be done?" asked D'Artagnan. + +"To wait!" replied Athos. + +Each retired to his own apartment. + +At eight o'clock in the evening Athos ordered the horses to be saddled, +and Lord de Winter and his friends notified that they must prepare for +the expedition. + +In an instant all five were ready. Each examined his arms, and put them +in order. Athos came down last, and found D'Artagnan already on +horseback, and growing impatient. + +"Patience!" cried Athos; "one of our party is still wanting." + +The four horsemen looked round them with astonishment, for they sought +vainly in their minds to know who this other person could be. + +At this moment Planchet brought out Athos's house; the Musketeer leaped +lightly into the saddle. + +"Wait for me," cried he, "I will soon be back," and he set off at a +gallop. + +In a quarter of an hour he returned, accompanied by a tall man, masked, +and wrapped in a large red cloak. + +Lord de Winter and the three Musketeers looked at one another +inquiringly. Neither could give the others any information, for all +were ignorant who this man could be; nevertheless, they felt convinced +that all was as it should be, as it was done by the order of Athos. + +At nine o'clock, guided by Planchet, the little cavalcade set out, +taking the route the carriage had taken. + +It was a melancholy sight--that of these six men, traveling in silence, +each plunged in his own thoughts, sad as despair, gloomy as +chastisement. + + + +65 TRIAL + +It was a stormy and dark night; vast clouds covered the heavens, +concealing the stars; the moon would not rise till midnight. + +Occasionally, by the light of a flash of lightening which gleamed along +the horizon, the road stretched itself before them, white and solitary; +the flash extinct, all remained in darkness. + +Every minute Athos was forced to restrain D'Artagnan, constantly in +advance of the little troop, and to beg him to keep in the line, which +in an instant he again departed from. He had but one thought--to go +forward; and he went. + +They passed in silence through the little village of Festubert, where +the wounded servant was, and then skirted the wood of Richebourg. At +Herlier, Planchet, who led the column, turned to the left. + +Several times Lord de Winter, Porthos, or Aramis, tried to talk with the +man in the red cloak; but to every interrogation which they put to him +he bowed, without response. The travelers then comprehended that there +must be some reason why the unknown preserved such a silence, and ceased +to address themselves to him. + +The storm increase, the flashes succeeded one another more rapidly, the +thunder began to growl, and the wind, the precursor of a hurricane, +whistled in the plumes and the hair of the horsemen. + +The cavalcade trotted on more sharply. + +A little before they came to Fromelles the storm burst. They spread +their cloaks. There remained three leagues to travel, and they did it +amid torrents of rain. + +D'Artagnan took off his hat, and could not be persuaded to make use of +his cloak. He found pleasure in feeling the water trickle over his +burning brow and over his body, agitated by feverish shudders. + +The moment the little troop passed Goskal and were approaching the Port, +a man sheltered beneath a tree detached himself from the trunk with +which he had been confounded in the darkness, and advanced into the +middle of the road, putting his finger on his lips. + +Athos recognized Grimaud. + +"What's the manner?" cried Athos. "Has she left Armentieres?" + +Grimaud made a sign in the affirmative. D'Artagnan groaned his teeth. + +"Silence, D'Artagnan!" said Athos. I have charged myself with this +affair. It is for me, then, to interrogate Grimaud." + +"Where is she?" asked Athos. + +Grimaud extended his hands in the direction of the Lys. "Far from +here?" asked Athos. + +Grimaud showed his master his forefinger bent. + +"Alone?" asked Athos. + +Grimaud made the sign yes. + +"Gentlemen," said Athos, "she is alone within half a league of us, in +the direction of the river." + +"That's well," said D'Artagnan. "lead us, Grimaud." + +Grimaud took his course across the country, and acted as guide to the +cavalcade. + +At the end of five hundred paces, more or less, they came to a rivulet, +which they forded. + +By the aid of the lightening they perceived the village of Erquinheim. + +"Is she there, Grimaud?" asked Athos. + +Grimaud shook his head negatively. + +"Silence, then!" cried Athos. + +And the troop continued their route. + +Another flash illuminated all around them. Grimaud extended his arm, +and by the bluish splendor of the fiery serpent they distinguished a +little isolated house on the banks of the river, within a hundred paces +of a ferry. + +One window was lighted. + +"Here we are!" said Athos. + +At this moment a man who had been crouching in a ditch jumped up and +came towards them. It was Mousqueton. He pointed his finger to the +lighted window. + +"She is there," said he. + +"And Bazin?" asked Athos. + +"While I watched the window, he guarded the door." + +"Good!" said Athos. "You are good and faithful servants." + +Athos sprang from his horse, gave the bridle to Grimaud, and advanced +toward the window, after having made a sign to the rest of the troop to +go toward the door. + +The little house was surrounded by a low, quickset hedge, two or three +feet high. Athos sprang over the hedge and went up to the window, which +was without shutters, but had the half-curtains closely drawn. + +He mounted the skirting stone that his eyes might look over the curtain. + +By the light of a lamp he saw a woman, wrapped in a dark mantle, seated +upon a stool near a dying fire. Her elbows were placed upon a mean +table, and she leaned her head upon her two hands, which were white as +ivory. + +He could not distinguish her countenance, but a sinister smile passed +over the lips of Athos. He was not deceived; it was she whom he sought. + +At this moment a horse neighed. Milady raised her head, saw close to +the panes the pale face of Athos, and screamed. + +Athos, perceiving that she knew him, pushed the window with his knee and +hand. The window yielded. The squares were broken to shivers; and +Athos, like the spectre of vengeance, leaped into the room. + +Milady rushed to the door and opened it. More pale and menacing than +Athos, D'Artagnan stood on the threshold. + +Milady recoiled, uttering a cry. D'Artagnan, believing she might have +means of flight and fearing she should escape, drew a pistol from his +belt; but Athos raised his hand. + +"Put back that weapon, D'Artagnan!" said he; "this woman must be tried, +not assassinated. Wait an instant, my friend, and you shall be +satisfied. Come in, gentlemen." + +D'Artagnan obeyed; for Athos had the solemn voice and the powerful +gesture of a judge sent by the Lord himself. Behind D'Artagnan entered +Porthos, Aramis, Lord de Winter, and the man in the red cloak. + +The four lackeys guarded the door and the window. + +Milady had sunk into a chair, with her hands extended, as if to conjure +this terrible apparition. Perceiving her brother-in-law, she uttered a +terrible cry. + +"What do you want?" screamed Milady. + +"We want," said Athos, "Charlotte Backson, who first was called Comtesse +de la Fere, and afterwards Milady de Winter, Baroness of Sheffield." + +"That is I! that is I!" murmured Milady, in extreme terror; "what do +you want?" + +"We wish to judge you according to your crime," said Athos; "you shall +be free to defend yourself. Justify yourself if you can. M. +d'Artagnan, it is for you to accuse her first." + +D'Artagnan advanced. + +"Before God and before men," said he, "I accuse this woman of having +poisoned Constance Bonacieux, who died yesterday evening." + +He turned towards Porthos and Aramis. + +"We bear witness to this," said the two Musketeers, with one voice. + +D'Artagnan continued: "Before God and before men, I accuse this woman +of having attempted to poison me, in wine which she sent me from +Villeroy, with a forged letter, as if that wine came from my friends. +God preserved me, but a man named Brisemont died in my place." + +"We bear witness to this," said Porthos and Aramis, in the same manner as before. + +"Before God and before men, I accuse this woman of having urged me to +the murder of the Baron de Wardes; but as no one else can attest the +truth of this accusation, I attest it myself. I have done." And +D'Artagnan passed to the other side of the room with Porthos and Aramis. + +"Your turn, my Lord," said Athos. + +The baron came forward. + +"Before God and before men," said he, "I accuse this woman of having +caused the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham." + +"The Duke of Buckingham assassinated!" cried all present, with one +voice. + +"Yes," said the baron, "assassinated. On receiving the warning letter +you wrote to me, I had this woman arrested, and gave her in charge to a +loyal servant. She corrupted this man; she placed the poniard in his +hand; she made him kill the duke. And at this moment, perhaps, Felton +is paying with his head for the crime of this fury!" + +A shudder crept through the judges at the revelation of these unknown +crimes. + +"That is not all," resumed Lord de Winter. "My brother, who made you +his heir, died in three hours of a strange disorder which left livid +traces all over the body. My sister, how did your husband die?" + +"Horror!" cried Porthos and Aramis. + +"Assassin of Buckingham, assassin of Felton, assassin of my brother, I +demand justice upon you, and I swear that if it be not granted to me, I +will execute it myself." + +And Lord de Winter ranged himself by the side of D'Artagnan, leaving the +place free for another accuser. + +Milady let her head sink between her two hands, and tried to recall her +ideas, whirling in a mortal vertigo. + +"My turn," said Athos, himself trembling as the lion trembles at the +sight of the serpent--"my turn. I married that woman when she was a +young girl; I married her in opposition to the wishes of all my family; +I gave her my wealth, I gave her my name; and one day I discovered that +this woman was branded--this woman was marked with a FLEUR-DE-LIS on her +left shoulder." + +"Oh," said Milady, raising herself, "I defy you to find any tribunal +which pronounced that infamous sentence against me. I defy you to find +him who executed it." + +"Silence!" said a hollow voice. "It is for me to reply to that!" And +the man in the red cloak came forward in his turn. + +"What man is that? What man is that?" cried Milady, suffocated by +terror, her hair loosening itself, and rising above her livid +countenance as if alive. + +All eyes were turned towards this man--for to all except Athos he was +unknown. + +Even Athos looked at him with as much stupefaction as the others, for he +knew not how he could in any way find himself mixed up with the horrible +drama then unfolded. + +After approaching Milady with a slow and solemn step, so that the table +alone separated them, the unknown took off his mask. + +Milady for some time examined with increasing terror that pale face, +framed with black hair and whiskers, the only expression of which was +icy impassibility. Then she suddenly cried, "Oh, no, no!" rising and +retreating to the very wall. "No, no! it is an infernal apparition! +It is not he! Help, help!" screamed she, turning towards the wall, as +if she would tear an opening with her hands. + +"Who are you, then?" cried all the witnesses of this scene. + +"Ask that woman," said the man in the red cloak, "for you may plainly +see she knows me!" + +"The executioner of Lille, the executioner of Lille!" cried Milady, a +prey to insensate terror, and clinging with her hands to the wall to +avoid falling. + +Every one drew back, and the man in the red cloak remained standing +alone in the middle of the room. + +"Oh, grace, grace, pardon!" cried the wretch, falling on her knees. + +The unknown waited for silence, and then resumed, "I told you well that +she would know me. Yes, I am the executioner of Lille, and this is my +history." + +All eyes were fixed upon this man, whose words were listened to with +anxious attention. + +"That woman was once a young girl, as beautiful as she is today. She +was a nun in the convent of the Benedictines of Templemar. A young +priest, with a simple and trustful heart, performed the duties of the +church of that convent. She undertook his seduction, and succeeded; she +would have seduced a saint. + +"Their vows were sacred and irrevocable. Their connection could not +last long without ruining both. She prevailed upon him to leave the +country; but to leave the country, to fly together, to reach another +part of France, where they might live at ease because unknown, money was +necessary. Neither had any. The priest stole the sacred vases, and +sold them; but as they were preparing to escape together, they were both +arrested. + +"Eight days later she had seduced the son of the jailer, and escaped. +The young priest was condemned to ten years of imprisonment, and to be +branded. I was executioner of the city of Lille, as this woman has +said. I was obliged to brand the guilty one; and he, gentlemen, was my +brother! + +"I then swore that this woman who had ruined him, who was more than his +accomplice, since she had urged him to the crime, should at least share +his punishment. I suspected where she was concealed. I followed her, I +caught her, I bound her; and I imprinted the same disgraceful mark upon +her that I had imprinted upon my poor brother. + +"The day after my return to Lille, my brother in his turn succeeded in +making his escape; I was accused of complicity, and was condemned to +remain in his place till he should be again a prisoner. My poor brother +was ignorant of this sentence. He rejoined this woman; they fled +together into Berry, and there he obtained a little curacy. This woman +passed for his sister. + +"The Lord of the estate on which the chapel of the curacy was situated +saw this pretend sister, and became enamoured of her--amorous to such a +degree that he proposed to marry her. Then she quitted him she had +ruined for him she was destined to ruin, and became the Comtesse de la +Fere--" + +All eyes were turned towards Athos, whose real name that was, and who +made a sign with his head that all was true which the executioner had +said. + +"Then," resumed he, "mad, desperate, determined to get rid of an +existence from which she had stolen everything, honor and happiness, my +poor brother returned to Lille, and learning the sentence which had +condemned me in his place, surrendered himself, and hanged himself that +same night from the iron bar of the loophole of his prison. + +"To do justice to them who had condemned me, they kept their word. As +soon as the identity of my brother was proved, I was set at liberty. + +"That is the crime of which I accuse her; that is the cause for which +she was branded." + +"Monsieur d'Artagnan," said Athos, "what is the penalty you demand +against this woman?" + +"The punishment of death," replied D'Artagnan. + +"My Lord de Winter," continued Athos, "what is the penalty you demand +against this woman?" + +"The punishment of death," replied Lord de Winter. + +"Messieurs Porthos and Aramis," repeated Athos, "you who are her judges, +what is the sentence you pronounce upon this woman?" + +"The punishment of death," replied the Musketeers, in a hollow voice. + +Milady uttered a frightful shriek, and dragged herself along several +paces upon her knees toward her judges. + +Athos stretched out his hand toward her. + +"Charlotte Backson, Comtesse de la Fere, Milady de Winter," said he, +"your crimes have wearied men on earth and God in heaven. If you know a +prayer, say it--for you are condemned, and you shall die." + +At these words, which left no hope, Milady raised herself in all her +pride, and wished to speak; but her strength failed her. She felt that +a powerful and implacable hand seized her by the hair, and dragged her +away as irrevocably as fatality drags humanity. She did not, therefore, +even attempt the least resistance, and went out of the cottage. + +Lord de Winter, D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, went out close +behind her. The lackeys followed their masters, and the chamber was +left solitary, with its broken window, its open door, and its smoky lamp +burning sadly on the table. + + + +66 EXECUTION + +It was near midnight; the moon, lessened by its decline, and reddened by +the last traces of the storm, arose behind the little town of +Armentieres, which showed against its pale light the dark outline of its +houses, and the skeleton of its high belfry. In front of them the Lys +rolled its waters like a river of molten tin; while on the other side +was a black mass of trees, profiled on a stormy sky, invaded by large +coppery clouds which created a sort of twilight amid the night. On the +left was an old abandoned mill, with its motionless wings, from the +ruins of which an owl threw out its shrill, periodical, and monotonous +cry. On the right and on the left of the road, which the dismal +procession pursued, appeared a few low, stunted trees, which looked like +deformed dwarfs crouching down to watch men traveling at this sinister +hour. + +>From time to time a broad sheet of lightning opened the horizon in its +whole width, darted like a serpent over the black mass of trees, and +like a terrible scimitar divided the heavens and the waters into two +parts. Not a breath of wind now disturbed the heavy atmosphere. A +deathlike silence oppressed all nature. The soil was humid and +glittering with the rain which had recently fallen, and the refreshed +herbs sent forth their perfume with additional energy. + +Two lackeys dragged Milady, whom each held by one arm. The executioner +walked behind them, and Lord de Winter, D'Artagnan, Porthos, and Aramis +walked behind the executioner. Planchet and Bazin came last. + +The two lackeys conducted Milady to the bank of the river. Her mouth +was mute; but her eyes spoke with their inexpressible eloquence, +supplicating by turns each of those on whom she looked. + +Being a few paces in advance she whispered to the lackeys, "A thousand +pistoles to each of you, if you will assist my escape; but if you +deliver me up to your masters, I have near at hand avengers who will +make you pay dearly for my death." + +Grimaud hesitated. Mousqueton trembled in all his members. + +Athos, who heard Milady's voice, came sharply up. Lord de Winter did +the same. + +"Change these lackeys," said he; "she has spoken to them. They are no +longer sure." + +Planchet and Bazin were called, and took the places of Grimaud and +Mousqueton. + +On the bank of the river the executioner approached Milady, and bound +her hands and feet. + +Then she broke the silence to cry out, "You are cowards, miserable +assassins--ten men combined to murder one woman. Beware! If I am not +saved I shall be avenged." + +"You are not a woman," said Athos, coldly and sternly. "You do not +belong to the human species; you are a demon escaped from hell, whither +we send you back again." + +"Ah, you virtuous men!" said Milady; "please to remember that he who +shall touch a hair of my head is himself an assassin." + +"The executioner may kill, without being on that account an assassin," +said the man in the red cloak, rapping upon his immense sword. "This is +the last judge; that is all. NACHRICHTER, as say our neighbors, the +Germans." + +And as he bound her while saying these words, Milady uttered two or +three savage cries, which produced a strange and melancholy effect in +flying away into the night, and losing themselves in the depths of the +woods. + +"If I am guilty, if I have committed the crimes you accuse me of," +shrieked Milady, "take me before a tribunal. You are not judges! You +cannot condemn me!" + +"I offered you Tyburn," said Lord de Winter. "Why did you not accept +it?" + +"Because I am not willing to die!" cried Milady, struggling. "Because +I am too young to die!" + +"The woman you poisoned at Bethune was still younger than you, madame, +and yet she is dead," said D'Artagnan. + +"I will enter a cloister; I will become a nun," said Milady. + +"You were in a cloister," said the executioner, "and you left it to ruin +my brother." + +Milady uttered a cry of terror and sank upon her knees. The executioner +took her up in his arms and was carrying her toward the boat. + +"Oh, my God!" cried she, "my God! are you going to drown me?" + +These cries had something so heartrending in them that M. d'Artagnan, +who had been at first the most eager in pursuit of Milady, sat down on +the stump of a tree and hung his head, covering his ears with the palms +of his hands; and yet, notwithstanding, he could still hear her cry and +threaten. + +D'Artagnan was the youngest of all these men. His heart failed him. + +"Oh, I cannot behold this frightful spectacle!" said he. "I cannot +consent that this woman should die thus!" + +Milady heard these few words and caught at a shadow of hope. + +"D'Artagnan, D'Artagnan!" cried she; "remember that I loved you!" + +The young man rose and took a step toward her. + +But Athos rose likewise, drew his sword, and placed himself in the way. + +"If you take one step farther, D'Artagnan," said he, "we shall cross +swords together." + +D'Artagnan sank on his knees and prayed. + +"Come," continued Athos, "executioner, do your duty." + +"Willingly, monseigneur," said the executioner; "for as I am a good +Catholic, I firmly believe I am acting justly in performing my functions +on this woman." + +"That's well." + +Athos made a step toward Milady. + +"I pardon you," said he, "the ill you have done me. I pardon you for my +blasted future, my lost honor, my defiled love, and my salvation forever +compromised by the despair into which you have cast me. Die in peace!" + +Lord de Winter advanced in his turn. + +"I pardon you," said he, "for the poisoning of my brother, and the +assassination of his Grace, Lord Buckingham. I pardon you for the death +of poor Felton; I pardon you for the attempts upon my own person. Die +in peace!" + +"And I," said M. d'Artagnan. "Pardon me, madame, for having by a trick +unworthy of a gentleman provoked your anger; and I, in exchange, pardon +you the murder of my poor love and your cruel vengeance against me. I +pardon you, and I weep for you. Die in peace!" + +"I am lost!" murmured Milady in English. "I must die!" + +Then she arose of herself, and cast around her one of those piercing +looks which seemed to dart from an eye of flame. + +She saw nothing; she listened, and she heard nothing. + +"Where am I to die?" said she. + +"On the other bank," replied the executioner. + +Then he placed her in the boat, and as he was going to set foot in it +himself, Athos handed him a sum of silver. + +"Here," said he, "is the price of the execution, that it may be plain we +act as judges." + +"That is correct," said the executioner; "and now in her turn, let this +woman see that I am not fulfilling my trade, but my debt." + +And he threw the money into the river. + +The boat moved off toward the left-hand shore of the Lys, bearing the +guilty woman and the executioner; all the others remained on the right- +hand bank, where they fell on their knees. + +The boat glided along the ferry rope under the shadow of a pale cloud +which hung over the water at that moment. + +The troop of friends saw it gain the opposite bank; the figures were +defined like black shadows on the red-tinted horizon. + +Milady, during the passage had contrived to untie the cord which +fastened her feet. On coming near the bank, she jumped lightly on shore +and took to flight. But the soil was moist; on reaching the top of the +bank, she slipped and fell upon her knees. + +She was struck, no doubt, with a superstitious idea; she conceived that +heaven denied its aid, and she remained in the attitude in which she had +fallen, her head drooping and her hands clasped. + +Then they saw from the other bank the executioner raise both his arms +slowly; a moonbeam fell upon the blade of the large sword. The two +arms fell with a sudden force; they heard the hissing of the scimitar +and the cry of the victim, then a truncated mass sank beneath the blow. + +The executioner then took off his red cloak, spread it upon the ground, +laid the body in it, threw in the head, tied all up by the four corners, +lifted it on his back, and entered the boat again. + +In the middle of the stream he stopped the boat, and suspending his +burden over the water cried in a loud voice, "Let the justice of God be +done!" and he let the corpse drop into the depths of the waters, which +closed over it. + +Three days afterward the four Musketeers were in Paris; they had not +exceeded their leave of absence, and that same evening they went to pay +their customary visit to M. de Treville. + +"Well, gentlemen," said the brave captain, "I hope you have been well +amused during your excursion." + +"Prodigiously," replied Athos in the name of himself and his comrades. + + + +67 CONCLUSION + +On the sixth of the following month the king, in compliance with the +promise he had made the cardinal to return to La Rochelle, left his +capital still in amazement at the news which began to spread itself of +Buckingham's assassination. + +Although warned that the man she had loved so much was in great danger, +the queen, when his death was announced to her, would not believe the +fact, and even imprudently exclaimed, "it is false; he has just written +to me!" + +But the next day she was obliged to believe this fatal intelligence; +Laporte, detained in England, as everyone else had been, by the orders +of Charles I, arrived, and was the bearer of the duke's dying gift to +the queen. + +The joy of the king was lively. He did not even give himself the +trouble to dissemble, and displayed it with affectation before the +queen. Louis XIII, like very weak mind, was wanting in generosity. + +But the king soon again became dull and indisposed; his brow was not one +of those that long remain clear. He felt that in returning to camp he +should re-enter slavery; nevertheless, he did return. + +The cardinal was for him the fascinating serpent, and himself the bird +which flies from branch to branch without power to escape. + +The return to La Rochelle, therefore, was profoundly dull. Our four +friends, in particular, astonished their comrades; they traveled +together, side by side, with sad eyes and heads lowered. Athos alone +from time to time raised his expansive brow; a flash kindled in his +eyes, and a bitter smile passed over his lips, then, like his comrades, +he sank again into reverie. + +As soon as the escort arrived in a city, when they had conducted the +king to his quarters the four friends either retired to their own or to +some secluded cabaret, where they neither drank nor played; they only +conversed in a low voice, looking around attentively to see that no one +overheard them. + +One day, when the king had halted to fly the magpie, and the four +friends, according to their custom, instead of following the sport had +stopped at a cabaret on the high road, a man coming from la Rochelle on +horseback pulled up at the door to drink a glass of wine, and darted a +searching glance into the room where the four Musketeers were sitting. + +"Holloa, Monsieur d'Artagnan!" said he, "is not that you whom I see +yonder?" + +D'Artagnan raised his head and uttered a cry of joy. It was the man he +called his phantom; it was his stranger of Meung, of the Rue des +Fossoyeurs and of Arras. + +D'Artagnan drew his sword, and sprang toward the door. + +But this time, instead of avoiding him the stranger jumped from his +horse, and advanced to meet D'Artagnan. + +"Ah, monsieur!" said the young man, "I meet you, then, at last! This +time you shall not escape me!" + +"Neither is it my intention, monsieur, for this time I was seeking you; +in the name of the king, I arrest you." + +"How! what do you say?" cried D'Artagnan. + +"I say that you must surrender your sword to me, monsieur, and that +without resistance. This concerns your head, I warn you." + +"Who are you, then?" demanded D'Artagnan, lowering the point of his +sword, but without yet surrendering it. + +"I am the Chevalier de Rochefort," answered the other, "the equerry of +Monsieur le Cardinal Richelieu, and I have orders to conduct you to his +Eminence." + +"We are returning to his Eminence, monsieur the Chevalier," said Athos, +advancing; "and you will please to accept the word of Monsieur +d'Artagnan that he will go straight to La Rochelle." + +"I must place him in the hands of guards who will take him into camp." + +"We will be his guards, monsieur, upon our word as gentlemen; but +likewise, upon our word as gentlemen," added Athos, knitting his brow, +"Monsieur d'Artagnan shall not leave us." + +The Chevalier de Rochefort cast a glance backward, and saw that Porthos +and Aramis had placed themselves between him and the gate; he understood +that he was completely at the mercy of these four men. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "if Monsieur d'Artagnan will surrender his sword +to me and join his word to yours, I shall be satisfied with your promise +to convey Monsieur d'Artagnan to the quarters of Monseigneur the +Cardinal." + +"You have my word, monsieur, and here is my sword." + +"This suits me the better," said Rochefort, "as I wish to continue my +journey." + +"If it is for the purpose of rejoining Milady," said Athos, coolly, "it +is useless; you will not find her." + +"What has become of her, then?" asked Rochefort, eagerly. + +"Return to camp and you shall know." + +Rochefort remained for a moment in thought; then, as they were only a +day's journey from Surgeres, whither the cardinal was to come to meet +the king, he resolved to follow the advice of Athos and go with them. +Besides, this return offered him the advantage of watching his prisoner. + +They resumed their route. + +On the morrow, at three o'clock in the afternoon, they arrived at +Surgeres. The cardinal there awaited Louis XIII. The minister and the +king exchanged numerous caresses, felicitating each other upon the +fortunate chance which had freed France from the inveterate enemy who +set all Europe against her. After which, the cardinal, who had been +informed that D'Artagnan was arrested and who was anxious to see him, +took leave of the king, inviting him to come the next day to view the +work already done upon the dyke. + +On returning in the evening to his quarters at the bridge of La Pierre, +the cardinal found, standing before the house he occupied, D'Artagnan, +without his sword, and the three Musketeers armed. + +This time, as he was well attended, he looked at them sternly, and made +a sign with his eye and hand for D'Artagnan to follow him. + +D'Artagnan obeyed. + +"We shall wait for you, D'Artagnan," said Athos, loud enough for the +cardinal to hear him. + +His Eminence bent his brow, stopped for an instant, and then kept on his +way without uttering a single word. + +D'Artagnan entered after the cardinal, and behind D'Artagnan the door +was guarded. + +His Eminence entered the chamber which served him as a study, and made a +sign to Rochefort to bring in the young Musketeer. + +Rochefort obeyed and retired. + +D'Artagnan remained alone in front of the cardinal; this was his second +interview with Richelieu, and he afterward confessed that he felt well +assured it would be his last. + +Richelieu remained standing, leaning against the mantelpiece; a table +was between him and D'Artagnan. + +"Monsieur," said the cardinal, "you have been arrested by my orders." + +"So they tell me, monseigneur." + +"Do you know why?" + +"No, monseigneur, for the only thing for which I could be arrested is +still unknown to your Eminence." + +Richelieu looked steadfastly at the young man. + +"Holloa!" said he, "what does that mean?" + +"If Monseigneur will have the goodness to tell me, in the first place, +what crimes are imputed to me, I will then tell him the deeds I have +really done." + +"Crimes are imputed to you which had brought down far loftier heads than +yours, monsieur," said the cardinal. + +"What, monseigneur?" said D'Artagnan, with a calmness which astonished +the cardinal himself. + +"You are charged with having corresponded with the enemies of the +kingdom; you are charged with having surprised state secrets; you are +charged with having tried to thwart the plans of your general." + +"And who charges me with this, monseigneur?" said D'Artagnan, who had +no doubt the accusation came from Milady, "a woman branded by the +justice of the country; a woman who has espoused one man in France and +another in England; a woman who poisoned her second husband and who +attempted both to poison and assassinate me!" + +"What do you say, monsieur?" cried the cardinal, astonished; "and of +what woman are you speaking thus?" + +"Of Milady de Winter," replied D'Artagnan, "yes, of Milady de Winter, of +whose crimes your Eminence is doubtless ignorant, since you have honored +her with your confidence." + +"Monsieur," said the cardinal, "if Milady de Winter has committed the +crimes you lay to her charge, she shall be punished." + +"She has been punished, monseigneur." + +"And who has punished her?" + +"We." + +"She is in prison?" + +"She is dead." + +"Dead!" repeated the cardinal, who could not believe what he heard, +"dead! Did you not say she was dead?" + +"Three times she attempted to kill me, and I pardoned her; but she +murdered the woman I loved. Then my friends and I took her, tried her, +and condemned her." + +D'Artagnan then related the poisoning of Mme. Bonacieux in the convent +of the Carmelites at Bethune, the trial in the isolated house, and the +execution on the banks of the Lys. + +A shudder crept through the body of the cardinal, who did not shudder +readily. + +But all at once, as if undergoing the influence of an unspoken thought, +the countenance of the cardinal, till then gloomy, cleared up by +degrees, and recovered perfect serenity. + +"So," said the cardinal, in a tone that contrasted strongly with the +severity of his words, "you have constituted yourselves judges, without +remembering that they who punish without license to punish are +assassins?" + +"Monseigneur, I swear to you that I never for an instant had the +intention of defending my head against you. I willingly submit to any +punishment your Eminence may please to inflict upon me. I do not hold +life dear enough to be afraid of death." + +"Yes, I know you are a man of a stout heart, monsieur," said the +cardinal, with a voice almost affectionate; "I can therefore tell you +beforehand you shall be tried, and even condemned." + +"Another might reply to your Eminence that he had his pardon in his +pocket. I content myself with saying: Command, monseigneur; I am +ready." + +"Your pardon?" said Richelieu, surprised. + +"Yes, monseigneur," said D'Artagnan. + +"And signed by whom--by the king?" And the cardinal pronounced these +words with a singular expression of contempt. + +"No, by your Eminence." + +"By me? You are insane, monsieur." + +"Monseigneur will doubtless recognize his own handwriting." + +And D'Artagnan presented to the cardinal the precious piece of paper +which Athos had forced from Milady, and which he had given to D'Artagnan +to serve him as a safeguard. + +His Eminence took the paper, and read in a slow voice, dwelling upon +every syllable: + + +"Dec. 3, 1627 +"It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has done what he has done. + +"RICHELIEU" + + +The cardinal, after having read these two lines, sank into a profound +reverie; but he did not return the paper to D'Artagnan. + +"He is meditating by what sort of punishment he shall cause me to die," +said the Gascon to himself. "Well, my faith! he shall see how a +gentleman can die." + +The young Musketeer was in excellent disposition to die heroically. + +Richelieu still continued thinking, rolling and unrolling the paper in +his hands. + +At length he raised his head, fixed his eagle look upon that loyal, +open, and intelligent countenance, read upon that face, furrowed with +tears, all the sufferings its possessor had endured in the course of a +month, and reflected for the third or fourth time how much there was in +that youth of twenty-one years before him, and what resources his +activity, his courage, and his shrewdness might offer to a good master. +On the other side, the crimes, the power, and the infernal genius of +Milady had more than once terrified him. He felt something like a +secret joy at being forever relieved of this dangerous accomplice. + +Richelieu slowly tore the paper which D'Artagnan had generously +relinquished. + +"I am lost!" said D'Artagnan to himself. And he bowed profoundly +before the cardinal, like a man who says, "Lord, Thy will be done!" + +The cardinal approached the table, and without sitting down, wrote a few +lines upon a parchment of which two-thirds were already filled, and +affixed his seal. + +"That is my condemnation," thought D'Artagnan; "he will spare me the +ENNUI of the Bastille, or the tediousness of a trial. That's very kind +of him." + +"Here, monsieur," said the cardinal to the young man. "I have taken +from you one CARTE BLANCHE to give you another. The name is wanting in +this commission; you can write it yourself." + +D'Artagnan took the paper hesitatingly and cast his eyes over it; it was +a lieutenant's commission in the Musketeers. + +D'Artagnan fell at the feet of the cardinal. + +"Monseigneur," said he, "my life is yours; henceforth dispose of it. +But this favor which you bestow upon me I do not merit. I have three +friends who are more meritorious and more worthy--" + +"You are a brave youth, D'Artagnan," interrupted the cardinal, tapping +him familiarly on the shoulder, charmed at having vanquished this +rebellious nature. "Do with this commission what you will; only +remember, though the name be blank, it is to you I give it." + +"I shall never forget it," replied D'Artagnan. "Your Eminence may be +certain of that." + +The cardinal turned and said in a loud voice, "Rochefort!" The +chevalier, who no doubt was near the door, entered immediately. + +"Rochefort," said the cardinal, "you see Monsieur d'Artagnan. I receive +him among the number of my friends. Greet each other, then; and be wise +if you wish to preserve your heads." + +Rochefort and D'Artagnan coolly greeted each other with their lips; but +the cardinal was there, observing them with his vigilant eye. + +They left the chamber at the same time. + +"We shall meet again, shall we not, monsieur?" + +"When you please," said D'Artagnan. + +"An opportunity will come," replied Rochefort. + +"Hey?" said the cardinal, opening the door. + +The two men smiled at each other, shook hands, and saluted his Eminence. + +"We were beginning to grow impatient," said Athos. + +"Here I am, my friends," replied D'Artagnan; "not only free, but in +favor." + +"Tell us about it." + +"This evening; but for the moment, let us separate." + +Accordingly, that same evening D'Artagnan repaired to the quarters of +Athos, whom he found in a fair way to empty a bottle of Spanish wine--an +occupation which he religiously accomplished every night. + +D'Artagnan related what had taken place between the cardinal and +himself, and drawing the commission from his pocket, said, "Here, my +dear Athos, this naturally belongs to you." + +Athos smiled with one of his sweet and expressive smiles. + +"Friend," said he, "for Athos this is too much; for the Comte de la Fere +it is too little. Keep the commission; it is yours. Alas! you have +purchased it dearly enough." + +D'Artagnan left Athos's chamber and went to that of Porthos. He found +him clothed in a magnificent dress covered with splendid embroidery, +admiring himself before a glass. + +"Ah, ah! is that you, dear friend?" exclaimed Porthos. "How do you +think these garments fit me?" + +"Wonderfully," said D'Artagnan; but I come to offer you a dress which +will become you still better." + +"What?" asked Porthos. + +"That of a lieutenant of Musketeers." + +D'Artagnan related to Porthos the substance of his interview with the +cardinal, and said, taking the commission from his pocket, "Here, my +friend, write your name upon it and become my chief." + +Porthos cast his eyes over the commission and returned it to D'Artagnan, +to the great astonishment of the young man. + +"Yes," said he, "yes, that would flatter me very much; but I should not +have time enough to enjoy the distinction. During our expedition to +Bethune the husband of my duchess died; so, my dear, the coffer of the +defunct holding out its arms to me, I shall marry the widow. Look here! +I was trying on my wedding suit. Keep the lieutenancy, my dear, keep +it." + +The young man then entered the apartment of Aramis. He found him +kneeling before a PRIEDIEU with his head leaning on an open prayer book. + +He described to him his interview with the cardinal, and said, for the +third time drawing his commission from his pocket, "You, our friend, our +intelligence, our invisible protector, accept this commission. You have +merited it more than any of us by your wisdom and your counsels, always +followed by such happy results." + +"Alas, dear friend!" said Aramis, "our late adventures have disgusted +me with military life. This time my determination is irrevocably taken. +After the siege I shall enter the house of the Lazarists. Keep the +commission, D'Artagnan; the profession of arms suits you. You will be a +brave and adventurous captain." + +D'Artagnan, his eye moist with gratitude though beaming with joy, went +back to Athos, whom he found still at table contemplating the charms of +his last glass of Malaga by the light of his lamp. + +"Well," said he, "they likewise have refused me." + +"That, dear friend, is because nobody is more worthy than yourself." + +He took a quill, wrote the name of D'Artagnan in the commission, and +returned it to him. + +"I shall then have no more friends," said the young man. "Alas! +nothing but bitter recollections." + +And he let his head sink upon his hands, while two large tears rolled +down his cheeks. + +"You are young," replied Athos; "and your bitter recollections have time +to change themselves into sweet remembrances." + + + +EPILOGUE + +La Rochelle, deprived of the assistance of the English fleet and of the +diversion promised by Buckingham, surrendered after a siege of a year. +On the twenty-eighth of October, 1628, the capitulation was signed. + +The king made his entrance into Paris on the twenty-third of December of +the same year. He was received in triumph, as if he came from +conquering an enemy and not Frenchmen. He entered by the Faubourg St. +Jacques, under verdant arches. + +D'Artagnan took possession of his command. Porthos left the service, +and in the course of the following year married Mme. Coquenard; the +coffer so much coveted contained eight hundred thousand livres. + +Mousqueton had a magnificent livery, and enjoyed the satisfaction of +which he had been ambitious all his life--that of standing behind a +gilded carriage. + +Aramis, after a journey into Lorraine, disappeared all at once, and +ceased to write to his friends; they learned at a later period through +Mme. de Chevreuse, who told it to two or three of her intimates, that, +yielding to his vocation, he had retired into a convent--only into +which, nobody knew. + +Bazin became a lay brother. + +Athos remained a Musketeer under the command of D'Artagnan till the year +1633, at which period, after a journey he made to Touraine, he also quit +the service, under the pretext of having inherited a small property in +Roussillon. + +Grimaud followed Athos. + +D'Artagnan fought three times with Rochefort, and wounded him three +times. + +"I shall probably kill you the fourth," said he to him, holding out his +hand to assist him to rise. + +"It is much better both for you and for me to stop where we are," +answered the wounded man. "CORBLEU--I am more your friend than you +think--for after our very first encounter, I could by saying a word to +the cardinal have had your throat cut!" + +They this time embraced heartily, and without retaining any malice. + +Planchet obtained from Rochefort the rank of sergeant in the Piedmont +regiment. + +M. Bonacieux lived on very quietly, wholly ignorant of what had become of his +wife, and caring very little about it. One day he had the imprudence to +recall himself to the memory of the cardinal. The cardinal had him informed +that he would provide for him so that he should never want for anything in +future. In fact, M. Bonacieux, having left his house at seven o'clock in the +evening to go to the Louvre, never appeared again in the Rue des Fossoyeurs; +the opinion of those who seemed to be best informed was that he was fed and +lodged in some royal castle, at the expense of his generous Eminence. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg Etext of The Three Musketeers, by Dumas [Pere] + |