Part 57
"Who are you, then?" asked d'Artagnan, lowering his sword, but without yet sheathing it.
"I am the Chevalier de Rochefort," replied the unknown, "equerry to His Eminence the Cardinal de Richelieu, and I have orders to take you back to His Eminence."
"We are returning to His Eminence, Monsieur le Chevalier," said Athos, stepping forward, "and you will accept the word of M. d'Artagnan that he will proceed directly to La Rochelle."
"I must hand him over to the guards who will conduct him back to the camp."
"We will serve as his guards, monsieur, on our word as gentlemen; but on our word as gentlemen also," added Athos, frowning, "M. d'Artagnan will not leave us."
The Chevalier de Rochefort glanced behind him and saw that Porthos and Aramis had placed themselves between him and the door; he understood that he was completely at the mercy of these four men.
"Gentlemen," he said, "if M. d'Artagnan will surrender his sword to me, and add his word to yours, I shall be satisfied with your promise to conduct M. d'Artagnan to the quarters of His Eminence the Cardinal."
"You have my word, monsieur," said d'Artagnan, "and here is my sword."
"That suits me all the better," added Rochefort, "as I must continue my journey."
"If it is to rejoin Milady," said Athos coldly, "it is useless; you will not find her."
"What has become of her?" asked Rochefort sharply.
"Return to the camp and you shall know."
Rochefort remained pensive for a moment; then, as they were now within only a day's march of Surgères, where the cardinal was to come to meet the king, he resolved to follow Athos's advice and return with them.
Moreover, this return offered him an advantage: that of supervising his prisoner himself.
They set off again.
The next day, at three in the afternoon, they arrived at Surgères. The cardinal was there awaiting Louis XIII. The minister and the king exchanged many affectionate greetings, congratulating each other on the happy chance that had rid France of the relentless enemy who had been stirring up all Europe against her. After which, the cardinal, who had been informed by Rochefort that d'Artagnan had been arrested, and who was eager to see him, took leave of the king, inviting him to come the next day to view the works of the dyke, which were now completed.
Returning that evening to his quarters at the Pont-de-la-Pierre, the cardinal found standing before the door of the house he occupied d'Artagnan without his sword and the three musketeers armed.
This time, being in force, he looked at them severely, and with a gesture of his eye and hand signed to d'Artagnan to follow him.
D'Artagnan obeyed.
"We shall wait for you, d'Artagnan," said Athos, loud enough for the cardinal to hear.
His Eminence frowned, paused a moment, then continued his way without uttering a single word.
D'Artagnan entered behind the cardinal, and Rochefort behind d'Artagnan; the door was guarded.
His Eminence went into the room that served as his study, and signed to Rochefort to introduce the young musketeer.
Rochefort obeyed and withdrew.
D'Artagnan remained alone, face to face with the cardinal; it was his second interview with Richelieu, and he afterwards confessed that he had been firmly convinced it would be his last.
Richelieu remained standing, leaning against the mantelpiece; a table stood between him and d'Artagnan.
"Monsieur," said the cardinal, "you have been arrested by my orders."
"So I have been told, 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 steadily at the young man.
"Oh! Oh!" said he, "what does that mean?"
"If Monseigneur will first tell me the crimes I am accused of, I will then relate the deeds I have done."
"You are accused of crimes that have brought down heads higher than yours, monsieur!" said the cardinal.
"Which ones, Monseigneur?" asked d'Artagnan, with a calmness that surprised the cardinal himself.
"You are accused of having corresponded with the enemies of the kingdom; you are accused of having surprised the secrets of State; you are accused of having tried to thwart the plans of your general."
"And who accuses me of these things, Monseigneur?" said d'Artagnan, who suspected that the accusation came from Milady—a woman branded by the justice of the country, a woman who had married one man in France and another in England, a woman who had poisoned her second husband and had attempted to poison me myself!"
"What is this you are saying, monsieur?" exclaimed the cardinal, astonished. "What woman are you speaking of in this manner?"
"Of Milady de Winter," replied d'Artagnan; "yes, of Milady de Winter, whose crimes Your Eminence was doubtless ignorant of when you honoured her with your confidence."
"Monsieur," said the cardinal, "if Milady de Winter has committed the crimes you say, she shall be punished."
"She is already punished, Monseigneur."
"And who punished her?"
"We did."
"She is in prison?"
"She is dead."
"Dead!" repeated the cardinal, unable to believe what he heard. "Dead! Did you not say that she was dead?"
"Three times she tried to kill me, and I pardoned her; but she killed the woman I loved. Then, my friends and I, we seized her, judged her, and condemned her."
D'Artagnan then related the poisoning of Mme Bonacieux in the Carmelite convent at Béthune, the judgment in the isolated house, and the execution on the banks of the Lys.
A shudder ran through the cardinal's body, though he was not easily made to shudder.
But suddenly, as if yielding to the influence of an unspoken thought, the cardinal's expression, sombre until then, gradually cleared and reached the most perfect serenity.
"Thus," he said, in a voice whose gentleness contrasted with the severity of his words, "you set yourselves up as judges, without reflecting that those who have no mission to punish, and who do punish, are assassins!"
"Monseigneur, I swear to you that I have not for a moment intended to defend my head against you. I shall submit to whatever punishment Your Eminence chooses to inflict upon me. I do not hold life dear enough to fear death."
"Yes, I know; you are a man of courage, monsieur," said the cardinal, in an almost affectionate voice; "I can therefore tell you in advance that you will be tried, even condemned."
"Another might answer Your Eminence that he has his pardon in his pocket; I shall content myself with saying to you: '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 mad, monsieur."
"Monseigneur will no doubt recognize his own handwriting."
And d'Artagnan presented to the cardinal the precious paper that Athos had torn from Milady, and which he had given to d'Artagnan to serve as his safeguard.
His Eminence took the paper and read in a slow voice, emphasizing every syllable:
"'It is by my order and for the good of the State that the bearer of this has done what he has done.
"'Camp of La Rochelle, August 5, 1628. "Richelieu.'"
After reading these two lines, the cardinal fell into a deep reverie, but he did not return the paper to d'Artagnan.
"He is meditating what kind of torture he will have me put to death by," muttered d'Artagnan to himself; "well, by my faith! he shall see how a gentleman dies."
The young musketeer was in excellent spirits for a heroic demise.
Richelieu was still thinking; he rolled and unrolled the paper in his hands. At last he raised his head, fixed his eagle gaze upon that loyal, open, intelligent countenance, read on that face furrowed with tears all the sufferings he had endured for a month, and reflected for the third or fourth time how much future lay before this child of twenty-one, and what resources his activity, his courage, and his wit could offer to a good master.
On the other hand, the crimes, the power, the infernal genius of Milady had more than once frightened him. He felt a kind of secret joy at being forever rid of that dangerous accomplice.
He slowly tore up the paper that d'Artagnan had so generously handed to him.
"I am lost," said d'Artagnan to himself.
And he bowed deeply 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 on a parchment of which two-thirds were already filled, and affixed his seal.
"This is my death sentence," thought d'Artagnan; "he is sparing me the boredom of the Bastille and the delays of a trial. That is very kind of him."
"There, monsieur," said the cardinal to the young man, "I have taken a blank signature from you, and I give you back another one. The name is missing from this commission; you shall write it yourself."
D'Artagnan took the paper hesitantly and cast his eyes over it.
It was a lieutenancy in the musketeers.
D'Artagnan fell at the cardinal's feet.
"Monseigneur," he said, "my life is yours; henceforth dispose of it; but this favour you grant me, I do not deserve it; I have three friends who are more deserving and more worthy…"
"You are a brave young man, d'Artagnan," interrupted the cardinal, tapping him familiarly on the shoulder, charmed at having overcome this rebellious nature. "Do what you please with this commission. Only remember that, though the name is in blank, it is to you that I give it."
"I shall never forget it," replied d'Artagnan. "Your Eminence may be certain of that."
The cardinal turned and said aloud:
"Rochefort!"
The chevalier, who was no doubt behind the door, entered immediately.
"Rochefort," said the cardinal, "you see M. d'Artagnan; I receive him among my friends; therefore embrace each other, and be sensible if you wish to keep your head."
Rochefort and d'Artagnan kissed each other on the lips; but the cardinal was there, watching them with a vigilant eye.
They left the room at the same time.
"We shall meet again, shall we not, monsieur?"
"Whenever you please," said d'Artagnan.
"The opportunity will come," replied Rochefort.
"What?" said Richelieu, opening the door.
The two men smiled, 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 favour."
"You will tell us about it?"
"This very evening."
Indeed, that same evening d'Artagnan went to Athos's lodging, where he found him emptying his bottle of Spanish wine, an occupation he religiously performed every evening.
He told him what had passed between the cardinal and himself, and pulling the commission from his pocket:
"Here, my dear Athos," he said, "this naturally belongs to you."
Athos smiled his sweet and charming smile.
"Friend," he said, "for Athos it is too much; for the Comte de La Fère it is too little. Keep this commission; it is yours; alas, good heavens! you have bought it dearly enough."
D'Artagnan left Athos's room and entered that of Porthos.
He found him dressed in a magnificent habit, covered with splendid embroidery, admiring himself in a mirror.
"Ah! ah!" said Porthos, "it's you, dear friend! How do you think this garment suits me?"
"Marvellously," said d'Artagnan; "but I have come to offer you a garment that will suit you even better."
"Which?" asked Porthos.
"That of lieutenant of the musketeers."
D'Artagnan told Porthos of his interview with the cardinal, and pulling the commission from his pocket:
"Here, my dear fellow," he said, "write your name on this, and be a good chief to me."
Porthos cast his eyes on the commission and returned it to d'Artagnan, to the young man's great astonishment.
"Yes," said he, "that would flatter me very much, but I would not have long enough to enjoy this favour. During our expedition to Béthune, my duchess's husband died; so, my dear fellow, the coffers of the deceased beckoning to me, I am marrying the widow. Look, I was trying on my wedding suit; keep the lieutenancy, my dear friend, keep it."
And he returned the commission to d'Artagnan.
The young man entered Aramis's room.
He found him kneeling before a prie-dieu, his forehead pressed against his open prayer book.
He told him of his interview with the cardinal, and for the third time pulling his commission from his pocket:
"You, our friend, our light, our invisible protector," he said, "accept this commission; you deserve it more than anyone, by your wisdom and counsels always followed by such happy results."
"Alas, dear friend!" said Aramis, "our last adventures have quite disgusted me with the life of a swordsman. This time my mind is irrevocably made up; after the siege I shall enter the Lazarist order. Keep this commission, d'Artagnan; the profession of arms suits you; you will be a brave and adventurous captain."
D'Artagnan, his eyes moist with gratitude and shining with joy, returned to Athos, whom he found still seated at table, eyeing his last glass of Malaga by the lamplight.
"Well," he said, "they too have refused it."
"That is because no one, dear friend, was more worthy of it than you."
He took a pen, wrote on the commission the name d'Artagnan, and handed it to him.
"I shall then have no more friends," said the young man; "alas! nothing left but bitter memories…"
And he let his head fall into his hands, while two tears rolled down his cheeks.
"You are young," replied Athos, "and your bitter memories have time to be changed into sweet ones!"
EPILOGUE
La Rochelle, deprived of the aid of the English fleet and of the division promised by Buckingham, surrendered after a siege of one year. On October 28, 1628, the capitulation was signed.
The king made his entry into Paris on December 23 of the same year. He was given a triumph as if he were returning after vanquishing the enemy, and not Frenchmen. He entered through the Faubourg Saint-Jacques under arches of greenery.
D'Artagnan took possession of his rank. Porthos left the service and married, in the course of the following year, Mme Coquenard; the much-coveted strongbox contained eight hundred thousand livres.
Mousqueton had a magnificent livery, and moreover the satisfaction—which he had coveted all his life—of riding behind a gilded carriage.
Aramis, after a journey to Lorraine, suddenly disappeared and ceased writing to his friends. It was learned later, through Mme de Chevreuse, who told it to two or three of her lovers, that he had taken the habit in a convent in Nancy.
Bazin became a lay brother.
Athos remained a musketeer under d'Artagnan's orders until 1633, at which time, following a journey he made to Touraine, he also left the service on the pretext that he had just received a small inheritance in Roussillon.
Grimaud followed Athos.
D'Artagnan fought three times with Rochefort and wounded him three times.
"I shall probably kill you the fourth," he said, offering his hand to help him up.
"It is better, then, for you and for me, that we stop here," replied the wounded man. "Pardi! I am more your friend than you think; for from the very first encounter I could have had your head cut off by saying a word to the cardinal."
This time they embraced wholeheartedly and without any afterthought.
Planchet obtained from Rochefort the rank of sergeant in the Guards.
M. Bonacieux lived very tranquilly, perfectly ignorant of what had become of his wife and caring little about it. One day, he had the imprudence to remind the cardinal of his existence; the cardinal sent word that he would henceforth see to it that he never wanted for anything.
Indeed, the next day, M. Bonacieux, having left his house at seven o'clock in the evening to go to the Louvre, was never seen again on the Rue des Fossoyeurs; the opinion of those who seemed best informed was that he was fed and lodged in some royal château at the expense of his generous Eminence.
THE END
“Stories of the world, in your language.”