Les trois mousquetaires. English Page 4

  3 THE AUDIENCE

  M de Treville was at the moment in rather ill-humor, nevertheless hesaluted the young man politely, who bowed to the very ground; and hesmiled on receiving d'Artagnan's response, the Bearnese accent of whichrecalled to him at the same time his youth and his country--a doubleremembrance which makes a man smile at all ages; but stepping toward theantechamber and making a sign to d'Artagnan with his hand, as if to askhis permission to finish with others before he began with him, he calledthree times, with a louder voice at each time, so that he ran throughthe intervening tones between the imperative accent and the angryaccent.

  "Athos! Porthos! Aramis!"

  The two Musketeers with whom we have already made acquaintance, and whoanswered to the last of these three names, immediately quitted the groupof which they had formed a part, and advanced toward the cabinet, thedoor of which closed after them as soon as they had entered. Theirappearance, although it was not quite at ease, excited by itscarelessness, at once full of dignity and submission, the admiration ofd'Artagnan, who beheld in these two men demigods, and in their leader anOlympian Jupiter, armed with all his thunders.

  When the two Musketeers had entered; when the door was closed behindthem; when the buzzing murmur of the antechamber, to which the summonswhich had been made had doubtless furnished fresh food, had recommenced;when M. de Treville had three or four times paced in silence, and with afrowning brow, the whole length of his cabinet, passing each time beforePorthos and Aramis, who were as upright and silent as if on parade--hestopped all at once full in front of them, and covering them from headto foot with an angry look, "Do you know what the king said to me,"cried he, "and that no longer ago than yesterday evening--do you know,gentlemen?"

  "No," replied the two Musketeers, after a moment's silence, "no, sir, wedo not."

  "But I hope that you will do us the honor to tell us," added Aramis, inhis politest tone and with his most graceful bow.

  "He told me that he should henceforth recruit his Musketeers from amongthe 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 beingenlivened 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 didnot know where he was, and wished himself a hundred feet underground.

  "Yes, yes," continued M. de Treville, growing warmer as he spoke, "andhis majesty was right; for, upon my honor, it is true that theMusketeers make but a miserable figure at court. The cardinal relatedyesterday while playing with the king, with an air of condolence verydispleasing to me, that the day before yesterday those DAMNEDMUSKETEERS, those DAREDEVILS--he dwelt upon those words with an ironicaltone still more displeasing to me--those BRAGGARTS, added he, glancingat me with his tiger-cat's eye, had made a riot in the Rue Ferou in acabaret, and that a party of his Guards (I thought he was going to laughin my face) had been forced to arrest the rioters! MORBLEU! You mustknow something about it. Arrest Musketeers! You were among them--youwere! 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 whoselects my men. You, Aramis, why the devil did you ask me for a uniformwhen 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 strawfrom 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 isthat it will certainly spoil his face."

  "The smallpox! That's a great story to tell me, Porthos! Sick of thesmallpox at his age! No, no; but wounded without doubt, killed, perhaps.Ah, if I knew! S'blood! Messieurs Musketeers, I will not have thishaunting of bad places, this quarreling in the streets, this swordplayat the crossways; and above all, I will not have occasion given for thecardinal's Guards, who are brave, quiet, skillful men who never putthemselves in a position to be arrested, and who, besides, never allowthemselves to be arrested, to laugh at you! I am sure of it--they wouldprefer dying on the spot to being arrested or taking back a step. Tosave yourselves, to scamper away, to flee--that is good for the king'sMusketeers!"

  Porthos and Aramis trembled with rage. They could willingly havestrangled M. de Treville, if, at the bottom of all this, they had notfelt it was the great love he bore them which made him speak thus. Theystamped upon the carpet with their feet; they bit their lips till theblood came, and grasped the hilts of their swords with all their might.All without had heard, as we have said, Athos, Porthos, and Aramiscalled, and had guessed, from M. de Treville's tone of voice, that hewas very angry about something. Ten curious heads were glued to thetapestry and became pale with fury; for their ears, closely applied tothe door, did not lose a syllable of what he said, while their mouthsrepeated as he went on, the insulting expressions of the captain to allthe people in the antechamber. In an instant, from the door of thecabinet 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 hissoldiers, but emphasizing his words and plunging them, one by one, so tosay, 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'sMusketeers! 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 totake 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 tobe heard but oaths and blasphemies. The MORBLEUS, the SANG DIEUS, theMORTS TOUTS LES DIABLES, crossed one another in the air. D'Artagnanlooked for some tapestry behind which he might hide himself, and felt animmense inclination to crawl under the table.

  "Well, my Captain," said Porthos, quite beside himself, "the truth isthat 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 knowAthos. Well, Captain, he endeavored twice to get up, and fell againtwice. And we did not surrender--no! They dragged us away by force. Onthe way we escaped. As for Athos, they believed him to be dead, and lefthim very quiet on the field of battle, not thinking it worth the troubleto carry him away. That's the whole story. What the devil, Captain, onecannot 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 otherfolks, nevertheless lost the Battle of Pavia."

  "And I have the honor of assuring you that I killed one of them with hisown sword," said Aramis; "for mine was broken at the first parry. Killedhim, or poniarded him, sir, as is most agreeable to you."

  "I did not know that," replied M. de Treville, in a somewhat softenedtone. "The cardinal exaggerated, as I perceive."

  "But pray, sir," continued Aramis, who, seeing his captain becomeappeased, 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; andas the wound is very serious, seeing that after crossing the shoulder itpenetrates 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 feebleyet perfectly calm voice, "you have sent for me, as my comrades informme, and I have hastened to receive your orders. I am here; what do youwant with me?"

  And at these words, the Musketeer, in irreproachable costume, belted asusual, with a tolerably firm step, entered the cabinet. M. de Treville,moved to the bottom
of his heart by this proof of courage, sprang towardhim.

  "I was about to say to these gentlemen," added he, "that I forbid myMusketeers to expose their lives needlessly; for brave men are very dearto the king, and the king knows that his Musketeers are the bravest onthe earth. Your hand, Athos!"

  And without waiting for the answer of the newcomer to this proof ofaffection, M. de Treville seized his right hand and pressed it with allhis might, without perceiving that Athos, whatever might be hisself-command, allowed a slight murmur of pain to escape him, and ifpossible, grew paler than he was before.

  The door had remained open, so strong was the excitement produced by thearrival of Athos, whose wound, though kept as a secret, was known toall. A burst of satisfaction hailed the last words of the captain; andtwo or three heads, carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment,appeared through the openings of the tapestry. M. de Treville was aboutto reprehend this breach of the rules of etiquette, when he felt thehand 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! Asurgeon! Or, s'blood, my brave Athos will die!"

  At the cries of M. de Treville, the whole assemblage rushed into thecabinet, he not thinking to shut the door against anyone, and allcrowded round the wounded man. But all this eager attention might havebeen useless if the doctor so loudly called for had not chanced to be inthe hotel. He pushed through the crowd, approached Athos, stillinsensible, and as all this noise and commotion inconvenienced himgreatly, he required, as the first and most urgent thing, that theMusketeer should be carried into an adjoining chamber. Immediately M. deTreville opened and pointed the way to Porthos and Aramis, who boretheir comrade in their arms. Behind this group walked the surgeon; andbehind the surgeon the door closed.

  The cabinet of M. de Treville, generally held so sacred, became in aninstant the annex of the antechamber. Everyone spoke, harangued, andvociferated, swearing, cursing, and consigning the cardinal and hisGuards to all the devils.

  An instant after, Porthos and Aramis re-entered, the surgeon and M. deTreville alone remaining with the wounded.

  At length, M. de Treville himself returned. The injured man hadrecovered his senses. The surgeon declared that the situation of theMusketeer had nothing in it to render his friends uneasy, his weaknesshaving been purely and simply caused by loss of blood.

  Then M. de Treville made a sign with his hand, and all retired exceptd'Artagnan, who did not forget that he had an audience, and with thetenacity of a Gascon remained in his place.

  When all had gone out and the door was closed, M. de Treville, onturning round, found himself alone with the young man. The event whichhad occurred had in some degree broken the thread of his ideas. Heinquired what was the will of his persevering visitor. D'Artagnan thenrepeated his name, and in an instant recovering all his remembrances ofthe present and the past, M. de Treville grasped the situation.

  "Pardon me," said he, smiling, "pardon me my dear compatriot, but I hadwholly forgotten you. But what help is there for it! A captain isnothing but a father of a family, charged with even a greaterresponsibility than the father of an ordinary family. Soldiers are bigchildren; but as I maintain that the orders of the king, and moreparticularly the orders of the cardinal, should be executed--"

  D'Artagnan could not restrain a smile. By this smile M. de Trevillejudged that he had not to deal with a fool, and changing theconversation, came straight to the point.

  "I respected your father very much," said he. "What can I do for theson? Tell me quickly; my time is not my own."

  "Monsieur," said d'Artagnan, "on quitting Tarbes and coming hither, itwas my intention to request of you, in remembrance of the friendshipwhich you have not forgotten, the uniform of a Musketeer; but after allthat I have seen during the last two hours, I comprehend that such afavor is enormous, and tremble lest I should not merit it."

  "It is indeed a favor, young man," replied M. de Treville, "but it maynot be so far beyond your hopes as you believe, or rather as you appearto believe. But his majesty's decision is always necessary; and I informyou with regret that no one becomes a Musketeer without the preliminaryordeal of several campaigns, certain brilliant actions, or a service oftwo years in some other regiment less favored than ours."

  D'Artagnan bowed without replying, feeling his desire to don theMusketeer's uniform vastly increased by the great difficulties whichpreceded the attainment of it.

  "But," continued M. de Treville, fixing upon his compatriot a look sopiercing that it might be said he wished to read the thoughts of hisheart, "on account of my old companion, your father, as I have said, Iwill do something for you, young man. Our recruits from Bearn are notgenerally very rich, and I have no reason to think matters have muchchanged in this respect since I left the province. I dare say you havenot brought too large a stock of money with you?"

  D'Artagnan drew himself up with a proud air which plainly said, "I askalms of no man."

  "Oh, that's very well, young man," continued M. de Treville, "that's allvery well. I know these airs; I myself came to Paris with four crowns inmy purse, and would have fought with anyone who dared to tell me I wasnot in a condition to purchase the Louvre."

  D'Artagnan's bearing became still more imposing. Thanks to the sale ofhis horse, he commenced his career with four more crowns than M. deTreville possessed at the commencement of his.

  "You ought, I say, then, to husband the means you have, however largethe sum may be; but you ought also to endeavor to perfect yourself inthe exercises becoming a gentleman. I will write a letter today to theDirector of the Royal Academy, and tomorrow he will admit you withoutany expense to yourself. Do not refuse this little service. Ourbest-born and richest gentlemen sometimes solicit it without being ableto obtain it. You will learn horsemanship, swordsmanship in all itsbranches, and dancing. You will make some desirable acquaintances; andfrom time to time you can call upon me, just to tell me how you aregetting 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 notbut perceive a little coldness in this reception.

  "Alas, sir," said he, "I cannot but perceive how sadly I miss the letterof introduction which my father gave me to present to you."

  "I certainly am surprised," replied M. de Treville, "that you shouldundertake so long a journey without that necessary passport, the soleresource of us poor Bearnese."

  "I had one, sir, and, thank God, such as I could wish," criedd'Artagnan; "but it was perfidiously stolen from me."

  He then related the adventure of Meung, described the unknown gentlemanwith the greatest minuteness, and all with a warmth and truthfulnessthat delighted M. de Treville.

  "This is all very strange," said M. de Treville, after meditating aminute; "you mentioned my name, then, aloud?"

  "Yes, sir, I certainly committed that imprudence; but why should I havedone 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 lovedincense as well as a king, or even a cardinal. He could not refrain froma smile of visible satisfaction; but this smile soon disappeared, andreturning to the adventure of Meung, "Tell me," continued he, "had notthis 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 pale complexion and brown hair?"

  "Yes, yes, that is he; how is it, sir, that you are acquainted with thisman? If I ever find him again--and I will find him, I swear, were it inhell!"

  "He was waiting for a woman," continued Treville.

  "He departed immediately after having conversed for a minute with herwhom 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 atBrussels."

  "Oh, sir, if you know who this man is," cried d'Artagnan, "tell me whohe is, and whence he is. I will then release you from all yourpromises--even that of procuring my admission into the Musketeers; forbefore everything, I wish to avenge myself."

  "Beware, young man!" cried Treville. "If you see him coming on one sideof the street, pass by on the other. Do not cast yourself against such arock; 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 toadvise 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 thisman, who--a rather improbable thing--had stolen his father's letter fromhim--was there not some perfidy concealed under this hatred? Might notthis young man be sent by his Eminence? Might he not have come for thepurpose of laying a snare for him? This pretended d'Artagnan--was he notan emissary of the cardinal, whom the cardinal sought to introduce intoTreville's house, to place near him, to win his confidence, andafterward to ruin him as had been done in a thousand other instances? Hefixed his eyes upon d'Artagnan even more earnestly than before. He wasmoderately reassured, however, by the aspect of that countenance, fullof astute intelligence and affected humility. "I know he is a Gascon,"reflected he, "but he may be one for the cardinal as well as for me. Letus try him."

  "My friend," said he, slowly, "I wish, as the son of an ancientfriend--for I consider this story of the lost letter perfectly true--Iwish, I say, in order to repair the coldness you may have remarked in myreception of you, to discover to you the secrets of our policy. The kingand the cardinal are the best of friends; their apparent bickerings areonly feints to deceive fools. I am not willing that a compatriot, ahandsome cavalier, a brave youth, quite fit to make his way, shouldbecome the dupe of all these artifices and fall into the snare after theexample of so many others who have been ruined by it. Be assured that Iam devoted to both these all-powerful masters, and that my earnestendeavors have no other aim than the service of the king, and also thecardinal--one of the most illustrious geniuses that France has everproduced.

  "Now, young man, regulate your conduct accordingly; and if youentertain, whether from your family, your relations, or even from yourinstincts, any of these enmities which we see constantly breaking outagainst the cardinal, bid me adieu and let us separate. I will aid youin many ways, but without attaching you to my person. I hope that myfrankness at least will make you my friend; for you are the only youngman to whom I have hitherto spoken as I have done to you."

  Treville said to himself: "If the cardinal has set this young fox uponme, he will certainly not have failed--he, who knows how bitterly Iexecrate him--to tell his spy that the best means of making his court tome is to rail at him. Therefore, in spite of all my protestations, if itbe as I suspect, my cunning gossip will assure me that he holds hisEminence in horror."

  It, however, proved otherwise. D'Artagnan answered, with the greatestsimplicity: "I came to Paris with exactly such intentions. My fatheradvised me to stoop to nobody but the king, the cardinal, andyourself--whom he considered the first three personages in France."

  D'Artagnan added M. de Treville to the others, as may be perceived; buthe thought this addition would do no harm.

  "I have the greatest veneration for the cardinal," continued he, "andthe 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 willdo me the honor to esteem the resemblance of our opinions; but if youhave entertained any doubt, as naturally you may, I feel that I amruining myself by speaking the truth. But I still trust you will notesteem 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 hissuspicions. The more this young man was superior to others, the more hewas to be dreaded if he meant to deceive him. Nevertheless, he pressedd'Artagnan's hand, and said to him: "You are an honest youth; but at thepresent moment I can only do for you that which I just now offered. Myhotel will be always open to you. Hereafter, being able to ask for me atall hours, and consequently to take advantage of all opportunities, youwill probably obtain that which you desire."

  "That is to say," replied d'Artagnan, "that you will wait until I haveproved myself worthy of it. Well, be assured," added he, with thefamiliarity of a Gascon, "you shall not wait long." And he bowed inorder 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 youa letter for the director of the Academy. Are you too proud to acceptit, young gentleman?"

  "No, sir," said d'Artagnan; "and I will guard it so carefully that Iwill be sworn it shall arrive at its address, and woe be to him whoshall attempt to take it from me!"

  M de Treville smiled at this flourish; and leaving his young mancompatriot in the embrasure of the window, where they had talkedtogether, he seated himself at a table in order to write the promisedletter of recommendation. While he was doing this, d'Artagnan, having nobetter employment, amused himself with beating a march upon the windowand 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 verymoment when d'Artagnan stretched out his hand to receive it, M. deTreville 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 hedisappeared.

  "The devil take the madman!" murmured M. de Treville, "unless," addedhe, "this is a cunning mode of escaping, seeing that he had failed inhis purpose!"