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Chapter XL
Chapter XL
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
penetrate 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
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 try 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 - "
"Of no consequence, of no consequence!" 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 M. de Treville, were you not?"
"Yes, monseigneur, but in that unfortunate affair of Meung - "
"The letter was lost," replied his eminence; "yes, I know that; but M.
de Treville is a skillful physiognomist, who knows men at first sight; and
he placed you in the company of his brother-in-law, M. Dessessarts, leaving
you to hope that one day or other you should enter the musketeers."
"Monseigneur is quite 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 for you 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 am
acquainted with the circumstances, because it is my position 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 collet 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 did not return
that visit, and you were wrong."
"Monseigneur, I feared I had incurred the anger of your eminence."
"How could that be, monsieur? Could you incur my anger 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 caused you to be informed that I desired you to come
to me, and seek in your memory for what happened to you that very night."
That was the very evening on which the carrying off of Madame Bonacieux
took place; D`Artagnan trembled; and he likewise recollected that half an
hour before 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, M. d`Artagnan;
you are quite 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 very true; but alone as you are, you have already done
much, and will still do more, I don`t doubt. And yet you have need, I
believe, to be guarded 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 hopes but for fools, monsieur, and you are a
man of understanding. Now, what would you say to an ensigncy 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.
"What! do you decline it?" 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 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, safe 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
to the king`s service alone."
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 deciie."
"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 earth-worm; 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, by an inconceivable fatality, all my enemies are
in the service of your eminence; I should, therefore, be ill received here
and ill regarded there, if I accepted that which monseigneur offers me."
"Do you happen to entertain the proud idea that I have not yet made you
an offer equal to your merit?" asked the cardinal, with a smile of disdain.
"Monseigneur, your eminence is a hundred times too kind on my account,
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 that siege in such a manner as to attract your attention
- then I shall a 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 preserve 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 reward our
friends; we owe nothing to our enemies; and let me give you a piece of
advice: take good care of yourself, Monsieur d`Artagnan, for, from the moment
I withdraw my hand from you, I would not give you an abode 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, with earnestness, "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!"
"Ah! monseigneur!" cried D`Artagnan, "spare me the weight of your
anger; remain neuter, monseigneur, if you find that I act as a gentleman
ought to act."
"Young man," said Richelieu, "if I am able to say to you again once more
what I have said to you to-day, 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. But 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 post that it was useless to keep guard longer, as his master had
come out safe from the Palais-Cardinal.
When they reached Athos` residence, Aramis and Porthos inquired eagerly
the cause of this 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 quite right," cried Aramis and Porthos, with one voice.
Athos fell into a profound reverie and answered nothing. But when they
were alone:
"You have done that which you ought to have done, D`Artagnan," said
Athos - "but yet, perhaps, you have done 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 assembled all the comrades of the guards of M. Dessessarts
and the company of the musketeers of M. de Treville, who had been accustomed
to associate together. They were parting to meet again when it should please
God, and if it should please God. The night, then, was a somewhat riotous
one, as may be imagined; in such cases extreme preoccupation being 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. Dessessarts. Each of the captains then led his company to the Louvre,
where the king passed them in review.
The king was dull, and appeared ill, which took off a little from his
usual lofty carriage. 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 of 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 procureuse saw him pass in his new uniform and upon 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 a severe one: he whispered a hope to himself that this beloved
relation might be killed in the course of it.
Porthos paid his compliments to M. Coquenard, and bade him farewell;
Monsieur Coquenard wished him all sorts of prosperities. As to Madame
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
relations, about whom she was constantly having serious disputes with her
husband.
But the real adieux were made in Madame Coquenard`s chamber; they were
heartrending!
As long as the procureuse 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 was about to precipitate herself after her musketeer. 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. On arriving
at the Faubourg St. Antoine, he turned round to look gayly 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, pointed him out 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
that was the person. Then, certain that there could be no mistake in the
execution of her orders, she turned her horse and disappeared.
The two men followed the company, and at leaving the Faubourg, St.
Antoine, mounted two horses properly equipped, which a servant out of livery
was holding in expectation of their coming.
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