21 THE COUNTESS DE WINTER
As they rode along, the duke endeavored to draw from d'Artagnan, not allthat had happened, but what d'Artagnan himself knew. By adding all thathe heard from the mouth of the young man to his own remembrances, he wasenabled to form a pretty exact idea of a position of the seriousness ofwhich, for the rest, the queen's letter, short but explicit, gave himthe clue. But that which astonished him most was that the cardinal, sodeeply interested in preventing this young man from setting his foot inEngland, had not succeeded in arresting him on the road. It was then,upon the manifestation of this astonishment, that d'Artagnan related tohim the precaution taken, and how, thanks to the devotion of his threefriends, whom he had left scattered and bleeding on the road, he hadsucceeded in coming off with a single sword thrust, which had piercedthe queen's letter and for which he had repaid M. de Wardes with suchterrible coin. While he was listening to this recital, delivered withthe greatest simplicity, the duke looked from time to time at the youngman with astonishment, as if he could not comprehend how so muchprudence, courage, and devotedness could be allied with a countenancewhich indicated not more than twenty years.
The horses went like the wind, and in a few minutes they were at thegates of London. D'Artagnan imagined that on arriving in town the dukewould slacken his pace, but it was not so. He kept on his way at thesame rate, heedless about upsetting those whom he met on the road. Infact, 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 hehad knocked down. D'Artagnan followed him amid cries which stronglyresembled 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 hisneck, and sprang toward the vestibule. D'Artagnan did the same, with alittle more concern, however, for the noble creatures, whose merits hefully appreciated; but he had the satisfaction of seeing three or fourgrooms run from the kitchens and the stables, and busy themselves withthe steeds.
The duke walked so fast that d'Artagnan had some trouble in keeping upwith him. He passed through several apartments, of an elegance of whicheven the greatest nobles of France had not even an idea, and arrived atlength in a bedchamber which was at once a miracle of taste and ofrichness. In the alcove of this chamber was a door concealed in thetapestry which the duke opened with a little gold key which he woresuspended from his neck by a chain of the same metal. With discretiond'Artagnan remained behind; but at the moment when Buckingham crossedthe threshold, he turned round, and seeing the hesitation of the youngman, "Come in!" cried he, "and if you have the good fortune to beadmitted to her Majesty's presence, tell her what you have seen."
Encouraged by this invitation, d'Artagnan followed the duke, who closedthe door after them. The two found themselves in a small chapel coveredwith a tapestry of Persian silk worked with gold, and brilliantlylighted with a vast number of candles. Over a species of altar, andbeneath a canopy of blue velvet, surmounted by white and red plumes, wasa full-length portrait of Anne of Austria, so perfect in its resemblancethat d'Artagnan uttered a cry of surprise on beholding it. One mightbelieve the queen was about to speak. On the altar, and beneath theportrait, was the casket containing the diamond studs.
The duke approached the altar, knelt as a priest might have done beforea crucifix, and opened the casket. "There," said he, drawing from thecasket a large bow of blue ribbon all sparkling with diamonds, "thereare the precious studs which I have taken an oath should be buried withme. The queen gave them to me, the queen requires them again. Her willbe done, like that of God, in all things."
Then, he began to kiss, one after the other, those dear studs with whichhe was about to part. All at once he uttered a terrible cry.
"What is the matter?" exclaimed d'Artagnan, anxiously; "what hashappened to you, my Lord?"
"All is lost!" cried Buckingham, becoming as pale as a corpse; "two ofthe studs are wanting, there are only ten."
"Can you have lost them, my Lord, or do you think they have beenstolen?"
"They have been stolen," replied the duke, "and it is the cardinal whohas dealt this blow. Hold; see! The ribbons which held them have beencut with scissors."
"If my Lord suspects they have been stolen, perhaps the person who stolethem still has them in his hands."
"Wait, wait!" said the duke. "The only time I have worn these studs wasat a ball given by the king eight days ago at Windsor. The Comtesse deWinter, with whom I had quarreled, became reconciled to me at that ball.That reconciliation was nothing but the vengeance of a jealous woman. Ihave never seen her from that day. The woman is an agent of thecardinal."
"He has agents, then, throughout the world?" cried d'Artagnan.
"Oh, yes," said Buckingham, grating his teeth with rage. "Yes, he is aterrible 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!" Hisconfidential valet appeared.
"My jeweler and my secretary."
The valet went out with a mute promptitude which showed him accustomedto obey blindly and without reply.
But although the jeweler had been mentioned first, it was the secretarywho first made his appearance. This was simply because he lived in thehotel. He found Buckingham seated at a table in his bedchamber, writingorders with his own hand.
"Mr. Jackson," said he, "go instantly to the Lord Chancellor, and tellhim that I charge him with the execution of these orders. I wish them tobe promulgated immediately."
"But, my Lord, if the Lord Chancellor interrogates me upon the motiveswhich 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 hemust transmit to his Majesty if, by chance, his Majesty should have thecuriosity to know why no vessel is to leave any of the ports of GreatBritain?"
"You are right, Mr. Jackson," replied Buckingham. "He will say, in thatcase, to the king that I am determined on war, and that this measure ismy 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 afteryou."
"How so?"
"I have just placed an embargo on all vessels at present in hisMajesty's ports, and without particular permission, not one dare lift ananchor."
D'Artagnan looked with stupefaction at a man who thus employed theunlimited power with which he was clothed by the confidence of a king inthe prosecution of his intrigues. Buckingham saw by the expression ofthe 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 fromher, I would betray my country, I would betray my king, I would betraymy God. She asked me not to send the Protestants of La Rochelle theassistance I promised them; I have not done so. I broke my word, it istrue; but what signifies that? I obeyed my love; and have I not beenrichly paid for that obedience? It was to that obedience I owe herportrait."
D'Artagnan was amazed to note by what fragile and unknown threads thedestinies of nations and the lives of men are suspended. He was lost inthese reflections when the goldsmith entered. He was an Irishman--one ofthe most skillful of his craft, and who himself confessed that he gaineda hundred thousand livres a year by the Duke of Buckingham.
"Mr. O'Reilly," said the duke, leading him into the chapel, "look atthese diamond studs, and tell me what they are worth apiece."
The goldsmith cast a glance at the elegant manner in which they wereset, calculated, one with another, what the diamonds were worth, andwithout hesitation said, "Fifteen hundred pistoles each, my Lord."
"How many days would it require to make two studs exactly like them? Yo
usee there are two wanting."
"Eight days, my Lord."
"I will give you three thousand pistoles apiece if I can have them bythe day after tomorrow."
"My Lord, they shall be yours."
"You are a jewel of a man, Mr. O'Reilly; but that is not all. Thesestuds cannot be trusted to anybody; it must be done in the palace."
"Impossible, my Lord! There is no one but myself can so execute themthat one cannot tell the new from the old."
"Therefore, my dear Mr. O'Reilly, you are my prisoner. And if you wishever to leave my palace, you cannot; so make the best of it. Name to mesuch of your workmen as you need, and point out the tools they mustbring."
The goldsmith knew the duke. He knew all objection would be useless, andinstantly 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. Yourcaptivity shall be mild, be assured; and as every inconvenience deservesits indemnification, here is, in addition to the price of the studs, anorder for a thousand pistoles, to make you forget the annoyance I causeyou."
D'Artagnan could not get over the surprise created in him by thisminister, who thus open-handed, sported with men and millions.
As to the goldsmith, he wrote to his wife, sending her the order for thethousand pistoles, and charging her to send him, in exchange, his mostskillful apprentice, an assortment of diamonds, of which he gave thenames and the weight, and the necessary tools.
Buckingham conducted the goldsmith to the chamber destined for him, andwhich, at the end of half an hour, was transformed into a workshop. Thenhe placed a sentinel at each door, with an order to admit nobody uponany pretense but his VALET DE CHAMBRE, Patrick. We need not add that thegoldsmith, O'Reilly, and his assistant, were prohibited from going outunder any pretext. This point, settled, the duke turned to d'Artagnan."Now, my young friend," said he, "England is all our own. What do youwish for? What do you desire?"
"A bed, my Lord," replied d'Artagnan. "At present, I confess, that isthe thing I stand most in need of."
Buckingham gave d'Artagnan a chamber adjoining his own. He wished tohave the young man at hand--not that he at all mistrusted him, but forthe sake of having someone to whom he could constantly talk of thequeen.
In one hour after, the ordinance was published in London that no vesselbound for France should leave port, not even the packet boat withletters. In the eyes of everybody this was a declaration of war betweenthe two kingdoms.
On the day after the morrow, by eleven o'clock, the two diamond studswere finished, and they were so completely imitated, so perfectly alike,that Buckingham could not tell the new ones from the old ones, andexperts in such matters would have been deceived as he was. Heimmediately called d'Artagnan. "Here," said he to him, "are the diamondstuds that you came to bring; and be my witness that I have done allthat human power could do."
"Be satisfied, my Lord, I will tell all that I have seen. But does yourGrace mean to give me the studs without the casket?"
"The casket would encumber you. Besides, the casket is the more preciousfrom 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, "howshall I ever acquit myself of the debt I owe you?"
D'Artagnan blushed up to the whites of his eyes. He saw that the dukewas searching for a means of making him accept something and the ideathat the blood of his friends and himself was about to be paid for withEnglish gold was strangely repugnant to him.
"Let us understand each other, my Lord," replied d'Artagnan, "and let usmake things clear beforehand in order that there may be no mistake. I amin the service of the King and Queen of France, and form part of thecompany of Monsieur Dessessart, who, as well as his brother-in-law,Monsieur de Treville, is particularly attached to their Majesties. WhatI have done, then, has been for the queen, and not at all for yourGrace. And still further, it is very probable I should not have doneanything of this, if it had not been to make myself agreeable to someonewho is my lady, as the queen is yours."
"Yes," said the duke, smiling, "and I even believe that I know thatother 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 todischarge my debt of gratitude."
"You have said, my Lord; for truly, at this moment when there isquestion of war, I confess to you that I see nothing in your Grace butan Englishman, and consequently an enemy whom I should have much greaterpleasure in meeting on the field of battle than in the park at Windsoror the corridors of the Louvre--all which, however, will not prevent mefrom executing to the very point my commission or from laying down mylife, if there be need of it, to accomplish it; but I repeat it to yourGrace, without your having personally on that account more to thank mefor 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 arethe 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 kingof it."
"Go to the riverside, ask for the brig SUND, and give this letter to thecaptain; he will convey you to a little port, where certainly you arenot 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 amean 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 allsaddled, and will point out to you the road you ought to take. You willfind, in the same way, four relays on your route. If you will give ateach of these relays your address in Paris, the four horses will followyou thither. You already know two of them, and you appeared toappreciate them like a judge. They were those we rode on; and you mayrely upon me for the others not being inferior to them. These horses areequipped for the field. However proud you may be, you will not refuse toaccept one of them, and to request your three companions to accept theothers--that is, in order to make war against us. Besides, the endjustified 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 thefield of battle; but in the meantime we shall part good friends, Ihope."
"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 tothe riverside. Opposite the Tower of London he found the vessel that hadbeen named to him, delivered his letter to the captain, who after havingit examined by the governor of the port made immediate preparations tosail.
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 samewhom the unknown gentleman had called Milady, and whom d'Artagnan hadthought so handsome; but thanks to the current of the stream and a fairwind, his vessel passed so quickly that he had little more than aglimpse 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 itby the riotous noise which resounded from it. War between England andFrance was
talked of as near and certain, and the jolly sailors werehaving a carousal.
D'Artagnan made his way through the crowd, advanced toward the host, andpronounced the word "Forward!" The host instantly made him a sign tofollow, went out with him by a door which opened into a yard, led him tothe stable, where a saddled horse awaited him, and asked him if he stoodin 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 thelandlord, 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 mayGod guide you!"
"Amen!" cried the young man, and set off at full gallop.
Four hours later he was in Neufchatel. He strictly followed theinstructions he had received. At Neufchatel, as at St. Valery, he founda horse quite ready and awaiting him. He was about to remove the pistolsfrom the saddle he had quit to the one he was about to fill, but hefound 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 stopat the little village of Eccuis, in which there is but one tavern--theShield of France. Don't condemn it from appearances; you will find ahorse 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, thesame 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 samepace 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 hadmade 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, heinformed him that the company of Dessessart was on duty at the Louvre,and that he might repair at once to his post.
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