75. The Return.
During the six weeks that Athos and Aramis had been absent from France,the Parisians, finding themselves one morning without either queen orking, were greatly annoyed at being thus deserted, and the absence ofMazarin, a thing so long desired, did not compensate for that of the twoaugust fugitives.
The first feeling that pervaded Paris on hearing of the flight to SaintGermain, was that sort of affright which seizes children when they awakein the night and find themselves alone. A deputation was therefore sentto the queen to entreat her to return to Paris; but she not onlydeclined to receive the deputies, but sent an intimation by ChancellorSeguier, implying that if the parliament did not humble itself beforeher majesty by negativing all the questions that had been the cause ofthe quarrel, Paris would be besieged the very next day.
This threatening answer, unluckily for the court, produced quite adifferent effect to that which was intended. It wounded the pride of theparliament, which, supported by the citizens, replied by declaring thatCardinal Mazarin was the cause of all the discontent; denounced him asthe enemy both of the king and the state, and ordered him to retire fromthe court that same day and from France within a week afterward;enjoining, in case of disobedience on his part, all the subjects of theking to pursue and take him.
Mazarin being thus placed beyond the pale of the protection of the law,preparations on both sides were commenced--by the queen, to attackParis, by the citizens, to defend it. The latter were occupied inbreaking up the pavement and stretching chains across the streets, when,headed by the coadjutor, appeared the Prince de Conti (the brother ofthe Prince de Conde) and the Duc de Longueville, his brother-in-law.This unexpected band of auxiliaries arrived in Paris on the tenth ofJanuary and the Prince of Conti was named, but not until after a stormydiscussion, generalissimo of the army of the king, out of Paris.
As for the Duc de Beaufort, he arrived from Vendome, according to theannals of the day, bringing with him his high bearing and his long andbeautiful hair, qualifications which gained him the sovereignty of themarketplaces.
The Parisian army had organized with the promptness characteristic ofthe bourgeois whenever they are moved by any sentiment whatever todisguise themselves as soldiers. On the nineteenth the impromptu armyhad attempted a sortie, more to assure itself and others of its actualexistence than with any more serious intention. They carried a banner,on which could be read this strange device: "We are seeking our king."
The next following days were occupied in trivial movements whichresulted only in the carrying off of a few herds of cattle and theburning of two or three houses.
That was still the situation of affairs up to the early days ofFebruary. On the first day of that month our four companions had landedat Boulogne, and, in two parties, had set out for Paris. Toward the endof the fourth day of the journey Athos and Aramis reached Nanterre,which place they cautiously passed by on the outskirts, fearing thatthey might encounter some troop from the queen's army.
It was against his will that Athos took these precautions, but Aramishad very judiciously reminded him that they had no right to beimprudent, that they had been charged by King Charles with a supreme andsacred mission, which, received at the foot of the scaffold, could beaccomplished only at the feet of Queen Henrietta. Upon that, Athosyielded.
On reaching the capital Athos and Aramis found it in arms. The sentinelat the gate refused even to let them pass, and called his sergeant.
The sergeant, with the air of importance which such people assume whenthey are clad with military dignity, said:
"Who are you, gentlemen?"
"Two gentlemen."
"And where do you come from?"
"From London."
"And what are you going to do in Paris?"
"We are going with a mission to Her Majesty, the Queen of England."
"Ah, every one seems to be going to see the queen of England. We havealready at the station three gentlemen whose passports are underexamination, who are on their way to her majesty. Where are yourpassports?"
"We have none; we left England, ignorant of the state of politics here,having left Paris before the departure of the king."
"Ah!" said the sergeant, with a cunning smile, "you are Mazarinists, whoare sent as spies."
"My dear friend," here Athos spoke, "rest assured, if we wereMazarinists we should come well prepared with every sort of passport. Inyour situation distrust those who are well provided with everyformality."
"Enter the guardroom," said the sergeant; "we will lay your case beforethe commandant of the post."
The guardroom was filled with citizens and common people, some playing,some drinking, some talking. In a corner, almost hidden from view, werethree gentlemen, who had preceded Athos and Aramis, and an officer wasexamining their passports. The first impulse of these three, and ofthose who last entered, was to cast an inquiring glance at each other.The first arrivals wore long cloaks, in whose drapery they werecarefully enveloped; one of them, shorter than the rest, remainedpertinaciously in the background.
When the sergeant on entering the room announced that in all probabilityhe was bringing in two Mazarinists, it appeared to be the unanimousopinion of the officers on guard that they ought not to pass.
"Be it so," said Athos; "yet it is probable, on the contrary, that weshall enter, because we seem to have to do with sensible people. Thereseems to be only one thing to do, which is, to send our names to HerMajesty the Queen of England, and if she engages to answer for us Ipresume we shall be allowed to enter."
On hearing these words the shortest of the other three men seemed moreattentive than ever to what was going on, wrapping his cloak around himmore carefully than before.
"Merciful goodness!" whispered Aramis to Athos, "did you see?"
"What?" asked Athos.
"The face of the shortest of those three gentlemen?"
"No."
"He looked to me--but 'tis impossible."
At this instant the sergeant, who had been for his orders, returned, andpointing to the three gentlemen in cloaks, said:
"The passports are in order; let these three gentlemen pass."
The three gentlemen bowed and hastened to take advantage of thispermission.
Aramis looked after them, and as the last of them passed close to him hepressed the hand of Athos.
"What is the matter with you, my friend?" asked the latter.
"I have--doubtless I am dreaming; tell me, sir," he said to thesergeant, "do you know those three gentlemen who are just gone out?"
"Only by their passports; they are three Frondists, who are gone torejoin the Duc de Longueville."
"'Tis strange," said Aramis, almost involuntarily; "I fancied that Irecognized Mazarin himself."
The sergeant burst into a fit of laughter.
"He!" he cried; "he venture himself amongst us, to be hung! Not sofoolish as all that."
"Ah!" muttered Athos, "I may be mistaken, I haven't the unerring eye ofD'Artagnan."
"Who is speaking of Monsieur D'Artagnan?" asked an officer who appearedat that moment upon the threshold of the room.
"What!" cried Aramis and Athos, "what! Planchet!"
"Planchet," added Grimaud; "Planchet, with a gorget, indeed!"
"Ah, gentlemen!" cried Planchet, "so you are back again in Paris. Oh,how happy you make us! no doubt you come to join the princes!"
"As thou seest, Planchet," said Aramis, whilst Athos smiled on seeingwhat important rank was held in the city militia by the former comradeof Mousqueton, Bazin and Grimaud.
"And Monsieur d'Artagnan, of whom you spoke just now, Monsieurd'Herblay; may I ask if you have any news of him?"
"We parted from him four days ago and we have reason to believe that hehas reached Paris before us."
"No, sir; I am sure he hasn't yet arrived. But then he may have stoppedat Saint Germain."
"I don't think so; we appointed to meet at La Chevrette."
"I was there this very day."
; "And had the pretty Madeleine no news?" asked Aramis, smiling.
"No, sir, and it must be admitted that she seemed very anxious."
"In fact," said Aramis, "there is no time lost and we made our journeyquickly. Permit me, then, my dear Athos, without inquiring further aboutour friend, to pay my respects to M. Planchet."
"Ah, monsieur le chevalier," said Planchet, bowing.
"Lieutenant?" asked Aramis.
"Lieutenant, with a promise of becoming captain."
"'Tis capital; and pray, how did you acquire all these honors?"
"In the first place, gentlemen, you know that I was the means ofMonsieur de Rochefort's escape; well, I was very near being hung byMazarin and that made me more popular than ever."
"So, owing to your popularity----"
"No; thanks to something better. You know, gentlemen, that I served thePiedmont regiment and had the honor of being a sergeant?"
"Yes."
"Well, one day when no one could drill a mob of citizens, who began tomarch, some with the right foot, others with the left, I succeeded, Idid, in making them all begin with the same foot, and I was madelieutenant on the spot."
"So I presume," said Athos, "that you have a large number of the nobleswith you?"
"Certainly. There are the Prince de Conti, the Duc de Longueville, theDuc de Beaufort, the Duc de Bouillon, the Marechal de la Mothe, theMarquis de Sevigne, and I don't know who, for my part."
"And the Vicomte Raoul de Bragelonne?" inquired Athos, in a tremulousvoice. "D'Artagnan told me that he had recommended him to your care, inparting."
"Yes, count; nor have I lost sight of him for a single instant since."
"Then," said Athos in a tone of delight, "he is well? no accident hashappened to him?"
"None, sir."
"And he lives?"
"Still at the Hotel of the Great Charlemagne."
"And passes his time?"
"Sometimes with the queen of England, sometimes with Madame deChevreuse. He and the Count de Guiche are like each other's shadows."
"Thanks, Planchet, thanks!" cried Athos, extending his hand to thelieutenant.
"Oh, sir!" Planchet only touched the tips of the count's fingers.
"Well, what are you doing, count--to a former lackey?
"My friend," said Athos, "he has given me news of Raoul."
"And now, gentlemen," said Planchet, who had not heard what they weresaying, "what do you intend to do?"
"Re-enter Paris, if you will let us, my good Planchet."
"Let you, sir? Now, as ever, I am nothing but your servant." Thenturning to his men:
"Allow these gentlemen to pass," he said; "they are friends of the Ducde Beaufort."
"Long live the Duc de Beaufort!" cried the sentinels.
The sergeant drew near to Planchet.
"What! without passports?" he murmured.
"Without passports," said Planchet.
"Take notice, captain," he continued, giving Planchet his expectedtitle, "take notice that one of the three men who just now went out fromhere told me privately to distrust these gentlemen."
"And I," said Planchet, with dignity, "I know them and I answer forthem."
As he said this, he pressed Grimaud's hand, who seemed honored by thedistinction.
"Farewell till we meet again," said Aramis, as they took leave ofPlanchet; "if anything happens to us we shall blame you for it."
"Sir," said Planchet, "I am in all things at your service."
"That fellow is no fool," said Aramis, as he got on his horse.
"How should he be?" replied Athos, whilst mounting also, "seeing he wasused so long to brush your hats."
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