Vingt ans après. English

by Alexandre Dumas

  77. The three Lieutenants of the Generalissimo.

  The night was dark, but still the town resounded with those noises thatdisclose a city in a state of siege. Athos and Aramis did not proceed ahundred steps without being stopped by sentinels placed before thebarricades, who demanded the watchword; and on their saying that theywere going to Monsieur de Bouillon on a mission of importance a guidewas given them under pretext of conducting them, but in fact as a spyover their movements.

  On arriving at the Hotel de Bouillon they came across a little troop ofthree cavaliers, who seemed to know every possible password; for theywalked without either guide or escort, and on arriving at the barricadeshad nothing to do but to speak to those who guarded them, who instantlylet them pass with evident deference, due probably to their high birth.

  On seeing them Athos and Aramis stood still.

  "Oh!" cried Aramis, "do you see, count?"

  "Yes," said Athos.

  "Who do these three cavaliers appear to you to be?"

  "What do you think, Aramis?"

  "Why, they are our men."

  "You are not mistaken; I recognize Monsieur de Flamarens."

  "And I, Monsieur de Chatillon."

  "As to the cavalier in the brown cloak----"

  "It is the cardinal."

  "In person."

  "How the devil do they venture so near the Hotel de Bouillon?"

  Athos smiled, but did not reply. Five minutes afterward they knocked atthe prince's door.

  This door was guarded by a sentinel and there was also a guard placed inthe courtyard, ready to obey the orders of the Prince de Conti'slieutenant.

  Monsieur de Bouillon had the gout, but notwithstanding his illness,which had prevented his mounting on horseback for the last month---thatis, since Paris had been besieged--he was ready to receive the Comte dela Fere and the Chevalier d'Herblay.

  He was in bed, but surrounded with all the paraphernalia of war.Everywhere were swords, pistols, cuirasses, and arquebuses, and it wasplain that as soon as his gout was better Monsieur de Bouillon wouldgive a pretty tangle to the enemies of the parliament to unravel.Meanwhile, to his great regret, as he said, he was obliged to keep hisbed.

  "Ah, gentlemen," he cried, as the two friends entered, "you are veryhappy! you can ride, you can go and come and fight for the cause of thepeople. But I, as you see, am nailed to my bed--ah! this demon,gout--this demon, gout!"

  "My lord," said Athos, "we are just arrived from England and our firstconcern is to inquire after your health."

  "Thanks, gentlemen, thanks! As you see, my health is but indifferent.But you come from England. And King Charles is well, as I have justheard?"

  "He is dead, my lord!" said Aramis.

  "Pooh!" said the duke, too much astonished to believe it true.

  "Dead on the scaffold; condemned by parliament."

  "Impossible!"

  "And executed in our presence."

  "What, then, has Monsieur de Flamarens been telling me?"

  "Monsieur de Flamarens?"

  "Yes, he has just gone out."

  Athos smiled. "With two companions?" he said.

  "With two companions, yes," replied the duke. Then he added with acertain uneasiness, "Did you meet them?"

  "Why, yes, I think so--in the street," said Athos; and he lookedsmilingly at Aramis, who looked at him with an expression of surprise.

  "The devil take this gout!" cried Monsieur de Bouillon, evidently ill atease.

  "My lord," said Athos, "we admire your devotion to the cause you haveespoused, in remaining at the head of the army whilst so ill, in so muchpain."

  "One must," replied Monsieur de Bouillon, "sacrifice one's comfort tothe public good; but I confess to you I am now almost exhausted. Myspirit is willing, my head is clear, but this demon, the gout, o'ercrowsme. I confess, if the court would do justice to my claims and give thehead of my house the title of prince, and if my brother De Turenne werereinstated in his command I would return to my estates and leave thecourt and parliament to settle things between themselves as they might."

  "You are perfectly right, my lord."

  "You think so? At this very moment the court is making overtures to me;hitherto I have repulsed them; but since such men as you assure me thatI am wrong in doing so, I've a good mind to follow your advice and toaccept a proposition made to me by the Duc de Chatillon just now."

  "Accept it, my lord, accept it," said Aramis.

  "Faith! yes. I am even sorry that this evening I almost repulsed--butthere will be a conference to-morrow and we shall see."

  The two friends saluted the duke.

  "Go, gentlemen," he said; "you must be much fatigued after your voyage.Poor King Charles! But, after all, he was somewhat to blame in all thatbusiness and we may console ourselves with the reflection that Francehas no cause of reproach in the matter and did all she could to servehim."

  "Oh! as to that," said Aramis, "we are witnesses. Mazarinespecially----"

  "Yes, do you know, I am very glad to hear you give that testimony; thecardinal has some good in him, and if he were not a foreigner--well, hewould be more justly estimated. Oh! the devil take this gout!"

  Athos and Aramis took their leave, but even in the ante-chamber theycould still hear the duke's cries; he was evidently suffering thetortures of the damned.

  When they reached the street, Aramis said:

  "Well, Athos, what do you think?"

  "Of whom?"

  "Pardieu! of Monsieur de Bouillon."

  "My friend, I think that he is much troubled with gout."

  "You noticed that I didn't breathe a word as to the purpose of ourvisit?"

  "You did well; you would have caused him an access of his disease. Letus go to Monsieur de Beaufort."

  The two friends went to the Hotel de Vendome. It was ten o'clock whenthey arrived. The Hotel de Vendome was not less guarded than the Hotelde Bouillon, and presented as warlike an appearance. There weresentinels, a guard in the court, stacks of arms, and horses saddled. Twohorsemen going out as Athos and Aramis entered were obliged to giveplace to them.

  "Ah! ah! gentlemen," said Aramis, "decidedly it is a night for meetings.We shall be very unfortunate if, after meeting so often this evening, weshould not succeed in meeting to-morrow."

  "Oh, as to that, sir," replied Chatillon (for it was he who, withFlamarens, was leaving the Duc de Beaufort), "you may be assured; for ifwe meet by night without seeking each other, much more shall we meet byday when wishing it."

  "I hope that is true," said Aramis.

  "As for me, I am sure of it," said the duke.

  De Flamarens and De Chatillon continued on their way and Athos andAramis dismounted.

  Hardly had they given the bridles of their horses to their lackeys andrid themselves of their cloaks when a man approached them, and afterlooking at them for an instant by the doubtful light of the lantern hungin the centre of the courtyard he uttered an exclamation of joy and ranto embrace them.

  "Comte de la Fere!" the man cried out; "Chevalier d'Herblay! How does ithappen that you are in Paris?"

  "Rochefort!" cried the two friends.

  "Yes! we arrived four or five days ago from the Vendomois, as you know,and we are going to give Mazarin something to do. You are still with us,I presume?"

  "More than ever. And the duke?"

  "Furious against the cardinal. You know his success--our dear duke? Heis really king of Paris; he can't go out without being mobbed by hisadmirers."

  "Ah! so much the better! Can we have the honor of seeing his highness?"

  "I shall be proud to present you," and Rochefort walked on. Every doorwas opened to him. Monsieur de Beaufort was at supper, but he rosequickly on hearing the two friends announced.

  "Ah!" he cried, "by Jove! you're welcome, sirs. You are coming to supwith me, are you not? Boisgoli, tell Noirmont that I have two guests.You know Noirmont, do you not? The successor of Father Marteau who makesthe excellent pies you know of. Boisgoli, let him sen
d one of his best,but not such a one as he made for La Ramee. Thank God! we don't wanteither rope ladders or gag-pears now."

  "My lord," said Athos, "do not let us disturb you. We came merely toinquire after your health and to take your orders."

  "As to my health, since it has stood five years of prison, with Monsieurde Chavigny to boot, 'tis excellent! As to my orders, since every onegives his own commands in our party, I shall end, if this goes on, bygiving none at all."

  "In short, my lord," said Athos, glancing at Aramis, "your highness isdiscontented with your party?"

  "Discontented, sir! say my highness is furious! To such a degree, Iassure you, though I would not say so to others, that if the queen,acknowledging the injuries she has done me, would recall my mother andgive me the reversion of the admiralty, which belonged to my father andwas promised me at his death, well! it would not be long before I shouldbe training dogs to say that there were greater traitors in France thanthe Cardinal Mazarin!"

  At this Athos and Aramis could not help exchanging not only a look but asmile; and had they not known it for a fact, this would have told themthat De Chatillon and De Flamarens had been there.

  "My lord," said Athos, "we are satisfied; we came here only to expressour loyalty and to say that we are at your lordship's service and hismost faithful servants."

  "My most faithful friends, gentlemen, my most faithful friends; you haveproved it. And if ever I am reconciled with the court I shall prove toyou, I hope, that I remain your friend, as well as that of--what thedevil are their names--D'Artagnan and Porthos?"

  "D'Artagnan and Porthos."

  "Ah, yes. You understand, then, Comte de la Fere, you understand,Chevalier d'Herblay, that I am altogether and always at your service."

  Athos and Aramis bowed and went out.

  "My dear Athos," cried Aramis, "I think you consented to accompany meonly to give me a lesson--God forgive me!"

  "Wait a little, Aramis; it will be time for you to perceive my motivewhen we have paid our visit to the coadjutor."

  "Let us then go to the archiepiscopal palace," said Aramis.

  They directed their horses to the city. On arriving at the cradle fromwhich Paris sprang they found it inundated with water, and it was againnecessary to take a boat. The palace rose from the bosom of the water,and to see the number of boats around it one would have fancied one'sself not in Paris, but in Venice. Some of these boats were dark andmysterious, others noisy and lighted up with torches. The friends slidin through this congestion of embarkation and landed in their turn. Thepalace was surrounded with water, but a kind of staircase had been fixedto the lower walls; and the only difference was, that instead ofentering by the doors, people entered by the windows.

  Thus did Athos and Aramis make their appearance in the ante-chamber,where about a dozen noblemen were collected in waiting.

  "Good heavens!" said Aramis to Athos, "does the coadjutor intend toindulge himself in the pleasure of making us cool our hearts off in hisante-chamber?"

  "My dear friend, we must take people as we find them. The coadjutor isat this moment one of the seven kings of Paris, and has a court. Let ussend in our names, and if he does not send us a suitable message we willleave him to his own affairs or those of France. Let us call one ofthese lackeys, with a demi-pistole in the left hand."

  "Exactly so," cried Aramis. "Ah! if I'm not mistaken here's Bazin. Comehere, fellow."

  Bazin, who was crossing the ante-chamber majestically in his clericaldress, turned around to see who the impertinent gentleman was who thusaddressed him; but seeing his friends he went up to them quickly andexpressed delight at seeing them.

  "A truce to compliments," said Aramis; "we want to see the coadjutor,and instantly, as we are in haste."

  "Certainly, sir--it is not such lords as you are who are allowed to waitin the ante-chamber, only just now he has a secret conference withMonsieur de Bruy."

  "De Bruy!" cried the friends, "'tis then useless our seeing monsieur thecoadjutor this evening," said Aramis, "so we give it up."

  And they hastened to quit the palace, followed by Bazin, who was lavishof bows and compliments.

  "Well," said Athos, when Aramis and he were in the boat again, "are youbeginning to be convinced that we should have done a bad turn to allthese people in arresting Mazarin?"

  "You are wisdom incarnate, Athos," Aramis replied.

  What had especially been observed by the two friends was the littleinterest taken by the court of France in the terrible events which hadoccurred in England, which they thought should have arrested theattention of all Europe.

  In fact, aside from a poor widow and a royal orphan who wept in thecorner of the Louvre, no one appeared to be aware that Charles I. hadever lived and that he had perished on the scaffold.

  The two friends made an appointment for ten o'clock on the followingday; for though the night was well advanced when they reached the doorof the hotel, Aramis said that he had certain important visits to makeand left Athos to enter alone.

  At ten o'clock the next day they met again. Athos had been out since sixo'clock.

  "Well, have you any news?" Athos asked.

  "Nothing. No one has seen D'Artagnan and Porthos has not appeared. Haveyou anything?"

  "Nothing."

  "The devil!" said Aramis.

  "In fact," said Athos, "this delay is not natural; they took theshortest route and should have arrived before we did."

  "Add to that D'Artagnan's rapidity in action and that he is not the manto lose an hour, knowing that we were expecting him."

  "He expected, you will remember, to be here on the fifth."

  "And here we are at the ninth. This evening the margin of possible delayexpires."

  "What do you think should be done," asked Athos, "if we have no news ofthem to-night?"

  "Pardieu! we must go and look for them."

  "All right," said Athos.

  "But Raoul?" said Aramis.

  A light cloud passed over the count's face.

  "Raoul gives me much uneasiness," he said. "He received yesterday amessage from the Prince de Conde; he went to meet him at Saint Cloud andhas not returned."

  "Have you seen Madame de Chevreuse?"

  "She was not at home. And you, Aramis, you were going, I think, to visitMadame de Longueville."

  "I did go there."

  "Well?"

  "She was no longer there, but she had left her new address."

  "Where was she?"

  "Guess; I give you a thousand chances."

  "How should I know where the most beautiful and active of the Frondistswas at midnight? for I presume it was when you left me that you went tovisit her."

  "At the Hotel de Ville, my dear fellow."

  "What! at the Hotel de Ville? Has she, then, been appointed provost ofmerchants?"

  "No; but she has become queen of Paris, ad interim, and since she couldnot venture at once to establish herself in the Palais Royal or theTuileries, she is installed at the Hotel de Ville, where she is on thepoint of giving an heir or an heiress to that dear duke."

  "You didn't tell me of that, Aramis."

  "Really? It was my forgetfulness then; pardon me."

  "Now," asked Athos, "what are we to do with ourselves till evening? Herewe are without occupation, it seems to me."

  "You forget, my friend, that we have work cut out for us in thedirection of Charenton; I hope to see Monsieur de Chatillon, whom I'vehated for a long time, there."

  "Why have you hated him?"

  "Because he is the brother of Coligny."

  "Ah, true! he who presumed to be a rival of yours, for which he wasseverely punished; that ought to satisfy you."

  "'Yes, but it does not; I am rancorous--the only stigma that proves meto be a churchman. Do you understand? You understand that you are in noway obliged to go with me."

  "Come, now," said Athos, "you are joking."

  "In that case, my dear friend, if you are resolved to accompany me thereis no time to los
e; the drum beats; I observed cannon on the road; I sawthe citizens in order of battle on the Place of the Hotel de Ville;certainly the fight will be in the direction of Charenton, as the Duc deChatillon said."

  "I supposed," said Athos, "that last night's conferences would modifythose warlike arrangements."

  "No doubt; but they will fight, none the less, if only to mask theconferences."

  "Poor creatures!" said Athos, "who are going to be killed, in order thatMonsieur de Bouillon may have his estate at Sedan restored to him, thatthe reversion of the admiralty may be given to the Duc de Beaufort, andthat the coadjutor may be made a cardinal."

  "Come, come, dear Athos, confess that you would not be so philosophicalif your Raoul were to be involved in this affair."

  "Perhaps you speak the truth, Aramis."

  "Well, let us go, then, where the fighting is, for that is the mostlikely place to meet with D'Artagnan, Porthos, and possibly even Raoul.Stop, there are a fine body of citizens passing; quite attractive, byJupiter! and their captain--see! he has the true military style."

  "What, ho!" said Grimaud.

  "What?" asked Athos.

  "Planchet, sir."

  "Lieutenant yesterday," said Aramis, "captain to-day, colonel,doubtless, to-morrow; in a fortnight the fellow will be marshal ofFrance."

  "Question him about the fight," said Athos.

  Planchet, prouder than ever of his new duties, deigned to explain to thetwo gentlemen that he was ordered to take up his position on the PlaceRoyale with two hundred men, forming the rear of the army of Paris, andto march on Charenton when necessary.

  "This day will be a warm one," said Planchet, in a warlike tone.

  "No doubt," said Aramis, "but it is far from here to the enemy."

  "Sir, the distance will be diminished," said a subordinate.

  Aramis saluted, then turning toward Athos:

  "I don't care to camp on the Place Royale with all these people," hesaid. "Shall we go forward? We shall see better what is going on."

  "And then Monsieur de Chatillon will not come to the Place Royale tolook for you. Come, then, my friend, we will go forward."

  "Haven't you something to say to Monsieur de Flamarens on your ownaccount?"

  "My friend," said Athos, "I have made a resolution never to draw mysword save when it is absolutely necessary."

  "And how long ago was that?"

  "When I last drew my poniard."

  "Ah! Good! another souvenir of Monsieur Mordaunt. Well, my friend,nothing now is lacking except that you should feel remorse for havingkilled that fellow."

  "Hush!" said Athos, putting a finger on his lips, with the sad smilepeculiar to him; "let us talk no more of Mordaunt--it will bring badluck." And Athos set forward toward Charenton, followed closely byAramis.