D'Artagnan, who had time before him, walked around and
re-entered by the Porte Richelieu. He was approached to be
examined, and when it was discovered by his plumed hat and
his laced coat, that he was an officer of the musketeers, he
was surrounded, with the intention of making him cry, "Down
with Mazarin!" The demonstration did not fail to make him
uneasy at first; but when he discovered what it meant, he
shouted it in such a voice that even the most exacting were
satisfied. He walked down the Rue Richelieu, meditating how
he should carry off the queen in her turn, for to take her
in a carriage bearing the arms of France was not to be
thought of, when he perceived an equipage standing at the
door of the hotel belonging to Madame de Guemenee.
He was struck by a sudden idea.
"Ah, pardieu!" he exclaimed; "that would be fair play."
And approaching the carriage, he examined the arms on the
panels and the livery of the coachman on his box. This
scrutiny was so much the more easy, the coachman being sound
asleep.
"It is, in truth, monsieur le coadjuteur's carriage," said
D'Artagnan; "upon my honor I begin to think that Heaven
favors us."
He mounted noiselessly into the chariot and pulled the silk
cord which was attached to the coachman's little finger.
"To the Palais Royal," he called out.
The coachman awoke with a start and drove off in the
direction he was desired, never doubting but that the order
had come from his master. The porter at the palace was about
to close the gates, but seeing such a handsome equipage he
fancied that it was some visit of importance and the
carriage was allowed to pass and to stop beneath the porch.
It was then only the coachman perceived the grooms were not
behind the vehicle; he fancied monsieur le coadjuteur had
sent them back, and without dropping the reins he sprang
from his box to open the door. D'Artagnan, in his turn,
sprang to the ground, and just at the moment when the
coachman, alarmed at not seeing his master, fell back a
step, he seized him by his collar with the left, whilst with
the right hand he placed the muzzle of a pistol at his
breast.
"Pronounce one single word," muttered D'Artagnan, "and you
are a dead man."
The coachman perceived at once, by the expression of the man
who thus addressed him, that he had fallen into a trap, and
he remained with his mouth wide open and his eyes
portentously staring.
Two musketeers were pacing the court, to whom D'Artagnan
called by their names.
"Monsieur de Belliere," said he to one of them, "do me the
favor to take the reins from the hands of this worthy man,
mount upon the box and drive to the door of the private
stair, and wait for me there; it is an affair of importance
on the service of the king."
The musketeer, who knew that his lieutenant was incapable of
jesting with regard to the service, obeyed without a word,
although he thought the order strange. Then turning toward
the second musketeer, D'Artagnan said:
"Monsieur du Verger, help me to place this man in a place of
safety."
The musketeer, thinking that his lieutenant had just
arrested some prince in disguise, bowed, and drawing his
sword, signified that he was ready. D'Artagnan mounted the
staircase, followed by his prisoner, who in his turn was
followed by the soldier, and entered Mazarin's ante-room.
Bernouin was waiting there, impatient for news of his
master.
"Well, sir?" he said.
"Everything goes on capitally, my dear Monsieur Bernouin,
but here is a man whom I must beg you to put in a safe
place."
"Where, then, sir?"
"Where you like, provided that the place which you shall
choose has iron shutters secured by padlocks and a door that
can be locked."
"We have that, sir," replied Bernouin; and the poor coachman
was conducted to a closet, the windows of which were barred
and which looked very much like a prison.
"And now, my good friend," said D'Artagnan to him, "I must
invite you to deprive yourself, for my sake, of your hat and
cloak."
The coachman, as we can well understand, made no resistance;
in fact, he was so astonished at what had happened to him
that he stammered and reeled like a drunken man; D'Artagnan
deposited his clothes under the arm of one of the valets.
"And now, Monsieur du Verger," he said, "shut yourself up
with this man until Monsieur Bernouin returns to open the
door. The duty will be tolerably long and not very amusing,
I know; but," added he, seriously, "you understand, it is on
the king's service."
"At your command, lieutenant," replied the musketeer, who
saw the business was a serious one.
"By-the-bye," continued D'Artagnan, "should this man attempt
to fly or to call out, pass your sword through his body."
The musketeer signified by a nod that these commands should
be obeyed to the letter, and D'Artagnan went out, followed
by Bernouin. Midnight struck.
"Lead me into the queen's oratory," said D'Artagnan,
"announce to her I am here, and put this parcel, with a
well-loaded musket, under the seat of the carriage which is
waiting at the foot of the private stair."
Bernouin conducted D'Artagnan to the oratory, where he sat
down pensively. Everything had gone on as usual at the
Palais Royal. As we said before, by ten o'clock almost all
the guests had dispersed; those who were to fly with the
court had the word of command and they were each severally
desired to be from twelve o'clock to one at Cours la Reine.
At ten o'clock Anne of Austria had entered the king's room.
Monsieur had just retired, and the youthful Louis, remaining
the last, was amusing himself by placing some lead soldiers
in a line of battle, a game which delighted him much. Two
royal pages were playing with him.
"Laporte," said the queen, "it is time for his majesty to go
to bed."
The king asked to remain up, having, he said, no wish to
sleep; but the queen was firm.
"Are you not going to-morrow morning at six o'clock, Louis,
to bathe at Conflans? I think you wished to do so of your
own accord?"
"You are right, madame," said the king, "and I am ready to
retire to my room when you have kissed me. Laporte, give the
light to Monsieur the Chevalier de Coislin."
The queen touched with her lips the white, smooth brow the
royal child presented to her with a gravity which already
partook of etiquette.
"Go to sleep soon, Louis," said the queen, "for you must be
awakened very early."
"I will do my best to obey you, madame," said the youthful
king, "but I have no inclination to sleep."
"Laporte," said Anne of Austria, in an undertone, "find some
very dull book to read to his majesty, but do not undress
yourself."
The king went out, accompanied by the Chevalier de Coislin,
bearing the candlestick, and then the queen returned to her
own apartment. Her ladies -- that is to say Madame de Bregy,
Mademoiselle de Beaumont, Madame de Motteville, and
Socratine, her sister, so called on account of her sense --
had just brought into her dressing-room the remains of the
dinner, on which, according to her usual custom, she supped.
The queen then gave her orders, spoke of a banquet which the
Marquis de Villequier was to give to her on the day after
the morrow, indicated the persons she would admit to the
honor of partaking of it, announced another visit on the
following day to Val-de-Grace, where she intended to pay her
devotions, and gave her commands to her senior valet to
accompany her. When the ladies had finished their supper the
queen feigned extreme fatigue and passed into her bedroom.
Madame de Motteville, who was on especial duty that evening,
followed to aid and undress her. The queen then began to
read, and after conversing with her affectionately for a few
minutes, dismissed her.
It was at this moment D'Artagnan entered the courtyard of
the palace, in the coadjutor's carriage, and a few seconds
later the carriages of the ladies-in-waiting drove out and
the gates were shut after them.
A few minutes after twelve o'clock Bernouin knocked at the
queen's bedroom door, having come by the cardinal's secret
corridor. Anne of Austria opened the door to him herself.
She was dressed, that is to say, in dishabille, wrapped in a
long, warm dressing-gown.
"It is you, Bernouin," she said. "Is Monsieur d'Artagnan
there?"
"Yes, madame, in your oratory. He is waiting till your
majesty is ready."
"I am. Go and tell Laporte to wake and dress the king, and
then pass on to the Marechal de Villeroy and summon him to
me."
Bernouin bowed and retired.
The queen entered her oratory, which was lighted by a single
lamp of Venetian crystal, She saw D'Artagnan, who stood
expecting her.
"Is it you?" she said.
"Yes, madame."
"Are you ready?"
"I am."
"And his eminence, the cardinal?"
"Has got off without any accident. He is awaiting your
majesty at Cours la Reine."
"But in what carriage do we start?"
"I have provided for everything; a carriage below is waiting
for your majesty."
"Let us go to the king."
D'Artagnan bowed and followed the queen. The young Louis was
already dressed, with the exception of his shoes and
doublet; he had allowed himself to be dressed, in great
astonishment, overwhelming Laporte with questions, who
replied only in these words, "Sire, it is by the queen's
commands."
The bedclothes were thrown back, exposing the king's bed
linen, which was so worn that here and there holes could be
seen. It was one of the results of Mazarin's niggardliness.
The queen entered and D'Artagnan remained at the door. As
soon as the child perceived the queen he escaped from
Laporte and ran to meet her. Anne then motioned to
D'Artagnan to approach, and he obeyed.
"My son," said Anne of Austria, pointing to the musketeer,
calm, standing uncovered, "here is Monsieur d'Artagnan, who
is as brave as one of those ancient heroes of whom you like
so much to hear from my women. Remember his name well and
look at him well, that his face may not be forgotten, for
this evening he is going to render us a great service."
The young king looked at the officer with his large-formed
eye, and repeated:
"Monsieur d'Artagnan."
"That is it, my son."
The young king slowly raised his little hand and held it out
to the musketeer; the latter bent on his knee and kissed it.
"Monsieur d'Artagnan," repeated Louis; "very well, madame."
At this moment they were startled by a noise as if a tumult
were approaching.
"What is that?" exclaimed the queen.
"Oh, oh!" replied D'Artagnan, straining both at the same
time his quick ear and his intelligent glance, "it is the
murmur of the populace in revolution."
"We must fly," said the queen.
"Your majesty has given me the control of this business; we
had better wait and see what they want."
"Monsieur d'Artagnan!"
"I will answer for everything."
Nothing is so catching as confidence. The queen, full of
energy and courage, was quickly alive to these two virtues
in others.
"Do as you like," she said, "I rely upon you."
"Will your majesty permit me to give orders in your name
throughout this business?"
"Command, sir."
"What do the people want this time?" demanded the king.
"We are about to ascertain, sire," replied D'Artagnan, as he
rapidly left the room.
The tumult continued to increase and seemed to surround the
Palais Royal entirely. Cries were heard from the interior,
of which they could not comprehend the sense. It was evident
that there was clamor and sedition.
The king, half dressed, the queen and Laporte remained each
in the same state and almost in the same place, where they
were listening and waiting. Comminges, who was on guard that
night at the Palais Royal, ran in. He had about two hundred
men in the courtyards and stables, and he placed them at the
queen's disposal.
"Well," asked Anne of Austria, when D'Artagnan reappeared,
"what does it mean?"
"It means, madame, that the report has spread that the queen
has left the Palais Royal, carrying off the king, and the
people ask to have proof to the contrary, or threaten to
demolish the Palais Royal."
"Oh, this time it is too much!" exclaimed the queen, "and I
will prove to them I have not left."
D'Artagnan saw from the expression of the queen's face that
she was about to issue some violent command. He approached
her and said in a low voice:
"Has your majesty still confidence in me?"
This voice startled her. "Yes, sir," she replied, "every
confidence; speak."
"Will the queen deign to follow my advice?"
"Speak."
"Let your majesty dismiss M. de Comminges and desire him to
shut himself up with his men in the guardhouse and in the
stables."
Comminges glanced at D'Artagnan with the envious look with
which every courtier sees a new favorite spring up.
"You hear, Comminges?" said the queen.
D'Artagnan went up to him; with his usual quickness he
caught the anxious glance.
"Monsieur de Comminges," he said, "pardon me; we both are
servants of the queen, are we not? It is my turn to be of
