The Three Musketeers (The Modern Library) - Alexandre Dumas [109]
“Milord need have no qualms on that score,” D’Artagnan assured him. “I shall tell what I have seen.” Buckingham nodded. “But Your Grace has not given me the casket,” D’Artagnan said in surprise.
“The casket would only be an encumbrance, my friend.” Buckingham sighed. “Besides, I treasure it, for it is all I have left of the Queen’s. You will tell Her Majesty that I am keeping it.”
“I shall deliver your message word for word, Milord.”
“And now,” Buckingham resumed looking earnestly at the young man, “how can I ever repay my debt to you?”
D’Artagnan blushed; obviously the Duke was trying to get him to accept some gift. But the idea that the blood of his comrades and his own were to be paid for with English gold was strangely repugnant.
“Let us understand each other, Milord,” he said courteously. “Let us see things clearly at outset in order to avoid misapprehension. I am in the service of the King and Queen of France. I am a Royal Guardsman; my Commanding Officer, Monsieur des Essarts, like his brother-in-law, Monsieur de Tréville, is particularly attached to their Majesties. Your Grace sees therefore under what auspices I have come here. What is more, I might perhaps never have undertaken all this had I not wished to please someone who is my lady, just as the Queen is yours.”
The Duke smiled: “Yes, I see! Indeed, I dare say I know the lady you refer to. It is—”
“I have not mentioned her name, Milord—”
“True, Monsieur. My debt of gratitude for your devotion therefore belongs to that lady—who shall remain nameless.”
“Exactly, Milord. At this moment, with war looming between our countries, I confess I can see nothing in Your Grace but an Englishman, hence an enemy. I need not add that I would therefore have greater pleasure in meeting you on the field of battle than in Windsor Park or in the halls of the Louvre. Nevertheless, nothing will prevent me from carrying out my mission in every detail or from laying down my life, if necessary, in so doing. But I repeat: I will accomplish this without Your Grace having cause to thank me at this time any more than at our first meeting.”
“We Englishmen say: ‘Proud as a Scot,’” Buckingham murmured.
“We Frenchmen say: ‘Proud as a Gascon,’” D’Artagnan replied, bowing. “The Gascons are the Scots of France.”
“Come now, you cannot leave like this. Where are you off to? How will you get away?”
“That’s true.”
“Upon my soul! you Frenchmen are cocksure!”
“I had forgotten that England was an island and you were its king.”
“Go to the port, ask for the brig Sund, and give the Captain this letter. He will convey you to a little harbor where you are surely not expected; it is used by fishermen only.”
“The harbor of—?”
“Saint-Valéry! But listen: when you land there, go to a mean-looking little inn on the front. It has no name or sign, it is a mere fishermen’s hovel; you can’t mistake it, it is the only such place.”
“And then?”
“You will ask for the host and say: Forward!”
“Which means?”
“En avant—that is the password. He will give you a fully saddled horse and tell you what road you are to take. In this way you will find four relays on your route. If you will give your Paris address at each relay, the four horses will follow you there. You know two of them already and, as a lover of horseflesh, you seem to have appreciated them; you saw how they brought us from Windsor. You may take my word for it that the two others are just as good. These horses are equipped for campaigning. Proud though you are, you will not refuse to accept one for yourself and one for each of your companions. Remember that they will serve you to make war against us. The end justifies the means, as you Frenchmen put it, does it not?”
“Yes, Milord, I accept with pleasure!” D’Artagnan bowed low. “Please God, we shall make good use of your gift.”
“Now your hand, young man. Perhaps we shall meet soon on the field of battle. Meanwhile, we part good friends, I trust.”
“Ay, Milord, but with the hope of soon becoming enemies.”
“Have no fear on that score, I promise you that.