The Three Musketeers (The Modern Library) - Alexandre Dumas [204]
“You are a certain D’Artagnan from Béarn,” the Cardinal observed.
“Ay, Monseigneur.”
“There are several branches of that family at Tarbes and thereabouts. To which branch do you belong?”
“Monseigneur, I am the son of the D’Artagnan who served in the Wars of Religion under our great King Henry IV of blessed memory.”
“Good!” said the Cardinal. “Good!”
There was a silence. Then Richelieu continued:
“You set out from Gascony some seven or eight months ago to try your fortune in the capital?”
“Ay, Monseigneur.”
“You passed through Meung where something untoward occurred. I do not know what but there was some sort of trouble—”
“Monseigneur, this is what happened. I—”
“Never mind, young man.” The Cardinal smiled as though to show that he could tell the whole story quite as accurately as D’Artagnan if not more accurately. “You were recommended to Monsieur de Tréville, were you not?”
“Yes, Monseigneur, but in the trouble at Meung—”
“Yes, yes, I know, you lost your letter of recommendation. However Monsieur de Tréville being a skilled physiognomist judged you at a glance and arranged for you to join the Royal Guards—”
“Ay, Monseigneur.”
“—your commanding officer being Monsieur des Essarts, brother-in-law of Monsieur de Tréville—”
“Yes.”
“And you were led to hope that some day or other you might join the Royal Musketeers.”
“Monseigneur is perfectly informed,” said D’Artagnan, bowing.
“Since then your life has, I believe, been eventful. One day you happened to stroll by the Convent of the Carmes-Deschaux when it would have been healthier for you to be elsewhere. Another day you and your friends journeyed to Forges, doubtless to take the waters; but they stopped en route, whereas you continued. It is all quite simple: you had business in England.”
“Monseigneur, I was going—”
“You were going hunting at Windsor, I dare say, or elsewhere. At all events, that is your own business. However, it is my business to know what is going on. I may add that on your return you were received by an august personage. I am happy to see that you wear the keepsake that lady gave you.”
Too late D’Artagnan twirled his ring inward to conceal the jewel.
“The following day,” His Eminence continued, “you received a visit from Monsieur de Cavois. He invited you to report here but you saw fit to ignore his request.”
“Monseigneur—”
“You were wrong; you should have obeyed his summons.”
“I feared I had incurred Your Eminence’s displeasure.”
“Pray why, Monsieur? Could you incur my displeasure for carrying out orders from your superiors with more courage and intelligence than most men would have done? I punish those who fail in obedience, not those who like yourself carry out their orders—all too well! For proof of it I ask you to recall the exact date on which I invited you to call on me. I also ask you to search your memory in order to recall what happened that very evening.”
That was the very evening that Madame Bonacieux was abducted. D’Artagnan shuddered, remembering how just half an hour ago the poor woman had passed close to him, doubtless carried off by the same power that had caused her disappearance.
“In fine,” the Cardinal continued, “having heard nothing of you for some time, I wished to know what you were doing. Besides you do owe me some thanks. You must yourself have noticed how considerately you were treated in all these circumstances.”
D’Artagnan bowed respectfully.
“This was done not only in a spirit of sheer equity, but also because of a place which I had in mind for you in the future.”
D’Artagnan looked more and more astonished. “I wanted to disclose this plan to you the day you received my first invitation, but you did not come. Fortunately, nothing is lost through this delay and you shall hear my plan now. Sit down there in front of me, Monsieur d’Artagnan; you are too well-born to stand listening to me like a lackey.”
The Cardinal pointed to a chair, but the young man was so amazed that he