The Three Musketeers (The Modern Library) - Alexandre Dumas [77]
“Where?” asked the Cardinal.
“At the Louvre.”
“Are you sure?”
“Certain, Monsieur le Cardinal.”
“How do you know this?”
“I heard it from Madame de Lannoy. Your Eminence knows how devoted she is to your interests.”
“Why did she not inform me earlier?”
“By chance or by intention, Her Majesty made Madame de Surgis sleep in her chamber; she kept her at her side all day. Madame de Lannoy was denied access—”
“Well, we have been roundly beaten. The point now is to take vengeance.”
“Your Eminence may count upon my wholehearted efforts. . . .”
In answer to the Cardinal’s further questions, Rochefort explained what had happened. The Queen was with her ladies-in-waiting in her bedroom when a servant presented Her Majesty with a handkerchief from her laundress, where-upon Her Majesty displayed much concern. In spite of the rouge on her cheeks, she turned very pale and asked her ladies to await her for ten minutes. She left through the door of her alcove.
“Why didn’t Madame de Lannoy inform you of this at once?” the Cardinal interrupted.
“Madame de Lannoy could not make out what was going on. The Queen had told her ladies to wait for her; Madame de Lannoy dared not disobey Her Majesty.”
The Queen, Rochefort reported, was away from her bedchamber for three-quarters of an hour; Dona Estefana alone accompanied her. She returned, picked up a small rosewood casket stamped with her coat-of-arms, and went away again. This time she was not gone long, but she returned without the casket.
“Does Madame de Lannoy know what was in this casket?”
“The diamond studs His Majesty gave the Queen.”
“And Her Majesty returned without the casket?”
“Yes, Your Eminence.”
“Madame de Lannoy thinks Her Majesty gave it to Buckingham.”
“She is certain of it.”
“How can she be certain?”
“During the course of the day, Madame de Lannoy, as Lady of the Queen’s Wardrobe, looked for this casket, seemed worried not to find it and finally asked the Queen about it—”
“And the Queen—?”
“The Queen blushed. She explained embarrassedly that, having broken one of the studs the day before, she had sent it to her goldsmith to be repaired.”
“We must immediately find out from the goldsmith if this is true or not.”
“Send to the jeweler’s at once to find out if the repairs were made.”
“I have already done so, Your Eminence.”
“And the goldsmith—?”
“. . . knows absolutely nothing about the matter.”
“Good, good, Rochefort, all is not lost! Perhaps, indeed, everything is for the best.”
“Indeed I have no doubt that Your Eminence’s genius—”
“. . . will yet repair the blunders of his agent! Is that what you mean?”
“That is precisely what I would have said had Your Eminence let me finish my sentence.”
“Meanwhile, do you know where the Duchesse de Chevreuse and the Duke of Buckingham are hiding?”
“No, Monseigneur. My agents could discover nothing positive on that score.”
“I happen to know.”
“You, Monseigneur?”
“Yes. Or at least I have shrewd suspicions. One stayed at 25 Rue de Vaugirard, the other at 75 Rue de La Harpe.”
“Does Your Eminence wish me to have them arrested?”
“Too late. Both will have fled by now.”
“We should at least make sure of this.”
“Well, take ten of my guardsmen and search both houses thoroughly.”
“I shall go instantly, Monseigneur.”
Left alone, the Cardinal reflected for an instant, then rang the bell a third time. The same officer reappeared.
“Bring the prisoner in again,” the Cardinal ordered.
Monsieur Bonacieux was introduced afresh and, at a sign from the Cardinal, the officer withdrew.
“You have deceived me,” the Cardinal said sternly.
“I? I deceive Your Eminence!”
“When your wife went to the Rue de Vaugirard and the Rue de La Harpe, she was not calling on drapers.”
“What was she up to then, dear God?”
“She was visiting the Duchesse de Chevreuse and the Duke of Buckingham.”
“Yes,” cried Bonacieux, recalling what he could of these errands. “Your Eminence is right. Several times I told my wife it was surprising to find drapers living in such houses, without signs at the door. But she always laughed