The Three Musketeers (The Modern Library) - Alexandre Dumas [91]
Ten minutes later she was at home. As she told the Queen, she had not seen her husband since his liberation. She was therefore unaware of his change of feeling toward the Cardinal; nor did she know that this change had been intensified by two or more visits from the Comte de Rochefort. The latter had become Bonacieux’s best friend; he had easily persuaded the haberdasher that his wife’s abduction was no criminal act but merely a political measure.
Madame Bonacieux found her husband alone. The poor fellow was with utmost difficulty restoring some order in his house. The furniture was completely destroyed and the closets were empty, for justice is not one of the three things which King Solomon named as leaving no traces of their passage. As for the servant, she had fled when her master was arrested; the wretched girl was so panic stricken that after leaving Paris she did not stop until she reached Burgundy, her native province.
Immediately upon his return, the worthy haberdasher had notified his wife that he was safe at home. She had replied by congratulating him and promising that the earliest moment she could steal from her duties would be devoted to paying him a visit.
This earliest moment had been delayed five whole days, which under any other circumstances might have seemed a long time to friend Bonacieux. But the visit he had paid to the Cardinal and the succeeding visits the Comte de Rochefort had paid him, provided ample food for thought, and, as everybody knows, such food makes time pass swiftly. This was all the more true in Bonacieux’s case because all his thoughts were rosy indeed. Rochefort called him his friend, his dear Bonacieux, and never ceased telling him how highly the Cardinal prized him. Already the haberdasher fancied himself on the high road to honors and fortune.
Madame Bonacieux for her part had been thoughtful too, but truth to tell, on a subject alien to ambition. In spite of herself, her thoughts constantly reverted to the handsome and brave youth who seemed so much in love with her. She had married Monsieur Bonacieux at the age of eighteen; she had always lived among her husband’s friends, people hardly capable of inspiring a young woman whose heart and soul were above her social position. She had remained virtuous and decent. But a title exerted a great influence over the bourgeoisie at this period. D’Artagnan was of gentle birth; furthermore, he wore the uniform of the guards, which, next to that of the musketeers, was most admired by the ladies. He was handsome, young and adventurous; he spoke of love as a man who loved and was eager to be loved in return. In all this there was certainly enough to turn a head only twenty-three years old, and Madame Bonacieux had just reached that happy age.
Husband and wife had not seen each other for over a week during which the most serious events had occurred to both. But when at length they met, it was with a feeling of preoccupation on both sides. However, Monsieur Bonacieux manifested genuine delight as he advanced toward his wife with open arms.
Madame Bonacieux raised her head, presenting her brow to his kiss.
“Let us talk a little,” she suggested.
“What?” Bonacieux exclaimed in astonishment.
“Yes, let us talk. I have something of the greatest importance to tell you.”
“As a matter of fact, I too would like to discuss several serious matters with you. First, will you please explain the circumstances of your abduction?”
“That is not important just now.”
“Well then, what is important? Do you want to discuss my stay in prison?”
“I heard of it the day you were arrested,” Madame Bonacieux explained. “But I knew you were guilty of no crime or intrigue; I knew you possessed no knowledge that could compromise you or anyone else. So I attached no more importance to your arrest than it warranted.”
“You speak very lightly of it, Madame,” Bonacieux retorted, hurt at his wife’s lack of interest. “Do you realize that I spent a day and a night in a dungeon in the Bastille?”
“Oh, a day and a night pass very quickly. Let us forget your