The Three Musketeers (Translated by Richard Pevear) - Alexandre Dumas [313]
“We are returning to His Eminence, Monsieur le chevalier,” said Athos, stepping forward, “and you will certainly accept M. d’Artagnan’s word that he is going directly to La Rochelle.”
“I must place him in the hands of guards, who will take him back to the camp.”
“We will serve him for that, Monsieur, on our word as gentlemen. But, also on our word as gentlemen,” Athos added, frowning, “M. d’Artagnan will not part from us.”
The chevalier de Rochefort cast a glance behind him and saw that Porthos and Aramis had placed themselves between him and the door. He understood that he was entirely at the mercy of these four men.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “if M. d’Artagnan will surrender his sword to me and join his word to yours, I will content myself with your promise to bring him to the quarters of Monseigneur le cardinal.”
“You have my word, Monsieur,” said d’Artagnan, “and here is my sword.”
“That is all the better for me,” added Rochefort, “for I must continue my journey.”
“If it’s to rejoin Milady,” Athos said coldly, “there’s no use, you won’t find her.”
“What’s become of her?” Rochefort asked sharply.
“Go back to camp and you’ll find out.”
Rochefort stood in thought for a moment, then, as it was no more than a day’s journey to Surgères, where the cardinal was to come to meet the king, he decided to follow Athos’s advice and go back with them.
Besides, this return offered him an advantage, which was to keep watch on his prisoner himself.
They set out again.
The next day, at three o’clock in the afternoon, they came to Surgères. The cardinal was there waiting for Louis XIII. The minister and the king exchanged many flatteries, and congratulated each other on the stroke of luck that had rid France of the relentless enemy who had been stirring up Europe against her. After which, the cardinal, who had been informed by Rochefort that d’Artagnan had been arrested, and who was anxious to see him, took leave of the king, inviting him to come the next day to see the work on the dike, which had been completed.
On returning in the evening to his quarters at the pont de La Pierre, the cardinal found, standing before the door of the house he lived in, d’Artagnan without a sword and the three musketeers armed.
This time, as he was in force, he looked at them sternly and made a sign with his eye and hand for d’Artagnan to follow him.
D’Artagnan obeyed.
“We’ll be waiting for you, d’Artagnan,” said Athos, loudly enough for the cardinal to hear it.
His Eminence frowned, stopped for a moment, then continued on his way without saying a single word.
D’Artagnan went in after the cardinal, and Rochefort after d’Artagnan. The door was guarded.
His Eminence went to the room that served as his study and made a sign for Rochefort to usher in the young musketeer.
Rochefort obeyed and withdrew.
D’Artagnan remained alone facing the cardinal. It was his second interview with Richelieu, and he confessed afterwards that he had been convinced it would be his last.
Richelieu remained standing, leaning against the fireplace. A table stood between him and d’Artagnan.
“Monsieur,” said the cardinal, “you have been arrested on my orders.”
“I was told that, Monseigneur.”
“Do you know why?”
“No, Monseigneur, for the one thing I could be arrested for is not yet known to His Eminence.”
Richelieu looked fixedly at the young man.
“Oho!” he said, “what does that mean?”
“If Monseigneur will first tell me the crimes I am accused of, I will then tell him the deeds I have done.”
“You are accused of crimes which have made heads higher than yours roll, Monsieur!” said the cardinal.
“What are they, Monseigneur?” asked d’Artagnan, with a calm that astounded the cardinal himself.
“You are accused of having corresponded with the enemies of the realm, you are accused of having betrayed state secrets, you are accused of having tried to make your general’s plans miscarry.”
“And who accuses me of that, Monseigneur?” asked d’Artagnan, who suspected that the imputations came from Milady. “A woman branded by the justice