The Three Musketeers (Translated by Richard Pevear) - Alexandre Dumas [81]
“Why didn’t Mme de Lannoy come to inform us that same instant?”
“Nothing was certain yet; besides, the queen had said, ‘Ladies, wait for me,’ and she did not dare disobey the queen.”
“And how long was the queen out of the room?”
“Three-quarters of an hour.”
“None of her women accompanied her?”
“Only Doña Estefania.”
“And she came back afterwards?”
“Yes, but only to take a small rosewood box with her initial on it and go out at once.”
“And when she came back later, did she bring the box?”
“No.”
“Does Mme de Lannoy know what was in that box?”
“Yes: the diamond pendants His Majesty gave the queen.”
“And she came back without the box?”
“Yes.”
“So it is Mme de Lannoy’s opinion that she gave them to Buckingham?”
“She’s sure of it.”
“How so?”
“During the day, Mme de Lannoy, in her quality as lady of the queen’s wardrobe, had searched for that box, had seemed disturbed not to find it, and had ended by asking the queen about it.”
“And the queen?…”
“The queen turned very red and replied that, having broken one of the pendants the day before, she had sent it to her jeweler to be mended.”
“Someone should pass by and see if it’s true or not.”
“I did.”
“Well, and the jeweler?”
“The jeweler has heard no mention of it.”
“Good! Good! Rochefort, all is not lost, and perhaps…perhaps it’s all for the better!”
“In fact, I do not doubt that the genius of Your Eminence…”
“…will make up for the blunders of my agent, is that it?”
“That is just what I was about to say, if Your Eminence had allowed me to finish my phrase.”
“Now, do you know where the duchess of Chevreuse and the duke of Buckingham are hiding?”
“No, Monseigneur, my people have been unable to tell me anything definite about that.”
“But I know.”
“You, Monseigneur?”
“Yes, or at least I have a suspicion. One of them has been staying at 25 rue de Vaugirard, and the other at 75 rue de la Harpe.”
“Does Your Eminence wish me to have them both arrested?”
“It will be too late, they’ll be gone.”
“All the same, we can see.”
“Take ten of my guards and search both houses.”
“I’m on my way, Monseigneur.”
And Rochefort rushed out of the room.
The cardinal, left alone, reflected for a moment and rang a third time.
The same officer reappeared.
“Bring in the prisoner,” said the cardinal.
Master Bonacieux was ushered in again, and at a sign from the cardinal, the officer withdrew.
“You have deceived me,” the cardinal said severely.
“I?” cried Bonacieux. “I, deceive Your Eminence?”
“When your wife went to the rue de Vaugirard and the rue de la Harpe, she was not going to see cloth merchants.”
“Good God, and where was she going?”
“She was going to see the duchess of Chevreuse and the duke of Buckingham.”
“Yes,” said Bonacieux, recalling all his memories, “yes, that’s it, Your Eminence is right. I said many times to my wife that it was surprising that cloth merchants should live in such houses, in houses that had no shop signs, and each time my wife burst out laughing. Ah! Monseigneur,” Bonacieux went on, throwing himself at His Eminence’s feet, “ah! you are indeed the cardinal, the great cardinal, the man of genius whom all the world reveres.”
The cardinal, mediocre as was the triumph over such a vulgar being as Bonacieux, nonetheless enjoyed it for a moment; then, almost at once, as if a new thought had presented itself to his mind, a smile spread over his lips, and, holding out his hand to the mercer, he said:
“Get up, my friend, you’re a brave man.”
“The cardinal touched my hand! I have touched the great man’s hand!” cried Bonacieux. “The great man has called me his friend!”
“Yes, my friend, yes!” said the cardinal, with that blandly benevolent tone he was able to take at times, but which fooled only those who did not know him. “And since you have been unjustly suspected, well, then you must have an indemnity. Here, take this pouch of a hundred pistoles, and forgive me.”
“I should forgive you, Monseigneur?” said Bonacieux, hesitating to take the pouch, no doubt fearing that the