The Flight.
When D'Artagnan returned to the Palais Royal at five o'clock, it presented, in spite of the excitement which reigned in the town, a spectacle of the greatest rejoicing.
Nor was that surprising. The queen had restored Broussel and Blancmesnil to the people and had therefore nothing to fear, since the people had nothing more just then to ask for. The return, also, of the conqueror of Lens was the pretext for giving a grand banquet. The princes and princesses were invited and their carriages had crowded the court since noon; then after dinner the queen was to have a play in her apartment. Anne of Austria had never appeared more brilliant than on that day -- radiant with grace and wit. Mazarin disappeared as they rose from table. He found D'Artagnan waiting for him already at his post in the ante-room.
The cardinal advanced to him with a smile and taking him by the hand led him into his study.
"My dear M. d'Artagnan," said the minister, sitting down, "I am about to give you the greatest proof of confidence that a minister can give an officer."
"I hope," said D'Artagnan, bowing, "that you give it, my lord, without hesitation and with the conviction that I am worthy of it."
"More worthy than any one in Paris my dear friend; therefore I apply to you. We are about to leave this evening," continued Mazarin. "My dear M. d'Artagnan, the welfare of the state is deposited in your hands." He paused.
"Explain yourself, my lord, I am listening."
"The queen has resolved to make a little excursion with the king to Saint Germain."
"Aha!" said D'Artagnan, "that is to say, the queen wishes to leave Paris."
"A woman's caprice -- you understand."
"Yes, I understand perfectly," said D'Artagnan.
"It was for this she summoned you this morning and that she told you to return at five o'clock."
"Was it worth while to wish me to swear this morning that I would mention the appointment to no one?" muttered D'Artagnan. "Oh, women! women! whether queens or not, they are always the same."
"Do you disapprove of this journey, my dear M. d'Artagnan?" asked Mazarin, anxiously.
"I, my lord?" said D'Artagnan; "why should I?"
"Because you shrug your shoulders."
"It is a way I have of speaking to myself. I neither approve nor disapprove, my lord; I merely await your commands."
"Good; it is you, accordingly, that I have pitched upon to conduct the king and the queen to Saint Germain."
"Liar!" thought D'Artagnan.
"You see, therefore," continued the cardinal, perceiving D'Artagnan's composure, "that, as I have told you, the welfare of the state is placed in your hands."
"Yes, my lord, and I feel the whole responsibility of such a charge."
"You accept, however?"
"I always accept."
"Do you think the thing possible?"
"Everything is possible."
"Shall you be attacked on the road?"
"Probably."
"And what will you do in that case?"
"I shall pass through those who attack me."
"And suppose you cannot pass through them?"
"So much the worse for them; I shall pass over them."
"And you will place the king and queen in safety also, at Saint Germain?"
"Yes."
"On your life?"
"On my life."
"You are a hero, my friend," said Mazarin, gazing at the musketeer with admiration.
D'Artagnan smiled.
"And I?" asked Mazarin, after a moment's silence.
"How? and you, my lord?"
"If I wish to leave?"
"That would be much more difficult."
"Why so?"
"Your eminence might be recognized."
"Even under this disguise?" asked Mazarin, raising a cloak which covered an arm-chair, upon which lay a complete dress for an officer, of pearl-gray and red, entirely embroidered with silver.
"If your eminence is disguised it will be almost easy."
"Ah!" said Mazarin, breathing more freely.
"But it will be necessary for your eminence to do what the other day you declared you should have done in our place -- cry, `Down with Mazarin!'"
"I will: `Down with Mazarin'"
"In French, in good French, my lord, take care of your accent; they killed six thousand Angevins in Sicily because they pronounced Italian badly. Take care that the French do not take their revenge on you for the Sicilian vespers."
"I will do my best."
"The streets are full of armed men," continued D'Artagnan.
"Are you sure that no one is aware of the queen's project?"
Mazarin reflected.
"This affair would give a fine opportunity for a traitor, my lord; the chance of being attacked would be an excuse for everything."
Mazarin shuddered, but he reflected that a man who had the least intention to betray would not warn first.
"And therefore," added he, quietly, "I have not confidence in every one; the proof of which is, that I have fixed upon you to escort me."
"Shall you not go with the queen?"
"No," replied Mazarin.
"Then you will start after the queen?"
"No," said Mazarin again.
"Ah!" said D'Artagnan, who began to understand.
"Yes," continued the cardinal. "I have my plan. With the queen I double her risk; after the queen her departure would double mine; then, the court once safe, I might be forgotten. The great are often ungrateful."
"Very true," said D'Artagnan, fixing his eyes, in spite of himself, on the queen's diamond, which Mazarin wore on his finger. Mazarin followed the direction of his eyes and gently turned the hoop of the ring inside.
"I wish," he said, with his cunning smile, "to prevent them from being ungrateful to me."
"It is but Christian charity," replied D'Artagnan, "not to lead one's neighbors into temptation."
"It is exactly for that reason," said Mazarin, "that I wish to start before them."
D'Artagnan smiled -- he was just the man to understand the astute Italian. Mazarin saw the smile and profited by the moment.
"You will begin, therefore, by taking me first out of Paris, will you not, my dear M. d'Artagnan?"
"A difficult commission, my lord," replied D'Artagnan, resuming his serious manner.
"But," said Mazarin, "you did not make so many difficulties with regard to the king and queen."
"The king and the queen are my king and queen," replied the musketeer, "my life is theirs and I must give it for them.
If they ask it what have I to say?"
