THE COUNTESS DE WINTER

As they rode along, the duke endeavored to draw from D`Artagnan,

not all that had happened, but what D`Artagnan himself knew. By

adding all that he heard from the mouth of the young man to his

own remembrances, he was enabled to form a pretty exact idea of a

position of the seriousness of which, for the rest, the queen`s

letter, short but explicit, gave him the clue. But that which

astonished him most was that the cardinal, so deeply interested

in preventing this young man from setting his foot in England,

had not succeeded in arresting him on the road. It was then,

upon the manifestation of this astonishment, that D`Artagnan

related to him the precaution taken, and how, thanks to the

devotion of his three friends, whom he had left scattered and

bleeding on the road, he had succeeded in coming off with a

single sword thrust, which had pierced the queen`s letter and for

which he had repaid M. de Wardes with such terrible coin. While

he was listening to this recital, delivered with the greatest

simplicity, the duke looked from time to time at the young man

with astonishment, as if he could not comprehend how so much

prudence, courage, and devotedness could be allied with a

countenance which indicated not more than twenty years.

The horses went like the wind, and in a few minutes they were at

the gates of London. D`Artagnan imagined that on arriving in

town the duke would slacken his pace, but it was not so. He kept

on his way at the same rate, heedless about upsetting those whom

he met on the road. In fact, in crossing the city two or three

accidents of this kind happened; but Buckingham did not even turn

his head to see what became of those he had knocked down.

D`Artagnan followed him amid cries which strongly resembled

curses.

On entering the court of his hotel, Buckingham sprang from his

horse, and without thinking what became of the animal, threw the

bridle on his neck, and sprang toward the vestibule. D`Artagnan

did the same, with a little more concern, however, for the noble

creatures, whose merits he fully appreciated; but he had the

satisfaction of seeing three or four grooms run from the kitchens

and the stables, and busy themselves with the steeds.

The duke walked so fast that D`Artagnan had some trouble in

keeping up with him. He passed through several apartments, of an

elegance of which even the greatest nobles of France had not even

an idea, and arrived at length in a bedchamber which was at once

a miracle of taste and of richness. In the alcove of this

chamber was a door concealed in the tapestry which the duke

opened with a little gold key which he wore suspended from his

neck by a chain of the same metal. With discretion D`Artagnan

remained behind; but at the moment when Buckingham crossed the

threshold, he turned round, and seeing the hesitation of the

young man, "Come in!" cried he, "and if you have the good fortune

to be admitted to her Majesty`s presence, tell her what you have

seen."

Encouraged by this invitation, D`Artagnan followed the duke, who

closed the door after them. The two found themselves in a small

chapel covered with a tapestry of Persian silk worked with gold,

and brilliantly lighted with a vast number of candles. Over a

species of altar, and beneath a canopy of blue velvet, surmounted

by white and red plumes, was a full-length portrait of Anne of

Austria, so perfect in its resemblance that D`Artagnan uttered a

cry of surprise on beholding it. One might believe the queen was

about to speak. On the altar, and beneath the portrait, was the

casket containing the diamond studs.

The duke approached the altar, knelt as a priest might have done

before a crucifix, and opened the casket. "There, said he,

drawing from the casket a large bow of blue ribbon all sparkling

with diamonds, "there are the precious studs which I have taken

an oath should be buried with me. The queen have them to me, the

queen requires them again. Her will be done, like that of God,

in all things."

Then, he began to kiss, one after the other, those dear studs

with which he was about to part. All at once he uttered a

terrible cry.

"What is the matter?" exclaimed D`Artagnan, anxiously; "what has

happened to you, my Lord?"

"All is lost!" cried Buckingham, becoming as pale as a corpse;

"two of the studs are wanting, there are only ten."

"Can you have lost them, my Lord, or do you think they have been

stolen?"

"They have been stolen," replied the duke, "and it is the

cardinal who has dealt this blow. Hold; see! The ribbons which

held them have been cut with scissors."

"If my Lord suspects they have been stolen, perhaps the person

who stole them still has them in his hands."

"Wait, wait!" said the duke. "The only time I have worn these

studs was at a ball given by the king eight days ago at Windsor.

The Comtesse de Winter, with whom I had quarreled, became

reconciled to me at that ball. That reconciliation was nothing

but the vengeance of a jealous woman. I have never seen her from

that day. The woman is an agent of the cardinal."

"He has agents, then, throughout the world?" cried D`Artagnan.

"Oh, yes," said Buckingham, grating his teeth with rage. "Yes,

he is a terrible antagonist. But when is this ball to take

place?"

"Monday next."

"Monday next! Still five days before us. That`s more time than

we want. Patrick!" cried the duke, opening the door of the

chapel, "Patrick!" His confidential valet appeared.

"My jeweler and my secretary."

The valet went out with a mute promptitude which showed him

accustomed to obey blindly and without reply.

But although the jeweler had been mentioned first, it was the

secretary who first made his appearance. This was simply because

he lived in the hotel. He found Buckingham seated at a table in

his bedchamber, writing orders with his own hand.

"Mr. Jackson," said he, "go instantly to the Lord Chancellor, and

tell him that I charge him with the execution of these orders. I

wish them to be promulgated immediately."

"But, my Lord, if the Lord Chancellor interrogates me upon the

motives which may have led your Grace to adopt such an

extraordinary measure, what shall I reply?"

"That such is my pleasure, and that I answer for my will to no

man."

"Will that be the answer," replied the secretary, smiling, "which

he must transmit to his Majesty if, by chance, his Majesty should

have the curiosity to know why no vessel is to leave any of the

ports of Great Britain?"

"You are right, Mr. Jackson," replied Buckingham. "He will say,

in that case, to the king that I am determined on war, and that

this measure is my first act of hostility against France."

The secretary bowed and retired.

"We are safe on that side," said Buckingham, turning toward

D`Artagnan. "If the studs are not yet gone to Paris, they will

not arrive till after you."

"How so?"

"I have just placed an embargo on all vessels at present in his

Majesty`s ports, and without particular permission, not one dare

life an anchor."

D`Artagnan looked with stupefaction at a man who thus employed

the unlimited power with which he was clothed by the confidence

of a king in the prosecution of his intrigues. Buckingham saw by

the expression of the young man`s face what was passing in his

mind, and he smiled.

"Yes," said he, "yes, Anne of Austria is my true queen. Upon a

word from her, I would betray my country, I would betray my king,

I would betray my God. She asked me not to send the Protestants

of La Rochelle the assistance I promised them; I have not done

so. I broke my word, it is true; but what signifies that? I

obeyed my love; and have I not been richly paid for that

obedience? It was to that obedience I owe her portrait."

D`Artagnan was amazed to note by what fragile and unknown threads

the destinies of nations and the lives of men are suspended. He

was lost in these reflections when the goldsmith entered. He was

an Irishman--one of the most skillful of his craft, and who

himself confessed that he gained a hundred thousand livres a year

by the Duke of Buckingham.

"Mr. O`Reilly," said the duke, leading him into the chapel, "look

at these diamond studs, and tell me what they are worth apiece."

The goldsmith cast a glance at the elegant manner in which they

were set, calculated, one with another, what the diamonds were

worth, and without hesitation said, "Fifteen hundred pistoles

each, my Lord."

"How many days would it require to make two studs exactly like

them? You see there are two wanting."

"Eight days, my Lord."

"I will give you three thousand pistoles apiece if I can have

them by the day after tomorrow."

"My Lord, they shall be yours."

"You are a jewel of a man, Mr. O`Reilly; but that is not all.

These studs cannot be trusted to anybody; it must be done in the

palace."

"Impossible, my Lord! There is no one but myself can so execute

them that one cannot tell the new from the old."

"Therefore, my dear Mr. O`Reilly, you are my prisoner. And if

you wish ever to leave my palace, you cannot; so make the best of

it. Name to me such of your workmen as you need, and point out

the tools they must bring."

The goldsmith knew the duke. He knew all objection would be

useless, and instantly determined how to act.

"May I be permitted to inform my wife?" said he.

"Oh, you may even see her if you like, my dear Mr. O`Reilly.

Your captivity shall be mild, be assured; and as every

inconvenience deserves its indemnification, here is, in addition

to the price of the studs, an order for a thousand pistoles, to

make you forget the annoyance I cause you."

D`Artagnan could not get over the surprise created in him by this

minister, who thus open-handed, sported with men and millions.

As to the goldsmith, he wrote to his wife, sending her the order

for the thousand pistoles, and charging her to send him, in

exchange, his most skillful apprentice, an assortment of

diamonds, of which he gave the names and the weight, and the

necessary tools.

Buckingham conducted the goldsmith to the chamber destined for

him, and which, at the end of half an hour, was transformed into

a workshop. Then he placed a sentinel at each door, with an

order to admit nobody upon any pretense but his VALET DE CHAMBRE,

Patrick. We need not add that the goldsmith, O`Reilly, and his

assistant, were prohibited from going out under any pretext.

This point, settled, the duke turned to D`Artagnan. "Now, my

young friend," said he, "England is all our own. What do you

wish for? What do you desire?"

"A bed, my Lord," replied D`Artagnan. "At present, I confess,

that is the thing I stand most in need of."

Buckingham gave D`Artagnan a chamber adjoining his own. He

wished to have the young man at hand--not that he at all

mistrusted him, but for the sake of having someone to whom he

could constantly talk of the queen.

In one hour after, the ordinance was published in London that no

vessel bound for France should leave port, not even the packet

boat with letters. In the eyes of everybody this was a

declaration of war between the two kingdoms.

On the day after the morrow, by eleven o`clock, the two diamond

studs were finished, and they were so completely imitated, so

perfectly alike, that Buckingham could not tell the new ones from

the old ones, and experts in such matters would have been

deceived as he was. He immediately called D`Artagnan. "Here,"

said he to him, "are the diamond studs that you came to bring;

and be my witness that I have done all that human power could

do."

"Be satisfied, my Lord, I will tell all that I have seen. But

does your Grace mean to give me the studs without the casket?"

"The casket would encumber you. Besides, the casket is the more

precious from being all that is left to me. You will say that I

keep it."

"I will perform your commission, word for word, my Lord."

"And now," resumed Buckingham, looking earnestly at the young

man, "how shall I ever acquit myself of the debt I owe you?"

D`Artagnan blushed up to the whites of his eyes. He saw that the

duke was searching for a means of making him accept something and

the idea that the blood of his friends and himself was about to

be paid for with English gold was strangely repugnant to him.

"Let us understand each other, my Lord," replied D`Artagnan, "and

let us make things clear beforehand in order that there may be no

mistake. I am in the service of the King and Queen of France,

and form part of the company of Monsieur Dessessart, who, as well

as his brother-in-law, Monsieur de Treville, is particularly

attached to their Majesties. What I have done, then, has been

for the queen, and not at all for your Grace. And still further,

it is very probable I should not have done anything of this, if

it had not been to make myself agreeable to someone who is my

lady, as the queen is yours."

"Yes," said the duke, smiling, "and I even believe that I know

that other person; it is--"

"My Lord, I have not named her!" interrupted the young man,

warmly.

"That is true," said the duke; "and it is to this person I am

bound to discharge my debt of gratitude."

"You have said, my Lord; for truly, at this moment when there is

question of war, I confess to you that I see nothing in your

Grace but an Englishman, and consequently an enemy whom I should

have much greater pleasure in meeting on the field of battle than

in the park at Windsor of the corridors of the Louvre--all which,

however, will not prevent me from executing to the very point my

commission or from laying down my life, if there be need of it,

to accomplish it; but I repeat it to your Grace, without your

having personally on that account more to thank me for in this

second interview than for what I did for you in the first."

"We say, `Proud as a Scotsman,`" murmured the Duke of Buckingham.

"And we say, `Proud as a Gascon,`" replied D`Artagnan. "The

Gascons are the Scots of France."

D`Artagnan bowed to the duke, and was retiring.

"Well, are you going away in that manner? Where, and how?"

"That`s true!"

"Fore Gad, these Frenchmen have no consideration!"

"I had forgotten that England was an island, and that you were

the king of it."

"Go to the riverside, ask for the brig SUND, and give this letter

to the captain; he will convey you to a little port, where

certainly you are not expected, and which is ordinarily only

frequented by fishermen."

"The name of that port?"

"St. Valery; but listen. When you have arrived there you will go

to a mean tavern, without a name and without a sign--a mere

fisherman`s hut. You cannot be mistaken; there is but one."

"Afterward?"

"You will ask for the host, and will repeat to him the word

`Forward!`"

"Which means?"

"In French, EN AVANT. It is the password. He will give you a

horse all saddled, and will point out to you the road you ought

to take. You will find, in the same way, four relays on your

route. If you will give at each of these relays your address in

Paris, the four horses will follow you thither. You already know

two of them, and you appeared to appreciate them like a judge.

They were those we rode on; and you may rely upon me for the

others not being inferior to them. These horses are equipped for

the field. However proud you may be, you will not refuse to

accept one of them, and to request your three companions to

accept the others--that is, in order to make war against us.

Besides, the end justified the means, as you Frenchmen say, does

it not?"

"Yes, my Lord, I accept them," said D`Artagnan; "and if it please

God, we will make a good use of your presents."

"Well, now, your hand, young man. Perhaps we shall soon meet on

the field of battle; but in the meantime we shall part good

friends, I hope."

"Yes, my Lord; but with the hope of soon becoming enemies."

"Be satisfied; I promise you that."

"I depend upon your word, my Lord."

D`Artagnan bowed to the duke, and made his way as quickly as

possible to the riverside. Opposite the Tower of London he found

the vessel that had been named to him, delivered his letter to

the captain, who after having it examined by the governor of the

port made immediate preparations to sail.

Fifty vessels were waiting to set out. Passing alongside one of

them, D`Artagnan fancied he perceived on board it the woman of

Meung--the same whom the unknown gentleman had called Milady, and

whom D`Artagnan had thought so handsome; but thanks to the

current of the stream and a fair wind, his vessel passed so

quickly that he had little more than a glimpse of her.

The next day about nine o`clock in the morning, he landed at St.

Valery. D`Artagnan went instantly in search of the inn, and

easily discovered it by the riotous noise which resounded from

it. War between England and France was talked of as near and

certain, and the jolly sailors were having a carousal.

D`Artagnan made his way through the crowd, advanced toward the

host, and pronounced the word "Forward!" The host instantly made

him a sign to follow, went out with him by a door which opened

into a yard, led him to the stable, where a saddled horse awaited

him, and asked him if he stood in need of anything else.

"I want to know the route I am to follow," said D`Artagnan.

"Go from hence to Blangy, and from Blangy to Neufchatel. At

Neufchatel, go to the tavern of the Golden Harrow, give the

password to the landlord, and you will find, as you have here, a

horse ready saddled."

"Have I anything to pay?" demanded D`Artagnan.

"Everything is paid," replied the host, "and liberally. Begone,

and may God guide you!"

"Amen!" cried the young man, and set off at full gallop.

Four hours later he was in Neufchatel. He strictly followed the

instructions he had received. At Neufchatel, as at St. Valery,

he found a horse quite ready and awaiting him. He was about to

remove the pistols from the saddle he had quit to the one he was

about to fill, but he found the holsters furnished with similar

pistols.

"Your address at Paris?"

"Hotel of the Guards, company of Dessessart."

"Enough," replied the questioner.

"Which route must I take?" demanded D`Artagnan, in his turn.

"That of Rouen; but you will leave the city on your right. You

must stop at the little village of Eccuis, in which there is but

one tavern--the Shield of France. Don`t condemn it from

appearances; you will find a horse in the stables quite as good

as this."

"The same password?"

"Exactly."

"Adieu, master!"

"A good journey, gentlemen! Do you want anything?"

D`Artagnan shook his head, and set off at full speed. At Eccuis,

the same scene was repeated. He found as provident a host and a

fresh horse. He left his address as he had done before, and set

off again at the same pace for Pontoise. At Pontoise he changed

his horse for the last time, and at nine o`clock galloped into

the yard of Treville`s hotel. He had made nearly sixty leagues

in little more than twelve hours.

M. de Treville received him as if he had seen him that same

morning; only, when pressing his hand a little more warmly than

usual, he informed him that the company of Dessessart was on duty

at the Louvre, and that he might repair at once to his post.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 637