Part 55 (1/2)
”It is true,” said Porthos
”Sharpen your sword, baron, load your pistols, and give sohtning-like will happen ere to-morrow”
”But, stop; do you think it can be a trap that they are laying for us?” suggested Porthos, incessantly thinking how his greatness must be irksome to inferior people
”If it is a snare,” replied D'Artagnan, ”I shall scent it out, be assured If Mazarin is an Italian, I anan dressed himself in an instant
Whilst Porthos, still in bed, was hooking on his cloak for him, a second knock at the door was heard
”Conan; and another servant entered
”Fro a letter
D'Artagnan looked at Porthos
”A coin?”
”It is arranged capitally; his eminence expects me in half an hour”
”Good”
”My friend,” said D'Artagnan, turning to the servant, ”tell his eminence that in half an hour I shall be at his command”
”It is very fortunate,” resumed the Gascon, when the valet had retired, ”that he did not meet the other one”
”Do you not think that they have sent for you, both for the sa?”
”I do not think it, I anan Remember that the queen awaits you, and after the queen, the cardinal, and after the cardinal, nan sunified that he was ready to follow him into the queen's presence
The servant conducted hi to the left entered the little garden gate leading into the Rue Richelieu; then they gained the private staircase and D'Artagnan was ushered into the oratory A certain emotion, for which he could not account, er the assurance of youth; experience had taught him the importance of past events For ; he answered her sueneral
The silence of the oratory was at last disturbed by the slight rustling of silk, and D'Artagnan started when he perceived the tapestry raised by a white hand, which, by its fornized as that royal hand which had one day been presented to him to kiss The queen entered
”It is you, Monsieur d'Artagnan,” she said, fixing a gaze full of melancholy interest on the countenance of the officer, ”and I know you well Look at nize nan
”But are you no longer aware,” continued Anne, giving that sweet expression to her voice which she could do at will, ”that in for, brave and devoted cavalier--that she found this cavalier--and that, although he otten him, she had kept a place for hinorant of that,” said the musketeer
”So much the worse, sir,” said Anne of Austria; ”so much the worse, at least for the queen, for to-day she has need of the sae and the sanan, ”does the queen, surrounded as she is by such devoted servants, such wise counselors, n to cast her eyes on an obscure soldier?”
Anne understood this covert reproach and was more moved than irritated by it She had many a time felt humiliated by the self-sacrifice and disinterestedness shown by the Gascon gentleenerosity
”All that you tell nan, is doubtless true,” said the queen, ”but I have confidence in you alone I know that you belong to the cardinal, but belong toof your fortune Coentleman you do not know did for the queen?”
”I will do everything your nan
The queen reflected for athe cautious demeanor of the musketeer: ”Perhaps you like repose?” she said
”I do not know, for I have never had it, madame”
”Have you any friends?”
”I had three, two of whoo I know not where One alone is left to me, but he is one of those known, I believe, to the cavalier of whoood,” said the queen; ”you and your friend are worth an army”
”What am I to do, madame?”
”Return at five o'clock and I will tell you; but do not breathe to a living soul, sir, the rendezvous which I give you”
”No, madame”
”Swear it upon the cross”
”Madame, I have never been false to , I e, to which she was not accustoued fronan would serve her in the accomplishment of her project It was one of the Gascon's artifices to hide his deep cunning occasionally under an appearance of rough loyalty
”Has the queen any further conan
”No, sir,” replied Anne of Austria, ”and you may retire until the tinan bowed and went out
”Diable!” he exclaireatest need of lided by, he crossed the gallery and knocked at the cardinal's door
Bernouin introduced him
”I co to his custolanced rapidly around and remarked that Mazarin had a sealed letter before him But it was so placed on the desk that he could not see to whom it was addressed
”You conan
”I! my lord--who told you that?”