第 120 节
now,” said the queen. “Much obliged to you, Monsieur Dulaurier. You will hear again from me.”
“Come, come,” thought D’Artagnan, emerging from behind the curtain, “decidedly Monsieur Planchet is no fool; it is evident he has been brought up in a good school.”
The different actors in this strange scene remained facing one another, without uttering a single word; the queen standing near the door, D’Artagnan half out of his hiding place, the king raised on his elbow, ready to fall down on his bed again at the slightest sound that would indicate the return of the multitude, but instead of approaching, the noise became more and more distant and very soon it died entirely away.
The queen breathed more freely. D’Artagnan wiped his damp forehead and the king slid off his bed, saying, “Let us go.”
At this moment Laporte reappeared.
“Well?” asked the queen
“Well, madame,” replied the valet, “I followed them as far as the gates. They announced to all their comrades that they had seen the king and that the queen had spoken to them; and, in fact, they went away quite proud and happy.”
“Oh, the miserable wretches!” murmured the queen, “they shall pay dearly for their boldness, and it is I who promise this.”
Then turning to D’Artagnan, she said:
“Sir, you have given me this evening the best advice I have ever received. Continue, and say what we must do now.”
“Monsieur Laporte,” said D’Artagnan, “finish dressing his majesty.”
“We may go, then?” asked the queen.
“Whenever your majesty pleases. You have only to descend by the private stairs and you will find me at the door.”
“Go, sir,” said the queen; “I will follow you.”
D’Artagnan went down and found the carriage at its post and the musketeer on the box. D’Artagnan took out the parcel which he had desired Bernouin to place under the seat. It may be remembered that it was the hat and cloak belonging to Monsieur de Gondy’s coachman.
He placed the cloak on his shoulders and the hat on his head, whilst the musketeer got off the box.
“Sir,” said D’Artagnan, “you will go and release your companion, who is guarding the coachman. You must mount your horse and proceed to the Rue Tiquetonne, Hotel de la Chevrette, whence you will take my horse and that of Monsieur du Vallon, which you must saddle and equip as if for war, and then you will leave Paris, bringing them with you to Cours la Reine. If, when you arrive at Cours la Reine, you find no one, you must go on to Saint Germain. On the king’s service.”
The musketeer touched his cap and went away to execute the orders thus received.
D’Artagnan mounted the box, having a pair of pistols in his belt, a musket under his feet and a naked sword behind him.
The queen appeared, and was followed by the king and the Duke d’Anjou, his brother.
“Monsieur the coadjutor’s carriage!” she exclaimed, falling back.
“Yes, madame,” said D’Artagnan; “but get in fearlessly, for I myself will drive you.”
The queen uttered a cry of surprise and entered the carriage, and the king and monsieur took their places at her side.
“Come, Laporte,” said the queen.
“How, madame!” said the valet, “in the same carriage as your majesties?”
“It is not a matter of royal etiquette this evening, but of the king’s safety. Get in, Laporte.”
Laporte obeyed.
“Pull down the blinds,” said D’Artagnan.
“But will that not excite suspicion, sir?” asked the queen.
“Your majesty’s mind may be quite at ease,” replied the officer; “I have my answer ready.”
The blinds were pulled down and they started at a gallop by the Rue Richelieu. On reaching the gate the captain of the post advanced at the head of a dozen men, holding a lantern in his hand.
D’Artagnan signed to them to draw near.
“Do you recognize the carriage?” he asked the sergeant.
“No,” replied the latter.
“Look at the arms.”
The sergeant put the lantern near the panel.
“They are those of monsieur le coadjuteur,” he said.
“Hush; he is enjoying a ride with Madame de Guéménée.”
The sergeant began to laugh.
“Open the gate,” he cried. “I know who it is!” Then putting his face to the lowered blinds, he said:
“I wish you joy, my lord!”
“Impudent fellow!” cried D’Artagnan, “you will get me turned off.”
The gate groaned on its hinges, and D’Artagnan, seeing the way clear, whipped his horses, who started at a canter, and five minutes later they had rejoined the cardinal.
“Mousqueton!” exclaimed D’Artagnan, “draw up the blinds of his majesty’s carriage.”
“It is he!” cried Porthos.
“Disguised as a coachman!” exclaimed Mazarin.
“And driving the coadjutor’s carriage!” said the queen.
“_Corpo di Dio!_ Monsieur d’Artagnan!” said Mazarin, “you are worth your weight in gold.”
Chapter LIII. How D’Artagnan and Porthos earned by selling Straw.
Mazarin was desirous of setting out instantly for Saint Germain, but the queen declared that she should wait for the people whom she had appointed to meet her. However, she offered the cardinal Laporte’s place, which he accepted and went from one carriage to the other.
It was not without foundation that a report of the king’s intention to leave Paris by night had been circulated. Ten or twelve persons had been in the secret since six o’clock, and howsoever great their prudence might be, they could not issue the necessary orders for the departure without suspicion being generated. Besides, each individual had one or two others for whom he was interested; and as there could be no doubt but that the queen was leaving Paris full of terrible projects of vengeance, every one had warned parents and friends of what was about to transpire; so that the news of the approaching exit ran like a train of lighted gunpowder along the streets.
The first carriage which arrived after that of the queen was that of the Prince de Condé, with the princess and dowager princess. Both these ladies had been awakened in the middle of the night and did not know what it all was about. The second contained the Duke and Duchess of Orléans, the tall young Mademoiselle and the Abbé de la Rivière; and the third, the Duke de Longueville and the Prince de Conti, brother and brother-in-law of Condé. They all alighted and hastened to pay their respects to the king and queen in their coach. The queen fixed her eyes upon the carriage they had left, and seeing that it was empty, she said:
“But where is Madame de Longueville?”
“Ah, yes, where is my sister?” asked the prince.
“Madame de Longueville is ill,” said the duke, “and she desired me to excuse her to your majesty.”
Anne gave a quick glance to Mazarin, who answered by an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
“What do you say of this?” asked the queen.
“I say that she is a hostage for the Parisians,” answered the cardinal.
“Why is she not come?” asked the prince in a low voice, addressing his brother.
“Silence,” whispered the duke, “she has her reasons.”
“She will ruin us!” returned the prince.
“She will save us,” said Conti.
Carriages now arrived in crowds; those of the Maréchal de Villeroy,