“ ’Tis strange,” said Aramis, almost involuntarily; “I fancied that I recognized Mazarin himself.”
The sergeant burst into a fit of laughter.
“He!” he cried; “he venture himself amongst us, to be hung! Not so foolish as all that.”
“Ah!” muttered Athos, “I may be mistaken, I haven’t the unerring eye of d’Artagnan.”
“Who is speaking of Monsieur d’Artagnan?” asked an officer who appeared at that moment upon the threshold of the room.
“What!” cried Aramis and Athos, “what! Planchet!”
“Planchet,” added Grimaud; “Planchet, with a gorget, indeed!”
“Ah, gentlemen!” cried Planchet, “so you are back again in Paris. Oh, how happy you make us! no doubt you come to join the princes!”
“As thou seest, Planchet,” said Aramis, whilst Athos smiled on seeing what important rank was held in the city militia by the former comrade of Mousqueton, Bazin and Grimaud.
“And Monsieur d’Artagnan, of whom you spoke just now, Monsieur d’Herblay; may I ask if you have any news of him?”
“We parted from him four days ago and we have reason to believe that he has reached Paris before us.”
“No, sir; I am sure he hasn’t yet arrived. But then he may have stopped at Saint Germain.”
“I don’t think so; we appointed to meet at La Chevrette.”
“I was there this very day.”
“And had the pretty Madeleine no news?” asked Aramis, smiling.
“No, sir, and it must be admitted that she seemed very anxious.”
“In fact,” said Aramis, “there is no time lost and we made our journey quickly. Permit me, then, my dear Athos, without inquiring further about our friend, to pay my respects to M. Planchet.”
“Ah, Monsieur le Chevalier,” said Planchet, bowing.
“Lieutenant?” asked Aramis.
“Lieutenant, with a promise of becoming captain.”
“ ’Tis capital; and pray, how did you acquire all these honors?”
“In the first place, gentlemen, you know that I was the means of Monsieur de Rochefort’s escape; well, I was very near being hung by Mazarin and that made me more popular than ever.”
“So, owing to your popularity—”
“No; thanks to something better. You know, gentlemen, that I served the Piedmont regiment and had the honor of being a sergeant?”
“Yes.”
“Well, one day when no one could drill a mob of citizens, who began to march, some with the right foot, others with the left, I succeeded, I did, in making them all begin with the same foot, and I was made lieutenant on the spot.”
“So I presume,” said Athos, “that you have a large number of the nobles with you?”
“Certainly. There are the Prince de Conti, the Duc de Longueville, the Duc de Beaufort, the Duc de Bouillon, the Maréchal de la Mothe, the Marquis de Sevigné, and I don’t know who, for my part.”
“And the Vicomte Raoul de Bragelonne?” inquired Athos, in a tremulous voice. “D’Artagnan told me that he had recommended him to your care, in parting.”
“Yes, count; nor have I lost sight of him for a single instant since.”
“Then,” said Athos in a tone of delight, “he is well? no accident has happened to him?”
“None, sir.”
“And he lives?”
“Still—at the Hôtel of the Great Charlemagne.”
“And passes his time?”
“Sometimes with the queen of England, sometimes with Madame de Chevreuse. He and the Count de Guiche are like each other’s shadows.”
“Thanks, Planchet, thanks!” cried Athos, extending his hand to the lieutenant.
“Oh, sir!” Planchet only touched the tips of the count’s fingers.
“Well, what are you doing, count—to a former lackey?”
“My friend,” said Athos, “he has given me news of Raoul.”
“And now, gentlemen,” said Planchet, who had not heard what they were saying, “what do you intend to do?”
“Re-enter Paris, if you will let us, my good Planchet.”
“Let you, sir? Now, as ever, I am nothing but your servant.” Then turning to his men:
“Allow these gentlemen to pass,” he said; “they are friends of the Duc de Beaufort.”
“Long live the Duc de Beaufort!” cried the sentinels.
The sergeant drew near to Planchet.
“What! without passports?” he murmured.
“Without passports,” said Planchet.
“Take notice, captain,” he continued, giving Planchet his expected title, “take notice that one of the three men who just now went out from here told me privately to distrust these gentlemen.”
“And I,” said Planchet, with dignity, “I know them and I answer for them.”
As he said this, he pressed Grimaud’s hand, who seemed honored by the distinction.
“Farewell till we meet again,” said Aramis, as they took leave of Planchet; “if anything happens to us we shall blame you for it.”
“Sir,” said Planchet, “I am in all things at your service.”
“That fellow is no fool,” said Aramis, as he got on his horse.
“How should he be?” replied Athos, whilst mounting also, “seeing he was used so long to brush your hats.”
LXXVI
The Ambassadors
The two friends rode rapidly down the declivity of the Faubourg, but on arriving at the bottom were surprised to find that the streets of Paris had become rivers, and the open places lakes; after the great rains which fell in January the Seine had overflowed its banks and the river inundated half the capital. The two gentlemen were obliged, therefore, to get off their horses and take a boat; and in that strange manner they approached the Louvre.
Night had closed in, and Paris, seen thus, by the light of lanterns flickering on the pools of water, crowded with ferryboats of every kind, including those that glittered with the armed patrols, with the watchword, passing from post to post—Paris presented such an aspect as to strongly seize the senses of Aramis, a man most susceptible to warlike impressions.
They reached the queen’s apartments, but were compelled to stop in the antechamber, since Her Majesty was at that moment giving audience to gentlemen bringing her news from England.
“We, too,” said Athos, to the footman who had given him that answer, “not only bring news from England, but have just come from there.”
“What? then, are your names, gentlemen?”
“The Comte de la Fère and the Chevalier d’Herblay,” said Aramis.
“Ah! in that case, gentlemen,” said the footman, on hearing the names which the queen had so often pronounced with hope, “in that case
