Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.1-18
"Pardon me," said he; "but the instant your Majesty considers me `
` a prejudiced judge, I withdraw." `
` `
` "Come," said the king, "will you swear, by my father, that Athos `
` was at your residence during the event and that he took no part `
` in it?" `
` `
` "By your glorious father, and by yourself, whom I love and `
` venerate above all the world, I swear it." `
` `
` "Be so kind as to reflect, sire," said the cardinal. "If we `
` release the prisoner thus, we shall never know the truth." `
` `
` "Athos may always be found," replied Treville, "ready to answer, `
` when it shall please the gownsmen to interrogate him. He will `
` not desert, Monsieur the Cardinal, be assured of that; I will `
` answer for him." `
` `
` "No, he will not desert," said the king; "he can always be found, `
` as Treville says. Besides," added he, lowering his voice and `
` looking with a suppliant air at the cardinal, "let us give them `
` apparent security; that is policy." `
` `
` This policy of Louis XIII made Richelieu smile. `
` `
` "Order it as you please, sire; you possess the right of pardon." `
` `
` "The right of pardoning only applies to the guilty," said `
` Treville, who was determined to have the last word, "and my `
` Musketeer is innocent. It is not mercy, then, that you are about `
` to accord, sire, it is justice." `
` `
` "And he is in the Fort l'Eveque?" said the king. `
` `
` "Yes, sire, in solitary confinement, in a dungeon, like the `
` lowest criminal." `
` `
` "The devil!" murmured the king; "what must be done?" `
` `
` "Sign an order for his release, and all will be said," replied `
` the cardinal. "I believe with your Majesty that Monsieur de `
` Treville's guarantee is more than sufficient." `
` `
` Treville bowed very respectfully, with a joy that was not unmixed `
` with fear; he would have preferred an obstinate resistance on the `
` part of the cardinal to this sudden yielding. `
` `
` The king signed the order for release, and Treville carried it `
` away without delay. As he was about to leave the presence, the `
` cardinal gave him a friendly smile, and said, "A perfect harmony `
` reigns, sire, between the leaders and the soldiers of your `
` Musketeers, which must be profitable for the service and `
` honorable to all." `
` `
` "He will play me some dog's trick or other, and that `
` immediately," said Treville. "One has never the last word with `
` such a man. But let us be quick--the king may change his mind in `
` an hour; and at all events it is more difficult to replace a man `
` in the Fort l'Eveque or the Bastille who has got out, than to `
` keep a prisoner there who is in." `
` `
` M. de Treville made his entrance triumphantly into the Fort `
` l'Eveque, whence he delivered the Musketeer, whose peaceful `
` indifference had not for a moment abandoned him. `
` `
` The first time he saw d'Artagnan, "You have come off well," said `
` he to him; "there is your Jussac thrust paid for. There still `
` remains that of Bernajoux, but you must not be too confident." `
` `
` As to the rest, M. de Treville had good reason to mistrust the `
` cardinal and to think that all was not over, for scarcely had the `
` captain of the Musketeers closed the door after him, than his `
` Eminence said to the king, "Now that we are at length by `
` ourselves, we will, if your Majesty pleases, converse seriously. `
` Sire, Buckingham has been in Paris five days, and only left this `
` morning." `
` `
` `
` `
` 16 IN WHICH M. SEGUIER, KEEPER OF THE SEALS, LOOKS MORE THAN `
` ONCE FOR THE BELL, IN ORDER TO RING IT, AS HE DID BEFORE `
` `
` It is impossible to form an idea of the impression these few `
` words made upon Louis XIII. He grew pale and red alternately; `
` and the cardinal saw at once that he had recovered by a single `
` blow all the ground he had lost. `
` `
` "Buckingham in Paris!" cried he, "and why does he come?" `
` `
` "To conspire, no doubt, with your enemies, the Huguenots and the `
` Spaniards." `
` `
` "No, PARDIEU, no! To conspire against my honor with Madame de `
` Chevreuse, Madame de Longueville, and the Condes." `
` `
` "Oh, sire, what an idea! The queen is too virtuous; and besides, `
` loves your Majesty too well." `
` `
` "Woman is weak, Monsieur Cardinal," said the king; "and as to `
` loving me much, I have my own opinion as to that love." `
` `
` "I not the less maintain," said the cardinal, "that the Duke of `
` Buckingham came to Paris for a project wholly political." `
` `
` "And I am sure that he came for quite another purpose, Monsieur `
` Cardinal; but if the queen be guilty, let her tremble!" `
` `
` "Indeed," said the cardinal, "whatever repugnance I may have to `
` directing my mind to such a treason, your Majesty compels me to `
` think of it. Madame de Lannoy, whom, according to your Majesty's `
` command, I have frequently interrogated, told me this morning `
` that the night before last her Majesty sat up very late, that `
` this morning she wept much, and that she was writing all day." `
` `
` "That's it!" cried the king; "to him, no doubt. Cardinal, I must `
` have the queen's papers." `
` `
` "But how to take them, sire? It seems to me that it is neither `
` your Majesty nor myself who can charge himself with such a `
` mission." `
` `
` "How did they act with regard to the Marechale d'Ancre?" cried `
` the king, in the highest state of choler; "first her closets were `
` thoroughly searched, and then she herself." `
` `
` "The Marechale d'Ancre was no more than the Marechale d'Ancre. A `
` Florentine adventurer, sire, and that was all; while the august `
` spouse of your Majesty is Anne of Austria, Queen of France--that `
` is to say, one of the greatest princesses in the world." `
` `
` "She is not the less guilty, Monsieur Duke! The more she has `
` forgotten the high position in which she was placed, the more `
` degrading is her fall. Besides, I long ago determined to put an `
` end to all these petty intrigues of policy and love. She has `
` near her a certain Laporte." `
` `
` "Who, I believe, is the mainspring of all this, I confess," said `
` the cardinal. `
` `
` "You think then, as I do, that she deceives me?" said the king. `
` `
` "I believe, and I repeat it to your Majesty, that the queen `
` conspires against the power of the king, but I have not said `
` against his honor." `
` `
` "And I--I tell you against both. I tell you the queen does not `
` love me; I tell you she loves another; I tell you she loves that `
` infamous Buckingham! Why did you not have him arrested while in `
` Paris?" `
` `
` "Arrest the Duke! Arrest the prime minister of King Charles I! `
` Think of it, sire! What a scandal! And if the suspicions of `
` your Majesty, which I still continue to doubt, should prove to `
` have any foundation, what a terrible disclosure, what a fearful `
` scandal!" `
` `
` "But as he exposed himself like a vagabond or a thief, he should `
` have been--" `
` `
` Louis XIII stopped, terrified at what he was about to say, while `
` Richelieu, stretching out his neck, waited uselessly for the word `
` which had died on the lips of the king. `
` `
` "He should have been--?" `
` `
` "Nothing," said the king, "nothing. But all the time he was in `
` Paris, you, of course, did not lose sight of him?" `
` `
` "No, sire." `
` `
` "Where did he lodge?" `
` `
` "Rue de la Harpe. No. 75." `
` `
` "Where is that?" `
` `
` "By the side of the Luxembourg." `
` `
` "And you are certain that the queen and he did not see each `
` other?" `
` `
` "I believe the queen to have too high a sense of her duty, sire." `
` `
` "But they have corresponded; it is to him that the queen has been `
` writing all the day. Monsieur Duke, I must have those letters!" `
` `
` "Sire, notwithstanding--" `
` `
` "Monsieur Duke, at whatever price it may be, I will have them." `
` `
` "I would, however, beg your Majesty to observe--" `
` `
` "Do you, then, also join in betraying me, Monsieur Cardinal, by `
` thus always opposing my will? Are you also in accord with Spain `
` and England, with Madame de Chevreuse and the queen?" `
` `
` "Sire," replied the cardinal, sighing, "I believed myself secure `
` from such a suspicion." `
` `
` "Monsieur Cardinal, you have heard me; I will have those `
` letters." `
`
` a prejudiced judge, I withdraw." `
` `
` "Come," said the king, "will you swear, by my father, that Athos `
` was at your residence during the event and that he took no part `
` in it?" `
` `
` "By your glorious father, and by yourself, whom I love and `
` venerate above all the world, I swear it." `
` `
` "Be so kind as to reflect, sire," said the cardinal. "If we `
` release the prisoner thus, we shall never know the truth." `
` `
` "Athos may always be found," replied Treville, "ready to answer, `
` when it shall please the gownsmen to interrogate him. He will `
` not desert, Monsieur the Cardinal, be assured of that; I will `
` answer for him." `
` `
` "No, he will not desert," said the king; "he can always be found, `
` as Treville says. Besides," added he, lowering his voice and `
` looking with a suppliant air at the cardinal, "let us give them `
` apparent security; that is policy." `
` `
` This policy of Louis XIII made Richelieu smile. `
` `
` "Order it as you please, sire; you possess the right of pardon." `
` `
` "The right of pardoning only applies to the guilty," said `
` Treville, who was determined to have the last word, "and my `
` Musketeer is innocent. It is not mercy, then, that you are about `
` to accord, sire, it is justice." `
` `
` "And he is in the Fort l'Eveque?" said the king. `
` `
` "Yes, sire, in solitary confinement, in a dungeon, like the `
` lowest criminal." `
` `
` "The devil!" murmured the king; "what must be done?" `
` `
` "Sign an order for his release, and all will be said," replied `
` the cardinal. "I believe with your Majesty that Monsieur de `
` Treville's guarantee is more than sufficient." `
` `
` Treville bowed very respectfully, with a joy that was not unmixed `
` with fear; he would have preferred an obstinate resistance on the `
` part of the cardinal to this sudden yielding. `
` `
` The king signed the order for release, and Treville carried it `
` away without delay. As he was about to leave the presence, the `
` cardinal gave him a friendly smile, and said, "A perfect harmony `
` reigns, sire, between the leaders and the soldiers of your `
` Musketeers, which must be profitable for the service and `
` honorable to all." `
` `
` "He will play me some dog's trick or other, and that `
` immediately," said Treville. "One has never the last word with `
` such a man. But let us be quick--the king may change his mind in `
` an hour; and at all events it is more difficult to replace a man `
` in the Fort l'Eveque or the Bastille who has got out, than to `
` keep a prisoner there who is in." `
` `
` M. de Treville made his entrance triumphantly into the Fort `
` l'Eveque, whence he delivered the Musketeer, whose peaceful `
` indifference had not for a moment abandoned him. `
` `
` The first time he saw d'Artagnan, "You have come off well," said `
` he to him; "there is your Jussac thrust paid for. There still `
` remains that of Bernajoux, but you must not be too confident." `
` `
` As to the rest, M. de Treville had good reason to mistrust the `
` cardinal and to think that all was not over, for scarcely had the `
` captain of the Musketeers closed the door after him, than his `
` Eminence said to the king, "Now that we are at length by `
` ourselves, we will, if your Majesty pleases, converse seriously. `
` Sire, Buckingham has been in Paris five days, and only left this `
` morning." `
` `
` `
` `
` 16 IN WHICH M. SEGUIER, KEEPER OF THE SEALS, LOOKS MORE THAN `
` ONCE FOR THE BELL, IN ORDER TO RING IT, AS HE DID BEFORE `
` `
` It is impossible to form an idea of the impression these few `
` words made upon Louis XIII. He grew pale and red alternately; `
` and the cardinal saw at once that he had recovered by a single `
` blow all the ground he had lost. `
` `
` "Buckingham in Paris!" cried he, "and why does he come?" `
` `
` "To conspire, no doubt, with your enemies, the Huguenots and the `
` Spaniards." `
` `
` "No, PARDIEU, no! To conspire against my honor with Madame de `
` Chevreuse, Madame de Longueville, and the Condes." `
` `
` "Oh, sire, what an idea! The queen is too virtuous; and besides, `
` loves your Majesty too well." `
` `
` "Woman is weak, Monsieur Cardinal," said the king; "and as to `
` loving me much, I have my own opinion as to that love." `
` `
` "I not the less maintain," said the cardinal, "that the Duke of `
` Buckingham came to Paris for a project wholly political." `
` `
` "And I am sure that he came for quite another purpose, Monsieur `
` Cardinal; but if the queen be guilty, let her tremble!" `
` `
` "Indeed," said the cardinal, "whatever repugnance I may have to `
` directing my mind to such a treason, your Majesty compels me to `
` think of it. Madame de Lannoy, whom, according to your Majesty's `
` command, I have frequently interrogated, told me this morning `
` that the night before last her Majesty sat up very late, that `
` this morning she wept much, and that she was writing all day." `
` `
` "That's it!" cried the king; "to him, no doubt. Cardinal, I must `
` have the queen's papers." `
` `
` "But how to take them, sire? It seems to me that it is neither `
` your Majesty nor myself who can charge himself with such a `
` mission." `
` `
` "How did they act with regard to the Marechale d'Ancre?" cried `
` the king, in the highest state of choler; "first her closets were `
` thoroughly searched, and then she herself." `
` `
` "The Marechale d'Ancre was no more than the Marechale d'Ancre. A `
` Florentine adventurer, sire, and that was all; while the august `
` spouse of your Majesty is Anne of Austria, Queen of France--that `
` is to say, one of the greatest princesses in the world." `
` `
` "She is not the less guilty, Monsieur Duke! The more she has `
` forgotten the high position in which she was placed, the more `
` degrading is her fall. Besides, I long ago determined to put an `
` end to all these petty intrigues of policy and love. She has `
` near her a certain Laporte." `
` `
` "Who, I believe, is the mainspring of all this, I confess," said `
` the cardinal. `
` `
` "You think then, as I do, that she deceives me?" said the king. `
` `
` "I believe, and I repeat it to your Majesty, that the queen `
` conspires against the power of the king, but I have not said `
` against his honor." `
` `
` "And I--I tell you against both. I tell you the queen does not `
` love me; I tell you she loves another; I tell you she loves that `
` infamous Buckingham! Why did you not have him arrested while in `
` Paris?" `
` `
` "Arrest the Duke! Arrest the prime minister of King Charles I! `
` Think of it, sire! What a scandal! And if the suspicions of `
` your Majesty, which I still continue to doubt, should prove to `
` have any foundation, what a terrible disclosure, what a fearful `
` scandal!" `
` `
` "But as he exposed himself like a vagabond or a thief, he should `
` have been--" `
` `
` Louis XIII stopped, terrified at what he was about to say, while `
` Richelieu, stretching out his neck, waited uselessly for the word `
` which had died on the lips of the king. `
` `
` "He should have been--?" `
` `
` "Nothing," said the king, "nothing. But all the time he was in `
` Paris, you, of course, did not lose sight of him?" `
` `
` "No, sire." `
` `
` "Where did he lodge?" `
` `
` "Rue de la Harpe. No. 75." `
` `
` "Where is that?" `
` `
` "By the side of the Luxembourg." `
` `
` "And you are certain that the queen and he did not see each `
` other?" `
` `
` "I believe the queen to have too high a sense of her duty, sire." `
` `
` "But they have corresponded; it is to him that the queen has been `
` writing all the day. Monsieur Duke, I must have those letters!" `
` `
` "Sire, notwithstanding--" `
` `
` "Monsieur Duke, at whatever price it may be, I will have them." `
` `
` "I would, however, beg your Majesty to observe--" `
` `
` "Do you, then, also join in betraying me, Monsieur Cardinal, by `
` thus always opposing my will? Are you also in accord with Spain `
` and England, with Madame de Chevreuse and the queen?" `
` `
` "Sire," replied the cardinal, sighing, "I believed myself secure `
` from such a suspicion." `
` `
` "Monsieur Cardinal, you have heard me; I will have those `
` letters." `
`