"Well?" cried Athos with a mild look of reproach when D'Artagnan hadread the letter addressed to him by Monk.
"Well!" said D'Artagnan, red with pleasure, and a little with shame,at having so hastily accused the king and Monk. "This is apoliteness,--which leads to nothing, it is true, but yet it is apoliteness."
"I had great difficulty in believing the young prince ungrateful," saidAthos.
"The fact is, that his present is still too near his past," repliedD'Artagnan; "after all, everything to the present moment proved meright."
"I acknowledge it, my dear friend, I acknowledge it. Ah! there is yourcheerful look returned. You cannot think how delighted I am."
"Thus you see," said D'Artagnan, "Charles II. receives M. Monk at nineo'clock; he will receive me at ten; it is a grand audience, of the sortwhich at the Louvre are called 'distributions of court holy water.'Come, let us go and place ourselves under the spout, my dear friend!Come along."
Athos replied nothing; and both directed their steps, at a quick pace,towards the palace of St. James's, which the crowd still surrounded,to catch, through the windows, the shadows of the courtiers, and thereflection of the royal person. Eight o'clock was striking when thetwo friends took their places in the gallery filled with courtiers andpoliticians. Every one looked at these simply-dressed men in foreigncostumes, at these two noble heads so full of character and meaning.On their side, Athos and D'Artagnan, having with two glances taken themeasure of the whole assembly, resumed their chat.
A great noise was suddenly heard at the extremity of the gallery,--itwas General Monk, who entered, followed by more than twenty officers,all eager for a smile, as only the evening before he was master of allEngland, and a glorious morrow was looked to, for the restorer of theStuart family.
"Gentlemen," said Monk, turning round, "henceforward I beg you toremember that I am no longer anything. Lately I commanded the principalarmy of the republic; now that army is the king's, into whose hands I amabout to surrender, at his command, my power of yesterday."
Great surprise was painted on all the countenances, and the circle ofadulators and suppliants which surrounded Monk an instant before, wasenlarged by degrees, and ended by being lost in the large undulationsof the crowd. Monk was going into the ante-chamber as others did.D'Artagnan could not help remarking this to the Comte de la Fere,who frowned on beholding it. Suddenly the door of the royal apartmentopened, and the young king appeared, preceded by two officers of hishousehold.
"Good evening, gentlemen," said he. "Is General Monk here?"
"I am here, sire," replied the old general.
Charles stepped hastily towards him, and seized his hand with thewarmest demonstration of friendship. "General," said the king, aloud,"I have just signed your patent,--you are Duke of Albemarle; and myintention is that no one shall equal you in power and fortune in thiskingdom, where--the noble Montrose excepted--no one has equaled you inloyalty, courage, and talent. Gentlemen, the duke is commander of ourarmies of land and sea; pay him your respects, if you please, in thatcharacter."
Whilst every one was pressing round the general, who received all thishomage without losing his impassibility for an instant, D'Artagnan saidto Athos: "When one thinks that this duchy, this commander of the landand sea forces, all these grandeurs, in a word, have been shut up in abox six feet long and three feet wide----"
"My friend," replied Athos, "much more imposing grandeurs are confinedin boxes still smaller,--and remain there forever."
All at once Monk perceived the two gentlemen, who held themselves asideuntil the crowd had diminished; he made himself a passage towardsthem, so that he surprised them in the midst of their philosophicalreflections. "Were you speaking of me?" said he, with a smile.
"My lord," replied Athos, "we were speaking likewise of God."
Monk reflected for a moment, and then replied gayly: "Gentlemen, letus speak a little of the king likewise, if you please; for you have, Ibelieve, an audience of his majesty."
"At nine o'clock," said Athos.
"At ten o'clock," said D'Artagnan.
"Let us go into this closet at once," replied Monk, making a sign to histwo companions to precede him; but to that neither would consent.
The king, during this discussion so characteristic of the French, hadreturned to the center of the gallery.
"Oh! my Frenchmen!" said he, in that tone of careless gayety which,in spite of so much grief and so many crosses, he had never lost. "MyFrenchmen! my consolation!" Athos and D'Artagnan bowed.
"Duke, conduct these gentlemen into my study. I am at your service,messieurs," added he in French. And he promptly expedited his court, toreturn to his Frenchmen, as he called them. "Monsieur d'Artagnan," saidhe, as he entered his closet, "I am glad to see you again."
"Sire, my joy is at its height, at having the honor to salute yourmajesty in your own palace of St. James's."
"Monsieur, you have been willing to render me a great service, and I oweyou my gratitude for it. If I did not fear to intrude upon the rights ofour commanding general, I would offer you some post worthy of you nearour person."
"Sire," replied D'Artagnan, "I have quitted the service of the king ofFrance, making a promise to my prince not to serve any other king."
"Humph!" said Charles, "I am sorry to hear that; I should like to domuch for you; I like you very much."
"Sire----"
"But let us see," said Charles with a smile, "if we cannot make youbreak your word. Duke, assist me. If you were offered, that is to say,if I offered you the chief command of my musketeers?" D'Artagnan bowedlower than before.
"I should have the regret to refuse what your gracious majesty wouldoffer me," said he; "a gentleman has but his word, and that word, asI have had the honor to tell your majesty, is engaged to the king ofFrance."
"We shall say no more about it, then," said the king, turningtowards Athos, and leaving D'Artagnan plunged in the deepest pangs ofdisappointment.
"Ah! I said so!" muttered the musketeer. "Words! words! Court holywater! Kings have always a marvellous talent for offering us that whichthey know we will not accept, and in appearing generous without risk. Sobe it!--triple fool that I was to have hoped for a moment!"
During this time Charles took the hand of Athos. "Comte," said he, "youhave been to me a second father; the services you have rendered me areabove all price. I have, nevertheless, thought of a recompense. You werecreated by my father a Knight of the Garter---that is an order which allthe kings of Europe cannot bear; by the queen regent, Knight of the HolyGhost--which is an order not less illustrious; I join to it that of theGolden Fleece sent me by the king of France, to whom the king of Spain,his father-in-law, gave two on the occasion of his marriage; but inreturn, I have a service to ask of you."
"Sire," said Athos, with confusion, "the Golden Fleece for me! whenthe king of France is the only person in my country who enjoys thatdistinction?"
"I wish you to be in your country and all others the equal of all thosewhom sovereigns have honored with their favor," said Charles, drawingthe chain from his neck; "and I am sure, comte, my father smiles on mefrom his grave."
"It is unaccountably strange," said D'Artagnan to himself, whilsthis friend, on his knees, received the eminent order which the kingconferred on him--"it is almost incredible that I have always seenshowers of prosperity fall upon all who surrounded me, and that not adrop ever reached me! If I were a jealous man it would be enough to makeone tear one's hair, parole d'honneur!"
Athos rose from his knees, and Charles embraced him tenderly. "General!"said he to Monk--then stopping with a smile, "pardon me, duke, I mean.No wonder if I make a mistake; the word duke is too short for me, Ialways seek some title to lengthen it. I should wish to see you so nearmy throne, that I might say to you as to Louis XIV., my brother! Oh! Ihave it, and you will be almost my brother, for I make you viceroyof Ireland and of Scotland, my dear duke. So, after that fashion,henceforward I shall not make a mistake."
The duke seize
d the hand of the king, but without enthusiasm, withoutjoy, as he did everything. His heart, however, had been moved by thislast favor. Charles, by skillfully husbanding his generosity, had giventhe duke time to wish, although he might not have wished for so much aswas given him.
"Mordioux!" grumbled D'Artagnan, "there is the shower beginning again!Oh! it is enough to turn one's brain!" and he turned away with an air sosorrowful and so comically piteous, that the king, who caught it, couldnot restrain a smile. Monk was preparing to leave the room, to takeleave of Charles.
"What! my trusty and well-beloved!" said the king to the duke, "are yougoing?"
"With your majesty's permission, for in truth I am weary. The emotionsof the day have worn me out; I stand in need of rest."
"But," said the king, "you are not going without M. d'Artagnan, I hope."
"Why not, sire?" said the old warrior.
"Well! you know very well why," said the king.
Monk looked at Charles with astonishment.
"Oh! it may be possible; but if you forget, you, M. d'Artagnan, do not."
Astonishment was painted on the face of the musketeer.
"Well, then, duke," said the king, "do you not lodge with M.d'Artagnan?"
"I had the honor of offering M. d'Artagnan a lodging; yes, sire."
"That idea is your own, and yours solely?"
"Mine and mine only; yes, sire."
"Well! but it could not be otherwise--the prisoner always lodges withhis conqueror."
Monk colored in his turn. "Ah! that is true," said he, "I am M.d'Artagnan's prisoner."
"Without doubt, duke, since you are not yet ransomed, but have no careof that; it was I who took you out of M. d'Artagnan's hands, and it is Iwho will pay your ransom."
The eyes of D'Artagnan regained their gayety and their brilliancy. TheGascon began to understand. Charles advanced towards him.
"The general," said he, "is not rich, and cannot pay you what he isworth. I am richer, certainly, but now that he is a duke, and if not aking, almost a king, he is worth a sum I could not perhaps pay. Come, M.d'Artagnan, be moderate with me; how much do I owe you?"
D'Artagnan, delighted at the turn things were taking, but not for amoment losing his self-possession, replied,--"Sire, your majesty has nooccasion to be alarmed. When I had the good fortune to take his grace,M. Monk was only a general; it is therefore only a general's ransom thatis due to me. But if the general will have the kindness to deliver mehis sword, I shall consider myself paid; for there is nothing in theworld but the general's sword which is worth so much as himself."
"Odds fish! as my father said," cried Charles. "That is a gallantproposal, and a gallant man, is he not, duke?"
"Upon my honor, yes, sire," and he drew his sword. "Monsieur," said heto D'Artagnan, "here is what you demand. Many may have handled a betterblade; but however modest mine may be, I have never surrendered it toany one."
D'Artagnan received with pride the sword which had just made a king.
"Oh! oh!" cried Charles II.; "what, a sword that has restored me to mythrone--to go out of the kingdom--and not, one day, to figure among thecrown jewels. No, on my soul! that shall not be! Captain d'Artagnan, Iwill give you two hundred thousand crowns for your sword! If that is toolittle, say so."
"It is too little, sire," replied D'Artagnan, with inimitableseriousness. "In the first place, I do not at all wish to sell it; butyour majesty desires me to do so, and that is an order. I obey, then,but the respect I owe to the illustrious warrior who hears me commandsme to estimate at a third more the reward of my victory. I ask thenthree hundred thousand crowns for the sword, or I shall give it to yourmajesty for nothing." And taking it by the point he presented it to theking. Charles broke into hilarious laughter.
"A gallant man, and a merry companion! Odds fish! is he not, duke? is henot, comte? He pleases me! I like him! Here, Chevalier d'Artagnan, takethis." And going to the table, he took a pen and wrote an order upon histreasurer for three hundred thousand crowns.
D'Artagnan took it, and turning gravely towards Monk: "I have stillasked too little, I know," said he, "but believe me, your grace, I wouldrather have died than allow myself to be governed by avarice."
The king began to laugh again, like the happiest cockney of his kingdom.
"You will come and see me again before you go, chevalier?" said he; "Ishall want to lay in a stock of gayety now my Frenchmen are leaving me."
"Ah! sire, it will not be with the gayety as with the duke's sword; Iwill give it to your majesty gratis," replied D'Artagnan, whose feetscarcely seemed to touch the ground.
"And you, comte," added Charles, turning towards Athos, "come again,also, I have an important message to confide to you. Your hand, duke."Monk pressed the hand of the king.
"Adieu! gentlemen," said Charles, holding out each of his hands to thetwo Frenchmen, who carried them to their lips.
"Well," said Athos, when they were out of the palace, "are yousatisfied?"
"Hush!" said D'Artagnan, wild with joy, "I have not yet returned fromthe treasurer's--a shutter may fall upon my head."
CHAPTER 34. Of the Embarrassment of Riches
Ten Years Later Page 37
