Ten Years Later

by Alexandre Dumas

  At two o'clock the next day fifty thousand spectators had taken theirposition upon the Place, around the two gibbets which had been elevatedbetween the Quai de la Greve and the Quai Pelletier; one close to theother, with their backs to the embankment of the river. In the morningalso, all the sworn criers of the good city of Paris had traversedthe quarters of the city, particularly the halles and the faubourgs,announcing with their hoarse and indefatigable voices, the great justicedone by the king upon two speculators, two thieves, devourers of thepeople. And these people, whose interests were so warmly looked after,in order not to fail in respect for their king quitted shops, stalls,and ateliers to go and evince a little gratitude to Louis XIV.,absolutely like invited guests, who feared to commit an impoliteness innot repairing to the house of him who had invited them. According to thetenor of the sentence, which the criers read aloud and incorrectly, twofarmers of the revenues, monopolists of money, dilapidators of the royalprovisions, extortioners, and forgers, were about to undergo capitalpunishment on the Place de Greve, with their names blazoned over theirheads, according to their sentence. As to those names, the sentence madeno mention of them. The curiosity of the Parisians was at its height,and, as we have said, an immense crowd waited with feverish impatiencethe hour fixed for the execution. The news had already spread that theprisoners, transferred to the Chateau of Vincennes, would be conductedfrom that prison to the Place de Greve. Consequently, the faubourg andthe Rue Saint Antoine were crowded, for the population of Paris in thosedays of great executions was divided into two categories: those whocame to see the condemned pass--these were of timid and mild hearts,but philosophically curious--and those who wished to see the condemneddie--these had hearts that hungered for sensation. On this day M.d'Artagnan received his last instructions from the king, and made hisadieus to his friends, the number of whom was, at the moment, reducedto Planchet, traced the plan of his day, as every busy man whose momentsare counted ought to do because he appreciates their importance.

  "My departure is to be," said he, "at break of day, three o'clock inthe morning; I have then fifteen hours before me. Take from them thesix hours of sleep which are indispensable for me--six; one hour forrepasts--seven; one hour for a farewell visit to Athos--eight; two hoursfor chance circumstances---total, ten. There are then five hours left.One hour to get my money,--that is, to have payment refused by M.Fouquet; another hour to go and receive my money of M. Colbert, togetherwith his questions and grimaces; one hour to look over my clothes andarms, and get my boots cleaned. I have still two hours left. Mordioux!how rich I am!" And so saying, D'Artagnan felt a strange joy, a joy ofyouth, a perfume of those great and happy years of former times mountinto his brain and intoxicate him. "During these two hours I willgo," said the musketeer, "and take my quarter's rent of theImage-de-Notre-Dame. That will be pleasant. Three hundred andseventy-five livres. Mordioux! but that is astonishing! If the poor manwho has but one livre in his pocket, found a livre and twelve deniers,that would be justice, that would be excellent; but never does such agodsend fall to the lot of the poor man. The rich man, on the contrary,makes himself revenues with his money, which he does not even touch.Here are three hundred and seventy-five livres which fall to me fromheaven. I will go then to the Image-de-Notre-Dame, and drink a glass ofSpanish wine with my tenant, which he cannot fail to offer me. But ordermust be observed, Monsieur d'Artagnan, order must be observed! Let usorganize our time, then, and distribute the employment of it! Art. 1st,Athos; Art. 2d, the Image-de-Notre-Dame; Art. 3d, M. Fouquet, Art.4th, M. Colbert; Art. 5th, supper; Art. 6th, clothes, boots, horse,portmanteau; Art. 7th and last, sleep."

  In consequence of this arrangement, D'Artagnan went straight to theComte de la Fere, to whom modestly and ingenuously he related a part ofhis fortunate adventures. Athos had not been without uneasiness on thesubject of D'Artagnan's visit to the king; but few words sufficed foran explanation of that. Athos divined that Louis had charged D'Artagnanwith some important mission, and did not even make an effort to draw thesecret from him. He only recommended him to take care of himself, andoffered discreetly to accompany him if that were desirable.

  "But, my dear friend," said D'Artagnan, "I am going nowhere."

  "What! you come and bid me adieu, and are going nowhere?"

  "Oh! yes, yes," replied D'Artagnan, coloring a little, "I am going tomake an acquisition."

  "That is quite another thing. Then I change my formula. Instead of 'Donot get yourself killed,' I will say,--'Do not get yourself robbed.'"

  "My friend, I will inform you if I set eyes on any property that pleasesme, and shall expect you will favor me with your opinion."

  "Yes, yes," said Athos, too delicate to permit himself even theconsolation of a smile. Raoul imitated the paternal reserve. ButD'Artagnan thought it would appear too mysterious to leave his friendsunder a pretense, without even telling them the route he was about totake.

  "I have chosen Le Mans," said he to Athos. "Is it a good country?"

  "Excellent, my friend," replied the count, without making him observethat Le Mans was in the same direction as La Touraine, and thatby waiting two days, at most, he might travel with a friend. ButD'Artagnan, more embarrassed than the count, dug, at every explanation,deeper into the mud, into which he sank by degrees. "I shall set outto-morrow at daybreak," said he at last. "Till that time, will you comewith me, Raoul?"

  "Yes, monsieur le chevalier," said the young man, "if monsieur le comtedoes not want me."

  "No, Raoul I am to have an audience to-day of Monsieur, the king'sbrother; that is all I have to do."

  Raoul asked Grimaud for his sword, which the old man brought himimmediately. "Now then," added D'Artagnan, opening his arms to Athos,"adieu, my dear friend!" Athos held him in a long embrace, and themusketeer, who knew his discretion so well, murmured in his ear--"Anaffair of state," to which Athos only replied by a pressure of the hand,still more significant. They then separated. Raoul took the arm of hisold friend, who led him along the Rue-Saint-Honore. "I am conductingyou to the abode of the god Plutus," said D'Artagnan to the young man;"prepare yourself. The whole day you will witness the piling up ofcrowns. Heavens! how I am changed!"

  "Oh! what numbers of people there are in the street!" said Raoul.

  "Is there a procession to-day?" asked D'Artagnan of a passer-by.

  "Monsieur, it is a hanging," replied the man.

  "What! a hanging at the Greve?" said D'Artagnan.

  "Yes, monsieur."

  "The devil take the rogue who gets himself hung the day I want to go andtake my rent!" cried D'Artagnan. "Raoul, did you ever see anybody hung?"

  "Never, monsieur--thank God!"

  "Oh! how young that sounds! If you were on guard in the trenches, as Iwas, and a spy! But, pardon me, Raoul, I am doting--you are quite right,it is a hideous sight to see a person hung! At what hour do they hangthem, monsieur, if you please?"

  "Monsieur," replied the stranger respectfully, delighted at joiningconversation with two men of the sword, "it will take place about threeo'clock."

  "Aha! it is now only half-past one; let us step out, we shall be therein time to touch my three hundred and seventy-five livres, and get awaybefore the arrival of the malefactor."

  "Malefactors, monsieur," continued the bourgeois; "there are two ofthem."

  "Monsieur, I return you many thanks," said D'Artagnan, who, as he grewolder, had become polite to a degree. Drawing Raoul along, he directedhis course rapidly in the direction of La Greve. Without that greatexperience musketeers have of a crowd, to which were joined anirresistible strength of wrist, and an uncommon suppleness of shoulders,our two travelers would not have arrived at their place of destination.They followed the line of the Quai, which they had gained on quittingthe Rue Saint-Honore, where they left Athos. D'Artagnan went first; hiselbow, his wrist, his shoulder formed three wedges which he knew how toinsinuate with skill into the groups, to make them split and separatelike firewood. He made use sometimes of the hilt of his sword as anadditional he
lp: introducing it between ribs that were too rebellious,making it take the part of a lever or crowbar, to separate husband fromwife, uncle from nephew, and brother from brother. And all this was doneso naturally, and with such gracious smiles, that people must have hadribs of bronze not to cry thank you when the wrist made its play, orhearts of diamond not to be enchanted when such a bland smile enlivenedthe lips of the musketeer. Raoul, following his friend, cajoled thewomen who admired his beauty, pushed back the men who felt the rigidityof his muscles, and both opened, thanks to these maneuvers, the compactand muddy tide of the populace. They arrived in sight of the twogibbets, from which Raoul turned away his eyes in disgust. As forD'Artagnan, he did not even see them; his house with its gabled roof,its windows crowded with the curious, attracted and even absorbed allthe attention he was capable of. He distinguished in the Place andaround the houses a good number of musketeers on leave, who, some withwomen, others with friends, awaited the crowning ceremony. What rejoicedhim above all was to see that his tenant, the cabaretier, was so busy hehardly knew which way to turn. Three lads could not supply the drinkers.They filled the shop, the chambers, and the court, even. D'Artagnancalled Raoul's attention to this concourse, adding: "The fellow willhave no excuse for not paying his rent. Look at those drinkers, Raoul,one would say they were jolly companions. Mordioux! why, there is noroom anywhere!" D'Artagnan, however, contrived to catch hold of themaster by the corner of his apron, and to make himself known to him.

  "Ah, monsieur le chevalier," said the cabaretier, half distracted, "oneminute if you please. I have here a hundred mad devils turning my cellarupside down."

  "The cellar, if you like, but not the money-box."

  "Oh, monsieur, your thirty-seven and a half pistoles are all countedout ready for you, upstairs in my chamber, but there are in that chamberthirty customers, who are sucking the staves of a little barrelof Oporto which I tapped for them this very morning. Give me aminute,--only a minute."

  "So be it; so be it."

  "I will go," said Raoul, in a low voice, to D'Artagnan; "this hilarityis vile!"

  "Monsieur," replied D'Artagnan, sternly, "you will please to remainwhere you are. The soldier ought to familiarize himself with all kindsof spectacles. There are in the eye, when it is young, fibers which wemust learn how to harden; and we are not truly generous and good savefrom the moment when the eye has become hardened, and the heart remainstender. Besides, my little Raoul, would you leave me alone here? Thatwould be very wrong of you. Look, there is yonder in the lower court atree, and under the shade of that tree we shall breathe more freely thanin this hot atmosphere of spilt wine."

  From the spot on which they had placed themselves the two new guests ofthe Image-de-Notre-Dame heard the ever-increasing hubbub of the tide ofpeople, and lost neither a cry nor a gesture of the drinkers, at tablesin the cabaret, or disseminated in the chambers. If D'Artagnan hadwished to place himself as a vidette for an expedition, he could nothave succeeded better. The tree under which he and Raoul were seatedcovered them with its already thick foliage; it was a low, thickchestnut-tree, with inclined branches, that cast their shade over atable so dilapidated the drinkers had abandoned it. We said that fromthis post D'Artagnan saw everything. He observed the goings and comingsof the waiters; the arrival of fresh drinkers; the welcome, sometimesfriendly, sometimes hostile, given to the newcomers by others alreadyinstalled. He observed all this to amuse himself, for the thirty-sevenand a half pistoles were a long time coming. Raoul recalled hisattention to it. "Monsieur," said he, "you do not hurry your tenant,and the condemned will soon be here. There will then be such a press weshall not be able to get out."

  "You are right," said the musketeer; "Hola! oh! somebody there!Mordioux!" But it was in vain he cried and knocked upon the wreck of theold table, which fell to pieces beneath his fist; nobody came.

  D'Artagnan was preparing to go and seek the cabaretier himself, to forcehim to a definite explanation, when the door of the court in which hewas with Raoul, a door which communicated with the garden situated atthe back, opened, and a man dressed as a cavalier, with his sword in thesheath, but not at his belt, crossed the court without closing thedoor; and having cast an oblique glance at D'Artagnan and his companion,directed his course towards the cabaret itself, looking about in alldirections with his eyes capable of piercing walls of consciences."Humph!" said D'Artagnan, "my tenants are communicating. That, no doubt,now, is some amateur in hanging matters." At the same moment the criesand disturbance in the upper chambers ceased. Silence, under suchcircumstances, surprises more than a twofold increase of noise.D'Artagnan wished to see what was the cause of this sudden silence. Hethen perceived that this man, dressed as a cavalier, had just enteredthe principal chamber, and was haranguing the tipplers, who all listenedto him with the greatest attention. D'Artagnan would perhaps have heardhis speech but for the dominant noise of the popular clamors, which madea formidable accompaniment to the harangue of the orator. But it wassoon finished, and all the people the cabaret contained came out, oneafter the other, in little groups, so that there only remained sixin the chamber; one of these six, the man with the sword, took thecabaretier aside, engaging him in discourse more or less serious,whilst the others lit a great fire in the chimney-place--a circumstancerendered strange by the fine weather and the heat.

  "It is very singular," said D'Artagnan to Raoul, "but I think I knowthose faces yonder."

  "Don't you think you can smell the smoke here?" said Raoul

  "I rather think I can smell a conspiracy," replied D'Artagnan.

  He had not finished speaking, when four of these men came down into thecourt, and without the appearance of any bad design, mounted guard atthe door of communication, casting, at intervals, glances at D'Artagnan,which signified many things.

  "Mordioux!" said D'Artagnan, in a low voice, "there is something goingon. Are you curious, Raoul?"

  "According to the subject, chevalier."

  "Well, I am as curious as an old woman. Come a little more in front; weshall get a better view of the place. I would lay a wager that view willbe something curious."

  "But you know, monsieur le chevalier, that I am not willing to become apassive and indifferent spectator of the death of the two poor devils."

  "And I, then--do you think I am a savage? We will go in again, when itis time to do so. Come along!" And they made their way towards the frontof the house, and placed themselves near the window which, still morestrangely than the rest, remained unoccupied. The two last drinkers,instead of looking out at this window, kept up the fire. On seeingD'Artagnan and his friend enter:--"Ah! ah! a reinforcement," murmuredthey.

  D'Artagnan jogged Raoul's elbow. "Yes, my braves, a reinforcement," saidhe; "cordieu! there is a famous fire. Whom are you going to cook?"

  The two men uttered a shout of jovial laughter, and, instead ofanswering, threw on more wood. D'Artagnan could not take his eyes offthem.

  "I suppose," said one of the fire-makers, "they sent you to tell us thetime--did not they?"

  "Without doubt they have," said D'Artagnan, anxious to know what wasgoing on; "why should I be here else, if it were not for that?"

  "Then place yourself at the window, if you please, and observe."D'Artagnan smiled in his mustache, made a sign to Raoul, and placedhimself at the window.

  CHAPTER 62. Vive Colbert!