It had been D'Artagnan's practice, ever since the riots, tosleep in the same room as Porthos, and on this eventfulmorning he was still there, sleeping, and dreaming that ayellow cloud had overspread the sky and was raining goldpieces into his hat, which he held out till it wasoverflowing with pistoles. As for Porthos, he dreamed thatthe panels of his carriage were not capacious enough tocontain the armorial bearings he had ordered to be paintedon them. They were both aroused at seven o'clock by theentrance of an unliveried servant, who brought a letter forD'Artagnan.

"From whom?" asked the Gascon.

"From the queen," replied the servant.

"Ho!" said Porthos, raising himself in his bed; "what doesshe say?"

D'Artagnan requested the servant to wait in the next roomand when the door was closed he sprang up from his bed andread rapidly, whilst Porthos looked at him with startingeyes, not daring to ask a single question.

"Friend Porthos," said D'Artagnan, handing the letter tohim, "this time, at least, you are sure of your title ofbaron, and I of my captaincy. Read for yourself and judge."

Porthos took the letter and with a trembling voice read thefollowing words:

"The queen wishes to speak to Monsieur d'Artagnan, who mustfollow the bearer."

"Well!" exclaimed Porthos; "I see nothing in that veryextraordinary."

"But I see much that is very extraordinary in it," repliedD'Artagnan. "It is evident, by their sending for me, thatmatters are becoming complicated. Just reflect a little whatan agitation the queen's mind must be in for her to haveremembered me after twenty years."

"It is true," said Porthos.

"Sharpen your sword, baron, load your pistols, and give somecorn to the horses, for I will answer for it,

something lightning-like will happen ere to-morrow."

"But, stop; do you think it can be a trap that they arelaying for us?" suggested Porthos, incessantly thinking howhis greatness must be irksome to inferior people.

"If it is a snare," replied D'Artagnan, "I shall scent itout, be assured. If Mazarin is an Italian, I am a Gascon."

And D'Artagnan dressed himself in an instant.

Whilst Porthos, still in bed, was hooking on his cloak forhim, a second knock at the door was heard.

"Come in," exclaimed D'Artagnan; and another servantentered.

"From His Eminence, Cardinal Mazarin," presenting a letter.

D'Artagnan looked at Porthos.

"A complicated affair," said Porthos; "where will youbegin?"

"It is arranged capitally; his eminence expects me in halfan hour."

"Good."

"My friend," said D'Artagnan, turning to the servant, "tellhis eminence that in half an hour I shall be at hiscommand."

"It is very fortunate," resumed the Gascon, when the valethad retired, "that he did not meet the other one."

"Do you not think that they have sent for you, both for thesame thing?"

"I do not think it, I am certain of it."

"Quick, quick, D'Artagnan. Remember that the queen awaitsyou, and after the queen, the cardinal, and after thecardinal, myself."

D'Artagnan summoned Anne of Austria's servant and signifiedthat he was ready to follow him into the queen's presence.

The servant conducted him by the Rue des Petits Champs andturning to the left entered the little garden gate leadinginto the Rue Richelieu; then they gained the privatestaircase and D'Artagnan was ushered into the oratory. Acertain emotion, for which he could not account, made thelieutenant's heart beat: he had no longer the assurance ofyouth; experience had taught him the importance of pastevents. Formerly he would have approached the queen as ayoung man who bends before a woman; but now it was adifferent thing; he answered her summons as an humblesoldier obeys an illustrious general.

The silence of the oratory was at last disturbed by theslight rustling of silk, and D'Artagnan started when heperceived the tapestry raised by a white hand, which, by itsform, its color and its beauty he recognized as that royalhand which had one day been presented to him to kiss. Thequeen entered.

"It is you, Monsieur d'Artagnan," she said, fixing a gazefull of melancholy interest on the countenance of theofficer, "and I know you well. Look at me well in your turn.I am the queen; do you recognize me?"

"No, madame," replied D'Artagnan.

"But are you no longer aware," continued Anne, giving thatsweet expression to her voice which she could do at will,"that in former days the queen had once need of a young,brave and devoted cavalier - that she found this cavalier- and that, although he might have thought that she hadforgotten him, she had kept a place for him in the depths ofher heart?"

"No, madame, I was ignorant of that," said the musketeer.

"So much the worse, sir," said Anne of Austria; "so much theworse, at least for the queen, for to-day she has need ofthe same courage and the same devotion."

"What!" exclaimed D'Artagnan, "does the queen, surrounded asshe is by such devoted servants, such wise counselors, men,in short, so great by merit or position - does she deign tocast her eyes on an obscure soldier?"

Anne understood this covert reproach and was more moved thanirritated by it. She had many a time felt humiliated by theself-sacrifice and disinterestedness shown by the Gascongentleman. She had allowed herself to be exceeded ingenerosity.

"All that you tell me of those by whom I am surrounded,Monsieur d'Artagnan, is doubtless true," said the queen,"but I have confidence in you alone. I know that you belongto the cardinal, but belong to me as well, and I will takeupon myself the making of your fortune. Come, will you doto-day what formerly the gentleman you do not know did forthe queen?"

"I will do everything your majesty commands," repliedD'Artagnan.

The queen reflected for a moment and then, seeing thecautious demeanor of the musketeer:

"Perhaps you like repose?" she said.

"I do not know, for I have never had it, madame."

"Have you any friends?"

"I had three, two of whom have left Paris, to go I know notwhere. One alone is left to me, but he is one of thoseknown, I believe, to the cavalier of whom your majesty didme the honor to speak."

"Very good," said the queen; "you and your friend are worthan army."

"What am I to do, madame?"

"Return at five o'clock and I will tell you; but do notbreathe to a living soul, sir, the rendezvous which I giveyou."

"No, madame."

"Swear it upon the cross."

"Madame, I have never been false to my word; when I say Iwill not do a thing, I mean it."

The queen, although astonished at this language, to whichshe was not accustomed from her courtiers, argued from it ahappy omen of the zeal with which D'Artagnan would serve herin the accomplishment of her project. It was one of theGascon's artifices to hide his deep cunning occasionallyunder an appearance of rough loyalty.

"Has the queen any further commands for me now?" askedD'Artagnan.

"No, sir," replied Anne of Austria, "and you may retireuntil the time that I mentioned to you."

D'Artagnan bowed and went out.

"Diable!" he exclaimed when the door was shut, "they seem tohave the greatest need of me just now."

Then, as the half hour had already glided by, he crossed thegallery and knocked at the cardinal's door.

Bernouin introduced him.

"I come for your commands, my lord," he said.

And according to his custom D'Artagnan glanced rapidlyaround and remarked that Mazarin had a sealed letter beforehim. But it was so placed on the desk that he could not seeto whom it was addressed.

"You come from the queen?" said Mazarin, looking fixedly atD'Artagnan.

"I! my lord - who told you that?"

"Nobody, but I know it."

"I regret infinitely to tell you, my lord, that you aremistaken," replied the Gascon, impudently, firm to thepromise he had just made to Anne of Austria.

"I opened the door of the ante-room myself and I saw youenter at the end of the corridor."

"Because I was shown up the private stairs."

"How so?"

"I know not; it must have been a mistake."

Mazarin was aware that it was not easy to make D'Artagnanreveal anything he was desirous of hiding, so he gave up,for the time, the discovery of the mystery the Gascon wasconcealing.

"Let us speak of my affairs," said Mazarin, "since you willtell me naught of yours. Are you fond of traveling?"

"My life has been passed on the high road."

"Would anything retain you particularly in Paris?"

"Nothing but an order from a superior would retain me inParis."

"Very well. Here is a letter, which must be taken to itsaddress."

"To its address, my lord? But it has none."

In fact, the side of the letter opposite the seal was blank.

"I must tell you," resumed Mazarin, "that it is in a doubleenvelope."

"I understand; and I am to take off the first one when Ihave reached a certain place?"

"Just so, take it and go. You have a friend, Monsieur duVallon, whom I like much; let him accompany you."

"The devil!" said D'Artagnan to himself. "He knows that weoverheard his conversation yesterday and he wants to get usaway from Paris."

"Do you hesitate?" asked Mazarin.

"No, my lord, and I will set out at once. There is one thingonly which I must request."

"What is it? Speak."

"That your eminence will go at once to the queen."

"What for?"

"Merely to say these words: `I am going to send Monsieurd'Artagnan away and I wish him to set out directly.'"

"I told you," said Mazarin, "that you had seen the queen."

"I had the honor of saying to your eminence that there hadbeen some mistake."

"What is the meaning of that?"

"May I venture to repeat my prayer to your eminence?"

"Very well; I will go. Wait here for me." And lookingattentively around him, to see if he had left any of hiskeys in his closets, Mazarin went out. Ten minutes elapsed,during which D'Artagnan made every effort to read throughthe first envelope what was written on the second. But hedid not succeed.

Mazarin returned, pale, and evidently thoughtful. He seatedhimself at his desk and D'Artagnan proceeded to examine hisface, as he had just examined the letter he held, but theenvelope which covered his countenance appeared asimpenetrable as that which covered the letter.

"Ah!" thought the Gascon; "he looks displeased. Can it bewith me? He meditates. Is it about sending me to theBastile? All very fine, my lord, but at the very first hintyou give of such a thing I will strangle you and becomeFrondist. I should be carried home in triumph like MonsieurBroussel and Athos would proclaim me the French Brutus. Itwould be exceedingly droll."

The Gascon, with his vivid imagination, had already seen theadvantage to be derived from his situation. Mazarin gave,however, no order of the kind, but on the contrary began tobe insinuating.

"You were right," he said, "my dear Monsieur d'Artagnan, andyou cannot set out yet. I beg you to return me thatdispatch."

D'Artagnan obeyed, and Mazarin ascertained that the seal wasintact.

"I shall want you this evening," he said "Return in twohours."

"My lord," said D'Artagnan, "I have an appointment in twohours which I cannot miss."

"Do not be uneasy," said Mazarin; "it is the same."

"Good!" thought D'Artagnan; "I fancied it was so."

"Return, then, at five o'clock and bring that worthyMonsieur du Vallon with you. Only, leave him in theante-room, as I wish to speak to you alone."

D'Artagnan bowed, and thought: "Both at the same hour; bothcommands alike; both at the Palais Royal. Monsieur de Gondywould pay a hundred thousand francs for such a secret!"

"You are thoughtful," said Mazarin, uneasily.

"Yes, I was thinking whether we ought to come armed or not."

"Armed to the teeth!" replied Mazarin.

"Very well, my lord; it shall be so."

D'Artagnan saluted, went out and hastened to repeat to hisfriend Mazarin's flattering promises, which gave Porthos anindescribable happiness.