When D'Artagnan returned to the Palais Royal at fiveo'clock, it presented, in spite of the excitement whichreigned in the town, a spectacle of the greatest rejoicing.Nor was that surprising. The queen had restored Broussel andBlancmesnil to the people and had therefore nothing to fear,since the people had nothing more just then to ask for. Thereturn, also, of the conqueror of Lens was the pretext forgiving a grand banquet. The princes and princesses wereinvited and their carriages had crowded the court sincenoon; then after dinner the queen was to have a play in herapartment. Anne of Austria had never appeared more brilliantthan on that day - radiant with grace and wit. Mazarindisappeared as they rose from table. He found D'Artagnanwaiting for him already at his post in the ante-room.

The cardinal advanced to him with a smile and taking him bythe hand led him into his study.

"My dear M. d'Artagnan," said the minister, sitting down, "Iam about to give you the greatest proof of confidence that aminister can give an officer."

"I hope," said D'Artagnan, bowing, "that you give it, mylord, without hesitation and with the conviction that I amworthy of it."

"More worthy than any one in Paris my dear friend; thereforeI apply to you. We are about to leave this evening,"continued Mazarin. "My dear M. d'Artagnan, the welfare ofthe state is deposited in your hands." He paused.

"Explain yourself, my lord, I am listening."

"The queen has resolved to make a little excursion with theking to Saint Germain."

"Aha!" said D'Artagnan, "that is to say, the queen wishes toleave Paris."

"A woman's caprice - you understand."

"Yes, I understand perfectly," said D'Artagnan.

"It was for this she summoned you this morning and that shetold you to return at five o'clock."

"Was it worth while to wish me to swear this morning that Iwould mention the appointment to no one?" mutteredD'Artagnan. "Oh, women! women! whether queens or not, theyare always the same."

"Do you disapprove of this journey, my dear M. d'Artagnan?"asked Mazarin, anxiously.

"I, my lord?" said D'Artagnan; "why should I?"

"Because you shrug your shoulders."

"It is a way I have of speaking to myself. I neither approvenor disapprove, my lord; I merely await your commands."

"Good; it is you, accordingly, that I have pitched upon toconduct the king and the queen to Saint Germain."

"Liar!" thought D'Artagnan.

"You see, therefore," continued the cardinal, perceivingD'Artagnan's composure, "that, as I have told you, thewelfare of the state is placed in your hands."

"Yes, my lord, and I feel the whole responsibility of such acharge."

"You accept, however?"

"I always accept."

"Do you think the thing possible?"

"Everything is possible."

"Shall you be attacked on the road?"

"Probably."

"And what will you do in that case?"

"I shall pass through those who attack me."

"And suppose you cannot pass through them?"

"So much the worse for them; I shall pass over them."

"And you will place the king and queen in safety also, atSaint Germain?"

"Yes."

"On your life?"

"On my life."

"You are a hero, my friend," said Mazarin, gazing at themusketeer with admiration.

D'Artagnan smiled.

"And I?" asked Mazarin, after a moment's silence.

"How? and you, my lord?"

"If I wish to leave?"

"That would be much more difficult."

"Why so?"

"Your eminence might be recognized."

"Even under this disguise?" asked Mazarin, raising a cloakwhich covered an arm-chair, upon which lay a complete dressfor an officer, of pearl-gray and red, entirely embroideredwith silver.

"If your eminence is disguised it will be almost easy."

"Ah!" said Mazarin, breathing more freely.

"But it will be necessary for your eminence to do what theother day you declared you should have done in our place - cry, `Down with Mazarin!'"

"I will: `Down with Mazarin'"

"In French, in good French, my lord, take care of youraccent; they killed six thousand Angevins in Sicily becausethey pronounced Italian badly. Take care that the French donot take their revenge on you for the Sicilian vespers."

"I will do my best."

"The streets are full of armed men," continued D'Artagnan."Are you sure that no one is aware of the queen's project?"

Mazarin reflected.

"This affair would give a fine opportunity for a traitor, mylord; the chance of being attacked would be an excuse foreverything."

Mazarin shuddered, but he reflected that a man who had theleast intention to betray would not warn first.

"And therefore," added he, quietly, "I have not confidencein every one; the proof of which is, that I have fixed uponyou to escort me."

"Shall you not go with the queen?"

"No," replied Mazarin.

"Then you will start after the queen?"

"No," said Mazarin again.

"Ah!" said D'Artagnan, who began to understand.

"Yes," continued the cardinal. "I have my plan. With thequeen I double her risk; after the queen her departure woulddouble mine; then, the court once safe, I might beforgotten. The great are often ungrateful."

"Very true," said D'Artagnan, fixing his eyes, in spite ofhimself, on the queen's diamond, which Mazarin wore on hisfinger. Mazarin followed the direction of his eyes andgently turned the hoop of the ring inside.

"I wish," he said, with his cunning smile, "to prevent themfrom being ungrateful to me."

"It is but Christian charity," replied D'Artagnan, "not tolead one's neighbors into temptation."

"It is exactly for that reason," said Mazarin, "that I wishto start before them."

D'Artagnan smiled - he was just the man to understand theastute Italian. Mazarin saw the smile and profited by themoment.

"You will begin, therefore, by taking me first out of Paris,will you not, my dear M. d'Artagnan?"

"A difficult commission, my lord," replied D'Artagnan,resuming his serious manner.

"But," said Mazarin, "you did not make so many difficultieswith regard to the king and queen."

"The king and the queen are my king and queen," replied themusketeer, "my life is theirs and I must give it for them.If they ask it what have I to say?"

"That is true," murmured Mazarin, in a low tone, "but as thylife is not mine I suppose I must buy it, must I not?" andsighing deeply he began to turn the hoop of his ring outsideagain. D'Artagnan smiled. These two men met at one point andthat was, cunning; had they been actuated equally bycourage, the one would have done great things for the other.

"But, also," said Mazarin, "you must understand that if Iask this service from you it is with the intention of beinggrateful."

"Is it still only an intention, your eminence?" askedD'Artagnan.

"Stay," said Mazarin, drawing the ring from his finger, "mydear D'Artagnan, there is a diamond which belonged to youformerly, it is but just it should return to you; take it, Ipray."

D'Artagnan spared Mazarin the trouble of insisting, andafter looking to see if the stone was the same and assuringhimself of the purity of its water, he took it and passed iton his finger with indescribable pleasure.

"I valued it much," said Mazarin, giving a last look at it;"nevertheless, I give it to you with great pleasure."

"And I, my lord," said D'Artagnan, "accept it as it isgiven. Come, let us speak of your little affairs. You wishto leave before everybody and at what hour?"

"At ten o'clock."

"And the queen, at what time is it her wish to start?"

"At midnight."

"Then it is possible. I can get you out of Paris and leaveyou beyond the barriere, and can return for her."

"Capital; but how will you get me out of Paris?"

"Oh! as to that, you must leave it to me."

"I give you absolute power, therefore; take as large anescort as you like."

D'Artagnan shook his head.

"It seems to me, however," said Mazarin, "the safestmethod."

"Yes, for you, my lord, but not for the queen; you mustleave it to me and give me the entire direction of theundertaking."

"Nevertheless - - "

"Or find some one else," continued D'Artagnan, turning hisback.

"Oh!" muttered Mazarin, "I do believe he is going off withthe diamond! M. d'Artagnan, my dear M. d'Artagnan," hecalled out in a coaxing voice, "will you answer foreverything?"

"I will answer for nothing. I will do my best."

"Well, then, let us go - I must trust to you."

"It is very fortunate," said D'Artagnan to himself.

"You will be here at half-past nine."

"And I shall find your eminence ready?"

"Certainly, quite ready."

"Well, then, it is a settled thing; and now, my lord, willyou obtain for me an audience with the queen?"

"For what purpose?"

"I wish to receive her majesty's commands from her ownlips."

"She desired me to give them to you."

"She may have forgotten something."

"You really wish to see her?"

"It is indispensable, my lord."

Mazarin hesitated for one instant, but D'Artagnan was firm.

"Come, then," said the minister; "I will conduct you to her,but remember, not one word of our conversation."

"What has passed between us concerns ourselves alone. mylord," replied D'Artagnan.

"Swear to be mute."

"I never swear, my lord, I say yes or no; and, as I am agentleman, I keep my word."

"Come, then, I see that I must trust unreservedly to you."

"Believe me, my lord, it will be your best plan."

"Come," said Mazarin, conducting D'Artagnan into the queen'soratory and desiring him to wait there. He did not waitlong, for in five minutes the queen entered in full galacostume. Thus dressed she scarcely appeared thirty-fiveyears of age. She was still exceedingly handsome.

"It is you, Monsieur D'Artagnan," she said, smilinggraciously; "I thank you for having insisted on seeing me."

"I ought to ask your majesty's pardon, but I wished toreceive your commands from your own mouth."

"Do you accept the commission which I have intrusted toyou?"

"With gratitude."

"Very well, be here at midnight."

"I will not fail."

"Monsieur d'Artagnan," continued the queen, "I know yourdisinterestedness too well to speak of my own gratitude atsuch a moment, but I swear to you that I shall not forgetthis second service as I forgot the first."

"Your majesty is free to forget or to remember, as itpleases you; and I know not what you mean," said D'Artagnan,bowing.

"Go, sir," said the queen, with her most bewitching smile,"go and return at midnight."

And D'Artagnan retired, but as he passed out he glanced atthe curtain through which the queen had entered and at thebottom of the tapestry he remarked the tip of a velvetslipper.

"Good," thought he; "Mazarin has been listening to discoverwhether I betrayed him. In truth, that Italian puppet doesnot deserve the services of an honest man."

D'Artagnan was not less exact to his appointment and athalf-past nine o'clock he entered the ante-room.

He found the cardinal dressed as an officer, and he lookedvery well in that costume, which, as we have already said,he wore elegantly; only he was very pale and trembledslightly.

"Quite alone?" he asked.

"Yes, my lord."

"And that worthy Monsieur du Vallon, are we not to enjoy hissociety?"

"Certainly, my lord; he is waiting in his carriage at thegate of the garden of the Palais Royal."

"And we start in his carriage, then?"

"Yes, my lord."

"And with us no other escort but you two?"

"Is it not enough? One of us would suffice."

"Really, my dear Monsieur d'Artagnan," said the cardinal,"your coolness startles me."

"I should have thought, on the contrary, that it ought tohave inspired you with confidence."

"And Bernouin - do I not take him with me?"

"There is no room for him, he will rejoin your eminence."

"Let us go," said Mazarin, "since everything must be done asyou wish."

"My lord, there is time to draw back," said D'Artagnan, "andyour eminence is perfectly free."

"Not at all, not at all," said Mazarin; "let us be off."

And so they descended the private stair, Mazarin leaning onthe arm of D'Artagnan a hand the musketeer felt trembling.At last, after crossing the courts of the Palais Royal,where there still remained some of the conveyances of lateguests, they entered the garden and reached the little gate.Mazarin attempted to open it by a key which he took from hispocket, but with such shaking fingers that he could not findthe keyhole.

"Give it to me," said D'Artagnan, who when the gate was opendeposited the key in his pocket, reckoning upon returning bythat gate.

The steps were already down and the door open. Musquetonstood at the door and Porthos was inside the carriage.

"Mount, my lord," said D'Artagnan to Mazarin, who spranginto the carriage without waiting for a second bidding.D'Artagnan followed him, and Musqueton, having closed thedoor, mounted behind the carriage with many groans. He hadmade some difficulties about going, under pretext that hestill suffered from his wound, but D'Artagnan had said tohim:

"Remain if you like, my dear Monsieur Mouston, but I warnyou that Paris will be burnt down to-night;" upon whichMusqueton had declared, without asking anything further,that he was ready to follow his master and Monsieurd'Artagnan to the end of the world.

The carriage started at a measured pace, without betrayingby the slightest sign that it contained people in a hurry.The cardinal wiped his forehead with his handkerchief andlooked around him. On his left was Porthos, whilstD'Artagnan was on his right; each guarded a door and servedas a rampart to him on either side. Before him, on the frontseat, lay two pairs of pistols - one in front of Porthosand the other of D'Artagnan. About a hundred paces from thePalais Royal a patrol stopped the carriage.

"Who goes?" asked the captain.

"Mazarin!" replied D'Artagnan, bursting into a laugh. Thecardinal's hair stood on end. But the joke appeared anexcellent one to the citizens, who, seeing the conveyancewithout escort and unarmed, would never have believed in thepossibility of so great an imprudence.

"A good journey to ye," they cried, allowing it to pass.

"Hem!" said D'Artagnan, "what does my lord think of thatreply?"

"Man of talent!" cried Mazarin.

"In truth," said Porthos, "I understand; but now - - "

About the middle of the Rue des Petits Champs they werestopped by a second patrol.

"Who goes there?" inquired the captain of the patrol.

"Keep back, my lord," said D'Artagnan. And Mazarin buriedhimself so far behind the two friends that he disappeared,completely hidden between them.

"Who goes there?" cried the same voice, impatiently whilstD'Artagnan perceived that they had rushed to the horses'heads. But putting hid head out of the carriage:

"Eh! Planchet," said he.

The chief approached, and it was indeed Planchet; D'Artagnanhad recognized the voice of his old servant.

"How, sir!" said Planchet, "is it you?"

"Eh! mon Dieu! yes, my good friend, this worthy Porthos hasjust received a sword wound and I am taking him to hiscountry house at Saint Cloud."

"Oh! really," said Planchet.

"Porthos," said D'Artagnan, "if you can still speak, say aword, my dear Porthos, to this good Planchet."

"Planchet, my friend," said Porthos, in a melancholy voice,"I am very ill; should you meet a doctor you will do me afavor by sending him to me."

"Oh! good Heaven," said Planchet, "what a misfortune! andhow did it happen?"

"I will tell you all about it," replied Musqueton.

Porthos uttered a deep groan.

"Make way for us, Planchet," said D'Artagnan in a whisper tohim, "or he will not arrive alive; the lungs are attacked,my friend."

Planchet shook his head with the air of a man who says, "Inthat case things look ill." Then he exclaimed, turning tohis men:

"Let them pass; they are friends.

The carriage resumed its course, and Mazarin, who had heldhis breath, ventured to breathe again.

"Bricconi!" muttered he.

A few steps in advance of the gate of Saint Honore they meta third troop; this latter party was composed of ill-lookingfellows, who resembled bandits more than anything else; theywere the men of the beggar of Saint Eustache.

"Attention, Porthos!" cried D'Artagnan.

Porthos placed his hand on the pistols.

"What is it?" asked Mazarin.

"My lord, I think we are in bad company."

A man advanced to the door with a kind of scythe in hishand. "Qui vive?" he asked.

"Eh, rascal!" said D'Artagnan, "do you not recognize hishighness the prince's carriage?"

"Prince or not," said the man, "open. We are here to guardthe gate, and no one whom we do not know shall pass."

"What is to be done?" said Porthos.

"Pardieu! pass," replied D'Artagnan.

"But how?" asked Mazarin.

"Through or over; coachman, gallop on."

The coachman raised his whip.

"Not a step further," said the man, who appeared to be thecaptain, "or I will hamstring your horses."

"Peste!" said Porthos, "it would be a pity; animals whichcost me a hundred pistoles each."

"I will pay you two hundred for them," said Mazarin.

"Yes, but when once they are hamstrung, our necks will bestrung next."

"If one of them comes to my side," asked Porthos, "must Ikill him?"

"Yes, by a blow of your fist, if you can; we will not firebut at the last extremity."

"I can do it," said Porthos.

"Come and open, then!" cried D'Artagnan to the man with thescythe, taking one of the pistols up by the muzzle andpreparing to strike with the handle. And as the manapproached, D'Artagnan, in order to have more freedom forhis actions, leaned half out of the door; his eyes werefixed upon those of the mendicant, which were lighted up bya lantern. Without doubt he recognized D'Artagnan, for hebecame deadly pale; doubtless the musketeer knew him, forhis hair stood up on his head.

"Monsieur d'Artagnan!" he cried, falling back a step; "it isMonsieur d'Artagnan! let him pass."

D'Artagnan was perhaps about to reply, when a blow, similarto that of a mallet falling on the head of an ox, was heard.The noise was caused by Porthos, who had just knocked downhis man.

D'Artagnan turned around and saw the unfortunate man uponhis back about four paces off.

"'Sdeath!" cried he to the coachman. "Spur your horses!whip! get on!"

The coachman bestowed a heavy blow of the whip upon hishorses; the noble animals bounded forward; then cries of menwho were knocked down were heard; then a double concussionwas felt, and two of the wheels seemed to pass over a roundand flexible body. There was a moment's silence, then thecarriage cleared the gate.

"To Cours la Reine!" cried D'Artagnan to the coachman; thenturning to Mazarin he said, "Now, my lord, you can say fivepaters and five aves, in thanks to Heaven for yourdeliverance. You are safe - you are free."

Mazarin replied only by a groan; he could not believe insuch a miracle. Five minutes later the carriage stopped,having reached Cours la Reine.

"Is my lord pleased with his escort?" asked D'Artagnan.

"Enchanted, monsieur," said Mazarin, venturing his head outof one of the windows; "and now do as much for the queen."

"It will not be so difficult," replied D'Artagnan, springingto the ground. "Monsieur du Vallon, I commend his eminenceto your care."

"Be quite at ease," said Porthos, holding out his hand,which D'Artagnan took and shook in his.

"Oh!" cried Porthos, as if in pain.

D'Artagnan looked with surprise at his friend.

"What is the matter, then?" he asked.

"I think I have sprained my wrist,' said Porthos.

"The devil! why, you strike like a blind or a deaf man."

"It was necessary; my man was going to fire a pistol at me;but you - how did you get rid of yours?"

"Oh, mine," replied D'Artagnan, "was not a man."

"What was it then?"

"It was an apparition."

"And - - "

"I charmed it away."

Without further explanation D'Artagnan took the pistolswhich were upon the front seat, placed them in his belt,wrapped himself in his cloak, and not wishing to enter bythe same gate as that through which they had left, he tookhis way toward the Richelieu gate.