CHAPTER 41
The Recital
The maliciousness of the cardinal did not leave much for the
ambassador to say; nevertheless, the word "restoration" had
struck the king, who, addressing the comte, upon whom his
eyes had been fixed since his entrance, -- "Monsieur," said
he, "will you have the kindness to give us some details
concerning the affairs of England. You come from that
country, you are a Frenchman, and the orders which I see
glittering upon your person announce you to be a man of
merit as well as a man of quality."
"Monsieur," said the cardinal, turning towards the
queen-mother, "is an ancient servant of your majesty's,
Monsieur le Comte de la Fere."
Anne of Austria was as oblivious as a queen whose life had
been mingled with fine and stormy days. She looked at
Mazarin, whose evil smile promised her something
disagreeable; then she solicited from Athos, by another
look, an explanation.
"Monsieur," continued the cardinal, "was a Treville
musketeer, in the service of the late king. Monsieur is well
acquainted with England, whither he has made several voyages
at various periods; he is a subject of the highest merit.
These words made allusion to all the memories which Anne of
Austria trembled to evoke. England, that was her hatred of
Richelieu and her love for Buckingham; a Treville musketeer,
that was the whole Odyssey of the triumphs which had made
the heart of the young woman throb, and of the dangers which
had been so near overturning the throne of the young queen.
These words had much power, for they rendered mute and
attentive all the royal personages, who, with very various
sentiments, set about recomposing at the same time the
mysteries which the young had not seen, and which the old
had believed to be forever effaced.
"Speak, monsieur," said Louis XIV., the first to escape from
troubles, suspicions, and remembrances.
"Yes, speak," added Mazarin, to whom the little malicious
thrust directed against Anne of Austria had restored energy
and gayety.
"Sire," said the comte, "a sort of miracle has changed the
whole destiny of Charles II. That which men, till that time,
had been unable to do, God resolved to accomplish."
Mazarin coughed while tossing about in his bed.
"King Charles II.," continued Athos, "left the Hague neither
as a fugitive nor a conqueror, but as an absolute king, who,
after a distant voyage from his kingdom, returns amidst
universal benedictions."
"A great miracle, indeed," said Mazarin; "for, if the news
was true, King Charles II., who has just returned amidst
benedictions, went away amidst musket-shots."
The king remained impassible. Philip, younger and more
frivolous, could not repress a smile, which flattered
Mazarin as an applause of his pleasantry.
"It is plain," said the king, "there is a miracle; but God,
who does so much for kings, monsieur le comte, nevertheless
employs the hand of man to bring about the triumph of His
designs. To what men does Charles II. principally owe his
re-establishment?"
"Why," interrupted Mazarin, without any regard for the
king's pride -- "does not your majesty know that it is to M.
Monk?"
"I ought to know it," replied Louis XIV., resolutely; "and
yet I ask my lord ambassador the causes of the change in
this General Monk?"
"And your majesty touches precisely the question," replied
Athos, "for without the miracle of which I have had the
honor to speak, General Monk would probably have remained an
implacable enemy of Charles II. God willed that a strange,
bold, and ingenious idea should enter into the mind of a
certain man, whilst a devoted and courageous idea took
possession of the mind of another man. The combinations of
these two ideas brought about such a change in the position
of M. Monk, that, from an inveterate enemy, he became a
friend to the deposed king."
"These are exactly the details I asked for," said the king.
"Who and what are the two men of whom you speak?"
"Two Frenchmen, sire."
"Indeed! I am glad of that."
"And the two ideas," said Mazarin; -- "I am more curious
about ideas than about men, for my part."
"Yes," murmured the king.
"The second idea, the devoted, reasonable idea -- the least
important, sir -- was to go and dig up a million in gold,
buried by King Charles I. at Newcastle, and to purchase with
that gold the adherence of Monk."
"Oh, oh!" said Mazarin, reanimated by the word million. "But
Newcastle was at the time occupied by Monk."
"Yes, monsieur le cardinal, and that is why I venture to
call the idea courageous as well as devoted. It was
necessary, if Monk refused the offers of the negotiator, to
reinstate King Charles II. in possession of this million,
which was to be torn, as it were, from the loyalty and not
the royalism of General Monk. This was effected in spite of
many difficulties: the general proved to be loyal, and
allowed the money to be taken away."
"It seems to me," said the timid, thoughtful king, "that
Charles II. could not have known of this million whilst he
was in Paris."
"It seems to me," rejoined the cardinal, maliciously, "that
his majesty the king of Great Britain knew perfectly well of
this million, but that he preferred having two millions to
having one."
"Sire," said Athos, firmly, "the king of England, whilst in
France, was so poor that he had not even money to take the
post; so destitute of hope that he frequently thought of
dying. He was so entirely ignorant of the existence of the
million at Newcastle, that but for a gentleman -- one of
your majesty's subjects -- the moral depositary of the
million, who revealed the secret to King Charles II., that
prince would still be vegetating in the most cruel
forgetfulness."
"Let us pass on to the strange, bold and ingenious idea,"
interrupted Mazarin, whose sagacity foresaw a check. "What
was that idea?"
"This -- M. Monk formed the only obstacle to the
re-establishment of the fallen king. A Frenchman imagined
the idea of suppressing this obstacle."
"Oh! oh! but he is a scoundrel, that Frenchman," said
Mazarin, "and the idea is not so ingenious as to prevent its
author being tied up by the neck at the Place de Greve, by
decree of the parliament."
"Your eminence is mistaken," replied Athos, dryly; "I did
not say that the Frenchman in question had resolved to
assassinate M. Monk, but only to suppress him. The words of
the French language have a value which the gentlemen of
France know perfectly. Besides, this is an affair of war;
and when men serve kings against their enemies they are not
to be condemned by a parliament -- God is their judge. This
French gentleman, then, formed the idea of gaining
possession of the person of Monk, and he executed his plan."
The king became animated at the recital of great actions.
The king's younger brother struck the table with his hand,
exclaiming, "Ah! that is fine!"
"He carried off Monk?" said the king. "Why, Monk was in his
camp."
"And the gentleman was alone, sire."
"That is marvelous!" said Philip.
"Marvelous, indeed!" cried the king.
"Good! There are the two little lions unchained," murmured
the cardinal. And with an air of spite, which he did not
dissemble: "I am unacquainted with these details, will you
guarantee their authenticity, monsieur?"
"All the more easily, my lord cardinal, from having seen the
events."
"You have?"
"Yes, monseigneur."
The king had involuntarily drawn close to the count, the Duc
d'Anjou had turned sharply round, and pressed Athos on the
other side.
"What next? monsieur, what next?" cried they both at the
same time.
"Sire, M. Monk, being taken by the Frenchman, was brought to
King Charles II., at the Hague. The king gave back his
freedom to Monk, and the grateful general, in return, gave
Charles II. the throne of Great Britain, for which so many
valiant men had fought in vain."
Philip clapped his hands with enthusiasm; Louis XIV., more
reflective, turned towards the Comte de la Fere.
"Is this true," said he, "in all its details?"
"Absolutely true, sire."
"That one of my gentlemen knew the secret of the million,
and kept it?"
"Yes, sire."
"The name of that gentleman?"
"It was your humble servant," said Athos, simply, and
bowing.
A murmur of admiration made the heart of Athos swell with
pleasure. He had reason to be proud, at least. Mazarin,
himself, had raised his arms towards heaven.
"Monsieur," said the king, "I shall seek, and find means to
reward you." Athos made a movement. "Oh, not for your
honesty, to be paid for that would humiliate you, but I owe
you a reward for having participated in the restoration of
my brother, King Charles II."
"Certainly," said Mazarin.
"It is the triumph of a good cause which fills the whole
house of France with joy," said Anne of Austria.
"I continue," said Louis XIV. "Is it also true that a single
man penetrated to Monk, in his camp, and carried him off?"
"That man had ten auxiliaries, taken from a very inferior
rank."
"And nothing but them?"
"Nothing more."
"And he is named?"
"Monsieur d'Artagnan, formerly lieutenant of the musketeers
of your majesty."
Anne of Austria colored; Mazarin became yellow with shame;
Louis XIV. was deeply thoughtful, and a drop of moisture
fell from his pale brow. "What men!" murmured he. And,
involuntarily, he darted a glance at the minister which
would have terrified him, if Mazarin, at the moment, had not
concealed his head under his pillow.
"Monsieur," said the young Duc d'Anjou, placing his hand,
delicate and white as that of a woman, upon the arm of
Athos, "tell that brave man, I beg you, that Monsieur,
brother of the king, will to-morrow drink his health before
five hundred of the best gentlemen of France." And, on
finishing these words, the young man, perceiving that his
enthusiasm had deranged one of his ruffles, set to work to
put it to rights with the greatest care imaginable.
"Let us resume business, sire," interrupted Mazarin who
never was enthusiastic, and who wore no ruffles.
"Yes, monsieur," replied Louis XIV. "Pursue your
communication, monsieur le comte," added he, turning towards
Athos.
Athos immediately began and offered in due form the hand of
the Princess Henrietta Stuart to the young prince, the
king's brother. The conference lasted an hour; after which
the doors of the chamber were thrown open to the courtiers,
who resumed their places as if nothing had been kept from
them in the occupations of that evening. Athos then found
himself again with Raoul, and the father and son were able
to clasp each other's hands.
