“Quite unnecessary,” said the latter; “sword for sword, I prefer Gourville, who is waiting for me below. But that will not prevent my enjoying the society of M. d’Artagnan. I am glad he will see Belle-Isle, he who is so good a judge of fortifications.”
D’Artagnan bowed, without at all comprehending what was going on. Fouquet bowed again and left the apartment, affecting all the slowness of a man who walks with difficulty. When once out of the castle, “I am saved!” said he. “Oh, yes, disloyal King! you shall see Belle-Isle, but it shall be when I am no longer there!”
He disappeared, leaving d’Artagnan with the King.
“Captain,” said the King, “you will follow M. Fouquet at the distance of a hundred paces.”
“Yes, Sire.”
“He is going to his lodgings again. You will go with him.”
“Yes, Sire.”
“You will arrest him in my name, and will shut him up in a carriage.”
“In a carriage. Well, Sire?”
“In such a fashion that he may not, on the road, either converse with any one, or throw notes to people he may meet.”
“That will be rather difficult, Sire.”
“Not at all.”
“Pardon me, Sire, I cannot stifle M. Fouquet; and if he asks for liberty to breathe, I cannot prevent him by shutting up glasses and blinds. He will throw out at the doors all the cries and notes possible.”
“The case is provided for, M. d’Artagnan; and a carriage with a trellis will obviate both the difficulties you point out.”
“A carriage with an iron trellis!” cried d’Artagnan; “but a carriage with an iron trellis is not made in half an hour, and your Majesty commands me to go immediately to M. Fouquet’s lodgings.”
“Therefore, the carriage in question is already made.”
“Ah, that is quite a different thing,” said the captain; “if the carriage is ready made, very well, then, we have only to set it going.”
“It is ready with the horses harnessed to it.”
“Ah!”
“And the coachman, with the outriders, are waiting in the lower court of the castle.”
D’Artagnan bowed. “There only remains for me to ask your Majesty to what place I shall conduct M. Fouquet.”
“To the Castle of Angers at first.”
“Very well, Sire.”
“Afterwards we will see.”
“Yes, Sire.”
“M. d’Artagnan, one last word: you have remarked that for making this capture of M. Fouquet, I have not employed my Guards, on which account M. de Gesvres will be furious.”
“Your Majesty does not employ your Guards,” said the captain, a little humiliated, “because you mistrust M. de Gesvres, that is all.”
“That is to say, Monsieur, that I have confidence in you.”
“I know that very well, Sire; and it is of no use to make so much of it.”
“It is only for the sake of arriving at this, Monsieur, that if from this moment it should happen that by any chance,- any chance whatever,- M. Fouquet should escape- such chances have been, Monsieur-”
“Oh, very often, Sire; but for others, not for me.”
“And why not for you?”
“Because I, Sire, have for an instant wished to save M. Fouquet.”
The King started. “Because,” continued the captain, “I had then a right to do so, having guessed your Majesty’s plan without your having spoken to me of it, and because I took an interest in M. Fouquet. Then, I was at liberty to show my interest in this man.”
“In truth, Monsieur, you do not reassure me with regard to your services.”
“If I had saved him then, I should have been perfectly innocent; I will say more, I should have done well, for M. Fouquet is not a bad man. But he was not willing; his destiny prevailed; he let the hour of liberty slip by. So much the worse! Now I have orders I will obey them, and M. Fouquet you may consider as a man arrested. He is at the Castle of Angers, is M. Fouquet.”
“Oh, you have not got him yet, Captain.”
“That concerns me; every one to his trade, Sire. Only, once more, reflect! Do you seriously give me orders to arrest M. Fouquet, Sire?”
“Yes, a thousand times, yes!”