“Signed: DUC D’ALAMEDA.”
Aramis had then performed more than he had promised; it remained to be known how the King, M. Colbert, and d’Artagnan would be faithful to one another. In the spring, as Colbert had predicted, the land army entered on its campaign. It preceded, in magnificent order, the court of Louis XIV, who, setting out on horseback, surrounded by carriages filled with ladies and courtiers, conducted the elite of his kingdom to this sanguinary fete. The officers of the army, it is true, had no other music than the artillery of the Dutch forts; but it was enough for a great number, who found in this war honors, advancement, fortune, or death.
M. d’Artagnan set out commanding a body of twelve thousand men, cavalry and infantry, with which he was ordered to take the different places which form the knots of that strategic network which is called La Frise. Never was an army conducted more gallantly to an expedition. The officers knew that their leader, prudent and skillful as he was brave, would not sacrifice a single man, nor yield an inch of ground, without necessity. He had the old habits of war,- to live upon the country, keep his soldiers singing and the enemy weeping. The captain of the King’s Musketeers put his effort into showing that he knew his business. Never were opportunities better chosen, coups de main better supported, or better advantage taken of errors on the part of the besieged.
The army commanded by d’Artagnan took twelve small places within a month. He was engaged in besieging the thirteenth, which had held out five days. D’Artagnan caused the trenches to be opened without appearing to suppose that these people would ever allow themselves to be taken. In the army of this man the pioneers and laborers were a body full of emulation, ideas, and zeal, because he treated them like soldiers, knew how to render their work glorious, and never allowed them to be killed if he could prevent it. It should have been seen then with what eagerness the marshy glebes of Holland were turned over. Those turf heaps, those mounds of potter’s clay, melted at the words of the soldiers like butter in the vast frying-pans of the Friesland housewives.
M. d’Artagnan despatched a courier to the King to give him an account of the last successes, which redoubled the good-humor of his Majesty and his inclination to amuse the ladies. These victories of M. d’Artagnan gave so much majesty to the Prince that Madame de Montespan no longer called him anything but Louis the Invincible. So that Mademoiselle de la Valliere, who only called the King Louis the Victorious, lost much of his Majesty’s favor. Besides, her eyes were frequently red, and for an Invincible nothing is more disagreeable than a mistress who weeps while everything is smiling around her. The star of Mademoiselle de la Valliere was being drowned in the horizon in clouds and tears. But the gayety of Madame de Montespan redoubled with the successes of the King, and consoled him for every other unpleasant circumstance. It was to d’Artagnan the King owed this; and his Majesty was anxious to acknowledge these services. He wrote to M. Colbert:-
“M. COLBERT: We have a promise to fulfill with M. d’Artagnan, who so well keeps his. This is to inform you that the time is come for performing it. All provisions for this purpose you shall be furnished with in due time.
“LOUIS.”
In consequence of this, Colbert, who detained the envoy of d’Artagnan, placed in the hands of that messenger a letter from himself for d’Artagnan and a small coffer of ebony inlaid with gold, which, without doubt, was very heavy, as a guard of five men was given to the messenger to assist him in carrying it. These persons arrived before the place which d’Artagnan was besieging, towards daybreak, and presented themselves at the lodgings of the general. They were told that M. d’Artagnan, annoyed by a sortie which the governor, an artful man, had made the evening before, and in which the works had been destroyed, seventy-seven men killed, and the reparation of the breaches begun, had just gone with ten companies of grenadiers to reconstruct the works.