Fouquet rose from his seat, passed his arm round d’Artagnan’s neck, and clasped him in a close embrace, while with the other hand he pressed the captain’s hand. “An excellent homily,” he said after a moment’s pause.
“A soldier’s, Monseigneur.”
“You have a regard for me in telling me all that.”
“Perhaps.”
Fouquet resumed his pensive attitude once more, and then, a moment after, said:
“Where can M. d’Herblay be? I dare not ask you to send for him.”
“You would not ask me, because I would not do it, M. Fouquet. People would learn it; and Aramis, who is not mixed up with the affair, might possibly be compromised and included in your disgrace.”
“I will wait here till daylight,” said Fouquet.
“Yes; that is best.”
“What shall we do when daylight comes?”
“I know nothing at all about it, Monseigneur.”
“M. d’Artagnan, will you do me a favor?”
“Most willingly.”
“You guard me, I remain; you are acting in the full discharge of your duty, I suppose?”
“Certainly.”
“Very good, then; remain as close to me as my shadow, if you like, I prefer that shadow any other.”
D’Artagnan bowed.
“But forget that you are M. d’Artagnan, Captain of the Musketeers; forget that I am M. Fouquet, Superintendent of the Finances, and let us talk about my affairs.”
“Peste! a thorny subject that!”
“Truly?”
“Yes; but for your sake, M. Fouquet, I would do the impossible.”
“Thank you. What did the King say to you?”
“Nothing.”
“Ah! is that the way you talk?”
“The deuce!”
“What do you think of my situation?”
“Nothing.”
“However, unless you have some ill-feeling against me-”
“Your position is a difficult one.”
“In what respect?”
“Because you are under your own roof.”
“However difficult it may be, yet I understand it very well.”
“Do you suppose that with any one else but yourself I should have shown so much frankness?”
“What! so much frankness, do you say,- you who refuse to tell me the slightest thing?”
“At all events, then, so much ceremony and so much consideration.”
“Ah! I admit that.”
“One moment, Monseigneur! Let me tell you how I should have behaved towards any one else but yourself. I should have arrived at your door just as your friends had left you, or if they had not yet gone I should have waited until they were leaving, and should then have caught them one after the other like rabbits; I should have locked them up quietly; I should have stolen softly along the carpet of your corridor, and with one hand upon you, before you suspected the slightest thing about it, I should have kept you safely until my master’s breakfast in the morning. In this way I should have avoided all publicity, all disturbance, all opposition; but there would also have been no warning for M. Fouquet, no consideration for his feelings, none of those delicate concessions which are shown by persons who are essentially courteous in their natures whenever the decisive moment may arrive. Are you satisfied with that plan?”
“It makes me shudder.”
“I thought you would not like it. It would have been very disagreeable had I chosen to appear to-morrow without notice and to ask you for your sword.”
“Oh, Monsieur, I should have died from shame and anger.”
“Your gratitude is too eloquently expressed. I have not done enough to deserve it, I assure you.”
“Most certainly, Monsieur, you will never get me to believe that.”
“Well, then, Monseigneur, if you are satisfied with what I have done, and have somewhat recovered from the shock which I prepared you for as much as I could, let us allow the few hours that remain to pass away undisturbed. You are harassed, and require to arrange your thoughts; I beg you, therefore, to go to sleep, or pretend to go to sleep, either on your bed or in your bed. I shall sleep in this arm-chair; and when I fall asleep my rest is so sound that a cannon could not wake me.”
Fouquet smiled.
“I except, however,” continued the musketeer, “the case where one opens a door, whether secret or visible, whether to go out or to come in. Oh, for that my ear is sensitive to the last degree! Any creaking noise makes me start,- it is a matter of natural antipathy. Move about as much as you like; walk up and down in any part of the room; write, efface, destroy, burn: but do not touch either the key or the handle of the door; for I should start up in a moment, and that would shake my nerves terribly.”