his courage, and hastened to meet Parry, who, followed by
D’Artagnan, advanced slowly on account of his age.
D’Artagnan walked slowly but nobly, as D’Artagnan, doubled
by the third of a million, ought to walk, that is to say,
without conceit or swagger, but without timidity. When
Buckingham, very eager to comply with the desire of the
princess, who had seated herself on a marble bench, as if
fatigued with the few steps she had gone, — when
Buckingham, we say, was at a distance of only a few paces
from Parry, the latter recognized him.
“Ah I my lord!” cried he, quite out of breath, “will your
grace obey the king?”
“In what, Mr. Parry?” said the young man, with a kind of
coolness tempered by a desire to make himself agreeable to
the princess.
“Well, his majesty begs your grace to present this gentleman
to her royal highness the Princess Henrietta.”
“In the first place, what is the gentleman’s name?” said the
duke, haughtily.
D’Artagnan, as we know, was easily affronted, and the Duke
of Buckingham’s tone displeased him. He surveyed the
courtier from head to foot, and two flashes beamed from
beneath his bent brows. But, after a struggle, — “Monsieur
le Chevalier d’Artagnan, my lord,” replied he, quietly.
“Pardon me, sir, that name teaches me your name but nothing
more.”
“You mean —- ”
“I mean I do not know you.”
“I am more fortunate than you, sir,” replied D’Artagnan,
“for I have had the honor of knowing your family, and
particularly my lord Duke of Buckingham, your illustrious
father.”
“My father?” said Buckingham. “Well, I think I now remember.
Monsieur le Chevalier d’Artagnan, do you say?”
D’Artagnan bowed. “In person,” said he.
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“Pardon me, but are you one of those Frenchmen who had
secret relations with my father?”
“Exactly, my lord duke, I am one of those Frenchmen.”
“Then, sir, permit me to say that it was strange my father
never heard of you during his lifetime.”
“No, monsieur, but he heard of me at the moment of his
death: it was I who sent to him, through the hands of the
valet de chambre of Anne of Austria, notice of the dangers
which threatened him; unfortunately, it came too late.”
“Never mind, monsieur,” said Buckingham. “I understand now,
that, having had the intention of rendering a service to the
father, you have come to claim the protection of the son.”
“In the first place, my lord,” replied D’Artagnan,
phlegmatically, “I claim the protection of no man. His
majesty Charles II., to whom I have had the honor of
rendering some services — I may tell you, my lord, my life
has been passed in such occupations — King Charles II.,
then, who wishes to honor me with some kindness, desires me
to be presented to her royal highness the Princess
Henrietta, his sister, to whom I shall, perhaps, have the
good fortune to be of service hereafter. Now, the king knew
that you at this moment were with her royal highness, and
sent me to you. There is no other mystery, I ask absolutely
nothing of you; and if you will not present me to her royal
highness, I shall be compelled to do without you, and
present myself.”
“At least, sir,” said Buckingham, determined to have the
last word, “you will not refuse me an explanation provoked
by yourself.”
“I never refuse, my lord,” said D’Artagnan.
“As you have had relations with my father, you must be
acquainted with some private details?”
“These relations are already far removed from us, my lord —
for you were not then born — and for some unfortunate
diamond studs, which I received from his hands and carried
back to France, it is really not worth while awakening so
many remembrances.”
“Ah! sir,” said Buckingham, warmly, going up to D’Artagnan,
and holding out his hand to him, “it is you, then — you
whom my father sought everywhere and who had a right to
expect so much from us.”
“To expect, my lord, in truth, that is my forte; all my life
I have expected.”
At this moment, the princess, who was tired of not seeing