“Answer him as you please,” said Fouquet.
“Eh! good Lord!” said the abbe, still full of malice, like
an egotistical man; “tell him there is no money,
particularly for musketeers.”
But scarcely had the abbe uttered this imprudent speech,
when the partly open door was thrown back, and D’Artagnan
appeared.
“Eh! Monsieur Fouquet,” said he, “I was well aware there was
no money for musketeers here. Therefore I did not come to
obtain any, but to have it refused. That being done, receive
my thanks. I give you good-day, and will go and seek it at
M. Colbert’s.” And he went out, making an easy bow.
“Gourville,” said Fouquet, “run after that man and bring him
back.” Gourville obeyed, and overtook D’Artagnan on the
stairs.
D’Artagnan, hearing steps behind him, turned round and
perceived Gourville. “Mordioux! my dear monsieur,” said he,
“these are sad lessons which you gentlemen of finance teach
us; I come to M. Fouquet to receive a sum accorded by his
majesty, and I am received like a mendicant who comes to ask
charity, or a thief who comes to steal a piece of plate.”
“But you pronounced the name of M. Colbert, my dear M.
d’Artagnan; you said you were going to M. Colbert’s?”
“I certainly am going there, were it only to ask
satisfaction of the people who try to burn houses, crying
`Vive Colbert!'”
Gourville pricked up his ears. “Oh, oh!” said he, “you
allude to what has just happened at the Greve?”
“Yes, certainly.”
“And in what did that which has taken place concern you?”
“What! do you ask me whether it concerns me or does not
concern me, if M. Colbert pleases to make a funeral-pile of
my house?”
“So ho, your house — was it your house they wanted to
burn?”
“Pardieu! was it!”
“Is the cabaret of the Image-de-Notre-Dame yours, then?”
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“It has been this week.”
“Well, then, are you the brave captain, are you the valiant
blade who dispersed those who wished to burn the condemned?”
“My dear Monsieur Gourville, put yourself in my place. I was
an agent of the public force and a landlord, too. As a
captain, it is my duty to have the orders of the king
accomplished. As a proprietor, it is to my interest my house
should not be burnt. I have at the same time attended to the
laws of interest and duty in replacing Messieurs Lyodot and
D’Eymeris in the hands of the archers.”
“Then it was you who threw the man out of the window?”
“It was I, myself,” replied D’Artagnan, modestly
“And you who killed Menneville?”
“I had that misfortune,” said D’Artagnan, bowing like a man
who is being congratulated.
“It was you, then, in short, who caused the two condemned
persons to be hung?”
“Instead of being burnt, yes, monsieur, and I am proud of
it. I saved the poor devils from horrible tortures.
Understand, my dear Monsieur de Gourville, that they wanted
to burn them alive. It exceeds imagination!”
“Go, my dear Monsieur d’Artagnan, go,” said Gourville,
anxious to spare Fouquet the sight of the man who had just
caused him such profound grief.
“No,” said Fouquet, who had heard all from the door of the
ante-chamber; “not so; on the contrary, Monsieur d’Artagnan,
come in.”
D’Artagnan wiped from the hilt of his sword a last bloody
trace, which had escaped his notice, and returned. He then
found himself face to face with these three men, whose
countenances wore very different expressions. With the abbe
it was anger, with Gourville stupor, with Fouquet it was
dejection.
“I beg your pardon, monsieur le ministre,” said D’Artagnan,
“but my time is short; I have to go to the office of the
intendant, to have an explanation with Monsieur Colbert, and
to receive my quarter’s pension.”
“But, monsieur,” said Fouquet, “there is money here.”
D’Artagnan looked at the superintendent with astonishment.
“You have been answered inconsiderately, monsieur, I know,
because I heard it,” said the minister; “a man of your merit
ought to be known by everybody.” D’Artagnan bowed. “Have you
an order?” added Fouquet.
“Yes, monsieur.”
“Give it me, I will pay you myself; come with me.” He made a