silent even than the Bastile. Degenerate world!”
82
Precaution’s.
After quitting Anne, Mazarin took the road to Rueil, where
he usually resided; in those times of disturbance he went
about with numerous followers and often disguised himself.
In military dress he was, indeed, as we have stated, a very
handsome man.
In the court of the old Chateau of Saint Germain he entered
his coach, and reached the Seine at Chatou. The prince had
supplied him with fifty light horse, not so much by way of
guard as to show the deputies how readily the queen’s
generals dispersed their troops and to prove that they might
be safely scattered at pleasure. Athos, on horseback,
without his sword and kept in sight by Comminges, followed
the cardinal in silence. Grimaud, finding that his master
had been arrested, fell back into the ranks near Aramis,
without saying a word and as if nothing had happened.
Grimaud had, indeed, during twenty-two years of service,
seen his master extricate himself from so many difficulties
that nothing less than Athos’s imminent death was likely to
make him uneasy.
At the branching off of the road toward Paris, Aramis, who
had followed in the cardinal’s suite, turned back. Mazarin
went to the right hand and Aramis could see the prisoner
disappear at the turning of the avenue. Athos, at the same
moment, moved by a similar impulse, looked back also. The
two friends exchanged a simple inclination of the head and
Aramis put his finger to his hat, as if to bow, Athos alone
comprehending by that signal that he had some project in his
head.
Ten minutes afterward Mazarin entered the court of that
chateau which his predecessor had built for him at Rueil; as
he alighted, Comminges approached him.
“My lord,” he asked, “where does your eminence wish Monsieur
Comte de la Fere to be lodged?”
“In the pavilion of the orangery, of course, in front of the
pavilion where the guard is. I wish every respect to be
shown the count, although he is the prisoner of her majesty
the queen.”
“My lord,” answered Comminges, “he begs to be taken to the
place where Monsieur d’Artagnan is confined — that is, in
the hunting lodge, opposite the orangery.
Mazarin thought for an instant.
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Comminges saw that he was undecided.
“‘Tis a very strong post,” he resumed, “and we have forty
good men, tried soldiers, having no connection with
Frondeurs nor any interest in the Fronde.”
“If we put these three men together, Monsieur Comminges,”
said Mazarin, “we must double the guard, and we are not rich
enough in fighting men to commit such acts of prodigality.”
Comminges smiled; Mazarin read and construed that smile.
“You do not know these men, Monsieur Comminges, but I know
them, first personally, also by hearsay. I sent them to
carry aid to King Charles and they performed prodigies to
save him; had it not been for an adverse destiny, that
beloved monarch would this day have been among us.”
“But since they served your eminence so well, why are they,
my lord cardinal, in prison?”
“In prison?” said Mazarin, “and when has Rueil been a
prison?”
“Ever since there were prisoners in it,” answered Comminges.
“These gentlemen, Comminges, are not prisoners,” returned
Mazarin, with his ironical smile, “only guests; but guests
so precious that I have put a grating before each of their
windows and bolts to their doors, that they may not refuse
to continue my visitors. So much do I esteem them that I am
going to make the Comte de la Fere a visit, that I may
converse with him tete-a-tete, and that we may not be
disturbed at our interview you must conduct him, as I said
before, to the pavilion of the orangery; that, you know, is
my daily promenade. Well, while taking my walk I will call
on him and we will talk. Although he professes to be my
enemy I have sympathy for him, and if he is reasonable
perhaps we shall arrange matters.”
Comminges bowed, and returned to Athos, who was awaiting
with apparent calmness, but with real anxiety, the result of