calling to Grimaud and Olivain, he sighed.
“It is very soon to leave me,” he thought, “but he follows
the common custom. Nature has made us thus; she makes the
young look ever forward, not behind. He certainly likes the
child, but will he love me less as his affection grows for
her?”
And Athos confessed to himself that, he was unprepared for
so prompt a departure; but Raoul was so happy that this
reflection effaced everything else from the consideration of
his guardian.
Everything was ready at ten o’clock for the departure, and
as Athos was watching Raoul mount, a groom rode up from the
Duchess de Chevreuse. He was charged to tell the Comte de la
Fere, that she had learned of the return of her youthful
protege, and also the manner he had conducted himself on the
field, and she added that she should be very glad to offer
him her congratulations.
“Tell her grace,” replied Athos, “that the viscount has just
mounted his horse to proceed to the Hotel de Luynes.”
Then, with renewed instructions to Grimaud, Athos signified
to Raoul that he could set out, and ended by reflecting that
it was perhaps better that Raoul should be away from Paris
at that moment.
42
Another Queen in Want of Help.
Athos had not failed to send early to Aramis and had given
his letter to Blaisois, the only serving-man whom he had
left. Blaisois found Bazin donning his beadle’s gown, his
services being required that day at Notre Dame.
Athos had desired Blaisois to try to speak to Aramis
himself. Blaisois, a tall, simple youth, who understood
nothing but what he was expressly told, asked, therefore for
the Abbe d’Herblay, and in spite of Bazin’s assurances that
his master was not at home, he persisted in such a manner as
to put Bazin into a passion. Blaisois seeing Bazin in
clerical guise, was a little discomposed at his denials and
wanted to pass at all risks, believing too, that the man
with whom he had to do was endowed with the virtues of his
cloth, namely, patience and Christian charity.
But Bazin, still the servant of a musketeer, when once the
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blood mounted to his fat cheeks, seized a broomstick and
began belaboring Blaisois, saying:
“You have insulted the church, my friend, you have insulted
the church!”
At this moment Aramis, aroused by this unusual disturbance,
cautiously opened the door of his room; and Blaisois,
looking reproachfully at the Cerberus, drew the letter from
his pocket and presented it to Aramis.
“From the Comte de la Fere,” said Aramis. “All right.” And
he retired into his room without even asking the cause of so
much noise.
Blaisois returned disconsolate to the Hotel of the Grand Roi
Charlemagne and when Athos inquired if his commission was
executed, he related his adventure.
“You foolish fellow!” said Athos, laughing. “And you did not
tell him that you came from me?”
“No, sir.”
At ten o’clock Athos, with his habitual exactitude, was
waiting on the Pont du Louvre and was almost immediately
joined by Lord de Winter.
They waited ten minutes and then his lordship began to fear
Aramis was not coming to join them.
“Patience,” said Athos, whose eyes were fixed in the
direction of the Rue du Bac, “patience; I see an abbe
cuffing a man, then bowing to a woman; it must be Aramis.”
It was indeed Aramis. Having run against a young shopkeeper
who was gaping at the crows and who had splashed him, Aramis
with one blow of his fist had distanced him ten paces.
At this moment one of his penitents passed, and as she was
young and pretty Aramis took off his cap to her with his
most gracious smile.
A most affectionate greeting, as one can well believe took
place between him and Lord de Winter.
“Where are we going?” inquired Aramis; “are we going to
fight, perchance? I carry no sword this morning and cannot
return home to procure one.”
“No,” said Lord de Winter, “we are going to pay a visit to
Her Majesty the Queen of England.”
“Oh, very well,” replied Aramis; then bending his face down