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spirits； four faithful swords； who saved more than my life
my honor 〃
〃Ah！ you confess it！〃 exclaimed Mazarin。
〃Is it only the guilty whose honor is at the sport of
others； sir？ and cannot women be dishonored by appearances？
Yes； appearances were against me and I was about to suffer
dishonor。 However； I swear I was not guilty； I swear it by
〃
The queen looked around her for some sacred object by which
she could swear； and taking out of a cupboard hidden in the
tapestry； a small coffer of rosewood set in silver； and
laying it on the altar：
〃I swear；〃 she said； 〃by these sacred relics that Buckingham
was not my lover。〃
〃What relics are those by which you swear？〃 asked Mazarin；
smiling。 〃I am incredulous。〃
The queen untied from around her throat a small golden key
which hung there； and presented it to the cardinal。
〃Open； sir；〃 she said； 〃and look for yourself。〃
Mazarin opened the coffer； a knife； covered with rust； and
two letters； one of which was stained with blood； alone met
his gaze。
〃What are these things？〃 he asked。
〃What are these things？〃 replied Anne； with queen…like
dignity； extending toward the open coffer an arm； despite
the lapse of years； still beautiful。 〃These two letters are
the only ones I ever wrote to him。 This knife is the knife
with which Felton stabbed him。 Read the letters and see if I
have lied or spoken the truth。〃
But Mazarin； notwithstanding this permission； instead of
reading the letters； took the knife which the dying
Buckingham had snatched out of the wound and sent by Laporte
to the queen。 The blade was red； for the blood had become
rust； after a momentary examination during which the queen
became as white as the cloth which covered the altar on
which she was leaning； he put it back into the coffer with
an involuntary shudder。
〃It is well； madame； I believe your oath。〃
〃No； no； read；〃 exclaimed the queen； indignantly； 〃read； I
command you； for I am resolved that everything shall be
finished to…night and never will I recur to this subject
again。 Do you think；〃 she said； with a ghastly smile； 〃that
I shall be inclined to reopen this coffer to answer any
future accusations？〃
Mazarin； overcome by this determination； read the two
letters。 In one the queen asked for the ornaments back
again。 This letter had been conveyed by D'Artagnan and had
arrived in time。 The other was that which Laporte had placed
in the hands of the Duke of Buckingham； warning him that he
was about to be assassinated； that communication had arrived
too late。
〃It is well； madame；〃 said Mazarin； 〃nothing can gainsay
such testimony。〃
〃Sir；〃 replied the queen； closing the coffer and leaning her
hand upon it； 〃if there is anything to be said； it is that I
have always been ungrateful to the brave men who saved me
that I have given nothing to that gallant officer；
D'Artagnan； you were speaking of just now； but my hand to
kiss and this diamond。〃
As she spoke she extended her beautiful hand to the cardinal
and showed him a superb diamond which sparkled on her
finger。
〃It appears；〃 she resumed； 〃that he sold it …he sold it in
order to save me another time to be able to send a
messenger to the duke to warn him of his danger he sold
it to Monsieur des Essarts； on whose finger I remarked it。 I
bought it from him； but it belongs to D'Artagnan。 Give it
back to him； sir； and since you have such a man in your
service； make him useful。〃
〃Thank you； madame；〃 said Mazarin。 〃I will profit by the
advice。〃
〃And now；〃 added the queen； her voice broken by her emotion；
〃have you any other question to ask me？〃
〃Nothing；〃 the cardinal spoke in his most conciliatory
manner 〃except to beg of you to forgive my unworthy
suspicions。 I love you so tenderly that I cannot help being
jealous； even of the past。〃
A smile； which was indefinable； passed over the lips of the
queen。
〃Since you have no further interrogations to make； leave me；
I beseech you；〃 she said。 〃I wish； after such a scene； to be
alone。〃
Mazarin bent low before her。
〃I will retire； madame。 Do you permit me to return？〃
〃Yes； to…morrow。〃
The cardinal took the queen's hand and pressed it with an
air of gallantry to his lips。
Scarcely had he left her when the queen went into her son's
room； and inquired from Laporte if the king was in bed。
Laporte pointed to the child； who was asleep。
Anne ascended the steps side of the bed and softly kissed
the placid forehead of her son； then she retired as silently
as she had come； merely saying to Laporte：
〃Try； my dear Laporte； to make the king more courteous to
Monsieur le Cardinal； to whom both he and I are under such
important obligations。〃
5
The Gascon and the Italian。
Meanwhile the cardinal returned to his own room； and after
asking Bernouin； who stood at the door； whether anything had
occurred during his absence； and being answered in the
negative； he desired that he might be left alone。
When he was alone he opened the door of the corridor and
then that of the ante…chamber。 There D'Artagnan was asleep
upon a bench。
The cardinal went up to him and touched his shoulder。
D'Artagnan started； awakened himself； and as he awoke； stood
up exactly like a soldier under arms。
〃Here I am；〃 said he。 〃Who calls me？〃
〃I；〃 said Mazarin； with his most smiling expression。
〃I ask pardon of your eminence；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃but I was
so fatigued 〃
〃Don't ask my pardon； monsieur；〃 said Mazarin； 〃for you
fatigued yourself in my service。〃
D'Artagnan admired Mazarin's gracious manner。 〃Ah；〃 said he；
between his teeth； 〃is there truth in the proverb that
fortune comes while one sleeps？〃
〃Follow me； monsieur；〃 said Mazarin。
〃Come； come；〃 murmured D'Artagnan； 〃Rochefort has kept his
promise； but where in the devil is he？〃 And he searched the
cabinet even to the smallest recesses； but there was no sign
of Rochefort。
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan；〃 said the cardinal； sitting down on a
fauteuil； 〃you have always seemed to me to be a brave and
honorable man。〃
〃Possibly；〃 thought D'Artagnan； 〃but he has taken a long
time to let me know his thoughts；〃 nevertheless； he bowed to
the very ground in gratitude for Mazarin's compliment。
〃Well；〃 continued Mazarin； 〃the time has come to put to use
your talents and your valor。〃
There was a sudden gleam of joy in the officer's eyes； which
vanished immediately； for he knew nothing of Mazarin's
purpose。
〃Order； my lord；〃 he said； 〃I am ready to obey your
eminence。〃
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan；〃 continued the cardinal； 〃you
performed sundry superb exploits in the last reign。〃
〃Your eminence is too good to remember such trifles in my
favor。 It is true I fought with tolerable success。〃
〃I don't speak of your warlike exploits； monsieur；〃 said
Mazarin； 〃although they gained you much reputation； they
were surpassed by others。〃
D'Artagnan pretended astonishment。
〃Well； you do not reply？〃 resumed Mazarin。
〃I am waiting； my lord； till you tell me of what exploits
you speak。〃
〃I speak of the adventure Eh； you know well what I mean。〃
〃Alas； no； my lord！〃 replied D'Artagnan； surprised。
〃You are discreet so much the better。 I speak of that
adventure in behalf of the queen； of the ornaments； of the
journey you made with three