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adventure in behalf of the queen； of the ornaments； of the
journey you made with three of your friends。〃
〃Aha！〃 thought the Gascon； 〃is this a snare or not？ Let me
be on my guard。〃
And he assumed a look of stupidity which Mendori or
Bellerose； two of the first actors of the day； might have
envied。
〃Bravo！〃 cried Mazarin； 〃they told me that you were the man
I wanted。 Come； let us see what you will do for me。〃
〃Everything that your eminence may please to command me；〃
was the reply。
〃You will do for me what you have done for the queen？〃
〃Certainly；〃 D'Artagnan said to himself； 〃he wishes to make
me speak out。 He's not more cunning than De Richelieu was！
Devil take him！〃 Then he said aloud：
〃The queen； my lord？ I don't comprehend。〃
〃You don't comprehend that I want you and your three friends
to be of use to me？〃
〃Which of my friends； my lord？〃
〃Your three friends the friends of former days。〃
〃Of former days； my lord！ In former days I had not only
three friends； I had thirty； at two…and…twenty one calls
every man one's friend。〃
〃Well； sir；〃 returned Mazarin； 〃prudence is a fine thing；
but to…day you might regret having been too prudent。〃
〃My lord； Pythagoras made his disciples keep silence for
five years that they might learn to hold their tongues。〃
〃But you have been silent for twenty years； sir。 Speak； now
the queen herself releases you from your promise。〃
〃The queen！〃 said D'Artagnan； with an astonishment which
this time was not pretended。
〃Yes； the queen！ And as a proof of what I say she commanded
me to show you this diamond； which she thinks you know。〃
And so saying； Mazarin extended his hand to the officer； who
sighed as he recognized the ring so gracefully given to him
by the queen on the night of the ball at the Hotel de Ville
and which she had repurchased from Monsieur des Essarts。
〃'Tis true。 I remember well that diamond； which belonged to
the queen。〃
〃You see； then； that I speak to you in the queen's name。
Answer me without acting as if you were on the stage； your
interests are concerned in your so doing。〃
〃Faith； my lord； it is very necessary for me to make my
fortune； your eminence has so long forgotten me。〃
〃We need only a week to amend all that。 Come； you are
accounted for； you are here； but where are your friends？〃
〃I do not know； my lord。 We have parted company this long
time； all three have left the service。〃
〃Where can you find them； then？〃
〃Wherever they are； that's my business。〃
〃Well； now； what are your conditions； if I employ you？〃
〃Money； my lord； as much money as what you wish me to
undertake will require。 I remember too well how sometimes we
were stopped for want of money； and but for that diamond；
which I was obliged to sell； we should have remained on the
road。〃
〃The devil he does！ Money！ and a large sum！〃 said Mazarin。
〃Pray； are you aware that the king has no money in his
treasury？〃
〃Do then as I did； my lord。 Sell the crown diamonds。 Trust
me； don't let us try to do things cheaply。 Great
undertakings come poorly off with paltry means。〃
〃Well；〃 returned Mazarin； 〃we will satisfy you。〃
〃Richelieu；〃 thought D'Artagnan； 〃would have given me five
hundred pistoles in advance。〃
〃You will then be at my service？〃 asked Mazarin。
〃Yes； if my friends agree。〃
〃But if they refuse can I count on you？〃
〃I have never accomplished anything alone；〃 said D'Artagnan；
shaking his head。
〃Go； then； and find them。〃
〃What shall I say to them by way of inducement to serve your
eminence？〃
〃You know them better than I。 Adapt your promises to their
respective characters。〃
〃What shall I promise？〃
〃That if they serve me as well as they served the queen my
gratitude shall be magnificent。〃
〃But what are we to do？〃
〃Make your mind easy； when the time for action comes you
shall be put in full possession of what I require from you；
wait till that time arrives and find out your friends。〃
〃My lord； perhaps they are not in Paris。 It is even probable
that I shall have to make a journey。 I am only a lieutenant
of musketeers； very poor； and journeys cost money。
〃My intention；〃 said Mazarin； 〃is not that you go with a
great following； my plans require secrecy； and would be
jeopardized by a too extravagant equipment。〃
〃Still； my lord； I can't travel on my pay； for it is now
three months behind； and I can't travel on my savings； for
in my twenty…two years of service I have accumulated nothing
but debts。〃
Mazarin remained some moments in deep thought； as if he were
fighting with himself； then； going to a large cupboard
closed with a triple lock； he took from it a bag of silver；
and weighing it twice in his hands before he gave it to
D'Artagnan：
〃Take this；〃 he said with a sigh； 〃'tis merely for your
journey。〃
〃If these are Spanish doubloons； or even gold crowns；〃
thought D'Artagnan； 〃we shall yet be able to do business
together。〃 He saluted the cardinal and plunged the bag into
the depths of an immense pocket。
〃Well； then； all is settled； you are to set off；〃 said the
cardinal。
〃Yes； my lord。〃
〃Apropos； what are the names of your friends？〃
〃The Count de la Fere； formerly styled Athos； Monsieur du
Vallon； whom we used to call Porthos； the Chevalier
d'Herblay； now the Abbe d'Herblay； whom we styled Aramis
〃
The cardinal smiled。
〃Younger sons；〃 he said； 〃who enlisted in the musketeers
under feigned names in order not to lower their family
names。 Long swords but light purses。 Was that it？〃
〃If； God willing； these swords should be devoted to the
service of your eminence；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I shall venture
to express a wish； which is； that in its turn the purse of
your eminence may become light and theirs heavy for with
these three men your eminence may rouse all Europe if you
like。〃
〃These Gascons；〃 said the cardinal； laughing； 〃almost beat
the Italians in effrontery。〃
〃At all events；〃 answered D'Artagnan； with a smile almost as
crafty as the cardinal's； 〃they beat them when they draw
their swords。〃
He then withdrew； and as he passed into the courtyard he
stopped near a lamp and dived eagerly into the bag of money。
〃Crown pieces only silver pieces！ I suspected it。 Ah！
Mazarin！ Mazarin！ thou hast no confidence in me！ so much the
worse for thee； for harm may come of it！〃
Meanwhile the cardinal was rubbing his hands in great
satisfaction。
〃A hundred pistoles！ a hundred pistoles！ for a hundred
pistoles I have discovered a secret for which Richelieu
would have paid twenty thousand crowns； without reckoning
the value of that diamond〃 he cast a complacent look at
the ring； which he had kept； instead of restoring to
D'Artagnan 〃which is worth； at least； ten thousand
francs。〃
He returned to his room； and after depositing the ring in a
casket filled with brilliants of every sort； for the
cardinal was a connoisseur in precious stones； he called to
Bernouin to undress him； regardless of the noises of
gun…fire that； though it was now near midnight； continued to
resound through Paris。
In the meantime D'Artagnan took his way toward the Rue
Tiquetonne； where he lived at the Hotel de la Chevrette。
We will explain in a few words how D'Artagnan had been led
to choose that place of residence。
6
D'Artagnan in his Fortiet