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〃Oh； sir！〃 Planchet only touched the tips of the count's
fingers。
〃Well； what are you doing； count to a former lackey？
〃My friend；〃 said Athos； 〃he has given me news of Raoul。〃
〃And now； gentlemen；〃 said Planchet； who had not heard what
they were saying； 〃what do you intend to do？〃
〃Re…enter Paris； if you will let us； my good Planchet。〃
〃Let you。 sir？ Now； as ever； I am nothing but your servant。〃
Then turning to his men：
〃Allow these gentlemen to pass；〃 he said； 〃they are friends
of the Duc de Beaufort。〃
〃Long live the Duc de Beaufort！〃 cried the sentinels。
The sergeant drew near to Planchet。
〃What！ without passports？〃 he murmured。
〃Without passports；〃 said Planchet。
〃Take notice； captain；〃 he continued； giving Planchet his
expected title； 〃take notice that one of the three men who
just now went out from here told me privately to distrust
these gentlemen。〃
〃And I；〃 said Planchet； with dignity； 〃I know them and I
answer for them。〃
As he said this； he pressed Grimaud's hand； who seemed
honored by the distinction。
〃Farewell till we meet again；〃 said Aramis； as they took
leave of Planchet； 〃if anything happens to us we shall blame
you for it。〃
〃Sir；〃 said Planchet； 〃I am in all things at your service。〃
〃That fellow is no fool；〃 said Aramis； as he got on his
horse。
〃How should he be？〃 replied Athos； whilst mounting also；
〃seeing he was used so long to brush your hats。〃
76
The Ambassadors。
The two friends rode rapidly down the declivity of the
Faubourg； but on arriving at the bottom were surprised to
find that the streets of Paris had become rivers； and the
open places lakes； after the great rains which fell in
January the Seine had overflowed its banks and the river
inundated half the capital。 The two gentlemen were obliged；
therefore； to get off their horses and take a boat； and in
that strange manner they approached the Louvre。
Night had closed in； and Paris； seen thus； by the light of
lanterns flickering on the pools of water； crowded with
ferry…boats of every kind； including those that glittered
with the armed patrols； with the watchword； passing from
post to post Paris presented such an aspect as to
strongly seize the senses of Aramis； a man most susceptible
to warlike impressions。
They reached the queen's apartments； but were compelled to
stop in the ante…chamber； since her majesty was at that
moment giving audience to gentlemen bringing her news from
England。
〃We？ too？〃 said Athos； to the footman who had given him that
answer； 〃not only bring news from England； but have just
come from there。〃
〃What？ then； are your names； gentlemen？〃
〃The Comte de la Fere and the Chevalier d'Herblay；〃 said
Aramis。
〃Ah！ in that case； gentlemen；〃 said the footman； on hearing
the names which the queen had so often pronounced with hope；
〃in that case it is another thing； and I think her majesty
will pardon me for not keeping you here a moment。 Please
follow me；〃 and he went on before； followed by Athos and
Aramis。
On arriving at the door of the room where the queen was
receiving he made a sign for them to wait and opening the
door：
〃Madame；〃 he said； 〃I hope your majesty will forgive me for
disobeying your orders； when you learn that the gentlemen I
have come to announce are the Comte de la Fere and the
Chevalier d'Herblay。〃
On hearing those two names the queen uttered a cry of joy；
which the two gentlemen heard。
〃Poor queen！〃 murmured Athos。
〃Oh； let them come in！ let them come in；〃 cried the young
princess； bounding to the door。
The poor child was constant in her attendance on her mother
and sought by her filial attentions to make her forget the
absence of her two sons and her other daughter。
〃Come in； gentlemen；〃 repeated the princess； opening the
door herself。
The queen was seated on a fauteuil and before her were
standing two or three gentlemen； and among them the Duc de
Chatillon； the brother of the nobleman killed eight or nine
years previously in a duel on account of Madame de
Longueville； on the Place Royale。 All these gentlemen had
been noticed by Athos and Aramis in the guardhouse； and when
the two friends were announced they started and exchanged
some words in a low tone。 〃Well； sirs！〃 cried the queen； on
perceiving the two friends； 〃you have come； faithful
friends！ But the royal couriers have been more expeditious
than you； and here are Monsieur de Flamarens and Monsieur de
Chatillon； who bring me from Her Majesty the Queen Anne of
Austria； the very latest intelligence。〃
Aramis and Athos were astounded by the calmness； even the
gayety of the queen's manner。
〃Go on with your recital； sirs；〃 said the queen； turning to
the Duc de Chatillon。 〃You said that His Majesty； King
Charles； my august consort； had been condemned to death by a
majority of his subjects！〃
〃Yes； madame；〃 Chatillon stammered out。
Athos and Aramis were more and more astonished。
〃And that being conducted to the scaffold；〃 resumed the
queen 〃oh； my lord！ oh； my king！ and that being led to
the scaffold he had been saved by an indignant people。〃
〃Just so madame；〃 replied Chatillon； in so low a voice that
though the two friends were listening eagerly they could
hardly hear this affirmation。
The queen clasped her hands in enthusiastic gratitude；
whilst her daughter threw her arms around her mother's neck
and kissed her her own eyes streaming with tears。
〃Now； madame； nothing remains to me except to proffer my
respectful homage；〃 said Chatillon； who felt confused and
ashamed beneath the stern gaze of Athos。
〃One moment； yes；〃 answered the queen。 〃One moment I beg
for here are the Chevalier d'Herblay and the Comte de la
Fere； just arrived from London； and they can give you； as
eye…witnesses； such details as you can convey to the queen；
my royal sister。 Speak； gentlemen； speak I am listening；
conceal nothing； gloss over nothing。 Since his majesty still
lives； since the honor of the throne is safe； everything
else is a matter of indifference to me。〃
Athos turned pale and laid his hand on his heart。
〃Well！〃 exclaimed the queen； who remarked this movement and
his paleness。 〃Speak； sir！ I beg you to do so。〃
〃I beg you to excuse me； madame； I wish to add nothing to
the recital of these gentlemen until they perceive
themselves that they have perhaps been mistaken。〃
〃Mistaken！〃 cried the queen； almost suffocated by emotion；
〃mistaken！ what has happened； then？〃
〃Sir；〃 interposed Monsieur de Flamarens to Athos； 〃if we are
mistaken the error has originated with the queen。 I do not
suppose you will have the presumption to set it to rights
that would be to accuse Her Majesty； Queen Anne； of
falsehood。〃
〃With the queen； sir？〃 replied Athos； in his calm； vibrating
voice。
〃Yes；〃 murmured Flamarens； lowering his eyes。
Athos sighed deeply。
〃Or rather； sir；〃 said Aramis； with his peculiar irritating
politeness； 〃the error of the person who was with you when
we met you in the guardroom； for if the Comte de la Fere and
I are not mistaken； we saw you in the company of a third
gentleman。〃
Chatillon and Flamarens started。
〃Explain yourself； count！〃 cried the queen； whose anxiety
grew greater every moment。 〃On your brow I read despair
your lips fa