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grew greater every moment。 〃On your brow I read despair
your lips falter ere you announce some terrible tidings
your hands tremble。 Oh； my God！ my God！ what has happened？〃
〃Lord！〃 ejaculated the young princess； falling on her knees；
〃have mercy on us！〃
〃Sir；〃 said Chatillon； 〃if you bring bad tidings it will be
cruel in you to announce them to the queen。〃
Aramis went so close to Chatillon as almost to touch him。
〃Sir；〃 said he； with compressed lips and flashing eyes； 〃you
have not the presumption to instruct the Comte de la Fere
and myself what we ought to say here？〃
During this brief altercation Athos； with his hands on his
heart； his head bent low； approached the queen and in a
voice of deepest sorrow said：
〃Madame； princes who by nature are above other men
receive from Heaven courage to support greater misfortunes
than those of lower rank； for their hearts are elevated as
their fortunes。 We ought not； therefore； I think； to act
toward a queen so illustrious as your majesty as we should
act toward a woman of our lowlier condition。 Queen； destined
as you are to endure every sorrow on this earth； hear the
result of our unhappy mission。〃
Athos； kneeling down before the queen； trembling and very
cold； drew from his bosom； inclosed in the same case； the
order set in diamonds which the queen had given to Lord de
Winter and the wedding ring which Charles I。 before his
death had placed in the hands of Aramis。 Since the moment he
had first received these two mementoes Athos had never
parted with them。
He opened the case and offered them to the queen with deep
and silent anguish。
The queen stretched out her hand； seized the ring； pressed
it convulsively to her lips and without being able to
breathe a sigh； to give vent to a sob； she extended her
arms； became deadly pale； and fell senseless in the arms of
her attendants and her daughter。
Athos kissed the hem of the robe of the widowed queen and
rising； with a dignity that made a deep impression on those
around：
〃I； the Comte de la Fere； a gentleman who has never deceived
any human being； swear before God and before this unhappy
queen； that all that was possible to save the king of
England was done whilst we were on English ground。 Now；
chevalier；〃 he added； turning to Aramis； 〃let us go。 Our
duty is fulfilled。〃
〃Not yet。〃 said Aramis； 〃we have still a word to say to
these gentlemen。〃
And turning to Chatillon： 〃Sir； be so good as not to go away
without giving me an opportunity to tell you something I
cannot say before the queen。〃
Chatillon bowed in token of assent and they all went out；
stopping at the window of a gallery on the ground floor。
〃Sir；〃 said Aramis； 〃you allowed yourself just now to treat
us in a most extraordinary manner。 That would not be
endurable in any case； and is still less so on the part of
those who came to bring the queen the message of a liar。〃
〃Sir！〃 cried De Chatillon。
〃What have you done with Monsieur de Bruy？ Has he by any
possibility gone to change his face which was too like that
of Monsieur de Mazarin？ There is an abundance of Italian
masks at the Palais Royal； from harlequin even to
pantaloon。〃
〃Chevalier！ chevalier！〃 said Athos。
〃Leave me alone；〃 said Aramis impatiently。 〃You know well
that I don't like to leave things half finished。〃
〃Conclude； then； sir；〃 answered De Chatillon； with as much
hauteur as Aramis。
〃Gentlemen；〃 resumed Aramis； 〃any one but the Comte de la
Fere and myself would have had you arrested for we have
friends in Paris but we are contented with another
course。 Come and converse with us for just five minutes；
sword in hand； upon this deserted terrace。〃
〃One moment； gentlemen；〃 cried Flamarens。 〃I know well that
the proposition is tempting； but at present it is impossible
to accept it。〃
〃And why not？〃 said Aramis； in his tone of raillery。 〃Is it
Mazarin's proximity that makes you so prudent？〃
〃Oh； you hear that； Flamarens！〃 said Chatillon。 〃Not to
reply would be a blot on my name and my honor。〃
〃That is my opinion；〃 said Aramis。
〃You will not reply； however； and these gentlemen； I am
sure； will presently be of my opinion。〃
Aramis shook his head with a motion of indescribable
insolence。
Chatillon saw the motion and put his hand to his sword。
〃Willingly；〃 replied De Chatillon。
〃Duke；〃 said Flamarens； 〃you forget that to…morrow you are
to command an expedition of the greatest importance；
projected by the prince； assented to by the queen。 Until
to…morrow evening you are not at your own disposal。〃
〃Let it be then the day after to…morrow；〃 said Aramis。
〃To…morrow； rather；〃 said De Chatillon； 〃if you will take
the trouble of coming so far as the gates of Charenton。〃
〃How can you doubt it； sir？ For the pleasure of a meeting
with you I would go to the end of the world。〃
〃Very well； to…morrow； sir。〃
〃I shall rely on it。 Are you going to rejoin your cardinal？
Swear first； on your honor； not to inform him of our
return。〃
〃Conditions？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because it is for victors to make conditions； and you are
not yet victors； gentlemen。〃
〃Then let us draw on the spot。 It is all one to us to us
who do not command to…morrow's expedition。〃
Chatillon and Flamarens looked at each other。 There was such
irony in the words and in the bearing of Aramis that the
duke had great difficulty in bridling his anger； but at a
word from Flamarens he restrained himself and contented
himself with saying：
〃You promise； sir that's agreed that I shall find you
to…morrow at Charenton？〃
〃Oh； don't be afraid； sir；〃 replied Aramis； and the two
gentlemen shortly afterward left the Louvre。
〃For what reason is all this fume and fury？〃 asked Athos。
〃What have they done to you？〃
〃They did you not see what they did？〃
〃No。〃
〃They laughed when we swore that we had done our duty in
England。 Now； if they believed us； they laughed in order to
insult us； if they did not believe it they insulted us all
the more。 However； I'm glad not to fight them until
to…morrow。 I hope we shall have something better to do
to…night than to draw the sword。〃
〃What have we to do？〃
〃Egad！ to take Mazarin。〃
Athos curled his lip with disdain。
〃These undertakings do not suit me； as you know； Aramis。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because it is taking people unawares。〃
〃Really； Athos； you would make a singular general。 You would
fight only by broad daylight； warn your foe before an
attack； and never attempt anything by night lest you should
be accused of taking advantage of the darkness。〃
Athos smiled。
〃You know one cannot change his nature；〃 he said。 〃Besides；
do you know what is our situation； and whether Mazarin's
arrest wouldn't be rather an encumbrance than an advantage？〃
〃Say at once you disapprove of my proposal。〃
〃I think you ought to do nothing； since you exacted a
promise from these gentlemen not to let Mazarin know that we
were in France。〃
〃I have entered into no engagement and consider myself quite
free。 Come； come。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Either to seek the Duc de Beaufort or the Duc de Bouillon；
and to tell them about this。〃
〃Yes； but on one condition that we begin by the
coadjutor。 He is a priest； learned in cases of conscience；
and we will tell him ours。〃
It was then agreed that