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〃Bravo！〃 thought D'Artagnan； 〃on this side I think the
cardinal will be well guarded。〃 He pressed the hand of the
lord of Pierrefonds and went in search of Athos。
〃My dear Athos；〃 he said； 〃I am going away。 I have only one
thing to say to you。 You know Anne of Austria； the captivity
of Mazarin alone guarantees my life； if you let him go I am
a dead man。〃
〃I needed nothing less than that consideration； my dear
D'Artagnan； to persuade myself to adopt the role of jailer。
I give you my word that you will find the cardinal where you
leave him。〃
〃This reassures me more than all the royal signatures；〃
thought D'Artagnan。 〃Now that I have the word of Athos I can
set out。〃
D'Artagnan started alone on his journey； without other
escort than his sword； and with a simple passport from
Mazarin to secure his admission to the queen's presence。 Six
hours after he left Pierrefonds he was at Saint Germain。
The disappearance of Mazarin was not as yet generally known。
Anne of Austria was informed of it and concealed her
uneasiness from every one。 In the chamber of D'Artagnan and
Porthos the two soldiers had been found bound and gagged。 On
recovering the use of their limbs and tongues they could； of
course； tell nothing but what they knew that they had
been seized； stripped and bound。 But as to what had been
done by Porthos and D'Artagnan afterward they were as
ignorant as all the inhabitants of the chateau。
Bernouin alone knew a little more than the others。 Bernouin；
seeing that his master did not return and hearing the stroke
of midnight； had made an examination of the orangery。 The
first door； barricaded with furniture； had aroused in him
certain suspicions； but without communicating his suspicions
to any one he had patiently worked his way into the midst of
all that confusion。 Then he came to the corridor； all the
doors of which he found open； so； too； was the door of
Athos's chamber and that of the park。 From the latter point
it was easy to follow tracks on the snow。 He saw that these
tracks tended toward the wall； on the other side he found
similar tracks； then footprints of horses and then signs of
a troop of cavalry which had moved away in the direction of
Enghien。 He could no longer cherish any doubt that the
cardinal had been carried off by the three prisoners； since
the prisoners had disappeared at the same time； and he had
hastened to Saint Germain to warn the queen of that
disappearance。
Anne had enforced the utmost secrecy and had disclosed the
event to no one except the Prince de Conde； who had sent
five or six hundred horsemen into the environs of Saint
Germain with orders to bring in any suspicious person who
was going away from Rueil； in whatsoever direction it might
be。
Now； since D'Artagnan did not constitute a body of horsemen；
since he was alone； since he was not going away from Rueil
and was going to Saint Germain； no one paid any attention to
him and his journey was not obstructed in any way。
On entering the courtyard of the old chateau the first
person seen by our ambassador was Maitre Bernouin in person；
who； standing on the threshold； awaited news of his vanished
master。
At the sight of D'Artagnan； who entered the courtyard on
horseback； Bernouin rubbed his eyes and thought he must be
mistaken。 But D'Artagnan made a friendly sign to him with
his head； dismounted； and throwing his bridle to a lackey
who was passing； he approached the valet…de…chambre with a
smile on his lips。
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan！〃 cried the latter； like a man who has
the nightmare and talks in his sleep； 〃Monsieur d'Artagnan！〃
〃Himself； Monsieur Bernouin。〃
〃And why have you come here？〃
〃To bring news of Monsieur de Mazarin the freshest news
there is。〃
〃What has become of him； then？〃
〃He is as well as you and I。〃
〃Nothing bad has happened to him； then？〃
〃Absolutely nothing。 He felt the need of making a trip in
the Ile de France； and begged us the Comte de la Fere and
Monsieur du Vallon to accompany him。 We were too devoted
servants to refuse him a request of that sort。 We set out
last evening and here we are。〃
〃Here you are。〃
〃His eminence had something to communicate to her majesty；
something secret and private a mission that could be
confided only to a sure man and so has sent me to Saint
Germain。 And therefore； my dear Monsieur Bernouin； if you
wish to do what will be pleasing to your master； announce to
her majesty that I have come； and tell her with what
purpose。〃
Whether he spoke seriously or in jest； since it was evident
that under existing circumstances D'Artagnan was the only
man who could relieve the queen's uneasiness； Bernouin went
without hesitation to announce to her this strange embassy；
and as he had foreseen； the queen gave orders to introduce
Monsieur d'Artagnan at once。
D'Artagnan approached the sovereign with every mark of
profound respect； and having fallen on his knees presented
to her the cardinal's letter
It was； however； merely a letter of introduction。 The queen
read it； recognized the writing； and； since there were no
details in it of what had occurred； asked for particulars。
D'Artagnan related everything with that simple and ingenuous
air which he knew how to assume on occasions。 The queen； as
he went on； looked at him with increasing astonishment。 She
could not comprehend how a man could conceive such an
enterprise and still less how he could have the audacity to
disclose it to her whose interest and almost duty it was to
punish him。
〃How； sir！〃 she cried； as D'Artagnan finished； 〃you dare to
tell me the details of your crime to give me an account
of your treason！〃
〃Pardon； madame； but I think that either I have expressed
myself badly or your majesty has imperfectly understood me。
There is here no question of crime or treason。 Monsieur de
Mazarin held us in prison； Monsieur du Vallon and myself；
because we could not believe that he had sent us to England
to quietly look on while they cut off the head of Charles
I。； brother…in…law of the late king； your husband； the
consort of Madame Henrietta； your sister and your guest； and
because we did all that we could do to save the life of the
royal martyr。 We were then convinced； my friend and I； that
there was some error of which we were the victims； and that
an explanation was called for between his eminence and
ourselves。 Now； that an explanation may bear fruit； it is
necessary that it should be quietly conducted； far from
noise and interruption。 We have therefore taken away
monsieur le cardinal to my friend's chateau and there we
have come to an understanding。 Well； madame； it proved to be
as we had supposed； there was a mistake。 Monsieur de Mazarin
had thought that we had rendered service to General
Cromwell； instead of King Charles； which would have been a
disgrace； rebounding from us to him； and from him to your
majesty a dishonor which would have tainted the royalty
of your illustrious son。 We were able to prove the contrary；
and that proof we are ready to give to your majesty； calling
in support of it the august widow weeping in the Louvre；
where your royal munificence has provided for her a home。
That proof satisfied him so completely that；