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The report of firearms was heard near the Rue Saint Denis
and occasionally church bells began to ring indiscriminately
and at the caprice of the populace。 D'Artagnan； meantime；
pursued his way with the indifference of a man upon whom
such acts of folly made no impression。 When he approached a
group in the middle of the street he urged his horse upon it
without a word of warning； and the members of the group；
whether rebels or not； as if they knew with what sort of a
man they had to deal； at once gave place to the patrol。 The
cardinal envied that composure； which he attributed to the
habit of meeting danger； but none the less he conceived for
the officer under whose orders he had for the moment placed
himself； that consideration which even prudence pays to
careless courage。 On approaching an outpost near the
Barriere des Sergens； the sentinel cried out； 〃Who's there？〃
and D'Artagnan answered having first asked the word of
the cardinal 〃Louis and Rocroy。〃 After which he inquired
if Lieutenant Comminges were not the commanding officer at
the outpost。 The soldier replied by pointing out to him an
officer who was conversing； on foot； his hand upon the neck
of a horse on which the individual to whom he was talking
sat。 Here was the officer D'Artagnan was seeking。
〃Here is Monsieur Comminges；〃 said D'Artagnan； returning to
the cardinal。 He instantly retired； from a feeling of
respectful delicacy； it was； however； evident that the
cardinal was recognized by both Comminges and the other
officers on horseback。
〃Well done； Guitant；〃 cried the cardinal to the equestrian；
〃I see plainly that； notwithstanding the sixty…four years
that have passed over your head； you are still the same man；
active and zealous。 What were you saying to this youngster？〃
〃My lord；〃 replied Guitant； 〃I was observing that we live in
troublous times and that to…day's events are very like those
in the days of the Ligue； of which I heard so much in my
youth。 Are you aware that the mob have even suggested
throwing up barricades in the Rue Saint Denis and the Rue
Saint Antoine？〃
〃And what was Comminges saying to you in reply； my good
Guitant？〃
〃My lord；〃 said Comminges； 〃I answered that to compose a
Ligue only one ingredient was wanting in my opinion an
essential one a Duc de Guise； moreover； no generation
ever does the same thing twice。〃
〃No； but they mean to make a Fronde； as they call it；〃 said
Guitant。
〃And what is a Fronde？〃 inquired Mazarin。
〃My lord； Fronde is the name the discontented give to their
party。〃
〃And what is the origin of this name？〃
〃It seems that some days since Councillor Bachaumont
remarked at the palace that rebels and agitators reminded
him of schoolboys slinging qui frondent stones from
the moats round Paris； young urchins who run off the moment
the constable appears； only to return to their diversion the
instant his back is turned。 So they have picked up the word
and the insurrectionists are called ‘Frondeurs；' and
yesterday every article sold was ‘a la Fronde；' bread ‘a la
Fronde；' hats ‘a la Fronde；' to say nothing of gloves；
pocket…handkerchiefs； and fans； but listen 〃
At that moment a window opened and a man began to sing：
〃A tempest from the Fronde
Did blow to…day：
I think 'twill blow
Sieur Mazarin away。〃
〃Insolent wretch！〃 cried Guitant。
〃My lord；〃 said Comminges； who； irritated by his wounds；
wished for revenge and longed to give back blow for blow；
〃shall I fire off a ball to punish that jester； and to warn
him not to sing so much out of tune in the future？〃
And as he spoke he put his hand on the holster of his
uncle's saddle…bow。
〃Certainly not！ certainly not；〃 exclaimed Mazarin。 〃Diavolo！
my dear friend； you are going to spoil everything
everything is going on famously。 I know the French as well
as if I had made them myself。 They sing let them pay the
piper。 During the Ligue； about which Guitant was speaking
just now； the people chanted nothing except the mass； so
everything went to destruction。 Come； Guitant； come along；
and let's see if they keep watch at the Quinze…Vingts as at
the Barriere des Sergens。〃
And waving his hand to Comminges he rejoined D'Artagnan； who
instantly put himself at the head of his troop； followed by
the cardinal； Guitant and the rest of the escort。
〃Just so；〃 muttered Comminges； looking after Mazarin。 〃True；
I forgot； provided he can get money out of the people； that
is all he wants。〃
The street of Saint Honore； when the cardinal and his party
passed through it； was crowded by an assemblage who；
standing in groups； discussed the edicts of that memorable
day。 They pitied the young king； who was unconsciously
ruining his country； and threw all the odium of his
proceedings on Mazarin。 Addresses to the Duke of Orleans and
to Conde were suggested。 Blancmesnil and Broussel seemed in
the highest favor。
D'Artagnan passed through the very midst of this
discontented mob just as if his horse and he had been made
of iron。 Mazarin and Guitant conversed together in whispers。
The musketeers； who had already discovered who Mazarin was；
followed in profound silence。 In the street of Saint
Thomas…du…Louvre they stopped at the barrier distinguished
by the name of Quinze…Vingts。 Here Guitant spoke to one of
the subalterns； asking how matters were progressing。
〃Ah； captain！〃 said the officer； 〃everything is quiet
hereabout if I did not know that something is going on in
yonder house！〃
And he pointed to a magnificent hotel situated on the very
spot whereon the Vaudeville now stands。
〃In that hotel？ it is the Hotel Rambouillet；〃 cried Guitant。
〃I really don't know what hotel it is； all I do know is that
I observed some suspicious looking people go in there 〃
〃Nonsense！〃 exclaimed Guitant； with a burst of laughter；
〃those men must be poets。〃
〃Come； Guitant； speak； if you please； respectfully of these
gentlemen；〃 said Mazarin； 〃don't you know that I was in my
youth a poet？ I wrote verses in the style of Benserade
〃
〃You； my lord？〃
〃Yes； I； shall I repeat to you some of my verses？〃
〃Just as you please； my lord。 I do not understand Italian。〃
〃Yes； but you understand French；〃 and Mazarin laid his hand
upon Guitant's shoulder。 〃My good； my brave Guitant；
whatsoever command I may give you in that language in
French whatever I may order you to do； will you not
perform it？〃
〃Certainly。 I have already answered that question in the
affirmative； but that command must come from the queen
herself。〃
〃Yes！ ah yes！〃 Mazarin bit his lips as he spoke； 〃I know
your devotion to her majesty。〃
〃I have been a captain in the queen's guards for twenty
years；〃 was the reply。
〃En route； Monsieur d'Artagnan；〃 said the cardinal； 〃all
goes well in this direction。〃
D'Artagnan； in the meantime； had taken the head of his
detachment without a word and with that ready and profound
obedience which marks the character of an old soldier。
He led the way toward the hill of Saint Roche。 The Rue
Richelieu and the Rue Villedot were then； owing to their
vicinity to the ramparts； less frequented than any others in
that direction； for the town was thinly inhabited
thereabout。
〃Who is in command here？〃 asked the cardinal。