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twenty years。〃
〃You have an answer ready for everything；〃 replied the
queen； and she took from her bureau a document； which she
filled up and signed。
〃Undoubtedly； madame；〃 said D'Artagnan； taking the document
and bowing； 〃this is a noble reward； but everything in the
world is unstable； and the man who happened to fall into
disgrace with your majesty might lose this office
to…morrow。〃
〃What more do you want？〃 asked the queen； coloring； as she
found that she had to deal with a mind as subtle as her own。
〃A hundred thousand francs for this poor captain of
musketeers； to be paid whenever his services shall no longer
be acceptable to your majesty。〃
Anne hesitated。
〃To think of the Parisians；〃 soliloquized D'Artagnan；
〃offering only the other day； by an edict of the parliament；
six hundred thousand francs to any man soever who would
deliver up the cardinal to them； dead or alive if alive；
in order to hang him； if dead； to deny him the rites of
Christian burial！〃
〃Come；〃 said Anne； 〃'tis reasonable； since you only ask from
a queen the sixth of what the parliament has proposed；〃 and
she signed an order for a hundred thousand francs。
〃Now； then；〃 she said； 〃what next？〃
〃Madame； my friend Du Vallon is rich and has therefore
nothing in the way of fortune to desire； but I think I
remember that there was a question between him and Monsieur
Mazarin as to making his estate a barony。 Nay； it must have
been a promise。〃
〃A country clown；〃 said Anne of Austria； 〃people will
laugh。〃
〃Let them；〃 answered D'Artagnan。 〃But I am sure of one thing
that those who laugh at him in his presence will never
laugh a second time。〃
〃Here goes the barony。〃 said the queen； she signed a patent。
〃Now there remains the chevalier； or the Abbe d'Herblay； as
your majesty pleases。〃
〃Does he wish to be a bishop？〃
〃No； madame； something easier to grant。〃
〃What？〃
〃It is that the king should deign to stand godfather to the
son of Madame de Longueville。〃
The queen smiled。
〃Monsieur de Longueville is of royal blood； madame；〃 said
D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；〃 said the queen； 〃but his son？〃
〃His son； madame； must be； since the husband of the son's
mother is。〃
〃And your friend has nothing more to ask for Madame de
Longueville？〃
〃No； madame； for I presume that the king； standing godfather
to him； could do no less than present him with five hundred
thousand francs； giving his father； also； the government of
Normandy。〃
〃As to the government of Normandy；〃 replied the queen； 〃I
think I can promise； but with regard to the present； the
cardinal is always telling me there is no more money in the
royal coffers。〃
〃We shall search for some； madame； and I think we can find a
little； and if your majesty approves； we will seek for some
together。〃
〃What next？〃
〃What next； madame？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃That is all。〃
〃Haven't you； then； a fourth companion？〃
〃Yes； madame； the Comte de la Fere。〃
〃What does he ask？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃There is in the world； then； one man who； having the power
to ask； asks nothing！〃
〃There is the Comte de la Fere； madame。 The Comte de la Fere
is not a man。〃
〃What is he； then？〃
〃The Comte de la Fere is a demi…god。〃
〃Has he not a son； a young man； a relative； a nephew； of
whom Comminges spoke to me as being a brave boy； and who；
with Monsieur de Chatillon； brought the standards from
Lens？〃
〃He has； as your majesty has said； a ward； who is called the
Vicomte de Bragelonne。〃
〃If that young man should be appointed to a regiment what
would his guardian say？〃
〃Perhaps he would accept。〃
〃Perhaps？〃
〃Yes； if your majesty herself should beg him to accept。〃
〃He must be indeed a strange man。 Well； we will reflect and
perhaps we will beg him。 Are you satisfied； sir？〃
〃There is one thing the queen has not signed her assent
to the treaty。〃
〃Of what use to…day？ I will sign it to…morrow。〃
〃I can assure her majesty that if she does not sign to…day
she will not have time to sign to…morrow。 Consent； then； I
beg you； madame； to write at the bottom of this schedule；
which has been drawn up by Mazarin； as you see：
〃‘I consent to ratify the treaty proposed by the
Parisians。'〃
Anne was caught； she could not draw back she signed； but
scarcely had she done so when pride burst forth and she
began to weep。
D'Artagnan started on seeing these tears。 Since that period
of history queens have shed tears； like other women。
The Gascon shook his head； these tears from royalty melted
his heart。
〃Madame；〃 he said； kneeling； 〃look upon the unhappy man at
your feet。 He begs you to believe that at a gesture of your
majesty everything will be possible to him。 He has faith in
himself； he has faith in his friends； he wishes also to have
faith in his queen。 And in proof that he fears nothing； that
he counts on nothing； he will restore Monsieur de Mazarin to
your majesty without conditions。 Behold； madame！ here are
the august signatures of your majesty's hand； if you think
you are right in giving them to me； you shall do so； but
from this very moment you are free from any obligation to
keep them。〃
And D'Artagnan； full of splendid pride and manly
intrepidity； placed in Anne's hands； in a bundle； the papers
that he had one by one won from her with so much difficulty。
There are moments for if everything is not good；
everything in this world is not bad in which the most
rigid and the coldest soul is softened by the tears of
strong emotion； heart…arraigning sentiment： one of these
momentary impulses actuated Anne。 D'Artagnan； when he gave
way to his own feelings which were in accordance with
those of the queen had accomplished more than the most
astute diplomacy could have attempted。 He was therefore
instantly recompensed； either for his address or for his
sensibility； whichever it might be termed。
〃You were right； sir；〃 said Anne。 〃I misunderstood you。
There are the acts signed； I deliver them to you without
compulsion。 Go and bring me back the cardinal as soon as
possible。〃
〃Madame；〃 faltered D'Artagnan； 〃'tis twenty years ago I
have a good memory since I had the honor behind a piece
of tapestry in the Hotel de Ville； of kissing one of those
lovely hands。〃
〃There is the other；〃 replied the queen； 〃and that the left
hand should not be less liberal than the right；〃 she drew
from her finger a diamond similar to the one formerly given
to him； 〃take and keep this ring in remembrance of me。
〃Madame；〃 said D'Artagnan； rising； 〃I have only one thing
more to wish； which is； that the next thing you ask from me；
shall be my life。〃
And with this conclusion a way peculiar to himself he
rose and left the room。
〃I never rightly understood those men；〃 said the queen； as
she watched him retiring from her presence； 〃and it is now
too late； for in a year the king will be of age。〃
In twenty…four hours D'Artagnan and Porthos conducted
Mazarin to the queen； and the one received his commission；
the other his patent of nobility。
On the same day the Treaty of Paris was signed； and it was
everywhere announced that the cardinal had shut himself up
for three days in order to draw it up with the greatest
care。
Here is what each of the parties concerned gained by that
treaty：
Monsieur de Conti received Damvi