Essential Novelists - Alexandre Dumas. Alexandre Dumas

taken upon themselves to arrest in a house, to lead away through the open street, and throw into Fort l’Eveque, all upon an order which they have refused to show me, one of my, or rather your Musketeers, sire, of irreproachable conduct, of an almost illustrious reputation, and whom your Majesty knows favorably, Monsieur Athos.”

      “Athos,” said the king, mechanically; “yes, certainly I know that name.”

      “Let your Majesty remember,” said Treville, “that Monsieur Athos is the Musketeer who, in the annoying duel which you are acquainted with, had the misfortune to wound Monsieur de Cahusac so seriously. A PROPOS, monseigneur,” continued Treville, addressing the cardinal, “Monsieur de Cahusac is quite recovered, is he not?”

      “Thank you,” said the cardinal, biting his lips with anger.

      “Athos, then, went to pay a visit to one of his friends absent at the time,” continued Treville, “to a young Bearnais, a cadet in his Majesty’s Guards, the company of Monsieur Dessessart, but scarcely had he arrived at his friend’s and taken up a book, while waiting his return, when a mixed crowd of bailiffs and soldiers came and laid siege to the house, broke open several doors—”

      The cardinal made the king a sign, which signified, “That was on account of the affair about which I spoke to you.”

      “We all know that,” interrupted the king; “for all that was done for our service.”

      “Then,” said Treville, “it was also for your Majesty’s service that one of my Musketeers, who was innocent, has been seized, that he has been placed between two guards like a malefactor, and that this gallant man, who has ten times shed his blood in your Majesty’s service and is ready to shed it again, has been paraded through the midst of an insolent populace?”

      “Bah!” said the king, who began to be shaken, “was it so managed?”

      “Monsieur de Treville,” said the cardinal, with the greatest phlegm, “does not tell your Majesty that this innocent Musketeer, this gallant man, had only an hour before attacked, sword in hand, four commissaries of inquiry, who were delegated by myself to examine into an affair of the highest importance.”

      “I defy your Eminence to prove it,” cried Treville, with his Gascon freedom and military frankness; “for one hour before, Monsieur Athos, who, I will confide it to your Majesty, is really a man of the highest quality, did me the honor after having dined with me to be conversing in the saloon of my hotel, with the Duc de la Tremouille and the Comte de Chalus, who happened to be there.”

      The king looked at the cardinal.

      “A written examination attests it,” said the cardinal, replying aloud to the mute interrogation of his Majesty; “and the ill-treated people have drawn up the following, which I have the honor to present to your Majesty.”

      “And is the written report of the gownsmen to be placed in comparison with the word of honor of a swordsman?” replied Treville haughtily.

      “Come, come, Treville, hold your tongue,” said the king.

      “If his Eminence entertains any suspicion against one of my Musketeers,” said Treville, “the justice of Monsieur the Cardinal is so well known that I demand an inquiry.”

      “In the house in which the judicial inquiry was made,” continued the impassive cardinal, “there lodges, I believe, a young Bearnais, a friend of the Musketeer.”

      “Your Eminence means Monsieur d’Artagnan.”

      “I mean a young man whom you patronize, Monsieur de Treville.”

      “Yes, your Eminence, it is the same.”

      “Do you not suspect this young man of having given bad counsel?”

      “To Athos, to a man double his age?” interrupted Treville. “No, monseigneur. Besides, d’Artagnan passed the evening with me.”

      “Well,” said the cardinal, “everybody seems to have passed the evening with you.”

      “Does your Eminence doubt my word?” said Treville, with a brow flushed with anger.

      “No, God forbid,” said the cardinal; “only, at what hour was he with you?”

      “Oh, as to that I can speak positively, your Eminence; for as he came in I remarked that it was but half past nine by the clock, although I had believed it to be later.”

      “At what hour did he leave your hotel?”

      “At half past ten—an hour after the event.”

      “Well,” replied the cardinal, who could not for an instant suspect the loyalty of Treville, and who felt that the victory was escaping him, “well, but Athos WAS taken in the house in the Rue des Fossoyeurs.”

      “Is one friend forbidden to visit another, or a Musketeer of my company to fraternize with a Guard of Dessessart’s company?”

      “Yes, when the house where he fraternizes is suspected.”

      “That house is suspected, Treville,” said the king; “perhaps you did not know it?”

      “Indeed, sire, I did not. The house may be suspected; but I deny that it is so in the part of it inhabited by Monsieur d’Artagnan, for I can affirm, sire, if I can believe what he says, that there does not exist a more devoted servant of your Majesty, or a more profound admirer of Monsieur the Cardinal.”

      “Was it not this d’Artagnan who wounded Jussac one day, in that unfortunate encounter which took place near the Convent of the Carmes-Dechausses?” asked the king, looking at the cardinal, who colored with vexation.

      “And the next day, Bernajoux. Yes, sire, yes, it is the same; and your Majesty has a good memory.”

      “Come, how shall we decide?” said the king.

      “That concerns your Majesty more than me,” said the cardinal. “I should affirm the culpability.”

      “And I deny it,” said Treville. “But his Majesty has judges, and these judges will decide.”

      “That is best,” said the king. “Send the case before the judges; it is their business to judge, and they shall judge.”

      “Only,” replied Treville, “it is a sad thing that in the unfortunate times in which we live, the purest life, the most incontestable virtue, cannot exempt a man from infamy and persecution. The army, I will answer for it, will be but little pleased at being exposed to rigorous treatment on account of police affairs.”

      The expression was imprudent; but M. de Treville launched it with knowledge of his cause. He was desirous of an explosion, because in that case the mine throws forth fire, and fire enlightens.

      “Police affairs!” cried the king, taking up Treville’s words, “police affairs! And what do you know about them, Monsieur? Meddle with your Musketeers, and do not annoy me in this way. It appears, according to your account, that if by mischance a Musketeer is arrested, France is in danger. What a noise about a Musketeer! I would arrest ten of them, VENTREBLEU, a hundred, even, all the company, and I would not allow a whisper.”

      “From the moment they are suspected by your Majesty,” said Treville, “the Musketeers are guilty; therefore, you see me prepared to surrender my sword—for after having accused my soldiers, there can be no doubt that Monsieur the Cardinal will end by accusing me. It is best to constitute myself at once a prisoner with Athos, who is already arrested, and with d’Artagnan, who most probably will be.”

      “Gascon-headed man, will you have done?” said the king.

      “Sire,” replied Treville, without lowering his voice in the least, “either order my Musketeer to be restored to me, or let him be tried.”

      “He shall be tried,” said the cardinal.

      “Well,