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〃I am sure your majesty will not mit such an act of imprudence； first； because it would be useless and would produce the most disastrous results。 Before he could be possibly set free the cardinal would be dead； and indeed； so convinced is he of this； that he entreated me； should I find your majesty disposed to act in this way； to do all I could to induce you to change your resolution。〃
〃Well； then； I will content myself with arresting you！〃
〃Madame； the possibility of my arrest has been foreseen； and should I not have returned by to…morrow； at a certain hour the next day the cardinal will be brought to Paris and delivered to the parliament。〃
〃It is evident； sir； that your position has kept you out of relation to men and affairs； otherwise you would know that since we left Paris monsieur le cardinal has returned thither five or six times； that he has there met De Beaufort； De Bouillon； the coadjutor and D'Elbeuf and that not one of them had any desire to arrest him。〃
〃Your pardon； madame； I know all that。 And therefore my friends will conduct monsieur le cardinal neither to De Beaufort； nor to De Bouillon； nor to the coadjutor； nor to D'Elbeuf。 These gentlemen wage war on private account； and in buying them up； by granting them what they wished； monsieur le cardinal has made a good bargain。 He will be delivered to the parliament； members of which can； of course； be bought； but even Monsieur de Mazarin is not rich enough to buy the whole body。〃
〃I think；〃 returned Anne of Austria； fixing upon him a glance； which in any woman's face would have expressed disdain； but in a queen's； spread terror to those she looked upon； 〃nay； I perceive you dare to threaten the mother of your sovereign。〃
〃Madame；〃 replied D'Artagnan； 〃I threaten simply and solely because I am obliged to do so。 Believe me； madame； as true a thing as it is that a heart beats in this bosom a heart devoted to you believe that you have been the idol of our lives； that we have； as you well know good Heaven！ risked our lives twenty times for your majesty。 Have you； then； madame； no passion for your servants who for twenty years have vegetated in obscurity； without betraying in a single sigh the solemn and sacred secrets they have had the honor to share with you？ Look at me； madame at me； whom you accuse of speaking loud and threateningly。 What am I？ A poor officer； without fortune； without protection； without a future； unless the eye of my queen； which I have sought so long； rests on me for a moment。 Look at the te de la Fere； a type of nobility； a flower of chivalry。 He has taken part against his queen； or rather； against her minister。 He has not been unreasonably exacting； it seems to me。 Look at Monsieur du Vallon； that faithful soul； that arm of steel； who for twenty years has awaited the word from your lips which will make him in rank what he is in sentiment and in courage。 Consider； in short； your people who love you and who yet are famished； who have no other wish than to bless you； and who； nevertheless no； I am wrong； your subjects； madame； will never curse you； say one word to them and all will be ended peace succeed war； joy tears； and happiness to misfortune！〃
Anne of Austria looked with wonderment on the warlike countenance of D'Artagnan； which betrayed a singular expression of deep feeling。
〃Why did you not say all this before you took action； sir？〃 she said。
〃Because； madame； it was necessary to prove to your majesty one thing of which you doubted …that is； that we still possess amongst us some valor and are worthy of some consideration at your hands。〃
〃And that valor would shrink from no undertaking； according to what I see。〃
〃It has hesitated at nothing in the past； why； then； should it be less daring in the future？〃
〃Then； in case of my refusal； this valor； should a struggle occur； will even go the length of carrying me off in the midst of my court； to deliver me into the hands of the Fronde； as you propose to deliver my minister？〃
〃We have not thought about it yet； madame；〃 answered D'Artagnan； with that Gascon effrontery which had in him the appearance of naivete； but if we four had resolved upon it we should do it most certainly。〃
〃I ought；〃 muttered Anne to herself； 〃by this time to remember that these men are giants。〃
〃Alas； madame！〃 exclaimed D'Artagnan； 〃this proves to me that not till to…day has your majesty had a just idea of us。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Anne； 〃but that idea； if at last I have it 〃
〃Your majesty will do us justice。 In doing us justice you will no longer treat us as men of vulgar stamp。 You will see in me an ambassador worthy of the high interests he is authorized to discuss with his sovereign。〃
〃Where is the treaty？〃
〃Here it is。〃
Anne of Austria cast her eyes upon the treaty that D'Artagnan presented to her。
〃I do not see here；〃 she said； 〃anything but general conditions； the interests of the Prince de Conti or of the Ducs de Beaufort； de Bouillon and d'Elbeuf and of the coadjutor； are herein consulted； but with regard to yours？〃
〃We do ourselves justice； madame； even in assuming the high position that we have。 We do not think ourselves worthy to stand near such great names。〃
〃But you； I presume； have decided to assert your pretensions viva voce？〃
〃I believe you； madame； to be a great and powerful queen； and that it will be unworthy of your power and greatness if you do not repense the arms which will bring back his eminence to Saint Germain。〃
〃It is my intention so to do； e； let us hear you。 Speak。〃
〃He who has negotiated these matters （forgive me if I begin by speaking of myself； but I must claim that importance which has been given to me； not assumed by me） he who has arranged matters for the return of the cardinal； ought； it appears to me； in order that his reward may not be unworthy of your majesty； to be made mandant of the guards an appointment something like that of captain of the musketeers。〃
〃'Tis the appointment Monsieur de Treville held； you ask of me。〃
〃The place； madame； is vacant； and although 'tis a year since Monsieur de Treville has left it； it has not been filled。〃
〃But it is one of the principal military appointments in the king's household。〃
〃Monsieur de Treville was but a younger son of a simple Gascon family； like me； madame； he occupied that post for 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！〃
〃e；〃 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 panion？〃
〃Yes； madame； the te 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 te de la Fere； madame。 The te de la Fere is not a man。〃
〃What is he； then？〃
〃The te de la Fere is a demi…god。〃
〃Has he not a son； a young man； a relative； a nephew； of whom minges 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 Vite 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 acplished more than the most astute diplomacy could have attempted。 He was therefore instantly repensed； 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 pulsion。 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 twen