Memoirs of Aramis, Book 9

Memoirs of Aramis, Book 9

Annotation

The ninth book of the fan fiction "Memoirs of Aramis" tells about the events that occurred after Captain d'Artagnan, who prevented Aramis from replacing King Louis XIV with his twin brother, Louis Philippe, repented of this act. The King arrested Superintendent Nicolas Fouquet, whose case was examined by the royal court for three years, after which he was sentenced to exile, but the King commuted this sentence to life imprisonment. All this time, d'Artagnan was forced to act as a jailer, after which he took Nicolas Fouquet under escort in a carriage to the Pignerol fortress.
Instead of the King's gratitude for his salvation and for his faithful service, d'Artagnan received orders to arrest or destroy all his friends - Athos, Porthos, Aramis and Raoul. The cunning Gascon decided to deceive the King by presenting him with false evidence of the deaths of these friends of his, but the King, warned by Colbert, did not believe this and instead arrested d'Artagnan, placed him in the Bastille along with Aramis and announced to them that both would starve to death in prison.. The resourceful d'Artagnan came up with and implemented a rescue plan, but when he learned that both Athos and Raoul were in the Bastille, he decided to implement Aramis' plan to replace the King with his twin brother. The plan was a brilliant success; d'Artagnan takes Louis to Pignerol, where Louis-Philippe had previously been kept, but he is pursued by four of Colbert's spies. Once they had already attempted on his life and the life of Louis, since Colbert assumed that Aramis was hiding under the mask. What d'Artagnan will do next and what adventures await the main characters of the novel, you will learn from the ninth book of "Memoirs of Aramis".
Happy reading!

Chapter 362

Philip, of course, understood that by taking the place of the King, he would gain not only his mother and brother, but also other family members, including his wife. If he imagined ordinary communication from the books he read, then no one taught him how to communicate with his wife. Meanwhile, his brother the King, although very young, had been married for several years, and, in addition, as Philip knew, he also had a mistress, Mademoiselle da La Valli;re. Philip, in order to avoid detection, would have to portray both a sophisticated husband and an experienced lover, being neither one nor the other. In relation to the favorite, Philip promised himself to part with her as quickly as possible, since he did not need her, she was a hindrance, and besides, she was dangerous, because she and Louis could have some kind of conventional words, signs, rituals, which he did not know, it could give him away. He wanted to part with her, if possible, avoiding even a single date. He didn't love her, so he didn't want to be close to her. And why would he love her? His heart was occupied by someone else! It was easier to part than to pretend to be Louis in front of her. It was enough just to find a reason for separation, and this was far from the biggest problem among the problems of communicating with the fair sex. It was enough to simply show dissatisfaction with any reason and ask La Valliere not to bother him anymore, the rest would be completed by the courtiers, who would be happy to attack the dismissed favorite. She would immediately find herself in a monastery, either by her own will or against her will. But with his legal wife the matter was more complicated. It was impossible to part with her without a compelling reason, and what reasons could there be if she had already given birth to an heir? During his first desperate attempt to take his brother's place, he happily avoided meeting with his wife, citing a bad mood. But you can't do this forever.
He understood that he could delay communication with his wife for several days at most; if he came up with a reason or pretended to be ill, this period could be extended by several weeks. This can still be done without arousing any suspicion, since Louis has not recently spoiled Maria Theresa with his visits. But if he pretends to be ill, she will show increased attention and care to him, which is also undesirable. However, it is useful to portray some slight headache or slight malaise; this can explain any inconsistencies between his behavior and the behavior of Louis.
After some thought, Philip decided to start with what seemed to him the simpler of the two, so he went to pay a visit to Louise in order to announce the breakup to her.
Since Philippe already knew both the place and the usual time when Louis appeared to Louise, he decided to use this method of meeting in order to announce to de la Valli;re his decision to break off his close relationship.
He knocked on Mademoiselle's door with his cane in exactly the same way that the day before, without realizing his presence in the bushes of the alley, Louis had knocked on the same doors with the same cane.
- Your Majesty, come in! - Louise said, opening the doors.
“Good evening, mademoiselle,” answered Philip. “Last time our meeting did not take place, and I see this as a sign of fate.
“Your Majesty, I am extremely sorry that I was not able to brighten up your loneliness on the evening you are talking about,” Louise said obediently. “I hope that this evening will allow me to make amends for the unpleasant impression made on you, the culprit of which is solely myself, as well as my fickle character and some unpleasant news I received the day before.
“You shouldn’t blame yourself for anything, madam,” Philip objected. “It’s probably the Lord, who controls our lives, who is giving us a sign that our relationship is not approved by him,” he added, trying to build a logical bridge to the need to part as gently as possible.
“Divine providence, which has linked our destinies into one, cannot condemn Your Majesty, since in your kingdom you are always right, no matter what decision you make regarding who deserves your attention, when and to what extent,” replied Louise. “As for condemning my actions, I know everything about myself, and I don’t look for excuses for myself. I only hope that the moment Your Majesty decides that he is bored with Mademoiselle de La Valli;re, I will immediately go to a monastery and devote my whole life to prayers. I will pray, first of all, for you, Your Majesty, and if the Almighty also finds in his heart a grain of pity for me, if he does not forgive, but at least understands my actions, I will consider myself the happiest of mortals. If he does not forgive and does not understand, I will gladly accept the fate that he chooses for me, and I hope to endure all the punishments that will be assigned to me both on earth and in the other world.
Philip first encountered such self-denial, which was deftly portrayed by Louise de La Valli;re.
- Mademoiselle, you should not put our common guilt before the Lord on yourself alone! - he said. “I am no less guilty than you for our apostasy from one of the Lord’s commandments, and I am ready to answer for this in heaven.”
“Your Majesty,” Louise answered warmly, “I am glad that you look at our weakness from a moral standpoint and will obey any of your orders!”
“Our tender friendship, I believe, offends two people on earth,” Philip continued. - This is, firstly, the Queen, and secondly, her royal brother, the King of Spain. If the Queen's grievances are a family matter, then the grievances of the King of a neighboring state are a political problem. And besides, it seems like you had a fianc;?
“The Queen obviously has many advantages over me, Your Majesty, and your decision to return to her completely and give your heart to her alone I fully accept and approve,” Louise said with humility.
“Your humility frightens me, madam!” - Philip exclaimed. “You didn’t say anything about your fianc;.” Are you going to recognize his rights to your hand and heart?
“Your Majesty is well aware that my heart is given only to you,” Louise answered with a sigh. - What is given to one man forever cannot be passed on to another. And then, the Lord blessed our love by giving us Charles! Soon he will be one year old and he will be able to call and start talking to you! Isn't this a miracle?
“Yes, this, of course, is a blessing from the Lord and a miracle,” said Philip, trying to portray tenderness and delight, although he felt only annoyance.
“What to do with this illegitimate child? - he thought. “A child of royal blood must be legitimized, just as my grandfather Henry IV legitimized many of his children in his time!” But this lady will not give birth to new children!”
- Do you think that now your fianc; will abandon you? - asked Philip.
“He won’t be able to do this only because, unfortunately, the man whom you persistently call my fianc; can no longer care about the question of who I gave my heart to, and he will not be able to refuse me,” Louise replied. “I am sincerely sorry that Viscount de Bragelonne died in battle.”
- This is a great grief! - Philip exclaimed. - You seem to be very upset, Louise, therefore you loved him!
“On my part it was just a childish affection for a person who tried to be attentive and occasionally spoiled me with some gifts,” Louise objected. “Did that give him reason to be considered my fianc;?” Nothing of the kind happened, he did not make me an official proposal, and if he did, I would have refused him, since I love only you, and after breaking up with you I will not belong to any man. I will retire to a monastery to pray to the Lord to forgive you and me.
“But you grieved for him and refused to let me see you!” - said Philip, remembering that the day before Louise did not allow Louis to come to her, and he really needed a reason for a quarrel in order to alienate her from him now. “It seems to me that you are hiding your grief, afraid of causing my jealousy, but I would not condemn you if you even shed burning tears for your childhood friend.”
“I had many reasons to shed tears, Your Majesty,” said de La Valli;re. “I no longer have any tears left to mourn the friend of my youth who died in the war.” It would be indecent for me to overly lament the death of a man who, although he was my companion in innocent entertainments like horseback riding, was never either a groom or a lover. I didn’t trust him with my heart’s secrets, we didn’t share our dreams, we didn’t admire the sunset holding hands. Nothing like that happened between us. I cannot be responsible for what he imagined about me, although this does not prevent me from regretting his lost life, as I would regret the death of any nobleman, any subject of Your Majesty.
“Well, I share your grief, madam,” Philip said sincerely.
“Did you remind me of this mythical groom in order to find a reason to break up with me?” - asked La Valli;re. - You are in vain paying attention to such little things as looking for reasons for breaking up. You are the King, your will is the law of the Kingdom. If you want me to move away, I will do it. I perceive any of your decisions as an order, as a necessity, and I consider its execution to be the highest good. By rejecting me, Your Majesty, you do not need to look for a reason, and you do not need to think that you are returning me to a man to whom I never belonged, who would never have any rights to me, and who no longer cares about earthly worries. Let me think that you decided to reject me out of your sense of duty. This will be my best consolation. It is your duty to return to the Queen, and I accept it. If in some way I did not please Your Majesty, or, perhaps, I was simply tired, or Your Majesty felt a new surge of love for the Queen, or turned their august attention to some other lady - any of these reasons is sufficient. But even if there are no reasons for your decision, and you made this decision for no reason at all, I will still gratefully accept any order from Your Majesty. Order me to retire to a monastery. I just ask you to take care of our Charles! I know that he has a nurse and will have educators, I hardly see him, and I won’t see him at all after I retire to the monastery, I would be happy to know that by rejecting me, you will not reject him, the child of our love! However, he, like me, is in your power, so if you send him somewhere and refuse him, I will not blame you.
“Are you crazy, madam!” - Philip exclaimed in horror. “I cannot deprive a child of royal blood!” He will receive proper care and education, he will receive a title corresponding to his royal blood. I will give him my name, he will be called Charles de Bourbon.
“You have already done this, Your Majesty, have you forgotten?” - Louise reminded.
Philip remembered his fate, the evil fate of a prince born in secret, who spent his entire life in captivity, since his royal parents decided to hide him from people. Louis's child, Philippe's nephew, should not repeat his fate.
“I mean, he will receive lands that will provide him with the title of duke, but that will be a little later, when he grows up.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Louise.
- Madam, your child will receive everything he needs, I will give him a title, and he will live a happy life, I promise you that! - Philip exclaimed passionately.
- Oh, don't say that, Your Majesty! - Louise exclaimed. “You called him my child, which means you don’t recognize him as yours!” It's horrible! I must go to a monastery if you abandon your child! Give up on me a thousand times, but don't give up on him, this innocent child is not guilty of our sin!
“Louise, I just made a mistake,” Philip answered, seeing how Louise was suffering. - Of course, this is our common child.
Louise noticed that Philippe showed some kind of restraint in his feelings for Charles, and therefore decided that it would not be superfluous to feign delight on the occasion that he promised to do what he had already promised many times before, but for some reason, as if I forgot about it.
- Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! - Louise exclaimed, trying to portray delight and gratitude, although in reality she only felt bewilderment.
Therefore, she knelt before Philip, grabbed his hand and pressed her lips to his hand, after which, as if by chance, she pressed his hand to her chest, where it was naked according to the fashion of that time. Tears, which this girl could easily cause, flowed down her cheeks and burned Philip’s hand. Philip thought that Louise had exaggerated when she said that she had no more tears left, but still he was unaccustomed to such scenes, so he became emotional and melted, floating.
“Madam,” he said discouraged. “You’re tormenting yourself like that in vain.” I ask you to calm down.
With these words, Philip affectionately put his arm around Louise's shoulders. Louise returned the hug by hugging Philip's knees and resting her head on his knees. Her blond hair spilled over Philip's knees. Through his thin silk pantaloons, he felt the tears of his favorite on his legs.
Philip felt a hitherto unfamiliar trembling throughout his body, pleasant goosebumps ran down his back, the aroma of Louise’s hair turned his head. Unable to control his desire, he buried his face in her hair and imprinted a tender youthful kiss on Mademoiselle’s forehead. An unknown wave of feelings completely overwhelmed his being, he felt an irresistible desire to caress Louise, felt that this desire of his did not remain unrequited by mademoiselle, after which he whispered:
- Louise, I never knew that...
“Be silent, sir...” Mademoiselle de La Valli;re whispered in response and sealed Philip’s lips with her own.
Philip hugged Louise, and his head went spinning.
“What are you waiting for, Louis,” Louise whispered into his ear. -Have you forgotten how to unfasten it? Okay, then I'll do it myself.

Chapter 363

Three horsemen rode up to the Two Pistols inn and dismounted, giving their horses to the groom who arrived in time.
One of the riders unfastened a small bag from the saddle.
“Didier, take the bag of pigeons,” said this horseman in a female voice.
“And why are you carrying this rubbish around with you, Olivia?” asked Didier de Trabuson, for it was he. - Pigeons are the same flying rats! The smell from him is disgusting, and even feed him grain! If he were given to the beggars, they would wring his neck, pluck him, and throw him into a pot of porridge!
- Talk to me again! - Olivia grumbled. - I should wring your neck myself! Left all the gunpowder in the saddlebags! I’m surprised you haven’t left your head in the stable yet! Now there is no gunpowder, and the gun is left alone between three! And the damned d'Artagnan walks around alive because of your stupidity! He will get to you, mark my words! What would you do without me, little one? Better take your bags and go to the tavern, and hurry up,
In the room given to Olivia, she threw the musket on the bed and busied herself with the pigeons. After feeding and drinking everyone, she returned them to the bag, after which she went to the table with writing materials. Not finding enough thin paper, she took the piece of paper she needed from a pocket on her bag and began to write the following text:

“The prisoner is killed, de Lortie died in the battle. We are pursuing the captain."

After that, Olivia took out one of the pigeons, wrapped its leg with a strip with a note, wound several layers of thread on top of the note, and, tying the thread in a knot, released the pigeon out the window.

“Now Monsieur Colbert will know how faithfully you serve him, Didier,” she told her husband. “And remember, bungler, that gunpowder should never be left in saddlebags, just like pistols.” I hope this incident taught you something for the rest of your life.
“If only I were as smart as you after everything happened!” - Didier grumbled, ignoring the comparison of him with a bungler and a weakling.
- Very funny. - Olivia objected. “Only I wasn’t smart later, but exactly when it was needed.” It’s not for nothing that my father rose to the rank of major, while you are still only a captain. Well, never mind, with my help you will, God willing, become a colonel, or even a general!
- Yes, my goat! - Didier replied. - Come to me!
- Sleep! - Olivia snapped and took a bed by the door.

Colbert thought.
“I have news to report to His Majesty. For what? Well, showing awareness of the affairs that are happening in the kingdom is always useful. His Majesty will be grateful to me for the news. But am I doing the right thing? I will inform him that the escorted horseman was killed by the robbers who attacked him, that Captain d'Artagnan miraculously survived. The King's reaction to this news may help me figure this all out. Or maybe it won't help. But all this is very dangerous! Suppose I show up today with this news. I will tell the King about this, and he will ask how I knew it. Should I tell him about pigeon mail and attribute the invention of this new type of fast delivery of messages to myself? Well, he will probably praise me for this idea, but will suspicion creep into his heart about me? He may ask how my man, carrying a dove from Paris, ended up nearby in a convoy? He will guess that I sent people to monitor the movement of the convoy, but he forbade me to interfere in these matters! This is not good. In addition, he may suspect me that I sent not just spies, but that it was I who gave them the task of destroying the prisoner! No, it's very dangerous! We should wait until the news reaches the Louvre in the usual way!”
For this reason, Colbert did not report anything to the King. But he was tormented by the unknown. He wanted to know what kind of prisoner was sent to Pignerol, and whether he did the right thing in ordering his death.
Colbert brought papers for the King to sign on ordinary routine matters and did not say a word about the news that he learned from the pigeon mail.
Then Chancellor S;guier appeared to affix seals to the signed decrees.
“Put a stamp on these two papers as well,” said Philip, presenting two more documents to the chancellor.
- What kind of documents are these? Colbert asked.
“This doesn’t concern you, Colbert,” Philippe answered coldly. - Take your documents from Segye, I won’t detain you any longer.
Colbert, trying not to show offence, took his papers and left.
“Segye, order two swords to be brought to me from the armory,” said Philip.
“Only very expensive and famous swords are kept in the armory, Your Majesty,” Segier answered. “They all have great value, each of them has its own story. Which swords should be delivered to your office?
“De Sully’s sword and de Treville’s sword,” said Philippe.
“The swords of these gentlemen are kept in the family vaults of their descendants,” answered Segier.
“In that case, bring me one of the swords of Henry IV and one of the swords of Gaston d’Orl;ans,” answered Philip.
— Ceremonial swords, Your Majesty? - Segier inquired.
“The front doors,” Philip confirmed.
Following him, Segier also left the office.

After Colbert and Seguier left, Philippe took the bell and rang it. He ordered the secretary who came in to invite Lieutenant d'Arlencourt to him.
“Lieutenant, go to the Bastille and free the Comte de La F;re and the Viscount de Bragelonne,” said Philippe. — I signed the corresponding order.
With these words, Philip handed d'Arlencourt a document, in which the sergeant read the following:

"The King's Order.

The lieutenant of the royal musketeers, Mr. d'Arlencourt, is entrusted with the release of the Comte de La F;re and the Viscount de Bragelonne from the Bastille. On behalf of the King, Lieutenant d'Arlencourt and the Marquis de Bezmo must apologize to both prisoners. Return to them all the things taken during the arrest, and then bring them to my reception with honor.

King Louis XIV of France."

“This order has the force of a patent from the lieutenant of the musketeers, Monsieur d’Arlencourt,” added Philippe. “Which, as you know, equates you to a Major of the Guards.” During your absence, transfer command of the royal musketeers to Sergeant d'Ephine.
D'Arlencourt stood tall, clicked his heels and left the King's office.

An hour later, Athos and Raoul, accompanied by d'Arlencourt, arrived at the Louvre and entered the King's office.
- Marquis! - said Philip. — There were some misunderstandings between us. I assume that Lieutenant d'Arlencourt has already apologized to you on my behalf?
“There is no marquis here,” answered Athos. - I am Count de La F;re.
“You know very well that you are the Marquis de La F;re,” Philip objected. — With the rank of marquis, you were an envoy at the court of Charles I, according to the heraldic records you are a marquis, but for some reason you stubbornly call yourself a count.
“The count is forbidden to be called a marquis, but the marquis is not forbidden to be called a count,” Athos answered coldly. “I didn’t want to embarrass my friends with my rank.”
“Well, you won’t embarrass me with this,” answered Philip. “The thing I intend to do requires you to remember that you are a marquis.” So, Marquis de La Fere, I apologize to you and would like to make peace with you.
“I have no complaints and there can be no grudges against my King,” Athos answered dryly. — The highest law in the Kingdom is the will of the King. I understand that. If I once had the misfortune of giving my advice overly emotionally, it was only under the influence of my father’s feelings, which I had not yet learned to control, since I live in the wilderness and was not used to restraining my emotions.
“A person who gives advice when he is not asked for it always runs the risk of being sent to where he did not intend to go,” answered Philip. “I think that my youth excuses my previous actions, but I have come to my senses, and I apologize to you and your son.”
“You are too kind, Your Majesty, the apology is accepted, let Raoul and I leave for Blois as quickly as possible,” Athos answered, still coldly.
“Of course, Marquis, you will go home as soon as you wish,” answered Philip. - You seem to be without a sword, Marquis?
“It so happens that I am without a sword, Your Majesty,” answered Athos. “The place where I come from is not one of those places in which one can properly prepare for an audience with Your Majesty.
“This is not order, Marquis,” said Philip. - By the way, do you know who this sword belonged to?
With these words, Philip pointed to one of the swords lying in front of him on a low table.
“This sword, as I see it, could only belong to an extremely noble nobleman,” said Athos. “I think I won’t be mistaken if I assume that this is the sword of your august grandfather, Henry IV. ”
“You’re right, Marquis,” answered Philip. - This is the sword of my august grandfather, Henry IV, and it belongs to me by inheritance from him, the glorious founder of the new dynasty of the Bourbon Kings of France. This sword has a special price, which is not limited to the cost of gold and precious stones in its hilt and Damascus blade. The main value of this sword is who it belonged to. My grandfather held it in his hands more than once. I present you with this sword as a reward for your faithful service. I forbid you to be called a count, from now on you are a marquis and only the Marquis de La F;re, a faithful knight of the royal house of Bourbon.
Athos got down on one knee, accepted the sword from the King’s hands and silently kissed the blade of the blade. Raoul, following his father's example, also got down on one knee.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Athos, not as coldly as before.
After this, Athos stood up, and Raoul also stood up behind him.
“You were in a hurry, Viscount,” said Philip. - I ask you to get down on one knee.
Raoul obeyed. Philip took the second sword in his hands.
“Viscount, this is one of the ceremonial swords of my uncle, Duke Gaston of Orleans,” said Philippe. - I’m handing it to you. Be worthy of the honor of wearing it!
“Your Majesty, I cannot accept it from you,” Raoul objected.
“Wait, I haven’t said everything yet,” Philip objected. - Stand up and listen to me.
Raoul rose from his knee, still not wanting to take the sword from Philip’s hands.
“You believe that you have reasons to hate me,” said Philip. “But you have not spoken to Louise de La Valli;re regarding your future.” You haven't asked her if she sees that future in being your spouse. Why did you imagine that you could control the fate of a lady, free and noble, without asking her consent? I talked to her about you. Viscount, she does not love you as a wife loves her husband, or as a bride loves her groom. She sees you only as a childhood friend, and nothing more. Viscount, this is a very shaky basis for building a family on such a foundation. Perhaps you loved her, but she never considered herself your bride. Not before the moment she first saw me, not after that. Believe me, Viscount, it was not I who insidiously seduced her and I did not take advantage of her naivety or weakness. This girl opened her heart to me, she said that she loved me, when I had not even thought about her. If I am guilty before anyone, it is only before my wife, the Queen, for the fact that I could not resist this love. Believe me, her feelings for me were so strong, and even now are such, that no mortal could resist. I gave in to her love, it enveloped me completely and I seem to be fascinated by it even now. This is not a whim, this is not a fleeting adventure, this is Fate, mine and hers, Fate, which the two of us did not have the strength to resist. Don’t blame me for the fact that she didn’t become your wife, she had only two roads - either straight to the monastery, or to know the happiness of mutual love with me. She chose the first, and all the time she does not take her eyes off the second path. If I deprive her of my attention and love, the very next day she will go to the monastery, and no force will extract her from there. She had already run away there twice, but by her own admission, she did this not out of resentment towards me, but out of her own piety. Fate did not allow her to become my wife, but her own feelings did not allow her to remain cold and indifferent to me, being close to me. If you wanted to marry her, you should not have allowed her to leave Blois, you should have married her back there, in the wilderness. But, believe me, she didn’t love you, and she hardly regrets everything that happened. Recognizing our connection as a sin, she does not have the strength to renounce it, just like I do. If she could now choose between you and me, if she were now that girl who had never seen me, then in this case she would not choose you. She would choose a monastery. Accept her choice with dignity.
- Do you give your word, Your Majesty, that everything you say is the pure truth? - asked Athos. “Forgive me, old man, Your Majesty, I’m not asking out of distrust of you, but the matter is too important not to weigh your every word on the scales of justice.”
“Everything I said, Marquis, is the pure truth, and I give you not the word of the King in this, but the word of a nobleman, which, I believe, you will believe more,” answered Philip.
“Raoul, take the sword and kiss His Majesty’s hand,” said Athos. “You and I were wrong, and we deserved the anger of His Majesty, but he is not angry, but forgives us.”
Raoul obeyed, he took the Duke of Orleans' sword and kissed Philippe's hand.
“This document says that I assign the status of a county to the Viscount de Bragelonne,” said Philippe, handing Raoul the second of two documents that he had prepared himself, and on which, at his request, Chancellor Seguier had affixed state seals. “From now on, there is no longer a Viscount de Bragelonne, but there is a Comte de Bragelonne.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Raoul, accepting the paper.
“I do not demand from you, Marquis de La F;re and Comte de Bragelonne, that you enter my service, but I will not refuse your services,” said Philip. “But I ask you not to make hasty decisions.” Go to Blois, relax, gain strength after your mistaken stay in the Bastille. Please, forget about this incident. And don't rush into your decision. If you, Marquis, prefer a quiet life, you deserve it, I do not blame you. If you, Comte de Bragelonne, want to serve your King and Fatherland, you know that the way for this is open to you. All the best, gentlemen, I won't keep you any longer.
Athos and Raoul bowed and left.
“Well, if I haven’t made peace with them now, then in any case, with this gesture I gained even more favor from Captain d’Artagnan,” thought Philip. “This is much more important!”

Chapter 364

- My son, what do you say about everything that happened? - Athos asked when they left the King’s office, but had not yet left the Louvre.
“For me, father, it’s strange that you want to hear my opinion,” answered Raoul. “I’m used to listening to your opinion, and if it contains an order, to obey.” The only time when I insisted on my own, it seems, proved to me that from now on it is better to listen to you in everything. After all, you were right about Louise. She's no match for me. And I am extremely ashamed that in this matter I did not believe you, but was forced to believe the King. After all, for me your authority is much higher!
“You trusted the person who knows her heart better, Raoul, and that’s right,” answered Athos. — I wanted to ask your opinion about our further actions?
“It seems to me that the King gave us clear instructions to go to Blois,” answered Raoul. “But if we should not obey his decision, then I await your decision, which I will obey with joy.”
“And I would like you to make decisions on your own, Raoul, because after we both made mistakes, I would not want to make the most important decisions in your life for you in the future,” answered Athos. “I’m already old and will soon leave this world.” You are now a count, and after my death you will become the Marquis de La Fere. During the war, you seemed to be able to make the most dangerous decisions on your own quite easily, so why don't you want to do it now?
“War is war, I’m tired of too strong passions that I tried to drown out with dangers and hatred of the enemy,” answered Raoul. “But even there, my strongest passions were memories of Louise.” Now I realized that these were memories of a woman I had imagined, since they did not at all coincide with the feelings of the one who exists in reality. For the same reason, I realized how naive my dreams were, first - to create happiness for the two of us through our marriage, then - to find solace in battles, and, finally, in the end of it all, I was left with only one dream - to die, in order to drown it in my heart forever a love that caused nothing but pain.
“That would be extremely cruel to me, Raoul,” said Athos. “When I found out that you died, and everything told me exactly that, at that very moment I wanted to die.” Only a happy accident, or rather, the cares of our friend, turned away the bony hand of death from you and me.
“It seems to me, father, when asking me about our future actions, you already had some kind of decision?” - asked Raoul.
“The king did not order us to immediately go to Blois, he told us that we were free,” Athos clarified. - Blois will wait. We should see someone here in Paris.
- With Monsieur d'Artagnan? - asked Raoul.
“If d’Artagnan had been in Paris, he would have gone to the Bastille to pick us up, or, in any case, would have met us at the exit,” answered Athos. - First of all, we will visit Madame de Chevreuse. If anything worth mentioning happens in France, she knows about it. In addition, do not forget, Raoul, that you must treat this woman with respect, because this is what I am telling you. But don't ask why.
“I gladly obey your order, Count, especially since I myself feel an extreme affection for this respectable lady,” answered Raoul.
“I didn’t expect anything else from you, my son.” Moreover, she lives in the Louvre, so let’s take advantage of the fact that we are here and visit her,” Athos concluded.

Once the wife of the all-powerful Charles d'Albert, Duke of Luynes now bore the name of Duchess de Chevreuse. Her first husband, the Duke of Luynes, was the man who subsequently introduced and recommended to Louis XIII the then little-known Richelieu, the same one who later became the great cardinal and first minister of France. The Duchess de Chevreuse, n;e Marie de Rohan, involved in such great events, never ceased to influence the fate of the French kingdom throughout her life.
She was taught to intrigue by her first husband, the Duke de Luynes, who pleased Louis, then the young Dauphin, so much that he chose him as a friend and confidant in all his amusements. This handsome man immediately noticed a charming representative of the noble family of de Rohan, who at the age of eighteen was brought by her almost disgraced and once very influential father to the royal court so that she could make small company with the young wife of the Dauphin, Anne of Austria, a scion of the Austrian and Spanish royal houses. The Duke, already forty at that time, immediately proposed to her. The de Luynes spouses managed to become the most desirable partners for the royal couple in all the undertakings that young Louis and his wife undertook. It was rumored that all four of them sometimes slept under the same blanket. After Ravaillac’s insidious blow with a dagger, which took the life of the glorious King Henry IV, Louis’s father, the latter began to be called Louis XIII, but for a long time remained King only in name. In fact, the country was ruled by the Dowager Queen Maria de' Medici, her lover Concino Concini, aka Marshal d'Ancre, and his ugly wife Leonora Galigai. Charles de Luynes persuaded Louis to get rid of the hated Concini spouses and become a full-fledged King himself. Young Louis ordered the murder of the Marquis's mother's favorite, Concino Concini, in front of his own mother, the Dowager Queen, and ordered the execution of the Marquis's wife, Leonora Galigai. By banishing his own mother, Queen Marie de' Medici, to Blois, Louis finally established himself as sovereign. After this, favors in the form of positions and titles rained down on the Duke de Luynes as if from a cornucopia. And although de Luyne was an unfit statesman, he remained the closest friend of Louis XIII, while Marie de Luyne became closer and closer to Anne of Austria, and there was even talk of their love relationship. Since I myself was also quite close to Maria for a long time, it would seem that I should have known whether this was true or fiction, but Maria never said anything about this, from which I conclude that this is the truth that she wanted to save it in case she needed to blackmail her ex-friend with this fact as well. Therefore, she also had evidence of this connection. However, I emphasize that these are just guesses.
The Queen Mother, Catherine de Medici, did not come to terms with her departure from big politics and, with the help of the Duke d'Epernon, a former minion of Henry III, the creator of the royal personal guard, consisting of forty-five musketeers, gathered a militia, which she directed against her own son, Louis XIII, however, the only thing she managed to achieve was that the King yielded Angers and Chinon under her hand, but forbade her to return to Paris. Then the Queen Mother started a civil war, which significantly spoiled the King’s affairs. Fortunately for Louis XIII, de Luynes introduced him at this time to Richelieu, who had an excellent understanding of the problems of domestic and foreign policy. Richelieu was then only the Bishop of Lu;on, and Father Joseph, the eminence grise, introduced him to de Luynes. Not without the help of Richelieu at Pont de Seux, the King inflicted a crushing defeat on his mother, after which the same Richelieu served as a messenger of peace between mother and son.
Meanwhile, the King’s young favorite, Charles de Luynes, gradually became the most influential man in all of France, since Louis XIII himself was very reluctant to engage in state affairs, and his favorite came up with new entertainments for the King, in which, of course, not only the sovereign and his favorite, but also their wives. Mary's friendship with the Queen strengthened so much that even when Mary inadvertently caused the Queen's miscarriage by persuading her to run away on the slippery floor of the palace, this sad episode did not lead to their breakup, although the King was very angry with Marie de Luynes, so unfortunate that it fell on his wife. Maria did not limit herself to this powerful influence on the fate of France. When her husband, the Duke of Luynes, fell out of favor due to excessive arrogance, and soon died, either from illness, or from grief, or perhaps from some third reason, his cheerful widow did not grieve for long, so that her two children, Louis-Charles and Anna-Marie, quickly received a stepfather in the person of the same age as Charles de Luynes, Mary’s first husband, Claude of Lorraine, Duke de Chevreuse, the son of that same Henry of Guise, nicknamed the Marked One, who dealt with Admiral de Coligny and inspired Charles IX to carry out the treacherous massacre of the Huguenots on St. Bartholomew's Night on August 24, 1572, when only by a miracle did Henry of Navarre, the future King of France Henry IV, the father of Louis XIII and the grandfather of Louis XIV, not die. Since then, Maria began to be called the Duchess de Chevreuse, under this name she went down in history and under this name she appears in my memoirs. The ability to subtly intrigue, which Mary acquired from her first husband, remained her favorite and main occupation, which is explained by her opinion that the entire royal family of France is just a means to create happiness for Mary, which she understood as power, wealth and nobility.
At first, Maria became very close friends with Richelieu, the protege of her first husband. She even encouraged Anna of Austria to have a relationship with him behind the King’s back, however, the Queen was afraid that the First Minister, who already had almost all of France in her hands, would use her only as a means to further strengthen her power, or by increasing her influence through her to the King, or by discrediting her in the eyes of the King in order to gain even greater trust, not only in matters of politics, but also in the field of family affairs, which for Louis XIII was a much more important area.
When Richelieu began to rush Mary with her mediation affairs, she came up with a dangerous joke, telling the cardinal that the Queen was eager to see him dance the sarabande, after which she would no longer be able to resist the cardinal’s insistence. Indeed, in his youth Richelieu was an excellent dancer, but such entertainment did not fit with his cardinal title. Maria came up with an entertainment for Anna, which consisted of persuading him to perform a hot dance, characterized by a rich rhythmic pattern, which requires a certain dexterity and looseness from the dancer. To make the performance more spectacular, the Queen persuaded the cardinal to dress in the appropriate dancer's costume. She told the cardinal that no one would see him except her, and only the musicians were hiding behind the screen. When Richelieu had almost completed his dance and was expecting a reward in the form of the Queen’s favor, he heard a woman’s laughter from behind the screen. Then he quickly ran up to the screen and pushed it aside, revealing behind it not only the musicians, but also the Duchess de Chevreuse in company with the King’s brother, with whom, by the way, the Duchess de Chevreuse was in too close a friendship, far beyond the bounds of polite friendliness. From then on, the Duchess de Chevreuse and Cardinal de Richelieu became sworn enemies, which did not prevent them from forming an alliance from time to time to resolve matters in which they were both interested.
So, for example, one day Richelieu learned how much the Queen was shocked by Buckingham’s antics, who appeared on the occasion of the wedding of the Duke of Orleans with Princess Henrietta, daughter of King Charles of England, who now, after his death and after the accession of his son, Charles II, is called Charles I. The duke's trick was that, having appeared at the French court as an envoy of Charles I, with whom he also had more than friendly relations, similar to those in which de Luynes was with Louis XIII, the duke, as if by chance, touched the thread that held the thousand pearls strewn with his ceremonial suit. The pearls rolled across the floor, and the courtiers immediately rushed to collect them throughout the hall, which created quite a commotion. At this moment, no one looked at either the Duke or the Queen, but Buckingham pretended that nothing significant had happened and continued, without stopping, to admire the beauty of Anne of Austria, which did not go unnoticed on her part. When they began to offer him handfuls of jewelry collected from the floor, he simply waved it off, saying that those who collected them could keep them. Rich, handsome, generous and in love with her, Buckingham did not leave her indifferent. Having learned how much this prank shocked Anna, as well as appreciating the appearance and brilliant luxury of the English envoy, Richelieu decided, with the help of the duchess, to discredit the Queen, helping to strengthen her partial attitude towards Buckingham. Maria passionately began to promote the rapprochement between Anna and the Duke.

Chapter 365

Some time later, while walking along the alleys, the Queen and the Duke entered a labyrinth made of bay leaf bushes, trimmed so that the bushes formed solid walls. In the center of the labyrinth there was a small gazebo, where the Queen and the Duke entered. The court ladies were somewhat behind the loving couple. Suddenly, a cry from Anna of Austria reached their ears, apparently expressing fear or dissatisfaction, however, it was possible that it was just a cry of surprise. The courtiers rushed to save the Queen and found her in a very embarrassed state; they noted some disorder in her clothes, as well as in the Duke’s clothes. The court talkers did not fail to tell this incident to the King, adding to the story, apparently, very significant speech embellishments created from their own imagination and speculation. Buckingham was immediately removed from France at the insistence of Louis XIII.
The Cardinal decided to use this episode to further cool the relationship between the King and Queen, for which he asked Maria de Chevreuse to facilitate the establishment of correspondence between Anne and Buckingham. At first, Maria warmed up Anna’s feelings solely on the instructions of Richelieu, however, over time, becoming convinced that the Queen was a more reliable guarantor of career growth for her than the cardinal, she completely sided with her friend in this matter, as in all subsequent ones. However, this did not prevent the duchess’s brother, the Duke of Rochefort, from fully defending the interests of the cardinal and entering the fight against his own sister.
I have already mentioned how, at the cost of incredible efforts, d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and I managed to save the Queen's honor in the piquant story of the diamond pendants.
After these events, the charming conspirator did not calm down at all. She decided to overthrow Richelieu and was ready to use all her charms to do this. At first she wanted to bring me to her side for this, but I stated that it was not fitting for him, a clergyman, to fight against the head of the French Catholic Church.
“Madam, I’m ready for almost any madness for you,” I answered her then. “I am ready to obstruct the affairs that His Holiness is doing behind His Majesty’s back, but I am not ready to shed the blood of a sacred person who is only one step lower than the Pope.”
Then the duchess tried to persuade me to involve my friends, Athos, Porthos and d'Artagnan, for these purposes, to which I also responded with a decisive refusal.
“Just give me their addresses, dear d’Herblay,” said the Duchess. “I’ll talk to them myself.”
“That’s the trouble, I don’t have their addresses, Duchess!” - I lied. “I relied on my memory and didn’t write down the addresses of my friends, but my memory failed me!”
Then the duchess took another lover, the Count de Chalet, whom she persuaded to an adventure aimed at the physical elimination of Richelieu.
The duchess's plans included the destruction of not only the cardinal, but also Louis XIII himself, after which it was planned to elevate the King's brother, Gaston d'Orl;ans, to the throne, strengthening his rights to the throne by marrying Anna of Austria, who, according to the duchess's plan, should have been widowed due to a fatal accident during assassination attempts. In order for du Chalet to agree to this adventure, the cunning duchess convinced him that the assassination attempt was aimed at protecting the honor of the duchess herself, since the treacherous cardinal allegedly planned to kill the duchess because she did not agree to become his mistress. As you know, a lover is ready to see a rival in everyone, so he easily believed the duchess and took this deadly step. The naive and talkative du Chalet boasted to his uncle, Commander de Balance, that in the very near future Richelieu would no longer pester the French with his taxes and new laws, since his visit to Prince Gaston of Orleans would be the last trip of the cardinal anywhere. The commander's sense of civic duty was much more significantly developed than family feelings for his nephew, so he immediately reported his nephew's plans to the cardinal, the conspiracy was exposed, and du Chatelet was captured and executed on charges of treason. At the same time, the cardinal forgave not only members of the royal family, but also the Duchess de Chevreuse, maintaining an amazing leniency towards her, which, apparently, could only be explained by the remnants of gratitude to the de Luynes family for helping in the successful start of his career. There were those who said that the cardinal's leniency was leniency towards the mother of one of his children. The king forgave his wife, his brother and the Duchess de Chevreuse, a friend of his youth, but did not forget anything.
I can lift the veil of the secret of the King’s forgiveness towards the Duchess. Of course, his past infatuation with her played some role, as well as the memory of the four of them having fun together. But the main thing is different. The Duchess played on two boards, one for white, the other for black. In other words, she revealed part of the secrets that she managed to touch to the cardinal, and she revealed another part of the secrets that she learned about the cardinal to the Queen. We can say that she herself invented this enmity, she herself invented the conspiracies, and she herself helped to expose them. Of course, everything is not so primitive; if she had been confident that the conspiracy would be successful, she would have remained faithful to the conspirators, but having noticed the slightest weakness in their intentions or actions, she ensured her retreat to her original positions by revealing, according to at least a small part of the information. So the cardinal believed that it was better to have such an informant in the enemy’s positions than to deal with her and not know where to expect a blow next time. This also explains the fact that not a single conspiracy against Richelieu was ever crowned with success.
After the death of Richelieu and the accession of Mazarin as the first minister and secret husband of Anne of Austria, the duchess was almost left out of work. But she was not such as to give up attempts to influence the very top people of France. Having created a circle of the so-called Arrogant Ones around herself, she initiated a conspiracy to overthrow Mazarin, in which the Duke de Beaufort and her cousin the Duke de Rochefort, as well as several princes, also participated. The conspirators ended up in the Bastille, but the duchess herself escaped with exile to her estate in Tours for five years.
Thirty-six years of marriage with Duke Claude de Chevreuse left the duchess three more children, the title and name under which she went down in history. Having been widowed, the duchess continued to intrigue and participated in a dozen conspiracies, in one of which she relied on the elderly Marquis de Chateauneuf, who was madly in love with her, and was privy to all state affairs as the custodian of the state seal. All the men involved in the conspiracy, even under torture, hid her participation, being in love with the charming duchess, which she successfully used. For example, for the Marquis de Chateauneuf, his love brought him more than four years in prison, but in comparison with the fate of du Chatelet, this was not so bad. The Duchess intrigued with the goal of Gaston d'Orl;ans' accession to the throne; if this failed, she plotted to secede Lorraine and adjacent territories from France, entered into correspondence with the royal houses of neighboring states, made promises on behalf of royal persons and broke them on her own behalf.
Finally, she even decided to trade various information that she received as a result of her intrigues. She did not dare to trade the secret of Anne of Austria, which was the existence of the King’s own brother, a twin brother, realizing how dangerous it was. To begin with, she decided to use not so murderous secrets, but only information about Fouquet’s unregistered debts. At first she tried to sell the documents proving this debt to the superintendent of finance himself, but Fouquet was not in the mood to pay the blackmailers, and refused without even delving into the essence of the offer, which was probably his fatal mistake. Having been defeated in this enterprise, the Duchess decided to sell this secret and the letters incriminating it to someone who would have to pay even more for them. Such a person was Fouquet's enemy, Colbert. Unfortunately for the Duchess, Colbert was much less generous than Fouquet, so the Duchess had to reduce the amount for which she was unable to sell these letters to Fouquet. We agreed on a family agreement. Not satisfied with the amount received, she persuaded Colbert to arrange a meeting for her with the Queen, who was influenced by a hint of the secret of the birth of Philip, Louis' twin. Acting like the most skilled blackmailer, the duchess declared that this secret would die with her, after which she complained of financial difficulties that did not allow her to put in order and maintain her family palace at the proper level. The Queen, partly touched and partly frightened, naturally provided financial support to her former friend.
But the Duchess was not satisfied with this double financial support - from Colbert and from the Queen. She wanted to live in the Louvre, close to the Queen, she had to participate in politics, she had to intrigue. For the Duchess de Chevreuse, life consisted of intrigues; she could not imagine her life without intrigues.
In addition, the duchess was the mother of the Viscount de Bragelonne, which she recently learned from Athos, since, having given birth from a casual relationship, she was not going to take care of her illegitimate child, and therefore was content with ordering the child to be thrown to his father.
Athos, who perceived this foundling as a gift from heaven, raised Raoul and provided for him financially, formalizing the adoption and transferring the Viscountcy of Bragelonne in his name. I have already paid quite a lot of attention to this lady for the reason that she had a significant influence on my life, in some places positive, in others negative. I have already explained why I began to treat her noticeably worse. This reason was that she forbade me to consider my children as my children, and used our common daughter to influence men, on whom her current beauty, somewhat damaged by the years she had lived, no longer influenced as it did during her ardent youth. In the end, she made our common daughter the mistress of that worthless Paul de Gondi, whom I once intended to challenge to a duel and kill, which I still did not do, since Athos hurried me to quickly save Charles I, which I greatly regret.
Athos and Raoul went to this lady in the hope of finding out news about their friends.

Chapter 366

“Raoul, you shouldn’t tell the duchess that the King made you a count, and asked me to continue to use my hereditary title of marquis,” said Athos. “You heard me explain that I am called a count.”
- Yes, father! - Raoul answered. - Let me remain a viscount.
- No, this is not polite to His Majesty, and is not required for reasons of modesty. In the circle of your friends, the Comte de Guiche, you fought directly under the command of the Duke de Beaufort, you were surrounded not by poor musketeers, but by noble grandees, and, I believe, it will continue to be so. Proudly call yourself Comte de Bragelonne, and perhaps you will find peace in the thought that for an honest girl it is better to be the wife of a Count than the favorite of the King. But it would be wiser not to remember this mademoiselle at all.
“I’ve already forgotten about her, father,” answered Raoul. - More precisely, I apologize, it seems that I unwittingly lied to you. Now I tried to realize my feelings for her. Yes, I would be glad if she regretted that she preferred the position she is in to me. But I forgot to hope for happiness with her, and in this regard I did not lie.
“Okay, but we have already reached the duchess’s rooms,” said Athos. - The Duchess never locks doors, but let's knock.

Athos decided to visit the first intriguer of France, the Duchess de Chevreuse, in the hope of finding out something about his friends.
- Hello, Count, hello Viscount, so you are alive? I'm very happy about this. - said the Duchess, although there was no surprise in her tone about this. “Well, I am also infinitely glad that you visited me in my humble palace.”
The Viscount thought that the Duchess's palace should hardly be described with such an epithet, but remained silent.
“But you probably remembered me because you need something from me?” - the duchess asked in a tone that did not suggest an answer to this question. “Since the only thing I can give you is advice or information, and since the Count is a man of such intelligence that he does not need the advice of any woman, I believe that you have come to me for some information.” Ask.
“The purpose of our trip, Duchess, was to find out if you had any news about our mutual friends, but your question forces me to ask you to also share with us rumors about our own death.” What made you think that we are no longer among the living?
“They talk about this everywhere, but I didn’t delve into the details,” the duchess waved it off. — Is it worth examining information that, as I see, turned out to be false? As for our mutual friends, I don’t know any, Count.
“I’m talking at least about Monsieur d’Herblay,” answered Athos. “There were times when he was one of, if not friends, then certainly not enemies of Your Lordship.”
- Oh, this one! — the Duchess smiled. “He is no longer the same musketeer I loved, and, most importantly, I am no longer the seamstress Marie Michon whom he loved.”
“Apparently, duchess, not only love, but also loyalty must be mutual, or they are not worth talking about,” Athos smiled. - Of course, Monsieur d'Herblay remained your friend, and for this he did not necessarily have to remain what the musketeer you are talking about was for the seamstress, whom you also have not forgotten.
“If he cheated on me with many, I would not pay attention to it,” answered the duchess, “but he became too carried away with one, and this is already unbearable for a woman who for a long time was his only hobby, even in that case if she did not limit her own hobbies to this musketeer.
“I believe we can forgive Monsieur d’Herblay for his little weaknesses,” answered Athos condescendingly.
“One could call it a weakness to be infatuated with some beauty who means absolutely nothing in politics,” the duchess objected. — Infatuation with a woman like Anna Genevieve de Bourbon-Cond;, Duchess de Longueville, cannot be called weakness. Women from this family were always at the very rapids of political processes, and if they did not single-handedly create the history of France, they certainly did not stand aside from them. Infatuation with such a woman is not a weakness, but a man’s strength, considering that the reciprocal infatuation, as you call it, on the part of the Duchess de Longueville, I must admit that Marie Michon is no longer interesting to the musketeer Aramis. Sister of the Prince of Cond; and the Prince of Conti, wife of Henry II of Longueville, she is an important piece on the French chessboard.
“But you, Duchess, have a very direct connection to this branch of the most noble noble family of France!” - Athos objected.
“That’s precisely why I cannot forgive him for such betrayal,” answered the duchess, and now her voice did not sound like the voice of an indifferent tired woman, it contained a whole range of feelings. “After all, in her person he simply found a younger and more influential copy of the Duchess de Chevreuse, more impressive in all respects than the real de Chevreuse, which I am now!”
“Perhaps this is just a political alliance,” Athos suggested.
“If children are born from political unions, Mr. Count, then such a union is no longer only political,” the duchess smiled bitterly.
“The Duchess de Longueville is married, so it is not surprising that she gave birth to a child,” Athos said in such a tone that one might think that he believed his words.
“Precisely because the Duchess de Longueville is married, I cannot in any way assume that the duchess’s son, named Charles-Paris, was born from a legitimate husband,” the duchess objected. “I would rather believe that he was conceived by some familiar philosopher, even by Duke Fran;ois de La Rochefoucauld.”
Let me note by the way that the Duchess de Chevreuse was especially infuriated by the fact that La Rochefoucauld had also been her admirer and friend in the past, and had now become the lover of the Duchess de Longueville. No woman will say a kind word about another woman who stole two whole lovers from her!
“Apparently, you will not help us find M. d’Herblay,” Athos said regretfully.
“Believe me, Count, I would have helped you even with this, but I really don’t know where this Aramis of yours has gone,” the duchess said sadly. “Our last meeting was not in the spirit of tender memories of two old friends. I stopped being interested in his movements. I only know that he was going to include himself among Fouquet’s friends, which is not smart for a man of such merits and talents as d’Herblay. At first glance at Fouquet one can predict his fate. From the very beginning it was clear that he would climb up until he fell down and smashed himself into a cake. Such people do not know how to stop. He did not see reasonable limits to his greatness, his power and glory. At the same time, he tried to portray the remnants of some kind of primitive nobility, with which it is simply impossible to survive in a civilized society. Moreover, if nobility is not inherent in you by birth, there is no point in trying to portray it. If d'Herblay got involved with Fouquet, he had to understand that such a connection would either destroy him along with him, or he would have to leave him at the last minute. However, Fouquet had already been arrested, convicted and sent to Pignerol, and d'Herblay fled to Spain. It seems that his career as a bishop is not the highest level he has achieved. He, of course, did not become a cardinal, but he occupies a fairly high position in the Jesuit Order. I even admit that he leads it. It seems that in Spain he bought himself a ducal possession, so that now his name is Duke d'Alameda. He became close to the Spanish court, probably aiming for a diplomatic position. He came up with the idea of using pigeons to communicate with his spies. His people are everywhere. It seems that it was his people who saved you, Count, and you, Viscount? It is a pity that there was a traitor among them, so that his good intentions almost cost him his life. It seems you had a chance to spend several days in the Bastille? I heard that he himself was taken there at the same time as you, but a day later the King brought d'Artagnan there, after which both of them left the Bastille just an hour after d'Artagnan entered there. Truly, no Bastille can hold this man! Your good d'Herblay has gone abroad again, but is making efforts to get you out of the Bastille. The day after tomorrow he intended to storm the Bastille, but he already knows that you have been released, so the assault is cancelled. Lord, what do you want from the old, retired duchess? I only know what they say here and there. So I'm sorry, I can't give you absolutely any information about your friends. For example, I don’t know at all what kind of prisoner Captain d’Artagnan took to Pignerol with an escort of twenty musketeers. This man is less significant than Fouquet, who was taken there accompanied by fifty musketeers, but perhaps a small convoy was appointed for reasons of secrecy? In any case, Monsieur Colbert undertook his own small investigation and, secretly from the King, sent four of his men on d'Artagnan's trail. No, Count, I don’t have any significant information for you about your friends, sorry for disappointing you.
“Even if your information is not accurate, which I doubt, you told me a lot of important things,” answered Athos. “I thank you, Duchess, and I bow to you and your knowledge.” His Majesty should fire all his spies and pay you alone for the money he spends on them. This would be a profitable investment, because you are up to date with all the news!
“Ah, Count, the biggest news today is that the Viscount did not die in the sortie in which the Duke de Beaufort disappeared, and that you did not commit suicide the next day,” said the Duchess, and this time Athos caught the There is a note of joy in her voice. “I’m most interested in this news at the moment.” Tell me not how you managed to stay alive, I know that, but tell me how you managed to convince everyone that you died.
“I don’t know this myself, duchess,” answered Athos, “but life has taught me not to be persistent in obtaining information that I can do without.”
- Does this mean that you cannot do without information about your friends, Count? - asked the duchess. “It’s a pity that you don’t count me among your friends.”
- Duchess, for me you are more than a friend, believe me, because what you did for me is more than if you just saved my life! - said Athos and looked at Raoul with tenderness. “But when it comes to information about you, it is always important for me to know that you are safe, and I know this because the King will never hurt you.”
- Where does such confidence come from? - asked de Chevreuse with a laugh.
“You have provided His Majesty with so many reasons to offend you, Duchess, that if he has not done it so far, you can be sure that he will not do it in the future,” answered Athos.
“Ah, Count, everyone sees reasons to offend me, but no one sees reasons why I should feel offended!” - the duchess waved him off. “Do you know that d’Artagnan is not at all delighted with the King’s instructions?” Instead of leading his two hundred musketeers, organizing exercises, duties and parades, he first performed the duties of a jailer for Fouquet, and after that, for more than a month, he has been rushing around France almost alone, performing some unclear functions related to -apparently, with secret trips, transporting state criminals and rebuilding castles to contain them. Most recently, he appeared in Paris for one day, after which he disappeared again in the same direction from which he arrived. Is the King thinking of moving the capital to Pignerol? What kind of whim is it to transport the most dangerous state criminals to a castle dangerously close to the Italian border?
“It is sometimes difficult for us to understand the decisions of Kings, Duchess,” said Athos. “Thank you, Duchess, for the useful information; I dare not abuse your time anymore.”
“Count, I ask you to leave the Viscount with me for a while,” the Duchess said hastily. “I need to talk to him about those topics that you apparently did not have time to talk to him about.”
“I don’t dare refuse you this request, duchess,” the count answered with a smile. “Raoul, you did the right thing in remaining silent while the duchess and I were having our little conversation, but to be in the company of such a dazzling lady and not express your delight is, at the very least, impolite.” Remember, my son, that the Duchess is your faithful friend, with her you can be extremely frank in any matter. However, do not abuse her patience and do not tell her about the merits of other women.
- Count! “I didn’t express my admiration for the duchess’s beauty and intelligence only because I didn’t dare interrupt you,” said Raoul, and his eloquent look confirmed the correctness of his words.
“Ah, dear young man, your delight can only be fair if you compare me with my peers,” answered the duchess, blushing with pleasure. “I am convinced that the ladies around you are much more attractive than the elderly duchess who has lived a difficult life.”
“Madam, your modesty only complements the set of wonderful qualities that I spoke about,” Raoul answered gallantly.
“I will not interfere with your conversation, duchess, thank you again for the information you gave me,” said Athos, after which he tenderly kissed the hand of the duchess, who immediately offered him her other hand, which received the same kiss.
“Count, you make me think that I probably paid my attention to the wrong objects on which I should have concentrated,” sighed the duchess with coquetry. “How often do we women miss our happiness by chasing ghosts, when it may not be what we are striving for, and perhaps it was not as inaccessible as we thought!”
“Some men can sometimes say the same about themselves, duchess,” answered Athos, looking into de Chevreuse’s eyes.
“There was a moment when I almost thought that I could marry her,” thought Athos, leaving the duchess. “However, this is nonsense!”
“If there is a person with whom I could be happy without all these numerous plans for transforming something that I still couldn’t improve, then probably this person should be in everything like the Comte de La F;re,” thought the Duchess, looking after the departing Athos. “But he’s just a count!” Oh, if only he were a prince!”

Chapter 367

No matter how long Philip delayed the tet-a-tet meeting with the Queen, the wife of Louis XIV, that is, now with his wife, whom he had to convince that he was Louis XIV, he understood that this meeting was inevitable. Communication with La Valliere gave him his first experience of intimacy with a woman, and also convinced him that it is not at all necessary to love the one with whom you enter into a close relationship. Healthy instincts do their job, especially when his counterpart is young and attractive, and on top of everything else, she herself strives for the success of an intimate meeting.
In addition, Philip discovered that you can even fall in love with a woman with whom you have the best relationship, and also realized that the King could not have a bad relationship with any woman at court. He had already paid attention to several lovely ladies-in-waiting, and saw that just a benevolent glance worked wonders, and on the faces of those whom he honored with a glance, he read permission to go as far as he liked in friendship with them. In the books he read about love, men had to make all sorts of sacrifices to win the favor of their lovers. But he did not read books about the King’s love, so life made its own adjustments to his literary romantic experience.
The situation was made easier by the fact that Louis XIV had already demonstrated to the entire court that he preferred the company of La Valli;re to that of his wife, so that even two or three meetings with La Valli;re could precede his close meeting with the legal wife of the King, which would not have caused any surprise and did not would be the reason for his exposure.
In addition, Philip realized that anyone who dared to declare him an impostor would face universal contempt, such statements would not receive support, except, perhaps, if such a suspicion crept into the minds of too many of the courtiers around him, and if they will dare to share their doubts. This situation was unlikely, but one had to be careful. It was necessary to divide them and rule over them.
But he continued to think with trembling in his heart about the one who occupied all his thoughts while he languished in prison. He dreamed of at least a glimpse of her again, but now he had the opportunity to see her as many times as he wanted, within reason. He didn't mean carnal love, but at least the opportunity to see her again was a truly fantastic prospect
He recognized her name. Catherine-Charlotte de Gramont. She was the eldest daughter of Antoine III de Gramont and Fran;oise-Marguerite du Plessis Chivre, niece of Cardinal Armand de Richelieu. Her elder brother was Armand de Gramont, Comte de Guiche, one of Philippe d'Orl;ans' minions, who, as I have already written, was close to his wife, Princess Henrietta Stuart. He was also a friend of the Viscount de Bragelonne, whom Philip had now made Count de Bragelonne.
Philip learned that four years ago, in 1660, Catherine Charlotte married Louis Grimaldi, second Duke of Valentinois and heir to the throne of Monaco, son of Hercule Grimaldi and his wife Aurelia Grimaldi, n;e Spinola. In this marriage, within a year of each other, Catherine-Charlotte already had five children: in January 1661, a boy named Antoine, in January 1662, two twin girls, Marie-Therese-Charlotte and Jeanne-Marie, in May 1663, a girl Therese Maria Aurelia and in July 1664 the girl Anna Hippolyta. It seems that Catherine-Charlotte de Gramont was quite happy in her marriage, so Philip should have given up all hopes of a romantic date with her, although, as he saw in the example of Louis XIV, whose role he was to play in everything, marriage is not at all a reason not to communicate very closely with other representatives of the opposite sex. If the King could fulfill his marital duties not only in relation to his wife, then why couldn’t the Princess of Monaco do the same? The only question is, does she love him? And did she love then when he met her by chance, first in early childhood, and then at that age when romantic feelings remain in the soul forever?
Philippe decided to get to know her now that he had appeared in the Louvre in a completely new capacity; he did not know whether to open up to her or appear as Louis? It would be dangerous to open up, but if she gave her love to King Louis XIV, it would offend Philippe, his heart told him that he must achieve her love under his true name, that is, he must admit to her that he is not Louis, and the one whom she saw, and to whom, as it seemed to him, did not remain indifferent.
“I’ll think about Catherine Charlotte later,” Philip convinced himself. “I must decide to enter the Queen’s bedroom as a King and leave it in the morning as a husband, then I will no longer be in danger of any exposure!” I must overcome my timidity, or I am not worthy of the dizzying chance that Fate has given me for the second time in my life. I must not repeat the mistakes of the first time, I must become a King, I do not need advisers, advisers and guardians, I am not a puppet, and I do not need a puppeteer! I will be a good friend to d'Artagnan, or better yet, I will be a fair King and will remain exactly that in relation to him - what a good and fair King is in relation to the worthy captain of his musketeers, because, it seems, d'Artagnan himself is not wants nothing more."
The woman who not only belongs to him by right of the one whose place he has taken, but also to whom he belongs as husband by the same right, Maria Theresa, the Queen, must be subjugated by him as if he were doing a habitual thing. She shouldn't suspect anything.
Philip appointed this day for himself and tried to prepare for the meeting as best as possible. Just in case, he prepared an escape route. If the meeting does not take place properly, it will be possible to refer to unrest due to international events. Relations with Spain deteriorated again despite the fact that in order to resolve them at one time, the marriage of Louis XIV with Maria Theresa was concluded.
“Madam, I ask you to forgive me for too often neglecting to communicate with you,” Philip said one evening, addressing the Queen.
“Your Majesty has the right to do as he sees fit,” answered the Queen. - I will be glad to see you on my half whenever you deem necessary.
“Necessity is not a concept that should regulate meetings between spouses,” Philip objected, finding that he himself did not believe what he was saying.
“In the early months of our marriage, Your Majesty, only the urgent need to attend to other more urgent tasks could distract you from communicating with me after dinner,” the Queen said with a sigh. “Now it’s only the need to maintain the appearance of a successful marriage that forces you to these meetings.”
“Nothing can force me, I am the King of France, and the only orders that matter to me are the orders of God,” Philip objected. “Even the Pope’s instructions matter to me only insofar as I am ready to see him as a messenger of God.”
“It is these instructions that instruct any King of Europe to visit his wife at least sometimes,” the Queen said sadly. “And I’m glad of this, because otherwise, I believe, I would see Your Majesty even less often than I do now.”
- Do you want a quarrel? - Philip asked arrogantly, hoping that the conversation would escalate, which would allow him to feign offense and avoid intimacy with the Queen.
“Your Majesty, I bow before you and am ready to fulfill your wishes whenever you please, in the form in which you wish to demand it,” the Queen said humbly.
“I just want to hug you and fall asleep peacefully,” Philip answered.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” replied the Queen. - Come to my bed.
Philip, encouraged by the thought that he would not have to go beyond the bounds of respectful tenderness, eagerly crawled under the covers and embraced the Queen. Maria Theresa hugged Philip and buried her face in his chest. Her warm breath pleasantly calmed Philip, so he also hugged the Queen in return.
After half an hour of such tenderness, Philip realized that he wanted not only to gently hug the Queen, but also to take advantage of the usurped right to be her husband, and he no longer wanted to calmly fall asleep next to her. The queen had all the advantages: beauty, youth and sensuality befitting her rank, that is, almost insignificant, but enough to understand that she agreed to lively communication in the coming sleep. The Queen also felt that she was not indifferent to her husband, who was spoiled by female attention.
So, the Queen again felt like a newlywed, she was loved, or, in any case, she accepted all the gifts of a marital relationship to the fullest. She was happy and showed special tenderness to Philip, who stayed with her all night.
In the morning, Philip left the Queen's bedroom in a great mood. De Saint-Aignan, noticing the changed mood, decided that the King had returned to the Queen forever and for this reason would leave Mademoiselle de La Valli;re.
— How did you rest, Your Majesty? - asked de Saint-Aignan.
“Excellent, Saint-Aignan, thank you,” Philippe replied. - I hope you do too?
- Yes, Your Majesty! - answered de Saint-Aignan. — I dreamed about the Archangel Gabriel.
-What did he talk to you about? - asked Philip.
“He told me that Your Majesty has decided to leave Mademoiselle de La Valli;re,” said de Saint-Aignan.
- I know, I know! - Philip grinned. - He told me about this conversation you had.
— Your Majesty also talked with the Archangel Gabriel? - de Saint-Aignan was inspired, believing that he had correctly guessed the King’s intentions.
- Of course! - Philip answered. “He told me that he had met you and that he had a long conversation with you, after which he told me: “Keep in mind that de Saint-Aignan has gone crazy!”
“Obviously, you are right, Your Majesty,” said the embarrassed courtier. “Apparently, I was a little out of my mind that night. It's all because of the Brussels sprouts, which, to my misfortune, I ate before bed. Forgive me, Your Majesty!
Philippe nodded favorably and hugged de Saint-Aignan.
“Next time, choose your diet carefully before going to bed, dear friend!” - Philip said softly and walked into his office. “And when some archangel appears to you in a dream, ask him for advice for yourself, but not for me.” To communicate with the saints, I do not need intermediaries, only with the Lord I sometimes communicate through my confessor; the rest of the saints, if necessary, can visit me themselves in a dream.
“He will not leave La Valli;re,” thought Saint-Aignan. “And although he besieged me, he is not angry.” We need to take advantage of the situation. If everyone else thinks that he intends to leave her, and only I know that this is not so, some benefit can be derived from this!
After this, Saint-Aignan secretly told some of the courtiers that the King had been very affectionate with the Queen that night.
“They will draw their own conclusions, and I will not mention the name of the favorite.”
That morning, La Valli;re noticed that the courtiers were no longer as polite and attentive to her as they had been yesterday. After this, de Saint-Aignan came to her with a huge bouquet of white roses.
“Madam, the King told me to give this bouquet,” he said.
- Did he order this? - asked La Valli;re.
“I read it in the look he cast in the morning in the direction of the garden path that leads to your apartment,” answered de Saint-Aignan. “If I misinterpreted his gaze, forgive me my mistake.” I hope that these white roses will go better with your beautiful complexion than the other flowers that the gardener brought into this room.
“These flowers are very cute and smell charming,” La Valliere agreed. - But white roses are so short-lived! In just a couple of days they won't look so luxurious.
“Madam, tomorrow I will bring you a new bouquet on behalf of the King, and I will do this regularly, if it pleases you,” answered Saint-Aignan.
“Thank you, sir, you are very kind,” replied Louise.
“So the cunning courtier noticed that the King still loves me,” thought Louise. — Renew the bouquet every day, although it could easily last for two or three days! Why did this make me so upset instead of making me happy? Ah, that's it! After all, I am the same as these roses! While I am fresh and sweet in the eyes of His Majesty, I will decorate his bedroom, or he will visit mine. But as soon as the years take their toll, or even much earlier, as soon as the feeling of novelty in our relationship disappears, the King will leave me. I have to be different every time, so that the King cannot predict my behavior, so that he does not get bored with me. So far I have succeeded. But if de Saint-Aignan showed attention to me, then he knows that the King still loves me. Hence, he tried to find out. This means that he accepted that everything could be over at any moment. He involuntarily warned me that my position was not eternal. This should be kept in mind."
“It seems I pleased her! - thought de Saint-Aignan. - It's not superfluous. If the King asks who the bouquet is from, she will understand that the King did not give orders in this regard and will be grateful to me for it, and the King will also know that I anticipate his wishes. If the King doesn’t ask... Impossible. He won’t ask only if he doesn’t see him, that is, if he doesn’t visit her today. And this is doubtful!
Philip visited de La Valli;re, but he did not pay attention to the bouquet, because even without the bouquet he had too many new impressions, and regarding the bouquet, he could not know who, when, for what and what kind of flowers was bringing to the boudoirs of the Princess's ladies-in-waiting. So de Saint-Aignan wasted his fingers with the thorns of white roses; it brought him absolutely no benefit.

Chapter 368

Colbert was eager to find out who d'Artagnan's secret prisoner was. He suspected that I was the prisoner, and since he knew that I had been declared a criminal of the state and that the King would like to capture me, he decided that my escape from the Bastille was accidental, that the King was very upset by this, and that only thanks to the help of 'Artagnan, I was again arrested and sent to Pignerol under his escort. In this case, Colbert believed that if he could kill me, it would be beneficial to him personally, and he was also sure that such a solution to the problem would satisfy the King personally. After all, he decided that the King sent the prisoner to Pignerol only because he chose this fortress to contain the most dangerous criminals, so the death of the most dangerous criminal could not but please him. The execution was not ordered only because the King did not want to be known as a cruel ruler, but accidental death while trying to escape, apparently, would have been an outcome that would only have pleased the King.
That's what Colbert reasoned. Having waited enough time for news of the attack on the convoy to become known from persons arriving from those places, he nevertheless decided to inform the King about this event, and report it in those colors that would be beneficial to him. He could not admit that he had sent spies on the trail of a captain carrying out the King's orders, so he decided to blame it on the robbers. If it turns out that such an attack is strongly condemned by the King, then it will be possible to easily disavow complicity, and de Trabuson and his comrades to be caught, secretly placed in prison, squeezed out of them all the information, and then strangled. If the King rejoices at the death of the prisoner, which, according to Colbert, was very likely, then it will be possible to hint that his people did it, but by pure chance. Further, the King could either reward them, or forgive them, or be neutral about this, and Colbert, depending on the reaction of His Majesty, could take credit for the lion's share of the merits, if this action were interpreted as merits, or carry out the capture of the perpetrators if they were found guilty.
“Your Majesty, I was informed that not far from Lyon a convoy of carriages accompanied by twenty musketeers was attacked,” Colbert said. “I don’t yet know all the details of the case, but it seems that someone shot from an ambush at dusk at the captain and his prisoner as they got out of the carriage to spend the night at the hotel.
“These are your machinations, Colbert, and you will answer for it,” Philippe answered calmly. “If any of these people are hurt, you will spend the rest of your days in the Bastille, and if any of them are killed, you will be executed.”
Colbert turned pale. He saw that the King said these words completely dispassionately, so it could not be an emotional outburst. What a person said in a fit of passion can be undone, but what is said in a calm tone, dispassionately, is a well-informed decision; the King will not refuse such a decision; it will be impossible to beg for forgiveness.
“Your Majesty, not everything that happens by chance in France is the work of my people,” Colbert said. “I would never dare to attack the King’s musketeers’ cortege!”
“Assuming so, I’ll check it,” Philip answered. “If d’Artagnan is alive, he will return and tell me all the details of this trip, I have no doubt about it.” If he is dead or will die, I will find out the truth in other ways. If the prisoner accompanied by d'Artagnan dies, dies at the hands of the attackers, whoever they may be, and if any of my courtiers are involved in this attack, all those responsible will be executed on the Place de Greve, moreover, the main conspirator will be executed in exactly the same way as Ravaillac was executed.
Horror gripped Colbert.
“What have I gotten myself into? - he thought. - These idiots will just be hanged, and they will torture me for hours, tearing off my flesh piece by piece? Then they will quarter me, burn the corpse, and demolish my house to the ground? What will happen to my family? God, save me from this fate!”
“Your Majesty, I have nothing to do with this attack, and besides, it seems that the prisoner was not injured, but I don’t know the details, I only heard rumors, and this is very unreliable information,” Colbert said.
“For what purpose are you telling me false information, Mr. Colbert?” - asked Philip. - Collect reliable information, or I will find out everything I need in another way.
Philip in this conversation tried to test the impact of his tone and mood on those with whom he would have to deal. He remembered that I, who freed him the first time, and d'Artagnan, who freed him a second time, both did not favor Colbert. Philip intended to gradually get rid of Colbert, but just as Louis could not get rid of Fouquet at once, simply for the reason that Fouquet did too many things and controlled even more things, now Colbert completely took his place, and for the same reason Because of this, his position was very strong. It was possible to get rid of Colbert only as a result of long-term work to deprive him of certain functions, one after another, with their transfer to other people, more faithful and more reliable. And Philip hasn’t looked at these people yet. In other circumstances he might have taken advice, mine or d'Artagnan's, but we were both far from him. So Philip decided to try the power of his word, his disapproval and his dissatisfaction. The experiment was a success, since Colbert retired in sadness, without even thinking of protesting or making any serious excuses.
Colbert realized that his interest in the prisoner escorted by d'Artagnan was not pleasant to the King, he realized what a dangerous game he had started, but he was at a loss as to why on earth the King could be so dissatisfied in the event the death of the prisoner, and what kind of mysterious prisoner he was, who was not entitled to freedom, but whose life was so valuable that for the murder of this prisoner the head of the conspirators would have been executed in the same way as the murderer of Henry IV, the regicide Ravaillac.
He hurried to his office, where he wrote two messages to Olivia de Trabucon with the following content:

“I order to find out what kind of people attacked the captain of the royal musketeers d'Artagnan, to make every effort to catch the robbers, arrest them and take them to the Bastille. Take special care of the life and health of the prisoner, organize his security secretly, in addition to the security organized by Captain d'Artagnan. Colbert."

— The dove from Lyon has a red thread tied to its foot, the dove from Grenoble has a blue thread. - Colbert said to himself. — This letter will go to Grenoble.

He needed this message only to justify himself to the King in the worst case scenario. He ordered the secretary to make a copy of this letter, after which he ordered, with the testimony of two pages, to tie this letter to a dove with a blue thread on its leg, and then release this dove into the wild. This was done.

The second message he wrote was as follows:

“The prisoner whom d'Artagnan is escorting is to be recaptured and taken alive to Paris, excluding his communication with anyone. Provide details about the tragic death of Captain d'Artagnan. J.-B. TO".

He personally tied this message to a dove with a red thread on its leg and released it into the wild.
“This is the letter that will arrive in Lyon to Olivia de Trabuson,” thought Colbert. “I hope she has enough intelligence to draw the right conclusions from this text.”
He deliberately ignored Olivia's message that the prisoner had been killed, pretending that he did not understand the message. He did not want to accept this news. He hoped that perhaps he was only wounded, and in case the prisoner was killed, this letter could also be at least some kind of justification for him, because if the letter became known and he could show it to the King or his investigators, then such a letter will be proof that the murder of the prisoner happened by accident and certainly not on his orders. It will be an indirect confirmation that Colbert received information about the death of d'Artagnan, and not about the death of the prisoner, and supposedly completely believed this message.
“If Olivia is smart enough, she will understand what is going on, and they will take all measures to ensure that d’Artagnan is killed, and if the prisoner remains alive, they will report it,” Colbert decided. “If she doesn’t have the intelligence to solve such a simple riddle, then she is not suitable as a spy for me, so it would be wise to get rid of her, and her husband, and the surviving guardsman.”
 
After de Trabuson and his wife and senior lieutenant d'Elsorte launched an unsuccessful attack on d'Artagnan and his prisoner, leaving captain lieutenant de Lortie at the scene of the crime, killed by a bullet, they spent the night in the Two Pistols tavern. They knew from Colbert that the carriage was heading to Pignerol, so instead of pursuing the escort, they preferred to overtake him and make an ambush, which happened the day before, when Olivia shot at the King, not knowing who exactly was the mysterious prisoner escorted by Captain d'Artagnan. The failure, in the opinion of the Trabusons and the surviving guardsman, was only partial, because one of the two people who should have been destroyed fell immediately after the shot, so that they considered him dead. They were not too sad about the loss of de Lortie; in this gang there was no sympathy even between the Trabuson spouses. So, three spies, and now robbers, again overtook the escort on its way, hoping to repeat the ambush attack. But Madame Olivia took command of the expedition.
“Didier, wait here at the tavern Two Pistols for the captain’s carriage, and I’m going to Lyon,” she ordered.
“Wouldn’t it be better for us all to wait for d’Artagnan’s carriage here at the inn?” - asked de Trabuson.
“No better,” replied Madame Olivia. “We don’t know whether he will go further or decide to return back.” In any case, d'Artagnan will not abandon the carriage, because it is his personal carriage. Therefore, we can always catch up with him. But we would like to know whether a clarification of a previously received order has been received or, perhaps, a new order has been received from Mr. Colbert. The dovecote is located in the suburbs of Lyon, an hour is enough for me to get there and back. But this order could be very important for your career. I'm going.
“I’m worried about letting you go alone,” lied de Trabuson, who would not mind being widowed, he was so disgusted with his wife’s guardianship, although he admitted that she was right in each individual case.
- Nonsense! - Madame Olivia waved her off. “It worries me to leave you virtually alone against Captain d’Artagnan.”
- But I'm not alone! - Didier exclaimed. - I have senior lieutenant d'Elsorte!
“Haven’t you noticed that d’Artagnan is not alone either?” - Olivia was surprised. “He has twenty musketeers and another fellow who looks so much like him.” However, one d'Artagnan is enough for you, he will hit you even at dusk with a musket from the first shot, but with swords you'd better not try to defeat him. You still haven’t realized how accurately he shoots even at sound, in the dark, and how quickly he pulls out his pistol, which he keeps loaded? De Lortie, at least, was seriously wounded, but I think he was killed, because he did not make a sound, he collapsed as if knocked down. And his guard of twenty musketeers is now on alert, they realized that their mission is not just an honorary escort for their captain and his prisoner, but to protect him from an unexpected attack, dear Didier. They will take up their battle formation, their weapons will be ready. Even if we have the same number of guardsmen, we cannot cope with them. Some kind of cunning is needed to kill d'Artagnan, and since his companion is very similar to him in both figure and face, I think it would be better to kill both. Straightaway. In one gulp. But you are not capable of cunning, this requires my mind.
- And what do you advise me in such a situation, Olivia? - Didier asked.
- To advise, you need to know. That's why I'm going to get a letter from Mr. Colbert. Sit quietly, do not attack if the captain's carriage stops at this tavern, do not show your nose from the rooms, lock yourself with a latch. Just collect information. However, I believe that, having lost the prisoner, he will turn towards Paris. We'll catch up with him, and you'll kill him if we come up with a good plan. If I work it out. I just need confirmation of this order from Mister Colbert. Wait.
With these words, Madame Olivia resolutely left the room and headed to the stables. Cheerfully jumping into the saddle of her horse, she rode out onto the direct road to Lyon and gave spurs, raising her horse into a gallop.

Arriving at a small house on the outskirts of Lyon, Madame Olivia jumped off her horse, threw the reins to the peasant who met her and ran up the stairs leading to the dovecote. Taking a recently flown pigeon from its perch, she cut the thread on its leg with a knife, unwound the note and read the following message from Colbert:

“The prisoner whom d'Artagnan is escorting is to be recaptured and taken alive to Paris, excluding his communication with anyone. Provide details about the tragic death of Captain d'Artagnan. J.-B. TO".

- Damn him! - Madame Olivia exclaimed. “I shot the wrong person.” Well, let's correct our mistakes. The prisoner cannot be revived, but maybe he is only wounded? No, it’s impossible, I was aiming for the head, he fell, therefore I got hit, and people don’t recover from such wounds.

After that, Madame Olivia ran down the stairs, jumped on her horse again and rushed back to the Two Pistols inn.

Chapter 369

The breakfast that the innkeeper served to the King and his companions was quite decent, and the King, nurturing the thought of returning to the throne, ate it with gusto.
“I could consider my current journey as a short break from government affairs,” he told d’Artagnan, “if I myself could make decisions about where to go next.”
- Your Majesty, there is nothing simpler! - answered d'Artagnan. - Make a decision, where are we going next?
- Are you ready to go with me in any direction that I suggest? - the King asked in disbelief.
“Quite so, Your Majesty,” replied the captain.
— What caused this change in your attitude towards the task entrusted to you? - the King was surprised.
“The order was valid as long as everyone knew that Your Majesty was alive,” answered the captain. “However, there are three circumstances that exempt me from this assignment.
- What are these circumstances? - asked the King in amazement.
“The first circumstance is that the people who attacked us believe that they killed you,” answered d’Artagnan. “This gives us some freedom of action.”
- Great, Mister Captain! - agreed the King. - What is the second circumstance?
“The second circumstance is that Your Majesty has sent orders to Monsieur de Saint-Mars to arrest anyone who arrives in Pignerol and keep him in custody until the commission of inquiry sent there by Your Majesty, with the appropriate order, arrives there,” dispassionately said d'Artagnan.
- How do you know?! - the King cried out quite emotionally.
“I only made an assumption based on your words about an unpleasant surprise, Your Majesty, but your exclamation convinced me that my assumption was correct,” the captain replied.
“Let’s say,” the King agreed, calming down. - What is the third circumstance?
“I dare to remind you, Your Majesty, that yesterday you used my handkerchief to wipe the sweat from your face,” answered d’Artagnan, “and this is the third circumstance about which I had the honor to inform you.”
- What nonsense! - exclaimed the King. - So what if I took your handkerchief? I don't understand you!
“I used this same handkerchief to cover a jar of powder that I received from an Indian,” answered the captain. “A little powder remained on the scarf; you didn’t pay attention to it in the twilight.”
-Are you saying that I got dirty? - Louis asked worriedly.
“Something like that,” agreed d’Artagnan. “In addition, the bullet that hit the iron mask caused you to receive two small scratches on your forehead, Your Majesty.” The scoundrels who shot at you shed your royal blood.
“It’s nothing,” the King waved it off, “it will heal over time.”
“I think so too, Your Majesty,” replied d’Artagnan. “I hope that the scratches received will not cause physical suffering to Your Majesty.” So where do you want to go?
- Back to the Louvre, of course! - exclaimed the King.
“Impossible, Your Majesty,” the captain objected. “When I invited Your Majesty to choose the direction of further movement, I emphasized the word “further” with intonation. Our movement should be further, not backward. So two options for our movement are categorically excluded. The first is a return to the Louvre, since this will not be a further movement, but a return. The second option is to move to the Pignerol fortress. In the first case it would be a retreat, which is contrary to my views on military honor, in the second case it would be madness, since an ambush certainly awaits us on this path. So, left or right, Your Majesty?
“If we’re not going to the Louvre, it doesn’t matter to me which way you prefer,” Louis waved him off.
“In that case, we go where I decide,” answered d’Artagnan. - We're leaving in ten minutes.
“In twenty minutes,” said Louis, out of a spirit of contradiction.
“As you please,” agreed d’Artagnan. — We leave in twenty minutes.
-Where are we going? - asked Louis.
“Exactly where you told us to go,” answered d’Artagnan.
“Wait a minute,” the King was embarrassed. - Did I tell you to go somewhere?
“You gave orders to go where I prefer,” answered d’Artagnan. “That’s where we’ll go.”

Around this time, Philip visited the Queen Mother.
- Mother, do you know that the Spanish ambassador is coming to us? - asked Philip. - This is a certain Duke d'Alameda. Several influential people in Europe strongly recommended this man to me. It was hinted to me that the proposals he brought us were extremely beneficial for France.
“In that case, my son, this ambassador should be received appropriately,” answered Anna of Austria.
“Any ambassador should be received appropriately, mother,” Louis agreed. - But no one knows this man! Have you heard anything about this Spanish nobleman? I have never heard anything about a person with that name, but judging by the number of letters of recommendation that have arrived, this person is quite extraordinary.
“You can make inquiries about him, my son, with the help of your ministers and their spies,” answered the Queen. - In any case, Richelieu did just that.
“I doubt that in France we will be able to find out anything about him,” Philip objected. “If you, mother, have not heard anything about him, and if my wife, also a Spaniard, the daughter of the King of Spain, also does not know this apparently high-born nobleman, what can the First Minister’s spies add to me about him?” After all, I myself, in fact, am half Spanish by birth. But by accepting the burden of royal power, I became completely French. Agree, the King of France cannot be half Spaniard, or even a quarter, or even one thousandth. The King of France is a Frenchman and nothing else. Therefore, I am interested in the conditions that the ambassador brought us, if these conditions are favorable for us, I will accept as an ambassador either a Turk or a Zulu, but if the conditions are unacceptable, Charles II himself, the King of Spain and my father-in-law, will not force me to accept them.
“Have you already asked the Queen about this man, my son?” - asked Anna of Austria.
“I asked, and Maria Theresa, just like you, mother, had never heard this name,” Philip answered.
“Then the only way to know about him is to accept him,” replied the Queen Mother.
“I think so too, mother, and that’s what we will do,” answered Philip. “However, I ask you to refrain from speaking in Spanish during the audience.” We will be surrounded by our subjects, and if you, I and the Queen speak to the Ambassador in Spanish, our subjects may for a moment forget that we are representatives of the ruling dynasty of France, they may imagine that we have secrets from them.
“Your wife would be pleased to hear Spanish speech, my son,” answered Anna of Austria. “I, too, would be glad to hear the language in which I communicated throughout my childhood.”
“We’ll talk in Spanish someday in our little family circle, mother,” answered the King. “But in the presence of the Spanish ambassador, we must remain French.”
“I understand you, my son,” agreed the Queen Mother. — Will your wife understand your request? Will she accept it?
“She has already been warned, madam,” answered Philip. “There is complete agreement between us.”
“I didn’t expect anything else, my son,” said the Queen, but at the same time she looked very carefully into his face.

The audience was attended by all the noble persons of France, whose participation in such events was provided for by the protocol. In addition to Anna of Austria and Maria Theresa, Gaston of Orleans and his wife Henrietta, Prince of Cond;, Prince of Conti, Marshal de Gramont, Viscount de Turenne and other noble persons were also present.
When I entered the stateroom under the name of Duke d'Alameda, the Queen Mother gasped, while Philippe only looked a little more intently into my eyes.
No one expected that under this name, as the ambassador of Spain, I would be presented to Philip, the same bishop of Vannes, Monsieur d'Herblay, who, according to a number of orders of the King, was declared a state criminal. I also have not forgotten the price at which d'Artagnan and I left the Bastille. I must have had very good reasons not to appear in France, and certainly not to catch the eye of the King. But when I learned through my channels that Athos and Raoul were not only released, but also received the honor of being received by the King, who presented Athos with the sword of Henry IV, Raoul - one of the ceremonial swords of the Duke of Orleans, in addition, awarded Raoul the dignity of a count, and Athos reminded that he was not a count, but the Marquis de La Fere, and insisted that from now on he be called that way, I suspected that something was wrong here. Louis XIV could not do this to Athos and Raoul! For me this was an obvious fact. I also learned that d'Artagnan took a certain secret prisoner to the Pignerol fortress, where the most dangerous and most secret prisoners were kept. Having compared all the facts, I assumed that d'Artagnan managed to pull off the same operation that almost succeeded in me, but the consequences of which were completely eliminated by d'Artagnan himself, and he also did it in such a way that not a single living soul except me and Porthos, I didn’t guess what happened after all! Of course, I was surprised that the same d'Artagnan who had been preventing my actions suddenly decided to do it himself! This was completely out of character! It was completely unclear to me how he could pull this off! After all, he, unlike me, did not have the power of a general of the Jesuit Order! He didn't have many of the opportunities that I had. But d'Artagnan is d'Artagnan! It’s enough to remember how cunningly he pulled us out of the Bastille! It was masterly. And that's not enough! Anyone else in his place would have jumped out of the Bastille to freedom as soon as such an opportunity presented itself, but he calculated everything and realized that the guards who arrived with the King would not allow anyone to leave the Bastille without him. So, all these events - the King's attempt to starve me and him to death in the Bastille, and the news that Athos and Raoul were still left in the Bastille, obviously led to d'Artagnan deciding to act decisively and mercilessly. Thinking about it, I admired him from the bottom of my heart! It was not for nothing that we considered him the leader of our four! He could act effectively, quickly and decisively even alone! What could we accomplish if all four of us acted together? It's scary to even think about it! Assuming that Philip was sitting in Louis’s place, I decided to take a risk and appear at the French court as an ambassador. I was protected by diplomatic immunity; the King would never violate the immunity of an ambassador from a friendly country. If, in fact, Philip were sitting in Louis’s place, then the risk was justified! I would find out that secret for which you can pay dearly!
I entered the hall with the most imperturbable look.

Chapter 370

“So, Duke d'Alameda, you dared to come to France as the ambassador of Spain,” Philip said in an even voice. “Despite the striking resemblance to a man named d’Herblay, the former bishop of Vannes, who has been wanted throughout France for four years as a most dangerous state criminal.”
“External resemblance does not yet prove that this is the same person in front of you,” I answered calmly. — It happens that two people are so similar that their own mother cannot distinguish one from the other.
I noticed how Anna of Austria shuddered, after which she again carefully looked at Philip’s face.
“If you have a twin brother, then this is quite possible,” answered Philip. “But, as far as I know, d’Herblay did not have a twin brother.”
“Sometimes people think about someone that he doesn’t have a twin brother, and he thinks the same thing, but life sometimes throws us amazing surprises,” I answered.
“It’s not entirely fair to pretend to be your brother,” said Philip.
“You’re right, Your Majesty, it’s dishonest,” I agreed. — If, for example, a certain d’Herblay appeared under the name d’Alameda and began to assert: “I am not d’Herblay, I am different, and d’Herblay is my brother!”, It seems not quite decent? But no more dishonest than if, for example, some unknown d'Alameda appeared instead of d'Herblay and said that he was d'Herblay, right? It is equally dishonest to hide behind someone else’s back and claim: “It’s not really me!” or, on the contrary, put on someone else’s guise and claim: “In fact, I am him!”
This time the Queen Mother looked at me intently, then back at Philip.
“You are d’Herblay, I recognized you,” said Philippe. - This is certain. Aren't you afraid of arrest?
“I have no doubt that you knew me, since I also recognized you,” I replied. - I represent Spain, Your Majesty. All my actions should be interpreted at the present moment as the actions of Spain. If Your Majesty considers the proposals that I brought you impudence, you have the right to reject them. However, I would recommend reading them first. But even if my proposals are rejected, I enjoy immunity as the ambassador of a friendly power.
“The candidacy of the ambassador must be approved by the head of the receiving party, this is a general rule,” Philip answered. “Until now, he’s just a private person.” But you talked about some proposals. Where are they, Duke?
I took another step closer to Philip and handed him a scroll of parchment, sealed with the signature of King Charles II of Spain and his seal. After Philip took this document, I bowed and took a step back.
After skimming the document, Philip exclaimed:
- However!
After that, he read each word again and more carefully.
“The proposals you brought, Duke, fill us with optimism,” Philip finally answered. — Duke d'Alameda, you have been confirmed as Ambassador of Spain. It seems to me that Spain has finally realized that peace with France is much more important and productive for it than petty disputes.
“On behalf of the King of Spain, I express the hope that France will understand the same,” I answered with a bow.
- Let me ask you, Monsieur Duke d'Alameda, to what extent did you personally participate in the drafting of this document? - asked Philip.
“My detailed knowledge of France, its strengths and weaknesses, as well as its interests and aspirations, enabled me to take an active part in the drafting of this document,” I replied. — The most profitable proposals for France were written down from my draft.
“We appreciate the goodwill of Spain and assure you that these proposals will not go unnoticed. For its part, France will respond to Spain with reciprocal proposals that will be useful for Spain and help strengthen allied relations,” said Philip. “I ratify this proposal, as well as your credentials.”
I handed over the Spanish Ambassador's credentials, on which Philippe had signed Louis XIV's flourish.
“I believe that now Your Majesty will forgive me for that episode in the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte that took place,” I said quietly in Spanish.
“Speak French, Duke,” answered Philip. - I have no secrets from my subjects.
After these words, I looked carefully into Philip’s eyes. Philip held this look with the most serene look, after which he said in Spanish without any accent:
“The episode at the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte, as you called it, is l;se-majest;, while your actions as Ambassador of Spain are actions in the interests of France as a whole.” Therefore, it is not so important whether the King of France pardoned the Bishop of Vannes or not, for you, Duke, at the moment, much more important is the fact that I find your mediation in matters between France and Spain useful, and I remain interested in the continuation of this activity of yours and henceforth.
After these words, I was shocked and discouraged.
“Am I really mistaken, and this is Louis XIV? - I thought. “Did he suddenly become so loyal to me and my friends that he easily forgot the insults I inflicted on him, forgot his jealousy of Raoul, forgot the arrogance of Athos and the cunning of d’Artagnan in carrying out the order for the arrest of Porthos and me?”
- Tell me, Duke, has King Philip IV of Spain forgotten about his obligation to pay five hundred thousand gold crowns for the refusal of my wife Maria Theresa from hereditary rights to the throne of Spain? - asked Philip.
“Your Majesty, the King of Spain will return to consider this issue in the near future,” I replied.
- What is the reason for the delay? - asked Philip. — Was it not with the birth of the Dauphin Charles in 1661? We fear that His Majesty the King of Spain has decided that Maria Theresa's right to inherit the Spanish crown is no longer essential since there is a male heir? Is Philip IV thinking of saving the dowry for his daughter and evading the obligations fixed in the marriage contract by evading his obligations?
“I will hasten to ask this question on behalf of Your Majesty to His Majesty the King of Spain as soon as I return to Spain,” I replied. - I will convey to him your concern on this topic.
“I hope you will be successful if you take on this problem,” said Philip. - Tell me, Duke, can I count on the success of this matter if you apply all your efforts and all your talent to resolve it?
“Not all of my plans end in success, as you know, Your Majesty,” I answered. “But I cannot exclude that some of my plans may be brought to a logical and successful conclusion by other people.”
-In this case, if the idea was noble, and someone else brought it to completion, then you can be congratulated on this, because success contains some part of your work and troubles? - asked Philip.
“I sincerely hope that you are right, Your Majesty,” I replied.
“He walks along a sharp razor blade, with every word hinting to me about a matter that only the two of us present here know about! - I thought. - Or does it all just seem to me, and I see a hidden meaning in every word due to some kind of mental illness? I must find out the truth!"
“Your Majesty, thank you for your answer,” I said with a bow. - Let me present you with this small ring with a rare pink diamond, which your father-in-law, King Philip IV, asked to present to you on his own behalf. I also ask that you give me the honor of personally placing this diamond on the ring finger of Your Majesty’s left hand.
With these words, I took from my pocket an elegant box, from which I took a ring with an excellent diamond. Philip graciously extended his left hand to me.
While putting on the ring, I stole a glance at the little finger of Philip's left hand, checking to see if there was on it the mark that the King received during his abduction from the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte, and about which he himself said that looking at it, he spent his whole life will remember this l;se-majest;.
The mark that I expected to see was not on the King's left little finger. So, I realized that in front of me was not Louis, but his twin brother Philippe.
“D'Artagnan, you wiped my nose! - I thought with admiration. “Say now, my friends, that my plan was blasphemy!” After all, the most faithful of all the officers I have ever known could not stand it and refused to serve this tyrant! It was enough for him that the King encroached on the lives of his friends, and at the same time on his life as well. It was enough for me to analyze where everything was heading! I anticipated all this, dear friend!
But as soon as I thought about it, I felt ashamed. After all, my actions were the reason for the persecution that began, first against me and Porthos, and then against our friends. If I hadn’t started this mess, maybe everything would have worked out. But I immediately rejected this thought.
“It's done, gentlemen! - I thought. “Having broken an egg for an omelet, it’s too late to regret the unhatched chicken!”
- Your Majesty, may I ask you for mercy towards a certain prisoner? - I asked.
— Are you asking on your own behalf, or on behalf of Spain? - Philip asked in turn.
“On my own behalf, Your Majesty,” I replied. “I believe that there is no need to intercede on behalf of my friends: the Marquis de La F;re, the Baron du Valon, the Comte de Bragelonne and the Comte d'Artagnan?”
“You are well aware of my attitude towards these people, Duke,” answered Philip. “If you want to see them, then go to Blois, and then to Pierrefonds, there you will find your friends, except Captain d’Artagnan, who is currently carrying out an important state assignment.”
“In that case, may I ask you to forgive Monsieur Fouquet, Your Majesty?” - I asked.
“Mr. Fouquet decided his own fate, Duke,” Philip answered coldly. - This issue is closed forever.
I bowed and walked away from Philip, and soon the audience was completed.
“He's right! - I thought. - Fouquet has fallen, Fouquet is no longer a nobody, if he is given freedom now, it could kill him morally! Now he is in a castle with decent contents and considers himself a defeated hero, this elevates his self-esteem, because he is a worthy opponent of the King of France himself! If he is released, then without money, without a position, he will feel like a nonentity. I also assume that he will not find friends in Paris, that is, he will, of course, find these people, but it is unlikely that they will be friends. This would be his moral destruction. It’s better to sit in a castle and consider yourself a person equal to the King, or at least the Duke de Beaufort, than to return to Paris in complete insignificance.”

Chapter 371

The Duchess de Chevreuse once again carefully studied Raoul's appearance and was satisfied.
“Dear young man, your views on women are so naive that they threaten not only your happiness, but also, as I sadly note, your very life,” the duchess said slowly, choosing her words carefully. “If your intention to die heroically came true, I would be extremely upset.” Keep in mind that I take a very active part in your fate!
“Duchess, you are unusually kind,” replied Raoul.
“This is not simple curiosity, Viscount,” continued the Duchess. - Tell me, did the count ever tell you anything about your mother? After all, I knew her.
“The count never said anything to me on this topic, and I got used to not being interested in this question,” answered Raoul.
- How insulting! - said the duchess. “However, the count didn’t know her as well as I did.”
“In that case, will you tell me about her, Duchess?” - asked Raoul.
“It’s impossible to tell everything you know about a person in one hour or even a whole evening.” What exactly are you interested in? - asked the duchess.
“I am interested in everything that Madame deigns to tell about her, but first of all, of course, about what she was like in character, in appearance?” I often imagined her and am sure that she was kind and beautiful.
“Perhaps so,” agreed the duchess. “She may not have always acted wisely, and sometimes committed actions that she should have been ashamed of, but if she made mistakes, they were sincere, and if she brought misfortune to someone, it was involuntarily.”
“I don’t dare condemn her and don’t ask you about her shortcomings, for me she consists of only advantages,” objected Raoul.
“In that case, how do you explain the fact that the count never said anything about her?” — the Duchess smiled. “Didn’t even talk about whether he liked her or not?”
“I believe that the count’s relationship with my mother did not last long, and I always thought that my mother died very early, perhaps she died in childbirth,” said Raoul with sadness in his voice. “It was in this case that it would be difficult for the count to talk to me about her, because I became, apparently, the unwitting culprit of her death.” For this reason, I always ask the Lord to grant her heaven in heaven and forgive her all her sins, if she had any.
- Tell me, Viscount, how often did you ask the Lord for her in your prayers? - asked the touched duchess.
“So often, duchess, that I don’t even know the number,” admitted Raoul. “In all my prayers I remembered her, which means that at least once a week I asked the Lord for her.
- My dear boy! - exclaimed the Duchess. “I can’t lie to you anymore!” Know that I am your mother, and that I was extremely cruel to you because I refused to raise you with my other children! Will you forgive me?
- Oh, duchess, has God really vouchsafed me to see my mother? - Raoul exclaimed. - Let me fall into your hands?
- Hug me, my son, and forgive me for everything! - answered the duchess and opened her arms to Raoul.
“I have nothing to forgive you for, Duchess!” - Raoul said through tears. - Excuse me, can I call you mother?
- Oh, yes, of course! - exclaimed the Duchess. - But only in private. I ask you to be modest, Viscount. After all, I was not married to your father.
“Your honor will not suffer in any way from your confession, Duchess, and my respect for you will remain above all else!” - Raoul answered. “From now on, I will pray to the Lord for mercy, not for some woman I don’t know, you will always be in my thoughts, and my prayers for you will happen much more often than they were.” They will become daily.
“We should both calm down, my son, and I, as a mother, would like to talk to you about matters of the heart, which, as I know, influence your life too much, which makes me fear for you, my friend!” - said the Duchess, relieved of the awkwardness she felt in showing too much interest in the fate of the young man, without having sufficient reason for this. “Now that you know the reason for my interest in your fate, I hope you will allow me to give you some advice in an area in which the Count’s advice might not be so thorough?” The fact is that, as far as I know, the count was so inexperienced in the field of communication with women that, of course, he could not be a full-fledged mentor to such a handsome young man like you, whose happiness certainly requires finding a worthy object of love.
“Madam, I have all your attention,” Raoul answered readily.
- In private, you can call me mother, because we agreed! - answered the duchess. - However, it will be more convenient for you, my dear.
“I’m listening to you, mother, and I’ll try not to miss a single word!” - Raoul exclaimed.
“In that case, here is my opinion about what happened to you, my son.” Correct me if I’m wrong,” the duchess began her speech. - You grew up in the provinces and did not have the opportunity to get to know all kinds of representatives of the fair sex so closely as to learn to judge them correctly. For this reason, the very first pretty face made an extremely strong impression on you, and the youth of its owner made you feel the fragility and defenselessness of the object of your adoration, so you imagined yourself to be the eternal protector of this young girl. You perceived her provincial naivety as moral purity and innocence. You perceived her blond hair, pale skin, refined features and gentle girlish voice as undeniable signs that you were dealing with an angel in the flesh. If then someone had told you that this girl you idolize would rudely laugh at your feelings, bring all her innocence and beauty to the altar of a swaggering nobleman, who was not used to being refused anything, anywhere and ever, and for this reason could not to appreciate the sacrifice she would make for him, you would either not believe it or give up your feelings for her. But no one could have predicted this for you, although if I had been next to you in those days, perhaps I would have seen in her signs of this future fate. But now it’s too late to talk about it, what happened, happened. I would just like to explain to you that, contrary to your opinion that heaven itself has treated you unfairly, and that there is no fate in the world worse than yours, the truth is that for a man, disappointment in a woman is the most natural state and the most likely the result of mad love.
“Do you mean by this, mother, that there are no women in the world worthy of love?” - Raoul asked eagerly.
“I just wanted to tell you, dear son, that all women are like this, the differences between them are not so strong as to attach extreme importance to this.” If you like a woman externally, this does not mean that you would like her soul if you knew her thoroughly,” the duchess continued. “I can also say with certainty that if a woman has not attracted your attention with the beauty of her face or figure, this does not mean that the qualities of this woman’s soul do not deserve respect and love.” And although quite often the qualities of the soul and appearance are far from equally worthy of male attention, nevertheless, there are women who are worthy of a man’s attention both from their external data and from their spiritual beauty. Unfortunately, men, who tend to equate external attractiveness with spiritual perfection, often forgive beauties the most severe vices, remaining their admirers. This is the reason why there are so many beautiful monsters in the world, scoundrels with impeccable appearance, who, like vampires, suck all the juice out of men, and then abandon them, devastated and morally broken.
“Does this, Duchess, not contradict your statement that all women are essentially the same?” - asked Raoul.
“They are the same in what they can give to a man and in what they want to receive from men,” answered the duchess. - And there is no contradiction in this. But they differ in what they actually give to a man and what they demand for it. This is a big difference. In essence, moral or physical intimacy is not a necessary pleasure in life. Youth longs to receive these pleasures in one object as a gift from fate, maturity is ready to pay for them, and both make mistakes. True love is not given for free, but it is not for sale either. There are pleasures for which you can pay, there are those for which you have to pay, the latter are much more expensive. But true love is not bought with money, although it is not given to someone who cannot take care of the object of his love. No one can give you a recipe for happiness, but a good advisor can keep you from suffering the unhappiness you don't deserve. Do not strive to receive what you do not deserve, and then, perhaps, fate will reward you more than you deserve. But for this you must understand that true love, devoted, faithful, eternal, mutual, is such a rarity in the sublunary world that to expect it as a necessary component of life is insane vanity. Expecting a girl to love you sincerely and devotedly just because you love her that way means completely ignorant of life. If you decide to fall in love, you should not demand reciprocal love, since love is not a feeling that can be demanded. If you love sincerely, then you should not care whether the object of your love loves you in return or shows complete indifference to you. You are offended by life and fate only because your first and, I believe, not fully formed feeling did not find the same exact reciprocal feeling, but this is the same thing as being offended by fate because it did not make you By God. The belief that it may very well happen that being born as a God is a much more likely success than being born as a person who has known strong mutual love. If you do not accuse Fate of injustice simply because she did not make you God or King, then by what right do you challenge her for not bestowing reciprocal love? Know that truly strong and selfless, faithful and eternal mutual love will be born on earth much less often than royal persons will be born. Therefore, if you are desperate to get anything from one woman, then there is nothing stupider than despair. You should understand that trying to get from the one about whom you decided that you love her exactly what it is apparently impossible to get from any woman in the world is madness, or at least extreme vanity. And in the situation in which you find yourself, there is nothing crazier than frantically seeking death, even a heroic one, and nothing more reasonable than turning to another woman. Remember, my son, that each subsequent woman is better than all the previous ones, because, each time you gain more and more experience in communicating with them, you will no longer make the mistakes that you made before.
“You are suggesting to me, Duchess, that I give up my love and take up another subject,” Raoul said sadly. “My father advised me the same thing, and in my mind I have long understood that this advice is the best, but my heart still aches.
- At the present time, apparently, you have not yet fully enjoyed your disappointment in women as such, and in your dreams in relation to that woman who will never satisfy these dreams, and who is not worth the admiration that you harbor in regarding her,” replied the duchess. “There is pleasure in suffering, and many prefer to drink this cup to the bottom.” Thus, a lover deceived in his hopes is not able to give up his crazy dreams, just as a person with a bad tooth does not allow it to be pulled out. Well! Good morning! Continue to put your fingers into your moral wounds, continue to suffer from unrequited love and from the betrayal of your beloved, just don’t get too carried away with it, don’t push yourself to the extreme. Very soon you will get tired of this, and then you will turn to another woman even without my instructions.
“It’s difficult for me to agree with you, duchess, but I continue to listen to you carefully,” answered Raoul.
“The love of a man is not the same as the love of a woman,” continued the duchess. - A man becomes blind from his love. He does not see any shortcomings in the object of his desires, and wants to be the first with his beloved, while he wants her to admire him forever, not paying attention to other men. A woman, falling in love with a man, on the contrary, becomes an expert on the issue of the shortcomings of the object of her love, she loves these shortcomings and forgives him for them, because she firmly believes that over time she will be able to rid her man of them, making him her ideal. She loved its shortcomings, just as an experienced sculptor loves a piece of marble, which he is just beginning to work on with his tools in order to cut off all that is superfluous and make a statue with which he will be completely satisfied. A woman does not insist on being her man’s first, but wants to be his last; she does not want him to ignore other women, but she wants him, comparing her with others, to always find her the best. It is generally accepted that a man wants only one thing from a woman, but in reality he always wants too much from her, so much that almost no woman can give it to him. It is also generally accepted that a woman wants almost nothing from a man, but this is not true, she also wants extremely much from him, and, moreover, in the form of thousands and thousands of little things, from which most men simply go crazy and then run away from their lovers, escaping from them in the circle of friends or casual girlfriends. In life there is no universal recipe for being happy in love. All comedies end in marriage, all tragedies begin with weddings, because marriage is that moment when both parties mistakenly believe that they have reached the point of greatest happiness, and unfortunately, they are right, because after this point they no longer experience such happiness again. never. Just as every person born inevitably goes to his death, so every marriage inevitably develops towards its complete opposite - a form of relationship where both spouses consider each other’s society to be the worst society they know.
“You say terrible things, madam,” Raoul said sadly.
“And that’s why you no longer want to call me your mother,” the duchess nodded. “I’m trying to tell you in one evening what I should have been telling you throughout your entire life, or at least the first twenty years.”
“Forgive me, mother, I’m not used to it yet, and I’m embarrassed by your words,” answered Raoul.
“I must finish my thought,” continued the Duchess. “Louise is a provincial who will not be able to hold the King’s heart for long, so she made the wrong choice. Sooner or later this connection will be broken. It is quite possible that she will even regret that she rejected your marriage proposal, but this will no longer matter to you. We are talking about you and your happiness. To be happy, it is not enough to love, but it is also not enough to be loved. We all want this to coincide, but I don’t know of such examples in life. This does not mean, however, that it is wise to seek death just because you are not an exception to this general rule. The king, who always receives everything from anyone around him and almost at any time, wanted something new. Louise is not so ambitious and, due to her youth, is very shy and cold, which the King considered signs of the highest purity, innocence, and sinlessness. This is the reason for his hobby. He accepted the challenge and decided to win Louise. She, who has received nothing in life, wants to get everything, and the best. Naturally, she considered the best thing to be exactly what everyone around her admired, and this is the reason for her passion for the King. But their rapprochement took place, they saw in each other a simple being of the opposite sex who agreed to enter into intimacy. The delights of novelty, the feeling of happiness from possessing something that seemed impossible to possess, have already begun to fade, and this feeling of delight will very soon go away forever, and boredom will remain, occasionally interrupted by carnal pleasures, which over time will turn into a habit. Their breakup is inevitable, and this is their Destiny. Your Destiny lies elsewhere, my son, turn this page of your life and start a new one. If you're not ready to do it now, do it later. But do not throw the book of your life into the fire, because it is very premature to judge it by the first pages you read. You still have so many opportunities, my friend, a great destiny awaits you if you learn to manage it yourself. Look at Captain d'Artagnan, look at the Comte de La F;re, finally! Ask yourself the question, what would they do if there was disappointment in female love in their life? Oh, I know that your father had a similar test in his life, and even more severe, but he went through it and became who he is. I also know that fate stole his first and purest love from d'Artagnan, death snatched it from his arms, but he did not rush headlong into the bullets, he continued to valiantly serve his Motherland, remained faithful to his friends, his life full of exploits and adventures, it is meaningful and beautiful. Have you really not chosen these two great men as your guide in life, and instead behave like that pathetic immature youth from one of Shakespeare's plays, who killed himself, thinking that his beloved was dead, while she was only sleeping?? Do you want to follow this strange literary hero, or do you want to be worthy of the name and family of your glorious father?
The Duchess's last words hurt Raoul's pride.
“I believe, Duchess...” he began.
“Mother,” prompted the duchess.
- Mother, forgive me! I believe that I can prove to you that I am worthy of the honor of being the son of the Comte de La F;re!
- My son! - exclaimed the Duchess. “Now I see that you are who you were meant to be!” With God, my son! We'll see you again.
- Tell me, mother, can I ask you one more question? - asked Raoul.
“As much as you like, my son,” answered the duchess.
“The Count didn’t call me his son for a long time.” Perhaps he decided to adopt me out of pity? - asked Raoul.
“My son, know that no man can ever be sure that he is the father of those children he calls his own,” the duchess smiled. “But every woman always knows for sure that her children are her children.” So, I tell you as a mother, the Comte de La F;re is your true father, and if other women could assure you of this on the basis of the external resemblance to him that is visible at first glance, then I can assure you of this because reason that no one else can know it better than I know it. I also assure you that the Count knew from the very beginning that your mother was me, the Duchess de Chevreuse, while I... It’s difficult to explain. But in that happy moment when Fate itself brought us together so that you could be born... I still did not realize very much of what I realized later. In other words, I didn't know his name. But she knew where to look for him. So I’m happy now that I entrusted your fate to him, although then, apparently, it was not very smart on my part. The Lord guided me, not otherwise. We were not familiar enough to enter into the relationship that led to your appearance, and we were not familiar enough for me to give you to him. I am so guilty before you, my son, but the count, with his care for you, turned my guilt into merit! It's incomprehensible! Know that the count, knowing who I am, did not doubt for a second that you were his son. If he did not admit this to you, then, apparently, he had his own reasons for it. Should I condemn him? I must only admit that everything that Comte de La F;re did was correct, God himself led him along his path in life. Your father and his three friends are incomprehensible people! Their fate is the fate of France itself, their deeds are comparable to the deeds of the heroes of the Iliad, although I doubt that there will be a new Homer who will undertake the titanic labor to describe them. Be worthy of your father, remember that a true hero does not hunt for women, he saves the Fatherland, and then for such an Odysseus he will find his own Penelope, a loving and faithful wife. Embrace me, and we will part for today, since both you and I need to think about and accept the new position in which we find ourselves only now, and in which we should remain all the years of your life. Tell me again that you have forgiven your flighty mother!
- Mother! Duchess! - Raoul exclaimed. “I tell you again: I have nothing to forgive you for, I thank you for everything, and I adore you, and my first prayers to the Lord will be for you.”
The Duchess extended both hands to Raoul for a kiss, after which she hugged him and gently pushed him away with the words:
- Go, and be worthy of the Comte de La F;re, your father!
Raoul bowed and left the duchess's room.

Chapter 372

- Your Majesty, may I make an agreement with you? - asked d'Artagnan.
“You betrayed my trust, so I don’t intend to conduct any negotiations with you, d’Artagnan,” replied Louis. - And how can I trust you, even if we assume that we have concluded some kind of agreement?
“You are right, Your Majesty, but not completely, as is always the case with any categorical position,” answered d’Artagnan. - An agreement can be terminated if, during its execution, such features of it are revealed that would lead to the fact that one of the parties would not have concluded this agreement if at the time of its conclusion such features of its execution were assumed. Having entered Your Majesty's service, I never imagined that I would be ordered to exterminate all my friends, all those whom I value on this earth. Therefore, I unilaterally terminated my contract with you. I don't serve you anymore. At the same time, you are right that you cannot trust me, just as I cannot trust you. A situation of mutual distrust should exclude any communication between us, but we communicate. And let me remind you that any contract is fulfilled only as long as each party has enough means to force the other party to fulfill its obligations. This is a very important caveat. Any peace treaty between any two states is valid as long as peace is beneficial to both parties who entered into this treaty.
- In that case, what are the contracts for? - asked Louis.
“The treaty is just a line along which the final action will be carried out in the future, a guideline, and nothing more,” answered d’Artagnan. — The carpenter draws a line with a nail or lead on the board in the place where he intends to saw off. The peasant draws a line on the ground with a stick to mark the location of the future bed or plot. The mason stretches the string where he will place the stones for the new foundation. States establish in treaties the boundaries within which they are in good neighborly relations, as long as neither party violates these boundaries, until one of the parties decides that it is high time for it to stop taking into account this imaginary line about which the other side imagined that it meant something. No land survey is final as long as states develop unevenly, but without land survey it would be completely impossible to exist, then peace would not come even for one hour.
“You didn’t answer the question,” Louis reminded.
“I answer it, Your Majesty,” continued d’Artagnan. “Our agreement should not be taken too seriously.” From it we will not learn about what each of us will and will not do. But with its help we can agree on what each of us will intend to do, or will pretend to intend to do, will also intend not to do, or will pretend not to do it.
“Complicated, confusing, meaningless,” replied Louis.
“I’ll give you an example, Your Majesty,” said d’Artagnan. — Suppose a robber attacks you and offers you a choice: “Trick or treat?” He means that you have a choice - either give up your wallet voluntarily, or give up your life. Which would you choose?
- Wallet, of course! - Louis answered.
- Regardless of how much money you have on you? - asked d'Artagnan.
“In any case, life is more valuable,” replied Louis.
“Have you not noticed that by asking you to make a choice, the robber is deceiving you, and at the same time he is only allowing you to think that you still hold your destiny in your hands?” - asked d'Artagnan. “You will answer: “Take the wallet, save my life,” but this will be self-deception.
- Why? - Louis was surprised.
“The robber will take all your money in any case,” answered d’Artagnan. - After all, if for some reason you chose to give your life, this would not save your wallet either for you or your heirs. The robber would still have taken it from you, living or dead. It turns out that the robber is essentially asking you: “Would you prefer that I take your wallet while you are alive, or only after I kill you?” That is, your wallet will go to him in any case, he just asks you whether you want to stay alive or are you ready to die?
“And yet he offers a choice!” - Louis objected.
- If a robber asks whether you would like to stay alive or whether you would prefer to be killed, do you call it a choice? - D'Artagnan objected with a grin. “Whether he will kill you or not, it does not depend at all on your answer, but on what tactics he chose to evade retribution.” If the robber is wearing a mask, you can hope that he assumes that one of the people he robbed will remain alive. If the robber does not wear a mask, therefore, he will not allow those whom he robs to escape alive, so his dialogues with those whom he robs have only one goal: to make it easier for him to carry out his plan. If at any stage he requires obedience, he convinces you that he does not intend to rob you, you take this statement at face value and make it easier for him to act. If he immediately made it clear that he intended to kill you, you would resist to the last, which could cost him dearly. Moreover, in some cases those who are attacked by robbers manage to escape.
“You have now convinced me that negotiations with robbers are pointless and even harmful,” Louis said coldly.
“But I’m not a robber, I’m just protecting myself and my friends,” d’Artagnan objected.
“The robber can also justify himself by the fact that he is just getting food for his family, so he can also be presented as a defender of the disadvantaged and a champion of justice,” said Louis.
—Where does Your Majesty get such diverse views on these things? - D'Artagnan was surprised.
“Once, out of boredom, I leafed through an old book with Flemish legends,” replied Louis.
“So, I am a robber, and any negotiations or agreements with me are pointless,” concluded d’Artagnan. - Well, I accept this position. Although we could agree on something interesting for both you and me. But if you do not wish to discuss any agreements, I will remain silent.
Louis realized that he had rejected something that he had not even bothered to find out about, and that this might be a mistake. He wanted to immediately say that he, in any case, was ready to listen to d'Artagnan's proposal, but this would have been an admission of his moral defeat; he did not want to agree to such ideological capitulation.
D'Artagnan deliberately drove Louis into this moral impasse, after which he mercifully opened a moral loophole for him by starting a conversation with Francois.
“Fran;ois, what do you think, if our august prisoner ends up in Pignerol, he will apparently never have a chance to get out of there?” he asked.
“I think the chances of this happening are negligible,” answered Francois.
“I think exactly the same,” agreed d’Artagnan.
There was a painful silence.
- But this is not at all profitable for us! - said d'Artagnan as if after much thought. “Who knows if the one who has now taken the place of the King will not turn out to be an even worse King?” If not now, not immediately, but over time? Will we regret what we did?
“This cannot be ruled out, because you can’t look into a person’s soul, and people change over time,” answered Francois.
“It would be much better to leave our prisoner where we ourselves, in any case, could visit him, and, if necessary, release him,” said d’Artagnan. “Even if we didn’t need this, the very knowledge that we can do this at any moment would be a good reassurance, because this is our guarantee against betrayal and arbitrariness on the part of a person whose secret we know!”
- Do you think this option will help us? - asked Francois. “It seems to me that His Majesty will never forgive us for what we did to him.”
“All this is true, of course, but even that new King will probably never forgive us for knowing his secret, so our lives are still under threat,” answered d’Artagnan. “After all, His Majesty hunted d’Herblay for three years, I believe, not only to punish him, although this could also be a sufficient reason.” It was much more important to prevent forever any possibility of an attempt to repeat this conspiracy. That is why all of us who were in any way involved in friendship with d'Herblay were included in the list of enemies. You ended up on this list by accident, by force of circumstances, but now you are in the same boat with us. So I say: the same reasons that made us all undesirable citizens in the eyes of His Majesty King Louis XIV, they now make us undesirable citizens in the eyes of the one who pretends to be His Majesty King Louis XIV.
- Some kind of vicious circle! - answered Francois.
“And I’m talking about the same thing,” agreed d’Artagnan. - No agreement with Philip on the throne of Louis can be final; it can be violated at any moment by those who consider that it has become too burdensome for him. It will be equally difficult for us to come to an agreement with Philip, since we pose a threat to him, as well as with His Majesty Louis, for whom we not only represented this threat, but also carried it out. But if we cannot offer Philip anything in exchange for a good agreement, then we have something to offer His Majesty.
“Exactly right,” agreed Francois.
“So in the current circumstances it would be easier for us to come to an agreement with the real King than with the impostor,” concluded d’Artagnan. - The only thing that stops me is that we can’t exchange one for another every day, depending on which of them promises us better conditions!
“It would be too burdensome and very dangerous!” - Francois agreed.
“Until now, Philip is still fulfilling his obligations towards us, we have nothing to complain about, so I would not use the opportunity that we have now, but who knows what will happen in the future? - said d'Artagnan.
“There’s no way to know that,” admitted Fran;ois.
“You see, son, I have been given orders to take His Majesty to the castle of Pignerol and convey it to Monsieur de Saint-Mars, so that he will place him in the castle, lock him up, and never release him,” said d’Artagnan. - After all, I will have to carry out this order and report on its implementation to the one whom everyone now calls the King of France.
At these words, Louis’s face distorted into a grimace of annoyance.
“If we put him in some other place that he could not leave on his own, but from which, unlike Pignerol Castle, we could release him if the need arose, that would be ideal!” - said d'Artagnan. “It is true that we would need to hand over some prisoner to de Saint-Mars, but how many rabble are there on the streets of Pignerol - night robbers, robbers and rapists, whom it would not be a pity to put in prison? You and I would not stain our hands with complicity in the lifelong imprisonment of His Majesty the King of France. Think about it, Francois, son! We could perhaps, sometime in the future, reconcile with our good King and return him to the throne? In any case, if Philip proves his complete failure by his actions. But it may also be that he will simply get sick and die. After all, this happens, you know, Francois! And if at this moment we managed to replace the seriously ill Philip with a completely healthy Louis, we would save France from troubles, because Philip of Orleans is completely incapable of ruling the monarchy, and the Dauphin is still too weak! If His Majesty agreed to listen to our proposals, he would have a chance to return to the throne, lead the state again, see his wife again, his son and two daughters, and even, perhaps, give birth to more children according to the glory of the august Bourbon dynasty. By the way, I have nothing against meetings between our august captive and one of the Princess’s ladies-in-waiting, or even with the Princess herself. What do we care about these things? We only need one thing - to be left alone, so that they don’t try to kill us, us and our good friends. Moreover, I have some objection to placing any of us in a Bastille or other castle or prison of any status. I prefer freedom.
“A perfectly reasonable choice,” agreed Fran;ois.
“I would like to talk approximately about this with our most august prisoner, His Majesty Louis, who from the very time we leave him in Pignerol, no one will ever call him that, but will only be called the prisoner of Marciali,” said d’Artagnan. - Well, the conversation didn’t take place, nothing can be done!
- Wait, Captain d'Artagnan! - Louis suddenly said. - Don't rush to conclusions. I, of course, have no reason to trust you, but this does not mean that we cannot negotiate. After all, you can, in the end, get some guarantees that neither you nor your friends will be persecuted in all of France, unless, of course, you commit new crimes.
“Yes, I thought about it, Your Majesty,” d’Artagnan agreed. “If my friends agreed to leave France and settle somewhere in another country, it is advisable that Your Majesty would not know exactly which country, and if we could first withdraw there the capital that would allow us to retire peacefully, stop chasing after every pistole or louis d'or, perhaps grounds for an agreement could arise. In any case, if the current monarch begins to shirk his obligations, we would have an escape route. Such an agreement could be useful to us. A bad peace is better than a good quarrel, and it would be better for us to be reconciled with His Majesty than to part as enemies forever.
“What a cunning man you are, d’Artagnan!” - exclaimed Louis.
“In the position of captain of the royal musketeers, Your Majesty does not play fools,” answered d’Artagnan.
- After everything you did to me, you still demand from me a good attitude towards you and some guarantees for the future! - Louis said with annoyance.
“I don’t demand anything from you, but only point out the possible course of our thoughts, and also that for us, after mature reflection, it is just as unprofitable for us to place you in Pignerol as it is for you, Your Majesty!” - answered d'Artagnan.

Chapter 373

“I have found an excellent place for you, Your Majesty,” said d’Artagnan. — This is L;rins Abbey. It is located on the island of Saint-Honorat. Wonderful southern sea air, a great place to maintain a healthy lifestyle and renounce worldly worries! I would settle there myself if I had an inclination towards the lifestyle of holy people.
- Do you intend to tonsure me as a monk?! - Louis exclaimed with anger. - What baseness!
“I have no intention of doing what you suspect me of, Your Majesty,” objected d’Artagnan. — To live in a monastery, it is not at all necessary to be a monk and take monastic vows. You will live there as a temporary novice.
— Temporarily? - Louis asked doubtfully. — How temporary? When will this very time end?
“Perhaps never, or perhaps in less than a year,” answered d’Artagnan. “You will not be bound by your word, you will be able to attempt to escape, I will not bind you to any promises.” I will simply take my measures to ensure that your stay in this abbey does not threaten the peace of the monarchy, but at the same time does not cause you too much concern.
“In your offer there is no choice for me, just as there is no choice in the offer to choose “Trick or treat”, which the robber offers,” Louis replied. — A monastery is better than a prison. Prison is death. I choose life.
“Very reasonable, Your Majesty,” replied d’Artagnan. - Believe me, if I put the Royalty in prison, I would not forgive myself for this for the rest of my life! But taking the King to the abbey is a completely divine thing. Could you, Your Majesty, in order for me to consider our agreement concluded, simply order me to take you to L;rins Abbey? In this case, we could consider that throughout this trip I am carrying out your orders and also providing your security. Regarding my second duty, I hope you have no complaints, because you are alive, despite the fact that an attempt was made on you! My request to put on an iron mask when leaving the carriage saved your life. So I flatter myself that I am doing a good job of protecting you so far. If I cope with this task poorly, you will be able to present your claims to me, unfortunately, not in this world, but in the next.
- You are a scoundrel and a scoundrel, Mr. Captain! - exclaimed Louis. “But so that you don’t get the impression that you can never agree on anything with me, so be it, I command you to take me to L;rins Abbey.” Are you satisfied?
- I'm happy, Your Majesty! - answered d'Artagnan. “And since I will not take you to the Pignerol fortress to de Saint-Mars, you can tell me whether I guessed what order was given to de Saint-Mars, my former quartermaster, and even earlier, a comrade in arms during his service with Captain de Saint-Mars.” Treville, and now the commandant of the Pignerol fortress.
“I can tell you, but I won’t do it,” Louis replied.
“Well, then I guessed right,” said d’Artagnan.

“Soon we will arrive at the Hotel Two Pistols, ” said d’Artagnan. “We’ll stay there for the night.” During the day it is simply a tavern, but guests stay there at night. It is located very conveniently, I noticed this during three trips to Pinerol and back. Travelers heading towards Pignerol simply must stop by. So I expect an ambush against us here. Its location from the Nimble Hare hotel is just such that after one day of travel our motorcade will arrive at the Two Pistols hotel at the beginning of twilight.
— Are we staying at this hotel? - asked Francois.
“Our decision to do just that would be too natural,” answered d’Artagnan. “We are being persecuted by people who are extremely intolerant towards us. They use methods that are completely unacceptable for decent people operating in peacetime. I understand shooting from an ambush at the enemy during war. But we are peaceful travelers.
“ Our peacefulness is proven by an escort of twenty musketeers, ” Francois answered with a laugh.
- Exactly! - D'Artagnan answered without a hint of a smile. “Scoundrels sneak in the darkness, honest people ride openly in the light, with pistols in holsters and swords in sheaths.” Anyone understands that you should not mess with us; it could end tragically for those who decide to do so. This is precisely what our peacefulness consists of. We don't attack. They will attack us. Inevitably, in this case, the attackers have an advantage; with the first salvo they can kill anyone they hit. For this purpose, our escort consists of twenty musketeers - to punish those responsible for the death of innocent guards.
“Before the attack begins, are we simply targets?” - asked Francois.
“This is the always fate of those who are on the side of goodness and peace,” answered d’Artagnan. “First they will treacherously attack us, without declaring war, from around the corner, taking advantage of their advantage of surprise. Then we will respond with an unbreakable blow of retaliation.
“But our losses will be great and painful!” - exclaimed Francois.
“Such is the fate of the military,” answered d’Artagnan. “The musketeer convoy, with its lives, ensures the protection of the person being escorted, without even knowing that we are carrying the King of France.
“That’s fair,” Louis agreed. “It is their duty to give their lives for me.”
“Their duty, as well as ours, is to protect your life by all means,” d’Artagnan clarified. “It is not our duty to die for you or in your name, Your Majesty.” Now, if we do not save our lives by doing what we must, this is already the cost of the profession. No one can blame a soldier who died in the performance of his duty for failure to perform his duty.
“It’s basically the same thing,” Louis replied.
“Only for you, but not for us, and not for those who guard you,” objected d’Artagnan. “We will do our duty regardless of danger, but we will not look for danger, and we will try with all our might to reduce it or avoid it altogether.” Within the limits of what is achievable. Therefore, we take risks, but we do not expose ourselves to bullets just like that, out of bragging. We do not seek death, we simply do not run away from it, and it sometimes respects the brave and leaves them alive. In any case, my life experience does not refute this assumption. So, we assume that we are decent people, so we will not shoot every suspicious person. We also assume that they are scoundrels, so they will definitely shoot at us from an ambush. Considering that there are more than seven times more of us than them, this attack is a desperate attempt by the scoundrels to prevent us from fulfilling our duty. Such actions are taken only by desperate or desperate people, who also have extreme accuracy and the ability to hide from persecution, or who do not value their lives at all. We had the pleasure of making sure that the lady leading this trio of scoundrels shoots very accurately, she values her life, since they all quickly retreated, leaving their comrade to the mercy of fate. From this we can conclude that she does not value the life of a guardsman who is not her husband. She can frame one so that the other two can be saved in order to achieve her goal.
“Yes, that’s exactly how it is,” agreed Francois.
“We have only one path - to catch them and punish them, since I do not consider or discuss such a path as running away from them like hares,” continued d’Artagnan. “I wouldn’t run away even if there were three times as many of them as there were of us.” It would be nice to get ahead of them, not allowing them to strike first, but at the same time not kill, because we are decent people and do not kill first! Since they shot at our prisoner, their main goal seemed to be to kill him. They tried to fire four muskets from two different places, therefore their intention was also to kill me and you, my son. It is unlikely that their target could be simple musketeers from the guards. Most likely, they did not abandon their intentions and changed weapons. So we will be ambushed by three of them, each of them may have several pistols, which they will use without warning. What would you suggest in this situation, Francois?
- Forward, towards danger, a thousand devils! - exclaimed Francois.
“Your good mother could not knock the Gascon spirit out of you, despite all her pedagogical efforts,” answered a satisfied d’Artagnan. “I would have answered the same way at your age.” The voice of blood in you, my son, is stronger than a woman’s upbringing, which I am terribly glad about. But, as they say, the young man who doesn’t want to change everything he doesn’t like is bad, and the person with experience who hasn’t gotten this idea out of his head is stupid. We will, of course, risk our heads, but we will risk the heads of our attackers even more. Your Majesty, we will order our brave musketeers to carry you to the hotel on a stretcher. You have to be a complete fool and a scoundrel at the same time to shoot a wounded man who cannot move on his own. The iron mask will protect Your Majesty's head, I believe that will be enough. You and I, Francois, will put on the chain mail that is under the seat of my carriage, as if especially for this occasion.
- Give me the chain mail too! - Louis objected. “You have no right to risk the life of your King like that, knowing that an attempt may be made on his life.”
“I have only two chain mail, Your Majesty,” said d’Artagnan. “Besides, chain mail may not protect against a pistol bullet, depending on your luck.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Louis replied. “You must give me the best means of defense, I am your King, despite the monstrous crime that you committed against me, I do not recognize its results.”
“Put on both chain mail, Your Majesty, and also the iron mask, lie down on the stretcher,” answered d’Artagnan.
“Why don’t I just stay in the carriage?” - asked Louis.
“The robbers will understand that since we did not turn back, therefore, the one we are escorting is alive,” explained d’Artagnan. “They may assume that this person is hiding in the carriage, so there is a high chance that they will attack the carriage, they may even throw a bomb at it.” If they see a man on a stretcher who is not moving too much, they will consider him easy prey and will not try to kill him. This is the ABC of military operations.
“Give me both chain mail and a mask, and I’ll lie down on the stretcher,” Louis said quickly.
- Francois, you will impersonate me, and I will overtake you again and take a closer look at what’s what. When you arrive at the hotel, just slow down and take a closer look. If the horizon is clear, I will meet you at the hotel. If I don't see you, drive past as soon as possible. Don't worry about me, if I stay alive, I'll catch up with you.
 
Chapter 374

D'Artagnan rushed towards the Hotel Two Pistols at dusk, ignoring the danger of an ambush on the road. He decided that Colbert’s robbers would not attack the carriage, accompanied by twenty musketeers, so they would certainly ambush him in the hotel itself.
Closer to the hotel, d'Artagnan dismounted and tied his horse to the fence of a small courtyard. Since he had stayed at the Two Pistols Hotel several times already, he perfectly remembered the layout of the courtyard, and also made a plan on how to surprise those who decided to ambush there. He secretly made his way behind enemy lines and noticed where the guardsman d'Elsorte was hiding, and also where de Trabuson was lying in ambush. But he could not find Olivia hiding anywhere, and it was she who he considered the most dangerous shooter, since she very accurately hit the head of the King, who, fortunately, was wearing an iron mask.
D'Artagnan could have easily shot two enemies, after which, presumably, Olivia would have given herself away. But he considered shooting in the back meanness. However, something had to be done! It was impossible to risk the life of the King, even if he had been dethroned!
He also did not like to expose himself to shots from hidden enemies.
“If I could crush both scoundrels’ right hands with two bullets, the threat of shots from an ambush would be reduced threefold, ” thought d’Artagnan. “Maybe the lady would have shown up for the shot, then I would have simply taken them prisoner!” I’ll probably hit Trabuson’s hand, but the second one is positioned in such a way that I could easily kill him, but that’s not part of my plans, and there’s no point in trying to wound him in the right hand, I can’t see his hands from this position! Captain de Trabuson is on the right. If I shoot him in the arm, he will scream, and then perhaps the guardsman will instinctively turn in his direction to see what happened. Then I’ll have a chance to shoot this friend’s right claw too! True, I will have to wait until he turns around, and at that moment Madame Olivia herself, who, perhaps, is hiding somewhere behind me, instead of looking at the wounded man, will simply put a bullet in the back of my head! Well, at least I'm taking more risks than these two, who, in the worst case scenario, are in danger of losing a couple of fingers. And Madame Olivia will generally remain unpunished as the murderer of Charles d'Artagnan. The only consolation is that no one will dare to call my actions dishonorable. I don't care what others think! The main thing is that I myself do not protest against such an action; I do not find any meanness in it. Madame Olivia, I will give you a chance to get even with me, because you are damn well hidden, and I have no idea where exactly! Is it decided?
D'Artagnan thought for a moment. He did not smile at the idea, the result of which could be such an inglorious death.
"Stop! - he thought. “If the lady had hidden herself perfectly somewhere behind the men, she might have been behind me.” But in this case, she should have already noticed me, and then she would have already shot. Undoubtedly, they planned to kill us, and her delay is in no way explainable. Since she didn't shoot, it means she's not in ambush behind me. And then where? At the hotel? In case those in the ambush miss? After all, then we will try to hide in the hotel, and then she will not miss! Logical, but I don’t like something about this idea! How would I proceed? No, that won’t do, because I’m not her, and she’s not me! You have to imagine yourself as this lady and think about how she would act!”
And then it dawned on d’Artagnan.
“This scoundrel has disguised herself, perhaps as a beggar, an old woman, or a nun, in a word, one who hides her face under a hood or a wide-brimmed hat,” d’Artagnan guessed. “She’s waiting for us on the road to give a signal to those in ambush.” If she does not know how to whistle, she will crow an owl, or a cuckoo, or a rooster, or make some other signal, at which the two in ambush will cock their guns and point their guns at the road leading to the hotel. Let's check!"
D'Artagnan was not only a brave warrior and a wise military leader, he was also a cunning adventurer, he knew how to pretend to be something other than what he really was. If I haven’t noted this trait of his anywhere before, it means I simply forgot to mention it. He sneaked into the hotel through the back door and quietly called the owner.
“Paul, my dear, prepare to receive two dozen guests in half an hour or so,” he said. — By the way, shouldn’t you move those three – two guardsmen and a lady – from the first floor to the second?
Since Paul hesitated, d'Artagnan realized that he had guessed right; these three were indeed staying at the hotel and chose rooms on the first floor so that, if necessary, they could retreat through the windows.
“I didn’t want to upset you, Paul, my friend,” continued d’Artagnan. - These guys are not clean. That's why they stopped on the first floor. To escape through the window without paying you. And you also lent this lady your wife’s clothes and an expensive wide-brimmed hat!
“She asked me for such a hat, but where did I get it from?” - answered the puzzled Paul. “But she borrowed a monk’s cape with a hood that she found in my wardrobe.” These are my cousin's clothes.
“Well, I’m afraid she won’t return it to you,” said d’Artagnan. - This lady is dishonest. But I will catch her. To do this, I will have to use her own method. Time is running out, bring me a chef’s hat, an apron and a larger ladle. I will bring her to you, so that you can return both your clothes and the payment due to you for your stay. And so that you have no doubt, I will leave you my sword for safekeeping, be careful, it costs an incredible amount of money, since it was given to me personally by His Eminence Cardinal Mazarin! And also bring me a bigger pan lid. I'll also take this shirt. And quickly bring me a quick, live chicken! I buy it from you, and give a whole pistol for it!
The owner instantly realized his benefit and after a couple of minutes everything required was in front of d'Artagnan, and the owner helpfully held the chicken in his hands while d'Artagnan performed his transformation.
Instantly throwing a loose shirt over his uniform, girding himself with a chef's apron, smeared flour on his face and became completely unrecognizable. One of his cooks appeared before the astonished owner. Then d'Artagnan took a huge ladle in his left hand, held the lid of the pan under his armpit, and in his right hand took the chicken by the paws, not paying attention to her protests, and quickly ran out of the hotel through the central passage.
Having run with her past the guardsmen holed up in the bushes, he ran out onto the road and turned left, where, according to his calculations, Madame Olivia was supposed to be walking while waiting for the motorcade.
As d'Artagnan had expected, Olivia was looking at the road from where the cortege was supposed to arrive, so her back was to him, but she was alert, and he would not have been able to sneak up on her unnoticed if not for his cunning plan. Seeing Olivia, he threw the chicken forcefully towards her, and then screamed in a voice that was not his own.
- Stop! Where are you going? - he shouted. - Holy Father! Stop her! This chicken cost me a pretty penny, and now she's trying to escape! Catch her, I'm coming to you!
Olivia, who was pretending to be a monk, was confused. She didn’t want to reveal her incognito identity, but it was awkward to pretend that nothing was happening. The situation with the cook, who is chasing a chicken that escaped from him, made her laugh, but this whole comedy did not arouse any suspicion in her. The road was still empty, so Olivia decided that it would be wiser to help the cook capture the fugitive than to allow the capture to continue, which might prevent her from continuing to monitor the road.
She bent down to catch the chicken, and at that moment received a strong blow to the head with a ladle, as a result of which she fell unconscious.
- The chicken is ready, now it’s time to take care of the cockerels! - D'Artagnan noted to himself.
Taking advantage of the fact that the guards could not see Olivia because of the bushes, he decided to mislead them about the situation.
“It’s a pity that you don’t want to help me, Holy Father!” - D'Artagnan shouted loudly, so that the guards could hear him. - Well, let her run away! I'm a cook, not some boy! I don't have to catch your chickens, sir!
With these words, he turned around and, cursing in every possible way all the chickens and their owners, proceeded towards the entrance to the hotel. Having caught up with the guardsmen who had taken refuge in the bushes, he feigned even greater anger.
- Damn it, this culinary art, here in this outback! - he shouted. - Master! I'm quitting! Take your pots and ladles!
At the same moment he threw the ladle into the place where, as he noticed, de Trabuson had sat down, and threw the lid of the saucepan to where d'Elsorte was hiding.
Immediately he heard loud sounds of blows, followed by cursing and cursing from those he hit.
— A duck is shot flying, but a wild boar is shot by sound! - said d'Artagnan.
At the same time, he abruptly grabbed two pistols from his belt and, spreading his arms to the sides, was about to shoot, but changed his mind and sharply jumped back. Two shots were heard from the bush to his right and two bullets cut off two branches from the lilac bush on the opposite side. Immediately after the shot, a scream was heard from the bush to the left, and then a groan.
“Well, one boar seems to have pierced the other’s side,” noted d’Artagnan. “Now the one on the right has unloaded pistols, and the one on the left is more concerned about his wound than about me.”
D'Artagnan quickly rushed behind a bush on the right, where D'Elsorte was located, who was on his left at the time when he was observing both from the rear. D'Elsorte now only had two unloaded pistols left; d'Artagnan did not give him time to reload the weapon.
- Surrender, D'Elsorte, if you want to live! - he shouted. - Or I will immediately send two bullets there, into the bushes where you are hiding! Throw your pistols here at me and come out with your hands raised, I count to three and shoot!
- Don't shoot! - D'Elsorte shouted. - I give up!
Two pistols flew out of the bushes and fell at d'Artagnan's feet, after which the unlucky guardsman climbed out from there.
“Give me the word of a nobleman that you will not attack me from behind, I need to examine de Trabuson, who was wounded by you,” said d’Artagnan.
“I give you my word as a nobleman that I have surrendered and will not attack you from behind,” said D’Elsorte.
"Devil! - thought d'Artagnan. “We should have sent D’Elsorte to examine that scoundrel Trabuson!” After all, he will shoot something good at me! “Okay, now it’s done.”
- Listen, Trabuson! - D'Artagnan shouted. - You are left alone, and you seem to be wounded! Don't you dare shoot at me. If you do such a stupid thing, twenty of my musketeers will arrive here in half an hour and turn you into mince for a cutlet. Give up!
“I give up,” replied Didier de Trabuson.
“Very well, then throw your pistols here,” said d’Artagnan.
“I won’t be kind, my arm is broken,” Trabuson answered with a groan.
“In that case, fire two shots into the ground,” suggested d’Artagnan, prudently going behind a tree.
“I agree,” said de Trabuson.
Two shots rang out, d'Artagnan headed towards the defeated de Trabuson.
- You, buddy, are not doing so bad! - D'Artagnan noted, approaching de Trabuson. - A through wound in the left shoulder, nothing, you will soon recover from it. The right hand is not affected; you might well have shot me if I had not demanded that you unload your pistols. Why are you lying there? You can stand up just fine. Come on, I'll help you.
D'Artagnan bent down to help de Trabuson up, and at that very moment a shot rang out, and a bullet knocked his hat off his head, so that if the Gascon had not bent down a moment before, he would have been shot in the head.
- Scoundrel! - d'Artagnan roared and the wild beast overtook d'Elsorte in two leaps and knocked him to the ground.
- Nonentity! - he exclaimed. - Vile traitor! After all, you gave your word as a nobleman!
“There is no need to stand on ceremony with enemies,” d’Elsorte croaked.
- Well, good advice! - answered d'Artagnan and struck d'Elsorte with his fist on the jaw. - Scoundrel! You disgrace the name of a nobleman! I'll shoot off both your ears!
At that very moment, d'Artagnan felt something very similar to the barrel of a musket rest against his back, right in front of his heart.
“Put the gun down slowly, captain, otherwise these will be the last words you hear in your life,” a female voice said insistently.
- Crap! Crap! Crap! Olivia! - said d'Artagnan. “I hit this beast too weakly on her devilish head!”
- Gun on the ground! - Olivia repeated.
- No one will ever speak in such a tone to d'Artagnan! - D'Artagnan objected. - If you want to shoot, shoot! This means that it was destined for me to be killed at the hands of an evil beauty. The Lord took trouble away from me twice, the third will be fatal. But d'Artagnan does not admit defeat when it comes to punishing the perjurer!
“Well, the choice is yours,” Olivia said coldly and pulled the trigger.
A shot rang out.

Chapter 375

I know it's rude to kick a lady with your boot. But I didn’t have time to do anything differently. After all, it would be even more ugly to blow her brains out with one shot. And I really don’t like to be indelicate with ladies, even with those that I absolutely don’t like.
Therefore, I figured that I would have time to prevent trouble, but it was, perhaps, too imprudent, because if I was one moment late, I would not have forgiven myself for this for the rest of my life. However, the Lord helps his faithful servants! I managed to kick Madame Olivia de Trabucon just at the moment when she was about to shoot d'Artagnan, so that the shot rang out even as her hand shot up, and the bullet could only harm a blackbird flying past, if it had the misfortune to cross its trajectory.
D'Artagnan did not keep himself waiting, he immediately jumped up and grabbed Olivia by both hands, and only after that did he bother to look who saved him.
- Aramis! - he exclaimed. - You couldn’t come at a better time! I missed you every minute, but these five seconds incredibly aggravated my longing for my true friends! What is your destiny here?
“I’ll tell you everything, but not in front of these people!” - I answered. “It will be enough to say that I know everything, and calculated the danger you were in, after that I set off in pursuit of you and thank the Lord that I was not late.” D'Artagnan, next time you decide to die at the hands of a woman, choose a redhead.
- What the hell? - D'Artagnan asked with a laugh.
“Because you already had a blonde and a brunette,” I answered. - Monotony will get boring for anyone.
- Laugh at me as much as you want, Aramis, today I am in your debt! - answered d'Artagnan.
“Not at all,” I objected. “Today I just repaid your debt for that incident, remember, when the Duke of Marcillac and his people would have killed me if they had not mistaken themselves and mistook you for me, and when they realized their mistake, they left you alone.”
“If Fran;ois La Rochefoucauld had known how close you were to him, he and his men would have finished off both me and you,” answered d’Artagnan. “But he would pay a good price for it.” We would have taken at least a couple of his people with us to the next world.
- No, we would have grabbed him himself, I won’t agree to anything less! - I answered. - What are we going to do with these?
“First, let’s tie them up, all three of them,” said d’Artagnan. “You don’t have to stand on ceremony with this D’Elsorte.” If you accidentally cut off both his ears, the Lord will forgive you. This is not just a prisoner, this is a scoundrel who gave the nobleman his word that he would surrender and would not attack me, after which he shot me in the back.
- Scoundrel! - I exclaimed. “And it looks like he can’t shoot?”
“It’s hard to blame him for this shortcoming; I simply bent down at the very moment of his shot to help the wounded,” answered d’Artagnan.
“So he not only broke the nobleman’s word, he also shot at you while you were tending to the wounded man, his comrade?” - I was indignant. “We won’t cut off his ears.” I'll offer you something better. By the way, your people are already on their way!
Indeed, we heard the clatter of hooves and soon a cortege of twenty musketeers and a carriage carrying Louis appeared around the bend.
D'Artagnan took off his chef's hat and waved it. The musketeers recognized their boss and the motorcade drove into a small courtyard at the hotel. We handed over the prisoners to the musketeers.
“These scoundrels ambushed us,” said d’Artagnan. “In the name of the King, I will arrest all three.” Tie them tightly and guard them so that they do not even think about escaping.
We proceeded to the hotel, d'Artagnan introduced me to his son, Francois.
- Glad to meet you, young man! - I exclaimed with sincere joy. “It turns out that not only Athos has a son, but our dear d’Artagnan too!” You know, Francois, you are remarkably similar to your father. If d'Artagnan had not told me that you were his son, I would probably have suspected it based on your appearance alone. After all, you are the spitting image of d'Artagnan at the time when, during the time of Cardinal Richelieu and King Louis XIII, he arrived in Paris to make a career in it. And he succeeded brilliantly! I wish you the same success, Francois.
“Thank you, monsignor,” replied Fran;ois.
“My friend,” d’Artagnan whispered to me. - I have every reason to believe that our glorious Porthos is not childless, as far as you are concerned...
“By the way, what are you going to do with your prisoner?” - I interrupted him.
“I will place him in the best rooms of this hotel and order him the best dinner that can be obtained in this outback,” answered d’Artagnan, pretending that he did not notice how I had gone off topic. - Francois, my dear, make sure that everything is at the highest level.
Francois nodded and went to the owner to arrange for the King to be placed in the best rooms.
“You’re not really going to take him to Pignerol, are you?” - I asked d'Artagnan when we were alone.
“This is the King’s order,” answered d’Artagnan.
“My dear Charles,” I said. - When I said that I know everything, I meant absolutely everything.
“The order of the one whom everyone considers the King,” d’Artagnan whispered in my ear.
“If you put him in Pignerol, no one will be able to get him out of there, no matter how much you want it,” I whispered back to him. - And such a need may arise.
“You’re right, Aramis,” agreed d’Artagnan. - I've already thought about this. “I would prefer to take him secretly to the L;rins Abbey on the island of Saint-Honorat.”
- Well, take him there! - I answered.
“I must take him to Pignerol and leave him there, otherwise I will lose the trust of the one on whom so much in France depends in the near future,” said d’Artagnan.
“Remember when I told you I came up with something better?” - I reminded.
- Brilliant, Aramis! - D'Artagnan exclaimed and hugged me. “We will put an iron mask on this stupid and vile animal D’Elsorte and lock him up in Pignerol under the supervision of de Saint-Mars!” From this moment on, there is no longer d'Elsorte, but there is Marciali! And His Deposed Majesty will go to L;rins Abbey tomorrow. But I cannot divide my convoy into two detachments; this will not go unnoticed.
“Give me Francois, together we will take the future novice to where he will be welcome,” I said.
- Just the two of us? - D'Artagnan asked doubtfully. - Is it reliable?
- D'Artagnan, it seems you don't trust me? — I asked with a note of reproach in my voice.
“If it was about my life, I trust you completely and completely, my dear Aramis!” - answered d'Artagnan. - But here we can talk about the fate of France!
“You and I have already held the fate of France in our hands more than once,” I answered. - France is alive. This means you can trust our hands.
“Aramis, I will believe every word you say and will completely and completely trust you on one small condition,” said d’Artagnan. - Tell me in four words, how do you know everything that you know?
“I am a general of the Jesuit Order,” I answered.
“I knew it, Aramis, but I never could have imagined that you would admit it to me!” - exclaimed d'Artagnan. - Thank you, Aramis, for this recognition! Now I see that you are honest with me!
He hugged me, and I responded to his impulse from the bottom of my heart.
“I trust you, Aramis, with the fate of France, and I trust you with my son - not so that he can control you, and not so that I know that you have accomplished what you intended, but only because you alone it will be difficult,” said d’Artagnan. - What do you say to this?
“I’ll tell you what needs to be said in this situation,” I replied. - I will tell you: “Thank you, d’Artagnan!” I have people, I have Jesuits. But this mission requires not a Jesuit, but d'Artagnan. You give me d'Artagnan, you give me your copy. This is all I need to complete this mission.
“Well, actually, he’s not d’Artagnan, but Perrin,” d’Artagnan clarified embarrassedly.
“My children are not called d’Herblay either,” I answered with a sad smile.
Yes, an abbot, and especially a person of higher rank in the church hierarchy, should not be married, but a man is weak, and I consoled some of my parishioners in their sorrows, perhaps too zealously. To be honest, I have already confessed in my memoirs, if not all my sins in this area, but the most significant ones. After all, I was not always an abbot; in my youth I was much more of a musketeer. And even now it seems to me that I am, first of all, a musketeer. When my friends are next to me - d'Artagnan, Athos and Porthos, I again turn into a musketeer, Aramis, and all my other names and titles seem to me just flower pollen on the stone of my character and on the road of my destiny. For a Catholic who dedicated his life to serving the Lord, I turned out to be too prolific. But, Lord, hear me, because you know everything, nothing can be hidden from you. What can you say about the numerous children of Pope Alexander VI? And if this example does not convince you, then remember that Richelieu was far from a virgin, and I know something about it! I also know about the personal life of Cardinal Mazarin! But who knows, there have been and will be more of them - cardinals, bishops and even popes who have entered into and will enter into relationships with women? Nowhere in the Holy Scriptures have I found a prohibition for men of any profession to date women. On the contrary, I remember the commandment “Be fruitful and multiply,” and thus I did not sin against the Lord’s command. If I entered into relationships with women not only for the sake of giving birth to offspring, but for pleasure, then does this sin lie on me? In any case, my contribution to this relationship was always such that it depended only on the woman whether she would give birth to me or not. I also remember the commandment that forbids us mortals to covet our neighbor’s wife. But what can we do if they, the husbands of these wives, are in no way our neighbors? I didn’t see any prohibition on this matter in the Holy Scriptures. On the contrary, the very spirit of some biblical parables tells us: “If a worthy husband cannot ensure the birth of offspring, then helping him in these righteous labors is good according to earthly and divine laws.” If anyone disagrees with me, read the parable of the biblical Onan, who was ordered by divine laws to continue the line of his dead brother, so that the child from his wife would be considered his son and thus inherit all his wealth. But the stubborn Onan himself wanted to have this inheritance, and for this reason, entering into a relationship with the widow of his elder brother, he did not bring the matter to a successful conclusion, shedding miraculous moisture not where it was required, but on the ground. And it was a sin. Will you say that the husbands of those women with whom I sometimes had close conversations not only on theological topics were not my older brothers and did not die? Aren't all people brothers? And isn’t it the same as if the husbands of these wives have already died those parts of them that were responsible for childbearing duties? And even in the case when these husbands quite successfully plowed in someone else’s field and made crops, consigning to oblivion those fields that belong to them by right of the marriage vow made before the face of the Lord, isn’t this the same thing as if they forever died for their wives? If I am wrong, Lord, you will punish me in the eternal world, so that my punishment will be greater than my guilt, because my mistakes are short-lived, and the punishment will be timeless, eternal. But if the punishment for a short guilt is eternal, doesn’t this prove the fact that the punishment exceeds the guilt many times over? Infinitely exceeds! And if the punishment infinitely exceeds the guilt, then isn’t it the same as if the punishment were imposed on an innocent person? So, my guilt is insignificant in comparison with the punishment that I may suffer for it, and this is tantamount to a complete absence of guilt. I will say “Amen” to myself and continue my story.
So, it was decided between us that Francois and I would deliver Louis to L;rins Abbey, while d'Artagnan, under the guise of Louis previously accompanied by him, would deliver to Pignerol the scoundrel d'Elsorte, who had sullied the nobleman's honorable name. The punishment for him will be much milder than his crime, but we are such good nobles with d'Artagnan. No matter what he shouts, no matter how he behaves, de Saint-Mars will be warned that the prisoner Marciali is insane, so he will not be able to ease his fate, which will only consist of limiting his movements in space, while he will be fed magnificently, and his care in all other respects will be extremely favorable, because these were the orders regarding the prisoner with this name from the time when this prisoner was Philip, the brother of King Louis XIV, who now, under the name of his brother, by the will of d'Artagnan, found himself on throne of France.
As for de Trabuson and his wife, they were extremely guilty before me and before d'Artagnan, as well as before Louis XIV. By that time I already knew about the heinous murders of which they were guilty. Poor d'Aunay was killed by a treacherous blow of a sword to the very heart, which was delivered by de Trabuson at the instigation of his vile wife. The death of poor Muston is also on the conscience of this couple, although not by their hands.
It was time to remember my threats, which I voiced to de Trabuson when I persuaded him to submit to me. But now the first thing was to deliver Louis to L;rins Abbey, who, it would seem, had resigned himself to his fate, or, in any case, did not protest with any violent actions, probably convinced of the futility of this.
It was extremely easy for me, a clergyman with weight in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, to place Louis in the place chosen by d'Artagnan in the status that we determined for him.

Chapter 376

When I rushed to save d'Artagnan, I ordered Bazin and a couple of faithful people to catch up with me, but I myself did not want to waste a minute. In the morning, all three arrived at the Two Pistols hotel.
- D'Artagnan, let me introduce you to my people. “This is Monsieur Dupont and Monsieur Milan,” I said. - You know Bazin.
“Nice to meet you, gentlemen,” replied d’Artagnan. “Since there will now be four of you, I have no doubt that you will complete your mission perfectly.” Perhaps you won't even need Francois?
I felt with some third feeling that there was a catch in d'Artagnan's question. He thought that I wanted to take matters entirely into my own hands and in this case Francois would interfere with me. He decided that I had decided to deceive him and hide Louis in a place other than the abbey that he himself had chosen for these purposes.
“Didn’t I already tell you that I need you as a travel companion and assistant, and since you yourself will be busy, and your son is your exact copy, only younger, it seemed to me that we had already agreed that he will he accompany me? - I asked.
The wrinkle between d'Artagnan's eyebrows instantly smoothed out.
“A walk to the sea wouldn’t hurt Fran;ois, and I’ll be glad to have the opportunity to serve you, dear friend, with at least this little help in this matter,” he replied.
“I didn’t expect a different answer, because we agreed on everything yesterday,” I answered. “It’s a pity to part with you, but we’ve already lost too much time.” See you in Paris! We need another horse for our future novice.
“We have three trophy horses from the de Trabuson spouses and from the former d’Elsorte, who is now called Marciali,” answered d’Artagnan. - Take the best.
“Aramis, take this mask for our mutual friend,” said d’Artagnan, handing me a rag mask that was gray and from a distance looked like a metal one.
- You are very prudent! - I exclaimed. “It seems you knew in advance that we would need it?”
“This mask has a very long story, someday I will tell it to you, so I kept it as a talisman for good luck,” answered d’Artagnan.
- Well, who knows, maybe it will turn out to be happy for the one who will wear it in the near future? - I asked.
- In any case, I sincerely wish this for him! - D'Artagnan said hotly. “In essence, our prisoner is a very good person.” Do not forget that I have known him since infancy and love him almost like a son, and, in addition, I have always idolized him. Only the danger of losing all of you, the people dearest to me, forced me to take this desperate step!
I heard a slight cough behind the door and realized that Louis had heard this conversation.
“Now you understand me, because I decided to take this step for almost the same reason,” I said and stopped short.
D'Artagnan quickly looked into my eyes.
“Sorry, dear friend, I lied,” I admitted. “My motives were not so lofty, and, besides, if it were not for my adventure, you would not have had to start yours.” So the responsibility to our prisoner and all the blame for what you did lies entirely with me and only me.
There was another cough from behind the door.
“Let’s part here so as not to prolong this difficult moment,” said d’Artagnan and hugged me, and then he hugged Francois no less tightly.
That's what we did. We hugged and parted. All five of us - Louis and the four of us, who accompanied him on both sides, rode off on horseback. D'Artagnan ordered one of the musketeers to take the coachman's place in his carriage, they tied the extra horses behind and the cortege headed for Pignerol.
Having reached the coast in Cannes, we hired a small felucca that took us to the island of Saint-Honor;. I handed Louis over to the prior of L;rins Abbey, who was a member of the Order, and told him to accept him as a novice, who vowed not to remove his mask.
“Remember, if even someone sees this novice without a mask, you will answer to the Order,” I said.
“That will not happen, monsignor,” replied the abbot. “The novice will live in a cell, he will have dinner there, he will pray alone, and I will confess him myself, and I will not allow anyone to see his face.”
“Okay,” I replied. “Not a single living soul should know who he is, where he came from, what his name is, and if anyone other than me comes to pick him up, you will have to lock him up and urgently call me.” Whoever this person was, even a cardinal, even the Pope, even the King of France.
“I obey, monsignor,” answered the abbot.
Father Eugene was a man of his word, I knew perfectly well that he understood everything I said perfectly, and my instructions would be fully followed.
Returning on the felucca to the coast, we mounted our horses again. I ordered Bazin to sell the horse and divide the proceeds four times between him, two of my men and Francois.
“Francois, you remind me of my dear friend not only in appearance and posture, but also in your voice and even facial expressions,” I said. — Traveling in your company seemed to restore my youth again. I felt like I was twenty again, seeing you next to me!
-Are you the same age as your father? - asked Francois. “I thought you were ten years younger than him!”
“I’m older than him, but I won’t say exactly how much,” I answered. - How could I be younger if I started serving in the musketeers before him? He was the youngest of us, and remained so, although now it no longer matters.
“I did not compare the history of your acquaintance with the present time,” answered Francois. “I just see that you can’t look more than forty years old!”
- Well, don’t give it, because I’m not asking! - I answered and laughed. “We need to introduce you somehow to Raoul de Bragelonne, the son of the Comte de La F;re!” It would be nice to think that the friendship of us four musketeers could be passed on to the younger generation!
“Children of bosom friends do not always become bosom friends,” answered Francois. “As far as I can judge, Raoul fell in love with a mademoiselle who is not at all worthy of love.”
“Don’t talk like that about the lady who...” I stopped him.
“I know that it’s dangerous to speak badly about this lady now, but you won’t give me away,” answered Francois. - So I don’t understand this. And I am not at all convinced that I would have made friends with a young man who almost died because of unhappy love.
“Never judge people from other people’s words, even if these are the words of your own father,” I said instructively. - Firstly, Raoul was not going to die stupidly, if he died, he would have died heroically, in the name and glory of his King!
- That's what I'm talking about! - Francois inserted the hairpin.
“Okay, you’re probably partially right here,” I agreed. - Death in some Candia, far from France, for the glory of some Louis, is probably not the best solution to the problem of unrequited love, but a soldier must be ready to give his life for the King at any moment!
— For the King or for the Motherland? - asked Francois. - There is some difference here. But you said "first of all." What will happen “secondly”?
“You know, Francois, you discouraged me from arguing with you,” I waved him off. - To be honest, I, just like you, do not consider the former Mademoiselle de La Valli;re worthy of throwing myself at Turkish scimitars out of unhappy love for her! But if it comes down to it, it’s still better than dying in a duel over some trifle. But this happened and happens all the time! In our youth, we fought against Cardinal de Richelieu, who, among other things, achieved a ban on dueling, and so seriously that a couple of desperate duelists were executed for violating this edict. And although I myself have fought countless duels, I find this edict very reasonable.
“Human life is not so priceless as to try to preserve it at the cost of dishonor,” said Francois, “but it is not so insignificant as to part with it because of unhappy love.”
- Yes, you, Francois, are a philosopher! - I was surprised. —You seem to have read a lot?
“I didn’t read so much as I thought, looking at the actions of other people and what they sometimes lead to,” answered Francois.
“Interesting things,” I replied. — I would be curious to know how you evaluate your father’s actions?
“I will only talk about this with him,” Francois answered proudly. “However, I can tell you too that I don’t know of a single reprehensible act by him!”
“Stay with your philosophy, and you will achieve a lot if I weren’t d’Herblay!” - I said. - How do you evaluate my actions?
“Your path in life is tortuous and unpredictable,” answered Francois. — It is difficult to answer unequivocally whether circumstances control you, or you are controlled by circumstances. I think it's both. It’s as if you are playing a game of chance with Fate, and very often you win because you are not afraid to make dizzyingly desperate bets. My father is more reasonable, but also less fortunate in some cases. You are very different, this must be what attracts you to each other, although perhaps in your youth you thought that you were the same in everything. Your four friends are like teeth, ground to each other over many decades, where one stone has a protrusion, another has a notch. So you bite very hard and effectively, but only when everyone is together. You can't bite anything off with just one tooth. So you, Monsieur d'Herblay, without friends would not be at all what you are as part of the great four.
- Do you know much about our adventures? - I asked.
“Almost nothing, but I see how you treat each other,” answered Francois.
In essence, this young man was right. The Gospel of Matthew says: “The truth speaks through the mouth of a child.” But Plato also said that children and drunkards do not lie. I'm not sure about drunks. The same goes for children. Everyone lies, even, it seems, the one whom everyone should believe, for whom the word “faith” is not an empty phrase. Even our conscience sometimes lies to us so as not to feel as guilty as it deserves. Only Death does not lie, but that is of little honor to her. It would be better if she lied.

On arriving in Paris, I released Fran;ois, and I and my people stayed in the house that had many times shown me the hospitality I required. In the house of the Duke de Luynes, the son of the Duchess de Chevreuse, let's say, from his first marriage. Louis-Charles d'Albert de Luynes, born December 25, 1620, a pious and pious young man, always treated me well, unlike his mother, who became impossible in her old age. As I already said, there were many reasons for our breakup, and not a single one was serious. We could live in peace if it were not for her attitude towards her daughter, not for her jealousy, as a result of which she could not forgive me the Duchess de Longueville, if she had not become related to Colbert, if she had not helped Colbert to overthrow Fouquet, and much more all sorts of “if not for” things. Still, I would never harm her or her children. Her children especially! She also only pretended to hate me. If I seriously needed her help, I would not hesitate to contact her and get it. Almost the same as she, with some reservation. I did not assist her in the fight against Fouquet, and I would not help her in any case against my friends, and I cannot in any way approve of her actions towards her youngest daughter. I shouldn’t have remembered it here, I again got distracted from the main story.

Chapter 377

In the evening, dressed as befits a Spanish envoy, the Duke of Alameda, I went to Colbert.
As I expected, Colbert didn’t keep me waiting long in the waiting room.
When the secretary informed him that the Duke d'Alameda, the Spanish ambassador, wanted to see him, he ordered me to be invited into his office almost immediately. He, of course, was surprised that the King accepted the Spanish embassy in my person and did not reject my candidacy, although four years ago he declared me a state criminal. He hoped to learn the reason for such a change from me, but it was not my intention to explain to him what he was not supposed to know at all.
— How can I serve Mr. Ambassador of Spain? - he asked, barely containing his feelings. - Make yourself comfortable and feel at home.
“Thank you, Monsieur Colbert,” I answered coldly. — In France, I feel at home almost everywhere, with the exception of those places where the cuisine is disgusting and the wine is bad.
“As I was able to notice, nothing can keep Monsieur the Duke in those places where he doesn’t like the cuisine,” Colbert tried to sneer, hinting that I spent a couple of days in the Bastille, where I was not fed at all.
- You are absolutely right, Mr. Colbert! — I answered just as dispassionately. — In my advanced years, I eat very little, but this fact contributes even more to the fact that I have very high demands on the quality of food. And if they intend to feed me only bread and water, or not feed me at all, then such places are not for me. But I didn’t come to you for gastronomic discussions.
“I am listening to you very attentively, Monsieur Duke,” replied Colbert.
“I want to talk about a married couple, Mr. Colbert,” I answered. - I'm talking about a certain married couple - de Trabuson.
“This is the first time I’ve heard this name, Monsieur Duke,” Colbert replied.
“Apparently you are signing the patent of the captain of the royal guards without reading it, Monsieur Colbert?” - I asked.
“It probably happened to me two or three times when I just briefly read the name and it didn’t stay in my head,” Colbert agreed.
“Even in the case when the entire patent is completely filled out by your hand,” I answered and nodded. “Well, a statesman may well have such selective memory.”
“What do you need in relation to this, as you said?..” and Colbert tried to pretend that he could not remember the name of the person in question.
“Captain Didier de Trabucon, according to your patent, and also his wife Madame Olivia de Trabucon,” I answered. “These gentlemen tried to organize an attack on the captain of the royal musketeers, carrying out the order of the King.
- What scoundrels! Colbert exclaimed. “Is your information reliable, Mister Duke?”
- Extremely reliable, Mr. Colbert! - I answered. “However, if you wish, I will send you a detailed report on all the crimes of this couple, as well as whose orders they carried out.”
- My God! Who could give them such an order! - Colbert was indignant and threw up his hands. “They must have gone crazy if they decided to commit such an atrocity!”
“I believe that you are right, Monsieur Colbert,” I agreed. “These madmen have caused serious damage to the King’s cause.”
“Is Monsieur Captain d’Artagnan really dead?” - Colbert exclaimed, trying in vain to portray horror.
“I do not rule out the possibility that one of those who was attacked was seriously injured,” I replied. - But an atrocity does not cease to be an atrocity even if the damage from it was minimized with the help of friends.
“I completely agree with you, Monsieur Duke,” replied Colbert. - What do you want from me?
“I want to gain the right to judge these people in order to punish them for the attempt on the life of my friend, Mr. Captain of the Royal Musketeers D’Artagnan,” I answered in a harsh tone. - Also for the vile and treacherous murder of Lieutenant D'Aunay. And also for attempting to prevent the execution of the King’s order and for attempting to kill a prisoner whose life was under the protection of the captain. You are probably not privy to this matter, but believe me that the attempt on the life of this man is the most serious crime, much more serious than all the others that I have told you about.
- Why do you need this? Colbert asked. “Do you want to interrogate them so that they might slander an innocent person, pointing to him as an accomplice, or, God forbid, as the leader of this action?”
“On the contrary, Monsieur Colbert, I want to shut their mouths once and for all and eliminate the possibility of such insolence being repeated,” I replied.
- But I don’t decide anything! Colbert exclaimed. - I myself am in an ambiguous position! Sometimes it seems to me that His Majesty has begun to treat me very badly and does not trust me, and sometimes I begin to doubt it.
“This temporary cooling towards you on the part of His Majesty will soon end, I assure you, Mr. Colbert,” I reassured the minister. “Meanwhile, I only need a signature on the order that these criminals be dealt with as I see fit.”
- On orders? - Colbert was surprised. — In whose name was this order written?
“From yours, of course,” I answered. “I don’t plan to interrogate them, but only want to punish them.” Do you want me to read this order? Or maybe we will discuss its text and add the addition that a commission of inquiry should be formed to force them to confess who their accomplices were, or even perhaps the masterminds of their crimes?
“I don’t want to know anything and I don’t want to hear anything about these criminals!” Colbert exclaimed. “If you have already investigated this case, I don’t want to have anything to do with it!” His Majesty clearly indicated to me that I should deal only with finances and provision of the army and navy.
- So, you won't sign your order? - I asked. - Or should I sign it with His Majesty with the postscripts that I just mentioned?
“I don’t know the reasons why you consider yourself entitled to conduct this investigation, and therefore I cannot dialogue with you on this topic,” Colbert replied.
“I will explain to you, Monsieur Colbert, the reason,” I replied. “They also committed a crime against me personally, and since this happened after I presented my credentials to His Majesty, who accepted them, I represent the Kingdom of Spain here.” Thus, a crime against my person may serve as the basis for a diplomatic scandal. It is in the interests of France to extinguish this conflict by handing over the culprits to me.
“And what crime did they commit against you, Mister Duke?” Colbert asked.
“I wouldn’t like to answer that question,” I said. “I intend to punish these people, but I do not intend to take their lives, if that's what you care about.” So will you sign the order?
“It’s not customary to sign such open patents; I don’t know of such precedents,” Colbert replied.
“I know such a precedent,” I answered. “One of these documents was once signed by the great cardinal and first minister, the Duke de Richelieu, and I myself personally held this document in my hands and read it.
-Have you seen him? - Colbert was surprised.
“I read it and held it in my hands, and then one of my friends exchanged it with the cardinal for another open document,” I answered. — It was a patent for the position of lieutenant of the royal musketeers.
“What you are telling is like a fairy tale,” Colbert said. “But life is not a fairy tale, and I will not sign such a document.”
“I’ll be back in an hour, Monsieur Colbert,” I replied. - I will go to the King and sign the appropriate authorization from him.
“I believe you can do it, Monsieur Duke,” Colbert replied. - There is no need to go anywhere. Do you promise that you will not try to get these scoundrels to slander people who had nothing to do with their crimes?
“A detailed investigation is not my intention, so you can rest assured on this score,” I answered coldly. “I am sufficiently aware of the motives of these people, and yet I consider the investigations that you fear undesirable.”
“Give me your paper,” Colbert said abruptly.
Having received the document, Colbert wanted to sign it without looking, but decided that such a beautiful gesture was dangerous, since the paper could contain something completely different.
He read the document which read:

“The bearer of this document, the Duke d'Alameda, for the purpose of justice, is free to take away the offenders and criminals of the spouses Didier and Olivia de Trabuson for punishment for the atrocities they committed against His Majesty the King of France and his officers and soldiers, as well as personally against the Duke d'Alameda. The sentence passed by the Duke of Alameda does not require the approval of the court."

Having made sure that nothing else could be added to this document, since there were monograms in the empty places, Colbert resolutely signed the document and returned it to me.
 
- Is that all, Mister Duke? Colbert asked.
— I still have some property in France, movable and immovable. “It is currently under arrest,” I replied.
“The procedure for lifting the arrest is quite lengthy,” Colbert answered.
“But I’m not in a hurry,” I continued. “I ask you to re-register it in the name of the son of Anne Genevieve de Bourbon-Cond;, Duchess de Longueville, called Charles-Paris.”
“I promise you this, Monsieur Duke,” answered Colbert.
“In that case, I promise you, Monsieur Colbert, that His Majesty’s coldness towards you will soon end, and you will return to fulfill your duties as minister,” I replied. “Just don’t forget about your promise, I ask you.”
“I have an excellent memory, Monsieur Duke, I will not forget,” Colbert replied.
- Excellent memory? - asked Aramis. “Apparently, you really haven’t come across the name de Trabuson before.”
- Never in my life, believe me! Colbert replied. - Otherwise I would remember.
“I believe you, Mr. Colbert,” I grinned. - So don’t get confused!
“I remember,” Colbert replied. — Charles-Paris, youngest son of Anne Genevieve de Bourbon-Cond;, Duchess of Longueville. He will enter into inheritance rights the next day after the seizure of your property is lifted, that is, the day after tomorrow.
“All the best, Monsieur Colbert,” I replied, after which I bowed reservedly and left Colbert’s office.

Chapter 378

The next morning, Colbert appeared before the King, I will now sometimes call Philippe that way, since everyone around him considered him Louis XIV, the King of France, and in fact he was.
“Your Majesty, yesterday the Spanish ambassador Duke d'Alameda visited me,” he said.
“It’s a pity,” Philip said thoughtfully.
“I wanted to refuse to talk to him, but he was extremely persistent, and besides, he is, after all, a diplomatic envoy of a friendly state,” Colbert picked up.
“It’s a pity that he hasn’t come to see me for so long,” Philip continued, after which Colbert stopped short and completely changed his tactics.
“We talked with him for a very long time and very friendly,” he assured the King.
- What was the conversation about? - asked Philip.
“The Duke asked me for permission to punish two people, a married couple, without trial or publicity,” Colbert replied.
- Why did he need such special measures, and what guilt is there behind this couple? — asked Philip.
“It was a couple, a certain husband and wife, who pursued the cortege of Your Majesty’s captain of musketeers d’Artagnan, who, accompanied by twenty musketeers, was escorting in his personal carriage a prisoner whom Your Majesty had ordered to be taken to the fortress of Pignerol,” said Colbert, and noting that The king frowned and continued more decisively. - So I thought that...
“You had nothing to think about here,” Philip interrupted him. “No one has the right to spy on the convoy sent by me.” I hope they are captured?
“It seems so, but I’m not sure,” Colbert replied, scolding himself for not finding out such a simple fact. “Apparently, the Duke has some people, since he did not ask me for soldiers to arrest this couple, but only demanded a document giving him the right to control his fate.”
— I wonder how he justified his interest in this matter? - asked Philip.
“He said they also insulted him personally,” Colbert said. “He was going to personally deal with them, but the document he prepared first of all said that they were guilty of atrocities against Your Majesty, your officers and soldiers.
“They followed d’Artagnan’s cortege, and that’s all?” - asked Philip. “They should be arrested and a confession made of them about who entrusted them with this case.” The culprit will be severely punished!
“It seems that the Duke of Alameda has already found out that they acted solely on their own initiative,” Colbert hastened to add. - Nobody gave them any instructions, this has been established reliably. But their guilt lies in the fact that they shot at the prisoner whom Captain d'Artagnan was escorting, and even, it seems, wounded him.
— Did you shoot the prisoner? - Philip exclaimed. — Was he wounded? And you say that there was no instigator in this crime?! A detailed investigation into this case is necessary, and the perpetrators will be punished in the most cruel way!
- Of course, Your Majesty, let me handle this matter personally? - Colbert exclaimed, changing lanes as he walked. “Perhaps the Duke of Alameda demands that the prisoners be provided to him because he is the instigator who entrusted them with the execution of this crime?”
“Are you crazy, Colbert, this is impossible,” Philip objected. “Even if that were the case... No, the Duke of Alameda would not rely on people who failed this matter. If he had planned this crime, it would have already been carried out, but I do not believe in it. So where is this document? Let me sign it!
“The Duke assured me of exactly the same thing,” Colbert replied, catching his breath. - He told me that if I did not sign the document, then he would come to you and get your signature on it. I decided that the request of the Spanish Envoy for the punishment of some two people was better satisfied without disturbing Your Majesty, so I took the liberty of signing this document in person, which at first seemed strange to me, but in the light of what I heard from the Duke, I accepted the need to sign it.
“What exactly did the Duke tell you?” - asked Philip.
“He said that the life of this prisoner is precious, and that an attempt on his life, or even on his health, is one of the gravest crimes that offends Your Majesty, since this criminal is a state criminal and his fate is completely in the hands of Your Majesty, and no one except Your Majesty has the right to encroach even on a single hair of this person.
“I hope I didn’t overdo it,” Colbert thought. “But it seems that I did well to sign this document.”
“The Duke explained everything to you absolutely precisely, and if the document is signed, we don’t have to worry about this matter,” said Philip. “Forget about these two scoundrels, the matter is in good hands, it will be resolved for the good of France and Spain, as well as for the good of good relations between our two kingdoms.”
“This secret prisoner is some kind of Spanish grandee,” Colbert decided. “That explains everything!”
And he was not so far from the truth, because Louis, like Philip, was the nephew and son-in-law of the past King of Spain and the cousin and brother-in-law of the current Spanish King.
“Monsieur Colbert, if you meet the Duke d'Alamede again, tell him that I wish to see him,” said Philippe.
At the same moment, the secretary entered the King’s office.
- Your Majesty! - he said. — The Spanish envoy Duke d'Alameda asks to receive him.
“Ask,” Philip answered. - Mister Colbert, I won’t detain you any longer.
Colbert bowed and left, and I entered the King’s office, where Philip was now in charge.
- Your Majesty, I am happy to see you in that capacity and exactly in the place where I am happy to see Your Majesty! - I said ceremoniously.
- How did you know, Duke? - asked Philip with a sly smile.
“Oh, it’s just a small scratch on the little finger, which was received by someone who differs from you only in this sign,” I answered. “I handed you the ring and had the opportunity to examine your little finger.”
- Clever! - Philip answered. “D’Artagnan also knows about this scratch?”
“He doesn’t know, but he is an extremely insightful person, he probably knows other signs that you and I don’t even know about,” I answered.
“Tell me about these two spies,” said Philip. - How did it happen that with a guard of twenty musketeers, not counting the captain, they managed to commit an attempt on the life of a state prisoner? I hope he's not injured?
“The one who shoots from an ambush always has the advantage,” I answered. “The august traveler was wearing an iron mask, and only this saved him. The shooters were aiming for the head. This mask performed the functions of a knight's helmet of the highest quality due to its extraordinary thickness. The Lord Himself protected him.
“You calmed me down, Duke,” said Philip. — The prisoner, I hope, has been delivered to his destination?
“I met d’Artagnan almost by chance, and we parted the very next day,” I answered. “I can only say firmly that it was Captain d’Artagnan’s intention to deliver the prisoner in the iron mask to the fortress of Pignerol and place him under the care of the commandant, Monsieur de Saint-Mars, in full accordance with your orders.” I believe that he will arrive tomorrow and report on the work done, presenting a receipt from de Saint-Mars for receiving the prisoner Marchiali.
- This is true? - asked Philip.
“Every word I told you is the pure truth,” I answered, and I did not sin against the truth, since D’Elsorte was now the prisoner in the iron mask.
— And the criminals who attempted to kill his life? - asked Philip.
“There were four of them,” I answered. “But as a result of the shootout, only two remained.” They will proceed under escort to Pignerol with Captain d'Artagnan, and then back to Paris.
— Did you seek a document on the right to control their fate in order to find out who sent them? - asked Philip. -Are you going to use torture?
“I never use torture,” I answered sincerely and honestly. “I destroy an honest enemy in a fair fight; I punish a dishonest enemy at my discretion.” I don't believe that you can find out the truth through torture. To ease his fate, the one who is being tortured can incriminate himself or, worse, slander an innocent person.
- How do you find out the truth? - asked Philip. - How do you find out who sent them?
“Truth is a very broad concept, no one can know it,” I answered. “And the name of the one who sent them is on the patent with which the leader of this gang of spies, on the very day he left Paris, received the patent of captain of the royal guard, being only a junior lieutenant the day before. Very few people could sign such a patent. I exclude Your Majesty, as well as certain marshals of France, such as the Viscount de Turenne, the Duke of Choiseul, the Duke of Villeroy, the Duke d'Aumont, the Marquis de La Fert;-Embault, the Marquis d'Aucincourt, the Comte de Grancy and de Medavy, Duke de La Force, Count de Paluau, Count de Donyon, Count de Miossen, Count de Mondejo, Marquis d'Esternay, Marquis Jacques de Castelnau.
-You have an excellent memory, Duke! - Philip exclaimed.
“Excellent, sir,” I replied. - I named them in the order of receiving the rank of Marshal of France, but I have not yet named those who received this rank a little earlier. This is, of course, Duke Fran;ois-Annibal d'Estr;es, Marquis de Lameyer, and, finally, Duke Antoine III de Gramont, who should be called the first of all marshals.
“Why, Duke, do you keep in your memory the names of all the marshals of France?” - asked Philip.
“I’m waiting for the moment when the name of Count Charles d’Artagnan appears on this list,” I answered. “And then perhaps I will forget the names of everyone else, except, perhaps, Marshal de Gramont.”
- Why is Marshal de Gramont so honored? - asked Philip.
“Something tells me that it is too early to forget this name, since it will be glorified not only by the noble Antoine III himself, but, perhaps, also by one of his children,” I answered. “The Comte de Guiche, I believe, has a brilliant future, and not at all because he is Monsieur’s closest friend, and, it seems, Madame too. I mean the marshal's daughter, Katherine Charlotte.
There was an awkward silence.
“Don’t be afraid of your love, Your Majesty,” I said quietly. - Be afraid to appropriate someone else's love for yourself. And also be afraid of the love that does not love you at all, but still thinks that you are him. This is a dangerous relationship! If you cannot break up with her in one fell swoop, which I understand, start by gradually moving away from her. The best way to do this is to turn your attention to someone else, to someone who may be more worthy of your august attention.
“If only it were all that simple, and if I could figure it all out!” - Philip said with a sigh.
“You will have to deal with this and all the other problems, otherwise the problems will deal with you,” I said. “I believe in you, but what is much more important, even d’Artagnan believed in you.” And he is a very cautious person, not like me. He doesn’t make mistakes, at least not in the last ten to fifteen years, although in his youth he was, perhaps, too ardent and even reckless at times. Now he is a thinker and philosopher. If in his youth he had to think only in order to better solve the military problems assigned to him, now he solves military problems only in order to be able to think about the situation and, on the basis of his own philosophy, intervene only in what he thinks is necessary. in his opinion, requires intervention. D'Artagnan believes in you, and this means that you have been chosen for the mission that he has entrusted to you.
“But tell me, for the sake of all that is holy, d’Herblay, what is more important for me in this difficult role – politics or love?” - Philip asked almost in despair. — It’s difficult for me to prioritize such an important issue!
“For royalty there is no difference between politics and love,” I answered. — The King’s love is also politics, and what a politics it is! And the King’s policy always depends on his love, whether he wants it or not. But if you were a particular person, I would tell you that Love is more important than any politics. In politics there is no final victory; in love there is no final defeat. In politics, victory is sometimes necessary, although sometimes unattainable. In love, sometimes it is better to lose, which will be a victory. The Count de La F;re once advised d'Artagnan to always lose in love. The advice may be good, but sometimes the one who considers himself a loser actually won, and the one who celebrates the victory has lost everything he can. And yet this is not a reason to give up love. How you can't give up breathing.
“Do you really think so, Duke?” - asked Philip.
“I think that love that can be abandoned is not love, but infatuation,” I answered. - If you feel the strength to refuse love, then you call love just a whim. But if you cannot give up what you thought was a whim, it is not a whim, but a passion. There is no cure for love if it is true love. Even if I'm wrong on this issue, I choose to continue to be wrong.
“Okay, I'll think about it,” Philip said. - But let's return to the topic of spies. You have listed, it seems, all the marshals who could apply for a patent for the position of captain to this spy, who the day before was only a junior lieutenant. But no marshal could independently sign such a patent; he could only petition for its signing. Who signed it? Minister, head of the cabinet, Jean-Baptiste Colbert?
“You asked me a question and immediately answered it yourself,” I said.
- Why did he need this? - asked Philip.
“There was no benefit to him in this investigation, undertaken at his own peril and risk,” I replied.
- Do people do things from which they have no benefit, and at their own peril and risk? - asked Philip.
“Yes, Your Majesty, they do it very often,” I answered. - There is only one thing that many do not only without benefit to themselves, but also sometimes to their own detriment. This is causing damage to the other party.
“Do you think Colbert is trying to harm me?” - Philip asked in surprise.
“No way, Your Majesty,” I objected. - He has no reason for this, and he would not dare to do such a thing. There is another side here that Mr. Colbert would like to damage. This is the captain of your musketeers, Monsieur d'Artagnan.
- Why can Colbert hate d’Artagnan so much that he even seeks to harm him at the risk of himself? - asked Philip.
“There can be many reasons, but the simplest is envy,” I answered. - Every person has envious people, and the higher a person stands, the more of these envious people there are. Therefore, you still have to face this. None of your courtiers will openly quarrel with you, only princes of the blood can decide to do this, but they will always and everywhere harm you in small ways. And slander is the eternal companion of anyone who has achieved the least noticeable position. In relation to monarchs, slander against them is inevitable. It will always be born in circles close to this monarch himself, after which it spreads in all directions.
- And this cannot be avoided? - asked the amazed Philip.
“There is only one way to avoid envy,” I answered. - To do this you have to become the most unhappy person in the world. But it's so vague. There are those who even envy the dead, envy the former life they lived, or, perhaps, envy martyrdom, which, as the Gospel teaches, will serve as a guarantee of eternal bliss in that other life. No one wants to be a martyr himself, but saints who have achieved this status through martyrdom are envied by many. Such is man, this being with the largest brain in relation to the mass of the body and with the greatest conceit in relation to the true value of his personality.
“I should think about all this,” said Philip. “So what do you intend to do about these two scoundrels who attempted the life of my... prisoner?”
“I’ll just keep my promise that I made to one of them regarding the other,” I replied.
“I don’t want to know the details, because you said that you don’t torture people,” said Philip. - That's enough for me.
“And it’s true, Your Majesty,” I confirmed.
“Just tell me that you, in any case, will act towards them in a Christian way,” Philip added.
“Exactly to the extent that it was Christian on their part to shoot a stranger, right in the head, especially considering that this man was under the protection of Your Majesty’s musketeers,” I answered. “Not to mention who this person is.”
“Perhaps I still want to know what awaits them,” said Philip.
- I promised the one who became a captain from a junior lieutenant one day, even when he promised me that he would not do anything bad against me or my friends, that if he did not keep his promise and became my enemy, then his wife would go to jail into the harem of some wealthy Turk, and he himself will be a eunuch in this harem,” I said. “The day I threatened him with this, I didn’t even think about carrying out my threat. In any case, I did not imagine that I would pursue his wife. But since he himself committed a vile murder, killing the lieutenant of your guard, Monsieur d'Aunay, with a vile blow without warning, and his wife led the raid and personally shot the august captive in the head, and only an iron mask saved his life, then I believe that what I invented Just to be on the safe side, the threat must be carried out exactly.
“I don’t know how you will be able to fulfill this, but I give you my go-ahead for such a sentence,” said Philip. - Come to me whenever you want, but not too often, at least at first. I don’t want you to make Monsieur Colbert jealous, and I don’t want you to be shot in an ambush by another of his spies. By the way, how can I punish Colbert himself?
“No way, Your Majesty,” I replied. - You are not a magician, you will not change human nature, no matter what person you put as head of the cabinet of ministers, he will be the same, or even worse. This one, at least, is competent and active, he is not a fool or a scoundrel, except for those sins that you and I are already aware of. I hope he doesn’t have any other sins. If he becomes unbearable, still do not dismiss him until you find a worthy replacement for him, possessing all his merits and free from at least one of his shortcomings.
“Thank you for the advice, Duke,” Philip replied. - See you.
“See you later, Your Majesty,” I replied, bowed and left.

Chapter 379

“Tell me, de Guiche,” Philip turned to the count, “how long will we be deprived of the happiness of seeing your sister Catherine Charlotte at our court?” Why does she lead the life of a recluse?
—Are you talking about the Princess of Monaco, Your Majesty? - the count was surprised. “But she left for her own principality with her husband.”
“It seems to me that she didn’t really want to go to this wilderness,” Philip objected. “After all, after the wedding, she continued to live at court for quite a long time until your father, Marshal de Gramont, insisted that she leave the most brilliant court in Europe and go with her husband to this very Monaco, to this wilderness, a province where there is nothing interesting.
“I agree, Your Majesty, it also seemed to me that she really liked life at court,” de Guiche confirmed. “But the princess must obey her husband.”
“Everyone in my kingdom must obey me,” Philip answered. “So tell me that I will be very glad to see her at court.” It would not do for such a beautiful lady to bury herself alive in such a boring place, I suppose, as the Principality of Monaco.
- Your Majesty deigns to invite the princess along with the prince? - inquired de Guiche.
- Of course, Count! - Philip answered. “Can I invite only the princess without inviting the prince?” After all, husband and wife are one in two persons, according to the commandments of the Lord. As an honest Catholic, I have no intention of tearing my wife away from her husband. However, if the prince has reasons not to accept my invitation, it is his choice. I will not keep him at court by force.
“I thank Your Majesty for the invitation on behalf of my sister and my brother-in-law,” replied the Comte de Guiche with a bow.
Philip nodded and went about government affairs.

Catherine-Charlotte did not come to Paris very willingly, but still arrived there with her retinue and appeared for an audience with Philip, whom she considered the King.
As soon as Philip saw her, he realized that his whole life had been a prologue to this meeting.
“Princess, I am glad to see you at court,” he said in the benevolent tone of a monarch. “Your arrival will greatly brighten up the local society and bring long-desired diversity into it,” he added more softly.
“Your Majesty, thank you,” answered the princess. “You have always been kind to our family, but it seems to me that during my last visit to the Louvre I somehow upset you.”
“Oh, this ridiculous prank of your brother, who played a cruel joke on us, I’ve already forgotten about it,” said Philip, who was already aware of the reasons for Louis’s certain coldness towards the princess.
The story of this joke was that the King intended to pay the princess several compliments in private, and the princess’s brother, de Guiche, having escorted the princess to the room intended for such conversations, locked the doors where his sister was, and took the key with him. The king knocked on the doors and asked the princess to open them, however, she could not do this, which prevented the gallant meeting. Philip was in the depths of his soul very grateful to de Guiche for the fact that the princess did not hear the compliments prepared for her by Louis.
- Do you know, princess, that I thought a lot about you? - asked Philip.
“It’s difficult for me to understand the reasons for such thoughtfulness, sir,” answered the princess. “I hope that it is not that I have somehow offended you?”
- No, princess! Not in the least! - Philip exclaimed. “It seems to me that I know you a little better than you think, and what I know about you makes me think about you.”
“Apparently, the obnoxious de Guiche told you all sorts of tall tales about me?” - asked the princess.
“No, that’s not it,” answered Philip. — May I offer you my hand and invite you for a short walk through the blooming garden? I promise that your modesty will not suffer from such a walk.
“Here is my hand for you, sir,” answered the princess, lowering her eyes.
The blooming garden reminded Philip of those days of his adolescence when he met Katherine-Charlotte. He was raised secretly in a house located far from the road. But Fate brought them together, they, almost the same age, saw each other, and this meeting was remembered by both of them. The blooming linden trees smelled exactly the same then, it was the same sunny day, and it even seemed to Philip that he was simply transported to that place and time when he did not yet know what life in prison was.

“Do you remember, princess, the unfortunate boy whom you met in your youth in the wilderness of the forest under the tutelage of two elderly duennas?” - asked Philip.
- Your Majesty, how do you know? - Katerina-Charlotte asked and her heart began to beat faster.
“Don’t you think that this boy is extremely similar to me?” - asked Philip.
“I always thought about this and could not understand the reasons for such an amazing similarity,” the princess admitted.
“Think about it what you want, but that boy was me,” Philip answered. - Do you believe me?
“Do you mean to say, Your Majesty, that you yourself voluntarily lived the life of a recluse while being the Dauphin?” - asked the princess in surprise.
“I cannot explain to you all the intricacies of this event, but believe me, princess,” said Philip, not daring to tell the princess the whole story of his life. “My stay there was not voluntary. And I was never the Dauphin. But he was always the crown prince, the legitimate son of the King of France.
“Oh, Your Majesty, it’s all so complicated and I hardly understand you,” answered Katerina-Charlotte. “But I don’t want to know anything except one thing.” Tell me only the truth, when you were sincere, whether when I met you, not knowing who you were, and knowing nothing of your fate, or when, as King of France, you tried to pay me a few compliments in private, and, apparently hoped for the continuation of this conversation in a direction that could cast a shadow on both the girl and the married woman?
“That young man whom you knew as Philip, who looked at you with a loving gaze for the reason that he had never seen any other young girl before, is now standing in front of you, princess,” answered Philip. - The one who has now seen many young girls, ready to hear any compliments from him, even the most dangerous ones, looks at you with the same eyes, and still sees in you the most charming, the most beautiful, and the best girl in the world.
“You confuse me extremely, Your Majesty,” said the princess with a trembling voice.
“God knows, I didn’t want this,” Philip answered. - Let's just enjoy the beauty and aroma of a blooming garden, just stroll along these wonderful alleys and be silent.
The princess squeezed Philip's hand harder, which could only mean consent.
They walked through the garden and forgot about everything in the world.
- Your Majesty, you are so different! - Katerina-Charlotte finally said. “It seems to me that I saw not the same person, but two different people, so similar in appearance and so different from each other in everything else!”
“I can’t lie to you anymore, princess,” said Philip. “You will probably think me crazy if I try to continue to support this lie.” If I tell you the truth, you will undoubtedly decide that I have definitely gone crazy. Accept the truth if you can, or reject it if it turns out to be beyond your strength. I am not Louis XIV, I am his twin brother, Louis Philippe, the unfortunate Prince, who has the right to my father’s throne no less than the rights of Louis. But by the evil will of the all-powerful Cardinal Richelieu, the first minister of France, with the consent of both my parents, King Louis XIII and Queen Anne, they hid my birth from all of France. None of my relatives, none of the nobility, and almost not a single soul in the entire sublunary world knew about him! The midwife who helped me into the world, I believe, was one of those women who fed and raised me from infancy. But those who raised me had to pay with their lives for this secret. Soon after our meeting, some masked people killed my teachers, and they took me to the Bastille. There I spent almost my entire life, while my brother lived near my parents as Dauphin, heir to the throne of France, and after the death of our common father he received the name Louis XIV, and was subsequently crowned. After reaching adulthood, he ascended the throne, and I did not even know about the date of my birth, since it was hidden from me. I have never celebrated a birthday in my life! Of course, I was fed, provided with clothing and the most necessary means to maintain life. But I didn’t know the most vital things in my opinion: freedom, love, friendship, trust, tenderness, and, probably, much more that I can’t even imagine! However, I met you, and in the memory of this meeting I drew everything that I lacked - friendship, trust...
- Don't continue, Your Majesty! - interrupted Philippa Catherine-Charlotte. - I'm married and I have four children!
“I know, and as I understand it, you are expecting your fifth child,” said Philip. - It doesn’t matter, I don’t pretend to be anything special, I’ll just be happy to see you.
-You don’t love me like a man? - asked the princess. - It calms me down.
Philip felt that the princess herself did not believe what she said; disappointment was clearly heard in her voice.
- Believe me, if I had the right to claim you, then all my desires would focus only on this! - he exclaimed passionately.
- Is that so? - the princess asked animatedly. - Does this mean that you only take what you have the right to claim?
“I don’t understand your words, princess,” Philip muttered in confusion.
- What is incomprehensible here? - Katerina-Charlotte asked with irony and sarcasm. - You have appropriated the whole of France for yourself, without having any right to do so, you, apparently, behave as the rightful owner of the Queen of France and her husband before God, you behave towards the rightful heir to the throne, the Dauphin, as if he were yours son, who he is not. And at the same time you say that you have no rights to me, and therefore refuse me?
“I dared to steal Louis’s life because first my life was stolen from me!” - Philip objected.
- But it’s not his fault, he didn’t know anything about it? - the princess objected.
- If you defend him and accuse me, just say the word and I will return to prison and return him to the throne! - Philip exclaimed passionately.
“I don’t blame you and I don’t defend him,” the princess said softly and gently took Philip’s hand. “I just want to understand everything to the end in order to make a final decision.” More precisely, everything is not like that. I've already made my decision, but I want to know everything, I just have to know everything about you, especially after I made my decision!
- What decision did you make? - asked Philip, afraid that the trembling of his voice would betray his feelings and force the princess to remove her hand from his.
“I will give you an answer, but first you answer me,” she said. “Do you consider yourself right to treat your brother, our real King, so cruelly?”
“I have the right to do this, because four years ago Louis found out about me and how Richelieu and our common parents treated me,” Philip answered. “He could give me freedom.” For her, I would give him my word of honor as a nobleman that I would never lay claim to the throne. I would give any guarantees. I could go to the wilderness, to a village, or to another country, even to the New World. Anywhere, but not to prison! He chose to throw me into the Pignerol fortress, which was even more heavily guarded than the Bastille. He did not give me a single extra day in freedom, not a single breath of freedom, not a single extra glance at the clear sky above my head, which would not be crossed by prison bars!
The princess placed her second hand next to the first and gently squeezed Philip's hand with both palms.
- I understand you, my Prince! - she said. “You had the moral right to do this to your brother.” And this is a great relief for me, although it will not affect my decision.
“I understand,” Philip said sadly. - I believe that our current meeting is the last, and soon you will leave me and return to your principality of Monaco?
“You don’t understand anything,” the princess objected. “I fell in love with you from the first time I met you, and when I first saw Louis, I immediately realized that you and he were two different people.” You are so different that I was only frightened by his external resemblance to you. Even before my marriage, he tried to pursue me with his love and wanted to possess me like a man.
“I know about it,” Philip said coldly. “If it weren’t for the tricks of Comte de Guiche, this probably would have happened.”
“You are sorely mistaken, Philip,” said Catherine-Charlotte. - My brother did this at my request. I just pretended to be angry with him. I am so grateful to him! He delivered me from your brother's harassment. I never expected to meet you again, so I decided to marry only so that my husband would take me away from the court, and so that the King would never again pretend to receive from me anything more than loyal respect. I came to your call believing that you were him, and my intention was only to confirm my intention to spend the rest of my life in Monaco. But here I met you, and my intentions changed. I will be by your side for as long as you wish. If my situation doesn’t bother you, I’ll soon have another child.
“I have already said that I am happy to see you in any position and in any capacity,” Philip answered. “Of course, since you are married, I cannot count on your love as much as I would like, but at least, perhaps, you can see in me a friend or something like a brother, or at least a cousin?”
“I, of course, like that you don’t have that insolence that is present in any monarch almost from birth, but beware, excessive delicacy can give you away, and someone might someday suspect a substitution!” - the princess answered playfully. “I assure you that your august brother would not see an obstacle for himself in the fact that I am married!” He is used to taking whatever he likes, without caring that it might belong to someone else. I will have to be your mentor in this matter. Know that you must do the same as any King does, that is, take everything that you like. I forgive your insolence in advance.
- Princess, I am delighted, and I obey you! - Philip whispered passionately and pressed his lips to Catherine-Charlotte’s hand.
- After, my friend! — the princess objected softly and after waiting a few seconds, she gently removed her hand. “You will have time to enjoy your victory over a weak girl’s heart later.” Remember that I am a mother-to-be, and until my child sees the light of day, I beg you to show delicacy and limit your royal power over me to polite gallantry.
“I will do so, my dear princess, but let me kiss your left hand, as I kissed your right!” - Philip continued to insist.
“No, I won’t allow it,” answered the princess, and looking into Philip’s eyes she added, “you must do this without asking my permission, since you have the right to do so.”
Philip did so, after which he decided to prove that he had learned the lesson perfectly, so he connected his lips with the princess’s lips in a long and tender kiss.

Chapter 380

Since I am writing a memoir and not an adventure novel, I can allow myself to jump ahead and briefly tell the story of this love.
Katerina-Charlotte gave birth to a girl on July 26, who was named Anna-Hippolyta. Some time later she became Philip's mistress. By this time she already had five children: Antoine, Marie-Therese-Charlotte, Jeanne-Marie, Therese-Marie-Aurelia and the aforementioned Anna-Hippolyta. The princess’s relationship with Philip remained for a long time without consequences for the size of her family, however, on the last day of 1669, as a result of intimacy for five and a half years, the princess gave birth to a son, Francois-Honor;. I cannot assume that the princess’s husband was the culprit for this birth, since he moved away from her after the birth of her fifth child, or, more precisely, it would be more accurate to say that she moved away from her husband, moving closer to the court and spending much more time in Paris than in Monaco. Philip persuaded Princess Henrietta to accept the princess as her maid of honor, where Louise de La Valli;re was already listed.
The princess was dissatisfied that the position of maid of honor under her allowed her to place the King’s mistresses at court, but she swallowed her discontent, she had to endure this humiliation, and not for the last time.
Philip sincerely loved Catherine Charlotte, but for the most part we men are such that loving one woman does not in the least prevent us from dating others. Philip did not immediately break up with Louise de La Valli;re, neglecting my persistent advice. He not only continued his relationship with her, but also added to the list of her illegitimate children. Three illegitimate children of La Valli;re by King Louis XIV died in infancy. Charles de Bourbon, born December 19, 1663, died in July 1665, Philippe de Bourbon, born January 7, 1665, died in July 1666, Louis, born in 1665, died in August 1666. Thus, the Lord took away all of Louis' children; not one of them even lived to be two years old. As a result of Philippe’s relationship with La Valli;re, this very worthy “mademoiselle” gave birth to Maria Anna on October 2, 1666, who is still alive today, and also gave birth to Louis on October 2, 1667, who lived a short but colorful life. At the age of two, he became Count of Vermandois and Admiral of France, and not so long ago, on November 18, 1683, he died quietly. So now, when I write these lines, of all the children of de La Valli;re, only Maria Anna de Bourbon is alive, who, so long ago, in 1680, married Louis Armand I de Bourbon-Conti. A month ago, that is, in 1685, she became a widow. May God grant her health and long life. I have often wondered why La Valli;re’s three children from Louis died in infancy. But no, no, no, I cannot suspect Philip of involvement in these deaths!
So, nothing prevented Philip from having children from all his mistresses at the same time, and they were trying to succeed in this field!
So, Katherine-Charlotte became Princess Henrietta's maid of honor.
Her aunt Suzanne Charlotte de Gramont, Marchioness of Saint-Chaumont, was governess to Princess Henrietta's two daughters, Marie Louise and Anne Maria. Let me remind you that her brother Comte de Guiche was an extremely sincere friend of Monsieur, the brother of the King, Philippe of Orleans, and also sought to become an even more soulful friend for his wife, Princess Henrietta, called Madame. In this he was partially successful. I write in part because every time he had to win her affection, it was like the first time. Madame was experienced and skillful in gallant affairs, so she behaved with him as if she were touching, which extremely excited the Comte de Guiche and he, it seems to me, was already beginning to believe that he had never been close to the Princess before, and that this closeness suited him. for some unknown reason it is extremely desirable. Dozens of ladies, no less attractive than Madame, would be glad to have him as a lover, and they did, but only for a while. The Comte de Guiche certainly required possession not of the ladies-in-waiting, but of those whose ladies-in-waiting they were, despite the risk of angering his sovereign and brother the King. But Monsieur, it seems, was not jealous of his wife for anyone except his august brother. Louis XIV, after his relationship with de La Valli;re, noticeably cooled towards Madame, but still occasionally allowed himself to flirt with the Princess in full view of the court, and in private. Philip did not accept this inheritance from his brother, and did not maintain a close relationship with Henrietta, preferring to return to the relationship befitting a cousin. He compensated for this loss by contacting the Princess of Monaco, and also in some way with Fran;oise-Athenais de Rochechouart de Mortemart, whom he made Marquise de Montespan. The first child from this relationship was born in 1669, only a little earlier than the birth of Francois-Honor; to Princess Catherine-Charlotte of Monaco. From all this I can conclude that my sermon in defense of love, delivered to Philip, which I briefly outlined in the previous chapter, had an extremely strong effect on his way of thinking, even many times stronger than I expected. I spoke out of inspiration, without setting any specific goal, and the result of my talkativeness was new bastards. Such is life! You should think about the consequences of any action, even sometimes the most insignificant! Young people are very selective in following advice from us old people. Sometimes you want to convince a young man of something and indulge in eloquence, reaching such heights that even the great Demosthenes would not be ashamed, and all this in no way touches the heart of your young listener. Other times, you simply let out a few phrases, or one subtle joke, or just a caustic remark, and it suddenly gives such sprouts in the fragile soul of your listener that it grows to such proportions that would be impossible to imagine! And if you have the time, opportunity and desire to be surprised by the results of this transformation of your young listener, he will object to you that, they say, he is just following what you yourself once taught him! These are the paradoxes of learning. They take from our instructions and our experience what seems most attractive to them; from the jewels of our knowledge, they, neglecting mother-of-pearl pearls and diamonds of the purest water, choose the bright blue thorn of eryngium or thistle.
You should not pay attention to the sincere words I cited in the previous chapter, which were exchanged between Philip and Catherine-Charlotte. May novelists forgive me, these people who do not understand life at all, but I undertake to assert that very often sublime words cover up base feelings, incredibly beautiful declarations of love are only a path to satisfying lust, the proclamation of great goals serves only to cover up selfish needs, while stingy, rude and even sometimes vulgar words come from pure souls experiencing true love, consisting of the deepest trust, the habit of perceiving the needs of a soul mate more important than their own needs, the desire to bring unexpected pleasure with small trifles, and that state in which one simply cannot imagine existing without someone to whom you never said, “I love you.”
Incredibly beautiful and sincere-sounding vows of love only prove that the one who pronounces them is skilled in eloquence. After all, we don’t think that a person who declares: “I am nobler than all others” really is? Or that a person who claims to be the smartest among all those present has grounds for such a claim? So why do we believe another person's statements about love? The reason is simple. A person who ascribes to himself qualities of the soul that he does not possess arouses distrust in us, since we ourselves consider ourselves better than him. But a person who declares the highest love for you seems to be claiming that you, you and only you, are worthy, in his opinion, of the most sublime attitude, the most sincere and eternal love, worthy of gratitude for the mere right to be with you. He takes upon himself only insight, not too great, which allowed him to discern in you your undoubted merits and appreciate you for them. That is, the phrase “I love you” means: “You are the best creature in the whole world, any person of the opposite sex should be grateful to Heaven and the Creator for the sheer happiness of contemplating you, hearing your voice and breathing the same air with you, for your breath - the scent of a rose, your teeth are pearls of the highest standard, your voice is heavenly music, and you yourself would compete in beauty with Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, and if you were nearby at the moment of the fatal dispute, you would undoubtedly receive the coveted apple from the hands of Paris." This is what any woman hears in the words “I love you.” And almost everyone believes it.
So, the love of Catherine-Charlotte and Philip took place, or, more simply, the status of the King of France allowed Philip to seduce another woman, the mother of four children, more precisely, by the time of their final intimacy there were already five. By the way, I don’t blame Philip, since Katerina-Charlotte was no slouch either.
The wit, liveliness and beauty of Catherine-Charlotte did not go unnoticed at court and was appreciated by many colorful and chatty parrots, pompous turkeys and smug peacocks, always flooding any European court. These fools who wear a sword only to remind them of their noble status, put dried hare's feet under their tight trousers to add masculinity to themselves, express delight at every word of the King and enthusiastically grab any handout from His Majesty, like lured goldfish grab food in the pond of the Emperor of China - as colorful and as useless as they are. For this seemingly male court camarilla, joining the feast of their monarch is an extremely prestigious matter. Therefore, any favorite of the King becomes a tasty morsel for them, which, if not bitten off, then at least everyone strives to lick. So Katherine-Charlotte had many reasons to forget about her children and her husband, who was taking a break from the need to regularly pay off his marital debt to his overly cheerful wife. This sweet couple, Philip and Catherine-Charlotte, chirped from time to time on the same branch of love, but sometimes, by mutual agreement, they each flew to their own branch, where they chirped about the same thing in the company of another court bird.
Somehow my inkwell was filled with sarcasm. I'll tell you to throw it away and bring me a new one!
So, Katerina-Charlotte. She stood out for her beauty and wit, liveliness of facial expressions and quick reaction to any remark that some gallant rake made in her presence. But if she ridiculed someone in front of everyone, it was only in order to accept his complete surrender in private, in order to console him with interest. So she had many lovers besides Philippe, including the Marquis de Villeroy and her cousin Antoine Nompart de Caumont. In other words, she was greedy for pleasure, and the image of a modest angel, which excited Philip’s dreams while he was in the Bastille and Pignerol, soon evaporated; Philip found in her the same frivolous, witty and not alien to any pleasures lady that he had found even before him his brother Louis in Princess Henrietta. Catherine-Charlotte's happiness was that she was longer than Madame, and therefore had more time for such a cheerful life. After spending four years in Monaco, where she went in 1668 for the birth of Fran;ois-Honor;, she returned to Paris in 1672 for new adventures, which I will talk about later.
Positively, this inkwell should be replaced, and I will probably throw out this chapter from my memoirs, but not now, but later, if I have time to edit my works.
To be honest, I attacked Philip and Catherine-Charlotte, as if I myself were pure and sinless! These young people loved each other and were together. For the first year and a half of their intimacy, their mutual feelings were, perhaps, such that they cannot be called anything other than love. So what if this experience was neither the first nor the last for each of them? True love is the one that lives in you now, in this moment, at this very minute. If love lasts for a short time, this does not mean that it did not exist, or that it was weak. Perhaps the strongest love was concentrated in a single date, in a single meeting, in some half an hour of a sincere date, when the lovers did not remember anything or anyone except each other? Who knows? This is a very difficult question! Remembering my feelings, I sometimes think that, perhaps, Chevrette most powerfully captured my heart at one time. And maybe those outbursts of mutual hatred were just our mutual irritation with each other because this beautiful and strong, tender and all-consuming love ended, died, left? And even more so because she left forever? We both understood that the past could not be returned, and instinctively tried to take revenge on each other for this?
I was always at peace with the Duchess de Lognville. I have never felt irritated with her. Is this love? Or maybe I became old and began to prefer calm, confidence and moderation? With Chevrette, I never knew what would happen next. But, my God, how my heart beat in joy and sorrow, in delight and in anger when I was with her!
Perhaps I should change not only the inkwell, but also the pen, and this chapter should be on fire!

Chapter 381

I was sitting bent over a map of Europe and taking the necessary notes when Bazin came in to see me.
“Monsignor, by your order, the de Trabuson spouses have been delivered,” he said.
- And d'Artagnan? - I asked.
“He will visit you tomorrow,” replied Bazin. “He hurried to the Kozochka hotel.
“I understand and approve,” I said. - How did it go? Did the captain give you an escort?
“They were accompanied by the Musketeers, de Segal and de Truffaut,” replied Bazin. “I showed the document signed by Colbert to Captain d’Artagnan, but he didn’t even read it.
“Let them lead this couple into the blue hall, I’ll go there now,” I ordered and took the document from Bazin.
Having completed my notes, I got up and went into the blue room, where de Segal and de Truffaut, accompanying the related de Trabuson spouses, were already waiting for me.
“Gentlemen, thank you, you are free,” I said to de Segal and de Truffaut. - Here is the exculpatory document on the basis of which I am confiscating these defendants, read it.
With these words, I handed them a document signed by Colbert to read. De Segal read it and nodded with satisfaction, after which de Truffaut also read it, then both musketeers left my house.
“So, Mister Didier de Trabuson,” I said after the musketeers left, “you allowed yourself to basely deceive me.” You treacherously killed my agent D'Aunay, plunging a sword into his back when he did not expect it. You attacked a convoy carrying out the King's orders, you tried to kill Captain d'Artagnan, and you barely killed the prisoner he was escorting on the King's orders! It is your fault that a guards lieutenant who was carrying out your criminal orders died.
- I am not to blame for anything! - exclaimed de Trabuson. - I acted on Colbert's orders! I will complain to Monsieur Colbert!
“As much as you like, Monsieur de Trabuson,” I replied. - But first, would you like to familiarize yourself with this document?
With these words I took the document from the table and showed it to de Trabuson so that he could read it. The document read:

“The bearer of this document, the Duke d'Alameda, for the purpose of justice, is free to take away the offenders and criminals of the spouses Didier and Olivia de Trabuson for punishment for the atrocities they committed against His Majesty the King of France and his officers and soldiers, as well as personally against the Duke d'Alameda. The verdict handed down by the Duke of Alameda does not require the approval of the court.
Signed: Minister of Finance, Head of the Chamber of Justice Jean-Baptiste Colbert"

“The Duke of Alameda has recently been my name,” I continued. - So, Mr. Colbert disavows your actions and hands you over to me, instructing and trusting me to punish you for the state crimes you have committed.
- I'm not guilty! - de Trabuson continued to deny. - It's all her, Olivia! She made me kill D'Aunay! It was she who shot the prisoner, and she persuaded me to throw a bomb at d'Artagnan's carriage and poison all the musketeers by bribing the innkeeper!
- Damn you, nonsense! - Olivia said with hatred and spat in de Trabuson’s face.
“We have already discussed possible actions on my part, M. de Trabuson, in the event of your betrayal.” If you remember, on the ship with Captain d'Argenson, we had a detailed conversation on this topic, don't you remember? - I asked. “You promised me obedience, and I warned you what fate might await you if you decided to deceive me.”
“I don’t want to know anything and I don’t want to remember anything!” - exclaimed de Trabuson.
“Repent of your sins, tell me the whole truth and accept your fate as a Catholic should,” I suggested. - Have a drink and calm down.
With these words, I took one of the three goblets that stood on the table in front of them and raised it to de Trabuson’s lips.
“I don’t want to die either as a Catholic, or as a Huguenot, or as a heretic, or as a Muslim!” I am not guilty of anything, and you must let me go! - de Trabuson did not let up. - I won't drink this!
“I’m not going to kill you, de Trabucon,” I answered, shrugging my shoulders.
After this I drank to the bottom from the cup which I had offered to de Trabucon.
“I assure you, de Trabuson, the drink that I offer you can only make your fate easier,” I explained to him. “And you, madam, would you like to drink from this cup?”
“Come on,” Olivia said coldly. - I hope it's poison.
After that, she calmly drank the drink offered to her.
“And you, de Trabuson, prefer to endure all the torment you deserve?” - I asked.
- To hell with you! - exclaimed de Trabuson, seeing that nothing terrible had happened to his wife, she had only plunged into a state of mild intoxication.
I raised the goblet to de Trabuson’s lips, which Didier emptied in three gulps.
After that I left the blue hall. Didier sent curses after me, but due to the effect of the drink, he suddenly felt that his head was becoming heavy, all the objects before his eyes swam, he felt deep calm and fell into a long sleep.

In his sleep, De Trabuson heard voices that seemed to be quarreling in a language unfamiliar to him.
He felt someone gently kick him, then a bucket of cold water was poured on his face. Snorting, he barely opened his eyes and looked around.
Before him stood a Turk in rich clothes.
- Wake up, you wicked man! - said the Turk in broken French. - You will become my eunuch. My people will teach you what you are obliged to do. This woman will complete my harem. She will love me and give birth to my children.
De Trabuson looked where the Turks were pointing his finger and saw his wife.
- Yes, yes, I will be your harem! - Olivia smiled and looked affectionately at the Turk, after which she looked at Didier with hatred and spat in his direction again.
- Stop! You can't do that! - exclaimed de Trabuson. - I don’t agree! I can't be a eunuch!
“I know that you are not yet ready to be a eunuch,” answered the Turk. - My orders are that yours will be a good eunuch. My people will make you a eunuch. Hassan, make this man a eunuch!
- It will be done, lord! - answered the one to whom the richly dressed Turk addressed, and stroked with his hand the curved dagger hanging on his belt.

I received a report that my order was carried out, the traitor and murderer de Trabuson received the promised punishment. I decided to put this man out of my mind. I was in a hurry, it was a mistake.

The next day, Colbert visited my residence, where, to his displeasure, he found d'Artagnan.
- Hello, Mr. Colbert! - said d'Artagnan in such a tone that from the outside one might think that he was glad to greet his old friend.
This tone did not deceive either Colbert or me.
“Glad to see you here,” Colbert replied in the same tone and with the same result.
“You apparently have a conversation with the Duke, so I don’t dare disturb you,” said d’Artagnan, without taking a single step towards the exit.
- Oh, what are you, what are you! Colbert exclaimed. “Can a French minister have a confidential conversation with a foreign ambassador that the captain of the royal musketeers cannot hear?” - he continued, feeling the falseness of his tone and his phrase.
“I have no secrets from Monsieur d’Artagnan, I never have and never will,” I said in such a tone that even d’Artagnan almost believed me.
“Monsieur Duke,” said Colbert, turning to me, “I do not know the reasons for your conflict with the King and I do not know the reasons for the establishment of complete agreement between you.”
“That’s true, Monsieur Colbert,” I answered with a smile. “Of course, I cannot inform you in this regard without His Majesty’s consent, even if I wanted to, but I don’t want to.” I also don't think you need to know this to be more successful in your role. Moreover, I do not assume that you have the right to ask me questions on this topic. So, you said this simply to get away from this situation, and, having acknowledged it, to talk about how you propose to build a future relationship with me, or, to be more precise, you are interested in how I propose to build my relationship with you. I answer: as if nothing of what you are talking about took place. Are you satisfied with this answer to a question you didn’t ask?
“I have always believed, Duke, that diplomacy consists in saying nothing very skillfully, but you have crushed my opinion, since you have very skillfully told me a lot,” Colbert replied.
“So much the better, dear minister, I’m listening to you,” I answered coldly.
“I believe, Monsieur Duke, that now that we have brought complete clarity in the relations between us, the time has come to bring complete clarity also in the relations between our countries,” Colbert continued. “Tell me, can France count on Spain’s neutrality when resolving some of our issues with Holland?”
“Mr. Minister,” I answered. — If you call a war with this state the solution to some issues with Holland, then Spain, I believe, will not take the side of Holland. But Holland is a maritime power! Is France ready for war at sea? How many victories did she win in naval battles? Some of the victories the Duke de Beaufort won over Turkey would be a good answer to my doubts, but the Duke, alas, went missing during a sortie in one of the battles, it seems, with the Turks. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the exact name of this place.
- So, do you believe that a war with Holland can take place, that it will be at sea and that France is not able to wage a naval war? Three such meaningful answers to my question? Thank you Colbert said. - What do you think about this, Monsieur d'Artagnan?
“I think that the outcome of naval battles is decided, of course, at sea, but the outcome of a war, even one consisting mainly of sea battles, is nevertheless decided on land,” answered d’Artagnan. “Therefore, in order to fight this naval war, France will need a strong land army.”
- What did you say? - Colbert was surprised, deciding that he had misheard. — Why land?
At these words, I just smiled, recognizing that my friend was right.
“Because if England doesn’t help us, and she won’t help us, we’ll be beaten at sea.” - answered the captain. “Consequently, the Dutch will not miss the opportunity to capture our ports, and those that the Dutch do not capture will be captured by the British.” If France loses its ports, it will lose its entire kingdom, into which the Spaniards will pour. In addition, T;rkiye will not miss the opportunity to take revenge from the south.
- Why don’t you admit that Spain will remain strictly neutral? - I asked mainly so that Colbert could hear the captain’s answer.
“Spain will be neutral as long as France is stronger than the enemy or at least equal in strength,” answered d’Artagnan. - No country can remain neutral, seeing easy prey at its borders. I would rather believe that a pack of hyenas may not pay any attention to the carcass of an antelope, littered with a cheetah.
“You see, Mister Colbert, that Mister d’Artagnan should have been Marshal of France long ago, since his place is at least in the military council of the kingdom, and on the battlefields he will show his strategic talents even more convincingly, for this I vouch.”.
“I have no doubt about that,” Colbert replied, barely suppressing his admiration. - Who told you, Mister d'Artagnan, that France does not have a strong fleet?
- What are you saying, I didn’t say that. - the captain laughed, - I had very little experience of military operations at sea, and I was convinced that the commander-in-chief in some cases cannot do anything with his flotilla, especially when the most junior naval officer has letters in his pocket giving him authority greater than those given to the commander-in-chief.
Colbert pretended not to notice the captain's hairpin.
“The commanders-in-chief of the sea are admirals,” Colbert clarified.
“We have significantly fewer admirals than French marshals,” answered d’Artagnan. - And there won’t be ten. In England there are at least three times more of them. I'm not sure about Holland, but I think there are enough of them there too.
- How many admirals do we need, in your opinion, Monsieur d'Artagnan? Colbert asked.
“Three times as many as we have, or better yet, as many as our fleets,” answered d’Artagnan. - And we should have as many fleets as the number of seas we are going to keep under our control.
“In that case, Russia must have an extremely large number of admirals,” said Colbert.
“I remember that when they asked about one admiral from Russia why he received such an appointment, one of the wits answered that he had spent the last ten years on a ship,” I said with a smile.
-What's strange about this? Colbert asked.
“Oh, it’s an untranslatable play on words,” I replied. — In the Russian language there is a word that means both a warship and a chamber pot for bedridden patients.
— Do you know Russian? - asked d'Artagnan in surprise.
“Not at all,” I lied. — I was only interested in one Slavic manuscript. Church chronicle.
— Since when are the latest jokes from Russia recorded in ancient Slavic chronicles? - asked d'Artagnan.
“The Russian envoy in Turkey told me this joke and immediately explained the point of it,” I said, and it was the pure truth. “Where do you intend to get these twenty admirals, Monsieur Colbert?”
“The task is not an easy one,” agreed d’Artagnan. — Benjamin de Rohan and Jean Guiton are dead. Jean d'Estr;e is too arrogant, according to his sister Gabrielle, he is related to the illegitimate descendants of Henry IV, so he behaves as if he himself is the Prince of the Blood. Just look he will quarrel even with the Minister of War Francois de Louvois himself!
“I’ll make peace between them if something happens,” Colbert replied. “You forgot the Marquis du Boucher.”
“Du Boucher is beyond praise,” answered d’Artagnan. - Isn't he a little old?
- For mercy's sake, captain, he is younger than you! Colbert exclaimed.
- Really? - D'Artagnan was surprised. - However, maybe you are right. Take a closer look at Jean-Bernard de Pointis. Anne Hilarion de Tourville is also quite good.
“Naval officer Fran;ois Louis Rousselet de Chateau-Renaud has distinguished himself well this year,” I added.
- Maybe Louis Gabre? - I asked. “He will probably rise to admiral.” But no matter how difficult it is to find admirals, it is still necessary to staff entire teams of warships, and it is even more important to have these same warships in the required quantity.
“Thanks to my efforts, our fleet has been enriched with thirty-five warships over the past six months,” Colbert said proudly. — These are battleships, fast and equipped with cannons in accordance with the regulations.
— Thirty-five ships? - D'Artagnan was surprised. - Not bad! I like this type of activity of yours, Mr. Colbert.
“The king currently has about two thousand cannons,” bowed the flattered Colbert. “Thirty-five ships are three strong squadrons, but for the war with Holland we need to have at least five squadrons.” The King will have them by the end of the year.
- Where did you get so many guns? - asked d'Artagnan.
“I built a factory in Toulon,” answered Colbert.
—Have you built a weapons factory? - I asked in surprise.
My people did not inform me about this, and I decided that I would draw their attention to this shortcoming, and demand that I be notified about the construction of military factories, shipyards and other important activities of Colbert.
“The minister does not build the plant himself, Monsieur Duke,” Colbert replied. “I found Monsieur d’Infreville, and Monsieur d’Infreville built a factory.” He knows how to select the best craftsmen and make them work. He casts cannons in Toulon and cuts ship timber in Burgundy. And Mr. Detouche builds ships and launches them.
“You have gathered significant resources, Mister Colbert!” - D'Artagnan admired.
“Now it’s time to get involved in politics,” Colbert continued. - I need Spain's neutrality.
“If England helps France, I may be able to guarantee Spain’s neutrality,” I replied.
“If you could guarantee the neutrality of Spain, I could guarantee that England would help France,” Colbert replied. — By the way, the other day the King said that he would be extremely pleased to see the ribbon of the Order of St. Michael on you.
I bowed.
“Monsieur d’Artagnan,” continued Colbert, “how do you feel about the campaign against Holland?” Can you swim?
“Like an eel,” answered d’Artagnan. “Especially on one of the fifty ships of the line.”
“The ships will take you and your musketeers to the coast of Holland,” Colbert agreed. “But then you will have to go through marshy areas, where it is not always possible to find reliable crossings. Even the best swimmers often drown in such places.
“My profession is to die for the King,” answered the captain. - But die in battle, not in a swamp. So I'll just have to swim out.
“So,” Colbert began, “you have nothing against Holland?”
“Personally, I have nothing against it, but if the King has something against this country, it is my duty to explain to them that he is right with the help of the arguments with which His Majesty provided me,” answered d’Artagnan and patted his sword with his palm.
“The king will supply you with everything you need, I promise you this as Minister of Finance,” said Colbert.
“Consequently, I will not only go myself, but also lead my musketeers into battle,” answered d’Artagnan.
“The King’s guards will also come under your hand,” Colbert replied.
“They should be informed that they will be subordinate to me,” answered d’Artagnan with a smile. “And I must be sure that they will not have orders on the basis of which my authority can be challenged or revoked.”
“Your doubts will disappear by themselves,” Colbert replied, “when you find out that a marshal’s baton is already being made for you.”
“May you fail with your marshal’s baton!” - thought d'Artagnan. “Whenever he’s mentioned, I’m in for some big trouble!”
“Well, in any case, at least some help in crossing the swamps,” he said, trying to pretend that he was interested in this proposal.
“Undoubtedly,” Colbert agreed. “I don’t know of a single case where a Marshal of France drowned.”
“Well, Monsieur Minister,” replied d’Artagnan, “you can tell the King that the first battle under my command will end in victory or my death.”
“In that case,” said Colbert, “I will order that today they begin to embroider the golden lilies that will decorate your marshal’s baton.”
“But keep this in mind, Monsieur Colbert,” I said. “I would not advise His Majesty to count on receiving the Queen’s dowry from Spain.”
- Will Spain really not keep its promise? Colbert asked.
“Spain promised to pay the sum known to you in exchange for Her Majesty’s renunciation of the rights to inherit the Spanish throne,” I reminded. - Spain should not become part of the possessions of France, because this is clear. But due to the birth of a male heir to the King of Spain, the rights of Queen Maria Theresa are no longer a problem for Spain. Therefore, the King does not consider it necessary to pay for the waiver of rights, which from now on has absolutely no meaning.
“No one is eternal in the sublunary world, the heir can die, which I would in no way wish for him, but we all walk under God,” said Colbert. — This issue may become relevant again.
“If such a disaster happens, God forbid, Spain will return to this issue,” I answered. “As a Frenchman by birth, I sympathize with the interests of France, but as a citizen and official envoy of Spain, I am obliged to defend the interests of Spain.”
“This is quite unusual,” Colbert grumbled.
— It doesn’t surprise you that the Queen Mother is Spanish by birth, but defended the interests of France even in a dispute with her own brother, the King of Spain? - I asked. — By the way, Her Majesty the Queen is also a daughter of Spain.
“You’re right, Duke,” Colbert gave in. - Thank you for warning us that we would not see the Spanish inheritance. This would not lead to a new war.
“In any case, not until the campaign in Holland is over,” I reassured Colbert. “After all, in this matter the interests of Spain and France coincide.
“Fortunately for our states and unfortunately for Holland,” Colbert agreed.
“Military alliances are concluded in order to increase the capabilities of those who concluded them, and to the detriment of those against whom they are concluded,” I answered. “Besides, this is the only chance for states that are not strong enough to argue with a state whose strength has become dangerous to its neighbors.”
“But force can only be dangerous if it is used,” Colbert said. - A stronger state will not necessarily use its advantages to the detriment of a neighboring weaker state.
“You don’t think so, Monsieur Colbert,” I replied.
“No, I don’t think so,” Colbert agreed. - At least not in this century.
— What will change in the next century? - I asked.
“The rulers will become wiser, more careful, more honest, in the end,” Colbert suggested.
- Do you believe this? - I inquired.
- You have to believe in something! Colbert exclaimed.
“Believing is my part,” I answered. “And although you have already taken over the bishopric of Vannes, I still remained a spiritual figure and I dare to assure you that I have retained sufficient influence in the spiritual environment.
- Yes, by the way, you reminded me! Colbert exclaimed. - Your order regarding your inheritance is being carried out!
“And my promise about the de Trabucon family has already been fulfilled,” I answered. “I did not find out whose orders these people were carrying out, although they themselves pointed me to one influential minister, trying to convince me that they acted solely on his orders.
-Who were they pointing to? Colbert asked.
-Who do you take me for? - I asked with a smile. - Am I really going to listen to scoundrels like this couple? I didn’t attach the slightest importance to their words, but don’t worry, they are far away, and they won’t tell anyone anything simply for the simple reason that where they ended up, no one would question them on this topic.
Colbert bowed and left my house.
- It seems you pressed this guy hard! - D'Artagnan said with a laugh.
“Not strong enough, I’m afraid,” I replied. - But this does not matter significantly until the person you have elevated decides to repay you for your good deed with black ingratitude.
“I hope this will not happen, or will not happen very soon,” answered d’Artagnan.

Chapter 382

The young man entered the office of the all-powerful minister, who had learned the day before that the young man was seeking an audience and set a time for him to receive him.
- Hello, dear Auguste! - Colbert greeted him joyfully. - When will I have the happiness of seeing your respected mother and your dear father?
“My parents have disappeared somewhere, Mister Minister,” answered Auguste.
- Can't be! - Colbert exclaimed with ostentatious surprise. - Let me go! I remember that there was some message about a bandit attack on the guardsmen. Wait a minute! — Colbert rang the bell.
He said to the secretary who looked through the door:
“I need a file on the attack at the southern gate of Paris.”
A minute later, the secretary brought a folder in which were written in different handwritings the testimony that Colbert himself had invented two hours ago.
- That's what it's all about! - he exclaimed. - The last name is spelled incorrectly here. It is said that the case is about the du Trois-Bessons, when in fact it is apparently about your parents, Didier de Trabucon and Olivia de Trabucon! Well, of course! How could I not have guessed it!
- What about my parents? - Auguste de Trabuson asked anxiously.
“If there is no mistake here, and if we are really talking about your parents, then I’m afraid I have bad news for you, young man!” - Colbert said in a concerned and sympathetic tone. “These people were captured at the southern gates of Paris by order of Captain d'Artagnan and taken away in his carriage to an unknown destination.
- Order him to return my parents! - Auguste begged.
- Ta-ta-ta, young man, don’t rush, I’m not omnipotent! Colbert falsely protested. - Did you know that the captain of the royal musketeers is almost equivalent to the marshal of France? If the King wants to arrest me, then Monsieur d'Artagnan is the person who will carry out this order. I cannot quarrel with such a person without sufficient grounds, and, besides, this is the testimony of witnesses whom we could not find. In other words, I cannot attach great importance to these documents; it is as if they do not exist. I would have to throw them out, since these statements are not confirmed by anyone. I will do so, but first, out of respect for your honorable parents, I will let you get acquainted with them, just promise me that you will never tell anyone about what you read here, much less that you read it here and I have.
With these words, Colbert handed Auguste a folder full of slanderous fabrications against d'Artagnan, compiled by himself and recorded under his dictation by several of his clerks.
As he read, Auguste's fists clenched more and more, and his face became paler.
Having finished reading, he returned the folder and exclaimed:
- I'll kill him!
- Under no circumstances, young man! - Colbert objected. “If you take such an action, you yourself will be executed.” Besides, you will not be able to cope with him, do not forget that he is always well armed and controls his weapons better than anyone in France.
“I’ll attack him at night when he doesn’t expect it,” said Auguste stubbornly.
“It’s better, but still not the same,” Colbert continued to object. - In order to kill a person, it is not at all necessary to kill him personally, with your own hands. It is much more reliable to collect information against him that will kill him at the hands of the royal executioner. Besides, wouldn't you want your parents back? And if you kill him, you won’t learn anything about them. No, young man, you need Captain d'Artagnan to be in your hands so that you can dictate terms to him. Then you will be able to return your parents and take revenge on him as you see fit.
“I will do whatever you say, Monsieur Minister,” replied Auguste de Trabuson.
“This is already quite good,” Colbert nodded. “But first we will get rid of documents that are completely useless and even harmful to us, and which, I hope, you have read carefully enough, so carefully that you never forget what is written in them.”
With these words, Colbert threw the folder into the blazing fireplace.
“By the way, Captain d’Artagnan had one accomplice, whose name I cannot yet tell you,” Colbert continued. “But later we’ll deal with him too.”
Thus, Colbert received another spy, having at his disposal several dozen similar people, each of whom was attracted to his side not only by money, but also by similar methods, which allowed Colbert to be quite confident in their obedience.

An hour later, the secretary reported to Colbert that Mr. d'Epernon, who had been invited to him, had arrived.
- Come in, dear Duke! Colbert exclaimed. “I’m glad to see a son of such a brilliant family!” I have heard a lot about the exploits of your venerable and noble father, Duke Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette d'Epernon! The offspring of such a wonderful family! I believe that you should rightfully hold the position of captain of the royal musketeers! And where do we see you? Guards Lieutenant! This is not enough, let me say with all responsibility!
“I have never shown zeal in a military career,” answered the Duke, the eldest son of his illustrious father, whose titles the minister took the trouble to list. - And military fortune is not for me.
“There are moments when Fortune herself rushes to the one who is worthy of mastering it,” Colbert said enthusiastically. - France needs heroes like you, Duke! And France will not be slow to appreciate its hero! The post of captain of the royal musketeers will be yours!
“Where are you going to take M. d’Artagnan?” - asked d'Epernon with disbelief.
“He believes that he will be elevated to Marshal of France, but in fact he will be humiliated to the Bastille, I’m telling you this, Colbert!” - the minister answered enthusiastically.
“Sounds good,” agreed d’Epernon, “when the vacancy you speak of becomes available, I will be at your service.”
- Wait, dear Duke! - Colbert objected. — Vacancies are not vacated by themselves, except in cases where the person who occupies them is hopelessly old or terminally ill.
“Consequently, you make me promises that are postponed indefinitely,” d’Epernon chuckled. - This doesn't inspire me.
“You can speed up this deadline without any danger at all, dear Duke, for this you just need to fulfill one small order of mine,” said Colbert. “I will give you four guardsmen, you will go to Pignerol with my order, and on the basis of this order you will bring me a prisoner who is being held in the fortress.” This simple order will open the way for you to the vacancy we are talking about, since I am almost sure that this prisoner will tell us something that will allow us to remove Captain d'Artagnan, who is interfering with me and you, to the Bastille.
- And where is this letter? - asked d'Epernon with disbelief.
“Here it is, read it,” Colbert replied and placed the paper in front of the Duke.
In this document the Duke read the following:

“Order of the head of the cabinet of ministers, Minister of Finance of J.-B. Colbert

The commandant of the fortress of Pignerol, Mr. de Saint-Mars, is to hand over to Monsieur d'Epernon the prisoner Marciali, whom Monsieur d'Epernon is to deliver to the disposal of Monsieur Colbert, maintaining all precautions in relation to this prisoner.

Signed: J.-B. Colbert."

The order was affixed with the minister's seal.

- What other precautions are there? - asked the Duke.
“There’s a mask on his face and a gag in his mouth,” Colbert smiled.
“That means don’t talk to him or listen to him,” nodded the Duke.
“Exactly,” Colbert agreed happily.
“What if this prisoner Marciali doesn’t tell us anything in Paris?” - d'Epernon doubted.
“He doesn’t have to tell you anything; moreover, I’m not just asking, but I’m asking you very urgently, I’m ordering you to be silent with him and not to ask him any questions on the way to Paris.” This is precisely the most difficult part of my assignment, and in this part I can only trust you,” Colbert continued. - I know you as a person who is not curious.
- Not at all curious! - the Duke agreed. “If he can’t tell me directly what I must do to become captain of the musketeers, we have nothing to talk about.”
“The fact of the matter is that he can’t tell you anything like that directly,” Colbert agreed. - I'll tell you more. There are many things that indicate to me that this person is out of his mind, so you shouldn't talk to him, and you shouldn't even let him say anything. And if he says something, you shouldn’t take it seriously. I will talk to him myself, me and only me. I have my own methods. I will be able to distinguish the truth from the nonsense that he can carry when communicating with any person. And since you will receive him in a mask, let him not take it off for a moment.
“All this seems somehow doubtful, Mr. Minister,” d’Epernona doubted. “Besides, I don’t want to be the captain of the royal musketeers so much as to get involved in some kind of intrigue.”
“I’m not getting you involved in any intrigues, you’ll just go and pick up whoever they give you on my orders and bring them to me,” Colbert continued his persuasion. “You won’t even have to bear the expenses.” This will cover all travel expenses.
With these words, Colbert took out a wallet with money from his desk drawer, which contained not only gold coins, but also silver ones, as a result of which he seemed somewhat more solvent than he really was.
D'Epernon, who does not need money, but also does not intend to spend his own funds to please some ministers, assessed this act of Colbert quite favorably.
“Well, in the end I have nothing to lose,” he replied. - A walk at your expense will at least entertain me.
“Take your four guards, leave a deputy in your place, and leave tomorrow morning,” Colbert said, summing up the results.
“I will return with your Marciali,” replied d’Epernon, put on his hat and went out.

Shortly before this conversation, d'Artagnan came to the Major of the Royal Guards, Comte de Shuzo. He decided to help Francois arrange his career, but first the young man had to achieve recognition from his comrades and superiors through his own efforts, so he decided not to take him into the musketeers and not to provide patronage, hiding the fact of kinship, which he himself no longer doubted at all.
“Count, I present to you my fellow countryman Fran;ois de Perrin,” said d’Artagnan. —I have already tested it in practice and recommend it to you with a pure heart.
— Do you recommend it in writing? - asked Count de Shuzo with a sly smile. “I’ve heard a lot about the story when a certain fellow countryman of yours arrived with a letter of recommendation, which was stolen from him on the way to Paris.
“It is for this reason that I do not rely on written recommendations and came myself to confirm my recommendation specifically in relation to this brave young man,” answered the captain. “He is ready to go through all the hardships of military service, and I will be glad if you do not make a favorite out of him, but give him the opportunity to prove in practice what he is worth.”
“Mr. Captain,” Francois intervened. “I thank you for such a recommendation, this is exactly what I was counting on, and if you say one more word as a recommendation, it will be unnecessary.”
- I like this young man! - answered de Shuzo. “With your recommendation, captain, I would enlist anyone in the company of guards, but the modesty with which you formulated it says much more about you and your prot;g; than a five-page letter of recommendation.” Young man, consider yourself accepted!
D'Artagnan thanked the count, bowed and said goodbye to both.

Returning home in the evening, d'Artagnan found a letter with which the Duchess de Chevreuse invited him to talk as soon as possible. The captain considered that the time was not so late that such a visit could be considered indecent, so he put on his hat again and went to the Louvre, to the wing in which the duchess's apartments were located.
As soon as the duchess was informed of the captain's arrival, she immediately demanded him to come to her.
- Oh, dear Count! - said the duchess, extending her hand to the captain for a kiss. - I am very glad that you responded to my invitation so quickly! I have to tell you one important thing, and I hope that you will understand me.
“I’m listening to you, duchess,” answered d’Artagnan.
“You will understand why I am addressing you,” the duchess continued. “We have known each other for a long time, in absentia, and saw each other several times at the King’s reception, but we never talked like this, face to face.
“No time has been lost,” the captain smiled. - Duchess, you are still one of the most brilliant ladies at court.
- Oh, captain, leave it! - the duchess blushed. “You are excellent not only with a sword, I know that, but you won’t fool me.” I have heard so many compliments in my life that I have learned to distinguish those that come from the heart from those that are a tribute to simple male politeness.
“Duchess, you are too cruel to yourself and to me,” objected d’Artagnan.
“Get to the point, Count,” said the Duchess. “The question that worries me is urgent. I am very worried about the Comte de La F;re.
- What's wrong with the count? - the captain asked hastily.
“You see, this person is not indifferent to me due to certain circumstances,” the duchess tried to explain her concern.
- What about the count, duchess? What makes you worry about him? - the captain continued more insistently.
— He received a letter that prompted him to go on a dangerous journey. I'm afraid this is a trap? - said the duchess. “Perhaps it’s my empty suspiciousness, but I’m afraid.”
“Duchess, I beg you, tell me everything in order,” the captain interrupted her.
“He received a letter that the Duke de Beaufort is alive, that he was captured by the Turks, and that a ransom is required to save him,” answered the duchess.
- How do you know this, and why do you think this letter is a trap? - asked d'Artagnan.
“You forget who my cousin is, Mr. Count,” answered the duchess.
“It would be easier to remember which of the grandees is not related to you, duchess,” answered d’Artagnan. “Are you talking about the Duke of Lorraine, or the Duke de Richelieu, Colbert, or one of the spouses of one of the Mazarinettes, or someone else?”
“In this case, I mean only the Duke de Rochefort,” the duchess clarified. “He told me that the Comte de La F;re set out on this dangerous journey almost alone. It is true that Rochefort told me that his source told him that Baron du Valon was traveling with him, and on this basis he somewhat doubted the reliability of this information. He said that his source must have made a mistake, because the baron, as everyone knows, died in the Lokmaria cave on the island of Belle-Ile. But this is what makes me believe that this source of information is trustworthy. I don’t believe that Baron du Valon died, although I don’t know for what reason, they hide it. Apparently, the baron himself and his friends need this for something.
“You are well aware, duchess, Baron du Valon really died, I ask you to stick to this version in conversations with everyone who asks you about it, but your cousin has not gone crazy,” answered d’Artagnan. - Carry on!
“The count told my cousin that he could not reveal these circumstances to anyone at court, since they both learned that some kind of conspiracy had been drawn up against the duke,” continued the duchess. “By the way, my cousin found out about this from me.” So, one of the influential enemies of the Duke de Beaufort decided to get rid of him, so asking the court for help to save the Duke is pointless and even dangerous. Of course, the count went there on his own. Rochefort also wanted to join them, but the count agreed to take him as an escort only to the Turkish border. This means that the letter he received contained conditions according to which the count could not come to Beaufort's rescue accompanied by a large number of people. The writer of this letter demanded that the count arrive alone, or accompanied by a servant, or with only one of his friends. This condition worries me. I thought it might be a trap. Rochefort thought the same thing, and he shared his suspicions with the count. Do you know what Count de La F;re answered him?
“I think the count said that he is not afraid of traps, that he is ready to trust fate and his sword, and also that when duty requires him to come to the rescue of the grandson of Henry IV, nothing will force him to refuse to do so.” debt,” answered d’Artagnan.
“Almost word for word,” confirmed the duchess.
“So he went there accompanied by only one person, as you say, and did not inform either me, or his son, or his faithful Grimaud of the purpose and place of this journey, since he did not want anyone to help him or look for him.”, - summed up d'Artagnan. “This suggests that he very seriously suspected a trap.” And he didn’t want anyone else to take risks with him.
“I think so too, Count,” agreed the Duchess.
“What else did your cousin tell you, Duchess?” - asked the captain.
“He said that the meeting place is the very fortress where the Duke de Beaufort disappeared,” answered the duchess.
- Thank you, Duchess! I have to go! - answered d'Artagnan.
- It’s me who thank you, captain! Don't waste time! - the duchess answered and again extended her hand to him for a kiss.

Chapter 383

According to Colbert's instructions, the Duke d'Epernon took four guards from the Comte de Chuzo and headed to Pignerol, where Colbert sent him. Among these four selected was Fran;ois, but not at all by chance, since, making his choice, the Duke asked which of them knew the road to this town better. Of course, Fran;ois replied that he had recently gone there, so he was chosen to accompany him.
The trip was uneventful, since this time no spies followed the travelers.
Upon arrival at the place, d'Epernon went straight to the fortress and showed up at the gates of the fortress and ordered Francois to knock on the gate with the door knocker. Fran;ois obeyed and knocked, but it had no effect.
“Knock louder, they’re probably all asleep there,” said d’Epernon. - Damn them! I would also sleep in such heat, in a lovely place! A fortress on the mountainside, warm summer air, smelling of pine needles! Silence! Even the birds don’t want to sing on such a hot day, only crickets or fillies, and occasionally a dragonfly flies by! To be listed as the commandant of such a fortress, after all, it’s a sinecure, and that’s all. Bask in the sun while your salary accumulates little by little! I think this fortress will never be attacked. If you lock two or three prisoners inside, you receive allowance for them, half of which you put in your pocket. And even government food, government clothing and no bosses over you! If I had not been the Duke d'Epernon, I might have wanted to become the commandant of such a fortress in the wilderness, far from Paris! Why are they there, have they fallen asleep or what? Knock harder!
But even the louder knock of the door knocker had no effect, so d'Epernon decided to shoot in the air.
Soon, someone from the fortress wall, apparently a guard, asked who they were and what they wanted.
- Open the fortress gates! - exclaimed d'Epernon. - I am the Duke d'Epernon, I arrived with an order from the Minister of Finance, Mr. de Colbert, to the commandant, Mr. de Benigne Dauvern Saint-Mars!
“Now I’ll report on you,” the guard answered. “And stop banging on the door, the commandant doesn’t like that.”
“He doesn’t like it,” muttered d’Epernon. “Why should I care what an officer in the civil service likes and doesn’t like?”
He expected that the gates of the fortress were about to open and prepared to spur his horse in order to rush inside and burst into an angry tirade.
But there was no movement at the fortress gates. After some time, another voice called out to the Duke from the same place on the fortress wall.
- I am the commandant of the fortress de Saint-Mars! - the man shouted. “Do you have His Majesty’s orders for me?”
“I have already told your man that I have an order from the head of the cabinet, Minister of Finance Colbert,” replied d’Epernon, beginning to lose patience, but deciding not to rush into indignation just yet.
“That doesn’t interest me,” replied de Saint-Mars. “Go on your way and don’t distract me from my business.”
- Haven't you heard? - shouted d'Epernon. - I told you that I have orders from the head of the cabinet of ministers! I have business for you! You must obey!
- Sorry, but I obey only His Majesty the King of France, may God send him all the best and may He prolong His years! - answered de Saint-Mars. - Go on your way, the conversation is over.
- Let me in! - D'Epernon shouted. - I'll show you the order! It bears the signature and seal of Minister Colbert! Don’t you understand that you are obliged to obey the head of the cabinet of ministers like every citizen of France? After all, this is the supreme power, almost as important as the power of His Majesty!
“I don’t care about all your “almosts,” answered de Saint-Mars. “If His Majesty drew up and signed an order that I obey only him, as well as Monsieur d’Artagnan, who represents His Majesty, then I do not and cannot have any other superior.” Go away.
- Open the gate, damn you! - d'Epernon roared in rage, who was enraged that his humiliation was happening in front of the soldiers under his command.
“This is not a hotel or a tavern,” answered de Saint-Mars. “Go your way, or I’ll open fire.” Return to Paris and report to Colbert that his order is null and void, he has no jurisdiction on the territory of the Pignerol fortress. State criminals are held here and can only be released by order of His Majesty the King. I am acting on orders signed personally by His Majesty and bearing the state seal of Chancellor S;guier. These papers are more important than any orders of any minister.
-Are you disobeying the minister's orders? - d'Epernon was surprised, realizing that his mission had failed, but decided to make another attempt. - Do you know that he has the power to deprive you of your allowance and exile you anywhere, including turning you from a commandant into a prisoner of this very fortress?
“I don’t give a damn about all the ministers combined,” answered de Saint-Mars. “The King assigns my allowance, and let your Colbert try to delay my allowance!” This is not like England for you. Here the orders of the King are the supreme law.
- You forget who I am! - exclaimed d'Epernon.
“Not at all, Mister Duke,” replied de Saint-Mars. - You forget who I am in the service of. But I know my service, and, having in my hands a document that says that the fate of my prisoners can only be decided by His Majesty, I cannot obey anyone else. In case it occurs to you to try to penetrate the fortress by force, I warn you that my garrison is sufficient to repel several hundred armed soldiers, my gunners have more than just blank charges. But even without grapeshot, we will shoot you in the first salvo from the muskets my guards have. I wouldn't like to kill you, but duty comes first. Please do not be offended and understand me correctly, Mister Duke, but in case of disobedience to the order of the King, we will consider you a legitimate target. Please convey to the Minister my deepest respectful bow.
With these words, Saint-Mars turned around and went into the fortress.
D'Epernon was furious. But he had no choice but to give the order to return to Paris. He was infuriated that he was returning with nothing, and he was just looking for an opportunity to take out his anger on anyone. Such a mood of such a significant person did not bode well for the random traveler he met. The first on whose head the Duke called thunder and lightning was, of course, de Saint-Mars. Second on this list of hated persons was Captain d'Artagnan, since Colbert's unfulfilled order left the captain of the musketeers in his previous position, which most naturally closed the prospect for d'Epernon that Colbert had drawn for him. What infuriated him even more was that de Saint-Mars mentioned d'Artagnan as the second person after the King, to whom he would open the gates of the fortress. D'Epernon could not bear such an insult! From that moment on, he considered d'Artagnan his personal enemy.
Meanwhile, Saint-Mars considered it best to describe the events of this day in a letter addressed personally to the King and send it by courier, for which he sent one of his servants to the city.

The Duke, upon returning to Paris, came to Colbert. Without greeting properly, he threw his gloves on Colbert's table, doing it as if he had come to his home and was going to reprimand the offending orderly.
- Mister Colbert! - he said, barely containing his anger. - You entrusted me with a task that was impossible to complete. I'm no longer a boy to do such nonsense. I think you must have known that your jurisdiction does not include the Pignerol fortress. The wicked Saint-Mars just laughed at me! If it had been my will, he would have shared the fate of another impudent person bearing the same name, whom the great Richelieu punished for arrogance!
- Duke, you needn’t get excited! - Colbert hastened to reassure d'Epernon. - Remember your own words! You said that you have nothing against a walk at my expense, or rather at the expense of the treasury. So you did it! I hope you didn't experience any inconvenience along the way?
“That’s how it is, of course,” answered d’Epernon, calming down slightly. - But imagine my situation! In the presence of the guards subordinate to me, I heard a refusal to comply with my legal demand! This man laughed at the order signed by the head of the cabinet! I, the Duke d'Epernon, am subordinate to the minister, and some commandant of the fortress, some insignificant de Saint-Mars, who until recently was just a quartermaster for Captain d'Artagnan, now dares to talk down to me, declaring to me, that the fortress he controls is not a hotel, and that I must get the hell out, or he will consider me and my guardsmen a legitimate target and will open fire on us with muskets, and, if necessary, with cannons!
“He will certainly be punished,” Colbert lied.
- You can deceive me, but do not deceive yourself! - the Duke objected. “From his tone, I concluded that he indeed has in his hands a document signed by His Majesty, which gives him the legal right to behave the way he behaved with me!” The color of the nobility means nothing now! By order of the King, who is old enough to be our sons, we must do as he commands. This would be nothing, but we are humiliated in the presence of our guards, and we cannot do anything about it! And do you know what’s most offensive? This scoundrel de Saint-Mars declared that besides the man who came with an order from the King, he would open the gates of the fortress to only one person in all of France - this upstart d'Artagnan! What's it like?
- Disgrace! Colbert exclaimed with fake anger.
- And I think so! - picked up d'Epernon. - How can I tolerate this? Me - the Duke d'Epernon?!
“You can complain about him to the King,” Colbert said and immediately bit his tongue.
- I will do so! - exclaimed d'Epernon.
- Wait! - Colbert shouted, almost with a squeal, after which he pulled himself together and continued in a calm voice. - Well, why do you need to complain to the King about him? After all, you know that any complainant always arouses suspicion that he himself is at least half to blame for what he is complaining about!
“I must admit that things are exactly as you say,” said d’Epernon, calming down a little.
- And if de Saint-Mars is right, if he has an order that he behave exactly the way he did, then it will turn out that you will complain to the King about his own order? — Colbert developed his thought. “It turns out that you will complain to His Majesty about His Majesty.” Can you then expect anything good from such an act? Is this exactly the same as directly declaring oneself a rebel? Why do you need this? To you, who is half a step away from the position of captain of the royal musketeers!
- So what do you propose to leave this matter without consequences? - the Duke said offendedly. - Well, times have moved on! Now not only is it impossible to challenge the offender to a duel, but it’s also impossible to call him to order? And complaining about him is more dangerous for the one who complains than for the one who goes too far?
“It’s not so sad, dear Duke,” Colbert said in an unctuous voice. “You are certainly right, because you were carrying out a lawful order.” De Saint-Mars is most likely wrong. But if he is also right, you should not harm yourself by doing something that could be construed as rebellion! I myself will ask His Majesty about the reasons for such extreme measures, after which I will sign the corresponding order directly from His Majesty, you will again make a trip there at the expense of the treasury, present the scoundrel de Saint-Mars with a new order, this time already signed personally by the King, who will also be certified by the seal of State Chancellor Segye! Imagine how the scoundrel de Saint-Mars will be humiliated! You will force him to submit to you, and besides, you will be able to demand an apology, proving to him that your actions were dictated by the needs of the state, that your trip was in full accordance with the wishes of His Majesty, and that it is not you, but de Saint-Mars who is to blame, because he is too misunderstood the instructions that were given to him regarding the detention of state criminals! This will be your triumph, and his humiliation! At the same time, we will pull the nose of his former boss d'Artagnan, whom he mentioned that only he can take prisoners from his fortress!
“You firmly promise me that you will receive His Majesty’s signature on the paper you gave me?” - asked the Duke.
“I’ll have it rewritten completely, after which His Majesty will sign it,” Colbert replied. “It is indecent for a document containing my signature to be given to the King for signature.” It turns out that I made a decision, and all he can do is approve it. Although this is often what happens, there must still be order and proper politeness in the documents.
“Well, as you say, Monsieur Minister,” answered d’Epernon. “If you have an order from the King for me, I will carry it out.” This time I will take with me not four guardsmen, but as many as I deem necessary. If the scoundrel de Saint-Mars does not submit, I will take the Pignerol fortress by storm!
“This will not be necessary, because Saint-Mars himself told you that he will obey the King’s orders,” Colbert replied. “If he doesn’t obey this time, just go back, and then it will be my job to organize the arrest of the rebel Saint-Mars.” In this case, he himself will become one of the prisoners of this fortress, and for the position of commandant I will find a person more obedient to the head of the cabinet of ministers!
“Well, I rely on you, minister,” answered the Duke. “My honor is at stake here, and the honor of the d’Epernons is a serious matter!”
After this, d'Epernon gently took his gloves from Colbert's desk and, bowing politely, left his office.

The next morning, Philippe, as usual, casually signed the documents prepared by Colbert. He did it so quickly that from the outside it might seem that he was not carefully reading the documents he was signing, but that would have been a mistake. Over the long years spent in captivity, where books were his only joy and only entertainment, Philip learned to read documents so quickly, barely glancing at them, that it took him three or four seconds to understand the contents of one handwritten sheet of paper.
Not knowing about this skill of Philip, Colbert decided to place among the papers an order for the extradition of the prisoner. At the same time, Colbert tried to distract the King with conversation.
“Your Majesty, the construction of ships is in full swing,” he said.
“Wonderful, Monsieur Colbert, what about the guns?” - Philip answered, signing another document.
“The guns are also cast in full accordance with the order,” Colbert replied.
“You are doing an excellent job of strengthening my fleet,” Philip praised the minister. - What kind of order is this?
Colbert bit his tongue. His hopes that the King would sign the order to extradite the prisoner without reading it were not justified.
“I need to talk with the arrested Fouquet, Your Majesty,” Colbert replied. “I ask you to sign an order for this right.”
“But it says here that the bearer of this order can, at his discretion, remove the prisoner from his place of residence, doesn’t it?” - asked Philip. - What is this note for?
“The fact is, Your Majesty, that Mr. Fouquet is aware of some previously made payments, for which, as I assume, the orders were not fulfilled. The papers were not preserved, but the deal was concluded. Having clarified this information, we could demand either a refund or delivery. I do not expect M. Fouquet to be so kind as to give me all the necessary information about the suppliers, since he probably does not realize that the punishment which Your Majesty has given him does not relieve him of responsibility for the transactions he has entered into and paid for it while in his post as superintendent of finance,” Colbert replied. “In order for him to cooperate more favorably and provide all the information, I will need to provide him with convincing motives for such actions.” Having in hand the document by which I can release him, I will be able to show him this paper, which will be a very effective means of forcing him to tell me everything I need to know.
- But you are not going to release him, Mr. Colbert? - asked Philip.
- Under no circumstances, Your Majesty! - Colbert answered, but, catching himself, added, “Except if it pleases Your Majesty to command this.”
“So, you are going to deceive him, Monsieur Colbert,” Philippe nodded dryly.
- For the good of France, Your Majesty! Colbert exclaimed. “For the good of France and the King, I am ready to deceive my own mother!”
“You can get away with it, but only once, Mr. Minister,” Philip noted. “Next time you won’t be able to learn anything from Fouquet.”
“Once is enough, Your Majesty,” Colbert replied.
“Okay, okay, Monsieur Colbert,” answered Philippe and pretended that he was going to sign the document.
Colbert's heart fluttered joyfully, but Philip made only a small point.
“Mr. Minister, you, always so attentive, in this case drew up this document extremely carelessly,” Philip said with a sigh.
- Really? Excuse me, Your Majesty, where do you see negligence? - Colbert answered with feigned surprise.
“It is written here that the bearer of this document can take the prisoner from the fortress, and the commandant is ordered to provide the bearer of the document with all necessary assistance,” answered Philip. - But you are talking about specific people, about a specific prisoner, about a specific fortress and a specific commandant. In addition, promising release and deceiving the unfortunate prisoner is too cruel. Let me correct that. And you have it copied out in full and bring it to me tomorrow for my signature.
With these words, Philip began to make corrections in the document, which was continued for him to sign.
“Well, something like this,” said Philip. “I’ll read it myself, and you make sure there are no mistakes.” It says here: “Order of the King. The bearer of this document, Mr. Colbert, is allowed a meeting with the prisoner Fouquet, held in the fortress of Pignerol. The commandant of the fortress of Pignerol, M. de Saint-Mars, is ordered to provide the necessary assistance to the bearer of this document, M. Colbert. This document gives the visitor the right to ask in the presence of Mr. de Saint-Mars only those questions that are attached to this document and certified by my authorization signature. This document does not entitle its bearer, whoever he may be, to a meeting with any other prisoners of the Pignerol fortress, as well as to conversations with the employees of the fortress, as well as to any other questions addressed to Monsieur Fouquet. This document is valid for a single visit, after which it should be canceled by adding the note: “Completed” with the signatures of Messrs. Colbert and de Saint-Mars.”

Colbert turned pale.
“Well, now everything is in perfect order, we can sign,” said Philip. - Tomorrow you will bring me a copy of the order, and, by the way, make a list of questions that you are going to ask Fouquet.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Colbert replied and fell silent, waiting for Philippe to sign the rest of the papers.
“Now, it seems, that’s all,” said Philip, signing the last paper.
“Your Majesty,” Colbert said, gathering his courage. “I thought that, apparently, I have too many government affairs now.” A trip to Pignerol will steal a whole week from me. I will probably solve the problem I wanted to solve myself by asking a few questions to Fouquet.
“As you know, Monsieur Colbert,” Philippe answered dispassionately. - But still, make for me a list of the questions that you were going to find out from him.
Colbert turned pale again, which did not escape Philip’s eyes.
- However, I think you said that you have a lot to do? - asked Philip. — Compiling a list of questions is just to satisfy my curiosity, isn’t it? Well, let’s leave my curiosity aside, mind your own business and don’t be distracted by trifles.
Colbert breathed more freely, which Philippe also noticed.
— Do you have everything for today? - asked Philip.
“That’s it, Your Majesty,” Colbert replied.
“Then I won’t detain you any longer, Monsieur Colbert,” answered Philippe.

After Colbert left, Philippe spent some time in thought, closing his eyes. Finally, he took the bell and rang it to summon the secretary.
“Hubert, invite Captain d’Artagnan to see me,” Philip said to the secretary who entered.
- Captain d'Artagnan has just arrived. “He would like to see Your Majesty,” Hubert replied.
“Ask,” Philip answered with a nod.

Chapter 384

“Your Majesty,” said d’Artagnan with a bow. - Did you want to see me?
“Just as you wanted to see me, captain,” answered Philip. - Let's start with you. What do you need?
“I ask for leave for two weeks,” answered the captain.
- Vacation? Now? When is the war with Holland about to begin? — Philip was surprised.
“Exactly, before it starts, I would like to settle some personal matters,” answered d’Artagnan.
— What personal matters might you have, captain? - asked Philip.
“My doctor advised me to rest in the warm waters,” answered d’Artagnan.
- Tell it like it is. “You don’t have your own doctor, and you only go to the doctor serving the musketeers if you are seriously injured,” Philip objected. “You know that I am not Louis, I don’t have to lie to save my friends.” Which of yours is in danger?
“They’re fine, thank God,” d’Artagnan lied out of habit.
“If you don’t want to tell the truth, I’ll figure it out myself,” Philip answered. - So, you have three friends, together with Raul - five. And also this one, your new friend Francois, for a total of six. Fran;ois has recently entered the service and, as far as I can tell, he is in no danger except the dangers common to any soldier. It can't be Monsieur d'Herblay, because there's nothing wrong with him either. The Marquis de La F;re and his son Raoul in Blois, both retired from government service, I hope that everything is fine with them. In any case, nothing threatens them from the authorities, right? Baron du Valon is considered dead by many, but you and I know that he continues to reign in his Pierrefonds estate under the guise of his own heir and brother. Well, let him play conspiracy. No one will interfere with this, I assure you. So, everything is fine with your friends, but you need an urgent vacation, and from your excitement I see that something wrong may happen to one of them in the near future. Do you have reason to fear for the Marquis de La F;re? In fact, he is a very desperate man who is ready to give his life for any cause that seems to him noble enough for a person of his rank. That is, this is the rescue or release from captivity of a person of no lower rank than the Prince of Blood. I don’t think that the Marquis planned to go to Pignerol for the sake of freeing the one you and I know about, but I believe the Marquis is not aware. You did not initiate him into this secret, since it does not belong only to you and the Duke of Alameda, there is another person whose interests include limiting the circle of initiates, the one whom you now see in front of you. So, a mystery! I can't guess! But I am sure that I have come very close to your secret. Why don't you tell me frankly what's going on here? I trusted you with my destiny and life, and you don’t trust me with just information about your friends?
D'Artagnan suddenly realized that Philip knew a lot, but not everything. “Does Philip need to know the truth? - he thought. - Trouble with these Kings! You never know what will come to their minds!” Therefore, he decided to answer evasively.
“I have other friends, Your Majesty, whom I also value greatly,” he replied. — I must take a short trip.
— Out of a sense of duty? - asked Philip.
“ You could say so,” answered d’Artagnan. “Besides, in this case, this trip meets one of my most ardent desires.”
“I need you here, captain,” Philip answered.
“Sir, I only ask for two weeks,” d’Artagnan repeated stubbornly. - I ask you as a special favor. I would not like to remind you of the service that...
“Which you just reminded me of, captain,” Philip interrupted him. “But I would like to remind you of your own words.” You told me that Prince Philip could not become King if he depended on an advisor, whoever he was. I have now become the kind of King who does not depend on his advisors or friends for anything. I realized that the King cannot have friends. Playmates don't count. Women don't count either. I have firmly learned your lesson, captain. I studied a book by the Italian author Nicolo Machiavelli called “The Prince”, as well as his other books. I learned to see when I was being deceived, and I learned to discern personal interests under the guise of friendship. However, I have retained my complete trust and respect for you, captain. So don’t remind me of the service you wanted to talk about. If you want to see on the throne a King who will be your eternal debtor, and who for these reasons will become your puppet, I will disappoint you. This won't happen. But my gratitude goes far enough. I will not persecute you and your friends, of whom you have more than I, for, I repeat to you, the King does not and cannot have friends. So, Mr. Captain, I'm looking forward to a frank conversation. Which of your friends needs your help?
“The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Your Majesty,” answered d’Artagnan. “He is still in love with La Valliere, so I have reason to fear for his life, and I must meet him as soon as possible.”
“I see that you don’t fully trust me, Mister Captain,” Philip answered coldly. — Little lies give rise to great mistrust. Well, I will give you some time off, but first I ask you to do one small task for me.
“I’m listening to you, Your Majesty,” answered d’Artagnan.
“Mr. Colbert for some reason needed a meeting with Fouquet,” answered Philippe. “But it is possible that he was not going to meet with Fouquet at all, but with the prisoner that you and I know about, but about whom Colbert is not aware.”
“Mr. Colbert has many sources of information,” answered the captain.
“But not information like this,” Philip objected. “I wish Colbert to continue to remain ignorant in matters that do not concern him.” Do you promise to do everything sufficient to ensure that Colbert never sees in the fortress of Pignerol the man whom you placed under the supervision of M. de Saint-Mars? I don't mean Fouquet, but the one about whom Colbert knows nothing, I hope.
“On this score, Your Majesty can be completely calm,” answered d’Artagnan. “No matter what Colbert does to get to know the prisoner of Pignerol, he won’t succeed!” I vouch for Saint-Mars. But even if he took the fortress by storm and destroyed the entire garrison of the fortress, this will not help him, Monsieur Colbert will not achieve anything that could cause your fears.
—Have you taken any measures even for this case? - asked Philip.
“Even in this case, I have taken sufficient measures against the curiosity of Monsieur Colbert,” answered d’Artagnan with a pure heart. “Even if he gnaws all the stones of the fortress into powder with his teeth, it won’t give him anything.”
“Well, I believe you, captain,” answered Philip. - I give you two weeks leave. Who are you leaving in your place? Do you need musketeers to accompany you?
“I prefer to solve complex problems myself, I don’t need anyone, and I propose, as always, to leave Lieutenant d’Arlencourt in my place,” answered d’Artagnan.
“I’m expecting you in two weeks, don’t be late,” said Philip.
“If I’m alive, I’ll be in Your Majesty’s office in exactly a week,” the captain replied. - Thank you!
The captain bowed and left, but immediately returned back.
- Your Majesty, I cannot deceive you! - he said. “I learned that someone told the Marquis de La Fere that the Duke de Beaufort did not die during a sortie during the defense of a fortress in Candia, he was captured by the Turks. He rushed to the Duke's rescue.
— Is the Duke of Beaufort alive? - Philip exclaimed. “Indeed, this is possible, because his body was not found.” But the Duke is not the kind of person who surrenders, especially during a night raid! In addition, the Turks would have demanded a ransom for him long ago. I'm afraid this is a trap for your friend!
“I believe so too, Your Majesty, and that is why I must go to his rescue,” answered d’Artagnan. “You understand that extra people will not help here, even if I take the whole company with me, we will not be able to recapture the Duke de Beaufort from the Turks, or if the Marquis de La F;re is captured, we will not be able to rescue him by force either.” All you need here is cunning, determination and luck, nothing else. I have a lot of cunning, I have more than enough determination, and luck has never turned its back on me.
- Godspeed, captain! - Philip answered. “If you are captured, I will ransom you, no matter how much it costs, but they will kill you, I will be very upset, so try to stock up on caution in addition to the three qualities you mentioned.”
“It’s not up to me, but I am grateful to you for your advice and good luck,” answered the captain, bowed again and quickly left the King’s office.
A quarter of an hour later he was already galloping on his best stallion in the direction of Blois. If d'Artagnan had looked back more often, he would have noticed that another horseman was rushing behind him at some distance. It was Auguste, the son of the family known to us, Olivia and Didier de Trabuson.

Chapter 385

At first, Athos did not intend to take Porthos with him, who was going to visit an old friend and met him when the count was leaving Blois. At first they agreed that Porthos would guide the count only a little, but little by little, Porthos extracted from the count, who did not know how to lie, information about both the purpose of the trip and its danger. If the count had told Porthos that his trip was not at all dangerous, he would still have had a chance to dissuade Porthos from the idea of traveling together. But as soon as Porthos became aware that the trip undertaken by the count was fraught with mortal risk, it became simply impossible to dissuade the baron from participating in this trip.
“Listen, Athos,” said Porthos. “I already died once in the Lokmaria cave.” I’ll tell you honestly that this is not a pleasant experience, but I’ve already experienced it. I don’t agree to die of hunger for the second time, in darkness and cramped conditions. I prefer to get shot or hit with a sword. If I die fighting for one of my best friends, then I will have something to tell St. Peter or the devil in the next world, depending on who meets me there. If my second death is as joyless and disgusting as my first death was, I simply will not survive it! I hate caves. I prefer death in the open air face to face with the enemy!
- Porthos, my friend, you are full of strength, and you can live a long and happy life! - Athos objected. - Why do you need to die?
- Why not, for that matter? - Porthos objected. “I’m not at all going to die just like that, with nothing to do.” But I am a musketeer from head to toe. Even in my youth, I exposed my breast to any rude person who dared to offend me, and it is not my fault that my sword turned out to be more agile, or my fist stronger! However, I'm used to risking my life over such trifles that it's time for me to finally settle down! To die in a duel with some royal henchman would be extremely offensive at my age. It is much better to die in the fight against the Turks, or defending your friend, or, at worst, helping out the grandson of Henry IV. It’s not a shame to talk about such a death among children.
- Do you have children, Porthos? - Athos was surprised.
“I suppose not, but who among us can vouch for this?” - Porthos grinned. “It’s unlikely that I have children of a noble family, but if some village woman from Pierrefonds or Brassier tells me that I have them, I cannot swear on the Bible that she is lying.”
“Well, then you think you can tell one of these children about your death yourself?” - Athos smiled.
“Such an important matter cannot be entrusted to someone else,” Porthos answered with all seriousness. — Writers always twist everything; there is not a drop of truth in their books.
- Do you find it? - asked the count. - How many books have you read, Baron?
“That’s precisely why there haven’t been any since Madame Coquenard passed away to a better world,” answered Porthos. “The last books I saw were the ones she read aloud to me.” I always fell asleep so sweetly to her monotonous voice! Some of them were charmingly boring. You know, with descriptions of nature, rural or urban views, or those where the author allowed himself to philosophize to the fullest at the expense of the patience of his readers.
“Wasn’t Messrs. Coquenard angry with you because you fell asleep while reading it?” - asked Athos.
- Why would she be angry if I asked her to read precisely for the purpose of falling asleep faster? - Porthos asked innocently.
“So, Porthos, you absolutely do not allow me to take care of the safety of your life?” - asked Athos.
“Athos, if you told me that you were in my place, you would let your friend go alone in such a situation...” answered Porthos.
- Not a word, my friend! - Athos answered. - You are right, of course. If I were you, I would do exactly the same.
“So why can’t I do what you would do?” - asked Porthos.
After that, the friends shook hands so as not to return to this conversation again.

Athos, Porthos and Rochefort arrived in Bari. There they rented a small fast sailing vessel, on which they went to the island of Crete.
Athos again took out the letter that forced him to set off and re-read it for the umpteenth time. Here's what it said:

“To the Comte de La F;re.
Graph! You previously took a great part in the fate of the Duke de Beaufort, as we know. Now he is considered dead during a night raid in the Candia fortress. We learned for certain that the Duke did not die, but was only shell-shocked, as a result of which he was captured by the army of the Ottoman Empire. He is well kept, but his life is in constant danger. Those in whose hands his life is, do not intend to ask for a ransom for him, since they do not need money. But they are ready to release the Duke de Beaufort and give him the opportunity to return to France safe and sound under conditions that can only be outlined to you personally upon meeting. Don't bother taking money with you, no matter how much you take with you, it won't be enough to free the Duke. Also, don’t bother bringing troops with you, if anyone other than you and one person accompanying you comes to the negotiations, the Duke de Beaufort will immediately die, and we also can’t vouch for your life. Negotiations will take place only if you arrive at the Candia fortress alone, or accompanied by only one servant or comrade. You will arrive by boat; if another ship approaches the island, it will be sunk by cannon fire from the fortress. We understand that this condition is difficult, but we have no other way.
Our proposal comes from friendly feelings towards you and the Duke de Beaufort, but we cannot name ourselves without causing trouble for ourselves and the Duke, therefore all further negotiations will be conducted only verbally and only with you, Count. A Turkish officer will meet you on the shore. Refer that you arrived by letter from Ahmed Pasha.
Friends of the Duke and yours."

“Friends don’t write such letters,” said Athos. “Besides, as far as I know, I have no friends in the camp of the Ottoman Empire.”
“Marquis, this is a provocation,” said Rochefort. “I cannot forgive myself for not destroying the letter immediately after receiving it.” After thinking about it, I am increasingly convinced that this is some kind of trap. We came here in vain!
- Oh, Count, and you too! - Athos answered with a sad smile. “Don’t call me marquis, I’m not used to this title and I don’t want to get used to it.” Yes, this is most likely a trap. But, as I said, even if there is one chance in a thousand that the Duke of Beaufort is alive, and even if my trip to the fortress ends well for me with a probability of no more than one chance in a million, I still choose to go and take the risk, having We mean that we cannot reliably know whether the Duke de Beaufort is alive or dead. After all, if he is alive, and if it was up to me to save him, I will never forgive myself for missing this chance! It’s better to die with dignity from the treachery of your enemies than to cowardly try to save your skin when Fate offers to do something else, worthy and noble, in your old age!
“It’s impossible to argue with you, Count!” - Rochefort replied. - What do you think, Baron?
“I think that dying with the Comte de La F;re in the fight for a holy cause is the best fate for Baron du Valon among all possible options!” - Porthos answered. “If it works out, we’ll have a lot of fun!” In any case, I insist that the second person who will go with Athos to the fortress will be me, and I will not yield this privilege to anyone. Even if they promise me that for the release of the Duke of Beaufort they will pull out all the bones from me one by one or fry me over low heat, I will not give up! Maybe this will be atonement for those souls that the Count and I sent to heaven during our service in the ranks of His Majesty’s musketeers, who knows? In any case, I accept my fate with joy and pride. It is better to die with the worthy than to be saved with the unworthy!
Athos did not answer, only hugged Porthos tightly and shook his hand, placing his palm on top of the giant's wide palm.

According to the conditions stipulated in the letter, only a boat with two people should have approached the Candia fortress, otherwise the Turkish guns would have sunk the ship. Although Greece was not at war with Turkey, such conditions made travel even on a Greek ship quite risky, as for the two people who were supposed to go on the boat, the guarantee of their safety was only the “word of honor” of the authors of the letter, and knowing how Since the Turks were not obligatory in those days even towards their allies, this trip could be considered madness.

When the ship on which our friends were sailing came within cannon shot of the Candia fortress, the captain gave the command to anchor and lower the boat.
“If we don’t return by evening, weigh anchor and go to the port of Gramvous,” Athos said to Rochefort. - If after this period we can get away from the Turks, we will try to get there, to Gramvous. If we're gone for three days, come home.
“We will wait for you for three days here at the roadstead, Count, after which I will decide for myself how to proceed,” Rochefort replied.
“Well, if our mission is successful, then the differences between these two plans are not significant,” Athos agreed. - If it is unsuccessful, no one has the right to prohibit you from acting at your own discretion.
After this, Rochefort shook hands with Athos and Porthos, and held the rope ladder along which they descended into the boat.
Four Turkish soldiers, as well as an officer and an interpreter, were waiting on the shore for Athos and Porthos.
—Have you arrived following a letter from Ahmed Pasha? - the officer asked through an interpreter.
“Yes, we came to discuss the amount of the ransom for the Duke de Beaufort,” answered Athos. “But first we want to make sure that the Duke de Beaufort is alive.”
“Come with us,” the officer answered and walked towards the fortress.
The arrivals headed towards the fortress.
“Come here,” said the same officer, now without an interpreter, in broken French. “Soon you will see the one you came here for.” Please place your weapons on this table; when you leave here, they will be returned to you.
Since Athos and Porthos were armed only with swords, they laid them on the table.
“Now let’s go to the Duke de Beaufort,” said the officer. - Follow me.
After that, an iron door with thick iron bolts was opened in front of them, the friends went down to the basement and approached the next iron door.
“We’re almost there, come in,” the officer said and opened the door for them.
Seeing that there was another door in the cell that was opened in front of them, the friends entered the cell, believing that the Duke de Beaufort was waiting for them behind the next door. However, as soon as they entered, the iron door slammed behind them.
Porthos looked in surprise at Athos, who smiled sadly in response, as if saying that he did not rule out such a development of events.
A minute later, a barred window opened in the door, and a woman’s face appeared in it.
- Count de La F;re! - said the woman. - I’m very glad to see you here! Let me introduce myself, Olivia Celik. My husband is Ahmed Celik, also known as Ahmed Pasha. By my previous husband, I am Olivia de Trabuson. God, how I've been waiting for this moment!
“Madam, I do not have the honor of knowing you,” Athos said coldly. - You will obviously give me information about the Duke de Beaufort?
“Of course,” Olivia replied. — As far as I know, the Duke de Beaufort died during a foray from this very fortress, which eventually went to the Ottoman Empire anyway. His sacrifice was in vain, just like your sacrifice.
- But this letter, madam? - asked Athos. - After all, it said that he was alive, and the Ottoman Empire was demanding a ransom for him.
- Just a trap to lure you in, Count! Olivia laughed. - And this unfortunate man who arrived with you. What's his name?
“I’m a bar...” Porthos began.
“Barbier, madam, his name is Isaac Barbier,” answered Athos, tightly squeezing Porthos’ hand. - This is my neighbor, a villager who volunteered to help me.
“He’s dressed like a nobleman,” Olivia objected incredulously.
“He wears the clothes of his landowner, Antoine de Fillon, my old friend,” Athos continued. - They are approximately the same build.
“Okay, to hell with your Isaac Barbier,” Olivia waved it off. “You are enough for me, Count.”
“I repeat, madam, that I do not have the honor of knowing you and I do not understand why you needed to meet with me.”
“But I know you very well,” answered Olivia, “and I also know your friends, Captain d’Artagnan and the Duke d’Alameda.”
“Suppose I also know D’Artagnan, but this is the first time I’ve heard the name of the Duke d’Alameda,” answered Athos.
“That’s what the one who was once called Monsieur d’Herblay now calls himself,” Olivia clarified. - Is this name familiar to you?
“Of course,” answered Athos. - So, you have business with my friends, and, consequently, with me. Well, I'm listening, ma'am.
“My affairs are such that I wish them the greatest harm that it is only in my power to deliver to them, and you will help me with this,” continued Olivia.
“I am no help in such matters,” Athos objected. “I’m afraid, madam, that I would rather interfere with your plans with all my might.”
“Nothing depends on you, Count,” Olivia grinned. “Your job is to be bait for these two, or at least the subject of my bargaining.”
“My friends are not traders, and you will not be able to conduct commercial business with them,” Athos answered coldly. “They will, of course, come to my rescue, but not in the ways you expect.”
“We’ll see about that later, Mister Count!” - Olivia answered. “I had no problems with you, my plan worked absolutely perfectly.” Why do you think that the second part of my plan is worse than the first?
“I don’t think anything about your plan, madam, and I’ll keep my opinion about your methods to myself,” Athos answered coldly. “So, if I understand you correctly, your letter was a vile deception, we will not be able to rescue the Duke de Beaufort, therefore, our stay here is unnecessary.” Therefore, we consider it possible to make every effort not to abuse your hospitality and to depart from here as soon as possible.
“You won’t succeed, Monsieur Comte, and also Monsieur Isaac Barbier!” - Olivia exclaimed joyfully. “If you would write a letter to your friends asking them to come here and try to help you out, I would be extremely grateful for such kindness, but I do not expect cooperation.” Therefore, I myself have already prepared such a letter, and to prove that you are really visiting me, I will send them two of your swords.
After that, the window in the iron door slammed shut and there was silence.

“Athos, I believed that you were incapable of lying!” - said Porthos, who was silent all this time, since Athos squeezed his palm with all his might.
“The truth is good only when talking with truthful and worthy people,” answered Athos. - I am truthful, but not pathologically. Any normal person is capable of lying when it is absolutely necessary. But we may be overheard, so be careful in your choice of words.
“I think that what we need now is not words, but actions,” answered Porthos. “I’m wondering how best to break down the doors.” But d'Artagnan taught me that before you break down barriers, you need to have a plan for the future path.
“And he was absolutely right, my dear Isaac Barbier,” answered Athos. “Don’t mention the names of our friends and don’t say that you know them.” In this case, at least you will have a better chance of getting out of here,” he added in a whisper.
“You’ve already been to this fortress, Count?” - asked Porthos. “Apparently you are familiar with her plan?”
“Of course, dear Isaac, any officer, arriving at a fortress, first gets acquainted with its plan, and I made no exception in this case,” Athos agreed. “This casemate is located in the basement, and its back wall is the outer wall of the fortress.
“Our affairs are bad,” said Porthos sadly. “The outer wall is too thick; you can’t break it with your bare hands.” From which side did the Turks attack the fortress?
“It was from this very side that the most fierce attack took place,” answered Athos.
—Did they make any attempts to dig up the glanders? - asked Porthos.
“They did, Porthos, and it was for this reason that the Duke de Beaufort made a sortie,” answered Athos. “They blew up a passage dug by the Turks, which was intended to blow up the wall.
“The explosion destroyed the beginning of this passage, but perhaps the end of the sapa dug by the Turks remained unharmed? - Porthos suggested.
— Do you suppose that the Turks managed to dig under the fortress wall? - Athos was surprised. “Well, I saw two collapsed tunnels and I can approximately indicate how far they were from the edge of the wall.” But we don’t know which chamber you and I are in. Now, if only we could count the steps from the beginning of the underground gallery.
- Imagine, Count, I counted the steps! - Porthos answered. “I developed this habit after I supervised the construction of the Belle-Ile fortress. I counted that we went down two flights of twelve steps each, and also walked up the gallery thirty-eight steps.
-Great, Port... Isaac! - Athos exclaimed. - Wait a minute, I have to remember the plan exactly and compare it with what I saw outside.
Athos closed his eyes and began to mentally calculate something.
- Your step seems to be one and a half times longer than mine, in that case... Wait a minute. One of the tunnels must be under the next room, if this door is not locked,” Athos finally said.
“It’s locked, but what do we care about that?” The castle is so-so, flimsy! - Porthos answered.
With these words, he picked up the padlock and began to twist it with all his might. The castle withstood these manipulations, but one of the hinges began to wobble. After half an hour of work, she succumbed to the efforts of our giant and in the hands of Porthos was not only the lock, but also one of the door hinges attached to it.
“Here is a tool for turning stones out of the floor,” said Porthos. “But it seems to me that the second loop will be more convenient.”
After these words, he tore off the second loop, which had the shape of a plate with a curved eye.
“Well, let’s start digging,” said Porthos in such a calm voice that one might think that this was really a certain peasant Isaac Barbier starting to dig up another bed on which he was going to sow spinach.

Chapter 386

However, d'Artagnan did not find Athos in his castle. Grimaud, who met him, said that the Count de Rochefort had arrived, who showed Athos some letter, after which Athos very quickly got ready and left, without telling either the purpose of his trip or the place.
- Did he leave any letter for me or Raoul? asked d'Artagnan, as a deep line of concern cut across his forehead above the bridge of his nose.
“No, Count,” answered Grimaud.
“Either he does not consider the trip dangerous, or he has decided not to bother old Grimaud,” thought d’Artagnan. “Most likely it’s the second.”
“Can I have a look at the Marquis’s library?” - asked d'Artagnan.
“In relation to you, Mr. Captain, the general order of M. Marquis de La F;re always applies,” Grimaud replied. “You can manage his house as if you were the marquis himself.” There is nothing in his house that you cannot take without any explanation.
D'Artagnan resolutely walked into Athos's library and glanced at the books neatly lined up in a row. The captain immediately noticed that in Michel Montaigne's three-volume work, the middle volume was upside down. He took out this volume and opened it in the place where it was hidden with a letter. He unfolded the sheet and recognized Athos's handwriting. The letter contained the following text:

“Dear d'Artagnan! No time for details. My duty calls me to leave immediately. You know about all my requests in advance. I do not ask you to take care of Raul, since he is already old enough to take care of himself, but if he needs your help, you will provide it even if I did not entrust it to you. I hope that we will see each other again, but if we are not destined to meet in this world, we will meet in the next. I’m sorry for everything, and mainly for the fact that I’m putting not only myself at risk, but also our dear one, including this unexpected separation, perhaps forever. You know how dear you are to me, so take care of yourself! Take care of Porthos, greetings from me to Aramis. Always yours as long as I live, and even longer. Athos."

Leaving Blois, Athos did not yet know that he would meet Porthos and take him with him on this trip. D'Artagnan did not know this either.
“Damn it! - thought d'Artagnan. “I didn’t have time to dissuade him from this idea!” I give my hand to be cut off, that this is a vile trap! Well, we need to go to the rescue, and as quickly as possible!”
D'Artagnan put Athos' letter in his pocket and turned to Grimaud.
“It’s okay, the Marquis went about his business and will be back soon, but I have to catch up with him,” he said.
“Dinner will be served in three minutes,” said Grimaud.
“Put what is suitable for transportation into a field bag, I’m leaving in four minutes,” answered d’Artagnan.
Within a minute, Grimaud brought the bag to the place where d'Artagnan's horse was tied and tied it to the saddle.
- Grimaud, our good Grimaud, thank you! - said the captain. “You’re doing a great job of looking after the Marquis’s estate, keep doing it and don’t worry about anything.”
“Captain, take it for travel expenses,” said Grimaud and handed d’Artagnan a wallet with five hundred pistoles.
- Are these your savings? - D'Artagnan was surprised.
“This is the money of the Marquis de La Fere, I am his treasurer, and I know his habits, preferences and correctly predict all his desires,” answered Grimaud. “Monsieur Marquis would give you two and a half thousand pistoles, but I am not a marquis.” If I do not give you this money for the journey, the marquis, upon returning, will give me a look that will tell me of his dissatisfaction with me more strongly than if he had beaten me with the scabbard of his sword, as happened in the days of our youth.
“Did Athos really beat you, Grimaud?” - asked d'Artagnan in surprise, taking the wallet from Grimaud's hands.
“Not once,” Grimaud answered and smiled. “But he threatened to do it twenty times, no less.”
“Well, well! - thought d'Artagnan. - It turns out that Grimaud knows how to smile! Who would have thought!
“Thank you, my good Grimaud, I promise you that I will return with the Marquis de La F;re!” - said d'Artagnan and spurred his horse.
“Yes, please,” Grimaud answered quietly, although the captain could no longer hear him. “I also noticed that the second volume of Montaigne was turned upside down, and I also read the letter from Mister Marquis. As soon as the Comte de Rochefort arrived, I immediately realized that this was a serious matter, and that Monsieur the Marquis would be leaving with him on another dangerous trip. They are all like that - both the old marquis and the young count. If Mr. Raoul has a son, he will be the same. Will I wait for this? Only the Lord knows.

I was re-reading the correspondence when Bazin came to me and reported:
— Monsignor, you have a letter from the Ottoman Empire from a certain Olivia Celik, aka Olivia de Trabuson.
“Okay, Bazin, thank you,” I replied and took the letter.
Opening the envelope, I read the following:

“So, Monsieur d'Herblay, you thought that you had dealt with me and my husband and would never hear from us again? This was your big mistake! Olivia de Trabucon can stand up for herself!
Your friend, a certain Count de La F;re, is in my captivity! With him is also a certain Isaac Barbier, whom he called a peasant, but he is dressed like a nobleman, and from everything it is clear that your friend is deceiving me. Both of these people are completely in my power and if you do not comply with my demands, they will die in agony, and will die for a long time. In the Ottoman Empire they know how to execute long and painfully, and my new husband, Ahmed ;elik, also known as Ahmed Pasha, will do for me, his beloved wife, everything I ask of him.
So, if you value your friend the Comte de La F;re, you must, as soon as possible, compensate me for all the damage that your actions have caused to my family. If it weren’t for you, my husband would already be a major of the guards, or even a colonel. Moreover, I believe that he would have received a handsome monetary reward for his faithful service. I am not too upset by my current situation, but I do not intend to spend my entire life as one of the four wives of some Turk, even a pasha. I want to return to Paris in triumph. I demand a patent for the position of colonel for my husband and eight hundred thousand livres for myself. I also need two hundred thousand livres for those who helped me in my event, a total of a million. In addition, Captain d'Artagnan must resign. Only in this case will Count de La F;re and his friend Isaac Barbier return to France alive.
As proof that the said Comte de La F;re and Isaac Barbier are in my complete power, I am sending you their swords.
Olivia Celik, aka Olivia de Trabuson.
Written in the fortress of Candia on the island of Crete."

I rang the bell, after which Bazin entered his office again.
— Was there anything attached to the letter? - I asked.
“A package that appears to contain two swords,” replied Bazin.
- Show me! - I demanded.
One look at these swords was enough for me to understand that Olivia was not bluffing. These were the swords of Athos and Porthos. This means that she did not know that the man she calls Isaac Barbe is our friend Porthos. The situation for us was even worse than what she described.
I emphasized the words “ I am not going to spend my entire life being one of the four wives of some Turk, even a pasha.” I want to return to Paris in triumph."
“Bazin, ask Kemal to translate this text from French into Turkish, then let him also underline these words in the translation,” I said to Bazin. “Then send both letters by my personal high-speed mail marked “Important, Urgent” in French and Turkish to the island of Crete, in the fortress of Candia to a man named Ahmed Pasha. This will at least give us a reprieve. Now leave me, I need to think about the situation and make a plan for further action.

Chapter 387

I didn't think for long. Ten minutes later I called Bazin again.
- Bazin, what regular work did I entrust to you after I was appointed Spanish envoy? - I asked.
“You instructed me, monsignor, that I should always know, through your people, where Monsieur d’Artagnan is and what he is doing,” replied Bazin. - For this purpose, I can issue orders to three people, whose names...
“No need,” I interrupted him. -Where is the captain now?
“Captain d’Artagnan took a leave of absence and went south,” replied Bazin.
— What preceded this trip? - I asked.
“Monsieur d’Artagnan visited the Duchess de Chevreuse, after which he immediately went to the King, and after him went to Blois,” answered Bazin.
- Where is Francois now? - I asked.
“Now he has free time, most likely he is at Planchet’s establishment,” answered Bazin.
“I want to see him,” I replied.
Half an hour later I entered Planchet's establishment. Bazin and Planchet exchanged firm handshakes.
- Planchet, good afternoon! - I turned to him. - Francois is not with you?
“Good afternoon, monsignor,” Planchet replied. - In number four. Shall I bring you something to drink or snack there?
“Thank you, Planchet, this is unnecessary, I’m in a hurry,” I answered and climbed the stairs to number four.
- Can I come in, Francois? - I asked through the doors.
- Come in! - answered Francois.
“I am Monsieur d’Herblay, a friend of your father,” I introduced myself.
“I know you from Planchet’s stories and have seen you several times, I am glad to have the honor of hosting you, although I cannot offer you a worthy welcome,” said Francois, looking around his modest home.
- It's empty! - I answered. — I have a couple of questions for you.
“I am at your service, monsignor,” answered Fran;ois.
- Tell me, my friend, what do you know about the captain’s trip to the south? - I asked.
“I don’t know anything about this, monsignor, but I myself recently traveled to the south,” said Francois.
- Where exactly? - I asked.
“Under the command of the Duke d'Epernon, I and three other guards went to the Pignerol fortress, where the Duke presented Colbert's order to the commandant of the fortress, Monsieur de Saint-Mars, which did not have any influence on the commandant,” answered Francois. “After that we went back, and the Duke was terribly angry all the way.”
- Thank you, dear Francois! - I said. - Best wishes!
After this I went straight to the Duchesse de Chevreuse. The Duchess received me immediately.
“Duke, I never thought that I would ever see you visiting me,” she said.
“You would try to invite me, Duchess, and make sure that I would not neglect your invitation,” I answered her.
“Oh, once you simply called me Maria,” the duchess sighed. - In those days, you came to me without an invitation, and not always at the door!
“The man you are talking about was called Henri d’Herblay, who took the name Aramis in honor of his family’s Abbey d’Aramitz,” I answered. “There is little left of this man; we can say that he is no longer there, but there is only the Duke of Alameda, the elderly ambassador of Spain.
“So, you no longer call me Maria, and I won’t get to call you Henri,” the duchess said sadly.
“Oh, my God, call me whatever you like, Duchess, I have an important conversation with you, and we are wasting time on some sentimentality,” I said impatiently.
- Indeed! “I couldn’t think that you dropped in on me just like that,” the duchess answered with a sad smile, and in her eyes, at the mention of the matter, two sparks lit up, because the old intriguer felt needed again.
— What do you know about the Marquis de La Fere’s trip to the island of Crete? - I asked.
“Probably the same as you,” answered the duchess. “He went there to negotiate the ransom of the Duke de Beaufort, who is supposedly alive and in captivity of the Turks. He suspected that it was a trap, but, nevertheless, he went there with some friend, a figure reminiscent of your Porthos, or whatever his name was. There is a rumor that he died, but if this rumor is just a rumor, then I am simply sure that it is Baron du Valon who accompanies the count. They met when the Marquis, together with the Count de Rochefort, left Blois towards the border with Italy. Apparently, the baron joined them to participate in this trip. However, I don’t know this for sure. And in general, as you can see, I know very little!
“Thank you, Duchess,” I replied. “Is there anything else in this regard that I need to know?”
“They were accompanied by my cousin, Count Rochefort, who was this second person,” answered the duchess, “but according to the terms of the letter, only two were to go to the fortress of Candia, so he, most likely, will remain waiting for them on the ship.”
- Thank you, what else? - I asked.
-What else should you know? - asked the duchess with pathos. - How can I know what exactly interests you? Do you want to know that I still love you? Probably not! Do you want to know that Princess Henrietta is recklessly flirting with the King, and he is gradually falling under her charm? Or do you want to know that this circumstance, of course, angers Philip of Orleans and Queen Maria Theresa? How do I know if this is interesting to you or not? Do you want to know that the Maria Theresa scandal could result in worsening relations with the Spain you represent? Or that Spain will not pay the dowry for the Queen, which has already been finally decided? Maybe you're interested, maybe not! Are you interested in knowing that Monsieur is not at all jealous of Madame de Guiche, although there are good reasons for this, but at the same time he is simply furious with jealousy of the King, although there is almost no reason for this, since at present the King, seems to have decided on a new favorite, which will apparently be the Princess of Monaco, as soon as she recovers from childbirth? Do you want to know that Colbert even spoke out behind the scenes about the King’s relationship with Madame, in the spirit that it was a scandal? Do you want to know that Colbert discussed this scandal with the Chevalier de Lorrain? Do you want to know what I think about this? Do you want to know that the Chevalier de Lorrain is a person who has always wished and still wishes harm to Princess Henrietta, and that things may come to the point that I cannot guarantee that the Princess will survive next Monday? What exactly interests you about Henri, or the Duke d'Alameda, or the Abbe d'Herblay?
“All this occupies me extremely, duchess, but most of all I am interested in the question of how to rescue the Marquis de La F;re from the trap,” I answered.
- Marquis de La Fere is trapped?! - the duchess exclaimed with horror. - Why were you silent? We must save him immediately!
“Thank you for the advice, Duchess,” I replied. “That’s exactly what I was going to do before I came to you for information.” This is why I need any information related to this case.
“Well, then I said everything I know about this matter, and you, as I see, know more than me,” answered the duchess. - Save him for the sake of... For the sake of his son! If you need money...
“No need, thank you,” I answered, perhaps too coldly.
“Oh yes, you... Yes, I know,” answered the duchess. - Any help from me, whatever! The Marquis de La Fere is a wonderful person! It would be a pity...
“I will not allow this, Duchess,” I replied. - If you find out anything, tell Bazin. He lives...
“I know,” the Duchess interrupted me.
“Thank you, Duchess,” I said and tried to be a little less stern than I wanted to be with her. - Take care of yourself.
After that, I kissed the duchess’s hand, she turned her cheek, I barely touched her cheek with my lips and left.

“Wow! - I thought. - The Duchess seems to be in love with Athos! Who would have thought that this woman was capable of loving anyone!”
I can imagine what the Duchess thought of me at that. I think she went over my feelings for her over and over in her mind. Something like this: “No, he never loved me! True love never leaves without a trace. The one who loved cannot remain indifferent. He either loves or hates.”

Then I went to the King.
“Your Majesty, I ask you for an escort,” I said after all the greetings required by etiquette. “We urgently need to go to the rescue of Captain d’Artagnan.”
“Captain d’Artagnan is out of danger, since he went to work, which he understood in detail,” answered Philip. “I offered him to take at least half the company of musketeers, but he refused and did not want to take even four. Therefore, he knew what he was doing.
“D’Artagnan always knows what he’s doing,” I confirmed.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to say,” Philip agreed. “If military help was needed, he would take it.” I believe in him, so if he said, “Not required,” then it’s not required.
“But I believe that the help of a small detachment is necessary,” I objected. -You don't believe me?
“I believe you, but I believe Captain d’Artagnan more,” answered Philip. - Don’t be angry with me, it seems to me that you should understand the reasons for such an attitude towards him.
“Ungrateful boy! - I thought. “If it weren’t for my plan, d’Artagnan would never have done for him what he did!”
“Well, I’ll act on my own,” I answered Philip.
“Duke, perhaps it would be better to discuss your affairs?” - asked Philip. “Don’t you want to regain your episcopate?” The very first cardinal's hat that becomes free during my petition to the Pope could be yours!
“I have no time for that now, believe me,” I answered. “More important matters cannot be delayed.” Let me take my leave.
Without waiting for an answer, I left the King’s reception room.

As a general of the Order, I had great power. But I have to admit that I was a bad leader. Instead of organizing people for the work that worried me most, instead of prioritizing all the affairs of the Order and dealing with the most important ones from the position of the Order, entrusting all other matters to other performers, I headlong rushed to my own friends, to the rescue, without even having a proper idea of what exactly I should do, how I would act. I must confess that the ten minutes I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter were spent not in thinking, but in reminiscing about my dear friends. Now all three were in one place - in the Candia fortress, and all three were in mortal danger. And this means that I must be there at all costs. There was no need and there was nothing to think about, I jumped into the saddle and rushed after d'Artagnan, not even bothering to grab money for travel expenses, it was unnecessary, because I always had several rings with diamonds with me, and, besides, all over France, and not only in it, there were banks headed by bankers who, under my signature, would provide me with any amount I needed in any currency.

Chapter 388

On the evening of the same day, when Athos and Porthos fell into a trap set up by Olivia, a blank cannon shot was heard from the fortress of Candia in the direction of the ship, which stood in sight of the fortress.
“Count,” said the captain of the ship, “the commandant of the fortress is obviously dissatisfied with our presence and demands that we leave.”
“Let’s move a little further than the distance of a cannon shot and anchor again,” Rochefort ordered. “I don’t lose hope of waiting for my friends.”
The ship performed the maneuver the count had spoken of and anchored again.
However, the commandant of the fortress, apparently, was not satisfied with such an insignificant concession. Smoke rose above the fortress wall, after which a cannonball splashed into the water dangerously close to the ship.
- They have good guns! - exclaimed the captain. “They hit much further than conventional French, Spanish and Greek guns.”
“Okay,” said Rochefort, “we will act according to the plan proposed by the count.” We are going to the port of Gramvousa and will wait for news from there.
The port of Gramvousa still belonged to the Venetian Republic, that is, it was friendly to France. The ship entered this port, after which Rochefort landed on the island, where he began to wait for news and at the same time think about possible further actions.

Meanwhile, Porthos, having straightened the door hinges he had obtained, which looked like curved plates with a hole for the lock, made two straight plates out of them. If it were possible to sharpen these plates on the stones of the casemate, they could be used to make something like a cleaver, but this would require too much effort and time, so Porthos decided to use the plates as is to dig a tunnel. The floor in the casemate was covered with simple bricks, which gave way quite easily.
“If they come here, traces of our work will be immediately noticed, and we will be transferred to another cell,” said Athos.
“So we need to discourage them from coming here,” Porthos answered. “Perhaps while I’m digging, you’ll pretend to be crazy?”
“That won’t do,” answered Athos. “They will easily see through such a maneuver.” I’d rather demand that they come to us. I hope that in this case they will do the opposite and leave us alone for a while.
—Where should we dump the bricks and soil? - asked Porthos.
“Here in the pile,” answered Athos. “If they come here, they will see signs of destruction anyway.” Let's dig one by one, Porthos.
“This is unnecessary,” answered the giant. “I will throw away the earth, and you just demand that they come to us as loudly as possible.” But, you know, a tool that is very useful for turning out bricks is almost completely unsuitable for digging earth.
“The door between the chambers is not iron, but only wooden, upholstered with metal sheets,” answered Athos. - Try to pick up and tear off one such leaf. This, of course, is not a shovel, but with such a sheet it will be much easier to rake out the earth.
Porthos picked up the outermost sheet of the door's inner trim and tore it away from the wooden base.
-What's that noise? - someone asked outside the cell in broken French.
“We will make noise and give you no rest until they explain to us why we were arrested!” - Athos exclaimed. “We demand that the commandant of the fortress come to us!” Our states are in a state of peace, we have arrived under a white flag for negotiations!
It was not at all typical for Athos to shout at the top of his voice, but he tried to drown out the sounds of Porthos' work and encourage him with these shouts.
Five hours after the conclusion, the friends were brought food, which was passed through a narrow window on the cell door. Athos barely touched his portion, giving almost everything to his friend.
- What about you, Athos? - asked Porthos.
“Currently I am not hungry, and you are expending an enormous amount of energy on your titanic work,” answered Athos.
“You must eat,” Porthos answered with conviction.
“And you should rest, Porthos,” Athos smiled. “I will eat this chicken leg on the condition that you eat the rest and give me some exercise too.”
“Well, Count, your arguments are convincing,” replied Porthos, who had already almost destroyed his own portion.

After Porthos pulled the bricks out of the floor in the corner between the outer wall and the wall of the adjacent chamber and began to dig furiously, he went two elbows deep, and was ready to dig further as long as he had the strength. In order to make it easier to go down into the pit and get out of it, he intended to make several steps on the side opposite the wall, which was also the outer wall of the fortress. He hoped that the wall would soon end, after which there might be a tunnel underneath it, made by the Turks during the siege. As he was digging in a corner adjacent to the adjacent chamber, he had dug only to the depth of one cubit and discovered that the outer wall had ended and there was ordinary soil underneath. At first he did not attach any importance to this, however, he nevertheless decided to inform Athos about this.
“Athos,” he said, “if we need to get into the next chamber, we can easily do it, since the wall does not go deep into the ground.
“Perhaps this is an easier path, or perhaps it is wasted work,” answered Athos. “We have not heard any sounds from this cell, which suggests that it is empty. Perhaps the Turks lock empty cells with a key, and then this will give us absolutely nothing.
“It is possible that under the wall we will not find any traces of the Turks’ digging, or perhaps the wall goes very deep,” Porthos sighed. - The chances are not great either there or here.
“You’re right, Porthos, we need to see what what we already have gives us,” agreed Athos. “I also don’t really count on finding a keg of gunpowder under the outer wall, that would be too much luck, but it’s better than doing nothing.”
The friends continued to dig under the wall of the neighboring cell and soon a passage formed under it.
“Take out the earth carefully, Porthos,” warned Athos. “If there’s a brick floor like that, it might collapse on you.”
Acting carefully, the friends were finally able to enter the next room. It was the same camera, but not dual.
“At least our home will become one and a half times more spacious,” said Athos. “It seems to me that it’s much brighter here.”
Indeed, if in the double chamber into which Athos and Porthos were thrown, the light source was only small brick-wide vents near the ceiling, then in this chamber there was a small window with bars.
Carefully looking into it, Porthos saw the inner courtyard of the fortress.
“At least they don’t know we’re here,” said Athos. - Check the doors carefully, maybe we'll be lucky and they won't be locked.
The doors were locked.
- What do you say about the bars on the window, Porthos? - asked Athos.
“It seems to me that I can cope with it, but these bars will be thicker than in the casemate in which the vile Mazarin put me and d’Artagnan,” answered Porthos. — There were separate rods built into the stonework, and here there is a forged lattice. It needs to be torn out entirely. It is secured with eight nails, each as thick as my finger. If you manage to pry them up, loosen them and pull them out one by one, the grate can then be torn out. But if you can't knock, it complicates matters. It will be easier to tear out the hinges on the door. The doors behind which we were locked are closed with two locks and a bolt, but this cell is empty, it is closed with only one bolt. If you push hard, he will give in. After all, I have a good master key,” with these words Porthos pointed to the straightened door hinge.
- How long will this matter take you, Porthos? - Athos inquired.
“I think about three or four minutes,” answered the giant.
“Then I propose this plan,” answered Athos. “When they bring us food, which will be in an hour, I will start making trouble, and you should be in this cell.” I hope they come into the cell to calm me down. I expect to hold out for at least ten minutes, no matter how many there are. At this time, you will break down this door and attack them from behind. This gives us a good chance.
- With this thing they will get it from me! - Porthos grinned, stroking the steel plate.

Chapter 389

D'Artagnan was pondering which way to prefer, whether to go straight away by sea or travel by land to Bari. He decided to choose the second option. As a military man, he is accustomed to paying attention to all the little things, so he paid attention to the young man who follows him inseparably, clearly performing the functions of a spy.
Then the captain decided to take a little ride through the streets of Lyon. Several times, abruptly changing the direction of movement, he invariably noticed that this young man was following him.
- What kind of fruit is this? - he said to himself. - Interesting!
Having driven into a small nook, he hid in the shadows. As soon as the young rider came around the bend, d'Artagnan called out to him.
“It seems to me, young man, that you are too modest!” - he said. “You’ve been following me for so long that I think you have something to do with me.” Meanwhile, it would have been easier to contact me a hundred miles ago. If you have questions, I can probably answer them. So I'm listening.
“I’m going just like that, on my own,” answered Auguste de Trabuson, for it was he.
- So our goals simply coincide? - asked d'Artagnan. - Well, such coincidences do happen. Tell me where are you going? If the goal of our journey is the same, we can travel together as simple fellow travelers, but if your goal does not coincide with mine, we will part where our paths diverge.
- Why are you right to ask me such questions? - asked Auguste.
“By the right of the man you are spying on, and who does not like it very much,” answered the captain.
“I am a free man and can go wherever I see fit, and I do not intend to ask permission from anyone,” Auguste answered boldly. “Also, I am not going to reveal the purpose of my journey to the first person I meet.
- Is that so? - answered d'Artagnan, and his left eyebrow rose, expressing all the irony that he put into this question. - God, what a humanist I have become! Twenty years ago I would have simply challenged you to a duel and pierced your chest with a sword, ridding the earth of you. Five years ago, I would have pierced both of your shoulders and thus gotten rid of you by putting you to bed for two weeks. Nowadays, I simply feel sorry for you, young man, and if meeting you creates a problem for me, then it is only a mental problem, which consists of how to deal with you so as not to kill or maim you, but to prevent you from spying on me. Well, I'll tell you myself where I'm going. I'm going to Marseille. If you are on the same route, I suggest you go together.
“I prefer to travel alone,” answered the young man.
“Whatever, consider that I believed you and, therefore, believe that I will no longer see you following me,” answered the captain. “But keep in mind, if it turns out that you prefer not to ride on your own, but to follow me at a distance of two hundred steps, we will discuss these circumstances again, and here I can no longer guarantee that things will not come to a confrontation.”
After this, d'Artagnan spurred his horse and rode at a light trot in a southerly direction.
After riding two blocks, d'Artagnan moved to the next street and turned his horse back and galloped off. After driving three blocks, the captain turned sharply, returning to the previous street, after which he repeated his technique, driving into a narrow closed street and hiding.
After some time, he again saw Auguste, who was riding behind him, and, having lost sight of the captain, he stopped indecisively, wondering where d'Artagnan could have disappeared.
“So, young man, you don’t want to be frank with me,” d’Artagnan said loudly, riding out from his hiding place. — I can do one of the following ways. Firstly, I believe that you are violating my right to travel unaccompanied by spies, so I can challenge you to a duel and, of course, kill you. Secondly, I can break away from you, confusing my tracks. Thirdly, I can ignore your impudence. I don’t like all these options, and besides, I’m in a hurry, I don’t have time to look for seconds. So I choose the fourth option. We will fight here and now, immediately, without dismounting. Defend yourself, you insolent!
After these words, d'Artagnan spurred his horse, pointing it at Auguste. The young man barely had time to grab his sword and point it towards d'Artagnan. The captain drove by, deftly dodged Auguste's sword and knocked his hat off with his sword.
“For the first time I felt sorry for you, young man,” said d’Artagnan, “defend yourself better.”
Repeating his maneuver, he knocked the sword out of Auguste's hands.
Then he jumped off his horse, tossed the vanquished man’s sword with the toe of his boot and handed it to Auguste, hilt first.
“I didn’t take the opportunity to kill you twice, young spy, but now we will fight seriously and on foot.” Get off your horse and show me that you are a man,” he said.
Auguste jumped off his horse, took his sword and immediately tried to use it against d'Artagnan.
“No, it won’t work that way,” said d’Artagnan, easily parrying Auguste’s blows. - Stabbing you is like skewering a chicken. This is too simple, and therefore unfair both to you and to me. You will be killed, and after that I will be ashamed! Hold your sword tightly, otherwise you will lose it. Things are getting serious!
After these words, he made one deceptive lunge and again knocked the sword out of Auguste’s hands, after which he stepped on it with his foot.
“Young man, you are my prisoner, I demand that you tell me your name and the purpose of your spying on me,” he said. “As the vanquished, submit to my demand, or we will fight again, after which I will have to bury you in an unmarked grave.”
“My name is Auguste de Trabuson,” answered the young man. “You are responsible for the fact that my parents disappeared somewhere, and I intend to find out where they are, take revenge on you and free them.”
“Well,” answered d’Artagnan. - You are within your rights. I'm taking your sword. If you try to spy on me or interfere with me in carrying out the King's orders again, I will take your life. Believe me, I don't want to do this, but you leave me no choice.
“Your journey is taking a break, I recommend that you stop in Lyon and put the idea of pursuing me out of your head, and I move on,” he said.
- Damn you! - Auguste exclaimed.
“As much as you like,” answered d’Artagnan and, jumping on his horse, resumed his journey.
After riding his horse a few steps, d'Artagnan heard the familiar sound of a musket being cocked. He quickly bent down to the horse's neck and looked back. At that moment a shot rang out, a bullet whizzed past the captain’s head.
- So that’s how it is? - exclaimed the captain. - Yes, you won’t calm down, as far as I can see! Well, if you really want to travel with me, I'll take you.
After this, d'Artagnan quickly rode up to Auguste and grabbed his horse by the bridle.
“I take you prisoner, and you will go with me,” he said. “I don’t advise you to resist.” I will not spare you, since you have already taken up a lot of time, and I am in a hurry. Pray that this delay will not prove fatal to my friends.
After this, d'Artagnan sold his second horse, as well as Auguste's horse.
“This money will pay your travel expenses, Monsieur Auguste de Trabucon,” he told his captive.
On a hired fast ship that same evening, d'Artagnan sailed to the island of Crete. He placed his prisoner in a separate cabin and hired a special sailor to look after him, under no circumstances allowing him to escape from the cabin assigned to him.

Meanwhile, Rochefort tried to persuade the commandant of the fortress-port of Gramvous to enter into negotiations with the commandant of the fortress of Candia and achieve the return of Athos and Porthos.
- We are not at war with the Ottoman Empire, and thank God! - the commandant objected. “Your friends should not have arrived at the shore controlled from the Candia fortress, and, moreover, they should not have voluntarily entered this fortress. If the Turks detained them, that's their business. I completely sympathize with you, but our strength is such that we are only glad that the Turks do not think of expelling us from the island.
- Is it really that bad? - asked Rochefort.
“Some parity has been established in our confrontation, and if we had proposed an exchange of prisoners, I believe the negotiations could have been successful,” answered the commandant. “But we cannot demand unilateral concessions.” They won't understand us.
“Perhaps we can return them by paying a ransom?” - asked Rochefort.
“It’s quite probable,” the commandant agreed. “I believe that the corresponding proposal has already left them for the mainland.” But the Turks are greedy, for two nobles they can demand such a ransom that it will not be easy for you to collect.
“As far as I know, both of these noblemen are quite rich,” Rochefort replied.
“So much the better, but the Turks may find out about this and increase the ransom accordingly, so their wealth may play a cruel joke on them,” answered the commandant. “But this is probably the only way for them to return to France, so it’s worth a try.” But I can give you better advice if you tell me the reason why they went there and also the reason for your worries.
“They went to negotiate because they were informed that the Duke of Beaufort was alive and could be extradited to France on the terms that were supposed to be discussed,” Rochefort replied. “And I’m worried because there’s been no news from them for 24 hours.” If negotiations had taken place and they could dispose of themselves without restrictions, they would have returned and informed me of the progress of the negotiations.
“The Duke of Beaufort is alive, do you think?” - Gramvus asked in disbelief. “If you told me that the Moon is made of cheese and that cheese is expected to rain tomorrow on this occasion, I would be less surprised by this than by the news that the Duke of Beaufort is alive.” The Duke is the kind of man who, if he were alive, would have proved himself. It is just as impossible to hide Beaufort among the prisoners as it is impossible to hide a golden louis d'or between the pages of a book or a dagger in a pillow - you will immediately discover it. Your friends went there in vain; they were lured for some purpose. God grant that this goal is to obtain a ransom.
-Are you suggesting something worse? - Rochefort asked anxiously.
“You can expect absolutely anything from the Turks,” answered Gramvous. “Their geographical location is such that someone is always encroaching on their territory, and they are always encroaching on neighboring territories. For this reason, they are accustomed to using diplomacy of all kinds, from direct deception to triple deception, if you understand what that is. In addition, they suspect everyone they negotiate with is cheating. When you talk to a Turk, he looks into your eyes and you think that he is interested in your thoughts. In fact, he had already glanced at you and determined how strong you were and how seriously armed you were. If you start trading with a Turk, he will accurately determine your solvency, so the price he asks for the goods will not be determined by how much it cost him, and how much profit he wants to make from the transaction, but only by how much you are able to pay for it, provided that you need it exactly to the extent that he determined by making his observations. You don’t yet know whether you will agree to his terms, but the Turk already knows this better than you.

Athos and Porthos acted according to the previously agreed upon plan. Porthos, armed with a metal plate, was waiting for a sign to begin to break open the door, and Athos, armed with another plate, wrapped his hand in a belt and prepared to use it as a cleaver, although not sharp, but weighty enough so that with a certain dexterity he could even resist the attacker's sword. In his left hand he took one of the bricks that had been torn out of the floor.
When the guard opened the doors with the words “Lunch!” and walked in with two plates in his hands, Athos knocked him to the floor with a blow from a brick and dragged the unconscious poor fellow into the cell.
- Disgrace! - he exclaimed as loudly as possible. “Not only were we illegally detained, but they were also feeding us all sorts of junk food, which is shameful for a real nobleman and Catholic to put into his mouth!” I demand the commandant! Bring the commandant here immediately!
At the screams of Athos, two other guards on duty in the corridor of the casemate hurried to enter the cell, sending the third after the officer. Athos fought off two guards, defending himself with the door as a shield, but since the guards had curved Turkish swords in their hands, the forces were not equal. The only saving grace was that it was very difficult for two guards to fight at the same time in a narrow doorway.
At that moment, Porthos began to break down the door of the next cell. A minute later the door gave way, and Porthos attacked the guards from behind. The guards, who did not expect such an attack, received serious injuries, after which they immediately surrendered. Porthos disarmed them, dragged them into the cell and tied them both with their own belts, and stuffed their Turkish caps into their mouths in the form of a gag. After this, the friends, armed with Turkish swords, headed towards the exit from the storage room, which served as a casemate.
“We need to capture the commandant, I know a shortcut, follow me, Porthos!” - Athos exclaimed.
Crushing the confused Turkish soldiers on their way, Athos and Porthos burst into the office of the commandant of the fortress. Fortunately, the commandant was at his place at that moment, where he started lunch.
- Don't move, you are our prisoner! - Athos exclaimed. “If you don’t resist, you’ll stay alive.”
“I surrender,” answered the commandant, who understood French.
However, even if he tried to pretend that he did not understand the French language, the sight of two angry Frenchmen armed with Turkish sabers spoke for itself. An attempt to use the weapon located in the office would be doomed to failure.
Thus, Athos and Porthos became the owner of a high-ranking captive and his very significant arsenal.
Porthos pulled the thick iron bolt on the door to the commandant's office and allowed himself to rest.
“Mr. Commandant,” said Athos with a smile, looking at the abundantly laden table. - Don't interrupt your lunch. By the way, Isaac and I were also hungry because we had to skip our lunch.
“Help yourself, please,” the commandant stammered.
“With your permission, I will put the knives and forks away from harm,” said Porthos and extended his open huge palm to the commandant, on which the commandant tremblingly placed the table knife and fork.
“Bonapeti, Mister Commandant,” said Athos.
“Thank you,” the commandant answered in a dull voice, lowering his face almost to the plate.
“You need to know your dining companions by name,” Athos continued. - You probably know what our name is. I am the Marquis de La Fere, my friend is Isaac Barbier, and how would you like me to address you, Mister Commandant?
“I am Ahmed Pasha,” answered the commandant.
- Ahmed Pasha? - Athos exclaimed. — The same Ahmed Celik? So it was your dear wife Olivia Celik who lured us here by deception? Our close acquaintance is very useful!
“Quite by the way,” Porthos confirmed, popping a huge piece of sea bass into his mouth. - Your cook deserves all the praise! Try halva, Athos!
“I don’t eat sweets,” Athos smiled.
“Let me assure you, gentlemen, that I did not support Olivia’s idea,” said Ahmed Pasha.
“I think so, dear commandant, especially in this part of her letter,” answered Athos. — You read French, I hope?
“Yes, I read,” confirmed Ahmed Pasha.
“Then read this letter,” said Athos and handed Olivia’s letter to the commandant. “We were invited to negotiations, we arrived with a white flag, and we were vilely arrested!” Shame on you, Ahmed Pasha. Read this letter, after which we will discuss the remaining issues.
“I speak French, but I don’t know how to read letters in French,” answered Ahmed Pasha. - Moreover, handwritten text.
“In that case, I will read this letter to you myself,” said Athos and began to read.

“To the Comte de La F;re.
Graph! You previously took a great part in the fate of the Duke de Beaufort, as we know. Now he is considered dead during a night raid in the Candia fortress. We learned for certain that the Duke did not die, but was only shell-shocked, as a result of which he was captured by the army of the Ottoman Empire. He is well kept, but his life is in constant danger. Those in whose hands his life is, do not intend to ask for a ransom for him, since they do not need money. But they are ready to release the Duke de Beaufort and give him the opportunity to return to France safe and sound under conditions that can only be outlined to you personally upon meeting. Don't bother taking money with you, no matter how much you take with you, it won't be enough to free the Duke. Also, don’t bother bringing troops with you, if anyone other than you and one person accompanying you comes to the negotiations, the Duke de Beaufort will immediately die, and we also can’t vouch for your life. Negotiations will take place only if you arrive at the Candia fortress alone, or accompanied by only one servant or comrade. You will arrive by boat; if another ship approaches the island, it will be sunk by cannon fire from the fortress. We understand that this condition is difficult, but we have no other way.
Our proposal comes from friendly feelings towards you and the Duke de Beaufort, but we cannot name ourselves without causing trouble for ourselves and the Duke, therefore all further negotiations will be conducted only verbally and only with you, Count. A Turkish officer will meet you on the shore. Refer that you arrived by letter from Ahmed Pasha.
Friends of the Duke and yours."

“So, the authors of the letter called themselves our friends and friends of the Duke de Beaufort,” Athos recited in the tone of a judge of noble honor, which he considered himself to be at that moment. “They deceived me basely, reassuring me that the Duke de Beaufort, that is, the Prince of the Blood, the grandson of our King Henry IV, had escaped despite rumors that he had either died, gone missing, or been captured. I was asked to arrive alone, or accompanied only by one of my friends or servants. I took my neighbor, a nobleman, with me, and we arrived, observing all the conditions of negotiations between representatives of states not in a state of war. The capture of parliamentarians in peacetime is a diplomatic scandal. If you think that such a flagrant violation of diplomatic rights cannot result in a war between our states, you are mistaken. I am not only the Marquis de La Fere, I am a former representative of France at the court of King Charles of England, father of the current King Charles II. I am a holder of two Orders of the Garter, one of which I received in France, the second in England from the hands of King Charles I himself. Two weeks ago, our King Louis XIV personally presented me with one of the ceremonial swords of Henry IV. Do you understand what this means? My disappearance will not go unnoticed by His Majesty. You are on the verge of a new war, a war with one of the strongest and greatest states in Europe. And all this is for the sake of one of your wives, despite the fact that your marriage with her should be considered illegal, since her first husband, as far as I know, is alive. If according to your laws a man is allowed to have several wives, then according to your laws a woman is not allowed to have several husbands under any circumstances. This woman is a stranger to you, Mr. Ahmed Pasha. You remain the commandant of your fortress, but whether you will remain a living commandant depends on whether you want to remain a decent person or reject this offer of ours. If you choose the path of a decent person, you will free us and give us the opportunity to leave the inhospitable island with its inhospitable fortress, where we were offered disgusting accommodation and where they tried to feed us disgusting food.
A whole range of feelings changed on Ahmed Pasha’s face, after which his facial features sharpened, his lips compressed, his eyes narrowed, and his gaze became hard and cold.
“Your and our concepts of honor do not coincide,” answered Ahmed Pasha. “We recognize your rights to live by your rules, but we do not recognize your attempts to impose your rules on us.” Perhaps a Frenchman in my place would have tried to save his life by agreeing to the conditions imposed by his captors, and it is also possible that he would have considered it very noble of him. We have different views. We do not fear death at the hands of the enemy, we bless such death. You can kill me right now.

Chapter 390

“Porthos, tie him up,” Athos ordered.
Ahmed Pasha did not even have time to realize what was happening to him, when the strong hands of Porthos tied him tightly hand and foot.
“Before we kill you, we will shave you with this dagger,” said Athos. - So you will appear before Allah without a beard, and, perhaps, without something important. Moreover, your bodily losses will not be a consequence of the battle, but a consequence of your helplessness and insignificance.
Ahmed Pasha turned pale, but said nothing. At that moment, someone knocked insistently on the door.
“Ask who it is and what they need,” Athos ordered. “But avoid a long dialogue, otherwise we will carry out our threat.”
Ahmed Pasha asked something in Turkish, and they answered him.
“They brought me a message from some captain Der Tin Yan,” said Ahmed Pasha. - I don’t know such a person.
“But we know him very well and therefore we strongly recommend reading this letter,” said Athos. - Let him slip the letter under the door.
Ahmed Pasha ordered what should be done with the letter, after which the very letter in question appeared in the crack under the doors.
Athos picked it up and unfolded it.
“It’s written in French,” he said. - Captain d'Artagnan's handwriting. Do you mind if I read it aloud to you? I think it will be easier for all of us.
“Read,” Ahmed Pasha answered briefly.
Athos unfolded the letter and began to read:

“To Ahmed Pasha Celik in his own hands from the captain of the royal musketeers Charles d'Artagnan

Ultimatum

Ahmed Pasha! A false letter was written in your name, informing my friend the Marquis de La F;re that he was to come to the fortress headed by you to discuss the conditions for the release of the captive Duke de Beaufort. This letter is vile simply because the Duke de Beaufort died, and you know this very well. The letter was intended to lure two noble people into a trap. I affirm that people who trusted your “honest word” and found themselves in your power due to the fact that your word turned out to be not at all honest, are not your prisoners, and you do not have the right to control their fate, life and health. You must release them without any conditions.
But, realizing that I am dealing with a person for whom the laws of honor are not binding, I offer you an exchange for a person who is my prisoner according to all the laws of honor, whose life I have every right to control. I assure you that your beloved wife Olivia Celik will be able to convince you that this exchange is beneficial for you. We are talking about a man named Auguste de Trabucon. This man fought with me, after which he was disarmed twice, but I, taking into account his youth, gave him freedom, after which he again tried to kill me vilely by shooting me with a pistol. Fortunately for me and for the remnants of his honor, I did not die, because I heard him cock the hammer in time. After that, I took him prisoner again and no longer intend to let him go just like that. If the exchange does not take place, his fate will be deplorable, I promise you this and I give the word of a nobleman to this. If even one hair falls from the head of even one of the two gentlemen whom you have lured into captivity with your vile deceit, your beloved wife Olivia will never see Auguste de Trabuson alive, but I guarantee you that she will see him dead. The question of the lives of my friends is a serious matter for me, so no considerations of humanity, nothing in the whole world will stop me from carrying out my threat. I recommend that you release my friends as soon as possible, and do not even think about shooting them in the back. If this happens, the most bitter fate awaits Auguste de Trabuson. As soon as my friends are on the ship that I will send for them, and in complete safety, Auguste de Trabuson will gain complete freedom and will be able to see Olivia, and then do whatever he pleases.
I will wait for your decision for four hours, if there is no answer, I will consider that the answer is negative, and from this moment the life of Auguste de Trabuson can be considered over. At the same time, I do not make promises that I will not carry out other attempts to free my friends, and if I take on something, I will see it through to the end.
Charles d'Artagnan"

“I am not interested in any man, no matter how dear he is to my wife,” answered Ahmed Pasha. - Let him kill him, I don’t feel sorry for him.
“I think this is Olivia’s son,” said Athos.
- My wife will give birth to another son, she will give birth to as many sons as Allah sends me! - Ahmed Pasha said fiercely. “Even if it were my own son, there would be no pity for him in my heart.” He disgraced himself by allowing himself to be disarmed twice in battle. He disgraced himself by promising to stop resisting. And he disgraced himself by not keeping this promise. You should always keep your promise, and you should never promise something you cannot keep! This Sachmalyk, son of Sheitan, Ketu K;pek, deserved his fate!
— Does your beloved wife Olivia share your opinion? - asked Athos.
“A beloved wife always shares the opinion of her husband,” answered Ahmed Pasha. - Any wife who does not share her husband’s opinion is not his wife, she is Onemsiz Kadyn.
“It’s your business, of course,” answered Athos. “I myself don’t like being exchanged for some dishonest young man; the Marquis de La Fere is worth more.” But, as Captain d'Artagnan rightly noted, our very capture is dishonorable. You say that Auguste acted dishonorably, but you forget that we were captured in a dishonorable manner.
“I am not involved in this, I did not write you any letters, and you arrived on the territory of the fortress under my control without my invitation,” answered Ahmed Pasha. - I am not responsible for the actions of Onemsis Kadyn.
“But the letter that caused our arrival had your name on it,” answered Athos.
“I repeat to you once again, I did not sign this letter, for me it does not exist,” answered Ahmed Pasha. “Whatever happened before, today you burst into my office with weapons and attacked me, captured me by force, and now also tied me up.” Either kill me or free me, but if you free me, I don’t promise you that they won’t fight against you, and I don’t promise you anything at all.
At that moment there was another knock on the door.
“Ask them what else they need, just briefly,” Athos ordered.
Ahmed Pasha asked the question again and received an answer.
“This is another letter,” answered Ahmed Pasha. “I ordered that it be slipped under the doors too.”
- Another letter? - asked Athos. - It seems today is letter day!
- And again from France! - said Porthos. — The address is written in two languages, and one of them is French!
—Will you allow me to read it too? - asked Athos.
“Read,” agreed Ahmed Pasha.
“I won’t leave this place if this letter is not from Aramis!” - Athos exclaimed. - Things are getting more and more interesting! It is addressed to M. d'Herblay, who took the trouble to forward it to you, underlining certain lines in it. Apart from this, he did not make any additions. Well, I'm reading.
He unfolded the letter and read it aloud.

“So, Monsieur d'Herblay, you thought that you had dealt with me and my husband and would never hear from us again? This was your big mistake! Olivia de Trabucon can stand up for herself!
Your friend, a certain Count de La F;re, is in my captivity! With him is also a certain Isaac Barbier, whom he called a peasant, but he is dressed like a nobleman, and from everything it is clear that your friend is deceiving me. Both of these people are completely in my power and if you do not fulfill my demands, they will die in agony, and will die for a long time. In the Ottoman Empire they know how to execute long and painfully, and my new husband, Ahmed ;elik, also known as Ahmed Pasha, will do for me, his beloved wife, everything I ask of him.
So, if you value your friend the Comte de La F;re, you must, as soon as possible, compensate me for all the damage that your actions have caused to my family. If it weren’t for you, my husband would already be a major of the guards, or even a colonel. Moreover, I believe that he would have received a handsome monetary reward for his faithful service. I am not too upset by my current situation, but I do not intend to spend my entire life as one of the four wives of some Turk, even a pasha. I want to return to Paris in triumph. I demand a patent for the position of colonel for my husband and eight hundred thousand livres for myself. I also need two hundred thousand livres for those who helped me in my event, a total of a million. In addition, Captain d'Artagnan must resign. Only in this case will Count de La F;re and his friend Isaac Barbier return to France alive.
As proof that the said Comte de La F;re and Isaac Barbier are in my complete power, I am sending you their swords.
Olivia Celik, aka Olivia de Trabuson.
Written in the fortress of Candia on the island of Crete."

— Shall I tell you which lines in this letter are underlined? - asked Athos.
“No need, I already understood everything,” answered Ahmed Pasha. - Untie me.
- For what? - asked Athos.
“I will fulfill the request of your captain Dert-Enyan, or whatever his name is,” said Ahmed Pasha. “I want to get this same Auguste into my own hands.” I will show this Onemsiz Kadyn, this Sinsi Yalanji, how to deceive me! She decided to use me to take revenge on you, and her goal is to return to France! She wants to trick me! Worthless. Kantrali Bir fichida France elken acjajak.
-What did he say? - asked Porthos.
“It seems he has decided to give her a divorce,” answered Athos. - And let her and her son go back to France. If I misinterpreted his words, then his look and facial expression say exactly that.
“Yes, yes, I will give her a divorce, you translated my words very accurately,” said Ahmed Pasha. - Untie me, I give you the word of Ahmed Pasha that you will be free, and no one will dare to shoot you in the back when you swim towards the ship waiting for you. I know you have doubts because you have already been deceived once. But I am not this woman, Onemsiz Kadyn, and not this Sachmalyk, son of Sheitan. This is my word, it is as strong as a diamond.
- Will our swords be returned to us? - Athos inquired.
- Do you mean that you will not accept freedom if your swords are not returned to you? - Ahmed Pasha asked ironically.
“You absolutely accurately expressed our point of view on this issue,” answered Athos. “We fought our way out of prison, we don’t consider ourselves prisoners, and we want to return home with our swords.”
“You yourself read in the letter that your swords were sent to your friend,” answered Ahmed Pasha. “How can I give you those swords that have already been sent to France, and therefore we don’t have them?”
“We came here with swords, and we will leave here with swords,” Athos said firmly. “If you took our swords from us, then you will return us others, from among the trophies that you probably have after such fierce battles.”
“Okay,” answered Ahmed Pasha. - You will receive your swords and freedom. Word of Ahmed Pasha.
“I believe you,” said Athos. - Untie him, Porthos.
Ahmed Pasha ordered that Athos and Porthos be treated as honored guests and himself led them to the arsenal, where the swords of the French killed in battle were kept.
“We take this one and that one,” said Athos, pointing to two swords.
“This sword is too expensive,” answered Ahmed Pasha, pointing to one of the swords that Athos chose.
“I’ll give you this for her,” said Athos, removing a ring with a large diamond from his ring finger, which until that time had been turned into the palm of his hand.
- It's coming! - agreed Ahmed Pasha, who had an excellent understanding of diamonds and appreciated his benefit.
So Athos and Porthos gained freedom and left the inhospitable island of Crete. Their meeting with d'Artagnan was warm and joyful, and I can only regret that I was not present at this and could not hug them the same way as d'Artagnan did for himself and for me. Then they shook hands with Comte de Rochefort and set off on their way back to France.
The boat that brought Athos and Porthos aboard the ship received Auguste de Trabuson, who was glad to leave d'Artagnan, since the captain had already clearly explained what awaited him if his friends were not returned to him.
“We should teach this puppy a lesson, clearly explain to him what noble honor is,” d’Artagnan said with a sigh. “But to hell with him, let him hug his dear mother and let him continue to be with her.” His Majesty's troops do not need officers of this sort.
“Don’t worry, my friend,” answered Athos. “Something tells me that he’s not going there to eat halva, baklava and figs.” His stepfather, the commandant of the fortress, does not seem to have any tender feelings for him.
“Well, this is a family matter, it’s no good for us to interfere in it,” answered d’Artagnan.
-How glad I am to see you two next to me! - exclaimed Porthos. - By God, we need to show up to Aramis in full force! This will be fun!
“Certainly, Porthos,” said Athos. “We must thank him for the second letter, which turned out to be very opportune after the first letter from you, dear d’Artagnan.”
- Was there a second letter from Aramis? - D'Artagnan asked with interest.
- Oh yes, and very convincing! - Porthos answered.
“Well, if Athos said the word “must,” then we really must go to Aramis,” said d’Artagnan. - One for all!
- And all for one! - Athos and Porthos picked up.
After this, the friends laughed merrily, which they had not done, it seems, since those times when they fought shoulder to shoulder under the command of Captain Jean-Armand du Peyret de Treville.
“It’s just a pity that our trip didn’t make any sense,” said Porthos. “We lost so much time and didn’t even annoy the Turks very much.”
“It wasn’t so senseless,” answered Athos. - Take a closer look at this!
With these words, Athos showed his sword, which he received from Ahmed Pasha in exchange for a diamond ring.
- Duke de Beaufort's sword! - exclaimed d'Artagnan.
- Duke de Beaufort's sword! - Porthos confirmed. “We didn’t save the Duke, but we returned his ancestral sword to France, so we can assume that we took care of the Duke’s honor, he didn’t go missing, and didn’t surrender, he died in battle, and now we know that for sure.”.
“All the more reason for you, Athos, and you, Porthos, to go to Paris,” said d’Artagnan. “As for me, my vacation is ending and I must return to the Louvre.”
“And I, gentlemen, inform you that Henri Louis d'Aloyny de Rochefort is going to Orleans, and from there to his county of Rochefort,” said Rochefort. - I'm fed up with politics!
“Don’t promise, count, you will still become a marquis and marshal of the King,” answered Athos.
“Not until your friend Captain d’Artagnan receives the marshal’s baton,” replied Rochefort.
- By the way, Marshal Henri Louis d'Aloyny, Marquis de Rochefort - it sounds! - said Athos.
- Marshal Jacques d'Etampes, Marquis de La F;re-Imbault - sounds no worse! - Athos answered.
“Gentlemen marshals and marquises,” d’Artagnan addressed them with a smile. - Sorry for interrupting. Isn’t it time for us to give the order to the captain of the ship to set course for the shores of France, where, as I understand it, each of us will have a marshal’s baton waiting for us?
Here all four laughed even louder, like they had never laughed before in their lives.
- Gentlemen marshals! - exclaimed Porthos. - Wow! These are the inventors! Marshal Henri Louis d'Aloyny, Marquis de Rochefort! Laughter, and that's all! Marshal Jacques d'Etampes, Marquis de La F;re-Imbault! There's something in this!

Chapter 391

— Bazin, how did it go? - I asked.
“Ahmed Pasha was stubborn,” said Bazin. “But the letter from Mehmed IV did its job.
“He just freed them and sent them home?” - I asked.
“It was a very complicated matter,” replied Bazin. “It turns out that they almost freed themselves; they managed to escape from the dungeon in which they were placed. After this they captured Ahmed Pasha.
— After which he apologized and let them go in peace? - I asked.
“He put on a whole performance,” replied Bazin. - At first he flatly refused to let them go, then, quite unexpectedly, a letter arrived from d'Artagnan demanding the release of the gentlemen Baron du Valon and the Marquis de La F;re in exchange for Auguste de Trabuson, he told Ahmed Pasha that he did not agree to this exchange. Then, as you suggested, your letter was given to him, which was read aloud. Ahmed Pasha himself did not expect this letter; he was angry with Olivia and decided to end the game. From the very beginning, intending to free the prisoners and only slightly scold Madame Olivia, he changed his intentions, so that he freed them with honor, providing them with two swords from the weapons arsenal, it seems that these were the swords of the French who died during the forays, and he was offended by Madame Olivia and her son so much so that, it seems, he decided to deal with them according to his Turkish customs.
“This is perhaps too cruel,” I replied. “I never expected observance of cruel ancient Turkish customs from such an educated person as Ahmed Pasha. Why did he order them to be put in a tarred barrel and thrown into the sea?
“Something like that,” confirmed Bazin.
- How harsh! - I was horrified. “However, they deserved their fate, and it’s certainly not for us to condemn the laws under which they will be punished.” Well, Bazin, thank you, go and rest, tell Jean-Jacques not to bother me, I need to think about an interesting letter.
Bazin bowed and left, and I decided to once again re-read the letter that I had received from Venice the day before. Here is the text of this letter.

"Mr. General! Since you have lost the title of Bishop of Van, and since your position as Duke of Alameda at the Spanish Court has lost some of its benefits, since Spain is no longer an ally of France, we see one simple way for you to restore your high position in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and strengthen your influence on the politics of Europe for the benefit of the Order, if you agree to be called Antonio Pignatelli.
The real Antonio Pignatelli, who was born in 1615, just 7 years after you, has gone missing. Considering some of your similarities to him, which can be enhanced by slight changes in the cutting of the beard and mustache, as well as some other techniques known to you, as well as how young you look, and the fact that he was unsociable, so very few people you are intimately familiar with him, you could easily pass for him. He was born into the princely family of Pignatelli, which is located in the south of Italy, in Puglia, as we learned. He probably died during an accidental sinking of a small ship in the Mediterranean Sea. He had to go on a little trip. The news of his death has not yet spread, he is considered alive and, in addition, quite influential people in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church are involved in promoting his career. At the same time, however, he was not in a close relationship with anyone, outwardly you are quite similar to him, so the chances of success are high, taking into account the fact that his closest two friends are members of our order, so they will confirm at any level that you are him. There is every reason to believe that a cardinal's hat is being prepared for Antonio Pignatelli, and some perspicacious minds have predicted him to be a future pope. You should know that he was educated at the Jesuit College in Rome, where he received a doctorate in canon and civil law. Even at a young age, when he was about twenty years old, Pope Urban VIII appointed him an official of the ecclesiastical court. Pignatelli was referendar in the Apostolic Signatura and also governor of Fano and Viterbo. He later went to Malta, where he served as an inquisitor from 1646 to 1649. Shortly afterwards he received priestly ordination. You could easily replace it, taking into account all the circumstances outlined in this letter.

Signed: A. S.”

I began to think. As long as Philip is King of France, I can hope to regain the title of bishop, then become a cardinal. What's next? Is Philip's influence in the highest circles of the Catholic Church enough to move forward? This young man is not strong enough, and he owes me almost nothing, because it was not I who put him on the throne of France. Haunted dreams! What's on the other side? Help of the Order. This is power. And this is an organized force. Never before has any general of the Order become Pope. But none of them ever aspired to this!
Do I need this? There is nothing to think about here! Yes, I need it! I am confident that I am worthy to occupy the highest level of the Catholic hierarchy. Ask me why? Yes, because everywhere I see people who are stupider than me! Yes, some of them do not see obvious things, others prefer not to notice what catches the eye, others see everything and notice everything, but do not draw the right conclusions, and finally, the fourth, who understand everything and evaluate everything correctly, prefer to keep quiet, not to get involved in anything, they are saving a warm place, warmed by their own body, in this carriage of life, in which we are all going, no one knows where, we are going here, where a half-blind mare named Chance will take us! If not me, then who?

- And here is our friend Aramis! - said d'Artagnan, who came to me without a report.
- D'Artagnan! What destinies! — I asked with mixed feelings.
I felt joy when meeting with an old friend, but I was also surprised that he entered my office without a report and even, it seems, noticed that before that I had carefully read the letter in Italian.
- And I’m not the only one! - exclaimed d'Artagnan. - We all decided to visit you! Athos and Porthos are here! Come in, friends, why are you milling about in the hallway as if you were visiting?
- Aramis! - Athos and Porthos cried almost simultaneously, entering the office after d'Artagnan.
- I am extremely glad to see you, my friends! - I said. “I am happy, Athos, that you and Porthos got rid of the danger that threatened you.” And I made a plan to help you out of trouble!
“You have already helped us out, and the letter that you sent to Ahmed Pasha did its job,” said Athos.
- Let me hug you, my friend! - Porthos exclaimed, opening his arms.
“Excuse me, Porthos, I’d rather hug you,” I objected, since I’m not strong enough to hug Porthos.
“Oh yes, of course,” Porthos said, embarrassed.
“I’ll have the table set for us,” I said. - Where is my secretary?
I was surprised that he did not detain my friends and allowed them to enter without reporting, although I was not annoyed, but the secretary should still know his duties.
“I explained to him how glad you would be to see us if we entered without a report, and he walked away, it seems he needs to wash himself,” said d’Artagnan. - By the way, I wanted to ask, did you drive Bazin away and take on another servant-secretary?
“I don’t need many servants, but Bazin often has slightly different matters, he is not my secretary, but rather a courier,” I answered, and then turned to Athos. - How did you escape?
“Ahmed Pasha, as a result of the letter sent from you, was very dissatisfied with his fourth wife and, it seems, gave her a divorce,” said Porthos.
“Moreover, our dear d’Artagnan brought Madame Olivia’s son there, so that during the divorce all her relatives from her first marriage will be present,” Athos added.
- So you were released without a fight? - I asked.
“We hit someone hard,” Porthos replied. - But we had no other choice! Their kitchen is disgusting, and there was absolutely no one to complain about these inconveniences; the majordomo did not want to talk to us. I had to write a complaint on the foreheads of the waiters.
- Fabulous! - I admired. — What are our future plans?
At the same time I looked at d'Artagnan.
“Aramis, they know everything, I can’t hide something so serious from my best friends,” said d’Artagnan.
“This is your deepest mistake, dear friend,” I thought. - However, maybe this is not your weakness, but your strength. The job is done, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”
“We know, Aramis, that there is another on the throne,” said Athos. “I guessed this from the disproportionate reward that he presented to me on that memorable day when I was released.
- I hope that you are not going to return her back? - I asked.
“I recognize this one, as I recognized that one, since in my eyes there is no difference in their rights between them,” answered Athos. “Why on earth would I consider that Richelieu’s choice was better than d’Artagnan’s?” In everything else they are absolutely equal.
“Besides, that one offended you, and this one did you honor,” I added.
“You are mistaken, Aramis,” said Athos. “Nothing can humiliate a nobleman except the actions that he himself commits.” And nothing can bring him honor more than his deeds.
D'Artagnan and I looked at each other.
- How correctly and beautifully you speak, dear Athos! - Porthos admired.
“Athos, you live in a wonderful world that exists only in your imagination,” I said. - People are not at all what you imagine them to be, and life is much simpler than you think, since most people are guided by simple principles of selfishness, and on top of that, it is more complex than you describe, since selfishness has a thousand different forms and motives.
“I’m not going to look into this abomination, just as I wouldn’t dig into a trough of pigs’ boots,” answered Athos. — That part of life in which there is no proper morality simply does not interest me, so I consider it non-existent.
“Our dear Athos prefers to run into the dagger of a vile conspirator a thousand times rather than anticipate meanness and dodge it in a timely manner!” - summed up d'Artagnan. “Well, dear friend, follow the straight path, like a beacon of morality, and leave the thorns and dirt to Porthos, Aramis and me.”
“I am always ready to fight to the death with a high-ranking scoundrel,” answered Athos. “But I will not read sermons to people whose souls I consider lost; these people simply do not exist for me.”
- Wonderful! Porthos said with much less enthusiasm.
- Look, Athos, even Porthos has already stopped admiring your moral principles! - I said. - And this means that it’s high time for us to sit down at the table!
- This is what I understand and welcome! - exclaimed Porthos. “Aramis, at the moment I like your moral principles more than those of Athos!” And after lunch you can return to your topic while I take a nap for two hours.

Chapter 392

I only left my friends for a minute in the midst of our meal to write a short note: “To Messire A.S. I agree. d'Alameda"
“Send this answer to the address you know,” I said, handing the note to Bazin and returning to the table.
From that moment on, my life took on a new meaning, my actions focused on a new goal, but this does not mean that I became different and stopped noticing what was important to me before. I just added one more interest to my interests, I won’t say it’s the most important, but at the moment, perhaps the most exciting.
“So, I will become a cardinal, who, perhaps, is destined to become the Pope,” I thought then. - Why do I need this? However, the step has been taken, it’s too late to retreat. Perhaps the time has come for me to take care of my friends, the way they took care of me all this time? It’s time, it’s time for Porthos to finally become a duke and peer, as he wishes, d’Artagnan to become a marshal of France, and Athos... What is Athos doing?”
- By the way, Athos, what do you expect from life? - I asked.
“I don’t need anything anymore,” answered Athos. “Yes, I didn’t want anything before either.” However, I would like Raoul to find his happiness.
- Oh, I'm an old church morel! - I exclaimed. - After all, I forgot to give you a letter from Raoul!
— Do you have a letter from Raoul? - Athos perked up. - How did you get it?
“It came to Blois, but did not find you,” I answered. “So Grimaud sent it to me with a note that he was convinced that I would see you before him, and a letter from Raoul was the most urgent message for you that could ever be.”
- And he was not mistaken! - said Athos. - What are you waiting for? Bring him quickly!
“Aramis, I don’t believe you forgot about him,” said d’Artagnan. - What the hell? You have always had an excellent memory!
- Well, okay, you figured me out! - I answered with a smile. - I haven’t read this letter. I was afraid that Athos would rush away from us without even having dinner. Who knows what is contained there? But if it waited several days before being delivered, I hoped that the delay of an hour and a half was not significant, since I would not want Athos to leave our glorious company immediately upon arriving at me!
- Our friend Aramis, and suddenly he doesn’t read other people’s letters! - Porthos laughed, but I looked at him sternly, and he began to chew the superbly roasted leg of a pig with ferocity.
“We’ve all had to read letters that weren’t addressed to us when we were at war,” I said in a casual and joking tone. - And we are at war almost all the time. But a letter to my friend from my son is sacred. No, no, I haven't read it.
- I believe you, Aramis! - said Athos. “Let me run through it right now.” If there is nothing personal in it, we will read it aloud, because I know that you all love Raoul, if not more than I do, then at least as a good father loves his good son.
“That’s true, dear Athos,” agreed d’Artagnan. - Read this letter, we will not disturb you, but if you decide to read excerpts from it to us, we will be extremely grateful to you.
Raoul was by that time in England, where at the court of King Charles II he would like to meet again with Miss Mary Grafton, who had shown considerable attention to him in the past. Although almost four years have passed since that time, she, apparently, has not forgotten the stately and noble young man, well-mannered, brave and speaking excellent English.
“Well, I’ve read the letter, and now I’ll get the added pleasure of reading it out loud to you,” said Athos. - That's what it says here.

“Dear father! I am extremely sad at being apart from you, and would probably be completely unhappy if it weren’t for one happy circumstance that I hasten to share with you. Miss Mary Grefton, this very worthy mademoiselle, beautiful, with a lively mind, very well read and comprehensively educated, slender and graceful in her movements, in a word, Miss Mary, such as she is, today confessed to me that she feels for me the same feelings that, I think I find it in myself. Even on my first visit almost four years ago, I noted the high qualities of her soul, as well as the extraordinary beauty of her face and figure. But since my thoughts were only about Louise, I ordered myself not to see or notice all her advantages. Despite my coldness, even then Miss Mary singled me out from all her acquaintances and was extremely nice to me. Remembering now how I behaved with her, I think that my emphasized coldness exceeded the boundaries of decency and only such a kind girl as Miss Mary could forgive me for my extreme aloofness and absent-mindedness when talking with her. We discussed a thousand topics, and on every point raised Miss Mary showed the utmost discretion. She herself explains her erudition simply by ordinary erudition, however, I believe that reading alone could not create such an angel in a female form, and here, of course, the nature of her noble origin was reflected. It’s not for nothing that they say in the East that a donkey loaded with books is not yet a wise man. Therefore, I cannot attribute her deep intelligence to books alone. Father! She furrows her brows so charmingly when she condemns those who certainly deserve it, and smiles so sweetly when talking about those she loves, that I never cease to admire her face and give her more and more new topics to talk about, so that just marvel at her intelligence and enjoy the play of emotions on her face. She knows almost by heart all three voluminous volumes of our French writer Michel Montaigne, or, in any case, those passages that resonated in her kind heart. She quotes these passages in French and easily translates them into English. They say that Montaigne's language turned out to be so rich for the English that when translating this great book, the English had to come up with many neologisms. She also told me that one of their very famous playwrights, named William Shakespeare, used Montaigne’s thoughts in his plays - comedies and tragedies, written mainly in blank verse. She seems sure that this same Shakespeare writes almost as well as Corneille. This obviously reflected her love for her homeland and native language, but I did not try to dissuade her. There is no doubt that no one knows this very Shakespeare anywhere, except for certain lovers of antiquities in London itself, while any educated person can easily quote a few verses from the great Corneille. I didn’t let this little misunderstanding between us flare up, because I think it’s absurd to argue about tastes, and if she likes this same Shakespeare, then you shouldn’t try to reason with her. Over time, she herself will understand that she was wrong.
Here in England, everyone is talking about an imminent war between France and Holland and they say that England could act as an ally of France, provided that the French fleet is sufficiently active and victorious in the first weeks of the battles. This means, again, war! Well, it’s not fitting for me, an officer, to sit in the rear. But I firmly decided not to fight on the side of the King of France in his troops. Having taken Louise away from me, the King broke all ties with me, I decided that I would never be happy in France, even if we agree that Louise did not want to become my wife and would never have become her. What he did to me alienated me from him forever. I made the decision to become a naval officer here in England. I will find my new fatherland and will fight for it. The union of England and France simplifies this decision of mine. I have already acquired some skills during sea voyages under the leadership of the Duke of Beaufort. I asked to see the Duke of Albemanle, who enlisted me as a junior mate on the ship Swift. The Duke suggested that I choose a name in the English manner, and now your son’s name is Raoul Butts. I hope you will soon hear of the exploits of Captain Butts, dear father!
Don't judge me for changing my name. Firstly, in France I am almost listed as dead. Secondly, I myself would like to break my ties with a country in which the King does not hesitate to steal brides from his subjects, therefore I would like to become an English subject. Thirdly, Miss Mary... However, I will not propose to her before I cover myself with the glory of a brave naval officer.
The sad news has reached me of the tragic death of your friend Baron du Valon due to the fact that the Baron appointed me as his heir. This is a great misfortune for all of us, and, of course, it is most difficult for you, my dear father, to bear this tragic loss. I won't have to enter into inheritance rights. Fortunately, when I went to war with the Duke de Beaufort, I wrote my will, had it notarized and left it with Grimaud. In it I leave all my property, if any, to you, dear father, and if I outlive you, I leave everything to your friend d'Artagnan. Since you and I, father, are considered dead, about which the commandant of the Candia fortress has drawn up documents, I am not going to be resurrected, and prefer to remain in the eyes of all the French in the status that fate has given me. Only my dearest mother, who revealed herself to me quite recently - oh, what a great and wonderful woman she is! - madam..."
Here Athos interrupted his reading.
“Basically, he knows who his mother is,” he said. —Here he says her name. But that doesn't matter. I continue reading.

“Why such secrecy? - I thought. “In any case, we all know that we are talking about the Duchess de Chevreuse!”

“Only my dearest mother, who, and so on, ” Athos continued to read, “ and also you, father, and two or three of my most faithful friends will know the truth. Therefore, Monsieur d'Artagnan can assume the rights of inheritance of my small inheritance, as well as the huge inheritance from the poor Baron du Valon. It is a pity that Captain d'Artagnan has no children and he has no one to bequeath this inheritance to. I wouldn't want it to go to the treasury. However, maybe he has some distant relatives. This inheritance doesn't interest me at all. I want to provide for my own life, and the salary of a naval officer suits me quite well. I embrace you tightly, dearly loving Raoul Bats de Bragelonne, who, I hope, in the very near future will be able to sign his letters with his new name - Captain Bats. 
- Poor Raoul! - said Porthos. - He still considers me dead!
“And I’m a misogynist,” Athos added.
“And I am childless,” added d’Artagnan.
“Me too,” I added mentally. “But it seems that he himself is not going to remain childless, and this is a great consolation for Athos.” I hope the child will tie him to this life more tightly than his childhood dreams of the unworthy maiden de La Valli;re!”
“As you can see, Aramis, I won’t break out and rush anywhere immediately after reading this letter!” - said Athos.
“Yes, Marquis, you can calmly go to the port tomorrow in my carriage to see Raoul and hug him,” I said.
- Why did you decide that I would do this? - Athos asked in surprise. - Yes, I will certainly do so! Thank you, Aramis! D'Artagnan, you alone can take the Duke de Beaufort's sword to the Louvre?
“I’ll take her with Porthos and Aramis,” answered d’Artagnan.
- Oh, no, the two of you are enough! - I answered. “It is not proper for a clergyman to carry spoils of war.” Now, if you brought holy relics to the King, my presence would be appropriate.
- So, our friend, have you finally decided what is more in you - a musketeer or an abbot? - asked d'Artagnan with poorly hidden irony.
“I have always been more of an abbot, but circumstances again and again forced me to remain a musketeer,” I answered with slight irony, which d’Artagnan did not particularly like to hear from me.
“Aramis, you will always find the most accurate and convincing answer to any remark and to any question,” noted d’Artagnan.
“To have a successful career as a priest, sometimes you have to be a jester, sometimes a philosopher, sometimes an actor, and most often a cynic,” I answered.
- I willingly believe it! - D'Artagnan agreed. “I would probably also become a cynic if I had listened to as many confessions of young girls as you have heard, Aramis.” By the way, were there many of them?
- Dear d'Artagnan! - I exclaimed. - There were many of them! Fortunately, I try to forget everything I heard as quickly as possible, and I’m not bad at it!
After these words of mine, my friends looked at each other, and I realized that none of them believed me, not even Porthos.
- Well, okay, I confess! - I said. “You can’t forget everything you hear in confession!” Well, yes, well, yes, I don’t forget anything. But you can’t disclose it! The secret of confession is sacred. Otherwise I could write a new Decameron no worse than Boccaccio. What is there! It would be "Mille et una noctes". Not ten days, but a thousand and one nights!
“It would be better to call this book “Milia cuckolds,” said d'Artagnan with a laugh.
“You’re right, d’Artagnan, but then it’s “Sesquialtera milia cuckolds”,” I clarified.
- What did he say? - Porthos asked Athos.
“D’Artagnan advised calling the book “A Thousand Cuckolds,” and Aramis corrected it to one and a half thousand,” answered Athos. - Poor Raoul!
“Perhaps Miss Mary will be an exception,” said d’Artagnan, but it seemed without any hope that his prediction would come true.
At that moment, I myself thought that Raoul would be unlucky, but, as it turned out, Miss Mary was quite worthy of the choice of Raoul, Comte de Bragelonne.

Chapter 393

“Before we part, d’Artagnan, tell me, for what reason did you agree with a light heart that Louis should not be placed in prison, but only in a monastery, and even trusted me to take him there?” - I asked the next morning, when we were all standing near my carriage, which was supposed to take Athos to the coast.
“Well, first of all, why shouldn’t I trust you, Aramis?” - asked d'Artagnan. - After all, we trusted each other even with our lives!
“This fact is not enough,” I objected. “Just your own lives is not the same as the freedom of the King, who can be brought back.”
“Secondly, all four of us are equally interested in what happened, so there is no reason for doubt,” continued d’Artagnan.
- Are you kidding? - I asked. - Circumstances may change!
“So you haven’t seen His Majesty without a mask in sufficient lighting,” d’Artagnan concluded.
“I spent little time with him and didn’t look at him carefully,” I agreed. “I remember that he always tried to turn the left side of his face towards me. What's on his right?
“When Olivia shot him in the head, the bullet hit the iron mask, which took the blow and saved the King’s life,” said d’Artagnan. “The inside of the mask is equipped with a softening layer of fabric, but it was not designed for such impacts. The mask hit Louis's face and in several places caused shallow wounds, almost imperceptible, breaking only the upper layers of the skin. But Kumar's powder remained on the inside of the mask. This is a substance for applying indelible ritual patterns on the skin.
- So he now has indelible drawings on the right side of his face? - I asked. - Are they forever?
“Forever, I suppose,” answered d’Artagnan. - Or, at least, for quite a long time.
“He’s not saying something, but on the whole he’s telling the truth,” I thought. “Well, for a start it’s better than nothing!”
“So, we don’t have to worry about the future fate of Louis, his return to the throne does not threaten France, therefore, we can forget about this whole episode and not return to it, which I’m very happy about,” I lied, and it seems that only Porthos.
“In any case, be careful with your ideas in future, dear Aramis,” said Athos.
In his remark I heard only concern for me and all of us, and not at all about the fate of the King or any Princes.
“From now on I will think through my experiments more carefully, dear Athos,” I replied. - And in especially difficult cases, be sure to consult with all of you.
“It will be enough if you consult at least one of us,” answered d’Artagnan. “It’s best to let it be Porthos.”
- You're kidding! - Porthos exclaimed and burst out laughing. - Which kind of adviser am I?
“The best,” answered d’Artagnan. “You, Porthos, are better than all of us at distinguishing vile means and methods from noble ones, and this, in the end, is the most important thing!”
“And in that case, if, as I see, all the vacancies of marshals of France, marquises and dukes have been filled, let the King make me his minister in conscience and honor!” - said Porthos.
“Unfortunately, dear Porthos, there is no such ministry in any kingdom, and, I believe, there never will be,” I answered. “We, in France, where there is even a Ministry of Entertainment and Pleasure, do not and will never have a Ministry of Conscience and Honor.” Too slow to sell!
- And at the papal throne? - asked d'Artagnan.
“Even more so there,” I answered. — As you know, there are no ministries in the Catholic hierarchy at all. And even if there were, it would most likely be in completely different directions. Ministry of Rituals, Ministry of Myth-Making, Ministry of Finance, of course!
“The Ministry of Intelligence and Intervention in Other People’s Affairs,” d’Artagnan continued. - Ministry of falsification, Ministry of provocations, Ministry of fooling one's own people, Ministry of slander, Ministry of theft.
“Such ministries are extremely necessary, and they exist in every kingdom,” I answered. - Only they exist under other names.
— Who holds the positions of ministers of such ministries? - asked Porthos.
“Most often the King himself,” answered Athos. - Or the Sultan.
“Or the Pope,” added d’Artagnan.
“Or the supreme shaman, priest, tetrarch, guru, sensei, rabbi,” I said. - How to control huge masses of people without a guiding idea, without propaganda, without lies?
“Perhaps yes,” agreed d’Artagnan. “It’s hard to call a normal person who walks in cold blood to where he will most likely be killed right there, and the only question is whether this will happen in the first seconds, or in the first minutes, or in an hour or two.” But any kingdom needs tens of thousands of such abnormal people!
“The war with Holland will begin soon, so France will need more than a hundred thousand soldiers,” I said. “And in about fifteen years, the French army will already number several hundred thousand.”
- You're kidding! - exclaimed d'Artagnan.
- Not at all! - I answered.
- In this case, France will need more marshals, so the joke that I, Athos, Porthos and even Rochefort may soon become marshals is not so fantastic! - said d'Artagnan.
- Not me, save me from commanding entire armies! - Porthos objected. - I've had enough of a shelf. In general, I would like to retire and lead a measured lifestyle, as before, in Pierrefonds. As soon as I become duke, I will immediately retire to Pierrefonds!
- What prevents you from doing this right now, without waiting for the ducal title? - asked d'Artagnan.
- Petty pride! - Porthos answered. — You know, the feeling of one’s own greatness, called vanity in the Bible, is one of the most insignificant sins. And since all pleasures are sinful, I cannot be content with only love of money, gluttony, anger, gambling, carousing, adventurism, intemperance, adultery and laziness!
“You have forgotten sacrilege and despondency,” I prompted.
“These sins give no pleasure,” Porthos objected.
“Don’t forget to repent in a timely manner,” I admonished my friend.
“Certainly,” replied Porthos. — Some sins give pleasure twice: when you commit them, and when you remember them!
- Oh, Porthos, you will burn in hell! - said Athos with an ironic smile.
“We are all soldiers, and, therefore, we will all end up in one place - in Hell or in Heaven, depending on what is heavier on the Lord’s scales - murder or heroism and self-sacrifice,” Porthos objected. - If our heroism atones for murder, we will meet in Paradise, and if it does not atone, it means that all the cardinals of the world are deceiving us, with the Pope at their head! But in this case, the entire population of Europe will end up in Hell, so we lose nothing and risk nothing.
“Do you see, Aramis, what kind of philosopher our Porthos has become?” - asked d'Artagnan. -What books have you read, Porthos?
- Books? - Porthos was surprised. - Yes, I haven’t even read the Bible! Why read it at home if the preacher reads it out loud for everyone in church? Isn't this enough?
- More than enough, dear Porthos! - I answered. - And henceforth, do not read anything except advertisements for the sale of thoroughbred horses and dogs. Everything else is a lie.
“Yes, and these advertisements too,” added Porthos. “Personally, until I look the horse in the mouth and see it in action, I will never buy it, no matter what advertisements are given about it!”
“However, it’s time for me to go,” said Athos.
“Sir, I put food supplies in the carriage from Monsignor the Duke,” Bazin said to Athos.
- “Sir!” - Porthos imitated Bazin. - When will you, stupid thing, learn to address the Marquis de La F;re correctly?
“Don’t be angry with him, Porthos, he served in the church for a long time, and there everyone is addressed the same way, as in court - “Sir,” I answered.
- However, he calls you monsignor! - Porthos grumbled. — How many days did you hammer this appeal into him?
“I only told him once that after he called me sir for the second time, I would fire him,” I answered.
- Your Excellency, Marquis de La F;re, monsignor, tell Monsignor Duke d'Alameda not to fire me! - exclaimed Bazin.
“Don’t be afraid, Bazin, he will never fire you, he only threatens,” answered Athos.
“Thank you, sir,” replied Bazin and disappeared into the house.
“Over the years, we have come to regard our servants as friends,” I said with a smile.
- It's nothing! - answered d'Artagnan. - The main thing is that we do not treat our friends as servants!
That's where we parted.
Perhaps someone reading these lines will say that I write down the most ordinary conversations in my diary, and that it is simply boring. So be it. I'm writing this for myself. For me these conversations are unforgettable. We were together so rarely, all four of us, and my memory preserves every word spoken between the four of us. This is part of my soul. And there is already so little alive, important and emotional left in her!

Chapter 394

For several months now, Louis had been in the monastery as a novice. D'Artagnan managed to tell him what changes in his august appearance had occurred due to Chance and explained that now he had no reason to even try to regain his throne. At first, Louis was in despair, but his stay in the monastery had a beneficial effect on him: he began to more calmly perceive all the hardships of life and even came to terms with his situation; he relied on the will of the Lord. After some time, he nevertheless decided that it would be useful to turn to the Lord with an appropriate request.
To return the throne, he would need loyal people who would help him, or fortunate circumstances, or better yet, both.
For the umpteenth time, Louis knelt in his cell and asked the Lord to send him a sign that he had friends he could rely on. If he had any, he could count not only on a successful escape, but also on their help in regaining the throne.
Suddenly, the sound of a cannon shot came from the direction of the island of Saint-Marguerite. Louis shuddered.
“This is a sign,” he said in a whisper, turning to the image of the Savior. - Thank you, Lord, for this sign. I understand. You will support me. Now I’m not afraid of anything, I’ve made up my mind.
After this, Louis crossed himself three times and went to the keeper.
“I’m terribly sick,” he said. - Tell me to invite a doctor to me.
“There is no doctor here,” answered the keeper.
— What do you do when a novice needs the help of a doctor? - asked Louis.
“We pray,” answered the keeper.
- But my illness is very serious! I am torn apart by severe pain! I have a hard time coping with them! - exclaimed Louis.
“Well, in exceptional cases, the abbot releases novices ashore,” answered the keeper. “The next time a ship arrives with food for us, you will be able to leave the island on it if the abbot gives his permission.”
- Talk to him about it! - Louis begged and twirled a ring with a magnificent sapphire around his finger.
“I’ll try to convince him,” said the keeper, without taking his eyes off the ring.
“Listen, if you manage to send me ashore to a doctor, I very much hope that his help will not be needed,” said Louis. “But I had a vision that at the same time as visiting this doctor, someone would certainly bring some gifts to the Lord, and precisely in this holy monastery. Can I ask you a favor? At the very moment when I board the ship, I will give you this sapphire ring in order to pay with your help the healing prayers to the Lord so that they are said at the appropriate moment?
“I believe it is possible, my son,” the keeper answered favorably.
“This ring costs ten thousand livres,” said Louis. “I can’t wait to go ashore, I really need medical help!” Try, my father!
“I will do my best,” the keeper answered sincerely, and once again looked very carefully at the ring, the possession of which he was already looking forward to.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of a happy opportunity to escape, Louis decided that it would be useful to even more reliably enlist the support of the Lord, for which he decided to confess to the abbot.
“Holy Father, I want to repent of my sins,” said Louis. - I was plotting murder.
“My son,” answered the abbot. — Evil plans are a great sin, but it is also a temptation. If you have given up your plans, then you have resisted temptation. Therefore, repent and I will forgive this sin.
“I have not abandoned these plans at all, Holy Father,” Louis objected. “Fate prevented me from fulfilling my plans.” Perhaps my plan was poorly thought out, or my enemies turned out to be more cunning than me, but I did not give up my plan.
“The Lord restrained you, my son,” the abbot answered affectionately. - The Lord loves you. Read “Our Father” fifty times, and I will forgive you your sin.
“Holy father, that’s not all,” Louis continued. “On my orders, people went to their death and died, and killed other people.
“My son, in worldly life you were the one who could give orders,” answered the abbot. “But above all of us stands the King, and above the King is the Lord.” If the King gives orders, then this matter is only on his conscience, but we, his subjects, must carry out these orders with all zeal as the Lord's will. I forgive you this sin too.
- Holy Father, but I raised my hand against my own brother! - exclaimed Louis. “And I don’t know the reasons why the Lord could forgive me this sin.” I took away his freedom, I took away from him everything he could count on. What should have belonged to both of us, I took one for myself.
“I don’t see anything but clothes on you.” You don't have any property. This means that what you took away, you have already given to the church or to the poor, if you came to the monastery,” answered the abbot.
“I have nothing because my brother took back both his share and mine, and now I am left a beggar, I have nothing, not even freedom,” replied Louis.
“If the Lord punished you for your sin with the hands of your offended brother, this means that he punished you for it during your lifetime.” “You have been punished, I forgive you this sin,” the abbot answered.
“If the Lord forgave me,” Louis objected, “then why did he reward me with the seal of Cain?”
With these words, Louis brushed aside the hair on his forehead and showed his forehead to the abbot.
“What seal are you talking about, my son?” - asked the abbot. — About these two barely noticeable stripes on your forehead?
- Barely noticeable?! - exclaimed Louis. - Barely noticeable, you say? After all, I saw two wide black stripes all over the forehead!
“Probably these were superficial injuries to the skin, my son,” answered the abbot. “If the Lord had marked your forehead with the seal of Cain, you would not have been able to remove it by any means.” This same mark is very fuzzy, almost completely erased.
— Almost completely erased? - exclaimed Louis. - Barely noticeable? He deceived me! Sneaky d'Artagnan! He treated me like a boy! Holy Father, I need a mirror!
“We don’t keep mirrors in the monastery, my son,” answered the abbot. “I forgive you your sins, go, pray and cleanse your heart before the Lord.”
- Thank you, holy father, thank you! - Louis answered and left the cell.
“Mirror, I need a mirror! - he thought. “I have to make sure for myself that these are not empty words!” Perhaps the priest simply decided to deceive me, knowing that there were no mirrors here. Yes, of course I shouldn't believe him. I desperately need a mirror!”
That same evening, Louis turned to the keeper of the gifts.
- Tell me, my dear, are there any objects that have mirror surfaces among the gifts stored under your vigilant care? - he asked as if by chance.
“Perhaps there are no mirrors in our monastery,” answered the keeper. “We should not admire ourselves, but should appear before the eyes of the Lord as he created us.”
“I’m worried about a midge that got into my eye,” said Louis. “In addition to my illness, all these illnesses together become intolerable. I would like to remove at least this midge, but I don’t see it,
“I can help you with this,” answered the keeper.
- No, no, under no circumstances! - Louis objected. “I can’t trust you with my eye, I get nervous spasms every time someone touches my face, especially my eyes and eyelashes!” I'd rather suffer until I can get to the doctor! But it’s so unChristian to leave your neighbor without help! Let me help myself, because for this I need as little as any reflective surface that replaces a mirror for me!
“I understand,” said the keeper. — There is one object whose surface is almost mirror-like. This is the bottom of a silver reliquary with gold overlays, in which the relics of St. Ambrose are kept. But it’s a great sacrilege to use the reliquary for such worldly purposes.
- I would like to look at this reliquary! - said Louis. “If it contains the relics of a saint, then one look at the reliquary will give me temporary healing, because I am suffering so much waiting to get to the mainland to visit a doctor!” Let me take a closer look at the ark! I promise that nothing will happen to him, I will return him completely safe!
“Be careful with this reliquary,” replied the keeper, taking the ring from Louis’s hands and taking the key to the vault from his pocket. “Although I cannot swear that it actually contains the relics of St. Ambrose, they say that these relics have the greatest effect on male strength, even if you touch the reliquary with your hand.” If you are worried about ailments in this area, we can touch the reliquary and Saint Ambrose will help you. However, I am afraid that it will be difficult for you to subsequently observe the regime of abstinence, although there cannot be anything else within the walls of this monastery. However, I can give one piece of advice on this topic...
“Thank you, this is unnecessary,” replied Louis, hastily taking the key. - I have no illnesses in this regard. Thank you for the key, I will return it in half an hour, but now please leave me.
After these words, he headed towards the vault doors. Having found the reliquary he needed, he hastily grabbed it, turned it over and looked at the polished bottom. The abbot did not deceive him: Louis saw his face with barely noticeable two dark stripes on his forehead. There was no doubt that in two or three weeks there would be no trace left of these stripes.
“Nothing is lost yet! - thought Louis. - I can still get everything back! First, I must leave this monastery and this island. I have to grow my hair, but it doesn’t matter, because there are a lot of wigs in the palace! I must protect my face, my voice! And I need friends!
Louis was right, he needed friends. It is rare that a monarch has friends, and not one of them understands how necessary they are, and how rare they are. Captain d'Artagnan, who could have been one of them, was grossly deceived and rejected. Louis even wanted to destroy him. Can this person, after everything that happened between them, become friends again?
Louis decided to remember those people to whom he did good. But no one came to mind. But it seemed to him that all he was doing was doing good deeds for all those around him.
“Perhaps Mademoiselle de La Valliere? - he thought. - No, I hardly made her happy! I just took advantage of it. And how can she help me?”
A week later, the opportunity to leave the island presented itself. When the next ship with provisions arrived, Louis, who managed to feign illness and convince everyone that he urgently needed medical attention, was released ashore. The moment he boarded the ship, he handed over, as promised, a ring with a sapphire to the keeper of the holy gifts.
So, as a very sick man, Louis arrived on a ship in Cannes in order to see a doctor. He invented some kind of illness, fearing that he would be monitored, and, in fact, went to the doctor who was recommended to him. Because he was dressed like a monk, he was treated with respect. The doctor suggested bloodletting, but Louis refused it and thanked the doctor for the help that he did not provide him, and mainly for not insisting on bloodletting. The doctor did not charge him a fee, because, as he was told, this doctor serves people from the monastery for free, in gratitude for which the monks willingly absolved him of his sins, among which were two main ones: medical error, which cost the lives of some of his patients, and adultery.
Louis thought that the monk's clothes were very practical for his purposes and that they might well suit him on his entire upcoming journey to Paris. Since his face was clean-shaven, like all monks, he lacked those characteristic dashingly curled mustaches and pointed beard that were brought into fashion by his father, Louis XIII. This made him almost unrecognizable, at least among those people who did not know him personally and had never met him before.
“Holy father, the doctor is not far, walk along this street, you will see a sign with a cup and a snake,” the captain of the ship told him. - Well, do you need a guide?
“Thank you, my friend,” replied Louis, “I’ll sit here on the bench for a while and then I’ll come there myself.”

Chapter 395

Having no other means of payment except the rings that remained on his fingers from the time of his abduction on the way from Mademoiselle de La Valli;re, and having given one of them for minor services to the keeper of the monastery, Louis decided that the remaining four rings should be spent sparingly. So he chose the least expensive one among them and hid the rest. With this ring, he approached the owner of the first tavern he met on his way.
“Dearest,” he said to the owner of the inn, “I must travel to Paris on monastery business.” I need a carriage.
“This is the first time I’ve seen a simple novice travel in a carriage!” - exclaimed the innkeeper.
“That’s not what I meant,” Louis caught himself. “I’ll need the carriage later, but now I’ll need the horse.”
—Are you going to buy a horse or rent it? - asked the innkeeper.
“This is the first time I have made such a journey myself,” said Louis. - What do you advise me?
“The easiest way would be to travel with post horses,” answered the innkeeper, “but for this you need a road horse.”
- Road trip? - asked Louis. - That is, an order? Who should it be signed by? Minister?
- Minister! - the innkeeper laughed. — The Minister signs only the most important orders, well, except for those signed by the King. The travel document is signed by the head of the department that has the right to use the state postal service.
- Well, what if the matter is so important that the King himself signed it? - asked Louis. — Should we pay for post horses in this case?
- What are you talking about, holy father! - The innkeeper smiled. - Those who carry out the King’s orders are not asked for money at post stations.
- Wonderful, my friend, thank you! - Louis answered.
He almost asked the innkeeper for a piece of paper and a pen, but realized that such actions might look too suspicious.
—Where can I find the nearest postal station, my dear? - asked Louis.
“Two streets to the right, there’s a sign there,” answered the innkeeper. “You will also recognize it by the long hitching post and the spacious stable nearby.
“Thank you, my son,” replied Louis. - I ask you for one more favor. The monastery did not provide me with money for the trip, but gave me this ring, donated by a rich widow for charitable causes. Could you turn it into the money I need for my trip?
“I don’t have that amount,” answered the innkeeper, “but you can contact the jeweler Solomon, who lives two houses away.”
- Okay, my friend! - Louis answered. “I’ll come back with money and ask you to prepare dinner for me, as well as two, no, five sheets of clean paper, the best you can find, a few feathers and a traveling inkwell.” I will pay for all this.
“Okay, Holy Father, I’m waiting for you,” answered the innkeeper.

Jeweler Solomon was very surprised to see the cheapest of the rings that Louis offered him for sale.
- This is a wonderful ring! - he exclaimed. - Where did the poor monk get such a treasure?
“My friend, don’t judge a person by his appearance,” replied Louis. - This ring is not stolen, I can swear on the Bible. One rich duchess donated it to our monastery, and I was ordered to turn it into money in order to make one important order.
“For such a ring you can order an even better reliquary than what I made for the relics of St. Ambrose!” - answered the jeweler.
“Apparently, the monastery will order something similar, and, most likely, it will be you,” replied Louis.
- Why then do you turn the ring into money? - the jeweler was surprised. “After all, the monastery can pay for the work with a ring.”
“We also need money for roofing work,” Louis answered. — The roof is leaking, and it will start raining soon.
“Why didn’t the keeper himself come to me with this ring?” — the curious jeweler continued.
“He was a little ill, so he entrusted me with the order for the roof, but he will come to you to order the reliquary himself, as soon as he recovers,” replied Louis.
“Didn’t he say whether the new reliquary would be golden?” - asked the jeweler.
“Gold, exactly gold and with sapphires around the edges,” Louis answered.
After this, the jeweler counted out the price of the ring to Louis, deceiving him by only half.
With the money he received, Louis went to the tavern, where he had a hearty breakfast, and then wrote the following text on one of the sheets he received:

"The King's Order
The bearer of this, a novice of the L;rins Abbey, Eustache Dauger, is prescribed a trip from Paris to Cannes and back from Cannes to Paris at the expense of the royal treasury.
All employees of the state postal service, as well as officers and soldiers of all branches of the military, assist the novice Eustache Dauger in his journey to carry out a special mission on behalf of the King.
Signed: King Louis XIV of France.”

With this document, Louis headed to the postal station indicated to him, where he hoped to receive without delay a postal carriage drawn by a pair of horses and a coachman. But the matter turned out to be somewhat more complicated than he expected.
“Two things confuse me, Holy Father,” said the postal station keeper. — An order signed by the King, according to his own order, must be confirmed by the seal of the Chancellor. And, moreover, it is strange that such an important document, which bears the signature of the King himself, suddenly ended up in the hands of a simple monk.
- Who told you that I am a simple monk? - Louis asked proudly. “You shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.” I am on a secret mission, and therefore I am dressed in the clothes of a simple monk. As for the seal, as you see, I got here from Paris with only this document in my hands, and you are the first to doubt its authenticity. Have you ever seen the signature of the King of France?
“No, I didn’t see it,” the caretaker admitted. “Such important documents never reached me.”
“Show this document to the local governor and he will confirm its authenticity,” said Louis. - However, this is not necessary. I can pay for the run, but subsequently officials will come to you who will impose a fine on you for failure to comply with this decree in an amount equal to twice the amount of your expenses, and will also demand compensation for my losses. So your distrust will cost you exorbitantly; you yourself will have to pay three prices instead of receiving full compensation from the treasury. Decide, I don’t care, I can pay, but I will require a receipt from you.
“I don’t really understand all these subtleties and intricacies, Holy Father, but if you know exactly what you are saying, I’m ready to believe you if you swear that this signature is the genuine signature of our King,” answered the caretaker.
“You yourself know that to worship in vain is a sin, but I’m still ready to swear on the Bible that the document that I presented to you was completely drawn up, written and signed by the King of France Louis XIV, and I will burn in hell if I’m lying!” - Louis answered.
“I believe you, Holy Father, in ten minutes you will receive a mail carriage along with a coachman,” answered the caretaker.
Half an hour after this, Louis was already traveling to Paris with sufficient comfort, if not by the standards of the King, then, in any case, by the standards of any civil servant moving around the country on official business.
Louis was thinking about how he could regain his throne. Just showing up at the Louvre and declaring yourself the true King was doubly dangerous. Firstly, it was clearly more difficult than a secret substitution, and secondly, it would serve to divulge the great secret of Queen Anne, his mother, after which a civil war could break out in the country. Secondly, he did not look enough like himself and his portraits on the new gold louis d'or: he had not yet grown a beard, which needed to not only be grown, but also cut accordingly, like the original mustache that complemented his image. He didn’t worry about his hairstyle, since almost everyone at court wore wigs, like himself. The stripes on the right side of the face were almost gone, but the marks were still visible. However, they could have been powdered. So, his appearance could be completely restored, but for this he needed sufficient time, a convenient place, the necessary supplies for these purposes and someone’s help. He needed a friend in the palace, in the Louvre!
He could have turned to the Queen Mother, but he had heard a rumor that she had recently died. This was almost the collapse of all his hopes, but he did not give up and tried to find another solution.
“If I don’t find a way to secretly remove Philip and take my rightful place, I will decide on open confrontation! - he decided. “I am sure that most of my courtiers recognize the King in me, and not in him!” Those who turn away from me deserve death, or, in any case, I will have enough space for them in the Bastille and other fortresses!
But then he remembered the terrible years of the Fronde. Fighting with half the population of the kingdom is difficult and dangerous!
“I’ll try to do everything unnoticed,” Louis decided. “Now that I’m free, I shouldn’t take any rash steps.” It’s better to lose a month, two, or even six on preparation and achieve success than to ruin everything because of haste! I desperately need a friend at the Louvre!”
Louis took out one of the sheets of paper and began to write down on it from memory the names of all the most influential persons at court.
“Philippe, my younger brother, Duke of Orleans. Hm! No good! I will have to open up to him, and it remains to be seen which side he will choose. No matter how he plans to eliminate both of us! No, this doesn't suit me. Marshal de Gramont? He was faithful to me during the Fronde! But how will he look at a new situation for him? Which side will he choose?
All options rested on one problem: the person whom he would choose as his new faithful friend would have to be initiated into a secret about which he knew nothing. This was dangerous for the future, and it was no less dangerous in the present, since no one could predict which side such a person would choose.
Louis remembered Louise de La Valli;re. She definitely loved him! But what if she didn’t notice the difference between him and Philip? The thought of this was terrifying. If she entered into a relationship with Philip, then in relation to this lady it was impossible to predict in advance which side she would take.
And then Louis remembered his legal wife. Yes, my friends, he remembered her only after he remembered his mother, his brother and his mistress! This is probably how many men are. He took his wife for granted, something that was not so necessary to remember, to remember constantly.
“But she now belongs to him, belonged to him, thinking that he was me! - Louis thought with horror. - This is undoubtedly! Otherwise, there would have been indignation long ago! He would either divorce her or move her to another palace, declaring that the carnal relationship had come to an end. And this should somehow be explained to the court, the Catholic elite, even the Pope! These things don't just happen! If there are no rumors about the distance between the King and the Queen, then Philip took my place here too! Scoundrel!
Everyone was against him, everyone was unreliable in his eyes, no one could be relied upon. Louis wrote down one name after another, only to cross them out almost immediately. It was not easy to write on the move, the carriage swayed, the letters turned out crooked, his eyes got tired, and Louis dozed off.
He had a wonderful dream. He could not remember what he dreamed, it was not a memory, but some kind of fantasy, a dream, but who knows, maybe something in this fantasy was true?
Here he is, a baby, seeing the royal bedroom for the first time. Some beautiful woman takes him in her arms.
- Boy! - she exclaims. - Your Majesty, congratulations! You have a son! The Dauphin is born!
He hears an enthusiastic roar, joyful congratulations.
- Show it to me! - says a man. - I have a son! Gentlemen, congratulate me, I have a son!
Again a roar of joyful voices is heard, congratulating the King in every way.
- Gentlemen, the Queen needs rest, let’s leave her! - the same beautiful lady says again.
“Let’s leave her, gentlemen,” the man agrees.
Everyone leaves the bedroom. This lady is the last one to come out.
Suddenly a scream comes from the bedroom.
- It’s okay, I’ll go see her! - says the lady and returns to the bedroom.
Her gentle and soothing voice can be heard.
“Your Majesty, it’s all over, rest, you definitely need rest,” she says. - Oh, how glad I am that after so many years, there is finally an heir! Now His Majesty will probably forgive me for the carelessness that you and I committed in our youth! Everything is going wonderfully!
And suddenly this woman screams.
- What is this, God?! - she shouts. - Return the midwife urgently! And don't let anyone in here!
After this, Louis feels that he is being carried further and further from the bedroom, and he no longer hears anything except the words of some man.
“Everything is fine, Your Highness, don’t worry, you will be properly looked after, everything that happens in the bedroom has absolutely nothing to do with you,” he says.
This man is wearing a purple silk robe and a matching purple cap. A gray, sharp beard converges downward in a neat wedge, a white thin mustache, sharp at the ends, curls slightly upward, thin lips seem to be smiling, but this smile is not kind, but somehow cunning, as if ominous. This man looks like Cardinal Mazarin, but it’s not him, his face is thinner, his cheeks are dry, the wrinkles are somewhat deeper, his eyes are sharp and prickly. Louis recognized him from his portrait. This is Cardinal Richelieu.
“Madam, hold the Dauphin, I’ll go find out what happened there,” he says and hands Louis over to some woman.
“Avignon,” says this woman for some reason in a man’s voice. — Soon it will be Avignon. Where would you like to stay? At the nearest postal station?
Louis wakes up and realizes that the coachman told him the last phrase.
“Yes, at the post station,” he says. - Ask to change horses, and a room for me. Tomorrow morning we will continue on our way.
- Would you like to take another coachman? - asked the driver.
“No, you stay, you will go with me all the way to Paris, the return trip will be paid for by the treasury,” Louis replied.
“As the Holy Father wishes,” the coachman answered without signs of displeasure or joy.
“To the Holy Father? - Louis thought with surprise. “Oh, yes, I’m dressed as a monk!”
He finally woke up completely and remembered everything that happened to him and his thoughts about the future.
“I dreamed about something so strange just now! - he thought. “Who was this woman in my dream?”
He thought for a moment, then, dipping his pen in the inkwell, wrote on a piece of paper: “Duchess de Chevreuse,” then, out of habit, he was about to cross out her name, but hesitated, after which he put it aside and thoughtfully read what was written: “Duchess de Chevreuse.”

Chapter 396

The Duchess de Chevreuse was playing solitaire, but her thoughts were far away. She thought about whether the Comte de La F;re would be able to avoid the trap. The fate of the Duke de Beaufort did not worry her at all. Suddenly she heard a knock on her door. Since the Duchess preferred solitude at this time of day, her servants were sent away, so she had to open the doors herself. The Duchess did not have the habit of locking herself, as she possessed a certain amount of fatalism, realizing that if she had enemies, then only those who could not be stopped by any locked door. The man who knocked on the doors probably realized that they were not locked, but for reasons of delicacy did not dare to enter, from which the Duchess concluded that it was a man. The only man who could cause trouble for the duchess, Cardinal Richelieu, had long since moved to another world, however, the duchess was not at all afraid of him when he was alive. So she boldly opened the door. A man appeared before her, whom she knew decisively and thoroughly, but whom she could not have expected to see in this form.
It was King Louis XIV of France. But he was completely different from himself. He was dressed as a simple monk, his unshaven face was covered with a beard, his hair was short and disheveled. By all signs it was clear that he had arrived from a long and difficult journey.
- Your Majesty! - exclaimed the Duchess. - Is that you? What's wrong with you?
“Duchess, of course it’s me,” Louis replied. “I believe that you are one of the few people privy to my mother’s secret.”
“I am privy to many of your mother’s secrets,” answered the duchess, “but I do not understand what secret you are talking about, and how this secret is connected with your appearance.”
- I'm talking about the mystery of two twins, one of whom stands in front of you, and the other takes his place on the throne! - Louis answered. - Let me come in!
- My God! - exclaimed the Duchess. - Come in, Your Majesty, come in! Forgive me for my confusion! I am at your service.
“So you knew,” said Louis, entering and closing the doors. - Well, I guessed about it.
“But I didn’t know that you were also privy to this secret!” - exclaimed the Duchess. “This circumstance was carefully hidden from everyone, even from you.”
“And you, of course, had no idea that I was kidnapped and an impostor was installed in my place?” - Louis asked with a hint of disbelief.
- How could I know about this? — the Duchess clasped her hands. “I had no idea that you were so similar that no one could tell the difference!” I thought that the poor prince, in any case, would not have been able to behave so naturally that even him, excuse me, even your wife, apparently did not suspect anything.
- Wife? - Louis exclaimed angrily. - So, he got close to her?
“I can’t know anything about this,” the duchess lied. — Outwardly, everything is quite decent. I assume that they did not have the kind of rapprochement that you mean. He most likely pretended to have lost interest in her.
- However, it’s all the same. This marriage was political and I no longer care about the Queen,” the King waved it off, unsuccessfully trying to deceive both himself and the duchess. - Mademoiselle de La Valli;re?
“She’s in the monastery,” answered the duchess.
- I'll return her! - exclaimed Louis. “But first you must help me get back.”
“Be with me, Your Majesty,” the duchess bowed.
“I need to get myself in order,” answered the King. - I need a barber, hairdresser, tailor.
“You found all this in my face, Your Majesty,” answered the duchess. “We must prepare your entrance on stage without unnecessary witnesses.” Any barber will be an unnecessary witness, especially here in the Louvre. Believe me, I know how to shave men and I can cut your mustache and beard the way you have always worn it. You won't need a hairdresser because I will fit you a wig. As for men's clothing, I sometimes had to dress up as a man, and if we don't find anything in my wardrobe, tomorrow I will order a men's suit for myself according to your taste. Our figures are approximately the same height and size.
- Oh, duchess, you are gold, you are an angel! - exclaimed Louis. “First, I must restore my royal appearance, after that we will think about a plan on how I can return what was vilely taken from me.” You are like a mother to me, Duchess! What a pity that she is no longer in the world!
“Yes, Your Majesty, to my deepest regret, your august mother, and my closest friend, left this world two months ago,” the duchess said mournfully.
“I heard something about this,” Louis said sadly. - I will miss her. Sometimes she tried to limit me, I even got angry with her, but this is my mother, and I always not only knew it, but also felt it. Lord rest her soul and accept her into your arms!
“We will pray for her together, Your Majesty,” the duchess picked up and risked hugging the King, which he did not resist. “Now I’ll prepare the shaving utensils and hot water.”
— Do you mean to say that you have shaving accessories? - asked the surprised Louis.
“Yes, that’s true,” answered the duchess, “but don’t ask me why I need them, I still won’t tell you.” What are these two stripes on your face, Your Majesty?
“These marks remain from the villainous attempt on my life,” Louis answered. — Are they very noticeable?
“Only if I look at you the way I am doing now,” answered the duchess. - It seems that over time there will be no trace of them left, but for now we will hide them under a layer of powder and comb a few curls from the wig onto your forehead. But that will come later, but now let me shave you.
“I hope you have a suitable suit in your wardrobe,” said Louis.
“I believe that tomorrow I will be able to get some suit from your wardrobe, Your Majesty, just don’t ask how,” the duchess replied slyly.
“You restore my hope, duchess,” said Louis.
“Always and everywhere a faithful servant of Your Majesty,” Maria answered with ostentatious modesty. - Can I dare to ask when, who and how carried out this daring and ungodly substitution?
“I’ll tell you everything, duchess,” Louis replied. - I was kidnapped twice. The first time it was the Bishop of Vannes with his huge friend.
- D'Herblay and du Valon! - exclaimed the Duchess. “It was, of course, d’Herblay’s plan; he used du Valon by seducing him with some promise. I assure you, Your Majesty, that the baron himself would never have decided to do such a thing! Most likely, he was tricked into this event, and believed that he was serving you by committing this heinous act. But how did d'Herblay know your secret?
“Isn’t it from you, Duchess?” - asked Louis.
“That’s impossible, I didn’t tell him anything,” the duchess objected. - Although, by the way, this is such a cunning fox! He looks closely, listens to everything and perhaps even sniffs! Apparently, a few careless phrases, or some notes that were not destroyed in time, or something else, I don’t know what exactly. This is the kind of person that if he is next to someone who knows some secret, then he himself will soon find out this secret, even if the bearer of the secret remains silent. I'm amazed at his abilities! He could become a cardinal if he found an approach to our Queen. Fortunately, this did not happen, and besides, I myself was vigilant enough not to let him near your august mother. So, that means he penetrated into this terrible secret, well, well!
“You were going to listen to me, duchess, but you yourself speak more than I,” said Louis. “And I need to speak out and tell you everything so that your help can be conscious and as effective as possible.”
“Sorry, Your Majesty, I got carried away,” the duchess answered in a meek voice. - But how could he? After all, he was so attentive to you that he even gave you a small gift!
-What gift are you talking about, Duchess? - Louis asked in bewilderment.
- Have you forgotten? - The duchess was embarrassed. “It seemed to me that this was impossible to forget!”
“Exactly, it’s impossible to forget,” Louis agreed. “And since I don’t remember anything like that, therefore, nothing like that ever happened.” Are you testing me, Duchess? Are you not sure that I am Louis and not my brother Philip?
“Yes, I checked you,” admitted the duchess. - Forgive me. I think you will agree that this measure is necessary. After all, I would not dare to help an impostor, even if he were your brother, to take your place! Now I am completely convinced that you are Louis, and not his brother, so I am entirely on your side.
“You are right, Duchess, I would not like you to trust me only on the basis of my appearance, since, as I have already seen, this is not sufficient proof that I am myself,” said Louis. “I don’t blame you, but thank you for such forethought, which allows me to be sure that if Philip were in my place here and now, you would not help him.”
- No way in the world! - the duchess said firmly.
“At least until I’m convinced that it’s beneficial for me,” she added mentally. - You should be careful in such matters! Just one mistake can result in a loss in these games, I know that! And the loser sometimes rises to the chopping block!”
“So, as I already said, the first time the conspirator was the bishop of Vannes, and it seems that only the two of them acted,” continued Louis. “I fell asleep in my bed when I was visiting Fouquet on a holiday in Vaux-le-Vicomte, and woke up in the Bastille.
- What a horror! - exclaimed the Duchess.
“The horror is indescribable,” agreed Louis. “I suspected that Fouquet was the main one among the conspirators, but I became convinced that this was not the case. Fouquet himself knew nothing about what had happened. He entrusted the bishop of Vannes with preparations for the holiday, which he took advantage of. But this does not excuse Fouquet. The crime was committed in his home, he was obliged to prevent anything like that from happening. Moreover, I believe that one of the purposes of this atrocity was to retain his position as Superintendent of Finance.
“And you punished Fouquet for this, I understand,” said the duchess.
“Not for that at all, or, in any case, not only for that,” Louis objected. “However, he covered up the criminals, they disappeared on his horses in the Belle-Ile fortress under his control, so that justice could not reach them.
“That’s why they were declared enemies of the state!” - said the duchess. “Now a lot has become clear to me.” But how did you escape?
“Captain d’Artagnan brought me back, duchess,” replied Louis. “He guessed what happened and freed me, after which he arrested the impostor without witnesses, and returned me to my rightful place.
“This man is completely devoted to you, Your Majesty, you can trust him in everything,” said the duchess.
“You are mistaken, duchess,” Louis objected, “since it was he who kidnapped me the second time, and it was he who committed the monstrous crime of placing Philip on my throne, and taking me, bound and gagged, to the Pignerol fortress by order of the impostor, who, among other things, also learned to forge my handwriting!
- My God, how difficult it is! - the duchess was surprised. - Why did he first free you and help you return to the throne, and then immediately change everything back?
“He didn’t do it right away, as you deigned to put it, but three and a half years later,” Louis clarified. “During the trial of Fouquet, d’Artagnan served me faithfully, and I don’t know a single person who was as faithful to me as he was, I must give him his due.”
- What happened after these three and a half years? - asked the duchess. “This man is not so easily led astray from the path of honor.” I think I have a clue. Did you tell him to arrest his friends, d'Herblay and du Valon?
“You are right, duchess, I ordered him to arrest them, but this order was made immediately after my release from the Bastille, and the reason for this order was their crime,” replied Louis.
“Then I don’t understand anything,” said the duchess. - What could have happened in these three and a half years that Captain d'Artagnan changed so dramatically?
“What happened is that I found out that I was being basely deceived,” Louis answered. “D’Artagnan assured me that d’Herblay left France forever, and du Valon died in the Lokmaria cave,” Louis exclaimed indignantly. “Both turned out to be lies.” Both of them were alive and moved freely throughout France according to their needs!
“You arrested d'Artagnan, I assume, and assigned someone else to arrest them?” - asked the duchess.
“I instructed D’Artagnan himself to arrest them,” replied Louis. “But he basely deceived me, as a result of which he himself ended up in the Bastille.”
- But somehow he managed to escape from it? - asked the duchess.
“Yes, he managed to cunningly get out of the Bastille with d’Herblay, and even almost put me there again, but he still did not go to this extreme, trying to convince me to forgive him and leave him in my position,” Louis answered.
“A bad peace is better than a good quarrel, and, as I see, you have made peace?” — the duchess continued her questions. - So what made d'Artagnan commit this crime?
“I believe he did this to free the Comte de La F;re from the Bastille,” said Louis.
“Do you mean to say that they also imprisoned the Comte de La F;re in the Bastille?” - exclaimed the Duchess. - That is, I want to say - Marquise de La F;re. For what?
“I am convinced that these four are all in one,” said Louis. “I don’t believe that d’Artagnan simply guessed d’Herblay’s plan.” He knew about it, and only feigned ignorance. Apparently, they had this plan from the very beginning - first d'Artagnan frees me, and then again carries out this disgusting crime!
“I don’t dare contradict you, Your Majesty, but this is too complicated, it’s beyond my understanding,” the duchess objected. “If you want to know my opinion, then Captain d’Artagnan rebelled precisely because you placed an innocent man, his friend, his deity, if you like, in the Bastille.
- Even so? - Louis was surprised.
“Exactly so, Your Majesty,” replied the Duchess. “The Marquis de La Fere should never have been arrested.” The monarchy rests on such people. Even if the Marquis just sits in his Blois and drinks Burgundy wine, he is indispensable for the King and the kingdom, because if need comes, only people like the Marquis de La F;re will respond to the call of their King and give all their lives, all their blood for him drop by drop!
“You are too zealously defending the Marquis, Duchess!” - Louis was surprised.
“Your Majesty, I have already said that I will help you and you can completely count on me, but I beg you for one favor,” said the duchess. “I beg you, promise me that when you become King again and gain full power in the kingdom that rightfully belongs to you, you will not persecute the Marquis de La F;re, as well as his son, the Comte de Bragelonne!” This is very important for me!
“Is it possible that if I don’t give you such a promise, you will refuse to help me, Duchess?” - asked Louis.
“I will help you in everything until the last minute as long as I am alive, but no one will forbid me to drink this,” said the duchess and showed Louis a ring with a large emerald, which she wore on the middle finger of her left hand.
- What is this? - asked Louis.
“It’s just a ring with an emerald, but under the stone there is a small cache with a grain of a substance, by drinking which I will forever be freed from the need to give any answers to anyone other than our Lord of Heaven,” answered the duchess. “I am ready to do everything for Your Majesty, but I will not do anything that could harm the Marquis de La Fere and his son.”
“You are the mother of the Comte de Bragelonne!” - the King exclaimed in surprise.
“Your Majesty, we’ll leave your secrets to you, and mine to me,” the duchess said firmly.
“Well, duchess, you’re right,” said Louis. -Give me the Bible.
“Here it is,” said the duchess, handing the Bible into Louis’s hands, which she took from the bedside table, where it always remained, but was never opened, for the duchess was moderately pious, but did not have a predilection for soul-saving reading.
“Putting my hand on this sacred book, I swear to you, Duchess, in the face of God, that I will never take revenge on the Marquis de La F;re and his son, the Comte de Bragelonne!” - he said. —Are you satisfied, Duchess?
“You will not be able to fulfill your oath, Your Majesty, since the Marquis de La F;re is too closely associated with Captain d’Artagnan,” answered the duchess. “When you return to the throne, you will certainly want to arrest d’Artagnan, or even, probably, execute him,” she said. - This is your right. But in this case, the marquis will declare you his enemy, and you, bound by an oath, will not be able to protect yourself from him. How can I allow you to turn out to be an oathbreaker? Or that you find yourself defenseless against a man who will stop at nothing to free or avenge your greatest enemy? All this doesn’t seem real to me.
“I spent more than six months in the monastery, duchess,” said Louis. — In the monastery they teach you to forgive your enemies. You are right, it would be absurd to forgive the Marquis de La F;re without forgiving d'Artagnan. This is equivalent to trying to destroy one half of a person while leaving the other half alive. The friendship of these four is truly amazing. I am ready to renounce the persecution of these three friends of the Marquis, in addition to an oath of renunciation of the persecution of the Marquis and his and your son.
“As for d’Herblay, your vows are completely unnecessary, he is quite capable of standing up for himself, and you are unlikely to be able to catch him,” said the duchess. “D’Herblay’s renunciation of revenge is more necessary for you than for him.” I admit, I would be calmer if you promised to give up the pursuit of all these four, and this would be a very wise decision for you. But oaths are not needed here. Remember that the Lord told us not to swear in vain. Your promise to the Lord not to persecute the Marquis de La F;re and his son is enough for me; I leave the rest to your discretion, but I warned you that the path of vengeance would be a bad decision for you. Your brother has already awarded the Marquis de La Fere, giving him the sword of Henry IV, as well as Baron du Valon, also giving him some kind of sword, of which the baron has at least fifty in his collection, I believe. So if you start pursuing one of these four, it will simply give you away. And these four are capable of a lot. If d'Artagnan pulled off such a thing alone, judge for yourself what the four of them are capable of! They returned the throne of Charles the First to his son Charles the Second, they actually contributed to the end of the Fronde, they fought with Cardinal Richelieu and defeated him! These people are of absolutely incredible will and courage; Fate itself bows to their perseverance and resourcefulness. It is better to have them as allies than as enemies. If Fouquet had won over not only the Bishop of Vannes, but the whole four, you would not have been able to overthrow him, or you would have only done so at an incredible price, perhaps you would have had to fight with half of France. Make d'Artagnan your ally, especially on the eve of the war with Holland, which will take place whether you want it or not, whether your brother sits on the throne or you return to it.
“Duchess, it seems to me that after you promised me your support without any conditions, you put forward so many conditions that it is already beginning to seem to me that what is happening between us is not a conversation between two friends and allies, but negotiations between potential enemies!” - said Louis.
“Friends easily become enemies when one of them violates previous agreements, Your Majesty,” said the duchess. “And although enemies do not become friends, they can behave quite friendly provided that all agreements are followed exactly.”
- But you and I are friends? - asked Louis.
- Of course friends! - exclaimed the Duchess. “You and I are friends forever, the most faithful, as long as you comply with the agreements reached between us.”

Chapter 397

Philip returned from a picnic, which was arranged in the open air for the entertainment of the courtyard. At this picnic, Princess Henrietta behaved like a Queen, while the real Queen refused to participate, citing a headache.
The holiday was fun, except for one incident. The princess, hot from outdoor games, flirting and warmed up by Philip's compliments, feeling with all her soul her upcoming take-off, felt thirsty and asked for a soft drink. The servants probably overdid it with the ice, because after a hefty portion of the ice drink, the princess suddenly felt chills and general weakness. She asked permission to go home, after which the holiday ended prematurely.
The Princess of Monaco's heart was filled with mixed feelings. She was still in favor, Philip showed a lot of attention to her, however, she noticed that gradually all his attention was switching to the princess. Perhaps the fault was that the princess was listed as just a maid of honor to the princess, which, against her will, placed her significantly lower than Henrietta. The princess made excellent use of her position, realizing that even the princess’s mood was in her power. Giving reasons for small joys in Philip's absence and inflicting unnoticeable injections on the princess in Philip's presence, she influenced her mood, and when left alone with Philip, she drew his attention to the fact that the princess showed much more liveliness when Philip was not around than in his presence.. This gave rise to the poison of jealousy in Philip's heart, which gradually took possession of his entire heart. In this way, the princess hoped to gradually strengthen her influence over Philip. But Philippe just liked to flirt with the Princess, once he even allowed himself to go as far as he should not have gone, at least out of respect for his younger brother and namesake, the Duke of Orleans. I don’t blame the young man, since at his age I myself was overly carried away by such adventures. And yet, to Philip’s credit, it must be said that although he was constant in his strongest feeling, his most important passion, the Princess of Monaco remained for him the main person in life, despite everything - logic, common sense, politics and anything else. For him, his first crush grew into his first and last true love, which did not exclude the deepest flirtation with every pretty girl who came his way. However, I am writing this only to emphasize two facts: Philip was not a schema-monk, but all his aspirations were still directed towards Catherine Charlotte de Grimaldi, Princess of Monaco, n;e de Gramont.
In the evening, Philip returned to his office, not too worried about the unexpected illness of Princess Henrietta.
“An ordinary female migraine,” he thought. “It will pass.”
“Your Majesty, Captain d’Artagnan is here to see you,” the secretary reported.
“Since when, Hubert, has Captain d’Artagnan asked permission to enter?” — Philip was surprised. “The captain of my musketeers, who is responsible for my personal security, always reported himself!”
- Good evening, Your Majesty, this is what I would do in the morning or afternoon! - said d'Artagnan, entering the King's office. “But experience teaches me that in the evening even the best friends may not be happy about an unexpected visit, and if one happens, it never hurts to ask permission to enter.”
- Ah, d'Artagnan, my dear captain! - Philip said with a sad smile. - I see that you have already heard rumors that I have dozens of mistresses from among the ladies-in-waiting! I assure you that this is not true at all!
“Firstly, just one is enough for my visit to be inappropriate,” answered d’Artagnan. “Secondly, your behavior is not at all surprising here, at the court of France, such was your grandfather, such were your maternal ancestors, and if your father falls out of this series of gallant men, then this rather does not make him look good, but compromises, because, without having favorites whom he would please and elevate to the rank of duchesses and marquises, as did the glorious Henry IV, he had favorites, whom he first elevated to a mind-boggling degree, and then allowed the first minister, Cardinal Richelieu, to send them to the chopping block just for the desire to completely rule the King and the kingdom. I like your grandfather’s habits better than your father’s, so it’s better to be similar in character to your grandfather than to your father. I must say that by doing this you will continue those traditions that... No one hears us? Which should be continued so as not to raise any unnecessary questions or doubts in anyone, so to speak.
“Okay, I admit to you that I am far from a schema-monk, but still not so much that it makes sense to discuss these issues in any serious way,” answered Philip. - Tell me, how did your mission end?
“My mission ended in failure, if we mean the release of the Duke de Beaufort, since, to my greatest regret, the Duke de Beaufort actually died during a foray into the fortress of Candia, and the letter informing him that he was alive was a trap for “my friends and your faithful nobles, the Marquis de La F;re and the Baron du Valon,” answered d’Artagnan. - If we talk about the main purpose of my trip, that is, the rescue of my friends, I am happy to inform Your Majesty that my mission was completed in the best possible way, and even with greater success than I had hoped. I managed not only to free my friends from captivity, where they ended up as a result of an insidious deception, being arrested at the time when they arrived for negotiations with a white flag in their hands, trusting the promise given to them in writing, but I even managed to return something important to France, and namely, the sword of the Duke de Beaufort, which was stolen from his corpse by the treacherous Turks.
— Stolen from a corpse? - asked Philip.
“It’s a long story,” answered d’Artagnan. — First, the Duke lost his sword due to the fact that it was knocked out of his hands by a fragment of an explosive device, a so-called grenade, that exploded nearby. The Viscount de Bragelonne, who was standing nearby, immediately gave the duke his sword, and he himself continued to fight with a scimitar taken from one of the Turks. But then the next grenade hit a box of gunpowder, the explosion threw the cannon forward and crushed the unfortunate Duke to death. For these reasons, the Duke's body was not immediately identified, and the Turks who picked up his sword did not even understand who it belonged to. We managed to buy this sword from the current commandant of the fortress after we settled the issue of the release of my friends.
— How did you manage to achieve their release? - asked Philip.
“By exchanging for other prisoners, more valuable to the commandant of the Turkish fortress,” said d’Artagnan, who did not want to admit that he managed to exchange two prisoners for just one young man, since he himself was surprised at how easily he managed to do it.
- Marvelous! - said Philip. -We are not at war with the Ottoman Empire, and yet both sides capture prisoners and exchange them according to the laws of war! However, there is no respect for parliamentarians! What times are we living in?
- Times have nothing to do with it, Your Majesty, the fact is that the geographical position of the Ottoman Empire is such that it will inevitably never have strong allied relations with anyone, but will always maneuver between alliance and enmity with all its neighbors in order to quarrel with them among themselves and preserve their statehood,” answered d’Artagnan. - Being a port of three seas, located between the Mediterranean and Black Sea, which they call Kara Deniz, and the Mediterranean Sea, which they call Akdeniz, that is, the “White Sea”, they control the sea route from one sea to another, so they would like to dominate in both seas, which is categorically at odds with the desires of all their neighbors and more. So the Ottoman Empire will forever be a thorn in the side of any European monarch who has access to any of these seas, and the Sultan will always assure all monarchs of eternal friendship, and will always deceive them all. Mark my words, they will also take aim at the passage to another sea located to the east of them, so I would not want to live in the south of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, they made Constantinople, taken from the Romans, their capital, and this indicates that they claim in the future for even greater expansion to the north, otherwise why would they locate their capital not in the center of the state, but in its most northwestern edge? In other words, I do not advise Your Majesty to trust agreements with the Ottoman Empire if you do not have sufficient strength to demand compliance with all points of such agreements. And, by the way, this applies to all neighboring countries, even Spain!
“Thank you for the advice, captain, but during your conversation with me you came to the door three times,” answered Philip. “Are you trying to leave, or did someone come with you whom you would like to introduce to me?”
-You are extremely observant, Your Majesty! - D'Artagnan was amazed. “I would like you to be so gracious as to also accept my rescued friend Baron du Valon, who will hand over to you the said sword of the Duke de Beaufort, and who is burning with impatience to do this.”
- Why are we making him languish in the waiting room? - Philip exclaimed. - Let him come in immediately!
- Baron du Valon, come in! - said d'Artagnan.
- Your Majesty! - Porthos entered and turned to Philip. “I have the pleasure of presenting to you the sword of the grandson of your august grandfather, Francois de Bourbon-Vend;me, Second Duke of Beaufort !”
With these words, Porthos solemnly presented Philip with outstretched arms Beaufort's sword, three inches drawn from its precious scabbard.
“I cannot accept such a valuable trophy, returned to the family, from the hands of Baron du Valon,” Philip objected.
“But...” muttered the embarrassed Porthos.
“Get on one knee, Baron,” Philip demanded.
Porthos obeyed, still not understanding what was happening.
- Baron du Valon! - Philip said solemnly. “I cannot make you a duke, since such a matter is not decided so quickly and without proper reasons.” But I proclaim you Count de Pierrefonds. D'Artagnan, give me your sword!
D'Artagnan handed Philip his sword, after which Philip touched the blade alternately to the left and right shoulder of Porthos.
“Comte de Pierrefonds, stand up,” continued Philippe. “I allow you to hand me the Duke de Beaufort’s sword, returned from captivity.”
Tears glistened in the corners of Porthos's eyes.
“Your Majesty,” said Porthos in a broken voice. - Let me present you with the sword of the Duke de Beaufort, returned through the incredible efforts of the Marquis de La F;re and the captain Comte d'Artagnan. I have absolutely nothing to do with this matter, so I am unworthy of the honor you are giving me.
“Porthos, don’t lie to yourself,” objected d’Artagnan. “Athos told me about the battle that you had to endure in order to break out of prison by force and capture Ahmed Pasha!”
—Have you captured Ahmed Pasha? - asked Philip.
“This circumstance greatly contributed to the success of the negotiations on the exchange of prisoners,” d’Artagnan answered for Porthos. “When I said that my friends were exchanged for two prisoners, I meant that I captured one prisoner and delivered it for exchange, and they captured the other prisoner themselves without anyone’s help.”
“Your valor should be duly noted, and the King’s orders should not be discussed, but carried out,” said Philip. - Baron du Valon, from now on you are also the Count de Pierrefonds, the corresponding patent will be issued and issued to you tomorrow, and I ask you never to tell anyone that you are not worthy of the reward that you received from the hands of the King, otherwise it will turn out that your King rewards the undeserving.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, please forgive my indelicacy,” Porthos replied. “I thank Your Majesty for the honor bestowed upon me and I pledge to continue to serve Your Majesty faithfully.”
“Thank you, gentlemen, if you have no more business with me, you are free,” answered Philip.
After this, d'Artagnan and Porthos bowed and left the King's office.

Chapter 398

The next day, the Duchess de Chevreuse showed Louis, who spent the night in her boudoir, four different men's suits. A servant brought these clothes to her and left them on the sofa, as the duchess ordered.
“Your Majesty, come out of your hiding place, the servant has left,” she said. - Everything I could get, choose what you like. These clothes, of course, are not royal, but I thought that for now it’s better for you to dress like this than as a novice of a monastery, who certainly has no business being in the Louvre.
- Thank you, Duchess, then what is the point of dressing up as a courtier? - asked Louis. “After all, I won’t be able to impersonate any of them.” And even for a beginner, this is with my face! Wouldn't it be better if I put on one of my suits right away?
- Do you think that if I live in the Louvre, I can easily appropriate some clothes from the King’s wardrobe? - asked the duchess. “In these clothes, at least from the back you can pass for a courtier.”
- Remember, you promised to help me regain my position! - Louis reminded with concern. - Things are going too slowly, my enemies might miss me, find me and capture me!
“We must wait for an opportunity, and you will return to your place, I promised to help you, and I will keep my promise,” answered the duchess. — Failure can turn into a final disaster. Now d'Artagnan is in Paris, and he is so perceptive that he can notice the substitution, I don’t know by what signs. It will be better if we do your business when he is away.
- But d'Artagnan is the captain of the royal musketeers! - Louis objected. - His duty is to protect the King and accompany him on all trips with his people! He may not leave Paris for several more months or even several years!
“Just recently he was gone for several weeks,” said the duchess. - And he returned only yesterday. They carry out some special assignments, transferring their duties to Lieutenant d'Arlencourt. Maybe luck will smile on us and he will leave somewhere in the very near future?
- What if he doesn’t leave? - asked Louis. “I can’t hang around here with you for an eternity!”
“What a capricious and impatient monarch! - thought the duchess. “While he was the King, it wasn’t so noticeable!” Can’t he understand that now he is not the King, and only by taking his former place and reliably removing his brother will he become one again?”
“Your Majesty, it is not so important for you to take your throne or your bedroom, as it is important to eliminate as reliably as possible any suspicion that there are two of you,” said the duchess. “And it is also extremely important to remove your brother so completely that he can never return and take your place.”
“I’ll put him in a place where he’ll never return!” - Louis said with such anger that the duchess was horrified.
- I hope you are not going to execute him? she asked. - That would be a great sin! According to some church canons, twins are like a single whole, so that the murder of one brother by another is both murder and suicide at the same time. If a murderer, having repented, can still hope for forgiveness, then the road to Paradise for suicides is categorically closed. Even if it is done by the wrong hands - the hands of an executioner or a hired killer.
“No, of course, I didn’t even think about that,” Louis lied, fearing that the duchess would refuse to help him if he was too categorical in his threats. - But look what happens. He managed to leave the place that was assigned to him twice, and I think he was well guarded both times! Therefore, it is necessary to come up with something stronger!
- Yes, this needs to be thought through now, and first I ask you, Your Majesty, tell me how you yourself managed to escape from prison? - asked the duchess. - I assume that you have been assigned to the Pignerol fortress?
“Yes and no,” replied Louis. “Philippe ordered me to be taken to Pignerol, and he himself sent a pack of hired killers after me, you scoundrel!” They shot at me! To the head. If I had not been wearing an iron mask, I would not be sitting here in front of you now, but would be lying in an unmarked grave in some godforsaken place! It's horrible! D'Artagnan saved me, I must admit that. And, besides, having discovered that indelible stripes had appeared on my face, he decided to violate Philippe’s order and take me not to Pignerol, but to L;rins Abbey. D'Herblay took me there!
“I understand all your indignation about what d’Herblay did to you, d’Artagnan, but remember that you promised me not to pursue the Marquis de La Fere, although he is their friend,” the duchess reminded again. “I would highly recommend that you not pursue these two either, at least for the first time, for several months, or at least for several weeks.” After all, too sudden a change in your mood, in your friendship and enmity, can give you away! If d'Artagnan and d'Herblay, even just the two of them, take up arms against you, it will not be easy for you to cope with them. You won't kill them right away! And they will get out of the Bastille, I dare to assure you!
- It turns out that in my own kingdom I cannot punish only two of the worst enemies of state criminals, scoundrels? - Louis was indignant. “What kind of King am I after this, if I can’t even do this little?”
“And you are not the King, Your Majesty,” answered the duchess. - No longer the King and not yet the King. When you become King again, you will be able to do whatever you want, but I only advise you not to do it right away, carefully, and with caution.
“And you won’t intercede with me on behalf of d’Herblay?” - asked Louis. “Can I trust you that you are trying to persuade me not to pursue him right away not in order to help him avoid punishment, but out of concern for me?”
“You may not believe me, Your Majesty, but in that case you turned to me for help in vain,” the duchess said with offense.
“I believe you, duchess, but how can I explain that you do not stand up for d’Herblay, with whom you seemed to be very friendly?” - asked Louis.
“We weren’t friends,” the duchess snapped. “We were lovers, but this is not the same thing.” This has nothing to do with friendship. This is an egoistic thirst for possession of each other, which makes you do stupid things in order to please the object of your passion while things are going well, but then this same feeling makes you do even greater stupid things in order to take revenge on the former object of passion for becoming ex! No, I burned out a long time ago, I would not specifically conceive and carry out some kind of revenge on the scoundrel Henri-Ren; d'Herblay, but I can calmly watch how clouds gather over his head. And, besides, as I already said, he is able to take care of himself, and escape from your persecution somewhere in Spain or, perhaps, in Italy or Portugal. And none of the countries in which he decides to hide from you will hand him over to you.
“Perhaps you know something about him that I don’t, but it all sounds very strange,” replied Louis.
“I know a lot about him that you don’t know, but, besides, I’m always ready to admit that I don’t know even more about him, and this ignorance of mine concerns areas that it would be nice to know, but I’m okay with that.” I don’t hope so,” said the Duchess. “I can only make guesses, and these guesses may be very different from the truth.
“Okay, that’s clear,” said Louis. “But just yesterday you were also trying to ensure that I did not pursue d’Artagnan, today you are just asking me to delay the punishment.” Why? What has changed?
“I see that you are powerless to show generosity and forgive your offenders,” answered the duchess. “And you won’t have the patience to tolerate them in their current situation without forgiving them.” Only by driving away from your soul any aversion to these people could you completely abandon the pursuit of them, and this would be in your interests, since your position in this case would remain more secure. I said yesterday and I will say today: if you could attract these people to your side, your reign would be much more protected from surprises than if you continue to be at enmity with them. But, as I saw, d'Herblay is twice guilty before you, and you consider d'Artagnan a traitor, so it is as useless to bother about them before you as it would be useless to appeal to the waterfall, asking it to turn back its waters.
“Why, Duchess, do you believe that the whole army at the King’s disposal is powerless against just two people?” - Louis was surprised.
“Because I know these people,” answered the duchess.
 
Chapter 399

When Philip was informed that Princess Henrietta was ill, he was concerned, but not too much, believing that it was an ordinary female migraine. Unfortunately, she was seriously ill, and her illness was apparently fatal, but she was not destined to die yet - not this time.
Henrietta Anna Stuart was a close relative of both ruling dynasties, French and English. She was the daughter of Charles I Stuart and Henrietta Maria of France. During the days of difficult trials for England, she took refuge from everyday storms with French relatives. Believing that after the execution of her father, Charles of England, the English dynasty would never be restored to the throne, Cardinal Mazarin considered her matrimonial prospects insignificant, she lived at the French court almost out of mercy. But, as I already noted, they lived with their mother in grand style, and did not cost the French treasury cheap. The enterprise of Athos and d'Artagnan together contributed to the return of the throne of England to the son of Charles of England, Charles II. The sister of the reigning King of England immediately became an attractive bride; the best suitors in Europe could compete for the happiness of making her their wife. Mazarin's successful foreign policy ensured the marriage of Philip of Orleans with the Princess, in whom Philip himself had been accustomed since childhood to see only a cousin. Henrietta was witty, playful and pretty, which together made her everyone's favorite. She was nicknamed Minetta, Kitty, Kitten almost officially, although, of course, her completely official title was Madame, that is, the wife of Monsieur, the younger brother of the King. Madame flirted with the Comte de Guiche, of whom Monsieur was not at all jealous, but this admirer was not enough for her; not without reason, she would have wanted to command the entire male half of the court, including the King himself. She succeeded in this with varying success, Monsieur invariably complained to the Queen Mother, and while she was alive, she managed to restrain the pressure of the passions of Louis IV, but it so happened that first La Valli;re, and then Madame’s other ladies-in-waiting, sometimes captivated Louis much more than Madame himself. In this situation, Louis was secretly replaced by Philip. He swam on the waves of love, absorbing the vibes of gallantry with delight and pleasure. Alas, after he spent almost his entire life in the casemate of the Bastille, he could not be different, could not help but enjoy every day when he had every opportunity not only to enjoy contemplating the beautiful ladies around him, but, as he soon found out with pleasure, he had much greater opportunities and the right to receive from these ladies everything or almost everything that he deigned to want, without even asking for permission, but using his own right, the right of the main owner.
Thus, a gardener of no matter how high a nobleman can afford to cut any rose that he likes, although he does this extremely rarely, or almost never. After all, a gardener is considered to have artistic taste, and he can point out any rose as inappropriate in a given place at a given time; by cutting it, he convinces everyone that he improves the overall appearance of the garden. Even the nobleman himself will never encroach on the gardener’s unconditional rights to determine which roses should be cut and which roses should under no circumstances be cut, but should be left in their place. In the same way, the King was a gardener in God's garden of lovely flowers at court, called gallant ladies, that is, ladies not bound by marriage, or bound, but not so tightly that they could not be loosened for a while, so that in this close the circle would not have included a third copyright holder in the person of the King, who would immediately become the main pinnacle of this love triangle. If Louis XIII, having entered the family circle of the Duke de Luynes, laid more claim to the attention of the Duke himself, and not to his wife Mary, the future Duchess of Chevreuse, then Louis XIV, as a man most correctly oriented in this realm of feelings, was not at all interested in men, no matter how No matter how charming they were, he showed extreme interest in the ladies. I will not mention Mazarin’s numerous nieces, who almost all received his extremely close and supportive attention, and in turn had every opportunity to provide him with the highest evidence of their deepest respect. Philip, who tried on not only the post and clothes, but practically the very skin of Louis, in fact became the first womanizer at the French court, completely replacing Louis in this area, doing it so naturally that it would never have occurred to anyone that another man sits on the throne, for he showed exactly the same morals as his twin brother.
Therefore, Madame’s illness did not occupy his imagination too much. Poor Henrietta Anna was unhappy in her destiny as a woman, and any other woman would have given in to despondency and despair due to the fact that during the entire marriage she had four miscarriages, one stillborn daughter, a son, Philippe Charles, who lived for just under two and a half years, and two daughters whom Fate allowed to live to adulthood.
The eldest daughter, Marie Louise, was born on March 27, 1662, and died at the age of just under twenty-seven years. Madame did not live to see her death; the Lord saved her from worrying about this misfortune as well. The last daughter, Anna Maria, had yet to be born in 1669. At the time I am writing about here, she had recently lost a child through miscarriage and had yet to give birth to a stillborn daughter. In between unsuccessful pregnancies, she danced and rode on horseback. Perhaps if she had refrained from doing so, she would have left behind more viable offspring.
So, when Philip was informed about Madame’s illness, he almost immediately threw it out of his mind, and all his thoughts began to revolve around the image of Catherine Charlotte, sister of the Comte de Guiche, Princess of Monaco. She was about to give birth, and she made it clear that after she recovered from childbirth, she would like to return to the issue of friendship with Philip, not as children are friends, but as young people of the opposite sex are friends, calling it friendship only for in order to hide their true intentions, which both sides coincide, but each side is embarrassed to reveal. However, Mother Nature always takes its toll, she suggests the language in which it is more convenient for lovers to speak, and in this language there are many more gestures than words, and these gestures are most often paired. Ah, my time when I not only mastered this language perfectly, but also successfully used it, has long passed. For me, politics meant more than sighs and first confessions, but that was not Philip. He seemed to forget that the main thing in his life was not to lose the Kingdom; for him, as I feared, the possibilities of personal happiness had opened up so widely and deeply that there was almost no room left for anything else in his life.
Observing all this both from the side and in close proximity to the throne, I became more and more convinced that for a King so dangerously immersed in pleasure as Philip was, even such a scoundrel as Colbert was a very useful medicine, just as bark is sometimes useful willow or other bitterness for a person suffering from stomach problems. I realized that Philip needed to immerse himself more and deeper in state affairs, and devote less time and effort to gallant affairs.
Yes, we already had a Ministry of Entertainment! It was killing me. But Mr. Colbert knew how not only not to damage the treasury with these entertainments, but even to benefit from them, making the royal holidays another source of income, and a very good source! You really should have made friends with Colbert!

Chapter 400

At this time, the following conversation took place in the room of the Duchess de Chevreuse.
- Why are we delaying, duchess? - asked Louis.
“I don’t yet have a plan for how you can replace your brother on the throne, and at the same time eliminate him without anyone suspecting anything,” answered the duchess.
“I’m tired of waiting,” Louis said impatiently. “Why don’t I just walk into my office and demand his arrest?”
“Well, let’s rehearse this scene,” said the Duchess. - Suppose I am Philip, and you suddenly appear in your office. Let's say you hid in your closet in advance. Be so kind as to go into this closet for a few seconds, and when you open its door from the inside, consider that you are in your office and talking not to me, but to Philip.
“Okay,” replied Louis. - So be it. You are Philip, and you are sitting in your office alone. Suddenly the closet door opens and I, the rightful King Louis, comes out of the closet.
- Yes, and what do you tell him? - asked the duchess.
“I’ll say: “Philip, isn’t it time to give up the throne to its rightful owner?” - Louis answered.
- How did you get here? - exclaimed the Duchess. - Remember that I am portraying Philip. So, he will ask how you got into the office. And he will probably exclaim: “I was betrayed!”
“He who climbs to the top through betrayal must be prepared to be thrown into the abyss by another betrayal,” Louis proclaimed triumphantly. - What is it like?
“He may be shocked, but in the end he will control himself and decide that he should speak calmly and with dignity.”
- “I’ll call security!” “That’s what he’ll say,” the Duchess continued.
“Don’t rush, Philippe,” replied Louis. “It doesn’t matter which of us calls security.” The only thing that matters is who they listen to, you or me. We are like two peas in a pod. We are alone in this office. In my office. We are both dressed like royalty, we look the same!
“This will not save you, because you will not be able to say what I did a week ago, a day ago, an hour ago,” the duchess objected, continuing to imitate Philip. “Ignorance of these facts will expose you as an impostor.”
“And you won’t be able to retell my whole life until the moment when the heinous crime was committed,” replied Louis. “And ignorance of these facts will expose you as a vile impostor.”
“We’ll see who wins,” answered the duchess. “Our chances are at least equal, so I won’t give up!”
“Are you ready to divulge our secret and arrange a trial?” - asked Louis. “Then both of us will not benefit from the disclosure of our secret.” Especially France!
“This is not an argument for your brother,” answered the duchess. “We don’t know whether he is so much concerned about the fate of France, but, in any case, he is concerned enough about his own fate not to surrender to you.” Do you want to hear his answer that you don't like?
“I’m listening,” Louis replied.
“He’ll say, ‘Will you call security,’ you say? Well, call! But first, take the trouble to remember who is in charge of the security. Captain d'Artagnan! Does this name mean anything to you? Of course he does! Call security. No, wait, I’ll call her myself!”
- D'Artagnan! - Louis exclaimed in despair. - This d'Artagnan again! He should have been locked up in the Bastille!
“Your Majesty, I have already said and will remind you again that d’Artagnan is not Fouquet!” - the duchess reminded. - This is a very powerful weapon in the hands of the one who controls it! You better not get rid of it, but use it. But on the day when you decide, no, when you and I decide to restore the status quo, to return to you your legitimate power and your throne, it is necessary that d'Artagnan be as far as possible from Paris. Let him return when Philip is in a place unknown to him, from where he will never be able to extract him and return him.
“The grave,” Louis said gloomily. “A grave would be the best solution for both.”
“If you don’t give up this idea, I’m not your help,” said the duchess. “Either you and I act according to my plan, or you alone act according to your plan.”
“But in that case, after my plan succeeds, do not be offended if I do not show you due gratitude,” said Louis.
“You have not yet achieved absolutely anything other than escape on the path to success, and you are already threatening your only friend on this path,” the duchess said calmly. “You threaten me with what will happen if you succeed without me.” These threats do not frighten me. Without my help you will achieve nothing. And you know it.
Louis put his head in his hands and fell silent. He thought for a few minutes.
“You’re right, duchess,” he said finally. - You're right, but I got excited.
“I don’t know whether I should believe you after the way you just threatened me,” said the duchess. - How can I be sure that you will not change your attitude towards me when you regain your throne, if you are already so fickle?
“You can trust me, duchess,” replied Louis. “Remember that I swore on the Bible that I would not touch the Marquis de La F;re and the Comte de Bragelonne.” And I continue to say this.
“But after that you said that you were ready to add to this oath the same obligation in relation to his three friends!” - the duchess reminded.
“You yourself said that I don’t have to take an oath in relation to d’Herblay!” - Louis objected.
“In relation to d’Herblay and only in relation to him,” the duchess disagreed. “I did not tell you that you should not make the same promise in relation to du Valon and in relation to d'Artagnan. And now I would also like a similar oath on the Bible to be pronounced against me and my children. Before this, it seemed obvious to me, but today’s conversation made me doubt it.
“This is going to be a long list,” Louis grumbled dissatisfied. - Okay, include your d'Herblay in it.
“This is not necessary for him or for me, but for you,” answered the duchess.
“This is the second time you refuse to make me promise d’Herblay’s immunity,” Louis noted. - Do you hate him?
- Not at all! - answered the Duchess with a false laugh. “My relationship with him is a tangle of mixed feelings. When only memories take possession of me, it seems to me that I still love him, but when I remember his many mistresses, especially this obnoxious de Longueville, it seems to me that I would with great pleasure push him into a river infested with crocodiles!
Louis put his hand on the Bible.
“Before the face of God and before your face, Duchess, I solemnly swear that if I return to the throne of the King of France that is rightfully mine, I will not do harm to the Marquis de La F;re, Comte de Bragelonne, Captain d'Artagnan, Baron du Valona, and also you, Duchesse de Chevreuse, and all your children,” said Louis. “I also promise that the Duchess de Longueville will be sent to Normandy and will never be allowed to return to Paris.”
The Duchess's face lit up with a joyful smile.
- Your Majesty, your mother Queen would be proud of you, your intelligence, your nobility and Christian humility! - she said. - Know that I am your ally to the end, no matter what happens! And, believe me, this is a lot in your business. I thought about it and found the person we can use in our fight against Philip.
- Colbert? - asked Louis.
- God save you from the idea of revealing your secret to him! - the duchess answered in horror.
- De Grammont? D'Epernon? De Rochefort? - Louis continued to list.
- Not that! It's not the same! - the duchess objected.
- Who? - Louis exclaimed impatiently.
“Charles IV of Lorraine,” answered the duchess.
“Another one from the Guise and Chevreuse family,” Louis answered thoughtfully. “It will cost me Lorraine, for which he was paid a million thalers, in addition, for renouncing claims to Lorraine, his family received the status of Princes of the Blood.” I don't intend to lose Lorraine!
- Well, it will remain an adornment of the French Crown, which will flaunt on your brother’s head! - answered the duchess. - Silver thalers are not golden louis d'or, and Princes of the Blood are not Kings! Your grandfather Henry IV once said that Paris is worth a mass. Is Lorraine really not worth France? Is it really such a pity to lose some Lorraine, and perhaps Alsace, in order to regain France, even without these provinces?
- Duchess, a person who, for the sake of strengthening personal power, agrees to give away parts of his own country is an enemy of the state and, according to any laws, human or divine, is subject to trial! - Louis objected.
- Do you need to think? - asked the duchess.
“I don’t need to think,” Louis replied. “I can forgive the conspirators, I can forgive my open enemies, I can promise mercy to criminals.” I can make many concessions. But I will not allow the lands of my state to be distributed. And it doesn’t matter how they were acquired - whether with money, concessions from other lands, or the blood of my soldiers, or the soldiers of my ancestors. This is not discussed.
The Duchess realized that she had gone too far. It was impossible to bend Louis in this direction. It was far from her that she was unable to please her relative, but her own interests, of course, are more valuable than the interests of any relatives. She decided to turn everything into a joke, or something frivolous.
- Your Majesty! - she declared solemnly. “I beg you, forgive me this little trick.” But now I am completely convinced that you are the true King, and there is an impostor on the throne.
— Did you have any doubts before that? - Louis asked and looked intently into the duchess’s eyes.
“No, of course I had no doubt,” the duchess answered embarrassedly. “But now I’m completely calm about you.” And do you know what came to my mind just now?
- What is so important that came into your smart head, duchess? - asked Louis.
“Philippe will not dare to swear on the Bible that he is the real Louis IV,” said the duchess. “But it won’t be difficult for you.”
- Why do you think he won’t dare to do this? - asked Louis. “I understand your logic, you believe that he will not sacrifice eternal salvation and will not dare to lie before the Lord.” But can a usurper hope for forgiveness? Can such a criminal be destined for the Kingdom of Heaven, and not Gehenna of fire?
“If he had reasoned as accurately as you, he would not have decided on this,” suggested the duchess.
“Okay, I can use this as a last resort,” said Louis. “We don’t want to make the current situation public, but if it happens, then in this case, you, Duchess, handed me a victorious weapon.” When I regain my throne, I will have your Bible set in gold and diamonds.
“It will be very symbolic and very Christian, Your Majesty!” - the duchess answered solemnly. “I will keep it as the greatest treasure and bequeath it to my descendants.”

Chapter 401

Very soon, what Louis had been waiting for happened, who was impatient to return to the throne and tired of hiding in the Louvre in the duchess’s boudoir. I believe that if this had not happened, Louis would not have been able to stand it and would have made some hasty and therefore erroneous move.
So, in the square courtyard of the old Louvre, under the chairmanship of Philip, the ceremonial inclusion of a new unit of musketeers into the troops of the royal house took place. Philip ordered Colbert de Vandi;re, brother of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to march at the head of both the old and new musketeers. For him, this was a high honor, which could mean a very significant promotion in the near future. The minister's brother hoped to soon become the head of the entire corps.
In order for this to happen, his brother, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, suggested that Philip give the governorship to Captain d'Artagnan in order to remove him from the court and remove his competitor. However, if the king agreed with the first part of their plan, he refused to carry out the second: he wanted to keep d'Artagnan by his side.
Along the way, Colbert himself tried to show as much ostentatious love of peace and friendly disposition towards d'Artagnan as possible. He even wrote him a long letter in which he persuaded the captain to accept the governorship. At the end of the letter, he wrote: “I assure you that you will never experience greater happiness than the one I wish for you.”
D'Artagnan always needed money because he was always paid less than what he deserved, and also because he very easily parted with what he had, generously financing his dear nephews, as well as his children ex-wife, whom he did not even consider his own, since he believed he had grounds for such an opinion, and for whom, for this reason, he did not experience the slightest paternal feelings, but still did not refuse to take a financial part in their fate. It was much more important for my friend to have a regular income than to accumulate capital by cutting expenses. He treated money like a river, saying that you cannot take advantage of the monarch’s generosity for any reason twice. Having received any reward for military work or for a feat, he readily admitted that no one else owed him anything in this matter. So he constantly had reasons to perform new service feats, and almost immediately forgot about the money he received, generously distributing it among needy relatives, leaving for himself only the most necessary things. In addition, d'Artagnan created a mutual aid fund for the musketeers, into which he regularly contributed up to a tenth of his earnings, and from which he never took a sou. This cash fund was intended to help those musketeers who found themselves in a difficult financial situation, with the exception of losses due to gambling or expenses for women. D'Artagnan specifically forbade the treasurer to cover such expenses from these funds.
“My musketeers must be sure of protection in case of loss of a horse or damage to their uniform, or in case of injury! - he said. “And in case of stupidity, adventurism or lust, let them look for other sources!”
So, my friend paid attention to the possibility of having a regular income. From a couple of books about ancient Rome, which he read in his spare time, he learned that former consuls or generals, as a rule, were appointed governors or governors in some provinces, most often newly annexed ones, in order to improve their financial affairs. This appointment replaced exorbitant pay for previous work in a high-ranking position.
D'Artagnan, not experienced in this area, naively believed that in these posts a large income arises as a result of some special regular payment for the performance of these duties. It never occurred to him that enrichment in such positions is ensured due to the implementation of the principle of Nicolas Fouquet: “If you have power, use it!” The enrichment of the governors occurred due to the unlimited possibilities of extortion from the entire hierarchical ladder located below. In addition, the stability of being at the top of this ladder was guaranteed by appropriate offerings to the King. Anyone who does not understand that a position is an opportunity to impose additional unspoken exactions on those below, and the obligation to strictly carry out the traditions of exactions from those above, will never be able to firmly and reliably integrate into any hierarchical ladder. Just as in a tree the vital juices rise from the roots to the trunk and to the very top, and in response, the sun’s heat and the results of its influence on the leaves descend from the leaves, in the same way the power emanates from the King from top to bottom, which he delegates in calculation and in a response to the nutritious juices coming from below in the form of regularly collected taxes, and in addition to them gifts, donations, contributions and taxes. Even in the Holy Catholic Church this law applies. The Pope does not produce gold out of thin air, but is clothed in gold and eats from gold. This means that someone must take care of the flow of gold from good parishioners to him. And if good parishioners do not bring sufficient funds, they cease to be called good parishioners, and they should be accused of heresy. For me, a man of the church, a Jesuit with many years of experience, this is as natural as the fact that not a single plant will grow without watering. My good d'Artagnan believed that for the performance of the duties of governor he would receive a salary, and at the same time he would not be obliged to share it with anyone at the top, nor would he be faced with the necessity of taking away everything that he required, and even more for those who are dependent on it, since they are below the hierarchical level occupied by it.
So for d'Artagnan the governorship was as useless as a diamond for a cat. He did not know how to see his benefit and take advantage of it. He was not like his former quartermaster de Saint-Mars, who knew how to put at least seven sous into his pocket out of every ten sous allocated by the treasury for the maintenance of the fortress and for the needs of the garrison and prisoners. For Saint-Mars, such noble prisoners as Marchiali and Fouquet were a very significant source of enrichment. Louis believed that the King’s brother was hiding under the name Marchiali, and subsequently Philip believed that the King himself was being held under this name, so the budget allocated for the maintenance of such a noble person was very significant, to the joy of de Saint-Mars.
Looking ahead, I will say that this time d’Artagnan did not receive the position of governor, although he agreed to it. He was only asked to make an inspection trip to Lille. I must say that much later d'Artagnan was indeed made governor of Lille, but he did not remain in this position for long, since as soon as he realized all the intricacies of the game that was imposed on him, he indignantly refused the post of governor and returned to the state captain of the musketeers. But at the time of which I am writing, he was simply advised to visit Lille and report on the state of the city. I think that d'Artagnan agreed only because he was curious to look at those places that at one time had such a strong influence on his life. In this place Milady committed her first crimes, and in this place she ended her life's journey. Retribution did not come without our assistance. One way or another, d'Artagnan was temporarily removed from Paris, the path to the Louvre for Louis was free, in any case, from the interference of this most attentive spy.
The Duchess de Chevreuse immediately learned through her informants about d'Artagnan's departure. She immediately informed Louis about this.
- Your Majesty! - she said. “Today or tomorrow you should decide to take a desperate step.” You will reclaim your throne. Another chance like this may not come for a long time. I will find out who will stand guard. It will be enough if you can convince everyone who meets on your way that you are the one and only King, that there is simply no other King in the Louvre. That would be ideal. It would be better if no one except you and perhaps me ever saw you and your brother together. Therefore, we will go to your apartment together. In doubtful cases, I will go first, and you will wait for my sign that the way is clear. Remember, we just need to avoid anyone seeing you and Philip together. Everything else will be easy enough. I got one of your royal suits for you, it’s here in this bundle. But please don't ask me how I got it.
- Duchess, I promise that if everything works out, until the end of your days you will not know any need for money, or honor, or my attention! - exclaimed the touched Louis. - You bring me back to life!
“Yes, Your Majesty,” answered the duchess with “modest” dignity.

Chapter 402

Marie de Chevreuse, the adventurer duchess, walked along the corridors of the Louvre with such dignity, as if the Louvre belonged to her personally. After walking through several successive corridors and making sure that the path was clear, she returned to her chambers, where Louis was waiting for her.
“Your Majesty, I haven’t met anyone, but the situation can change at any moment,” she said. - We'll do it this way. You will put on this rag mask and, please forgive my insolence, you will have to pretend to be my dear friend. The Duchess's honor will protect you from the intrusive curiosity of those we may meet. If anyone wants to know who is hiding under the mask, just remain silent, I will explain everything myself, but I will explain my idea. You are my close friend, whom I am taking to the King to introduce you to him, in accordance with his request. No one will dare to detain us, and no one will dare to doubt the veracity of the words of the Duchess de Chevreuse!
- Duchess, you are sacrificing your reputation to me, I am shocked! - exclaimed Louis.
“More likely, the remnants of a reputation, only what’s left of it, and this is such a small thing that there’s nothing to talk about!” - the duchess waved him off. “And then, if our venture fails, my reputation is not the biggest loss, and if the business fails, then this is an insignificant price for it, especially since you can easily restore my reputation with one respectful word spoken in the presence of everyone.”
- You are right, as always, Duchess! - Louis agreed, putting on his mask. - Well, let's go!
“And immediately,” answered the duchess and pulled Louis along with her. - Sorry for the violation of etiquette, but it will be better if I lean on your hand.
“From now on, the right to lean on my hand will always belong to you, duchess,” Louis replied and gallantly offered his hand.
The Duchess did not neglect her newfound privilege too much and only indicated it by placing her hand lightly on top of Louis’s, almost without leaning on it.
- What a weightless hand you have, Duchess! - said Louis.
“Please don’t say anything, your voice might be recognized,” answered the duchess. “Just accompany me with the same attention that you would give to a lady you are in love with, or whom you would like to convince that you are in love with her.”
Walking arm in arm, they walked down three corridors and met Ora de Mortale, the Princess's maid of honor. The maid of honor pretended that she did not find anything surprising that the Duchess de Chevreuse had a new boyfriend, and that he was walking with her in a mask.
“Curious! - she thought. - It would be nice to know who it is! He seems to be young and has the posture of a King! But this, of course, is not de Guiche, he is not a lover of old women! And not La Rochefoucauld, he is not so young to have such a posture, and it seems that he is not in Paris now. Maybe this is her son, the Duke of Luynes? No, of course, there would be no need for him to wear a mask. Well, soon we will all find out!”
- Do you see, Your Majesty? - the Duchess whispered to Louis. “Whatever she thought, she didn’t stop us.” Everyone else will behave the same way.
- Duchess, you are a genius! - Louis whispered in response.
“You go into your room and don’t say anything to your brother,” the duchess whispered. “Just take something heavy, a paperweight or a candlestick, and hit him in the face, preferably several times.” Break his nose! Give him black eyes. Decorate it so that your own mother would not recognize it! Then he will no longer be able to claim that he is the King when you stand next to him, without a single scratch on his face! On that face that is known throughout the Louvre!
“Duchess, I had no idea how bloodthirsty you are!” - Louis answered. “I don’t think I can do this!” I've never fought with anyone!
- You're joking, Your Majesty! - the duchess whispered in response. - You took fencing lessons, you are a passionate hunter, you know how to handle horses and dogs! Are you really going to stand on ceremony with someone who encroached on you, seized your throne by deception, and who ordered that you be imprisoned forever! I’m not calling you to murder, but decorate his face so that he will never again claim your place because of his resemblance to you! This will be a better solution to the issue, forever. Instead of imprisoning him, depriving him of his freedom, you will just break his nose, after which you will allow him to live free somewhere in the wilderness, but quite calmly and happily.
- What if he mutilates my face in return? - Louis asked worriedly.
“Don’t let him do this,” the duchess answered in a whisper. — You will have surprise and determination on your side. While he realizes what happened, I will call people shouting: “Help! The King was attacked by an unknown bandit!” People will rush in, recognize you, and grab him with his face covered in blood. The job will be done!
“And yet, if my face gets injured,” Louis answered worriedly.
“If only not so much that you cannot be recognized,” answered the duchess.
“And yet I don’t like this plan at all, duchess,” Louis objected hesitantly.
“Okay, Your Majesty,” replied the Duchess. “I, the poor widow, will have to take on all the main work.” Okay, I'll go into your office first and break your brother's nose with a paperweight. Just don’t punish me if the injury is worse than it should be. I am a weak woman and do not know how to calculate the force of a blow.
“Really, madam, can you hit a man?” - Louis asked with surprise and horror.
“If I didn’t know how, I would have twice as many children as I have now,” answered the duchess. “Has it ever occurred to you that a woman’s honor rests not on a modest glance to the side and a gentle trembling voice, but on the ability to stand up for herself?” Some men are no more polite to women than dragoons are to horses. However, I would not like to make false accusations against the dragoons. Even your august mother had to fend for herself with force when Buckingham decided to take advantage of the fact that he remained with her in the gazebo, where, in his opinion, no one could come to her aid. Well, do you agree to accept the help of the Good Samaritan?
- What will happen if, after all, it’s not you who defeat him, but he defeats you? - asked Louis.
“I have a stiletto for this case,” answered the duchess and showed a stiletto, that is, a dagger with a narrow triangular and extremely sharp blade, tucked into her belt, which was hidden from prying eyes by the folds of her clothing.
“Let me kiss that angelic hand that will stop at nothing to return the throne of France to its rightful owner!” - exclaimed Louis.
- Shh! - whispered the duchess. - Looks like someone else is coming!
“But this corresponds to my role,” Louis whispered and still kissed the duchess’s hand.
“Of course, this is not a de la Valli;re pen or a Princess pen, but it is also good, and at such and such an age! - thought Louis. “This gesture is necessary to give her determination.” The idea of mutilating Philip is wonderful, but I can’t risk my face! And she has absolutely nothing to fear. Even if Philippe knocks out her eye, she will still remain the Duchess de Chevreuse, and not a prisoner of Pignerol!”
“It seemed like there was no one there,” whispered the duchess. - We're already close. Let's do this. You will distract Secretary Hubert. He will be surprised, of course, that you came not from the office, but from the corridor, knowing that the King should be in the office, but he will not dare to show that he is surprised. You never know the King may have quirks, and you never know there may be secret passages in the Louvre that he doesn’t know about! You will tell him in front of him that I should go into the office for now, and you will come in later. After that, distract Hubert with some conversation. For example, ask him to remind you what things are planned for tomorrow. Talk to him as long as possible until I myself jump out of the office and scream that some bandit attacked me. This will mean that the job is done, Philip's face is sufficiently mutilated so that you do not need to be afraid of his resemblance to you. You tell the guards to arrest the scoundrel and the whole job will be done.
- Brilliant, Duchess! - whispered the delighted Louis.
After just a couple of minutes, they were already at the door of the King’s office, and Louis, shortly before appearing to Hubert, took off his mask.
Hubert was indeed surprised to see that the King appeared not from the office doors, but from the outer doors.
- Hubert, remind me what things I have planned tomorrow, besides the usual ones? - Louis asked in such a tone, as if he had parted with Hubert no more than half an hour ago. “Duchess, what you are about to tell me is indeed very important, and I ask you to tell me everything in detail.” For now, go into my office, and I will stay with Hubert for no more than five minutes and come up to talk to you.
The Duchess curtsied and opened the doors of the King's office. Fearing that Hubert might see Philippe through the open doors, she hastily went into the office and just as hastily closed the doors, facing Hubert and Louis, so that at first she could not see what was happening in the office. When she turned around, she almost fainted, because she saw someone whom she had never, under any circumstances, expected to see.
“Good evening, Duchess,” I told her. “You seem to have asked me to call you Maria, as in years past?” So, Maria, good evening. Let me ask what brought you to His Majesty's chambers at such a late hour?
- Aramis! - the duchess said in horror. - Aramis, what are you doing here?
“I will answer your question immediately after I receive an answer to my question, dear Duchesse de Chevreuse,” I replied.
The Duchess tried to open the doors and hide, but she failed, because I grabbed the door handle with my right hand, and with my left hand I quickly snatched the Duchess’s stiletto from her belt and pointed it at her.
“Don’t upset me by hasty flight, dear Maria,” I said. “His Majesty and I really want to find out about the true reasons that forced the Duchess de Chevreuse to appear before the King in the evening without a report, uninvited, and even, it seems, determined to take very decisive action.”
“But there...” said the duchess, pointing to the doors.
“We know, Duchess, there is an impostor,” I answered. “Don’t worry about him, His Majesty has already given orders.” He will be arrested. More precisely, he has already been arrested. So you won't answer my question? What brought you to His Majesty at such a late hour without a report, uninvited, and, it seems, with a dagger on your belt?

(Continued in the tenth book)