Chapter XLI. In Which the Squirrel Falls,--the Adder Flies.
It was two o'clock in the afternoon. The king, full of impatience,went to his cabinet on the terrace, and kept opening the door of thecorridor, to see what his secretaries were doing. M. Colbert, seated inthe same place M. de Saint-Aignan had so long occupied in the morning,was chatting in a low voice with M. de Brienne. The king opened the doorsuddenly, and addressed them. "What is it you are saying?"
"We were speaking of the first sitting of the States," said M. deBrienne, rising.
"Very well," replied the king, and returned to his room.
Five minutes after, the summons of the bell recalled Rose, whose hour itwas.
"Have you finished your copies?" asked the king.
"Not yet, sire."
"See if M. d'Artagnan has returned."
"Not yet, sire."
"It is very strange," murmured the king. "Call M. Colbert."
Colbert entered; he had been expecting this all the morning.
"Monsieur Colbert," said the king, very sharply; "you must ascertainwhat has become of M. d'Artagnan."
Colbert in his calm voice replied, "Where does your majesty desire himto be sought for?"
"Eh! monsieur! do you not know on what I have sent him?" replied Louis,acrimoniously.
"Your majesty did not inform me."
"Monsieur, there are things that must be guessed; and you, above all,are apt to guess them."
"I might have been able to imagine, sire; but I do not presume to bepositive."
Colbert had not finished these words when a rougher voice than that ofthe king interrupted the interesting conversation thus begun between themonarch and his clerk.
"D'Artagnan!" cried the king, with evident joy.
D'Artagnan, pale and in evidently bad humor, cried to the king, ashe entered, "Sire, is it your majesty who has given orders to mymusketeers?"
"What orders?" said the king.
"About M. Fouquet's house?"
"None!" replied Louis.
"Ha!" said D'Artagnan, biting his mustache; "I was not mistaken, then;it was monsieur here;" and he pointed to Colbert.
"What orders? Let me know," said the king.
"Orders to turn the house topsy-turvy, to beat M. Fouquet's servants, toforce the drawers, to give over a peaceful house to pillage! _Mordioux!_these are savage orders!"
"Monsieur!" said Colbert, turning pale.
"Monsieur," interrupted D'Artagnan, "the king alone, understand,--theking alone has a right to command my musketeers; but, as to you, Iforbid you to do it, and I tell you so before his majesty; gentlemen whocarry swords do not sling pens behind their ears."
"D'Artagnan! D'Artagnan!" murmured the king.
"It is humiliating," continued the musketeer; "my soldiers aredisgraced. I do not command _reitres_, thank you, nor clerks of theintendant, _mordioux!_"
"Well! but what is all this about?" said the king with authority.
"About this, sire; monsieur--monsieur, who could not guess yourmajesty's orders, and consequently could not know I was gone to arrestM. Fouquet; monsieur, who has caused the iron cage to be constructed forhis patron of yesterday--has sent M. de Roncherolles to the lodgingsof M. Fouquet, and, under the pretense of securing the surintendant'spapers, they have taken away the furniture. My musketeers have beenposted round the house all the morning; such were my orders. Why did anyone presume to order them to enter? Why, by forcing them to assist inthis pillage, have they been made accomplices in it? _Mordioux!_ weserve the king, we do; but we do not serve M. Colbert!" [5]
"Monsieur d'Artagnan," said the king, sternly, "take care; it is not inmy presence that such explanations, and made in such a tone, should takeplace."
"I have acted for the good of the king," said Colbert, in a falteringvoice. "It is hard to be so treated by one of your majesty's officers,and that without redress, on account of the respect I owe the king."
"The respect you owe the king," cried D'Artagnan, his eyes flashingfire, "consists, in the first place, in making his authority respected,and his person beloved. Every agent of a power without controlrepresents that power, and when people curse the hand which strikesthem, it is the royal hand that God reproaches, do you hear? Must asoldier, hardened by forty years of wounds and blood, give you thislesson, monsieur? Must mercy be on my side, and ferocity on yours? Youhave caused the innocent to be arrested, bound, and imprisoned!"
"Accomplices, perhaps, of M. Fouquet," said Colbert.
"Who told you M. Fouquet had accomplices, or even that he was guilty?The king alone knows that; his justice is not blind! When he says,'Arrest and imprison' such and such a man, he is obeyed. Do not talk tome, then, any more of the respect you owe the king, and be careful ofyour words, that they may not chance to convey the slightest menace;for the king will not allow those to be threatened who do him serviceby others who do him disservice; and if in case I should have, which Godforbid! a master so ungrateful, I would make myself respected."
Thus saying, D'Artagnan took his station haughtily in the king'scabinet, his eyes flashing, his hand on his sword, his lips trembling,affecting much more anger than he really felt. Colbert, humiliated anddevoured with rage, bowed to the king as if to ask his permission toleave the room. The king, thwarted alike in pride and in curiosity, knewnot which part to take. D'Artagnan saw him hesitate. To remain longerwould have been a mistake: it was necessary to score a triumph overColbert, and the only method was to touch the king so near the quick,that his majesty would have no other means of extrication but choosingbetween the two antagonists. D'Artagnan bowed as Colbert had done; butthe king, who, in preference to everything else, was anxious to have allthe exact details of the arrest of the surintendant of the finances fromhim who had made him tremble for a moment,--the king, perceiving thatthe ill-humor of D'Artagnan would put off for half an hour at least thedetails he was burning to be acquainted with,--Louis, we say, forgotColbert, who had nothing new to tell him, and recalled his captain ofthe musketeers.
"In the first place," said he, "let me see the result of yourcommission, monsieur; you may rest yourself hereafter."
D'Artagnan, who was just passing through the doorway, stopped at thevoice of the king, retraced his steps, and Colbert was forced to leavethe closet. His countenance assumed almost a purple hue, his black andthreatening eyes shone with a dark fire beneath their thick brows; hestepped out, bowed before the king, half drew himself up in passingD'Artagnan, and went away with death in his heart. D'Artagnan, onbeing left alone with the king, softened immediately, and composing hiscountenance: "Sire," said he, "you are a young king. It is by the dawnthat people judge whether the day will be fine or dull. How, sire, willthe people, whom the hand of God has placed under your law, argueof your reign, if between them and you, you allow angry and violentministers to interpose their mischief? But let us speak of myself, sire,let us leave a discussion that may appear idle, and perhaps inconvenientto you. Let us speak of myself. I have arrested M. Fouquet."
"You took plenty of time about it," said the king, sharply.
D'Artagnan looked at the king. "I perceive that I have expressedmyself badly. I announced to your majesty that I had arrested MonsieurFouquet."
"You did; and what then?"
"Well! I ought to have told your majesty that M. Fouquet had arrestedme; that would have been more just. I re-establish the truth, then; Ihave been arrested by M. Fouquet."
It was now the turn of Louis XIV. to be surprised. His majesty wasastonished in his turn.
D'Artagnan, with his quick glance, appreciated what was passing in theheart of his master. He did not allow him time to put any questions. Herelated, with that poetry, that picturesqueness, which perhaps healone possessed at that period, the escape of Fouquet, the pursuit,the furious race, and, lastly, the inimitable generosity of thesurintendant, who might have fled ten times over, who might have killedthe adversary in the pursuit, but who had preferred imprisonment,perhaps worse, to the humiliation of one who wi
shed to rob him of hisliberty. In proportion as the tale advanced, the king became agitated,devouring the narrator's words, and drumming with his finger-nails uponthe table.
"It results from all this, sire, in my eyes, at least, that the man whoconducts himself thus is a gallant man, and cannot be an enemy to theking. That is my opinion, and I repeat it to your majesty. I know whatthe king will say to me, and I bow to it,--reasons of state. So be it!To my ears that sounds highly respectable. But I am a soldier, and Ihave received my orders, my orders are executed--very unwillingly on mypart, it is true, but they are executed. I say no more."
"Where is M. Fouquet at this moment?" asked Louis, after a shortsilence.
"M. Fouquet, sire," replied D'Artagnan, "is in the iron cage that M.Colbert had prepared for him, and is galloping as fast as four stronghorses can drag him, towards Angers."
"Why did you leave him on the road?"
"Because your majesty did not tell me to go to Angers. The proof, thebest proof of what I advance, is that the king desired me to be soughtfor but this minute. And then I had another reason."
"What is that?"
"Whilst I was with him, poor M. Fouquet would never attempt to escape."
"Well!" cried the king, astonished.
"Your majesty ought to understand, and does understand, certainly, thatmy warmest wish is to know that M. Fouquet is at liberty. I havegiven him one of my brigadiers, the most stupid I could find among mymusketeers, in order that the prisoner might have a chance of escaping."
"Are you mad, Monsieur d'Artagnan?" cried the king, crossing his armson his breast. "Do people utter such enormities, even when they have themisfortune to think them?"
"Ah! sire, you cannot expect that I should be an enemy to M. Fouquet,after what he has just done for you and me. No, no; if you desire thathe should remain under your lock and bolt, never give him in charge tome; however closely wired might be the cage, the bird would, in the end,take wing."
"I am surprised," said the king, in his sternest tone, "you did notfollow the fortunes of the man M. Fouquet wished to place upon mythrone. You had in him all you want--affection, gratitude. In myservice, monsieur, you will only find a master."
"If M. Fouquet had not gone to seek you in the Bastile, sire," repliedD'Artagnan, with a deeply impressive manner, "one single man would havegone there, and I should have been that man--you know that right well,sire."
The king was brought to a pause. Before that speech of his captain ofthe musketeers, so frankly spoken and so true, the king had nothing tooffer. On hearing D'Artagnan, Louis remembered the D'Artagnan of formertimes; him who, at the Palais Royal, held himself concealed behind thecurtains of his bed, when the people of Paris, led by Cardinal de Retz,came to assure themselves of the presence of the king; the D'Artagnanwhom he saluted with his hand at the door of his carriage, whenrepairing to Notre Dame on his return to Paris; the soldier who hadquitted his service at Blois; the lieutenant he had recalled to bebeside his person when the death of Mazarin restored his power; the manhe had always found loyal, courageous, devoted. Louis advanced towardsthe door and called Colbert. Colbert had not left the corridor where thesecretaries were at work. He reappeared.
"Colbert, did you make a perquisition on the house of M. Fouquet?"
"Yes, sire."
"What has it produced?"
"M. de Roncherolles, who was sent with your majesty's musketeers, hasremitted me some papers," replied Colbert.
"I will look at them. Give me your hand."
"My hand, sire!"
"Yes, that I may place it in that of M. d'Artagnan. In fact, M.d'Artagnan," added he, with a smile, turning towards the soldier, who,at sight of the clerk, had resumed his haughty attitude, "you do notknow this man; make his acquaintance." And he pointed to Colbert. "Hehas been made but a moderately valuable servant in subaltern positions,but he will be a great man if I raise him to the foremost rank."
"Sire!" stammered Colbert, confused with pleasure and fear.
"I always understood why," murmured D'Artagnan in the king's ear; "hewas jealous."
"Precisely, and his jealousy confined his wings."
"He will henceforward be a winged-serpent," grumbled the musketeer, witha remnant of hatred against his recent adversary.
But Colbert, approaching him, offered to his eyes a physiognomy sodifferent from that which he had been accustomed to see him wear; heappeared so good, so mild, so easy; his eyes took the expression of anintelligence so noble, that D'Artagnan, a connoisseur in physiognomies,was moved, and almost changed in his convictions. Colbert pressed hishand.
"That which the king has just told you, monsieur, proves how wellhis majesty is acquainted with men. The inveterate opposition I havedisplayed, up to this day, against abuses and not against men, provesthat I had it in view to prepare for my king a glorious reign, for mycountry a great blessing. I have many ideas, M. d'Artagnan. You willsee them expand in the sun of public peace; and if I have not the goodfortune to conquer the friendship of honest men, I am at least certain,monsieur, that I shall obtain their esteem. For their admiration,monsieur, I would give my life."
This change, this sudden elevation, this mute approbation of the king,gave the musketeer matter for profound reflection. He bowed civilly toColbert, who did not take his eyes off him. The king, when he saw theywere reconciled, dismissed them. They left the room together. As soonas they were out of the cabinet, the new minister, stopping the captain,said:
"Is it possible, M. d'Artagnan, that with such an eye as yours, you didnot, at the first glance, at the first impression, discover what sort ofman I am?"
"Monsieur Colbert," replied the musketeer, "a ray of the sun in our eyesprevents us from seeing the most vivid flame. The man in power radiates,you know; and since you are there, why should you continue to persecutehim who had just fallen into disgrace, and fallen from such a height?"
"I, monsieur!" said Colbert; "oh, monsieur! I would never persecutehim. I wished to administer the finances and to administer them alone,because I am ambitious, and, above all, because I have the most entireconfidence in my own merit; because I know that all the gold of thiscountry will ebb and flow beneath my eyes, and I love to look at theking's gold; because, if I live thirty years, in thirty years not a_denir_ of it will remain in my hands; because, with that gold, I willbuild granaries, castles, cities, and harbors; because I will create amarine, I will equip navies that shall waft the name of France to themost distant people; because I will create libraries and academies;because I will make France the first country in the world, and thewealthiest. These are the motives for my animosity against M. Fouquet,who prevented my acting. And then, when I shall be great and strong,when France is great and strong, in my turn, then, will I cry, 'Mercy'!"
"Mercy, did you say? then ask his liberty of the king. The king is onlycrushing him on _your_ account."
Colbert again raised his head. "Monsieur," said he, "you know that isnot so, and that the king has his own personal animosity against M.Fouquet; it is not for me to teach you that."
"But the king will grow tired; he will forget."
"The king never forgets, M. d'Artagnan. Hark! the king calls. He isgoing to issue an order. I have not influenced him, have I? Listen."
The king, in fact, was calling his secretaries. "Monsieur d'Artagnan,"said he.
"I am here, sire."
"Give twenty of your musketeers to M. de Saint-Aignan, to form a guardfor M. Fouquet."
D'Artagnan and Colbert exchanged looks. "And from Angers," continued theking, "they will conduct the prisoner to the Bastile, in Paris."
"You were right," said the captain to the minister.
"Saint-Aignan," continued the king, "you will have any one shot whoshall attempt to speak privately with M. Fouquet, during the journey."
"But myself, sire," said the duke.
"You, monsieur, you will only speak to him in the presence of themusketeers." The duke bowed and departed to execute his commission.
D'Artagn
an was about to retire likewise; but the king stopped him.
"Monsieur," said he, "you will go immediately, and take possession ofthe isle and fief of Belle-Ile-en-Mer."
"Yes, sire. Alone?"
"You will take a sufficient number of troops to prevent delay, in casethe place should be contumacious."
A murmur of courtly incredulity rose from the group of courtiers. "Thatshall be done," said D'Artagnan.
"I saw the place in my infancy," resumed the king, "and I do not wish tosee it again. You have heard me? Go, monsieur, and do not return withoutthe keys."
Colbert went up to D'Artagnan. "A commission which, if you carry it outwell," said he, "will be worth a marechal's baton to you."
"Why do you employ the words, 'if you carry it out well'?"
"Because it is difficult."
"Ah! in what respect?"
"You have friends in Belle-Isle, Monsieur d'Artagnan; and it is not aneasy thing for men like you to march over the bodies of their friends toobtain success."
D'Artagnan hung his head in deepest thought, whilst Colbert returned tothe king. A quarter of an hour after, the captain received the writtenorder from the king, to blow up the fortress of Belle-Isle, in case ofresistance, with power of life and death over all the inhabitants orrefugees, and an injunction not to allow one to escape.
"Colbert was right," thought D'Artagnan; "for me the baton of a marechalof France will cost the lives of my two friends. Only they seem toforget that my friends are not more stupid than the birds, and that theywill not wait for the hand of the fowler to extend over their wings.I will show them that hand so plainly, that they will have quite timeenough to see it. Poor Porthos! Poor Aramis! No; my fortune should shallnot cost your wings a feather."
Having thus determined, D'Artagnan assembled the royal army, embarked itat Paimboeuf, and set sail, without the loss of an unnecessary minute.