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The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years Later
The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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Twenty Years Later 159 at Prostate Health
to be
completely satisfied, for he was unwilling to discourage
Porthos.
Whilst the two friends were with the cardinal, the queen
sent for him. Mazarin, thinking that it would be the means
of increasing the zeal of his two defenders if he procured
them personal thanks from the queen, motioned them to follow
him. DArtagnan and Porthos pointed to their dusty and torn
dresses, but the cardinal shook his head.
"Those costumes," he said, "are of more worth than most of
those which you will see on the backs of the queens
courtiers; they are costumes of battle."
DArtagnan and Porthos obeyed. The court of Anne of Austria
was full of gayety and animation; for, after having gained a
victory over the Spaniard, it had just gained another over
the people. Broussel had been conducted out of Paris without
further resistance, and was at this time in the prison of
Saint Germain; while Blancmesnil, who was arrested at the
same time, but whose arrest had been made without difficulty
or noise, was safe in the Castle of Vincennes.
Comminges was near the queen, who was questioning him upon
the details of his expedition, and every one was listening
to his account, when DArtagnan and Porthos were perceived
at the door, behind the cardinal.
"Ah, madame," said Comminges, hastening to DArtagnan, "here
is one who can tell you better than myself, for he was my
protector. Without him I should probably at this moment be a
dead fish in the nets at Saint Cloud, for it was a question
of nothing less than throwing me into the river. Speak,
DArtagnan, speak."
DArtagnan had been a hundred times in the same room with
the queen since he had become lieutenant of the musketeers,
but her majesty had never once spoken to him.
"Well, sir," at last said Anne of Austria, "you are silent,
after rendering such a service?"
"Madame," replied DArtagnan, "I have nought to say, save
that my life is ever at your majestys service, and that I
shall only be happy the day I lose it for you."
"I know that, sir; I have known that," said the queen, "a
long time; therefore I am delighted to be able thus publicly
to mark my gratitude and my esteem."
"Permit me, madame," said DArtagnan, "to reserve a portion
for my friend; like myself" (he laid an emphasis on these
words) "an ancient musketeer of the company of Treville; he
has done wonders."
"His name?" asked the queen.
"In the regiment," said DArtagnan, "he is called Porthos"
(the queen started), "but his true name is the Chevalier du
Vallon."
"De Bracieux de Pierrefonds," added Porthos.
"These names are too numerous for me to remember them all,
and I will content myself with the first," said the queen,
graciously. Porthos bowed. At this moment the coadjutor was
announced; a cry of surprise ran through the royal
assemblage. Although the coadjutor had preached that same
morning it was well known that he leaned much to the side of
the Fronde; and Mazarin, in requesting the archbishop of
Paris to make his nephew preach, had evidently had the
intention of administering to Monsieur de Retz one of those
Italian kicks he so much enjoyed giving.
The fact was, in leaving Notre Dame the coadjutor had
learned the event of the day. Although almost engaged to the
leaders of the Fronde he had not gone so far but that
retreat was possible should the court offer him the
advantages for which he was ambitious and to which the
coadjutorship was but a stepping-stone. Monsieur de Retz
wished to become archbishop in his uncles place, and
cardinal, like Mazarin; and the popular party could with
difficulty accord him favors so entirely royal. He therefore
hastened to the palace to congratulate the queen on the
battle of Lens, determined beforehand to act with or against
the court, as his congratulations were well or ill received.
The coadjutor possessed, perhaps, as much wit as all those
put together who were assembled at the court to laugh at
him. His speech, therefore, was so well turned, that in
spite of the great wish felt by the courtiers to laugh, they
could find no point on which to vent their ridicule. He
concluded by saying that he placed his feeble influence at
her majestys command.
During the whole time he was speaking, the queen appeared to
be well pleased with the coadjutors harangue; but
terminating as it did with such a phrase, the only one which
could be caught at by the jokers, Anne turned around and
directed a glance toward her favorites, which announced that
she delivered up the coadjutor to their tender mercies.
Immediately
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