The Three Musketeers

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"Yes, sire, as they always do."

"And how did the thing happen? Let us see, for you know, my dear
Captain, a judge must hear both sides."

"Good Lord! In the most simple and natural manner possible.
Three of my best soldiers, whom your Majesty knows by name, and
whose devotedness you have more than once appreciated, and who
have, I dare affirm to the king, his service much at heart--three
of my best soldiers, I say, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, had made
a party of pleasure with a young fellow from Gascony, whom I had
introduced to them the same morning. The party was to take place
at St. Germain, I believe, and they had appointed to meet at the
Carmes-Deschaux, when they were disturbed by de Jussac, Cahusac,
Bicarat, and two other Guardsmen, who certainly did not go there
in such a numerous company without some ill intention against the
edicts."

"Ah, ah! You incline me to think so," said the king. "There is
no doubt they went thither to fight themselves."

"I do not accuse them, sire; but I leave your Majesty to judge
what five armed men could possibly be going to do in such a
deserted place as the neighborhood of the Convent des Carmes."

"Yes, you are right, Treville, you are right!"

"Then, upon seeing my Musketeers they changed their minds, and
forgot their private hatred for partisan hatred; for your Majesty
cannot be ignorant that the Musketeers, who belong to the king
and nobody but the king, are the natural enemies of the
Guardsmen, who belong to the cardinal."

"Yes, Treville, yes," said the king, in a melancholy tone; "and
it is very sad, believe me, to see thus two parties in France,
two heads to royalty. But all this will come to an end, Treville,
will come to an end. You say, then, that the Guardsmen sought a
quarrel with the Musketeers?"

"I say that it is probable that things have fallen out so, but I
will not swear to it, sire. You know how difficult it is to
discover the truth; and unless a man be endowed with that
admirable instinct which causes Louis XIII to be named the
Just--"

"You are right, Treville; but they were not alone, your
Musketeers. They had a youth with them?"

"Yes, sire, and one wounded man; so that three of the king's
Musketeers--one of whom was wounded--and a youth not only
maintained their ground against five of the most terrible of the
cardinal's Guardsmen, but absolutely brought four of them to
earth."

"Why, this is a victory!" cried the king, all radiant, "a
complete victory!"

"Yes, sire; as complete as that of the Bridge of Ce."

"Four men, one of them wounded, and a youth, say you?"

"One hardly a young man; but who, however, behaved himself so
admirably on this occasion that I will take the liberty of
recommending him to your Majesty."

"How does he call himself?"

"d'Artagnan, sire; he is the son of one of my oldest friends--the
son of a man who served under the king your father, of glorious
memory, in the civil war."

"And you say this young man behaved himself well? Tell me how,
Treville--you know how I delight in accounts of war and
fighting."

And Louis XIII twisted his mustache proudly, placing his hand
upon his hip.

"Sire," resumed Treville, "as I told you, Monsieur d'Artagnan is
little more than a boy; and as he has not the honor of being a
Musketeer, he was dressed as a citizen. The Guards of the
cardinal, perceiving his youth and that he did not belong to the
corps, invited him to retire before they attacked."

"So you may plainly see, Treville," interrupted the king, "it was
they who attacked?"

"That is true, sire; there can be no more doubt on that head.
They called upon him then to retire; but he answered that he was
a Musketeer at heart, entirely devoted to your Majesty, and that
therefore he would remain with Messieurs the Musketeers."

"Brave young man!" murmured the king.

"Well, he did remain with them; and your Majesty has in him so
firm a champion that it was he who gave Jussac the terrible sword
thrust which has made the cardinal so angry."

"He who wounded Jussac!" cried the king, "he, a boy! Treville,
that's impossible!"

"It is as I have the honor to relate it to your Majesty."

"Jussac, one of the first swordsmen in the kingdom?"

"Well, sire, for once he found his master."

"I will see this young man, Treville--I will see him; and if anything
can be done--well, we will make it our business."

"When will your Majesty deign to receive him?"

"Tomorrow, at midday, Treville."

"Shall I bring him alone?"

"No, bring me all four together. I wish to thank them all at
once. Devoted men are so rare, Treville, by the back staircase.
It is useless to let the cardinal know."

"Yes, sire."

"You understand, Treville--an edict is still an edict, it is
forbidden to fight, after all."

"But this encounter, sire, is quite out of the ordinary
conditions of a duel. It is a brawl; and the proof is that there
were five of the cardinal's Guardsmen against my three Musketeers
and Monsieur d'Artagnan."

"That is true," said the king; "but never mind, Treville, come
still by the back staircase."

Treville smiled; but as it was indeed something to have prevailed
upon this child to rebel against his master, he saluted the king
respectfully, and with this agreement, took leave of him.

That evening the three Musketeers were informed of the honor
accorded them. As they had long been acquainted with the king,
they were not much excited; but d'Artagnan, with his Gascon
imagination, saw in it his future fortune, and passed the night
in golden dreams. By eight o'clock in the morning he was at the
apartment of Athos.

D'Artagnan found the Musketeer dressed and ready to go out. As
the hour to wait upon the king was not till twelve, he had made a
party with Porthos and Aramis to play a game at tennis in a
tennis court situated near the stables of the Luxembourg. Athos
invited d'Artagnan to follow them; and although ignorant of the
game, which he had never played, he accepted, not knowing what to
do with his time from nine o'clock in the morning, as it then
scarcely was, till twelve.

The two Musketeers were already there, and were playing together.
Athos, who was very expert in all bodily exercises, passed with
d'Artagnan to the opposite side and challenged them; but at the
first effort he made, although he played with his left hand, he
found that his wound was yet too recent to allow of such
exertion. D'Artagnan remained, therefore, alone; and as he
declared he was too ignorant of the game to play it regularly
they only continued giving balls to one another without counting.
But one of these balls, launched by Porthos' herculean hand,
passed so close to d'Artagnan's face that he thought that if,
instead of passing near, it had hit him, his audience would have
been probably lost, as it would have been impossible for him to
present himself before the king. Now, as upon this audience, in
his Gascon imagination, depended his future life, he saluted
Aramis and Porthos politely, declaring that he would not resume
the game until he should be prepared to play with them on more
equal terms, and went and took his place near the cord and in the
gallery.

Unfortunately for d'Artagnan, among the spectators was one of his
Eminence's Guardsmen, who, still irritated by the defeat of his
companions, which had happened only the day before, had promised
himself to seize the first opportunity of avenging it. He
believed this opportunity was now come and addressed his
neighbor: "It is not astonishing that that young man should be
afraid of a ball, for he is doubtless a Musketeer apprentice."

D'Artagnan turned round as if a serpent had stung him, and fixed
his eyes intensely upon the Guardsman who had just made this
insolent speech.

"PARDIEU," resumed the latter, twisting his mustache, "look at me
as long as you like, my little gentleman! I have said what I
have said."

"And as since that which you have said is too clear to require
any explanation," replied d'Artagnan, in a low voice, "I beg you
to follow me."

"And when?" asked the Guardsman, with the same jeering air.

"At once, if you please."

"And you know who I am, without doubt?"

"I? I am completely ignorant; nor does it much disquiet me."

"You're in the wrong there; for if you knew my name, perhaps you
would not be so pressing."

"What is your name?"

"Bernajoux, at your service."

"Well, then, Monsieur Bernajoux," said d'Artagnan, tranquilly, "I
will wait for you at the door."

"Go, monsieur, I will follow you."

"Do not hurry yourself, monsieur, lest it be observed that we go
out together. You must be aware that for our undertaking,
company would be in the way."

"That's true," said the Guardsman, astonished that his name had
not produced more effect upon the young man.

Indeed, the name of Bernajoux was known to all the world,
d'Artagnan alone excepted, perhaps; for it was one of those which
figured most frequently in the daily brawls which all the edicts
of the cardinal could not repress.

Porthos and Aramis were so engaged with their game, and Athos was
watching them with so much attention, that they did not even
perceive their young companion go out, who, as he had told the
Guardsman of his Eminence, stopped outside the door. An instant
after, the Guardsman descended in his turn. As d'Artagnan had no
time to lose, on account of the audience of the king, which was
fixed for midday, he cast his eyes around, and seeing that the
street was empty, said to his adversary, "My faith! It is
fortunate for you, although your name is Bernajoux, to have only
to deal with an apprentice Musketeer. Never mind; be content, I
will do my best. On guard!"

"But," said he whom d'Artagnan thus provoked, "it appears to me
that this place is badly chosen, and that we should be better
behind the Abbey St. Germain or in the Pre-aux-Clercs."

"What you say is full of sense," replied d'Artagnan; "but
unfortunately I have very little time to spare, having an
appointment at twelve precisely. On guard, then, monsieur, on
guard!"

Bernajoux was not a man to have such a compliment paid to him
twice. In an instant his sword glittered in his hand, and he
sprang upon his adversary, whom, thanks to his great
youthfulness, he hoped to intimidate.

But d'Artagnan had on the preceding day served his
apprenticeship. Fresh sharpened by his victory, full of hopes of
future favor, he was resolved not to recoil a step. So the two
swords were crossed close to the hilts, and as d'Artagnan stood
firm, it was his adversary who made the retreating step; but
d'Artagnan seized the moment at which, in this movement, the
sword of Bernajoux deviated from the line. He freed his weapon,
made a lunge, and touched his adversary on the shoulder.
d'Artagnan immediately made a step backward and raised his sword;
but Bernajoux cried out that it was nothing, and rushing blindly
upon him, absolutely spitted himself upon d'Artagnan's sword.
As, however, he did not fall, as he did not declare himself
conquered, but only broke away toward the hotel of M. de la
Tremouille, in whose service he had a relative, d'Artagnan was
ignorant of the seriousness of the last wound his adversary had
received, and pressing him warmly, without doubt would soon have
completed his work with a third blow, when the noise which arose
from the street being heard in the tennis court, two of the
friends of the Guardsman, who had seen him go out after
exchanging some words with d'Artagnan, rushed, sword in hand,
from the court, and fell upon the conqueror. But Athos, Porthos,
and Aramis quickly appeared in their turn, and the moment the two
Guardsmen attacked their young companion, drove them back.
Bernajoux now fell, and as the Guardsmen were only two against
four, they began to cry, "To the rescue! The Hotel de la
Tremouille!" At these cries, all who were in the hotel rushed
out and fell upon the four companions, who on their side cried
aloud, "To the rescue, Musketeers!"

This cry was generally heeded; for the Musketeers were known to
be enemies of the cardinal, and were beloved on account of the
hatred they bore to his Eminence. Thus the soldiers of other
companies than those which belonged to the Red Duke, as Aramis
had called him, often took part with the king's Musketeers in
these quarrels. Of three Guardsmen of the company of M.
Dessessart who were passing, two came to the assistance of the
four companions, while the other ran toward the hotel of M. de
Treville, crying, "To the rescue, Musketeers! To the rescue!"
As usual, this hotel was full of soldiers of this company, who
hastened to the succor of their comrades. The MELEE became
general, but strength was on the side of the Musketeers. The
cardinal's Guards and M. de la Tremouille's people retreated into
the hotel, the doors of which they closed just in time to prevent
their enemies from entering with them. As to the wounded man, he
had been taken in at once, and, as we have said, in a very bad
state.

Excitement was at its height among the Musketeers and their
allies, and they even began to deliberate whether they should not
set fire to the hotel to punish the insolence of M. de la
Tremouille's domestics in daring to make a SORTIE upon the king's
Musketeers. The proposition had been made, and received with
enthusiasm, when fortunately eleven o'clock struck. D'Artagnan
and his companions remembered their audience, and as they would
very much have regretted that such an opportunity should be lost,
they succeeded in calming their friends, who contented themselves
with hurling some paving stones against the gates; but the gates
were too strong. They soon tired of the sport. Besides, those
who must be considered the leaders of the enterprise had quit the
group and were making their way toward the hotel of M. de
Treville, who was waiting for them, already informed of this
fresh disturbance.

"Quick to the Louvre," said he, "to the Louvre without losing an
instant, and let us endeavor to see the king before he is
prejudiced by the cardinal. We will describe the thing to him as
a consequence of the affair of yesterday, and the two will pass
off together."

M. de Treville, accompanied by the four young fellows, directed
his course toward the Louvre; but to the great astonishment of
the captain of the Musketeers, he was informed that the king had
gone stag hunting in the forest of St. Germain. M. de Treville
required this intelligence to be repeated to him twice, and each
time his companions saw his brow become darker.

"Had his Majesty," asked he, "any intention of holding this
hunting party yesterday?"

"No, your Excellency," replied the valet de chambre, "the Master
of the Hounds came this morning to inform him that he had marked
down a stag. At first the king answered that he would not go;
but he could not resist his love of sport, and set out after
dinner."

"And the king has seen the cardinal?" asked M. de Treville.

"In all probability he has," replied the valet, "for I saw the
horses harnessed to his Eminence's carriage this morning, and
when I asked where he was going, they told me, 'To St. Germain.'"

"He is beforehand with us," said M. de Treville. "Gentlemen, I
will see the king this evening; but as to you, I do not advise
you to risk doing so."

This advice was too reasonable, and moreover came from a man who
knew the king too well, to allow the four young men to dispute
it. M. de Treville recommended everyone to return home and wait
for news.

On entering his hotel, M. de Treville thought it best to be first
in making the complaint. He sent one of his servants to M. de la
Tremouille with a letter in which he begged of him to eject the
cardinal's Guardsmen from his house, and to reprimand his people
for their audacity in making SORTIE against the king's
Musketeers. But M. de la Tremouille--already prejudiced by his
esquire, whose relative, as we already know, Bernajoux was--
replied that it was neither for M. de Treville nor the Musketeers
to complain, but, on the contrary, for him, whose people the
Musketeers had assaulted and whose hotel they had endeavored to
burn. Now, as the debate between these two nobles might last a
long time, each becoming, naturally, more firm in his own
opinion, M. de Treville thought of an expedient which might
terminate it quietly. This was to go himself to M. de la
Tremouille.

He repaired, therefore, immediately to his hotel, and caused
himself to be announced.

The two nobles saluted each other politely, for if no friendship
existed between them, there was at least esteem. Both were men
of courage and honor; and as M. de la Tremouille--a Protestant,
and seeing the king seldom--was of no party, he did not, in
general, carry any bias into his social relations. This time,
however, his address, although polite, was cooler than usual.

"Monsieur," said M. de Treville, "we fancy that we have each
cause to complain of the other, and I am come to endeavor to
clear up this affair."

"I have no objection," replied M. de la Tremouille, "but I warn
you that I am well informed, and all the fault is with your
Musketeers."

"You are too just and reasonable a man, monsieur!" said Treville,
"not to accept the proposal I am about to make to you."

"Make it, monsieur, I listen."

"How is Monsieur Bernajoux, your esquire's relative?"

"Why, monsieur, very ill indeed! In addition to the sword thrust
in his arm, which is not dangerous, he has received another right
through his lungs, of which the doctor says bad things."

"But has the wounded man retained his senses?"

"Perfectly."

"Does he talk?"

"With difficulty, but he can speak."

"Well, monsieur, let us go to him. Let us adjure him, in the
name of the God before whom he must perhaps appear, to speak the
truth. I will take him for judge in his own cause, monsieur, and
will believe what he will say."

M. de la Tremouille reflected for an instant; then as it was
difficult to suggest a more reasonable proposal, he agreed to it.

Both descended to the chamber in which the wounded man lay. The
latter, on seeing these two noble lords who came to visit him,
endeavored to raise himself up in his bed; but he was too weak,
and exhausted by the effort, he fell back again almost senseless.

M. de la Tremouille approached him, and made him inhale some
salts, which recalled him to life. Then M. de Treville,
unwilling that it should be thought that he had influenced the
wounded man, requested M. de la Tremouille to interrogate him
himself.

That happened which M. de Treville had foreseen. Placed between
life and death, as Bernajoux was, he had no idea for a moment of
concealing the truth; and he described to the two nobles the
affair exactly as it had passed.

This was all that M. de Treville wanted. He wished Bernajoux a
speedy convalescence, took leave of M. de la Tremouille, returned
to his hotel, and immediately sent word to the four friends that
he awaited their company at dinner.

M. de Treville entertained good company, wholly anticardinalist,
though. It may easily be understood, therefore, that the
conversation during the whole of dinner turned upon the two
checks that his Eminence's Guardsmen had received. Now, as
d'Artagnan had been the hero of these two fights, it was upon him
that all the felicitations fell, which Athos, Porthos, and Aramis
abandoned to him, not only as good comrades, but as men who had
so often had their turn that could very well afford him his.

Toward six o'clock M. de Treville announced that it was time to
go to the Louvre; but as the hour of audience granted by his
Majesty was past, instead of claiming the ENTREE by the back
stairs, he placed himself with the four young men in the
antechamber. The king had not yet returned from hunting. Our
young men had been waiting about half an hour, amid a crowd of
courtiers, when all the doors were thrown open, and his Majesty
was announced.

At his announcement d'Artagnan felt himself tremble to the very
marrow of his bones. The coming instant would in all probability
decide the rest of his life. His eyes therefore were fixed in a
sort of agony upon the door through which the king must enter.

Louis XIII appeared, walking fast. He was in hunting costume
covered with dust, wearing large boots, and holding a whip in his
hand. At the first glance, d'Artagnan judged that the mind of
the king was stormy.

This disposition, visible as it was in his Majesty, did not
prevent the courtiers from ranging themselves along his pathway.
In royal antechambers it is worth more to be viewed with an angry
eye than not to be seen at all. The three Musketeers therefore
did not hesitate to make a step forward. D'Artagnan on the
contrary remained concealed behind them; but although the king
knew Athos, Porthos, and Aramis personally, he passed before them
without speaking or looking--indeed, as if he had never seen them
before. As for M. de Treville, when the eyes of the king fell
upon him, he sustained the look with so much firmness that it was
the king who dropped his eyes; after which his Majesty,
grumbling, entered his apartment.

"Matters go but badly," said Athos, smiling; "and we shall not be
made Chevaliers of the Order this time."

"Wait here ten minutes," said M. de Treville; "and if at the
expiration of ten minutes you do not see me come out, return to
my hotel, for it will be useless for you to wait for me longer."

The four young men waited ten minutes, a quarter of an hour,
twenty minutes; and seeing that M. de Treville did not return,
went away very uneasy as to what was going to happen.

M. de Treville entered the king's cabinet boldly, and found his
Majesty in a very ill humor, seated on an armchair, beating his
boot with the handle of his whip. This, however, did not prevent
his asking, with the greatest coolness, after his Majesty's
health.

"Bad, monsieur, bad!" replied the king; "I am bored."

This was, in fact, the worst complaint of Louis XIII, who would
sometimes take one of his courtiers to a window and say,
"Monsieur So-and-so, let us weary ourselves together."

"How! Your Majesty is bored? Have you not enjoyed the pleasures
of the chase today?"

"A fine pleasure, indeed, monsieur! Upon my soul, everything
degenerates; and I don't know whether it is the game which leaves
no scent, or the dogs that have no noses. We started a stag of
ten branches. We chased him for six hours, and when he was near
being taken--when St.-Simon was already putting his horn to his
mouth to sound the mort--crack, all the pack takes the wrong
scent and sets off after a two-year-older. I shall be obliged to
give up hunting, as I have given up hawking. Ah, I am an
unfortunate king, Monsieur de Treville! I had but one gerfalcon,
and he died day before yesterday."

"Indeed, sire, I wholly comprehend your disappointment. The
misfortune is great; but I think you have still a good number of
falcons, sparrow hawks, and tiercets."

"And not a man to instruct them. Falconers are declining. I
know no one but myself who is acquainted with the noble art of
venery. After me it will all be over, and people will hunt with
gins, snares, and traps. If I had but the time to train pupils!
But there is the cardinal always at hand, who does not leave me a
moment's repose; who talks to me about Spain, who talks to me
about Austria, who talks to me about England! Ah! A PROPOS of
the cardinal, Monsieur de Treville, I am vexed with you!"

This was the chance at which M. de Treville waited for the king.
He knew the king of old, and he knew that all these complaints
were but a preface--a sort of excitation to encourage himself--
and that he had now come to his point at last.

"And in what have I been so unfortunate as to displease your
Majesty?" asked M. de Treville, feigning the most profound
astonishment.

"Is it thus you perform your charge, monsieur?" continued the
king, without directly replying to de Treville's question. "Is
it for this I name you captain of my Musketeers, that they should
assassinate a man, disturb a whole quarter, and endeavor to set
fire to Paris, without your saying a word? But yet," continued
the king, "undoubtedly my haste accuses you wrongfully; without
doubt the rioters are in prison, and you come to tell me justice
is done."

"Sire," replied M. de Treville, calmly, "on the contrary, I come
to demand it of you."

"And against whom?" cried the king.

"Against calumniators," said M. de Treville.

"Ah! This is something new," replied the king. "Will you tell
me that your three damned Musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis,
and your youngster from Bearn, have not fallen, like so many
furies, upon poor Bernajoux, and have not maltreated him in such
a fashion that probably by this time he is dead? Will you tell
me that they did not lay siege to the hotel of the Duc de la
Tremouille, and that they did not endeavor to burn it?--which
would not, perhaps, have been a great misfortune in time of war,
seeing that it is nothing but a nest of Huguenots, but which is,
in time of peace, a frightful example. Tell me, now, can you
deny all this?"