t them near him or sent them to Saint Germain。 As to the Bastile； they are not there； though the Bastile is especially for the Frondeurs。 They are not dead； for the death of D'Artagnan would make a sensation。 As for Porthos； I believe him to be eternal； like God； although less patient。 Do not let us despond； but wait at Rueil； for my conviction is that they are at Rueil。 But what ails you？ You are pale。〃
〃It is this；〃 answered Athos； with a trembling voice。
〃I remember that at the Castle of Rueil the Cardinal Richelieu had some horrible ‘oubliettes' constructed。〃
〃Oh！ never fear；〃 said Aramis。 〃Richelieu was a gentleman； our equal in birth； our superior in position。 He could； like the king； touch the greatest of us on the head； and touching them make such heads shake on their shoulders。 But Mazarin is a low…born rogue； who can at the most take us by the collar； like an archer。 Be calm for I am sure that D'Artagnan and Porthos are at Rueil； alive and well。〃
〃But；〃 resumed Athos； 〃I recur to my first proposal。 I know no better means than to act with candor。 I shall seek； not Mazarin； but the queen； and say to her； ‘Madame； restore to us your two servants and our two friends。'〃
Aramis shook his head。
〃'Tis a last resource； but let us not employ it till it is imperatively called for； let us rather persevere in our researches。〃
They continued their inquiries and at last met with a light dragoon who had formed one of the guard which had escorted D'Artagnan to Rueil。
Athos； however； perpetually recurred to his proposed interview with the queen。
〃In order to see the queen；〃 said Aramis； 〃we must first see the cardinal； and when we have seen the cardinal remember what I tell you； Athos we shall be reunited to our friends； but not in the way you wish。 Now； that way of joining them is not very attractive to me； I confess。 Let us act in freedom； that we may act well and quickly。〃
〃I shall go；〃 he said； 〃to the queen。〃
〃Well； then；〃 answered Aramis； 〃pray tell me a day or two beforehand； that I may take that opportunity of going to Paris。〃
〃To whom？〃
〃Zounds！ how do I know？ perhaps to Madame de Longueville。 She is all…powerful yonder； she will help me。 But send me word should you be arrested； for then I will return directly。〃
〃Why do you not take your chance and be arrested with me？〃
〃No； I thank you。〃
〃Should we； by being arrested； be all four together again； we should not； I am not sure； be twenty…four hours in prison without getting free。〃
〃My friend； since I killed Chatillon； adored of the ladies of Saint Germain； I am too great a celebrity not to fear a prison doubly。 The queen is likely to follow Mazarin's counsels and to have me tried。〃
〃Do you think she loves this Italian so much as they say she does？〃
〃Did she not love an Englishman？〃
〃My friend； she is a woman。〃
〃No； no； you are deceived she is a queen。〃
〃Dear friend； I shall sacrifice myself and go and see Anne of Austria。〃
〃Adieu； Athos； I am going to raise an army。〃
〃For what purpose？〃
〃To e back and besiege Rueil。〃
〃Where shall we meet again？〃
〃At the foot of the cardinal's gallows。〃
The two friends departed Aramis to return to Paris； Athos to take measures preparatory to an interview with the queen。
The Gratitude of Anne of Austria
Athos found much less difficulty than he had expected in obtaining an audience of Anne of Austria。 It was granted； and was to take place after her morning's 〃levee；〃 at which； in accordance with his rights of birth； he was entitled to be present。 A vast crowd filled the apartments of Saint Germain。 Anne had never at the Louvre had so large a court； but this crowd represented chiefly the second class of nobility； while the Prince de Conti； the Duc de Beaufort and the coadjutor assembled around them the first nobility of France。
The greatest possible gayety prevailed at court。 The particular characteristic of this was that more songs were made than cannons fired during its continuance。 The court made songs on the Parisians and the Parisians on the court； and the casualties； though not mortal； were painful； as are all wounds inflicted by the weapon of ridicule。
In the midst of this seeming hilarity； nevertheless； people's minds were uneasy。 Was Mazarin to remain the favorite and minister of the queen？ Was he to be carried back by the wind which had blown him there？ Every one hoped so； so that the minister felt that all around him； beneath the homage of the courtiers； lay a fund of hatred； ill disguised by fear and interest。 He felt ill at ease and at a loss what to do。
Conde himself； whilst fighting for him； lost no opportunity of ridiculing； of humbling him。 The queen； on whom he threw himself as sole support； seemed to him now not much to be relied upon。
When the hour appointed for the audience arrived Athos was obliged to stay until the queen； who was waited upon by a new deputation from Paris； had consulted with her minister as to the propriety and manner of receiving them。 All were fully engrossed with the affairs of the day； Athos could not therefore have chosen a more inauspicious moment to speak of his friends poor atoms； lost in that raging whirlwind。
But Athos was a man of inflexible determination； he firmly adhered to a purpose once formed； when it seemed to him to spring from conscience and to be prompted by a sense of duty。 He insisted on being introduced； saying that although he was not a deputy from Monsieur de Conti； or Monsieur de Beaufort； or Monsieur de Bouillon； or Monsieur d'Elbeuf； or the coadjutor； or Madame de Longueville； or Broussel； or the Parliament； and although he had e on his own private account； he nevertheless had things to say to her majesty of the utmost importance。
The conference being finished； the queen summoned him to her cabinet。
Athos was introduced and announced by name。 It was a name that too often resounded in her majesty's ears and too often vibrated in her heart for Anne of Austria not to recognize it； yet she remained impassive； looking at him with that fixed stare which is tolerated only in women who are queens； either by the power of beauty or by the right of birth。
〃It is then a service which you propose to render us； count？〃 asked Anne of Austria； after a moment's silence。
〃Yes； madame； another service；〃 said Athos； shocked that the queen did not seem to recognize him。
Athos had a noble heart； and made； therefore； but a poor courtier。
Anne frowned。 Mazarin； who was sitting at a table folding up papers； as if he had only been a secretary of state； looked up。
〃Speak；〃 said the queen。
Mazarin turned again to his papers。
〃Madame；〃 resumed Athos； 〃two of my friends； named D'Artagnan and Monsieur du Vallon； sent to England by the cardinal； suddenly disappeared when they set foot on the shores of France； no one knows what has bee of them。〃
〃Well？〃 said the queen。
〃I address myself； therefore； first to the benevolence of your majesty； that I may know what has bee of my friends； reserving to myself； if necessary； the right of appealing hereafter to your justice。〃
〃Sir；〃 replied Anne； with a degree of haughtiness which to certain persons became impertinence； 〃this is the reason that you trouble me in the midst of so many absorbing concerns！ an affair for the police！ Well； sir； you ought to know that we no longer have a police； since we are no longer at Paris。〃
〃I think your majesty will have no need to apply to the police to know where my friends are； but that if you will deign to interrogate the cardinal he can reply without any further inquiry than into his own recollections。〃
〃But； God forgive me！〃 cried Anne； with that disdainful curl of the lips peculiar to her； 〃I believe that you are yourself interrogating。〃
〃Yes； madame； here I have a right to do so； for it concerns Monsieur d'Artagnan …d'Artagnan；〃 he repeated； in such a manner as to bow the regal brow with recollections of the weak and erring woman。
The cardinal saw that it was now high time to e to the assistance of Anne。
〃Sir；〃 he said； 〃I can tell you what is at present unknown to her majesty。 These individuals are under arrest。 They disobeyed orders。〃
〃I beg of your majesty； then；〃 said Athos； calmly and not replying to Mazarin； 〃to quash these arrests of Messieurs d'Artagnan and du Vallon。〃
〃What you ask is merely an affair of discipline and does not concern me；〃 said the queen。
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan never made such an answer as that when the service of your majesty was concerned；〃 said Athos； bowing with great dignity。 He was going toward the door when Mazarin stopped him。
〃You； too； have been in England； sir？〃 he said； making a sign to the queen； who was evidently going to issue a severe order。
〃I was a witness of the last hours of Charles I。 Poor king！ culpable； at the most； of weakness； how cruelly punished by his subjects！ Thrones are at this time shaken and it is to little purpose for devoted hearts to serve the interests of princes。 This is the second time that Monsieur d'Artagnan has been in England。 He went the first time to save the honor of a great queen； the second； to avert the death of a great king。〃
〃Sir；〃 said Anne to Mazarin； with an accent from which daily habits of dissimulation could not entirely chase the real expression； 〃see if we can do something for these gentlemen。〃
〃I wish to do； madame； all that your majesty pleases。〃
〃Do what Monsieur de la Fere requests； that is your name； is it not； sir？〃
〃I have another name； madame I am called Athos。〃
〃Madame；〃 said Mazarin； with a smile； 〃you may rest easy； your wishes shall be fulfilled。〃
〃You hear； sir？〃 said the queen。
〃Yes； madame； I expected nothing less from the justice of your majesty。 May I not go and see my friends？〃
〃Yes； sir； you shall see them。 But； apropos； you belong to the Fronde； do you not？〃
〃Madame； I serve the king。〃
〃Yes； in your own way。〃
〃My way is the way of all gentlemen； and I know only one way；〃 answered Athos； haughtily。
〃Go； sir； then；〃 said the queen； 〃you have obtained what you wish and we know all we desire to know。〃
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