ps not very favorable to me； for such an opportunity。〃
He turned away and went off to his post； whistling a tune then popular among the party called the 〃Fronde；〃 whilst Mazarin returned； in a pensive mood； toward the Palais Royal。 All that he had heard from these three different men； minges； Guitant and Villequier； confirmed him in his conviction that in case of serious tumults there would be no one on his side except the queen； and then Anne of Austria had so often deserted her friends that her support seemed most precarious。 During the whole of this nocturnal ride； during the whole time that he was endeavoring to understand the various characters of minges； Guitant and Villequier； Mazarin was； in truth； studying more especially one man。 This man； who had remained immovable as bronze when menaced by the mob not a muscle of whose face was stirred； either at Mazarin's witticisms or by the jests of the multitude seemed to the cardinal a peculiar being； who； having participated in past events similar to those now occurring； was calculated to cope with those now on the eve of taking place。
The name of D'Artagnan was not altogether new to Mazarin； who； although he did not arrive in France before the year
1634 or 1635； that is to say； about eight or nine years after the events which we have related in a preceding narrative；* fancied he had heard it pronounced as that of one who was said to be a model of courage； address and loyalty。
〃The Three Musketeers。〃
Possessed by this idea； the cardinal resolved to know all about D'Artagnan immediately； of course he could not inquire from D'Artagnan himself who he was and what had been his career； he remarked； however； in the course of conversation that the lieutenant of musketeers spoke with a Gascon accent。 Now the Italians and the Gascons are too much alike and know each other too well ever to trust what any one of them may say of himself； so in reaching the walls which surrounded the Palais Royal； the cardinal knocked at a little door； and after thanking D'Artagnan and requesting him to wait in the court of the Palais Royal； he made a sign to Guitant to follow him。
They both dismounted； consigned their horses to the lackey who had opened the door； and disappeared in the garden。
〃My dear friend；〃 said the cardinal； leaning； as they walked through the garden； on his friend's arm； 〃you told me just now that you had been twenty years in the queen's service。〃
〃Yes； it's true。 I have；〃 returned Guitant。
〃Now； my dear Guitant； I have often remarked that in addition to your courage； which is indisputable； and your fidelity； which is invincible； you possess an admirable memory。〃
〃You have found that out； have you； my lord？ Deuce take it all the worse for me！〃
〃How？〃
〃There is no doubt but that one of the chief acplishments of a courtier is to know when to forget。〃
〃But you； Guitant； are not a courtier。 You are a brave soldier； one of the few remaining veterans of the days of Henry IV。 Alas！ how few to…day exist！〃
〃Plague on't； my lord； have you brought me here to get my horoscope out of me？〃
〃No； I only brought you here to ask you；〃 returned Mazarin； smiling； 〃if you have taken any particular notice of our lieutenant of musketeers？〃
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan？ I have had no occasion to notice him particularly； he's an old acquaintance。 He's a Gascon。 De Treville knows him and esteems him very highly； and De Treville； as you know； is one of the queen's greatest friends。 As a soldier the man ranks well； he did his whole duty and even more； at the siege of Rochelle as at Suze and Perpignan。〃
〃But you know； Guitant； we poor ministers often want men with other qualities besides courage； we want men of talent。 Pray； was not Monsieur d'Artagnan； in the time of the cardinal； mixed up in some intrigue from which he came out； according to report； quite cleverly？〃
〃My lord； as to the report you allude to〃 Guitant perceived that the cardinal wished to make him speak out 〃I know nothing but what the public knows。 I never meddle in intrigues； and if I occasionally bee a confidant of the intrigues of others I am sure your eminence will approve of my keeping them secret。〃
Mazarin shook his head。
〃Ah！〃 he said； 〃some ministers are fortunate and find out all that they wish to know。〃
〃My lord；〃 replied Guitant； 〃such ministers do not weigh men in the same balance； they get their information on war from warriors； on intrigues； from intriguers。 Consult some politician of the period of which you speak； and if you pay well for it you will certainly get to know all you want。〃
〃Eh； pardieu！〃 said Mazarin； with a grimace which he always made when spoken to about money。 〃They will be paid； if there is no way of getting out of it。〃
〃Does my lord seriously wish me to name any one who was mixed up in the cabals of that day？〃
〃By Bacchus！〃 rejoined Mazarin； impatiently； 〃it's about an hour since I asked you for that very thing； wooden…head that you are。〃
〃There is one man for whom I can answer； if he will speak out。〃
〃That's my concern； I will make him speak。〃
〃Ah； my lord； 'tis not easy to make people say what they don't wish to let out。〃
〃Pooh！ with patience one must succeed。 Well； this man。 Who is he？〃
〃The te de Rochefort。〃
〃The te de Rochefort！〃
〃Unfortunately he has disappeared these four or five years and I don't know where he is。〃
〃I know； Guitant；〃 said Mazarin。
〃Well； then； how is it that your eminence plained just now of want of information？〃
〃You think；〃 resumed Mazarin； 〃that Rochefort 〃
〃He was Cardinal Richelieu's creature； my lord。 I warn you； however； his services will cost you something。 The cardinal was lavish to his underlings。〃
〃Yes； yes； Guitant；〃 said Mazarin； 〃Richelieu was a great man； a very great man； but he had that defect。 Thanks； Guitant； I shall benefit by your advice this very evening。〃
Here they separated and bidding adieu to Guitant in the court of the Palais Royal； Mazarin approached an officer who was walking up and down within that inclosure。
It was D'Artagnan； who was waiting for him。
〃Cane hither；〃 said Mazarin in his softest voice； 〃I have an order to give you。〃
D'Artagnan bent low and following the cardinal up the secret staircase； soon found himself in the study whence they had first set out。
The cardinal seated himself before his bureau and taking a sheet of paper wrote some lines upon it； whilst D'Artagnan stood imperturbable； without showing either impatience or curiosity。 He was like a soldierly automaton； or rather； like a magnificent marionette。
The cardinal folded and sealed his letter。
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan；〃 he said； 〃you are to take this dispatch to the Bastile and bring back here the person it concerns。 You must take a carriage and an escort； and guard the prisoner with the greatest care。〃
D'Artagnan took the letter； touched his hat with his hand； turned round upon his heel like a drill…sergeant； and a moment afterward was heard； in his dry and monotonous tone； manding 〃Four men and an escort； a carriage and a horse。〃 Five minutes afterward the wheels of the carriage and the horses' shoes were heard resounding on the pavement of the courtyard。
Dead Animosities
D'Artagnan arrived at the Bastile just as it was striking half…past eight。 His visit was announced to the governor； who； on hearing that he came from the cardinal； went to meet him and received him at the top of the great flight of steps outside the door。 The governor of the Bastile was Monsieur du Tremblay； the brother of the famous Capuchin； Joseph； that fearful favorite of Richelieu's； who went by the name of the Gray Cardinal。
During the period that the Duc de Bassompierre passed in the Bastile where he remained for twelve long years when his panions； in their dreams of liberty； said to each other： 〃As for me； I shall go out of the prison at such a time；〃 and another； at such and such a time； the duke used to answer； 〃As for me； gentlemen； I shall leave only when Monsieur du Tremblay leaves；〃 meaning that at the death of the cardinal Du Tremblay would certainly lose his place at the Bastile and De Bassompierre regain his at court。
His prediction was nearly fulfilled； but in a very different way from that which De Bassompierre supposed； for after the death of Richelieu everything went on； contrary to expectation； in the same way as before； and Bassompierre had little chance of leaving his prison。
Monsieur du Tremblay received D'Artagnan with extreme politeness and invited him to sit down with him to supper； of which he was himself about to partake。
〃I should be delighted to do so；〃 was the reply； 〃but if I am not mistaken； the words ‘In haste；' are written on the envelope of the letter which I brought。〃
〃You are right；〃 said Du Tremblay。 〃Halloo； major！ tell them to order Number 25 to e downstairs。〃
The unhappy wretch who entered the Bastile ceased； as he crossed the threshold； to be a man he became a number。
D'Artagnan shuddered at the noise of the keys； he remained on horseback； feeling no inclination to dismount； and sat looking at the bars； at the buttressed windows and the immense walls he had hitherto only seen from the other side of the moat； but by which he had for twenty years been awe…struck。
A bell resounded。
〃I must leave you；〃 said Du Tremblay； 〃I am sent for to sign the release of a prisoner。 I shall be happy to meet you again； sir。〃
〃May the devil annihilate me if I return thy wish！〃 murmured D'Artagnan； smiling as he pronounced the imprecation； 〃I declare I feel quite ill after only being five minutes in the courtyard。 Go to！ go to！ I would rather die on straw than hoard up a thousand a year by being governor of the Bastile。〃
He had scarcely finished this soliloquy before the prisoner arrived。 On seeing him D'Artagnan could hardly suppress an exclamation of surprise。 The prisoner got into the carriage without seeming to recognize the musketeer。
〃Gentlemen；〃 thus D'Artagnan addressed the four musketeers； 〃I am ordered to exercise the greatest possible care in guarding the prisoner； and since there are no locks to the carriage； I s