The cardinal leaned his elbow on his manuscript, his cheekupon his hand, and looked intently at the young man for amoment. No one had a more searching eye than the Cardinalde Richelieu, and D'Artagnan felt this glance run throughhis veins like a fever.

He however kept a good countenance, holding his hat in hishand and awaiting the good pleasure of his Eminence, withouttoo much assurance, but also without too much humility.

"Monsieur," said the cardinal, "are you a D'Artagnan fromBearn?"

"Yes, monseigneur," replied the young man.

"There are several branches of the D'Artagnans at Tarbes andin its environs," said the cardinal; "to which do youbelong?"

"I am the son of him who served in the Religious Wars underthe great King Henry, the father of his gracious Majesty."

"That is well. It is you who set out seven or eight monthsago from your country to seek your fortune in the capital?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"You came through Meung, where something befell you. Idon't very well know what, but still something."

"Monseigneur," said D'Artagnan, "this was what happened tome - "

"Never mind, never mind!" resumed the cardinal, with a smilewhich indicated that he knew the story as well as he whowished to relate it. "You were recommended to Monsieur deTreville, were you not?"

"Yes, monseigneur; but in that unfortunate affair atMeung - "

"The letter was lost," replied his Eminence; "yes, I knowthat. But Monsieur de Treville is a skilled physiognomist,who knows men at first sight; and he placed you in thecompany of his brother-in-law, Monsieur Dessessart, leavingyou to hope that one day or other you should enter theMusketeers."

"Monseigneur is correctly informed," said D'Artagnan.

"Since that time many things have happened to you. You werewalking one day behind the Chartreux, when it would havebeen better if you had been elsewhere. Then you took withyour friends a journey to the waters of Forges; they stoppedon the road, but you continued yours. That is all verysimple: you had business in England."

"Monseigneur," said D'Artagnan, quite confused, "I went - "

"Hunting at Windsor, or elsewhere - that concerns nobody. Iknow, because it is my office to know everything. On yourreturn you were received by an august personage, and Iperceive with pleasure that you preserve the souvenir shegave you."

D'Artagnan placed his hand upon the queen's diamond, whichhe wore, and quickly turned the stone inward; but it was toolate.

"The day after that, you received a visit from Cavois,"resumed the cardinal. "He went to desire you to come to thepalace. You have not returned that visit, and you werewrong."

"Monseigneur, I feared I had incurred disgrace with yourEminence."

"How could that be, monsieur? Could you incur mydispleasure by having followed the orders of your superiorswith more intelligence and courage than another would havedone? It is the people who do not obey that I punish, andnot those who, like you, obey - but too well. As a proof,remember the date of the day on which I had you bidden tocome to me, and seek in your memory for what happened to youthat very night."

That was the very evening when the abduction of Mme.Bonacieux took place. D'Artagnan trembled; and he likewiserecollected that during the past half hour the poor womanhad passed close to him, without doubt carried away by thesame power that had caused her disappearance.

"In short," continued the cardinal, "as I have heard nothingof you for some time past, I wished to know what you weredoing. Besides, you owe me some thanks. You must yourselfhave remarked how much you have been considered in all thecircumstances."

D'Artagnan bowed with respect.

"That," continued the cardinal, "arose not only from afeeling of natural equity, but likewise from a plan I havemarked out with respect to you."

D'Artagnan became more and more astonished.

"I wished to explain this plan to you on the day youreceived my first invitation; but you did not come.Fortunately, nothing is lost by this delay, and you are nowabout to hear it. Sit down there, before me, d'Artagnan;you are gentleman enough not to listen standing." And thecardinal pointed with his finger to a chair for the youngman, who was so astonished at what was passing that heawaited a second sign from his interlocutor before heobeyed.

"You are brave, Monsieur d'Artagnan," continued hisEminence; "you are prudent, which is still better. I likemen of head and heart. Don't be afraid," said he, smiling."By men of heart I mean men of courage. But young as youare, and scarcely entering into the world, you have powerfulenemies; if you do not take great heed, they will destroyyou."

"Alas, monseigneur!" replied the young man, "very easily, nodoubt, for they are strong and well supported, while I amalone."

"Yes, that's true; but alone as you are, you have done muchalready, and will do still more, I don't doubt. Yet youhave need, I believe, to be guided in the adventurous careeryou have undertaken; for, if I mistake not, you came toParis with the ambitious idea of making your fortune."

"I am at the age of extravagant hopes, monseigneur," saidD'Artagnan.

"There are no extravagant but for fools, monsieur, and youare a man of understanding. Now, what would you say to anensign's commission in my Guards, and a company after thecampaign?"

"Ah, monseigneur."

"You accept it, do you not?"

"Monseigneur," replied D'Artagnan, with an embarrassed air.

"How? You refuse?" cried the cardinal, with astonishment.

"I am in his Majesty's Guards, monseigneur, and I have noreason to be dissatisfied."

"But it appears to me that my Guards - mine - are also hisMajesty's Guards; and whoever serves in a French corpsserves the king."

"Monseigneur, your Eminence has ill understood my words."

"You want a pretext, do you not? I comprehend. Well, youhave this excuse: advancement, the opening campaign, theopportunity which I offer you - so much for the world. Asregards yourself, the need of protection; for it is fit youshould know, Monsieur d'Artagnan, that I have received heavyand serious complaints against you. You do not consecrateyour days and nights wholly to the king's service."

D'Artagnan colored.

"In fact," said the cardinal, placing his hand upon a bundleof papers, "I have here a whole pile which concerns you. Iknow you to be a man of resolution; and your services, welldirected, instead of leading you to ill, might be veryadvantageous to you. Come; reflect, and decide."

"Your goodness confounds me, monseigneur," repliedD'Artagnan, "and I am conscious of a greatness of soul inyour Eminence that makes me mean as an earthworm; but sinceMonseigneur permits me to speak freely - "

D'Artagnan paused.

"Yes; speak."

"Then, I will presume to say that all my friends are in theking's Musketeers and Guards, and that by an inconceivablefatality my enemies are in the service of your Eminence; Ishould, therefore, be ill received here and ill regardedthere if I accepted what Monseigneur offers me."

"Do you happen to entertain the haughty idea that I have notyet made you an offer equal to your value?" asked thecardinal, with a smile of disdain.

"Monseigneur, your Eminence is a hundred times too kind tome; and on the contrary, I think I have not proved myselfworthy of your goodness. The siege of La Rochelle is aboutto be resumed, monseigneur. I shall serve under the eye ofyour Eminence, and if I have the good fortune to conductmyself at the siege in such a manner as merits yourattention, then I shall at least leave behind me somebrilliant action to justify the protection with which youhonor me. Everything is best in its time, monseigneur.Hereafter, perhaps, I shall have the right of giving myself;at present I shall appear to sell myself."

"That is to say, you refuse to serve me, monsieur," said thecardinal, with a tone of vexation, through which, however,might be seen a sort of esteem; "remain free, then, andguard your hatreds and your sympathies."

"Monseigneur - "

"Well, well," said the cardinal, "I don't wish you any ill;but you must be aware that it is quite trouble enough todefend and recompense our friends. We owe nothing to ourenemies; and let me give you a piece of advice; take care ofyourself, Monsieur d'Artagnan, for from the moment Iwithdraw my hand from behind you, I would not give an obolusfor your life."

"I will try to do so, monseigneur," replied the Gascon, witha noble confidence.

"Remember at a later period and at a certain moment, if anymischance should happen to you," said Richelieu,significantly, "that it was I who came to seek you, and thatI did all in my power to prevent this misfortune befallingyou."

"I shall entertain, whatever may happen," said D'Artagnan,placing his hand upon his breast and bowing, "an eternalgratitude toward your Eminence for that which you now do forme."

"Well, let it be, then, as you have said, Monsieurd'Artagnan; we shall see each other again after thecampaign. I will have my eye upon you, for I shall bethere," replied the cardinal, pointing with his finger to amagnificent suit of armor he was to wear, "and on ourreturn, well - we will settle our account!"

"Young man," said Richelieu, "if I shall be able to say toyou at another time what I have said to you today, I promiseyou to do so."

This last expression of Richelieu's conveyed a terribledoubt; it alarmed D'Artagnan more than a menace would havedone, for it was a warning. The cardinal, then, was seekingto preserve him from some misfortune which threatened him.He opened his mouth to reply, but with a haughty gesture thecardinal dismissed him.

D'Artagnan went out, but at the door his heart almost failedhim, and he felt inclined to return. Then the noble andsevere countenance of Athos crossed his mind; if he made thecompact with the cardinal which he required, Athos would nomore give him his hand - Athos would renounce him.

It was this fear that restrained him, so powerful is theinfluence of a truly great character on all that surroundsit.

D'Artagnan descended by the staircase at which he hadentered, and found Athos and the four Musketeers waiting hisappearance, and beginning to grow uneasy. With a word,D'Artagnan reassured them; and Planchet ran to inform theother sentinels that it was useless to keep guard longer, ashis master had come out safe from the Palais-Cardinal.

Returned home with Athos, Aramis and Porthos inquiredeagerly the cause of the strange interview; but D'Artagnanconfined himself to telling them that M. de Richelieu hadsent for him to propose to him to enter into his guards withthe rank of ensign, and that he had refused.

"And you were right," cried Aramis and Porthos, with onevoice.

Athos fell into a profound reverie and answered nothing.But when they were alone he said, "You have done that whichyou ought to have done, D'Artagnan; but perhaps you havebeen wrong."

D'Artagnan sighed deeply, for this voice responded to asecret voice of his soul, which told him that greatmisfortunes awaited him.

The whole of the next day was spent in preparations fordeparture. D'Artagnan went to take leave of M. de Treville.At that time it was believed that the separation of theMusketeers and the Guards would be but momentary, the kingholding his Parliament that very day and proposing to setout the day after. M. de Treville contented himself withasking D'Artagnan if he could do anything for him, butD'Artagnan answered that he was supplied with all he wanted.

That night brought together all those comrades of the Guardsof M. Dessessart and the company of Musketeers of M. deTreville who had been accustomed to associate together.They were parting to meet again when it pleased God, and ifit pleased God. That night, then, was somewhat riotous, asmay be imagined. In such cases extreme preoccupation isonly to be combated by extreme carelessness.

At the first sound of the morning trumpet the friendsseparated; the Musketeers hastening to the hotel of M. deTreville, the Guards to that of M. Dessessart. Each of thecaptains then led his company to the Louvre, where the kingheld his review

The king was dull and appeared ill, which detracted a littlefrom his usual lofty bearing. In fact, the evening before,a fever had seized him in the midst of the Parliament, whilehe was holding his Bed of Justice. He had, not the less,decided upon setting out that same evening; and in spite ofthe remonstrances that had been offered to him, he persistedin having the review, hoping by setting it at defiance toconquer the disease which began to lay hold upon him.

The review over, the Guards set forward alone on theirmarch, the Musketeers waiting for the king, which allowedPorthos time to go and take a turn in his superb equipmentin the Rue aux Ours.

The procurator's wife saw him pass in his new uniform and onhis fine horse. She loved Porthos too dearly to allow himto part thus; she made him a sign to dismount and come toher. Porthos was magnificent; his spurs jingled, hiscuirass glittered, his sword knocked proudly against hisample limbs. This time the clerks evinced no inclination tolaugh, such a real ear clipper did Porthos appear.

The Musketeer was introduced to M. Coquenard, whose littlegray eyes sparkled with anger at seeing his cousin allblazing new. Nevertheless, one thing afforded him inwardconsolation; it was expected by everybody that the campaignwould be a severe one. He whispered a hope to himself thatthis beloved relative might be killed in the field.

Porthos paid his compliments to M. Coquenard and bade himfarewell. M. Coquenard wished him all sorts ofprosperities. As to Mme. Coquenard, she could not restrainher tears; but no evil impressions were taken from her griefas she was known to be very much attached to her relatives,about whom she was constantly having serious disputes withher husband.

But the real adieux were made in Mme. Coquenard's chamber;they were heartrending.

As long as the procurator's wife could follow him with hereyes, she waved her handkerchief to him, leaning so far outof the window as to lead people to believe she wished toprecipitate herself. Porthos received all these attentionslike a man accustomed to such demonstrations, only onturning the corner of the street he lifted his hatgracefully, and waved it to her as a sign of adieu.

On his part Aramis wrote a long letter. To whom? Nobodyknew. Kitty, who was to set out that evening for Tours, waswaiting in the next chamber.

Athos sipped the last bottle of his Spanish wine.

In the meantime D'Artagnan was defiling with his company.Arriving at the Faubourg St. Antoine, he turned round tolook gaily at the Bastille; but as it was the Bastille alonehe looked at, he did not observe Milady, who, mounted upon alight chestnut horse, designated him with her finger to twoill-looking men who came close up to the ranks to takenotice of him. To a look of interrogation which they made,Milady replied by a sign that it was he. Then, certain thatthere could be no mistake in the execution of her orders,she started her horse and disappeared.

The two men followed the company, and on leaving theaubourg St. Antoine, mounted two horses properly equipped,which a servant without livery had waiting for them.