"Well," interrupted DArtagnan, "I am delighted that De Rochefort is free, but as for thee, if thou shouldst fall into the hands of the kings servants they will hang thee without mercy. Nevertheless, I promise thee thou shalt be hidden here, though I risk by concealing thee neither more nor less than my lieutenancy, if it was found out that I gave one rebel an asylum."
"Ah! sir, you know well I would risk my life for you."
"Thou mayst add that thou hast risked it, Planchet. I have not forgotten all I owe thee. Sit down there and eat in security. I see thee cast expressive glances at the remains of my supper."
"Yes, sir; for all Ive had since yesterday was a slice of bread and butter, with preserves on it. Although I dont despise sweet things in proper time and place, I found the supper rather light."
"Poor fellow!" said DArtagnan. "Well, come; set to."
"Ah, sir, you are going to save my life a second time!" cried Planchet.
And he seated himself at the table and ate as he did in the merry days of the Rue des Fossoyeurs, whilst DArtagnan walked to and fro and thought how he could make use of Planchet under present circumstances. While he turned this over in his mind Planchet did his best to make up for lost time at table. At last he uttered a sigh of satisfaction and paused, as if he had partially appeased his hunger.
"Come," said DArtagnan, who thought that it was now a convenient time to begin his interrogations, "dost thou know where Athos is?"
"No, sir," replied Planchet.
"The devil thou dost not! Dost know where Porthos is?"
"Nonot at all."
"And Aramis?"
"Not in the least."
"The devil! the devil! the devil!"
"But, sir," said Planchet, with a look of shrewdness, "I know where Bazin is."
"Where is he?"
"At Notre Dame."
"What has he to do at Notre Dame?"
"He is beadle."
"Bazin beadle at Notre Dame! He must know where his master is!"
"Without a doubt he must."
DArtagnan thought for a moment, then took his sword and put on his cloak to go out.
"Sir," said Planchet, in a mournful tone, "do you abandon me thus to my fate? Think, if I am found out here, the people of the house, who have not seen me enter it, will take me for a thief."
"True," said DArtagnan. "Lets see. Canst thou speak any patois?"
"I can do something better than that, sir, I can speak Flemish."
"Where the devil didst thou learn it?"
"In Artois, where I fought for years. Listen, sir. Goeden morgen, mynheer, eth teen begeeray le weeten the ge sond heets omstand."
"Which means?"
"Goodday, sir! I am anxious to know the state of your health."
"He calls that a language! But never mind, that will do capitally."
DArtagnan opened the door and called out to a waiter to desire Madeleine to come upstairs.
When the landlady made her appearance she expressed much astonishment at seeing Planchet.
"My dear landlady," said DArtagnan, "I beg to introduce to you your brother, who is arrived from Flanders and whom I am going to take into my service."
"My brother?"
"Wish your sister goodmorning, Master Peter."
"Wilkom, suster," said Planchet.
"Goeden day, broder," replied the astonished landlady.
"This is the case," said DArtagnan; "this is your brother, Madeleine; you dont know him perhaps, but I know him; he has arrived from Amsterdam. You must dress him up during my absence. When I return, which will be in about an hour, you must offer him to me as a servant, and upon your recommendation, though he doesnt speak a word of French, I take him into my service. You understand?"
"That is to say, I guess your wishes, and that is all thats necessary," said Madeleine.
"You are a precious creature, my pretty hostess, and I am much obliged to you."
The next moment DArtagnan was on his way to Notre Dame.
7.
Touches Upon the Strange Effects a Half-pistole May Have.
DArtagnan, as he crossed the Pont Neuf, congratulated himself on having found Planchet again, for at that time an intelligent servant was essential to him; nor was he sorry that through Planchet and the situation which he held in Rue des Lombards, a connection with the bourgeoisie might be commenced, at that critical period when that class were preparing to make war with the court party. It was like having a spy in the enemys camp. In this frame of mind, grateful for the accidental meeting with Planchet, pleased with himself, DArtagnan reached Notre Dame. He ran up the steps, entered the church, and addressing a verger who was sweeping the chapel, asked him if he knew Monsieur Bazin.
"Monsieur Bazin, the beadle?" said the verger. "Yes. There he is, attending mass, in the chapel of the Virgin."
DArtagnan nearly jumped for joy; he had despaired of finding Bazin, but now, he thought, since he held one end of the thread he would be pretty sure to reach the other end.
He knelt down just opposite the chapel in order not to lose sight of his man; and as he had almost forgotten his prayers and had omitted to take a book with him, he made use of his time in gazing at Bazin.
Bazin wore his dress, it may be observed, with equal dignity and saintly propriety. It was not difficult to understand that he had gained the crown of his ambition and that the silvermounted wand he brandished was in his eyes as honorable a distinction as the marshals baton which Conde threw, or did not throw, into the enemys line of battle at Fribourg. His person had undergone a change, analogous to the change in his dress; his figure had grown rotund and, as it were, canonical. The striking points of his face were effaced; he had still a nose, but his cheeks, fattened out, each took a portion of it unto themselves; his chin had joined his throat; his eyes were swelled up with the puffiness of his cheeks; his hair, cut straight in holy guise, covered his forehead as far as his eyebrows.
The officiating priest was just finishing mass whilst DArtagnan was looking at Bazin; he pronounced the words of the holy Sacrament and retired, giving the benediction, which was received by the kneeling communicants, to the astonishment of DArtagnan, who recognized in the priest the coadjutor* himself, the famous Jean Francois Gondy, who at that time, having a presentiment of the part he was to play, was beginning to court popularity by almsgiving. It was to this end that he performed from time to time some of those early masses which the common people, generally, alone attended.
* A sacerdotal officer.
DArtagnan knelt as well as the rest, received his share of the benediction and made the sign of the cross; but when Bazin passed in his turn, with his eyes raised to Heaven and walking, in all humility, the very last, DArtagnan pulled him by the hem of his robe.
Bazin looked down and started, as if he had seen a serpent.
"Monsieur dArtagnan!" he cried; "Vade retro Satanas!"
"So, my dear Bazin!" said the officer, laughing, "this is the way you receive an old friend."
"Sir," replied Bazin, "the true friends of a Christian are those who aid him in working out his salvation, not those who hinder him in doing so."
"I dont understand you, Bazin; nor can I see how I can be a stumblingblock in the way of your salvation," said DArtagnan.
"You forget, sir, that you very nearly ruined forever that of my master; and that it was owing to you that he was very nearly being damned eternally for remaining a musketeer, whilst all the time his true vocation was the church."
"My dear Bazin, you ought to perceive," said DArtagnan, "from the place in which you find me, that I am greatly changed in everything. Age produces good sense, and, as I doubt not but that your master is on the road to salvation, I want you to tell me where he is, that he may help me to mine."
"Rather say, to take him back with you into the world. Fortunately, I dont know where he is."
"How!" cried DArtagnan; "you dont know where Aramis is?"
"Formerly," replied Bazin, "Aramis was his name of perdition. By Aramis is meant Simara, which is the name of a demon. Happily for him he has ceased to bear that name."
"And therefore," said DArtagnan, resolved to be patient to the end, "it is not Aramis I seek, but the Abbe dHerblay. Come, my dear Bazin, tell me where he is."
"Didnt you hear me tell you, Monsieur dArtagnan, that I dont know where he is?"
"Yes, certainly; but to that I answer that it is impossible."
"It is, nevertheless, the truth, monsieurthe pure truth, the truth of the good God."
DArtagnan saw clearly that he would get nothing out of this man, who was evidently telling a falsehood in his pretended ignorance of the abode of Aramis, but whose lies were bold and decided.
"Well, Bazin," said DArtagnan, "since you do not know where your master lives, let us speak of it no more; let us part good friends. Accept this halfpistole to drink to my health."
"I do not drink"Bazin pushed away with dignity the officers hand"tis good only for the laity."
"Incorruptible!" murmured DArtagnan; "I am unlucky;" and whilst he was lost in thought Bazin retreated toward the sacristy, and even there he could not think himself safe until he had shut and locked the door behind him.
DArtagnan was still in deep thought when some one touched him on the shoulder. He turned and was about to utter an exclamation of surprise when the other made to him a sign of silence.
"You here, Rochefort?" he said, in a low voice.
"Hush!" returned Rochefort. "Did you know that I am at liberty?"
"I knew it from the fountainheadfrom Planchet. And what brought you here?"
"I came to thank God for my happy deliverance," said Rochefort.
"And nothing more? I suppose that is not all."
"To take my orders from the coadjutor and to see if we cannot wake up Mazarin a little."
"A bad plan; youll be shut up again in the Bastile."
"Oh, as to that, I shall take care, I assure you. The air, the fresh, free air is so good; besides," and Rochefort drew a deep breath as he spoke, "I am going into the country to make a tour."
"Stop," cried DArtagnan; "I, too, am going."
"And if I may without impertinence askwhere are you going?"
"To seek my friends."
"What friends?"
"Those that you asked about yesterday."
"Athos, Porthos and Aramisyou are looking for them?"
"Yes."
"On honor?"
"What, then, is there surprising in that?"
"Nothing. Queer, though. And in whose behalf are you looking for them?"
"You are in no doubt on that score."
"That is true."
"Unfortunately, I have no idea where they are."
"And you have no way to get news of them? Wait a week and I myself will give you some."
"A week is too long. I must find them within three days."
"Three days are a short time and France is large."
"No matter; you know the word must; with that word great things are done."
"And when do you set out?"
"I am now on my road."
"Good luck to you."
"And to youa good journey."
"Perhaps we shall meet on our road."
"That is not probable."
"Who knows? Chance is so capricious. Adieu, till we meet again! Apropos, should Mazarin speak to you about me, tell him that I should have requested you to acquaint him that in a short time he will see whether I am, as he says, too old for action."