Resolved to seek an explanation on all these points on the following day, DArtagnan, in spite of his fatigue, prepared for an attack and determined that it should take place after breakfast. He determined to cultivate the goodwill of the youth Raoul and, either whilst fencing with him or when out shooting, to extract from his simplicity some information which would connect the Athos of old times with the Athos of the present. But DArtagnan at the same time, being a man of extreme caution, was quite aware what injury he should do himself, if by any indiscretion or awkwardness he should betray has manoeuvering to the experienced eye of Athos. Besides, to tell truth, whilst DArtagnan was quite disposed to adopt a subtle course against the cunning of Aramis or the vanity of Porthos, he was ashamed to equivocate with Athos, truehearted, open Athos. It seemed to him that if Porthos and Aramis deemed him superior to them in the arts of diplomacy, they would like him all the better for it; but that Athos, on the contrary, would despise him.
"Ah! why is not Grimaud, the taciturn Grimaud, here?" thought DArtagnan, "there are so many things his silence would have told me; with Grimaud silence was another form of eloquence!"
There reigned a perfect stillness in the house. DArtagnan had heard the door shut and the shutters barred; the dogs became in their turn silent. At last a nightingale, lost in a thicket of shrubs, in the midst of its most melodious cadences had fluted low and lower into stillness and fallen asleep. Not a sound was heard in the castle, except of a footstep up and down, in the chamber aboveas he supposed, the bedroom of Athos.
"He is walking about and thinking," thought DArtagnan; "but of what? It is impossible to know; everything else might be guessed, but not that."
At length Athos went to bed, apparently, for the noise ceased.
Silence and fatigue together overcame DArtagnan and sleep overtook him also. He was not, however, a good sleeper. Scarcely had dawn gilded his window curtains when he sprang out of bed and opened the windows. Somebody, he perceived, was in the courtyard, moving stealthily. True to his custom of never passing anything over that it was within his power to know, DArtagnan looked out of the window and perceived the close red coat and brown hair of Raoul.
The young man was opening the door of the stable. He then, with noiseless haste, took out the horse that he had ridden on the previous evening, saddled and bridled it himself and led the animal into the alley to the right of the kitchengarden, opened a side door which conducted him to a bridle road, shut it after him, and DArtagnan saw him pass by like a dart, bending, as he went, beneath the pendent flowery branches of maple and acacia. The road, as DArtagnan had observed, was the way to Blois.
"So!" thought the Gascon "heres a young blade who has already his love affair, who doesnt at all agree with Athos in his hatred to the fair sex. Hes not going to hunt, for he has neither dogs nor arms; hes not going on a message, for he goes secretly. Why does he go in secret? Is he afraid of me or of his father? for I am sure the count is his father. By Jove! I shall know about that soon, for I shall soon speak out to Athos."
Day was now advanced; all the noises that had ceased the night before reawakened, one after the other. The bird on the branch, the dog in his kennel, the sheep in the field, the boats moored in the Loire, even, became alive and vocal. The latter, leaving the shore, abandoned themselves gaily to the current. The Gascon gave a last twirl to his mustache, a last turn to his hair, brushed, from habit, the brim of his hat with the sleeve of his doublet, and went downstairs. Scarcely had he descended the last step of the threshold when he saw Athos bent down toward the ground, as if he were looking for a crownpiece in the dust.
"Goodmorning, my dear host," cried DArtagnan.
"Goodday to you; have you slept well?"
"Excellently, Athos, but what are you looking for? You are perhaps a tulip fancier?"
"My dear friend, if I am, you must not laugh at me for being so. In the country people alter; one gets to like, without knowing it, all those beautiful objects that God causes to spring from the earth, which are despised in cities. I was looking anxiously for some iris roots I planted here, close to this reservoir, and which some one has trampled upon this morning. These gardeners are the most careless people in the world; in bringing the horse out to the water theyve allowed him to walk over the border."
DArtagnan began to smile.
"Ah! you think so, do you?"
And he took his friend along the alley, where a number of tracks like those which had trampled down the flowerbeds, were visible.
"Here are the horses hoofs again, it seems, Athos," he said carelessly.
"Yes, indeed, the marks are recent."
"Quite so," replied the lieutenant.
"Who went out this morning?" Athos asked, uneasily. "Has any horse got loose?"
"Not likely," answered the Gascon; "these marks are regular."
"Where is Raoul?" asked Athos; "how is it that I have not seen him?"
"Hush!" exclaimed DArtagnan, putting his finger on his lips; and he related what he had seen, watching Athos all the while.
"Ah, hes gone to Blois; the poor boy"
"Wherefore?"
"Ah, to inquire after the little La Valliere; she has sprained her foot, you know."
"You think he has?"
"I am sure of it," said Athos; "dont you see that Raoul is in love?"
"Indeed! with whomwith a child seven years old?"
"Dear friend, at Raouls age the heart is so expansive that it must encircle one object or another, fancied or real. Well, his love is half real, half fanciful. She is the prettiest little creature in the world, with flaxen hair, blue eyes,at once saucy and languishing."
"But what say you to Raouls fancy?"
"NothingI laugh at Raoul; but this first desire of the heart is imperious. I remember, just at his age, how deep in love I was with a Grecian statue which our good king, then Henry IV., gave my father, insomuch that I was mad with grief when they told me that the story of Pygmalion was nothing but a fable."
"It is mere want of occupation. You do not make Raoul work, so he takes his own way of employing himself."
"Exactly; therefore I think of sending him away from here."
"You will be wise to do so."
"No doubt of it; but it will break his heart. So long as three or four years ago he used to adorn and adore his little idol, whom he will some day fall in love with in right earnest if he remains here. The parents of little La Valliere have for a long time perceived and been amused at it; now they begin to look concerned."
"Nonsense! However, Raoul must be diverted from this fancy. Send him away or you will never make a man of him."
"I think I shall send him to Paris."
"So!" thought DArtagnan, and it seemed to him that the moment for attack had arrived.
"Suppose," he said, "we roughly chalk out a career for this young man. I wish to consult you about some thing."
"You will be wise to do so."
"No doubt of it; but it will break his heart. So long as three or four years ago he used to adorn and adore his little idol, whom he will some day fall in love with in right earnest if he remains here. The parents of little La Valliere have for a long time perceived and been amused at it; now they begin to look concerned."
"Nonsense! However, Raoul must be diverted from this fancy. Send him away or you will never make a man of him."
"I think I shall send him to Paris."
"So!" thought DArtagnan, and it seemed to him that the moment for attack had arrived.
"Suppose," he said, "we roughly chalk out a career for this young man. I wish to consult you about some thing."
"Do so."
"Do you think it is time for us to enter the service?"
"But are you not still in the serviceyou, DArtagnan?"
"I mean active service. Our former life, has it still no attractions for you? would you not be happy to begin anew in my society and in that of Porthos, the exploits of our youth?"
"Do you propose to me to do so, DArtagnan?"
"Decidedly and honestly."
"On whose side?" asked Athos, fixing his clear, benevolent glance on the countenance of the Gascon.
"Ah, devil take it, you speak in earnest"
"And must have a definite answer. Listen, DArtagnan. There is but one person, or rather, one cause, to whom a man like me can be usefulthat of the king."
"Exactly," answered the musketeer.
"Yes, but let us understand each other," returned Athos, seriously. "If by the cause of the king you mean that of Monsieur de Mazarin, we do not understand each other."
"I dont say exactly," answered the Gascon, confused.
"Come, DArtagnan, dont let us play a sidelong game; your hesitation, your evasion, tells me at once on whose side you are; for that party no one dares openly to recruit, and when people recruit for it, it is with averted eyes and humble voice."
"Ah! my dear Athos!"
"You know that I am not alluding to you; you are the pearl of brave, bold men. I speak of that spiteful and intriguing Italianof the pedant who has tried to put on his own head a crown which he stole from under a pillowof the scoundrel who calls his party the party of the kingwho wants to send the princes of the blood to prison, not daring to kill them, as our great cardinalour cardinal didof the miser, who weighs his gold pieces and keeps the clipped ones for fear, though he is rich, of losing them at play next morningof the impudent fellow who insults the queen, as they sayso much the worse for herand who is going in three months to make war upon us, in order that he may retain his pensions; is that the master whom you propose to me? I thank you, DArtagnan."
"You are more impetuous than you were," returned DArtagnan. "Age has warmed, not chilled your blood. Who informed you this was the master I propose to you? Devil take it," he muttered to himself, "dont let me betray my secrets to a man not inclined to entertain them."
"Well, then," said Athos, "what are your schemes? what do you propose?"
"Zounds! nothing more than natural. You live on your estate, happy in golden mediocrity. Porthos has, perhaps, sixty thousand francs income. Aramis has always fifty duchesses quarreling over the priest, as they quarreled formerly over the musketeer; but Iwhat have I in the world? I have worn my cuirass these twenty years, kept down in this inferior rank, without going forward or backward, hardly half living. In fact, I am dead. Well! when there is some idea of being resuscitated, you say hes a scoundrel, an impudent fellow, a miser, a bad master! By Jove! I am of your opinion, but find me a better one or give me the means of living."