D’Artagnan came the next day to milady’s. As she was in a very ill humour, he suspected that the lack of an answer from M. de Wardes provoked her to be so. Kitty came in, but milady was very cross with her. She glanced at D’Artagnan, as much as to say, “See how I suffer on your account!”
Toward the end of the evening, however, the beautiful lioness became milder. She smilingly listened to D’Artagnan’s soft speeches; she even gave him her hand to kiss.
When D’Artagnan took his departure he scarcely knew what to think; but as he was a youth not easily carried away by his emotions, even while he was continuing to pay court to milady he framed a little plan.
He found Kitty at the gate, and, as on the evening before, went up to her chamber. Kitty had been severely scolded; she was charged with negligence. Milady coud not at all understand the Comte de Wardes’s silence, and she ordered Kitty to come at nine o’clock in the morning to take a third letter to him.
D’Artagnan made Kitty promise to bring him that letter on the following morning. The poor girl promised all her lover desired; she was madly in love.
Everything occurred as it had the night before. D’Artagnan concealed himself in his wardrobe, milady called, undressed, sent Kitty away, and shut the door. As before, D’Artagnan returned home at five o’clock in the morning.
At eleven o’clock he saw Kitty coming; she held in her hand a fresh note from milady. This time the poor girl did not even hesitate at giving up the note to D’Artagnan. She let him do as he pleased. She belonged, body and soul, to her handsome soldier.
D’Artagnan opened the letter, and read as follows:
“This is the third time I have written to you to tell you that I love you. Beware lest I write to you a fourth time to tell you that I detest you.
“If you repent of the manner in which you have treated me, the young girl who brings you this note will tell you how a gentleman may obtain his pardon.”
D’Artagnan coloured and grew pale several times as he read this note.
“Oh, you love her still,” said Kitty, who had not for an instant taken her eyes off the young man’s face.
“No, Kitty, you are mistaken; I do not love her, but I wish to revenge myself for her contempt of me.”
“Oh yes, I knew your vengeance! You told me!”
“What difference does it make to you, Kitty? You know I love only you.”
“How can I be sure of that?”
“By the contempt I will cast on her.”
D’Artagnan took a pen and wrote,
“Madame,—Until the present moment I could not believe that you two first letters were addressed to me, so unworthy did I feel myself of such an honour; besides, I was so seriously indisposed that I should, in any case, have hesitated to reply to them.
“But now I must believe in the excess of your kindness, since not only your letter but your servant assures me that I have the good fortune to be loved by you.
“She has no occasion to teach me the way in which a gentleman may obtain his pardon. I will come and ask mine at eleven o’clock this evening.
“To delay it a single day would be, in my eyes, now to commit a fresh offence.
“He whom you have rendered the happiest of men,“Comte de Wardes.
”D’Artagnan’s plan was very simple. By Kitty’s chamber he could gain her mistress’s. He would take advantage of the first moment of surprise, shame, and terror to triumph over her.
The campaign was to open in a week, and he would be compelled to leave Paris. D’Artagnan had no time for a prolonged love-making.
“There!” said the young man, handing Kitty the letter sealed and addressed; “give this note to milady. It is the Comte de Wardes’s reply.”
Poor Kitty turned deathly pale: she suspected what the letter contained.
“But what does your note say?”
“Milady will tell you.”
“Ah, you do not love me,” cried Kitty, “and I am very wretched.”
To such a reproach there is one answer that always deceives women. D’Artagnan replied in a way that left Kitty entirely convinced. Yet she wept a great deal before she could make up her mind to give the letter to milady. But at last she decided to do so, and that was all that D’Artagnan wanted.
Besides, he promised her that he would leave her mistress early that evening, and on coming out of the parlour would go up to Kitty’s room. This promise completely consoled poor Kitty.
