"That is true," murmured Mazarin, in a low tone, "but as thy life is not mine I suppose I must buy it, must I not?" and sighing deeply he began to turn the hoop of his ring outside again. D'Artagnan smiled. These two men met at one point and that was, cunning; had they been actuated equally by courage, the one would have done great things for the other.
"But, also," said Mazarin, "you must understand that if I ask this service from you it is with the intention of being grateful."
"Is it still only an intention, your eminence?" asked D'Artagnan.
"Stay," said Mazarin, drawing the ring from his finger, "my dear D'Artagnan, there is a diamond which belonged to you formerly, it is but just it should return to you; take it, I pray."
D'Artagnan spared Mazarin the trouble of insisting, and after looking to see if the stone was the same and assuring himself of the purity of its water, he took it and passed it on his finger with indescribable pleasure.
"I valued it much," said Mazarin, giving a last look at it;
"nevertheless, I give it to you with great pleasure."
"And I, my lord," said D'Artagnan, "accept it as it is given. Come, let us speak of your little affairs. You wish to leave before everybody and at what hour?"
"At ten o'clock."
"And the queen, at what time is it her wish to start?"
"At midnight."
"Then it is possible. I can get you out of Paris and leave you beyond the barriere, and can return for her."
"Capital; but how will you get me out of Paris?"
"Oh! as to that, you must leave it to me."
"I give you absolute power, therefore; take as large an escort as you like."
D'Artagnan shook his head.
"It seems to me, however," said Mazarin, "the safest method."
"Yes, for you, my lord, but not for the queen; you must leave it to me and give me the entire direction of the undertaking."
"Nevertheless ---- "
"Or find some one else," continued D'Artagnan, turning his back.
"Oh!" muttered Mazarin, "I do believe he is going off with the diamond! M. d'Artagnan, my dear M. d'Artagnan," he called out in a coaxing voice, "will you answer for everything?"
"I will answer for nothing. I will do my best."
"Well, then, let us go -- I must trust to you."
"It is very fortunate," said D'Artagnan to himself.
"You will be here at half-past nine."
"And I shall find your eminence ready?"
"Certainly, quite ready."
"Well, then, it is a settled thing; and now, my lord, will you obtain for me an audience with the queen?"
"For what purpose?"
"I wish to receive her majesty's commands from her own lips."
"She desired me to give them to you."
"She may have forgotten something."
"You really wish to see her?"
"It is indispensable, my lord."
Mazarin hesitated for one instant, but D'Artagnan was firm.
"Come, then," said the minister; "I will conduct you to her, but remember, not one word of our conversation."
"What has passed between us concerns ourselves alone. my lord," replied D'Artagnan.
"Swear to be mute."
"I never swear, my lord, I say yes or no; and, as I am a gentleman, I keep my word."
"Come, then, I see that I must trust unreservedly to you."
"Believe me, my lord, it will be your best plan."
"Come," said Mazarin, conducting D'Artagnan into the queen's oratory and desiring him to wait there. He did not wait long, for in five minutes the queen entered in full gala costume. Thus dressed she scarcely appeared thirty-five years of age. She was still exceedingly handsome.
"It is you, Monsieur D'Artagnan," she said, smiling graciously; "I thank you for having insisted on seeing me."
"I ought to ask your majesty's pardon, but I wished to receive your commands from your own mouth."
"Do you accept the commission which I have intrusted to you?"
"With gratitude."
"Very well, be here at midnight."
"I will not fail."
"Monsieur d'Artagnan," continued the queen, "I know your disinterestedness too well to speak of my own gratitude at such a moment, but I swear to you that I shall not forget this second service as I forgot the first."
"Your majesty is free to forget or to remember, as it pleases you; and I know not what you mean," said D'Artagnan, bowing.
"Go, sir," said the queen, with her most bewitching smile, "go and return at midnight."
And D'Artagnan retired, but as he passed out he glanced at the curtain through which the queen had entered and at the bottom of the tapestry he remarked the tip of a velvet slipper.
"Good," thought he; "Mazarin has been listening to discover whether I betrayed him. In truth, that Italian puppet does not deserve the services of an honest man."
D'Artagnan was not less exact to his appointment and at half-past nine o'clock he entered the ante-room.
He found the cardinal dressed as an officer, and he looked very well in that costume, which, as we have already said, he wore elegantly; only he was very pale and trembled slightly.
"Quite alone?" he asked.
"Yes, my lord."
"And that worthy Monsieur du Vallon, are we not to enjoy his society?"
"Certainly, my lord; he is waiting in his carriage at the gate of the garden of the Palais Royal."
"And we start in his carriage, then?"
"Yes, my lord."
"And with us no other escort but you two?"
"Is it not enough? One of us would suffice."
"Really, my dear Monsieur d'Artagnan," said the cardinal, "your coolness startles me."
"I should have thought, on the contrary, that it ought to have inspired you with confidence."
"And Bernouin -- do I not take him with me?"
"There is no room for him, he will rejoin your eminence."
"Let us go," said Mazarin, "since everything must be done as you wish."
"My lord, there is time to draw back," said D'Artagnan, "and your eminence is perfectly free."
"Not at all, not at all," said Mazarin; "let us be off."
And so they descended the private stair, Mazarin leaning on the arm of D'Artagnan a hand the musketeer felt trembling.
At last, after crossing the courts of the Palais Royal, where there still remained some of the conveyances of late guests, they entered the garden and reached the little gate.
Mazarin attempted to open it by a key which he took from his pocket, but with such shaking fingers that he could not find the keyhole.
