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if　he　will　grant　to　me　and　my　friends　what　we　demand　for　France　and　for　ourselves。〃
　　〃Occupy　yourselves　with　your　own　affairs；　gentlemen；　and　let　France　settle　matters　as　she　will　with　me；〃　resumed　Mazarin。
　　〃Ho！　ho！〃　replied　Aramis。　〃The　Frondeurs　will　have　a　treaty　and　your　eminence　must　sign　it　before　us；　promising　at　the　same　time　to　obtain　the　queen's　consent　to　it。〃
　　〃I　can　answer　only　for　myself；〃　said　Mazarin。　〃I　cannot　answer　for　the　queen。　Suppose　her　majesty　refuses？〃
　　〃Oh！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃monseigneur　knows　very　well　that　her　majesty　refuses　him　nothing。〃
　　〃Here；　monseigneur；〃　said　Aramis；　〃is　the　treaty　proposed　by　the　deputation　of　Frondeurs。　Will　your　eminence　please　read　and　examine？〃
　　〃I　am　acquainted　with　it。〃
　　〃Sign　it；　then。〃
　　〃Reflect；　gentlemen；　that　a　signature　given　under　circumstances　like　the　present　might　be　regarded　as　extorted　by　violence。〃
　　〃Monseigneur　will　be　at　hand　to　testify　that　it　was　freely　given。〃
　　〃Suppose　I　refuse？〃
　　〃Then；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃your　eminence　must　expect　the　consequences　of　a　refusal。〃
　　〃Would　you　dare　to　touch　a　cardinal？〃
　　〃You　have　dared；　my　lord；　to　imprison　her　majesty's　musketeers。〃
　　〃The　queen　will　revenge　me；　gentlemen。〃
　　〃I　do　not　think　so；　although　inclination　might　lead　her　to　do　so；　but　we　shall　take　your　eminence　to　Paris；　and　the　Parisians　will　defend　us。〃
　　〃How　uneasy　they　must　be　at　this　moment　at　Rueil　and　Saint　Germain；〃　said　Aramis。　〃How　they　must　be　asking；　‘Where　is　the　cardinal？'　‘What　has　bee　of　the　minister？'　‘Where　has　the　favorite　gone？'　How　they　must　be　looking　for　monseigneur　in　all　corners！　What　ments　must　be　made；　and　if　the　Fronde　knows　that　monseigneur　has　disappeared；　how　the　Fronde　must　triumph！〃
　　〃It　is　frightful；〃　murmured　Mazarin。
　　〃Sign　the　treaty；　then；　monseigneur；〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃Suppose　the　queen　should　refuse　to　ratify　it？〃
　　〃Ah！　nonsense！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃I　can　manage　so　that　her　majesty　will　receive　me　well；　I　know　an　excellent　method。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃I　shall　take　her　majesty　the　letter　in　which　you　tell　her　that　the　finances　are　exhausted。〃
　　〃And　then？〃　asked　Mazarin；　turning　pale。
　　〃When　I　see　her　majesty　embarrassed；　I　shall　conduct　her　to　Rueil；　make　her　enter　the　orangery　and　show　her　a　certain　spring　which　turns　a　box。〃
　　〃Enough；　sir；〃　muttered　the　cardinal；　〃you　have　said　enough；　where　is　the　treaty？〃
　　〃Here　it　is；〃　replied　Aramis。　〃Sign；　my　lord；〃　and　he　gave　him　a　pen。
　　Mazarin　arose；　walked　some　moments；　thoughtful；　but　not　dejected。
　　〃And　when　I　have　signed；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　to　be　my　guarantee？〃
　　〃My　word　of　honor；　sir；〃　said　Athos。
　　Mazarin　started；　turned　toward　the　te　de　la　Fere；　and　looking　for　an　instant　at　that　grand　and　honest　countenance；　took　the　pen。
　　〃It　is　sufficient；　count；〃　he　said；　and　signed　the　treaty。
　　〃And　now；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　he　said；　〃prepare　to　set　off　for　Saint　Germain　and　take　a　letter　from　me　to　the　queen。〃
　　Shows　how　with　Threat　and　Pen　more　is　effected　than　by　the　Sword
　　D'Artagnan　knew　his　part　well；　he　was　aware　that　opportunity　has　a　forelock　only　for　him　who　will　take　it　and　he　was　not　a　man　to　let　it　go　by　him　without　seizing　it。　He　soon　arranged　a　prompt　and　certain　manner　of　traveling；　by　sending　relays　of　horses　to　Chantilly；　so　that　he　might　be　in　Paris　in　five　or　six　hours。　But　before　setting　out　he　reflected　that　for　a　lad　of　intelligence　and　experience　he　was　in　a　singular　predicament；　since　he　was　proceeding　toward　uncertainty　and　leaving　certainty　behind　him。
　　〃In　fact；〃　he　said；　as　he　was　about　to　mount　and　start　on　his　dangerous　mission；　〃Athos；　for　generosity；　is　a　hero　of　romance；　Porthos　has　an　excellent　disposition；　but　is　easily　influenced；　Aramis　has　a　hieroglyphic　countenance；　always　illegible。　What　will　e　out　of　those　three　elements　when　I　am　no　longer　present　to　bine　them？　The　deliverance　of　the　cardinal；　perhaps。　Now；　the　deliverance　of　the　cardinal　would　be　the　ruin　of　our　hopes；　and　our　hopes　are　thus　far　the　only　repense　we　have　for　labors　in　parison　with　which　those　of　Hercules　were　pygmean。〃
　　He　went　to　find　Aramis。
　　〃You；　my　dear　Chevalier　d'Herblay；〃　he　said；　〃are　the　Fronde　incarnate。　Mistrust　Athos；　therefore；　who　will　not　prosecute　the　affairs　of　any　one；　even　his　own。　Mistrust　Porthos；　especially；　who；　to　please　the　count　whom　he　regards　as　God　on　earth；　will　assist　him　in　contriving　Mazarin's　escape；　if　Mazarin　has　the　wit　to　weep　or　play　the　chivalric。〃
　　Aramis　smiled；　his　smile　was　at　once　cunning　and　resolute。
　　〃Fear　nothing；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　my　conditions　to　impose。　My　private　ambition　tends　only　to　the　profit　of　him　who　has　justice　on　his　side。〃
　　〃Good！〃　thought　D'Artagnan：　〃in　this　direction　I　am　satisfied。〃　He　pressed　Aramis's　hand　and　went　in　search　of　Porthos。
　　〃Friend；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　worked　so　hard　with　me　toward　building　up　our　fortune；　that；　at　the　moment　when　we　are　about　to　reap　the　fruits　of　our　labours；　it　would　be　a　ridiculous　piece　of　silliness　in　you　to　allow　yourself　to　be　controlled　by　Aramis；　whose　cunning　you　know　　a　cunning　which；　we　may　say　between　ourselves；　is　not　always　without　egotism；　or　by　Athos；　a　noble　and　disinterested　man；　but　blase；　who；　desiring　nothing　further　for　himself；　doesn't　sympathize　with　the　desires　of　others。　What　should　you　say　if　either　of　these　two　friends　proposed　to　you　to　let　Mazarin　go？〃
　　〃Why；　I　should　say　that　we　had　too　much　trouble　in　taking　him　to　let　him　off　so　easily。〃
　　〃Bravo；　Porthos！　and　you　would　be　right；　my　friend；　for　in　losing　him　you　would　lose　your　barony；　which　you　have　in　your　grasp；　to　say　nothing　of　the　fact　that；　were　he　once　out　of　this；　Mazarin　would　have　you　hanged。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　so？〃
　　〃I　am　sure　of　it。〃
　　〃Then　I　would　kill　him　rather　than　let　him　go。〃
　　〃And　you　would　act　rightly。　There　is　no　question；　you　understand；　provided　we　secure　our　own　interests；　of　securing　those　of　the　Frondeurs；　who；　besides；　don't　understand　political　matters　as　we　old　soldiers　do。〃
　　〃Never　fear；　dear　friend；〃　said　Porthos。　〃I　shall　see　you　through　the　window　as　you　mount　your　horse；　I　shall　follow　you　with　my　eyes　as　long　as　you　are　in　sight；　then　I　shall　place　myself　at　the　cardinal's　door　　a　door　with　glass　windows。　I　shall　see　everything；　and　at　the　least　suspicious　sign　I　shall　begin　to　exterminate。〃
　　〃Bravo！〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　〃on　this　side　I　think　the　cardinal　will　be　well　guarded。〃　He　pressed　the　hand　of　the　lord　of　Pierrefonds　and　went　in　search　of　Athos。
　　〃My　dear　Athos；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　going　away。　I　have　only　one　thing　to　say　to　you。　You　know　Anne　of　Austria；　the　captivity　of　Mazarin　alone　guarantees　my　life；　if　you　let　him　go　I　am　a　dead　man。〃
　　〃I　needed　nothing　less　than　that　consideration；　my　dear　D'Artagnan；　to　persuade　myself　to　adopt　the　role　of　jailer。　I　give　you　my　word　that　you　will　find　the　cardinal　where　you　leave　him。〃
　　〃This　reassures　me　more　than　all　the　royal　signatures；〃　thought　D'Artagnan。　〃Now　that　I　have　the　word　of　Athos　I　can　set　out。〃
　　D'Artagnan　started　alone　on　his　journey；　without　other　escort　than　his　sword；　and　with　a　simple　passport　from　Mazarin　to　secure　his　admission　to　the　queen's　presence。　Six　hours　after　he　left　Pierrefonds　he　was　at　Saint　Germain。
　　The　disappearance　of　Mazarin　was　not　as　yet　generally　known。　Anne　of　Austria　was　informed　of　it　and　concealed　her　uneasiness　from　every　one。　In　the　chamber　of　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　the　two　soldiers　had　been　found　bound　and　gagged。　On　recovering　the　use　of　their　limbs　and　tongues　they　could；　of　course；　tell　nothing　but　what　they　knew　　that　they　had　been　seized；　stripped　and　bound。　But　as　to　what　had　been　done　by　Porthos　and　D'Artagnan　afterward　they　were　as　ignorant　as　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　chateau。
　　Bernouin　alone　knew　a　little　more　than　the　others。　Bernouin；　seeing　that　his　master　did　not　return　and　hearing　the　stroke　of　midnight；　had　made　an　examination　of　the　orangery。　The　first　door；　barricaded　with　furniture；　had　aroused　in　him　certain　suspicions；　but　without　municating　his　suspicions　to　any　one　he　had　patiently　worked　his　way　into　the　midst　of　all　that　confusion。　Then　h