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s　suspicions　to　any　one　he　had　patiently　worked　his　way　into　the　midst　of　all　that　confusion。　Then　he　came　to　the　corridor；　all　the　doors　of　which　he　found　open；　so；　too；　was　the　door　of　Athos's　chamber　and　that　of　the　park。　From　the　latter　point　it　was　easy　to　follow　tracks　on　the　snow。　He　saw　that　these　tracks　tended　toward　the　wall；　on　the　other　side　he　found　similar　tracks；　then　footprints　of　horses　and　then　signs　of　a　troop　of　cavalry　which　had　moved　away　in　the　direction　of　Enghien。　He　could　no　longer　cherish　any　doubt　that　the　cardinal　had　been　carried　off　by　the　three　prisoners；　since　the　prisoners　had　disappeared　at　the　same　time；　and　he　had　hastened　to　Saint　Germain　to　warn　the　queen　of　that　disappearance。
　　Anne　had　enforced　the　utmost　secrecy　and　had　disclosed　the　event　to　no　one　except　the　Prince　de　Conde；　who　had　sent　five　or　six　hundred　horsemen　into　the　environs　of　Saint　Germain　with　orders　to　bring　in　any　suspicious　person　who　was　going　away　from　Rueil；　in　whatsoever　direction　it　might　be。
　　Now；　since　D'Artagnan　did　not　constitute　a　body　of　horsemen；　since　he　was　alone；　since　he　was　not　going　away　from　Rueil　and　was　going　to　Saint　Germain；　no　one　paid　any　attention　to　him　and　his　journey　was　not　obstructed　in　any　way。
　　On　entering　the　courtyard　of　the　old　chateau　the　first　person　seen　by　our　ambassador　was　Maitre　Bernouin　in　person；　who；　standing　on　the　threshold；　awaited　news　of　his　vanished　master。
　　At　the　sight　of　D'Artagnan；　who　entered　the　courtyard　on　horseback；　Bernouin　rubbed　his　eyes　and　thought　he　must　be　mistaken。　But　D'Artagnan　made　a　friendly　sign　to　him　with　his　head；　dismounted；　and　throwing　his　bridle　to　a　lackey　who　was　passing；　he　approached　the　valet…de…chambre　with　a　smile　on　his　lips。
　　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　cried　the　latter；　like　a　man　who　has　the　nightmare　and　talks　in　his　sleep；　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃
　　〃Himself；　Monsieur　Bernouin。〃
　　〃And　why　have　you　e　here？〃
　　〃To　bring　news　of　Monsieur　de　Mazarin　　the　freshest　news　there　is。〃
　　〃What　has　bee　of　him；　then？〃
　　〃He　is　as　well　as　you　and　I。〃
　　〃Nothing　bad　has　happened　to　him；　then？〃
　　〃Absolutely　nothing。　He　felt　the　need　of　making　a　trip　in　the　Ile　de　France；　and　begged　us　　the　te　de　la　Fere　and　Monsieur　du　Vallon　　to　acpany　him。　We　were　too　devoted　servants　to　refuse　him　a　request　of　that　sort。　We　set　out　last　evening　and　here　we　are。〃
　　〃Here　you　are。〃
　　〃His　eminence　had　something　to　municate　to　her　majesty；　something　secret　and　private　　a　mission　that　could　be　confided　only　to　a　sure　man　　and　so　has　sent　me　to　Saint　Germain。　And　therefore；　my　dear　Monsieur　Bernouin；　if　you　wish　to　do　what　will　be　pleasing　to　your　master；　announce　to　her　majesty　that　I　have　e；　and　tell　her　with　what　purpose。〃
　　Whether　he　spoke　seriously　or　in　jest；　since　it　was　evident　that　under　existing　circumstances　D'Artagnan　was　the　only　man　who　could　relieve　the　queen's　uneasiness；　Bernouin　went　without　hesitation　to　announce　to　her　this　strange　embassy；　and　as　he　had　foreseen；　the　queen　gave　orders　to　introduce　Monsieur　d'Artagnan　at　once。
　　D'Artagnan　approached　the　sovereign　with　every　mark　of　profound　respect；　and　having　fallen　on　his　knees　presented　to　her　the　cardinal's　letter
　　It　was；　however；　merely　a　letter　of　introduction。　The　queen　read　it；　recognized　the　writing；　and；　since　there　were　no　details　in　it　of　what　had　occurred；　asked　for　particulars。　D'Artagnan　related　everything　with　that　simple　and　ingenuous　air　which　he　knew　how　to　assume　on　occasions。　The　queen；　as　he　went　on；　looked　at　him　with　increasing　astonishment。　She　could　not　prehend　how　a　man　could　conceive　such　an　enterprise　and　still　less　how　he　could　have　the　audacity　to　disclose　it　to　her　whose　interest　and　almost　duty　it　was　to　punish　him。
　　〃How；　sir！〃　she　cried；　as　D'Artagnan　finished；　〃you　dare　to　tell　me　the　details　of　your　crime　　to　give　me　an　account　of　your　treason！〃
　　〃Pardon；　madame；　but　I　think　that　either　I　have　expressed　myself　badly　or　your　majesty　has　imperfectly　understood　me。　There　is　here　no　question　of　crime　or　treason。　Monsieur　de　Mazarin　held　us　in　prison；　Monsieur　du　Vallon　and　myself；　because　we　could　not　believe　that　he　had　sent　us　to　England　to　quietly　look　on　while　they　cut　off　the　head　of　Charles　I。；　brother…in…law　of　the　late　king；　your　husband；　the　consort　of　Madame　Henrietta；　your　sister　and　your　guest；　and　because　we　did　all　that　we　could　do　to　save　the　life　of　the　royal　martyr。　We　were　then　convinced；　my　friend　and　I；　that　there　was　some　error　of　which　we　were　the　victims；　and　that　an　explanation　was　called　for　between　his　eminence　and　ourselves。　Now；　that　an　explanation　may　bear　fruit；　it　is　necessary　that　it　should　be　quietly　conducted；　far　from　noise　and　interruption。　We　have　therefore　taken　away　monsieur　le　cardinal　to　my　friend's　chateau　and　there　we　have　e　to　an　understanding。　Well；　madame；　it　proved　to　be　as　we　had　supposed；　there　was　a　mistake。　Monsieur　de　Mazarin　had　thought　that　we　had　rendered　service　to　General　Cromwell；　instead　of　King　Charles；　which　would　have　been　a　disgrace；　rebounding　from　us　to　him；　and　from　him　to　your　majesty　　a　dishonor　which　would　have　tainted　the　royalty　of　your　illustrious　son。　We　were　able　to　prove　the　contrary；　and　that　proof　we　are　ready　to　give　to　your　majesty；　calling　in　support　of　it　the　august　widow　weeping　in　the　Louvre；　where　your　royal　munificence　has　provided　for　her　a　home。　That　proof　satisfied　him　so　pletely　that；　as　a　sign　of　satisfaction；　he　has　sent　me；　as　your　majesty　may　see；　to　consider　with　you　what　reparation　should　be　made　to　gentlemen　unjustly　treated　and　wrongfully　persecuted。〃
　　〃I　listen　to　you；　and　I　wonder　at　you；　sir；〃　said　the　queen。　〃In　fact；　I　have　rarely　seen　such　excess　of　impudence。〃
　　〃Your　majesty；　on　your　side；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃is　as　much　mistaken　as　to　our　intentions　as　the　Cardinal　Mazarin　has　always　been。〃
　　〃You　are　in　error；　sir；〃　answered　the　queen。　〃I　am　so　little　mistaken　that　in　ten　minutes　you　shall　be　arrested；　and　in　an　hour　I　shall　set　off　at　the　head　of　my　army　to　release　my　minister。〃
　　〃I　am　sure　your　majesty　will　not　mit　such　an　act　of　imprudence；　first；　because　it　would　be　useless　and　would　produce　the　most　disastrous　results。　Before　he　could　be　possibly　set　free　the　cardinal　would　be　dead；　and　indeed；　so　convinced　is　he　of　this；　that　he　entreated　me；　should　I　find　your　majesty　disposed　to　act　in　this　way；　to　do　all　I　could　to　induce　you　to　change　your　resolution。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　I　will　content　myself　with　arresting　you！〃
　　〃Madame；　the　possibility　of　my　arrest　has　been　foreseen；　and　should　I　not　have　returned　by　to…morrow；　at　a　certain　hour　the　next　day　the　cardinal　will　be　brought　to　Paris　and　delivered　to　the　parliament。〃
　　〃It　is　evident；　sir；　that　your　position　has　kept　you　out　of　relation　to　men　and　affairs；　otherwise　you　would　know　that　since　we　left　Paris　monsieur　le　cardinal　has　returned　thither　five　or　six　times；　that　he　has　there　met　De　Beaufort；　De　Bouillon；　the　coadjutor　and　D'Elbeuf　and　that　not　one　of　them　had　any　desire　to　arrest　him。〃
　　〃Your　pardon；　madame；　I　know　all　that。　And　therefore　my　friends　will　conduct　monsieur　le　cardinal　neither　to　De　Beaufort；　nor　to　De　Bouillon；　nor　to　the　coadjutor；　nor　to　D'Elbeuf。　These　gentlemen　wage　war　on　private　account；　and　in　buying　them　up；　by　granting　them　what　they　wished；　monsieur　le　cardinal　has　made　a　good　bargain。　He　will　be　delivered　to　the　parliament；　members　of　which　can；　of　course；　be　bought；　but　even　Monsieur　de　Mazarin　is　not　rich　enough　to　buy　the　whole　body。〃
　　〃I　think；〃　returned　Anne　of　Austria；　fixing　upon　him　a　glance；　which　in　any　woman's　face　would　have　expressed　disdain；　but　in　a　queen's；　spread　terror　to　those　she　looked　upon；　〃nay；　I　perceive　you　dare　to　threaten　the　mother　of　your　sovereign。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃I　threaten　simply　and　solely　because　I　am　obliged　to　do　so。　Believe　me；　madame；　as　true　a　thing　as　it　is　that　a　heart　beats　in　this　bosom　　a　heart　devoted　to　you　　believe　that　you　have　been　the　idol　of　our　lives；　that　we　have；　as　you　well　know　　good　Heaven！　　risked　our　lives　twenty　times　for　your　majesty。　Have　you；　then；　madame；　no　passion　for　your　servants　who　for　twenty