"Alexandre Dumas. Twenty Years After." - читать интересную книгу автора

mood, toward the Palais Royal. All that he had heard from these three
different men, Comminges, Guitant and Villequier, confirmed him in his
conviction that in case of serious tumults there would be no one on his
side except the queen; and then Anne of Austria had so often deserted her
friends that her support seemed most precarious. During the whole of this
nocturnal ride, during the whole time that he was endeavoring to understand
the various characters of Comminges, Guitant and Villequier, Mazarin was,
in truth, studying more especially one man. This man, who had remained
immovable as bronze when menaced by the mob-not a muscle of whose face was
stirred, either at Mazarin's witticisms or by the jests of the
multitude-seemed to the cardinal a peculiar being, who, having participated
in past events similar to those now occurring, was calculated to cope with
those now on the eve of taking place.
The name of D'Artagnan was not altogether new to Mazarin, who,
although he did not arrive in France before the year 1634 or 1635, that is
to say, about eight or nine years after the events which we have related in
a preceding narrative,* fancied he had heard it pronounced as that of one
who was said to be a model of courage, address and loyalty.
* "The Three Musketeers."
Possessed by this idea, the cardinal resolved to know all about
D'Artagnan immediately; of course he could not inquire from D'Artagnan
himself who he was and what had been his career; he remarked, however, in
the course of conversation that the lieutenant of musketeers spoke with a
Gascon accent. Now the Italians and the Gascons are too much alike and know
each other too well ever to trust what any one of them may say of himself;
so in reaching the walls which surrounded the Palais Royal, the cardinal
knocked at a little door, and after thanking D'Artagnan and requesting him
to wait in the court of the Palais Royal, he made a sign to Guitant to
follow him.
They both dismounted, consigned their horses to the lackey who had
opened the door, and disappeared in the garden.
"My dear friend," said the cardinal, leaning, as they walked through
the garden, on his friend's arm, "you told me just now that you had been
twenty years in the queen's service."
"Yes, it's true. I have," returned Guitant.
"Now, my dear Guitant, I have often remarked that in addition to your
courage, which is indisputable, and your fidelity, which is invincible, you
possess an admirable memory."
"You have found that out, have you, my lord? Deuce take it-all the
worse for me!"
"How?"
"There is no doubt but that one of the chief accomplishments of a
courtier is to know when to forget."
"But you, Guitant, are not a courtier. You are a brave soldier, one of
the few remaining veterans of the days of Henry IV. Alas! how few to-day
exist!"
"Plague on't, my lord, have you brought me here to get my horoscope
out of me?"
"No; I only brought you here to ask you," returned Mazarin, smiling,
"if you have taken any particular notice of our lieutenant of musketeers?"