"But," said D'Artagnan, "I trust that you honorably sent them back to
monsieur le cardinal!"

"Ah, yes!" said Aramis, "toward him I should be very likely to practice
such delicacy of sentiment! In one of the despatches the cardinal
declares to the queen that the treasury is empty and that her majesty
has no more money. In the other he announces that he is about to
transport his prisoners to Melun, since Rueil seemed to him not
sufficiently secure. You can understand, dear friend, with what hope I
was inspired by that last letter. I placed myself in ambuscade with
my sixty men; I encircled the castle; the riding horses I entrusted
to Grimaud and I awaited your coming out, which I did not expect till
to-morrow, and I didn't hope to free you without a skirmish. You are
free to-night, without fighting; so much the better! How did you manage
to escape that scoundrel Mazarin? You must have much reason to complain
of him."

"Not very much," said D'Artagnan.

"Really!"

"I might even say that we have some reason to praise him."

"Impossible!"

"Yes, really; it is owing to him that we are free."

"Owing to him?"

"Yes, he had us conducted into the orangery by Monsieur Bernouin, his
valet-de-chambre, and from there we followed him to visit the Comte de
la Fere. Then he offered us our liberty and we accepted it. He even went
so far as to show us the way out; he led us to the park wall, which we
climbed over without accident, and then we fell in with Grimaud."

"Well!" exclaimed Aramis, "this will reconcile me to him; but I wish he
were here that I might tell him that I did not believe him capable of so
noble an act."

"My lord," said D'Artagnan, no longer able to contain himself, "allow me
to introduce to you the Chevalier d'Herblay, who wishes--as you may have
heard--to offer his congratulations to your eminence."

And he retired, discovering Mazarin, who was in great confusion, to the
astonished gaze of Aramis.

"Ho! ho!" exclaimed the latter, "the cardinal! a glorious prize! Halloo!
halloo! friends! to horse! to horse!"

Several horsemen ran quickly to him.

"Zounds!" cried Aramis, "I may have done some good; so, my lord, deign
to receive my most respectful homage! I will lay a wager that 'twas
that Saint Christopher, Porthos, who performed this feat! Apropos!
I forgot----" and he gave some orders in a low voice to one of the
horsemen.

"I think it will be wise to set off," said D'Artagnan.

"Yes; but