ise and interruption. We have
therefore taken away monsieur le cardinal to my friend's chateau and
there we have come 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 completely
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 commit 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 t