RESULT OF THE IDEAS OF THE KING, AND THE IDEAS OF D'ARTAGNAN.
The blow was direct. It was severe, mortal. D'Artagnan, furious at
having been anticipated by an idea of the king's, did not, however, yet
despair; and, reflecting upon the idea he had brought back from
Belle-Isle, he augured from it a new means of safety for his friends.
"Gentlemen," said he suddenly, "since the king has charged some other
than myself with his secret orders, it must be because I no longer
possess his confidence, and I should be really unworthy of it if I had
the courage to hold a command subject to so many injurious suspicions. I
will go then immediately and carry my resignation to the king. I give it
before you all, enjoining you all to fall back with me upon the coast of
France, in such a way as not to compromise the safety of the forces his
majesty has confided to me. For this purpose, return all to your posts;
within an hour, we shall have the ebb of the tide. To your posts,
gentlemen! I suppose," added he, on seeing that all were prepared to
obey him, except the surveillant officer, "you have no orders to
object, this time?"
And D'Artagnan almost triumphed while speaking these words. This plan
was the safety of his friends. The blockade once raised, they might
embark immediately, and set sail for England or Spain, without fear of
being molested. While they were making their escape, D'Artagnan would
return to the king; would justify his return by the indignation which
the mistrusts of Colbert had raised in him; he would be sent back with
full powers, and he would take Belle-Isle; that is to say, the cage,
after the birds had flown. But to this plan the officer opposed a second
order of the king's. It was thus conceived.
"From the moment M. d'Artagnan shall have manifested the desire of
giving in his resignation, he shall no longer be reckoned leader of
the expedition, and every officer placed under his orders shall be
held to no longer obey him. Moreover, the said Monsieur d'Artagnan
having lost that quality of leader of the army sent against
Belle-Isle, shall set out immediately for France, in company of the
officer who will have remitted the message to him, and who will
consider him as a prisoner for whom he is answerable."
Brave and careless as he was, D'Artagnan turned pale. Everything had
been calculated with a depth which, for the first time in thirty years,
had recalled to him the solid foresight and the inflexible logic of the
great cardinal. He leaned his head on his hand, thoughtful, scarcely
breathing. "If I were to put this order in my pocket," thought he, "who
would know it, or who would prevent my doing it? Before the king had had
time to be informed, I should have saved those poor fellows yonder. Let
us exercise a little audacity! My head is not one of those which the
executioner strikes off for disobedience. We will disobey!" But at the
moment he was about to adopt this plan, he saw the officers around him
reading similar orders which the infernal agent of the thoughts of
Colbert had just distributed to them. The case of disobedience had been
foreseen, as the others had been.
"Monsieur," said the officer, coming up to him, "I await your good
pleasure to depart."
"I am ready, monsieur," replied D'Artagnan, grinding his teeth.
The officer immediately commanded a canoe to receive M. d'Artagnan and
himself. At sight of this he became almost mad with rage.
"How," stammered he, "will you carry on the direction of the different
corps?"
"When you are gone, monsieur," replied the commander of the fleet, "it
is to me the direction of the whole is committed."
"Then, monsieur," rejoined Colbert's man, addressing the new leader, "it
is for you that this last order that has been remitted to me is
intended. Let us see your powers."
"Here they are," said the sea officer, exhibiting a royal signature.
"Here are your instructions," replied the officer, placing the folded
paper in his hands; and turning-toward D'Artagnan, "Come, monsieur,"
said he, in an agitated voice (such despair did he behold in that man of
iron), "do me the favor to depart at once."
"Immediately!" articulated D'Artagnan feebly, subdued, crushed by
implacable impossibility.
And he let himself slide down into the little boat, which started,
favored by wind and tide, for the coast of France. The king's guards
embarked with him. The musketeer still preserved the hope of reaching
Nantes quickly, and of pleading the cause of his friends eloquently
enough to incline the king to mercy. The bark flew like a swallow.
D'Artagnan distinctly saw the land of France profiled in black against
the white clouds of night.
"Ah! monsieur," said he, in a low voice, to the officer, to whom, for an
hour, he had ceased speaking, "what would I give to know the
instructions for the new commander! They are all pacific, are they not?
and--"
He did not finish; the sound of a distant cannon rolled over the
waters, then another, and two or three still louder. D'Artagnan
shuddered.
"The fire is opened upon Belle-Isle," replied the officer. The canoe had
just touched the soil of France.