Chapter XLIV. Result of the Ideas of the King, and the Ideas of D'Artagnan.

by Alexandre Dumas

　　The blow was direct. It was severe, mortal. D'Artagnan, furious athaving been anticipated by an idea of the king's, did not despair,however, even yet; and reflecting upon the idea he had brought back fromBelle-Isle, he elicited therefrom novel means of safety for his friends."Gentlemen," said he, suddenly, "since the king has charged some otherthan myself with his secret orders, it must be because I no longerpossess his confidence, and I should really be unworthy of it if I hadthe courage to hold a command subject to so many injurious suspicions.Therefore I will go immediately and carry my resignation to the king. Itender it before you all, enjoining you all to fall back with me upon thecoast of France, in such a way as not to compromise the safety of theforces his majesty has confided to me. For this purpose, return all toyour posts; within an hour, we shall have the ebb of the tide. To yourposts, gentlemen! I suppose," added he, on seeing that all prepared toobey him, except the surveillant officer, "you have no orders to object,this time?"And D'Artagnan almost triumphed while speaking these words. This planwould prove the safety of his friends. The blockade once raised, theymight embark immediately, and set sail for England or Spain, without fearof being molested. Whilst they were making their escape, D'Artagnanwould return to the king; would justify his return by the indignationwhich the mistrust of Colbert had raised in him; he would be sent backwith 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 afurther order of the king's. It was thus conceived:"From the moment M. d'Artagnan shall have manifested the desire of givingin his resignation, he shall no longer be reckoned leader of theexpedition, and every officer placed under his orders shall be held to nolonger obey him. Moreover, the said Monsieur d'Artagnan, having lostthat quality of leader of the army sent against Belle-Isle, shall set outimmediately for France, accompanied by the officer who will have remittedthe message to him, and who will consider him a prisoner for whom he isanswerable."Brave and careless as he was, D'Artagnan turned pale. Everything hadbeen calculated with a depth of precognition which, for the first time inthirty years, recalled to him the solid foresight and inflexible logic ofthe great cardinal. He leaned his head on his hand, thoughtful, scarcelybreathing. "If I were to put this order in my pocket," thought he, "whowould know it, what would prevent my doing it? Before the king had hadtime to be informed, I should have saved those poor fellows yonder. Letus exercise some small audacity! My head is not one of those theexecutioner strikes off for disobedience. We will disobey!" But at themoment he was about to adopt this plan, he saw the officers around himreading similar orders, which the passive agent of the thoughts of thatinfernal Colbert had distributed to them. This contingency of hisdisobedience had been foreseen - as all the rest had been."Monsieur," said the officer, coming up to him, "I await your goodpleasure to depart.""I am ready, monsieur," replied D'Artagnan, grinding his teeth.The officer immediately ordered a canoe to receive M. d'Artagnan andhimself. At sight of this he became almost distraught with rage."How," stammered he, "will you carry on the directions of the differentcorps?""When you are gone, monsieur," replied the commander of the fleet, "it isto me the command of the whole is committed.""Then, monsieur," rejoined Colbert's man, addressing the new leader, "itis for you that this last order remitted to me is intended. Let us seeyour powers.""Here they are," said the officer, exhibiting the royal signature."Here are your instructions," replied the officer, placing the foldedpaper in his hands; and turning round towards D'Artagnan, "Come,monsieur," said he, in an agitated voice (such despair did he behold inthat man of iron), "do me the favor to depart at once.""Immediately!" articulated D'Artagnan, feebly, subdued, crushed byimplacable impossibility.And he painfully subsided into the little boat, which started, favored bywind and tide, for the coast of France. The king's guards embarked withhim. The musketeer still preserved the hope of reaching Nantes quickly,and of pleading the cause of his friends eloquently enough to incline theking to mercy. The bark flew like a swallow. D'Artagnan distinctly sawthe 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 anhour, he had ceased speaking, "what would I give to know the instructionsfor the new commander! They are all pacific, are they not? and - "He did not finish; the thunder of a distant cannon rolled athwart thewaves, another, and two or three still louder. D'Artagnan shuddered."They have commenced the siege of Belle-Isle," replied the officer. Thecanoe had just touched the soil of France.