“Here I am,” said he. “Who calls me?”
“I,” said Mazarin, with his most smiling expression.
“I ask pardon of your eminence,” said D’Artagnan, “but I was so fatigued——”
“Don’t ask my pardon, monsieur,” said Mazarin, “for you fatigued yourself in my service.”
D’Artagnan admired Mazarin’s gracious manner. “Ah,” said he, between his teeth, “is there truth in the proverb that fortune comes while one sleeps?”
“Follow me, monsieur,” said Mazarin.
“Come, come,” murmured D’Artagnan, “Rochefort has kept his promise, but where in the devil is he?” And he searched the cabinet even to the smallest recesses, but there was no sign of Rochefort.
“Monsieur d’Artagnan,” said the cardinal, sitting down on a fauteuil, “you have always seemed to me to be a brave and honorable man.”
“Possibly,” thought D’Artagnan, “but he has taken a long time to let me know his thoughts;” nevertheless, he bowed to the very ground in gratitude for Mazarin’s compliment.
“Well,” continued Mazarin, “the time has come to put to use your talents and your valor.”