“What you ask is merely an affair of discipline and does not concern me,” said the queen.
“Monsieur d’Artagnan never made such an answer as that when the service of your majesty was concerned,” said Athos, bowing with great dignity. He was going toward the door when Mazarin stopped him.
“You, too, have been in England, sir?” he said, making a sign to the queen, who was evidently going to issue a severe order.
“I was a witness of the last hours of Charles I. Poor king! culpable, at the most, of weakness, how cruelly punished by his subjects! Thrones are at this time shaken and it is to little purpose for devoted hearts to serve the interests of princes. This is the second time that Monsieur d’Artagnan has been in England. He went the first time to save the honor of a great queen; the second, to avert the death of a great king.”
“Sir,” said Anne to Mazarin, with an accent from which daily habits of dissimulation could not entirely chase the real expression, “see if we can do something for these gentlemen.”
“I wish to do, madame, all that your majesty pleases.”
“Do what Monsieur de la Fere requests; that is your name, is it not, sir?”
“I have another name, madame—I am called Athos.”
“Madame,” said Mazarin, with a smile, “you may rest easy; your wishes shall be fulfilled.”
“You hear, sir?” said the queen.