And he made the same friendly salute as D’Artagnan.
Mazarin gazed at each of them with an affrighted stare, recognized them, and let drop his lantern, uttering a cry of terror.
D’Artagnan picked it up; by good luck it had not been extinguished.
“Oh, what imprudence, my lord,” said D’Artagnan; “’tis not good to be about just here without a light. Your eminence might knock against something, or fall into a hole.”
“Monsieur d’Artagnan!” muttered Mazarin, unable to recover from his astonishment.
“Yes, my lord, it is I. I have the honor to present to you Monsieur du Vallon, that excellent friend of mine, in whom your eminence had the kindness to interest yourself formerly.”
And D’Artagnan held the lamp before the merry face of Porthos, who now began to comprehend the affair and be very proud of the whole undertaking.
“You were going to visit Monsieur de la Fere?” said D’Artagnan. “Don’t let us disarrange your eminence. Be so good as to show us the way and we will follow you.”
Mazarin was by degrees recovering his senses.
“Have you been long in the orangery?” he asked in a trembling voice, remembering the visits he had been paying to his treasury.