CHAPTER FOURTEEN

D'ARTAGNAN IS RECEIVED BY MILADY

Punctually at eight o'clock Lord Winter called for D'Artagnan to take him to meet his sister, Milady.

Milady's town house was the best in the quarter, and D'Artagnan was not surprised to find it most expensively furnished. At that time most of the English were leaving France on account of the approaching war between the English and the French. Milady, on the contrary, was having her house redecorated. It was clear, so far as she was concerned, that there was nothing for her to fear by remaining in Paris. This fact D'Artagnan noticed and it served to confirm his suspicions that a mystery surrounded her.

"Allow me to present to you a young man who held my life in his hands but did not abuse the advantage," said Lord Winter to his sister. " He spared my life in spite of the fact that it was I who insulted him. Now, I hope you will add your thanks to mine?"

Lord Winter then turned to ring for wine to be brought, and so he failed to notice the faint look of annoyance that passed over his sister's face.

When she spoke, however, there was no trace of ill-humour in her sweet, soft voice.

"I am happy to welcome you, sir," she said. "It seems that you have earned eternal rights to my gratitude."

Her brother then related the story of the affair in detail.

Milady listened very attentively, but it was clear to D'Artagnan that the story was far from agreeable to her. He noticed how she twisted and pulled at her handkerchief, and one of her little red and silver shoes tapped impatiently on the soft carpet.

Nothing of this was noticed by Lord Winter, who was busy at the side-table with the wine as he told his story.

Having filled two glasses, he invited D'Artagnan with a sign to drink with him. D'Artagnan went over to the table for his glass, taking care, however, to keep Milady in view in a large wall mirror. Now that she believed herself unobserved, a look of fierce hatred appeared, and she tore at her handkerchief with her beautiful teeth.

Just then the pretty maid-servant came with a note for his lordship and spoke a few words to him in English. Having read the note he begged to be excused as he was called to an important appointment.

When D'Artagnan turned to Milady, all traces of anger had disappeared as if by magic, and he even wondered for a moment whether or not the mirror had deceived him.

After his lordship had gone the conversation became quite friendly. D'Artagnan learnt that Lord Winter was not her brother but her brother-in-law. She had married a younger brother, but was now his widow with one child. This son was Lord Winter's sole heir, provided that Lord Winter did not marry.

During the conversation D'Artagnan had a feeling that Milady was concealing something, but what it was he could not understand. In addition to this he was convinced that she was of French origin and not English. She spoke French with such ease and purity that there could be no doubt.

The following evening D'Artagnan again visited Milady and he was received even more graciously. She appeared to take a great interest in him and his career. D'Artagnan, however, did not fail to praise the Cardinal, and said that he would most certainly have joined the Cardinal's Guards if he had not been introduced to M. de Tréville.

Milady then skilfully changed the conversation and asked innocently whether D'Artagnan had ever been to England.

"Ah!" thought D'Artagnan. "She knows of my secret visit to England to Lord Buckingham."

He replied in a voice as innocent as Milady's that he had once been sent to England by M. de Tréville to purchase horses. He said that he had brought back four fine specimens.

Realizing that D'Artagnan could fence as well with words as with his sword, Milady turned the conversation to safer subjects.