CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

MILADY RECEIVES AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR

Athos had not ridden very far before he turned off the road and made his way back to a short distance from the Red Dovecot. Dismounting, he hid behind a high hedge not far from the road. He had not long to wait before he saw the Cardinal and his party pass on their way back to the camp. He allowed them to ride on until they were well out of sight before he remounted and rode rapidly back to the inn.

The innkeeper opened the door and recognized him immediately.

"The officer who has just visited the lady upstairs has sent me back with a message he neglected to give her," said Athos.

"The lady is still in her room," the innkeeper replied. "Go up."

Athos immediately ascended, taking care to walk as lightly as possible. Through the open doorway he saw Milady putting on her hat. He entered the room noiselessly, closed the door behind him and bolted it. The sound of the bolt caused Milady to turn.

Athos stood back to the door, covered by his cloak, and with his hat pulled well over his eyes. This figure, silent and as still as a statue, startled Milady.

"Who are you and what do you want?" she cried.

"Yes," murmured Athos. "It is she."

Loosening his cloak and taking off his hat, he stepped towards her.

"Do you recognize me, Madam?"

She took a step forward and then drew back as if she had seen a serpent.

"The Comte de la Fère!" she murmured, turning pale.

"Yes," replied Athos, "the Comte de la Fère in person, your husband. Sit down and let us talk, as the Cardinal said a short while ago."

She sat down, too filled with terror to say a word.

"I never thought so wicked a woman as you could exist," said Athos. "You have crossed my path again. I thought you had been safely hanged and the world well rid of you. I must have been deceived, unless you have returned alive from hell."

Milady hung her head on hearing these words which recalled such terrible thoughts of the past.

"Yes," continued Athos. "Hell gave you life again; hell gave you wealth and another name, but it has neither removed the blackness of your soul nor the brand of shame from your shoulder"

Milady sprang up suddenly, her eyes flashing with anger.

Athos sat unmoved.

"You thought I was dead, just as I thought you were," he continued. "The name Athos concealed Comte de la Fère as effectively as Lady Winter concealed Anne de Breuil, which was your name, was it not, before we were married?"

"What has brought you to me?" said Milady in a weak, trembling voice. "What do you want with me?"

"I want you to know that, although I have been invisible to you, your life has been an open book to me."

"What do you know about me?"

"I can tell you everything you have done, day by day, from the time you entered the Cardinal's service up to this evening."

Milady smiled faintly, gaining some confidence in the thought that he was exaggerating.

"Listen," said Athos sharply. "I have no time to give you a list of all your sins, or describe your wicked life. Nevertheless, when your infamous secret was discovered by D'Artagnan, can you deny that you hired two men to follow him, and when twice their shots missed him you sent him poisoned wine with a forged letter? Only a few minutes ago, in this very room, you entered into an engagement with the Cardinal to bring about the death of the Duke of Buckingham. In return for this service the Cardinal will allow you to assassinate D'Artagnan. 'A life for a life, a man for a man', were the words you used, were they not?"

"You must be the devil himself," cried Milady, whose face had turned deathly pale.

"Perhaps," said Athos. "But now listen carefully to what I have to say. You may do what you like about the Duke of Buckingham—assassinate him or have him assassinated, it is all the same to me—I do not know him, but if you touch with the tip of one finger so much as a single hair of D'Artagnan's head, I swear by the name of my father that that crime will be your last."

Athos remained silent for a few moments, looking steadily at Milady. His face grew hard and determined. Slowly he rose from his seat. His hand reached for his pistol and he drew it.

Milady, deathly pale, seemed turned to stone. She tried to cry out, but no sound came from her throat.

Slowly Athos raised the pistol and stretched out his arm. When the pistol pointed directly at Milady, Athos spoke. His voice was terrible with its tone of crisp, cold determination.

"Give me instantly that paper the Cardinal signed, or I'll blow your brains out."

Milady might have doubted any other man, but not Athos. She knew that he was a man of his word. She saw by the determined look on his face that he was about to shoot. She quickly drew out the paper from her pocket and gave it to him.

Athos unfolded the paper and read:

Dec. 5, 1627.

It is by my order and for the good of the State that the bearer of this has done what he has done.

Richelieu.

Without even looking behind him Athos left the room.

Waiting outside the inn were two horsemen and a spare horse sent by the Cardinal to conduct Milady to the port.

"Gentlemen," said Athos, going up to them. "Do not forget that your orders are to accompany the lady immediately to the port and not to leave her until she is on board."

These instructions agreeing with those they had already received, the men saluted Athos as a sign of agreement.

Athos leaped upon his horse and rode off at a gallop. Instead of following the road he went a shorter way across the fields. Twice he stopped and listened, but heard no sound. The third time, however, he heard the sounds of horses which he decided were those of the Cardinal and his party. Avoiding them he rode round to a place on the road some distance ahead close to the camp. There he hastily wiped the sweat from his horse and, taking up a position in the centre of the road, waited.

"Who goes there?" he shouted as the riders drew near.

"That is our brave Musketeer, is it not?" said the Cardinal.

"Yes, sir," said Porthos. "It is he."

"M. Athos," said the Cardinal. "I thank you for the good guard you have kept."

As they were now at the entrance to the camp the Cardinal saluted the three friends and took the road to the right with his attendant.

"I have the paper he signed," said Athos when the Cardinal had gone some distance.

Not another word did the three friends say on the way to their quarters, except to give the sentinels the password.