CHAPTER EIGHT

The Man with the Scar

"Sir Duke—Madam Bonacieux—I am truly sorry," d'Artagnan said respectfully. "But I love this woman, Sir, and I became jealous when I saw her with you. Please excuse my actions. My life is yours to command, tell me how I may help you."

The Duke of Buckingham smiled and reached out his hand to d'Artagnan. "I can see that you are a brave young man and I accept your help," he said. "Follow thirty steps behind us—until we enter the palace—and if you see anyone watching us, kill them!"

D'Artagnan followed behind them with his hand on the handle of his sword until they entered the palace. Then, still thinking about this surprising meeting, he walked quickly to the Pine Tree Inn, where he found Aramis and Porthos waiting for him. He began to tell them everything that had happened.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Constance had entered the palace. Constance brought the Duke into a small room lit only by a few candles.

"Please wait here, Sir," she said, "Soon someone will come to see you."

She then left the room. Buckingham walked over to a mirror on the wall. He thought that the Musketeer's uniform looked quite good on him. He had a strong and proud face and many people said that he was the most handsome man in England or France. He smiled at the mirror and fixed his hair, the door opened and a woman entered. Buckingham saw her in the mirror and let out a cry of joy. It was the Queen herself!

As she walked forward, Buckingham fell down on one knee, grasped her hand lovingly and kissed it.

"You know that the letter you received was fake; I did not send for you," the Queen said without breath.

"Yes, Madam," replied Buckingham, "Constance told me. But I am still happy that I have come because now I can see you."

"By coming here," cried the Queen. "You risk your life and my honor! I have come here only to tell you that we can never see each other again."

"I know, and I will go," he replied, "but do not make my trip here all a loss. Please give me something of yours to remember you by—something that you have worn—so that I may always wear it and think of you."

"Will you leave here and go back to England immediately if I give you what you ask?"

"Yes, I promise you that I will leave at once!"

"Wait here, then. I will return."

The Queen left the room for a minute, and came back holding a wood box. She handed it to Buckingham. "Take this," she said softly, "and keep it to remember me."

Buckingham fell to his knees and took the box.

"Do not forget your promise," the Queen said with great worry in her voice.

"I shall keep my word. Your hand, Madam, and I leave."

The Queen held out her hand, and closed her eyes. Buckingham kissed her hand softly and stood up.

"I will see you again, Madam—even if I have to fight and change the whole world," he said, and left the room.

Constance was waiting in the hall and led him away from the palace.

Mister Bonacieux sat locked in prison for two days and three nights. On the morning of the third day, two guards entered his room followed by an officer. "Follow me," the guard said coldly, and the scared, little man followed.

The guards opened an old, wood door and threw him into a small room. An officer was sitting in front of a small table; the room was quite dark.

The officer raised his head and looked up. "Sit down, Mister Bonacieux!" he ordered in a strong voice. "You are here because of planning against our King."

"Sir!" Bonacieux cried with tears in his eyes. "It is not true!"

"Is it not?" the officer said angrily. "I suggest that you quickly tell me the truth. The Cardinal is very angry and you do not want to make him angrier."

Bonacieux's face turned as white as snow. "I will tell you everything I know," he cried. "Please, ask me anything—I beg you!"

"Very well, first tell me where is your niece?"

"I don't know, sir, truly. Many days ago she was captured and taken away."

"Yes, she was. But yesterday, because of you, she escaped."

"Escaped? Sir, I promise, if she has escaped, it is not because of me!"

"If it is not because of you, then why did you visit the Musketeer named d'Artagnan?"

"I asked him to help me find my niece. I did not know that she had been arrested; I thought she was captured by thieves and that I had a duty to find her. If I was wrong, I beg for your mercy."

"I will tell you, Mister Bonacieux; Mister d'Artagnan attacked the officers who had arrested your niece. He now has hidden her somewhere. Luckily, we have recently found d'Artagnan and arrested him."

The officer yelled to the guard, "Bring in d'Artagnan."

A few minutes later, the guards pulled in Athos. Mister Bonacieux stared at him with shocked eyes. "This is not Mister d'Artagnan," he yelled out, "This man does not look anything like him."

The officer looked at Athos. "Your name?" he asked seriously.

"Athos."

"But before you said it was d'Artagnan!" He said angrily.

"I certainly did not. An officer said to me, 'You are Mister d'Artagnan!' and I answered, 'You think so?' Then your guards said that they were sure that I was d'Artagnan, so I could not argue."

"You are free to leave then, mister," said the policeman. As Athos walked from the room, the officer turned toward the guards and said angrily: "Take Mister Bonacieux back to his room, and find the real d'Artagnan!"

The guards locked Bonacieux in his prison room again. He waited there until about nine in the evening, when he heard steps in his hall. The door opened and the guards came in again.

"Follow me," said an officer who came in after the guards.

Bonacieux was led to a carriage and was driven for almost an hour through the streets of Paris until the carriage stopped before a large door.

Two guards took Bonacieux, now completely pale with fear, up some stairs and into a room filled with maps and books. There was a fire in the room and a man stood in front of it. He was of middle height and had a thin face with a gray beard and moustache and very powerful eyes.

"Is this Mister Bonacieux?" he asked.

"Yes sir," replied the officer at Bonacieux's side.

"Very good. You may leave us now."

The officer and guards left.

"Mister Bonacieux, you have planned against our King with your niece and the Duke of Buckingham."

"Sir, I promise you that I do not know anything about it," cried Bonacieux. "My niece has spoken of the Duke before, but—"

"What did she say about him?" interrupted the man.

"She told me that Cardinal Richelieu had tricked the Duke of Buckingham into coming to France, so that he could destroy him and the Queen."

"Do you know who captured your niece?"

"No, sir—but I have some ideas."

"Did you know that your niece has escaped?"

"Yes, sir—an officer told me while I was in prison."

The man stood there silent for a moment. He then hit a silver bell and the officer entered.

"Tell Mister Rochefort to come here immediately," the man said.

"Yes, Cardinal," the policeman said while bowing.

"Cardinal!" Bonacieux thought with a sad heart, "Now I am in big trouble."

A moment later the door opened and a tall, dark man, with a large scar on his cheek came in.

"That's him!" Bonacieux cried excitedly. "That man carried away my niece!"

The Cardinal hit his bell again. The officer came back in.

"Take Mister Bonacieux back outside," said Richelieu, "and let him wait until I send for him."

Bonacieux was led out of the room. The tall, dark stranger stepped closer to the Cardinal and said excitedly: "They have seen each other."

"Who?"

"The Duke of Buckingham has been to see the Queen."

"Where did they meet?"

"At the palace."

"How do you know?"

"Our good friend, Madam Lannoy told me."

"Why didn't she let me know sooner?"

"The Queen has kept her busy in the palace all the time."

"Tell me everything that happened."

"Madam Lannoy says that late at night, at about twelve, the Queen was in her bedroom and one of her servants brought her a handkerchief from Madam Bonacieux. The Queen became very pale and said excitedly, 'Wait here for me, ladies. I will return soon.' She was gone about fifteen minutes, and then she returned, picked up a small wooden box from the room, and left again. When she came back again, she did not have the box with her."

"Does Madam Lannoy know what was in the box?" asked Richelieu.

"Yes. Inside was a sash covered with twelve diamonds which the King gave to the Queen on her birthday," replied Rochefort.

"And the Queen gave the earrings to Buckingham?"

"Madam Lannoy is sure she must have."

Richelieu thought about this for a moment, and then hit his bell a third time. He instructed the officer to bring Bonacieux back in. Rochefort left the room.

"You have lied to me," the Cardinal said seriously.

"No, sir," cried Bonacieux, looking shocked, "I have told you everything I know."

"Your niece escaped and went to meet the Duke of Buckingham."

"Oh, yes, certainly the great Cardinal is right," Bonacieux cried, "but I was too stupid to know the truth. You are truly the great Cardinal, who knows everything that happens in France!"

The Cardinal's lips smiled a strange smile. He stood up and reached out his hand calmly to Bonacieux. "I was wrong about you, my friend Bonacieux," he said simply, "I see now that you are a good man."

"It is an honor to touch the hand of such a great man," cried Bonacieux, "The great man has even called me his friend!"

"Yes, you are my friend indeed," the Cardinal said, "and since you were hurt and arrested wrongly, I would be happy if you will accept this bag of gold."

"Great Cardinal, I will leave here very honored."

"Goodbye, then Mister Bonacieux—I hope that we will meet again."

"I am your willing servant, Cardinal."

"Goodbye for now, Mister Bonacieux."

Bonacieux bowed deeply, and walked out backwards, facing Richelieu and yelling: "Long life to the Cardinal!"

A half hour passed, and then Rochefort returned. "We are too late," he said, "The Duke of Buckingham has already left France."

"He must have returned to London. He must be found!" said the Cardinal, "Send this letter to England at once."

He sat down and quickly wrote a note:

MILADY,

Go to the next party that the Duke of Buckingham attends. He will wear a sash with twelve diamonds. Get close to the Duke and cut two of the diamonds off his sash. Write to me as soon as you have gotten these diamonds.

(end of section)