Chapter 28

Chapter XXVIII:
The Ambassadors.

D'Artagnan had, with very few exceptions, learned almost all of the
particulars of what we have just been relating; for among his friends he
reckoned all the useful, serviceable people in the royal household, -
officious attendants who were proud of being recognized by the captain of
the musketeers, for the captain's influence was very great; and then, in
addition to any ambitious vies they may have imagined he could promote,
they were proud of being regarded as worth being spoken to by a man as
brave as D'Artagnan. In this manner D'Artagnan learned every morning
what he had not been able either to see or to ascertain the night before,
from the simple fact of his not being ubiquitous; so that, with the
information he had been able by his own means to pick up during the day,
and with what he had gathered from others, he succeeded in making up a
bundle of weapons, which he was in the prudent habit of using only when
occasion required. In this way, D'Artagnan's two eyes rendered him the
same service as the hundred eyes of Argus. Political secrets, bedside
revelations, hints or scraps of conversation dropped by the courtiers on
the threshold of the royal ante-chamber, in this way D'Artagnan managed
to ascertain, and to store away everything in the vast and impenetrable
mausoleum of his memory, by the side of those royal secrets so dearly
bought and faithfully preserved. He therefore knew of the king's
interview with Colbert, and of the appointment made for the ambassadors
in the morning, and, consequently, that the question of the medals would
be brought up for debate; and, while he was arranging and constructing
the conversation upon a few chance words which had reached his ears, he
returned to his post in the royal apartments, so as to be there at the
very moment the king awoke. It happened that the king rose very early, -
proving thereby that he, too, on his side, had slept but indifferently.
Towards seven o'clock, he half-opened his door very gently. D'Artagnan
was at his post. His majesty was pale, and seemed wearied; he had not,
moreover, quite finished dressing.

"Send for M. de Saint-Aignan," he said.

Saint-Aignan was probably awaiting a summons, for the messenger, when he
reached his apartment, found him already dressed. Saint-Aignan hastened
to the king in obedience to the summons. A moment afterwards the king
and Saint-Aignan passed by together - the king walking first. D'Artagnan
went to the window which looked out upon the courtyard; he had no need to
put himself to the trouble of watching in what direction the king went,
for he had no difficulty in guessing beforehand where his majesty was
going. The king, in fact, bent his steps towards the apartments