I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 67 M. D'Artagnan in Saint-Falgo

In real history, our musketeer, M. D'Artagnan, famous at home and abroad because of a brilliant writer, has become the acting captain of the company of the Guard, thanks to the favor of M. Mazarin, the bishop, but here , At the moment when the king has shown his talent and Bishop Mazarin has made a proper concession, the position of the acting captain was handed over to Sebastian Vauban. Although young, this man had already participated in many battles, and his exploits were enough for the Prince of Condé to summon him from Flanders to Paris and reward him (although, because of Vauban's loyalty to the king, the prince could finally Said to have made wedding dresses for others), and was very modest, so although it also attracted some jealousy, at least not as much dissatisfaction as when M. d'Artagnan took this position.

D'Artagnan also knew very well that he was of ordinary origin, and he was a Gascon, completely different from most musketeers - as I said before, Gascons have always been regarded as rebellious. He is a native of the province, so although he failed to get this position, he is not so brooding after regretting it. Perhaps it is because of this naive and optimistic energy, although D'Artagnan is really criticized in terms of personal morality. , but the king was still very close to him and was willing to use his.

And Mr. D'Artagnan, like every time before, whether it is Cardinal Mazarin or His Majesty the King, he can be said to have accepted the task happily, without any reluctance, the King encouraged him a few times. Then he gave him a purse: "This is the money for your outfit." Louis said, "There are a hundred gold louis," the noble majesty paused in an unpredictable manner: "If possible, I will Guess you need someone else's help."

D'Artagnan raised his handsomely trimmed moustache, and he admitted that one or two, or three or five ladies, met him from time to time, and hung on his saddle after each meeting. Putting on the purse, which is common and proud (not the hapless husband, of course), he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to contradict the king, bowing to the king, reminding himself that only before leaving I can use a handwritten letter to say goodbye and comfort my lovers. After all, it is extremely difficult for a lover or a soldier to refuse their tender gifts.

One hundred louis is equal to two thousand livres. D'Artagnan was the king's musketeer, and of course he had one of the horses the king gave to the musketeers. It was a sturdy white horse with a diamond between its foreheads. Black blots, well-proportioned limbs, eyes like black almonds, more affectionate than any lady he had ever seen, so D'Artagnan's expenses were suddenly reduced by a large amount. The horse was fitted with a new saddle, black calf leather with silver studs, and then he chose for himself a velvet jacket with silver thread lace on the cuffs and neckline, a snow-white linen shirt, and brown cuffed boots. and a wide-brimmed hat decorated with ostrich feathers. In short, he dressed himself up according to the most popular style in Paris at this time, and used up nearly seven or eight hundred livres at once.

Compared to D'Artagnan, Colbert's outfit was much simpler. He looked more like a Dutchman than a Frenchman. His black coat hung down to his knees and the belt was tied inside. With only a plain grey feather in his hat, he was older than D'Artagnan, and this outfit made him look like D'Artagnan's entourage or servant, but that's what the king and he needed , let people all stare at D'Artagnan, the so-called special envoy of the king's life, what Colbert has to do is more dangerous than him, but the king also said that if something irreversible happens, they can escape first. .

However, neither D'Artagnan nor Colbert wanted to do nothing and return to Paris in despair. D'Artagnan wanted to seek a higher position, and Colbert was because of Nicolas Fouquet's achievements. A profound crisis was felt—just days before their departure, Fouquet quietly returned to Paris, to the king, who brought back a sum equal to three hundred and fifty thousand livres, leaving the king tense. The nerves could not help but relax. In the still precarious Flange, it was a joy to be able to obtain such a rich reward, but Fouquet was not satisfied with this. The prize business went to places other than France, but was rejected by the king.

Colbert knew why His Majesty rejected Fouquet. The reason was very simple. When he left France, Fouquet's actions were likely to cause him a terrible death immediately. A fortune (not even including taxes and awards to the lord), as long as people have a heart of greed, it is said that even if he did not leave France, in Franche-Comté, he almost got a thousand bets and got nothing. The Count was caught and hanged under the name of a liar.

The king even asked Fouquet not to leave Paris for the time being, and the business of Bo Prize to be temporarily closed. Although the treasury was empty, as His Majesty said, such behavior is like sucking blood from a cow instead of milking it. Even if it occurs twice, it will only cause the entire country to become more chaotic and degenerate if it occurs too frequently.

Fouquet was disappointed, but it didn't matter, he also got the position of treasurer promised by the king, which made Colbert deeply distressed, no, it was not because he also coveted this position, he knew that he could not become the king's minister for the time being. , Compared to Fouquet, who is already a nobleman in robes, he is still just a small accompanying businessman, but the king's importance to him makes Fouquet hate him very much, and the king's character Colbert also knows a thing or two. , as long as it is useful to him, the king will protect him without restrictions, even if his enemy is the bishop of Mazarin, it does not matter, the problem is, if he disappoints the king, then the result can be imagined.

   So the two of them set off on their own paths to complete the work assigned by the king.

  _____

At this time, the Duchess of Montpensier, who was still far away in Burgundy, did not know that two people were coming to completely destroy her relationship with her father, the Duke of Gaston, although they were also shaky like a thread in the wind. .

After she settled in San Fargo, she began to carefully manage her own little world. Although she was not favored by her father and was expelled from the court, the dilapidation of San Fargo Castle made her unable to continue to immerse herself in self-pity. , the Duchess, may err on the most important issues, but her wealth is unquestionable, and gold always solves many problems whenever and wherever - in D'Artagnan to Saint Law When I was in Ergo, there have been many changes in this remote and barren place, and almost all of them are good changes. The roads are flat, the wheat fields are green, the smoke in the village is smoky, and there are many simple but complete inns along the way. The inn provides room and board. D'Artagnan asked the people in the inn. They all said that there are always some noble gentlemen and ladies passing by. They are all guests of the castle of San Fargo, so they will open it on the side of the road. inn for their rest.

  This information made D'Artagnan a little wary. The father of this grand county lord is the Duke of Gaston, and his lover is the Prince of Condé, and they are the biggest enemies of the king and the bishop.

He rode along with Colbert, and along this road, they soon saw the castle of Saint Fagor, half-encircled by the forest. After the castle was repaired, it was like a white mountain, standing on uneven levels. Among the blue color, in front of it is a flat semi-elliptical square, cut into different but symmetrical shapes by six paths, about two-thirds of which are rough stone bricks, and the rest are fluffy grass.

There are many four-wheeled carriages and horses lined up neatly on one side of the square. In front of the fortified gate, every guest took out an invitation letter and was led in. Some people forgot to bring their letters, or just heard that there was a game here. Uninvited guests who think they are eligible to be invited can enter the event, as long as there is testimony from the Duchess' credible courtiers or close wives. D'Artagnan rode his horse and walked over. His attire did not owe the king a hundred gold louis. He was as distinguished as a prince. Immediately, a servant dressed in decent clothes came to ask him if he had received an invitation. , of course, the servant got a completely unexpected answer, so he immediately flew inside and told the news to the Duchess's maid.

The Duchess, now in a gorgeous crimson velvet dress, was sitting, smiling, in a small drawing room with two of her closest friends of late, the very talented Madame de Champigne and Madame Lafayette. He listened to a young gentleman playing the violin, and when the song ended, the three ladies clapped their hands happily.

   "Where did you find such an angel?" asked Mrs. Lafayette: "His hands are magical, and I have never heard such a beautiful sound."

   Speaking of this, a gloomy look flashed across the Duchess's face, because this musician was given to her by the Bishop of Mazarin as a servant. Of course, it was 1646, and she was still the darling of the court.

   Mme. Lafayette did not know, but Mme. Champigne knew. She was about to say something to change the subject, but was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

   They watched the Duchess's favorite maid walk to her side and whispered something. The Duchess's hand clenched the fan tightly and immediately stood up: "Where are they?"

   "foyer."

  The Duchess didn't even have time to explain a word or two to the two ladies, and went out quickly. Madame Lafayette only had time to catch up outside the door, and she saw the skirt of the Grand Princess disappeared at the end of the corridor.

   (end of this chapter)