Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the fifteenth chapter of The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.

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Welcome to Bite at a Time Books, where we read you your favorite classics, one Bite at a Time.

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Wherever you listen to podcasts today, we will be continuing the Three Musketeers by Alexandra Dumas 15 Men of the Robe and Men of the Sword On the day after these events had taken place, Athos not having reappeared, MDE Traville was informed by D'Artagnan and Porthos of the circumstance.

As to Aramis, he had asked for leave of absence for five days, and was gone, it was said, to ruin on family business.

Md Traville was the father of his soldiers, the lowest or the least known of them.

As soon as he assumed the uniform of the company was as sure of his aid and support as if he had been his own brother.

He repaired then instantly to the office of the Lieutenant Criminal.

The officer who commanded the post of the Red Cross was sent for, and by successive inquiries they learned that Athos was enlarged at Fort Levik, Athos had passed through all the examinations we have seen Bonacio undergo.

We were present at the scene in which the two captives were confronted with each other.

Athos, who had till that time said nothing for fear that D'Artagnan, interrupted in his turn, should not have the time necessary from this moment declared that his name was Athos and not D'Artagnan.

He added that he did not know either Monsieur or Madame Bonaciu, that he had never spoken to the one or the other, that he had come at about 10:00 in the evening to pay a visit to his friend Monsieur D'Artagnan, but that till that hour he had been at M day Traville's, where he had dined 20 witnesses added he could attest to the fact, and he named several distinguished gentlemen, and among them was Monsieur le Duc de la Tremeille.

The second, Commissary, was as much bewildered as the first had been by the simple and firm declaration of the Musketeer, upon whom he was anxious to take the revenge which men of the robe like at all times to gain over men of the sword.

But the name of Monsieur de Traville, and that of Monsieur de la Tremill commanded a little reflection.

Athos was then sent to the Cardinal, but unfortunately, the Cardinal was at the Louvre with the King.

It was precisely at this moment that Monsieur de Traville, on leaving the residence of the Lieutenant criminal and the governor of Fort Levy without being able to find Athos, arrived at the palace as the captain of the Musketeers.

Monsieur de Traville had the right of entry at all times.

It is well known how violent the King's prejudices were against the Queen and how carefully these prejudices were kept up by the Cardinal, who, in affairs of intrigue, mistrusted women infinitely more than men.

One of the grand causes of this prejudice was the friendship of Anne of Austria.

For Madame de Chevrose, these two women gave him more uneasiness than the war with Spain, the quarrel with England, or the embarrassment of the finances.

In his eyes and to his conviction, Madame de Chevroos not only served the Queen in her political intrigues, but what tormented him still more in her amorous intrigues.

At the first word, the Cardinal spoke of Madame de Chevros, who, though exiled to Tours and believed to be in that city, had come to Paris, remained there five days, and outwitted the police.

The King flew into a furious passion, capricious and unfaithful.

The King wished to be called Louis the Just, and Louis the chaste posterity will find a difficulty in understanding this character which history explains only by facts and never by reason.

But when the Cardinal added that not only Madame de Chevrose had been in Paris, but still further, that the Queen had renewed with her one of those mysterious correspondences which at that time was named a cabal, when he affirmed that he, the Cardinal was about to unravel the most closely twisted threat of this intrigue that at the moment of arresting in the very act, with all the proofs about her, the Queen's emissary to the exiled Duchess, a musketeer, had dared to interrupt the course of justice violently by falling sword in hand upon the honest men of the law charged with investigating, impartially the whole affair in order to place it before the eyes of the King.

Louis XIII could not contain himself, and he made a step toward the Queen's apartment with that pale and mute indignation which, when it broke out, led this Prince to the Commission of the most pitiless cruelty.

And yet, in all this the Cardinal had not yet said a word about the Duke of Buckingham.

At this instant Monsieur de Traville entered, cool, polite, and an irreproachable costume.

Informed of what had passed by the presence of the Cardinal and alteration in the King's countenance, Monsieur de Traville felt himself something like Samson before the Philistines, Louis XIII had already placed his hand on the knob of the door.

At the noise of Monsieur de Traville's entrance, he turned round.

You arrive in good time, Monsieur, said the King, who, when his passions were raised to a certain point, could not dissemble.

I have learned some fine things concerning your Musketeers, and I, said Treville coldly, I have some pretty things to tell your Majesty concerning these Gownsmen.

What?

Said the King with Hatir I have the honor to inform your Majesty, continued Monsieur de Traville, in the same tone that a party of procures commissaries and men of the police, very esteemable people, but very inveterate as it appears against the uniform, have taken upon themselves to arrest in a house, to lead away through the open street and throw into Fort Levik, all upon an order which they have refused to show me one of my, or rather your Musketeers, sire, of irreproachable conduct of an almost illustrious reputation, in whom your Majesty knows favorably.

Monsieur Athos.

Athos, said the King mechanically.

Yes, certainly, I know that name.

Let your Majesty remember, said Traville, that Monsieur Athos is the musketeer who, in the annoying duel which you are acquainted with, had the misfortune to wound Monsieur de Cahusac so seriously a proposed Monseigneur, continued Traville, addressing the Cardinal.

Monsieur de Cahusac is quite recovered, is he not?

Thank you, said the Cardinal, biting his lips with anger.

Athos then went to pay a visit to one of his friends.

Absent at the time, continued Treville to a young Bernaise, a cadet in His Majesty's guards, the company of Monsieur de Sasat.

But scarcely had he arrived at his friends and taken up a book while waiting his return, when a mixed crowd of bailiffs and soldiers came and laid siege to the house, broke open several doors, the Cardinal made the King a sign which signified that was on account of the affair about which I spoke to you.

We all know that interrupted the King for all that was done for our service then, said Traville, it was also for your Majesty's service that one of my Musketeers, who was innocent, has been seized, that he has been placed between two guards like a MALF actor, and that this Galliant man, who has ten times shed his blood in your Majesty's service and is ready to shed it again, has been paraded through the midst of an insolent populace.

Bah, said the King, who began to be shaken.

Was it so managed, Monsieur de Traville?

Said the Cardinal, with the greatest phlegm does not tell your Majesty that this innocent musketeer, this Galliant man, had only an hour before attacked, sword in hand, four commissaries of inquiry who were delegated by myself to examine into an affair of the highest importance.

I defy your eminence to prove it, cried Traville, with his Gascon freedom and military frankness for 1 hour before Monsieur Athos, who I will confide it to your Majesty, is really a man of the highest quality, did me the honor after having dined with me to be conversing in the saloon of my hotel with the Duke de la Tremille and the Count de Chalice, who happened to be there.

The King looked at the Cardinal.

A written examination attests it, said the Cardinal, replying aloud to the mute interrogation of His Majesty.

And the ill treated people have drawn up the following which I have the honor to present to Your Majesty, and is written the report of the Gownsmen to be placed in comparison with the word of honor of a swordsman, replied Traville.

Haughtily.

Come, come, Traville, hold your tongue, said the King.

If His Eminence entertains any suspicion against one of my Musketeers, said Traville.

The justice of Monsieur the Cardinal is so well known that I demand an inquiry in the house in which the judicial inquiry was made, continued the impassive Cardinal.

Their lodges, I believe a young Berenice a friend of the musketeer, your Eminence means Monsieur D'Artagnan.

I mean a young man whom you patronize.

Montier de Traville.

Yes, Your Eminence, it is the same.

Do you not suspect this young man of having given bad counsel to Athos to a man double his age?

Interrupted Traville.

No, Monseigneur.

Besides, D'Artagnan passed the evening with me.

Well, said the Cardinal, everybody seems to have passed the evening with you.

Does Your Eminence doubt my word?

Said Traville with a brow flushed with anger.

No, God forbid, said the Cardinal.

Only at what hour was he with you?

Oh, as to that, I can speak positively, Your Eminence, for as he came in I remarked that it was about 09:30 by the clock, although I had believed it to be later.

At what hour did he leave your hotel?

At 10:30, an hour after the event.

Well, replied the Cardinal, who could not for an instant suspect the loyalty of Treville, and who felt that the victory was escaping him.

Well, but Atlas was taken in the house in the Rue de Focieres.

Is one friend forbidden to visit another, or a musketeer of my company to Fraternize with a guard of dessert's?

Company?

Yes, when the house where he Fraternizes is suspected.

That house is suspected, Traville, said the King.

Perhaps you did not know it.

Indeed, Sire, I did not.

The house may be suspected, but I deny that it is so in the part of it inhabited by Monsieur D'Artagnan.

For I can affirm, Sire, if I can believe what he says, that there does not exist a more devoted servant of Your Majesty or a more profound admirer of Monsieur the Cardinal.

Was it not the D'Artagnan who wounded Jusic one day in that unfortunate encounter which took place near the convent of the Carmede?

Sasha?

Asked the King, looking at the Cardinal, who colored with vexation, and the next day Burnage you?

Yes, Sire, yes, it is the same, and Your Majesty has a good memory.

Come, how shall we decide?

Said the King.

That concerns Your Majesty more than me, said the Cardinal.

I should affirm the culpability, and I deny it, said Treville.

But His Majesty has judges, and these judges will decide.

That is best said the King.

Send the case before the judges.

It is their business to judge, and they shall judge only, replied Traville.

It is a sad thing that in the unfortunate times in which we live the purest life, the most incontestable virtue cannot exempt a man from infamy and persecution.

The Army, I will answer, for it, will be but little pleased at being exposed to rigorous treatment on account of police affairs.

The expression was imprudent, but Monsieur de Traville launched it with knowledge of his cause.

He was desirous of an explosion because in that case the mind throws forth fire and fire enlightens police affairs, cried the King, taking up Traville's words.

Police affairs.

And what do you know about them, Monsieur?

Meddle with your Musketeers, and do not annoy me in this way.

It appears, according to your account, that if by mischance a musketeer is arrested, France is in danger.

What annoys about a musketeer?

I would arrest ten of them, venture blue, a hundred, even all the company, and I would not allow a whisper from the moment they are suspected by Your Majesty, said Traville, the Musketeers are guilty.

Therefore you see me prepared to surrender my sword, for after having accused my soldiers, there can be no doubt that Monsieur, the Cardinal will end by accusing me.

It is best to constitute myself at once a prisoner with Athos who is already arrested, and with D'Artagnan, who most probably will be Gascon headed man will you have done?

Said the King.

Sire, replied Traville, without lowering his voice.

In the least.

Either order my musketeer to be restored to me or let him be tried.

He shall be tried, said the Cardinal.

Well, so much the better, for in that case I shall demand of His Majesty permission to plead for him.

The King feared an outbreak if his Eminence said he did not have personal motives.

The Cardinal saw what the King was about to say and interrupted him.

Pardon me, said he, but the instant Your Majesty considers me a prejudice judge, I withdraw.

Come, said the King.

Will you swear by my father that Athos was at your residence during the event, and that he took no part in it?

By your glorious father and by yourself, whom I love and venerate above all the world?

I swear it be so kind as to reflect, sire, said the Cardinal.

If we release the prisoner thus, we shall never know the truth.

Athos may always be found, replied Traville, ready to answer when it shall please the gownsman to interrogate him.

He will not desert, Monsieur, the Cardinal be assured of that.

I will answer for him.

No, he will not desert, said the King.

He can always be found, as Traville says.

Besides, added he, lowering his voice and looking with a suppliant air at the Cardinal, let us give them apparent security.

That is policy.

This policy of Louis XII made Rishalu smile.

Order it as you please, sire, you possess the right of pardon.

The right of pardoning only applies to the guilty, said Traville, who was determined to have the last word.

And my Musketeer is innocent.

It is not mercy, then, that you are about to accord, sire.

It is justice.

And he is in the Fort Lavic, said the King.

Yes, sire, in solitary confinement in a dungeon like the lowest criminal.

The devil, murmured the King.

What must be done?

Sign an order for his release and all will be said, replied the Cardinal.

I believe with Your Majesty that Monsieur de Traville's guarantee is more than sufficient.

Traville bowed very respectfully, with a joy that was not unmixed with fear.

He would have preferred an obstinate resistance on this part of the Cardinal to the sudden yielding.

The King signed the order for release, and Traville carried it away without delay.

As he was about to leave the present, the Cardinal gave him a friendly smile and said, A perfect harmony reinstar between the leaders and the soldiers of your Musketeers, which must be profitable for the service and honorable to all.

He will play me some dogstrick or other, and that immediately, said Traville.

One has never the last word with such a man.

But let us be quick.

The King may change his mind in an hour, and at all events it is more difficult to replace a man in the Fort Leavique or the Basil who has got out than to keep a prisoner there who is in.

Monsieur de Traville made his entrance triumphantly into the Fort Levique whence he delivered the Musketeer, whose peaceful indifference had not for a moment abandoned him the first time he saw D'Artagnan.

You have come off well, said he to him.

There is your Jusic thrust paid for.

There still remains that of Bernaju.

But you must not be too confident as to the rest.

Monsieur de Traville had good reason to mistrust the Cardinal, and to think that all was not over, for scarcely had the captain of the Musketeers close the door after him.

Then his eminent said to the King, now that we are at length by ourselves, we will if Your Majesty pleases converse seriously, sire, Buckingham has been in Paris five days and only left this morning.

Thank you for joining Bite At A Time Books today while we read a bite of one of your favorite classics.

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We are now part of the Byte At A Timebooks Productions Network.

If you ever wondered what inspired your favorite classic novelist to write their stories?

What was happening in their lives or the world at the time?

Check out bite at a time books behind the story Tuesdays wherever you listen to podcasts again.

My name is Brie Carlyle and I hope you come back tomorrow while we take the next bite of the three Musketeers.