Chapter 22: How the Countersign Was Respected at the Bastille

Fouquet tore along as fast as his horses could drag him. On the way he trembled with horror at the idea of what had just been revealed to him. “What must have been,” he thought, “the youth of those extraordinary men, who, even as age is stealing fast upon them, still are able to conceive such plans, and to carry them out without flinching!”

At one moment he asked himself whether all that Aramis had just been recounting to him was not a dream only, and whether the fable itself was not the snare; so that when he should arrive at the Bastille he might find an order of arrest, which would send him to join the dethroned King. Strongly impressed with this idea, he gave certain sealed orders on his route, while fresh horses were harnessed to his carriage. These orders were addressed to M. d’Artagnan and to certain others whose fidelity to the King was far above suspicion.

“In this way,” said Fouquet to himself, “prisoner or not, I shall have performed the duty which I owe to my honor. The orders will not reach them until after my return, if I should return free, and consequently they will not have been unsealed. I shall then take them back again. If I am delayed, it will be because some misfortune will have befallen me; and in that case assistance will be sent for me as well as for the King.”

Prepared in this manner, the superintendent arrived at the Bastille; he had travelled at the rate of five leagues and a half an hour. Every circumstance of delay which Aramis had escaped in his visit to the Bastille befell Fouquet. It was in vain that he gave his name, in vain that he endeavored to be recognized; he could not succeed in obtaining an entrance. By dint of entreaties, threats, and commands, he succeeded in inducing a sentinel to speak to one of the subalterns, who went and told the major. As for the governor, they did not even dare disturb him. Fouquet sat in his carriage, at the outer gate of the fortress, chafing with rage and impatience, awaiting the return of the officer, who at last reappeared with a somewhat sulky air.

“Well,” said Fouquet, impatiently, “what did the major say?”

“Well, Monsieur,” replied the soldier, “the major laughed in my face. He told me that M. Fouquet was at Vaux, and that even were he at Paris, M. Fouquet would not rise at so early an hour as the present.”

“Mordieu! you are a set of fools,” cried the minister, darting out of the carriage; and before the subaltern had had time to shut the gate, Fouquet sprang through it, and ran forward in spite of the soldier, who cried out for assistance. Fouquet gained ground, regardless of the cries of the man, who however, having at last come up with Fouquet, called out to the sentinel of the second gate, “Look out, look out, sentinel!” The man crossed his pike before the minister; but the latter, robust and active, and carried away too by his passion, wrested the pike from the soldier, and struck him a violent blow on the shoulder with it. The subaltern, who approached too closely, received his part of the blows as well. Both of them uttered loud and furious cries, at the sound of which the whole of the first body of the advanced guard poured out of the guard-house. Among them there was one, however, who recognized the superintendent, and who called out, “Monseigneur! ah, Monseigneur! Stop, stop, you fellows!” and he effectually checked the soldiers, who were on the point of avenging their companions. Fouquet desired them to open the gate; but they refused to do so without the countersign. He desired them to inform the governor of his presence; but the latter had already heard the disturbance at the gate. He ran forward, followed by his major, and accompanied by a picket of twenty men, persuaded that an attack was being made on the Bastille. Baisemeaux also recognized Fouquet immediately, and dropped his sword, which he had held brandishing about in his hand.

“Ah, Monseigneur!” he stammered, “how can I excuse-”

“Monsieur,” said the superintendent, flushed with anger, and heated by his exertions, “I congratulate you. Your watch and ward are admirably kept.”

Baisemeaux turned pale, thinking that this remark was said ironically, and portended a furious burst of anger. But Fouquet had recovered his breath, and beckoning towards him the sentinel and the subaltern, who were rubbing their shoulders, he said, “There are twenty pistoles for the sentinel, and fifty for the officer. Pray receive my compliments, gentlemen. I will not fail to speak to his Majesty about you. And now, M. Baisemeaux, a word with you.”

And he followed the governor to his official residence, accompanied by a murmur of general satisfaction. Baisemeaux was already trembling with shame and uneasiness. Aramis’s early visit from that moment seemed to involve consequences which a functionary was justified in apprehending. It was quite another thing, however, when Fouquet, in a sharp tone of voice, and with an imperious look, said, “You have seen M. d’Herblay this morning?”

“Yes, Monseigneur.”

“And are you not horrified at the crime of which you have made yourself an accomplice?”

“Well,” thought Baisemeaux, “good so far”; and then he added aloud, “But what crime, Monseigneur, do you allude to?”

“That for which you can be quartered alive, Monsieur,- do not forget that! But this is not a time to show anger. Conduct me immediately to the prisoner.”

“To what prisoner?” said Baisemeaux, trembling.

“You pretend to be ignorant! Very good; it is the best thing for you to do,- for if, in fact, you were to admit your participation in it, it would be all over with you. I wish, therefore, to seem to believe in your assumption of ignorance.”

“I entreat you, Monseigneur-”

“That will do. Lead me to the prisoner.”

“To Marchiali?”

“Who is Marchiali?”

“The prisoner who was brought back this morning by M. d’Herblay.”

“He is called Marchiali?” said the superintendent, his conviction somewhat shaken by Baisemeaux’s cool manner.

“Yes, Monseigneur; that is the name under which he was inscribed here.”

Fouquet looked steadily at Baisemeaux, as if to read his very heart, and perceived, with that clear-sightedness which men possess who are accustomed to the exercise of power, that the man was speaking with absolute sincerity. Besides, on observing his face for a moment, he could not believe that Aramis would have chosen such a confidant.

“It is the prisoner,” said the superintendent to Baisemeaux, “whom M. d’Herblay carried away the day before yesterday?”

“Yes, Monseigneur.”

“And whom he brought back this morning?” added Fouquet, quickly, for he understood immediately the mechanism of Aramis’s plan.

“Precisely, Monseigneur.”

“And his name is Marchiali, you say?”

“Yes; Marchiali. If Monseigneur has come here to remove him, so much the better, for I was going to write about him.”

“What has he done, then?”

“Ever since this morning, he has annoyed me extremely. He has had such terrible fits of passion as almost to make me believe that he would bring the Bastille itself down about our ears.”

“I will soon relieve you of his presence,” said Fouquet.

“Ah! so much the better.”

“Conduct me to his prison.”

“Will Monseigneur give me the order?”

“What order?”

“An order from the King.”

“Wait until I sign you one.”

“That will not be sufficient, Monseigneur; I must have an order from the King.”

Fouquet assumed an irritated expression. “As you are so scrupulous,” he said, “with regard to allowing prisoners to leave, show me the order by which this one was set at liberty.”

Baisemeaux showed him the order to release Seldon.

“Very good,” said Fouquet; “but Seldon is not Marchiali.”

“But Marchiali is not at liberty; he is here.”

“But you said that M. d’Herblay carried him away and brought him back again.”

“I did not say so.”

“So surely did you say it that I almost seem to hear it now.”

“It was a slip of my tongue, then, Monseigneur.”

“Take care, M. Baisemeaux, take care!”

“I have nothing to fear, Monseigneur; I am acting according to strict regulation.”

“Do you dare to say so?”

“I would say so in the presence of an apostle. M. d’Herblay brought me an order to set Seldon at liberty; and Seldon is free.”

“I tell you that Marchiali has left the Bastille.”

“You must prove that, Monseigneur.”

“Let me see him.”

“You, Monseigneur, who govern in this kingdom, know very well that no one can see any of the prisoners without an express order from the King.”

“M. d’Herblay has entered, however.”

“That is to be proved, Monseigneur.”

“M. de Baisemeaux, once more I warn you to pay particular attention to what you are saying.”

“All the documents are there, Monseigneur.”

“M. d’Herblay is overthrown.”

“Overthrown,- M. d’Herblay? Impossible!”

“You see that he has influenced you.”

“What influences me, Monseigneur, is the King’s service. I am doing my duty. Give me an order from him, and you shall enter.”

“Stay, Monsieur the Governor! I give you my word that if you allow me to see the prisoner I will give you an order from the King at once.”

“Give it to me now, Monseigneur.”

“And that if you refuse me I will have you and all your officers arrested on the spot.”

“Before you commit such an act of violence, Monseigneur, you will reflect’” said Baisemeaux, who had turned very pale, “that we will only obey an order signed by the King; and that it will be just as easy for you to obtain one to see Marchiali as to obtain one to do so much injury to me, who am innocent.”

“True, true!” cried Fouquet, furiously,- “perfectly true! M. de Baisemeaux,” he added in a sonorous voice, drawing the unhappy governor towards him, “do you know why I am so anxious to speak to the prisoner?”

“No, Monseigneur; and please observe that you are terrifying me. I tremble, and feel as if I were going to faint.”

“You will faint outright, M. Baisemeaux, when I return here at the head of ten thousand men and thirty pieces of cannon.”

“Good heavens, Monseigneur! you are losing your senses!”

“When I have roused the whole population of Paris against you and your cursed towers, and have battered open the gates of this place, and hanged you up to the bars of that tower in the corner there.”

“Monseigneur, Monseigneur! for pity’s sake!”

“I will give you ten minutes to make up your mind,” added Fouquet, in a calm voice. “I will sit down here in this arm-chair and wait for you. If in ten minutes’ time you still persist, I will leave this place, and you may think me as mad as you like; but you will see!”

Baisemeaux stamped his foot on the ground like a man in a state of despair, but he did not utter a word; whereupon Fouquet seized a pen and ink, and wrote,-

“Order for M. le Prevot des Marchands to assemble the municipal guard, and to march upon the Bastille for the King’s service.”

Baisemeaux shrugged his shoulders. Fouquet wrote:

“Order for M. le Duc de Bouillon and M. le Prince de Conde to assume the command of the Swiss and of the Guards, and to march upon the Bastille for the King’s service.”

Baisemeaux reflected. Fouquet still wrote:-

“Order for every soldier, citizen, or gentleman to seize and apprehend, wherever he may be found, the Chevalier d’Herblay, Eveque de Vannes, and his accomplices, who are- first, M. de Baisemeaux, governor of the Bastille, suspected of the crimes of high treason and rebellion-

“Stop, Monseigneur!” cried Baisemeaux. “I understand absolutely nothing of the whole matter; but so many misfortunes, even were it madness itself that had set them at work, might happen here in a couple of hours that the King, by whom I shall be judged, will see whether I have been wrong in withdrawing the countersign before so many imminent catastrophes. Come with me to the keep, Monseigneur; you shall see Marchiali.”

Fouquet darted out of the room, followed by Baisemeaux wiping the perspiration from his face. “What a terrible morning!” he said; “what a disgrace!”

“Walk faster!” replied Fouquet.

Baisemeaux made a sign to the jailer to precede them. He was afraid of his companion,- which the latter could not fail to perceive.

“A truce to this child’s-play!” said Fouquet, roughly. “Let the man remain here; take the keys yourself, and show me the way. Not a single person, do you understand, must hear what is going to take place here.”

“Ah!” said Baisemeaux, undecided.

“Again,” cried Fouquet. “Ah! say ‘No’ at once, and I will leave the Bastille, and will myself carry my own despatches.”

Baisemeaux bowed his head, took the keys, and unaccompanied except by the minister, ascended the staircase. As they advanced up the spiral staircase, certain smothered murmurs became distinct cries and fearful imprecations. “What is that?” asked Fouquet.

“That is your Marchiali,” said the governor; “that is the way madmen howl.” And he accompanied that reply with a glance more indicative of injurious allusions, as far as Fouquet was concerned, than of politeness.

The latter trembled; he had just recognized, in one cry more terrible than any that had preceded it, the King’s voice. He paused on the staircase, trying to snatch the bunch of keys from Baisemeaux, who thought this new madman was going to dash out his brains with one of them.

“Give me the keys at once!” cried Fouquet, tearing them from his hand. “Which is the key of the door I am to open?”

“That one.”

A fearful cry, followed by a violent blow against the door, made the whole staircase resound with the echo. “Leave this place!” said Fouquet to Baisemeaux, in a threatening voice.

“I ask nothing better,” murmured the latter. “There will be a couple of madmen face to face; and the one will kill the other, I am sure.”

“Go!” repeated Fouquet. “If you place your foot on this staircase before I call you, remember that you shall take the place of the meanest prisoner in the Bastille.”

“This job will kill me, I am sure!” muttered Baisemeaux, as he withdrew with tottering steps.

The prisoner’s cries became more and more terrible. When Fouquet had satisfied himself that Baisemeaux had reached the bottom of the staircase, he inserted the key in the first lock. It was then that he heard the hoarse, choking voice of the King crying out in a frenzy of rage, “Help, help! I am the King!” The key of the second door was not the same as the first, and Fouquet was obliged to look for it on the bunch. The King, meanwhile, furious and almost mad with rage and passion, shouted at the top of his voice, “It was M. Fouquet who brought me here! help me against M. Fouquet! I am the King! help the King against M. Fouquet!”

These cries tore the minister’s heart with mingled emotions. They were followed by frightful blows levelled against the door with a part of the broken chair with which the King had armed himself. Fouquet at last succeeded in finding the key. The King was almost exhausted; he no longer articulated, he roared: “Death to Fouquet! Death to the traitor Fouquet!” The door flew open.