Pierre Pevel - By The Alchemist in the Shadows Page 0,109

the saddle.

But Laincourt did believe him.

He mounted Ballardieu's horse and left at a gallop.

*

As evening descended upon Dampierre, raised voices and bursts of laughter resounded in the small castle courtyard. Some Italian actors were performing, by torchlight, a lively farce which had all the guests enthralled. Even the king, who had little taste for bawdiness, appeared to be enjoying the comedy. He guffawed readily enough. Since he was normally of a dismal, brooding nature, his excellent humour astonished those observing him. It should, instead, have alarmed some of them.

La Fargue looked down into the courtyard from a first-storey window. The Italians' pranks did not amuse him. Since arriving at Dampierre ,he had asked to be received by monsieur de Treville, captain of the King's Musketeers, and had communicated his suspicions to him: a plot against His Majesty was about to unfold. The two men knew, liked and respected one another. But without taking La Fargue's warnings lightly, Treville had assured him that Louis XIII could not be in danger because an elite company of gentlemen was there to protect him. The captain of the Musketeers nevertheless allowed La Fargue to remain, on the condition that he and his Blades would not hinder Treville's own service. He also required that they stay away from the gardens, particularly once night fell.

'My musketeers don't know you and they have strict orders. They will open fire on your men, if they do not obey these instructions.'

In the courtyard, before a painted backdrop, Arlecchino was kicking Matamoros's rear end, for vainly seeking the hand of Colombina in marriage. In a decidedly joyful mood, Louis XIII was laughing heartily at the grotesque hopping of the actor each time he received a boot to the arse. It made a sharp contrast with the attitude of the queen, seated to the left of her husband, who was forcing herself to smile and, distracted, applauded with a slight delay. She was obviously preoccupied with something . . .

'It will happen this evening,' declared La Fargue in a grave tone. He looked up at the darkening sky where the stars were beginning to come out. 'I can feel it. I know it . . .'

Treville was reading a note that one of his musketeers had just brought him. He nodded.

'Perfect,' he said to the musketeer.

The man withdrew with a martial step and, folding up the piece of paper, the comte de Troisvilles, more commonly cailed Treville, approached La Fargue and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder.

'You're obsessed with this Alchemist, my friend.'

'No doubt . . . But he is one of the kingdom's most formidable enemies. And I can sense his presence here.'

Treville shrugged his shoulders

'I can only repeat that all the necessary precautions to ensure His Majesty's safety have been taken.'

'They may not be enough.'

'I know. There are always unforeseen events.'

Both men were haunted by the spectre of Henri IV's assassination. They remained silent for a moment and then La Fargue said:

'The queen seems worried about something.'

Treville leaned forward to have a look.

'Indeed she does.'

Turning from the window, La Fargue went over to open the door and called in Almades who was waiting in the ante-chamber.

'Yes, captain?'

'Go and find Marciac. I want him to ask Agnes if the queen has any legitimate, admissible cause for concern.'

'Understood, captain.'

The Spaniard immediately complied, descending the stairs to find the Gascon, who was busy trying to work his charm on a very pretty and still very innocent young baronne. If there was little doubt that he wished for her to remain pretty, her nnocence, on the other hand, was under serious threat.

He was unflustered at seeing Almades, but promised the young woman that he would return, caressing her chin with his

index finger and grinning before going over to the austere fencing master.

'I'm listening.'

'The queen is preoccupied. Perhaps Agnes knows why.'

'All right.'

'And who is that you're with?

'Delicious, isn't she?'

At that very instant, Matamoros finished covering himself in ridicule, the Dottore married Colombina off to Arlecchino and the play ended to considerable applause.

'Don't delay, Marciac'

The Gascon thus hurried off, repeating his promise to the pretty young baronne as he passed, then seemed to change his mind by turning back and surprising the lady with a kiss on the cheek, before going in search of Agnes.

Thanks to Saint-Lucq's directions, Leprat located the secret passage leading to the black tower.

This edifice had long ago been taken apart stone by stone, before its very foundations were buried, no doubt so that all memory of it would be