Pierre Pevel - By The Alchemist in the Shadows Page 0,115

well. Thank you.'

Almades nodded and returned to keeping track of the comings and goings in the castle.

'The king must be warned about what is afoot,' said Marciac after a moment of silence. 'But there is no plot. Only a desperate queen.'

'You're forgetting a little quickly that the Alchemist and the Black Claw are also mixed up in this,'

replied the old captain. 'Last night, Saint-Lucq formally recognised Savelda in the company of the duchesse and Mauduit.'

'True, at least as far as Savelda and the Black Claw are concerned. But as for the Alchemist, we only have La Donna's word that—'

'What does it matter?' asked La Fargue, raising his voice. 'Why would the Black Claw want to help the queen have a child? Why would it favour the birth of a royal heir and thereby put an end to the divisions weakening the kingdom? And why the devil would it seek to prevent a repudiation of the queen which, if it were merely hinted at by the king, would be enough to provoke a war between France and Spain . . . ? Do you even have the beginning of an answer to any of these questions?'

'No,' admitted Marciac, lowering his eyes.

'There is a plot!' declared the captain of the Blades between clenched jaws. 'There is a plot, and the Alchemist is at its head!'

The Gascon did not reply, but turned his head away.

'Captain,' ventured Laincourt.

What?'

'It's about Mauduit. I'm not sure, but . . . well, here's the thing. One of my friends is a bookseller and I was able to

consult a very rare work that he has in his shop, of which Mauduit is the author. There was a portrait at the front of the book and ... I know these engravings can often be misleading, captain. But this picture looked nothing at all like the man serving the duchesse de Chevreuse as her magic master.'

For a long moment La Fargue remained immobile, silent and expressionless. Could Mauduit be the Alchemist? The conviction slowly took shape in his mind, and at last he began to grasp the nature of the plot against which La Donna had warned them . . .

'The Alchemist,' he said in a grave voice, 'plans to abduct the queen.'

His pistol aimed at Leprat, Mirebeau crossed the threshold of the circular room but did not come any closer. Perhaps he feared to advance any further beneath the rock dome. Perhaps he was reluctant to step on the slabs of black marble with their strangely glowing golden veins. Perhaps he preferred to keep his distance from the man who, sword in hand, was looking him straight in the eye without blinking.

They stood about seven metres apart. The musketeer had his back to the well, the other man had the dark cellars of the black tower behind him.

'What is this room?' asked Leprat. 'What is its purpose?'

'I don't know. Just as I didn't know of the existence of these underground chambers until I followed you. Indeed, one might be surprised to find you of all people down here . . .'

Leprat did not reply.

'But considering that I am the one holding the pistol,' Mirebeau continued, 'let us agree that I shall be the one who asks the questions. All right? Good. Who are you, monsieur?'

'My name will tell you nothing.'

'Nevertheless, please satisfy my curiosity.'

'I am Antoine Leprat, chevalier d'Orgueil.'

'A musketeer?'

'Yes.'

'Nothing else?'

'No.'

'A spy, then.'

'I obey the cardinal's orders in the service of the king.'

'A musketeer who obeys the cardinal? Is that possible?'

'It is in my case.'

'And the real Gueret?'

'Dead.'

'Killed by your hand?'

'No.'

'On that point, I'll have to take your word, won't I? Since you are a gentleman, I won't ask you to relinquish your sword. But please return it to its scabbard . . .'

Leprat honoured his request.

Mirebeau looked at him sadly. He was slightly more relaxed but still had not lowered his weapon.

'What am I to do with you, monsieur le chevalier d'Orgueil?'

'As you said: you are the one holding the pistol.'

'I offered you my friendship. I offered you my friendship and you accepted it.'

'Yes.'

'You betrayed my trust.'

'I know.'

'Don't misunderstand me. I don't blame you. It was me. I made a mistake. Why didn't I listen to Rauvin's initial warnings? Unlike me, he saw right through you from the beginning. Did you know I took your side this morning when Rauvin claimed to see you returning on horseback before dawn from some mysterious errand? I thought he was slandering you out of jealousy, that he had not forgiven you for