Alexandre Dumas: The Man in the Iron Mask

Chapter 38: Friendly Advice. (continued)

"Oh! nothing but insignificant orders; such as guarding the castle, guarding every lodging, allowing none of M. de Gesvres's guards to occupy a single post."

"And as to myself," cried Fouquet, "what orders had you?"

"As to you, monseigneur? - not the smallest word."

"Monsieur d'Artagnan, my safety, my honor, perhaps my life are at stake. You would not deceive me?"

"I? - to what end? Are you threatened? Only there really is an order with respect to carriages and boats - "

"An order?"

"Yes; but it cannot concern you - a simple measure of police."

"What is it, captain? - what is it?"

"To forbid all horses or boats to leave Nantes, without a pass, signed by the king."

"Great God! but - "

D'Artagnan began to laugh. "All that is not to be put into execution before the arrival of the king at Nantes. So that you see plainly, monseigneur, the order in nowise concerns you."

Fouquet became thoughtful, and D'Artagnan feigned not to observe his preoccupation. "It is evident, by my thus confiding to you the orders which have been given to me, that I am friendly towards you, and that I am trying to prove to you that none of them are directed against you."

"Without doubt! - without doubt!" said Fouquet, still absent.

"Let us recapitulate," said the captain, his glance beaming with earnestness. "A special guard about the castle, in which your lodging is to be, is it not?"

"Do you know the castle?"