Chapter 3 Eramis Returns to the Bastille The huge clock on the Bastille struck seven in the evening.
Tonight Eramis was the warden's guest.
The two men were having a friendly dinner together.
Midway through the meal, the warden's assistant arrived with an envelope, an order from the king that had just been delivered.
Eremus had known the letter was coming, so he pretended to drink from his glass and watched the warden read.
Suddenly, the warden laughed.
The king's office says they're in a rush to release a prisoner tonight, he said and laughed again.
They grab a man one day, feed him for years, and warn you to watch out for him.
Then, when you've grown used to treating him as a dangerous person, they tell you to set him free and add rush to their request.
Doesn't that seem crazy to you?
And will you release the poor man tonight?
Eramis asked.
I'll release him first thing in the morning.
My friend, I may have been a soldier once, but now I'm a priest.
Charity drives me to encourage you to obey the order immediately.
This poor man has suffered long enough.
You just told me he's been here several years.
His moment has come.
Set him free, I beg you.
Just like that, in the middle of supper, the warden asked.
Very well, I'll do it, but our meal will grow cold.
The warden walked to the door to speak to one of the guards outside and left the letter lying on the table.
Alone in the room.
Eramis took a nearly identical letter from his pocket and switched it with the one on the table.
It's impossible, the warden said when he returned.
I can't release him.
Why not?
Eramis asked, trying to control his nervousness.
It's in the middle of the night and he doesn't know Paris anymore.
How can I just let him go now?
It would be like releasing a blind man into a den of lions.
I've got a carriage, Eramis said.
I'll take him wherever he wants to go.
You have an answer for everything, the warden said, and called for a guard to come into the room.
Have Mr. Selden released from his cell and brought to the front gate?
Selden, Eramis asked.
That's the name of the man being released?
Don't you mean Martiali, Eramis asked.
No, the letter said to release Selden, the warden replied.
I saw the name Marciali written in large letters.
Aramis said, reaching across the table and picking up the letter.
Look, it says so right here.
Amazing, the warden said.
I'm certain I saw the name Selden written there a few minutes ago.
I even remember a small blot of the ink below his name.
This letter has no such mark.
Well.
Whatever you may have seen, this order says to release Marciale, Aramis said.
This Marciale is the same prisoner you visited so secretly the other day, the warden said.
Aramis said nothing.
Instead, he continued eating what was left of his dinner.
Perhaps I should send a messenger to confirm this order, the warden said.
I must make no mistakes.
Does the king's signature not appear in this letter?
Eramis asked.
It does, but it can be forged.
Very well, Eramis said.
I can see that you are a man who respects the orders given by his superiors.
You are also a very careful man.
Give me a pin and a blank piece of paper.
When Eramis had them, he wrote I guarantee that the order brought to the warden is valid and must be carried out immediately.
He signed it by the order of the Bishop of Vanna.
The warden's hands trembled as he took the letter from Eramis.
Finally he sat in a chair, as if exhausted.
"'Very well.
I must do as you say, for you are, after all, the bishop.
I have my suspicions and it appears to me that you're playing me for a fool, but it also appears that I have no choice'.
"'How should I proceed?' the warden asked.
"'How do you normally release an inmate?
Just follow your regulations,' Aramis said.
The warden went to speak with his guard again, leaving Eramis alone in the room.
Within half an hour, Eramis heard a door closing in the courtyard.
A few minutes later, the warden returned, followed by the prisoner.
Before they left, Eramis asked the warden, Does my personal order pose a problem for you?
I think you've done something strange tonight.
The warden said something that I don't want to know about.
If I get in trouble, I want your letter at hand.
Eramis agreed to the warden's request, for he wanted to leave as quickly as possible with the prisoner.
Then he and Philip silently sped away in the carriage.
Once they were far from the Bastille, Eramis called to his driver and told him to stop.
Before we go any farther, we need to talk, your highness, Aramis told the prisoner.
The best place for it is here in the middle of the forest.
No one else will see or hear us.
I'm listening, the young man said.
I have pulled you up from darkness, and I will elevate you to the highest position on earth.
You are the son of King Louis XIII, and the brother of King Louis XIV.
You are the rightful heir to the throne of France, and tomorrow or the day after, you will sit on that throne.
You and your brother are absolutely identical.
If you behave as he does, no one will even know that you have taken his place.
There is no danger as long as your boldness is as strong as your resemblance to the king.
You're forgetting our consciences, which could cry out.
The young man said, and there is remorse which could tear us apart.
True, said Eramus, there is weakness of the heart, but I haven't told you everything I have to say.
I can see that you're hurt, sick, almost wiped out from your experiences.
More than anything, I want you to be happy.
I have another offer for you.
Speak, Philip said, with an alertness that caught Eramis's attention.
I know of a small, peaceful town in the countryside where a man could spend his life as a fisherman.
I can give you enough money to buy up a large section of land there.
You could take the money and live in freedom.
Before I make up my mind, Philip said, let me think by myself.
I need to be surrounded by the sounds of the outdoors, of freedom.
As you please, Aramis said, bowing respectfully.
The young man left the carriage, his body trembling as he took a few unsteady steps.
For the first time in years, the young man was free.
He breathed in the warm air of the countryside and heaved a sigh of joy.
These moments were dreadful for Eramis.
He worried his plan was about to fall apart because he hadn't considered the effects of some leaves and a few puffs of fresh air on the human body.
Philip's sad eyes kept gazing at the sky as if looking for an answer.
Finally, he bowed his head.
His thoughts came back to earth.
His eyes hardened and his forehead creased.
He approached Eramis quickly and grabbed his arm.
Let's go, he said.
Let's go to where we'll find the crown of France.
That's my decision.
Eramis bowed.
Let me ask your royal highness an important question, Aramis said.
I had a notebook smuggled to you containing information about the people in your court, along with instructions to memorize this information.
Have you done it?
Ask me anything, Philip said.
My mother is Anne of Austria.
I know of Miss Valliere, who is in love with the king.
Be careful with her, Aramis cautioned.
She loves King Louis very much, and she will be hard to trick.
Do you know your ministers?
There's Mr Colbert, a gloomy old man who was the Minister of Commerce, and Mr Fouquet, the Superintendent of Finance.
The two are political enemies.
There's one other person who will be watching you closely.
Someone who could cause us trouble, Aramis said.
You mean D'Artagnan, the captain of the musketeers, said Philip.
He is one of my dearest friends, and I will tell him everything in due time, but be careful.
He's a man of action and he is loyal to the king, even though he disagrees with him and even dislikes him at times.
Philip nodded.
I know about your other friends as well, Portos and Athos and...
Are those his son, Raoul?
I know he loved Miss Valliere, and till the king stole her away.
As for Mr. Fouquet, Philip continued, what shall I do with him?
Make him the minister of commerce for the kingdom, Aramis said.
He will replace Colbert.
And I will make you my prime minister.
Not right away, said Aramis.
That would be too astonishing for people.
It would be better if I first was named the new Cardinal of France.
I will appoint you the Cardinal immediately, Philip said.
You can ask for more, anything you like.
There is something else I hope for, Aramis said.
Since you will be a strong and powerful king and you will extend France's power.
My power should extend beyond the church in this country too.
I know what you want.
The young man said I will make you the Cardinal of France, first the head of the French church, and then you will become my prime minister.
And finally, you will tell me what I must do to have you elected pope, the ruler of the church worldwide.
You have read my thoughts, said Eramis.
For many years now, ever since I stopped being a musketeer and rededicated myself to the church, that has been my ambition.
I believe that together we will be a force for good in the world.
I only hope I haven't blinded myself with ambition.
