“The abominable creature!” murmured D’Artagnan.
“Silence, silence! do go!” said Kitty. “There is nothing but a thin partition between my chamber and milady’s; every word spoken in one can be heard in the other.”
“That’s just the reason I won’t go,” said D’Artagnan.
“What!” said Kitty, blushing.
“Or, at least, I will go—later.”
And he drew Kitty to him. There was no way to resist—resistance makes so much noise. Therefore Kitty yielded. This was an impulse of vengeance on milady. D’Artagnan realized the truth of the saying that vengeance is the delight of the gods. Therefore, with a little natural affection, he might have been satisfied with this new conquest; but D’Artagnan knew only ambition and pride.
However, it must be said to his praise that the first use he made of his influence over Kitty was to try to learn from her what had become of Madame Bonacieux; but the poor girl swore on the crucifix to D’Artagnan that she was entirely ignorant in regard to that, her mistress never letting her know half her secrets. Only she believed she could say she was not dead.
D’Artagnan came the next day to milady’s. As she was in a very ill humour, he suspected that the lack of an answer from M. de Wardes provoked her to be so. Kitty came in, but milady was very cross with her. She glanced at D’Artagnan, as much as to say, “See how I suffer on your account!”
Toward the end of the evening, however, the beautiful lioness became milder. She smilingly listened to D’Artagnan’s soft speeches; she even gave him her hand to kiss.
When D’Artagnan took his departure he scarcely knew what to think; but as he was a youth not easily carried away by his emotions, even while he was continuing to pay court to milady he framed a little plan.
He found Kitty at the gate, and, as on the evening before, went up to her chamber. Kitty had been severely scolded; she was charged with negligence. Milady coud not at all understand the Comte de Wardes’s silence, and she ordered Kitty to come at nine o’clock in the morning to take a third letter to him.
D’Artagnan made Kitty promise to bring him that letter on the following morning. The poor girl promised all her lover desired; she was madly in love.
Everything occurred as it had the night before. D’Artagnan concealed himself in his wardrobe, milady called, undressed, sent Kitty away, and shut the door. As before, D’Artagnan returned home at five o’clock in the morning.
At eleven o’clock he saw Kitty coming; she held in her hand a fresh note from milady. This time the poor girl did not even hesitate at giving up the note to D’Artagnan. She let him do as he pleased. She belonged, body and soul, to her handsome soldier.
D’Artagnan opened the letter, and read as follows:
“This is the third time I have written to you to tell you that I love you. Beware lest I write to you a fourth time to tell you that I detest you.
“If you repent of the manner in which you have treated me, the young girl who brings you this note will tell you how a gentleman may obtain his pardon.”
D’Artagnan coloured and grew pale several times as he read this note.