by Alexandre Dumas

“ Scarcely, however, had the tapestry closed behind Athos when she said to Mazarin:
"Cardinal, desire them to arrest that insolent fellow before he leaves the court."
"Your majesty," answered Mazarin, "desires me to do only what I was going to ask you to let me do. These bravoes who resuscitate in our epoch the traditions of another reign are troublesome; since there are two of them already there, let us add a third."
Athos was not altogether the queen's dupe, but he was not a man to run away on suspicion - above all, when distinctly told that he should see his friends again. ”

“ The cardinal saw that it was now high time to come to the assistance of Anne.
"Sir," he said, "I can tell you what is at present unknown to her majesty. These individuals are under arrest. They disobeyed orders."
"I beg of your majesty, then," said Athos, calmly and not replying to Mazarin, "to quash these arrests of Messieurs d'Artagnan and du Vallon."
"What you ask is merely an affair of discipline and does not concern me," said the queen. ”

“ I address myself, therefore, first to the benevolence of your majesty, that I may know what has become of my friends, reserving to myself, if necessary, the right of appealing hereafter to your justice. ”