He paced up and down,thinking.The Ball,D'Artagnan told him,was in five days' time.If Queen Anne appeared with two of the diamond studs missing,the King's anger would be terrible.The Cardinal would have succeeded.The Duke stopped suddenly and turned to the young Frenchman.
'Five day-that's all the time we need!'he exclaimed.'I know what we must do.'
Bucking ham sent for his secretary,and issued an immediate order.No ships were to sail for France,for he believed Milady de Winter was still in London.Such was his importance in the government that the order was carried out without question.
Next the Duck called for his jeweller,and showed him the set of diamond studs.He promised the man he would pay him well to make two studs exactly like them.The muxt be finished within two days,and make so that no one could tell the new from the old.The jeweller agreed,and hurried away to start work.
'We are not beaten!D'Artagnan!'cried the Duke.
Two days later the new studs were ready.The Duke and D'Artagnan examined them carefully.They had been so well made it was impossible to tell they were not part of the original set.Now D'Artagnan could leave for France.
As his ship left Dover,he thought he saw Milady de Winter aboard one of the vessels which had not been allowed to leave port.His ship passed so quickly he had little more than a glimpse of her.Once across the Channel he set off for Paris as fast as he could.
Paris was full of talk about the Ball,at which the King and Queen would lead the dancing.More than a week had been spent in preparing the Hotel de Ville,with flowers and hunreds of candles.The King arrived to the cheers of the watching crowds.Soon afterwards the Queen also entered the ballroom.The Cardinal watched from behind a curtain.A smile of triumph came to his lips.She was not wearing the diamond studs.He was quick this out to the King.