"Well, now," said Athos, triumphantly, "I swear to you, my friend, by
the God who hears us--I believe that there is a power watching over us,
and that we shall all four see France again."
"So be it!" said D’Artagnan, "but I--I confess I have a contrary
conviction."
"Our good D’Artagnan," said Aramis, "represents among us the opposition
in parliament, which always says no, and always does aye."
"But in the meantime saves the country," added Athos.
"Well, now that everything is decided," cried Porthos, rubbing his
hands, "suppose we think of dinner! It seems to me that in the most
critical positions of our lives we have always dined."
"Oh! yes, speak of dinner in a country where for a feast they eat boiled
mutton, and as a treat drink beer. What the devil did you come to such a
country for, Athos? But I forgot," added the Gascon, smiling, "pardon, I
forgot you are no longer Athos; but never mind, let us hear your plan
for dinner, Porthos."
"My plan!"
"Yes, have you a plan?"
"No! I am hungry, that is all."
"Pardieu, if that is all, I am hungry, too; but it is not everything to
be hungry, one must find something to eat, unless we browse on the
grass, like our horses----"
"Ah!" exclaimed Aramis, who was not quite so indifferent to the good
things of the earth as Athos, "do you remember, when we were at
Parpaillot, the beautiful oysters that we ate?"
"And the legs of mutton of the salt marshes," said Porthos, smacking his
lips.
"But," suggested D’Artagnan, "have we not our friend Mousqueton, who
managed for us so well at Chantilly, Porthos?"
"Yes," said Porthos, "we have Mousqueton, but since he has been steward,
he has become very heavy; never mind, let us call him, and to make sure
that he will reply agreeably----
"Here! Mouston," cried Porthos.
Mouston appeared, with a most piteous face.
"What is the matter, my dear M. Mouston?" asked D’Artagnan. "Are you
ill?"
"Sir, I am very hungry," replied Mouston.
"Well, it is just for that reason that we have called you, my good M.
Mouston. Could you not procure us a few of those nice little rabbits,
and some of those delicious partridges, of which you used to make
fricassees at the hotel----? ’Faith, I do not remember the name of the
hotel."
"At the hotel of----," said Porthos; "by my faith--nor do I remember it
either."
"It does not matter; and a few of those bottles of old Burgundy wine,
which cured your master so quickly of his sprain!"
"Alas! sir," said Mousqueton, "I much fear that what you ask for are
very rare things in this detestable and barren country, and I think we
should do better to go and seek hospitality from the owner of a little
house we see on the fringe of the forest."
"How! is there a house in the neighborhood?" asked D’Artagnan.
"Yes, sir," replied Mousqueton.
"Well, let us, as you say, go and ask a dinner from the master of that
house. What is your opinion, gentlemen, and does not M. Mouston’s
suggestion appear to you full of sense?"
"Oh!" said Aramis, "suppose the master is a Puritan?"
"So much the better, mordioux!" replied D’Artagnan; "if he is a Puritan
we will inform him of the capture of the king, and in honor of the news
he will kill for us his fatted hens."
"But if he should be a cavalier?" said Porthos.
"In that case we will put on an air of mourning and he will pluck for us
his black fowls."
"You are very happy," exclaimed Athos, laughing, in spite of himself, at
the sally of the irresistible Gascon; "for you see the bright side of
everything."
"What would you have?" said D’Artagnan. "I come from a land where there
is not a cloud in the sky."
"It is not like this, then," said Porthos stretching out his hand to
assure himself whether a chill sensation he felt on his cheek was not
really caused by a drop of rain.
"Come, come," said D’Artagnan, "more reason why we should start on our
journey. Halloo, Grimaud!"
Grimaud appeared.
"Well, Grimaud, my friend, have you seen anything?" asked the Gascon.
"Nothing!" replied Grimaud.
"Those idiots!" cried Porthos, "they have not even pursued us. Oh! if we
had been in their place!"
"Yes, they are wrong," said D’Artagnan. "I would willingly have said two
words to Mordaunt in this little desert. It is an excellent spot for
bringing down a man in proper style."
"I think, decidedly," observed Aramis, "gentlemen, that the son hasn’t
his mother’s energy."
"What, my good fellow!" replied Athos, "wait awhile; we have scarcely
left him two hours ago--he does not know yet in what direction we came
nor where we are. We may say that he is not equal to his mother when we
put foot in France, if we are not poisoned or killed before then."
"Meanwhile, let us dine," suggested Porthos.
"I’faith, yes," said Athos, "for I am hungry."
"Look out for the black fowls!" cried Aramis.
And the four friends, guided by Mousqueton, took up the way toward the
house, already almost restored to their former gayety; for they were
now, as Athos had said, all four once more united and of single mind.
60. Respect to Fallen Majesty.
As our fugitives approached the house, they found the ground cut up, as
if a considerable body of horsemen had preceded them. Before the door
the traces were yet more apparent; these horsemen, whoever they might
be, had halted there.
"Egad!" cried D’Artagnan, "it’s quite clear that the king and his escort
have been by here."
"The devil!" said Porthos; "in that case they have eaten everything."
"Bah!" said D’Artagnan, "they will have left a chicken, at least." He
dismounted and knocked on the door. There was no response.
He pushed open the door and found the first room empty and deserted.
"Well?" cried Porthos.
"I can see nobody," said D’Artagnan. "Aha!"
"What?"
"Blood!"
At this word the three friends leaped from their horses and entered.
D’Artagnan had already opened the door of the second room, and from the
expression of his face it was clear that he there beheld some
extraordinary object.
The three friends drew near and discovered a young man stretched on the
ground, bathed in a pool of blood. It was evident that he had attempted
to regain his bed, but had not had sufficient strength to do so.
Athos, who imagined that he saw him move, was the first to go up to him.
"Well?" inquired D’Artagnan.
"Well, if he is dead," said Athos, "he has not been so long, for he is
still warm. But no, his heart is beating. Ho, there, my friend!"
The wounded man heaved a sigh. D’Artagnan took some water in the hollow
of his hand and threw it upon his face. The man opened his eyes, made an
effort to raise his head, and fell back again. The wound was in the top
of his skull and blood was flawing copiously.
Aramis dipped a cloth into some water and applied it to the gash. Again
the wounded man opened his eyes and looked in astonishment at these
strangers, who appeared to pity him.
"You are among friends," said Athos, in English; "so cheer up, and tell
us, if you have the strength to do so, what has happened?"
"The king," muttered the wounded man, "the king is a prisoner."
"You have seen him?" asked Aramis, in the same language.
The man made no reply.
"Make your mind easy," resumed Athos, "we are all faithful servants of
his majesty."
"Is what you tell me true?" asked the wounded man.
"On our honor as gentlemen."
"Then I may tell you all. I am brother to Parry, his majesty’s lackey."
Athos and Aramis remembered that this was the name by which De Winter
had called the man they had found in the passage of the king’s tent.
"We know him," said Athos, "he never left the king."
"Yes, that is he. Well, he thought of me, when he saw the king was
taken, and as they were passing before the house he begged in the king’s
name that they would stop, as the king was hungry. They brought him into
this room and placed sentinels at the doors and windows. Parry knew this
room, as he had often been to see me when the king was at Newcastle. He
knew that there was a trap-door communicating with a cellar, from which
one could get into the orchard. He made a sign, which I understood, but
the king’s guards must have noticed it and held themselves on guard. I
went out as if to fetch wood, passed through the subterranean passage
into the cellar, and whilst Parry was gently bolting the door, pushed up
the board and beckoned to the king to follow me. Alas! he would not. But
Parry clasped his hands and implored him, and at last he agreed. I went
on first, fortunately. The king was a few steps behind me, when suddenly
I saw something rise up in front of me like a huge shadow. I wanted to
cry out to warn the king, but that very moment I felt a blow as if the
house was falling on my head, and fell insensible. When I came to myself
again, I was stretched in the same place. I dragged myself as far as the
yard. The king and his escort were no longer there. I spent perhaps an
hour in coming from the yard to this place; then my strength gave out
and I fainted again."
"And now how are you feeling?"
"Very ill," replied the wounded man.
"Can we do anything for you?" asked Athos.
"Help to put me on the bed; I think I shall feel better there."
"Have you any one to depend on for assistance?"
"My wife is at Durham and may return at any moment. But you--is there
nothing that you want?"
"We came here with the intention of asking for something to eat."
"Alas, they have taken everything; there isn’t a morsel of bread in the
house."
"You hear, D’Artagnan?" said Athos; "we shall have to look elsewhere for
our dinner."
"It is all one to me now," said D’Artagnan; "I am no longer hungry."
"Faith! neither am I," said Porthos.
They carried the man to his bed and called Grimaud to dress the wound.
In the service of the four friends Grimaud had had so frequent occasion
to make lint and bandages that he had become something of a surgeon.
In the meantime the fugitives had returned to the first room, where they
took counsel together.
"Now," said Aramis, "we know how the matter stands. The king and his
escort have gone this way; we had better take the opposite direction,
eh?"
Athos did not reply; he reflected.
"Yes," said Porthos, "let us take the opposite direction; if we follow
the escort we shall find everything devoured and die of hunger. What a
confounded country this England is! This is the first time I have gone
without my dinner for ten years, and it is generally my best meal."
"What do you think, D’Artagnan?" asked Athos. "Do you agree with
Aramis?"
"Not at all," said D’Artagnan; "I am precisely of the contrary opinion."
"What! you would follow the escort?" exclaimed Porthos, in dismay.
"No, I would join the escort."
Athos’s eyes shone with joy.
"Join the escort!" cried Aramis.
"Let D’Artagnan speak," said Athos; "you know he always has wise advice
to give."
"Clearly," said D’Artagnan, "we must go where they will not look for us.
Now, they will be far from looking for us among the Puritans; therefore,
with the Puritans we must go."
"Good, my friend, good!" said Athos. "It is excellent advice. I was
about to give it when you anticipated me."
"That, then, is your opinion?" asked Aramis.
"Yes. They will think we are trying to leave England and will search for
us at the ports; meanwhile we shall reach London with the king. Once in
London we shall be hard to find--without considering," continued Athos,
throwing a glance at Aramis, "the chances that may come to us on the
way."
"Yes," said Aramis, "I understand."
"I, however, do not understand," said Porthos. "But no matter; since it
is at the same time the opinion of D’Artagnan and of Athos, it must be
the best."
"But," said Aramis, "shall we not be suspected by Colonel Harrison?"
"Egad!" cried D’Artagnan, "he’s just the man I count upon. Colonel
Harrison is one of our friends. We have met him twice at General
Cromwell’s. He knows that we were sent from France by Monsieur Mazarin;
he will consider us as brothers. Besides, is he not a butcher’s son?
Well, then, Porthos shall show him how to knock down an ox with a blow
of the fist, and I how to trip up a bull by taking him by the horns.
That will insure his confidence."
Athos smiled. "You are the best companion that I know, D’Artagnan," he
said, offering his hand to the Gascon; "and I am very happy in having
found you again, my dear son."
This was, as we have seen, the term which Athos applied to D’Artagnan in
his more expansive moods.
At this moment Grimaud came in. He had stanched the wound and the man
was better.
The four friends took leave of him and asked if they could deliver any
message for him to his brother.
"Tell him," answered the brave man, "to let the king know that they have
not killed me outright. However insignificant I am, I am sure that his
majesty is concerned for me and blames himself for my death."
"Be easy," said D’Artagnan, "he will know all before night."
The little troop recommenced their march, and at the end of two hours
perceived a considerable body of horsemen about half a league ahead.
"My dear friends," said D’Artagnan, "give your swords to Monsieur
Mouston, who will return them to you at the proper time and place, and
do not forget you are our prisoners."
It was not long before they joined the escort. The king was riding in
front, surrounded by troopers, and when he saw Athos and Aramis a glow
of pleasure lighted his pale cheeks.
D’Artagnan passed to the head of the column, and leaving his friends
under the guard of Porthos, went straight to Harrison, who recognized
him as having met him at Cromwell’s and received him as politely as a
man of his breeding and disposition could. It turned out as D’Artagnan
had foreseen. The colonel neither had nor could have any suspicion.
They halted for the king to dine. This time, however, due precautions
were taken to prevent any attempt at escape. In the large room of the
hotel a small table was placed for him and a large one for the officers.
"Will you dine with me?" asked Harrison of D’Artagnan.
"Gad, I should be very happy, but I have my companion, Monsieur du
Vallon, and the two prisoners, whom I cannot leave. Let us manage it
better. Have a table set for us in a corner and send us whatever you
like from yours."
"Good," answered Harrison.
The matter was arranged as D’Artagnan had suggested, and when he
returned he found the king already seated at his little table, where
Parry waited on him, Harrison and his officers sitting together at
another table, and, in a corner, places reserved for himself and his
companions.
The table at which the Puritan officers were seated was round, and
whether by chance or coarse intention, Harrison sat with his back to the
king.
The king saw the four gentlemen come in, but appeared to take no notice
of them.
They sat down in such a manner as to turn their backs on nobody. The
officers, table and that of the king were opposite to them.
"I’faith, colonel," said D’Artagnan, "we are very grateful for your
gracious invitation; for without you we ran the risk of going without
dinner, as we have without breakfast. My friend here, Monsieur du
Vallon, shares my gratitude, for he was particularly hungry."
"And I am so still," said Porthos bowing to Harrison.
"And how," said Harrison, laughing, "did this serious calamity of going
without breakfast happen to you?"
"In a very simple manner, colonel," said D’Artagnan. "I was in a hurry
to join you and took the road you had already gone by. You can
understand our disappointment when, arriving at a pretty little house on
the skirts of a wood, which at a distance had quite a gay appearance,
with its red roof and green shutters, we found nothing but a poor wretch
bathed--Ah! colonel, pay my respects to the officer of yours who struck
that blow."
"Yes," said Harrison, laughing, and looking over at one of the officers
seated at his table. "When Groslow undertakes this kind of thing there’s
no need to go over the ground a second time."
"Ah! it was this gentleman?" said D’Artagnan, bowing to the officer. "I
am sorry he does not speak French, that I might tender him my
compliments."
"I am ready to receive and return them, sir," said the officer, in
pretty good French, "for I resided three years in Paris."
"Then, sir, allow me to assure you that your blow was so well directed
that you have nearly killed your man."
"Nearly? I thought I had quite," said Groslow.
"No. It was a very near thing, but he is not dead."
As he said this, D’Artagnan gave a glance at Parry, who was standing in
front of the king, to show him that the news was meant for him.
The king, too, who had listened in the greatest agony, now breathed
again.
"Hang it," said Groslow, "I thought I had succeeded better. If it were
not so far from here to the house I would return and finish him."
"And you would do well, if you are afraid of his recovering; for you
know, if a wound in the head does not kill at once, it is cured in a
week."
And D’Artagnan threw a second glance toward Parry, on whose face such an
expression of joy was manifested that Charles stretched out his hand to
him, smiling.
Parry bent over his master’s hand and kissed it respectfully.
"I’ve a great desire to drink the king’s health," said Athos.
"Let me propose it, then," said D’Artagnan.
"Do," said Aramis.
Porthos looked at D’Artagnan, quite amazed at the resources with which
his companion’s Gascon sharpness continually supplied him. D’Artagnan
took up his camp tin cup, filled it with wine and arose.
"Gentlemen," said he, "let us drink to him who presides at the repast.
Here’s to our colonel, and let him know that we are always at his
commands as far as London and farther."
And as D’Artagnan, as he spoke, looked at Harrison, the colonel imagined
the toast was for himself. He arose and bowed to the four friends, whose
eyes were fixed on Charles, while Harrison emptied his glass without the
slightest misgiving.
The king, in return, looked at the four gentlemen and drank with a smile
full of nobility and gratitude.
"Come, gentlemen," cried Harrison, regardless of his illustrious
captive, "let us be off."
"Where do we sleep, colonel?"
"At Thirsk," replied Harrison.
"Parry," said the king, rising too, "my horse; I desire to go to
Thirsk."
"Egad!" said D’Artagnan to Athos, "your king has thoroughly taken me,
and I am quite at his service."
"If what you say is sincere," replied Athos, "he will never reach
London."
"How so?"
"Because before then we shall have carried him off."
"Well, this time, Athos," said D’Artagnan, "upon my word, you are mad."
"Have you some plan in your head then?" asked Aramis.
"Ay!" said Porthos, "the thing would not be impossible with a good
plan."
"I have none," said Athos; "but D’Artagnan will discover one."
D’Artagnan shrugged his shoulders and they proceeded.
61. D’Artagnan hits on a Plan.
As night closed in they arrived at Thirsk. The four friends appeared to
be entire strangers to one another and indifferent to the precautions
taken for guarding the king. They withdrew to a private house, and as
they had reason every moment to fear for their safety, they occupied but
one room and provided an exit, which might be useful in case of an
attack. The lackeys were sent to their several posts, except that
Grimaud lay on a truss of straw across the doorway.
D’Artagnan was thoughtful and seemed for the moment to have lost his
usual loquacity. Porthos, who could never see anything that was not
self-evident, talked to him as usual. He replied in monosyllables and
Athos and Aramis looked significantly at one another.
Next morning D’Artagnan was the first to rise. He had been down to the
stables, already taken a look at the horses and given the necessary
orders for the day, whilst Athos and Aramis were still in bed and
Porthos snoring.
At eight o’clock the march was resumed in the same order as the night
before, except that D’Artagnan left his friends and began to renew the
acquaintance which he had already struck up with Monsieur Groslow.
Groslow, whom D’Artagnan’s praises had greatly pleased, welcomed him
with a gracious smile.
"Really, sir," D’Artagnan said to him, "I am pleased to find one with
whom to talk in my own poor tongue. My friend, Monsieur du Vallon, is of
a very melancholy disposition, so much so, that one can scarcely get
three words out of him all day. As for our two prisoners, you can
imagine that they are but little in the vein for conversation."
"They are hot royalists," said Groslow.
"The more reason they should be sulky with us for having captured the
Stuart, for whom, I hope, you’re preparing a pretty trial."
"Why," said Groslow, "that is just what we are taking him to London
for."
"And you never by any chance lose sight of him, I presume?"
"I should think not, indeed. You see he has a truly royal escort."
"Ay, there’s no fear in the daytime; but at night?"
"We redouble our precautions."
"And what method of surveillance do you employ?"
"Eight men remain constantly in his room."
"The deuce, he is well guarded, then. But besides these eight men, you
doubtless place some guard outside?"
"Oh, no! Just think. What would you have two men without arms do against
eight armed men?"
"Two men--how do you mean?"
"Yes, the king and his lackey."
"Oh! then they allow the lackey to remain with him?"
"Yes; Stuart begged this favor and Harrison consented. Under pretense
that he’s a king it appears he cannot dress or undress without
assistance."
"Really, captain," said D’Artagnan, determined to continue on the
laudatory tack on which he had commenced, "the more I listen to you the
more surprised I am at the easy and elegant manner in which you speak
French. You have lived three years in Paris? May I ask what you were
doing there?"
"My father, who is a merchant, placed me with his correspondent, who in
turn sent his son to join our house in London."
"Were you pleased with Paris, sir?"
"Yes, but you are much in want of a revolution like our own--not against
your king, who is a mere child, but against that lazar of an Italian,
the queen’s favorite."
"Ah! I am quite of your opinion, sir, and we should soon make an end of
Mazarin if we had only a dozen officers like yourself, without
prejudices, vigilant and incorruptible."
"But," said the officer, "I thought you were in his service and that it
was he who sent you to General Cromwell."
"That is to say I am in the king’s service, and that knowing he wanted
to send some one to England, I solicited the appointment, so great was
my desire to know the man of genius who now governs the three kingdoms.
So that when he proposed to us to draw our swords in honor of old
England you see how we snapped up the proposition."
"Yes, I know that you charged by the side of Mordaunt."
"On his right and left, sir. Ah! there’s another brave and excellent
young man."
"Do you know him?" asked the officer.
"Yes, very well. Monsieur du Vallon and myself came from France with
him."
"It appears, too, you kept him waiting a long time at Boulogne."
"What would you have? I was like you, and had a king in keeping."
"Aha!" said Groslow; "what king?"
"Our own, to be sure, the little one--Louis XIV."
"And how long had you to take care of him?"
"Three nights; and, by my troth, I shall always remember those three
nights with a certain pleasure."
"How do you mean?"
"I mean that my friends, officers in the guards and mousquetaires, came
to keep me company and we passed the night in feasting, drinking,
dicing."
"Ah true," said the Englishman, with a sigh; "you Frenchmen are born
boon companions."
"And don’t you play, too, when you are on guard?"
"Never," said the Englishman.
"In that case you must be horribly bored, and have my sympathy."
"The fact is, I look to my turn for keeping guard with horror. It’s
tiresome work to keep awake a whole night."
"Yes, but with a jovial partner and dice, and guineas clinking on the
cloth, the night passes like a dream. You don’t like playing, then?"
"On the contrary, I do."
"Lansquenet, for instance?"
"Devoted to it. I used to play almost every night in France."
"And since your return to England?"
"I have not handled a card or dice-box."
"I sincerely pity you," said D’Artagnan, with an air of profound
compassion.
"Look here," said the Englishman.
"Well?"
"To-morrow I am on guard."
"In Stuart’s room?"
"Yes; come and pass the night with me."
"Impossible!"
"Impossible! why so?"
"I play with Monsieur du Vallon every night. Sometimes we don’t go to
bed at all!"
"Well, what of that?"
"Why, he would be annoyed if I did not play with him."
"Does he play well?"
"I have seen him lose as much as two thousand pistoles, laughing all the
while till the tears rolled down."
"Bring him with you, then."
"But how about our prisoners?"
"Let your servants guard them."
"Yes, and give them a chance of escaping," said D’Artagnan. "Why, one of
them is a rich lord from Touraine and the other a knight of Malta, of
noble family. We have arranged the ransom of each of them--2,000 on
arriving in France. We are reluctant to leave for a single moment men
whom our lackeys know to be millionaires. It is true we plundered them a
little when we took them, and I will even confess that it is their purse
that Monsieur du Vallon and I draw on in our nightly play. Still, they
may have concealed some precious stone, some valuable diamond; so that
we are like those misers who are unable to absent themselves from their
treasures. We have made ourselves the constant guardians of our men, and
while I sleep Monsieur du Vallon watches."
"Ah! ah!" said Groslow.
"You see, then, why I must decline your polite invitation, which is
especially attractive to me, because nothing is so wearisome as to play
night after night with the same person; the chances always balance and
at the month’s end nothing is gained or lost."
"Ah!" said Groslow, sighing; "there is something still more wearisome,
and that is not to play at all."
"I can understand that," said D’Artagnan.
"But, come," resumed the Englishman, "are these men of yours dangerous?"
"In what respect?"
"Are they capable of attempting violence?"
D’Artagnan burst out laughing at the idea.
"Jesus Dieu!" he cried; "one of them is trembling with fever, having
failed to adapt himself to this charming country of yours, and the other
is a knight of Malta, as timid as a young girl; and for greater security
we have taken from them even their penknives and pocket scissors."
"Well, then," said Groslow, "bring them with you."
"But really----" said D’Artagnan.
"I have eight men on guard, you know. Four of them can guard the king
and the other four your prisoners. I’ll manage it somehow, you will
see."
"But," said D’Artagnan, "now I think of it--what is to prevent our
beginning to-night?"
"Nothing at all," said Groslow.
"Just so. Come to us this evening and to-morrow we’ll return your
visit."
"Capital! This evening with you, to-morrow at Stuart’s, the next day
with me."
"You see, that with a little forethought one can lead a merry life
anywhere and everywhere," said D’Artagnan.
"Yes, with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen like you."
"And Monsieur du Vallon," added the other. "You will see what a fellow
he is; a man who nearly killed Mazarin between two doors. They employ
him because they are afraid of him. Ah, there he is calling me now.
You’ll excuse me, I know."
They exchanged bows and D’Artagnan returned to his companions.
"What on earth can you have been saying to that bulldog?" exclaimed
Porthos.
"My dear fellow, don’t speak like that of Monsieur Groslow. He’s one of
my most intimate friends."
"One of your friends!" cried Porthos, "this butcher of unarmed farmers!"
"Hush! my dear Porthos. Monsieur Groslow is perhaps rather hasty, it’s
true, but at bottom I have discovered two good qualities in him--he is
conceited and stupid."
Porthos opened his eyes in amazement; Athos and Aramis looked at one
another and smiled; they knew D’Artagnan, and knew that he did nothing
without a purpose.
"But," continued D’Artagnan, "you shall judge of him for yourself. He is
coming to play with us this evening."
"Oho!" said Porthos, his eyes glistening at the news. "Is he rich?"
"He’s the son of one of the wealthiest merchants in London."
"And knows lansquenet?"
"Adores it."
"Basset?"
"His mania."
"Biribi?"
"Revels in it."
"Good," said Porthos; "we shall pass an agreeable evening."
"The more so, as it will be the prelude to a better."
"How so?"
"We invite him to play to-night; he has invited us in return to-morrow.
But wait. To-night we stop at Derby; and if there is a bottle of wine in
the town let Mousqueton buy it. It will be well to prepare a light
supper, of which you, Athos and Aramis, are not to partake--Athos,
because I told him you had a fever; Aramis, because you are a knight of
Malta and won’t mix with fellows like us. Do you understand?"
"That’s no doubt very fine," said Porthos; "but deuce take me if I
understand at all."
"Porthos, my friend, you know I am descended on the father’s side from
the Prophets and on the mother’s from the Sybils, and that I only speak
in parables and riddles. Let those who have ears hear and those who have
eyes see; I can tell you nothing more at present."
"Go ahead, my friend," said Athos; "I am sure that whatever you do is
well done."
"And you, Aramis, are you of that opinion?"
"Entirely so, my dear D’Artagnan."
"Very good," said D’Artagnan; "here indeed are true believers; it is a
pleasure to work miracles before them; they are not like that
unbelieving Porthos, who must see and touch before he will believe."
"The fact is," said Porthos, with an air of finesse, "I am rather
incredulous."
D’Artagnan gave him playful buffet on the shoulder, and as they had
reached the station where they were to breakfast, the conversation ended
there.
At five in the evening they sent Mousqueton on before as agreed upon. Blaisois went with him. |
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