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Chapter XIX
Chapter XIX
Plan Of The Campaign
D`Artagnan went straight to the hotel of M. de Treville. He had
reflected that in a few minutes the cardinal would be warned by this cursed
unknown, who appeared to be his agent, and he judged, with reason, he had not
a moment to lose.
The heart of the young man overflowed with joy. An opportunity
presented itself to him in which there would be both glory and money to be
gained, and as a far higher encouragement still, which had brought him into
close intimacy with a woman he adored. This chance did then for him, at
once, more than he would have dared to ask of Providence.
M. de Treville was in his saloon with his habitual court of gentlemen.
D`Artagnan, who was known as a familiar of the house, went straight to his
cabinet, and sent word to him that he wished to see him upon an affair of
importance.
D`Artagnan had been there scarcely five minutes when M. de Treville
entered. At the first glance, and by the joy which was painted on his
countenance, the worthy captain plainly perceived that something fresh and
extraordinary was on foot.
All the way he came, D`Artagnan was consulting with himself whether he
should place confidence in M. de Treville, or whether he should only ask him
to give him carte blanche for a second affair. But M. de Treville had always
been so perfectly his friend, had always been so devoted to the king and
queen, and hated the cardinal so cordially, that the young man resolved to
tell him everything.
"Did you ask for me, my young friend?" said M. de Treville.
"Yes, monsieur," said D`Artagnan, "you will pardon me, I hope, for
having disturbed you, when you know the importance of my business."
"Speak, then, I am attentive."
"It concerns nothing less," said D`Artagnan, lowering his voice, "than
the honor, perhaps the life, of the queen."
"What do you say?" asked M. de Treville, glancing round to see if they
were alone, and then fixing his interrogative look upon D`Artagnan.
"I say, monsieur, that chance has rendered me master of a secret - "
"Which you will keep, I hope, young man, sacred as your life."
"But which I must impart to you, monsieur, for you alone can assist me
in the mission I have just received from her majesty."
"Is this secret your own?"
"No, monsieur, it is her majesty`s."
"Are you authorized by her majesty to communicate it to me?"
"No, monsieur, for on the contrary, I am desired to preserve the
profoundest mystery."
"Why, then, are you about to betray it with respect to me?"
"Because, as I said, without you I can do nothing, and I was afraid that
you would refuse me the favor I am come to ask, if you were not acquainted
with the object for which I requested it of you."
"Keep your secret, young man, and tell me what you wish."
"I wish you to obtain for me, from M. Dessessarts, leave of absence for
a fortnight."
"When?"
"This very night."
"You are leaving Paris?"
"I am going on a mission."
"May you tell me whither?"
"To London."
"Has any one an interest in preventing your arriving there?"
"The cardinal, I believe, would give anything in the world to prevent
my success."
"And you are going alone?"
"I am going alone."
"In that case you will not get beyond Bondy; I tell you so, by the word
of De Treville."
"How so, monsieur?"
"You will be assassinated."
"And shall die in the performance of my duty."
"Yes, but please to recollect your mission will not be accomplished."
"That is true," replied D`Artagnan.
"You may take my word," continued Treville, "in enterprises of this
kind, in order that one may arrive, four must set out."
"Ah! you are right, monsieur," said D`Artagnan; "but you know Athos,
Porthos, and Aramis, and you know if I can dispose of them."
"Without confiding to them the secret which I was not willing to know?"
"We are sworn, once forever, to implicit confidence and devotedness
against all proof; besides, you can tell them that you have full confidence
in me, and they will not be more incredulous than you."
"I can send to each of them leave of absence for a fortnight, that is
all: Athos, whose wound still gives him inconvenience, to go the waters of
Forges; to Porthos and Aramis to accompany their friend, whom they are not
willing to abandon in such a painful position. The sending of their leave
of absence will be proof enough that I authorize their voyage."
"Thanks, monsieur! you are a hundred times kind!"
"Begone then, find them instantly, and let all be done tonight. Ha!
but first write your request to M. Dessessarts. You, perhaps, had a spy at
your heels, and your visit, if it should ever be known to the cardinal, will
be thus legitimated."
D`Artagnan drew up his request, and M. de Treville, on receiving it,
assured him that by two o`clock in the morning, the four leaves of absence
should be at the respective domiciles of the travelers.
"Have the goodness to send mine to Athos` residence. I should dread
some disagreeable encounter if I were to go home."
"I will. Adieu! and a prosperous voyage! Apropos!" said M. de
Treville, calling him back.
D`Artagnan returned.
"Have you any money?"
D`Artagnan tapped the bag he had in his pocket.
"Enough?" asked M. de Treville.
"Three hundred pistoles."
"Oh! plenty; that would carry you to the end of the world: begone
then."
D`Artagnan bowed to M. de Treville, who held out his hand to him;
D`Artagnan pressed it with a respect mixed with gratitude. Since his first
arrival at Paris, he had had constant occasion to honor this excellent man,
whom he had always found worthy, loyal, and great.
His first visit was for Aramis, at whose residence he had not been since
the famous evening on which he had followed Madame Bonacieux. Still further,
he had seen the young musketeer but seldom, but every time he had seen him,
he had remarked a deep sadness imprinted on his countenance.
He found Aramis this evening, sitting up, but melancholy and thoughtful;
D`Artagnan risked a question or two about this prolonged melancholy; Aramis
pleaded as his excuse a commentary upon the eighteenth chapter of St.
Augustin, that he was forced to write in Latin, for the following week, and
which preoccupied him a good deal.
After the two friends had been chatting a few instants, a servant from
M. de Treville entered, bringing a sealed packet.
"What is that," asked Aramis.
"The leave of absence monsieur has asked for," replied the lackey.
"For me! I have asked for no leave of absence!"
"Hold your tongue, and take it," said D`Artagnan. "And you, my friend,
there is a demi-pistole for your trouble; you will tell M. de Treville that
M. Aramis is very much obliged to him. Go."
The lackey bowed to the ground and departed.
"What does all this mean?" asked Aramis.
"Pack up all you want for a journey of a fortnight, and follow me."
"But I cannot leave Paris, just now, without knowing - "
Aramis stopped.
"What is become of her? I suppose you mean - " continued D`Artagnan.
"Become of whom?" replied Aramis.
"The lady who was here, the lady of the embroidered handkerchief."
"Who told you there was a lady here?" replied Aramis, becoming as pale
as death.
"I saw her."
"And you know who she is?"
"Well, I think I can give a pretty good guess, at least."
"Then," said Aramis, "since you appear to know so many things, can you
tell me what is become of that lady?"
"I presume that she is gone back to Tours."
"To Tours? yes, that may be; you evidently know her. But why did she
return to Tours without telling me anything about it?"
"Because she was in fear of being arrested."
"Why did she not write to me then?"
"Because she was afraid of compromising you."
"D`Artagnan, you restore me to life!" cried Aramis. "I fancied myself
despised, betrayed. I was so delighted to see her again! I could not have
believed she would risk her liberty for me, and yet for what other cause
could she have returned to Paris?"
"For the cause which, to-day, carries us to England."
"And what is this cause?" demanded Aramis.
"Oh! you`ll know it some day, Aramis; but, at present, I must beg leave
to imitate the discretion of the doctor`s niece."
Aramis smiled, as he remembered the tale he had related to his friends
on a certain evening.
"Well, then, since she has left Paris, and you are sure of it,
D`Artagnan, nothing prevents me, and I am ready to follow you. You say we
are going - "
"To Athos` residence, now, and if you will come thither, I beg you to
make haste, for we have lost much time already. Apropos, inform Bazin."
"Will Bazin go with us?" asked Aramis.
"Perhaps so. At all events, it is best that he should follow us to
Athos`."
Aramis called Bazin, and after having ordered him to join them at Athos`
residence: "Let us go, then," said he, taking his cloak, sword, and three
pistoles, opening uselessly two or three drawers to see if he could not find
some stray coin or other. When well assured this search was superfluous, he
followed D`Artagnan, wondering to himself how this young guardsman should
know so well who the lady was to whom he had given hospitality, and that he
should know better than he did what was to become of her.
Only, as they went out, Aramis placed his hand upon the arm of
D`Artagnan, and looking at him earnestly:
"You have not spoken of this lady?" said he.
"To nobody in the world."
"Not even to Athos or Porthos?"
"I have not breathed a syllable to them."
"That`s well!"
And, at ease on this important point, Aramis continued his road with
D`Artagnan, and both soon arrived at Athos` dwelling.
They found him holding his leave of absence in one hand, and M. de
Treville`s note in the other.
"Can you explain to me what this leave of absence and this letter, which
I have just received, mean?" said the astonished Athos: "My dear Athos, I
wish, as your health absolutely requires it, that you should rest for a
fortnight. Go, then, and take the waters of Forges, or any that may be more
agreeable to you, and re-establish yourself as quickly as possible. Your
affectionate, De Treville.`"
"Well; this leave of absence and that letter mean that you must follow
me, Athos."
"To the waters of the Forges?"
"There or elsewhere."
"In the king`s service?"
"Either the king`s or the queen`s; are we not their majesties`
servants?"
At that moment Porthos entered.
"Pardieu!" said he; "here is a strange thing has happened! Since when,
I wonder, in the musketeers, did they grant men leave of absence without its
being asked for?"
"Since," said D`Artagnan, "they have friends who ask it for them."
"Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears there`s something fresh afoot?"
"Yes, we are going - " said Aramis.
"Going! to what country?" demanded Porthos.
"Ma foi! I don`t know much about it," said Athos; "ask D`Artagnan
here."
"To London, gentlemen," said D`Artagnan.
"To London!" cried Porthos; "and what the devil are we going to do in
London?"
"That is what I am not at liberty to tell you, gentlemen; you must trust
to me."
"But, in order to go to London, a man should have some money; and I have
none."
"Nor I," said Aramis.
"Nor I," said Porthos.
"Well, I have," added D`Artagnan, pulling out his treasure from his
pocket, and placing it on the table. There are in this bag three hundred
pistoles. "Let each take seventy-five, which will be quite enough to take
us to London and back. Besides, we may be sure that all of us will not
arrive at London."
"Why so?"
"Because, according to all probability, some of us will be left on the
road."
"What is this, then, a campaign upon which we are entering?"
"And a most dangerous one. I give you fair notice."
" h! ah! but if we do risk being killed," said Porthos, "at least I
should like to know what for."
"You would be all the wiser!" said Athos.
"And yet," said Aramis, "I am somewhat of Porthos` opinion."
"Is the king accustomed to give you such reasons? No. He says to you,
very simply: `Gentlemen, there is fighting going on in Gascony or in
Flanders; go and fight;` and you go there. Why? You need give yourselve no
uneasiness about that."
"D`Artagnan is right," said Athos; "here are our three leaves of
absence, which came from M. de Treville; and here are three hundred pistoles,
which came from I don`t know where. So let us go and get killed where we are
told to go. Is life worth the trouble of so many questions? D`Artagnan, I
am ready to follow you."
"And I," said Porthos.
"And I, also," said Aramis. "And, indeed, I am not sorry to quit Paris;
I stood in need of a little distraction."
"Well, you will have distractions enough, gentlemen, be assured," said
D`Artagnan.
"And, now, when are we to go?" asked Athos.
"Immediately," replied D`Artagnan; "we have not a minute to lose."
"Hola! Grimaud, Planchet, Mousqueton, Bazin!" cried the four young men,
calling their lackeys, "clean my boots, and fetch the horses from the hotel."
Each musketeer was accustomed to leave at the general hotel, as at a
barrack, his own horse and that of his lackey.
Planchet, Grimaud, Mousqueton, and Bazin set off at full speed.
"Now let us lay down the plan of the campaign," said Porthos. "Where
do we go first?"
"To Calais," said D`Artagnan; "that is the most direct line to London."
"Well," said Porthos, "this is my advice - "
"Speak - what is it?"
"Four men traveling together would be suspicious; D`Artagnan will give
each of us his instructions; I will go by the way of Boulogne, to clear the
way; Athos will set out two hours after, by that of Amiens; Aramis will
follow us by that of Noyon; as to D`Artagnan, he will go by what route he
thinks best, in Planchet`s clothes, while Planchet will follow us like
D`Artagnan, in the uniform of the guards."
"Gentlemen," said Athos, "my opinion is that it is not proper to allow
lackeys to have anything to do in such an affair: a secret may, by chance,
be betrayed by gentlemen; but it is almost always sold by lackeys."
"Porthos` plan appears to me to be impracticable," said D`Artagnan,
"inasmuch as I am myself ignorant of what instructions I can give you. am
the bearer of a letter, that is all. I have not, and I cannot make three
copies of that letter, because it is sealed: we must then, as it appears to
me, travel in company. This letter is here, in this pocket;" and he pointed
to the pocket which contained the letter. "If I should be killed, one of you
must take it, and pursue the route; if he be killed, it will be another`s
turn, and so on; provided a single one arrives, that is all that is
required."
"Bravo, D`Artagnan! your opinion is mine," cried Athos. "Besides, we
must be consistent; I am going to take the waters, you will accompany me;
instead of taking the waters of Forges, I go and take sea waters; I am free
to do so. If any one wishes to stop us, I will show M. de Treville`s letter
and you will show your leaves of absence; if we are attacked, we will defend
ourselves; if we are tried, we will stoutly maintain that we were only
anxious to dip ourselves a certain number of times in the sea. They would
have an easy bargain of four isolated men; whereas four men together make a
troop. We will arm our four lackeys with pistols and musketoons; if they
send an army out against us, we will give battle, and the survivor, as
D`Artagnan says, will carry the letter."
"Well said," cried Aramis: "you don`t often speak, Athos; but when you
do speak, it is like Saint John of the Golden Mouth. I agree to Athos` plan.
And you, Porthos?"
"I agree to it, too," said Porthos, "if D`Artagnan approves of it.
D`Artagnan, being bearer of the letter, is naturally the head of the
enterprise; let him decide, and we will execute."
"Well!" said D`Artagnan; "I decide that we should adopt Athos` plan, and
that we set off in half an hour."
"Agreed!" shouted the three musketeers in chorus.
And every one, stretching out his hand to the bag, took his seventy-five
pistoles, and made his preparations to set out at the time appointed.
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