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Chapter XX
Chapter XX
The Journey
At two o`clock in the morning, our four adventurers left Paris by the
barrier St. Denis; as long as it was dark they remained silent; in spite of
themselves they felt the influence of the obscurity, and apprehended ambushes
everywhere.
With the first rays of the sun their tongues became loosened; with day
their gayety revived; it was like the eve of a battle, the heart beat, the
eyes laughed, and they felt that the life they were perhaps going to lose,
was after all, worth something.
Besides, the appearance of the caravan was formidable; the black horses
of the musketeers, their martial carriage, with the squadron-like step of
these noble companions of the soldier, would have betrayed the most strict
incognito. The lackeys followed, armed to the teeth.
All went well till they arrived at Chantilly, which place they reached
about eight o`clock in the morning. They stood in need of breakfast; and
alighted at the door of an auberge, recommended by a sign representing St.
Martin giving half his cloak to a poor man. They ordered the lackeys not to
unsaddle the horses, and to hold themselves in readiness to set off again
immediately.
They entered the common room and placed themselves at table. A
gentleman, who had just arrived by the route of Dammartin, was seated at the
same table, and was taking his breakfast. He opened the conversation by
talking of rain and fine weather; the travelers replied, he drank to their
good health, and the travelers returned his politeness.
But at the moment Mousqueton came to announce that the horses were
ready, and they were rising from table, the stranger proposed to Porthos to
drink the health of the cardinal. Porthos replied that he asked no better,
if the stranger in his turn, would drink the health of the king. The
stranger cried that he acknowledged no other king but his eminence. Porthos
told him he was drunk, and the stranger drew his sword.
"You have committed a piece of folly," said Athos, "but it can`t be
helped; there is no drawing back; kill the fellow, and rejoin us as soon as
you can."
And all three mounted their horses, and set out at a good pace, while
Porthos was promising his adversary to perforate him with all the thrusts
known in the fencing schools.
"There goes one!" cried Athos, at the end of five hundred paces.
"But why did that man attack Porthos, rather than any other of us?"
asked Aramis.
"Because Porthos talking louder than the rest, he took him for the
leader of the party," said D`Artagnan.
"I always said that this cadet from Gascony was a well of wisdom,"
murmured Athos.
And the travelers continued their route.
At Beauvais they stopped two hours, as well to breathe their horses a
little, as to wait for Porthos. At the end of the two hours, as Porthos did
not come, and as they heard no news of him, they resumed their journey.
At a league from Beauvais, where the road was confined between two high
banks, they fell in with eight or ten men who, taking advantage of the road
being unpaved in this spot, appeared to be employed in digging holes and
filling up the ruts with mud.
Aramis, not liking to soil his boots with this artificial mortar,
apostrophized them rather sharply. Athos wished to restrain him, but it was
too late. The laborers began to jeer the travelers, and by their insolence
disturbed the equanimity even of the cool Athos, who urged on his horse
against one of them.
The men all immediately drew back to the ditch, from which each took a
concealed musket; the result was that our seven travelers were outnumbered
in weapons. Aramis received a ball, which passed through his shoulder, and
Mousqueton another ball which lodged in the fleshy part which prolongs the
lower portion of the loins. Mousqueton alone fell from his horse, not
because he was severely wounded, but from not being able to see the wound,
he judged it to be more serious than it really was.
"It is an ambuscade!" shouted D`Artagnan, "don`t waste a charge!
forward!"
Aramis, wounded as he was, seized the mane of his horse which carried
him on with the others. Mousqueton`s horse rejoined them, and galloped by
the side of his companions.
"That will serve us for a relay," said Athos.
"I would rather have had a hat," said D`Artagnan, "mine was carried away
by a ball. By my faith, it is very fortunate that the letter was not in it."
"Well, but they`ll kill poor Porthos, when he comes up." said Aramis.
"If Porthos were on his legs, he would have rejoined us by this time,"
said Athos, "my opinion is that when they came to the point, the drunken man
proved to be sober enough."
They continued at their best speed for two hours, although the horses
were so fatigued, that it was to be feared they would soon decline the
service.
The travelers had chosen crossroads, in the hope that they might meet
with less interruption; but at Crevecoeur, Aramis declared he could proceed
no farther. In fact, it required all the courage which he concealed beneath
his elegant form and polished manners to bear him so far. He every minute
grew more pale, and they were obliged to support him on his horse. They
lifted him off at the door of a cabaret, left Bazin with him, who besides,
in a skirmish, was more embarrassing than useful, and set forward again in
the hope of sleeping at Amiens.
"Morbleu!" said Athos, as soon as they were again in motion, "reduced
to two masters, and Grimaud and Planchet! Morbleu! I won`t be their dupe,
I will answer for it; I will neither open my mouth nor draw my sword between
this and Calais. I swear by - "
"Don`t waste time in swearing," said D`Artagnan, "let us gallop, if our
horses will consent to it."
And the travelers buried their rowels in their horses` flanks, who, thus
vigorously stimulated, recovered their energies. They arrived at Amiens at
midnight, and alighted at the auberge of the Lis d`Or.
The host had the appearance of as honest a man as any on earth; he
received the travelers with his candlestick in one hand and his cotton
nightcap in the other; he wished to lodge the two travelers each in a
charming chamber, but, unfortunately, these charming chambers were at the
opposite extremities of the hotel, and D`Artagnan and Athos declined them.
The host replied that he had no other worthy of their excellencies; but his
guests declared they would sleep in the common chamber, each upon a mattress,
which might be thrown upon the ground. The host insisted, but the travelers
were firm, and he was obliged to comply with their wishes.
They had just prepared their beds and barricaded their door within, when
some one knocked at the yard-shutter; they demanded who was there, and, upon
recognizing the voices of their lackeys, opened the shutter.
In fact, it was Planchet and Grimaud.
"Grimaud can take care of the horses," said Planchet; "if you are
willing, gentlemen, I will sleep across your doorway, and you will then be
certain that nobody can come to you."
"And what will you sleep upon?" said D`Artagnan.
"Here is my bed," replied Planchet, producing a bundle of straw.
"Come, then," said D`Artagnan, "you are right, mine host`s face does not
please me at all, it is too civil by half."
"Nor me neither," said Athos.
Planchet got up through the window, and installed himself across the
doorway, while Grimaud went and shut himself up in the stable, undertaking
that, by five o`clock in the morning, he and the four horses should be ready.
The night passed off quietly enough, it is true, till about two o`clock
in the morning, when somebody endeavored to open the door, but as Planchet
awoke in an instant, and cried, "Who is there?" this same somebody replied
he was mistaken, and went away.
At four o`clock in the morning, there was a terrible riot in the
stables. Grimaud had tried to waken the stable-boys, and the stable-boys had
set upon him and beaten him. When they opened the window they saw the poor
lad lying senseless, with his head split by a blow with a fork-handle.
Planchet went down into the yard, and proceeded to saddle the horses.
But the horses were all knocked up. Mousqueton`s horse, which had traveled
for five or six hours without a rider the day before, alone might have been
able to pursue the journey; but, by an inconceivable error, a veterinary
surgeon, who had been sent for, as it appeared, to bleed one of the host`s
horses, had bled Mousqueton`s.
This began to be annoying. All these successive accidents were,
perhaps, the result of chance; but they might, quite as probably, be the
fruits of a plot. Athos and D`Artagnan went out, while Planchet was sent to
inquire if there were not three horses to be sold in the neighborhood. At
the door stood two horses, fresh, strong, and fully equipped. These would
just have suited them. He asked where the masters of them were, and was
informed that they had passed the night in the auberge, and were then
settling with the master.
Athos went down to pay the reckoning, while D`Artagnan and Planchet
stood at the street-door. The host was in a lower and back chamber, to which
Athos was requested to go.
Athos entered without the least mistrust, and took out two pistoles to
pay the bill. The host was alone, seated before his desk, one of the drawers
of which was partly open. He took the money which Athos offered to him, and,
after turning it over and over in his hands, suddenly cried out that it was
bad, and that he would have him and his companions arrested as coiners.
"You scoundrel!" cried Athos, stepping toward him, "I`ll cut your ears
off!"
But the host stooped, took two pistoles from the half-open drawer,
pointed them at Athos, and called out for help.
At the same instant, four men, armed to the teeth, entered by lateral
doors, and rushed upon Athos.
"I am taken!" shouted Athos, with all the power of his lungs: "Go on,
D`Artagnan! spur, spur!" and he fired two pistols.
D`Artagnan and Planchet did not require twice bidding: they unfastened
the two horses that were waiting at the door, leaped upon them, buried their
spurs in their sides, and set off at full gallop.
"Do you know what has become of Athos?" asked D`Artagnan of Planchet,
as they galloped on.
"Ah, monsieur," said Planchet, "I saw one fall at each of his shots, and
he appeared to me, through the glass door, to be fighting with his sword with
the others."
"Brave Athos!" murmured D`Artagnan; "and to think that we are compelled
to leave him, while the same fate awaits us, perhaps, two paces hence!
Forward, Planchet, forward! you are a brave fellow!"
"Did not I tell you, monsieur," replied Planchet, "that we Picards are
found out by being used? Besides, I am in my own country here, and that puts
me on my mettle!"
And both, with free use of the spur, arrived at St. Omer, without
drawing bit. At St. Omer they breathed their horses with their bridles
passed under their arms, for fear of accident, and ate a morsel in their
hands, standing in the road, after which they departed again.
At a hundred paces from the gates of Calais, D`Artagnan`s horse sank
under him, and could not by any means be got up again, the blood flowing from
both his eyes and his nose. There still remained Planchet`s horse, but,
after he stopped, he remained quite still, and could not be urged to move a
step.
Fortunately, as we have said, they were within a hundred paces of the
city; they left their two nags upon the highroad, and ran toward the port.
Planchet called his master`s attention to a gentleman who had just arrived
with his lackey, and preceded them by about fifty paces.
They made all speed to come up to this gentleman, who appeared to be in
great haste. His boots were covered with dust, and he inquired if he could
not instantly cross over to England.
"Nothing would be more easy," said the captain of a vessel ready to set
sail; "but this morning an order arrived that no one should be allowed to
cross without express permission from the cardinal."
"I have that permission," said the gentleman, drawing a paper from his
pocket; "here it is."
"Have it examined by the governor of the port," said the captain, "and
give me the preference."
"Where shall I find the governor?"
"At his country-house."
"Where is that situated?"
"At a quarter of a league from the city. Look, you may see it from here
- at the foot of that little hill, that slated roof."
"Very well," said the gentleman.
And, with his lackey, he took the road to the governor`s country-house.
D`Artagnan and Planchet followed the gentleman at a distance, not to be
noticed; but when he was out of the city, D`Artagnan quickly came up with
him, just as he was entering a little wood.
"Monsieur," said D`Artagnan, "you appear to be in great haste?"
"No one can be more so, monsieur."
"I am sorry for that," said D`Artagnan; "for, as I am in great haste
likewise, I wished to beg you to render me a service."
"What service?"
"To let me go first."
"That`s impossible," said the gentleman; "I have traveled sixty leagues
in forty hours, and by to-morrow, at midday, I must be in London."
"I have performed the same distance in forty hours, and by to-morrow,
at ten o`clock in the morning, I must be in London."
"Very sorry, monsieur; but I was here first, and will not go second."
"I am sorry too, monsieur; but I arrived second, and will go first."
"The king`s service!" said the gentleman.
"My own service!" said D`Artagnan.
"But this is a needless quarrel you are fastening upon me, as I think."
"Parbleu! what do you desire it to be?"
"What do you want?"
"Would you like to know?"
"Certainly."
"Well, then, I want that order of which you are the bearer, seeing that
I have not one of my own, and must have one."
"You are joking, I presume."
"I seldom joke."
"Let me pass!"
"You shall not pass."
"My brave young man, I will blow out your brains. Hola, Lubin! my
pistols!"
"Planchet," called out D`Artagnan, "take care of the lackey; I will
manage the master."
Planchet, emboldened by the first exploit, sprang upon Lubin, and, being
strong and vigorous, he soon got him on the broad of his back, and placed his
knee upon his breast.
"Go on with your affair, monsieur," cried Planchet; "I have finished
mine."
Seeing this, the gentleman drew his sword, and sprang upon D`Artagnan;
but he had more than he expected to deal with.
In three seconds, D`Artagnan had wounded him three times, exclaiming at
each thrust:
"One for Athos! one for Porthos! and one for Aramis!"
At the third hit the gentleman fell heavily to the ground.
D`Artagnan believed him to be dead, or at least insensible, and went
toward him for the purpose of taking the order; but at the moment he
stretched out his hand to search for it, the wounded man, who had not dropped
his sword, plunged the point into his breast, crying:
"And one for you!"
"And one for me! the best for the last!" cried D`Artagnan, in a rage,
nailing him to the earth with a forth thrust through his body.
This time the gentleman closed his eyes and fainted. D`Artagnan
searched his pockets, and took from one of them the order for the passage.
It was in the name of the Count de Wardes.
Then, casting a glance on the handsome young man, who was scarcely
twenty-five years of age, and whom he was leaving in his gore, deprived of
sense, and perhaps dead, he gave a sigh to that unaccountable destiny which
leads men to destroy each other for the interests of people who are strangers
to them, and who often do not even know they exist.
But he was soon roused from these reflections by Lubin, who uttered loud
cries, and screamed for help, with all his might.
Planchet grasped him by the throat, and pressed as hard as he could.
"Monsieur," said he, "as long as I hold him in this manner, he can`t
cry, I`ll be bound; but as soon as I leave go, he will howl again as loud as
ever. I have found out that he`s a Norman, and Normans are all obstinate."
In fact, tightly held as he was, Lubin endeavored still to get out a
cry.
"Stay!" said D`Artagnan, and, taking out his handkerchief, he gagged
him.
"Now," said Planchet, "let us bind him to a tree."
This being properly done they drew the Count de Wardes close to his
servant; and as night was approaching and as the wounded man and the bound
man were at some little distance within the wood, it was evident they were
likely to remain there till the next day.
"And now," said D`Artagnan, "to the governor`s house."
"But you appear to me to be wounded," said Planchet.
"Oh, that`s nothing! Let us despatch that which is most pressing first,
and we will attend to my wound afterward; besides, I don`t think it seems a
very dangerous one."
And they both set forward as fast as they could toward the country-house
of the worthy functionary.
The Count de Wardes was announced, and D`Artagnan was introduced.
"You have an order, signed by the cardinal?"
"Yes, monsieur," replied D`Artagnan; "here it is."
"Ah, ah! it is quite regular and explicit," said the governor.
"Most likely," said D`Artagnan; "I am one of his most faithful
servants."
"It appears that his eminence is anxious to prevent some one from
crossing to England?"
"Yes; a certain D`Artagnan, a Bearnese gentleman, who left Paris in
company of three of his friends, with the intention of going to London."
"Do you him personally?" asked the governor.
"Whom?"
"This D`Artagnan."
"Oh, yes, perfectly well."
"Describe him to me, then."
"Nothing more easy."
And D`Artagnan gave, feature for feature, and in every way, the most
minute description of the Count de Wardes.
"Is he accompanied by any one?"
"Yes, by a lackey, named Lubin."
"We will keep a sharp lookout for them; and if we lay hands upon them,
his eminence may be assured they shall be reconducted to Paris under a good
escort."
"And by doing so, Monsieur the Governor," said D`Artagnan, "you will
have merited well of the cardinal."
"Shall you see him on your return?"
"Doubtless I shall."
"Tell him, I beg you, that I am his humble servant."
"I will not fail."
And delighted with this assurance, the governor signed the passport, and
delivered it to D`Artagnan, who lost no time in useless compliments, but
thanked the governor, bowed, and departed.
When once out, he and Planchet set off as fast as they could, and, by
making a detour, avoided the wood, and reentered the city by another gate.
The vessel was quite ready to sail, and the captain waiting in the port.
"Well?" said he, on perceiving D`Artagnan.
"Here is my pass, examined," said the latter.
"And that other gentleman?"
"He will not go to-day," said D`Artagnan; "but here I`ll pay you for us
two."
"In that case we will be gone," said the captain.
"Yes, as soon as you please," replied D`Artagnan.
He leaped, with Planchet, into the boat, and five minutes after they
were on board. And it was time; for they had scarcely sailed half a league,
when D`Artagnan saw a flash and heard a detonation - it was the cannon which
announced the closing of the port.
He had now leisure to look to his wound. Fortunately, as D`Artagnan had
thought, it was not dangerous: the point of the sword had met with a rib, and
glanced along the bone; still further, his shirt had stuck to the wound, and
he had lost but very little blood.
D`Artagnan was worn out with fatigue. A mattress was laid upon the deck
for him; he threw himself upon it, and fell fast asleep.
At break of day they were still three or four leagues from the coast of
England; the breeze had been so light during the night they had made but
little way.
At ten o`clock the vessel cast anchor in the port of Dover, and at
half-past ten D`Artagnan placed his foot on English land, crying:
"Here I am at last!"
But that was not all, they had to get to London. In England the post
was well served; D`Artagnan and Planchet took post-horses with a postilion,
and who rode before them; and in a few hours were in the capital.
D`Artagnan did not know London, he was not acquainted with one word of
English: but he wrote the name of Buckingham on a piece of paper, and every
one to whom he showed it pointed out to him the way to the duke`s hotel.
The duke was at Windsor hunting with the king.
D`Artagnan inquired for the confidential valet of the duke, who having
accompanied him in all his voyages, spoke French perfectly well; he told him
that he came from Paris, on an affair of life and death, and that he must
speak with his master instantly.
The confidence with which D`Artagnan spoke convinced Patrick, which was
the name of this minister; he ordered two horses to be saddled, and himself
went as guide to the young guardsman. As for Planchet, he had been lifted
from his horse as stiff as a rush; the poor lad`s strength was almost
exhausted. D`Artagnan seemed to be made of iron.
On their arrival at the castle they inquired for the duke, and learned
that he was hawking with the king in the marshes, at some distance.
They were quickly on the spot named, and Patrick almost at the moment
caught the sound of his master`s voice, recalling his falcon.
"Whom must I announce to my lord duke?" asked Patrick.
"The young man who one evening sought a quarrel with him on the Pont
Neuf, opposite the Samaritaine."
"Rather a singular introduction?"
"You will find that it is as good as another."
Patrick galloped off, reached the duke, and announced to him, in the
terms directed, that a messenger awaited him.
Buckingham at once remembered the circumstances, and suspecting that
something was going on in France, of which it was necessary he should be
informed, he only took the time to inquire where the messenger was, and
recognizing the uniform of the guards, he put his horse into a gallop, and
rode straight up to D`Artagnan; Patrick, discreetly, keeping in the
background.
"No misfortune has happened to the queen?" cried Buckingham, the instant
he came up, throwing all his fear and love into the question.
"I believe not; nevertheless, I believe she is in some great peril from
which your grace alone can extricate her."
"I!" cried Buckingham. "What is it? I should be but too happy to
render her any service! Speak! speak!"
"Take this letter," said D`Artagnan.
"This letter! from whom does this letter come?"
"From her majesty, as I think."
"From her majesty!" said Buckingham, becoming so pale that D`Artagnan
feared he would faint - and he broke the seal.
"What is this rent!" said he, showing D`Artagnan a place where it had
been pierced through.
"Ah! ah!" said D`Artagnan, "I did not see that; it was the sword of the
Count de Wardes that made that hole when he ran it into my breast."
"Are you wounded?" asked Buckingham, as he opened the letter.
"Oh! nothing! milord, only a scratch," said D`Artagnan.
"Just heavens! what have I read!" cried the duke. "Patrick, remain
here, or rather join the king wherever he may be, and tell his majesty that
I hereby beg him to excuse me, but an affair of the greatest importance calls
me to London. Come, monsieur, come!" and both set off toward the capital at
full gallop.
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