Les trois mousquetaires. English

by Alexandre Dumas

  39 A VISION

  At four o'clock the four friends were all assembled with Athos. Theiranxiety about their outfits had all disappeared, and each countenanceonly preserved the expression of its own secret disquiet--for behind allpresent happiness is concealed a fear for the future.

  Suddenly Planchet entered, bringing two letters for d'Artagnan.

  The one was a little billet, genteelly folded, with a pretty seal ingreen wax on which was impressed a dove bearing a green branch.

  The other was a large square epistle, resplendent with the terrible armsof his Eminence the cardinal duke.

  At the sight of the little letter the heart of d'Artagnan bounded, forhe believed he recognized the handwriting, and although he had seen thatwriting but once, the memory of it remained at the bottom of his heart.

  He therefore seized the little epistle, and opened it eagerly.

  "Be," said the letter, "on Thursday next, at from six to seven o'clockin the evening, on the road to Chaillot, and look carefully into thecarriages that pass; but if you have any consideration for your own lifeor that of those who love you, do not speak a single word, do not make amovement which may lead anyone to believe you have recognized her whoexposes herself to everything for the sake of seeing you but for aninstant."

  No signature.

  "That's a snare," said Athos; "don't go, d'Artagnan."

  "And yet," replied d'Artagnan, "I think I recognize the writing."

  "It may be counterfeit," said Athos. "Between six and seven o'clock theroad of Chaillot is quite deserted; you might as well go and ride in theforest of Bondy."

  "But suppose we all go," said d'Artagnan; "what the devil! They won'tdevour us all four, four lackeys, horses, arms, and all!"

  "And besides, it will be a chance for displaying our new equipments,"said Porthos.

  "But if it is a woman who writes," said Aramis, "and that woman desiresnot to be seen, remember, you compromise her, d'Artagnan; which is notthe part of a gentleman."

  "We will remain in the background," said Porthos, "and he will advancealone."

  "Yes; but a pistol shot is easily fired from a carriage which goes at agallop."

  "Bah!" said d'Artagnan, "they will miss me; if they fire we will rideafter the carriage, and exterminate those who may be in it. They must beenemies."

  "He is right," said Porthos; "battle. Besides, we must try our ownarms."

  "Bah, let us enjoy that pleasure," said Aramis, with his mild andcareless manner.

  "As you please," said Athos.

  "Gentlemen," said d'Artagnan, "it is half past four, and we havescarcely time to be on the road of Chaillot by six."

  "Besides, if we go out too late, nobody will see us," said Porthos, "andthat will be a pity. Let us get ready, gentlemen."

  "But this second letter," said Athos, "you forget that; it appears tome, however, that the seal denotes that it deserves to be opened. For mypart, I declare, d'Artagnan, I think it of much more consequence thanthe little piece of waste paper you have so cunningly slipped into yourbosom."

  D'Artagnan blushed.

  "Well," said he, "let us see, gentlemen, what are his Eminence'scommands," and d'Artagnan unsealed the letter and read,

  "M. d'Artagnan, of the king's Guards, company Dessessart, is expected atthe Palais-Cardinal this evening, at eight o'clock.

  "La Houdiniere, CAPTAIN OF THE GUARDS"

  "The devil!" said Athos; "here's a rendezvous much more serious than theother."

  "I will go to the second after attending the first," said d'Artagnan."One is for seven o'clock, and the other for eight; there will be timefor both."

  "Hum! I would not go at all," said Aramis. "A gallant knight cannotdecline a rendezvous with a lady; but a prudent gentleman may excusehimself from not waiting on his Eminence, particularly when he hasreason to believe he is not invited to make his compliments."

  "I am of Aramis's opinion," said Porthos.

  "Gentlemen," replied d'Artagnan, "I have already received by Monsieur deCavois a similar invitation from his Eminence. I neglected it, and onthe morrow a serious misfortune happened to me--Constance disappeared.Whatever may ensue, I will go."

  "If you are determined," said Athos, "do so."

  "But the Bastille?" said Aramis.

  "Bah! you will get me out if they put me there," said d'Artagnan.

  "To be sure we will," replied Aramis and Porthos, with admirablepromptness and decision, as if that were the simplest thing in theworld, "to be sure we will get you out; but meantime, as we are to setoff the day after tomorrow, you would do much better not to risk thisBastille."

  "Let us do better than that," said Athos; "do not let us leave himduring the whole evening. Let each of us wait at a gate of the palacewith three Musketeers behind him; if we see a close carriage, at allsuspicious in appearance, come out, let us fall upon it. It is a longtime since we have had a skirmish with the Guards of Monsieur theCardinal; Monsieur de Treville must think us dead."

  "To a certainty, Athos," said Aramis, "you were meant to be a general ofthe army! What do you think of the plan, gentlemen?"

  "Admirable!" replied the young men in chorus.

  "Well," said Porthos, "I will run to the hotel, and engage our comradesto hold themselves in readiness by eight o'clock; the rendezvous, thePlace du Palais-Cardinal. Meantime, you see that the lackeys saddle thehorses."

  "I have no horse," said d'Artagnan; "but that is of no consequence, Ican take one of Monsieur de Treville's."

  "That is not worth while," said Aramis, "you can have one of mine."

  "One of yours! how many have you, then?" asked d'Artagnan.

  "Three," replied Aramis, smiling.

  "Certes," cried Athos, "you are the best-mounted poet of France orNavarre."

  "Well, my dear Aramis, you don't want three horses? I cannot comprehendwhat induced you to buy three!"

  "Therefore I only purchased two," said Aramis.

  "The third, then, fell from the clouds, I suppose?"

  "No, the third was brought to me this very morning by a groom out oflivery, who would not tell me in whose service he was, and who said hehad received orders from his master."

  "Or his mistress," interrupted d'Artagnan.

  "That makes no difference," said Aramis, coloring; "and who affirmed, asI said, that he had received orders from his master or mistress to placethe horse in my stable, without informing me whence it came."

  "It is only to poets that such things happen," said Athos, gravely.

  "Well, in that case, we can manage famously," said d'Artagnan; "which ofthe two horses will you ride--that which you bought or the one that wasgiven to you?"

  "That which was given to me, assuredly. You cannot for a moment imagine,d'Artagnan, that I would commit such an offense toward--"

  "The unknown giver," interrupted d'Artagnan.

  "Or the mysterious benefactress," said Athos.

  "The one you bought will then become useless to you?"

  "Nearly so."

  "And you selected it yourself?"

  "With the greatest care. The safety of the horseman, you know, dependsalmost always upon the goodness of his horse."

  "Well, transfer it to me at the price it cost you?"

  "I was going to make you the offer, my dear d'Artagnan, giving you allthe time necessary for repaying me such a trifle."

  "How much did it cost you?"

  "Eight hundred livres."

  "Here are forty double pistoles, my dear friend," said d'Artagnan,taking the sum from his pocket; "I know that is the coin in which youwere paid for your poems."

  "You are rich, then?" said Aramis.

  "Rich? Richest, my dear fellow!"

  And d'Artagnan chinked the remainder of his pistoles in his pocket.

  "Send your saddle, then, to the hotel of the Musketeers, and your horsecan be brought back with ours."

  "Very well; but it is already five o'clock, so make haste."

  A quarter of an hour afterward Porthos appea
red at the end of the RueFerou on a very handsome genet. Mousqueton followed him upon an Auvergnehorse, small but very handsome. Porthos was resplendent with joy andpride.

  At the same time, Aramis made his appearance at the other end of thestreet upon a superb English charger. Bazin followed him upon a roan,holding by the halter a vigorous Mecklenburg horse; this wasd'Artagnan's mount.

  The two Musketeers met at the gate. Athos and d'Artagnan watched theirapproach from the window.

  "The devil!" cried Aramis, "you have a magnificent horse there,Porthos."

  "Yes," replied Porthos, "it is the one that ought to have been sent tome at first. A bad joke of the husband's substituted the other; but thehusband has been punished since, and I have obtained full satisfaction."

  Planchet and Grimaud appeared in their turn, leading their masters'steeds. D'Artagnan and Athos put themselves into saddle with theircompanions, and all four set forward; Athos upon a horse he owed to awoman, Aramis on a horse he owed to his mistress, Porthos on a horse heowed to his procurator's wife, and d'Artagnan on a horse he owed to hisgood fortune--the best mistress possible.

  The lackeys followed.

  As Porthos had foreseen, the cavalcade produced a good effect; and ifMme. Coquenard had met Porthos and seen what a superb appearance he madeupon his handsome Spanish genet, she would not have regretted thebleeding she had inflicted upon the strongbox of her husband.

  Near the Louvre the four friends met with M. de Treville, who wasreturning from St. Germain; he stopped them to offer his complimentsupon their appointments, which in an instant drew round them a hundredgapers.

  D'Artagnan profited by the circumstance to speak to M. de Treville ofthe letter with the great red seal and the cardinal's arms. It is wellunderstood that he did not breathe a word about the other.

  M de Treville approved of the resolution he had adopted, and assured himthat if on the morrow he did not appear, he himself would undertake tofind him, let him be where he might.

  At this moment the clock of La Samaritaine struck six; the four friendspleaded an engagement, and took leave of M. de Treville.

  A short gallop brought them to the road of Chaillot; the day began todecline, carriages were passing and repassing. D'Artagnan, keeping atsome distance from his friends, darted a scrutinizing glance into everycarriage that appeared, but saw no face with which he was acquainted.

  At length, after waiting a quarter of an hour and just as twilight wasbeginning to thicken, a carriage appeared, coming at a quick pace on theroad of Sevres. A presentiment instantly told d'Artagnan that thiscarriage contained the person who had appointed the rendezvous; theyoung man was himself astonished to find his heart beat so violently.Almost instantly a female head was put out at the window, with twofingers placed upon her mouth, either to enjoin silence or to send him akiss. D'Artagnan uttered a slight cry of joy; this woman, or rather thisapparition--for the carriage passed with the rapidity of a vision--wasMme. Bonacieux.

  By an involuntary movement and in spite of the injunction given,d'Artagnan put his horse into a gallop, and in a few strides overtookthe carriage; but the window was hermetically closed, the vision haddisappeared.

  D'Artagnan then remembered the injunction: "If you value your own lifeor that of those who love you, remain motionless, and as if you had seennothing."

  He stopped, therefore, trembling not for himself but for the poor womanwho had evidently exposed herself to great danger by appointing thisrendezvous.

  The carriage pursued its way, still going at a great pace, till itdashed into Paris, and disappeared.

  D'Artagnan remained fixed to the spot, astounded and not knowing what tothink. If it was Mme. Bonacieux and if she was returning to Paris, whythis fugitive rendezvous, why this simple exchange of a glance, why thislost kiss? If, on the other side, it was not she--which was still quitepossible--for the little light that remained rendered a mistakeeasy--might it not be the commencement of some plot against him throughthe allurement of this woman, for whom his love was known?

  His three companions joined him. All had plainly seen a woman's headappear at the window, but none of them, except Athos, knew Mme.Bonacieux. The opinion of Athos was that it was indeed she; but lesspreoccupied by that pretty face than d'Artagnan, he had fancied he saw asecond head, a man's head, inside the carriage.

  "If that be the case," said d'Artagnan, "they are doubtless transportingher from one prison to another. But what can they intend to do with thepoor creature, and how shall I ever meet her again?"

  "Friend," said Athos, gravely, "remember that it is the dead alone withwhom we are not likely to meet again on this earth. You know somethingof that, as well as I do, I think. Now, if your mistress is not dead, ifit is she we have just seen, you will meet with her again some day orother. And perhaps, my God!" added he, with that misanthropic tone whichwas peculiar to him, "perhaps sooner than you wish."

  Half past seven had sounded. The carriage had been twenty minutes behindthe time appointed. D'Artagnan's friends reminded him that he had avisit to pay, but at the same time bade him observe that there was yettime to retract.

  But d'Artagnan was at the same time impetuous and curious. He had madeup his mind that he would go to the Palais-Cardinal, and that he wouldlearn what his Eminence had to say to him. Nothing could turn him fromhis purpose.

  They reached the Rue St. Honore, and in the Place du Palais-Cardinalthey found the twelve invited Musketeers, walking about in expectationof their comrades. There only they explained to them the matter in hand.

  D'Artagnan was well known among the honorable corps of the king'sMusketeers, in which it was known he would one day take his place; hewas considered beforehand as a comrade. It resulted from theseantecedents that everyone entered heartily into the purpose for whichthey met; besides, it would not be unlikely that they would have anopportunity of playing either the cardinal or his people an ill turn,and for such expeditions these worthy gentlemen were always ready.

  Athos divided them into three groups, assumed the command of one, gavethe second to Aramis, and the third to Porthos; and then each group wentand took their watch near an entrance.

  D'Artagnan, on his part, entered boldly at the principal gate.

  Although he felt himself ably supported, the young man was not without alittle uneasiness as he ascended the great staircase, step by step. Hisconduct toward Milady bore a strong resemblance to treachery, and he wasvery suspicious of the political relations which existed between thatwoman and the cardinal. Still further, de Wardes, whom he had treated soill, was one of the tools of his Eminence; and d'Artagnan knew thatwhile his Eminence was terrible to his enemies, he was strongly attachedto his friends.

  "If de Wardes has related all our affair to the cardinal, which is notto be doubted, and if he has recognized me, as is probable, I mayconsider myself almost as a condemned man," said d'Artagnan, shaking hishead. "But why has he waited till now? That's all plain enough. Miladyhas laid her complaints against me with that hypocritical grief whichrenders her so interesting, and this last offense has made the cupoverflow."

  "Fortunately," added he, "my good friends are down yonder, and they willnot allow me to be carried away without a struggle. Nevertheless,Monsieur de Treville's company of Musketeers alone cannot maintain a waragainst the cardinal, who disposes of the forces of all France, andbefore whom the queen is without power and the king without will.D'Artagnan, my friend, you are brave, you are prudent, you haveexcellent qualities; but the women will ruin you!"

  He came to this melancholy conclusion as he entered the antechamber. Heplaced his letter in the hands of the usher on duty, who led him intothe waiting room and passed on into the interior of the palace.

  In this waiting room were five or six of the cardinals Guards, whorecognized d'Artagnan, and knowing that it was he who had woundedJussac, they looked upon him with a smile of singular meaning.

  This smile appeared to d'Artagnan to be of bad augury. Only, as ourGascon was not easily intimidated--or rather,
thanks to a great pridenatural to the men of his country, he did not allow one easily to seewhat was passing in his mind when that which was passing at allresembled fear--he placed himself haughtily in front of Messieurs theGuards, and waited with his hand on his hip, in an attitude by no meansdeficient in majesty.

  The usher returned and made a sign to d'Artagnan to follow him. Itappeared to the young man that the Guards, on seeing him depart,chuckled among themselves.

  He traversed a corridor, crossed a grand saloon, entered a library, andfound himself in the presence of a man seated at a desk and writing.

  The usher introduced him, and retired without speaking a word.D'Artagnan remained standing and examined this man.

  D'Artagnan at first believed that he had to do with some judge examininghis papers; but he perceived that the man at the desk wrote, or rathercorrected, lines of unequal length, scanning the words on his fingers.He saw then that he was with a poet. At the end of an instant the poetclosed his manuscript, upon the cover of which was written "Mirame, aTragedy in Five Acts," and raised his head.

  D'Artagnan recognized the cardinal.