62. London.
As soon as the noise of the hoofs was lost in the distance D'Artagnanremounted the bank of the stream and scoured the plain, followed by histhree friends, directing their course, as well as they could guess,toward London.
"This time," said D'Artagnan, when they were sufficiently distant toproceed at a trot, "I think all is lost and we have nothing better to dothan to reach France. What do you say, Athos, to that proposition? Isn'tit reasonable?"
"Yes, dear friend," Athos replied, "but you said a word the other daythat was more than reasonable--it was noble and generous. You said, 'Letus die here!' I recall to you that word."
"Oh," said Porthos, "death is nothing: it isn't death that can disquietus, since we don't know what it is. What troubles me is the idea ofdefeat. As things are turning out, I foresee that we must give battle toLondon, to the provinces, to all England, and certainly in the end wecan't fail to be beaten."
"We ought to witness this great tragedy even to its last scene," saidAthos. "Whatever happens, let us not leave England before the crisis.Don't you agree with me, Aramis?"
"Entirely, my dear count. Then, too, I confess I should not be sorry tocome across Mordaunt again. It appears to me that we have an account tosettle with him, and that it is not our custom to leave a place withoutpaying our debts, of this kind, at least."
"Ah! that's another thing," said D'Artagnan, "and I should not mindwaiting in London a whole year for a chance of meeting this Mordaunt inquestion. Only let us lodge with some one on whom we can count; for Iimagine, just now, that Noll Cromwell would not be inclined to triflewith us. Athos, do you know any inn in the whole town where one can findwhite sheets, roast beef reasonably cooked, and wine which is not madeof hops and gin?"
"I think I know what you want," replied Athos. "De Winter took us to thehouse of a Spaniard, who, he said, had become naturalized as anEnglishman by the guineas of his new compatriots. What do you say to it,Aramis?"
"Why, the idea of taking quarters with Senor Perez seems to me veryreasonable, and for my part I agree to it. We will invoke theremembrance of that poor De Winter, for whom he seemed to have a greatregard; we will tell him that we have come as amateurs to see what isgoing on; we will spend with him a guinea each per day; and I think thatby taking all these precautions we can be quite undisturbed."
"You forget, Aramis, one precaution of considerable importance."
"What is that?"
"The precaution of changing our clothes."
"Changing our clothes!" exclaimed Porthos. "I don't see why; we are verycomfortable in those we wear."
"To prevent recognition," said D'Artagnan. "Our clothes have a cut whichwould proclaim the Frenchman at first sight. Now, I don't set sufficientstore on the cut of my jerkin to risk being hung at Tyburn or sent forchange of scene to the Indies. I shall buy a chestnut-colored suit. I'veremarked that your Puritans revel in that color."
"But can you find your man?" said Aramis to Athos.
"Oh! to be sure, yes. He lives at the Bedford Tavern, Greenhall Street.Besides, I can find my way about the city with my eyes shut."
"I wish we were already there," said D'Artagnan; "and my advice is thatwe reach London before daybreak, even if we kill our horses."
"Come on, then," said Athos, "for unless I am mistaken in mycalculations we have only eight or ten leagues to go."
The friends urged on their horses and arrived, in fact, at about fiveo'clock in the morning. They were stopped and questioned at the gate bywhich they sought to enter the city, but Athos replied, in excellentEnglish, that they had been sent forward by Colonel Harrison to announceto his colleague, Monsieur Bridge, the approach of the king. That replyled to several questions about the king's capture, and Athos gavedetails so precise and positive that if the gatekeepers had anysuspicions they vanished completely. The way was therefore opened to thefour friends with all sorts of Puritan congratulations.
Athos was right. He went direct to the Bedford Tavern, and the host, whorecognized him, was delighted to see him again with such a numerous andpromising company.
Though it was scarcely daylight our four travelers found the town in agreat bustle, owing to the reported approach of Harrison and the king.
The plan of changing their clothes was unanimously adopted. The landlordsent out for every description of garment, as if he wanted to fit up hiswardrobe. Athos chose a black coat, which gave him the appearance of arespectable citizen. Aramis, not wishing to part with his sword,selected a dark-blue cloak of a military cut. Porthos was seduced by awine-colored doublet and sea-green breeches. D'Artagnan, who had fixedon his color beforehand, had only to select the shade, and looked in hischestnut suit exactly like a retired sugar dealer.
"Now," said D'Artagnan, "for the actual man. We must cut off our hair,that the populace may not insult us. As we no longer wear the sword ofthe gentleman we may as well have the head of the Puritan. This, as youknow, is the important point of distinction between the Covenanter andthe Cavalier."
After some discussion this was agreed to and Mousqueton played the roleof barber.
"We look hideous," said Athos.
"And smack of the Puritan to a frightful extent," said Aramis.
"My head feels actually cold," said Porthos.
"As for me, I feel anxious to preach a sermon," said D'Artagnan.
"Now," said Athos, "that we cannot even recognize one another and havetherefore no fear of others recognizing us, let us go and see the king'sentrance."
They had not been long in the crowd before loud cries announced theking's arrival. A carriage had been sent to meet him, and the giganticPorthos, who stood a head above the entire rabble, soon announced thathe saw the royal equipage approaching. D'Artagnan raised himself ontiptoe, and as the carriage passed, saw Harrison at one window andMordaunt at the other.
The next day, Athos, leaning out of his window, which looked upon themost populous part of the city, heard the Act of Parliament, whichsummoned the ex-king, Charles I., to the bar, publicly cried.
"Parliament indeed!" cried Athos. "Parliament can never have passed suchan act as that."
At this moment the landlord came in.
"Did parliament pass this act?" Athos asked of him in English.
"Yes, my lord, the pure parliament."
"What do you mean by 'the pure parliament'? Are there, then, twoparliaments?"
"My friend," D'Artagnan interrupted, "as I don't understand English andwe all understand Spanish, have the kindness to speak to us in thatlanguage, which, since it is your own, you must find pleasure in usingwhen you have the chance."
"Ah! excellent!" said Aramis.
As to Porthos, all his attention was concentrated on the allurements ofthe breakfast table.
"You were asking, then?" said the host in Spanish.
"I asked," said Athos, in the same language, "if there are twoparliaments, a pure and an impure?"
"Why, how extraordinary!" said Porthos, slowly raising his head andlooking at his friends with an air of astonishment, "I understandEnglish, then! I understand what you say!"
"That is because we are talking Spanish, my dear friend," said Athos.
"Oh, the devil!" said Porthos, "I am sorry for that; it would have beenone language more."
"When I speak of the pure parliament," resumed the host, "I mean the onewhich Colonel Bridge has weeded."
"Ah! really," said D'Artagnan, "these people are very ingenious. When Igo back to France I must suggest some such convenient course to CardinalMazarin and the coadjutor. One of them will weed the parliament in thename of the court, and the other in the name of the people; and thenthere won't be any parliament at all."
"And who is this Colonel Bridge?" asked Aramis, "and how does he go towork to weed the parliament?"
"Colonel Bridge," replied the Spaniard, "is a retired wagoner, a man ofmuch sense, who made one valuable observation whilst driving his team,namely, that where there happened to be a stone on the road, it was mucheasier to re
move the stone than try and make the wheel pass over it.Now, of two hundred and fifty-one members who composed the parliament,there were one hundred and ninety-one who were in the way and might haveupset his political wagon. He took them up, just as he formerly used totake up the stones from the road, and threw them out of the house."
"Neat," remarked D'Artagnan. "Very!"
"And all these one hundred and ninety-one were Royalists?" asked Athos.
"Without doubt, senor; and you understand that they would have saved theking."
"To be sure," said Porthos, with majestic common sense; "they were inthe majority."
"And you think," said Aramis, "he will consent to appear before such atribunal?"
"He will be forced to do so," smiled the Spaniard.
"Now, Athos!" said D'Artagnan, "do you begin to believe that it's aruined cause, and that what with your Harrisons, Joyces, Bridges andCromwells, we shall never get the upper hand?"
"The king will be delivered at the tribunal," said Athos; "the verysilence of his supporters indicates that they are at work."
D'Artagnan shrugged his shoulders.
"But," said Aramis, "if they dare to condemn their king, it can only beto exile or imprisonment."
D'Artagnan whistled a little air of incredulity.
"We shall see," said Athos, "for we shall go to the sittings, Ipresume."
"You will not have long to wait," said the landlord; "they beginto-morrow."
"So, then, they drew up the indictments before the king was taken?"
"Of course," said D'Artagnan; "they began the day he was sold."
"And you know," said Aramis, "that it was our friend Mordaunt who made,if not the bargain, at least the overtures."
"And you know," added D'Artagnan, "that whenever I catch him I will killhim, this Mordaunt."
"And I, too," exclaimed Porthos.
"And I, too," added Aramis.
"Touching unanimity!" cried D'Artagnan, "which well becomes goodcitizens like us. Let us take a turn around the town and imbibe a littlefog."
"Yes," said Porthos, "'twill be at least a little change from beer."
Vingt ans après. English Page 62