and carry it to England."
D'Artagnan looked at the envelope; there was no address on
it.
"Am I not to know to whom to present it?"
"You will know when you reach London; at London you may tear
off the outer envelope."
"And what are my instructions?"
"To obey in every particular the man to whom this letter is
addressed. You must set out for Boulogne. At the Royal Arms
of England you will find a young gentleman named Mordaunt."
"Yes, my lord; and what am I to do with this young
gentleman?"
"Follow wherever he leads you."
D'Artagnan looked at the cardinal with a stupefied air.
"There are your instructions," said Mazarin; "go!"
"Go! 'tis easy to say so, but that requires money, and I
haven't any."
"Ah!" replied Mazarin, "so you have no money?"
"None, my lord."
"But the diamond I gave you yesterday?"
"I wish to keep it in remembrance of your eminence."
Mazarin sighed.
"'Tis very dear living in England, my lord, especially as
envoy extraordinary."
"Zounds!" replied Mazarin, "the people there are very
sedate, and their habits, since the revolution, simple; but
no matter."
He opened a drawer and took out a purse.
"What do you say to a thousand crowns?"
D'Artagnan pouted out his lower lip in a most extraordinary
manner.
"I reply, my lord, 'tis but little, as certainly I shall not
go alone."
"I suppose not. Monsieur du Vallon, that worthy gentleman,
for, with the exception of yourself, Monsieur d'Artagnan,
there's not a man in France that I esteem and love so much
as him ---- "
"Then, my lord," replied D'Artagnan, pointing to the purse
which Mazarin still held, "if you love and esteem him so
much, you -- understand me?"
"Be it so! on his account I add two hundred crowns."
"Scoundrel!" muttered D'Artagnan. "But on our return," he
said aloud, "may we, that is, my friend and I, depend on
having, he his barony, and I my promotion?"
"On the honor of Mazarin."
"I should like another sort of oath better," said D'Artagnan
to himself; then aloud, "May I not offer my duty to her
majesty the queen?"
"Her majesty is asleep and you must set off directly,"
replied Mazarin; "go, pray, sir ---- "
"One word more, my lord; if there's any fighting where I'm
going, must I fight?"
"You are to obey the commands of the personage to whom I
have addressed the inclosed letter."
"'Tis well," said D'Artagnan, holding out his hand to
receive the money. "I offer my best respects and services to
you, my lord."
D'Artagnan then, returning to the officer, said:
"Sir, have the kindness also to awaken Monsieur du Vallon
and to say 'tis by his eminence's order, and that I shall
await him at the stables."
The officer went off with an eagerness that showed the
Gascon that he had some personal interest in the matter.
Porthos was snoring most musically when some one touched him
on the shoulder.
"I come from the cardinal," said the officer.
"Heigho!" said Porthos, opening his large eyes; "what have
you got to say?"
"That his eminence has ordered you to England and that
Monsieur d'Artagnan is waiting for you in the stables."
Porthos sighed heavily, arose, took his hat, his pistols,
and his cloak, and departed, casting a look of regret upon
the couch where he had hoped to sleep so well.
No sooner had he turned his back than the officer laid
himself down in it, and he had scarcely crossed the
threshold before his successor, in his turn, was snoring
immoderately. It was very natural, he being the only person
in the whole assemblage, except the king, the queen, and the
Duke of Orleans, who slept gratuitously.
54
In which we hear Tidings of Aramis.
D'Artagnan went straight to the stables; day was just
dawning. He found his horse and that of Porthos fastened to
the manger, but to an empty manger. He took pity on these
poor animals and went to a corner of the stable, where he
saw a little straw, but in doing so he struck his foot
against a human body, which uttered a cry and arose on its
knees, rubbing its eyes. It was Musqueton, who, having no
straw to lie upon, had helped himself to that of the horses.
"Musqueton," cried D'Artagnan, "let us be off! Let us set
off."
Musqueton, recognizing the voice of his master's friend, got
up suddenly, and in doing so let fall some louis which he
had appropriated to himself illegally during the night.
"Ho! ho!" exclaimed D'Artagnan, picking up a louis and
displaying it; "here's a louis that smells confoundedly of
straw."
Musqueton blushed so confusedly that the Gascon began to
laugh at him and said:
"Porthos would be angry, my dear Monsieur Musqueton, but I
pardon you, only let us remember that this gold must serve
us as a joke, so be gay -- come along."
Musqueton instantly assumed a jovial countenance, saddled
the horses quickly and mounted his own without making faces
over it.
Whilst this went on, Porthos arrived with a very cross look
on his face, and was astonished to find the lieutenant
resigned and Musqueton almost merry.
"Ah, that's it!" he cried, "you have your promotion and I my
barony."
"We are going to fetch our brevets," said D'Artagnan, "and
when we come back, Master Mazarin will sign them."
"And where are we going?" asked Porthos.
"To Paris first; I have affairs to settle."
And they both set out for Paris.
On arriving at its gates they were astounded to see the
threatening aspect of the capital. Around a broken-down
carriage the people were uttering imprecations, whilst the
persons who had attempted to escape were made prisoners --
that is to say, an old man and two women. On the other hand,
as the two friends approached to enter, they showed them
every kind of civility, thinking them deserters from the
royal party and wishing to bind them to their own.
"What is the king doing?" they asked.
"He is asleep."
"And the Spanish woman?"
"Dreaming."
"And the cursed Italian?"
"He is awake, so keep on the watch, as they are gone away;
it's for some purpose, rely on it. But as you are the
strongest, after all," continued D'Artagnan, "don't be
furious with old men and women, and keep your wrath for more
appropriate occasions."
The people listened to these words and let go the ladies,
who thanked D'Artagnan with an eloquent look.
"Now! onward!" cried the Gascon.
And they continued their way, crossing the barricades,
getting the chains about their legs, pushed about,
questioning and questioned.
In the place of the Palais Royal D'Artagnan saw a sergeant,
who was drilling six or seven hundred citizens. It was
Planchet, who brought into play profitably the recollections
of the regiment of Piedmont.
In passing before D'Artagnan he recognized his former
master.
"Good-day, Monsieur d'Artagnan," said Planchet proudly.
"Good-day, Monsieur Dulaurier," replied D'Artagnan.
Planchet stopped short, staring at D'Artagnan. The first
row, seeing their sergeant stop, stopped in their turn, and
so on to the very last.
"These citizens are dreadfully ridiculous," observed
D'Artagnan to Porthos and went on his way.
Five minutes afterward he entered the hotel of La Chevrette,
where pretty Madeleine, the hostess, came to him.
"My dear Mistress Turquaine," said the Gascon, "if you
happen to have any money, lock it up quickly; if you happen
to have any jewels, hide them directly; if you happen to
have any debtors, make them pay you, or any creditors, don't
pay them."
"Why, prithee?" asked Madeleine.
"Because Paris is going to be reduced to dust and ashes like
Babylon, of which you have no doubt heard tell."
"And are you going to leave me at such a time?"
"This very instant."
"And where are you going?"
"Ah, if you could tell me that, you would be doing me a
service."
"Ah, me! ah, me!
"Have you any letters for me?" inquired D'Artagnan, wishing
to signify to the hostess that her lamentations were
superfluous and that therefore she had better spare him
demonstrations of her grief.
"There's one just arrived," and she handed the letter to
D'Artagnan.
"From Athos!" cried D'Artagnan, recognizing the handwriting.
"Ah!" said Porthos, "let us hear what he says."
D'Artagnan opened the letter and read as follows:
"Dear D'Artagnan, dear Du Vallon, my good friends, perhaps
this may be the last time that you will ever hear from me.
Aramis and I are very unhappy; but God, our courage, and the
remembrance of our friendship sustain us. Think often of
Raoul. I intrust to you certain papers which are at Blois;
and in two months and a half, if you do not hear of us, take
possession of them.
"Embrace, with all your heart, the vicomte, for your
devoted, friend,
"ATHOS."
"I believe, by Heaven," said D'Artagnan, "that I shall
embrace him, since he's upon our road; and if he is so
unfortunate as to lose our dear Athos, from that very day he
becomes my son."
"And I," said Porthos, "shall make him my sole heir."
"Let us see, what more does Athos say?"
"Should you meet on your journey a certain Monsieur
Mordaunt, distrust him, in a letter I cannot say more."
"Monsieur Mordaunt!" exclaimed the Gascon, surprised.
"Monsieur Mordaunt! 'tis well," said Porthos, "we shall
remember that; but see, there is a postscript from Aramis."
"So there is," said D'Artagnan, and he read:
"We conceal the place where we are, dear friends, knowing
your brotherly affection and that you would come and die
with us were we to reveal it."
"Confound it," interrupted Porthos, with an explosion of
passion which sent Musqueton to the other end of the room;
"are they in danger of dying?"
D'Artagnan continued:
"Athos bequeaths to you Raoul, and I bequeath to you my
revenge. If by any good luck you lay your hand on a certain
man named Mordaunt, tell Porthos to take him into a corner
and to wring his neck. I dare not say more in a letter.
"ARAMIS.
"If that is all, it is easily done," said Porthos.
"On the contrary," observed D'Artagnan, with a vexed look;
"it would be impossible."
"How so?"
"It is precisely this Monsieur Mordaunt whom we are going to
join at Boulogne and with whom we cross to England."
"Well, suppose instead of joining this Monsieur Mordaunt we
were to go and join our friends?" said Porthos, with a
gesture fierce enough to have frightened an army.
"I did think of it, but this letter has neither date nor
postmark."
"True," said Porthos. And he began to wander about the room
like a man beside himself, gesticulating and half drawing
his sword out of the scabbard.
As to D'Artagnan, he remained standing like a man in
consternation, with the deepest affliction depicted on his
face.
"Ah, this is not right; Athos insults us; he wishes to die
alone; it is bad, bad, bad."
Musqueton, witnessing this despair, melted into tears in a
corner of the room.
"Come," said D'Artagnan, "all this leads to nothing. Let us
go on. We will embrace Raoul, and perhaps he will have news
of Athos."
"Stop -- an idea!" cried Porthos; "indeed, my dear
D'Artagnan, I don't know how you manage, but you are always
full of ideas; let us go and embrace Raoul."
"Woe to that man who should happen to contradict my master
at this moment," said Musqueton to himself; "I wouldn't give
a farthing for his life."
They set out. On arriving at the Rue Saint Denis, the
friends found a vast concourse of people. It was the Duc de
Beaufort, who was coming from the Vendomois and whom the
coadjutor was showing to the Parisians, intoxicated with
joy. With the duke's aid they already considered themselves
invincible.
The two friends turned off into a side street to avoid
meeting the prince, and so reached the Saint Denis gate.
"Is it true," said the guard to the two cavaliers, "that the
Duc de Beaufort has arrived in Paris?"
"Nothing more certain; and the best proof of it is," said
D'Artagnan, "that he has dispatched us to meet the Duc de
Vendome, his father, who is coming in his turn."
"Long live De Beaufort!" cried the guards, and they drew
back respectfully to let the two friends pass. Once across
the barriers these two knew neither fatigue nor fear. Their
horses flew, and they never ceased speaking of Athos and
Aramis.
The camp had entered Saint Omer; the friends made a little
detour and went to the camp, and gave the army an exact
account of the flight of the king and queen. They found
Raoul near his tent, reclining on a truss of hay, of which
his horse stole some mouthfuls; the young man's eyes were
red and he seemed dejected. The Marechal de Grammont and the
Comte de Guiche had returned to Paris and he was quite
lonely. And as soon as he saw the two cavaliers he ran to
