"I thought as much," said D'Artagnan, wasting his strength
in useless efforts. "Zounds, I thought as much when the
wretch kept moving around the room. I thought he was up to
something."
"It's a misfortune, to which his friend, the devil, treats
us," said Aramis.
"It's a piece of good fortune sent from Heaven," said Athos,
evidently much relieved.
"Really!" said D'Artagnan, abandoning the attempt to burst
open the panel after several ineffectual attempts, "Athos, I
cannot imagine how you can talk to us in that way. You
cannot understand the position we are in. In this kind of
game, not to kill is to let one's self be killed. This fox
of a fellow will be sending us a hundred iron-sided beasts
who will pick us off like sparrows in this place. Come,
come, we must be off. If we stay here five minutes more
there's an end of us."
"Yes, you are right."
"But where shall we go?" asked Porthos.
"To the hotel, to be sure, to get our baggage and horses;
and from there, if it please God, to France, where, at
least, I understand the architecture of the houses."
So, suiting the action to the word, D'Artagnan thrust the
remnant of his sword into its scabbard, picked up his hat
and ran down the stairs, followed by the others.
70
The Skiff "Lightning."
D'Artagnan had judged correctly; Mordaunt felt that he had
no time to lose, and he lost none. He knew the rapidity of
decision and action that characterized his enemies and
resolved to act with reference to that. This time the
musketeers had an adversary who was worthy of them.
After closing the door carefully behind him Mordaunt glided
into the subterranean passage, sheathing on the way his now
useless sword, and thus reached the neighboring house, where
he paused to examine himself and to take breath.
"Good!" he said, "nothing, almost nothing -- scratches,
nothing more; two in the arm and one in the breast. The
wounds that I make are better than that -- witness the
executioner of Bethune, my uncle and King Charles. Now, not
a second to lose, for a second lost will perhaps save them.
They must die -- die all together -- killed at one stroke by
the thunder of men in default of God's. They must disappear,
broken, scattered, annihilated. I will run, then, till my
legs no longer serve, till my heart bursts in my bosom but I
will arrive before they do."
Mordaunt proceeded at a rapid pace to the nearest cavalry
barracks, about a quarter of a league distant. He made that
quarter of a league in four or five minutes. Arrived at the
barracks he made himself known, took the best horse in the
stables, mounted and gained the high road. A quarter of an
hour later he was at Greenwich.
"There is the port," he murmured. "That dark point yonder is
the Isle of Dogs. Good! I am half an hour in advance of
them, an hour, perhaps. Fool that I was! I have almost
killed myself by my needless haste. Now," he added, rising
in the stirrups and looking about him, "which, I wonder, is
the Lightning?"
At this moment, as if in reply to his words, a man lying on
a coil of cables rose and advanced a few steps toward him.
Mordaunt drew a handkerchief from his pocket, and tying a
knot at each corner -- the signal agreed upon -- waved it in
the air and the man came up to him. He was wrapped in a
large rough cape, which concealed his form and partly his
face.
"Do you wish to go on the water, sir?" said the sailor.
"Yes, just so. Along the Isle of Dogs."
"And perhaps you have a preference for one boat more than
another. You would like one that sails as rapidly as ---- "
"Lightning," interrupted Mordaunt.
"Then mine is the boat you want, sir. I'm your man."
"I begin to think so, particularly if you have not forgotten
a certain signal."
"Here it is, sir," and the sailor took from his coat a
handkerchief, tied at each corner.
"Good, quite right!" cried Mordaunt, springing off his
horse. "There's not a moment to lose; now take my horse to
the nearest inn and conduct me to your vessel."
"But," asked the sailor, "where are your companions? I
thought there were four of you."
"Listen to me, sir. I'm not the man you take me for; you are
in Captain Rogers's post, are you not? under orders from
General Cromwell. Mine, also, are from him!"
"Indeed, sir, I recognize you; you are Captain Mordaunt."
Mordaunt was startled.
"Oh, fear nothing," said the skipper, showing his face. "I
am a friend."
"Captain Groslow!" cried Mordaunt.
"Himself. The general remembered that I had formerly been a
naval officer and he gave me the command of this expedition.
Is there anything new in the wind?"
"Nothing."
"I thought, perhaps, that the king's death ---- "
"Has only hastened their flight; in ten minutes they will
perhaps be here."
"What have you come for, then?"
"To embark with you."
"Ah! ah! the general doubted my fidelity?"
"No, but I wish to have a share in my revenge. Haven't you
some one who will relieve me of my horse?"
Groslow whistled and a sailor appeared.
"Patrick," said Groslow, "take this horse to the stables of
the nearest inn. If any one asks you whose it is you can say
that it belongs to an Irish gentleman."
The sailor departed without reply.
"Now," said Mordaunt, "are you not afraid that they will
recognize you?"
"There is no danger, dressed as I am in this pilot coat, on
a night as dark as this. Besides even you didn't recognize
me; they will be much less likely to."
"That is true," said Mordaunt, "and they will be far from
thinking of you. Everything is ready, is it not?"
"Yes."
"The cargo on board?"
"Yes."
"Five full casks?"
"And fifty empty ones."
"Good."
"We are carrying port wine to Anvers."
"Excellent. Now take me aboard and return to your post, for
they will soon be here."
"I am ready."
"It is important that none of your crew should see me."
"I have but one man on board, and I am as sure of him as I
am of myself. Besides, he doesn't know you; like his mates
he is ready to obey our orders knowing nothing of our plan."
"Very well; let us go."
They then went down to the Thames. A boat was fastened to
the shore by a chain fixed to a stake. Groslow jumped in,
followed by Mordaunt, and in five minutes they were quite
away from that world of houses which then crowded the
outskirts of London; and Mordaunt could discern the little
vessel riding at anchor near the Isle of Dogs. When they
reached the side of this felucca, Mordaunt, dexterous in his
eagerness for vengeance, seized a rope and climbed up the
side of the vessel with a coolness and agility very rare
among landsmen. He went with Groslow to the captain's berth,
a sort of temporary cabin of planks, for the chief apartment
had been given up by Captain Rogers to the passengers, who
were to be accommodated at the other end of the boat.
"They will have nothing to do, then at this end?" said
Mordaunt.
"Nothing at all."
"That's a capital arrangement. Return to Greenwich and bring
them here. I shall hide myself in your cabin. You have a
longboat?"
"That in which we came."
"It appeared light and well constructed."
"Quite a canoe."
"Fasten it to the poop with a rope; put the oars into it, so
that it may follow in the track and there will be nothing to
do except to cut the cord. Put a good supply of rum and
biscuit in it for the seamen; should the night happen to be
stormy they will not be sorry to find something to console
themselves with."
"Consider all this done. Do you wish to see the
powder-room?"
"No. When you return I will set the fuse myself, but be
careful to conceal your face, so that you cannot be
recognized by them."
"Never fear."
"There's ten o'clock striking at Greenwich."
Groslow, then, having given the sailor on duty an order to
be on the watch with more than usual vigilance, went down
into the longboat and soon reached Greenwich. The wind was
chilly and the jetty was deserted, as he approached it; but
he had no sooner landed than he heard a noise of horses
galloping upon the paved road.
These horsemen were our friends, or rather, an avant garde,
composed of D'Artagnan and Athos. As soon as they arrived at
the spot where Groslow stood they stopped, as if guessing
that he was the man they wanted. Athos alighted and calmly
opened the handkerchief tied at each corner, whilst
D'Artagnan, ever cautious, remained on horseback, one hand
upon his pistol, leaning forward watchfully.
On seeing the appointed signal, Groslow, who had at first
crept behind one of the cannon planted on that spot, walked
straight up to the gentlemen. He was so well wrapped up in
his cloak that it would have been impossible to see his face
even if the night had not been so dark as to render
precaution superfluous; nevertheless, the keen glance of
Athos perceived at once it was not Rogers who stood before
them.
"What do you want with us?" he asked of Groslow.
"I wish to inform you, my lord," replied Groslow, with an
Irish accent, feigned of course, "that if you are looking
for Captain Rogers you will not find him. He fell down this
morning and broke his leg. But I'm his cousin; he told me
everything and desired me to watch instead of him, and in
his place to conduct, wherever they wished to go, the
gentlemen who should bring me a handkerchief tied at each
corner, like that one which you hold and one which I have in
my pocket."
And he drew out the handkerchief.
"Was that all he said?" inquired Athos.
"No, my lord; he said you had engaged to pay seventy pounds
if I landed you safe and sound at Boulogne or any other port
you choose in France."
"What do you think of all this?" said Athos, in a low tone
to D'Artagnan, after explaining to him in French what the
sailor had said in English.
"It seems a likely story to me."
"And to me, too."
"Besides, we can but blow out his brains if he proves
false," said the Gascon; "and you, Athos, you know something
of everything and can be our captain. I dare say you know
how to navigate, should he fail us."
"My dear friend, you guess well. My father meant me for the
navy and I have some vague notions about navigation."
"You see!" cried D'Artagnan.
They then summoned their friends, who, with Blaisois,
Musqueton and Grimaud, promptly joined them, leaving Parry
behind them, who was to take back to London the horses of
the gentlemen and of their lackeys, which had been sold to
the host in settlement of their account with him. Thanks to
this stroke of business the four friends were able to take
away with them a sum of money which, if not large, was
sufficient as a provision against delays and accidents.
Parry parted from his friends regretfully; they had proposed
his going with them to France, but he had straightway
declined.
"It is very simple," Musqueton had said; "he is thinking of
Groslow."
It was Captain Groslow, the reader will remember, who had
broken Parry's head.
D'Artagnan resumed immediately the attitude of distrust that
was habitual with him. He found the wharf too completely
deserted, the night too dark, the captain too accommodating.
He had reported to Aramis what had taken place, and Aramis,
not less distrustful than he, had increased his suspicions.
A slight click of the tongue against his teeth informed
Athos of the Gascon's uneasiness.
"We have no time now for suspicions," said Athos. "The boat
is waiting for us; come."
"Besides," said Aramis, "what prevents our being distrustful
and going aboard at the same time? We can watch the
skipper."
"And if he doesn't go straight I will crush him, that's
all."
"Well said, Porthos," replied D'Artagnan. "Let us go, then.
You first, Musqueton," and he stopped his friends, directing
the valets to go first, in order to test the plank leading
from the pier to the boat.
The three valets passed without accident. Athos followed
them, then Porthos, then Aramis. D'Artagnan went last, still
shaking his head.
"What in the devil is the matter with you, my friend?" said
Porthos. "Upon my word you would make Caesar afraid."
"The matter is," replied D'Artagnan, "that I can see upon
this pier neither inspector nor sentinel nor exciseman."
"And you complain of that!" said Porthos. "Everything goes
as if in flowery paths."
"Everything goes too well, Porthos. But no matter; we must
trust in God."
As soon as the plank was withdrawn the captain took his
place at the tiller and made a sign to one of the sailors,
who, boat-hook in hand, began to push out from the labyrinth
of boats in which they were involved. The other sailor had
already seated himself on the port side and was ready to
row. As soon as there was room for rowing, his companion
rejoined him and the boat began to move more rapidly.
"At last we are off!" exclaimed Porthos.
"Alas," said Athos, "we depart alone."
"Yes; but all four together and without a scratch; which is
