Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.41-67
her brow, as it bowed the branches of the trees and bore away `
` their leaves. She howled as the hurricane howled; and her voice `
` was lost in the great voice of nature, which also seemed to groan `
` with despair. `
` `
` All at once she heard a tap at her window, and by the help of a `
` flash of lightning she saw the face of a man appear behind the `
` bars. `
` `
` She ran to the window and opened it. `
` `
` "Felton!" cried she. "I am saved." `
` `
` "Yes," said Felton; "but silence, silence! I must have time to `
` file through these bars. Only take care that I am not seen `
` through the wicket." `
` `
` "Oh, it is a proof that the Lord is on our side, Felton," replied `
` Milady. "They have closed up the grating with a board." `
` `
` "That is well; God has made them senseless," said Felton. `
` `
` "But what must I do?" asked Milady. `
` `
` "Nothing, nothing, only shut the window. Go to bed, or at least `
` lie down in your clothes. As soon as I have done I will knock on `
` one of the panes of glass. But will you be able to follow me?" `
` `
` "Oh, yes!" `
` `
` "Your wound?" `
` `
` "Gives me pain, but will not prevent my walking." `
` `
` "Be ready, then, at the first signal." `
` `
` Milady shut the window, extinguished the lamp, and went, as `
` Felton had desired her, to lie down on the bed. Amid the moaning `
` of the storm she heard the grinding of the file upon the bars, `
` and by the light of every flash she perceived the shadow of `
` Felton through the panes. `
` `
` She passed an hour without breathing, panting, with a cold sweat `
` upon her brow, and her heart oppressed by frightful agony at `
` every movement she heard in the corridor. `
` `
` There are hours which last a year. `
` `
` At the expiration of an hour, Felton tapped again. `
` `
` Milady sprang out of bed and opened the window. Two bars removed `
` formed an opening for a man to pass through. `
` `
` "Are you ready?" asked Felton. `
` `
` "Yes. Must I take anything with me?" `
` `
` "Money, if you have any." `
` `
` "Yes; fortunately they have left me all I had." `
` `
` "So much the better, for I have expended all mine in chartering a `
` vessel." `
` `
` "Here!" said Milady, placing a bag full of louis in Felton's `
` hands. `
` `
` Felton took the bag and threw it to the foot of the wall. `
` `
` "Now," said he, "will you come?" `
` `
` "I am ready." `
` `
` Milady mounted upon a chair and passed the upper part of her body `
` through the window. She saw the young officer suspended over the `
` abyss by a ladder of ropes. For the first time an emotion of `
` terror reminded her that she was a woman. `
` `
` The dark space frightened her. `
` `
` "I expected this," said Felton. `
` `
` "It's nothing, it's nothing!" said Milady. "I will descend with `
` my eyes shut." `
` `
` "Have you confidence in me?" said Felton. `
` `
` "You ask that?" `
` `
` "Put your two hands together. Cross them; that's right!" `
` `
` Felton tied her two wrists together with his handkerchief, and `
` then with a cord over the handkerchief. `
` `
` "What are you doing?" asked Milady, with surprise. `
` `
` "Pass your arms around my neck, and fear nothing." `
` `
` "But I shall make you lose your balance, and we shall both be `
` dashed to pieces." `
` `
` "Don't be afraid. I am a sailor." `
` `
` Not a second was to be lost. Milady passed her two arms round `
` Felton's neck, and let herself slip out of the window. Felton `
` began to descend the ladder slowly, step by step. Despite the `
` weight of two bodies, the blast of the hurricane shook them in `
` the air. `
` `
` All at once Felton stopped. `
` `
` "What is the matter?" asked Milady. `
` `
` "Silence," said Felton, "I hear footsteps." `
` `
` "We are discovered!" `
` `
` There was a silence of several seconds. `
` `
` "No," said Felton, "it is nothing." `
` `
` "But what, then, is the noise?" `
` `
` "That of the patrol going their rounds." `
` `
` "Where is their road?" `
` `
` "Just under us." `
` `
` "They will discover us!" `
` `
` "No, if it does not lighten." `
` `
` "But they will run against the bottom of the ladder." `
` `
` "Fortunately it is too short by six feet." `
` `
` "Here they are! My God!" `
` `
` "Silence!" `
` `
` Both remained suspended, motionless and breathless, within twenty `
` paces of the ground, while the patrol passed beneath them `
` laughing and talking. This was a terrible moment for the `
` fugitives. `
` `
` The patrol passed. The noise of their retreating footsteps and `
` the murmur of their voices soon died away. `
` `
` "Now," said Felton, "we are safe." `
` `
` Milady breathed a deep sigh and fainted. `
` `
` Felton continued to descend. Near the bottom of the ladder, when `
` he found no more support for his feet, he clung with his hands; `
` at length, arrived at the last step, he let himself hang by the `
` strength of his wrists, and touched the ground. He stooped down, `
` picked up the bag of money, and placed it between his teeth. `
` Then he took Milady in his arms, and set off briskly in the `
` direction opposite to that which the patrol had taken. He soon `
` left the pathway of the patrol, descended across the rocks, and `
` when arrived on the edge of the sea, whistled. `
` `
` A similar signal replied to him; and five minutes after, a boat `
` appeared, rowed by four men. `
` `
` The boat approached as near as it could to the shore; but there `
` was not depth enough of water for it to touch land. Felton `
` walked into the sea up to his middle, being unwilling to trust `
` his precious burden to anybody. `
` `
` Fortunately the storm began to subside, but still the sea was `
` disturbed. The little boat bounded over the waves like a nut- `
` shell. `
` `
` "To the sloop," said Felton, "and row quickly." `
` `
` The four men bent to their oars, but the sea was too high to let `
` them get much hold of it. `
` `
` However, they left the castle behind; that was the principal `
` thing. The night was extremely dark. It was almost impossible `
` to see the shore from the boat; they would therefore be less `
` likely to see the boat from the shore. `
` `
` A black point floated on the sea. That was the sloop. While the `
` boat was advancing with all the speed its four rowers could give `
` it, Felton untied the cord and then the handkerchief which bound `
` Milady's hands together. When her hands were loosed he took some `
` sea water and sprinkled it over her face. `
` `
` Milady breathed a sigh, and opened her eyes. `
` `
` "Where am I?" said she. `
` `
` "Saved!" replied the young officer. `
` `
` "Oh, saved, saved!" cried she. "Yes, there is the sky; here is `
` the sea! The air I breathe is the air of liberty! Ah, thanks, `
` Felton, thanks!" `
` `
`
` their leaves. She howled as the hurricane howled; and her voice `
` was lost in the great voice of nature, which also seemed to groan `
` with despair. `
` `
` All at once she heard a tap at her window, and by the help of a `
` flash of lightning she saw the face of a man appear behind the `
` bars. `
` `
` She ran to the window and opened it. `
` `
` "Felton!" cried she. "I am saved." `
` `
` "Yes," said Felton; "but silence, silence! I must have time to `
` file through these bars. Only take care that I am not seen `
` through the wicket." `
` `
` "Oh, it is a proof that the Lord is on our side, Felton," replied `
` Milady. "They have closed up the grating with a board." `
` `
` "That is well; God has made them senseless," said Felton. `
` `
` "But what must I do?" asked Milady. `
` `
` "Nothing, nothing, only shut the window. Go to bed, or at least `
` lie down in your clothes. As soon as I have done I will knock on `
` one of the panes of glass. But will you be able to follow me?" `
` `
` "Oh, yes!" `
` `
` "Your wound?" `
` `
` "Gives me pain, but will not prevent my walking." `
` `
` "Be ready, then, at the first signal." `
` `
` Milady shut the window, extinguished the lamp, and went, as `
` Felton had desired her, to lie down on the bed. Amid the moaning `
` of the storm she heard the grinding of the file upon the bars, `
` and by the light of every flash she perceived the shadow of `
` Felton through the panes. `
` `
` She passed an hour without breathing, panting, with a cold sweat `
` upon her brow, and her heart oppressed by frightful agony at `
` every movement she heard in the corridor. `
` `
` There are hours which last a year. `
` `
` At the expiration of an hour, Felton tapped again. `
` `
` Milady sprang out of bed and opened the window. Two bars removed `
` formed an opening for a man to pass through. `
` `
` "Are you ready?" asked Felton. `
` `
` "Yes. Must I take anything with me?" `
` `
` "Money, if you have any." `
` `
` "Yes; fortunately they have left me all I had." `
` `
` "So much the better, for I have expended all mine in chartering a `
` vessel." `
` `
` "Here!" said Milady, placing a bag full of louis in Felton's `
` hands. `
` `
` Felton took the bag and threw it to the foot of the wall. `
` `
` "Now," said he, "will you come?" `
` `
` "I am ready." `
` `
` Milady mounted upon a chair and passed the upper part of her body `
` through the window. She saw the young officer suspended over the `
` abyss by a ladder of ropes. For the first time an emotion of `
` terror reminded her that she was a woman. `
` `
` The dark space frightened her. `
` `
` "I expected this," said Felton. `
` `
` "It's nothing, it's nothing!" said Milady. "I will descend with `
` my eyes shut." `
` `
` "Have you confidence in me?" said Felton. `
` `
` "You ask that?" `
` `
` "Put your two hands together. Cross them; that's right!" `
` `
` Felton tied her two wrists together with his handkerchief, and `
` then with a cord over the handkerchief. `
` `
` "What are you doing?" asked Milady, with surprise. `
` `
` "Pass your arms around my neck, and fear nothing." `
` `
` "But I shall make you lose your balance, and we shall both be `
` dashed to pieces." `
` `
` "Don't be afraid. I am a sailor." `
` `
` Not a second was to be lost. Milady passed her two arms round `
` Felton's neck, and let herself slip out of the window. Felton `
` began to descend the ladder slowly, step by step. Despite the `
` weight of two bodies, the blast of the hurricane shook them in `
` the air. `
` `
` All at once Felton stopped. `
` `
` "What is the matter?" asked Milady. `
` `
` "Silence," said Felton, "I hear footsteps." `
` `
` "We are discovered!" `
` `
` There was a silence of several seconds. `
` `
` "No," said Felton, "it is nothing." `
` `
` "But what, then, is the noise?" `
` `
` "That of the patrol going their rounds." `
` `
` "Where is their road?" `
` `
` "Just under us." `
` `
` "They will discover us!" `
` `
` "No, if it does not lighten." `
` `
` "But they will run against the bottom of the ladder." `
` `
` "Fortunately it is too short by six feet." `
` `
` "Here they are! My God!" `
` `
` "Silence!" `
` `
` Both remained suspended, motionless and breathless, within twenty `
` paces of the ground, while the patrol passed beneath them `
` laughing and talking. This was a terrible moment for the `
` fugitives. `
` `
` The patrol passed. The noise of their retreating footsteps and `
` the murmur of their voices soon died away. `
` `
` "Now," said Felton, "we are safe." `
` `
` Milady breathed a deep sigh and fainted. `
` `
` Felton continued to descend. Near the bottom of the ladder, when `
` he found no more support for his feet, he clung with his hands; `
` at length, arrived at the last step, he let himself hang by the `
` strength of his wrists, and touched the ground. He stooped down, `
` picked up the bag of money, and placed it between his teeth. `
` Then he took Milady in his arms, and set off briskly in the `
` direction opposite to that which the patrol had taken. He soon `
` left the pathway of the patrol, descended across the rocks, and `
` when arrived on the edge of the sea, whistled. `
` `
` A similar signal replied to him; and five minutes after, a boat `
` appeared, rowed by four men. `
` `
` The boat approached as near as it could to the shore; but there `
` was not depth enough of water for it to touch land. Felton `
` walked into the sea up to his middle, being unwilling to trust `
` his precious burden to anybody. `
` `
` Fortunately the storm began to subside, but still the sea was `
` disturbed. The little boat bounded over the waves like a nut- `
` shell. `
` `
` "To the sloop," said Felton, "and row quickly." `
` `
` The four men bent to their oars, but the sea was too high to let `
` them get much hold of it. `
` `
` However, they left the castle behind; that was the principal `
` thing. The night was extremely dark. It was almost impossible `
` to see the shore from the boat; they would therefore be less `
` likely to see the boat from the shore. `
` `
` A black point floated on the sea. That was the sloop. While the `
` boat was advancing with all the speed its four rowers could give `
` it, Felton untied the cord and then the handkerchief which bound `
` Milady's hands together. When her hands were loosed he took some `
` sea water and sprinkled it over her face. `
` `
` Milady breathed a sigh, and opened her eyes. `
` `
` "Where am I?" said she. `
` `
` "Saved!" replied the young officer. `
` `
` "Oh, saved, saved!" cried she. "Yes, there is the sky; here is `
` the sea! The air I breathe is the air of liberty! Ah, thanks, `
` Felton, thanks!" `
` `
`