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"What does all this mean?" asked Aramis. `
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"Pack up all you want for a journey of a fortnight, and follow `
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me." `
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"But I cannot leave Paris just now without knowing--" `
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Aramis stopped. `
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"What is become of her? I suppose you mean--" continued `
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d'Artagnan. `
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"Become of whom?" replied Aramis. `
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"The woman who was here--the woman with the embroidered `
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handkerchief." `
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"Who told you there was a woman here?" replied Aramis, becoming `
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as pale as death. `
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"I saw her." `
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"And you know who she is?" `
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"I believe I can guess, at least." `
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"Listen!" said Aramis. "Since you appear to know so many things, `
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can you tell me what is become of that woman?" `
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"I presume that she has returned to Tours." `
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"To Tours? Yes, that may be. You evidently know her. But why `
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did she return to Tours without telling me anything?" `
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"Because she was in fear of being arrested." `
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"Why has she not written to me, then?" `
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"Because she was afraid of compromising you." `
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"d'Artagnan, you restore me to life!" cried Aramis. "I fancied `
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myself despised, betrayed. I was so delighted to see her again! `
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I could not have believed she would risk her liberty for me, and `
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yet for what other cause could she have returned to Paris?" `
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"For the cause which today takes us to England." `
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"And what is this cause?" demanded Aramis. `
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"Oh, you'll know it someday, Aramis; but at present I must `
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imitate the discretion of 'the doctor's niece.'" `
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Aramis smiled, as he remembered the tale he had told his friends `
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on a certain evening. "Well, then, since she has left Paris, and `
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you are sure of it, d'Artagnan, nothing prevents me, and I am `
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ready to follow you. You say we are going--" `
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"To see Athos now, and if you will come thither, I beg you to `
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make haste, for we have lost much time already. A PROPOS, inform `
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Bazin." `
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"Will Bazin go with us?" asked Aramis. `
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"Perhaps so. At all events, it is best that he should follow us `
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to Athos's." `
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Aramis called Bazin, and, after having ordered him to join them `
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at Athos's residence, said "Let us go then," at the same time `
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taking his cloak, sword, and three pistols, opening uselessly two `
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or three drawers to see if he could not find stray coin. When `
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well assured this search was superfluous, he followed d'Artagnan, `
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wondering to himself how this young Guardsman should know so well `
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who the lady was to whom he had given hospitality, and that he `
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should know better than himself what had become of her. `
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Only as they went out Aramis placed his hand upon the arm of `
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d'Artagnan, and looking at him earnestly, "You have not spoken of `
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this lady?" said he. `
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"To nobody in the world." `
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"Not even to Athos or Porthos?" `
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"I have not breathed a syllable to them." `
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"Good enough!" `
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Tranquil on this important point, Aramis continued his way with `
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d'Artagnan, and both soon arrived at Athos's dwelling. They `
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found him holding his leave of absence in one hand, and M. de `
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Treville's note in the other. `
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"Can you explain to me what signify this leave of absence and `
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this letter, which I have just received?" said the astonished `
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Athos. `
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My dear Athos, `
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I wish, as your health absolutely requires it, `
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that you should rest for a fortnight. Go, then, and take the `
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waters of Forges, or any that may be more agreeable to you, and `
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recuperate yourself as quickly as possible. `
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Yours affectionate `
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de Treville `
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"Well, this leave of absence and that letter mean that you must `
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follow me, Athos." `
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"To the waters of Forges?" `
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"There or elsewhere." `
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"In the king's service?" `
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"Either the king's or the queen's. Are we not their Majesties' `
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servants?" `
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At that moment Porthos entered. "PARDIEU!" said he, "here is a `
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strange thing! Since when, I wonder, in the Musketeers, did they `
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grant men leave of absence without their asking for it?" `
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"Since," said d'Artagnan, "they have friends who ask it for `
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them." `
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"Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears there's something fresh `
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here." `
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"Yes, we are going--" said Aramis. `
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"To what country?" demanded Porthos. `
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"My faith! I don't know much about it," said Athos. "Ask `
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d'Artagnan." `
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"To London, gentlemen," said d'Artagnan. `
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"To London!" cried Porthos; "and what the devil are we going to `
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do in London?" `
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"That is what I am not at liberty to tell you, gentlemen; you `
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must trust to me." `
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"But in order to go to London," added Porthos, "money is needed, `
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and I have none." `
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"Nor I," said Aramis. `
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"Nor I," said Athos. `
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"I have," replied d'Artagnan, pulling out his treasure from his `
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pocket, and placing it on the table. "There are in this bag `
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three hundred pistoles. Let each take seventy-five; that is `
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enough to take us to London and back. Besides, make yourselves `
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easy; we shall not all arrive at London." `
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"Why so?" `
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"Because, in all probability, some one of us will be left on the `
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road." `
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"Is this, then, a campaign upon which we are now entering?" `
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"One of a most dangerous kind, I give you notice." `
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"Ah! But if we do risk being killed," said Porthos, "at least I `
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should like to know what for." `
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"You would be all the wiser," said Athos. `
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"And yet," said Aramis, "I am somewhat of Porthos's opinion." `
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"Is the king accustomed to give you such reasons? No. He says `
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to you jauntily, 'Gentlemen, there is fighting going on in `
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Gascony or in Flanders; go and fight,' and you go there. Why? `
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You need give yourselves no more uneasiness about this." `
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"d'Artagnan is right," said Athos; "here are our three leaves of `
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absence which came from Monsieur de Treville, and here are three `
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hundred pistoles which came from I don't know where. So let us `
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go and get killed where we are told to go. Is life worth the `
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trouble of so many questions? D'Artagnan, I am ready to follow `
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you." `
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"And I also," said Porthos. `
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"And I also," said Aramis. "And, indeed, I am not sorry to quit `
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Paris; I had need of distraction." `
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"Well, you will have distractions enough, gentlemen, be assured," `
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said d'Artagnan. `
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"And, now, when are we to go?" asked Athos. `
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"Immediately," replied d'Artagnan; "we have not a minute to `
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lose." `
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