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"You jest, I presume." `
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"I never jest." `
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"Let me pass!" `
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"You shall not pass." `
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"My brave young man, I will blow out your brains. HOLA, Lubin, `
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my pistols!" `
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"Planchet," called out d'Artagnan, "take care of the lackey; I `
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will manage the master." `
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Planchet, emboldened by the first exploit, sprang upon Lubin; and `
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being strong and vigorous, he soon got him on the broad of his `
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back, and placed his knee upon his breast. `
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"Go on with your affair, monsieur," cried Planchet; "I have `
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finished mine." `
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Seeing this, the gentleman drew his sword, and sprang upon `
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d'Artagnan; but he had too strong an adversary. In three seconds `
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d'Artagnan had wounded him three times, exclaiming at each `
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thrust, "One for Athos, one for Porthos; and one for Aramis!" `
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At the third hit the gentleman fell like a log. D'Artagnan `
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believed him to be dead, or at least insensible, and went toward `
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him for the purpose of taking the order; but the moment he `
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extended his hand to search for it, the wounded man, who had not `
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dropped his sword, plunged the point into d'Artagnan's breast, `
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crying, "One for you!" `
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"And one for me--the best for last!" cried d'Artagnan, furious, `
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nailing him to the earth with a fourth thrust through his body. `
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This time the gentleman closed his eyes and fainted. D'Artagnan `
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searched his pockets, and took from one of them the order for the `
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passage. It was in the name of Comte de Wardes. `
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Then, casting a glance on the handsome young man, who was `
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scarcely twenty-five years of age, and whom he was leaving in his `
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gore, deprived of sense and perhaps dead, he gave a sigh for that `
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unaccountable destiny which leads men to destroy each other for `
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the interests of people who are strangers to them and who often `
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do not even know that they exist. But he was soon aroused from `
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these reflections by Lubin, who uttered loud cries and screamed `
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for help with all his might. `
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Planchet grasped him by the throat, and pressed as hard as he `
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could. "Monsieur," said he, "as long as I hold him in this `
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manner, he can't cry, I'll be bound; but as soon as I let go he `
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will howl again. I know him for a Norman, and Normans are `
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obstinate." `
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In fact, tightly held as he was, Lubin endeavored still to cry `
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out. `
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"Stay!" said d'Artagnan; and taking out his handkerchief, he `
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gagged him. `
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"Now," said Planchet, "let us bind him to a tree." `
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This being properly done, they drew the Comte de Wardes close to `
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his servant; and as night was approaching, and as the wounded man `
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and the bound man were at some little distance within the wood, `
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it was evident they were likely to remain there till the next `
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day. `
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"And now," said d'Artagnan, "to the Governor's." `
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"But you are wounded, it seems," said Planchet. `
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"Oh, that's nothing! Let us attend to what is more pressing `
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first, and then we will attend to my wound; besides, it does not `
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seem very dangerous." `
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And they both set forward as fast as they could toward the `
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country house of the worthy functionary. `
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The Comte de Wardes was announced, and d'Artagnan was introduced. `
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"You have an order signed by the cardinal?" said the governor. `
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"Yes, monsieur," replied d'Artagnan; "here it is." `
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"Ah, ah! It is quite regular and explicit," said the governor. `
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"Most likely," said d'Artagnan; "I am one of his most faithful `
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servants." `
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"It appears that his Eminence is anxious to prevent someone from `
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crossing to England?" `
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"Yes; a certain d'Artagnan, a Bearnese gentleman who left Paris `
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in company with three of his friends, with the intention of going `
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to London." `
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"Do you know him personally?" asked the governor. `
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"Whom?" `
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"This d'Artagnan." `
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"Perfectly well." `
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"Describe him to me, then." `
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"Nothing more easy." `
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And d'Artagnan gave, feature for feature, a description of the `
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Comte de Wardes. `
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"Is he accompanied?" `
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"Yes; by a lackey named Lubin." `
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"We will keep a sharp lookout for them; and if we lay hands on `
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them his Eminence may be assured they will be reconducted to `
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Paris under a good escort." `
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"And by doing so, Monsieur the Governor," said d'Artagnan, "you `
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will deserve well of the cardinal." `
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"Shall you see him on your return, Monsieur Count?" `
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"Without a doubt." `
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"Tell him, I beg you, that I am his humble servant." `
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"I will not fail." `
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Delighted with this assurance the governor countersigned the `
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passport and delivered it to d'Artagnan. D'Artagnan lost no time `
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in useless compliments. He thanked the governor, bowed, and `
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departed. Once outside, he and Planchet set off as fast as they `
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could; and by making a long detour avoided the wood and reentered `
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the city by another gate. `
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The vessel was quite ready to sail, and the captain was waiting `
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on the wharf. "Well?" said he, on perceiving d'Artagnan. `
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"Here is my pass countersigned," said the latter. `
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"And that other gentleman? `
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"He will not go today," said d'Artagnan; "but here, I'll pay you `
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for us two." `
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"In that case let us go," said the shipmaster. `
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"Let us go," repeated d'Artagnan. `
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He leaped with Planchet into the boat, and five minutes after `
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they were on board. It was time; for they had scarcely sailed `
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half a league, when d'Artagnan saw a flash and heard a `
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detonation. It was the cannon which announced the closing of the `
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port. `
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He had now leisure to look to his wound. Fortunately, as `
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d'Artagnan had thought, it was not dangerous. The point of the `
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sword had touched a rib, and glanced along the bone. Still `
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further, his shirt had stuck to the wound, and he had lost only `
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a few drops of blood. `
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D'Artagnan was worn out with fatigue. A mattress was laid upon `
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the deck for him. He threw himself upon it, and fell asleep. `
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On the morrow, at break of day, they were still three or four `
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leagues from the coast of England. The breeze had been so light `
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all night, they had made but little progress. At ten o'clock the `
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vessel cast anchor in the harbor of Dover, and at half past ten `
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d'Artagnan placed his foot on English land, crying, "Here I am at `
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last!" `
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But that was not all; they must get to London. In England the `
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post was well served. D'Artagnan and Planchet took each a post `
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horse, and a postillion rode before them. In a few hours they `
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were in the capital. `
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D'Artagnan did not know London; he did not know a word of `
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English; but he wrote the name of Buckingham on a piece of paper, `
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and everyone pointed out to him the way to the duke's hotel. `
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The duke was at Windsor hunting with the king. D'Artagnan `
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inquired for the confidential valet of the duke, who, having `
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accompanied him in all his voyages, spoke French perfectly well; `
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he told him that he came from Paris on an affair of life and `
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death, and that he must speak with his master instantly. `
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The confidence with which d'Artagnan spoke convinced Patrick, `
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which was the name of this minister of the minister. He ordered `
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two horses to be saddled, and himself went as guide to the young `
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Guardsman. As for Planchet, he had been lifted from his horse as `
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stiff as a rush; the poor lad's strength was almost exhausted. `
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d'Artagnan seemed iron. `
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On their arrival at the castle they learned that Buckingham and `
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the king were hawking in the marshes two or three leagues away. `
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In twenty minutes they were on the spot named. Patrick soon `
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caught the sound of his master's voice calling his falcon. `
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