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with a certain degree of inquietude, that it was leveled in `
`
his direction; but as soon as he perceived that the orifice `
`
of the barrel was motionless, he threw himself upon the `
`
ground. At the same instant the gun was fired, and he heard `
`
the whistling of a ball pass over his head. `
`
`
`
No time was to be lost. D'Artagnan sprang up with a bound, `
`
and at the same instant the ball from the other musket tore `
`
up the gravel on the very spot on the road where he had `
`
thrown himself with his face to the ground. `
`
`
`
D'Artagnan was not one of those foolhardy men who seek a `
`
ridiculous death in order that it may be said of them that `
`
they did not retreat a single step. Besides, courage was `
`
out of the question here; d'Artagnan had fallen into an `
`
ambush. `
`
`
`
"If there is a third shot," said he to himself, "I am a lost `
`
man." `
`
`
`
He immediately, therefore, took to his heels and ran toward `
`
the camp, with the swiftness of the young men of his `
`
country, so renowned for their agility; but whatever might `
`
be his speed, the first who fired, having had time to `
`
reload, fired a second shot, and this time so well aimed `
`
that it struck his hat, and carried it ten paces from him. `
`
`
`
As he, however, had no other hat, he picked up this as he `
`
ran, and arrived at his quarters very pale and quite out of `
`
breath. He sat down without saying a word to anybody, and `
`
began to reflect. `
`
`
`
This event might have three causes: `
`
`
`
The first and the most natural was that it might be an `
`
ambuscade of the Rochellais, who might not be sorry to kill `
`
one of his Majesty's Guards, because it would be an enemy `
`
the less, and this enemy might have a well-furnished purse `
`
in his pocket. `
`
`
`
D'Artagnan took his hat, examined the hole made by the ball, `
`
and shook his head. The ball was not a musket ball--it was `
`
an arquebus ball. The accuracy of the aim had first given `
`
him the idea that a special weapon had been employed. This `
`
could not, then, be a military ambuscade, as the ball was `
`
not of the regular caliber. `
`
`
`
This might be a kind remembrance of Monsieur the Cardinal. `
`
It may be observed that at the very moment when, thanks to `
`
the ray of the sun, he perceived the gun barrel, he was `
`
thinking with astonishment on the forbearance of his `
`
Eminence with respect to him. `
`
`
`
But d'Artagnan again shook his head. For people toward whom `
`
he had but to put forth his hand, his Eminence had rarely `
`
recourse to such means. `
`
`
`
It might be a vengeance of Milady; that was most probable. `
`
`
`
He tried in vain to remember the faces or dress of the `
`
assassins; he had escaped so rapidly that he had not had `
`
leisure to notice anything. `
`
`
`
"Ah, my poor friends!" murmured d'Artagnan; "where are you? `
`
And that you should fail me!" `
`
`
`
D'Artagnan passed a very bad night. Three or four times he `
`
started up, imagining that a man was approaching his bed for `
`
the purpose of stabbing him. Nevertheless, day dawned `
`
without darkness having brought any accident. `
`
`
`
But d'Artagnan well suspected that that which was deferred `
`
was not relinquished. `
`
`
`
D'Artagnan remained all day in his quarters, assigning as a `
`
reason to himself that the weather was bad. `
`
`
`
At nine o'clock the next morning, the drums beat to arms. `
`
The Duc d'Orleans visited the posts. The guards were under `
`
arms, and d'Artagnan took his place in the midst of his `
`
comrades. `
`
`
`
Monsieur passed along the front of the line; then all the `
`
superior officers approached him to pay their compliments, `
`
M. Dessessart, captain of the Guards, as well as the others. `
`
`
`
At the expiration of a minute or two, it appeared to `
`
d'Artagnan that M. Dessessart made him a sign to approach. `
`
He waited for a fresh gesture on the part of his superior, `
`
for fear he might be mistaken; but this gesture being `
`
repeated, he left the ranks, and advanced to receive orders. `
`
`
`
"Monsieur is about to ask for some men of good will for a `
`
dangerous mission, but one which will do honor to those who `
`
shall accomplish it; and I made you a sign in order that you `
`
might hold yourself in readiness." `
`
`
`
"Thanks, my captain!" replied d'Artagnan, who wished for `
`
nothing better than an opportunity to distinguish himself `
`
under the eye of the lieutenant general. `
`
`
`
In fact the Rochellais had made a sortie during the night, `
`
and had retaken a bastion of which the royal army had gained `
`
possession two days before. The matter was to ascertain, by `
`
reconnoitering, how the enemy guarded this bastion. `
`
`
`
At the end of a few minutes Monsieur raised his voice, and `
`
said, "I want for this mission three or four volunteers, led `
`
by a man who can be depended upon." `
`
`
`
"As to the man to be depended upon, I have him under my `
`
hand, monsieur," said M. Dessessart, pointing to d'Artagnan; `
`
"and as to the four or five volunteers, Monsieur has but to `
`
make his intentions known, and the men will not be wanting." `
`
`
`
"Four men of good will who will risk being killed with me!" `
`
said d'Artagnan, raising his sword. `
`
`
`
Two of his comrades of the Guards immediately sprang `
`
forward, and two other soldiers having joined them, the `
`
number was deemed sufficient. D'Artagnan declined all `
`
others, being unwilling to take the first chance from those `
`
who had the priority. `
`
`
`
It was not known whether, after the taking of the bastion, `
`
the Rochellais had evacuated it or left a garrison in it; `
`
the object then was to examine the place near enough to `
`
verify the reports. `
`
`
`
D'Artagnan set out with his four companions, and followed `
`
the trench; the two Guards marched abreast with him, and the `
`
two soldiers followed behind. `
`
`
`
They arrived thus, screened by the lining of the trench, `
`
till they came within a hundred paces of the bastion. `
`
There, on turning round, d'Artagnan perceived that the two `
`
soldiers had disappeared. `
`
`
`
He thought that, beginning to be afraid, they had stayed `
`
behind, and he continued to advance. `
`
`
`
At the turning of the counterscarp they found themselves `
`
within about sixty paces of the bastion. They saw no one, `
`
and the bastion seemed abandoned. `
`
`
`
The three composing our forlorn hope were deliberating `
`
whether they should proceed any further, when all at once a `
`
circle of smoke enveloped the giant of stone, and a dozen `
`
balls came whistling around d'Artagnan and his companions. `
`
`
`
They knew all they wished to know; the bastion was guarded. `
`
A longer stay in this dangerous spot would have been useless `
`
imprudence. D'Artagnan and his two companions turned their `
`
backs, and commenced a retreat which resembled a flight. `
`
`
`
On arriving at the angle of the trench which was to serve `
`
them as a rampart, one of the Guardsmen fell. A ball had `
`
passed through his breast. The other, who was safe and `
`
sound, continued his way toward the camp. `
`
`
`
D'Artagnan was not willing to abandon his companion thus, `
`
and stooped to raise him and assist him in regaining the `
`
lines; but at this moment two shots were fired. One ball `
`
struck the head of the already-wounded guard, and the other `
`
flattened itself against a rock, after having passed within `
`
two inches of d'Artagnan. `
`
`
`
The young man turned quickly round, for this attack could `
`
not have come from the bastion, which was hidden by the `
`
angle of the trench. The idea of the two soldiers who had `
`
abandoned him occurred to his mind, and with them he `
`
remembered the assassins of two evenings before. He `
`
resolved this time to know with whom he had to deal, and `
`
fell upon the body of his comrade as if he were dead. `
`
`
`
He quickly saw two heads appear above an abandoned work `
`
within thirty paces of him; they were the heads of the two `
`
soldiers. D'Artagnan had not been deceived; these two men `
`
had only followed for the purpose of assassinating him, `
`
hoping that the young man's death would be placed to the `
`
account of the enemy. `
`
`
`
As he might be only wounded and might denounce their crime, `
`
they came up to him with the purpose of making sure. `
`
Fortunately, deceived by d'Artagnan's trick, they neglected `
`
to reload their guns. `
`
`
`
When they were within ten paces of him, d'Artagnan, who in `
`
falling had taken care not to let go his sword, sprang up `
`
close to them. `
`
`
`
The assassins comprehended that if they fled toward the camp `
`
without having killed their man, they should be accused by `
`
him; therefore their first idea was to join the enemy. One `
`
of them took his gun by the barrel, and used it as he would `
`
a club. He aimed a terrible blow at d'Artagnan, who avoided `
`
it by springing to one side; but by this movement he left a `
`
passage free to the bandit, who darted off toward the `
`
bastion. As the Rochellais who guarded the bastion were `
`
ignorant of the intentions of the man they saw coming toward `
`
them, they fired upon him, and he fell, struck by a ball `
`
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