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D'Artagnan grew pale, and a convulsive trembling shook all `
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his limbs. `
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"Thou alarmest me!" said Athos, who never used thee and thou `
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but upon very particular occasions, "what has happened?" `
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"Look you, my friends!" cried d'Artagnan, "a horrible `
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suspicion crosses my mind! Can this be another vengeance of `
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that woman?" `
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It was now Athos who turned pale. `
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D'Artagnan rushed toward the refreshment room, the three `
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Musketeers and the two Guards following him. `
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The first object that met the eyes of d'Artagnan on entering `
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the room was Brisemont, stretched upon the ground and `
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rolling in horrible convulsions. `
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Planchet and Fourreau, as pale as death, were trying to give `
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him succor; but it was plain that all assistance was `
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useless--all the features of the dying man were distorted `
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with agony. `
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"Ah!" cried he, on perceiving d'Artagnan, "ah! this is `
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frightful! You pretend to pardon me, and you poison me!" `
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"I!" cried d'Artagnan. "I, wretch? What do you say?" `
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"I say that it was you who gave me the wine; I say that it `
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was you who desired me to drink it. I say you wished to `
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avenge yourself on me, and I say that it is horrible!" `
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"Do not think so, Brisemont," said d'Artagnan; "do not think `
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so. I swear to you, I protest--" `
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"Oh, but God is above! God will punish you! My God, grant `
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that he may one day suffer what I suffer!" `
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"Upon the Gospel," said d'Artagnan, throwing himself down by `
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the dying man, "I swear to you that the wine was poisoned `
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and that I was going to drink of it as you did." `
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"I do not believe you," cried the soldier, and he expired `
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amid horrible tortures. `
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"Frightful! frightful!" murmured Athos, while Porthos broke `
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the bottles and Aramis gave orders, a little too late, that `
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a confessor should be sent for. `
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"Oh, my friends," said d'Artagnan, "you come once more to `
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save my life, not only mine but that of these gentlemen. `
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Gentlemen," continued he, addressing the Guardsmen, "I `
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request you will be silent with regard to this adventure. `
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Great personages may have had a hand in what you have seen, `
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and if talked about, the evil would only recoil upon us." `
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"Ah, monsieur!" stammered Planchet, more dead than alive, `
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"ah, monsieur, what an escape I have had!" `
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"How, sirrah! you were going to drink my wine?" `
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"To the health of the king, monsieur; I was going to drink a `
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small glass of it if Fourreau had not told me I was called." `
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"Alas!" said Fourreau, whose teeth chattered with terror, `
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"I wanted to get him out of the way that I might drink myself." `
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"Gentlemen," said d'Artagnan, addressing the Guardsmen, "you `
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may easily comprehend that such a feast can only be very `
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dull after what has taken place; so accept my excuses, and `
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put off the party till another day, I beg of you." `
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The two Guardsmen courteously accepted d'Artagnan's excuses, `
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and perceiving that the four friends desired to be alone, `
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retired. `
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When the young Guardsman and the three Musketeers were `
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without witnesses, they looked at one another with an air `
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which plainly expressed that each of them perceived the `
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gravity of their situation. `
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"In the first place," said Athos, "let us leave this `
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chamber; the dead are not agreeable company, particularly `
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when they have died a violent death." `
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"Planchet," said d'Artagnan, "I commit the corpse of this `
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poor devil to your care. Let him be interred in holy `
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ground. He committed a crime, it is true; but he repented `
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of it." `
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And the four friends quit the room, leaving to Planchet and `
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Fourreau the duty of paying mortuary honors to Brisemont. `
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The host gave them another chamber, and served them with `
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fresh eggs and some water, which Athos went himself to draw `
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at the fountain. In a few words, Porthos and Aramis were `
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posted as to the situation. `
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"Well," said d'Artagnan to Athos, "you see, my dear friend, `
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that this is war to the death." `
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Athos shook his head. `
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"Yes, yes," replied he, "I perceive that plainly; but do you `
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really believe it is she?" `
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"I am sure of it." `
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"Nevertheless, I confess I still doubt." `
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"But the fleur-de-lis on her shoulder?" `
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"She is some Englishwoman who has committed a crime in `
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France, and has been branded in consequence." `
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"Athos, she is your wife, I tell you," repeated d'Artagnan; `
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"only reflect how much the two descriptions resemble each `
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other." `
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"Yes; but I should think the other must be dead, I hanged `
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her so effectually." `
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It was d'Artagnan who now shook his head in his turn. `
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"But in either case, what is to be done?" said the young `
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man. `
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"The fact is, one cannot remain thus, with a sword hanging `
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eternally over his head," said Athos. "We must extricate `
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ourselves from this position." `
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"But how?" `
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"Listen! You must try to see her, and have an explanation `
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with her. Say to her: 'Peace or war! My word as a `
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gentleman never to say anything of you, never to do anything `
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against you; on your side, a solemn oath to remain neutral `
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with respect to me. If not, I will apply to the chancellor, `
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I will apply to the king, I will apply to the hangman, I `
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will move the courts against you, I will denounce you as `
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branded, I will bring you to trial; and if you are `
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acquitted, well, by the faith of a gentleman, I will kill `
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you at the corner of some wall, as I would a mad dog.'" `
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"I like the means well enough," said d'Artagnan, "but where `
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and how to meet with her?" `
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"Time, dear friend, time brings round opportunity; `
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opportunity is the martingale of man. The more we have `
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ventured the more we gain, when we know how to wait." `
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"Yes; but to wait surrounded by assassins and poisoners." `
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"Bah!" said Athos. "God has preserved us hitherto, God will `
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preserve us still." `
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"Yes, we. Besides, we are men; and everything considered, `
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it is our lot to risk our lives; but she," asked he, in an `
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undertone. `
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"What she?" asked Athos. `
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"Constance." `
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"Madame Bonacieux! Ah, that's true!" said Athos. "My poor `
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friend, I had forgotten you were in love." `
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"Well, but," said Aramis, "have you not learned by the `
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letter you found on the wretched corpse that she is in a `
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convent? One may be very comfortable in a convent; and as `
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soon as the siege of La Rochelle is terminated, I promise `
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you on my part--" `
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"Good," cried Athos, "good! Yes, my dear Aramis, we all `
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know that your views have a religious tendency." `
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"I am only temporarily a Musketeer," said Aramis, humbly. `
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"It is some time since we heard from his mistress," said `
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Athos, in a low voice. "But take no notice; we know all `
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about that." `
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"Well," said Porthos, "it appears to me that the means are `
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very simple." `
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"What?" asked d'Artagnan. `
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"You say she is in a convent?" replied Porthos. `
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"Yes." `
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"Very well. As soon as the siege is over, we'll carry her `
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off from that convent." `
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"But we must first learn what convent she is in." `
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"That's true," said Porthos. `
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"But I think I have it," said Athos. "Don't you say, dear `
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d'Artagnan, that it is the queen who has made choice of the `
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