D'Artagnan went straight to M. de Treville's. He had reflectedthat in a few minutes the cardinal would be warned by this cursedstranger, who appeared to be his agent, and he judged, withreason, he had not a moment to lose.

The heart of the young man overflowed with joy. An opportunitypresented itself to him in which there would be at the same timeglory to be acquired, and money to be gained; and as a far higherencouragement, it brought him into close intimacy with a woman headored. This chance did, then, for him at once more than hewould have dared to ask of Providence.

M. de Treville was in his saloon with his habitual court ofgentlemen. D'Artagnan, who was known as a familiar of the house,went straight to his office, and sent word that he wished to seehim on something of importance.

D'Artagnan had been there scarcely five minutes when M. deTreville entered. At the first glance, and by the joy which waspainted on his countenance, the worthy captain plainly perceivedthat something new was on foot.

All the way along D'Artagnan had been consulting with himselfwhether he should place confidence in M. de Treville, or whetherhe should only ask him to give him CARTE BLANCHE for some secretaffair. But M. de Treville had always been so thoroughly hisfriend, had always been so devoted to the king and queen, andhated the cardinal so cordially, that the young man resolved totell him everything.

"Did you ask for me, my good friend?" said M. de Treville.

'Yes, monsieur," said D'Artagnan, lowering his voice, "than thehonor, perhaps the life of the queen."

"What did you say?" asked M. de Treville, glancing round to seeif they were surely alone, and then fixing his questioning lookupon D'Artagnan.

"I say, monsieur, that chance has rendered me master of asecret - "

"Which you will guard, I hope, young man, as your life."

"But which I must impart to you, monsieur, for you alone canassist me in the mission I have just received from her Majesty."

"Is this secret your own?"

"No, monsieur; it is her Majesty's."

"Are you authorized by her Majesty to communicate it to me?"

"No, monsieur, for, on the contrary, I am desired to preserve theprofoundest mystery."

"Why, then, are you about to betray it to me?"

"Because, as I said, without you I can do nothing; and I amafraid you will refuse me the favor I come to ask if you do notknow to what end I ask it."

"Keep your secret, young man, and tell me what you wish."

"I wish you to obtain for me, from Monsieur Dessessart, leave ofabsence for fifteen days."

"When?"

"This very night."

"You leave Paris?"

"I am going on a mission."

"May you tell me whither?"

"To London."

"Has anyone an interest in preventing your arrival there?"

"The cardinal, I believe, would give the world to prevent mysuccess."

"And you are going alone?"

"I am going alone."

"In that case you will not get beyond Bondy. I tell you so, bythe faith of De Treville."

"How so?"

"You will be assassinated."

"And I shall die in the performance of my duty."

"But your mission will not be accomplished."

"That is true," replied D'Artagnan.

"Believe me," continued Treville, "in enterprises of this kind,in order that one may arrive, four must set out."

"Ah, you are right, monsieur," said D'Artagnan; "but you knowAthos, Porthos, and Aramis, and you know if I can dispose ofthem."

"Without confiding to them the secret which I am not willing toknow?"

"We are sworn, once for all, to implicit confidence anddevotedness against all proof. Besides, you can tell them thatyou have full confidence in me, and they will not be moreincredulous than you."

"I can send to each of them leave of absence for fifteen days,that is all - to Athos, whose wound still makes him suffer, to goto the waters of Forges; to Porthos and Aramis to accompany theirfriend, whom they are not willing to abandon in such a painfulcondition. Sending their leave of absence will be proof enoughthat I authorize their journey."

"Thanks, monsieur. You are a hundred times too good."

"Begone, then, find them instantly, and let all be done tonight!Ha! But first write your request to Dessessart. Perhaps you hada spy at your heels; and your visit, if it should ever be knownto the cardinal, will thus seem legitimate."

D'Artagnan drew up his request, and M. de Treville, on receivingit, assured him that by two o'clock in the morning the fourleaves of absence should be at the respective domiciles of thetravelers.

"Have the goodness to send mine to Athos's residence. I shoulddread some disagreeable encounter if I were to go home."

"Be easy. Adieu, and a prosperous voyage. A PROPOS," said M. deTreville, calling him back.

D'Artagnan returned.

"Have you any money?"

D'Artagnan tapped the bag he had in his pocket.

"Enough?" asked M. de Treville.

"Three hundred pistoles."

"Oh, plenty! That would carry you to the end of the world.Begone, then!"

D'Artagnan saluted M. de Treville, who held out his hand to him;D'Artagnan pressed it with a respect mixed with gratitude. Sincehis first arrival at Paris, he had had constant occasion to honorthis excellent man, whom he had always found worthy, loyal, andgreat.

His first visit was to Aramis, at whose residence he ha not beensince the famous evening on which he had followed Mme. Bonacieux.Still further, he had seldom seen the young Musketeer; but everytime he had seen him, he had remarked a deep sadness imprinted onhis countenance.

This evening, especially, Aramis was melancholy and thoughtful.D'Artagnan asked some questions about this prolonged melancholy.Aramis pleaded as his excuse a commentary upon the eighteenthchapter of St. Augustine, which he was forced to write in Latinfor the following week, and which preoccupied him a good deal.

After the two friends had been chatting a few moments, a servantfrom M. de Treville entered, bringing a sealed packet.

"What is that?" asked Aramis.

"The leave of absence Monsieur has asked for," replied thelackey.

"For me! I have asked for no leave of absence."

"Hold your tongue and take it!" said D'Artagnan. "And you, myfriend, there is a demipistole for your trouble; you will tellMonsieur de Treville that Monsieur Aramis is very much obliged tohim. Go."

The lackey bowed to the ground and departed.

"What does all this mean?" asked Aramis.

"Pack up all you want for a journey of a fortnight, and followme."

"But I cannot leave Paris just now without knowing - "

Aramis stopped.

"What is become of her? I suppose you mean - " continuedD'Artagnan.

"Become of whom?" replied Aramis.

"The woman who was here - the woman with the embroideredhandkerchief."

"Who told you there was a woman here?" replied Aramis, becomingas pale as death.

"I saw her."

"And you know who she is?"

"I believe I can guess, at least."

"Listen!" said Aramis. "Since you appear to know so many things,can you tell me what is become of that woman?"

"I presume that she has returned to Tours."

"To Tours? Yes, that may be. You evidently know her. But whydid she return to Tours without telling me anything?"

"Because she was in fear of being arrested."

"Why has she not written to me, then?"

"Because she was afraid of compromising you."

"D'Artagnan, you restore me to life!" cried Aramis. "I fanciedmyself despised, betrayed. I was so delighted to see her again!I could not have believed she would risk her liberty for me, andyet for what other cause could she have returned to Paris?"

"for the cause which today takes us to England."

"And what is this cause?" demanded Aramis.

"Oh, you'll know it someday, Aramis; but at present I mustimitate the discretion of 'the doctor's niece.'"

Aramis smiled, as he remembered the tale he had told his friendson a certain evening. "Well, then, since she has left Paris, andyou are sure of it, D'Artagnan, nothing prevents me, and I amready to follow you. You say we are going - "

"To see Athos now, and if you will come thither, I beg you tomake haste, for we have lost much time already. A PROPOS, informBazin."

"Will Bazin go with us?" asked Aramis.

"Perhaps so. At all events, it is best that he should follow usto Athos's."

Aramis called Bazin, and, after having ordered him to join themat Athos's residence, said "Let us go then," at the same timetaking his cloak, sword, and three pistols, opening uselessly twoor three drawers to see if he could not find stray coin. Whenwell assured this search was superfluous, he followed D'Artagnan,wondering to himself how this young Guardsman should know so wellwho the lady was to whom he had given hospitality, and that heshould know better than himself what had become of her.

Only as they went out Aramis placed his hand upon the arm ofD'Artagnan, and looking at him earnestly, "You have not spoken ofthis lady?" said he.

"To nobody in the world."

"Not even to Athos or Porthos?"

"I have not breathed a syllable to them."

"Good enough!"

Tranquil on this important point, Aramis continued his way withD'Artagnan, and both soon arrived at Athos's dwelling. Theyfound him holding his leave of absence in one hand, and M. deTreville's note in the other.

"Can you explain to me what signify this leave of absence andthis letter, which I have just received?" said the astonishedAthos.

My dear Athos, I wish, as your health absolutely requires it,that you should rest for a fortnight. Go, then, and take thewaters of Forges, or any that may be more agreeable to you, andrecuperate yourself as quickly as possible.

Yours affectionate

De Treville

"Well, this leave of absence and that letter mean that you mustfollow me, Athos."

"To the waters of Forges?"

"There or elsewhere."

"In the king's service?"

"Either the king's or the queen's. Are we not their Majesties'servants?"

At that moment Porthos entered. "PARDIEU!" said he, "here is astrange thing! Since when, I wonder, in the Musketeers, did theygrant men leave of absence without their asking for it?"

"Since," said D'Artagnan, "they have friends who ask it forthem."

"Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears there's something freshhere."

"Yes, we are going - " said Aramis.

"To what country?" demanded Porthos.

"My faith! I don't much about it," said Athos. "AskD'Artagnan."

"To London, gentlemen," said D'Artagnan.

"To London!" cried Porthos; "and what the devil are we going todo in London?"

"That is what I am not at liberty to tell you, gentlemen; youmust trust to me."

"But in order to go to London," added Porthos, "money is needed,and I have none."

"Nor I," said Aramis.

"Nor I," said Athos.

"I have," replied D'Artagnan, pulling out his treasure from hispocket, and placing it on the table. "There are in this bagthree hundred pistoles. Let each take seventy-five; that isenough to take us to London and back. Besides, make yourselveseasy; we shall not all arrive at London."

"Why so?"

"Because, in all probability, some one of us will be left on theroad."

"Is this, then, a campaign upon which we are now entering?"

"One of a most dangerous kind, I give you notice."

"Ah! But if we do risk being killed," said Porthos, "at least Ishould like to know what for."

"You would be all the wiser," said Athos.

"And yet," said Aramis, "I am somewhat of Porthos's opinion."

"Is the king accustomed to give you such reasons? No. He saysto you jauntily, 'Gentlemen, there is fighting going on inGascony or in Flanders; go and fight,' and you go there. Why?You need give yourselves no more uneasiness about this."

"D'Artagnan is right," said Athos; "here are our three leaves ofabsence which came from Monsieur de Treville, and here are threehundred pistoles which came from I don't know where. So let usgo and get killed where we are told to go. Is life worth thetrouble of so many questions? D'Artagnan, I am ready to followyou."

"And I also," said Porthos.

"And I also," said Aramis. "And, indeed, I am not sorry to quitParis; I had need of distraction."

"Well, you will have distractions enough, gentlemen, be assured,"said D'Artagnan.

"And, now, when are we to go?" asked Athos.

"Immediately," replied D'Artagnan; "we have not a minute tolose."

"Hello, Grimaud! Planchet! Mousqueton! Bazin!" cried the fouryoung men, calling their lackeys, "clean my boots, and fetch thehorses from the hotel."

Each Musketeer was accustomed to leave at the general hotel, asat a barrack, his own horse and that of his lackey. Planchet,Grimaud, Mousqueton, and Bazin set off at full speed.

"Now let us lay down the plan of campaign," said Porthos. "Wheredo we go first?"

"To Calais," said D'Artagnan; "that is the most direct line toLondon."

"Well," said Porthos, "this is my advice - "

"Speak!"

"Four men traveling together would be suspected. D'Artagnan willgive each of us his instructions. I will go by the way ofBoulogne to clear the way; Athos will set out two hours after, bythat of Amiens; Aramis will follow us by that of Noyon; as toD'Artagnan, he will go by what route he thinks is best, inPlanchet's clothes, while Planchet will follow us likeD'Artagnan, in the uniform of the Guards."

"Gentlemen," said Athos, "my opinion is that it is not proper toallow lackeys to have anything to do in such an affair. A secretmay, by chance, be betrayed by gentlemen; but it is almostalways sold by lackeys."

"Porthos's plan appears to me to be impracticable," saidD'Artagnan, "inasmuch as I am myself ignorant of whatinstructions I can give you. I am the bearer of a letter, thatis all, I have not, and I cannot make three copies of thatletter, because it is sealed. We must, then, as it appears tome, travel in company. This letter is here, in this pocket," andhe pointed to the pocket which contained the letter. "If Ishould be killed, one of you must take it, and continue theroute; if he be killed, it will be another's turn, and so on - provided a single one arrives, that is all that is required."

"Bravo, D'Artagnan, your opinion is mine," cried Athos, "Besides,we must be consistent; I am going to take the waters, you willaccompany me. Instead of taking the waters of Forges, I go andtake sea waters; I am free to do so. If anyone wishes to stopus, I will show Monsieur de Treville's letter, and you will showyour leaves of absence. If we are attacked, we will defendourselves; if we are tried, we will stoutly maintain that we wereonly anxious to dip ourselves a certain number of times in thesea. They would have an easy bargain of four isolated men;whereas four men together make a troop. We will arm our fourlackeys with pistols and musketoons; if they send an army outagainst us, we will give battle, and the survivor, as D'Artagnansays, will carry the letter."

"Well said," cried Aramis; "you don't often speak, Athos, butwhen you do speak, it is like St. John of the Golden Mouth. Iagree to Athos's plan. And you, Porthos?"

"I agree to it, too," said Porthos, "if D'Artagnan approves ofit. D'Artagnan, being the bearer of the letter, is naturally thehead of the enterprise; let him decide, and we will execute."

"Well," said D'Artagnan, "I decide that we should adopt Athos'splan, and that we set off in half an hour."

"Agreed!" shouted the three Musketeers in chorus.

Each one, stretching out his hand to the bag, took his seventy-five pistoles, and make his preparations to set out at the timeappointed.