At two o'clock in the morning, our four adventurers left Paris bythe Barriere St. Denis. As long as it was dark they remainedsilent; in spite of themselves they submitted to the influence ofthe obscurity, and apprehended ambushes on every side.

With the first rays of day their tongues were loosened; with thesun gaiety revived. It was like the eve of a battle; the heartbeat, the eyes laughed, and they felt that the life they wereperhaps going to lose, was, after all, a good thing.

Besides, the appearance of the caravan was formidable. The blackhorses of the Musketeers, their martial carriage, with theregimental step of these noble companions of the soldier, wouldhave betrayed the most strict incognito. The lackeys followed,armed to the teeth.

All went well till they arrived at Chantilly, which they reachedabout eight o'clock in the morning. They needed breakfast, andalighted at the door of an AUBERGE, recommended by a signrepresenting St. Martin giving half his cloak to a poor man.They ordered the lackeys not to unsaddle the gorses, and to holdthemselves in readiness to set off again immediately.

They entered the common hall, and placed themselves at table. Agentleman, who had just arrived by the route of Dammartin, wasseated at the same table, and was breakfasting. He opened theconversation about rain and fine weather; the travelers replied.He drank to their good health, and the travelers returned hispoliteness.

But at the moment Mousqueton came to announce that the horseswere ready, and they were arising from table, the strangerproposed to Porthos to drink the health of the cardinal. Porthosreplied that he asked no better if the stranger, in his turn,would drink the health of the king. The stranger cried that heacknowledged no other king but his Eminence. Porthos called himdrunk, and the stranger drew his sword.

"You have committed a piece of folly," said Athos, "but it can'tbe helped; there is no drawing back. Kill the fellow, and rejoinus as soon as you can."

All three remounted their horses, and set out at a good pave,while Porthos was promising his adversary to perforate him withall the thrusts known in the fencing schools.

"There goes one!" cried Athos, at the end of five hundred paces.

"But why did that man attack Porthos rather than any other one ofus?" asked Aramis.

"Because, as Porthos was talking louder than the rest of us, hetook him for the chief," said D'Artagnan.

"I always said that this cadet from Gascony was a well ofwisdom," murmured Athos; and the travelers continued their route.

At Beauvais they stopped two hours, as well to breathe theirhorses a little as to wait for Porthos. At the end of two hours,as Porthos did not come, not any news of him, they resumed theirjourney.

At a league from Beauvais, where the road was confined betweentwo high banks, they fell in with eight or ten men who, takingadvantage of the road being unpaved in this spot, appeared to beemployed in digging holes and filling up the ruts with mud.

Aramis, not liking to soil his boots with this artificial mortar,apostrophized them rather sharply. Athos wished to restrain him,but it was too late. The laborers began to jeer the travelersand by their insolence disturbed the equanimity even of the coolAthos, who urged on his horse against one of them.

Then each of these men retreated as far as the ditch, from whicheach took a concealed musket; the result was that our seventravelers were outnumbered in weapons. Aramis received a ballwhich passed through his shoulder, and Mousqueton another ballwhich lodged in the fleshy part which prolongs the lower portionof the loins. Therefore Mousqueton alone fell from his horse,not because he was severely wounded, but not being able to seethe wound, he judged it to be more serious than it really was.

"It was an ambuscade!" shouted D'Artagnan. "Don't waste acharge! Forward!"

Aramis, wounded as he was, seized the mane of his horse, whichcarried him on with the others. Mousqueton's horse rejoinedthem, and galloped by the side of his companions.

"That will serve us for a relay," said Athos.

"I would rather have had a hat," said D'Artagnan. "Mine wascarried away by a ball. By my faith, it is very fortunate thatthe letter was not in it."

"They'll kill poor Porthos when he comes up," said Aramis.

"If Porthos were on his legs, he would have rejoined us by thistime," said Athos. "My opinion is that on the ground the drunkenman was not intoxicated."

They continued at their best speed for two hours, although thehorses were so fatigued that it was to be feared they would soonrefuse service.

The travelers had chosen crossroads in the hope that they mightmeet with less interruption; but at Crevecoeur, Aramis declaredhe could proceed no farther. In fact, it required all thecourage which he concealed beneath his elegant form and polishedmanners to bear him so far. He grew more pale every minute, andthey were obliged to support him on his horse. They lifted himoff at the door of a cabaret, left Bazin with him, who, besides,in a skirmish was more embarrassing than useful, and set forwardagain in the hope of sleeping at Amiens.

"MORBLEU," said Athos, as soon as they were again in motion,"reduced to two masters and Grimaud and Planchet! MORBLEU! Iwon't be their dupe, I will answer for it. I will neither openmy mouth nor draw my sword between this and Calais. I swearby - "

"Don't waste time in swearing," said D'Artagnan; "let us gallop,if our horses will consent."

And the travelers buried their rowels in their horses' flanks,who thus vigorously stimulated recovered their energies. Theyarrived at Amiens at midnight, and alighted at the AUBERGE of theGolden Lily.

The host had the appearance of as honest a man as any on earth.He received the travelers with his candlestick in one hand andhis cotton nightcap in the other. He wished to ledge the twotravelers each in a charming chamber; but unfortunately thesecharming chambers were at the opposite extremities of the hotel.D'Artagnan and Athos refused them. The host replied that he hadno other worthy of their Excellencies; but the travelers declaredthey would sleep in the common chamber, each on a mattress whichmight be thrown upon the ground. The host insisted; but thetravelers were firm, and he was obliged to do as they wished.

They had just prepared their beds and barricaded their doorwithin, when someone knocked at the yard shutter; they demandedwho was there, and recognizing the voices of their lackeys,opened the shutter. It was indeed Planchet and Grimaud.

"Grimaud can take care of the horses," said Planchet. "If youare willing, gentlemen, I will sleep across your doorway, and youwill then be certain that nobody can reach you."

"And on what will you sleep?" said D'Artagnan.

"Here is my bed," replied Planchet, producing a bundle of straw.

"Come, then," said D'Artagnan, "you are right. Mine host's facedoes not please me at all; it is to gracious."

"Nor me either," said Athos.

Planchet mounted by the window and installed himself across thedoorway, while Grimaud went and shut himself up in the stable,undertaking that by five o'clock in the morning he and the fourhorses should be ready.

The night was quiet enough. Toward two o'clock in the morningsomebody endeavored to open the door; but as Planchet awoke in aninstant and cried, "Who goes there?" somebody replied that he wasmistaken, and went away.

At four o'clock in the morning they heard a terrible riot in thestables. Grimaud had tried to waken the stable boys, and thestable boys had beaten him. When they opened the window, theysaw the poor lad lying senseless, with his head split by a blowwith a pitchfork.

Planchet went down into the yard, and wished to saddle thehorses; but the horses were all used up. Mousqueton's horsewhich had traveled for five or six hours without a rider the daybefore, might have been able to pursue the journey; but by aninconceivable error the veterinary surgeon, who had been sentfor, as it appeared, to bleed one of the host's horses, had bledMousqueton's.

This began to be annoying. All these successive accidents wereperhaps the result of chance; but they might be the fruits of aplot. Athos and D'Artagnan went out, while Planchet was sent toinquire if there were not three horses for sale in theneighborhood. At the door stood two horses, fresh, strong, andfully equipped. These would just have suited them. He askedwhere their masters were, and was informed that they had passedthe night in the inn, and were then settling their bill with thehost.

Athos went down to pay the reckoning, while D'Artagnan andPlanchet stood at the street door. The host was in a lower andback room, to which Athos was requested to go.

Athos entered without the least mistrust, and took out twopistoles to pay the bill. The host was alone, seated before hisdesk, one of the drawers of which was partly open. He took themoney which Athos offered to him, and after turning and turningit over and over in his hands, suddenly cried out that it wasbad, and that he would have him and his companions arrested asforgers.

"You blackguard!" cried Athos, going toward him, "I'll cut yourears off!"

At the same instant, four men, armed to the teeth, entered byside doors, and rushed upon Athos.

"I am taken!" shouted Athos, with all the power of his lungs."Go on, D'Artagnan! Spur, spur!" and he fired two pistols.

D'Artagnan and Planchet did not require twice bidding; theyunfastened the two horses that were waiting at the door, leapedupon them, buried their spurs in their sides, and set off at fullgallop.

"Do you know what has become of Athos?" asked D'Artagnan ofPlanchet, as they galloped on.

"Ah, monsieur," said Planchet, "I saw one fall at each of his twoshots, and he appeared to me, through the glass door, to befighting with his sword with the others."

"Brave Athos!" murmured D'Artagnan, "and to think that we arecompelled to leave him; maybe the same fate awaits us two paceshence. Forward, Planchet, forward! You are a brave fellow."

"As I told you, monsieur," replied Planchet, "Picards are foundout by being used. Besides, I am here in my own country, andthat excites me."

And both, with free use of the spur, arrived at St. Omer withoutdrawing bit. At St. Omer they breathed their horses with thebridles passed under their arms for fear of accident, and ate amorsel from their hands on the stones of the street, after theydeparted again.

At a hundred paces from the gates of Calais, D'Artagnan's horsegave out, and could not by any means be made to get up again, theblood flowing from his eyes and his nose. There still remainedPlanchet's horse; but he stopped short, and could not be made tomove a step.

Fortunately, as we have said, they were within a hundred paces ofthe city; they left their two nags upon the high road, and rantoward the quay. Planchet called his master's attention to agentleman who had just arrived with his lackey, and only precededthem by about fifty paces. They made all speed to come up tothis gentleman, who appeared to be in great haste. His bootswere covered with dust, and he inquired if he could not instantlycross over to England.

"Nothing would be more easy," said the captain of a vessel readyto set sail, "but this morning came an order to let no one leavewithout express permission from the cardinal."

"I have that permission," said the gentleman, drawing the paperfrom his pocket; "here it is."

"Have it examined by the governor of the port," said theshipmaster, "and give me the preference."

"Where shall I find the governor?"

"At his country house."

"And that is situated?"

"At a quarter of a league from the city. Look, you may see itfrom here - at the foot of that little hill, that slated roof."

"Very well," said the gentleman. And, with his lackey, he tookthe road to the governor's country house.

D'Artagnan and Planchet followed the gentleman at a distance offive hundred paces. Once outside the city, D'Artagnan overtookthe gentleman as he was entering a little wood.

"Monsieur," you appear to be in great haste?"

"No one can be more so, monsieur."

"I am sorry for that," said D'Artagnan; "for as I am in greathaste likewise, I wish to beg you to render me a service."

"What?"

"To let me sail first."

"That's impossible," said the gentleman; "I have traveled sixtyleagues in forty hours, and by tomorrow at midday I must be inLondon."

"I have performed that same distance in forty hours, and by teno'clock in the morning I must be in London."

"Very sorry, monsieur; but I was here first, and will not sailsecond."

"I am sorry, too, monsieur; but I arrived second, and must sailfirst."

"The king's service!" said the gentleman.

"My own service!" said D'Artagnan.

"But this is a needless quarrel you seek with me, as it seems tome."

"PARBLEU! What do you desire it to be?"

"What do you want?"

"Would you like to know?"

"Certainly."

"Well, then, I wish that order of which you are bearer, seeingthat I have not one of my own and must have one."

"You jest, I presume."

"I never jest."

"Let me pass!"

"You shall not pass."

"My brave young man, I will blow out your brains. HOLA, Lubin,my pistols!"

"Planchet," called out D'Artagnan, "take care of the lackey; Iwill manage the master."

Planchet, emboldened by the first exploit, sprang upon Lubin; andbeing strong and vigorous, he soon got him on the broad of hisback, and placed his knee upon his breast.

"Go on with your affair, monsieur," cried Planchet; "I havefinished mine."

Seeing this, the gentleman drew his sword, and sprang uponD'Artagnan; but he had too strong an adversary. In three secondsD'Artagnan had wounded him three times, exclaiming at eachthrust, "One for Athos, one for Porthos; and one for Aramis!"

At the third hit the gentleman fell like a log. D'Artagnanbelieved him to be dead, or at least insensible, and went towardhim for the purpose of taking the order; but the moment heextended his hand to search for it, the wounded man, who had notdropped his sword, plunged the point into D'Artagnan's breast,crying, "One for you!"

"And one for me - the best for last!" cried D'Artagnan, furious,nailing him to the earth with a fourth thrust through his body.

This time the gentleman closed his eyes and fainted. D'Artagnansearched his pockets, and took from one of them the order for thepassage. It was in the name of Comte de Wardes.

Then, casting a glance on the handsome young man, who wasscarcely twenty-five years of age, and whom he was leaving in hisgore, deprived of sense and perhaps dead, he gave a sigh for thatunaccountable destiny which leads men to destroy each other forthe interests of people who are strangers to them and who oftendo not even know that they exist. But he was soon aroused fromthese reflections by Lubin, who uttered loud cries and screamedfor help with all his might.

Planchet grasped him by the throat, and pressed as hard as hecould. "Monsieur," said he, "as long as I hold him in thismanner, he can't cry, I'll be bound; but as soon as I let go hewill howl again. I know him for a Norman, and Normans areobstinate."

In fact, tightly held as he was, Lubin endeavored still to cryout.

"Stay!" said D'Artagnan; and taking out his handkerchief, hegagged him.

"Now," said Planchet, "let us bind him to a tree."

This being properly done, they drew the Comte de Wardes close tohis servant; and as night was approaching, and as the wounded manand the bound man were at some little distance within the wood,it was evident they were likely to remain there till the nextday.

"And now," said D'Artagnan, "to the Governor's."

"But you are wounded, it seems," said Planchet.

"Oh, that's nothing! Let us attend to what is more pressingfirst, and then we will attend to my wound; besides, it does notseem very dangerous."

And they both set forward as fast as they could toward thecountry house of the worthy functionary.

The Comte de Wardes was announced, and D'Artagnan was introduced.

"You have an order signed by the cardinal?" said the governor.

"Yes, monsieur," replied D'Artagnan; "here it is."

"Ah, ah! It is quite regular and explicit," said the governor.

"Most likely," said D'Artagnan; "I am one of his most faithfulservants."

"It appears that his Eminence is anxious to prevent someone fromcrossing to England?"

"Yes; a certain D'Artagnan, a Bearnese gentleman who left Parisin company with three of his friends, with the intention of goingto London."

"Do you know him personally?" asked the governor.

"Whom?"

"This D'Artagnan."

"Perfectly well."

"Describe him to me, then."

"Nothing more easy."

And D'Artagnan have, feature for feature, a description of theComte de Wardes.

"Is he accompanied?"

"Yes; by a lackey named Lubin."

"We will keep a sharp lookout for them; and if we lay hands onthem his Eminence may be assured they will be reconducted toParis under a good escort."

"And by doing so, Monsieur the Governor," said D'Artagnan, "youwill deserve well of the cardinal."

"Shall you see him on your return, Monsieur Count?"

"Without a doubt."

"Tell him, I beg you, that I am his humble servant."

"I will not fail."

Delighted with this assurance the governor countersigned thepassport and delivered it to D'Artagnan. D'Artagnan lost no timein useless compliments. He thanked the governor, bowed, anddeparted. Once outside, he and Planchet set off as fast as theycould; and by making a long detour avoided the wood and reenteredthe city by another gate.

The vessel was quite ready to sail, and the captain was waitingon the wharf. "Well?" said he, on perceiving D'Artagnan.

"Here is my pass countersigned," said the latter.

"And that other gentleman?

"He will not go today," said D'Artagnan; "but here, I'll pay youfor us two."

"In that case let us go," said the shipmaster.

"Let us go," repeated D'Artagnan.

He leaped with Planchet into the boat, and five minutes afterthey were on board. It was time; for they had scarcely sailedhalf a league, when D'Artagnan saw a flash and heard adetonation. It was the cannon which announced the closing of theport.

He had now leisure to look to his wound. Fortunately, asD'Artagnan had thought, it was not dangerous. The point of thesword had touched a rib, and glanced along the bone. Stillfurther, his shirt had stuck to the wound, and he had lost only a few drops of blood.

D'Artagnan was worn out with fatigue. A mattress was laid uponthe deck for him. He threw himself upon it, and fell asleep.

On the morrow, at break of day, they were still three or fourleagues from the coast of England. The breeze had been so lightall night, they had made but little progress. At ten o'clock thevessel cast anchor in the harbor of Dover, and at half past tenD'Artagnan placed his foot on English land, crying, "Here I am atlast!"

But that was not all; they must get to London. In England thepost was well served. D'Artagnan and Planchet took each a posthorse, and a postillion rode before them. In a few hours theywere in the capital.

D'Artagnan did not know London; he did not know a word ofEnglish; but he wrote the name of Buckingham on a piece of paper,and everyone pointed out to him the way to the duke's hotel.

The duke was at Windsor hunting with the king. D'Artagnaninquired for the confidential valet of the duke, who, havingaccompanied him in all his voyages, spoke French perfectly well;he told him that he came from Paris on an affair of life anddeath, and that he must speak with his master instantly.

The confidence with which D'Artagnan spoke convinced Patrick,which was the name of this minister of the minister. He orderedtwo horses to be saddled, and himself went as guide to the youngGuardsman. As for Planchet, he had been lifted from his horse asstiff as a rush; the poor lad's strength was almost exhausted.D'Artagnan seemed iron.

On their arrival at the castle they learned that Buckingham andthe king were hawking in the marshes two or three leagues away.In twenty minutes they were on the spot named. Patrick sooncaught the sound of his master's voice calling his falcon.

"Whom must I announce to my Lord Duke?" asked Patrick.

"The young man who one evening sought a quarrel with him on thePont Neuf, opposite the Samaritaine."

"A singular introduction!"

"You will find that it is as good as another."

Patrick galloped off, reached the duke, and announced to him inthe terms directed that a messenger awaited him.

Buckingham at once remembered the circumstance, and suspectingthat something was going on in France of which it was necessaryhe should be informed, he only took the time to inquire where themessenger was, and recognizing from afar the uniform of theGuards, he put his horse into a gallop, and rode straight up toD'Artagnan. Patrick discreetly kept in the background.

"No misfortune has happened to the queen?" cried Buckingham, theinstant he came up, throwing all his fear and love into thequestion.

"I believe not; nevertheless I believe she runs some great perilfrom which your Grace alone can extricate her."

"I!" cried Buckingham. "What is it? I should be too happy to beof any service to her. Speak, speak!"

"Take this letter," said D'Artagnan.

"This letter! From whom comes this letter?"

"From her Majesty, as I think."

"From her Majesty!" said Buckingham, becoming so pale thatD'Artagnan feared he would faint as he broke the seal.

"What is this rent?" said he, showing D'Artagnan a place where ithad been pierced through.

"Ah," said D'Artagnan, "I did not see that; it was the sword ofthe Comte de Wardes which made that hole, when he gave me a goodthrust in the breast."

"You are wounded?" asked Buckingham, as he opened the letter.

"Oh, nothing but a scratch," said D'Artagnan.

"Just heaven, what have I read?" cried the duke. "Patrick,remain here, or rather join the king, wherever he may be, andtell his Majesty that I humbly beg him to excuse me, but anaffair of the greatest importance recalls me to London. Come,monsieur, come!" and both set off towards the capital at fullgallop.