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The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years Later
The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Three Musketeers 119 at Prostate Health
what did he say then?"
"That you must not fail to call upon him in the course of the
day; and then he added in a low voice, Tell your master that his
Eminence is very well disposed toward him, and that his fortune
perhaps depends upon this interview."
"The snare is rather MALADROIT for the cardinal," replied the
young man, smiling.
"Oh, I saw the snare, and I answered you would be quite in
despair on your return.
"Where has he gone? asked Monsieur de Cavois.
"To Troyes, in Champagne, I answered.
"And when did he set out?
"Yesterday evening."
"Planchet, my friend," interrupted dArtagnan, "you are really a
precious fellow."
"You will understand, monsieur, I thought there would be still
time, if you wish, to see Monsieur de Cavois to contradict me by
saying you were not yet gone. The falsehood would then lie at my
door, and as I am not a gentleman, I may be allowed to lie."
"Be of good heart, Planchet, you shall preserve your reputation
as a veracious man. In a quarter of an hour we set off."
"Thats the advice I was about to give Monsieur; and where are we
going, may I ask, without being too curious?"
"PARDIEU! In the opposite direction to that which you said I was
gone. Besides, are you not as anxious to learn news of Grimaud,
Mousqueton, and Bazin as I am to know what has become of Athos,
Porthos, and Aramis?"
"Yes, monsieur," said Planchet, "and I will go as soon as you
please. Indeed, I think provincial air will suit us much better
just now than the air of Paris. So then--"
"So then, pack up our luggage, Planchet, and let us be off. On
my part, I will go out with my hands in my pockets, that nothing
may be suspected. You may join me at the Hotel des Gardes. By
the way, Planchet, I think you are right with respect to our
host, and that he is decidedly a frightfully low wretch."
"Ah, monsieur, you may take my word when I tell you anything. I
am a physiognomist, I assure you."
DArtagnan went out first, as had been agreed upon. Then, in
order that he might have nothing to reproach himself with, he
directed his steps, for the last time, toward the residences of
his three friends. No news had been received of them; only a
letter, all perfumed and of an elegant writing in small
characters, had come for Aramis. DArtagnan took charge of it.
Ten minutes afterward Planchet joined him at the stables of the
Hotel des Gardes. DArtagnan, in order that there might be no
time lost, had saddled his horse himself.
"Thats well," said he to Planchet, when the latter added the
portmanteau to the equipment. "Now saddle the other three
horses."
"Do you think, then, monsieur, that we shall travel faster with
two horses apiece?" said Planchet, with his shrewd air.
"No, Monsieur Jester," replied dArtagnan; "but with our four
horses we may bring back our three friends, if we should have the
good fortune to find them living."
"Which is a great chance," replied Planchet, "but we must not
despair of the mercy of God."
"Amen!" said dArtagnan, getting into his saddle.
As they went from the Hotel des Gardes, they separated, leaving
the street at opposite ends, one having to quit Paris by the
Barriere de la Villette and the other by the Barriere Montmartre,
to meet again beyond St. Denis--a strategic maneuver which,
having been executed with equal punctuality, was crowned with the
most fortunate results. DArtagnan and Planchet entered
Pierrefitte together.
Planchet was more courageous, it must be admitted, by day than by
night. His natural prudence, however, never forsook him for a
single instant. He had forgotten not one of the incidents of the
first journey, and he looked upon everybody he met on the road as
an enemy. It followed that his hat was forever in his hand,
which procured him some severe reprimands from dArtagnan, who
feared that his excess of politeness would lead people to think
he was the lackey of a man of no consequence.
Nevertheless, whether the passengers were really touched by the
urbanity of Planchet or whether this time nobody was posted on
the young mans road, our two travelers arrived at Chantilly
without any accident, and alighted at the tavern of Great St.
Martin, the same at which they had stopped on their first
journey.
The host, on seeing a young man followed by
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