Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 190 — page 50: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

And d’Artignan hastened to the quarters of the two guards, with whom he had become more intimate than with any of the others, to invite them to come and drink some of the delicious wine of Anjou, which had just arrived from Villeroi. One of the two guards was to be on duty in the eve- ning, and the other on the morrow; so the meeting was arranged for the day after. D’Artagnan sent his twelve bottles of wine to the mess room of the guards, desiring to have it kept with care; and on the day of the entertainment, as the din- ner was fixed for twelve o'clock, he sent Planchet at nine to get everything prepared. Planchet, elated at this exaltation to the dignity of butler, determined to perform his duties like an intelli- gent man. To effect this, he called in the aid of the valet of oneof his master’s guests, named Forneau, and also that of the pretended soldier who had sought to slay our hero, and who, belonging to no regiment, had, since the Gascon epared his life, entered into d’Artag- nan’s service, or rather, into Planchet’s. The appointed dinner-hour being come, the two guests arrived and took their places, and the dishes were arranged uponthetable, Planchet waited, with a nap- k'n on his arm; Fornean uncorked the bottles; and Brisemont, for that was the convalescent’s name, de- canted the wine, which seemed to have been somewhat disturbed by the shaking of the journey. The first bottle being alittle thick towards the bottom, Brise- tont poured the lees into a wine glass, and d’Artagnan permitt very weak. ’ et having finished their sonp, were apa car- ing the first glass of wine to their lips, when sud- ienl the cannon sounded from Fort Louis and Pont- Neuf. The guards. thinking that there was some unex- cted attack, either from the beseiged, or from the nglish, immediately seized their swords: d’Artagnan did the same, and the three hastened towards their posts. - But searcely were they out of tbe mess-room_ before -= they found the reason of this great noise. Cries of ‘ ig lave the king!’’ ‘‘ Long live the cardinal!’’ re- echoed on every side, and drums were beat in all di- ns. In fact, the Hing in his impatience, had taken such measures that he had at that moment arrived, with a reinforcemeut of ten thousand men, His musketeers ) ed and followed him.. D'Artagnan, placed in ine with his company, with an expressive gesture salu- ted his friends and M. de Treville, whom he at once r vi grcoremony of reception being ended, the four friends were soon united, .** Byad!” exclaimed d’Artagnan, ‘‘ you could not have ‘arrived in better time: the dinner will not have even time to getcold. Is it not so, gentlemen?” added the - young man, turning to the two guards, whom he pre- sent d to his friends. ‘ ‘Ah! ah!” said Parthos, ‘‘it appears that you were eastiug.’ wih ey? said Aramis, ‘‘ that there are no ladies at your dinner.” ~ ‘Js there any wine that is drinkable in this paltry place?” said Athos. “Why, gonnds! there is your own, my dear friend,” answered d'Ariagnan, ‘- Our wine?’ said Athos, in astonishment. “Yes, that which you sent me?” ‘* Wine that we sent you?” ‘‘ Yes, you know very well; that wine from the hills of Anjou.” ‘* Yes, | know.that wine you are talkiug of—* ‘* Your favorite wine—”’ “AY, when I have neither champagne nor chamber- ‘* Well, in the absence of champagne and chamber- tin, ou must be contented with that. * And so we, gluttons as we are, have sent you some said Porthos. | Wiaty bare we?’ __*No, but it is the wine which was sent me by your orders! ny our orders?’’ said the musketeers. # Pa send the wine, Aramis?’ inquired Athos. ‘No; did you, Porthos?” 8 eh did yuu, Athos?’’ ‘ Oo b ‘ “If it was not you,” said d’Artagnan, “it was your ost.’ ** Our host?”’ amen your host—Godeau, at Villeroi.” * i Red it come from whom it ma Os , no matter!” ‘*Let us taste it, and, if good, let us paid = Liye Py said Athos, “‘let us not dmnk wine without knowing whence it comes.” **You are right, Athos,’ said d'Artagnan. ‘“ Did none of you t the host, Godeau, to send me the ‘No; and yet he sent, you some in our names?” “Here is the letter,” said d'Artagnan, and he pre- the letter to his companions. ‘*3It is not his writing,”’ said Athos; ‘‘ I know it, for it was I who, before we left, settled our joint account.” “A false letter!" said Porthos, indignantly; ‘‘ we bave not been imprisoned.” ‘*D’Artagnan,”’ said Aramis, in atone of reoroach, “how you believe that we had become noisy ?”’ DiArtagnan grew suddenly pale, and a convulsive trembling shook his limbs. * You frighten me,”’ said Athos; “what can have ‘* Let us run, my friends, let us run,” said d’Artagnan: “a horrible suspicion comes across my mind. Can this, ae, be another of that woman's acts of vengeance ?”’ It was mow Athos who in his turn grew pale, D’Artagnan sprang towards the mess-room, followed oy the three musketeers and the two guards. The first object whieh struck D’Artagnan’s sight on THELTHREESGYARDSMEN. SS tS SS TS a entering the room was Brisemont, extended on_the floor, and writhing in most hormble convulsions, Plan- chet and Fournean, looking as pale as corpses, were en- deavoring to assist him; but it was evident that all aid was useless; the features of the dying man were con- tracted from agony. “Ah!” cried he, when he perceived d’Artagnan, ‘* you pretended to forgive me, and you poison me!”’ ‘*T, wretch, I,” exclaimed the young man; ‘‘ what can you mean?”’ ‘*] say that itis you who gave me the wine, and it is you who told me to drink it. You wanted to take your revenge:—oh! it is dreadful?” ‘*Do not think so, Brisemont,’’ said d’Artagnan, ‘* for I sw ear——”’ ‘*Oh! but God is there—God will punish you! My God! may you one day suffer what I suffer now!” ‘*Upon the gospel,” cried d’Artagnan, rushing to- wards tte dying man, ‘‘ I swear that | knew not that this wine was poisoned, and that I was about todrinkit as well as yourself.”’ “JT do not believe yon,” exclaimed the soldier; and he expired in exasperated tortures, ‘**Horrible! horrible!’ muttered Athos; whilst Por- thos broke the bottles; and Aramis—rather late, it must be confessed—sent off for a confessor. **Oh! my friends,” said d’Artagnan, ‘* you have now saved my life; and not mine only, but the lives of these gentlemen also, Gentlemen,’ continued he, addressing the guards, ** may I request your si'ence concerning this ed him to drink it, for the poor wretch wus still | adventure? Persons of high condition may be impli- cated in what you have seen now, and the misery of it all would fall upon us."’ “Ah! gir,’ stammered out Planchet, more dead than alive; ‘“‘ah! sir, what a narrow escape I have had!” ** What you raseal!”’ cried d’Artagnan, ‘‘ were you | going to drink my wine?’ | & atts. To the King’s health, sir: I was going to drink one little glass, if Sigkeaedu had not said that some oue called me.”’ ‘* Alas!"’ said Fourneau, whose teeth were chattering with fright, ‘‘I wanted to get rid of him that Il might drink some myself,” “Gentlemen,” said d’Artagnan, addressing the guards, | ‘“‘vou must be sensible that our entertainment would be butamelancholy affuir after what has passed. I be- seech you, therefore, to receive my excuses, and let us postpone it till some other day.”’ The two guards courteously accepted these apologies; ‘and, understanding that the four friends wished to be alone, they took their leaves. When the young guard and the three musketeers were without witnes<es, they looked at one another for an ‘instant, in a way which proved how well they under- stood the seriousness of their situation. ‘* Pirst,’’ said Athos, “let us leave this room: a dead man is but sorry company.” * Planchet,’’ said d’Artagnan, ‘‘T recommend you to look to the body of this poor devil, and see that it is ' buried in consecrated ground. He had committed a crime, itis true; but he had repented of it.”’ Having entrusted the funeral rites of Brisemont to Planchet and Fourneau, the four friends quitted the room, The host gave them another chamber, and furnished them with fresh eggs, whilst Athos himself fetched water forthe _. from the fountain, Aramis and Porthos were, ina few words, informed of all that had occurred. “Well!” saic. d’Artggnan to Athos, ‘‘ you see, my dear friend, it is war to the death!” Athos shook his head. ‘ Yes, yes,” said he, wellenough; but are you sure that it is she?” ‘*T am quite sure,”’ ‘‘Nevertheless, I confess that J have still some doubts.” ‘* But that flenr-de-lis upon the shoulder?” ‘“‘Itis an Englishwoman, who has committed some crime in France, and has been branded in conseqnence.”’ ‘* Athos, itis your wife, I tell you,’’ repeated d’Artag- ; 9 Do you not remember how the two marks ee?” ‘““And yet Ishonld have thought that the other was dead—I had so completely h her!”’ _. It was d’Ar an who shvok his head this time. . “ But, after all, what is to be done?” said the young man. ‘The fact is, that it is impossible to remain in this manner, with a sword always sispended over one’s head,” replied Athos; ‘“‘and you must get freed from such situation.”’ ‘* But how?” ‘‘ Listen: try to find her, and come to an understand- ing with her. Say to her—‘ Peace or war? On the honor of a gentleman, 1 will never say one word, or take one step, to injure you, On your part, give me a solemn vath to remain neuter with respect to me. If not, I will go tothe Chancellor, to the King, and to the execu- tioner: I will excite the Court against you, and will de- clare you branded: I will cause you to be tried; und, if you are acquitied, well then, on the word of a gentle- man, I will kill you myself, as I would a mad dog.” “T like this plan well enough,” said d’Artagnan; ‘but how am I to find her?” ‘Time, my dear friend, time brings opportunity: opportunity is man’s martingale: the more one has em- barked, the more one gains when he knows how to **T see it ‘Yes: but to wait surrounded by assassins and poisoners.”’ ‘‘Bah! said Athos, ‘‘God has preserved us hitherto, and God will preserve us still” ‘Yes, Besides, we are men, and, after all, it is our business to risk our lives; but she?” added d’Artagnan, in alow voice, ‘ And who is she?” asked Athos, ** Constance.” ‘‘Madame Bonancieux? Ah! itis trne,”’ said Athos. ‘Poor fellow! I forgot that you were in love.” rr ‘“Well,”’ said Aramis, ‘‘but did you not see, by the very letter that you found on the wretch who was killed, thatshe wasinaconvent. One is quite safe in aconvent; and as soon as the siege of la Rochelle is ended, I promise you, on my own part 4 ‘**Good!” said Athos, ‘‘ good! Yes, my dear Aramis, we know that your views all tend towards religion.’’ “IT am only a musketeer for the meantime,"’ said Aramis, meekly. ‘*It would seem that he has not heard from his mis- tress fora long while,’ said Athos, in a whisper, to f Taser en ‘but do not make any remark—we know ‘‘ Well,”’ said Porthos, “‘ it seems to me that there is a very simple means.” ‘* And what is that?’’ demanded d’Artagnan. une is in aconvent, you say?’ continued Porthos. es, ‘‘ Well, as soon as the siege is raised, we will take her out of this convent.”’ “ But, first, we must know what convent she is in.”’ ‘* Ah, that is true,”’ said Porthos. ‘But, do you not say, my dear d’Artagnan,”’ said Athos, “thatitisthe queen who has made choice of this convent for her?’ ‘*Yes. I believe so, at least.’ ** Well, then, Porthos will help us in that case."’ ** How so, pray?’ ‘Why, through your marchioness, or duchess, or princess; she o| ght to have a long arm.”’ ‘“‘Hush!” said Porthos, putting his fingers on his lips: ‘I fancy she is a cardinalist, and she must know nothing about it.” *'Then,’’ said Aramis, ‘‘I undertake to get some in- telligence of her.”’ ‘** You, Aramis?” exclaimed the three friends; *‘ you, and how soy” ; ‘“‘Through the queen's almoner very intimate,’’ answered Aramis, blushing. On this assurance the four friends, wie had ended their simple repast, separated, with the promise of meeting again the same evening. D’Artagnan returned to the Minimes, and the three musketeers went to the king’s quarters, where they had to provide themselves with lodgings, with whom I am ---+---—— CHAPTER XLII. THE RED DOVE-COT TAVERN, Almost as soon as he had reached the camp, the king —who was in great haste to find himself before the enemy, and who participated in the cardinal’s hatred of Buckingham—wished to complete the preparations, first for driving the Enylish from the isle of Rhe, and tuen for pressing the siege of la hochelle. Our intention being, not to make a journal of tha siege, but merely to record those events in it which bear upon the history we are relating, we shall be contented with stating that the enterprise succeeded to the great satisfaction of the king, and the great glory of the car- dinal. The English, beaten back foot by foot, conquer ed in every encounter, trodden down in ‘their passage from the isie, were compelled to re-em bark. ‘ The cardinal was thus at liberty to carry on the siege, without having, at least momentarily, any reason to ey are of the English. or this purpose he made many nocturnal expeditions. On such an occasion he met the three guardsmen who happened to be returning from a neighboring tavern, and who were greatly astonished with falling in with his eminence. Tie cardinal made a sign to his equery, who ap- proached him. ‘These three musketeers will follow us,"’ said he ina low voice: ‘‘ILdo nut wish it to be known that I have leit the camp; and, b following us, We shall be certain that they will not tell any one.’ “We are gentlemen, my lord,’ said Athos: ask us for our words, and do not be in doubt aboutus. Thank God, we know how to keep a secret,”’ The cardinal fixed his piercing eyes upon the bold speaker, ‘*You have a fine ear, M. Athos,” said the cardinal ‘but listen to this: it is uot through distrust that f request you to follow me: it is for my own security. Undoubtedly your two companions are Messrs. Porthos and Aramis * Yes, your eminence,” said Athos, whilst the two musketeers came forward, hat in hand, ‘*I know you, gentlemen,’ said the Cardinal; “I know you. am aware that you are not entirely my friends, and I am sorry for it; but I] know that you are brave and loyal gentlemen, and that you may be safely trusted. M. Athos, do me the honor, therefore, te accompany me, with eer two friends, and then I shall have an escort which might excite the envy of his majesty, if we should meet him.” The three musketeers bowed to the very necks of their horses. ‘Well, then, upon my honor,” said Athos, “ your eminence is right to take us with you We have met some fearful faces on the road, and we have even had a quarrel with four of them at the Red Dove-Cot.” ‘* A quarrel! And on what account gentlemen?’ said the Cardinal. ‘I donot like quarrellers, you know.” “That is exactly why lL have had the honor to warn your eminence of what has just happened; for you might hear it from others, and, from a false report might be induced to believe that we had been in fault.” ‘And what were the consequences of this quarrel?” demanded the Cardinal, frowning. “ Why, my friend Aramis there has received a sli wound in the arm, which, however, as your emine may see, will not hinder him from mounting to the assault to-morrow, if your eminence co the attack. ‘But you are not the kind of men to take wounds in that way,” said thecardinal, ‘Come, be frank, gen- tlemen; you Certainly gave some in return: confess ‘ CECA AICEl ovexe: | (E()