Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 190 — page 51: what you’re looking at

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yourselves; you know tbat I have the right to give ab- solution.” ‘‘T, my lord,” said Athes, “ did not even draw my sword; but I took him, with whom I was engaged, u in my arms, and threw him out of the window: and,” continued Athos, with some slight hesitation‘ “ I fancy that, in falling he broke his thigh.” ‘*Ah, ah!’ said the cardinal; ‘‘and you, M. Por- thos?" ‘*T, my lord, knowing that dueling is forbiden, seized a bench and gave one of these brigands a blow, which, I think, broke his shoulder.”’ — ! i .?* THE THREE GUARDSMEN. * i i tcl ~ ap | - : —_—— a SS Fe ee ee i Fort de la Pointe, and to superintend her embarkation | head, that the crime which yon have then committed, on board a foreign ship. The equeriy confirmed what the two musketeers had already told the cardinal concerning Athos. Richelieu gave asign of appiobation, and resumed his journey, taking the same precautions in returning as he had done in his advance. , Let us leave him on his way to the camp, protected by che equerry and the two musketeers, and return to Athos, For a hundred yards he had preserved the same pace. But once out of sight, he had pushed his horse to the ‘* Very well,” said the cardinal; ‘‘and you, M. Ara-| right, had made asmall circuit, and had returned to mis?”’ ‘*I, my lord, as I am naturally very gentle, and am, | he awaited t : srhaps does not know, on | recognized the laced hats of his companions, and the besides, as your eminence the point of taking orders, Il wanted to lead away my companions, when one of these wretches treacherously stabbed me through the left arm; my patience then failed me, I drew my sword in turn, and, as he rushed back to the charge, I fancy that I felt, as he threw him- self upon me, that the weapon passed through his body. I only know that he fell, and seemed to be carried away with his two companions.”’ ‘“‘The fiend, gentlemen!’’ said the cardinal; ‘‘ three men disabled in a tavern quarre!! You have rather ac- tive hands. But, by the way, what was the cause of the quarrel?”’ ‘These wretches were drunk,’ said Athos, ‘‘ and knowing that a lady had arrived at the tavern that even- ing, they wanted to force the door.”’ * And was this woman young and pretty?” the cardinal, with some anxiety. ‘*We did not see her, my lord,” replied Athos, ‘You did not see her? Ah! very good!” briskly re- ) i i demanded | | i | within Aabgg paces, where, concealed in the coppice, e passage of the little troop. gold fringe of the cardinal’s coat, he tarried till the arty had turned the corner of the road; and, having ost sight of them, he galloped up to the taYern, and was | admitted without any difficulty. The landlord knew him again. ‘* My officer,”’ said Athos, has forgotten a communi- Having | his honor. | } | i or attempted to commit, shall be indeed your last.” ‘“M. d’Artagnan has cruelly insulted me,” said she, ** and he must die.”’ “Indeed! And is it possible that you can be insulted, madame?” said Athos, laughing; ‘‘ he has insulted you, and he must die!” ‘He shall die!’’ repeated her ladyship: “ she, first; and he afterwards.*’ Athos felt his brain begin to reel. The sight of this creature, who had nothing of the woman in her nature, recalled most fearful recollections. He thought that one day, in a situation less perilous than that in which he now stood he had already sought to sacrifice her to His murderous desire came burning back upon him, like an invading fever. He arose in his turn, and put his hand to his belt, from which he drew a ers which he cocked. ‘he lady, pale as a corpse, endeavored to cry out; but her frozen tongue could only utter a hoarse sound, which had no resemblance to the human voice, but seemed rather the growl of some savage beast. Glued cation of importance which he should have made to the | as it were against the gloomy tapestry, with her dis- .ady on the first floor, and has sent me to repair his for- getfulness.”’ “Go up,” said the landlord, ‘“ the lady is still in her chamber,’ Athos availed himeelf of this permission,Jand ascended the stairs with his lightest step; and when he had reached the eecey lace, he perceived, through the half-open door, the lady, who was tying on her hat. He entered the room, and closed the door behind him. Envelope in his cloak, and with his hat drawn down upon his eyes, Athos stood upright before the door. On seeing this figure, mute and motionless as a plied the cardinal; ‘‘ you did right to defend the honor | statue, the lady was alarmed. of a woman; and as] am myself ering comp to the Red ore I shall know whether you have tolc me the truth,’ ‘*My lord,*‘ prondly replied Athos, ‘‘we are gentle- men, and would not tell a lie to save our lives.”’ ‘* Nor do I doubt what you have told me, M. Athos—I do not doubt it for one moment; but,’ added he, to change the conversation, ‘‘ was this lady alone?” ‘* The lady had a cavalier shut up with her; but as he did not show himself, in spite of the noise, it is to be presumed that he is a coward.” ‘*Do not judge rashly, says the Gospel,’’ replied the cardinal. Aramis bowed. ‘‘And now, gentlemen,”’ said the cardinal, ‘‘I know what I wanfed to learn: —follow me.”’ The three musketeers fell behind the cardinal, who again covered his face with his cloak. and went for- ward, keeping himself eight or ten paces before his companions, ‘ They soon arrived at the silent, solitary .avern, The sandlord was unquestionably aware what an illustrious visitor he was to expect, and had sent off all trouble- some persons. Ten paces before he reached the door, the cardinal made a sign to his equerry, and to the three musketeers, to halt. A ready saddled horse was fastened to th» shutter. The cardinal knocked three times, in a pecu- liar manner. A man, enveloped in a cloak, came out directly, and quickly exchanged a few words with the cardinal: after which he mounted the horse, and went off towards Surgere, which was also the road to Paris. ‘*Come forward, gentlemen,” said the cardinal, ‘I find that you have told me the truth, tlemen, and it will not be my fault if eur _a’ this evening should not turn to your advantage. In the meantime follow me.” The cardinal dismounted, and the three musketeers did the same, The cardinal cast his bridle over the arm of his equerry, and the musketeers fastened theirs to the shutters. The landlord stood on the step of his door:—to him the cardinal was only an officer coming to visit a lady. ‘‘Have you any chamber on the ground-floor, where these genticmen may wait for me, by a good fire?’ in- quired the cardinal. The landlord opened the door of a large room, where a sorry, closed iron stove had lately been replaced by a large and excellent chimney. **T have this,”’ replied he. ‘* That will do wety well,’ said the cardinal. ‘‘ Enter, gentlemen, and be p eased to wait for me here: I shall not be more than half an hour.” And whilst the three musketeers entered the chamber on the ground-floor, the cardinal, without requiring any direction, ascended the stairs to yisit the lady men- tioned by the musketeers. CHAPTER XLIV. A CONJUGAL SCENE. As Athos had foreseen, the cardinal was not long be- fore he came down. He opened the door of the room in which he had left the three musketeers, and found Porthos and Aramis engaged in a most earnest game of dice. With arapid glance, he examined every corner of the room, and saw that one of his men was missing, ‘**What has become of M. Athos?” he asked. “* My lord,” replied Porthos, ‘* he is gone forward on the lookout, assome remarks of our landlord’sled him to suspect that the road was not eafe.”’ ‘* And what have you been doing, M. Porthos?” ‘*{ have won five pistoles from Toei.” ‘* And can you now return with me?”’ ‘* Weare at your eminence’s command.” “To horse then gentlemen, for it is getting late."’ The equerry was at the door holding the cardinal’s horse. At alittle distance two men and three horses were visible in the shade. hese men were the indi- viduals selected My the orders of the cardinal to conduct the lady whom he had just visited up-stairs to the | also, that, with madame; s Who are you, and what do you want ?’ exclaimed she. ‘* Yes! it is indeed she,’’ muttered Athos, Letting his cloak fall, and lifting up his hat, he ad- vanced towards her ladyship. ‘*Do you recosnize me, Madame?’ said he, The lady took one step forward, and then recoiled as though she had seen a serpent, ‘* Come,” said Athos, “‘Ican see that you recognise me.”’ “The Count de la Fere!’’ muttered her ladyship, growing deadly pale, and drawing back till the wall im- peded her retreat, ‘Yes, my ludy,” replied Athos, ‘“‘the Count de la Fere in person, who returns expressly from the other world to have the pleasure of seeing you. Let us sit down then, and converse, as the cardinal said.” Impelled by an inexpressible terror, her ladyship sat down, without uttering a word. ‘You are a demon let loose upon the earth,” said Athos. ‘‘ Your power is great, I know; but you know, od’s assistance, men have often over- come the most terrible demons. You have once before crossed es, path. I thought that I had crushed yon, ut, either I deceived myself, or hell has given you new life.” At these words, which recalled most fearful memories, the lady held down her head, and groaned. ** Yes, hell has a new life,’’ resumed Athos; * hell has made 508 rich, hell has given you another name, hell has almost endowed yor with another face; but it has not expunged either the brand upon your body, or the stains upon your soul.” The lady arose, as if moved by a darted lightning Athosremained “You thought me dead, did you not?” he continued, ‘asl houses you dead; and the name of Athos has con- cealed the Count de la Fere, even as the name Lady de Winter has concealed Annade Breuil? Was it not so that you were called, when your honored brother mar- ried us?Our position is truly strange,’ continued Athos, laug ‘*‘we have both of us only lived tillnow, because each thought the other dead; and remembrance is less burdensome than a reality—althongh a& remem- brance, even, is sometimes a voracious thing!”’ ‘But, after all,’’ said the lady, in-a hollow voice, ‘‘ what brings you here to me, and what Want you with me?"’ ‘‘I want to tell you, that, although I have been invisi- ble to you, I have not lost sight of you.”’ ‘** You know what I have done?”’ “Tcan recite your actions, day by day, from your oar into the cardinal's service, until this present t, smile of incredulity passed across the pale lips of her ladyship. ‘Listen. Itis you who cut the two diamond studs from Buckingham's shoulder; it isyou who stole away Madame Bunancieux; itis you who, enamored of de Wardes, and 7 me to recieve him, opened your door to M. d’ Artagnan; it is you who, believing that de Wardes deceived you, wished to have him siain by his rival; itis you who, when this rival had discovered our disgraceful secret, sought to have him assassinated n his turn, by two murderers, whom you sent to dog him; it is you who, when you found bullets fail, sent poisoned wine, witha forged letter, to make your vic- tim fancy that it was the present of his friends; and, lastly, it is you who—here in this very room, seated on the very chair where I now sit—have this moment made an engagement with the Cardinal Richelieu to get the Duke of Buckingham assassinated, in exchange for his undertaking to allow you to assassinate M. d’Artag- nan.’ Her ladyship was livid. ‘You must indeed be Satan?’’ said she. “Perhaps so,’ replied Athos; ‘‘ but, at all events, mark this well: assassinate the Duke of Buckingham, or cause him to be assassinated—it is of no consequence tome: I know him not; and he is, besides, the enemy of France, But, touch not one single hair of the head of dA , Who is a faithful friend, whom I love and will protect; or I swear to you, by my father’s spring, and her eyes seated, i mare hair, she looked like the appalling image of error— Athos slowly raised the pistol, stretched forth his arm until the weapon almost touched the lady's fore- head, and then, in a voice the more terrible, as it had‘all the intense calmness of an inflexible resolution. “‘Madame,"’ said he, ‘‘ you must immediately give me the paper which the cardinal wrote just now, or, on my soul, I will blow out your brains?” With any other man the lady might have had some doubt; but she knew Athos, Nevertheless, she re- mained motionless. ** You have one second to decide in,’’ continued he. The lady saw, from the contraction of his brow, that the shot was coming: she hastily put her hand to her bosom, and drew forth a paper, which she handed to os. | “Take it,” said she, “ and may you be accursed!”’ Athos took the paper, replaced the pistol in his belt, went to the lamp to assure himself that he had the right one, unfolded it, and read:— ‘It is by my order, and for the good of the state that the bearer of this did that which he has now one, ; sc ”? CHELIEU. — ** And now,’ said Athos, resuming his cloak, and re- placing his hat upon his head, “and now, that I have drawn your teeth, bite if you can!”’ He left the room without even which they were leading, ‘“‘Gentlemen,”’ said he, ‘‘his lordship’s order is, yon. know, to conduct this woman, without loss of , to po Fae de la Pointe, and not to leave her until she is on board.”’ they had received, they bowed their heads in token of assent, As for Athos, he sprang lightly into his saddle, and went off ata gallop. Only, instead of kecping to the road, he went across the country, pus his very fast, and halting from time to time to listen. . In one of these halts, he heard the sound of several horses on the road. Hedid not doubt that it was the cardinal and bis escort. Taking immediately another direction forward, and then rubbing his horse with some broom and leaves, he F eage- himself in the middle of the road, at not more than two hundred paees from the. ee Wh 7 ““Who goes there?’’ cried he, when he heard the horsemen. ; ‘*It is our brave musketeer, I believe,” said the car~ dinal. “Yes, my lord,’’ replied Athos, ‘‘it is he himself.” ““M. Athos,” said Richelieu, accept my best thanks for the care that you havetaken, Gentlemen reached our destination. Take the gate fo the left hand; the word for the night is—‘ Roi et Rhe.” . As he said this, the cardinal bowed to the three. friends, and turned to the right, followed by his equerry; for, on that night, he slept in the camp. ‘Well,’ said Porthos and Aramis, as soon as the cardinal was ont of hearing, ‘‘ well, he signed the paper that she asked for. ‘“‘ I know it,” said Athos, quietly, “ for here it is."’ CHAPTER XLy. THE BASTION OF 8T. GERVAIN, On arriving at his friends’ quarters, d’A them assembled in the same room. ing; Porthos was twisting his moustache; and Aramis was reading his prayers in acharming little book, bound in blue velvet. ‘*By my soul, what you have totell me is worth the trouble, other- wise 1should not forgive your having made me dis- mantle a bastion, entirely by myself. Ah! why were you not there, gentlemen? it was hot work!” ** We were in another place, where it was by no means cold either,” said Porthos, giving his moustache a turm peculiar to himself. - ‘ oh rok anid d'Avtagn an, understanding the slight “Oh, oh!”’ said d°A n, understanding rely of musketeer, ‘it seems that there is some new here.”’ Pe » Sararbe said Athos, ‘“‘you breakfasted at the ailloi tavern, the day before yesterday, I believe?” P wee Sid ‘* How are there?’ . “‘ Why, I fared but badly myself; it was a fast-day, and they meat. ‘“What,” a ea -Athos, “‘in a sea-port, and no fish?” “They say that the mound which the cardinal is COMED OO looking once behind m. At the door he found the two men with the horse As these words exactly accorded with the order which _ orse On we have | rtagnan found Athos was think- entlemen,” said he, ‘‘I hope that build . . a ’ . - ‘ e | * + ' 72 Rak rs. - é ne ‘-_ “ ey ‘