30. Skirmishing.
The halt at Noyon was but brief, every one there being wrapped inprofound sleep. Raoul had desired to be awakened should Grimaud arrive,but Grimaud did not arrive. Doubtless, too, the horses on their partappreciated the eight hours of repose and the abundant stabling whichwas granted them. The Count de Guiche was awakened at five o'clock inthe morning by Raoul, who came to wish him good-day. They breakfasted inhaste, and at six o'clock had already gone ten miles.
The young count's conversation was most interesting to Raoul, thereforehe listened much, whilst the count talked well and long. Brought up inParis, where Raoul had been but once; at the court, which Raoul hadnever seen; his follies as page; two duels, which he had already foundthe means of fighting, in spite of the edicts against them and, moreespecially, in spite of his tutor's vigilance--these things excited thegreatest curiosity in Raoul. Raoul had only been at M. Scarron's house;he named to Guiche the people whom he had seen there. Guiche kneweverybody--Madame de Neuillan, Mademoiselle d'Aubigne, Mademoiselle deScudery, Mademoiselle Paulet, Madame de Chevreuse. He criticisedeverybody humorously. Raoul trembled, lest he should laugh among therest at Madame de Chevreuse, for whom he entertained deep and genuinesympathy, but either instinctively, or from affection for the duchess,he said everything in her favor. His praises increased Raoul'sfriendship twofold. Then came the question of gallantry and loveaffairs. Under this head, also, Bragelonne had much more to hear than totell. He listened attentively and fancied that he discovered throughthree or four rather frivolous adventures, that the count, like himself,had a secret to hide in the depths of his heart.
De Guiche, as we have said before, had been educated at the court, andthe intrigues of this court were not unknown to him. It was the samecourt of which Raoul had so often heard the Comte de la Fere speak,except that its aspect had much changed since the period when Athos hadhimself been part of it; therefore everything which the Count de Guicherelated was new to his traveling companion. The young count, witty andcaustic, passed all the world in review; the queen herself was notspared, and Cardinal Mazarin came in for his share of ridicule.
The day passed away as rapidly as an hour. The count's tutor, a man ofthe world and a bon vivant, up to his eyes in learning, as his pupildescribed him, often recalled the profound erudition, the witty andcaustic satire of Athos to Raoul; but as regarded grace, delicacy, andnobility of external appearance, no one in these points was to becompared to the Comte de la Fere.
The horses, which were more kindly used than on the previous day,stopped at Arras at four o'clock in the evening. They were approachingthe scene of war; and as bands of Spaniards sometimes took advantage ofthe night to make expeditions even as far as the neighborhood of Arras,they determined to remain in the town until the morrow. The French armyheld all between Pont-a-Marc as far as Valenciennes, falling back uponDouai. The prince was said to be in person at Bethune.
The enemy's army extended from Cassel to Courtray; and as there was nospecies of violence or pillage it did not commit, the poor people on thefrontier quitted their isolated dwellings and fled for refuge into thestrong cities which held out a shelter to them. Arras was encumberedwith fugitives. An approaching battle was much spoken of, the princehaving manoeuvred, until that movement, only in order to await areinforcement that had just reached him.
The young men congratulated themselves on having arrived so opportunely.The evening was employed in discussing the war; the grooms polishedtheir arms; the young men loaded the pistols in case of a skirmish, andthey awoke in despair, having both dreamed that they had arrived toolate to participate in the battle. In the morning it was rumored thatPrince de Conde had evacuated Bethune and fallen back on Carvin,leaving, however, a strong garrison in the former city.
But as there was nothing positively certain in this report, the youngwarriors decided to continue their way toward Bethune, free on the roadto diverge to the right and march to Carvin if necessary.
The count's tutor was well acquainted with the country; he consequentlyproposed to take a crossroad, which lay between that of Lens and that ofBethune. They obtained information at Ablain, and a statement of theirroute was left for Grimaud. About seven o'clock in the morning they setout. De Guiche, who was young and impulsive, said to Raoul, "Here weare, three masters and three servants. Our valets are well armed andyours seems to be tough enough."
"I have never seen him put to the test," replied Raoul, "but he is aBreton, which promises something."
"Yes, yes," resumed De Guiche; "I am sure he can fire a musket whenrequired. On my side I have two sure men, who have been in action withmy father. We therefore represent six fighting men; if we should meet alittle troop of enemies, equal or even superior in number to our own,shall we charge them, Raoul?"
"Certainly, sir," replied the viscount.
"Holloa! young people--stop there!" said the tutor, joining in theconversation. "Zounds! how you manoeuvre my instructions, count! Youseem to forget the orders I received to conduct you safe and sound tohis highness the prince! Once with the army you may be killed at yourgood pleasure; but until that time, I warn you that in my capacity ofgeneral of the army I shall order a retreat and turn my back on thefirst red coat we come across." De Guiche and Raoul glanced at eachother, smiling.
They arrived at Ablain without accident. There they inquired and learnedthat the prince had in reality quitted Bethune and stationed himselfbetween Cambria and La Venthie. Therefore, leaving directions at everyplace for Grimaud, they took a crossroad which conducted the littletroop by the bank of a small stream flowing into the Lys. The countrywas beautiful, intersected by valleys as green as the emerald. Here andthere they passed little copses crossing the path which they werefollowing. In anticipation of some ambuscade in each of these littlewoods the tutor placed his two servants at the head of the band, thusforming the advance guard. Himself and the two young men represented thebody of the army, whilst Olivain, with his rifle upon his knee and hiseyes upon the watch, protected the rear.
They had observed for some time before them, on the horizon, a ratherthick wood; and when they had arrived at a distance of a hundred stepsfrom it, Monsieur d'Arminges took his usual precautions and sent on inadvance the count's two grooms. The servants had just disappeared underthe trees, followed by the tutor, and the young men were laughing andtalking about a hundred yards off. Olivain was at the same distance inthe rear, when suddenly there resounded five or six musket-shots. Thetutor cried halt; the young men obeyed, pulling up their steeds, and atthe same moment the two valets were seen returning at a gallop.
The young men, impatient to learn the cause of the firing, spurred ontoward the servants. The tutor followed them.
"Were you stopped?" eagerly inquired the two youths.
"No," replied the servants, "it is even probable that we have not beenseen; the shots were fired about a hundred paces in advance of us, inthe thickest part of the wood, and we returned to ask your advice."
"My advice is this," said Monsieur d'Arminges, "and if needs be, mywill, that we beat a retreat. There may be an ambuscade concealed inthis wood."
"Did you see nothing there?" asked the count.
"I thought I saw," said one of the servants, "horsemen dressed inyellow, creeping along the bed of the stream.
"That's it," said the tutor. "We have fallen in with a party ofSpaniards. Come back, sirs, back."
The two youths looked at each other, and at this moment a pistol-shotand cries for help were heard. Another glance between the young menconvinced them both that neither had any wish to go back, and as thetutor had already turned his horse's head, they both spurred forward,Raoul crying: "Follow me, Olivain!" and the Count de Guiche: "Follow,Urban and Planchet!" And before the tutor could recover from hissurprise they had both disappeared into the forest. Whilst they spurredtheir steeds they held their pistols ready also. In five minutes theyarrived at the spot whence the noise had proceeded, and then restrainingtheir horses, they advanced cautiously.
"Hush," whispered De Guiche, "these are cavaliers."
"Yes, three on horseback and three who have dismounted."
"Can you see what they are doing?"
"Yes, they appear to be searching a wounded or dead man."
"It is some cowardly assassination," said De Guiche.
"They are soldiers, though," resumed De Bragelonne.
"Yes, skirmishers; that is to say, highway robbers."
"At them!" cried Raoul. "At them!" echoed De Guiche.
"Oh! gentlemen! gentlemen! in the name of Heaven!" cried the poor tutor.
But he was not listened to, and his cries only served to arouse theattention of the Spaniards.
The men on horseback at once rushed at the two youths, leaving the threeothers to complete the plunder of the dead or wounded travelers; for onapproaching nearer, instead of one extended figure, the young mendiscovered two. De Guiche fired the first shot at ten paces and missedhis man; and the Spaniard, who had advanced to meet Raoul, aimed in histurn, and Raoul felt a pain in the left arm, similar to that of a blowfrom a whip. He let off his fire at but four paces. Struck in the breastand extending his arms, the Spaniard fell back on the crupper, and theterrified horse, turning around, carried him off.
Raoul at this moment perceived the muzzle of a gun pointed at him, andremembering the recommendation of Athos, he, with the rapidity oflightning, made his horse rear as the shot was fired. His horse boundedto one side, losing its footing, and fell, entangling Raoul's leg underits body. The Spaniard sprang forward and seized the gun by its muzzle,in order to strike Raoul on the head with the butt. In the position inwhich Raoul lay, unfortunately, he could neither draw his sword from thescabbard, nor his pistols from their holsters. The butt end of themusket hovered over his head, and he could scarcely restrain himselffrom closing his eyes, when with one bound Guiche reached the Spaniardand placed a pistol at his throat. "Yield!" he cried, "or you are a deadman!" The musket fell from the soldier's hands, who yielded on theinstant. Guiche summoned one of his grooms, and delivering the prisonerinto his charge, with orders to shoot him through the head if heattempted to escape, he leaped from his horse and approached Raoul.
"Faith, sir," said Raoul, smiling, although his pallor betrayed theexcitement consequent on a first affair, "you are in a great hurry topay your debts and have not been long under any obligation to me.Without your aid," continued he, repeating the count's words "I shouldhave been a dead man--thrice dead."
"My antagonist took flight," replied De Guiche "and left me at libertyto come to your assistance. But are you seriously wounded? I see you arecovered with blood!"
"I believe," said Raoul, "that I have got something like a scratch onthe arm. If you will help me to drag myself from under my horse I hopenothing need prevent us continuing our journey."
Monsieur d'Arminges and Olivain had already dismounted and wereattempting to raise the struggling horse. At last Raoul succeeded indrawing his foot from the stirrup and his leg from under the animal, andin a second he was on his feet again.
"Nothing broken?" asked De Guiche.
"Faith, no, thank Heaven!" replied Raoul; "but what has become of thepoor wretches whom these scoundrels were murdering?"
"I fear we arrived too late. They have killed them, I think, and takenflight, carrying off their booty. My servants are examining the bodies."
"Let us go and see whether they are quite dead, or if they can still behelped," suggested Raoul. "Olivain, we have come into possession of twohorses, but I have lost my own. Take for yourself the better of the twoand give me yours."
They approached the spot where the unfortunate victims lay.