19 PLAN OF CAMPAIGN
D'Artagnan went straight to M. de Treville's. He had reflected that in afew minutes the cardinal would be warned by this cursed stranger, whoappeared to be his agent, and he judged, with reason, he had not amoment to lose.
The heart of the young man overflowed with joy. An opportunity presenteditself to him in which there would be at the same time glory to beacquired, and money to be gained; and as a far higher encouragement, itbrought him into close intimacy with a woman he adored. This chance did,then, for him at once more than he would have dared to ask ofProvidence.
M de Treville was in his saloon with his habitual court of gentlemen.D'Artagnan, who was known as a familiar of the house, went straight tohis office, and sent word that he wished to see him on something ofimportance.
D'Artagnan had been there scarcely five minutes when M. de Trevilleentered. At the first glance, and by the joy which was painted on hiscountenance, the worthy captain plainly perceived that something new wason foot.
All the way along d'Artagnan had been consulting with himself whether heshould place confidence in M. de Treville, or whether he should only askhim to give him CARTE BLANCHE for some secret affair. But M. de Trevillehad always been so thoroughly his friend, had always been so devoted tothe king and queen, and hated the cardinal so cordially, that the youngman resolved to tell him everything.
"Did you ask for me, my good friend?" said M. de Treville.
"Yes, monsieur," said d'Artagnan, lowering his voice, "and you willpardon me, I hope, for having disturbed you when you know the importanceof my business."
"Speak, then, I am all attention."
"It concerns nothing less," said d'Artagnan, "than the honor, perhapsthe life of the queen."
"What did you say?" asked M. de Treville, glancing round to see if theywere surely alone, and then fixing his questioning look upon d'Artagnan.
"I say, monsieur, that chance has rendered me master of a secret--"
"Which you will guard, I hope, young man, as your life."
"But which I must impart to you, monsieur, for you alone can assist mein the mission I have just received from her Majesty."
"Is this secret your own?"
"No, monsieur; it is her Majesty's."
"Are you authorized by her Majesty to communicate it to me?"
"No, monsieur, for, on the contrary, I am desired to preserve theprofoundest mystery."
"Why, then, are you about to betray it to me?"
"Because, as I said, without you I can do nothing; and I am afraid youwill refuse me the favor I come to ask if you do not know to what end Iask it."
"Keep your secret, young man, and tell me what you wish."
"I wish you to obtain for me, from Monsieur Dessessart, leave of absencefor fifteen days."
"When?"
"This very night."
"You leave Paris?"
"I am going on a mission."
"May you tell me whither?"
"To London."
"Has anyone an interest in preventing your arrival there?"
"The cardinal, I believe, would give the world to prevent my success."
"And you are going alone?"
"I am going alone."
"In that case you will not get beyond Bondy. I tell you so, by the faithof de Treville."
"How so?"
"You will be assassinated."
"And I shall die in the performance of my duty."
"But your mission will not be accomplished."
"That is true," replied d'Artagnan.
"Believe me," continued Treville, "in enterprises of this kind, in orderthat one may arrive, four must set out."
"Ah, you are right, monsieur," said d'Artagnan; "but you know Athos,Porthos, and Aramis, and you know if I can dispose of them."
"Without confiding to them the secret which I am not willing to know?"
"We are sworn, once for all, to implicit confidence and devotednessagainst all proof. Besides, you can tell them that you have fullconfidence in me, and they will not be more incredulous than you."
"I can send to each of them leave of absence for fifteen days, that isall--to Athos, whose wound still makes him suffer, to go to the watersof Forges; to Porthos and Aramis to accompany their friend, whom theyare not willing to abandon in such a painful condition. Sending theirleave of absence will be proof enough that I authorize their journey."
"Thanks, monsieur. You are a hundred times too good."
"Begone, then, find them instantly, and let all be done tonight! Ha! Butfirst write your request to Dessessart. Perhaps you had a spy at yourheels; and your visit, if it should ever be known to the cardinal, willthus seem legitimate."
D'Artagnan drew up his request, and M. de Treville, on receiving it,assured him that by two o'clock in the morning the four leaves ofabsence should be at the respective domiciles of the travelers.
"Have the goodness to send mine to Athos's residence. I should dreadsome disagreeable encounter if I were to go home."
"Be easy. Adieu, and a prosperous voyage. A PROPOS," said M. deTreville, calling him back.
D'Artagnan returned.
"Have you any money?"
D'Artagnan tapped the bag he had in his pocket.
"Enough?" asked M. de Treville.
"Three hundred pistoles."
"Oh, plenty! That would carry you to the end of the world. Begone,then!"
D'Artagnan saluted M. de Treville, who held out his hand to him;d'Artagnan pressed it with a respect mixed with gratitude. Since hisfirst arrival at Paris, he had had constant occasion to honor thisexcellent man, whom he had always found worthy, loyal, and great.
His first visit was to Aramis, at whose residence he had not been sincethe famous evening on which he had followed Mme. Bonacieux. Stillfurther, he had seldom seen the young Musketeer; but every time he hadseen him, he had remarked a deep sadness imprinted on his countenance.
This evening, especially, Aramis was melancholy and thoughtful.D'Artagnan asked some questions about this prolonged melancholy. Aramispleaded as his excuse a commentary upon the eighteenth chapter of St.Augustine, which he was forced to write in Latin for the following week,and which preoccupied him a good deal.
After the two friends had been chatting a few moments, a servant from M.de Treville entered, bringing a sealed packet.
"What is that?" asked Aramis.
"The leave of absence Monsieur has asked for," replied the lackey.
"For me! I have asked for no leave of absence."
"Hold your tongue and take it!" said d'Artagnan. "And you, my friend,there is a demipistole for your trouble; you will tell Monsieur deTreville that Monsieur Aramis is very much obliged to him. Go."
The lackey bowed to the ground and departed.
"What does all this mean?" asked Aramis.
"Pack up all you want for a journey of a fortnight, and follow me."
"But I cannot leave Paris just now without knowing--"
Aramis stopped.
"What is become of her? I suppose you mean--" continued d'Artagnan.
"Become of whom?" replied Aramis.
"The woman who was here--the woman with the embroidered handkerchief."
"Who told you there was a woman here?" replied Aramis, becoming as paleas death.
"I saw her."
"And you know who she is?"
"I believe I can guess, at least."
"Listen!" said Aramis. "Since you appear to know so many things, can youtell me what is become of that woman?"
"I presume that she has returned to Tours."
"To Tours? Yes, that may be. You evidently know her. But why did shereturn to Tours without telling me anything?"
"Because she was in fear of being arrested."
"Why has she not written to me, then?"
"Because she was afraid of compromising you."
"d'Artagnan, you restore me to life!" cried Aramis. "I fancied myselfdespised, betrayed. I was so delighted to see her again! I could nothave b
elieved she would risk her liberty for me, and yet for what othercause could she have returned to Paris?"
"For the cause which today takes us to England."
"And what is this cause?" demanded Aramis.
"Oh, you'll know it someday, Aramis; but at present I must imitate thediscretion of 'the doctor's niece.'"
Aramis smiled, as he remembered the tale he had told his friends on acertain evening. "Well, then, since she has left Paris, and you are sureof it, d'Artagnan, nothing prevents me, and I am ready to follow you.You say we are going--"
"To see Athos now, and if you will come thither, I beg you to makehaste, for we have lost much time already. A PROPOS, inform Bazin."
"Will Bazin go with us?" asked Aramis.
"Perhaps so. At all events, it is best that he should follow us toAthos's."
Aramis called Bazin, and, after having ordered him to join them atAthos's residence, said "Let us go then," at the same time taking hiscloak, sword, and three pistols, opening uselessly two or three drawersto see if he could not find stray coin. When well assured this searchwas superfluous, he followed d'Artagnan, wondering to himself how thisyoung Guardsman should know so well who the lady was to whom he hadgiven hospitality, and that he should know better than himself what hadbecome of her.
Only as they went out Aramis placed his hand upon the arm of d'Artagnan,and looking at him earnestly, "You have not spoken of this lady?" saidhe.
"To nobody in the world."
"Not even to Athos or Porthos?"
"I have not breathed a syllable to them."
"Good enough!"
Tranquil on this important point, Aramis continued his way withd'Artagnan, and both soon arrived at Athos's dwelling. They found himholding his leave of absence in one hand, and M. de Treville's note inthe other.
"Can you explain to me what signify this leave of absence and thisletter, which I have just received?" said the astonished Athos.
My dear Athos,
I wish, as your health absolutely requires it, that you should rest fora fortnight. Go, then, and take the waters of Forges, or any that may bemore agreeable to you, and recuperate yourself as quickly as possible.
Yours affectionate,
de Treville
"Well, this leave of absence and that letter mean that you must followme, Athos."
"To the waters of Forges?"
"There or elsewhere."
"In the king's service?"
"Either the king's or the queen's. Are we not their Majesties'servants?"
At that moment Porthos entered. "PARDIEU!" said he, "here is a strangething! Since when, I wonder, in the Musketeers, did they grant men leaveof absence without their asking for it?"
"Since," said d'Artagnan, "they have friends who ask it for them."
"Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears there's something fresh here."
"Yes, we are going--" said Aramis.
"To what country?" demanded Porthos.
"My faith! I don't know much about it," said Athos. "Ask d'Artagnan."
"To London, gentlemen," said d'Artagnan.
"To London!" cried Porthos; "and what the devil are we going to do inLondon?"
"That is what I am not at liberty to tell you, gentlemen; you must trustto me."
"But in order to go to London," added Porthos, "money is needed, and Ihave none."
"Nor I," said Aramis.
"Nor I," said Athos.
"I have," replied d'Artagnan, pulling out his treasure from his pocket,and placing it on the table. "There are in this bag three hundredpistoles. Let each take seventy-five; that is enough to take us toLondon and back. Besides, make yourselves easy; we shall not all arriveat London."
"Why so?"
"Because, in all probability, some one of us will be left on the road."
"Is this, then, a campaign upon which we are now entering?"
"One of a most dangerous kind, I give you notice."
"Ah! But if we do risk being killed," said Porthos, "at least I shouldlike to know what for."
"You would be all the wiser," said Athos.
"And yet," said Aramis, "I am somewhat of Porthos's opinion."
"Is the king accustomed to give you such reasons? No. He says to youjauntily, 'Gentlemen, there is fighting going on in Gascony or inFlanders; go and fight,' and you go there. Why? You need give yourselvesno more uneasiness about this."
"d'Artagnan is right," said Athos; "here are our three leaves of absencewhich came from Monsieur de Treville, and here are three hundredpistoles which came from I don't know where. So let us go and get killedwhere we are told to go. Is life worth the trouble of so many questions?D'Artagnan, I am ready to follow you."
"And I also," said Porthos.
"And I also," said Aramis. "And, indeed, I am not sorry to quit Paris; Ihad need of distraction."
"Well, you will have distractions enough, gentlemen, be assured," saidd'Artagnan.
"And, now, when are we to go?" asked Athos.
"Immediately," replied d'Artagnan; "we have not a minute to lose."
"Hello, Grimaud! Planchet! Mousqueton! Bazin!" cried the four young men,calling their lackeys, "clean my boots, and fetch the horses from thehotel."
Each Musketeer was accustomed to leave at the general hotel, as at abarrack, his own horse and that of his lackey. Planchet, Grimaud,Mousqueton, and Bazin set off at full speed.
"Now let us lay down the plan of campaign," said Porthos. "Where do wego first?"
"To Calais," said d'Artagnan; "that is the most direct line to London."
"Well," said Porthos, "this is my advice--"
"Speak!"
"Four men traveling together would be suspected. D'Artagnan will giveeach of us his instructions. I will go by the way of Boulogne to clearthe way; Athos will set out two hours after, by that of Amiens; Aramiswill follow us by that of Noyon; as to d'Artagnan, he will go by whatroute he thinks is best, in Planchet's clothes, while Planchet willfollow us like d'Artagnan, in the uniform of the Guards."
"Gentlemen," said Athos, "my opinion is that it is not proper to allowlackeys to have anything to do in such an affair. A secret may, bychance, be betrayed by gentlemen; but it is almost always sold bylackeys."
"Porthos's plan appears to me to be impracticable," said d'Artagnan,"inasmuch as I am myself ignorant of what instructions I can give you. Iam the bearer of a letter, that is all. I have not, and I cannot makethree copies of that letter, because it is sealed. We must, then, as itappears to me, travel in company. This letter is here, in this pocket,"and he pointed to the pocket which contained the letter. "If I should bekilled, one of you must take it, and continue the route; if he bekilled, it will be another's turn, and so on--provided a single onearrives, that is all that is required."
"Bravo, d'Artagnan, your opinion is mine," cried Athos, "Besides, wemust be consistent; I am going to take the waters, you will accompanyme. Instead of taking the waters of Forges, I go and take sea waters; Iam free to do so. If anyone wishes to stop us, I will show Monsieur deTreville's letter, and you will show your leaves of absence. If we areattacked, we will defend ourselves; if we are tried, we will stoutlymaintain that we were only anxious to dip ourselves a certain number oftimes in the sea. They would have an easy bargain of four isolated men;whereas four men together make a troop. We will arm our four lackeyswith pistols and musketoons; if they send an army out against us, wewill give battle, and the survivor, as d'Artagnan says, will carry theletter."
"Well said," cried Aramis; "you don't often speak, Athos, but when youdo speak, it is like St. John of the Golden Mouth. I agree to Athos'splan. And you, Porthos?"
"I agree to it, too," said Porthos, "if d'Artagnan approves of it.D'Artagnan, being the bearer of the letter, is naturally the head of theenterprise; let him decide, and we will execute."
"Well," said d'Artagnan, "I decide that we should adopt Athos's plan,and that we set off in half an hour."
"Agreed!" shouted the three Musketeers in chorus.
Each one
, stretching out his hand to the bag, took his seventy-fivepistoles, and made his preparations to set out at the time appointed.