LITMIR.BIZ

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appeared to me to be cruel for the king.”

      “Which would not prevent me,” said d’Artagnan, “if I knew where the Duke of Buckingham was, from taking him by the hand and conducting him to the queen, were it only to enrage the cardinal, and if we could find means to play him a sharp turn, I vow that I would voluntarily risk my head in doing it.”

      “And did the mercer4,” rejoined Athos, “tell you, d’Artagnan, that the queen thought that Buckingham had been brought over by a forged letter?”

      “She is afraid so.”

      “Wait a minute, then,” said Aramis.

      “What for?” demanded Porthos.

      “Go on, while I endeavor to recall circumstances.”

      “And now I am convinced,” said d’Artagnan, “that this abduction of the queen’s woman is connected with the events of which we are speaking, and perhaps with the presence of Buckingham in Paris.”

      “The Gascon is full of ideas,” said Porthos, with admiration.

      “I like to hear him talk,” said Athos; “his dialect amuses me.”

      “Gentlemen,” cried Aramis, “listen to this.”

      “Listen to Aramis,” said his three friends.

      “Yesterday I was at the house of a doctor of theology, whom I sometimes consult about my studies.”

      Athos smiled.

      “He resides in a quiet quarter,” continued Aramis; “his tastes and his profession require it. Now, at the moment when I left his house-”

      Here Aramis paused.

      “Well,” cried his auditors; “at the moment you left his house?”

      Aramis appeared to make a strong inward effort, like a man who, in the full relation of a falsehood, finds himself stopped by some unforeseen obstacle; but the eyes of his three companions were fixed upon him, their ears were wide open, and there were no means of retreat.

      “This doctor has a niece,” continued Aramis.

      “Ah, he has a niece!” interrupted Porthos.

      “A very respectable lady,” said Aramis.

      The three friends burst into laughter.

      “Ah, if you laugh, if you doubt me,” replied Aramis, “you shall know nothing.”

      “We believe like Mohammedans, and are as mute as tombstones,” said Athos.

      “I will continue, then,” resumed Aramis. “This niece comes sometimes to see her uncle; and by chance was there yesterday at the same time that I was, and it was my duty to offer to conduct her to her carriage.”

      “Ah! She has a carriage, then, this niece of the doctor?” interrupted Porthos, one of whose faults was a great looseness of tongue. “A nice acquaintance, my friend!”

      “Porthos,” replied Aramis, “I have had the occasion to observe to you more than once that you are very indiscreet; and that is injurious to you among the women.”

      “Gentlemen, gentlemen,” cried d’Artagnan, who began to get a glimpse of the result of the adventure, “the thing is serious. Let us try not to jest, if we can. Go on Aramis, go on.”

      “All at once, a tall, dark gentleman-just like yours, d’Artagnan.”

      “The same, perhaps,” said he.

      “Possibly,” continued Aramis, “came toward me, accompanied by five or six men who followed about ten paces behind him; and in the politest tone, ‘Monsieur Duke,’ said he to me, ‘and you madame,’ continued he, addressing the lady on my arm-”

      “The doctor’s niece?”

      “Hold your tongue, Porthos,” said Athos; “you are insupportable.”

      “‘-will you enter this carriage, and that without offering the least resistance, without making the least noise?’”

      “He took you for Buckingham!” cried d’Artagnan.

      “I believe so,” replied Aramis.

      “But the lady?” asked Porthos.

      “He took her for the queen!” said d’Artagnan.

      “Just so,” replied Aramis.

      “The Gascon is the devil!” cried Athos; “nothing escapes him.”

      “The fact is,” said Porthos, “Aramis is of the same height, and something of the shape of the duke; but it nevertheless appears to me that the dress of a Musketeer-”

      “I wore an enormous cloak,” said Aramis.

      “In the month of July? The devil!” said Porthos. “Is the doctor afraid that you may be recognized?”

      “I can comprehend that the spy may have been deceived by the person; but the face-”

      “I had a large hat,” said Aramis.

      “Oh, good lord,” cried Porthos, “what precautions for the study of theology!”

      “Gentlemen, gentlemen,” said d’Artagnan, “do not let us lose our time in jesting. Let us separate, and let us seek the mercer’s wife-that is the key of the intrigue.”

      “A woman of such inferior condition! Can you believe so?” said Porthos, protruding his lips with contempt.

      “She is goddaughter to Laporte, the confidential valet of the queen. Have I not told you so, gentlemen? Besides, it has perhaps been her Majesty’s calculation to seek on this occasion for support so lowly. High heads expose themselves from afar, and the cardinal is longsighted.”

      “Well,” said Porthos, “in the first place make a bargain with the mercer, and a good bargain.”

      “That’s useless,” said d’Artagnan; “for I believe if he does not pay us, we shall be well enough paid by another party.”

      At this moment a sudden noise of footsteps was heard upon the stairs; the door was thrown violently open, and the unfortunate mercer rushed into the chamber in which the council was held.

      “Save me, gentlemen, for the love of heaven, save me!” cried he. “There are four men come to arrest me. Save me! Save me!”

      Porthos and Aramis arose.

      “A moment,” cried d’Artagnan, making them a sign to replace in the scabbard their half-drawn swords. “It is not courage that is needed; it is prudence.”

      “And yet,” cried Porthos, “we will not leave-”

      “You will leave d’Artagnan to act as he thinks proper,” said Athos. “He has, I repeat, the longest head of the four, and for my part I declare that I will obey him. Do as you think best, d’Artagnan.”

      At this moment the four Guards appeared at the door of the antechamber, but seeing four Musketeers standing, and their swords by their sides, they hesitated about going farther.

      “Come in, gentlemen, come in,” called d’Artagnan; “you are here in my apartment, and we are all faithful servants of the king and cardinal.”

      “Then, gentlemen, you will not oppose our executing the orders we have received?” asked one who appeared to be the leader of the party.

      “On the contrary, gentlemen, we would assist you if it were necessary.”

      “What does he say?” grumbled Porthos.

      “You are a simpleton,” said Athos. “Silence!”

      “But you promised me-” whispered the poor mercer.

      “We can only save you by being free ourselves,” replied d’Artagnan, in a rapid, low tone; “and if we appear inclined to defend you, they will arrest us with you.”

      “It seems, nevertheless-”

      “Come,

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