The Three Musketeers (The Modern Library) - Alexandre Dumas [198]
“His marquise is chambermaided by her husband’s law clerks,” D’Artagnan said laughing. “Besides Kitty doesn’t want to live in the Rue aux Ours, do you, Kitty?”
“I don’t care where I live, Monsieur, so long as I live in hiding.”
“Meanwhile, Kitty, we are about to separate. You’re not jealous of me any more, are you?”
“Near or far, Monsieur le Chevalier, I shall always love you.”
“Where in God’s name will virtue perch next?” Athos muttered cynically.
“I shall always love you, Kitty,” D’Artagnan assured her. “But before we part, I must ask you something.” He paused. “Something very important,” he went on. “Tell me, have you ever heard about a young woman who was carried off one night?”
“Let me see . . . oh, yes! . . . Ah God! Monsieur le Chevalier, do you still love that woman . . . ?”
“No, no, no! I don’t love her. My friend Monsieur Athos loves her.”
“I?” Athos cried like a man who suddenly perceives that he is about to tread on an adder.
“Who else but you?” D’Artagnan insisted with a nudge to make his insistence felt. “You know how much we are all interested in poor little Madame Bonacieux. Besides, Kitty won’t give us away, will you, Kitty?” He looked down at her appealingly. “You see, my child, Madame Bonacieux is the wife of that unspeakable baboon you saw on the doorstep.”
“Oh, my God, you remind me of the terror I have been through! Pray Heaven he didn’t recognize me!”
“Recognize you? Have you ever seen him before?”
“Certainly. He came to Milady’s twice.”
“When?”
“About a fortnight ago, I think.”
“And—?”
“And he came again yesterday evening.”
“Yesterday evening?”
“Yes, just before you came.”
“My dear Athos, we are caught in a network of spies,” said D’Artagnan. Then, turning to Kitty: “Do you believe he recognized you, dear?”
“I pulled down my hood when I saw him, but perhaps it was too late.”
“Go down, Athos (he mistrusts you less than he does me) and see if he is still at the door.”
Athos went down and returned at once.
“He is gone,” he reported, “and the front door is closed.”
“He has gone to report that all the birds are hugging the dovecote.”
“Very well then, let us all fly,” Athos proposed. “We can leave Planchet here to bring us news.”
“Hold on there! What about Aramis? We sent for him.”
“Ah, yes,” Athos decided, “we shall have to wait for Aramis.”
He had no sooner spoken than Aramis entered. The problem was explained to him in full and he was given to understand he had been elected to find Kitty a position because of all his high connections. Aramis reflected a moment, blushed and asked D’Artagnan if it would really be doing him a favor.
“I shall be grateful to you all my life!” the Gascon vowed.
“Well, then,” Aramis went on, “as a matter of fact, Madame de Bois-Tracy asked the other day if I happened to know of a trusty maid. It was for a friend of hers who lives in the provinces. So if D’Artagnan can answer for Mademoiselle—”
“Oh, Monsieur, please believe that I shall be absolutely loyal and devoted to the lady who enables me to leave Paris.”
“Everything is for the best, then,” Aramis concluded as he sat down at the table. He proceeded to write a brief note, to seal it with a ring, and to hand it to Kitty.
“And now, Kitty dear,” D’Artagnan said, “you know it is not healthy for any of us to be found here. We must separate. We shall meet again in better days.”
“Whenever we meet again and wherever it may be,” Kitty answered solemnly, “you will find me loving you as deeply as I do today.”
“Dicers’ oaths, promises like piecrusts!” Athos muttered as D’Artagnan conducted Kitty downstairs. A moment later the three young men separated, agreeing to meet again at four o’clock under the hospitable roof of Athos. Planchet was left to guard the house. Aramis returned home while Athos and D’Artagnan undertook to pawn the sapphire.
As the Gascon had foreseen, they easily raised three hundred pistoles on the ring. Better still, the pawnbroker begged them to sell it to him, since it would make a magnificent pendant for earrings. Were they willing, he