The Three Musketeers (Translated by Richard Pevear) - Alexandre Dumas [107]
“Brave Athos!” murmured d’Artagnan. “And when you think that we have to abandon him! Besides, there may be as much waiting for us two steps from here. Keep on, Planchet, keep on! You’re a brave man, too!”
“I told you, Monsieur,” replied Planchet, “you can tell a Picard by the use of him; besides, I’m in my own country, and that excites me.”
And the two of them, spurring for all they were worth, reached Saint-Omer at one stretch. In Saint-Omer, they gave their horses a breather with the bridles over their arms, for fear of a mishap, and ate a quick bite standing in the street, after which they set off again.
Within a hundred paces of the gates of Calais, d’Artagnan’s horse collapsed under him, and there was no way to get it up again: blood flowed from its nose and eyes. There was still Planchet’s, but it had stopped, and it was impossible to make it move again.
Fortunately, as we have said, they were a hundred paces from the town. They left their two mounts on the highway and ran to the port. Planchet pointed out to his master a gentleman who was just arriving with his valet and was no more than fifty paces ahead of them.
They quickly approached the gentleman, who seemed in a great bustle. His boots were covered with dust, and he inquired whether he might not cross to England that very moment.
“Nothing could be easier,” replied the skipper of a ship that was ready to set sail. “But this morning orders came to let no one leave without the express permission of M. le cardinal.”
“I have that permission,” said the gentleman, taking a paper from his pocket. “Here it is.”
“Have it certified by the governor of the port,” said the skipper, “and give me your preference.”
“Where can I find the governor?”
“At his country house.”
“And where is that country house located?”
“A quarter of a league from town. Wait, you can see it from here, at the foot of that little rise, the one with a slate roof.”
“Very good!” said the gentleman.
And, followed by his lackey, he set out for the governor’s country house. D’Artagnan and Planchet followed the gentleman at a distance of about five hundred paces.
Once outside of town, d’Artagnan quickened his pace and caught up with the gentleman as he was entering a little wood.
“Monsieur,” said d’Artagnan, “you seem to be in a great hurry?”
“One could not be in more of a hurry, Monsieur.”
“I’m terribly sorry to hear it,” said d’Artagnan, “for, as I am also in quite a hurry, I wanted to ask a favor of you.”
“What favor?”
“To let me go first.”
“Impossible,” said the gentleman. “I’ve made sixty leagues in forty-four hours, and at noon tomorrow I must be in London.”
“I did the same journey in forty hours, and at ten o’clock tomorrow morning I must be in London.”
“Terribly sorry, Monsieur, but I arrived first, and I will not go second.”
“Terribly sorry, Monsieur, but I arrived second, and I will go first.”
“In the king’s service!” said the gentleman.
“In my own service!” said d’Artagnan.
“You’re picking a bad quarrel with me, it would seem.”
“Parbleu! what would you like it to be?”
“What do you want?”
“Would you like to know?”
“Certainly.”
“Well, then, I want the order you’re carrying, seeing that I don’t have one myself, and I need one.”
“You’re joking, I presume.”
“I never joke.”
“Let me pass!”
“You will not pass.”
“My brave young man, I shall blow your head off. Ho, there, Lubin! My pistols!”
“Planchet,” said d’Artagnan, “you take care of the valet, I’ll take care of the master.”
Planchet, emboldened by his first exploit, leaped upon Lubin, and, as he was strong and vigorous, knocked him flat on the ground and put his knee on his chest.
“Do your business, Monsieur,” said Planchet. “I’ve already done mine.”
Seeing that, the gentleman drew his sword and swooped upon d’Artagnan; but he had a strong opponent to contend with.
In three seconds, d’Artagnan had given him three strokes of the sword, saying at each stroke:
“One for Athos, one for Porthos, one for Aramis.”