The Three Musketeers (Translated by Richard Pevear) - Alexandre Dumas [217]
“Monseigneur,” Athos said proudly, “we are gentlemen, and would not tell a lie to save our own heads.”
“Nor do I doubt what you tell me, M. Athos, not for a single instant do I doubt it. But,” he added, to change the subject, “was this lady alone, then?”
“This lady was closeted with a cavalier,” said Athos. “But as this cavalier did not show himself, in spite of the noise, it is to be presumed that he is a coward.”
“‘Judge not rashly,’ says the Gospel,” the cardinal replied.
Athos inclined his head.
“Very well, gentlemen,” His Eminence continued, “now I know what I wanted to know. Follow me.”
The three musketeers fell in behind the cardinal, who wrapped his face once more in his cloak and set his horse at a walk, keeping eight or ten paces ahead of his four companions.
They soon reached the silent and solitary inn. No doubt the host knew what illustrious visitor he was expecting, and had consequently sent away all intruders.
Ten paces from the door, the cardinal made a sign for his equerry and the three musketeers to stop. A saddled horse was tied to the outside shutter. The cardinal knocked three times and in a certain way.
A man wrapped in a cloak came out at once and exchanged a few quick words with the cardinal, after which he got back on his horse and rode off in the direction of Surgères, which was also the direction to Paris.
“Come here, gentlemen,” said the cardinal, addressing the three musketeers. “You have told me the truth, and if our meeting tonight is not advantageous to you, it will not be my fault. Meanwhile, follow me.”
The cardinal dismounted; the three musketeers did the same. The cardinal threw the bridle of his horse into his equerry’s hands; the three musketeers tied the bridles of theirs to the shutters.
The host stood in the doorway. For him, the cardinal was no more than an officer coming to visit a lady.
“Do you have some room on the ground floor where these gentlemen can wait for me by a good fire?” asked the cardinal.
The host opened the door to a large room, in which a wretched stove had just been replaced by a large and excellent fireplace.
“I have this one,” he replied.
“Very good,” said the cardinal. “Go in here, gentlemen, and kindly wait for me. I won’t be more than half an hour.”
And while the three musketeers went into the ground-floor room, the cardinal, without asking for further information, went upstairs like a man who had no need to be shown the way.
XLIV
OF THE USEFULNESS OF STOVEPIPES
It was evident that, without suspecting it, and moved only by their chivalrous and adventurous character, our three friends had just rendered a service to someone whom the cardinal honored with his special protection.
Now, who was this someone? That was the question the three musketeers asked themselves first of all. Then, seeing that none of the responses their own intelligence could offer them were satisfactory, Porthos called the host and asked for dice.
Porthos and Aramis sat at a table and began to play. Athos paced the room and reflected.
While pacing and reflecting, Athos went back and forth before the broken-off stovepipe, the other end of which went to the room above, and each time he went back and forth, he heard a murmur of speech, which ended by catching his attention. Athos stepped closer and made out several words which doubtless seemed to him worthy of so great an interest that he made a sign to his companions to be quiet, while he himself remained bent down with his ear cocked at the level of the lower opening.
“Listen, Milady,” said the cardinal, “it’s an important matter. Sit down here and let’s talk.”
“Milady!” murmured Athos.
“I am listening to Your Eminence with the greatest attention,” replied a woman’s voice that made the musketeer shiver.
“A small boat with an English crew, whose captain is my man, is waiting for you in the mouth of the Charente, at the Fort de La Pointe. It will set sail tomorrow morning.”
“Then I must go there tonight?”
“This very moment—that is, once you’ve received my instructions.