The Three Musketeers (Translated by Richard Pevear) - Alexandre Dumas [61]
“I will, without any promises and in all conscience, do all I can to serve the king and to be agreeable to the queen,” said d’Artagnan. “Dispose of me, then, as of a friend.”
“But where will you put me in the meantime?”
“Don’t you have someone from whom M. de La Porte could come and fetch you?”
“No, I don’t want to trust myself to anyone.”
“Wait,” said d’Artagnan, “we’re at Athos’s door. Yes, that’s it.”
“Who is Athos?”
“A friend of mine.”
“But what if he’s at home and sees me?”
“He’s not there, and I’ll take the key with me after I’ve installed you in his apartment.”
“But if he comes back?”
“He won’t come back. Besides, he’ll be told that I brought a woman, and that the woman is at his place.”
“But you know that will compromise me very badly!”
“What does it matter to you? You’re not known, and besides, in our position we can do without certain proprieties!”
“Let’s go to your friend’s place, then. Where does he live?”
“Rue Férou, two steps away.”
“Let’s go.”
And the two hastened on their way again. As d’Artagnan had foreseen, Athos was not at home. He took the key, which they were accustomed to giving him as a friend of the house, went upstairs, and ushered Mme Bonacieux into the small apartment that we have already described.
“Make yourself at home,” he said. “Wait, lock the door from inside and don’t open for anyone, unless you hear three knocks like this.” And he knocked three times: two taps close together and rather loud, then one lighter tap.
“Very well,” said Mme Bonacieux. “Now it’s my turn to give you my instructions.”
“I’m listening.”
“Go to the gateway of the Louvre on the side of the rue de l’Échelle and ask for Germain.”
“Very well. And then?”
“He will ask you what you want, and you will answer with these two words: Tours and Brussels. He’ll be at your orders at once.”
“And what shall I order him to do?”
“To go and find M. de La Porte, the queen’s valet.”
“And when he has found him and M. de La Porte has come?”
“You will send him to me.”
“Very well, but where and how will I see you again?”
“Are you very anxious to see me again?”
“Of course.”
“Well, then, leave that up to me, and don’t worry.”
“I rely on your word.”
“You may.”
D’Artagnan bowed to Mme Bonacieux, throwing her the most amorous glance it was possible to focus on her charming little person, and as he went downstairs, he heard the door close and the lock turn twice behind him. In two bounds he was at the Louvre: as he entered the gateway on the rue de l’Échelle, it was striking ten. All the events we have just recounted had taken place in half an hour.
Everything went as Mme Bonacieux had foretold. At the agreed password, Germain nodded his head; ten minutes later, La Porte was in the porter’s lodge. In two words d’Artagnan laid the facts before him and told him where Mme Bonacieux was. La Porte checked the accuracy of the address twice and set off at a run. However, he had barely gone ten steps when he came back.
“Young man,” he said to d’Artagnan, “a piece of advice.”
“What?”
“You could be bothered because of what has just happened.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. Do you have a friend whose watch runs slow?”
“Eh?”
“Go to see him, so that he can testify that you were with him at half-past nine. In legal circles, that is known as an alibi.”
D’Artagnan found the advice prudent. He took to his heels and went to M. de Tréville’s hôtel, but instead of going into the reception room with everyone else, he asked to be let in to his office. As d’Artagnan was a habitué of the hôtel, they never made any difficulties about granting his requests, and they went to inform M. de Tréville that his young compatriot had something important to say to him and was seeking a private audience. Five minutes later, M. de Tréville was asking d’Artagnan how he could be of service to him and to what he owed this visit at such a late hour.
“Forgive me, Monsieur!” said d’Artagnan, who had profited from the moment when he had been left alone to set the clock back three-quarters of an hour. “I thought that, as it was only twenty-five past nine,