60. Respect to Fallen Majesty.
As our fugitives approached the house, they found the ground cut up, asif a considerable body of horsemen had preceded them. Before the doorthe traces were yet more apparent; these horsemen, whoever they mightbe, had halted there.
"Egad!" cried D'Artagnan, "it's quite clear that the king and his escorthave been by here."
"The devil!" said Porthos; "in that case they have eaten everything."
"Bah!" said D'Artagnan, "they will have left a chicken, at least." Hedismounted and knocked on the door. There was no response.
He pushed open the door and found the first room empty and deserted.
"Well?" cried Porthos.
"I can see nobody," said D'Artagnan. "Aha!"
"What?"
"Blood!"
At this word the three friends leaped from their horses and entered.D'Artagnan had already opened the door of the second room, and from theexpression of his face it was clear that he there beheld someextraordinary object.
The three friends drew near and discovered a young man stretched on theground, bathed in a pool of blood. It was evident that he had attemptedto regain his bed, but had not had sufficient strength to do so.
Athos, who imagined that he saw him move, was the first to go up to him.
"Well?" inquired D'Artagnan.
"Well, if he is dead," said Athos, "he has not been so long, for he isstill warm. But no, his heart is beating. Ho, there, my friend!"
The wounded man heaved a sigh. D'Artagnan took some water in the hollowof his hand and threw it upon his face. The man opened his eyes, made aneffort to raise his head, and fell back again. The wound was in the topof his skull and blood was flawing copiously.
Aramis dipped a cloth into some water and applied it to the gash. Againthe wounded man opened his eyes and looked in astonishment at thesestrangers, who appeared to pity him.
"You are among friends," said Athos, in English; "so cheer up, and tellus, if you have the strength to do so, what has happened?"
"The king," muttered the wounded man, "the king is a prisoner."
"You have seen him?" asked Aramis, in the same language.
The man made no reply.
"Make your mind easy," resumed Athos, "we are all faithful servants ofhis majesty."
"Is what you tell me true?" asked the wounded man.
"On our honor as gentlemen."
"Then I may tell you all. I am brother to Parry, his majesty's lackey."
Athos and Aramis remembered that this was the name by which De Winterhad called the man they had found in the passage of the king's tent.
"We know him," said Athos, "he never left the king."
"Yes, that is he. Well, he thought of me, when he saw the king wastaken, and as they were passing before the house he begged in the king'sname that they would stop, as the king was hungry. They brought him intothis room and placed sentinels at the doors and windows. Parry knew thisroom, as he had often been to see me when the king was at Newcastle. Heknew that there was a trap-door communicating with a cellar, from whichone could get into the orchard. He made a sign, which I understood, butthe king's guards must have noticed it and held themselves on guard. Iwent out as if to fetch wood, passed through the subterranean passageinto the cellar, and whilst Parry was gently bolting the door, pushed upthe board and beckoned to the king to follow me. Alas! he would not. ButParry clasped his hands and implored him, and at last he agreed. I wenton first, fortunately. The king was a few steps behind me, when suddenlyI saw something rise up in front of me like a huge shadow. I wanted tocry out to warn the king, but that very moment I felt a blow as if thehouse was falling on my head, and fell insensible. When I came to myselfagain, I was stretched in the same place. I dragged myself as far as theyard. The king and his escort were no longer there. I spent perhaps anhour in coming from the yard to this place; then my strength gave outand I fainted again."
"And now how are you feeling?"
"Very ill," replied the wounded man.
"Can we do anything for you?" asked Athos.
"Help to put me on the bed; I think I shall feel better there."
"Have you any one to depend on for assistance?"
"My wife is at Durham and may return at any moment. But you--is therenothing that you want?"
"We came here with the intention of asking for something to eat."
"Alas, they have taken everything; there isn't a morsel of bread in thehouse."
"You hear, D'Artagnan?" said Athos; "we shall have to look elsewhere forour dinner."
"It is all one to me now," said D'Artagnan; "I am no longer hungry."
"Faith! neither am I," said Porthos.
They carried the man to his bed and called Grimaud to dress the wound.In the service of the four friends Grimaud had had so frequent occasionto make lint and bandages that he had become something of a surgeon.
In the meantime the fugitives had returned to the first room, where theytook counsel together.
"Now," said Aramis, "we know how the matter stands. The king and hisescort have gone this way; we had better take the opposite direction,eh?"
Athos did not reply; he reflected.
"Yes," said Porthos, "let us take the opposite direction; if we followthe escort we shall find everything devoured and die of hunger. What aconfounded country this England is! This is the first time I have gonewithout my dinner for ten years, and it is generally my best meal."
"What do you think, D'Artagnan?" asked Athos. "Do you agree withAramis?"
"Not at all," said D'Artagnan; "I am precisely of the contrary opinion."
"What! you would follow the escort?" exclaimed Porthos, in dismay.
"No, I would join the escort."
Athos's eyes shone with joy.
"Join the escort!" cried Aramis.
"Let D'Artagnan speak," said Athos; "you know he always has wise adviceto give."
"Clearly," said D'Artagnan, "we must go where they will not look for us.Now, they will be far from looking for us among the Puritans; therefore,with the Puritans we must go."
"Good, my friend, good!" said Athos. "It is excellent advice. I wasabout to give it when you anticipated me."
"That, then, is your opinion?" asked Aramis.
"Yes. They will think we are trying to leave England and will search forus at the ports; meanwhile we shall reach London with the king. Once inLondon we shall be hard to find--without considering," continued Athos,throwing a glance at Aramis, "the chances that may come to us on theway."
"Yes," said Aramis, "I understand."
"I, however, do not understand," said Porthos. "But no matter; since itis at the same time the opinion of D'Artagnan and of Athos, it must bethe best."
"But," said Aramis, "shall we not be suspected by Colonel Harrison?"
"Egad!" cried D'Artagnan, "he's just the man I count upon. ColonelHarrison is one of our friends. We have met him twice at GeneralCromwell's. He knows that we were sent from France by Monsieur Mazarin;he will consider us as brothers. Besides, is he not a butcher's son?Well, then, Porthos shall show him how to knock down an ox with a blowof the fist, and I how to trip up a bull by taking him by the horns.That will insure his confidence."
Athos smiled. "You are the best companion that I know, D'Artagnan," hesaid, offering his hand to the Gascon; "and I am very happy in havingfound you again, my dear son."
This was, as we have seen, the term which Athos applied to D'Artagnan inhis more expansive moods.
At this moment Grimaud came in. He had stanched the wound and the manwas better.
The four friends took leave of him and asked if they could deliver anymessage for him to his brother.
"Tell him," answered the brave man, "to let the king know that they havenot killed me outright. However insignificant I am, I am sure that hismajesty is concerned for me and blames himself for my death."
"Be easy," said D'Artagnan, "he will know all before night."
The little troop recommenced their march,
and at the end of two hoursperceived a considerable body of horsemen about half a league ahead.
"My dear friends," said D'Artagnan, "give your swords to MonsieurMouston, who will return them to you at the proper time and place, anddo not forget you are our prisoners."
It was not long before they joined the escort. The king was riding infront, surrounded by troopers, and when he saw Athos and Aramis a glowof pleasure lighted his pale cheeks.
D'Artagnan passed to the head of the column, and leaving his friendsunder the guard of Porthos, went straight to Harrison, who recognizedhim as having met him at Cromwell's and received him as politely as aman of his breeding and disposition could. It turned out as D'Artagnanhad foreseen. The colonel neither had nor could have any suspicion.
They halted for the king to dine. This time, however, due precautionswere taken to prevent any attempt at escape. In the large room of thehotel a small table was placed for him and a large one for the officers.
"Will you dine with me?" asked Harrison of D'Artagnan.
"Gad, I should be very happy, but I have my companion, Monsieur duVallon, and the two prisoners, whom I cannot leave. Let us manage itbetter. Have a table set for us in a corner and send us whatever youlike from yours."
"Good," answered Harrison.
The matter was arranged as D'Artagnan had suggested, and when hereturned he found the king already seated at his little table, whereParry waited on him, Harrison and his officers sitting together atanother table, and, in a corner, places reserved for himself and hiscompanions.
The table at which the Puritan officers were seated was round, andwhether by chance or coarse intention, Harrison sat with his back to theking.
The king saw the four gentlemen come in, but appeared to take no noticeof them.
They sat down in such a manner as to turn their backs on nobody. Theofficers, table and that of the king were opposite to them.
"I'faith, colonel," said D'Artagnan, "we are very grateful for yourgracious invitation; for without you we ran the risk of going withoutdinner, as we have without breakfast. My friend here, Monsieur duVallon, shares my gratitude, for he was particularly hungry."
"And I am so still," said Porthos bowing to Harrison.
"And how," said Harrison, laughing, "did this serious calamity of goingwithout breakfast happen to you?"
"In a very simple manner, colonel," said D'Artagnan. "I was in a hurryto join you and took the road you had already gone by. You canunderstand our disappointment when, arriving at a pretty little house onthe skirts of a wood, which at a distance had quite a gay appearance,with its red roof and green shutters, we found nothing but a poor wretchbathed--Ah! colonel, pay my respects to the officer of yours who struckthat blow."
"Yes," said Harrison, laughing, and looking over at one of the officersseated at his table. "When Groslow undertakes this kind of thing there'sno need to go over the ground a second time."
"Ah! it was this gentleman?" said D'Artagnan, bowing to the officer. "Iam sorry he does not speak French, that I might tender him mycompliments."
"I am ready to receive and return them, sir," said the officer, inpretty good French, "for I resided three years in Paris."
"Then, sir, allow me to assure you that your blow was so well directedthat you have nearly killed your man."
"Nearly? I thought I had quite," said Groslow.
"No. It was a very near thing, but he is not dead."
As he said this, D'Artagnan gave a glance at Parry, who was standing infront of the king, to show him that the news was meant for him.
The king, too, who had listened in the greatest agony, now breathedagain.
"Hang it," said Groslow, "I thought I had succeeded better. If it werenot so far from here to the house I would return and finish him."
"And you would do well, if you are afraid of his recovering; for youknow, if a wound in the head does not kill at once, it is cured in aweek."
And D'Artagnan threw a second glance toward Parry, on whose face such anexpression of joy was manifested that Charles stretched out his hand tohim, smiling.
Parry bent over his master's hand and kissed it respectfully.
"I've a great desire to drink the king's health," said Athos.
"Let me propose it, then," said D'Artagnan.
"Do," said Aramis.
Porthos looked at D'Artagnan, quite amazed at the resources with whichhis companion's Gascon sharpness continually supplied him. D'Artagnantook up his camp tin cup, filled it with wine and arose.
"Gentlemen," said he, "let us drink to him who presides at the repast.Here's to our colonel, and let him know that we are always at hiscommands as far as London and farther."
And as D'Artagnan, as he spoke, looked at Harrison, the colonel imaginedthe toast was for himself. He arose and bowed to the four friends, whoseeyes were fixed on Charles, while Harrison emptied his glass without theslightest misgiving.
The king, in return, looked at the four gentlemen and drank with a smilefull of nobility and gratitude.
"Come, gentlemen," cried Harrison, regardless of his illustriouscaptive, "let us be off."
"Where do we sleep, colonel?"
"At Thirsk," replied Harrison.
"Parry," said the king, rising too, "my horse; I desire to go toThirsk."
"Egad!" said D'Artagnan to Athos, "your king has thoroughly taken me,and I am quite at his service."
"If what you say is sincere," replied Athos, "he will never reachLondon."
"How so?"
"Because before then we shall have carried him off."
"Well, this time, Athos," said D'Artagnan, "upon my word, you are mad."
"Have you some plan in your head then?" asked Aramis.
"Ay!" said Porthos, "the thing would not be impossible with a goodplan."
"I have none," said Athos; "but D'Artagnan will discover one."
D'Artagnan shrugged his shoulders and they proceeded.
Vingt ans après. English Page 60
