The two friends went toward the shed。 At their approach
Planchet came out leading the two horses。
〃That is good to see；〃 said Aramis。 〃There is a servant
active and vigilant； not like that lazy fellow Bazin； who is
no longer good for anything since he became connected with
the church。 Follow us； Planchet； we shall continue our
conversation to the end of the village。〃
They traversed the width of the village； talking of
indifferent things； then as they reached the last houses：
〃Go； then； dear friend；〃 said Aramis； 〃follow your own
career。 Fortune lavishes her smiles upon you； do not let her
flee from your embrace。 As for me； I remain in my humility
and indolence。 Adieu！〃
〃Thus 'tis quite decided；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃that what I
have to offer to you does not tempt you？〃
〃On the contrary； it would tempt me were I any other man；〃
rejoined Aramis； 〃but I repeat； I am made up of
contradictions。 What I hate to…day I adore to…morrow； and
vice versa。 You see that I cannot； like you； for instance；
settle on any fixed plan。〃
〃Thou liest； subtile one；〃 said D'Artagnan to himself。 〃Thou
alone； on the contrary； knowest how to choose thy object and
to gain it stealthily。〃
The friends embraced。 They descended into the plain by the
ladder。 Planchet met them hard by the shed。 D'Artagnan
jumped into the saddle； then the old companions in arms
again shook hands。 D'Artagnan and Planchet spurred their
steeds and took the road to Paris。
But after he had gone about two hundred steps D'Artagnan
stopped short； alighted； threw the bridle of his horse over
the arm of Planchet and took the pistols from his saddle…bow
to fasten them to his girdle。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Planchet。
〃This is the matter： be he ever so cunning he shall never
say I was his dupe。 Stand here； don't stir； turn your back
to the road and wait for me。〃
Having thus spoken； D'Artagnan cleared the ditch by the
roadside and crossed the plain so as to wind around the
village。 He had observed between the house that Madame de
Longueville inhabited and the convent of the Jesuits； an
open space surrounded by a hedge。
The moon had now risen and he could see well enough to
retrace his road。
He reached the hedge and hid himself behind it； in passing
by the house where the scene which we have related took
place； he remarked that the window was again lighted up and
he was convinced that Aramis had not yet returned to his own
apartment and that when he did it would not be alone。
In truth； in a few minutes he heard steps approaching and
low whispers。
Close to the hedge the steps stopped。
D'Artagnan knelt down near the thickest part of the hedge。
Two men； to the astonishment of D'Artagnan； appeared
shortly； soon； however； his surprise vanished； for he heard
the murmurs of a soft； harmonious voice； one of these two
men was a woman disguised as a cavalier。
〃Calm yourself； dear Rene；〃 said the soft voice； 〃the same
thing will never happen again。 I have discovered a sort of
subterranean passage which runs beneath the street and we
shall only have to raise one of the marble slabs before the
door to open you an entrance and an outlet。〃
〃Oh！〃 answered another voice； which D'Artagnan instantly
recognized as that of Aramis。 〃I swear to you； princess；
that if your reputation did not depend on precautions and if
my life alone were jeopardized 〃
〃Yes； yes！ I know you are as brave and venturesome as any
man in the world； but you do not belong to me alone； you
belong to all our party。 Be prudent！ sensible！〃
〃I always obey； madame； when I am commanded by so gentle a
voice。〃
He kissed her hand tenderly。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed the cavalier with a soft voice。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Aramis。
〃Do you not see that the wind has blown off my hat？〃
Aramis rushed after the fugitive hat。 D'Artagnan took
advantage of the circumstance to find a place in the hedge
not so thick； where his glance could penetrate to the
supposed cavalier。 At that instant； the moon； inquisitive；
perhaps； like D'Artagnan； came from behind a cloud and by
her light D'Artagnan recognized the large blue eyes； the
golden hair and the classic head of the Duchess de
Longueville。
Aramis returned； laughing； one hat on his head and the other
in his hand； and he and his companion resumed their walk
toward the convent。
〃Good！〃 said D'Artagnan； rising and brushing his knees； 〃now
I have thee thou art a Frondeur and the lover of Madame
de Longueville。〃
10
Monsieur Porthos du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds。
Thanks to what Aramis had told him； D'Artagnan； who knew
already that Porthos called himself Du Vallon； was now aware
that he styled himself； from his estate； De Bracieux； and
that he was； on account of this estate； engaged in a lawsuit
with the Bishop of Noyon。 It was； then； in the neighborhood
of Noyon that he must seek that estate。 His itinerary was
promptly determined： he would go to Dammartin； from which
place two roads diverge； one toward Soissons； the other
toward Compiegne； there he would inquire concerning the
Bracieux estate and go to the right or to the left according
to the information obtained。
Planchet； who was still a little concerned for his safety
after his recent escapade； declared that he would follow
D'Artagnan even to the end of the world； either by the road
to the right or by that to the left； only he begged his
former master to set out in the evening； for greater
security to himself。 D'Artagnan suggested that he should
send word to his wife； so that she might not be anxious
about him； but Planchet replied with much sagacity that he
was very sure his wife would not die of anxiety through not
knowing where he was； while he； Planchet； remembering her
incontinence of tongue； would die of anxiety if she did
know。
This reasoning seemed to D'Artagnan so satisfactory that he
no further insisted； and about eight o'clock in the evening；
the time when the vapors of night begin to thicken in the
streets； he left the Hotel de la Chevrette； and followed by
Planchet set forth from the capital by way of the Saint
Denis gate。
At midnight the two travelers were at Dammartin； but it was
then too late to make inquiries the host of the Cygne de
la Croix had gone to bed。
The next morning D'Artagnan summoned the host； one of those
sly Normans who say neither yes nor no and fear to commit
themselves by giving a direct answer。 D'Artagnan； however；
gathered from his equivocal replies that the road to the
right was the one he ought to take； and on that uncertain
information he resumed his journey。 At nine in the morning
he reached Nanteuil and stopped for breakfast。 His host here
was a good fellow from Picardy； who gave him all the
information he needed。 The Bracieux estate was a few leagues
from Villars…Cotterets。
D'Artagnan was acquainted with Villars…Cotterets having gone
thither with the court on several occasions； for at that
time Villars…Cotterets was a royal residence。 He therefore
shaped his course toward that place and dismounted at the
Dauphin d'Or。 There he ascertained that the Bracieux estate
was four leagues distant； but that Porthos was not at
Bracieux。 Porthos had； in fact； been involved in a dispute
with the Bishop of Noyon in regard to the Pierrefonds
property； which adjoined his own； and weary at length of a
legal controversy which was beyond his comprehension； he put
an end to it by purchasing Pierrefonds and added that name
to his others。 He now called himself Du Vallon de Bracieux
de Pierrefonds； and resided on his new estate。
The travelers were therefore obliged to stay at the hotel
until the next day； the horses had done ten leagues that day
and needed rest。 It is true they might have taken others；
but there was a great forest to pass through and Planchet；
as we have seen； had no liking for forests after dark。
There was another thing that Planchet had no liking for and
that was starting on a journey with a hungry stomach。
Accordingly； D'Artagnan； on awaking； found his breakfast
waiting for him。 It need not be said that Planchet in
resuming his former functions resumed also his former
humility and was not ashamed to make his breakfast on what
was left by D'Artagnan。
It was nearly eight o'clock when they set out again。 Their
course was clearly defined： they were to follow the road
toward Compiegne and on emerging from the forest turn to the
right。
The morning was beautiful； and in this early springtime the
birds sang on the trees and the sunbeams shone through the
misty glades； like curtains of golden gauze。
In other parts of the forest the light could scarcely
penetrate through the foliage； and the stems of two old oak
trees； the refuge of the squirrel； startled by the
travelers； were in deep shadow。
There came up from all nature in the dawn of day a perfume
of herbs； flowers and leaves； which delighted the heart。
D'Artagnan； sick of the closeness of Paris； thought that
when a man had three names of his different estates joined
one to another； he ought to be very happy in such a
paradise； then he shook his head； saying； 〃If I were Porthos
and D'Artagnan came to make me such a proposition as I am
going to make to him； I know what I should say to it。〃
As to Planchet； he thought of little or nothing； but was
happy as a hunting…hound in his old master's company。
At the extremity of the wood D'Artagnan perceived the road
that had been described to him； and at the end of the road
he saw the towers of an immense feudal castle。
〃Oh！ oh！〃 he said； 〃I fancied this castle belonged to the
ancient branch of Orleans。 Can Porthos have negotiated for
it with the Duc de Longueville？〃
〃Faith！〃 exclaimed Planchet； 〃here's land in good condition；
if it belongs to Monsieur Porthos I wish him joy。〃
〃Zounds！〃 cried D'Artagnan； 〃don't call him Porthos； nor
even Vallon； call him De Bracieux or De Pierrefonds； thou
wilt knell out damnation to my mission otherwise。〃
As he approached the castle which had first attracted his
eye； D'Artagnan was convinced that it could not be there
that his friend dwelt； the towers； though solid and as if
built yesterday； were open and broken。 One might have
fancied that some giant had cleaved them with blows from a
hatchet。
On arriving at the extremity of