〃Wait here to receive the troops。 I shall either return for
them myself or shall send a courier directing you to bring
them to me。 Twenty guards； well mounted； are all that I
shall need for my escort。〃
〃That is very few；〃 said the marshal。
〃It is enough；〃 replied the prince。 〃Have you a good horse；
Monsieur de Bragelonne？〃
〃My horse was killed this morning； my lord； and I am mounted
provisionally on my lackey's。〃
〃Choose for yourself in my stables the horse you like best。
No false modesty； take the best horse you can find。 You will
need it this evening； perhaps； you will certainly need it
to…morrow。〃
Raoul didn't wait to be told twice； he knew that with
superiors； especially when those superiors are princes； the
highest politeness is to obey without delay or argument； he
went down to the stables； picked out a pie…bald Andalusian
horse； saddled and bridled it himself； for Athos had advised
him to trust no one with those important offices at a time
of danger； and went to rejoin the prince； who at that moment
mounted his horse。
〃Now； monsieur；〃 he said to Raoul； 〃will you give me the
letter you have brought？〃
Raoul handed the letter to the prince。
〃Keep near me；〃 said the latter。
The prince threw his bridle over the pommel of the saddle；
as he was wont to do when he wished to have both hands free；
unsealed the letter of Madame de Longueville and started at
a gallop on the road to Lens； attended by Raoul and his
small escort； whilst messengers sent to recall the troops
set out with a loose rein in other directions。 The prince
read as he hastened on。
〃Monsieur；〃 he said； after a moment； 〃they tell me great
things of you。 I have only to say； after the little that I
have seen and heard； that I think even better of you than I
have been told。'
Raoul bowed。
Meanwhile； as the little troop drew nearer to Lens； the
noise of the cannon sounded louder。 The prince kept his gaze
fixed in the direction of the sound with the steadfastness
of a bird of prey。 One would have said that his gaze could
pierce the branches of trees which limited his horizon。 From
time to time his nostrils dilated as if eager for the smell
of powder； and he panted like a horse。
At length they heard the cannon so near that it was evident
they were within a league of the field of battle； and at a
turn of the road they perceived the little village of Aunay。
The peasants were in great commotion。 The report of Spanish
cruelty had gone out and every one was frightened。 The women
had already fled； taking refuge in Vitry； only a few men
remained。 On seeing the prince they hastened to meet him。
One of them recognized him。
〃Ah； my lord；〃 he said； 〃have you come to drive away those
rascal Spaniards and those Lorraine robbers？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the prince； 〃if you will serve me as guide。〃
〃Willingly； my lord。 Where does your highness wish to go？〃
〃To some elevated spot whence I can look down on Lens and
the surrounding country 〃
〃In that case； I'm your man。〃
〃I can trust you you are a true Frenchman？〃
〃I am an old soldier of Rocroy； my lord。〃
〃Here；〃 said the prince； handing him a purse； 〃here is for
Rocroy。 Now； do you want a horse； or will you go afoot？〃
〃Afoot； my lord； I have served always in the infantry。
Besides； I expect to lead your highness into places where
you will have to walk。〃
〃Come； then；〃 said the prince； 〃let us lose no time。〃
The peasant started off； running before the prince's horse；
then； a hundred steps from the village； he took a narrow
road hidden at the bottom of the valley。 For a half league
they proceeded thus； the cannon…shot sounding so near that
they expected at each discharge to hear the hum of the
balls。 At length they entered a path which； going out from
the road； skirted the mountainside。 The prince dismounted；
ordered one of his aids and Raoul to follow his example； and
directed the others to await his orders； keeping themselves
meanwhile on the alert。 He then began to ascend the path。
In about ten minutes they reached the ruins of an old
chateau； those ruins crowned the summit of a hill which
overlooked the surrounding country。 At a distance of hardly
a quarter of a league they looked down on Lens； at bay； and
before Lens the enemy's entire army。
With a single glance the prince took in the extent of
country that lay before him； from Lens as far as Vimy。 In a
moment the plan of the battle which on the following day was
to save France the second time from invasion was unrolled in
his mind。 He took a pencil； tore a page from his tablets and
wrote：
My Dear Marshal； In an hour Lens will be in the enemy's
possession。 Come and rejoin me； bring with you the whole
army。 I shall be at Vendin to place it in position。
To…morrow we shall retake Lens and beat the enemy。〃
Then； turning toward Raoul： 〃Go； monsieur；〃 he said； 〃ride
fast and give this letter to Monsieur de Grammont。〃
Raoul bowed； took the letter； went hastily down the
mountain； leaped on his horse and set out at a gallop。 A
quarter of an hour later he was with the marshal。
A portion of the troops had already arrived and the
remainder was expected from moment to moment。 Marshal de
Grammont put himself at the head of all the available
cavalry and infantry and took the road to Vendin； leaving
the Duc de Chatillon to await and bring on the rest。 All the
artillery was ready to move； and started off at a moment's
notice。
It was seven o'clock in the evening when the marshal arrived
at the appointed place。 The prince awaited him there。 As he
had foreseen； Lens had fallen into the hands of the enemy
immediately after Raoul's departure。 The event was announced
by the cessation of the firing。
As the shadows of night deepened the troops summoned by the
prince arrived in successive detachments。 Orders were given
that no drum should be beaten； no trumpet sounded。
At nine o'clock the night had fully come。 Still a last ray
of twilight lighted the plain。 The army marched silently；
the prince at the head of the column。 Presently the army
came in sight of Lens； two or three houses were in flames
and a dull noise was heard which indicated what suffering
was endured by a town taken by assault。
The prince assigned to every one his post。 Marshal de
Grammont was to hold the extreme left； resting on Mericourt。
The Duc de Chatillon commanded the centre。 Finally； the
prince led the right wing； resting on Aunay。 The order of
battle on the morrow was to be that of the positions taken
in the evening。 Each one； on awaking； would find himself on
the field of battle。
The movement was executed in silence and with precision。 At
ten o'clock every one was in his appointed position； at
half…past ten the prince visited the posts and gave his
final orders for the following day。
Three things were especially urged upon the officers； who
were to see that the soldiers observed them scrupulously：
the first； that the different corps should so march that
cavalry and infantry should be on the same line and that
each body should protect its gaps； the second； to go to the
charge no faster than a walk； the third； to let the enemy
fire first。
The prince assigned the Count de Guiche to his father and
kept Bragelonne near his own person； but the two young men
sought the privilege of passing the night together and it
was accorded them。 A tent was erected for them near that of
the marshal。
Although the day had been fatiguing； neither of them was
inclined to sleep。 And besides； even for old soldiers the
evening before a battle is a serious time； it was so with
greater reason to two young men who were about to witness
for the first time that terrible spectacle。 On the evening
before a battle one thinks of a thousand things forgotten
till then； those who are indifferent to one another become
friends and those who are friends become brothers。 It need
not be said that if in the depths of the heart there is a
sentiment more tender； it reaches then； quite naturally； the
highest exaltation of which it is capable。 Some sentiment of
this kind must have been cherished by each one of these two
friends； for each of them almost immediately sat down by
himself at an end of the tent and began to write。
The letters were long the four pages were covered with
closely written words。 The writers sometimes looked up at
each other and smiled； they understood without speaking；
their organizations were so delicate and sympathetic。 The
letters being finished； each put his own into two envelopes；
so that no one； without tearing the first envelope； could
discover to whom the second was addressed； then they drew
near to each other and smilingly exchanged their letters。
〃In case any evil should happen to me；〃 said Bragelonne。
〃In case I should be killed；〃 said De Guiche。
They then embraced each other like two brothers； and each
wrapping himself in his cloak they soon passed into that
kindly sleep of youth which is the prerogative of birds；
flowers and infants。
35
A Dinner in the Old Style。
The second interview between the former musketeers was not
so formal and threatening as the first。 Athos； with his
superior understanding； wisely deemed that the supper table
would be the most complete and satisfactory point of
reunion； and at the moment when his friends； in deference to
his deportment and sobriety； dared scarcely speak of some of
their former good dinners； he was the first to propose that
they should all assemble around some well spread table and
abandon themselves unreservedly to their own natural
character and manners a freedom which had formerly
contributed so much to that good understanding between them
which gave them the name of the inseparables。 For different
reasons this was an agreeable proposition to them all； and
it was therefore agreed that each should leave a very exact
address and that upon the request of any of the associates a
meeting should be convoked at a famous eating house in the
Rue de la Monnaie； of the sign of the Hermitage。 The first
rendezvous was fixed for the following Wednesday； at eight
o'clock in the evening precisely。
On that day； in fact； the four friends arrived punctually at
the hour； each from his own abode or occupation。 Porthos had
been trying a new horse； D'Art