white with foam。
〃Help！〃 cried D'Artagnan。 〃What！ will you let me be killed？
Jesus Seigneur！〃
No sooner had he uttered this cry than the door opened and
Athos and Aramis rushed out。 The coast； owing to the
Gascon's stratagem； was clear。
〃The prisoners are escaping！ the prisoners are escaping！〃
cried the sergeant。
〃Stop！ stop！〃 cried D'Artagnan； giving rein to his famous
steed； who； darting forth； overturned several men。
〃Stop！ stop！〃 cried the soldiers； and ran for their arms。
But the prisoners were in their saddles and lost no time
hastening to the nearest gate。
In the middle of the street they saw Grimaud and Blaisois；
who were coming to find their masters。 With one wave of his
hand Athos made Grimaud； who followed the little troop；
understand everything； and they passed on like a whirlwind；
D'Artagnan still directing them from behind with his voice。
They passed through the gate like apparitions； without the
guards thinking of detaining them； and reached the open
country。
All this time the soldiers were calling out； 〃Stop！ stop！〃
and the sergeant； who began to see that he was the victim of
an artifice； was almost in a frenzy of despair。 Whilst all
this was going on； a cavalier in full gallop was seen
approaching。 It was Mordaunt with the order in his hand。
〃The prisoners！〃 he exclaimed； jumping off his horse。
The sergeant had not the courage to reply； he showed him the
open door； the empty room。 Mordaunt darted to the steps；
understood all； uttered a cry； as if his very heart was
pierced； and fell fainting on the stone steps。
59
In which it is shown that under the most trying
Circumstances noble Natures never lose their Courage； nor
good Stomachs their Appetites。
The little troop； without looking behind them or exchanging
a word； fled at a rapid gallop； fording a little stream； of
which none of them knew the name； and leaving on their left
a town which Athos declared to be Durham。 At last they came
in sight of a small wood； and spurring their horses afresh；
rode in its direction。
As soon as they had disappeared behind a green curtain
sufficiently thick to conceal them from the sight of any one
who might be in pursuit they drew up to hold a council
together。 The two grooms held the horses； that they might
take a little rest without being unsaddled； and Grimaud was
posted as sentinel。
〃Come； first of all；〃 said Athos to D'Artagnan； 〃my friend；
that I may shake hands with you you； our rescuer you；
the true hero of us all。〃
〃Athos is right you have my adoration；〃 said Aramis； in
his turn pressing his hand。 〃To what are you not equal； with
your superior intelligence； infallible eye； your arm of iron
and your enterprising mind！〃
〃Now；〃 said the Gascon； 〃that is all well； I accept for
Porthos and myself everything thanks and compliments； we
have plenty of time to spare。〃
The two friends； recalled by D'Artagnan to what was also due
to Porthos； pressed his hand in their turn。
〃And now；〃 said Athos； 〃it is not our plan to run anywhere
and like madmen； but we must map up our campaign。 What shall
we do？〃
〃What are we going to do； i'faith？ It is not very difficult
to say。〃
〃Tell us； then； D'Artagnan。〃
〃We are going to reach the nearest seaport； unite our little
resources； hire a vessel and return to France。 As for me I
will give my last sou for it。 Life is the greatest treasure；
and speaking candidly； ours hangs by a thread。〃
〃What do you say to this； Du Vallon？〃
〃I；〃 said Porthos； 〃I am entirely of D'Artagnan's opinion；
this is a ‘beastly' country； this England。〃
〃You are quite decided； then； to leave it？〃 asked Athos of
D'Artagnan。
〃Egad！ I don't see what is to keep me here。〃
A glance was exchanged between Athos and Aramis。
〃Go； then； my friends；〃 said the former； sighing。
〃How； go then？〃 exclaimed D'Artagnan。 〃Let us go； you mean？〃
〃No； my friend；〃 said Athos； 〃you must leave us。〃
〃Leave you！〃 cried D'Artagnan； quite bewildered at this
unexpected announcement。
〃Bah！〃 said Porthos； 〃why separate； since we are all
together？〃
〃Because you can and ought to return to France； your mission
is accomplished； but ours is not。〃
〃Your mission is not accomplished？〃 exclaimed D'Artagnan；
looking in astonishment at Athos。
〃No； my friend；〃 replied Athos； in his gentle but decided
voice； 〃we came here to defend King Charles； we have but ill
defended him it remains for us to save him！〃
〃To save the king？〃 said D'Artagnan； looking at Aramis as he
had looked at Athos。
Aramis contented himself by making a sign with his head。
D'Artagnan's countenance took an expression of the deepest
compassion； he began to think he had to do with madmen。
〃You cannot be speaking seriously； Athos！〃 said he； 〃the
king is surrounded by an army； which is conducting him to
London。 This army is commanded by a butcher； or the son of a
butcher it matters little Colonel Harrison。 His
majesty； I can assure you； will be tried on his arrival in
London； I have heard enough from the lips of Oliver Cromwell
to know what to expect。〃
A second look was exchanged between Athos and Aramis。
〃And when the trial is ended there will be no delay in
putting the sentence into execution；〃 continued D'Artagnan。
〃And to what penalty do you think the king will be
condemned？〃 asked Athos。
〃The penalty of death； I greatly fear； they have gone too
far for him to pardon them； and there is nothing left to
them but one thing； and that is to kill him。 Have you never
heard what Oliver Cromwell said when he came to Paris and
was shown the dungeon at Vincennes where Monsieur de Vendome
was imprisoned？〃
〃What did he say？〃 asked Porthos。
〃‘Princes must be knocked on the head。'〃
〃I remember it；〃 said Athos。
〃And you fancy he will not put his maxim into execution； now
that he has got hold of the king？〃
〃On the contrary； I am certain he will do so。 But then that
is all the more reason why we should not abandon the august
head so threatened。〃
〃Athos； you are becoming mad。〃
〃No； my friend；〃 Athos gently replied； 〃but De Winter sought
us out in France and introduced us； Monsieur d'Herblay and
myself； to Madame Henrietta。 Her majesty did us the honor to
ask our aid for her husband。 We engaged our word； our word
included everything。 It was our strength； our intelligence；
our life； in short； that we promised。 It remains now for us
to keep our word。 Is that your opinion； D'Herblay？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Aramis； 〃we have promised。〃
〃Then；〃 continued Athos； 〃we have another reason； it is this
listen： In France at this moment everything is poor and
paltry。 We have a king ten years old； who doesn't yet know
what he wants； we have a queen blinded by a belated passion；
we have a minister who governs France as he would govern a
great farm that is to say； intent only on turning out all
the gold he can by the exercise of Italian cunning and
invention； we have princes who set up a personal and
egotistic opposition； who will draw from Mazarin's hands
only a few ingots of gold or some shreds of power granted as
bribes。 I have served them without enthusiasm God knows
that I estimated them at their real value； and that they are
not high in my esteem but on principle。 To…day I am
engaged in a different affair。 I have encountered misfortune
in a high place； a royal misfortune； a European misfortune；
I attach myself to it。 If we can succeed in saving the king
it will be good； if we die for him it will be grand。〃
〃So you know beforehand you must perish！〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃We fear so； and our only regret is to die so far from both
of you。〃
〃What will you do in a foreign land； an enemy's country？〃
〃I traveled in England when I was young； I speak English
like an Englishman； and Aramis； too； knows something of the
language。 Ah！ if we had you； my friends！ With you；
D'Artagnan； with you； Porthos all four reunited for the
first time for twenty years we would dare not only
England； but the three kingdoms put together！〃
〃And did you promise the queen；〃 resumed D'Artagnan；
petulantly； 〃to storm the Tower of London； to kill a hundred
thousand soldiers； to fight victoriously against the wishes
of the nation and the ambition of a man； and when that man
is Cromwell？ Do not exaggerate your duty。 In Heaven's name；
my dear Athos； do not make a useless sacrifice。 When I see
you merely； you look like a reasonable being； when you
speak； I seem to have to do with a madman。 Come； Porthos；
join me； say frankly； what do you think of this business？〃
〃Nothing good；〃 replied Porthos。
〃Come；〃 continued D'Artagnan； who； irritated that instead of
listening to him Athos seemed to be attending to his own
thoughts； 〃you have never found yourself the worse for my
advice。 Well； then； believe me； Athos； your mission is
ended； and ended nobly； return to France with us。〃
〃Friend；〃 said Athos； 〃our resolution is irrevocable。〃
〃Then you have some other motive unknown to us？〃
Athos smiled and D'Artagnan struck his hand together in
anger and muttered the most convincing reasons that he could
discover； but to all these reasons Athos contented himself
by replying with a calm； sweet smile and Aramis by nodding
his head。
〃Very well；〃 cried D'Artagnan； at last； furious； 〃very well；
since you wish it； let us leave our bones in this beggarly
land； where it is always cold； where fine weather is a fog；
fog is rain； and rain a deluge； where the sun represents the
moon and the moon a cream cheese； in truth； whether we die
here or elsewhere matters little； since we must die。〃
〃Only reflect； my good fellow；〃 said Athos； 〃it is but dying
rather sooner。〃
〃Pooh！ a little sooner or a little later； it isn't worth
quarreling over。〃
〃If I am astonished at anything；〃 remarked Porthos；
sententiously； 〃it is that it has not already happened。〃
〃Oh； it will happen； you may be sure；〃 said D'Artagnan。 〃So
it is agreed； and if Porthos makes no objection 〃
〃I；〃 said Porthos； 〃I will do whatever you please； and
besides； I think what the Comte de la Fere said just now is
very good。〃
〃But your future career； D'Artagnan your ambition；
Porthos？〃
〃Our future； our ambition！〃 replied D'Artagnan； with
feverish volubility。 〃Need we think of that since we are to
save the king？ The king saved we shall assemble our
friends together