按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
itary style。〃
〃What； ho！〃 said Grimaud。
〃What？〃 asked Athos。
〃Planchet； sir。〃
〃Lieutenant yesterday；〃 said Aramis； 〃captain to…day； colonel； doubtless； to…morrow； in a fortnight the fellow will be marshal of France。〃
〃Question him about the fight；〃 said Athos。
Planchet； prouder than ever of his new duties； deigned to explain to the two gentlemen that he was ordered to take up his position on the Place Royale with two hundred men； forming the rear of the army of Paris； and to march on Charenton when necessary。
〃This day will be a warm one；〃 said Planchet； in a warlike tone。
〃No doubt；〃 said Aramis； 〃but it is far from here to the enemy。〃
〃Sir； the distance will be diminished；〃 said a subordinate。
Aramis saluted； then turning toward Athos：
〃I don't care to camp on the Place Royale with all these people；〃 he said。 〃Shall we go forward？ We shall see better what is going on。〃
〃And then Monsieur de Chatillon will not e to the Place Royale to look for you。 e； then； my friend； we will go forward。〃
〃Haven't you something to say to Monsieur de Flamarens on your own account？〃
〃My friend；〃 said Athos； 〃I have made a resolution never to draw my sword save when it is absolutely necessary。〃
〃And how long ago was that？〃
〃When I last drew my poniard。〃
〃Ah！ Good！ another souvenir of Monsieur Mordaunt。 Well； my friend； nothing now is lacking except that you should feel remorse for having killed that fellow。〃
〃Hush！〃 said Athos； putting a finger on his lips； with the sad smile peculiar to him； 〃let us talk no more of Mordaunt it will bring bad luck。〃 And Athos set forward toward Charenton； followed closely by Aramis。
The Battle of Charenton
As Athos and Aramis proceeded； and passed different panies on the road； they became aware that they were arriving near the field of battle。
〃Ah！ my friend！〃 cried Athos； suddenly； 〃where have you brought us？ I fancy I perceive around us faces of different officers in the royal army； is not that the Duc de Chatillon himself ing toward us with his brigadiers？〃
〃Good…day； sirs；〃 said the duke； advancing； 〃you are puzzled by what you see here； but one word will explain everything。 There is now a truce and a conference。 The prince； Monsieur de Retz； the Duc de Beaufort； the Duc de Bouillon； are talking over public affairs。 Now one of two things must happen： either matters will not be arranged； or they will be arranged； in which last case I shall be relieved of my mand and we shall still meet again。〃
〃Sir；〃 said Aramis； 〃you speak to the point。 Allow me to ask you a question： Where are the plenipotentiaries？〃
〃At Charenton； in the second house on the right on entering from the direction of Paris。〃
〃And was this conference arranged beforehand？〃
〃No； gentlemen； it seems to be the result of certain propositions which Mazarin made last night to the Parisians。〃
Athos and Aramis exchanged smiles； for they well knew what those propositions were； to whom they had been made and who had made them。
〃And that house in which the plenipotentiaries are；〃 asked Athos； 〃belongs to 〃
〃To Monsieur de Chanleu； who mands your troops at Charenton。 I say your troops； for I presume that you gentlemen are Frondeurs？〃
〃Yes； almost；〃 said Aramis。
〃We are for the king and the princes；〃 added Athos。
〃We must understand each other；〃 said the duke。 〃The king is with us and his generals are the Duke of Orleans and the Prince de Conde； although I must add 'tis almost impossible now to know to which party any one belongs。〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Athos； 〃but his right place is in our ranks； with the Prince de Conti； De Beaufort； D'Elbeuf； and De Bouillon； but； sir； supposing that the conference is broken off are you going to try to take Charenton？〃
〃Such are my orders。〃
〃Sir； since you mand the cavalry 〃
〃Pardon me； I am mander…in…chief。〃
〃So much the better。 You must know all your officers I mean those more distinguished。〃
〃Why； yes； very nearly。〃
〃Will you then kindly tell me if you have in your mand the Chevalier d'Artagnan； lieutenant in the musketeers？〃
〃No； sir； he is not with us； he left Paris more than six weeks ago and is believed to have gone on a mission to England。〃
〃I knew that； but I supposed he had returned。〃
〃No； sir； no one has seen him。 I can answer positively on that point； for the musketeers belong to our forces and Monsieur de Cambon； the substitute for Monsieur d'Artagnan； still holds his place。〃
The two friends looked at each other。
〃You see；〃 said Athos。
〃It is strange；〃 said Aramis。
〃It is absolutely certain that some misfortune has happened to them on the way。〃
〃If we have no news of them this evening； to…morrow we must start。〃
Athos nodded affirmatively； then turning：
〃And Monsieur de Bragelonne； a young man fifteen years of age； attached to the Prince de Conde has he the honor of being known to you？〃 diffident in allowing the sarcastic Aramis to perceive how strong were his paternal feelings。
〃Yes； surely； he came with the prince； a charming young man； he is one of your friends then； monsieur le te？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 answered Athos； agitated； 〃so much so that I wish to see him if possible。〃
〃Quite possible； sir； do me the favor to acpany me and I will conduct you to headquarters。〃
〃Halloo； there！〃 cried Aramis； turning around； 〃what a noise behind us！〃
〃A body of cavaliers is ing toward us；〃 said Chatillon。
〃I recognize the coadjutor by his Frondist hat。〃
〃And I the Duc de Beaufort by his white plume of ostrich feathers。〃
〃They are ing； full gallop； the prince is with them ah！ he is leaving them！〃
〃They are beating the rappel！〃 cried Chatillon； 〃we must discover what is going on。〃
In fact； they saw the soldiers running to their arms； the trumpets sounded； the drums beat； the Duc de Beaufort drew his sword。 On his side the prince sounded a rappel and all the officers of the royalist army； mingling momentarily with the Parisian troops； ran to him。
〃Gentlemen；〃 cried Chatillon； 〃the truce is broken； that is evident； they are going to fi