listened to him with the greatest attention. D’Artagnan
would perhaps have heard his speech but for the dominant
noise of the popular clamors, which made a formidable
accompaniment to the harangue of the orator. But it was soon
finished, and all the people the cabaret contained came out,
one after the other, in little groups, so that there only
remained six in the chamber; one of these six, the man with
the sword, took the cabaretier aside, engaging him in
discourse more or less serious, whilst the others lit a
great fire in the chimney-place — a circumstance rendered
strange by the fine weather and the heat.
“It is very singular,” said D’Artagnan to Raoul, “but I
think I know those faces yonder.”
“Don’t you think you can smell the smoke here?” said Raoul
“I rather think I can smell a conspiracy,” replied
D’Artagnan.
He had not finished speaking, when four of these men came
down into the court, and without the appearance of any bad
design, mounted guard at the door of communication, casting,
at intervals, glances at D’Artagnan, which signified many
things.
“Mordioux!” said D’Artagnan, in a low voice, “there is
something going on. Are you curious, Raoul?”
“According to the subject, chevalier.”
“Well, I am as curious as an old woman. Come a little more
in front; we shall get a better view of the place. I would
lay a wager that view will be something curious.”
“But you know, monsieur le chevalier, that I am not willing
to become a passive and indifferent spectator of the death
of the two poor devils.”
“And I, then — do you think I am a savage? We will go in
Page 360
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
again, when it is time to do so. Come along!” And they made
their way towards the front of the house, and placed
themselves near the window which, still more strangely than
the rest, remained unoccupied. The two last drinkers,
instead of looking out at this window, kept up the fire. On
seeing D’Artagnan and his friend enter: — “Ah! ah! a
reinforcement,” murmured they.
D’Artagnan jogged Raoul’s elbow. “Yes, my braves, a
reinforcement,” said he; “cordieu! there is a famous fire.
Whom are you going to cook?”
The two men uttered a shout of jovial laughter, and, instead
of answering, threw on more wood. D’Artagnan could not take
his eyes off them.
“I suppose,” said one of the fire-makers, “they sent you to
tell us the time — did not they?”
“Without doubt they have,” said D’Artagnan, anxious to know
what was going on; “why should I be here else, if it were
not for that?”
“Then place yourself at the window, if you please, and
observe.” D’Artagnan smiled in his mustache, made a sign to
Raoul, and placed himself at the window.
CHAPTER 62
Vive Colbert!
The spectacle which the Greve now presented was a frightful
one. The heads, leveled by the perspective, extended afar,
thick and agitated as the ears of corn in a vast plain. From
time to time a fresh report, or a distant rumor, made the
heads oscillate and thousands of eyes flash. Now and then
there were great movements. All those ears of corn bent, and
became waves more agitated than those of the ocean, which
rolled from the extremities to the center, and beat, like
the tides, against the hedge of archers who surrounded the
gibbets. Then the handles of the halberds were let fall upon
the heads and shoulders of the rash invaders; at times,
also, it was the steel as well as the wood, and, in that
case, a large empty circle was formed around the guard; a
space conquered upon the extremities, which underwent, in
their turn the oppression of the sudden movement, which
drove them against the parapets of the Seine. From the
window, that commanded a view of the whole Place, D’Artagnan
saw, with interior satisfaction, that such of the musketeers
and guards as found themselves involved in the crowd, were
able, with blows of their fists and the hilts of their
swords, to keep room. He even remarked that they had
succeeded, by that esprit de corps which doubles the