resumed his place at the table.
D’Artagnan had learnt what he wished to know. He, however,
remained, none the less, face to face with his partner, to
the moment when they heard from the next room symptoms of a
person’s being about to go out. The printer was immediately
on foot; he had given orders for his horse to be got ready.
His carriage was waiting at the door. The second traveler
got into his saddle, in the courtyard, with his lackey.
D’Artagnan followed Jupenet to the door; he embarked his
cart and horse on board the boat. As to the opulent
traveler, he did the same with his two horses and servant.
But all the wit D’Artagnan employed in endeavoring to find
out his name was lost — he could learn nothing. Only he
took such notice of his countenance, that it was impressed
upon his mind forever. D’Artagnan had a great inclination to
embark with the two travelers, but an interest more powerful
than curiosity — that of success — repelled him from the
shore, and brought him back again to the hostelry. He
entered with a sigh and went to bed directly in order to be
ready early in the morning with fresh ideas and the sage
counsel of sufficing sleep.
CHAPTER 68
D’Artagnan continues his Investigations
At daybreak D’Artagnan saddled Furet, who had fared
sumptuously all night, devouring the remainder of the oats
and hay left by his companions. The musketeer sifted all he
possibly could out of the host, whom he found cunning,
mistrustful, and devoted, body and soul, to M. Fouquet. In
order not to awaken the suspicions of this man, he carried
on his fable of being a probable purchaser of some
salt-mines. To have embarked for Belle-Isle at Roche-Bernard
would have been to expose himself still further to comments
which had, perhaps, been already made, and would be carried
to the castle. Moreover, it was singular that this traveler
and his lackey should have remained a mystery to D’Artagnan,
in spite of all the questions addressed by him to the host,
who appeared to know him perfectly well. The musketeer then
made some inquiries concerning the salt-mines, and took the
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
road to the marshes, leaving the sea on his right, and
penetrating into that vast and desolate plain which
resembles a sea of mud, of which, here and there, a few
crests of salt silver the undulations. Furet walked
admirably, with his little nervous legs, along the foot-wide
causeways which separate the salt-mines. D’Artagnan, aware
of the consequences of a fall, which would result in a cold
bath, allowed him to go as he liked, contenting himself with
looking at, on the horizon, three rocks, that rose up like
lance-blades from the bosom of the plain, destitute of
verdure. Pirial, the bourgs of Batz and Le Croisic, exactly
resembling each other, attracted and suspended his
attention. If the traveler turned round, the better to make
his observations, he saw on the other side an horizon of
three other steeples, Guerande, Le Poulighen, and
Saint-Joachim, which, in their circumference, represented a
set of skittles, of which he and Furet were but the
wandering ball. Pirial was the first little port on his
right. He went thither, with the names of the principal
salters on his lips. At the moment he reached the little
port of Pirial, five large barges, laden with stone, were
leaving it. It appeared strange to D’Artagnan, that stones
should be leaving a country where none are found. He had
recourse to all the amenity of M. Agnan to learn from the
people of the port the cause of this singular arrangement.
An old fisherman replied to M. Agnan, that the stones very
certainly did not come from Pirial or the marshes.
“Where do they come from, then?” asked the musketeer.
“Monsieur, they come from Nantes and Painboeuf.”
“Where are they going, then?”
“Monsieur, to Belle-Isle.”
“Ah! ah!” said D’Artagnan, in the same tone he had assumed
to tell the printer that his character interested him; “are
they building at Belle-Isle, then?”
“Why, yes, monsieur, M. Fouquet has the walls of the castle