talking about a hundred yards off. Olivain was at the same
distance in the rear, when suddenly there resounded five or
six musket-shots. The tutor cried halt; the young men
obeyed, pulling up their steeds, and at the same moment the
two valets were seen returning at a gallop.
The young men, impatient to learn the cause of the firing,
spurred on toward the servants. The tutor followed them.
“Were you stopped?” eagerly inquired the two youths.
“No,” replied the servants, “it is even probable that we
have not been seen; the shots were fired about a hundred
paces in advance of us, in the thickest part of the wood,
and we returned to ask your advice.”
“My advice is this,” said Monsieur d’Arminges, “and if needs
be, my will, that we beat a retreat. There may be an
ambuscade concealed in this wood.”
“Did you see nothing there?” asked the count.
“I thought I saw,” said one of the servants, “horsemen
dressed in yellow, creeping along the bed of the stream.
“That’s it,” said the tutor. “We have fallen in with a party
of Spaniards. Come back, sirs, back.”
The two youths looked at each other, and at this moment a
pistol-shot and cries for help were heard. Another glance
between the young men convinced them both that neither had
any wish to go back, and as the tutor had already turned his
horse’s head, they both spurred forward, Raoul crying:
“Follow me, Olivain!” and the Count de Guiche: “Follow,
Urban and Planchet!” And before the tutor could recover from
his surprise they had both disappeared into the forest.
Whilst they spurred their steeds they held their pistols
ready also. In five minutes they arrived at the spot whence
the noise had proceeded, and then restraining their horses,
they advanced cautiously.
“Hush,” whispered De Guiche, “these are cavaliers.”
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“Yes, three on horseback and three who have dismounted.”
“Can you see what they are doing?”
“Yes, they appear to be searching a wounded or dead man.”
“It is some cowardly assassination,” said De Guiche.
“They are soldiers, though,” resumed De Bragelonne.
“Yes, skirmishers; that is to say, highway robbers.”
“At them!” cried Raoul. “At them!” echoed De Guiche.
“Oh! gentlemen! gentlemen! in the name of Heaven!” cried the
poor tutor.
But he was not listened to, and his cries only served to
arouse the attention of the Spaniards.
The men on horseback at once rushed at the two youths,
leaving the three others to complete the plunder of the dead
or wounded travelers; for on approaching nearer, instead of
one extended figure, the young men discovered two. De Guiche
fired the first shot at ten paces and missed his man; and
the Spaniard, who had advanced to meet Raoul, aimed in his
turn, and Raoul felt a pain in the left arm, similar to that
of a blow from a whip. He let off his fire at but four
paces. Struck in the breast and extending his arms, the
Spaniard fell back on the crupper, and the terrified horse,
turning around, carried him off.
Raoul at this moment perceived the muzzle of a gun pointed
at him, and remembering the recommendation of Athos, he,
with the rapidity of lightning, made his horse rear as the
shot was fired. His horse bounded to one side, losing its
footing, and fell, entangling Raoul’s leg under its body.
The Spaniard sprang forward and seized the gun by its
muzzle, in order to strike Raoul on the head with the butt.
In the position in which Raoul lay, unfortunately, he could
neither draw his sword from the scabbard, nor his pistols
from their holsters. The butt end of the musket hovered over
his head, and he could scarcely restrain himself from
closing his eyes, when with one bound Guiche reached the
Spaniard and placed a pistol at his throat. “Yield!” he
cried, “or you are a dead man!” The musket fell from the
soldier’s hands, who yielded on the instant. Guiche summoned
one of his grooms, and delivering the prisoner into his
charge, with orders to shoot him through the head if he
attempted to escape, he leaped from his horse and approached