Twenty Years Later by Dumas, Alexandre. Part two

nice little rabbits, and some of those delicious partridges,

of which you used to make fricassees at the hotel —- ?

‘Faith, I do not remember the name of the hotel.”

“At the hotel of —- ,” said Porthos; “by my faith — nor

do I remember it either.”

“It does not matter; and a few of those bottles of old

Burgundy wine, which cured your master so quickly of his

sprain!”

“Alas! sir,” said Mousqueton, “I much fear that what you ask

for are very rare things in this detestable and barren

country, and I think we should do better to go and seek

hospitality from the owner of a little house we see on the

fringe of the forest.”

“How! is there a house in the neighborhood?” asked

D’Artagnan.

“Yes, sir,” replied Mousqueton.

“Well, let us, as you say, go and ask a dinner from the

master of that house. What is your opinion, gentlemen, and

does not M. Mouston’s suggestion appear to you full of

sense?”

“Oh!” said Aramis, “suppose the master is a Puritan?”

“So much the better, mordioux!” replied D’Artagnan; “if he

is a Puritan we will inform him of the capture of the king,

and in honor of the news he will kill for us his fatted

hens.”

“But if he should be a cavalier?” said Porthos.

“In that case we will put on an air of mourning and he will

pluck for us his black fowls.”

“You are very happy,” exclaimed Athos, laughing, in spite of

himself, at the sally of the irresistible Gascon; “for you

see the bright side of everything.”

“What would you have?” said D’Artagnan. “I come from a land

where there is not a cloud in the sky.”

“It is not like this, then,” said Porthos stretching out his

hand to assure himself whether a chill sensation he felt on

his cheek was not really caused by a drop of rain.

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Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After

“Come, come,” said D’Artagnan, “more reason why we should

start on our journey. Halloo, Grimaud!”

Grimaud appeared.

“Well, Grimaud, my friend, have you seen anything?” asked

the Gascon.

“Nothing!” replied Grimaud.

“Those idiots!” cried Porthos, “they have not even pursued

us. Oh! if we had been in their place!”

“Yes, they are wrong,” said D’Artagnan. “I would willingly

have said two words to Mordaunt in this little desert. It is

an excellent spot for bringing down a man in proper style.”

“I think, decidedly,” observed Aramis, “gentlemen, that the

son hasn’t his mother’s energy.”

“What, my good fellow!” replied Athos, “wait awhile; we have

scarcely left him two hours ago — he does not know yet in

what direction we came nor where we are. We may say that he

is not equal to his mother when we put foot in France, if we

are not poisoned or killed before then.”

“Meanwhile, let us dine,” suggested Porthos.

“I’faith, yes,” said Athos, “for I am hungry.”

“Look out for the black fowls!” cried Aramis.

And the four friends, guided by Mousqueton, took up the way

toward the house, already almost restored to their former

gayety; for they were now, as Athos had said, all four once

more united and of single mind.

60

Respect to Fallen Majesty.

As our fugitives approached the house, they found the ground

cut up, as if a considerable body of horsemen had preceded

them. Before the door the traces were yet more apparent;

these horsemen, whoever they might be, had halted there.

“Egad!” cried D’Artagnan, “it’s quite clear that the king

and his escort have been by here.”

“The devil!” said Porthos; “in that case they have eaten

everything.”

“Bah!” said D’Artagnan, “they will have left a chicken, at

least.” He dismounted and knocked on the door. There was no

response.

He pushed open the door and found the first room empty and

deserted.

“Well?” cried Porthos.

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Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After

“I can see nobody,” said D’Artagnan. “Aha!”

“What?”

“Blood!”

At this word the three friends leaped from their horses and

entered. D’Artagnan had already opened the door of the

second room, and from the expression of his face it was

clear that he there beheld some extraordinary object.

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