The D'Artagnan Romances - Complete Series (All 6 Books in One Edition). Alexandre Dumas

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СКАЧАТЬ diamond, but it is an enchanted talisman.”

      “I don’t at all understand you, but I believe all you say to be true. Let us return to my ring, or rather to yours. You shall take half the sum that will be advanced upon it, or I will throw it into the Seine; and I doubt, as was the case with Polycrates, whether any fish will be sufficiently complaisant to bring it back to us.”

      “Well, I will take it, then,” said d’Artagnan.

      At this moment Grimaud returned, accompanied by Planchet; the latter, anxious about his master and curious to know what had happened to him, had taken advantage of the opportunity and brought the garments himself.

      d’Artagnan dressed himself, and Athos did the same. When the two were ready to go out, the latter made Grimaud the sign of a man taking aim, and the lackey immediately took down his musketoon, and prepared to follow his master.

      They arrived without accident at the Rue des Fossoyeurs. Bonacieux was standing at the door, and looked at d’Artagnan hatefully.

      “Make haste, dear lodger,” said he; “there is a very pretty girl waiting for you upstairs; and you know women don’t like to be kept waiting.”

      “That’s Kitty!” said d’Artagnan to himself, and darted into the passage.

      Sure enough! Upon the landing leading to the chamber, and crouching against the door, he found the poor girl, all in a tremble. As soon as she perceived him, she cried, “You have promised your protection; you have promised to save me from her anger. Remember, it is you who have ruined me!”

      “Yes, yes, to be sure, Kitty,” said d’Artagnan; “be at ease, my girl. But what happened after my departure?”

      “How can I tell!” said Kitty. “The lackeys were brought by the cries she made. She was mad with passion. There exist no imprecations she did not pour out against you. Then I thought she would remember it was through my chamber you had penetrated hers, and that then she would suppose I was your accomplice; so I took what little money I had and the best of my things, and I got away.

      “Poor dear girl! But what can I do with you? I am going away the day after tomorrow.”

      “Do what you please, Monsieur Chevalier. Help me out of Paris; help me out of France!”

      “I cannot take you, however, to the siege of La Rochelle,” aid d’Artagnan.

      “No; but you can place me in one of the provinces with some lady of your acquaintance—in your own country, for instance.”

      “My dear little love! In my country the ladies do without chambermaids. But stop! I can manage your business for you. Planchet, go and find Aramis. Request him to come here directly. We have something very important to say to him.”

      “I understand,” said Athos; “but why not Porthos? I should have thought that his duchess—”

      “Oh, Porthos’s duchess is dressed by her husband’s clerks,” said d’Artagnan, laughing. “Besides, Kitty would not like to live in the Rue aux Ours. Isn’t it so, Kitty?”

      “I do not care where I live,” said Kitty, “provided I am well concealed, and nobody knows where I am.”

      “Meanwhile, Kitty, when we are about to separate, and you are no longer jealous of me—”

      “Monsieur Chevalier, far off or near,” said Kitty, “I shall always love you.”

      “Where the devil will constancy niche itself next?” murmured Athos.

      “And I, also,” said d’Artagnan, “I also. I shall always love you; be sure of that. But now answer me. I attach great importance to the question I am about to put to you. Did you never hear talk of a young woman who was carried off one night?”

      “There, now! Oh, Monsieur Chevalier, do you love that woman still?”

      “No, no; it is one of my friends who loves her—Monsieur Athos, this gentleman here.”

      “I?” cried Athos, with an accent like that of a man who perceives he is about to tread upon an adder.

      “You, to be sure!” said d’Artagnan, pressing Athos’s hand. “You know the interest we both take in this poor little Madame Bonacieux. Besides, Kitty will tell nothing; will you, Kitty? You understand, my dear girl,” continued d’Artagnan, “she is the wife of that frightful baboon you saw at the door as you came in.”

      “Oh, my God! You remind me of my fright! If he should have known me again!”

      “How? know you again? Did you ever see that man before?”

      “He came twice to Milady’s.”

      “That’s it. About what time?”

      “Why, about fifteen or eighteen days ago.”

      “Exactly so.”

      “And yesterday evening he came again.”

      “Yesterday evening?”

      “Yes, just before you came.”

      “My dear Athos, we are enveloped in a network of spies. And do you believe he knew you again, Kitty?”

      “I pulled down my hood as soon as I saw him, but perhaps it was too late.”

      “Go down, Athos—he mistrusts you less than me—and see if he be still at his door.”

      Athos went down and returned immediately.

      “He has gone,” said he, “and the house door is shut.”

      “He has gone to make his report, and to say that all the pigeons are at this moment in the dovecot.”

      “Well, then, let us all fly,” said Athos, “and leave nobody here but Planchet to bring us news.”

      “A minute. Aramis, whom we have sent for!”

      “That’s true,” said Athos; “we must wait for Aramis.”

      At that moment Aramis entered.

      The matter was all explained to him, and the friends gave him to understand that among all his high connections he must find a place for Kitty.

      Aramis reflected for a minute, and then said, coloring, “Will it be really rendering you a service, d’Artagnan?”

      “I shall be grateful to you all my life.”

      “Very well. Madame de Bois-Tracy asked me, for one of her friends who resides in the provinces, I believe, for a trustworthy maid. If you can, my dear d’Artagnan, answer for Mademoiselle-“

      “Oh, monsieur, be assured that I shall be entirely devoted to the person who will give me the means of quitting Paris.”

      “Then,” said Aramis, “this falls out very well.”

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