United States or Bhutan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The moment that D'Artagnan saw that his wish was accomplished and his man would not escape him, he recovered his usual tranquillity. He turned up his cuffs neatly and rubbed the sole of his right boot on the floor, but did not fail, however, to remark that Mordaunt was looking about him in a singular manner. "Are you ready, sir?" he said at last.
"Will you be away long?" he inquired. "No, my friend; and this very evening I will release you from two troublesome guests." "Oh! Monsieur d'Artagnan! can you say " "No, no; you are a noble-hearted fellow, but your house is very small. Such a house, with half a dozen acres of land, would be fit for a king, and make him very happy, too. But you were not born a great lord."
"Why hate him, therefore?" "Ask my dead father that question." "Really, my dear De Wardes, you surprise me. M. d'Artagnan is not one to leave unsettled any enmity he may have to arrange, without completely clearing his account. Your father, I have heard, carried matters with a high hand.
Then only d'Artagnan remembered the languishing glances of Kitty, her constantly meeting him in the antechamber, the corridor, or on the stairs, those touches of the hand every time she met him, and her deep sighs; but absorbed by his desire to please the great lady, he had disdained the soubrette. He whose game is the eagle takes no heed of the sparrow.
"In order that your royal highness may have, in case of need, a firm support and a sure friend," added Parry. D'Artagnan bowed. "You have still something to say, Parry," replied Henrietta, smiling upon D'Artagnan, while addressing the old servant.
The guardsmen turned, and saw Athos, his face livid with exhaustion, supporting himself with a trembling hand upon the gunwale of the boat. In an instant he was lifted in, and clasped in the arms of his friends. "You are unhurt?" said D'Artagnan. "Yes," replied Athos. "And Mordaunt?" "Oh! thank God, he is dead at last. Look yonder."
"Good God," cried Kitty, "there is my mistress calling me! Go; go directly!" D'Artagnan rose, took his hat, as if it had been his intention to obey, then, opening quickly the door of a large closet instead of that leading to the staircase, he buried himself amid the robes and dressing gowns of Milady. "What are you doing?" cried Kitty.
It was evident that this time the young woman was not in such haste to retire to her apartment as she had been the first. At length the light disappeared. With this light was extinguished the last irresolution in the heart of d'Artagnan. He recalled to his mind the details of the first night, and with a beating heart and a brain on fire he re-entered the hotel and flew toward Kitty's chamber.
Thus, with the exception of the explanation with which the worthy Porthos had been willing to be satisfied, nothing had changed in appearance in the fate of one or the other, "Only," said Aramis, "there is D'Artagnan's idea." D'Artagnan did not return on board without profoundly analyzing the idea he had discovered.
Athos and D'Artagnan arrived at the gates of Paris on the evening of the fourth day after leaving Boulogne. "Where are you going, my friend?" asked Athos. "I shall direct my course straight to my hotel." "And I straight to my partner's." "To Planchet's?" "Yes; at the Pilon d'Or." "Well, but shall we not meet again?" "If you remain in Paris, yes, for I shall stay here."
Word Of The Day