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Comte de la Fere？〃
〃Yes； and the count desired me to tell you that he should
take advantage of this visit to plead for you and for
himself。〃
〃Ah！ our dear count！〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃A fine thing； indeed！〃 grunted Porthos。 〃A great favor！
Zounds！ Monsieur the Comte de la Fere； whose family is
allied to the Montmorency and the Rohan； is easily the equal
of Monsieur de Mazarin。〃
〃No matter；〃 said D'Artagnan； in his most wheedling tone。
〃On reflection； my dear Du Vallon； it is a great honor for
the Comte de la Fere； and gives good reason to hope。 In
fact； it seems to me so great an honor for a prisoner that I
think Monsieur de Comminges must be mistaken。〃
〃What？ I am mistaken？〃
〃Monsieur de Mazarin will not come to visit the Comte de la
Fere； but the Comte de la Fere will be sent for to visit
him。〃
〃No； no； no；〃 said Comminges； who made a point of having the
facts appear exactly as they were； 〃I clearly understood
what the cardinal said to me。 He will come and visit the
Comte de la Fere。〃
D'Artagnan tried to gather from the expression of his eyes
whether Porthos understood the importance of that visit； but
Porthos did not even look toward him。
〃It is； then； the cardinal's custom to walk in his
orangery？〃 asked D'Artagnan。
〃Every evening he shuts himself in there。 That； it seems； is
where he meditates on state affairs。〃
〃In that case；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I begin to believe that
Monsieur de la Fere will receive the visit of his eminence；
he will； of course； have an escort。〃
〃Yes two soldiers。〃
〃And will he talk thus of affairs in presence of two
strangers？〃
〃The soldiers are Swiss； who understand only German。
Besides； according to all probability they will wait at the
door。〃
D'Artagnan made a violent effort over himself to keep his
face from being too expressive。
〃Let the cardinal take care of going alone to visit the
Comte de la Fere；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃for the count must be
furious。〃
Comminges began to laugh。 〃Oh； oh！ why； really； one would
say that you four were anthropaphagi！ The count is an
affable man； besides； be is unarmed； at the first word from
his eminence the two soldiers about him would run to his
assistance。〃
〃Two soldiers；〃 said D'Artagnan； seeming to remember
something； 〃two soldiers； yes； that； then； is why I hear two
men called every evening and see them walking sometimes for
half an hour； under my window。〃
〃That is it； they are waiting for the cardinal； or rather
for Bernouin； who comes to call them when the cardinal goes
out。〃
〃Fine…looking men； upon my word！〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃They belong to the regiment that was at Lens； which the
prince assigned to the cardinal。〃
〃Ah； monsieur；〃 said D'Artagnan； as if to sum up in a word
all that conversation； 〃if only his eminence would relent
and grant to Monsieur de la Fere our liberty。〃
〃I wish it with all my heart；〃 said Comminges。
〃Then； if he should forget that visit； you would find no
inconvenience in reminding him of it？〃
〃Not at all。〃
〃Ah； that gives me more confidence。〃
This skillful turn of the conversation would have seemed a
sublime manoeuvre to any one who could have read the
Gascon's soul。
〃Now；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I've one last favor to ask of you；
Monsieur de Comminges。〃
〃At your service； sir。〃
〃You will see the count again？〃
〃To…morrow morning。〃
〃Will you remember us to him and ask him to solicit for me
the same favor that he will have obtained？〃
〃You want the cardinal to come here？〃
〃No； I know my place and am not so presumptuous。 Let his
eminence do me the honor to give me a hearing； that is all I
want。〃
〃Oh！〃 muttered Porthos； shaking his head； 〃never should I
have thought this of him！ How misfortune humbles a man！〃
〃I promise you it shall be done；〃 answered De Comminges。
〃Tell the count that I am well； that you found me sad； but
resigned。〃
〃I am pleased； sir； to hear that。〃
〃And the same； also； for Monsieur du Vallon 〃
〃Not for me ；〃 cried Porthos； 〃I am not by any means
resigned。〃
〃But you will be resigned； my friend。〃
〃Never！〃
〃He will become so； monsieur； I know him better than he
knows himself。 Be silent； dear Du Vallon； and resign
yourself。〃
〃Adieu； gentlemen；〃 said De Comminges； 〃sleep well！〃
〃We will try。〃
De Comminges went away； D'Artagnan remaining apparently in
the same attitude of humble resignation； but scarcely had he
departed when he turned and clasped Porthos in his arms with
an expression not to be doubted。
〃Oh！〃 cried Porthos； 〃what's the matter now？ Have you gone
mad； my dear friend？〃
〃What is the matter？〃 returned D'Artagnan； 〃we are saved！〃
〃I don't see that at all；〃 answered Porthos。 〃I think we are
all taken prisoners； except Aramis； and that our chances of
getting out are lessened since one more of us is caught in
Mazarin's mousetrap。〃
〃Which is far too strong for two of us； but not strong
enough for three of us；〃 returned D'Artagnan。
〃I don't understand；〃 said Porthos。
〃Never mind； let's sit down to table and take something to
strengthen us for the night。〃
〃What are we to do； then； to…night？〃
〃To travel perhaps。〃
〃But 〃
〃Sit down； dear friend； to table。 When one is eating； ideas
flow easily。 After supper； when they are perfected； I will
communicate my plans to you。〃
So Porthos sat down to table without another word and ate
with an appetite that did honor to the confidence that was
ever inspired in him by D'Artagnan's inventive imagination。
84
Strength and Sagacity Continued。
Supper was eaten in silence； but not in sadness； for from
time to time one of those sweet smiles which were habitual
to him in moments of good…humor illumined the face of
D'Artagnan。 Not a scintilla of these was lost on Porthos；
and at every one he uttered an exclamation which betrayed to
his friend that he had not lost sight of the idea which
possessed his brain。
At dessert D'Artagnan reposed in his chair； crossed one leg
over the other and lounged about like a man perfectly at his
ease。
Porthos rested his chin on his hands； placed his elbows on
the table and looked at D'Artagnan with an expression of
confidence which imparted to that colossus an admirable
appearance of good…fellowship。
〃Well？〃 said D'Artagnan； at last。
〃Well！〃 repeated Porthos。
〃You were saying； my dear friend 〃
〃No； I said nothing。〃
〃Yes； you were saying you wished to leave this place。〃
〃Ah； indeed！ the will was never wanting。〃
〃To get away you would not mind； you added； knocking down a
door or a wall。〃
〃'Tis true I said so； and I say it again。〃
〃And I answered you； Porthos； that it was not a good plan；
that we couldn't go a hundred steps without being
recaptured； because we were without clothes to disguise
ourselves and arms to defend ourselves。〃
〃That is true； we should need clothes and arms。〃
〃Well；〃 said D'Artagnan； rising； 〃we have them； friend
Porthos； and even something better。〃
〃Bah！〃 said Porthos； looking around。
〃Useless to look； everything will come to us when wanted。 At
about what time did we see the two Swiss guards walking
yesterday？〃
〃An hour after sunset。〃
〃If they go out to…day as they did yesterday we shall have
the honor； then； of seeing them in half an hour？〃
〃In a quarter of an hour at most。〃
〃Your arm is st