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on the point of falling； and my horse； too； through fatigue；
unless； indeed； you are disposed to offer me a supper and a
bed in the neighborhood。〃
〃Rascal！〃
〃Eh！ monsieur！〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I beg you will have a care
what you say； for if you utter another word like that； be
you marquis； duke； prince or king； I will thrust it down
your throat！ do you hear？〃
〃Well； well；〃 rejoined the leader； 〃there's no doubt 'tis a
Gascon who is speaking； and therefore not the man we are
looking for。 Our blow has failed for to…night； let us
withdraw。 We shall meet again； Master d'Artagnan；〃 continued
the leader； raising his voice。
〃Yes； but never with the same advantages；〃 said D'Artagnan；
in a tone of raillery； 〃for when you meet me again you will
perhaps be alone and there will be daylight。〃
〃Very good； very good；〃 said the voice。 〃En route；
gentlemen。〃
And the troop； grumbling angrily； disappeared in the
darkness and took the road to Paris。 D'Artagnan and Planchet
remained for some moments still on the defensive； then； as
the noise of the horsemen became more and more distant； they
sheathed their swords。
〃Thou seest； simpleton；〃 said D'Artagnan to his servant；
〃that they wished no harm to us。〃
〃But to whom； then？〃
〃I'faith！ I neither know nor care。 What I do care for now；
is to make my way into the Jesuits' convent； so to horse and
let us knock at their door。 Happen what will； the devil take
them； they can't eat us。〃
And he mounted his horse。 Planchet had just done the same
when an unexpected weight fell upon the back of the horse；
which sank down。
〃Hey！ your honor！〃 cried Planchet； 〃I've a man behind me。〃
D'Artagnan turned around and plainly saw two human forms on
Planchet's horse。
〃'Tis then the devil that pursues！〃 he cried； drawing his
sword and preparing to attack the new foe。
〃No； no； dear D'Artagnan；〃 said the figure； 〃'tis not the
devil； 'tis Aramis； gallop fast； Planchet； and when you come
to the end of the village turn swiftly to the left。〃
And Planchet； with Aramis behind him； set off at full
gallop； followed by D'Artagnan； who began to think he was in
the merry maze of some fantastic dream。
9
The Abbe D'Herblay。
At the extremity of the village Planchet turned to the left
in obedience to the orders of Aramis； and stopped underneath
the window which had light in it。 Aramis alighted and
clapped his hands three times。 Immediately the window was
opened and a ladder of rope was let down from it。
〃My friend；〃 said Aramis； 〃if you like to ascend I shall be
delighted to receive you。〃
〃Ah；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃is that the way you return to your
apartment？〃
〃After nine at night； pardieu！〃 said Aramis； 〃the rule of
the convent is very severe。〃
〃Pardon me； my dear friend；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I think you
said ‘pardieu！'〃
〃Do you think so？〃 said Aramis； smiling； 〃it is possible。
You have no idea； my dear fellow； how one acquires bad
habits in these cursed convents； or what evil ways all these
men of the church have； with whom I am obliged to live。 But
will you not go up？〃
〃Pass on before me； I beg of you。〃
〃As the late cardinal used to say to the late king； ‘only to
show you the way； sire。'〃 And Aramis ascended the ladder
quickly and reached the window in an instant。
D'Artagnan followed； but less nimbly； showing plainly that
this mode of ascent was not one to which he was accustomed。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Aramis； noticing his awkwardness；
〃if I had known that I was to have the honor of your visit I
should have procured the gardener's ladder； but for me alone
this is good enough。〃
〃Sir；〃 said Planchet when he saw D'Artagnan on the summit of
the ladder； 〃this way is easy for Monsieur Aramis and even
for you； in case of necessity I might also climb up； but my
two horses cannot mount the ladder。〃
〃Take them to yonder shed； my friend；〃 said Aramis； pointing
to a low building on the plain； 〃there you will find hay and
straw for them； then come back here and clap your hands
three times； and we will give you wine and food。 Marry；
forsooth； people don't die of hunger here。'
And Aramis； drawing in the ladder； closed the window。
D'Artagnan then looked around attentively。
Never was there an apartment at the same time more warlike
and more elegant。 At each corner were arranged trophies；
presenting to view swords of all sorts； and on the walls
hung four great pictures representing in their ordinary
military costume the Cardinal de Lorraine； the Cardinal de
Richelieu； the Cardinal de la Valette； and the Archbishop of
Bordeaux。 Exteriorly； nothing in the room showed that it was
the habitation of an abbe。 The hangings were of damask； the
carpets from Alencon； and the bed； especially； had more the
look of a fine lady's couch； with its trimmings of fine lace
and its embroidered counterpane； than that of a man who had
made a vow that he would endeavor to gain Heaven by fasting
and mortification。
〃You are examining my den；〃 said Aramis。 〃Ah； my dear
fellow； excuse me； I am lodged like a Chartreux。 But what
are you looking for？〃
〃I am looking for the person who let down the ladder。 I see
no one and yet the ladder didn't come down of itself。〃
〃No； it is Bazin。〃
〃Ah！ ah！〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃But；〃 continued Aramis； 〃Bazin is a well trained servant；
and seeing that I was not alone he discreetly retired。 Sit
down； my dear friend； and let us talk。〃 And Aramis pushed
forward a large easy…chair； in which D'Artagnan stretched
himself out。
〃In the first place； you will sup with me； will you not？〃
asked Aramis。
〃Yes； if you really wish it；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃and even
with great pleasure； I confess； the journey has given me a
devil of an appetite。〃
〃Ah； my poor friend！〃 said Aramis； 〃you will find meagre
fare； you were not expected。〃
〃Am I then threatened with the omelet of Crevecoeur？〃
〃Oh； let us hope；〃 said Aramis； 〃that with the help of God
and of Bazin we shall find something better than that in the
larder of the worthy Jesuit fathers。 Bazin； my friend； come
here。〃
The door opened and Bazin entered； on perceiving the
musketeer he uttered an exclamation that was almost a cry of
despair。
〃My dear Bazin；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I am delighted to see
with what wonderful composure you can tell a lie even in
church！〃
〃Sir；〃 replied Bazin； 〃I have been taught by the good Jesuit
fathers that it is permitted to tell a falsehood when it is
told in a good cause。〃
〃So far well；〃 said Aramis； 〃we are dying of hunger。 Serve
us up the best supper you can； and especially give us some
good wine。〃
Bazin bowed low； sighed； and left the room。
〃Now we are alone； dear Aramis；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃tell me
how the devil you managed to alight upon the back of
Planchet's horse。〃
〃I'faith！〃 answered Aramis； 〃as you see； from Heaven。〃
〃From Heaven；〃 replied D'Artagnan； shaking his head； 〃you
have no more the appearance of coming from thence than you
have of going there。〃
〃My friend；〃 said Aramis； with a look of imbecility on his
face which D'Artagnan had never observed whilst he was in
the musketeers； 〃if I did not come from Heaven； at least I
was leaving Paradise； which is almost the same。〃
〃Here； then； is a puzzle for the learned；〃 observed
D'Artagnan； 〃until