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〃Very well 〃
〃Until the moment when the Comte de la Fere；〃 resumed Raoul；
〃said； ‘Come； Bragelonne； draw your sword；' then only I
rushed upon the reptile and cut it in two； just at the
moment when it was rising on its tail and hissing； ere it
sprang upon me。 Well； I vow I felt exactly the same
sensation at sight of that man when he said； ‘Why do you ask
me that？' and looked so strangely at me。〃
〃Then you regret that you did not cut your serpent in two
morsels？〃
〃Faith； yes； almost；〃 said Raoul。
They had now arrived within sight of the little inn and
could see on the opposite side the procession bearing the
wounded man and guided by Monsieur d'Arminges。 The youths
spurred on。
〃There is the wounded man；〃 said De Guiche； passing close to
the Augustine brother。 〃Be good enough to hurry yourself a
little； monsieur monk。〃
As for Raoul； he avoided the monk by the whole width of the
road and passed him； turning his head away in repulsion。
The young men rode up to the wounded man to announce that
they were followed by the priest。 He raised himself to
glance in the direction which they pointed out； saw the
monk； and fell back upon the litter； his face illumined by
joy。
〃And now；〃 said the youths； 〃we have done all we can for
you； and as we are in haste to rejoin the prince's army we
must continue our journey。 You will excuse us； sir； but we
are told that a battle is expected and we do not wish to
arrive the day after it。〃
〃Go； my young sirs；〃 said the sick man； 〃and may you both be
blessed for your piety。 You have done for me； as you
promised； all that you could do。 As for me I can only
repeat； may God protect you and all dear to you！〃
〃Sir；〃 said De Guiche to his tutor； 〃we will precede you；
and you can rejoin us on the road to Cambrin。〃
The host was at his door and everything was prepared bed；
bandages； and lint； and a groom had gone to Lens； the
nearest village； for a doctor。
〃Everything；〃 said he to Raoul； 〃shall be done as you
desire； but you will not stop to have your wound dressed？〃
〃Oh； my wound mine 'tis nothing；〃 replied the
viscount； 〃it will be time to think about it when we next
halt； only have the goodness； should you see a cavalier who
makes inquiries about a young man on a chestnut horse
followed by a servant； to tell him； in fact； that you have
seen me； but that I have continued my journey and intend to
dine at Mazingarbe and to stop at Cambrin。 This cavalier is
my attendant。〃
〃Would it not be safer and more certain if I should ask him
his name and tell him yours？〃 demanded the host。
〃There is no harm in over…precaution。 I am the Viscount de
Bragelonne and he is called Grimaud。〃
At this moment the wounded man arrived from one direction
and the monk from the other； the latter dismounting from his
mule and desiring that it should be taken to the stables
without being unharnessed。
〃Sir monk；〃 said De Guiche； 〃confess well that brave man；
and be not concerned for your expenses or for those of your
mule； all is paid。〃
〃Thanks； monsieur；〃 said the monk； with one of those smiles
that made Bragelonne shudder。
〃Come； count；〃 said Raoul； who seemed instinctively to
dislike the vicinity of the Augustine； 〃come； I feel ill
here；〃 and the two young men spurred on。
The litter； borne by two servants； now entered the house。
The host and his wife were standing on the steps； whilst the
unhappy man seemed to suffer dreadful pain and yet to be
concerned only to know if he was followed by the monk。 At
sight of this pale； bleeding man； the wife grasped her
husband's arm。
〃Well； what's the matter？〃 asked the latter； 〃are you going
to be ill just now？〃
〃No； but look；〃 replied the hostess； pointing to the wounded
man； 〃I ask you if you recognize him？〃
〃That man wait a bit。〃
〃Ah！ I see you know him；〃 exclaimed the wife； 〃for you have
become pale in your turn。〃
〃Truly；〃 cried the host； 〃misfortune is coming on our house；
it is the former executioner of Bethune。〃
〃The former executioner of Bethune！〃 murmured the young
monk； shrinking back and showing on his countenance the
feeling of repugnance which his penitent inspired。
Monsieur d'Arminges； who was at the door； perceived his
hesitation。
〃Sir monk；〃 said he； 〃whether he is now or has been an
executioner； this unfortunate being is none the less a man。
Render to him； then； the last service he can by any
possibility ask of you； and your work will be all the more
meritorious。〃
The monk made no reply； but silently wended his way to the
room where the two valets had deposited the dying man on a
bed。 D'Arminges and Olivain and the two grooms then mounted
their horses； and all four started off at a quick trot to
rejoin Raoul and his companion。 Just as the tutor and his
escort disappeared in their turn； a new traveler stopped on
the threshold of the inn。
〃What does your worship want？〃 demanded the host； pale and
trembling from the discovery he had just made。
The traveler made a sign as if he wished to drink； and then
pointed to his horse and gesticulated like a man who is
brushing something。
〃Ah； diable！〃 said the host to himself； 〃this man seems
dumb。 And where will your worship drink？〃
〃There；〃 answered the traveler； pointing to the table。
〃I was mistaken；〃 said the host； 〃he's not quite dumb。 And
what else does your worship wish for？〃
〃To know if you have seen a young man pass； fifteen years of
age； mounted on a chestnut horse and followed by a groom？〃
〃The Viscount de Bragelonne？
〃Just so。〃
〃Then you are called Monsieur Grimaud？〃
The traveler made a sign of assent。
〃Well； then；〃 said the host； 〃your young master was here a
quarter of an hour ago； he will dine at Mazingarbe and sleep
at Cambrin。〃
〃How far is Mazingarbe？〃
〃Two miles and a half。〃
〃Thank you。〃
Grimaud was drinking his wine silently and had just placed
his glass on the table to be filled a second time； when a
terrific scream resounded from the room occupied by the monk
and the dying man。 Grimaud sprang up。
〃What is that？〃 said he； 〃whence comes that cry？〃
〃From the wounded man's room；〃 replied the host。
〃What wounded man？〃
〃The former executioner of Bethune； who has just been
brought in here； assassinated by Spaniards； and who is now
being confessed by an Augustine friar。〃
〃The old executioner of Bethune；〃 muttered Grimaud； 〃a man
between fifty…five and sixty； tall； strong； swarthy； black
hair and beard？〃
〃That is he； except that his beard has turned gray and his
hair is white； do you know him？〃 asked the host。
〃I have seen him once；〃 replied Grimaud； a cloud darkening
his countenance at the picture so suddenly summoned to the
bar of recollection。
At this instant a second cry； less piercing than the first；
but followed by prolonged groaning； was heard。
The three listeners looked at one another in alarm。
〃We must see what it is；〃 said Grimaud。
〃It sounds like the cry of one who is being murdered；〃
murmured the host。
〃Mon Dieu！〃 said the woman； crossing herself。
If Grimaud was slow in speaking； we know that he was quick
to act； he sprang to the door and shook it violently； but it
was bolted on the other side。
〃Open the door！〃 cried the host； 〃open it instantly； sir
monk！〃
No reply。
〃Unfasten