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Fronde and you to the queen of England。 So； if the second
matter which you regret being unable to attend to is not
more important than the first 〃
〃Oh！ that is of the first importance。〃
〃Attend to it； then； at once。〃
〃Unfortunately； it is a thing that I can't perform at any
time I choose。 It was arranged for the evening and no other
time will serve。〃
〃I understand；〃 said Athos smiling； 〃midnight。〃
〃About that time。〃
〃But； my dear fellow； those are things that bear
postponement and you must put it off； especially with so
good an excuse to give on your return 〃
〃Yes； if I return。〃
〃If you do not return； how does it concern you？ Be
reasonable。 Come； you are no longer twenty years old。〃
〃To my great regret； mordieu！ Ah； if I were but twenty years
old！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Athos； 〃doubtless you would commit great
follies！ But now we must part。 I have one or two visits to
make and a letter yet to write。 Call for me at eight o'clock
or shall I wait supper for you at seven？〃
〃That will do very well；〃 said Aramis。 〃I have twenty visits
to make and as many letters to write。〃
They then separated。 Athos went to pay a visit to Madame de
Vendome； left his name at Madame de Chevreuse's and wrote
the following letter to D'Artagnan：
〃Dear Friend； I am about to set off with Aramis on
important business。 I wished to make my adieux to you； but
time does not permit。 Remember that I write to you now to
repeat how much affection for you I still cherish。
〃Raoul is gone to Blois and is ignorant of my departure；
watch over him in my absence as much as you possibly can；
and if by chance you receive no news of me three months
hence； tell him to open a packet which he will find
addressed to him in my bronze casket at Blois； of which I
send you now the key。
〃Embrace Porthos from Aramis and myself。 Adieu； perhaps
farewell。〃
At the hour agreed upon Aramis arrived； he was dressed as an
officer and had the old sword at his side which he had drawn
so often and which he was more than ever ready to draw。
〃By…the…bye；〃 he said； 〃I think that we are decidedly wrong
to depart thus； without leaving a line for Porthos and
D'Artagnan。〃
〃The thing is done； dear friend；〃 said Athos； 〃I foresaw
that and have embraced them both from you and myself。〃
〃You are a wonderful man； my dear count；〃 said Aramis； 〃you
think of everything。〃
〃Well； have you made up your mind to this journey？〃
〃Quite； and now that I reflect about it； I am glad to leave
Paris at this moment。〃
〃And so am I；〃 replied Athos； 〃my only regret is not having
seen D'Artagnan； but the rascal is so cunning； he might have
guessed our project。〃
When supper was over Blaisois entered。 〃Sir；〃 said he； 〃here
is Monsieur d'Artagnan's answer。〃
〃But I did not tell you there would be an answer； stupid！〃
said Athos。
〃And I set off without waiting for one； but he called me
back and gave me this；〃 and he presented a little leather
bag； plump and giving out a golden jingle。
Athos opened it and began by drawing forth a little note；
written in these terms：
〃My dear Count； When one travels； and especially for
three months； one never has a superfluity of money。 Now；
recalling former times of mutual distress； I send you half
my purse； it is money to obtain which I made Mazarin sweat。
Don't make a bad use of it； I entreat you。
〃As to what you say about not seeing you again； I believe
not a word of it； with such a heart as yours and such a
sword one passes through the valley of the shadow of
death a dozen times； unscathed and unalarmed。 Au revoir； not
farewell。
〃It is unnecessary to say that from the day I saw Raoul I
loved him； nevertheless； believe that I heartily pray that I
may not become to him a father； however much I might be
proud of such a son。
〃Your
〃D'Artagnan。
〃P。S。 Be it well understood that the fifty louis which I
send are equally for Aramis as for you for you as
Aramis。〃
Athos smiled； and his fine eye was dimmed by a tear。
D'Artagnan； who had loved him so tenderly； loved him still；
although a Mazarinist。
〃There are the fifty louis； i'faith；〃 said Aramis； emptying
the purse on the table； all bearing the effigy of Louis
XIII。 〃Well； what shall you do with this money； count？ Shall
you keep it or send it back？〃
〃I shall keep it； Aramis； and even though I had no need of
it I still should keep it。 What is offered from a generous
heart should be accepted generously。 Take twenty…five of
them； Aramis； and give me the remaining twenty…five。〃
〃All right； I am glad to see you are of my opinion。 There
now； shall we start？〃
〃When you like； but have you no groom？〃
〃No； that idiot Bazin had the folly to make himself verger；
as you know； and therefore cannot leave Notre Dame。
〃Very well； take Blaisois； with whom I know not what to do；
since I already have Grimaud。〃
〃Willingly；〃 said Aramis。
At this moment Grimaud appeared at the door。 〃Ready；〃 said
he； with his usual curtness。
〃Let us go； then；〃 said Athos。
The two friends mounted； as did their servants。 At the
corner of the Quai they encountered Bazin； who was running
breathlessly。
〃Oh； sir！〃 exclaimed he； 〃thank Heaven I have arrived in
time。 Monsieur Porthos has just been to your house and has
left this for you； saying that the letter was important and
must be given to you before you left。〃
〃Good；〃 said Aramis； taking a purse which Bazin presented to
him。 〃What is this？〃
〃Wait； your reverence； there is a letter。〃
〃You know I have already told you that if you ever call me
anything but chevalier I will break every bone in your body。
Give me the letter。〃
〃How can you read？〃 asked Athos； 〃it is as dark as a cold
oven。〃
〃Wait；〃 said Bazin； striking a flint； and setting afire a
twisted wax…light； with which he started the church candles。
Thus illumined； Aramis read the following epistle：
My dear D'Herblay； I learned from D'Artagnan who has
embraced me on the part of the Comte de la Fere and
yourself； that you are setting out on a journey which may
perhaps last two or three months； as I know that you do not
like to ask money of your friends I offer you some of my own
accord。 Here are two hundred pistoles； which you can dispose
of as you wish and return to me when opportunity occurs。 Do
not fear that you put me to inconvenience； if I want money I
can send for some to any of my chateaux； at Bracieux alone；
I have twenty thousand francs in gold。 So； if I do not send
you more it is because I fear you would not accept a larger
sum。
〃I address you； because you know； that although I esteem him
from my heart I am a little awed by the Comte de la Fere；
but it is understood that what I offer you I offer him at
the same time。
〃I am； as I trust you do not doubt； your devoted
〃Du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds。
〃Well；〃 said Aramis； 〃what do you say to that？〃
〃I say； my dear D'Herblay； that it is almost sacrilege to
distrust Providence when one has such friends； and therefore
we will divide the pistoles from Porthos； as we divided the
louis sent by D'Artagnan。〃
The division being made by the light of Bazin's taper； the
two friends continued their road and a quarter of an hour
later they had joined De Winter at the Porte Saint Denis。
43
In which