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〃Oh！ you've missed me；〃 cried Aramis； 〃but I swear to Heaven！ I will not miss you。〃
〃If I give you time！〃 cried the duke； spurring on his horse and rushing upon him with his drawn sword。
Aramis awaited him with that terrible smile which was peculiar to him on such occasions； and Athos； who saw the duke advancing toward Aramis with the rapidity of lightning； was just going to cry out； 〃Fire！ fire； then！〃 when the shot was fired。 De Chatillon opened his arms and fell back on the crupper of his horse。
The ball had entered his breast through a notch in the cuirass。
〃I am a dead man；〃 he said； and fell from his horse to the ground。
〃I told you this； I am now grieved I have kept my word。 Can I be of any use to you？〃
Chatillon made a sign with his hand and Aramis was about to dismount when he received a violent shock； 'twas a thrust from a sword； but his cuirass turned aside the blow。
He turned around and seized his new antagonist by the wrist； when he started back； exclaiming； 〃Raoul！〃
〃Raoul？〃 cried Athos。
The young man recognized at the same instant the voices of his father and the Chevalier d'Herblay； two officers in the Parisian forces rushed at that instant on Raoul； but Aramis protected him with his sword。
〃My prisoner！〃 he cried。
Athos took his son's horse by the bridle and led him forth out of the melee。
At this crisis of the battle； the prince； who had been seconding De Chatillon in the second line； appeared in the midst of the fight； his eagle eye made him known and his blows proclaimed the hero。
On seeing him； the regiment of Corinth； which the coadjutor had not been able to reorganize in spite of all his efforts； threw itself into the midst of the Parisian forces； put them into confusion and re…entered Charenton flying。 The coadjutor； dragged along with his fugitive forces； passed near the group formed by Athos； Raoul and Aramis。 Aramis could not in his jealousy avoid being pleased at the coadjutor's misfortune； and was about to utter some bon mot more witty than correct； when Athos stopped him。
〃On； on！〃 he cried； 〃this is no moment for pliments； or rather； back； for the battle seems to be lost by the Frondeurs。〃
〃It is a matter of indifference to me；〃 said Aramis； 〃I came here only to meet De Chatillon； I have met him； I am contented； 'tis something to have met De Chatillon in a duel！〃
〃And besides； we have a prisoner；〃 said Athos； pointing to Raoul。
The three cavaliers continued their road on full gallop。
〃What were you doing in the battle； my friend？〃 inquired Athos of the youth； 〃'twas not your right place； I think； as you were not equipped for an engagement！〃
〃I had no intention of fighting to…day； sir； I was charged； indeed； with a mission to the cardinal and had set out for Rueil； when； seeing Monsieur de Chatillon charge； an invincible desire possessed me to charge at his side。 It was then that he told me two cavaliers of the Parisian army were seeking me and named the te de la Fere。〃
〃What！ you knew we were there and yet wished to kill your friend the chevalier？〃
〃I did not recognize the chevalier in armor； sir！〃 said Raoul； blushing； 〃though I might have known him by his skill and coolness in danger。〃
〃Thank you for the pliment； my young friend；〃 replied Aramis； 〃we can see from whom you learned courtesy。 Then you were going to Rueil？〃
〃Yes！ I have a despatch from the prince to his eminence。〃
〃You must still deliver it；〃 said Athos。
〃No false generosity； count！ the fate of our friends； to say nothing of our own； is perhaps in that very despatch。〃
〃This young man must not； however； fail in his duty；〃 said Athos。
〃In the first place； count； this youth is our prisoner； you seem to forget that。 What I propose to do is fair in war； the vanquished must not be dainty in the choice of means。 Give me the despatch； Raoul。〃
The young man hesitated and looked at Athos as if seeking to read in his eyes a rule of conduct。
〃Give him the despatch； Raoul！ you are the chevalier's prisoner。〃
Raoul gave it up reluctantly； Aramis instantly seized and read it。
〃You；〃 he said； 〃you； who are so trusting； read and reflect that there is something in this letter important for us to see。〃
Athos took the letter； frowning； but an idea that he should find something in this letter about D'Artagnan conquered his unwillingness to read it。
〃My lord； I shall send this evening to your eminence in order to reinforce the troop of Monsieur de minges； the ten men you demand。 They are good soldiers； fit to confront the two violent adversaries whose address and resolution your eminence is fearful of。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Athos。
〃Well；〃 said Aramis； 〃what think you about these two enemies whom it requires； besides minges's troop； ten good soldiers to confront； are they not as like as two drops of water to D'Artagnan and Porthos？〃
〃We'll search Paris all day long；〃 said Athos； 〃and if we have no news this evening we will return to the road to Picardy； and I feel no doubt that； thanks to D'Artagnan's ready invention； we shall then find some clew which will solve our doubts。〃
〃Yes； let us search Paris and especially inquire of Planchet if he has yet heard from his former master。〃
〃That poor Planchet！ You speak of him very much at your ease； Aramis； he has probably been killed。 All those fighting citizens went out to battle and they have been massacred。〃
It was； then； with a sentiment of uneasiness whether Planchet； who alone could give them information； was alive or dead； that the friends returned to the Place Royale； to their great surprise they found the citizens still encamped there； drinking and bantering each other； although； doubtless； mourned by their families； who thought they were at Charenton in the thickest of the fighting。
Athos and Aramis again questioned Planchet； but he had seen nothing of D'Artagnan； they wished to take Planchet with them； but he could not leave his troop； who at five o'clock returned home； saying that they were returning from the battle； whereas they had never lost sight of the bronze equestrian statue of Louis XIII。
The Road to Picardy
On leaving Paris； Athos and Aramis well knew that they would be encountering great danger； but we know that for men like these there could be no question of danger。 Besides； they felt that the denouement of this second Odyssey was at hand and that there remained but a single effort to make。
Besides； there was no tranquillity in Paris itself。 Provisions began to fail； and whenever one of the Prince de Conti's generals wished to gain more influence he got up a little popular tumult； which he put down again； and thus for the moment gained a superiority over his colleagues。
In one of these risings。 the Duc de Beaufort pillaged the house and library of Mazarin； in order to give the populace； as he put it； something to gnaw at。 Athos and Aramis left Paris after this coup…d'etat； which took place on the very evening of the day in which the Parisians had been beaten at Charenton。
They quitted Paris； beholding it abandoned to extreme want； bordering on famine； agitated by fear； torn by