Part 46 (1/2)
”I say, e to distrust Providence when one has such friends, and therefore ill divide the pistoles fronan”
The division being ht 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 it is proved that first Ientlemen took the road to Picardy, a road so well known to them and which recalled to Athos and Aramis some of the most picturesque adventures of their youth
”If Mousqueton ith us,” observed Athos, on reaching the spot where they had had a dispute with the paviers, ”hoould tre this! Do you remember, Aramis, that it was here he received that famous bullet wound?”
”By my faith, 'twould be excusable in him to tremble,” replied Aramis, ”for even I feel a shudder at the recollection; hold, just above that tree is the little spot where I thought I was killed”
It was soon ti before the inn at which his master and himself had made such an enor hian to laugh, for this juvenile escapade of his appeared to be as a as if some one had related it of another person
At last, after traveling two days and a night, they arrived at Boulogne toward the evening, favored byposition, then alhts; what is now called the lower town did not then exist
”Gentleate of the town, ”let us do here as at Paris--let us separate to avoid suspicion I know an inn, little frequented, but of which the host is entirely devoted to o to the first tavern in the town, to L'Epee du Grand Henri for instance, refresh yourselves, and in two hours be upon the jetty; our boat is waiting for us there”
Thethus decided, the two friends found, about two hundred paces further, the tavern indicated Their horses were fed, but not unsaddled; the grooms supped, for it was already late, and their twowith thee a ith any one It is needless to say that this caution concerned Blaisois alone--long enough since it had been a useless one to Grimaud
Athos and Aramis walked doard the port From their dress, covered with dust, and from a certain easy manner by nizable, the two friends excited the attention of a few promenaders There was more especially one upon whom their arrival had produced a decided impression This man, whom they had noticed from the first for the same reason they had the in a listless way up and down the jetty From the moment he perceived them he did not cease to look at them and see the jetty Athos and Aramis stopped to look at a little boatto start
”That is doubtless our boat,” said Athos
”Yes,” replied Ara ready to sail must be that which is to take us to our destination; now,” continued he, ”if only De Winter does not keep us waiting It is not at all a”
”Hush!+” said Athos, ”we are overheard”
In truth, the walker, who, during the observations of the two friends, had passed and repassed behind them several times, stopped at the name of De Winter; but as his face betrayed no eht have been by chance he stood so still
”Gentle with ease and courtesy, ”pardon my curiosity, but I see you cone”
”We come from Paris, yes,” replied Athos, with the same courtesy; ”what is there we can do for you?”
”Sir,” said the young ood as to tell er e question,” said Aramis
”He is and he is not,” replied Athos; ”that is to say, he is disues and promises he makes the other half sustain hi tier, ”he has neither fled nor is in prison?”
”No, sir, not at this moment at least”
”Sirs, accept
”What do you think of that interrogator?” asked Aramis
”I think he is either a dull provincial person or a spy in search of information”
”And you replied to hi warranted me to answer him otherwise; he was polite to me and I was so to him”
”But if he be a spy----”
”What do you think a spy would be about here? We are not living in the time of Cardinal Richelieu, ould have closed the ports on bare suspicion”
”Itto reply to hi with his eyes the youngbehind the cliffs
”And you,” said Athos, ”you forget that you co Lord de Winter's na man stopped?”
”More reason, then, when he spoke to you, for sending him about his business”
”A quarrel?” asked Athos
”And since when have you become afraid of a quarrel?”
”I am always afraid of a quarrel when I aht possibly preventto you I a man nearer”
”And wherefore?”
”Arah at , you will call me the most timorous of visionaries; but to who hing
”In ugliness, in so far as a ad!” cried Ara No, in truth you are no visionary, my dear friend, and now I think of it--you--yes, i'faith, you're right--those delicate, yet firm-set lips, those eyes which seem always at the command of the intellect and never of the heart! Yes, it is one of Milady's bastards!”
”You laugh Aramis”
”From habit, that is all I swear to you, I like no better than yourself to meet that viper in ,” said Athos
”Good! one thing now is only awanting and that is, that our groo”
”No,” said Athos ”I see thenize Gris and his determined slouch Tony carries our lancing toward the west, where the sun had left a single golden cloud, which, dipping into the ocean, appeared by degrees to be extinguished
”Probably,” said Athos