第24章

"Youwillsee。？Look。？Theprisonerisreturningfromchapel。"

Andtheysaw，bytheredflashesoflightningagainstthevioletfogwhichthewindstampeduponthebank—wardsky，theysawpassgravely，atsixpacesbehindthegovernor，amanclothedinblackandmaskedbyavizorofpolishedsteel，solderedtoahelmetofthesamenature，whichaltogetherenvelopedthewholeofhishead。？Thefireoftheheavenscastredreflectionsonthepolishedsurface，andthesereflections，flyingoffcapriciously，seemedtobeangrylookslaunchedbytheunfortunate，insteadofimprecations。？Inthemiddleofthegallery，theprisonerstoppedforamoment，tocontemplatetheinfinitehorizon，torespirethesulphurousperfumesofthetempest，todrinkinthirstilythehotrain，andtobreatheasighresemblingasmotheredgroan。

"Comeon，monsieur，"saidSaint—Mars，sharply，totheprisoner，forhealreadybecameuneasyatseeinghimlooksolongbeyondthewalls。？"Monsieur，comeon！"

"Saymonseigneur！"criedAthos，fromhiscorner，withavoicesosolemnandterrible，thatthegovernortrembledfromheadtofoot。？Athosinsisteduponrespectbeingpaidtofallenmajesty。？Theprisonerturnedround。

"Whospoke？"askedSaint—Mars。

"ItwasI，"repliedD\'Artagnan，showinghimselfpromptly。？"Youknowthatistheorder。"

"Callmeneithermonsieurnormonseigneur，"saidtheprisonerinhisturn，inavoicethatpenetratedtotheverysoulofRaoul;"callmeACCURSED！"？Hepassedon，andtheirondoorcroakedafterhim。

"Theregoesatrulyunfortunateman！"murmuredthemusketeerinahollowwhisper，pointingouttoRaoulthechamberinhabitedbytheprince。

ChapterXXXIII:

Promises。

ScarcelyhadD\'Artagnanre—enteredhisapartmentwithhistwofriends，whenoneofthesoldiersofthefortcametoinformhimthatthegovernorwasseekinghim。？ThebarkwhichRaoulhadperceivedatsea，andwhichappearedsoeagertogaintheport，cametoSainte—Margueritewithanimportantdispatchforthecaptainofthemusketeers。？Onopeningit，D\'Artagnanrecognizedthewritingoftheking:

"Ishouldthink，"saidLouisXIV。，"youwillhavecompletedtheexecutionofmyorders，Monsieurd\'Artagnan;return，then，immediatelytoParis，andjoinmeattheLouvre。"

"Thereistheendofmyexile！"criedthemusketeerwithjoy;"Godbepraised，Iamnolongerajailer！"？AndheshowedthelettertoAthos。

"So，then，youmustleaveus？"repliedthelatter，inamelancholytone。

"Yes，buttomeetagain，dearfriend，seeingthatRaoulisoldenoughnowtogoalonewithM。deBeaufort，andwillpreferhisfathergoingbackincompanywithM。

d\'Artagnan，toforcinghimtotraveltwohundredleaguessolitarilytoreachhomeatLaF鑢e;willyounot，Raoul？"

"Certainly，"

stammeredthelatter，withanexpressionoftenderregret。

"No，no，myfriend，"interruptedAthos，"IwillneverquitRaoultillthedayhisvesseldisappearsonthehorizon。？AslongasheremainsinFranceheshallnotbeseparatedfromme。"

"Asyouplease，dearfriend;butwewill，atleast，leaveSainte—Margueritetogether;takeadvantageofthebarkthatwillconveymebacktoAntibes。"

"Withallmyheart;wecannottoosoonbeatadistancefromthisfort，andfromthespectaclethatshockedussojustnow。"

Thethreefriendsquittedthelittleisle，afterpayingtheirrespectstothegovernor，andbythelastflashesofthedepartingtempesttheytooktheirfarewellofthewhitewallsofthefort。？D\'Artagnanpartedfromhisfriendthatsamenight，afterhavingseenfiresettothecarriageupontheshorebytheordersofSaint—Mars，accordingtotheadvicethecaptainhadgivenhim。？Beforegettingonhorseback，andafterleavingthearmsofAthos:

"Myfriends，"saidhe，"youbeartoomuchresemblancetotwosoldierswhoareabandoningtheirpost。？SomethingwarnsmethatRaoulwillrequirebeingsupportedbyyouinhisrank。？WillyouallowmetoaskpermissiontogooverintoAfricawithahundredgoodmuskets？？Thekingwillnotrefuseme，andIwilltakeyouwithme。"

"Monsieurd\'Artagnan，"repliedRaoul，pressinghishandwithemotion，"thanksforthatoffer，whichwouldgiveusmorethanwewish，eithermonsieurlecomteorI。？I，whoamyoung，standinneedoflaborofmindandfatigueofbody;monsieurlecomtewantstheprofoundestrepose。？Youarehisbestfriend。？Irecommendhimtoyourcare。？Inwatchingoverhim，youareholdingbothoursoulsinyourhands。"

"I

mustgo;myhorseisallinafret，"saidD\'Artagnan，withwhomthemostmanifestsignofalivelyemotionwasthechangeofideasinconversation。？"Come，comte，howmanydayslongerhasRaoultostayhere？"

"Threedaysatmost。"

"Andhowlongwillittakeyoutoreachhome？"

"Oh！

aconsiderabletime，"repliedAthos。？"IshallnotliketheideaofbeingseparatedtooquicklyfromRaoul。？Timewilltraveltoofastofitselftorequiremetoaiditbydistance。？Ishallonlymakehalf—stages。"

"Andwhyso，myfriend？？Nothingismoredullthantravelingslowly;andhostelrylifedoesnotbecomeamanlikeyou。"

"Myfriend，Icamehitheronpost—horses;butIwishtopurchasetwoanimalsofasuperiorkind。？Now，totakethemhomefresh，itwouldnotbeprudenttomakethemtravelmorethansevenoreightleaguesaday。"

"WhereisGrimaud？"

"HearrivedyesterdaymorningwithRaoul\'sappointments;andIhavelefthimtosleep。"

"Thatis，nevertocomebackagain，"D\'Artagnansufferedtoescapehim。？"Tillwemeetagain，then，dearAthos—

andifyouarediligent，Ishallembraceyouthesooner。"？Sosaying，heputhisfootinthestirrup，whichRaoulheld。

"Farewell！"

saidtheyoungman，embracinghim。

"Farewell！"

saidD\'Artagnan，ashegotintohissaddle。

Hishorsemadeamovementwhichdividedthecavalierfromhisfriends。？ThisscenehadtakenplaceinfrontofthehousechosenbyAthos，nearthegatesofAntibes，whitherD\'Artagnan，afterhissupper，hadorderedhishorsestobebrought。？Theroadbegantobranchoffthere，whiteandundulatinginthevaporsofthenight。？Thehorseeagerlyrespiredthesalt，sharpperfumeofthemarshes。？D\'Artagnanputhimtoatrot;andAthosandRaoulsadlyturnedtowardsthehouse。？Allatoncetheyheardtherapidapproachofahorse\'ssteps，andfirstbelieved？ittobeoneofthosesingularrepercussionswhichdeceivetheearateveryturninaroad。？Butitwasreallythereturnofthehorseman。？Theyutteredacryofjoyoussurprise;andthecaptain，springingtothegroundlikeayoungman，seizedwithinhisarmsthetwobelovedheadsofAthosandRaoul。？Heheldthemlongembracedthus，withoutspeakingaword，orsufferingthesighwhichwasburstinghisbreasttoescapehim。？Then，asrapidlyashehadcomeback，hesetoffagain，withasharpapplicationofhisspurstothesidesofhisfieryhorse。

"Alas！"

saidthecomte，inalowvoice，"alas！alas！"

"Anevilomen！"onhisside，saidD\'Artagnantohimself，makingupforlosttime。？"Icouldnotsmileuponthem。？Anevilomen！"

ThenextdayGrimaudwasonfootagain。？TheservicecommandedbyM。deBeaufortwashappilyaccomplished。？Theflotilla，senttoToulonbytheexertionsofRaoul，hadsetout，draggingafteritinlittlenutshells，almostinvisible，thewivesandfriendsofthefishermenandsmugglersputinrequisitionfortheserviceofthefleet。？Thetime，soshort，whichremainedforfatherandsontolivetogether，appearedtogobywithdoublerapidity，likesomeswiftstreamthatflowstowardseternity。？AthosandRaoulreturnedtoToulon，whichbegantobefilledwiththenoiseofcarriages，withthenoiseofarms，thenoiseofneighinghorses。？Thetrumpeterssoundedtheirspiritedmarches;thedrummerssignalizedtheirstrength;thestreetswereoverflowingwithsoldiers，servants，andtradespeople。？TheDucdeBeaufortwaseverywhere，superintendingtheembarkationwiththezealandinterestofagoodcaptain。？Heencouragedthehumblestofhiscompanions;hescoldedhislieutenants，eventhoseofthehighestrank。？Artillery，provisions，baggage，heinsisteduponseeingallhimself。？Heexaminedtheequipmentofeverysoldier;

assuredhimselfofthehealthandsoundnessofeveryhorse。？Itwasplainthat，light，boastful，egotistical，inhishotel，thegentlemanbecamethesoldieragain—thehighnoble，acaptain—infaceoftheresponsibilityhehadaccepted。？Andyet，itmustbeadmittedthat，whateverwasthecarewithwhichhepresidedoverthepreparationsfordeparture，itwaseasytoperceivecarelessprecipitation，andtheabsenceofalltheprecautionthatm

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