"What can you expect, Athos? Men are so made; and we are not always twenty years old. We have cruelly wounded, as you know, that personal pride by which D'Artagnan is blindly governed. He has been beaten. Did you not observe his despair on the journey? As to Porthos, his barony was perhaps dependent on that affair. Well, he found us on his road and will not be baron this time. Perhaps that famous barony will have something to do with our interview this evening. Let us take our precautions, Athos."
"But suppose they come unarmed? What a disgrace to us."
"Oh, never fear! besides, if they do, we can easily make an excuse; we came straight off a journey and are insurgents, too."
"An excuse for us! to meet D'Artagnan with a false excuse! to have to make a false excuse to Porthos! Oh, Aramis!" continued Athos, shaking his head mournfully, "upon my soul, you make me the most miserable of men; you disenchant a heart not wholly dead to friendship. Go in whatever guise you choose; for my part, I shall go unarmed."
"No, for I will not allow you to do so. 'Tis not one man, not Athos only, not the Comte de la Fere whom you will ruin by this amiable weakness, but a whole party to whom you belong and who depend upon you."
"Be it so then," replied Athos, sorrowfully.
And they pursued their road in mournful silence.
Scarcely had they reached by the Rue de la Mule the iron gate of the Place Royale, when they perceived three cavaliers, D'Artagnan, Porthos, and Planchet, the two former wrapped up in their military cloaks under which their swords were hidden, and Planchet, his musket by his side. They were waiting at the entrance of the Rue Sainte Catharine, and their horses were fastened to the rings of the arcade.
Athos, therefore, commanded Bazin to fasten up his horse and that of Aramis in the same manner.
They then advanced two and two, and saluted each other politely.
"Now where will it be agreeable to you that we hold our conference?" inquired Aramis, perceiving that people were stopping to look at them, supposing that they were going to engage in one of those far-famed duels still extant in the memory of the Parisians, and especially the inhabitants of the Place Royale.
"The gate is shut," said Aramis, "but if these gentlemen like a cool retreat under the trees, and perfect seclusion, I will get the key from the Hotel de Rohan and we shall be well suited."
D'Artagnan darted a look into the obscurity of the Place.
Porthos ventured to put his head between the railings, to try if his glance could penetrate the gloom.
"If you prefer any other place," said Athos, in his persuasive voice, "choose for yourselves."
"This place, if Monsieur d'Herblay can procure the key, is the best that we can have," was the answer.
Aramis went off at once, begging Athos not to remain alone within reach of D'Artagnan and Porthos; a piece of advice which was received with a contemptuous smile.
Aramis returned soon with a man from the Hotel de Rohan, who was saying to him:
"You swear, sir, that it is not so?"
"Stop," and Aramis gave him a louis d'or.
"Ah! you will not swear, my master," said the concierge, shaking his head.
"Well, one can never say what may happen; at present we and these gentlemen are excellent friends."
"Yes, certainly," added Athos and the other two.
D'Artagnan had heard the conversation and had understood it.
"You see?" he said to Porthos.
"What do I see?"
"That he wouldn't swear."
"Swear what?"
"That man wanted Aramis to swear that we are not going to the Place Royale to fight."
"And Aramis wouldn't swear?"
"No."
"Attention, then!"
Athos did not lose sight of the two speakers. Aramis opened the gate and faced around in order that D'Artagnan and Porthos might enter. In passing through the gate, the hilt of the lieutenant's sword was caught in the grating and he was obliged to pull off his cloak; in doing so he showed the butt end of his pistols and a ray of the moon was reflected on the shining metal.
"Do you see?" whispered Aramis to Athos, touching his shoulder with one hand and pointing with the other to the arms which the Gascon wore under his belt.
"Alas! I do!" replied Athos, with a deep sigh.
He entered third, and Aramis, who shut the gate after him, last. The two serving-men waited without; but as if they likewise mistrusted each other, they kept their respective distances.