CHAPTER NINETEEN

THE ANJOU WINE

Days passed and still the King did not arrive as was expected. It appeared that a slight illness had led to the delay.

D'Artagnan went about his business happy in his mind as one always is after a past danger. His only uneasiness was the lack of news from his three friends.

Great was his joy when after a few weeks he received the following letter:

M. d'Artagnan,

I have had the pleasure of entertaining Messrs. Athos, Porthos and Aramis at house. These gentlemen were so pleased with the Anjou wine that they desired me to send you a dozen bottles.

I have done this, and remain, sir, with great respect.

Your humble and obedient servant,

Godeau.

"Excellent!" cried D'Artagnan. "They thought of me in their pleasures as I thought of them in my troubles. However, I will not drink to their health alone."

He hastened at once to find two particular Guardsmen with whom he was very friendly. One Guardsman was on duty that night and the other the following night, so it was arranged for all three to dine together the night afterwards and drink the health of their absent friends.

D'Artagnan gave Planchet, his man, charge of the twelve bottles of wine and instructions to prepare for the special dinner.

Planchet was delighted and set about the task with a good will, knowing that his master would not fail to give him a glass of the wine. To help him he had the false soldier who was now in D'Artagnan's service, and he obtained the services of Fourreau, the servant of one of the guests.

The time for dinner having arrived, the three friends took their places, and the dishes were placed on the table. Planchet attended to the serving, Fourreau opened the bottles and Brisemont, the soldier, poured the wine into the glasses. The first bottle of wine had been shaken by Fourreau as he had opened it and so the wine was not clear. D'Artagnan told the soldier he could drink the wine since he had not yet recovered from his wound, and to fill the glasses from fresh bottles.

The guests had taken their soup and were just about to lift their glasses to drink a toast to their host when guns were heard. All three, fearing that a sudden attack was being made, seized their swords and dashed out to their posts.

They were hardly out of the room when they heard cries of "Long live the King. Long live the Cardinal." The guns had been fired to salute the King's arrival.

The King had at last arrived with his Musketeers and ten thousand men.

D'Artagnan, in front of his company, was soon seen by his three friends. The ceremony of reception was soon over and the four friends were once more united.

"You could not have arrived at a better moment," cried D'Artagnan happily, introducing them to the two Guardsmen. "Now you can help us drink your wine."

"Ours?" said Athos in surprise.

"Why, yes! The wine you sent me."

"Wine we sent you? "

"Why, of course—the Anjou wine you like so well."

"Did you send it, Aramis?" said Athos, looking at him with a sly look.

"No."

"You, Porthos?" continued Athos.

"No."

"Well," said D'Artagnan, " if it was not you, it was most certainly Godeau, who sent it in your names."

"Never mind where it comes from," said Porthos, " let us drink it."

"No," said Athos firmly. "Do not let us foolishly drink wine from an unknown giver."

"But," said D'Artagnan, "did you not ask Godeau to send me some wine?"

"No, we did not, and why do you think we did?"

"Here is the letter that accompanied the wine," said D'Artagnan, showing the note to his comrades.

"This cannot be from him, and besides we haven't dined with him for months. This letter is therefore a forgery," said Athos, in a troubled voice.

All four were silent, each with his own thoughts.

D'Artagnan was the first to break the silence.

"Milady," cried he. "Can this be another attempt on my life?"

Turning suddenly, he dashed to the dining-room, followed by his three friends and the two guests.

The first thing D'Artagnan saw, on entering the room, was Brisemont rolling on the floor in terrible pain. Planchet and Fourreau, pale and trembling, were trying to help him. But it was clear that the man was dying.

"Ah!" he groaned on catching sight of D'Artagnan. " After pretending to pardon me you poisoned me."

"What do you say? Wretch!" demanded D'Artagnan.

"You gave me the wine. You told me to drink it. You wished to take your revenge," gasped the man.

"I swear on my honour," said D'Artagnan, "that I did not know the wine was poisoned." But it was useless to say anything more as the man was dead.

"Terrible! terrible!" said Athos.

D'Artagnan turned to his two guests. "Gentlemen," he said, "I beg you not to talk of what has happened. People with great power may have had a hand in this affair and it would be safer for you not to be connected with it."

The two Guardsmen gave their promise not to mention the affair to anyone. Then, seeing that the four friends wished to be alone, they begged to be excused and left.

"Let us leave this room," said Athos, "and eat elsewhere. The dead are not pleasant company at table."

"Planchet," said D'Artagnan as he was going out. "I leave this man's body to your care. Call a priest and see that the body is buried properly. It is true that he had committed a crime, but he repented of it."

In an upstairs room the four friends were served with fresh food by the innkeeper, and they drank water which Athos himself drew from the well behind the inn.

Over their simple meal D'Artagnan soon told his friends all about the two previous attempts to shoot him.