CHAPTER TWO

The Missing Letter

D'Artagnan did not awake until evening. He saw the inn owner sitting above him when he opened his eyes. The inn owner coldly and angrily said, "Young man, you have caused me a lot of trouble. Though you are weak, you should leave here immediately. Come on—get up!"

His head still hurting and not yet awake, d'Artagnan stood up and walked down the inn stairs. He forgot to get his coat or even put on his boots. He looked out of the window on the first floor and saw the stranger standing beside a carriage and talking to a woman inside, he called the woman "Milady".

D'Artagnan could see that Milady was quite young and very beautiful.

"What are the Cardinal's orders?" she asked the stranger.

"You must go at once to England," the stranger replied, "and send a letter to the Cardinal as soon as the Duke leaves London."

"Is there anything else?" asked Milady.

"The rest of your instructions are in this box. Do not open it until you arrive safely in England. I shall now return to Paris."

"What! What about punishing that rude boy from Gascony?"

The stranger was about to answer when d'Artagnan rushed out of the inn yelling fiercely: "This rude boy from Gascony will punish you first, as you will soon see!"

The stranger turned around quickly and his hand flew to the handle of his sword. Before he pulled it out Milady called out: "Don't waste time fighting! Remember that we must move quickly to succeed."

"You are right as always, Milady," he said. "Let's go."

He jumped up onto his horse while Milady told her carriage driver to ready the horses.

The inn owner ran outside and yelled, "Wait a moment! You still haven't paid for your room and food!"

"Pay him!" the stranger ordered his servant. The servant rudely threw three pieces of silver on the ground at the inn owner's feet, jumped on his own horse and rode off with his master.

"You are a coward!" yelled d'Artagnan, running after the stranger, but his head became dizzy and he fell down to his knees.

"Yes, he is a true coward!" said the inn owner angrily as he picked the silver coins off the ground.

D'Artagnan then said quietly, "Though he was truly a coward, the lady was truly beautiful."

"Who?" asked the landlord.

"Milady ... the woman in the carriage," d'Artagnan said weakly, and again fell unconscious on the ground.

"Well!" said the landlord, "Two customers have left me, but it looks like one will stay—and I believe he will be here for at least a few more days."

The inn owner did not know the strength of d'Artagnan. The next morning d'Artagnan got up at dawn; he came down into the kitchen and got his mother's medicine from his coat. He put it on his wound and it cured instantly. That same night d'Artagnan was already walking around the town, and the next morning he was already strong enough to continue riding to Paris.

When d'Artagnan went to pay his bill, he noticed that his gold was still in his pocket, but his father's letter was missing.

D'Artagnan screamed out loudly and promised to heaven that he would destroy the whole inn if his letter were not found. He reached for his sword, but forgot that the stranger's servant had already broken it.

"Where is my letter?" he screamed like a lion ready to attack. "It is for Mister Treville and if it is lost, he will want to know why."

"Is there anything of high value in it?" the inn owner asked.

"Anything of high value? My whole fortune is in that letter!" shouted d'Artagnan angrily.

"Wait!" cried the inn owner, "I think I know. Your letter was not lost. It was stolen. I saw the man with the scar on his face go into the kitchen, where your coat was. He could have stolen it."

"Do you think he did?" asked d'Artagnan.

"I am almost sure," continued the inn owner. "I had seen the letter in your pocket when I was curing you. When I told the man that you were a friend of Mister Treville, he looked very worried. Right after I told him, I saw him go into the kitchen."

"Then he must be the thief!" said d'Artagnan, "I will go to tell Mister Treville of this affair ... even the King himself shall hear of it!"

After saying this d'Artagnan jumped on his horse and rode off towards Paris.

When he arrived in the city he sold his strange horse to a merchant. He then began walking towards the palace on foot, carrying his bags with him. That night he slept in an inn in the center of the city, near the Kings palace.

The next morning he went out and bought a new set of clothes and a new sword. He then bathed and fixed his hair. When he was finally happy with his appearance, he set out to see Mister Treville, the third most powerful person in France.

(end of section)