CHAPTER SEVEN

The Duke of Buckingham

D'Artagnan decided to follow after Constance. After hearing the sound of his footsteps, Constance looked back and saw the dark figure of a man following after her, she screamed with fear and began to run as fast as she could. D'Artagnan ran after her and soon came close enough to grasp her arm. When he did she screamed and fell down on her knees, crying: "Kill me, please just kill me! I will tell you nothing!"

Then she turned around and looked into d'Artagnan's eyes, and cried with happiness. "It is you, dear d'Artagnan!" she said. "Have you been following me?"

"No. I came here to see my friend Aramis and saw you knocking on his window."

"Who is Aramis?"

"You certainly must know him! You were just at his house," said d'Artagnan.

"I've never even heard that name before. This was the first time that I went to that house," said Constance.

"Didn't you go there to visit him?"

"Certainly not. Didn't you see me speaking to a woman?"

"I don't understand why she was at Aramis' house. Who is she?"

"That is a secret."

"Madam Bonacieux, you are lovely and polite, but you are also full of secrets."

"Perhaps I am," she answered with a smile, "Now, please stop asking so many questions. Instead you can walk me where I am going."

"Where do you wish to go?"

"I will tell you as we walk. However, you must promise to take me to the door and then leave me, or I will have to ask you to leave now."

"I am a man of honor, you have my promise. Please take my arm and we will go."

They walked for a while to a narrow street, where Constance seemed to recognize a small, wood door and stop in front of it.

"Thank you for all your help, Mister d'Artagnan," she said. Then she added nervously: "You will not forget your promise, will you?"

"I will leave now," said d'Artagnan bowing to her, "Good night, Madam Bonacieux."

D'Artagnan knew that he was not far from the house of Athos and he decided to go and visit him. As he walked up the stairs to Athos' room, however, he met his servant Planchet coming down. Planchet looked very worried.

"Sir—Mister Athos was arrested by the Cardinal's Guards," said Planchet, "They found him in your room and they thought that he was you."

"What! Didn't he tell them his name?"

"No, sir. He wouldn't tell them. Before they grasped him, he whispered to me: 'd'Artagnan needs to be free now, for he knows everything about this affair. I will tell these guards who I am in three days, but until then they will think that they have arrested d'Artagnan.'"

"Athos is truly a man of honor!" said d'Artagnan. "But what about Porthos and Aramis?"

"I looked, but could not find them."

"Did you leave letters at their houses saying that I needed to meet with them?"

"Yes I did, sir."

"I see. Then I must ask you to wait here. If they come back, tell them what has happened to Athos. Tell them to meet me at the Pine Tree Inn. I'll run and tell Mister Treville all that has happened."

Running as fast as he could, d'Artagnan arrived soon at Treville's home. Treville was not there and his servant told d'Artagnan that he had gone to the palace. D'Artagnan decided to go there at once.

Just before arriving at the castle, d'Artagnan saw in front of him a woman wearing a cloak and a man wearing the uniform of a Musketeer. He knew at once that the woman was Constance, and he guessed that the man was Aramis, though he could not see clearly because the man was holding a handkerchief in front of his face.

D'Artagnan immediately became full of jealousy and anger. He walked forward with quick steps, moving past the two people, and then he turned back around to meet them. The Musketeer holding the handkerchief in front of his face moved back a step.

"What do you want, sir?" he said angrily.

The man spoke in a foreign accent that surprised d'Artagnan.

"You are not Aramis?" he cried.

"No, sir, I certainly am not," replied the man, "Since you do not know us, please allow us to pass."

"Though I do not know you, sir, I know this lady quite well," d'Artagnan said.

"You promised not to wait for me or follow me!" Constance said in anger.

"And you, Madam Bonacieux, told me—" d'Artagnan began, but he was interrupted by the stranger.

"Please take my arm, Madam," he said, "and we will go on our way."

He pushed d'Artagnan to one side with his hand as they walked past. D'Artagnan filled with anger, jumped back and pulled out his sword. At the same moment, and as fast as lightning, the man pulled out his.

"Stop," Constance cried, jumping between the two men, "do not fight here or we will all be destroyed!"

D'Artagnan put his sword back in his belt and asked, "Tell me who you are, sir, and I will let you pass."

"He is the Duke of Buckingham," Constance said angrily, "And your foolish actions may possibly cause all of our deaths!"

(end of section)