Part 29 (1/2)
”Gracious me!” said Porthos, ”there's Phoebus ruined”
”The cardinal will pay you a hundred pistoles”
”I'allop”
”Yes, if we can”
But at last the lieutenant's horse refused to go on; he could not breathe; one last spur, instead ofhim advance, made him fall
”The devil!” exclaimed Porthos; ”there's Vulcan foundered”
”Zounds!” cried D'Artagnan, ”then we must stop! Give ?”
”By Jove, I a,” answered Porthos
All three then cried: ”All's over”
”Hush!+” said D'Artagnan
”What is it?”
”I hear a horse”
”It belongs to one of our conan, ”it is in advance”
”That is another thing,” said Porthos; and he listened toward the quarter indicated by D'Artagnan
”Monsieur,” said Mousqueton, who, abandoning his horse on the high road, had coer hold out and----”
”Silence!” said Porthos
In fact, at that ht wind
”It is five hundred feet fronan
”True, monsieur,” said Mousqueton; ”and five hundred feet fro-house”
”Mousqueton, thy pistols,” said D'Artagnan
”I have them at hand, monsieur”
”Porthos, take yours from your holsters”
”I have the his own; ”now you understand, Porthos?”
”Not too well”
”We are out on the king's service”
”Well?”
”For the king's service we need horses”
”That is true,” said Porthos
”Then not a word, but set to work!”
They went on through the darkness, silent as phanto in the midst of some trees
”Yonder is the house, Porthos,” said the Gascon; ”let lided from tree to tree till they arrived at twenty steps from the house unperceived and saw by means of a lantern suspended under a hut, four fine horses A groo thenan approached quickly, n to his two companions to remain a few steps behind
”I buy those horses,” he said to the grooroom turned toward him with a look of surprise, but made no reply
”Didn't you hear, fellow?”
”Yes, I heard”
”Why, then, didn't you reply?”
”Because these horses are not to be sold,” was the reply
”I take them, then,” said the lieutenant
And he took hold of one within his reach; his two corooues and have only been unsaddled half an hour”
”Half an hour's rest is enough,” replied the Gascon
The groom cried aloud for help A kind of steward appeared, just as D'Artagnan and his companions were prepared to mount The steward attempted to expostulate
”My dear friend,” cried the lieutenant, ”if you say a word I will blow out your brains”