“And one for me—the best for the last!” cried D’Artagnan in a rage, nailing him to the earth with a fourth thrust through his body.

This time the gentleman closed his eyes and fainted. D’Artagnan searched his pockets, and took from one of them the order for the passage. It was in the name of the Comte de Wardes.

Then casting a glance on the handsome young man, who was scarcely twenty-five years of age, and whom he was leaving lying there unconscious and perhaps dead, he uttered a sigh over that unaccountable destiny which leads men to destroy one another for the interests of people who are strangers to them, and who often do not even know of their existence.

But he was soon roused from these reflections by Lubin, who uttered loud cries, and screamed for help with all his might.

Planchet grasped him by the throat, and pressed as hard as he could.

“Sir,” said he, “as long as I hold him in this manner he can’t cry, I’ll be bound; but as soon as I let go, he will howl again as loud as ever. I have found out that he’s a Norman, and Normans are obstinate.”

In fact, tightly held as he was, Lubin endeavoured still to make a noise.

“Wait!” said D’Artagnan; and taking out his handkerchief, he gagged him.

“Now,” said Planchet, “let us bind him to a tree.”

This being properly done, they drew the Comte de Wardes close to his servant; and as night was approaching, and as the wounded man and the bound man were both at some little distance within the wood, it was evident they would remain there till the next day.

“And now,” said D’Artagnan, “to the governor’s house.”

“But you appear to me to be wounded,” said Planchet.

“Oh, that’s nothing! Let us dispatch what is most pressing first, and we will attend to my wound afterwards; besides, it does not seem a very dangerous one.”

And they both set forward as fast as they could towards the worthy functionary’s country seat.

The governor signed the passport and delivered it to D’Artagnan, who lost no time in useless compliments, but thanked the governor, bowed, and departed.

Once out, he and Planchet set off as fast as they could, and by making a détour, avoided the wood, and re-entered the city by another gate.

The vessel was quite ready to sail, and the captain waiting on the wharf.

“Well?” said he, on perceiving D’Artagnan.

“Here is my pass, signed,” said the latter.

“And that other gentleman?”

“He will not go to-day,” said D’Artagnan; “but here, I’ll pay you for us two.”

“In that case we will be gone,” said the captain.

“Yes; as soon as you please,” replied D’Artagnan.