The two friends then placed themselves as they had agreed, Porthos being completely hidden in an angle of the window.
"Good-evening, comrade," said D'Artagnan in his most fascinating voice and manner.
"Good-evening, sir," answered the soldier, in a strong provincial accent.
"'Tis not too warm to walk," resumed D'Artagnan.
"No, sir."
"And I think a glass of wine will not be disagreeable to you?"
"A glass of wine will be extremely welcome."
"The fish bites -- the fish bites!" whispered the Gascon to Porthos.
"I understand," said Porthos.
"A bottle, perhaps?"
"A whole bottle? Yes, sir."
"A whole bottle, if you will drink my health."
"Willingly," answered the soldier.
"Come, then, and take it, friend," said the Gascon.
"With all my heart. How convenient that there's a bench here. Egad! one would think it had been placed here on purpose."
"Get on it; that's it, friend."
And D'Artagnan coughed.
That instant the arm of Porthos fell. His hand of iron grasped, quick as lightning, firm as a pair of blacksmith's pincers, the soldier's throat. He raised him, almost stifling him as he drew him through the aperture, at the risk of flaying him in the passage. He then laid him down on the floor, where D'Artagnan, after giving him just time enough to draw his breath, gagged him with his long scarf; and the moment he had done so began to undress him with the promptitude and dexterity of a man who had learned his business on the field of battle. Then the soldier, gagged and bound, was placed upon the hearth, the fire of which had been previously extinguished by the two friends.
"Here's a sword and a dress," said Porthos.
"I take them," said D'Artagnan, "for myself. If you want another uniform and sword you must play the same trick over again. Stop! I see the other soldier issue from the guardroom and come toward us."
"I think," replied Porthos, "it would be imprudent to attempt the same manoeuvre again; it is said that no man can succeed twice in the same way, and a failure would be ruinous. No; I will go down, seize the man unawares and bring him to you ready gagged."
"That is better," said the Gascon.
"Be ready," said Porthos, as he slipped through the opening.
He did as he said. Porthos seized his opportunity, caught the next soldier by his neck, gagged him and pushed him like a mummy through the bars into the room, and entered after him. Then they undressed him as they had done the first, laid him on their bed and bound him with the straps which composed the bed -- the bedstead being of oak. This operation proved as great a success as the first.
"There," said D'Artagnan, "this is capital! Now let me try on the dress of yonder chap. Porthos, I doubt if you can wear it; but should it be too tight, never mind, you can wear the breastplate and the hat with the red feathers."
It happened, however, that the second soldier was a Swiss of gigantic proportions, so, save that some few of the seams split, his uniform fitted Porthos perfectly.
They then dressed themselves.
"'Tis done!" they both exclaimed at once. "As to you, comrades," they said to the men, "nothing will happen to you if you are discreet; but if you stir you are dead men."
The soldiers were complaisant; they had found the grasp of Porthos pretty powerful and that it was no joke to fight against it.
"Now," said D'Artagnan, "you wouldn't be sorry to understand the plot, would you, Porthos?"
"Well, no, not very."
"Well, then, we shall go down into the court."
"Yes."
"We shall take the place of those two fellows."
"Well?"
"We will walk back and forth."
"That's a good idea, for it isn't warm."
"In a moment the valet-de-chambre will call the guard, as he did yesterday and the day before."
"And we shall answer?"
"No, on the contrary, we shall not answer."
"As you please; I don't insist on answering."
"We will not answer, then; we will simply settle our hats on our heads and we will escort his eminence."
"Where shall we escort him?"
"Where he is going -- to visit Athos. Do you think Athos will be sorry to see us?"
"Oh!" cried Porthos, "oh! I understand."
"Wait a little, Porthos, before crying out; for, on my word, you haven't reached the end," said the Gascon, in a jesting tone.
"What is to happen?" said Porthos.
"Follow me," replied D'Artagnan. "The man who lives to see shall see."
And slipping through the aperture, he alighted in the court.
Porthos followed him by the same road, but with more difficulty and less diligence. They could hear the two soldiers shivering with fear, as they lay bound in the chamber.
