for the road
where d'Artagnan had disappeared.

The maid approached Planchet, whom she took for Lubin, and holding out a
little billet to him said, "For your master."

"For my master?" replied Planchet, astonished.

"Yes, and important. Take it quickly."

Thereupon she ran toward the carriage, which had turned round toward the
way it came, jumped upon the step, and the carriage drove off.

Planchet turned and returned the billet. Then, accustomed to passive
obedience, he jumped down from the terrace, ran toward the lane, and at
the end of twenty paces met d'Artagnan, who, having seen all, was coming
to him.

"For you, monsieur," said Planchet, presenting the billet to the young
man.

"For me?" said d'Artagnan; "are you sure of that?"

"PARDIEU, monsieur, I can't be more sure. The SOUBRETTE said, 'For your
master.' I have no other master but you; so--a pretty little lass, my
faith, is that SOUBRETTE!"

D'Artagnan opened the letter, and read these words:

"A person who takes more interest in you than she is willing to confess
wishes to know on what day it will suit you to walk in the forest?
Tomorrow, at the Hotel Field of the Cloth of Gold, a lackey in black and
red will wait for your reply."

"Oh!" said d'Artagnan, "this is rather warm; it appears that Milady and
I are anxious about the health of the same person. Well, Planchet, how
is the good Monsieur de Wardes? He is not dead, then?"

"No, monsieur, he is as well as a man can be with four sword wounds
in his body; for you, without question, inflicted four upon the dear
gentleman, and he is still very weak, having lost almost all his blood.
As I said, monsieur, Lubin did not know me, and told me our adventure
from one end to the other."

"Well done, Planchet! you are the king of lackeys. Now jump onto your
horse, and let us overtake the carriage."

This did not take long. At the end of five minutes they perceived the
carriage drawn up by the roadside; a cavalier, richly dressed, was close
to the door.

The conversation between Milady and the cavalier was so animated that
d'Artagnan stopped on the other side of the carriage without anyone but
the pretty SOUBRETTE perceiving his presence.

The conversation took place in English--a language which d'Artagnan
could not understand; but by the accent the young man plainly saw that
the beautiful Englishwoman was in a great rage. She terminated it by an
action which left no doubt as to the nature of t