but not
being able to see the wound, he judged it to be more serious than it
really was.

"It was an ambuscade!" shouted d'Artagnan. "Don't waste a charge!
Forward!"

Aramis, wounded as he was, seized the mane of his horse, which carried
him on with the others. Mousqueton's horse rejoined them, and galloped
by the side of his companions.

"That will serve us for a relay," said Athos.

"I would rather have had a hat," said d'Artagnan. "Mine was carried away
by a ball. By my faith, it is very fortunate that the letter was not in
it."

"They'll kill poor Porthos when he comes up," said Aramis.

"If Porthos were on his legs, he would have rejoined us by this time,"
said Athos. "My opinion is that on the ground the drunken man was not
intoxicated."

They continued at their best speed for two hours, although the horses
were so fatigued that it was to be feared they would soon refuse
service.

The travelers had chosen crossroads in the hope that they might meet
with less interruption; but at Crevecoeur, Aramis declared he could
proceed no farther. In fact, it required all the courage which he
concealed beneath his elegant form and polished manners to bear him so
far. He grew more pale every minute, and they were obliged to support
him on his horse. They lifted him off at the door of a cabaret, left
Bazin with him, who, besides, in a skirmish was more embarrassing than
useful, and set forward again in the hope of sleeping at Amiens.

"MORBLEU," said Athos, as soon as they were again in motion, "reduced to
two masters and Grimaud and Planchet! MORBLEU! I won't be their dupe,
I will answer for it. I will neither open my mouth nor draw my sword
between this and Calais. I swear by--"

"Don't waste time in swearing," said d'Artagnan; "let us gallop, if our
horses will consent."

And the travelers buried their rowels in their horses' flanks, who thus
vigorously stimulated recovered their energies. They arrived at Amiens
at midnight, and alighted at the AUBERGE of the Golden Lily.

The host had the appearance of as honest a man as any on earth. He
received the travelers with his candlestick in one hand and his cotton
nightcap in the other. He wished to lodge the two travelers each in a
charming chamber; but unfortunately these charming chambers were at the
opposite extremities of the hotel. d'Artagnan and Athos refused them.
The host replied that he had no other worthy of their Excellencies; but
the travelers declared