th the
host.

Athos went down to pay the reckoning, while d'Artagnan and Planchet
stood at the street door. The host was in a lower and back room, to
which Athos was requested to go.

Athos entered without the least mistrust, and took out two pistoles to
pay the bill. The host was alone, seated before his desk, one of the
drawers of which was partly open. He took the money which Athos offered
to him, and after turning and turning it over and over in his hands,
suddenly cried out that it was bad, and that he would have him and his
companions arrested as forgers.

"You blackguard!" cried Athos, going toward him, "I'll cut your ears
off!"

At the same instant, four men, armed to the teeth, entered by side
doors, and rushed upon Athos.

"I am taken!" shouted Athos, with all the power of his lungs. "Go on,
d'Artagnan! Spur, spur!" and he fired two pistols.

D'Artagnan and Planchet did not require twice bidding; they unfastened
the two horses that were waiting at the door, leaped upon them, buried
their spurs in their sides, and set off at full gallop.

"Do you know what has become of Athos?" asked d'Artagnan of Planchet, as
they galloped on.

"Ah, monsieur," said Planchet, "I saw one fall at each of his two shots,
and he appeared to me, through the glass door, to be fighting with his
sword with the others."

"Brave Athos!" murmured d'Artagnan, "and to think that we are compelled
to leave him; maybe the same fate awaits us two paces hence. Forward,
Planchet, forward! You are a brave fellow."

"As I told you, monsieur," replied Planchet, "Picards are found out by
being used. Besides, I am here in my own country, and that excites me."

And both, with free use of the spur, arrived at St. Omer without drawing
bit. At St. Omer they breathed their horses with the bridles passed
under their arms for fear of accident, and ate a morsel from their hands
on the stones of the street, after they departed again.

At a hundred paces from the gates of Calais, d'Artagnan's horse gave
out, and could not by any means be made to get up again, the blood
flowing from his eyes and his nose. There still remained Planchet's
horse; but he stopped short, and could not be made to move a step.

Fortunately, as we have said, they were within a hundred paces of the
city; they left their two nags upon the high road, and ran toward the
quay. Planchet called his master's attention to a gentleman who had just
arrived with his lackey, and only