r added the
portmanteau to the equipment. "Now saddle the other three horses."

"Do you think, then, monsieur, that we shall travel faster with two
horses apiece?" said Planchet, with his shrewd air.

"No, Monsieur Jester," replied d'Artagnan; "but with our four horses we
may bring back our three friends, if we should have the good fortune to
find them living."

"Which is a great chance," replied Planchet, "but we must not despair of
the mercy of God."

"Amen!" said d'Artagnan, getting into his saddle.

As they went from the Hotel des Gardes, they separated, leaving the
street at opposite ends, one having to quit Paris by the Barriere de la
Villette and the other by the Barriere Montmartre, to meet again beyond
St. Denis--a strategic maneuver which, having been executed with equal
punctuality, was crowned with the most fortunate results. D'Artagnan and
Planchet entered Pierrefitte together.

Planchet was more courageous, it must be admitted, by day than by night.
His natural prudence, however, never forsook him for a single instant.
He had forgotten not one of the incidents of the first journey, and he
looked upon everybody he met on the road as an enemy. It followed
that his hat was forever in his hand, which procured him some severe
reprimands from d'Artagnan, who feared that his excess of politeness
would lead people to think he was the lackey of a man of no consequence.

Nevertheless, whether the passengers were really touched by the urbanity
of Planchet or whether this time nobody was posted on the young man's
road, our two travelers arrived at Chantilly without any accident, and
alighted at the tavern of Great St. Martin, the same at which they had
stopped on their first journey.

The host, on seeing a young man followed by a lackey with two extra
horses, advanced respectfully to the door. Now, as they had already
traveled eleven leagues, d'Artagnan thought it time to stop, whether
Porthos were or were not in the inn. Perhaps it would not be prudent
to ask at once what had become of the Musketeer. The result of these
reflections was that d'Artagnan, without asking information of any kind,
alighted, commended the horses to the care of his lackey, entered a
small room destined to receive those who wished to be alone, and desired
the host to bring him a bottle of his best wine and as good a breakfast
as possible--a desire which further corroborated the high opinion the
innkeeper had formed of the traveler at