perceived a group of people
collected on the other side of the moat, in front of that part of the
donjon which looks toward Saint Maur. He rode on, convinced that in this
direction he would gain intelligence of the fugitive. In five minutes he
had arrived at the place, where the guards joined him, coming up one by
one.

The several members of that group were much excited. They looked at the
cord, still hanging from the loophole and broken at about twenty feet
from the ground. Their eyes measured the height and they exchanged
conjectures. On the top of the wall sentinels went and came with a
frightened air.

A few soldiers, commanded by a sergeant, drove away idlers from the
place where the duke had mounted his horse. D'Artagnan went straight to
the sergeant.

"My officer," said the sergeant, "it is not permitted to stop here."

"That prohibition is not for me," said D'Artagnan. "Have the fugitives
been pursued?"

"Yes, my officer; unfortunately, they are well mounted."

"How many are there?"

"Four, and a fifth whom they carried away wounded."

"Four!" said D'Artagnan, looking at Porthos. "Do you hear, baron? They
are only four!"

A joyous smile lighted Porthos's face.

"How long a start have they?"

"Two hours and a quarter, my officer."

"Two hours and a quarter--that is nothing; we are well mounted, are we
not, Porthos?"

Porthos breathed a sigh; he thought of what was in store for his poor
horses.

"Very good," said D'Artagnan; "and now in what direction did they set
out?"

"That I am forbidden to tell."

D'Artagnan drew from his pocket a paper. "Order of the king," he said.

"Speak to the governor, then."

"And where is the governor?"

"In the country."

Anger mounted to D'Artagnan's face; he frowned and his cheeks were
colored.

"Ah, you scoundrel!" he said to the sergeant, "I believe you are
impudent to me! Wait!"

He unfolded the paper, presented it to the sergeant with one hand and
with the other took a pistol from his holsters and cocked it.

"Order of the king, I tell you. Read and answer, or I will blow out your
brains!"

The sergeant saw that D'Artagnan was in earnest. "The Vendomois road,"
he replied.

"And by what gate did they go out?"

"By the Saint Maur gate."

"If you are deceiving me, rascal, you will be hanged to-morrow."

"And if you catch up with them you won't come back to hang me," murmured
the sergeant.

D'Artagnan shrugged his shoulders, made a sign