Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the twentieth chapter of The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.

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Wherever you listen to podcasts today, we will be continuing the Three Musketeers by Alexandra Dumas 20 the Journey At 02:00 in the morning, our four adventurers left Paris by the barrier St.

Denis.

As long as it was dark, they remained silent in spite of themselves.

They submitted to the influence of the obscurity and apprehended ambushes on every side.

With the first rays of day, their tongues were loosened.

With the Sun Gaiety revived, it was like the Eve of a battle.

The heartbeat, the eyes laughed, and they felt that the life they were perhaps going to lose was, after all, a good thing.

Besides, the appearance of the caravan was formidable.

The black horses of the Musketeers, their martial carriage with the regimental step of these Noble companions of the soldier, would have betrayed the most strict incognito.

The lackeys followed, armed to the teeth, all went well till they arrived at Chantilly, which they reached about 08:00 in the morning.

They needed breakfast and alighted at the door of an aburg recommended by a sign representing St.

Martin giving half his cloak to a poor man.

They ordered the lackeys not to unsaddle the horses and to hold themselves in readiness to set off again.

Immediately they entered the common hall and placed themselves at table.

A gentleman who had just arrived by the route of Denmartin was seated at the same table and was breakfasting.

He opened the conversation about rain and fine weather, the travelers replied.

He drank to their good health, and the travelers returned his politeness.

But at the moment Mouse Katan came to announce that the horses were ready and they were arising from the table.

The stranger proposed to Porthos to drink the health of the Cardinal.

Porthos replied that he asked no better if the stranger in his turn would drink the health of the King.

The stranger cried that he acknowledged no other King but his eminence.

Porthos called him drunk, and the stranger drew his sword.

You have committed a piece of folly, said Athos, but it can't be helped.

There is no drawing back.

Kill the fellow and rejoin us as soon as you can.

All three remounted their horses and set out at a good pace, while Porthos was promising his adversary to perforate him with all the thrusts known in the fencing schools.

There goes one, cried Athos, at the end of 500 paces.

But why did that man attack Porthos rather than any other one of us?

Asked Aramis.

Because as Porthos was talking louder than the rest of us, he took him for the chief, said D'Artagnan.

I always said that this cadet from Gascony was a well of wisdom, murmured Athos, and the travelers continued their route.

At Bouvois they stopped 2 hours as well to breed their horses a little, as to wait for Porthos.

At the end of 2 hours, as Porthos did not come, not any news of him, they resumed their journey at a League from Bovois, where the road was confined between two high banks.

They fell in with eight or ten men, who, taking advantage of the road, being unpaved in this spot, appeared to be employed in digging holes and filling up the ruts with mud.

Aramis, not liking the soil, his boots with this artificial mortar, apostrophised them rather sharply.

Athos wished to restrain him, but it was too late.

The laborers began to jeer the travelers, and by their insolence disturbed the equanimity even of the cool Athos, who urged on his horse against one of them.

Then each of these men retreated as far as the ditch, from which each took a concealed musket.

The result was that our seven travelers were outnumbered in weapons.

Aramis received a ball which passed through his shoulder and masked on another ball, which lodged in the fleshy part which prolongs the lower portion of the loins.

Therefore Mascatin alone fell from his horse, not because he was severely wounded, but not being able to see the wound.

He judged it to be more serious than it really was.

It was an embuscade, 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 maskedton'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 2 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 crevic Corps, Aramis declared he could proceed no further.

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 Basin with him, who Besides in a skirmish was more embarrassing than useful, and set forward again in the hope of sleeping at Amines.

More blue, said Athos, as soon as they were again in motion reduce to two Masters in grammar, and planted more blue.

I won't be there, 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 rowls in their horse's flanks, who thus vigorously stimulated recovered their energies.

They arrived at a means at midnight and alighted at the Auburg 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 they would sleep in the common Chamber, each on a mattress which might be thrown upon the ground.

The host insisted, but the travelers were firm, and he was obliged to do as they wished.

They had just prepared their beds, and barricaded their door within.

When someone knocked at the yard shutter, they demanded who was there?

And, recognizing the voices of their lackeys, opened the shutter.

It was indeed Planchette and grammar.

Grammar can take care of the horses, said Planchet, if you are willing, gentlemen, I will sleep across your doorway, and you will then be certain that nobody can reach you.

And on what will you sleep?

Said D'Artagnan.

Here's my bed, replied planchett, producing a bundle of straw.

Come then, said D'Artagnan.

You are right.

My host's face does not please me at all.

It is too gracious, nor me either, said Athos, Plant.

It mounted by the window and installed himself across the doorway while Grahamad went and shut himself up in the stable, undertaking that by 05:00 in the morning he and the four horses should be ready.

The night was quiet enough toward 02:00 in the morning somebody endeavored to open the door, but as planchett awoke in an instant and cried, who goes there?

Somebody replied that he was mistaken and went away.

At 04:00 in the morning they heard a terrible riot in the stables.

Grahama had tried to wake in the stable boys, and the stable boys had beaten him.

When they opened the window they saw the poor lad lying senseless with his head split by a blow with a Pitchfork.

Planchett went down into the yard and wished to saddle the horses, but the horses were all used up.

Mouse Guitar's horse, which had traveled for five or 6 hours without a rider the day before, might have been able to pursue the journey, but by an inconceivable error.

The veterinary surgeon who had been sent for as it appeared to bleed, one of the host's horses had bled mousquetons.

This began to be annoying.

All these successive accidents were perhaps the result of chance, but they might be the fruits of a plot.

Athos and D'Artagnan went out while planchett was sent to Inquire.

If there were not three horses for sale in the neighborhood, at the door stood two horses, fresh, strong, and fully equipped, these would just have suited them.

He asked where their Masters were, and was informed that they had passed the night in the Inn and were then settling their bill with the host.

Athos went down to pay the reckoning while D'Artagnan and planchett 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 lease 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, scoring 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 a full gallop.

Do you know what has become of Athos?

Asked D'Artagnan.

Of planchett, as they galloped on 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 accidents, and ate a morsel from their hands on the stones of the street.

After they departed again at 100 paces from the gates of Kalai, 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 Planchettes horse, but he stopped short and could not be made to move a step.

Fortunately, as we have said, they were within 100 paces of the city.

They left their two nags upon the high road and ran toward the Quay.

Planchett called his master's attention to a gentleman who had just arrived with his Lackey and only preceded them by about 50 paces.

They made all speed to come up to this gentleman who appeared to be in great haste.

His boots were covered with dust and he inquired if he could not instantly cross over to England.

Nothing would be more easy, said the captain of a vessel ready to set sail.

But this morning came in order to let no one leave without express permission from the Cardinal.

I have that permission, said the gentleman drawing the paper from his pocket.

Here it is.

Have it examined by the governor of the Port, said the shipmaster and give me the preference.

Where shall I find the governor?

At his country house and that is situated at a quarter of a League from the city.

Look, you may see it from here at the foot of that little Hill.

That slated roof.

Very well, said the gentleman.