Alexandre Dumas: Twenty Years After

8. How D'Artagnan... discovers his old Friend (continued)

"Always cautious, Planchet."

"'Tis instinct, your honor."

"Well, what does your instinct tell you now?"

"Sir, my instinct told me that those people were assembled there for some bad purpose; and I was reflecting on what my instinct had told me, in the darkest corner of the stable, when a man wrapped in a cloak and followed by two other men, came in."

"Ah ah!" said D'Artagnan, Planchet's recital agreeing with his own observations. "Well?"

"One of these two men said, `He must certainly be at Noisy, or be coming there this evening, for I have seen his servant.'

"`Art thou sure? ' said the man in the cloak.

"`Yes, my prince.'"

"My prince!" interrupted D'Artagnan.

"Yes, `my prince;' but listen. `If he is here' -- this is what the other man said -- `let's see decidedly what to do with him.'

"`What to do with him?' answered the prince.

"`Yes, he's not a man to allow himself to be taken anyhow; he'll defend himself.'

"`Well, we must try to take him alive. Have you cords to bind him with and a gag to stop his mouth?'

"`We have.'

"`Remember that he will most likely be disguised as a horseman.'

"`Yes, yes, my lord; don't be uneasy.'

"`Besides, I shall be there.'

"`You will assure us that justice ---- '

"`Yes, yes! I answer for all that,' the prince said.