13 An Unusual Place for a Meeting

CHAPTER 13 An Unusual Place for a Meeting Athos rode back to camp. The other Musketeers were waiting for him. He sent an invitation for D'Artagnan to meet them for breakfast the next day. Then he told Aramis and Porthos that he would tell them everything when all four men were together. The next day, the four friends tried to find a safe place to discuss the Cardinal and Milady. "We don't know who might be listening," Athos said. "The Cardinal and Milady have

spies everywhere." While they ate breakfast at an inn full of soldiers, D'Artagnan told his friends that his troop had just seen a small battle at a place called the Bastion Saint-Gervais. One of the soldiers nearby interrupted and said he had heard about it. "There will be a group going there later today to clean up," he said. "It's a mess after the battle." "I believe we could make a game of that," Athos said. "Of what?" the soldier replied. Several other soldiers turned to listen. "I believe my friends and I will have lunch at the Bastion Saint-Gervais," Athos said. "We will stay there for one hour and no one will force us to move." "But the enemy soldiers are still close," the other soldier said. "They are closer to the Bastion than we are. They would attack

before you even arrived." D'Artagnan looked worried, but Athos whispered to him, "This will be the perfect place for our meeting. We can be sure that no one will spy on us there." The Bastion Saint-Gervais was a small fort between the two army camps. After the previous day's battle, the place was in ruins. Weapons were left on the ground where soldiers had fallen and the walls were crumbling. The Musketeers and their assistants gathered as many weapons as they could, climbed to the highest point of the fort, and set up a picnic lunch. While their assistants kept a lookout for enemy soldiers, Athos told his friends about his visit with Milady the night before. D'Artagnan almost dropped his glass when he heard the news. "It seems our friend D'Artagnan is now her biggest enemy," Athos said. "She wishes to

do him some harm and the Cardinal has agreed to help her." "In that case, I am lost," D'Artagnan said. "How can I fight both of them?" "Don't forget that we're your friends and that we will help you," Athos said calmly. Grimaud signaled that a troop of enemy soldiers was approaching. The Musketeers quickly set themselves up along the high wall. When the enemy saw them, each side began to fire. The battle was short, and the Musketeers were able to force the enemy soldiers back. "Now, where were we?" Athos asked after the fight. "We were discussing Milady," D'Artagnan said. Athos showed his friends the letter the Cardinal had given to Milady. "Why, this gives permission for the letter's owner to do anything at all," D'Artagnan

said. "It is very powerful. This gives me an idea." But before he could continue, Grimaud shouted, "To arms, gentlemen!" Another troop of enemy soldiers was approaching the bastion. "Perhaps we should make our way back to camp," Porthos said. "We are greatly outnumbered." "Unfortunately, that is impossible for three reasons," Athos said. "First, we haven't finished eating lunch yet. Second, we still have important business to discuss. And third, we haven't been here for a full hour yet." So the Musketeers set themselves up as before and, after another short battle, managed to force the enemy troops to retreat. Afterward, the assistants worked together to gather old bits of armor and weapons, which they stood against the wall

to make it look as if there were several soldiers standing guard. "Perhaps this will make them think twice before attacking again," Aramis said. "They'll think we have more soldiers with us than we really do. Now, D'Artagnan, what was your idea?" "We must warn the Queen and the Duke," D'Artagnan began. "I could return to London —" "No, none of us can leave camp now," Athos interrupted. "The Cardinal and Milady will be watching all of us closely." Suddenly the Musketeers heard gunfire in the distance. The enemy soldiers were approaching again, this time with a much larger force. "My friends," Athos said, "I believe we have been here long enough to win our game. It is time for us to return." The men hurried back to camp. Every