15 The End of Milady’s Plan

CHAPTER 15 The End of Milady's Plan That evening, Milady and Constance heard horses galloping on the road. Milady rushed to the window and was relieved to see her carriage outside. She told Constance they had to leave now, before the Cardinal's guards came for them. "I don't know what to do," Constance said. "I can barely move. I still believe D'Artagnan will come for me." "There's no time," Milady said. Just then, she heard more horses on the

road and saw D'Artagnan in the distance! Milady was terrified. She took a glass of water and secretly dropped a small red pill into it. Then she gave the glass to Constance. Milady wanted her revenge on D'Artagnan, one way or another. "Here, drink this," Milady said. "It will help you relax. Then we must be going." As soon as Constance drank it, she began to feel strange. A wave of dizziness passed over her and she fell to the floor. When she woke up, she was lying on the ground and D'Artagnan was holding her hand. "Constance, are you all right?" he asked. "I feel so sick," she said weakly. "Is that you, D'Artagnan? I knew you would come to rescue me." Aramis picked up the water glass and examined it. He sniffed it carefully and scraped out some of the powder that had settled at the bottom.

"Did you drink from this?" he asked. "Yes, she gave it to me," Constance said. "Is she here? She wanted to help me." "Who?" Athos asked. "Lady Clarik," Constance said. "She's another prisoner here. She was very kind to me. She wanted to take me to Armentières." The Musketeers looked at each other and knew at once that Milady had tried to poison her. The matter was grim, but no one wanted to upset Constance. Instead, they helped her to bed. She was very sick. Suddenly the Musketeers heard a horse galloping toward the convent. When they ran outside, they saw that Lord de Winter had arrived. "I'm surprised to see you here," he said. "I've come to find Lady Clarik. I was holding her prisoner, but she escaped before I could send her away. She tricked one of my soldiers into helping her. My soldier, the poor fool,

attacked the Duke and injured him badly." "We'll find her together," Athos said. "We all have reason to be angry with her, although I believe she injured me first." Leaving Constance in the care of the nuns at the convent, the four Musketeers and Lord de Winter rode to the town of Armentières. On the way, they passed a small port where there were a few boats docked. Athos left the group for a short time to talk to some of the men at the docks. He came back with a mysterious man, who didn't say anything to the others. The group rode toward the inn to capture Milady, each man deep in his own dark thoughts. The six men approached the inn quietly and looked in the window. They saw Milady sitting alone at a table. The lightning flashed and she saw Athos staring at her through the window. Then D'Artagnan kicked the door open. The four Musketeers and Lord de

Winter entered the room. "What do you want?" she cried. "We want to judge you for your crimes," Athos said. "D'Artagnan, you first." "I accuse you of trying to kill me and my friends," D'Artagnan said. "Worst of all, you kidnapped and poisoned my love, Constance Bonacieux." Then Lord de Winter stepped forward. "I accuse you of causing the attack on the Duke of Buckingham," he said. "It is now my turn," Athos said. "I accuse you of lying to me, marrying me as someone else, and then trying to kill me when I discovered the truth." The mysterious man from the docks entered the room and Athos pointed at Milady. The man took her and tied her arms behind her back. Then he blindfolded her. "Our friend here will take you to his boat," Athos said. "He will make sure you are sent

far from here. You will be at sea for a long time. Do not try to return to France or England again. Be thankful you are leaving with your life." Back in Paris, the four Musketeers were having dinner when the man from Meung interrupted them. "We meet at last," D'Artagnan said, drawing his sword. "This time you shall not escape me." "I don't wish to escape," the man said. "In fact, I have come for you. In the name of the King and the Cardinal, I am placing you under arrest. I must ask that you come with me right now. Your life is at stake." "Who are you?" D'Artagnan asked. "My name is Rochefort," he said. "I am an agent of the Cardinal. I have orders to bring you to him now."