4 D’Artagnan Finds Madame Bonacieux

CHAPTER 4 D'Artagnan Finds Madame Bonacieux Athos, Porthos, and Aramis continued the climb to D'Artagnan's apartment. They had seen him chase after the mysterious man before and knew he would return soon. "He vanished like a phantom," D'Artagnan said when he came back. "His flight may have cost us all a lot of money." He told his friends Monsieur Bonacieux's story and explained that Madame Bonacieux's kidnapper and the man from

Meung were the same person. "You're in luck," Athos said. "Your landlord is wealthy enough to pay us for this adventure. The only question is whether the money is worth risking our lives." "You forget about the victim," D'Artagnan said. "The poor woman was kidnapped because she was trying to help her Queen. I believe the Cardinal is behind this. As an enemy of the Queen, he is our enemy, too, my friends. If we could find some way to ruin his plans, I would gladly risk my life." "According to your landlord's tale, the Queen believes that the Duke has come to Paris to meet her, but the letter inviting him was fake?" Athos asked. "Indeed," said D'Artagnan. "We must find a way to warn the Duke and save Madame Bonacieux." Suddenly the men heard footsteps rushing up the stairs. The door flew open and in

came Monsieur Bonacieux. "Save me, gentlemen," he cried. At that moment, four of the Cardinal's guards arrived. When they saw the other men, they began to look nervous, but D'Artagnan invited the guards in. They said they had come to arrest Monsieur Bonacieux, and D'Artagnan told them to go ahead. To Monsieur Bonacieux, he whispered, "We can only save you by remaining free. If we fight these men, we will be arrested, too." The guards took Monsieur Bonacieux away. He was confused and scared, but he agreed to trust D'Artagnan. When the Musketeers were alone, D'Artagnan said, "And now gentlemen, all for one and one for all. That is our motto, is it not?" "That is correct. Your swords, my friends," Athos said. The four men held their swords together

and as one they repeated the words. "All for one and one for all!" "Excellent," D'Artagnan said. "Remember, from now on we are at war with the Cardinal." The men parted ways to look into Madame Bonacieux's disappearance, to look for the man from Meung, and to try to learn more about the plot to catch the Duke of Buckingham. D'Artagnan stayed at home. He watched Monsieur Bonacieux's apartment, which was directly below his, through a hole in his floor. Soon he saw some men dressed in black enter the apartment downstairs. Later that night, someone else entered the apartment and D'Artagnan heard the men attack. Then he heard cries and a moan—a woman's voice. "I live here, I tell you," the woman said. "I am Madame Bonacieux! I work for the Queen."

"You are exactly the person we've been waiting for," said one of the men. D'Artagnan told Planchet to get the other Musketeers. Then he raced downstairs and knocked on the door to the apartment below. When the door opened, he rushed inside. The whole neighborhood heard loud cries, stamping feet, a clash of swords, and the smashing of many pieces of furniture. Then the door opened and the four men in black ran out, their clothes in tatters. Alone with Madame Bonacieux, D'Artagnan saw that she was about twenty- five years old, with dark hair and blue eyes. She thanked him and asked why those men had tried to rob her. "Madame, those men were more dangerous than thieves," D'Artagnan said. "They were agents of the Cardinal. His guards arrested your husband earlier today. Monsieur Bonacieux hired my friends and me to find

you and the man who took you. How did you escape?" "I climbed through the window of the room where they were keeping me," she said. "Oh, what shall I do?" "We can't stay here," D'Artagnan said. "I've sent for my friends, but I don't know when they will arrive. More guards could come at any moment. Follow me." D'Artagnan took her to Athos's home. The Musketeer was gone, but D'Artagnan had a key. Once inside, Madame Bonacieux told D'Artagnan to go to the palace and tell one of her friends where she was. D'Artagnan followed her instructions. Later, walking on his own, he realized he had begun to fall in love with her. To an apprentice Musketeer, she represented the ideal of love. She was beautiful and mysterious, and she knew many secrets of the Court. But there was more to it. He wanted