In fact， tightly held as he was， Lubin endeavoured still to make a noise.
“Wait！” said D’Artagnan； and taking out his handkerchief， he gagged him.
“Now，” said Planchet， “let us bind him to a tree.”
This being properly done， they drew the Comte de Wardes close to his servant； and as night was approaching， and as the wounded man and the bound man were both at some little distance within the wood， it was evident they would remain there till the next day.
“And now，” said D’Artagnan， “to the governor’s house.”
“But you appear to me to be wounded，” said Planchet.
“Oh， that’s nothing！ Let us dispatch what is most pressing first， and we will attend to my wound afterwards； besides， it does not seem a very dangerous one.”
And they both set forward as fast as they could towards the worthy functionary’s country seat.
The governor signed the passport and delivered it to D’Artagnan， who lost no time in useless compliments， but thanked the governor， bowed， and departed.
Once out， he and Planchet set off as fast as they could， and by making a détour， avoided the wood， and re-entered the city by another gate.
The vessel was quite ready to sail， and the captain waiting on the wharf.
“Well？” said he， on perceiving D’Artagnan.
“Here is my pass， signed，” said the latter.
“And that other gentleman？”
“He will not go to-day，” said D’Artagnan； “but here， I’ll pay you for us two.”
“In that case we will be gone，” said the captain.
“Yes； as soon as you please，” replied D’Artagnan.
He leaped with Planchet into the boat. Five minutes after they were on board.
D’Artagnan did not know London， he did not know one word of English， but he wrote the name of Buckingham on a piece of paper， and every one to whom he showed it pointed out to him the way to the duke’s palace.
The duke was at Windsor hunting with the king.
D’Artagnan inquired for the duke’s confidential valet， who， having accompanied him in all his travels， spoke French perfectly well. He told him that he came from Paris on an affair of life and death， and that he must speak with his master instantly.
The confidence with which D’Artagnan spoke convinced Patrick， which was the name of the minister’s minister. He ordered two horses to be saddled， and himself went as the young guardsman’s guide. As for Planchet， he had been lifted from his horse as stiff as a stake. The poor lad’s strength was exhausted. D’Artagnan seemed to be made of iron.
On their arrival at the castle they inquired for the duke， and learned that he was hawking with the king in the marshes， two or three leagues away.
In twenty minutes they were at the place designated. Patrick soon caught the sound of his master’s voice recalling his falcon.
“Whom shall I announce to my Lord Duke？” asked Patrick.
“The young man who one evening sought a quarrel with him on the Pont Neuf， opposite the Samaritaine.”
“Rather a singular introduction！”
“You will find that it is as good as any other.”
Patrick galloped off， reached the duke， and announced to him in these very words that a messenger awaited him.
Buckingham at once remembered the circumstance， and suspecting that something was going on in France， concerning which news was now brought to him， he took only the time to inquire where the messenger was， and recognizing at a distance the uniform of the guards， he put his horse into a gallop， and rode straight up to D’Artagnan. Patrick discreetly kept in the background.
“Has any misfortune happened to the queen？” cried Buckingham， throwing all his fear and love into the question.
“I believe not. Nevertheless， I believe she is in some great peril from which your Grace alone can extricate her.”
“I！” cried Buckingham. “What is it？ I should be but too happy to render her any service. Speak！ speak！”
“Take this letter，” said D’Artagnan.
“This letter！ From whom does this letter come？”
“From her Majesty， as I think.”
“From her Majesty！” said Buckingham， becoming so pale that D’Artagnan feared he was going to be ill； and he broke the seal.
“Just Heaven！ what have I read？” cried the duke.—“Patrick， remain here， or rather join the king， wherever he may be， and tell his Majesty that I humbly beg him to excuse me， but an affair of the greatest importance calls me to London.—Come， sir， come！” And both set off toward the capital at full gallop.
