D’Artagnan perceived the force of this reasoning, and was silent.
“But,” said Porthos, “I think I have an idea, in my turn.”
“Silence for Monsieur Porthos’s idea!” said Aramis.
“I will ask leave of absence of Monsieur de Tréville, on some pretext or other which you must invent; I am not very clever at pretexts. Milady does not know me; I will get access to her without her suspecting me, and when I catch my beauty, I will strangle her.”
“Well,” replied Athos, “I am not far from approving the idea of Monsieur Porthos.”
“For shame!” said Aramis. “Kill a woman? No, listen to me; I have the true idea.”
“Let us see your idea, Aramis,” said Athos, who felt much deference for the young Musketeer.
“We must inform the queen.”
“Ah, my faith, yes!” said Porthos and D’Artagnan, at the same time; “we are coming nearer to it now.”
“Inform the queen!” said Athos; “and how? Have we relations with the court? Could we send anyone to Paris without its being known in the camp? From here to Paris it is a hundred and forty leagues; before our letter was at Angers we should be in a dungeon.”