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　　Monsieur　Porthos　du　Vallon　de　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds
　　Thanks　to　what　Aramis　had　told　him；　D'Artagnan；　who　knew　already　that　Porthos　called　himself　Du　Vallon；　was　now　aware　that　he　styled　himself；　from　his　estate；　De　Bracieux；　and　that　he　was；　on　account　of　this　estate；　engaged　in　a　lawsuit　with　the　Bishop　of　Noyon。　It　was；　then；　in　the　neighborhood　of　Noyon　that　he　must　seek　that　estate。　His　itinerary　was　promptly　determined：　he　would　go　to　Dammartin；　from　which　place　two　roads　diverge；　one　toward　Soissons；　the　other　toward　piegne；　there　he　would　inquire　concerning　the　Bracieux　estate　and　go　to　the　right　or　to　the　left　according　to　the　information　obtained。
　　Planchet；　who　was　still　a　little　concerned　for　his　safety　after　his　recent　escapade；　declared　that　he　would　follow　D'Artagnan　even　to　the　end　of　the　world；　either　by　the　road　to　the　right　or　by　that　to　the　left；　only　he　begged　his　former　master　to　set　out　in　the　evening；　for　greater　security　to　himself。　D'Artagnan　suggested　that　he　should　send　word　to　his　wife；　so　that　she　might　not　be　anxious　about　him；　but　Planchet　replied　with　much　sagacity　that　he　was　very　sure　his　wife　would　not　die　of　anxiety　through　not　knowing　where　he　was；　while　he；　Planchet；　remembering　her　incontinence　of　tongue；　would　die　of　anxiety　if　she　did　know。
　　This　reasoning　seemed　to　D'Artagnan　so　satisfactory　that　he　no　further　insisted；　and　about　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　the　time　when　the　vapors　of　night　begin　to　thicken　in　the　streets；　he　left　the　Hotel　de　la　Chevrette；　and　followed　by　Planchet　set　forth　from　the　capital　by　way　of　the　Saint　Denis　gate。
　　At　midnight　the　two　travelers　were　at　Dammartin；　but　it　was　then　too　late　to　make　inquiries　　the　host　of　the　Cygne　de　la　Croix　had　gone　to　bed。
　　The　next　morning　D'Artagnan　summoned　the　host；　one　of　those　sly　Normans　who　say　neither　yes　nor　no　and　fear　to　mit　themselves　by　giving　a　direct　answer。　D'Artagnan；　however；　gathered　from　his　equivocal　replies　that　the　road　to　the　right　was　the　one　he　ought　to　take；　and　on　that　uncertain　information　he　resumed　his　journey。　At　nine　in　the　morning　he　reached　Nanteuil　and　stopped　for　breakfast。　His　host　here　was　a　good　fellow　from　Picardy；　who　gave　him　all　the　information　he　needed。　The　Bracieux　estate　was　a　few　leagues　from　Villars…Cotterets。
　　D'Artagnan　was　acquainted　with　Villars…Cotterets　having　gone　thither　with　the　court　on　several　occasions；　for　at　that　time　Villars…Cotterets　was　a　royal　residence。　He　therefore　shaped　his　course　toward　that　place　and　dismounted　at　the　Dauphin　d'Or。　There　he　ascertained　that　the　Bracieux　estate　was　four　leagues　distant；　but　that　Porthos　was　not　at　Bracieux。　Porthos　had；　in　fact；　been　involved　in　a　dispute　with　the　Bishop　of　Noyon　in　regard　to　the　Pierrefonds　property；　which　adjoined　his　own；　and　weary　at　length　of　a　legal　controversy　which　was　beyond　his　prehension；　he　put　an　end　to　it　by　purchasing　Pierrefonds　and　added　that　name　to　his　others。　He　now　called　himself　Du　Vallon　de　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds；　and　resided　on　his　new　estate。
　　The　travelers　were　therefore　obliged　to　stay　at　the　hotel　until　the　next　day；　the　horses　had　done　ten　leagues　that　day　and　needed　rest。　It　is　true　they　might　have　taken　others；　but　there　was　a　great　forest　to　pass　through　and　Planchet；　as　we　have　seen；　had　no　liking　for　forests　after　dark。
　　There　was　another　thing　that　Planchet　had　no　liking　for　and　that　was　starting　on　a　journey　with　a　hungry　stomach。　Accordingly；　D'Artagnan；　on　awaking；　found　his　breakfast　waiting　for　him。　It　need　not　be　said　that　Planchet　in　resuming　his　former　functions　resumed　also　his　former　humility　and　was　not　ashamed　to　make　his　breakfast　on　what　was　left　by　D'Artagnan。
　　It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock　when　they　set　out　again。　Their　course　was　clearly　defined：　they　were　to　follow　the　road　toward　piegne　and　on　emerging　from　the　forest　turn　to　the　right。
　　The　morning　was　beautiful；　and　in　this　early　springtime　the　birds　sang　on　the　trees　and　the　sunbeams　shone　through　the　misty　glades；　like　curtains　of　golden　gauze。
　　In　other　parts　of　the　forest　the　light　could　scarcely　penetrate　through　the　foliage；　and　the　stems　of　two　old　oak　trees；　the　refuge　of　the　squirrel；　startled　by　the　travelers；　were　in　deep　shadow。
　　There　came　up　from　all　nature　in　the　dawn　of　day　a　perfume　of　herbs；　flowers　and　leaves；　which　delighted　the　heart。　D'Artagnan；　sick　of　the　closeness　of　Paris；　thought　that　when　a　man　had　three　names　of　his　different　estates　joined　one　to　another；　he　ought　to　be　very　happy　in　such　a　paradise；　then　he　shook　his　head；　saying；　〃If　I　were　Porthos　and　D'Artagnan　came　to　make　me　such　a　proposition　as　I　am　going　to　make　to　him；　I　know　what　I　should　say　to　it。〃
　　As　to　Planchet；　he　thought　of　little　or　nothing；　but　was　happy　as　a　hunting…hound　in　his　old　master's　pany。
　　At　the　extremity　of　the　wood　D'Artagnan　perceived　the　road　that　had　been　described　to　him；　and　at　the　end　of　the　road　he　saw　the　towers　of　an　immense　feudal　castle。
　　〃Oh！　oh！〃　he　said；　〃I　fancied　this　castle　belonged　to　the　ancient　branch　of　Orleans。　Can　Porthos　have　negotiated　for　it　with　the　Duc　de　Longueville？〃
　　〃Faith！〃　exclaimed　Planchet；　〃here's　land　in　good　condition；　if　it　belongs　to　Monsieur　Porthos　I　wish　him　joy。〃
　　〃Zounds！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃don't　call　him　Porthos；　nor　even　Vallon；　call　him　De　Bracieux　or　De　Pierrefonds；　thou　wilt　knell　out　damnation　to　my　mission　otherwise。〃
　　As　he　approached　the　castle　which　had　first　attracted　his　eye；　D'Artagnan　was　convinced　that　it　could　not　be　there　that　his　friend　dwelt；　the　towers；　though　solid　and　as　if　built　yesterday；　were　open　and　broken。　One　might　have　fancied　that　some　giant　had　cleaved　them　with　blows　from　a　hatchet。
　　On　arriving　at　the　extremity　of　the　castle　D'Artagnan　found　himself　overlooking　a　beautiful　valley；　in　which；　at　the　foot　of　a　charming　little　lake；　stood　several　scattered　houses；　which；　humble　in　their　aspect；　and　covered；　some　with　tiles；　others　with　thatch；　seemed　to　acknowledge　as　their　sovereign　lord　a　pretty　chateau；　built　about　the　beginning　of　the　reign　of　Henry　IV。；　and　surmounted　by　four　stately；　gilded　weather…cocks。　D'Artagnan　no　longer　doubted　that　this　was　Porthos's　pleasant　dwelling　place。
　　The　road　led　straight　up　to　the　chateau　which；　pared　to　its　ancestor　on　the　hill；　was　exactly　what　a　fop　of　the　coterie　of　the　Duc　d'Enghein　would　have　been　beside　a　knight　in　steel　armor　in　the　time　of　Charles　VII。　D'Artagnan　spurred　his　horse　on　and　pursued　his　road；　followed　by　Planchet　at　the　same　pace。
　　In　ten　minutes　D'Artagnan　reached　the　end　of　an　alley　regularly　planted　with　fine　poplars　and　terminating　in　an　iron　gate；　the　points　and　crossed　bars　of　which　were　gilt。　In　the　midst　of　this　avenue　was　a　nobleman；　dressed　in　green　and　with　as　much　gilding　about　him　as　the　iron　gate；　riding　on　a　tall　horse。　On　his　right　hand　and　his　left　were　two　footmen；　with　the　seams　of　their　dresses　laced。　A　considerable　number　of　clowns　were　assembled　and　rendered　homage　to　their　lord。
　　〃Ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself；　〃can　this　be　the　Seigneur　du　Vallon　de　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds？　Well…a…day！　how　he　has　shrunk　since　he　gave　up　the　name　of　Porthos！〃
　　〃This　cannot　be　Monsieur　Porthos；〃　observed　Planchet　replying；　as　it　were；　to　his　master's　thoughts。　〃Monsieur　Porthos　was　six　feet　high；　this　man　is　scarcely　five。〃
　　〃Nevertheless；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃the　people　are　bowing　very　low　to　this　person。〃
　　As　he　spoke；　he　rode　toward　the　tall　horse　　to　the　man　of　importance　and　his　valets。　As　he　approached　he　seemed　to　recognize　the　features　of　this　individual。
　　〃Jesu！〃　cried　Planchet；　〃can　it　be？〃
　　At　this　exclamation　the　man　on　horseback　turned　slowly　and　with　a　lofty　air；　and　the　two　travelers　could　see；　displayed　in　all　their　brilliancy；　the　large　eyes；　the　vermilion　visage；　and　the　eloquent　smile　of　　Musqueton。
　　It　was　indeed　Musqueton　　Musqueton；　as　fat　as　a　pig；　rolling　about　with　rude　health；　puffed　out　with　good　living；　who；　recognizing　D'Artagnan　and　acting　very　differently　from　the　hypocrite　Bazin；　slipped　off　his　horse　and　approached　the　officer　with　his　hat　off；　so　that　the　homage　of　the　assembled　crowd　was　turned　toward　th