company, upon seeing them embarrassed to give it, would
shoot M. d'Artagnan and his men like so many rabbits. I
reduce myself then to ten men; in this fashion I shall act
simply and with unity; I shall be forced to be prudent,
which is half the success in an affair of the kind I am
undertaking; a greater number might, perhaps, have drawn me
into some folly. Ten horses are not many, either to buy or
take. A capital idea; what tranquillity it infuses into my
mind! no more suspicions -- no passwords -- no more dangers!
Ten men, they are valets or clerks. Ten men, leading ten
horses laden with merchandise of whatever kind, are
tolerated, well received everywhere. Ten men travel on
account of the house of Planchet & Co., of France -- nothing
can be said against that. These ten men, clothed like
manufacturers, have a good cutlass or a good musket at their
saddle-bow, and a good pistol in the holster. They never
allow themselves to be uneasy, because they have no evil
designs. They are, perhaps, in truth, a little disposed to
be smugglers, but what harm is in that? Smuggling is not,
like polygamy, a hanging offense. The worst that can happen
to us is the confiscation of our merchandise. Our
merchandise confiscated -- fine affair that! Come, come! it
is a superb plan. Ten men only -- ten men, whom I will
engage for my service; ten men who shall be as resolute as
forty, who would cost me four times as much, and to whom,
for greater security, I will never open my mouth as to my
designs, and to whom I shall only say, `My friends, there is
a blow to be struck.' Things being after this fashion, Satan
will be very malicious if he plays me one of his tricks.
Fifteen thousand livres saved -- that's superb -- out of