D'Artagnan, as he crossed the Pont Neuf, congratulatedhimself on having found Planchet again, for at that time anintelligent servant was essential to him; nor was he sorrythat through Planchet and the situation which he held in Ruedes Lombards, a connection with the bourgeoisie might becommenced, at that critical period when that class werepreparing to make war with the court party. It was likehaving a spy in the enemy's camp. In this frame of mind,grateful for the accidental meeting with Planchet, pleasedwith himself, D'Artagnan reached Notre Dame. He ran up thesteps, entered the church, and addressing a verger who wassweeping the chapel, asked him if he knew Monsieur Bazin.

"Monsieur Bazin, the beadle?" said the verger. "Yes. Therehe is, attending mass, in the chapel of the Virgin."

D'Artagnan nearly jumped for joy; he had despaired offinding Bazin, but now, he thought, since he held one end ofthe thread he would be pretty sure to reach the other end.

He knelt down just opposite the chapel in order not to losesight of his man; and as he had almost forgotten his prayersand had omitted to take a book with him, he made use of histime in gazing at Bazin.

Bazin wore his dress, it may be observed, with equal dignityand saintly propriety. It was not difficult to understandthat he had gained the crown of his ambition and that thesilver-mounted wand he brandished was in his eyes ashonorable a distinction as the marshal's baton which Condethrew, or did not throw, into the enemy's line of battle atFribourg. His person had undergone a change, analogous tothe change in his dress; his figure had grown rotund and, asit were, canonical. The striking points of his face wereeffaced; he had still a nose, but his cheeks, fattened out,each took a portion of it unto themselves; his chin hadjoined his throat; his eyes were swelled up with thepuffiness of his cheeks; his hair, cut straight in holyguise, covered his forehead as far as his eyebrows.

The officiating priest was just finishing mass whilstD'Artagnan was looking at Bazin; he pronounced the words ofthe holy Sacrament and retired, giving the benediction,which was received by the kneeling communicants, to theastonishment of D'Artagnan, who recognized in the priest thecoadjutor* himself, the famous Jean Francois Gondy, who atthat time, having a presentiment of the part he was to play,was beginning to court popularity by almsgiving. It was tothis end that he performed from time to time some of thoseearly masses which the common people, generally, aloneattended.

*A sacerdotal officer.

D'Artagnan knelt as well as the rest, received his share ofthe benediction and made the sign of the cross; but whenBazin passed in his turn, with his eyes raised to Heaven andwalking, in all humility, the very last, D'Artagnan pulledhim by the hem of his robe.

Bazin looked down and started, as if he had seen a serpent.

"Monsieur d'Artagnan!" he cried; "Vade retro Satanas!"

"So, my dear Bazin!" said the officer, laughing, "this isthe way you receive an old friend."

"Sir," replied Bazin, "the true friends of a Christian arethose who aid him in working out his salvation, not thosewho hinder him in doing so."

"I don't understand you, Bazin; nor can I see how I can be astumbling-block in the way of your salvation," saidD'Artagnan.

"You forget, sir, that you very nearly ruined forever thatof my master; and that it was owing to you that he was verynearly being damned eternally for remaining a musketeer,whilst all the time his true vocation was the church."

"My dear Bazin, you ought to perceive," said D'Artagnan,"from the place in which you find me, that I am greatlychanged in everything. Age produces good sense, and, as Idoubt not but that your master is on the road to salvation,I want you to tell me where he is, that he may help me tomine."

"Rather say, to take him back with you into the world.Fortunately, I don't know where he is."

"How!" cried D'Artagnan; "you don't know where Aramis is?"

"Formerly," replied Bazin, "Aramis was his name ofperdition. By Aramis is meant Simara, which is the name of ademon. Happily for him he has ceased to bear that name."

"And therefore," said D'Artagnan, resolved to be patient tothe end, "it is not Aramis I seek, but the Abbe d'Herblay.Come, my dear Bazin, tell me where he is."

"Didn't you hear me tell you, Monsieur d'Artagnan, that Idon't know where he is?"

"Yes, certainly; but to that I answer that it isimpossible."

"It is, nevertheless, the truth, monsieur - the pure truth,the truth of the good God."

D'Artagnan saw clearly that he would get nothing out of thisman, who was evidently telling a falsehood in his pretendedignorance of the abode of Aramis, but whose lies were boldand decided.

"Well, Bazin," said D'Artagnan, "since you do not know whereyour master lives, let us speak of it no more; let us partgood friends. Accept this half-pistole to drink to myhealth."

"I do not drink" - Bazin pushed away with dignity theofficer's hand - "'tis good only for the laity."

"Incorruptible!" murmured D'Artagnan; "I am unlucky;" andwhilst he was lost in thought Bazin retreated toward thesacristy, and even there he could not think himself safeuntil he had shut and locked the door behind him.

D'Artagnan was still in deep thought when some one touchedhim on the shoulder. He turned and was about to utter anexclamation of surprise when the other made to him a sign ofsilence.

"You here, Rochefort?" he said, in a low voice.

"Hush!" returned Rochefort. "Did you know that I am atliberty?"

"I knew it from the fountain-head - from Planchet. And whatbrought you here?"

"I came to thank God for my happy deliverance," saidRochefort.

"And nothing more? I suppose that is not all."

"To take my orders from the coadjutor and to see if wecannot wake up Mazarin a little."

"A bad plan; you'll be shut up again in the Bastile."

"Oh, as to that, I shall take care, I assure you. The air,the fresh, free air is so good; besides," and Rochefort drewa deep breath as he spoke, "I am going into the country tomake a tour."

"Stop," cried D'Artagnan; "I, too, am going."

"And if I may without impertinence ask - where are yougoing?"

"To seek my friends."

"What friends?"

"Those that you asked about yesterday."

"Athos. Porthos and Aramis - you are looking for them?"

"Yes."

"On honor?"

"What, then, is there surprising in that?"

"Nothing. Queer, though. And in whose behalf are you lookingfor them?"

"You are in no doubt on that score."

"That is true."

"Unfortunately, I have no idea where they are."

"And you have no way to get news of them? Wait a week and Imyself will give you some."

"A week is too long. I must find them within three days."

"Three days are a short time and France is large."

"No matter; you know the word must; with that word greatthings are done."

"And when do you set out?"

"I am now on my road."

"Good luck to you."

"And to you - a good journey."

"Perhaps we shall meet on our road."

"That is not probable."

"Who knows? Chance is so capricious. Adieu, till we meetagain! Apropos, should Mazarin speak to you about me, tellhim that I should have requested you to acquaint him that ina short time he will see whether I am, as he says, too oldfor action."

And Rochefort went away with one of those diabolical smileswhich used formerly to make D'Artagnan shudder, butD'Artagnan could now see it without alarm, and smiling inhis turn, with an expression of melancholy which therecollections called up by that smile could, perhaps, alonegive to his countenance, he said:

"Go, demon, do what thou wilt! It matters little now to me.There's no second Constance in the world."

On his return to the cathedral, D'Artagnan saw Bazin, whowas conversing with the sacristan. Bazin was making, withhis spare little short arms, ridiculous gestures. D'Artagnanperceived that he was enforcing prudence with respect tohimself.

D'Artagnan slipped out of the cathedral and placed himselfin ambuscade at the corner of the Rue des Canettes; it wasimpossible that Bazin should go out of the cathedral withouthis seeing him.

In five minutes Bazin made his appearance, looking in everydirection to see if he were observed, but he saw no one.Calmed by appearances he ventured to walk on through the RueNotre Dame. Then D'Artagnan rushed out of his hiding placeand arrived in time to see Bazin turn down the Rue de laJuiverie and enter, in the Rue de la Calandre, a respectablelooking house; and this D'Artagnan felt no doubt was thehabitation of the worthy beadle. Afraid of making anyinquiries at this house, D'Artagnan entered a small tavernat the corner of the street and asked for a cup of hypocras.This beverage required a good half-hour to prepare. AndD'Artagnan had time, therefore, to watch Bazin unsuspected.

He perceived in the tavern a pert boy between twelve andfifteen years of age whom he fancied he had seen not twentyminutes before under the guise of a chorister. He questionedhim, and as the boy had no interest in deceiving, D'Artagnanlearned that he exercised, from six o'clock in the morninguntil nine, the office of chorister, and from nine o'clocktill midnight that of a waiter in the tavern.

Whilst he was talking to this lad a horse was brought to thedoor of Bazin's house. It was saddled and bridled. Almostimmediately Bazin came downstairs.

"Look!" said the boy, "there's our beadle, who is going ajourney."

"And where is he going?" asked D'Artagnan.

"Forsooth, I don't know."

"Half a pistole if you can find out," said D'Artagnan.

"For me?" cried the boy, his eyes sparkling with joy, "if Ican find out where Bazin is going? That is not difficult.You are not joking, are you?"

"No, on the honor of an officer; there is the half-pistole;"and he showed him the seductive coin, but did not give ithim.

"I shall ask him."

"Just the very way not to know. Wait till he is set out andthen, marry, come up, ask, and find out. The half-pistole isready," and he put it back again into his pocket.

"I understand," said the child, with that jeering smilewhich marks especially the "gamin de Paris." "Well, we mustwait."

They had not long to wait. Five minutes afterward Bazin setoff on a full trot, urging on his horse by the blows of aparapluie, which he was in the habit of using instead of ariding whip.

Scarcely had he turned the corner of the Rue de la Juiveriewhen the boy rushed after him like a bloodhound on fullscent.

Before ten minutes had elapsed the child returned.

"Well!" said D'Artagnan.

"Well!" answered the boy, "the thing is done."

"Where is he gone?"

"The half-pistole is for me?"

"Doubtless, answer me."

"I want to see it. Give it me, that I may see it is notfalse.

"There it is."

The child put the piece of money into his pocket.

"And now, where is he gone?" inquired D'Artagnan.

"He is gone to Noisy."

"How dost thou know?"

"Ah, faith! there was no great cunning necessary. I knew thehorse he rode; it belonged to the butcher, who lets it outnow and then to M. Bazin. Now I thought that the butcherwould not let his horse out like that without knowing whereit was going. And he answered `that Monsieur Bazin went toNoisy.' 'Tis his custom. He goes two or three times a week."

"Dost thou know Noisy well?"

"I think so, truly; my nurse lives there."

"Is there a convent at Noisy?"

"Isn't there a great and grand one - the convent ofJesuits?"

"What is thy name?"

"Friquet."

D'Artagnan wrote the child's name in his tablets.

"Please, sir," said the boy, "do you think I can gain anymore half-pistoles in any way?"

"Perhaps," replied D'Artagnan.

And having got out all he wanted, he paid for the hypocras,which he did not drink, and went quickly back to the RueTiquetonne.