On the day after these events had taken place, Athos not havingreappeared, M. de Treville was informed by D'Artagnan and Porthosof the circumstance. As to Aramis, he had asked for leave ofabsence for five days, and was gone, it was said, to Rouen onfamily business.

M. de Treville was the father of his soldiers. The lowest or theleast known of them, as soon as he assumed the uniform of thecompany, was as sure of his aid and support as if he had been hisown brother.

He repaired, then, instantly to the office of the LIEUTENANT-CRIMINEL. The officer who commanded the post of theRed Cross was sent for, and by successive inquiries they learnedthat Athos was then lodged in the Fort l'Eveque.

Athos had passed through all the examinations we have seenBonacieux undergo.

We were present at the scene in which the two captives wereconfronted with each other. Athos, who had till that time saidnothing for fear that D'Artagnan, interrupted in his turn, shouldnot have the time necessary, from this moment declared that hisname was Athos, and not D'Artagnan. He added that he did notknow either M. or Mme. Bonacieux; that he had never spoken to theone or the other; that he had come, at about ten o'clock in theevening, to pay a visit to his friend M. d'Artagnan, but thattill that hour he had been at M. de Treville's, where he haddined. "Twenty witnesses," added he, "could attest the fact";and he named several distinguished gentlemen, and among them wasM. le Duc de la Tremouille.

The second commissary was as much bewildered as the first hadbeen by the simple and firm declaration of the Musketeer, uponwhom he was anxious to take the revenge which men of the robelike at all times to gain over men of the sword; but the name ofM. de Treville, and that of M. de la Tremouille, commanded alittle reflection.

Athos was then sent to the cardinal; but unfortunately thecardinal was at the Louvre with the king.

It was precisely at this moment that M. de Treville, on leavingthe residence of the LIEUTENANT-CRIMINEL and the governor of theFort l'Eveque without being able to find Athos, arrived at thepalace.

As captain of the Musketeers, M. de Treville had the right ofentry at all times.

It is well known how violent the king's prejudices were againstthe queen, and how carefully these prejudices were kept up by thecardinal, who in affairs of intrigue mistrusted women infinitelymore than men. One of the grand causes of this prejudice was thefriendship of Anne of Austria for Mme. de Chevreuse. These twowomen gave him more uneasiness than the war with Spain, thequarrel with England, or the embarrassment of the finances. Inhis eyes and to his conviction, Mme. de Chevreuse not only servedthe queen in her political intrigues, but, what tormented himstill more, in her amorous intrigues.

At the first word the cardinal spoke of Mme. de Chevreuse - who,though exiled to Tours and believed to be in that city, had cometo Paris, remained there five days, and outwitted the police - theking flew into a furious passion. Capricious and unfaithful, theking wished to be called Louis the Just and Louis the Chaste.Posterity will find a difficulty in understanding this character,which history explains only by facts and never by reason.

But when the cardinal added that not only Mme. de Chevreuse hadbeen in Paris, but still further, that the queen had renewed withher one of those mysterious correspondences which at that timewas named a CABAL; when he affirmed that he, the cardinal, wasabout to unravel the most closely twisted thread of thisintrigue; that at the moment of arresting in the very act, withall the proofs about her, the queen's emissary to the exiledduchess, a Musketeer had dared to interrupt the course of justiceviolently, by falling sword in hand upon the honest men of thelaw, charged with investigating impartially the whole affair inorder to place it before the eyes of the king - Louis XIII couldnot contain himself, and he made a step toward the queen'sapartment with that pale and mute indignation which, when inbroke out, led this prince to the commission of the most pitilesscruelty. And yet, in all this, the cardinal had not yet said aword about the Duke of Buckingham.

At this instant M. de Treville entered, cool, polite, and inirreproachable costume.

Informed of what had passed by the presence of the cardinal andthe alteration in the king's countenance, M. de Treville felthimself something like Samson before the Philistines.

Louis XIII had already placed his hand on the knob of the door;at the noise of M. de Treville's entrance he turned round. "Youarrive in good time, monsieur," said the king, who, when hispassions were raised to a certain point, could not dissemble; "Ihave learned some fine things concerning your Musketeers."

"And I," said Treville, coldly, "I have some pretty things to tell your Majesty concerning these gownsmen."

"What?" said the king, with hauteur.

"I have the honor to inform your Majesty," continued M. deTreville, in the same tone, "that a party of PROCUREURS,commissaries, and men of the police - very estimable people, butvery inveterate, as it appears, against the uniform - have takenupon themselves to arrest in a house, to lead away through theopen street, and throw into the Fort l'Eveque, all upon an orderwhich they have refused to show me, one of my, or rather yourMusketeers, sire, of irreproachable conduct, of an almostillustrious reputation, and whom your Majesty knows favorably,Monsieur Athos."

"Athos," said the king, mechanically; "yes, certainly I know thatname."

"Let your Majesty remember," said Treville, "that Monsieur Athosis the Musketeer who, in the annoying duel which you areacquainted with, had the misfortune to wound Monsieur de Cahusacso seriously. A PROPOS, monseigneur," continued Treville.Addressing the cardinal, "Monsieur de Cahusac is quite recovered,is he not?"

"Thank you," said the cardinal, biting his lips with anger.

"Athos, then, went to pay a visit to one of his friends absent atthe time," continued Treville, "to a young Bearnais, a cadet inhis Majesty's Guards, the company of Monsieur Dessessart, butscarcely had he arrived at his friend's and taken up a book,while waiting his return, when a mixed crowd of bailiffs andsoldiers came and laid siege to the house, broke open severaldoors - "

The cardinal made the king a sign, which signified, "That was onaccount of the affair about which I spoke to you."

"We all know that," interrupted the king; "for all that was donefor our service."

"Then," said Treville, "it was also for your Majesty's servicethat one of my Musketeers, who was innocent, has been seized,that he has been placed between two guards like a malefactor, andthat this gallant man, who has ten times shed his blood in yourMajesty's service and is ready to shed it again, has been paradedthrough the midst of an insolent populace?"

"Bah!" said the king, who began to be shaken, "was it somanaged?"

"Monsieur de Treville," said the cardinal, with the greatestphlegm, "does not tell your Majesty that this innocent Musketeer,this gallant man, had only an hour before attacked, sword inhand, four commissaries of inquiry, who were delegated by myselfto examine into an affair of the highest importance."

"I defy your Eminence to prove it," cried Treville, with hisGascon freedom and military frankness; "for one hour before,Monsieur Athos, who, I will confide it to your Majesty, is reallya man of the highest quality, did me the honor after having dinedwith me to be conversing in the saloon of my hotel, with the Ducde la Tremouille and the Comte de Chalus, who happened to bethere."

The king looked at the cardinal.

"A written examination attests it," said the cardinal, replyingaloud to the mute interrogation of his Majesty; "and the ill-treated people have drawn up the following, which I have thehonor to present to your Majesty."

"And is the written report of the gownsmen to be placed incomparison with the word of honor of a swordsman?" repliedTreville haughtily.

"Come, come, Treville, hold your tongue," said the king.

"If his Eminence entertains any suspicion against one of myMusketeers," said Treville, "the justice of Monsieur the Cardinalis so well known that I demand an inquiry."

"In the house in which the judicial inquiry was made," continuedthe impassive cardinal, "there lodges, I believe, a youngBearnais, a friend of the Musketeer."

"Your Eminence means Monsieur d'Artagnan."

"I mean a young man whom you patronize, Monsieur de Treville."

"Yes, your Eminence, it is the same."

"Do you not suspect this young man of having given bad counsel?"

"To Athos, to a man double his age?" interrupted Treville. "No,monseigneur. Besides, D'Artagnan passed the evening with me."

"Well," said the cardinal, "everybody seems to have passed theevening with you."

"Does your Eminence doubt my word?" said Treville, with a browflushed with anger.

"No, God forbid," said the cardinal; "only, at what hour was he with you?"

"Oh, as to that I can speak positively, your Eminence; for as hecame in I remarked that it was but half past nine by the clock,although I had believed it to be later."

"At what hour did he leave your hotel?"

"At half past ten - an hour after the event."

"Well," replied the cardinal, who could not for an instantsuspect the loyalty of Treville, and who felt that the victorywas escaping him, "well, but Athos WAS taken in the house in theRue des Fossoyeurs."

"Is one friend forbidden to visit another, or a Musketeer of mycompany to fraternize with a Guard of Dessessart's company?"

"Yes, when the house where he fraternizes is suspected."

"That house is suspected, Treville," said the king; "perhaps youdid not know it?"

"Indeed, sire, I did not. The house may be suspected; but I denythat it is so in the part of it inhabited my Monsieur d'Artagnan,for I can affirm, sire, if I can believe what he says, that theredoes not exist a more devoted servant of your Majesty, or a moreprofound admirer of Monsieur the Cardinal."

"Was it not this D'Artagnan who wounded Jussac one day, in thatunfortunate encounter which took place near the Convent of theCarmes-Dechausses?" asked the king, looking at the cardinal, whocolored with vexation.

"And the next day, Bernajoux. Yes, sire, yes, it is the same; andyour Majesty has a good memory."

"Come, how shall we decide?" said the king.

"That concerns your Majesty more than me," said the cardinal. "Ishould affirm the culpability."

"And I deny it," said Treville. "But his Majesty has judges, andthese judges will decide."

"That is best," said the king. "Send the case before the judges;it is their business to judge, and they shall judge."

"Only," replied Treville, "it is a sad thing that in theunfortunate times in which we live, the purest life, the mostincontestable virtue, cannot exempt a man from infamy andpersecution. The army, I will answer for it, will be but littlepleased at being exposed to rigorous treatment on account ofpolice affairs."

The expression was imprudent; but M. de Treville launched it withknowledge of his cause. He was desirous of an explosion, becausein that case the mine throws forth fire, and fire enlightens.

"Police affairs!" cried the king, taking up Treville's words,"police affairs! And what do you know about them, Monsieur?Meddle with your Musketeers, and do not annoy me in this way. Itappears, according to your account, that if by mischance aMusketeer is arrested, France is in danger. What a noise about aMusketeer! I would arrest ten of them, VENTREBLEU, a hundred,even, all the company, and I would not allow a whisper."

"From the moment they are suspected by your Majesty," saidTreville, "the Musketeers are guilty; therefore, you see meprepared to surrender my sword - for after having accused mysoldiers, there can be no doubt that Monsieur the Cardinal willend by accusing me. It is best to constitute myself at once aprisoner with Athos, who is already arrested, and withD'Artagnan, who most probably will be."

"Gascon-headed man, will you have done?" said the king.

"Sire," replied Treville, without lowering his voice in theleast, "either order my Musketeer to be restored to me, or lethim be tried."

"He shall be tried," said the cardinal.

"Well, so much the better; for in that case I shall demand of hisMajesty permission to plead for him."

The king feared an outbreak.

"If his Eminence," said he, "did not have personal motives - "

The cardinal saw what the king was about to say and interruptedhim:

"Pardon me," said he; "but the instant your Majesty considers mea prejudiced judge, I withdraw."

"Come," said the king, "will you swear, by my father, that Athoswas at your residence during the event and that he took no partin it?"

"By your glorious father, and by yourself, whom I love andvenerate above all the world, I swear it."

"Be so kind as to reflect, sire," said the cardinal. "If werelease the prisoner thus, we shall never know the truth."

"Athos may always be found," replied Treville, "ready to answer,when it shall please the gownsmen to interrogate him. He willnot desert, Monsieur the Cardinal, be assured of that; I willanswer for him."

"No, he will not desert," said the king; "he can always be found,as Treville says. Besides," added he, lowering his voice andlooking with a suppliant air at the cardinal, "let us give themapparent security; that is policy."

This policy of Louis XIII made Richelieu smile.

"Order it as you please, sire; you possess the right of pardon."

"The right of pardoning only applies to the guilty," saidTreville, who was determined to have the last word, "and myMusketeer is innocent. It is not mercy, then, that you are aboutto accord, sire, it is justice."

"And he is in the Fort l'Eveque?" said the king.

"Yes, sire, in solitary confinement, in a dungeon, like thelowest criminal."

"The devil!" murmured the king; "what must be done?"

"Sign an order for his release, and all will be said," repliedthe cardinal. "I believe with your Majesty that Monsieur deTreville's guarantee is more than sufficient."

Treville bowed very respectfully, with a joy that was not unmixedwith fear; he would have preferred an obstinate resistance on thepart of the cardinal to this sudden yielding.

The king signed the order for release, and Treville carried itaway without delay. As he was about to leave the presence, thecardinal have him a friendly smile, and said, "A perfect harmonyreigns, sire, between the leaders and the soldiers of yourMusketeers, which must be profitable for the service andhonorable to all."

"He will play me some dog's trick or other, and thatimmediately," said Treville. "One has never the last word withsuch a man. But let us be quick - the king may change his mind inan hour; and at all events it is more difficult to replace a manin the Fort l'Eveque or the Bastille who has got out, than tokeep a prisoner there who is in."

M. de Treville made his entrance triumphantly into the Fortl'Eveque, whence he delivered the Musketeer, whose peacefulindifference had not for a moment abandoned him.

The first time he saw D'Artagnan, "You have come off well," saidhe to him; "there is your Jussac thrust paid for. There stillremains that of Bernajoux, but you must not be too confident."

As to the rest, M. de Treville had good reason to mistrust thecardinal and to think that all was not over, for scarcely had thecaptain of the Musketeers closed the door after him, than hisEminence said to the king, "Now that we are at length byourselves, we will, if your Majesty pleases, converse seriously.Sire, Buckingham has been in Paris five days, and only left thismorning."