"Ah, Madame," said D'Artagnan, entering by the door which theyoung woman opened for him, "allow me to tell you that you have abad sort of a husband."

"You have, then, overheard our conversation?" asked Mme.Bonacieux, eagerly, and looking at D'Artagnan with disquiet.

"The whole?"

"But how, my God?"

"By a mode of proceeding known to myself, and by which I likewiseoverheard the more animated conversation which had with thecardinal's police."

"And what did you understand by what we said?"

"A thousand things. In the first place, that, unfortunately,your husband is a simpleton and a fool; in the next place, youare in trouble, of which I am very glad, as it gives me aopportunity of placing myself at your service, and God knows I amready to throw myself into the fire for you; finally, that thequeen wants a brave, intelligent, devoted man to make a journeyto London for her. I have at least two of the three qualitiesyou stand in need of, and here I am.

Mme. Bonacieux made no reply; but her heart beat with joy andsecret hope shone in her eyes.

"And what guarantee will you give me," asked she, "if I consentto confide this message to you?"

"My love for you. Speak! Command! What is to be done?"

"My God, my God!" murmured the young woman, "ought I to confidesuch a secret to you, monsieur? You are almost a boy."

"I see that you require someone to answer for me?"

"I admit that would reassure me greatly."

"Do you know Athos?"

"No."

"Porthos?"

"No."

"Aramis?"

"No. Who are these gentleman?"

"Three of the king's Musketeers. Do you know Monsieur deTreville, their captain?"

"Oh, yes, him! I know him; not personally, but from having heardthe queen speak of him more than once as a brave and loyalgentleman."

"You do not fear lest he should betray you to the cardinal?"

"Oh, no, certainly not!"

"Well, reveal your secret to him, and ask him whether, howeverimportant, however valuable, however terrible it may be, you maynot confide it to me."

"But this secret is not mine, and I cannot reveal it in thismanner."

"You were about to confide it to Monsieur Bonacieux," saidD'Artagnan, with chagrin.

"As one confides a letter to the hollow of a tree, to the wing ofa pigeon, to the collar of a dog."

"And yet, me - you see plainly that I love you."

"You say so."

"I am an honorable man."

"You say so."

"I am a gallant fellow."

"I believe it."

"I am brave."

"Oh, I am sure of that!"

"Then, put me to the proof."

Mme. Bonacieux looked at the young man, restrained for a minuteby a last hesitation; but there was such an ardor in his eyes,such persuasion in his voice, that she felt herself constrainedto confide in him. Besides, she found herself in circumstanceswhere everything must be risked for the sake of everything. Thequeen might be as much injured by too much reticence as by toomuch confidence; and - let us admit it - the involuntary sentimentwhich she felt for her young protector decided her to speak.

"Listen," said she; "I yield to your protestations, I yield toyour assurances. But I swear to you, before God who hears us,that if you betray me, and my enemies pardon me, I will killmyself, while accusing you of my death."

"And I - I swear to you before God, madame," said D'Artagnan."that if I am taken while accomplishing the orders you give me, Iwill die sooner than do anything that may compromise anyone."

Then the young woman confided in him the terrible secret of whichchance had already communicated to him a part in front of theSamaritaine. This was their mutual declaration of love.

D'Artagnan was radiant with joy and pride. This secret which hepossessed, this woman whom he loved! Confidence and love mad hima giant.

"I go," said he; "I go at once."

"How, you will go!" said Mme. Bonacieux; "and your regiment, yourcaptain?"

"By my soul, you had made me forget all that, dear Constance!Yes, you are right; a furlough is needful."

"Still another obstacle," murmured Mme. Bonacieux, sorrowfully.

"As to that," cried D'Artagnan, after a moment of reflection, "Ishall surmount it, be assured."

"How so?"

"I will go this very evening to Treville, whom I will request toask this favor for me of his brother-in-law, MonsieurDessessart."

"But another thing."

"What?" asked D'Artagnan, seeing that Mme. Bonacieux hesitated tocontinue.

"You have, perhaps, no money?"

"PERHAPS is too much," said D'Artagnan, smiling.

"Then," replied Mme. Bonacieux, opening a cupboard and takingfrom it the very bag which a half hour before her husband hadcaressed so affectionately, "take this bag."

"The cardinal's?" cried D'Artagnan, breaking into a loud laugh,he having heard, as may be remembered, thanks to the brokenboards, every syllable of the conversation between the mercer andhis wife.

"The cardinal's," replied Mme. Bonacieux. "You see it makes avery respectable appearance."

"PARDIEU," cried D'Artagnan, "it will be a double amusing affairto save the queen with the cardinal's money!"

"You are an amiable and charming young man," said Mme. Bonacieux."Be assured you will not find her Majesty ungrateful."

"Oh, I am already grandly recompensed!" cried D'Artagnan. "Ilove you; you permit me to tell you that I do - that is alreadymore happiness than I dared to hope."

"Silence!" said Mme. Bonacieux, starting.

"What!"

"Someone is talking in the street."

"It is the voice of - "

"Of my husband! Yes, I recognize it!"

D'Artagnan ran to the door and pushed the bolt.

"He shall not come in before I am gone," said he; "and when I amgone, you can open to him."

"But I ought to be gone, too. And the disappearance of hismoney; how am I to justify it if I am here?"

"You are right; we must go out."

"Go out? How? He will see us if we go out."

"Then you must come up into my room."

"Ah," said Mme. Bonacieux, "you speak that in a tone thatfrightens me!"

Mme. Bonacieux pronounced these words with tears in her eyes.D'Artagnan saw those tears, and much disturbed, softened, hethrew himself at her feet.

"With me you will be as safe as in a temple; I give you my wordof a gentleman."

"Let us go," said she, "I place full confidence in you, myfriend!"

D'Artagnan drew back the bolt with precaution, and both, light asshadows, glided through the interior door into the passage,ascended the stairs as quietly as possible, and enteredD'Artagnan's chambers.

Once there, for greater security, the young man barricaded thedoor. They both approached the window, and through a slit in theshutter they saw Bonacieux talking with a man in a cloak.

At sight of this man, D'Artagnan started, and half drawing hissword, sprang toward the door.

It was the man of Meung.

"What are you going to do?" cried Mme. Bonacieux; "you will ruinus all!"

"But I have sworn to kill that man!" said D'Artagnan.

"Your life is devoted from this moment, and does not belong toyou. In the name of the queen I forbid you to throw yourselfinto any peril which is foreign o that of your journey."

"And do you command nothing in your own name?"

"In my name," said Mme. Bonacieux, with great emotion, "in myname I beg you! But listen; they appear to be speaking of me."

D'Artagnan drew near the window, and lent his ear.

M. Bonacieux had opened his door, and seeing the apartment, hadreturned to the man in the cloak, whom he had left alone for aninstant.

"She is gone," said he; "she must have returned to the Louvre."

"You are sure," replied the stranger, "that she did not suspectthe intentions with which you went out?"

"No," replied Bonacieux, with a self-sufficient air, "she is toosuperficial a woman."

"Is the young Guardsman at home?"

"I do not think he is; as you see, his shutter is closed, and youcan see no light shine through the chinks of the shutters."

"All the same, it is well to be certain."

"How so?"

"By knocking at his door. Go."

"I will ask his servant."

Bonacieux re-entered the house, passed through the same door thathad afforded a passage for the two fugitives, went up toD'Artagnan's door, and knocked.

No one answered. Porthos, in order to make a greater display,had that evening borrowed Planchet. As to D'Artagnan, he tookcare not to give the least sign of existence.

The moment the hand of Bonacieux sounded on the door, the twoyoung people felt their hearts bound within them.

"There is nobody within," said Bonacieux.

"Never mind. Let us return to your apartment. We shall be saferthere than in the doorway."

"Ah, my God!" whispered Mme. Bonacieux, "we shall hear no more."

"On the contrary," said D'Artagnan, "we shall hear better."

D'Artagnan raised the three or four boards which made his chamberanother ear of Dionysius, spread a carpet on the floor, went uponhis knees, and made a sign to Mme. Bonacieux to stoop as he didtoward the opening.

"You are sure there is nobody there?" said the stranger.

"I will answer for it," said Bonacieux.

"And you think that your wife - "

"Has returned to the Louvre."

"Without speaking to anyone but yourself?"

"I am sure of it."

"That is an important point, do you understand?"

"Then the news I brought you is of value?"

"The greatest, my dear Bonacieux; I don't conceal this from you."

"Then the cardinal will be pleased with me?"

"I have no doubt of it."

"The great cardinal!"

"Are you sure, in her conversation with you, that your wifementioned no names?"

"I think not."

"She did not name Madame de Chevreuse, the Duke of Buckingham, orMadame de Vernet?"

"No; she only told me she wished to send me to London to servethe interests of an illustrious personage."

"The traitor!" murmured Mme. Bonacieux.

"Silence!" said D'Artagnan, taking her hand, which, withoutthinking of it, she abandoned to him.

"Never mind," continued the man in the cloak; "you were a foolnot to have pretended to accept the mission. You would then bein present possession of the letter. The state, which is nowthreatened, would be safe, and you - "

"And I?"

"Well you - the cardinal would have given you letters ofnobility."

"Did he tell you so?"

"Yes, I know that he meant to afford you that agreeablesurprise."

"Be satisfied," replied Bonacieux; "my wife adores me, and thereis yet time."

"The ninny!" murmured Mme. Bonacieux.

"Silence!" said D'Artagnan, pressing her hand more closely.

"How is there still time?" asked the man in the cloak.

"I go to the Louvre; I ask for Mme. Bonacieux; I say that I havereflected; I renew the affair; I obtain the letter, and I rundirectly to the cardinal."

"Well, go quickly! I will return soon to learn the result ofyour trip."

The stranger went out.

"Infamous!" said Mme. Bonacieux, addressing this epithet to herhusband.

"Silence!" said D'Artagnan, pressing her hand still more warmly.

A terrible howling interrupted these reflections of D'Artagnanand Mme. Bonacieux. It was her husband, who had discovered thedisappearance of the moneybag, and was crying "Thieves!"

"Oh, my God!" cried Mme. Bonacieux, "he will rouse the wholequarter."

Bonacieux called a long time; but as such cries, on account oftheir frequency, brought nobody in the Rue des Fossoyeurs, and aslately the mercer's house had a bad name, finding that nobodycame, he went out continuing to call, his voice being heardfainter and fainter as he went in the direction of the Rue duBac.

"Now he is gone, it is your turn to get out," said Mme.Bonacieux. "Courage, my friend, but above all, prudence, andthink what you owe to the queen."

"To her and to you!" cried D'Artagnan. "Be satisfied, beautifulConstance. I shall become worthy of her gratitude; but shall Ilikewise return worthy of your love?"

The young woman only replied by the beautiful glow which mountedto her cheeks. A few seconds afterward D'Artagnan also went outenveloped in a large cloak, which ill-concealed the sheath of along sword.

Mme. Bonacieux followed him with her eyes, with that long, fondlook with which he had turned the angle of the street, she fellon her knees, and clasping her hands, "Oh, my God," cried she,"protect the queen, protect me!"