D'Artagnan followed Milady without being perceived by her.He saw her get into her carriage, and heard her order thecoachman to drive to St. Germain.

It was useless to try to keep pace on foot with a carriagedrawn by two powerful horses. D'Artagnan therefore returnedto the Rue Ferou.

In the Rue de Seine he met Planchet, who had stopped beforethe house of a pastry cook, and was contemplating withecstasy a cake of the most appetizing appearance.

He ordered him to go and saddle two horses in M. deTreville's stables - one for himself, D'Artagnan, and one forPlanchet - and bring them to Athens's place. Once for all,Treville had placed his stable at D'Artagnan's service.

Planchet proceeded toward the Rue du Colombier, andD'Artagnan toward the Rue Ferou. Athos was at home,emptying sadly a bottle of the famous Spanish wine he hadbrought back with him from his journey into Picardy. Hemade a sign for Grimaud to bring a glass for D'Artagnan, andGrimaud obeyed as usual.

D'Artagnan related to Athos all that had passed at thechurch between Porthos and the procurator's wife, and howtheir comrade was probably by that time in a fair way to beequipped.

"As for me," replied Athos to this recital, "I am quite atmy ease; it will not be women that will defray the expenseof my outfit."

"Handsome, well-bred, noble lord as you are, my dear Athos,neither princesses nor queens would be secure from youramorous solicitations."

"How young this D'Artagnan is!" said Athos, shrugging hisshoulders; and he made a sign to Grimaud to bring anotherbottle.

At that moment Planchet put his head modestly in at thehalf-open door, and told his master that the horses wereready.

"What horses?" asked Athos.

"Two horses that Monsieur de Treville lends me at mypleasure, and with which I am now going to take a ride toSt. Germain."

"Well, and what are you going to do at St. Germain?" thendemanded Athos.

Then D'Artagnan described the meeting which he had at thechurch, and how he had found that lady who, with theseigneur in the black cloak and with the scar near histemple, filled his mind constantly.

"That is to say, you are in love with this lady as you werewith Madame Bonacieux," said Athos, shrugging his shoulderscontemptuously, as if he pitied human weakness.

"I? not at all!" said D'Artagnan. "I am only curious tounravel the mystery to which she is attached. I do not knowwhy, but I imagine that this woman, wholly unknown to me asshe is, and wholly unknown to her as I am, has an influenceover my life."

"Well, perhaps you are right," said Athos. "I do not know awoman that is worth the trouble of being sought for when sheis once lost. Madame Bonacieux is lost; so much the worsefor her if she is found."

"No, Athos, no, you are mistaken," said D'Artagnan; "I lovemy poor Constance more than ever, and if I knew the place inwhich she is, were it at the end of the world, I would go tofree her from the hands of her enemies; but I am ignorant.All my researches have been useless. What is to be said? Imust divert my attention!"

"Amuse yourself with Milady, my dear D'Artagnan; I wish youmay with all my heart, if that will amuse you."

"Hear me, Athos," said D'Artagnan. "Instead of shuttingyourself up here as if you were under arrest, get onhorseback and come and take a ride with me to St. Germain."

"My dear fellow," said Athos, "I ride horses when I haveany; when I have none, I go afoot."

"Well," said D'Artagnan, smiling at the misanthropy ofAthos, which from any other person would have offended him,"I ride what I can get; I am not so proud as you. So AUREVOIR, dear Athos."

"AU REVOIR," said the Musketeer, making a sign to Grimaud touncork the bottle he had just brought.

D'Artagnan and Planchet mounted, and took the road to St.Germain.

All along the road, what Athos had said respecting Mme.Bonacieux recurred to the mind of the young man. AlthoughD'Artagnan was not of a very sentimental character, themercer's pretty wife had made a real impression upon hisheart. As he said, he was ready to go to the end of theworld to seek her; but the world, being round, has manyends, so that he did not know which way to turn. Meantime,he was going to try to find out Milady. Milady had spokento the man in the black cloak; therefore she knew him. Now,in the opinion of D'Artagnan, it was certainly the man inthe black cloak who had carried off Mme. Bonacieux thesecond time, as he had carried her off the first.D'Artagnan then only half-lied, which is lying but little,when he said that by going in search of Milady he at thesame time went in search of Constance.

Thinking of all this, and from time to time giving a touchof the spur to his horse, D'Artagnan completed his shortjourney, and arrived at St. Germain. He had just passed bythe pavilion in which ten years later Louis XIV was born.He rode up a very quiet street, looking to the right and theleft to see if he could catch any vestige of his beautifulEnglishwoman, when from the ground floor of a pretty house,which, according to the fashion of the time, had no windowtoward the street, he saw a face peep out with which hethought he was acquainted. This person walked along theterrace, which was ornamented with flowers. Planchetrecognized him first.

"Eh, monsieur!" said he, addressing D'Artagnan, "don't youremember that face which is blinking yonder?"

"No," said D'Artagnan, "and yet I am certain it is not thefirst time I have seen that visage."

"PARBLEU, I believe it is not," said Planchet. "Why, it ispoor Lubin, the lackey of the Comte de Wardes - he whom youtook such good care of a month ago at Calais, on the road tothe governor's country house!"

"So it is!" said D'Artagnan; "I know him now. Do you thinkhe would recollect you?"

"My faith, monsieur, he was in such trouble that I doubt ifhe can have retained a very clear recollection of me."

"Well, go and talk with the boy," said D'Artagnan, "and makeout if you can from his conversation whether his master isdead."

Planchet dismounted and went straight up to Lubin, who didnot at all remember him, and the two lackeys began to chatwith the best understanding possible; while D'Artagnanturned the two horses into a lane, went round the house, andcame back to watch the conference from behind a hedge offilberts.

At the end of an instant's observation he heard the noise ofa vehicle, and saw Milady's carriage stop opposite to him.He could not be mistaken; Milady was in it. D'Artagnanleaned upon the neck of his horse, in order that he mightsee without being seen.

Milady put her charming blond head out at the window, andgave her orders to her maid.

The latter - a pretty girl of about twenty or twenty-twoyears, active and lively, the true SOUBRETTE of a greatlady - jumped from the step upon which, according to thecustom of the time, she was seated, and took her way towardthe terrace upon which D'Artagnan had perceived Lubin.

D'Artagnan followed the soubrette with his eyes, and saw hergo toward the terrace; but it happened that someone in thehouse called Lubin, so that Planchet remained alone, lookingin all directions for the road where D'Artagnan had disappeared.

The maid approached Planchet, whom she took for Lubin, andholding out a little billet to him said, "For your master."

"For my master?" replied Planchet, astonished.

"Yes, and important. Take it quickly."

Thereupon she ran toward the carriage, which had turnedround toward the way it came, jumped upon the step, and thecarriage drove off.

Planchet turned and returned the billet. Then, accustomedto passive obedience, he jumped down from the terrace, rantoward the lane, and at the end of twenty paces metD'Artagnan, who, having seen all, was coming to him.

"For you, monsieur," said Planchet, presenting the billet tothe young man.

"For me?" said D'Artagnan; "are you sure of that?"

"PARDIEU, monsieur, I can't be more sure. The SOUBRETTE said,'For your master.' I have no other master but you; so-a pretty little lass, my faith, is that SOUBRETTE!"

D'Artagnan opened the letter, and read these words:

"A person who takes more interest in you than she is willingto confess wishes to know on what day it will suit you towalk in the forest? Tomorrow, at the Hotel Field of theCloth of Gold, a lackey in black and red will wait for yourreply."

"Oh!" said D'Artagnan, "this is rather warm; it appears thatMilady and I are anxious about the health of the sameperson. Well, Planchet, how is the good Monsieur de Wardes?He is not dead, then?"

"No, monsieur, he is as well as a man can be with four swordwounds in his body; for you, without question, inflictedfour upon the dear gentleman, and he is still very weak,having lost almost all his blood. As I said, monsieur,Lubin did not know me, and told me our adventure from oneend to the other."

"Well done, Planchet! you are the king of lackeys. Now jumponto your horse, and let us overtake the carriage."

This did not take long. At the end of five minutes theyperceived the carriage drawn up by the roadside; a cavalier,richly dressed, was close to the door.

The conversation between Milady and the cavalier was soanimated that D'Artagnan stopped on the other side of thecarriage without anyone but the pretty SOUBRETTE perceivinghis presence.

The conversation took place in English - a language whichD'Artagnan could not understand; but by the accent the youngman plainly saw that the beautiful Englishwoman was in agreat rage. She terminated it by an action which left nodoubt as to the nature of this conversation; this was a blowwith her fan, applied with such force that the littlefeminine weapon flew into a thousand pieces.

The cavalier laughed aloud, which appeared to exasperateMilady still more.

D'Artagnan thought this was the moment to interfere. Heapproached the other door, and taking off his hatrespectfully, said, "Madame, will you permit me to offer youmy services? It appears to me that this cavalier has madeyou very angry. Speak one word, madame, and I take uponmyself to punish him for his want of courtesy."

At the first word Milady turned, looking at the young manwith astonishment; and when he had finished, she said invery good French, "Monsieur, I should with great confidenceplace myself under your protection if the person with whom Iquarrel were not my brother."

"Ah, excuse me, then," said D'Artagnan. "You must be awarethat I was ignorant of that, madame."

"What is that stupid fellow troubling himself about?" criedthe cavalier whom Milady had designated as her brother,stooping down to the height of the coach window. "Why doesnot he go about his business?"

"Stupid fellow yourself!" said D'Artagnan, stooping in histurn on the neck of his horse, and answering on his sidethrough the carriage window. "I do not go on because itpleases me to stop here."

The cavalier addressed some words in English to his sister.

"I speak to you in French," said D'Artagnan; "be kindenough, then, to reply to me in the same language. You areMadame's brother, I learn - be it so; but fortunately you arenot mine."

It might be thought that Milady, timid as women are ingeneral, would have interposed in this commencement ofmutual provocations in order to prevent the quarrel fromgoing too far; but on the contrary, she threw herself backin her carriage, and called out coolly to the coachman,"Go on - home!"

The pretty SOUBRETTE cast an anxious glance at D'Artagnan,whose good looks seemed to have made an impression on her.

The carriage went on, and left the two men facing eachother; no material obstacle separated them.

The cavalier made a movement as if to follow the carriage;but D'Artagnan, whose anger, already excited, was muchincreased by recognizing in him the Englishman of Amiens whohad won his horse and had been very near winning his diamondof Athos, caught at his bridle and stopped him.

"Well, monsieur," said he, "you appear to be more stupidthan I am, for you forget there is a little quarrel toarrange between us two."

"Ah," said the Englishman, "is it you, my master? It seemsyou must always be playing some game or other."

"Yes; and that reminds me that I have a revenge to take. Wewill see, my dear monsieur, if you can handle a sword asskillfully as you can a dice box."

"You see plainly that I have no sword," said the Englishman."Do you wish to play the braggart with an unarmed man?"

"I hope you have a sword at home; but at all events, I havetwo, and if you like, I will throw with you for one ofthem."

"Needless," said the Englishman; "I am well furnished withsuch playthings."

"Very well, my worthy gentleman," replied D'Artagnan, "pickout the longest, and come and show it to me this evening."

"Where, if you please?"

"Behind the Luxembourg; that's a charming spot for suchamusements as the one I propose to you."

"That will do; I will be there."

"Your hour?"

"Six o'clock."

"A PROPOS, you have probably one or two friends?"

"I have three, who would be honored by joining in the sportwith me."

"Three? Marvelous! That falls out oddly! Three is just mynumber!"

"Now, then, who are you?" asked the Englishman.

"I am Monsieur D'Artagnan, a Gascon gentleman, serving inthe king's Musketeers. And you?"

"I am Lord de Winter, Baron Sheffield."

"Well, then, I am your servant, Monsieur Baron," saidD'Artagnan, "though you have names rather difficult torecollect." And touching his horse with the spur, hecantered back to Paris. As he was accustomed to do in allcases of any consequence, D'Artagnan went straight to theresidence of Athos.

He found Athos reclining upon a large sofa, where he waswaiting, as he said, for his outfit to come and find him.He related to Athos all that had passed, except the letterto M. de Wardes.

Athos was delighted to find he was going to fight anEnglishman. We might say that was his dream.

They immediately sent their lackeys for Porthos and Aramis,and on their arrival made them acquainted with thesituation.

Porthos drew his sword from the scabbard, and made passes atthe wall, springing back from time to time, and makingcontortions like a dancer.

Aramis, who was constantly at work at his poem, shut himselfup in Athos's closet, and begged not to be disturbed beforethe moment of drawing swords.

Athos, by signs, desired Grimaud to bring another bottle ofwine.

D'Artagnan employed himself in arranging a little plan, ofwhich we shall hereafter see the execution, and whichpromised him some agreeable adventure, as might be seen bythe smiles which from time to time passed over hiscountenance, whose thoughtfulness they animated.