The hour having come, they went with their four lackeys to aspot behind the Luxembourg given up to the feeding of goats.Athos threw a piece of money to the goalkeeper to withdraw.The lackeys were ordered to act as sentinels.

A silent party soon drew near to the same enclosure,entered, and joined the Musketeers. Then, according toforeign custom, the presentations took place.

The Englishmen were all men of rank; consequently the oddnames of their adversaries were for them not only a matterof surprise, but of annoyance.

"But after all," said Lord de Winter, when the three friendshad been named, "we do not know who you are. We cannotfight with such names; they are names of shepherds."

"Therefore your lordship may suppose they are only assumednames," said Athos.

"Which only gives us a greater desire to know the realones," replied the Englishman.

"You played very willingly with us without knowing ournames," said Athos, "by the same token that you won ourhorses."

"That is true, but we then only risked our pistoles; thistime we risk our blood. One plays with anybody; but onefights only with equals."

"And that is but just," said Athos, and he took aside theone of the four Englishmen with whom he was to fight, andcommunicated his name in a low voice.

Porthos and Aramis did the same.

"Does that satisfy you?" said Athos to his adversary. "Doyou find me of sufficient rank to do me the honor ofcrossing swords with me?"

"Yes, monsieur," said the Englishman, bowing.

"Well! now tell I tell you something?" added Athos, coolly.

"What?" replied the Englishman.

"Why, that is that you would have acted much more wisely ifyou had not required me to make myself known."

"Why so?"

"Because I am believed to be dead, and have reasons forwishing nobody to know I am living; so that I shall beobliged to kill you to prevent my secret from roaming overthe fields."

The Englishman looked at Athos, believing that he jested,but Athos did not jest the least in the world.

"Gentlemen," said Athos, addressing at the same time hiscompanions and their adversaries, "are we ready?"

"Yes!" answered the Englishmen and the Frenchmen, as withone voice.

"On guard, then!" cried Athos.

Immediately eight swords glittered in the rays of thesetting sun, and the combat began with an animosity verynatural between men twice enemies.

Athos fenced with as much calmness and method as if he hadbeen practicing in a fencing school.

Porthos, abated, no doubt, of his too-great confidence byhis adventure of Chantilly, played with skill and prudence.Aramis, who had the third canto of his poem to finish,behaved like a man in haste.

Athos killed his adversary first. He hit him but once, butas he had foretold, that hit was a mortal one; the swordpierced his heart.

Second, Porthos stretched his upon the grass with a woundthrough his thigh, As the Englishman, without making anyfurther resistance, then surrendered his sword, Porthos tookhim up in his arms and bore him to his carriage.

Aramis pushed his so vigorously that after going back fiftypaces, the man ended by fairly taking to his heels, anddisappeared amid the hooting of the lackeys.

As to D'Artagnan, he fought purely and simply on thedefensive; and when he saw his adversary pretty wellfatigued, with a vigorous side thrust sent his sword flying.The baron, finding himself disarmed, took two or three stepsback, but in this movement his foot slipped and he fellbackward.

D'Artagnan was over him at a bound, and said to theEnglishman, pointing his sword to his throat, "I could killyou, my Lord, you are completely in my hands; but I spareyour life for the sake of your sister."

D'Artagnan was at the height of joy; he had realized theplan he had imagined beforehand, whose picturing hadproduced the smiles we noted upon his face.

The Englishman, delighted at having to do with a gentlemanof such a kind disposition, pressed D'Artagnan in his arms,and paid a thousand compliments to the three Musketeers, andas Porthos's adversary was already installed in thecarriage, and as Aramis's had taken to his heels, they hadnothing to think about but the dead.

As Porthos and Aramis were undressing him, in the hope offinding his wound not mortal, a large purse dropped from hisclothes. D'Artagnan picked it up and offered it to Lord deWinter.

"What the devil would you have me do with that?" said theEnglishman.

"You can restore it to his family," said D'Artagnan.

"His family will care much about such a trifle as that! Hisfamily will inherit fifteen thousand louis a year from him.Keep the purse for your lackeys."

D'Artagnan put the purse into his pocket.

"And now, my young friend, for you will permit me, I hope,to give you that name," said Lord de Winter, "on this veryevening, if agreeable to you, I will present you to mysister, Milady Clarik, for I am desirous that she shouldtake you into her good graces; and as she is not in bad odorat court, she may perhaps on some future day speak a wordthat will not prove useless to you.

D'Artagnan blushed with pleasure, and bowed a sign ofassent.

At this time Athos came up to D'Artagnan.

"What do you mean to do with that purse?" whispered he.

"Why, I meant to pass it over to you, my dear Athos."

"Me! why to me?"

"Why, you killed him! They are the spoils of victory."

"I, the heir of an enemy!" said Athos; "for whom, then, doyou take me?"

"It is the custom in war," said D'Artagnan, "why should itnot be the custom in a duel?"

"Even on the field of battle, I have never done that."

Porthos shrugged his shoulders; Aramis by a movement of hislips endorsed Athos.

"Then," said D'Artagnan, "let us give the money to thelackeys, as Lord de Winter desired us to do."

"Yes," said Athos; "let us give the money to the lackeys - notto our lackeys, but to the lackeys of the Englishmen."

Athos took the purse, and threw it into the hand of thecoachman. "For you and your comrades."

This greatness of spirit in a man who was quite destitutestruck even Porthos; and this French generosity, repeated byLord de Winter and his friend, was highly applauded, exceptby MM. Grimaud, Bazin, Mousqueton and Planchet.

Lord de Winter, on quitting D'Artagnan, gave him hissister's address. She lived in the Place Royale - then thefashionable quarter - at Number 6, and he undertook to calland take D'Artagnan with him in order to introduce him.D'Artagnan appointed eight o'clock at Athos's residence.

This introduction to Milady Clarik occupied the head of ourGascon greatly. He remembered in what a strange manner thiswoman had hitherto been mixed up in his destiny. Accordingto his conviction, she was some creature of the cardinal,and yet he felt himself invincibly drawn toward her by oneof those sentiments for which we cannot account. His onlyfear was that Milady would recognize in him the man of Meungand of Dover. Then she knew that he was one of the friendsof M. de Treville, and consequently, that he belonged bodyand soul to the king; which would make him lose a part ofhis advantage, since when known to Milady as he knew her, heplayed only an equal game with her. As to the commencementof an intrigue between her and M. de Wardes, ourpresumptuous hero gave but little heed to that, although themarquis was young, handsome, rich, and high in thecardinal's favor. It is not for nothing we are but twenty years old, above all if we were born at Tarbes.

D'Artagnan began by making his most splendid toilet, thenreturned to Athos's, and according to custom, relatedeverything to him. Athos listened to his projects, thenshook his head, and recommended prudence to him with a shadeof bitterness.

"What!" said he, "you have just lost one woman, whom youcall good, charming, perfect; and here you are, runningheadlong after another."

D'Artagnan felt the truth of this reproach.

"I loved Madame Bonacieux with my heart, while I only loveMilady with my head," said he. "In getting introduced toher, my principal object is to ascertain what part she playsat court."

"The part she plays, PARDIEU! It is not difficult to divinethat, after all you have told me. She is some emissary ofthe cardinal; a woman who will draw you into a snare inwhich you will leave your head."

"The devil! my dear Athos, you view things on the dark side,methinks."

"My dear fellow, I mistrust women. Can it be otherwise? Ibought my experience dearly - particularly fair women. Miladyis fair, you say?"

"She has the most beautiful light hair imaginable!"

"Ah, my poor D'Artagnan!" said Athos.

"Listen to me! I want to be enlightened on a subject; then,when I shall have learned what I desire to know, I willwithdraw."

"Be enlightened!" said Athos, phlegmatically.

Lord de Winter arrived at the appointed time; but Athos,being warned of his coming, went into the other chamber. Hetherefore found D'Artagnan alone, and as it was nearly eighto'clock he took the young man with him.

An elegant carriage waited below, and as it was drawn by twoexcellent horses, they were soon at the Place Royale.

Milady Clarik received D'Artagnan ceremoniously. Her hotelwas remarkably sumptuous, and while the most part of theEnglish had quit, or were about to quit, France on accountof the war, Milady had just been laying out much money uponher residence; which proved that the general measure whichdrove the English from France did not affect her.

"You see," said Lord de Winter, presenting D'Artagnan to hissister, "a young gentleman who has held my life in hishands, and who has not abused his advantage, although wehave been twice enemies, although it was I who insulted him,and although I am an Englishman. Thank him, then, madame,if you have any affection for me."

Milady frowned slightly; a scarcely visible cloud passedover her brow, and so peculiar a smile appeared upon herlips that the young man, who saw and observed this tripleshade, almost shuddered at it.

The brother did not perceive this; he had turned round toplay with Milady's favorite monkey, which had pulled him bythe doublet.

"You are welcome, monsieur," said Milady, in a voice whosesingular sweetness contrasted with the symptoms of ill-humorwhich D'Artagnan had just remarked; "you have today acquiredeternal rights to my gratitude."

The Englishman then turned round and described the combatwithout omitting a single detail. Milady listened with thegreatest attention, and yet it was easily to be perceived,whatever effort she made to conceal her impressions, thatthis recital was not agreeable to her. The blood rose toher head, and her little foot worked with impatience beneathher robe.

Lord de Winter perceived nothing of this. When he hadfinished, he went to a table upon which was a salver withSpanish wine and glasses. He filled two glasses, and by asign invited D'Artagnan to drink.

D'Artagnan knew it was considered disobliging by anEnglishman to refuse to pledge him. He therefore drew nearto the table and took the second glass. He did not,however, lose sight of Milady, and in a mirror he perceivedthe change that came over her face. Now that she believedherself to be no longer observed, a sentiment resemblingferocity animated her countenance. She bit her handkerchiefwith her beautiful teeth.

That pretty little SOUBRETTE whom D'Artagnan had alreadyobserved then came in. She spoke some words to Lord deWinter in English, who thereupon requested D'Artagnan'spermission to retire, excusing himself on account of theurgency of the business that had called him away, andcharging his sister to obtain his pardon.

D'Artagnan exchanged a shake of the hand with Lord deWinter, and then returned to Milady. Her countenance, withsurprising mobility, had recovered its gracious expression;but some little red spots on her handkerchief indicated thatshe had bitten her lips till the blood came. Those lipswere magnificent; they might be said to be of coral.

The conversation took a cheerful turn. Milady appeared tohave entirely recovered. She told D'Artagnan that Lord deWinter was her brother-in-law, and not her brother. She hadmarried a younger brother of the family, who had left her awidow with one child. This child was the only heir to Lordde Winter, if Lord de Winter did not marry. All this showedD'Artagnan that there was a veil which concealed something;but he could not yet see under this veil.

In addition to this, after a half hour's conversationD'Artagnan was convinced that Milady was his compatriot; shespoke French with an elegance and a purity that left nodoubt on that head.

D'Artagnan was profuse in gallant speeches and protestationsof devotion. To all the simple things which escaped ourGascon, Milady replied with a smile of kindness. The hourcame for him to retire. D'Artagnan took leave of Milady,and left the saloon the happiest of men.

On the staircase he met the pretty SOUBRETTE, who brushedgently against him as she passed, and then, blushing to theeyes, asked his pardon for having touched him in a voice sosweet that the pardon was granted instantly.

D'Artagnan came again on the morrow, and was still betterreceived than on the evening before. Lord de Winter was notat home; and it was Milady who this time did all the honorsof the evening. She appeared to take a great interest inhim, asked him whence he came, who were his friends, andwhether he had not sometimes thought of attaching himself tothe cardinal.

D'Artagnan, who, as we have said, was exceedingly prudentfor a young man of twenty, then remembered his suspicionsregarding Milady. He launched into a eulogy of hisEminence, and said that he should not have failed to enterinto the Guards of the cardinal instead of the king's Guardsif he had happened to know M. de Cavois instead of M. deTreville.

Milady changed the conversation without any appearance ofaffectation, and asked D'Artagnan in the most carelessmanner possible if he had ever been in England.

D'Artagnan replied that he had been sent thither by M. deTreville to treat for a supply of horses, and that he hadbrought back four as specimens.

Milady in the course of the conversation twice or thrice bither lips; she had to deal with a Gascon who played close.

At the same hour as on the preceding evening, D'Artagnanretired. In the corridor he again met the pretty Kitty; thatwas the name of the SOUBRETTE. She looked at him with anexpression of kindness which it was impossible to mistake;but D'Artagnan was so preoccupied by the mistress that henoticed absolutely nothing but her.

D'Artagnan came again on the morrow and the day after that,and each day Milady gave him a more gracious reception.

Every evening, either in the antechamber, the corridor, oron the stairs, he met the pretty SOUBRETTE. But, as we havesaid, D'Artagnan paid no attention to this persistence ofpoor Kitty.