As Athos had foreseen, the bastion was only occupied by adozen corpses, French and Rochellais.

"Gentlemen," said Athos, who had assumed the command of theexpedition, "while Grimaud spreads the table, let us beginby collecting the guns and cartridges together. We can talkwhile performing that necessary task. These gentlemen,"added he, pointing to the bodies, "cannot hear us."

"But we could throw them into the ditch," said Porthos,"after having assured ourselves they have nothing in theirpockets."

"Yes," said Athos, "that's Grimaud's business."

"Well, then," cried D'Artagnan, "pray let Grimaud searchthem and throw them over the walls."

"Heaven forfend!" said Athos; "they may serve us."

"These bodies serve us?" said Porthos. "You are mad, dearfriend."

"Judge not rashly, say the gospel and the cardinal," repliedAthos. "How many guns, gentlemen?"

"Twelve," replied Aramis.

"How many shots?"

"A hundred."

"That's quite as many as we shall want. Let us load theguns."

The four Musketeers went to work; and as they were loadingthe last musket Grimaud announced that the breakfast wasready.

Athos replied, always by gestures, that that was well, andindicated to Grimaud, by pointing to a turret that resembleda pepper caster, that he was to stand as sentinel. Only, toalleviate the tediousness of the duty, Athos allowed him totake a loaf, two cutlets, and a bottle of wine.

"And now to table," said Athos.

The four friends seated themselves on the ground with theirlegs crossed like Turks, or even tailors.

"And now," said D'Artagnan, "as there is no longer any fearof being overheard, I hope you are going to let me into yoursecret."

"I hope at the same time to procure you amusement and glory,gentlemen," said Athos. "I have induced you to take acharming promenade; here is a delicious breakfast; andyonder are five hundred persons, as you may see through theloopholes, taking us for heroes or madmen - two classes ofimbeciles greatly resembling each other."

"But the secret!" said D'Artagnan.

"The secret is," said Athos, "that I saw Milady last night."

D'Artagnan was lifting a glass to his lips; but at the nameof Milady, his hand trembled so, that he was obliged to putthe glass on the ground again for fear of spilling thecontents."

"You saw your wi - "

"Hush!" interrupted Athos. "You forget, my dear, you forgetthat these gentlemen are not initiated into my familyaffairs like yourself. I have seen Milady."

"Where?" demanded D'Artagnan.

"Within two leagues of this place, at the inn of the RedDovecot."

"In that case I am lost," said D'Artagnan.

"Not so bad yet," replied Athos; "for by this time she musthave quit the shores of France."

D'Artagnan breathed again.

"But after all," asked Porthos, "who is Milady?"

"A charming woman!" said Athos, sipping a glass of sparklingwine. "Villainous host!" cried he, "he has given us Anjouwine instead of champagne, and fancies we know no better!Yes," continued he, "a charming woman, who entertained kindviews toward our friend D'Artagnan, who, on his part, hasgiven her some offense for which she tried to revengeherself a month ago by having him killed by two musketshots, a week ago by trying to poison him, and yesterday bydemanding his head of the cardinal."

"What! by demanding my head of the cardinal?" criedD'Artagnan, pale with terror.

"Yes, that is true as the Gospel," said Porthos; "I heardher with my own ears."

"I also," said Aramis.

"Then," said D'Artagnan, letting his arm fall withdiscouragement, "it is useless to struggle longer. I may aswell blow my brains out, and all will be over."

"That's the last folly to be committed," said Athos, "seeingit is the only one for which there is no remedy."

"But I can never escape," said D'Artagnan, "with suchenemies. First, my stranger of Meung; then De Wardes, towhom I have given three sword wounds; next Milady, whosesecret I have discovered; finally, the cardinal, whosevengeance I have balked."

"Well," said Athos, "that only makes four; and we arefour - one for one. Pardieu! if we may believe the signsGrimaud is making, we are about to have to do with a verydifferent number of people. What is it, Grimaud?Considering the gravity of the occasion, I permit you tospeak, my friend; but be laconic, I beg. What do you see?"

"A troop."

"Of how many persons?"

"Twenty men."

"What sort of men?"

"Sixteen pioneers, four soldiers."

"How far distant?"

"Five hundred paces."

"Good! We have just time to finish this fowl and to drinkone glass of wine to your health, D'Artagnan."

"To your health!" repeated Porthos and Aramis.

"Well, then, to my health! although I am very much afraidthat your good wishes will not be of great service to me."

"Bah!" said Athos, "God is great, as say the followers ofMohammed, and the future is in his hands."

Then, swallowing the contents of his glass, which he putdown close to him, Athos arose carelessly, took the musketnext to him, and drew near to one of the loopholes.

Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan followed his example. As toGrimaud, he received orders to place himself behind the fourfriends in order to reload their weapons.

"Pardieu!" said Athos, "it was hardly worth while todistribute ourselves for twenty fellows armed with pickaxes,mattocks, and shovels. Grimaud had only to make them a signto go away, and I am convinced they would have left us inpeace."

"I doubt that," replied D'Artagnan, "for they are advancingvery resolutely. Besides, in addition to the pioneers,there are four soldiers and a brigadier, armed withmuskets."

"That's because they don't see us," said Athos.

"My faith," said Aramis, "I must confess I feel a greatrepugnance to fire on these poor devils of civilians."

"He is a bad priest," said Porthos, "who has pity forheretics."

"In truth," said Athos, "Aramis is right. I will warnthem."

"What the devil are you going to do?" cried D'Artagnan, "youwill be shot."

But Athos heeded not his advice. Mounting on the breach,with his musket in one hand and his hat in the other, hesaid, bowing courteously and addressing the soldiers and thepioneers, who, astonished at this apparition, stopped fiftypaces from the bastion: "Gentlemen, a few friends andmyself are about to breakfast in this bastion. Now, youknow nothing is more disagreeable than being disturbed whenone is at breakfast. We request you, then, if you reallyhave business here, to wait till we have finished or repast,or to come again a short time hence, unless; unless, whichwould be far better, you form the salutary resolution toquit the side of the rebels, and come and drink with us tothe health of the King of France."

"Take care, Athos!" cried D'Artagnan; "don't you see theyare aiming?"

"Yes, yes," said Athos; "but they are only civilians - verybad marksmen, who will be sure not to hit me."

In fact, at the same instant four shots were fired, and theballs were flattened against the wall around Athos, but notone touched him.

Four shots replied to them almost instantaneously, but muchbetter aimed than those of the aggressors; three soldiersfell dead, and one of the pioneers was wounded.

"Grimaud," said Athos, still on the breach, "anothermusket!"

Grimaud immediately obeyed. On their part, the threefriends had reloaded their arms; a second discharge followedthe first. The brigadier and two pioneers fell dead; therest of the troop took to flight.

"Now, gentlemen, a sortie!" cried Athos.

And the four friends rushed out of the fort, gained thefield of battle, picked up the four muskets of the privatesand the half-pike of the brigadier, and convinced that thefugitives would not stop till they reached the city, turnedagain toward the bastion, bearing with them the trophies oftheir victory.

"Reload the muskets, Grimaud," said Athos, "and we,gentlemen, will go on with our breakfast, and resume ourconversation. Where were we?"

"I recollect you were saying," said D'Artagnan, "that afterhaving demanded my head of the cardinal, Milady had quit theshores of France. Whither goes she?" added he, stronglyinterested in the route Milady followed.

"She goes into England," said Athos.

"With what view?"

"With the view of assassinating, or causing to beassassinated, the Duke of Buckingham."

D'Artagnan uttered an exclamation of surprise andindignation.

"But this is infamous!" cried he.

"As to that," said Athos, "I beg you to believe that I carevery little about it. Now you have done, Grimaud, take ourbrigadier's half-pike, tie a napkin to it, and plant it ontop of our bastion, that these rebels of Rochellais may seethat they have to deal with brave and loyal soldiers of theking."

Grimaud obeyed without replying. An instant afterward, thewhite flag was floating over the heads of the four friends.A thunder of applause saluted its appearance; half the campwas at the barrier.

"How?" replied D'Artagnan, "you care little if she killsBuckingham or causes him to be killed? But the duke is ourfriend."

"The duke is English; the duke fights against us. Let herdo what she likes with the duke; I care no more about himthan an empty bottle." And Athos threw fifteen paces fromhim an empty bottle from which he had poured the last dropinto his glass.

"A moment," said D'Artagnan. "I will not abandon Buckinghamthus. He gave us some very fine horses."

"And moreover, very handsome saddles," said Porthos, who atthe moment wore on his cloak the lace of his own.

"Besides," said Aramis, "God desires the conversion and notthe death of a sinner."

"Amen!" said Athos, "and we will return to that subjectlater, if such be your pleasure; but what for the momentengaged my attention most earnestly, and I am sure you willunderstand me, D'Artagnan, was the getting from this woman akind of carte blanche which she had extorted from thecardinal, and by means of which she could with impunity getrid of you and perhaps of us."

"But this creature must be a demon!" said Porthos, holdingout his plate to Aramis, who was cutting up a fowl.

"And this carte blanche," said D'Artagnan, "this carteblanche, does it remain in her hands?"

"No, it passed into mine; I will not say without trouble,for if I did I should tell a lie."

"My dear Athos, I shall no longer count the number of timesI am indebted to you for my life."

"Then it was to go to her that you left us?" said Aramis.

"Exactly."

"And you have that letter of the cardinal?" said D'Artagnan.

"Here it is," said Athos; and he took the invaluable paperfrom the pocket of his uniform. D'Artagnan unfolded it withone hand, whose trembling he did not even attempt toconceal, to read:

Dec. 3, 1627

It is by more order and for the good of the state that thebearer of this has done what he has done.

"Richelieu"

"In fact," said Aramis, "it is an absolution according to rule."

"That paper must be torn to pieces," said D'Artagnan, whofancied he read in it his sentence of death.

"On the contrary," said Athos, "it must be preservedcarefully. I would not give up this paper if covered withas many gold pieces."

"And what will she do now?" asked the young man.

"Why," replied Athos, carelessly, "she is probably going towrite to the cardinal that a damned Musketeer, named Athos,has taken her safe-conduct from her by force; she willadvise him in the same letter to get rid of his two friends,Aramis and Porthos, at the same time. The cardinal willremember that these are the same men who have often crossedhis path; and then some fine morning he will arrestD'Artagnan, and for fear he should feel lonely, he will sendus to keep him company in the Bastille."

"Go to! It appears to me you make dull jokes, my dear,"said Porthos.

"I do not jest," said Athos.

"Do you know," said Porthos, "that to twist that damnedMilady's neck would be a smaller sin than to twist those ofthese poor devils of Huguenots, who have committed no othercrime than singing in French the psalms we sing in Latin?"

"What says the abbe?" asked Athos, quietly.

"I say I am entirely of Porthos's opinion," replied Aramis.

"And I, too," said D'Artagnan.

"Fortunately, she is far off," said Porthos, "for I confessshe would worry me if she were here."

"She worries me in England as well as in France," saidAthos.

"She worries me everywhere," said D'Artagnan.

"But when you held her in your power, why did you not drownher, strangle her, hang her?" said Porthos. "It is only thedead who do not return."

"You think so, Porthos?" replied the Musketeer, with a sadsmile which D'Artagnan alone understood.

"I have an idea," said D'Artagnan.

"What is it?" said the Musketeers.

"To arms!" cried Grimaud.

The young men sprang up, and seized their muskets.

This time a small troop advanced, consisting of from twentyto twenty-five men; but they were not pioneers, they weresoldiers of the garrison.

"Shall we return to the camp?" said Porthos. "I don't thinkthe sides are equal."

"Impossible, for three reasons," replied Athos. "The first,that we have not finished breakfast; the second, that westill have some very important things to say; and the third,that it yet wants ten minutes before the lapse of the hour."

"Well, then," said Aramis, "we must form a plan of battle."

"That's very simple," replied Athos. "As soon as the enemyare within musket shot, we must fire upon them. If theycontinue to advance, we must fire again. We must fire aslong as we have loaded guns. If those who remain of thetroop persist in coming to the assault, we will allow thebesiegers to get as far as the ditch, and then we will pushdown upon their heads that strip of wall which keeps itsperpendicular by a miracle."

"Bravo!" cried Porthos. "Decidedly, Athos, you were born tobe a general, and the cardinal, who fancies himself a greatsoldier, is nothing beside you."

"Gentlemen," said Athos, "no divided attention, I beg; leteach one pick out his man."

"I cover mine," said D'Artagnan.

"And I mine," said Porthos.

"And I mine," said Aramis.

"Fire, then," said Athos.

The four muskets made but one report, but four men fell.

The drum immediately beat, and the little troop advanced atcharging pace.

Then the shots were repeated without regularity, but alwaysaimed with the same accuracy. Nevertheless, as if they hadbeen aware of the numerical weakness of the friends, theRochellais continued to advance in quick time.

With every three shots at least two men fell; but the marchof those who remained was not slackened.

Arrived at the foot of the bastion, there were still morethan a dozen of the enemy. A last discharge welcomed them,but did not stop them; they jumped into the ditch, andprepared to scale the breach.

"Now, my friends," said Athos, "finish them at a blow. Tothe wall; to the wall!"

And the four friends, seconded by Grimaud, pushed with thebarrels of their muskets an enormous sheet of the wall,which bent as if pushed by the wind, and detaching itselffrom its base, fell with a horrible crash into the ditch.Then a fearful crash was heard; a cloud of dust mountedtoward the sky - and all was over!

"Can we have destroyed them all, from the first to thelast?" said Athos.

"My faith, it appears so!" said D'Artagnan.

"No," cried Porthos; "there go three or four, limping away."

In fact, three or four of these unfortunate men, coveredwith dirt and blood, fled along the hollow way, and atlength regained the city. These were all who were left ofthe little troop.

Athos looked at his watch.

"Gentlemen," said he, "we have been here an hour, and ourwager is won; but we will be fair players. Besides,D'Artagnan has not told us his idea yet."

And the Musketeer, with his usual coolness, reseated himselfbefore the remains of the breakfast.

"My idea?" said D'Artagnan.

"Yes; you said you had an idea," said Athos.

"Oh, I remember," said D'Artagnan. "Well, I will go toEngland a second time; I will go and find Buckingham."

"You shall not do that, D'Artagnan," said Athos, coolly.

"And why not? Have I not been there once?"

"Yes; but at that period we were not at war. At that periodBuckingham was an ally, and not an enemy. What you wouldnow do amounts to treason."

D'Artagnan perceived the force of this reasoning, and wassilent.

"But," said Porthos, "I think I have an idea, in my turn."

"Silence for Monsieur Porthos's idea!" said Aramis.

"I will ask leave of absence of Monsieur de Treville, onsome pretext or other which you must invent; I am not veryclever at pretexts. Milady does not know me; I will getaccess to her without her suspecting me, and when I catch mybeauty, I will strangle her."

"Well," replied Athos, "I am not far from approving the ideaof Monsieur Porthos."

"For shame!" said Aramis. "Kill a woman? No, listen to me;I have the true idea."

"Let us see your idea, Aramis," said Athos, who felt muchdeference for the young Musketeer."

"We must inform the queen."

"Ah, my faith, yes!" said Porthos and D'Artagnan, at thesame time; "we are coming nearer to it now."

"Inform the queen!" said Athos; "and how? Have we relationswith the court? Could we send anyone to Paris without itsbeing known in the camp? From here to Paris it is a hundredand forty leagues; before our letter was at Angers we shouldbe in a dungeon."

"As to remitting a letter with safety to her Majesty," saidAramis, coloring, "I will take that upon myself. I know aclever person at Tours - "

Aramis stopped on seeing Athos smile.

"Well, do you not adopt this means, Athos?" said D'Artagnan.

"I do not reject it altogether," said Athos; "but I wish toremind Aramis that he cannot quit the camp, and that nobodybut one of ourselves is trustworthy; that two hours afterthe messenger has set out, all the Capuchins, all thepolice, all the black caps of the cardinal, will know yourletter by heart, and you and your clever person will bearrested."

"Without reckoning," objected Porthos, "that the queen wouldsave Monsieur de Buckingham, but would take no heed of us."

"Gentlemen," said D'Artagnan, "what Porthos says is full ofsense."

"Ah, ah! but what's going on in the city yonder?" saidAthos.

"They are beating the general alarm."

The four friends listened, and the sound of the drum plainlyreached them.

"You see, they are going to send a whole regiment againstus," said Athos.

"You don't think of holding out against a whole regiment, doyou?" said Porthos.

"Why not?" said Musketeer. "I feel myself quite in a humorfor it; and I would hold out before an army if we had takenthe precaution to bring a dozen more bottles of wine."

"Upon my word, the drum draws near," said D'Artagnan.

"Let it come," said Athos. "It is a quarter of an hour'sjourney from here to the city, consequently a quarter of anhour's journey from the city to hither. That is more thantime enough for us to devise a plan. If we go from thisplace we shall never find another so suitable. Ah, stop! Ihave it, gentlemen; the right idea has just occurred to me."

"Tell us."

"Allow me to give Grimaud some indispensable orders."

Athos made a sign for his lackey to approach.

"Grimaud," said Athos, pointing to the bodies which layunder the wall of the bastion, "take those gentlemen, setthem up against the wall, put their hats upon their heads,and their guns in their hands."

"Oh, the great man!" cried D'Artagnan. "I comprehend now."

"You comprehend?" said Porthos.

"And do you comprehend, Grimaud?" said Aramis.

Grimaud made a sign in the affirmative.

"That's all that is necessary," said Athos; "now for myidea."

"I should like, however, to comprehend," said Porthos.

"That is useless."

"Yes, yes! Athos's idea!" cried Aramis and D'Artagnan, atthe same time.

"This Milady, this woman, this creature, this demon, has abrother-in-law, as I think you told me, D'Artagnan?"

"Yes, I know him very well; and I also believe that he hasnot a very warm affection for his sister-in-law."

"There is no harm in that. If he detested her, it would beall the better," replied Athos.

"In that case we are as well off as we wish."

"And yet," said Porthos, "I would like to know what Grimaudis about."

"Silence, Porthos!" said Aramis.

"What is her brother-in-law's name?"

"Lord de Winter."

"Where is he now?"

"He returned to London at the first sound of war."

"Well, there's just the man we want," said Athos. "It is hewhom we must warm. We will have him informed that hissister-in-law is on the point of having someoneassassinated, and beg him not to lose sight of her. Thereis in London, I hope, some establishment like that of theMagdalens, or of the Repentant Daughters. He must place hissister in one of these, and we shall be in peace."

"Yes," said D'Artagnan, "till she comes out."

"Ah, my faith!" said Athos, "you require too much,D'Artagnan. I have given you all I have, and I beg leave totell you that this is the bottom of my sack."

"But I think it would be still better," said Aramis, "toinform the queen and Lord de Winter at the same time."

"Yes; but who is to carry the letter to Tours, and who toLondon?"

"I answer for Bazin," said Aramis.

"And I for Planchet," said D'Artagnan.

"Ay," said Porthos, "if we cannot leave the camp, ourlackeys may."

"To be sure they may; and this very day we will write theletters," said Aramis. "Give the lackeys money, and theywill start."

"We will give them money?" replied Athos. "Have you anymoney?"

The four friends looked at one another, and a cloud cameover the brows which but lately had been so cheerful.

"Look out!" cried D'Artagnan, "I see black points and redpoints moving yonder. Why did you talk of a regiment,Athos? It is a veritable army!"

"My faith, yes," said Athos; "there they are. See thesneaks come, without drum or trumpet. Ah, ah! have youfinished, Grimaud?"

Grimaud made a sign in the affirmative, and pointed to adozen bodies which he had set up in the most picturesqueattitudes. Some carried arms, others seemed to be takingaim, and the remainder appeared merely to be sword in hand.

"Bravo!" said Athos; "that does honor to your imagination."

"All very well," said Porthos, "but I should like tounderstand."

"Let us decamp first, and you will understand afterward."

"A moment, gentlemen, a moment; give Grimaud time to clearaway the breakfast."

"Ah, ah!" said Aramis, "the black points and the red pointsare visibly enlarging. I am of D'Artagnan's opinion; wehave no time to lose in regaining our camp."

"My faith," said Athos, "I have nothing to say against aretreat. We bet upon one hour, and we have stayed an hourand a half. Nothing can be said; let us be off, gentlemen,let us be off!"

Grimaud was already ahead, with the basket and the dessert.The four friends followed, ten paces behind him.

"What the devil shall we do now, gentlemen?" cried Athos.

"Have you forgotten anything?" said Aramis.

"The white flag, morbleu! We must not leave a flag in thehands of the enemy, even if that flag be but a napkin."

And Athos ran back to the bastion, mounted the platform, andbore off the flag; but as the Rochellais had arrived withinmusket range, they opened a terrible fire upon this man, whoappeared to expose himself for pleasure's sake.

But Athos might be said to bear a charmed life. The ballspassed and whistled all around him; not one struck him.

Athos waved his flag, turning his back on the guards of thecity, and saluting those of the camp. On both sides loudcries arose - on the one side cries of anger, on the othercries of enthusiasm.

A second discharge followed the first, and three balls, bypassing through it, made the napkin really a flag. "Crieswere heard from the camp, "Come down! come down!"

Athos came down; his friends, who anxiously awaited him, sawhim returned with joy.

"Come along, Athos, come along!" cried D'Artagnan; "now wehave found everything except money, it would be stupid to bekilled."

But Athos continued to march majestically, whatever remarkshis companions made; and they, finding their remarksuseless, regulated their pace by his.

Grimaud and his basket were far in advance, out of the rangeof the balls.

At the end of an instant they heard a furious fusillade.

"What's that?" asked Porthos, "what are they firing at now?I hear no balls whistle, and I see nobody!"

"They are firing at the corpses," replied Athos.

"But the dead cannot return their fire."

"Certainly not! They will then fancy it is an ambuscade,they will deliberate; and by the time they have found outthe pleasantry, we shall be out of the range of their balls.That renders it useless to get a pleurisy by too muchhaste."

"Oh, I comprehend now," said the astonished Porthos.

"That's lucky," said Athos, shrugging his shoulders.

On their part, the French, on seeing the four friends returnat such a step, uttered cries of enthusiasm.

At length a fresh discharge was heard, and this time theballs came rattling among the stones around the fourfriends, and whistling sharply in their ears. TheRochellais had at last taken possession of the bastion.

"These Rochellais are bungling fellows," said Athos; "howmany have we killed of them - a dozen?"

"Or fifteen."

"How many did we crush under the wall?"

"Eight or ten."

"And in exchange for all that not even a scratch! Ah, butwhat is the matter with your hand, D'Artagnan? It bleeds,seemingly."

"Oh, it's nothing," said D'Artagnan.

"A spent ball?"

"Not even that."

"What is it, then?"

We have said that Athos loved D'Artagnan like a child, andthis somber and inflexible personage felt the anxiety of aparent for the young man.

"Only grazed a little," replied D'Artagnan; "my fingers werecaught between two stones - that of the wall and that of myring - and the skin was broken."

"That comes of wearing diamonds, my master," said Athos,disdainfully.

"Ah, to be sure," cried Porthos, "there is a diamond. Whythe devil, then, do we plague ourselves about money, whenthere is a diamond?"

"Stop a bit!" said Aramis.

"Well thought of, Porthos; this time you have an idea."

"Undoubtedly," said Porthos, drawing himself up at Athos'scompliment; "as there is a diamond, let us sell it."

"But," said D'Artagnan, "it is the queen's diamond."

"The stronger reason why it should be sold," replied Athos.The queen saving Monsieur de Buckingham, her lover; nothingmore just. The queen saving us, her friends; nothing moremoral. Let us sell the diamond. What says Monsieur theAbbe? I don't ask Porthos; his opinion has been given."

"Why, I think," said Aramis, blushing as usual, "that hisring not coming from a mistress, and consequently not beinga love token, D'Artagnan may sell it."

"My dear Aramis, you speak like theology personified. Youradvice, then, is - "

"To sell the diamond," replied Aramis.

"Well, then," said D'Artagnan, gaily, "let us sell thediamond, and say no more about it."

The fusillade continued; but the four friends were out ofreach, and the Rochellais only fired to appease theirconsciences.

"My faith, it was time that idea came into Porthos's head.Here we are at the camp; therefore, gentlemen, not a wordmore of this affair. We are observed; they are coming tomeet us. We shall be carried in triumph."

In fact, as we have said, the whole camp was in motion.More than two thousand persons had assisted, as at aspectacle, in this fortunate but wild undertaking of thefour friends - and undertaking of which they were far fromsuspecting the real motive. Nothing was heard but cried of"Live the Musketeers! Live the Guards!" M. de Busigny wasthe first to come and shake Athos by the hand, andacknowledge that the wager was lost. The dragoon and theSwiss followed him, and all their comrades followed thedragoon and the Swiss. There was nothing but felicitations,pressures of the hand, and embraces; there was no end to theinextinguishable laughter at the Rochellais. The tumult atlength became so great that the cardinal fancied there mustbe some riot, and sent La Houdiniere, his captain of theGuards, to inquire what was going on.

The affair was described to the messenger with all theeffervescence of enthusiasm.

"Well?" asked the cardinal, on seeing La Houdiniere return.

"Well, monseigneur," replied the latter, "three Musketeersand a Guardsman laid a wager with Monsieur de Busigny thatthey would go and breakfast in the bastion St. Gervais; andwhile breakfasting they held it for two hours against theenemy, and have killed I don't know how many Rochellais."

"Did you inquire the names of those three Musketeers?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"What are their names?"

"Messieurs Athos, Porthos, and Aramis."

"Still my three brave fellows!" murmured the cardinal. "Andthe Guardsman?"

"D'Artagnan."

"Still my young scapegrace. Positively, these four men mustbe on my side."

The same evening the cardinal spoke to M. de Treville of theexploit of the morning, which was the talk of the wholecamp. M. de Treville, who had received the account of theadventure from the mouths of the heroes of it, related it inall its details to his Eminence, not forgetting the episodeof the napkin.

"That's well, Monsieur de Treville," said the cardinal;"pray let that napkin be sent to me. I will have threefleur-de-lis embroidered on it in gold, and will give it toyour company as a standard."

"Monseigneur," said M. de Treville, "that will be unjust tothe Guardsmen. Monsieur d'Artagnan is not with me; heserves under Monsieur Dessessart."

"Well, then, take him," said the cardinal; "when four menare so much attached to one another, it is only fair thatthey should serve in the same company."

That same evening M. de Treville announced this good news tothe three Musketeers and D'Artagnan, inviting all four tobreakfast with him next morning.

D'Artagnan refused; but thinking the opportunity a good one,dream of his life had been to become a Musketeer. The threefriends were likewise greatly delighted.

"My faith," said D'Artagnan to Athos, "you had a triumphantidea! As you said, we have acquired glory, and were enabledto carry on a conversation of the highest importance."

"Which we can resume now without anybody suspecting us, for,with the help of God, we shall henceforth pass forcardinalists."

That evening D'Artagnan went to present his respects to M.Dessessart, and inform him of his promotion.

M. Dessessart, who esteemed D'Artagnan, made him offers ofhelp, as this change would entail expenses for equipment.

D'Artagnan was beside himself with joy. We know that the hebegged him to have the diamond he put into his hand valued,as he wished to turn it into money.

The next day, M. Dessessart's valet came to D'Artagnan'slodging, and gave him a bag containing seven thousandlivres.

This was the price of the queen's diamond.