lips of Oliver Cromwell to know what to expect。〃
A second look was exchanged between Athos and Aramis。
〃And when the trial is ended there will be no delay in putting the sentence into execution；〃 continued D'Artagnan。
〃And to what penalty do you think the king will be condemned？〃 asked Athos。
〃The penalty of death； I greatly fear； they have gone too far for him to pardon them； and there is nothing left to them but one thing； and that is to kill him。 Have you never heard what Oliver Cromwell said when he came to Paris and was shown the dungeon at Vincennes where Monsieur de Vendome was imprisoned？〃
〃What did he say？〃 asked Porthos。
〃‘Princes must be knocked on the head。'〃
〃I remember it；〃 said Athos。
〃And you fancy he will not put his maxim into execution； now that he has got hold of the king？〃
〃On the contrary； I am certain he will do so。 But then that is all the more reason why we should not abandon the august head so threatened。〃
〃Athos； you are being mad。〃
〃No； my friend；〃 Athos gently replied； 〃but De Winter sought us out in France and introduced us； Monsieur d'Herblay and myself； to Madame Henrietta。 Her majesty did us the honor to ask our aid for her husband。 We engaged our word； our word included everything。 It was our strength； our intelligence； our life； in short； that we promised。 It remains now for us to keep our word。 Is that your opinion； D'Herblay？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Aramis； 〃we have promised。〃
〃Then；〃 continued Athos； 〃we have another reason； it is this listen： In France at this moment everything is poor and paltry。 We have a king ten years old； who doesn't yet know what he wants； we have a queen blinded by a belated passion； we have a minister who governs France as he would govern a great farm that is to say； intent only on turning out all the gold he can by the exercise of Italian cunning and invention； we have princes who set up a personal and egotistic opposition； who will draw from Mazarin's hands only a few ingots of gold or some shreds of power granted as bribes。 I have served them without enthusiasm God knows that I estimated them at their real value； and that they are not high in my esteem but on principle。 To…day I am engaged in a different affair。 I have encountered misfortune in a high place； a royal misfortune； a European misfortune； I attach myself to it。 If we can succeed in saving the king it will be good； if we die for him it will be grand。〃
〃So you know beforehand you must perish！〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃We fear so； and our only regret is to die so far from both of you。〃
〃What will you do in a foreign land； an enemy's country？〃
〃I traveled in England when I was young； I speak English like an Englishman； and Aramis； too； knows something of the language。 Ah！ if we had you； my friends！ With you； D'Artagnan； with you； Porthos all four reunited for the first time for twenty years we would dare not only England； but the three kingdoms put together！〃
〃And did you promise the queen；〃 resumed D'Artagnan； petulantly； 〃to storm the Tower of London； to kill a hundred thousand soldiers； to fight victoriously against the wishes of the nation and the ambition of a man； and when that man is Cromwell？ Do not exaggerate your duty。 In Heaven's name； my dear Athos； do not make a useless sacrifice。 When I see you merely； you look like a reasonable being； when you speak； I seem to have to do with a madman。 e； Porthos； join me； say frankly； what do you think of this business？〃
〃Nothing good；〃 replied Porthos。
〃e；〃 continued D'Artagnan； who； irritated that instead of listening to him Athos seemed to be attending to his own thoughts； 〃you have never found yourself the worse for my advice。 Well； then； believe me； Athos； your mission is ended； and ended nobly； return to France with us。〃
〃Friend；〃 said Athos； 〃our resolution is irrevocable。〃
〃Then you have some other motive unknown to us？〃
Athos smiled and D'Artagnan struck his hand together in anger and muttered the most convincing reasons that he could discover； but to all these reasons Athos contented himself by replying with a calm； sweet smile and Aramis by nodding his head。
〃Very well；〃 cried D'Artagnan； at last； furious； 〃very well； since you wish it； let us leave our bones in this beggarly land； where it is always cold； where fine weather is a fog； fog is rain； and rain a deluge； where the sun represents the moon and the moon a cream cheese； in truth； whether we die here or elsewhere matters little； since we must die。〃
〃Only reflect； my good fellow；〃 said Athos； 〃it is but dying rather sooner。〃
〃Pooh！ a little sooner or a little later； it isn't worth quarreling over。〃
〃If I am astonished at anything；〃 remarked Porthos； sententiously； 〃it is that it has not already happened。〃
〃Oh； it will happen； you may be sure；〃 said D'Artagnan。 〃So it is agreed； and if Porthos makes no objection 〃
〃I；〃 said Porthos； 〃I will do whatever you please； and besides； I think what the te de la Fere said just now is very good。〃
〃But your future career； D'Artagnan your ambition； Porthos？〃
〃Our future； our ambition！〃 replied D'Artagnan； with feverish volubility。 〃Need we think of that since we are to save the king？ The king saved we shall assemble our friends together we will head the Puritans reconquer England； we shall re…enter London place him securely on his throne 〃
〃And he will make us dukes and peers；〃 said Porthos； whose eyes sparkled with joy at this imaginary prospect。
〃Or he will forget us；〃 added D'Artagnan。
〃Oh！〃 said Porthos。
〃Well； that has happened； friend Porthos。 It seems to me that we once rendered Anne of Austria a service not much less than that which to…day we are trying to perform for Charles I。； but； none the less； Anne of Austria has forgotten us for twenty years。〃
〃Well； in spite of that； D'Artagnan；〃 said Athos； 〃you are not sorry that you were useful to her？〃
〃No； indeed；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I admit even that in my darkest moments I find consolation in that remembrance。〃
〃You see； then； D'Artagnan； though princes often are ungrateful； God never is。〃
〃Athos；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I believe that were you to fall in with the devil； you would conduct yourself so well that you would take him with you to Heaven。〃
〃So； then？〃 said Athos； offering his hand to D'Artagnan。
〃'Tis settled；〃 replied D'Artagnan。 〃I find England a charming country； and I stay but on one condition only。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃That I am not forced to learn English。〃
〃Well； now；〃 said Athos； triumphantly； 〃I swear to you； my friend； by the God who hears us I believe that there is a power watching over us； and that we shall all four see France again。〃
〃So be it！〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃but I I confess I have a contrary conviction。〃
〃Our good D'Artagnan；〃 said Aramis； 〃represents among us the opposition in parliament； which always says no； and always does aye。〃
〃But in the meantime saves the country；〃 added Athos。
〃Well； now that everything is decided；〃 cried Porthos； rubbing his hands； 〃suppose we think of dinner！ It seems to me that in the most critical positions of our lives we have always dined。〃
〃Oh！ yes； speak of dinner in a country where for a feast they eat boiled mutton； and as a treat drink beer。 What the devil did you e to such a country for； Athos？ But I forgot；〃 added the Gascon； smiling； 〃pardon； I forgot you are no longer Athos； but never mind； let us hear your plan for dinner； Porthos。〃
〃My plan！〃
〃Yes； have you a plan？〃
〃No！ I am hungry； that is all。〃
〃Pardieu； if that is all； I am hungry； too； but it is not everything to be hungry； one must find something to eat； unless we browse on the grass； like our horses 〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Aramis； who was not quite so indifferent to the good things of the earth as Athos； 〃do you remember； when we were at Parpaillot； the beautiful oysters that we ate？〃
〃And the legs of mutton of the salt marshes；〃 said Porthos； smacking his lips。
〃But；〃 suggested D'Artagnan； 〃have we not our friend Musqueton； who managed for us so well at Chantilly； Porthos？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Porthos； 〃we have Musqueton； but since he has been steward； he has bee very heavy； never mind； let us call him； and to make sure that he will reply agreeably
〃Here！ Mouston；〃 cried Porthos。
Mouston appeared； with a most piteous face。
〃What is the matter； my dear M。 Mouston？〃 asked D'Artagnan。 〃Are you ill？〃
〃Sir； I am very hungry；〃 replied Mouston。
〃Well； it is just for that reason that we have called you； my good M。 Mouston。 Could you not procure us a few of those nice little rabbits； and some of those delicious partridges； of which you used to make fricassees at the hotel ？
'Faith； I do not remember the name of the hotel。〃
〃At the hotel of ；〃 said Porthos； 〃by my faith nor do I remember it either。〃
〃It does not matter； and a few of those bottles of old Burgundy wine； which cured your master so quickly of his sprain！〃
〃Alas！ sir；〃 said Musqueton； 〃I much fear that what you ask for are very rare things in this detestable and barren country； and I think we should do better to go and seek h