〃No； thanks to something better。 You know； gentlemen； that I served the Piedmont regiment and had the honor of being a sergeant？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； one day when no one could drill a mob of citizens； who began to march； some with the right foot； others with the left； I succeeded； I did； in making them all begin with the same foot； and I was made lieutenant on the spot。〃
〃So I presume；〃 said Athos； 〃that you have a large number of the nobles with you？〃
〃Certainly。 There are the Prince de Conti； the Duc de Longueville； the Duc de Beaufort； the Duc de Bouillon； the Marechal de la Mothe； the Marquis de Sevigne； and I don't know who； for my part。〃
〃And the Vite Raoul de Bragelonne？〃 inquired Athos； in a tremulous voice。 〃D'Artagnan told me that he had remended him to your care； in parting。〃
〃Yes； count； nor have I lost sight of him for a single instant since。〃
〃Then；〃 said Athos in a tone of delight； 〃he is well？ no accident has happened to him？〃
〃None； sir。〃
〃And he lives？〃
〃Still at the Hotel of the Great Charlemagne。〃
〃And passes his time？〃
〃Sometimes with the queen of England； sometimes with Madame de Chevreuse。 He and the Count de Guiche are like each other's shadows。〃
〃Thanks； Planchet； thanks！〃 cried Athos； extending his hand to the lieutenant。
〃Oh； sir！〃 Planchet only touched the tips of the count's fingers。
〃Well； what are you doing； count to a former lackey？
〃My friend；〃 said Athos； 〃he has given me news of Raoul。〃
〃And now； gentlemen；〃 said Planchet； who had not heard what they were saying； 〃what do you intend to do？〃
〃Re…enter Paris； if you will let us； my good Planchet。〃
〃Let you。 sir？ Now； as ever； I am nothing but your servant。〃 Then turning to his men：
〃Allow these gentlemen to pass；〃 he said； 〃they are friends of the Duc de Beaufort。〃
〃Long live the Duc de Beaufort！〃 cried the sentinels。
The sergeant drew near to Planchet。
〃What！ without passports？〃 he murmured。
〃Without passports；〃 said Planchet。
〃Take notice； captain；〃 he continued； giving Planchet his expected title； 〃take notice that one of the three men who just now went out from here told me privately to distrust these gentlemen。〃
〃And I；〃 said Planchet； with dignity； 〃I know them and I answer for them。〃
As he said this； he pressed Grimaud's hand； who seemed honored by the distinction。
〃Farewell till we meet again；〃 said Aramis； as they took leave of Planchet； 〃if anything happens to us we shall blame you for it。〃
〃Sir；〃 said Planchet； 〃I am in all things at your service。〃
〃That fellow is no fool；〃 said Aramis； as he got on his horse。
〃How should he be？〃 replied Athos； whilst mounting also； 〃seeing he was used so long to brush your hats。〃
The Ambassadors
The two friends rode rapidly down the declivity of the Faubourg； but on arriving at the bottom were surprised to find that the streets of Paris had bee rivers； and the open places lakes； after the great rains which fell in January the Seine had overflowed its banks and the river inundated half the capital。 The two gentlemen were obliged； therefore； to get off their horses and take a boat； and in that strange manner they approached the Louvre。
Night had closed in； and Paris； seen thus； by the light of lanterns flickering on the pools of water； crowded with ferry…boats of every kind； including those that glittered with the armed patrols； with the watchword； passing from post to post Paris presented such an aspect as to strongly seize the senses of Aramis； a man most susceptible to warlike impressions。
They reached the queen's apartments； but were pelled to stop in the ante…chamber； since her majesty was at that moment giving audience to gentlemen bringing her news from England。
〃We？ too？〃 said Athos； to the footman who had given him that answer； 〃not only bring news from England； but have just e from there。〃
〃What？ then； are your names； gentlemen？〃
〃The te de la Fere and the Chevalier d'Herblay；〃 said Aramis。
〃Ah！ in that case； gentlemen；〃 said the footman； on hearing the names which the queen had so often pronounced with hope； 〃in that case it is another thing； and I think her majesty will pardon me for not keeping you here a moment。 Please follow me；〃 and he went on before； followed by Athos and Aramis。
On arriving at the door of the room where the queen was receiving he made a sign for them to wait and opening the door：
〃Madame；〃 he said； 〃I hope your majesty will forgive me for disobeying your orders； when you learn that the gentlemen I have e to announce are the te de la Fere and the Chevalier d'Herblay。〃
On hearing those two names the queen uttered a cry of joy； which the two gentlemen heard。
〃Poor queen！〃 murmured Athos。
〃Oh； let them e in！ let them e in；〃 cried the young princess； bounding to the door。
The poor child was constant in her attendance on her mother and sought by her filial attentions to make her forget the absence of her two sons and her other daughter。
〃e in； gentlemen；〃 repeated the princess； opening the door herself。
The queen was seated on a fauteuil and before her were standing two or three gentlemen； and among them the Duc de Chatillon； the brother of the nobleman killed eight or nine years previously in a duel on account of Madame de Longueville； on the Place Royale。 All these gentlemen had been noticed by Athos and Aramis in the guardhouse； and when the two friends were announced they started and exchanged some words in a low tone。 〃Well； sirs！〃 cried the queen； on perceiving the two friends； 〃you have e； faithful friends！ But the royal couriers have been more expeditious than you； and here are Monsieur de Flamarens and Monsieur de Chatillon； who bring me from Her Majesty the Queen Anne of Austria； the very latest intelligence。〃
Aramis and Athos were astounded by the calmness； even the gayety of the queen's manner。
〃Go on with your recital； sirs；〃 said the queen； turning to the Duc de Chatillon。 〃You said that His Majesty； King Charles； my august consort； had been condemned to death by a majority of his subjects！〃
〃Yes； madame；〃 Chatillon stammered out。
Athos and Aramis were more and more astonished。
〃And that being conducted to the scaffold；〃 resumed the queen 〃oh； my lord！ oh； my king！ and that being led to the scaffold he had been saved by an indignant people。〃
〃Just so madame；〃 replied Chatillon； in so low a voice that though the two friends were listening eagerly they could hardly hear this affirmation。
The queen clasped her hands in enthusiastic gratitude； whilst her daughter threw her arms around her mother's neck and kissed her her own eyes streaming with tears。
〃Now； madame； nothing remains to me except to proffer my respectful homage；〃 said Chatillon； who felt confused and ashamed beneath the stern gaze of Athos。
〃One moment； yes；〃 answered the queen。 〃One moment I beg for here are the Chevalier d'Herblay and the te de la Fere； just arrived from London； and they can give you； as eye…witnesses； such details as you can convey to the queen； my royal sister。 Speak； gentlemen； speak I am listening； conceal nothing； gloss over nothing。 Since his majesty still lives； since the honor of the throne is safe； everything else is a matter of indifference to me。〃
Athos turned pale and laid his hand on his heart。
〃Well！〃 exclaimed the queen； who remarked this movement and his paleness。 〃Speak； sir！ I beg you to do so。〃
〃I beg you to excuse me； madame； I wish to add nothing to the recital of these gentlemen until they perceive themselves that they have perhaps been mistaken。〃
〃Mistaken！〃 cried the queen； almost suffocated by emotion； 〃mistaken！ what has happened； then？〃
〃Sir；〃 interposed Monsieur de Flamarens to Athos； 〃if we are mistaken the error has originated with the queen。 I do not suppose you will have the presumption to set it to rights that would be to accuse Her Majesty； Queen Anne； of falsehood。〃
〃With the queen； sir？〃 replied Athos； in his calm； vibrating voice。
〃Yes；〃 murmured Flamarens； lowering his eyes。
Athos sighed deeply。
〃Or rather； sir；〃 said Aramis； with his peculiar irritating politeness； 〃the error of the person who was with you when we met you in the guardroom； for if the te de la Fere and I are not mistaken； we saw you in the pany of a third gentleman。〃
Chatillon and Flamarens started。
〃Explain yourself； count！〃 cried the queen； whose anxiety grew greater every moment。 〃On your brow I read despair your lips falter ere you announce some terrible tidings your hands tremble。 Oh； my God！ my God！ what has happened？〃
〃Lord！〃 ejaculated the young princess； falling on her knees； 〃have mercy on us！〃
〃Sir；〃 said Chatillon； 〃if you bring bad tidings it will be cruel in you to announce them to the queen。〃
Aramis went so close to Chatillon as almost to touch him。
〃Sir；〃 said he； with pressed lips and flashing eyes； 〃you have not the presumption to instruct the te de la Fere and myself what we ought to say here？〃
During this brief altercation Athos； with his hands on his heart； his head bent low； approached the queen and in a