n and in a voice of deepest sorrow said：
〃Madame； princes who by nature are above other men receive from Heaven courage to support greater misfortunes than those of lower rank； for their hearts are elevated as their fortunes。 We ought not； therefore； I think； to act toward a queen so illustrious as your majesty as we should act toward a woman of our lowlier condition。 Queen； destined as you are to endure every sorrow on this earth； hear the result of our unhappy mission。〃
Athos； kneeling down before the queen； trembling and very cold； drew from his bosom； inclosed in the same case； the order set in diamonds which the queen had given to Lord de Winter and the wedding ring which Charles I。 before his death had placed in the hands of Aramis。 Since the moment he had first received these two mementoes Athos had never parted with them。
He opened the case and offered them to the queen with deep and silent anguish。
The queen stretched out her hand； seized the ring； pressed it convulsively to her lips and without being able to breathe a sigh； to give vent to a sob； she extended her arms； became deadly pale； and fell senseless in the arms of her attendants and her daughter。
Athos kissed the hem of the robe of the widowed queen and rising； with a dignity that made a deep impression on those around：
〃I； the te de la Fere； a gentleman who has never deceived any human being； swear before God and before this unhappy queen； that all that was possible to save the king of England was done whilst we were on English ground。 Now； chevalier；〃 he added； turning to Aramis； 〃let us go。 Our duty is fulfilled。〃
〃Not yet。〃 said Aramis； 〃we have still a word to say to these gentlemen。〃
And turning to Chatillon： 〃Sir； be so good as not to go away without giving me an opportunity to tell you something I cannot say before the queen。〃
Chatillon bowed in token of assent and they all went out； stopping at the window of a gallery on the ground floor。
〃Sir；〃 said Aramis； 〃you allowed yourself just now to treat us in a most extraordinary manner。 That would not be endurable in any case； and is still less so on the part of those who came to bring the queen the message of a liar。〃
〃Sir！〃 cried De Chatillon。
〃What have you done with Monsieur de Bruy？ Has he by any possibility gone to change his face which was too like that of Monsieur de Mazarin？ There is an abundance of Italian masks at the Palais Royal； from harlequin even to pantaloon。〃
〃Chevalier！ chevalier！〃 said Athos。
〃Leave me alone；〃 said Aramis impatiently。 〃You know well that I don't like to leave things half finished。〃
〃Conclude； then； sir；〃 answered De Chatillon； with as much hauteur as Aramis。
〃Gentlemen；〃 resumed Aramis； 〃any one but the te de la Fere and myself would have had you arrested for we have friends in Paris but we are contented with another course。 e and converse with us for just five minutes； sword in hand； upon this deserted terrace。〃
〃One moment； gentlemen；〃 cried Flamarens。 〃I know well that the proposition is tempting； but at present it is impossible to accept it。〃
〃And why not？〃 said Aramis； in his tone of raillery。 〃Is it Mazarin's proximity that makes you so prudent？〃
〃Oh； you hear that； Flamarens！〃 said Chatillon。 〃Not to reply would be a blot on my name and my honor。〃
〃That is my opinion；〃 said Aramis。
〃You will not reply； however； and these gentlemen； I am sure； will presently be of my opinion。〃
Aramis shook his head with a motion of indescribable insolence。
Chatillon saw the motion and put his hand to his sword。
〃Willingly；〃 replied De Chatillon。
〃Duke；〃 said Flamarens； 〃you forget that to…morrow you are to mand an expedition of the greatest importance； projected by the prince； assented to by the queen。 Until to…morrow evening you are not at your own disposal。〃
〃Let it be then the day after to…morrow；〃 said Aramis。
〃To…morrow； rather；〃 said De Chatillon； 〃if you will take the trouble of ing so far as the gates of Charenton。〃
〃How can you doubt it； sir？ For the pleasure of a meeting with you I would go to the end of the world。〃
〃Very well； to…morrow； sir。〃
〃I shall rely on it。 Are you going to rejoin your cardinal？ Swear first； on your honor； not to inform him of our return。〃
〃Conditions？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because it is for victors to make conditions； and you are not yet victors； gentlemen。〃
〃Then let us draw on the spot。 It is all one to us to us who do not mand to…morrow's expedition。〃
Chatillon and Flamarens looked at each other。 There was such irony in the words and in the bearing of Aramis that the duke had great difficulty in bridling his anger； but at a word from Flamarens he restrained himself and contented himself with saying：
〃You promise； sir that's agreed that I shall find you to…morrow at Charenton？〃
〃Oh； don't be afraid； sir；〃 replied Aramis； and the two gentlemen shortly afterward left the Louvre。
〃For what reason is all this fume and fury？〃 asked Athos。 〃What have they done to you？〃
〃They did you not see what they did？〃
〃No。〃
〃They laughed when we swore that we had done our duty in England。 Now； if they believed us； they laughed in order to insult us； if they did not believe it they insulted us all the more。 However； I'm glad not to fight them until to…morrow。 I hope we shall have something better to do to…night than to draw the sword。〃
〃What have we to do？〃
〃Egad！ to take Mazarin。〃
Athos curled his lip with disdain。
〃These undertakings do not suit me； as you know； Aramis。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because it is taking people unawares。〃
〃Really； Athos； you would make a singular general。 You would fight only by broad daylight； warn your foe before an attack； and never attempt anything by night lest you should be accused of taking advantage of the darkness。〃
Athos smiled。
〃You know one cannot change his nature；〃 he said。 〃Besides； do you know what is our situation； and whether Mazarin's arrest wouldn't be rather an encumbrance than an advantage？〃
〃Say at once you disapprove of my proposal。〃
〃I think you ought to do nothing； since you exacted a promise from these gentlemen not to let Mazarin know that we were in France。〃
〃I have entered into no engagement and consider myself quite free。 e； e。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Either to seek the Duc de Beaufort or the Duc de Bouillon； and to tell them about this。〃
〃Yes； but on one condition that we begin by the coadjutor。 He is a priest； learned in cases of conscience； and we will tell him ours。〃
It was then agreed that they were to go first to Monsieur de Bouillon； as his house came first； but first of all Athos begged that he might go to the Hotel du Grand Charlemagne； to see Raoul。
They re…entered the boat which had brought them to the Louvre and thence proceeded to the Halles； and taking up Grimaud and Blaisois； they went on foot to the Rue Guenegaud。
But Raoul was not at the Hotel du Grand Charlemagne。 He had received a message from the prince； to whom he had hastened with Olivain the instant he had received it。
The three Lieutenants of the Generalissimo
The night was dark； but still the town resounded with those noises that disclose a city in a state of siege。 Athos and Aramis did not proceed a hundred steps without being stopped by sentinels placed before the barricades； who demanded the watchword； and on their saying that they were going to Monsieur de Bouillon on a mission of importance a guide was given them under pretext of conducting them； but in fact as a spy over their movements。
On arriving at the Hotel de Bouillon they came across a little troop of three cavaliers； who seemed to know every possible password； for they walked without either guide or escort； and on arriving at the barricades had nothing to do but to speak to those who guarded them； who instantly let them pass with evident deference； due probably to their high birth。
On seeing them Athos and Aramis stood still。
〃Oh！〃 cried Aramis； 〃do you see； count？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Athos。
〃Who do these three cavaliers appear to you to be？〃
〃What do you think； Aramis？〃
〃Why； they are our men。〃
〃You are not mistaken； I recognize Monsieur de Flamarens。〃
〃And I； Monsieur de Chatillon。〃
〃As to the cavalier in the brown cloak 〃
〃It is the cardinal。〃
〃In person。〃
〃How the devil do they venture so near the Hotel de Bouillon？〃
Athos smiled； but did not reply。 Five minutes afterward they knocked at the prince's door。
This door was guarded by a sentinel and there was also a guard placed in the courtyard； ready to obey the orders of the Prince de Conti's lieutenant。
Monsieur de Bouillon had the gout； but notwithstanding his illness； which had prevented his mounting on horseback for the last month …that is； since Paris had been besieged he was ready to receive the te de la Fere and the Chevalier d'Herblay。
He was in bed； but surrounded with all the paraphernalia of war。 Everywhere were swords； pistols； cuirasses； and arquebuses； and it was plain that as soon as his gout was better Monsieur de Bouillon would give a pretty tangle to the