was plain that as soon as his gout was better Monsieur de Bouillon would give a pretty tangle to the enemies of the parliament to unravel。 Meanwhile； to his great regret； as he said； he was obliged to keep his bed。
〃Ah； gentlemen；〃 he cried； as the two friends entered； 〃you are very happy！ you can ride； you can go and e and fight for the cause of the people。 But I； as you see； am nailed to my bed ah！ this demon； gout this demon； gout！〃
〃My lord；〃 said Athos； 〃we are just arrived from England and our first concern is to inquire after your health。〃
〃Thanks； gentlemen； thanks！ As you see； my health is but indifferent。 But you e from England。 And King Charles is well； as I have just heard？〃
〃He is dead； my lord！〃 said Aramis。
〃Pooh！〃 said the duke； too much astonished to believe it true。
〃Dead on the scaffold； condemned by parliament。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃And executed in our presence。〃
〃What； then； has Monsieur de Flamarens been telling me？〃
〃Monsieur de Flamarens？〃
〃Yes； he has just gone out。〃
Athos smiled。 〃With two panions？〃 he said。
〃With two panions； yes；〃 replied the duke。 Then he added with a certain uneasiness； 〃Did you meet them？〃
〃Why； yes； I think so in the street；〃 said Athos； and he looked smilingly at Aramis； who looked at him with an expression of surprise。
〃The devil take this gout！〃 cried Monsieur de Bouillon； evidently ill at ease。
〃My lord；〃 said Athos； 〃we admire your devotion to the cause you have espoused； in remaining at the head of the army whilst so ill； in so much pain。〃
〃One must；〃 replied Monsieur de Bouillon； 〃sacrifice one's fort to the public good； but I confess to you I am now almost exhausted。 My spirit is willing； my head is clear； but this demon； the gout； o'ercrows me。 I confess； if the court would do justice to my claims and give the head of my house the title of prince； and if my brother De Turenne were reinstated in his mand I would return to my estates and leave the court and parliament to settle things between themselves as they might。〃
〃You are perfectly right； my lord。〃
〃You think so？ At this very moment the court is making overtures to me； hitherto I have repulsed them； but since such men as you assure me that I am wrong in doing so； I've a good mind to follow your advice and to accept a proposition made to me by the Duc de Chatillon just now。〃
〃Accept it； my lord； accept it；〃 said Aramis。
〃Faith！ yes。 I am even sorry that this evening I almost repulsed but there will be a conference to…morrow and we shall see。〃
The two friends saluted the duke。
〃Go； gentlemen；〃 he said； 〃you must be much fatigued after your voyage。 Poor King Charles！ But； after all； he was somewhat to blame in all that business and we may console ourselves with the reflection that France has no cause of reproach in the matter and did all she could to serve him。〃
〃Oh！ as to that；〃 said Aramis； 〃we are witnesses。 Mazarin especially 〃
〃Yes； do you know； I am very glad to hear you give that testimony； the cardinal has some good in him； and if he were not a foreigner well； he would be more justly estimated。 Oh！ the devil take this gout！〃
Athos and Aramis took their leave； but even in the ante…chamber they could still hear the duke's cries； he was evidently suffering the tortures of the damned。
When they reached the street； Aramis said：
〃Well； Athos； what do you think？〃
〃Of whom？〃
〃Pardieu！ of Monsieur de Bouillon。〃
〃My friend； I think that he is much troubled with gout。〃
〃You noticed that I didn't breathe a word as to the purpose of our visit？〃
〃You did well； you would have caused him an access of his disease。 Let us go to Monsieur de Beaufort。〃
The two friends went to the Hotel de Vendome。 It was ten o'clock when they arrived。 The Hotel de Vendome was not less guarded than the Hotel de Bouillon； and presented as warlike an appearance。 There were sentinels； a guard in the court； stacks of arms； and horses saddled。 Two horsemen going out as Athos and Aramis entered were obliged to give place to them。
〃Ah！ ah！ gentlemen；〃 said Aramis； 〃decidedly it is a night for meetings。 We shall be very unfortunate if； after meeting so often this evening； we should not succeed in meeting to…morrow。〃
〃Oh； as to that； sir；〃 replied Chatillon （for it was he who； with Flamarens； was leaving the Duc de Beaufort）； 〃you may be assured； for if we meet by night without seeking each other； much more shall we meet by day when wishing it。〃
〃I hope that is true；〃 said Aramis。
〃As for me； I am sure of it；〃 said the duke。
De Flamarens and De Chatillon continued on their way and Athos and Aramis dismounted。
Hardly had they given the bridles of their horses to their lackeys and rid themselves of their cloaks when a man approached them； and after looking at them for an instant by the doubtful light of the lantern hung in the centre of the courtyard he uttered an exclamation of joy and ran to embrace them。
〃te de la Fere！〃 the man cried out； 〃Chevalier d'Herblay！ How does it happen that you are in Paris？〃
〃Rochefort！〃 cried the two friends。
〃Yes！ we arrived four or five days ago from the Vendomois； as you know； and we are going to give Mazarin something to do。 You are still with us； I presume？〃
〃More than ever。 And the duke？〃
〃Furious against the cardinal。 You know his success our dear duke？ He is really king of Paris； he can't go out without being mobbed by his admirers。〃
〃Ah！ so much the better！ Can we have the honor of seeing his highness？〃
〃I shall be proud to present you；〃 and Rochefort walked on。 Every door was opened to him。 Monsieur de Beaufort was at supper； but he rose quickly on hearing the two friends announced。
〃Ah！〃 he cried； 〃by Jove！ you're wele； sirs。 You are ing to sup with me； are you not？ Boisgoli； tell Noirmont that I have two guests。 You know Noirmont； do you not？ The successor of Father Marteau who makes the excellent pies you know of。 Boisgoli； let him send one of his best； but not such a one as he made for La Ramee。 Thank God！ we don't want either rope ladders or gag…pears now。〃
〃My lord；〃 said Athos； 〃do not let us disturb you。 We came merely to inquire after your health and to take your orders。〃
〃As to my health； since it has stood five years of prison； with Monsieur de Chavigny to boot； 'tis excellent！ As to my orders； since every one gives his own mands in our party； I shall end； if this goes on； by giving none at all。〃
〃In short； my lord；〃 said Athos； glancing at Aramis； 〃your highness is discontented with your party？〃
〃Discontented； sir！ say my highness is furious！ To such a degree； I assure you； though I would not say so to others； that if the queen； acknowledging the injuries she has done me； would recall my mother and give me the reversion of the admiralty； which belonged to my father and was promised me at his death； well！ it would not be long before I should be training dogs to say that there were greater traitors in France than the Cardinal Mazarin！〃
At this Athos and Aramis could not help exchanging not only a look but a smile； and had they not known it for a fact； this would have told them that De Chatillon and De Flamarens had been there。
〃My lord；〃 said Athos； 〃we are satisfied； we came here only to express our loyalty and to say that we are at your lordship's service and his most faithful servants。〃
〃My most faithful friends； gentlemen； my most faithful friends； you have proved it。 And if ever I am reconciled with the court I shall prove to you； I hope； that I remain your friend； as well as that of what the devil are their names D'Artagnan and Porthos？〃
〃D'Artagnan and Porthos。〃
〃Ah； yes。 You understand； then； te de la Fere； you understand； Chevalier d'Herblay； that I am altogether and always at your service。〃
Athos and Aramis bowed and went out。
〃My dear Athos；〃 cried Aramis； 〃I think you consented to acpany me only to give me a lesson God forgive me！〃
〃Wait a little； Aramis； it will be time for you to perceive my motive when we have paid our visit to the coadjutor。〃
〃Let us then go to the archiepiscopal palace；〃 said Aramis。
They directed their horses to the city。 On arriving at the cradle from which Paris sprang they found it inundated with water； and it was again necessary to take a boat。 The palace rose from the bosom of the water； and to see the number of boats around it one would have fancied one's self not in Paris； but in Venice。 Some of these boats were dark and mysterious； others noisy and lighted up with torches。 The friends slid in through this congestion of embarkation and landed in their turn。 The palace was surrounded with water； but a kind of staircase had been fixed to the lower walls； and the only difference was； that instead of entering by the doors； people entered by the windows。
Thus did Athos and Aramis make their appearance in the ante…chamber； where about a dozen noblemen were collected in waiting。
〃Good heavens！〃 said Aramis to Athos； 〃does the coadjutor intend to indulge himself in the pleasure of making us cool our hearts off in his ante…chamber？〃
〃My dear friend； we must take p