The arms of D'Artagnan fell powerless by his side。 One might have supposed him thunderstruck； a paleness ran like a cloud over his dark skin； but disappeared immediately。
〃A prisoner？〃 he reiterated。
〃A prisoner；〃 repeated Porthos； quite dejected。
Suddenly D'Artagnan looked up and in his eyes there was a gleam which scarcely even Porthos observed； but it died away and he appeared more sorrowful than before。
〃e； e；〃 said minges； who； since D'Artagnan； on the day of Broussel's arrest； had saved him from the hands of the Parisians； had entertained a real affection for him； 〃don't be unhappy； I never thought of bringing you bad news。 Laugh at the chance which has brought your friend near to you and Monsieur du Vallon； instead of being in the depths of despair about it。〃
But D'Artagnan was still in a desponding mood。
〃And how did he look？〃 asked Porthos； who； perceiving that D'Artagnan had allowed the conversation to drop； profited by it to put in a word or two。
〃Very well； indeed； sir；〃 replied minges； 〃at first； like you； he seemed distressed； but when he heard that the cardinal was going to pay him a visit this very evening 〃
〃Ah！〃 cried D'Artagnan； 〃the cardinal is about to visit the te de la Fere？〃
〃Yes； and the count desired me to tell you that he should take advantage of this visit to plead for you and for himself。〃
〃Ah！ our dear count！〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃A fine thing； indeed！〃 grunted Porthos。 〃A great favor！ Zounds！ Monsieur the te de la Fere； whose family is allied to the Montmorency and the Rohan； is easily the equal of Monsieur de Mazarin。〃
〃No matter；〃 said D'Artagnan； in his most wheedling tone。 〃On reflection； my dear Du Vallon； it is a great honor for the te de la Fere； and gives good reason to hope。 In fact； it seems to me so great an honor for a prisoner that I think Monsieur de minges must be mistaken。〃
〃What？ I am mistaken？〃
〃Monsieur de Mazarin will not e to visit the te de la Fere； but the te de la Fere will be sent for to visit him。〃
〃No； no； no；〃 said minges； who made a point of having the facts appear exactly as they were； 〃I clearly understood what the cardinal said to me。 He will e and visit the te de la Fere。〃
D'Artagnan tried to gather from the expression of his eyes whether Porthos understood the importance of that visit； but Porthos did not even look toward him。
〃It is； then； the cardinal's custom to walk in his orangery？〃 asked D'Artagnan。
〃Every evening he shuts himself in there。 That； it seems； is where he meditates on state affairs。〃
〃In that case；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I begin to believe that Monsieur de la Fere will receive the visit of his eminence； he will； of course； have an escort。〃
〃Yes two soldiers。〃
〃And will he talk thus of affairs in presence of two strangers？〃
〃The soldiers are Swiss； who understand only German。 Besides； according to all probability they will wait at the door。〃
D'Artagnan made a violent effort over himself to keep his face from being too expressive。
〃Let the cardinal take care of going alone to visit the te de la Fere；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃for the count must be furious。〃
minges began to laugh。 〃Oh； oh！ why； really； one would say that you four were anthropaphagi！ The count is an affable man； besides； be is unarmed； at the first word from his eminence the two soldiers about him would run to his assistance。〃
〃Two soldiers；〃 said D'Artagnan； seeming to remember something； 〃two soldiers； yes； that； then； is why I hear two men called every evening and see them walking sometimes for half an hour； under my window。〃
〃That is it； they are waiting for the cardinal； or rather for Bernouin； who es to call them when the cardinal goes out。〃
〃Fine…looking men； upon my word！〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃They belong to the regiment that was at Lens； which the prince assigned to the cardinal。〃
〃Ah； monsieur；〃 said D'Artagnan； as if to sum up in a word all that conversation； 〃if only his eminence would relent and grant to Monsieur de la Fere our liberty。〃
〃I wish it with all my heart；〃 said minges。
〃Then； if he should forget that visit； you would find no inconvenience in reminding him of it？〃
〃Not at all。〃
〃Ah； that gives me more confidence。〃
This skillful turn of the conversation would have seemed a sublime manoeuvre to any one who could have read the Gascon's soul。
〃Now；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I've one last favor to ask of you； Monsieur de minges。〃
〃At your service； sir。〃
〃You will see the count again？〃
〃To…morrow morning。〃
〃Will you remember us to him and ask him to solicit for me the same favor that he will have obtained？〃
〃You want the cardinal to e here？〃
〃No； I know my place and am not so presumptuous。 Let his eminence do me the honor to give me a hearing； that is all I want。〃
〃Oh！〃 muttered Porthos； shaking his head； 〃never should I have thought this of him！ How misfortune humbles a man！〃
〃I promise you it shall be done；〃 answered De minges。
〃Tell the count that I am well； that you found me sad； but resigned。〃
〃I am pleased； sir； to hear that。〃
〃And the same； also； for Monsieur du Vallon 〃
〃Not for me ；〃 cried Porthos； 〃I am not by any means resigned。〃
〃But you will be resigned； my friend。〃
〃Never！〃
〃He will bee so； monsieur； I know him better than he knows himself。 Be silent； dear Du Vallon； and resign yourself。〃
〃Adieu； gentlemen；〃 said De minges； 〃sleep well！〃
〃We will try。〃
De minges went away； D'Artagnan remaining apparently in the same attitude of humble resignation； but scarcely had he departed when he turned and clasped Porthos in his arms with an expression not to be doubted。
〃Oh！〃 cried Porthos； 〃what's the matter now？ Have you gone mad； my dear friend？〃
〃What is the matter？〃 returned D'Artagnan； 〃we are saved！〃
〃I don't see that at all；〃 answered Porthos。 〃I think we are all taken prisoners； except Aramis； and that our chances of getting out are lessened since one more of us is caught in Mazarin's mousetrap。〃
〃Which is far too strong for two of us； but not strong enough for three of us；〃 returned D'Artagnan。
〃I don't understand；〃 said Porthos。
〃Never mind； let's sit down to table and take something to strengthen us for the night。〃
〃What are we to do； then； to…night？〃
〃To travel perhaps。〃
〃But 〃
〃Sit down； dear friend； to table。 When one is eating； ideas flow easily。 After supper； when they are perfected； I will municate my plans to you。〃
So Porthos sat down to table without another word and ate with an appetite that did honor to the confidence that was ever inspired in him by D'Artagnan's inventive imagination。
Strength and Sagacity Continued
Supper was eaten in silence； but not in sadness； for from time to time one of those sweet smiles which were habitual to him in moments of good…humor illumined the face of D'Artagnan。 Not a scintilla of these was lost on Porthos； and at every one he uttered an exclamation which betrayed to his friend that he had not lost sight of the idea which possessed his brain。
At dessert D'Artagnan reposed in his chair； crossed one leg over the other and lounged about like a man perfectly at his ease。
Porthos rested his chin on his hands； placed his elbows on the table and looked at D'Artagnan with an expression of confidence which imparted to that colossus an admirable appearance of good…fellowship。
〃Well？〃 said D'Artagnan； at last。
〃Well！〃 repeated Porthos。
〃You were saying； my dear friend 〃
〃No； I said nothing。〃
〃Yes； you were saying you wished to leave this place。〃
〃Ah； indeed！ the will was never wanting。〃
〃To get away you would not mind； you added； knocking down a door or a wall。〃
〃'Tis true I said so； and I say it again。〃
〃And I answered you； Porthos； that it was not a good plan； that we couldn't go a hundred steps without being recaptured； because we were without clothes to disguise ourselves and arms to defend ourselves。〃
〃That is true； we should need clothes and arms。〃
〃Well；〃 said D'Artagnan； rising； 〃we have them； friend Porthos； and even something better。〃
〃Bah！〃 said Porthos； looking around。
〃Useless to look； everything will e to us when wanted。 At about what time did we see the two Swiss guards walking yesterday？〃
〃An hour after sunset。〃
〃If they go out to…day as they did yesterday we shall have the honor； then； of seeing them in half an hour？〃
〃In a quarter of an hour at most。〃
〃Your arm is still strong enough； is it not； Porthos？〃
Porthos unbuttoned his sleeve； raised his shirt and looked placently on his strong arm； as large as the leg of any ordinary man。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said he； 〃I believe so。〃
〃So that you could without trouble convert these tongs into a hoop and yonder shovel into a corkscrew？〃
〃Certainly。〃 And the giant took up these two articles； and without any apparent effort produced in them the metamorphoses suggested by his panion。
〃There！〃 he cried。
〃Capital！〃 exclaimed the Gascon。 〃Really； Porthos； you are a gifted individual！〃
〃I have heard speak；〃 said Porthos； 〃of a certain M