the hour； each from his own abode or occupation。 Porthos had
been trying a new horse； D'Artagnan was on guard at the
Louvre； Aramis had been to visit one of his penitents in the
neighborhood； and Athos； whose domicile was established in
the Rue Guenegaud； found himself close at hand。 They were；
therefore； somewhat surprised to meet altogether at the door
of the Hermitage； Athos starting out from the Pont Neuf；
Porthos by the Rue de la Roule； D'Artagnan by the Rue des
Fosse Saint Germain l'Auxerrois； and Aramis by the Rue de
Bethisy。
The first words exchanged between the four friends； on
account of the ceremony which each of them mingled with
their demonstration； were somewhat forced and even the
repast began with a kind of stiffness。 Athos perceived this
embarrassment； and by way of supplying an effectual remedy；
called for four bottles of champagne。
At this order； given in Athos's habitually calm manner； the
face of the Gascon relaxed and Porthos's brow grew smooth。
Aramis was astonished。 He knew that Athos not only never
drank； but more； that he had a kind of repugnance to wine。
This astonishment was doubled when Aramis saw Athos fill a
bumper and toss it off with all his former enthusiasm。 His
companions followed his example。 In a very few minutes the
four bottles were empty and this excellent specific
succeeded in dissipating even the slightest cloud that might
have rested on their spirits。 Now the four friends began to
speak loud； scarcely waiting till one had finished before
another began； and each assumed his favorite attitude on or
at the table。 Soon strange fact Aramis undid two
buttons of his doublet； seeing which； Porthos unfastened his
entirely。
Battles； long journeys； blows given and received； sufficed
for the first themes of conversation； which turned upon the
silent struggles sustained against him who was now called
the great cardinal。
〃Faith；〃 said Aramis； laughing； 〃we have praised the dead
enough； let us revile the living a little； I should like to
say something evil of Mazarin； is it permissible？〃
〃Go on； go on；〃 replied D'Artagnan； laughing heartily；
〃relate your story and I will applaud it if it is a good
one。〃
〃A great prince；〃 said Aramis； 〃with whom Mazarin sought an
alliance； was invited by him to send him a list of the
conditions on which he would do him the honor to negotiate
with him。 The prince； who had a great repugnance to treat
with such an ill…bred fellow； made out a list； against the
grain； and sent it。 In this list there were three conditions
which displeased Mazarin and he offered the prince ten
thousand crowns to renounce them。〃
〃Ah； ha； ha！〃 laughed the three friends； 〃not a bad bargain；
and there was no fear of being taken at his word； what did
the prince do then？〃
〃The prince immediately sent fifty thousand francs to
Mazarin； begging him never to write to him again； and
offered twenty thousand francs more； on condition that he
would never speak to him。 What did Mazarin do？〃
〃Stormed！〃 suggested Athos。
〃Beat the messenger！〃 cried Porthos。
〃Accepted the money！〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃You have guessed it；〃 answered Aramis； and they all laughed
so heartily that the host appeared in order to inquire
whether the gentlemen wanted anything； he thought they were
fighting。
At last their hilarity calmed down and：
〃Faith！〃 exclaimed D'Artagnan to the two friends； 〃you may
well wish ill to Mazarin； for I assure you； on his side he
wishes you no good。〃
〃Pooh！ really？〃 asked Athos。 〃If I thought the fellow knew
me by my name I would be rebaptized； for fear it might be
thought I knew him。〃
〃He knows you better by your actions than your name； he is
quite aware that there are two gentlemen who greatly aided
the escape of Monsieur de Beaufort； and he has instigated an
active search for them； I can answer for it。〃
〃By whom？〃
〃By me； and this morning he sent for me to ask me if I had
obtained any information。〃
〃And what did you reply？〃
〃That I had none as yet； but that I was to dine to…day with
two gentlemen； who would be able to give me some。〃
〃You told him that？〃 said Porthos； a broad smile spreading
over his honest face。 〃Bravo！ and you are not afraid of
that； Athos？〃
〃No；〃 replied Athos； 〃it is not the search of Mazarin that I
fear。〃
〃Now；〃 said Aramis； 〃tell me a little what you do fear。〃
〃Nothing for the present； at least； nothing in good
earnest。〃
〃And with regard to the past？〃 asked Porthos。
〃Oh！ the past is another thing；〃 said Athos； sighing； 〃the
past and the future。〃
〃Are you afraid for your young Raoul？〃 asked Aramis。
〃Well；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃one is never killed in a first
engagement。〃
〃Nor in the second；〃 said Aramis
〃Nor in the third；〃 returned Porthos； 〃and even when one is
killed； one rises again； the proof of which is； that here we
are！〃
〃No；〃 said Athos； 〃it is not Raoul about whom I am anxious；
for I trust he will conduct himself like a gentleman； and if
he is killed well； he will die bravely； but hold
should such a misfortune happen well 〃 Athos passed
his hand across his pale brow。
〃Well？〃 asked Aramis。
〃Well； I shall look upon it as an expiation。〃
〃Ah！〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I know what you mean。〃
〃And I； too；〃 added Aramis； 〃but you must not think of that；
Athos； what is past； is past。〃
〃I don't understand；〃 said Porthos。
〃The affair at Armentieres；〃 whispered D'Artagnan。
〃The affair at Armentieres？〃 asked he again。
〃Milady。〃
〃Oh； yes！〃 said Porthos； 〃true； I had forgotten it！〃
Athos looked at him intently。
〃You have forgotten it； Porthos？〃 said he。
〃Faith！ yes； it is so long ago；〃 answered Porthos。
〃This affair does not； then； weigh upon your conscience？〃
〃Faith； no。〃
〃And you； D'Artagnan？〃
〃I I own that when my mind returns to that terrible
period I have no recollection of anything but the rigid
corpse of poor Madame Bonancieux。 Yes； yes；〃 murmured he； 〃I
have often felt regret for the victim； but never the very
slightest remorse for the assassin。〃
Athos shook his dead doubtfully。
〃Consider；〃 said Aramis； 〃if you admit divine justice and
its participation in the things of this world； that woman
was punished by the will of heaven。 We were but the
instruments； that is all。〃
〃But as to free will； Aramis？〃
〃How acts the judge？ He has a free will； yet he fearlessly
condemns。 What does the executioner？ He is master of his
arm； yet he strikes without remorse。〃
〃The executioner！〃 muttered Athos； as if arrested by some
recollection。
〃I know that it is terrible；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃but when I
reflect that we have killed English； Rochellais； Spaniards；
nay； even French； who never did us any other harm but to aim
at and to miss us； whose only fault was to cross swords with
us and to be unable to ward off our blows I can； on my
honor； find an excuse for my share in the murder of that
woman。〃
〃As for me；〃 said Porthos； 〃now that you have reminded me of
it； Athos； I have the scene again before me； as if I now
were there。 Milady was there； as it were； where you sit。〃
（Athos changed color。） 〃I I was where D'Artagnan stands。
I wore a long sword which cut like a Damascus you
remember it； Aramis for you always called it Balizarde。
Well； I swear to you； all three； that had the executioner of
Bethune was he not of Bethune？ yes； egad！ of Bethune！
not been there； I would have cut off the head of that
infamous being without thinking of it； or even after
thinking of it。 She was a most atrocious woman。〃
〃And then；〃 said Aramis； with the tone of philosophical
indifference which he had assumed since he had belonged to
the church and in which there was more atheism than
confidence in God； 〃what is the use of thinking of it all？
At the last hour we must confess this action and God knows
better than we can whether it is a crime； a fault； or a
meritorious deed。 I repent of it？ Egad！ no。 Upon my honor
and by the holy cross； I only regret it because she was a
woman。〃
〃The most satisfactory part of the matter；〃 said D'Artagnan；
〃is that there remains no trace of it。〃
〃She had a son；〃 observed Athos。
〃Oh！ yes； I know that；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃and you mentioned
it to me； but who knows what has become of him？ If the
serpent be dead； why not its brood？ Do you think his uncle
De Winter would have brought up that young viper？ De Winter
probably condemned the son as he had done the mother。〃
〃Then；〃 said Athos； 〃woe to De Winter； for the child had
done no harm。〃
〃May the devil take me； if the child be not dead；〃 said
Porthos。 〃There is so much fog in that detestable country；
at least so D'Artagnan declares。〃
Just as the quaint conclusion reached by Porthos was about
to bring back hilarity to faces now more or less clouded；
hasty footsteps were heard upon the stair and some one
knocked at the door。
〃Come in；〃 cried Athos。
〃Please your honors；〃 said the host； 〃a person in a great
hurry wishes to speak to one of you。〃
〃To which of us？〃 asked all the four friends。
〃To him who is called the Comte de la Fere。〃
〃It is I；〃 said Athos； 〃and what is the name of the person？〃
〃Grimaud。〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Athos； turning pale。 〃Back already！ What can
have happened； then； to Bragelonne？〃
〃Let him enter；〃 cried D'Artagnan； 〃let him come up。〃
But Grimaud had already m