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〃Now！ onward！〃 cried the Gascon。
And they continued their way； crossing the barricades； getting the chains about their legs； pushed about； questioning and questioned。
In the place of the Palais Royal D'Artagnan saw a sergeant； who was drilling six or seven hundred citizens。 It was Planchet； who brought into play profitably the recollections of the regiment of Piedmont。
In passing before D'Artagnan he recognized his former master。
〃Good…day； Monsieur d'Artagnan；〃 said Planchet proudly。
〃Good…day； Monsieur Dulaurier；〃 replied D'Artagnan。
Planchet stopped short； staring at D'Artagnan。 The first row； seeing their sergeant stop； stopped in their turn； and so on to the very last。
〃These citizens are dreadfully ridiculous；〃 observed D'Artagnan to Porthos and went on his way。
Five minutes afterward he entered the hotel of La Chevrette； where pretty Madeleine； the hostess； came to him。
〃My dear Mistress Turquaine；〃 said the Gascon； 〃if you happen to have any money； lock it up quickly； if you happen to have any jewels； hide them directly； if you happen to have any debtors； make them pay you； or any creditors； don't pay them。〃
〃Why； prithee？〃 asked Madeleine。
〃Because Paris is going to be reduced to dust and ashes like Babylon； of which you have no doubt heard tell。〃
〃And are you going to leave me at such a time？〃
〃This very instant。〃
〃And where are you going？〃
〃Ah； if you could tell me that； you would be doing me a service。〃
〃Ah； me！ ah； me！
〃Have you any letters for me？〃 inquired D'Artagnan； wishing to signify to the hostess that her lamentations were superfluous and that therefore she had better spare him demonstrations of her grief。
〃There's one just arrived；〃 and she handed the letter to D'Artagnan。
〃From Athos！〃 cried D'Artagnan； recognizing the handwriting。
〃Ah！〃 said Porthos； 〃let us hear what he says。〃
D'Artagnan opened the letter and read as follows：
〃Dear D'Artagnan； dear Du Vallon； my good friends； perhaps this may be the last time that you will ever hear from me。 Aramis and I are very unhappy； but God； our courage； and the remembrance of our friendship sustain us。 Think often of Raoul。 I intrust to you certain papers which are at Blois； and in two months and a half； if you do not hear of us； take possession of them。
〃Embrace； with all your heart； the vite； for your devoted； friend；
〃ATHOS。〃
〃I believe； by Heaven；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃that I shall embrace him； since he's upon our road； and if he is so unfortunate as to lose our dear Athos； from that very day he bees my son。〃
〃And I；〃 said Porthos； 〃shall make him my sole heir。〃
〃Let us see； what more does Athos say？〃
〃Should you meet on your journey a certain Monsieur Mordaunt； distrust him； in a letter I cannot say more。〃
〃Monsieur Mordaunt！〃 exclaimed the Gascon； surprised。
〃Monsieur Mordaunt！ 'tis well；〃 said Porthos； 〃we shall remember that； but see； there is a postscript from Aramis。〃
〃So there is；〃 said D'Artagnan； and he read：
〃We conceal the place where we are； dear friends； knowing your brotherly affection and that you would e and die with us were we to reveal it。〃
〃Confound it；〃 interrupted Porthos； with an explosion of passion which sent Musqueton to the other end of the room； 〃are they in danger of dying？〃
D'Artagnan continued：
〃Athos bequeaths to you Raoul； and I bequeath to you my revenge。 If by any good luck you lay your hand on a certain man named Mordaunt； tell Porthos to take him into a corner and to wring his neck。 I dare not say more in a letter。
〃ARAMIS。
〃If that is all； it is easily done；〃 said Porthos。
〃On the contrary；〃 observed D'Artagnan； with a vexed look； 〃it would be impossible。〃
〃How so？〃
〃It is precisely this Monsieur Mordaunt whom we are going to join at Boulogne and with whom we cross to England。〃
〃Well； suppose instead of joining this Monsieur Mordaunt we were to go and join our friends？〃 said Porthos； with a gesture fierce enough to have frightened an army。
〃I did think of it； but this letter has neither date nor postmark。〃
〃True；〃 said Porthos。 And he began to wander about the room like a man beside himself； gesticulating and half drawing his sword out of the scabbard。
As to D'Artagnan； he remained standing like a man in consternation； with the deepest affliction depicted on his face。
〃Ah； this is not right； Athos insults us； he wishes to die alone； it is bad； bad； bad。〃
Musqueton； witnessing this despair； melted into tears in a corner of the room。
〃e；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃all this leads to nothing。 Let us go on。 We will embrace Raoul； and perhaps he will have news of Athos。〃
〃Stop an idea！〃 cried Porthos； 〃indeed； my dear D'Artagnan； I don't know how you manage； but you are always full of ideas； let us go and embrace Raoul。〃
〃Woe to that man who should happen to contradict my master at this moment；〃 said Musqueton to himself； 〃I wouldn't give a farthing for his life。〃
They set out。 On arriving at the Rue Saint Denis； the friends found a vast concourse of people。 It was the Duc de Beaufort； who was ing from the Vendomois and whom the coadjutor was showing to the Parisians； intoxicated with joy。 With the duke's aid they already considered themselves invincible。
The two friends turned off into a side street to avoid meeting the prince； and so reached the Saint Denis gate。
〃Is it true；〃 said the guard to the two cavaliers； 〃that the Duc de Beaufort has arrived in Paris？〃
〃Nothing more certain； and the best proof of it is；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃that he has dispatched us to meet the Duc de Vendome； his father； who is ing in his turn。〃
〃Long live De Beaufort！〃 cried the guards； and they drew back respectfully to let the two friends pass。 Once across the barriers these two knew neither fatigue nor fear。 Their horses flew； and they never ceased speaking of Athos and Aramis。
The camp had entered Saint Omer； the friends made a little detour and went to the camp； and gave the army an exact account of the flight of the king and queen。 They found Raoul near his tent； reclining on a tru