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d queen。 They found Raoul near his tent； reclining on a truss of hay； of which his horse stole some mouthfuls； the young man's eyes were red and he seemed dejected。 The Marechal de Grammont and the te de Guiche had returned to Paris and he was quite lonely。 And as soon as he saw the two cavaliers he ran to them with open arms。
〃Oh； is it you； dear friends？ Did you e here to fetch me？ Will you take me away with you？ Do you bring me tidings of my guardian？〃
〃Have you not received any？〃 said D'Artagnan to the youth。
〃Alas！ sir； no； and I do not know what has bee of him； so that I am really so unhappy that I weep。〃
In fact； tears rolled down his cheeks。
Porthos turned aside； in order not to show by his honest round face what was passing in his mind。
〃Deuce take it！〃 cried D'Artagnan； more moved than he had been for a long time； 〃don't despair； my friend； if you have not received any letters from the count； we have received one。〃
〃Oh； really！〃 cried Raoul。
〃And a forting one； too；〃 added D'Artagnan； seeing the delight that his intelligence gave the young man。
〃Have you it？〃 asked Raoul
〃Yes that is； I had it；〃 repined the Gascon； making believe to find it。 〃Wait； it ought to be there in my pocket； it speaks of his return； does it not； Porthos？〃
All Gascon as he was； D'Artagnan could not bear alone the weight of that falsehood。
〃Yes；〃 replied Porthos； coughing。
〃Eh； give it to me！〃 said the young man。
〃Eh！ I read it a little while since。 Can I have lost it？ Ah！ confound it！ yes； my pocket has a hole in it。〃
〃Oh； yes； Monsieur Raoul！〃 said Musqueton； 〃the letter was very consoling。 These gentlemen read it to me and I wept for joy。〃
〃But at any rate； you know where he is； Monsieur d'Artagnan？〃 asked Raoul； somewhat forted。
〃Ah！ that's the thing！〃 replied the Gascon。 〃Undoubtedly I know it； but it is a mystery。〃
〃Not to me； I hope？〃
〃No； not to you； so I am going to tell you where he is。〃
Porthos devoured D'Artagnan with wondering eyes。
〃Where the devil shall I say that he is； so that he cannot try to rejoin him？〃 thought D'Artagnan。
〃Well； where is he； sir？〃 asked Raoul； in a soft and coaxing voice。
〃He is at Constantinople。〃
〃Among the Turks！〃 exclaimed Raoul； alarmed。 〃Good heavens！ how can you tell me that？〃
〃Does that alarm you？〃 cried D'Artagnan。 〃Pooh！ what are the Turks to such men as the te de la Fere and the Abbe d'Herblay？〃
〃Ah； his friend is with him？〃 said Raoul。 〃That forts me a little。〃
〃Has he wit or not this demon D'Artagnan？〃 said Porthos； astonished at his friend's deception。
〃Now； sir；〃 said D'Artagnan； wishing to change the conversation； 〃here are fifty pistoles that the count has sent you by the same courier。 I suppose you have no more money and that they will be wele。〃
〃I have still twenty pistoles； sir。〃
〃Well； take them； that makes seventy。〃
〃And if you wish for more；〃 said Porthos； putting his hand to his pocket
〃Thank you； sir；〃 replied Raoul； blushing； 〃thank you a thousand times。〃
At this moment Olivain appeared。 〃Apropos；〃 said D'Artagnan； loud enough for the servant to hear him； 〃are you satisfied with Olivain？〃
〃Yes； in some respects； tolerably well。〃
Olivain pretended to have heard nothing and entered the tent。
〃What fault do you find with the fellow？〃
〃He is a glutton。〃
〃Oh； sir！〃 cried Olivain； reappearing at this accusation。
〃And a little bit of a thief。〃
〃Oh； sir！ oh！〃
〃And； more especially； a notorious coward。〃
〃Oh； oh！ sir！ you really vilify me！〃 cried Olivain。
〃The deuce！〃 cried D'Artagnan。 〃Pray learn； Monsieur Olivain； that people like us are not to be served by cowards。 Rob your master； eat his sweetmeats； and drink his wine； but； by Jove！ don't be a coward； or I shall cut off your ears。 Look at Monsieur Mouston； see the honorable wounds he has received； observe how his habitual valor has given dignity to his countenance。〃
Musqueton was in the third heaven and would have embraced D'Artagnan had he dared； meanwhile he resolved to sacrifice his life for him on the next occasion that presented itself。
〃Send away that fellow； Raoul；〃 said the Gascon； 〃for if he's a coward he will disgrace thee some day。〃
〃Monsieur says I am coward；〃 cried Olivain； 〃because he wanted the other day to fight a cornet in Grammont's regiment and I refused to acpany him。〃
〃Monsieur Olivain； a lackey ought never to disobey；〃 said D'Artagnan； sternly； then taking him aside； he whispered to him： 〃Thou hast done right； thy master was in the wrong； here's a crown for thee； but should he ever be insulted and thou cost not let thyself be cut in quarters for him； I will cut out thy tongue。 Remember that。〃
Olivain bowed and slipped the crown into his pocket。
〃And now； Raoul；〃 said the Gascon； 〃Monsieur du Vallon and I are going away as ambassadors； where； I know not； but should you want anything； write to Madame Turquaine； at La Chevrette； Rue Tiquetonne and draw upon her purse as on a banker with economy； for it is not so well filled as that of Monsieur d'Emery。〃
And having； meantime； embraced his ward； he passed him into the robust arms of Porthos； who lifted him up from the ground and held him a moment suspended near the noble heart of the formidable giant。
〃e；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃let us go。〃
And they set out for Boulogne； where toward evening they arrived； their horses flecked with foam and dark with perspiration。
At ten steps from the place where they halted was a young man in black； who seemed waiting for some one； and who； from the moment he saw them enter the town； never took his eyes off them。
D'Artagnan approached him； and seeing him stare so fixedly； said：
〃Well； friend！ I don't like people to quiz me！〃
〃Sir；〃 said the young man； 〃do you not e from Paris； if you please？〃
D'Artagnan thought it was some gossip who wanted news from the capital。
〃Yes； sir；〃 he said； in a softened tone。
〃Are you not going to put up at the ‘Arms of England'？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Are you not charged with a mission from his eminence； Cardinal Maza