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〃Good。〃
〃There；〃 continued Athos； 〃either peace or war will be decided； honor； at all events； will be maintained！〃
〃Alas！〃 murmured D'Artagnan； 〃our honor as soldiers is lost to us forever！〃
〃D'Artagnan；〃 said Athos； gravely； 〃I assure you that you do me wrong in dwelling so upon that。 What I think of is； that we have crossed swords as enemies。 Yes；〃 he continued； sadly shaking his head； 〃Yes； it is as you said； misfortune； indeed； has overtaken us。 e； Aramis。〃
〃And we； Porthos；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃will return； carrying our shame to the cardinal。〃
〃And tell him；〃 cried a voice； 〃that I am not too old yet for a man of action。〃
D'Artagnan recognized the voice of De Rochefort。
〃Can I do anything for you； gentlemen？〃 asked the duke。
〃Bear witness that we have done all that we could。〃
〃That shall be testified to； rest assured。 Adieu！ we shall meet soon； I trust； in Paris； where you shall have your revenge。〃 The duke； as he spoke； kissed his hand； spurred his horse into a gallop and disappeared； followed by his troop； who were soon lost in distance and darkness。
D'Artagnan and Porthos were now alone with a man who held by the bridles two horses； they thought it was Musqueton and went up to him。
〃What do I see？〃 cried the lieutenant。 〃Grimaud； is it thou？〃
Grimaud signified that he was not mistaken。
〃And whose horses are these？〃 cried D'Artagnan。
〃Who has given them to us？〃 said Porthos。
〃The te de la Fere。〃
〃Athos！ Athos！〃 muttered D'Artagnan； 〃you think of every one； you are indeed a nobleman！ Whither art thou going； Grimaud？〃
〃To join the Vite de Bragelonne in Flanders； your honor。〃
They were taking the road toward Paris； when groans； which seemed to proceed from a ditch； attracted their attention。
〃What is that？〃 asked D'Artagnan。
〃It is I Musqueton；〃 said a mournful voice； whilst a sort of shadow arose out of the side of the road。
Porthos ran to him。 〃Art thou dangerously wounded； my dear Musqueton？〃 he said。
〃No； sir； but I am severely。〃
〃What can we do？〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃we must return to Paris。〃
〃I will take care of Musqueton；〃 said Grimaud； and he gave his arm to his old rade； whose eyes were full of tears； nor could Grimaud tell whether the tears were caused by wounds or by the pleasure of seeing him again。
D'Artagnan and Porthos went on； meantime； to Paris。 They were passed by a sort of courier； covered with dust； the bearer of a letter from the duke to the cardinal； giving testimony to the valor of D'Artagnan and Porthos。
Mazarin had passed a very bad night when this letter was brought to him； announcing that the duke was free and that he would henceforth raise up mortal strife against him。
〃What consoles me；〃 said the cardinal after reading the letter； 〃is that； at least； in this chase； D'Artagnan has done me one good turn he has destroyed Broussel。 This Gascon is a precious fellow； even his misadventures are of use。〃
The cardinal referred to that man whom D'Artagnan upset at the corner of the Cimetiere Saint Jean in Paris； and who was no other than the Councillor Broussel。
The four old Friends prepare to meet again
〃Well；〃 said Porthos； seated in the courtyard of the Hotel de la Chevrette； to D'Artagnan； who； with a long and melancholy face； had returned from the Palais Royal； 〃did he receive you ungraciously； my dear friend？〃
〃I'faith； yes！ a brute； that cardinal。 What are you eating there； Porthos？〃
〃I am dipping a biscuit in a glass of Spanish wine； do the same。〃
〃You are right。 Gimblou； a glass of wine。〃
〃Well； how has all gone off？〃
〃Zounds！ you know there's only one way of saying things； so I went in and said； ‘My lord； we were not the strongest party。'
〃‘Yes； I know that；' he said； ‘but give me the particulars。'
〃You know； Porthos； I could not give him the particulars without naming our friends； to name them would be to mit them to ruin； so I merely said they were fifty and we were two。
〃‘There was firing； nevertheless； I heard；' he said； ‘and your swords they saw the light of day； I presume？'
〃‘That is； the night； my lord；' I answered。
〃‘Ah！' cried the cardinal； ‘I thought you were a Gascon； my friend？'
〃‘I am a Gascon；' said I； ‘only when I succeed。' The answer pleased him and he laughed。
〃‘That will teach me；' he said； ‘to have my guards provided with better horses； for if they had been able to keep up with you and if each one of them had done as much as you and your friend； you would have kept your word and would have brought him back to me dead or alive。'〃
〃Well； there's nothing bad in that； it seems to me；〃 said Porthos。
〃Oh； mon Dieu！ no； nothing at all。 It was the way in which he spoke。 It is incredible how these biscuit soak up wine！ They are veritable sponges！ Gimblou； another bottle。〃
The bottle was brought with a promptness which showed the degree of consideration D'Artagnan enjoyed in the establishment。 He continued：
〃So I was going away； but he called me back。
〃‘You have had three horses foundered or killed？' he asked me。
〃‘Yes； my lord。'
〃‘How much were they worth？'〃
〃Why；〃 said Porthos； 〃that was very good of him； it seems to me。〃
〃‘A thousand pistoles；' I said。〃
〃A thousand pistoles！〃 Porthos exclaimed。 〃Oh！ oh！ that is a large sum。 If he knew anything about horses he would dispute the price。〃
〃Faith！ he was very much inclined to do so； the contemptible fellow。 He made a great start and looked at me。 I also looked at him； then he understood； and putting his hand into a drawer； he took from it a quantity of notes on a bank in Lyons。〃
〃For a thousand pistoles？〃
〃For a thousand pistoles just that amount； the beggar； not one too many。〃
〃And you have them？〃
〃They are here。〃
〃Upon my word； I think he acted very generously。〃
〃Generously！ to men who had risked their lives for him； and besides had done him a great service？〃
〃A great service what was that？〃
〃Why； it seems that I crushed for him a parliament councillor。〃
〃What！ that little man in black that you upset at the corner of Saint Jean