Years have elapsed, many events have happened, alas! since,in our romance of "The Three Musketeers," we took leave ofD'Artagnan at No. 12 Rue des Fossoyeurs. D'Artagnan had notfailed in his career, but circumstances had been adverse tohim. So long as he was surrounded by his friends he retainedhis youth and the poetry of his character. He was one ofthose fine, ingenuous natures which assimilate themselveseasily to the dispositions of others. Athos imparted to himhis greatness of soul, Porthos his enthusiasm, Aramis hiselegance. Had D'Artagnan continued his intimacy with thesethree men he would have become a superior character. Athoswas the first to leave him, in order that he might retire toa little property he had inherited near Blois; Porthos, thesecond, to marry an attorney's wife; and lastly, Aramis, thethird, to take orders and become an abbe. From that dayD'Artagnan felt lonely and powerless, without courage topursue a career in which he could only distinguish himselfon condition that each of his three companions should endowhim with one of the gifts each had received from Heaven.

Notwithstanding his commission in the musketeers, D'Artagnanfelt completely solitary. For a time the delightfulremembrance of Madame Bonancieux left on his character acertain poetic tinge, perishable indeed; for like all otherrecollections in this world, these impressions were, bydegrees, effaced. A garrison life is fatal even to the mostaristocratic organization; and imperceptibly, D'Artagnan,always in the camp, always on horseback, always in garrison,became (I know not how in the present age one would expressit) a typical trooper. His early refinement of character wasnot only not lost, it grew even greater than ever; but itwas now applied to the little, instead of to the greatthings of life - to the martial condition of the soldier - comprised under the head of a good lodging, a rich table, acongenial hostess. These important advantages D'Artagnanfound to his own taste in the Rue Tiquetonne at the sign ofthe Roe.

From the time D'Artagnan took quarters in that hotel, themistress of the house, a pretty and fresh looking Flemishwoman, twenty-five or twenty-six years old, had beensingularly interested in him; and after certain lovepassages, much obstructed by an inconvenient husband to whoma dozen times D'Artagnan had made a pretence of passing asword through his body, that husband had disappeared onefine morning, after furtively selling certain choice lots ofwine, carrying away with him money and jewels. He wasthought to be dead; his wife, especially, who cherished thepleasing idea that she was a widow, stoutly maintained thatdeath had taken him. Therefore, after the connection hadcontinued three years, carefully fostered by D'Artagnan, whofound his bed and his mistress more agreeable every year,each doing credit to the other, the mistress conceived theextraordinary desire of becoming a wife and proposed toD'Artagnan that he should marry her.

"Ah, fie!" D'Artagnan replied. "Bigamy, my dear! Come now,you don't really wish it?"

"But he is dead; I am sure of it."

"He was a very contrary fellow and might come back onpurpose to have us hanged."

"All right; if he comes back you will kill him, you are soskillful and so brave."

"Peste! my darling! another way of getting hanged."

"So you refuse my request?"

"To be sure I do - furiously!"

The pretty landlady was desolate. She would have takenD'Artagnan not only as her husband, but as her God, he wasso handsome and had so fierce a mustache.

Then along toward the fourth year came the expedition ofFranche-Comte. D'Artagnan was assigned to it and made hispreparations to depart. There were then great griefs, tearswithout end and solemn promises to remain faithful - all ofcourse on the part of the hostess. D'Artagnan was too grandto promise anything; he purposed only to do all that hecould to increase the glory of his name.

As to that, we know D'Artagnan's courage; he exposed himselffreely to danger and while charging at the head of hiscompany he received a ball through the chest which laid himprostrate on the field of battle. He had been seen fallingfrom his horse and had not been seen to rise; every one,therefore, believed him to be dead, especially those to whomhis death would give promotion. One believes readily what hewishes to believe. Now in the army, from thedivision-generals who desire the: death of thegeneral-in-chief, to the soldiers who desire the death ofthe corporals, all desire some one's death.

But D'Artagnan was not a man to let himself be killed likethat. After he had remained through the heat of the dayunconscious on the battle-field, the cool freshness of thenight brought him to himself. He gained a village, knockedat the door of the finest house and was received as thewounded are always and everywhere received in France. He waspetted, tended, cured; and one fine morning, in betterhealth than ever before, he set out for France. Once inFrance he turned his course toward Paris, and reaching Pariswent straight to Rue Tiquetonne.

But D'Artagnan found in his chamber the personal equipmentof a man, complete, except for the sword, arranged along thewall.

"He has returned," said he. "So much the worse, and so muchthe better!"

It need not be said that D'Artagnan was still thinking ofthe husband. He made inquiries and discovered that theservants were new and that the mistress had gone for a walk.

"Alone?" asked D'Artagnan.

"With monsieur."

"Monsieur has returned, then?"

"Of course," naively replied the servant.

"If I had any money," said D'Artagnan to himself, "I wouldgo away; but I have none. I must stay and follow the adviceof my hostess, while thwarting the conjugal designs of thisinopportune apparition."

He had just completed this monologue - which proves that inmomentous circumstances nothing is more natural than themonologue - when the servant-maid, watching at the door,suddenly cried out:

"Ah! see! here is madame returning with monsieur."

D'Artagnan looked out and at the corner of Rue Montmartresaw the hostess coming along hanging to the arm of anenormous Swiss, who tiptoed in his walk with a magnificentair which pleasantly reminded him of his old friend Porthos.

"Is that monsieur?" said D'Artagnan to himself. "Oh! oh! hehas grown a good deal, it seems to me." And he sat down inthe hall, choosing a conspicuous place.

The hostess, as she entered, saw D'Artagnan and uttered alittle cry, whereupon D'Artagnan, judging that he had beenrecognized, rose, ran to her and embraced her tenderly. TheSwiss, with an air of stupefaction, looked at the hostess,who turned pale.

"Ah, it is you, monsieur! What do you want of me?" sheasked, in great distress.

"Is monsieur your cousin? Is monsieur your brother?" saidD'Artagnan, not in the slightest degree embarrassed in therole he was playing. And without waiting for her reply hethrew himself into the arms of the Helvetian, who receivedhim with great coldness.

"Who is that man?" he asked.

The hostess replied only by gasps.

"Who is that Swiss?" asked D'Artagnan.

"Monsieur is going to marry me," replied the hostess,between two gasps.

"Your husband, then, is at last dead?"

"How does that concern you?" replied the Swiss.

"It concerns me much," said D'Artagnan, "since you cannotmarry madame without my consent and since - - "

"And since?" asked the Swiss.

"And since - I do not give it," said the musketeer.

The Swiss became as purple as a peony. He wore his elegantuniform, D'Artagnan was wrapped in a sort of gray cloak; theSwiss was six feet high, D'Artagnan was hardly more thanfive; the Swiss considered himself on his own ground andregarded D'Artagnan as an intruder.

"Will you go away from here?" demanded the Swiss, stampingviolently, like a man who begins to be seriously angry.

"I? By no means!" said D'Artagnan.

"Some one must go for help," said a lad, who could notcomprehend that this little man should make a stand againstthat other man, who was so large.

D'Artagnan, with a sudden accession of wrath, seized the ladby the ear and led him apart, with the injunction:

"Stay you where you are and don't you stir, or I will pullthis ear off. As for you, illustrious descendant of WilliamTell, you will straightway get together your clothes whichare in my room and which annoy me, and go out quickly toanother lodging."

The Swiss began to laugh boisterously. "I go out?" he said."And why?"

"Ah, very well!" said D'Artagnan; "I see that you understandFrench. Come then, and take a turn with me and I willexplain."

The hostess, who knew D'Artagnan's skill with the sword,began to weep and tear her hair. D'Artagnan turned towardher, saying, "Then send him away, madame."

"Pooh!" said the Swiss, who had needed a little time to takein D'Artagnan's proposal, "pooh! who are you, in the firstplace, to ask me to take a turn with you?"

"I am lieutenant in his majesty's musketeers," saidD'Artagnan, "and consequently your superior in everything;only, as the question now is not of rank, but of quarters - you know the custom - come and seek for yours; the first toreturn will recover his chamber."

D'Artagnan led away the Swiss in spite of lamentations onthe part of the hostess, who in reality found her heartinclining toward her former lover, though she would not havebeen sorry to give a lesson to that haughty musketeer whohad affronted her by the refusal of her hand.

It was night when the two adversaries reached the field ofbattle. D'Artagnan politely begged the Swiss to yield to himthe disputed chamber; the Swiss refused by shaking his head,and drew his sword.

"Then you will lie here," said D'Artagnan. "It is a wretchedbed, but that is not my fault, and it is you who have chosenit." With these words he drew in his turn and crossed swordswith his adversary.

He had to contend against a strong wrist, but his agilitywas superior to all force. The Swiss received two wounds andwas not aware of it, by reason of the cold; but suddenlyfeebleness, occasioned by loss of blood, obliged him to sitdown.

"There!" said: D'Artagnan, "what did I tell you?Fortunately, you won't be laid up more than a fortnight.Remain here and I will send you your clothes by the boy.Good-by! Oh, by the way, you'd better take lodging in theRue Montorgueil at the Chat Qui Pelote. You will be well fedthere, if the hostess remains the same. Adieu."

Thereupon he returned in a lively mood to his room and sentto the Swiss the things that belonged to him. The boy foundhim sitting where D'Artagnan had left him, still overwhelmedby the coolness of his adversary.

The boy, the hostess, and all the house had the same regardfor D'Artagnan that one would have for Hercules should hereturn to earth to repeat his twelve labors.

But when he was alone with the hostess he said: "Now, prettyMadeleine, you know the difference between a Swiss and agentleman. As for you, you have acted like a barmaid. Somuch the worse for you, for by such conduct you have lost myesteem and my patronage. I have driven away the Swiss tohumiliate you, but I shall lodge here no longer. I will notsleep where I must scorn. Ho, there, boy! Have my valisecarried to the Muid d'Amour, Rue des Bourdonnais. Adieu,madame."

In saying these words D'Artagnan appeared at the same timemajestic and grieved. The hostess threw herself at his feet,asked his pardon and held him back with a sweet violence.What more need be said? The spit turned, the stove roared,the pretty Madeleine wept; D'Artagnan felt himself invadedby hunger, cold and love. He pardoned, and having pardonedhe remained.

And this explains how D'Artagnan had quarters in the RueTiquetonne, at the Hotel de la Chevrette.

D'Artagnan, then returned home in thoughtful mood, finding asomewhat lively pleasure in carrying Mazarin's bag of moneyand thinking of that fine diamond which he had once calledhis own and which he had seen on the minister's finger thatnight.

"Should that diamond ever fall into my hands again," hereflected, "I would turn it at once into money; I would buywith the proceeds certain lands around my father's chateau,which is a pretty place, well enough, but with no land to itat all, except a garden about the size of the Cemetery desInnocents; and I should wait in all my glory till some richheiress, attracted by my good looks, rode along to marry me.Then I should like to have three sons; I should make thefirst a nobleman, like Athos; the second a good soldier,like Porthos; the third an excellent abbe, like Aramis.Faith! that would be a far better life than I lead now; butMonsieur Mazarin is a mean wretch, who won't dispossesshimself of his diamond in my favor."

On entering the Rue Tiquetonne he heard a tremendous noiseand found a dense crowd near the house.

"Oho!" said he, "is the hotel on fire?" On approaching thehotel of the Roe he found, however, that it was in front ofthe next house the mob was collected. The people wereshouting and running about with torches. By the light of oneof these torches D'Artagnan perceived men in uniform.

He asked what was going on.

He was told that twenty citizens, headed by one man, hadattacked a carriage which was escorted by a troop of thecardinal's bodyguard; but a reinforcement having come up,the assailants had been put to flight and the leader hadtaken refuge in the hotel next to his lodgings; the housewas now being searched.

In his youth D'Artagnan had often headed the bourgeoisieagainst the military, but he was cured of all thosehot-headed propensities; besides, he had the cardinal'shundred pistoles in his pocket, so he went into the hotelwithout a word. There he found Madeleine alarmed for hissafety and anxious to tell him all the events of theevening, but he cut her short by ordering her to put hissupper in his room and give him with it a bottle of goodBurgundy.

He took his key and candle and went upstairs to his bedroom.He had been contented, for the convenience of the house, tolodge in the fourth story; and truth obliges us even toconfess that his chamber was just above the gutter and belowthe roof. His first care on entering it was to lock up in anold bureau with a new lock his bag of money, and then assoon as supper was ready he sent away the waiter who broughtit up and sat down to table.

Not to reflect on what had passed, as one might fancy. No,D'Artagnan considered that things are never well done whenthey are not reserved to their proper time. He was hungry;he supped, he went to bed. Neither was he one of those whothink that the necessary silence of the night brings counselwith it. In the night he slept, but in the morning,refreshed and calm, he was inspired with his clearest viewsof everything. It was long since he had any reason for hismorning's inspiration, but he always slept all night long.At daybreak he awoke and took a turn around his room.

"In '43," he said, "just before the death of the latecardinal, I received a letter from Athos. Where was I then?Let me see. Oh! at the siege of Besancon I was in thetrenches. He told me - let me think - what was it? That hewas living on a small estate - but where? I was justreading the name of the place when the wind blew my letteraway, I suppose to the Spaniards; there's no use in thinkingany more about Athos. Let me see: with regard to Porthos, Ireceived a letter from him, too. He invited me to a huntingparty on his property in the month of September, 1646.Unluckily, as I was then in Bearn, on account of my father'sdeath, the letter followed me there. I had left Bearn whenit arrived and I never received it until the month of April,1647; and as the invitation was for September, 1646, Icouldn't accept it. Let me look for this letter; it must bewith my title deeds."

D'Artagnan opened an old casket which stood in a corner ofthe room, and which was full of parchments referring to anestate during a period of two hundred years lost to hisfamily. He uttered an exclamation of delight, for the largehandwriting of Porthos was discernible, and underneath somelines traced by his worthy spouse.

D'Artagnan eagerly searched for the heading of this letter;it was dated from the Chateau du Vallon.

Porthos had forgotten that any other address was necessary;in his pride he fancied that every one must know the Chateaudu Vallon.

"Devil take the vain fellow," said D'Artagnan. "However, Ihad better find him out first, since he can't want money.Athos must have become an idiot by this time from drinking.Aramis must have worn himself to a shadow of his former selfby constant genuflexion."

He cast his eyes again on the letter. There was apostscript:

"I write by the same courier to our worthy friend Aramis inhis convent."

"In his convent! What convent? There are about two hundredin Paris and three thousand in France; and then, perhaps, onentering the convent he changed his name. Ah! if I were butlearned in theology I should recollect what it was he usedto dispute about with the curate of Montdidier and thesuperior of the Jesuits, when we were at Crevecoeur; Ishould know what doctrine he leans to and I should gleanfrom that what saint he has adopted as his patron.

"Well, suppose I go back to the cardinal and ask him for apassport into all the convents one can find, even into thenunneries? It would be a curious idea, and maybe I shouldfind my friend under the name of Achilles. But, no! I shouldlose myself in the cardinal's opinion. Great people onlythank you for doing the impossible; what's possible, theysay, they can effect themselves, and they are right. But letus wait a little and reflect. I received a letter from him,the dear fellow, in which he even asked me for some smallservice, which, in fact, I rendered him. Yes, yes; but nowwhat did I do with that letter?"

D'Artagnan thought a moment and then went to the wardrobe inwhich hung his old clothes. He looked for his doublet of theyear 1648 and as he had orderly habits, he found it hangingon its nail. He felt in the pocket and drew from it a paper;it was the letter of Aramis:

"Monsieur D'Artagnan: You know that I have had a quarrelwith a certain gentleman, who has given me an appointmentfor this evening in the Place Royale. As I am of the church,and the affair might injure me if I should share it with anyother than a sure friend like you, I write to beg that youwill serve me as second.

"You will enter by the Rue Neuve Sainte Catherine; under thesecond lamp on the right you will find your adversary. Ishall be with mine under the third.

"Wholly yours,

"Aramis."

D'Artagnan tried to recall his remembrances. He had gone tothe rendezvous, had encountered there the adversaryindicated, whose name he had never known, had given him apretty sword-stroke on the arm, then had gone toward Aramis,who at the same time came to meet him, having alreadyfinished his affair. "It is over," Aramis had said. "I thinkI have killed the insolent fellow. But, dear friend, if youever need me you know that I am entirely devoted to you."Thereupon Aramis had given him a clasp of the hand and haddisappeared under the arcades.

So, then, he no more knew where Aramis was than where Athosand Porthos were, and the affair was becoming a matter ofgreat perplexity, when he fancied he heard a pane of glassbreak in his room window. He thought directly of his bag andrushed from the inner room where he was sleeping. He was notmistaken; as he entered his bedroom a man was getting in bythe window.

"Ah! you scoundrel!" cried D'Artagnan, taking the man for athief and seizing his sword.

"Sir!" cried the man, "in the name of Heaven put your swordback into the sheath and don't kill me unheard. I'm nothief, but an honest citizen, well off in the world, with ahouse of my own. My name is - ah! but surely you areMonsieur d'Artagnan?"

"And thou - Planchet!" cried the lieutenant.

"At your service, sir," said Planchet, overwhelmed with joy;"if I were still capable of serving you."

"Perhaps so," replied D'Artagnan. "But why the devil dostthou run about the tops of houses at seven o'clock of themorning in the month of January?"

"Sir," said Planchet, "you must know; but, perhaps you oughtnot to know - - "

"Tell us what," returned D'Artagnan, "but first put a napkinagainst the window and draw the curtains."

"Sir," said the prudent Planchet, "in the first place, areyou on good terms with Monsieur de Rochefort?"

"Perfectly; one of my dearest friends."

"Ah! so much the better!"

"But what has De Rochefort to do with this manner you haveof invading my room?"

"Ah, sir! I must first tell you that Monsieur de Rochefortis - - "

Planchet hesitated.

"Egad, I know where he is," said D'Artagnan. "He's in theBastile."

"That is to say, he was there," replied Planchet. "But inreturning thither last night, when fortunately you did notaccompany him, as his carriage was crossing the Rue de laFerronnerie his guards insulted the people, who began toabuse them. The prisoner thought this a good opportunity forescape; he called out his name and cried for help. I wasthere. I heard the name of Rochefort. I remembered him well.I said in a loud voice that he was a prisoner, a friend ofthe Duc de Beaufort, who called for help. The people wereinfuriated; they stopped the horses and cut the escort topieces, whilst I opened the doors of the carriage andMonsieur de Rochefort jumped out and soon was lost amongstthe crowd. At this moment a patrol passed by. I was obligedto sound a retreat toward the Rue Tiquetonne; I was pursuedand took refuge in the house next to this, where I have beenconcealed between two mattresses. This morning I ventured torun along the gutters and - - "

"Well," interrupted D'Artagnan, "I am delight that DeRochefort is free, but as for thee, if thou shouldst fallinto the hands of the king's servants they will hang theewithout mercy. Nevertheless, I promise thee thou shalt behidden here, though I risk by concealing thee neither morenor less than my lieutenancy, if it was found out that Igave one rebel an asylum."

"Ah! sir, you know well I would risk my life for you."

"Thou mayst add that thou hast risked it, Planchet. I havenot forgotten all I owe thee. Sit down there and eat insecurity. I see thee cast expressive glances at the remainsof my supper."

"Yes, sir; for all I've had since yesterday was a slice ofbread and butter, with preserves on it. Although I don'tdespise sweet things in proper time and place, I found thesupper rather light."

"Poor fellow!" said D'Artagnan. "Well, come; set to."

"Ah, sir, you are going to save my life a second time!"cried Planchet.

And he seated himself at the table and ate as he did in themerry days of the Rue des Fossoyeurs, whilst D'Artagnanwalked to and fro and thought how he could make use ofPlanchet under present circumstances. While he turned thisover in his mind Planchet did his best to make up for losttime at table. At last he uttered a sigh of satisfaction andpaused, as if he had partially appeased his hunger.

"Come," said D'Artagnan, who thought that it was now aconvenient time to begin his interrogations, "dost thou knowwhere Athos is?"

"No, sir," replied Planchet.

"The devil thou cost not! Dost know where Porthos is?":

"No - not at all."

"And Aramis?"

"Not in the least."

"The devil! the devil! the devil!"

"But, sir," said Planchet, with a look of shrewdness, "Iknow where Bazin is."

"Where is he?"

"At Notre Dame."

"What has he to do at Notre Dame?"

"He is beadle."

"Bazin beadle at Notre Dame! He must know where his masteris!"

"Without a doubt he must."

D'Artagnan thought for a moment, then took his sword and puton his cloak to go out.

"Sir," said Planchet, in a mournful tone, "do you abandon methus to my fate? Think, if I am found out here, the peopleof the house, who have not seen me enter it, will take mefor a thief."

"True," said D'Artagnan. "Let's see. Canst thou speak anypatois?"

"I can do something better than that, sir, I can speakFlemish."

"Where the devil didst thou learn it?"

"In Artois, where I fought for years. Listen, sir. Goedenmorgen, mynheer, eth teen begeeray le weeten the ge sondheets omstand."

"Which means?"

"Good-day, sir! I am anxious to know the state of yourhealth."

"He calls that a language! But never mind, that will docapitally."

D'Artagnan opened the door and called out to a waiter todesire Madeleine to come upstairs.

When the landlady made her appearance she expressed muchastonishment at seeing Planchet.

"My dear landlady," said D'Artagnan, "I beg to introduce toyou your brother, who is arrived from Flanders and whom I amgoing to take into my service."

"My brother?"

"Wish your sister good-morning, Master Peter."

"Wilkom, suster," said Planchet.

"Goeden day, broder," replied the astonished landlady.

"This is the case," said D'Artagnan; "this is your brother,Madeleine; you don't know him perhaps, but I know him; hehas arrived from Amsterdam. You must dress him up during myabsence. When I return, which will be in about an hour, youmust offer him to me as a servant, and upon yourrecommendation, though he doesn't speak a word of French, Itake him into my service. You understand?"

"That is to say, I guess your wishes, and that is all that'snecessary," said Madeleine.

"You are a precious creature, my pretty hostess, and I ammuch obliged to you."

The next moment D'Artagnan was on his way to Notre Dame.