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　　〃They　were；〃　replied　Mordaunt。
　　〃After　you；　however；〃　said　Cromwell。
　　〃It　was　the　fault　of　their　horses；　not　theirs。〃
　　Another　pause
　　〃And　the　Scotch？〃
　　〃They　kept　their　word　and　never　stirred；〃　said　Mordaunt。
　　〃Wretched　men！〃
　　〃Their　officers　wish　to　see　you；　sir。〃
　　〃I　have　no　time　to　see　them。　Are　they　paid？〃
　　〃Yes；　to…night。〃
　　〃Let　them　be　off　and　return　to　their　own　country；　there　to　hide　their　shame；　if　its　hills　are　high　enough；　I　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　them　nor　they　with　me。　And　now　go；　Mordaunt。〃
　　〃Before　I　go；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃I　have　some　questions　and　a　favor　to　ask　you；　sir。〃
　　〃A　favor　from　me？〃
　　Mordaunt　bowed。
　　〃I　e　to　you；　my　leader；　my　head；　my　father；　and　I　ask　you；　master；　are　you　contented　with　me？〃
　　Cromwell　looked　at　him　with　astonishment。　The　young　man　remained　immovable。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Cromwell；　〃you　have　done；　since　I　knew　you；　not　only　your　duty；　but　more　than　your　duty；　you　have　been　a　faithful　friend；　a　cautious　negotiator；　a　brave　soldier。〃
　　〃Do　you　remember；　sir　it　was　my　idea；　the　Scotch　treaty；　for　giving　up　the　king？〃
　　〃Yes；　the　idea　was　yours。　I　had　no　such　contempt　for　men　before。〃
　　〃Was　I　not　a　good　ambassador　in　France？〃
　　〃Yes；　for　Mazarin　has　granted　what　I　desire。〃
　　〃Have　I　not　always　fought　for　your　glory　and　interests？〃
　　〃Too　ardently；　perhaps；　it　is　what　I　have　just　reproached　you　for。　But　what　is　the　meaning　of　all　these　questions？〃
　　〃To　tell　you；　my　lord；　that　the　moment　has　now　arrived　when；　with　a　single　word；　you　may　repense　all　these　services。〃
　　〃Oh！〃　said　Oliver；　with　a　slight　curl　of　his　lip；　〃I　forgot　that　every　service　merits　some　reward　and　that　up　to　this　moment　you　have　not　been　paid。〃
　　〃Sir；　I　can　take　my　pay　at　this　moment；　to　the　full　extent　of　my　wishes。〃
　　〃How　is　that？〃
　　〃I　have　the　payment　under　my　hand；　I　almost　possess　it。〃
　　〃What　is　it？　Have　they　offered　you　money？　Do　you　wish　a　step；　or　some　place　in　the　government？〃
　　〃Sir；　will　you　grant　me　my　request？〃
　　〃Let　us　hear　what　it　is；　first。〃
　　〃Sir；　when　you　have　told　me　to　obey　an　order　did　I　ever　answer；　‘Let　me　see　that　order　'？〃
　　〃If；　however；　your　wish　should　be　one　impossible　to　fulfill？〃
　　〃When　you　have　cherished　a　wish　and　have　charged　me　with　its　fulfillment；　have　I　ever　replied；　‘It　is　impossible'？〃
　　〃But　a　request　preferred　with　so　much　preparation　　〃
　　〃Ah；　do　not　fear；　sir；〃　said　Mordaunt；　with　apparent　simplicity：　〃it　will　not　ruin　you。〃
　　〃Well；　then；〃　said　Cromwell；　〃I　promise；　as　far　as　lies　in　my　power；　to　grant　your　request；　proceed。〃
　　〃Sir；　two　prisoners　were　taken　this　morning；　will　you　let　me　have　them？〃
　　〃For　their　ransom？　have　they　then　offered　a　large　one？〃　inquired　Cromwell。
　　〃On　the　contrary；　I　think　they　are　poor；　sir。〃
　　〃They　are　friends　of　yours；　then？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　exclaimed　Mordaunt；　〃they　are　friends；　dear　friends　of　mine；　and　I　would　lay　down　my　life　for　them。〃
　　〃Very　well；　Mordaunt；〃　exclaimed　Cromwell；　pleased　at　having　his　opinion　of　the　young　man　raised　once　more；　〃I　will　give　them　to　you；　I　will　not　even　ask　who　they　are；　do　as　you　like　with　them。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Mordaunt；　〃thank　you；　my　life　is　always　at　your　service；　and　should　I　lose　it　I　should　still　owe　you　something；　thank　you；　you　have　indeed　repaid　me　munificently　for　my　services。〃
　　He　threw　himself　at　the　feet　of　Cromwell；　and　in　spite　of　the　efforts　of　the　Puritan　general；　who　did　not　like　this　almost　kingly　homage；　he　took　his　hand　and　kissed　it。
　　〃What！〃　said　Cromwell；　arresting　him　for　a　moment　as　he　arose；　〃is　there　nothing　more　you　wish？　neither　gold　nor　rank？〃
　　〃You　have　given　me　all　you　can　give　me；　and　from　to…day　your　debt　is　paid。〃
　　And　Mordaunt　darted　out　of　the　general's　tent；　his　heart　beating　and　his　eyes　sparkling　with　joy。
　　Cromwell　gazed　a　moment　after　him。
　　〃He　has　slain　his　uncle！〃　he　murmured。　〃Alas！　what　are　my　servants？　Possibly　this　one；　who　asks　nothing　or　seems　to　ask　nothing；　has　asked　more　in　the　eyes　of　Heaven　than　those　who　tax　the　country　and　steal　the　bread　of　the　poor。　Nobody　serves　me　for　nothing。　Charles；　who　is　my　prisoner；　may　still　have　friends；　but　I　have　none！〃
　　And　with　a　deep　sigh　he　again　sank　into　the　reverie　that　had　been　interrupted　by　Mordaunt。
　　Jesus　Seigneur
　　Whilst　Mordaunt　was　making　his　way　to　Cromwell's　tent；　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　had　brought　their　prisoners　to　the　house　which　had　been　assigned　to　them　as　their　dwelling　at　Newcastle。
　　The　order　given　by　Mordaunt　to　the　sergeant　had　been　heard　by　D'Artagnan；　who　accordingly；　by　an　expressive　glance；　warned　Athos　and　Aramis　to　exercise　extreme　caution。　The　prisoners；　therefore；　had　remained　silent　as　they　marched　along　in　pany　with　their　conquerors　　which　they　could　do　with　the　less　difficulty　since　each　of　them　had　occupation　enough　in　answering　his　own　thoughts。
　　It　would　be　impossible　to　describe　Musqueton's　astonishment　when　from　the　threshold　of　the　door　he　saw　the　four　friends　approaching；　followed　by　a　sergeant　with　a　dozen　men。　He　rubbed　his　eyes；　doubting　if　he　really　saw　before　him　Athos　and　Aramis；　and　forced　at　last　to　yield　to　evidence；　he　was　on　the　point　of　breaking　forth　in　exclamations　when　he　encountered　a　glance　from　the　eyes　of　Porthos；　the　repressive　force　of　which　he　was　not　inclined　to　dispute。
　　Musqueton　remained　glued　to　the　door；　awaiting　the　explanation　of　this　strange　occurrence。　What　upset　him　pletely　was　that　the　four　friends　seemed　to　have　no　acquaintance　with　one　another。
　　The　house　to　which　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　conducted　Athos　and　Aramis　was　the　one　assigned　to　them　by　General　Cromwell　and　of　which　they　had　taken　possession　on　the　previous　evening。　It　was　at　the　corner　of　two　streets　and　had　in　the　rear；　bordering　on　the　side　street；　stables　and　a　sort　of　garden。　The　windows　on　the　ground　floor；　according　to　a　custom　in　provincial　villages；　were　barred；　so　that　they　strongly　resembled　the　windows　of　a　prison。
　　The　two　friends　made　the　prisoners　enter　the　house　first；　whilst　they　stood　at　the　door；　desiring　Musqueton　to　take　the　four　horses　to　the　stable。
　　〃Why　don't　we　go　in　with　them？〃　asked　Porthos。
　　〃We　must　first　see　what　the　sergeant　wishes　us　to　do；〃　replied　D'Artagnan。
　　The　sergeant　and　his　men　took　possession　of　the　little　garden。
　　D'Artagnan　asked　them　what　they　wished　and　why　they　had　taken　that　position。
　　〃We　have　had　orders；〃　answered　the　man；　〃to　help　you　in　taking　care　of　your　prisoners。〃
　　There　could　be　no　fault　to　find　with　this　arrangement；　on　the　contrary；　it　seemed　to　be　a　delicate　attention；　to　be　gratefully　received；　D'Artagnan；　therefore；　thanked　the　man　and　gave　him　a　crown　piece　to　drink　to　General　Cromwell's　health。
　　The　sergeant　answered　that　Puritans　never　drank；　and　put　the　crown　piece　in　his　pocket。
　　〃Ah！〃　said　Porthos；　〃what　a　fearful　day；　my　dear　D'Artagnan！〃
　　〃What！　a　fearful　day；　when　to…day　we　find　our　friends？〃
　　〃Yes；　but　under　what　circumstances？〃
　　〃'Tis　true　that　our　position　is　an　awkward　one；　but　let　us　go　in　and　see　more　clearly　what　is　to　be　done。〃
　　〃Things　look　black　enough；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃I　understand　now　why　Aramis　advised　me　to　strangle　that　horrible　Mordaunt。〃
　　〃Silence！〃　cried　the　Gascon；　〃do　not　utter　that　name。〃
　　〃But；〃　argued　Porthos；　〃I　speak　French　and　they　are　all　English。〃
　　D'Artagnan　looked　at　Porthos　with　that　air　of　wonder　which　a　cunning　man　cannot　help　feeling　at　displays　of　crass　stupidity。
　　But　as　Porthos　on　his　side　could　not　prehend　his　astonishment；　he　merely　pushed　him　indoors；　saying；　〃Let　us　go　in。〃
　　They　found　Athos　in　profound　despondency；　Aramis　looked　first　at　Porthos　and　then　at　D'Artagnan；　without　speaking；　but　the　latter　understood　his　meaning　look。
　　〃You　want　to　know　how　we　came　here？　'Tis　easily　guessed。　Mazarin　sent　us　with　a　letter　to　General　Cromwell。〃
　　〃But　how　came　you　to　fall　into　pany　with　Mordaunt；　whom　I　bade　you　distrust？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃And　whom　I　advised　you　to　strangle；　Porthos；〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃Mazarin　again。　Cromwell　had　sent　him　to　Mazarin。　Mazarin　sent　us　to　Cromwell。　There　i