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　　Athos　and　Aramis　started　with　delight　to　find　that　the　king　was　lying　with　his　clothes　on。
　　The　game　began。　The　luck　had　turned；　and　Groslow；　having　won　some　hundred　pistoles；　was　in　the　merriest　possible　humor。
　　Porthos；　who　had　lost　the　fifty　pistoles　he　had　won　the　night　before　and　thirty　more　besides；　was　very　cross　and　questioned　D'Artagnan　with　a　nudge　of　the　knee　as　to　whether　it　would　not　soon　be　time　to　change　the　game。　Athos　and　Aramis　looked　at　him　inquiringly。　But　D'Artagnan　remained　impassible。
　　It　struck　ten。　They　heard　the　guard　going　its　rounds。
　　〃How　many　rounds　do　they　make　a　night？〃　asked　D'Artagnan；　drawing　more　pistoles　from　his　pocket。
　　〃Five；〃　answered　Groslow；　〃one　every　two　hours。〃
　　D'Artagnan　glanced　at　Athos　and　Aramis　and　for　the　first　time　replied　to　Porthos's　nudge　of　the　knee　by　a　nudge　responsive。　Meanwhile；　the　soldiers　whose　duty　it　was　to　remain　in　the　king's　room；　attracted　by　that　love　of　play　so　powerful　in　all　men；　had　stolen　little　by　little　toward　the　table；　and　standing　on　tiptoe；　lounged；　watching　the　game；　over　the　shoulders　of　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。　Those　on　the　other　side　had　followed　their　example；　thus　favoring　the　views　of　the　four　friends；　who　preferred　having　them　close　at　hand　to　chasing　them　about　the　chamber。　The　two　sentinels　at　the　door　still　had　their　swords　unsheathed；　but　they　were　leaning　on　them　while　they　watched　the　game。
　　Athos　seemed　to　grow　calm　as　the　critical　moment　approached。　With　his　white；　aristocratic　hands　he　played　with　the　louis；　bending　and　straightening　them　again；　as　if　they　were　made　of　pewter。　Aramis；　less　self…controlled；　fumbled　continually　with　his　hidden　poniard。　Porthos；　impatient　at　his　continued　losses；　kept　up　a　vigorous　play　with　his　knee。
　　D'Artagnan　turned；　mechanically　looking　behind　him；　and　between　the　figures　of　two　soldiers　he　could　see　Parry　standing　up　and　Charles　leaning　on　his　elbow　with　his　hands　clasped　and　apparently　offering　a　fervent　prayer　to　God。
　　D'Artagnan　saw　that　the　moment　was　e。　He　darted　a　preparatory　glance　at　Athos　and　Aramis；　who　slyly　pushed　their　chairs　a　little　back　so　as　to　leave　themselves　more　space　for　action。　He　gave　Porthos　a　second　nudge　of　the　knee　and　Porthos　got　up　as　if　to　stretch　his　legs　and　took　care　at　the　same　time　to　ascertain　that　his　sword　could　be　drawn　smoothly　from　the　scabbard。
　　〃Hang　it！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃another　twenty　pistoles　lost。　Really；　Captain　Groslow；　you　are　too　much　in　fortune's　way。　This　can't　last；〃　and　he　drew　another　twenty　from　his　pocket。　〃One　more　turn；　captain；　twenty　pistoles　on　one　throw　　only　one；　the　last。〃
　　〃Done　for　twenty；〃　replied　Groslow。
　　And　he　turned　up　two　cards　as　usual；　a　king　for　D'Artagnan　and　an　ace　for　himself。
　　〃A　king；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃it's　a　good　omen；　Master　Groslow　　look　out　for　the　king。〃
　　And　in　spite　of　his　extraordinary　self…control　there　was　a　strange　vibration　in　the　Gascon's　voice　which　made　his　partner　start。
　　Groslow　began　turning　the　cards　one　after　another。　If　he　turned　up　an　ace　first　he　won；　if　a　king　he　lost。
　　He　turned　up　a　king。
　　〃At　last！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
　　At　this　word　Athos　and　Aramis　jumped　up。　Porthos　drew　back　a　step。　Daggers　and　swords　were　just　about　to　shine；　when　suddenly　the　door　was　thrown　open　and　Harrison　appeared　in　the　doorway；　acpanied　by　a　man　enveloped　in　a　large　cloak。　Behind　this　man　could　be　seen　the　glistening　muskets　of　half　a　dozen　soldiers。
　　Groslow　jumped　up；　ashamed　at　being　surprised　in　the　midst　of　wine；　cards；　and　dice。　But　Harrison　paid　not　the　least　attention　to　him；　and　entering　the　king's　room；　followed　by　his　panion：
　　〃Charles　Stuart；〃　said　he；　〃an　order　has　e　to　conduct　you　to　London　without　stopping　day　or　night。　Prepare　yourself；　then；　to　start　at　once。〃
　　〃And　by　whom　is　this　order　given？〃　asked　the　king。
　　〃By　General　Oliver　Cromwell。　And　here　is　Mr。　Mordaunt；　who　has　brought　it　and　is　charged　with　its　execution。〃
　　〃Mordaunt！〃　muttered　the　four　friends；　exchanging　glances。
　　D'Artagnan　swept　up　the　money　that　he　and　Porthos　had　lost　and　buried　it　in　his　huge　pocket。　Athos　and　Aramis　placed　themselves　behind　him。　At　this　movement　Mordaunt　turned　around；　recognized　them；　and　uttered　an　exclamation　of　savage　delight。
　　〃I'm　afraid　we　are　prisoners；〃　whispered　D'Artagnan　to　his　friend。
　　〃Not　yet；〃　replied　Porthos。
　　〃Colonel；　colonel；〃　cried　Mordaunt；　〃you　are　betrayed。　These　four　Frenchmen　have　escaped　from　Newcastle；　and　no　doubt　want　to　carry　off　the　king。　Arrest　them。〃
　　〃Ah！　my　young　man；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　drawing　his　sword；　〃that　is　an　order　sooner　given　than　executed。　Fly；　friends；　fly！〃　he　added；　whirling　his　sword　around　him。
　　The　next　moment　he　darted　to　the　door　and　knocked　down　two　of　the　soldiers　who　guarded　it；　before　they　had　time　to　cock　their　muskets。　Athos　and　Aramis　followed　him。　Porthos　brought　up　the　rear；　and　before　soldiers；　officers；　or　colonel　had　time　to　recover　their　surprise　all　four　were　in　the　street。
　　〃Fire！〃　cried　Mordaunt；　〃fire　upon　them！〃
　　Three　or　four　shots　were　fired；　but　with　no　other　result　than　to　show　the　four　fugitives　turning　the　corner　of　the　street　safe　and　sound。
　　The　horses　were　at　the　place　fixed　upon；　and　they　leaped　lightly　into　their　saddles。
　　〃Forward！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃and　spur　for　your　dear　lives！〃
　　They　galloped　away　and　took　the　road　they　had　e　by　in　the　morning；　namely；　in　the　direction　toward　Scotland。　A　few　hundred　yards　beyond　the　town　D'Artagnan　drew　rein。
　　〃Halt！〃　he　cried；　〃this　time　we　shall　be　pursued。　We　must　let　them　leave　the　village　and　ride　after　us　on　the　northern　road；　and　when　they　have　passed　we　will　take　the　opposite　direction。〃
　　There　was　a　stream　close　by　and　a　bridge　across　it。
　　D'Artagnan　led　his　horse　under　the　arch　of　the　bridge。　The　others　followed。　Ten　minutes　later　they　heard　the　rapid　gallop　of　a　troop　of　horsemen。　A　few　minutes　more　and　the　troop　passed　over　their　heads。
　　London
　　As　soon　as　the　noise　of　the　hoofs　was　lost　in　the　distance　D'Artagnan　remounted　the　bank　of　the　stream　and　scoured　the　plain；　followed　by　his　three　friends；　directing　their　course；　as　well　as　they　could　guess；　toward　London。
　　〃This　time；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　when　they　were　sufficiently　distant　to　proceed　at　a　trot；　〃I　think　all　is　lost　and　we　have　nothing　better　to　do　than　to　reach　France。　What　do　you　say；　Athos；　to　that　proposition？　Isn't　it　reasonable？〃
　　〃Yes；　dear　friend；〃　Athos　replied；　〃but　you　said　a　word　the　other　day　that　was　more　than　reasonable　　it　was　noble　and　generous。　You　said；　‘Let　us　die　here！'　I　recall　to　you　that　word。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　said　Porthos；　〃death　is　nothing：　it　isn't　death　that　can　disquiet　us；　since　we　don't　know　what　it　is。　What　troubles　me　is　the　idea　of　defeat。　As　things　are　turning　out；　I　foresee　that　we　must　give　battle　to　London；　to　the　provinces；　to　all　England；　and　certainly　in　the　end　we　can't　fail　to　be　beaten。〃
　　〃We　ought　to　witness　this　great　tragedy　even　to　its　last　scene；〃　said　Athos。　〃Whatever　happens；　let　us　not　leave　England　before　the　crisis。　Don't　you　agree　with　me；　Aramis？〃
　　〃Entirely；　my　dear　count。　Then；　too；　I　confess　I　should　not　be　sorry　to　e　across　Mordaunt　again。　It　appears　to　me　that　we　have　an　account　to　settle　with　him；　and　that　it　is　not　our　custom　to　leave　a　place　without　paying　our　debts；　of　this　kind；　at　least。〃
　　〃Ah！　that's　another　thing；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　I　should　not　mind　waiting　in　London　a　whole　year　for　a　chance　of　meeting　this　Mordaunt　in　question。　Only　let　us　lodge　with　some　one　on　whom　we　can　count；　for　I　imagine；　just　now；　that　Noll　Cromwell　would　not　be　inclined　to　trifle　with　us。　Athos；　do　you　know　any　inn　in　the　whole　town　where　one　can　find　white　sheets；　roast　beef　reasonably　cooked；　and　wine　which　is　not　made　of　hops　and　gin？〃
　　〃I　think　I　know　what　you　want；〃　replied　Athos。　〃De　Winter　took　us　to　the　house　of　a　Spaniard；　who；　he　said；　had　bee　naturalized　as　an　Englishman　by　the　guineas　of　his　new　patriots。　What　do　you　say　to　it；　Aramis？〃
　　〃Why；　the　idea　of　taking　quarters　with　Senor　Perez　seems　to　me　very　reasonable；　and　for　my　part　I　agree　to　it。　We　will　invoke　the　remembrance　o