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the　day　after　to…morrow。〃
　　〃What　then？〃　said　the　king。
　　〃To…morrow　night　we　shall　rescue　you。〃
　　〃How　can　that　be？〃　cried　the　king；　whose　face　was　lighted　up；　in　spite　of　himself；　by　a　flash　of　joy。
　　〃Oh！　sir；〃　cried　Parry；　〃may　you　and　yours　be　blessed！〃
　　〃How　can　it　be？〃　repeated　the　king。　〃I　must　know；　so　that　I　may　assist　you　if　there　is　any　chance。〃
　　〃I　know　nothing　about　it；〃　continued　Aramis；　〃but　the　cleverest；　the　bravest；　the　most　devoted　of　us　four　said　to　me　when　I　left　him；　‘Tell　the　king　that　to…morrow　at　ten　o'clock　at　night；　we　shall　carry　him　off。'　He　has　said　it　and　will　do　it。〃
　　〃Tell　me　the　name　of　that　generous　friend；〃　said　the　king；　〃that　I　may　cherish　for　him　an　eternal　gratitude；　whether　he　succeeds　or　not。〃
　　〃D'Artagnan；　sire；　the　same　who　had　so　nearly　rescued　you　when　Colonel　Harrison　made　his　untimely　entrance。〃
　　〃You　are；　indeed；　wonderful　men；〃　said　the　king；　〃if　such　things　had　been　related　to　me　I　should　not　have　believed　them。〃
　　〃Now；　sire；〃　resumed　Aramis；　〃listen　to　me。　Do　not　forget　for　a　single　instant　that　we　are　watching　over　your　safety；　observe　the　smallest　gesture；　the　least　bit　of　song；　the　least　sign　from　any　one　near　you；　watch　everything；　hear　everything；　interpret　everything。〃
　　〃Oh；　chevalier！〃　cried　the　king；　〃what　can　I　say　to　you？　There　is　no　word；　though　it　should　e　from　the　profoundest　depth　of　my　heart；　that　can　express　my　gratitude。　If　you　succeed　I　do　not　say　that　you　will　save　a　king；　no；　in　presence　of　the　scaffold　as　I　am；　royalty；　I　assure　you；　is　a　very　small　affair；　but　you　will　save　a　husband　to　his　wife；　a　father　to　his　children。　Chevalier；　take　my　hand；　it　is　that　of　a　friend　who　will　love　you　to　his　last　sigh。〃
　　Aramis　stooped　to　kiss　the　king's　hand；　but　Charles　clasped　his　and　pressed　it　to　his　heart。
　　At　this　moment　a　man　entered；　without　even　knocking　at　the　door。　Aramis　tried　to　withdraw　his　hand；　but　the　king　still　held　it。　The　man　was　one　of　those　Puritans；　half　preacher　and　half　soldier；　who　swarmed　around　Cromwell。
　　〃What　do　you　want；　sir？〃　said　the　king。
　　〃I　desire　to　know　if　the　confession　of　Charles　Stuart　is　at　an　end？〃　said　the　stranger。
　　〃And　what　is　it　to　you？〃　replied　the　king；　〃we　are　not　of　the　same　religion。〃
　　〃All　men　are　brothers；〃　said　the　Puritan。　〃One　of　my　brothers　is　about　to　die　and　I　e　to　prepare　him。〃
　　〃Bear　with　him；〃　whispered　Aramis；　〃it　is　doubtless　some　spy。〃
　　〃After　my　reverend　lord　bishop；〃　said　the　king　to　the　man；　〃I　shall　hear　you　with　pleasure；　sir。〃
　　The　man　retired；　but　not　before　examining　the　supposed　Juxon　with　an　attention　which　did　not　escape　the　king。
　　〃Chevalier；〃　said　the　king；　when　the　door　was　closed；　〃I　believe　you　are　right　and　that　this　man　only　came　here　with　evil　intentions。　Take　care　that　no　misfortune　befalls　you　when　you　leave。〃
　　〃I　thank　your　majesty；〃　said　Aramis；　〃but　under　these　robes　I　have　a　coat　of　mail；　a　pistol　and　a　dagger。〃
　　〃Go；　then；　sir；　and　God　keep　you！〃
　　The　king　acpanied　him　to　the　door；　where　Aramis　pronounced　his　benediction　upon　him；　and　passing　through　the　ante…rooms；　filled　with　soldiers；　jumped　into　his　carriage　and　drove　to　the　bishop's　palace。　Juxon　was　waiting　for　him　impatiently。
　　〃Well？〃　said　he；　on　perceiving　Aramis。
　　〃Everything　has　succeeded　as　I　expected；　spies；　guards；　satellites；　all　took　me　for　you；　and　the　king　blesses　you　while　waiting　for　you　to　bless　him。〃
　　〃May　God　protect　you；　my　son；　for　your　example　has　given　me　at　the　same　time　hope　and　courage。〃
　　Aramis　resumed　his　own　attire　and　left　Juxon　with　the　assurance　that　he　might　again　have　recourse　to　him。
　　He　had　scarcely　gone　ten　yards　in　the　street　when　he　perceived　that　he　was　followed　by　a　man；　wrapped　in　a　large　cloak。　He　placed　his　hand　on　his　dagger　and　stopped。　The　man　came　straight　toward　him。　It　was　Porthos。
　　〃My　dear　friend；〃　cried　Aramis。
　　〃You　see；　we　had　each　our　mission；〃　said　Porthos；　〃mine　was　to　guard　you　and　I　am　doing　so。　Have　you　seen　the　king？〃
　　〃Yes；　and　all　goes　well。〃
　　〃We　are　to　meet　our　friends　at　the　hotel　at　eleven。〃
　　It　was　then　striking　half…past　ten　by　St。　Paul's。
　　Arrived　at　the　hotel　it　was　not　long　before　Athos　entered。
　　〃All's　well；〃　he　cried；　as　he　entered；　〃I　have　hired　a　cedar　wherry；　as　light　as　a　canoe；　as　easy　on　the　wing　as　any　swallow。　It　is　waiting　for　us　at　Greenwich；　opposite　the　Isle　of　Dogs；　manned　by　a　captain　and　four　men；　who　for　the　sum　of　fifty　pounds　sterling　will　keep　themselves　at　our　disposition　three　successive　nights。　Once　on　board　we　drop　down　the　Thames　and　in　two　hours　are　on　the　open　sea。　In　case　I　am　killed；　the　captain's　name　is　Roger　and　the　skiff　is　called　the　Lightning。　A　handkerchief；　tied　at　the　four　corners；　is　to　be　the　signal。〃
　　Next　moment　D'Artagnan　entered。
　　〃Empty　your　pockets；〃　said　he；　〃I　want　a　hundred　pounds；　and　as　for　my　own　　〃　and　he　emptied　them　inside　out。
　　The　sum　was　collected　in　a　minute。　D'Artagnan　ran　out　and　returned　directly　after。
　　〃There；〃　said　he；　〃it's　done。　Ough！　and　not　without　a　deal　of　trouble；　too。〃
　　〃Has　the　executioner　left　London？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃Ah；　you　see　that　plan　was　not　sure　enough；　he　might　go　out　by　one　gate　and　return　by　another。〃
　　〃Where　is　he；　then？〃
　　〃In　the　cellar。〃
　　〃The　cellar　　what　cellar？〃
　　〃Our　landlord's；　to　be　sure。　Musqueton　is　propped　against　the　door　and　here's　the　key。〃
　　〃Bravo！〃　said　Aramis；　〃how　did　you　manage　it？〃
　　〃Like　everything　else；　with　money；　but　it　cost　me　dear。〃
　　〃How　much？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃Five　hundred　pounds。〃
　　〃And　where　did　you　get　so　much　money？〃　said　Athos。　〃Had　you；　then；　that　sum？〃
　　〃The　queen's　famous　diamond；〃　answered　D'Artagnan；　with　a　sigh。
　　〃Ah；　true；〃　said　Aramis。　〃I　recognized　it　on　your　finger。〃
　　〃You　bought　it　back；　then；　from　Monsieur　des　Essarts？〃　asked　Porthos。
　　〃Yes；　but　it　was　fated　that　I　should　not　keep　it。〃
　　〃So；　then；　we　are　all　right　as　regards　the　executioner；〃　said　Athos；　〃but　unfortunately　every　executioner　has　his　assistant；　his　man；　or　whatever　you　call　him。〃
　　〃And　this　one　had　his；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but；　as　good　luck　would　have　it；　just　as　I　thought　I　should　have　two　affairs　to　manage；　our　friend　was　brought　home　with　a　broken　leg。　In　the　excess　of　his　zeal　he　had　acpanied　the　cart　containing　the　scaffolding　as　far　as　the　king's　window；　and　one　of　the　crossbeams　fell　on　his　leg　and　broke　it。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　cried　Aramis；　〃that　accounts　for　the　cry　I　heard。〃
　　〃Probably；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　as　he　is　a　thoughtful　young　man　he　promised　to　send　four　expert　workmen　in　his　place　to　help　those　already　at　the　scaffold；　and　wrote　the　moment　he　was　brought　home　to　Master　Tom　Lowe；　an　assistant　carpenter　and　friend　of　his；　to　go　down　to　Whitehall；　with　three　of　his　friends。　Here's　the　letter　he　sent　by　a　messenger；　for　sixpence；　who　sold　it　to　me　for　a　guinea。〃
　　〃And　what　on　earth　are　you　going　to　do　with　it？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃Can't　you　guess；　my　dear　Athos？　You；　who　speak　English　like　John　Bull　himself；　are　Master　Tom　Lowe；　we；　your　three　panions。　Do　you　understand　it　now？〃
　　Athos　uttered　a　cry　of　joy　and　admiration；　ran　to　a　closet　and　drew　forth　workmen's　clothes；　which　the　four　friends　immediately　put　on；　they　then　left　the　hotel；　Athos　carrying　a　saw；　Porthos　a　vise；　Aramis　an　axe　and　D'Artagnan　a　hammer　and　some　nails。
　　The　letter　from　the　executioner's　assistant　satisfied　the　master　carpenter　that　those　were　the　men　he　expected。
　　The　Workmen
　　Toward　midnight　Charles　heard　a　great　noise　beneath　his　window。　It　arose　from　blows　of　hammer　and　hatchet；　clinking　of　pincers　and　cranching　of　saws。
　　Lying　dressed　upon　his　bed；　the　noise　awoke　him　with　a　start　and　found　a　gloomy　echo　in　his　heart。　He　could　not　endure　it；　and　sent　Parry　to　ask　the　sentinel　to　beg　the　workmen　to　strike　more　gently　and　not　disturb　the　last　slumber　of　one　who　had　been　their　king。　The　sentinel　was　unwilling　to　leave　his　post；　but　allowed　Parry　to　pass。
　　Arriving　at　the　window　Parry　found　an　unfinished　scaffold；　over　which　they　were　nailing　a　covering　of　black　serge。　Raised　to　the　height　of　twenty　feet；　so　as　to　be　on　a　level　wit