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　　〃Oh！〃　said　Athos　to　himself；　〃is　it　indeed　possible　that　I　hear　what　I　hear　and　that　I　see　what　I　see？　Is　it　possible　that　God　has　abandoned　His　representative　on　earth　and　left　him　to　die　thus　miserably？　And　I　have　not　seen　him！　I　have　not　said　adieu　to　him！〃
　　A　noise　was　heard　like　that　the　instrument　of　death　would　make　if　moved　upon　the　block。
　　〃Do　not　touch　the　axe；〃　said　the　king；　and　resumed　his　speech。
　　At　the　end　of　his　speech　the　king　looked　tenderly　around　upon　the　people。　Then　unfastening　the　diamond　ornament　which　the　queen　had　sent　him；　he　placed　it　in　the　hands　of　the　priest　who　acpanied　Juxon。　Then　he　drew　from　his　breast　a　little　cross　set　in　diamonds；　which；　like　the　order；　had　been　the　gift　of　Henrietta　Maria。
　　〃Sir；〃　said　he　to　the　priest；　〃I　shall　keep　this　cross　in　my　hand　till　the　last　moment。　Take　it　from　me　when　I　am　　dead。〃
　　〃Yes；　sire；〃　said　a　voice；　which　Athos　recognized　as　that　of　Aramis。
　　He　then　took　his　hat　from　his　head　and　threw　it　on　the　ground。　One　by　one　he　undid　the　buttons　of　his　doublet；　took　it　off　and　deposited　it　by　the　side　of　his　hat。　Then；　as　it　was　cold；　he　asked　for　his　gown；　which　was　brought　to　him。
　　All　the　preparations　were　made　with　a　frightful　calmness。　One　would　have　thought　the　king　was　going　to　bed　and　not　to　his　coffin。
　　〃Will　these　be　in　your　way？〃　he　said　to　the　executioner；　raising　his　long　locks；　〃if　so；　they　can　be　tied　up。〃
　　Charles　acpanied　these　words　with　a　look　designed　to　penetrate　the　mask　of　the　unknown　headsman。　His　cake；　noble　gaze　forced　the　man　to　turn　away　his　head。　But　after　the　searching　look　of　the　king　he　encountered　the　burning　eyes　of　Aramis。
　　The　king；　seeing　that　he　did　not　reply；　repeated　his　question。
　　〃It　will　do；〃　replied　the　man；　in　a　tremulous　voice；　〃if　you　separate　them　across　the　neck。〃
　　The　king　parted　his　hair　with　his　hands；　and　looking　at　the　block　he　said：
　　〃This　block　is　very　low；　is　there　no　other　to　be　had？〃
　　〃It　is　the　usual　block；〃　answered　the　man　in　the　mask。
　　〃Do　you　think　you　can　behead　me　with　a　single　blow？〃　asked　the　king。
　　〃I　hope　so；〃　was　the　reply。　There　was　something　so　strange　in　these　three　words　that　everybody；　except　the　king；　shuddered。
　　〃I　do　not　wish　to　be　taken　by　surprise；〃　added　the　king。　〃I　shall　kneel　down　to　pray；　do　not　strike　then。〃
　　〃When　shall　I　strike？〃
　　〃When　I　shall　lay　my　head　on　the　block　and　say　‘Remember！'　then　strike　boldly。〃
　　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　king　to　those　around　him；　〃I　leave　you　to　brave　the　tempest；　I　go　before　you　to　a　kingdom　which　knows　no　storms。　Farewell。〃
　　He　looked　at　Aramis　and　made　a　special　sign　to　him　with　his　head。
　　〃Now；〃　he　continued；　〃withdraw　a　little　and　let　me　say　my　prayer；　I　beseech　you。　You；　also；　stand　aside；〃　he　said　to　the　masked　man。　〃It　is　only　for　a　moment　and　I　know　that　I　belong　to　you；　but　remember　that　you　are　not　to　strike　till　I　give　the　signal。〃
　　Then　he　knelt　down；　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　and　lowering　his　face　to　the　planks；　as　if　he　would　have　kissed　them；　said　in　a　low　tone；　in　French；　〃te　de　la　Fere；　are　you　there？〃
　　〃Yes；　your　majesty；〃　he　answered；　trembling。
　　〃Faithful　friend；　noble　heart！〃　said　the　king；　〃I　should　not　have　been　rescued。　I　have　addressed　my　people　and　I　have　spoken　to　God；　last　of　all　I　speak　to　you。　To　maintain　a　cause　which　I　believed　sacred　I　have　lost　the　throne　and　my　children　their　inheritance。　A　million　in　gold　remains；　it　is　buried　in　the　cellars　of　Newcastle　Keep。　You　only　know　that　this　money　exists。　Make　use　of　it；　then；　whenever　you　think　it　will　be　most　useful；　for　my　eldest　son's　welfare。　And　now；　farewell。〃
　　〃Farewell；　saintly；　martyred　majesty；〃　lisped　Athos；　chilled　with　terror。
　　A　moment's　silence　ensued　and　then；　in　a　full；　sonorous　voice；　the　king　exclaimed：　〃Remember！〃
　　He　had　scarcely　uttered　the　word　when　a　heavy　blow　shook　the　scaffold　and　where　Athos　stood　immovable　a　warm　drop　fell　upon　his　brow。　He　reeled　back　with　a　shudder　and　the　same　moment　the　drops　became　a　crimson　cataract。
　　Athos　fell　on　his　knees　and　remained　some　minutes　as　if　bewildered　or　stunned。　At　last　he　rose　and　taking　his　handkerchief　steeped　it　in　the　blood　of　the　martyred　king。　Then　as　the　crowd　gradually　dispersed　he　leaped　down；　crept　from　behind　the　drapery；　glided　between　two　horses；　mingled　with　the　crowd　and　was　the　first　to　arrive　at　the　inn。
　　Having　gained　his　room　he　raised　his　hand　to　his　face；　and　observing　that　his　fingers　were　covered　with　the　monarch's　blood；　fell　down　insensible。
　　The　Man　in　the　Mask
　　The　snow　was　falling　thick　and　icy。　Aramis　was　the　next　to　e　in　and　to　discover　Athos　almost　insensible。　But　at　the　first　words　he　uttered　the　te　roused　himself　from　the　kind　of　lethargy　in　which　he　had　sunk。
　　〃Well；〃　said　Aramis；　〃beaten　by　fate！〃
　　〃Beaten！〃　said　Athos。　〃Noble　and　unhappy　king！〃
　　〃Are　you　wounded？〃　cried　Aramis。
　　〃No；　this　is　his　blood。〃
　　〃Where　were　you；　then？〃
　　〃Where　you　left　me　　under　the　scaffold。〃
　　〃Did　you　see　it　all？〃
　　〃No；　but　I　heard　all。　God　preserve　me　from　another　such　hour　as　I　have　just　passed。〃
　　〃Then　you　know　that　I　did　not　leave　him？〃
　　〃I　heard　your　voice　up　to　the　last　moment。〃
　　〃Here　is　the　order　he　gave　me　and　the　cross　I　took　from　his　hand；　he　desired　they　should　be　returned　to　the　queen。〃
　　〃Then　here　is　a　handkerchief　to　wrap　them　in；〃　replied　Athos；　drawing　from　his　pocket　the　one　he　had　steeped　in　the　king's　blood。
　　〃And　what；〃　he　continued；　〃has　been　done　with　the　poor　body？〃
　　〃By　order　of　Cromwell　royal　honors　will　be　accorded　to　it。　The　doctors　are　embalming　the　corpse；　and　when　it　is　ready　it　will　be　placed　in　a　lighted　chapel。〃
　　〃Mockery；〃　muttered　Athos；　savagely；　〃royal　honors　to　one　whom　they　have　murdered！〃
　　〃Well；　cheer　up！〃　said　a　loud　voice　from　the　staircase；　which　Porthos　had　just　mounted。　〃We　are　all　mortal；　my　poor　friends。〃
　　〃You　are　late；　my　dear　Porthos。〃
　　〃Yes；　there　were　some　people　on　the　way　who　delayed　me。　The　wretches　were　dancing。　I　took　one　of　them　by　the　throat　and　three…quarters　throttled　him。　Just　then　a　patrol　rode　up。　Luckily　the　man　I　had　had　most　to　do　with　was　some　minutes　before　he　could　speak；　so　I　took　advantage　of　his　silence　to　walk　off。〃
　　〃Have　you　seen　D'Artagnan？〃
　　〃We　got　separated　in　the　crowd　and　I　could　not　find　him　again。〃
　　〃Oh！〃　said　Athos；　satirically；　〃I　saw　him。　He　was　in　the　front　row　of　the　crowd；　admirably　placed　for　seeing；　and　as　on　the　whole　the　sight　was　curious；　he　probably　wished　to　stay　to　the　end。〃
　　〃Ah　te　de　la　Fere；〃　said　a　calm　voice；　though　hoarse　with　running；　〃is　it　your　habit　to　calumniate　the　absent？〃
　　This　reproof　stung　Athos　to　the　heart；　but　as　the　impression　produced　by　seeing　D'Artagnan　foremost　in　a　coarse；　ferocious　crowd　had　been　very　strong；　he　contented　himself　with　replying：
　　〃I　am　not　calumniating　you；　my　friend。　They　were　anxious　about　you　here；　I　simply　told　them　where　you　were。　You　didn't　know　King　Charles；　to　you　he　was　only　a　foreigner　and　you　were　not　obliged　to　love　him。〃
　　So　saying；　he　stretched　out　his　hand；　but　the　other　pretended　not　to　see　it　and　he　let　it　drop　again　slowly　by　his　side。
　　〃Ugh！　I　am　tired；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　sitting　down。
　　〃Drink　a　glass　of　port；〃　said　Aramis；　〃it　will　refresh　you。〃
　　〃Yes；　let　us　drink；〃　said　Athos；　anxious　to　make　it　up　by　hobnobbing　with　D'Artagnan；　〃let　us　drink　and　get　away　from　this　hateful　country。　The　felucca　is　waiting　for　us；　you　know；　let　us　leave　to…night；　we　have　nothing　more　to　do　here。〃
　　〃You　are　in　a　hurry；　sir　count；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　〃But　what　would　you　have　us　to　do　here；　now　that　the　king　is　dead？〃
　　〃Go；　sir　count；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　carelessly；　〃you　see　nothing　to　keep　you　a　little　longer　in　England？　Well；　for　my　part；　I；　a　bloodthirsty　ruffian；　who　can　go　and　stand　close　to　a　scaffold；　in　order　to　have　a　better　view　of　the　king's　execution　　I　remain。〃
　　Athos　turned　pale。　Every　reproach　his　friend　uttered　struck　deeply　in　his　heart。
　　〃Ah！　you　remain　in　London？〃　said　Porthos。
　　〃Yes。　And　you？〃
　　〃Hang　it！〃　said　Porthos；　a　little　perplexed　between　the　two；　〃I　suppose