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　　〃Yes。　And　you？〃
　　〃Hang　it！〃　said　Porthos；　a　little　perplexed　between　the　two；　〃I　suppose；　as　I　came　with　you；　I　must　go　away　with　you。　I　can't　leave　you　alone　in　this　abominable　country。〃
　　〃Thanks；　my　worthy　friend。　So　I　have　a　little　adventure　to　propose　to　you　when　the　count　is　gone。　I　want　to　find　out　who　was　the　man　in　the　mask；　who　so　obligingly　offered　to　cut　the　king's　throat。〃
　　〃A　man　in　a　mask？〃　cried　Athos。　〃You　did　not　let　the　executioner　escape；　then？〃
　　〃The　executioner　is　still　in　the　cellar；　where；　I　presume；　he　has　had　an　interview　with　mine　host's　bottles。　But　you　remind　me。　Musqueton！〃
　　〃Sir；〃　answered　a　voice　from　the　depths　of　the　earth。
　　〃Let　out　your　prisoner。　All　is　over。〃
　　〃But；〃　said　Athos；　〃who　is　the　wretch　that　has　dared　to　raise　his　hand　against　his　king？〃
　　〃An　amateur　headsman；〃　replied　Aramis；　〃who　however；　does　not　handle　the　axe　amiss。〃
　　〃Did　you　not　see　his　face？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃He　wore　a　mask。〃
　　〃But　you；　Aramis；　who　were　close　to　him？〃
　　〃I　could　see　nothing　but　a　gray　beard　under　the　fringe　of　the　mask。〃
　　〃Then　it　must　be　a　man　of　a　certain　age。〃
　　〃Oh！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　matters　little。　When　one　puts　on　a　mask；　it　is　not　difficult　to　wear　a　beard　under　it。〃
　　〃I　am　sorry　I　did　not　follow　him；〃　said　Porthos。
　　〃Well；　my　dear　Porthos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that's　the　very　thing　it　came　into　my　head　to　do。〃
　　Athos　understood　all　now。
　　〃Pardon　me；　D'Artagnan；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　distrusted　God；　I　could　the　more　easily　distrust　you。　Pardon　me；　my　friend。〃
　　〃We　will　see　about　that　presently；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　with　a　slight　smile。
　　〃Well；　then？〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃Well；　while　I　was　watching　　not　the　king；　as　monsieur　le　te　thinks；　for　I　know　what　it　is　to　see　a　man　led　to　death；　and　though　I　ought　to　be　accustomed　to　the　sight　it　always　makes　me　ill　　while　I　was　watching　the　masked　executioner；　the　idea　came　to　me；　as　I　said；　to　find　out　who　he　was。　Now；　as　we　are　wont　to　plete　ourselves　each　by　all　the　rest　and　to　depend　on　one　another　for　assistance；　as　one　calls　his　other　hand　to　aid　the　first；　I　looked　around　instinctively　to　see　if　Porthos　was　there；　for　I　had　seen　you；　Aramis；　with　the　king；　and　you；　count；　I　knew　would　be　under　the　scaffold；　and　for　that　reason　I　forgive　you；〃　he　added；　offering　Athos　his　hand；　〃for　you　must　have　suffered　much。　I　was　looking　around　for　Porthos　when　I　saw　near　me　a　head　which　had　been　broken；　but　which；　for　better　or　worse；　had　been　patched　with　plaster　and　with　black　silk。　‘Humph！'　thought　I；　‘that　looks　like　my　handiwork；　I　fancy　I　must　have　mended　that　skull　somewhere　or　other。'　And；　in　fact；　it　was　that　unfortunate　Scotchman；　Parry's　brother；　you　know；　on　whom　Groslow　amused　himself　by　trying　his　strength。　Well；　this　man　was　making　signs　to　another　at　my　left；　and　turning　around　I　recognized　the　honest　Grimaud。　‘Oh！'　said　I　to　him。　Grimaud　turned　round　with　a　jerk；　recognized　me；　and　pointed　to　the　man　in　the　mask。　‘Eh！'　said　he；　which　meant；　‘Do　you　see　him？'　‘Parbleu！'　I　answered；　and　we　perfectly　understood　one　another。　Well；　everything　was　finished　as　you　know。　The　mob　dispersed。　I　made　a　sign　to　Grimaud　and　the　Scotchman；　and　we　all　three　retired　into　a　corner　of　the　square。　I　saw　the　executioner　return　into　the　king's　room；　change　his　clothes；　put　on　a　black　hat　and　a　large　cloak　and　disappear。　Five　minutes　later　he　came　down　the　grand　staircase。〃
　　'You　followed　him？〃　cried　Athos。
　　〃I　should　think　so；　but　not　without　difficulty。　Every　few　minutes　he　turned　around；　and　thus　obliged　us　to　conceal　ourselves。　I　might　have　gone　up　to　him　and　killed　him。　But　I　am　not　selfish；　and　I　thought　it　might　console　you　all　a　little　to　have　a　share　in　the　matter。　So　we　followed　him　through　the　lowest　streets　in　the　city；　and　in　half　an　hour's　time　he　stopped　before　a　little　isolated　house。　Grimaud　drew　out　a　pistol。　‘Eh？'　said　he；　showing　it。　I　held　back　his　arm。　The　man　in　the　mask　stopped　before　a　low　door　and　drew　out　a　key；　but　before　he　placed　it　in　the　lock　he　turned　around　to　see　if　he　was　being　followed。　Grimaud　and　I　got　behind　a　tree；　and　the　Scotchman　having　nowhere　to　hide　himself；　threw　himself　on　his　face　in　the　road。　Next　moment　the　door　opened　and　the　man　disappeared。〃
　　〃The　scoundrel！〃　said　Aramis。　〃While　you　have　been　returning　hither　he　will　have　escaped　and　we　shall　never　find　him。〃
　　〃e；　now；　Aramis；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　must　be　taking　me　for　some　one　else。〃
　　〃Nevertheless；〃　said　Athos；　〃in　your　absence　　〃
　　〃Well；　in　my　absence　haven't　I　put　in　my　place　Grimaud　and　the　Scotchman？　Before　he　had　taken　ten　steps　beyond　the　door　I　had　examined　the　house　on　all　sides。　At　one　of　the　doors；　that　by　which　he　had　entered；　I　placed　our　Scotchman；　making　a　sign　to　him　to　follow　the　man　wherever　he　might　go；　if　he　came　out　again。　Then　going　around　the　house　I　placed　Grimaud　at　the　other　exit；　and　here　I　am。　Our　game　is　beaten　up。　Now　for　the　tally…ho。〃
　　Athos　threw　himself　into　D'Artagnan's　arms。
　　〃Friend；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　been　too　good　in　pardoning　me；　I　was　wrong；　a　hundred　times　wrong。　I　ought　to　have　known　you　better　by　this　time；　but　we　are　all　possessed　of　a　malignant　spirit；　which　bids　us　doubt。〃
　　〃Humph！〃　said　Porthos。　〃Don't　you　think　the　executioner　might　be　Master　Cromwell；　who；　to　make　sure　of　this　affair；　undertook　it　himself？〃
　　〃Ah！　just　so。　Cromwell　is　stout　and　short；　and　this　man　thin　and　lanky；　rather　tall　than　otherwise。〃
　　〃Some　condemned　soldier；　perhaps；〃　suggested　Athos；　〃whom　they　have　pardoned　at　the　price　of　regicide。〃
　　〃No；　no；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃it　was　not　the　measured　step　of　a　foot　soldier；　nor　was　it　the　gait　of　a　horseman。　If　I　am　not　mistaken　we　have　to　do　with　a　gentleman。〃
　　〃A　gentleman！〃　exclaimed　Athos。　〃Impossible！　It　would　be　a　dishonor　to　all　the　nobility。〃
　　〃Fine　sport；　by　Jove！〃　cried　Porthos；　with　a　laugh　that　shook　the　windows。　〃Fine　sport！〃
　　〃Are　you　still　bent　on　departure；　Athos？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
　　〃No；　I　remain；〃　replied　Athos；　with　a　threatening　gesture　that　promised　no　good　to　whomsoever　it　was　addressed。
　　〃Swords；　then！〃　cried　Aramis；　〃swords！　let　us　not　lose　a　moment。〃
　　The　four　friends　resumed　their　own　clothes；　girded　on　their　swords；　ordered　Musqueton　and　Blaisois　to　pay　the　bill　and　to　arrange　everything　for　immediate　departure；　and　wrapped　in　their　large　cloaks　left　in　search　of　their　game。
　　The　night　was　dark；　snow　was　falling；　the　streets　were　silent　and　deserted。　D'Artagnan　led　the　way　through　the　intricate　windings　and　narrow　alleys　of　the　city　and　ere　long　they　had　reached　the　house　in　question。　For　a　moment　D'Artagnan　thought　that　Parry's　brother　had　disappeared；　but　he　was　mistaken。　The　robust　Scotchman；　accustomed　to　the　snows　of　his　native　hills；　had　stretched　himself　against　a　post；　and　like　a　fallen　statue；　insensible　to　the　inclemency　of　the　weather；　had　allowed　the　snow　to　cover　him。　He　rose；　however；　as　they　approached。
　　〃e；〃　said　Athos；　〃here's　another　good　servant。　Really；　honest　men　are　not　so　scarce　as　I　thought。〃
　　〃Don't　be　in　a　hurry　to　weave　crowns　for　our　Scotchman。　I　believe　the　fellow　is　here　on　his　own　account；　for　I　have　heard　that　these　gentlemen　born　beyond　the　Tweed　are　very　vindictive。　I　should　not　like　to　be　Groslow；　if　he　meets　him。〃
　　〃Well？〃　said　Athos；　to　the　man；　in　English。
　　〃No　one　has　e　out；〃　he　replied。
　　〃Then；　Porthos　and　Aramis；　will　you　remain　with　this　man　while　we　go　around　to　Grimaud？〃
　　Grimaud　had　made　himself　a　kind　of　sentry　box　out　of　a　hollow　willow；　and　as　they　drew　near　he　put　his　head　out　and　gave　a　low　whistle。
　　〃Soho！〃　cried　Athos。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Grimaud。
　　〃Well；　has　anybody　e　out？〃
　　〃No；　but　somebody　has　gone　in。〃
　　〃A　man　or　a　woman？〃
　　〃A　man。〃
　　〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃there　are　two　of　them；　then！〃
　　〃I　wish　there　were　four；〃　said　Athos；　〃the　two　parties　would　then　be　equal。〃
　　〃Perhaps　there　are　four；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃Other　men　may　have　entered　before　them　and　waited　for　them。〃
　　〃We　can　find　out；〃　said　Grimaud。　At　the　same　time　he　pointed　to　a　window；　through　the　shutters　of　which　a　faint　light