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　　〃Consider；〃　said　Aramis；　〃if　you　admit　divine　justice　and　its　participation　in　the　things　of　this　world；　that　woman　was　punished　by　the　will　of　heaven。　We　were　but　the　instruments；　that　is　all。〃
　　〃But　as　to　free　will；　Aramis？〃
　　〃How　acts　the　judge？　He　has　a　free　will；　yet　he　fearlessly　condemns。　What　does　the　executioner？　He　is　master　of　his　arm；　yet　he　strikes　without　remorse。〃
　　〃The　executioner！〃　muttered　Athos；　as　if　arrested　by　some　recollection。
　　〃I　know　that　it　is　terrible；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　when　I　reflect　that　we　have　killed　English；　Rochellais；　Spaniards；　nay；　even　French；　who　never　did　us　any　other　harm　but　to　aim　at　and　to　miss　us；　whose　only　fault　was　to　cross　swords　with　us　and　to　be　unable　to　ward　off　our　blows　　I　can；　on　my　honor；　find　an　excuse　for　my　share　in　the　murder　of　that　woman。〃
　　〃As　for　me；〃　said　Porthos；　〃now　that　you　have　reminded　me　of　it；　Athos；　I　have　the　scene　again　before　me；　as　if　I　now　were　there。　Milady　was　there；　as　it　were；　where　you　sit。〃
　　（Athos　changed　color。）　〃I　　I　was　where　D'Artagnan　stands。　I　wore　a　long　sword　which　cut　like　a　Damascus　　you　remember　it；　Aramis　for　you　always　called　it　Balizarde。　Well；　I　swear　to　you；　all　three；　that　had　the　executioner　of　Bethune　　was　he　not　of　Bethune？　　yes；　egad！　of　Bethune！　　not　been　there；　I　would　have　cut　off　the　head　of　that　infamous　being　without　thinking　of　it；　or　even　after　thinking　of　it。　She　was　a　most　atrocious　woman。〃
　　〃And　then；〃　said　Aramis；　with　the　tone　of　philosophical　indifference　which　he　had　assumed　since　he　had　belonged　to　the　church　and　in　which　there　was　more　atheism　than　confidence　in　God；　〃what　is　the　use　of　thinking　of　it　all？　At　the　last　hour　we　must　confess　this　action　and　God　knows　better　than　we　can　whether　it　is　a　crime；　a　fault；　or　a　meritorious　deed。　I　repent　of　it？　Egad！　no。　Upon　my　honor　and　by　the　holy　cross；　I　only　regret　it　because　she　was　a　woman。〃
　　〃The　most　satisfactory　part　of　the　matter；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃is　that　there　remains　no　trace　of　it。〃
　　〃She　had　a　son；〃　observed　Athos。
　　〃Oh！　yes；　I　know　that；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　you　mentioned　it　to　me；　but　who　knows　what　has　bee　of　him？　If　the　serpent　be　dead；　why　not　its　brood？　Do　you　think　his　uncle　De　Winter　would　have　brought　up　that　young　viper？　De　Winter　probably　condemned　the　son　as　he　had　done　the　mother。〃
　　〃Then；〃　said　Athos；　〃woe　to　De　Winter；　for　the　child　had　done　no　harm。〃
　　〃May　the　devil　take　me；　if　the　child　be　not　dead；〃　said　Porthos。　〃There　is　so　much　fog　in　that　detestable　country；　at　least　so　D'Artagnan　declares。〃
　　Just　as　the　quaint　conclusion　reached　by　Porthos　was　about　to　bring　back　hilarity　to　faces　now　more　or　less　clouded；　hasty　footsteps　were　heard　upon　the　stair　and　some　one　knocked　at　the　door。
　　〃e　in；〃　cried　Athos。
　　〃Please　your　honors；〃　said　the　host；　〃a　person　in　a　great　hurry　wishes　to　speak　to　one　of　you。〃
　　〃To　which　of　us？〃　asked　all　the　four　friends。
　　〃To　him　who　is　called　the　te　de　la　Fere。〃
　　〃It　is　I；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　what　is　the　name　of　the　person？〃
　　〃Grimaud。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　turning　pale。　〃Back　already！　What　can　have　happened；　then；　to　Bragelonne？〃
　　〃Let　him　enter；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃let　him　e　up。〃
　　But　Grimaud　had　already　mounted　the　staircase　and　was　waiting　on　the　last　step；　so　springing　into　the　room　he　motioned　the　host　to　leave　it。　The　door　being　closed；　the　four　friends　waited　in　expectation。　Grimaud's　agitation；　his　pallor；　the　sweat　which　covered　his　face；　the　dust　which　soiled　his　clothes；　all　indicated　that　he　was　the　messenger　of　some　important　and　terrible　news。
　　〃Your　honors；〃　said　he；　〃that　woman　had　a　child；　that　child　has　bee　a　man；　the　tigress　had　a　little　one；　the　tiger　has　roused　himself；　he　is　ready　to　spring　upon　you　　beware！〃
　　Athos　glanced　around　at　his　friends　with　a　melancholy　smile。　Porthos　turned　to　look　at　his　sword；　which　was　hanging　on　the　wall；　Aramis　seized　his　knife；　D'Artagnan　arose。
　　〃What　do　you　mean；　Grimaud？〃　he　exclaimed。
　　〃That　Milady's　son　has　left　England；　that　he　is　in　France；　on　his　road　to　Paris；　if　he　be　not　here　already。〃
　　〃The　devil　he　is！〃　said　Porthos。　〃Are　you　sure　of　it？〃
　　〃Certain；〃　replied　Grimaud。
　　This　announcement　was　received　in　silence。　Grimaud　was　so　breathless；　so　exhausted；　that　he　had　fallen　back　upon　a　chair。　Athos　filled　a　beaker　with　champagne　and　gave　it　to　him。
　　〃Well；　after　all；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃supposing　that　he　lives；　that　he　es　to　Paris；　we　have　seen　many　other　such。　Let　him　e。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　echoed　Porthos；　glancing　affectionately　at　his　sword；　still　hanging　on　the　wall；　〃we　can　wait　for　him；　let　him　e。〃
　　〃Moreover；　he　is　but　a　child；〃　said　Aramis。
　　Grimaud　rose。
　　〃A　child！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Do　you　know　what　he　has　done；　this　child？　Disguised　as　a　monk　he　discovered　the　whole　history　in　confession　from　the　executioner　of　Bethune；　and　having　confessed　him；　after　having　learned　everything　from　him；　he　gave　him　absolution　by　planting　this　dagger　into　his　heart。　See；　it　is　on　fire　yet　with　his　hot　blood；　for　it　is　not　thirty　hours　since　it　was　drawn　from　the　wound。〃
　　And　Grimaud　threw　the　dagger　on　the　table。
　　D'Artagnan；　Porthos　and　Aramis　rose　and　in　one　spontaneous　motion　rushed　to　their　swords。　Athos　alone　remained　seated；　calm　and　thoughtful。
　　〃And　you　say　he　is　dressed　as　a　monk；　Grimaud？〃
　　〃Yes；　as　an　Augustine　monk。〃
　　〃What　sized　man　is　he？〃
　　〃About　my　height；　thin；　pale；　with　light　blue　eyes　and　tawny　flaxen　hair。〃
　　〃And　he　did　not　see　Raoul？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃Yes；　on　the　contrary；　they　met；　and　it　was　the　viscount　himself　who　conducted　him　to　the　bed　of　the　dying　man。〃
　　Athos；　in　his　turn；　rising　without　speaking；　went　and　unhooked　his　sword。
　　〃Heigh；　sir；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　trying　to　laugh；　〃do　you　know　we　look　very　much　like　a　flock　of　silly；　mouse…evading　women！　How　is　it　that　we；　four　men　who　have　faced　armies　without　blinking；　begin　to　tremble　at　the　mention　of　a　child？〃
　　〃It　is　true；〃　said　Athos；　〃but　this　child　es　in　the　name　of　Heaven。〃
　　And　very　soon　they　left　the　inn。
　　A　Letter　from　Charles　the　First
　　The　reader　must　now　cross　the　Seine　with　us　and　follow　us　to　the　door　of　the　Carmelite　Convent　in　the　Rue　Saint　Jacques。　It　is　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　the　pious　sisters　have　just　finished　saying　mass　for　the　success　of　the　armies　of　King　Charles　I。　Leaving　the　church；　a　woman　and　a　young　girl　dressed　in　black；　the　one　as　a　widow　and　the　other　as　an　orphan；　have　re…entered　their　cell。
　　The　woman　kneels　on　a　prie…dieu　of　painted　wood　and　at　a　short　distance　from　her　stands　the　young　girl；　leaning　against　a　chair；　weeping。
　　The　woman　must　have　once　been　handsome；　but　traces　of　sorrow　have　aged　her。　The　young　girl　is　lovely　and　her　tears　only　embellish　her；　the　lady　appears　to　be　about　forty　years　of　age；　the　girl　about　fourteen。
　　〃Oh；　God！〃　prayed　the　kneeling　suppliant；　〃protect　my　husband；　guard　my　son；　and　take　my　wretched　life　instead！〃
　　〃Oh；　God！〃　murmured　the　girl；　〃leave　me　my　mother！〃
　　〃Your　mother　can　be　of　no　use　to　you　in　this　world；　Henrietta；〃　said　the　lady；　turning　around。　〃Your　mother　has　no　longer　either　throne　or　husband；　she　has　neither　son；　money　nor　friends；　the　whole　world；　my　poor　child；　has　abandoned　your　mother！〃　And　she　fell　back；　weeping；　into　her　daughter's　arms。
　　〃Courage；　take　courage；　my　dear　mother！〃　said　the　girl。
　　〃Ah！　'tis　an　unfortunate　year　for　kings；〃　said　the　mother。　〃And　no　one　thinks　of　us　in　this　country；　for　each　must　think　about　his　own　affairs。　As　long　as　your　brother　was　with　me　he　kept　me　up；　but　he　is　gone　and　can　no　longer　send　us　news　of　himself；　either　to　me　or　to　your　father。　I　have　pledged　my　last　jewels；　sold　your　clothes　and　my　own　to　pay　his　servants；　who　refused　to　acpany　him　unless　I　made　this　sacrifice。　We　are　now　reduced　to　live　at　the　expense　of　these　daughters　of　Heaven；　we　are　the　poor；　succored　by　God。〃
　　〃But　why　not　address　yourself　to　your　sister；　the　queen？〃　asked　the　girl。
　　〃Alas！　the　queen；　my　sister；　is　no　longer　queen；　my　child。　Another　reigns　in　her　name。　One　day　you　will　be　able　to　understand　how　all　this　is。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　to　the