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　　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　inquired　Aramis；　〃are　we　going　to　fight；　perchance？　I　carry　no　sword　this　morning　and　cannot　return　home　to　procure　one。〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Lord　de　Winter；　〃we　are　going　to　pay　a　visit　to　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　England。〃
　　〃Oh；　very　well；〃　replied　Aramis；　then　bending　his　face　down　to　Athos's　ear；　〃what　is　the　object　of　this　visit？〃　continued　he。
　　〃Nay；　I　know　not；　some　evidence　required　from　us；　perhaps。〃
　　〃May　it　not　be　about　that　cursed　affair？〃　asked　Aramis；　〃in　which　case　I　do　not　greatly　care　to　go；　for　it　will　be　to　pocket　a　lecture；　and　since　it　is　my　function　to　give　them　to　others　I　am　rather　averse　to　receiving　them　myself。〃
　　〃If　it　were　so；〃　answered　Athos；　〃we　should　not　be　taken　there　by　Lord　de　Winter；　for　he　would　e　in　for　his　share；　he　was　one　of　us。〃
　　〃You're　right；　yes；　let　us　go。〃
　　On　arriving　at　the　Louvre　Lord　de　Winter　entered　first；　indeed；　there　was　but　one　porter　there　to　receive　them　at　the　gate。
　　It　was　impossible　in　daylight　for　the　impoverished　state　of　the　habitation　grudging　charity　had　conceded　to　an　unfortunate　queen　to　pass　unnoticed　by　Athos；　Aramis；　and　even　the　Englishman。　Large　rooms；　pletely　stripped　of　furniture；　bare　walls　upon　which；　here　and　there；　shone　the　old　gold　moldings　which　had　resisted　time　and　neglect；　windows　with　broken　panes　（impossible　to　close）；　no　carpets；　neither　guards　nor　servants：　this　is　what　first　met　the　eyes　of　Athos；　to　which　he；　touching　his　panion's　elbow；　directed　his　attention　by　his　glances。
　　〃Mazarin　is　better　lodged；〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃Mazarin　is　almost　king；〃　answered　Athos；　〃Madame　Henrietta　is　almost　no　longer　queen。〃
　　〃If　you　would　condescend　to　be　clever；　Athos；〃　observed　Aramis；　〃I　really　do　think　you　would　be　wittier　than　poor　Monsieur　de　Voiture。〃
　　Athos　smiled。
　　The　queen　appeared　to　be　impatiently　expecting　them；　for　at　the　first　slight　noise　she　heard　in　the　hall　leading　to　her　room　she　came　herself　to　the　door　to　receive　these　courtiers　in　the　corridors　of　Misfortune。
　　〃Enter。　You　are　wele；　gentlemen；〃　she　said。
　　The　gentlemen　entered　and　remained　standing；　but　at　a　motion　from　the　queen　they　seated　themselves。　Athos　was　calm　and　grave；　but　Aramis　was　furious；　the　sight　of　such　royal　misery　exasperated　him　and　his　eyes　examined　every　new　trace　of　poverty　that　presented　itself。
　　〃You　are　examining　the　luxury　I　enjoy；〃　said　the　queen；　glancing　sadly　around　her。
　　〃Madame；〃　replied　Aramis；　〃I　must　ask　your　pardon；　but　I　know　not　how　to　hide　my　indignation　at　seeing　how　a　daughter　of　Henry　IV。　is　treated　at　the　court　of　France。〃
　　〃Monsieur　Aramis　is　not　an　officer？〃　asked　the　queen　of　Lord　de　Winter。
　　〃That　gentleman　is　the　Abbe　d'Herblay；〃　replied　he。
　　Aramis　blushed。　〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　an　abbe；　it　is　true；　but　I　am　so　against　my　will。　I　never　had　a　vocation　for　the　bands；　my　cassock　is　fastened　by　one　button　only；　and　I　am　always　ready　to　bee　a　musketeer　once　more。　This　morning；　being　ignorant　that　I　should　have　the　honor　of　seeing　your　majesty；　I　encumbered　myself　with　this　dress；　but　you　will　find　me　none　the　less　a　man　devoted　to　your　majesty's　service；　in　whatever　way　you　may　see　fit　to　use　me。〃
　　〃The　Abbe　d'Herblay；〃　resumed　De　Winter；　〃is　one　of　those　gallant　musketeers　formerly　belonging　to　His　Majesty　King　Louis　XIII。；　of　whom　I　have　spoken　to　you；　madame。〃　Then　turning　to　Athos；　he　continued；　〃And　this　gentleman　is　that　noble　te　de　la　Fere；　whose　high　reputation　is　so　well　known　to　your　majesty。〃
　　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　queen；　〃a　few　years　ago　I　had　around　me　ushers；　treasures；　armies；　and　by　the　lifting　of　a　finger　all　these　were　busied　in　my　service。　To…day；　look　around　you；　and　it　may　astonish　you；　that　in　order　to　acplish　a　plan　which　is　dearer　to　me　than　life　I　have　only　Lord　de　Winter；　the　friend　of　twenty　years；　and　you；　gentlemen；　whom　I　see　for　the　first　time　and　whom　I　know　but　as　my　countrymen。〃
　　〃It　is　enough；〃　said　Athos；　bowing　low；　〃if　the　lives　of　three　men　can　purchase　yours；　madame。〃
　　〃I　thank　you；　gentlemen。　But　hear　me；〃　continued　she。　〃I　am　not　only　the　most　miserable　of　queens；　but　the　most　unhappy　of　mothers；　the　most　wretched　of　wives。　My　children；　two　of　them；　at　least；　the　Duke　of　York　and　the　Princess　Elizabeth；　are　far　away　from　me；　exposed　to　the　blows　of　the　ambitious　and　our　foes；　my　husband；　the　king；　is　leading　in　England　so　wretched　an　existence　that　it　is　no　exaggeration　to　aver　that　he　seeks　death　as　a　thing　to　be　desired。　Hold！　gentlemen；　here　is　the　letter　conveyed　to　me　by　Lord　de　Winter。　Read　it。〃
　　Obeying　the　queen；　Athos　read　aloud　the　letter　which　we　have　already　seen；　in　which　King　Charles　demanded　to　know　whether　the　hospitality　of　France　would　be　accorded　him。
　　〃Well？〃　asked　Athos；　when　he　had　closed　the　letter。
　　〃Well；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　has　been　refused。〃
　　The　two　friends　exchanged　a　smile　of　contempt。
　　〃And　now；〃　said　Athos；　〃what　is　to　be　done？　I　have　the　honor　to　inquire　from　your　majesty　what　you　desire　Monsieur　d'Herblay　and　myself　to　do　in　your　service。　We　are　ready。〃
　　〃Ah；　sir；　you　have　a　noble　heart！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　with　a　burst　of　gratitude；　whilst　Lord　de　Winter　turned　to　her　with　a　glance　which　said；　〃Did　I　not　answer　for　them？〃
　　〃But　you；　sir？〃　said　the　queen　to　Aramis。
　　〃I；　madame；〃　replied　he；　〃follow　Monsieur　de　la　Fere　wherever　he　leads；　even　were　it　on　to　death；　without　demanding　wherefore；　but　when　it　concerns　your　majesty's　service；　then；〃　added　he；　looking　at　the　queen　with　all　the　grace　of　former　days；　〃I　precede　the　count。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　queen；　〃since　it　is　thus；　and　since　you　are　willing　to　devote　yourselves　to　the　service　of　a　poor　princess　whom　the　whole　world　has　abandoned；　this　is　what　is　required　to　be　done　for　me。　The　king　is　alone　with　a　few　gentlemen；　whom　he　fears　to　lose　every　day；　surrounded　by　the　Scotch；　whom　he　distrusts；　although　he　be　himself　a　Scotchman。　Since　Lord　de　Winter　left　him　I　am　distracted；　sirs。　I　ask　much；　too　much；　perhaps；　for　I　have　no　title　to　request　it。　Go　to　England；　join　the　king；　be　his　friends；　protectors；　march　to　battle　at　his　side；　and　be　near　him　in　his　house；　where　conspiracies；　more　dangerous　than　the　perils　of　war；　are　hatching　every　day。　And　in　exchange　for　the　sacrifice　that　you　make；　gentlemen；　I　promise　　not　to　reward　you；　I　believe　that　word　would　offend　you　　but　to　love　you　as　a　sister；　to　prefer　you；　next　to　my　husband　and　my　children；　to　every　one。　I　swear　it　before　Heaven。〃
　　And　the　queen　raised　her　eyes　solemnly　upward。
　　〃Madame；〃　said　Athos；　〃when　must　we　set　out？〃
　　〃You　consent　then？〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　joyfully。
　　〃Yes；　madame；　only　it　seems　to　me　that　your　majesty　goes　too　far　in　engaging　to　load　us　with　a　friendship　so　far　above　our　merit。　We　render　service　to　God；　madame　in　serving　a　prince　so　unfortunate；　a　queen　so　virtuous。　Madame；　we　are　yours；　body　and　soul。〃
　　〃Oh；　sirs；〃　said　the　queen；　moved　even　to　tears；　〃this　is　the　first　time　for　five　years　I　have　felt　the　least　approach　to　joy　or　hope。　God；　who　can　read　my　heart；　all　the　gratitude　I　feel；　will　reward　you！　Save　my　husband！　Save　the　king；　and　although　you　care　not　for　the　price　that　is　placed　upon　a　good　action　in　this　world；　leave　me　the　hope　that　we　shall　meet　again；　when　I　may　be　able　to　thank　you　myself。　In　the　meantime；　I　remain　here。　Have　you　anything　to　ask　of　me？　From　this　moment　I　bee　your　friend；　and　since　you　are　engaged　in　my　affairs　I　ought　to　occupy　myself　in　yours。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　replied　Athos；　〃I　have　only　to　ask　your　majesty's　prayers。〃
　　〃And　I；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　am　alone　in　the　world　and　have　only　your　majesty　to　serve。〃
　　The　queen　held　out　her　hand；　which　they　kissed；　and　she　said　in　a　low　tone　to　De　Winter：
　　〃If　you　need　money；　my　lord；　separate　the　jewels　I　have　given　you；　detach　the　diamonds　and　sell　them　to　some　Jew。　You　will　receive　for　them　fifty　or　sixty　thousand　francs；　spend　them　if　necessary；　but　let　these　gentlemen　be　treated　as　they　deserve；　that　is　to　say；　like　kings。〃
　　The　queen　had　two　letters　ready；　one　written　by　herself；　the　other　by　her　daughter；　the　Princess　Henrietta。　Both　were　addressed　to　King