wife back to the Louvre, he was
coming out as she was going in, and she showed him to me."

"The devil! The devil!" murmured d'Artagnan; "all this is vague enough.
From whom have you learned of the abduction of your wife?"

"From Monsieur Laporte."

"Did he give you any details?"

"He knew none himself."

"And you have learned nothing from any other quarter?"

"Yes, I have received--"

"What?"

"I fear I am committing a great imprudence."

"You always come back to that; but I must make you see this time that it
is too late to retreat."

"I do not retreat, MORDIEU!" cried the citizen, swearing in order to
rouse his courage. "Besides, by the faith of Bonacieux--"

"You call yourself Bonacieux?" interrupted d'Artagnan.

"Yes, that is my name."

"You said, then, by the word of Bonacieux. Pardon me for interrupting
you, but it appears to me that that name is familiar to me."

"Possibly, monsieur. I am your landlord."

"Ah, ah!" said d'Artagnan, half rising and bowing; "you are my
landlord?"

"Yes, monsieur, yes. And as it is three months since you have been here,
and though, distracted as you must be in your important occupations, you
have forgotten to pay me my rent--as, I say, I have not tormented you a
single instant, I thought you would appreciate my delicacy."

"How can it be otherwise, my dear Bonacieux?" replied d'Artagnan; "trust
me, I am fully grateful for such unparalleled conduct, and if, as I told
you, I can be of any service to you--"

"I believe you, monsieur, I believe you; and as I was about to say, by
the word of Bonacieux, I have confidence in you."

"Finish, then, what you were about to say."

The citizen took a paper from his pocket, and presented it to
d'Artagnan.

"A letter?" said the young man.

"Which I received this morning."

D'Artagnan opened it, and as the day was beginning to decline, he
approached the window to read it. The citizen followed him.

"'Do not seek your wife,'" read d'Artagnan; "'she will be restored to
you when there is no longer occasion for her. If you make a single step
to find her you are lost.'

"That's pretty positive," continued d'Artagnan; "but after all, it is
but a menace."

"Yes; but that menace terrifies me. I am not a fighting man at all,
monsieur, and I am afraid of the Bastille."

"Hum!" said d'Artagnan. "I have no greater regard for the Bastille than
you. If it were nothing but a sword thrust, why then--"

"I have counted upon yo