first flight, where they are dressing his
wounds."

"His things and his bag are with him? Has he taken off his doublet?"

"On the contrary, everything is in the kitchen. But if he annoys you,
this young fool--"

"To be sure he does. He causes a disturbance in your hostelry, which
respectable people cannot put up with. Go; make out my bill and notify
my servant."

"What, monsieur, will you leave us so soon?"

"You know that very well, as I gave my order to saddle my horse. Have
they not obeyed me?"

"It is done; as your Excellency may have observed, your horse is in the
great gateway, ready saddled for your departure."

"That is well; do as I have directed you, then."

"What the devil!" said the host to himself. "Can he be afraid of this
boy?" But an imperious glance from the stranger stopped him short; he
bowed humbly and retired.

"It is not necessary for Milady* to be seen by this fellow," continued
the stranger. "She will soon pass; she is already late. I had better get
on horseback, and go and meet her. I should like, however, to know what
this letter addressed to Treville contains."

*We are well aware that this term, milady, is only properly used when
followed by a family name. But we find it thus in the manuscript, and we
do not choose to take upon ourselves to alter it.

And the stranger, muttering to himself, directed his steps toward the
kitchen.

In the meantime, the host, who entertained no doubt that it was the
presence of the young man that drove the stranger from his hostelry,
re-ascended to his wife's chamber, and found d'Artagnan just recovering
his senses. Giving him to understand that the police would deal with him
pretty severely for having sought a quarrel with a great lord--for the
opinion of the host the stranger could be nothing less than a great
lord--he insisted that notwithstanding his weakness d'Artagnan should
get up and depart as quickly as possible. D'Artagnan, half stupefied,
without his doublet, and with his head bound up in a linen cloth,
arose then, and urged by the host, began to descend the stairs; but
on arriving at the kitchen, the first thing he saw was his antagonist
talking calmly at the step of a heavy carriage, drawn by two large
Norman horses.

His interlocutor, whose head appeared through the carriage window, was
a woman of from twenty to two-and-twenty years. We have already observed
with what rapidity d'Artagnan seized the expression of a countenance.
He