with all his household and a
reinforcement of ten thousand troops. His Musketeers proceeded and
followed him. D'Artagnan, placed in line with his company, saluted with
an expressive gesture his three friends, whose eyes soon discovered him,
and M. de Treville, who detected him at once.

The ceremony of reception over, the four friends were soon in one
another's arms.

"Pardieu!" cried d'Artagnan, "you could not have arrived in better time;
the dinner cannot have had time to get cold! Can it, gentlemen?" added
the young man, turning to the two Guards, whom he introduced to his
friends.

"Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears we are feasting!"

"I hope," said Aramis, "there are no women at your dinner."

"Is there any drinkable wine in your tavern?" asked Athos.

"Well, pardieu! there is yours, my dear friend," replied d'Artagnan.

"Our wine!" said Athos, astonished.

"Yes, that you sent me."

"We sent you wine?"

"You know very well--the wine from the hills of Anjou."

"Yes, I know what brand you are talking about."

"The wine you prefer."

"Well, in the absence of champagne and chambertin, you must content
yourselves with that."

"And so, connoisseurs in wine as we are, we have sent you some Anjou
wine?" said Porthos.

"Not exactly, it is the wine that was sent by your order."

"On our account?" said the three Musketeers.

"Did you send this wine, Aramis?" said Athos.

"No; and you, Porthos?"

"No; and you, Athos?"

"No!"

"If it was not you, it was your purveyor," said d'Artagnan.

"Our purveyor!"

"Yes, your purveyor, Godeau--the purveyor of the Musketeers."

"My faith! never mind where it comes from," said Porthos, "let us taste
it, and if it is good, let us drink it."

"No," said Athos; "don't let us drink wine which comes from an unknown
source."

"You are right, Athos," said d'Artagnan. "Did none of you charge your
purveyor, Godeau, to send me some wine?"

"No! And yet you say he has sent you some as from us?"

"Here is his letter," said d'Artagnan, and he presented the note to his
comrades.

"This is not his writing!" said Athos. "I am acquainted with it; before
we left Villeroy I settled the accounts of the regiment."

"A false letter altogether," said Porthos, "we have not been
disciplined."

"d'Artagnan," said Aramis, in a reproachful tone, "how could you believe
that we had made a disturbance?"

D'Artagnan grew pale, and a convulsive trembling shook all his limbs.

"