able opportunity
to repair his intrusion. He stooped, and with the most gracious air he
could assume, drew the handkerchief from under the foot of the Musketeer
in spite of the efforts the latter made to detain it, and holding it
out to him, said, "I believe, monsieur, that this is a handkerchief you
would be sorry to lose?"

The handkerchief was indeed richly embroidered, and had a coronet and
arms at one of its corners. Aramis blushed excessively, and snatched
rather than took the handkerchief from the hand of the Gascon.

"Ah, ah!" cried one of the Guards, "will you persist in saying,
most discreet Aramis, that you are not on good terms with Madame de
Bois-Tracy, when that gracious lady has the kindness to lend you one of
her handkerchiefs?"

Aramis darted at d'Artagnan one of those looks which inform a man that
he has acquired a mortal enemy. Then, resuming his mild air, "You are
deceived, gentlemen," said he, "this handkerchief is not mine, and I
cannot fancy why Monsieur has taken it into his head to offer it to me
rather than to one of you; and as a proof of what I say, here is mine in
my pocket."

So saying, he pulled out his own handkerchief, likewise a very elegant
handkerchief, and of fine cambric--though cambric was dear at the
period--but a handkerchief without embroidery and without arms, only
ornamented with a single cipher, that of its proprietor.

This time d'Artagnan was not hasty. He perceived his mistake; but the
friends of Aramis were not at all convinced by his denial, and one of
them addressed the young Musketeer with affected seriousness. "If
it were as you pretend it is," said he, "I should be forced, my dear
Aramis, to reclaim it myself; for, as you very well know, Bois-Tracy is
an intimate friend of mine, and I cannot allow the property of his wife
to be sported as a trophy."

"You make the demand badly," replied Aramis; "and while acknowledging
the justice of your reclamation, I refuse it on account of the form."

"The fact is," hazarded d'Artagnan, timidly, "I did not see the
handkerchief fall from the pocket of Monsieur Aramis. He had his foot
upon it, that is all; and I thought from having his foot upon it the
handkerchief was his."

"And you were deceived, my dear sir," replied Aramis, coldly, very
little sensible to the reparation. Then turning toward that one of the
guards who had declared himself the friend of Bois-Tracy, "Besides,"
continued he, "I have reflected, my dear in