he started when he
saw his two friends, and his emotion was very apparent. Athos and
D'Artagnan, however, complimented him as usual, and Baisemeaux, amazed,
completely stupefied by the presence of his three guests, began to
perform a few evolutions around them. "By what lucky accident--"

"We were just going to ask you," retorted D'Artagnan.

"Are we going to give ourselves up as prisoners?" cried Aramis, with an
affectation of hilarity.

"Ah! ah!" said D'Artagnan; "it is true the walls smell deucedly like a
prison. Monsieur de Baisemeaux, you know you invited me to sup with you
the other day."

"I?" cried Baisemeaux.

"Yes, of course you did, although you now seem so struck with amazement.
Don't you remember it?"

Baisemeaux turned pale and then red, looked at Aramis, who looked at
him, and finished by stammering out, "Certainly--I am delighted--but
upon my honor--I have not the slightest--Ah! I have such a wretched
memory."

"Well! I am wrong, I see," said D'Artagnan, as if he were offended.

"Wrong, what for?"

"Wrong to remember anything about it, it seems."

Baisemeaux hurried toward him. "Do not stand on ceremony, my dear
captain," he said; "I have the worst memory in the world. I no sooner
leave off thinking of my pigeons and their pigeon-house, than I am no
better than the rawest recruit."

"At all events, you remember it now," said D'Artagnan, boldly.

"Yes, yes," replied the governor, hesitating; "I think I remember."

"It was when you came to the palace to see me; you told me some story or
other about your accounts with M. de Louviere and M. de Tremblay."

"Oh, yes! perfectly."

"And about M. d'Herblay's kindness toward you."

"Ah!" exclaimed Aramis, looking the unhappy governor full in the face,
"and yet you just now said you had no memory, Monsieur de Baisemeaux."

Baisemeaux interrupted the musketeer in the midst of his revelations.
"Yes, yes; you're quite right; how could I have forgotten; I remember it
now as well as possible; I beg you a thousand pardons. But now, once for
all, my dear M. d'Artagnan, be sure that at this present time, as at any
other, whether invited or not, you are perfectly at home here, you and
M. d'Herblay, your friend," he said, turning toward Aramis; "and this
gentleman, too," he added, bowing to Athos.

"Well, I thought it would be sure to turn out so," replied D'Artagnan,
"and that is the reason I came. Having nothing to do this evening at the
Palais Royal