shudder, my friend, you seem to me quite angry. What the
devil _have_ you begun which is not finished?"

"Listen; Raoul has not fought, but _I_ must fight."

"With whom?--with the king?"

"How!" exclaimed Porthos, astounded, "with the king?"

"Yes, I say, you great baby, with the king!"

"I assure you it is with M. Saint-Aignan."

"Look now, this is what I mean: you draw your sword against the king in
fighting with this gentleman."

"Ah!" said Porthos, staring; "are you sure of it?"

"Indeed I am."

"What in the world are we to do, then?"

"We must try and make a good supper, Porthos. The captain of the
musketeers keeps a tolerable table. There you will see the handsome
Saint-Aignan, and will drink his health."

"I!" cried Porthos, horrified.

"What!" said D'Artagnan, "you refuse to drink the king's health?"

"But, body alive! I am not talking to you about the king at all; I am
speaking of M. de Saint-Aignan."

"But since I repeat that it is the same thing."

"Ah, well, well!" said Porthos, overcome.

"You understand, don't you?"

"No," answered Porthos, "but 'tis all the same."

CHAPTER LXXIV.

M. DE BAISEMEAUX'S "SOCIETY."

The reader has not forgotten that, on quitting the Bastille, D'Artagnan
and the Comte de la Fere had left Aramis in close confabulation with
Baisemeaux. When once these two guests had departed, Baisemeaux did not
in the least perceive that the conversation suffered by their absence.
He used to think that wine after supper, and that of the Bastille in
particular, was excellent; and that it was a stimulant quite sufficient
to make an honest man talk. But he little knew His Greatness, who was
never more impenetrable than at dessert. His Greatness, however,
perfectly understood M. de Baisemeaux, when he reckoned on making the
governor discourse on the means which the latter regarded as
efficacious. The conversation, therefore, without flagging in
appearance, flagged in reality; for Baisemeaux not only had it nearly
all to himself, but further, kept speaking only of that singular
event--the incarceration of Athos--followed by so prompt an order to set
him again at liberty. Nor, moreover, had Baisemeaux failed to observe
that the two orders of arrest and of liberation were both in the king's
hand. But, then, the king would not take the trouble to write similar
orders except under pressing circumstances. All this was very
interesting, and, above all, very puzzling to Bais