ophets my servants, whom I have
sent unto you.'"

The four friends exchanged glances. The words that Parry had read
assured them that their presence was understood by the king and was
assigned to its real motive. D'Artagnan's eyes sparkled with joy.

"You asked me just now if I was in funds," said D'Artagnan, placing some
twenty pistoles upon the table. "Well, in my turn I advise you to keep a
sharp lookout on your treasure, my dear Monsieur Groslow, for I can tell
you we shall not leave this without robbing you of it."

"Not without my defending it," said Groslow.

"So much the better," said D'Artagnan. "Fight, my dear captain, fight.
You know or you don't know, that that is what we ask of you."

"Oh! yes," said Groslow, bursting with his usual coarse laugh, "I know
you Frenchmen want nothing but cuts and bruises."

Charles had heard and understood it all. A slight color mounted to his
cheeks. The soldiers then saw him stretch his limbs, little by little,
and under the pretense of much heat throw off the Scotch plaid which
covered him.

Athos and Aramis started with delight to find that the king was lying
with his clothes on.

The game began. The luck had turned, and Groslow, having won some
hundred pistoles, was in the merriest possible humor.

Porthos, who had lost the fifty pistoles he had won the night before
and thirty more besides, was very cross and questioned D'Artagnan with a
nudge of the knee as to whether it would not soon be time to change
the game. Athos and Aramis looked at him inquiringly. But D'Artagnan
remained impassible.

It struck ten. They heard the guard going its rounds.

"How many rounds do they make a night?" asked D'Artagnan, drawing more
pistoles from his pocket.

"Five," answered Groslow, "one every two hours."

D'Artagnan glanced at Athos and Aramis and for the first time replied
to Porthos's nudge of the knee by a nudge responsive. Meanwhile, the
soldiers whose duty it was to remain in the king's room, attracted by
that love of play so powerful in all men, had stolen little by little
toward the table, and standing on tiptoe, lounged, watching the game,
over the shoulders of D'Artagnan and Porthos. Those on the other side
had followed their example, thus favoring the views of the four friends,
who preferred having them close at hand to chasing them about
the chamber. The two sentinels at the door still had their swords
unsheathed, but they were leaning on them while they wat