lost and we have nothing better to do
than to reach France. What do you say, Athos, to that proposition? Isn't
it reasonable?"

"Yes, dear friend," Athos replied, "but you said a word the other day
that was more than reasonable--it was noble and generous. You said, 'Let
us die here!' I recall to you that word."

"Oh," said Porthos, "death is nothing: it isn't death that can disquiet
us, since we don't know what it is. What troubles me is the idea of
defeat. As things are turning out, I foresee that we must give battle
to London, to the provinces, to all England, and certainly in the end we
can't fail to be beaten."

"We ought to witness this great tragedy even to its last scene," said
Athos. "Whatever happens, let us not leave England before the crisis.
Don't you agree with me, Aramis?"

"Entirely, my dear count. Then, too, I confess I should not be sorry to
come across Mordaunt again. It appears to me that we have an account to
settle with him, and that it is not our custom to leave a place without
paying our debts, of this kind, at least."

"Ah! that's another thing," said D'Artagnan, "and I should not mind
waiting in London a whole year for a chance of meeting this Mordaunt in
question. Only let us lodge with some one on whom we can count; for I
imagine, just now, that Noll Cromwell would not be inclined to trifle
with us. Athos, do you know any inn in the whole town where one can find
white sheets, roast beef reasonably cooked, and wine which is not made
of hops and gin?"

"I think I know what you want," replied Athos. "De Winter took us to
the house of a Spaniard, who, he said, had become naturalized as an
Englishman by the guineas of his new compatriots. What do you say to it,
Aramis?"

"Why, the idea of taking quarters with Senor Perez seems to me
very reasonable, and for my part I agree to it. We will invoke the
remembrance of that poor De Winter, for whom he seemed to have a great
regard; we will tell him that we have come as amateurs to see what is
going on; we will spend with him a guinea each per day; and I think that
by taking all these precautions we can be quite undisturbed."

"You forget, Aramis, one precaution of considerable importance."

"What is that?"

"The precaution of changing our clothes."

"Changing our clothes!" exclaimed Porthos. "I don't see why; we are very
comfortable in those we wear."

"To prevent recognition," said D'Artagnan. "Our clothes have a cut which
would proclai