handsome," said Porthos; "and look, too, though
he is a prisoner, how carefully he is dressed. The feather in his hat is
worth at least five-and-twenty pistoles. Look at it, Aramis."

The roll call finished, the president ordered them to read the act of
accusation. Athos turned pale. A second time he was disappointed in his
expectation. Notwithstanding the judges were so few the trial was to
continue; the king then, was condemned in advance.

"I told you so, Athos," said D'Artagnan, shrugging his shoulders. "Now
take your courage in both hands and hear what this gentleman in black is
going to say about his sovereign, with full license and privilege."

Never till then had a more brutal accusation or meaner insults tarnished
kingly majesty.

Charles listened with marked attention, passing over the insults, noting
the grievances, and, when hatred overflowed all bounds and the accuser
turned executioner beforehand, replying with a smile of lofty scorn.

"The fact is," said D'Artagnan, "if men are punished for imprudence and
triviality, this poor king deserves punishment. But it seems to me that
that which he is just now undergoing is hard enough."

"In any case," Aramis replied, "the punishment should fall not on the
king, but on his ministers; for the first article of the constitution
is, 'The king can do no wrong.'"

"As for me," thought Porthos, giving Mordaunt his whole attention, "were
it not for breaking in on the majesty of the situation I would leap down
from the bench, reach Mordaunt in three bounds and strangle him; I
would then take him by the feet and knock the life out of these wretched
musketeers who parody the musketeers of France. Meantime, D'Artagnan,
who is full of invention, would find some way to save the king. I must
speak to him about it."

As to Athos, his face aflame, his fists clinched, his lips bitten till
they bled, he sat there foaming with rage at that endless parliamentary
insult and that long enduring royal patience; the inflexible arm and
steadfast heart had given place to a trembling hand and a body shaken by
excitement.

At this moment the accuser concluded with these words: "The present
accusation is preferred by us in the name of the English people."

At these words there was a murmur along the benches, and a second voice,
not that of a woman, but a man's, stout and furious, thundered behind
D'Artagnan.

"You lie!" it cried. "Nine-tenths of the English people are horrified at