tell me, sir," he said to the
sergeant, "do you know those three gentlemen who are just gone out?"

"Only by their passports; they are three Frondists, who are gone to
rejoin the Duc de Longueville."

"'Tis strange," said Aramis, almost involuntarily; "I fancied that I
recognized Mazarin himself."

The sergeant burst into a fit of laughter.

"He!" he cried; "he venture himself amongst us, to be hung! Not so
foolish as all that."

"Ah!" muttered Athos, "I may be mistaken, I haven't the unerring eye of
D'Artagnan."

"Who is speaking of Monsieur D'Artagnan?" asked an officer who appeared
at that moment upon the threshold of the room.

"What!" cried Aramis and Athos, "what! Planchet!"

"Planchet," added Grimaud; "Planchet, with a gorget, indeed!"

"Ah, gentlemen!" cried Planchet, "so you are back again in Paris. Oh,
how happy you make us! no doubt you come to join the princes!"

"As thou seest, Planchet," said Aramis, whilst Athos smiled on seeing
what important rank was held in the city militia by the former comrade
of Mousqueton, Bazin and Grimaud.

"And Monsieur d'Artagnan, of whom you spoke just now, Monsieur
d'Herblay; may I ask if you have any news of him?"

"We parted from him four days ago and we have reason to believe that he
has reached Paris before us."

"No, sir; I am sure he hasn't yet arrived. But then he may have stopped
at Saint Germain."

"I don't think so; we appointed to meet at La Chevrette."

"I was there this very day."

"And had the pretty Madeleine no news?" asked Aramis, smiling.

"No, sir, and it must be admitted that she seemed very anxious."

"In fact," said Aramis, "there is no time lost and we made our journey
quickly. Permit me, then, my dear Athos, without inquiring further about
our friend, to pay my respects to M. Planchet."

"Ah, monsieur le chevalier," said Planchet, bowing.

"Lieutenant?" asked Aramis.

"Lieutenant, with a promise of becoming captain."

"'Tis capital; and pray, how did you acquire all these honors?"

"In the first place, gentlemen, you know that I was the means of
Monsieur de Rochefort's escape; well, I was very near being hung by
Mazarin and that made me more popular than ever."

"So, owing to your popularity----"

"No; thanks to something better. You know, gentlemen, that I served the
Piedmont regiment and had the honor of being a sergeant?"

"Yes."

"Well, one day when no one could drill a mob of citizens, who began to
march, some wi