"

"Sir, since you command the cavalry----"

"Pardon me, I am commander-in-chief."

"So much the better. You must know all your officers--I mean those more
distinguished."

"Why, yes, very nearly."

"Will you then kindly tell me if you have in your command the Chevalier
d'Artagnan, lieutenant in the musketeers?"

"No, sir, he is not with us; he left Paris more than six weeks ago and
is believed to have gone on a mission to England."

"I knew that, but I supposed he had returned."

"No, sir; no one has seen him. I can answer positively on that point,
for the musketeers belong to our forces and Monsieur de Cambon, the
substitute for Monsieur d'Artagnan, still holds his place."

The two friends looked at each other.

"You see," said Athos.

"It is strange," said Aramis.

"It is absolutely certain that some misfortune has happened to them on
the way."

"If we have no news of them this evening, to-morrow we must start."

Athos nodded affirmatively, then turning:

"And Monsieur de Bragelonne, a young man fifteen years of age, attached
to the Prince de Conde--has he the honor of being known to you?"
diffident in allowing the sarcastic Aramis to perceive how strong were
his paternal feelings.

"Yes, surely, he came with the prince; a charming young man; he is one
of your friends then, monsieur le comte?"

"Yes, sir," answered Athos, agitated; "so much so that I wish to see him
if possible."

"Quite possible, sir; do me the favor to accompany me and I will conduct
you to headquarters."

"Halloo, there!" cried Aramis, turning around; "what a noise behind us!"

"A body of cavaliers is coming toward us," said Chatillon.

"I recognize the coadjutor by his Frondist hat."

"And I the Duc de Beaufort by his white plume of ostrich feathers."

"They are coming, full gallop; the prince is with them--ah! he is
leaving them!"

"They are beating the rappel!" cried Chatillon; "we must discover what
is going on."

In fact, they saw the soldiers running to their arms; the trumpets
sounded; the drums beat; the Duc de Beaufort drew his sword. On his side
the prince sounded a rappel and all the officers of the royalist army,
mingling momentarily with the Parisian troops, ran to him.

"Gentlemen," cried Chatillon, "the truce is broken, that is evident;
they are going to fight; go, then, into Charenton, for I shall begin in
a short time--there's a signal from the prince!"

The cornet of a troop had in fact just ra