lord, and we will see."

"Take notice that you are shut up--captured."

"You well know, my lord, that there always remains to us a last
resource."

"What?"

"That of dying together."

Mazarin shuddered.

"Listen," he said; "at the end of yonder corridor is a door, of which
I have the key, it leads into the park. Go, and take this key with you;
you are active, vigorous, and you have arms. At a hundred steps, on
turning to the left, you will find the wall of the park; get over it,
and in three leaps you will be on the road and free."

"Ah! by Jove, my lord," said D'Artagnan, "you have well said, but these
are only words. Where is the key you speak of?"

"Here it is."

"Ah, my lord! You will conduct us yourself, then, to that door?"

"Very willingly, if it be necessary to reassure you," answered the
minister, and Mazarin, who was delighted to get off so cheaply, led the
way, in high spirits, to the corridor and opened the door.

It led into the park, as the three fugitives perceived by the night
breeze which rushed into the corridor and blew the wind into their
faces.

"The devil!" exclaimed the Gascon, "'tis a dreadful night, my lord.
We don't know the locality, and shall never find the wall. Since your
eminence has come so far, come a few steps further; conduct us, my lord,
to the wall."

"Be it so," replied the cardinal; and walking in a straight line he
went to the wall, at the foot of which they all four arrived at the same
instant.

"Are you satisfied, gentlemen?" asked Mazarin.

"I think so, indeed; we should be hard to please if we were not. Deuce
take it! three poor gentlemen escorted by a prince of the church! Ah!
apropos, my lord! you remarked that we were all active, vigorous and
armed."

"Yes."

"You are mistaken. Monsieur du Vallon and I are the only two who are
armed. The count is not; and should we meet with one of your patrol we
must defend ourselves."

"'Tis true."

"Where can we find another sword?" asked Porthos.

"My lord," said D'Artagnan, "will lend his, which is of no use to him,
to the Comte de la Fere."

"Willingly," said the cardinal; "I will even ask the count to keep it
for my sake."

"I promise you, my lord, never to part with it," replied Athos.

"Well, well," cried D'Artagnan, "this reconciliation is truly touching;
have you not tears in your eyes, Porthos?"

"Yes," said Porthos; "but I do not know if it is feeling or the wind
that makes me weep; I think i