ssion for a child of seven may
some day make him very unhappy. There is to be war in Flanders. He shall
go thither."

"And at his return you will send him to me. I will arm him against
love."

"Alas, madame!" exclaimed Athos, "to-day love is like war--the
breastplate is becoming useless."

Raoul entered at this moment; he came to announce that the solemn
entrance of the king, queen, and her ministers was to take place on the
ensuing day.

The next day, in fact, at daybreak, the court made preparations to quit
Saint Germain.

Meanwhile, the queen every hour had been sending for D'Artagnan.

"I hear," she said, "that Paris is not quiet. I am afraid for the king's
safety; place yourself close to the coach door on the right."

"Reassure yourself, madame, I will answer for the king's safety."

As he left the queen's presence Bernouin summoned him to the cardinal.

"Sir," said Mazarin to him "an emeute is spoken of in Paris. I shall be
on the king's left and as I am the chief person threatened, remain at
the coach door to the left."

"Your eminence may be perfectly easy," replied D'Artagnan; "they will
not touch a hair of your head."

"Deuce take it!" he thought to himself, "how can I take care of both?
Ah! plague on't, I will guard the king and Porthos shall guard the
cardinal."

This arrangement pleased every one. The queen had confidence in the
courage of D'Artagnan, which she knew, and the cardinal in the strength
of Porthos, which he had experienced.

The royal procession set out for Paris. Guitant and Comminges, at the
head of the guards, marched first; then came the royal carriage, with
D'Artagnan on one side, Porthos on the other; then the musketeers, for
two and twenty years staunch friends of D'Artagnan. During twenty he had
been lieutenant, their captain since the night before.

The cortege proceeded to Notre Dame, where a Te Deum was chanted. All
Paris were in the streets. The Swiss were drawn up along the road, but
as the road was long, they were placed at six or eight feet distant
from each other and one deep only. This force was therefore wholly
insufficient, and from time to time the line was broken through by the
people and was formed again with difficulty. Whenever this occurred,
although it proceeded only from goodwill and a desire to see the king
and queen, Anne looked at D'Artagnan anxiously.

Mazarin, who had dispensed a thousand louis to make the people cry "Long
live Mazarin," and w